The Ruling Queen

by R. E. Steele

Vasilis scaled the wall with relative ease. It wouldn’t be the first time he had done such a thing, but never with such a purpose in mind. It had always been to steal something or escape. Now it was to reach the lady he loved. He made it over without being spotted, and snuck across the yard the same way. Finally, he was in the living quarters of the castle itself, and where he suspected Roxanna was being kept.

  But where was that exactly? The blueprints he had once seen, hadn’t explained whose quarters were whose. If he opened the wrong door, it could all end very badly right then and there. But, as if hearing his thoughts, he saw a lady walk out onto one of the balconies. She was dressed richly in a blue gown, all sparkles and softness. It was almost as if she was representing Oreias, for blue was its national color.

  Suddenly, Vasilis realized it was Roxanna! His heart leaped with joy. He had to restrain himself not to run to her. But he knew he couldn’t be caught, because it would cost them everything. Instead, he carefully made his way over to the balcony, and by some miracle, he climbed up without being seen.

  Roxanna had disappeared back into the room by that time. She sighed and hugged herself.

  “Tired?” he asked jokingly. “I should have thought with such comfortable surroundings, you wouldn’t be.”

  “Vasilis!” she cried.

  She rushed into his arms. He was surprised, but he hugged her willingly, and almost kissed her. Yet he restrained himself. She might just be overwrought. Her feelings for him might not have changed at all.

  “You have to get out of here!” she said in whisper. “Nikolos will lock you up for sure if he finds you here!”

  Vasilis smirked. “He can try, but he will have a hard time succeeding.”

  She glared at him, but it was more from worry than anger.

  “Now, have you discovered a way out?” he asked.

  She sighed again. “Not yet, though goodness knows I have tried. It seems you can get in, but I can’t get out.”

  “Well then, I need all the information you can provide about this castle, I can come up with a plan from there,” he said. “I will get you out, I promise you.”

  Chapter 57

  The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

  ~ Psalm 9:9

  Over the next several days, Vasilis continued to visit Roxanna. She wasn’t sure how he managed it. It was risky coming at all, let alone so often. But she needed to escape, and he was the only one who could figure out how to do that. So, the visits were necessary.

  They began by calculating what resources they had at their disposal. That didn’t take long. Between Theodoros and Estella, hardly a scrap of paper was left unaccounted for among the Lystra Gang’s belongings. Roxanna could access other items, but she could only do so much. She knew she was being watched, and it was fortunate Vasilis was able to reach her at all. Sometimes he came in disguise. Other times, he came as he had the first time, merely sneaking in under cover of darkness.

  Roxanna also sketched out a map for him of Oreiasan Castle. She knew the layout of the place well, including several secret rooms and passages. These passages made Vasilis’s visits much easier, but it was tricky work getting the whole map to him. She had to sketch out sections at different intervals, while not alerting her watchers to what she was doing. This was especially problematic with the dowager empress. Empress Metisa made a point of visiting her, to keep her company she claimed, but Roxanna suspected it was to make sure she wasn’t making any attempts to escape. The old woman understood Roxanna surprisingly well, and it was difficult to elude her. But Roxanna managed, and smuggled Vasilis a whole map of the castle.

  Once he knew what he had at his disposal, Roxanna expected Vasilis’s visits to end. This saddened her. While it would be safer if he left her alone, he was at least a friendly face among those who wished her ill. But no, he kept coming. He said it was because he needed her head to help him strategize. Secretly, she felt it was because he loved her, and didn’t want to leave her alone. This touched her, but she didn’t dwell on her changing feelings toward him for long. It was still too soon to say whether anything would happen between them or not. He might turn coward again and flee. Besides, they needed to survive this breakout first.

  He was right to ask for her help in planning her rescue. Though he was making an obvious effort to try to see all the potential holes in his plans, he still missed some. Roxanna felt this was probably due to his lack of experience, rather than a lack of effort. She pointed them out to him, and suggested ways of fixing them. His ideas were novel, she had to admit. It had to be the reason why he had lasted as long as he had against such opposition. He was simply too unpredictable to pin down easily, and she surprised herself by respecting him for it.

