These people found several ways of coping with their situation. Some of them abruptly decided to move to another land where their wealth and wisdom would gain them respect instead of a dagger in the throat. Others decided to resign their offices, hoping that would be sufficient to remove them from Shammara’s consideration. Yet others decided to become inconspicuous and inoffensive so they would not come to Shammara’s attention. All these people decided to wait for Prince Ahmad’s return, hoping that his presence in Ravan would counterbalance Shammara’s evil maneuvers.
Thus it was that most of Shammara’s work was done for her without the need for further bloodshed. As she’d hoped, one dramatic gesture at the beginning of her coup had so frightened her opposition that additional gestures wer
