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Chapter 15 –Deposed: Part II
Estakhr, Persia
Shah Khosrow sat down opposite his brother, trying to make sense of the ridiculous proposal he'd just been presented with. Due to his shock, he sat there for a while, contemplating his situation. Not until Xerxes spoke was he able to look him in the eye again.
"You want to revoke your birthright of the empire?" he asked, clarifying the maddening proposal.
Xerxes inhaled sharply, and said, "Yes."
"You are doing this of your own volition? Nobody has coerced you?"
"This is my decision alone."
Khosrow rubbed his chin pensively. "I want to understand why you're making this decision. This seems very sudden."
"I don't have the desire to be Shah, and my chances of ever sitting on the throne are little to none. The public thinks ill of me because I married outside of Persia. My family is in danger because of me."
Khosrow raised his hand because he had heard his brother go on long enough.
"Please approve my proposal." He bowed, forehead touching the floor.
Sighing, he grabbed Xerxes' shoulder. "I'm not going to depose my own brother," he said.
"Khosrow, I am asking you to do this. I appreciate your kindness—"
"I'm not finished," he interrupted. "I'm not revoking your birthright because it would do more harm than good to you and your family. Your daughters have a right to the throne one day. It's not right for you to take that away from them."
There was a sense of defeat overtaking Xerxes. He had been selfish in his planning for the family's departure from Persia. He was especially concerned about the safety of his daughters. He didn't want them to have to bear the brunt of his hasty decisions.
"However," Khosrow cleared his throat. "I can revoke all of your military duties in Persia. I can also reinstate your role as ambassador and you can...live in Pannonia with your family."
He was disappointed that his brother didn't share his enthusiasm, but he appreciated his brother's kindness. He hugged Khosrow tightly, feeling his strength in return.
"You do realize that once you leave, you won't be able to return for several years."
Xerxes curtly nodded. "I know. I've already prepared myself to deal with that consequence."
Khosrow concluded the conversation with a grin. He took out two glasses and poured wine. For the next few minutes, they discussed returning the military's full-time responsibilities to Adarmahan and completing the necessary paperwork for the ambassador position.
Now that he had Xerxes' attention, he had one last thing to mention. "About your wife's relationship with the empire," he began.
Xerxes' teeth ground together as he gulped down the bitter wine.
"I like Arielle. She's incredibly smart and knows how to deal with tough people." he saw his brother's eyes light up. "I would like to keep working with her, and I will send documents to Pannonia once a month for her to review."
Kerman, Persia
Adarmahan ordered repeated sweeps of the lodge, and his men combed the surrounding woods for a full week. There were always more unanswered questions after a search. The investigation was complicated by the fact that several lodge guards had been killed by the intruders.
After questioning everyone who was there during the attack, he learned that the invaders had fled into the forest to the west. His intelligence gathering complete, he rounded up his troops and rode them back to Elam.
At the halfway point, they dismounted to give the horses a break. Adarmahan went on a scouting mission after instructing one of his senior officers to keep watch over the camp.
Very quickly, he reached the forest's edge, where he remained vigilantly watchful. The voices of his soldiers had faded from his ears. Carefully he approached a massive cedar tree, reached into his coat pocket, and produced a note. Once he was satisfied with his surroundings, he tucked the note under a rock and retreated from the tree.
Elam, Persia
While she was well aware that she was not free to leave the palace at any time, she was growing increasingly restless. To get some exercise and some fresh air, Aurora went for a walk outside into the courtyard. Her mother had instructed the guard, Maven, to follow her around, and she proved to be very difficult to get rid of.
She kicked a few pebbles with her boot and looked forward as she continued walking. Under one of the massive netted canopies, Xena relaxed in a chair. She nibbled on dried fruit and nuts. Aurora went to sit down next to her.
"What are you doing out here?" she asked.
"Working," Xena grumpily replied.
At the entrance to the courtyard and gates ahead, there were at least thirty soldiers stationed. Others wandered aimlessly around the yard while others were busy sharpening their swords. Aurora couldn't wrap her head around the idea that keeping tabs on twenty-plus soldiers constituted "work."
"It doesn't look like you're working to me."
Xena ate the nuts and laughed off the snide comment. She leaned toward Aurora while her attention was still on the soldiers. "Do you see those men over there?" she asked softly, indicating a trio of soldiers.
