Chapter 12: The Invitation: Part II
Pannonia
Anastasia was delightfully overjoyed when she awoke with a warm body next to her. She and Navaz were separated for nearly a year due to his duties in the field. She was going to remember to cherish every little moment with everyone around her.
Sitting in front of the mirror, she separated her hair into three large sections. She began running the brush through a section of hair, tugging on the knots. A tray of food was set on the vanity, and she looked up at Navaz standing over her.
"What's this?" she tapped her brush on the tray.
"Food. For you." he smiled. "I can finish doing that," he said, gesturing to her hair.
Navaz poured juice in a glass and handed it to her. Then, he grabbed the hairbrush out of his wife's hand and sat on a stool. With a large section of her hair in his palm, he gestured her to start eating.
Anastasia, skeptical of his motives, brought her eyebrows to a thin line. She sipped the juice slowly and began picking at the assorted foods. Despite all the work she had, she was grateful to be home, surrounded by familiarity.
"I'm glad you're back," said Navaz.
She smiled in his direction. She knew that he wanted to travel to Persia to visit Arielle, but due to his military duties, he couldn't. And knowing how much Navaz cared for his daughter, that hurt him deeply.
"Arielle is doing well," she mentioned. "You would be very proud of her."
She caught a glimpse of the huge smile on Navaz's face. Instantly, the sight warmed her heart. Never had she seen such love for a daughter from a father until she met Navaz. It was unfortunate that she was about to tell him that he probably wouldn't see Arielle for another year.
When he finished brushing her hair, he took a seat on the bed. Ana swiveled around in the chair and ran her fingers through her silky hair. She exchanged a smile with Navaz and then joined him on the bed. She placed her hand on his and intertwined their fingers.
"There's a lot going on in Persia right now. My mother and Gabrielle stayed behind to help. I don't know when Arielle is coming back to Pannonia, but it likely won't be very soon."
Navaz squeezed her hand. "She has a duty to protect her people. I understand."
She kissed his cheek and swiped her thumb over his hand. "Soran seems to be fitting in well with the Nezaks. He acts like a completely different man now."
"Looks like sending him away was the best decision. He can no longer smoke opium until he passes out," he said, chuckling.
Anastasia smiled. "I might have a distraction for you."
He raised an inquiring brow.
"Since Cera is staying here, I'd like you to train her to lead an army. I made a promise to her, and I'm not of much use to her now. I can't train her or anyone."
"I welcome the distraction," he said, pecking her hand. "Don't worry, I'll train her well."
Ana decided to lie down on the bed and rested her head on Navaz's lap. Staring up at him, they exchanged broad grins. He weaved her fingers through her hair and the soothing act almost made her drift off.
Her eyes flickered, waking herself up from a slow daze. "What's going on with Edemen and that girl?"
Navaz grinned. "You mean Öza."
"Is he courting her?"
"Well, Edemen does like her a lot. She's a former slave from the Byzantine Empire. He brought her here and Farah was not exactly ecstatic about it," he said, snickering.
"Hmm." She toyed with a strand of hair mindlessly. "I'd like to talk to her."
"Oh, thank God. Farah's been insufferable since you've been gone."
"Not her," she snapped. "Öza. I will deal with Farah later."
To gather all sides of the story, Anastasia decided to speak to her son and Farah separately concerning Edemen and Öza's relationship. Both parents had completely different views. Csaba was more relaxed and didn't seem to mind that Öza was staying in the family home. Farah, on the other hand, was unhinged and upset at the fact that Edemen slept with several young women over the last couple of years.
Hearing both sides, Anastasia knew she had to speak with Öza. She was disappointed that her own son was not more concerned that Edemen was sleeping with dozens of women at his leisure. She expected Farah to react rashly, though she shared the same concern.
Anastasia blocked off the rest of her afternoon and had tea and food brought to the room. The maids hurried to open the door and in walked the awaited guest. Ana smiled and gestured for Öza to sit with her.
Öza timidly walked over and bowed before she sat on the floor pillow. Ana could tell that Öza was extremely nervous by her constant fidgeting and refusal to lift her eyes from the floor. She had to put herself in Öza's shoes. She remembered at one time how nervous she was when she met Navaz's mother for the first time.
"Thank you for coming to see me."
"Of course, Your Highness," Öza quickly replied. "I would never deny a meeting with you."
Ana smiled. "How do you like Pannonia so far?" she asked, handing Öza the cup of tea.
