by R. E. Steele
Perhaps she wanted to believe he intended to do more than he had said. But why? Did she have feelings for him like he did her? A part of Vasilis whispered that it was so. But he quickly dismissed this idea. There was no way a woman like Roxanna, who was so proud and dutiful, would be willing to feel anything other than contempt for a sluggard like him, at least right now. He was delusional to even think it.
But he did sigh to himself, whenever he saw Theodoros and Estella happily occupied together, in some task or other. While Vasilis rarely became jealous of anyone, he was too good natured to develop a rivalry with most. He did wish that he too could have such moments with Roxanna. Even though their personalities were so opposite they were likely to clash often, Vasilis could still picture cozy evenings together by the fire.
But Vasilis did worry for his brother, despite his longing to experience similar affection. Vasilis noticed that Roxanna didn’t seem to approve of the relationship between her sister and Theodoros. This struck Vasilis as strange, for Roxanna didn’t seem to have any objection to Theodoros personally. Often, it seemed she had a higher opinion of Theodoros than she did of him. But she still didn’t seem accepting of the developing love. Vasilis hoped she wouldn’t interfere with the relationship. He may want her as his wife, but his brother’s happiness was also very dear to him, and he would do much to secure it.
Chapter 35
If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man’s field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.
~ Exodus 22:5
Vasilis finally quit vacillating, and decided on a strategy for taking the next outpost. They would cause a fire near the fortification, and then capture the enemy soldiers as they came through the gate. The thick smoke would cover their activities, and most, if not all the enemy would come out by the time anyone began to suspect what was really going on.
The plan worked, as Roxanna expected. But there was a close call. One enemy soldier managed to get past those waiting to capture him, and was on his way to the fort before he was taken. Vasilis had been keeping watch up in a tree, but had been too busy observing the tussles between his men and the enemy, to keep a steady watch for escapees. Theodoros was the one who noticed the number of captured soldiers wasn’t large enough.
Roxanna was displeased by this close call, but she couldn’t say she was surprised by it. As usual, Vasilis was too careless, and it nearly cost him. No wonder he didn’t try to regain his ancestral lands. Despite his faults, he did care for those under him, and he knew if he tried something so ambitious, he would likely lead them into trouble. Better to live as an outlaw in the woods than in a prison cell. Even Roxanna had to agree with this reasoning. But she still felt Vasilis wasn’t helpless.
No, Roxanna felt that Vasilis was capable of regaining his old home. He lacked money, but as clever as he was, that wouldn’t be an issue for long. What supplies he couldn’t steal directly, he could purchase with stolen money, or rather, money taken from the Kalarians, who took it from the Achlysians. It hardly seemed like stealing when at least some of the wealth once belonged to one’s own people.
Vasilis lacked a large enough force to be able to take back Achlys, but Roxanna didn’t think that would remain an issue once he began in earnest. Vasilis was charming and a natural leader. He was the sort of person that others would naturally flock to. Already, the village folk near the various camps they stayed in, were willing to help him and his gang. If it was known he was going to mount an attack against the Kalarians, in an attempt to regain his homeland, the Achlysian people would rally behind him. Roxanna already had reason to believe they were discontent living under imperial rule. They rarely said it outright, but they did show signs of wishing to go back to the way things were. They would join him. Some may be hesitant at first, for Roxanna understood that Vasilis had tried and failed before. But once Vasilis achieved success on a large scale, there would be no reluctance.
Vasilis had a good head for strategy too. He was creative, as his various methods of gaining loot had proven. Roxanna was sometimes surprised at how ingenious he could be. There were several times, that he had fooled Kalarian forces into believing one of their own had stolen the goods, rather than him. Some of his deeds hadn’t even been learned of by imperial forces.
One of his biggest problems was his unwillingness to take a fight head-on. It was cowardly. There was no way around it. Vasilis was unwilling to fight anyone directly. No, that wasn’t quite true, Roxanna reasoned. He did fight face-to-face once, when he was attempting to free her from Nikolos’s clutches. It was an indication of just how much Vasilis cared about her. Roxanna blushed at the thought. But she soon hardened her feelings again. Vasilis may care about her romantically. In fact, she believed he did. But he apparently didn’t care enough to help her get her kingdom back, or try to better himself by regaining his own holdings. That drove away all flattering feelings she felt toward him.
Which brought Roxanna to the true reason why she was infuriated by Vasilis. He was unwilling to take the hard steps of learning how to pay better attention. He was deficient the discipline needed to focus on the task at hand. He lacked the self-control to examine a plan through all aspects and angles. He wouldn’t force himself to take all factors into consideration before moving forward. It wasn’t that he had to look for these details himself. Often, he didn’t. Theodoros did it for him. But Vasilis wasn’t willing to put his brother’s hard work to good use, and often seemed to consider it as more of a nuisance than a help.
