by R. E. Steele
The journey did nothing to improve her mood. She was forced to ride in a wagon transport. At first, she thought it was because Vasilis still didn’t trust her not to run off again. But when she confronted him about it, he told her that it was better she was in the wagon, so she wouldn’t be recognized if their caravan was spotted. This she couldn’t argue with, and her sisters were treated the same way. But the bumps, cramped conditions, and lack of fresh air, only exasperated her further. If they had used the engines the wagon was equipped with, the ride would have been smoother. But the noise would have drawn more notice than using the wagon the old-fashioned way.
Finally, when they stopped for the day, no one seemed capable of setting up the camp in the exact right way. The tents weren’t perfectly square. The kitchen fires weren’t in a neat row. The latrines were too far from the camp. It all made her very critical of everyone.
“Roxanna, stop!” exclaimed Estella in exasperation. “Just because a tent is little off center, doesn’t mean it will result in the entire camp being put in danger.”
“But it does make things look worse,” said Roxanna.
“Roxanna, this isn’t your kingdom!” exclaimed Estella. “You can’t control everything!”
These words triggered something in Roxanna that she didn’t like. She wanted to burst out in anger and cry, though she hardly knew why. It felt as if a part of her self-control was slipping, though she hardly changed expression.
“Very well,” she said in a hard voice. “If you think you are so capable of overseeing the establishment of the camp, you can see to the rest of it yourself.”
Roxanna then turned sharply on her heel and went to her own tent. She refused to look back, despite Estella’s attempts to call her. Roxanna could only tolerate Celena’s presence, and it was she whom she told her frustrations to, concerning Vasilis and everything else. She could trust Celena to be discrete, and not to think her unreasonable.
Chapter 16
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
~ Psalm 31:24
Vasilis knew Roxanna didn’t approve of his decision to move the camp. The hard look in her eyes told him enough. He caught her glaring at him several times. But when she knew he was looking at her, she would turn away with her nose in the air. Yes, someone like her, who was willing to ride out into a forest full of enemies, would look down upon him for fleeing. She was courageous, even to the point of recklessness. She was the fire to his cooler temperament.
But he wasn’t willing to risk his people. His plans had backfired too often, to think taking a stand would be worth the effort. If it were just the men, Roxanna might have some grounds for her anger. But she must still think poorly of him, for she seemed too angry to be entirely reasonable. However, her good sense would take hold of her eventually. She just needed time to cool down.
He gave her that time. She kept to herself the first evening they were in the new camp, and he made no effort to disturb her. The only person who really spoke to her after she disappeared into her tent, was Celena. Estella avoided her as much as possible, for their earlier quarrel continued to irritate them both. By the next day, Roxanna’s temper seemed to have softened toward Estella, for they were on speaking terms again. But her anger toward Vasilis hadn’t diminished.
Vasilis decided to continue to wait. Roxanna would be more willing to forgive her sister, since she was her sister, and the two were evidently close. He on the other hand, was an unwelcomed host, who was a near stranger. No, that wasn’t entirely true, they had been connected in the past through their respective kingdoms, though they had never met before. They had actually been linked in a more particular way than most strangers were. But that was worth nothing now.
Regardless, Roxanna remained displeased with him. She had an irritating way of going about it too. She ignored him as much as possible, and avoided his company when she could. Yet she was never rude to him, only cold. He could never hide behind the excuse that she had been uncivil, or else, he would have been justified in provoking some kind of reaction in her. But he wanted to see her smile again, or at least, show some kind of emotion. He didn’t want to have to deal with her infuriating coolness anymore. Finally, he resolved to find out just what her problem was, so he could end this frustrating silence.
An opportunity soon presented itself. Vasilis heard Estella and Celena talking together in low voices, as if they didn’t wish anyone to hear what they were discussing. Vasilis crept near the tent they were behind, and listened in. His guess was right. They were talking about Roxanna’s opinion of him.
“I can’t quite help but feel she isn’t entirely fair to Vasilis,” said Celena softly. “He did save us from Nikolos.”
“Roxanna isn’t always fair,” said Estella. “Though she tries, she isn’t always levelheaded. Her anger affects her judgment, exaggerates her opinions. But that still doesn’t change the fact that she thinks him a coward, or at least, something close to it.”
“Roxanna thinks I’m a coward?” asked Vasilis.
The two girls jumped and blushed, but said nothing. Vasilis realized he had startled them.
“I beg your pardon,” said Vasilis. “I didn’t mean to scare you. But I wished to know what your sister’s estimation of me is. It might make relations better between us.”
“Do you really?” asked Estella, with a bluntness that reminded him of Theodoros.
“You may not like the answer,” warned Celena.
“Yes, I do,” said Vasilis. “I care what your sister thinks of me, even if it doesn’t always seem like it. So, she thinks me a coward, does she?”
The two girls exchanged a look. They hesitated for a moment, but then proceeded.
“To some extent, but her opinion is more complicated than that,” said Estella.
