(There is a reference in here! Hope you enjoy)

Alexios and Sophie launched off the beams, silently clinging and maneuvering down the sides of the wall, clinging onto the scaffolding and sculptures, glancing at the two leaders. Both Sophie and Alexios didn't wear their standard armor. Sophie hasn't even looked at the armor and sword she was... given, when Kynareth claimed her. She hasn't touched her grandmother's armor either, she hasn't touched it since she removed the armor before the battle in favor of her white robes.

During this trip, she wore Grecian styled armor, the ones liked the most, and it wasn't exactly meant for Assassin usage. It was just your typical Inalian armor with an Assassin flare. It was a white chiton that was secured with extra fabrics covering the skirt and a dark hood covering her head attached to her leather harness underneath her silver chest plate. Sophie secured her red sash around her shoulders, a Morretti family crest forged onto the clasp, securing it to her shoulders. Her father's gauntlet's glinted alongside the armor, including a few daggers tucked in the slats and folds of the fabric and her bow on her back. She wore traditional open-toed knee-length sandles, silver shinguards secured around them. It was standard Inalian wear, meant from the warlike times of Inalia long ago.

Alexios wore a similar armor piece, a traditional chiton covered with fabric and armor pieces, a dark blood red hood covering his eyes.

Everyone looked around the temple, squinting at the darkness. Arsinoe fiddled with her royal cuff on her arm. Queen Arsinoe's golden tan skin glinted in the moonlight, contrasting her curly pitch black hair that was in a fascinating up do atop her head. Her eyes weren't the traditional style of blue, they had the base of turquoise, but the closer you got to her pupils, they turned a brilliant shade of silvery white-ish blue, piercing through whatever they looked at. Her neck and ears were decorated with heavy jewelry of pure silver, jade, sapphire, gold, ruby- any jewel you imagine set into silver and gold chains and cuffs.

She wore a solid white dress that folded around her bust, folding towards the back and reconvening around her hips with stitches of silver thread, revealing her golden stomach. On her belly, over the plane of her abdomen, was her Royal family crest. It wasn't like the Morretti family crest, obviously. Sophie and Alexios's family crest was one of Inalia, not Egypitnat. Arsinoe's family crest was of three-pointed pyramids, mysterious ancient hieroglyphics; only the royal family knows the meeting behind were inked at the bottom of the triangles in her flesh. A simple line at the tips of the pyramids connected them, and at the top, there was another mysterious hieroglyph. Lines connected with others, creating a geographic masterpiece.

Around her upper arm was a snake cuff of solid silver and gold, a blood-red ruby set into the eyes, and was definitely the most essential part of her closet.

The Cuff of the Royal Family in Egypitnat.

She wore a plain brown cloak over her royal outfit, smartly not wearing her crown. She must have struggled to try to navigate her streets without being recognized as the Queen.

Fang Guanyu was much quieter compared to her, but just as elegant. He wore a black swath of fabric, traditionally folded in front of him with a deep blue rope wrapped around his waist, deep blue and silver embroidering along the edges of the shirt lapels and cuffs. The upper garment was low wrapped, revealing his muscled chest and the various scars decorating it. Beneath his short coat was a pair of dark blue trousers that scrunched at his mid-calf. He wore a pair of thick riding boots, still covered with dried mud. He must have just arrived a few hours before Sophie.

His long hair was neatly tucked in a half updo behind his head, secured by a jade clip. He wasn't pale per se, his skin had a slight tinge of the sun in it, most likely from his travel to Egypitnat. His long and clean-shaven face was quiet, handsome, but stern. Unmovable and always calculating. His family crest is what really terrified Sophie about him, in all honesty. A mighty roaring dragon inked along the entire side of his face in midnight black. At the feathered tip of the dragon's tail, was a Chrinau symbol, but like Arsinoe's symbols, Sophie couldn't recognize them. The natural polygot powers of the Vatarians only applied during verbal language, written language you had to learn the old fashion way.

