Don't cue music yet, lovelies.
~
Ruy tore off his tie, skidding to his office on the top tower. He body-slammed his door open, causing the poor maids to have a heart attack. The Black Swan, they were catching on to his work in the university! He had found the artifact months ago following a small lead. The Black Swan and the Neverseen were two of the same in Ruy's mind now.

He rustled around in his clusterfuck of an office before unearthing his minyama. The call rang three times before Keefe Sencen picked up. Keefe wore his teacher uniform, luckily on a break while all the Dunmer school children were on recess. Keefe actually hugged (yes hugged) Ruy when he offered the elf the position four years ago.

"Ruy?" Keefe snickered, "How can I help you, your royal highness?"

"The Black Swan, have you heard anything from them? Heard anything about them?"

Keefe blinked, "No, ever since what Leto did came to light, we all left the Black Swan, as did most of the other Black Swan members. They all disbanded."

"Okay, what about Juline? She was in the collective, right? Maybe she'll know?"

Keefe shook his head, "No, she left with the rest of us. Has mostly been working with the elven Council from what I hear. Ruy, what is going on?"

"We need to find them-" Ruy began to pace, rambling off, "I've been working too hard for all of this to go down the drain!"

"Okay, SLOW DOWN." Keefe snapped. Ruy quit his panicked rambling, and Keefe took a deep breath, "Did you see Leto? Is that what this is about?"

Ruy grimaced, "No? If I saw him, I would snap his neck. I was doing my normal rounds at the university, and I saw a swan carved under the anthropology door, the exact door where the artifact is."

Keefe stared in silence before hissing, "You found an artifact?! And you thought to keep it to yourself?! That's kinda important info!"

"Yeah, yeah, yell about it later. We need to move the artifact!"

Keefe opened his mouth to respond, but his classroom back door slammed open, and swarms of children stampeded into their classroom.
"Mr. Sencen, look what I made you! It's a mud pie from the dirt outside!" One of the children giggled, sliding the slop onto his desk. The child reached over his desk to look at the teacher's minyama. The kid was missing their two front teeth, and their horns were nothing more than knubs on her forehead. The little kid gasped,

"Is that the Prince? Are you friends with the prince? Tell him I think his hair is pretty! And his crown! And his-

"Romana, get back to your seat." Keefe sighed. Keefe turned to his minyama, "I will discuss this with you later."

"My mom says that if you talk to the royals like that, they'll chop your head off!" Another kid piped up.

"Kids, another word out of any of you, and I won't just tell you what the Great Gulon incident, but I'll force you to endure it! Great Gulon incident 2: Electric Boogaloo!" The kids gasped and screamed in horror, scrambling to their seats.

Keefe gave him a quick wave before the video snapped to a close. Ruy growled, throwing his Minyama aside.
This can't be good at all.

"Ruy?" Sarai's voice echoed from outside his door. Oh, he was absolutely not in the mood to talk to his mom right now. Sarai welcomed herself in any way, awkwardly fiddling with her fingers. They announced his engagement to Henrietta yesterday, and Ruy flew off the minute he was off that stage.

"Son, I know you are angry-"

Ruy flung open the door, "I'm not marrying that woman, Mom. I'm not."

Sarai fiddled with her fingers, "Can you just walk with me?"

Ruy apprehensively closed the door behind him and slowly walked with his mother down the tower, "Your brother will be king if your father passes."

Ruy didn't understand it for a while. He was the oldest; He should be next in line. But since he was bastard born, he wouldn't have any right to the crown unless his father declares otherwise. Ruy grew to respect and even be thankful that he wasn't the Crown Prince.

"Your brother, since he is crown prince, needs to marry royalty from another territory to strengthen our alliances. You, however, aren't required to marry royalty, just nobility. People have noticed that you have been sneaking off to do whatever it is you do, and they are worried you aren't devoting enough time-"

"Oh, you are shitting me." Ruy had been breaking his back for his people. He sneaks off to pursue the artifact in the Forbidden Cities and follow leads about the Assassins or Neverseen. He was a trained soldier and assassin before he was a prince. He needed to get out of the lifestyle every once and a while.

"I know, I know. But they don't see what we see. Henrietta is the sister of Zuberi. She needs to get married soon or the people will begin to talk! She is a high status noblewoman who will treat you well!" That last sentence made Ruy stop. He turned to Sarai with a suspicion, "You think this will make me move on from Sophie, don't you?"

Sarai pursed her lips, "Son, I know you say you have moved on-"

"Because I have! I barely think about Sophie anymore," Lie, "I barely think of the assassins," Another lie, "I barely think of anything beyond my crown!" Lies after lies after lies.

