- Eivor: He is better than many I've seen. Did you teach him?
- Richardis: I do not have that gift. He got the ability from his mother, I think.
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The Queen's Gambit
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The Queen's Gambit was a virtual representation of one of Eivor Varinsdottir's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan in 2020 through the Portable Animus HR-8.5.
Description[edit | edit source]
Eivor and Queen Richardis traveled to Lisieux.
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
Eivor followed Richardis to the next location.
- Eivor: I mean to bargain with your husband, the king, but he is a complicated man.
- Richardis: You are being diplomatic. Charles was not always as he is now. When he was a boy, he fell into bits of madness. His keepers believed him possessed and put him through a ritual. His conversion afterwards was sincere, though he gained a terrible fear of fire. When we met, he was honorable and pious.
- Eivor: You sound proud of Charles. You loved him.
- Richardis: Do I? Yes, in a way. But we have never been a normal husband and wife ... in private.
- Eivor: Does he not love you?
- Richardis: It is not him. I could never be what he needed. But he is a man, and found solace elsewhere ... often.
- Eivor: The nun, Little Mother, was going to kill you.
- Richardis: Perhaps. Her deliverance rituals were brutal and cruel. Few survived. Euphrasia belonged to a secret group that believes Francia has fallen into apostasy. She thought me possessed.
- Eivor: The bishop Engelwin was part of this group, I think.
- Richardis: You know of Engelwin? Yes. They call themselves Bellatores Dei, God's Warriors. And there are more of them.
Eivor and Richardis arrived in Lisieux.
- Richardis: We have arrived. There is Bernard.
- Eivor: You have brought me all this way to see a child?
- Richardis: Yes. Charles has a son.
Eivor and Richardis went to see Bernard, who was painting.
- Richardis: Little Bear!
- Bernard: Richardis! You're safe!
- Richardis: God protects me. Never doubt that, child.
Bernard nodded.
- Richardis: Bernard, this is Eivor. A friend.
Eivor and Bernard greeted each other.
- Richardis: Go now, and wash yourself. You've got more color on your shirt than on the canvas.
Bernard agreed and left.
- Richardis: He paints beautifully for a child, don't you think?
- Eivor: It is clear from the subject choice that he admires his father.
- Richardis: Bernard does not yet know Charles' dark side. Thankfully, the boy is more like his mother.
- Eivor: He called you by your first name.
- Richardis: Yes, it seems odd for a child, I know. But I am not his mother. Nothing else felt right.
- Eivor: Bernard is not your son?
- Richardis: How could he be? Yet I love him as if he was. As I said, Charles and I were never that way. But he's a man, and a king. Naturally, he found other places to satisfy his appetites. From that came Bernard.
- Eivor: You're hiding the boy from his father?
- Richardis: Charles wants Bernard to succeed him to the throne, and Bernard wants nothing else but to please his father. That is why I must keep Bernard from him. He will lead the child down a dark path, one not meant for a good king.
- Eivor: My agreement with Charles was only to return with you. The child need not be involved.
- Richardis: And I will not let him be. Bernard knows to find a church if he needs help and I am not there.
Eivor and Richardis started to leave.
- Richardis: I must leave again for a while. When I return, I want to hear your Latin verbs.
- Bernard: I know you're going to see Father without me. I'm not stupid you know!
Eivor and Richardis left.
- Eivor: By keeping Bernard from Charles, you hope to prevent him becoming king?
- Richardis: You misunderstand me, Eivor. Bernard must assume the throne, for the good of Francia. You see what Charles has become. Bernard is young, but will make a good ruler. One that will be more sympathetic to your people, also.
- Eivor: If Charles wants the child, he will not be pleased to see you without him.
- Richardis: I hope that is not true. Charles knows the Bellatores took me. He would be concerned. We have not been on good terms lately. But he sent you to free me. Perhaps he wishes to be reconciled.
Eivor and Richardis traveled through Arlonis Forest. Along the way, Richardis noticed a bear wounded.
- Richardis: That bear is wounded.