"Do you think they are here already?" Queen Arsinoe asked Fang Guanyu. Sophie opened her mouth to respond, but Alexios slapped his hand over her mouth, shaking his head. Sophie gave him a perplexed look, but he pointed to the two leaders, at their intertwined hands.

Sophie's jaw dropped, and made a small noise against Alexios's hand that sounded a lot like "Huuaagghhh?!".

Arsinoe and Fang Guanyu whipped their heads to where they were hiding as they clung on the sides of the wall, but they were too high up and the shadows from the pitch-black Egypitnat night hid them too well. Fang Guanyu and Arsinoe glanced at one another, whispering in hushed tones.

"They aren't here yet." Fang Guanyu's guard said, his voice booming. Sophie and Alexios smirked to one another, and Sophie held back laughter as her brother winked at her, and flipped over to one of the massive stone statues, a giant basket in the cold carven hands filled to the brim with golden offerings to the gods. Alexios dramatically draped himself into the basket, placing one of the silver tiaras on his head as he flipped the different metal coins through his fingers, and cleared his throat.

The Guards were the first ones to react, their bowstrings pulled, and weapons ready to throw at the sound while pushing their leaders behind them. The moonlight finally shone wholly through the windows, and Alexios was lit up in the basket in gentle rays of stained light from the windows.

Dramatic as ever.

Alexios had the stupidest smirk ever as everyone gaped at him casually lounged in the god's basket. His hood shadowed his face, only showing his sharp stubbly jaw with the lips that knew exactly what to say and when.

"So, I see you two have finally decided to stop your sidelong glances and distant longing," Alexios said as an introduction, not looking up from the coins flittering in his fingers.

Sophie held back her laughter as all of them gaped up at Alexios, and she shimmied around the walls, tucking herself under an archway into the hallway and waited.

Arsinoe was the first one to gather her composure.

"You do know that basket is one of the many vessels to carry the sacrifices to the gods? The gods might pluck you out of the sacrifices and hold you as one of their mortal captives." Arsinoe spat, adjusting the folds on her gold and white gown.

Alexios finally met their eyes, and his smile turned predatory.

"I don't think the gods will mind my company at all," he said, his voice smooth and deep, making it clear in which way the gods would enjoy his company.

Sophie rolled her eyes as he said that. His pride knows no bounds.

The guards looked flabbergasted as he said that, amazed and somewhat shocked that he spoke so plainly of the gods.

"I have to admit, I'm curious," Fang Guanyu started, "How did you get into the city? With the meeting about to commence, we have all brought our best guards, it would have been nearly impossible to sneak into the city."

Sophie stepped out of the hallway with that, her elegant footsteps gently echoing through the temple. Her hood was pulled over her face as well, the only thing the guards could peer at were her painted red lips and golden jaw, just as sharp as her brother's, who smirked as she stepped out of the shadows. She swayed her hips, held her shoulders, back, and her hands were casually at her sides, so close to her weapons that in the blink of an eye, she could slip one out and slay anyone she wished.

She didn't, but they knew that she could.

Poised, elegant death. That is what she was to the world, and that was what she was going to portray. It came easily to Sophie, the casual killing stride and persona, it was one of her favorites to play.

Fang Guanyu and Arsinoe watched as she slipped out of the shadows like she was liquid night, their eyes widening as they took her in. She wasn't Amalia, the quiet woman who lives in her family home in Grecia. She wasn't Sophie, the lost moonlark- She was the Assassin Queen, and they better know it, for their own good.

"Oh come now, Guanyu, you weren't underestimating our talents again, were you?" Sophie chuckled, her voice smooth and deadly. Sophie wasn't like her brother, whose honeyed words and handsome face could get them out of any trouble or anybody into his bed. She was quiet, intimidating, allowing people to wonder and fear her. While Alexios was about charisma and seduction, Sophie excelled in intimidation and deceit.

Fang Guanyu and Arsinoe swallowed as they took Sophie in, the new Assassin Mentore, living up to her father's legacy.

"You got our messages, it seems."

