Chapter 16

Arielle had no idea if the plan was going to work, but it was in full swing anyhow. She called her girls into her bedroom in the dead of night. The three young princesses were just partially awake and confused by the events unfolding around them. But Arielle had been up for almost two days straight, worrying about this plan to leave Persia.

They were all to dress in black and take off their jewelry, she told her daughters. She observed as Officer Wasifah scurried around the room preparing additional suitcases for the trip while she buttoned Boran's shirt.

From behind the shifting curtain, Aurora observed her mother caring for her younger sisters. Ku was seen at the foot of the bed, frantically putting clean sheets into bags. Aurora came over and touched Ku on the shoulder.

Startled, Ku turned and gasped. "Yes, halu?"

"Why are we leaving for Pannonia in the middle of the night? I thought we were going in the caravan together in two days."

"It...it's better to do it this way."

"Are we in some sort of danger?"

Ku tied the bag up and kept her gaze low. "I'm just following your mother's orders, Aurora."

"We are sneaking out of this palace!" she hissed. "And mother hasn't slept at all. She looks exhausted. I want to know what's going on. I won't tell Abbaseh or Boran, but I want to know—I need to know."

"I'm sorry," Ku whispered. "I need to finish packing."

She looked back at her mother and sisters. She couldn't expect her mother to tell her the truth about what was happening.

Abbaseh pulled the cloak hood over her head. "Is Neni coming with us?"

Arielle hesitated. "No, she's not."

She put a hand behind her back as she stood up. She felt a pull on her pants as she reached for her cloak. Boran raised her weary eyes to look at her. That was a look Arielle had seen before. Boran, worn down and bewildered, was on the verge of tears. There would be a piercing scream if there was even a moment's delay.

She got down on her knees and reached for Boran, as if to pick her up. Aurora sprang into action and quickly grabbed Boran.

"I'll carry her."

Neither Arielle's mood nor her energy levels were conducive to an argument. Even Boran didn't make a peep of complaint. She smiled at her daughter in thanks but said nothing, and she wrapped herself in her coat.

Wasifah blazed a trail across the forest as night fell. She kept glancing behind to ensure that everyone was following behind. She reached out and took Arielle's hand to lead the way across the uneven ground.

"The horses are up ahead, Khagana."

At the forest's edge, four of Bayan's horsemen waited with seven mounts. Almost instantly, Arielle trotted over to her steed and fiddled with the saddle bags. Aurora watched as she lifted Boran from her arms and set her atop the horse.

Aurora frowned, looking around. "We're riding horses to Pannonia?"

Her mother pointed over her shoulder. "You'll be riding with Ku, and Wasifah is taking Abbaseh."

Aurora grew increasingly worried about this plan. "Mother, it's a week's ride."

Arielle mounted her horse and wrapped her arm around Boran. "If all goes well, we won't have to ride the entire way. We need to get going. Get on your horse."

"What is going on? Why are we leaving in the middle of the night?"

"I will explain later. Go."

"But, mom—"

"Beni dinle!"

Aurora scowled and strode off in silence. She walked by Wasifah with her head downcast. It was bad enough that her mother had to chastise her in front of the commanding officer and the rest of the troops.

The official trip to Pannonia began today, and so far, so good. Despite Gabrielle's best efforts to keep her concerns about the scheme bottled up, Xena and Xerxes discussed Gabrielle's concerns at length. They laid forth very particular steps that must be taken. It was an elaborate hoax designed to trick any would-be assailants along the route.

There was one thing that was stressed: only a handful of people knew about the plan.

Gabrielle chose Jadha, a Persian soldier who was already serving in Wasifah's guard. She shared Arielle's height, physique, and blue eyes, and dark hair. Over the course of the last few days, Jadha was instructed on the plan's specifics and how to implement them. With one false move, her life would be over.

As servants hurried past with supplies for the caravan, Gabrielle drew her to the side. She repositioned Jadha's ornate headdress. While they conversed in silence, she busied herself with her hands.

"Xerxes will lead the caravan with ten of his troops. You'll exit through the west gate."

"Yes, governor."

Gabrielle put a finger to her lips to keep her voice down. "There's a small stretch of land by the Black Sea that doesn't belong to the Persians or Byzantines. No matter what happens, Xerxes needs to reach that area."

