So, I don't know if I ever clarified what an "Adame" actually is throughout both stories. It is a large wooden palace that houses all the royal family members and servants.

Chapter 33 –Secrets in The Adame

Gabrielle walked into the yurt after trying to find her way back to the camp, which seemed to take longer than expected. She sighed heavily and threw her cape aside on a chair. Adjusting her gauntlets she walked into the sitting area and spotted Xena eating some rice and yogurt with a large slice of flat bread.

"Where have you been?" Xena asked, not bothering to look up as she scooped up some food onto the bread.

Gabrielle nervously walked over to the rug and sat down, grabbing a bowl and spooned some of the rice and yogurt mixture into the bowl. She spotted Arielle sleeping on the floor, covered in a warm wool blanket. "You're watching Arielle," she mused.

"Don't change the subject. You never came home and you were out all night," Xena lifted her eyes and saw her consort was avoiding eye contact. "What were you doing that was so important that you stayed out all night?"

"Ellac gave me a task," Gabrielle answered finally and began eating the rice yogurt mixture. She reached over for the plate of bread and Xena snatched the plate away. "Xena, what is this? You're not my keeper."

The commander eyed her partner suspiciously. "Ellac gave you a task? What sort of task would that be?"

Gabrielle frowned and grabbed the plate from Xena's hand. "He asked me to do something for him and I had to do it. I need to go talk to him."

"So you can't tell me what it is?" Xena almost felt hurt by the secrecy.

Gabrielle sighed and no longer found food very appetizing right now. She felt like she was being interrogated. She set the bowl down and threw the bread into her rice. "You know what, I think I'll eat this later." She smiled meekly then stood and snatched her cloak to leave.

"You're not going to tell me," Xena stated.

"Later, I will," Gabrielle said then left the yurt.

Xena grunted and tossed the bread onto the plate. She sulked by herself and turned to see Arielle gawking up at her with big blue eyes. She smiled warmly and picked up her granddaughter and set her in her lap. Arielle yawned and rubbed her eye then spotted the food in the bowl below her. Intrigued, she reached for the bowl. Xena dipped a wooden spoon into the soft rice and yogurt mixture and fed the child.

Arielle's face contorted and she coughed, chewing the rice mixture. Xena smiled bemusedly. "It's not so bad," she said and Arielle frowned, sticking her fingers in her mouth, not quite sure what to think of the food. Xena grabbed the infant's fingers and wiped them on a cloth. "Too tart huh?"

Ernak walked into the yurt and saw Xena sitting with Arielle in her lap. "Well, isn't that cute," he folded his arms with a big smug grin on his face. Xena rolled her eyes and wiped Arielle's mouth with a cloth. "You should hold babies more often. It makes you seem less menacing," he teased.

"What do you want?" she asked. Arielle grabbed the spoon and tapped the bowl playfully. Xena frowned and adjusted the child on her thigh and took the spoon from her.

"We need to talk about Ebnedzar. I don't trust him and neither does anyone else. I tried to talk to Ellac but he sent Gabrielle on a mission last night to watch Ebnedzar."

That grabbed Xena's attention. "He did what?"

His eyes widened and realized that she had no idea what he was talking about. "She...followed Ebnedzar. I thought you knew. I just saw her heading into the Adame."

"Dammit," she muttered. Arielle pulled on her hair and she frowned then stood up, shoving Arielle into his arms. "Watch her. I will be back."

He gasped and held Arielle at arm's length and nervously smiled at his niece. "But Xena! I don't know anything about –" he turned and saw she already left. He sighed and looked at Arielle's beaming face and big blue eyes staring at him in awe. "Hey there..." he said nervously. "So, do you want to play a game?" he asked and she smiled. "This is going to be interesting," he mumbled then sat down, holding his niece in his lap.

Leila burst into Anastasia's private quarters and slammed the door behinds her, breathing heavily. Ana, sitting on the floor, drawing a map of the Hun Empire for Ellac, lifted her eyes at the anxious princess. "What's wrong, Leila?" she asked and went back to drawing.

The young princess fixed her blue veil on her head and composed herself. "Sorry to disturb you. I'm trying to get away from Kreka Khatun."

Ana smirked. "Why?"

Leila whined, "she keeps trying to make me drink airag and I just can't stomach that horrid fermented drink anymore!" she sat down on the rug and the queen frowned, seeing Leila's dress on the parchment.

"Do you mind?" she said and Leila embarrassingly scooted away from the large map. "Airag tastes a lot better than kefir, but she's probably giving it to you because she thinks you're too thin."