"Oh, it's very nice. I'm enjoying my stay. Queen Farah is teaching me how to read and write. I'm grateful for that."
"Excellent. That's lovely." Ana sipped the tea. "Would you mind sitting closer? I have trouble seeing these days."
Öza cautiously scooted closer and finally lifted her eyes. She saw Anastasia's warm smile and suddenly felt more relaxed than she felt in weeks.
"So, I understand that you were sent here under Edemen's wishes," she began. Immediately Öza's face chalked. "He seems to like you a lot. Do you feel the same?"
"Ah..."
Ana clasped the timid girl's knee. "You can be honest with me, Öza."
"I...I do like the prince," she answered quietly.
Anastasia smiled. "I want to make sure my grandson's intentions with you are pure. I don't want you to think that you're obligated to stay here just because you were forced to."
"Oh, no, no, Khatun. I love living here with your family. They are kind to me! This is the most kindness I've been shown in my entire life!"
"I'm glad to hear that, Öza." She winked. "If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to tell me."
Öza shifted uncomfortably. "Would I need to talk to Queen Farah first?"
"No. Anything you need; you can come to me. Any problems you may have, come tell me."
Two Months Later
Elam, Persia
With the harvest celebration only a few hours away, there was little time to prepare for the investigation of the Spandiyadh House. As promised, Katayoun and her husband, Kaantang, were invited and they arrived in Elam a day before the festival. They were given a warm welcome, despite the oddity of it all. Everyone seemed surprised that they traveled to Elam for the first time in ten years.
Gabrielle and Marbzan were in charge of overseeing the investigation of Zal Pasha within the palace walls. They coordinated with Adarmahan to make sure that Zal Pasha was occupied for the entire festival.
While the maids were busy decorating the palace, Gabrielle went over the plan for the third time with Marbzan.
"After Xerxes and Arielle make their toast, we'll send the soldiers into Zal Pasha's quarters. There shouldn't be any guards on duty in the east wing, but just in case, I told the soldiers that they need to be out of the room in twenty minutes. You made sure to pick the soldiers Adarmahan wanted, right?"
She looked over at Marbzan ogling his silk robe and pants. He was obviously more interested in his attire than focusing on the mission. Raising her eyebrow, she bumped his shoulder.
Marbzan's cheeks tinged pink and he straightened his posture. "I'm sorry, Gabrielle. I've never had clothes like this in my life. They're worth more than my entire wardrobe."
She smiled. "Did you hear what I said about the troops and Zal Pasha's room?"
"Yes, ma'am." He bowed. "Will we be going to the festival?"
"Unfortunately, we'll be missing most of it. We have to make sure the investigation goes smoothly," she said dismissively.
There was a hint of sadness spread across his face. Gabrielle's serious demeanor softened. It'd been a long time since she trained anyone. She was so accustomed to working with Xena that missing one festival wasn't such a huge deal. Although for someone like Marbzan, who'd never seen anything but the ugly side of the world, seeing a grand Persian celebration was a once-in-a-lifetime event.
"Maybe if we finish early, we can attend the festival," she said softly.
In the courtyard, Xerxes stood with Xena, quietly discussing the raid that was about to happen in the Spandiyadh palace. Despite the initial backlash of having Bayan's troops in Elam, they were put to use guarding the palace during the festival.
Guests began to arrive and were shown inside, passing by Xerxes. He smiled, casually waving his hand and bowing his head as sets of families passed by. Meanwhile, Xena occasionally smiled to seem present, as she oversaw the troops readying their posts for the evening.
"Everything is in order for the raid?" she whispered.
"Yes, I have troops hiding out in the Spandiyadh district. Officer Wasifah is in charge of the raid," said Xerxes.
She gave a slow nod and smiled as a few children passed by, grinning up at her. When she met eyes with the children's parents, there were stern looks shot at her. Once again, she was reminded that Persia was not the place for her. People knew who she was here and why she was here, which was an advantage and disadvantage.
"Did you look into the soldiers who were murdered?" she whispered.
Xerxes whipped around. "I notified their families. You should've told me you sent soldiers to Babylon."
"Why? I'm in charge of the spy division and I don't trust Bawi."
"You don't know if Bawi and Shapur had anything to do with those soldiers' deaths," Xerxes curtly replied.
