Trouble ahead, y'all
Chapter 54
Balaam
From the moment that Emese could connect hand and eye coordination, Cera taught her how to sign a few words or at least a few that she knew her daughter could recognize. It was a tedious task to teach a baby of almost two years old how to sign, but Cera was determined. Every chance she got, Cera drilled the signs into her daughter's head repeatedly.
In the women's quarters, Cera sat with her daughter, playing a game. She snapped her fingers to grab Emese's attention. The toddler lifted her chin, widening her eyes at her mother. Cera smiled, tapping her own nose to which her daughter copied the gesture.
She continued to sign very slowly, and Emese's mouth parted, watching intently. After a few moments, her daughter responded with a smile, copying the hand motions sloppily. Cera clapped her hands and, as a reward, gifted her daughter a piece of dessert.
Ursula sat a few feet away, holding Soran and Pamira's daughter, Mahfiruze, in her lap. She combed the girl's thick raven hair, then placed the tiny veil on the princess's head. Smoothing out Mahfiruze's dress, Ursula smiled.
"She looks very respectable now," she said, lifting Mahfiruze to her feet.
Pamira chuckled, sipping tea. "Very lady-like," she agreed. "We'll see how long it takes for her to rip the veil off."
Ursula raised an eyebrow and grabbed the toddler before she took off running.
"I must say, I have enjoyed staying here while Anastasia is away. I am outnumbered by my grandsons back home."
Pamira nodded and said, "Cera and I are very grateful for your help. I'm going to be sad to see you go."
Ursula was touched by Pamira's sincerity. "The palace isn't that far from here. You should come by some time. I'm sure Mahfiruze would love to play with Tespar again."
She seemed wary of the offer. "Soran is not really…fond of Yeter," she said politely.
"Nobody is fond of that woman," Ursula whispered. "I almost feel sorry for myself that I have to go back home soon. I have to put up with her, you know. She is my son's wife."
Pamira snuffed a laugh, clapping a hand over her mouth. While the shamaness was preoccupied with the princess, Pamira lifted her head and saw Ebnedzar standing in the doorway, clearly trying to get his wife's attention. She tapped Ursula's knee, then pointed to the entrance.
Ursula eyed her husband and lifted the toddler off her lap. She excused herself from the women's area, then met her husband, who pulled her outside. Already, she sensed trouble since he pulled her aside so no one could hear their conversation.
"There is some suspicious activity on the outskirts of Armenia," Ebnedzar whispered.
"What kind of suspicious activity?"
Ebnedzar gripped his wife's arms. "I have to go scout the area. Zolten will stay here to protect the Adame in case something happens. Make sure you keep everyone safe."
She put a hand over her chest, "you are scaring me. Is there something you're not telling me? Are the Antes nearby?"
"Ursula," he growled, "do as I say."
"You make it sound like we're going to be invaded. You tell me if there is more that I need to know," she narrowed her eyes.
"Just for precaution, relocate the women and children to a safer area." He said, but his wife doubted his orders. "Just until I get back, alright?"
Ursula sighed, nodding her head.
"I'll be back in a few days," he kissed her forehead. "Soran is coming with me since he knows the area better than I do."
There was a pit in her stomach when she heard that. Allowing Navaz's son to go on a scouting mission was a dangerous thing to do during Navaz's absence. If anything happened to Soran, she had the feeling that all the blame would be put on Ebnedzar.
"You be very careful," she advised her husband, jabbing his chest.
He snorted.
"I mean it, Ebnedzar."
Working minimally, Gabrielle took over Farah's role as treasurer for the time being. She was also enacted as an inadequate architect with Farah's guidance. Today was one of the days when she sat in Farah's bedroom, receiving tips and pointers on constructing the military base needed in the south.
Farah sat on the bed, nursing her daughter while talking to Gabrielle. She was already frustrated that she couldn't convey everything she wanted for the prints. She was almost ready to rip the parchment out from Gabrielle and draw it herself.
"If we build this military base, how long do you think it will take to construct it?" asked Gabrielle.
Farah peered down at her daughter, suckling her breast, and sighed, disappointed by her temporary confinement. She looked at the print and grabbed it to inspect Gabrielle's work. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either. This was almost as difficult as teaching her two sons math.
"Maybe it's best if you just leave this here. I can redraw everything and have it finished by tomorrow evening."
Gabrielle cringed and said, "I don't know, Farah…" she hesitated. "Xena told me not to let you take on a lot of work. She'd kill me if I allowed you to do this."
"No offense, Gabrielle, but you're terrible at drawing prints. It's alright. You can tell Xena that you were against the idea. I can let Nasrin take care of Aracsilla for a few hours while I work."
Gabrielle was more than apprehensive about this. She didn't want to receive a lecture from her wife. Xena was already all over her about the injury that she barely convinced Xena to let her take on a light workload.
