

The Queen In Exile

(The Lost Tsar Trilogy Book II)

Dedicated to

My loving family for all their support

and to my friends

Danielle, Brian, Daphne, Jolene,

and

My father in law

Tony

(Albert)

The Queen in Exile
Part I

"I grew up in a family of secrets; there was a lot of pathology in the family."

_-Naomi Judd  
_

I stood in the terminal at Anchorage International Airport. It had been seven years since I'd seen Tania, and I couldn't wait to tell her everything that had happened to me. The things she didn't know about. She was going to be surprised.

Tania and I had kept in touch since our adventure in Russia, but we hadn't gotten together. I came to Alaska to study my ancestors while she pursued her studies in New York City. At times I'd envied her, but I loved Alaska. It had become home to me.

Tania had told me everything that had happened in her life. She'd become a teacher of Russian History and was working on her doctorate so that she could become a professor at New York University. The trip and everything that happened to us had set her on a path. Before we'd traveled to Russia and discovered that I was the heir to their throne, she hadn't known what she'd wanted to do for the rest of her life. Once we'd returned, she'd quickly gotten herself together and become a scholar. I was proud of her.

I knew that she worried about me. She'd been upset when I decided to move to Alaska to pursue my total immersion studies of Russian culture. I had no other avenue to pursue. I couldn't go back to Russia, so I did the next best thing. I moved to Ninilchik, Alaska. There is a culture that exudes Russian History in that town. Everything about the culture can be learned there. For the six years that I had lived there, I had learned. The things that I couldn't learn firsthand, I learned while I got my masters in Russian studies from the University of Alaska.

The problem that I had as I stood in the terminal, waiting for Tania, was where to start. There were so many things that I hadn't told her, because I didn't want her to worry. At that point in time she was coming to my home, so she would have to know all about what had happened to me over the last seven years.

I watched her plane land. I could feel my palms sweat. I couldn't wait to see her. She was my best friend and like a sister to me, even though we lived thousands of miles apart. I'd waited for seven years to see her again. It had been a Messenger and Skype relationship, but we had remained close. Finally, I was going to get to see my best friend. I was finally going to see the one person who understood all about who I was and what I dealt with as a Romanov.

I wasn't close to many people in Alaska, and I didn't broadcast my connection with the royal family of Russia. I didn't want word of the scandal to run amuck. I wanted to be a strange little woman who was fascinated with Russia and its culture. Outside of Ninilchik, no one knew about my sordid history. I didn't want the general public to know about my ancestors. Considering the fact that I didn't trust the government in Russia and knew that they were monitoring me in many ways; I wanted to keep information about my family quiet.

Tania was the first person to enter the terminal from the plane. She hadn't changed a bit. She still had that fiery red hair and bright blue eyes. She still looked young and full of energy. Her whole face lit up when she saw me. She ran toward me and grabbed me and hugged me like she hadn't seen me in decades.

"I can't believe I'm finally seeing you!" she screeched as she strangled me.

I choked and laughed at the same time. "I've missed you."

After a long time, she finally let go of my neck. She stepped back and looked at me. "Look at you. You are quite the northern woman." She flipped the hood on my parka as it hung down my back. She pointed at my fur boots. "When did you turn into an Eskimo?"

I laughed. "When in Rome, you know."

"Really?"

"Yes. It's cold here a lot of the time. It's best to be prepared. Besides, I love fur boots. You have no idea how warm and comfy these things are."

"You'll have to show me where to get a pair," Tania replied. She stood and took a good look around the terminal where we stood. "This place is really different. I've never seen an airport with a moose head in it." She paused and looked around some more. "So, where do we go to get my bags?"

I took Tania to the baggage carousel. She was stunned that there were only three of them. "At least you can't get lost in this place," she said. "In New York, it's almost impossible not to get lost." She paused. "Man, I feel like that doctor guy in that old show 'Northern Exposure.'"

I knew exactly what she was talking about. We'd discussed the show online. I'd actually ordered a couple of seasons of the show so I could see what she was talking about. It was a great fish out of water story. "Well, Dr. Fleischman, welcome to Alaska."

After we got her bags, she turned to me. "I'm all set. Now, how to we get to that little village of yours? I saw that we can take a train, or did you drive?"

I giggled. This was one of the many surprises that lay ahead for Tania. "I drove," I said. I motioned for her to follow me. "Right this way."

I led Tania to the hangar where I'd parked my Cessna Skyhawk. "Here's my ride."

Tania stopped dead in her tracks at the door of the hangar. "What the hell are you talking about?"

This was the part of our get together I'd been looking forward to and dreading. We'd talked about a lot of things over the years, but there were several things that I hadn't mentioned. We always talked on devices. We used cell phones and the internet. I knew that Yuri was spying on me, so there were a lot of things that I hadn't mentioned so that he would never find out. The fact that I flew planes was one of them. "This is my ride. Surprise! I know I should have told you. I learned how to fly. This is my plane. I also run a taxi service with it. It's my job when I'm not teaching or at school or anything else."

Tania dropped her bags on the ground and walked over to the plane. I watched her as she walked around the plane and took a good look at it. She didn't say a word for a long time. Finally, she came over to where I was standing. "Not bad. I can't believe you know how to fly!" She took a step back with attitude like she always did. "What else haven't you told me?"

I looked at the ground. "A lot." I looked up at her. "I didn't know how to tell you a lot of the stuff without Yuri Kostov finding out. Don't worry, you'll know it all soon."

Tania's expression got serious. "Stacey, have you been all right? You know that if you need me for anything, I'll be there in a second. I'm always there for you."

"It's not like that. It isn't that things have happened that I can't handle. I can handle just about anything. I learned that when we were in Russia. Some of the things that have gone on in my life are a little bit involved and difficult to digest. There are a lot of things that I can't risk the Russians finding out about. I decided that it would be better to wait until I had a chance to see you to explain it all in person."

"As long as you don't get me killed," she mused. She looked at the plane again. It stood there all shiny and white, with its wings extending over our heads. "Can you really fly this thing?"

"This is nothing," I replied. "I learned how to fly this little single engine Cessna a couple of years ago. I co own a helicopter and a Lear Jet too."

Tania's mouth dropped open. "You can fly a helicopter too? And a jet? And you own a business?"

I smiled. I knew that would shock her. "You bet. I was saving that news for later. I thought I would take you on a flight seeing trip. The business is called Natural Views. We do flight seeing and run a bush taxi service. There are a lot of places in Alaska that you have to fly to reach. I operate it with a woman named Jissika Tulugaq. Her father is the Inupiaq Tribal Council President in Kotzebue."

"Sounds cool. I can't believe you've learned to do all this rugged outback stuff. You never cease to amaze me."

She had no idea. I opened the door for her. "Climb aboard. Let me show you my neck of the woods."

"Is this the most shocking news you have to tell me?"

"No."

The weather was beautiful. We got lucky. It was spring break for Tania. Her students had talked her into visiting me. She'd asked me how it was in Alaska in March. I told her that it was still cold. The Spring Equinox in March, but it wasn't until after that when Alaska got awesome with the long days and warmer weather. There isn't much in Alaska that isn't mountainous, which makes a lot of the land hold onto snow. Tania wasn't prepared for that. There are mountains along the shore as well as inland. In between the mountains there are glaciers left over from the last ice age.

We had a beautiful view from my plane. The skies were unusually clear for springtime. It had rained and snowed for a week up until the night before Tania's arrival. I glanced at Tania as she watched out the window. I saw amazement on her face. The terrain was in constant change below us on our trip south to the Kenai Peninsula and the village of Ninilchik. I remembered my first trip over this land and how amazing it had looked to me.

Tania gazed out the window. "Wow, it's so rugged up here. I can't imagine you in this kind of place. Do you like it here?"

"I do have to take my plane to go to a mall, but it's all right. The people are friendly. A lot of them speak Russian, especially in church. Russian Orthodoxy is all over Alaska. That gives me practice. I also get a lot of practice in the classroom."

"So, you got the job as the Russian teacher?"

"Of course. I'm over qualified."

Tania continued to look out the window as she talked. "You have a plane, a helicopter, a Lear Jet, and a flight seeing business. How do you pay for it all? I know you co own it, but that's still a lot of money."

"That's part of the equation that I haven't told you about."

"What are you talking about?"

I wasn't sure how to tell her as I saw the look of betrayal on her face. She'd trusted me for years, and now she was feeling betrayed because of all the things that I hadn't told her about. "I'm not single anymore."

Tania's eyes grew wide. "You shit! How could you not tell me you got married?"

"I'm sorry. It's complicated."

"Complicated? How complicated can it be? Who's the guy? Is he cute? Tell me. I can't believe you didn't tell me. How could you keep this from me, you bitch! I should have been your maid of honor!"

I waited for her to take a breath. "I don't know how to explain it." I gestured to my wallet on the floor between us. "Look in there."

Tania looked at me suspiciously. "Bitch," she mumbled as she reached down and picked up the wallet.

"I keep a wedding picture in there," I told her.

She opened up the wallet and looked inside. She flipped open the section where I kept pictures. When her eyes landed on the first picture, her jaw dropped. She slowly looked up at me. She held up the picture to me. "This is your wedding picture?"

I nodded.

She pointed to the picture, as though I didn't know what it was of. "That's Peter."

"It's complicated. It's one more thing that I didn't want to tell you over media. I'm so scared of what could happen to us if the information fell into the wrong hands. Social media is way too easy to monitor and hack."

"How did the two of you end up getting married?" She studied the picture for a moment longer. Her eyes grew wide at me again. "Who's the kid?"

"That's Michael," I said.

I could see that she was getting angry. "Dish."

I took a deep breath. "Peter and I kept in touch after I got home. We e-mailed for a little while, but it was hard. So we met face to face to have a real conversation. It's hard to explain the rest. He never went back. There's so much to tell. I don't know how to tell you everything."

"What?"

I took another deep breath. "Remember how sick I was when we were running all over Russia? I wasn't sick. I was pregnant. I had no idea. It was that night at Peter's grandmother's house."

Tania's eyes grew wide again. "You slept with him? And you got knocked up?"

"Yeah. Surprise! One snowy night in Dubna and voila. Things weren't going so well with Peter long distance, because, for obvious reasons I couldn't mention the baby. Finally, Tish talked him into not worrying about her and getting on with his own life. Michael was six months old by that time. Michael and I had moved to Alaska. Peter was more than a little surprised when he met Michael. Once he got over my not telling him sooner, we worked everything out and got married."

Tania stared at me. "Oh, my God."

"Exactly. It took about a year for us to work things out. It didn't happen overnight. Tish was pissed that she hadn't known. She had to come over here to find out too, because of security. Hell, she stormed out and went back to Russia for a bit before she calmed down. I don't blame her. Anyway, we got married. Michael had just turned two in that picture. We've been together ever since. Peter works for Tish still, but he does it from home. He makes a great living. When my mom died there was some money too, and I sold grandma's house and mom's farm. We have a really nice house here in Alaska. I got to finish college and start teaching. I had the money to buy in with Jissika for the business, and I take people flight seeing in the summer. It's great."

"I can't believe you never told me any of this. How could you keep this from me?"

"Wasn't it bad enough that your best friend was the heir to the throne of Russia? Wasn't it bad enough that the government there could show up on our doorsteps at any time and do something awful to us? I have a son. I couldn't tell anyone about that. Can you imagine what Yuri would do if he knew about Michael?"

"Good God, your son. Peter's Russian."

"That's right. None of us are safe now. Not only is my son the heir to the Russian Throne, he's male and, he's actually Russian."

The Queen in Exile
Part II

"...the history of the future will differ according to the decision which we make."

-Ruth Benedict

Tania stared out the window all the way to my house. I'd chosen Ninilchik for a number of reasons. I liked the easy accessibility of Russian History there. I liked the well preserved Russian village that was just outside the working town. I liked the peace and quiet that Ninilchik enjoyed a lot of the time. Most of all, I had discovered that the little village of Ninilchik was where my family had lived for the first several years after they came to America.

I had been completely wrong about being a descendant of Anastasia. I'd discovered that Anastasia had traveled east into Siberia after her escape from Yekaterinburg. Anastasia settled in a town called Oymyakon, near what's known as the Pole of Cold. The town is in the same region as Yakutsk. She lived her life there, but she was not the Romanov that I descended from.

I was a direct descendant of Tsarevich Alexi Romanov.

Alexi was rescued by the guards at the Ipatiev House. There was a young cook that was released before the massacre. Alexi and the young cook switched places, and Alexi left to survive on his own. He was known to be of ill health with hemophilia, and had never taken care of himself in any way shape or form. The cold and forbidding northern regions were more treacherous for him than most people. It still wasn't clear to me, but in the fray of everything that happened at that time, Alexi made it to the far northeastern outpost of Anadyr.

From what I read and learned from the local legends of Anadyr, the irony of what happened next was incredible. The cold in the north of Siberia had some kind of strange effect on Alexi's hemophilia. No one that I talked to and nothing that I read had any conclusive reasoning as to why Alexi's hemophilia seemed to become a livable affliction, but it did. Most people believed that it had something to do with the weather. Irregardless of the cause, Alexi learned to fend for himself, and became a strong hunter and fisherman. The natives taught him how to hunt whale and walrus and seal. They taught him to fish and even to hunt bear if the need arose. They made a sickly little Tsarevich into a strong brave man.

I had never heard a story where the weakling had turned into a warrior. Every single story about Romanov survivors that I had read or heard were about Anastasia. Alexi surviving and thriving had been news to me.

It took several months to research the life of Alexi Romanov. There was no paper trail in Russia. Communism became the way of life, and Stalin became their leader. Alexi had spent years living in Anadyr with the locals protecting his identity. Most of Siberia was fiercely loyal to the Romanovs. Word eventually reached Alexi that the Communist Government had discovered that a Romanov living in the far northeast. Alexi had come to love his new home and didn't want to bring harm to Anadyr or the people there. Alexi decided in 1929 that it was time for him to move on.

Alexi traveled with an Aleut guide to Alaska. The guide took him to Kodiak where there was a large colony of Russian Americans. The Aleut guide thought that he would feel at home on Kodiak. Alexi stayed for a while, but wanted to see more of the beautiful land that was becoming his home. After traveling around southern Alaska, he came to Ninilchik.

Most of the town was Russian and Creole at the time. Most of the residents were related to the founders. As the story goes, Alexi immediately found it comfortable there. Alexi avoided any kind of paperwork that might lead the Communists and Stalin to him. From what I found, soon after he arrived, Alexi met a girl named Kvasnikoff; I never found out her first name. The town registrar believed that they didn't use the full names so that the Russians couldn't harm Alexi's Alaskan family. They married and had three children. Two of the children died. Their daughter, Elizabeth, was sent to school in Wisconsin. There she married, had one child and that child moved to South Bend, Indiana. That was my grandfather. He moved to North Manchester, Indiana, and the rest I've already told.

"So, you are the ancestor of Alexi Romanov?" Tania asked after hearing my story. "The Tsarevich? You're the real deal."

"Yes, I am," I told her proudly.

"Now what?"

"I have no idea. Right now, I'm blending in with the locals as much as possible and trying to live my life."

"You don't plan to make a claim or anything?"

"I don't know. Right now, I want to live my life with my family. I don't know how I feel about becoming a Tsar."

"Don't you feel obligated? You met Yuri Kostov. Howard hates him. That's why he ran for the Senate in the first place. He wants to serve his country, but he couldn't deal with that man as ambassador and had to resign the post."

"You still see Howard? You haven't said anything about him in a while. How's that going?"

"He's very busy. It's more like we keep in touch. He sometimes asks me to accompany him to official functions, which is a lot of fun, but there's not a real relationship. He doesn't have time to date."

"Why not? Your eyes light up when you mention his name."

"I would love that, but he's a career man. I don't think he would ever settle down with me."

"Why not?"

"For starters, my best friend is a Romanov and could cause an international incident at any time."

"I have no intention of doing that. He can relax and take you to dinner."

***

When we landed at the old military air strip by my house, Tania gaped at the little village.

"It looks like a leftover Russian village from the 1800's," she commented as she emerged from the plane.

"It is," I replied.

Peter and little Michael were standing not far away. Tania looked over and grabbed my arm. "Is the little one your son?"

I smiled at her. "Yes."

"Oh my God, he looks like Peter!" she exclaimed.

She let go of my arm, ran to Peter, and gave him a giant hug. "I can't believe it's you! I thought I would never see you again!" She backed up a step and punched him in the arm. "You should have told me that the two of you got married and had a kid, you shit."

Peter rubbed his arm. Tania had punched him before. "You've still got a good punch," he said, smiling. "I've missed that." He gathered little Michael to his side. "Tania, this is our son, Michael. Michael, this is your mommy's best friend in the whole wide world, Tania."

I watched as my shy little Michael put out his hand to shake Tania's. "It's nice to meet you."

"He gets shy and doesn't say a whole lot," I told her. "I hope it goes away soon."

"So, he's a slow starter socially like his mother," Tania observed.

"I hadn't thought about that, but you could be right."

Peter turned around to face the Dacha. "This is our house," he told Tania.

Tania surveyed the scene for a moment. "It certainly looks Russian. So this is where you decided to live? Why right here?"

"I have a lot to tell you," I said. "This is the land that belonged to my ancestors. The people here in the town gave it to me and Peter, and we built a house on it. This is the historic part of the village, so we didn't want to ruin the ambience. That's why we built a Russian Dacha."

"Your ancestors lived here?"

"Come on inside. I'll tell you all about it."

"Everyone thought that Anastasia was the link in the chain, but she died," Tania said. "Who would have thought that?"

"No one," I replied. "I've spent a lot of time studying here in Ninilchik. It's been a good place for me. I need to know about my family. You saw the little church down the hill, right?"

"Yes. It was my first clue that this place was Russian. Onion towers are always a giveaway," Tania replied.

"There's still a priest that conducts services and classes at the church. He's been teaching me about Russian Orthodoxy. I needed to learn more about it."

Tania turned to Peter. "Aren't you Russian Orthodox? You should be able to teach her."

Peter smiled at her. "You've met Tish. I wasn't exactly raised with tradition or religion. I've learned a lot from Father Koniff too. He's putting me in touch with my roots."

"You're Russian," Tania replied. "Your roots are obvious."

"I meant Russian religion," he told her.

"Oh," she said. Tania looked at Michael and then looked back to me. "Does he understand any of this yet?"

"Not much, but he does speak English, so try not to talk over him. It's rude." I smiled at Michael. "He knows we're Russian. He knows his grandmother and that she lives in Russia."

"Do the people in this town know about you?"

"Most of them do. They're good people. It was the town council's idea that I take the old family property. They insisted. Father Koniff helped me trace the family history. This is one of the few places on Earth where you could trace the history of the Romanovs fairly accurately. The locals have known the family stories for generations. There're proud to be Tsarist sympathizers here. I'm not sure if it's because of Alexi or what. They certainly seem to have no qualms about protecting me and my identity."

Tania gaped at me. "Wow, I can't believe that no one here has ever told the Romanov story. They would be famous and rich."

Peter smiled at her. "I guess that doesn't matter as much to them as doing the right thing does."

Tania looked back to me. "Did your mom know about all of this?"

"She died shortly after I got back from Russia. She never even got to meet Peter. I was only four months pregnant when she died. I told you that."

"I know, sorry." Tania's eyes grew wide. "Did the Russians do it?"

"No, I swear. She had a stroke. The doctors tried everything to no avail. She'd had high blood pressure for years. She didn't take her medicine and follow her diet the way she should have. I had an autopsy and tests done to make sure. She really did die of natural causes."

"You frightened me for a second," Tania said. She turned to Peter. "What about you? I can't believe that your grandma let you go."

"Things got a tense after you left," Peter told her. "Tish was worried about the authorities coming after me. Steve lost his job and ended up going to Poland to live. He teaches at the International University in Krakow now. Bad things kept happening. No one was getting death threats, but nothing good happened. Tish knows enough people that the President's flunkies left her alone, but she was scared for me. The ring scares her. She's afraid that someday Yuri will find out about the fake, and none of us will be safe. The idea of my coming to America and all but disappearing appealed to her. She was actually happy that I wanted to run away and marry Stacey."

Tania stared at him. "Really? I have trouble picturing that."

I smiled at her. "Swear to God."

Tania smiled. "Awesome."

We finished our dinner, and went to the living room to visit some more. I took a little time to put Michael to bed. He liked it when I read Russian stories to him. He didn't know that I translated English books as I read. I would explain it to him someday.

When I returned to the living room, Peter and Tania were laughing about old times. They were talking about our jaunt across Russia when we'd all met. I missed the adventure, but I didn't miss the danger. I was glad that instead of staying and trying to take over a country, I'd come home to learn about my heritage. I remembered many people in Russia asking me to take over and be their Tsarina. It was the craziest thing that had ever happened to me.

After the President had threatened to kill Peter and Steve, I'd decided that I never wanted to go anywhere near Russia again. Deep down inside, I felt that it had been the only place that I'd truly felt at home, but I was never allowed to go there again. I'd made a deal with the President. I would never go there again in exchange for him not hurting my friends and family. Looking across the room at Peter, I knew I'd made the right decision. I wished that I had stuck to my promise better.

If Yuri Kostov knew how many times I'd snuck into his country over the last seven years to research my family history, he would have me killed. Sometimes I had no alternative. The only way to get all of the information was to go there. I needed answers, I was careful, and Yuri had never caught me. Peter didn't like it when I went to Siberia for research, but he accepted it and didn't engage me about his reservations. I was grateful for that.

For hours Tania, Peter, and I reminisced. We talked about the current state of what was now Peter's computer company. We talked about Tania's classes. We talked about my classes. We talked about flight seeing. Tania was surprised that I'd taken up flying. I told her that I needed to commute to Anchorage anyway, so it was a convenience, as well as a necessary evil to go to Siberia.

Oh the tales. Tania asked a million questions about Steve. She'd lost track of him, and was curious about how he was doing. I knew that she'd never gotten a chance to pursue a relationship with him. She spent time with the ambassador turned Senator, Howard VanZandt, but that was the closest that she'd come to a relationship in years. Steve asked about Tania every time he and Peter got together in Krakow. Peter said many times that he thought the two of them should get together eventually. I thought with everything that had happened, it would be impossible.

I was so involved in the conversations that we were having in front of the fire that I hadn't realized how late it had gotten. It was nearly midnight and we hadn't struck a dull moment in conversation yet. I missed having Tania around. She was the person in the world that I enjoyed hanging out with the most, next to my family. I loved the stories that she told. I loved her energy level. I loved that she knew all about me and Peter and she liked being around us anyway. I hoped that she would never again be in danger because of us. That couldn't happen. I had the word of the President of Russia that nothing would ever happen to my friends as long as I gave him my ring and stayed out of Russia.

In the middle of my wandering train of thought, I heard a knock at the door. I walked to answer it, noticing the time. It was midnight. I felt a knot developing in my stomach. No one ever came to my Dacha that late. I opened the door to find a towering older man, with a receding hairline and gray hair coming out of his ears. It was Father Koniff.

"Father, it's so late," I said. "Is something wrong?"

His face was solemn. "I'm sorry dear, but have you seen the news?"

I felt sick. "No, my friend Tania arrived today. We've been visiting."

"Does she know about your family history?"

"Yes, she's the one who was there when I found out in Russia. Why?"

He pushed his way past me and walked to the living room. "Hello Peter." He took the remote off the coffee table. "I'm sorry to intrude, but you have to see what's happening."

I sat down on a chair. "Oh God, what?"

Father Koniff clicked on the TV and found CNN. We all watched. There was a delightful blonde reporter sitting at a desk. "We've been following a breaking story in Moscow, Russia. If I'm not mistaken this is an ongoing story from several years ago, but it was short lived at that time. Our reports say that several years ago, a legendary ring surfaced that had belonged to Catherine the Great. The ring became a symbol of the Romanov family. When the Bolsheviks took over and had the Romanovs executed, the ring disappeared.

"There have been a million stories over the years about Anastasia Romanov escaping. If I'm not mistaken, it was seven years ago the Russian people insisted that the true heir to the Romanov throne turned up in a college class at the Moscow State University. She was a young girl from the US that people claimed looked like Catherine the Great, and had the legendary ring." She looked to the gentleman that was sharing the news desk with her. "I remember hearing about this."

I stared at the TV. "Father, what does this have to do with anything?"

"Keep watching."

I looked back at the TV where the blonde was talking. "At that time, there was a big rally in Red Square because of the girl and the ring. The President arrested two of this girl's friends and was going to have them executed for treason. In order to guarantee their release, she had to come to Red Square and give the ring over publicly. She also had to promise that she would never go back to Russia.

"That was several years ago. We never heard another word about her or the ring or any of it, until now.

"Recently, scientists did carbon dating tests on The Ring of the Queen to authenticate it. They did this because they were going to put it on display at The Hermitage. It turns out that it is a complete fake, most likely fabricated in a lab. The carbon dating came back verifying that it was less than ten years old. The Ring of the Queen, the claim to the Romanov Throne, is a fake."

Tania dropped her head. "Oh God, it's starting again."

I could feel my heart in my throat.

"Damn it, Stacey!" Tania yelled at me. "I told you to give them the real ring!"

Father Koniff turned around and looked at me. "The ring that you gave them was the fake?"

"Father, I couldn't tell anyone that I had the real ring. It's too dangerous," I explained.

Peter stood and got his phone from the kitchen table. "I don't even want to know what's going to happen now." He dialed the phone. "I have to call Tish. She needs to get the hell out of Russia before something bad happens."

I'd not even thought about that. "Father, how long has this story been running on the news?"

"I don't know. I caught it after dinner tonight. A while?"

I looked at Peter. "Damn, that means they've known for quite a while. They never would have let this break to CNN immediately. Is she answering?"

Peter's face went white. "No."

The Queen in Exile
Part III

"Parting is all we know of heaven, and all we need of hell."

_-Emily Dickinson_

I turned to Father Koniff. "I knew this day would come. We discussed it, but this is the real thing. Are you still willing to help us? It could be very dangerous for Michael if Yuri Kostov finds out about him. I need to keep him as far away from this as I can."

Peter interjected. "What about you and me? We are his parents. We should protect our child."

"We just became targets. That means that Michael is at risk," I took Peter's hands and looked directly into his eyes. "You know I'm right about this."

Peter's head dropped. "I don't want to deal with this again. You're right." He looked at Father Koniff. "She's right. Can you help us?"

"Of course I will," the father replied. "It's a legacy that I'm happy to help protect."

I gave the father a big hug. "I don't know what I would do without you." I turned to Peter. "Grab some things so we can get going. I'll wake Michael." I turned to Tania. "I hate to say it, but you should probably get out of here. I've been waiting for Yuri to figure out that the ring was a fake. There will be hell to pay."

Then Peter said the one thing that he probably never should have. "I wish you'd given the real ring to Yuri, so it would be over."

"Well, you made the fake," I snapped, and I walked away. It was not the first time we'd discussed that.

I went to Michael's room and roused him. His wonderful little boy eyes were suddenly wide with fright. He knew that something was wrong, even though he couldn't possibly understand what. Life threatening fear was something that I didn't want my only child to ever feel; much less at his age.

I'd spent years getting on with my life. I'd never felt as though I should pursue the throne of Russia. I'd told the Russian government personally that I had no interest in fulfilling my family legacy. All I wanted was to live my life. I couldn't understand why anyone would want to run a country. What kind of person actually wanted to be a President? It was one of the most stressful jobs in the world. I liked teaching. It was easy, and history never changed. The subject material was always the same. I didn't want to be a head of state. I didn't want to be the one expected to fix a country that was as broken and corrupt as Russia.

"Mommy, what's wrong?" Michael asked me.

"Everything is fine sweetie," I lied. "Remember how I said that there might be a time that you could go and visit Father Koniff for a little while? This is that time."

"Okay. Now?"

I looked into his little face. He was expecting me to tell him the truth. "I just found out that your Grandma Tish wants to move here to live with us, so we have to go and help her move."

"Gramma Tish is gonna live here? Oh boy!"

"I know it seems weird that we're taking off in the middle of the night to go and get her, but remember it's not night where she is. It's daytime. That's why we were talking to her now. There's no time like the present. I'm going to let you go and sleep at Father Koniff's house, so we can go help Grandma. Will you be all right?"

He was already out of his bed trying to pull on his jeans. "Yes! I want Gramma Tish to sleep in my room when she comes!"

I smiled. "I'm sure she'll like that." I was going to hell for telling that lie. I couldn't scare the poor little guy. I loved him too much.

I grabbed a back pack and put some things in it for Michael. We went downstairs where Father Koniff was waiting to take him.

"Now, you do whatever Father Koniff says, okay?" I told my young son.

"I promise, mommy."

Father Koniff waited at the door, while Peter and I hugged and kissed our son. Michael joined him at the door and they left. I hoped that it wouldn't be the last time I saw my only child. I hoped that Yuri Kostov didn't know about my son. All I could do was hope and find some way to get Tish out of Russia.

Peter and I stared at each other. We'd talked about this moment. We knew that for whatever reason, the thugs who ran the Russian government would never let the issue of the Ring of the Queen lie. They wouldn't feel comfortable until all of the Romanovs were dead. They were too paranoid to leave me walking around free and alive.

Peter had two small wheeled bags; one had my things and the other had his. This was where we parted ways for a while. We each kept an apartment away from Ninilchik. Mine was in Anchorage. Peter's was in Fairbanks. We'd set them up in case someone tracked us. We didn't want Michael to ever be in danger. Ninilchik was a secret place for us. Our legal addresses were the other two locations. I had even kept my maiden name.

"Did you reach her?" I asked Peter.

"No," he answered.

Tania had been silent for a while. "So, now what do we do?"

"You go home," I told her. "This isn't your problem anymore. It never was. I won't drag you into it again."

Tania sat down in a chair. "I've got some really bad news for you then. I'm not going anywhere. I'm in this now, and I'm in this until I figure out what I can do to help. Then, if helping is going away, I'll do it."

"Why would you want to get involved in this again?" I asked her. "Don't you remember the last time?"

Tania smiled. "Of course I do. I talk about it all the time to my students and friends. I'll never forget it. I know I whined and complained about it at the time, but it was the most amazing time of my life. Don't you understand? My life is so boring that I want to set my hair on fire for a little excitement. I'm in. I need this as much as I want to help my best friend."

I smiled at her. She was still the same Tania I'd run across Russia with. She was more adventurous than anyone I'd ever known. She'd complained to no end while we were running around St. Petersburg, but apparently she secretly thrived on the drama. For the second time, it looked as though I wouldn't be able to push her out of harm's way.

I looked at Peter. He was smiling at me and Tania. "Seems like old times."

"I'm glad you can smile," I replied.

"What else can I do?" Peter said.

I gave Peter a hug and kiss. I looked at Tania. "All right, but this time I know a little bit about what I'm doing. I've learned a lot. I'm not as ill prepared. You'll have to do what I say. Can you do that?"

Tania grinned from ear to ear. "You bet I can, your highness."

Suddenly a phone rang. I could barely hear it. I almost ran to the drawer in my china cabinet in the kitchen where the ringing was coming from. Inside was a cell phone. I picked it up and saw that the caller was Tish. "Thank God," I said to Peter who was watching me anxiously. "Tish, is that you?" I asked the phone.

"Yes," Tish answered.

"Thank God. What's going on? Are you all right?"

"Well dear, we have a problem. Have you turned on the news lately?"

"Yes, I know that they discovered the ring."

"There is more. They came after me and Peter. Turn on the TV."

I did as she said. I put on CNN again. I couldn't believe it. On the TV they were talking about the latest developments in Russia. Instead of the blonde reporter, there was a brunette talking. "This is the latest in a rash of strange events in Russia. What you're seeing is one of the largest computer software companies in the country. The fire broke out at International IT Systems a couple of hours ago. IITS has been in business for over 40 years. It's privately owned by Elizabeth Zinkov and her grandson, Peter Godunov. There have been no injuries or fatalities reported in connection with the fire, but in a twist of fate, Elizabeth Zinkov's private residence outside of Dubna, where the factory is located, is also burning. Elizabeth and Peter are currently missing. We'll have more on this bizarre story as it develops."

I felt sick again. "Are you all right? Where are you?"

"I am fine. I had the house set on fire. That jerk, Yuri Kostov, sent his flunkies to burn the laboratory and processing plant. Now they can wonder what is happening."

"I don't understand."

"They thought that they would be smart and draw us out by burning the family business. I burnt the house as a diversion so I could leave. They will not know if I did this or someone else did. Yuri Kostov will not know if I am dead or alive. His confusion gives me time."

"I don't know if that makes a bit of sense, but whatever. Where are you?"  
"I am in a car on my way east. I was hoping that you could help me make some arrangements. If not, I completely understand, but I did not have time to make arrangements for myself. I had to make some other arrangements and ran out of time."

I looked at Peter and thought for a moment. I had studied the geography of Russia intently over the years. "How long have you been driving east? What town are you in?"

"We are approaching Yekaterinburg."

I looked at Peter. "She says she's outside of Yekaterinburg. What do you think?"

Peter gaped at me. "How long has she been driving? That's a day or better to get all the way out there. I don't know what we can do."

I thought for a second. "Tish, how long have you been on the road?"

"It seems like forever. I found out that Yuri's thugs were coming before they started the fire. I have my sources. I had to make arrangements to store some of the things that are historic treasures. I thought I had a little more time than I did, and ran out of time to arrange my departure. I hope that they think I burned in the fire."

"The reporter said that they already know no one was home. How could they know that?" I thought some more. I looked at Peter who shrugged his shoulders at me. "How close are you to Novosibirsk?" I asked Tish.

"You can't be thinking what I think you're thinking," Peter snapped at me.

"How close is she to Novosibirsk?" I asked him in reply.

"Not that far in the grand scheme of things, why?" Tish asked me.

"I have an idea."

"No you don't," Peter snapped at me. "You'll get yourself killed."

I didn't reply to him. "Tish, go to Novosibirsk. There's a man there at a place called New York Pizza. He'll take care of you until we can get you out of the country."

"What should I tell this man? Who is he?"

"He's an old friend of my mother's. His name is Kendall Winston. He went over there to work with the people who own the restaurants. He's American, but he's been there since the 90's. He'll take care of you until I can get you out of there."

"I can do that. How do I leave the country? I think I need to leave the country, at least for a while."

"I'm working on it. I'll call you as soon as I can. Take care. Do not lose or dispose of that phone. I need to be able to call you, or nothing will work out. I'll take care of this somehow, and soon you'll be here with us," I explained.

Peter was mad. "Have you lost your mind? What good will it do to have her sitting in a pizza place in Siberia? Then what do we do? How on Earth do you expect to go halfway or more across Russia and get my grandmother?"

I turned to Tania. "Are you sure you want to get involved in this?"

She smiled. "You bet I do."

I turned to Peter. "This is not a time to argue. Let's get going. Grab a bag. Let's go to Anchorage."

Peter picked up the handle to his bag. "I do not like this."

Tania grabbed her yet unpacked bag from the floor next to the stairs. "I can't wait!"

The flight to Anchorage was not pleasant. I didn't have time to argue with Peter about my safety or any plans that I had for rescuing Tish. I concentrated on the task at hand, which was flying in some questionable weather in the dark in the middle of the night. We were cleared immediately for landing at the airport. There wasn't much traffic in bad weather at one in the morning.

I parked the plane in a hangar that Natural Views used regularly. Then I grabbed my bag and climbed out of the plane. I walked to the Lear Jet sitting next to it and pulled open the stairs. I would need a plane that could travel long distances if I was going to fly across Siberia.

I looked back at Tania and Peter. "Throw your stuff on board, and I'll do the pre-flight check. We should be ready to leave in no time."

Peter threw his bag on the floor of the hangar. "There is no way that you are going to Russia. If you get caught, they will kill you."

"What would you like me to do?"

"There has to be another way. Tish is not what he wants."

I smiled. "He'll have to find me first. Then he'll have to catch me. I've prepared for this situation. I'm not the dumb little girl with a ring that has no idea what it means anymore. I'm not naïve enough to let this bastard take advantage of me. I can do this. You keep the American authorities informed. Use the throw away phone you have. He won't hurt me if the American Government is aware. It would create a scandal. He can't have that. He has his hands full with a fake ring. He doesn't need any more issues."

"Fine, but I'm going with you," Peter argued.

"No, you're not. You are still a citizen of Russia. He can do whatever he wants to you. No one in this country could help you against him. You're still a foreigner. You are not yet even a resident Alien. You would be in more danger than I will be."

"How can you say that? You are the Tsarina that threatens his way of life."

"You are the fly in the ointment. Even if he manages to get rid of me; you are the father of the next in line. You are the father of the Tsar. I hate to remind you of this, but this is only indirectly about you in the first place."

Peter knew that he couldn't argue with me. He knew that I was right. President Yuri Kostov would love to kill me, but if he did, he wouldn't last ten minutes in the public eye. His life and career would be over if anyone ever knew that he harmed the last of the Romanovs; or who he believed was the last. "I know you're right. I just don't want anything to happen to you. I don't care if you are the Empress of all Russia, you're my wife and I love you."

He always knew how to get to me. I hugged him and gave him a passionate kiss. "I love you too."

It wasn't long before we'd fueled up, filed a flight plan of sorts, and gone through the pre-flight check list. I had no choice but to lie a little on the flight plan. I said that we were going to Fairbanks and Nome. The truth was that I hadn't yet figured out exactly where my route would take me after stopping in Fairbanks.

Tania sat in the back for the short trip to Fairbanks. We dropped Peter there. He went to his apartment to begin contacting various offices of the federal and state governments to discuss my situation and how to handle it from the American side. I'd taken it upon myself to study American policies and international law. My government as a whole was still not aware of who I was and how badly the President of Russia wanted to be rid of me forever. Howard VanZandt was on a short list of people who knew that I was a Romanov. When Peter told Howard and his people exactly what was going on, Yuri Kostov would have no way to get rid of me quietly. He couldn't kill me if I put my story out there. If he had me killed, there would be more media attention on my death than there was on the last Papal Conclave.

After topping off our fuel and getting clearance from the tower, we took off. We were not carrying passports for our own safety, even though we told the tower that we were. The tower didn't physically check the passports, because our flight plan only indicated that we were going as far as Nome. We were not carrying anything but some clothes. We were completely unplanned. We were completely unarmed. We were still fairly clueless about what we were getting into.

Tania smiled at me from the copilot's seat as we were taking off. "Seems like old times."

I smiled back at her. "It sure does, here goes round two."

The Queen in Exile
Part IV

"No one understands my ills, nor the terror that fills my breast, who does not know the heart of a mother."

_-Marie Antoinette_

I'd never been more scared in my life. I'd worked for years to be ready to handle the moment that the President of Russia found out that the ring which I turned over to him was fake. It had been the shoe waiting to fall. The time had come. I'd researched my family history, the legends, the realities, the legacies; all of it. I had spent years studying the politics and history of Russia. I'd spent a lot of time studying President Yuri Kostov. Most of my time in the last several years had been spent preparing myself to handle the inevitable war that my existence would cause.

As I sat in the pilot's seat of the Lear Jet that I was flying over Alaska, heading to Siberia, I still felt unprepared.

Tania stared out the windshield into the darkness. I knew that she loved the excitement, but she had to be nervous. As I looked out the windshield, it looked as though we were flying in a black hole. I rarely flew at night. It was a black, cloudy night as we rose into the moonless sky.

Once we reached our cruising altitude and all of the headings were adjusted, I put the plane on autopilot. I went to the passenger compartment to get equipment. I had a Sat phone to talk to Peter, Tish, and Father Koniff on. I had a throw away phone that was encrypted for total anonymity that I planned to use only in a drastic emergency. Each phone had a separate notification sound for each person so that I would know who was calling or texting. I wanted to know who was contacting me immediately, and I wanted to know when and if I got a message from Father Koniff and my son. I hadn't been away from Michael often, and I knew I would want to hear his voice as regularly as possible.

"My situation has been interesting for years, to say the least," I told Tania.

"It seems like you are prepared for this," Tania replied.

"I had no choice. You saw that monster, Yuri. He was never going to let this lie. It was just a matter of time before he made my life hell again. Surely you knew that."

"I had no idea. I thought it was over."

"When I left Indiana and landed in Alaska, I started studying all of this in some depth. It wasn't long before I realized that there will eventually be only one way to end it. Either he has to win, or I do."

"That's not much of a choice."

"No kidding. I can't live my life in peace because I happen to be royal. I see now how the royals around the world feel. It's a trap. You can't live a normal life, and it's virtually impossible to survive life in the public eye. Damned if you accept it and damned if you try not to."

"Do you mean to tell me that you're going to have to stand up and rule Russia? Surely you have a choice."

"I don't know. For now, I have to get Tish out of there. It's my fault this is happening to her. And I can't have my son's gramma come to any harm. He'd never forgive me."

"So you're being mom on this trip? I thought you were being Tsar."

"Kind of mom; kind of Tsar. Right now I'm not sure what my motives are, but I know that he'll have her killed. That won't be on me."

"Do you have a plan? Do you know anything about where we're headed to or what we should do when we get there?"

I looked over at her. She didn't know what my life had been like since she last saw me. I didn't want to tell her, because she didn't need to know. However, she was my best friend, and she was running off to Siberia to rescue my grandmother-in-law with me. I knew I had to tell her the whole story.

"It's complicated," I told her. "Sit back and I'll tell you some things that you probably should know at this point.

"First, this plane was a gift from Tish. I use it to bring her to visit my son and Peter. Once or twice a year she takes a train out to Vladivostok under aliases. I pick her up there and fly her to Alaska. A small plane is way too unstable in the Bering Sea. It probably wouldn't make the trip to Anadyr, much less Vladivostok, so she bought me this for my very first Christmas in the family. It took me several months to legally fly it.

"That was when Jissika and I opened the flight seeing business. It helped pay for all the flying time. I met Jissika at the University of Alaska. Jissika lives in Anchorage, and I met her father, Ben through her. He helped me with my research and travel between the countries. He lives in Kotzebue where he heads his tribal council; just outside of Nome.

"For months I was in the air more than I was on the ground, but I didn't want to disappoint Tish. She needed me to do this so she could visit. You know how Tish can get when she doesn't get her way, so I did all of it."

"Why didn't she have Peter do it?" Tania asked.

"Wouldn't you know, he's colorblind."

"So?"

"Being colorblind keeps you from getting a pilot's license."

"I didn't know that."

"Neither did I, but I learned it real quick when he tried to start ground school. They asked if anyone in the class was color blind. Peter said yes, and they told him not to waste his time or money. That was that.

"Anyway, in addition to learning to fly, I spent a lot of time reading and talking to the people around Ninilchik. I learned a lot about my family. I already told you the story of Alexi and Anastasia. The list of stories and legends goes on and on. There are stories about Alexi in all of the little villages in the far east of Siberia. Everywhere I go, I hear stories about him.

"I started to visit some of the little villages based on the stories that I'd tracked to their areas. Every time I arrived in a new village, I found out that Alexi stories were common. Each village and each time. Most of the people in those little villages were well aware that the he survived and went on to America."

"And this is a secret? Yuri Kostov doesn't know about it?"

"Yes it is and no, he doesn't. The people in the villages are disconnected from the central government. They do their own thing and don't care what the official government thinks. Most of them are Autonomous Republics. They don't like the current government and have no use for them. Overwhelmingly, they want to return to the days of royalty. Royalty brought trains so they could travel, and military protection against China and Japan, and money for education and food. Subsequent governments have turned the place into prisons and mines and gangster run cities. It was better the old way for them and they hate the current state of affairs. Those millions of people should scare Yuri to death. The funny part is that he probably doesn't pay any attention to them. One of these days that will bite him right in the ass.

"Here's the weirdest part. There are still Icons and stuff around from when the Tsars were in power. There are pictures of the Tsars everywhere. There are paintings and photos of the last Tsars. Whenever I show up in one of these villages, they all know who I am. They all know what Catherine the Great looked like, and they know at first sight that I look like her. I've been very popular in Siberia. Many people have helped me and no one has told my secrets."

Tania stared at me with wide eyes. "Do you mean to tell me that you have supporters in Siberia? Does this mean that you eventually could take over?"

"I have no interest in that. But, if push came to shove, they would probably back me. From what I've seen and learned about the culture in Russia, I may have no choice but to step up. The more I study the political climate in Russia, the more it seems that revolution is inevitable. At some point, they will demand change. Many people hate the government they have now. I've heard it on television, and I've seen it in the little villages. Tension is growing. Something will happen sooner or later."

