Babu stood from his chair, blocking the window. His laughter was cold, his hand clutched his side in pain. “I have proven my loyalty to you.”

  Dharam and Amenah took a synchronized step back. “Babu, did your father truly attack you?” Amenah asked in disbelief.

  Babu tilted his head with a smirk, his mask of pain gone. Before them was a confident male who cared not for the blood dripping from his wound. His hand dug into his side the sound of the blood hitting the floor was the only sound.

  Dharam and Amenah made looks of disgust and Dharam moved Amenah to stand behind him. He whispered, “Bell.”

  Amenah nodded.

  In the main courtyard by the front gate was a bell, when rung the guards would move immediately, some on guard to protect and some would move to notify Aminah’s troops back to the manor. Amenah just needed to get to the door before Babu could stop her.

  Babu pulled out the small star blade. Holding the bloody metal between his fingers he smiled. “My own father attacked me, Amenah.”

  Amenah took a step towards the back door. Just unlock it, run around the house, ring the bell. The three steps she must do had her heart racing. “Babu, what is wrong with you? This is not you.” The man who stood before them was one they never saw before. The Babu they were forced to play with growing up was a pushover.

  Dharam kept his hand protectively in front of Amenah as he too took a step back. “Why do you need my father so much, Babu?”

  Babu staggered, blinking awkwardly. “Please, I need the scholar. He has to help,” he pleaded, his face morphed to one of desperation. His hands shook as he spoke with a trembling chin. “The scholar has to help.”

  Dharam and Amenah exchanged a look. ‘What is wrong with him?’ Was Babu not digging into his body to pull out weapons seconds ago with a smirk on his face?

  “What do you plan on doing with the blade?” Dharam asked.

  Babu’s hand shook as he stared at the bloody star blade held between his fingers. “Blood,” he whispered in horror.

  Amenah held her breath. It was a known fact that Babu fainted at the sight of blood. This time, when Babu faints she would ring the bell and ask her parents to take him to a doctor. Something was obviously wrong with his head.

  However, Babu did not faint. His eyes rolled to the back of his head before he gripped the blade, cutting his palm with a grin. “To bleed for an Aljehni is to show the ultimate test of loyalty.” He took staggering steps towards them. He stepped on his own dripped blood leaving footprints on the path he left behind. “Do you not appreciate my loyalty? Do you not marvel at all we have done for you?” He asked, his voice filling with anger the more he spoke. “All that we have sacrificed, does it truly mean nothing to you!”

  Dharam pushed Amenah towards the door. “Now!” He urged and the both raced towards the back door.

  Amenah opened it and with a push on the shoulder from Dharam she raced to the front yard, hearing the door slam behind her. Racing past the window she saw the door Dhram had locked open and Roset stepped into the granary. Her feet continued to race for the bell, passing guards and servants she urged them to get to the granary.

  Dharam dug his feet into the ground to keep it shut behind him and steadied himself. His heart was pounding as he prepared himself for Babu to ram against the door. Suddenly his chest felt tight and as he clutched clothes he debated racing to Amenah. What was wrong?

  He turned his head to listen through the door, hearing the sound of light footsteps. Too light to be Babu’s. Then he heard the voice clearly.

  Roset called for Amenah.

  With a curse Dharam grabbed a wooden broom and swung the door open. Had he not locked the door leading to the manor?

  Babu turned away from Roset to face him, he had wiped his face and a path of blood was smeared under his eye to his neck. “Roset, go study” he ordered, praying he would understand.

  Everyone was taught the code words. Go study meant to go to the safe room within their father’s library. Roset was so young, and only practiced twice.

  Roset nodded and raced back into the house, and Dharam broke the broom to make for a better staff. “Babu, you need help.”

  Babu exhaled laughter. “Dharam you led me here, you brought me inside. All I will do is up to you. So just show me where your father is.” He twirled the bloody star in his hand. “You may be able to stop me but I am not alone,” he said with a bloody grin.

  Dharam silently prayed for Amenah to quickly ring the bell, or else he would truly need to attack. He kept his eyes on Babu’s every move as he moved in a semi circle to get to the door Roset ran out of. “I have no desire to fight you Babu.” He closed the door to the manor and stood before it. “But I think you are ill.” He split his gaze between Babu’s feet, as well as the hand holding the blade. “You need a physician.”

