Moving into the 1930s, Czechoslovakia had been experiencing a time of sovereignty and prosperity among the smaller nations of central Europe.  Work was in no short supply, and the future looked bright for all; despite the growing tensions in the west from Germany.  The time of peace and prosperity were in no small part attributed to the skill and precision of the Czechoslovakian military.  

Led by General Leon Vaklavik, the military had established itself as a strong and agile force.  While he enjoyed the due recognition and respect of his command, General Vaklavik was a shrewd and perhaps sometimes paranoid man.  He lived by the saying, "keep your friends close and your enemies closer."  Closer still, he kept his only child; a daughter by the name of Rayna.  Leon Vaklavik lost his wife to scarlet fever when Rayna was only nine years old.  Since then the General had lost himself in his work, leaving Rayna to be raised by any number of staff in his household.  Rayna, however, was not upset by this.  She loved her father and happily did all that she could to please him.  

Germany was stirring up talk of war.  The rise of the Nazi Party was gaining traction in Germany and the surrounding countries.  Sooner or later, General Vaklavik knew that  the Nazis would be making drastic political moves for power and influence.  Czechoslovakia would appear an easy conquest to the hot-headed up-and-coming leader Adolf Hitler.  Vaklavik was older and considered himself much more wise than the young Hitler, not to mention being well known as a brilliant strategist.  It was for this reason that Vaklavik began to form an intelligence-gathering mission that would give Czechoslovakia the proverbial "high ground" in terms of Germany's plans.  

To spearhead this mission, General Vaklavic tapped the Czech army's strongest and smartest soldier- a young man he had been watching for some time by the name of Lukas Bishop.  A Captain in the army and destined soon for his own command, Bishop was eager to take on such a mission.  He was known for being not only strong and fast, but measured and calculating.  Bishop never said more than needed to be said, and never acted without the most careful consideration.  

Nothing caught Lukas Bishop off guard; until he met Rayna.  

The first time the two met was at dinner at General Vaklavik's home.  It was rare that they had company, and Rayna was eager for guests.  There were others in attendance, but when Lukas arrived, it seemed to Rayna that everyone else disappeared.  They stole glances to one another throughout dinner, but Lukas was careful not to let himself be distracted from the General.  When the meal was over, General Vaklavik ordered the guests into his study and the door was closed.  It was during this meeting that Lukas first learned of the General's plan. More meetings would follow- each taking place at the General's house disguised as dinner parties or other social events; this was the only way to ensure that any outsiders would not think something was going on.  These events provided occasion for Lukas and Rayna to spend more time together; sometimes even slipping off to walk through the gardens together.  

One evening, Lukas took Rayna's hand in the reddish-pink light of a setting sun and told her that he was going to have to go away for a while, but that when he returned he wanted to ask the General's permission to formally court her.  That evening, Lukas and Rayna promised themselves to one another, and consummated their love beneath a splendid sunset. 

Two weeks passed and Rayna waited patiently for Lukas to return.  The lazy summer days and nights drifted slowly by.  Rayna would sit in the window of her bedroom at night and watch in the darkness for some sign of him.  It was a romantic dream- thinking that he would return in the dark of night and sweep her off her feet; but she was an imaginative girl and she enjoyed her vigilint watch.

On a particular night, however, her watch was not so silent.  Rayna was nearly falling asleep in the window when she heard the faint rumble of a vehicle engine.  There were no lights, and it was dark enough that nothing could be seen more than a few hundred yards away.  She sat silently and listened until the sound of the engine suddenly disappeared.  Still unable to see anything, she thought it might have been her imagination, or that she was dreaming.  With that, she went and laid down in bed and drifted off. 

The sound of crashing porcelain and loud, angry voices startled Rayna from her sleep.  From downstairs, she heard heavy boots running over the floors.  She could hear that the voices spoke German.  They were not yet upstairs, so Rayna threw a shawl over her shoulders and ran from her room to her father's.  He was not there, but she hid herself in the armoir near the window.  Waiting, she heard pistol shots, and then boots trampling up the stairs.  She heard the door to her father's room burst open and carefully cracked the armoir door open.  Horrified, she could see three men in German military uniforms holding her father tightly by the arms.  They screamed something to him, and he replied to them in German.  

One of the soldiers spit at his feet, and raised the pistol.  The loud crack from the pistol and the sight of her father's head blown back and shattered by the bullet made Rayna scream.  The men whirled around and started for the armoir, but Rayna flew from it before they could reach her.  She ran down the hallway and threw herself down the laundry chute, disappearing before the soldiers even got out of her father's room.  

Rayna didn't stop running.  Sirens were blaring from all over the compound, but Rayna stayed inside the wood line, running west.  She had no idea where she was going, but she just kept running through the woods- her night gown snagging on brambles and bushes.  Her foot caught on a tree root and she tripped, tumbling onto a graveled roadside.  Exhausted, she stayed there crumpled by the side of the road.  The palms of her hands and knees stung from the fall, and she could taste blood on her lip.  All she could see in her mind was the sight of her father being killed by those...those German monsters.  She wept there in the darkness, shivering.