Sarai didn't believe him one bit. The fact that he sneaks away to hunt down leads and figure out this artifact in the Forbidden cities outright trumps the last sentence.

"Listen, we need to talk about something actually important. I was in the Forbidden Cities-"

Sarai went pale, "The Forbidden Cities?! Is that where you fly off to?"

"Yes, there and other places. Anyway, I saw a carved Swan beneath-"

"Ruy, you cannot just go running off to the Forbidden Cities! You are our prince. If you end up in danger-"

"Sarai, would somebody just listen to me!" His voice was slightly shaky at the end of his sentence.

"Ruy. Please. Stop running off and focusing on things that mean nothing. Just marry the girl." Sarai begged.

Ruy scoffed. Even his mom wouldn't listen to him. He shook his head, "I have more important things to deal with than some little noblewoman, Sarai." Ruy stomped back up to his tower, to his bed chambers rather than his office. He realized a few moments too late that he called her Sarai instead of mom. It sometimes hurt her feelings, Ruy figured a while ago.

He was too tired and scrambled to care.

He threw off his cloak, which revealed his human clothes. He shuffled into his armoire, feeling around for the secret panel, sliding it aside, and grabbing his other set of human clothes. He didn't know why, but he preferred his t-shirts and sweatpants to the loungewear of the Dunmer.

He dismissed his guards for the day with a quick flick of his hand and strode to his small studio. It was cramped but peaceful. The sun always streamed through the arched window just right to light up his work. Ruy glanced at the journal strewn with loose song pages tucked haphazardly into the parchment. He came in here mostly because no one was allowed to follow him. Not even Sarai.

He came in here to finish the newest sculpting project, a hand-sculpted clay ashtray for his father's birthday coming up in a few months. But instead, he tore a new piece of parchment and began scribbling the final few verses of a song. He wrote a few poetic words, then crumbled the page up and threw it over his shoulder. Wrote a few words, then threw them over his other shoulder.

His mind kept drifting to the Swan beneath the handle.
Why weren't people as worried as he was about the carved swan?

Sophie had her three generals in the war tent, gathered around the map on the massive table carved out of sandstone. The map was of MSU she plucked from an information board during the tour with Melody.
The anthropology department was marked with a big red star.

"Do I have to be here, ma'am?" James, her newly promoted pirate general, asked.

"You wanted to be a general, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but why would you need the navy?! They are still recovering and restocking from the tour through Chiranu. Denver is a landlocked territory-"

"The humans in America call them states-"

"Fine. A landlocked state. Why do I need to be here?!"

"Because if you are going to be a general of our lady Morretti, you must stay up to date on all actions in our campaign." Her Spartan General, Brasidas, piped up. His voice was deep and official. He was all business, all the time.

Nour turned to her with tired eyes. He was her right hand in place of Ruy and took his job very seriously. In this instance, he was also the Assassin general, even though Sophie remained the supreme leader of the assassins.

"Lia-"

"Mentore Amalia Morretti." Brasidas warned. Again, all business.

Nour grit his teeth, "Mentore Morretti," He pointedly spat at Brasidas, "Are you absolutely sure? Our resources are already spread very thin. This is just some hunch you have."

"I felt the pull of an artifact. Like I did with the glasses, Nour." He was with her when she discovered that artifact, after all.

Nour sighed, running a hand over his face, "Maybe we should send Maha? Maybe she will confirm your suspicion since she is an heiress as well."

Sophie shook her head, "She isn't as connected to the artifacts as I am."

Nour gave her a solemn nod, "We should send our assassins after this, I agree if you are that confident. But the Forbidden cities? Those are... risky. The universities are very protective of any little secrets they may have."

Sophie laughed a bit, "Dawound, are you worried our assassins are skilled enough? They have done far riskier missions. You and I amongst them."

Nour gave her a pointed sigh through his nose, "I'm talking about the humans. The Mirthless are seeping into the Forbidden cities. We were barely able to cover up the attack near the parking structure. Too much interaction with the Forbidden cities could reveal us."

Sophie crossed her arms, understanding where he was coming from. But this lead was too good.
"Just start with small scouting parties, come up with a plan." Sophie started. Nour still looked apprehensive, "If you think so... I'll trust you Lia. You lead the Assassins after all."

"Mentore Amalia Morretti!" Brasidas reminded again.

Nour spun on his heel, "I have known Lia since she was nothing but a meek girl thrown into a cell with Mansi and I. I can call her whatever I damn well want to."