Leila gasped. "She's trying to make me fat?! Aman tanrim," she muttered. "Anastasia, you must help me, please," she begged and Ana smiled smugly but kept drawing, ignoring the girl's pleas. "We are...family now. Please, help me."

"I'm afraid I can't help you, Leila," Ana pat the girl's cheek. "Besides, she isn't make you drink that for no reason. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do."

Kreka swung open the doors and walked into the room. Leila gasped and quickly got to her feet. "You!" she snarled and Leila hid behind the large bed post. "You are going to drink this or I will force you!"

"Khatun, please, I can't drink anymore."

Anastasia groaned and slammed her quill on the parchment. "I'm trying to work here!"

"You are going to drink this, tatli kiz, or else," Kreka walked forward with the pitcher of airag in her hand and Leila shook her head vehemently.

"Kreka!" Ana snapped her head around. "Why don't you just tell her so you can get out of here!"

Leila's face paled, "tell me what?"

"You're carrying a child. My son's child. My grandchild," Kreka frowned and her eyebrows narrowed as she approached the frightened princess. "Now, you're going to drink this, yes?"

"But I..." Leila began to protest and then received a menacing glare from her mother in-law. "But...how did you know?"

"I am very aware of these things," Kreka grabbed Leila's hand, ushering her out of the room and Leila pleaded to Anastasia with her doe brown eyes.

Finally, Anastasia thought, alone at last. "Ana, I need to talk to Ellac," Xena walked into the room. She groaned loudly and tapped the quill against her mouth.

"You know where he is. He's in his chambers. Just barge in there like you always do. I am trying to work on this map."

"I think we should post-pone your wedding," Xena said and the pen dropped from Ana's grasp.

Anastasia folded her arms and an ugly frown appeared. Xena avoided eye contact with her. "But I have been waiting for over ten years to marry Ellac!" she spat. "And now you want to post-pone? Since when are you in charge of my wedding? You can't be a commander of everything, mother!"

"This isn't about you!" Xena yelled and her daughter cringed at her loud voice. "I need to talk to Ellac about Ebnedzar. I think we are going to have a serious problem with him down the road and I need to find out why. Gabrielle knows something and –"

"Gabrielle?" Ana interrupted.

Her mother nodded. "Yes, Gabrielle. So I need you to agree with me that you will post-pone the wedding, just for a little while. Yes?"

Anastasia sighed heavily. "This is unfair. Everything about my life is unfair. Dengizich knows a girl for less than a year and marries her and now she's pregnant, yet I have to wait."

Xena's eyes widened. "Pregnant? Already?"

Ana rolled her eyes. "Apparently they couldn't wait until after the wedding," she said in a mocking voice. "Anyway, that is beside the point." She looked up at her mother. "Aren't you supposed to be watching Arielle?"

"I left her with Ernak."

Ana gasped and stood up irately. "You did what?! Mother! You left my daughter with Ernak? He is horrible with babies!"

"Calm down. Everything will be fine, just relax. Ernak is perfectly capable of taking care of Arielle," Xena advised and Anastasia's chest rose heavily as her breathing baited. "I need to talk to Ellac and Gabrielle. You will consider postponing the wedding?"

"I guess I could wait a few more months."

Xena smiled and kissed her daughter's forehead. "Good girl. It'll be worth the wait, I promise."

Ellac tapped his knees impatiently as he just finished listening to Gabrielle tell him exactly what she saw when she followed Ebendzar. "Are you sure that is what he said?"

She nodded. "Yes, I'm positive. I heard him talking to a Bey about 'getting rid of' Anastasius. Obviously, he is sending someone to kill him."

"We don't know if he is doing that, Gabrielle. After all, myself and my brothers would know everything that goes on in these tribes outside of these walls."

Gabrielle frowned and eyed the young king suspiciously. "Ellac, I know you are technically the king now and you didn't really get to see what happened in the years after you left, but Pannonia was a disaster. Dengi took over and he not only destroyed the relationships we had with the other Hun tribes but also secluded this camp from other Beys in the area. Ernak was able to restore some of the damage but not completely."

He ran his fingers through his hair and let out an impatient sigh. "What are you saying, Gabrielle? That I am not fit to be king? That I am not aware of what my people are doing and what their needs are?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm not saying that. But I will say that you are 'new' here. This isn't the same Pannonia that you left eleven years ago. I don't know what Ebnedzar is planning and if he is sending a horde of Huns to assassinate Anastasius, but something tells me that he has lived here right under our noses. I would even bet that he hasn't visited his homeland, Suevi, in a long time."