Xena hid her smile, keeping her gaze forward, greeting guests. "Yet, they mysteriously showed up dead outside your gates. Bawi knows he's being watched. He just doesn't know by who."
"You have a lot of distrust with my family, Khanum."
"I've told you; I like you. I don't like your family." She turned her head, smiled and winked.
Xerxes groaned, quelling his frustration.
"Ku said she saw Bawi and Esther in Aleppo. Esther was pretty upset when she told Ku to leave. That doesn't sound like a woman who's happy in her marriage."
"My aunt's marriage isn't any of your concern," he snapped.
She snatched his arm and yanked him away. "It is my concern especially when the marriage is kept a secret from the entire empire. Esther hasn't been seen in over a year, and now we're learning she's remarried? Xerxes, don't play dumb with me. That makes me suspicious of Bawi."
Forcing Xena's hand away, he freed his arm. "My brother set up the wedding. He uncovered that our aunt's husband was stealing from the empire." He then said in a flippant tone, suggesting that he wanted to end this discussion: "I'm not going to argue with the Shah over his decision."
Xerxes was the last person Xena expected to be dismissive of such a serious subject. She was going to make sure that this discussion took place at a different time. Tonight, she wanted to concentrate on the raid and investigation. She hoped that because she couldn't be in two places at the same time, she could rely on Xerxes' troops to handle the raid on their own.
"Make sure to be on your toes during the festival," she told him. "There'll be a lot of activity tonight."
He turned back around to make sure all of the guests were welcomed. Forcing a smile, he waved at the people walking into the palace.
Arielle was given the advice that she should iron her hair and put on a Persian gown in order to look her best at the festival. She disliked the Persian clothing she had to wear, but she didn't want to argue with anyone, so she didn't complain. Tonight was a crucial night. She was aware of everything that was going on, and she felt helpless because she was destined to spend the night seated on a throne.
Even before she put on the dress, she knew it would be difficult to conceal her current condition. The maids were shocked to see the rash covering her entire body when she removed her clothing. She was able to keep it a secret for an entire week.
She was promptly made to soak in a tub of milk flavored with grains and oils to calm her skin. Ku-Ilm aided in the process of bathing her by pouring bowls of milk over her body. Pool-bound, Arielle stared absently.
Ku wrung out the washcloth and touched Arielle's shoulder. "You're stressing yourself out too much."
Arielle blinked. "What?"
"Your skin," Ku said. "I haven't seen you break out into a rash in years."
"Oh." Arielle's fingers grazed the red splotches on her arm. "I look repulsive, I know."
Ku deposited the wet washcloth into the bowl of milky water and propped her elbows on the bath. Her lips pursed in concentration as she looked at Arielle. Softly, she ran her fingers through Arielle's hair.
"Are you sure you want to go tonight? I could always tell everyone you're not feeling well," Ku suggested.
Arielle's eyes welled up and tears dripped down her cheeks. Ku used the back of her hand to wipe away the tears. The tears that were at first just a trickle soon turned into a torrent. There was a visible change in her physical state as she began to cry, her chin trembling and her breathing becoming rapid as she let out shrill sobs.
With her mouth agape, Ku snatched a towel and helped Arielle get out of the tub. Arielle was led to a chair where her arms and legs were dried off.
"You—you can't tell anyone," Arielle sputtered.
Kaku snatched the bowl of herbs quickly. She asked, "Can't tell anyone what?" as she slathered the lotion on Arielle's arms.
"I have too much to do," she mumbled. "I can't go through this for a fourth time."
Ku halted and looked up slowly, finally understanding what was causing all the distress. She asked in a low voice, "Are you...pregnant?"
Chin trembling, Arielle buried her face in her hands to stifle her sobs. Ku let out a deep sigh and then brought Arielle into a tight embrace. She leaned over and kissed Arielle on the crown of her head, feeling the trembling of her body.
Two servants walked in, carrying the Khagana's new evening gown and footwear. Seeing the maids, Ku grimaced and pulled away from their embrace, protectively standing in front of Arielle.
"Nobody told you to enter!" she yelped.
The maids stood, horrified. "We have the Khagana's clothes for—"
"You can wait outside. She isn't ready yet."
"But Banu Nousha said—"
"Go wait outside," Ku said, pointing to the doors. "Do I need to repeat myself? Wait in the hall until I call for you."
Once the maids left, Ku turned around, knelt down, and took Arielle's hands.
"What do you want to do? I can stay here with you. I'll tell everyone you can't go to the festival."