There were not many moments in the day when Lukas Bishop was not thinking about Rayna. She deliciously haunted His thoughts constantly, and although normally He was not a man easily distracted, as of late, He frequently caught Himself daydreaming about their time together, which He treasured more than everything.

He was finally going to see her again, after being away for more than two weeks on an important mission for her father. He pulled His collar up around His neck, as the night was a bit chilly for riding in the open army commissioned jeep. He turned to His driver, "Pospěšte si, čeká moje láska."

The jeep was already nearly careening off the road on the tight turns towards Rayna's father's compound, but Bishop's driver did as commanded and put the gas to the floor. Bishop's hand gripped the rollbar tightly, His eyes adjusting to the darkness as the jeeps headlamps grazed the road in front of them like a spotlight leading Him home.

Rumors had been going around amidst the men that He'd be getting His own command when He returned, and  given His excellent track record and reputation, along with a solid relationship with the General, Bishop couldn't help but be a bit excited. Between that, and knowing He would soon see Rayna, He tingled with adrenaline.

Bishop's daydream was cut short by the sound of a long mournful siren, most definitely coming from the direction of the General's compound. He exchanged anxious glances with the driver, who slowed the jeep considerably and turned on the spotlight positioned on the hood of the jeep. Bishop quickly checked His pistol, not quite sure what they were about to encounter, when the jeep suddenly screeched to a sliding halt, the driver motioning the spotlight towards the side of the narrowing road.

That's when He saw her.... 

Startled by the sudden screech of breaks, Rayna managed to scramble away from the jeep just as dust and gravel from the tires were kicked her way.  She didn't know if those inside the vehicle were friends or enemies, but Rayna was not going to take any unnecessary chances.  She got to her feet and, as she turned, the spotlight nearly blinded her.

The driver called loudly.

"Zastavit! Stop!"

Rayna froze in place, the shawl torn and hanging loosely around her shoulders.  She squinted against the harsh, bright light.  Within a moment, she recognized the insignia on the hood of the jeep.  Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest.

"Pomozte mi, prosím!  Please- help me!"

The jeep belonged to the Czech army- whoever was in it could help her get away.

Just then, from the woods, the sound of men yelling in German came near.  Rayna looked in the direction of the voices, terrified.  

"It's the girl, there on the road!"

Rayna, in a panic, looked back into the light- still unable to see who was inside.

"They killed him... they shot my father.  Run!"

She took a stumbling lunge forward to make another run for it.

The driver quickly spun the spotlight towards the sound of the men coming from the woods, "Sir, get your girl! I've got this." Bishop needed no extra prodding, and sprang from the jeep in the direction Rayna had stumbled, sounds of gunfighter echoing from behind him.

"Rayna, it's Me!" He cried after her into the night, looking over His shoulder just in time to see the spotlight shatter and the driver slump in his seat. He turned to Rayna, who had stopped in her tracks at the sound of His voice. "Get down! Get ready!"

He used the side of the jeep for cover, pulling the lifeless body of the driver from his perch, whispering, "Děkuji , bratře." The jeep roared back to life, bullets now whistling past His head, He forced the gas peddle to the floor and spun the wheel hard, sending a wide spray of gravel and smoke into the woods beside the road.

"Ok now! Get in!" He gave Rayna just long enough to jump in the passenger side as He gunned the motor, turning to fire a couple shots with His pistol as they squealed off into the night.

It was a long time before Rayna became fully aware of exactly where she was and, somehow, Lukas had found her.  The cold air of the late night nearly froze the thin stream of tears to her cheeks. Most of the time, they rode in silence; Lukas holding tightly to her hand as he steered the jeep through the dark, Czech countryside.  They had lost the German patrol and were headed East.

By first light, they had made it as far as Ostrava.  Lukas planned to cross the boarder into Poland.  He had friends in Krakow, and they could help from there.  For now, they both needed rest.  In uniform, Lukas had good authority in Ostrava, and it would not be hard for him to secure a place for them to rest for a few hours.  He parked the jeep near an inn and told Rayna to stay in the jeep.  He spoke to the innkeeper and arranged a room, making it very clear that he was on official military business and was not to be disturbed at all.  The innkeeper understood, and handed Lukas a key.  

Within a few minutes, Lukas led Rayna into the small, sparsely furnished room.  Wearily, she washed herself from the basin of water; removing dried blood and caked dust from her porcelain skin.  Lukas was already stretched out on the bed, having removed his uniform jacket and shoes.  When Rayna joined him, he took her close to him.  

