The priest for Midrouge's Church of Boneel was nothing like Lilah had imagined. The Queen had only ever seen the severe priests from The Church of Imperi on the few occasions when she could not avoid attending service. There were three of them who led the church and they were all short, stout men who wore the traditional white robes that looked more like potato sacks. They never smiled or offered their hands to even the most devout of the Imperi church; in fact, once Lilah even saw one of them recoil from the touch of an elderly woman and wipe his hand on his robes as if he had touched a wet dog. Boniface Ro, the priest who was standing in front of her and welcoming them into his church, was nothing like those men and Lilah found herself liking him for it already.
Boniface reminded Lilah of a character from one of her childhood bedtime stories. He was a very tall man, Lilah could swear he was at least half the height of a new tree, and as thin as one too. His skin even looked like the bark of a tree, it was a very rich brown but lines now marred his face and hands hinting that his youthful days were long behind him. Though Lilah could tell the man was old by his wrinkled skin and coarse silver hair, she could not begin to guess at his exact age. It seemed he was one of those men with an old body but youthful eyes which made age irrelevant. Just by looking at him, Lilah could tell he had already lived an eternity, but would undoubtedly live an eternity more.
"So it's true," Boniface said as he guided the queen, Bleu, and Marzonna through the ancient church's door. The loud chants from the mob must have got his attention, because he was waiting on the doorstep as the three of them reached the church through the tunnel of people. He said nothing to them as they walked up to his door, but he smiled openly nonetheless.
"It's true." Lilah answered, although she couldn't be sure which event he was referring to.
Boniface nodded once and his smile grew. "We have been waiting a very long time for your reign, Queen Lilah."
Lilah stopped inside the door and looked at the old man. "We?"
"Yes, of course. The Church of Boneel, Noduvs, your people. We've all been waiting" He said in his deep timber and pointed to a door to Lilah's left. "We're going through that door and up the stairs, dear one."
Lilah followed his directions and chewed on his words. She was surprised to find that she didn't mind that the man was so informal, a part of her even felt as if it was she who owed him the respect and not the other way around. He reminded the queen of Van's grandfather who used to visit the palace a great deal when Van started his work as a Queen's Guard, for he too was a guard in his younger days. They both shared the same kind of gentle ways that Lilah had not seen from many others in her life.
"Why would anyone be waiting for me?" She finally asked and waited at the top of the stairs as Boniface unlocked a heavy wooden door.
"There are old songs about a young woman who saves the Noduvs once and for all. Many have speculated that you are that very young woman." He said easily and headed into the doorway, the three newcomers followed just behind.
Lilah snorted. Marzonna pinched her elbow like she did when Lilah was younger and did something "unladylike." Lilah rolled her eyes and rubbed her elbow as they entered the room.
It was dark, something Lilah at first credited to the late hour of day, but then she noticed all the windows were covered in heavy tapestries. The only light source was coming from candles lit on dusty old shelves. She had not seen much of the church when they first walked in, but she could tell this room was not often visited.
Boniface continued walking to a mound of blankets in the corner of the room and began speaking. "Oliver, Leon, it's safe. The rumor was true."
The ancient man moved the blankets and Lilah finally noticed a hidden hatch in the floorboards. At Boniface's words, the door is pushed open and an unruly head of dark waves appeared from the darkness. A young man who looked to be only a few years older than Lilah climbed from the hidden chamber. He looked a little thin from hunger, but the young queen could see clearly, even in the dark, that he was fit and strong from days of hard labor. As if to prove the point, he bent down and helped pull another, much older man from the hatch. This man looked very much like the younger one, but he was shorter and noticeably more frail. Lilah wasn't sure what she had expected, but it wasn't these relatives that could have been plucked from any nearby farm. There was a pit forming in her stomach as she thought about the devastated family that must be at home fearing for these men's lives.
Boniface was the first to speak once the men dusted themselves off and stood before the group. "Queen Lilah, these are the men you're pardoning. Oliver and Leon Aries."
The older man bowed respectfully, but the younger one only nodded his head almost imperceptibly. "It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesty. We appreciate the mercy you are showing us." The older man said. "My name is Oliver and this is my son, Leon."
"Please call me Lilah, we have a long journey ahead of us and I see no need for formalities on the trek."
