The Missing Monarch (19 page)

“Enough evidence to put all of Octavian’s associates away for
the rest of their lives,” Levi added as he entered the room behind them. “But
we’ll leave the rest of sorting that out to the courts. This family deserves a
celebration.”
He linked his arm around Isabelle’s waist.

“And a celebration it will get,” Philip declared as his wife
wheeled him into the room.

“Father,” Stasi chided him, “don’t you need your rest?”

“I’ve been sleeping for a week.” He laughed. “And I’ve awakened
into the happiest dream.” He pointed at Peter. “I have a grandson.”

Monica had told Peter about the king and queen.
Now the boy
looked at his grandfather with curiosity. “Are you my other grandpa?”

“Yes.” Philip’s eyes twinkled happily.

“I thought you were the king,” Peter challenged him.

“I was,” Philip acknowledged. “But now it’s time for your daddy
to be king. Would you like that?”

Peter looked up at his father, and then down at Monica. “What
about my mommy?”

Monica
was about to shush him, to insist she was fine just the
way she was, but Thaddeus placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“Your mommy will be my queen.”

“Will she?” Peter asked.

“I guess it’s up to her.” Thad met her eyes. Then, apparently
uncomfortable standing above her while she sat, he dropped down on one knee and
took her hands in his. “They’d like to crown me
at noon tomorrow. Would you do
me the honor—” His voice caught with emotion, and he squeezed her hand before
continuing. “When I am king, will you be my queen?”

Thad hardly made it through the question. Monica cupped his
face in her hands and drew him close. “Yes,” she whispered just before he kissed
her, wrapping his arms around her until she nearly forgot they were not
alone.

A roar behind them startled her. She broke away from the kiss
to find Thad’s siblings and their fiancés cheering with approval. After
wondering how his family might receive her, she blushed at their enthusiastic
response to the passionate kiss she’d have preferred to keep private.

Thad stood and faced his younger brother and sisters. “I can
think of no
better way to begin my reign than with a series of celebrations. And
there is no greater celebration than a wedding feast. But, so we don’t step on
one another’s toes, I think you should all work out when you’re getting married.
Who’s going to go first?”

The siblings looked at one another with broad smiles.

“Isabelle was engaged first, so I suppose she should go first,”
Stasi suggested.

“And Stasi is always late, so I suppose she should go last,”
Alec declared with a laugh.

Everyone chuckled, until Isabelle spoke up in a sad voice. “But
Thaddeus, we all missed your wedding.”

A hush fell over the room.

Then Dom Procopio stepped out from where he’d been standing in
the corner of the room. “I’ve been thinking about that. You
may have been
married for the last six years, but no one in Lydia knew about it. It seems the
right and proper thing to do would be to renew your wedding vows tomorrow prior
to the coronation.”

There was an approving murmur until Stasi asked, “What is
Monica going to wear?”

Monica looked up at the wedding portrait of Philip and Elaine,
and the classic gown her
mother-in-law had chosen for her royal wedding. “I
would want it to be something regal and formal, like this.” She gestured to the
portrait.

“Do you like my dress?” Elaine asked.

“I love it.”

“It should fit you nicely.” The former queen nodded her
approval. “We can try it on this evening and make any necessary alterations, but
that can wait. For now, let’s eat.”

Philip cleared his throat. “Deacon, would you bless the
meal?”

“I’d be honored.”

As the family bowed their heads around the table, Monica held
tight to Peter’s hand on one side, and Thad’s hand on the other, and gave thanks
that God had seen fit to keep her family safe and bring them back together.

EPILOGUE

K
ing Thaddeus of Lydia took his wife’s hand
and, with a rustle of sashes and silk, pulled her past the milling throngs
toward a hallway.

“Thank you.” Queen Monica leaned against his shoulder as they
walked. “I needed a breath of fresh air. The coronation reception has been
overwhelming. I never imagined shaking so many hands—or hugging so many
people!”