"When it does, do you think it will have to be you that comes to the rescue?"

"I don't know if you'd call it that. I don't know what will happen. I'm just saying that the people still like the idea of Tsars. All of the people that I've met would gladly put me on a throne and let me run their country merely because I'm a Romanov."

"That's crazy. No offense, but they have no criteria? You're American."

"I know. Trust me. I couldn't believe that these people were serious, but I've learned that they are. I don't know what will come of any of it. I do know that if Yuri tries to harm my family, I might take over just to get rid of him. I know it sounds ridiculous, but no one else is doing anything about him. If he was wearing a turban and running around blowing up embassies, the U.S. would be all over him. The problem is that he only harms his own people, and America doesn't want to get involved. That leaves me on my own."

"That's a heavy burden to bear."

"I know, but unfortunately I was born to it."

A noise came from the instrument panel. It was a voice.

Tania whipped her head around. "What was that?"

"Nome Tower to Natural Views. Where are you going? Over." It was Chief Ben Tulugaq.

"Hi Ben. Could you please call my phone? I'll explain," I replied.

My phone rang and I answered. "I didn't want to talk on the open line. I have to go to Siberia. There's an emergency."

"Have you seen the news young lady? It's dangerous for you right now," Ben replied.

"I have to rescue Tish. You remember her, right?"

"How could I forget? You can't do this alone."

"I'm not alone. Can you call ahead to Leo?"

"Is there any way I can talk you out of this?  
"No."

"Fine, I'll call Leo. But, I have to report that your flight never landed here."

"Good, that will keep me safe."

"You're impossible. My daughter isn't with you, is she?"

"No, it's an old friend of mine who's done this before."

"Okay. God be with you child. Heading 280o."

"Got it." I checked my navigation and looked to Tania. "We're all set."

"That's bullshit," she replied.

"Best I could do."

The coastline's lights of Nome fell away and we headed out over the Bering Strait. Tania watched out the window and I sat trying to think of all the dangers and how to circumvent them along the way.

It wasn't long before a chime went off on the instrument panel. "What's that?" Tania asked.

"That was the clock. We crossed the International Date Line. It's tomorrow."

Tania stared out the windshield. "Where exactly does that put us?"

"That puts us over the Bering Sea. We're dead center between Alaska and Mother Russia. Below us are the Little Diomede and Big Diomede Islands. The line between America and Russia runs right between them." The phone made Peter's ringtone. "Hey," I said.

"Hey," he replied. "Look, I'm sorry that I got bent out of shape, but I worry about you."

"I know honey, but I've spent years preparing to handle this. Maybe not exactly this situation, but you know what I mean. You know that there is nothing I would rather do than avoid it all, but we knew that sooner or later Yuri would do something to aggravate the situation. Now I have to do what I can to make it better. I can't let anything happen to Tish. She's done so much for us. She's been living way out on a limb for years. I can't let her end up in prison or worse."

"I know, but I feel helpless sitting here."

"You're the link for our son. What if, God forbid, something happens to Michael while I'm running around Siberia? You're close by. If push comes to shove, you can help him. We don't know what President Kostov knows. We don't know what harm he can do. We have to cover it all, just in case."

"You're right. Are you always right?"

"Most of the time."

"I love you. Where are you now?"

"We just crossed the date line. We shouldn't be too much longer to Anadyr."

"Okay, call me whenever you can. I love you."

"I love you too and I will."

After I got off of the phone with Peter, Tania asked me, "So where is Anadyr?"

"It's a town not far from the coast. I found it when I was researching my family. It was an easy place to get to and start my research. It was fate that Alexi lived there before coming to Alaska. I couldn't believe my luck. The locals have several stories about him. He's a legend in Siberia. The Romanovs are larger than life there."

"What does Yuri Kostov think of that?" Tania asked.

"As far as I know, he doesn't know anything about it," I replied. "It's a place that he doesn't concern himself with. He gets reports I'm sure about business and other statistics, but he has no idea what it's like to be there. The locals insist that the President has never been to Anadyr."

"Wow, he has no idea that there was a Romanov that lived there?"

"No, it all flies under his radar. The locals told me all kinds of stories. Here's one for you. Supposedly, Alexi went on a hunting trip for several weeks. I have no idea what he was supposed to have gone hunting for. Along the way, he apparently encountered an Almas and killed it with his bare hands. The museum in Anadyr has this mangled paw from something furry with a sign on it saying that it was killed by the great Alexi. It doesn't say that Alexi was Alexi Romanov, but the locals all insist that it was him. I have no idea what animal the mangled paw comes from, but it's a great tale."

Tania looked puzzled. "That's wild. What's an Almas?"

"That's the Mongolian version of Bigfoot."

"You're kidding."

"No."

"We're going to this town?"

"You bet."

Tania didn't reply. She returned to looking out the windshield at the darkness.

I knew that it was difficult for her to digest all of the things that I was telling her. It was hard for me to digest when I was learning about it. I can't remember how many times I woke in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. The paw that I saw in Anadyr didn't look like any animals that I'd ever seen, and it may have actually belonged to a creature that, according to all evidence, doesn't exist. I've found that there are many things in the northern parts of the world that aren't supposed to exist—but they do.

I was one of the things that wasn't supposed to exist. It was only fitting that I'd come to the north as well.

We flew on in the darkness for a while. Finally, Tania looked over at me. It had only been about 20 minutes, but it had seemed like much longer. "I know that I'm ultra sensitive to the subject, but does it ever become daylight up here? I know the last time we were in the extreme north it was January, but I was under the impression that at some point there was daylight. I mean, it's March and I still don't see any sunlight."

I laughed. Tania hated darkness. I remembered that well. "It's light a lot here this time of year. You've been in the unique situation of flying west almost since you arrived. That's what's keeping us in perpetual darkness."

"So at some point I will get to see daylight?"

"Yes."

"Thank God. I don't think I could take another adventure that happened entirely in the dark."

I giggled. I looked at my instrument panel. According to my GPS, we were ready to begin our descent into Anadyr, Siberia. I didn't think that Yuri Kostov would guess that I was there, so there should be no danger. The people of Anadyr viewed me as their Tsarina, even though I was a visitor from Alaska. They saw how much I looked like Catherine the Great. It normally was like a second home to me, but today landing in Anadyr made me nervous.

I reached for the radio microphone. "Ugolny Tower, this is charter flight, Lear 213, requesting clearance for landing."

"Your highness, we were not expecting you. Ben Tulugaq called me," the voice on the other end said.

"Surprise, I need to stop in quickly and refuel. Is that okay Leo?"

"Of course, we have nothing else to do at this hour. I will roll out the royal carpet."

"Thanks, we're coming in."

Tania looked at me with wide eyes again. "Your highness? You know that guy, and he knows that you're a Romanov? He acts like this is normal."

"I told you, people around here know about the Romanovs. Nothing is a mystery out here. This is where the answers are, and they have no desire to tell Moscow. They do not want Yuri Kostov coming out here to bother them."

"Why is it that the rest of the world doesn't know about what happened to the Romanovs if the people out here know all about it? How does it escape everywhere else on Earth? How can it be that the Russian government doesn't know, but the people in this Siberian town do?"

"You'll understand the more time we spend in Siberia. They didn't like Communists and they don't like Yuri Kostov's thugs either. When they don't like something, they refuse to accept it. They are so far away from Moscow that it works for them."

"They harbored the royal family over a century ago. They have a monument to the animal that one of them supposedly killed. They told you all about the Romanovs when you came and asked. How can it be that no one else on Earth found out any of this stuff?"

"For one thing, they looked at me and decided that I was a descendant of Catherine the Great, because of the resemblance."

"Okay, that explains why they would tell you all about it, but that doesn't explain why no one else in the world knows about it."

"That's easy."

"Oh yeah, how did they keep the rest of the world from knowing?"

"They didn't tell."

The Queen in Exile
Part V

"There is one thing higher than Royalty: and that is religion..."

_-Elizabeth I_

The tower at Ugolny Airport near Anadyr contacted us with landing information. Tania looked out of the cockpit window.

"There's not much down there. I see the lights of a city, but we're flying past it," Tania said.

"The airport is a shared military and public use space on the other side of the Anadyrsky Liman," I replied. "Anadyr is almost an island. This time of year there is a lot of water with the first inklings of spring. It cuts the town off completely later in the season."

"Wow, you mean you can't get to the town?"

"They use helicopters, or just stay put for a while. In the summer they have boat service."

Our landing was smooth. The weather wasn't bad and the sun was rising behind us. Leo came to meet us on the runway. There were jet ways but not for small planes like the Lear Jet. He came to the airport to visit whenever I came to town, even if he wasn't working. He didn't get out much. There were two men with him, who climbed into the jet and taxied it away to fuel it up for us. Leo always made sure that everything was done for me. He thought that it was unseemly for a Tsarina to do things for herself. Every time I went to Anadyr, I actually felt like royalty, because the people there insisted on treating me that way.

Tania watched in silence as everyone ran around to take care of our every need. After several minutes of watching all of the activity that was going on in our honor, she looked at me. "Is it always like this when you come through here?"

Leo was a very interesting man. His mother was American, but she was an Inupiat. His father and mother were fisherman. They met during a wild storm when they were both finding shelter on St. Paul Island, even though his father was illegally there at the time being Russian. The result was his mother defecting to Siberia during the Cold War to marry his father. Leonid Tokarov was stocky, average height; had dark, straight hair and pale skin. He was in his late fifties but would probably work until he died. He loved airplanes and would be bored out of his mind if he didn't work at the airport.

Leo smiled at me as he answered Tania. "I try to make the Tsaritsa feel special when she is here. After all, it is one of the few places on Earth that she can be who she truly is. You must be the best friend that she has told me about."

"That would be me," Tania replied, shaking his hand.

"I tell him that I don't need to be treated like I'm special," I told Tania.

"I can't believe that these people here know about you," Tania commented. "How long have you been coming here?"

I shrugged. "Since I got my pilots license. I found out about the family connection to Siberia early on. I came here to check it out. The rest is history."

"The rest should be history," Leo remarked. "Your highness, I know you do not like to be lectured, but I saw what is happening on the television. I think that you may have to realize that the time has come for you to take your place. This President Kostov is getting out of hand."

"You know it's not that easy," I replied. We walked across the tarmac to the fueling area as we talked. "Yuri Kostov is the ruler that the rest of the world acknowledges. Even with the support of certain underground factions and the people scattered about Siberia, I couldn't overcome the view of the rest of the world. That's important in this day and age. The Americans would do whatever they thought was necessary to make the outcome be to their satisfaction. You know that. Yuri Kostov makes the American people nervous."

"I realize that, Your Highness. One thing that you do not seem to realize is that this is not America. Russians prefer to be ruled. We do not say it, but it is true. Democracy is not natural to us. We have never had true democracy. That is why the monarchy is popular. Elections are not fair, so an absolute ruler would be more attractive than a liar. Another obvious issue is the beliefs that are ingrained in the people of this country. They spent centuries being ruled by Tsars. The Tsars were believed to be ordained by God and the Orthodox Church to rule the country and possibly the world. Most people who were raised with traditional church values believe that the ruler of Russia has to be one of those who are ordained by God."

"I realize that what you're saying is true," I replied. "I just don't think that it would be as simple as me becoming the Tsarina. I think that in this day, the views of the outer world community are going to have a lot to do with the ability that I would have to take over the largest country on Earth. I don't think that the U.S. is going to accept it. Policy is a tricky thing in America."

Leo smiled at me. "You forget the most important factor in your case. You are the only one that the Russians would want to overtake their country. You are an American, but your blood is Russian and royal. You are the only one who could successfully manage a takeover. You do not realize how many people would support you."

I thought for a moment. "I guess I hadn't thought of it that way."

"He's right, Stacey," Tania said. "Of course you could take over. The US would be crazy not to want you there. You're American. That would mean that they had an American ruling Russia. That would be irresistibly attractive to them. They would help you in a heartbeat if they thought for a second that they could have a say about Russia."

"It's not that easy," I replied. "I don't want to be an American puppet either."

"You should take over. You don't have to be a puppet, but you could allow the US to help you. Why not?" Tania asked. "I can see that the people here are likely to back you up. You said so yourself. They all know about you. No one ever tells when you come. They're already loyal to you. Why wouldn't you be the ruler that they most likely want you to be?"

I didn't reply to her at that moment. I turned to Leo. We had reached the fueling area, and I could see that the men were done filling up my jet. I gave Leo a big hug. "It was good seeing you again, my friend. I'll probably be back through here before tomorrow night. Maybe you'll be here."

Leo hugged me. "Where are you going to exactly?"

"Novosibirsk," I said.

"You should probably fuel up in Irkutsk," he told me. "I will contact my friend, Dimi and tell him that you are stopping there. I will not tell him about you, but he may guess the moment he sees you. He will not tell. You stop there and he will take care of you."

"Is he familiar with royal legends?" Tania asked.

"Yes," Leo told her.

"Thank you," I said to Leo, as I walked up the steps to the plane.

Leo turned to Tania. "Most people in Siberia are well educated on former royalty. Most of us disapprove of every form of government after the Tsars. We are traditional people, and we like traditional ways. There would be a Tsar if she would take the job. Out here the only way that we would do as we were told was if the person telling us to do it was ordained by God. We were the White Army in the war."

I stood on the top step, waiting for Tania to come with me. She stared at me. I didn't know what the look was for at first. "Is it really more attractive to have a single monarch than a democracy?" Tania asked Leo.

Leo smiled at her and past her at me. "Look at the world. The only country that has ever been able to operate for an extended period of time with a true democracy for a government is the one country on Earth that was never ruled in any other way. Most of the world was once ruled by a single person or family. Democracy is not a reality here. It is a fact that power has corrupted the visionaries. The old way is the alternative. That's what the church says."

I heard Leo explaining to Tania, and I hadn't thought about it until that moment, but he was right. He'd told me many things, but I'd never heard him say it like that. Could it be that if I took my place that I would be saving the people from a life of rule by corruption?

And was Leo right about the people of Russia and them not wanting to rule themselves? The democratic government there had been trying to flourish for decades, and many people were still reluctant. Did the people want an absolute leader? Was I trying to rationalize the idea of me taking my place? The situation that had developed in Russia, had allowed a few opportunists to take control of the money, while huge groups of people remained poor and subsistent. Every bit of information that I had read over the years had lead me to believe that overall, the Russian people wanted less corruption, and more equality. Did they want someone to rescue them or did they want to rule as a true Democracy? I didn't know. Leo had said that the church says there should be an absolute ruler. Why would the Orthodox Church have a say? I didn't know the answer to that either. I needed to do more research into politics.

I looked at my watch. I had to go. No matter what the Russian people wanted me to do with Yuri and the democracy, I had to go and pick up Tish.

Tania finally joined me in the Lear jet, and we took off. Heading 222o and 2274 Nautical Miles to go. We'd be cutting it close on fuel to get there. Leo radioed me shortly after we took off and told me that his buddy, Dimi, would be waiting for us in Irkutsk. There we would refuel again and fly on to Novosibirsk to pick up Tish.

We'd been on the ground in Anadyr long enough that the sun was above the horizon. I looked at the clock on the instrument panel. It would still be almost six hours before we could reach Irkutsk, winds and weather permitting; and at least two more hours to Novosibirsk. The trip would take longer if refueling in Irkutsk took a while.

Eight hours. That was my guess under the best of conditions. For crossing Siberia it wasn't a long time, but when you were racing with an angry thug that had vast resources at his fingertips, it was an eternity. I hoped that Tish had gotten to the pizza place safely. Ken would take care of her. He was a good guy. He just had to take care of Tish for half a day.

_How good are you, Yuri?_ I wondered. _Will you find her first, or will I?_

I felt the angst again. I hadn't felt it since the last time I'd had to run across Russia because of Yuri Kostov. It felt as though it would never end. I would never understand why the ring upset him so much. I had made it perfectly clear that I wasn't interested in taking over his country. Why was it something that he couldn't let go of? What had I missed?

If I'd been a threat to him, I could understand, but I wasn't. I had spent many hours and days with hundreds, maybe even thousands of people who wanted me to take over the country, but I had no interest in the idea. If I did decide to go through with the coup that the locals in Siberia encouraged me to, it would be because he had provoked me into it. Why would he do that?

I'd wondered that for years.

I'd been flying silently for about 40 minutes, when Tania finally spoke. "So, what's on your mind? You're awfully quiet."

I shook my head to stop the thoughts. "I'm just thinking."

"Me too."

"What are you thinking about? If you say anything about me taking over Russia, I swear, I'll throw you right out of the plane."

Tania threw her hands up as though she was defending herself. "Relax; I don't care if you take the place over or not. It does, however sound like the people might like it. I have something else on my mind."

"So, give."

"What is the President's problem? You have said a million times that you don't want to take over his country. You haven't done anything that would seem like you would be working on it behind his back. Why does he keep after you and now your family? It doesn't make any sense. Why did he care about the ring? I don't get it. He had a ring and no one needed to know. Why? He spends more time chasing you around than he does being President."

I was surprised. I thought that I was the only one wondering about that. "I was thinking the exact same thing. It doesn't make any sense. It didn't make any sense when I was running from the guy the first time. It sure doesn't make any sense after all these years. There has to be something that I'm missing. There has to be something that he's scared to death that I can do to him. It can't just be the fact that I could decide to take over. He knows I'm not interested. There has to be something that I haven't discovered yet."

Tania's face lit up. "Have you looked into Russian law?"

She was confusing me. "I've studied it some. Why?"

"Have you looked into their constitutional laws? Have you looked at the details of any leftover documents from the time of the Tsars besides that one decree about the ring? Have you looked at their penal codes? You don't suppose that there's some law on the books somewhere that he might be afraid of, do you?"

"Like what?"

"What if there's some law that if a Romanov survived, they have to be restored as a Tsar? I mean, you still can't walk your alligator without a leash in parts of Florida, because of statutes that were never repealed. Maybe there's some crazy, little known law out there. Maybe, because you exist, you're already supposed to be Tsar, and the Presidency may have to cease to exist. The decree about the ring was never repealed or changed. Maybe there's something else."

It was hours before we came to Irkutsk. I'd never been there. I hadn't been this deep into Russia, since Yuri Kostov's thugs had chased me from Moscow to St. Petersburg and back. I'd only been to some of the smaller villages in Eastern Siberia like Anadyr and Vladivostok. Irkutsk was a new adventure. I looked at my instrument panel. According to my GPS, we were ready to approach the airport for landing.

I heard the radio crackle above my head. "This is the Irkutsk Tower, over. Identify approaching aircraft direction East/Northeast."

"Acknowledge Irkutsk Tower," I replied. "Private charter originated Ugolny Airport."

"You must be Stacey," the voice answered.

"That's me. You must be Dimi."

"You are cleared for landing. I will steer you to the refueling area. You need to refuel and continue on, correct?"

"That's affirmative."

Tania smiled. "He sounds nice. So far, this trip isn't nearly as harrowing as the last one I took with you." She paused. "Hey, if you've never been this deep in Siberia, then how to you know this guy in Novosibirsk? You said your mom knew him, not you."

"That's a long story," I began. "Long story short. Ken comes to Novosibirsk to change his life from Wisconsin. He knew my mom in college. He meets his wife and they want to get married. It would take me all day to explain, but the Orthodox Church couldn't do it in Russia. She had family in Ninilchik, so they got married there. I had never met him, but he'd known my mom for years, and I met them both on one of their visits. Since that time, we've gotten together whenever they're in Ninilchik."

***

I landed the plane and taxied it to the fueling station that Dimi directed us to. I saw a man walking toward the plane and knew that it was Dimi. He was a stereotypical looking Russian guy as opposed to my friend Leo, who had more Inupiat features. He had the chiseled features that Russian characters in movies had. He was tall and broad shouldered. He looked rugged, like a lumberjack. He looked mean and imposing until he smiled.

I couldn't help but smile back as I walked down the steps from the plane. "Hi, you must be Dmitri," I said, holding my hand out to shake his.

"It is my pleasure," he replied. "I do not meet many Americans here."

"I'm on my way to Novosibirsk to pick up a friend. She's coming for a visit in Alaska. I haven't seen her for a while. I can't wait."

Tania approached. Dimi looked past me at her. "And this is?"

"Tania," I told him.

Suddenly, his face turned white. "Tania and Stacey? Catherine?"

I felt that awful churning in my stomach again. "Yes, why?"

He bowed. "Your Highness."

"Please stand up," I insisted.

"You are the legend. I did not realize when I first looked at you, but the resemblance is remarkable."

"To whom?" Tania asked

"Catherine the Great," he explained. "You are the woman who they expelled from Russia years ago, are you not?"

Tania shook her head. "Good God, we're living legends."

Dimi smiled. "Yes, you are. I was at the University when it happened. I was a student there in the engineering department. I remember it well. Dr. Zemecki told us about it."

"You know Steve?" I asked.

"Yes. He told us that you would be back someday."

I was stunned. "Why would he tell you that? I've been wondering why the President is harassing me all the time. Did Steve happen to tell you why he would do that?"

"What do you mean?" Dimi asked me.

"I have heard the legend of the Ring of the Queen. That's obvious. I have it. That's been established. Why would Steve Zemecki insist that I would be back? I've done nothing but say that I'm not suited to run Russia. I've always felt that there was a detail to the story that is missing. There has to be a reason why I can't live my life in peace. Do you have any idea what that reason could be?"

"Yes, there has to be something that the President is worried about, that we don't understand," Tania agreed.

Dimi looked shocked. "You do not know?"

I was starting to get angry. "Know what!"

Dimi covered his mouth like he was afraid to talk. "You should sit down. I cannot believe that no one ever told you about the document."

I sat down on a stack of tires that happened to be sitting behind me on the pavement. "What document?"

"When the Romanovs were executed, and the Communists came to power, most of the previous doctrines, laws and decrees were destroyed or voted out of existence. They thought they had destroyed every shred of paper from the past, but when they found the bodies of the Romanovs in the 1990's, the church came forward. The Patriarch was in possession of documents from the time of the Tsars. These documents were stored in the Danilov Monastery. They were hidden there for some time. They were sealed in cases. Recently, there has come a new Patriarch with Sergius II, and he has expressed his feelings that the documents should be honored. One of those documents was the one that stated that the holder of the Ring of the Queen was the ruler of all Russia. According to existing documents that have never been changed, the holder of the ring is still ordained by God to rule this country. All other rulers are imposters. There is not a single piece of legislation that negates it. Patriarch Sergius II is now pressuring the government to step up and honor these documents and oust the President from office. The church is extremely powerful in Russia. They will be victorious if there is a fight."

Tania's eyes grew wide. She looked at me. "Good God, you are supposed to be in charge of this country right now."

The Queen in Exile
Part VI

"Being queen is overrated."

_\- Queen Rania of Jordan  
_

I could barely control my rage. I sat next to my jet that Tish had bought for me, on a pile of tires, as the sun was rising in front of me. How could no one tell me that because I held the ring, I was legally the ruler of Russia? Tish had to know. She had so many connections and knew so many people. She must have known that the church had these papers and was pushing for a reinstatement of the Romanovs. It made no sense that of all the things that Tish knew, this would be the one that no one ever spoke of. What if Peter knew? Steve knew. How could Steve know and none of the others? There were so many emotions running through my body that I wasn't sure that I could handle them all.

My first thought was to kill Tish. That was my first thought every time something bad happened. Tish and I had had a rough beginning, and it was easy for me to get angry with her as my fallback position. I liked her most of the time, but there were still times when she would aggravate me and I would hate her for a while. In laws. I'd always felt like an outsider with her, and I'd always had trust issues where she was concerned, but this was intolerable. I couldn't stand the thought that she may have known that I was legally the ruler of Russia and had not told me about it.

I had to talk to Peter. I didn't know what I would do if he was aware of these facts.

I went straight to the cockpit and called my husband. "Peter, it's me." I waited a second while he said hello, but then he tried to say something further and I cut him off. "Look, I don't have a lot of time, but I have to ask you a quick question. Is there anything that you can possibly think of that you haven't ever told me about the ring, the legend, my family, anything?"

"Stacey, are you okay?" he asked. "Of course there's nothing I haven't told you. I love you. I'm your husband."

"You're sure."

"Stacey, you're going to have to learn to trust me some day. You're starting to piss me off. Of course I've told you everything. I've told you everything about my entire life."

"Then you don't know anything about documents that are in the Danilov Monastery?"

"What documents? The Danilov Monastery! What's that place got to do with anything? What's going on?"

I heaved a heavy sigh. He didn't know. "Thank God you don't know."

"What the hell is going on?"

"There's a legal document that Patriarch Sergius II has that states that because I hold the ring; I'm the legal ruler of Russia. I don't know the exact wording, but it says something about the Romanovs being ordained by God, and there is no other legitimate ruler. I don't know the details, but that's what has everyone in an uproar. I guess Yuri Kostov thought that he could do something about it, because he had the ring. Now that he knows it's a fake, he's pissed. The church is starting to push the documents that they have in their hands. That's apparently what's causing all the fuss."

"Come home now," he ordered me. I could hear the change in his voice.

"I haven't picked up Tish yet."

"I don't care. Let her get her own ride. You need to get out of there before Yuri gets you. I had no idea. You're in Siberia. Nothing that goes on there ever gets any worldwide attention. If he finds you now, he'll kill you, because it won't end up on the news. In his mind, that's all he has to do to keep his job. No Romanov, no issue. This is too dangerous. Come home now."

"I love you."

"I love you too." He paused. "Damn it, Stacey! Come home!"

I hung up and turned the phone off.

I stuck my head out the door of the plane. Tania was still standing at the bottom of the steps with Dimi. "Let's go. Dimi, we'll be back in a matter of hours. Will you still be here?"

Dimi smiled. "Of course I will be, Your Highness. After all, you are in charge."

I smiled and gave him my best royal wave. "Thanks."

_I hope this man has no idea what he's talking about and is extremely wrong about everything he told me,_ I thought. _He's right. I know he is. God help me and my son._

We took off from Irkutsk and headed for Novosibirsk. Heading 291o and 776 nautical miles to go. Two to three hours to go. I had so much on my mind that I was lost in thought most of the way. Tania didn't push me to talk about anything. She knew that I had to think before I could discuss what had happened in Irkutsk.

Why hadn't anyone ever told me? At the very least, I should have heard something from Patriarch Sergius II if he believed that I should come and rule the country. Surely he would have told me something like that. I would need to know, after all. Maybe there was a timeline, but I still should have known. Why? Maybe everyone thought that it would freak me out to know that I was officially a world ruler. It did, but I still should know. I was freaking out as I was flying that Lear Jet to Novosibirsk. It was my right to know. It was not Tish or Patriarch Sergius II or Steve's right keep it from me. This would set Tish and I back years on our relationship, that is, if I didn't kill her myself when I arrived to save her from Yuri Kostov.

As I flew toward Novosibirsk, the sun was making the snow below glare and shine. It was beautiful, and the view was the thing that I loved most about flying. In a small way it calmed my nerves a little bit. I'd learned to appreciate nature. Floating over the Earth, looking at the beautiful sunshine on a cloudless day in a country that's known for its crappy weather was something to be savored. It didn't happen often that the weather was that good in Siberia in the spring.

My mind drifted. I was by law, supposed to be in Moscow running the biggest country on Earth. I was supposed to be in charge of a former super power. I couldn't fathom the burdens that I was supposed to be shouldering at that very moment. It was all too much for my mind. I'd matured significantly since my first visit to Russia and my first encounter with the legend of the ring. I knew the first time that I wasn't ready for the responsibilities that went with ruling a major world power. Had things changed? I would have to see. Having no choice in the matter would significantly affect my actions.

We were 40 minutes from landing in Novosibirsk when the phone chimed. I glared at it. I looked up at Tania, whom I hadn't spoken to during the flight. "Could you answer that? I can't talk to her right now."

Tania didn't answer me, but she picked up the phone. "Hello? Tish, hi. It's Tania. Surprise! Didn't Stacey tell you that I was coming with her?" I saw Tania listening to the phone out of the corner of my eye. "I don't know, I'll ask." She turned to me. "How long?"

I didn't look at her. "We'll be on the ground in 35 minutes. I don't know how long it will take us to get to the pizza place."

"Tish, we're landing in 35 minutes Stacey says," Tania told her. I could see her out of the corner of my eye again, listening.

I wanted to grab the phone from Tania and start screaming in it at Tish. I had to keep my anger in check. I would resolve all of my feelings later. I had to get her out of harm's way before I killed her with my bare hands.

"Uh, huh," Tania said into the phone. "Okay, we'll see you soon." She set the phone down and turned to me. "You're going to have to talk to her sooner or later."

I didn't answer her. I grabbed the microphone for the radio. "Novosibirsk Tower, this is charter flight en route from Irkutsk. Do you copy?"

"Yes, We have been waiting for your arrival, Charter," the voice answered. "Dimi called a couple of hours ago. He said that you would require a car and a driver. They should be ready for you in thirty minutes."

"Thank you. That is consistent with our arrival time. Will we be cleared for landing?"  
"You are clear on runway number two. Approach heading due east, 90o. Use your GPS. It is commercial and should accommodate you with no issues."

"Thanks. We will start our descent in five minutes. Over and out."

I put the microphone back.

Tania had remained silent most of the flight. She turned to me. "Say something. I have no idea what you're thinking, and it's bugging me."

I tried hard not to blow up at anyone. I knew it wasn't Tania's fault. "What would you like me to say?"

"I realize that this is a lot to absorb."

"No one realizes what this does to me. It's too much. This is some kind of intermittent adventure for you. You don't get it. This is my life, and it gets stranger and harder every minute. I have to worry about my family and my life every day. Every time something bad happens, I have to wonder if it was accidental or not. I wonder if whoever died at any given time died of natural causes or not. I study my mail. I never know if there's something dangerous about it or not. Every time I find out something new about my situation, it makes it more difficult. How can you possibly understand any of that?"

"Fine, yell at me. Just remember, when you're all upset because you think that everyone is plotting behind your back and lying to you, I'm the one person you can always trust, no matter what. Do yourself a favor and don't alienate me. I could change my mind, you know."

I felt a tear roll down my cheek. I wiped it away. "You're right."

"No, I'm not," she replied, smiling. "I'm always going to be here for you. We're like sisters. You may piss me off, but I love you like a sister. Hell, I forgave you for not telling me that you got married and gave me a nephew."

I couldn't help but smile. She really was like a sister. "I know. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about your nephew and brother in law. Oh, God, how I hate that old woman sometimes. She's a cagey old broad, and I never know if what comes out of her mouth is true or not. It drives me crazy."

Tania smiled at me. "In-laws."

I couldn't help but giggle. "I know. So, what did the old hag have to say?"

"Just that they've arrived, Ken is very nice, and the place is yellow."

I shook my head. "Well, if she's in a yellow pizza place, then I know she went to the right one."

"Yellow?"

"Like a fire hydrant. I've seen pictures."

"Now, that's yellow."

Landing at Novosibirsk was landing at a real airport. They had a real tower, a terminal building, and multiple runways. It was sophisticated and more organized than a lot of places I flew to. Novosibirsk was modern. It had been a huge boom town for foreigners right after the Soviet Union broke up, and it was more westernized than a lot of places in Siberia. It had been called the gateway to Siberia for years. I didn't know if that was something the Americans started calling it or the Russians.

We parked in a hangar off the runway. We deplaned and went straight to the car that the nice anonymous man in the tower said was waiting for us, skipping the terminal building altogether. The car was an older Zil 115 limousine. That was what the President used to have. Sweet, we were riding in style.

Tania and I climbed into the back of the limo. We hoped that it was customary. The driver didn't seem surprised, so I took it to mean that we had done the right thing.

"Hi, I am Stacey," I said.

"Hello, Miss Stacey. I am Marco, and I will be your driver today," he answered. "Where may I drive you?"

"Miss Tania and I are going to New York Pizza," I replied.

He nodded and began driving.

It wasn't long before we pulled up in front of the giant complex that belonged to the New York Pizza Corporation. Formed in the early years of democracy, a man from Wisconsin found his fortune in Siberia. He ran into some tax problems along the way, but the businesses were still successful. The man from Wisconsin had helped the people in the area take a struggling post Soviet community and turned it into a thriving city. It was and continues to be to this day, an interesting story of post Soviet life from the 90's.

My mother's old friend, Kendall Winston, was the current manager of the restaurant that had started it all. Connected to the pizza place were a Cineplex, shopping mall, several other restaurants, and some clubs. It was impressive. I asked Marco to wait for us in the car, and we went inside. He waited out in front of the restaurant while we went inside to collect Tish.

When I entered the restaurant, I immediately saw Tish seated in a booth by the window. She was right. The entire place was bright yellow. I walked over to her table and sat down across from her. There was a man sitting next to her that I didn't know. I would find out who he was eventually.

"I'm here," I said flatly. "Are you ready? We need to get out of here before Yuri Kostov finds us and has me killed."

Tish looked at me with caution. She knew me pretty well after a all these years. I figured that she could tell I was angry with her. "It is nice to see you too, dear." She looked at Tania as she sat down next to me. "Tania, what a pleasant surprise. How did you get into all of this?"

Tania glanced at me, not sure if she should talk at all. She was well aware of how upset I was. "I was in the right place at the wrong time again."

I was determined to be all business. "Who's this?" I gestured to the man sitting next to Tish. He was too young to be a boyfriend. He also looked Middle Eastern.

"This is Ravi," she answered me. "He is my driver and body guard."

"Why would you employ a regular body guard?" I asked.

I knew that at best, it would be an evasive answer. "At the time that I hired him, it seemed practical," she replied.

"So, where's Ken? I want to thank him before we go."

I looked up to see Kendall approaching from the direction of the kitchen. "I'm right here."

I stood up and gave him a big hug. "It's so good to see you."

He smiled at me. "It's great to see you too. I'm so glad you finally came for a visit."

"You make it sound like it's in the neighborhood."

"You know what I mean," he laughed. "It's been a treat visiting with Elizabeth. I'm going to be sad to see her go."

"Well, unfortunately we're on kind of a tight schedule. I have a car waiting out front for us." I turned to look at the others. "Speaking of, we need to get going." I turned to Kendall. "I hope to see you soon in Alaska. I'm sorry that you had to get into this. "

"What exactly is this about?" he asked.

"I promise I will explain, but there's no time now. Thank you for your help. I owe you one. And whatever you do, don't talk to anyone about this. Stay safe." I gave him a hug and turned to herd everyone toward the door.

Tania, Tish, and the bodyguard started to walk to the door. I saw headlights out of the corner of my eye. New York Pizza was a busy place. I don't know what made me look to check out a flash of headlights. When I looked, I saw it. It was another, albeit newer, limousine. I was suddenly nervous.

I quickly hugged Kendall again. "I'm so sorry for whatever happens. This place is very high profile. It makes me nervous. Thank you again. We really have to go."

"Come back soon! And call me and tell me what all this is about!" Ken called after us.

I walked behind the others to the car. I watched them all climb into the limousine as I waited for my turn to get in. I heard a car door open nearby. I looked at the limousine that had pulled up.

I froze as I watched President Yuri Kostov step out of the car. My mind told me that it was no time to be paralyzed. Must run. Must confront. Must get in car. The latter was the thought that I listened to. I dove into the car, screaming, "Drive, Marco!" slamming the door as I spoke.

"What now?" Tish asked.

I pointed my finger at her. "That was Yuri Kostov, damn it!"

"Are you sure?" Tania asked, her voice starting to crack.

"Where am I going?" Marco asked.

I thought. I couldn't go to the airport. That's the first place Yuri would think of. I had to find another way for us to leave town. I had to do something so that Yuri couldn't follow us. I looked at Tish. I pointed to her bodyguard. "Can he fly a Lear jet?"

Ravi answered, "Yes, I was a pilot in the military for four years. I can fly many planes."

"Good," I replied. "Marco, take us back to the airport."

"What are you up to?" Tish asked me.

"I don't owe you any explanations, old woman," I told her. "Just be happy I showed up."

The Queen in Exile
Part VII

"What you don't do can be a destructive force".

_-Eleanor Roosevelt  
_

Tish sat back and pouted like a child. I didn't care how she was feeling. It's amazing how family can anger you easier than anyone else on Earth. I believed she'd lied to me, even if it was only by exclusion. Not telling me is every bit as bad as actual lying, and she wasn't going to get away with it. I would not let her go unpunished. There would be a long time period coming up where Tish and I would have a strained relationship.

How could she not tell me that I was legally in charge of Russia? How do you omit information like that? I mean really.

Marco pulled up to the hangar where the Lear Jet was waiting. Yuri Kostov's car wasn't in view, but I knew that he wouldn't be lagging far behind. The longer I dealt with the corrupt government of Russia, the better I got at thinking on my feet.

I looked at Ravi. "Okay. You are going to get in that plane and fly it somewhere besides East,"

Tish shot me a look. "If he does that, then we will not have a plane."

"I know that," I answered her. I wanted to scream at her, but there wasn't time.

"That does not seem like a good idea," she argued. "That would leave us without transportation."

I bit my tongue to keep from hitting her right in the face. "Look, I don't have time to explain everything that I'm doing right now. You are going to have to trust me. Do you think you can do that, Tish? Or do you have something in you that makes it impossible for you to have a normal human relationship?"

Tish looked at me as though she was going to cry. I wondered if they were crocodile tears. She turned to Ravi. "Do as she says."

"Yes maam," Ravi answered. He exited the car and boarded the plane.

I took my phone from my pocket. I looked at the front seat of the limo, where Marco was sitting. "Marco, do you have anyplace that you absolutely have to be in the near future? Do you have a wife, children, girlfriend?"

Marco turned his head all the way around to look at me with shock and puzzlement. "I do have a life, but I am working, therefore I have no plans. Why?"

I was making a call as I spoke to Marco. "Train station please." I started to talk into the phone. "Tower? Yes, this is the charter Lear Jet's owner. Yes. I want to clear another pilot for flight on my jet. Yes. He is at the hangar now and needs clearance for takeoff immediately. Yes, he has my full permission to take off for the heading that he reports. That will be fine. Thank you."

Tania hadn't spoken much during the trip from the restaurant. "What are you up to? I hate Russian trains."

Tish joined in. "I do not think that it is a good idea. Where is Ravi flying to?"

"I don't know, but the plane needs to leave here now," I replied.

I saw the President's cars pulling into the terminal area as we were pulling away from the hangar area where we had dropped Ravi off. "Duck!" I yelled to Tania and Tish as we approached Yuri Kostov's convoy. They did as they were told.

"What do you want me to do?" Marco asked over his shoulder.

"Do not look at them. Look forward at the road and keep driving," I told him.

"I can't believe that we're running again," Tania moaned. "It's just like last time."

"Quit whining," I snapped at her. "You said you were bored."

"That was before the train came up. I hate Russian trains."

"You can sit up now, ladies. They went into the building," Marco announced.

I looked out the back window of the car. I could see Yuri Kostov and three other men enter the terminal building that we had just driven past. I hoped that Ravi would get off the ground before they caught up with him. Since the plane was a charter flight, there would be no way to verify how many passengers were on board, unless the pilot told them. I hoped that the man I spoke to in the tower wouldn't tell if he knew. I didn't know where Ravi was flying to, and I didn't care. As long as President Yuri didn't know where we were, Ravi could fly anywhere he wanted to.

Marco pulled into the train station shortly after leaving the airport. He pulled up to the drop off zone in front of the main building. I smiled. While Tania was struggling with her memories of our train adventures in Russia in the past; I was remembering the adventure. I remembered the time in Tver when I'd had to stop Yuri's men by revealing my identity to the locals. I remembered driving a monster Hummer onto police cars. Somewhere deep down inside, my crazy past was entertaining to me. At that moment in Novosibirsk, however, I was not entertained. I was frightened, and I was anxious to get home. Déjà Vu.

Tish and Tania exited the car. They waited for me on the sidewalk. I leaned forward to speak with Marco. "You might want to park the car and come with us."

He turned his head around and looked at me. "What are you talking about?"

"You should probably come with us."

"I would rather not. This appears to be a situation that I would like to avoid My wife is expecting me home, and I have other clients scheduled today."

"None of that will matter when the President finds out that you were my chauffer. He'll arrest you and hold you until you tell him where we went."

"I do not know where you are going to," Marco replied.

" I wish that mattered. He's a common thug as well as a statesman. He will presume that you know where I went. He will not believe that you don't know. He'll hurt you. Your best prospect is to come with us. If he can't find you, he can't hurt you. He currently doesn't know who you are so he can't hurt your wife. I wouldn't insist if I didn't believe that he would do these things to you. I've dealt with him before."

Marco gaped at me. He stared at me silently for a moment.

"Marco, we don't have much time. If he figures out that I'm not on that plane, he'll come looking for you. It's just a matter of time."

Marco regarded me cautiously. "Are you paying, Madame?"

"No, Tish is."

"I will park the car and meet you inside."

I didn't know what to expect when we bought tickets for the train in Novosibirsk. It was the first stroke of luck that we'd had so far that a train was leaving in 10 minutes and it would stop in Irkutsk. I hoped that by going back there, we could somehow fly the rest of the way home. Trains had become an efficient way of travel even in Siberia. In the old days trains would only come through once or twice a week and in the winter, which is long in Siberia, they were all but unreliable. Times were changing in that respect. I had to respect that Yuri's government had done some good things as well as all the bad things that I knew about.

The train was similar to the one that we'd taken from Tver to St. Petersburg. I supposed that all Russian trains were somewhat the same, since the railway was government operated. This one was slightly more utilitarian than the refurbished Soviet antique that we were riding on in western Russia. That's where the tourists take the train. In Siberia, there are special trains that they encourage the tourists to take as part of an exotic tour. The real trains are simply for transport.

I continued to ponder trains as my mind wandered to help me avoid thinking about the current crisis.

Tania sat in our sleeper cabin and stared out the window. "Tell me that it will different this time."

I felt badly for her. I was certain that Tania had forgotten what it was really like to be chased by President Yuri Kostov. The last time that we'd traveled by train in Russia, it had been January. There had only been a few hours a day of sunlight at that time, and Tania had suffered from severe depression as a result. I hoped that she would be able to relax and enjoy the beauty of the scenery despite the fact that we were being chased by a madman.

"Don't worry," I told her. "I swear, everything will be all right."

"I hope so," she sighed. "I can't take another trip like the last time."

"Like what?" Marco asked as he sat down and joined us in the cabin.

I looked at Marco. He'd not been with us for the last few minutes. I'd booked him his own cabin, seeing as he was the only man in the group. I hadn't taken the time to explain to him what was going on. I didn't know if he knew anything about my legacy, or if he knew who Tish was at all. For all I knew, he could be the most confused limousine driver in history.

"Well, as you can guess, we have a slight problem with the government of your country," I said.

Marco smiled. "I gathered that. So, why would the President of Russia want to hurt you, and why are you so worried about some documents that are in a monastery?"

Tish gaped at me, open mouthed. "You know about that?"

I glared at her. "I'll talk to you later." I turned back to Marco. "You hear well. I'm the American girl that you probably heard about in the news sometime over the last several years. I'm the one that they say was trying to pose as the descendant of the Romanovs."

Marco's eyes grew wide. "You are Stacey? You are the legend? You are the one who had the Ring of the Queen?"

"That's her," Tania told him.

"Oh my God," Marco said. He stood and bowed to me. "It is an honor, Your Highness."

"No need to be formal," I retorted. "I hate that, and I don't need to advertise who I am right now. I'm not here to take over the country. I came to get grandma here." I gestured to Tish. "Tania is my traveling companion and sometimes navigator." I gestured to Tania. "She was here with me the last time that Yuri Kostov was having me chased around his country. Tania is currently having flashbacks of the tumultuous trip we had here last time. That's why she sounds upset. It's stressful to be, albeit inadvertently, an enemy of the state."

"That's true," Tania agreed with me.

Marco kept smiling at me. "I cannot believe that I am sitting here with a Tsarina."

"keep it yourself," I warned him. "Yuri Kostov doesn't like the idea of me being in his country. He unearthed some details surrounding our last meeting, and he's on a rampage. We need to travel anonymously, so he doesn't find us before we get back to Alaska."

"I knew he would find out eventually," Tish scolded.

That was my breaking point with Tish's attitude. She'd kept some important information from me by not telling me that there were documents in the Patriarch's possession that automatically made me the ruler of the country. I didn't know if I could ever forgive her for not telling me exactly what my obligations were. I should have been in Russia, fighting for my position out of obligation, even though I had no desire at any time to become a Tsar. I was discovering the depth of my obligation. I had no idea that the Russian Orthodox Church believed that I was the true leader. I felt as though I had let the Russian people down. Knowing that my position had already been established made a huge difference in my viewpoint. I should have been there all along. Tish had known it. She hadn't told me.

