Chapter 38
Tang Empire, North China
In a pool of her own sweat, Aurora's blurry eyes opened into a smog. The bed she was in felt unfamiliar and cold. The room she was in was also not her suite and where was Mara? Her warm body, the one source of comfort and protection in this palace, was nowhere to be found.
Aurora's body bore the weight of ages as she stirred from the pillows. It was the raw, naked presence of Tengri that set her stomach in turmoil. As she swung her legs off the bed, she collapsed to her knees, realizing the frailty of her own body. Her fingers traced the source of the throbbing ache nestled between her legs. In that moment, she realized that Tengri had been inside her, perhaps more than once during the dark hours of the night. Yet, she had no recollect of it.
In that moment, Aurora's patience dwindled, her gaze fixed upon the sleeping prince. He slept there, vulnerable and unguarded, a target waiting for the inevitable strike. His moment to die had not yet arrived. She swathed herself in a sheet and swiftly departed the chamber. Numerous servants bore witness to her swift passage through the corridors, nearly unclothed and in tears.
Aurora remained ensconced in her chambers throughout the day, weeping until her eyes were parched and swollen. She would not reveal to a soul what had transpired, neither to Mara, nor to any other ear.
Except one person. One person who may be able to help her.
"Why would you go see the Khatun? You said it yourself that you don't like her," Mara said, folding her arms in discontent.
"I think she can help us get out of here. She doesn't love her son."
Mara blew a raspberry and flopped onto the bed with a loud thud. "Come on, Aurora, whatever it is you're going to do, just forget about it. Why do you think Tengri's mother will help us? And how do you know she doesn't love him?"
"Because she loves power more," Aurora answered barely above a whisper.
Two maids massaged Qutlug Khatun's hands while she sat idly by the fireplace. Standing behind her, Chancellor Yusi perused the several letters she had received over the past few days. There were a lot of letters from Shad Buyruk Chor, but one from Shad Pan Kül Tigin stood out. Even though the Shad rarely wrote letters, Qutlug was always eager to hear his thoughts and opinions.
Reading aloud from the letter, Chancellor Yusi revealed its contents in his dulcet tones. Even though the letter foretold impending disaster, he managed to make it sound lovely. The news of the fire in the Khagan's palace had reached Pan Kül Tigin. He thought someone had set the fire on purpose, but he never said who it might have been.
"They will begin spying on each other if they haven't already," Yusi commented, chuckling as he burned the parchment in the hearth. "What shall be your next move, Khatun? Will you write to Pan Kül Tigin?"
"We are protected by the Chinese. I will not reveal my location to anyone, especially the Shads. They are greedy in their own right," she said, snubbing her nose.
A maid scurried into the chamber, going unnoticed. She raised to her toes and whispered in Chancellor Yusi's ear.
"The Hun princess is waiting in the hall," he said.
Qutlug Khatun cast her servants aside as she studied the double doors. Not long after that, Aurora entered and bowed from the waist. After she kissed the Khatun's hand, she was instructed to sit down by the fire. Yusi looked at her with such compassion as her gaze strayed to him.
"Thank you for making time to see me, Khatun."
"What can I do for you, princess?"
"It is a matter that concerns your son." Aurora thought it was best to speak plainly. "I had hoped for another maid to accompany me to his chambers. A maid like Maiyo."
Qutlug's eyebrows rose, though her face remained expressionless. "Tengri has a way of deterring newcomers."
Sentenced subtly, it meant that Tengri would not be employing a maid because he was aware that Maiyo was actually a spy dispatched by his mother. This news was very upsetting, and it showed on Aurora's face. After saying her goodbyes to the chancellor and Khatun, she got up from the sofa and turned to leave.
"I know you long to go home, princess," the Khatun acknowledged. "I want you to see your family again. Tengri is the one who can grant your release."
Quickly getting up from the chair, she made her way to a chest of drawers. Inquisitive about what might be concealed within the chest, Aurora craned her neck. Returning to the hearth, Qutlug pried Aurora's hand open. She placed a vial of liquid into Aurora's hand and tightly gripped it with her fingers.
