As I looked down at the splendor of the czarina’s encampment, with its many uniformed gentlemen, its colorful flags and magnificent horses, I was presented with a choice. Either I could ignore all this and ride onwards to Kherson, where I could muster a force of volunteers and destroy the Tatar settlement on the river — or — I could return this horse to the czarina and receive a reward. I paused for a moment to consider my options.

If I rode onwards to Kherson, how would I present my case to the men? Shouting like a madman that the Tatars had killed my raiding band? How apprehensive would they be? If merely ten of them volunteered, would I truly attack with those ten, merely decreasing the very high odds of my death, or would I be ignored completely and serve to be nothing more than an annoyance to the garrison at Kherson?

If I returned the horse to the czarina, perhaps I would be rewarded… but then again, this is the same woman who rewarded my people by throwing us out of our homes and scattering us to the winds. Only God knew how her mind worked. Perhaps I would be ignored and sent away, or... more likely than not, she had sent word to the soldiers at Kherson to be on alert for a missing white horse. If I returned there with this animal that had neither saddle nor reins, then surely I would be singled out as a horse thief.

My choice was clearer now that I had considered the possibility of an execution. I would return the horse and walk back to Kherson, for I would rather walk those few versts with the czarina’s words of thanks than be executed by her headsman.

As I was about to descend into the czarina’s camp, the faint sound of galloping hooves came up behind me. I turned to see the green man, still riding hard to catch me.

He slowed down when he could see that I was not running. When at last he caught up to me, he was red-faced and panting, as if the short chase had winded him. I decided that we would go down together, since the man was apparently telling the truth, and I needed him to present me to the camp and show them that I was not some wandering bandit.

“Why are you running from me?” he said, exasperated. “If we do not return together, then it will be as if I did not heed my orders to Her Majesty, and while she is merciful, she can also be very…”

I descended into the camp. Any words with this man would be pointless.

“...harsh. Where are you going? Wait for me! We must arrive together!”

“I owe you nothing, moskal,” I said as I rode down the slope. “I simply wish to avoid being accused of horse thievery.”

He babbled on about “propriety” or “civility” or something of that nature. I had no desire to listen. As we approached the camp, we were hailed by two riders who appeared to be from the czarina’s personal guard. I squinted since I did not believe it at first, but as they drew nearer on their own white horses, I saw that it was true; but the riders were two of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. Both had raven black hair and large, dark eyes that complemented their green uniforms. Even as one of them leveled her musket and threatened to shoot me, I could do nothing but gawk.

“Halt, who goes there?” said one of the women. Even through her threatening tone, her voice was as sweet as a lark. I was uncertain, but I thought I detected an accent in her simple sentence.

“Andrei Vasilyevich,” she continued. “Who is this stranger, and why is he armed?”

“I am not this Andrei Vasilyevich,” I said, confused.

“No, I am,” said the green man with a nervous smile. He then turned to the uniformed maiden and said, “You must excuse him, this fellow is doubtless entranced by your beauty, Lieutenant Morozova.” He gave her a grin, but she scarcely noticed. Instead, she rode up to me and yanked my shashka out of my belt while her companion stole away my waterlogged pistol. They failed to see the dagger hidden in my boot.

“So this man,” Andrei stuttered, “I found him while I was recovering the czarina’s…”

I rode in between him and the lieutenant.

“I am the one who recovered the czarina’s stallion,” I said as I patted the horse’s neck. “I am here to do my moral duty as I would to any traveller. I merely wish to return this beast and be on my way.”

The dark-eyed beauty squinted at me with suspicion and then looked toward Andrei.

“Yes, indeed. We do have a missing horse from the czarina’s carriage, but we sent Andrei Vasilyevich here to retrieve it. You may enter, stranger, but know that the Amazon Company will be watching you. Andrei Vasilyevich will accompany you.”

The Amazon Company. A fitting name for the czarina’s group of female bodyguards. They seemed as fierce as they were beautiful. I gave the ladies a bow and led the horse at a slow walk through throngs of more watchful Amazons. Some of them who had been playing cards stopped to look at me, as did others who were engaging in idle gossip. Never had I ever felt that a bullet would bite me in the back if I were to so much as sneeze.

Andrei rode several paces behind me, as if he was afraid to come any closer. This man was truly a new breed of coward. How was he afraid of me while dozens of eyes were watching every little twitch I made? Up ahead lay the czarina’s pavilion, guarded by a mix of both Amazon soldiers and men wearing green coats and thick mustaches whom I presumed to be the czarina’s other bodyguards, the Preobrazhensky Regiment. These men had experience with death and killing. Their eyes followed me like wolves tracking a wounded deer. While the Amazons observed me with caution, these Preobrazhensky were itching to attack me. One of them was even gently caressing the trigger guard of his musket with a sinister smile barely hidden by his thick mustache.