"You don't have an opinion here," I snapped at her. "You knew the whole damn time that I was supposed to be ruling. You knew about the documents that Patriarch Sergius II has."

"Those are tattered old papers that were found in a mine shaft in the 1990's along with the skeletons of your family. They do not mean a thing. They could be overruled in a second. It is not a chronic problem for you." She glared back at me.

"If it's not a real problem, then how come Yuri Kostov is chasing me? If I'm no threat to him, why would he do that? If none of it matters, then why is it that he's so upset over the ring? I've made it more than clear that I don't want his job. If he could simply overrule the papers, don't you think that he'd do it? Why is he chasing me if there is no merit to the papers?"

Tears welled up in Tish's eyes. She stared at me. She sniffed and coughed. She didn't reply.

"Well?" I asked.

Tania grabbed my arm. "Enough. I don't think that Tish realized what he might do. Maybe she doesn't know everything about the papers either."

Tish sniffed and wiped a tear. "I swear, I had no idea that he would try to kill you. Those papers should not be concerting to him. I cannot imagine why he would chase you all over Siberia rather than override the documents. Why would he do that? Wait. Did you say that the church has papers?"

"Yes, that's what I understand. According to my information, Patriarch Sergius II is in possession of documents from the time of Catherine the Great. They've been stored with the church for centuries. He wants to enforce whatever is in those papers."

The four of us sat and stared at one another. I could see from the looks on everyone's faces that no one understood completely. Apparently, Tish hadn't known about the papers in question at the current time. I had to find out what had changed because of the new papers.

I took my phone from my bag. I dialed a number. It rang and rang. Finally, there was an answer. "Steve? It's Stacey."

There was a very surprised Dr. Steve Zemecki on the other end of the line. "Stacey, where are you? I saw you on the television again. There's a warrant for your arrest in Russia again. What the hell is going on?"

"I had to come and pick up Tish. We're headed back to Alaska right now. We'll be fine."

"You'll get yourself killed one of these days."

"We'll argue about that later. I found out about the papers that the Patriarch has in Danilov Monastery, you son of a bitch."

"Stacey, you don't understand."

"I don't care; I need to know. What don't we know?"

"Need to know what?"

"Steve, listen to me. Yuri is chasing me, Tish, Tania, and our limousine driver across Siberia."

"Tania's with you?"

"Can you focus? We'll discuss Tania later. Look, why is the President trying to kill me?"

"Because of the ring. I thought you knew that."

"It doesn't make sense. All he needs to do is get the government that he runs to change the rules for him. All he has to do is have his very own people make the documents null and void."

"That's not true."

"Why?" I knew I'd done the right thing by calling a history and political science professor.

"The documents were ordained by the church, like the Tsars. That's why they have been in the church's possession all this time. He can't override the church when it comes to the Romanovs' right to rule. If he were to make an attempt to force the church to nullify the documents that were found in the mine shaft, then he would face certain revolution. The people of Russia will not stand for that. They love their church. The Orthodox Church is life to an amazing amount of the Russian populations. There is no separation of church and state for the people. Church and Romanovs are both higher on the devotion list than the existing government. I don't see how anyone could override it. The church and the Romanovs are part of the national identity. The Soviet years have left a lot of deep wounds in the souls of the Russian people. The church is his vice. He has no way of bullying the Russian Orthodox Church."

"What about me?" I asked.

"What about you?" Steve asked.

"Can I get the church to nullify the papers? Can I get my life back?"

"The Russian Orthodox Church cannot be bullied. They see the Romanovs as saints. The church has always been loyal to them. They were founded by Russian Royalty. They have never defied the current government, but I have no idea what their position is on the subject. If I had to guess, they would support not tampering with history. You can try, but I think you should probably accept the fact that you need to take your place, irregardless of how you feel, personally."

"What if I ordered them to change the papers so I could be excluded?" I asked.

"You wouldn't do that." Steve replied.

"Why wouldn't I?" I asked.

"Because that would leave them with President Yuri Kostov in a position that was so powerful, he would become a Tsar by his own hand. You wouldn't do that to your own people. They are your people. You know that. Stacey, give it up. It's time to take your place."

I tossed the phone to Tania who was waiting to talk to Steve. She often asked about him, even though she was technically dating Senator, Howard VanZandt. I hadn't said much, because I hadn't told her a lot of things. I smiled as I watched her talking to him. She was twisting her hair and smiling bigger than I'd seen her smile in a long time. She seemed to forget all about Howard for a few minutes. I didn't know who Tania really wanted. Deep down inside, I'd hoped it would be Doctor Steve Zemecki. Howard VanZandt was nice, but he was a career man. I wanted more than that for Tania.

Tish was staring out the window, away from me. "What did he say?"

"He said that the right to nullify the documents belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church alone."

"That could create problems for you for the rest of your life," she replied.

"What exactly do the documents say?"

Tish turned to me. "I did not want to tell you, because you are going to be upset."

"Just tell me."

"The documents are blather, mostly. There is only one document that has any real merit. It states clearly that the holder of the Ring of the Queen is the rightful leader of the country of Russia. The ring must be in the possession of a person who by birth is ordained by God to rule all of Russia. Even if Yuri Kostov had the ring, there is no guarantee that the church would accept him. He is not of noble birth."

"There's no way that it could be misconstrued?"

"I do not see how. I quoted it verbatim."

I slumped down in my seat. "Damn." The minute the words left my mouth, me and Tish who was sitting right next to me were thrown onto the floor. I looked up at Marco and Tania. "What happened?"

Marco stood and stepped to the door. "Emergency stop. I will find out what happened."

Tania ended the call. She looked at us on the floor. "Here we go again," she groaned.

The Queen in Exile
Part VIII

"Well, sometimes the running away from it is what makes you who you are."

_-Helen Mirren  
_

We sat, staring at each other, in the compartment. Tania and I had been through the grueling experience of being chased on a train in Russia before. We both swore that we would never put ourselves through that again, yet there we sat. The train was at a full stop, with no obvious prospects of moving again anytime soon. Tania and I stared at each other, wondering what would happen next. I hoped that Marco would come back soon and tell us something.

Tish stared out the window. I hoped that she knew that whatever horrible fate was about to befall us was her fault. She was followed to Novosibirsk. Tish was a strong woman, but she could be a handful. Ever since I had first met Peter, she'd been difficult. I knew that she had trust issues. I realized that most of her family had been killed in political conflicts.

I felt that she believed that I was eventually going to get her grandson killed. The only thing that I couldn't do for her was to become someone else. The one thing that I had always regretted was that I couldn't suddenly become someone less royal. I didn't want to be the ruler of Russia. I didn't want to be a Romanov. Apparently I had no choice in the matter. I wished that she could forgive me my heritage. It wasn't my fault. I couldn't control what the church or the President did.

It was dark outside. I knew that upset Tania. She hated the darkness in Russia. It was simply evening and the sun was down, but it was as though Tania had some kind of post traumatic stress from the last time we were in Russia, and it was due to darkness. She had flipped out years before when we'd been in Russia in January. I understood that. It had become an irrational fear of darkness. It was as though she feared that the sun would suddenly burn out permanently.

I heard footsteps outside of our cabin. It was Marco. He stepped in and closed the door behind. "Do not worry. It was a minor malfunction with the instruments in the engine. They should be ready to continue in a matter of minutes."

I heaved a sigh. "You're sure that they told you the truth?"

He smiled. "Yes. The engineer told me that he is well aware that you are on board, and he would never stop for President Kostov."

My heart skipped a beat. I'd hoped that I would simply do my business in Russia and slip away back to Alaska. It was looking as though remaining anonymous would be difficult to say the least. I remembered the last time that I was chased across Russia, albeit from south to north instead of from west to east. I was portrayed as a criminal all over the news on every channel on television in Russia. There weren't a lot of channels all those years ago, but I felt violated and extremely public, nevertheless. I knew that if I were to turn on a television and watch the news at that moment, I would probably be the lead story.

"How would the engineer know that I am on board?" I asked Marco.

Marco bit his lip. "The train was already notified to be on the lookout for you. The engineer saw us boarding the train, and he recognized you."

"Then we need to get off this thing," Tania screeched anxiously.

Tish finally took her eyes off the window. "Calm down. He said that the engineer has no intentions of stopping for Yuri and his flunkies. Relax. It sounds as though we have allies here on this train. We are far safer having other people help us than we are trying to escape alone. There is safety in numbers, as the Americans say."

I hated it when Tish was right. I always wanted to fight with her. She had a personality that would rub the Pope the wrong way, and she always brought out the worst in my character. I hadn't spent much time with her in recent months. When she made that statement, I remembered why. She was arrogant and always right. Those were two things that made me crazy.

"I hate to say it, but she's right," I said.

"So we just sit on this train?" Tania asked. Her voice was screechy. That couldn't be good.

"I guess so," I replied.

"How long is the ride? The flight took forever," Tania commented.

"I don't know. Tish, you've taken this train before, how long is it?"

"It varies," Tish replied. "How far do you wish to travel on it?"

I didn't know anything about the lands in central Siberia. I knew some of the cities along the Pacific Coast, but the central regions were a mystery to me. "I suppose we should try to go to Vladivostok so we can get a flight across the ocean."

Tish looked at me for a couple of minutes and then she turned to look out the window again. "It is a long ride of at least four days. I hope we can make it. Four days, dear God."

Four days. It was certain that it was going to be the longest four days of my life. It had been traumatic when Tania and I had traveled from Tver to St. Petersburg while being tracked. That trip lasted less than a day, and caused me to have nightmares for months. I wondered what the odds were that we could even stay on that train for four days. Yuri Kostov would never believe that we were on a plane to Kazakhstan for four days. He would find out the truth long before we got to Vladivostok. I knew that somewhere along the way, we would be forced to come up with another way to get home.

I felt the train come to a stop again. It had been several hours, and the sky was turning pink with daylight. I looked out the window. The landscape was beautiful. I saw a beautiful river valley and a city next to it. There was still snow on the ground, but there were some sprigs of green here and there, dotting the landscape. I didn't feel scared. It seemed that the train was making a scheduled stop.

"Krasnoyarsk," the voice on the PA said after I'd been watching the town come up alongside of us for almost half an hour.

Tania woke from a nap. I'd let her sleep. She needed to do something to calm down. I thought it was funny the way that she insisted on coming because her life in New York was so boring, but the minute that things got interesting, she freaked out.

"What time is it?" Tania asked as she stretched in an attempt to shake the sleep off.

"9:00 am."

She smiled. "And the sun is up. I like it. Where are we?"

"Krasnoyarsk," I told her. "I guess it's a regular stop."

Tania looked out the window. "It looks kind of pretty." She looked at her watch. "You said its 9:00 here?" She paused to figure the time difference in her head. "It must be a long way from town to town out here. We've been going for over ten hours."

Tish woke from her nap too. "Of course it is a long way from town to town out here. It is Siberia for God's sake."

Tania was frustrated with Tish and her arrogant attitude. "Well, I've never been here. Excuse me for not knowing all about it. We can't all know everything."

"Calm down," I told them both. "We have to deal with it. There's nothing else we can do right now."

We waited and stared at each other. We didn't want to talk about our thoughts. It wouldn't take much longer for Yuri Kostov to determine that we weren't on my jet. With his available intelligence, he probably knew the plane well, and could track it easily. I knew that once he knew we weren't on my plane, he would immediately realize that the only other place we could be was on a train.

I wanted to believe that he would let me take my husband's grandmother and return to Alaska, but I knew deep inside that wasn't reality. If the church was pushing him to resign in my favor, he would continue to pursue me until he was certain that I was no longer a threat. I wondered if he would kill me or find a more humane way to get me out of his way. History of the Romanovs did not lead me to believe that my remaining alive was an option. Trapped by my DNA. Living a life that did not come with options. A life that only seemed to come with obligations.

There was a knock at the cabin door followed by Marco's head. "Hello, ladies," he said, smiling. "We have come to a scheduled stop. Would you like to come out? Can I fetch you something to eat or drink?"

"My, what a nice man you are," Tish said. "I would love a cup of tea."

"I'm starving," Tania said. "Could you get a snack for me?"

"What would you like?" Marco asked.

"What's available?"

"We can go to the dining car and see." he suggested.

Tania looked at me. "Do you think we should?"

"It doesn't matter at this point," I replied. "If they have any idea who we are and what's going on, they'll see me on the way to the bathroom at some point. Let's go."

When we walked into the snack bar that was lovingly called the dining car, I didn't know whether or not I should have been surprised. It looked exactly like the dining car that was on the train that we'd taken years before in a completely different part of the country. Russians didn't have a lot of variety in their lives. They didn't seem to mind. They seemed to like things to remain the same. I don't know why I was surprised at the idea that they would still want a monarch to rule their country.

We had barely sat down when it started. The car was full of passengers who wanted something to do besides stare out their windows. They'd come to the dining car to eat, drink, and socialize. It was the most popular place on the train, and it was the place where all of the other passengers were watching the news on satellite TV. Satellite television on a train was new to me.

They recognized me immediately. I was frightened at first. The first person that came up to me and said that they'd seen me on television scared the hell out of me. I was afraid that I would end up in a horrible Russian prison awaiting my execution. I wanted to run off the train. The irony of that situation was that the train was stopped, and I could have done it. I didn't run, and soon I was glad I had stayed.

It only took minutes before we started to understand. The people on that train were not going to turn us in to the powers that be. They were fans. They were the very people who would vote for a monarchy to be reinstated in the country. I'd been told more than once that there were many people in Russia who didn't like the current form of government. I'd been told that most people would welcome the return of the Romanovs. With eleven times zones and millions of people, being favored by a majority had seemed impossible to me. At that moment I was faced with over 30 people in that dining car from all over the country, and they wanted me as their leader. I can't explain the feeling that came over me that day. It was somewhere between wanting to faint, and feeling like a star. I was beginning to realize that the church was more powerful that the President. The people on that train agreed with Patriarch Sergius II.

It wasn't long before I felt the train move again. We were eating soup at the time, and the start was so smooth that the soup didn't spill. We were on our way again. There had been no Yuri Kostov at that station. I hoped that we would continue to have good luck. I knew that couldn't possibly happen. Sooner or later, President Kostov would catch on to what was happening, and he would catch up to our train.

We stayed in the dining car for a long time. I signed autographs. I'd never done anything like that before. I talked with people who wanted to help me overthrow the government. I was amazed at how frank the people were about telling me what they thought. I was surprised at how open they were about their feelings on politics in a country that had a history of destroying dissidents. I was stunned at how easily they seemed to accept me. They trusted me, and they'd only just met me. I was a Romanov and that was apparently enough.

What a strange place where people would trust a total stranger over their existing government. No wonder Lenin was successful.

After most of the people had met me and gone on their way, I looked at Tish. "I had no idea what a celebrity I am here."

She glared at me and took a sip from her fourth glass of vodka. She didn't reply. She was starting to slip into a drunken stupor. I'd never gone drinking with Tish. I didn't want to find out what kind of drunk she was.

"Fine," I replied, as though she'd actually said something.

Tania had also been drinking vodka. She started to giggle when she saw the expression on Tish's face. At least she was a happy drunk this time.

Marco heaved a sigh. He was watching the two drinking women. I figured that he was getting uncomfortable around them. Men never fared well around drunk women. Mostly, drunk women are unpredictable and full of surprises. Being a Russian man, Marco probably knew that rule in spades.

Marco looked at me. "You are eloquent."

"How so?" I asked.

"I have never been in your position, but I imagine that it is a little overwhelming," he replied. "You were polite and friendly with all the people."

"That's not really the hard part. The hard part is figuring out what they want me to do. I don't have a miracle to save them from their current situation. I wish I could help them."

"You spoiled little bitch," Tish muttered under her breath.

That did it. She'd found my last straw. "What did you say?"

"I said, you spoiled little bitch."

I'm a spoiled little bitch? Where the hell do you get the balls to say that to me old woman?"

Tish slammed her glass down on the table. She pointed her finger at me. "I was born with the balls to say that to you, but that is not the point. You act like a victim all the time. Poor little me, I was born the leader of the biggest country in the world. It is so awful to be me. Wah, wah, wah. Spoiled. You whine, when you should be taking your place and helping these people. But you will not, because it is too difficult for you. It is all about you all the time. It is too inconvenient to be in charge of Russia. You act like you are the only person in the history of the world to be born into a position of responsibility of outstanding proportions. Who the hell do you think you are? With your birthright comes a specific responsibility. Your family has been hiding from it for generations. They were a bunch of selfish cowards. I thought you were different, but you think you have the right to ignore your people and be happy. I guess I was wrong about you. I would not want you to lead my country with your attitude. I would sooner let you return to America and become selfish and self satisfied like the rest of the people in your selfish, competitive country. Morals are not a priority there. Neither is tradition or purpose. That is more for you." She picked up her glass, took a sip, and turned to stare out the window.

Tania giggled again. "Well, I guess she told you."

I didn't like the idea, but that crazy old woman was right. Just because I hadn't chosen my path, didn't mean that I had no responsibility for it. I was a Romanov. I was responsible for doing what my family was put on the Earth to do. In Russia, the people believed that we were ordained by God to rule. We were the personification of Russia, and the people expected me to take control and run their world. It seemed crazy to me, but I'd learned that the Russian way of thinking was an entity of its own. Purpose, honor, tradition; that's what it was to be Russian.

"I don't get it," I muttered.

Tish twisted her head at me again. "You never have. The Russian people are traditionalists. They are spiritual. They want things to be the way that they have always been. They want God to be happy, so that their lives will be fruitful."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Even now, centuries down the road, they believe that only you are ordained by God to rule. If only you believed it too."

"What does that really mean?" I asked her.

"It means that you have no choice," she said. "I wish you would see that. You will rule Russia. It is only a matter of time."

The Queen in Exile
Part IX

"Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yardstick of your success will be how you treat other people - your family, friends, and coworkers, and even strangers you meet along the way."

-Barbara Bush

I couldn't take the thoughts any more. I wanted to jump off of the train and run away. I wondered how my poor little boy was coping with my being gone for so long. I couldn't remember a time when I'd been away from him for more than a day or two. The current situation seemed as though it could drag on forever. I visualized his little face in my head. I missed the way that he looked at me when I was folding his laundry for him. I missed his laugh. I missed the way he breathed when he was sleeping. I loved my son, and I wanted to be with him, so I could hug him and tell him that I loved him.

I missed my husband too. Peter and I had been very happy together. We had taken a tremendous chance getting married, given our lots in life. He could have easily chosen other paths, but he'd loved me enough to take a chance at life with me. I wondered how many times he'd regretted his decision. I wondered if he'd ever thought that he should have gotten up and walked away when he'd seen me enter that Hard Rock Café in Moscow. I wondered what he was doing at that moment. I wanted to call him, but I didn't want him to hear me in my current state of angst. He'd been burdened with my problems for years. He didn't need to get into the middle of a conflict between me and his grandmother on top of everything else. He had to make sure that someone knew where I was and what was going on. He had to make sure that our son was safe. He had more than his share of things to deal with in the middle of my familial nightmare.

I no longer worried about being spotted by other passengers on the train. I realized that I was a folk hero crossed with royalty, mixed with a legend. I accepted the fact that most people knew who I was. I held my head high like Catherine the Great would have and walked around the train with confidence.

I walked from car to car until I reached the engine. I'd been so deep in my thoughts that I hadn't realized how far away from my group I had strayed. I didn't want to talk to Tish or Tania. The engineer knew who I was, so I visited him. I rapped on the door. I was surprised when it opened with no questions.

I stepped into the cab where the engineer was sitting. There was a plethora of instruments that I didn't understand at all in a huge dashboard. Most of the instruments were digital, so the whole area glowed with bright colored lights. There were a lot of handles and switches. I had no idea how to drive a train. It looked complicated. There were two phones and a radio that resembled an old CB next to the chair that the engineer sat in.

I didn't realize that I had stood there silently staring at the instruments for a long time until the engineer spoke to me. "It is nice to meet you, your Highness. I am your engineer. My name is Josef."

I shook my head to bring myself back to the world that I was standing in. I had been so lost in thought that I failed to pay any attention to the poor man. I reached my hand out and shook his. "It's nice to meet you, Josef. I'm so sorry. I was lost in thought, I'm afraid. I have a great deal on my mind."

"I cannot begin to imagine," he replied.

There was a seat in the main steering compartment. There was a divider and another compartment with a dashboard and equipment on the other side and two chairs. One within the area and one slightly behind where both compartments were visible. I sat down in the chair that had a line of sight for both compartments. I looked out the window at the landscape unfolding in front of us. I had never seen the view from the front of a train before. It was spectacular. I'd never realized how much I'd been missing by sitting in a regular compartment looking out the train from the side. In the engine, the view was more like you would have from a car, but in places where the scenery was far more dramatic and natural. In front of us there were beautiful and majestic hills unfolding. They were still a frozen over in the early spring. The sky was an amazing color of cloud free blue. Siberia was beautiful. For one brief shining moment, it was as though I was on an exotic vacation instead of running from the Russian government.

"This is the most outstanding view I've ever had from a train," I said.

"This is why I love my job," Josef replied.

"Do you mind if I sit here for a while?" I asked. "I'm feeling a bit claustrophobic in my cabin."

Josef was a tall broad shouldered younger man, with blonde curly hair and a large nose that didn't decrease his good looks one bit. Everything about him was large. His eyes were large and brown. His mouth was large and his jaw was broad, spanning the entire width of his face. His ears that barely stuck out from under his longer than average hair were the only feature that seemed to be of normal size on his whole face. I couldn't decide whether his ears were small, or the enormity of his other features made them look that way. Irregardless of his size, he seemed gentle. I couldn't explain why.

Josef giggled. "People are causing your space problem, yes? Your cabin is bigger than this cab."

"I'm traveling with Elizabeth Zinkov. Maybe you've heard of her; she's the computer giant in this country."

"Yes, I am aware of her. My daughter wants to be like her."

"God help you if she does turn out like Tish," I chuckled. "She's a pain in the ass."

Josef giggled at me. He reached behind him to a wall compartment. It was a small refrigerator. He took out a bottle of vodka. "I keep it here for emergencies. Would you like a drink? You could use one, I presume."

I let him pour me a drink. I drank it. I'd finally decided to let go and say, "What the hell?" I knew that it wouldn't do me any good to stress out, because I was past being able to do anything about my situation. I had a quick first drink, followed by a second and a third. I wasn't much of a drinker, beyond the occasional glass of wine. I greatly overestimated my power to handle liquor. Before I knew it, things were starting to look a little blurry. Thank God I was sitting down.

"Can I trust you? Are you one of those Romanov supporters, or are you waiting to turn me over to Yuri?" I asked.

Josef smiled and put the bottle of vodka back in the refrigerator. "I can tell that you are not a naturalized Russkie. We are far better drinkers."

At that moment I realized how vulnerable I was. I was at the mercy of other people, and most of them I barely knew. Like Josef. I was sitting in that engine with Josef who might have been taking me straight to Yuri. I had no clue about what was actually going on, and I'd done nothing to find out. I felt like a first time amateur in the international chase game.

"I can't believe I drank too much. I feel like a teenager," I said.

Josef smiled at me. "I think that the average teenager could hold more liquor."

I rubbed my face to make sure that I was sober enough to have feeling left in it. "Very funny. You didn't answer my question."

One of the phones rang. Josef reached over and picked it up. "Yes," I heard him say. "No, I have seen no signs of her." There was a pause while he listened to the voice on the other end of the line. "I would tell you if there was any sign of them. I am obligated. Yes, I know the law. I am an honorable man. I would call. Yes, I have the number. Yes, I will call you if there is a change in the situation. Yes, sir." He hung up the phone and looked at me. "I hope that answers your question."

I felt like throwing up. "That was him?"

"Yes, he calls every thirty minutes," he replied. "I believe that he thinks something will change, even if the train has not made a stop. The men in charge of our government have no connection with reality. They never have. This behavior does not surprise me."

I was amazed. "You mean that you've known the whole time that I was on this train, and you've not told him? He calls every half hour, and you lie to him every time? Wow."

"The calls began three hours after we left Novosibirsk. He said that there was an incident with a Romanov imposter and a jet that they had tracked to Kazakhstan. I hoped you were the imposter. I have wanted to meet the Romanov legend for a long time. He then went on to explain that He had detained and questioned the man in the plane in Kazakhstan. The man's name is Ravi. He said that Ravi will be incarcerated until the situation here is resolved. I do not know what he meant. I hope that the man, Ravi, is not in danger."

I rubbed my temple. My head hurt. "It's hard to tell with Yuri Kostov. I never know what he means when he talks like that. I know that he wants me dead. I don't know what he means to do to Ravi. I hope that he doesn't hurt him. Ravi helped us escape The President in Novosibirsk."

"Why are you here?" Josef asked. "I heard many years ago that you had no interest in our meager country. I heard that you ran home to your wonderful United States. You had no interest in helping the people with whom you share your heritage."

He'd made me feel uneasy. "It wasn't that I didn't' want to stay. I was young, and I didn't know enough about Russia to rule. I would have been a terrible leader. I was a child. I had a lot of growing up to do. I also had a lot to learn. I have studied your country for years, to better understand Russia. It's in my blood. I love it here. I wish that I could stay without Yuri Kostov trying to kill me."

"I can see that you have grown up," Josef commented. "You still have not taken a stand for Russia. So, what is your excuse now?"

I studied him before I answered that question. I was feeling uneasy around Josef. He challenged me and my logic. He obviously was not the kind of man who believed in excuses. I had an excuse for everything. I knew that it was a bad practice, but I'd never faced conflict dead on. I would rather sweep everything under the rug and wait for it to resolve itself. "I don't know," I finally replied.

"I understand. You have many factors to consider before taking such an important position. Your actions say that you are still uncertain that you can achieve your goal. I think you want to be a Tsar, but you do not believe in yourself."

"That's true," I admitted. "Yuri Kostov scares me. I've had to sneak around and study Russia behind his back in order to learn about my own family. He's intimidating and I am afraid of him."

"Men like him can smell fear like an animal. Learn that. As for studying your family and Russia, you are in the thick of it right now. You must be learning volumes about Russia on this trip."

"You couldn't possibly be more right about that. I have a lot of things to consider after this experience. I see that I have to do something. I know that I have an obligation. I have to go back to Alaska. I have to take Madame Zinkov where she can hopefully stay out of trouble. Then, somehow, I have to come back. What I see here has to change. I know I can't run away anymore. I do have obligations that I have to make arrangements for before I come back."

"You are a young, single woman. What could you have to do before you come to take your place? Why would you have any reason to personally take care of Elizabeth Zinkov? Why is she your responsibility?"

"It's complicated."

"We have hours before the next stop. The only thing that I have to keep me occupied until that time are the calls from President Kostov. I have nothing but ears for your voice."

"Is that the Russian way of saying that you're all ears?" I loved it when other cultures tried to use cutesy American phrases.

"I believe so."

"I live in Alaska. I've been coming across the Bering Sea for years, studying my family, your culture, and many other things. I've been learning about the country so that someday I might rule. I didn't even understand the religion. There are a lot of things that a girl needs to learn before she can take over her own country."

Josef smiled. "I am sure that there are."

"I was doing fine, but then Yuri found out that the ring that I gave him years ago, when I was in the news as an imposter in Moscow, was fake. He went nuts and attacked Elizabeth Zinkov's factory and lab. He used her to get at me. I have to make sure she's okay. I owe her a lot, and Yuri Kostov knows that."

"I do not understand. I cannot understand why you would risk ending a bloodline to rescue Elizabeth Zinkov."

I hesitated. No one in that country knew about my family. They knew that I existed, and I was pretty sure that they all were becoming increasingly aware of my current presence in Siberia, but they didn't know about Peter and Michael.

"I have my reasons. I should probably go back to my compartment."

Josef watched me. "I am sorry if I have offended you, your Highness. I did not mean to pry."

"It's all right. You did nothing wrong. You gave me a haven for a while. I must go. It was lovely meeting you."

There was a knock at the door. Josef opened it. It was Tish. She was holding a phone. It was the phone that I used to call Peter.

Tish handed me the phone. "Your husband would like to talk to you, if you are not too busy with this glorified cabbie." Her slurred speech told me that she was still drunk.

Josef's eyes grew wide. "Your husband?"

"I have to go," I said as I took the phone from Tish and began to walk away.

I heard the voices behind me. It was like a train wreck that I couldn't stop from happening.

"She is married?" Josef asked.

I turned around to shut Tish up, but it was too late.

"Of course she is married. She is married to my grandson, Peter."

I didn't speak. I just watched it happen.

Josef looked at me. "Your highness is married to a Russian? That means you are officially Russian."

I heard Peter calling my name on the phone. "Peter?" I called back.

"Oh, thank God you're all right. You are all over international news."

"Wait, slow down. What are you talking about?" I asked Peter.

"I'm sitting here watching the news. Yuri Kostov has put out a warrant for your arrest. He found your plane in Kazakhstan, and he means to run you down before you make it to the eastern border. He's made no secret of the fact that he's following you right now. He says that it's only a matter of time before he apprehends you and brings you to justice for trying to overthrow his government. He's labeled you an imposter again."

"I'm not trying to overthrow his government!" I screamed.

"I don't think he cares what you're doing. He just wants to stop you."

"I love you. I have to go. I have things to do."

"I love you too."

I ended the call and turned to Josef. "When and where is this thing's next stop?"

"It is express, so Tulun in roughly ten hours."

"Can anyone make this train stop besides you?"

"Not that I am aware of."

"How far past that is Irkutsk?"

"Another 400 kilometers. Seven hours."

"That's too far. Okay, this is what we're going to do. Josef, don't stop in Tulun. We need something closer to Irkutsk."

"We stop in Angarsk," Josef said. "It is an hour to go from Angarsk to Irkutsk."

"Good, eight hours." I stopped and thought. I had no good ideas. Something mediocre would have to do. "Josef, do not stop in Tulun. Continue on to Angarsk. I don't care what happens, do not stop until Angarsk. I have a plan."

"Your Highness, I could lose my job if I do not make the scheduled stops."

"Look, I don't like to act like a Tsarina, but I have no choice. I'm ordering you not to stop until Angarsk. That's all there is to it. I have to make a call. Excuse me." I turned to walk down the passageway.

I heard it behind me. "As you wish, your Highness," Josef said.

The Queen in Exile
Part X

"Find out who you are and be that person. That's what your soul was put on this Earth to be. Find that truth, live that truth and everything else will come."

-Ellen DeGeneres

I walked back to my compartment. What would happen next? That was the question. I couldn't believe that Tish told someone about me and Peter. Thank God she didn't tell him about Michael. No one in Russia should know that. I couldn't fathom what Yuri Kostov's reaction would be. If he knew that there was a Tsarevich in line, he would have his men kill my son after they killed me.

I wanted to take Tish by the throat and choke the life out of her. I had worked way too hard to hide my life and connections to Russia from the government and its President. I didn't want anyone to be in danger because of me. I took a moment and pondered trading Tish for my freedom. Deep down inside I knew that my family would never get over it, but it was really tempting.

I stopped in the passageway to look out the window. The world was gliding by outside of that window. I normally would sit and watch the landscape go by. I would get lost in it as I traveled. One of the things that I loved about Russia was the landscape. Now, all I could think about was how to make the train move faster so that I could make my way to Angarsk, Irkutsk, and ultimately America.

I heard a voice behind me. "There you are. I've been worried sick about you," Tania said.

"I'm sorry," I replied.

"You don't look so good. I hate that look. What happened now?"

Tania hadn't been with me for years, and she still knew me better than just about anyone in the world. Her intuition with me and my moods was amazing. "How do you always know what mood I'm in?"

"Easy. How could you be in a good mood when you're being chased across Russia?"

"Wise ass," I said.

"What happened?" she asked. "I mean, besides Tish getting plastered and passing out in the cabin?"

"It's just like last time. It's a mess."

"Describe the mess."

"Tish told the engineer that I'm married to her grandson, so now everyone he knows will know that."

"Did she tell him about Michael?"

"No. But I talked to Peter. Yuri has put a arrest warrant out for me. If I recall, he offers cash rewards too. He found out that I wasn't on that plane in Kazakhstan. I don't have enough information. I don't know what he's got planned. How can I outrun him, if I don't know his plans?"

"So now what do we do?" Tania asked.

"I'm still thinking. All we have to do is get back to Alaska. While I was in the cab, I spoke to the engineer. He agreed to skip the next stop and wait until we get to Angarsk to stop. I will try to reach Dimi. I hope he can help us get from Angarsk to Irkutsk another way, so that Yuri and his men have a more difficult time tracking us. Dimi, I hope, will be able to help us get out of the country. I have to call him and ask him if he has a plane that we can use."

"Did the engineer say how far it was to Angarsk?"

"Approximately eight hours."

Tania didn't reply right away. She stood and stared out the window for a moment. "You know, if I wasn't being chased by some half crazed Russian Mafioso, I would probably enjoy this view."

I giggled. I turned to look out the window with her. The view was beautiful. We were in wild rolling hills. It was half frozen and half greening up for the spring. Everything was white and green. It looked like a checker board. There were cute little houses along the way. They were log cabins crossed with traditional dachas. I still knew little about the vast Siberia that lay between Novosibirsk and the east coast. I'd always wondered why people voluntarily continued to live in Siberia. Now I realized why.

"It's beautiful, don't you think?" a voice behind me asked.

I turned to see a porter. He had the brooding look of a native Russian. His eyes were dark, as was his hair and somewhat, his skin. His physique was that of a young man, but the lines on his face said otherwise.

"Yes," I replied.

"Josef sent me to see that you were comfortable," he said.

"That was very nice of him," I said.

"Who's Josef?" Tania asked.

"The engineer," I told her.

The young man smiled. "I am Kolya. I am the head Dezhurnaya on this train. Please tell me if there is anything that I can do to make your trip more enjoyable, your Highness."

My throat went dry. He knew too. It was as though I was traveling with a giant sign hanging from a rope around my neck that said, "Tsarina here." Soon everyone in Siberia would know who I was. Sooner or later someone would tell Yuri where I was. Sooner or later someone would find out about Michael and tell Yuri about him too. I was becoming chronically paranoid, but I couldn't keep my son safe enough. He was my only child and heir to the Russian throne. Nothing bad could happen to him. He was the most precious thing in the world to me. The heir to the throne part was just added stress. I would kill to protect my wonderful little boy.

I smiled at Kolya. "Please, don't call me that. I wouldn't want to cause a disturbance on board."

"I understand. You are trying not to attract attention."

"Of course she's trying not to attract attention," Tania scoffed. "She's being chased by the government. She has no idea who might turn her in."

I noticed a change in Kolya's expression. His smile faded

"What my friend means is that there is someone chasing me right now. They mean to arrest me," I explained.

Kolya's eyes grew wide. "The government is trying to apprehend? Do they know that you are on the train?"

"I think so," I replied.

"Not to worry. Siberia is friendly territory. The movement to bring back the monarchy started here. Many people in the East want to disband the government. Many of the people on this train are regular travelers and I know many of them personally. I assure you, this train is a safe place. You must trust me."

Tania and I traded looks. "Do you mean to tell me that Siberians want to oust the President? Geographically speaking, that's over half the country," Tania said.

"I have spent my life here in the East, and I have worked on the trains for nearly a decade. That is my educated opinion, yes."

Tania looked at me. "Stacey, if this guy is right, you really could take over the country. Siberia is the biggest land area in the world. You could be a hero here."

I opened my mouth to reply, but Kolya spoke first. "Many of us in Siberia would be honored to be in your revolutionary army. We would like to return to the days of old. My mother has spoken often of the legends of the Tsars. She told me stories of the ways that the Tsars created our Siberia. They built trains and battled to make us part of Russia. The stories are old, but since the Communists took over in the October Revolution, we have been ignored and used as a place to banish people to. My mother told me many times that there would come a time when a Romanov will appear and make things right. I hope this is that time. I would like to have more than gulags and gangsters in my country. I hope that a time will come when transportation is furthered, and industry flourishes. I would like to have people want to come and see the land that I love on holidays. The current government would never work to make Siberia a place where tourists would come."

My head ached. I rubbed my temples. "What did she mean, make things right?" I asked Kolya.

"That I do not know. I took it to mean that Siberia would become more accessible and modern. A place that people want to visit," he answered.

"What if I were to take over and did what I thought was right? But, what if it was not what the people wanted? How will I know what right is?" I asked him.

"If you are truly a Romanov, then you will figure it out," he told me.

I stared out the window. The sun was starting to fall in the west. I hoped that Tania wouldn't react poorly with her darkness PTSD. We were traveling east and it made the day seem shorter. Nothing drove me over the edge like hearing Tania complain about darkness. I lacked consideration at that point, but trying to figure out how to make things right made me cranky.

I looked at my watch. We still had hours to go. I wondered how long it would take for Yuri Kostov to catch up to the train. He wouldn't stop. He thought I was the last Romanov. He wanted to get rid of me and remove the threat of my family once and for all. He couldn't find out about Michael.

"Could you please excuse us?" I asked Kolya.

He bowed to me and left.

The Queen in Exile
Part XI

"In my life, I am often reminded that there is a destiny that rules over us..."

-Rose Kennedy

I took the phone out of my pocket. I had the number to the airport in Irkutsk and the number for the airport in Anadyr. I called the Irkutsk airport, and Dimi answered on the first ring.

"Irkutsk Tower, Dmitri."

"Dmitri, it's Stacey."

"I have been so worried!" he exclaimed. "You are on all the news reports. The President means to arrest you."

"I'm aware of that," I replied. "I need another favor."

"I would be honored, your Highness," he answered.

"Please don't call me that. I have enough troubles."

"I am sorry."

"It's okay, I'm nervous now that I am a wanted woman again. I had to leave my plane in Novosibirsk. We're on the train. We should be there sometime midday tomorrow. I need a plane. I will be happy to pay you. Can you help me?" There was a pause. "Dimi?"

"Yes, Madame," he answered me. "I was thinking. You will be attempting to fly directly to Alaska from Irkutsk, yes?"

"Yes."

"Few planes that I may be able to get permission to use that will make a trip of that distance. I will do my best."

"Thank you, Dimi."

"What will you do if I fail?"

"I know you can do it. I have faith in you."

I ended the call. I slumped down onto the floor beneath the window. I rubbed my temples. My headache would not go away until I was safely home and away from Yuri Kostov and the whole damn Romanov mess.

"Are you going to be okay?" Tania asked.

"Sure, why not? It's just another day in paradise," I replied. "You know what I don't get?"

"What?"

"I don't get why any Romanov ever wanted to rule this God forsaken place." I looked up at her. "Go on. I want to call Peter. It's private."

"Sure, I'll go check on Tish," she said.

I watched her. I was finally alone. I didn't want to deal with anyone in all of Russia at that moment. I called Peter.

He answered almost immediately. "Stacey, is that you? Are you all right?"

I felt nauseated. "I'm fine, honey. Please, don't worry. I feel bad when you worry."

"You sound as though you want to cry," he said.

I started to feel the tears falling from my cheeks. "How did you know?"

"I always know. I love you. What can I do?"

"Nothing, unless you have a way of getting rid of Yuri Kostov," I answered.

"Take over."

"Stop."

"I know you don't like to hear it, but that's really the only way to stop him."

"I'm not ready."

"I know. Where are you?"

"On my way to Irkutsk. We have seven hours to Angarsk and we're getting off this train. I'm a target here."

"That puts you in the middle of Siberia. How are you going to get the rest of the way home?"

"I'm working on it."

"Some things never change. You do well on the fly."

"True. With any luck, I will be home soon."

"I can't wait to see you, and I know a boy that misses you too."

Michael. My wonderful little boy. I couldn't wait to see him either. "Soon."

I heard a noise. It sounded like a helicopter. I jumped up and wiped the tears from my face. I looked out the window into the twilight. There it was, coming from the west. It was a military helicopter. It was Yuri.

"Don't worry about me," I told Peter. "I'll be home before you know it, getting in your way and keeping you awake with my bad dreams."

"What's going on?" Peter asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"I hear the change in your voice. Something bad just happened."

I saw the helicopter swoop down toward the train. "No."

"What was that noise?"

I pressed my head against the window and tried to see where the helicopter was. I couldn't see it. a few seconds later, I felt the train slowing. "I have to call you back."

"Stacey."

"Do me a favor."

"Anything."

"Call Father Koniff. Tell him to take Michael to his sister's house in Texas."

"Why?"

"Please?"

"Why?"

"Because that noise you heard was a helicopter landing in front of the train. Promise me that you'll tell Father Koniff to take Michael away. Promise me!"

"I promise. I love you."

"I love you too."

I slumped back to the floor as Kolya opened the door to the car. I looked up at him.

"Come with me, your Highness," he said.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

He smiled, which I found odd under the circumstances. "We have to get the rest of your group."

"Are you turning us in to him?"

"Do not be ridiculous. This is an old Soviet train. Many people used this very train to defect during the Communist era. It has many special features. Come with me. Remember, my future depends on you."

"I'm not ready for a thing like that."

"I beg to differ. It is time for you to plan your takeover."

I felt the train come to a full stop. I heard the brakes squeal. "What if I can't?"

"You are the one. You will."

There was a voice on the PA. "We have made an emergency stop. We are going to be inspected by President Yuri Kostov. I need full cooperation. I will need all of your help. Please give the President a Siberian welcome. Thank you."

"He is alerting all of the passengers to help you," Kolya said.

I couldn't feel my legs. "I don't know what to do."

"Come with me. We need you."

I looked up at Kolya. He was smiling. He knew that I had no choice. He knew that the time had come for me to give up fighting it and step into the role that I was born for. It was time for me to begin my path to the throne. Kolya spoke for his people. Whether I liked it or not, I was the one. There was no more denying it.

"Promise that if we help you now, you will come back and take your place," Kolya said.

I took his hand. "I promise."

The Queen in Exile
Part XII

"Soldiers and war heroes are honored and commemorated, explorers are granted immortal fame, martyrs are revered, but how many people look upon women too as soldiers?"

-Anne Frank

I followed Kolya. He guided me to the next car, where Tish and Tania were waiting with Marco. Kolya knocked on the door of the compartment where they were sitting. Tania slid open the door. She looked frightened as did Marco. Tish was waking up from an alcohol induced nap.

"What do we do now?" Tania asked.

Kolya smiled. "Put your things in the storage compartment and follow me."

Tania looked to me for an explanation.

"We don't have time to discuss this," I told her. "We have to trust him."

Tania's eyes grew wide. "I don't have the slightest idea who he is. Why would I trust him?"

Tish pushed Tania aside and walked into the walkway. She looked back over her shoulder at Tania. "Because we don't have a choice, you moron."

It was obvious that Tish wasn't quite sobered up yet. I hoped that she'd regain her composure enough to act accordingly throughout whatever was about to happen. I wished that I had some idea what was going to happen. I'd never hidden on a train. I was blindly following a Dezhurnaya like a bodyguard. I wasn't any more comfortable with that than Tania was.

"Come on guys," I said to Tania and Marco. "Kolya says that he can help us. I say we give him a chance. That is, unless someone has a better idea?"

No one answered.

"Yes, and you will take your place," Kolya reminded me.

I felt as though I was going to vomit.

Tania turned to me. "You what?"

Tish was already walking down the narrow corridor. "Stacey the Great," she muttered. "I do not know that the world is ready for that. It strikes me as Disney goes to Russia."

Tish knew how to get under my skin with minimum words. My first instinct was to punch her in the face. I reminded myself that she was my husband's grandmother. "Shut up old woman!" I snapped. I turned to the others. "Follow Kolya and shut up. We don't have time for this."

Kolya was wearing a walkie talkie. I heard a voice on it. It was the engineer's voice. "Kolya, the President has boarded and is going through the first car. He will be with you in the second car in a matter of minutes."

"Yes sir," Kolya replied into the walkie.

"How many cars until us?" I asked.

"One," he replied. "This way." He gently pushed us in the direction that he wanted us to go.

We followed him to the end of the passageway on that car. We were too scared to discuss what was happening. I wanted the encounter to be over with so that we could all breathe.

Kolya stopped at the end of the car. We could see passengers through the window. It was a passenger car with rows of seats. Most people were reading, or sleeping, or looking out the window. Kolya stopped briefly to look into the car. A little old woman turned and looked at him from the opposite end of the car. She nodded at him. He nodded back. I noticed the interaction. I wondered how many people knew what was happening. I got the impression that everyone on the train knew of a plan and that they were on my side.