  They soon came to the conclusion that merely getting her out wouldn’t be enough. Nikolos’s forces were still hunting the Lystra Gang, and it was with difficulty that Vasilis was able to continue his visits. They needed a big distraction to lure a sizeable portion of the imperial forces away from the castle. Secondly, once she did get out, she needed a chance to run.

  Then came the idea of retaking the outposts and the fort, or failing that, another set of them. But even this they acknowledged wouldn’t be enough now that Nikolos knew exactly who he was up against, and what would be at stake. They didn’t doubt that if Nikolos knew Roxanna was in a fort, he would send every available man he could to get her out. He would spare no resource. It was obvious to Roxanna that Nikolos was genuinely attracted to her, and she admitted as much to Vasilis. Vasilis looked surprisingly dark when he heard it, but didn’t seem surprised.

  It soon became clear to Roxanna, that it would take a large operation, for her escape to be plausible. But she was reluctant to voice just how large she believed it would need to be. Normally, she wouldn’t have hesitated. But she didn’t want to push Vasilis away again. While she held her nerve when he wasn’t around, she didn’t think it would be long before she would break. Not that she would give into Nikolos. Never! But she didn’t think she would be able to maintain her queenly composure under the pressure, and could quite possibly let something slip that she shouldn’t. It was hard maintaining such a strong front under such a burden.

  She was relieved of this problem however, by a most unexpected source, Vasilis himself.

  “The way I see it, the only way to guarantee your safety is to take back both Achlys and Oreias entirely,” he said.

  She looked at him in surprise. “You are really willing to go that far?”

  “Yes, for you. Though I doubt I will need to take all of the two kingdoms to get you back, a sizeable portion of each will do. Nikolos will still try to come back. The only way to ensure you stay free is to make sure both our kingdoms are rid of him completely,” he said.

  She blushed and looked away. She didn’t know what to say.

  “But I don’t know if I can do it,” he said. “It’s not like I haven’t tried before, but my carelessness always got in the way.”

  “We shall pray that God helps you overcome your carelessness,” she said. “It’s the only way it will work.”

  So, pray they did. Roxanna realized she should have been doing this long ago, and perhaps she could have avoided this situation altogether. But it was too late to think about that now. Better to focus on the present, than on what she could no longer change.

  Chapter 58

  For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.

  ~ Isaiah 28:26

  It was hard for Vasilis to leave Roxanna. He had purposely visited her every day, even after he had gotten all the information he needed, because he didn’t want to leave her without his protection. He couldn’t have done anything if Nikolos decided to carry her off to Kalare, though he certainly would have tried. But he couldn’t just leave her. It was dangerous, but he couldn’t help it.

  However, in order to ensure their efforts weren’t in vain, she needed a safe place to flee to. Since such places were far away, and th
e ports would likely be heavily guarded once she was free, Vasilis had to make a refuge. His first step in accomplishing this was to take Achlysian Castle, the main seat of his family when they were still in power. It was several days away from Oreiasan Castle, which would end his visits to her for a time. But it would be worth it once she was free and safe.

  The plan was simple enough, take what outposts and forts he and his gang could, until the guard at Achlysian Castle was sufficiently strung out, that the Lystra Gang could conquer it without much risk. They would use hit and run tactics when the resistance became too tough. The former had been Roxanna’s suggestion, as it had proven effective previously. The latter was Vasilis’s idea, for he knew that such a campaign required flexibility. He hoped they had foreseen all the scenarios they needed to in order to succeed, though they both knew it was impossible to predict everything. They prayed God would guide him in his endeavor.

