Lillian had her military and royal advisors summoned so that she could address them for the first time as Queen of Arde. She had them meet where her father held these types of meetings, in an isolated room towards the back of the castle. The room was away from any outside disturbances and the stone walls were too thick to be heard through. In the center of the room was a large, rectangular wooden table in which Queen Lillian sat at the head. She began, “We have learned from our past and have created a country much greater than that of those surrounding us. Our preceding Kings and Queens have learned from their errors and have corrected their faulty leadership. From them, I have learned that the most effective way to control the mass is reigning through fear,” declared Queen Lillian. “I plan to follow the example of my father, a great ruler and military leader. In his life, he taught me the technical and tactical skills necessary to win military battles and also imparted me with knowledge on how to rule successfully. I will share this knowledge with the people in this room only because they are highly trusted individuals, hand-chosen by my father himself, King Henry.”

     The people in the room, a space which was dimly lit and filled with wooden furniture and a large, unlit fireplace, listened closely as they sat at the edge of their elegantly hand-carved wooden seats, nodding in approval of what their Queen was saying. Queen Lillian continued, “The key to being a successful ruler is not only to control the people with fear but to also keep them loyal with hope. This is how I intend to rule and should anyone disagree, by all means, leave my service and the country of Arde.” The Queen concluded the meeting and returned to her study in Crowning Castle.

     While sitting in her study, the Queen requested that Lord Samuels, the military leader responsible for training soldiers and infantry forces, be summoned. The study in which she sat remained intact from her father’s time. The walls of the two-story study were decorated with rosewood cabinets and the shelves were bursting with family records, geographical atlases, novels written by magnificent writers, and memoirs written by renowned military members. Above the fireplace hung an oil painting of Queen Lillian as a young girl (around the age of five) with her parents, King Henry and Queen Catherine. In the painting, King Henry wore a red cloak and was seated higher than his wife and child. Lillian sat on her mother’s lap and her mother was grinning as she looked up to King Henry, implicating content in her marriage and respect for her King.

     Once Lord Samuels walked in, his eyes were immediately drawn to the beautiful Queen sitting atop a velvet chair, her face aglow, due to the reflection of the fire that softly burned in the large, decorated stone fireplace to her right. Lord Samuels took a seat in the chair in front of her. Behind closed doors, Queen Lillian told Lord Samuels of her plan to increase the wealth and region of Arde by sieging Walesve, a territory hospitable for agricultural production. The Queen told him, “I read a book I found in my study and it tells of the riches that can be found in Arde. The land of Arde is lush and fertile. There are valleys fit for agricultural production surrounded by mountainous regions that protect the land from invaders. There are rivers that flow through the land, keeping livestock healthful. My plan is to siege the land at the beginning of their harvest, when they least expect an attack.” Lord Samuels responded, “Your plan, my liege, is well thought out, however, the morale of the few soldiers I have left is relatively low considering half of the army has died of smallpox.” Nonetheless, the Queen insisted, “This is what is to be done and if you disagree or refuse to assist, you will be exiled. Leave at once and gather the masses to my yard tomorrow! I will make my declaration to them!” Once Lord Samuels submitted, he was dismissed from the study. 

     The following morning, the Queen’s assistant helped her dress for her appearance in front of the commoners from the surrounding towns and villages. After being fully adorned in luxurious rose-colored fabrics, she proceeded to the balcony that overlooked the castle’s courtyard and the citizens that had gathered for her speech. Standing high above her people, the Queen declared, “Any peasant who partakes in the siege of Walesve will receive a raise in social status from peasant to freeman and will receive two acres of hospitable farming land in Walesve. Fight for me and prosperity shall be yours!” The townspeople, specifically the peasants, cheered and screamed hollers of joy, the men, in part, were cheering simply because of the Queen’s beauty. However, some of the Lords and Knights did not support the Queen’s plans since the Lords would lose their tenant farmers and the Knights feared they would be surpassed in rank by the peasant turned soldiers.

     A few weeks following the public announcement, Queen Lillian made a trip to Lord Samuels’s manor to see him in order to discuss his progress regarding the recruitment of the peasants and training them into soldiers, both mentally and physically prepared for battle. While traveling to Lord Samuels’s manor, Queen Lillian and her royal escorts became lost at the entrance of the manor. As they wandered for a moment, they spotted a peasant working as a tenant farmer for Lord Samuels, who at the time was plowing the entering fields. The Queen’s escort beckoned to him and he came to their call. He introduced himself as Oliver Evans.

