Nearing the end! But is not over yet :)

Chapter 40 –Byzantium Part III

Gabrielle walked into the king's quarters and saw Ernak sitting down at his brother's desk, writing the letter that he promised to write. She closed the doors behind her and he lifted his head. "Gabrielle, you aren't supposed to be in here."

She walked over and slammed her palms on the desk, causing him to flinch. "I don't care about your formal rules, Ernak. Xena has lost her mind. She refuses to help your brother and her own daughter in this war. You know as well as I do that she is a better commander than Anastasia will ever be."

The prince frowned and rose from the chair. "I don't disagree with you, but I can't go behind Xena's back. If she doesn't want to interfere that is her choice. Why are you suddenly combating her decision? Don't you two always work together when it comes to things such as this?"

He was right, she thought, and Xena was normally right about a lot of things, but this wasn't one of them. Xena didn't want to step all over Ana's toes, but Gabrielle couldn't allow this war to go against their favor. Not only were the Persians attacking but Odoacer was backing the Shahs in this war. He wanted his own race to be wiped off the face of this earth.

"This is wrong and you know it, Ernak. It is her destiny to command an army. She didn't change while we were in Africa. She took charge of a tribal army in the desert. She can't run from her destiny."

"Perhaps her destiny is to stand down and let others fall." He sat down and dipped the pen into the inkpad.

Her mouth gaped. "Even if that means her own daughter?"

He nodded. "I won't go against Xena and her word. She has as much status as my own mother in this nation. She could be given the title of khatun if she allowed it. Now if you will excuse me, I have a letter to write to my brother."

Gabrielle huffed and folded her arms. She watched Ernak write neatly on the parchment and couldn't believe what he was saying. He'd rather listen to Xena than go against her. He was not willing to rise to power and outrank Xena. She was not even related to her, yet he treated her as if she were his second mother.

"So, that's it? We're going to sit here in paradise while your people are being slaughtered to death?"

"Gabrielle. Get out," he pointed to the door and glared up at her. "Hadi ordan!" he pointed at the doors and she gasped before storming out of the quarter's.

Xena took off her long black coat and set it aside on the bed. She was talking away while Gabrielle sat idly on the bed, pretending to listen. Occasionally nodding her head and saying a couple of words here and there. She couldn't remember the last time when Xena spoke so much and she should be thankful that her warrior was so happy to be back home. After all, she was surrounded by family and the people she loved, all except one.

Ernak had been persistent and refused to betray Xena and go against her word. Gabrielle knew that Xena wanted her daughter to be more independent and she had been since she was a teenager and perhaps even a child. The way Xena made it sound, her never being around Anastasia as a child, it would seem like her daughter looked after herself a lot of the time. Ana never asked for help and when she did, she loathed herself for it. Stubbornness obviously ran in the family genes. Gabrielle wanted to help but she couldn't convince Xena to do anything.

"Did you see the look on Kreka's face? I've never seen her so excited in my life," Xena chuckled and placed her boots at the end of the bed. She sat down beside her quiet blonde. "What's wrong?"

Gabrielle smiled weakly and rubbed her temple. "Nothing. It's been a long day."

"I'll say. Arielle is a handful. I hope Erzibet can handle her for the night and I hope she doesn't burst in here like she did last time." Xena sighed and felt an anxious tension between the two. "Gabrielle, you're not acting like yourself."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not. Something is bothering you." Xena nudged her arm with a smile. She wasn't one to pry things out of her partner. That was usually Gabrielle's job, but she had never seen her so agitated before. "Gabrielle?"

She couldn't take it anymore. Xena was being far too nice. Gabrielle hopped off the bed and groaned loudly. Xena's eyes widened at her sudden switch in mood. "You! It's you! You're the one who is bothering me!"

"Me? What did I do?"

"You refuse to help your own daughter in a war that you know she can't win. She is already injured and still carries on. Yet you want to stay here and let thousands of your people die. Xena, I don't understand you! You didn't even want her to be a commander in the first place!"

Xena frowned. "First you get angry at me for going against my daughter's wishes. Now you're mad at me because I won't interfere? What side are you on Gabrielle? What's it going to be? I'm not some kind magician. I can't be in two places at once. I do want to help her but I promised I'd stay out of her way. When she receives that letter of my presence in Pannonia again, she is going to think that I will come and stomp all over her campaign."

