(Part 1)

"Get yaselves the heck outta my way, dorks!"

As he was taking a brief respite during his kilij-training session for that day (unmistakably meant for the servants), Rashid came to notice that fierce, unmistakable echo in the corridors, and sighed to himself.

"There we go again," he remarked, grinning despite the perspiration. "Things you do for love, wouldn't you say, Big Sis?"

Leia, who had also come to observe a good part of said training, smiled knowingly. "I know only a few who could've prodded her to such obedient haste; Akhi being one of them."

"Think Zal's gotten 'round to seeing him, for that matter?"

"Beats me, Ras... but she may have run into someone who had, and who had not been too pleased with the results." Lei shrugged. "When have Akhi proved too pleasant when talking about topics he's deadly-passionate about, anyway? Gets ugly rather quickly when you just don't know when to stay quiet and listen... That said, most of his talks do have darn-convincing points. Fair chance to expect those who did stay quiet, did so out of serious thought rather than bubbling ire from being slighted."

The younger prince bobbed his head left and right quickly. "Learned that to my cost earlier today, alas... and boy, I'm glad you do too. Can't say the same with Zal, though: that one would rather take a thousand beatings in a day with the hardest rod around, than admit defeat."

"Resoluteness with almost no sense, there." His true sister snickered. "Forget rods; Akhi seems to have mastered the art of taming that one with a few spot-on words."

"Sure enough. I envy him there~"

Furiously-oblivious of her siblings' talks, Azalea figuratively left a blazing trail through the city and on to Lady Alista's residential grounds, quite heedless of the fact that she had nearly run over Zena as the latter was trudging her way home for a well-deserved nap after yet another demanding day.

Presently, with her customary boldness, Zal demanded to see the amiable matriarch.

"The lady is not accepting any callers at this time of day," she was told. "She is resting. I'm afraid you shall have to come back tomorrow."

"Argh! Tomorrow might be far too late," the princess fumed. "Get yer butt back in there and let her know Princess Azalea's coming; might change her mind."

A brief silence ensued.

"Young lady, do forgive me, but I shall not take requests delivered in this kind of tone. If you really are a princess, then you ought to refine such unruly figures of speech first before dreaming of an audience with my mistress. Please come back tomorrow. I would not ask again."

Zal blinked with hurt surprise. Her last visit there, come to think of it, had been in the company of her finer-worded siblings, Leia or Rashid...

Getting vexed as she was by that rebuke, this 'unruly' to-be visitor nevertheless sensed then that to press on with such methods as threatening to break in here would most likely result in her getting hauled away and imprisoned like a common urchin. Heck, if word of that should ever got out, she was not going to be the only one taking huge risks. Even still...

Oh, where's that stupid Pighead when she's needed most!

"Please, sir," said she who had very rarely pleaded before, "I have to see the lady; if not Lady Alista, then Lady Naissa. Got news that either of them should like to hear."

At this point the concierge (having been only a few weeks in service after the older one got sent off for health reasons) fidgeted. This girl did look like she had come from quite a distance, he noted; might her brash tone just now not be due to the very importance of her 'news'? The 'princess' part might not be entirely true, but she knew exactly whom to pass the 'news' to. Not admit her in, and he might be in serious trouble himself...

"Wait here," he said finally, standing a tad straighter. "As I said, Lady Alista is taking a rest, but Lady Naissa might just be available. Who shall I say is calling in?"

"Princess Azalea."

That 'princess' bit again, the concierge thought as he smiled. Nice shape too, for anything that's holy. "Lover of flowers, are you?"

"My stepmom is."

"Warm regards to her. Name's Zerdan, by the way."

Zalea put on her sweetest smile yet. Bum's either not from 'round this town or a simple happy-do-goody. Not a fine idea to be such a freak myself, 'specially not minutes before gettin' to meet such distinguished personages. "Well met."

Thus assured, this concierge retired to inform the mistress, whichever that should be, of Azalea's arrival. During the wait, the young visitor invited herself to enjoy the sights of the front yard seated on a stone bench partially sheltered by the roof.

This estate must've cost a fortune, this princess observed. Dad sure did much to maintain the well-being of his dead bro's bloodline... and unless we kids are of one purpose at this juncture, we risk spoilin' it all!

