The Armor She Wears

The Monster Inside the Castle

Sophie's head hurt. Her foot hurt. Most of all she could not believe Mr. Forkle has sedated her. Sophie threw her cup of tea at the door and watched the liquid pool on the floor.
She felt bare without her armor and crystals that Mr. Forkle had taken, stripped of her power.
The only comforting thing was that Fitz was unconscious from his wounds which meant she had come close to killing him. She may have lost her dragon crystal but Sophie still felt the dormant beast inside her.
She stepped quietly out of her bed and dressed in a fur tunic with leather pants. Sophie opened the door and snuck out into the halls. Her feet padded softly on the velvet carpet which Sophie was now not regretting using it. But she stopped when she heard voices around the corner.
"So, she can make these echoes into powers?"
"Precisely. I've never seen it before, but she has gone mad with her power"
Keefe's voice wavered for a second.
"She hates us doesn't she"
"She.... well you left her and she finds you cowardly. Not that you are, but she feels abandoned"
Sophie walked away before hearing the rest of the conversation. She knew it was Mr. Forkle telling that coward Keefe about her. Her anger simmered above her skin and Sophie took an unexpected turn into the weapons room. One glare at the guards won her their silence and she crept in.
The weapons were shining from the moonlight and Sophie grabbed her golden sword.
"I've missed you" she giggled.
After grabbing a belt and sheathing it, Sophie grab a handful of goblin stars and jeweled dagger before walking out the back entrance of the weapons room. It led out into the stables, where the horses stood panicked when they saw Sophie. She grabbed a carrot from the bin by the door and held it out to the horses.
"Who shall I choose" she asked softly to the horses.
A horse black as the night shifted in his stable and Sophie fed him the apple.
After being fed, the horse let her harness him and Sophie jumped on. She squeezed her legs and the horse belted out of the stables.
The fields were covered in powder snow that flew into Sophie's face. She laughed and realized she hadn't laughed in ages.
Sophie finally stopped in front of the woods and called out, "Farlin?"
A man stepped out of the shadowy trees and smiled. "I see you are finally ready for my aid"