The Emperor's Captive Queen

Episode 3

The blade flashed through the darkness.

Zayan moved first.

He caught Arzoo by the arm and pulled her behind him.

Clang!

Steel struck steel.

A second blade came from between the bookshelves.

Zayan blocked it, but the attacker twisted away with surprising speed.

"Stay behind me!"

Arzoo ignored him.

She grabbed the nearest lamp and raised it.

For one brief second, the light revealed a woman's silhouette.

Black veil.

Silver bracelet.

And familiar eyes.

Arzoo's breath caught.

"Mother?"

The woman froze.

Then turned.

Arzoo took a step forward.

"Ammi!"

The woman pulled the veil across her face.

"Don't come closer."

Arzoo's eyes filled with tears.

"It's me."

"I know."

"Then why are you running from me?"

The woman looked toward Zayan.

Her voice became cold.

"Because I don't know whether I can trust the man standing beside you."

Zayan's jaw tightened.

"Samira."

The woman flinched at the name.

Arzoo stared between them.

"You know each other."

Neither answered.

That silence told her enough.

"You've met before."

Zayan lowered his sword.

"Yes."

Arzoo's voice shook.

"When?"

Samira looked at her daughter.

"Twenty years ago."

The Truth About That Night

Arzoo stepped closer.

"Tell me what happened."

Samira shook her head.

"Not here."

"Why?"

"Because someone is listening."

Zayan's eyes immediately moved toward the upper gallery.

A shadow disappeared behind the curtains.

"You're right."

He extinguished the remaining lamp.

"Move."

The three of them slipped through a hidden door behind the shelves.

Arzoo looked back once.

The library was empty.

Yet she could feel someone watching.

The Secret Passage

The passage beneath the palace was narrow.

Ancient stone walls surrounded them.

Samira walked ahead.

Zayan followed.

Arzoo remained between them.

Finally, she couldn't remain silent.

"You disappeared for twenty years."

Samira stopped.

"I had no choice."

"You could have sent a message."

"I did."

"When?"

"Many times."

Arzoo stared at her.

"I never received anything."

Samira's expression broke.

"Because someone intercepted every letter."

Zayan's voice was quiet.

"Kareem."

Samira shook her head.

"No."

Arzoo frowned.

"Then who?"

Samira turned around.

"The person Kareem feared."

Zayan's face hardened.

"She has returned."

Arzoo looked at him.

"Who?"

Samira answered.

"Empress Nadira."

Zayan went completely still.

Arzoo had never heard the name.

"Who is she?"

Samira's eyes filled with old pain.

"The woman who once sat beside your father's throne."

A Queen Before a Queen

Arzoo looked at Zayan.

"You never told me there was another empress."

"There wasn't."

Samira shook her head.

"There was."

Zayan's voice became colder.

"She died."

"No."

Samira stepped closer.

"She disappeared."

"That's impossible."

"Nothing is impossible in this palace."

Arzoo looked from one to another.

"What did she do?"

Samira's answer was chilling.

"She tried to take the throne."

"Twenty years ago."

"Your father stopped her."

"And then?"

"She swore that one day..."

"...she would return for his bloodline."

Arzoo swallowed.

"And she wants me?"

Samira looked at her.

"No."

Her gaze moved toward Zayan.

"She wants the throne."

The Missing Child

Zayan suddenly stopped walking.

"Samira."

She turned.

"Tell me about Kamran."

Arzoo's heart jumped.

Samira's expression changed.

"You know."

"I know he survived."

Samira closed her eyes.

"I helped hide him."

Zayan stared at her.

"Why?"

"Because your father ordered me to."

"From whom?"

"From Nadira."

Zayan's voice dropped.

"Why would she want an infant?"

"Because Kamran was the legitimate heir."

Arzoo frowned.

"Zayan is the emperor."

Samira looked at her.

"That wasn't always the plan."

Silence.

Samira continued.

"Your father feared that if he died, the nobles would divide the empire between his sons."

"One faction supported Zayan."

"The other supported Kamran."

"So he hid Kamran?"

"Yes."

"To protect him."

"To protect both of you."

Zayan's eyes darkened.

"Then who told Kareem about him?"

Samira didn't answer.

Arzoo suddenly understood.

"Someone close to the emperor."

Samira nodded.

"Someone who has been inside this palace for twenty years."

