Her hands were warm upon his. He gazed down upon them for a moment, absently rubbing a thumb upon them as he listened to her story with sadness in his heart for his misfortune, but more joy in his heart than he had any right to feel upon hearing her pronouncement. He looked up and returned her smile. He gripped her hands tighter.
"I am honored to be called such Evangelina," he told her, for once forgetting the honorific he insisted on attaching to her name. In his mind, she had greater right to it than many a lady in this great palace and he had been unafraid to tell her so.
"I admit, I have been quite fortunate in my life. I was one of the few that survived my village's burning. Father Aiden was the local priest and healer and I was fascinated by how he could create almost anything from the plants in his garden. I was about eight summers when we were gathering plants in the forest and returned to find it destroyed. Destroyed by the Northmen."
He felt a shadow pass over him at the memory, but he paid it no mind. He had long finished morning for what he lost. He did not know why he was telling her this, but he felt he had to share some of his past in exchange for her own.
"Then I met Brother Severus and joined the Order of St. Clemens. Second Degree. I felt that I could not take a vow of celibacy if I was unsure I could live up to it," he told her with a slight smile, "I served with them both here taking care of the prince and... It just became home. As though I were a seed caught up in a storm and landed on good earth and took root. And King Artos... I have never met such a man."
"Perhaps it can be a home for you too," he said hopefully. It was a warm invitation. It made no demands and asserted no rights. It was an offering of whatever she would take with a sliver of his own hope mingling with it.
"As you say, Your Grace," Julius told t he king with a bow of his head. He was no fool. He knew that Brynjar had a play in mind when it came to this match. Perhaps he really did want peace. However, he had noticed the hatred in the young prince's heart when Artos lived and he had no reason to believe it had quite abated upon taking the throne. He looked thoughtful as he drafted a new document.
It was only prudent to do a full assessment of their capabilities in the art of war. Their levies were bloodied, but exhausted at the moment, but new blood would replenish them in ten years time, a quicker time frame than the frozen north possessed. Then there was the matter of his Cardinalship and the coffers of the crown.
In the Name of God and our Holy Church, I do hereby authorize the investigation of the head of the Order of Saint Clemens, Brother Severus in the matter of heresy and alleged disobedience towards his superiors. Pending the approval of King Brynjar Augustus, By the Grace of God, Lord of Brydain and Protector of Realm."
He sighed and placed the missive between the pages of his account booklet. He did not intend to go through the inquisition just this moment, but Brother Severus did not bother to hide his contempt for him. The bishops knew that speaking overtly against him would earn them only the king's wrath and an excuse to confiscate their bishopric before the Holy Seat learned of the truth, but a zealous monk? No, it was best to make preparations in that event.