  He and the gang began by taking one outpost, then another, and then slowly working their way toward the fort that served as their headquarters. Their job was relatively easy, for the Kalarian soldiers had expected the gang to be active closer to border, not in the middle of the nation. It wasn’t that Vasilis hadn’t been busy there before. He had, especially when he first took to the life of an outlaw. But he had generally avoided the capital, out of a sort of shame for his failure. Now, he knew he needed his old base back, to free the woman he loved.

  Having accomplished the conquest of a fort, he prepared to repel the wave of imperial soldiers he knew were coming. He sent out some of his scouts, to keep an eye on their movements, while other members of his gang led small bands that took other nearby outposts. He hoped to thin the troops out, by giving them a larger front to have to fight on. He also felt having other places to retreat to, would be useful should he be unable to hold the fort.

  The plan worked. The force sent, though bigger than his own, wasn’t as tough of competition as he had expected. He had thought Nikolos would know he was the one behind the attacks, but perhaps not. It was unusual for Vasilis to act in the way he was, so he supposed it was reasonable for Nikolos not to suspect the truth.

  Vasilis decided to use this time to accelerate his plans. He knew he wouldn’t have long to use his advantage, but use it he would. As a result, he was able to take several more forts without much trouble. But then Nikolos wised up and sent more soldiers. It was time to take a more creative approach.

  It occurred to Vasilis that his life would be much easier if he was able to take Achlysian Castle at once, rather than the surrounding forts. At first, the idea seemed like another one of his crazy impossible ones. But the longer he thought about it, the more he felt it was a wise move, if only he could pull it off. Nikolos would expect him to continue attacking the forts and outposts, like any normal commander would do. But Vasilis was not a typical military leader. After some thought, he decided that he should indeed take the castle itself, and he had a way to do it.

  He sent some of his men to attack an obvious target, another outpost, while the majority headed toward the castle. They snuck in under cover of a storm, Vasilis being the first to scale the wall. From there, they did their best to subdue some of the guards. When one cried out in terror, he was quickly silenced. But more soldiers came to investigate. However, they were met by Vasilis and a couple of his men, wearing imperial uniforms. They had taken the uniforms from the soldiers they had just knocked out.

  “The sergeant thought he saw a member of the Lystra Gang, but it turned out to be a big rat casting a shadow,” said one of Vasilis’s men laughingly.

  Vasilis did his best to look embarrassed and ashamed. As usual, he was willing to be the butt of the joke if it meant keeping his true identity hidden. The imperial soldiers laughed and left. Vasilis and his men then took up the shift of the guards they were impersonating, until they were called for the evening meal. Vasilis stopped by the kitchen, pretending to sneak some food, and compliment the cook. But he also slipped some potion into the stew pot, and anything other food he could get near. This had been a surprising suggestion of Roxanna’s. She had said she wondered why Nikolos hadn’t used it against them, since one of his spies had gotten so near their food stores. Vasilis had jumped on the idea, and had waited for just such an opportunity to use it. By the next morning, the Achlysian flag flew above Achlysian Castle. The Kalarian forces were too sick to fight.

  Chapter 59

  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

  ~ Jeremiah 29:12

  Roxanna listened anxiously to all the news that was pouring in from the outside. Vasilis had warned her he was heading for the heartland of Achlys, in order to regain Achlysian Castle. She wasn’t sure if he would succeed. Getting there would be challenge enough, and she doubted he would keep his nerve long enough to make it. But when she heard a random comment about an outpost in central Achlys being attacked, she knew Vasilis had begun.

  Still, she had her doubts concerning his ultimate success, though her hope was growing. Vasilis had given up before, when the opposition became strong. But then the report of another outpost being taken, and then another, reached her ears. Finally, a fort was taken and held. Roxanna knew he was in earnest this time. Was it because of her, she wondered? It was a flattering thought, but she was careful not to let her vanity get in the way. It could simply be that Vasilis realized his chances of survival were higher fighting, than seeking refuge elsewhere. The timing of her capture, and this realization, may only be a convenient coincidence.

