Chapter 17

Just a few yards away, Eksama saw the troops in the Byzantine camp roam around aimlessly. She was knelt behind a thick brush, taking in account of how many soldiers there were. She figured there were approximately fifty Byzantines, and maybe a few more camping out in their tents.

Eksama returned to her troops, who were hiding at the base of a hill behind a large number of boulders. She glanced nervously at Cera, who was getting geared up to charge the Byzantine camp. Cera was a very persuasive princess, as seen by her persistent pleading with her mother to let her go on the mission. Eksama was shocked that Anastasia would allow this because she had never seen her niece be so crafty.

"There're about fifty men. Maybe more. Since there aren't a lot of places to hide out here, my guess is that Arielle is hiding in the forest east of the camp."

Cera, impatient to get started, was geared up and ready to take the field. She mounted her steed and set out on foot for the Byzantine camp. Eksama yanked her back violently.

"What are you doing? I didn't give you any orders."

"Bayan's soldier said my sister is in the woods. We should ride ahead."

Eksama, having some difficulty understanding her niece's aggressive hand signing, sighed. She understood enough to get the gist and there was no possible way they could waltz across the plains without being noticed.

"We are outnumbered, Cera. It wouldn't be smart to ride through the territory." She saw the anger simmering in her niece's eyes. "We'll ride back to the shore and cross the sea."

Soldiers immediately rounded up their steeds, and Eksama made a mental tally of how many men had just passed her. Since it was only the two of them, she couldn't help but feel sorry for Cera. The one person in the world with whom she shared features, hair, and stature was also the most emotionally distant.

She approached Cera calmly. "I know you want to rescue your sister, but we can't charge into an enemy's camp. It's dangerous."

"Navaz would've ridden past the camp," Cera said, frowning.

Eksama bit the inside of her cheek. "Your mother entrusted me to carry this mission out safely. If it were up to me, I wouldn't have let you come along." She threw Cera's coat at her. "Get ready to swim in cold water."

Xena watched the camp as she led the troop out of the forest. She motioned for the party to follow her westward into a rocky trail. She and Gabrielle were negotiating with the Byzantines for the first time in a long while, and she was curious to see how they would respond.

With any hope, she could employ Abbaseh and Boran to clear the way for everyone. Since Justinian was on good terms with the Shah, he owed it to the Shah's nieces to ensure their safe travel.

She heard a whistle as she trotted along the rocky path. A dagger barely missed her kozak's fur before it drove into a tree on the other side of the path. Xena turned around and saw ten Persian rebels charging at full speed.

She wrapped her arm around Boran sitting in front of her. "Hang on tight and don't let go," she whispered.

The pursuit continued along the rocky road, and the only escape routes were toward the Byzantines or the water. Xena turned her horse west, having decided on the quickest and easiest way to the sea. There were rocks, thick tree roots, and muck all over the trail.

Feverish but alert, Arielle knew the rebels were on their tail. She was constantly looking over her shoulder, and the rebels seemed unfazed by the rugged terrain. Aurora and Ku were the furthest behind in the group. She was well aware of Ku's lack of riding skills and the fact that the horse might easily be thrown with a single misstep.

She squeezed Wasifah's shoulder. "Turn—turn around."

Wasifah growled. "Khagana, I won't do that."

"I said turn around!"

Wasifah gave a grunt of doubt before turning the reins and galloping toward the rebels.

Gabrielle glanced back over her shoulder as they began to drift apart from the rest of the group. She gasped and rode alongside Xena to reach her.

"Arielle and Wasifah went back!" she shouted.

Xena pressed her lips together and made up her mind that she would not turn around. She was unable to. She kept on riding, getting closer and closer to the water. She forced herself to focus on bringing everyone to safety despite her concerns about Arielle.

Wasifah watched her life flash before her eyes as she rode toward the rebels. Arielle began slowly and groggily loading her bow. She tightened the string and aimed at the rebel who was riding next to Aurora and Ku. Her exasperation showed as she let the arrow fly, and it sank deep into the rebel's chest. After falling off his mount, he was trampled by a herd of other horses.

Her breath caught in her throat as she realized how tiring even that minor effort was. Before Arielle could let fly with her latest arrow, two rebels had already been struck by dagger blows.