Jadha nodded and pulled the veil over her face. "And if the caravan is not attacked, me and the others will come back here?"

"If you make it to the Black Sea, Xerxes will give you instructions," Gabrielle said. She hated to phrase any mission that way, but she knew it was a possibility Jadha and the other soldiers wouldn't return alive.

If Jadha was anxious, she didn't show it. The two of them made their way down the hall and out the door. Xena stood next to the caravan as she said her final farewells. Jadha cast a peek around to see who was looking at her. She had to act the part of someone who is leaving for good if anyone was to believe her.

Awkwardly, she was pulled into a hug, and heard Xena whisper in her ear, "Don't get out of the caravan unless told to."

"Yes, Khanum."

Xena reached out and cupped Jadha's face as they separated. Jadha saw true concern in her eyes, regardless of whether she believed it was part of the act.

"Be careful," said Xena.

Jadha bowed curtly and entered the caravan. Three female soldiers armed with bows, spears, and swords were found inside in place of the three children and the handmaid.

Xena stepped away from the caravan and waved at Xerxes. He gave her a small wave and then yelled at his troops to advance forward. Guards opened the east gate and allowed the caravan to pass through.

"I hope nothing happens to them," Gabrielle said.

"Me too."

They walked back into the palace and Xena cursed under her breath as Nousha approached. During the plan's deliberation, Nousha was kept out of all the conversations. Xena knew she wasn't a woman to be easily fooled, though. It was very strategic of Nousha to keep her lips sealed for the last few days. She questioned nothing.

Nousha clasped her hands in front of her body. "Everyone has gone, yet you two are still here," she spoke in a soft tone with an irritated smile.

"We won't be here long," Gabrielle assured her. "We're still packing, but we'll be gone in a couple of days." She briskly walked off and urged Xena to follow her.

Nousha's lips creased into a scowl. "I know my granddaughters are not in that caravan," she called out.

The footsteps from afar, halted.

She turned on her heel and saw the shocked look on their faces. "You forget that my maids are my eyes and ears in this palace."

Gabrielle stalked across the hallway and stood eye-to-eye with her. "If your handmaids have said a word about this to anybody, the entire plan will be put at risk."

Nousha's eyebrow arched. "They report to me and only me."

"Good. Keep it that way."

Gabrielle left with her fists clenched, brushing by her spouse. Xena looked at the worry written all over Nousha's face. Though she tried to hide it, it was there nonetheless. Xena followed Gabrielle down the hallway. Halfway through her stride, her arm was pulled back. Swiveling around, Nousha gripped her arm tightly.

"Will they arrive to Pannonia safely?"

Xena tilted her head. "They will." It wasn't a satisfying enough answer. "You don't have to hide that you're afraid, Nousha. If you had shown this level of concern weeks leading up to this moment, I would've told you the plan. You could've helped, but you chose to inflict needless stress on my granddaughter."

They had been on the road for two days before deciding to set up camp Arielle, her daughters, and Ku slept in a tent while the troops took turns standing guard over the campground. Wasifah stayed near the tent and napped only when necessary.

Despite her best efforts, Arielle's young daughters were restless the entire time. They had become accustomed to a life of ease and comfort, and they resented having to settle for less. Abbaseh benefited from Aurora's example and rapidly adjusted to her new surroundings. She imitated her big sister's actions and speech. Unfortunately, Boran was rather disruptive during the ordeal.

Boran sat on her mom's knee, but she wouldn't have any of the warmed milk. She clamped her mouth shut and constantly pushed the bowl away.

Ku took a box out of one of the bags as she watched Arielle struggle from a distance. "I have some treats for you, Boran. You can have these if you finish the milk." When she jiggled the box, Boran's interest was piqued.

After only a moment on her mother's knee, the princess sprang down and rushed across the tent. Intrigued by the secret sweets stash, Abbaseh crawled over as well.

Arielle, finally relieved, snuck out of the tent to enjoy the cool air. She tried to calm the dull discomfort by pressing her hand on her lower back. Her other hand was on her stomach as she let out a long, languid sigh.

"I snatched these before Boran devoured them all," Aurora said, holding a handful of honey cookies.

With a sharp intake of breath, Arielle took her hand off her stomach. She gave her daughter a faint grin and stared at her.

"I'm not very hungry, but you go ahead."

