Chapter 4 –Spying on The Enemy: Part I

Maps. There are so many maps. Xena couldn't make sense of them all, and to make matters worse, they were all written in Persian. She was unfamiliar with the terrain and territories of Persia. All she knew was that the city was walled-in and that the fields stretched for miles. All of the cities she knew were built in this manner, making it difficult for enemies to attack and harm innocent people. Excellent strategy. She wished, however, that the maps had been drawn on larger parchment rather than this small cloth. It would have made them far more readable.

She spent the majority of the next few days gathering maps from the armory. The next step would be to contact the person in charge of the spy division. Who was that supposed to be? She'd have no idea.

Xena walked the quiet corridors, muttering to herself as she tried to decipher the map. She flipped the cloth around, squinting at the small details. How could anyone possibly read this? She guessed it was someone with good eyes.

She came to a halt in a small hallway after turning a corner. As she walked on, her head buried in the cloth map, an argument broke out in a nearby room. Xena identified the voices as Arielle and Xerxes. She lingered in the corridor, listening to the argument.

"None of this would've happened if your brother hadn't offered Hun land to the Gokturks," said Arielle.

"Yes, you've already mentioned that."

"Because it's the source of all our problems! They have your brother's support! My treasury is dwindling because of this feud and it's all Khosrow's fault!"

Xerxes growled. "Then why are you yelling at me?"

"You're a prince!" she snapped. "You've done nothing to convince Khosrow to stop this madness."

"He's the Shah, Arielle!"

"And I'm your wife!"

Xena's pupils dilated as she held the map to her nose. She knew she shouldn't be listening in. Gabrielle always warned her not to because it would only cause more problems. But she couldn't help but stay and listen some more.

Xerxes let out a mocking chuckle. "Arielle, I have limited power, and so do you. I'm still a Shehzade here. Watch what you say."

Her jaw dropped. "Watch what I say?" she mocked. "I can't believe you used your rank against me."

"I'm not using anything against you. I'm just stating facts. This is the Sassanian Empire. Your reign here means little to nothing to Khosrow. You don't know how many times I've defended you."

Arielle huffed and retorted, "well, you aren't doing a very good job since the council thinks I'm nothing more than the Shah's sister-in-law." She went on to say, "I am an empress and Khosrow needs to recognize that."

With nothing else to say, Xerxes abruptly ended the debate and stormed away. He didn't know what else he could say to make his wife satisfied. He had to think carefully before saying something he might regret because she was already agitated prior to their argument.

Xena's wide-eyed gaze met his as he walked out of the room and into the hallway. He squinted his eyes and sped past her in a hurried manner. He didn't care what she had to say, whether she heard the entire conversation or not.

When she was alone in the hallway, Xena collected herself. She peered around the corner to find Arielle standing in the middle of the room, sulking. She approached slowly, folding the cloth map, and tucking it into her belt. Xena was aware while in Persia that Arielle was overburdened with the political responsibilities of a monarch. Nonetheless, she was unaware that Arielle's responsibilities were spilling over into her marriage. After hearing Arielle talk about the dwindling treasury, she wondered how much debt they were currently in. She presumed it wasn't a good time to ask about that.

Arielle's cheeks were puffed up and her chin was held taut. She greeted her grandmother with a smile that anyone could tell was a ruse, but she stood firm.

"Were you able to find the documents you needed?" she asked.

Xena simply nodded in response, seeing Arielle's eyes scorched with grief. "Remember when I told you that you were marrying the entire Persian Empire, not just Xerxes?" she gave a lopsided smile.

Arielle wiped off the fake smile from her face. "You heard everything."

She rubbed Arielle's arm gently. "Yeah…."

"I should've stayed in Pannonia after Boran was born. Now I'm stuck in a place where everybody hates me and doesn't care for what I have to say."

Xena sighed. "You know, if there was a guide on how to be a ruler, everyone could do it," she said, smiling. Arielle, on the other hand, was less impressed. "But for your sake, I wish there was one."

Arielle chortled. "Yeah...me too. I have so much to do."

"I think you can afford to take a few days off."

"I can't! I'm up to here with responsibilities!" she held her hand underneath her chin. "Up to here!"

Xena gripped her granddaughter's shoulders. "Three days? Two?"