Arielle wiped her nose and took a deep breath. "No, I need to show my face. I can't—I can't hide in my room." When she met Ku's gaze, she burst into tears.
The grand room was bustling with hundreds of guests from around Elam and various districts. On opposite sides of the room, Xena stood waiting by the entrance, casually smiling at people passing by. She occasionally made eye contact with Gabrielle across the way. They established a silent way of communicating with each other tonight, to ensure everyone's safety.
It wasn't long until Xerxes entered the room with Arielle. There was a path made for them as they walked to the throne chairs. Xerxes made a quick speech, thanking everyone for coming to the festival. Then, he and Arielle raised their glasses for a toast.
That was the signal.
Xena nodded to her wife, and Gabrielle discreetly left the room with Marbzan following behind. She took a swig of the wine, finishing it in one slug, and put the empty glass on a tray. Walking around the room, she carefully eyed all of the guests. A group of men dressed in black clothing, chatting in a corner, caught her attention.
Narrowing her eyes, she kept walking on the outskirts of the crowd and then spotted the Spandiyadh members, Kaantang and Katayoun. Forcing a smile, she walked up to the couple, interrupting their conversation.
"Glad you both could make it. Are you enjoying yourselves?" she asked.
"Very much so," said Kaantang. "I don't believe we've met?"
Katayoun smiled, chiming in. "She's the Khagana's grandmother. She and the governor came by our home a while back."
"Ah," he cast a confused frown. "Nice to meet you, Khanum."
Xena extended her hand. "Xena is fine."
He shook her hand. "Xena. Do you also live in Elam?"
"No, I live in Pannonia. I'm just visiting. If you don't mind me asking, why haven't you come to Elam for the last ten years?"
Kaantang's stance shifted. "Where did you hear that?"
"I know a lot of people."
"I have no quarrels with the Sassan family," he quickly defended. "The former Shahs had their own idea of how to run the six Houses. I thought it was best to take care of my family."
Xena nodded. "Hopefully under Khosrow's reign, we'll see more of each other. Enjoy the party." She clapped his shoulder with a smile and walked off.
Katayoun grasped her husband's arm. "You were quick to run your mouth," she whispered. "She was clearly fishing for information."
"I wasn't going to lie to her," he snapped. "You failed to tell me that she and the governor visited our home, Katayoun," he growled. "Why did they come by?"
"They wanted to know if we would support the empire by providing soldiers and weapons."
Kaantang's eyebrows shelved over his eyes. "And what did you say?"
She glanced around before answering, "I said, of course, we would provide aid."
"Don't ever host a meeting without me present again," he advised. "The last thing I need is Sassanians breathing down my neck."
Not a guard in sight.
Perfect.
They were too busy guarding the entrances of the palace for the festival. Gabrielle unlocked Zal Pasha's doors and then sent in the four soldiers. She stepped inside the room and stopped Marbzan from entering.
"You should guard the doors and alert me in case someone comes by," she said.
"Sure, I'll do that," he said, uncertain that was part of the original plan. "Do I just knock or...?"
"No, just come into the room. Thanks, Marbzan! This won't take long."
Gabrielle closed the door and immediately the soldiers were already turning the room upside down and inside out. They dumped over large chests of clothes, turned over the mattress, flipped blankets inside out, and kicked over tall vases. She knelt down in front of a large box and rummaged around for keys in her coat pocket.
Adarmahan was nice enough to lend her the keys to Zal Pasha's room. The only problem was that she had a set of seven keys. Grumbling, she tried every key, forcing them into the lock. The sixth key was the trick. A gleeful smile appeared when she turned the key effortlessly.
She lifted the lid and her smile disappeared.
"Dammit!"
She knocked on the sides of the box, checking for smaller compartments. It was entirely empty. Angrily, she slammed the lid shut and stood up, looking around the room for another box somewhere.
A soldier approached her. "Governor, we haven't found anything so far."
"Keep looking. There has to be more documents around here," she muttered.
It didn't make any sense. All of the documents should've been stored in this room. It only made Zal Pasha look more guilty if he removed all the documents he allegedly reviewed before sending them off to the Shah. Gabrielle searched the room's ceilings and looked for extra boxes. The soldiers were too busy turning over every piece of furniture.
Suddenly, she realized she should be looking in the walls. These Persian palaces weren't like Adames in Pannonia. They were filled with compartments and doorways that led to adjoining rooms. She began knocking on the walls, listening for hollow sections.
