Just straight-up action :D I enjoyed this chapter a lot lol.
Chapter 52
Well into the evening, Xerxes commanded his men to continue to attack in waves to combat the Antes. He didn't understand why the Antes continued to attack when there were at least three times the Persians to war against them. Still, Xerxes followed suit when he was given orders directly from Xena to keep sending men into the field.
Just as the sun began to rise and the Antes men were slowly trickling out of the field, either retreating or losing their lives, men on horseback rode in from the south. Arielle, busy commanding her archers to continue firing non-stop for the last hour, looked over at the opposite side of the tribe.
She waved her hand to halt the archers from firing and mounted her horse. She trotted over to her grandmother, who was shouting tactics at the soldiers, all while cursing the Persians for getting in the way for not knowing her strategies.
"Hey!" Arielle shouted, and Xena turned to her right. "Men are coming in from the south," she pointed in that direction.
Lining the edge of the outskirts of the tribe, hundreds of horsemen were led by a man who was presumed to be King Alduin of the Lombards. Xena tapered her eyes and grimaced.
Just when she thought the Antes were being weeded out, then comes this obstacle. She was exhausted and was soon to lose her voice by the start of the afternoon for sure. Xena began to have flashbacks of when Emperor Zeno came charging through Pannonia on all sides and cornered everybody. She didn't know how she was able to fight through that chaos, but she was nearly left for dead. This couldn't happen again.
"Send Xerxes to the south. They cannot come in here. They will destroy everything," she said.
Arielle nodded, "I will go too."
"No!" Xena gripped Arielle's arm. "You are staying here."
"But –"
Arielle recoiled at the chilling glare. "Okay, I'll stay here and keep commanding the archers. I'm going to tell Xerxes to go south."
Inside the Adame, Anastasia was finally able to get Farah to sleep with a heavily dosed tea. She pulled the blanket over Farah and released a heavy sigh. She wasn't even outside fighting the war, but she was tired.
The door opened, and in walked the princes. Anastasia quickly ran over to prevent the boys from approaching the bed. She grabbed their shoulders and ushered them aside. Both Aman and Aladar craned their necks, peering back at their slumbering mother.
"Is she feeling better now?" Aman asked.
Anastasia smiled and knelt down, putting a finger to her lips. "Yes, she's sleeping. Don't disturb her," she whispered.
Outside the room, there were loud noises from below. The princes' eyes widened, fearful that the Antes were trying to make their way inside the Adame. Anastasia put her hands on their shoulders and listened for any more sounds, but it was quiet for a few moments.
Relieved, she smiled, and then there was a loud thud heard from down below, and then men were heard shouting. The boys squealed, covering their ears. Anastasia grabbed their hands and led them to a sofa to sit down on. She yanked a staff off the wall and laid it on their laps.
"Don't come out of this room for anybody. Lock the door behind me, understand?"
They nodded their heads, and Ana grabbed a sword inside one of the closets. She cracked the door and poked her head outside in the hallway to see if anyone was near. She eyed the twin princes and gave a curt nod then closed the door quietly behind her.
She briskly walked down the corridor and crept around the corner. She heard swords clashing downstairs and listened to how close they were. Her ears perked up at footsteps approaching from behind her. Furrowing her eyebrows, she turned around and saw men climbing through one of the windows at the end of the hallway.
Anastasia gripped the sword with both hands, ready to strike the intruders. Three of them ran down the corridor as soon as they saw her protecting a large hallway that led to Farah's room. Her heart raced, and her jaw clenched. She would have to rely solely on her other senses to fight everybody off as her eyes deceived her when it came to combat.
"Khatun!" a soldier shouted from below, "leave the Adame!"
He sliced through a soldier who charged towards him. Two more came at him, and he looked above to see Anastasia staying put and refusing to move. Distracted, he was stabbed in the leg and took another blow to his back.
"Khatun!" he pleaded.
"I am not leaving!" she shouted back.
Outside, Xerxes led his men to the south, and Arielle was focused on the north, protecting the border as much as she could. Meanwhile, Xena was dead center in the field, observing from all sides. She was surrounded by a circle of Persians and Huns, protecting her. She kept her eyes and ears open for any surprise attacks.
From both the east and west sides of the tribe, the call of invasion echoed through the valley. Xena looked on either side of her and saw hundreds upon hundreds of horsemen emerge. Her jaw dropped, and she spun around herself, steering her horse around, gawking at all the armies surrounding the tribe.
They were trapped. This was everything that she wanted to prevent.
The sun had risen now, and it was easier to see, and she didn't know if she wanted to see or be blind to the disaster. This situation was ten times worse than when Emperor Zeno invaded Pannonia all those years ago. This was so much worse.
"Oh god," she muttered.
"Grandma!"
Arielle galloped over, heaving. Her horse came to an abrupt halt, and she grabbed Xena's arm, shaking her lightly.
"I know!" Xena barked. "I see them."
"Tell me what to do. I'll do it."
Xena nibbled on her lip, her head darting from left to right, taking mental notes of how many men they were up against. There had to have been just as many as the 50,000 Persians. Maybe there were more. It was hard to judge by just looking at the first rows of horsemen and swordsmen.
"Split the Persian army into quarters. Each side will protect the east, west, north, and south," she instructed, and Arielle nodded her head.
"I'll tell Xerxes, but what do you want me to do? Archery line? Front line?"
Xena smiled, turning to her granddaughter. "No, I have a specific task for you, but it's a little dangerous."
"Tell me."
"I want you to kill King Alduin and every single leader in charge of the Antes army."
Arielle's breath hitched in her throat, and she gaped at the number of men surrounding the tribe. They began riding towards the tribe at such great speed. To get close enough to Alduin, she would need to either be up extremely high in height or near enough, a few feet give or take, to get a clear shot.
"You're the best archer in the empire."
"You have too much confidence in me, grandma."
"You can do it, Arielle," she caressed the Khagana's cheek, "I believe in you."
