The Emperor's Captive Queen

Episode 17

The Garden of First Light

The palace gates were sealed before midnight.

No servant was allowed to leave.

No nobleman could enter.

Even the royal messengers were stopped and searched.

For the first time in years, the Imperial Palace felt less like a home and more like a fortress under siege.

Arzoo stood beside the library window, staring into the darkness.

Her mother's words remained trapped inside her mind.

The queen is not dead.

For twenty years, Arzoo had mourned a woman she barely remembered.

Now someone was telling her that her mother might still be alive.

And somewhere beyond the capital...

She might be waiting.

Or dying.

Arzoo turned.

"We leave tonight."

Emperor Zayan stood across the room, studying the old map.

"No."

Her eyebrows rose.

"No?"

"Not tonight."

"My mother may be alive."

"I know."

"Then why are we still standing here?"

"Because someone just attempted to assassinate us inside the palace."

Arzoo's expression hardened.

"Exactly. Which means staying here is more dangerous."

Zayan's eyes lifted.

"Not necessarily."

He pointed toward the map.

"The Garden of First Light is forty miles from the capital."

"So?"

"So someone knew where we were going before we decided to go."

Arzoo fell silent.

Zayan continued.

"The assassin arrived moments after we discovered the garden."

His finger tapped the parchment.

"That isn't coincidence."

Arzoo's stomach tightened.

"You think there's a spy here."

"I know there is."

Captain Hamza entered.

"Your Majesty."

Zayan turned.

"Report."

"We've searched the palace."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing obvious."

Hamza hesitated.

"But there's a problem."

Zayan's expression darkened.

"What?"

"The eastern gate guard disappeared."

Arzoo frowned.

"Disappeared?"

"He was stationed there for six years."

"His armor and sword were found inside the guardroom."

"His body?"

"Missing."

Zayan exchanged a look with Hamza.

Arzoo understood immediately.

"Someone helped him escape."

Hamza nodded.

"Or..."

Zayan's voice became colder.

"...someone helped him disappear."

Arzoo looked at the sealed palace doors.

The enemy wasn't merely inside the palace.

They were moving through it.

A Secret Departure

Three hours later, the palace remained silent.

The court believed the emperor was still inside his private chambers.

He wasn't.

Zayan rode through a concealed passage beneath the western gardens.

Only four people accompanied him.

Captain Hamza.

Two trusted guards.

And Arzoo.

Mariam had insisted on remaining behind.

Before they left, the old woman had taken Arzoo's hands.

"Whatever you see..."

"Remember who your mother was."

Arzoo had asked what she meant.

Mariam only replied:

"Your mother forgave people who didn't deserve forgiveness."

"Don't let the palace teach you otherwise."

Now, beneath the moonlit sky, those words returned to Arzoo.

She rode beside Zayan in silence.

The emperor glanced at her.

"You've been quiet."

"I'm thinking."

"That's usually dangerous."

Arzoo looked at him.

"Was that a joke?"

"No."

She almost smiled.

Almost.

Then her expression became serious again.

"Zayan."

He looked ahead.

"What?"

"If we find my mother..."

He waited.

"What happens?"

His answer came without hesitation.

"You decide."

Arzoo blinked.

"What?"

"You've spent twenty years believing she was dead."

His voice softened.

"If she's alive, no emperor has the right to decide what happens between you."

Arzoo looked at him differently.

"Even if she threatens your throne?"

Zayan's horse slowed.

He turned his head.

"Especially then."

For a moment, Arzoo didn't know what to say.

Then she looked away.

"You're difficult to understand."

"So I've been told."

The Ambush

They had traveled nearly fifteen miles when Hamza suddenly raised his hand.

"Stop."

Everyone froze.

Zayan's gaze moved toward the trees.

"What is it?"

Hamza dismounted.

"Too quiet."

Arzoo looked around.

The forest was unnaturally still.

No birds.

No insects.

No wind.

Then—

A sharp whistle cut through the darkness.

"Down!"

Arrows exploded from the trees.

Zayan grabbed Arzoo's reins.

"Move!"

Their horses bolted.

Hamza and the guards formed a defensive line.

Masked riders emerged from both sides of the forest.

Six.

Then twelve.

Then more.

Arzoo's heart pounded.

"How did they know?"

Zayan drew his sword.

"Someone told them."

An attacker charged.

Zayan blocked his blade.

Hamza fought another.

The forest erupted into steel and shouting.

Arzoo pulled her horse behind a tree.

Then she saw something.

One of the masked riders wasn't attacking the emperor.

He was riding directly toward her.

Arzoo reached for the dagger hidden beneath her cloak.

The rider jumped from his horse.

She struck first.

Her dagger cut his sleeve.

He stumbled.

Arzoo turned to run.

The man grabbed her cloak.

She spun around.

Then froze.

A silver bracelet flashed beneath his glove.

The Imperial Falcon.

Arzoo's eyes widened.

"You..."

The attacker hesitated.

She tore the mask from his face.

A palace guard.

One of the men who had been assigned to protect her chamber.

"You were guarding me."

The man's expression changed.

Then he raised his dagger.

Arzoo stepped backward.

A blade flashed.

Zayan appeared between them.

The assassin fell.

Zayan's sword was pressed against his throat.

"Who sent you?"

The guard smiled.

"You'll never reach the garden."

"Who?"

The man's smile widened.

"Your Majesty..."

His eyes moved toward Arzoo.