Marbzan rocked on his heels, back and forth, waiting in the hallway. He kept looking up and down the long marble halls. This had to be one of most boring, yet stressful, jobs he had in a while. Gabrielle said she wouldn't take a long time, yet he felt this was taking far too long.
Out of the corner of his eye, a black spec of fabric came into view. He leaned to his right and saw a man, dressed in black with a face mask, jump through the window. Marbzan slapped a hand over his mouth to contain his gasp. Then to his left, another masked man jumped through the window.
He hurried into Zal Pasha's room and quietly locked the door. He rushed over to find Gabrielle pushing her entire body against a wall. Two soldiers were helping her.
She noticed him standing in front of her with a ghostly expression. "Is someone coming?" she asked, grunting as she forced her body against the wall.
"Gabrielle, there's some men in masks who came through the windows!"
She groaned and allowed the soldiers to pick up where she left off. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she finally registered what Marbzan said.
"Men in masks, you said?"
"Yes."
"They might be rebels. We have to warn the others. Did you see where they were heading?"
"No, I came in here to tell you. I didn't want them to see me."
She huffed, placing her hands on her hips. "We're going to have to go to the ballroom. Get your sword ready." She slapped his arm gently.
Marbzan unsheathed his sword and started to follow her, but glanced back at the soldiers. "What are you trying to do with the wall?"
Gabrielle halted by the door. "There's something behind there. I was trying to open it..." she grumbled.
He picked up a poker from the hearth and the soldiers stepped aside. Effortlessly, he dug the sharp end of the poker beneath the floorboard. The secret door hidden in the wall creaked open. In awe, the soldiers opened the door, and there lay hundreds of piles of documents stacked on shelves.
Gabrielle stood with her mouth agape. She peered up at Marbzan as he quickly jaunted over to her.
"To the ballroom, then?" he chimed.
They entered the corridor slowly and quietly. They kept peering into the adjoining corridors. The eerie quiet only served to quicken their pulse with each step they took.
Marbzan froze, and the back of his neck felt like it was being pricked with needles. His back was to the invader, but he turned around and their swords collided.
"Run, Gabrielle!"
She turned around and saw Marbzan squabbling with the intruder. If she waited for another second, she would be next in line. Gabrielle ran as fast as her feet would carry her down the hall. She rounded a corner, and then another, panting heavily. Unfortunately, the ballroom was not near this area. She had a sudden and intense awareness that she needed to start exercising regularly again. Her life in Pannonia had been too comfortable.
To rest her weary legs, she hurried to the west wing. She turned around and saw that she was alone. It wouldn't be long before she arrived at the ballroom. However, she did regret abandoning Marbzan.
Gabrielle recoiled as a metal canister rolled down the hall. She stood there, sword at the ready, watching the empty halls and corridors.
POP.
The canister emitted a dense plume of smoke that quickly covered the entire area. Gabrielle coughed and covered her mouth as she fought through the smog. Attempting to see through the haze, she wildly swung her sword to cut through the smoke.
As she coughed and swung the blade, she could hear the pitter-patter of heavy boots passing by. She paused, waiting aimlessly for an assault, but the heavy-footed runners faded into the distance.
"Gabrielle!"
She whipped around, happy to hear his voice. "Marbzan!"
"Gabrielle! Where are you?"
He made his way through the thick smoke and finally met with her in the middle. Coughing, he grabbed her hand and led her out of the area.
At last, she could finally breathe and collapsed against the wall, coughing violently. She saw the four soldiers standing behind Marbzan.
"Did you see them?"
She straightened up and wiped her mouth. "I think they're heading to the ballroom."
Xerxes impatiently drummed his fingers on the armchair, stealing several glances at his wife. Throughout the night, Arielle was not very talkative and wouldn't look in his direction whenever he tried to make small talk. Despite the joyous festivities around him, he sat next to the gloomiest person in the room.
He clasped her hand, which caused her to stiffen. "You didn't drink your wine from the toast."
Arielle glanced at the full glass she'd been holding onto all night. Her eyes met his and she handed him the wine glass.
"I don't feel like drinking wine tonight."
Xerxes, bewildered, took the wine glass, and waited for a servant to walk by so he could empty it. He leaned back in his seat, his hand still on his wife's. He did his best to repress his awe of her beauty. When Arielle did wear a traditional Persian dress and headdress, it was an unusual sight. It was even more unusual to catch a glimpse of her with a full face of makeup on.
