Episode 4
896 Words
Chapter 4
The Shadow Behind the Veil
The Hall of Mirrors emptied in chaos.
Nobles hurried through the towering doors, whispering frantic theories.
"The poison was meant for Lady Arzoo."
"No..."
"It was meant for the Emperor."
"The palace is no longer safe."
Within moments, only the Imperial Guards, a handful of trusted officials, and Arzoo remained.
The lifeless servant still lay upon the marble floor.
An arrow protruded from his chest.
Its black feathers were unlike anything forged inside the empire.
The emperor crouched beside the body.
Without hesitation, he pulled the arrow free.
Blood stained his gloved hand.
Captain Hamza stepped closer.
"Your Majesty..."
"I've never seen arrows like these."
Zayan studied the steel tip.
"I have."
The captain frowned.
"They belong to the Order of Shadows."
A chill spread through the hall.
The Order of Shadows.
An organization that officially no longer existed.
According to history...
They had been wiped out twenty years ago.
Arzoo couldn't take her eyes off the arrow.
Its design looked strangely familiar.
She searched her memory.
Then...
A forgotten image flashed before her eyes.
She was only six years old.
Her father was packing several scrolls into a wooden chest.
Outside, soldiers shouted.
Her mother cried.
Her father knelt before her and whispered,
"If you ever see a black-feathered arrow..."
"Run."
The memory ended as suddenly as it had appeared.
Arzoo's heartbeat quickened.
Father...
Who were you protecting?
"My lady?"
Captain Hamza's voice brought her back.
"You look pale."
"I'm fine."
But she wasn't.
Not even close.
The emperor rose to his feet.
"Seal every gate."
"No one enters."
"No one leaves."
"Search every chamber."
His commands echoed through the palace.
Within seconds, hundreds of guards scattered across the Imperial City.
The hunt had begun.
Far beneath the palace...
Hidden behind ancient stone walls...
A hooded figure lit another candle.
The secret chamber was filled with faded maps.
Royal bloodlines.
Ancient letters.
And one enormous painting.
The painting showed an emperor standing beside a queen.
But someone had slashed the queen's face with a blade.
The hooded figure smiled.
"So..."
"The emperor has finally found her."
Another voice emerged from the darkness.
"Should we proceed?"
The hooded figure nodded.
"The first attempt failed."
"The second won't."
"And this time..."
"...the emperor himself will watch her die."
Meanwhile...
Arzoo was escorted toward the eastern wing of the palace.
Two dozen guards surrounded her.
She almost laughed.
"This is unnecessary."
Captain Hamza remained serious.
"Someone poisoned your drink."
"Then killed the servant before he could speak."
"You are now one of the most valuable people inside this palace."
"Or the easiest target."
His honesty surprised her.
As they turned a quiet corridor...
An elderly woman stepped into their path.
She wore simple white robes.
No jewelry.
No guards.
Only a wooden prayer bead in her hand.
Every soldier immediately lowered his head.
"The Royal Matron..."
Captain Hamza whispered.
Lady Ruqaiya.
The woman who had raised Emperor Zayan after the death of his mother.
She slowly approached Arzoo.
For several moments...
She simply looked into the young woman's eyes.
Then she smiled gently.
"You have her eyes."
Arzoo blinked.
"Whose?"
Lady Ruqaiya's smile vanished.
"I've already said too much."
She reached into her sleeve.
Taking out a tiny silver pendant.
The pendant carried the same falcon emblem as the Imperial Seal.
Arzoo's breathing stopped.
"My father had one exactly like this..."
The old woman's eyes widened.
"He gave it to you?"
"No."
"He hid it."
Lady Ruqaiya quickly closed her hand around the pendant.
"So it survived..."
Before Arzoo could ask another question...
Footsteps echoed through the corridor.
The emperor appeared.
The old woman immediately stepped back.
Zayan's sharp gaze moved from Lady Ruqaiya...
...to the pendant.
"You showed it to her."
It wasn't a question.
Lady Ruqaiya lowered her head.
"I only wished to confirm something."
"And?"
The old woman hesitated.
Finally...
She whispered,
"I believe the prophecy was true."
The corridor fell silent.
Even Captain Hamza looked confused.
The emperor's face darkened.
"Not another word."
Lady Ruqaiya obeyed.
She quietly disappeared into another hallway.
Arzoo stared after her.
"What prophecy?"
The emperor didn't answer.
Instead, he looked directly at her.
"From this moment onward..."
"You will move nowhere without my permission."
She frowned.
"I am not your prisoner."
"No."
His voice was calm.
"You are my responsibility."
"I never asked for that."
"I know."
Their eyes locked.
Neither looked away.
Finally, Arzoo spoke.
"Then tell me the truth."
"Why am I really here?"
For the first time...
The emperor seemed to struggle with an answer.
Not because he didn't know it.
But because he wasn't ready to reveal it.
At last he said,
"Because twenty years ago..."
"...someone murdered a queen."
"And I believe..."
"...they've returned to finish what they started."
Arzoo felt the blood drain from her face.
"What does that have to do with me?"
The emperor stepped closer.
Close enough that only she could hear his next words.
"Everything."
Just then, a young guard sprinted into the corridor, out of breath.
"Your Majesty!"
"We searched the servant's quarters."
"What did you find?"
The guard swallowed hard.
"A hidden letter."
The emperor extended his hand.
"Give it to me."
The guard hesitated.
"There's... one problem."
"What problem?"
The young guard looked directly at Arzoo.
"The letter..."
"...is addressed to Lady Arzoo."
— End of Chapter 4 —
- Writer