- Eivor: Wait! If it is wounded, it is dangerous!
Richardis tended to the bear.
- Richardis: It's alright. Shh. What have you done to yourself? There. God is with you. Be more careful now. Off you go.
The bear was aided and recovered.
- Richardis: They are noble animals. She had given up. She is alright now, thanks to God.
Eivor and Richardis resumed to their travel.
- Eivor: Are all bears so tame in Francia?
- Richardis: All of God's beasts respond to love, Eivor. Even more so when they are hurt. In that, they are not so different to people.
- Eivor: You have the gift with beasts. But you are speaking of Charles now. You think the same is true even of him.
- Richardis: Especially of him.
Eivor and Richardis arrived at Charles's Forward Camp.
- Richardis: We are here. Charles' camp.
Eivor and Richardis went to Charles, who was sitting and drinking wine.
- Eivor: I fulfilled our agreement. Here is your wife, the queen. She is unharmed.
- Richardis: Charles...
- Charles: My dear wife. Finally, you appear before me. You must want for refreshment after your long and complicated journey.
- Richardis: You are still angry. It is for nothing. I have been as faithful to you as I have been to God. I am sorry for taking Bernard, but—
- Charles: Ah yes, my son. I thought by finding you I would find you, but I do not see him. Where is Bernard?
- Richardis: Safe.
Charles went closer to Richardis.
- Charles: Do you remember the night we met? I've never forgotten it. The sky was clear and awash with thousands of stars. The night of our wedding, it was the same. I took it as a sign from God. I knew you and I were meant to be. You were in white, all purity and grace. I thought, "Tonight, I am not the prince. I am the luckiest man alive." How lucky to take a wife who fell so easily into another's bed. You did not take me as your man, but as your fool.
- Richardis: Charles, no...
Charles drank one last time as he poured the rest in front of Richardis.
- Charles: To our "marriage"!
Charles started to walk away as Richardis teared.
- Richardis: We had a deal.
- Charles: O, do not be concerned about Bernard, Richardis. He is my son. Without your interference, he will find me.
Richardis shook her head slightly as Charles looked to Eivor.
- Charles: And you, Northern devil, who presumes to sit at the negotiating table with a Frankish king. Here is your deal.
Charles ordered his soldiers to ready themselves.
- Eivor: You lied to me.
Eivor signaled Richardis to hide.
- Charles: I did not lie, diable (devil). I said God would make it so. And so he has.
The guards attacked.
- Eivor: I will take care of the guards. Stay hidden!
Eivor fought against the guards and defeated all of them. Richardis later came out from hiding.
- Eivor: Kings. Always saying what they do not mean, to get what they do not say they want.
- Richardis: I failed to mention everything about Charles. I'm sorry. The truth is awkward, and I did not see the need.
- Eivor: He believes you to be unfaithful.
- Richardis: There is no end to his accusations. I hoped he had come to himself. Do you think he really meant to kill us?
- Eivor: Yes. Now Paris will fall, Charles has made certain of that. Sigfred was right.
- Richardis: Don't despise Charles. Like that bear, he may yet recover with God's help and become your ally.
- Eivor: I do not share your faith in your God or your husband. But you carry both with a rare honor.
- Richardis: Thank you. That is a high compliment. For my part, I don't think God has finished with you yet. We were meant to meet. Now I must find Bernard. We will go to the Paris slums and aid the sick. Charles will not look for us there.
- Eivor: I must go meet Sigfred at the forward camp in Paris. I have a siege to prepare, and pride to swallow.
- Richardis: God exalts the humble, Eivor of Raven Clan. You will see. Farewell for now!
Eivor left to meet with Sigfred.
Outcome[edit | edit source]
Eivor learned that Charles has a son, Bernard, and Richardis has been Bernard's guardian from Charles. Upon delivering Richardis to Charles, Eivor was betrayed by Charles, who ordered their deaths. Beating his troops, Eivor left Richardis as she went to meet with Sigfred for the upcoming siege.
Gallery[edit | edit source]
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Eivor riding with Richardis