I ignored them and continued onward to the czarina’s pavilion. There, I was stopped by a man wearing the same uniform as Andrei. He looked every bit the servant, and sounded just as such when he told me,

“Good sir, Her Majesty bids you to abide by royal protocol. Upon entering the pavilion, you must first bow slightly, and then you must…”

I dismounted the horse as he was speaking and shoved him aside to enter the pavilion. I was sure I heard the clicking of a dozen flintlocks behind me, but I knew they would not dare to shoot the czarina’s tent.

I threw back the tent flap and stopped where I was. The interior of the tent was even more magnificent than the outside. Crimson silk decorated with intricate needlework lined the inner walls of the pavilion, while lanterns on golden lantern stands illuminated the room. Below my feet was a fine fur rug made of what appeared to be a white bear, an animal I had never seen before. And in front of me, sitting around a table, was a gathering of noblemen in their finest attire, with fine satin coats and lace on their chests, all of whom now had their eyes on me. At the head of the table, though, was Catherine herself — the czarina of all the Russias. She was dressed not as I imagined her. She wore a simple gray cloth robe with a black satin hat. Despite her simple garments, she maintained an imperial bearing, with her bright blue eyes and the way every man in the room waited for her to take the first action. She gestured to her companion, a man sitting to her right, clad in a richly embroidered gold uniform with a chest bedecked with medals. This man scowled at me and said,

“Who the hell are you? The czarina did not summon you!”

I felt compelled to kneel, but as soon as I did this, two of the Preobrazhensky guards rushed into the pavilion and grabbed me.

“Wait,” said the czarina. Her voice was soft and a little throaty. She turned to the uniformed man and said, “Grishenka, you cannot simply seize my subjects when they have done nothing wrong.”

“My apologies for overstepping, Matushka.”

“State your business here,” the czarina said to me.

Before I could speak, Andrei stepped between myself and the czarina. He removed his hat, and with a low, flourishing bow, he said,

“Your Majesty, we have returned with the…”

The czarina had only to raise her eyebrow to get Andrei to shut his mouth.

“The question was not addressed to you, footman.”

Although soft of voice, the czarina’s command made Andrei freeze. She gave me a gentle nod and urged me to continue.

“Your Highness, I am but a humble Cossack,” I said, keeping my head low. “I found a white stallion wandering about the steppe with neither saddle nor stirrup, and took it upon myself to return it to you, as Christ and the law would have me do.”

The czarina nodded, “And how is it that you knew it belonged to us? Surely your first thought upon seeing this magnificent creature was not, that you should be a good and loyal servant to the czarina and return her property to her. This is a magnificent creature, an Arabian by breed. It would certainly fetch quite the price at any market. Be truthful, Cossack.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” I sighed. Better to tell the truth now than be exposed by the damned footman later, “This footman, who is apparently called Andrei Vasilyevich, chanced upon me while I was riding the beast, and told me it belonged to you. I promptly reoriented towards the direction of Kherson, where he told me that I would be able to meet you.”

The czarina frowned.

“You say you were already riding the animal? It sounds like you tried your hand at horse thievery. The guards did not witness the horse running away at night, so the possibility of theft is not above suspicion.”

“Your Highness, I can assure you that I was not involved in a conscious theft of the animal, and at the time I merely thought the horse was a runaway. Your man Andrei Vasilyevich here can confirm.”

I shot the footman a glare. He swallowed nervously and stammered a reply,

“Yes, Your Majesty. I merely advised him to return the animal, and he sped off towards you like a swift arrow, while I trailed behind him.”

It seemed that Andrei’s cowardice, even in the act of lying, had probably saved my life. Catherine did not seem completely convinced, but her frown relaxed. She stood up from her seat and the whole room stood with her. She only stood slightly taller than five feet, but her aura was the most powerful in the room. The czarina made her way to me and held out her hand. With the utmost reverence, I kissed the diamond encrusted ring which bore her imperial monogram.

“Whether you are a horse thief who has had a change of heart or a sincere good and honest man matters not,” said the czarina. “Through your actions, you have done a service to your czarina and you shall not be left unrewarded. We shall reward you with our boon. Ask of us anything that you may desire, and we shall grant it if it is within our power.”

My eyes widened and I felt my heart steadily rise in pace. At first the words seemed as a jest, some cruel joke to play on a commoner. However, no one in the room was laughing. All at once, it occurred to me that I could have anything that I wanted, but I knelt there, dumbfounded, unable to speak. My lips moved, but my mind raced to find what I wanted. There were so many things I could ask for! Land, money, armies, titles…

“We understand that this decision weighs heavily on you,” Catherine said as she saw my hesitation. “Stay in camp awhile and dine with our soldiers and servants tonight. Good food and some rest do wonders to clear the head.”

With that, she nodded to the guards, who hauled me by my shoulders out of her pavilion. As I was being led away, I heard the low chuckles of her noblemen behind me.