In this tale within a tale, a mysterious storyteller spins a fable of royalty, war and magic. But what is the connection between the teller and the tale? In the court of the Phantom Queen, an ancient storyteller enthralls the assembled company with a tale of love and battle and magical powers: In the kingdom of Mir, a medieval Slavic world surrounded by mountains, an orphaned youth named Nevsky emerges from a mysterious cave with wisdom and powers beyond his years. He raises a young girl abandoned by her village parents, and holds court with the monarch of Mir, Tsar Leo, and its religious leader, Bishop Tserkov. Assisted by a magical talking owl, Nevsky battles the devil himself, and tries in vain to keep the kingdom from being split between Leo's twin sons. This fantasy is set in a kingdom based on medieval Slavic tradition, and the themes and elements of the story are true to this setting—the sun's annual battle with frost, the proverbs and sayings, pagan and Orthodox Christian religion, food and drink, clothing, etc. Ven Begamudré uses his vast storytelling skills to create a complete world in which his magical tale unfolds. Ven Begamudré has published a novel, two short story collections, a novella, and a biography of Sir Isaac Brock. He has also produced numerous short stories, essays, poems, children's stories and reviews for periodicals, scholarly journals, anthologies and radio. He has served as a writer in residence in half-a-dozen different communities, including Scotland.