I reincarnated in game

51 Elizabeth

As had been pre-arranged, Hugh, Judi and Kenneth met Anne at the airship station the following morning.  She had been standing waiting for them with her one small traveling bag.

“Good morning,” she said as the trio approached.  “I am always happy to see when people honour their word.”

“Good morning to you as well,” they replied in unison. 

Once again Hugh noted that Anne’s epithet was indistinct and unreadable.  “How come I cannot see anything about her,” he wondered to himself.  

Even though the trip to Sdel was going to be a relatively short one, they made their way to the passenger deck and found some seating for four.  The day was clear, but cold, so Hugh ordered some hot apple cider from the vendor.  While they were enjoying their beverages, Hugh ventured a question.  Turning to Anne, he asked, “What is it exactly that makes you want to go to Sdel?  Is that where you are from?”

“Yes,” Anne replied.  “I was born and raised in Sdel.  My family has been there for a long time.  My reason for going is that some urgent family matters have come up.  I felt it important that I be there.”  She did not continue … she had answered their questions and hoped that it would be enough to satisfy their curiosity.  She watched their faces and could see that Hugh was about to ask more questions … she needed to distract him!

“I want to thank you so much for agreeing to accompany me,” Anne said before Hugh could pose any further questions.  “I have heard some very bad stories about the perils of women who are traveling on their own.  I was afraid to attempt the trip by myself … a single woman can be so vulnerable,” Anne said.

“I am glad that we are able to help you, especially after how we had to treat you the night at the inn,” Judi said.

Anne saw her opportunity to deflect the conversation from her situation and leapt on it.  “Yes, I have been wondering just why you had to tie me up, make me get punished and lose my job,” she asked.

Hugh looked at Judi who had turned to look at him.  Hugh spoke.  “Well, we were doing some undercover security surveillance and were told not to be found on the premises.  We had just finished what we had to do when we bumped into you in the hall.  We had to do what we did to ensure that you did not raise the alarm before we could leave the building.”

Judi picked up where Hugh had ended.  “We were so sorry to hear that you had been beaten and fired because of our actions.”

“Yes,” Hugh continued.  “I would still like to give you something to make up for your job loss … wouldn’t you take some money to help out until you get another job?” he asked.

Anne shook her head, “No.  It will be OK.  I will be staying with family and won’t have to worry about personal expenses.  Thank you anyway.  As long as I can get to the station in Sdel, I will be good.  It is enough that you have come out of your way to ensure my safe passage.”

“Well, we are not really going out of our way … we are all going to go to Cowson after we drop you off,” Kenneth added, wanting to be part of the conversation.

“So when you get to Sdel, how are you going to get to your family home,” Hugh asked.  “Do you need some money to hire a coach?”

“No,” replied Anne.  “Someone will be meeting me there and will accompany me home.”  She then turned to Kenneth and smiled as she said, “I wish you a safe trip to Cowson.”

The rest of the short trip was primarily occupied with small talk … When the airship docked at the main station in Sdel, Anne bid her benefactors farewell.  They stayed on the boat, heading for Cowson; Anne waved until the ship was airborne and out of sight.  She then headed out of the station.

Anne’s arrival in Sdel coincided with news that there was trouble within the royal Dench family.  A feud was unfolding between Saint Elizabeth and her younger brother, Daniel in a battle for the throne.

It was common knowledge in Sdel that Saint Elizabeth’s engagement to King Archibald of Aldo had been postponed indefinitely after the riots had broken out amongst the poor.  Her caravan had returned from Aldo only yesterday.  Today there were rumblings that her younger brother, who had been expecting to be the next heir after her betrothal to the king of Aldo, was now going to have to step aside in favour of his older sister who was back in the picture.  Daniel was not happy.

Back home, Elizabeth reflected on her life in Sdel and the events of the past couple of weeks.  As the king’s eldest, she had grown up wanting for nothing.  Her father was a benevolent ruler as well as his father before him … they always had the best interests of their subjects at heart.  Their family was the reason there was less of a gap between the rich and the poor in Sdel; many years ago, the royal family had established centres throughout the country where the less fortunate could seek aid in the form of food, fuel, clothing to better their station in life.  Low interest loans were available to anybody who could put forth a plan of action to set up businesses.  As such, Sdel had a thriving business community. 

Elizabeth had been close to her father and had often traveled by his side when he toured the country.  She had become well known and loved by the citizens from the time she was just a child.  She shared a love of the people with her father and always wanted to help them, especially the poor and underprivileged.

She knew she had a special insight into light magic from a very young age.  Her family was aware of it; however, it was inadvertently leaked to a member high up in the Curia. Once they knew, they followed her development hoping to entice her to join with them so they could avail themselves of her natural ability.  Elizabeth had been raised to respect the church and the work they did with the poor.  Because her own interest lay in that direction, she readily accepted a position of a cleric with them at age eighteen.  As part of her work, she witnessed the difference in the lives of those from the various social classes; her heart would go out to the disadvantaged.  She was able to use her light magic to heal and bless those who needed it most. 

Four years ago, because of her work among the poor, the Curia made Elizabeth a saint at the young age of twenty years.  After she had been with the Curia for a couple of years, she realized she had been disillusioned.  Instead of being the champions for the poor, she saw that they were actually exploiting them.  They dominated the owners of lands and businesses through their role of collectors of the tribute and taxes; they could force merchants to buy and sell at rates they controlled.  She also became aware that some of the priests and bishops were abusing the powers delegated to them by the Curia; all to further their own personal wealth and power.     

Elizabeth had been aware of the fact that the Curia was using her as a puppet mascot for their organization.  She longed to be able to right the wrongs she had become aware of; to restore the integrity and purity of the religion of the people to them.  She knew others who felt as she did and would be willing to work with her.  She would have to be very careful.

The evidence of the Curia’s control over her life culminated when they had worked behind her back to influence her ailing father to agree to her betrothal to the king of Aldo under the guise of solidifying the alliance between the two countries.  In fact, she believed that the Curia was only interested in increasing their influence in the country by having their saint as its queen.  She knew that once she became the wife of the king of Aldo, she would have no control over her own destiny; her hopes to help those in need would never come to fruition.  They had pushed their plans to have the engagement announced during the Aldo National Week.  Elizabeth had not even been consulted in the matter.  Both the Curia and her father had mapped out her future without any consideration of her wishes.  Her younger brother, Daniel, was to assume the throne in Sdel after her nuptials, and upon the king’s death.  

With the announcement of Elizabeth’s engagement, Daniel was elated that he would be the next in line for the throne.  He greedily anticipated the day when he would be king and be able to assert his royal will on the denizens of Sdel.  But that engagement was now postponed!

Elizabeth knew that, as queen of Sdel, without the influence of the Curia and without a husband to limit her activity, she would be better able to carry out an agenda which would better achieve her goals. 

Daniel knew well enough that Elizabeth viewed her return to Sdel as an opportunity to reclaim her rightful position as the heir to the crown whenever their father died.  He was not pleased that she was back in Sdel.  He wanted the throne … and he had no intentions of letting his sister snatch it from him!