The resentful lady, p.1
The Resentful Lady, page 1
The Resentful Lady
A New Realms Saga Novella
The Resentful Lady
© 2022 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 Resentful Lady (The New Realms Saga, #2.5)
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
Further Reading: The Lady of the Hour
About the Author
But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
Luke 6:27
Chapter 1
He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
~ 1 John 2:9
Lady Thespia was glad to hear the news of Emperor Nikolos’s call for a ceasefire. She was even more happy to hear that he wished to broker deal between his Kalarian Empire, and the two allied kingdoms of Achlys and Oreias. After running around in the Achlysian wilderness for year with Prince Theodoros of Achlys, and Princess Estella of Oreias, trying to avoid capture by Kalarian forces, Thespia was eager for the Kalarians’ departure. Not that she wasn’t up for a battle with the arrogant imperialists. They were one of the few people who could rile her up. But the sooner they agreed to leave Achlys and Oreias alone, the better.
She thought back to the journey she had experienced with her two friends and the rest of their party over the previous year. She had been angry at first, when it was discovered that Prince Theodoros and Princess Estella has set off with the intention of defying their older brother and sister, King Vasilis of Achlys, and Queen Roxanna of Oreias respectively. But upon learning that the prince and princess were sick of being taken for granted by their older siblings, Thespia’s anger changed to understanding. They wouldn’t have had such problems anyway, had it not been for the Kalarian spy in the Achlysian Court, Lord Damianos. Lord Damianos was a Kalarian Duke, and close friend of Emperor Nikolos, if the reports were to be believed. Thespia could believe it, and she hated him with a passion that rivalled that of her hatred for the Kalarian Emperor. Was it right? No, she knew she shouldn’t hate anyone. But she couldn’t help herself, and was highly pleased that the troublesome spy was still locked away in Achlysian Castle’s prison.
The journey had proved useful anyway, for something had been discovered that was believed would be crucial to keeping the Kalarians out. Thespia wasn’t sure what. Not even Thespia’s older brother, Lord Georgios, an Achlysian Duke, knew for certain what was found. But the hints dropped by Prince Theodoros and King Vasilis suggested it was significant.
The timing couldn’t have been better either. Negotiations were expected to soon begin, and Thespia was glad of it. She would be attending along with her brother, though her presence wouldn’t be as crucial as his was. Hopefully, the Kalarians wouldn’t try anything treacherous, in a last-ditch effort to regain what they had lost. But the treaty must be made and signed. The war had to end soon, even if Lord Damianos was probably still trying to keep it going. But she tried not to dwell on him much. Thoughts of him only ruined her usually good mood.
Instead of thinking about that hateful man, Thespia decided to think about the possible marriage between her brother and the youngest of the Oreiasan royal sisters, Princess Celena. Thespia liked Celena. She was a sweet girl, a little too timid for Thespia’s taste at times, especially for someone as bold as Thespia. But that wasn’t an objection to the marriage itself.
It puzzled Thespia that Celena was so timid when her two sisters didn’t lack for spirit. But perhaps being the youngest, growing up in an uncertain time, with two highly protective older sisters, and mother who had died early in her childhood, had a negative effect on Celena. Certainly Thespia, who had both of her parents, and an older brother who was so easygoing it bordered on apathy, didn’t face the same circumstances Celena did, though there were similarities. But Thespia still felt Celena would make Georgios a sweet wife. Thespia could even help her come out of her shell.
Thespia knew Roxanna and Estella wished to help their younger sister in this way, for they spoke of it often. But at the moment, both lacked the time. Roxanna was busy ruling Oreias, running Achlys while Vasilis and Theodoros were away, and tending to her new son. Estella was managing the many estates she and Theodoros owned, and preparing for the birth of her own child. Thespia helped run her brother’s estates too, but his holdings weren’t nearly as extensive as what Estella and Theodoros had combined. Therefore, Thespia had more free time to bring about the match.
She hoped to be able to make opportunities for Celena and Georgios to meet, so they could become better acquainted. Georgios didn’t oppose the match, though the two hardly knew each other. Celena didn’t seem to have a problem with Georgios either, though Thespia suspected that she found him rather boring. Thespia shook her head but smiled at the thought. Yes, Georgios could be rather dry. Even she, his sister, would admit that. That seemed to be the reason why the two hadn’t really hit it off yet, despite being in company together often. It was the wish of Vasilis, Roxanna, Theodoros, and Estella to see Georgios and Celena married, for they occupied the same position in line for their respective thrones. It would also be good to have the marriage completed before negotiations began with the Kalarians, to ensure that Achlys and Oreias remained bound together by the most sacred of ties. Thespia hoped she could make it happen before they had to meet the Kalarians again. To have such strong bonds established, would aid in overcoming any Kalarian schemes.