     Evans was a peasant with a stout well-defined body and equally sturdy build. The Queen analyzed his body and concluded that he may be a great addition to her army. The guards conscripted him to guide Her Majesty to the proper household. Upon meeting Oliver, Queen Lillian asked, “Why do you choose to work here as a peasant farmer when you have the opportunity to be a freeman and owner of your own land?” Surprised that the Queen herself would speak to a lowly peasant such as himself, Oliver responded puzzlingly, “Your Majesty, I apologize, but I am not sure what you are referring to.” The Queen questioned Oliver. “Did you not attend the public announcement held several weeks back where I said that any peasant who fought in my army could become a freeman?” Oliver replied as he walked with his head still bowed in her presence, “I was not aware of such a meeting for I was unable to leave the manor for several months because I must tend the fields for my lord, Master Samuels.”

     Once they reached the manor, Queen Lillian dismissed Oliver as there was nothing left to say. As Oliver returned to the wheat fields he was cultivating, he thought to himself how lucky he was that he, a peasant, was able to see the Queen in person and not only see her but to be addressed by her. Oliver also became embarrassed at his appearance as he thought of how me must have looked in the eyes of the Queen, whose fair face and braided hair was sparkling and her gentle green gown and white gloves so lavish. He looked at himself, his sunburned hands blistered, brown trousers ripped at the knee, and his shirt fifthly with dirt from the fields.

     Nonetheless, as he continued to walk on the dirt road back to the wheat field, Oliver deliberated on what the Queen had told him, and the opportunity cried out to him as a hard-working man. Oliver believed this new plan to be fair; to simply fight for the Queen and receive compensation for his efforts seemed to be more than generous. As he continued to think about Queen Lillian, his heart began to race, and he soon found himself entranced by the thought of her beauty. He blushed and let out a light shout of joy because he was so happy that he got to see and talk to the Queen. In his heart, he knew that he was in love with her, but being of such low status, the Queen would never be associated with a lowly peasant such as himself. Thus, Oliver opted to join Lord Samuels’s infantry training to become a soldier for Queen Lillian.

     Meanwhile, Queen Lillian was escorted to the cabinet in Lord Samuels’s manor to draft up a strategic plan to invade Walesve. Queen Lillian took a seat across from Lord Samuels in his mahogany covered cabinet. The space was adorned with high, vaulted ceilings that were decoratively carved; nonetheless, the space was much smaller than what the Queen was accustomed to at Crowning Castle. The Queen did like the paintings hung on the wall of past military leaders of those who preceded him in his position.

     After drinking a few cups of tea and having listened to Lord Samuels ramble about his army’s successful numbers and the growing strength of his infantry force, the Queen interrupted him, questioning, “Why haven’t you offered the tenant farmer, Evans, the opportunity to join the army?” Tension in the room grew rapidly and all that could be heard was Lord Samuels’s hysterical response, “I did not want to lose him on the manor as Evans is my most efficient worker and he is the strongest peasant I have.” Annoyed by Lord Samuels, Queen Lillian continued, “If he is so proficient and is stronger than most others, why would you not utilize his strength and ability to complete tasks befitting his physical nature? Can you not see his aptitude in becoming a great warrior?” Lord Samuels shrunk in his chair. He realized that the Queen had already set her sights on Evans and the Queen always got what she wanted. He appealed, “Yes, he has characteristics befitting a great soldier, but Oliver is an even greater farmer and I did not want to lose his skill in the field.” The Queen ascertained, “Lord Samuels, you are neglecting to comply with your obligations to me by withholding Evans from proper training. You are acting selfishly! Rather than for the betterment of Arde, you wish to better yourself! With this, I have no choice but to exile you from this land.”

     Being new and fairly inexperienced to the throne, Queen Lillian chose to have Lord Samuels exiled rather than killed, in hopes that it would keep the masses compliant and likely assure her success as their Queen. Lord Samuels was given no time to combat this demand and he was escorted out of his own home by the Queen’s guards. Lord Samuels left with only the clothes on his back, black trousers, a gray long-sleeve blouse, and a black cloak. Lord Samuels was exiled from Arde and his job was replaced by the respectable Knight Kay, a Knight in the lord’s service.