"Are you negotiating with me? You know I'm above you, right?"

"Are you using your rank against me?" she teased, a smile warming her face.

Arielle rolled her eyes at the light tease.

"Come on, two days off won't hurt. If anything happens, you can always hand off your duties to Abbaseh. She practically runs the place around here."

"Grandma, enough with the jokes! What's with you?"

Xena snickered. "I'm sorry, I'll stop, but you're in such a sour mood. I'm just concerned about you. So…two days?"

"Well…" she contemplated for a moment until she gave in. "Fine, I'll take a few days off. I should spend some time with Aurora. She probably resents coming here."

Together, they walked out of the room and into the grand hallway. Xena had plans to split off and meet with Gabrielle concerning the spies they were supposedly working with. But the least she could do was walk Arielle to the wing where their family members were staying.

"You know, I should let you in on a little secret about Aurora," whispered Xena.

"What is it?"

"You didn't hear this from me."

"Go on..."

Xena leaned in close, hooking arms with Arielle, heightening the suspense by remaining silent for moments longer than Arielle desired. "She doesn't really like archery. She's been practicing every day in Pannonia just to impress you."

Arielle stood; her boots planted firmly on the ground. "Why didn't she say anything? I've taken her to the archery field many times!"

Xena shrugged.

"Well, what—what does she like instead?"

Xena shrugged again.

"Grandma, come on, give me something to work with."

"You're going to have to figure that out on your own," she said with a wink. She slowly began retreating to go on her quest to locate the spy division and her wife. "Remember; you didn't hear this from me."


Xena finally found Gabrielle after what seemed like an eternity, ready to decipher this terrible map. Only to discover that Gabrielle had already done so. All of the maps that had been collected had been redrawn on larger parchment. She had no reason to be surprised. Gabrielle was, after all, in charge of drawing maps back home, and that didn't change whether she was in Pannonia or Persia.

The spy division was not what either of them had anticipated. The team was made up of three Persian men who had previously worked for the late Shah Kavad. Arielle said they were trustworthy, but Xena had her doubts. She didn't trust the Sassanians, despite the fact that she was now forcibly related to them.

The division was led by Adarmahan, a well-known Persian army general. He was in his forties, with grey sideburns that clashed with his slick dark coifed hair. His beard was perfectly trimmed and shaped to complement his chiseled cheekbones and deep-set brown eyes. Despite the Shah's ostensible alliance with the Gokturk army, he clearly had a plan to demolish it. His feelings about the Gokturks were universal; he wanted them to perish in a hellfire, both metaphorically and literally.

Adarmahan gave orders to search areas throughout Elam and the borders of Estakhr. His two officers were ready to carry out the orders, but Xena and Gabrielle were hesitant. Knowing their long-standing familial ties, they didn't want to kill any Gokturks.

"Are you two comfortable going out into the city alone?" Adarmahan asked.

Gabrielle's eyes darted to her wife before answering. "I don't think it's a wise idea to kill any Gokturks. That isn't part of the plan."

"It is part of the Shah's plan."

"I thought he allied with them?" she asked, confused. "He gave the Gokturks' Hun territory."

Adarmahan bridged his teeth and smoothed his fingers through his beard. "The Shah never allied with the Gokturks. If he did, we would not be leading a spy division against them. Now, I will ask again, are you two comfortable scouting the city alone?"

Xena frowned as she examined the maps spread out on the table. She touched the map of Elam and pointed to the palace, which was where they were at the time. It was almost in the heart of the city, which she found in most Persian cities. She then took out an Estakhr map and noticed the Shah's palace was also in the center of the city. Babylonia was similar. The palaces were strategically placed in the city center to keep enemies at bay. As a result, it would be extremely difficult for anyone to infiltrate without being noticed.

"The Caucasus is far from here. Do you really think Gokturks would make the trek all the way over here?" she pried.

She could tell Adarmahan was irritated by her skepticism. But she was more familiar with the Gokturks than he was. They used to all live under the same roof at one point. She knew Yeter better than Shah Khosrow, and Adarmahan knew how Yeter's people fought. Even when confronted with tens of thousands-strong Persian army, the mountain people were not to be trifled with.

