AN: a bit shorter than usual. I had a very busy weekend. Enjoy and more later ;)

Chapter 14 –Carnival Palace

Three Days Later

Xena wrapped her hair into a low bun and pinned back her long thick bangs. She stared at herself in the mirror and stuck a pin in her mouth as she smoothed out the hairs against her forehead. She slid the pin into her hair and then grabbed her turban, carefully placing it over her hair, concealing her bun. The veil attached to the back of the turban draped over her shoulders and she touched her sunken circles underneath her eyes and frowned deeply. She had not realized how terrible she looked until now.

She had been stuck in bed for five days and she was tired of waiting around, even if she didn't feel one hundred percent herself, she felt like her palace being run by children wasn't exactly the smartest choice but she didn't really have a voice in the matter.

The door opened and Xena's eyes darted to the doors, glaring through the mirror's reflection. Kara smiled and dropped the linens in her hands upon seeing Xena up and awake.

The young maid clapped her hands together and was overjoyed. "Mistress, you are out of bed!" she exclaimed and Xena frowned, continuing to adjust the turban on her head. Then it hit Kara. "But you are not well enough..."

Xena grabbed the black face veil and hooked it to the turban. "I am well enough," she said lowly and folded the veil down to reveal only her eyes. She took one last good at herself and thought she looked good enough for now.

She opened the drawer in her vanity and pulled out her black leather gloves. She slipped one glove on, wriggling her fingers inside the tight leather. She slipped the other on and stretched out her hand. It felt like she hadn't worn these gloves in a year and might as well have been that long. Five days without remaining in control of her palace was torture for her and she was sure everyone else felt the same way.

Slowly, she stood from the chair and nearly lost her balance. She gripped the chair and Kara ran to aid her. She snarled and put her hand up. "I don't need your help!" she hissed then took a few steps before falling to her knees.

"Mistress, please," the girl pleaded. "You need to stay in bed for awhile longer. The physician said a week at most."

Xena growled and crawled across the floor and grabbed hold of the large bed post and hoisted herself up. "I don't need any more rest!" she chided and dreaded taking another few steps. If she left this room and suddenly fell over she imagined that all loyalty among her men and trainees would be lost.

Belach and Solan sauntered through the west wing of the palace. So far Solan sent his brother on two scouting missions these past few days and there had been no information to report back. Whoever was in charge of this attack could not have been far, but they definitely had fled Jerusalem.

"Are you sure you checked everywhere?" Solan asked.

His brother nodded. "I checked everywhere, Solan. I checked three times."

Solan sighed, not happy to hear this. He felt like he was failing his mother. He never realized how much his mother truly did on a daily basis until he was appointed her position for a short time. He knew that he was not fit to rule over entire nation like he thought he was. He thought that it would be easy, or at least his mother made it look easy, but she worked so much. Recalling all of those late nights he used to spend with her in her room, she always had stacks of papers to sign or read. If she wasn't reading or writing, she was in a lot of meetings or on the battlefield. Although, he couldn't remember the last time his mother was in the field.

He turned to his elder raven haired brother and raised a skeptical brow. "Why are you being so nice? Are you up to something?"

Belach smirked. "No, I'm not up to anything. I want to help, I told you. We are family, right?" he winked.

"That's not what you said a few months ago, Belach." He tapped his chin and smiled smugly. "If I remember, you called me a half breed and my mother a bitch, isn't that right?"

Belach rolled his eyes. "I'm..." he bit his tongue, "sorry...for what I said."

"Sorry? Did you just say you were sorry? My ears must be deceiving me!" Solan chuckled lightly and Belach folded his arms. "Can you say it one more time?" he begged.

"No." Belach said curtly. "Can we just go give the report to your mother before I revoke my apology?" he motioned for his brother to lead the way to his stepmother's bedroom.

"Worth a shot," Solan muttered and opened the doors to his mother's bedroom and found her trying to walk across the room but not without holding onto every little thing she could get her hands on. His eyes grew in shock. "Mother! You're up!" he smiled and Xena lifted her eyes, glaring at her son.

Her eyes darted to Belach standing beside Solan and her lip quivered. "You!" she pointed at the teenager. "Why are you still here?" she hissed and let go of the chair, walking slowly towards him, wagging her finger at him. "I thought I told you...to leave..."