And what of that lad Uvais? How might Akhi's meeting with Family-Guy Idris go so far as titles and inheritance would be concerned, can't help wondering...

"Good news, girl," Zerdan called after ten more minutes, "Lady Naissa will see you now."

***

"Why, if it isn't you again, Azalea," Naissa greeted. "How nice to see you! Please be seated."

The princess smiled back and obliged. "Many thanks, Lady Naissa. I-"

Her hostess gently held up her own hand. "Feel free to call me 'Nai', please. So many do."

Zalea nodded, realizing she was being offered a way to make the upcoming conversation reasonably-less frigid. "I think that'd be best, yeah."

"So then, girl, why are you here?"

The visitor leaned in her seat. "Well, you see... I was hoping we could get to discuss this in Lady Alista's presence also, but it'd seem you'd have to do. Last time we spoke at considerable lengths on my mother's hitherto-seditious roles. Recent developments, however, hinted that she's already beginning to see the errors of her ways, and had indicated herself ready to accept proper chastisement; in this particular case, from Mu, as one of her to-be victims..."

The hostess blinked in wonderment. "Bear with me: your lady mother Mirani, she had been the one trying to mastermind Mu's departure from dear life three years prior?"

Azalea nodded gravely. "As well as that of Rashid's, to be completely honest. That said... do tell me, Nai: would it be so wrong if we--Dastra and myself--were to stand up to Akhi and see if her sentence might not somehow be lightened, short of execution? Mom's already doin' her best to amend her foul ways, we can tell, and... we would not have it said that we had not done anything to protect our mother! Everyone has faults, as we know; but sincere repentance would be accepted from them so long as there is breath! Right?! No worldly ruler, not even Akhi, should dare presume to surpass Allah's Laws, methinks!"

"There, dear, we are playing on very fine threads," came the gentle reply. "From the religious perspective, yes, repentance is enjoined after sinning--and if your mother has indeed begun to show that by reforming her deeds, that's well and good for her; we may wish that Allah shall Accept such reforms and Regard her with Grace in the Hereafter. In the meantime, such 'worldly rulers' as Mu do have the responsibility--without being in any way condescending--to pass judgment in accordance with more-grounded laws of the state... and you, being a good citizen, a fellow princess even, must not presume to stand in its way. Both of you know that. Let's see... have there been any other victims of this particular attempt?"

"Now that I think of it... yeah. Two of Mu's maids did not get to make it out alive."

"Had their families, accordingly, been informed of these losses? And had they, how did they take that news?"

"Hum... Never really bothered with such fuss before."

"Well, start to. By now you must've known that there are consequences for every action. Mustafa--even after his northern excursion, which might have proven more than demanding--has proven himself to still be willing to look into such possibilities; would it be wise, therefore, for you to try and hinder his works in this matter?"

"Then what, ya want me to just stand by as my mother was being hauled off to face the noose?!"

"Have you talked to Mirani, for that matter? What's her take on all this?"

This princess managed a low growl. "She... is pretty much resigned. Not me, though! Never! Not while there's breath in me!"

"Azalea, please, you're being obdurate here. I know you love your mother, and as a mother myself I feel I can relate; but do not ever try to take that out on Mu. He's been a victim too, you know, and one who'd been fortunate enough to survive and continued to serve his nation against all the odds. Delivering this sentence is part of that service, you're not dumb enough to not realize that. What's more, if Mirani herself has expressed willingness to be sentenced accordingly as you said... well, what can you do, really?"

This visitor rose, almost leaping. "I came out here to seek help, Nai, not hear you state that all-too-obvious crap! Is... is there really no other way, then? Would Lady Alista have gone for it, too..?"

"Yes, dear, I would," said an all-too-familiar voice, "and I can't help but admire and applaud that Mirani's attitude in this particular case; 'tis a behavior worthy of true nobles. Baser beings would not have been willing even to address their guilt, let alone take steps to repair it... so rather than continuing to feel frustrated 'cause your mother's about to be deprived of life--a reformed life, for that matter, for which alone you ought to have thanked Allah in deep prostration--how about standing tall and proudly declare, 'Such a figure had been my mother!'? I gather you do not lack in pride, either."

