Chapter 8—The Exchange: Part II
Elam, Persia
Upon the dais in the throne chamber, Arielle sat on a large cushion, reading over Gabrielle's report. She flipped through the pages diligently, reading every word, every letter, so she was not to miss any detail. This mission of sending Yeter off to a remote location to meet with her sons was very risky. Arielle wanted to make sure nothing went amiss and she also wanted to make sure that she knew all of what was happening.
She closed the journal and handed it over to Gabrielle. "Issik took the bribe," she stated, disappointed. "Make sure that expense is recorded in the archives. Have it sent to the treasurer."
Gabrielle gripped her journal tightly, pressing it against her chest. She was so quick to judge Xena on making hasty decisions that she didn't even want to hold herself accountable for her illegal actions. She had yet to hear back from Farah about the expense journal she sent to Pannonia. She hoped nobody would go looking for it, and if someone did, she'd have to lie to Arielle.
"I'll make sure to do that this afternoon," said Gabrielle.
Arielle tapped her knees, deep in pensive thought. "What about the boys? Did they seem like they adjusted well with Yeter?"
"I think so. We felt comfortable leaving them with her at the lodge."
"And Yeter is aware of the rules at the lodge?" Arielle asked, skeptically eyeing her grandmother standing next to Gabrielle.
Gabrielle answered, "she is aware of what will happen if she refuses to obey the rules, yes."
"Hmm. I didn't see anything about the interrogation in the report. Are you holding off on that?"
Xena quickly stepped in, finding it her place to speak on the topic. "We decided to give Yeter some time with her sons before questioning her. She probably wouldn't have given us anything anyway. She was very grateful to see Muqan and Tespar," she smiled.
Arielle narrowed her eyes, rubbing her chin. "Uh-huh. Okay, well, I'm leaving this all up to you two. If you find out anything, don't hesitate to tell me. I have to leave for Estakhr in a few days but you can write me."
"Of course, we'll let you know if something turns up," Xena said.
On that last note, Arielle stepped down from the dais and brushed the long cape behind her shoulders. She nodded at the two and then hurried off toward the doors. The soldiers opened the doors and she paused in the middle of the doorway, suddenly remembering a thought.
"Oh, by the way, Adarmahan returned from Estakhr two days ago."
Both Xena and Gabrielle gave her wide grins as she exited the throne chamber. Once the doors were closed, their smiles disappeared. Gabrielle smacked the journal on her forehead several times, cursing the entire situation they put themselves in.
Xena clasped her hands on her wife's shoulders. "This is what we're going to do; we go to Adarmahan and see what he's been up to. And then we can check the archives to see if there's a list of soldiers guarding Anosbord somewhere."
With her eyes perched over the journal, Gabrielle furrowed her eyebrows. "What if—just what if—someone finds out about the missing journal?" she hissed. "I stole from the Sassanian Empire!"
"Would you keep your voice down," Xena whispered, clapping a hand over her spouse's mouth. "Nobody is going to find out, and even if someone does find out it's missing, how will anybody know it's you?"
"Because I was the last person in that room. I talked to a scribe about it. Xena, I will be in a lot of trouble if this gets traced back to me."
"You won't. I won't let that happen. Just remain calm. We'll figure something out if it comes up."
Gabrielle took in a deep breath and wiped the sweat from her forehead. She wanted to believe that she could remain calm, but going into the archives already had her heart hammering.
"How 'bout you go search the archives for the soldiers' names in the Anosbord files, and I talk with Adarmahan?"
Xena arched her eyebrow dubiously. "I am not doing that. Quit your worrying, Gabrielle."
"I can handle Adarmahan!"
"I'm not saying you can't, but you're much better at searching through documents than I am," Xena relayed, smiling warmly. "Don't worry. I got your back if anything happens." She gave Gabrielle's shoulder a firm squeeze of assurance.
Despite her daughter's standoffish nature at times, Arielle enjoyed spending time with her. Sure, she anticipated this reunion with her daughter going much smoother, but any time spent with Aurora was a treat in her eyes. While she sat at her desk in her office, Aurora sat at a smaller desk, proofreading documents.
Aurora was working very hard on her reading and writing skills, and Arielle would occasionally look over and give a small smile. What she really wished was that she had been able to see Aurora's abilities sooner and that she hadn't needed anyone else to point them out to her.
Aurora sensed that her mother was looking at her and turned to face her. Aurora rolled her eyes and lowered her head as she continued to inspect her mother's work, while Arielle's grin grew wider.
Suddenly, a soldier entered the room, letter in hand.
"Just put it on my desk. I'll get to it later if it's not urgent," Arielle said to the soldier.
"Actually, this is for the princess."
Aurora looked up from the stack of papers on her desk and stared at the soldier. She graciously took the letter. She couldn't believe that someone from Persia would take the time to write to her. Her eyes widened, and her brows furrowed as she read the message.
Arielle sat off to the side, observing her daughter and trying to interpret her thoughts. Aurora's expression, which she hoped to read, went from bewilderment to elation in a matter of seconds. According to what Arielle could tell, the news was indeed good.
