Lamashtu took a deep breath to calm herself as she pushed a wheeled cart with a steaming pot of coffee and several mugs on it. She was making her way to speak with her son Tammuz.
"State your name and business with the new Devil!" rang out a French-accented voice. It was Louis-Gaston, the revolutionary leader and new President of the Senate. He stood just outside the door to the royal office.
"I'm Kimaris," said Lamashtu. "I'm bringing King Tammuz his coffee."
Louis-Gaston nodded. "Very good. Well, I must be off. I have to inform Gemyem Sandstorm that she no longer a senator OR the Baroness of Dysnomia."
Lamashtu honestly had zero problem with that. Senator Gemyem Sandstorm had always been vehemently anti-human and elitist. It was demons like Gemyem who had made the revolution possible.
Once Louis-Gaston was gone, Lamashtu stepped into the royal office. Behind the desk was Tammuz, a green-skinned demon with branch-like horns, hair made of leaves, and wings that looked like palm tree leaves. "Ah, good afternoon!" Tammuz said warmly. "Forgive me, was that too informal? I'm afraid I'm still very new to being a king." Tammuz sighed a little sadly. "It wasn't even my idea, really. I was just dragged from my room, and Louis-Gaston told me I was king now. I suppose I'll just have try to do my best."
Lamashtu dropped her magical disguise, becoming her usual lioness-headed self. "Tammuz, we need to talk."
"Mother?!" Tammuz gasped. "What are you doing in the palace?! You shouldn't be here; you're a hunted woman. Please, escape while you still can."
"No, this is important," said Lamashtu. "You and I both know this revolution is spiraling out of control. They've killed two of your aunts, your uncle, your cousin! Your grandparents are in a coma!"
"And their magic has been drained from them and given to Nergal," sighed Tammuz.
"Nergal's behind all of this, I'm sure of it!" said Lamashtu. "Everyone says Decree 13666 is mine, but I threw it out. Laz and Nergal passed it in my name. We need to do something!"
"What are you suggesting?!" Tammuz wailed. "I can't just arrest Nergal! He's too politically powerful now! He'd just have me killed and replaced with yet another Devil!"
"You're right," said Lamashtu. "We'll have to work within the system for now. So, what's your impression of this Louis-Gaston?"
"He's an idealist," said Tammuz. "He sincerely wants a better life for his fellow human-born. Unfortunately, he has a hot-blooded, vengeful streak. He wouldn't be so bad, but Nergal's directing his righteous wrath at all the wrong targets."
"Maybe we try to subtly drive a wedge between him and Nergal," said Lamashtu. "You know, plant seeds if mistrust between them. Try to find some evidence that Nergal is anti-human and show it to Louis-Gaston. You can also work on making some positive changes while you're the Devil. Like this!" Lamashtu pulled out Proposition 13667 and handed it to Tammuz. "Your Uncle Enoch wrote this, and I added that last article banning the rape of damned souls."
Tammuz read over the Hellish Bill of Rights. "This is everything I've been pushing for in the Senate since my election," he said. "I'd be honored to push for it as the Devil... not that I intend to remain the Devil."
"We'll need allies if we want to put your grandfather back on the throne," said Lamashtu. "Who can we trust?"
"Senator Eligos Swordsight," said Tammuz. "He's one of my pro-human allies in the Senate, as well as an old friend of Grandpa. As a retired general, he also knows a thing or two about military strategy if Nergal should revolt against me... which may happen once our dear Grand Chancellor and Chief of the Secret Police gets wind of this Bill of Rights. And then there's Senator Aym Flamewit. She's one of the most charismatic demonesses I've ever met, and she argued eloquently against Decree 13666 when it was still just a proposition."
"I'll meet with them," Lamashtu nodded. "For now, goodbye." She then resumed her disguise as Kimaris and left.