Chapter 221: The Voice of the People
The man behind the table frowned, his brow furrowing as he looked from Olly to Baba May and back again. He did not appear to be a bad man—merely a weary one, burdened with a task he had not devised and possessed no authority to alter.
"I apologise," he said, spreading his hands in a gesture of helplessness, "but those are the rules. I cannot change them. The only candidates who may be voted for are the suitor candidates."
Baba May tapped her walking stick against the cobblestones. The sound was sharp and insistent, demanding attention without requiring raised voices.
"And what if I have a favourite Moon candidate?" she asked. "What if I wish to cast my vote for her?"
Olly nodded as well, his arms crossed over his chest.
"Aye," he said. "That's exactly what I've been sayin'. The competition ain't just about the suitor candidates. There's Moon candidates too. Two of 'em now. So why cannae we vote for them? We ought to be free to choose."