  Babu took a step towards Dharam. “You do not have to be afraid of me. Have I not proven my loyalty?” His twisted smile faltered and the pain filled his eyes. “No. Stop.” He held his hands over his chest. “Dharam please,” he pleaded in a weak voice. “You have to stop, your father will help me,” his words held broken strands of hope.

  Dharam held his makeshift staff ready to use the Zuhos dance at any moment. “Why do you need my father Babu?” He asked softly. Whatever was happening, scared Babu was better than crazed Babu.

  Babu dropped his hand, his face marked with his own blood. His eyes glazed over and he smiled cheekily. “We will show the world the Aljehni power. Who better to lead than the Scholar?”

  Dharam flexed his fingers along the broom. “We?”

  Amenah finally reached the front courtyard. The hair stick is pulled out her hair, twisting it she breaks off the tip for the bead to fall out and pushes the bead into the lock.

  Entering the gate Amenah stood before the bell and yanked the rope with all her might. She could feel her ear drums aching as it clanged once, twice, three times.

  Throughout the entire estate the bell sounded. All the guards and servants rushed to take their positions. The trained ones moved to grab a weapon. Others headed out to locate all the Aljehni children and move them to safety.

  Amenah rang the bell eight more times before stumbling back, her hands pushed against her ears hoping for reprieve. Stumbling out the gate she forced her feet to move, her ears rang, pulsing through her head, she could hear nothing else but a high pitched buzzing.

  Upstairs inside her study Aaleyah and Zale stared at the window as the bell sounded. “What is going on?” Aaleyah scrambled to stand and look out the window, but Zale beat her to it.

  “There is nothing to see Ley Ley, this window shows the back of the manor.” He turned to face her. “Things are probably happening at the front.” He moved towards the door. “Let’s go see.”

  Aaleyah grabbed Zale’s hand. “Do not be foolish, mother says if we ever hear the bell we should move to the safe room in father’s library.”

  “How will we know which direction to go to get to the safe room if we do not see what is happening?”

  Aaleyah could not argue with that logic.

  Two heads peered out the door, one looked left, and the other looked right. Then Aaleyah glanced up at Zale. “Clear.”

  Zale nodded. “This way too. Before I came here Chiara was in the library. Shall we go there first? Wherever safety is, finding siblings is important.”

  Aaleyah shook her head. It is better to see what direction the danger was coming from before making a decision. “How about we go to your room first? It faces the front of the manor. We will be able to see the bell, and we will be able to see who rang it.”

  Zale nodded. “Alright.”

  As they walked the bell stopped ringing.

  “Who do you think rang it?”

  “It is not Roset, he does not have the key, and Herom is not here,” Aaleyah reasoned aloud.

  Zale snickered. “Herom does not need the bell, our brother is formidable,” he said proudly.

  Aaleyah shrugged her shoulders. “Then I have no idea, I have been studying since morning. I do not even know who is in the manner and who is not.”

  They reached Zale’s room and rushed to the window. As they reached it Aaleyah added, “Well I know Asbed is here.”

  Peering out the window they saw Amenah holding her head, her body was swaying as if gravity was pulling on her to fall but through sheer will she was refusing.

  “Amenah-” Zale started.

  “- rang the bell,” Aaleyah finished.

  “Is she bleeding?” He whispered.

  While Zale focused on Amenah, Aaleyah looked around for the reason her eldest sister would ring the bell. There had to be danger somewhere she just could not see it. Glancing along the walls of the estate Aaleyah almost missed it, but something was moving along the shadows. Aaleyah pushed Zale out of the way.

  “Hey!”

  Aaleyah pushed the window open just as the arrow went flying. “Amenah! Look out!”

  A guard lifted Amenah, twirling her away from the arrow's path. She said something to Amenah but Aaleyah was too far away to understand.

  Aaleyah watched as her sister yelled something and the guard flinched before handing her to a different guard to take her inside.

  In the granary downstairs Babu tilted his head as the bell sounded. “Do you think that will help?” He dug his hand into his side again.

  Dharam winced in pain. The high pitched ringing filled his ears and he fought the urge to cover them. Ignoring the pain he decided to act first, he had no interest in seeing what other filthy objects crazed Babu was going to pull out.

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  He moved faster than Babu could keep up with and attacked his pressure points.