"But they're really tasty..." She hovered the cookie in front of her mother's eyes.

Having something sweet to eat wasn't exactly what sounded good right now. She didn't feel ill, which was a huge relief, but the constant backache made her uncomfortable all around.

"You make it look so tempting," Arielle teased.

Aurora tossed the cookie into her mouth, and swayed back and forth on her feet. Her mother's eyes were set on the perimeter. There was no stopping her from keeping a watchful eye on the campsite, despite the four soldiers and Wasifah on watch duty. She ate a second cookie and set the remainder on a wooden tray.

Now that her mother's eyes were on her, she paused. "So, are we going to continue riding soon?"

"Not yet."

Rustling of trees from beyond the campsite caused the hairs on the back of Arielle's neck to prickle. She reached for her bow leaned up against a tree, and slowly pulled an arrow out. With her breath trapped in her chest, she readied her bow to strike.

Wasifah walked through some shrubbery and Arielle lowered her bow. She eyed her Khagana with caution and approached with a quick stride.

"Check on your sisters, please," Arielle whispered.

The princess did not argue and sprinted to the tent.

"Khagana, I think we should keep moving. I have seen no signs of the caravan or the Shehzade's entourage. We will run out of food before we reach Pannonia if we don't leave tonight."

The longer she hesitated, the more peril she exposed her family to. Because this was technically "no man's land," Arielle expected to encounter more bandits and wandering nomads. The most perilous element of this trip was going through Byzantine territory on the way to Hunnic territory. It was no longer preferable to wait for a caravan that might never arrive.

"We'll leave in the morning," she decided. "I don't want to travel at night."

Despite her disagreement, Wasifah bowed her head in submission.

"I want to send one of the soldiers to ride ahead of us."

"Khagana, I advise against that. We will only have three soldiers if you send one to Pannonia first. We'll need all the protection we can get."

Arielle folded her arms. "Are you saying three people, including yourself, are incapable of defending me and my daughters?"

"No, Khagana, I'm not saying that at all," Wasifah embarrassingly retracted her statement. "I worry about passing through Byzantine territory."

"That's why I'm sending a soldier. He will reach Pannonia in two days if he doesn't stop along the way. The tribe can send troops to help us pass through the territories."

While she didn't like the idea, Wasifah agreed to pick one of Bayan's soldiers to carry out the order.

Even though they were two days behind everyone traveling to Pannonia, they were horrified at the sight they rode into. Xena brought her horse to a slow trot when she saw the massive obstruction ahead on the road. The smell of burnt wood and rotten food wafted toward her. She shielded her nose and winced in disgust.

Gabrielle rode around the debris and painfully looked at the destruction. The caravan was completely dismantled, chests of clothing were scattered about, and food was half eaten by animals. The most painful thing to look at where the bodies of Persian soldiers laden on the dirt road.

"If Arielle and the girls had been in the caravan, they would be dead," said Gabrielle.

Xena moved forward and dismounted her horse to take a closer look at the fallen soldiers. She knelt on a knee and removed the mask from a soldier and recoiled. Flies and maggots ate at the soldier's rotted flesh. She moved to the next soldier and removed the mask, and covered her mouth.

"Jadha's body isn't here."

Gabrielle hopped off her horse and walked over. "Maybe she was able to escape with Xerxes. They are probably near the Black Sea by now."

Xena walked around the ravaged area and flipped over a few more soldiers. "There must've been more than ten attackers to do this kind of damage."

"We better keep moving. We don't want more of them showing up."

"You're right," she sighed and grabbed Gabrielle's shoulder. "Without the caravan, Arielle must be moving slowly. We should be able to catch up to them."

Xerxes awoke with a pounding headache, barely able to get his wits about him. He opened an eye, as the other eye was temporarily shut due to swelling. Lolling his head back, he realized he was in a tent. Now that he was more aware of his surroundings, he found himself in a human-sized cage. His hands were tied behind his back and his ankles were bound.

Across the cage, in a corner, Jadha was slumped over with her wrists chained to the wooden cage. Xerxes scooted across the cage and with his head, he nudged Jadha's chin. She stirred in her unconscious state and her head limply rolled onto her shoulder.

There was a bloodied wound on the side of her head, which had now dried. Xerxes could only imagine what other wounds she had on her body.

