novelSusiti Chapter 293 Sophia's Iron Fist and Tender Heart
Chapter 293 Sophia's Iron Fist and Tender Heart
Chapter 293 Sophia's Iron Fist and Tender Heart
Sofia's act of righteousness in Ioannina Square swept through the entire Epirus region like a storm that cut through everything with astonishing speed.
The day after the assassination, in the village of A, which Omar had identified, before Greek soldiers even arrived, the angry villagers dragged Sheikh Ibrahim before him. Under interrogation, he quickly confessed that he had been bribed by Ottoman agents infiltrating Albania. Several other gentry who had been bribed with him were also exposed.
These former powerful figures, who once wielded immense influence, became pariahs overnight. Their schemes were utterly thwarted by Sofia's wise and merciful nature.
Sofia struck while the iron was hot. With the strong support of Sheikh Ibrahim and a group of enlightened religious leaders, a brand-new institution was officially established in Ioannina.
"Epiros Local Harmony Committee".
The composition of this committee is quite unique: half of its members are officials appointed by the Greek government, and the other half are respected representatives elected by various Muslim communities. The committee's ultimate goal is to resolve all conflicts between the new government and local residents through peaceful negotiation, including the most sensitive issues of land redistribution and religious clashes.
The establishment of this committee acted like a powerful tranquilizer, rapidly stabilizing the situation in the entire Epirus region in a way no one could have predicted. The lurking unrest and the deliberately incited hatred vanished under this new model of cooperative governance.
Meanwhile, the photograph taken by a Greek journalist, titled "Shield of Faith," along with detailed news reports of Sophia publicly pardoning the assassins, was sent back to Athens as quickly as possible.
Athens was in an uproar.
Immediately afterwards, journalists from various countries stationed in Athens, like sharks smelling blood, sent the telegram, which included a photograph, to major newspapers throughout Europe.
Three days later, in London.
A copy of The Times was gently placed on the breakfast table of the Marquess of Salisbury, the British Prime Minister.
The newspaper's front page did not carry any news about the London Peace Conference; instead, it was covered by a huge banner.
The photo took up almost half the page.
The photo's title, written in bold boldface, reads: "The Conquest of Mercy: A Queen and an Imam."
The Marquess of Salisbury picked up the newspaper, his gaze falling on the photograph. He looked at the Muslim elder in the picture, his bleeding arm raised in indignation, and the blonde, blue-eyed Greek crown princess beside him, looking up at him with concern.
His brows slowly furrowed into a knot.
He knew that the power of this photograph outweighed a hundred eloquent legal arguments from Venizelos at the negotiating table.
It proclaimed to the entire civilized world in the most direct and shocking way that the rule of the Greek royal family was civilized, benevolent, and capable of winning the hearts of people of different faiths.
The sharp blade in his hand, which he used to attack Greece for being "barbaric" and "unruly," was easily broken by this photograph.
At the same time, at the Greek ambassador's official residence in London.
Constantine also saw the newspaper.
When his gaze fell upon the photograph, he froze. The coffee cup in his hand slammed heavily on the table, spilling dark brown liquid without him noticing.
His gaze was fixed on the newspaper, and his heart, which had weathered countless storms, clenched uncontrollably.
-
I was terrified.
A profound sense of lingering fear overwhelmed him. He couldn't imagine what would have happened to him if the dagger had been just an inch faster, if Sheikh Ibrahim hadn't stepped forward.
His hands gripped the edge of the newspaper so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
"Your Highness," Venizelos's voice rang out beside him. The capable politician's face was now filled with the relief of surviving a disaster, and an indescribable pride.
"Your Highness, she has won you, and Greece, the most important bargaining chip that could turn the tide of the war."
Constantine closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, the fear in his eyes had faded, replaced by endless tenderness and pride.
Yes, it was his Sofia. With her wisdom and courage, she won him a glorious victory on another battlefield.
The distant Joanina.
All the turmoil had subsided. In the study of the temporary residence, the soft glow of the kerosene lamp illuminated the tabletop.
After finishing her day's work, Sofia felt deeply exhausted. The recent period of mental strain had caused her to lose a considerable amount of weight.
She sat under the lamp, spread out a beautiful sheet of stationery, and prepared to write a letter to her husband who was far away in London.
She wanted to tell him everything that had happened. She wanted to tell him the terror she felt when the dagger came at her. She wanted to tell him the shock she felt when Sheikh Ishaq took the blow for her. She wanted to tell him the triumphant joy she felt when the entire square of people knelt before her.
She dipped her brush in ink and wrote on the letter: "My dearest Connie, you can't imagine what happened here—"
She wrote only a few words before stopping.
She looked at the handwriting on the letter, her delicate brows furrowing slightly.
No.
She couldn't let him worry about her. He was in London, facing the most cunning and greedy wolves in all of Europe. What he needed was focus and composure, not concern for the safety of his backyard.
She picked up the letter covered in writing, crumpled it into a ball without hesitation, and threw it into the wastebasket.
She changed to a new sheet of stationery.
This time, she didn't describe those thrilling scenes. Her pen glided lightly across the paper, as if painting a relaxed pastoral picture.
In the end, only a witty sentence, full of boundless love and trust, was left on the letter.
"My King:"
"Your backyard is very secure."
"A few days ago, a few annoying mosquitoes flew in and kept buzzing around. But I've already swatted them all for you."
After finishing writing, she looked at the few lines of text with satisfaction.
She carefully folded the letter, put it in an envelope, and sealed it with sealing wax.
After doing all this, she stood up, walked to the window, and opened it.
The tranquil night of Ioannina flowed in like water. In the distance, a bright, clear moon was reflected on the surface of Lake Panvotis.
She not only secured the home front for her husband.
She proved to the world that the future Queen of Greece was a queen who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him and rule the world together.
Sofia smiled contentedly.