Mistborn #02 The Well of Ascension

someone that you honestly and sincerely think would make the finest king. If you have a nomination to make, you may stand and announce it to the rest of the group."
    Penrod nodded, returning to his seat. Almost as soon as he sat, however, one of the skaa stood. "I nominate Lord Penrod."
    Elend had to expect that , Vin thought. After nominating Penrod to be chancellor. Why give such authority to the man that he knew would be his greatest contender for the throne ?
    The answer was simple. Because Elend knew that Lord Penrod was the best choice for chancellor. Sometimes, he's a little too honorable , Vin thought, not for the first time. She turned to study the skaa Assemblyman who had nominated Penrod. Why were the skaa so quick to unify behind a nobleman?
    She suspected that it was still too soon. The skaa were accustomed to being led by noblemen, and even with their freedom, they were traditional beings—more traditional, even, than the noblemen. A lord like Penrod—calm, commanding—seemed inherently better suited to the title of king than a skaa.
    They'll have to get over that, eventually , Vin thought. At least, they will if they're ever going to be the people that Elend wants them to be .
    The room remained quiet, no other nominations being made. A few people coughed in the audience, even the whispers now dead. Finally, Lord Penrod himself stood.
    "I nominate Elend Venture," he said.
    "Ah. . ." someone whispered behind her.
    Vin turned, glancing at Breeze. "What?" she whispered.
    "Brilliant," Breeze said. "Don't you see? Penrod is an honorable man. Or, at least, as honorable as noblemen get—which means that he insists on being seen as honorable. Elend nominated Penrod for chancellor. . .."
    Hoping, in turn, that Penrod would feel obligated to nominate Elend for king , Vin realized. She glanced at Elend, noting a slight smile on his lips. Had he really crafted the exchange? It seemed a move subtle enough for Breeze himself.
    Breeze shook his head appreciatively. "Not only did Elend not have to nominate himself—which would have made him look desperate—but now everyone on the Assembly thinks that the man they respect, the man they would probably choose as king, would rather have Elend hold the title. Brilliant."
    Penrod sat, and the room remained quiet. Vin suspected that he also had made the nomination so that he wouldn't go uncontested to the throne. The entire Assembly probably thought that Elend deserved a chance to reclaim his place; Penrod was just the one who was honorable enough to voice the feeling.
    But, what about the merchants ? Vin thought. They've got to have their own plan . Elend thought that it was probably Philen who had organized the vote against him. They'd want to put one of their own on the throne, one who could open the city gates to whichever of the kings was manipulating them—or whichever one paid the best.
    She studied the group of eight men, in their suits that seemed—somehow—even more fine than those of the noblemen. They all seemed to be waiting on the whims of a single man. What was Philen planning?
    One of the merchants moved as if to stand, but Philen shot him a harsh glance. The merchant did not rise. Philen sat quietly, a nobleman's dueling cane across his lap. Finally, when most of the room had noticed the merchant's focus on him, he slowly rose to his feet.
    "I have a nomination of my own," he said.
    There was a snort from the skaa section. "Now who's being melodramatic, Philen?" one of the Assemblymen there said. "Just go ahead and do it—nominate yourself."
    Philen raised an eyebrow. "Actually, I'm not going to nominate myself."
    Vin frowned, and she saw confusion in Elend's eyes.
    "Though I appreciate the sentiment," Philen continued, "I am but a simple merchant. No, I think that the title of king should go to someone whose skills are a little more specialized. Tell me, Lord Venture, must our nominations be for people on the Assembly?"
    "No," Elend said. "The king doesn't have to be an Assemblyman—I accepted this position after the fact. The king's primary duty is that of creating, then enforcing, the law. The Assembly is only an advisory council with some measure of counterbalancing power. The king himself can be anyone—actually, the title was intended to be hereditary. I didn't expect. . .certain clauses to be invoked quite so quickly."
    "Ah, yes," Philen said. "Well, then. I think the title should go to someone who has a little practice with it. Someone