"If I had the power to release you, I would," she said, firmly gripping Aurora's fist.
As blood rushed to her cheeks, Aurora's veins spasmed violently. Uncertain about whether to express her gratitude or to depart silently, she clutched the vial in her hand. So she went with the latter.
Chancellor Yusi crossed his arms. "Are you certain that she will not drink the tonic?"
"I am certain." She sat down and signaled for her servants to gather around. "To return home is her first priority, and she hates Tengri." With a smile on her face, she continued, "We share these things in common."
West Governing Khaganate
Ulen explained everything to the best of his abilities when Xena grilled him with questions. Both Xena and Gabrielle learned that the Rouran Khaganate had existed for a few decades yet remained under the watchful eye of one of the former Chinese emperors. Now that there was friction in China, multiple empires sprouted, creating further divide. The Hun clans had their fair share of dealings with China, all of them horrible.
As quickly as the Rouran Khaganate was created, it was quickly falling. Two Khagans were dead and all that was left was Prince Tengri and his mother, Qutlug Khatun. Gabrielle made the connection of the prince's name being spoken by Ulen during the exploration of the burned site at the palace. However, Ulen had no idea that Gabrielle spied on him and his Alps.
Inside the Shad's yurt, two days after dining with the foreign women, Pan Kül Tigin was eager to learn more about the Hun people. Even though he was deceived, he still enjoyed their company, Xena's especially.
"We would be happy to escort Shapur back to Persia," said Xena. "He's had it coming for a while now." She smiled, elbowing her wife.
He gruffly stated, "It is somewhat difficult for me to trust you, Xena, as you have lied about where you come from. You've deceived me."
"For good reason, Shad," Gabrielle interrupted. He gave her a curious look. "We didn't know how you would perceive us. We have many enemies."
Pan Kül said with a laugh, "Powerful empires must have many enemies! It means you are doing it right by your people. Though you are not a Hun, are you?" he squinted, studying her blonde hair and green eyes.
"I am not," she admitted, her cheeks coloring.
Xena wrapped her arm around Gabrielle, saying, "She is as much one of the Huns as I am. I am not from Pannonia originally."
"No, you are from Thrace," the Shad said, wagging his finger. "I pegged you for a Thracian with that accent of yours."
She smiled, growing bored of this conversation. There had been so many of the same over her years as a military leader. This one was no different, though it was more comical and relaxed than most.
"About Shapur," she stressed. "He's done a great deal of harm to our people, and he will do the same to yours. Let me and Gabrielle take him back to Persia so he can be brought to justice."
"I have secured a deal with him. Long ago, before all of this..."
Gabrielle shook her head and inched closer to him. "His word is worthless. The Shah has a bounty over his head. I don't think you want to anger the Shah."
"Has he ever mentioned the name Adarmahan?" Xena asked.
His lips curled upward, unpleasantly revealing the whites of his gums. "I do not recall anyone by that name." He shifted, rising from the floor rug. "Excuse me, I have a meeting with my nephew."
Gabrielle lingered near the crackling fire, cradling a cup of mead wine. In the waning days of warmth, it had transformed into a soothing elixir as the chill of winter began to creep in. From afar, she caught the sound of Xena sharpening her blade, the rhythmic rasp echoing through the air. Each stroke conveyed a tapestry of anger, frustration, and sorrow. They found themselves no nearer to Aurora than when they first arrived.
"I think he is lying. He knows about Adarmahan," she announced.
The whetstone glided off the blade with a smooth and crisp whip. "Even if he does, he won't tell us."
"We can't leave Shapur here. We need to tell Khosrow about this."
Xena set down the stone and blade. "I agree with you, but we came here to find Aurora. Now, we're stuck doing the Sassanian's dirty work again. I say, we wouldn't have these problems if Arielle never married Xerxes."
The air was thick with silence, like smog made of goat manure. Her wife blinked in response. She felt an immediate pang of shame for her words in the moment. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm angry and tired. Would it be so bad if we asked Pan Kül Tigin about Aurora?"