"Xena! This is different! You were so prideful and selfish before we left. You didn't want to give up your position as commander so you left. You ran away from your problems –"

"I did not!"

"Yes you did! You were angry at your daughter because something was taken away from you. Admit it, Xena, you were angry. You couldn't stay any longer and that's why we left to Africa. Who cares about the khat trades? That's not the real reason we left and you know it."

The warrior rose and clenched her jaw. "Don't test my patience, Gabrielle."

"What are you going to do?" Gabrielle stepped closer, glaring up at the tall warrior. She shoved her and Xena gasped. "Are you going to hit me?" she shoved her again and Xena fell onto the bed. She saw the fire in the raven haired woman's eyes. A fire that had been put out. "You won't do it, Xena. You don't like it when the truth is right in front of you. You always said you hate liars yet you are lying to yourself." She shoved her shoulder and Xena snarled. "Don't like that, do you? When someone tells you the truth?"

"Knock it off, Gabrielle," Xena warned and she was shoved in her shoulder again. "I am warning you."

Why won't you realize it, Xena? "Why? Because you'll hit me?" Gabrielle smiled and pushed the warrior's shoulder again. Xena bit her tongue and averted her gaze. She saw Xena's chest rise and fall heavily. Good, you are getting angry. "You're just going to sit back and let your daughter die? Like Borias? Like your brothers? Like Attila? That doesn't sound like the Xena I know. The Xena I know wouldn't let a hair touch her daughter yet you choose to ignore her and live here."

Xena rose off the bed and raised her hand to strike Gabrielle. Her eyes widened and she didn't see fear in the blonde's eyes but a small smile on her lips. Xena eyed her and lowered her hand slowly down to her side. Gabrielle stepped forward and gripped the warrior's shoulders.

"And the Xena I know would never hurt someone she loves. Although...you cut it pretty close."

Xena frowned and turned her back to Gabrielle. "I could have hit you. Why did you do that? Why did you say those things to me?"

"Because you think that you can change your destiny and your path but you can't. You thought that running from Pannonia would save you but the realization is that...it only caused more problems. This war with Persia probably would have never happened if we stayed. You could have convinced Ana –"

"She doesn't listen to me. She thinks she knows better," Xena said. "I don't understand you. You wanted Anastasia take my place and now you're giving me grief for allowing her to have it."

Gabrielle smiled and sat on the bed, pulling Xena down to sit beside her. "No, I wanted you to stop treating her like a child. If you had stopped doing that earlier, she would have probably asked for your advice. She just wants you to notice her and be proud of her."

"Killing thousands of people isn't the way," Xena frowned. "I want to help her, Gabrielle, but I can't. She will only get furious and hate me even more than she already does."

"She doesn't hate you. I don't know what is going on in that head of yours but I have never seen you turn down a fight. I thought you would be all over the war with Persia."

Xena smiled faintly. "Maybe if I was commanding the army." She stood and folded her arms, staring at the large windows. The moon was large and full. A horrible night for warriors. Chaos was brewing, she could feel it. She didn't have to be in the battlefield to know that. "I can't leave Pannonia."

"Why not? We just came back from a long trip."

"Because I need to stay here."

"Xena, you're not making any sense."

The warrior slowly turned around, staring at her partner's bemused expression. It was hopeless and maybe impossible for her to understand. "I feel like I'm obligated to stay. I don't want to leave Arielle here."

Gabrielle nodded, sort of understand what was going on here. "She reminds you of Anastasia when you used to leave her and go off on your missions." The look on Xena's face gave it away. "You can't redo your past, Xena. Sometimes I wish I could but then I wouldn't have met you. You're going to torture yourself over this, you know."

"But I don't want my daughter to be like me. I tried so hard to make her the complete opposite of me but it didn't work. She's doing the exact same thing I did. I can't leave, Gabrielle." She knelt down and grasped the blonde's hands. "I don't expect you to understand."