This princess was stunned enough to regain her seat. Indeed, the golden-hearted Dastra too might have settled with such an approach... and Mustafa, Zal knew, would have taken note as well. Might he not, in such admiration, be inclined to be merciful and decide to lighten the sentence after all?

"I... better say this now, Lady Alista," the visitor pointed out, blushing. "You're far nobler than most of those I cared to know at court. Idris is so damn-lucky to have you both as people he counts to be close in his loyal life. May... may Allah Reward us well."

"Amen," the hostesses chorused.

"That said, dear," Alista observed, "it is getting late. Would you stay over for dinner?"

"My thanks, Auntie, but no. Do pass my regards to Idris when he gets back, okay."

Lista nodded. "He's expected to come alongside people of importance from the north, I heard it said. Be sure your father's ready for them too."

"That said, ladies," the princess continued, this time with a slight frown, "I'd recommend doin' something 'bout your new gatekeeper."

(Part 2)

"My queen," Mardanish bowed. "You summoned me?"

"I know it's late, Mardan," came the curt reply, "which is why I would not have you go anywhere for now. But know that some of my subordinates' actions are coming back to me. I had turned the other way when hired hands had come to try take Mustafa's life three years ago, as you might recall... and now I am thankful that such a prince had been destined to survive their foul blades. Two of his maids had not, however, and it is their families I mean for you to establish contact with.

"Tell them, first," Mama Viper went on, "that it had been my august self who had trans-acted the ignominious deed; that part of their household had been torn off because of me; and whether, as a result, they'd take my death as atonement. Leave nothing to chance; don't be shy to patronize the taverns too, for there every imaginable gossip might be aired. Find out if my death is desired, and if so, how ardently."

Mardan dipped his head. "I shall commence my search tomorrow, by your permission."

"You have two days," Mirani warned him. "At the end of the second, report to me personally and directly, same hour as now. Leave nothing out, for on the third day I must go out and face my victims once again."

"As you order, Your Grace."

***

During the first family dinner since Mustafa's return, two principal matters were brought to light. Currently the diners were delving into the first issue, namely that the new Vazir Ebrahim--having been sworn in--was already making preparations for a private audience with Urdin's firstborn.

"Might take place tomorrow, at the soonest," the Amir pointed out. "He hailed from the town of Tavir, a few miles south of Ardis; had worked as one of many logisticians of Ardis's garrison; and had gained renown for being meticulously loyal and competent, if hot tempered and more than a tad heavy-handed."

Mustafa narrowed his eyes. "Are you absolutely certain that we'd take too warmly on such an individual being given the reins on foreign affairs, Father? Not to mention, his earlier career as logistician... Some in the army might take that as subtle favoritism, not less because you had come from the ranks yourself. I'm aware that discipline is a thing with such men; still..."

"Like I would give a freak on where such talents originated, Akhi," Azalea interjected. "So long as they are proven able in their respective fields, methinks we just might give 'em a shot. 'Sides, not like this is your first brush with hot tempers; if ya can have myself as yer sister, there should be no problem in havin' him as vazir... ain't that right?"

"You're a child, Zal, and this Ebrahim is not," Mu reminded her patiently. "Impressions matter. What's more, this is going to be one of our grander diplomatic strokes in years; it wouldn't do to have it ruined by such elementary problems as impulsive discourtesy."

"Then perhaps you should also take an active part there, Akhi, just in case," Leia suggested from the other end of the table. "The presence of such a firm but gentle hand as that of yourself might help to keep things in order; to say nothing of the 'diplomatic necessity', if you'll have it, of at least a prince to be in attendance to such an event."

"Hear, hear," Dastra remarked.

"Rest assured, Lei, I plan to," came the reply, "but as it stands, some domestic matters yet remain for my attention." The prince said this with a side glance at his father's second consort--who for her part had not seen fit to share her wisdom in the course of this particular dinner--and the implication was clear.

"In any case," Mustafa resumed, sighing, "we now have a new vazir, and I certainly hope we might get to understand each other; tomorrow's audience might provide hints to that end. That said, if I recall correctly, Father, that vazir problem was but the first of two to be discussed tonight. What might the second be?"