He tried to recall what happened days ago, or maybe hours. He didn't know how long he'd been in this cage. The last thing he remembered was an ambush with twenty masked men, soaring out from the trees and shrubbery.

A man, dressed in black leather and a mask, entered the tent. Xerxes growled and kicked the cage several times, attempting to break the lock.

"You won't keep me here!" he shouted. "You will answer to the Shah!"

"Shehzade! It's me!"

He lifted the mask over his head, and smiled at Xerxes.

"Marbzan?" he gasped in relief. "Wha—how? Are you with these rebels?"

He whispered, "Xena asked me to follow that rebel who was released from interrogation. I've been tailing him ever since and he led me to the ambush. I didn't have time to warn Xena. I'm sorry."

Worried that people were coming close to the tent, he huddled close to the cage.

"I convinced the rebels to bring you here alive," he said, barely above a whisper. "They think she is Arielle." He nudged his head at Jadha.

Xerxes huffed. "You know the coordinates of this place?"

Marbzan nodded.

"Can you leave this place easily?"

"It will be difficult. There are at least a hundred men here."

"One hundred?" he gaped. "Listen to me, Marbzan, you need to go to Pannonia and tell them about this. Go and don't come back here."

"But Shehzade, I can't leave you here. These men want to kill you."

"Don't worry about me. They could've killed me when they attacked the caravan."

In less than two days, Xena and Gabrielle were able to ride to the Black Sea territory. Xena picked up the tracks from Arielle and the rest of the entourage. She knew the exact place they camped overnight twice, and she knew where they were currently. Squinting her eyes, she glared at the woods up ahead, miles from the seashore.

Shaking her head, she turned to her wife. "If we can find them this easily, then anyone can."

Gabrielle sighed. "I'll make sure to tell the soldiers to cover up the tracks. I can't believe that Arielle would make such a rookie mistake like this."

"She obviously has her mind on other things," mumbled Xena. "Let's keep moving."

They rode together across the plains and as they got closer to the small patch of forestry, a Byzantine camp was not far away. When they approached the forest, Xena kept shaking her head at the very obvious tracks traced in the dirt. She walked through the shrubbery and Bayan's soldiers stood guard. She curled her lip in her mouth and emit a small growl as she pushed the soldiers aside.

Wasifah stood in the middle of the campsite and unsheathed her sword when she heard footsteps and whispers. Both Xena and Gabrielle emerged from the shrubbery and Wasifah sheathed her blade with a clink.

"Khanum. Governor," she greeted with a curt nod.

Xena reciprocated the greeting with a short nod. She then threw her bag down and looked around the campsite. It looked too empty. Her fears about Xerxes not being here surfaced, but she hoped he was out scouting somewhere.

In the tent, she spotted two pairs of eyes peeking out. She made contact with the ogling eyes and smiled. She pointed to Gabrielle, who was unloading her bag on the ground.

Abbaseh and Boran ran out of the tent and jumped on Gabrielle's back. Boran wrapped her arms around Gabrielle's neck and sunk her teeth into her shoulder.

Gabrielle yelped. "Did you just bite me?!"

Giggling, Abbaseh shoved her sister and then started rummaging through the bag. She gasped loudly as she pulled out a pouch filled with assorted fruits.

"Gabby, you brought anba?" she cheered, hugging the yellow fruit to her chest. "You are a lifesaver."

"You can thank your grandmother for that. She packed a lot of fruit for all of you to share."

She let the two girls rummage through the bag of fruit and they immediately started snacking on them. From a distance, she could hear Xena quietly chastising Wasifah for leaving miles of tracks. Luckily, the girls were too focused on eating fruit to notice the serious conversation behind them.

"Where's Aurora and your mother?" she asked.

Abbaseh pointed to the tent. "Mom's not feeling very good."

"Oh...I'm sorry to hear that."

"She's been in there for two days," said Boran.

Gabrielle glanced at the tent. "I bet some fruit might make her feel better. How about we take some to her?"

Xena waited patiently until the girls were inside the tent, and her wife gave a small wave. She frowned at Wasifah and ordered, "I want those tracks gone immediately."

"Yes, Khanum. I'll have the soldiers do that."

"You do know there's a Byzantine camp up ahead."

"I'm aware. That's why we decided to stay here for a while. The Khagana ordered a soldier to ride to Pannonia to alert the tribe two days ago."

