The War of Queens

Chapter 8

Elizabeth

 Saying goodbye to Junus was not as hard as she would have thought. She loved him like the father she never knew, but she had lived before him and she knew she would be able to live after him as well. Those were the words he had said to her on the day she left and she had realized she had thought them all along.

 “I will still miss you, terribly,” she answered him. They were on their own, only minutes away from her departure, in a brightly lit room. They sat on light furniture and Elizabeth had been eating the grapes that were in a bowl on the table in front of her restlessly until Junus had been able to join her.

 “I am sure there will be many people in your life that you will have to miss,” Junus said. “As in my life, and in any other person’s life. Being one of them is an honour.”

 She just smiled. “An honour you are more than deserving of.”

 “If it is of any consolation, I predict that there will be far more people missing you than you will ever have to miss. You are one of those rare people that enter a person’s life and change it forever. How I could not have seen your heritage the day I met you, I do not know. I am a silly old man, after all.”

 With a light laughter, she shook her head. “You are not silly,” she said, but then added with a wry smile, “Not much, at least.”

 His laughter boomed off the walls. When she first told him of her plans to return to Etheron and attempt to take back her kingdom, he had first been worried. He had asked her if she was sure this knight spoke the truth, if she was sure that it was safe. It had been easy to say yes to those two; much easier than answering the final question, if she was sure it was what she wanted. But now she had made up her mind.

 They parted outside of the city gates. Not many had showed to bid her farewell, only the five other students that Junus taught. There was only one girl, the only other girl studying beneath Junus. He would undoubtedly have let as many girls into his school as boys, but most parents did not like the idea of sending their daughter to a school of philosophy.

 Perciya was the daughter of a beggar who had been caught stealing Junus’ pouch when she was just a little girl. He found she was as quick of mind as she was of hands and let her into his school without tuition. When Elizabeth entered, the company of another girl amongst the men and boys had relieved them both. Parting with her was heart breaking for both of them but Elizabeth would not have accepted Perciya going with her, not even if she had wanted to. It would be too dangerous, and Perciya had had enough of that for a lifetime.

 When she turned to Ishmael to say goodbye, she was surprised that he had his rucksack slung over his shoulders and that he was wearing the travelling clothes that the priory had given him. “I am going with you,” he declared promptly.

 After a moment’s shocked silence, she said, “No. It is too dangerous.”

 "Don’t even try to keep me here.” His words brought forward the thought of not having him around and she felt tears well in her already wet eyes. “The priory has accepted that I go with you in their place.”

 “In their place?” Her voice broke.

 “Yes. I cannot possibly let you go with those two godless people over there. I would have to go with you, make sure you do not lose yourself to war. We may not believe in the same thing, and you may believe you do not believe at all, but I can’t let you go without at least being close to someone whose only god is not death.”

 Elizabeth smiled at his words. His green eyes sparkled.

 “Besides,” he continued, “you will meet heathens on your way. Too many for the priory to let go of, at least. I am to spread our faith to the faithless.”