We made it to 50 chapters! Many more to come!
Chapter 50
Another month passed and Xerxes was finally released from seclusion once Tegin Irkin returned from Pannonia. Shehzade Khosrow was able to capture Kawus and bring him to their palace in Estakhr. He was judged before their father's council and sentenced to death instantly.
Xerxes came to watch the beheading outside in the square behind the palace. He saw the betrayal in Kawus' eyes and felt no pity for him. He was forced to hide for more than a year because of Kawus. Everything that went horribly wrong was all due to Xerxes' elder brother.
Finally, he could live freely. Even though he was declared safe after Kawus' head was separated from his body that foggy winter morning, Xerxes feared what might happen to him in the future. Kawus' mother, Sambice, was still very powerful and unfortunately still the Shah's legal wife. But for now, he wanted to focus on his future and that future was to going to be with Arielle no matter what his mother said.
Days after the execution Xerxes was invited into his home to greet his parents after spending so long apart from each other. Nousha welcomed him with open arms and showered him with gifts and a massive spread of food. Once he was finished visiting with his mother, Xerxes had plans to see his father to discuss the soldiers transported to Pannonia.
He couldn't avoid the topic forever. He needed to tell his mother his true intentions with Arielle. After all the time that passed, he never forgot about her. When he reunited with Arielle, he knew he was going to receive a mouthful from her and he expected nothing less from the outspoken Khagana.
"Mother," he interrupted her spiel, "I want to talk about marriage."
Nousha smiled, oblivious to her son's inner thoughts. "I'm so glad you brought that up, Xerxes. I too, would like to talk of marriage."
"You do?" he asked with a furrowed brow.
"Your father held a meeting with Eshan Varaz. He thought it is best you have an arranged marriage with Eshan's daughter, Mera."
Xerxes' jaw dropped at the news. He knew he couldn't trust his mother. Even while he was locked away, she was busy arranging his life for him without consent as usual. He met Mera Varaz once before when they were children but he hadn't seen her in over twenty years.
"She's grown into a lovely young woman," Nousha said adoringly. "I know she will give you gorgeous children in the near future," she hinted.
His dark eyes lowered to the floor. His plans to talk to his mother about his intention to marry Arielle were pointless now. There was no possible way to convince his mother to call off this marriage, at least not this second.
"When will she arrive?" he asked.
"She needs time to organize her trip to come here. It will take awhile but don't worry," she paddled her son's knee, "the documents have already been signed. You are legally married to her. I hear Mera is very anxious to see you again."
Xerxes' face drained of all color. Married. He was already married to this woman. His entire family controlled his life but he wasn't going to let them control his destiny too. Marrying Arielle was his end goal. It needed to happen and it will, he swore it would when he promised her.
Baltic Region
Csaba kept his guard up while he cohabitated with the Antes tribe. He received strange stares daily which he tried to ignore. He did as he promised and crafted several war bows for Chieftain Mezamir. The cover he had would only last so long. Mezamir might have been suspicious of him from the start but Csaba couldn't read the man well.
Mezamir was an interesting character. He joked around a lot with his men but it was clear that the tribe respected him. Radogost on the other hand was very distrusting of Csaba and his small crew. Csaba was quick to learn that Radogost was the Chieftain's right-hand man and would kill in the blink of an eye.
He kept a watchful eye on the tall blond. Two months he lived among the Antes and shared a yurt with his soldiers not far from Mezamir's tent. Csaba finished making about ten war bows since his arrival and today he was asked to come to Mezamir's tent to showcase his work.
Mezamir sat on the floor of his tent and inspected the war bows one by one. He gazed up at Csaba and smiled, nodding his head. He then passed the bows off to Radogost to be put in the armory tent across the camp.
"You do excellent work," he complimented.
Csaba smiled proudly. "Thank you."
Mezamir reclined on a mound of pillows and offered his new bowman a seat. He poured some wine for them both which Csaba graciously accepted. Sipping the bitter wine, Mezamir stared at the supposed Roman across the way.
"You live among the Huns and Gepids," he stated and Csaba eyed him. "You look like a strong man. I bet you know how to wield a sword in battle."
Csaba's mouth quirked up into a sneer. "I know a thing or two about using a sword."
"Ever kill a Hun before?"
Csaba's jaw clenched. "One or two," he lied, placating the Chieftain.
The redhead grinned and finished off the wine. He slammed the cup down on the floor and draped an arm over his raised knee. His eyes were never taken off of Csaba and he ran his fingers through his braided long beard.
"I sent someone to kill that savage Hun empress awhile back," he said casually. "The man I sent didn't finish the job so I had to finish him."
A bitter taste was left in Csaba's mouth. It took great strength and willpower not to pounce on the man who spoke of his little sister. He'd always been very protective of both his sisters and knew if he showed an ounce of sympathy for Arielle that his plan would fold.
"The Khagana won't be easy to kill," he managed to say with a cool tone. "I heard she is living in Pannonia again."
Mezamir swiped his tongue over his upper lip. "She was wise to relocate but that won't stop my men from making another attempt on her life."
"Are you planning to attack soon?" Csaba fished for answers.
Mezamir shrugged a shoulder and raised a palm. He didn't trust this man who called himself a Roman but he trusted him enough to spill his intent. Smiling, he leaned forward and poured another cup of wine.
"Would you bed a Hun?" he asked.
Csaba widened his eyes at the intrusive question. He couldn't keep a straight face and his reaction caused Mezamir to erupt in a roaring laugh.
"Aleksander told me that the Hun empress is very…pleasing to the eyes," he winked and raised his cup. "Maybe I shouldn't kill her first," he proposed.
Csaba narrowed his eyes, gripping the cup tightly in his palm. His heart raced rapidly and his upper lip trembled. One more word about his sister and he would reach across the way and tackle this man to the ground. Death by asphyxiation was an awful way to leave this world, he thought.
"I could bring her here and claim her," Mezamir said, chuckling. "I'd pass her around the tribe. I've always wanted to see what a Hun woman is like in bed."
Csaba bit his inner cheek and his nostrils flared from breathing heavily. He needed to leave this tent or he was going to kill Mezamir. And he'd have no problem doing it too but one wrong move could cost him his life.
He decided to play along. "Somehow I don't think the Khagana would let you have your way with her."
"She wouldn't have the option to fight back. I'll fuck her and then leave my men to finish her off," he said, glaring into Csaba's green eyes. A malicious smile formed and he took a swig of the drink.
This was the third week in a row that Xena was told to keep watch along the border. It was the most boring job in her entire career. She never liked waiting for there to be no outcome. Sometimes she got lucky and something happened but usually it was dull. It wasn't like she wanted her people to get attacked.