     Evans was immediately placed in the Queen’s infantry training, and within a few months, he proved to be a formidable, natural leader among the other peasants. With his mental and physical strength, he easily showed potential to be a great warrior. After his evaluation of Oliver, Knight Kay expressed to the Queen, “though he may be a peasant, Evans exhibits lion-like ferocity in combat and motivates the other peasants to the same standard. He will excel as a leader of his own detachment.” Queen Lillian, who took a liking to her investment, agreed and decided to promote Oliver to a position of leadership, giving him charge over a company of soldiers. By promoting Oliver to the position of Company Commander, she aimed to raise morale among the peasants and give them hope and a goal to strive for.

     One afternoon during a military meeting, Oliver spoke out of turn many times, hoping to prove his worth to the Queen. This was the first time the Queen and all others saw Oliver make a fool of himself. After a few hours, the meeting with the military leaders and royal advisors in the cabinet of Crowning Castle ended. Oliver stayed afterward to further discuss his own tactful approaches on how the troops should invade Walesve. Realizing that he was alone, he approached the Queen and sat directly next to her. Impulsively, Oliver kissed Queen Lillian. Shocked, Queen Lillian stood up and shouted at Oliver in a harsh tone, “What do you think you are doing? How Dare you, a lowly soldier? I am the Queen and you are a soldier, not even having obtained the rank of Knight, and worse, once a peasant! You are a guest in my castle and a military leader, but that is all! I should have you executed for even thinking of committing such a vile action on me! Leave my sight at once!”

     Speaking fast and frantically, Oliver pleaded for a chance to explain his uncontrollable impulses. “Queen Lillian, I- I apologize if I have offended you, but I have been in love with you since the day I met you at Lord Samuels’s manor. Please forgive me for my insolence! I beg of you, please, your Majesty, please allow me to maintain my military position.” Queen Lillian saw the fear in his eyes as he begged and she was pleased, so she allowed him to maintain his position as one of her detachment Commanders.        

     During their next meeting in the following days, Oliver controlled his desires and acted nobly. The Queen, bewildered by the drastic change in behavior, ordered that he meet her in the study following the conclusion of the meeting.

     After the meeting closed, Queen Lillian left the war table to go to her study. Oliver followed a few steps behind her.

     Oliver met with the Queen in her darkened study. The lights dimmed as the Queen closed the curtains, allowing only a sliver of light to enter and land on the large oak wood doors that Oliver had just stepped through. She lit the fireplace and let the warmth of the flame coat the whole room. The study was much warmer than their last meeting place, so Lillian removed her fleece wrap revealing a smooth, silk fabric dress. Oliver took notice of her appearance and fought within himself to control his lust for her.

     She sat down and spoke with him as he stood some distance from her. The Queen asked Oliver, “How is it that you have learned to control yourself so quickly since a few days ago?” Oliver responded, “Queen Lillian, you granted me the chance to redeem myself, so I have disciplined myself harshly in behaviors befitting a gentleman. To stay within your presence, I have changed. I will follow your orders and enforce that others do the same.” Satisfied with Oliver’s response, Queen Lillian replied, “Very well. I commend you for your loyalty to me.”          

     Oliver bowed and said, “I will always be loyal to you Queen Lillian. Even after we have sieged Walesve and the battles have ceased, I will remain loyal and faithful to you because I love you.” The fire grew weaker and the room grew a little colder. Oliver’s shawl was not as heavy as the Queen’s, so he removed it and placed it around her. The Queen, impressed with Oliver’s unwavering devotion and persistence in winning her heart, responded, “Evans, I will have you Knighted in the coming days, and because of your loyalty, you have earned my trust. I know you would never betray me. You will be my right hand and you will never leave my side, but the price of incompetence is heavy and if you betray me you will be punished by death. You will advise me in peace and lead my armies in war, and most importantly, you are to be my confidant. You may leave, until then, farewell.”

     Oliver smiled as he made to leave the study. As he reached the door, he turned and said, “Many of the other advisors will not accept my sudden rise to power, my Lady.” The Queen got up from her seat and approached him. She came close to him, so close he could feel her warmth through his layers of dress. She whispered into his ear, “To defy you is to defy me, and who dares to defy me?” she kissed his cheek softly, “Go, my warrior, no one will harm you as long as I am here.” Oliver left the castle and went to his manor. By order of the Queen and approved by Knight Kay, Oliver was given the manor previously owned by Lord Samuels.