Roxanna sighed. Not for the first time, she wished Theodoros had been born with his brother’s talent for strategy. If that had been the case, he could have retaken what ought to have been his. While she was wishing for what could never be, Roxanna also wished Theodoros had been the older brother. That way, he could retake the duchy, or whatever it was that Vasilis had once been destined to inherit. Roxanna then wouldn’t have objected to the match between Theodoros and Estella. A man who had the ability to take back what was his, would be able to help Roxanna take back what was hers too. He ought to be rewarded. Besides, Roxanna wanted her future nieces and nephews to possess such talents themselves. They would be useful to Oreias.
But as she knew, none of this was to be. Vasilis was the oldest, and he was still careless. It sometimes drove Roxanna crazy knowing that if Vasilis just gave up this strange indolence of his, this unwillingness to fight against his inattentiveness, he could become a great man. She felt it so strongly she could almost taste it. It was so close. But he was unwilling. If they shared one thing in common, it was that she and Vasilis were both stubborn, so him reforming seemed impossible.
Chapter 36
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
~ Matthew 23:12
Vasilis noticed that Roxanna was beginning to micromanage again. Her irritation at him, whatever its reason, was beginning to make her insist that things be done according to her exacting standards. The fire must be lighted in such and such a way, food prepared in this or that manner, and schedules followed in just the right sequence. She was growing irksome again. Vasilis suspected he would have to step in again to get her to stop. But he hated to do it. She didn’t intend harm. She genuinely seemed to think she was helping. But she wasn’t. At times, she was making the situation worse.
Vasilis sighed. If it weren’t for her irritability and controlling tendencies, Roxanna would have been pleasant to have around. She was genuinely a good person. He had no doubt about that. She was headstrong to a fault, but no one was perfect, and a lot of the problems that came from that were because she wanted her kingdom back. But she was unwilling to accept when she could genuinely do nothing to improve her situation, despite all the prayers Vasilis kept offering that she would. She always felt she needed to be doing something to help herself, even when it was impossible.
It sadde
ned Vasilis to realize this. Roxanna was capable of being a very good queen. Oreias hadn’t languished in her care. The only reason her reign was so short, was because of Nikolos, again something too big for her to be able to control or stop. From what Vasilis knew of Roxanna’s efforts, no one could have stopped Nikolos from invading. Roxanna actually held up better than most could have. Nikolos had to fight hard to gain Oreias. But there was no way she could have held on forever. Even experts in faraway lands agreed that she couldn’t have done any better, or at least, that is what the headlines from foreign news reports said.
But Vasilis needed to get away from her, and curtail her controlling behavior. The capture of another outpost would do the job perfectly, and kill two birds with one stone. It would only be a temporary fix, but it would give Vasilis peace for a time, in more ways than one.
Problem was, Vasilis didn’t know how to go about capturing this next outpost. His smoke trick had worked, but it had come close to failing. It wasn’t difficult to guess that the soldiers in the next outpost, would be on their guard against such tricks. The odds of failure were increasing.
Perhaps he could take the Kalarian guards by stealth, sneak into the outpost and overpower them. But that was risky, too risky for Vasilis’s taste. He would prefer to have someone, or several people, on the inside to help him out. Maybe his trick of disguising himself and several others as merchants would work. That way, they could pass on important information before the attack, and open the gates when the time came. Even better, a few of them could disguise themselves as laborers working in the outpost.
Vasilis smiled at the idea. He and a couple of the other men could find work as menial laborers within. All fortifications had them. If there were no positions open, those who worked there at the moment could be bribed into leave. Bribery might not even be necessary if the laborers were locals. Then, the soldiers would have no choice but to hire Vasilis and his men. Theodoros would then lead the other group to the outpost when the time came. There would be plenty of time to learn of any potential pitfalls to the plan, so the chances of disaster would be slimmer. Then Vasilis and his men would be able to open the gate, and help take down the enemy.
Yes, the plan was a good one. He hadn’t tried this method in a while, and never with the intent of taking something as big as an outpost. In fact, he decided to try for the fort itself as the plan seemed so good.
What was even better, no one would expect him to lower himself to the position of menial laborer. Vasilis chuckled to himself as he thought of the reactions. He had pride, but he wasn’t proud enough to refuse to get down in the dirt with everyone else. He could have fled to another nation, and lived in comfortable exile. But no, Vasilis was proud in the sense that he would not accept aid from someone, without earning it first. He also felt a responsibility to stay in or near Achlys, to protect its people the best he could. He knew couldn’t do much, but that little was something. Yes, he would humble himself to the position of common workhand. No one, not even Nikolos himself, would guess it was him beneath the coarse and tattered garments.
Chapter 37
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
~ Hebrews 10:36
Roxanna tried to ignore Vasilis’s activities. Whatever he was up to, she reasoned it wasn’t worth her time to investigate, and probably wouldn’t end well. But his regular disappearances, and the mystery surrounding his plans, piqued her interest in spite of herself. She tried to ignore him, but when she saw him enter the camp looking like a ragamuffin, she finally gave in to curiosity.