Gabrielle frowned and replied, "That's not wise, and you know it."
"I want her found."
"So do I. That's why we're here. That's why we're all here, Xena," she said more dryly than she realized. "You're not the only one who is tired and angry."
In that moment, tears surfaced and trickled down Xena's cheek. She quickly wiped them before Gabrielle could see, but she did move closer toward the fire. In an attempt to apologize, she reached for Gabrielle's knee and squeezed it firmly. She was met with a warm and forgiving smile.
"I don't want to return home and have to tell my granddaughter that her daughter vanished. That would...kill me," her voice quivered, a sob catching in her throat. "I can't bear to see the look on Arielle's face."
"We're doing everything we can." Gabrielle kissed her hand and held it for a long while. "We can use Shapur as a distraction from all of this. And we have a duty to Persia to report this. That means we can stay longer, and I'm sure Soran and Cera are already scouting by now."
"Yes, you're right," Xena said with a smile.
Ulen stormed across the encampment with six soldiers. He cared not if Xena and Gabrielle were awake or clothed properly. The soldiers parted the tent's flap, and Ulen stepped inside. Both women were awake and dressed, drinking their morning teas. Xena immediately eyed the soldiers with caution and reached for her sword.
"You won't be needing that, Khanum," Ulen declared.
"You can't just walk in here," said Gabrielle, miffed by the intrusion. "Why bring six soldiers with you? Are we under arrest?" she asked, laughing lightly.
"I have orders to escort you out of the tribe. Pack your belongings and meet me at the front gates."
Xena stood and grabbed her sword, sheathing it slowly as she locked gazes with Ulen. "To my knowledge, we weren't finished talking with Pan Kül Tigin regarding Shapur. It's important that we take Shapur with us to Persia so he can be tried."
"As I said, I have orders."
It was now Gabrielle's turn to combat the nuisance before them. "He is a political prisoner. Your uncle will not be protected by us if he defies the Shah. We would be doing him a huge favor by taking Shapur."
Shortly, the six soldiers began to pick up the saddlebags and satchels. They were quickly stopped when Xena put a sword in their path. This made them back away, yet their hands were on their weapons.
"Leave this yurt," she demanded. "We can pack our own things. Tell your Shad that he should expect the Persian army at his gates."
"Is that a threat?" Ulen probed.
"It is not. Persia has one of the largest armies in the world. If I were your uncle, I'd be saying some prayers. I'll pray for him, and I'm not one to pray."
The expansive Kazakh Steppes were reduced to flat plains and undulating rocky hills during the scouting expeditions of the Nezak Huns. As he rode more into the plains, Soran rallied the army. They had arrived in the desert, where all signs of life were unchanged. They came to the realization that they needed to create tracks. Cera remained in the rear of the group, establishing tracks.
They ran out of food and water as the search took longer than expected, which was particularly perilous in the desert. Soran came to a stop three days later after discovering Aurora's final known marker. Carved onto a single boulder was a little emblem. It wasn't until the sixth day that he realized that was the final marker.
Riding in the Gobi Desert drained the horses further as they were stranded. Soran and Cera set out on foot while a small group of troops remained behind to tend to the horses.
Despite the cold, some vegetation started to emerge as night fell. Views of verdant mountains with snowy summits stretched out for miles. Cera signaled to Soran, who was standing just meters away, to look for footprints, and she pointed to the mountains.
Soran set his hands on his hips. "Villages must be nearby with that much green," he said. "Should we take a break before continuing? I have some dried meat and water for us to share."
Seeing the mountains brought back memories of China that Cera had pushed to the back of her mind. After her abduction, she vowed she would never return to China. Even though it had happened a long time ago, she still vividly remembered being forcibly removed from her home, particularly as a new bride. She could hear the wailing of helpless women and children, their cries for relief echoing through her mind.
"We can't go any further," she said.
"Why? We need to keep looking for Aurora. She could be close."
She shook her head. "If she's been taken into China, then we will never find her. Our family is forbidden to enter China."