She fell to the floor and Solan ran to her, immediately grabbing her arm. Belach sighed and walked over to her and wrapped her arm around his shoulder and both boys hoisted her off the floor. "Mother, you are not well enough to be out of bed. You should rest some more," Solan advised.

"Don't tell me what I should and should not do!" she growled and snatched her arm away from both boys and nearly fell over again until Belach grabbed onto her. She snapped her head around and narrowed her tired eyes at the cocky teenager. Belach smiled nervously.

"I know you are not thrilled to see me, but I have another report for you." Belach said and saw her eyes widen, continuing to stare into his soul.

She snickered, "oh really? I just love being told what to do by a bunch of teenagers," her voice dripping with sarcasm. She eyed a staff leaning against the far side of the room. "Get me that staff," she instructed her stepson. "Go get it!" she snarled and Belach immediately let go of her and ran to retrieve the staff.

He presented the staff to her and she snatched it from his hands. She leaned on the staff for support and began walking slowly to exit the room. She grabbed her sword on the wall and sheathed it at her hip. Solan and Belach looked at one another, sharing the same concerned expression.

Xena swung open the doors and left the room, slowly walking down the long marble hallway. Some of the girls were wandering the halls, smiling and giggling with one another. Their laughter and jokes were interrupted once they heard a loud clicking sound against the marble. They turned and saw Xena walking towards them and their eyes widened and they began whispering.

Xena stopped and turned to look at the terrified girls. She frowned and grabbed one of the girls by her tunic, lifting her to her toes. "I want all of the girls brought to the foyer, do you understand?"

"Yes, your majesty..." the girl could barely speak.

She released the girl and yelled, "go!" both girls took off running to go warn the others of what the sultan just said.

Gabrielle rounded a corner and kept reading over a document that Solan brought to her earlier this morning. She was concentrated and focused, reading the paper in her hands. She couldn't understand why Solan wanted her to read this document in the first place. For one, it was really old and it was an agreement that Xena made with Sidon. Xena obviously knew that Sidon was the culprit here and Solan too, but this treaty meant nothing. She suddenly felt like she was missing something again, something wasn't right and the only person that knew the truth was Xena.

She couldn't exactly get a lot of information from Xena since she was practically bedridden and was asleep most of the time. She had never seen someone so ill in her life, but she had hope that Xena would soon recover, at least she hoped. She couldn't keep receiving orders from Solan and his brother Belach. She realized that Xena did a lot more than boss others around and play games with her. She had a very difficult job and she probably was not appreciated for it most of the time.

She sighed heavily and then stubbed her toe on something and hissed. Glancing upward she saw Xena in her sultan attire, walking with a large staff. She immediately rolled up the treaty and hid it behind her back.

"X...your highness, you're awake! What a surprise!" Gabrielle smiled uncertainly.

Xena frowned. "What is that paper behind your back?" she asked and Gabrielle's smile faded. She held out her hand and wagged her fingers. "Hand it over."

Gabrielle quirked her mouth and handed the rolled up paper to Xena. She saw her open the paper and read over it carefully. She wasn't sure if Xena was upset or not, it was hard to tell what she was thinking when one could only see her eyes.

Xena lifted her eyes and wafted the paper in Gabrielle's face. "Where did you get this?" she hissed.

"Well...I..."

Solan rushed forward and grabbed onto Xena's arm. "I got it mother and gave it to Gabrielle so she could read it."

His mother slowly turned her head downward at her son and narrowed her eyes. "Why are you looking through my things?!" she growled.

He smiled nervously. "Political reasons?" he lamely said and she crumbled up the paper in her hand and threw it on the ground then kept walking forward.

"Do not go through my things without my permission, Solan," she called out as she slowly made her way down the hallway. "You are no longer in charge."

Belach nodded, snickering and Solan glared at him. "What?" he grinned and his younger brother rolled his eyes. "Looks like you got your wish. Your crazy mother is back in charge of her palace again!" he teased.

Gabrielle ran to catch up with Xena and felt her palms become clammy. She didn't want to face Xena's wrath and be killed like those councilmen in the chamber below. She not only pretended to be Xena in the letter she wrote to Borias, but she also forged her name and used the wax seal. She didn't want to be put into a situation that she couldn't handle.