Kolya opened up a section of the wall next to where we were standing. I was dumbfounded.

"In here," Kolya ordered us.

Marco stepped inside the wall without question. Tish followed obediently. Tania moaned and stepped through the opening. I waited.

"You will all have to crouch to maneuver under the windows. Once you have all gotten settled in there, you will wait. I will come for you when it is time." He spoke to me. "It has been an honor to serve you, your Highness," he said to me as he gestured for me to walk through the opening in the wall.

"The honor has been mine," I told him.

I saw the door open at the far end of the next car through the window as I began to step inside the wall. I saw Yuri Kostov exiting the car in front of ours.

"Stay as still as you can until I return," Kolya said. "The walls are not as thick as we would like." He replaced the wall panel and we were in the dark, inside the wall of the train.

Neither Tish nor Tania were quiet people, but neither one of them uttered a single syllable or groan during the time that we were inside that wall. It was pitch black in there, like in a cave at night. I had never seen darkness like I experienced in that wall. I felt as though I was hanging in mid air in the middle of outer space and all the stars had burned out. It was the most unsettling feeling that I'd ever had, and that was saying a lot.

No one moved. I wasn't even sure if they were still breathing. Time stood still, and there wasn't a single crack of light. I didn't hear anyone take a breath or move an inch. Time had no meaning in the dark. I had no idea what was going on anywhere or how long we had been waiting.

I heard footsteps go by. I heard doors slide open. I heard doors slide shut. I couldn't tell which was which. I heard silence. I heard voices. Just when it seemed as though I had been in that space forever, I heard the helicopter. I heard a door slide again. I heard footsteps again. The wall opened, and I squinted my eyes to adjust to the light. Kolya was standing in front of me.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Is it over?" I replied.

"I believe so. He has left the train, and his bird is flying away."

We climbed out of the wall. The others were moaning and groaning about cramps and light. I ignored them, because I wanted to find out what had happened while we were in there.

"What happened?" I asked.

"He feels that somehow you either exited the train, or you are still on board and we hid you," Kolya replied.

"What does that mean to me?" I asked.

"I am not certain."

"What the hell do you mean, you are not certain?" Tish snapped. "We need to know what to do, and that information does not give us a clue."

I heard the helicopter. I looked out the window in the passageway to see it headed away from the train and rising into the sky. The helicopter was flying ahead of the train. They were not turning around and going back to Moscow. That couldn't be good.

"I have to go and talk to Josef," I said.

I walked through the next door into the passenger car. Every head turned when I entered. As I walked through, many people stopped to tell me that I had their complete support, that they loved my family, that they had waited for a savior, and many other things that I found disturbing. They were all waiting for me to rescue them. I didn't know if I could do that. I was a Romanov, but I had no idea how to be a real Romanov.

I smiled and greeted people. I told them that I looked forward to being their leader. I told them that I would work hard to make their lives better. I told them that I would be proud to take the throne, even though inside, I was scared to death. I told them everything that they wanted to hear. I'd become a politician. I hated myself for that. I couldn't disappoint them. They were my people. I couldn't let my people down. I had a destiny and an obligation by birth to be their leader.

As I reached the far end of the car and reached for the door to slide it open and go to the engine, I felt a hand touch my wrist. I looked down, and I saw the oldest little woman that I think I had ever seen. She was smiling up at me.

"Hello," I said to her.

Her little wrinkled face smiled up at me with a childlike innocence that I never would have expected in a lady of her advanced age. She was wearing a Babushka, a traditional Russian scarf on her head. It was beautifully decorated with gold threads running through the bright red scarf and flowers covering it. She looked like a princess in that beautiful scarf. "She was in her image too."

I was intrigued. I turned to give her my full attention. "Who?"

"Anastasia," she replied. "We do not speak of it, but the resemblance is awing."

I felt my eyes grow wide. "Who does she resemble?"

"Catherine the Great. It is difficult to see the resemblance from old photos. There were no pictures that did Anastasia justice. It was in her eyes. It is hard to see one's true soul in a picture."

I was doing the math in my head. There was no way that this woman could have seen Anastasia. The only way that could have happened was if Anastasia had lived a lot longer than my research claimed. I crouched down next to the woman.

"What do you mean, 'There were no pictures that did Anastasia justice?'" I asked. "Did you know her?"

She smiled at me again. "I was a young girl when my parents sent me to a convent. Convents were all but illegal under Khrushchev, so it was called a private school. I met her there."

The Queen in Exile
Part XIII

"I regret that I had to leave my country. But I had to do it in order to achieve and decide my own fate. I was forced into it."

-Martina Navratilova

The train started to move. I wanted to go and find out what was going on with Yuri Kostov, but I had to hear what this fascinating woman had to say about Princess Anastasia. I sat down in the empty seat next to her. "I thought she died when she was still very young."

"That was what people were told. She was a nun. She rejected royal life. She had had enough trauma. She wanted to be happy, and that did not mean the royal life to her. After she lost most of her family in the revolution, she walked away from her birthright and obligations, and she served God. She lived to be eighty nine years old. She died of a heart attack. She was my math teacher in primary school."

"I was told that she had died, and that Alexei had lived," I told her.

She smiled at me. "I am Sister Natalya." She held her hand out for me to shake, which I did. "I understand that you are Catherine."

"Yes," I replied. "I'm pleased to meet you."

"Likewise," she said. "Alexei did live. He did have children and defect to America. You are a Romanov. Look at you. You look like them. You look like Catherine. You look like Anastasia. Most people do not think that they look alike, but I think that they are very similar in appearance. It is the eyes. You have them too."

I smiled. "Thank you. I'm still learning. There is so much I don't understand."

"It would take a lifetime to learn everything there is to know about the Romanovs. Russia is a vast country, and Romanov history is everywhere. It is in the fabric of our country, the corners of our minds, and the depths of our souls. You are part of Russia and the Church, whether you like it or not."

"How do you feel about me taking the throne?" I asked her. "It would be nice to have the opinion of the only person that I've ever met who knew a member of my family."

She smiled again. "There were those that thought that Prince Phillip should have taken the throne during the Cold War. I felt that he was not a true Romanov. He was not the child of a Tsar. He was not designated by a Tsar. He was born in Corfu to Duchess Olga. It is different for the Russian people. A direct descendant of a Tsar, or a person appointed by a Tsar is the only true Tsar in our opinion. I am a woman of God, and God ordained the Romanovs as Tsars. Not all Romanovs, but Nicholas II's direct line."

I'd learned that the British Royal Family had Romanov blood. There were some family members in other countries too. Some had tried to lay claim to the title, but it hadn't worked. There were rules to the royal line. I still wasn't sure what all of the rules were. Apparently, the rules led to me.

"Why didn't any of the others pursue the title?" I asked her.

"Fear for their lives after the Revolution I would think. The Romanovs are still controversial. Imagine what it was like after WWII. The Church will only accept a Romanov with the proper pedigree. The Romanovs abroad are not a direct link. They must be accepted by the church, or they may as well be Yuri Kostov. He's just the President."

"Why does the Church have the final say?" I asked her. "Why is the current government regarded as illegitimate?"

Sister Natalya smiled again. "Because Patriarch Sergius II holds the Catherine Papers. We true Russians have our way of life, and it deeply involves the Church. Our way of life was interrupted for decades, by the Soviets. We are a spiritual people. Democracy is a corrupt failure. As spiritual people we are far more comfortable following a Tsar than a General Secretary, or a Premier, or a President."

"Why?"

"Because a Tsar has that one quality that no one else has. You have it. I can see it in your eyes. You are the one."

"What is in my eyes? Why am I the one? What does a true Tsar have?"

"A true Tsar is a unique ruler, unlike any other monarch. They are not like a King or a Queen. They are not like a Sultan or a Sheik. They are not like a President or a Premier. They are a Tsar, and a Tsar is the only ruler in the world that is ordained by God and the Russian Orthodox Church to rule their country and their people."

"Do you really believe that I'm ordained by God to rule Russia?" I asked. "Who determined that? Where did that start?"

"I suppose it started with Vladimir," she replied. "That is the way it has been since the minute he adopted the Orthodox Religion for the Russian people. That is the way it was and the way it will always be. This is Russia. That is our way. I believe that, and so does every other true Russian."

I knew of Vladimir, the Russian Viking. He was the pagan who adopted the Orthodox Religion and created the Russian Orthodox Church. He gave up all but one wife in the name of God and became a Christian. From that time, Russia was Orthodox. It had been over a thousand years.

"Every true Russian. That's a lot of people," I said.

If what she was saying was true, that meant that millions of people would follow me. Millions. I couldn't fathom that, but it seemed real. I stared at her. "Do you believe that the people want me to take over? Do you believe that they want an American to lead them?"

"You just experienced a whole train full of people who would give their lives for it. You may be from America, but your soul is Russian."

"I have to go talk to the engineer," I replied abruptly. I couldn't think about what she was telling me anymore. It was too much for my mind. "Thank you. I can't tell you what it means to me to meet someone who actually met one of my family members. I can't believe that you knew Anastasia."

"She was a wonderful woman. It was too bad that the revolution jaded her so." Sister Natalya held tight to my wrist as I tried to get up. "Wait; there is something that I want to give you." She reached into the large bag that she was carrying. She took out a box and handed it to me. "This is for you. Sister Anastasia gave it to me. I have kept it with me always. It is my most prized possession. I think our meeting is fate."

I took the box from her and opened it. Inside there was a large crest on a large pin. It was beautiful and adorned with jewels. It was the double headed Eagle; the coat of arms of the Romanovs. "Is this what I think it is?"

"It is your family crest," Sister Natalya said. "The princess told me that it came from the days of Peter the Great. It was handed down from generation to generation. Sister Anastasia told me that her father, Nicholas II, gave both she and Alexei one of these pins. She kept it. She said that she did not know why she kept it. She believed that there would never be a time for it again. I think she was wrong. It rightfully belongs to you, so take it."

"I can't. It so much to you."

"I think it will mean more to you. I am an old woman. My time is coming soon. What would become of it then? I have done my part for the history of my country. I want you to have it. I hope that I live long enough to see you be crowned as Tsar."

I took it from her. "Thank you."

"Serve it well. Always do what is best for the people and the country. Be the next Catherine the Great."

I smiled and bid her farewell. I walked through the doors between the cars, looking at the pin. It was another piece of the mystery of my family. I stopped and turned to take another look at Sister Natalya. Her seat was empty. She was gone. Had she ever really been there? Was I losing my mind? I stepped back into the car. I looked all around, but I couldn't see Sister Natalya.

I approached the woman in the next seat. "Where is the woman that was sitting here?"

She looked at me as though she didn't understand. "Your Highness, you were sitting there."

I felt faint. I took a deep breath. Was she real? And if not, where did the pin come from? I headed for the Cab to find out what was new with Yuri Kostov's plans. I wondered briefly about Sister Natalya and the pin that was in my hand. I didn't want to know what had just happened. I chalked it up as another mystery.

I looked at the box, wondering if the pin was real. I looked in the box. The pin was still there. It was a sign. It was a sign that I was at the end of the line. I had to do something. I had to figure out how I was going to take the throne of Russia and take the country away from President Yuri Kostov.

The Queen in Exile
Part XIV

"An institution or reform movement that is not selfish, must originate in the recognition of some evil that is adding to the sum of human suffering, or diminishing the sum of happiness."

_-Clara Barton_

I was in a daze. What to do next? I was confused. What should my next move be? The time had come for me to think about the citizens of Russia. It was time to be selfless and live up to my obligations, but deep down inside, I just wanted to go home.

It was as though I'd walked into the wrong class at school. I was out of place and clueless, yet strangely at home. The country felt like home, but the government felt alien to me. I had no political experience, except for running from Yuri Kostov all over Russia. I couldn't believe that there was a group of people on Earth that would blindly put their faith in the leadership of me, who they knew nothing about except that I was descended from royalty. People should consider more factors when backing a leader and changing an entire country's way of life.

In my heart I wanted to help them, but my brain screamed "No!" I'd watched the news and what the current government had been doing for many years. I'd seen how the corruption had overtaken the good intentions of the post Soviet reformers. I'd seen it all, but I had no idea how to fix it. It could take more than my lifetime to undo the bad and replace it with good. What if I couldn't start, much less finish, reforming Russia? I wished that I had the confidence in myself that the Russian people seemed to have in me. It would be a lot easier to tackle the impossible if I felt that I was capable.

I stared and stared at the pin of my family crest in the box as I walked to the door to the cab. It was a beautiful red and yellow crest with eagles and a shield, and it represented accomplished totalitarian leaders. Who was I kidding? I didn't feel worthy that pin or any other item that identified me as a Romanov. I didn't have the power in me to do what my ancestors had done.

I lightly knocked on the door. Josef answered with a smile. "I see you have survived another close encounter." Josef saw the pin in my hands. "That is beautiful. The Romanov Crest. Where did you get that?"

"Let me guess, everyone in Russia knows the family crest too," I scoffed.

Josef put his chin in his hand and observed me for a moment. "You are getting a bit weary. America, it is an easy country to live in, yes?"

I didn't know what to think about his comment. "I guess I never really thought about it, why?"

"I have seen the news from America on satellite. It seems as though the slightest disruption makes it onto the news in your country. Here, there are many dramas. Not all things are deemed worthy of being broadcast on our news. Tell me, does it keep people from breaking the law? Knowing that the slightest thing that they do will be on the news?"

I giggled. He was right. It didn't take much for events to make the news in the U.S. It was as though everything that went on was considered news. I could understand where he got his view of our attitude about newsworthy events.

"I suppose that from the viewpoint of a person from another country, that would seem logical," I replied.

"Here news is presented carefully. Much of the significant crime is excluded. The government wants us to believe that everything is well and that there are no societal concerns. This ensures that in their so-called elections, the people will re-elect the incumbents. The President controls everything in the media."

"I almost forgot why I came up here. Did you see Yuri Kostov?"

Josef giggled. "Yes. He seemed a bit rattled. For years he has led a charmed life with no worries and no one challenging his authority. This situation is good for him. He needs to feel insecure instead of complacent. Your being here appears to be a good thing for us Russians."

"Do you believe that this experience will change him? Do you believe that I can do something? Are you trying to manipulate me into stepping up and declaring war on him?"

Josef smiled. "Why, your majesty, I would never try to manipulate a lady. That would be improper. Especially in these times when women are fighting back in hordes. Besides, no man can compete with a woman when it comes to manipulation."

"Touché," I replied. "So, when do we get to Angarsk?"

Josef didn't answer me. He looked out the front window of the train at the tracks outside. I didn't know what he was thinking. I knew that passage back to Alaska wasn't going to be easy. I'd seen Yuri Kostov's helicopter fly East. I didn't know what lay ahead for me. I waited for Josef to answer me. I watched out the window to see what he was looking at.

There were mountains ahead. I wasn't sure where we were. There was still snow on the ground. It would probably be there until June. Siberia was cold, and in the summer it was muggy. Spring looked like winter there, and there wasn't much of a Spring. Josef didn't speak to me. I waited. I watched out the window as the train sped through the early stages of dusk. Then I saw it. I saw the first spot on the window. It was starting to snow.

"Please tell me that isn't snow falling out there," I said.

"I wish that I could. We have many obstacles to overcome, your Highness. The storm is only one of them."

"The storm? What do you mean, storm? A snow storm? The last time that I was in a snow storm in Russia, it stopped our train."

"I do not believe that it will be that serious. The report said that it could produce upward to half a meter. That should not slow our travel."

Having lived in Alaska for the last few years, I had gotten used to the idea that nearly two feet of snow didn't mean a big storm in the north, but everything was fighting against us. The storm was just one more nail in my coffin. One more factor in President Kostov's favor as we raced to the Bering Sea.

I tucked thoughts of being stranded in a blizzard away. "You never answered me. When do we arrive in Angarsk?"

"I do not know what to say. I am certain that the President will be waiting in Angarsk, and again in Irkutsk, if I do not stop in Angarsk. He did not challenge me when he was aboard. He believes you to be on this train. He will stop us again. I promise you."

I thought for a moment. "Are there any other stops before Irkutsk besides Angarsk?"

"No."

"Are there any other towns that we could stop in between here and Angarsk?"

"Yes, several. I could stop in Cheremkhovo. It is not a scheduled stop for this train."

"How far is that from Irkutsk?"

"It is hard to say. I do not travel in this area except on this train. I would say 120 kilometers."

"How many miles is that?"

"I believe it is some 75 miles."

"We could drive that far. I wouldn't have to worry about running out of gas or anything like that. I think that might be doable."

"Doable?"

"I mean, I think I can do that."

"There will undoubtedly be difficulties," Josef said.

"Like what?" I asked.

"Why Irkutsk?"

"I have a contact there who can help us."

"The President has many resources. He may wait in Irkutsk. If he knows about your contact, which is quite likely, he will lay siege to the city and wait for you."

"He would block roads and close the airport and train stations?"

"He may. He is desperate to maintain control. He fears that your entering the country after he ordered you exiled is a sign. He fears an overthrow. You came here to rescue family. You show strength of character. It must scare him to death. He has trouble holding onto his power as it is. You are a serious threat to him. With Patriarch Sergius II and the Orthodox Church in support of you, he cannot retain his position without denouncing the documents that make you the legitimate leader. Your existence makes him irrelevant. His only hope is to rid himself of you."

The Queen in Exile
Part XV

"Does anybody think these people were just sitting around drinking tea?"

-Condoleezza Rice

I wanted to cry, because I was scared. I wanted to giggle, because if Yuri got rid of me, my son would be the legitimate ruler. There was always another Romanov.

"I wish him luck," I told Josef. "I come from tough stock. I have to get across the sea to Alaska. After that I can decide what to do about the Motherland and its President."

"Would you like me to stop in Cheremkhovo?" Josef asked.

"What do you think?"

"With all due respect, your Highness, I think that the probability of a roadblock is high. There are very few roads in the area, so blocking them will not be difficult. With the rate of the snowfall outside, I also think that the roads are going to be treacherous. It will not be safe to travel by car."

I looked out the window again into near white out conditions. I considered my options. I turned to Josef as I stood to leave. "Let's prepare to stop in Cheremkhovo, irregardless. I'll think of something. And if you have any ideas, that would be good too."

"As you wish, your Highness. Get some rest. It is still four hours to Cheremkhovo."

"Thank you, Josef. Please send someone if the President comes for another visit."

"As you wish."

I took my box and family pin and returned to the compartment where Tania, Tish, and Marco anxiously awaited me. I didn't want to tell them that things had gotten even more complicated. I didn't want to talk about anything. I just wanted to go home and hug my kid.

"What's going on?" Tania immediately asked.

"Yuri left, but hasn't given up. He's gone east, down the road a bit to wait for the train to stop in Irkutsk or Angarsk or wherever."

Tish was starting to sober up. "That will not be fun."

Tania gestured to the box in my hand. "What's that?"

I handed it to her. "That is a pin with my family crest on it. A little old nun gave it to me. She said that she got it from Anastasia as a little girl."

everyone's jaws dropped. "That cannot be," Tish objected. "How would she have received anything from Anastasia? Your research showed that Anastasia died when she was young. No one from that time would still be alive today."

"She claims that she went to a convent as a child, and that Anastasia was a nun there. She says that Anastasia Romanov lived to the ripe old age of 89."

"That's the craziest thing I ever heard," Tish said.

"I don't know what to tell you," I replied. "All I know is that this little old woman, Sister Natalya, told me that and gave me the pin. I looked away and when I looked back, she'd up and disappeared. I'm really not in the mood now, to try and prove or disprove anything, so why don't you leave it at that?"

"Fine," Tish snapped. "How does this affected your claim to the throne?"

Tania hit Tish in the shoulder. "How do you think it affects it? She told Stacey that Anastasia was a nun. That part of the bloodline ended there, obviously. Besides, Alexei was the boy. By that time in the dynasty, Paul had declared that only men could rule."

"The Catherine Papers must state otherwise," Tish said. "If Tsar Paul's ruling was valid, Yuri Kostov would not be chasing us."

"She has a point," I replied. "I wish I knew what the papers actually said."

"When we reach the states I will contact some people that I know," Tish offered. "I have contacts that should be able to answer these questions."

"Thank you," I replied.

Marco had been silently listening for some time before he spoke. "Irregardless of what Princess Anastasia was doing at a convent or if she was at a convent; we need to decide what to do next. We have the current Tsarina to protect."

"Good point," Tania said. "What do we do next? It sounds like we're trapped."

"Josef is stopping in Cheremkhovo. There is not a scheduled stop in that town, and it's before Angarsk. We need to get to the airport in Irkutsk without getting caught."

"How far is it from Cheremkhovo to Irkutsk?" Tania asked.

"About 75 miles," I replied.

"It is a storm outside," Marco said.

"I guess walking is out of the question," Tania scoffed.

"What do we do?" Marco asked.

"I'm working on it," I replied.

There was a knock at the door. It was Kolya. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Marco was staring out the window. "Yes Kolya. You could find us some method of transport from Cheremkhovo to Irkutsk that is viable in the middle of a blizzard."

Tania hit Marco in the shoulder. "It's not his fault we're in this mess. He's doing everything he can to help."

"Kolya, I'm sorry. We're all a little upset right now," I said. "I'm not sure how to get to the airport in Irkutsk with the President chasing me. Josef, the engineer said that he believes the authorities will be waiting in both Angarsk and Irkutsk at the train stations. Stopping in Cheremkhovo seems to be our only option, and we have no means to get to the airport from there."

"I have a cousin that could help," Kolya offered. "I do not know if he would be willing. He is a known supporter of the current government."

Marco suddenly changed his tune. "Are you joking? You may be able to help us?"

"My cousin, Stepan is famous in these parts. He can get you anywhere you need to go in a snowstorm."

Tish looked puzzled. "Does this Stepan have military vehicles or a snow machine?"

"No," Kolya paused. "He has dogs."

Marco's face lit up. "Are you speaking of Stepan Lebvedev, the musher? Is that your cousin?"

Kolya smiled. "Why yes. You have heard of him?"

I'd heard of him too. He'd competed in the Iditarod every year that I had lived in Alaska. I remembered because there was always a big media stir, since he was the only Russian that competed in the race every year. "Even I've heard of him." I saw Tania gaping at me out of the corner of my eye. I turned to her. "He's in the Iditarod every year."

"That is him!" Kolya exclaimed. "He lives outside of Cheremkhovo."

"Do you think that he would help us get to Irkutsk?" I asked.

"Have you lost your mind?" Tish objected. "It must be Arctic cold out there. Do you have any idea how cold it gets on a dog sled?"

"Do you have any idea what President Kostov wants to do to me, old woman?" I snapped at her. "I think I would like to take my chances on a dog sled right now. I would like to have a chance to get home and see my family."

I didn't realize what I'd said until after the words exited my mouth.

"Family?" Kolya and Marco asked in unison.

Tania tried to come to the rescue. "She's tired. She doesn't know what she's saying."

Tish was being bold now. "Just tell them. They are on your side."

"Shut up, Tish!" I yelled at her.

"Tell us what?" Kolya asked.

I looked back and forth between him and Marco. They deserved to know. They'd stood by us so far. "I have a son."

"I would love to be the one who gets to tell the President that," Marco giggled. "Once he has died of a stroke, there will be no contest left between you."

"We must get you to safety before he finds out about the heir," Kolya said. "He will be twice as upset when he finds out about the Tsarevich."

"What is the child's name?" Marco asked me.

"Michael. He's seven."

"I must call Stepan," said Kolya. "I can convince him to help you. The intrigue alone will interest him."

"Kolya, please don't tell him that I have a son," I begged him. "I worry about Michael's safety as it is."

Kolya smiled at me. "I would never endanger a child, particularly a Tsarevich."

A short time later, Kolya reappeared with news. His cousin, Stepan, the famous musher, was going to take us to the airport in Irkutsk.

I returned to the cab to visit Josef. "How are you?" he asked me.

"I'm good," I replied. "We can stop in Cheremkhovo. "We have a ride."

"Is that so?" he asked. "Are you certain that it is a transport that can make it through 50 centimeters of fresh snow?"

"I think so. How many inches is that?"

"It is close to 19 inches."

I thought for a moment. "I don't know. How deep of snow can a dogsled go through?" I asked.

Josef giggled. "And you do not think that you have what it takes to rule Russia. I doubt that any of your predecessors would have traveled in a snowstorm by dog sled. You are a true folk hero."

The Queen in Exile
Part XVI

"When you come to a roadblock, take a detour."

-Barbara Bush

I thought I was pretty tough after spending a few years in Alaska, but I had no idea what I was getting into by agreeing to take a dogsled on an 75 mile trip in Siberia in March. I thought that I knew what being out in the cold was. I thought that I had experienced the Arctic. I was wrong. The Arctic has nothing on Siberia.

When I stepped off of the train in Cheremkhovo, I felt the full force of the weather in that part of the world. The wind was blowing hard and the local temperature read -9 on my phone. That's about 15 o in Alaska. The thermometer that was mounted outside the train station wasn't even on. None of the people that lived there so much as flinched. It was early in the morning before dawn, and they went on their way, unaffected. I felt like a wimp. It wasn't any colder than it got in Alaska, but there was a chill in the air that wasn't normal to me.

Most of the people that I saw weren't wearing gloves or hats. I wondered how cold it got in the winter. They were essentially dressed for Spring and it was below zero Celsius. I didn't want to know how cold it got in January. I remembered St. Petersburg in January. I wondered how Siberia matched up to that frozen misery.

The wind blew and the snow continued to fall, swirling around my head like a small tornado. I wanted to crawl inside of a sleeping bag and sit down next to a raging fireplace in an already warm room. I wanted to sit in a sauna in my winter parka. There was a chill in Cheremkhovo that I'd never felt anywhere before.

Tania was shivering. She was less accustomed to the weather than I was. Tish was the true Russian. She was old, whether she liked to admit it or not, and yet she stood strong against the elements. She seemed to take the weather as a personal challenge. She wasn't going to let it get to her not matter what. She was the most stubborn woman I had ever known, next to my own grandmother. Maybe it was the generation. People my age were born weak with all the modern conveniences in life. We wouldn't know how to survive in truly harsh conditions. I was learning, but it was hard. All I ever wanted to do was to take the easy way out. That was the way of my generation. I didn't have that option. I had to endure and conquer. It seemed that overcoming obstacles was my only purpose on Earth.

Kolya had exited the train with us. He wanted to be part of history. I didn't know if he was a daredevil, a revolutionary, or a complete nut. I didn't really care, so long as he managed to help me get Tish and Tania back to Alaska.

Marco had nothing to worry about at this point. He was an indiscriminate driver, hired by a band of fugitives. He didn't feel that he had any worries as far as the President and his men were concerned. I wanted him to continue with us for his safety, but he wouldn't. He didn't fear what was waiting down the tracks. He said that he'd ridden a snowmobile once in the winter in Novosibirsk, and that was enough for him. He bid us good luck and farewell. Once I saw the weather, I couldn't blame him. Maybe I should have taken my chances as well.

Kolya stood at the front of the train station, looking up and down the street for his cousin, Stepan. He was unaffected by the weather. He'd lived his entire life in that frozen land. It may as well have been a sunny summer day out there for as little as he seemed noticed the snow and freezing temperatures.

I stayed inside the doors and watched Kolya. I didn't remember what his cousin looked like, so I could not help. I also didn't want anything to do with that weather. Because I was focused largely on the cold, I had already forgotten that I was about to travel 75 miles in it.

Tania was pacing behind me. I could see her reflection passing me repeatedly in the glass doors in front of me. After I saw her pass, jumping up and down, trying to warm herself six or seven times, I turned to her.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

"I may need to have my extremities cut off due to frostbite," she replied. She jumped up and down. "I don't live in Siberia or Alaska. To me this is beyond words. It's like being in a freezer."

"Stop whining," Tish said. "You are such a child. It is cold. Welcome to Siberia. Have you never seen a program on the television or read a book that talks about this land? These are some of the coldest places on Earth. There is a Pole of Cold in Siberia. Cold. That is the way it is, so shut up."

Tania glared at Tish. Tish had always thought that Tania was a weak, spoiled American. Tish generally didn't treat Tania with an ounce of respect. I didn't understand it, and probably never would. The long and short of the situation is that it was cold. I was feeling the same way as Tania was about the weather. I wouldn't admit it in front of Tish.

"If Stacey wasn't my best friend, I would lose you out here old woman," Tania snapped at her.

I couldn't listen to the two of them bicker anymore. "Enough!" I yelled at them both. "Look, Tish is my grandmother in law, and Tania is my best friend. I can't take sides in any of your arguments. Do you understand me? Look, it's fucking cold. We're stuck in some town that I've never heard of. We are going to have to travel in this fucking cold on dogsleds. I'm not any happier than you are.

"Tish, I hate to say this, but if you didn't antagonize the government and President Kostov, you probably wouldn't be here right now. You would probably be in your huge house in Dubna, with a fire in the fireplace, drinking that awful Finnish Brandy that you love so much, watching old John Wayne movies on satellite. I came to help you, so shut up."

Tania smiled and turned to Tish. "Yeah."

I didn't want to go on, but I felt like a babysitter, so I had to. "And you," I said to Tania. "You asked to for this."

Tania didn't say a word. She continued pacing, trying to keep warm.

After what seemed like forever, Kolya came inside the door and announced that Stepan had arrived. We followed him out the doors. The sun was coming up. That was a good sign. There were still some clouds, but the snow had nearly stopped.

Stepan was a large man that reminded me of Grizzly Adams, a character I'd seen on television as a small child. He was broad shouldered and furry. He wore a ski mask rolled up on the top of his head and a parka hood over that. He was burly, large, intimidating, and frankly looked a little scary.

I felt like I had traveled back in time. In front of the station stood four horses, hitched to an old fashioned farm wagon. I hadn't seen anything like it since the last Wild West movie I'd watched on late night TV. The horses weren't the kind that you'd take for a trail ride either. They were gigantic work horses, with huge hairy hooves. The wagon had no top on it. It was open to the elements.

Our adventure was about to begin. Welcome to Siberia.

Stepan smiled and knelt on one knee in front of me. "Your Highness, it is an honor"

I guided him up by his hand the minute he stretched it out to me. "The honor is all mine, but please remember, I don't wish to be recognized. Please don't kneel to me any more, okay?"

"As you wish," he replied.

Tish stopped. "Are you kidding me? I am not riding in that thing!"

I shook Stepan's hand. "Thank you for helping us." I turned to Tish. "Look, old woman, I didn't come this far to hear you bitch. You climb into that wagon and shut up." I turned back to Stepan. "I'm sorry, she has problems when she doesn't get her way."

Stepan turned to Tish. "My apologies, madam. My only motorized vehicle is a small car. It will not travel in this weather. I do not use it most of the year. This is all I have to offer for a group of this size."

Tania jumped in. "I thought that you were going to take us by dog sled."

"We will travel by dog sled. These horses are not for long trips in weather such as this," Stepan told her. "I want to rest the dogs for the long journey ahead. We will have to use multiple sleds and many of my dogs for a trip to Irkutsk."

I thought that one over for a moment. "Are you trying to tell me that we have to learn how to mush?"

Stepan smiled. "Yes. Not to worry. The dogs are trained."

I turned to my entourage. "Well troops, let's load up and go. We don't have time to waste. The President is going to figure out where we are soon."

The Queen in Exile
Part XVII

"I don't think many people consider in their heart that they have two places that are home."

-Nadia Comaneci

Kolya jumped into the back of the wagon. Tania followed him. She found a pile of blankets in the bottom of the wagon and covered herself with them. Tish watched the other two for a moment before she joined them. She and Tania played tug of war with the blankets a little bit, but I didn't get involved.

I couldn't decide whether to climb into the back with the others or ride up front with Stepan. I knew that it would be warmer in the back, but I felt that I owed him a little companionship on the front seat since he'd come all that way to help us. I climbed onto the driver's bench, above the rest of the wagon.

Stepan smiled at me. He went to the back of the wagon and spoke to Kolya for a moment. When he returned, he had a bright purple sleeping bag. It was the mummy style that backpackers used on winter hikes.

"This will keep you warm," Stepan said.

"Thank you." I worked my way into the bag, zipping it up to my waist but no further.

Stepan reached under the seat and produced a pair of ski gloves. "You will need these."

"Thank you," I replied as I slipped them on.

The weather was clearing. The snow had stopped, but the wind was blowing ferociously. I preferred snow to freezing wind, but the visibility was better than in snow. I felt that Stepan had given me the warmest covering because I was royalty. I hoped that the other blankets were warmer than they looked. I was afraid that I would find nothing but popsicle people in the back when we arrived at Stepan's house.

The ride was rough. The roads, or lack thereof, was terrible. Stepan steered the horses right through the center of town. Cheremkhovo was founded along the railway and was a large coal producer at one time. I'd read a little bit about the region. I'd read that it was a large town of around 50,000 people, but it looked desolate when we came through.

"I read that your town used to mine coal, yes?" I asked.

"Yes," he replied.

"It looks like a Soviet town. Has the government continued to support the area?"

Stepan smiled at me. "You know the history well. The Soviets built military supply factories here during the Cold War. They were all over the region. Things are not as industrial as they used to be."

"What kinds of military supplies?" I asked.

"Mostly bombs," Stepan replied.

"What kind of bombs?" I asked.

"Mostly what you Americans would call pound bombs. 1,000 pound bombs and some others. Here we called ours the Father of all Bombs."

"Are they nuclear?"

"No. They are extremely large conventional explosive devices. It was a secret at the time. The Americans believed that we were building aircraft. Bombs or aircraft. It was all for war."

"Did you grow up here?"

"It must seem silly, but yes. It is my home."

"Wouldn't you like to try some warmer weather?"

"If I went somewhere with a warm climate, I would probably swelter in the heat."

"I suppose you might."

"I understand that you live in Alaska. That is not much warmer than here when you travel to its North Slope."

I'd momentarily forgotten that he'd spent a lot of time in Alaska. "I don't go up to the slope in the winter often. I'm shocked at the temperatures here in spring."

"We are having a mild cold snap right now, however, it is quite chilly here for many months in the winter. I did not see the thermometer at the train station. Have they turned it on for spring yet?"

"Is that why it wasn't working?"

"They find that travelers are put off when they see how cold it is. They decided many years ago that the train station was not the ideal place for a public thermometer to be displayed in the winter. They will turn it on when they believe that people will no longer be upset by its readings."

"How cold does it get during the winter here?" I asked.

"Well below zero."

"Celsius?"

"Fahrenheit."

"Damn, that's cold."

"You should see the wind chill factors."

"No thanks." I felt a chill go down my spine.

I watched the countryside go by as we left the city and traveled on what I hoped was a country road. Everything was covered with snow and it was difficult to tell where roads ended and fields began. It was the same way in the winter in Ninilchik. Life in the north.

Stepan was not a conversationalist, so I started to talk again after I couldn't stand the quiet anymore. "So, how many times have you been to Alaska?"

"Nine," he replied.

"What made you get into mushing?"

"Family legacy. Years ago when Russia established a colony in Alaska, my family worked for Mr. Baranov and his fur trading company. My family liked the freedom that the dogsled provides in the dead of winter. It turned from practical to passion over the years. I love it. I love the feel of the wilderness. My ex-wife calls me a Neanderthal."

I sighed. "Wow, that's harsh."

"It hurt me at first, but now I have come to believe that I got the best part of that deal. I much prefer the company of my dogs." He flashed me a big sarcastic smile.

I giggled. "You're all right, Stepan. We're going to get along just fine."

Stepan lived in a nice Dacha in the middle of nowhere. I liked the location. No one would ever find us there. _Maybe we should stay a while_ , I thought. As unrealistic as it was, I wanted to hide instead of face what was ahead of me. I never asked to be a Romanov. The one thing that I'd always hated was that I'd never had a choice about that.

I'd spent a lot of time studying my ancestors and whining about the fact that I didn't want to be one of the family. My husband, Peter had spent a lot of time reminding me that I'd had the opportunity to walk away. I had the chance to give the ring to President Yuri Kostov and end the conflict. I had chosen to give him a fake ring instead. Right then, I chose to fight. Peter was right. After I took the real ring, I was obligated to serve my people. I hated it when my husband was right.

I could tell that Stepan was a bachelor. His dacha had few decorations. It was somewhat tidy, but in no way stylish. Peter would live like that if it weren't for me being around to bring some color to life. I saw no dogs. Despite my life in Alaska, I knew little about life as a musher.

"You have a nice place. Where are your dogs?" I asked.

"Mushing dogs do not like the warm for long periods of time. They spend a great deal of time outdoors."

I went to the window that faced the back of the house. I saw several little huts that reminded me of veal huts in Indiana. "I've seen them in Alaska. Those aren't just for the summer?"

"They like the cold." Stepan came to the window. "If you look closely, you will see that they can enter the barn any time that they wish. They are not fastened to a hut by a chain like the Alaskans do. They each have chosen their own shelter and they like it. When they do not like the weather, they go into the barn. In the winter months, they come in the house more. My ex-wife hated that."

"I see," I commented.

Tania asked Kolya to build a fire for her the minute that she saw the fire place. It warmed up quickly and then she was happy.

"That feels so good," she said. "It's cold out there. I thought Stacey was crazy living in Alaska, but this. This is truly the frontier." She looked at Stepan. "Sorry."

"She's from New York City," I said.

"Boston," Tania corrected me.

"Same thing," I snarked at her with a smile.

Stepan smiled. "I understand. Warm up now. It will be much colder on sleds."

Tish was sitting next to Tania, sharing the heat. She turned and looked at Stepan. "She will go whether she likes it or not."

I looked to Stepan. "They have a thing. It's hard to explain."

Tania furrowed up her brow at Tish. "Don't you worry about me, old woman. If you can take it, I can."

"This should be an interesting voyage," Stepan laughed.

Stepan and Kolya went out to tend to the dogs. Tania, Tish, and I sat in front of the fire. I'd never traveled by dogsled. I had said several times that I'd wanted to try it, but I'd never found the time. I wished that I had. I thought that flying a plane was a skill that would help me in a life and death situation. I thought that because I could fly planes that I was able to save myself and others. Who knew I should have learned to mush too?

The Queen in Exile
Part XVIII

" _A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult."_

– _Melinda Gates_

The kitchen and living room were one and the same in Stepan's house. Though it seemed quite modern and charming, it was primitive. There was no heating system. The stove and the fireplace provided the heat for the entire house. There was electricity, but there were few lights. It was like a camping cabin. This is where we were to spend the night, because we were not mushing to Irkutsk until morning.

I settled in while the men were tending the dogs. There were a lot of dogs outside. I decided to ask Stepan more about his dogs later. I wanted to have some conversation starters to use with him, because he was so quiet. He had no one for company most of the time except his dogs. In a way, I envied him his quiet world.

I thought about the times that I sat in my kitchen and listened to Peter argue with Michael about why he should eat beets while the television was blaring and the dishwasher was running. I would love a little peace and quiet, but at the same time I wanted to be with my family.

"You are sitting so close that you will catch the quilt on fire," Tish snapped at Tania.

Tania didn't respond. I walked across the room, and as I reached the sofa and peered over it, I saw that Tania was sitting on the floor directly in front of the fireplace with the quilt. Tish was lying, bundled in her blanket on the sofa. I didn't see how Tania would catch her quilt on fire. It looked as though Tania was blocking the old woman's heat, and it was ticking Tish off.

"Is there any way that the two of you might quit bickering long enough for us to get to Irkutsk?" I asked.

Both of them turned around and looked at me.

"What are you talking about?" Tish asked.

"Yeah, we're fine. It's just damn cold," Tania said.

"Never mind." I walked over to a chair next to the sofa and flopped into it.

"We're staying the night, right? We aren't going to take off as soon as they take care of the dogs, are we?" Tania asked.

"I understood that we are leaving in the morning, but I suppose we'll do whatever Stepan says," I replied.

"I say we stay here," Tish said. "I do not think that even that evil President could find us. I never would have found it without a guide. I probably could not even find my way back to the train."

"I feel safe here too, but we can't stay forever. I have things to do," I said.

"You are fooling no one," Tish said. "What you should be doing is taking your place on my country's throne. We need to contact the Patriarch, before you change your mind and run away again.

"When I first met you I thought that you had what it took to lead the greatest country in the world. Then, I no longer thought that you had it. You spent years in Alaska in America, where you thought you were a frontier woman, tough and savvy. Now, we are in the outback of Siberia. You are learning what it is like to be in most of Russia. I am concerned that you will back down again. You are constantly preoccupied with impressing people. You need to stand up for what you know is right, if you want to impress Russians. Patriarch Sergius II will make certain that you stand up and take your place, whether you want to or not."

"Wow, that's harsh," Tania commented.

"That is harsh," I snapped. "What makes you think you know everything? What do you know about me? All you know is where I live and that I'm married to your grandson."

"Stacey, I hate to say it, but you know she's right," Tania said. "You tend to wuss out in sticky situations."

I couldn't believe that she was taking Tish's side. "What the hell do you mean by that?"

Tania stood up, quilt in tow, and turned to face me. "Stacey, you're great. You've got balls. Do you think that you have the Spartan sized balls that it takes to run this country? This country covers 11 times zones and over 6,000,000 square miles. There are over 140,000,000 people here. That's a lot. The U.S. has less land. Yuri Kostov is an animal. He's hunting you right now like a wild boar. I have seen no evidence that he has any regard for human life. I believe that it's wrong to see people as less than people, but you have get ruthless like Yuri. You're too nice to be a dictator, and that's what a Tsar is. The only way that you can take over this country is to defeat Yuri Kostov. You need to be ruthless enough to do that."

"What about ruling for the people and not for myself?" I asked her.

Tish sat up in her blanket and turned to me. "That my dear, is for after."

"After what?" I asked her.

"After you kick the shit out of Yuri Kostov and take over," Tish answered.

"What do you want me to do, kill him?" I asked.

"Have you ever heard the phrase for the common good?" Tish asked me.

"Yes," I replied.

"Sometimes people do things that would otherwise be considered heinous, but for the common good they are accepted. Your namesake did that," Tish explained.

I looked at Tania. "She's telling me that I should kill someone. You can't possibly agree with that."

"All is fair in love and war," Tania replied.

"You've both gone mad!" I yelled.

Stepan and Kolya walked in the door to hear me screaming. They looked puzzled.

"When can we leave?" I asked them. "I need to get these two back to America so that I can get on with my life."

Kolya's face fell. "What do you mean; get on with your life? You promised that you would come back and take your place. Did you lie to me? I trusted you."

Tish reached over and put her hand on my arm. I looked down at her to find her looking directly into my eyes. "Remember, for the people," she said.

"I have to get home. I can't do anything until I have delivered this wicked old woman to Alaska. When do we leave?"

"I think that we will be plenty safe here and we should wait until dawn," Stepan said.

***

Daylight couldn't come early enough for me. I no longer cared whether or not I froze to death. I wanted to go home and hug my kid. I knew that I had obligations and responsibilities in Russia, but every time I went there, the President tried to kill me. That did not motivate me. It seemed that the majority of the citizens of Siberia wanted me to take the throne. All things considered, I would have rather worked for Walmart.

I went to the small room that Stepan said I could sleep in and kept to myself for the evening. I had soul searching to do. I had realities to come to terms with. Most of all, I wanted to be left alone.

The only one I wanted to talk to was Peter, but I could not reach him. That made me nervous. I hoped that no one had gotten to him or to Michael.

I was able to reach the tower at Irkutsk. Dimi had gone home, but he'd left a highly trusted friend there to help me. His name was Gavriil, and he sounded young on the phone. He said he would give Dimi my message that we would be there the following day. I told him that we were leaving at dawn and that we were traveling about 75 miles by dogsled. Gavriil seemed skeptical that we would make it in one day. Maybe he mushed too.

The Queen in Exile
Part XIX

"Any woman who does not thoroughly enjoy tramping across the country on a clear frosty morning with a good gun and a pair of dogs does not know how to enjoy life."

-Annie Oakley

The sun woke me up. I enjoyed a little sunshine. It made the world look better. Stepan was cooking up a feast for breakfast when I came downstairs. He smiled at me. Everyone else in the kitchen stared at me. I didn't know what to say. I wasn't proud of hiding in the bedroom the night before. I walked over and took the only empty chair at the kitchen table. Kolya handed me a cup of coffee. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I hated Russian coffee because it had too many grounds in it.