She asked, "Who's the letter from?" without meaning to sound too nosy.
Aurora immediately folded up the letter. "One of the girls I spoke with at the solstice festival," she quietly replied.
A friend. At the prospect of her daughter making a friend, especially a Persian friend, Arielle found it hard to contain her excitement. In the months since Aurora's arrival, she has done nothing but cast a pall of gloom over the place.
"How nice of her to write you! What did she have to say?"
Aurora twisted her mouth. "Mother..."
"I'm sorry, I'm just curious." Arielle figured there was no point in carrying on the discussion. She continued signing documents and pretended not to be as interested as she actually was.
Aurora studied the letter intently before glancing at her mother, who was busily completing a document at her desk. She let out a sigh and resumed her examination of the letter. She desired her mother's company, but she also longed to see the world beyond the palace walls and interact with people who were not blood relatives. Either she could stay home and proofread documents, which she found rewarding, or she could find someone with whom she could spend time engaging in activities she found interesting.
With her breath trapped in her chest, she turned around in the chair. "Hey, mom..."
"Hmm?"
"This girl—Hallel—asked if I would meet her in the square..."
Arielle lifted her eyes from her work, and a smile crept up.
"Uh, well, if it's better that I stay here and help you with more proofreading, I don't mind."
"Do you want to go?"
The teenager shrugged her shoulder as her response.
Arielle smiled. "You should go then."
"But what about all this work? You have a lot to do, and I want to help," Aurora quickly said, wrapping her hands around the chair.
"Aurora, I will always have work to finish. I'm enjoying spending time with you, but you should be with someone your own age too. Go, enjoy yourself," she said with a smile and continued writing. "I'll send Saadna to accompany you."
And just like that, the excitement withered. The princess groaned. "Saadna! Mother, I don't need a babysitter."
"I'm not going to let two girls roam around Elam alone."
Aurora, mildly irritated, packed up her things and got ready to leave. She scowled at her mother, whose incessant cheerfulness only served to aggravate the situation. As she stormed out, she tore her coat from the chair and threw it over her shoulder.
Adarmahan abruptly left Elam without telling anyone, and upon his return, he was distant and uncommunicative. Xena had to question several maids before learning where Adarmahan was. She was making her way to the palace's falconry room. It was a peculiar place to take cover, but she had questions that needed answers.
She walked through the hallway and was about to cross paths with Anastasia. Instead of stopping, she smiled at her daughter, gave a curt head nod, and continued walking.
"Mother!"
Xena jumped and slowed down noticeably. She was not in a talkative mood and did not want to talk to her daughter. Her thoughts were on one thing at the moment, but she turned around and went back the way she came out of habit. She met her daughter's shimmery eyes and knew that the brief greeting would turn into a conversation.
"Yes?"
It seemed as if Ana was trying to study her mother's silence by gazing into her mother's eyes, but she remained silent, and her gaze shifted slightly. At that moment, the hair on the back of her neck was being neatly hidden by her mother's fingers as she stroked her cheek.
"Anastasia? Everything alright?"
"I...I'm worried about Cera."
Xena nodded. "Ah. I know I can't tell you not to worry, but Arielle's messenger said everything is under control."
"I know but," Ana sighed heavily. "I just want to see it for myself. I want to go to Kazakhstan. I know you and Arielle keep things from me."
Now, she knew she didn't have time for this, nor did she have the patience or energy. "Anastasia, I think it would be best if you stayed here."
"But I'm worried about her. I have this feeling that something isn't right." She placed her hand over her stomach, feeling a sudden wave of uneasiness wash over her.
She wanted to escape their deepening conversation and return to her work, but she couldn't. She couldn't escape the torrent of her daughter's feelings. Even though she could see why, she didn't have time to deal with it.
"It's normal to feel the way that you do. If you're really worried about this, have a letter sent to Cera. I'm sure she'd love to hear from you."
She pressed her lips to her daughter's forehead and cupped her face in her hands. After what she believed to be the best and quickest advice, she left the area and went on to the falconry room.
Anastasia, irritated by her mother's response, recoiled and balled her hands into fists. She called out in a firm tone, "you don't want me to go."
Xena stopped and turned on her heel, frowning deeply. "No. I don't."
"I don't need your permission to leave this palace."
"No," Xena responded coolly. "You don't."
"I'm not incapable of doing things on my own."
"I never said you weren't."
"You don't have to, mother. I'm going to go to Kazakhstan, with or without your approval, because I think Cera is in trouble. I know she is. And you won't be able to stop me from leaving."
Xena tilted her eyes to the ceiling and scratched her neck. Sighing, she said, "you're right. I can't stop you. But if anything happens...to you," her words trailed off as she found it difficult to finish that sentence. "Be careful. That's all I ask."
She did have to appreciate her mother's sincerity, even if it was a bit annoying at times. "I will, mother. Thank you."
"I do want you to do one thing..."
Anastasia sighed and crossed her arms.