Frustrated, Soran sat on the ground and opened his meal pouch. He laid out the salted dried meat and offered some to Cera, which she declined. "There must be another way. We can't stop looking, Cera. We can't let our sister down."
Cera was concerned about informing Arielle that Aurora was ensnared in a foreign empire. Even though she and her sister hadn't gotten along very well in recent years, she felt terrible for her. For a moment, she thought about what might happen if Emese had been captured and disappeared. Emese was her one and only child; she was her moon and stars, her little flower, and her lone daughter.
Even though it was futile, she wished she could keep looking. Concerned for her own daughter, Cera could not risk endangering herself.
"We should start heading back."
"But there's still some daylight left!"
Cera spoke aloud, "No. We go. Now."
Nezak Tribe, Kazakhstan
It had been only the previous morning that Xena and Gabrielle had returned from the Khaganate camp. The severe gusts made their four-day journey that much more taxing. The wind whipped by Xena, wearing her face with crimson marks, and both Gabrielle's hands and lips were parched.
"This should make you both feel more alive," Yana said, smiling gently. She served them tea and freshly baked bread with pepper paste. "The desert can be an unforgiving place."
Gabrielle spread the pepper paste onto the bread and offered it to her spouse. Xena snubbed the bread and glared out the window, a scowl on her face. At least when she offered the tea, it wasn't refused.
Mirac was shouting at his daughter to stop running in the room across from them. Into the room sprang Emese, who dashed barefoot over the chilly hardwood floor.
"Stop running, child," Yana scolded.
The princess dropped to her knees and hugged Gabrielle tightly. "Sorry, Teyze Yana," she said and crawled over to Xena, kissing her hand. "You two have been gone for so long! Where's my mom? Has she returned?"
"I sent a message. She probably won't be back for another five days," Yana said, eyeing her niece. "Why don't you come help me in the sewing room? I need to sort through some fabric."
Since Emese suspected her aunt was attempting to divert her attention, she sensed that something was up. A plethora of questions longed to be asked of Gabrielle and Xena. Given how infrequently she saw them, she yearned to savor every moment of her time with them. But Yana was more of a grandmother figure than an aunt to her and didn't want to defy her orders. Given that she was the same age as her grandma Khatun, it wasn't a far stretch. After her mother admonished Emese to "be good" and "mind your manners," Emese vowed to respect Yana's orders.
Just before she and Yana departed, Xena caressed Emese's cheek. Holding the chieftess' hand, she observed the princess whispering. The child must have wanted to know everything about her aunt, cousin, mother, and everyone else.
"How am I going to tell her, Gabrielle?" she said, her voice breaking. "How am I going to face Arielle and tell her we couldn't find her daughter? How."
"We have an idea of where she is. We won't stop looking for her. It can't be up to us to do it alone anymore."
Measuring himself bread and tea, Mirac sat down on the floor as he strode in. Standing outside in the corridor, he had overheard a good chunk of the discussion. It brought up a flood of memories of Cera's captivity in China and Japa all those years ago. He spent a lot of time worrying about Cera and looking for her, which caused him to lose a lot of sleep.
He reached for a second slice of bread, and Yana smacked his hand. "I haven't eaten since yesterday afternoon!" he whined.
"I think you're perfectly capable of making food for yourself. You didn't travel for four days straight."
Xena raised her hand. "He can have my share. I am not hungry."
Yana wasn't going to argue, but she glared at her brother. "I don't know how long you two plan on staying here, but I suggest you send Shah Khosrow a message about Shapur. There is nothing more you can do other than to return to Pannonia and tell Arielle the news," she said.
"I like that idea," said Gabrielle. "I'll start working on the letter. When Cera and Soran return, we can head back. What do you say, Xena?"
As Xena scratched her forehead, she could feel her distress and exhaustion building up. Silently, she agreed to the plan with a nod. This plan gave her some time to plan on what to say when she confronted Arielle.
Tang Empire, North China
Weeks went by, and Tengri never acknowledged that he drugged and raped Aurora. He never brought it up. Not even once. She was absolutely furious, but she had to keep her temper in check. She would make sure they were by each other's sides as much as possible. Mara was not in favor of this plan.
