[Ethlyn finds that she can't totally refute that opinion, not in light of what happened in Agustria. It had taken so little time for Chagall to destroy everything his father--and his grandfather, and all of his family before that--had spent their lives building.

Still, a little ordinary council for an entire realm seems very risky. The strength of a council of elders is their their ability to come to an accord after discussion. With a country, with armies, sometimes a decision has to be made at once and without argument.]

I've unfortunately had some recent experience with a terrible king, so I can understand the desire to take the realm out of the hands of one person--at least, to have some way to remove a lord who uses his people badly--that is, a way that doesn't involve bloodshed.

But if your people believe in you still, why not try and live up to that? If you care for your people and work for them, not yourself, and they have confidence in your decisions, it sounds to me like you would be the right man for the job.