Wasifah tugged on the reins and stopped the horse abruptly. The sound of charging hooves drew her attention. In a flash, a troop of mounted troops armed with javelins and swords rode past them.

Arielle beamed as she spotted Eksama astride in the thick of the mob. When she spotted Cera riding through the throng of troops, her smile faded.

Pacing in circles on the seashore, Gabrielle said to her wife, "We got lucky. If Eksama hadn't shown up, I don't know what would've happened."

Xena watched the girls at play in the water from her stance of observation, arms folded. They weren't fazed by the cold water, and the ordeal was long forgotten. They were totally absorbed in what was happening right now. They had no idea how close to death they actually were. The serenity was something Xena longed for.

"The rebel alliance is a lot bigger than we thought."

"There have been at least twenty of them so far. Who knows how many attacked the caravan," Gabrielle said.

"It wouldn't have mattered if we stayed in Persia or not. They must be all over the empire. They would've found a way to kill us all."

Gabrielle put her hands on her hips and gazed at the soft rippling waters. "What are we going to do?"

"We're fighting an enemy we know nothing about."

She offered Xena a reassuring hand. "We've done this before. Remember Boareks? We didn't know anything about her, where she came from, or what her next move was going to be. We got rid of her, and we'll do the same with these rebels."

Indeed, Xena had not forgotten that wicked woman. Numerous deaths and family member murders occurred because of her. She believed that if Boareks hadn't been captured, every tribe would have disappeared. She vowed that she would never again allow herself to be put in such a position.

She rubbed Gabrielle's hand affectionately and grinned. Suddenly, her eyes shifted to Eksama, who was jogging up the shore, her long auburn hair fluttering in the breeze.

Eksama dismounted, adjusted her fur hat, and shook Xena's hand. "Those guys back there aren't Justinian's."

"I will explain when we get to Pannonia. I guess the messenger got to you..."

Eksama nodded. "Anastasia asked me to help. We better get moving. It'll be half a day's ride."

Xena was about to reply when her attention was diverted by a flash of red. She swept past Eksama with gentle hands and peered at her granddaughter in shock.

Cera, her face beaming, dashed across the sand to her grandmother. She then found Wasifah and Ku attending to a blanket-covered Arielle. She slowly broke off from the embrace while fighting to keep her cheerful expression.

"It was brave of you to come here," Xena said, grazing Cera's cheek. "Are you learning a lot about commanding an army?"

Cera nodded, and she fleetingly looked at her sister.

Xena followed her granddaughter's eyes as they glowed with longing, and she beamed at the gentleness and modesty she saw there. Cera was the most generous and selfless person she had ever met, and it radiated from within.

"You should help your sister. I know she'd want you to."

Smiling, Cera kissed her grandmother's cheek and then sprinted over to Arielle. As Wasifah relieved herself from her duties and allowed Cera to take over, she was approached by Eksama.

She glanced at the woman warily, her eyes scanning her body nervously from head to toe. She raised her veil so that it covered her entire face except for her eyes. Even Eksama looked at her for a while, but she was unfazed by her strange looks.

"I need to round up the horses. You and I will lead everyone to Pannonia," she said, stomping off without leaving Wasifah enough time to respond.

Wasifah frowned confusedly and crossed her arms. "Who is that woman?" she asked Xena.

"Attila's daughter, and one of the many queens of Pannonia," she said casually and watched the officer's eyes enlarge. "You better do as she says. She doesn't mess around." She gently slapped Wasifah's shoulder.

For her daughter's arrival, Anastasia waited by the Adame's stairwell. The sound of drums at the gates immediately alerted her that Eksama and Cera had returned. When she finally made out the outlines of her mother and Gabrielle, a warm feeling welled up in her stomach. In a hurry, she sprinted away from Navaz and headed downstairs.

She hugged Gabrielle tightly and kissed her cheeks. Barely able to contain her excitement, she embraced her mother, crushing her body.

Xena groaned as she tried to calm her racing heart and regain her breath. With a pat on her daughter's back, she backed away. She sensed Anastasia's excitement about seeing Arielle and drew her in. As she whispered in Ana's ear, she saw her daughter's initially joyful expression change to one of concern and protectiveness.

Slowly, holding onto Cera and Ku's hands, Arielle made her way up the stairs. She looked into her mother's eyes and managed a feeble grin. She made a move toward her mother and almost fell into her arms.