“She does recognize your bravery in rescuing us from Nikolos,” said Celena.
“But she thinks you should take a stand against him, instead of moving the camp like you have,” finished Estella. “She thinks you are trying to run from him.”
“I’m not willing to risk the gang,” said Vasilis.
“She acknowledged that was probably a reason why you chose to leave,” said Celena.
“But she felt you had probably done this before,” said Estella.
“So, your sister thinks I’m a weakling, because I’m not willing to stand my ground against Nikolos. Is that her opinion of me?” asked Vasilis.
The two girls exchanged another look, as if concerned about admitting the truth.
“From what we can tell, yes,” said Estella.
Vasilis nodded. It was what he had expected, though admittedly, he hadn’t predicted Roxanna’s view of him to so nuanced. She was willing to acknowledge his good points, but still didn’t think well enough of him to trust his judgment.
“Thank you for explaining,” he said.
He then went for a walk in the woods, to think about what he had heard. It was good to be out in the natural world by himself again, where no one’s assessment of him mattered. He had thought he was prepared to hear the truth, but he had to admit, it still hurt. What was worse was, he couldn’t say he thought Roxanna entirely unjustified. He had moved the camp whenever he thought Nikolos’s forces were beginning to pick up their track, rather than trying to defend his location. He had convinced himself that it was for the good of the others, that he didn’t want to risk their safety. But was falling back into the woods really a better option? Not by much. There were still wild animals to deal with, and the chance of running into an enemy scouting party. Perhaps he should have taken a stand more often than he did.
It put Vasilis in the mood to try to drive away Nikolos again. He paced the woods, considering what he could do.
Chapter 17
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
~ Psalm 118:8
Roxanna continued to avoid Vasilis over the next several days, even when the Lystra Gang est
ablished a more permanent camp. She had no wish to be in his company, especially since she felt she would probably lose her temper if she was. His easy-going ways grated on her, particularly when she felt important matters needed to be dealt with. She couldn’t be at ease when Oreias still needed liberated, and she still felt his talents could be used to free Achlys too.
But after a week, his interest in her mood seemed to disappear. This puzzled her, for she thought she had detected more than once, a liking on his part toward herself. She hadn’t cared much for the attachment he seemed to be forming. It had been nothing more than the idle fancy of a man who ought to try to earn her love, rather than dream about it. She wouldn’t marry a coward, as her behavior showed. But when he seemed occupied by other things, it vexed her.
Her reaction surprised her. Could it be that she was beginning to fall in love with Vasilis? Surely not! His was not an affection worthy of her. Her vanity had been flattered, but anything else she refused to admit.
Yet she still wondered what held his attention so strongly. She listened whenever someone passed by her tent in the evenings, to see if she could learn the truth. At first, she heard nothing. But then she began to hear whisperings of some kind of exercises being arranged for the scouts. When she went out of the tent, ostensibly to get water, she saw that indeed, a training ground was being set up.
She retrieved her bucket of water from a nearby stream, and returned to her tent. But she couldn’t remain in her aloof solitude. Her curiosity was too strong. She went to find one of her sisters, who had been the near sole source of outside news for her.
She found Estella talking with Theodoros, a sight that normally displeased her. But of late, Roxanna had grown to rather like Theodoros. Theodoros wasn’t a coward, and he was suitably serious when the occasion required, even if he did sometimes lack tact. He also happened to be the person she felt was the best informed in the camp, since he was his brother’s closest confidant.
“What is happening? Why is Vasilis setting up a training ground?” she asked.
“He is getting the men ready for an attack against the Kalarians, in hopes that we will be able to drive them out our near vicinity,” said Theodoros.
Roxanna couldn’t believe her ears. Vasilis was actually taking the initiative? He was actually going to try a full-scale attack rather than a raid?
“Well, that is wonderful!” she exclaimed.
Theodoros shook his head. “You may think that, but it’s not.”
“Why?” asked Roxanna in surprise.
“Because these things never go well for Vasilis,” said Theodoros.
“Never?” asked Roxanna doubtfully.
“Never,” stated Theodoros.
“But he is able execute raids without much trouble,” she countered.
“Yes, because they are on a smaller scale,” said Theodoros. “We go in, scout out the area, take the loot, and then disappear. I don’t doubt my brother can drive the Kalarians out, but will he be able to keep doing it? For that matter, will he be able to hold what he has gained? I doubt it. The more details Vasilis has to keep track of, the worse the end result tends to be.”
This caused Roxanna some pause. She had often wondered how it was Vasilis could plan all these successful raids, but wasn’t willing to launch an attack. At first, she thought it was cowardice, but the reason Theodoros gave put his brother’s actions in a different light. What was worse, was this excuse was consistent with what Roxanna had observed in Vasilis. He was clever, but he was also careless.
Still, this wasn’t enough to destroy her joy at the news. She decided to ignore Theodoros’s reasoning for the most part. She went skipping off to find Vasilis.
