(Part 1)

For the Amir's firstborn, the hours seemed to have passed so very quickly: truth be told, he'd gotten hardly any sleep the previous night.

True, during his embattled days in the north he might have wished for few else beyond a good, safe night's sleep alone in his field tent... but now, back home, following hours of so many nerve-wracking events happening in such quick succession in the course of a single day, Mustafa was no longer so sure.

What he would not have given for just a few more hours of Brista's young and deadly-frank but so-often-heartwarming companionship...

Presently, said prince sat up in bed, massaging his own temples and vaguely recalling Zahra's sweet and gentle voice as she had related one bedtime tale after another.

Such things would no longer be.

Among those stories he was used to be told, and particularly loved, was that about Prophet Muhammad's triumphant return to his hometown of Makkah at the head of ten thousand. Having dealt with the last oppositions of those who had poured so much time, gold and effort to oppose and persecute him, the Prophet had thereafter seen fit to bring the inhabitants of Makkah together. Addressing them before the Ka'ba, the following dialogue had been reported to have come to pass:

'O my people, what do you think of the treatment that I should accord to you?'

'Mercy, o Prophet of Allah; we expect nothing but decency from you,' his people had clamored; the same people, mostly, who had refused his presence and sent him literally escaping for dear life years prior.

'I say to you today,' the Prophet had declared, 'what Prophet Yusuf had once said to his brothers: Today there shall be no recriminations against you; go your way, for you are free.'

There had been no cries for vengeance, no house-to-house manhunt for the surviving heads of his persecutors... and this following decades of hardship and restraint. The Prophet had had the entire city surrounded by battle-hardened legions who could have done the unthinkable at a gesture; instead he had chosen only to demolish the 'false gods' surrounding the Ka'ba, all three-hundred and sixty of them, while sparing the people but for a select few whom he deemed to have passed all bounds in their hostility to the Straight Path.

At present, in the darkness of his bedroom, young Prince Mustafa wondered whether he might not someday pull off a similar feat after all. He had, not unlike the Prophet, returned at the head of an army to his own hometown. The legions within that army had also been battle-tested; the only thing lacking in this narrative was the demolition of 'false gods'.

"Let's hope Mirani would not be one such..."

***

Following the conclusion of the following day's morning repast, Mustafa opted to make his way to his mother's backyard gardens to get a whiff of fresh air before the upcoming 'battle of wits' with Mama Viper (and very possibly Azalea as well), and this despite the snow. He did not, for once, send for Azumi.

Wrapped in a thick cloak against the cold, the prince was accosted about halfway through by Mardan.

"Mardan," Mu repeated with a tinge of wariness. "Unless I misremember, you used to be aide to Yasnar, may Allah Reward him well."

"You remember correctly, my prince."

"I should like to discuss more on how that noble man had met his end... but for now, what are you standing in my way for?"

"Queen Mirani's orders. She had seen fit to try discover whether the families of your deceased maids would have accepted their passing."

"And?"

"One family, that of Zahra, had categorically refused to listen to reason and insisted on condemning her. Our queen thought you might wish to know this also."

"Who did she send out to dig up that kind of information, I wonder?"

"You are standing before him, my prince, with due respect."

"...You work for Mira now?" Mustafa now gazed searchingly at this courtier's deferential expression. "Why?"

"Persuasion, sir."

"Walk with me."

The agent obliged, falling in behind the young prince.

"Whom did you get to talk to?" Mu inquired, not looking.

"Zahra's aging father, Theo. She also left two children; the first of whom, Zaheer, could not be more than two years your senior. The other, a daughter named Tamara after Sir Theo's own divorced wife, is still very young."

"What of Zahra's husband?"

"He, according to Zaheer, had been conscripted into the Amir's service and sent north..."

"Where he would most likely have found himself battling for or against me," the prince finished, stopping in his tracks. "I shall assume this man had fallen in my service; a traitor's death would not have fitted him. Did young Zaheer bring up the intention to speak to me, for that matter?"

"Not that I could recall, sir."

"Well, I would want to see him. In person. You will help me arrange that."

"I am at your disposal, prince. Queen Mira would not object, I daresay."

"She's not going to, rather. Relay to this family my warmest regards, Mardan, and thank you for bringing this to my attention."

"Sir."

"You may leave."

As he resumed his way to the gardens, Mustafa came across a pair of door-minders guarding the entrance to Urdin's as-yet-unoccupied throne room. For a brief moment he gazed ruefully into the chamber.

You're a fine ruler, Father, he thought, if only you would pause to really look at those you're presuming to rule...

"Relay to Queen Mirani that she's to meet me in my mother's gardens."