"There have been sightings of them, yes," he replied.

"You sure about that?"

He scoffed. "Are you doubting my abilities?"

"Nobody said that," she muttered with a slight smile. "I'm just asking a question." She folded her arms, glaring at him. "I don't think the Gokturks would come to Elam. The risks are too great. It's also too far of a journey. They'd deplete their supplies making their way across the mountains, desert, woods, and rivers."

Gabrielle observed the two exchanging stares, and while the tension grew, she didn't want this to turn into an argument. Despite the fact that she knew why Xena was asking those questions. It made no sense. Xena was correct; the Gokturks would not risk entering Persia to attack. Their army was one-fourth the size of Khosrow's.

"They attacked Anosbord," he added.

Xena shrugged. "That prison is in the middle of nowhere and it's been attacked before. In case you don't remember, we helped get Shah Kavad out of there," she kindly reminded him.

"I understand that you were assigned to work with us by the Khagana. How would she feel if you denied her request?" he asked, tilting his head.

Ever so cocky, she thought. "I am not denying any request, I am just telling you that there is no way the Gokturks would come here," she barked.

Gabrielle nervously smiled and stepped in. "We will scout the west side of the city. We know that area better. You and your men can scout the east. Deal?"

"Does that suffice?" Adarmahan directed his gaze toward Xena.


"For once, could you not pick fights with someone while we're here?"

"If you call stating facts picking a fight, then no, I won't stop," Xena snarked. "This is a waste of time. Arielle asked us to see if Yeter has any allies with money. Scouting west Elam was not part of that plan."

Gabrielle continued walking, weaving in and out of the crowd. They'd been out for a couple of hours and hadn't seen anything unusual. She knew Xena was correct, but admitting it would only serve to boost her wife's ego. That was not what Gabrielle desired. She didn't want Xena's victorious assumptions rubbing off on her all day.

A group of young soldiers were giggling up ahead, near one of the city's many gated entrances. They were probably delirious or not taking their jobs seriously because they had been on duty since last night. Gabrielle quickened her stride and charged straight at the soldiers. Soldiers easily identified her in the crowd as she approached. Her hair told them she wasn't from Persia. Her clothing, on the other hand, revealed who she was. Xena walked alongside her, taking in the sights of all the passers-by. When the soldiers realized she was wearing an elaborate headdress, they straightened their postures.

Gabrielle rolled her eyes and cast a glance behind her. Xena, of course, would be recognized. The soldiers here may not recognize her, but they are certain she is a member of the Khagana's clan.

Finally, Xena caught up and smiled at the line of soldiers. She raised an eyebrow because a few of them were visibly sweating. It wasn't particularly hot today. She wasn't wearing armor for several hours like they were, though.

"Has anyone come through this gate today?" Gabrielle asked.

One of the soldiers answered, "Yes ma'am. Merchants came through with a wagon to trade some grain."

"Do you keep track of how many travelers come into this city?"

She knew the soldiers didn't understand what she was talking about when they all looked at each other suspiciously. With a big smile on her face, Gabrielle returned her gaze to her wife, who was simply enjoying her taking over the reins.

"Do you...just let anybody into the city?"

"No ma'am. They must have a placard to get inside. It looks like this." The soldier pulled out a wooden paddle and handed it over to Gabrielle so she could inspect it.

She grabbed the wooden placard and looked it over. It was inscribed with Persian symbols. She assumed it was a permit to enter Elam based on its appearance. It was an efficient way to keep out unwanted travelers. Perhaps she could use this strategy to keep the clans safe in Pannonia, but Pannonia wasn't a fortified city.

She turned the placard over and saw the Sassanian royal seal imprinted on the back. As a result, not everyone could enter Elam. The Shah had to create a special placard for them. Gabrielle thanked the soldier and returned the placard. She then snatched Xena's arm and dragged her to the sidelines.

"Arielle should've given us more information," she growled. "How hard would it be to replicate one of those placards, do you think?"

Xena puckered her lips, contemplating. "Someone with fine carpentry skills could do it. I don't know. You tell me; do you think Yeter's people would actually take the time to replicate one of those to get inside Elam?"

"It's not impossible..."

"But it's unlikely."

Gabrielle turned around and marched up to the soldiers. "When merchants enter through this gate, do they also exit here too?"