"Mother..." she rasped.

"You're safe now," Ana whispered. "Navaz, can you take her to the baths? I'll be there in a moment."

Effortlessly, he strolled over to his daughter and swept her up in his arms. He bent down and kissed her forehead, beaming at her. A shaky grin spread across Arielle's face as she yawned and buried her head in her father's chest.

The bruising on her jaw hadn't gone away after three days in Pannonia. Xena looked in the mirror, ran her fingers across her jaw, and snarled. She reflected on her past self, who was frequently bruised and bloodied. Many times her body had forgiven her, but today it wouldn't. She knew that her body would not forgive her for returning to the field despite her deep desire to do so.

Gabrielle quietly approached from behind and encircled her. By pecking at Xena's cheek, she was able to examine the bruise on her jaw more closely. She ran her knuckles over the bruise gently, wincing at the purple hue of the wound.

"Three times. That bastard got me three times," Xena griped.

"He lost in the end."

At least that happened, and Xena beamed with satisfaction at the minor triumph. She combed her hair behind her ears and stared at the bruise as though it were a permanent scar.

"I have a surprise for you," Gabrielle hinted. "Close your eyes."

Xena snuffed, "I hope you didn't get more wool stockings."

"I thought you liked those!"

"I do! But I already have ten pairs..."

Gabrielle raised an eyebrow and lightly slapped her arm. "Just close your eyes."

She waited patiently with her eyes closed. The sudden commotion caused her to raise an eyebrow in almost fear of the unknown. She opened her eyes as three large jars were placed in her lap. Looking down at her lap, you could see that the jars contained heavy oils and creams.

"I convinced Nousha to give me some of those oils and creams you like."

Xena smiled, admiring the jars. "And she just gave them to you? Just like that?"

"Well, I may have played into her guilt a little bit. I made her feel bad about how she treated Arielle," she said with a smug smile.

"I never thought I'd be so excited to receive such a vain gift," she jested. "Thank you." she gave her wife a gentle peck on the lips.

She kept staring at the containers and eventually opened a few to inhale the aromas. Gabrielle went to answer the door while she was preoccupied with her new gifts. Xena overheard some whispering, but she tried not to draw any conclusions and instead focused on the presents. She stared at Gabrielle's reflection in the mirror as it retreated through the door. She recognized that look of doubt and uncertainty.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Marbzan is here. He wants to talk to both of us."

Xena swiveled around. "What is he doing here?"

"Whatever it is, it can't be good."

"Very optimistic, Gabrielle."

Anastasia made her way to Arielle's quarters, carrying a freshly pressed dress. She grumbled under her breath when she saw Wasifah standing guard outside. Three days later, and yet Wasifah barely slept, yet thankfully she ate and bathed, she was adamant about watching over Arielle.

She stopped at the door and Wasifah was about to open the door until Ana stopped her. "You should go rest. You've been on guard duty ever since you got here."

"Shehzade Xerxes asked me to watch the Khagana at all times."

Ana appreciated the loyalty. "I can take care of my daughter. Go rest."

Wasifah frowned. "I can't disobey my Shehzade's commands, Khatun."

"Your Shehzade is not here and this is my domain. I'm telling you to go rest," Ana pressed. "You deserve it. You protected my daughter and granddaughters and I can't thank you enough."

Wasifah tried to hide her smile and bowed. She rested her spear against the wall and with a final nod, she briskly retreated down the hallway.

Finally, at ease, Anastasia entered the room and saw her daughter sitting up in bed. She gingerly placed the black gown on a chair and sat on the bed.

Arielle quickly glanced at the dress. "Is that for me?"

"I had it cleaned and pressed for you."

Arielle touched the fabric and she couldn't remember the last time she wore clothes of her choosing. She was so used to wearing clothes made for her in Persia. A warm smile crossed her lips. If she wasn't so tired from recovering, she would put the dress on immediately.

She let out a long sigh, then collapsed onto the bed. She stared at her mother and could feel the tension between them grow. Her mother was eager to speak, but she had been holding her tongue admirably. Still, Arielle was aware of the one thing that preoccupied her mother.

"You know."

Anastasia inhaled sharply. "I do."