Xena burst through the doors and Gabrielle turned around, unhappy to see her interrupting their conversation. "You spied on Ebnedzar? Why wasn't I told about this?" she eyed her son in-law.

Ellac frowned and refused to stand. Gabrielle remained seated and then soon enough, when Xena didn't get the answer quick enough, she sat down beside Gabrielle on the large rug. "I thought you didn't want to be a commander anymore?" he said and she remained quiet. "Besides, you aren't very stealthy, Xena. Stealth is not one of your skills. If I wanted Ebnedzar killed I would have come to you, but I gave this task to Gabrielle. My intention was not to embarrass you or leave you in the dark."

Xena raised an eyebrow and glanced at the blonde beside her. "Why are you talking to me like this? You don't have to put on a kingly face around me, Ellac. I only came here because I want to know if Gabrielle found anything about Ebnedzar. He is not to be trusted."

Gabrielle relented and her unforgiving attitude was pushed aside. "She's right. You can't trust him, Ellac," she said and Xena cast her a faint smile. "I think he is going to send people to assassinate Anastasius."

"Anastasius," Xena said. "What are you going to do, Ellac?" she turned to the king with wide eyes and Gabrielle, too, stared at him, wondering the same thing.

He nervously looked at the gaping women before him and never felt so pressured in his life to do something until this very moment. "I...think we should send Dengi and scouts to Constantinople and continue to keep an eye on my brother," he said with disdain.

Both women nodded, but Xena pointed her finger at the king. "You are going to befriend Ebnedzar."

"Excuse me?" he snorted.

"You will find out everything about him. He is your brother. Show him around Pannonia. Take him to secluded camps. The only spy good enough for this job is you, Ellac, not Gabrielle. He will be more inclined to trust you and warm up to you if you are the one who engages in conversation. You will build a false relationship with him."

Gabrielle smirked and agreed with her cohort. "And then we can send the scouts to Constantinople. If we are lucky, he might not be trying to assassinate Anastasius, but if he is, then he has no place in Pannonia as your brother, prince, or king."

"And we will warn Anastasius about the potential attack first," Xena said, "with falcons," she smiled.

He sighed and rubbed his temples in a slow circular motion. "Won't it look strange if two groups of Pannonian Huns are riding to Constantinople at the same time?"

"They aren't going to ride at the same time because you're going to send scouts out right now," Xena advised.

Dengizich waltzed into his brother's chambers and found that he was not alone. "Planning something without me?"

Gabrielle turned and stood, brushing the wrinkles from her blouse and pants. "We were just talking about you. You're going to Constantinople."

"I am?" he said and Xena wrapped her arm around him, making him very uncomfortable.

"Ellac is going to tell you all about it, but don't tell anyone else. Got it?" she said and he nodded slowly. "Oh and your wife is pregnant." She pat his cheek and his jaw dropped.

"Wait, what?" he turned and saw Xena and Gabrielle both leaving the room.

"Didn't they just get married?" Gabrielle whispered to Xena. Ellac rolled his eyes and buried his face into his hands. He had enough stress for the day and no longer wished to talk about political matters.

Dengi was sent to Constantinople with elite soldiers that very night just as Ellac instructed. Meanwhile the young king sought to build a relationship with his elder brother in hopes to gain some level of trust with him and find out more about his mysterious brother. Gabrielle mentioned that Ebnedzar could have been living in Pannonia this entire time without anyone's knowledge. Ellac's skepticism of his older brother was through the roof and he didn't trust Ebnedzar at all, more than when he first met him a week ago.

Xena stood outside of her yurt and spotted Sabaton with a group of young Bulgur men. They looked as if they were meeting secretly as they were huddled together like a flock of birds. She saw Sabaton hand over a small bag to a couple of men in exchange for a bag of coin she assumed.

She smirked and then walked over to Sabaton once the group of young men dispersed. He was busy counting the coin in his purse and she cleared her throat, startling him. "What do you have there?"

He smiled and tucked the purse in his cloak pocket. "A small business transaction."

She nodded. "You do know that all transactions must be made aware to the king, right?" she said and his smile disappeared instantly. "Are you giving these men khat?"

"What if I was?" he combated.

"I want to know where you're getting the khat," she stated and his eyebrow arched suspiciously. "I won't report you to Ellac if you tell me who your supplier is," she coaxed him and he folded his arms. "You mentioned that khat is native to Tunis. Who here has connections with the khat trades in Tunis?"

He chuckled. "Why are you so curious about drug trades? I wouldn't think a great commander like you would be bothered by such miniscule matters."