"No ma'am. They should exit through the eastern gate."

She jerked her gaze back to Xena. She didn't anticipate embarking on a scavenger hunt when she consented to assist the spy division in their investigation to determine whether Yeter had ties to outside funders. If she didn't know every detail about Elam, this entire mission would have been for nothing. She was not only working in unfamiliar territory, but she was also working with almost nothing. Speaking to the young Persian soldiers wasn't going to solve anything.

Xena deduced that this mission was going to be a disaster based on Gabrielle's eye twitch. Xena gave a nervous smile to the guards, who were staring at them with interest. She dragged her wife along after thanking the soldiers, hooking arms tightly as they walked away quickly.

Gabrielle's lip quivered and she attempted to pull away from Xena. "If we're going to be in charge of this, I want to be the one to call the shots. Forget Persian politics and protocol. We do this my way!"

Xena grinned, nodding along with the proposed plan.

"I...I'm sorry. I got carried away."

"You're the boss. What do we do next?"

Gabrielle raised an eyebrow, peering up at Xena. "I meant to say our way. We're doing this..." she felt the need to correct herself.

"If anyone knows anything about political warfare and spy missions, it's you. So, what's the plan?"

Somehow, that made her feel more at ease, and she was overcome with confidence. "Well, I was thinking we could gather some soldiers to send to Balaam and spy on Yeter's sons. Oh, and then we could also look over some documents in Elam to see who's been coming and going in the city!"

As Xena listened to Gabrielle's never-ending ideas, she noticed a spark she hadn't seen in a long time. There was no longer a pressing need in Pannonia to spy on other clans or societies. Everyone knew their place and who their enemies were, including Justinian and now the Gokturks. She now believed they could serve a purpose, and she was more than willing to hand over control to Gabrielle.


Despite enjoying her time off, Arielle was eager to get back to work as soon as possible. She had faith in her court, but she still preferred to handle everything on her own. She hoped that spending time with her eldest daughter would serve as a welcome diversion. They barely spent any time together despite her long wait to see Aurora.

As she entered the room, she saw Aurora preparing to leave for the archery range. Arielle recalled her grandmother's words: Aurora isn't a fan of the bow and arrow. Watching Aurora place the bow over her shoulder, she felt a gnawing uneasiness in her stomach.

Nervously, she smiled as she shut the door behind her. "I'm looking forward to spending some time with you today," she said.

Aurora nodded. "Me too. Are you ready to go to the field?"

"Um, actually..."

In an affectionate gesture, Arielle removed the bow from her daughter's shoulder and set it on the bed. Aurora stared her mother down with narrowed eyes, clearly perplexed.

"Let's hold off on that for now. Why don't you tell me what you've been doing lately? Have you been drawing? I know you love to draw."

The lines appeared on the teen's forehead as her eyebrows furrowed. There was no doubt in her mind that her mother was being honest, but the strangeness of the situation was almost too much for her to bear. Aurora set her rucksacks down softly on the floor and glanced up at her mother's expectant face. She took a hesitant stride around the room before settling on her leather-bound journal on her desk.

"Well...I've been working on some calligraphy."

As Arielle recalled, Xerxes had mentioned calligraphy and how fascinated Aurora was about it. She beamed, "calligraphy! I'd love to see it." She happily sat on the bed and patted the empty spot next to her.

Aurora groaned and walked groggily over to the bed, where she sat down and pulled out her journal. She gave up the journal and let her mother read over her writing. She turned her back, clearly indicating that she was uninterested in receiving praise for her efforts. As she heard the pages turn and her mother mutter softly, her cheeks reddened with embarrassment.

"This is excellent work, tatli kiz," Arielle praised. "I'm impressed!"

"It's not that great," she mumbled and snatched the journal into her arms.

"What? Don't be so hard on yourself, Aurora. That is some of the best handwriting I've seen. You could give some of our calligraphists a run for their money," she joked, nudging her daughter's thigh.

Aurora abruptly got off the bed and set her journal on the desk, then grabbed the bow and rucksacks.

"Can we go to the field now?"

Arielle inwardly panicked and rose from the bed. "I thought we might do something else today?"

"I want to practice."