"Are you feeling better?" Tania asked.

I took a sip of the awful Russian bachelor coffee and smiled at Kolya. "Thanks, I needed this. I feel a little better," I said to Tania.

Tish smiled at me. "Sometimes I have to give you some motivation, dear. I hope you do not mind too much."

I wanted to throttle her. "That's okay. I suppose I needed it."

"Are you ready?" Stepan asked. "The dogs are ready. I will harness them to the sleds after we eat. We should be in Usol'Ye before sunset."

"Come again?" I asked.

"Usol'Ye Sibirskoye," Stepan replied.

He sat a plate of high cholesterol fat with eggs and meat in it in front of me. It looked delicious. "Thank you," I said to him. "I thought we were going to Irkutsk."

"That is nearly 130 kilometers. 75 miles or more. They are dogs, not cars. We can only go half that in a day. Usol'Ye Sibirskoye is halfway," Stepan explained. "It is as fast as I can move us. I am sorry, your Highness."

"I understand," I replied. "I must make a call."

"Two days on dogs sleds?" Tania screeched. "I hope there's a fire wherever we stay tonight."

"We have family in Usol'Ye," Kolya said. "Our cousin Yegor, lives in Usol'Ye, and he will host us tonight."

I decided to call Irkutsk after I ate my wonderfully sinful breakfast. There was nothing I could do, so I would enjoy my meal.

Kolya sat down opposite me to eat his plate of fat and eggs. "Are you going to come back?"

Tish reached over and put her hand on mine. "Of course she will. She is a Romanov, whether she likes it or not. She knows that she has a duty to the people of Russia. She will not let you down."

I looked at Tish for a second. I turned to Kolya. "I won't let you down, Kolya."

He smiled and went back to his eggs.

After breakfast, I called Irkutsk and informed Gavriil that we would not arrive for one more day. He didn't seem surprised.

One more day. It seemed like forever.

After breakfast, we bundled up in whatever clothes we could find and went to see Stepan. He was outside with the dogs and sleds, ready to leave. There were three sleds and three teams of dogs. There were five of us. Someone would have to ride solo.

"Do we need three teams?" I asked.

"Yes, the dogs have to remain comfortable a long distance. They could become distressed if they were to pull three people per sled that far."

"You know what to do. It seems that Kolya knows how to do this. Who takes the third sled?" I asked.

Stepan smiled at me. He didn't say a word. He just smiled at me.

"No," I said and started to walk back to the house. "I'm not that crazy. Hell, I'll stay here." I turned around and pointed at him. "I am not capable of manning a dog sled across Siberia. Forget it!"

Stepan grabbed me by the arm and gently guided me back. "You have no other options. You can do this. You must do this in order to get home."

"What about Tish or Tania?"

"They are fine, but you are strong," he said. "I see it. If you can fly a plane, certainly you can guide a bunch of highly trained dogs. You know I am right."

I had no argument. This wasn't Tania's mess or Tish's mess. This was my mess. I had to do it.

Stepan gave me a crash course in mushing while the others waited. I hoped that I wouldn't get myself killed along the way. I wasn't ready to die yet. I certainly wasn't ready to die in some remote area of Siberia. I didn't even know where I was.

"Gee means right, Haw means left, Hike means go, and Whoa means stop. Simple. The dogs know the rest. Follow me and Kolya," Stepan explained. "Don't let go of the sled. Your team will follow the other teams. Stay behind us."

"What about the reins?" I asked.

"Commands, not reins," Stepan said. "They know what to do. You tell them when. They will listen and do."

"Then why are there reins?" I asked.

"So that you do not fall off the sled. Just hold on," Stepan said.

Stepan said that the dogs knew what they were doing. I couldn't argue with that, although I wanted to. Tish climbed on board to ride with Stepan and Tania climbed on to ride with Kolya. I took one last look around and stepped onto my dog sled. I knew that no matter what happened, I would never come back there. I would never be able to find it.

The day didn't go badly. After I fell off the sled a half dozen times, we left. When I hollered Haw, the dogs went left and when I hollered Gee, they went right. After the first hour or so, I felt somewhat comfortable. I watched the sleds in front of me. Everyone seemed to be faring well. I was surprised. The weather was cold, but with the proper outerwear, which we borrowed from Stepan, it was not too bad. The dogs had a great time. Sledding is what they do. It is their job and they seem to love it. I almost forgot all of my problems as we made our way across the frozen countryside in the sunshine of the bitter cold Siberian Spring.

The terrain mellowed slightly as we approached Usol'Ye Sibirskoye. I had Stepan stop outside the town. I wanted to call the airport from outside our next stop, in case I was being monitored. I wanted to make sure that everything at the airport would be in order when I got there the next day. Dimi was there at that time, and he said that he had a plan and not to worry. Tania and Tish were relieved. They were having a pretty good time, but they were ready to get on a plane and off the dog sleds. It was a tiresome mode of travel, and we still had one more day.

After my call, we went on to Yegor's house. When we pulled up at Yegor's dacha outside of town, it was like Stepan's place. They were nearly identical. Was it the bachelor factor or the area's style? I didn't know.

We pulled up on the dog sleds and said, "Whoa." The dogs were well trained. I was not. When I stepped off the sled, I tripped over my own feet and fell into a mushy puddle the size of a lake next to the sled. I was sopping wet from head to toe.

Stepan ran to help me. "Are you all right, your Highness?"

I stood up with his help. "Yes, I think I'm tired."

"It has been a long day," Stepan replied. "Go inside and put on some dry clothes. We will take care of the dogs for the night. Yegor's wife is inside and will help you."

"He's married?" I asked.

"Yes, last month," Stepan replied. "Her name is Annika."

I knocked first and entered when I was told to come in. There was no man inside, but there was a lovely woman with dark brown hair, many layers of clothing on, and a smile on her face.

"You must be Catherine," she said as she came and shook my hand. "My God, you are wet! Come, let us get you dry clothing."

She wasn't Russian. "Thank you, Annika. But please, call me Stacey. I don't go by Catherine."

"Stacey. Call me Annik. I don't go by Annika," she said.

She ducked into a back room and came out with American sweatpants and a sweater.

"This should do the trick," Annik said. "I have some slippers here too, and Alpaca socks. They are so much better than wool."

Annik showed me the bathroom so I could change. When I came out, Tish and Tania had joined her in the main room. I wondered where this woman hailed from in America. I could tell by her accent and word usage that she was from the states.

"How are you, dear?" Tish asked me. "Dry now?"

"Yes," I replied as I joined them and sat down on the sofa.

"Annik is from Alaska," Tania said.

"Really, I was wondering what state you were from," I said to Annik.

"I grew up in Fairbanks, but my parents were from Yakutsk. I met Yegor when he came for the Iditarod with Stepan the first time."

"Been there," I replied. "Married a Russian man, myself. They are hard to resist."

"Yes, they are," Annik replied.

"Thank you for helping us," I said to Annik. "It's been a rough couple of days."

"I've seen you on TV. Rough is an understatement. We're glad to help."

"Tomorrow we will be on our way to Alaska," Tish said. "Then we can relax."

I hoped she was right. "God willing."

The men finished bedding the dogs for the night and feeding them. They came in and we all helped Annik make a great meal. It was a hardy stew and it tasted great on a freezing cold night in Siberia. I grabbed a blanket and laid down on the sofa to sleep. I passed out the minute I shut my eyes. Mushing was exhausting. I had to rest for the next day and the trip to Irkutsk.

The Queen in Exile
Part XX

"Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye."

_-Helen Keller_

Morning came too soon. I woke up cramped from the previous day's activities. I pulled myself up to a sitting position, but it wasn't easy. Tania and Tish had slept in bags in front of the fireplace, but they were gone when I woke. It took me a couple of minutes, but I realized that everyone was in the kitchen.

It was a brief interlude of pleasantness in the middle of my nightmare. I heard pleasing voice tones and laughter. The smell of pork and eggs with awful Russian coffee wafted through the house.

"She's awake," Tania announced. She was stuffing her face with breakfast food at the kitchen table.

"You sound like that surprises you," I replied.

"You passed out last night," Tish said. "I was wondering how long you would sleep."

"It's not late, is it?" I asked.

"No, but we didn't want to wake you. You were exhausted," Tish said.

"My apologies," Stepan said. "It was your first time with a team of dogs. You were most likely rigid. That will make you weary."

"You're probably right. I'll be better today."

"Come, have something to eat," Annik said.

She did not have to ask me twice. I went to the kitchen and pulled up a stool. There were eggs, cured pork, black bread with jam, and a tubular meat that was probably sausage. I piled my plate high and pigged out. It was delicious.

"I have never eaten so much in my life as on this trip," I said. "I'll probably gain a hundred pounds."

"That is the beauty of Siberia," Annik said. "You spent yesterday outside doing hard labor. You need around 5,000 calories a day to live that way in this climate. You won't gain an ounce."

"I don't feel so bad now," I replied. "I don't mean to be rude, but I have to ask. Why do people live here? What do they do?"

"Salt," Yegor said. "There would be no one here if not for salt."

Then it clicked in my brain. I'd read about Usol'Ye. The word meant salt mining place. I remembered. Usol'Ye Sibirskoye had been the country's top producer of table salt. It had also been the location of a gulag.

"I'm sorry. I have read about this place," I said. "And the gulag."

"My family was here before the gulag and we are still here," Yegor said. "We have seen many sides of life."

"Did your family work in the mines?" I asked.

"My family are farmers and my generation assembles heavy machinery and spends our spare time with dogs," Yegor replied.

"And spouses," Annik said.

"At any rate; rather build the equipment for the mine than to work in the mine," Yegor said.

"True." I said. "Did things change around here a lot when the gulags went away?"

Everyone at the table exchanged looks.

"The gulag is still here," Kolya said. "It never went away."

"We were told that the days of the gulags were over," Tania said.

"Welcome to Russia," Annik said. "Dissidents are still exiled. They send them to the land of the Cossacks. Cossacks were white army supporters. They were happy to see the Commies go, but have since been disillusioned by the current bunch. The gulags are more livable these days, but they are still gulags."

I finished my breakfast and took my plate to the sink. "We should get on the road. I need to get to Irkutsk today."

"Stacey," Annik started. "The clothes you were wearing last night were so wet that they didn't dry all the way."

"I don't have anything else to wear."

"I don't have a lot of gear either," Annik replied. "I did find some old clothes that Yegor's dad used to wear mushing. I hope they will be all right. They're warm."

Annik brought me the clothes. They were furs. There were a few different kinds of furs, none of which I could positively identify, that were sewn together to make a coat. There were also a pair of fur pants and big fur boots. They were brown, grey, white, and black. A tribute to hunters everywhere.

"They don't smell," Annik said. "I'm still having my things shipped here. I don't have much available."

"I'll look like a native, I suppose," I said.

"An old native," Yegor commented.

I went to the bedroom and put on the fur gear over my clothes that I had also borrowed from Annik and Yegor. I had to make some adjustments so that the man's clothing didn't fall off of me, but when I got it all together, it was warm. I looked in the mirror that hung on the bedroom door and decided that it was kind of cute in an ancient Inuit kind of way. I put on the matching fur hat and went on my way.

I joined the group in front of the dacha.

"Holy Nanook of the North," Annik said.

"You remind me more of what I know of Catherine the Great every day," Tish said.

"Thank you," I replied. "Let's go. I need to go home."

***

Not far from town, we stopped so that I could call the airport and talk to Dimi. I punched the number marked Irkutsk Tower in my phone. I was thrilled when I heard Dimi's familiar voice.

"Hi Dimi. We'll be there tonight. Is everything ready?"

"Stacey, it is good to hear your voice," Dimi replied. His voice audibly wavered.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"The President and his men were here. He is searching for you. He left here a short while ago. I do not know where he went. He is determined."

"Don't worry; he won't find me. I'm on a dog sled. Is a plane ready?"

"Yes. You and your passenger should be able to fly from here to the coast of Alaska with one stop at the most. It is not luxury accommodations, but it should suffice."

"What are we flying?"

"It is the only plane I have available that could possibly make a trip of that distance quickly. It is an old fighter—a MiG 23 Trainer."

"A MiG?"

"It is a trainer. There will be a seat for you and one for your passenger."

I looked up at the group of people standing around me, waiting for me to talk on my phone. "Dimi, I have two passengers."

"I thought that only you and Mrs. Zinkov remained in your group," Dimi said.

"No, my friend Tania is still with us," I replied.

"Then we have a problem."

Tania slapped me on the shoulder. I looked at her, prepared to yell at her for hitting me. She pointed directly in front of us. I looked and saw the vehicles coming. I couldn't be sure with the wind blowing in my face, but it looked like a government convoy. It was the President and his men.

"We'll talk about it when we get there. I have to go," I told Dimi. I ended the call and stepped back onto the sled.

Stepan leaned over to me. "I think the President coming."

"I think you're right," I replied. "Where can we go?"

"The mine," Stepan said.

"How far?" I asked.

"Not far. Five kilometers," he replied.

I casually readied myself to go. The others did the same. I yelled to them. "If we act like we have no reason to worry about them, maybe they won't think that we're the people they're looking for. They only know about me and Tish. They aren't expecting a group of five."

Tania looked up at me from Kolya's sled. "Do you think that will work?"

I smiled back at her. "I don't know, but it's the only idea I've got."

Stepan nodded and he and Kolya hollered "Hike!" to their dogs. We were on our way. I hoped that we wouldn't be stopped by the oncoming line of cars.

I followed the other two sleds. We boldly rode toward the oncoming cars. We were going directly past them. I looked straight ahead, trying to avoid any kind of eye contact with the cars. We got closer. I felt my heart racing all the way up in my throat. I wanted to pass out, but I had a plane to catch. I had to get there via a salt mine, and I couldn't even fit both Tania and Tish onto the plane, but I had to forge ahead. I didn't know what to do, but I held onto the sled and prayed that the President would think that we were a bunch of locals out with our dogs.

We passed the front car. It was a black, winterized UAZ Patriot. It was definitely the President's entourage. I held my breath. We passed the second car and the third. I looked up at the third. I saw him through the windshield. Yuri Kostov was looking directly at my face.

As I passed Yuri Kostov's car, the first car slid in the snow. The second car ran into it. The car with the President in it ran into the second car. It was a pile up. I looked behind me and saw all the men getting out of the vehicles. We had time.

The sleds in front of me were slowing down. Kolya turned to look at the accident behind us.

"Go!" I yelled.

The dogs ran faster again. Due to the accident we had a little time. I didn't know how bad the accident was, so I knew we couldn't slow down. The sooner I was on a plane of some kind out of there, the better I would feel.

I needed to find something besides a two seated MiG to fly. I needed a plane with one more stinking seat.

The Queen in Exile
Part XXI

"I was no Marie Antoinette. I was not born to nobility, but I had a human right to nobility."

_-Imelda Marcos_

There was no time to waste. We had to get to the airport and on a plane out of Siberia. I didn't have time to make a side trip, but we didn't have a choice. I could not risk being captured by Yuri Kostov. He hadn't recognized me in the fur, but he could stop us to ask if we'd seen anything, and then I would be arrested or worse.

I had a lot on my mind; first of which was my fear that the dogs would get tired before we reached the airport. The fact that the airport was 40 miles away and that Yuri and his men were wandering the area was a bad combination.

I'd looked Yuri Kostov right in the eye, and he didn't realize it was me. I'd almost been caught by him in the middle of nowhere with no witnesses, and that was far too dangerous. He could have killed me and all the people with me. The man was panicking and afraid to lose his power. He wanted to be rid of me once and for all. I was afraid that he would stop at nothing to do that.

I saw a vehicle in the distance. As we got closer, I saw that it was a dump truck. When we stopped at the office of the mine, I realized that the truck was a giant Terex dump truck, and it was coming out of an enormous tunnel in the Earth. It was full of salt.

I followed Yegor into the office. The staff inside knew him. I looked out the one window, which was in the door of the building to see the others pulling the dogs around behind the building.

"I have brought visitors to see the mine," Yegor told a man, sitting behind a desk with a hard hat on.

The man stood. He was tall and dark haired. He had a mustache and a beard. He dressed like a lumber jack with plaid clothes and coveralls. I didn't know what to make of him, until he reached out and shook my hand.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," he said. "I am Kazimir. Would you like a tour?"

"We can do that?" I asked as I shook his hand.

"Yegor, you have brought another American?" Kazimir asked.

Yegor smiled at me. "It is okay."

"I am Catherine Zerbst," I said.

Kazimir smiled. "The Tsar." He bowed. "It is an honor, your Highness."

Another fan. Siberia amazed me more every minute, and the salt mine was no exception. Kazimir suited us up, put air purifying units and hard hats on us and took us into the mine.

We went several levels below ground. We were on a construction style elevator. The subterranean world that opened up before us was unique, but beautiful. The boring machines made circle patterns in the walls of the caverns which together looked like an enormous art canvas. There were colors. There were wavy stripes of rust, gold, red, pink, and many other colors along with the stark white of the salt bands. There was salt everywhere in several forms. Everywhere we went, everything was giant. Every step I took reminded me that I was tiny.

The noise was nearly unbearable in the mine, so we didn't talk much until we had gone back up the elevator and back to the office building. I disrobed of my mine gear and leaned against the edge of a desk.

"Are all mines that big?" I asked Kazimir.

"Most," he replied. "It is impressive, yes?"

"Yes." I answered. "Do you know anything about the times of the gulag?"

"My father worked at it," Kazimir said. "He used to tell me stories about how they had nothing, and Stalin did not care. They wore felt boots and were lucky to eat bread. They slept on wooden bunks with nothing but straw. Many people died, and no one cared. That is what my father told me. I was excited when they went away when I was a child. I cannot believe that they have opened again. The President has many enemies, and the outside world is not watching what happens here."

Everyone looked at me. "Are the conditions the same as before?" I asked.

"The conditions are better, but the sentences are the same," Kazimir said. "They come here to work for free and the company or the government or whomever, makes more money. The workers from the camp tell me that they are being exiled as threats to the President. It is Stalin all over again."

"We must leave to reach Irkutsk by nightfall," Yegor interrupted.

"I have to go," I told Kazimir. "I will be back. I promise."

"I look forward to it," Kazimir said with a smile.

We donned our gear and left on sleds. Nearly 40 miles to go. The sun shined and the terrain was flat in the flood plain of the River Angara. The ride should be simple enough. It looked easier and was less windy than the ride the day before.

"Hike!" I yelled to my dog team. And we were off.

***

Hours later, I looked ahead of my sled and saw the tower at Irkutsk International Airport. We'd made it. I wanted to breathe easy, but a voice in my head told me that we were still in grave danger. There were too many issues, and the first problem we faced was finding another plane or an extra plane and pilot or something to get the three of us home to Alaska. The second problem was that the accident that I witnessed with Yuri Kostov and his men was only a fender bender. They wouldn't be detained for long. The third problem was a dark cloud bank bringing a storm from the west that was already darkening the sky. Nothing was easy in Siberia.

There were no cars around the airport. The parking lots were empty, there were no vehicles in front of the terminal. It looked deserted, but I couldn't see inside the parking structure. The runways looked closed which didn't make me feel any better. It must have been because of the impending storm. I was pretty sure it took one hell of a storm to shut down an airport in Siberia.

I stopped and called the tower. "Dimi, is that you?" I said.

"Stacey, thank God," Dimi replied. "Do not go to the terminal building. Come directly to the tower. No one must see you."

"It looks like there's no one here," I replied.

"There has been a development," Dimi said. "The President means to return soon. We have to get you in the air."

"I'm on it," I replied.

I told the others and we skipped the terminal building to go straight across the empty runways to the air traffic control tower. He met us at the lower door.

"Thank God you made it!" he yelled as he motioned us into the building. "The President was here earlier and said that he is coming back tonight. He met the train this morning. He was very angry and very anxious. I was not certain what to do. The plane is ready to take off. I have fueled it, checked it and de-iced it. I must apologize, but it was the only plane that I could use on such short notice. You needed a fast plane to reach Alaska."

I was listening to Dimi as I pulled off layers of clothing and fur. I reached a comfortable amount of clothes and responded to him. "Thank you. You're a good friend. The problem is that I need to take two passengers with me."

Dimi's face went pale. "There is no possible way to take more than one passenger in a MiG. The pressurized cabin requires a mask. The only way to have even one passenger is to take a trainer. I was lucky to have trainers available to me. They are only at a few of the old military bases. They are obsolete."

"I hate to insist, but we need to do something fast. Yuri Kostov and his men are probably on their way here. I saw them in Usol'Ye Sibirskoye. They had an accident with all of their vehicles, but it was only a fender bender. It was a distraction, but they will come here. What can we do?"

I heard a roaring engine right outside the door. There was no window, so I couldn't see who it was. My heart skipped a beat. I looked at the rest of the group. No one spoke. I felt that the end of this contest had come.

Dimi walked to the door. "I think that it is all right. I called someone to help us with President Kostov."

He opened the door, and sitting outside was an old military personnel carrier, or so it appeared. Its camouflage had been painted over. Now it was used as a news van. I was looking at the broadcast crew that worked for the local affiliate of Russia's Channel 1.

The Queen in Exile
Part XXII

"A lot of people have problems with public confrontation, but it doesn't worry me at all. I can handle myself."

_-Pink_

"You called the media?" I asked.

"I called Channel 1," Dimi replied.

Before I had time to think it over, the four person crew carried film equipment, portable feeds, lighting, and laptops into the tower operations center. They were making a portable TV studio.

"Not bad," Tania said.

"I wish I had thought of it myself," Tish added.

"I hope it works," I said. I turned to Dimi again. "We still need a way to get both of these ladies to Alaska."

"I have one other MiG trainer," Dimi offered. "Do you have someone to fly it?"

I didn't have time to answer before I was accosted by one of the news people. She was blonde and young. I wanted to giggle. She made me think of the song "Dirty Laundry."

"Is it true?" she asked.

"Is what true?" I asked in reply.

"Are you the Tsarina?" she asked with a microphone in her hand.

That was direct. I didn't want to disappoint her. "Yes, I suppose I am. I'll be right with you. I have something I have to settle." I turned back to Dimi. "Do you have anyone around here that can fly that thing? I only need one more seat. There's plenty of room for a pilot to fly it if you have MiG Trainer."

"They are old jets. "These planes are from the graveyard at the old base. I don't know that anyone has experience with them," he answered.

I couldn't go home without both Tania and Tish. I couldn't leave anyone behind. I wouldn't do that. I also couldn't sacrifice myself on their behalf. I was torn and agitated.

Dimi walked away and I was going to follow him, but the blonde grabbed my arm. "Your Highness, is there anything that you would like to say to the people of your country?" She didn't specify which country. I presumed she meant Russia.

I didn't want to upset her, but I was busy. I pulled my arm out of her hand gently. "Look, I am thrilled that you came out here to help me today. I really am. If you could just give me a minute to settle some technical difficulties, I will be happy to answer your questions."

She smiled at me. "Of course, your Highness." Then she said something that surprised me. "Uncle Dmitri, you should fly the people."

Dimi stopped and turned to us. I almost laughed, but I didn't have time. "Uncle Dmitri? Do you know how to fly a MiG?"

Dimi sighed. "I am too old for this shit. I have not flown a single plane of any kind in ten years. My federal license is no good. What if I kill someone? Or myself?"

I wanted to answer, but I was distracted by a ruckus outside the door. It was engines and car doors. It must be the slightly wrecked entourage of President Yuri Kostov.

"What is that?" Dimi's niece, the newswoman asked.

Tish looked at me. "My guess is our friend, the President."

I turned to the little blonde newswoman. "What's your name?"

"I am Irina."

"Nice to meet you, Irina. I'm Stacey." I motioned to the crew. "How long until you can broadcast?"

One of the young men that had been diligently fighting portable broadcasting equipment spoke up. "Now." He pulled out a cell phone and pressed a number. "We are a go here. Cut to us or the Tsaritsa could be in danger."

A red light went on atop the camera. The young man gave me a thumbs up.

Irina flipped the switch on her microphone and turned to the camera. "I am here with Stacey, better known as Catherine Anastasia Zerbst, the Grand Tsarina of all Russia. I have waited for years for an opportunity to interview the Tsarina, and here we are today at the International Airport in Irkutsk." She turned to me. "Stacey, what does it feel like to be back in the country that exiled you seven years ago?"

The door behind her burst open and Yuri Kostov and his men came rushing in. "Arrest her!" Yuri yelled.

Irina looked at the camera man. "Are you getting this?"

He nodded.

Yuri Kostov's men approached me, not noticing that they were on camera. I grinned at them. "Yuri," I said to get his attention. He looked at me and I pointed to the television cameras.

His face went pale. He didn't say a word. He stared at the cameras for what seemed like an eternity.

"People of Mother Russia. I am your faithful servant, your duly elected President. I assure you that this woman is nothing more than a common criminal. She is in this country illegally. She has been involved in high speed car chases, and she has resisted arrest on federal charges of impersonating a Romanov descendant. She is not a Tsarina. There are no direct descendants of Tsar Nicholas II. The family was executed over a hundred years ago. The stories that you have heard are merely myths. This woman is an American who plays on the emotions of a country that believes that a return to the days of old would be preferable to modern democracy. Do not be fooled by this woman and her outrageous claims. She is no one."

Irina turned to me. "Your Highness, do have a reply?"

I smiled at her and at Yuri. "I only have one question for the President. President Kostov, if I am merely an imposter in your country illegally, why won't you let me go home? That is all that I want to do, and you are trying to stop me. Why?"

Irina turned to Yuri Kostov. "Mr. President?"

President Kostov looked at me. I smiled at him. I'd won. "We would like to allow Ms. Zerbst to leave our country. If we can simply check her baggage to make sure that she is not taking anything from our country that she is not entitled to, she can be on her way. Nothing would make me happier."

Irina turned to me. "Is this acceptable?"

"I don't have any luggage," I replied. "All I have is my wallet."

"Ms. Zerbst is aware that the item that worries me is small enough to fit inside of a wallet." He put his hand out to me. "The wallet please."

I felt my heart stop. I looked over my shoulder at the others in my group. "Why don't you figure out what to do about travel?" I glanced at Dimi. "Please help us."

I pulled the wallet out of my coat. Inside of my wallet was a picture of my family and the Ring of the Queen. Tish new that there was no time left. She pushed the others toward the door that lead the outer hangars where the MiGs were waiting.

Dimi nodded to me and left the area with the others.

I handed the wallet to the President. I could feel that there was no blood left in my face. My secret was becoming public.

"Thank you. This will be brief, and then you and your friends can be on your way," Yuri Kostov said.

I stood absolutely still, hoping that he wouldn't see the picture. The ring was already a known issue. Yuri Kostov watched me.

"What is it that you are so afraid of? What secret lies in here? Maybe it is the ring that you so boldly stole from me, yes?" he asked.

I didn't answer. I looked at Irina. "Don't take the cameras off of him."

"Why?" she asked.

"You'll see."

He looked in the money compartment. Then, he looked in the coin pouch. He looked in all of the compartments that might hold an item. They were all empty. I would deal with the missing ring later.

He looked at me. "It is not here."

"Of course it's not," I replied, even though I had no clue where it had gone.

He closed the wallet and started to hand it to me. I put my hand out to receive it, but he pulled it back. "I have come face to face with you before, Ms. Zerbst. I know you are hiding something. That something must be in this wallet."

Irina shot me a look. "Keep the cameras on him," I mouthed the words to her. She motioned to the camera man to keep filming the President. I mouthed more words to her. "Help me, please."

I watched as all the color suddenly drained from President Kostov's face. He looked up at me. Our eyes met and locked. His face changed rapidly from white to red.

"There is a Tsarevich. And he is Russian." he said. "This is what you are hiding?"

"Give me the wallet," I ordered him.

"Where is the child?" he asked, holding the wallet.

"You'll never find him," I replied. "Hell Yuri, you can barely find me."

Irina was listening. She didn't respond immediately, but finally spoke. "Mr. President, if Stacey is a fraud, then why did you call her son a Tsarevich?"

A smile crept across my face. "Yeah Yuri, how is it that I'm a fake, but my son is the real thing?" I turned to Irina. "I think what the President is saying is that even he believes in the Ring of the Queen."

Irina turned to her cameraman. "You are getting all of this, yes?"

He nodded.

Yuri was still red faced. He turned to one of his men. "Arrest her!"

I grabbed my wallet from the President. I looked at Irina. "Help me, please!"

I saw the assistant come out of the shadows. He had something big. It looked like a laptop or big tablet. He took it and started hitting Yuri's men over the head. After, he hit Yuri over the head with it using all of his strength. The men were lying on the floor unconscious. Tough laptop. He looked at me. "Run Tsarina!"

Wallet in hand, I ran away and didn't look back.

The Queen in Exile
Part XXIII

"I think that you're supposed to know when it's time to say goodbye."

-Judge Judy Sheindlin

I ran out the tower door behind the others. The harsh, bitter cold wind hit me in the face, and it hurt. I followed Dimi and the others. Tish ran faster than anyone, which at her age surprised me.

Dimi motioned us to follow him into the hangar which the MiG trainer sat in front of. I was the last one through the small door next to the enormous bay doors. Once inside out of the wind, my eyes could focus again.

Dimi disappeared into a small equipment box. When he came back, he had an armful of Soviet red flight suits. He handed one to me and one to Tish.

"Wear these for the trip," he said. "Put them on quickly. You do not have long before the President finds you."

I took the suit and put it on over my clothes while stripping off my furs. "We have one more problem," I told Dimi.

"I will fly the other MiG. I remember how. I flew them a year ago," he said.

I smiled at him. He was a good man. "Thank you."

Tish donned the flight suit without argument. We were doing the best we could to get her out of her mess. I felt responsible, and I wanted to get her and Tania to safety. Yuri Kostov now knew about Peter and Michael. I would deal with that after I got Tish and Tania to Alaska.

Tania put on her flight suit, and didn't say anything. She smiled at me. I didn't know what she was thinking, but Tania had a tendency to look at a glass and see it half empty. At that moment, I agreed. I could see no good in the situation.

Dimi put on his flight suit and called someone. I didn't know who. He spoke quietly, mysteriously. Since I was becoming chronically paranoid, it upset me.

"What's going on?" I asked him.

"I was checking on the arrangements for the extra jet," he answered.

"Someone is readying a plane as we speak?" I asked.

"Yes," Dimi replied.

"How long will it take? We're running out of time," I snapped.  
"I know your Highness. It will take approximately 40 minutes."

"So much time," I muttered. "There's no way to do this any faster?"

"I wish there was, your Highness. It is an old MiG. It needs lubricant, fuel, and deicing. Without that, it cannot make the trip."

"So we wait."

"No. It is far too dangerous, Tsarina. You cannot risk your life."

Tania finished zipping up her suit. "He's right. This is bigger than all of us now. You have to go."

"I can't leave without you. You came here to help me. It's not right."

Tania smiled at me. "You really are noble, aren't you? You need to go. If they catch you, they'll kill you. If you're dead, then Russia has no hope of ever getting rid of Yuri Kostov. You're the hope that keeps these people going. I'll be fine. Go."

I gave her a big hug. "You are the best friend anyone could ever have."

Then she reached into her pocket and took something out of it. It was the ring. She handed it to me. "I wish I'd thought to take the picture too."

"How did you know that I had the ring?" I asked her. "And how did you find it?"

"I have my ways. I knew you wouldn't leave it behind. Your grandma told you never to let go of it. I only stole it to help you."

I gave her another hug. "I will make sure that you get home safely. No matter what happens here, I will make sure that you come home. Promise."

"I know you will. Maybe the news guys will keep Yuri unconscious for the rest of the day," Tania said, her voice wavering.

"You've turned into quite a brave woman," I told her.

"I learned from the best." She shed a tear. "Go. You have to get back to Alaska and figure out what to do about this guy."

Tish touched my arm. "We have to go. We cannot stay here any longer."

She was right. I hugged everyone quickly, grabbed a helmet from Dimi and headed for the MiG. I wasn't sure that I could fly it.

I threw open the small door and ran to the plane. Tish and I climbed up the ladder to the cockpit. I put the domes down to stop the brutal wind. I looked at the approaching storm. It would strike. Nothing would leave that airport once the storm started. The dark black thick clouds spoke to me. They said, "Something wicked this way comes."

Dimi pulled the ladder off the jet as I closed the domes. We were almost gone. I put on my mask and my helmet. I checked the air pressure in the mask. I told Tish to do the same. I checked communications between Tish and me. I checked that The Ring of The Queen was in my wallet and stuffed it into my pocket. I looked at the control panel in front of me. I'd seen them on flight simulators in Anchorage. I thought I could handle it. I didn't see anything that didn't make at least a little sense to me. I was glad that I could read Russian. There would have been no way that I could have ever flown that plane if I couldn't.

Someone in the tower told me that I was clear for takeoff and which runway to use. I did as I was told. When I got to the end of the designated runway, I heard the voice on the radio again.

"You're clear for takeoff, your Highness," the voice said. "Heading 42 degrees."

"Thank you," I replied.

"The news team is stalling the President, so you are still safe. The other MiG will be ready sooner than anticipated."

"That's great. Thank you for your help."

"We hope to see you again soon, Tsarina," the voice said.

"I will be back. I promise," I replied.

"I am counting on that promise, as are a lot of Russian people."

"I know."

I throttled up the plane, located the afterburners, and headed down the runway. We were on our way home to Alaska. "Hang on Tish!"

"You damn well better know how to fly this contraption!" she yelled back.

"Shut up old woman, or I'll eject you!"

After that, I heard her laughing.

Once in the air, there was no more conversation with the tower. I hoped that was a good thing. I was busy trying to keep up with the plane, and what it was doing. I hadn't even thought about MiGs since I was in Anchorage playing on the flight simulators. It was only a few years, but it seemed like forever. I was scared to push buttons, because I couldn't remember what they did. For all I knew, I would accidentally eject Tish. I couldn't have that. I'd gone to way too much trouble to rescue her.

The altimeter looked good. The horizon was even. The directional was easy to read and easy to set. It had a primitive GPS system that came in handy. The fuel gauges said that the fuel was good. We had a long way to go, and I had no idea where to stop for fuel. We reached our cruising altitude quickly, and all seemed to be going well. I was finally on my way home. I could see the storm lagging behind us. so far, so good.

"Are you conscious back there?" I asked Tish after twenty minutes of silence.

"I will make it," she answered. "It is an amazing aircraft."

"You should see it from here."

"I can see fine from where I am sitting."

"Dimi said that this compartment was for the teacher. He said that a trainer was the only plane that he had that two people could fly in. I have the instructor's seat. I seem to be able to run the whole show from up here, so I guess it's the way it should be. How does it feel to be in the student's seat?"

"It does not feel like we are going over 1400 kilometers per hour. Are you sure that the air speed indicator is correct?" Tish asked

"Welcome to the wonderful world of old fighter jets and probably," I replied.

"How long until we arrive?" Tish asked.

"If I don't push it and waste fuel, it should take three to four hours. I'm flying as straight as possible. I have to fly to Anadyr and refuel somehow. I hope that the others get out of there before Yuri Kostov wakes up and has a fit."

"We can only hope."

The Queen in Exile
Part XXIV

"I've totally embraced it. I like Princess Leia. I like how she was feisty."

_-Carrie Fisher_

Tish sounded frightened. She was, by nature an optimist, and too damn stubborn to think any other way. She was the one that insisted that Peter and I could make our ridiculous situation work. That was seven years ago, but it seemed like yesterday.

"How wonderful!" she'd said the minute that Peter had told her about the baby. "My grandson will be able to have a wonderful life in America, and spend it with the woman of his dreams. It will be a wonderful life."

It wasn't the response I'd expected. "Really? I thought that you would turn me in to Yuri Kostov to get rid of me and the baby." There I stood in my mother's living room in Indiana with her and Peter and my mother, insulting the woman that I needed to be on my side the most.

"Stacey!" my mother yelled at me. "I can't believe that you would be so rude to Mrs. Zinkov. She's a guest." My mother had always stressed etiquette. God rest her soul.

"Sorry Mrs. Zinkov. It's just so damn complicated," I said.

"What is complicated about this?" She turned to Peter. "Do you want to have a family with this woman?"

Peter smiled at me. He'd never cared about complications. "Yes, very much. I have already asked her mother for her hand in marriage, and she has said yes."

"Now we're asking for your permission," I told Tish.

She studied Peter's face. She studied my face. "You will not be able to live in Russia. You will not be able to tell anyone there that you have married and had a child. You will not be able to go there. It is simply too dangerous. There will be another Romanov now. You do fully understand the complexities of this situation, do you not? It would not even be as dangerous if the father was American, but he is Russian. That means the child will be a Russian Royal from birth. Are you ready for that?"

Peter and I looked at each other. "Yes," we said.

"Such love. I cannot imagine a better match spiritually, but the politics of this are staggering. Everything will have to remain a secret for the rest of your lives. Stacey, do you have any inclinations of taking your rightful place on the throne of Russia? There will come a time when you will be pressured to do so."

Tish was always right, and she'd been right about that in spades. I didn't want it to happen, and I didn't want the pressure to be real. I wanted to walk away and live my life with Peter and my then unborn son. I was young and wanted nothing of the obligation that I was facing now. I remember what I'd said as if it were only yesterday.

"No maam. I have no reason to wish to run a country and certainly not Russia. It's broken, and I don't have the slightest idea how to fix it. I don't know that anyone could ever fix it. If I'm not part of the solution, I would merely be part of the problem."

Tish had listened to me and then turned to Peter. "She is a wise woman, particularly for her age. I like her. I always have." She'd looked to my mom. "Shall we plan a wedding?"

That was seven years ago, but it seemed like yesterday. Seven years. So many things had changed. I'd had this fantasy that Peter and I would lead a normal life with Michael. I must have been insane to think that I would marry Peter and have a normal life in Alaska. Forget the planes and the bears; that was normal life to me now. But, how could I have thought for a second that all the issues of the Romanovs and Russia would go away and I would be allowed to raise Michael in peace?

Things were completely out of hand now. I had promised to come back and overthrow a government. How on Earth would I do that? How would I ever get back into the country, provided that I made it home in the first place? I knew way more about Russia, the government, and the people than I did seven years ago, but I still didn't know what I needed to know. I had a lot to learn. I was not ready to lead a country yet. I certainly wasn't ready to lead the biggest country in the world.

I shook my head and focused on the task at hand, which was getting back to Alaska. Flying a MiG wasn't my forte, so it needed my full attention. I looked at the fuel gauges. They seemed fine. I looked at the rest of the instruments. Everything seemed fine. I figured the time and distance. I went over the numbers in my head and they seemed good. There would be enough fuel, and the timeline wasn't bad. It looked like we would make it. My problem was that I hadn't seen or heard anything of Tania and Dimi. I didn't know where they were, and I was starting to worry. Almost an hour had passed, and they weren't anywhere to be seen on the MiG's radar.

I heard a crackle on my headset. I looked at my radar. There was a blip coming up behind us. It appeared to be another MiG. I hoped that it was Dimi and Tania.

"I think I see them," I told Tish.

"Is that the sound that I hear on the speaker?" she replied.

"I think so. I have a blip on the radar. Do you see it?"

"Yes. It is moving very fast."

"They're probably trying to catch up with us. I didn't tell Dimi the route I was taking, so he may be tracking us to catch up."

"Where exactly is our final destination? Anchorage? Nome?"

"I'm not sure. We need somewhere that we can land a fighter jet. That leaves out places like the Aleutians and probably Nome. Realistically, we have to make it to Anchorage."

"Will we have to stop in Siberia?"

"I think so. I don't want to take any chances, so I think we should refuel. If Yuri Kostov wakes up and gets away from that news crew, he's going to be pissed. He will run me down at all costs if that happens."

I looked at the radar screen. The plane was approaching fast. I had an uneasy feeling in my stomach. It was too fast. Tania and Dimi knew that the goal was to make it all the way to America with minimal fuel stops. Dimi would not go that fast. Something was wrong.

"MiG trainer; you are approaching too fast. Proximity is unsafe at that speed." I got nothing in return. "Dimi, is that you? You're coming up awfully fast. You're wasting fuel. We can't fly close at this speed either. I'm not practiced enough in this plane."

There was no answer. The uneasiness got worse. My mind started to fabricate things. I hoped they were all wrong.

"I do not like the silence," Tish said.

"Dimi, do you copy?" I asked again.

No answer.

I heard a ruckus behind me where Tish was seated. "What's going on back there?"

"It's my phone," Tish replied. I heard her talking. "What! Oh dear God!"

"What?" I asked.

I was flustered and nearly lost control of the plane, because I looked back at her. I jerked my head around and steadied the jet.

"Faster!" Tish yelled.

"We need the fuel," I argued.

"Yuri Kostov took the other MiG," she replied.

"That MiG?"

"Yes! That MiG behind us!"

The words were barely out of her mouth when my radar exploded with noise.

"What was that?" Tish screamed.

I looked at the radar screen. "That plane just fired something at us!" I replied, not realizing that the radio mic was on.

"That would be a missile, Imposter," I heard over the radio.

A missile. He was actually trying to kill us. Most of the time Yuri Kostov scared me, but at that moment he made me mad. Maybe I'd reached the end of my rope. Maybe I'd found my courage. Maybe I'd lost my mind. All I knew was that, at a time when I should have been so scared that I wet my pants; I was angry enough to kill President Kostov.

"You better not have harmed a hair on Tania's head, and you better hope that thing takes me out, you son of a bitch! If not, I'll kick your ass!" I yelled at Yuri Kostov. "Hang on, Tish!" I yelled to her as I pushed the button on the afterburners.

The Queen in Exile
Part XXV

"One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying."

-Joan of Arc

"Do not listen to that man, Stacey," Tish said. "He is what Americans call bluffing. The missiles are not armed. The planes were stored. They were disarmed years ago. The worst that can happen is..."

There was a giant thud on the side of the plane. It was a considerable blow, and it nearly knocked me out of control, but it didn't actually damage the jet.

"...that it hits the side of the plane," Tish finished.

"You have been lucky, Imposter," Yuri Kostov said.

"It's not luck, you asshole!" I screamed at him.

"Stacey dear, do not let him upset you so. It does not serve your purpose," Tish interjected.

"Tish, I'm having enough trouble as it is. Something isn't working. I think I'm doing something wrong. I can't figure out how to make the afterburners work," I said.

"You are too upset to think clearly. Take a breath. You can do this," Tish replied.

"Thanks," I snapped.

"I do not mean to criticize you. Combat training is something that you cannot bypass and then adequately handle one on one combat. This is advanced flight," she explained.

"You said that his missiles won't work."

"That is true, but there are other weapons on the plane that may be operable. I need you to trust me for once in our relationship. Can you do that?"

I thought it over for a second. I hadn't trusted Tish much over the years. No matter how much she'd said that she liked me, I'd never believed her. I felt that she would look out for me, because I was married to her grandson and the mother of her great grandson. Over all, I didn't know her well. I didn't know if I could trust her. I was learning quickly that I couldn't handle the plane. Maybe she knew something that could help us. If she knew of an airport where I could find a more suitable plane for me to fly, it would be helpful.

"Okay, do you know something that can help us?"

"I know lots of things. Here is what I want you to do. Do you see the throw switch above the throttle lever?"

I looked around. "You mean the override for the students?"

"Yes."

"What about it?"

"I need you to throw the switch."

She was telling me to throw that switch and put her in charge of a fighter jet.

"What?" I asked.

"You do not have experience with this jet. You are an excellent pilot, but not with this plane. His plane may have armed guns. You must throw that switch and let me fly the plane before Yuri and his pilot figure out how to fire those guns," Tish explained.

"You know how to fly a MiG?" I asked.

"Stacey!" she yelled.

I closed my eyes, reached up with a shaking hand, and threw the switch.

"I have control! Hang on!" Tish yelled.

Instantly, I discovered what it really felt like to fly at 900 miles per hour. My body slammed into the seat as Tish fired the afterburners and took off for parts unknown. I had no idea where she was going. I felt the plane turn with more G-forces than I'd ever felt in my life. I felt my stomach in my throat. I groaned with discomfort and nausea.

"Do not lose it on me now, Stacey," Tish said. "If you vomit, take off your mask. Hang on! I have to get away from them."

My stomach lurched as Tish barrel rolled the plane and started dog fighting with the President's MiG. I had no idea what was going on. I was not in control. I heard something that sounded like tapping and whirring, like gunfire. I wanted to pass out or puke. The jump into supersonic speed threw me, and by the time I realized what was going on, we were headed due north. I didn't know what Tish was doing, but I could see the fuel gauge. It was nearly half empty. We would never make it to Alaska.