This last watch she was annoyed with her wife. Somehow, Anastasia weaseled her way into coming to the border and somehow, she convinced Gabrielle to let her tag along. This was another one of Gabrielle's pushover moments that Xena despised.
Anastasia was overly excited to accompany them that Xena couldn't deny her. She didn't have the heart to tell her daughter to leave after she saw how excited Anastasia was. But still, she was irritated that Gabrielle gave in so easily.
"I don't know why she wants to be here," she whispered to Gabrielle. "She can't see beyond her own two feet."
Gabrielle released a long and dramatic sigh. "You're overexaggerating. I don't think she actually was interested in the task itself. I think she just wanted to spend some time with you."
Xena turned, eyes softening at her daughter standing on the snow-covered hill. She tilted her head and let a soft smile slip.
"I have been kind of hard on her lately, haven't I?"
"Just a little," Gabrielle pinched her spouse's arm.
Anastasia stood with the cold wind blowing against her face. Her coming here wasn't all for nothing. She may not have been able to see but her ears never deceived her. Ever since her accident she thought she could hear ten times better than she could before. She wanted to prove her worth to everyone here and show that she wasn't just someone's wife, someone's mother and someone's daughter.
She was still a ruler here and she had plenty to offer. This time, she could offer something more than what anyone's eyes could. Her ears perked up at the sound of snapping and popping in the distance. She closed her eyes and listened to the noises that were not from the surrounding natural forces.
The snapping. The popping. The crackling of dried leaves. The footprints in the snow. The creaking of a taut bow ready to pull.
"Someone's here," she announced.
Xena walked ahead, putting a halt to her conversation shared with Gabrielle. She joined her daughter and looked out at the dark snowy plains ahead.
"I don't see anyone."
Anastasia kept her eyes closed, following the sounds. Then she slowly turned her body and pointed out to the left field. Her eyes shot open and she smiled.
"There."
Xena raised a skeptical eyebrow and looked back at her wife who stared questionably. She waved to the soldiers and motioned for them to scout the area Anastasia pointed to.
As soon as the soldiers entered the left field, several men popped up hidden underneath a blanket of snow. Xena instantly grabbed her daughter and ushered her away from the danger. She took Anastasia's hand and ran down the hill, nearly losing her footing on the slick snow.
Gabrielle made eye contact with her wife and had a silent conversation with her with just a stare. She ran ahead, yelling at the soldiers to get ready to protect the border. All across the field, men kept appearing from beneath the snow. Hun soldiers were shot with an abundance of arrows, killing the scouts.
She panicked and crouched down to evade the oncoming arrows shot directly at the row of soldiers guarding the border. Gabrielle ran behind the soldiers with a hand over her fur hat. She poked her head out to see the large number of invaders trickling in.
She picked up her wife's role and began commanding the soldiers. She looked over her shoulder and saw Xena coming back this way now that Anastasia was in the clear and out of harm's way.
Gabrielle brought her attention back to the field and before she could react, a knife pierced her shoulder. She fell backward and cried out. Her eyes drifted to the short knife sticking out of her body. It was wedged in between her collar bone and meat of her breast.
Xena didn't freeze when she saw Gabrielle fall. If she went to help Gabrielle, she wouldn't hear the end of it. She couldn't let Gabrielle be a distraction for her again. It happened too many times before and she made poor decisions.
Instead of keeping her promise to remain out of the field she drew her sword and marched up the hill, passing by Gabrielle who was still lain in the snow.
A soldier came to Gabrielle's aid and applied pressure to the wound and yanked the knife out. She bit her lip, growling lowly as a surge of agonizing pain coursed through her entire upper body. Amidst the pain, she sat up and put her hand over the wound which was gushing blood all over her fur collared coat.
Almost instantaneously, she forgot about her bloody wound. She watched Xena from the lower part of the hill, hacking up one of the invaders. Warm blood completely covered her hand and the soldier kept speaking to her but his words went in one ear and out the other.
Xena gripped her sword with both hands and drove the blade down into the attacker's chest. She withdrew the sword and then stabbed him again. The ribs of the attacker made an eerie crackling sound when the blade dove into his chest for the third time.
When Ana returned to the Adame, Navaz galloped to the border to offer his hand. His focus immediately went to Gabrielle and he jumped off the horse to help her. Without hesitating, he scooped Gabrielle into his arms effortlessly.
"You need immediate attention. I'm taking you back to the Adame."
"No! You need to help Xena! She's out there killing people left and right, Navaz!" she protested.
He set her on the horse and climbed aboard then wrapped his arm around her. "Your wound is more important! I am not worried about Xena. She is more than qualified to handle an invasion."
While the Huns were busy blocking the border, Xena was able to detain one of the attackers. She broke his arm and stabbed his thigh so he wouldn't try and run. She dragged him across the snowy plains by pulling his arm.
Her blade was pointed to his throat and she stomped her boot on his wounded thigh. The man released a high-pitched scream and grunted while heaving. It had been a long while since Xena interrogated someone and she wasn't feeling very kind today especially after what happened to Gabrielle.
"Who sent you?" she pressed the tip of the blade into his neck. "Alduin? Rodelinda? Mezamir?"
He lifted his chin and gaped into her menacing eyes that continued to narrow.
"I'm not going to kill you. We could take this to a more private area if you wish," the corner of her lip twitched into a hateful sneer.
"Lieutenant!"
She whipped her head around to a soldier calling her. She let up on the attacker and stalked over to the Avar waiting for her on the archery line. Her focus was drawn to the many men on the plains fighting relentlessly with every weapon but swords. They were using axes and maces mostly. Very few archers accompanied them on this invasion.
"They are Chieftain Mezamir's men," he informed her.
Xena snarled and then pointed her bloody blade to the open field. "Get rid of them all. I don't want to see a single living soul left here."
She turned back to the man suffering on the ground. He tried desperately to crawl away. This poor man, she thought. Xena marched over to the Antes soldier and took a handful of his hair and yanked his head back. A quick swipe of her sword to his neck and he gargled on his own blood. Choking, he clutched his throat and spat viscous blood on the white blanket of snow beneath him.
Xena threw him aside and the snow soaked up all the blood pouring from his throat. She wiped her sword on his pantleg then walked towards the Adame, trusting the soldiers to finish what she commanded them to do.
Arielle met her father in the foyer who carried Gabrielle in his arms. She wanted to console Gabrielle but first she needed to know what was happening out on the field. She ran outside and scurried down the steps.
She halted on the middle of the staircase when she met her grandmother's wicked dagger-like eyes from the bottom of the steps.