"I want you to ask Xerxes if he'll go with you."
"Why him?"
"He's the only person I trust in this place," Xena said with a smile and pinched her daughter's cheek.
Ana grunted and swatted her mother's hand. "Why can't I just take our soldiers with me?"
"Because...I need them...for something."
"You need them," Ana said flatly. "Mom, what are you up to?"
Xena snapped her fingers and walked down the hallway. "You better leave before I change my mind, Anastasia."
After getting lost several times, she finally found her way to the falconry room. The housekeepers were correct in assuming that Adarmahan was currently present in this room; he was preparing to leave. The door slammed as she closed it, startling Adarmahan. Xena walked past several cages containing birds, which flapped their wings in response to her presence. There was tension in the room, and the falconer decided to leave.
Xena smiled. "I haven't seen you in a while."
Adarmahan wrapped his hands behind his back. "I had duties in Estakhr. My apologies. I should have told you I was leaving."
"Mmm. I guess you know about Yeter and the lodge?"
He nodded. "The Khagana briefed me on the situation yesterday. I have soldiers posted outside of the woods leading to the hunting lodge."
She smirked. "I don't think you have to worry about Gokturks finding that lodge. It's in the middle of nowhere."
"Just for precaution, Khanum," he said, his lip tilting upward. "Excuse me, but I have work to do." He squeezed by her as she refused to budge from her spot.
Xena raised her eyebrow and spun around just as the door opened. "What business do you have in Estakhr that requires you to be gone for weeks at a time?"
He closed the door slowly and brought his eyebrows together. Turning on his heel, he puffed his chest. "Khanum, I am in charge of several divisions across Persia. My duties are not restricted only to Elam. If the Shah requires my assistance, I am obligated to go."
"And what is going on in Estakhr? Arielle is preparing to leave in two days."
His response was a mere chortle under his breath. "I wouldn't know. I don't know everything that happens in Estakhr. Now, excuse me, Khanum, I have a lot of work to do."
Gabrielle kept telling herself that being able to rummage through stacks of documents was a privilege because of the fact that she had been granted access to the archives. She looked for the names of the soldiers who guarded Anosbord, doing the best she could with her rudimentary Persian reading skills. The archive room apparently lacked any paperwork pertaining to this prison.
She flipped the pages of her journal, which was stuffed with the names of soldiers, and licked her finger. There were many different names for the gates located all over Persia. The more she looked, the more likely it became that she would find some sort of file pertaining to Anosbord.
Gabrielle perked up as she heard the approaching sounds of three men. She snapped the journal shut and hastily returned it to its shelf. Within seconds of her returning to the chair, the massive doors swung open. Xerxes entered, followed by two men.
Xerxes, surprised to find her in the room, greeted her. "Gabrielle, I didn't expect you to be back from your trip so soon."
"Lots of work to be done in Elam," she replied, nervously grinning. The impending silence was making her stomach bubble. "I...came in here to write in peace. I don't like to be disturbed when I write my reports."
"Ah," he smiled and looked over his shoulder at the perplexed men. "Oh, this is my uncle, Bawi, and his son, Shapur," he introduced, waving his hand. "This is Gabrielle, Governor of my wife's empire."
Gabrielle rose from the chair and held out her hand. "Nice to meet you both. Xerxes, you have so many family members, I can hardly keep up."
Chuckling awkwardly, he clapped a hand on Bawi's shoulder. "Bawi isn't my blood relative. He is married to my aunt."
Her nose wrinkled, displaying utter confusion. "Shehzada Esther? I thought she was married to—"
"Siyawush is no longer with us, sadly," Bawi interrupted.
Gabrielle rubbed her lips together and gave a slow nod.
Bawi was a mysterious man. His lack of facial expression made it more difficult for Gabrielle to read him. His short white beard and well-combed dark hair hid his true expression. The oddest thing about him was his eyes, which were so dark that they appeared black in the light and were hidden beneath heavily hooded eyelids. Shapur, his son, was very similar to him, save that he had long hair like Xerxes and wore it in a braid.
Xerxes briefly acknowledged her head nod and returned it with a snippet of a smile. "Bawi is an officer in the military. I will be working with him closely to expand our efforts in Assyria against the Byzantines."
"Well, don't let me get in your way." She quickly gathered her satchel and journals as she backed away from the table. "Very nice to meet you both. Hopefully, we'll see more of each other."
"Did you finish what you needed to do in here, Gabrielle?" asked Xerxes.
She paused in the doorway. "Yes, I was wrapping up as soon as you walked in."
Xena was left more perplexed than satisfied by her conversation with Adarmahan. Perhaps that conversation had piqued her suspicions, but she was unsure. He flat-out refused to talk about whether or not the mission against the Gokturks should be continued. Maybe he thought it didn't matter anymore now that Yeter was out of the palace and Issik had agreed to the ceasefire.
There was no way she was going to let this Gokturk mission fall through the cracks. Many secrets remained to be revealed, but time was running out. She could have done it herself, and she didn't need Adarmahan's help, especially since she didn't trust him.