"What happened?" I asked Tish.

"I think you blacked out. I lost him for the time. Are you all right?"

"I think so. I didn't puke."

Tish giggled. "That is good. It makes an uncomfortable and pungent ride when you throw up."

"We're definitely not going to make it to Alaska on this fuel now," I told her.

"I know. That is why I have changed our heading. I know a place. They do not like the Russian Government there, so they will not help President Yuri. They will help me. One of my friends manages the airport there."

I tried to absorb what Tish was telling me, but I couldn't get past the fact that she just lost a fighter jet in a dogfight. Now she was taking me to some unknown spot where she had friends that didn't like the government.

"You and I have to talk," I said.

"Agreed. It is time that we know each other better."

"Yes," I said. "Where is this place?"

"Yakutsk. My friend Yana used to manage the airport there."

"Isn't that the diamond capital?"

"The world famous, yes."

"Kingdom of Permafrost, Yakutia Airlines, gulags?"

"Yes."

"Does the fact that you have a friend who manages the airport there have anything to do with how you learned to fly a MiG?"

"Stacey, you do not know everything about me. You think of me as a stodgy old woman who lives off the profits of her dead husband's business."

"That's all I've ever really known about you."

"Do you mean to tell me that you have never once wondered about my illegal art collection, or my memorabilia from Antarctica, or even the monster trucks that I have? None of these things led you to believe that there might be more to me than meets the eye?"

"Tish, I don't want you to take this wrong, but all I've ever known of you is that you are a family woman who doesn't want to lose any more of her family. All I know is the woman who constantly worries about what I'm getting her grandson and great grandson into. You yell at me a lot."

"I do worry about Peter and Michael. Peter had every monetary advantage. He knew what happened to his parents. He knew what was going on in our country. He knew who you were immediately because of the legends. What he does not know is how to handle pressure. I worry about him, and I love him. I wish he was not involved, but he will not hear me. He wants to save the world, not unlike his father."

The tone in Tish's voice was new. Most of the time when she spoke of family matters, I heard mere annoyance. I viewed her as overprotective. I hadn't thought any further than that. This side of her personality was new to me. I wanted to know more.

"You've said many times that Peter is like his father."

"You did not know his father."

"True. Now that I'm watching you fly a MiG, I'm wondering where the apple fell from. I always presumed that your husband was the interesting one, but now I wonder. Maybe you are the adventurer."

"What?"

"Your husband was the computer geek wasn't he? Always in the lab writing programs? You were the rebel that your son took after. You're the one that Peter takes after. Ha! You're the culprit!" I laughed. "You blame me for getting him into trouble, but it's genetic, and it comes from you! Old woman, I've put up with you blaming me for everything for years. It's not my fault, is it? If I hadn't happened along, Peter would have found some other ungodly righteous mess to get into, wouldn't he? He can't help it. It runs in the family."

Check mate. I'd gotten her. None of this was ever her fault according to her. She tried to appear Peter's savior. She'd always blamed everyone from his father and mother to me for corrupting his common sense. It was her bloodline that was causing all the problems. The holier than thou gene belonged to Tish. It was the holier than thou gene that got Zinkov's killed. They were rebels evening the score with the evil gangster government.

"I admit it," she replied after a long pause. "My father was a military pilot, and he used to borrow the planes and teach me to fly. Before I was old enough to drive a car, I knew how to fly a MiG. I got to go to Antarctica to watch father test aircraft."

"You went to Antarctica with your dad? Was it cool?"

"Yes. It is one of my fondest memories of him. He died the following year. Test piloting fighter jets is how I like to remember him."

"Peter never told me that."

"I never told him."

"Why?"

"My father was assassinated by the government as a traitor. They said that he was part of an overthrow attempt."

"Why?"

"He learned of the documents in Danilov Monastery. The very documents that make you the legitimate ruler of my country. The government's dirty little secret."

I'd just learned of the papers. I'd known nothing of the connection between my in laws and those papers. Everything in the world happened for a reason, and a man had died because of me. I had no choice. I was born with only one purpose. I had to be the Tsarina.

"Wow. I had no idea that I was a personal vendetta between you and Yuri. I'm so sorry."

"It is not about you. I have the family gene that makes me strive for truth. I believe in justice and in law. The law says that a direct descendant of Nicholas II is the rightful leader of Russia. I have no personal vendetta with Yuri Kostov. Vendettas get people killed. I cannot speak for The President."

"I had no idea how cool you were, Tish."

"You still have no idea, little one."

I smiled. She was something else. "So, who's Yana?"

"My old roommate from University. We keep in touch, and she uses my products in the airport. We take a yearly trip to Lake Baikal."

"That's cool. I have a lot to learn about you."

"Yes, you do."

My stomach had settled. "You sure know how to fly a MiG. I can't taste bile anymore."

Tish laughed. "I am glad. I have not seen anything of Yuri on radar for a bit, have you?"

"No. Maybe the bastard crashed somewhere."

"We are not so lucky. He must be going to the wrong place. I have an aunt in Vladivostok. Maybe he is going there."

"The President seems to know an awful lot about you."

"I am a threat to national security because of my father and the documents. They monitor me."

"How did he miss my life with Peter and Michael?"

"Yuri Kostov knows what I allow him to know. He is not as smart as he thinks he is. That will be his downfall."

I saw a signal on my radar. "I think I see Yakutsk."

"So it is. Yakutsk Airport, this is Elizabeth Zinkov. I need clearance for landing."

"Tish?" came the voice from the tower. "What the hell is going on?"

"Yana?" Tish asked.

"Yes. I saw you on the news. What did you do?"

"I have a situation. I will explain. Can you clear me for landing?"

"Are you the approaching MiG?" Yana asked.

"Yes."

"You are cleared for landing on runway Niner-Two. I have to hear this."

"Thank you, Yana. Have you had any other MiGs come this way?"

"You are kidding."

"No."

"Tish, you are the first MiG that I have attempted to land here in years. Be careful. It will be rough, because the runway is relatively short. I cannot wait to hear what this is about."

The Queen in Exile
Part XXVI

"I think, if the world can be saved, it will be by women"

_-Vigdís Finnbogadóttir_

Yakutsk was a large city. The arctic in Alaska was dotted with villages. Yakutsk was like Las Vegas. We flew over hundreds of miles of nothing—no houses, no towns—and then a growing field of light in the night. The sun had set, and the glow guided us. Somewhere in the light there was an airport and a woman named Yana.

"You are painfully quiet," Tish said.

"I'm just along for the ride," I replied. "It's your baby now."

"Such strange expressions you Americans have. I find it fascinating how Americans go out of their way to speak in clichés that mean nothing to anyone else. Would it not be easier to say what you mean and be direct?"

I giggled. "I've heard you use a cliché' or two in your time. We're colorful that way. I like it."

"I did not mean to criticize. I simply do not understand. Have you reached anyone that can help us enter American airspace while being chased by renegade Russian Presidents?"

"I was going to call Peter, but I'm waiting for the right time. I thought I would put it off until I see what happens here," I explained.

"Do not take this stop lightly. There are many problems between Sakha and Russia," Tish replied.

"What do you mean, between?" I asked.

"You have studied much about Mother Russia. You did not read about the Far East Federation? You have been to the Far East, yes?"

"Yes, but what's that? Are we going to another country?"

"Yes and no. They have a man who is called a President and a regional government, but Yuri Kostov would never actually allow them to govern themselves autonomously. They wish to be completely independent. They do not like members of the Moscow government meddling in their business."

"Does that make me a good thing or a bad thing?" I asked Tish.

"It is hard to say. I think that they would prefer you to the President. The President is in business with a lot of the undesirables that visit the Yakutsk area and helps them avoid legal problems, if you know what I mean. There are many groups that do illegal business in Yakutsk."

"Oligarchs and gangsters?"

"Some and black marketeers. There is a frontier attitude and a lot of wealth here."

It sounded as though we were about to land in a frozen Port Royal in the pirate days. "Will we be safe?"

"Safer than in Moscow," Tish replied.

"You have a point," I said.

I watched as Tish landed the plane and held on for dear life. It was great to be back on the ground, but she had to circle once to slow down and then we still came in hot, so the landing was rough. I decided that fighter jets were too much for me. I didn't like being strapped in like a NASCAR driver, I didn't like all the G-forces messing with my mind and body, and I didn't like the idea that Tish was flying the plane. It may have been easier for me if I'd continued to fly, but it was a harsh flight, and we had one more to go.

The airport was normal but frozen. I didn't know what to expect having never been to that part of the wild East. It was all about machine guns and Fedoras from what Tish said. What I saw was Russian people trying to keep from freezing on the streets. Yakutsk was known as one of the coldest cities on Earth.

We taxied into the hangar that Yana directed us to. The door closed immediately as the engines stopped. There were four people waiting for us as to climb out of the plane. Yana and three large men stood next to the MiG.

I cautiously climbed down the ladder after Tish. Tish and Yana embraced and giggled like schoolgirls. I didn't know what to think of my grandmother in law anymore. She was full of surprises.

Tish brought Yana to me. "Yana, this is my granddaughter in law, Stacey. Peter's wife."

Yana shook my hand. "Is she the one?" she asked Tish.

"She is the one," Tish replied.

Yana smiled at me. "God bless you child. I am Yana. I have known Tish for many years."

"Tish told me. She said that you met at University. She tells me that the two of you vacation together often," I said.

"That is true. I wish we had time to get acquainted," Yana said to me.

"I wish," Tish said. "You would like Stacey. She is a decent and kind person."

"So I have been told," Yana said. Then she spoke to the men. "Fuel it and de-ice it so that they may be on their way." She turned to Tish. "I received word as you were landing that there is another MiG en route. I think that your secret is out."

"Yuri Kostov," I groaned.

Yana shot me a look, and then turned to Tish. "President Kostov? He is the one chasing you?"  
"This is not my fault. I came to help Tish. The President feels threatened by me. He only has one go to solution, and that is to eliminate me. That man always tries to have me killed or incarcerated. I'm sorry to bring this to your city, Yana."

"She will make a fine and noble leader when she chooses to take the next step," Tish said.

"I do not know. I will keep an open mind. I know a truly noble leader would give true autonomy to Sakha," Yana said. "That is something for you to consider, Tsarina."

"I will." I told Yana. "I do intend to come back."

Yana smiled at me as the hangar doors opened and a huge fuel truck pulled in. Three men climbed out, closed the hangar doors, and refueled the plane. The sub arctic chill ripped right through my flight suit. Spring must come late in Yakutia.

"They treat us like pets," Yana said. "They allow us to have a separate parliament and high officials that are elected by our people, yet our mineral resources are governed by Moscow. Instead of the locals profiting they encourage their oligarch friends to come here and do their illegal business. They took all of our weaponry, so that we could not use it against them, and they placed restrictions on our trade with other countries. They claim that they must have exclusive rights to trade with Sakha before the rest of the world, because we are still a republic. The President is not welcome here."

"Good," Tish replied. "The bastard has been chasing us all over Siberia, because the little one here scares him. He is a twit, and should be removed. Stacey is the legitimate ruler."

"One step at a time," I said to Tish.

"Time is precious, and my people would like to have control of our time," Yana said.

The Queen in Exile
Part XXVII

"I have a pretty good idea of what I am not good at and have it front and centre of my consciousness every minute I am doing it."

-Meryl Streep

Yana was telling me her plight, because she wanted my reaction. I wasn't sure what to say. I felt like I was campaigning. She had put me on the spot, which I was never comfortable with.

"I do not believe that you should be a part of a country that you do not wish to be a part of," I told Yana. "You want to know what I think. I understand that, but I have to process information and not just react. I won't forget. Will you help us?"

Yana smiled. "You are smart." She smiled at Tish. "I see why you like her so much." She turned to me. "I will help you. Tish and I are good friends, however, I would like to know what you think."

"I am as unwilling a leader as you are an unwilling follower," I said. "We will talk. I promise. I would like to see your people happy. That's all I can say for sure right now."

"Promise we will talk, your highness?"

"I don't lie like a politician. I promise."

"I think that the people of Sakha would be happy to do whatever you need us to. We need someone who will listen to us and has our interests at heart. Live up to what you say, and we will support you, but if you turn out to be a liar and a despot like the Soviets or this band of oligarch criminals, then God help you. There is surely a revolution coming. I hope that you fight on the correct side when it comes," Yana said.

"Prepared for flight!" one of the men yelled. They saluted me and then climbed back into the truck and left.

I watched them drive out of the hangar. I was overwhelmed and wanted to go home. I couldn't process any more information about Siberia at that time. Everywhere I went was a learning experience. I was confused and wanted to go somewhere that I could think. The first thing I had to do was think. I had promised many people that I would come back and take over their country. I had to decide if I was capable of overthrowing the government of the largest country in the world.

I also wondered what had become of Tania and all of the people that we'd left behind in Irkutsk. Had they been arrested? Did Yuri Kostov let them go on their way? Were they injured from a battle? I had no information, and Tania was not answering her phone. I had tried several times to call.

Yana shook my hand. "It was a pleasure meeting you, your highness. You can board the plane and ready for takeoff." She hugged Tish. "She is promising. I hope she is worth all of your praise and sacrifices."

"She is," Tish replied.

"Climb aboard." Yana said. "When you leave the hangar, go directly to the same runway that you landed on. The de-icing truck will meet you there to save time. Be safe, my friend. Where are you going?"

"We are not certain," Tish told her. "We will be fine. My granddaughter in law is quite adept in difficult situations."

Yana turned to me. "Take care of my friend."

"I will," I told her. "She's family to me."

"She is one of a kind," Yana said.

"Truer words were never spoken," I replied.

Yana's phone rang. She answered it, but didn't speak. She returned the phone to its holder, and looked at Tish. "That was the tower. The MiG is on final approach. President Kostov announced that he intends to land immediately. You must go now."

I climbed the ladder to the cockpit while Yana spoke to Tish. "The only thing that a little independence does for a republic is give us the right to give the President a bit of a hard time. It will be fun for me, now go."

Tish followed me to the cockpit where she would, once again, be in control of the MiG. I was the passenger, so I called Peter to find out what he had arranged for us and our landing on the other side of the ocean. I was nervous, because I had no control over that. He picked up on the first ring.

"Stacey, where are you? Are you all right? How is Tish? Is she all right? Are you on your way home? What's going on? What is that noise? I can barely hear you." I could tell that Peter was stressed.

"I'm in Yakutsk. I'm fine. Tish is fine. She's all right. Yes, we're on our way home. We ran into a little trouble with Yuri Kostov. We are leaving Yakutsk now."

The dome closed on the plane, and Tish started the engines. She began to taxi out of the hangar and to the runway.

"What's that noise?" Peter asked. "What's going on?"

I didn't have time to explain. I would never be able to talk through a take off in the MiG. "I'll tell you all about it when I get home. I need you to make some arrangements for me. Yuri Kostov is following us. We had to take a MiG, because I had to leave my plane in Novosibirsk. I need you to call Ben Tulagaq in Kotzebue."

"Why?"

"I need a place to land a MiG with Yuri Kostov right on my heels. I think that he might have the space we need to land."

"I think that maybe you need the government. Maybe the United Nations. Kotzebue is nothing but an Indian Reservation."

"I know that. It's perfect."

"I don't get it."

"Can you just do it for me? We have to take off now. I'll call you when I know more. Just call Ben. I love you. I have to go. Bye."

"I love you, Stacey, but..."

I ended the call. I would explain to him later about the idea of using a reservation as a no man's land.

The MiG taxied to the end of the runway. The de-icing truck sprayed the plane quickly. We were ready for takeoff. I looked up and saw a spot of light in the clear night sky. It was President Kostov.

"Where would you like me to take you?" Tish asked.

"We're going to Kotzebue," I answered.

"Where?"

"Plot a course for Nome, Alaska. 48o 3115 kilometers. Change heading over the Bering Strait. At least three hours."

Yana reached the tower and was on the radio. "You are clear for takeoff. Be safe, my friends," she said.

"Thank you, Yana," Tish said.

"Thank you, very much," I said.

"You are welcome. Now, go. Be like the wind and break the sound barrier. Do not land until Alaska. The spot of light in the sky is the other MiG. They are circling and then coming in for a landing. Now, Go!"

I felt my stomach come back into my throat as Tish slammed the throttle to full and we took off as though we had been leaving an aircraft carrier. We shot into the air at nearly full speed. It happened so quickly that I barely had time to comprehend everything that had happened.

We left the runway as the other plane was positioning to land. They were trying to use the same runway to land as we were to take off, because it was the only one long enough to accommodate fighter jets. Tish rolled the jet toward the oncoming fighter. I screamed, and could see the outlines of the two people in the other MiG as we nearly collided with them. We barely missed them. I watched as they managed to land the plane. We were banking at an outrageous grade, and I hoped that soon Tish would level it off a little.

"Woo hoo!" Tish exclaimed behind me. "That was awesome! I hope that asshole shit his pants!"

Sometimes I didn't know about that woman.

The Queen in Exile
Part XXVIII

"There are no signposts in the sky to show a man has passed that way before. There are no channels marked. The flier breaks each second into new uncharted seas."

-Anne Morrow Lindbergh

It seemed like forever that we were flying after we left Yakutsk. It was a sea of black at this time, being the middle of the night over Eastern Siberia. I didn't know a lot about MiGs but I was certain that we had to stop for fuel. I waited and watched the radar until I saw Anadyr come up.

"Stacey dear, the GPS is old, but it is still a long way to Nome, yes? Will we make it without refueling?" Tish asked.

I called the Anadyr Tower as she spoke. "I'm working on that. We have to land for fuel one more time. I've never flown around in a MiG, but even with the modifications to the tanks of this bird, it won't make it to Nome."

"I believe that if Yuri Kostov does not manage to find us again, we should have no problems. I hope he does not land where we are landing again," Tish replied.

I hoped that Yuri Kostov wouldn't fly our path, but he was like an angry dog with a bone. He was not going to give up without one hell of a fight, and Anadyr was the next logical stop for fuel. The phone rang at Ugolny Tower.

"Hello, is Leonid there?" I said. The battery was low, and it was difficult to hear over the engines of a MiG.

"Leo is off for a few days," the voice on the other end said.

I wanted to cry. "Who is this?"

"This is Anatoly Shalamov, who is this?" he replied.

"Look, I don't know if you've heard of me or not, but I'm Stacey Godunov."

"That does not sound familiar," Anatoly said.

"Leo has never mentioned me?"

"No, and I cannot see any evidence of a flight plan landing here for you today."

"I'm the Tsarina. I'm the one that you're probably watching on the news as we speak. I need to get fuel before I cross the strait, and you're the only place I know out here to land."

There was a long pause. "You are her?"

"Yes. Can I land?"

"But of course, your Highness. I had no idea. What is it that you will be landing today, and when will you arrive?"

"I'm in a MiG 23 Trainer. We don't need much. We just need fuel. We'll be there in 20 minutes."

"Tsarina, I am sorry. You cannot land a MiG here."

"It's virtually unarmed."

"It is not that. The runway is not long enough to accommodate such an aircraft. You would probably skid into the river."

"I've been chased across Siberia by Yuri Kostov. He's trying to kill me and I need to get to Alaska."

"Tsarina, I will contact you in a couple of minutes. There is a chance that you may be able to land at an old military base near here."

"Thank you." I ended the call. "Tish, how are you doing?"

"I am loving every minute of it," she replied. "I miss streaking through the sky like a comet. It brings back a lot of old memories."

"I hope we make it home."

"You asked about Leo. Will he be there?" Tish asked.

"No. He's off and we're dealing with Anatoly," I replied.

"I see. Who is Anatoly? Do you know him?"

"No. I hope he can help. He says that their runway is too short for us to land. He is calling a military base nearby."

"What they need is a hook, like on an aircraft carrier. With a good hook, you can land one of these almost anywhere."

"Yeah, well they don't have a hook."

"That is a shame."

The phone rang. "Hello?" I said.

"Hello, is this Stacey?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"This is Yana. I wanted you to know that the President is on his way to Vladivostok."

"Vladivostok. Why on Earth would he be headed there?"

"I told him that was where you were stopping next," Yana replied.

"You're awesome!" I screeched.

"Have a safe trip. Keep your eyes open. He could still track you down before you hop that ocean," Yana warned.

"I know." I ended the call. "Yana said she sent Yuri Kostov to Vladivostok. That should give us a little time."

"That is good. Now our only problem is that we are nearly out of fuel," Tish said.

"It should have another 200 miles by my calculations," I replied.

"It is using fuel faster than it should. We need to land," Tish said.

"How long do we have?"

"I am not sure. We are approaching Anadyr, so we need to land. We are flying on fumes," Tish insisted.

I wanted to scream. We'd finally bought a little time with Yuri. We were so close to home that I could almost see it on the horizon. I couldn't believe that we were failing at this point, because of fuel.

"Attention MiG Trainer," said a strange voice on the radio.

"Go ahead," I replied.

"I am coming up on your flank."

"What now?" I said.

"There is another plane on the radar," Tish said. "A really big one."

We were suddenly in the shadow of something much bigger than us. I had no idea what was happening. The enormous nose of a plane hovered above us. It was the size of a full size passenger jet.

"This is not a highway," I snapped into the mike. "You can't just put on your blinker and drive by. This is dangerous."

"I could go away, Tsarina."

"Tish, I don't like this," I said.

Tish didn't reply right away. The plane was pulling ahead. "Oh, my God!" she yelled.

"What?" I asked.

"Soldier, who sent you?" Tish asked on the radio.

"Anatoly at Ugolny Airport," he answered.

"What's going on here?" I yelled at Tish.

"That plane is an American KC-135. It is a refueling plane."

"Slide in behind me," the voice on the radio said.

I saw the underbelly of the plane. Tish did as she was told and pulled up underneath and slightly behind the plane. Then I saw a pipe come out of the plane.

"Tish!" I screamed.

"Just a minute, Stacey. This is tricky, and it has been many years."

"Many years for what?"

"Refueling a plane in flight," she replied.

The pipe reached our plane and connected with a huge thud and click. I couldn't believe it. I wished that Anatoly had told me, but it was quick and seemed easy. I took a deep breath. It worked.

"I almost had a heart attack," I growled.

"MiG trainer, Ugolny Tower, do you read?" the radio asked.

"Is that you, Anatoly?" I asked.

"Yes, Tsarina. I sent a military tanker jet to refuel you, so that you can make the rest of your journey."

The tanker finished our fuel transfer and pulled away. Tish dropped down a little and took off again. We were headed East and home.

I tried not to laugh. Tish did laugh.

"Thanks Anatoly. I owe you one," I said.

"MiG trainer, we are headed back to our base. Safe travels."

"Thank you," I replied.

"Tsarina, are you there?" Anatoly asked.

"Yes."

"I received word that the President visited Vladivostok and is now en route to Alaska."

"Do you have an ETA?"

"His ETA puts him only 30 minutes behind you. Fly like the wind."

"Thank you Anatoly!" I replied.

"I hope we meet some day, Tsarina."

"Me too," I replied to Anatoly. "Punch it Tish," I said after I hung up the mike.

"Yee Ha!" she shouted as she turned on the afterburners.

The coast of Alaska came up underneath us 90 minutes later. I called Peter. He answered on the first ring.

"You had better be ready to land," was the first thing he said.

"I love you too," I replied.

"I love you, but you are late. Ben and the tribe are waiting for you."

"We had to stop and fuel up. Where are we supposed to land? We need a lot of room."

"You have the Arctic. I will have them light the flares they put out for you. Pass over Nome, due east. You should see a makeshift runway there."

"Okay."

"Stay on the phone. I need to have you on the line since there's no tower out here for instructions."

"That sounds a little complicated, and the battery is about dead," 0% battery. We were on our own. "Tish, fly past Nome and look for flares. The tribe has made us a runway."

"Tsarina, I have been looking all over for you." It was Yuri Kostov on the radio.

"He must be the other fighter jet on the radar," Tish said.

"You think?" I grabbed the mike. "Yuri, you're not in Russia anymore."

"I know that. The President of the United States is a friend of mine. He will not mind that I need to make an emergency landing here."

"Yuri, I'm only going to say this one time. We are going to land on a sheet of ice on tundra. You have no idea what you're getting into. Turn around and go home. It's over."

"I will take my chances," Yuri Kostov insisted.

"I see flares! Going down!" Tish yelled.

I looked down at the flares on the ice below us. The Inuits had made a runway for us on their land in Kotzebue, Alaska. Ben, was a great friend. I was thrilled. We needed a politically safe place to land and a Native America Reservation fit that bill.

Tish took a nose dive with the plane, leveling it out a few hundred feet above the ground. She barely slowed down as she approached for landing.

"Hang on! This is going to be interesting!" Tish shouted.

"Where are you going?" Yuri Kostov asked on the radio.

"I told you, you stupid bastard, we're landing on a sheet of ice," I replied.

"There had better be room for us to land behind you," he said.

"Has he gone completely mad?" Tish asked me.

I smiled. Yuri, had no idea that it was a reservation.

"I hope so," I answered. I spoke to the President. "You're on my turf now, you asshole. Come on down and play."

The Queen in Exile
Part XXIX

"The thing women must do to rise to power is to redefine their femininity. Once, power was considered a masculine attribute. In fact, power has no sex."

-Katharine Graham

"Stacey, crash position!" Tish shouted. "This is no way to land a MiG."

"Why don't we eject?" I asked.

"Been there," she replied. "I will land."

I figured she knew what she was talking about, and I didn't, so I grabbed whatever I could and held on for dear life. I saw Ben's recording of the landing later and wished I'd never looked.

Tish touched the plane to the ice, and it went out of control. It spun on the ice. When I saw the recording later, I was shocked. The plane did a 540o spin and then fishtailed until far beyond the flares, where it finally came to a stop. It was almost two miles before it came to a stop. Nothing exploded and we didn't roll over. The tires blew, a wing came off and some other damage, but we were unharmed. We were able to open the dome and exit the plane.

I wanted to throw up, but I didn't have time. The moment we stopped, I heard the radio.

"Imposter, I am directly behind you," Yuri Kostov said.

"Tish, get out before he kills us!" I screamed.

Tish and I scrambled for the ground via the one in tact wing. The other MiG came toward us. Tish and I ran sideways off the makeshift runway. We ran as far as we could from the landing area and the President's plane. No matter how far it was, it wouldn't be far enough for me, because we had no idea where the other plane might slide to. The ice was completely unpredictable.

Hopefully out of the path, I stopped for a second and watched the approaching jet. It hit the ground at the beginning of the makeshift runway. It spun as we had. It then fishtailed until it crashed right into our MiG. There was no explosion. The two jets joined into one and continued to slide across the massive sheet of ice. A few hundred feet later, the two planes stopped.

"Are you all right?" I asked Tish, who was watching next to me.

"I have got to stop running around with you," she replied. "You are nothing but trouble." Then she started to laugh. "Who am I kidding? I would probably have died of boredom if you were not around to keep my heart pumping and my brain aching. With any luck that jerk broke his leg."

I reached over and gave her a big hug as we watched from our spot where we stood in deep snow. "It's never boring."

Tish and I stared at the planes. "Now what do we do?" she asked me.

"We go home to Ninilchik. This is tribal property. The President of Russia has no power here."

"Really?" Tish asked.

"Yes." I saw headlights from an SUV approaching us. "Good. Our ride is here."

Ben jumped out of the SUV and ran to me. "Stacey, are you all right? What the hell is going on?"

"Ben, it's good to see you. Sorry about the mess. This is Elizabeth Zinkov, Peter's grandmother. Tish, this is Ben. He's the chief here."

Tish shook Ben's hand. "You are an Indian chief?"

Ben giggled. "I am President of the local tribal council. That's the new name. Indian Chief is a rather outdated term. Welcome to our land."

"Thank you," she replied.

Ben turned to me. "Now, would you care to explain the other MiG?"

"That's President Yuri Kostov," I replied.

"The President of Russia? Stacey, do you have any idea what kind of a mess you've made?"

"I can handle it, Ben. Yuri Kostov is my mess, not yours. I know what I'm doing. Relax."

Ben made a call. "Jim, we need another car out here for the President of Russia."

"Come again?" the voice on the other end answered.

"You heard me. Step on it. I just hope no one is hurt. We'll meet you back at the hall." He turned to me and Tish. "Ladies, let's go someplace warmer to sort this out."

Ben drove us to the tribal hall in the village. We passed the other SUV as it went to get Yuri Kostov. Ben didn't say anything until we were inside the hall where it was warm.

There was a big fire awaiting us in the tribal hall. Tish and I went to the fireplace and took off our flight suits. They were more uncomfortable than anything I'd ever worn before. Ben went to the kitchen and returned with hot tea.

"Thanks, Ben," I said some tea.

He handed a cup to Tish and she thanked him.

He turned to me. "Now, would you like to tell me what the hell is going on? What am I going to say to the President of Russia when he gets here?"

"I had to go to Russia and get Tish. Her business and her house were burned down, because Yuri Kostov found out about the ring."

"What ring?" Ben asked. "You mean your ring? The one we never talk about in public?"

"Yes. He thought I gave it to him years ago, and he just found out that I gave him a copy. Tish is part of this, and she was in danger. I had to get her out of there."

"Okay, I get that. But why is he chasing you in a MiG in Alaska?"

"I went to Novosibirsk to get Tish, and Yuri went nuts. He started chasing me. We had to leave the Lear Jet behind. We traveled on trains and by dogsled, running from him. I thought I lost him when we borrowed the MiG, but he got one too and followed us. He won't stop. He's crazy."

Ben stared at me for a moment. "So, what would you like me to do with him?"

"Shoot him," Tish snarked.

"Tish," I scolded her. I turned back to Ben. "I don't know. Find a way to send him home."

"Do you think he'll go for that?"

"Does he have a choice? He's in this country illegally. There are no government officials here to help him. A quick ride home would save him a public nightmare. He might go for it."

"Fine, but how do we get him home?"

"Do you have a helicopter?"

"Yes. But we need to fly all the way to Russia."

"We could call Jissika. She could fly something to Nome and we could make arrangements to discreetly fly him home."

"If he cooperates."

The door opened and Jim walked in followed by Yuri Kostov and his pilot. He stormed directly to me.

"Have you lost your mind?" Yuri Kostov yelled. "You nearly killed us all!" He turned to Jim. "Call the embassy! This woman is a menace, illegally traveling in my country and posing as royalty. I want her extradited to Russia for prosecution."

I'd had enough. Lack of sleep, exposure to the elements, fright, angst, and hormones didn't help, but I'd just had enough. I sat my tea cup on the mantle of the fireplace and walked over to Yuri. I raised my hand and I touched him on the shoulder. Then I pushed him down on the chair that he was standing in front of.

"Look, I've had about all I can take of you," I snapped. "Sure, I was in your damn country without permission, but what do you think you're doing here? You don't have a passport on you. You haven't been through customs or security. And you need to go through security. I would love to see what TSA would do to you. We're even. I can make arrangements for a discreet return to your country. That's my offer. Take it or leave it."

"Little girl, what makes you think that you make the rules here? I am friends with your President. If I call him, you will pay for what you have done."

"Whatever, you don't get it. You aren't in America. You are on the Kotzebue Reservation. The laws you are referring to are respected at the will of the tribe. You are on private property where many American laws are not enforced. The people who live here are governed by their own council. That is why I came here. Ben is a friend of mine. I have friends here. Go home so that you can avoid further embarrassment."

Yuri stared at me. Then he looked at Ben. "Is this true?"

The Queen in Exile
Part XXX

"When fear rushed in, I learned how to hear my heart racing but refused to allow my feelings to sway me. That resilience came from my family. It flowed through our bloodline."

-Coretta Scott King

Ben sighed. "We are largely self governing here. The government all but forgets about us, like you with Siberia. We take care of our own. I would like to help you quietly return to Russia. If the tabloids get wind of this, you will end up all over them. The National Enquirer is sold in Russia. That could be very embarrassing."

Yuri was quiet for several moments. He drank the tea that Jim had given him and stared at the fire. He was fuming at the latest information. He could have shot me and ended it there. There were no police there that would burst in at the moment and stop him. We were disconnected from most of the world at that moment.

Finally, Yuri spoke. "What kind of arrangements are you talking about?"

"I have people in Anchorage," I told him. "I can helicopter you to Anchorage, and I can make arrangements to fly you home from there. It will all be with personal friends, so it will remain quiet."

"Fine," Yuri answered. "Now, the ring."

"You can't have the ring," I told him. "The ring is mine."

"I am not leaving without the ring."

"Then you can live right here on this tribal land. The ring is mine and we have been over this. I am not giving you my ring. I got it from my grandmother and I am going to keep it. Deal with it," I explained to him.

"You have no idea what kind of power that ring holds. You have no right to the ring, and you have no business running my country," Yuri Kostov replied.

"I'm not the novice that I used to be," I told him. "You have no idea who you're dealing with. I found out about the documents that Patriarch Sergius II holds. I know why you want that ring so bad. I hold the ring. I am the legitimate leader of your country. You will have to learn to deal with that. I may come and take over. I may not. Take the deal for the flight home. You can't win. I tried to tell you that before you crashed those planes out there."

I didn't want to hear his reply. I didn't care what he had to say. I turned around to leave.

"Little girl, you know not what you deal with," Yuri Kostov said.

I turned back. "I disagree."

"I am calling the Patriarch," Tish announced. "Something is not correct."

"That is wise," Yuri said.

"What's the secret?" I demanded.

"I thought you said that you knew everything," Yuri snarked.

I looked to Tish. "Did you reach him? What are we missing?"

Tish held up a finger to me while she listened on her phone. The conversation lasted quite some time before she ended the call. She stood and stared at me, silent.

"What?" I asked her.

Tish looked at Yuri and back at me. I saw him smile.

"He is a Romanov," Tish said. "There is a stipulation that the legitimate ruler must be a Romanov, and be born in Russia."

Yuri approached me and got right up in my face. "You, imposter, were not born in Russia."

"How?" I asked them.

"Alexander II," Yuri said. "I descend from his second son's illegitimate son. There is no rule about marriage or adherence to the church. It is blood and it is within the rules of the ancient doctrine. Patriarch Sergius II has been searching all over Russia for proof that you were born in my country, but there is none. You were born in America. You are not the legitimate leader, and I am. Now, the ring."

"Never. You are ruling. You don't need my ring," I snapped.

I turned to leave the room. I'd heard enough.

"Stacey, wait," Ben said.

"What?"

"Let me take you to the house. Marilyn has set up the guest house for you and Mrs. Zinkov. We'll sort all of this out in the morning," Ben said.

Ben was right. I couldn't think anymore. "Thanks." I turned to Tish. "Let's get some sleep."

"That is all?" Yuri Kostov asked.

I looked to Ben. "If you could find them somewhere to sleep, that would be great." I looked to Yuri. "It's late. There's nothing we can do now. I will get you a ride in the morning. This is not the place to settle this."

"It will be settled," the President said.

"I know it will," I replied.

We went to get some much needed sleep at Ben's place. His wife, Marilyn was the mothering type and she'd prepared wonderful accommodations for us. Soft beds in a quiet guesthouse. It was just what we needed.

Yuri and his pilot spent the night at Jim's house. Jim deserved a prize for that. I wouldn't want to have the great Yuri Kostov as a houseguest.

It's funny how it seems that sleep only lasts a moment. I laid my head down and the next thing I knew it was morning. It was still dark, but the sun would soon be coming up for its month and a half of summer light. I never tire of the endless light of summer in the Arctic.

I hoped that Yuri Kostov would go home. He was illegally in the United States, even if he was on a reservation. He was going to do something. I didn't know what. I was pretty sure that he was going to try to prosecute me as an imposter and for being in Russia illegally. I didn't know what else he might do. He still wanted my ring. Who he was didn't change the fact that The Ring of the Queen belonged to me.

Tish and I dressed in the clothes that Marilyn had washed for us. We had breakfast with Marilyn and Ben before returning to the tribal hall to meet with Yuri Kostov. Soon Jim called to say that Yuri was ready and that they were on their way to the hall.

We arrived at the tribal hall shortly after. I entered the hall and saw Yuri Kostov sitting at a conference table. He had a stoic poker face. I couldn't get a read on what he might be bringing to this meeting.

"Good morning, Yuri," I said as I approached him.

"Good morning, imposter," he replied.

We sat at the conference table. Jim brought tea. It was like the United Nations or a Geneva Conference holding a semi formal meeting on international relations.

_Don't do anything stupid,_ I thought.

"The long and the short of this talk is that the President has decided to quietly return to his country," Jim announced.

"I think that is wise," Ben agreed.

"I'm glad that you decided to do this," I told Yuri.

"I do not see any other alternative," he replied. "We must schedule a formal hearing to determine the consequences of your actions. I would like you to consider letting me take that ring with me. It is the property of the Russian leader. That is officially me."

"I can't do that. It's mine. It is still a family heirloom and at this point means nothing to you or the Russian people."

"I disagree," He replied. "It is a part of Russian history. However, I am willing to accept that you wish to keep it as a gift from your grandmother. You must agree not to try to use it as a symbol of power. We have discussed this matter, and it is no longer a ring of power, because you were not born in Russia."

"Agreed," I said.

"James has informed me that arrangements have been made for my return home," Yuri announced. "I will be in touch, Mrs. Godunov."

I shot him a look of shock.

"Did you actually believe that you could marry Peter Godunov and have a son without my knowledge?" Yuri asked. "I am the President of the largest country in the world."

"You knew?" I asked. "You knew all along?"

That was all he said. He got up and left the hall, with his pilot and Jim close behind.

***

Jissika came in a Piper Aerostar 700 to pick us up and take us to Anchorage where we would go our separate ways. Yuri Kostov and his pilot would discreetly board a Lear Jet for a private flight to Anadyr and Tish and I could go home to Ninilchik.

I called Peter and told him that there was no point in hiding, because Yuri knew all about us. I didn't want to talk much. I told Peter that I would explain the rest when we got home. Peter said that he would make arrangements to bring Michael home and would see me soon.

Ben and Jim bid us all farewell and we settled in for a quiet flight. Yuri Kostov didn't seem to have anything to say, which made me nervous. Tish didn't want to talk, which made me even more nervous.

We reached Anchorage and Jissika, who had been silent on the flight as well, taxied into the hangar that we used to store our planes for Natural Views Flightseeing. We were almost home. It was almost over and I had accomplished the main objective which was to get Tish out of Russia.

I walked with the strangely silent Yuri Kostov and his pilot to the stairs of the Lear Jet that would fly them home. Jissika had volunteered for the flight and had already begun the pre flight check.

"This is where we part company," I said to Yuri.

"Yes, until we meet again," He replied.

"I don't know that I want to meet with you again. Maybe I'll just stay home," I snarked.

"You cannot do that. We have unfinished business," Yuri said.

I felt my heart skip a beat and my stomach flutter. "What unfinished business?"

"Have you forgotten your friend?" Yuri asked.

_Tania_.

"She's not on her way home?" I asked.

"She is in my country illegally," he replied.

"That's because of me," I countered. "What do you want? What did you do with her?"

"You know what I want. I want the ring," he said.

"It means nothing at this point!" I yelled. "I thought we agreed. It was a gift from my grandma. You can't have it."

"Then she will stay where she is," Yuri said.

"Where is that?"

"You cannot find her, even if I tell you where she is. No one is found there. It is the most lost place on Earth."

"What did you do to her? Where is she?" I asked.

"A tiny village in the Kolyma Region," He replied.

The Queen in Exile
Part XXXI

"By the time a person has achieved years adequate for choosing a direction, the die is cast and the moment has long since passed which determined the future."

-Zelda Fitzgerald

President Yuri Kostov returned to Russia. I hated that man. He'd trumped all of my cards by imprisoning Tania somewhere in Kolyma. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen a salt mine and been told by the locals about the prison that reopened Usol'Ye Sibirskoye. Modern gulags were part of Yuri Kostov's grand design. Could I allow this man to rule? I hadn't heard a word from Tania. If there was any way that she could contact me she would. That was a bad sign. Kolyma was a big region. I had no idea where to look for her. I didn't even know where to start.

I talked to a lot of people in all kinds of departments, but no one believed me about the prison camps. The INS, the NSA, the CIA, the FBI, Interpol, Homeland Security—they all said the same thing. There were no prisoners being held gulags in Kolyma. They assured me that, while the area had its sociological problems, there were no prisoners or slaves trapped there.

I couldn't go look for Tania. If Yuri Kostov caught me in his country again, there was no telling what he might do. If I ended up there with Tania, we would both be screwed. He was scared of the power my name had in his country with the people. He would crucify me, if I went over there to look for Tania. To even consider it, I would have to know where she was so I could be in and out of Russia quickly. No one could help me. I talked to everyone that I'd ever met, and so did Tish and Peter. We couldn't find out any conclusive information on Tania's whereabouts in Kolyma.

Steve Zemecki tried his contacts, and he also had no luck. Steve chastised me for leaving her there. I explained that there was nothing else we could do at the time to no avail. Steve said that there was never an excuse to leave someone behind. I'd always known that Steve was in love with Tania. They might have been able to work things out if they weren't both completely bull headed. The one thing that they never agreed on was where to live. I was happy that Peter and I had managed to work that out.

Ben and the folks at Kotzebue cleaned up the plane wreckage we left on their reservation. I tried to offer money for their services, but they didn't accept it. They decided to make a sculpture out of the mangled planes and keep it as a museum piece. They said that the legend of that night would boost tourism in the area.

Ben's friends and family tried to help me by contacting people in Siberia that they knew. No one knew the current standing of the Kolyma Region. The region was detached from the outside world, and information was virtually impossible to verify. I was at wits end after only a few days. Yuri Kostov had opened Kolyma as a prison camp area again. And who would stop him? He was the closest thing that anyone had seen to a Tsar in Russia since most of my ancestors were executed.

I called Howard Van Zandt and asked for his help. I went against my better judgment and told him exactly what had happened. I asked him to be discreet in the matter. It was a last resort. I didn't know any other way to get help for Tania.

I kept in touch with everyone who was trying to help me, but I did go to Texas where Michael was staying with Father Koniff. I hated being away, because I felt neglectful of my son. I constantly had to protect him. Even though Yuri said that he knew all about him, I wanted to keep him out of the public eye. I worried what all of the political nonsense would do to Michael and his childhood. I thought that maybe I should give the ring to Yuri Kostov, and let the Russian people deal with it.

I couldn't let it go, however. I had been through too much, I'd seen too much, and I had learned too much from the people. My grandmother would spin in her grave if I walked away. Many people in Russia asked me to come, and it seemed as though there were more asking all the time. I knew Yuri Kostov was an asshole, so I couldn't turn my back and walk away. I wished that I had a job from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday, with all the regular holidays off, but that wasn't in the cards for me. I was stuck with the challenge of a lifetime, and that challenge was a birthright. I hoped that Tania would forgive me. I hoped that she was alive.

The minute Michael saw me, his face lit up. "Momma!" he screeched as he ran to me and attacked me with a huge hug. "Momma! Momma!"

I wanted to cry. I loved my son. "Hi, sweetie!" I screeched back. "You get bigger every time I see you."

"Did you bring Gramma?" he asked.

"She's in Alaska. I promise you will get to see her soon."

"I miss her. I miss daddy too."

"Daddy will be here in a couple of days. He's busy with work right now."

"He knows something is wrong, but he doesn't know what," Father Koniff whispered in my ear.

I nudged the good father in the ribs. He smiled gently at me and went to the kitchen to get us a snack while I played with my son. We played tickle machine and soon Michael was rolling on the floor laughing. This went on for several minutes, and then he rolled over on his back and looked up at me with the most serious expression that I'd probably ever seen on his face.

"Momma, why am I here? Is daddy sick?" he asked.

"No, daddy's fine."

"I know that something's wrong."

"Honey, I want to tell you about everything, but I'm not sure that I even understand it. I do have some very big problems that I have to take care of. Your daddy and grandma are helping me. Soon it will all be over and we can go home to Alaska. I can't say anymore than that, because I don't know any more."

Michael stared into my eyes. He knew that I would never lie to him, but he didn't understand. He was smart and intuitive, and he loved his family. That I understood.

"Momma, are you going to go away?" Michael asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Are you going away and never coming back?"

"No, that would never happen. I never want to be away from you or daddy or even grandma. If I have to go away, it will only be for a little while. When I get back, I mean to stay with you until way after you get sick and tired of having me around. I will never leave you. I love you more than anything in the whole wide world."

