300 | Advanced - Short Story: The Queen’...

Title: The Queen’s Secret Guard

Level: Advanced (C1)

#Story :

Lucius Varro, once a gladiator in Rome’s brutal arenas, now serves in secret as the personal guard of Empress Aelia, the widowed ruler of a collapsing empire. As Ravenna faces siege from within and without, Aelia entrusts Lucius with a dangerous task: deliver a scroll to her hidden son in Constantinople, revealing every traitor plotting her downfall. As assassins close in, Lucius escapes the burning city, haunted by his feelings for Aelia. On the perilous journey east, he encounters Selene, a mysterious woman who warns him of betrayal waiting at the Eastern court. Lucius reaches Constantinople, where Aelia’s son publicly reads the scroll and exposes the treachery. But in a final twist, Aelia herself appears—having escaped Ravenna through her own cunning. Together, she and Lucius leave behind the empire’s ruins, choosing freedom over power, bound by loyalty, love, and a shared past.

#Vocabulary :

• Regent : a person appointed to govern a state temporarily, usually because the rightful ruler is too young or unable.
• Assassin : a hired or secret killer, especially for political or religious reasons.
• Omen : a sign or warning of future events, often seen as having divine significance.
• Exile : forced removal from one’s home or country, usually for political reasons.
• Intrigue : a secret scheme or plot, often related to politics or power struggles.

#Grammar Focus:

• Nominalization (Turning Verbs/Adjectives into Nouns for Formal, Concise Style)
• Used frequently in historical and political narratives for emphasis and clarity.
• Example: His betrayal led to the destruction of the city.
• Future-in-the-Past (for Complex Timelines and Foreshadowing)
• Used to show that a future event was expected or planned in the past.
• Example: She knew her words would change his fate forever.
• Participial Phrases (to Add Background Actions and Smooth Transitions)
• Adds descriptive background information while maintaining narrative flow.
• Example: Carrying the scroll beneath his cloak, Lucius moved through the city.

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