Xena arched her brow. "I hope he made it across that Byzantine camp."

Wasifah gently excused herself and commanded the soldiers to get rid of the live tracks leading to the campsite. She carefully trekked her way back to the center of the camp and Xena gave her a quizzical look.

"Where is Xerxes?"

"He never arrived with the caravan, so I assumed he would arrive with you, Khanum."

"The caravan was completely destroyed when we arrived at the scene. Everyone was dead, but we didn't find Jadha or Xerxes. We thought they found their way to you all."

As soon as the sun set for the evening, every creature in the woods came out. The birds sang their songs, and insects chirped for hours. Sitting by the fire, Xena watched the flames sway in the gentle breeze and listened to the crackling of the wood. Her knee was bumped and she lifted her head, smiling gently at her spouse.

Gabrielle sat down on the ground and offered Xena a bowl of cooked grain and meat that had been rehydrated with water. The offer was kindly refused, and Gabrielle set the bowl on the ground, very close to Xena's boot.

"The girls finally fell asleep."

Xena nodded and rested her chin on her hands. "How's Arielle?"

"She has a mild fever, but she seemed to feel better after she ate. She could've just been trying to get rid of me though," she chuckled.

Xena bore a crooked smile. "I'll check on her in a little bit." With a heavy sigh, she gazed at the stars above and clamped her palms together. "If someone from Pannonia doesn't come to help us cross this territory, you and I might have to negotiate with the Byzantines."

Gabrielle set her bowl of half-eaten grain down. "How long are we going to wait here?"

"I say two days. Any longer and we'll run out of food."

Pannonia

Anastasia knew that keeping Edemen and Öza in the same house wasn't going to go over well if it continued. For months they lived in the same house together, and slept on the opposite sides of the Adame. They weren't allowed to be around each other at night. Although, Anastasia knew that Edemen crept into Öza's room a few nights a week, and she suspected Farah knew too. She didn't know if Csaba knew or he was choosing to turn a blind eye at the matter.

They took a stroll through the tribe together. During the walk, Edemen was frustrated that he had to greet people who passed by and smile. He didn't dislike spending time with his grandmother, but he wasn't going to ask her outright why they were spending the afternoon greeting the tribe.

Anastasia stopped by the weaving tent to casually look at the rugs and fabric. All of the women, glued to their looms, greeted her. She tried to be inconspicuous, but she was noticed everywhere. She smiled and walked through the tent. Edemen was more reluctant to follow her, but he did.

"I heard Öza is an excellent tapestry weaver," she said, turning to her grandson.

Edemen flushed. "Oh, yea—yes. She's made three of them since she got here."

"You know, Edemen, the two of you sleeping on opposite sides of the Adame isn't going to work forever."

His eyes drifted and he began to follow her around the tent. Shyly, he smiled at the women who greeted him as he passed by. If he could, he would've pushed his grandmother out of the tent just to avoid this conversation in front of dozens of seamstresses.

"I know you make frequent visits to her room at night," she said.

He was caught, and he couldn't lie. He knew it wouldn't end well for him. "Yes, I admit I go to Öza's room sometimes."

"You are openly admitting that you're going against your parent's wishes," she said, lifting a heavy brow.

"We're just talking."

Anastasia now lifted both her eyebrows to the brim of her headdress.

"Grandma, I swear," he paused and corrected himself, "Khatun, I swear to you, we are just talking. That's all. I do want to marry Öza one day, but I know mother thinks I'm too good for her."

Anastasia grinned. "Oh, no, you're mistaken. Your mother thinks Öza is too good for you." she jabbed her grandson's chest.

"Too good for me?" he spat in disbelief. "I'm a prince!"

She grabbed him and pulled him close. "A prince with a bad reputation for sleeping around," she whispered in his ear.

Sounds of loud drums echoed throughout the tribe, and everyone stopped what they were doing and looked around. Anastasia creased her eyebrows and brushed the kozak's veil behind her shoulders.

Navaz stood in front of the steps of the Adame, awaiting the news. He expected a grand entrance from Csaba and Oran since they were near the border. But he was sorely disappointed when he saw a lonely soldier—one of Bayan's soldiers—struggling to walk across the field with his horse in tow.

The soldier collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily. Navaz quietly instructed one of the guards to give the exhausted man some water.