Michael sat on my lap and threw his arms around my neck. "I love you, Momma. I love you, I love you, I love you."

The visit for me was exhilarating and heartbreaking. Something bad was going to happen. I didn't know what. I was confused. I was scared for Tania. I was scared for my family. I was scared for me. It was time to summon all the courage I could and go to Washington D.C. I had to find someone who would listen to me. I needed help. I couldn't deal with President Yuri Kostov by myself anymore. All I had was a ring. Yuri Kostov had my best friend, and I had to find her and get her back to the United States. Yuri Kostov could never have the ring. He would become a tyrant the likes of Stalin or Hitler if he had the power that the ring would grant him. I had to find a way to keep The Ring of the Queen and arrange Tania's release from prison in Kolyma.

The Queen in Exile
Part XXXII

"Women have to harness their power - it's absolutely true. It's just learning not to take the first no. And if you can't go straight ahead, you go around the corner."

-Cher

Washington D.C. is a beautiful city, but hot in late summer. It was nearly six months later that we managed to get a meeting with a group of people and attorneys to discuss the issue of Tania being held hostage in Siberia. I drove past the hordes of tourists at the famous monuments and over to C Street to the State Department Building with Peter and Tish in tow.

The family consensus was that I should give President Yuri Kostov the Ring of the Queen and walk away. I refused. I couldn't let that man become more of a tyrant than he already was by legitimizing him. I also didn't think that Tania would appreciate being a prisoner in Russia for nearly two months for nothing.

When we arrived, every person we encountered in the parking garage, security, and reception; new who we were. They had obviously prepared for this meeting. Senator, Howard Van Zandt had assembled the meeting and was reportedly going to be present that day, along with State Department representatives. That was all that we knew about beforehand.

We were escorted into a room that resembled a large classroom. There were tables arranged in a square and chairs all around the outside that were filled with people. Lots of people. I felt vulnerable immediately. I saw Howard Van Zandt on the far side of the tables.

"Stacey, Peter, Elizabeth. Please join us," Howard said.

We sat down in the three vacant seats.

"Everyone, this is Elizabeth Zinkov, Peter and Catherine Godunov. Catherine answers to Stacey," Howard announced to all in the room.

Howard spent the next several minutes introducing us to the many people in the room. The Secretary of State, Julia Rossberg was present. The Russian Ambassador from the United States, Richard Stanton and the American Ambassador from Russia, Vasily Chernyaev were present. The list and the introductions went on. The Undersecretary of Political Affairs, the Assistant Secretary from the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, a representative from the Administrative Appeals Office of the INS. There was a representative from Homeland Security and a Military Liaison from the Pentagon, representatives from the CIA, the NSA, and the FBI. On top of all that, every department present, had an attorney. There were men and women, young and old. It was an impressive lineup.

"Stacey, I think that you should tell the story," Howard said after all the introductions were finished. "You know more about this situation than anyone else."

I talked for 30 minutes, but it seemed like forever. I explained the Ring of the Queen, how I'd discovered my family lineage and the legend of the ring. I described my interactions with President Yuri Kostov. I told them about my sneaking in and out of Siberia to do research. I hit the high points of the latest debacle that had landed Tania in a prison camp somewhere in Siberia. I told them about the chase, the ring, and about Yuri Kostov landing in a MiG in America during the incident.

"As you can see, it's complicated," I finished. "This is why I need help from all of you."

"What is it that you are asking us?" Julia Rossberg asked me.

"I need help to retrieve Tania Turin from Siberia," I replied. "She's been held hostage there for almost six months."

"I see," Julia said. She looked to Howard Van Zandt. "If you would escort them to the lounge, Howard. We will begin our discussion on the matter." She turned to me again. "Please, relax in the lounge while we discuss this."

We did as we were told. The lounge was nice with a bar, snacks, other drinks, and comfortable furniture.

"What do you think?" I asked Tish. "You've had more experience with government people than I have."

"I think you are, as you say, screwed," she replied. "I wish I could be more optimistic, but this situation is a diplomatic nightmare."

I knew she was right. I had to think of something for when the meeting went bad and was adjourned with no answer. It gave me something to do while we waited. Peter didn't say much. He was trying to be supportive, so he kept his mouth shut.

It seemed like an eternity before Howard came to take us back to the meeting room. He didn't say anything. When we entered the room, every person looked at us with a solemn expression. I could tell by the looks that I was not going to like what they had to say. We took our seats.

"I want to clarify a few details before we continue," Secretary Julia Rossberg said.

"Yes, maam."

"You said that you have been entering and leaving Siberia on an intermittent basis for several years, correct?"

"Yes."

"Did you have any kind of official clearance or permission to enter and exit that part of Russia on any of those occasions, and did you carry your passport with you on the trips?"

"No, maam."

"Did you attempt to establish formal permission for entering or exiting that country during that time?"

"No, maam."

"Why not?"

"I was banished from the country permanently after my initial visit to Russia. Asking permission to re-enter would have been pointless. There hadn't been a change in leadership."

"Yet, you went there anyway."

"Yes, maam. It was the only way that my son and husband could visit with Elizabeth Zinkov. She's family."

"Why was that the only available means of a visit?"

"Elizabeth's passport was revoked after the original incident."

"I understand that Mr. Godunov came to live with you in Ninilchik after the original incident in Russia. Did he have permission to leave Russia and come to the US?"

"He has a passport. I'm not aware of any restrictions. Elizabeth was not immediately restricted after the incident. Elizabeth's travel restrictions were placed on her after I married her grandson. Upon reflection, it was most likely because I married him."

"This is because of your personal issues with President Yuri Kostov of Russia."

"Yes."

"Your friend Tania Turin, has been reported missing, and she is allegedly in Russia, correct?"  
"Yes, but not allegedly. She is in Siberia." I replied. "I have attempted to contact the government there to discuss her release, but there have been no viable options to discuss as of yet."

"Are you certain?" Secretary Rossberg asked.  
"Yes."

"Because you took her and left her there, correct?" she asked.  
I wanted to cry. "Yes. President Kostov is using her as a bargaining chip to control me."

Secretary Rossberg stopped for a moment and made some notes. Everyone else in the room made notes too.

"You said that Elizabeth Zinkov's house and business were burned to the ground. This is what led to the latest incident."

"Yes, or no. Yuri Kostov discovered that I remained the holder of The Ring of the Queen. He burned down the business, including lab, research center, factory, and warehouse. Elizabeth Zinkov destroyed her house on her terms," I explained.

"She burned down her own house?" Secretary Rossberg asked.

"She attempted to fake her own death in the wreckage," I replied.

"That didn't work?" Secretary Rossberg asked.

"No, that was when I went to rescue Elizabeth Zinkov," I replied.

"Because she's family, and you felt responsible," Secretary Rossberg said.

"Yes."

"You allege that President Yuri Kostov of Russia chased you across Siberia to Alaska, from Novosibirsk to Kotzebue. You claim that you were both flying Soviet MiG 23 Trainers?"

"Yes, at least when we arrived in Kotzebue."

"You claim that the two of you landed in Kotzebue on the reservation land," Secretary Rossberg said.

"Yes," I replied.

"You said that the residents on that tribal land are turning the two planes into a tourist attraction?"

"Yes, they are making a sculpture out of the wreckage," I explained.

You could have heard a pin drop in that room. The members of the committee rifled through their notes. Some of them made additional notes. They intermittently shot me looks. They must have thought I was crazy. Everything I'd told them sounded insane.

"Mrs. Godunov," Julia Rossberg said to me. "What is it that you expect us to do?"

"I need you to help me find out where my friend is so that we can make Yuri Kostov set her free."

"How exactly would we do that? Both you and your friend entered the country completely illegally. You, by your own admittance, didn't even file a flight plan with the FAA. You left Russia with what could be a few hundred million dollars worth of Soviet military equipment, without permission. Everything that allegedly happened on that excursion either breaches or nearly breaches every law, rule, or agreement that we may have with the Russians. Our relations with Russia, as Mr. Chernyaev will verify, are delicate. We can't suddenly up and say that we just don't like their President anymore and start throwing around accusations."

"That is true," Ambassador Vasily Chernyaev added.

"World politics and foreign relations is a very tricky business, Mrs. Godunov. Right now it sounds as though you and your entire family are more Russian than American. That complicates matters even more from an American standpoint. I don't know what I can do for you. Is there anything that you can tell us that will legitimize your cause?" Secretary Rossberg asked.

"President Kostov wants to eliminate me as a rival. My family is at risk as well, including my young son, Michael. Yuri Kostov is holding my friend in a prison camp somewhere in Siberia. I cannot fix this alone. I have tried. If I could fix this, I wouldn't be here. I need your help."

"Do you still have the ring? The Ring of the Queen that the President has demanded you hand over?" Secretary Rossberg asked. "Does this man have any legitimate claims to this ring or the power that it grants? The actions of Yuri Kostov that you describe do not seem like the actions of a rational man when dealing with a situation in which he has no rights. What else is involved here? Something is missing. A piece that might make sense of all of this. If you can clear that up, maybe my opinion will change."

"Yuri Kostov and I are both Romanovs. I am the direct line, but the holder of the ring is deemed the legitimate ruler. That's why he wants my ring."

"Is there any proof?" Ambassador Chernyaev asked.

"I don't know," I replied. "The legend says that Catherine the Great received a ring from her boyfriend that he'd had made for her by Louis XVI's personal jeweler. It was to commemorate the final victory in the battle over the Crimea during the 18th century."

"I know of the war, and the ring," Ambassador Chernyaev said.

"She decreed that the Romanov who possesses the ring is the legitimate ruler of Russia. There were more stipulations to it than that, however. The ring disappeared. The documents were hidden. The documents were found buried with the Romanov's in Yekaterinburg in the 1990's. No one ever bothered to void the documents, so they are still binding under Russian law," I explained.

"And you are the legitimate holder of the ring?" Secretary Rossberg asked.

I pulled the ring out of the pocket where I had been hiding it, and laid it on the table. "Two of Nicholas II's children survived the massacre at Ipatiev House. That's the ring. I'm a descendant of Alexei Romanov. According to the documents that are still legally binding in Russia, I am believed to be the Tsarina. I recently discovered that, because I wasn't born in Russia, the documents are null and void. I discovered this after we landed in Kotzebue. Yuri Kostov was born in Russia and is of noble birth, albeit not the direct line. I learned this in Kotzebue. Yuri Kostov, as it stands, is the ruler of Russia, but he needs the ring in his possession to be legitimate in the eyes of the Russian Orthodox Church. If I give him this ring, he will remain in power for life. I can't let the people of Russia suffer with that. He is a tyrant. I am keeping the ring."

"I wish you luck," Secretary Rossberg said. "I think that I speak on behalf of all concerned, and our councils. There is nothing that we can officially do to help you."

Everyone around the tables agreed. I was on my own. I had to decide what to do about the ring. That was the hinge. If I handed over the ring, everyone would help me. If I handed over the ring, the people of Russia would be lorded over by Yuri Kostov for the rest of his life.

The Queen in Exile
Part XXXIII

"Take it from someone who fled the Iron Curtain: I know what happens when you give the Russians a green light."

_-Madeleine Albright_

I immediately returned to my son. I longed to see Michael. Above all, I was mom. My son was the most important thing in the world to me. Everything that ran through my mind about Russia was because of him. I wanted to be the person that my son wanted to grow up and be like. I wanted to set a good example for my son. If only I knew which example was best. Should I give up the ring or not?

Tish and Peter went with me for that visit. Because we were traveling on the fly, we had to charter a Lear Jet for the trip. We discussed matters on the plane. We knew that it was only a matter of time before the story started to ooze out through the tabloids. Eventually, the legitimate media would start to call. It would become public. The age of the internet and social media made that a foregone conclusion. It was time to discuss the ring with Michael. I didn't want him to eventually see it on the news before he heard it from me.

"I guess we wait," I said after discussing it for a while. "I need to explain this to Michael, and then I don't know where to take it from there."

I saw Tish shoot Peter a look, but I ignored it.

"Waiting is the best option," Peter said.

***

When we arrived, Michael ran to me, arms outstretched. "Momma! Momma!" he screeched as he ran to me and attacked me with hugs.

All I wanted to do for the rest of my life was hug that child. I loved him. I wanted him to have a good life. I wondered what it truly was that made me continue to fight with Yuri Kostov. I had never wanted to rule anything. I really didn't want to rule Russia. Since I'd learned about the ring, I'd felt obligated to fulfill my family's legacy. The Russian people overwhelmingly wanted change. They preferred the idea of Tsar over a President. I was in the middle of it because of the blood flowing through my veins. The reality was that I couldn't, in good conscience, run away from that obligation.

"Momma is here, and so happy to see you!" I answered him after I enjoyed my hug for a while.

Peter hugged Michael. "Daddy's here too. I missed you,"

"I missed you too, daddy," Michael replied.

Tish also got her hugs, and we all visited for a little while before sitting down with some milk and Snicker Doodles in the kitchen. We didn't speak much as we ate our cookies, and my young son started to wiggle in his chair.

"You okay little man?" I asked.

"Mommy, I can tell something is wrong. What is it?" Michael asked me.

"You sure are a smart guy," I replied. "We do need to talk to you. I have some things that I want to explain, and it might be a bit of a surprise."

"Do daddy and Grandma Tish know?" Michael asked.

"Yes, we do, son," Peter answered.

"Okay," Michael said, nervously.

"You know that daddy and Grandma Tish are from Russia, right?" I asked Michael.

"Yes, and that makes me part Russian."

"Well, it turns out that I am part Russian too. My family used to be the kings and queens of Russia. My grandma gave me a ring that used to belong to Catherine the Great. Because I have this ring, many people in Russia think that I should be Queen or Tsar. It makes life difficult for our family. Do you understand so far?"

"I think so. Russia has a President, right?"

"Yes."

"Can they have both a Tsar and a President?"

"Not in this case."

"Then how will they choose?"

"The President of Russia could also become the Tsar if he had my ring. He has royal family too, but he can't become a Tsar without my ring. The problem is that he isn't a nice man, and I don't think that giving him my ring and letting him rule Russia for the rest of his life is the right thing to do."

"Can I see your ring?" Michael asked.

I took the ring from my bag and showed it to him.

"That's pretty," Michael said.

"Yes it is, and it is very special," I told him. "Catherine the Great made a law that the Romanov who owns this ring is the ruler of Russia. President Kostov wants me to give it to him."

"What are you going to do mommy?"

"I don't know."

"I don't want to go to Russia forever. I want to go home," Michael said and gave me a big hug.

"I just want to be with you, sweetie," I replied.

Michael hugged me tight again. "I love you, momma."

I wanted to cry. I felt horrible. I wanted to go home and never leave Alaska again. I wanted to go back to teaching and my flightseeing business. I wanted to have a good night's sleep, next to my loving husband, in my house in Ninilchik.

I heard a phone ringing in the next room. I cringed every time I heard a phone ring. It was never good news. My family was with me. I hoped it wasn't for me.

Father Koniff walked into the living room where the rest of us were with the phone in his hand, outstretched for me to take. I suddenly felt sick. I hadn't told anyone where I was, and this was a land line in Texas.

"Hello," I said.

"Is this Mrs. Stacey Godunov?"

"Yes," I replied.

"This is Patriarch Sergius II."

"Hello. It's an honor, Father," I answered.

"I wanted to speak with you about the ring and the Catherine Papers. I obtained Father Koniff's current number from Elizabeth Zinkov. I hope you do not mind. Do you have a few moments?" the Father asked.

"Of course," I replied. I shot Tish a look. She should have told me about that.

"This is a complicated situation, and for that I apologize. The documents, which are still legally binding in this country, are old and come from a different time," Patriarch Sergius II explained.

"I understand. I think that I understand the basics of the information in the papers, but I'm not sure," I replied.

"The basic information is that you were birthed as a direct descendant of Tsar Nicholas II. The stipulation of the documents is that you are the legitimate Tsar if you hold the ring and you, and all descendants before you, were birthed in Russia," he said.

"I don't think that anyone after Alexi was born in Russia," I replied.

"Not true," Sergius said. "I have found the birth records for each generation. I found the birth records for your father and brother as well as everyone between them and Alexei."

"I had no idea," I gasped.

"I am certain that you were born in Russia as well, but I have not found the birth record yet," the Father said.

"If there are no records, then there is no issue," I replied. "What I need is to find a way, immediately to rescue my friend, Tania Turin from Kolyma. She's my best friend and an American. Yuri Kostov is holding her hostage because of me. Can you help me?"

"I understand you need to resolve the Tania issue, but Rome was not built in a day, as they say. If I can find your birth record, then we can pursue this through the Church. Russia is the biggest country in the world, and our President is ruthless. We cannot challenge him with brute force, but the Church wields a great deal of power. With time, we can win, but it is a tedious process when dealing with a paranoid oligarch."

"I understand that, but there is a girl in Russia that could die if I don't do something, Father. She's there because of me. I need to do something to free her. Winter is coming, and she can't survive a Siberian winter. I'm out of time," I said.

"I am working as fast as I can," Patriarch Sergius said. "That is all I can do. You have the full support of the Church, but I need your birth record for leverage."

"It's important to free Tania," I replied. "Is there a way to do that? We can pursue the Ring of the Queen issue later."

"I need time to negotiate her release," the Father said. "That is why it is so important that I find your birth record."

"How much time is some time?" I asked.

"I do not know."

"I understand. Thank you for at least considering my situation. I do appreciate it," I told him.

"I know that this is difficult for you. I will work as fast as I can. I wish I could say more. I wish I could give you a time line. This is a unique situation. Russia is an enormous country and I have to search everywhere until I find your birth record. Until that time, I am not certain that there is a solution for your friend. I can only try."

"Thank you." I turned off the phone and handed it back to Father Koniff. "That was Patriarch Sergius II." I looked at Tish. "I'll talk to you later about that." I turned to Father Koniff. "The Patriarch doesn't know how long it will take to solve this. He says that if he can find my birth record, it will all be over. The problem is that he can't find it. It's somewhere in Russia. That could take a long time. Meanwhile, Tania sits in Kolyma with winter coming quick."

Tish looked at me for a moment. "What did he say about helping Tania?"

"He said that he would see what he could do," I explained. "He also said that he needs the papers. The papers that are somewhere in Russia. That could take forever. They could be anywhere in the biggest country in the world."

"Tania will not survive the winter in Siberia. We need to do something quickly." Tish looked at Peter. "It is time to call in some favors."

"What is she talking about?" I asked my husband.

Tish groaned. "You never told your wife about the President?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "What about the President? Is there something that you know about Yuri Kostov that you haven't been telling me?" If I found out that he'd kept something from me about Yuri Kostov, I would flip out and hurt him.

Peter put his hand on my arm. "Not Yuri. President Sherman."

"Of the United States?" I asked.

"He went to school with Steve Zemecki's older brother. We used to play poker online. He's not good at poker. I never collected any of the debts. I can try, but I don't see how it will help. The people we talked with in Washington, are the people he would consult. That's why I didn't say anything."

Neither Steve nor Peter had ever mentioned that they knew Vince Sherman. "Why didn't either one of you ever tell me about that?"

He looked at the ground. "I didn't want to ask him to get involved. He's a nice guy, and a good president. If he gets involved, it could ruin his career. You know this."

"I understand what you're saying, but this is ruining our lives and could be killing Tania. I need to do something now," I demanded.

"Okay, I'll call him, but you need to promise me something."

"What?" I asked.

"You need to promise me that you won't go off half cocked. You tend to get crazy and don't think things through. That's how you got here. Promise me that you won't drag the President of the United States into something that could ruin his career."

"I promise."

Peter took out his phone and manually dialed.

"You know President Sherman's number?" I asked.

Peter shot me a look. "I live in this country. I thought that everyone would know the number for the White House."

The Queen in Exile
Part XXXIV

"I was taught that the way of progress was neither swift nor easy."

_-Marie Curie_

I couldn't believe that my own husband, the love of my life and father of my child, who wasn't even an American, knew the President of the United States. And he met him playing online poker.

Everyone in the country was well aware that President Vincent Sherman was young, but my Peter was only in his 30's and had known him for years. That amazed me.

"Hello, may I please speak with President Sherman?" Peter asked the White House operator. He listened. "My name is Peter Godunov." Another pause. "Personal acquaintance. Yes. Thank you."

There was a long pause, and Peter didn't speak or look at me.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Patience. She has to check me out before she puts the call through."

"How long does that take?"

"I've have never called the White House before. We are online acquaintances," he replied.

"What if they're recording you?" I asked.

"I have no idea. I would presume so. Vince is kind of a schmuck." He put his hand up at me. "Yes," he said into the phone. "Thank you."

There a pause, and then Peter spoke. "Vince, surprise! I hate to bother you, but I have a problem that apparently no one else can or will help me out with." There was a pause while the President replied. "Truth be known, it is my wife's problem. You know how it is. But it does affect the country, and we aren't sure what to do. We need help." There was another lengthy pause. "That would be wonderful. Yes, we can do that. We are in Texas as a matter of fact. You will? That would be great!" Peter turned to me. "Honey, he said he will send his plane for us." Peter turned back to the phone. "Vince, contact Senator Van Zandt. He should have a whole file on this to get you up to speed from our last visit to Washington to discuss this matter. It is a delicate situation, but we need help, and we've run out of options." There was another long period of quiet on Peter's end. "Yes. Yes. Stacey is my wife, and she is key to this issue. We can bring whatever you need. Senator Van Zandt has the paperwork. Yes sir, I have heard of the Catherine Papers, but I have not seen those documents. Yes, they are real. Yes, that is what this is pertaining to. They are real and legal under Russian law. I believe they are currently property of the Russian Orthodox Church and Patriarch Sergius II. Yes, I'm looking forward to meeting you too."

"What is he saying?" I asked.

"Hang on one second," he told the President. "Honey, he wants to know if there is anyone we can bring who has actually seen and read The Catherine Papers."

"Patriarch Sergius II has them, but I don't think that he wishes to come to Washington. That would make life with Yuri Kostov even more difficult." Then it hit me. "Wait a minute. Steve Zemecki. As much as he knows about them, he must have seen them."

Peter's eyes lit up. He took his hand from the phone. "Yes sir, we have a professor that has studied the subject since he was a little kid. I believe he has examined the papers. His name is Dr. Steven Zemecki." There was a pause. "There might be a slight problem with that. He has no passport. President Kostov deported Dr. Zemecki From Russia to Poland where he was born, and travel restrictions were imposed at that time. Steve was deported because he helped Stacey when she was in Russia the first time. Steve was a professor at Moscow State University. Yuri Kostov convinced the Polish government to agree to refuse Steve a passport. Yes, that Steve is the same one that you know from poker. Yes, Paul's younger brother." There was another break on Peter's end of the conversation. "You will? Thank you." He turned to me. "He says he can do it."

"Wow, he really is the most powerful man on Earth," I said.

Peter finished his conversation with President Sherman. He provided the necessary information to put things in motion. I was thrilled that someone seemed to understand my plight.

Peter hung up the phone and turned to me. "Vince is sending his plane. He is contacting the American Embassy in Poland to request that Steve to be allowed to travel to America for a single trip. He said that his staff will make all of the arrangements. He wishes for all of us to be his guests."

"My son is going to stay at the White House?" I asked.

"All of us are going to stay at the White House," he replied.

"This is why I love you."

***

Air Force One was incredible. I had seen a hundred versions of it in movies, yet nothing prepared me for the real thing. It was a flying house, and a nice one. Somewhere between the staterooms with Egyptian cotton sheets on the beds, the leather furniture in the living room, the gourmet foods, and the command center, you forgot that you were actually on a Boeing 747 flying at 36,000 feet above Earth. I wondered if Yuri Kostov had a plane like it. He probably had an exact replica to keep up with the U.S, like some folks try to keep up with the Jones'.

Tish kept mostly to herself on the plane, focusing only on Michael. He enjoyed spending time with his great grandmother. It was all a great adventure for him, and I hoped that he would have good memories from it.

When we arrived at Andrews Air Force Base, a caravan of cars was awaiting us. They helped us with the little luggage we had and whisked us away to the White House. The cherry trees were almost done blooming, but still looked beautiful as we drove by.

When we arrived at the White House, we were escorted to our quarters. President Sherman had expedited our security checks, so we didn't have to wait. Father Koniff had come along to help watch Michael. He had a room across the hall from Peter and me, next to Tish and Michael. The staff took our luggage through screening and brought it to us shortly thereafter. Security at the White House was thorough, because the world was too dangerous a place to take chances in.

Shortly after our luggage was delivered, there was a knock at the door. It was President Sherman. He looked young, without a single grey hair or worry lines in his face. He was married with two young daughters; younger than Michael. He was good looking; too good looking for politics. He wore jeans and a tee shirt, which seemed unusual to me. I wasn't used to seeing the President when he was hanging out at his house.

He shook Peter's hand. "Peter, it's nice to meet you face to face. It's been a while since law school."

"It's good to meet you, Mr. President. Thank you for seeing us," Peter replied.

"I'm happy too," President Sherman replied. "My staff has briefed me on the issue. It sounds more like an urban legend than a political situation. This is all about a ring?"

"I wish it was just a legend," I groaned.

President Sherman came and shook my hand. "You must be Catherine; I mean, Stacey."

I shook his hand. "It's an honor, Mr. President. Thank you for seeing us."

"I'm honored," he replied. "I've never met a Tsarina before."

"There's a first time for everything," I said, feeling stupid when I heard my own words. "There is some question on that matter, however."

"Indeed. I read your file. It's an incredible story. I understand that you and President Yuri Kostov are well acquainted, but have some differing views on politics."

"We are acquainted, but not by my choice, Mr. President. He has a problem with me."

"Call me Vince. Mr. President is what Congress calls me."

"Yes, sir," I replied.

"President Kostov believes that you are an imposter?"

"Yes."

"And he wants the Ring of the Queen which is in your possession?" the President asked.

"Yes."

"I understand that your jaunt across Siberia in March was not your first trip to Russia."

I wanted to crawl under a rock. "No sir, it wasn't."

The Queen in Exile
Part XXXV

"Show me someone who never gossips, and I will show you someone who is not interested in people."

-Barbara Walters

"I would like to wait until we can talk with Dr. Zemecki," President Sherman said. "I have dossiers on all of you to read still."

"Dossiers? How many are there?" Peter asked.

"Peter, your wife is a hot topic amongst the various agencies that secretly monitor what goes on around the globe," the President said. "From what I've read, she's a fascinating woman."

"That is why I married her, sir," Peter replied.

"I understand, but that's another topic entirely. Instead of having any other heavy discussions at this juncture, I thought that we would have a nice dinner. We will have plenty of time to discuss this once Dr. Zemecki arrives."

"Yes, sir," Peter said. "That sounds nice."

"I can't wait to see Steve. It's been a long time," Vince said.

"For me too. When will he be arriving?" Peter asked.

"About that," the President said. "It's complicated, but I have people working on it. I understand that whatever punishment was handed down by the Russians is tricky. Getting him out of Poland could be difficult. I hope that something is settled soon. He must have really pissed off Yuri Kostov."

"He did," I said. "Yuri Kostov nearly hung him and Peter in Red Square."

"I read about that as well," the President replied. "Tensions run high with issues like who is in charge of the biggest country in the world. There is no easy answer to any of this."

"I know. I've been dealing with it for years," I said. "What do you see as the timeline for a solution to my current problem?"

"Diplomacy is one of the slowest processes in politics, and diplomacy is what we need to release Dr. Zemecki. I need what I hope is his first hand knowledge of these ancient documents before I can proceed. I need more information. I wish I had a better answer."

I was exasperated. I was sick of Washington telling me how much time everything took. I needed to get Tania home, and I couldn't wait much longer.

"There might be another person who can help us, if that will make things move faster," I said.

"Who might that be?" Vince asked.

"Patriarch Sergius II," I replied.

"He knows the documents first hand?" the President asked.

"He has the documents in his possession," I said.

"I will have my staff contact him immediately," Vince said. He called a staff member and gave them instructions to try and bring Patriarch Sergius II to the White House.

Vince turned back to us. "We will get him here or speak with him on the phone," he explained. "There has to be a way to confirm the information in the documents. I have to have confirmation to proceed with negotiations."

"How long will that take?" Peter asked. "Vince, with all due respect, I called you because we are running out of time. Stacey's friend Tania is being held prisoner in one of the Kolyma prison camps. We need to get her out of there before the Siberian Winter strikes."

The President gaped at Peter. "Kolyma? You and I used to joke about those prison camps when we played poker. The information that I have available to me states that the whole area is virtually deserted and that all the prison camps were closed. I have seen absolutely no reports that would indicate that there is any activity in that area beyond that of the people who choose to live there."

"Welcome to Yuri Kostov's Russia," I said. "Kolyma is open for business. I was in Usol'Ye Sibirskoye. I saw a prison camp by the salt mine."

"Dear God, I had no idea," President Sherman said. "You're sure it was a prison camp?"

"It looked like a prison camp," I replied. "The locals told me that it is and it's open for business."

"Dear God," the President said.

The President's cell phone rang. He answered it and had a brief conversation. "Good news. Dr. Zemecki has been negotiated and will be here late tomorrow afternoon. The bad news is that for political reasons, the Patriarch is currently unreachable."

"Unreachable?" I asked.

"That was all that they could tell us at Danilov Monastery," the President replied.

"That's good. One out of two isn't bad," I said. "Then we can get down to business."

The President smiled at me. "I look forward to validating the myth of the Ring of the Queen. I will leave you now, so you can rest a bit. Dinner will be in two hours. One of my aides will escort you. Please dress casual."

***

The Old Family Dining Room in the White House seemed extremely formal to me, but the President assured us that it was where he and his family ate dinner every night. His wife and daughters were visiting family and weren't in attendance, so it was just him and all of us. The food was great. I was expecting some type of gourmet faire from a world renowned staff of chefs. What we got was a fabulous dinner of grilled chicken and hot dogs for Michael.

After we finished eating, staff cleared the dishes. It was wonderful. I was used to doing the dishes by hand. Being waited on by a staff of six was a rare treat.

"You look positively amazed, Stacey," the President observed.

"I can't imagine living like this," I replied. "I can't imagine servants that take care of every little thing. I'm not used to being waited on."

"If there's any chance that you're going to rule Russia, you'd better get used to it. I don't mean to say that you should become lofty or out of touch. People, for whatever reason, expect leaders to live like royalty. Power and luxury go hand in hand in the minds of constituents. Public perception is everything when it comes to power."

"I understand that publicly you have to project an image, but what about now?" I asked. "This is a private dinner. We aren't on TV."

"My dear, you have a lot to learn. The press watches everything I do. They bribe the staff. They stand on Pennsylvania Avenue with long range high definition cameras. They're diligent in getting a one of a kind tidbit about me or a one of a kind picture of me. I never know whether they have good intentions or bad, so I always have to be on. I'll relax when I'm no longer the President."

"Stressful," I said.

"If you have any aspirations to take over the throne of Russia, you need to be prepared for the world media scrutiny. It goes with the job," Vince told me. "They are everywhere, waiting for you to screw up."

I thought about that. I had spent years being preoccupied with how Russia worked and how I would take over and what to do as a leader when I arrived. I hadn't stopped to think about the press. They would be in my business, whether it be public or private, 24 hours a day. My family would always be in the limelight. I wouldn't be a President either. I would be there for life. Was I ready for that?

After what happened next, I realized that I would never have a chance to think it over. My days of choosing whether or not I was in the media were over. We adjourned to the media center. It was set up like a cinema with three walls of high definition TV's. When the President turned them on, I was on all of them.

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed at seeing three walls of my face on TV. "What's going on?"

The President turned the volume on.

"Once again, the woman that you're seeing here has been identified as Catherine Godunov. These photos are of her and her family being escorted into the White House in Washington DC earlier today. We understand that Mrs. Godunov is in a private meeting with President Sherman to discuss her claim to the Romanov Throne of Russia. That's right folks. The question of whether or not there was a surviving direct line to Tsar Nicholas II has not been resolved. There may be a last Romanov, and she's staying at the White House." That was CNN.

"You understand why a leader always has to be on guard?" the President asked.

"How? Who? It can't be..." I stammered.

"The free press," Vince replied. "Now we need a solution. Thanks to them, the world won't wait long."

The Queen in Exile
Part XXXVI

"I'd ask myself, 'What do I think is really unjust?' That should be a starting point for how you engage with the world."

-Chelsea Clinton

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed. "I have to leave. Yuri Kostov will go insane when he sees this."

"Calm down, Stacey," The President said. "This was inevitable. You are my guest. Everything that happens here is on the news."

"With all due respect, sir, President Kostov is not a normal human being. He's a monster. God knows what he'll do when he finds out that we're here."

"Yuri Kostov will not jeopardize his public image on the world stage to act out against you," Vince said. "He will lose all credibility with his allies, the U.N., and his own people if he rises to this occasion."

"I hope you're right," I said.

Before the words were out of my mouth, a woman in a black and white business suit entered the room with a red cell phone in her hand. "President Yuri Kostov of Russia on the line for you, sir."

President Sherman took the call in an adjoining room. When he was finished, he rejoined us.  
"President Kostov is concerned," Paul said. He looked at me. "I've never heard him like that. He claims that you are a thief, a trespasser, and a traitor. At least, that's what I got from the conversation. My Russian is a little rusty. I did recognize all the swear words. He seems to fear you, and he really doesn't like you. He's petitioning the United Nations to have you arrested and extradited to his country on theft charges and illegally traveling in Russia. He means to criminally charge you for taking the MiG 23 Trainer."

"Hey, I borrowed that," I argued. "I did not steal it."

"It wasn't your friend, Dmitri's plane to loan out. That was several million dollars worth of Russian government property. He could press charges. The plane was destroyed. He could bring a case against you with the International Court of Justice. His influence with the United Nations is staggering. He's dangerous, he's got no moral compass, and he's scared of losing his power. God knows what he might do."

"I thought you and he were friends," I said.

"We're allies, not friends," The President explained.

The doors opened, and in walked four men in suits. They were escorting Dr. Steven Zemecki. I was thrilled to see him. Now we could get to work on finding a solution to my problems.

"Steve!" I ran to him and gave him a big hug. "Thank God you're here. That was quick."

"How's my Tsarina? I've been on my way for a while," Steve said. "Mr. President, it is good to see you."

President Sherman shook Steve's hand. "Indeed. I need some help with this situation."

"Yes sir. I can tell you whatever you need to know about Stacey, Yuri, the ring, and the whole damn thing."

"And how did you get here so quickly?" the President asked.

"I heard about this a little while ago. Yuri couldn't really tell the Polish Government what to do," Steve said, smiling.

***

The next morning, Secretary of State Rossberg and company joined us in the Roosevelt Room. This was officially a diplomatic nightmare, and it was time to decide what to do. They needed a solution for the sake of diplomacy. I needed a solution for Tania. I wasn't worried about myself. I was extremely worried about Tania. Steve was not happy that I had allowed Tania to go back to Russia. I didn't blame him for feeling that way.

"Mrs. Godunov's case is irresolvable. We have already explained that to her in some detail, Mr. President," Secretary Rossberg said.

"Mrs. Godunov has some serious issues to resolve and no time. It is weather related," The President answered.

Secretary Rossberg looked through some notes. "I appreciate the time constraint, but there are several legal complications. Aside from the issues with a stolen MiG, illegal border crossings and a story that was illegally aired on Channel 1; there is the question of a ring that seems to be at the root of the conflict. This is a diplomatic time bomb."

"The ring is legally mine," I insisted.

"It is a simple question," Secretary Rossberg said. "How can you claim a Russian artifact to be your own personal property? Yuri Kostov has begged for our assistance so that the ring can be placed in the Hermitage with the rest of the items from Tsarist Russia. We have, in essence, harbored you in this country, when you are a wanted criminal there. What exactly would you like me to tell him? Is that ring the former property of Catherine the Great or not?"

"Secretary Rossberg, the documents regarding Stacey's ring are kept in the Danilov Monastery. They are guarded by Patriarch Sergius II," Steve explained. "The reason that the people of Russia are not allowed to view those papers is that the President does not want the people to read them.

"I examined the Catherine Papers as a member of the authentication committee. They were not immediately authenticated after they were discovered in the mine shaft in Yekaterinburg. I have read them. I know the truth."

Secretary Rossberg raised an eyebrow at Steve. "What exactly is the truth?"

Steve smiled. "The document states clearly that the legitimate Romanov descendent who possesses the ring is the legitimate ruler of the country."

"That was hundreds of years ago," Secretary Rossberg said.

"I realize that," Steve groaned. "The issue is what they call the Catherine Papers. The document was notarized by the head of Catherine's Duma. That makes it binding and technically law. Even today. The current Russian Constitution has an amendment that states that ancient decrees must have a two thirds vote in the Federal Assembly to be nullified. The Russian Orthodox Church is officially in favor of reinstating a Tsar. If you have been to Moscow lately, you have seen protests demanding the return of the Romanovs. Yuri Kostov knows that the Federal Assembly won't nullify the Catherine Papers. It would ruin every one of their careers."

"What about Presidential Decree?" President Sherman asked. "How did this information become public?" He turned to Steve. "You said that the papers have not been shown publicly."

"The contents of the Catherine Papers may have been leaked to the public," Steve replied.

I glared at Steve. "How?"

"Yuri Kostov believes that he is a Tsar," Steve said. "He is nothing more than a tyrannical thug. He is not a duly elected President. Every election has been rigged. The people don't vote for him. I had an opportunity to do something."

"Every genealogy lab in Russia tried to trace a direct line from someone in the world back to Tsar Nicholas II. The search led to Stacey. I found out, and tried to keep the information from Yuri. At that time, Stacey was completely unaware of her family ties."

"President Kostov was unable to control the information?" President Sherman asked.

"Yuri pushed the envelope himself," Peter said. "When Stacey came to Moscow to go to school, he approached her. It was not the other way."

"Steve had already told every citizen he could find who would listen about the Catherine Papers and the legend of the Ring of the Queen. Until that time, most people wrote the stories off as fairy tales. There were students at the University who protested, but the movement was not yet widespread. The media didn't say a word until Yuri Kostov got them involved."

"What made Yuri Kostov go public?" President Sherman asked.

Steve sighed. "We discovered Stacey's connection a couple of months before she came to Moscow to study. Word got out once Stacey was on campus. The rumors that the Tsarina had come spread like crazy when the other students noticed Stacey's obvious resemblance to Catherine the Great. People suddenly believed that Stacey was the one. Once Yuri found out that Stacey had come to Moscow, he said something stupid. President Kostov, himself, on national TV, referred to her as a Tsarina."

"How did I miss that?" The President asked.

Steve continued. "We tried to keep Stacey underground. We ran her all over the country, trying to protect her. Yuri Kostov was crazy, but he still had ultimate control. Nothing that happened during that time made it to America's news."

The President looked at me. "Is all of this accurate? The President of Russia launching a nationwide manhunt for you?"

"Yes sir," I replied. "We tried to leave the country. I just wanted to go home. I was shell shocked. I found out what the ring represented in Moscow, and I didn't have time to learn about it while I was chased by secret police. I couldn't believe that any of it was real. Yuri Kostov captured Peter and Steve, and made preparations to hang them publicly in Red Square. That jack ass brought me to Red Square to confront me and demand my ring. It was the largest crowd I'd ever seen. I nearly fainted."

The President looked at Peter. "Yuri Kostov was going to hang you in public over this? He turned to Secretary Rossberg. "Did you know about this?"

"Yes sir," the Secretary answered. "That incident was shown on CNN. It was the first public trial of treason since the October Revolution."

"The news story was a complete fabrication?" Vince asked.

Senator Fisher nodded. "Yes. It's not clear which governmental department made the actual decision, but it was considered best for the country not to tell the truth. Diplomatic relations with Russia were at stake."

Vince bit his lower lip. "We'll discuss that another time." He turned to me. "What happened in Red Square?"

I took a deep breath. "He demanded that I give him my ring to save Steve and Peter from hanging. The ring is mine. My grandma gave it to me. Peter had created a replica of the ring while we were hiding at Tish's house in Dubna. I switched the rings and gave the fake to Yuri Kostov to save Steve and Peter.

"Recently, Yuri discovered that the ring was a fake. That was when he had Tish's business properties burned to the ground and chased us across Siberia when I was trying to bring her home with me. He wanted my ring. He didn't care what I did or what Tish did. He reportedly has ties to the Romanovs himself, and believes that if he can get the ring, he will be the Tsar."

"Tsar?" the President asked.

"Yes," I replied.

Secretary Rossberg flipped through her notes. "We still have illegal travel, stolen planes and a ring that may belong to the Russian government."

That made me angry. "We also have an American woman being held prisoner in a prison camp in Siberia." I stood up. "Look, I'm Russian and American. I am a Romanov. It's my government, my planes, and my damn ring! Yuri is the imposter, by law. Now, I demand that you do something to bring Tania Turin home from Kolyma. This is not her war."

"Mrs. Godunov, can you produce documents proving your claim?" Secretary Rossberg asked.

"No," I said and sat down.

"Then there is nothing that we can do," Secretary Rossberg replied.

I wanted to cry. More to the point, I wanted to punch Secretary Rossberg right in the face. "He's holding her to get to me." I stood up again. "If you won't help me, I'll handle it myself."

"What do you intend to do?" President Sherman asked me.

"Save the day," I groaned. "You know, act like a hero the way men used to."

The Queen in Exile
Part XXXVII

"The whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you were intended to be."

-Oprah Winfrey

There was no point to staying in Washington D.C. It didn't help me to get Tania out of Kolyma. There was too much red tape and protocol for me to receive any assistance from any government agencies.

The one thing that I was beginning to like about Russia was the fact that Yuri had turned himself into a pseudo-tsar. He rarely if ever discussed matters of state with government agencies. He'd made himself into a tyrannical dictator who didn't listen to anyone and that would give me an advantage. I only had one person to deal with, so I knew that I could make a deal to get Tania out of prison. I also knew that it wouldn't be a good deal for me.

There was a knock on the door, and I found Steve on the other side. "What do you intend to do?"

I went back to packing. "I'm not sure. I have to talk to President Kostov and make some kind of deal."

"He only wants the ring," Steve said. "We all know that it is only a matter of time before your real birth records are found. Sergius II has the whole church looking for them. Did you talk to him?"

"No. He's unreachable for some reason," I replied.

"He's probably looking for evidence in your favor," Steve said. "Maybe you should wait. It's better than giving Yuri Kostov the ring."

"I can't give Yuri Kostov the ring," I said. "He can't become a legal dictator. I can't allow that."

"Then what do you intend to do?" Peter asked, as he entered the room.

"I don't know," I said. "I'll figure it out."

"That's it? You'll figure it out?" Peter asked.

"That's all I've got," I replied. "I'll call you as soon as I can."

I gave Peter a kiss, grabbed my bag, and turned to walk out the door.

"Stacey!" Peter yelled as I walked out and shut the door.

I loved Peter, and I would give my life for both him and Michael. I felt like a bad mother every time I thought about what all of this nonsense must be doing to my only son. Guilt was a powerful thing. I wondered if he would hate me when he grew up because I wasn't around enough. The tone of Peter's voice as I walked out the door made me wonder how much more he could take of my problems.

I went to Michael's room to give him a big hug and say good-bye. I almost cried when I saw his beautiful little face.

"Mommy, where are you going?" Michael asked when I entered his room with a bag.

"I have to go away on business again," I said.

Tish was sitting in a chair by the window. "What are you going to do?"

I glanced at her and looked back to Michael. "I will come home as soon as I can. Promise."

Michael jumped up, wrapped his arms around my neck and hugged me hard. "Please, don't go mommy. I want us to go home."

"I want that too," I said. "I hope I will be home soon. And all of you will be going home from here. You will be home in no time."

"How long will you be gone this time?" Michael asked.

I hugged him again and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm not sure, but I will be home as soon as I possibly can."

"Okay," he grumbled. I saw a tear in his eye. "I love you, mommy."

"I love you more," I replied. "Bye bye."

President Sherman had one of his staff drive me to the airport. I still wasn't sure where I was going or what exactly I intended to do. I just wanted to be Stacey. I didn't want to be Catherine III. Deep down inside I was still that girl who landed in Russia on her very first trip anywhere. Deep down inside I still just wanted to go home.

I went to Reagan National Airport and stared at the ticket counters. I had to come up with some way to fix all of this fast. I was on my own. There was no agency or government, or church, or company to help me. It had boiled down to a conflict between me and President Yuri Kostov, and he was winning. I had no proof of my being born in Russia. Therefore, I was nothing but an imposter. He had me right where he wanted me. There was nothing that I could do. I had to make a deal, and the deal would be me for Tania. I could handle Siberia. This was my mess. It wasn't Tania's mess, and I had serious doubts that she would survive a Siberian Winter.