One of the peons dipped his head in acknowledgment and left, glad to have something to do so early in the day.

***

When Mustafa's messenger came to Mama Viper's presence, he found her flanked by both of her kids this time around. Mira just nodded when informed of the change of place; Azalea, meanwhile, looked fit to leap at the messenger had it not for Dastra wisely holding her back.

This serenity lasted only until the peon dutifully retreated out of the queen's chamber.

"What the heck?" the princess blurted. "Why would Akhi change the meeting's location only hours away 'fore it's to take place? Might be he's planning a trap... Ves's gardens would no doubt afford so many more spots to lie in wait!"

"He doesn't strike me as someone who'd sink that low, Big Sis," Dastra quipped, "unlike you."

"And why the freak not, runt?! Use yer head! One can't be too careful with Mom around, and Mu's got thousands of experienced blades in his employ..."

"I thought you trust him the most 'mong this lot," Mira joined.

"I... I do, Mom, just... Better be safe than sorry, y'know."

The mother sighed, patting her daughter on the head a few times. "Ya'll be that much sorrier if ya don't go along with him now, that much I can say. Tact, remember? Now, ya still gonna follow me for that get-together or not?"

"Heck if I don't!"

"Count me in too, Mom," Dastra joined. "Would be fun to observe him deciding on such a case..."

"Best not bank too much on the 'fun' part, son. This is gonna be dead-serious at some points, so have a care you don't cross yer limits. Both of you!"

"'Kay," Zal managed, almost in an undertone.

"I'll try," Das promised.

For a moment that felt like eternity, Mira, this onetime arch-schemer, closed her eyes while holding both of her children by their heads to her bosom.

"O Lord," she whispered, "should this be my very last moment, kindly Grant them both strength."

As she rose to fetch her cloak, Mira vaguely recalled how she had not quite seen to her earlier promise to Zalea to fetch her a new pet cat.

***

Unbeknownst to any of them as they confidently navigated the palace corridors for the long-awaited rendezvous with Mustafa, the trio was being unobtrusively watched at one point.

Mu's true sister was coming the other way, intending to go to the library in search of new patterns for her now-commercial handmade shawls; but upon learning of the approach of Mira's lot, Lei kept her silence while wisely staying clear of their path.

For weeks now, through her equally-astute handmaiden Salsabeela, Leia had been keeping tabs on the ups and downs of Mama Viper's attempts at self-reform, throwing in quite a few wisdoms Zalea's way whenever possible--which Leia had grown to appreciate.

Brimming with this kind of self-assurance, and having seen Rashid rebuked once by their eldest brother following a suggestion to forgive Mirani, Lei had considered that said suggestion might have been presented a bit better with the necessary graces... which, she fancied, Rashid did not yet have, owing partly to his youthfulness.

Unfortunately for her, by the time Leia had come to have her try, Mustafa was already pretty much fed up at having to listen to similar topics over and over. This princess's attempt thus came to nothing, much like that of the others.

That notion of rejection from a brother she had hoped to please after so long, did not seem to have gone very well.

Such a feeling had not been entirely nursed by the time Mira's lot came along to learn of Mu's considerations: while her love for the elder prince remained undimmed, Leia began to regard this most-recent approach of Mira's with uncharacteristic suspicion... which only worsened when she learned through Salsabeela that Mu had hinted to defer Mira's verdict "for another more-opportune moment".

That does it, Leia thought while resuming her crisp morning's library trip. No reason for Akhi to ever let that palace witch and her midgets run clear, all said. He's just too preoccupied to immediately voice it...

(Part 2)

When the trio got to see the 'lion prince' again, they found him already seated on a snow-coated stone bench. He looked up at the sound of their rustling steps.

"Mirani." He did not rise to greet her. "How long has it been?"

"Pleasure's mine, Prince Mustafa."

"Would these... companions of yours not prove troublesome?"

"They were warned. Let's hope that's sufficient."

"Sit."

As they obliged on the bench beside the one Mu was occupying by himself, the Amir's firstborn gazed at his siblings one after another: Dastra appeared calm and composed for his age, especially considering what was to come. Azalea, ever the frankest, was already flushed with anticipation.

"You know why you're here..." the prince paused to notice Mirani's nod, "so I hope we can get to the raw meat this time. You're aware that your whim that night three years ago had resulted in real casualties?"

"Would that I have forgotten them."

"Why had you not begged for forgiveness that very night?"

"Sheer vengeance and envy had rendered me to have been a coward, it would seem."

Mu frowned. "Would you consider what you're doing right now to be an act of bravery, then?"