Oliver chuckled and turned to Bleu and Marzonna who stood quietly behind Lilah. "It's nice to meet you both, I'm Oliver." He extended his hand to Bleu politely.
"I am Bleu Cobril, head of the Queen's Guard and this is my wife-" He said as he shook Oliver's hand, but Marzonna interjected before he could finish.
"I'm his wife, Marzonna Cobril, and I have taught Lilah since she was a young girl. We're very happy to be here." She said with a warm smile. Lilah noticed a peace in Marzonna's eyes that was never there when they were in the palace. She felt sorrow at the thought that ensuring her safety and education had taken so much ease from Bleu and Marzonna's lives.
"There's supper prepared downstairs if you all care to follow me," Boniface said. "It would be wise to store up strength and rest before you leave, I'm afraid the trip to the palace will be a hard one now that your identity is known."
"That would be delightful." Marzonna answered and they all followed the spindly old man back down the stairs. It did not escape Lilah's notice that the two Aries men stayed at a safe distance behind the group whispering fiercely to each other. Lilah glanced at Bleu and found him lingering a step behind to listen, while Marzonna kept up a friendly conversation with Boniface just ahead. The queen felt as if there was a gaze burning into the back of her head, but dared not look to see.
As Boniface led the group into what could only be the worship place, Lilah felt her attention slip from the two strangers to the beautiful room before her. Much like the rest of this building, the worshipping place was very different from the Church of Imperi. There was nothing cold or unforgiving about the building, instead, it felt as if it were alive. The walls were painted with vivid colors that told ancient stories of gods that Lilah was not familiar with. The windows were tall and thin and let in light through some kind of painted glass that couldn't be found anywhere in Vidan. There were candles covering every surface, leaving lines of wax dried onto walls and seats and anything else beneath them. Instead of making the room look dirty, the dried wax actually looked as if it was built with the room. At what could only be described as the altar, there were offerings of huge exotic flowers, incense, and more candles. With every step that the group took forward, the floors creaked as if the building was breathing along with the people it held inside. Lilah could hardly allow herself to blink for fear of missing a detail.
"This is where we'll be eating." Boniface said, and with a great deal of effort, Lilah turned her gaze to the table that the man was speaking of.
It was a low table, almost like a wood palette, with pillows laid around it and mounds of food on top. It looked humble, yet inviting, a setting that suited the place very well.
"You eat where you worship?" Lilah found herself asking as she sat down on a pillow and watched Boniface take his place at the head.
The man laughed, "Of course child, this is only a room. Our gods dwell everywhere so there's no sense in idolizing this place, even as sacred as it is."
Lilah nodded and tried not to blush, feeling very much like the least informed person in the room. It did not help that she felt Leon Aries's hateful gaze on her at all times, as if he were waiting for her to reveal some sort of evil that lay beneath her skin.
Another laugh from Boniface, "Do not worry, dear, his feelings will soon change."
Lilah nearly choked as she looked up and found Boniface's steady gaze and mischievous grin. She had not said anything out loud, yet he answered her thoughts as if she had. Before Lilah could say anything the priest continued, "Please, everyone begin, the food is very good. Mama Ra is the best cook this side of the Erzulief Border."
"I'm the best cook on the other side of the Erzulief Border too, old man." A plump woman walked forth and swatted Boniface with a rag she kept ticked in her apron.
"Of course you are, darling." Boniface replied with a grin. "This is my wife, Mama Ra. She's meaner than she looks." He laughed when the woman swatted him again.
"I hope you all enjoy supper. I made a little extra dessert in honor of your visit, Queen Lilah."
"Thank you," Lilah answered with a grin. "I'm sure I'll love it."
The old woman smiled brightly and nodded her head before excusing herself to do more work around the church and the group started to enjoy the spread before them. Lilah was sitting at the opposite end of the table with Marzonna and Bleu on each side. They dug into the dinner readily, but the queen found herself deliberating everything in front of her. The food smelled delicious, but it was very different from the dinners she was used to back in Vidan. The meat was not neatly cut from the bones like they were at the palace and everything seemed to be covered in a thick white gravy. Even the pastries looked heavier, filled to the brim with bright reds and purples, finished off with a dollop of some sort of cream and a light dusting of sugar. It had seemed that they found reason to even glaze the vegetables and coat them with nuts. Lilah didn't know where to begin.
