The War of Queens

Chapter 51

Elizabeth

 The battle seemed to go on forever. She paced the room impatiently, her heart jumping up at every sound from outside of the tent. Her ears never stopped listening, either for the voices of enemies or friends. When she heard the steps closing in on the tent, she thought it to be a trick played by her mind as it so often had been.

 The entrance flap was pushed aside and Jamie entered. Blood was smeared on his face and his arm was bleeding from a deep wound, but his smile was victorious.

 “You won!” he exclaimed.

 She drew in a surprised breath. “I did?”

 His smile grew into a beam. “You did.”

 She let out a laughter of simple exhilaration and ran to him, her arms falling around his neck so easily. He smelled of sweat and blood, but she did not mind. His arms around her felt familiar. However, when she drew away, the way he looked at her pushed away the familiarity.

 She stepped backwards and swallowed awkwardly. “Where is Angelique?”

 “I don’t know,” he said. “I’m sure she’ll be here soon enough.”

 Once more, the clap opened and Ishmael entered. He made an exaggerated bow and said, “Congratulations on your victory, Your Grace.”

 He smiled as she laughed. Without thinking, she hugged him as well. “Oh, I’m so glad you did not let me leave you in Hi’taab,” she said once they pulled apart.

 “I’m glad I came with you, as well.”

 She beamed and hugged him again. “Four years, Ishmael,” she said. “Now I see the point.”

 “I’m so glad,” he said, and there was not a shadow of doubt within her that he was being honest.

 Caterina and Asha entered then. Caterina wore an armor, though she had not been to battle. This was only made more ironic by the fact that Asha wore very little armor and yet she was covered in the blood of her enemies.

 “Queen Elizabeth!” Caterina said, her voice made loud by the exhilaration that filled them all. “Are you ready to take your throne?”

 Elizabeth controlled her smile. “I should think so - after so many years of preparing.”

 “Unfortunately,” Asha said while Caterina went to get some wine, “King Raynor managed to escape along with a handful soldiers. It’s said that he has reinforcements in Tibera, so we are guessing that is where he is headed.”

 “We’ll take care of that later.” Caterina lifted her glass. “Now is the time for celebration.”

 “I need to find my sister,” Elizabeth said.

 Asha frowned. “She has not returned?”

 Elizabeth shook her head.

 “I thought all the soldiers had returned?”

 “They have,” Caterina said.

 Elizabeth furrowed. “I will go look for her.”

 It had gotten colder outside. She stopped a soldier and asked him if he had seen her sister. “No, Your Grace,” was his prompt answer. It was also the answer of every other person she asked.

 She walked out onto the battlefield. Nurses from the follower’s camps were tending to those who were not quite dead yet - and might not be for a long time. Elizabeth rested her hand on one of the nurse’s shoulders.