Sophie chuckled, checking her perfectly manicured nails.

"Yeah, I did. A little short notice, don't you think?"

"We needed to get this meeting arranged fast, it was more than just the Vatarian Cities in danger."

Sophie glared at the from under her hood, her golden-brown eyes hidden under her hood. "Do you mean to tell me you have begun to think about more than just yourselves?" She joked.

Fang Guanyu rolled his eyes, but Arsinoe laughed, "Don't forget who turns a blind eye to your little Assassin branch in my city."

Sophie made a dramatic bow, "Why, how could I ever forget the Vatarian Queen who practically begged my guild to set up a branch in her city so she could know about the secrets whispered in her own streets. How could I ever forget the Queen that doesn't know beyond the nobility washing she was raised with and needed to establish a secret Assassin branch to help her keep a steely grip on her own lands?" Sophie recounted.

Fang Guanyu glanced at Arsinoe as a smirk graced her cheeks. She was silent for a moment longer before putting a gilded gold hand on her hip, "You know, when I first met you two years ago, I thought you were a real bitch." Arsinoe spat.

"Oh? And what changed your mind?" Sophie asked quietly, smoothly.

Arsinoe merely shrugged, fiddling with her jade rings, "Oh, nothing changed. I just grew to like that about you." She smiled.

Sophie chuckled and watched as Alexios lazily threw the coins back into the basket, not before tucking one or two up his sleeve, and hopped out, landing near the waiting guards. Alexios gave them a terrifying smile as he casually plucked the crown off his head and threw it above them with ease, the golden crown landing in the basket with a plunk.

Fang Guanyu watched silently as Sophie neared them both, hugging Arsinoe. Her guards clearly didn't like the fact that a known assassin was so close to their Queen, but Arsinoe gave them a look to knock it off.

"Your friendship is one of the most fascinating things I have ever seen." Fang Guanyu muttered. Arsinoe piped up, "It is a friendship of both beneficial business transactions and multiple shared bottles of wine." She casually waved her hand. Fang Guanyu shook his head and looked at Sophie.

"Where are they?" Fang Guanyu asked quietly.

Alexios started to get the large book and papers out of his pack, but Sophie gave him a hard glare from under his hood, telling him to hold it.

"How did you know about them? Both the book and the plans?" Sophie asked, not bothering to tell them they don't have it.

"You aren't the only one with spies, Mentore Amalia. I was the one who heard about the blueprints. You weren't exactly quiet about having them during the battle of Foxfire. Once you and your company left the elven cities, a couple of my men grabbed some of those Neverseen morons you left around. We got the answers out of them."

Sophie looked nonchalant and bored even, but under her hood, her eyes flashed with unpleasantness. She shouldn't have been so careless to leave leftover Neverseen members around.

"They spoke that you had unspeakable power during the battle as well," Fang Guanyu added, slipping it in like poison. Sophie was still listening to them with her casual swagger, but the way her jaw clenched quickly under her hood before melting away made it clear she wasn't going to give them any answers about it.

"The book information came from me." Arsinoe shrugged. Sophie glared at Arsinoe, who merely shrugged again.

"We may be friends, Amalia, but I do need to stay up to date, and I can't let you do whatever you want. I heard that there was a commotion at that little Elven school Exuillium a while back, and sent some spies to look into it. It seems, some unknown hooded figures were seen making a daring escape right as the students were entering the school. After a deep investigation of the school, it was later discovered that nothing was stolen besides a mysterious book from their libraries. A bit of... persuasion, and we learned that it was written in some language they didn't understand, but it was all about these horrible flesh-eating monsters." Arsinoe shrugged.

Sophie shifted her weight between her feet, while doing her best to look bored, "And why do you need to see them?" She asked.

"We need to know what we are up against, and if we bring all of this to the meeting, people will be more likely to listen to us." Fang Guanyu argued.

Sophie glanced between the two of them, before sighing and waving her hand. Alexios took the massive book out of his bag along with the rolled-up blueprints and tossed them to the leaders. Arsinoe quickly shuffled out of the way, clearly not wanting to ruin her nails or the golden metal claws decorating her fingers.