"In all my life living here in Pannonia, I've never seen an ounce of drugs of any kind, waltz through this territory until now. That plant is a powerful tool. Where are you getting it?" she stepped forward, towering over him.

"You really want to know?" he asked and she nodded. "There's a trade route on the coast of Suevi. I get my supply from there and –"

She raised her hand abruptly. "Did you say Suevi?"

He frowned and slowly bobbed his head. "Yes? There's a boat that comes from Tunis loaded with khat trees. They go to the port of Corinth, Rome and then Suevi. I have a few friends that make frequent trips to Suevi for the khat trade."

Now things were starting to come together, but how? She didn't quite understand, but she did know that Ebnedzar was from Suevi and there seemed to be an abundance of khat in Pannonia recently. "Tell me who the drug traders are."

Sabaton chuckled lightly. "I can't give away my sources, Xena."

She groaned and eyed the purse bulging out of his cloak pocket. "I'll pay you twice the amount those men gave you if you tell me who the traders are." She bribed him and he rubbed his chin.

With a sly smile, he agreed. "Mustafa is the big drug lord in charge of the khat trades in Tunis. He has many dealers throughout Corinth, Rome and Suevi. Romans pay big money for that khat."

"And how do I find this Mustafa?" she pressed.

"I've never seen him personally. I only get the khat from my friend's dealers in Suevi. That's all I know."

She pursed her lips and he awkwardly stared at her. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed a large pouch of coin she carried on her belt and shoved it in his chest. "Thanks," she muttered then stormed off.

Ebnedzar sat in his yurt, counting a large sum of coin he acquired since he came to the royal encampment. He heard a jingling noise enter his new home and lifted his eyes slowly. He smiled when he saw his father's esteemed commander in his yurt.

"Xena. Those boots are very recognizable. Your enemies can hear you approach."

"That's the idea," she hissed. She walked further into the yurt and saw piles of coin scattered on the rug. "That's a lot of money," she mused and trailed around the fire pit in the center of the yurt.

He nodded and gathered a few coins, continuing to count. "Must keep count of the coin," he said casually.

"And how does a displaced son of Attila acquire so much coin?" she asked and saw his eyes were fixated on the gold. She unsheathed her sword and knelt down, pressing the end of her blade into his throat. "You wouldn't happen to be involved in the khat drug trades, would you, Ebnedzar?" she cast a wicked smile.

Ebnedzar grinned nervously and dropped the coins on the rug. "Xena, what an accusation."

"So, you don't deny it!" she pressed the blade against his throat. "What are you doing here? How did you come by this amount of gold? Not even I carry that much money with me when I travel. Where are you really from, Ebnedzar?"

"I told you. I'm from Suevi."

"No!" she hissed. "Your mother is from Suevi. I knew her. I saw her in a tent with Attila. I was the one who ordered her to your father's tent! You may have been born and raised in Suevi but nobody in Suevi is this wealthy and stupid enough to carry a chest of gold with them!" she snarled and grabbed his throat, pinning him to the ground, she crawled on top of him.

Her eyes widened as did her deviant smile. "Now, you're going to tell me where you are from, Ebnedzar. Tell me where you've been hiding." She turned and wafted her blade over the blazing fire behind her. His eyes grew in fear as he saw the sword glow a bright fiery red.

"Don't make this difficult for me," she winked and waved the hot blade in front of his face. "Oh, suddenly at a loss for words, huh? You don't like that do you? I bet not. Tell me where you are from!" she growled and he grit his teeth, feeling the heat radiate off her blade as it inched close to his cheek.

"I have no reason to lie. I am from Suevi."

"And you are involved in the drug trades," she said and he smirked. "Your face gives it away. The coin. The khat. You are working with the Tunisians. You are not Suevian, Ebnedzar. You are a liar and I don't like liars. Do you know what I do to liars?"

He eyed the blade inching dangerously close to his cheek. "You would hurt a son of Attila? Your trusted ally and friend of many years?"

"Attila is dead!" she hissed. "And I don't care about you! You are nothing to me!" she grabbed his chin and stared into his chocolate colored eyes. "Last chance and I suggest you take it. I don't give second chances. Tell me where you are from and why you are involved in the khat trade!"

Breathing heavily, he looked her dead in the eyes. "I am from Suevi," he said flatly.

She chuckled and ripped open his black vest, exposing his inked chest. "So many tattoos. Allow me to give you a new one on the house," she pressed the blade against his skin and he hissed, biting his tongue. She marked an 'X' on his left breast. "Now, I am a part of you forever," she winked and crawled off of him.