Nour had been using his voice more now. However, it was often to voice his dislike of Brasidas and James. The three generals don't often get along. Sophie just dismissed them all with a wave of her hand. James and Nour strode out with little decorum, but Brasidas fell to a deep bow before striding out of the tent.

Kassandra strode into the tent after them, souring Sophie's mood. Kassandra held onto Alexios's arm for support on her feet. Alexios averted his eyes from hers. Kassandra favored Alexios the most out of all the Morretti siblings. She didn't bother to hide her favoritism. Sophie pretended like it didn't bother her. But it did.

"How can I help you, Kassandra?"

"We are going to Inalia. Would you like to come with us?"

Sophie froze, leaning back onto a chair as she pressed against her temple with one hand while the other gripped the arm of her seat. She didn't have time for this argument anymore!

"Kassandra, entering Inalia is a death sentence. The Morretti family is pasted on every wanted poster in Inalia. The civil war is rocking every little city and village in our territory. To enter Inalia it would take months of preparation."

"We have left the observatory untouched for too long." Kassandra argued.

"The observatory is fairly useless, Kassandra!"

"Useless?! That is your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-"

"Kassandra, please-"

"Great-great-great-great-great-great-"

"Okay, I get it! I do! Great aunt Waiyu made it, but Kassandra, the observatory didn't work. They aren't portals, they are just mirrors that can open possible communication to Mephala's agents. It only worked with you a couple times four years ago. Why on earth would we need to contact Eira or, gods forbid, Elrond?!"

Kassandra straightened, "This isn't a choice, Lia. You can come with Alexios and I to Inalia? Or, you can stay here and continue to twiddle your thumbs."

Sophie's head darted to Alexios, who scratched the back of his neck, "I tried to convince her out of it Lia, I really did."
Her useless brother. Sophie grumbled,  "I'm really not going to talk you out of this, am I?"

Kassandra's face softened, "Please, Amalia."

"Why do you even need to visit the observatory that badly?" Sophie asked.

Kassandra opened her mouth, then closed it. "Please." That was all she said.

Sophie glanced at the sun, which was beginning to set. Kassandra wasn't healthy enough to teleport to Inalia via crystals or other travel methods besides a good old-fashioned boat and horse. It would take them a few days. Her face was everywhere in Inalia. The heart of the revolution used her family as martyrs to show the cruelty of the Senate. The Senate wanted her dead. Anyone with the Morretti last name is hunted in Inalia.

But Kassandra said please. She was pleading. Not once in the past four years of working with her did Sophie hear her say please in such a meaningful manner.
Sophie straightened, "Only a small party. Two Spartans, three assassins, and us. They trail us, so we don't draw suspicion. Any indicating features of any of us is hidden. We do it slow and steady, and if I say we leave," Sophie glared at Kassandra, "We. Leave. Got it?"

Kassandra gave her a small smile but waved off her niece's aggression, "Of course."
Sophie gritted her teeth, "This better be worth it, Kassandra."

Cue music :)
They were lucky Alvar wasn't with the Assassins anymore; otherwise, he would've puked over the side and fallen off the ship by now. The sky and sea gods were angry this week. Kassandra gripped her bed frame as they were all thrown about their cabin.

"What in the gods' names is going on up there?!" Alexios yelled over the roaring winds and sloshing water rattling against the porthole window. Sophie gasped as she lost grip of Alexios's shoulder. She was thrown against the bookshelf, her shoulder barking in pain.
"I knew this trip was a mistake,"  Sophie wobbled with the rocking ship, making her way to the slamming door that opened and closed with thunderous cracks against its frame.

"Stay here! I'm gonna see if I can help!" She shouted to her family. Kassandra raised her hand to try and stop her but was unable to fight against the rocking ship, "It isn't safe! Lia, stay here!"

Sophie gripped the fraying ropes holding the cargo in the hold, praying they wouldn't snap and cause dozens of barrels to fall on her head.

She slammed her shoulder against the door that led to the deck. The wind slammed it shut, a vicious stream blowing between the cracks. Her hair flew back with the force of the wind now screaming through the door. Sophie filled her veins with divine light. Her veins flickered blue. With a piercing cry, her fist connected with the wood and launched it from its hinges.
Pirates scrambled above deck, strapping down cargo, wringing out ropes, raising and closing sails at the captain's orders.
James fought against the storm at the helm, his eyes widening when he saw the Keeper of the People wobble over to him.

"What do you need from me!?" She screamed over the wind.
James was about to respond but rapidly swung the wheel as lightning screamed down from the sky and struck the side of the boat.

