Chapter 74
Yseldra had never believed in Ombrithar, and I had long since turned away as well. Thus, on this day, rather than standing before the altar of any temple, Yseldra, Sir Lorcan, and I stood within the quiet courtyard of the annex. Before us lay a great tombstone, near half my height, set upon a perfect square of stone and adorned with delicate carvings. Upon it was engraved a single name.
Alethea.
A grave, yet one without a body.
I had wept my share in years past and made what peace I could with her absence. So I stood in silence beside Yseldra, my heart heavy yet steady.
"Though we could not find you," Yseldra began, "we grant you this place, that your soul might rest without wandering. May your spirit find solace here, near Alvric. Should there be any mercy beyond this world, may you find one another, and may you not be alone."
She paused, her breath unsteady, yet her voice did not falter.
"I cannot undo what has been done, nor do I expect your forgiveness. Yet I stand before you still and ask for a kindness I do not deserve... I selfishly ask that you grant your blessing upon our marriage. I give you my word that I shall love her without restraint and guard her with all that I am, until my final breath."
She took my hand then. "Thank you for remaining at her side until the very end, Sister Alethea."
We remained there for a long while, the silence stretching with quiet reverence, until at last Sir Lorcan stepped forward and extended her golden crown.
"The ministers await, Your Majesty."
"Very well," Yseldra replied, placing the crown upon her head. She turned to me then, and her smile swept away the lingering sorrow. "It is time to announce our union. Are you prepared?"
I glanced down at my thin dress. "Shall I require armor for protection?"
She gave a soft laugh. "Any who dares lay a hand upon you shall lose it to Sir Lorcan. You have no need of armor."
We returned to the palace hand in hand. The moment we entered the throne room, the ministers' expressions shifted at once, outrage plain upon their faces at the sight of me.
A man raised his hand and pointed in fury as we walked the aisle toward the throne. "You dare show your face within our kingdom?!"
"Shameless wretch!" another spat.
Yseldra glared at him and he took a few steps back.
"Your Majesty!" one cried in open anger, "what is the meaning of this?!"
"Send her to the gallows!" another shouted.
Voices rose and collided until they blurred into one indistinct clamor, each seeking to drown out the other.
"Shut your fucking mouths, the whole damned lot of you!" Yseldra's voice rang out above them, cutting through the chaos with absolute command.
When we reached the throne, Yseldra had me seated beside her. I kept my back straight whilst she leaned with effortless ease, one leg crossed over the other.
"Your Majesty!" the minister with the long white beard protested, "she is the enemy!"
"I have conducted a thorough reinvestigation of the murder," she said, her voice calm and absolute. "House Ashcroft holds no involvement."
"Then who is responsible?" the man pressed. "What if House Ashcroft has bribed others? What if the information you received has been tampered with?"
Yseldra drew me back against her, her arm firm about my waist. "Lord Miretes, are you suggesting that I, your queen, have erred in my judgment?"
He faltered, his gaze shifting toward the other ministers, as though seeking support.
Another stepped forward. "Lord Miretes raises a concern, Your Majesty. House Ashcroft possesses the wealth to influence such matters."
"Lord Gourna," Yseldra replied, "how about you back your arse down and hold your tongue? Only two days past, you were smuggling contraband across the border, you filthy swine."
"T-that is false! I have been framed, Your Majesty!"
Yseldra gave a small wave of her hand. "Guards."
At once, two soldiers stepped forward and seized him, dragging him from the chamber as his protests dissolved into the distance.
"And Lord Miretes," Yseldra continued, "just last week you were found in the brothels, indulging yourself without restraint."
His eyes quivered.
She rested her head upon my shoulder with ease. "How amusing. A royal minister, entrusted with the affairs of the realm, yet comporting himself like a creature ruled by base impulse. Guards."
He, too, was seized and removed. I could not help but note, with irony, that none embodied such fervor of appetite more than the woman beside me.
"Is there anyone else?" she asked.
"Your Majesty," another stepped forward, his voice firm, "we demand that the findings of your investigation be shared with us. It must be reviewed collectively to ensure its integrity. We cannot permit you to wed an enemy."
"And you… last month you were siphoning coin from the royal treasury. Guards."
"Your Majesty!" he cried, falling to his knees, "you have been misinformed! I would never commit such a deed!"
"Oh? If that is so, why do you kneel and wail as though already condemned?"
He was dragged away as well.
Another advanced, standing tall with unwarranted confidence, and Yseldra raised a brow in mild curiosity.
"The laws of Dunverra forbid unions of the same sex, Your Majesty."
Yseldra lifted her head from my shoulder and leaned forward, her presence turning sharp. "To hell with antiquated laws. I am the fucking law."
"This decree was set forth by the first king," he replied, far too assured. "Such laws are not to be altered."
"Oh?"
Yseldra rose with measured slowness, and with that single motion the chamber fell silent beneath the weight of her authority. Then, to my utter astonishment, she lifted her skirt and, with deliberate calm, drew her drawers down.
A hush fell upon the gathered men, their faces struck with open shock. One among them collapsed outright. I raised my hand to shield half my face, for she knew no shame where I felt it keenly.
She smirked. "You have all assumed that I adopted Princess Aelunira, have you not? Then allow me to speak plainly. Lady Naevia bore my child. If I am capable of siring an heir with her, then I possess every right to claim the standing of a man."
With effortless composure, she restored her garments and faced them once more. "I shall wed Lady Naevia of House Ashcroft, and you lot shall consent. This," she said, her expression darkening, her golden eyes alight with quiet menace, "is a royal decree."
Jaws tightened, hands clenched. For once such a decree was spoken, to oppose it was to defy the crown itself, and such defiance bore only one end.
She turned to me and extended her hand, her smile radiant, and my heart quickened at once. This woman love me, and she was resolute in her desire to make me her wife. A royal decree was no trifling matter. It would be recorded, preserved, spoken of in years to come. Scholars would one day recount how she dismissed the counsel of every minister, all for the sake of loving me.
If she had been Millicent, I held no doubt she would have moved heaven and earth to free Florence from her marriage. Yseldra was that kind of woman. The one who never ceased writing to me for six straight years.
Tears gathered within my eyes.
She removed her crown and placed it gently upon my head, then leaned close, her voice soft with a sincerity that stirred me deeply. "I love you more than anything. I swear upon my name that I shall always remain by your side… my queen."
A small laugh escaped me despite the emotion that held me. "And if you were to leave this world before I do? You would not be beside me then."
"I shall not. I will do all within my power to outlive you, Naevia. This I promise. When your time comes, I shall see you laid to rest with every honor. And after that, I shall challenge even the heavens themselves, that I might find you again in whatever life awaits us next."
More tears fell, though I found myself smiling through them. Her words were bold, perhaps even excessive, yet they reached me in a way I could not deny.
She took my hand and led me forward, paying no heed to the ministers who lingered behind us. Her gaze remained fixed upon me alone. There was a madness in the depth of her devotion, a fierce and unwavering obsession.
And I loved her for it.