At first, she didn’t recognize him. She actually began to retreat to her room, and wondered how he was allowed in the outpost. But then she remembered she was in the company of a band of thieves, and realized, even a vagabond would be hard put to choose better company. If he intended ill, the guards would take care of him. More than likely, he saw the members of the Lystra Gang as his equals and fellow associates.
But as the rascal drew closer, she saw something familiar about him. Under the dirty hat and turned up collar, she saw a familiar pair of merry blue eyes and fair hair. The smile, and the twinkle of the eyes, was familiar too. The guards finally spotted him, and tried to apprehend him. But then they too recognized him.
“Vasilis! I never would have guessed!” said the first guard.
“It’s a good disguise, isn’t it?” asked Vasilis.
“Yes, but did you have to include the smell?” asked the second. “Our commander or not, I’m not sure we can let you in smelling like that. The womenfolk would have our hides.”
Vasilis chuckled. “Very well, I’ll go wash off in the creek. I’ll need some soap though. I was shoveling barns all day, and I don’t think some of this will come off without it.”
The guards called for one of the women to bring Vasilis some soap. Roxanna made it her task to do it. She approached the creek, and heard Vasilis chuckling to himself over something or other. He had already started washing, for his face and hair was dripping.
“And to what do I owe the pleasure of your assistance, lovely lady?” he asked.
“What are you up to?” she asked bluntly, ignoring his gallantry.
“Taking the fort,” he replied.
“As a common laborer?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes,” he replied cheerfully.
She glared at him, knowing he was withholding important information. There was something roguish about his smile, and his eyes twinkled even more. He was trying to provoke her, and she knew it.
But then she noticed something. Under all that dirt and grime, Vasilis had remarkably noble features. Surely his parents wouldn’t have wanted him to take up the life of an outlaw. He was born for better than this. But there was also something about him that she recognized, and not just because they had been in each other’s company for months.
“Are you certain we have never met before, Vasilis?” asked Roxanna.
“We met months ago, as you well know,” he said.
“You know what I mean,” she stated angrily. “Did we meet before that time?”
“Not that I’m aware,” he said. “I had only gotten so far as meeting the Oreiasan armies. We were in the middle of a war at the time, so there was no time for pleasantries in a castle. You never visited Achlys at all as far as I know.”
“I never did,” confirmed Roxanna. “Father was not one to bring his daughters to a war zone when we were that age. By the time Achlys fell, I was still too young.”
“Yes, twelve years is too young to put anyone in that kind of situation,” agreed Vasilis.
“I do often wonder what happened to Crown Prince Vasilis,” said Roxanna.
“Naturally, he was your betrothed once,” said Vasilis.
Roxanna supposed such a thing would be common knowledge in the Achlysian court. The two kingdoms had been close allies for years, and the match had been planned with no opposition from either side. The Oreiasans would have liked to maintain their independence, but such a thing seemed impossible with the Kalarian Empire on its constant campaign for more land, wealth, and power. Better to be joined with a close ally who would treat the kingdom as an equal, than be conquered by an invader who would drain it of its resources. But still, it might be worth asking Vasilis what happened to her former betrothed.
“Do you know what became of him? You surely knew each other. You are the same age,” she said.
Vasilis paused for a moment, and then looked strangely awkward.
“I do, but he is in no position to help you,” said Vasilis.
Roxanna’s temper flared.
“Perhaps I should be the judge of that,” she stated.
“I think he is the best judge of his own condition,” said Vasilis in a determined tone. “You would be wise to accept your fate as he has, rather than try to trouble him about something that will never happen.”
Vasilis then took the soap and towel she was holding, and walked
off. She was so stunned she couldn’t say anything in reply, not even the retort she thought of later. It was strange how he was acting. For as easygoing as he usually was, it was rare to see him almost upset. But one thing she felt certain of, was that he knew more than he was willing to share. She must look elsewhere for information.
The most natural place to look was Theodoros. As Vasilis’s brother, he would likely be as aware of the crown prince’s fate as Vasilis was. Indeed, Theodoros was more willing to talk.
“I do know what happened to Crown Prince Vasilis,” said Theodoros. “He is still alive, wondering the forests as we do. But I think it isn’t his lack of ability to help that is the problem, but his lack of spirit to do so. The final defeat that led to the loss of Achlys hit him hard. He had hoped to live up to his father’s legacy, and King Vasilis’s recent death certainly didn’t help matters. I think he was so ashamed of what happened, he hasn’t recovered even today.”
Roxanna could understand this feeling. She too, sometimes wondered if she could have done more to keep her kingdom free. But no, she always knew she had done everything she could. At least there, she had no regrets.
“Do you think it’s possible that he could get over his guilt and try to retake Achlys and Oreias?” she asked.
“It is, but I don’t know when that will happen,” said Theodoros. “I think he needs sufficient motivation, something he cares about so much, he is willing to risk everything again to save it. But I do not wish that kind of circumstance on him. He has been through enough. I pray he comes out of his apathy without needing that kind of motivation.”
“Would it be possible to meet Prince Vasilis? I might be able to convince him to change his mind,” said Roxanna.