He hissed and looked down at his chest and saw the blazing new mark that she bestowed on his body. She shrugged her shoulder and exhaled heavily. "You should have complied, Ebnedzar. Next time, I won't be so nice." She turned on her heel and marched out of the yurt.

Xena stormed into her yurt and found Gabrielle on the floor, eating. "You were right, Gabrielle. He is not from Suevi."

Gabrielle chewed slowly and watched Xena pace back and forth. "What did you do?"

"I interrogated him and also...left him a gift," she snickered and then saw a look of shock on her partner's face. "He deserved it. He's involved in the khat trade from Tunis. Sabaton told me that the drug lord's name is Mustafa. He lives in Tunis and there are multiple dealers in Corinth, Suevi and Rome. Ebnedzar had a large sum of coin inside his yurt. It has to be from the trades."

"You went into his yurt? God, Xena, I can't leave you alone for a second," she sighed and dropped the spoon onto her plate, completely losing her appetite. "Well, what did he say? Did you get anything out of him?"

Xena rubbed her chin and wagged her head. "He was resilient. He wouldn't budge." She stopped pacing and exhaled deeply. "That still doesn't explain why he went to that tribe in the outskirts of Pannonia. And why would he want Anastasius dead?"

Gabrielle wiped her mouth the back of her hand and cleared her throat. "Maybe he wants to establish a new Hun Empire, like the empire Anastasia wanted. Which by the way I don't think she's let go of that idea."

Xena spun around and widened her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Anastasia hasn't let go of that idea. She is telling Ellac to scout all the Hun tribes and place them under his reign. Ernak wanted to do something similar, but she wants a huge empire. I know that you took her position of commander away from her, but she hasn't let go of the idea. I think she's trying to take your place as commander."

Xena's upper lip quivered at the thought. She scratched her scalp and began pacing again, nervously. "How do you know about this?"

"I am good at spying," Gabrielle sheepishly smiled and Xena rolled her eyes. "You said it yourself that you don't want to be a commander anymore, Xena."

"That doesn't mean my daughter can take my place!" she hissed and Gabrielle lowered her gaze. She rubbed her face and grumbled. "She can't do this. I won't allow her."

Gabrielle lifted her eyes and frowned. "Wait just a minute, Xena. You can't dictate what she can do and what she can't do. You're doing it again and this is why you two get into arguments. Face it, Xena. She's more like you inside than you want to admit."

Xena scoffed. "She's too soft like Borias. She is nothing like me."

"Yes she is. You saw the way she conducted the meetings in Balaam. She is not weak. The only reason she needed your help was because she was pregnant. Now, guess what, she's not pregnant anymore and she's about to be the queen of the most powerful Hun tribe in the nation! You underestimate her, Xena."

"But...I thought she was going to resort to being a queen and live as –"

"A dutiful wife?" Gabrielle smirked. She stood and rubbed the warrior's arm. "You know she's not like that, Xena. You never were. What's so wrong about her wanting to take your place?"

"Because it's a hard life, Gabrielle! She will see things that she should not see!" Xena yelled and pinched the bridge of her nose. Her head pounding and sweat dripping down her forehead. "Why am I suddenly the last to know about everything around this damn place?" she muttered and then quickly left the yurt.

Gabrielle ran after her. "Xena!" she yelled and saw that Xena was not stopping. She was heading straight for the Adame. "Shit," she mumbled then sprinted across the field and stood in front of Xena's path.

"Out of my way, Gabrielle."

"No, not this time. You can't do this! You promised you would stop treating her like a child!"

"I'm not going to ask again," Xena said and Gabrielle folded her arms. "You're testing my patience."

"Let's see how long you last then," the blonde combated and Xena's nostrils flared. "Getting angry, aren't you, Xena?"

"Gabrielle, I'm warning you..."

"I'm not scared of you, Xena." Gabrielle smiled from ear to ear. "Why are you getting so upset about this? We've had this discussion already or are you just hurt that someone else is taking your place?"

Xena snarled. "I don't want that person to be my daughter! Anyone else but her...anyone."

Amira, one of Anastasia's handmaids interrupted the conversation and lowered her eyes. She extended her hand, holding a scroll. Xena snatched the scroll and Amira took a generous step backward. "What is this?" Xena asked.

"A coronation invitation, ma'am."

"Don't call me ma'am," Xena said and Amira nodded. "Who ordered this?"

"The queen," Amira answered meekly.

Gabrielle frowned. "What does it say?"

"It's a coronation for crowning...commanders," Xena's eyes dipped to the ground and she rolled up the scroll and handed it back to the handmaid. "You can tell the queen that I am not coming."