Xena pointed to the field behind her. "Is this what you pay your men to do?" she asked sternly. Then she raised her voice, "what is this? We were attacked! I thought you ordered every single soldier to guard the borders!"
"I…I did!" Arielle said. "You're the one in charge of the army grandma."
"No," she walked up the stairs and jabbed Arielle's chest, "you are in charge," she hissed. "I just carry out the orders or did you forget that? I plan and devise. You're above me, Arielle. Did you forget all of your training? What is going on in that head of yours?"
Arielle cast a solemn frown and her gaze fell to her boots.
Xena sighed and lifted Arielle's chin with a finger. "I know you miss Xerxes and I'm very glad he's alive. But I need you to focus. Don't let a boy distract you." She nudged a knuckle to Arielle's cheek.
"Do you think he will be happy to see me?"
"Please," Xena rolled her eyes. "That man kisses the ground you walk on."
Arielle's eyebrow lifted, expressing her skepticism. "I'm going to the border to make sure no one comes into our tribe."
"Yes, you do that. Don't leave your post until I say so."
Xena passed by and entered the Adame shortly after she ended the conversation with Arielle. She wandered the halls for a bit and found Anastasia standing outside the infirmary on the first floor. Several maids exited the room with bloodied linens. She felt her chest constrict and her head followed the maids carrying the baskets.
She darted towards the room and Anastasia blocked her path. Anyone else in her way and she would've thrown them. She clenched her fists and breathed heavily.
"Move, Anastasia."
"No, mother. I'm not allowing you in there." She spread her arms out and pressed her back against the doors.
"I think you should know by now to get out of my way when I say so. Step aside, Ana."
Anastasia remained vigilant and refused her mother entry. "Please, mother. Don't put me in a difficult position."
Xena grabbed her daughter by the shoulders and gently yet forcefully, shoved her aside. She swung open the doors and rushed inside the infirmary. Standing at the foot of the bed she saw Gabrielle's shoulder and breast bound in thick gauze. Gabrielle was obviously heavily sedated as she lay still as a board, unresponsive to the many hands that came to her aid.
A shamaness from the Suevi tribe entered the room and set a tray of medicine on the bed. Shocked to see Xena in the room, she hesitated to apply the necessary medicine to Gabrielle's wound and instead stood by the bed, gaping at Xena.
Xena, distracted by her spouse's injury, finally took notice of the shamaness and frowned. "What are you doing in here? Where is the physician?"
"Anastasia Khatun requested that I come here."
She began pouring several oils into a bowl and mixed them with dried herbs. She swirled the mixture around with a pestle and Xena grabbed her arm.
"Don't you touch her," Xena ordered. She sat on the bed and looked underneath the bandage to see the large gaping hole in Gabrielle's body.
Anastasia walked in and saw the shamaness waiting off to the side while her mother kept ogling the ghastly wound.
"Mother, what are you doing? Why aren't you letting her do her job?"
Xena grimaced and unraveled the bandages on Gabrielle's shoulder. "I don't want her kind anywhere near Gabrielle. Why didn't you bring the physician here?"
"Cemre is a very good friend of Ursula's. I asked her to come here because of her extensive knowledge on herbal medicine to eradicate poisons."
Xena froze and whipped her head around. "Poison?" she croaked. "What do you mean poison?"
Ana set a hand on her mother's shoulder. "This is why I didn't want you to come in here. Please let Cemre do her job."
Slowly, Xena eased her way off the bed, taking her daughter's hand. She stepped away and allowed the shamaness to continue to do her task of mixing herbs and applying them to Gabrielle's wound.
Arielle manned the border with her father by her side. She made sure that all of the soldiers were blocking the border while she instructed the archers to keep firing at the Antes soldiers. She walked behind a row of men, eyeing the resilient men of Mezamir.
The gatekeepers on the other side of the tribe towards the south blew the loud horns and Arielle turned around. She swiftly darted across the hill and saw a horde of horsemen riding into the tribe with Eksama's empty blonde horse.
She brought her eyebrows together. "Where is Eksama?"
Navaz stepped away from the archers and stood behind his daughter. "It looks like your question is about to be answered."
A Gepid soldier furiously rode through the thick snowy terrain up to the hill. The horse skid to a halt in front of Arielle and Navaz. He breathed heavily and removed his helm and briefly bowed his head to them both.
"The Lombards have begun their attack. King Ernak and the Commander were both ambushed. The Commander has been wounded and I was told to bring her back here."
Arielle growled. "Fuck!" she slapped her thigh out of frustration. "This is not going the way I wanted it to!"
She ran and jumped onto her horse. Before she galloped away, Navaz grabbed hold of the reins.
"Let me go to the south border," he suggested. "Your grandmother wants you here. Don't defy her orders, Arielle."
With Gabrielle's injury, she knew not to rock the boat further by angering her grandmother. Now that Eksama was also injured they were short a commander and that could be very detrimental to their army. Ernak was all alone in the south against the Lombards. Arielle had no choice but to stay here.
"Alright," she huffed and dismounted the horse. "Dad, don't come back with a severed limb or something. Mother will have a stroke," she mildly joked with an underlying seriousness to her tone.
Navaz saluted to his daughter and winked. He boarded his horse and galloped down the hill with the Gepid soldier accompanying him. He waved to the soldiers waiting on the outskirts and they quickly followed him without command.
Baltic Region
It was tough living here without having contact with his people. Csaba wanted to go back home and see his family. He hated living among the Antes. Mezamir wasn't very talkative for someone who was in charge of an entire tribe. Csaba was here on a mission and while he was living here for the last couple of months, he didn't find out anything useful.
The only thing he did find out was Mezamir's sick desire to sleep with Arielle. How he wished he could've killed Mezamir right then and there. He could barely contain himself from retching all over the floor while in the Chieftain's tent.
There was a celebration last night in the camp that Csaba didn't partake in. He discovered that these people liked more than their wine. There was a tea passed around every group in the camp during the festivities. Csaba noticed that their moods heightened as the night went on. He later discovered that the tea was brewed with a plant that had hallucinogenic properties.
It explained why the Antes were able to keep awake for days during a battle. They never tired. Although Csaba didn't join in on the celebrating, he did take some of the leaves used in the tea and stored them in his bag.
While sitting outside the tent sharpening a sword, Radogost crossed the camp and Csaba lifted his head. He rose from the stump and greeted the blond officer.
"Morning."
Radogost crossed his arms. "Chieftain Mezamir wants to talk to you in his tent."
Csaba's mouth soured. "I'm not finished with the swords. I still have a lot to do."