"We can practice anytime. I want to do something you want to do," Arielle hinted, hoping her daughter would understand. As of now, she noticed Aurora's temper surfacing through the bright color in her cheeks.

Through gritted teeth, the princess said, "I want to practice archery."

Arielle hummed softly and crossed her arms. "Why is that so important to you right now?"

"Because I'm not good at it! You always put pressure on me, but I'm no good, mother! I'll never be good enough—I'll never be as good of an archer as you!" she screeched, hot tears brimming her eyes.

Arielle's arms slid limp to her sides as her jaw dropped and her eyebrows furrowed. There must be more to it than this, she mused to herself. Evidently, her daughter held a grudge against her because of how long she had been gone. Aurora didn't have to tell her that in so many words because she already understood it.

"I—I'm so sorry. I didn't know you felt that way. Aurora, you don't need to be good at archery. I don't care if you like it or not. You can even hate it if you want," she said with a smile.

She wrapped her arms around Aurora and began running her fingers over her daughter's smooth hair. Sniveling and a slight trembling in her daughter's body just made her grip tighter. She closed her eyes and drew a deep breath, suddenly feeling terrible remorse for ignoring her child's needs.

"Are you mad at me?"

Arielle's eyes widened, and she sprang away from her daughter while holding onto her by the shoulders. The phrase seemed too familiar to be a coincidence. She had said those exact words to her mother before. She was well aware of the numerous times she had tested her mother's patience, but she also knew that her mother would always show mercy and forgiveness even when she had no right to. Arielle hoped her daughter would grow up without feeling the need to hide anything from her.

"No, of course not."

Aurora wiped her nose, sniffling. "I...thought you'd be upset."

"Over something like this? Never."

"It's just...the truth is...I don't like sword sparring either," she admitted, preparing for backlash. In a surprising turn of events, her mother broke into a genuine smile.

"And that's perfectly fine. That takes a load off my mind. I won't have to worry about you going off to some war." She winked playfully. "What do you see yourself doing in the future?"

Aurora quirked her mouth. "I really like writing."

When Arielle nodded her head, it was as if a light went off in her head. She was only able to get away from work for a short while, but in that time, she came up with a plan for the two of them to spend more time together. She then inquired, "How would you like to work under me?"

"Work...under you?"

"I'll teach you everything there is to know about documentation. I'll even teach you how to write treaties and trade agreements. What do you say?"

Aurora's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Doesn't sound too boring?"

"I...I would love that!" she squealed and jumped to embrace her mother tightly.

Arielle cherished every second of the embrace. Her daughter's disinterest in the same activities as her should have been a red flag from the start. She was too preoccupied with her own thoughts to listen or pay attention to anyone else's. Then she remembered Xerxes and felt terrible that she had neglected his needs as well. It was her fault that they had an argument and exchanged unkind words with each other. Perhaps her grandmother was on to something when she suggested that she take a break, and not just for a few days.


Gabrielle spent the following few days poring over the palace's historical records. She stayed in the archive room for two days after Xerxes let her in. She continued to comb through hundreds of paperwork of merchants arriving and departing with hardly any breaks at all.

At her desk, she had both the documents she had already seen and the ones that had just arrived. So far, she's only found a handful of documents that raise red flags due to missing merchant names. Foreign traders came from the west, but no one lived there except the Gokturks, Avars, and Huns.

Gabrielle turned around to see Xena sitting behind the desk with her boots raised up. Xena had a pen balanced precariously on her upper lip. To express her amusement, Gabrielle shook her head.

"If you're bored, you can leave, you know," she said.

Xena understood; her disinterest was palpable. She brushed her boots off the table and tossed the pen in the direction of Gabrielle's papers. Gabrielle recoiled and swung her head around to give her wife a malicious look.

"Hey!"

"Sorry," Xena said, biting her lower lip.

In a huff, Gabrielle went back to her book. She tried to ignore her wife's bored antics while muttering something under her breath. The chair scraped on the floor as she read silently, her voice barely audible above the sound of the words. She obviously shuddered and gritted her teeth in response.

Xena winced and apologized again, this time more honestly. She crept around the table and headed for a shelf stocked with leather-bound journals. She took a look at the pages of a journal she had picked up. Uninteresting details. All of Persia's monetary records at the time. Farah would be in heaven here; she'd spend hours poring over the finances and looking for mistakes.

