Free The Catbyrd Seat by Emmanuel Sullivan

and bravery. I believe his intentions to be honorable and true, and I like that.”
    “I might be old and frail,” said Nine Lives. “But I'm not an idiot. I know what kind of ruler Whiska is like, and I turn a blind eye to it because I am too set in my ways to change, and because I don't care enough about the mice to do so. I have always been worried about them rising up, rebelling, deciding they don't want the monarchy anymore. This is why I'm concerned about you, Mr. Byrd,” he admitted. “My main reasons for disliking you are entirely selfish.”
    “It's gracious of you to admit that,” said Mr. Byrd. “But I can assure you that no one will rise up against the monarchy in the event that I did win the position of Prime Minister. You are a good King, and I will make sure everyone knows that. I give you my word.”
    “Samantha, do you take him at his word?”
    “I do, father. I think we can trust him.”
    “Well then, I give you my word in return,” said the King. “That the elections will go ahead as planned, and that they will be fair, open and untouched by corruption.”
    ***
    On the way back to HQ to update the rest of his team on the meeting, Mr. Byrd was in high spirits. He had been released from prison and cleared of charges and now, Nine Lives had ensured fair elections. Things were finally starting to look up for him.
    He was unaware of what Whiska and Strip had been planning that very afternoon. While his important meeting with the King had been taking place, the wheels were already in motion for their next cunning trick to sway support away from Mr. Bryd and back towards the cats.
    As he walked past the park, however, he saw the evidence with his own eyes.
    A large banner had been set up on a stake though the grass, and a group of mice were gathered around it reading.
    “VOTE WHISKA,” it screamed in big black capital letters across the top and then, underneath, “JOIN THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST MR. BYRD AND GET FREE FRUIT GATHERING ON THE PRIME MINISTER'S PRIVATE LAND FOR LIFE.”
    Mr. Byrd's heart sank. It was clearly a big talking point among the mice, and some of them seemed very excited about it as they chatted among themselves. It was a tempting offer, and one that Mr. Byrd could hardly hope to compete with.
    Despite the success of his meeting with the King, he still felt downhearted when he returned to HQ and explained to the others both the bad news and the good news.
    “It's okay,” Piggles reassured him. “You leave the campaign side to us. We'll do some canvassing and talk to the mice.”
    “Yeah, not all of them are going to be taken in by this,” said Cociel.
    “Whiska could be lying,” Davetil pointed out.
    “He almost certainly is, Dad!” cried Cociel.
    He kept him momentum high with his dad.
    “You're too lenient with him. You take everything he says as fact.”
    “I definitely always used to,” he admitted.
    “And I tell you he's definitely lying.” Cociel demanded.
    This is just a ploy to get more votes. There's no way he'll allow mice access to his private land. He'll offer them all kinds of glorious promises and then snatch them away again. He has no intention of delivering them. We just have to make the mice realize that. There's been plenty of other times he's promised things and then not delivered. At least we have examples to cite.”
    “Yes, you just go home and rest,” said Tails.
    “Definitely,” said Piggles. “You've had a difficult twenty four hours and you need to get your energy back for the rest of the campaign.”
    “I need to open up my bookshop again tomorrow,” said Mr. Byrd. “I'm not going to let it just slide by. Business is business, after all.” He said goodbye to his loyal and trusted friends, and flew off back to the Kingdom and to a good and well-needed night's sleep.
     

Six
    The next morning, Mr. Byrd opened up the shop as planned, and was looking forward to a day among his books. That was until his first customer walked in at half