That Dirty, Lying, Cheating Sophia
1682 A.D.
Moscow, Russia
The boy hid fearfully behind an abandoned beer keg, unable to tear his eyes from the gruesome scene before him. His uncle, his own blood relative, was being butchered mercilessly by an unrelenting mob right in front of his eyes. They shrieked raucous cries and riled themselves into a frenzy.
And it was all because of her. That dirty, lying, cheating Sophia. Always trying to get power.
Suddenly, a spark of light popped a few cobblestones away, and a gentle hand brushed his tear-tracked face. “There, there. Sophia and her ways will be overthrown in time. All you need is to come with me, and I can help you along on your path to greatness. You can beat Sophia and the rebel Streltsy. It will just take time. Are you willing to wait a few years?”
The ten-year-old looked up with fearful eyes and nodded.
“Then come with me, Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov. Come with me, Peter the Great.”