by R. E. Steele
The Ruling Queen
Book One of The New Realms Saga
The Ruling Queen
© 2021 by R. E. Steele
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without prior written permission from the author except for brief quotations in reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual events, locations, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
Cover Design: R. E. Steele
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
The Ruling Queen (The New Realms Saga, #1)
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
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Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Psalm 37:5
Chapter 1
But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.
~ Micah 4:12
Roxanna, Queen of Oreias, gazed out over her kingdom toward a glow in the forest below. She glared at this light, for it angered and concerned her. She knew it was from the camp fires of an invading enemy force, the army of Emperor Nikolos of Kalare, and it had been drawing closer by the day.
That army hadn’t always been present in the Kingdom of Oreias. When Roxanna’s father, King Elias, was alive, enemy forces were kept at the border. It was a good thing too, since the old Emperor of Kalare, Nikolos’s father, was an avaricious conqueror, out to take as much as he could get. Many kingdoms had fallen into his hands. But Elias had been well known as great warrior and accomplished tactician. It also helped that the monarch in the neighboring Kingdom of Achlys, King Vasilis, shared many of the same traits.
Unfortunately, those advantages had been lost in recent years. King Vasilis died, and his kingdom didn’t last long without him. This put more pressure on Oreias and Elias, who was becoming feeble with age. Elias made the most of it, until he was forced to remain in the safety of his castles. Yet even that didn’t stop him. He had many capable generals in his army, and admirals in his navy. He had also been teaching his daughters how to rule Oreias since they were little girls. Roxanna in particular was given a rigorous education in statecraft, for with her mother’s death, any chance King Elias had of producing a son died with her. He was in no humor to remarry after his beloved Vespera’s death. That left Roxanna his heir, and the future Queen of Oreias.
Roxanna proved to be an apt pupil. Had she been destined to become queen in a more peaceful era, no one would have doubted the success of her reign. However, the growing Kalarian Empire was a serious threat to all in its near vicinity. Yet, Elias and Roxanna hadn’t been entirely without remedy. Elias worked to build up his forces as soon as Achlys fell. His urgency became even greater when he knew his time was drawing to an end. Finally, he instructed that his death, when it came, be kept a secret for as long as possible. The new Emperor, Nikolos, was wary enough of Elias’s skill to hesitate invading. But an untried young queen like Roxanna would likely prove too much of a temptation to resist.
There had been another remedy, which Roxanna was aware of, but she and her father considered no remedy at all. Emperor Agrios had proposed a betrothal between Roxanna and his son, Nikolos. But the overtures had been sent shortly after Queen Vespera’s death, when it was certain Elias would have no male heir. Such timing was an insult, but even if Emperor Agrios had been more judicious in his timing, the answer would have been the same. Elias had no high opinion of Agrios, and seeing as his son wasn’t likely to be much different, he had no wish to unite his daughter with Nikolos.
However, Agrios persisted. There was some compliment in these repeated offers. The fact they continued, despite the fact Agrios was no doubt insulted by the refusal, showed that he must have held Roxanna in some esteem. It was no small thing to be chosen as Empress of Kalare. Roxanna’s cleverness was well known. But even when Roxanna became queen in her own right, and the proposal came directly from Nikolos, she still refused. She had no wish to go against her father’s wishes, and didn’t trust that such a union would be a happy one.
Roxanna thought back to the offer she had received from Nikolos. It was polite enough in its way, but full of arrogance. It showed he was confident he will still have her and her kingdom, even if she refused him. Such behavior had a tendency to raise Roxanna’s ire rather than intimidate her. Therefore, it was no surprise to those close to her that she promptly summoned her army upon writing her refusal. They had enjoyed some success, but the latest battle had resulted in them being scattered and defeated. Her forces weren’t annihilated, so there was still hope. She just had to find them, and bring them together again.
That was the reason why she was standing at the window at such a late hour. She was dressed in a dark red ridding habit; warm, comfortable, and practical, not as showy as one might expect from such a young queen. But she didn’t want her clothes to cause problems during the dangerous ride ahead. Her sisters would be joining her too, as would her attendants. She wasn’t about to leave them to the mercy of this conqueror. Yes, the trek would be hard and dangerous, but Roxanna was prepared for it. She was no milk toast.
“Your Highness, are you ready?” asked one of her guards.
“Yes, Bedros, I am ready,” Roxanna replied. “May God grant us the strength and speed to escape Nikolos’s forces.”
“Amen,” agreed Bedros.
