Spoilt, selfish and given to tantrums, Lady Catherine Bourne sets sail for the troubled Balkan state of Kavõnia to become its Queen: she’s to marry its dictatorial, corrupt and generally unpleasant King Ferdinand. Drafted in for the trip as lady-in-waiting is her quietly lovely young cousin Theola, the black sheep in a bitter and resentful family that’s abused and bullied her since she was orphaned and they grudgingly took her in.
When Theola rushes to rescue a child run over by their carriage, she meets Alexius Vasilas — the revolutionary leader. Shocked at the sheer contempt in his face, she gradually comes to realise the true nature of a King who builds palaces instead of hospitals and rules by fear.
A Greek god in human form, Alexius rescues Theola from being ravished by a rebel fighter. And before long she falls in love with the Kavõnian people but revolution is in the air — can the country’s corruption and greed be Conquered by Love?