Love Through War

C h a p t e r E i g h t e e n

Sophie's POV.

"Hey, Linh!" Sophie called from down the hall of the palace.

It was a few minutes till the war meeting and she had chose someone to be her companion.

Linh turned, carrying a stack of books, and smiled.
"Hey, Sophie."

"So there's this war meeting in a few minutes," Sophie started once she'd caught up to her. "And I was wondering if you'd be my companion for it, cause the First Lady needs one and whatnot."

"I'd love to!" Linh beamed. "I just have to return these books to library first, Lady Anwen would kill me if I returned one more late, the old crone."

Sophie nodded and took half the books in pile into her arms.

They continued down the hall until they reached the library.

Lady Anwen has tapping her foot impatiently and leaning against the door frame.
"Miss Song," she said and held out her hands for the book. "This is the last time I will excuse your tardiness."

Linh cringed at her last name handed the librarian the books, followed by Sophie. "Thank you, and please, call me Linh."

Lady Anwen gave a curt nod and wandered back into the library, for an old woman, she carried the weight of the books effortlessly.

"Do you know where the War Room is?" Linh asked Sophie as they continued down the hall.

"Um," Sophie hesitated, "we'll figure it out."

-

Once the First Lady and Lady's Companion finally found the War Room, the meeting had already started.

The room was rather dim, only lit up by torches, and Sophie's eyes had to adjust for a second.

Every head in the room turned when they heard the the door creak open.

"Sorry we're late," Sophie whispered as she and Linh entered.

Everyone was seated on floor pillows around a large, low table.

Linh and Sophie sat down on either side of Biana, and she filled them in.

"The Collective was discussing thoughts of surprise attacks on the Neverseen," Biana whispered to her friends. "But other then that, not tons has happened, they didn't want to say much without the First Lady."

Sophie didn't if she should feel flattered or nervous.

"As I was saying," Mr. Forkle, head of The Collective said. "I wish to get Miss Foster's opinion on the matter of the war," he turned to Sophie, "Sophie, what do you think of a surprise attack while the Neverseen's heir is banished?"

Sophie's heart clenched at the mention of Keefe.

On the one hand, she didn't want to do anything that could potentially deepen this war, she wanted it over, but on the other hand, if an attack was going to happen either way, it might be good to do it while Keefe was gone and out of harms why.

She went back and forth between the possibilities, unsure of what to say.

All eyes in the room were on her, and Sophie knew she had to say something.

Grady and Edaline smiled reassuringly at her from where they were positioned next to Alden and Della.

"Well," Sophie started, mentally preparing herself for what she about to say, and resisting the urge to pull out an itchy eyelash. "What if we purposed the idea of a peace treaty to the Neverseen? This war is getting us no where," Sophie continued as her confidence grew.
"When I accepted the title of First Lady, I swore to use unity to help face the challenges our clan has been roped into, I swore to protect our people. And fighting an everlasting war is not protecting them, it's getting them killed. A peace treaty would ensure unity, and that's exactly what we need, we need to come together as one people. Because we're all human. This war has been going on since before I was born, and I'm sick of it, sick of the blood shed, and sick of no one doing anything to stop it."

The room was dead silent as Sophie caught her breath, she worried she may have gone to far, but she still didn't regret it.

Sophie looked to Grady and Edaline to see their reaction.
Her parents's eyes were shining with pride.

"The First Lady is right," Tiergan was the first person to speak. "I vote for a peace treaty."

He raised his hand and slowly, every other hand raised as well.

"Then that settles it," Mr. Forkle said and stood. "Thank you all for coming, I will organize the treaty first thing tomorrow."

Everyone filed out the War Room, Biana, Linh, and her parents at Sophie's side.

Dex grinned wildly at Sophie as he walked up to them. "That was awesome, Sophie, you should have seen the look on Wonderboy's face, it was his idea to attack the Neverseen."

Biana laughed and hooked her arm through Dex's.
"Come on," she said. "Let's go find that secret dessert stash in kitchen you promised me."

Sophie smiled as she watched her friends, happy they were finally acknowledging their feelings for each other.

"He's right, you know," Linh whispered to Sophie, making her jump. "That really was awesome."

"Thanks," she smiled.

As she walked to garden outside the palace, Sophie hoped the Neverseen would accept the treaty, and that she really had made a difference in the war.

~

Hello everyone!
Ah, I'm so proud of my Sophie and her speech. *sniffs and wipes tear*
Happy Easter weekend! Well, almost.
Hope you liked this chapter!
Bye!
~T