Without anyone to come to her aid, Anastasia fought off two of the intruders. She relied on her sensory skills more than anything, which surprisingly served her well. She was left with just one man in the hallway now. Since two of the Antes soldiers were lying dead on the floor, she thought she could handle only one more man.
Below, the soldiers, or what little they had in the Adame, continued to push the intruders back. Anastasia, breathing deeply, gripped the sword, eyeing the man opposite her. He wasn't attacking her, which was strange. Instead, he just kept staring.
She took the initiative and struck first by thrusting her sword forward, which he evaded with a quick side-step. He kept avoiding her attacks, and she was beginning to lose speed and faith in herself to keep him at bay. Frustrated, she completely lost herself and charged at the intruder, and he stepped away, then swiped his blade across her chest.
She hissed and placed a hand over the severe gash. Blood trickled down beneath her tunic, and she huffed, turning around. The more she studied the way he was frozen in place, the more she realized he knew she was partially blind. He knew her weakness. She didn't think it was so obvious, but judging how she missed his body entirely, he caught on quickly.
Anastasia heard men charging up the stairs, and she looked over the railing. Luckily, they were her people, so she was able to escape and leave the area.
"Go!" a soldier yelled.
She raced down the hallway and banged her palm on Farah's door. "Open the door!" she growled.
Aman swung the door open, and Ana hurried inside, closing the door shut and locking it. She pressed her back against the door and wiped the sweat off her brow. All of the commotions outside woke Farah, and she sat up in bed, groggy from the tea.
"You're hurt!" cried Aladar.
Anastasia grabbed the princes' hands and led them away from the doors. She sat on the bed and wiped the blood from her chest, cursing beneath her breath.
Farah rubbed her eye, barely able to make out her blurry surroundings. "What is going on?" she asked.
"Nothing, tatli kiz," Ana said, cleaning the gash on her chest.
Farah gasped and quickly crawled across the bed when she saw a man climbing up the wall, attempting to get inside the bedroom. She wrapped her arms around her sons and held them close.
Anastasia whipped her head around and walked over to the window. Her boot met with the intruder's chest, kicking him over the side of the Adame. She leaned over the ledge and spat a glob of saliva.
"Orospu çocuğu," she cursed aloud.
Turning around, she saw the look of horror on all three of their faces. She smiled awkwardly and cupped the boys' cheeks.
"Anastasia!" Farah shouted, pointing to the window again.
She twirled the sword around and rammed it into a second intruder's chest then kicked him over the ledge. She squinted, trying her best to see if there were more men around, but so far, she couldn't hear or see anything nearby. She jumped off the sill and closed the shutters, drawing the curtains.
If men were climbing into the building, then that meant that it could be happening over in the other Adames as well. Either way, she couldn't leave Farah and the boys here by themselves. She certainly couldn't transport them somewhere else either. Farah's pregnancy was such a hindrance at this moment that Anastasia didn't know what else to do but pray.
"Are we gonna get attacked in here?" asked Aladar.
"No, tatli coçuk," Ana caressed his cheek, "don't be scared. I'll protect you."
Farah clapped a hand over her eyes, weeping quietly. She sat on the floor, leaning her back against the bed, sobbing uncontrollably. Her sons sat on either side of her, resting their heads on her shoulders.
In the other Adame, there was unrest among the tribe's women and children. Many of the small children were crying non-stop, and the women wouldn't stop talking about the war outside, which caused more tension between everybody.
Gabrielle was only one woman, and she couldn't do much but keep a lookout for anything suspicious. On the second floor, she peered out one of the balconies but made sure her position wouldn't be compromised. She was able to spot Xena on the center field, commanding the Persians to her every will.
The entire tribe was now full of so many soldiers that it was difficult to decipher who was who. The Persians were easy to spot in the sea of soldiers as they wore black armor and turbans on their heads.
As she stood, observing from the balcony, she felt the raging horses stampeding across the field beneath her boots. She looked at the chandeliers on the ceiling, rattling and swaying gently back and forth. She backed away from the balcony and scurried down the corridor.
She halted in the middle of the hallway and backtracked when she saw someone climbing the wall outside. With a raised eyebrow, she approached the window and looked down to see Arielle scaling the wall.
"What the hell..." she mumbled. "Arielle, what are you doing?!"
Arielle hooked her boot on the wooden totem and gripped onto one of the roof's shingles. Grunting, she swung her right leg over one of the rooftops and pulled herself up.
"Following grandma's orders!" she answered.
"She asked you to climb the Adame?" Gabrielle asked, confused.
"She said," she grunted, continuing to climb, "to kill King Alduin, so..." she kept grunting, swinging her body to gain momentum, "that's what I'm doing!"
Gabrielle's face contorted in confusion, "okay, well...be careful!"
"Noted!" Arielle groaned, jumping onto the next rooftop.
Gabrielle continued down the hallway and found Aurora and Kazem standing by the grand staircase. She frowned, resting a hand on her hip.
"What are you two doing up here? I thought I told you to stay downstairs with everybody else."
Aurora pointed to the window, "who were you talking to?"
"Ah," her eyes danced around, trying to think up an excuse, "come on, let's go downstairs."
She grabbed Aurora's hand and led the children towards the stairs. Arielle, outside, shouted a loud curse phrase in her mother tongue, and then there was a loud thud against the side of the Adame. The princess let go of Gabrielle's hand and ran to the window, sure that she heard a familiar voice.
Aurora poked her head outside and gasped. "Mom!"
Arielle held onto the rooftop's edge, dangling mid-air, and looked down at her daughter. Trying not to cause alarm, she smiled uneasily while she held onto the roof for dear life.
"Baharim," panting, she said, "go inside."
"Why're you up there?"
"Go inside!" Arielle felt the sweat dripping down her back. She was slowly losing grip as she was too focused on her daughter. "Please, just do as I say."