"The second point, and this had come to my attention only recently," Urdin related, "is that a new powerhouse is being discovered due to our east: House Visma. Not much else is known of them for now, other than the fact that they have taken the phoenix as their sigil, and that their nobility rely less on regular standing armies than on groups of talented individuals selected personally by their newly-minted nobles more often than not. Possibilities of our appointing representatives there have also been raised, but so far nothing had come out of them."

"I see." Mu nodded thoughtfully. "Little wonder, with our trying to get a new vazir at the helm, that we had not been paying sufficient attention on that front... but hey, with so few things known about them, at least we are being afforded the chance to deal with these easterners with far lesser doses of presentiment than those being attributed to Brista's domains and people. Guess we'll have to see. Many thanks, my Amir, for having related this discovery."

On such notions that day's dinner was concluded. As the diners began to disperse, Azalea decided that now might be the proper time to clear some of her own swirling doubts.

"Akhi, just hang on a second!"

"Ah, yes," the prince slowed down his pace with a knowing smile, "we haven't gotten to talk properly today, have we, Zal? On with it."

"About my mom..."

"I was wondering when you'd get to that."

"Eh, do ya? Great, we can get to brass tacks then. Ya sure this decision to rid my mom ain't too personal?"

Mustafa paused on his tracks. "What nonsense is that?"

"I mean, 'tis pretty obvious! You, the future heir to Dad's legacy as well as his firstborn, having been exposed to such risks o' harm... Had I been in yer place, I would not have taken that all too kindly either. Yet of course ya had been too freakin'-scared of takin' Mom on directly, so instead you asked for Dad to seek justice by putting the damned lair of those sorry catspaws to the torch. There! Lair's destroyed, honor satisfied, love regained. Yet ya still persist on pressing my mom to a tight corner, even after all these years! Suppose there weren't personal reasons whatsoever..!"

"...Such level of doggedness would have been damnably-incomprehensible; is that what you so badly wanted to have me believe?" Mu retorted. "Well, three points, and best start drilling these into your incomprehensibly-dense skull before misjudging me any further, you sorry little twat!

"First," he began, "I do not fancy myself as heir, for argument's sake. No decision on that point had as yet been made, do recall; it could have been you, or Idris! Heck, among the reasons why I could have pulled off such a 'gallant' defense in the north, had been this firm belief that even if I were to fall, the continuity of this Amirate might yet be assured--and by a much-better-tested figure that my elder cousin is! Three decades, he had waited for such an opportunity whilst serving with loyalty and distinction; heck if I, eleven years younger, would simply allow that to go to waste! That'd have been selfish, not to mention, and I fancy working alongside Bri's warbands those few months had taught me enough of just what dreadful results untrammeled selfishness could bring to bear!

"Second," this prince resumed, now glaring down on his 'whip-tongued' sibling, "if I did not rat Mirani out that very night, that wasn't 'cause I was scared; it was because I'd cared for you! You and Dastra. It had occurred to me that the deaths of those maids would undoubtedly have left their charges back home quite without further directions in their lives; were I to have done that same thing to Mirani, where would that have left me? At the same time justice must be served, hence that request to Father. Call that childish, but you might not have done better.

"As for strictly personal reasons..." here Mu seemed to hesitate. "I have to admit, I've been wondering on those ever since the proper conclusion of that siege. Indeed, does your mom even feel sorry for what she'd done to us, Zalea? For if she did, why wait this long? Why had she not apologized that same night, my accepting that apology notwithstanding?"

"Akhi!"

"Now, don't get me wrong: I do get that you're quite eager to see her forgiven; but unless she could come up with very good reasons, and soon, I'm inclined to believe she's just being royally ashamed that she's been sniffed out, her tricks no longer being of any use... and if so, you really needn't have wasted your breath trying to stand for her, thereby risking further quarrels with me."

"Oh, what the heck! Ya well know I will take that risk. Get this: I don't give a damn if you're first in birth order, Mu--mess with any in my family and you will wish you hadn't!"