The princess slowly nodded her head, acknowledging the soldiers. Nothing about them appeared strange to her.
"They've done nothing but chat for an hour."
"And that makes you suspicious of them?" asked Aurora.
"Every ten minutes, one of them leaves the group and walks around the yard. They take turns so they don't bring attention to themselves."
Aurora arched her eyebrow. "Are they spies?" she whispered.
"I don't know, but I have to watch and find out."
Aurora made a conscious decision to remain seated and watch the troops at work. This so-called "work" was in fact a huge bore. After only a few minutes, she had already moved on to other things in her mind.
"Grandma Khanum, can I ask you something?"
"Shoot."
"I overheard mother talking to Ku. She said that we're moving back to Pannonia because it's not safe here. Is it really that dangerous here?"
Xena took her eyes off the soldiers. "There's a lot you don't know, but I will...say that Persia isn't the safest place right now."
Aurora picked at the skin around her fingernails. "Well, I'm glad we're going home. People here are rude. They treat me differently than Abbaseh and Boran."
"It's been hard for you to adjust, I know."
"Mother says I have to blend in here," Aurora said, rolling her eyes. "I'm not from here, and people know that, but she doesn't care about that."
Xena sighed heavily. "I'm sure your mother feels the same way. She isn't from here either. You should give her a break."
That made the princess twist her lips into a frown. "She's holding me captive. I can't even see Hallel."
"You know why you can't see her," she said, raising her eyebrow. Aurora groaned loudly. "She could've been a lot harder on you. I think you received a fair punishment."
"Of course you'd say that," Aurora mumbled under her breath.
"If you really wanted to see Hallel, you'd find a way to leave this palace," Xena said, studying the girl's deep frown. "But you won't do that because you know you'll receive a harsher punishment."
She rubbed her hands across the weathered stone of the bench, chipping away at the surface. To leave the palace secretly was not something she had even considered. It would have been extremely difficult to sneak past the guards.
"Your mother gives you a lot of leeway." Aurora's harsh glare hit her right away. "She had a queen for a mother, so she knows exactly how hard than can be on a child. Your grandmother gave your mother so many rules that they ended up fighting all the time."
Aurora shelved her eyebrows. "I've never seen Grandma Khatun and mom fight."
"They don't argue much anymore. It took them too long to understand each other. My guess is that your mother doesn't want that to happen to you two." She smiled, grabbed Aurora's hand, and squeezed it tightly.
The princess smiled back, and the two continued to observe the soldiers. Aurora noted that the soldiers had once again switched places. True to form, it transpired as predicted. When observed from a distance, it was clear that these men were making no effort to blend in.
After waiting for a few more minutes, the soldiers dispersed and went in different directions. Xena focused intently on their expressions. Two of them left the courtyard and went to the stables, while the third went into the armory.
She grabbed her Kozak, placed it on her head, and tucked her hair neatly inside the headdress. "Could you take this on your way inside?" she handed Aurora the bowl of fruits and nuts.
This was Aurora's cue to leave, and she complied. She got to her feet and turned to rejoin her personal guard inside. She felt a hand on her shoulder and glanced at the pair of eyes next to her.
"I'm going to tell you this because I think you're old enough to know." She saw Aurora's pupils dilate. "Your mother is pregnant. She was going wait to tell you and your sisters when you all arrived in Pannonia."
Aurora's eyes followed her feet as she stared at the ground in a trance-like state. She recoiled as soft fingers touched her cheek.
"Don't tell her that I told you."
"I—I won't."
Several trunks full of travel attire, paperwork, and other essentials were stacked in the common area. If Arielle needed any assistance packing, Gabrielle was willing to lend a hand. She estimated that this would take two hours, but quickly realized that she had grossly underestimated the quantity of items that needed to be packed. Several servants frequently walked the length of the house, collecting chests from bedrooms and bringing them out.
When another chest was placed next to Gabrielle, she frowned. She sighed as she flipped the lid of the next chest she opened. She should not have volunteered to help.
"Are you sure you want to bring all of the girls' clothes? They can have clothes made for them in Pannonia," she suggested.
Arielle cast a smile, as she neatly placed a stack of documents into a leather bag. "I want Abbaseh and Boran to have things they're familiar with. They've only known Persia. They were too young to remember leaving Pannonia."
