Little announcement! is writing a story in the AAD universe, like a fanfic off of this fanfic? Either way, make sure to check it out!

TW~Mentions of physical abuse and alcoholism

Hour 1 of traveling to the Dunmer Kingdom

Ruy sat on Ricin's back, struggling with his wings.

"This feels dumb, I have wings, I should be able to fly myself," Ruy mumbled. Ricin purred in disinterest.

"Okay, but my dad couldn't teach me to open my wings in time! I needed to go!"

Another grumble from Ricin.

"So maybe I was a little impulsive with getting the hell out. So what?!" Ruy argued.

Ricin didn't deign a response, most likely think why his companion is making him truck around Ruy in the first place.

Ruy ran his hands down his face.

"And now I am talking to a dragon." Ruy sucked on his teeth, "Maybe I really have gone off the deep end."

Hour 2

"Do you think that she really loves me? Cause', right listen to this, like three years ago she wouldn't have minded breaking my nose! But now she is so happy, and I have fallen in love with her somewhere along the timeline, and now we are trying to hold this secret relationship where no one knows about but us and it is entirely surreal and-"

Ricin shut Ruy's ranting up with a tail to the face.

Hour 3

"Are we thereeeee yeeeeeetttt?" Ruy complained. Ricin roared at him, which did little more than confuse him.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

Hour 4

"I spy with my little eye, something.... blue." Ruy started.

Ricin glared at the blue sky, the only thing in sight, and glared at Ruy, his wings flapping a bit faster and wondering how his companion fell in love with this idiot.

Hour 5

"Right but, when you really think about it, the chicken came before- hey, Hey, WOAH!" Ruy gripped onto Ricin's scales as he plummeted, the wind ripping at the and nearly pulled Ruy of Ricin's back. He had no idea how Sophie managed to still hold on during these drops, the feeling of his stomach in his throat was not one he enjoyed. Ricin growled with joy as they plummeted. They soon broke through the cloud cover and towards a pine tree surrounded the field below. They whistled towards the ground, Ruy leaning as close to Ricin in an effort not to get blown off. Just as they were about to crash into the ground, Ricin pulled out his wings, soaring them to fly against the grass and land, rocks and dirt splaying around them.

Ruy pulled away from Ricin panting, his hair a mess, and his wings splayed on the saddle.

"A little bit of warning would have been nice." Ruy snapped. Ricin purred, stretching out his wings. Ruy slipped off the saddle, glaring at his surroundings.

A field, with no Dunmer kingdom insight. It looked like it may be on the edge of Wampanoag territory. The tall pine trees and yellowish-green grass, a running rocky river nearby with a few elk here and there that surprisingly didn't run when Ricin landed.

"This is where Sophie entered the Kingdom?" Ruy muttered to himself. Ricin rolled around in the tall grass, purring and cooeing and just generally being a dork. Ruy pressed his wings close behind him as he explored, trying to figure it out.

Until a hole emptied out from behind him.

Ruy slid his hidden blades out of his gauntlets, Ricin snapping to attention and curling around him protectively, just like he does with Sophie. The hole emptied and poured out into a cavern below him, and two winged figures sped out of it. Ruy held the blades protectively around his face, his stance ready for a fight.

It was the two head spies from his father's court.

"What are you two doing out here-"

"Ruy!" A voice called from the cavern, a woman shot out of the cave, massive feathered wings flapping behind her. She landed outside with a shuddering boom, before swiping aside the hairs covering her face.

"Sarai?" Ruy asked, sliding his blades back into his gauntlets. Queen Sarai rushed forward, wrapping Ruy up in a hug.

"Oh gods, when everyone came home, but you weren't with them, Doreah said you were fine, but I was so worried!" Sarai sobbed, hugging Ruy so tight she might have broken a rib. She finally put Ruy down, and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Are you hurt? Have you been eating well? Are the Assassins okay? Is Amalia okay?"

"Everything is fine, Sarai, I promise." Ruy smiled.

"What are you doing here?" Sarai asked.

"I need you guys to do something for me," Ruy answered.

Sarai glanced at the two spies around her.

"Of course, follow us," Sarai said, flapping her wings.

Ruy glanced at his wings, barely able to flap them. Sarai noticed.

"Oh, yes, of course. Here, we will take the long way down." Sarai chuckled, holding out her hand. Ruy took her hand and didn't even get the chance to scream as Sarai swung him into the hole before jumping in after him.

Sophie stared at the Inalian Embassy in the distance from a window in the barracks, nervously plucking out a few eyelashes. The Inalian Senate was probably already residing there, waiting for the meeting like the other Vatarian leaders. Her hand stopped midway on her third plucking, gently pulled down so Sophie could see the little lashes on her fingers.