“They’re delighted to have you as their queen.” Thad led her
around a bend in the hallway. “And they should be. You look radiant. The crown
jewels Stasi designed for you are exquisite.” He touched the ruby-inlaid crown
that graced her head as though she’d been born to wear it. “You’re exquisite.”
His fingers trailed from the crown down her cheek, tilting
her chin up to
exchange a kiss.

“Mmm, Thad.” She kissed him back, then paused. “Did you hear
the Sardis University chancellor offer me a teaching position?”

“Is that why you looked so happy chatting with her? I simply
thought you’d found a new friend.”

“I think we will be friends. But what do you think of the idea
of me teaching? Won’t my duties as queen preclude
that?”

“Your role will be whatever you shape it to be. Now that
Octavian is dead and the Royal House of Lydia has reclaimed the crown, you’re
free to do whatever you like. The most important thing is that you’re happy.” He
kissed her again, amazed at the way every moment with her felt so perfect, and
so right.

Monica broke off the kiss just long enough to ask, “Do
you
think we should check on Peter?”

“Your parents have him. That’s where I’m taking you now.”

“Where
are
we going?”

“Actually...” Thad hesitated to tell her of his plans. What if
she didn’t like the surprise? He’d almost told her a dozen times, but he didn’t
want to spoil the secret. It was a joy, for once, to have a happy secret. “It
was my mother’s idea. After
she and my father were married, they greeted their
subjects from this balcony.” He opened the door, and together they stepped out
onto a wide balcony where their parents, Thad’s siblings and their fiancés, and
even Monica’s sister stood waiting to greet them. Peter reached for his parents
and Thad scooped him into his arms as a cheer rose up from below.

“Oh, Thaddeus!”
Monica looked down at the crowd spread below.
Each person held a candle, and the glowing flames glimmered like a sea of stars
in the evening darkness. “Where did you get so many candles?”

Elaine explained, “When Thaddeus disappeared, the people held a
candlelight vigil in the courtyard to pray for his safe return. I found the
candles in storage while I was getting out
my wedding dress.”

Candlelight sparkled in the happy tears on Monica’s cheeks.
Thad wiped them away.

Philip placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. “When we prayed you
would return to us, we didn’t imagine that God would answer our prayers
threefold!” The former king looked at Thaddeus, Monica and Peter, and beamed
proudly.

Overcome by the emotion of the moment,
Thad bent to kiss his
wife, and a roar of approval rose from the crowd below. Startled, he pulled
away. As Monica reached up and kissed him again, Thaddeus felt the last cold
fear melt away from his heart, and he thanked God for bringing them together
again.

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt of
Threat of Darkness
by Valerie Hansen!

Dear Reader,

Sometimes what looks like the end is really
the beginning. I hope you’ve enjoyed the story of
The
Missing Monarch,
in which the Royal House of Lydia finally reclaims
the crown, and the last of the four siblings finds his happily ever after. It’s
been a long journey, but I’ve enjoyed sharing every step of it with you.

As it turns out, this
isn’t the end. In December 2012, Love
Inspired Historical will release
A Royal Marriage,
which tells the story of Gisela, daughter of Charlemagne, and the Lydian
King John. Learn how the Scepter of Charlemagne first came to Lydia, and how the
tiny Kingdom of Lydia survived through some of the darkest years in history.

And keep your eyes out for more stories about the brave
men and
women you’ve met in Lydia. You can find news about upcoming releases on my
website,
www.rachellemccalla.com
. Sometimes what
looks like the end is really the beginning.