Walking back towards the library, she ran into Gabrielle around a corner. The timing was ideal, she thought.
"I need to talk to you," they said in unison.
Gabrielle raised an eyebrow.
"You first," they said.
Xena smiled subtly at the way they shared a mind sometimes. "Okay, we'll talk in our room then." she grabbed Gabrielle's arm and strolled through the halls.
"I had the weirdest conversation just now," Gabrielle uttered.
"Is there something in the air," Xena grumbled.
"You had some weird interaction too?"
"Something like that."
Gabrielle sighed, shaking her head. "There is something strange going on."
Hallel and Aurora were escorted out to the square by one of Elam's most senior guards. Aurora was used to being shadowed by masked warriors, so Hallel was cautious about speaking up in her presence. Aurora eventually realized she was essentially talking to herself and became aware of this.
Aurora cast a glance back over her shoulder in the direction of Saadna, who was following a few steps behind. She reached out and grabbed Hallel, startling her. "She's just keeping tabs on us, that's all. My mom's orders," she whispered.
Hallel seemed to feel a bit more at ease and decided to stop looking back at the veiled soldier. "Your Persian is very good. I didn't even know you weren't from here," she said offhandedly.
Aurora, indifferent about the compliment, blushed and glanced elsewhere.
"Um...do you come to Elam often?"
"Not really."
Hallel finagled her fingers through her medium-length light brown hair and kept walking alongside Aurora. She found it a bit awkward and difficult to talk to the princess outside of the palace. When they last spoke at the festival, Aurora was more talkative and expressed herself easily. But now, it was like she was talking to a completely different person.
She was caught off guard when the princess asked her, "how come Tula and Paniz didn't come with you?"
"Oh, they had...other things to do," said Hallel.
Aurora stopped and tried to make eye contact with her. "Is it because of my mother? Is that why they didn't come?" she tried once more to force Hallel to look into her eyes. "You can be honest with me."
Finally, Hallel gazed into the princess' blue eyes.
"Great. She ruins everything," Aurora spat. "Where's your home? Saadna and I can walk you."
"Wait, no." Hallel grabbed the princess' hand. "I want to spend time with you. I like talking to you."
Aurora narrowed her eyes. "You do?"
"Sure! I think you're super smart, and you were pretty funny when you told those stories about those maids back at the festival."
Aurora clenched her teeth as she remembered telling the story of how Nousha's servants had accidentally poured wine all over themselves while getting ready for the festival. Nothing had ever provoked such anger in Nousha. Since the maids had just waxed the floor, it was inevitable that someone would fall.
Then, realization hit, and she was reminded of her status. "You don't care that my mother is the Khagana?"
Hallel smiled and grabbed Aurora's hand. "I liked talking to you before I knew you were a princess."
"Siyawush is dead?"
Gabrielle shrugged, looking as confused as her wife. When she heard it for herself, she couldn't believe it, but she had indeed heard correctly. No one mentioned to anyone that Bawi was Esther's new husband. That, to her, was the most out-of-the-ordinary part of their discussion.
"How long ago did he die?"
"I don't know, Xena. I wasn't in there long enough to ask questions."
Xena shook her head. "Were you able to find the names of the guards?"
"About that; there are no records that I could find with any information on Anosbord."
"Damn." She slapped her knee in annoyance. "Looks like we'll have to do this the old-fashioned way. I'll pick some soldiers and send them to Anosbord."
Gabrielle had a gut feeling that this was the final outcome. She couldn't tell if Yeter was telling the truth about the dishonest Persian soldiers, but there was no evidence to suggest otherwise.
While her spouse stewed in the corner, she started getting changed into something more casual. She was hoping to ditch her business attire for the evening so she could join the rest of the family for dinner. Gabrielle kicked off her boots by the entryways and started looking for her slippers. She snatched up a clean pair of pants and a blouse, assuming Xena wouldn't change until bedtime. She reached over and bumped her wife's shoulder while holding out the garments.
Xena shook off her stupor and looked at her garments. She took the garments with a gentle smile and deposited them in her lap. She desperately sought to shut off her thoughts but was unable to. There were many things competing for her attention: her daughter, the palace's secrecy, and the empire.
She picked at her pants mindlessly, overthinking. "Anastasia wants to go to Kazakhstan to see Cera."
Gabrielle pulled her blouse over her head and blew her bangs out from her eyes. "And you're okay with that?"
"Of course, I'm not okay with it," she griped.
Gabrielle sat down on the floor and clearly saw how much distress Xena was under. She took her wife's hand and gave it a gentle peck.
"I know I can't force her to stay, but I wish she would."
"She can take care of herself."
Xena nodded her head back and forth, confident in her daughter's abilities. That didn't convince her otherwise, though. She came to Persia in large part because she wanted Anastasia to be close by all the time; she just didn't want to admit it. The thought of Ana traveling so far with only a small group of soldiers worried her more than the prospect of seeing Arielle and the girls.