Gods, she hasn't done this in years.

Maybe Thavma was just delusional, her dead sister couldn't be the murderer, she just couldn't.

"Amalia," A stern voice called behind her. She turned around to meet the eyes of the head doctor. Her skin was a delicate light brown, but her hair was a peculiar shade of bright white. She also wore... was that elven clothing?

"Are you an elf?" Sophie asked suddenly.

She smiled, waving off the question, "No, no, I did, however, pretend to be one and get into medical school there. The Vatarian medical schools just weren't what I was looking for. While I was there, I grew accustomed to fashion and still wear every now and then." She answered. She surprisingly held her right hand over her heart, giving Sophie a small bow, the Inalian salute.

"I am Peseshet Fuykanya, the head doctor of the barracks in the Emerald district. I am also a certified army doctor." She introduced. Sophie's natural polygot powers fixed the pieces of the name into place for her. Peseshet, Egypintat version of a physician or doctor.

"Fukanya? That is quite a mouthful," Sophie dipped her head, "I'm Mentore Amalia Hera Morretti, of Inalia. If we are doing the full names thing." Sophie introduced.

Fukanya laughed, "Quite. Just call me Lapis, it has been my nickname for a while now." She chuckled.

"Of course. So, how is Thavma doing?" Sophie asked. Lapis sighed, twirling her pen in her fingers.

"She is better, she is coming out of her sedated state and is calm again. I am afraid, however, that I simply can't let you see her again." Lapis explained.

"That is not possible. Thavma may be our ticket to finding Cynna and stopping all of this. Thavma also mentioned a He, and we are worried he may be a partner of Cynna. We need to talk to her."

"We can't risk another freakout like earlier, Amalia. She is bandaged up, but that type of exertion can undo the stitches, bandaging, increase the blood loss, it just isn't healthy for her right now."

"She calmed down whenever I spoke to her of Inalia. If I speak to her in our native language and show her images of it, maybe she will remain calm? We just need information, and we need it desperately." Sophie begged. Lapis bit her pink lips, glancing inside the medical room.

"Fine. But you make it quick, and if my patient gets riled up again, I'm throwing all of you on your asses." Lapis snapped. Sophie gave her a quick smile and quickly re-entered the room.

Thavma was lying down, her eyes glazed but her breathing back to normal.

"Thavma?" Sophie whispered. Thavma slowly turned to Sophie, a gentle smile on her cheeks.

"*Salve, Amalia," Thavma whispered.

"How are you feeling?" Sophie asked in Inalian.

Thavma looked up at the ceiling, then at her bandaged arms and stomach.

"Better. I'm sorry about before, I... I don't know what came over me." Thavma answered in Inalian. Keep the conversation calm and friendly, use the culture they share between them to keep her calm and on topic.

"It is no problem," Sophie answered, sitting in the wooden chair beside her cot. Thavma was quiet, and Sophie wondered how to ask her questions without her freaking out.

"Do you miss him?" Thavma asked suddenly, yet her voice was a quiet breath.

"Who?"

Thavma turned to look at Sophie, a smile on her face.

Ah.

"Yeah, I miss my dad a lot," Sophie answered, tucking a strand of blond hair that fell out of her ponytail behind her ear. Thavma didn't move, there were no harsh movements or freaking out, but her eyes got a wispy look to them.

"No one really knew who he was until that Black Armored man unveiled him. The amazing Assassin Mentore, the King of the Assassins. I was never outside much, but from what I knew about him, he just seemed like a kind-hearted man trying to raise his daughter." Thavma eyes tore into Sophie's, "What was that like?"

"What do you mean, Thavma?"

Thavma shook her head, almost like it took her entire body to do it.

"To have a father that cared?" Thavma asked quietly. Sophie's heart stuttered, not really knowing what to say.

"Does yours not?"

Thavma tensed, her eyes darkening, "I know the Morretti family used to be Inalian Nobles. Until your father was born. Born with brown eyes, unheard of, everyone said. Yet they kept him, your grandparents kept your father, they lost their noble status, their home in Renisanca... for what?"

"For their love of my father," Sophie responded. Thavma chuckled at that, her eyes tearing.

"I would've gotten thrown on my ass if it came between the Firenze Nobility."

"Is that why Cynna rebelled? She didn't like the nobility position of the Firenze house?"

"Yes, and no. But you never answered my question. What was it like, to grow up in the Morretti house?" Thavma asked. Sophie looked down, trying to scramble together the pieces of her childhood.

"It was... free." Sophie decided. Thavma's eyes brightened at that.