     Once Oliver became a commanding Knight, he attended the Queen everywhere as the head of her guard. When at the war table planning their invasion of Walesve, Oliver sat across from the Queen as the other head of the table and the leader of her army. The Queen, Oliver, and the assembly of military and royal advisors developed a plan to siege Walesve and scheduled the assault to take place a few days after the first harvest, while the townspeople in Walesve would be celebrating their crop yields and be caught off guard. At this point, they would prove powerless to fend off any invaders.

     After each of their military consultations, Queen Lillian and Oliver would walk the castle halls together until the sun would dictate that he left so as not to draw eyes and suspicion towards them. One evening, a treacherous rainstorm prevented Oliver from leaving the Queen’s castle. As the rain poured and slammed into the stained glass of her study, the cold pervaded into the room and Oliver stoked the fireplace. The Queen grew fond of Oliver’s usual gesture of giving her the cloak of his armor. She adored it and longed for those moments when she could enjoy its warmth, his warmth. As he finished building the flame, he stood by where she sat. The Queen motioned for Oliver to sit. He did as commanded and sat in the rosewood chair facing her and the flame. He stole glances to satiate his desire, but he knew soon it would grow too strong. He then noticed that she was staring directly at him with a look of curiosity and analysis in her eyes. His heart pounded loudly in his chest like the war drums that kept the drill formation in step.

     She commenced the conversation. “I realize that I don’t know very much about you, Oliver, or at least what you were before coming to my service,” the Queen inquired. Oliver shot to his feet and bowed to address her, “My Queen, I was nothing before you,” he said as he maintained eye contact with the ground. She got up and raised his head with both hands. “When we are alone, behave as you would with any other. Call me Lillian,” she said as she locked her eyes with his. They were close, so close that he worried she would hear his heartbeat.

     She broke contact and walked over to a small table that had an exquisite wine and poured two glasses. “Everyone is something, before and after prominence. Tell me about yourself, Oliver Evans,” she expressed flirtatiously. Oliver’s heart calmed as he began to think of how to respond to her. The Queen asked Oliver, “Tell me, where are you from and why you haven’t spoken about your family?” Oliver explained, “There was never any much to say My Que-, I mean Lillian. I was born in a small neighboring village not too far from here, and my parents were both peasants working for a respectable Lord. My father plowed his fields and my mother cooked for the Lord and his family, but since my ascension to Knight, I have since retired them to my estate.”

     They both drank a small amount of wine. Oliver could not help but notice how a tiny drop of wine hung on her round rose-colored lip. He dwelled on it for a moment, fighting off the urge. To focus on something else, Oliver inquired, “If you do not mind me asking, how did you come to the throne at such a young age, Lillian?” Oliver was slowly getting comfortable in being informal. “How did King Henry and Queen Catherine pass?” Lillian responded coldly, “My parents both contracted smallpox and died within weeks of one another, leaving me to be the successor to the throne.” Lillian finished her glass before Oliver and got up to refill her glass. “This information is confidential and only you, me, and Kay possess this knowledge. We do not want others to know that the King and Queen were succumbed by a disease of the masses.” Oliver nodded in understanding.

     The rain strengthened outside so much so that several of the roof guards retreated inside the towers above the castle. “The weather is only getting worse, Oliver. You will stay the night,” Lillian demanded as she set her now empty glass down on the table. Oliver stood as he realized that it was indeed late. “Yes, I will stay in the guest bed if that is okay with you,” he said respectfully. He turned and walked towards the large wooden doors. The Queen said seductively, “Or you could stay here with me.” Oliver’s heartbeat reverberated through the doors. His mind and body both raced rapidly and wildly. “Sharing a room with the Queen?!,” he stuttered in his mind. However, he thought of the many things that would be said about Queen Lillian if they were discovered. “Lillian, I…cannot.” She shortened the distance between them while he stammered, “What if someone were to come to find ou-.” She interrupted him by kissing him passionately. Lillian responded fervently, “And what of it? Are you not my Knight? Are they not my people? Am I not their Queen? Who will deny me what I want and who will speak ill of me or my love? Surely I would cut out their tongues and feed it to them!”  He yearned to stay, but he was still wary and wanted to be sure no one would speak foully of the Queen, whom he loved. The Queen relented and had him escorted to the room in which he would be staying the night as she left for her own chambers, still wearing his cloak.

