-- But let's be specific.  After all, "once upon a time" doesn't help anyone who's reading the history.

In the fifteenth century since the founding of the Neutral Order of History-Monks, in the nation of Marilpays in the territory of Iliron, the people were displeased with their king.

Now earlier, they'd march on his castle to try to convince him to abdicate.  Maybe it would've even come to war, but a king who was willing to answer that with war was someone who wasn't fit to be king.

More recently, since the Flowering Era when (in most of the world) nations had become unlinked from territories, the people might've just abandoned the nation for another.  People did that a lot when they individually were displeased with things, and they didn't even have to move.  But this time, a whole lot of people had become displeased at the same time.  And this was the modern day, where constitutional theory had developed fallback upon fallback.  Even though Marilpays had chosen to have a king, they had kept up with the discourse.  They also had a Constitution.  A plaint had been duly sworn and subscribed invoking that Constitution against the King, so there would be a debate and a referendum.

Young Jenwy sits in the back of the civic hall.  Her parents were up there listening to yet another speaker repeat something about the dangerous Triennial Heresy or something.  But she was too young to vote, and she'd already made up her mind how she would vote.  King Iflet was her king; she wouldn't turn him out.

She glances up from her book when someone else scoots a chair over next to her.

It's a boy about her age - with a coronet on his head.  He isn't wearing a nametag, but he's got a brass ring on his shirt that might be playing the same role.  He half-stands and gives what might be a deep nod or a shallow bow before sitting back down.

(Of course he doesn't say anything; after all, she's reading.)

Well, if he's going to be that formal, Jenwy guesses she should be too.  At least it'd keep out any awkwardness.  She carefully puts the bookmark in her book and bobs a quick curtsy.  "Hi; I'm Jenwy."

(She suits action to words by slipping her nametag out of her pocket and back into the loop on her blouse.)

It's only then her mind catches up with her eyes and she remembers the boy's coronet might not be a game!  The ring might be a name-symbol for a crown!  Doesn't King Iflet have a son?

"Hail well-met; I'm Areli.  The Prince.  What're you reading?"

It is!

"Oh, just a story about some explorers in the Early Flowering."  She stammers through trying to explain the story before giving up and just showing the cover to Prince Areli.

(He nods and says he's read the book too.)

"But really," she says, "I wish I wasn't too young to vote!  He's the King, after all!"

Areli nods.  "But it's the Constitution, too.  Even kings can make mistakes."