Farah finished feeding her daughter and looked around, unsure what to do. She eyed Gabrielle, apologetically smiling. Instantly, Gabrielle obliged, holding out her arms and took the baby while Farah readjusted her dress.
"Hello there," said Gabrielle, touching the baby's cheek. "Princess Aracsilla," she cooed. "She's so gorgeous, Farah. I know Csaba will have his hands full with her."
"He is already planning interrogations for her future suitors, I'm sure," Farah joked. "Alright, I will work on this and let you know when I'm finished. You can take the baby to Nasrin."
"Or I can watch her for a while," Gabrielle said a bit too eagerly.
Farah quirked her mouth upward.
In charge of the military, Xena ordered all soldiers to run drills all day for the last week. She didn't want to be unprepared like last time when the Antes surrounded them. Speaking with Arielle was challenging this past week, but they finally reached an agreement. Xena ordered Ernak to send a spy to Kubrat's tribe nearby to see what he was up to.
Xena had an itch that Mezamir and Alduin were working alongside Kubrat during that invasion. Kubrat was probably back in Emperor Justinian's good graces and offered to gift a vast army. Slowly, her frustration watching the drills rose as she watched from afar.
Arielle galloped on her horse, stampeding across the field, encouraging the soldiers to keep working. She made her way back to her grandmother, smiling brightly, then hopped off her steed.
"Where's Gabrielle?" asked Xena, chewing on her nail.
"Last I heard, she was still with Farah working on the prints."
"Still?" Xena groaned. "I need her out here to record the drills."
Arielle nodded and nudged the Khanum's arm. "You've been a little on edge since mother left. Are you worried about her or something?"
"I always worry about your mother. She is my daughter, after all," Xena flashed a brief smile.
"Don't worry. My father will take excellent care of her."
"I know," Xena sighed, patting Arielle's shoulder, "he always takes good care of your mother."
Beyond the training field, a slew of caravans crossed the border. Xena held up her hand, halting the exercises. In a few short moments, Xerxes galloped his way over to Xena and Arielle. He yanked the turban off his head and wiped the sweat off his brow. He dismounted the horse and looked at the four caravans entering Pannonia. There was also a trail of soldiers and women accompanying them on foot.
Xerxes recognized the ornate caravans instantly. Panic began to settle in, and he loosened the collar around his neck, eyeing Xena, who was very mystified. He smiled at her to which caused a frown on her end.
"Friends of yours?" Xena asked.
That wasn't the word he would use. Once the four caravans came to a halt, one of the soldiers ran forward. A long black sleeve-covered arm emerged outward, grabbing the soldier's hand. Xerxes held his breath as he witnessed each woman step out of the carriages.
"Oh god," he mumbled.
He didn't have to see her face to know who she was. Sambice walked forward, revealing only her eyes to the Huns. An evident smile graced her face, given the wrinkles around her eyes. It was insincere, no doubt, Xerxes thought.
"Shahbanu," he took her hand, pecking it gently.
Disdain for his father's wife was concealed, but everyone knew that the two were never good allies. Xerxes smiled when he saw his aunt walk forward. He kissed her hand with a big grin this time around. His face then paled when his mother, the smallest of the women, emerged from the carriage. Nousha shot him a nasty glare, then glanced over at Arielle, who slightly hid behind Xena.
"How can he tell who is who? You can't see their faces," Xena whispered, snickering.
Arielle grabbed onto her grandmother's arm, gripping firmly. She slowly backed away, step by step, hiding from all the Persian women.
"Nousha looks like she wants to rip out my innards and roast them on a spit!" she whispered in between labored breaths.
"Oh, come on, Arielle. Get a grip. She's like two feet tall."
"Then, you go talk to her!"
Xena scoffed, "she's your mother-in-law!"
The two kept bickering back and forth, then ceased their whispers when Nousha approached. Xena slapped Arielle in the middle of her back, pushing her forward. Nousha's upper lip quivered slightly. She wasn't even trying to hide her dissatisfaction for the Hun women.
Arielle nervously said, "Hoşgeldiniz."
Nousha remained unimpressed by the greeting. She didn't expect anything less coming from the Huns. Unfamiliar with the word, she assumed that Arielle was trying to welcome her into the territory, and failed miserably, noting the sweat dripping down Arielle's face.
"It means 'welcome to my home.'" she added.
Nousha hummed, "I gathered."
Xena leaned forward and whispered into Arielle's ear. "Invite them inside..."
"Oh, right!" Arielle motioned towards the Adame. "You're all welcome to stay with me. I hope you don't mind sharing a room for a while. I didn't know you were all coming, so...I didn't have time to make preparations."
Xerxes smiled at her, delighted that she was trying so hard to please his family. But he, too, had no idea that his mother, aunt, and stepmother, were all arriving today either. This spelled trouble. He didn't know what was going on and was intrigued as to why Sambice was here.
Gabrielle lost track of time, spending time with Farah's daughter that she didn't even make it out onto the field as she promised. Happily, she strolled into the Adame in search of Xena. Nothing was going to ruin her mood, she felt. As she whistled through the hallway, she greeted the maids passing by, who all gave her odd stares and solemn expressions.