Blessings on your journey,
Rachelle

Questions for Discussion

1. Thad is afraid of getting close to Monica again
because he fears Octavian will use his emotions against him. Have you ever felt
the need to remain emotionally distant? When is it okay to let our emotions rule
us? When is it better to keep our emotions out of things? Can you think of
examples in your life when you wished you’d remained
objective? Are there times
when you should have given in to what you felt? How do those experiences
influence your current attitudes and relationships?
2. Monica’s trip
to the Arctic Circle to find Thad feels to her like flying out of the range of
the eyes of God. But then she recalls Psalm 24, which says, “The earth is the
Lord’s, and everything in it.” Have you ever
been in such a dark place that it
felt as though God wasn’t there? Did you carry God’s light into that dark place?
Or did you find it was already shining there?
3. The villain Octavian
has wreaked havoc in the lives of Thad’s siblings and endangered all of Lydia.
How do the events of Octavian’s youth help us to understand how he became the
way he is? Do you know any people
who remind you of Octavian?
4. Thad
can’t imagine Monica forgiving him for abandoning her. When Thad apologizes, she
forgives him without hesitation. How does her attitude toward the small things
open his heart up to the possibility of forgiveness over much larger
infractions? What does your attitude about the little things tell people about
your willingness to forgive?
What little steps can you take today to communicate
a forgiving attitude toward those you love?
5. All the members of the
royal family played an important part in protecting the kingdom of Lydia. How
does your family or circle of close friends work together for the good of the
kingdom? In what ways do trials and difficult experiences make you stronger as a
family of faith?
6. No one was sure whether General Marc Petrela
could be trusted. Even though the general knew they didn’t trust him, he
continued to be faithful to the crown. What do you think about his character?
Would you have trusted him? Do you agree with the way Thad and Monica dealt with
the uncertain role of his presence among them?
7. Thad observes that
Octavian’s motto seems
to be “If at first you don’t succeed, try something more
evil.” Have you ever felt tempted to take revenge on those who have wronged you?
How do you get over those experiences and move your life in a positive
direction?
8. When Thad and Monica get lost in Sardis, they find a
high hill in an attempt to see the way home. At the same time, Monica wishes
Thad could find his
way back to the faith that had sustained him as a child.
Have you ever been a long way from home, and needed to find your way back? Do
you have loved ones who are far from home? How can you illumine the path for
them?
9. Nearly through their two-day allotment of time, Monica feels
as though she’s farther away from her goal than ever. She suspects this is
precisely how
Octavian wants her to feel. Have you ever felt as though you’re
moving backward, messing up everything you’re trying to fix? How did Monica get
over her discouraged feelings? Can you move forward in spite of the lies your
enemies whisper in your ears? What steps can you take to overcome
them?
10. Thad refuses to pray because he thinks God won’t answer him
anyway. But
as he softens to the idea, he finds comfort knowing that others are
praying for him. Is there anyone you care about whose attitude resembles Thad’s?
Does his story encourage you to keep praying?
11. When Thaddeus
places his hand in a crack in the tunnel, he discovers that the entire stone
structure shifts constantly. This, he concludes, is the secret to its long
survival:
it is not brittle, but flexible. What parallels can you identify
between the flexibility of the tunnel, and human flexibility? Where did Thad
need to learn to “give way” in order to stay strong?
12. Monica is
afraid that her son will be influenced by Octavian, and she prays that the solid
foundation she’s laid in his life will get him through his experience. Are there
young people in your life for whom you can help provide a solid faith
foundation? What steps can you take to give them a faith that won’t be
shaken?
13. When Thaddeus learns that his son looks up to him and
loves him, he’s afraid Peter will only be disappointed once he meets him. Have
you ever let the fear of spoiling something nice keep you from reaching for
something
great? If Thad had settled for preserving Peter’s impression of him by
staying away from his son, what might he have missed out on?
14. When
the sea is crashing in upon them, Thad and Monica urge Octavian to leave the
scepter behind and run for his life. Consider Octavian’s choice in the light of
these verses from Mark 8:35–36, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose
it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What
good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their
soul?”
15. As Thad and Monica are trying to escape the dark tunnel,
he looks for her and realizes she’s been right there beside him the entire time.
In what ways is the love you seek already there with you? Have you ever found
God walking so closely beside you that you forgot He was even there? What can
you do today to embrace the love that has been offered to you?