"It's going to take them a while to adjust," Gabrielle reasoned. "Do they...know this move is permanent?"
"I haven't told them that yet," she admitted quietly. When tears began to surface, she wiped her eyes and quickly changed the subject. "Thanks for helping me with this. I didn't realize how much the girls have accumulated over the years," she laughed softly.
Gabrielle smiled weakly and put more clothes into the trunk. While she had plenty to do today, including looking into the Pasha's missing paperwork, she didn't want to leave Arielle alone. To that end, she would keep packing until there was nothing left to pack.
Arielle had finished packing her most important documents for the trip. She stood up and took the large leather satchel. She crossed the room and ran into Aurora. She smiled warmly, and for the first time in weeks, her daughter returned her smile.
Aurora observed the large bag slung over her mother's shoulder. Aiming for it, she offered, "I can carry that for you."
"It's okay, I can manage." She tried to pass by, but her daughter tugged on the bag's strap.
"Let me carry it, mother."
For a second, Arielle hesitated, and then she handed off the bag. She gave explicit instructions to her daughter to have it set up in the foyer for the caravan. Aurora grinned and walked away, struggling to keep the strap balanced on her shoulder. Arielle followed close behind, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
Aurora tossed the bag to the ground with a huff. She turned around, concealing the fact that she was struggling to carry the bag.
"How much of a debt do I owe for your generosity?" In a playful tone, Arielle said.
"I just wanted to help."
"I appreciate it." She pushed back strands of hair away from her daughter's face.
Aurora's cheeks warmed at her mother's touch. "Do—do you need help with anything else?"
"Well...Gabrielle and I were packing your sisters' clothes. If you—"
Aurora sprinted out of the room without a word, leaving her mother speechless. She walked over to Gabrielle and sat down on the ground, smiling. Immediately, she began to fold clothes and cram them into the trunk.
Without prompting, Arielle's daughter eagerly jumped in to help, which piqued her curiosity. She knelt and picked up a few dresses in preparation for packing.
"Mom, I can help Gabrielle. You don't need to do this anymore."
"But it'll be faster with the three of us."
Aurora took her mother by the hand and dragged her over to the couch cushions. She gently placed her hands on her mother's shoulders to get her to sit down.
"You can sit here and watch," she suggested.
Not knowing what was going on, Arielle frowned. She wasn't against taking some time out to relax, but she was put off by her daughter's kindness.
Xena walked into the armory, hand on her sword. Sneaking around like she was, made her feel like she was thirty years younger. She missed scouting. It was the thrill of catching a person in the act of wrongdoing that gave her an adrenaline rush.
The soldier that she followed, was now hunkered over, poking his fingers in a bag of grain. With a smile on her face, she took quiet steps across the room. She stood behind the soldier and grasped his shoulder.
"Don't move," she whispered.
He froze and breathed heavily. He couldn't muster up any words to reply and flinched when the shiny edge of a blade appeared beside him. Xena cut open the bag of grain with a slice of the sword. Grain poured like a sand dune in the midst of a storm.
She poked through the grain with the tip of the sword. There was a small obstruction in the way. Something soft.
"Grab it," she ordered.
He thought for a moment, then reached out and stuck his arm into the stack of grain. Shakily, he pulled out a small cloth sack. The sword was drawing near his neck, and he prayed silently to himself.
Xena snatched the small pouch from his hands and tucked it into her coat pocket. She then whacked the back of his head with the hilt of her sword. He collapsed into the pile of grain, unconscious.
She left the armory hastily, putting her sword away, instructing two nearby soldiers, "Don't let anybody enter until I come back."
They shouted, "Yes, Khanum!" and sprinted to the armory to stand watch.
Gabrielle's wife suggested they take a trip to the library, so off they went. There wasn't a moment to question the command. A note was placed inside a pouch and given to her. The note was written in Persian, a language she had not yet mastered, adding even more pressure to the situation. She looked up every word in a journal in an effort to translate it.
"This would be faster if you had someone read this," she grumbled.
"Just do the best you can," said Xena. "But...hurry."
Gabrielle redirected her attention and frowned.
"You're doing great," she smiled, encouragingly.