Xerxes pushed his men through on the south side, while he fended off a few Lombards as well. After driving his blade through a man's chest cavity, he swiftly turned around himself. He saw Xena in the most dangerous area of the field. He shook his head. Xena looked so comfortable being in the center of the chaos, sitting atop her horse, shouting various commands.
She was lucky that a circle of twenty men was guarding her. So much for staying off the field, Xerxes thought. He tried to scan the area in search of Arielle and began to panic when he couldn't find her. The sun blinded him for a second, and he stepped back, splaying a hand over his browline.
His heart palpitated at the sight of Arielle sprinting across the Adame's rooftop. He wanted to run to her, but he also didn't want to thwart her plans and give her position away. On the roof, Arielle took her bow strapped to her back and loaded it with a long arrow.
Xerxes arched his eyebrow and saw Arielle stand up, pulling the arrow back close to her cheek. His eyes followed her aim and slowly directed his stance to King Alduin, who was visible from where he stood.
If she missed this shot, then this would be not only bad for her, but for Xerxes as well since he was so close to the Lombard army. He would be surprised if Arielle was able to kill Alduin from that distance.
Xerxes watched as Arielle released the arrow, and his eyes followed the arrow soaring through the air. His jaw dropped as soon as the arrow struck King Alduin in the center of his forehead. Xerxes smiled, lifting his sword, instructing his men to charge into the Lombard area.
Alduin collapsed onto his backside, and several of the soldiers crowded around his body. He looked up to the sky with lifeless eyes. The deceased king was soon left behind when the Lombards began to scatter after the Persians invaded the territory.
Xena heard cheering from the south and glanced over her shoulder, seeing Xerxes waving his arm to push his men to attack the Lombards. Her chin lifted, and she spotted Arielle running across the Adame's roof.
She lopsidedly smiled, "crazy girl."
Anastasia tried to comfort Farah as best as she could, but so far, nothing she said was easing the queen at all. She held Farah's face in her palms and forced her to meet her gaze.
"Farah, please stop crying. Everything will be alright."
Farah's chin wobbled, and tears stained her hot cheeks.
"You're worrying your sons," she said, hoping that'd stop Farah. "You're worrying me."
Loud footsteps scurried across the roof, and Farah's sobs ceased instantly, probably out of fear. Anastasia looked up at the ceiling, watching the chandelier rattle. She left Farah's side and approached the terrace with caution.
Holding the sword, she stepped out onto the terrace, and her stomach dropped. "Arielle!" she screeched.
The Khagana skid across the roof's shingles and smiled. "Don't mind me, mother, just following grandma's orders!"
"I beg your pardon?!" Ana lowered the sword, now infuriated.
The boys ran out onto the terrace and grinned, pointing up at their aunt. "What's Teyze Arielle doing on the roof?" Aman asked, giggling.
"Mother, you're a dead woman."
Arielle stopped on the last rooftop of her brother's home and gazed at the Antes leaders down below. She recognized one of the blond men from when Scythia was attacked and raided. She crouched down and loaded her bow with two arrows.
She had used multiple arrows in the past, but they weren't usually directed to kill various targets. They were meant for one person only. She wanted to kill two birds with one stone since she didn't want to give herself away. If she calculated this correctly, then they'd both be dead with one single shot. But if she failed, then her position would be compromised, and she'd have to make a run for it.
It was a long way down, so jumping was out of the question. She stood up, pulling the bowstring tautly, and aimed the two arrows at Aleksander and Radogost. She closed her eyes, listening to her body, and hoped for the best.
While keeping her eyes closed, she relied on sheer faith to guide the arrows. She let go of the string and opened her eyes. The gods were obviously in her favor, and she cheered victoriously when she saw both blonds collapse onto the ground.
She raised her bow in the air and turned around, seeing the terror in her mother's eyes.
"I killed them!" she shouted, waving her arms. "They're dead!"
The twin princes cheered with her, shaking their closed fists in the air. Anastasia cast a tired smile and set her hands on the boys' shoulders.
Arielle darted across the roof and came to Farah's terrace. She strapped the bow to her back and bent her knees, ready to make an enormous leap.
"Heavens, Arielle, no!" Ana cried out.
Arielle smiled and leaped forward onto the terrace. She embraced her mother, kissing her cheeks and then bent down, ruffling her nephews' hair. On an adrenaline high, she marched into the bedroom and tilted her head, gazing at Farah sobbing on the floor.
"Hey, you," she took a knee. "I'll find Edemen. What did I tell you about crying? Stop stressing yourself out!" she lightly punched Farah's arm.
Anastasia approached her daughter, pulling her aside. "Arielle, what is happening out there?"
"Oh, mother, it's a fucking mess. We're cornered by all of Justinian's minions, but fear not!" she raised her finger, "I killed the Antes generals and Lombard king."
"And your grandmother put you up to this dangerous task?" Ana pried, narrowing her eyes.
"No, that was my idea to get on the roof," Arielle said with a wide grin. "She said to kill the leaders. She didn't say how she wanted me to kill them..." she lamely said.
Aman ran up to them and tugged on his aunt's arm. "That was awesome!" he cheered. "You just climbed the Adame like a mountain lion!"
"Pretty neat, huh?" she pinched his cheek. "I have to go back out there. Take care of your mother," she whispered.
Near nightfall, they had no problem pushing the remainder of Lombards and Antes out of Pannonia. Most left willingly while others continued to fight, despite their king and generals being dead. Xerxes stationed his army to guard the perimeter of the tribe to ensure that there would be no more attacks.
Xena, barely able to stay awake, returned to the Adame. Slowly, now that it was safe, the women and children trickled out and went back to their yurts with Persians escorting them personally. She walked into the Adame and smiled, seeing Gabrielle standing beside Ku, Aurora, and Kazem.
Aurora ran forth and grabbed onto Xena's hand, leading her through the foyer. "Grandma Khanum, my mom was on the roof! What was she doing up there?"
"I don't know. Your mother is pretty crazy," said Xena with a worn smile.
"Yeah, and is it true?"
"Hm?"
