Gardener:

Umara:
I had heard sayings like “curiosity killed the cat” from the elders of my tribe and had never been able to understand their meaning until now.
I feel cheated, used and vilely abused. In a matter of minutes, my friend, my lover and my gardener was transformed into the biggest and most dangerous assassin on the Continent.
—I never lied to you, little flower. Everything I said is true.- he whispers, getting out of the pool and approaching me, completely and blatantly naked.
Everything in me trembles. The memory of his hands possessively squeezing my breasts, the heat of his mouth running over my skin, the moisture of his tongue on my forbidden areas makes my body tense with anguish.
—You're a vile liar!-I yelled, mad with despair. -You said you were the royal gardener!
—No.- He reaches me and takes my face in his hands. His bronze skin and his heat makes me weak.- I never said such a thing, you assumed I was and I just didn't want to scare you. I never lied, little flower. My name is Alessios Stavros, my mother was a nomad, the garden we restored was hers and the scars I have on my back were caused by fire when I tried to rescue my father's favorite horse from a fire.
—You lied to me!- I declared, between hiccups of tears.
—No. I only hid the truth. I didn't want to ruin what was happening between us. First that trust and then the friendship, the complicity that grew…- he whispers, bringing his lying lips close to my mouth.-…until it became love and blinding passion.
He kisses me and I push him away.
—That must have been a lot of fun, right? Fooling the stupid camel-loving savage, right?!
—I wouldn't have done it, if you had given me even the slightest chance as who I really am. With the gardener, you were sweet and kind, you trusted him, you loved him without hesitation, so much so that you gave yourself to him without thinking about the consequences. With the Emperor you were always surly and rebellious, you didn't even deign to look him in the eye. You never noticed that your friend and I were the same person because in your mind the emperor was always a monster.

I take several steps back, I don't want him to touch me, I don't want to see him. I cover my ears with my hands, I don't want to hear him!
—Umara…
—Get away from me!

********
Alessios:
Her voice is cold and hard as steel, her face so smiling just a few hours ago is now a stony mask of hate and revulsion. My chest burns. I want her to kiss me again, I want her to moan for me again. I know she doesn't understand, I know she resists reality, but even if she don't believe it, she's mine.
Ever since I rescued her from the slave market, she's been mine.
—You are my woman now, Umara.- I emphasize.- Before, you were in name only , now you are completely mine, by the right of possession.
Her chin trembles and she turns, searching for a vase into which she pours the contents of her stomach over and over and over in disgust.
—Don't remind me.-she stammers, drowning in tears.-Don't remind me that I was the whore of my family´s murderer!

Umara:
—And what do you propose, little flower?
He waited for me to calm down a bit and while I rinsed my mouth to remove the vomit taste he recovered his clothes.
—Return me to the pavilion and forget me.-I sobbed.- Forget that all this ever happened.
—As you wish , I will do my best to forget , but… will you?
********
My return to the pavilion was a cause for great revelry, Burya kept screaming and jumping for joy while the twins commented over and over again about my miraculous salvation, Sarab remained in silence observing everything and Cítiê did not stop smiling nervously, drinking different types of tea that she had prepared for the occasion.
—I'm tired.- I whispered and the girls grunted in protest, but Cítiê rebuked them and authorized me to leave.
Already in my room, alone and on my bed I wept bitterly.

I had been an idiot, a fool and a gullible. I had been enchanted by a pair of golden eyes, a soft voice and a gentle manner and I did not look at the clear signs that betrayed me his deception. The fact that he always appeared when I was summoned to go before the Emperor, those soft hands of his, impossible for a man who worked the land, his demeanor always simple but that let me see his aura of power. At first my instincts had alerted me correctly, my first impression of him was that I was a gazelle faced with the arrival of a predator, but then we gradually fell into familiarity until everything led to an outburst of passion and lust.
With his web of lies, he not only condemned me to divide myself in a terrible battle between my conscience and my heart, but now I am poisoned by the most terrible of poisons.
My gardener was mine alone, or so I thought. Now I know that the man who took over my soul is the same one that Cítiê loves, whom the twins have kissed and of whom Burya speaks so many wonders and is even the husband Cassandra has betrayed so vilely. I was happy when I believed him free to love me but now I know that I share him with six other women and that has made me sick with jealousy.
I hide my face between the pillows, broken with disappointment and hatred.
—Damn you, Alessios Stavros!

#######
Cassandra settled on her camel.
Making the decision had not been easy, for she had abandoned the comfort and luxuries of the Palace for the dryness and emptiness of the wilderness. At her side rode her brother and her lover, ready to follow her to the end of the world if required.
The certainty of victory was for Cassio and Emir a huge incentive to swallow the bitter pill of abandoning their lofty positions and Cassandra's vision ensured that they would return to the capital city of the Empire to claim greater honors and wealth than the one they left behind.
Cassandra had a plan.
They were to reach the rebellious tribes of the East, convince their leaders to join them, and offer them freedom from the Kurani yoke in return. To guarantee victory,they needed an army that could stand up to the Emperor's . Later, when the news of her desertion spread, she was convinced that the rest of the generals and much of the golden army would decide to follow her.
After all, she was the main reason for the greatness of the empire.