It took her a few minutes, but she finally finished the translation. She scowled as she studied her written translation. Her spouse peeked over her shoulder and read the text aloud.
"The sheep will gather west under a third moon," she read. "What the hell does that mean."
Gabrielle picked up the note and read it silently a few times. "I don't think it means exactly what it says. I translated it word for word. This is why you need someone who knows the language to read this."
"I don't trust anyone to do that. Come with me."
Xena stalked through the hallway, heading to the armory. She briskly walked down the stairs, and Aurora tried to get her attention. She waved dismissively and continued walking.
"Wait!" Aurora shouted. "Those soldiers we were watching earlier left through the east gate."
"How do you know?"
"I saw them leave when I carried a few bags to the caravan."
Xena curled her fingers into a fist. "Was it all three of them?"
"No, only two," she held up her fingers.
A positive sign was that the third soldier was still unconscious in the armory. Xena smiled briefly at the princess, thanked her, and hurried out the door.
With her quick stride, many soldiers in the courtyard made a path for her, immediately getting out of the way.
The doors to the armory flew open, and she strode in. She ventured further into the building with extreme caution. She stepped in something wet as she continued walking, and her gaze fell. She picked up one of her boots and wrinkled her nose at the blood that had stained the leather.
Gabrielle rushed inside and saw a massive amount of blood seeping through the stone floors' grout. A pile of javelins blocked her path, but she eventually reached the source of the blood.
"Is this one yours?" she called.
Xena scraped her boot on the floor and turned to inspect the damage. This soldier had his throat slashed. It was obviously done shortly after she left the armory, as the wound was still very fresh. At this point, the blood had begun to set into the stone.
Growling, she marched to the guards standing outside and grabbed one of them by the collar. "You didn't let anyone inside, did you?"
"No, Khanum. We did as you asked."
The soldier was pushed against the wall as she reentered the armory. She worked up an appetite for a scream but restrained herself.
Gabrielle was squatting next to the body of the dead soldier, examining the laceration. She proceeded to search through all of his pockets. He had some cash and knives stashed away in his pants and coat.
"Who is this?"
"I don't know. I found him digging through the bag of grain. That's where I found the pouch with the note."
Gabrielle frowned and grabbed a handful of the grain, letting it slip through her fingers. "You saw him place the pouch in the grain or was he looking for it?"
"He had his back turned. I couldn't tell. Why does that matter?"
Gabrielle stood up and turned around. "It matters. If he was putting the pouch inside the bag of grain, he likely wouldn't have done it in broad daylight. I think someone put it there for him to find. But that means he would have to know when the message had arrived."
"The other two soldiers he was chatting with probably knew someone was watching them, and killed him when I left."
"You don't know that for sure. He might've been killed either way. But since he knew about the message, that means he needed to deliver it to someone. The other two soldiers don't know what the message says because you took it."
To calm her nerves, Xena pinched the bridge of her nose and took a few deep breaths. She appreciated having Gabrielle around to help make sense of the confusion, but it had little effect. When she finally left the armory, she questioned whether or not she had made the right decision. She could have questioned the man further if she stayed. Still, she couldn't undo what had already happened.
"Gabrielle, I don't know what to do. We find little bits and pieces of information that lead us to dead ends. I am trying so hard to figure this place out and I just...can't."
Never once in their marriage had she heard her wife say that she couldn't do something. It was a serious setback for her pride, career, and reputation as a military strategist.
"Do you still have that note?"
When Xena found the note, she pulled it out of her pocket and gave it to her. Gabrielle straightened out the creases in the folded note and went outside.
She stopped in front of the guards and presented the note. "Can either of you translate this?" she asked.
He read the text carefully. "The sheep will travel west under the third moon."
"Looks like I translated it correctly," she proudly said.
"But what does that mean?" asked Xena, as she stepped out of the armory.
"It's just a saying," the soldier nervously explained. "Sheep could mean a person or a group of people. It usually refers to those who will be slaughtered." He saw both of their expressions turn from confusion to fear.
"And—and what about the third moon thing?"
"Ah, it just gives...a timeline. Maybe a fortnight, maybe three days. I'm not too sure." He handed the note back to Gabrielle, glad to have that out of his possession. "Is there anything else you need, Khanum?"
Xena stared quizzically at the large number of soldiers guarding the courtyard. She answered, "Yes," with an even tone. "Get rid of the body inside there."