"Xerxes! Is he really here? I thought he was dead!" Aurora said, scrunching up her face.
Xena sighed, "yes, he's really here."
The princess continued to pester her, "how is he alive? Is he gonna live here with us now? Will my mom marry him like back in Scythia?"
Gabrielle intervened upon seeing the impatient look on her wife's face. "Aurora, maybe you should go to your room and get ready for bed. Ku will take you," she looked at the chambermaid.
Ku-Ilm took the children by their hands, leading them up the stairs. Aurora continued to babble on, and Gabrielle chuckled, shaking her head. She now turned her focus to Xena and smiled, grasping her arm.
"Did you actually send Arielle to climb the Adame?" she wondered, snuffing a chortle.
"I told her to kill Alduin and the Antes generals. She took that upon herself to scale the Adame."
"Ah, adventurous, just like her grandmother. I see where she gets it from." She winked. "I wish I could've helped more."
"You were great, Gabrielle. You're always great."
Gabrielle's cheeks tinged crimson. "So, we won," she hooked arms with her spouse, heading up the stairs to their room.
"We won this time. I know that Mezamir will be back. This isn't over, but for now, I just want to focus on getting some sleep," she let out a big huff.
"And a bath," Gabrielle teased. "you smell like stale blood and soot. Now, it's not my favorite scents, but I prefer the cinnamon oil. We still have some of that left, right?"
"Are you offering to wash my hair?"
"Are you opposed to the idea?"
Xena shook her head, "so, you're going to wash my hair with one hand?"
"It will be a good recovery therapy for me!"
Being out in the wilderness wasn't exactly what Edemen had in mind when he originally planned this hunting trip. He and Kurt were found by Arielle's soldiers and escorted back to the tribe the following morning after the quick but fierce battle ended.
Edemen tiredly strolled into his home, thankful that he was brought back because he could only eat so much deer bait, which was only bread and fruit. First thing, he wanted to take a bath, and second, he needed regular food.
As he made his way towards the stairs, he saw his mother walkout from her bedroom. Farah smiled and picked up the hem of her dress, running down the stairs. Edemen knew that his mother was probably worried sick about him.
"Edemen!" she cupped his cheeks, kissing his forehead, "why didn't you tell me where you were going? What if something happened to you? I thought you were dead!"
The prince flinched at his mother's kisses planted across every inch of his face. He sighed and allowed her to show affection towards him just this once. Naturally, he would've stopped her by now, but after what she just went through, he didn't want to upset her further.
"I'm okay, mother," he kissed her hands. "How are you? Have you been taking care of yourself?"
"I feel much better now that you're here." Farah smiled, cupping her son's cheeks, kissing him once more.
"Mother!" he whined, "stop it."
Her day never seemed to end, and after she was notified of Edemen and Kurt's return, she went back to the Adame and took a quick bath. She was able to slip in a few hours of sleep but was too anxious to rest, knowing that Xerxes was nearby. Judging by the stillness in the home, everyone was asleep.
Arielle made her way out to the lower floor and saw Xerxes talking with one of his soldiers in the foyer. They halted conversing, and Xerxes sent away the soldier. He cast a brief smile as Arielle waltzed over nervously.
It was almost like they were meeting for the first time. Arielle could hardly believe that she knew this prince for three years. Well, two since he disappeared for a year. She wasn't able to process their first meeting and still couldn't believe that he was standing before her in the flesh.
"You haven't gone to sleep yet?" she asked.
"I did sleep for a few hours," he said, "I'm wearing different clothes today."
"Oh, so you are," she scanned his attire.
Silence passed between them, and Xerxes extended his hand, touching her cheek. "I'm sorry," he uttered just above a whisper. "I wanted to tell you, I really did, but I couldn't."
"I wouldn't have told anyone," she laid her hand over his. "I'm very good at keeping secrets from people."
Xerxes snorted, "so I've noticed. I couldn't even contact my mother while I was hiding at my aunt's home."
"But at least she knew you were alive!" she barked, tears surfacing. "When my father came to Scythia to give me the news...I didn't expect to receive a letter of your death, Xerxes!"
He sighed and pulled her close, holding her tightly. It felt so good to keep her close again. He missed the way her body fit perfectly against his. But Xerxes knew that he wasn't in the clear with Arielle. He was going to have to work extra hard to gain her trust back. She was never an easy woman to please, and after he was to tell her about Mera, she might not even want to be with him anymore.
"I could apologize to the moon and back, but it wouldn't make a difference."
Arielle lifted her head off his chest and wiped her nose. She tried to hide her face, embarrassed of the amount of emotion she was expressing. Xerxes noticed her shy demur and smiled, wiping her cheeks with swipes of his thumbs. The corner of her mouth quirked up, and she smacked his hand.
"I don't want an apology. I want a promise."
He tilted his head to the side.
"I want you to promise you won't leave. That you'll stay with me."
Xerxes nodded, "I think I can do that."
"Promise!" she gripped his hand.
"I promise, I promise," he relented and kissed her forehead.
She pecked his hand, grinning giddily. "You remember when you asked my parents for permission to court me?" she asked, and he gave a slow head nod. "I don't want you to court me again."
His stomach flipped, and he swallowed a large lump situated in his throat.
"I want you to marry me," she said and punched his shoulder, "had you goin' there for a second, didn't I?"
"Oh, yes," he chuckled. "You certainly did. What happened to taking time to get to know one another?" he asked. While he was thrilled that Arielle was letting her wall down, his mind was focused on Mera.
"I'm not letting you slip away from me again," she jabbed her finger into his chest. "You do want to marry me, don't you?"
He gripped her hands firmly, "yes, of course, I do. I'm just a little shocked. You were so guarded before."
"Well, I'm trying this new thing. It's called trusting people," she bit her lower lip, "and I do...love you," she choked out.
Xerxes' eyebrows lifted, "you do?"
Her face drained of color.
"I mean..." he grinned, "I love you too. You continue to surprise me, khagana." He playfully said. "But you know...I can't tell my father about this."