"I think I understand," Gabrielle cast her warrior a crooked grin. "I just want you to be happy, Xena but I don't want you to get so far off your path that you lose yourself. You can't deny who you are." She explained and Xena hung her head. "I love you more than anything. You're the best person in my life and I hope I am enough to make you happy."

Xena frowned sadly. "You are, Gabrielle! You are so many things that I can't describe in a single phrase. I want to help Anastasia in many ways but I can't be two places at once."

The blonde quirked her mouth and bobbed her head slowly, thinking of a plan that could work. "Maybe you can be."

"What?"

"Maybe you can be in two places at once." Gabrielle hopped off the bed and paced the room. Xena slumped down on the floor, leaning her back against the bed. "You could figure out what is going on in Syria and maybe combat Odoacer somehow? We don't have to leave Pannonia to do that. You can tell Ernak what to do. You give him the orders so you aren't really...commanding the nation..."

Xena raised an eyebrow. "Are you insane?"

"Hear me out. You give Ernak the orders and put him in charge of everything. Maybe Ebnedzar could help too. He's pretty sneaky, right?" Gabrielle wriggled her eyebrows and Xena grumbled under her breath. "Come on. Ana doesn't have to know you're doing anything and you won't be stepping all over her. What do you think?"

"I think you have lost your mind," Xena said and saw her partner's face falter. "But, it is not a bad idea," she smiled.

Two Months Later

Ellac and Navaz sat on horseback watching the battle between them and Persia, sit at a standstill. Peroz was going to stop at nothing until every single last Hun was dead. He hoped they would eventually surrender, but that was unlikely. Four months of warring was not going to deter the Hun armies. For two days the war had stopped. Navaz knew that they couldn't stay here long. Their supply was withering down into nothing and they lost three hundred men.

The Romans provided by Anastasius were a great help, but even with the Roman Imperial Army, they weren't enough to combat Peroz and Odoacer's men. Navaz watched Peroz sitting on his horse arrogantly over the hill.

"We should go to Balaam and gather more supplies. Pannonia is too far from here," Navaz suggested.

Ellac nodded. "We need to keep some of the men here in case Peroz decides to attack again. Anastasius was supposed to send more troops. They should have been here by now."

"Trusting Romans is never a good idea. Perhaps he has turned on us and changed his mind."

"I doubt that. He is a great friend to Anastasia. He would never do that. I sense something might have happened." Ellac said and saw the Shah waving at them. Chuckling he turned to the White Hun king. "Shall we go talk to him?"

Navaz raised an eyebrow, "shouldn't we ask Anastasia first? She will know what to do."

"We are kings, Navaz. We do not need to consult her on every little thing that we do," he said and Navaz sighed heavily.

"But she is the commander."

"And a good one at that," Ellac stated. He heard a horse approaching from behind and immediately turned to see his queen riding towards them both. Navaz averted his gaze back to Peroz who was waiting among his men and Romans on the hill.

She halted in between both of the kings and glared at the Persian Shah. "He thinks we are going to surrender," she gathered. "We've lost too many men. He's only lost a hundred or so but I know he has thousands of men at his disposal."

"We need more manpower," Ellac suggested. A messenger on horseback trotted up to him and handed over a letter. He frowned and opened the message. Anastasia peered over and then looked to Navaz to which he cast her a warm half smile. "A letter from my brother," he said and read quickly. "Your mother is in Pannonia again."

Ana's head hung and she pursed her lips. She was glad to know that her mother and Gabrielle had returned safely from Africa. She wanted to see her and thought she could really use her mother's advice right now. She didn't want to surrender to Persia. She couldn't allow it to happen.

Ellac's eyebrows raised and he folded up the parchment, tucking it in his belt. "Ernak is sending us reinforcements."

"He is?" Ana surprisingly said. "How did he do that?"

The king shrugged a shoulder. "He's sending men from the Akitziri, Onogur, Khazar and Nezak tribes. Somehow I don't think Ernak was the brains behind that idea," he smirked. "He is not that ambitious."

She smiled, knowing what he was implying. "My mother. Of course." She wasn't angry that her mother was sending troops to aid them. In fact, it was much needed. Over the last few months she realized that it was probably not the best idea to war against the Sassanians, but it was too late to turn back now. She had her heart set on winning.