Roxanna then followed the captain of her bodyguard down the stairs and to the stables. There she found her lady’s maid Alecia, wife of Bedros, sitting on a horse, along with several soldiers, and a few other attendants. Bedros himself handed Roxanna the reigns of her steed. Animals would be harder to detect on sensors than transports, so though slower, they were safer than trying to outrun imperial vehicles.
Roxanna’s two younger sisters, Estel
la and Celena were mounted too. Both looked fearful, though Celena more so than Estella. This was no surprise to Roxanna. Estella, with her practical mind, had already calculated the risks of this flight, and accepted them. But Celena, who was rather timid, and disliked any danger at all. Roxanna straightened her back and firmed her lips. She had to be strong for her youngest sister.
“Have the rest of the household begun their flight?” she asked in her most queenlike voice.
Bedros smiled a little, as if amused. “Yes, they have, Your Highness. Your wish that they reach safety has been attended to.”
“Very well then, let us ride,” said Roxanna.
The party turned their horses toward the back gate of the castle. They chose the back gate because it was less obvious to see from the campfires of Nikolos’s army. But upon leaving its protection, the party urged their mounts into a gallop. They then turn so as to journey parallel to the fires, but kept their distance, so as not to be discovered easily.
Roxanna kept a sharp watch for any indication that they had been spotted. They were more or less going around Nikolos’s army, but if any Kalarians had strayed from the main body, Roxanna and her friends would be spotted, and she didn’t doubt Nikolos would follow in hot pursuit. But she had reason to believe most of her army lay in the same direction, so she had no other choice. In order to drive Nikolos out, she had to take the risk.
For the first hour or so, everything seemed fine. There were no sounds other than the galloping of hooves. But just as Roxanna began to relax, Bedros looked searchingly into the surrounding forest.
“Trouble?” asked Roxanna.
“Yes, the horses and dogs are pricking their ears, as if they hear something we cannot,” he said. “It may be nothing, or it may be the enemy on our track. It would be best if we increased our speed.”
Roxanna spurred her horse on. She too began to notice the animals’ ears perking up. It was possible that what they heard was harmless, but there was no good reason to risk finding out.
Bedros turned out to be correct. After riding hard for a few minutes, they began to see the shadowy forms of other riders. The forest seemed to echo with the sound of churning hooves. Strangely, the forest seemed extra echoey, for Roxanna thought for a moment that the sound was coming from in front as well as behind her.
Suddenly, another rider appeared from her right. She was forced to quit the road to avoid being caught. She searched for her sisters and saw them frantically looking for her. She rode by them and gestured for them to follow. She wouldn’t leave them behind, no matter the danger to herself.
But as she fled, she saw the same rider was gaining on them. She urged her horse to run faster, but it was no use. They were soon surrounded, and forced to stop.
“Who are you,” she demanded of the rider, whom she took to be the leader, “and why have you stopped us?”
“I might ask the same of you,” said the rider in an amused tone. “What would three women, clearly well born, be doing riding through the forest at this hour?”
Roxanna narrowed her eyes. There was something about the man’s voice that caught her attention. It was the accent.
“You are Achlysian,” she said.
“Yes, and you are Oreiasan,” responded the rider with an obvious smile.
Roxanna was a little taken aback by his reaction. Why would this man be smiling? She was perfectly serious.
Chapter 2
He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.
~ Job 5:13
Vasilis didn’t quite know what to make of these newcomers. He didn’t doubt that the three girls were Oreiasan nobility, but he would have preferred to have more clue as to their identity. Emperor Nikolos was clever, and Vasilis wouldn’t put it past him to send out unwitting spies to infiltrate Vasilis’s band, the Lystra Gang.
But Vasilis didn’t have time to learn more. He could hear one of Nikolos’s scouting parties getting closer.
“You need to follow us to our camp,” he said. “Imperial forces are not far off.”
The girl he was speaking to opened her mouth to protest, when her guard interrupted her.
“We should go, Roxanna. He is right,” said the soldier.
Roxanna reluctantly turned her horse to follow behind Vasilis. She checked to see that the two other young women, probably her sisters, were nearby.
Vasilis kept an eye on them, but most especially the one called Roxanna. She seemed the most likely of them to bolt. It wasn’t that he thought she was spooked easily, for anyone could see she was composed enough to be able to weigh the risks of a possible flight. But she still didn’t trust Vasilis, and the feeling was mutual.