"We can talk about that later," she said, dismissing the topic. She rubbed her lower back and winced. "I think I pulled a muscle."
"I can imagine. I saw you scaling the Adame."
Arielle smirked, "no, not from that. I carried Farah up the stairs."
Xerxes emit a bemused look, "Queen Farah?" he asked.
He remembered the queen to be very thin the last time he saw her, though he wouldn't bring up her weight, or any woman's weight. He knew better than that.
"Yeah," she arched her back, stretching it out, "I think she's heavier than me now," she joked.
He refrained from commenting and kept his lips sealed.
"Oh, right, you don't know," she grumbled, "Farah is pregnant."
"Ah," he said with a smile, "I should congratulate her and your brother. I am looking forward to getting to know King Csaba better this time around."
Arielle nodded, "well, you'll have to wait on that. He's on a spy mission, but I'm sure he'll be back soon."
Xerxes swayed back and forth on the heels of his boots, unsure how to continue the conversation. He kept gazing at Arielle, smiling from ear to ear. He was more than ecstatic to see her after being apart for so long, but he didn't want to be too forward and force himself on her if she wasn't ready. She was a woman who liked to take things slowly, but after she proposed marriage to him, he didn't know how to proceed.
"I...should go outside to see that the perimeters are being guarded," he suggested, thumbing the exit.
She grasped his arm, "I want to spend time with you," she asserted herself, hoping he'd reciprocate the same. "Please," she begged, "you just got here."
"I'm not going anywhere," he reminded her. He took her hands and said, "let me ensure that the tribe is safe, and then I promise I'm all yours. Deal?"
Arielle sighed, nodding her head. Her people did come first, and if she wasn't so exhausted, she would be the one to oversee the scout division right now.
Anastasia sat opposite of her mother and Gabrielle, inside the women's quarters. She finally convinced Farah to come to stay with her in Arielle's home just for a few days, so Farah's mind could be at ease.
While they sat together, drinking mint tea, the children were off in the corner, playing a game of chess. Aurora was the only girl out of her cousins, aside from Ernak's two daughters, but they weren't old enough to talk or engage with Aurora at all. She was in the same position as Arielle was once until Cera came along.
"I'm proud of you," Xena praised her daughter. "Defending Farah and the boys."
"It was difficult, I have to say," said Ana with a soft sigh. "But I didn't leave unscathed. I have a nasty gash across my chest."
Gabrielle set the cup on the saucer. "You didn't say anything about that."
Xena attempted to reach for her daughter's tunic, and Anastasia immediately put a protective hand over her breast.
"Let me see."
"Mom, no. I'm fine. Ku dressed the wound for me."
Xena eyed her daughter, skeptically. "Hmm."
Gabrielle rolled her eyes and turned her attention to Farah, sitting on the opposite side of the room. She sat with Nisa, whispering while watching over the two infant princesses. Poor Nisa looked like she was doing a lot of consoling while conversing with Farah.
"Have you started planning Farah's senlik?" Gabrielle asked, interrupting the argument between mother and daughter.
Anastasia frowned sadly and said, "she told me she doesn't want one."
"Wow. She is so unlike herself lately. I'm not used to seeing her like this."
"It's understandable," Xena said. "She lost her sister, Csaba's been gone for months, and she was worried about Edemen. Not to mention, she had a huge dispute with Csaba before he left."
"Which I'm still going to talk to him about," Anastasia brought her lips to a subtle snarl.
Gabrielle understood the way the Khatun felt about the situation, but given Farah's unstable nature at the moment, she didn't know if reprimanding Csaba was the best choice. There were so many other things to worry about right now, and Csaba's safety was the most important.
"Maybe you should lay off him, Ana. He did apologize to Farah."
"I'm not going to let him get away with what he said, Gabrielle. I'm embarrassed that my son, of all people, would say something like that to his own wife! I didn't raise him like that. He should know better."
"I agree with you," Gabrielle clapped a hand over Ana's knee. "Sometimes you have to pick your battles, and this is one that you might have to stay out of. Xena already gave him a mouthful anyway."
Anastasia turned to her mother, who showed a guilty smile.
"Gabrielle's right, Ana. I think Csaba learned his lesson," Xena said, squeezing her daughter's arm. "I think you should focus your attention on Arielle and Xerxes now."
"Why? What is going on between those two now?"
Xena rubbed her lips together and looked at her wife, who was definitely not emitting the least bit of empathy concerning Arielle and the Persian.
"Arielle wants to marry Xerxes as soon as possible."
Ana scoffed and threw her hands up. "Why am I always the last to know everything around here? Arielle doesn't tell me anything!"
Both Xena and Gabrielle sipped their tea in silence.
"I swear I did not give birth to her. She and I are nothing alike. She is irrational, impulsive, outspoken, demanding," she paused, "oh, right, she's you," she sneered at her mother.
Xena puckered her lips, drawing her eyebrows together. "Very funny."
"If my father were alive to see this, I'm sure he'd be inclined to agree with me."
Gabrielle snorted, spewing a small portion of the tea back into the cup. She wiped the corners of her lips, chuckling continuously.
"Oh yeah?" Xena immediately guarded herself, "well, if your father was alive, I'm sure he would've knocked some sense into Arielle, and maybe she wouldn't have turned into a brat. And what are you laughing at, Gabrielle?"
"Me? Nothing..."
A week after the battle, Csaba finally returned to Pannonia with Nasrin in tow. He didn't expect to arrive in the middle of the night, but they had to make a few stops along the way. Bayan was kind enough to allow a few of his Mongolian soldiers to accompany them.
Csaba entered the camp quietly with Nasrin, and he hoped that his arrival wouldn't cause alarm. He was briefly told about the Lombard and Antes invasion, which he knew was going to happen. He was disappointed that his messenger wasn't able to warn them, but it looked like Arielle and the rest of the army handled themselves quite well with little preparation.
