This chapter was not proofread by our friend Knowledge Bear since he has experienced a loss in his life and is taking a break. He is one of my best friends and loves this story just as much as I do. Everyone, please wish him and his family well through this rough time, and remember to hug those you love :)
~
The awkwardness at the table was, if Sophie had to choose any word, agonizing. She sat on one side with Arsinoe and Darius, not touching her plate of stuffed grape leaves and seasoned fish. The gourmet scent wafting from her plate should've made her ravenous, especially after eating only military rations for the past four years. Arsinoe had some of the best cooks in the Vatarian world, after all. But her stomach's rumbling was a meek annoyance compared to the seething anger she directed at the Senate on the other side. To Vincenzo Esposita, who ate with an open mouth like a cow just to spite Sophie and the manners Maria drilled into her.
"Why am I here, your Highness?" Sophie asked through gritted teeth. Arsinoe looked up from cleaning her son's mouth to glance at the Senate with apprehension.
"They asked me to set up a meeting. They promised no harm would fall onto you if I did set it up."
Sophie snapped through gritted teeth, "And you believed them?!"
Arsinoe side-eyed the Assassin with a vicious warning, and Sophie quickly recollected herself.
"I am a leader, Amalia. A queen. Unlike you, I cannot afford to make enemies." Arsinoe sighed, returning to wiping her son's face.
"We can hear you two whispering over there." Vincenzo annoyingly shouted from the end of the table, lounging in his chair with a piece of grape leaf stuck in his beard.
Dear gods, Sophie would take the elven council over this.
"Why am I here?" Sophie started, just wanting to get poisoned or imprisoned by the Senate or go home already.
Senator Fausta gently tapped her napkin against her mouth, removing food that was not there, before smiling at Sophie.
"It has been a while since you have made land fall in our homelands. How was Inalia during your last visit?"
Sophie stared at the Senator like she had two heads.
"I... I'm sorry, are we remembering the same occurance? You all imprisoned me, chased me all across Inalia before Kassandra-"
"Amalia, I was being polite but I see it is a waste of time." Fausta cut Sophie off before she could even mention her crowning.
"It was a waste of time. Now, I don't know what we are doing having a nice little dinner here, but I am completely ready to fight my way out of this hall and disaper again-"
"You love Inalia, don't you?" Fausta's inquiry took Sophie by surprise.
"Yes? I love my homeland more than anything. Love my people enough that I am willing to fight people like you." Sophie gestured vaguely to the Senate, who all glanced at each other in mild offense.
Fausta did not look offended, however. She just smiled, "You may be surprised, but we love Inalia as well. And we want what's best for our homelands and our people. Just like you. We are not so different, Amalia."
Sophie raised an eyebrow, "You mean by allowing him," Sophie lifted her fork to point at Vincenzo, who smiled at the hatred in her eyes, "To run amok, you are proving your love? We all know his operations and the type of person he is. I am the only one who decided to do something about it. My family were the only ones who decided to do anything about any of it! The Neverseen, the corruption, the greed! The Morretti family line has been upholding justice for generations. Justice by any means necessary." Sophie spat that last part out specifically at Vincenzo, whose eyes flashes with unpleasantness. He remembers Maria cornering him just as much as anybody.
"And your little stunt with the Cardinal? That was justice? Or murder? You are assassins after all. You make it far more glamorous than it actuaclly is."
Sophie chewed the inside of her cheek before leaning back in her chair and reminding the Senator, "By any means necessary."
Fausta sighed through her nose and turned to another senator for help. This one was new compared to their allies. Sophie remembered their ceremony into office right before she left Inalia.
Senator Atlas raised their chin and clamped their hands together in front of them on the table. Atlas had shoulder-length curly hair with a cord of leather wrapped around their forehead. They had a strong jaw and soft dark blue eyes, which were always quiet but never meek. The sun didn't shine when they were elected into the Senate, despite the white chiton and gold laurel wreath they wore, two items that should've caught all the light in Inalia. Yet none shone on the new senator that day.
