This part is inspired by Five Scenes in the Life of Elizabeth III, by Bracketyjack. If you haven't read it, now is the time.

Title: In Recognition (Uncertainty)

Summary: Awareness comes slowly.


Elizabeth doesn't exactly forget Honor. Her memory is too good for that, thanks to gene-modifications and almost two t-decades of training. Politics is a fine whetstone. Besides, Mike has used her on Michael, to great effect. That's not easily forgotten. It was something in the range of scalpels and short ranged bludgeoning. As time passes, she allows herself to see the humour in that.

But she is allowed to fade from Beth's mind as her aunt is accepted as Regent and her rule begins in earnest. Heavy is the head, and too many are the burdens for such a small contact to linger.

Until Casmir. The incident is not urgent enough to justify disturbing her in the middle of the night – Roger, in the midst of a spell of colic, is enough for that – but early the next morning she receives a priority com from Admiralty, closely followed by a diplomatic analysis. The situation is enough of a headache - not that she disapproves of the actions taken, quite the opposite, but the reactions - that Arial cuts her a chunk of celery to chew.

It is her first inkling that the tall girl with impish treecat is her warrior. Her wondering is tempered by caution – Elizabeth has learned well that magic is imprecise and ruthlessly literal in turn. This may be nothing more than actions taken on Harrington's own initiative. Her mother is a y Chou of Beowolf, after all. Ballroom sympathies run deep in her blood.

Regardless of the justice, of the thousands saved, Haven is the Kingdom's enemy, not Manpower, foul as their trade undoubtedly is. Elizabeth cannot afford to be rash.

But she remembers.


A/N: Shout out to 4Reads-alot's eyes for catching the typo.