He entered his home, guiding Nasrin with a gentle hand. A few maids, who were assigned the night shift, immediately greeted them in the foyer. He felt very welcomed by the looks on the maids' faces. They looked relieved that he finally came home. No doubt that some of the relief stemmed from them now free of servicing Farah and meeting her needs regularly.
"This is Nasrin," he whispered, "she will be Farah's new chambermaid."
The young women nodded and grabbed Nasrin's coat and took her hands, leading her through the foyer. She nervously glanced back at Csaba.
"I will introduce you to my wife in the morning," he said, assuring her that she'd be safe here.
He sighed, took off his coat, and flung it onto a bench. He was too tired to talk to anyone else, so he was a little grateful that nobody was awake yet. Indeed, his sons would've charged at him, questioning him endlessly. He just didn't have the energy to deal with his talkative sons right now.
Csaba lingered at the foot of the staircase, nearly nodding off. He set a hand on the banister and heard a door open on the second floor. Apparently, he wasn't quiet enough, and he inwardly cursed. He looked upward and saw Farah emerge from the bedroom.
Their eyes met, and Farah let out an audible gasp. Csaba raised his hand and started to walk up the stairs, then paused. Before he could make his way up to greet his wife, Farah sprinted down the hallway.
Csaba held his breath and watched, horrified, as his heavily pregnant wife charged down the stairs.
He tried not to express panic. "Easy, easy, easy!"
He stretched out his arms, more concerned that she would trip or fall, and grabbed just below her breast, lifting her off the last few steps. Farah collapsed into his arms, embracing him tightly. She nestled her head in the crevice of his neck, soaking his tunic with hot tears.
Csaba smiled and kissed the top of her head. He felt her fingers dig into his back, refusing to let go.
"Farah," he mumbled, trying to pry her off, "Farah, Farah…" he grabbed her arms and forcefully pulled her off him.
It saddened him to see how upset she was. He lopsidedly grinned, holding her tear-stained cheeks in the meat of his palms.
"I'm sorry if I woke you up."
She sniffled and hiccuped, "I was…already awake anyway," she wiped her nose.
He took a step away and peered down at the impressive size of her belly. The last time he saw Farah, she was as slim as ever. It was undoubtedly a shock to see her body change so drastically, and without him to witness it, the sight shocked him. He wasn't able to be by her side and watch their child grow within her.
He set his hand on the rise of her stomach apprehensively. Farah placed a hand on top of his, and they smiled, staring into each other's eyes.
"Wow," he uttered softly. "I missed everything."
Farah lifted his chin, "but you're here now. The boys will be so happy to see you!"
"I'm very anxious to see them. Is…is my mother here?" he whispered, suddenly feeling a wave of anxiety swell inside him.
"Yes."
Csaba closed his eyes and groaned gruffly.
She laughed, biting her lower lip. "Don't worry, Csaba. I don't think she's going to lay into you. She's been helping me with the boys while you were gone. But anyway, you must be tired. I can have a bath warmed for you. Oh, and I'll have food sent to the room."
She grabbed his hand, leading them towards the stairs. Csaba's eyes widened, noting the look in her eyes.
"Sounds very nice," he said, raising his eyebrows.
"I can…take a bath with you," she implied with a devious grin.
"Oh…okay, alright," he followed her up the stairs, gripping her hand. "Farah, Farah!" he whispered, and she looked over her shoulder. "Don't ever run down the stairs like that again. You nearly gave me a heart attack."
Arielle entered her grandmother's room, hoping to confide in her and Gabrielle about her plans with Xerxes. She had a bit of a skip in her step so early in the morning. She strolled in, hoping to find the two eating breakfast, but saw the tray was untouched.
She halted at Gabrielle, belting out a loud scream from the adjoining room. Arielle's mouth soured, eyes enlarged with fear, she approached the room and leaned herself against the wall. She listened to the bickering.
"Hold still," Xena chastised.
"I am holding still! Stop it, you're going to tear a muscle!" Gabrielle whined then let out a yelp. "Goddammit, Xena!"
Arielle covered her mouth, chortling. She was almost afraid to see what was going on in there. But she poked her head around the corner to spy. Xena sat on the floor, sitting behind Gabrielle, doing things that Arielle was probably thankful she couldn't see with her own eyes.
"This will be good for you in the long run!" Xena growled.
Gabrielle hissed and slapped her wife's hand. "Stop, stop! I can't take it anymore!"
"You had two breaks already. Stop being a baby. It doesn't hurt that bad."
"Easy for you to say. You're the one torturing me. I think you get some kind of sick enjoyment out of this."
Xena snickered, "I am merely trying to help you, but you keep resisting. The more you resist, the more it will hurt."
Gabrielle mocked her wife, mouthing the words in silence. She inhaled sharply as her arm was being maneuvered in a way that she never thought would hurt in the past. This therapy was going to be the death of her. But deep inside, she knew the treatment would help her recover quicker, but the process was so painful it was almost unbearable.
"Alright, I think I've put you through enough," said Xena, getting to her feet.
She spun around and snarled when she saw Arielle eavesdropping. The Khagana revealed herself, chuckling. Xena wagged her head and snatched a silk robe, slipping her arms through the sleeves and folded her arms over her breasts.
"Don't you have manners? You can't just walk into my room."
"Sorry, I just wanted to talk to you two. Good news! I was notified that Csaba returned late last night. I'm sure we won't see him for a while. No doubt, Farah is going to hoard him."
Gabrielle struggled to stand. She rolled her shoulder back, still sore from the brutal treatment from her wife. She endured the torturing for the last three days, and she hoped this wouldn't last for months. Gabrielle went easy on Xena. She did save her life, after all.
"That's a relief. I know that made Farah happy to finally see him again," Gabrielle said while glaring at her smug spouse.
"I need a full report from him soon. Make sure you write it up for me, Gabrielle." Arielle pointed her finger at the governor.