"So, what should I call you now?" she asked, trying to make small talk.

Xena's eyebrow rose at her question. "What you've always called me," she answered, "but when we are alone you may call me Xena."

Gabrielle smiled thinking that things were heading in the right direction. She then realized that Xena was going to explode the moment she found out about the letter. She knew that Solan wouldn't be able to pull that off. Xena knew his handwriting and besides, Xena is very smart.

"Why is your face like that?" Xena asked.

The blonde shook her head and sighed. "Like what?" she looked ahead and saw all of the girls in the foyer waiting patiently. "Why is everyone out here?"

Xena smiled softly and walked with the staff carefully. "You are about to find out."

Find out? What is that supposed to mean? Gabrielle frowned and then ran to the back line of the girls. Xena let out a heavy exhaled, already exhausted from walking all the way to the foyer from her room, which wasn't that far.

"You all..." she began and tried to catch her breath. Solan and Belach stood behind her, watching her cautiously. "...must have realized what is going on by now." She looked at all of the girls' eyes and leaned on the staff for balance.

"You must all understand that I can't trust anyone in my home." She said and everyone shared worried glances. "Strip yourselves of your armor and weapons."

Nobody moved a muscle and Xena banged the staff on the marble floor loudly. "Take it off!" she yelled and the girls rushed to get off their armor and tossed their weapons onto the ground.

Gabrielle frowned, quite unsure of what Xena was doing. She didn't understand why any of the girls had anything to do with what was going on, but it was obvious that Xena was paranoid. She took off her breastplate and tossed it in front of her.

Xena frowned, examining all the girls in their undergarments, studying them carefully. "Boots," she demanded and snapped her fingers several times to hurry the girls to take off their boots as well.

Belach folded his arms and leaned on the wall, observing Xena inspecting the girls as if they were criminals. He frowned and turned to his brother. "What is your mother doing?"

Solan shrugged his shoulders, "I have no idea."

"Belach!" Xena called out and the teenager immediately walked over to her. "Search the girls," she said and he smiled, nodding his head.

Penelope was first in line and her eyes widened, seeing the look on Belach's face. He was going to enjoy searching the girls, she had no doubt by the look in his eyes. He was a teenager and only teenage boys think about one thing and one thing only –girls.

He walked straight over to Penelope and Xena gripped his arm tightly, pulling him close. "You grope her and I will hurt you severely..." she hissed.

"Yes sir," he mocked and Xena groaned lowly. He then looked at the girl's frightened eyes. He raised his hands in front of her. He pat his hands along her ribcage and hips. He smirked and saw Penelope staring at his stepmother. He pat each of her thighs and rose to her ear. "You shouldn't gawk, she will know," he whispered.

Xena kept her eye on Belach as he continued to go down the line searching all of the girls. She narrowed her eyes and saw the horror in Penelope's and Astremia's eyes. She walked along the front line and stopped in front of Astremia, looking her up and down like a piece of game.

"Something on your mind?" she asked and Astremia shook her head.

Belach finished searching one girl and saw Xena glaring at Astremia. He stepped in between the two. "Your highness..." he smiled, gently guiding Xena away from the frightened girl. "I have work to do, if you don't mind."

Xena frowned, glaring down at Belach then limped away with her staff. The teenager frowned and turned to Astremia then began patting her down roughly. "Do not stare at her!" he whispered. "You didn't tell anyone did you?"

"No, of course not!" she whispered back.

"Solan..." Xena limped over to him and he straightened himself out, trying to appear tall and authoritative. "Where is Alexander?" she whispered, still keeping her eye on Belach.

He sighed, not expecting her to ask that. He was hoping that she'd give him a task to do. "He's with Sarsa. I left her in charge of him for the last few days."

She nodded, "go find him." She said and he ran off down the hallway. She turned around and saw one of the girls starting to put her armor on again. Xena snarled and wacked the girl's hand. "Did I say you could dress yourself?!" she shouted and the girl stepped away, rubbing her hand.

Gabrielle raised her eyebrow and saw Solan leaving the foyer. Xena was more than paranoid, she should have been better by now, she thought, unless her body was really having a hard time recovering from that poison. Still, her behavior was more irrational than she had ever seen before.

Belach stood in front of Gabrielle with a smug grin. "We meet again," he jested. "Arms up," he said and she lifted her arms while her eyes were fixated on Xena. He pat her ribcage and hips roughly and she grunted.