"She isn't waiting for her daughter."

Arzoo's blood ran cold.

"Then who is?"

The guard whispered—

"The queen is waiting for her killer."

He bit down.

Hamza rushed forward.

"Poison!"

But the assassin was already dead.

Zayan stared at the body.

Arzoo could barely breathe.

Her mother wasn't simply waiting.

Someone had turned the Garden of First Light into a trap.

The Choice

The surviving attackers fled.

Hamza wanted to pursue them.

Zayan refused.

"No."

Hamza frowned.

"Your Majesty—"

"They wanted us separated."

He looked toward Arzoo.

"They failed."

Arzoo dismounted.

Her legs trembled.

Zayan approached.

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

"Arzoo."

"I'm fine."

He studied her face.

"You heard what he said."

"Yes."

"You don't have to go."

She stared at him.

"What?"

"The garden."

Zayan's voice was quiet.

"If this is a trap, we can turn back."

Arzoo looked into the darkness ahead.

For twenty years...

She had lived without answers.

She had accepted the lie that her mother was dead.

Now the truth was finally within reach.

She couldn't turn away.

"No."

Zayan watched her.

"I'm going."

"Why?"

"Because if my mother is alive, I need to know."

"And if she isn't?"

Arzoo's voice shook.

"Then I need to know that too."

Zayan said nothing.

Arzoo looked at him.

"You don't have to come."

His expression changed.

"That's not happening."

"Why?"

He stepped closer.

"Because someone is trying to kill you."

"That's not an answer."

"It is tonight."

The Garden of First Light

They reached the garden shortly before dawn.

It was nothing like Arzoo had imagined.

No palace.

No fountains.

No royal guards.

Only ruins.

A forgotten stone gate stood beneath enormous trees.

Vines covered the old walls.

The garden had been abandoned for decades.

Arzoo dismounted.

"How could anyone live here?"

Hamza looked around.

"They couldn't."

Zayan studied the ruins.

"Unless..."

He walked toward the old stone gate.

There was an inscription carved into it.

Arzoo approached.

She recognized the handwriting.

Her mother's.

Her heart stopped.

When the first light touches the garden, open what darkness protected.

Zayan looked toward the eastern horizon.

The sun was beginning to rise.

Golden light slowly spread across the trees.

Then—

Click.

Something moved beneath the stone floor.

A hidden staircase appeared.

Arzoo stared.

Her mother's secret.

Still waiting after twenty years.

Zayan drew his sword.

"We go down together."

They descended.

One step.

Then another.

The staircase led deep beneath the garden.

At the bottom was a small chamber.

Inside stood a wooden chair.

A table.

An extinguished lamp.

And a single white shawl.

Arzoo's breath caught.

She knew that shawl.

She had seen it in her mother's portrait.

She stepped forward.

"Mother..."

Her voice broke.

Then—

A sound came from the darkness.

A cough.

Arzoo froze.

Zayan immediately raised his sword.

Another cough.

Someone was alive.

Arzoo moved toward the sound.

"Who is there?"

Silence.

Then a woman's voice answered.

Weak.

Frightened.

But unmistakably female.

"Arzoo?"

Arzoo stopped breathing.

The voice continued.

"My child..."

Tears filled her eyes.

She couldn't move.

The woman stepped slowly from behind a stone pillar.

She was older.

Much older.

Her hair was streaked with silver.

Her face was thin.

But those eyes—

Emerald.

Exactly like Arzoo's.

The woman stared at her.

For one impossible moment, neither moved.

Then the woman whispered—

"You're alive."

Arzoo's lips trembled.

"Mother?"

The woman covered her mouth.

A sob escaped her.

She took one step forward.

Then another.

Arzoo finally ran to her.

The woman caught her in trembling arms.

And Arzoo broke.

Twenty years of grief.

Twenty years of unanswered questions.

Twenty years of believing she had been abandoned.

Everything came crashing down at once.

"Why?"

Arzoo sobbed.

"Why did you leave me?"

Her mother held her tighter.

"I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you come for me?"

"I tried."

"Why?"

Her mother pulled back.

Her eyes filled with terror.

"Because they were watching you."

Arzoo froze.

"Who?"

The woman looked past her.

Toward Zayan.

Her expression changed.

Fear.

Recognition.

And something Arzoo couldn't understand.

"No..."

The queen stepped backward.

"Why is he here?"

Zayan lowered his sword.

"Queen Aaliyah."

Aaliyah's face went pale.

"You must leave."

Arzoo stared at her mother.

"Why?"

Aaliyah looked directly at Zayan.

Then whispered—

"Because the man standing beside you..."

Her voice broke.

"...is the son of the man who ordered your father's death."

Zayan's expression hardened.

"My father?"

Aaliyah shook her head.

"No."

She looked at Arzoo.

"Not Emperor Rashid."

Her voice became barely audible.

"The real emperor."

Arzoo's heart stopped.

Aaliyah grabbed her daughter's hand.

"And if he discovers you're here..."

A sudden sound echoed from above.

Footsteps.

Many footsteps.

Hamza immediately turned toward the staircase.

"Someone followed us."

Zayan raised his sword.

Aaliyah's face drained of color.

"They found me."

Arzoo looked toward the entrance.

"Who?"

Aaliyah stared at her daughter.

And whispered the one name Arzoo had never expected to hear.

"Grand Vizier Kareem."

— End of Chapter 17 —