Xena brushed by her granddaughter, entering the main bedroom. She sat down on the floor, brushing her long mane behind her shoulders. Leisurely, she set a plate down for herself and Gabrielle. She also set a plate for Arielle.
"Oh, no thanks, I'm not hungry, grandma."
Xena gazed up, scanning her granddaughter's frame. "You're too thin, Arielle. Eat with us."
Arielle smiled, placing hands on her hips. "Thank you for noticing. I've been working on my form," she wiggled her eyebrows.
Gabrielle sat down next to her wife, wincing in slight pain. "You don't need to work out, Arielle. You have a great physique."
"Hey, we can't all have perfect bodies like Cera and Farah," she sat down, crossing her legs. "Anyway, I want to discuss some things with you."
Xena poured rice onto her plate. "Me too. I think we should begin a campaign against Mezamir. He's going to go ballistic when he finds out that his generals are dead. Don't even get me started on Rodelinda."
Arielle blinked rapidly, surprised by the intrusive conversation. This wasn't what she had in mind to talk about so early in the morning. For once, she didn't want to talk about war and campaigns.
"I went ahead and sent a messenger to your father and Ernak. I told them to come back. I will send Xerxes' men to keep an eye on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia."
"Oh…that's great. Thank you for doing that, grandma. Now, back to what I was saying –"
Xena pointed her spoon in the Khagana's face and interrupted, "Justinian is going to deploy more soldiers, so you should be prepared for that. Mezamir lost a lot of men. It will take a while to gather another large army, so we must be ready," she waved the utensil around.
Arielle flinched. "Uh-huh…I'll write it in my journal."
"You wanted to say something?"
"Yeah, um, I wanted to talk about…" she paused, staring at the women, "my wedding."
Xena stopped chewing and tapered her eyes. "You came to my room to talk about your wedding?" she clarified.
Arielle gave a slow head bob.
Sighing, she asked, "are you sure you aren't rushing this? Before, you didn't even want to marry Xerxes. You were so hesitant to court him in the first place. Now, you're ready to tie the knot with him."
"But I love him!"
Gabrielle sat with her mouth open with a spoon full of rice, gaping at Arielle. Xena, with an arched eyebrow, tapped her spoon on the edge of the plate, studying Arielle with the utmost suspicion.
"Are you sure about that?" she asked.
"I'm sure."
"And Xerxes isn't pressuring you to do this?"
"No, grandma, I want to do this. I admit I've made a few mistakes in the past –"
"A few?"
"Okay, I made a lot of mistakes. One, marrying Bayan and two, having a child when I wasn't ready, but I swear I am ready this time."
Xena hummed and looked over at Gabrielle, who was still frozen. She smirked and began eating again casually while her wife was frozen in shock.
"You won't be marrying a regular Persian, Arielle. You're marrying a prince –a Sassanian prince. You're going to bind our families together forever. Every decision you make affects your people. Do you understand that?"
Arielle nodded, smiling. "I understand. Xerxes makes me happy, and I should be with someone who makes me happy, shouldn't I?"
Xena shared a smile with Gabrielle.
"Yes, you should. I just want you to realize that you're going to have to deal with the Sassanians. You're marrying the Persian Empire, not just Xerxes."
"I completely understand where you're coming from, grandma. I am prepared to deal with the backlash from the Sassanians, but we're already allies with them now."
Gabrielle swallowed, finally able to voice her opinion, "you know, Arielle…Xerxes mentioned that he risked his opportunities to obtain the throne to court you. He could lose his entire family by marrying you."
At that, Arielle felt her stomach sink. The warm smile she had quickly wiped clear off her face. She didn't know that. Apparently, it was such a hassle to court her, and he was willing to give up everything to be with her.
"You mean…his family would…disown him?" she asked.
Xena drank the juice silently, and Gabrielle's gaze lowered to the floor.
"Looks like you have a lot to discuss with Xerxes," said Xena. "I suggest you get everything squared away before you promise yourself to him."
"Right," Arielle stood up, smiling frailly. "Thanks for listening."
Xena lifted the glass, then Arielle left the room defeated and broken. It was definitely a stark difference than when she first came into the room with a chipper attitude.
"I did the right thing by telling her, right?" Gabrielle asked, feeling unsure of herself.
"She had the right to know. Xerxes should've told her that from the very beginning. You did the right thing, Gabrielle."
"Then why do I feel so bad? Did you see her face?" she huffed, slapping a hand to her cheek.
"You're always absorbing everyone's emotions and feelings," Xena chided. "I don't suppose I'm going to have to deal with this mood for the rest of the day, am I?"
"Well, I can't just turn off my feelings!" Gabrielle reached over, slapping her wife's arm. "I'm not you."
Xena took offense to that and pinched her spouse's thigh. "I don't shut off my feelings. I'm just honest. Aren't you supposed to love your partners for the way that they are?"
"I never said I didn't love you. Just stating a fact."
Xena sneered, then threw a piece of her bread at Gabrielle's face.
It was early in the afternoon when Csaba finally awoke. He didn't know if he felt refreshed, given that he barely got a lick of sleep. Farah couldn't keep her hands off of him since he arrived. He was relieved that he was missed, but he was so exhausted he couldn't fight to stay awake and talk to Farah.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a heavy exhale. He tried to get up and found himself trapped by his wife. Farah had her arm sprawled across his chest, leg draped over his thigh, ankle wrapped around his calf, and her head resting on his shoulder. She was using him as a human pillow.
Csaba tried to slip out from beneath her, and then Farah dug her nails into his chest.
"Stay," she murmured, "stay with me."
He smiled, running his fingers through her hair. "I would love to, but I want to see our sons."
He grabbed her arm and gently removed it from off his chest. He was finally able to sit up, and he groaned at the aching muscles. Csaba reached for his tunic that was on the floor and then felt an arm wrap around his neck and shoulders.
It wasn't going to be easy to get away from her. Csaba grabbed her fingers on his chest and almost protested until he felt her lips traveling from the nape of his neck, shoulder, and then make their way up to his jaw.