Navaz cleared his throat, "alright commander, what should we do now? Shall we talk to Peroz?"

Her eyes darkened, watching the Shah waiting for their white flag to wave in the air. "No. We go to Balaam to resupply. When the other tribes arrive, we will be notified and come back to attack Persia full force. We will keep the Shahs guessing and wondering." She smiled then kicked her horse, trotting off north towards Balaam.

Over the hill, Peroz watched the kings and queen desert their posts, but the army remained where they were. "What in blazing hell are they doing?" he growled.

General Basilius of Rome approached the Shah. "They did not take this as a need for surrender. They will return, sir."

Peroz laughed watching the head leaders of the Hun armies ride off over the hill together. "Fine. They can run and hide. I will wait patiently for their next attack. I will make sure that they perish at my hand. By the end of summer, there will be no more Huns. I want the kings' heads delivered to me by the end of the war."

"Of course, Shah..." Basilius bowed his head. "Should I write to Odoacer and tell him of our victories?"

"No. We have not won yet. I know the Huns will try and defeat me but they can't. They haven't got the men or the weapons to do so. It will be a spectacle for sure." Peroz smiled. "See that the wounded are tended to and burn the corpses. I will return to the palace to inform my brother of the recent desertion."

Loud drums sounded throughout the gates of Pannonia. Soldiers dressed in red and bronzed armor rode through the gates. They did not bother to announce themselves, as their clothing revealed who they were instantly. Ernak, Dengizich, Xena and Gabrielle walked outside of the Adame. Romans, hordes of Romans surrounded the Adame.

Ernak stepped down and crossed his arms, glaring up at the Roman officer in the middle of his horde. "What brings you here? Are you part of Emperor Anastasius' army?"

The officer, Octus grinned and gave the Hun prince a simple nod. "Of course. Constantinople sends a message to you." He waved his hand to the men standing beside him. Bags were distributed on the ground and Ernak eyed the bags suspiciously. He suspected they could be bombs inside or something far more sinister.

The soldiers opened the bags and out rolled heads of Ashina Hun soldiers, women, men, children. Ernak's eyes grew in fear and his stomach churned in disgust at the horrid sight before him. Gabrielle turned, not able to bear the sight before her.

"And...this is the message you send," the prince began, barely able to stand the stench around him. His brothers and sisters of the Ashina were gone, all of them. Hundreds of people executed and for what purpose? "Emperor Anastasius makes himself an enemy of the Huns. This is not a wise choice."

Octus smirked and spread his arm out. "This green land will turn red with the blood of your people, Hun prince. It is not Emperor Anastasius you should take vengeance on but General Justinian. He will take the crown of the empire and claim the throne for himself. If God wills it, then he shall rid you people from this earth. Good day to you, Hun prince," he bowed his head then yelled at his soldiers to quickly vacate the area.

Ernak shook his head and turned to see the disgusted faces of his older brother, Xena and Gabrielle. The Bulgurs gathered around outside of their yurts. The horror on their faces was enough to set the young prince off. The encampment was silent, but the eyes of the Huns said it all.

"Clean this up," he waved his hand to the Bulgur soldiers. "I will not have this displayed in front of my people." He walked up the stairs to the Adame and looked at his brother's solemn face. Xena and Gabrielle were too horrified to say anything or look him in the eye. He brushed by the three and entered his home. He had to tell his mother and uncle as much as he hated to.

Kreka sat on the floor for the last hour without saying a word. Her son told her what happened and Peticus warned her what might happen to their people if he did not free them. There was no way he could have made it back to Syria in time to save his tribe. Now everyone was dead. The Ashina Hun tribe was no more. No child, no woman nor man was alive. Kreka and Peticus, the last of their kind, inside the Adame of Attila, were spared.

Ernak and Dengi sat opposite their mother and expected her to react furiously but she sat in silence. Ernak explained everything to her and he did not expect his mother to be so silent about such a tragedy. Perhaps she was bottling up all her feelings inside or maybe she was furious and filled with hatred and rage, words could not escape her lips.