  Still, his behavior was so unexpected, his enemies didn’t even know it was him for quite some time. Nikolos dismissed the first few outposts as the work of a rebellion, albeit an industrious one. When the fort fell, he took the threat more seriously, but still didn’t suspect it was Vasilis. He had expected Vasilis to remain near Oreiasan Castle, where Roxanna was. Roxanna didn’t say a word, wanting to give Vasilis as much time as possible.

  There was talk of how similar the tactics used by the supposed rebellion, were to those used by the Lystra Gang. But Nikolos, and many others, still didn’t believe it was them. Yet, when several more forts fell, Nikolos couldn’t deny the truth anymore. Roxanna knew this because his mother came to speak with her.

  “There has been trouble in Achlys, Roxanna,” she said. “It’s making life hard for the common folk. Do you happen to have any idea who is causing it? You would make life easier for them, if you could guide us concerning who the rebels are.”

  Roxanna narrowed her eyes at the dowager. “I’m sure their lives are becoming harder, though whether they think it worth the trouble or not, is not for us to decide. It could be any number of people. I have been locked up too long to know for certain who is and isn’t active at the moment.”

  What she said was true. It was possible the attacks weren’t from Vasilis at all, but rather, one of his former subjects, fed up with the treatment they received from the Kalarians. But Roxanna felt it was Vasilis, and would be surprised if it wasn’t. Still, she wasn’t about to share that with Nikolos’s mother, though the fact she was asking showed where their suspicions lay.

  The dowager tsked and shook her head, but asked no more questions. It must have been obvious to her that Roxanna wouldn’t be tricked into revealing anything, that is, if she knew anything at all. But Roxanna did know of Vasilis’s intentions, and prayed daily for his safety and success.

  A few days later, Oreiasan Castle was a stir with shocking news. Achlysian Castle had fallen! It had been in Kalarian hands for years, and was the final refuge of the Achlysians before Achlys fell. To lose it was a bad sign indeed. What was worse, was it was whispered among the guard that the castle fell with hardly a struggle. The food had been tampered with, and hardly anyone could fight.

  This was a sure sign to Roxanna that it had been Vasilis behind the victory. She had suggested such a thing to him, and he had found an effective way to use it. He now had control of his old base. She wondered how he pla
nned to use it.

  The answer soon became clear. Nikolos began sending many soldiers out to retake what he had lost, but they were not coming back. News of victory after victory began filtering in. These were not just hit and run operations either, like Vasilis usually used. Some were straight up battles, where Vasilis’s cunning met Nikolos’s military genius. But the difference between them was Nikolos used proven strategies. Vasilis was willing to try anything. Slowly but surely, Vasilis pushed the Kalarian lines toward Oreiasan Castle, gathering momentum along the way. He had a huge army of his own, by the time he was within striking distance, and it was enough to worry Nikolos. He sent his mother back to Kalare.

  “But my son, there is nothing he can do,” Roxanna overheard the dowager protest.

  “I’m not so certain of that,” said Nikolos. “We had once thought he was lying low, though that turned out to be incorrect. We also thought he wouldn’t be able to pose much of a threat once we began to suspect he was the leader of the Lystra Gang. Then when we captured Roxanna, he began taking this fight more seriously. I’m not sure if he will succeed in freeing her, but I know enough to assume he is determined and unpredictable. If he breaches our fortifications, I do not know how much danger you will be in.”

  The dowager sighed. “It seems our scheme of getting Roxanna away from him backfired. I do not suppose I may take her with me?”

  Nikolos smiled but shook his head. “No, I do not want to make you more of a target. I was nervous enough when you came up with the plan to gain her friendship, with the intent of luring her away. I didn’t like the idea of you being so close to the Achlysians, guards or not. I tremble now that I know Vasilis was the one leading the Lystra Gang, and would have forbidden the scheme had I known the truth then. It proved successful. It allowed us to gain custody of Roxanna, without risk of her being harmed in a battle, or slipping away. But I think we are beyond such plots now. Vasilis won’t take kindly to you if he knows you are my mother. I will not allow you to risk your safety again.”