"It's not about the swords."
Csaba put the dull sword into his tent but made sure to keep at least one weapon on his person everywhere he went. He walked with Radogost through the sleeping camp. On the outskirts, Aleksander, another officer, was rounding up over a hundred men. Csaba lifted an eyebrow and took a mental note.
The soldiers looked to be setting out to ride somewhere. Deep down he hoped they weren't going to head to Pannonia. If they were, he couldn't warn his tribe about the impending attack. He was sure that the last legion that left a couple of weeks ago was for a siege in Pannonia.
After he was granted entrance, Csaba stepped inside the large tent. His cheeks reddened at the sight of a topless woman lying beside Mezamir. He put a hand over his brow and looked at the floor.
Csaba cleared his throat, "you wanted to see me?"
"You didn't come celebrate with us last night," said Mezamir. "You are a guest in my tribe, Lukas. Did I offend you in some way?"
Csaba bit his tongue. "No, not at all. Forgive me for not attending. I am…unaware of your customs here."
Mezamir smirked and waved his hand to the young woman beside him. She got up slowly from the floor and sauntered off. Csaba didn't lift his eyes but saw her leave out of his peripheral vision. The young blonde woman returned with another woman just the same as her.
She had long blonde braided locks that rested just above her narrow hips. She removed the sash around her loosely fitted dress. The gown dropped to her ankles and she waltzed over to Csaba, smiling at Mezamir.
Csaba's body tensed and he turned the other way, shutting his eyes tightly.
The Chieftain chuckled, sipping some tea from last night. "I'm giving you a gift and you refuse?"
"Ah, I am quite alright, thank you," Csaba insisted nervously.
He felt the woman's fingers trail up his arm. All he could think about was Farah. He envisioned her face the entire time this woman continued to touch him. Farah is my wife, he reminded himself. Farah is carrying his child. Farah is the mother of his children. Farah is going to kill me.
"You aren't even going to look at her?"
Csaba swallowed and took in a deep breath. He slowly turned to face the naked blonde woman. He immediately averted his eyes and gaped at Mezamir with a tight mouth. He looked away so quickly that he barely got a good glance at the woman.
"She's very…she looks nice," he choked out.
Mezamir snuffed a laugh. "Nice? I can send for another woman," he offered and flicked his wrist for the young blonde to leave. "What kind of a woman do you like? I take it you aren't fond of blondes."
Csaba's tongue rolled around his arid mouth. He definitely wasn't going to tell Farah about any of this. If she ever found out that he looked at a naked woman he was sure he'd receive more than just a mouthful.
Another woman entered the tent wearing a burgundy dress. Csaba's eyes widened at the tan skinned woman with untamed curly black hair. She had large brown eyes that settled in between her narrow nose. Her face was much too petite for her striking features.
"This one is from Persia. She just arrived a few days ago."
Csaba could barely look at the woman. She looked younger than Cera. He already refused one woman and didn't know what would happen if he refused another.
"It's very kind of you but…I don't need nor want any woman to…entertain me."
"You are a very odd Roman," Mezamir sighed and finished off the tea in one large gulp. "You're either a religious man or you have a woman back home."
Csaba smiled nervously and chose to keep his answers locked away.
"The least you could do is sit with me."
Wine was poured and shared. Csaba eyed the young Persian woman. She looked horrified. He couldn't even imagine what she felt right now. Mezamir referred to this woman as an item. Csaba wanted nothing more than to free her and maybe he could but not yet.
"You're skilled in blacksmithing and bow-making but I'd like to ask if you're also skilled in the battlefield."
Csaba drank some of the wine. "I've had my fair share in the field, yes."
"Excellent," the redhead warrior grinned. "I'd like some advice on my upcoming attack in Pannonia."
She had all her focus on Gabrielle and it wasn't helping. Three days later and her mind was split in half; focusing on the battle in the south and Gabrielle in the infirmary. She had no choice but to delve into her work to keep her busy.
So far Ernak and Navaz were fighting the Lombards in the south alone with the army. Eksama was recovering from a gnarly wound to the leg and abdomen. Xena didn't really care too much for Eksama but she was still worried for her, only for Eksama's daughter's sake.
Shamaness Cemre did her job for the last three days. She made a salve of herbs to smother the poison seeping out of the wound. Gabrielle was barely conscious so talking was out of the question. It was noted that the poison hadn't spread into the bloodstream so Cemre concluded thus far.
Xena sat beside the bed by the end of the day. She hardly got any sleep and was nodding off while holding onto her wife's hand for the last few hours. The room was incredibly quiet and she requested to be left alone after a certain time of the day.
Even though Gabrielle wasn't fully aware, she could feel Xena's presence these last few days. She woke to her stomach churning and a burning sensation sprawled inside her chest. Her eyes fluttered open to a fuzzy dark candlelit room and moaned softly.
Her head lolled over and her grip firmed which stirred Xena awake. She met her gaze and smiled weakly.
"Gabrielle," she whispered, inching closer on the bed. She kissed her wife's hand. "I was so worried about you. How do you feel?"
She swallowed the lump in her throat. "I…thank you…for being here," she breathed in sharply.
Xena kissed her hand again and couldn't wipe the smile off her lips. She leaned in closer and caressed Gabrielle's warm cheek. She pressed a hand to her forehead and frowned.
"You have a fever."
Sweat streamed down her back and Gabrielle stretched her legs outward. She tried to remove the hot blankets off her body. There was a pool of sweat beneath her. For the first time in a long while she heard Xena muttering in her mother tongue.
"Xena…Xena," she whined, "stop fussing."
"That blade was laced with poison so I will worry."
Gabrielle, choked up, was barely able to speak, "poison? I…I didn't…"
Xena pressed her finger to her spouse's lips. "As much as I hate shamans, Cemre did a good job. I'm going to bring her back here to examine you."
She tried to leave and Gabrielle snatched her wrist. She turned with an apologetic smile and lowered herself to sit back down.
"You'll come back and stay here…"
Xena's smile enlarged and kissed Gabrielle's knuckles. "I won't go anywhere."
"Promise?"
"I promise," Xena nodded.
Gabrielle released a sigh of relief and refused to let go of her wife's wrist. "I…I'm not keeping you from your duties, am I?" she said with a light cough, rubbing her sore and dry throat.
"Always worrying about other people instead of yourself," Xena chided, laughing quietly. "I'll be right back. Just a few minutes, I swear!"
Baltic Region
Everything that Csaba suspected was true. Mezamir organized an entire fleet to be sent to Pannonia for a full-on attack. Csaba did his best to explain how Huns attacked but he left a lot of details out. He didn't want to rouse suspicion and have it directly pointed at him.