Arielle read the note over and over again as her grandmother and Gabrielle struggled to explain its euphemistic meaning. She was so set on getting out of Persia that she failed to see that the risks of staying here were just as terrible as the risks of leaving. Their words were lost on her.
Amid the silence, she lifted her eyes from the note. "They really want me dead, don't they?"
Gabrielle stepped forward hesitantly, offering comfort. "We have a plan to get you and the girls safely to Pannonia."
"For all we know, everyone in this palace wants to kill me. I can't trust anybody. I haven't slept in weeks!" she smashed her fist on the dais.
Gabrielle nervously glanced at Xena. "But you can trust us. We'll keep you safe."
She believed those words. Like her entire life before, she had complete faith in their ability to keep harm away from her. Of course, things were different this time around. Her family was being pursued like prey by people she couldn't even see coming. She had never before been in a place with so many people and felt so isolated.
"When Xerxes returns from Estakhr, you can explain the plan," she said softly.
"Why is he there anyway?"
Arielle began massaging her lower back and inhaled sharply. "He...went to convince Khosrow to revoke his birthright to the empire." She noticed the shock on their faces. "I told him not to do it, but he thinks it's the right thing to do."
"He must really love you to give up something like that," Xena said.
"Or he's a fool," Arielle joked. "I think I'm going to lie down for a bit," she decided.
Adarmahan returned from Kerman and immediately requested to speak with Arielle and Xerxes. He was prompted to wait in the throne room until told otherwise. After about half an hour, he was getting impatient, waiting. Ready to turn around and leave, he heard the doors open. Right on time.
He smiled as he turned to greet the monarchs, but his smile faded as he saw who had entered the room. At ease, Gabrielle strolled in with her journal in hand, followed shortly by Xena.
"I asked to speak with the Shehzade and Khagana," he said.
"They're not available," Gabrielle retorted swiftly. "We'll make sure they receive any information that you give us." She prompted him to sit down with her at a table.
He pulled up a chair and sat down, feeling a twinge of irritation at being ignored by higher-ups. Xena sat on the other side of the table, smiling and tapping her fingers on it.
Gabrielle opened her journal to an empty page. "How was the investigation in Kerman? What did you find?"
He cleared his throat, beginning with, "Many of the troops surrounding the lodge were killed during the attack. I found out that the attackers retreated to the western woods."
"What about the troops who survived? Did they see what the attackers were wearing? What kind of weapons they had?"
"They were wearing black."
Gabrielle took note of his evasion of answering the question of weapons. "Did they steal anything from inside the lodge?"
"Not that I could tell, no." he saw her writing more notes in the journal, and frowned. "I have a strong suspicion that the Gokturks are behind this attack. Why else would someone attack the lodge that held a political prisoner? The Gokturk Queen had spies in Anosbord working for her."
Xena raised an eyebrow. "The Gokturks don't know about the Kerman lodge. They have no idea where Yeter is. None of us know where she is right now. Yet, you still suspect the Gokturks."
"Then why would the attackers flee to the west?"
"I don't know, you tell us, Adarmahan," she snarked, flaring her eyes. "From what you told us so far, nobody knows who these attackers are. They didn't steal anything, and your troops couldn't identify who they were by their clothing, weapons, or horses."
She added, "I think they knew Yeter was there with her sons. Her sons are Gokturk but they're also part of Attila's clan. If the attackers were Gokturk, why would Yeter flee the lodge?"
He tightened his jaw. "We don't know if she fled. She could've been captured by the attackers."
"Do you have proof of that?"
"Might I add, Khanum, that you just said you don't know where the Gokturk Queen is. How do we know that she isn't in the Gokturk Empire by now?"
She scoffed. "Because I would know."
Gabrielle interjected, "I think we have what we need. We'll come to you if we have any more questions, Adarmahan."
He was aware of his quiet dismissal, but he didn't say anything about it. He was done being in the same room with them, especially Xena. He got up to leave, but he couldn't bring himself to kowtow before retreating to the door.
Xena's eyes followed him as he exited. Her frown was permanently etched on her face when she looked at her spouse.
"He's been on and on about the Gokturks since we got here," she said. "He's obsessed with them."
