The War of Queens

Chapter 13

Elizabeth

 If the gods favour your cause. That had been Roynar’s words, just two days ago, and they had plagued Elizabeth’s mind ever since.

 Not that she feared that the gods were opposed to her cause; even if she believed in them, she thought that they would support the rightful heir no matter what. Humans were a whole different matter altogether.

 She wondered if anyone would want her as queen. If they did, why did she need to start a war to become one? She wondered about the dead baby in the carriage; she wondered about Shakan and the alliance she had made with him; she wondered about Jamie and the sword he always carried by his side; but most of all, she wondered why she had not wondered at all until then.

 It was late at night when she finally stood up, after many hours of tossing and turning in her bed. They had been allowed to stay in one of the houses, a longhouse, where guests could stay for the night. It was also where feasts were held.

 A small fire burned throughout the night. She had been there for three days, and every night she fell asleep watching it, listening to how the heat crackled against the cold. It made her think of her childhood.

 She noticed, as she walked over there, a shadow by the flames. Once she recognized Jamie, she smiled and sat down next to him.

 “I thought you were asleep,” he muttered, as to not awaken anyone.

 “I could not.”

 A cold wind howled outside and some of the cold air seeped through the walls. He shivered and picked at the flames. “Are you troubled by something?” he asked with worry in his voice when he sat back again.

 She reached behind her into the bundle of furs and skins and wrapped one around her shoulders. “I am…” She frowned and stilled. “I am frightened… or not entirely frightened. Anxious, perhaps.” She nodded to herself. “Anxious that this is a mistake. I can’t help but wonder if what we’re doing is right.”

 “Of course it’s right,” he said promptly. “You are the rightful Queen.”

 “Perhaps, by blood and inheritance but am I right by… right?” When his face took an expression of confusion, she explained, “Junus taught me about the morality of your people – of most people. That you see one thing as right and another as wrong. Say, if one man killed another outside of the field of battle, you would always see it as wrong, regardless of who the two men were.

 “But Junus taught me of a different morality, too. It does not set up any rules. The only rule is to try to bring as much happiness to as many people as possible. So say this man who is being killed were a rapist or a thief, the murderer would actually be doing everyone a favour.”

 Jamie stared at her. “What does this have to with you being Queen?”

 “Well, what if…” Elizabeth swallowed a lump. “What if I’m not a good queen? What if that prince, Prince Christian, what if he would become a good King? I was not raised to be royalty. Perhaps I would be doing everyone a favour by not trying to act as one.”

 She let out a gasp of surprise when suddenly his hand clasped over hers. “Don’t speak like that, Your Grace.”

 “Well, I have to,” she objected. “Don’t I? I am about to go to war. People will be killed. Should I not consider whether it is for the best?”

 “Trust me, it is,” he told her. “I have known you for only a little more than a month, but I already know that you are the true heir of Turell.”