She rounded the corner, and her whistle faded in pitch to a slow, long whisper. The Persian women turned their heads, silencing everyone around them. Gabrielle nervously smiled, and then fear struck when Xena marched towards her.
Xena forcefully grabbed her spouse's arm, ushering her into the room. She felt like she was pulling Gabrielle along, but she wasn't going to endure this painful discussion alone.
"How dare you leave me alone with these women," she hissed. "Where the hell were you?"
Gabrielle was pushed forward and now stood before the Persians. Her eyes widened at Nousha, who sat on the sofa, twirling the veil around her finger, smiling tersely. Suddenly, Gabrielle wished she had stayed at Farah's place indefinitely.
"Hello, welcome to Pannonia," she said to the unfamiliar faces. "Nice to see you again, Nousha."
"Likewise, governor," she said, twirling her wrist.
Shahbanu Sambice reclined on the pillows, tapping the empty tea glass on the saucer in her lap. She smirked, sizing up Gabrielle. Since there were no men in the room, she was able to reveal her face, so there was no way she could hide her emotions nor facial expressions.
"Governor," she mused. "A white woman works for the Huns? You people continue to shock me."
Given the puzzlement crossing Gabrielle's face, Xena decided to intervene. She leaned down, whispering into her ear, "that's Kavad's wife, Shahbanu Sambice."
Gabrielle's mouth parted, embarrassed. "Shahbanu," she greeted formally, "it's nice to finally meet you in person. I've heard so much about you."
"Too eager, Gabrielle," said Xena, adding a loud cough, drawing attention from Arielle's pleading eyes. "What?" she mouthed silently, raising her open palms to the ceiling.
Arielle slapped a hand to her forehead, cursing the entirety of this situation.
Sambice hummed a laugh, obviously amused by the silent rigidity in the room.
Esther chiseled away at the ice by interrupting, "where is Anastasia Khatun? Nousha and I would love to talk about this wedding with her."
"She had to leave. You just missed her," Xena quickly replied.
"Oh, that's a real shame," said Sambice. "It is a custom for both mothers to discuss the wedding, but you should know that I will be paying for it," she flashed a smile up at Arielle. "But since the Khatun isn't here, then...the next best person would have to be," she pointed to Xena, "you, Khanum."
Xena was about to reply with a rebuttal, but she looked at Arielle, who had her hands clasped together, mouthing 'please,' several times over. She bit her tongue and gave a toothy grin for Sambice.
"Of course, I would love to."
After the disastrous interrogation, or meeting, concluded, Xena stormed into her room. She ripped the Kozak off her head and threw it at the nearby wall. Gabrielle paused at the door, taking in a deep breath to prepare herself for the storm that Xena was about to unleash unto her.
"This would happen the minute Ana leaves!" she shouted, throwing her hands up. "Who do they think they are to come into our home and act like they own the place?"
Gabrielle allowed her spouse to have a small tantrum. She disrobed and casually walked over to grab fresh linens to head towards the bath.
"I did not sign up for this," Xena folded her arms. "I have done so much for that girl. She should be grateful that I love her."
Gabrielle sighed, "I know Arielle will be very grateful that you're doing this for her."
"Did you see the look on Sambice's face? She is just relishing in this. I think we should keep an eye on her. I don't think we can trust her."
"She should definitely be watched."
Xena grumbled and sat down on the bed, running her hands down her face. She felt a hand come to rest on her shoulder, and she looked up at Gabrielle, who smiled tenderly.
"You want to know what I think?"
Xena rolled her eyes, "spare me the wisdom, Gabrielle. I'm not in the mood."
"I was going to say...that you're too worked up about this," she snickered. "You're not the one getting married. Try to put yourself in Arielle's shoes. Just do your duty and be a good grandmother," she teased with a light slap to Xena's shoulder.
"I should get paid for that too."
Gabrielle chuckled, making her way to the bath chamber. "I'll make sure to bring it up with Farah."
"What were you doing over there for so long anyway? I wanted you on the field with me."
"Oh, you know...just going over the prints," Gabrielle slyly slipped away, avoiding the topic.
"You're doing it again."
Gabrielle paused, "doing what?"
"That sound your voice makes when you're lying. The little crack in your tone gives it away. What were you doing over there, really?"
Xena heard the rippling of the water and leaned over to see Gabrielle already settled in the bath. She waltzed her way into the chamber and sat down on the floor, taking the wet cloth, massaging the soap along Gabrielle's skin.
"How's your shoulder doing?"
Gabrielle was very cautious of her wife being in such close proximity to her. She anxiously replied, "a lot better, thanks to you."
"Ah, extra points for compliments. You're avoiding my question."
Gabrielle relented and finally revealed the truth. "Alright, you caught me. I was spending time with Aracsilla. I couldn't resist! She's just so adorable," she said, clenching her hands, smiling.