The Betrayal

A sound echoed through the passage.

Footsteps.

Samira immediately stepped backward.

"We have to go."

"Why?"

"Because they found us."

Zayan drew his sword.

"How many?"

Samira looked toward the darkness.

"Too many."

Arzoo heard metal being drawn.

Then another sound.

A whistle.

One long note.

Zayan's expression changed.

"That's the palace guard signal."

Samira shook her head.

"No."

She looked terrified.

"That's not the palace guard."

The footsteps grew louder.

A voice echoed through the passage.

"Your Majesty."

Zayan recognized it.

His eyes hardened.

"General Rahman."

Arzoo's heart sank.

Samira whispered,

"He serves Nadira."

Zayan looked at her.

"You said Kareem wasn't the master."

"He isn't."

The footsteps stopped.

Then Rahman's voice came again.

"Bring me the queen."

Arzoo froze.

"Which queen?"

A pause.

Then—

"The young one."

Zayan stepped in front of Arzoo.

"No."

Samira grabbed her daughter's hand.

"Run."

The Woman Who Chose Her Daughter

They ran.

Behind them, soldiers flooded into the passage.

Arzoo could hear swords striking stone.

"Mother!"

"Keep moving!"

"I won't leave you!"

Samira turned.

"You must!"

A group of soldiers appeared ahead.

Samira stopped.

She pulled a hidden dagger from her sleeve.

Arzoo stared.

"You knew how to fight?"

Samira smiled sadly.

"I was a queen before I was your mother."

She stepped forward.

"Go."

Arzoo refused.

"No."

Zayan grabbed her hand.

"Trust her."

Arzoo looked at him.

Then at her mother.

Samira whispered,

"Find the truth."

The soldiers charged.

Samira attacked.

Zayan pulled Arzoo through another doorway.

They ran until the sounds of battle disappeared behind them.

The Emperor's Confession

They emerged inside an abandoned courtyard.

Arzoo turned on Zayan.

"You left her."

"She ordered us to."

"She's my mother!"

"And she is trying to save your life."

Arzoo's eyes burned with anger.

"You always decide what is best for everyone."

Zayan said nothing.

"You took me from my home."

"You made me your queen."

"You kept secrets from me."

"And now you expect me to trust you?"

His expression changed.

"No."

He stepped closer.

"I expect you to judge me after you know the truth."

Arzoo's anger faltered.

"What truth?"

Zayan looked toward the palace towers.

"The night your father died..."

He took a slow breath.

"I was there."

Arzoo stared at him.

"You said you weren't."

"I said I wasn't there when he was killed."

He lowered his voice.

"I saw who entered his study."

"Who?"

Zayan's eyes met hers.

"Your mother."

Arzoo's face went pale.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"Then why did you never tell me?"

"Because when I found your father..."

He stopped.

"What?"

"Your father was already dead."

"And my mother?"

"Standing beside him."

Arzoo felt as if the ground had disappeared.

"She was holding the murder weapon."

Silence.

"No..."

"I wanted to believe she was innocent."

"Then why didn't you arrest her?"

Zayan looked away.

"Because she handed me something before she disappeared."

"What?"

"A letter."

He reached inside his coat.

Arzoo's breath caught.

He unfolded an old, carefully preserved page.

She recognized the handwriting immediately.

Her mother's.

Arzoo read the first line.

Zayan, if you ever love my daughter, never tell her who her real father was.

Arzoo's eyes widened.

She looked at the emperor.

"Her real father?"

Zayan said nothing.

The courtyard doors suddenly opened.

A royal messenger rushed inside.

"Your Majesty!"

Zayan turned.

"What happened?"

The messenger was trembling.

"The palace gates have been sealed."

"By whom?"

The messenger swallowed.

"By Empress Nadira."

Arzoo's heart stopped.

The messenger continued.

"She has announced that Emperor Zayan is no longer recognized as ruler."

Zayan's hand tightened around his sword.

"Who supports her?"

The messenger looked at Arzoo.

Then slowly bowed.

"Almost the entire Imperial Council."

A second messenger arrived, breathless.

"Your Majesty..."

"What now?"

"The Empress has issued one final decree."

He looked terrified.

"She has declared Princess Arzoo..."

"...the rightful heir to the throne."

Arzoo stared at him.

"What?"

The messenger lowered his head.

"And she has ordered Emperor Zayan's arrest."