#(My first challenge has been giving Sonia armor and translating her modern warfare skills to something more appropriate for this verse)

[more-than-a-princess]

Continued from here for @fallesto!

The peace of the kingdom, but at whose expense? Sonia rather wished the chatter, laughter, and cheers had continued: the soldiers had been welcomed home with beer and wine, and the added feast was, she'd hoped, enough to distract them from their exhaustion: physical, from the battle they'd just endured. Emotional, from the prevailing threat of the Witch Cult that hovered over Novoselic like a stubborn cloud. It was enough that for the first time in her nation's history, they'd needed to consult with outsiders who knew of magic and of witches: two things Novoselic was devoid of. It had always been that way and, if her family had it their way, always would.

Which brought her to her point as she set her helmet down on one of the tables, jostling the set plate and cutlery askew. Her crossbow followed suit as she gave Reinhard van Astrea a frown. She'd use his title aloud but in her mind, he hadn't earned it. Not when he was so reluctant to work as a team as opposed to a solitary knight. "And you think your sacrifice will uphold peace here in Novoselic?" She countered, unbuckling the gauntlets of her armor and removing her leather gloves. Most of the room, barring the serving staff that dashed to and from the kitchens, was dressed similarly, but Sonia was distinctive for two reasons: One, she was a woman and two, she was the Princess of Novoselic, two types of people no one expected nor wanted to don armor, take up weapons, and be the plan B of winning a battle against witches. She couldn't lead the Novosonian soldiers into battle so publicly, but then again, no one had expected the princess to keep to the shadows, stepping in only when needed either.

"Understand, Sir Reinhard," Sonia curled and flexed her fingers, pleased to be free of their confinements before rounding on him, the armor clanking with her movements, to cross her arms over her chest the best she could in spite of the shoulderplates and breastplate she wore. "That if you lost your life at the expense of defending my country? It would launch Novoselic into a war with your homeland that I doubt would benefit either of our nations. Especially with the Witch Cult still determined to bring Novoselic to its knees. Though it makes little logical sense: there is no magic here, thus why we asked for aid. Yours, and your cohorts'."

Goodness, was he amused by all of this? Was he smiling at the prospect of relying on someone else, working with others, as if it was a quaint fluke? "The greater good is our countries working together to stop the Witch Cult from infiltrating every nation on the planet and not insisting that a single person is responsible for that task. We do not need a hero or a martyr: we need a united front if we are ever going to put a stop to this deranged appetite for power and greed."

The last words spoken with disgust, Sonia's brows furrowing as she sat at the end of a long bench with no interest in the food or drink before her as she continued to divest herself of the other trinkets she'd carried on her: several vials of poison, a handful of explosives, and a dagger attached to a belt, careful to set them well away from the feast. Despite her years of mandatory military training, she'd never quite taken to swords. She much preferred things that shot, things that exploded, things that no one suspected a beautiful princess might slip into their drinks. It had been the latter that had freed Reinhard: even witches were susceptible to her smile, it seemed.

"Your Royal Highness!"

A smile she needed to utilize again, this time on her own servants: three maids and her father's personal butler had come dashing through the center of the Great Hall, horror written all over their faces: Princess Sonia of Novoselic, sweaty and still in her armor, one of the many looped braids she'd worn to keep her long hair hidden beneath her helmet succumbing to gravity as the pin used to secure it followed.

Hardly presentable for a feast.

"Please, Your Highness, we must leave the Great Hall immediately with you looking like this!" The man urged, two of the maids already pulling Sonia back up to her feet. "Your parents insist you must be cleaned up if you are to face the soldiers!"

"And if today I am one of them?" Sonia asked with a quizzical brow. "I will not have our citizens believe their royal family will not fight with and for them, sending my father is too risky, and my cousins are not yet ready. Why train your princess in modern warfare and military strategy if I am not to utilize it? Any prince would."

The word that made the butler flinch as she stared the man down. If she was a man, there would be no issue at hand. But it had been centuries since Novoselic had a female monarch, and with Princess Sonia unmarried and with little interest to change that in the near future, she had the expectation of both the heir to the throne and a woman in the aristocracy: lead a country and embody nothing that made her unsuitable for marriage and motherhood.

Blowing up one of the witches' safehouses upon their escape likely qualified for the 'unsuitable for marriage' category.

"Please, Your Highness," The bravest of the three maids coughed. Beyond the complaints regarding the patriarchy, the women eyed the returning soldiers and knights warily. Not all of them were particularly respectful towards women, especially those in service positions they deemed beneath them. "If not to get you clean and properly attired, we will need to examine you for any injuries and we cannot do so in the presence of gentlemen."

Sonia sighed, her expression softening as she looked at them. They simply wanted to help, to do their jobs, as safely as possible. She couldn't blame them for that. "Very well, let us be off then," She agreed, getting to her feet as the third maid rushed forward to gather Sonia's things: the armor she'd discarded and her weapons. Several soldiers looked on in remorse: if she'd left them behind and they weren't precious to the Royal Family, they could be distributed to the rest of them. And anything they could use to defend Novoselic was valuable indeed.

"Do enjoy the feast," She advised Reinhard before she was ushered out of the hall. "The drinks will keep flowing long after the meal, and I doubt the entertainment is far behind."