The preparation of possible peace talks started an avalanche of couriers. Everybody wanted to have the latest news directly from their own source.: the queens Maryam and Elisheba, ibn Arabi, the emirs and the generals.
How hard it is to imagine, but sometimes they almost crashed into each other.
Or sometimes they just exchanged the latest news, and in the end all parties got the same briefing.
But most of the time none of the messengers trusted each other and wanted to keep the latest scoop for themselves. So that their clients ended up with lots of messages saying different things.
When ibn Arabi briefed queen Maryam again she got fed up: "I have had it. I don't want all those messages. I want one source, one person who is managing all this. And since you do not seem to be able to find Pakal, I want you to find me someone else. Until then I don't want any more news. And I don't want to see you anymore."
A few days later ibn Arabi was in Opal, popping up from the shadows behind Elisheba's back. "Why do you always have to pop up like that? Can't you just approach people in a normal way?" "I just don't want your sister to know that I work closely with you too."
"And by the way, I do not agree with her meeting point....or Pakal, if you even managed to get hold of him." "The border of the desert is too close to our grandfather's territory....and I don't know whose side he's on."
"That is exactly why I have an alternative. Do you know Inspector-General de Winter?" "Nope." "He worked for Bernadotte and led an expedition to the region beyond the North. He is now working a bit on his own, with his own troops, sort of reigning the North. His loyalty to your father is bigger than to anyone else. That is also why he didn't 't join Bernadotte when he became king of Scandza. I think he might be a great mediator. And we might even suggest to keep the peace talks in his domain."
"Finally something that sounds as a workable idea. Get in touch with the man, and persuade my sister to accept this option. The sooner we get this behind us, the sooner we can start molding our regions into a true kingdom, and form our different peoples to one nation."
And so a peace treaty was signed between the two sisters. Maryam would get Babylon, the desert of their ancestors and anything beyond Babylon (the uncharted lands). Elisheba got Opal, Neopolis, the mountain lands bordering the desert and all the land from Opal to the sea.
Both sisters were congratulated by Inspector-General de Winter, who decided to join the forces of Elisheba. After that both sisters would never be in contact again.
Maryam returned to Babylon and stayed there the rest of her life, building momuments and writing a new legislation. She died at the age of 79 years and did not leave any descendants.
Elisheba got three children. A twin of girls called Nafisa and Safiya and the oldest girl, named Jade. She would start a long line of queens called Jade in Opal. Elisheba had forgotten the old rule of her mother however, and grew old as a single parent.
One of Elisheba's main concerns during her rule was the aging disease. More men started showing the signs and several incidents were reported. A kidnapping of one of the nobilities daughters was the straw that broke the camel's back.
From then on the men suffering the aging disease were banned to the woods the moment they showed the signs, and were banned from any city in Elisheba's kingdom.
The women took refuge in the castle the day they came of age. Even though they spoke different languages: occidental, Arabian and Q'eqchi there was never any discrimination and it became the founding of Elisheba's kingdom.
End this is where the Legend of Opal ends. And where its story could only continue because of the Elves arriving in Opal in the Legends of the Elves. Thank you for reading and for keeping the story of Opal alive.