The War of Queens

Chapter 35

Elizabeth

 Just slightly south of Northpoint holdfast, there was a small town. It was no more than a handful of houses spread over a small valley, some of them crawling slightly up the surrounding mountainsides. Snow fell all year round and the circle of mountains surrounding it gave it an eerie quietness.

 “What a sad place,” Angelique commented. “Think about it. People live and die here, never seeing anything but this.”

 What seemed even more sad to Elizabeth was the state of it. The houses were shabby at best, and the people that lived there were thin to the bone with round eyes that stood out in their starved faces. There was a small holdfast in the midst of it, though.

 “There hasn’t been a lord in there for a while,” Eric told her. “I grew up in a town like this, you know.”

 “Why?” she asked, surprised.

 He smiled wryly. “To keep me hidden from the King.”

 Outside of the holdfast, a group of people were awaiting. The villagers had collected in a half circle around them, shuffling, some even pretending to be doing something else than watching the group. They seemed confused about how to behave.

 The one in the middle wore a red ermine skin around her shoulder, covering a thick-spun green dress. Her auburn hair fell in waves around an aged face that had stubborn lines drown from her lips, nose and eyes. Beside her stood a dark-haired man and a man who looked like him, only older, and to the other side was a girl who could only be Asha.

 She did not look as young as Elizabeth expected. She was not very tall, but muscled and undeniably strong. Her back was straight and chin raised, but all of this only added to the proud features of her face. High cheekbones and a raised chin dominated her face, and her hair was pulled back tightly. And then there were the eyes - like gold, just the way everyone had told her.

 The auburn haired woman stepped forwards. “My name is Lady Caterina. I trust you had a safe journey.”

 Elizabeth stepped forwards, unsure how to react. There had been no long courtesies or “Your Grace”s - only an introduction and a few polite words. “Thank you, my lady,” she said, finally. “It was.”

 The golden-eyed woman stepped forwards. “I am Asha, Kahari of the South and the Yaguars. May I introduce to you, my two most trusted advisors, Equem and the Shadow.”

 Elizabeth frowned at the last name, reminding herself to ask about it at a later point.

 Two men stepped forwards, one as dark in skin as she was, but with eyes as black as night, and one with fair skin and pale blue eyes that seemed to look through Elizabeth, all the way to her soul. He was bearded, all of his hair red, and he wore unwashed clothing.

 “I am honored to meet you,” Elizabeth replied courteously.

 Caterina took over the talking again. “And these two men are Lord Brythen of Blythall,” she said as the older, dark-haired man stepped forwards and bowed, “and his son, George,” she continued, and the younger man did the same.

 She looked at them intently, doing her best to imprint their names and faces in her memory. “Once again, I am honored to meet you.”

 “Not as honored as I am, Your Grace,” Brythen said, bowing once more before stepping backwards.

 Caterina looked around her thoughtfully. “I suppose this will do,” she mused. Then she turned to Elizabeth again. “You see, I am wanting to raise a monument for this historic day, a statue that will remind the people of our friendship and alliance.”