"What is going on with her?" she whispered.

Belach rolled his eyes and pat her inner thigh. "Being her usual self," he grumbled. He checked underneath her long hair and behind her ears. "You really have no idea what she is really like Gabrielle."

Gabrielle shook her head and fixed her hair and watched Xena poke all of the armor with her staff. "I know that she is not being her normal self. She doesn't like act like this around us." She said and he pat her other thigh. "She is nice to us all the time."

He rose and glared down at the blonde. "Don't try to figure out my stepmother. You never will."

We'll see about that, Gabrielle thought.

Alexander grunted as he sat in a chair with his hands tied behind his back and his ankles tied to the legs of the chair. He wiggled around trying to loosen the knots, but it was no use. "I don't like this game, Sarsa. Can we play Backgammon like we did yesterday?"

Sarsa smirked and poured a bag of herbs into the hot tea and swirled it around with a spoon. Alexander whined and scooted the chair along the rug and she turned to see the boy about to tip over. Frowning, she walked over and moved the chair off the rug and onto the wood floor.

"You need to stay in the chair, Alexander or you'll get in trouble. Remember?" she smiled as sweetly as possible.

"But I've been really good!" he pouted and she ruffled his dark short hair.

"I know and that's because you're in a chair!" she chuckled and then walked over to the tea and grabbed a pouch from her pocket and he cocked his head, looking at the pouch. She took out a clutter of white flowers and he raised his eyebrow.

He decided to play along with Sarsa's game and remain seated. "What's the tea for?" he asked as she crushed the flowers in her palm and pour them into the tea glass.

"It's for your mother," she answered curtly and waited until the flowers dissolved. "She is very sick, you know."

"I know, but she will get better." He said and eyed the pouch of flowers on the table cautiously. "What's that herb do exactly?"

Sarsa sighed, growing tired of the boy's constant questions. She now knew why Kara hated watching him whenever the sultan needed to go on her long trips. "It's a special herb."

Alexander quirked his mouth and leaned over to take a good look at the flowers. He gasped, realizing what that was. "That's hemlock!" he shouted and Sarsa's head snapped around and she glared at him angrily.

"That is dangerous! It will kill her!" he yelled and tried to get out of the chair. "Help!" he shouted. "Somebody!"

"Quiet, you!" she growled and covered his mouth. He snarled and bit her finger and she yelped. "You brat!"

Alexander inhaled heavily and then let out an ear piercing scream. Sarsa covered her ears. She quickly grabbed a rag and stuffed it into his mouth. It muffled his screams and she smiled at the boy. "You should really mind your business, little prince." She said and pat his head.

The door opened and Kara stepped inside. Her sister grabbed the tray of tea and Kara looked down at Alexander. "I can see he was a bit of trouble..." she inquired.

Sarsa shrugged and Kara took the tray. "We're playing a game. The tea for the sultan."

Kara frowned and looked down at the tea carefully. "You used the comfrey herb I gave you right?" she asked and her sister nodded, but Alexander shook his head furiously behind Kara. "I don't think this herb is working. Maybe I should try a different one," she said undecidedly.

Sarsa's eyes widened and began pushing her sister out of the room. "Of course it works! You just need to give it time!"

"I don't know Sarsa, the mistress has been acting very strange." Kara frowned concernedly.

"I promise this will work this time," Sarsa reassured her sister and Kara nodded, then quietly left the room to go deliver this tea to Xena.

Once she left, Sarsa closed the door and marched over to the prince. "You will stay here!" she hissed and he let out a muffled scream. She smiled, "see, isn't this a fun game?" she pinched his cheek then left the room through another door.

Alexander grunted and tried to get his ankles and hands free, but it was no use. He couldn't bear to see his mother die and she was already sick, at least that's what Solan and Gabrielle said. He then swayed back and forth in the chair, trying to tip it over.

Solan walked down the hallway and heard a loud crash come from a room on the right of his path. He frowned and creaked open the door. He gasped, "Alexander!" he cried out and ran to his brother. He pulled out the cloth from his mouth and began untying his hands.

"Sarsa is going to kill mother!" he spat out and Solan cringed.

"What?" he laughed, not believing his kid brother.