"Mother, will you not say anything? Your people were slaughtered by the Romans yet you sit idly like a frightened sheep!" Ernak yelled. Dengi grabbed his arm roughly and Ernak shot him a glare. "Mother! Have you no pride? No decency to show some emotion to mourn the loss of your people?!"

"Brother!" Dengizich hissed. "You will not talk to our mother in that tone," he warned. Ernak grunted and was probably more angry than his mother, yet he was more than disappointed to see she did not feel the same. Dengizich had never seen his mother so silent and distraught. She was hurting inside and refused to show it. When she was in pain she always hid her emotions, but this was different. She was denying herself the ability to express pain and sorrow of her own people.

"We should find this General Justinian and decapitate him for his crimes. He has committed genocide on our people. He does not even have the courage to show his face. He hides from us because he fears us." Ernak stood and glared down at his emotionless mother. "I will find him and kill him." He stormed out of the room.

Dengizich wagged his head at his hothead little brother. He grabbed his mother's hand, staring into her soulless eyes. "Mother, you must forgive him. He is upset. We will find who did this and eradicate him. I swear to you." He smiled and she finally looked into his dark brown eyes.

"You should be with your wife and daughter," she said flatly.

"Leila will understand. I should be with you right now," he insisted and his mother smiled weakly.

"I want to be alone, tatli cocuk," she pat his face gently and he sighed deeply. "Thank you. Now, go." She said firmly.

Dengizich walked to the doors and took one last look at his mother. He huffed then closed the doors behind him to go see his wife and one month old daughter like he was instructed to do. Kreka, now alone in her room, she was able to fully digest what happened. Her people were gone. The Romans were truly trying to get rid of the Huns. They were going to get rid of everyone, tribe by tribe. The Persians were working with Odoacer and this General Justinian, supposedly loyal to Emperor Anastasius, was betraying his ruler and empire. A treasonous act that would go unnoticed and most likely end in Anastasius' death.

Tears streamed down her cheeks and she exhaled deeply, letting out a wail as she cried heavily. Finally alone, she was able to express her true emotions. Breathing heavily and unsteadily, she buried her face in her hands as her entire body trembled.

Peticus stood outside his sister's room and heard her wailing. He frowned sadly and desperately wanted to talk to her but he knew that it was best that she be left alone. She was too proud a woman to allow anyone to see her in such pain and distress. He made a promise to himself that he would avenge his people's deaths and see Justinian struck through his blade. A promise that will be fulfilled no matter the costs or how long it took.

"I say we barge into Constantinople and kill Justinian," Ernak said as he paced in his brother's quarters. Xena and Gabrielle stood watching the prince talk to himself more or less than to them. "Or perhaps we should just wipe out all of the empire's army and kill Emperor Anastasius too!" he smiled deviously.

"Ernak, stop it. You are talking like a mad man," Xena butted in.

"You don't get to say anything, Xena! My mother's people are gone! They were murdered! And we are sitting here doing nothing about it! I will not let Justinian do this to any of our other tribes. Their deaths will be avenged. I assure you."

She sighed. "You are not thinking clearly. We have sent all of the able bodied men to Persia to help your brother and Anastasia. Peroz is the one who captured all the Ashina and imprisoned them in Syria. Anastasius is not your enemy, Peroz is. We need to make sure Ana and Ellac win. We don't have time to take vengeance on Justinian."

He scoffed and marched over to her, staring directly into her icy eyes. "So we just let the soysuz run free? I think not! I will kill him and parade his head on the gates of Pannonia!"

Xena frowned and slapped Ernak in the face to make him come to his senses. Gabrielle's jaw dropped and she saw the large handprint imprinted on the prince's face. Ernak inhaled deeply and he touched his sore reddened cheek.

"That's enough. You need to pull yourself together, Ernak! Yes, your mother's people are gone. Yes, there is no more Ashina tribe. Yes, Justinian is to blame. But Persia is the enemy here and if you don't start thinking clearly you are going to drive yourself insane. So, I suggest you come to your senses and hope to the Gods that we are victorious against Peroz and Hormizd. Justinian can be dealt with later."

"You struck me," he could barely believe it. He had never been hit before by her or even his own mother. She seemed unfazed by what she had done and he was so surprised and still in shock that his own mentor, his second mother, his father's friend, hit him.