"I knew it. Did you finish the prints, at least?"
There was a long pause, and Xena frowned.
"Gabrielle."
"Ya?"
"Where are the prints I asked for?"
"Funny story. They'll be finished by tomorrow evening."
Xena dug her fingers into the blonde's neck, causing a loud yelp. Gabrielle inhaled, grabbing onto the fingers, digging into her neck.
"I asked you not to let Farah take on any work!"
"I tried to tell her! She wouldn't let me do anything! Xena, I'm in pain!"
Growling, Xena released her hold and squeezed the soapy water onto Gabrielle's hair. "What am I going to do with you women? First, Arielle, and now you," she shook her head, pouring water onto Gabrielle's head. "Nobody listens to a damn thing I say around here."
"I listen to you..." she looked up, grinning at Xena.
A saucer of warm water was dunked onto Gabrielle's face, and she coughed, spurting out a stream of water. She wiped her eyes and scowled up at Xena.
Locked away for three days, Cera was infuriated when she found out her husband was out with Soran and Ebnedzar. She ignored Ursula during confinement and wouldn't acknowledge Pamira. After a while, Pamira stopped trying to engage and chose to focus on her daughter.
Ursula waltzed over to the furious princess, holding a tray of food. "I brought some food for you. You've hardly eaten."
Cera continued brushing her daughter's hair, snubbing the shamaness.
"There's no reason to be upset with me. I have no control over this," said Ursula. "I'll leave this here for you."
She set down the tray on the table and hurried back to Pamira. Cera turned her head, glaring at them, whispering to each other from across the room. She smiled as Emese played with the bristles of the brush in her lap. She set the veil on her daughter's head and pinned it to her hair.
Everyone turned their heads when they heard the door unlocking from the other side. The guards opened the doors, and Anastasia walked in. Thankful to see her mother, Cera scooped the toddler into her arms and rushed over.
Anastasia smiled, cupping her granddaughter's cheeks. "Sevgili prensesim," she cooed. Then she caressed Cera's cheek, "tatli kiz, you don't have anything to worry about. Mirac is outside. They just arrived."
Ursula overheard the news and let out a sigh of relief. "I wasn't expecting you to come back so soon, Anastasia."
"I had to, but I'm sure I will be returning to Pannonia in a few months," she said, noting the look of disappointment on Cera's face. "I'll take you and Pamira with me this time."
Cera grinned, turning to Pamira standing beside her. Pamira passed off her daughter to Anastasia and nervously twiddled her thumbs.
"Is Soran alright? Did anyone get hurt?" she asked.
Ana grinned, holding Mahfiruze on her hip, instantly distracted. She turned to the anxious Persian and said, "nobody was hurt. Navaz is gathering information. I'm sure I'll hear all about it later. There's a lot of things we all need to discuss, especially with you, Cera."
"I thought that the men along the border were Mezamir's soldiers, but it turns out they are Justinian's," said Ebnedzar.
Navaz scratched his beard, groaning. "The Byzantines are too close to us. Justinian has become so brazen. He is so arrogant to think he can overpower us."
"Doesn't Arielle have most of the Persian army now?" Soran asked his father.
"Yes, and the Shah is more than obligated to help us now that Xerxes will marry her."
Soran gasped, then scrunched his face, seething with anger. He hadn't had much contact with his sister since they lived so far apart, but he would've thought she'd at least send a letter about this marriage. When he found out Xerxes was alive, he didn't actually believe that Xerxes would go through with the union at all, considering his family was so opposed to it.
"I will have a Sassanian as a brother-in-law," he stated, beyond annoyed.
Navaz rolled his eyes. "Your mother was also a Persian, you know."
"But she wasn't a Sassanian!"
Ebnedzar grew tired of the tangent from the prince and intervened, "anyway, so what are we going to do? Should we ask Xerxes to send some soldiers over?"
"Pannonia is too far from here. I was thinking of asking Oran to send some of his soldiers." Navaz said, nodding his head, thinking ahead. "Ebnedzar, you can be in charge of that. Soran, Mirac, and I will strategize a plan to combat the Byzantines if they decide to invade."
Soran looked at his father, cautiously. "Shouldn't you talk to Ömma first?" he spoke of his stepmother.
Navaz dreaded that impending conversation with his wife. After what happened in Pannonia, he didn't want another surprise attack like that again. Also, the stress of protecting everyone and not being able to defend her home and family caused Anastasia such distress that he didn't want to exacerbate the fragility of her state.
There were many things that Xena did throughout her life. She commanded several armies, fought many battles, held political meetings with monarchs, chieftains, emperors, but there was one thing she wasn't good at. And, that was talking with women, especially those who didn't like her.
She had Gabrielle's annoying voice running through her head as she walked into the suite that Esther and Nousha shared. In a way, she was almost thankful that Anastasia wasn't here orchestrating this meeting with Nousha. Those two despised one another. But Xena was constantly reminded that she was no longer a commander anymore. She had a reputation to uphold. A higher status position warranted more responsibility.