  Babu sliced the star blade in Dharam’s direction but he was unable to strike him before the broom hit the side of his neck.

  Aaleyah and Zale raced down the stairs as fast as they could. As they made it to the first floor they ran into three servants.

  “Young Aljehnis you must go study.”

  Zale and Aaleyah gave each other a look before dodging to the opposite sides to get around them. Making it to the door Zale flung it open just as a servant was about to open it.

  Holding Amenah up by her shoulders the servant stepped inside and closed the door behind him. Zale’s focus immediately turned to Amenah, but Aaleyah glanced outside just before the door closed. There were some people scaling the walls to enter the estate, and the Aljehni servants were pulling out their swords to charge.

  Zale pulled Amenah into his arms, his strength and serious face hiding his young age as he checked Amenah for wounds. Aaleyah watched as he gently brushed the blood on the side of Amenah’s ears. “Menah?”

  Amenah turned to Zale’s voice. “You sound so far away.” She reached for his hand and squeezed it. “I am fine, the pain is fading,” she yelled.

  Aaleyah pulled out a knife she grabbed from Zale’s room from her sleeve prepared to fight. “Who are those people?”

  “Ley Ley! That is mine!” Zale accused.

  Amenah dropped Zale’s hand and stumbled to the direction of the back room. “I have to get back to Dharam, he is in danger. She turned to a servant. “Tell everyone to be on the look out for Babu Jian, there is something wrong with him, but I think he is connected with the men who are fighting outside.”

  The servant nodded and rushed to spread the information.

  Amenah used the edge of her sleeve to wipe her blood away, ignoring Servant Adhu’s handkerchief. “Aaleyah and Zale make your way to the study immediately. I should not have to tell you what to do when the bell rings.”

  Zale, always choosing the wrong times to abandon her, nodded, but Aaleyah held up her blade. “I can fight with you. I can help.” Was that not why they all trained, and learned the sword and staff dances? To defend themselves?

  Amenah shook her head. “The men outside are a mystery to us. We know not their fighting style, nor where they came from. Is it wise to have the Family Head risk danger? I do not have time to argue. Go Study."

  Aaleyah could feel the refusal building in her chest. If not for Roset sprinting down the hall she would have argued back.

  “I can not find Chiara,” he cried with tears running down his small face. He raced into Amenah’s arms and the force had her take a small step back before holding him tightly. “Dharam told me to go study but outside are scary men in masks, they destroyed the flower garden!”

  Amenah took two swords from the guard and turned to them. “Do none of you listen? Ley Ley take Roset. He may be too young to understand, but you know the meaning of the bell.”

  Roset’s fear stricken face could not be ignored and Aaleyah to the ground and opened her arms. “Come Roset. We will go to the study.”

  With some urging from Amenah, Roset moved to her arms and they reluctantly made their way to their father’s study.

  No sooner had Aaleyah and Zale disappeared from view when a servant ran in through the front door. “Second Lady Aljehni, the people who have broken in are not fighting.”

  What? She made her way to the window.

  Ahdu spoke in disbelief. “What do you mean they are not fighting?” He pointed to the cut on the servant’s clothes. “How have you gotten hurt?”

  “My clothes are cut, yes. But I am not injured. The men outside fight us in hand to hand combat but they never draw blood,” the servant explained in bewilderment.

  “Not drawing blood? Did they say who they were or why they are here?” Out the window she could see the masked men were surrounded, and while they were fighting back, they were only temporarily incapacitating others. Their black and red clothes identical to the uniform of her mother’s battalion. What was this?

  Meanwhile Aminah and Havil made their way back to the Aljehni estate. Havil’s eyes stayed on Aminah. Her elbow rested on the side, her fingers circling her chin. Her red eyes continued traveling through its wind of emotions, and she silently fought for calm to prevail over all. Her hand rested on her staff, her fingers turning red at the knuckles from the tight hold. Her silent words hung in the air. ‘I could have saved him,’ her heart screamed.

  Havil rubbed his boot against his wife’s. ‘There was no time,’ his soul responded.

  Tilting her head down Aminah rubbed her finger over the point between her eyebrows. “I understand,” she says resignedly.

  Havil had expected this ride home to be in pained silence, but hearing her words he moved to hold herin his arms. “My Star, we will avenge Nubian,” he vowed.