The Amir's firstborn laughed heartily. "You will take that risk, eh? Very good, let's prove that and go for Razin right now. He had done more than 'mess with any in my family', so why the heck are we still so busy badmouthing each other here? Hmm? Like we have anything to gain from this at all. Or is Mira really having second thoughts about ridding her prime lapdog; and if that be the case, would it not have been your job to bring her into line, o Champion of Truth, instead of trying to browbeat me? Do reflect on such options, Sister, before you ever dare to cross me again!

"That having been said," Urdin's firstborn continued, observing how this particularly-headstrong sibling of his was blinking with hurt surprise, trying not to reveal her tears, "your efforts to save your mother are, personally, quite commendable; I don't believe I'd have reacted differently had it been my own mother that were about to be so sentenced... And for that..."

Wordlessly, this young warrior then moved to briefly embrace the bluntest of his siblings. Overwhelmed with a fine mix of fiery compassion and longing, and having tightened her hold on him by a fraction, Azalea finally wept.

This, she thought through her tears, this gotta be why I love him, as so many others freakin'-do...

(Part 3)

"Seems to me that neither of us can persuade Mu enough to relax his stance on ya, Mom," Azalea admitted during yet another 'we-time' with Mira and Dastra. "Like... he knew he could choose not to make this an issue, yet he still does. He's quite open to forgiveness, but demands explanations that just might suit his tastes... and from a queen nonetheless!"

"This is a test, methinks," Dastra offered with his customary cheery smile. "Akhi knows all too well that we came from a line of defeated rulers; just how well might we fare without Mom, who's done so much to us, who's been endowing us with such extensive protection? Even if Mom were to be forgiven as you so eagerly hoped for, Big Sis, Mu would still want to have us as siblings whom he knows he'd be able to count on and be proud of. Is this not how he had garnered such deep-rooted trust, affection and loyalty from those doin' business with him, thus far... to say nothing of him being expected by so many to be an at-least-okay judge of character?"

"Huh... fresh outlook on things there, runt, ain't no lie."

"Not to mention," Mama Viper put in, "he is a man of the people, all things considered. I have therefore taken steps to find out whether or not my absence might be missed among the very people whom I'd wronged for so long. So it appears this is no longer a question of whether Mu will forgive me or not, kids; rather, it's whether or not he might get to trust me after all in my present much-improved situation--and for that, it's only right that he should 'demand' for me to earn it, don't you think?"

At this point Azalea paused to look at full-of-hope faces on either side of her, before at length smiling to herself.

Dastra, Vestra, Alista, and most recently Mustafa and even Mira... these were among the individuals whom this heady princess--in the course of months--had grown to genuinely love and respect. More than that, they had all contributed in their own unique ways by the day to mold her towards becoming the kind of 'noble' that she personally wanted to be.

Such fine people and those under them, Azalea now saw, deserved her determined protection from such 'divergents' as Razin.

"Trust, eh..." this princess presently remarked, thinking of her earlier encounter with Mustafa. "Guess I can try to work with that..."

***

As he was changing on to his sleeping garments in his chamber, Mustafa made a point to reflect on that day's goings-on, much as he had been doing since the start of his 'northern defense'. More than not, it had helped him formulate plans for days to come... especially amidst such complexities of field command for a fifteen-year-old stripling commander trying to work with armies of two full-blown powerhouses.

Azalea's bold attempt to try and save her mother, damnably-annoying as the delivery had been, had--as had been related--favorably impressed him; the princess with that name that he'd used to know would never have cared a fig about defending a person whom she knew to have triggered such a mayhem in their expanded household for so long.

Furthermore, Dastra had not been far wrong in regarding the elder prince's present stance to be a 'test'. Had it not been among the best methods to discover and then attract new individuals of talent, all said?

"Her flaws quite aside," Mustafa murmured, presently gazing at the entrance to the chamber from his bed, "Mira might yet remain to be a second-to-none spymaster for her own homeland. If she's got to suffer doing that as my reformed stepmom... I mean, so the heck be it--worse had been done for less. Such a shame to have to lose Mama Viper like this, but the masses will want to see something done... and my sweet sister Zal, alas, might not be inclined to guess that far, just yet, let alone explore it; for the moment at least. More's the pity..."

With that, slumber overtook him.