Fang Guanyu quietly grabbed them both out of the air and offered her the blueprints with a small smile.

Sophie glanced at Alexios, who wiggled his eyebrows at his sister, both of them thinking the same thing.

It was surprisingly quiet as the two leaders looked over everything, asking the occasional question here and there. When they finished, they just looked at each other.

"Is everything in order?" Alexios asked, looking up from one of the benches he was lounging in. Arsinoe and Fang Guanyu nodded, but Arsinoe was surprisingly quiet as she continued to look over the detailed sketches and relentless Neverseen planning in the blueprints.

"The meeting is in two days. The book is written in Avriman, but I have an Avriman translator in my court that could help us decode this." Fang Guanyu started. Arsinoe released a shaky breath, and Fang Guanyu gave her a worried glance, but she met Sophie stare.

"This is bad," She sighed, her hands shaking. She glanced at Sophie, "How did you obtain these in the first place?" Arsinoe asked.

"I managed to track down two Neverseen leaders right before the battle of Foxfire, Fintan Pyren and Elrond. I manage to... handle Fintan-" Alexios snorted, "But Elrond got away."

Arsinoe looked up from the documents.

"Elrond? That doesn't sound like a Vatarian name." Arsinoe muttered.

"That's because he is Dunmer," Alexios answered.

Fang Guanyu and Arsinoe went quiet, their eyes wide.

"The Dunmer have allied with the Neverseen?" Arsinoe asked, her voice deadly quiet.

"Not exactly. Elrond was a close nobleman of King Dorian's court, King Dorian's right-hand man, in fact. But, it was revealed that he has been working with the Neverseen for several years. He was one of the aggressors during the Fall of Inalia. He managed to cut us off when we were retrieving the Book of Mirthless, and took my right-hand man Ruy Ignis in the process. We managed to find Ruy in the Dunmer kingdom, and we also created a somewhat strained alliance with King Dorian, but an alliance none the less." Sophie recounted.

Arsinoe tucked the blueprints beneath her arm, and she muttered to her guards, "Where would they be right now?"

Her guards instantly knew who she was talking about, "They should still be in their workshop, your highness." They answered. Arsinoe mumbled to herself but met Sophie's eyes.

"I have an engineer, the best technopath of the last 5 centuries. I want them to look at these. They have been working on a Neverseen project the last couple of years, ever since Inalia fell, per my request. They would be the best person to consult with these." Arsinoe answered.

Fang Guanyu handed the book to his guard, "I will have my translator look through this book, as well."

Alexios nudged Sophie, making it clear he was not on board with this, but she knew they had to. Even with her strained powers, she sent a small transmission into her brother's head.

"We need them just as much as they need us."

Alexios deflated a bit but just sighed.

"We will give them to you as long as you keep us updated on their progress, and when they are presented in the meeting, you do not tell the other leaders we are the ones who acquired them," Sophie argued. Fang Guanyu and Arsinoe clearly didn't like these conditions, used to being in charge, but this was something Sophie was not going to budge on.

"Fine." Fang Guanyu snapped.

Sophie and Alexios seemed convinced that was the end of the conversation, but Fang Guanyu piped up.

"And what of the Dunmer?" He asked.

"What about them?"

"Are they going to be attending?"

"Why would they? Last time I checked, this was a Vatarian meeting."

"They are now a part of the equation. It would make sense if they were in attendance."

"Should we invite King Dimitar and the Troll Empress Pernille that tried to kill me while we're at it?"

"We know that the Lost Prince resides in your Inner Court, Amalia." Arsinoe spat.

Sophie and Alexios kept their hardened personas, but internally they were both groaning, not wanting to deal with it.

"The Lost Prince is still getting accustomed to his princely duties-"

"More like running away from them," Alexios transmitted silently in their open mindscape, and Sophie resisted the urge to chuckle. After all, he wasn't the only one running away from things.