"When we get back to Pannonia, I am going to...attempt to train those dogs."
Gabrielle scuffed a chuckle. "I am dying to see that."
"I'm going to try my best." She reached down and pinched Gabrielle's arm. "Hey, I have an idea."
"For...?"
"I asked Ana to take Xerxes with her to Kazakhstan. She could find out more information on Bawi and Esther's marriage. She's very good at interrogating people without the person knowing they're being interrogated." She wriggled her eyebrows.
"I dunno, Xena. Do you think that's necessary?"
"Come on," Xena scoffed. "Nobody just marries a Sassanian princess without anybody knowing about it. They're very big on weddings here, and we're just now finding out about the marriage? Something isn't adding up here."
Gabrielle nodded, gripping her spouse's hand tightly. "I agree with you. Could be more Sassanian trickery."
"You read my mind."
"I just don't want this to backfire and blow up in our faces if Ana starts questioning Xerxes."
After spending several hours exploring the square, Aurora made her way back to the palace. By the gates, she bade farewell to Hallel, with the two arranging to meet up later in the week. The few hours she spent away from the palace proved to be a welcome diversion from her palace duties; she had no idea she would have so much fun.
Aurora walked merrily down the gravel path, a broad grin spanning her face. She looked up and noticed Nousha and Anastasia lounging on plush cushions with a canopy above them. She glanced to her right and saw her younger sisters at the fountain, where they were feeding the pigeons. Aurora avoided making eye contact with Nousha as she hurried along the path toward the palace.
"Aurora!"
Her body stiffened entirely, and she turned around. After making her way to a position beneath the canopy, she bowed her head slightly.
Anastasia smiled in between eating a few nuts. "Hello, tatli kiz."
Nousha's brows creased as she glared at the teenager. "Who was that at the gate?" she asked.
Aurora's cheeks reddened. "Um, just a girl from the festival. I was with her in the square. Mother said it was alright."
Aware of the intense heat, Nousha cooled her face with a fan. "Aurora, be wary of who you associate with in Elam. You must be aware that many people dislike your mother."
"Hallel isn't like that," the princess replied sourly. "She doesn't care who I am or where I come from." She looked into Nousha's eyes and sighed. "I'm going to go inside and get ready for dinner." She walked out angrily, avoiding any further probing or smearing of her mother's reputation in this country.
After waiting for her granddaughter to enter the palace, Anastasia turned around and shot a glare at Nousha. "Saying things like that to her is inappropriate. You're talking about her mother."
"I express these sentiments out of worry for Aurora. You can't assume good intentions from people. We don't know that girl and where she's from or which family she belongs to."
"They're children, Nousha."
In response to that, she snorted. Anastasia still didn't seem to grasp the fundamentals of how things operated in Persia or the pervasive influence politics had on everyone's daily lives. She hoped to be taken by surprise but was not. Despite her extensive background working with Sassanids, Nousha was more taken aback by Anastasia's lack of alarm.
The maids waved their hands in an attempt to attract Nousha's attention from a distance. Abbaseh and Boran jumped into the fountain, ruining their outfits. Only the sound of their laughter drew Nousha's attention to the reflecting pool.
She gasped, got up from the pillow, and marched across the courtyard. "Girls!" she shouted. "Get out of there!"
Anastasia snickered to herself as she listened to the yelling, squealing girls, and splashing water. While the mayhem was going on, she kept on snacking from the tray of nuts and fruit.
Pannonia
Recently, dinners have become very tense and uncomfortable. Csaba talked nonstop to his children during dinner in an effort to reassure them that everything was fine. Even so, his sons had better judgment. They weren't completely oblivious to their parents' fights, especially since their mother had been so resentful for the past two weeks. Aracsilla was not completely oblivious to the tension, but she did her best to ignore it.
Csaba glanced over at Farah, who had been eating in silence for the past hour, as he continued to talk with his sons. As a deliberate tactic, she ignored the conversation and everybody around her.
After the conversation quieted, a maid approached the family and knelt down to Farah. She whispered in her ear, "the journal was sent back to Elam. It should arrive in a week or so."
Farah pushed her food around her plate while nodding silently. Infuriated, she looked up and saw that the maid was still standing next to her. She ate her food slowly, her eyebrows raised as she waited for the maid to explain her pause.
"Shall I send a plate of food to Öza's room again, Your Highness?"
Since Öza arrived, she has been eating in her room because she is too anxious to eat with the group. Farah looked down at her family and threw her spoon in disgust. They stared at her for a moment, mouths full of food, before turning away. She was sick of playing the reclusive game, but she also didn't like her new houseguest. It was about time they ended the drama.
She got up off the floor and stared at the maid. "No, I will go talk to her."
Csaba continued to eat while his eyes were cast down, and a soft grin crossed his face. It had been two weeks since Farah had last communicated with Öza, so this was a big deal. That's encouraging news. Hopefully, she wouldn't be too hard on Öza, was all he could think.
