Elissa

Reganobal hit the floor with a thud.

He sat frozen, staring wide-eyed at the guards sprawled at Aeneas’ feet.

“H-he… he took them both down… just like that…?” he stammered.

Aeneas stepped toward him.

“You’re going to have a lot to explain to the queen once she...”

But before he could finish, the chamberlain scrambled up and bolted, almost tripping over himself as he raced down the same corridor the priest had fled through.

“Hey! Get back here!” Aeneas shouted, sprinting after him.

At the exit of the temple wing, however, he came to an abrupt halt.

Dido.

He hesitated only for a split-second before he turned and ran the other way.

I can deal with him later!

Aeneas came to a halt in front of the massive bronze doors leading into the sanctuary of Baal Hammon.

He swallowed as he reached for the wooden lock.

How long has she been in here? This is all my fault. If I’d just acted sooner…

With a creak, the door swung open.

Please be okay!

Darkness stretched out before him.

Only the altar area was dimly lit by the faint glow from the antechamber.

Aeneas stepped inside cautiously, letting his gaze sweep across the room.

Where is she?

A sudden gust of air rushed past him as something swung down from behind.

He reacted on instinct, spinning around and snapping his arm up to catch the blow.

The impact jolted through his body, and for a moment, they pushed against each other.

Then their eyes met.

“Y-you… it’s really you…” Dido breathed.

Aeneas let out a relieved smile as the heavy candlestick slipped from her hands and clanged against the floor.

She seems okay… thank the gods.

Dido smiled back.

Then, suddenly, her expression changed.

“Wait, Esh! That’s Aen...”

Too late.

BONK

The blow hit Aeneas completely unprepared.

The world tilted sideways.

Voices reached him only faintly as darkness swallowed everything.

“O-oh no! I’m so, so sorry, my lady! I-I thought he was one of them!” a frantic voice squeaked. “H-he’s still alive, right?!”

“Yes… I think you just knocked him out. Go quickly! Get the Queen’s Guard! I’ll stay with him.”

“Y-yes, my lady!”

Footsteps rushed across the marble floor.

Then… silence.

🏛️🏛️🏛️

The darkness slowly gave way to a warm, gentle light that wrapped around him like a blanket.

A sweet scent lingered in the air, and somewhere, seagulls cried.

“Mmm… smells nice…,” Aeneas murmured happily.

He was lying on a cloud, drifting lazily over the Aegean Sea.

“Wow… this is comfy…”

He ran his fingers through the soft fluff beneath him, as another cloud drifted closer.

Aeneas blinked.

And froze.

Lying on the cloud, wearing nothing but a shimmering white chiton...

“Queen Dido?!”

She noticed him immediately and smiled, reaching her arms out toward him.

“Hello, my handsome prince. Why don’t you come over here?”

“Dido…” he whispered, completely mesmerized, as he leaned forward.

But the clouds drifted apart.

“W-wait!”

He looked around frantically.

“How do you steer this thing?!”

He flopped onto his stomach and started paddling through the air.

But the gap between them only grew wider.

“What’s wrong, my prince?” she teased. “Don’t you want me?”

“I-I do! Of course I want you! Obviously! Dido?!”

He leaned farther and farther.

Until he slipped.

“Uwaaaaaah!”

His scream echoed through the sky as he plunged downward...

...and jolted awake, gasping.

“A dream…?!” he panted.

Then he felt the pain.

Ugh… my head…

Groaning, he reached for a wound, but all he found was the soft fabric of a bandage wrapped around it.

“P-please don’t touch it… it might come loose,” a gentle voice said.

He jumped.

W-wait… that voice… no way…

Slowly, he turned his head, and found himself staring straight into the large eyes of the queen, seated beside the bed.

“Are you... feeling well?“ she asked, as she watched him with genuine concern.

“D-Dido…?!” he blurted out.

Only now did Aeneas realize where he was as he carefully sat up.

Wait… these are her chambers! And I’m in her bed?! Ohh… that nice smell in my dream makes sense now!