"Farah…"
Closing his eyes, he tried to remain focused, but it was challenging to do. Without given a chance to refuse, he was pushed onto his back, and Farah climbed on top of him.
"Farah!" he said, widening his eyes, staring up at her. "What…w-what…"
She pinned him to the bed with hands pressed to his shoulders. She smiled mischievously. "I've been without you for months, Csaba! I just want you all to myself."
Farah slipped the straps off her shoulders, then lifted the dress over her head and threw it on the ground. She leaned down and pressed her lips to his chest, making her way up to his neck. Csaba lay in the bed, frozen.
Irritated by his lack of response, Farah sat up, frowning. "You don't want me?"
"No, no! I do!" he grabbed her hips. "I'm just…a little surprised. Are you sure?"
"I think I know what I want when I want it," Farah grinned with hooded eyes.
Csaba snorted, "alright, well, let me know if you feel any discomfort."
"Your brother tried to kill you?"
Xerxes nodded, affirming Aurora's question. She sat on his lap, agast by the news. He tried not to laugh at the look upon her face. Kazem sat on the floor, listening to the story as well, eating a dessert he stole from the kitchen earlier.
"What a mean brother," said Aurora. "I would never kill my brother! He's just a baby."
Xerxes chuckled, "that's good to hear, princess. Your brother is fortunate to have a big sister like you."
"I hope he can come to Pannonia one day to meet all my cousins!"
That was a subject that Xerxes wanted to steer clear of. He had no desire to see Bayan nor his wife. It also wasn't any of his business, and the little interaction he had with Bayan wasn't fruitful. Neither one of them were fond of one another. But it was evident that Aurora was utterly oblivious to the ongoing strain between her parents.
He lifted his eyes and saw Arielle lingering in the doorway. They shared a smile, and then Aurora turned around, gasping.
"Mom!" she jumped off the Shehzade's lap and ran over to greet her mother. "Did you know Xerxes' brother tried to kill him? That is so rude."
Arielle smiled, "yes, very rude. I want to talk to Xerxes alone if you don't mind."
The princess sighed and waved over to Kazem. The boy picked up the bowl of sweets, grinning sheepishly at Arielle with sugar lining his lips. He grabbed Aurora's hand and scurried out of the room. Arielle rolled her eyes and waltzed over to meet Xerxes halfway.
"Hello," he said casually.
She gestured for him to sit back down, and Xerxes nervously sat on the sofa again. She took a seat beside him, toying with a strand of her hair.
"Something on your mind?" he asked, holding his breath.
"I…" she turned, briefly smiling, "I was talking with my grandmother. She brought up something, and I just…wanted clarification from you."
"You can ask me anything," he grabbed her hand.
"Well…" she scratched the back of her head, "I…it's just…" she huffed, "is it true that your family would disown you if you married me? Did you really give up your right to the throne to court me?"
Xerxes' heart raced, "oh…yes, it's true, Arielle."
She gave his chest a hard slap.
"Why didn't you tell me?!"
"Because then you wouldn't have agreed to court me," he coughed, rubbing his chest. "This doesn't change anything. I still want to marry you, Arielle."
"I don't like being lied to. I told you this before."
"I know," he raised a surrendering hand. "I have something to tell you, and you're going to be upset."
The anticipation was killing her. She squeezed Xerxes' hand, imagining the worst possible scenarios spinning in her head.
"I…while I was in hiding, my mother…arranged a marriage for me," he began slowly, watching her eyes enlarge by the second, "I'm legally married to Mera Varaz. I haven't seen her since we were children. She doesn't mean anything to me, I swear," he quickly added. "I don't love her. I didn't even get a chance to see her before I left."
Arielle found it hard to breathe. She snatched her hand away from him, breathing in sharply. Putting a hand over her chest, she stood up and began to pace back and forth. This was far worse than she imagined. This was happening to her for a second time, but this was a little bit different.
"Arielle, please, I didn't know! My mother did this behind my back."
She growled, pointing her finger in his face, "your mother is a demon."
He frowned at the insult.
"You will divorce this woman."
"It's not that simple, Arielle," he stated. "Divorce isn't common in Persia. Not to mention, my father has a contract with the House of Varaz."
"Will you always bend to your family's will, Xerxes? I don't do everything my family asks of me. I am a bigger bargaining tool and prize than this…this Varaz woman," she scoffed.
Xerxes sighed, "you are a Hun."
"And?"
"I'm sure you know our families' histories very well by now. My father is your ally, but I don't think he would like it very much if I married you."
"I am the ruler of this empire!" she spread her arms outward. "Your father would be a fool to pass up an opportunity to marry his son to the Hun Khagana."
Xerxes understood her frustration, but he was wedged into a tight spot. He was caught in between his mother, father, empire, and Arielle. He put off the discussion with his father for so long that he realized he couldn't keep this a secret anymore. This was going to tarnish every bit of pride that his father held of him. If he was lucky, he'd still remain heir to the throne.
"I will write a letter and tell my father to dissolve the marriage."
Her jaw dropped. "You –you will?"
He smiled, nodding his head.
She flung her arms around him. For once, she had everything falling in place, even if their choices will have minor consequences, she was happy about the outcome. She always knew that their relationship was going to have obstacles, but at least Xerxes was willing to work with her, be beside her, and compromise.
"Thank you," she whispered, holding back tears. "Your mother is terrible."
Xerxes pulled away. "She's…difficult. I'm sorry you'll have to have her as an in-law."
"Do you think she will like me eventually?"
He was reluctant to answer and pursed his lips.
"What if I give her a grandchild? Will she like me then?" she traced her fingers along the collar of his robe.
Xerxes rubbed his forehead, breaking a sweat. He laughed nervously, "oh, umm…"
She cackled, lightly slapping his chest. "I made you uncomfortable, I see! A topic for a later discussion."
"Yes, we'll definitely need to talk about that." He tried to hide his blushing face, "I'm going to write the letter and hope for the best."