"Or he wants them gone from this earth," Gabrielle muttered. "He was in Kerman for more than a week and he had nothing to show for it!"
"I think he knows more than what he's letting on."
Gabrielle agreed with a short head nod. "He is right about one thing. We don't know where Yeter is. What if she did go to Balaam?"
Xena wrinkled her nose in response. "She wouldn't do that. She knows that if she breaks our deal, her sons get taken away from her. I think she went to Pannonia. Even though she isn't wanted there, Ursula would always welcome her with open arms."
"Ursula is a kind woman," Gabrielle said with adornment. "I hope you're right about Yeter being in Pannonia."
"Me too," she let out a deep sigh, exhausted from the week's events.
Xerxes's journey to Estakhr took much longer than he had anticipated. Xerxes was free to return to Elam as soon as Khosrow signed the paperwork restoring his position as ambassador. The time of night he arrived was terrible. Though he appreciated the peace and quiet of the palace at this hour, he was thankful that there wasn't a big greeting when he returned.
As he passed Arielle's room, he saw that the lights were on beneath the doors. Wasifah maintained her watchful vigilance. With a brief smile, she showed him her acknowledgment. He was just about to enter the bedroom when she suddenly nodded her head as if she could read his thoughts.
After thanking her, Xerxes slipped into the room undetected. He crept further into the room, around a large marble column, and caught sight of Arielle reading in bed. As neatly as they could be arranged, the papers covered the bed.
Arielle was startled for a second before she noticed the visitor. As she put down her papers, she smiled warmly.
"You're back!" she opened her arms.
He hurried over, wrapped his arms around her, and planted a kiss on her forehead. He sat on the bed with her, thumb running along her knuckles as he held her hand.
"Khosrow didn't revoke my birthright," he told her.
A part of her felt relieved to hear that. "What does that mean for us now?"
"He...made a compromise with me. He took away all of my military rights and reinstated me as ambassador so I can live in Pannonia with you and the girls."
By his tone, she assumed he was happy about this, and decided to encourage the joy. "If that's what you want, then I'll support the decision."
"I don't want you to be unhappy. There's been nothing but problems since you married into my family, and I can't let it continue. I won't let my family ruin what we have."
She could not express how grateful she was to him for his kindness and devotion to their family. She had no idea what could have happened if he hadn't argued with Nousha. She thanked him with a kiss, and he leaned in toward her.
He took the kiss slowly and fought to maintain his composure. He lightly touched her face, brushing his hand across her cheek.
"How do you feel?"
"Tired, mostly. Oh, and my back hurts all the time."
His face broke out in an embarrassed grin. He put his hand on her stomach and felt the delicate curve that settled in his palm. In the short eight days that had passed since they had last seen each other, he had already noticed a difference in her outward appearance.
"Someone decided to make an early appearance," he said, looking at her with a bright smile.
Arielle rested her hand on top of his. "I know your mother is mad at me. She's been avoiding me."
He frowned. "Let her be angry."
"I don't want you to have conflict with your mother, but a part of me is...relieved. I feel bad for even saying that. I can finally have a child the way I want to, the way my family does things. I didn't get to do that with any of the girls. This time, it will be different."
Xerxes squeezed her hand for reassurance. "I knew it bothered you, but I didn't know how much..."
"I guess I was trying to please her so much. I was only respecting your traditions."
"Arielle, that doesn't excuse her behavior. I'm sorry for not putting an end to this sooner. I'm so used to pleasing my mother, and I didn't see how it was affecting you."
She accepted his apology with open arms, flashing him a broad grin before she kissed his hand. As she relaxed on the pillows, her thoughts turned to the times ahead. Nothing was going according to her original plans, but she had to make do. The threat of being ambushed on the road to Pannonia was something that kept weighing on her mind.
"I, umm, I received some disturbing news while you were away," she said.
"Tell me."
"There is some concern about...people attempting to kill us when we travel to Pannonia," she said, watching his eyes darken. "My grandma and Gabrielle have a plan to avoid that and they know all the details. I wanted to wait until you came back so they could tell us their plan."
It was obvious to him that the palace was not a place for secrecy. It didn't matter if people liked it or not, everyone knew everything. It marked a turning point in his life. Although at home, he felt unsafe.
"I trust Xena and Gabrielle have a good plan. I won't let anything happen to you."