(Gustave Courtois, Dante and Virgil in Hell, ca. 1879)
"What my friends are trying to say is that we all hold the homeland very dear in our hearts, and right now our people are divided. You are familiar with the rebellion, yes?"
Sophie resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Yeah, they broke her out of the temple after the Senate's soldiers cornered her.
"Yes." Sophie curtly responded.
"They look up to you. Many of our people do. Many invoke your name when inciting the rebellion."
Sophie's eyes widened, "I had nothing to do with this rebellion, if you must know. I've been dealing with larger problems."
"We know, Amalia. Which is why we want you to help us stop this. To reunite Inalia in order to bring prosperity and peace amongst our land."
Even Arsinoe perked up at that. All the Senators looked to Atlas except for Vincenzo, who just narrowed his eyes.
Sophie leaned forward in her chair, her arms propped on the arms, "And how do you advise doing that?"
"The people saw the crown go on your head. They saw the ancient Queen crown you and you defend us against the Mirthless in the mountains. The people believe in us even less than before. But Amalia, you are no queen. We all know that. And Inalia is a democracy," Arsinoe snorted, knowing it was as much a democracy as pigs fly. Atlas pressed on, "But the Senate cannot work to improve our people and land with it divided like this. Work with us. Unite the Senate and this rebellion under one name and recitify our people."
Sophie couldn't believe what she was hearing. Join the Senate? The Senate has been corrupt since its making after the downfall of the Republic. Sophie's whole thing is taking people like them down, but they want her to join them?
"What are your conditions?" Sophie asked through gritted teeth.
"You and your family reside in Renisanca in the royal apartments near the senate buildings. You tell your navy, warriors, and assassins to put down their arms or join the Senate's forces. And, you publically announce to the people your loyalty to the Senate-"
"Yeah, I'm going to cut you off right then and there. You are out of your mind if you think I'm just going to throw everything I built just to quell a rebellion that you fools started. You need me a whole lot more than I need you." Sophie snapped. Senator Atlas narrowed their eyes, staring Sophie down.
"In case you fools forgot, I am doing a whole lot more to destroy the terroists that took over our home that you claim to love so much." Sophie glared at Vincenzo, "Doing a lot more than some of you."
Vincenzo glared back at her, his hand running down the scars Maria gave him all those years ago. Senator Fausta stood, "Miss Morretti I do not know what you are insinuating about my fellow senators-"
"We all know who he is! What he does! Yet you fools leave him on the Senate because you are scared of him. Fine, you want me to come back to Inalia to help fix your mistakes? Here are my conditions. I won't publically announce shit. You find a place for me and all my forces to continue our operations to defeat the Neverseen and the Black Swan, seeing as our ancient guildhouse is nothing but ash. And most importantly," Sophie pointed at Vincenzo Esposita, the murderer of the Moretti family name, "I want him gone."
And for the first time that night, worry plagued Vincenzo's face. All the Senators turned to him slowly, as if scared he will rip their heads off. Vincenzo hissed, "How dare you even consider this?"
Sophie grabbed her plate and cup of wine, her chair screeching behind her as she stood.
"I've listed what it will take. When you have your answer, you can ask Arsinoe to set up another little meeting." Arsinoe glared, clearly not happy about being the middleman. Sophie bows to the Egypitnat queen, "You highness."
Sophie began towards the exit, peeling open the grape leaves on her plate before calling behind her, "I'm keeping these, by the way!" Holding up her plate and cup. It was nice china, after all. Sophie missed eating off nice china.
Sophie was surprised when the call came the next day via one of Arsinoe's medjay. Sophie and Ricin landed in the same place that they did the day before. And before her was a serious senate who greeted her sternly.
Without Vincenzo Esposita amongst their ranks. Which meant it was time for Sophie to fulfill her end of the deal.
"I'll tell my men to start organzing and breaking down camp tonight."
And just like that, Sophie returns home.
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_Sibylline