The Sovereign

The Tsarevich Alexei didn’t even return from Poland with victory before it was time to go to Crimea—while the Turks were still being kept in check, to “reason with” the Tatars so they wouldn’t ravage the southern borderlands and wouldn’t lead Orthodox Christians into captivity. With fire and sword, they act in Kafa, Bakhchisarai, and Kerch—in the name of the peace and prosperity of Russian lands on the shores of the Black Sea from now and for ever. And Sophia will stay at home—unraveling the threads of conspiracies, searching for her father’s murderer, suppressing a rebellion, so that in a dangerous moment she can hold in her hands power that is completely unnecessary to her. Let the tsarevna be feared, hated, cursed… For some with malice, and for others— with sincere respect—they call Sophia “the sovereign.” For her, this is work. Like construction or business long ago… in the future.