Hold on. Please don’t tell me she...

“I guess I’m okay, but… u-um… how long have you been sitting there?”

“How long…? A while now…,” she said quietly.

“And… uh… I didn’t happen to, you know… say anything in my sleep, did I?”

She looked away instantly, her cheeks turning slightly red.

“W-why would you ask that…?”

Oh no. She definitely heard something. Change the subject. NOW!

“N-no reason! It’s nothing, really, haha… I don’t even remember…”

“I see…” she murmured, a trace of disappointment in her voice.

“Anyway… I’m glad you’re safe, Queen Dido.”

A pause.

“…Elissa,” she said softly, barely audible.

“Huh?”

She fidgeted with her hair, still avoiding his gaze.

“M-my name is Elissa. ‘Dido’… that's just a title…”

Aeneas blinked.

Right… I think her handmaiden Eshmunet calls her that…

“S-so… um… you can call me that too…,” she stammered, shooting him a glance that made him forget his headache entirely.

She wants me to use her first name? But that means...

His eyes widened.

She thinks of me as someone close to her?!

“O-only if you want to, of course!” she rushed to add.

But Aeneas nodded quickly.

“I-I do! Elissa…” he said, carefully, like he was tasting the name.

She immediately looked away again, but now there was a small, happy smile on her lips.

“Thank you. For saving us, and for exposing Reganobal’s plot,” she said at last, once again carrying herself with the dignified presence of a queen.

Only then did Aeneas recall what had actually happened.

“I-it wasn’t just him!” he blurted out hastily. “There was that priest too, he was involved in all of this!”

Elissa nodded gravely.

“Yes, I know. He deceived Eshmunet and had her imprisoned along with me. But don’t worry. After she told Brasidas everything, he was able, thank the gods, to apprehend both him and Reganobal before they could escape.”

“Brasidas?” Aeneas asked, confused.

“The captain of my Queen's Guard. Thankfully, his loyalty has never wavered.”

Then she lowered her head, weighed down with concern.

“…The damage has already been done, however. Parts of the populace are beginning to doubt my rule. And the ultimatum expires tomorrow morning…” She sighed. “War is likely inevitable now.”

“N-no need to worry. We’ll find a solution somehow!” Aeneas said quickly.

Elissa gave a faint smile, weak, but sincerely grateful.

Then she nodded.

But Aeneas’s expression suddenly darkened as he thought of the Gaetulian king.

She doesn’t even seem angry with me… even though I didn’t stand by her back then. Does that mean it’s all in the past for her? Should I… just drop it?

He only considered it for a moment, then shook his head.

No… I can't do that. I have to take responsibility.

“I’m sorry,” he said firmly.

Elissa tilted her head.

“You’re… sorry?”

He nodded.

“For just riding off like that… when Iarbas insulted you. I just… couldn’t stand that I didn’t have the courage to say anything. It was… pathetic.”

She stared at him, stunned.

“…Then… you never believed his claims?”

“Believed him? Not really…,” Aeneas replied thoughtfully. “Even when rumors spread that you were going to marry him, I just couldn’t bring myself to believe it.”

He paused.

“But just the thought of it… hurt…”

Silence.

Then he froze.

Wait. 

WAIT.

What did I just say?! It hurt?! I might as well have told her, “I’m in love with you”!! AHHH!

His heart nearly leapt out of his chest as he slowly lifted his gaze.

Maybe… she didn’t catch that…?

But when he looked at her, tears were streaming down her cheeks, her hands clenched tightly in her lap.

Oh no, I made her cry?!

“E-Elissa…?” he asked, panicking, as he reached out.

But she quickly wiped her tears away, and looked up at him with a bright smile.

“Thank you... thank you for being here, Aeneas.”

Her smile grew even warmer.

“…It makes me... really, truly happy right now.”

Aeneas just stared at her, completely speechless.

It makes her happy...

His eyes sparkled.

“…Me too,” he finally said, as he returned her smile.