"Takes a brave one to own up to their own wrongdoing, sir, I'm sure you'd agree."

"Indeed. Had you passed such wisdom down to your daughter, I wonder?"

"Tried to. Hers lack only the grace, I'd say."

The prince sighed as he looked away, his breath steaming out.

"I have come to learn," he proceeded carefully, again observing Mira's countenance, "that Zahra's family seems to be clamoring for your demise. What say you?"

"I am ready and willing to bear it."

"Mom..!" Zal was about to retort, but she caught her true brother's gentle shake of the head.

"On this basis," Mu resumed, "and because the foul deed had been performed on your direct orders, you shall be eligible for the noose... or, if you would prefer that it be quicker in view of station, the sword-"

"You wouldn't dare!" Zalea blasted.

Mu looked at her. "Dare? I'll do it myself if I have to, Sister, and not lose sleep over it. Now shut up or get out of my sight, preferably both. Five seconds."

"This is my mother! You wouldn't want to lose yours so easily, would you?!"

"And it was my life she meant to take! You're damn-lucky I agreed to this talk at all, don't you know that?! I did not have to! Feel better?"

Despite her "Why, you..." through gritted teeth, this princess finally decided to settle down with the first option even as Dastra shot her a mischievous 'Told ya' glance.

"As I was saying, Mira," the elder prince went on, "those are your options for quick and final punishment." He paused. "There might be, come what may, a third course."

Mama Viper blinked at this, even as Zal looked up with renewed hope.

"That would be?" they both asked, the latter eagerly.

"Might we not venture to find out exactly why Zahra's family would insist on condemning you, Your Grace? New solutions might then be brought forth."

"Well... I would say that's their right, and that's not really open to question," Dastra joined, "but... if there could be such an option, methinks I'd be a fool not to grasp it. Eh, Mom?"

Mirani nodded cautiously. "And who, sir, should undertake such talk, do you think?"

Mustafa stood to leave. "Yours truly, my queen, with your permission. You would do well to keep an ear for my next summons. In the meantime you could try and put more grace to Zal's bluntness; 'tis about the only thing she lacks, I think, to truly be a force in her own right... as she'd like to think I have. Wouldn't you agree, Sister?"

The princess was stunned to silence, but her recovery was remarkable.

"Darn right, Mu! Many thanks for that offer! I freakin'-wish ya well!"

"Likewise... Oh, which reminds me. News of Yasnar's passing had also been made known to me, along with its queer nature. Poison, some said. Would you deny your involvement in this too, Your Grace?"

At this point Mirani stood up as well and walked to the prince's side, the head part of her own cloak fluttering in the snowy breeze. She even laid a hand on his left shoulder, prompting him to regard her more carefully.

"With all my heart, sir. Our relations had never been too warm, I confess, but I respected him as a worthy partner in wits... as I do you. God Be my Witness, I did not order Yasnar's end."

Mu put his own hand on hers, squeezing it momentarily, his gaze earnest. "You happen to know who did?"

"That would be Razin, sir. He used to be in my employ, sorry to say... but had since gone rogue, playing a leading role in offing Yasnar and his aide Zaeed, I'd wager. Dare I say, he had also been behind the second attempt on your brother Rashid's life."

The elder prince's squeeze turned into a grip, as firm and cold as the winter. "Can anyone else attest to this?"

"I was there!" Dastra rejoined. "We were assaulted by a figure in black; Big Bro Rashid's darn-lucky 'nough to lose only his bow. Stay on yer guard, 'kay, Akhi?"

For this the princeling was patted a few times on the head. "You know I do, Das. Thank you for being among the first to suggest this meeting."

***

Having practically put one of the craftiest figures in the Amirate at ease and on his beck and call, Mustafa proceeded with his next, more personal step: visiting Zahra's bereaved household. This time he brought Azumi along, who relayed the prince's request to talk under four eyes with Zaheer, the dead palace maid's firstborn son.

Theo, Zahra's father, agreed with ill-disguised reluctance; partly abashed from his earlier encounter. Nor did Zaheer, despite the prince's consent to wait for him in a separate room, prove too willing to open up so soon.

"Zaheer," Mu commenced at length, "I am gravely sorry for your loss. Our loss, should I say."

"Are you here 'cause of what that Mardan guy said just the other day, Prince?"

"Call me by name, if that helps."

"Oh, very well, er... Mustafa." The youth blushed, gulping. "None's gonna come for me for that, right?

"No one, I assure you."

"Now, as I was saying," Zaheer continued, a smidge braver, "guy callin' himself Mardan came in yesterday. Ol' Man Theo's been nowhere too pleased, goin' so far as demand for that witch to be bound with golden chains..."