     Hours later, shrieks of terror inside Crowning shocked Oliver from his sleep. Oliver dashed to the Queen’s room to ensure her safety, frantically shouting, “My Queen! Lillian are you alright! There were screams so I rushed here to ensure your safety.” Queen Lillian, still half asleep, answered, “I am alright, Oliver, thank you. Go check on what is going on outside.”

     "Right away,” Oliver responded as he rushed to the entrance of the castle. In the castle, there were bodies of the servants lying around-evidence of intrusion. As he came to the castle gates, Oliver discovered the royal guards standing watch had been killed. He rushed out of the gates to investigate but once he opened the main entrance to search for who had killed them, he was stabbed in the abdomen. Oliver fell to the ground with a knife wedged between the top two ribs of his ribcage. Weak from the blow and unable to move, he grimaced in pain as he tried to get his feet and shouted as loud as he could. “Guards! The castle is under siege!” He yelled, but the downpour of rain drowned out any hope of warning the Queen to hide. “I need to get up, I need to protect Lillian,” he thought to himself as he laid on the cold, wet stone floor, struggling to find the strength to stand.

     Realizing Oliver had not returned in a reasonable amount of time, Lillian got out of bed to go check on him. Hearing glass breaking and footsteps down the hall, Lillian rushed towards her and Oliver’s safe place, the study. On her path towards the study, Lillian caught sight of a group of nobles. To avoid being noticed by the men, Lillian hid behind a pillar on the second floor of the throne room. Lillian heard a voice that she recognized to be Lord Samuels, “When you find the Queen, bring her to me! I don’t care what you do with her, just keep her alive! She will pay for ignoring our fortunes.”

     In retaliation to the Queen exiling him, Lord Samuels united with other lords, a group that comprised the minority of Arde’s population, to overthrow her and the monarchy. Another figure entered the throne room just as the other lesser nobles scattered to carry out the coup. His face was covered and his clothes were drenched because of the rain. The man’s hands were a reddish color, possibly tainted by blood. Lillian wondered to herself “Who is that man and whose blood is stained on his hands?” The figure approached Samuels as Samuels asked, “Did you take care of the guards at the front gate?” The figure, wiping the blood from his blade, responded, “I handled them, as well as a high-ranking knight whose head I will be expecting a bonus for taking.” When Lillian heard this she let out a shriek, “Is Oliver dead?” She trembled at the thought and raced to her feet to find him.

     Samuels and his group rushed to where they thought the voice of the Queen originated from. Lillian ran as fast she could, though the thought of Oliver being dead weighed heavily on her mind and body. She ran thoughtlessly down Crowning’s long, decorated halls and ended up at the small garden in the center of the castle. There, she was spotted by Samuels’s mob. She knew that she had been seen so she continued to run, deciding to once again go towards her study. Lillian made it to the study with the mob quick on her trace. As she attempted to lock the study doors, the mob forced their way in, cornering her in the once warm and safe study. The mob waited for Samuels to arrive.  

     Oliver finally garnered enough strength to rise to his feet. By this time, the rain had let up a little bit, and because the rain had receded, Oliver was able to hear and follow the echoes of the Queen’s voice to the study. Oliver stumbled his way to a nearby pillar where he spotted Samuels and his mob surrounding the Queen. He wanted to jump in and save her, but his wounds prevented him from moving swiftly, let alone fight off a few dozen men. He then remembered those of the guard detail that moved indoors when the storm was at its pinnacle. With this thought in mind, Oliver raced to go summon them. The thought of leaving Lillian for the moment crushed him, but the thought of saving her stole his resolve. He repeated to himself, “I will not fail her!”

     As Samuels revealed himself through the mob, Queen Lillian roared at him, “How dare you return to Arde when I have exiled you from my country!” Lord Samuels snorted and ignored her question, rambling, “By taking our peasants away you have prevented us from maintaining prosperity. We are unable to maintain our land, wealth, and crop yield because of your ‘ambition.’ As Lords, there is no real benefit in us gaining Walesve, in fact, with the reward of becoming freemen, it hurts us because our peasants will not return when the battle is over. Walesve, however, sees it differently than you. If I bring them your head, they will give me your throne and we will get to keep our peasants!” The Queen scowled, “You traitorous scoundrel! How wrong I was to let you walk out of my country! I should have killed you myself! As for Walesve, I am doing this for the betterment of Arde, yet you are unable to see that because you only aim to line your pockets, which is why I exiled you! If you are to rule, I worry Arde won’t last a fortnight!”