Farah wasn't going to let this woman live a secluded life. She unlocked the guest room, and Öza brushed her long hair in front of the mirror. The moment she shut the door and crossed the room, Öza jumped to her feet.
There was nothing womanly about this girl. For a moment, Farah considered pity for her. The fact that Farah's son welcomed this woman into the family did not deter her from ensuring that Öza was cared for well.
"Are you going to come sit with us in the dining hall?" she asked.
Öza kept her eyes to the floor and answered, "I prefer to eat in my room, Your Highness."
Farah sighed heavily. "Well, I prefer that you didn't. You've been eating in here alone for weeks."
"It wouldn't be proper of me."
"You know what isn't proper? You not looking at me when I am speaking to you."
Hesitantly, Öza raised her gaze, seemingly terrified to look into the queen's eyes.
"That's better." Farah smiled weakly. "You aren't a slave anymore, Öza, and you're certainly not my slave. There are no slaves in Pannonia. You don't have to look at the floor every time I enter a room."
Öza took note of that and nodded her head.
This was not really a discussion about food. More than that, in fact. Farah was unwilling to broach the topic of Öza's intentions with Edemen. But now, she knew she couldn't wait any longer for Edemen's return home. She didn't want her son to interpret her icy demeanor toward Öza as hostility. Farah led Öza to the bed, and they sat down together.
A look of worry had spread across Öza's face, and Farah recognized it immediately. Csaba could have been right about this. Understanding how Öza felt would require her to give up her privileged position. Once Farah met Csaba's relatives, she didn't think twice about voicing her opinion or asking for what she wanted. After being taken aback by her demands for expensive furnishings, his family eventually got used to her extravagant tastes.
She had been a demanding little girl. She was used to getting what she wanted, even as an adult. As she had matured, however, Farah had shed her privileged outlook. At least, until Öza showed up, and then Csaba had no trouble revealing Farah's behavior. Öza was not someone she could ever connect with because of their vastly different life experiences.
"My son must really like you," Farah said. "I'm assuming that you like him too?"
Öza was too embarrassed to speak up, so she simply smiled in response.
"Öza, I'm not angry at you, and I'm sorry if I came off that way. I recently learned some news about my son that I didn't like, and I'm afraid I took it out on you."
There was a palpable shift in Öza's demeanor; it was clear that she was suddenly remembering every conversation she had ever had with Edemen. It's possible that she shouldn't have brought it up because she was worried that Öza would feel responsible for Edemen's flirtatious behavior.
She placed a hand on Öza's knee. "I would really like it if you'd sit and eat with us." She held out her hand, open for the taking.
Öza gave the offer some thought. She didn't know what to do because she'd never faced a situation like this before. For the first time in her life, she would not be the one doing the serving. It was also important to her that she not spend the rest of her life in isolation. In the end, she decided to take Farah's hand, despite her initial reluctance at the prospect of her new life.
Farah flashed an ecstatic grin and clapped her hand over the one she was holding with Öza. "I hope we can use this time to get to know each other better. Maybe you could help me at the school. I teach math to the children here."
"I...ah—I can't read or write."
"Oh." Once again, she had said the wrong thing. "I can teach you. I know several languages."
Öza grinned and took up the offer. Being able to read and write was something that really excited her. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she would be able to study under a queen.
Elam, Persia
Bawi and his son Shapur were standing on the second floor of the palace, looking out the windows. At ground level, Anastasia and Xerxes were packing their bags and preparing to leave for Kazakhstan. A pair of Xerxes' most trusted guards accompanied them. Bawi narrowed his gaze as Anastasia and Xerxes galloped through the gates.
Shapur spoke confidently to his father, "the Shehzade makes a lot of allowances for these Huns. He dropped everything to ride with the Khatun."
"He is married to one. He must feel obligated to bend to their needs," replied Bawi.
"Are we going to wait for his return to keep working on our plans for Assyria?" Shapur asked, mildly irritated. "I don't see the reason why we have to protect the Assyrians. They are governed by the Huns, not Persians."
Bawi grabbed his son's arm and pulled him close. "Don't speak loudly," he hissed. "As for the Assyrians, we won't be helping them. We should leave the palace soon. We have a guest to meet in Babylon."
They looked around to make sure they weren't being followed before descending the long corridor. After determining that it was safe to do so, they strolled casually through the halls, checking each corridor periodically.
Abbaseh stuck her head out from the corner. She had been drawing on the next balcony over when Bawi and Shapur were having their conversation, and she overheard it all. She frowned and waited until the men had rounded a corner, then she quickly retreated in the opposite direction.
Her sisters, like most people, probably weren't awake at this ungodly hour. Abbaseh walked slowly through the palace, trying not to run and get winded. She went around to all the big meeting halls, and they were all empty. Abbaseh, frustrated, was determined to find someone who would hear her out, the one person who would actually believe her.
She trekked through the halls and coughed under her breath. Her chest felt constricted as she hurried through the palace, placing strain on her lungs. At long last, she was relieved to recognize Xena's and Gabrielle's voices coming from the direction of the library. She used all of her strength to open one of the heavy doors and squeezed through the small opening.