She folded her arms and glared at the prince. "It was for your own good." He stared at her like a child after he had been spanked for doing something wrong. "I care about you, Ernak. You are like a son to me and I don't want you to go down a path of vengeance. It isn't as great as everyone says it is. You need to be the great prince that your father wanted you to be. Look to the future and don't focus on the past." She smiled and rubbed his arm.

Xena and Gabrielle walked to Arielle's bedroom after that little conversation with Ernak. Gabrielle had never seen Xena do something like that before and she wasn't sure if Xena did that out of love or impatience.

"I wasn't expecting you to do that," Gabrielle said, rubbing her own arm anxiously.

Xena sighed. "He wouldn't stop, Gabrielle. He knows that I love him and care for him. He will realize why I did that. Maybe not now, but later."

She opened the door and saw Arielle hovering over her cousin's bassinet. Smiling warmly, she approached her curious granddaughter and knelt down. Arielle gasped seeing her grandmother and smiled. Arielle pointed to her cousin, Giselle, a name that Kreka picked out herself and Leila and Dengi agreed to.

"You're watching over her, huh?" Xena whispered and Arielle nodded. "You have to be really quiet."

Arielle nodded again and put her finger to her lips. Gabrielle smirked, thinking how nice it must be to be a child and oblivious to the awful things around them. "Hey Arielle, would you like me to tell you a story?"

The princess gasped and ran over to Gabrielle. The two sat down on the floor and leaned against a large pile a pillows. "How 'bout I tell you a story about your mother?"

"Mommy?" Arielle's face contorted confusedly.

"Yeah. I know you'll love it. What do you think?" she grabbed the toddler and set her down in her lap.

"Okay!" Arielle cheered excitedly and Xena cringed, immediately looking over at baby Giselle, hoping she wouldn't wake up. Arielle covered her mouth, a bit embarrassed. "Sorry..." she whispered.

"A quiet story..." Xena advised then took a seat next to Gabrielle.

Erzibet spotted Csaba sitting on the steps of the Adame by himself. Yesterday was hard on everyone and she heard of the news from Oran earlier today. Now the sky was filled with stars and she wondered how Csaba felt knowing that the Ashina Huns were no more. She hadn't been able to spend much time with him and without his queenly mother hovering over him, he no longer felt obligated to be around her much.

She waltzed over and sat beside him. The prince, startled by her presence, scooted over to give her some space. She adjusted the black veil, hiding her face, and looked up at the night sky. "I...I'm sorry about Kreka Khatun's people. She must be having a difficult time with all of this."

He nodded. "She's a strong woman. I know that she will recover. She is the last of her kind along with her older brother." He sighed and picked at his fingernails mindlessly.

Suddenly, Erzibet was at a loss for words. She had come to terms with her homeland being ransacked and destroyed by Csaba's mother and father, but she wondered if she would ever see her parents again. She hadn't seen them in a year and knew that her mother must be worried about her. Part of her wanted to go back home as this marriage alliance wasn't exactly in affect anymore. Although, Anastasia insisted on her staying here and forgetting about Persia as her home. Being half Hun herself, she didn't feel the same connection with these people compared to her life back in Persia. She also knew that her cousins, Peroz and Hormizd, didn't care much about her. They basically used her and sold her to the Huns. She was a pawn in it all. Perhaps, it was best that she stay here and get used to it.

"Csaba, can I ask you something?"

He looked into her honey colored eyes and frowned. "Sure."

She inhaled deeply and knew she was going to regret asking this. It was a good thing that he couldn't see her flushed cheeks beneath the veil. "If you weren't forced to be around me, would you like me more?"

He smiled and turned away, a bit embarrassed to answer. Soon, he would be fifteen and he would be given the option to marry this girl in a few years or turn her away. "I don't really know anything about you except that you like to sew and weave. I've never even seen your face before!" he chuckled.

Her head dipped and he turned to see her solemn eyes. "Oh," he scooted closer to her and grabbed her hand. "I do like you, Erzibet. You're really nice, very nice, in fact. I'm sure that any man in your homeland would be begging at their feet to marry you."