She moved on to the stack of journals that looked most recent. As she flipped the pages, Arielle's name sprang out at her. Yet again, she saw Arielle's name. And again.

Furrowing her eyebrows, she walked over to Gabrielle and tapped her shoulder. "Have you looked through these?" she asked, presenting the journal.

With a frown, Gabrielle scanned the sheet containing dozens of digits. "What is that?"

"Some kind of budget. Arielle's signature is on the bottom of each page. She probably authorized all of this."

"You can put it over there," she pointed to the far end of the table. "I'll have someone look over it later. I don't know how to read through that."

Xena kept looking through the journal and grumbled. "Arielle mentioned our treasury was dwindling because of this Gokturk feud. I wonder if these are the expenses."

"We're in debt?" Gabrielle gasped. "Wait, how did you hear about that? Did she tell you? Were you spying on her again?"

"No! I just...overheard her talking—well more like arguing—with Xerxes. Anyway, we should find out where the money is going. I don't like Adarmahan."

"Xena, you don't even know him. We just met him. And Arielle trusts him."

"Arielle isn't well-liked here and she doesn't know everything about Persian politics. She could be taken advantage of."

Gabrielle gave her an expression of skepticism. She had lived long enough to see that Persians were capable of lying. They were always one-upping one other in an effort to claim supremacy. They were willing to murder even close relatives if it meant getting ahead. By including the prince's wife, more fuel was added to the already raging conflict.

"Just make sure someone reads those budgets," she pressured. "I'm going to find out if we have any soldiers willing to go to Balaam and spy on the Gokturks."

Gabrielle huffed. "Make sure you ask Adarmahan first!"

In front of the massive double doors, Xena sighed. She was aware of the norms of this society, but she had no interest in adhering to them if doing so would result in the rejection of her ideas.

"He's in charge, Xena."

"Yeah, I got it. Ask Adarmahan first..."


Anastasia spent more time with Nousha than she would have liked during her visit. But she had to confess that being near Nousha was more tolerable at this moment. She deduced that this was because Nousha was surrounded by Persians rather than Huns. Anastasia wasn't going to question it, whether it was true or not. Nousha even said something kind to her, which surprised her. Nousha freely stated that she was grateful for Anastasia's presence because it provided her with a respite from the girls.

While Abbaseh and Boran had their own chambermaids to keep them company, they preferred to spend as much time as possible with Nousha. As a result, Nousha was relieved to learn that Anastasia was paying a visit for a while. Anastasia had to admit that being around the two little girls was stressful, but she hadn't seen them in a year. Even though she was fatigued by the end of the day, she enjoyed spending time with them.

There was about to be a festival, in keeping with the local religious norms. Anastasia offered to assist Nousha in getting ready for the party and hoped Nousha wouldn't come to regret accepting her help. Particular delicacies had to be cooked, specific flowers were to be used in the palace's design, and special garments were required. For Abbaseh and Boran's outfits, Anastasia was enlisted to assist in the fabric selection process. Fabrics from all throughout the city were displayed at the palace by merchants.

She was allowed free rein to choose the material, so long as it was white in color. After careful consideration, Ana selected a silk cloth in a pure white hue.

She thought everyone was invited, but she saw that Nousha prioritized Persian traditions above Hunnic ones. Upon discovering Nousha by the flower vendor, she approached her stealthily. As she surveyed the area and smiled at the florist, Nousha settled on a bouquet of lavender.

"Did you need something?" she asked Anastasia.

Ana deliberated on how to approach this matter tactfully. "I understand the significance of your customs here, but I worry that the girls aren't being exposed to enough of their own."

Nousha caught on quickly, and walked off, inspecting the remainder of the decorations. "Yes, that's Arielle's job to teach them about your people's traditions and customs."

Anastasia picked up her stride to keep up. "Yes, but I don't really see that happening since..." she halted, nearly bumping into the petite woman. "Since I've been here."

"Then I'm sure Arielle hasn't been keeping up on her end," Nousha said, snidely smiling.

"Nousha, they will not live here forever. Once Arielle is finished with her duties in Persia, she's taking the girls back to Pannonia with her."

