(( I'll be continuing on this, but I assume getting out of Valencia would require a roll? And if any other players would wish to maybe step in and do something, then the oportunity is there. ))
Unable to find a horse that could climb walls or walk on water, the only way out of the city while riding such a beast was to charge through one of the gates during the rare moments they were opened for supply carts. During these times though, the gates are heavily guarded, and any attempt to charge through would surely result in being riddled with bullets.
* * * * *
((Private))
Joan leaned back in his seat, letting himself relax after hours of hashing out a new Assembly. After he had finally gotten Ferran to cooperate, the Crown Prince had proven an invaluable help. Admittedly, their final draft was not what Joan had hoped for, but Ferran had calmly provided logical reasons for his every suggestion. Under that lazy exterior was a shrewd man that knew what he was doing.
The Regent read over the draft again, still feeling bothered by one thing. "I still say we should increase the number of appointed seats. They are our best way of ensuring a loyal Assembly."
"That will only backfire," Ferran said. "The appointed seats have been a point of contention since their creation. If you truly wish to remove this threat that this false Assembly presents, you must make the new Assembly exactly the same as the old one. They cannot continue to protest against you without appearing as hypocrites when you give them the exact same Assembly they had back. You must ensure the loyalty of the Assembly with other laws, not by altering its composition."
"We should at least remove the 92 provincial seats. We don't even have 92 provinces anymore. It seems a waste of time and effort to have to create a second arbitrary layer of electoral districts that shift every time a new province is added or removed."
"That problem can always be addressed later. The Assembly could be adjusted if its members agree with you," Ferran said. "As I said before, your best chance of defusing this situation is to make the Assembly exactly the same."
Joan tapped his fingers against his desk, mulling things over. "I suppose with the new vetting procedures, we can at least ensure those with questionable loyalty are not allowed in Parliament."
"So we are agreed, then?"
The Regent spent a moment thinking things over again. His instincts told him that the Assembly must be changed, but he needed the Crown Prince on his side at the moment. He supposed, if it came down to it, the Assembly could be adjusted later to make it more malleable. Serious vetting procedures would have to do for now.
"Indeed, we are," Joan said. "I suppose we have a declaration to make."
* * * * *
His Highness, Regent Joan de Trastámara, and His Highness, Crown Prince Ferran de Trastámara, hereby announce that the Parliament Act of 1816 shall be reinstated and the Assembly recreated under its previous form. Elections shall be held at the end of the year, with the Assembly to convene at the start of 1836. All groups or individuals who refuse to acknowledge the legitimacy of this parliamentary body and the Crown's authority to create it will be deemed traitors to the Crown.
His Highness, Regent Joan de Trastámara, and His Highness, Crown Prince Ferran de Trastámara, also wish to announce the passing of the Clarification of Elected Positions Act, to be instated into law immediately with this declaration.
The Clarification of Elected Positions Act
I. All elected officials within Hispania, both inside and outside of Parliament, are considered representatives of the people within their jurisdiction, granted their position by the authority of the Crown.
II. All elected officials within Hispania, both inside and outside of Parliament, are expected to fairly represent the interests of their constituents to the Crown, and are expected to carry out their duties on behalf of both their constituents and the Crown.
III. It is the responsibility of the Crown to ensure that all elected officials will properly represent the interests of their constituents by ensuring their loyalty is only to their constituents and the Crown.
a) Any group or individual with known ties to criminal organizations or criminal records of their own shall be ineligible to run for any elected position within Hispania.IV. If any constituents believe that their elected official is not representing their interests or the interests of the Crown, they have the right to petition the Crown to request that an by-election be held to select a new elected official.
b) Any group or individual that expresses or publicizes anti-monarchy or pro-republican sentiment shall be ineligible to run for any elected position within Hispania.
c) Any group or individual deemed by the Crown to present a threat to public order or the Hispanian people shall be ineligible to run for any elected position within Hispania.
d) If there is any doubt as to whether any group or individual fits in any of these categories, it is up to the discretion of the Crown to determine whether said group or individual is eligible to run for any elected position within Hispania.
a) It is at the discretion of the Crown whether said by-election will be held and whether the current candidate is deemed ineligible to run for any further elected positions.
b) If over 50% of constituents petition the Crown to request a by-election, then one must be held for the contested elected position. It is still at the discretion of the Crown whether the current candidate is deemed ineligible to run for any further elected positions, including the contested elected position.