She half smiled and knew that he did not love her, but this alliance was never about love. He didn't know anything about her and she soon began to blame herself. Maybe she should have been more assertive. He was used to strong assertive women. He had many in his life –his mother, grandmother and Kreka Khatun. All were great women and didn't take no for an answer. Everyone listened to them. She was too quiet for this Hun prince.

He felt awkward being around her while she remained silent. He slipped his hand away and looked to the skies, averting his gaze. Erzibet wanted to get his attention somehow. She didn't want to be ignored by him even though he was not doing it on purpose.

Slowly, she slipped the veil off her ears and revealed her face. She took the headpiece off her long brown hair and took the pin out of her bun. Her long hair came tumbling down her back, going completely unnoticed by Csaba.

"Csaba," she said and he turned towards her.

He gasped and stood up, startled by her unveiled face. It was the first time he lay eyes on her and she was gorgeous. Pale face, dark eyes, dark hair and fair lips with a perfect long thin nose to compliment the rest of her features. His mother said that Erzibet was beautiful, but he thought she was just trying to make him feel better. Somehow, he suddenly wished she was wrong and Erzibet turned out to be hideous, but she wasn't.

"Wow," he managed to say. "Wow."

She raised an eyebrow and smiled at his demure reaction. "Is that all you're going to say?"

"Yes," he said and then cringed. "I mean no. I mean –" he sighed deeply and his cheeks flushed. "You're really beautiful. Cok güzel," he smiled brightly and she grinned then rose from her seat. He panicked and began backing away slowly as if she were some kind of disease coming to invade his body.

"I'm not going to hurt you, silly. Are you afraid of me now?" she grabbed his hand and he flinched.

"No, of course not."

"You act like you've never seen a girl before, Csaba," she grinned mischievously.

He smirked. "Well, you know, I haven't really. Not many girls in Pannonia except for my sister."

Erzibet looked into the prince's scared green eyes and felt a bit relieved that she had shown her face to him. Perhaps now, he will pay attention to me, she thought and hoped.

"Listen, um, Erzibet, I don't know if you're supposed to take your veil off or not. I don't want to be disrespect you or anything." He stood back from her and let go of her hand.

"Csaba, it's my choice. So, what do you want to do now? Can we do something fun like stuff you do with Oran?"

He looked at her curiously and then folded his arms. "You want to go riding?" he asked and she nodded. "Really? You don't mind being alone with me?"

"You're not going to hurt me are you?"

"No!" he said firmly and then relaxed. "No, I would never do that. If I did my mother would beat me until I'm black and blue," he said half jokingly.

Xena looked out the window of the bedroom and saw her grandson talking with Erzibet without her veil on. "Hey Gabrielle, come look at this," she waved her hand.

The blonde sighed and hopped off the bed. She was just getting settled in for the night and after what happened yesterday, she felt very drained. Waltzing over to the window she peeked out and gasped at what she witnessed. "Oh those two," she shook her head. "They better stay away from each other."

"Oh no, I think they should be around each other more. I don't like Csaba hanging around Oran. That boy seems like a troublemaker and I definitely know that he is because he is Ebnedzar's son." She smiled and watched the two walk together towards the stables. "They're going riding somewhere."

"Xena!" Gabrielle grabbed her partner's arm. "I thought you of all people would be against teenagers hanging around each other. Especially after what happened with Anastasia and Ellac at their age."

Xena shrugged her shoulder, continuing to spy on the two teens. "This is different. These two fools don't know each other like Ana and Ellac did."

"I don't know Xena. I don't want any more angry mothers around here."

"You worry too much, Gabrielle. I will keep an eye on them. I'm not leaving Pannonia, remember?" Xena winked and her partner rolled her eyes than padded back to the bed to get ready to sleep after a long couple of days. "I will scare them senseless."

"It's what you do best," she teased.

Spring came and went as did summer and now fall season begins to turn to the harsh winters of Persia and White Hun territory. The tribes that Ernak sent over to fight against Peroz and Hormizd had succeeded in defeating more than half of Peroz's army. Odoacer stopped sending aid to Peroz as soon as he found out the war was losing on his end. The Huns knew that if they kept attacking Persia, the arrogant monarchs would give up and surrender somehow.