  Aminah took a shuddering breath. “He was my friend. If we can not prove his family innocent he will not even have a proper burial,” she whispered, almost afraid that if she spoke louder she would break. Closing her eyes, she remembered how she once rode with General Nubian in the middle of the night to find medicine when his son was weak from the cold. After locating the physician and aiding his son, Nubian broke down. She comforted him, vowing to always aid his family. “I pray I am able to stop Babu before it is too late-” Aminah’s staff shook and she shot up out of Havil’s arms to inspect it. Opening the small compartment from the middle a small bead fell out. “The estate is in trouble!”

  They moved quickly, jumping out of the carriage. His wife jumped onto a horse and called her second in command, Zaccai, to come with her. She yelled for her third, Sabni, to gather the troops to move to the estate as soon as possible.

  Havil mounted a horse and ordered for his servants to make their way to the manor immediately before he raced off. The only ones who could ring the bell were his children, and they only rang it in emergencies. He raced his horse to the palace to reach Herom and gather his group of men.

  He flew through the capital’s streets, just barely processing the familiar voice before he pulled on the reins to stop.

  Herom made his way to him with Helan and five of his other friends behind him.

  “The estate is in danger. We must hurry.”

  Herom’s eyes widened and he turned to his group.

  Helan shook his head. “We are with you. Let us go quickly. The others are not far behind. I will pick them up on the way.”

  Herom smiled. “Thanks.”

  Turning their horses they all raced towards the estate.

  At the Aljehni Estate, Dharam flew out the granary onto the ground outside. Lifting his hand he wiped the blood from his mouth. “Babu!” His trusted staff was split into pieces on the ground that Babu stepped on as he limped towards him.

  Babu winced and swung his fist at his head. “I asked you. Why do you refuse to listen to me!” He roared, his brown eyes flashed with anger and agony. He cried without tears and Dharam tried to quickly think through his moves. He did not miss that pressure point, but how was he still standing?

  “I asked for the scholar. He can help me. I have to tell him, I have to tell him.”

  Dharam jumped back onto his feet, and having no weapon put up his hands to fight. From their left he could hear the sounds of fighting.

  Babu shook and for a split moment he looked fearful. However before Dharam could question it Babu screamed loudly. “I am here. Harm no Aljehni we must prove our loyalty,” he ordered with a smile, and as he heard the acceptance of the Stilits a tear rolled down his face.

  Babu took the star blade and cut his arm.

  “What are you doing now!” Dharam instinctively moved to help but stopped himself. The childhood idiot and friend had gone mad. Rushing to help would only place him in danger and he had to get back to Amenah.

  Babu’s fingers dug under his skin, blood poured out onto the ground. Dharam winced and swallowed his disgust as Babu pulled out a small wiggling insect. He placed the insect on the star blade and aimed it at Dharam. “We are loyal to the Aljehnis. You will be loyal too,” he comforted in a daze.

  Dharam took a step back. “I am an Aljehni,” Dharam said, deciding to feed into the nonsense. “You say you are loyal to the Aljehnis, that is me. I am Aljehni. Be loyal to me,” he argued as he continued to move towards the front of the manor.

  Babu paused his staggering steps. “Aljehni?” he whispered in confusion. “Scholar Aljehni,” he said the name as if it was his saving grace. “Aljehni, please help, I have to, I can not-” he punched at his head again and his eyes rolled back.

  Dharam truly wished to help him but with his ears aching and his chest hurting from the kick, there were other matters to attend to. So he ran away towards the front of the manor to the sound of fighting in hopes of finding his siblings.

  He picked up two swords from the ground as he made his way. Reaching the front he cursed internally. Where did all these people come from? In the front yard there seemed to be at least twenty masked men fighting with sheathed swords. Why were they wearing the academy’s colors, but the Aljehni military uniform? What was going on!

  Jumping into the fight Dharam hit the pressure points of the masked men and sent a prayer of thanks when it worked and they dropped to the ground. His attack on Babu was a fluke and he had not lost his touch after all.

  A horse kicked at the main gates swinging them open and his mother rode in.

  His mother took one glance before she issued her command. “Tie them up, we will deal with them after.”

  As her troops flooded the estate Dharam sighed in relief. “It is Babu, he is by the granary, he is dangerous. Proceed with caution.” Seeing his words were heard he left to search inside the manor for his twin.