A couple of days after the initial meeting in the tent, Csaba sent one of the soldiers who accompanied him, as a messenger. He instructed the soldier to leave after dark and ride out beyond the Antes camp so he wasn't seen by anybody. Since he gave Mezamir explicit details on Hun strategies, he wanted his people to be ready.
He was left in the dark here and had no choice but to keep placating the Antes Chieftain. He'd never been on a spy mission for this long and wondered how and when he was going to leave. Arielle promised he'd return before the birth of his child but as the weeks passed, he had doubts.
The start of spring was just a month away. His time here was limited and he desperately needed to go home –he wanted to go home –to see his family.
After sundown, everyone gathered around large fires, drinking and playing games. Csaba kept to himself and strung a bow he was working on. Radogost sat beside Mezamir in front of the tent, keeping an eye on their guest.
Radogost rubbed his chin and turned to his superior. "I don't trust that man. I don't believe he is who he says he is."
Mezamir smiled, waving at the soldiers passing by. "Yes," he agreed, drinking the tea, "he is very smart and knew a lot about Hun warfare."
"It doesn't strike odd to you?"
"I never said that," Mezamir frowned at the blond officer. "He isn't Roman. I knew that from the moment he arrived."
"Then why have you allowed him to stay?" asked Radogost. "He could be a spy for the Huns. Italia is overrun by those barbarians."
The Chieftain clicked his tongue against his cheek. "If he is a spy then I want to keep him here for awhile longer. Aleksander has one of our spies sent to Pannonia already. I trust we will receive enough information about the clan soon."
"He is a fool if he's a Hun spy. He came alone with two men. I could easily kill him in his sleep."
"Radogost, that isn't any way to treat our guest," he chuckled. "Bring him over here."
Csaba jaunted over to the campfire after he was flagged down. He smiled, bowed his head, greeting the amused Chieftain and annoyed officer. He was offered a seat and a cup of wine. He took a generous sip and coughed at the bitter taste. The wine was warmer than usual which was nice in this frigid weather.
Mezamir's lips turned upward into a delicious satisfied smile. Earlier, he requested that the wine be mixed with the brewed tea. If he was to find out that Csaba was a Hun spy, he was going to get to know this man quite well. Radogost might be overly cautious but Mezamir had intentions of his own.
"Are you a man of the cloth?"
Csaba drank more of the odd tasting wine and choked. "Sorry?"
"You refused every single woman I offered. Do you belong to the church?"
"Ah, no."
Mezamir smirked. "Then you must have a good reason why you keep refusing my gifts."
Csaba's vision blurred and he shook his head, trying to keep focus on his surroundings. He wrapped a hand on the back of his neck to keep himself focused and attentive.
"Um, I…" he stuttered, "my wife. I have a wife."
"Ah, a wife. She must be something special."
"Yes…"
Mezamir noticed the slurring of the words and Csaba's eyes glossing over. He casually sipped the tea-wine concoction, amused by the display before him. It wouldn't be long until all senses were lost and Csaba was either going to pass out or dive into his sixth sense and lose himself completely, giving his mind and body to the herb.
"What did you give me?" asked Csaba.
"A little something to help you relax." Mezamir chuckled and nudged Radogost's arm.
Csaba groaned and slapped a hand over his forehead. "I can't feel my face," he mumbled.
"Just give it awhile. You'll feel like a new man," he sat, smiling and drinking the wine.
On the bed she lay beside Gabrielle, running her fingers through the blonde strands. Gabrielle's chest rose and fell slowly. There were muscles that twitched underneath the bandages. The medicine given to her must've helped but she was hardly able to talk during the short time she was awake and semi-coherent.
Arielle entered the room and quietly tiptoed over to the bed. She peered down at Gabrielle and then smiled at her grandmother. She could see that sleep didn't come easily for her. Arielle sighed and knew this was a horrible time to talk of war but it needed to be said.
She whispered, "Ernak is still with my father in the south. Our northern borders are secured now. I was able to detain one of the Antes soldiers."
Xena nodded and rested her palm on her cheek, staring at her sleeping spouse.
"What do you want me to do?"
She raised her chin, staring at Arielle's wide determined eyes in the dimly-lit room.
"I could go to the south and help –"
"No. I want you here," Xena whispered. "It would be foolish to have all three of you away from the center of the tribe. Csaba is gone, Eksama is wounded, your mother is incapable of commanding the army and I'm here."
Arielle sighed and understood but she was worried about her father fighting the Lombards in the south. She was able to kill all of the Antes who attempted to invade. She wasn't used to waiting around but she learned it was best not to go against orders anymore especially since there was so much to consider.
"I was going to ask if you wanted to interrogate the captive," she hinted and Xena smiled weakly.
"You go ahead."
Arielle grinned, already plotting her torture techniques she planned to use. She hadn't interrogated someone in a while. At least there was something to do to cure her boredom for the time being.
"How is she?" she asked of Gabrielle.
"I'm not sure," Xena furrowed her brows and brushed her finger along Gabrielle's flushed cheek. "Cemre gave her a serum earlier. She said we have to wait a few days to see if her fever breaks."
Arielle rubbed her lips together. "She'll be alright. But you should really get some sleep. I'll have Ku watch her."
"I want to stay here."
"Grandma," she protested and folded her arms. "You look like a corpse."
Xena raised an eyebrow. "Thanks…"
"I'm just saying you need sleep!" she leaned over and placed a hand on Xena's shoulder. "I'll have Ku come get you if anything changes. Go to sleep. I'm ordering you."
Xena smirked. "You aren't the boss of me, Arielle."
"Actually, I am," she playfully said and Xena's smile flipped upside down. "Ah…well, just go get some sleep. Gabrielle would want you to take care of yourself first. I'll go get mother if you don't leave."
A lecture from her granddaughter was one thing. A lecture from her daughter was another. Two lectures in one night was not on her agenda and she didn't feel up to hearing her daughter's sassy mouth. She got enough of that from Arielle daily.
"Fine, fine. I'm going."
She rose from the bed, groaning under her breath. Her entire body ached and eyes burned from being awake for so long.
Baltic Region
Csaba awoke with a blazing headache. He turned over onto his side and retched onto the floor. Grunting, he sat up and looked down to see himself shirtless. He ran his fingers through his hair and glanced around his tent and saw the young Persian woman sitting on the opposite side of his tent.
He gasped and immediately covered his chest with his muscular arms. The woman, or he should say girl, was staring at him with fear in her eyes.
"I…I, how did you get in here?" he asked.
