Till Death Do Us Part
Keretse Korovin tried not to look at the crowd. If he didn't look at their faces he could pretend they weren't all looking at him, he could be just another spectator. He just had to get through the declaration and swearing in. That was it. He stood freezing at a lectern on the steps of the old Belasirov Congress House in Aricyet, overlooking a sea of Kerbs, all bundled in warm layers, huddling together and waiting patiently despite the cold. He was wearing a thick coat over his suit and tie but his face felt like ice. Everyone had insisted they do this outside, where the people could see and call out to him, know him as a fellow Kerb. He agreed in concept, but the weather was unfortunate. He was pulled back to reality by the tolling of bells, it was time. A camerakerb further down the steps gave him a thumbs up.
"We're live sir!"
Keretse took a deep, frigid breath.
"My fellow Kerbs, before anything else I must thank you all. We have spent too long in the darkness, isolated from the rest of Kerbin, toiling in the fields for no greater purpose, and now we are on the brink of rejoining the choir of nations. None of it would be possible without you all, what started as a way for neighbors to help each other get by grew into this, and it would not have been possible without all of you. I have not done this, you have, with your hopes and dreams that drove you to work together, to lend a helping hand, to feed and clothe a stranger. It is that spirit, your spirit that will form the core of our new nation, and of that I could not be more proud."
The crowd was quiet. Keretse looked to the Kerbs standing a few steps down, there were dozens on dozens of them. Each of them held a massive scrapbook tome containing the signatures of thousands of Kerbs. This was the important part, the collective consent. The one thing that would give them legitimacy.
"Would the representative from Aricyet please step forwards."
The representative from Aricyet was also the mayor, he and Keretse had become close over the last year, commanding the effort to get representatives from across old Belasirov. He smiled at Keretse as he placed the tome on the lectern for him.
"I, Keretse Korovin, acknowledge the will of the people of Aricyet to enter into union and have a government formed in their name in accordance with the terms defined in the Proposal for Union."
The mayor took his tome and returned to the line.
"Would the representative from Artod please step forwards."
And on it went. Representatives from all across former Belasirov and Opia presented themselves, and Keretse read out the names of cities and villages. In town halls and old theaters entire communities gathered around antique television sets to watch as their representative stepped forwards. By the end of it Keretse swore he had stubble that wasn't there before. Now came the declaration. Keretse's heart raced, the whole time he had done his best not to look at the crowd, but he allowed himself a glance and was transfixed. A sea of Kerbs all looking up at him, hopeful and anxious for a new beginning. As he began to speak Keretse did not look away.
"I, Keretse Korovin, shall form a government in your name and at your mercy, to be the enactor of your will and your voice to the world. To provide you food and shelter, work and rest, and protection from harm. To defend your lives and freedoms, to provide you justice and assume you innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt. To care for you in sickness and in health. This I swear to you, to your children, and to their children, and so on until the end of time. This I swear to you on my honor, my life, and my immortal soul. So help me god I declare this by the Voley, by your will and consent, we have entered into union."
"Thank you my countrykerbs, it is done."
A sudden euphoria swept the crowd. Kerbs hugged and kissed and held up children. They wept and hollered. Hats were thrown in the air and a sea of blue and gold flags were being waved. They'd done it. They had a country again.