She wasn't prepared for this level of responsibility and almost wished Kreka was here. If the late Khatun were here, this meeting would've gone so differently. Today, she was filling in for Anastasia, but she inwardly channeled all of Kreka's old negotiation skills. She desperately needed some guidance to deal with these Persian women, and unfortunately, she had to get it from the dead.
Xena was stunned when she walked into the room to see several parchments and journals scattered on the floor. Nousha and Esther definitely were prepared for this meeting. She briefly acknowledged Nousha before sitting down on the floor, then smiled at Esther.
"Good morning," she said.
Esther grinned, "morning. This meeting is going to take a very long time. I hope you've cleared your schedule."
Not exactly, Xena thought. "I'm happy to help Arielle. So, what are we here to talk about? Not sex, I hope," she snorted.
Both women's eyes enlarged, and Xena bit her lip, realizing she might've offended them somehow. Xena puckered her lips, drawing back instantly. She had a bad case of word vomit that she somehow picked up from Arielle. Maybe she was channeling Arielle today instead of Kreka. This wasn't getting off to a good start.
"We're going to talk about the various rituals that Arielle must learn and abide by," said Nousha.
"Oh, great, alright," Xena grasped her knees, smiling uneasily. "Where is Arielle? Shouldn't she be here for this?"
Nousha smiled smugly, "she's talking with Shahbanu Sambice about the finances. The treasurer should also be there."
Xena's face paled. Oh, poor Gabrielle. She's going to be subjected to the arrogance of the Shahbanu and also quell Arielle's temper all at once. Xena was now thanking the gods that she only had to deal with Nousha and Esther.
"I heard Queen Farah is an excellent mathematician. I'm sure their meeting will be over shortly," Esther said, hoping to ease the Khanum's nerves.
"Um, Farah just had a baby a few weeks ago, so Gabrielle is filling in for her..."
Esther smiled and clasped her hands together. "Basyar khoob," she said. "My congratulations to her. So, we will discuss the rituals now?"
May the gods be with you, Gabrielle.
For several minutes, the three women sat in awkward silence. Gabrielle didn't know she would be put into this position of talking with the Shah's wife. It was apparent that Arielle wasn't privy to this information either.
Gabrielle took a taste of her own medicine today. She was so busy poking fun at Xena for having to converse with the Persians, and here she was, doing the exact same thing. Except, this was so much worse. Sambice looked very content and satisfied that she was making both of them feel uncomfortable.
"This wedding will go down in history. It is very unusual for Persians to marry outside of their kind. My husband is very generous to allow this union."
Arielle nodded, "yes, he is. I will send a letter thanking him."
Sambice smirked, "I'm sure you will, but you see, Khagana, the Shah doesn't have any say in the wedding, nor does he involve himself in marital affairs. Every decision regarding marriage with a prince goes through me."
Gabrielle's eyebrows lifted while she took down some notes. She begged for this meeting to be done and over with already.
"Oh...I didn't know that."
"I know, child, you don't know anything about our traditions," said Sambice. Clearing her throat, she added, "Nousha is your mother-in-law, but I am the Shah's wife, so I will also be like a mother-in-law to you."
Arielle felt her stomach knotting by the second. She didn't know what she was signing up for when she decided to marry Xerxes. This wasn't what she envisioned. She always knew there would be hurdles, but this wasn't what she had in mind. One mother-in-law was bad enough, but two?
"I don't know what Hun weddings are like, but Persian weddings are very grand and costly. Since the wedding will be held here, you will need to make accommodations for my people."
Gabrielle lifted the pen off the parchment. "How many people will be coming?"
"A minimum of two hundred," said Sambice, grinning. "Do you have any questions or concerns, Arielle?"
"Ah...no, not at the moment..."
"Excellent. Shall we discuss the details of the wedding now?"
Once both agonizing meetings were over, both Gabrielle and Xena relocated to their room to discuss and compare notes. Xena felt traumatized by the number of rituals Arielle had to go through. She knew she wasn't the one getting married, but in a way, she felt she was marrying Xerxes. There were so many rules Arielle had to follow that Xena wasn't sure if Arielle was going to adhere to all of them.
There was no way Xena would've put up with all these rules if she were Arielle's age. She would've refused and caused a huge fuss, so she had to salute Arielle for being so accomodating for her future husband.
"Wanna switch notes?" Xena asked.
Gabrielle huffed and face-planted onto the bed, causing her wife to snicker. "My head hurts," she mumbled. She raised her head, "this is too much! I didn't sign up for this."
"Whatever happened to being a dutiful member of the family?" Xena teased, pinching her wife's arm. "I'm glad Farah is on leave; otherwise, she would probably throw a fit if she had to sit in with Sambice and Arielle. Thank you for filling in."
"Not like I had a choice in the matter..."