I took off the ring that I had cherished so much. It was the one thing that I had to keep away from Yuri. I stared at the departure boards, trying to think of someplace that I could hide the ring. There had to be someplace in the world that I could fly to. There had to be someplace safe to store the Ring of the Queen, because no matter what my grandma had told me, I had to get that ring away from me for the time.

"There are signs everywhere," Tish said from behind me. "That is one of them." She pointed to a flight leaving in an hour for Fort Wayne, Indiana. "The ring should go back to where you got it from. Yuri will never find it there."

"How did you know what I was thinking about?" I asked her. "And why are you here?"

"I did not want you to leave this way," Tish said. "This is too difficult for you to weather alone. I want to help."

"I don't need advice," I muttered. "I need to make a deal with Yuri Kostov. There's no other way."

"As long as you hold that ring, there will never be a deal," Tish reminded me. "Do you realize that?"

"I am the deal," I answered.

"I never had a family birthright. I learned a lot about military operations from my father. I learned a lot about computers from my husband. I never had the burden of following in anyone's footsteps. I do not understand forced family obligation," Tish said. "Still, I do not think that this is the right way."

"I don't have time to find a right way," I said. "This is all I have. It's all my responsibility, to the people, my family, and right now; to my friend."

"I am at a loss," Tish said. "I do not know what that kind of responsibility feels like. The weight of a country and more rests on your shoulders. I have already done everything that I possibly can to help. It has not always turned out as planned, but my intentions were good. I no longer know best what you should do. All I can do is offer my support. I will do whatever you need me to do. I want to be there for you. You tell me how.

"You are a woman. There is no room for a little girl to linger inside you. You are a woman, a mother, and a Tsar. I must now view you as a Tsar. I will be your servant. I will do whatever you ask, but the battle is yours. The obligation is yours for your country and the Romanovs. There is no turning back, and there is no running away. It is time for you to become the ruler that you were born to be. Do you understand?"

She was right. I had unwittingly started this mess years ago. I had tried to walk away. I had tried to live a normal life. Every time, something terrible would happen that would suck me back into the fire that was the battle for power initiated by Yuri Kostov. I had to decide whether to run away, or deal with it head on. There was only one choice that would ever give me any peace for me and my family.

I had to do something for all the Russian people that I'd met along the way. They weren't statistics. They were people and I had met them.

I looked at Tish. "I will need your help, Tish. I know what I need to do." I looked at a picture of Michael that I had on my phone and started to cry. "I need you to raise my son, because I have to go to Kolyma."

Tish's eyes grew wide. "Is that what you are planning?"

"What choice do I have? You know as well as I do that he will want two things. He's going to want me, and he wants to put me where I can't do him any harm."

"I will take care of Michael while you are gone," Tish said. "Are you certain about this?"

I took a deep breath. "Yes."

"I will work from here in America," Tish offered. "There is a solution. I will find it."

"Thank you," I said.

I hugged her, bought my ticket and went to the TSA line to start my journey back to Siberia.

The Queen in Exile

XXXVIII

"For every betrayed woman, there is always the betrayer, man."

-Susan B. Anthony

I stared at my phone. Somehow, Tish had Yuri Kostov's personal number. I knew that I had to call him. It was time for me to make a deal.

The number rang and rang. There was no voice mail. There was no operator. There was no switchboard. There was no answering machine. What would I do if I couldn't even reach him? If this was his number, and he truly wanted me to give in, he should be reachable. What an idiot. And this man wanted to be a Tsar.

I called several times while I waited for my flight to board. Finally, Yuri Kostov answered his phone. "Hallo."

"It's Stacey," I replied.

There was a long pause. "Imposter, how can I help you?"

"I think you know. I want Tania." I took a deep breath as quietly as I could. I didn't want Yuri Kostov to sense my anxiety. "What are you going to make me do in order for you to have her released and returned to America?"

"Your government is not going to help you?" he snarked. "I understand you went to Washington DC."

"You most likely know exactly what happened in Washington." I said. "What do you want from me?"

"I want the ring," he replied.

"That is not possible. Counter offer. It is only a matter of time until I prove my birth place. Therefore, as the legitimate Tsar, I order you to release her," I ordered.

"That is charming. I view you as a pest. I picture you in my head as a mosquito or a cockroach. I do not see you as my superior," Yuri Kostov replied. "I am the President and I will soon become Tsar. You will never be able to command me. I must say that I am impressed with your persistence. You friend does not have your conviction. She is easily conquered."

Yuri Kostov pushed my buttons. I was angry. "Look, you don't have to irritate me. You've already done that. I countered your offer. It's your turn."

"I want your son," he demanded.

"You've lost your mind!" I exclaimed. "You touch one hair on my son's head, and I will kill you myself."

"Do not speak so boldly, imposter," Yuri replied. "Our game is not over. I still hold some very important cards."

"You can't have my son," I snapped. "My turn. My exit from the situation. How's that?"

Yuri giggled. "You are amusing. If you are expecting me to trust your word, you are more naive than I thought. If this is how you intend to proceed, then we will still be haggling when the batteries on our phones die. Your poor, lost friend will have long since frozen in the mines of Siberia as well."

"You are such a jerk!" I yelled.

"I am the jerk holding all of the cards," he reminded me. "Now, give me the ring."

I wanted to reach through the phone and throttle him with my bare hands. "Not negotiable. That ring belongs to my family. You may have some Romanov blood, but you are like the estranged third cousin. You will not have the ring. There has to be something else, and I don't want to spend any more time talking with you," I snarked. "What's your final offer?"

There was a pause. "I want you to come to Moscow and authorize the destruction of the Catherine Papers," Yuri Kostov said.

"I thought that we were going to be reasonable?" I said. "I am done talking Yuri. I am not going to challenge Patriarch Sergius II and the Russian Orthodox Church. You do that if you wish. Leave me out of it."

"I guess that was a no," Yuri observed.

"You're damn right it was a no," I snapped.

"Even for the life of your friend?" he asked.

"You are being ridiculous," I said. "The church isn't going to destroy those documents for anyone. They have made that clear. If that is the only way to save Tania, then she will die, and there's nothing I can do."

"I will free her if you attempt to influence Patriarch Sergius II to destroy them," Yuri Kostov countered.

"Then I would have to trust your word," I replied.

"You have to trust my word irregardless," he pointed out. "I am in control of the outcome of your friend's life. Any outcome will be based in you trusting my word."

I hated that man. "I'll give you one more chance. Do you have any other offer? Give me one that I can at least consider."

Suddenly, it felt like time had stopped. There was silence on the phone that seemed to go on forever. I swore that my heart stopped beating. I was sweating. I wanted to throw up. I wanted to pass out. I tried not to breathe heavily into the phone. I couldn't let Yuri know how nervous he was making me. I rubbed my forehead. I looked at the clock. Virtually no time had actually passed, but it had already seemed like forever. I couldn't stand it much longer.

"American Airlines Flight 2092 to Chicago Midway now boarding," the attendant at the gate announced.

I was certain that Yuri had heard the announcement.

"Yuri, I have to board my plane," I said into the phone. "I can't fly there if I don't know what you expect of me."

"I have one final offer, and if you refuse, I will kill Tania. Is that clear? I am no longer joking with you, imposter. I will kill her, and there will be nothing that you or your government can do. She is a criminal under Russian law."

Normally, I thought that Yuri was bluffing. This time I was sure that he wasn't. He spoke with conviction. Whatever he was about to say, I had to do. If I didn't agree, he would kill her. I had to do whatever he asked to save Tania's life. I knew what he was going to say. I had prepared for the outcome of this negotiation. There was only one other thing that Yuri Kostov would ask for.

"What is it that I have to do?" I asked.

"I want a trade," Yuri replied.

"I cannot trade the ring," I snapped. "I've already explained that to you. Now, what trade?"

"I need to have you out of my way," he answered. "I have no place for continual conflict in the furthering of the country's success."

"Just say what you want," I snapped. "I'm facing a final boarding call here."

"Forget the ridiculous ring," he said. "What do I need with a ring, if I have you?"

"I knew you were going to say that."

"I will release Tania if you take her place."

"You want me to go to Kolyma?"

"That is correct."

I felt that he thought I would decline and let him kill her. I think that he actually thought that I didn't have the guts to go through with it. I wanted to surprise that man just once in my life.

"When and where do we meet?" I said.

The Queen in Exile
Part XXXIX

"I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done."

-Lucille Ball

Why would I do such a horrible thing to my husband and child? It was simple. I was stuck. No matter what I did, Yuri Kostov would stalk me. It would never be over. Yuri Kostov would never let it be over. I had to find some way to finish it, but first I had to bring Tania home.

I called Peter when my flight landed in Chicago.

"Stacey, thank God. What are you doing?" Peter asked.

"I'm making a trade," I replied.

"What kind of a trade?" Peter asked.

"Me for Tania," I answered.

"How will this help anything? I don't want Tania to be trapped in Siberia, but how will you trading your life for hers help anyone? It won't help us, it won't help you, and it will not help the people of Russia. Have you thought this through?"

"He'll never let it go. He wants me to either be dead or somewhere that he doesn't have to worry about me. That's what he wants. If I do this, the rest of you can breathe and live your lives."

"Who asked you to be a martyr?" Peter snapped. "Who asked you to personally give up your life? Tania stayed behind voluntarily. You didn't ask her to. She made her choice. Why do you have to fix that?"

"I can't talk about this right now," I snapped back. "Don't give up on me. I have some business to take care of here in Chicago and then I have to go to Moscow."

"Into the lion's den?" Peter asked. "Why do you have to meet there? Why can't you meet in a neutral place?"

"Because he holds all the cards," I replied. "I love you."

"I love you too, Stacey, but this is crazy," Peter said.

"I know, but what choice to I have?" I asked.

"Call me," Peter said. "We'll figure it out. We always have."

"I will call you every chance I get," I promised. "I'm working on it. I just need to outsmart him. It can't be that hard."

"We'll both think on it and come up with something," Peter said. "I promise. Be safe. I love you."

"I love you too," I replied. "And give Michael a hug for me. And watch your back with our son. That bastard tried to negotiate Michael too."

"I'll kill him if he comes near my son," Peter said.

"That's what I'm counting on," I replied.

***

"Virgil!" I exclaimed.

One thing that every girl needs is a gay best friend she can always count on. I had called him on my way to the gate and simply asked him to meet me at the airport. Virgil had moved to Chicago after college and was a teacher at a high school in the upper lakeside city of Evanston. I hadn't seen him in years. He knew about the Ring of the Queen, and wasn't surprised when I told him that I was having some problems.

Virgil gave me a hug. "Look at you! You haven't aged a bit."

"You need to get your eyes checked, but it will have to wait," I told him. "I need you to run around with me a bit."

"Are you going to explain this to me?" he asked. "Your call was brief and cryptic."

"I'll tell you in the car."

"Where are we going?" Virgil asked.

"The Museum of Natural History."

***

Virgil asked me why the Museum of Natural History. Once we were in his car, I explained that I needed to mislead President Yuri Kostov. I knew that he'd heard where I was flying to while I was arguing with him on the phone at Reagan International. That was why I had flown into Chicago instead on to Fort Wayne.

My idea was to visit Chicago, hoping that Yuri Kostov would think that I'd left the ring somewhere in that city. I believed that if I visited a couple of museums, that would throw him off the scent. So, Virgil and I went to the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Science and Industry and the Art Institute of Chicago. After that, we jumped him Virgil's car and headed for our real destination.

North Manchester, Indiana.

It had been a long time since I'd been there. My former life seemed as though it had all happened a million years ago. I was a completely different person now. There I had been the child. Now I was the adult. All around me were the reminders of how many family members had fallen victim to what I now thought of as the curse of the Ring of the Queen.

I had run home to the one person left in Indiana that had not fallen victim to Yuri Kostov and his henchmen. The one person left in my hometown that new about the ring. The person who should have told me about it as a child. The person who thought of me as a daughter. Dr. Albert Kleinschmidt.

Dr. Kleinschmidt was still a history professor at my old alma mater, Manchester University. Dr. Kleinschmidt was close to my entire family, and had defended my mother every time she'd gone crazy about Russia and the ring. I remembered questioning his loyalty to me in my younger years. Now, I was counting on him to be my confidant and my protector.

As we approached the town, we passed my old house which used to be my grandma's house on Highway 13.

"It looks the same," I said.

"It's North Manchester," Virgil replied. "Nothing ever changes here."

"I guess not," I said.

We pulled onto the main street of Manchester University, College Avenue, past the big granite sign that bore its name. I got out of the car at the administration building. Dr. Kleinschmidt's office was in the basement. He hadn't moved over the years. His office was right where I remembered it being.

He opened the door immediately when I knocked. "Stacey!" he exclaimed. "I can't believe that it's really you, child. I thought that I would never see you again."

I hugged him. "Well, it's really good to see you Dr. Al. Thank you for making time to see me."

"What brings you here dear?" he asked.

"Grandma's ring," I replied.

"What did that bastard, Yuri Kostov do this time?" Dr. Al asked.

I knew I'd come to the right place. Here was a man that hated Yuri Kostov without even knowing what I'd been going through for the last several years. He'd already formed his opinion of the man, so I didn't have to convince him to help me.

"It's funny you mention Yuri," I said. "He's exactly who I'm here to talk about."

Albert gaped at me. "What happened?"

"It's a long story," I replied. "I'll tell you all about it sometime. Long story short, he got angry at me and kidnapped my best friend, Tania. Now, I have to go and stay in Siberia so he'll release her."

"What on Earth could I possibly do to help with that?" Dr. Al asked.

I took the ring out of my pocket and laid it on the desk between us. "I need you to keep this for me while I'm gone."

"I have just the place to keep it," Albert said.

He led me through the building, across the campus to the Student Union Building. We went through the building to a small area on the basement level. He pulled out a set of keys and began sorting through them. The door that he was trying to unlock was to the campus museum.

In a case in the back of the museum there were several Russian items. He sorted through his keys again and unlocked the case. He reached over most of the items in the case and brought out a little red heart shaped lacquer box.

"No one will ever find it in here." He opened the box and carefully set the ring in it and locked it in the case.

"No one ever looks at my old collectibles," he said. "I bought that on the first trip that I took to the Soviet Union."

"I have to go," I said. "I hate to leave this on you and run, but I don't want Yuri to find out that I stopped here. I have to meet him in Moscow tomorrow."

He gave me a hug. "Moscow is not a safe place for you to meet with this man."

"I don't have a choice," I said.

"I know you're all grown up now, and you've learned all about that ring," Dr. Al said. "I worry about you. Please, be safe."

"I got this," I told him.

"I'll try to keep you informed the best I can too," Virgil added.

"You'd better, young man," Dr. Al said. "I know where you live."

Dr. Al walked with us to Virgil's car. Dr. Al gave me a kiss on my forehead. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes," I replied.

He pulled a map out of his pocket. "Have you ever been to Kolyma?"

"Just briefly, but I hear it's a once in a lifetime experience to live there," I joked.

Professor Kleinschmidt handed the map to me. "Take a look at this map. This is where hell actually exists. The nicest place in the whole region is the infirmaries. It's frozen there most of the year. It's the only place in the world that they refer to their negative number temperatures in April without batting an eye. Stalin disposed of more people there than Hitler did in his concentration camps. This is a map designed by a former resident of the region. It may come in handy. It may help you get out of there alive."

I looked over the map. "This is great!" I exclaimed. "Thank you!"

"Can you handle that weather in Siberia?" Dr. Al asked.

"I've handled the arctic weather in Alaska," I replied. "I've spent time on the North Slope in February."

"And your friend?" Dr. Al asked.

"She lives in New York City," I answered.

"A New Yorker?" Dr. Al exclaimed. "She may be dead already."

"She's still alive," I said. "But, I don't have much time. I have to get to Moscow and exchange myself for her."

Dr. Al stared at me. "And what good will it do the Russian people or anyone to have you lost in Siberia in hell?"

"I don't know, but I have no choice. She did this so that I could get away. I owe her."

"You know President Kostov would take the ring in trade," Dr. Al reminded me. "You could walk away."

"I can't let it go."

"Why?" Dr. Al asked.

"I promised the people of Russia that someday I would come to rescue them from Yuri Kostov."

"God be with you," Dr. Al said. "I hope it's a promise you can keep."

The Queen in Exile
Part XL

"For in the end, freedom is a personal and lonely battle; and one faces down fears of today so that those of tomorrow might be engaged."

-Alice Walker

"I need a representative to accompany me to the swap, and I don't trust most people. This can't get into the media. Say you'll go with me," I asked.

"Has he agreed to release Tania?" Senator Howard Van Zandt asked.

"Yes, but only if I come to Moscow and surrender myself," I told him.

"Where are you and when do we need to leave?" Howard asked.

"I'm in Chicago, and we need to leave immediately," I said.

"Meet me in Baltimore at Washington National," Howard said. "I'm going there to make arrangements now."

I was looking at the departures board and saw a flight to Baltimore leaving in two hours. "I think I found a flight," I told Howard. "It leaves in two hours. I'll send you the details once I have the ticket."

"Deal," Howard replied. "See you soon."

I went to the ticket counter with Virgil right behind me. They had tickets available. I bought one and thanked the lady at the counter. Back to the greater Washington DC area.

Virgil walked with me to the TSA line. "I can't believe that you're leaving so soon."

"Sorry, but I have to go and be a hero," I said.

"And this is the girl who I thought would never leave North Manchester, because I thought your mother would guilt you into living with her forever," Virgil said.

"My, how times change," I replied.

"Go, my little one. Go and change the world," Virgil said. "I hope we meet again."

"We will," I promised. I gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek and went to get in line.

***

What was I doing? I was going to give my life for a friend's. It was a noble cause, but at what cost? I knew Tania couldn't survive in Siberia. I believed that I could. I'm not sure why. I had a lot of time to think on the plane to Baltimore. I remembered every moment of my saga from the moment I'd met Tania in person on the plane to Moscow, to the moment that I'd found out about my ring. I remembered meeting Steve, Tish, and my beloved Peter. I remembered all the faces along the way who said that they wanted a real Tsar to rule Russia again.

It all seemed like a dream. whether good or bad. I'd never asked to be a Romanov. I had met many people along the way, and they'd convinced me that I should take my place on the Russian throne. Surreal was the only word for my personal journey. Somewhere along the way I had come to believe my own fans and supporters. Somehow I had given credence to Yuri's wildest nightmares. I hadn't been born a Romanov leader. Russia was transforming me into one. Give the people what they want. That was a popular tag line in America. I didn't know if I should follow that advice for Russia or not.

I texted Peter to see how he and the family were doing. He said they were fine. We talked about what to do next. He was supportive. We knew that in order for me to have any kind of a chance of overcoming whatever Yuri Kostov was about to do to me, I had to have nothing to return to America or my life for. The more Yuri Kostov thought I had to live for, the worse my fate would be. Peter understood that. I told him that we had to make Yuri believe that I had no reason to go home. That was how I would survive in exile, and that was how my family would survive while I was gone. I didn't want Yuri Kostov killing me or my family. Peter agreed with my analysis. I told him I loved him and that I would call him when I could. I sent my last message when I heard the speaker announce that we were beginning our descent into Baltimore.

***

I exited the plane and Senator Howard Van Zandt was waiting for me close by. "Stacey!"

I walked to him. "Howard, it's good to see you," I gave him a hug.

"We're all set to go," he said. "Are you sure about this? Because this flight is off the grid and top secret. No one knows where we are going or what we are doing there."

"Thank you," I replied. "I don't need anyone to know my business at this point in time. It would be too much for my family."

***

Howard led me to a Lear Jet on the tarmac outside the international terminal. Once inside, he told me that it was his father's plane and that he'd made arrangements for fuel stops and everything that would not be public. I was grateful. I didn't want to become a phenomenon in the media. I wanted my mess to stay quiet.

"The crew has been briefed," Howard said. "They have top secret clearance and are on loan from my father's personal staff."

"Thank him for me," I replied.

"I will," Howard said. "That being said, are you sure this is the only way to resolve your dispute with President Kostov?"

"You heard the verdict. There's no official help for us, so yes," I told him. "He wants me gone, but he knows that the people of Russia wouldn't stand for him having me assassinated. They've lost Tsars that way before."

"I never thought of it from that perspective," Howard said.

"Dealing with me is treacherous for Yuri Kostov. He is inches away from losing it all, and if he has me killed, his world will fall apart completely. He's hoping that I won't survive a Siberian Winter. My dying of natural causes is his only way out."

"Will you survive a winter in Siberia?" Howard asked.

"I've been to Anadyr in January. Have you?" I asked.

"No, but I've been to Yakutsk in February," Howard replied. "It's harsh."

"Yes it is, but I've been around. I've been in Magadan in January. I've been in Novosibirsk and Yakutsk in March, and I've ridden a dogsled through Usol'Ye Sibirskoye. I can handle it. Yuri Kostov underestimates my ability to handle the weather in Kolyma, and Siberians love me."

***

It was dark when we landed in Moscow at Domodedovo International Airport. We were immediately directed to a quiet area where we could pull inside a hangar. We had informed President Kostov of our ID number and the time that we would be arriving and he met us inside the hangar.

"I did not believe that you would come," Yuri Kostov said as I walked down the stairs of the jet. He saw Howard coming down the stairs behind me. "Senator Van Zandt, how risky it must be for you to be involved in something like this."

"I'm helping a friend," Howard replied. "I see your English lessons are going well."

Yuri shot him a look. "I wish to speak to my contemporaries in their vernacular. If only Americans did the same, we would all communicate better."

"I'm here," I interrupted them. "I'm here as I promised. Now, where's Tania?"

Yuri motioned to the door. "She is waiting for us in the next hangar. We will exchange you there."

We followed Yuri Kostov and his posse of security men to the next building. It was cold and dark in Moscow already for the season. Winter was coming in soon. When I walked into the hangar where the President's plane was sitting, I didn't know what to think. It was a Lear Jet too. It was not the Presidential Jet. They must have come from a smaller airport, and the airport most likely had been in Eastern Siberia.

The door of the plane opened and Tania appeared in the doorway. She almost ran down the stairs and ran to me and hugged me. Her clothes looked fine, but were Russian winter garb. She looked like she'd lost a significant amount of weight, which made me happy with my decision to rescue her.

"What are you doing?" she asked. She looked at Howard. "And what are you doing here with her?"

"I'm trading you, so you can go home," I said.

"You can't do this," she said.

"I can handle it," I replied.

"I know you can handle it, but you are a Tsar," she said.

"All evidence to the contrary," Yuri Kostov said.

"I've had enough of you," Tania snapped at Yuri. She turned to me. "You need to overthrow this ass. I've seen how those people live. They need you."

I wished that I had time to explain everything to her, but I didn't. "You have to trust me and do as I say."

"I'll fill you in on the way home," Howard said.

Tania looked at Howard and rolled her eyes. She looked back to me. "For all you know, he might have the plane shot down after we leave. Rescuing me does no good."

"It's important to me," I replied. "Go home with Howard. He'll take care of you."

I didn't say another word. I gave Tania a hug and sent her with Howard.

"Okay chief, let's go," I said to Yuri Kostov.

The Queen in Exile
Part XLI

"One has to look at my life story to see what I've done. I've paid a heavy price that many people don't realize."

-Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

I didn't look back. I was on a path to become a martyr, even though I wasn't interested in that option. I walked up the steps and into the jet. I sat down in a seat by the window and fastened my seatbelt. I looked out the window and saw Tania leaving with Howard and a security escort. It was over, or so I thought.

Yuri Kostov sat down in a seat across from me. "I believe we still have some business before we reach our final destination."

"I believe you are wrong," I snapped. "I agreed to become your prisoner in Tania's place. That is the only business I agreed to."

"I will release you if you give me the ring," Yuri Kostov said.

"I don't have it," I replied.

"What do you mean, you do not have it?" Yuri Kostov asked.

"I put it in storage," I replied. "You didn't honestly think I would give it to you, did you? After all I've been through over that ring, I'm keeping it."

Yuri Kostov looked at the pilot standing in the doorway to the cockpit. "We are ready for takeoff," he told the pilot. He looked back to me. "You are far more foolish than I anticipated."

"I'm not interested in talking about this anymore," I said.

"You are saying that you would rather become my prisoner, than to give me a ring? Maybe you do have Romanov blood coursing through you."

"I do."

"Most of the Tsars were mad."

"Where does that leave you?" I asked.

"I am a realistic Romanov descendant. I am not in the group that truly believed they were ordained by God to rule. It was sheer madness," Yuri Kostov answered.

"And yet, the church still believes that to be a valid basis on which to determine a ruler," I snapped.

"And the rulers must be Russian," Yuri Kostov snapped back. "It will not take nearly as long as you believe for the citizens to get over this foolishness and move on. It will not be long before you are merely a legend like your American Santa Claus."

"Do you mean Saint Nicholas? If I recall, in the 90's your country confirmed that there indeed was a Saint Nicholas. At least there was a Saint Nicholas II," I snarked.

President Kostov didn't say anything after that until the pilot announced that we were about to land in Irkutsk. I thought that my journey was nearly over. I had believed that we were going to Usol'Ye Sibirskoye which wasn't far from Irkutsk. I was prepared to stay in the camp there and work wherever they sent me. I'd already met people in the area, and thought that it wouldn't be bad.

Yuri motioned to one of his posse and the man opened a drawer and came over and handed something to Yuri that looked like an ugly bracelet. It was huge and black and had a black box on it. Yuri took it and smiled at me.

"This is for you, Tsarina," he said.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It is an electronic monitoring ankle band," he said. "I must be certain that you are staying where you belong, once we reach our final destination. I do not wish for you to escape while we stop for fuel either. Please, put it on now."

I snapped the device to my ankle. "Does this thing give me a shock or something?"

"That thing tells me your exact location," Yuri snapped. "I will always know precisely where you are. I would recommend that you stay in the area that I assign you to. Otherwise, there will be consequences. You are a prisoner."

Then his final destination comment struck me. "I thought Irkutsk was our final flight destination? Tania was in Usol'Ye Sibirskoye."

"That place is not for you," Yuri replied. "I have a special town for you to live in. There is no salt mine there. There also is no prison. You will be far more comfortable."

"Can we fly there?" I asked.

"We will discuss this at the appropriate time," Yuri answered. "Sit back and relax. We have a long way to travel. After we refuel, the staff will have a meal for us. You should eat."

***

# I tried many times to engage Yuri in conversation during the rest of the flight. We stopped in Yakutsk eventually, and I thought that it was our final destination, but it wasn't. From there, we were loaded into a Mil Mi-17 helicopter and took off shortly after. I had no idea where we were going, but I was frightened. The thing that I knew to be true about Siberia was that there wasn't much between Yakutsk and the Pacific Ocean.

# The helicopter was loud, and it gave me a headache. I couldn't even hear anything much through my headphones. The ride was bouncy, and the weather outside was questionable at best. I had not been able to convince Yuri to tell me where we were going, so I was not able to prepare for anything in my mind.

# "Are you ever going to tell me where we are going?" I yelled to Yuri.

# "We will arrive soon," he yelled back.

# "I agreed to all of this," I yelled. "I think I deserve to know that much."

# The Mil descended into what was again the darkness, and landed roughly on the ground. I looked out the door when it opened. Everything was cold, but not completely frozen. It was only early October, so that made sense to me. I saw the lights of a village. I could see two people, dressed in fur parkas, standing not far away. I climbed out of the helicopter with Yuri and his posse close behind me. The ankle bracelet was cold on my leg.

# "Welcome to Oymyakon," Yuri Kostov said.

# I froze. I knew that name. That was the village by the Pole of Cold. It was one of the coldest inhabited places on Earth. It was also at least a hundred miles from anywhere down the Road of Bones. I'd never been there, but it scared me to death. I would literally be lost in Siberia.

# "Am I to understand that you know of this village?" Yuri Kostov asked me.

# "I've heard of it," I replied.

# Yuri and group guided me to the two people waiting for us. Yuri stepped in front and gave the woman a hug and shook hands with the man. He turned to me. "This is Lena and Maksim Lebedinsky. They will be your hosts."

# "I'm pleased to meet you both," I told them. "I am sorry if I'm intruding."

# "It is not an imposition," Lena said through her parka hood.

# "The President pays us well for hosting guests," Maksim said.

# Lena and Maksim were a lovely couple. I presumed that they were a couple. They were of Asian or other indigenous descent. They both had tan skin and black hair as far as I could tell. They were average in height. They were very polite.

# "We must leave," Yuri announced. He held his hand out to me, palm up. "Your phone, please."

# "My phone?" I asked.

# "I have arranged for a phone that you can use," Yuri replied. "I cannot leave you with means of escape."

# "I need to make a call first," I insisted. "I need to say good bye to my family."

# "You can call your family later," Yuri said. "You will be able to contact them. Your communications will be monitored by Lena and Maksim."

# "Please," I begged.

# "Very well," he replied. "Speaker phone only."

# I called Peter. "Hi, it's me. How are you? How is Michael?"

# "We're fine," Peter replied. "How are you? Where are you?"

# "I can't tell you where I am, but I'm fine."

# "When will you come home?"

# "Yuri, how long will I be here?" I asked him.

# "Until you give me the ring," he replied.

# "Forever, I guess," I told Peter.

# "Give him the ring," Peter ordered me.

# "I can't do that," I said.

# "Stacey, I love you," Peter said. "But I can't do this anymore. I hope that you get out of this someday, but I won't be here when you do. I'm filing for a divorce and custody of Michael. We need to live our lives. This is ridiculous. You don't even want to rule Russia."

# "Peter, no," I sobbed. "I love you. You can't do this."

# "I love you too," Peter replied. "But this is too much. Good bye."

# The call ended. I handed the phone to Yuri Kostov with tears rolling down my cheeks.

# Yuri Kostov took the phone and put it in his pocket. "I am sorry to hear about your divorce. Are you certain that you will not simply give me my ring and end this?"

# I turned to walk away with Lena and Maksim. Neither one of them said anything. They simply walked with me.

# "I can help you repair your family, if you give me the ring!" Yuri Kostov yelled after me.

# I turned and yelled at him. "I now have nothing to lose, you twatwaffle! Go away!"

The Queen in Exile
Part XLII

"What right can give anyone authority to inflict torture upon a citizen when it is still unknown whether he is innocent or guilty?"

-Catherine The Great

It was daylight when I woke and looked out the tiny window by my bed. Frost, and some snow covered everything as far as the eye could see. Oymyakon was a small village, with no large buildings visible. I didn't even see a church from my vantage point. My grandma had told me everything I knew about the village. She told me that people mined coal there, that it's remote and they have little connection to the outside world. She told me that people lived to be extremely old and were pretty healthy, and that a lot of them were reindeer herders. She said the Soviets created the village to try to keep track of the Evenky people. My grandma said that the name, Oymyakon means unfrozen water in Tungus, but from where I stood, that seemed unlikely.

I was in my own place, which was little more than a shack in the middle of nowhere by the Pole of Cold along the Road of Bones in Yakutia. I didn't know what to think. I knew I was cold. I went to the other room of the cabin and found that the woodstove was nearly burnt out, so I put on my boots and went out to get some wood.

When I opened the door, the sun was shining outside and it seemed like winter in Ninilchik. Since it was only the beginning of October, I was sure it would only get worse. The wood was neatly stacked just outside the door, so I grabbed a couple of pieces and tossed them into the woodstove. I'd caught the fire in time, so it sizzled to life while burning off the frost, in no time. Soon, the room was warm.

Next, I took the toilet seat and toilet paper from their storage places close to the stove and headed out to the outhouse. That would be something that would take some getting used to.

After that, I returned to the cabin to heat up some water and clean up and make some coffee. I was relaxing with coffee and black rye toast when Lena and Maksim knocked on the door.

"Good morning," I said as I opened the door and motioned them in.

"I see you found everything," Lena said.

"Yes," I replied. "It's an interesting way to live in the 21st century. The bed was comfortable. Is this your place?"

"My grandmother lived here," Maksim said. "She died last winter."

"I'm sorry for you loss," I replied. "It's a comfortable little cabin."

"She was 106," Maksim said.

"Wow," I replied. "My grandma told me that people here live to be very old."

"That is true," Lena said. "We came to show you the village and help you assimilate. Would you like to take a tour?"

"Yes, let me get a jacket," I replied.

For the next hour, Lena and Maksim drove me around town in their ramshackle truck and showed me the tiny food stand, the small store, the school, the doctor's office, and many small shacks like the one that I was apparently going to live in. They showed me where the local coal mine was and showed me the road out of town. They apologized for that, because they couldn't let me take the road and leave. It was an amazing place in the middle of nowhere. They did take me out to where the marker for the Pole of Cold was. It was what the town was most famous for.

"So, this is the coldest place on Earth?" I asked.

"This is the coldest permanently inhabited place in the Northern Hemisphere," Lena corrected me.

"There are 500 people here?" I asked.

"501 now," Maksim replied.

I looked around at the vast countryside which seemed to go on forever. "It's not where I thought I would end up. I pictured someplace with indoor plumbing and central heat; maybe a vegetable garden."

"I think you are accepting this situation well," Lena noted. "It cannot be easy."

"It's hard. I miss my family. I'm not sure what to do now," I said. "Did Yuri tell you what to do with me?"

"The President gave us many instructions, but he did not say what you should do with your time here. I think that he wants you to choose how you spend your time within reason," Maksim said. "He wants you out of the public eye. That is all. He does not wish you any physical harm."

"I wouldn't be so sure," I replied. "So, this is what you do? You take care of Yuri's political rejects?"

"This is a special case," Lena replied. "We generally play host to scientists and media representatives who come here to do documentaries and research."

"You must be loyal constituents," I remarked.

"The village is a frontier town," Maksim said. "There is no loyalty here to Moscow. The President is paying us well to take care of you. We are in it for the money, as they say in America."

"I hate to disappoint anyone, but you are aware that I don't intend to live the rest of my life here, yes?" I asked.

"Is that true?" Maksim asked. "We thought that you had surrendered."

"I lied," I replied.

Maksim and Lena shot each other a look. "Come with us," Lena said. "We have one more place to show you."

***

Not far away was a little wooden church. It looked like it had been there a long time, but it was in good shape and was textbook Russian Orthodox. I was surprised that they hadn't shown it to me earlier. Russians were normally proud of their churches, especially since there were several decades in which religion was frowned upon.

The church was adorable, tiny with some benches around the outer walls and windows which let in a lot of light. There was a beautiful nave at the head of the church with a wall of gilded icons. The light from the windows reflected off the gold and bathed the entire room in golden light. It was like standing in heaven.

"It's beautiful," I said. "I will like coming to church here."

"You are Russian Orthodox?" Maksim asked.

I hadn't told anyone that Peter and I had converted to Russian Orthodoxy, but it seemed harmless in this arena. "Yes, my husband and I converted two years ago. My son was baptized in the Church."

"Your son?" Lena asked.

"Yes, Michael."

"There is someone here that we would like you to meet," Maksim said. "This way."

They led me out of the church to a little building a few yards away. There were lights on inside the building, so I presumed that there was a person or people inside. Maksim opened the door for me and Lena and I walked inside with Maksim close behind.

When I walked in the door, there was a priest in robes standing as though he was waiting for something. He looked familiar. He approached me immediately.

"You must be Catherine III," he said as he shook my hand. "Forgive me, I have never met a true Romanov direct line descendant before. I do not mean to be rude. I am Patriarch Sergius II."

"I thought you looked familiar," I replied, remembering pictures I'd seen on the internet. I didn't know what to think. This is where he'd been out of touch. "It's nice to meet you."

"The honor is mine, Tsarina," Sergius II said.

"I'm not a Tsarina," I replied. "I need to be born in Russia."

"That is why I am here," the Patriarch said.

Patriarch Sergius II smiled at me and walked to the corner of the room that we were standing in. He opened a door and motioned me to walk through it. I wondered if he was completely mad and leading me to a prison cell or something. I had no idea what was happening.

When I entered the tiny room in the back of that building, I couldn't believe my eyes. There were so many things in that tiny room. There was a gilded, jeweled throne. There were robes, jewelry, and many other golden items that made the room look like a treasure chamber. Next to the throne was a scepter and a crown. I felt my heart beat quicken and I felt a little faint. It couldn't be what I thought it was. That didn't exist.

"What is this?" I asked.

"I have traveled most of Siberia looking for your birth record," Sergius said. He handed me a paper. "This is for you."

I looked at the old yellowed paper. My parents' names were on it. It was my birth certificate.

"I was born here?" I asked. "That can't be."

"This is also where your family was born," Lena said, while Patriarch Sergius II handed me several other birth certificates of my family members. "Alexei Romanov came here many years ago. These items came with him. This is where your family comes when they give birth. This is how the family line stays alive. These things have been here for generations. They belong to you."

"The missing Romanov treasure?" I asked.

"Yes, it was here all the time," Sergius II said.

"The President doesn't know this?" I asked.

"No," Maksim replied. "We are Romanov Loyalists here. We always have been."

"Now what?" I asked.

"You have learned much in your travels and studies," Patriarch Sergius II said. "Yuri Kostov believes that he has won. Now you need patience and strategy. You have learned to be strong and courageous. Now that you have come here, we will teach you to be a Tsar."

I walked over and sat down on the throne. This was the sign that I could not ignore. I was born in Oymyakon, Siberia, like everyone else in my family. This was the thing that no one in my family had a chance to tell me. It was the missing piece of my life.

"Is there any way I can make a call?" I asked them.

"I thought your family was turning their backs on you?" Lena asked.

"I wanted Yuri Kostov to think that," I replied. "I needed him to leave my family alone."

Maksim smiled and handed me a phone. "We have one of the few sat phones here. It is always available to you, Tsarina."

"Thank you," I replied. "You are truly good people." I called Peter. "It's safe on this phone, how are you?"

"We're fine," he replied. "How are you? Are you all right? Do you have any plans yet?"

"I'm fabulous," I said. "I'm in Oymyakon with Patriarch Sergius II."

"Why?" Peter asked. "Why is he there?"

"Hold on to your hat, baby," I told him. "You aren't going to believe this."

Author's Note

So we come to the end of another adventure. Stacey is nowhere near done yet. She has a lot of fighting, working and learning left to do. She has no idea what surprises I have in store for her. Catherine III, (The Lost Tsar Trilogy, Book III), will be along soon.

I appreciate all of you who have been reading along. I love the work. I love that Trekboy is constantly after me to make sure that I finish what I start. Russia is my greatest passion. I hope that everyone enjoys the subject matter as much as I do.

Thank you for your support and for reading along. I hope to hear more reviews. I love to know what you think.

Enjoy the preview of Catherine III that follows.

Catherine III
Part I

More than two years later...

Yuri Kostov sat in his office at the Kremlin, sipping a glass of tea, looking out his window. Below, on the bridgeway entrance some local primary school classes were hanging their Christmas puppets on the brick walls that framed the main gate to the mighty fortress. It was a tradition that had begun the year that Communism had fallen.

Yuri smiled. His life had become peaceful in the last several months. He had defeated his nemesis, and was now able to rule his country as he saw fit. As he watched the happy children displaying their art with the help of their proud teachers, he felt satisfied. He'd taken part in the birth of the puppet tradition for Christmas at the Kremlin gates. It was the way that he felt Christmas should be. He believed that his way was best for his people.

Protests to bring back a Tsar had diminished, just as he'd believed they would. It was the beginning of Christmas season and his people were able to celebrate the holidays. This was because of progression not regression. He was the future, and the future was the best direction to set aim. To go back meant to risk giving up what they'd all worked so hard for.

Who would choose to return to the ancient ways? Who would choose to become a subject to a royal ruler in the modern age, where the most powerful countries in the world were democracies? He'd won. He'd kept Stacey Godunov out of the lime light long enough that she'd faded from the people's minds. She'd faded like a flash in a pan. It was his world now. If only she could be a distant memory to him.

Yuri sighed and checked his calendar. It was the day of the month that he hated most. One day each month he attempted to talk to Stacey. It always ended badly. He looked at his watch and decided that he'd better make his monthly call before it got too late in Eastern Siberia.

Yuri pushed an old fashioned call button on his old intercom system. "Galina, it's that time," he said. "Could you place my monthly call to Mrs. Godunov?"

"Mr. President, Mrs. Godunov is waiting on line two for you," Galina's voice answered.

"You read my mind," Yuri said.

"I wish I could take credit for that. Actually, sir, she called for you," Galina's voice replied.

Yuri stared at the intercom. He got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. She had never called him from Oymyakon before. _Why now?_  
Yuri pressed the button next to the flashing green-yellow light. "Stacey, how nice to hear from you."

"Hi, Yuri," Stacey's answered. "How's things?"

Yuri noticed raspiness in her voice. He wondered about her health. He hadn't seen her face to face since the Lena and Maksim had escorted her away in Oymyakon.

"How are you feeling?" Yuri asked.

"I'm fine," Stacey replied. "It's Thanksgiving in my world on Thursday. I would like to celebrate the holiday. The people here said that they would like to share it with me. So, what do you say?"

Yuri was taken aback a little. "What do I say about what?"

"Be a sport and come see what it's like to celebrate American style Thanksgiving," Stacey replied. "You wouldn't be the first foreign head of state to participate, you know."

Yuri didn't answer immediately. He wasn't quite sure why she would try to make peace with him after all these years. She'd never had any interest in appeasing him.

He thought for a moment. Stacey had been marooned in Oymyakon, Siberia for over two years. There was nothing there. Most of the world didn't know or care that the village even existed. Yuri couldn't imagine any way that she could be up to anything. Maybe Siberia had finally broken her like a cowboy breaks a wild horse. He was leery of it, but if he didn't accept, she would believe that he was scared of her. He couldn't have that.

"I accept," Yuri finally replied. "Can I bring anything for the meal? That is customary, is it not?"

"Your making the long trip out here is more than enough, Yuri," Stacey replied.

Yuri knew she was up to something, but what could it be? He'd monitored her the whole time that she'd been in Oymyakon. Lena and Maksim had reported her every activity and any contact that she may have had outside the village. He had loyal spies, good satellites and total control of the situation. He was sure that she could not be plotting against him. She didn't have the means.

"Thursday?" he pondered.

"Can you make it for 2:00 p.m.?" she asked.

"That will be fine," Yuri told her.

"See you then," Stacey said. "Dress warm. It's a little chilly out here."

"As you wish," Yuri replied.

When he hung up the phone, he ran several possibilities through his mind of plots Stacey may be planning, but none of the scenarios made sense. She couldn't fight against him. The people of Oymyakon had nothing as far as weapons or anything that would be used for a military action. She couldn't attack him. He had great body guards that would never allow a personal attack.

"Galina," he said, pushing the button on his old intercom again. "Could you get me Yvgeni over at the Strategic Monitoring Center for me?"

"As you wish," Galina replied.

A short time later, the call was transferred. Yuri snatched up the phone receiver. "Yvgeni, how are you my friend?"

"I'm well, Mr. President," Yvgeni answered. "What can I do for you today?"

"I had a very strange call from my friend in Oymyakon," Yuri told him. "Has there been any unusual activity in that sector recently?"

"Only snow sir, and lots of it," Yvgeni told him. "It's white and lifeless out that way. I saw a couple of reindeer herds wandering on their way south, but that was about it. It's sparse out there at best. Would you like me to recheck the latest data?"

Yuri suddenly felt as though he was being paranoid. "No, that won't be necessary. I know the high quality of your work, and I have no reason to question it," Yuri said. "Thank you." After he hung up the phone, he buzzed the intercom again. "Galina, I need you to arrange a transport for me to Oymyakon on Thursday."

"Why sir?" Galina asked. "Is the Tsarina all right?"

Yuri rolled his eyes. If only his assistant would forget about her. "Yes, she is fine. She's invited me to a Thanksgiving dinner."

About the Author

Terri Dixon is the online writer, blogger, and photographer; Nina Kindred. The Queen in Exile (The Lost Tsar Trilogy Book II) is her second full length novel. She is also the author of

The Ring of the Queen (The Lost Tsar Trilogy Book I).

Both books are available in multiple formats online. Terri is a Good Reads, Smashwords, I Author, Inkitt, and FictionPress author. Her photography is available on Pixels, Cafepress, and Zazzle.

When Terri is not writing or shuttering as herself or Nina, she is working many jobs and spending time with her husband and son in Northwest Connecticut.

