((gone for seige weapons. Hayate, I thought you might like to do the 'welcome wagon'))

The first barrage came with the cries of a thousand innocents.

All that she had done in her life seemed to have led up to this moment. Radasanth, after all, was her home. It housed the ashes of the Crouching Tiger, that she herself had burnt to the ground and claimed her independence from her mother's overbearing pimp. It was where she had begun to establish the first brothel that she controlled, which had grown its influence over others slowly, becoming over time the feminist society that was now called the Gilded Lily and stood as a true testament to her reputation. She had been born here. She had fought battles here. She had been raped here. She had saved lives here. She had survived, and thrived here. It was her home, she had a life and was proud of the way that people held themselves. Corone - it was not a diseased place. It had grown out of an empire, gone beyond its old ways and established an Assembly here. Yes those men and women were particularly useless at times, but they still held the morals of a good heart and a good home. In any country one could blackmail themselves into power, Corone was not alone. Radasanth stood at the heart at all that, and was, for Philomel, the source of all her friends and family.

She was the city itself. Her people ran through the streets like blood through veins. They had power, they had influence, they did what good they could. Shinsou - damn him. He was so wrong. So very wrong. All the poverty he claimed was running through Radasanth's streets, all the corruption ... It was not worse than any other city. In fact, it faired better. Why - because it had her.

Anyone attacking it was attacking her.

"HOLD YOUR LINES," she screamed as the distant thunks of great huge crossbows thunked. "HOLD!"

She looked over to the beautiful being that was Ioder, honestly surprised to see that old rival of hers here, on her side. He was a blessing, and he was a comfort. A reminder of what had been when she had been more innocent.

She yelled out louder, and her command was picked up by the underling commanders on the wall. People raised torches, braziers were lit to signal to the inner walls that the attack was now here. The threat had been coming for the whole day and it was approaching evening. Now the people of Radasanth, and their fair defenders, had to face the onslaught.

Shouts rose of agreement to hold. There was a distant ping and a small but deadly boulder darted high into the air, a broken edge of an ancient building. It savagely flew in an arc towards the city, whistling on wings of disturbed air current. Many, many eyes watched as it slammed into the outer wall of the city with a heavy thump. Brick flew, people shouted, arrows were loosened. A great cry began.

"Radasanth!" People screamed. "RADASANTH!"

In solidarity Philomel raised their blade with them. Radasanth indeed.

More rocks began to fly. She curled her lip, her resolve still standing. Angrily she called out for them to still hold the wall, the line, and the guardians obeyed. They held. She had a good line of command, good allies like Ioder helping her. They would stand, and they would fight. They would not bend ...

Damn that Storm, with his ridiculous demand. A letter had apparently been taken to the Assembly. One calling them cruel names and asking for their surrender, of all the councillors and members. Saying that they could leave in peace if they wanted, alongside their families, to go live elsewhere.

What a coward's letter. A coward's request. Once Philomel had heard of the letter she had sent word to Sebastian that she would fight to the last breath, and he had agreed. Her calming words, her firm resolve ... It had had an effect on him.

He had spoken. In a method learnt from her, he had managed to persuade the Assembly that surrender was a sign of weakness. One councillor had apparently run, just one. But the rest were now in the halls, firmly barricaded, and protected by some fine warriors.

"We will not surrender," Philomel said to Ioder. "We cannot. We have to protect the innocent. Those they have come to destroy. Because that is all that this war brings. Death," she looked directly at him. "They are the villains, my friend. Not us."

"We are the heroes."