The Queen in Exile (The Lost Tsar Trilogy Book II)

By Terri Dixon

Stacey had learned a lot about Soviet History from her grandma during her life. When her grandma died and gave her a mysterious Russian ring, she decided that she wanted to learn about it. She wanted to know about the Tsars that once ruled Russia as well. During her first year in college, Stacy went to Moscow University to take a class about the Tsars.
After her first round against President Yuri Kostov, Stacey escaped with The Ring of the Queen.
Seven years later, Stacey lives in Alaska with her family and now finds herself involved in round two of her battle with Yuri. She has to rescue her husband, Peter's grandmother, Tish from Russia with the help of her best friend, Tania as President Kostov pursues them in a chase across Siberia battling for the ring. Stacey tries desperately to exit the country and return home to her family with grandma and the ring.
Will she give President Kostov the ring or sacrifice herself to save her best friend, Tania from exile in Siberia? No government can help her, so she alone must decide her own fate.
The Queen in Exile, The Lost Tsar Trilogy Book II is the second installment of Stacey, the young girl with a rite of passage that will take her from her home in Indiana to the leader of all Russia. It's an adventure like no other from a history like none other.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Terri Dixon
• Release date: Mar 15, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463029428

Terri Dixon

Terri Dixon is the well traveled internet writer, blogger, and photographer; Nina Kindred. Nina has been writing stories on Fictionpress for nearly 20 years. She has been writing her travel blog, Adventures for Anyone on blogger for over 10 years. She sells her photography at her shops Artistic Creations by Nina Kindred on Cafepress and Imagings on Zazzle. She also has a gallery on Fine Art America. The Ring of the Queen is her first full length novel, and is Book I of The Lost Tsar Trilogy. The Queen in Exile, is Book II of The Lost Tsar Trilogy. Catherine III, The Lost Tsar Trilogy Book III in which the battle for Russia is at last decided. The Destiny Dream is Terri's stand alone novel about the adventures of a young woman who is trying not to believe that her recurring dream is a view into her future. The Terrorist's Game Level 1 is the story of Talia Anderson and her international adventures. Greenville, Dynasty of the North Woods, a thriller that takes place in the wilds of northern Maine has arrived here! It's one of my most popular stories. Even the reviewers love it! New on Amazon is "Bourbon," the second Every Woman has a Story who's taking on Manhattan and her dysfunctional family through trials and tribulations. On Amazon and Kindle is "Alice" who is making her way humorously through a mid life crisis. Terri is a journalist who never completely took to the trade. She has a day job, a night job, and many hobbies including travel, hiking, cooking, and recently kayaking. She lives in the northwest hills of Connecticut with her husband and their temperamental kitty, while her son pursues his dreams in professional auto racing.

Book preview

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