"My father felt like I always came first. He would always come home from contracts and go straight to me. He would pick me up in his arms and spin me around, telling me how much of a hassle I am, even if he had a big smile on his face." Sophie looked at Thavma, smiling, "He would take my brother and me, even Mansi and Nour if their adoptive parents allowed it, on these adventures. We would travel all around the world. We got a few more bumps and scratches, my father insisted that it added character and wore us in. Maria protested all the time about how scratched up we returned. He was a bit strict and sometimes intimidating, but to me, he was the biggest teddy bear."

Thavma sat up a bit in her bed.

"He taught me about the history of Inalia, our culture. I was immersed in love, music, dancing, reading, anything, and everything. He never forced it on me, but instead grew my fascination with it and learned with me." Sophie laughed, "You know that big tower right next to the Temple of Kynareth in Renisanca? That was my climbing practice when I was little. At least twice a month, we would find a way to sneak up there, and we would look at the stars. He would read to me and tell me about his great adventures." Sophie didn't realize tears were slipping down her cheeks, "It made me want to have my own adventures. To grow older and take over the guild as well, become a master Assassin. I wanted to help and learn, just like he did. My father was a smart man, but he always knew that there could be more that can be learned." Sophie pursed her lips, looking down at her clenched hands in her lap.

"Whenever I think about that day, the Fall of Inalia. How he looked at me with so much... sorrow in his eyes." Sophie couldn't finish, instead wiping the tears from her face and biting her lip. Thavma eyes shone, however, and she chuckled.

"He inspired you." She smiled.

Sophie laughed, "Yeah, that is putting it lightly."

"My sister was the one who inspired me," Thavma admitted.

"Herate or Cynna?"

"Both. Cynna was always cold and demanding, she hated our parents. She protected Herate and me with a burning passion. But I knew that she wanted to be free, just like you were. I think we all wanted that. Herate knows how to maneuver out of the house, she often just peruses the Inalian countryside or the inner depths of Renisanca." Thavma sighed, "I never dared to follow."

Sophie leaned forward.

"Do your parents hurt you?" Sophie asked. Thavma stayed quiet, not nodding nor shaking her head. Sophie bit her lip, and she leaned forward.

"Thavma, what happened to Cynna?"

Thavma was quiet, her hands shaking, and Sophie was worried she was going to freak out again, but she just quietly mumbled, "I should have known it was too good to be true."

"What was?"

Thavma leaned back, looking out the window.

"When the Neverseen took over Inalia during the Fall of Inalia, my father kissed their boots enough so that the Firenze house managed to stay in their good graces. My mother was always quiet, broken, and was never really there in the house. She was there, but not as a person, as a hollow shell. We all knew our mother was forced into this marriage with our father, and though she loved us, she just wasted away and never stood up for anything. My father was always so strict, militant, not like your father, who was just protective and wanting the best for you. My father wants what is best for him and the family name. His reputation and money are the only things that cause his stone-cold heart to beat." Thavma took a shaky breath.

"Cynna," Thavma choked on her name, "Was the eldest of us. A brightly burning fire that protected what she loved fiercely. She sometimes came off as rude to us, but hse didn't mean it. She was the one who taught Herate to sneak out of the house, but I never followed. Herate called me a coward about it sometimes, but Cynna never pushed me on it. Herate was always quite innocent on her outings from what I knew, Cynna, not so much. She would get involved with the rabble of the lower class, drinking with them and stealing, bedding whoever she wished. I think it was her way of having some control over her life. On one of her outings, she met him."

"He?"

Thavma's hands shook as she whispered his name, spitting it out like it was foul to speak.

"Proteus. Proteus Esposita."

Oh, gods.

Proteus was a name Sophie knew well. Vincenzo Esposita, the man that killed Sophie's grandparents and almost killed her father and Maria, came from an extremely successful family in Inalia, the Esposita Noble family. Vincenzo is the public pride of the family, holding a place on the Senate and slowly taking over Inalia. His younger brother Proteus was bathing in his family riches and the women in the Brothel. Proteus was a pale man, dark hair like his elder brother. He had the built and sculpted face of the family, the straight and authoritative nose being the main part of his face.

The Espostita pretend they get their wealth through their logging business they run in the mountain ranges surrounding Inalia, but they also were making money through Proteus's criminal investments and jobs. Proteus was a heavy investor in the Undergrounds, the place Sophie brawled in when she was tight for cash. Sophie knew how many illegal deals and criminals were rotting down there, but at the time, she didn't care. One time Proteus tried to make a move on Sophie when she was doing a couple of rounds in the ring, not recognizing her as a Morretti through his lusted haze, trying to grope her and suggested after her fight that they should get out of there.

Sophie punched him in the nose.