Chapter 2
Thou, which hast shown me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
~ Psalm 71:20
Lord Damianos of the Kalarian Empire glumly watched the sun rise. It was a beautiful day, but he would have little reason to enjoy it. He was confined to his cell most of the time, with only a few hours to go outside for air and exercise. The warmth would make part of his day more enjoyable, but there was little else to look forward to. It wasn’t like a stay in the prison of Achlysian Castle, was meant to be a pleasurable experience. In fact, it had been very much the reverse for some Kalarians who had found their way here. But Damianos wasn’t as concerned about such treatment as he would have been in years prior. The Achlysians were vicious under certain circumstances, though they were usually easygoing to the point of negligence. But the Oreiasans, their close allies, were stricter, and had better self-control than their counterparts. If anything were to happen to Damianos, the Oreiasans would find out, and it would be stopped. Of this, Damianos was thankful. He had been disappointed by Queen Roxanna of Oreias’s marriage to Vasilis of Achlys, for she would have been better suited as Empress of the Kalarian Empire. But she held great influence over her husband, so prisoners of war were treated properly.
Yet, it was hard to be locked up as he was, especially when he had good reason to believe that the Kalarian Empire was losing. He could have helped his beloved homeland. If only he was at liberty! Worse, this was not the first time he had been locked up, only then it had been in Oreiasan Castle’s prison. He had feared where he would end up when he was first captured in that instance, though he had refused to show this fear to his captors. They had been members of the Lystra Gang, led by Vasilis himself. But they had no interest in holding him prisoner for long, as they felt it would be ineffective. Instead, they handed him over to the Oreiasans for interrogation. That hadn’t lasted long, for Emperor Nikolos conquered Oreiasan Castle and liberated him. It had been a happy day when Oreias finally fell.
Out of gratefulness to his emperor and friend, and a desire to redeem himself after the failure that resulted in his capture, Damianos set out to spy on the Achlysians and Oreiasans, once they had regained their old territories. He put together a disguise, rather obvious looking to anyone who knew what his true intentions were. But it worked well against those who didn’t suspect he was a spy. He just looked like he had poor taste in fashion, rather than that he trying to hide his appearance. He knew there were likely to be people present, who would recognize him from when he was first captured. So, he acted accordingly. The post proved fruitful, and he was able to pass along much information to his emperor while masquerading as an Achlysian General. He assumed an obliging manner, and smoothed over many difficulties between various egos. This led him to be on friendly terms with many important people, and allowed him to mix often with the society of the Achlysian court. That was what led to where he was now.
His popularity allowed him to become better acquainted with Vasilis’s younger brother Theodoros, and Queen Roxanna’s younger sister Estella, a Princess of Oreias. It didn’t take him long to realize that the two were quite irritated with their older siblings. It was this observation that led Damianos to hatch a plan. If he could convince them to run off to get married, his emperor, and a select number of Kalarians soldiers, could capture the two, and use them to force the surrender of Achlys and Oreias. It was such a brilliant idea that Emperor Nikolos was quick to agree. Such soldiers were already present in Achlys and Oreias, as scouts were needed to keep an eye on the allies. Some other scouts, with Nikolos, could sneak in unnoticed, and perform the mission.
What Damianos didn’t realize, and couldn’t control, was that Theodoros and his men were sufficiently in possession of themselves when confronted, to resort to the old tactics they had used during their days in the Lystra Gang. They fled into the woods, and were able to escape due to its thick foliage. This was a setback, yet wouldn’t have necessarily resulted in failure. But it didn’t take long for Theodoros and Estella to realize who was behind the attack, and tell Vasilis through transmission that there was a spy at court. Damianos was rather concerned that his cover would be revealed when the initial plan failed. But he remained in hopes that he could further assist his emperor. His friend Nikolos would understand, even if no one else in Kalare did.
Damianos was still of some use to Nikolos even now. Nikolos had scouts visit him in secret, so Damianos could pass on whatever he had seen, heard, or suspected. But that was little compared to what Damianos was able to do before. Still, Damianos was the only man on the inside now. Everyone else had been forced out once Damianos’s cover had been blown, and the allies became suspicious. Damianos was sadden by this, and wondered if he should really be in the spying business anymore. H had failed twice, and even when he had some hope that his capture wouldn’t affect the ultimate goal of capturing Theodoros and Princess Estella, that failed too. He now had little to look forward to, unless circumstances changed drastically.
“Dear God, what would you have me do now?” he prayed quietly. “Should I give up this hobby of mine, or should I continue?”