A creaking door caused Xena to turn around. She gave the little Shehzada a friendly smile and pretended that the interruption of her work wasn't a big deal.
Abbaseh heaved a sigh and walked over to the table, clutching it. She said, "Grandma Khanum," as she took a deep breath in, on the verge of hyperventilating, and said, "I...I need to talk to you."
As Xena watched the girl's shallow breaths, she furrowed her brow. Squeezing Gabrielle's arm, she excused herself. Gabrielle gave a short nod and kept on reading the papers. Xena swooped Abbaseh up onto her hip and carried the little girl to the sitting room down the hall from the library.
After getting comfortable on the floor together, she brought a glass of water to Abbaseh. Abbaseh drank the water while babbling gibberish, and her rapid, labored breathing slowed enough for her to speak.
"Did you run a marathon to come find me?" in a lighthearted tone, Xena asked.
Abbaseh wiped her mouth after drinking another glass of water and said, "I...I need to tell you something important."
"Alright, I'm listening."
"It's...a secret. I don't think I'm supposed to know."
Xena crinkled her eyebrows. "Yeah? What kind of secret?"
"You promise you won't tell anyone?"
"That depends on what it is, Abbaseh."
Abbaseh twisted her mouth. "Okay, you can tell Gabby. But nobody else!"
"You have my word."
What exactly was this secret, she wondered, with growing concern. It seemed trivial at first, but Abbaseh's serious demeanor led her to believe there must be more at play.
"Well, I dunno what this all means, but..."
Xena gave a small smile of amusement at the child's acute perceptions. She urged the young Shehzada to keep going.
"I heard two men talking in the hall. They talked about Assyrians and—and how they aren't going to help them. Oh, and—and!" she waved her hand frantically. "They talked about baba helping Grandma Khatun. They were pretty mad about it."
Xena arched an eyebrow, finding the story more fascinating than she expected. "I see. Did you hear anything else?"
Abbaseh tapped her cheek pensively, recalling the conversation. "Oh, and they're going to Babylon too to see a 'guest', whatever that means."
Babylon. She made a huge leap of faith in identifying these two men as Bawi and Shapur without even needing a description of them. No one left for Babylon, and Shehzada Esther was the only person she knew who was already there.
She patted Abbaseh's thigh tenderly. "Thank you for telling me this, Abbaseh. Are you feeling alright? You had a pretty nasty coughing fit earlier."
"Mhm. Are you gonna tell Gabby?"
"I sure will."
"But nobody else, right?" She slanted her brows downward and leaned in toward Xena in an intimidating manner.
Xena leaned forward and touched the child's forehead. "Secret's safe with me."
After resting on the floor pillows for a while, she got up and started walking toward the library again. She had gone halfway down the hall when she heard the pitter-patter of little feet behind her. Abbaseh paused, her broad smile lighting up her brown eyes as Xena spun around to face her.
"I wanna hear you tell Gabby the secret."
"You did an outstanding job finding out this useful information, but I'm afraid this is where your mission ends," Xena said, on the verge of laughing. "You're free of your duties. Go on now."
Abbaseh stormed off, obviously miffed that she wouldn't be able to find out how useful her tip had been. Xena put her hand over her mouth to suppress a chuckle. That girl was unquestionably Arielle's offspring, but unlike her mother, she actually followed orders.
Xena hurried back to the library and slammed the door behind her. Gabrielle looked at her wife in surprise and confusion. Xena's expression indicated that the situation was very serious. Whatever Abbaseh had to say, Gabrielle figured it was more serious than a joke or something only a child would care about.
"Uh, hi?"
"We're going to need a bigger spy division."
"What?"
Xena marched over to the table and slammed her hands down. "According to Abbaseh, Bawi is up to some sneaky bullshit."
"More Sassanian trickery," Gabrielle said, shaking her head. She wasn't the least bit surprised by the news.
"I can't trust any of the soldiers here. We need more Hun soldiers—reliable ones. We can ask Csaba if he'll send us some of his troops. Bawi is meeting up with someone in Babylon, and he's not going to help the Assyrians fight Justinian."
"You got all this from Abbaseh?"
Xena smirked. "She's an excellent spy."
"Back to the soldiers. Csaba is using all of the troops to guard the borders," Gabrielle reminded her wife. "But there is an alternative..."
She understood exactly who Gabrielle was talking about, and she preferred to use the soldiers at her disposal rather than the alternative.
"No."
"He's always willing to help, and he's got plenty of soldiers. I can write up a quick letter." She reached for her pen and waved it above her head.
"I'm not involving Bayan in this."
"Do you have a better plan?"
Xena groaned. She had no choice but to succumb to the alternative. "Arielle better not find out about this."
Estakhr, Persia
The two-day journey seemed to last an eternity. Trips to Estakhr were a regular occurrence for Arielle, and she always dreaded them because she knew she would be severely reprimanded by Khosrow and his court. A soldier helped her out of the black caravan. She swung the veil on her headdress over her shoulder and started walking toward the Shah's palace.