Arielle figured as much. "I was going to write to you, but then we decided to move back here and it was—"

"I'm not upset, Arielle," she stopped her daughter's rambling. "I'm glad you're here and that you're safe."

She reached for her mother's hand and held it firmly. "I...haven't said anything to the girls yet, but I think Aurora knows."

Ana smirked. "She's very intuitive." She inched closer. "I will find a midwife in the tribe. Have you seen one in Persia?"

Arielle grimaced and adjusted her posture. "Mother, it's important that this remains a secret for a little while longer. I can't have anyone knowing, not even the tribe, until I think it's safe."

She wanted to ask her daughter a lot more questions, but she didn't want to be a burden. Her head bowed in assent and she voluntarily agreed.

"I'll make sure the midwife knows to keep this a secret."

"Thanks," she said with mild surprise. "You've been taking care of me for days. You should go do something else."

"I'd do anything for you."

Arielle shared a smile with her mother. "Where's Xerxes? He hasn't come to see me."

Ana licked her lips. "He isn't here yet."

She sat up, glaring at her mother. "Grandma told me the same thing days ago. She lied to me and now you're lying to me too."

"Arielle..."

"Where is he?" she asked. "Where is he?!"

"I don't know!" Ana shouted, then recoiled. "I don't know..." she tried to soothe her worries. "I'm sure he'll come here soon."

"You know where he is."

"No, I don't, Arielle."

She threw the covers off of herself and jumped out of bed. She held her head as her vision blurred to black and white and she felt dizzy.

"Arielle, please lay down. I will find out where Xerxes is. Please get back in bed."

She took three strides forward, intent on discovering the truth before she slumped over. Both she and her mother fell to the floor as she fainted into her mother's arms. Anastasia grumbled as she struggled to pick up Arielle off the floor.

When she needed Wasifah the most, she sent her away.

"Wasifah!" she cried. "Wasifah!"

The officer appeared almost immediately and hurried into the room. To Anastasia's relief, she didn't linger for too long. Wasifah easily lifted Arielle and returned her to her bed. She helped the Khatun up off the floor and gave a brief bow.

Ana adjusted her kozak. "I...I will be right back. Stay with her while I'm gone."

They were disappointed by the news Marbzan brought. The caravan plan was not only ambushed but it was also planned by someone with deep ties in Persia. Although Xena hoped she was mistaken about Adarmahan, she was disappointed to learn that he had orchestrated the rebels' attack on the convoy. Without her sending Marbzan after the rebel, they would remain in the dark.

Gabrielle asked, "You know exactly where Xerxes is?"

"Yes. There are over a hundred rebels in that camp."

"If they think Jadha is Arielle, then why did a group of rebels follow us?" she thought aloud.

He scrunched his nose. "The rebels followed you here?"

"No, they followed us to the Black Sea when we met up with Arielle. I don't know if they were following us or following Arielle."

"I hope you killed them all."

Gabrielle nodded and turned to her spouse, who was in deep thought. "We need to tell Khosrow about this. We have enough evidence to prove that it's Adarmahan."

Xena wrinkled her brows. "No. The second we tell the Shah what's happening, Adarmahan will flee or put the blame on someone else. We don't have two witnesses, which is the law in Persia when you convict someone of a crime. We tried to be diplomatic about all of this, but it hasn't worked. We need to play their game."

"What do you suggest we do?"

"I don't know yet. We need to have a meeting tonight. Marbzan, will you join us?"

He smiled exuberantly. "Of course, Xena."

She gave a short head nod. "Go on inside. Eat. Rest. We'll come get you when we need you."

He saluted playfully at them and waltzed up the stairs into the Adame.

Gabrielle sighed, lacing her hands behind her back as she stared at the tribe members bustling around, oblivious to all things war and chaos.

"We shouldn't tell Arielle about this."

"Do you really think that's a good idea?"

"It's only going to stress her out."

"She's just going to keep asking. I think...it's best we tell her."

Gabrielle blinked. "Oh, she's coming to the meeting too?"

"Absolutely not," Xena said with a snort. "After the meeting. We'll tell her then."

As they stood silently, people-watching, Yeter's two sons ran across the field with Emese and Aracsilla chasing them. The boys were laughing and screaming as they ran from their cousins. Gabrielle's jaw dropped and she elbowed her spouse.

"Uh...did you see that?"