This whole process was very overwhelming. Marrying a Sassanian prince was more complicated than anyone thought. Gabrielle couldn't even imagine how Arielle was feeling throughout all of this.
"Sambice said that the wedding won't happen until special items are brought in from Persia," Gabrielle mocked. "And a chief priest has to come here to perform the ceremony. Can you believe that?"
"Mhm, I believe it," Xena said, looking over the documents. "An astrologist has to come here as well."
Gabrielle rolled over onto her stomach. "What? Why?"
Xena chuckled, "Arielle isn't going to like this. There's a calendar of the days in which she's supposed to conceive a child."
"Oh..." Gabrielle sighed heavily, "I'm so glad that we didn't have any of these rules before we got married."
Xena raised an eyebrow. "Would you have married me if you had to do all of this?"
Gabrielle tapped her chin, contemplating her answer.
Xena reached over with a pillow and smacked Gabrielle with it.
"Hey, I've done so much for you already," she teased. "But, all of this seems a bit excessive. I know Arielle is being very nice, but I don't think that's going to last, especially with the bit about conceiving a child on a particular day."
Xena grinned, "oh, I know. She's going to crack. It's only a matter of time."
In the coming weeks, Arielle realized she absolutely loved the women in her family over the women in Xerxes'. Sambice wasn't very open about her opinions, but her horrible facial expressions gave it away each time. She also didn't like Farah nor Nisa.
Esther was the only level-headed one, but she had her moments too. She was the Shah's sister, and so even Sambice had to follow her orders at times. She was a bit demanding sometimes and often had arguments with Nisa, and it was very rare to see Nisa so angry. Eksama, luckily, steered clear of the women as she wanted nothing to do with the cluster of mouths.
Nousha was a category all on her own. Arielle was relieved that her mother wasn't here, but that was soon to change. She had to invite her own mother to the ceremony, and when those two met face to face again, Arielle knew there were going to be many heated arguments.
One morning, Arielle quickly evaded all three women and ran into Xerxes. She grabbed him by the collar and shoved him into the wall.
"Xerxes, you didn't tell me that your family was so...so..."
"Terrible?" he completed her thought. "I tried to tell you."
She punched his shoulder and added, "I am not, I repeat, I am not, having a child when the stars," she mocked, "tell me to. Oh, and, I'm not allowing your mother anywhere near me during the ceremony! She's making my dress. What am I going to do about that?" she growled.
Xerxes rubbed his lips together, trying to hold back laughter.
"You better not laugh, or I'll break your jaw."
He zipped his lips. "yes, ma'am."
"I need to hide," she whispered, looking out into the hallway. "Where's my grandmother? Gabrielle? Eksama?"
He laughed, gripping her shoulders. "Xena should be by the western border with Gabrielle. I'm not sure where Eksama is."
Arielle paused, lifting an eyebrow. "The western border? What are they doing over there? I'm left out of everything these days! My grandma just wants to keep me in the dark. Or maybe she wants me to suffer," she tapped her lips. "I need to leave. Your aunt is looking for me."
"Then maybe you should go talk to her now. She's going to find you eventually."
"The hell I will!" she hissed. "I don't want to talk about stars, babies, and birth! She's scared me out of the idea of having children."
Xerxes snorted.
"Well, not entirely," she corrected and saw the fear in his eyes. "Why is it so important to have a child within a certain time after the marriage anyway?"
He sighed. "I don't know—something to do with premonition and good fortune. Also, it would be an heir to the throne."
Arielle gawked at him with wide eyes.
"No pressure or anything," he said, smiling.
Aurora stood patiently while Sambice's maids fitted her for a black dress. She had her arms stretched outward, peering down at the two women pinning the bottom of the gown. She sighed, growing bored standing for so long. She never really liked dresses, but she received a mouthful from her mother, and ever since then, she had been on her best behavior for the Persian women.
Sambice sat next to Nousha, waiting for the fitting to be complete. Sambice smiled, seeing how furious Nousha was about this entire situation.
"What a long face, Nousha," she mused. "Although, I understand why you are so disturbed. Your son is about to taint our line with Hun blood."
Nousha crossed her arms, slouching, "I'd rather die than see that woman bear my son's child."
"Be careful of what you say in front of me, Nousha. You shouldn't worry. When she gives birth to an heir, I will take it back to Persia with me." She flashed a smile to the concubine.
Nousha lifted her eyebrows into her hairline. She slowly turned her head, shocked to hear those words come out of the Shahbanu's mouth. Sambice didn't even skip a beat or hesitate. Nousha knew she couldn't trust Sambice, but now she truly felt she underestimated Sambice's intentions of coming to Pannonia and involving herself in Xerxes' life.
Aurora hopped off the stool and ran to the seated women. "Do I really have to wear this?" she asked, looking down at the unfinished dress.
"You look very pretty," said Sambice, winking. "Like a little Shehzada. Wouldn't you say so, Nousha?"