"You look very beautiful tonight."
Despite everything she was thinking about tonight, she appreciated his kindness. He made genuine efforts to be pleasant to her.
She thanked him and planted a kiss on his hand.
"Everyone is having a good time, except you," he observed. "I know these festivals aren't your favorite, but you're unusually quiet tonight."
Her pulse raced. "I...I don't feel...I'm not feeling that good tonight."
Xerxes smiled, wagging his finger. "I know. I can tell."
The blood rose to her cheeks and she rubbed her lips together.
"I know what you've been hiding from me."
"You—you do?"
He gently pulled back her sleeve, exposing her splotchy red skin. "See, you can't hide everything from me."
Oh," she exclaimed, seemingly relieved.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner? You could be in bed resting right now."
"I'll—"
She saw three men in masks run down the hall, with Marbzan and some soldiers close behind. Her brows furrowed and she jumped to her feet in order to survey the scene.
"Close the doors!" Marbzan shouted. "Close the doors!"
"Shut the doors!" Arielle yelled at the top of her lungs. Waving her hands to the guards, she shouted once more.
When the two female security guards saw the masked men sprinting toward the ballroom, they freaked out. As quickly as they could, they made their way inside the ballroom and tried to shut the massive doors shut. A huge plume of smoke billowed out as they strove in vain to seal the doors. Guards started coughing and could hardly see. They persevered, however, in their attempts to seal the doors.
The guests reacted slowly to the situation, and many of them stood there staring into the room as smoke filled it. To see the masked intruders enter through the doors, Xena had to push her way through the crowd. She saw two guards get their throats slit and their blood spill out onto the ballroom floor.
In shock, her eyes widened. She drew her sword and fought her way through the crowd.
"Get back!" she yelled. "Get away from the doors!" she growled, pushing guests back.
When a group of women noticed large pools of blood on the floor, complete chaos broke out in an instant. Others at the party quickly caught on to their shrill screams. A stampede ensued as people tried to leave the ballroom through the second-story windows, doors, and balconies.
Xena pulled her veil down over her lower face and tucked it behind her ear. She kept bumping into people as she tried to keep up with the intruders who were making their way through the crowd. A small metal canister was tossed into the air, and her gaze followed it. Exploding in a cloud of smoke, it landed in the middle of the crowd.
In an attempt to help, soldiers tried to enter the ballroom as guests rushed to exit the building through the doors. Soldiers pushed through with their shields, knocking down several people as they pushed against each other.
It was the first time in Xena's life that she had witnessed such a chaotic scene, and it set her heart racing. Battles were terrifying to watch, but being crammed into this room with hundreds of terrified people was a whole new level of terror.
Huge torches were knocked over as people climbed out the windows, setting fire to the curtains and drapes below.
After much waiting, the soldiers were permitted entry, and Xena made her way through the crowd of people pushing and shoving her along. The search for the trespassers had replaced concerns for everyone's safety.
"Search the entire room!" she shouted amid the shrilling screams of the crowd. "Three men!" she held up three fingers. "Try not to harm anyone!"
She entered the corridor, stepping over bodies that had been trampled and were now stuck between the doors. She removed her headdress and fanned her reddened face once she could breathe freely again.
"Xena!"
Whipping around, a wave of relief crossed her face. "Gabrielle..."
"Are you hurt?" asked Gabrielle.
"No, but I can't say the same for some people," she said, heavy-hearted.
Gabrielle peered behind her wife and saw the chaos inside the ballroom. Smoke trailed out of the room. She rested a hand over her chest, shaking her head.
"I'm sorry, Xena. I tried to stop them."
"It's not your fault." She planted a kiss on Gabrielle's forehead. "Where did those men come from?"
"I was searching Zal Pasha's room and Marbzan saw them climb through the windows. They chased us and Marbzan stopped two of them. I ran as fast as I could but the others followed me and set off a smoke bomb."
"Hmm." Xena creased her eyebrows. "We need to block off all exits outside."
"Done."
Xena raised an eyebrow as her lip curled into a smile.
"I figured if I couldn't do anything to stop the intruders, I could at least seal off the exits."
In a panic, Arielle pushed her way through the crowd, looking for her daughters. Despite the soldiers calling her name, she paid no attention to them. Her heart hammered in her ears as she pushed her way through the crowd, calling out her daughters' names.
