The Boyana Church was situated on the outskirts of the city of Sofia, at the foot of Mount Vitosha. Jovan was almost as familiar with it as he was familiar with the layout of Lake Prespa near his grandmother Bojana's home back in Stenje. Not because he had visited the Church before, but because of the stories Bojana had read to him about the place. He knew about its history. Its layout. He knew about its strong exterior design and intricate interior artwork.
The Church itself was located not too far from the Boyana Waterfall. In fact, it was so close that Jovan grew mad at himself for not bothering to check out the place before figuring out where Jagoda was being held captive after speaking with Zora. It was a low key location for sure. It was off radar, so to speak. Yet it wasn't too isolated, and as such, it did not attract unwanted attention in case a lone wanderer happened to stumble upon the Church's door. Which was exactly what Jovan intended to do.
Leaving the Boyana Waterfall, Jovan made his way straight to the Church. As he walked there, disguised as a poor beggar, Jovan realized that knowing in his heart his beloved Jagoda was being held captive at that very location made his footsteps all the more determined. He couldn't tell whether his knowledge of the location made the journey quicker, or whether it was the fact that a man's conviction of righteousness in his heart showed him the fastest way to the Church.
He arrived at his destination shortly before sunrise. The cold and wintery morning air began to give way to the fog that enveloped the land, fueled by the thawing snow. If Jovan had any time to spare, he would have taken it to admire the mysterious aura of the grounds around the Church. The silence of the dawn mixed with the brisk breeze blowing gently along the bare tree branches. The gleam of first rays of the sun caressed the snow banks along the road.
He waited a while by the main road leading up to the Church, aware that waiting out in the open would cause less suspicion. As he sat on the snow-covered ground under tree branches playing the part of a makeshift roof over his head, Jovan looked toward the Church. He memorized the location of each and every window, door, and made it a meticulous point to count the number of bricks between windows and doors, from the ground up to the roof. Each detail, even the smallest one, was of utmost importance.
The moment the rays of the sun reached his face, Jovan decided that the time had come. It was time for action. It was time for hope and good to triumph over evil. It was time for his beloved Jagoda to be freed once and for all. Her people needed her. She needed his help, and as the sun was his witness - he needed her, too. He no longer carried any doubt in his heart nor in his mind. He was convinced that he would rescue Jagoda and bring her into his arms again, that his determination would help him win, and that the moment had come for Jagoda to reclaim her rightful place as the head of her people.
He knew he shouldn't waste any more time sitting beside the road, and should enter the Church, regardless of the danger waiting for him inside. So, he nodded to himself, rose, and dusted the snow off his vagrant coat. He adjusted his disguise to make it look even more beggarly and... all but toppled backwards over Anil, who rose beside him without so much as a whisper.
"For heaven's sake!" Jovan hissed out while trying to balance himself.
"Do I look that bad?" Anil replied and examined his clothes.
"Your looks are the furthest thing from my mind right now!" Jovan growled at him and leaned in to whisper into Anil's ear. "What. Are. You. Doing. Here?"
"Begging for a kind heart, a warm rabbit stew, and a sincere ear," Anil winked as he spoke in character matching Jovan's while holding onto a wooden stick made to look like a poor man's crooked staff.
"Wink at me again, and You'll be sorry You are not a rabbit," Jovan scolded Anil. "Why are You here and not with Zora and Kinga and the other women at the Mezek Fortress like we discussed?"
"You may be Jovan the Valiant, brave and strong, but You definitely are not wise," Anil shook his head sarcastically.
"Do clarify Your statement," Jovan took hold of the lapel of Anil's torn coat, pretending to adjust it. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of something familiar that surprised him more than seeing Anil. So, he lowered his hands and pretended to search for something in the snow.
"Have You ever attended wedding preparations where men were allowed to join women in such rituals?" Anil cackled and scratched his head at the sight of the great Jovan crouching in the snow.
"More than a few," Jovan moved his shoulders up and down and rose to his feet.
"Wherever You come from, the customs of Your people are more bothersome than they are mind-boggling," Anil opened his eyes wider.
"Wherever and whenever," Jovan chuckled, realizing that Anil's presence could after all be put to good use. If they were meant to play the part of beggars, so be it. But they couldn't waste any more time arguing about it. Certainly not in front of the Church.
"Whenever?" Anil blinked, thrown off track by the time reference.
"Nevermind, rabbit whisperer," Jovan patted his back. "Tell me, how on earth did You get Your precious dagger back?"
"Ahh, a man of few words often uses his other talents," Anil replied with pride in his eyes and secretly patted the Jade jewel sculpted into a dragon's fierce face at the tip of the dagger's handle under his torn coat.
"A man of few words, huh?" Jovan smirked.
"Yes," Anil nodded, and the two men directed their footsteps toward the entrance door of the Church. "A man of few words also chooses to keep his observations to himself."
"And what observations ate those?" Jovan raised his eyebrow.
"Oh, one - for instance, made me figure out You are hiding Your precious saber sword with a certain someone's name inscribed in it under Your coat - or at least pretending to do so," Anil advised him nonchalantly.
"That.. was pretty impressive," Jovan nodded. "Let's see what the Church looks like on the inside. It looks far too deserted on the outside for me to believe there are no guards around here."
Anil nodded in agreement, and both men made the slow walk through the morning fog, ensuring they looked the part of poor beggars who sought a roof over their heads in the Church because they would not have been accepted elsewhere.
As they arrived by the door, it surprised Jovan a bit to find the door in great condition, albeit ice-covered.
"There is no damage on the door and no arrowhead marks?" Jovan whispered to himself as he ran his fingers down the heavy metal door.
"Why would there be any?" Anil narrowed his eyebrows. "The Church was renovated and expanded not long ago?"
"Well, it survived many historical raids, and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site," Jovan said matter-of-factly before he realized he revealed too much to Anil about events that had not happened yet.
"Who is this... Unesco, and why did he not defend the Church instead of taking care of it afterwards?" Anil raised his eyebrow.
"UNESCO isn't a person. It is an organization that seeks to preserve history and places that mean a lot to Our ancestors," Jovan explained and wondered what caused him to say so much to Anil.
"Why do You speak of a past that never took place?" Anil leaned on his walking staff - not for physical support but rather for emotional one.
"Ah, my dear Anil, but it did," Jovan patted his companion's back again. "Ready to save the day?"
"No," Anil suddenly felt a cold sweat roll down his back. "But I am ready to save Our Sultana."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Jovan flashed his pearly whites.
"Confidence?" Anil sighed nervously.
"You have all You need here," Jovan pointed to Anil's heart. "Courage comes from believing You have no other option and accepting what must be done."
"Then I say it's about time You accepted it as well, Jovan the Valiant," Anil pointed back at Jovan.
"Smooth one, Anil the Wise. Alright. Let's show these cowards what real warriors hold in their hearts," Jovan whispered, lowering his gaze to Anil's dagger. He took hold of the saber hidden under his coat, and recalled the inscription of his beloved's name on the sword. Whatever happened next, he would not give up. Not until he saved Jagoda. Not until they defeated Zora. Not until he fought till his last breath...