"Xena!" Gabrielle spat.

"I don't know what plans are being concocted in that Adame but they've done a very good job keeping me in the dark." Xena squinted her eyes, gawking at the large household that housed all the royal family members and then some. "And you kept this from me."

Gabrielle placed her hands on her hips, cocking her head. "Because I knew this is how you'd react. Face it, Xena, you don't want to let go of your position and it kills you to see your daughter taking that position for herself."

Xena's frown deepened. "Then I want to leave to go to Tunis."

"Right now?"

"Yes. I don't want to be at this coronation."

Gabrielle scoffed. "Xena, don't be ridiculous. That is so selfish of you! I can't believe you would do this."

"You don't understand, Gabrielle."

"Oh yeah, you're right. I don't understand anything. Not like I haven't been by your side for years and know everything about you. And I know you enough to know that this is stupid! You are acting stupid."

"Stupid?! Sikme," she cursed under her breath.

Gabrielle gasped. "That's just uncalled for, Xena. We aren't leaving."

"Then I'll just leave without you," Xena gave a mocking smile and turned around, walking back to the yurt.

"Where are you going now?!" she yelled out.

Xena mounted her horse, "to think," she kicked her horse and rode off through the grassy planes. Gabrielle huffed and crossed her arms.

Kreka sat on the floor, holding Arielle in her lap while Anastasia was busy signing and writing documents at the desk across the room. Leila sat anxiously next to the khatun and tried not to eye her as she felt very awkward and even uncomfortable around her at times. Erzibet sat on a chair with her thin legs crisscrossed and sewing a small scarf in her lap.

Leila lifted her eyes and saw everyone was busy do something except her. "What are you making, Erzibet?" she asked.

The thirteen year old furrowed her eyebrows and focused on sewing. Repeatedly sticking the needle in and out of the fabric. "I'm making a scarf for Csaba," she said and Anastasia looked over her shoulder, gawking at the girl.

"It looks nice," Leila said and Erzibet's cheeks flushed. Anastasia frowned and turned back around, sorting through the pile of papers on her desk.

Kreka held Arielle with one arm and poured tea into a glass then scooted the saucer towards Leila. The princess sighed heavily. "I can't drink this," she said. "I ate too much already. Please," she begged and Kreka narrowed her hazel eyes.

"At least you are able to stomach food," Ana bitterly said from across the room. "I was not able to keep food down through both of my pregnancies."

Erzibet looked over at her and then smiled at Leila. "Babies are so cute. Arielle is adorable," she said and Anastasia's eyebrow arched as she listened from afar.

Kreka smiled down at Arielle in her lap then glanced over at Anastasia sitting by herself at the desk. She could hear her muttering under her breath as she flipped through numerous pages. "Anastasia, why don't you take a break? You've been working on that for hours."

"I need to finish this. If I don't work on this and finish then I won't have time to do it later," Ana answered and dipped the quill into the ink and went back to writing and signing.

"You are going to burn yourself out, tatli kiz," Kreka warned.

"I don't need you to tell me what I should do, Kreka."

The khatun frowned and handed Arielle to Leila. "Go in the other room. Both of you," she ordered. Leila eyes widened and she got off the floor, hoisting Arielle on her hip and Erzibet hopped out of the chair, taking her half finished scarf with her.

She walked over to Anastasia and slammed her palm on the desk. Anastasia whipped her head around and glared up at the khatun. "That's enough."

"Kreka!" she snarled.

"You are not the queen yet. I know you don't see me as a figure of authority anymore, Anastasia, but I am still the queen and you have not earned the title yet. Just as you haven't earned the title of commander." Anastasia's mouth parted and Kreka nodded. "Yes, I know what you are doing and I suspect that your mother isn't very happy. I'm sure she has found out by now and if she hasn't then she will."

"I don't care if she is happy about it or not." Ana turned and began filing the papers again. "She can go on her adventure in Africa."

Kreka frowned. "Africa? What is in Africa?"

"Who knows." Ana shook her head. "I have a lot of work to do."

Kreka walked out of the Adame and went inside Xena's yurt, but much to her surprise, she didn't find Xena, but she did find Gabrielle. She cleared her throat and Gabrielle lifted her head from sharpening one of her swords.

"Kreka...what a surprise."

"Hmm," the khatun eyed the large yurt. "Where is Xena? I need to speak with her."

"Get in line," she grumbled. "She took off a few hours ago. I don't know where she is."

"You two are going to Africa?" Kreka asked and Gabrielle's face went pale. "I see."