Anastasia arrived shortly, clinging onto Edemen's hand. She caught Navaz looking at her quizzically, and she dismissed Edemen before making her way across the pathway. She stood next to Navaz and wrapped her fingers around his arm.

"Who is this?" she whispered.

"One of Bayan's men," he said. "What news does Bayan bring?" he asked loudly.

The soldier coughed from inhaling the water too quickly. "None, your highness. It is about the Khagana..."

Ana gasped. "Arielle?" she gripped Navaz's arm tightly. "What about her? What happened to her?"

"She...she requested assistance to help..." he wavered, nearly falling face forward. "Help cross through Byzantine territory."

Navaz tightened his jaw. "Where is she?"

"Black Sea. East side."

He nodded and motioned to the guards to help the soldier to his feet. "I will send someone to aid her."

The soldier was hoisted up and he walked toward Navaz. "Princesses—she has the princesses too."

Anastasia chewed on her nail and pulled her husband aside as the soldier was being carried off.

"There must be something wrong. Arielle is more than capable of passing through territories. She must have soldiers with her, but I don't understand why one of Bayan's soldiers knows where she is," she said, biting her lower lip. "And the girls. They must not know what's happening."

"I'm going to find them and bring them back here."

"Navaz, no." she gripped his shoulders firmly. "Justinian's army knows you are trailing them on the southern border. I don't want any trouble if there's a camp near Arielle."

"Then who should we send? Csaba and Oran are gone. I'm the only one left, Anastasia!"

She winced at his tone. "There is one person."

She didn't exactly find the idea of sharing an Adame with her deceased brother's wife and children, appealing at first. But as the years passed by, she enjoyed having a lot of people around her. The first few years were very rough, and it was a chore to build relationships with these people, who were her family.

Nisa sat opposite of her on the floor, enjoying breakfast. Eksama wanted to make sure that she ate with Nisa every morning since they shared the Adame. In the beginning, neither one of them engaged in conversation. Now, they talked all the time. Though there were times of tension, it was silent and buried.

Kurt walked into the room, looking very much like the spitting image of his father.

Eksama chewed her food very slowly, staring at him. "Yes?"

"Anastasia Khatun is here. She wants to speak with you," he said.

Her mouth agape, she said, "Anastasia? Here?"

"Yes, Teyze..." he held back the chuckle trapped in his throat.

She waved, permitting to let Ana inside. Quickly, Eksama wiped her hands, and as she finished chewing, Anastasia entered the room. She jumped up and walked across the room.

"Good morning, Anastasia."

She gazed at Nisa, who stared at her curiously. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but I need you."

Eksama, taken aback by the abrupt greeting, said, "Sure, what do you need from me?"

Anastasia inhaled sharply. "I need you to go to the Black Sea. Arielle and her daughters are there and they can't pass through the territory."

"That area is littered with Justinian's men."

"So, you see how urgent this is. Nobody else was available and..." she paused, and sighed heavily. "And I know you can do it."

Unfortunately, Arielle's fever spiked the night after everyone had assumed she was on the mend. The brisk winter wind that blew through the tent was making her even more uncomfortable as she sweat through her clothes. Xena was able to disrobe Arielle and hand her garments over to Gabrielle so that she could wash them.

Xena did not leave her side all night or all morning, continually changing the sheets. She dipped the old cloth into boiling water and replaced it with a fresh, cold one on Arielle's forehead.

Arielle licked her dry lips and gazed up at her grandmother. "W—where is Xerxes?"

Xena dabbed a damp cloth on Arielle's chest and neck. "He's right behind us."

"But he was supposed to be here," she continued, her voice breaking.

"I know, and he'll be with us in Pannonia. He's just not here right now."

She dipped the cloth into cold water and then heard Abbaseh and Boran screaming followed by clashing swords. Xena stood and grabbed her sword. Ku rushed into the tent, ushering Abbaseh, Boran, and Aurora inside.

"Persians. They found us," Ku relayed, breathlessly.

Xena frowned deeply, pulled a knife from her boot, and handed it to Ku. "I'll do my best not to let anyone come near this tent."

Abbaseh and Boran huddled in a corner with Aurora. They covered their ears and Aurora wrapped her arms around them, keeping them close to her chest.