"Did he tell you why afterwards?" Mu inquired. "You are technically the head of this household now; surely reminding him of such brashness would not have been out of place?"

"It works different here in this hovel than in your fancy palace, Mustafa! There you are listened to 'cause you're the Amir's first in line, woe to those that do not! Here, I'm just an orphaned twat, now dependin' on that wizened old man for daily care, not to mention Tamara's! D'you really think it'd be a good idea to stand up to Old Man Theo's wishes? Heck, we could even have benefited from the melting of that chain, in more tangible ways..."

The prince sympathetically clapped his young host on the shoulder with his own bandaged hand. "Any way you think I could help you here? Like, say, securing a fixed sum every month?"

"That... well..." Zaheer put his own hand on Mu's, his own tears welling up. "Thanks so much, but... like as not, that's gonna look like I'm beggaring. Old Man Theo's not gonna like it one bit. Oh, look here, you're also wounded..."

"Nothing compared to what you must've been going through. So?"

Zaheer sniffled. "Uh, well, I mean... we could put that monthly sum to good use, if you ask me; you just gonna need to convince him. What I fear is... Is..."

"Go on," the prince prodded gently.

"That he might accuse you of tryin' to buy us off, see! No amount of gold in this world is gonna be enough to replace what he thinks is his greatest treasure. And I gotta say, I agree..."

Mu smiled thinly. "And if said gold were to come from that same witch's own purse, would that work?"

This time young Zaheer was too taken aback to immediately reply.

"...What are you, crazy?"

"Just hear me out..."

***

On his way back to the palace, even as he took in the chills from his brief city trip that day, Prince Mustafa felt he had hit upon a working decision with regards to Mama Viper's life.

"Azu."

"Sir."

"We only have a few more days 'fore the northern envoys' arrival as I recall, so this one better be resolved soon. Get Mira and her lot to see me again tomorrow, will you."

"As you command."

"In the meantime, from this day on, I want Courtier Razin watched. Where he goes, whom he meets, when, how often: pass 'em all to me."

"Sir."

(Part 3)

Even as her brother was returning to the palace for some well-deserved rest, Azalea too felt no less relieved.

"Whoo! Ain't that a freakin'-close call!" she exulted. "All the same, I think we have to do something. Mu's spell o' grace must not be put to waste, methinks."

"How?" her true brother prodded. "Ya were lucky 'nough Akhi let ya stay 'round last time, Sis, but ya better not try screw things up any more than this. His patience has limits, we've seen that!"

"Couldn't say I disagree, dear," Mira joined. "As good as it is to try find solutions, sometimes ya also need to realize when to pause and just back down."

"Oh, shush, you two," Zal retorted. "Look... If this plan o' mine were to succeed, we'd have helped Mu as well in removing a big thorn from this palace!"

"You are suggesting..?"

"Rid Razin! Now, 'fore he's got a freakin'-chance to target anyone again!"

"Hold on just a moment," Dastra chimed in. "What if Akhi were to have new plans that would somehow need that lapdog's cooperation--would you brave Akhi's wrath again? Didn't do too well last time, just sayin'."

"We've let that vermin be for long 'nough, runt, use yer brain! The longer we stay inactive, the freer he'd feel to wreak more havoc 'mong us, and I'm not gonna let that happen!"

"Very commendable." Mama Viper clapped thrice. "And who's gonna go get him? You?"

This princess laughed. "What, like I'm the only one he's slighted? Nah, we'll find someone brave and near 'nough Razin to really matter. Y'all with me?"

"Darn it, Zal! Ordinarily that really is worth a shot, but... way it is, I'd like to think ya're no nearer to learning about grace!"

The girl just shrugged, snickering. "That a compliment?"

"Goodness..."

***

That same night, however, Elbar Palace was once again in uproar. Prince Mustafa, already in his sleep-dress, was found to have been stabbed in the back a finger's length from the left shoulder. Azalea, screaming curses and pleas for aid, came just in time to painstakingly extract the dagger having also glimpsed at the 'figure in black' that Dastra had mentioned earlier.

Leia also rushed in around that time--but, seeing only her counterpart with the bloodstained weapon in hand atop her gasping elder brother, was quick to form the impression that perhaps the 'wolf princess' had been the one actually wounding him. At such a notion, Lei's fury was practically fanned on.

Amidst this clamor, Mustafa was rushed to his own chamber and treated accordingly, lying aside with his for-now-bandaged back exposed for further medication... even as new flames of discord and distrust were already starting to spark and kindle between and inside those closest and dearest to him.

The northern envoys, in the meantime, were also drawing nearer by the day.