"Anastasia told you," the blonde stated. "We aren't leaving yet, but Xena is a wild card right now. She found out that Anastasia is taking her place as commander and let's just say she was not too happy about it."

Kreka nodded. "I figured. Gabrielle, I've watched Anastasia grow up from the age of three. She has been in my life for a long time and now she is a woman and a very smart woman at that, just like Xena. I know you have known Xena for a long time, but I've known her longer. I've seen the things that she and my husband did together. They terrified the entire Hun nation and made people submit to us, sometimes against their will. I'm sure you know what I speak of. Anastasia's dream of a new empire is near and Ellac is listening to her. I've never seen such a husband and wife work together like this before. Not even Attila and I shared the same goals and I gave up my warrior ways to be a mother to my sons. Anastasia is following in Xena's path, although she is not as ruthless, she is far smarter than Xena."

Gabrielle frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"She's diplomatic. Something Xena never comprehended. She lives by a warrior's code. Anastasia is not a warrior, though she has been trained by Xena since she was a child. She is no stranger to the sword, but she knows how to use her mouth as a weapon. Xena strikes with her sword first and talks later. Anastasia is far more dangerous as a commander than Xena ever was."

"So, what are you saying? Are you going to take her title away as commander like Xena did in Balaam?" Gabrielle asked.

Kreka sighed and shook her head. "No. I'm not going to do that. Anastasia will become Ellac's commander no matter what and Xena can't accept that. Am I right?"

Gabrielle nodded. "She was really distraught. She says she doesn't want the position anymore yet she doesn't want her daughter to take her place either."

Kreka snorted and folded her arms. "She does not like to be replaced. She has been trying to get out of being a commander for years, yet it cannot escape her. Now that her place here in Pannonia is finally coming to a close, she is looking elsewhere to establish herself. That is why she wants to go to Africa. She can't stop and she will never stop."

"Except," Gabrielle paused, "she doesn't want to be a commander in Africa. She wants to be involved with the drug trades in Tunis."

"Drug trades," the khatun smirked. "That might be interesting to see."

Xena rode to the secluded tribe that Ebnedzar traveled to. Gabrielle recalled the location and Xena knew exactly where it was. She wanted to see what was so special about this small tribe in the outer rim of Pannonia that would lure Ebnedzar to strike a deal to possibly assassinate Anastasius.

She trotted through the gates and the soldiers guarding the skirts of the camp looked up at her in fear. One of the men turned and yelled out, "it's the commander!"

Everyone turned around and saw her riding into the camp. Many of the men gawked up at her in awe, while others feared her. She grimaced at them all and saw the Bey emerge from his yurt. She dismounted her horse and approached him.

"Are you in charge here?" she asked.

The Bey nodded. "Yes, I am. My name is Tarsan. It is unusual for you to come all the way to the barren side of Pannonia, commander." He bowed his head.

She pursed her lips and eyed the men guarding the area. "Well, I hear you have business with some of my people. I want to talk to you. Alone."

Tarsan's face paled and he put on a false smile. "Of course, Xena. Right this way." He motioned to his yurt and she brushed by him, storming inside. He frowned and turned to his second in command. "Guard her horse," he whispered.

He walked into his home and saw Xena standing in the center with her arms folded defiantly. "You are aware that any act that goes against your king is treason, right?"

He nodded. "I would never commit such an act, commander."

"You had a guest come to your yurt days ago. There has been a rumor that you have men traveling to Constantinople to assassinate Anastasius. If this is true I suggest you tell me now or things are about to get real ugly and I must warn you, I leave large messes." She smirked.

The Bey nervously chuckled. "Commander, these are just rumors. I assure you that my men are stationed where they need to be. They have no business in the Roman Empire."

"You're lying to me, Tarsan." She pulled out her sword and he gasped, backing away from her. "Start talking or I'll cut off your hands and feed them to the dogs."

"Commander, why would I lie to you?"

She stepped closer and pointed her blade at his chest. "I do not have time for this! I am getting impatient." She grit her teeth and he raised his hands for surrender.

"I did send men to Constantinople."

"To assassinate Anastasius."

"Not to assassinate him, but overthrow him."

"Who came to your yurt?" she asked, trying to pry the truth out. She knew Ebnedzar came here, but she wanted to hear it from his lips.

"A man...I have never seem him before."

She smiled, "you're lying again, Bey."

"A man from Suevi..." he eyed the blade and felt the sharp end poking his chest.

"Now we're getting somewhere. Who was he? Tell me."