Xena had a wave of relief. She kept her gaze fixed on the boys for a bit before casting a sly sneer toward Gabrielle.

"I have an idea."

Even though Anastasia knew many of the members of the tribe very well. Some were still alive from when she was a teenager. She still felt a bit out of place whenever she wandered into the shaman clan. They secluded themselves from the rest of the tribe and kept to themselves. Though Ursula was not labeled as a queen, the women respected her and looked to her when important decisions were made. And when Ebnedzar was gone, everyone looked to Ursula for answers.

Anastasia strolled among the yurts, greeting each resident with a friendly smile. A few people gave her curious looks, but she knew it wasn't malicious. They really didn't know what to make of her as she walked into their camp.

There were three young women sitting outside a black yurt, so she went to visit them. They rose to their feet and stood silently greeting her. Anastasia took one look at them and figured they must be the midwife's assistants only based on their ages.

"Is your midwife available?" she asked.

"She's inside, Khatun," one woman answered. "I will tell her you're here."

While the other two women observed Ana with curiosity, Ana waited awkwardly in silence. She wasn't sure if she should break the silence. The midwife emerged from the yurt a few seconds later. Her long, dark hair was braided down to her hips, and she wore a fur-collared coat lined with rabbit fur. Her forehead, cheeks, and chin were also tattooed. Anastasia was the focus of her brown eyes as she smiled briefly and waved off the women who had gathered near the yurt.

At the midwife's prompting, Ana entered the yurt, where a potent herbal scent greeted her.

"Forgive my apprentices, Khatun. They don't have manners, I'm afraid."

"That's alright. I came unannounced."

The midwife sat down and offered Anastasia to sit with her. "How can I help you, Khatun?"

"What was your name?"

"Revkah."

"Revkah. I want to give you a position as lead midwife in my home, but you must not tell anybody."

The midwife raised her eyebrow, curious about the odd proposal. "Is there a reason why this must be kept a secret?"

Ana leaned forward. "Are you questioning my authority?"

"No, Khatun," Revkah retracted and chuckled. "I must know the reason so I can better understand how to assist you."

"I will explain everything at another time. I need you to come with me to the Adame."

It felt strange to lead a meeting with so few people of the clan present. Navaz, Farah, Cera, and Eksama were the only people available. Anastasia was deemed to be unavailable until further notice, according to one of the maids. It wasn't exactly an ideal meeting of the minds of the members present. It would've been better if Oran and Csaba, Oran, and Ebnedzar were able to attend, but they were scouting the borders.

Sitting altogether on the floor in the large gathering room, Marbzan explained everything to everyone in great detail. While he spoke, it was evident that there was a fracture in the empire. Everybody was too spread apart and they didn't understand the extent of what was happening in Persia.

Gabrielle was able to explain the gaps in the situation between Marbzan's sentences. After everything was out in the open, the room fell silent. Everyone was digesting the information, but there was bound to be an outburst. The question was who was going to speak out first?

"Why weren't we informed about all of this sooner?" asked Navaz.

Gabrielle replied first, "We thought we could handle it on our own, but it became too dangerous. So, we had to leave Persia."

"Right, and now we have a bigger problem," Xena said. "Xerxes is being held captive by these rebels. We need to get him out of there without us interfering."

"What good will that do? I say we attack that rebel camp," Eksama interjected.

"I suggested we write the Shah," Gabrielle said. "But Xena has a plan."

Everyone turned their attention to Xena and she cleared her throat loudly. "Adarmahan is the leader of these rebels. He planned everything out and knew exactly where we were and how to attack us. We can't let him know we know where Xerxes is because it will put us in a vulnerable state."

Gabrielle interrupted, finishing explaining the plan. "And we need witnesses to prove Adarmahan is committing a crime, so writing the Shah to ask for help wouldn't do any good."

"That's why I propose that Gabrielle and I talk to Issik and convince him to let the Gokturk army attack the rebel camp."

"Because Adarmahan doesn't trust the Gokturks and this way, we won't be directly involved."

"And it'll give a chance for the Gokturks to get back in our good graces," Xena said her final statement.

There was a deafening silence in the room.

Farah was the first to express her opinions. "How dare you even think of such an idea! The Gokturks have caused us nothing but pain and Yeter's son doesn't deserve redemption. You two are feeling sorry for Yeter even after all that she's done!"

