As she walked back to her chambers, Sonja couldn't shake off the feeling of guilt for using Lucian's feelings for her and the potential child to get him on board with her plan. But she knew that it was necessary for their survival. She also knew that taking down Viktor was going to require some underhanded tactics and she couldn't rely on Lucian's moral code to get the job done.
As she made her way to Tanis' chambers, she knew that she had to tread carefully. Tanis was a dangerous man and she couldn't let him know that she was using him as a tool. She needed to keep him on a tight leash and make sure that he didn't turn on her.
When she arrived, she knocked on his door and waited for him to answer. She steeled herself for what was to come, knowing that this conversation was going to be a delicate balancing act.
Sonja made her way to Andreas Tanis's chambers, her mind focused on the task at hand. She knew that working with Tanis would be risky, but she also knew that he was a powerful vampire with connections that could prove useful in their mission to take down Viktor.
As she knocked on his door, she steeled herself for the conversation ahead. Tanis opened the door with a sly smile, and she could tell that he was already trying to gauge her intentions.
"Sonja, to what do I owe the pleasure?" he said, gesturing for her to enter.
She stepped inside, her expression serious. "I need your help," she said, getting straight to the point. "You know my secret correct? Let me guess in return for keeping this secret you want my seat on the council correct? Rather than that I believe that I can help you take down my father."
Tanis's expression turned curious. "What! Why would I want to dethrone Viktor?" he said, his tone skeptical.
"Because I know what you want," she said, meeting his gaze. "Power. And I can offer you that if you help us."
Tanis leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. "And what makes you think I can't take that power for myself?" he said, his tone challenging.
"Because my father is too powerful for you to take on alone," Sonja said, her voice steady. "But with our help, we can take him down together. And once he's gone, the power will be yours for the taking."
Tanis considered her words for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "Alright," he said finally. "I'm in. But you better make good on your promise of power, Sonja. Because if you don't, I'll turn on you in a heartbeat."
Sonja nodded, her expression determined. "Oh trust me I know. And I will make good on my promise. But first, we need your help Lucian, myself, and two others will be escaping this castle. I will need your help to do so."
Tanis leaned back in his chair with a serious look on his face. "If you leave the castle then how will you help me obtain power? What do I hope to gain from this deal?"
"As I mentioned taking my father down will not be easy. It will require both external and internal attacks. When I leave the castle I will spend two years gathering an army. Meanwhile, you will stay here slowly raise to power and become someone my father trusts." said Sonja
"Ah, so you want me to feed you information so that you will attack the facilities of those trusted by Viktor. This, in turn, will allow me to raise in power and thus become privy to more useful information correct?" said Tanis
"Exactly," Sonja said, nodding. "And once we have enough information and a strong enough army, we can launch a coordinated attack on my father and his forces. With your help, we can weaken him from the inside and then strike from the outside, taking him down once and for all."
Tanis considered her proposal for a moment, his mind racing. It was a risky plan, but the potential rewards were great. "Alright," he said finally. "I'll help you. But you better make good on your promise of power, Sonja."
Sonja gave him a confident smile. "Don't worry, Tanis. I won't let you down. Together, we can take down my father you shall claim the power that you desire and I will gain my freedom."
Tanis extended his hand and Sonja took it, sealing their deal. "Alright, let's get to work," he said, a determined look on his face. "We have a lot of planning to do if we're going to take down Viktor."
Sonja nodded in agreement, her expression serious. "Yes, we do. But I know that with your help, we can do it."
"So what do you need from me?" asked Tanis
"The key to Lucian's shackle on his neck. Viktor only trusts you, Kraven, and Soren with it. So I will send my maid Aerin to you in the future she will get the key to Lucian to make a copy of it before returning it to you. What I will need from you is Soren's schedule."
Tanis laughed as he said, "My lady works fast. So you plan to frame Soren for your escape. Very well I should have that information by tomorrow so send your maid then."
Sonja curtsied "Thank you, Tanis," she said as she left his room. "I'll send Aerin to you tomorrow, and we'll begin our plan to take down my father."
As she walked down the hallway, she couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. This was a dangerous plan, and there was a high chance of failure. But if they succeeded, she would finally be free and Tanis would have the power he desired. She just had to make sure she could trust him to keep his end of the bargain. She would have to keep a close eye on him and make sure he didn't turn on her.
As Sonja walked back to her chambers, she couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that she had secured Tanis' help in her plan to take down Viktor. But she knew that there was still much work to be done and that she needed to keep her true intentions hidden from those around her.
When she entered her chambers, she found Aerin and Selina waiting for her. The two women looked up at her expectantly, eager to hear what she had to say.
"I have some news," Sonja began, her voice serious. "I have decided to leave the castle in a few days."
Aerin and Selina looked at her in surprise, both of them clearly shocked by her announcement.
"Why?" Aerin asked, her tone filled with confusion.
"I cannot say," Sonja replied, her expression guarded. "But I want to offer you both the opportunity to come with me. I cannot guarantee what the future holds, but I promise that it will be an adventure."
Aerin and Selina looked at each other for a moment before turning back to Sonja, both of them nodding in agreement.
"We'll follow you no matter what," Selina said, her voice filled with determination.
Sonja gave them a small smile, her heart filled with gratitude. "Thank you," she said. "I know this won't be easy, but I am grateful to have you both by my side."
Selina let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness," she said, her expression relieved. "I grateful that you are willing to bring us along young miss."
Aerin nodded in agreement. "So what's the next step?" she asked, her tone curious.
"The next step is to start planning our escape from the castle," Sonja said, her expression determined. "We'll need to be careful and make sure that we don't raise any suspicion. We can't let my father know what we're planning."
Aerin and Selina both nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "We'll do whatever it takes to help you, young miss," Aerin said, her voice sincere.
"I know you will," Sonja said, giving them a small smile. "And I'm grateful for your help. Together, we can do this."
With that, the three of them began to plan their escape and the next steps in their plan to take down Viktor. It wouldn't be easy, but they were determined to succeed and bring freedom to their people.
With a clear goal in mind and the support of Aerin and Selina, Sonja began to put together a plan for their escape from the castle. She knew that it would be a dangerous and difficult task, but she was determined to succeed.
First, they needed to gather information about the castle's layout and security measures. Sonja tasked Aerin with this task, as she knew that Aerin had a keen eye for detail and could easily spot any weaknesses in the castle's defenses. As Sonja's maid she had rare access to most places and would not be questioned for walking around so long she said Sonja had ordered her to do something.
Next, they needed to acquire the necessary supplies for their journey. Selina took on this task, as she had experience in regularly procuring goods. This gave her some merchant connections in the city that could help them acquire the supplies they needed.
Finally, they needed to prepare for the actual escape. Sonja took on this task herself, as she knew that timing would be crucial and they needed to make sure that they made their move at the right time. Sonja would also need to procure four horses for their use or Viktor would easily catch them. Luckily Viktor had assigned a mission that she would leave the castle in order to complete tomorrow giving her a chance to work on this.