Her upper lip quivered as she stared up at Ana. "They've lived here for most of their lives. Are you just going to uproot them from their home? Persia is all they know."

"That isn't my decision to make and it isn't yours either."

Abbaseh burst into the room, carrying a miniature paper version of a ship she'd built in one of her classes. She happily weaved in amongst the maids carrying flower baskets, ready to show off her creation.

"Grandma Khatun!" she yelped.

The shrill voice caused Anastasia to spin around. Her conversation with Nousha was far from over; she was going to make sure of it. She greeted the little girl with a smile and bent down to meet her at her eye level.

"Yes, güneşim?" she asked, weaving her fingers through Abbaseh's coppery hair.

The child displayed her meticulously crafted paper ship. Even sails were fastened with little pieces of wood. Anastasia squinted, inspecting the vessel in her palm.

"Oh, would you look at that! It's very impressive. Did you make that on your own?"

"Baba helped me," she said. "Can we go to the gardens now?"

Nousha butted in, "you've been outside too much, Abbaseh. You know you're not supposed to go out very often."

Anastasia grimaced; her gaze drawn to the opposing voice above her. She returned her gaze to Abbaseh, who wore a pained expression. Abbaseh had difficulty breathing steadily on her own since birth, especially when she was outside. Even running around the palace exhausted the child. Ana imagined it was a hardship for Abbaseh, especially since her younger sister didn't have the same health difficulties. It was no surprise that the girl was so smart; she spent most of her time in the palace studying.

"It looks like it's going to rain soon. We could sit on the terrace and play a game?"

Abbaseh's exuberant smile returned. "Okay! What kind of game?"

"You pick."

"Any game I want?"

"Any game you want, güneşim."

Abbaseh's nose was prodded before she bolted off in quest of the unknown game. Even after the Shehzada had vanished, Anastasia's smile never wavered. She then snarled at Nousha before turning to leave.


Just before dinner, Xena returned to her room, frustrated with her how her day went. She spent all afternoon searching for Adarmahan only to find out he had gone to Estakhr to speak with the Shah. She entered the room and slammed the door shut with a shove of her boot. Seated on the floor, Gabrielle ate from an assorted tray of goat, rice, and vegetables.

Gabrielle lifted her eyes to her irritated spouse. "Rough day?"

Gabrielle merely bowed her head in silence as Xena began to recount her day. She started plating, putting some veggies and rice on the plate with a spoon. Xena undressed while griping about having to search for Adarmahan. She threw her kozak carelessly onto the bed and kept shouting while Gabrielle listened attentively and multitasked.

After Xena stripped down to her undergarments and sat on the floor, she was able to conclude her speech. She sighed and looked down at her pre-set plate. Because of her anger, her heart was still racing, but seeing the meal slowed it down. Her gaze shifted to Gabrielle, who was gleaming at her.

"Thank you..." she muttered.

"When you didn't come back within a reasonable time, I figured something happened," said Gabrielle.

"The minute I need that man, he runs off to the Shah. Something isn't right about him." She stabbed the meat with her fork.

"When are you going to get off that?"

"As soon as I expose his sorry ass," she mumbled, stabbing the goat meat again. Raising her eyes, she saw Gabrielle's grimace. "So, did you find someone to read those budgets?"

"A councilman from Arielle's court is going to read it over sometime this week. Don't worry, I didn't explain why I needed him to help."

Xena bobbed her head. "I was thinking I could pick out some soldiers myself and send them to Balaam."

"You said Adarmahan is in Estakhr..."

"And?"

"Xena, you promised to abide by the rules."

"There's too many damn rules around here! Nothing's going to get done if we live by the laws here. Arielle asked us to find out if Yeter has external funds. I'm not going to wait around for mister spy division to come back from Estakhr."

"Why don't you just...ask Arielle if you can send the soldiers?"

Xena continued chewing her food, and the suggestion seemed plausible. In fact, it made the most sense and she didn't have to break any rules. Arielle was above Adarmahan in every way possible. Of course, why didn't she think of that sooner? She leaned over and planted a kiss on Gabrielle's forehead.

"Good idea. Thanks, Gabrielle," she praised, smiling.

"You're welcome?"