Exhausted but too frightened to sleep, Rayna began to explain to Lukas what had happened.  It appeared that while he was observing the Germans, the Germans had been observing the General's compound.  Lukas knew the Germans had intended for General Vaklavik's death to remain a mystery, but Rayna had seen the men responsible.  She could clearly recall their faces, their arm bands, and the insignia on their patches.  This made Rayna a liability to the Germans.  He explained to her that, if she went public with what she'd seen, it could cause a large contingent of Eastern Europe to turn against them. Lukas would love to see nothing more, but right now his priority was getting Rayna to safety.  He would send a wire to his unit as soon as he could. 

Rayna had drifted off to sleep in His arms, but Lukas just lay there, thinking. So much had happened in the last while, His head was still spinning. They were safe for the moment, but if they didn't keep on the move, that could easily change. They were going to need money, and supplies, cloths, food. He thought of selling the Jeep, but then figured that was their best bet at getting across the border. He lay there for a while as the sun came up, planning the day out in His head before gently kissing Rayna's forehead and covering her. No reason she couldn't get some much needed rest while He went out to prepare for the next leg of their journey. 

Lukas had grown quite fond of Rayna's father, and had respected and admired him very much. It had barely sunk in yet that he was gone, and that Rayna was going to need Him to protect her from now on. This would definitely change things. His career, their plans for marriage, where they lived.....everything was about to change.

The drivers Army ID was still in the Jeep, and Lukas had a plan. He wired for cash using it, and recorded "Lukas Bishop" as deceased. That would hold up at least until the body of the driver was found and investigated. He grabbed a few supplies they would need for the trip, some food and cloths, packed the jeep and brought some things back to the hotel to assist Rayna in freshening up before they left. He quickly washed up and shaved before waking her.

"Probudit dítě. We need to head out soon. There's some food and cloths. I took care of some things while you slept."

Finally well-rested, Rayna got up immediately and got changed into a navy blue dress and low-heeled pumps.  She brushed her long, dark hair and arranged it into a braid that neatly circled the crown of her head.  Glancing quickly into the mirror, she nodded with approval, then tossed her ruined nightgown into the waste bin.  Lukas was carrying some things to the Jeep.  Watching him from inside, Rayna thought briefly back to the events of the night before.  It all seemed so surreal- witnessing such a harrowing murder of her own father, and only barely escaping with her life and managing to be found by Lukas.  She could feel tears prick the corners of her eyes, but she shook her head and cleared her throat.  There would be time for grieving later.  Now, they had to move on.  Lukas looked calm, but determined.  She knew that he must have a plan; but what could it be?  She picked up her shawl from the bed, wrapped it around her shoulders, and stepped out into the sunlight.

It only took them an hour to cross the boarder into Poland, and they had no trouble at all passing the boarder patrol.  Lukas, having shaved clean, easily passed for the deceased officer on the ID, and smoothly gave the boarder guards and explanation that he was escorting a Polish refugee back to her home in Warsaw.  Once they had crossed the boarder, Lukas explained his plan to Rayna.  He had friends in Krakow who knew they were coming and would hide them for a while until Lukas could form a more permanent plan.  Rayna listened carefully, and asked what she could do to help.  Lukas, for the first time in hours, broke into a soft smile and told her gently to never leave his side.  Hand in hand, they drove north to Krakow.

-------

Six weeks passed with no incident in Krakow.  Lukas worked alongside a friend of his laying piping in the city.  It wasn't glamorous work, but the pay was good and he dilligently saved as much as he could.  Things seemed safe in Krakow, but Lukas was always alert.  He watched people carefully, even the men he worked with.  He and Rayna lived in a large house with two other couples, and they all got on very well.  He was, however, concerned about Rayna.  A week or so after they arrived in Krakow, she had become ill.  It was hard for her to keep food down, and it seemed worse in the mornings.  Still, Rayna kept in good spirits and had even managed to make a little money on her own mending and sewing garments for people in the neighborhood.  

On a Wednesday evening, Lukas came home late from work.  Nadiya, one of the other women in the home who wasn't known for being overly friendly, was washing dishes and gave him an unusually warm smile as he passed through.  Puzzled only for a moment, Lukas climbed the stairs and took off his jacket.  Inside their small bedroom, Rayna was already in her nightgown and sitting up in bed darning a pile of socks.  When the door opened, she looked up from her work, smiling softly- her eyes brightened seeing Lukas enter.

Vítej doma, láska.  I missed you.

"I missed you too, jak je moje holka?"

He sat down gingerly at the edge of the bed, so not to interrupt her mending and proceeded to carefully take off his boots. It was hard work, but honest work, although Bishop was not sure how much longer he could take instruction from men who were not even close to His equal, in anything. He had almost had His own command, and this was troubling Him some, but for now, He was willing to do what He must to keep Rayna safe.

It was worth it to come back exhausted, just to see her sweet smile when she welcomed Him home. He pulled His sweaty work shirt off and lay back across the bed looking up at her. She was very beautiful, and could have given 'Helen of Troy' a run for her money.