Anastasia, fully healed from her injuries stood far back in the camp, watching Persia burn and wither to nothing. She had a determined look in her eyes. She longed to see Persia fall but she also wanted to go back to Pannonia, her home. She wanted to see her children and mother. Knowing that her children were without her for so long upset her, and now she understood what her mother finally meant. You really can't be in two places at once. Though, she was forever grateful for her mother for not interfering directly in the war and also for watching her children while she was away. She missed Csaba's fifteenth birthday and her daughter's second birthday. Arielle would be three soon and when this was all over, she would make sure to stay in Pannonia for as long as she could.

Ellac rode up to the camp with a big grin on his face. "Navaz is with the front fleet. Peroz is irritated and hides in his palace. Odoacer will not be sending more troops. I think we are going to win."

She nodded. "Good."

"When this all over we can finally celebrate our victory against Persia." He hopped off the steed and stood beside his queen. "And we can go home."

Home. So far yet so close. The two longed to go home after being away for so long. "I don't know why he just does not surrender. He's lost more than half his men. We are slaughtering him."

"He is prideful and hopeful that his Roman ally will send him aid. Odoacer doesn't like to lose and he knows when a war is pointless." He looked for some reaction from his wife but her mind was elsewhere. "If Ernak didn't send men from the other tribes then I don't know what we would have done."

She smiled. "My mother sent those troops, not your brother. We both know that."

"Thank the heavens for your mother then," he nudged her arm and she playfully hit him back in the shoulder. "When we claim Persia, we should give half the land to Navaz."

She eyed him curiously and raised an eyebrow. "You would do that? Why?"

"Because he helped us. We would be nothing without him. Right?" he cast a warm smile and she nodded, knowing that Navaz had been a great help and not just for the sake of winning a war. She was able to be with Ellac and that only happened because Navaz let it be so. He could have kept her for himself but he knew that was wrong. These two men in her life were very wonderful and had their special traits. They were different but they had one thing in common and that was being kind and selfless. They both cared for her and she'd never forget that.

"Ellac...you know that Navaz will be a part of my life forever."

He knew where she was going with that and she said it many times. "Yes, I know. I must admit that I was jealous at first."

"Jealous?!" she scoffed.

"I mean you had a child with him Ana and you were married to him. How could I not be jealous? He isn't exactly ugly, if you know what I mean," he teased her and she rolled her eyes. "All jealousy aside, he is a good person as I predicted from the moment I first met him."

"How corrigible of you," she smirked.

"Are you mocking me, your highness?"

"Of course not."

General Justinian stormed into the emperor's chambers with a bunch of Romans following behind him. The young emperor stood with a smile. He was not expecting his general to turn up in his chambers at such a late hour.

"Justinian. What brings you to my chambers?"

"I'm arresting you," the general said.

Anastasius' smile faded and the soldiers surrounded him. He pulled out his sword, ready to attack. Justinian chuckled and waltzed forward, adjusting the gauntlets about his arms. "You see, Anastasius, you are just not a good fit for this empire. You sympathize with the savage Huns. I can't have such alliances under a Roman Empire's roof. You understand, don't you?"

"You cannot storm in here and arrest me! I am the emperor!"

"No you're not. You're a farce. You sit on the throne, wearing a false crown that was given to you by the Hun people. You took Zeno's crown. Although, I am glad to see the wretch gone from this world, you are not a good replacement. Oh, but I must say, you have done quite a good job restoring the economy in Nicaea. I must thank you for that. It will look very good for me when I sit on the throne as the new emperor." He snickered.

Anastasius gasped and he backed away as his own soldiers inched closer and closer. "I order you all to stand down!" he yelled and the soldiers did not heed his command. His eyes widened and then he saw the smug look on his general's face. "You can't take the throne! I am alive!"

"For now," Justinian smiled. "Take him to the dungeon below and behead him."

"Justinian!" Anastasius struggled at the hands of his own men. They grabbed his arms and kicked the sword from his grasp. "You can't do this! I will have your head for this!"

The general waved his hand to the soldiers. They drug the emperor out of the chambers. "You'll be dead. It has been nice knowing you, Anastasius. I will make sure your Hun friends know of your sudden departure." He grinned.