He couldn't remember what happened last night. The last thing he remembered was drinking that herbal wine. The pieces slowly came together and he was absolutely mortified. He snatched the tunic and slipped it over his head.
"Did…did I…" a knot formed in his stomach. He couldn't bring himself to say it.
She shook her head.
Csaba felt instant relief. He didn't think he could forgive himself if he slept with this girl. She was around his little sister's age. Not to mention he wouldn't be able to face Farah if it happened. He wouldn't leave his home alive or at least without a few pertinent body parts.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"You didn't do anything," she spoke timidly and brushed her curly strands behind her ears.
"I still feel the need to apologize." He rubbed his throbbing head. "I have a wife."
She smiled. "I know. You spoke about her many times."
"Oh," his cheeks reddened. "What…else did I say?"
"Nothing. You seem to really love her."
Csaba grinned, thinking of Farah. He wondered how she was doing during his absence. She never liked to be separated from him for long periods of time. At least she wasn't alone but she was very distraught when he left that day.
"I do."
He reached for the pitcher of water and chugged a cup to quench his insatiable thirst. He wiped his mouth and stared at the girl. This was a very uncomfortable situation for them. More so for him than her. This girl was young enough to be his daughter.
"How did you come here?" he asked.
She rubbed her arm nervously. "The Chieftain bought me. I was from Shehzade Kawus' harem."
"That motherfucker," he drank another full cup of water. "Why were you dismissed from the harem?"
"The Shehzade is dead."
Csaba's jaw dropped. "Kawus is dead?" he asked and she confirmed with a head nod. "That bastard got what he deserved especially after he murdered his brother."
She grinned brightly and clasped her hands together. "God spared Shehzade Xerxes! He is very much alive! We all thought he was dead but it turns out the Shah was protecting him."
Suddenly, Csaba had the urge to drink a large helping of wine. This was a lot for him to handle all at once. Xerxes is alive and Kawus is dead. He thought of Arielle and wondered if she knew. He couldn't do anything since he was trapped here. But he could do something for this girl.
"Um, what is your name?"
"Nasrin."
"Nasrin," he rubbed his chin. "How would you like to come back home with me?" he asked and saw the hesitation in her eyes. "Oh, no, no, not as a slave. You'll be free."
She was apprehensive and untrusting to take him up on his offer. She didn't know this man and he was offering to buy her but so far, he seemed like a nice man. He didn't even try to touch her even after she entered his tent last night.
"Do you have any skills?"
"I was given an education while in the harem. I can read and write in Persian. I also know how to sew and play a variety of instruments."
Csaba grinned. "You could come work for my wife. She's been searching for a trustworthy chambermaid."
Nasrin quirked her mouth to the side and twiddled her thumbs in her lap.
"I'll pay you a salary and you can have your own room too. I have a very large home."
The offer was very tempting and she wanted to agree. She didn't know this man or his wife that he talked about endlessly for hours. She also had never lived anywhere else but the harem. She was born there and groomed to be a servant for Kawus. The idea of being free or being paid for her services had never occurred to her.
"I…I would like to go with you," she sighed, "but I am the Chieftain's property now."
Csaba stood up and almost lost his footing. "I will take care of that. Stay here. There's some food in that chest over there." He grabbed his boots and cloak then went on his way.
As soon as he stepped outside, he was accosted by Radogost and two more blond men. Csaba stood frozen in place.
Radogost parted a path for him and then Csaba's messenger was thrown onto the ground. The poor soldier was stabbed and gutted from within.
"Friend of yours?" he asked. "I knew there was something fucking wrong with you."
The two Antes men grabbed Csaba by the arms and dragged him off to Mezamir's tent. He didn't bother to put up a fight and complied. He was escorted to the tent and forced to his knees once inside.
Mezamir turned around, holding a blade in his palm.
"Roman, you are not," he waltzed over and pointed the blade to Csaba's throat. "You're a Hun spy which means you're one of them."
He pulled out the message that he confiscated from the Hun messenger. He smiled when he saw the realization of the Hun's failure.
"You were wise to warn your people of my attack but your message won't reach them."
He crumpled the message and tossed it over his shoulder. He pressed the blade to Csaba's throat.
"You must live in Pannonia with the rest of the Huns," he concluded.
Csaba's jaw tensed. If he was going to die this was not the way he wanted it to happen. He was a soldier first and foremost. He was a king second. A soldier's death was supposed to be honorable and this was anything but honorable.
"If you're going to kill me at least challenge me to a duel."
Mezamir stepped back, retracting the blade. "A duel?" he snorted.
"Survival of the fittest. If you're man enough…" Csaba sneered.
"Ah, the arrogance of the Huns is displayed before me."
In less than a second, Csaba demonstrated his skills as the fine warrior he was, by freeing himself from the men who held him down. He elbowed one man in the gut and grabbed the other man by his hair and kneed his nose.
He jumped up off the floor and kicked Mezamir in the stomach twice. His fist went flying and gave Mezamir a sharp uppercut to the jaw which sent him staggering backwards into the tent's wall. Csaba grabbed a sword that hung on the weapon rack and darted outside.
Mezamir groaned and wrapped an arm over his sore midsection. He struggled to get to his feet and gripped his sword, charging after the Hun who got away.
Csaba ran through the sleeping camp, barefoot and in minimal clothing. Nasrin exited the tent for a brief moment. She gasped when Csaba took her arm and forced her to run with him. He went directly for the first available horse which so happened to belong to Radogost.
He scooped up Nasrin and threw her onto the horse. Mezamir and his men ran towards them at great speed. Csaba panicked and soared in the air, jumping onto the saddle. He kicked the hind legs of the horse and galloped out of the camp.
Nasrin wrapped her arms around his waist and looked over her shoulder. While the Chieftain stayed behind, many of his men mounted their steeds and began chasing them.
"What…where are you taking me?!" she shouted in his ear.
Csaba smiled, weaving through the rocky terrain. "I'm taking you to my homeland!" he said loudly, steering the horse wildly through the unfamiliar terrain.
"I'm King Csaba!" he shouted with a smile. "Hun King of Pannonia!"
Nasrin gasped.
"Hang on tight! Don't ever let go!" he felt her grip tighten around him. "Don't worry! I am a skilled horseman!" he snickered.
Xena had checked on her wife for the last few days. She tried to focus on her work but it was becoming such a chore. Navaz and Ernak were still fighting in the south. The Lombards had more than enough men and weapons.
She knew Arielle wanted to be involved in the war but the fact was that she needed Arielle here. She also wanted to be in the field, overseeing the chaos in the south but she couldn't leave Gabrielle. She couldn't leave until she knew Gabrielle was going to be alright and make it through the night.