Nothing beat the exhilaration of going right into a battle. Eight Persians were present in the camp when Xena rapidly surveyed the area. She speculated that others lurked beyond the cover of the bushes, with Bayan's troops doing their best to keep them away.

Gabrielle beat off two attackers by herself, dodging their sword strikes. She had lost none of her nimbleness over the years. Wasifah easily dealt with three male opponents, cutting through the chest of one of them with a single fast motion of her blade. He grunted in pain as he dropped to the ground, grasping his gut with his hands where it had flowed out over his leather belt.

When three more Persians burst into the camp, Xena unsheathed her blade and held it at the ready. Her eyelids dropped to cover her widened eyes. No matter what, she would make sure no one entered the tent.

They came at her full speed, and one of them even leaped over the fire to get to her. Xena's jaw dropped and she brought the sword up fast to ward off his strike. When she kicked him in the chest, he stumbled and fell a short distance from the tent. She dove, narrowly avoiding a slash to the head as the two men whirled their blades.

Using her position to her advantage, she sliced one of the men's Achilles heels. He instantly fell forward and cried aloud. Xena jumped up and swung her blade with a loud cry, and cut the second attacker's wrist. The sword fell from his hand and then he punched her jaw.

Xena stumbled back and then received a second punch. Then a third. As a fourth punch came charging for her face, she grabbed his arm and twisted it. Then, she headbutted his forehead, which sent him tumbling backward.

He rushed to her and grabbed her arms. They circled around each other, blades in their hands. He pushed her onto the ground and straddled himself on her body. Struggling, Xena gripped his forearms to keep the blade away from her neck.

Ku patted Arielle's wet forehead with the cloth as she tried to tune out the sounds of battle. A Persian burst into the tent with a sword drawn as she dipped the cloth into the water. Dagger in hand, Ku leaped to her feet.

The rebel gave Ku a swift backhand, sending her tumbling to the ground and causing her to drop the knife. Aurora gasped as she saw the man hunched over her sick mother. Breaking away from her sisters, she took up the bucket of boiling water and tossed it at the insurgent.

With merely a low grunt, he turned around. Afraid for her younger sisters, Aurora retreated to a corner. As she watched, she saw the sword raise and point directly at her.

He advanced a single step before halting abruptly. The rebel crumpled to his knees and then landed on his face. Aurora sat down, exhausted by her brush with death. Then she noticed the blade of the dagger protruding from his skull.

She peered at her mother, who gave a feeble grin in response. Quickly approaching the bed, Aurora snatched her sisters' hands. Their mother collapsed back onto the cushions, exhausted, as the three of them sat on the blankets.

Xena ran into the tent and all three girls cowered in fear before realizing it was her. Boran and Abbaseh immediately ran to her and hugged her legs.

Gabrielle trumped her way in, breathing heavily. She saw Ku on the floor and immediately went to help her.

"They're all dead now," said Xena. "But there might be more coming. We need to get out of this area."

Aurora sat up, "But what about mother? She can barely move."

"We'll take care of her, I promise."

"Who are those people?" asked Abbaseh, wiping her tears.

Xena knelt down and grabbed the girl's shoulders. "Some people who want to hurt us. When we get to Pannonia, you don't have to worry about those people anymore, okay?"

Abbaseh smiled and nodded in response to Xena's comforting look.

After Gabrielle was able to wake Ku up, she went to her wife's side and took her arm. "Could I talk to you alone?" she asked.

They exited the tent and Gabrielle examined Xena's severely bruised knuckles and jaw. She gently grazed her finger over her jaw and Xena winced.

"Those rebels followed us and I know you said you wanted to leave, but the Byzantines are up the hill."

Xena shook her bruised hand, expressing her regret that she had been beaten earlier. It served as a reminder for her to spend as much time as she could training in the field. She'd softened up too much, letting an intruder into the tent.

"We can't stay here."

Gabrielle nodded in agreement. "And we still don't know where Xerxes is."

"One problem at a time." Xena glanced at her hand and grunted. "Goddammit."

"They really got you good, didn't they? I have a nasty cut on my thigh and one on my back." She swiveled her leg around, exposing the slash on the pantleg. "Looks like we need to be in the field more."

"I'll say," she mumbled. "Tell Wasifah that she's taking Arielle. We're going to have to ride to the camp and negotiate a safe passage."