It sounded like a voice was calling out from the middle of the room, but it was very faint.
"Boran!"
Grunting, she drew her sword and smashed into the heads of several people, sending them sprawling. She pushed people aside and saw Boran standing guard over her sister.
"Mama!" Boran yelled, bursting into the air.
Arielle beamed with joy upon seeing her two young daughters. She got down on one knee and planted a tender kiss on Boran's tear-stained face. She looked down at Abbaseh, who was curled up on the floor, coughing with erratic breaths, and then she hugged her daughter even tighter.
She gently gathered Abbaseh into her arms so as not to further agitate the situation. She snatched Boran in her other arm and got to her feet. Boran encircled her, nuzzling her breast.
At the thrones, Arielle turned around and locked eyes with Nousha. In a flash, Nousha had rushed over to embrace Boran.
Boran soothed her burning eyes with a rubbing. "Where's baba?"
In a protective gesture, Nousha covered her granddaughter's head with a hand and turned to face Arielle. "Follow me. We're going through the tunnels below."
Arielle halted. "Where's Aurora?"
"We need to go!"
"I'm not leaving without Aurora!"
"She left the festival a long time ago. Wherever she is, she's probably much safer than we are." Nousha briskly walked to the tunnel door that was shielded by two guards. "Arielle!"
"I'm going to find her."
"We will find her, but first we get the girls to a safe place. It isn't safe for Abbaseh to be in here."
Arielle, her eyes filling with tears, looked down at Abbaseh, who was suffocating in her arms. She had some cuts on the side of her forehead and soot all over her dress. Her heart was being tugged by the desire to stay behind and search for Aurora. She gave Nousha a concerned look, took a few shaky breaths, and walked reluctantly into the tunnels.
"Any sign of the intruders?"
Gabrielle crossed her arms, staring at the fire roaring out of the windows. "Not yet. Adarmahan has troops surrounding the palace."
She clasped Xena's shoulder, gently turning her body. "They knew their way around the palace pretty well."
"Mmm. Do you think Katayoun and Kaantang had anything to do with it?"
"I don't know. I think it's too easy to blame them. It doesn't seem like a smart move to plan an attack on the royal family after being invited to a party after a ten-year absence."
Xena rubbed her chin. "Still, we shouldn't rule them out."
Guests were escorted out of the palace by Persian soldiers. Meanwhile, Bayan's troops were on crowd control, guiding the guests to leave the courtyard and go to the weaponry down the road. Since Xena greeted most of the guests, she recalled many of their faces, and there were a lot of them still inside the palace.
She whistled to the nearest soldier, calling him over. "Find out where Kaantang and Katayoun Spandiyadh are and report back to me."
"Yes, Khanum."
Aurora and Hallel, early in the festival, set out to see the sights of the palace. The guards were off tonight, so Aurora showed Hallel around the palace for the first time. Getting out of the party and snatching a bottle of wine from the kitchen were both remarkably simple.
The two teenagers found themselves in the throne chamber. For the last few hours, the two played games while slowly drinking the entire bottle of wine. After they finished playing a board game, Hallel wanted to explore the throne chamber, eager to critique every detail.
Hallel admired the gold engravings on the columns. "So, this is your mother's throne room?" she asked.
Aurora walked precariously along the edge of the dais, balancing a glass of wine in one hand. She was swaying as she imbibed and eventually fell onto the pillow. She laughed so hard that she knocked over the wine glass, which splashed all over her clothes and hair.
Hallel turned around and gasped. "Are you okay?"
After a brief chuckle, Aurora nodded. It was at that point that she feigned donning an invisible kozak on her head. She furrowed her brows and crossed her legs in an effort to look like her mother.
"What are you doing?" Hallel asked, giggling.
Aurora answered in a serious tone, "I'm the Khagana."
Her friend crossed her arms. "Really?"
"You must do everything I say," Aurora said, nearly bursting into laughter. "To show your loyalty, you must get down on your knees."
Hallel, pretending to take the joke seriously, got down on her knees while suppressing giggles. Aurora struggled to maintain her persona. She folded her hands, crept forward, and did her best to look like a beseeching citizen.
"Confess your crimes."
"But I have witnesses," cried Hallel.
Aurora stood on the dais, holding up her hand. "I don't abide by Persian rules! No witnesses allowed!"