After yet another sleepless night, Xena went to the infirmary for the daily checkup. The moment she entered the room she saw Ku and several other maids surrounding the bed. They were whispering to one another.
She rushed over and pushed the maids out of the way. Gabrielle's body was drenched in sweat and though her clothes had been changed, the sweat soaked through the new clothes too. She cupped Gabrielle's warm cheeks and panic set in.
Her heart thumped rapidly. "What's happening? She was fine yesterday."
Ku-Ilm hesitated to answer. "Her –her fever did break last night. I sent someone to find Shamaness Cemre."
Xena could hear Ku talking but was unable to comprehend the words. She lifted the blankets and there was a rash spreading from Gabrielle's abdomen and down to her thighs. Her breathing heightened and she examined the rash on Gabrielle's arms as well.
She placed a hand over Gabrielle's chest and couldn't feel a heartbeat. She leaned in close and pressed her ear to Gabrielle's chest.
"Gabrielle," she cupped her cheeks. "Gabrielle!" she shook her lightly.
Just to check again, she listened for a heartbeat and couldn't hear anything. Xena widened her eyes and fear coursed through her body. She immediately clasped her hands together and began to resuscitate.
She gave mouth to mouth and continued to resuscitate. She pinched Gabrielle's nose and inhaled heavily and blew several gusts of air into the lungs.
"Come on," she muttered.
Cemre ran inside and halted at the end of the bed, watching Xena perform aggressive resuscitation. She grabbed one of the maids by the arm to prevent her from assisting.
"Gabrielle!" she shouted and slammed her fist onto her spouse's chest.
With a sharp inhale, Gabrielle's eyes shot open and she coughed violently. Xena burst into smiles and wrapped her arms around Gabrielle. She squeezed so tightly that Gabrielle couldn't breathe.
"Gabrielle, you're alright," she whispered and kissed her forehead and cheeks. She pressed their foreheads together. "I almost lost you."
Gabrielle coughed and clutched a handful of Xena's hair and slowly lowered herself to the pillows. She could see her wife's shimmering eyes and took in deep breaths.
"What…happened?"
"You were dead, Gabrielle."
"Dead?" she blinked rapidly and Xena smiled sadly. "I was dead?"
Xena kissed her wife's hand, "don't you ever do that again."
Gabrielle chuckled in between soft coughs. "Only you…would…scold me for dying," she jested.
Cemre interrupted the tender moment. "Khanum, I need to examine her."
Xena nodded and pressed her lips to her wife's forehead. "I love you," she whispered.
"Love you too," Gabrielle cast a frail grin and coughed. She mouthed a silent 'thank you' as her hand slipped from Xena's grasp.
Xena left the infirmary to allow the shamaness to do her task. She wandered through the hallways and wished to be alone. So, she went outside in the back of the Adame. She sat on a bench that overlooked the snowy mountains and held her face in her palms.
For the first time in a long time she released a loud wail and hot tears rushed down her cheeks like flowing rivers. She lost many people whom she loved over the years and she couldn't handle losing the one person she grew to love from practically the first time she met her.
Their first encounter was something she always wished she could change and redo. But if they hadn't met when they did, she probably would be six feet under right now. She wouldn't have a good relationship with Anastasia. She wouldn't have allowed to open her heart the way she did.
Gabrielle was more than a spouse or a partner. She was also a friend. She affected everyone aside from Xena. She was involved in everybody's life in a special way. The thought of losing her broke Xena inside.
She felt her stomach ripping apart from within. Being alone was the best thing for her right now. She couldn't allow Gabrielle to see her so frazzled. She couldn't allow that fear to be shown. The feeling of vulnerability was always a feeling that she hated.
Lingering in the background, Aurora walked with Kazem, talking about their studies for the week. They stopped when Aurora saw Xena sitting outside. Snow flurries rained onto Xena's fur coat. Aurora scrunched her face and whispered to Kazem that they'd catch up another time.
She ran outside and pulled the hood of her cloak over her head. She came around and stood in front of Xena, tilting her head to the side.
"Grandma khanum."
Xena's head shot up and she sniveled, wiping her cheeks and nose. "Aurora," she didn't realize it was snowing. "What are you doing out here?"
"Were you crying?" the princess asked.
Xena smiled and opened her arms. Aurora waltzed over and sat in her lap with her legs draped over Xena's knees.
"Are you sad?"
"No, I'm happy."
Aurora turned her head, staring confusedly at Xena. "Then why're you crying?"
"Sometimes people cry when they're happy too," she poked Aurora's nose.
"Oh. Everyone is crying around here!"
Xena frowned. "What do you mean?"
Aurora sighed and counted on her fingers, "you, mom, Teyze Farah, Austraia."
"Ah, well, there are many reasons why people cry," she kissed Aurora's temple. "We should go inside." She lifted the princess off her lap and set her on the ground.
"Yeah, it's cold!" she grabbed Xena's hand and led them to the Adame.
While everyone was out on the battlefield and devising plans, Farah was busy balancing the budget. For hours she calculated the amount they were going to pay off the Persians. With all the funds needed to be spread across the tribes Farah was worried that they weren't going to be able to pay back the Shah within the necessary time.
She went through several pages in the journal, going over numbers. For someone who loved working with numbers, Farah was frustrated looking at them all day long. She requested solace and told her sons to leave her alone until it was time for dinner.
Arielle came into the room unannounced and cautiously walked over to the desk. Farah scribbled down some more numbers and worked out a long math problem without lifting the pen from the parchment.
"Hey beauty queen…" Arielle grinned cheekily.
Farah sighed, "do you need something?"
"I just wanted to put in a request."
Farah tapped her pen on her hand and sat back in the chair. She knew this was going to be a long-winded conversation. She was already super busy and the more she was interrupted, the longer this was going to take.
She took the journal from beneath the desk and set it on the table. Opening it up she flipped through the pages and wrote down Arielle's name and cleared her throat.
"What do you need the funds for and how much?"
Arielle took a seat and propped her boots on the desk. "I would like about 500 dinari, give or take, to send to Soran and Cera."
Farah furrowed her eyebrows. "Why?"
"Actually, make that 1000 dinari. You can split that between Cera and Soran," she said.
Arielle noticed that Farah wasn't writing down anything and she tapped the journal several times.
"Go ahead, write down the amount."
Farah puckered her lips. "You haven't told me why you want to send money to them."
"My nieces' birthdays are coming up soon and I want to make sure they are given plenty of gifts. Cera and Pamira can also use the money to buy fabric for some new dresses."
