One of Us

XIV

     Light was just making itself known, when Yossi jerked awake. How he had fallen asleep he couldn't fathom. As he looked across the dew strewn meadow an odd peace flooded his soul and he felt he could accept and face what was coming. His eyes caught the first rays of dawn glinting off something shiny on the hill across from him. Yossi stood slowly and walked a little more into the open. He could just make out two shadowy figures laying in the grass. It was almost time.

     He turned toward the horizon.

     A line from an old poem he'd once read echoed in his head "Eyes, look your last upon the glorious light of the sunrise and go gently into that eternal night."

     "Yossi!"

     He whirled around.

     "Rowena?" he gasped incredulously, "What are you doing here?"

     "I'm saving you like I'm supposed to, like I'm always supposed to do! Isn't it all crazy Yossi?" she rushed over to him and hugged him.

     He pushed her back and held her at arm's length, casting an anxious glance to the figures in the grass. They hadn't moved.

     "How did you find me?" he demanded

     "You told me years ago you wanted to die here so it stood to reason this was where you'd give yourself up. But now you don't have to. I'm here to take you away!"

     Yossi shook his head. "No you have to get away from here now." he pushed her bodily toward the path.

     Rowena dodged sideways.

     "Yossi you don't understand!" she grinned and waved a hand at herself, "I mean I only found out an hour ago!"

     "Rowena please!" Yossi begged. He couldn't see the men anymore. "You have to leave, you have your whole life ahead of you! It's over for me. Let me go!" he spoke fast trying to convince her, "You're going to live and you're going to become the best queen this kingdom has ever seen! But you have to go! Now!"

     She shook her head "No I'm not and you're not. I'm not the queen Yossi! I'm a throne warden."

     "A what?" Yossi exclaimed

     "My family is part of an order that has protected the throne and the crown for centuries, but when the line was almost lost we switched places. My family became the kings while the real ones hid away. I'm not of the royal line. I'm not the next queen! Isn't it wonderful?" elated she took his face in her hands and kissed him for the second time that day.

     Yossi was so shocked he forgot to push her away. Spluttering he grabbed her arms and spun her around toward the path once more, his back shielding her from the figures on the opposite hill.

     "Look, you still have to get out of here!"

     Rowena grabbed his arms as well and turned them back around. "I'm not leaving without you!"

     "Yes you are" Yossi wrenched them back.

     "No! Not without my king!"

     "Your what?" Yossi nearly lost his balance as she spun them again. Out of the corner of his eye he spied the men on the move to higher ground.

     "You're the next in line! Your father's father's father was the one my great great grandfather saved! You told me your parents names and they were the key! You're the king!"

     Yossi stood frozen trying to wrap his mind around what she was saying, but all he could see were the men behind her.

     "A whole detail of men are coming right behind me" Rowena was saying, "to bring you home safe and sound and capture whoever Dusan sent to bring you in. Hey-" she cried out as he spun her once more around breathing hard.