"Solan! I am serious! I saw her put hemlock in mother's tea! Kara came and took the tea and –and you gotta stop her!" he exclaimed and Solan looked into his eyes. He saw that he was not lying or making this up. This was definitely not one of his silly stories.

Solan quickly untied his brother from the chair and hoisted him up off the floor. "Where is Sarsa?"

"She went out the back to the tunnels!" he said and Solan growled.

"Okay, we'll get her later. Come on!" he grabbed his hand and ran out of the room with Alexander.

After Xena inspected all of the girls armor she limped to the front and told them to put their armor and weapons back on. She felt light headed and could barely stand up straight. She put her hand on the wall and felt sweat dripping down her forehead.

Gabrielle frowned and sheathed her dagger on her belt then approached Xena. She tapped her shoulder and Xena slowly turned. "You look terrible."

"Aren't you the little expert?" Xena mocked.

"You are not well enough to take over your position again," Gabrielle whispered.

Xena snarled. "And who are you to tell what I should or should not do?!" she yelled and all the girls paused then looked over to the two. Gabrielle's eyes widened and she folded her arms.

"Because you are sick! You can't even stand up! Don't be foolish!"

All the girls gasped and then whispered among themselves. Xena's eyes grew with fury and she took a few steps closer to Gabrielle, gripping the staff dearly.

"Foolish?" Xena smiled, "I am being foolish? Me? You must be mistaken..." she hissed and banged the staff on the ground. She tightened her top lip underneath her veil and glared down at the mouthy blonde.

"Your majesty!" Kara came up behind Xena with a big smile. "I have your tea, should I leave it in your room?" she asked. Xena groaned and turned to the servant girl with wild eyes. Kara began backing away in fear, seeing that horrible look in her mistress' eyes.

"No! Don't drink it!" Solan yelled as he came charging down the foyer with Alexander running behind him. All eyes turned to him and Xena narrowed her eyebrows. "Don't drink it!" he repeated and then smacked the tray out of Kara's hands and the tea glasses shattered all over the floor.

"Solan!" Xena griped.

"It's poisoned," Solan breathed heavily and Alexander finally caught up to his brother. "Sarsa poisoned the tea with hemlock."

Kara gasped and bent down to pick up the broken tea glass and sniffed the tea smeared on the glass. It was a scent she had smelled before when she used to live in Syria as a child. Her family would use it to kill sick farm animals.

Alexander ran to his mother and hugged her legs. Xena nearly toppled over and she grabbed the wall. He hugged her tightly and she sighed. "I didn't want anything to happen to you..." he said in a soft voice.

"And nothing will," Belach folded his arms and Alexander's eyes shot up, staring at his brother.

"Belach? What are you still doing here? Aren't you supposed to be –"

"Be helping the sultan, right, Alexander?" Solan cut in and his little brother frowned confusedly.

"Huh?" Alexander looked at Belach slightly shaking his head and Solan glaring at him with an eerie smile. "But you said that he had to go –"

Solan grabbed Alexander gruffly and squeezed his shoulders. "Go help find Sarsa, yes, he will do that."

"Ouch, Solan!" he whined and wriggled out of his hold.

"I will?" Belach asked and Solan's eyes widened and nudged his head at his mother. Belach nodded and smiled nervously. "Oh right, of course. I mean, I will." He turned his attention to Xena. "So, what's the plan?"

Xena frowned, eyeing all three boys and was not sure what was going on between them. She had never seen Solan and Belach get along so well since they were small children. Very interesting, she noted. "I don't know what's going on, but I will find out." She said and the teenage boys smiled cheekily at her.

"You and me both," Alexander said and Solan covered his mouth. Xena frowned and looked at her blonde son skeptically.

Gabrielle felt her heart racing and the more Alexander opened his mouth, the more everyone was going to be in serious trouble. She stepped in and smiled. "So, what is the plan like Belach asked?" she eyed Xena.

"Have Dajan prepare my horse," Xena said and began walking off by herself. "Belach, you are in charge of the girls. Take them to scout the city to find Sarsa. She hasn't gone far."

Belach smiled and rubbed his hands together, quite excited to be put in charge of something important, even if it was an order from his stepmother.

Gabrielle, Solan and Alexander followed Xena on both sides of her. Solan whined, "but what about me? What can I do?"