"Fuck! Mentore, redirect the lightning! We can't take that many more hits!" James pointed to the fire sprouting from the ship's side, even in the pouring rain.
Lightning. Oh, she can do lightning.
Sophie traversed back to the ship's center, clinging onto the mainmast. The boat rocked as if it was dancing on a line of death, bitter saltwater breaking over the edges and wiping men out or even completely overboard. James was too busy dodging the lightning to try and dodge the massive waves tearing apart the boat.

"CAN YOU CHILL THE FUCK OUT?!" Sophie screamed to the sky, hoping Kynareth would hear her.
The storm roared in response as if to say,"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"

Sophie let go of the mast when she saw the thunderous gray blanket above them crackle with blue and purple.
"Here it comes!" James cried over the rain and vicious ocean. Sophie raised her palm to the sky, her face going still. The rain around her turned into nothing but tiny little trickles against the skin of her sailors.

Sophie Elizabeth Foster can do a whole lot more than lightning.

"Hold onto something and don't let go!" She screamed, her voice scratchy. The pirates all dropped their sail riggings and quit chasing after rolling cargo the grab the nearest thing to them.
When the Keeper opened her eyes, they flickered entirely blue and purple. Her lips parted to reveal her gritted teeth, blue bolts skittering over the top of them.
The largest bolt the modern world had ever seen tore from the clouds above towards the Keeper, who held steady like a rod homing the fierce fire towards her and only her.
The lightning hit directly into the center of her palm, light flashing over the top of the ocean and sky like a beam of pure sunlight. Her hair looked white in the raging lightning glare, her eyes vicious as she focused every thought into becoming a conduit. Nothing more but a vessel for the power to pass through. She was lightning, and lightning was her.

With her other hand, she raised her palm flat against the sky. The thick roiling clouds above her cracked with thunder, more rain pouring down upon them despite Sophie fighting against it.
With a scream, she sent the bolt past her left arm, over her shoulders, and out her right palm.
The lighting tore through the clouds like a cleaver sawing clean through them to the night sky above.
But that was just one lightning bolt.
Sophie raised one palm and directed with the other. She was practically eating the lightning and spitting it back out. She whipped lightning about her, halting the rains and slowing the winds.
But Sophie is only the heiress to the goddess of the sky, not the ocean.
Sophie lost her balance as a wave slammed against the starboard side, throwing her into the railing of the curving staircase. The wind picked back up to its inhumane speed, as did the downpour. The wind left her lungs, her head banging against the banisters. Blood pooled down her forehead.
But she didn't stop redirecting those bolts.

The ocean cracked and boomed around them, and the Keeper was beginning to get tired.
It was only then that James saw the distant swing of the Inalian lighthouse on the coast.
"We are almost there! HOLD ON!" He made a hard left.

Sophie gasped and tried to grapple onto some loose rope to stay onboard. She screamed as her knees hit the edge of the deck, her arms scrambling for purchase.
A hand gripped hers.
The Iron Empress gritted her teeth and pulled her niece back on deck, "I gotcha! I gotcha!"

"What are you doing above deck?!"

"I'm not going to let you fight nature alone, Amalia!" Kassandra shouted over the chaos.

James had never sailed along the Inalian coast. However, he was skilled enough to know about the rocks on the southern side of the coast. He spun and spun at the wheel, forcing the ship to pivot against the rocky shore.
Rocks and waves. It was a deadly duo.

Sophie knew what happened next when a final gust of wind blew against their sails that shouldn't be up in the first place.
Sophie stared in terror as the Inalian cliff spiraled towards her. Kassandra gripped her niece's shoulders and pivoted. The queen took the cliff to the back instead of Sophie.
The next thing Sophie knew, she was under the water of cerulean blue with Kassandra's blood spreading like ink on a page atop her.
Gritting her teeth, Sophie looped her arm around her aunt's shoulders and yanked her towards the surface. Air bubbled out of her nose, her hair floating weightlessly behind her and meshing with Kassandra's own long locks. Sophie broke the surface with a gasp, paddling and trying to keep her and Kassandra afloat. The Iron Empress's blood was pooling fast. If she dies, Mephala would be released upon the world once again.

"Shit-SHIT!" Sophie spun around her, watching as her best ship crashed against the rocks, pulverized to nothing but splinters and planks.

"Alexios!" Sophie yelled, keeping Kassandra's arm draped over her shoulder as she treaded precariously in the rocking sea,

"ALEXIOS!"
There was no way her darling brother would be able to hear her over the vicious winds, cracking waves, and shredding of their ship.
Sophie watched a shadow overcome her and Kassandra behind, whipping her head around to watch a wave pummel them into submission once more.

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