They reached Vasilis’s camp fifteen minutes later. The arrival of such a large party caused a stir, but the members of the Lystra Gang kept their exclamations to a hushed murmur. They too knew that Nikolos’s forces were on the move, and it wouldn’t do to attract attention with unnecessary noise. The horses were taken and tended to. The people were led to the fireside and given something to eat. Vasilis made sure Roxanna was satisfied with the arrangements that had been made for her sisters before he took her to an open tent with a lamp. He left the large flaps open, so her guards could ensure her safety, but Vasilis wanted to talk to her alone. He could tell she was the leader of the party, and their purpose would best be learned through her.
Roxanna followed him without saying a word, though she was quick to be sure she wasn’t being led into a trap. Upon reaching the tent, Vasilis turned up the lamp and stoked the stove within. The greater light would convince her that he had no ill intentions, and he wished to be able to see her better. He would be able to tell if she was lying by the expression of her face, and he thought he might be able to identify her if he had a better look at her.
The heat from the stove caused her to push back her hood, revealing fiery red locks. Her eyes, which had been merely dark before, were something between brown and amber now. She seemed to radiate warmth and fire, like the dawn. No wonder she had been named Roxanna. Vasilis had thought she wasn’t bad looking before, but now that he could see her better, he realized she was quite beautiful. He also thought she looked familiar.
“You are safe here,” he began. “You will find we are no supporters of Nikolos. But I must be certain you feel the same way. Who are you?”
“Roxanna,” she said with a stubborn look in her eyes, “and I would like to know who you are. You cannot reasonably expect me to take your word at face value, when you are a complete stranger to me.”
“I am Vasilis, the leader of the Lystra Gang, of whom I’m sure you have heard,” he said. “My gang’s behavior is proof enough of my animosity toward Nikolos, and on personal level, I have reason to resent him. But the name Roxanna is not sufficient for me to be able to identify who you are. There are many Roxanna’s from Oreias, but you are clearly one of the higher-ranking ones. What is your family’s landholding?”
Roxanna continued to look obstinate. Clearly, she wasn’t going to tell him anything useful if she could help it. Vasilis starred back at her, not budging. He was not a forceful man by any means, but he would find out the truth, either directly, or through trickery. It was how he had avoided capture for so long.
He noticed she was wearing a ring around her first finger, as was typical of nobility from this planet. But it was no ordinary ring. From what he could see of it, it was finely made, and seemed to bear some sort of symbol on top of the dark blue stone. The jewel was probably a sapphire, the gem that represented Oreias. But the symbol interested him more than the value of the jewel. If he could figure out what that symbol was, he would know who Roxanna was.
“Coffee?” he asked, holding a cup toward her.
She hesitated. Though the idea of warm drink on a night like this clearly appealed to her, she still wasn’t trusting enough to take the mug instantly. She probably feared it was poisoned. To soothe her fears, he poured himself a mug from the same pot, and
drank deeply. Now she took the cup willingly, for he wouldn’t poison himself. As she did, he saw the symbol on her ring. It was a mountain, the symbol of the Kingdom of Oreias.
“You know,” he began slyly, “had I known I was going to entertain the lovely Queen Roxanna of Oreias, I would have prepared a better reception.”
She gasped, and then realized he had seen her ring. Her eyes shot sparks of anger, but she knew she had been beaten.
“Well, now that you know who I am, you should have no objection to telling me who you are,” she said. “You couldn’t have always been an outlaw. The Lystra Gang only became active in the last ten years.”
“But I very much do,” said Vasilis. “Who I once was is of no importance to you. But rest assured, I never much liked the idea of your becoming Nikolos’s bride.”
She narrowed her eyes, not missing this hint of his interest in her.
“You are safe, so do not pay any mind to my history,” he concluded.
She glared at him, obviously not satisfied with his answer. He hid a grin in his coffee cup. She looked as if she were about to fly into a passion and demand he give her his life story. But he would do no such thing, even if he thought she looked bewitching when she was angry.
Chapter 3
And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
~ Psalm 50:15
Roxanna didn’t know what to make of this Vasilis. That he refused to tell her anything about himself, other than the obvious, irritated her. She hated that he knew who she was, while she still felt he was hiding an important part of his identity. When facing a new situation, she preferred to be in control of it. But Vasilis was very much in control at the moment, which irked her.
As she left the tent, she pondered just how much trust she could put in the leader of the Lystra Gang. That he wasn’t out to cause her harm, seemed apparent, but that might only be because Bedros was present. Yet, Vasilis had met with her in an open tent, where it was easy for her attendants to observe. Such an act was consistent with his claims that she was safe with him. He seemed to want to make her easy, even if he was obviously attracted to her.