Beloved

blue-black hair. When she had freed it of its tangles she carefully twisted it into a single, thick braid that hung down her back.

A knock on her door roused her, and she called, 'Come in.'

The emperor's secretary entered. 'Good morning, my lady,' he said.

'You will address me as Majesty, Durantis,' Zenobia said quietly.

He nodded politely. 'I stand corrected, Majesty. How may I serve you?'

'I will have my scribe draw up papers of manumission for my slave girl Adria today. I want you to see that these papers are correct according to Roman law so that there will never be any doubt about Adria's status.'

'I will be glad to serve you thus, Majesty,' Durantis said.

'Thank you. You may go now.'

He bowed politely, and then backed correctly from the room. Zenobia stood up, walked out into her antechamber, and instructed the waiting scribe as to her desires. Then she began to pace slowly about the room as she waited for Adria to return with Julia and Gaius. As she walked, her mind went back to the thread of thought she had been spinning when Durantis had interrupted her. To enjoy an open triumph over Aurelian could anger him, embarrass him, even turn him from her. To pretend great passion for him was an equal danger, for he might grow tired of her if she appeared suddenly docile. She would have to tread a very fine line. She would gradually begin to pretend affection for him while resisting him still. That should keep him interested, for she knew that he desperately wanted to conquer her completely, body and soul. If she could make him believe long enough that victory over her might yet be possible, then she would win.

The door to the antechamber opened and Adria entered, leading Julia Tullio, the wife of the late Antonius Porcius. Young Gaius, looking rebellious, yet a little frightened, followed his mother. Zenobia was shocked by Julia's appearance. Her hair was snow-white, her crying-reddened eyes were blank of expression, her slender shoulders were stooped as if from pain.

'Julia!' Zenobia held out her arms, and the woman walked into them. But the queen realized that her friend did not know her. Anyone might have offered the distraught woman sympathy and she would have accepted it. Zenobia's arms closed around her friend and held her close. Over Julia's shoulder she looked incredulously at Julia's hair, and then questioningly at Gaius.

'It had turned white when I went in to her this morning,' he said quietly. 'She has still not spoken.'

The queen loosened her embrace, then led her friend into the bedchamber and sat her down in a chair. 'Julia,' she said, raising up the woman's face and looking down into it. 'Julia, I know that you hear me. Antonius is dead, and you grieve. When Odenathus died, I grieved too, but I had my children to live for, and you have yours.'

Suddenly Julia's eyes focused. 'My children are grown,' she said. 'They do not need me.'

'Flavia needs you!' Zenobia persisted. 'Did you not need your mother when you were first with child? Gaius needs you. He is involved in a group led by my younger son, Demi, who would continue to fight the Romans. Would Antonius Porcius approve of this? You know he would not! The father is dead, but the children need their mother, Julia. You cannot desert them. Flavia could miscarry of Palmyra's future heir should you destroy yourself. Gaius will most certainly be killed if he persists in following my son. Then Antonius Porcius's family will be gone from this earth, and it will be your fault for not accepting the responsibilities your husband left you. Antonius Porcius never shirked his duty in his entire life. He understood duty, and so do you, Julia.'

'You are a hard woman, Zenobia,' Julia said, her voice quavering. She began to weep bitter tears. 'Never in his life did he harm anyone or anything intentionally. Why did the emperor order him executed? Why? It is not right!' Julia cried angrily, and Zenobia was glad to see color coming back into her friend's pale face.

'No, Julia, it is not right, but it is a fact! Do not let the Romans have a further victory, my friend. You and your children must live, for in living you keep alive a great man's memory, you keep alive his line.'

Julia brushed the tears from her face. 'You are right, Zenobia; the gods damn you for it, but you are right! It would be so easy to give up, but I will not give up! / will not!” She drew a deep breath, then turned her face to her son's. 'I forbid you io have anything further to do with Prince Demetrius and his band of rebels! Do you understand me, Gaius? I have lost your father, and almost died from the pain of that loss. Your death will surely kill me! There will be another way to avenge your father, and together we will find it, but do not carelessly throw your life away. I will not allow it!'

The boy flushed, and protested, 'But what other way is there? I am the man in this family now, and the decision should be mine.' It was, however, a feeble protest.

Gaius needed to save face, and so Julia said quietly, 'You are only fifteen, my son. Under Palmyran law you are not yet of age, and if you go against my wishes I will be forced to act in a way you will not like.' She held out a hand to him, and when he took it she drew him near. 'There is no shame in youth, Gaius, but your judgment is not yet fully developed, and you must yet rely upon your only parent.'

Zenobia came and stood next to the boy. 'Even my own Demi,' she said, 'lacks judgment, Gaius, and he is eighteen this year. What you all did following the execution of the council was magnificent, and a great victory for you all. Your group killed twenty-seven legionnaires! Not only that, but you took the Romans completely off guard!'

'We did?' Gaius was quite surprised and, Zenobia could see, rather pleased.

'You did,' the queen returned with a smile. 'Be satisfied for now, Gaius, and do as your mother asks. You have been so wrapped up in your own loss that you have given no thought to your mother or your sister. If you would be a man then you must be strong, and let them lean on you. How can they if you are running about with Demi and his foolish friends?'

She had made it appear as if the choice were actually his, and that was a wise tactic. Gaius responded as she had expected. 'You are right, Aunt Zenobia,' he said. 'I have great responsibilities now as the eldest male in the Porcius family. I cannot afford to jeopardize my inheritance, and I promise you and my mother that I shall no longer involve myself with Demi and his Brotherhood of the Palm.'

Julia heaved an audible sigh of relief, and said, 'Thank the gods that underneath your youthful exuberance you have your father's common sense!'

The bedchamber door opened without warning, and Aurelian strode into the room. 'You say you are in mourning, goddess, and yet here I find you merrily entertaining your friends,' he accused.

Zenobia's first urge was to hit him, but she quickly controlled herself and said sweetly, 'I do mourn, Caesar. I mourn the murder of my good friend and loyal councillor, Antonius Porcius. I mourn with his wife, Julia, who is my oldest friend. I mourn with his only son, young Gaius. Julia is my daughter-in-law's mother. We fear for the young queen's health. We are but two grieving mothers, Caesar.'

'I think you plot at mischief, goddess.'

'No, Caesar, I prevent it. Though you say I am no longer Palmyra's queen, I am, and I fear for my people.'

'The city is quiet,' he said.

'For now,' she warned, then added, 'I did not give you permission to enter my chambers at will, Caesar.'

'Again I remind you, goddess, that you are a captive. I do not need your permission.'

Julia looked between the two, amazed. The emperor was obviously not only taken with Zenobia, but in love with her, and jealous of anyone else in her life. Zenobia, however, was playing with him as a cat with a mouse. I would be afraid of him, Julia thought, shaken. She reached out and pulled her son closer.

'Go to Flavia, Julia. You also, Gaius. Your sister will be much reassured by your visit,' Zenobia commanded regally. The two rose without a word to the emperor, and quickly left the room.

'Has that youngster been involved with your younger son?' Aurelian demanded.

'I do not know what you mean,' Zenobia countered. 'I have no idea if my son Demetrius is with those young men who rebel against your rule.'

'I don't know why you bother to protect the boy,' the emperor said. 'He is making no secret of his identity.' Aurelian reached into his tunic and drew forth a small parchment, which he handed to her. 'These are appearing all over the city today,' he said drily.

Zenobia took the proffered parchment, and began to read:

People of Palmyra! The battle with the Roman tyrant is not over! They have deposed our queen, exiled our king, and slaughtered the Council of Ten; yet we will fight on! Join us in our resistance to these tyrants!