The Dawn of the Aurous Blade

~8~ Thrown to her Knees

The soldiers awed her, and Sophie awed them. A mutual surprise at the mere existence of the other.

"How did you-"

"That bird of yours. Or rather, dragon," Iphigenia answered, "He followed our scents to our hideouts, we saw him without you, and with a few strands of your hair in his mouth. We knew we had to act. He followed your scent here and we simply followed. And Amalia, I don't think you have looked past the Isle since these fuckers started attacking you, correct ?" Iphigenia asked.

Sophie shook her head and turned to where Iphigenia suddenly pointed. Deep in the city of Renisanca and even the villages surrounding the Isle riots were breaking out. Bloody, angry riots.

And The Senate was not the one starting them.

The last time Sophie saw her people was when she was carted around in that cage like a trophy. They wanted to help but remained chained by their hesitation and fear. But it seems like the fire of rebellion melted the metal of terror, breaking those chains again for the Inalian people.

"Listen to whose name they are crying." Iphigenia prodded, giving Sophie a small nudge. The names and chants were lost over mortal ears, but not Pancras ones. It had been a while since she had done the transformation, but she let calm settle over her. Her nails sharpened, and her teeth pointed. Her golden locks turned to ones of pure white. And the golden brown seeped from her eyes.

"For Amalia! For our Queen! For Amalia! For our queen!" Iphi squeezed Sophie's shoulders.
"You are their queen. The Queen of Assassins and more. A queen of the people. All you need is a fucking crown now, huh? And what nation of people lets the royal family die alone?"

Sophie swallowed her hesitation, turning to Iphi with a small smile. But Kassandra met her eyes first.
White hair, gold eyes, claws, and pointed teeth. Sophie realized she and Kassandra looked so similar, it was difficult to tell them apart now.
"I could see my blood running through you before, but now?" Kassandra's golden eye shone brighter, "The last of my bloodline." The queen murmured a bit to herself, gripping the crown tucked beneath her shoddy robes.

The crown was a key to the evil god coming for them all.
"We need to regain the advantage. We need to move further up the hills towards the edge of Inalian territory. We gain the higher ground, we can pick off the last ones bit by bit. Alexios will lead the mountain party. I will go to Renisanca." Sophie turned to Iphi, "If you want to use my face to inspire this revolution, then we need to get to the heart of it all. Let me speak to the Inalian people. Unite them all under one flag. Yours."

Sophie rambled, her mind putting the pieces of a new plan together. Iphi continued the thought, "Vincenzo will follow you more than Alexios. He can get Kassandra out, the people will see you and the revolution's fire will be stoked, and the people will finally give up on Vincenzo. Fully move to our side."

Sophie smiled in response.

A strained smile hiding the panic within, but a smile nonetheless.

"Wait, Amalia and I are splitting up? I don't think that-" Alexios was cut off by Kassandra, "Let her go. She will be making her speeches, kissing babies, and rallying the people while we will be doing the difficult stuff. Or, rather, you will." Kassandra walked to Sophie and grabbed her glass stress ball. Kassandra tapped on it twice, and it shrunk to the size of a marble.

"Consider this a spoil of war. Your victory after fighting these long hours alone with your brother. A good luck charm, if you wish." Sophie took the small purple and black marble, holding it to the light to see the small stars twinkling within it.
"I'm sure it will come in handy."
Kassandra's eyes grew wistful, "I'm sure it will."