Farah closed the journal and set it aside. She laced her fingers on the tabletop. "Arielle, that's too much money and those are not necessities. We are in the middle of a double campaign. I'm not approving your request."
"Ah, come on Farah! What about 500 then? You can put in another 500 towards your senlik," she reached over and slapped Farah's hand lightly.
At the mention of the senlik Farah broke down in tears. Her cheeks were soiled with tears streaming down them. She rested her forehead on her folded arms and sobbed uncontrollably. Arielle's smile faded and she swung her boots off the desk and came around to a kneeling position beside her brother's wife.
"Hey," she whispered, caressing Farah's back, "don't cry. Csaba will be back soon."
Farah sat back and exhaled deeply, wiping her nose. She peered down at the child inside her and began to weep again.
Arielle crookedly smiled and rested a hand on Farah's belly. "You're upsetting yourself too much. In a few months you'll have a baby in your arms! I know the boys are very excited about their new sibling."
Farah smiled softly and released a shaky exhale.
"All this crying you're doing is affecting your baby too," Arielle advised and Farah curled her lips into a frown. "You don't want to upset little kuş," she teased.
Farah arched an eyebrow. "Don't call my child that."
"Well, what else am I going to call it?" Arielle sprung to her feet. "Little kuşum."
"Arielle, stop it."
"So, can I have the 1000 dinari?"
"No."
"Worth a shot," Arielle sighed. "Are you sure you can't just..."
"My answer is no!"
Gabrielle was able to sit up in bed but not without Xena by her side every waking moment of the day. She felt like she couldn't do anything by herself which also included getting dressed. The bath yesterday was an event on its own. The wound wasn't healing as quickly as she hoped but at least she didn't wake up soiled in buckets of her own sweat.
"Xena, I can feed myself," she laughed lightly and pushed the hand away from her spoon. She sipped the soup gingerly and hissed.
"What's the matter?" Xena asked, inspecting the food.
Gabrielle swallowed and shook her head. "Nothing," she wiped the corners of her mouth. "It's just a little hot that's all."
Xena sat back in the chair and crossed a leg over her knee. She tried to occupy her rabid mind by looking around the room. She'd been by Gabrielle's side for the last few days and had no intention of leaving but she knew her presence was beginning to irritate Gabrielle.
"Don't you have somewhere to be?" she hinted, slurping the soup.
"I cleared my schedule to be with you." Xena grinned.
Gabrielle sighed and set the spoon in the bowl. "I appreciate you looking after me but I'm fine now. I don't need you to watch my every move."
She leaned over and rested her elbows on her knees. "Gabrielle, I almost lost you. If I wasn't here...if I...you would've..." she trailed off.
Gabrielle grasped her wife's hand. "I'm here now. I promise I won't die again without your permission," she joked and then felt her hand being squeezed to death. "Xena!"
"That isn't funny."
"Let go!"
Xena loosened her grip and Gabrielle released a hefty sigh of relief. "All jokes aside...how are you feeling?"
"Better but I can't really move my shoulder. I hope I'm not stuck like this for a long time."
"If you are out for awhile then I'll be here with you."
Gabrielle rolled her eyes. "I don't want you to ignore your duties for me, Xena. How is it looking out there? You said Navaz and Ernak are still in the south. Are you going to go out there?"
Xena slouched in the chair and was hesitant on responding.
"You aren't going. Because of me." She stated. "Xena!"
"You can't blame me! You mean the world to me, Gabrielle. I don't know what I would've done if you slipped away from me. I don't want to be left alone in this world without you. I can't lose someone else close to me in my life."
Maybe she was being too hard on Xena. She never realized how this affected her so much. Now she could say that she was the one who was being too insensitive. Xena often had a tough time expressing her feelings but when she said those words, they flowed off her tongue so smoothly. The words were sincere.
"I'm sorry," whispered Gabrielle. "I guess I'm downplaying this entire situation," she muttered. "Thank you for being there for me. It means a lot."
"I'll always be here," Xena smiled.
In rushed Arielle, sprinting across the room, interrupting their quiet moment together. She jumped onto the bed much like an excited child. Xena groaned and folded her arms, scowling. She crawled across the bed and sat beside Gabrielle.
"How are you doing?" she asked.
"Pretty okay," Gabrielle said with a light chuckle, eyeing a very annoyed Xena sitting off to the side.
"I have great news!" Arielle clapped her hands. "We're winning against the Lombards."
"That's good, right Xena?"
Xena grumbled and flashed a brief smile.
"But I also have bad news," Arielle lamented. "We need more catapults. That crazy bitch, Rodelinda destroyed all of ours! I was thinking of asking Farah to give me some funds so I can retrieve some catapults from Assyria. I think Bayan has some stored in Harran."
"Is she going to give you the money?" asked Gabrielle.
"I hope so. This is a necessity," she mocked, recalling the meeting she had with her sister in law just a couple of days ago. "Oh, I'm taking bets to see if kuşum is a boy or a girl."
"What is a kuşum?"
"Csaba's baby!" she cheered. "So, what are your guesses?"
Xena pinched the bridge of her nose. "Arielle, does Farah know you're doing this?"
"No and she doesn't need to know. So far I have three guesses for a boy and two for a girl. What are your bets?" she wiggled her eyebrows.
"I'm not playing this game," said Xena.
"What about you, Gabrielle?"
She played along, "a girl."
Arielle grinned and held out her palm. "Alright; three for a boy and three for a girl. I'm collecting five dinari from everyone."
Xena gasped. "Arielle, get out of here." She pointed to the doors.
"Oh, come on! Mother placed a bet."
Xena let out an exasperated lengthy sigh.
Gabrielle pinched her spouse's arm teasingly. "Come on, Xena, just play along."
She waved her hand dismissively, "fine. A boy."
Arielle nodded, tallying the numbers in her head. She held out her palm, expecting money to be handed to her. She kept the smug grin on her face. Xena rolled her eyes and reached into her pocket and dropped the coins into Arielle's palm.
"Your weigh-ins are greatly appreciated," she winked and tucked the coin into her coat pocket.
"I don't think Farah is going to be very amused when she finds out you're taking bets on her baby," Xena mused.
"It's just a fun game. There's no harm in it," Arielle shrugged. "Besides, she's been very depressed since Csaba left. I just want to cheer her up."
"That's very kind of you," Gabrielle said. "You'll let us know when you have everyone's votes, won't you?"
Arielle nodded then jumped off the bed. She ran out of the room so quickly that Xena couldn't get a last word in.
"That girl is nothing but trouble," Xena grumbled.
"Just wait until Xerxes gets here."