[Amanaduial the archer]

"I would like to say so...but I think we shall have to wait and see." Gjeelea's words were careful, and struck a bitter chord: the actions of even those such as Arshalous could no longer be certain. Zamara rose from her seat, a sudden, violnt motion, and headed for the window, her arms crossed and hands tucked into the black cloak, and her expression angry.

"Foolish woman!" she spat furiously, surprising both the royal siblings although she was ranting to herself as much as them. "How...how could she do this? Arshalous is a wise woman, she is certainly not stupid - and she was loyal to Bekah! Why, she was one of the women who annointed the Queen after her death..." she stared out of the window, her expression pensive, nibbling her lip, before she looked away sharply, clenching her jaw angrily.

Gjeelea rose behind her. "I do not think she really had a choice, Zamara..." she said quietly. Zamara did not respond, and after a moment, Siamak continued.

“‘Wait and see." His voice was almost mocking of his sister, although both the women knew that it was not Gjeelea who he was angry at. "That’s what we’ve been doing this whole time, haven’t we? Waiting and hoping that maybe it would get better, but it’s gotten worse. Pashtia grows darker as Khamul’s - and the Emissary’s - power heightens. If we wait any more, Pashtia will be beyond saving. We need to do something - now." As he hesitated, Zamara looked across at the young man, speaking with such calm self possesion and assurance. He was five, maybe six years younger than she, only in his late teens, but he spoke like a king himself. She willed him to go on, knowing what he was about to say, what he needed to say, but not sure if he could. Go on...

"We need to drive out the Emissary and his influence - and to do that, we may need to drive out Khamul himself."

Gjeelea gasped quietly, but Zamara felt herself smile, an action that felt almost unfamiliar to her after her forced period of mourning. She nodded slowly, approvingly as she eyed the young prince. You have spoken our worst fears, the very root of our problem as all can see it - but you have been the first to say out loud the solution..."

Zamara walked slowly away from the window until she stood in front of the prince where he sat, looking down at the young man. Then, very deliberately, she knelt in front of him, lowering her head. "Prince Siamak, I offer you a pledge of my allegiance as long as you follow this cause."

"And I, Siamak, Prince of Pashtia, do so accept the allegiance of the High Priestess Zamara and this alliance with her." Siamak's respond was quick and fluid, almost as if he had been practising...or as if he had done this before recently. Lifting her head, Zamara raised an eyebrow more informally. "May I ask you a question, Siamak?"

Siamak almost visibly braced himself.

"Who else recently swore allegiance to you?" The question appeared to catch Siamak off guard, as he blinked suddenly in surprise, but otherwise his face remained emotionless - a talent that the Prince had that Zamara was quickly becoming familiar with. She smiled gently. "I merely inquire for the interests of knowing exactly who else will be coming with us."

"I do not think-" he began stiffly.

"Please, my lord?" Zamara interrupted firmly. That probably counts as treason as well, she thought ironically. But it worked. Siamak stared at her hard for a long second, then nodded. "General Morgos," he replied quietly. "Several months ago, after the banquet." His lip twisted wryly. "The banquet to 'honour the emissary'," he added bitterly. Zamara nodded, sitting back. "I thought as mu-"

An urgent knocking on the door caused all three in the room the jump, startled. Zamara got to her feet quickly, tensed to run as she looked around for somewhere to hide. But the door opened before she could do anything, and it was Nadda's head that poked around the doorway. "Your majesties, there are footsteps coming down the adjacent corridor - I looked and it is a man I do not recognise although he wears servants' livery."

"Description?" Gjeelea ordered stiffly.

"Tall, dark, somewhat...oily looking..." Nadda began uncertainly.

"Morashk...?" the princess murmured to herself. Looking to her brother, she added, "A servant of my husband's household, and a most unpleasant one at that, if it is indeed he." She caught Zamara's eyes. "You need to hide."

Zamara looked hopelessly at both of them - but through the crack of the doorway they themselves could now hear the footsteps as well, approaching distinctly down the corridor. Soon he would no doubt be speaking to Nadda... Siamak signalled urgently towards a screened doorway leading out of the room and Zamara headed as quietly as could towards it, slipping through and positioning herself just within the dark room, hidden but able to hear. Standing frozen and pressed against a wall for the second time that night, Zamara felt the rush of fear of discovery once more thrill through her veins. Frozen in the darkness, she heard a man's voice speaking indistinctly with Nadda outside, closed her eyes, and waited...