"You stay here and watch Alexander."

He scoffed. "That is not fair! I don't want to be a glorified babysitter! I have done everything for you for the last few days!"

Xena snarled and swiftly turned around and he almost bumped into her. "Solan, I am telling you to stay here and that's what you will do."

"But you gave Belach a job! Why can't I do it? He's not even your real son!" he spat and Xena sighed heavily. Gabrielle rolled her eyes and thought that Solan was being irrational although, he did have a point.

"I want you to stay here. Why can't you just do what I say for once?" she pleaded and Solan pursed his lips, lowering his gaze. "I am giving you a job and it is the most important job," she placed her hand on his shoulder.

Not only had she been poisoned by an old enemy of hers, but she had been poisoned again for days by Sarsa, which explains why she couldn't do anything but fall over like a cripple and hack up bile for hours. Everything made more sense now and she needed to find Sarsa in order to get close to Sidon.

She also remembered what Gabrielle said to her about her harsh treatment towards her sons, specifically Solan. He obviously didn't feel appreciated by her or Borias, no matter what he did.

She took the veil off her face and smiled at Solan, lifting his chin to look into his blue eyes. "I am not putting you in charge of your brother because I think that you can't do anything else. I am putting you in charge of him because I can trust you to keep him safe, like you always do."

He smiled weakly and looked away from her gaze.

"You've been a great help, Solan and I thank you for taking over for me. It was very responsible of you," she smiled and Gabrielle grinned as well, nodding her head in silence.

"I helped too!" Alexander waved his hand and Solan rolled his eyes.

Xena shook her head and ruffled his hair. "I'm sure..."

"Hello! I told Solan about the tea didn't I? I am responsible too," Alexander beamed.

"In your dreams..." Solan murmured.

Xena hummed lightly and bent over, almost eye level with her smallest son. "You know what job you get to do?" she asked and his eyes lit up. She poked his nose, "you stay out of trouble for Solan."

Alexander frowned. "That is not a job!"

She tried to hide her impending laughter and nodded. "You want more responsibilities, right?"

"Yeah!" he cheered excitedly.

"Alright," she fixed his collar around his neck. "You can stand guard in my room to make sure nobody gets in while I'm gone. How does that sound?" she offered.

Alexander tapped his chin, "can I use a sword?"

"How about a wooden sword instead?" she said and he sighed.

"Okay fine, I'll do it." He relented and she kissed his forehead. He grabbed his brother's hand, dragging him down the hall. "Come on Solan!"

Gabrielle watched the two walk down the hallway and she turned to Xena. She saw the pain written all over her face and frowned sadly. "So, what can I do for you?" she asked, not used to having the tables turned at the moment, that was usually Xena's line.

Xena frowned and put the veil back over her face. "You are coming with me. I am going to search the city with my army."

Oh no, searching the city. "But I thought Belach was taking the girls to search the city?"

Xena smirked. "They are looking for Sarsa. You and I will be looking for Sidon and his clues. He is not as cunning as he thinks he is." She walked down the hall to the entrance where the stables were. "Sarsa is from Syria. She has to be working for Sidon. There's too many coincidences."

Gabrielle nodded and walked beside Xena. "And if she isn't?"

Silence.

"Then I am out of ideas," she said and the doors swung open. She carefully tread down the stairs with the staff and saw Dajan with her black horse waiting by the gates along with a bunch of men from her army.

She mounted the horse and dropped the staff. She nearly fell off the horse and grunted, pulling herself up. Dajan then brought Gabrielle a horse for her as well.

"Gabrielle," Xena said and adjusted the gloves on her hands. Gabrielle mounted the horse and looked over at the sultana. "Do you know what is going on with Solan and Belach? They are acting very unlike themselves."

Her heart skipped a beat once she asked that question. If I lie, she might know, if I tell the truth, she is going to blow up and be unfocused for the task at hand.

"No, I don't really know Belach that well anyway..." she lamely tried to cover her lie, hoping Xena wouldn't become engrossed with those two boys and her own demise too. This was a spider web of lies that kept spreading. She is going to be so angry.

"Well, I do," Xena yanked on the reins and the gates opened. "And I don't trust him." She kicked the horse and rode off with her men. Gabrielle frantically kicked her horse and rode off, trying to catch up to Xena at the front.