Once again this week, Tengri extended an invitation to eat dinner in his chambers. As his deceased father's empire fell apart, he continued to turn a blind eye to pressing issues. He was indifferent. He merely desired Aurora's constant presence—he craved to feel her skin against his. Since Aurora knew she was getting closer to her escape, this was ideal for her.
Aurora still hadn't told Mara the truth about what happened. Saying it out was too difficult for her. It hurt too much to think about. Upon visiting Qutlug Khatun, she could discern a familiarity in the Khatun's gaze. For some reason, she felt that was the reason Qutlug had given her the bottle of unknown liquid. Aurora assumed the liquid was poison. The toxin probably wasn't potent enough to kill.
No mother could murder her own son, and Qutlug was no exception, right?
Tengri carried on with his ritual. He certainly knew how to make his guests feel comfortable. As Aurora sat on the bed, the vial was tucked under her breast. In the corner of the chamber, a harp player and flutist played a tantalizing song. Tengri began to pour wine, likely spiked with opium pods.
She watched him hover over the glasses, his hips swaying to the music. He sauntered to her and offered her the wine. Aurora forced a smile as his finger traced her lips. Her eyes were trained on his glass when he put it down on the table. Tengri disappeared behind a curtain, humming to the song.
In her haste, she poured some of the poison into his drink. A robe slung over his arm, Tengri came back in his raw form. When Aurora finally brought her gaze to meet him, she fought off staring at his nude body. The knots in her belly had already begun to twist.
Drink it. Come on.
The poisoned wine was downed by Tengri in one big gulp. Aurora felt a surge of joy course through her, and she couldn't help but smile. A gleam in Tengri's eyes was visible to her in an instant. Her smile was misinterpreted, but he wanted her—all of her.
Tengri climbed onto the bed and sat behind Aurora. He slid her dress down, revealing the curve of her shoulder. His lips brushed against her skin while his hand grasped her breast. All of Aurora's stomach muscles tightened at his touch, repulsed. A surge of bile clawed its way up her throat as his lips danced across her skin.
Aurora knew this couldn't happen again, especially when she was sober. If he tried to impose himself on her again, she couldn't promise he would have his life tomorrow. She swung around suddenly and straddled Tengri. Unexpectedness was written all over his face. Whatever it took to prolong his urges, she would do it, just until the poison took its full effect.
For the majority of the night, she lay awake, waiting for Tengri to open his eyes. The time it took for the poison to take effect was longer than she had anticipated. After an hour of gentle massages and playful kisses all over, Tengri gave in. He remained sound asleep throughout the night.
Aurora stayed awake, stripped of her clothes and a protective hand nestled between her legs. The poison worked. He was alive, and he hadn't touched her. She needed to move on to the next phase of her plan, escaping from the palace.
She slipped out wearing her gown and went back to her chambers. She soaked in a hot bath until the water turned lukewarm. Now, Mara was awake, padding around the room, grumbling as she did every morning.
"Late night with the prince? I didn't hear you come in last night," Mara said, walking into the baths.
"I came in this morning. I didn't want to wake you." Aurora looked up at the Alp and kissed her hand.
Mara hissed, snatching her hand back. "No touching until you wash that filth off," she playfully sniped.
Words like those hurt deeply, more than Mara knew. As Aurora's groin muscles tightened, she instinctively covered them with her hands. All sounds around her were drowned out as she gazed into the murky, filthy water.
Red splatters appeared on the surface of the water as Aurora raised her hand. At this point, the burning sensation on her thigh stood out. She had pierced her flesh with her nails to the point of bleeding.
"Aurora, what's happened? Are you—you," Mara panicked, reaching into the water to see the source of the blood. "You've hurt yourself, let me—"
"No, he hurt me."
Mara stopped and stared blankly, then her eyebrows settled. Aurora was breathing heavily through her nose, tears dropping into the bathwater.
"Before we escape, we kill Tengri first," Mara promised.