She approached the gates and saw a herd of white horses hanging out near the stables. The soldiers were taking care of the horses, and she had seen their distinctive gold armor before. No doubt about it, those soldiers were from the Byzantine Empire. Arielle waited a little longer than necessary, glaring at the unwelcome soldiers until a few of the Shah's guards urged her to go through the gates.
Arielle was escorted to the Shah's chambers, where she walked confidently in front of the guards. Her palms were sweaty, and her heart was pounding. Khosrow could be seen standing in front of the dais, beaming, as soon as the doors were opened. Deeply inhaling through her nostrils, Arielle strode inside.
Khosrow smiled with open arms. "Sister, welcome back to Estakhr. It's so good to have you here." he gripped her shoulders and kissed her cheeks three times.
Arielle furrowed her brow in thought. As a result, from now on, he will refer to her as his sister-in-law as long as there was nobody else around. Wow, she thought, this is fascinating.
"I understand you wanted to talk about the Gokturks, but I don't see your court," she said, glancing around the empty room.
"Straight to business, huh?" Khosrow chuckled softly. "The Gokturk issue can wait. I actually wanted to talk to you about something else. Please, sit."
Arielle sat down on the floor across from the Shah with a sigh. The purpose of this gathering eluded her. She had her report on the temporary alliance with Issik all worked out and ready to go. She had to brace herself for the unexpected now.
"I'm sure you noticed the guests outside," he casually said.
"How could I not? Are those Byzantine soldiers?" she asked, her heart racing quicker by the second.
He affirmed her question with a nod. "Emperor Justinian's nephew, Justin, and his wife, Sophia, offered to come here and negotiate."
It took every ounce of willpower inside of her not to explode. "Negotiate what?"
Observing her boiling point of rage, he announced, "I have decided to agree to a peace treaty with the Byzantines."
When Arielle bit her inner cheek, her lips curled inward. She had to keep telling herself not to blow her top. She had to watch her tone around Khosrow because he was still the Shah, even if they were related.
"Does this...peace treaty include my people? I have troops guarding the Pannonian borders as we speak."
"The offer did not extend to the Avar-Hun Empire," he stated.
Soon after, Arielle burst out laughing, much to Khosrow's bewilderment. He probably didn't know how to respond to her reaction to such news. Arielle's mirth gradually faded, and she cocked her head in his direction.
"Oh, so, what I'm hearing is that you've decided not to protect my people, is that it?" she snarked, flaring her eyes. "We're allies, and you decided to negotiate with the Byzantines without me present. Don't you think that's a bit of a problem, Khosrow?"
"Arielle, I can see that you're angry. It'd be wise of you to calm down."
She sprang up off the floor. "Don't you dare patronize me! You've minimized my position here as Khagana for over a year! Your court constantly humiliates me, and you don't care about my people!"
Khosrow stood up, matching her height. "Arielle, watch your tone."
"I would have attacked you and burned this palace to the ground if Xerxes weren't your brother and a prince of this damned empire!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, her voice shaking with the rage that was burning within her.
The conversation had clearly reached its conclusion, and Khosrow had nothing to add. In the midst of her passion, Arielle had said more than she intended to. When her thoughts finally caught up with her words, it was too late. In the midst of her escalating anger, she made the decision to leave and walked briskly to the doors.
She pushed the doors open rather than wait for the guards to open them from the other side. She stomped down the hall, furious, tears blurring her vision. Several of her troops had trouble keeping up with her quick pace. She walked out of the palace and into the courtyard, where she stood staring at the gray sky and letting tears roll down her cheeks. All of her efforts from the previous year had been in vain. Khosrow's indifference to her and her people was on full display today. She had no idea he was making secret alliances with the Byzantines.
Adrenaline continued to pump through her body and make its way to her stomach. While throwing up violently, Arielle staggered across the dirt path and onto the grass. With her hands on her knees, she continued dry heaving until her throat went numb. She took a deep breath and clutched her neck as she gulped for air. When the sourness reached the back of her throat, she coughed so hard that her soldiers became concerned.
As Shah Khosrow emerged from his palace, he saw Arielle crouching on the grass, hacking up a lung. His face contorted in obvious disgust, but despite their argument, he was worried about her well-being.
"Take her to the infirmary," he ordered his guards.
Once she recognized his voice, Arielle's eyes widened. She reached down, cupped her stomach, and coughed once more. When soldiers tried to help her stand, she screamed and flailed her arms, making it clear that she was in no mood to be helped.
To give her some space, Khosrow ordered his guards to back off. After much effort, Arielle was finally able to stand, and she fixed Khosrow with her most threatening stare. She dabbed her lips and made her way clumsily across the lawn. The idea of Justin and Sophia inside that palace made her physically ill.
Her stomach roiled again as she took a few steps forward onto the dirt path, and her vision became hazy. She shuffled forward for a few steps before her body gave out and collapsed onto the ground.
"Grab her and take her inside immediately!" shouted Khosrow.