     Samuels grew angry and snarled, “Who cares what you think! A woman about to die shouldn’t worry about things she won’t be around for!” Samuels gave the order to kill her and the nobles approached her to do the deed. Lillian did not cower to her fate; she accepted it as it was. The only thing she regretted was not being able to tell Oliver that she loved him.

     Before the mob was able to strike her, guards of the Queen crashed through the stained glass windows behind her and proceeded to restrain the nobles that were about to strike her down. The head guard stood between the mob and the queen. He asked, “My Queen are you alright?” The Queen gazed at Samuels victoriously and responded to the guards, “Yes, I am fine. Give me a blade that I might bestow Samuels with his punishment personally! The rest of you may deal with his mob however you please. Should any survive, feed them to the dogs while they live!”

     The head guard handed Queen Lillian a sword and issued the command to his squad, “Slaughter the traitors in the name of the Queen!” The seven guards instantly killed the first few nobles as they appeared to have no experience or training in combat. Those who remained also proved to lack strength and were unfamiliar with any such defense tactics that would save them from the experienced group of guards that protected the Queen. Thus, the nobles became terrified at their odds and turned to flee, but behind them was Oliver, the Queen, and the army of peasants to block Samuels’s escape. The Queen threatened, “I suggest you spineless worms turn and fight to the death, for I have already told you what would happen if you survived.”

     The attempted coup was defeated by the guards which Oliver had trained and the army of peasants that Queen Lillian had created. The cowardly nobles were too terrified to fight back and The Queen sentenced them all to the death she promised. All those involved in the uprising lost their land, animals, and eventually, their lives. As a punishment for committing treason, Queen Lillian had Samuels publicly humiliated in the town square, killed, chopped up, and sent to the king of Walesve as a declaration of hostility. By doing so, Queen Lillian demonstrated her rule and instilled fear around the country. This was her warning to them that horrific consequences would come to those who made enemies of the throne. After that, thousands of peasants and wealthy families remained loyal to Queen Lillian, half in fear that they would lose their wealth, status, and family if they challenged the Queen, and the other half out of pure admiration and respect for the Queen.

     As a result of the failed coup, the invasion of Walesve was postponed, giving Oliver time to recover. Several weeks following, Oliver healed and was put back on military duty. Everyday Oliver was confined to bed, Lillian sat by his bedside. It was where she slept, ate, and took care of him. In their moments alone, she finally laid her feelings for him bare. When he was finally able to return to duty, they spent every waking moment with each other. After each strategic meeting, they would meet in the study and talk for hours on end. She offered to let him stay with her another night the rain prevented him from leaving the castle, and this time he stayed. That night they laid together, the height of their passion was reached, and their rank and title were disregarded. It was just Oliver as a man and Lillian as a woman.

     The following fall, the plan to siege Walesve was executed. On the fourth day after the first harvest, Oliver, who was now in command of all infantry forces and troops, summoned the army to prepare for battle. Against the wishes of his guard, Oliver decided that he would be on the front line with his men.

     Before they left for battle, Oliver told Queen Lillian, “My Love, I will lead the army to victory, and we will be departing for Walesve in three days’ time. The invasion will be treacherous because they’ve had time to prepare for us, but I believe we will prevail. Our conquest will be short, no more than a fortnight. During this time, I will write to you daily so that you do not worry about my safety.” Oliver turned to leave the Queen at the gates of Crowning Castle. The sun began to set, turning the sky twilight orange and purple. Oliver stopped in his tracks and went back to her and fell on one knee. He took her hand and expressed to her all his heart, “I want you to know that I love you from the depths of my soul. I love you because of your confidence and fiery passion for leading your country and people. I love you for miraculously choosing to address me the day I first laid eyes upon you. I love you for raising my status from peasantry to Knight Commander and for allowing me to keep this job when I lost control of my lust I attempted on you. And most of all, I love you for being the strong, powerful, beautiful, and brilliant woman that you are. I am blessed by God himself that you chose to love me back. I love you eternally, my Queen.”

     Queen Lillian cried tears of joy during and after his heartfelt expression of love and pleaded, “Must you go? You are no common soldier; you are the leader of a great force. You do not have to fight with them, you need only command them. We can send Knight Kay in your pl-” Oliver interrupted her by bringing her close to his chest, his strong and steady heartbeat always eased away her pain whenever she needed it. To her, it was the only place safer than her study.  “Lillian, I must not only command them, but I must also lead them. A successful military leader maintains control over his soldiers by leading them, not commanding them. A leader uses his actions to inspire others and encourages them to act according to the standards that he himself abides by. Any foolish leader can simply order his troops around, providing them with no expectations or hope for encouragement and improvement. I choose to be the leader who will bring honor to your name.” Knowing that she could not change his mind, Queen Lillian conceded and permitted her love to go.