She then jumped down from the throne pillow and tackled Hallel to the ground. As she sat on top of Hallel, she pinned her wrists to the ground. Each of them beamed at the other, and they laughed until they could hardly draw a breath from their giddy state. While their noses were touching, Aurora held her breath and stared into Hallel's glistening eyes.
Aurora slid down off Hallel and onto the floor, where she lied flat and stared up at the ceiling. She could feel Hallel's intense gaze on her from beside her, but she was too dizzy to turn around to meet it.
Hallel huffed and stared up at the ceiling. "How long will you stay in Persia?"
"Don't know."
"You miss your family back home?"
The princess shrugged. "Sometimes. But I like living here."
"I like you living here too."
Aurora whirled to face her companion and flash a grin of recognition. Taking a deep breath, she reached out and tentatively grabbed Hallel's hand, interlocking their fingers.
Many hours later, the fire in the ballroom was extinguished and all of the guests were escorted home. Xena and Gabrielle remained in the courtyard, making sure every single guest left safely. Many people were severely injured and required immediate medical attention. Xerxes demanded all injured parties were to be treated within the palace until they were well enough to leave.
Yawning, Gabrielle leaned her head on her wife's shoulder. She was about to suggest taking a long bath and going to bed for the rest of the day until two female soldiers appeared from the palace. They dragged one of the intruders down the stairs and threw him onto the ground. Gabrielle immediately saw the satisfaction on Xena's face.
Xena stepped forward and pointed her blade at the masked intruder's face. She sliced through the fabric mask, exposing the intruder's face. Narrowing her eyes, she examined his clean-shaven face and tilted his chin upward with the tip of the blade.
"You look a bit young to be in this line of work," she said. "Who do you work for?"
He muttered something in a foreign language.
Xena raised an eyebrow. "Translate."
One of the female guards spoke up, "He said the 'black knights.'"
"Who are the black knights?" she asked him. "Who do you answer to?"
After several minutes of silence, Xena grew frustrated and instructed the guards to take the intruder to the falconry room to be interrogated later. She knew very well that she couldn't trust him to be by himself so she told the guards that he needed to be watched at all times.
Just when her temper started to wither away, a soldier ran up to her. He was the same soldier who she sent to find out the Spandiyadh's whereabouts. The soldier, out of breath, bowed to both her and Gabrielle.
"Khanum, the Spandiyadh members have been located. They left in their caravan to a private home in the outskirts of the city."
Xena scoffed. "How could the most important people just leave the palace grounds? Did no one check the gates? How did they get through?" she barked.
"Xena, don't yell at him. It isn't his fault," Gabrielle whispered.
Grumbling, she thanked the soldier and dismissed him to continue his duties. She turned around, frowning deeply, glaring at the guards posted along the walls. They weren't doing their jobs, she thought.
"Why do Kaantang and Katayoun have a private estate in Elam if they haven't been invited here in over ten years?"
Gabrielle sighed. "I don't know."
"It doesn't make sense!"
"We should really get some sleep. There's no point in investigating it right now. We've been up all night." She tugged Xena's arm. "I know you want to help, but you'll be more useful if you're rested..."
Arielle ran through the palace, up the stairs, and rounded several corners to reach her daughter's bedroom. As soon as she heard that Aurora was found, she didn't hesitate to leave the tunnels, despite being advised against it.
Breathing heavily, she felt a pain in her side as she hurried as quickly as possible in the heavy dress she wore. She swung open the doors and saw Aurora in bed with maids tentatively caring for her. She tried to walk forward, but someone pulled her back. Almost growling, she pulled away, until she realized it was Ku-Ilm who pulled her aside.
Ku wiped her hands with a wet cloth. "Xerxes found her in the throne chamber with her friend," she whispered. "She...drank an entire bottle of wine."
Arielle slapped her hand over her pounding heart. Awake but weak, her daughter vomit in a bucket by the bed. It's likely that she would have reprimanded Aurora then and there if she hadn't been so tired and worried about her.
"She...wasn't hurt at all?" Arielle asked.
"No."
"Does she know what happened last night?"
"I don't think so."
Arielle nodded. "I want to stay here with her until she feels better."
Ku sighed deeply. "I think you need to rest. You haven't changed your clothes and you look so exhausted."
"I want to stay here."
"You can stay with her after you've eaten and changed your clothes," Ku demanded. "Did you tell Xerxes about—"
"No."