Nousha could barely register Sambice's words spoken earlier, that she was caught off guard by the question. She gave a faint smile, staring at the princess.
"Yes..."
Aurora went ahead and made herself comfortable and sat in between the women. She smiled and grabbed hold of Nousha's arm, rendering a flinch from the Persian.
Outside, Farah walked with Nasrin towards the Adame. Farah picked up her pace and looked behind to see Nasrin standing frozen at the bottom of the stairs, holding the infant princess in her arms. Farah sighed and quickly trailed down the stairs, grabbing the girl's arm.
"We need to go inside. I have to talk with Ku-Ilm."
Nasrin refused to budge and held the princess in her arms firmly.
"What are you standing there for?" Farah asked, irritated. "What is the matter?"
"I –I can't go in there," Nasrin whispered, stricken with fear.
"Why not?"
Nasrin swallowed, sweat dripping down her forehead. "Shahbanu Sambice is in there. She knows who I am. Please, don't make me go in there, your highness."
Farah crinkled her eyebrows and stood, towering over the teenager. She smiled, wiping Nasrin's cheeks with her thumbs.
"Don't worry. She can't do anything to you. You live here with me now."
"Please!" Nasrin begged, tears surfacing. As soon as she began to weep, Farah's daughter began whimpering as well.
Farah frowned and folded her arms. "Alright, take Aracsilla back home. I'll talk with Ku by myself. I guess this meeting will be very brief."
There was immediate relief on Nasrin's face. "Thank you, your highness."
"You shouldn't fear Sambice anymore. I'll protect you."
"She is very dangerous, your highness," whispered Nasrin. "You should be wary of her presence. She doesn't like Shehzade Xerxes. She is the one who ordered the assassination."
Farah's mouth parted, spinning around, glaring at the Adame's entrance.
On the western border, just a few miles away from mainland Pannonia, the army began building a physical wall. This idea was brought on when Ernak told Xena that there were hundreds among hundreds of Byzantines living among Kubrat's tribe. With Farah's help, she was able to submit several drawings of the wall's construction.
Ernak stood beside Gabrielle, making sure the soldiers were adhering to their assigned tasks. He pursed his mouth, shaking his head.
"My parents would hate this wall," he said. "We have never blocked off any part of the land ever before."
Gabrielle sighed, nodding her head. "Your father never had this many enemies. We just had to worry about the Romans and Visigoths back then."
"You are right, Gabrielle. You know, when we are attacked, they're just going to break through the wall."
She scrunched her face up at that. She hadn't really thought about what would happen if they were attacked.
"Well...at least there will be a barrier," she sheepishly insinuated, to which Ernak gave an eye roll.
In a tent not far from the construction site, Xena sat at a desk, writing down several methods that could possibly be used to combat Justinian. She was definitely going to need Arielle's help with this later, but this campaign would take many months, and Justinian wasn't in a hurry.
Eksama hobbled into the tent, drawing Xena's attention away from the scattered documents on the desk. She stood with a hand pressed to her hip, causing Xena to smile.
"Daughter of Atilla," Xena mused, swinging her boots to rest on the table. "You really shouldn't be up and walking." She tapped her teeth with the quill pen.
"I can get around just fine."
"Hmm." Xena kept the smug grin on her lips. "What do you need? I am busy."
"I want to help with the campaign," said Eksama.
Xena laughed and kicked her boots off the desk, straightening the documents.
"No."
"Why the hell not? I am fine! I can help strategize."
"Eksama, I can't let you onto the field in your...condition," she gestured to the commander's stilted leg. "We will be using Persian tactics for this campaign. That really isn't your specialty."
"But, I can learn."
Xena rolled her eyes. She could tell that Eksama wasn't going to let this go. "Alright, you can help me, but please, sit down. I'm putting Arielle as the lead. You two have never worked together on the field and assuming you two can share responsibility, I shouldn't have to worry about anything going wrong, right?"
"I can work alongside Arielle with no problem."
"I sure hope so," she muttered.
In preparation for the wedding, Arielle did everything that she was told, albeit annoyed by the demanding women surrounding her. She notified her family in Balaam to come back to Pannonia by the end of the month. She hoped that would give them enough time to safely prepare for the journey.
During the practice of all the necessary rituals, Arielle also found out that Byzantines were camped out along Armenia's borders, which unnerved her. She didn't want to rush this agonizing process, but she was too focused on her family alone in Balaam. It was a much smaller territory than Pannonia, and the army was small in number.
One of the last rituals she had to complete was to bathe in a bath of milk. She didn't sound too fond of the idea, but she went along with it, only for the sake of Xerxes. She was escorted to the bath chamber in her room, and Sambice waited for her, holding a towel.
She smiled uneasily at the tall Shahbanu, and instantly, the maids disrobed her. She could see the disdain that Sambice poorly tried to conceal. Her tattoos. Arielle completely forgot about them, so she wrapped her arms around herself.