Navaz quickly grabbed her arm and tightly squeezed it. He whispered in her ear to calm down and keep her tone leveled. But his words had no effect on Farah's wrath.

"You're assuming Issik is going to agree with us," Gabrielle raised her voice over Farah's.

Eksama nodded. "What will happen if he doesn't want to help?"

"Then we'll have no choice but to raid the rebel camp ourselves and Adarmahan gets away with everything."

Navaz put a stop to the bickering and raised his hand. "I say we should vote. Everyone that agrees with the Gokturk plan, raise your hand."

Cera and Navaz raised their right hands.

Sighing, he continued, "Everyone that agrees that we raid the rebel camp, raise your hand."

Farah and Eksama raised their right hands.

"We need someone to break the tie. I will talk to Anastasia and she will cast her vote tomorrow."

Xena slammed her hand down. "We don't have time for this! We should go with my plan. None of you understand how Persians operate. Gabrielle and I can convince Issik because we have his mother and brothers."

Farah sprang from the floor. "You should've never made that deal with Yeter in the first place. It is foolish of you to think that Gokturks would help us. You're just inviting more poison to our doorsteps."

Xena stood up, looking into Farah's eyes. "You are basing your decision on anger. Everyone knows you hate Yeter. I strongly encourage you to reconsider your vote, Farah."

"I will not. I'm done with this meeting."

After everyone had left the meeting, the atmosphere was tense. Xena disagreed that there was no way to solve the issue. She hoped that everyone there would support her plan. Navaz's suggestion of a vote, however, thwarted her efforts.

"We need to convince Anastasia to cast her vote our way," Xena determined.

Gabrielle sighed. "Xena, she needs to vote on what she thinks is best. We shouldn't trick her."

"We're not tricking her. Don't they get it? If we don't stop this rebel bullshit, they will grow in number and attack us eventually."

"We all have to agree and if Arielle was well enough, her vote would overrule us."

"Then maybe we should let her vote. She's the only one who understands how Persian politics works. I know she'll agree."

When her mother got back, Arielle had just started to wake up. When someone unfamiliar entered the room, she grew wary. With a wave of her hand, Anastasia motioned for Wasifah to move out of the way of the bed.

Ana stood beside the bed. "This is Revkah. She will be your midwife. She's from Ebnedzar's clan."

Revkah came forward and planted a kiss on Arielle's hand. When she was advised to keep her midwifery skills hidden in the tribe, she had no idea what to expect. Now that she knew she was responsible for the Khagana, she was incredibly nervous.

"I trust that you can keep this a secret?" Ana asked, looking at Wasifah.

Wasifah smiled. "Yes, Khatun. I already know about the child."

Arielle glared at the midwife. "If you say a word about this to anyone, I will cut out your tongue."

Revkah lowered her eyes. "I won't say a word, your highness," she said. "How may I treat you today?"

"She needs a full exam," Anastasia interrupted.

Revkah caught between them, uncertainly shifted her gaze between the monarchs.

Sternly, she said, "Khatun, if I am to treat the Khagana, I will need to talk to her directly. And if I am performing all exams inside the Adame, I will need several herbs and oils brought to me. Another thing, I request the room be absent of extra bodies while I am examining the Khagana."

Anastasia raised her eyebrows, mildly shocked by the brazenness of this woman. "I brought you here to take care of my daughter. I am trusting you—"

"And you may trust me, your highness. But if I am to take care of her, these are my rules."

"Mom, it's fine. You can wait outside with Wasifah," said Arielle.

Revkah flashed a quick grin, and then Anastasia and Wasifah hurried off. Having her patient all to herself, she got right to work. She took Arielle's pulse at the wrist and the base of her neck.

"If something happens to me, you will face some deadly consequences."

"Yes, Khagana, I am aware. May I raise your shift?" she inquired coolly as Arielle looked at her in bewilderment.

With Arielle's approval, she lifted the shift. She raised her eyebrows in shock at how far along the Khagana was. She reached over and put her hands on Arielle's stomach, pressing down gently.

"Why don't you want anyone in the room?" asked Arielle, curiously.

"I work better in silence. You are my patient, not your mother or guard," Revkah said, flashing a smile, and Arielle returned it.