He concluded his prayer with a request that Kalare would win, he be freed, and thanks that he wasn’t worse off. But he didn’t hear anything afterward. The silence was irritating, since there was nothing to distract him. So, he settled into his bunk and tried to sleep, as he had many times before. Extra sleep would prove useful if he ever was in a position to escape, though he had slept so much, he really had no need for more. But he had few other options. He fell into a light doze eventually, after studying the stone ceiling above him, for longer than anyone needed to.
Chapter 3
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
~ 1 Peter 3:9
Thespia set to work in trying to bring her brother and Princess Celena together. So far, the results weren’t promising. She threw a small party when he, King Vasilis, and Prince Theodoros returned from the front. But Georgios and Celena hardly interacted with each other. There was no attraction between them, and even unease. Celena looked scared whenever approached by anyone she was unfamiliar with, but seemed especially put off by tall Georgios. Georgios was awkward around everyone he didn’t know well, so that didn’t help either.
Still, they tolerated each other’s presence, so Thespia didn’t despair. After a few more meetings, Celena seemed to realize that she had nothing to fear from Georgios, and he grew more comfortable around her. But that was all. He was mostly silent around her, only venturing a self-conscious remark every now and then. She was distantly polite. While not unkind, it was probably an indication that Celena, like many others, found Georgios boring. Thespia wasn’t happy with this outcome, but unsurprised. One had to be adept at controlling conversations if they wished to keep Georgios talking, or keep him from going off on a tangent. Roxanna and Estella were able to do it, which was why they didn’t seem to mind having him around. But not Celena. She was too quiet and timid to override a topic by force of will, or begin a conversation.
Georgios didn’t quite know what to make of Celena himself.
“She is so silent, I don’t know what to say,” he said. “I’m glad she isn’t afraid of me anymore. But still, she is so shy, I don’t know what to do to put her at ease.”
“Few people do,” said Thespia. Only Queen Roxanna seems to truly know, and the rest only have a good idea because they are family, and she is more open with them. Perhaps the key is to get to know her better so she is livelier. I have heard she has something of Roxanna’s strength of will, though I wouldn’t have guessed it on our short acquaintance with her.”
“I doubt I can do that,” said Georgios. “As an awkward bungler myself, I think I would cause more harm than good.”
“Leave it to me then,” said Thespia. “I will make friends with her.”
Which was what Thespia did. At first, Celena was shy and timid with her, but Thespia persisted, and was able, after a time, to get Celena used to her. She began to see that Celena had good sense, and was surprisingly capable. Though sweeter than Roxanna, Thespia was beginning to see the resemblance between the two sisters, that she had failed to see before. Celena could be quite firm when she wanted to be. One day, Thespia saw such an example.
“I’m going to the jail to visit the prisoners of war,” said Celena. “Do you want to come?”
Thespia stared at Celena in surprise. “Why would you want to go there? They are our enemies. Surely a sweet little thing like you, can find better ways to spend her time than being amongst a bunch of Kalarians.”
“But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
Luke 6:27,” cited Celena.
“You don’t have to visit them to do them good,” said Thespia. “The fact they are in decent conditions and aren’t being starved is enough.”
Celena was silent for a moment, thinking.
“Perhaps,” she said at last, “but I have a theory that perhaps the Kalarians would be kinder people if they were treated with kindness themselves. Call it shrewdness, but I hope that by treating them well now, they will return the favor later when the peace negotiations start. Even if they don’t, I still feel sorry for them, and wish to show them compassion.”
“You do?” asked Thespia in astonishment.
“I do,” stated Celena. “They are still human, and should be treated as such. Sometimes I think the reason wars start is because we fail to see one another as people.”
Thespia was surprised by Celena’s conviction. While it demonstrated Celena’s sweetness, it also showed that she was actually quite a deep thinker. Thespia hadn’t expected that from someone who seemed so innocent and childlike. But it was this childlike innocence that made Thespia think that Celena was probably wrong. The Kalarians were such hateful people, that Thespia didn’t think showing them compassion would make any difference. It seemed to her, that compassion was likely to be thrown right back into one’s face when it came to the Kalarians. No, Thespia felt the only thing the Kalarians respected was strength, since the only people who seemed to be able to get them to act humanely, were those who were able to beat them down.
Hence, why they were in the situation they were now. The Kalarians were willing to talk, because continuing the war at the moment wasn’t worth the cost. Thespia had been surprised to hear that was the case. She knew realistically that Achlys and Oreias combined didn’t have the same amount of resources the Kalarians did, and had to play their cards carefully to win. Still, they must have done something right, or something was going on that Thespia was unaware of. Perhaps it would be wise to go with Celena to the prison, to make sure people like Damianos weren’t getting things smuggled in to them, or having contact with people they shouldn’t. Thespia knew the ceasefire was rather fragile, and it was wise to be as vigilant as possible. She didn’t want Celena getting into trouble either.
