A Rock and a Heart Place (gxg)

Chapter 26

"Please, don't leave. I can't bear to be apart from you again." Inez whispered to Medya while she still held her close. She was feeling weak from the blood loss but couldn't let her go.

Medya desperately wanted to give in, to just say yes and remain in Inez's arms. But it seemed that every night she was having more issues dealing with the difference in their status, and her heart was still hurting so much from the last time. "Inez, you know I love you. But I don't know that I can stay here. My heart is so hurt. It can't take the pain when things happen, and I know that you don't mean it, but it still happens.

"I know... I know it seems that way. But give me today. Let me settle the castle down, and then tonight we can talk, alright? I need to talk to whoever is still in the town, to see what the citizens need. I have to get scrolls sent to all of the towns and let them know about the changes to the kingdom, and I have to get Joppa on a ship the hell out of this kingdom. But most of all, I need to love you," Inez told her, looking into her eyes, and hoping he could understand that while there was a lot that kingdom needed, what the new queen needed was Medya. "If you don't want to deal with all this drama in the kingdom, we can walk away. I'll go wherever in the world you want."

Medya couldn't believe she heard Inez right, but she could find no lie in her eyes. She knew Inez wouldn't do that to her, but everything was so chaotic in her brain. "You can't give up the throne. Don't even think that. The kingdom needs you more than I do."

Inez pushed her hand into her side, trying to stem the blood, as she let out a soft groan. "But I need you at my side to have any chance of running the kingdom. You made me a better person in just the short time I've known you, and that will allow me to be a better ruler. If you're gone, I would lose my rudder. I'd lose my heart. Please, stay until tonight. I need to have a night, just the two of us to talk. You have to know I was just telling Joppa what he wanted to hear, I never meant any of that." Inez was fervent in her pleas, and Medya finally gave her a soft nod in reply.

A pair of arms grabbed them both, as Katja squeezed them tightly and bringing another groan from Inez. "I'm so happy to see you both! Oh, the gods must be smiling on us today! And Medya, I can never repay you enough for helping my leg!" She looked down, showing off the new growth from below her knee. The skin was pink and shiny, not nearly as tan as the rest of her, but for all that she was able to walk.

"Seeing you happy is what mattered. I'm glad I had that cream to be able to help," Medya replied with a smile as she hooked her arm around the girl." Seeing the blood on Inez's shirt still spreading, she dropped to her knees and went through the potions again, this time finding one of the healing potions. Standing back up she handed it to Inez. "Drink this, it will heal your wound."

Inez didn't trust herself to speak. Seeing Medya do that for Katja and giving her a potion of healing for her ribs, had only made her more determined to keep her here. Someone that would give up their own cure for another needed to have an influence here in the kingdom. If she had her way, then Medya would be sitting on the throne next to her. Instead of trying to talk, she just pulled Katja into her as well.

"Princess Inez." Nahmia looked guilty after interrupting their moment. "We've settled the remaining troops down, and Liana is going to start talking to them to see who can be trusted. We had a few injuries, but Katja here was the only bad one. Everyone else will be fine. Would you like the rest to go with Joppa? And would you like the bell rung to summon the remaining citizens?"

"Yes, ring the bell. Have Liana bring everyone to the throne room and put all the bodies in here. Clean the blood in the hall so that we don't alarm any of the visitors. After dark I want the bodies removed. We'll see who we want to send with Joppa, as we can't force anyone to go with him. We also need to find out where to send him, but I want it far away, perhaps to Trula or even further north if possible. When you're done with that, I want you in the throne room as well, you're going to escort Medya to chambers for her to bathe and rest," Inez explained.