  The moment Dharam entered the manor he was attacked with a hug. “Dharam you are bleeding. What happened to your chest?”

  He pulled himself away from Amenah’s arms. “It is not too bad. Mother and Herom are here, so the fight will end soon.” He inspected his twin, his eyes darted to her ears. “What happened to your ears?” He brushed his fingers over her left ear and immediately the throbbing in his own lessened.

  Amenah waved his hand away with a soft smile. “The bell was louder than I thought”

  “And the others?” Dharam asked, glancing down the empty halls.

  “They went to study. Head servant Pouyan told me everyone was there. They are all safe.”

  Dharam pulled her into a hug and the two slowed their breathing.

  Outside all of the men were slowly being tied up. By the time Sabni came with the troops, the fight seemed over.

  Dharam walked outside with Amenah. “General Aminah, it is Babu. He is around back and needs a physician immediately.”

  As if he was summoned Babu’s self deformed body made his way to the courtyard. The sword in his hand scraped against the stone pebbles as he walked. “Scholar Aljehni, you are finally here,” his laughter was more of a sob..

  His mother aimed her staff. “Babu Jian, do you admit to your crimes of harming your father?”

  Babu slammed his fist against his head and Dharam covered Amenah’s eyes.

  “Scholar Aljehni,” he pled tearfully. His head shook and his face became resolute as he lifted the blade. “We have done all you asked. We delivered the weapons, so make it stop.”

  Dharam and Amenah stepped towards their mother. Babu’s words were unnatural. The words he spoke and his crazed eyes did not match. It was as if he was reciting verses, not speaking in conversation.

  “You see mother?” Dharam’s eyes focused on Babu’s bloody figure. “There is something wrong with him.”

  Amenah agreed. “Yes he needs a physician, his head is not where it should be.”

  Babu’s laughter echoed throughout the courtyard. All the intruders had been caught and tied up, but hearing Babu’s laughter they laughed as well.

  The twins shuddered, the people around them had their faces covered with a cloth, only their eyes could be seen. Cold empty eyes that followed their movement. Their laughter echoed throughout the estate leaving a sense of dread that thickened.

  His mother remained calm, but as Dharam trailed his eyes to his mother’s hand, he saw it shake. His mother, the trained general, the great Medes; she could not bring herself to do it.

  Babu laughed robotically, tears falling from his eyes as he nodded. Almost relieved that his death was coming. The scene stung his own eyes, he too was in his mother’s place, and he could not do it either. Maybe it did not matter how much you trained, no one could kill someone who was like family.

  One of Herom’s friends ran from his spot by the gate and made his way to whisper in Herom’s ears.

  “Disperse, you were never here,” Herom ordered his friends.

  They nodded and made their way to the back gate but Helan hesitated.

  Herom shook his head. “Your wish is to be the king’s guard. You are almost there, do not be dragged down.” He motioned towards the back gates the rest of the team had gone. “Go!”

  “Go,” Dharam whispered.

  Helan frowned, but there was no time to argue. Dharam caught the way his hand tightened on his sword before he turned and raced out the back gate.

  Amenah gasped. “The King’s guard is coming,” she whispered in his ear.

  Dharam turned his attention back to his mother. Her staff was still hovering by Babu’s neck.

  “King’s guard?” He asked Amenah. If the king’s guard was coming then that meant the king had his guards searching for Babu.

  Amenah nodded. “Remember, his family was arrested.”

  Dharam grimaced. The king wished to arrest Babu, and if he did not show up the punishment was for the entire Jian family to be wiped out. But if the king takes Babu and Babu sprouts the nonsense that everything he did was for the Aljehni family, it would lead to chaos. “Mother has to kill him,” he whispered.

  Amenah exhaled with glossy eyes. “Then the entire Jian family perishes.”

  “If not, our family will be the one in the fire.” Dharam stared at Babu. Third Lady Jian was very sweet and always forced him and Asbed to eat honey cookies. If Babu died by his mother’s hand; would the entire Jian family truly fall?

  The hardness faded from his mother’s eyes and the staff in her hand shook slightly.

  “The king’s guard is arriving!” A guard announced.

  The gates to the Aljehni estate were left open and as the steps of a brown horse appeared his mother was forced to make a choice.