Sambice gestured for her to step into the large pool. Arielle waltzed over, cautiously, and stepped into the cold milk. She sat down, eyeing the woman standing above her. As she sat, milk was poured atop of her hair, and she shivered slightly.
"What...is the purpose of this milk bath?" she asked quietly.
"It's a purification ritual," Sambice calmly explained, "to rid yourself of all sins. Although this is usually done only for virgins."
Arielle felt the sting of that insult on the deepest layer of her skin. She felt very small right about now, and instead of responding with her usual outspoken mouth, she chose to stay silent.
Sambice set aside the bowl, glaring at the back of the Khagana's head. She slowly reached forward, clutching a handful of Arielle's hair, and dunked her underneath the surface of the milk. Arielle flailed her arms around, attempting to grab Sambice's hands.
She pulled Arielle up by her hair, and Arielle gasped for air, spitting out milk. Sambice raised an eyebrow and held Arielle's jaw tightly, rearing her head back.
"Nousha is the least of your worries," she whispered. "You needn't worry about her."
She pushed Arielle's head beneath the surface again and waited for a half a minute. She yanked Arielle up again, firmly gripping the wet curls in between her fingers.
"You forget you aren't just marrying a member of the Sassanian Dynasty, but the entire dynasty itself."
Arielle blinked, milk staining her eyes and dripping off her eyelashes. She stared up at the Persian queen, coughing violently and choking mildly.
"You may be the ruler of your people, but I am, and always, will be above you. Do you understand?"
Arielle frowned, furrowing her eyebrows. Before she could retort, she was forcibly submerged into the pool once more.
Nousha walked the halls, passing by several members of the Hun family. She frowned, searching every room for her son's soon-to-be bride. She stopped Ku-Ilm, who was overtly trying to avoid her.
"Ku-Ilm!" she called.
The maid groaned inwardly and turned around. "Yes, Banu Nousha?"
"Where is Arielle? I'm supposed to help her with the purification ritual today."
Ku cocked her head to the side. "The milk bath?" she asked, and Nousha nodded. "Shahbanu Sambice is with her performing the ritual right now."
Nousha's eyes widened, and she darted down the hallway, heading for the stairs. Ku quickly followed her, lingering at the bottom of the grand staircase.
"Nousha!"
Hurrying as quickly as possible, the towel slipped off her arm as she darted up the stairs. Picking up the hem of her dress, the veil flew off her head, and she ran into Arielle's room, swinging the doors open. Breathing heavily, Nousha saw the door of the bath chamber slightly ajar.
She ran forward and swung the door open to see Sambice standing beside the bath, towel drying her hands. Nousha put a hand to her heaving chest, eyeing the back of Arielle's wet hair.
"Nousha, why are you in such a hurry?" asked Sambice with a smile.
Rushing in, Ku bumped into Nousha and curiously eyed Sambice standing very close to the bath. She placed a hand on Nousha's shoulder, squeezing by, then scurried over to Arielle, all while keeping a watchful eye on Sambice.
Nousha narrowed her eyes, watching her superior approach. "What did you do?" she whispered.
"Always putting the blame on me, aren't you, Nousha?"
She rounded the short concubine, flipping the veil over her face.
Ku sat on the floor, tapping Arielle's shoulder gently, but received no response. Arielle continued to stare with a distant look in her eyes.
"Arielle? Are you okay? Arielle?" she turned the brunette's chin upward.
Finally, she responded to Ku's soft calls. "I...I'm fine."
"You don't seem it. What happened? Nousha ran up here. I...is something wrong?" she asked, caressing Arielle's cheek.
Arielle splayed her hand over Ku's. "I'm okay."
While Ku was consoling Arielle, Nousha approached at a steady pace. She looked around the chamber in search of any weapons, but there were none. She finally locked eyes with Arielle and let a gentle smile slip. Nousha never cared for her son's love interest, but she didn't know if she could live with herself if Sambice had done anything to harm Arielle.
But by the look on Arielle's face, she could tell that something did happen here. Of course, Sambice would try to do something with no witnesses around. She was sure that she was one step ahead of Sambice, but she was too late. Sambice said something disconcerting to Arielle, and she couldn't ask outright since Ku was in the room.
Ku stood, alarmed by Nousha's closeness. "I'm going to get a towel and robe," she said, quickly exiting the chamber.
Nousha knelt down, studying the void of expression in Arielle's eyes.
"What did she say to you?" she whispered, anxiously waiting for Ku's return.
"N...nothing."
"Sambice is very dangerous. If she said something to you, you could tell me."
Arielle was perplexed by the odd and sudden softness coming from a woman who claimed to have hated her.
"You can tell me. I can protect you from her, but I can't protect you if you don't tell me..."
Ku hurried back with a robe. "I'll help her," she said, gesturing for Nousha to leave.
As Arielle was being helped out of the bath, her eyes followed Nousha exiting the chamber. The robe was slipped through her arms, and she stood, with her mouth agape, locking eyes with Xerxes' mother.