He was surprised to see her. But when she asked him what needed to be done to get the camp ready for this attack, he was less so. He seemed pleased by her praise of his decision.
“Bedros is available if you need to consult him,” she said, as a way of countering Theodoros’s concerns.
“That will not be necessary,” said Vasilis. “I will want him here, keeping you safe, rather than fighting.”
“If you insist,” she said. Had it been another time, she might have been offended that her offer had been so easily brushed off. But she was still too pleased by the news to care.
“Perhaps this is the start of you being able to get your ancestral lands back,” she said.
“What?” asked Vasilis with more seriousness than usual. He almost seemed panicked.
“Oh, maybe this attack will help you regain your duchy or county, or whatever it is where you used to live,” she said. “You are some kind of Achlysian nobility, aren’t you? Or at least, I always assumed you were.”
“It doesn’t matter what I am, or rather was,” he said defensively. “What matters is what I am now.”
“Of course,” she said in a conciliatory way, wondering why he seemed so defensive. “But it still could be the start of greater things to come.”
She then left, curious what he was trying to hide. He must be the son of someone important. She was certain of that. But why would he want to hide his noble lineage?
Chapter 18
He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
~ Proverbs 28:26
Vasilis was uneasy after this conversation with Roxanna. He had been thrilled to see her so happy, and he was feeling quite pleased with himself. But when she began speculating about his past, he began to panic. She had guessed much, too much for what little he had told her. He supposed however, it would be easy to deduct that he had once occupied a much higher rank than he did now. The members of the Lystra Gang never quit treating him with some deference, even if he had tried to stop them. Thankfully, Roxanna hadn’t guessed the whole truth. Vasilis muttered a quiet prayer of appreciation for that.
But there might be some benefit to Roxanna learning the truth. If he was successful in this attack, her aloofness toward him would probably lessen. If he then told her who he had once been, her opinion of him would likely become even more favorable. Perhaps he would tell her the truth once he succeeded in driving back Nikolos’s forces. That thought was enough to cheer him and make him easy again.
He continued to get ready for the attack. He trained his men, and trained with them. He had their old armor spiffed up and repaired. The quality and quantity of the armor did cause him some pause, for it was clear that it had once belonged to men of significance. But Roxanna had already guessed enough, and he doubted he could convince her that he was a peasant now.
She was quite helpful in getting the camp ready. The children were kept out of the way when the training ground was in use. Meals were served at convenient intervals. Clothes, backpacks, and horses ready to go when they were needed. It was surprising just how effectively she could run the camp on her own. In fact, Roxanna was so good, Vasilis was able to focus solely on training. He rather wondered if her involvement would make the difference this time around.
But Vasilis was trying not to leave anything to chance. He did his best to pay attention to details that he normally would have ignored. Theodoros kept shaking his head, and saying that this attack wasn’t going to work. But he never gave a specific reason, so Vasilis continued on.
At last, they were ready to go. The morning of the attack dawned rosy, but foggy. It was perfect weather, warm enough to make fighting comfortable, but not too warm, and the fog would help keep them hidden. Breakfast was ready in good time, as was their armor and weapons. Roxanna even handed him a mug of zomos when he mounted his horse. He took the cup, toasted her heath and their success, and drained it. He felt like a knight again, and he knew Roxanna’s attention was a strong sign of her growing respect for him. Perhaps it could turn into something more? He hoped so, which caused him to grin as he set off.
The gang rode through the woods in high spirits. Only Theodoros was glum, but Vasilis did his best to ignore him. They reached the enemy camp in a few hours, and were still fresh. T
hey then set about arranging themselves so they could launch their attack as planned.
As Vasilis got into position, he couldn’t help but smile at how well the day was going. Nikolos’s soldiers didn’t even seem aware of what was coming. They were going about their business as if nothing was going to happen. They were alert of course. They should be. But they didn’t seem to be expecting trouble, which boded well for Vasilis’s plans.
He waited a few minutes to be sure everyone was in place. When he heard the agreed upon whistle, which was that of a bird that wasn’t present at this time of the year, he knew they were ready. A tense silence filled the woods, with only the sounds of the camp to relieve it. But then, it was broken.
Vasilis let out a mighty yell. His men matched him. They charged into the camp, weapons gleaming in the light. Those weapons soon began clashing with armaments of Nikolos’s forces. It was by no means a stomp, but Vasilis was pleased to see his men were making progress driving the Kalarians back. Vasilis himself took on the general of the group, and defeated him without much trouble. Vasilis had always been good at fighting. His laidback demeanor caused people to underestimate him, and he was able to handle the unexpected better than most people.
They soon took control of the enemy camp. The gang then set up a cheer as Nikolos’s men ran into the woods. Vasilis grinned and let out a war whoop. That was easier than he expected. They then started putting the camp back to rights so they could occupy it.
“Well, what have you to say now, Theo?” asked Vasilis.
“I think it went well, but something about it bugs me,” said Theodoros.
“What?” demanded Vasilis. “We defeated them. What more can they do?”