     Oliver and his troops went on their way and the letters she received from the battlefront were her only motivation for waking up each morning. There was a time where she had not received a letter from him and Lillian, assuming the worst, locked herself in her chambers until she received word the next day. When she finally received word, it was in the form of two letters. One from which was written by Oliver a week prior. Oliver wrote, “My beautiful Queen Lillian, you have done a wonderful thing, helping these peasants turn into freemen, but not just so, you have turned them into warriors, unconditionally loyal to the country of Arde and their Queen. Your men are fighting vigorously and they have made great progress, but their advancement has come with great loss and suffering. One-third of the men have lost their lives and another quarter have been seriously wounded. Still, we fight on, devoted to you and the task at hand. I hope to see you soon. I love you.” The letters he sent were the only physical proof of the relationship between the Queen and Oliver, and thus, Queen Lillian has them stored, hidden among the records in her study.

     The second letter she received was the latest one to date, and it was written by Knight Kay instead of Oliver. He wrote, “Your Majesty, the battle is over. We have successfully taken Walesve. Each surviving soldier has claimed their stake of land in which they plan to return to once you license them to do so. It is I who writes you now because of the thousands of men that have died during the seizure of Walesve, the commander of the forces, Knight Commander Oliver Evans was among them. Having faced a wicked trap laid by the Forces of Wales, Knight Commander Evans was the first to rush to the aid of his men who would have been annihilated otherwise. His charge broke through the castle walls, and he and his men cleared the catapults that would have ended all efforts to capture Walesve. Alas, his valiant charge of siege weaponry left him exposed and forced to defend his position. He ordered me back to our forces and stayed with a handful of capable soldiers atop the castle walls. I tried to take his place but he would not have it, I begged him and reminded him of you, but his final words to me were, ‘I would not be the man she loved if I could not lay down my life for my men. If I am to give my life here, so be it, but know that the Army will need you, Kay. The love of my life will need you, Kay.’ With that, I was forced to leave, and he stood proudly on those walls until he, as the last man, fought holding the line. No projectile fell on the army as we progressed into the castle walls. I raced back to the point where I left him, and he laid bloodied and undefeated, but dead. His armor was punctured with arrowheads and leaking blood. His blade was lodged in the skull of an archer some distance away on one of the battlements. His gauntlets were stained with more blood than could be his own. Somehow even after all the fighting had ended, his cold face expressed a sense of victory. Knight Commander Evans clung to life passionately and my only regret is that I could not stay by his side to protect him. Most sorrowfully and respectfully, Knight Commander Kay.” Lillian was crushed by the news of the letter and cried every day until the army returned home.

     A few weeks later, the soldiers returned from battle, and the peasants became freemen, settling on the land in which they were promised. Knight Commander Kay continued to command the fighting forces and worked vigorously to protect the larger territory of Arde.

     As for Queen Lillian, she continued to rule, but she chose to honor her beloved Oliver by governing the way he taught her. From there on out, Queen Lillian ruled sternly but compassionately. She was no longer absolute and unbending, for she grew control of her ambition, all of which she learned from her love, confidence, patience, understanding, and self-control. This allowed the Queen to maintain and increase her following as she became attractive to people of all classes, Knights and peasants alike. She eventually did away with the name “peasant” altogether.

     Knowing that she was pregnant and wanting to avoid birthing an illegitimate child into the monarchy, Queen Lillian decided to marry a very distant cousin who ruled as the prince of a neighboring country. Months after their marriage, Lillian gave birth to Oliver’s child. She was robbed of the opportunity to tell Oliver about the child by his death and kept the child’s true father a secret from her husband and her kingdom. The child grew up to be a morally upright and an esteemed young man. Queen Lillian saw all the qualities of Oliver in her son Jacob, who was a daily reminder of her late love.   

     Though Queen Lillian did not have Oliver Evans in her life any longer, she was left with memories of their relationship, the letters that he wrote her, their love child, and the study which she cherished. That study was a sacred place to the Queen since they would spend most of their time together there. The Queen continued to spend much time in the study, reading with Jacob and reminiscing in her head.