"Try the roasted lamb, it isn't very sweet." Boniface offered from across the table. Lilah smiled gratefully and didn't bother asking how he knew that she preferred savory food, as she had already figured out he had some sort of gift for knowing these things.
Lilah filled her plate with the tender meat and a few slices of very thick, nutty bread along with a small scoop of the strange gravy. She took her first bite of lamb and found it to be the most exquisite taste she had ever experienced. She recognized hints of rosemary, but couldn't place anything else. It was truly the best meal she had ever eaten.
"I hate to speak of such terrible things during dinner time, but I'm afraid we won't get another chance." Marzonna said after taking a long swig of the honeyed blackberry wine. "When did Midrouge get so bad? I remember coming here as a girl and tensions were never so high. I know recent events have had some effect, but this seems to be deeper than that."
There was a scoff from across the table and Lilah wasn't surprised to find that it came from Leon. "Perhaps it started when The Church of Imperi made puppets of the cabinet and the royals. Or perhaps it was when the palace sent Vidan officers to the northeast to 'protect' the people. I suppose it could have started when families began to starve and instead of help, the poorer regions received lashes. But I'm willing to wager that it all truly started when the queen's father, the greedy fool, took power all those years ago." He spat.
"Leon!" Oliver exclaimed and reached for his son's hand from across the table, but the young man only sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. His eyes were fixed on Lilah with a hate so deep, Lilah wondered how it could ever be weeded out.
Marzonna said very quietly, "Forgive me, I had not meant to offend." but no one was paying attention. Lilah was staring back at Leon with a matched fierceness, only hers was not filled with hate or contempt. She stared the man down much like she often had to stare down a cabinet member, merely to show that she wasn't one to be taken lightly. It was a look she had long ago perfected.
"Nothing to say, Queen?" Leon taunted, and enunciated the word "queen" in the same way many other men had done before; as if she were less of a ruler because she was a queen and not a king.
"I will not defend the character of my father if that's what you want." Her gaze never wavered.
"And what of the other issues? Shall you sweep those under the rug as well?" He leaned onto the table, his hands placed flat and his jaw clenched tight.
"My answers wouldn't be what you wish to hear."
He scoffed again, "Of course they wouldn't, you are just like the rest of those who ruled before you. You will do just as they had done." He said with a little less anger and leaned back in his seat. The queen could see that some of the man's fire was now smothered by her refusal to take the bait.
"No." She answered evenly, although her heart was pounding with fury. "You would not like my answers because you wouldn't believe them."
Leon snapped his head towards Lilah once more and regarded her with a look of skepticism. "If what you have to say is more of the speech you fed the mob, then you're right, I wouldn't believe it."
"Very well." Lilah shrugged. She fought to keep her breathing even, just like she was taught when she was younger; so that her adversary, whether in combat of wits or strength, could not see she was flustered. There was no doubt that Bleu and Marzonna could see her anger hidden beneath, but to the strangers, she must've seemed utterly indifferent. Or so she hoped.
Boniface cleared his throat. "Although Leon's answer was a bit hotheaded, I'm afraid he's right." He said. "Things have been brewing for quite some time now. It's hard to place when it began, we are only sure that it did, in fact, begin and has been rising like water ever since."
"As much as I wish things would quiet down with this pardon, I'm afraid things will only grow worse." Lilah answered once she had cooled her temper. "Vidan will be livid. There will be talk of a civil war, I'm sure."
There were gasps around the table, but only from Oliver and a few of the servers who were refilling cups and plates. Everyone else seemed to agree. "Of course there won't be." Lilah offered Oliver what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "They will threaten me with it to try and make me mind them, but in the end nothing will come of it." After a moment's thought she added, "Well, at least not from Vidan. I suppose the chances of an uprising may look different around here."
Bleu shook his head and spoke up for the first time during dinner. "No, though the people have heart and strength, they do not have the funds to keep a successful uprising burning."
Boniface nodded as he sat his cup down. "Yes, I'm afraid the only chance for change is you, Lilah."
A nod was the only response the queen had offered. She already knew all of this, but it felt like each word spoken aloud was another brick added to the already tremendous weight laying on her shoulders. She no longer felt hungry.
Boniface, ever the savior, sighed once and said, "I think that's enough for the night. You all have a long trip ahead of you. Allow me to show you where you'll be sleeping."