"I have only met him a few times. He is in charge of the drug trades in Tunis. He opted to give me a portion of his coin if I overthrow Anastasius."

Xena lowered her sword and he exhaled a sigh of relief. "Thank you for your cooperation." She smiled and then kicked him down to the ground. He groaned and she grabbed his hands and reached for her whip on her belt and tied his wrists together.

"Commander!" he cried.

"You are under arrest for treason against the king of Pannonia." She grabbed his arm, hoisting him up off the floor and pushed him outside.

Tarsan's men unsheathed their swords and she pointed her blade at them all. "Strike now and you will all be beheaded!" she warned and they lowered their weapons. "He is my property now." She shoved the Bey. "Get on the horse!" she hissed and she helped him get on her horse and she got on shortly after.

"Anyone else that is involved in the drug trades will be arrested for treason!" She said and kicked her horse, riding out of the small encampment.

Ellac and Anastasia were inside his chambers, discussing the next move for Constantinople and what they were to do with Ebnedzar and his mysterious appearance, when the doors swung open and Xena walked in with Tarsan, tied up.

Xena threw the Bey on the tile floor and Ellac frowned. "What is this? Who is this?" he asked.

"A traitor, working for Ebnedzar. He is the Bey that ordered men be sent to overthrow Anastasius."

Anastasia frowned and stepped forward. "Nobody ordered you to do this, mother."

"I don't see you doing anything about it," Xena snapped at her daughter. "Aren't you the new commander?" she said and Ana's eyes narrowed. "Yes, I know all about your plans. Lesson number one, know your enemies and trap them when necessary." She grabbed the Bey's hair and reared his back. "Execute this man publicly."

Ellac sighed. "I'm not going to execute him without more evidence."

Xena scoffed. "He is a traitor, Ellac. Use your power as king and execute him!" she said and both the young king and queen stared at her with stone cold expressions. "You can't be serious."

She smiled mockingly and took a good look at her daughter. She was no longer wearing her cotton long dresses anymore, but wore black pants and a corset. "If you don't kill him then I will. You are not brave enough to be a commander, Anastasia."

Anastasia snarled and grabbed Ellac's sword from his holster and marched over to the prisoner and looked into her mother's eyes seriously. She grabbed the Bey's head and sliced into his neck slowly as she kept her eyes focused on her mother the entire time.

Tarsan began choking on his blood as the blade dug deeper into his throat. Anastasia grit her teeth and with a clean swipe, she separated head from body. Lifting up the Bey's head, blood dripped onto the tile floor and Xena's eyes widened.

"Problem solved." She said and dropped the man's head on the ground and wiped the blade on her pants. She waved at the guards by the doors who stood frozen and in shock. "Take his body outside and tie him to a pole."

Xena gasped and the guards drug away the Bey's decapitated body, leaving a trail of blood across the floor. "Anastasia, what do you think you're doing? You are going to cause a scene."

"Precisely. If anyone else tries to betray the kingdom then the Bey will serve as an example." Anastasia said and smiled crookedly at her mother.

"You should have executed him publicly to set an example! Not in private! Now the people will fear you!"

"You think you know everything, mother!" the queen spat. "Attila is not in charge here anymore and neither are you. This is a new empire –a better one."

Xena shook her head then left the chambers, pushing a guard out of her way.

Gabrielle ran outside with Kreka when they both heard a lot of commotion outside. They halted when they saw a man's body being hoisted up on a large wooden pole at least fifteen feet tall. Gabrielle's eyes widened and saw the body had no head and his clothes drenched in blood.

"What is this savagery?" said Kreka and turned to see Xena coming straight towards them.

"Xena!" Gabrielle ran to her and saw her face with the ugliest expression she'd ever seen and her eyes with such fire. She felt an emptiness inside her and looked back at the decapitated man in the center of the camp. "Did you do that?"

Xena spun around and grimaced. "No, I didn't!"

"Then who did?" Kreka asked.

"My daughter," Xena stated and Gabrielle covered her mouth. Kreka furrowed her eyebrows. "She executed him right in front of me. I suppose that's what I get for challenging her."

Kreka shook her head and saw a crowd around the body. "And you said she was not fit to be a commander."

Xena frowned sadly and looked back at the Bey. He was put on display to instill fear in others. "We should leave," she said and turned to Gabrielle.

Gabrielle lifted her wide eyes, gawking at her consort. "Leave? Now? After that?!"

"We have bigger problems to worry about. We're going to Tunis. I have information about Ebnedzar's drug trading business. It is obvious that I am not needed here and I'm not sure I want to see what lays ahead."