Negociations:

"Why didn't you say it before?!" Burya yelled angrily.
"Oh, because…" Sarab growled, stroking his forehead. "…let's be honest, if he died, the ensuing chaos would be a lot of fun to watch."
"Sarab!" the twins yelled at the same time.
The aforementioned only limited herself to rolling her eyes.
"Oh, by Anubis. What are you surprised at?" I am your sworn enemy, after all. This time everything would have been too easy, you know, I wouldn't have to try to get rid of him myself, I would just have to sit and wait for him to die.
They all looked at her with varying degrees of horror reflected on their faces.
"But if the tyrant is willing to free me, if his love for Umara is truly so great that he would allow me to return to my country in order to make her happy, then I am willing to cooperate."
"But, but…" Burya stammered in astonishment. "Would you have been willing to take the risk, do nothing, and allow Cassandra and her brother to take the throne?"
Sarab lifted a shoulder nonchalantly.
"One tyrant is exactly the same as another." We would all have died, yes, but I would have gone to the underworld of my religion, I would not have been ready to face the judgment of my gods, but at least I know where I am going.
Umara compressed her lips.
—There is a small error in your plan, I never asked the emperor for such an atrocity. I know that it would be such a disgrace to the twins that their brother would be forced to kill them, and what about the Jade Emperor? If Cítiê returns to her land, she will be forced to beg half-naked for the rest of her life.
Sarab made a bored face.
Umara, please. Stop playing the martyr. You can justify yourself all you want and even deny it, but you're just like me. You are incapable of sharing the man you love with another, and you know it.

000
"What do you ask for in return?" Alessios gasped hours later.
"What you offered Lady Umara," Sarab replied defiantly.
A fit of laughter shook the emperor's weak body.
"Don't tell me that after so many years and hating me so much, seeing me at death's door has made you think again and you've discovered that you love me so madly that you want to be my only wife?"
Sarab narrowed her eyes and laughed slightly.
"You wish, you smug bastard." – he whispered.- and…no. What I want is my freedom.
"Oh." So it is so. You are willing to save me in exchange for my setting you free.
-That's how it is.
-Ok i agree.
In one fluid movement, Sarab lifted her delicate foot, resting it on the bed, on a cushion close to Alessios's hand. He caressed the silver anklet that enslaved the Egyptian, turning three times to the right and then one to the left. Instantly the offending garment fell from Sarab's ankle.
"Ready," Alessios commented and immediately released a grunt of pain.
Before everyone's astonished gaze, Sarab held between her fingers the bloody arrowhead that had been about to end the emperor's life, contemplating the silvery object with marked curiosity for a moment and then nonchalantly dropping it on the same cushion. on which the anklet rested.
´´Many of you know that I have the gift of disappearing, what I always kept hidden, is the fact that I am also able to move objects without having to touch them. It's done, we're even´´. - whispered Sarab.- goodbye, girls.
Saying this, the Egyptian disappeared.
Umara quickly approached the emperor, and staying a few centimeters from his lips with hers, she breathed in the rest of the poison that ran through his body, thus making sure that he did not die and that his wound began to heal as quickly as possible.
000
The caravan of triumph, back to Tarmen, was the longest and most impressive of which there is a historical record. The return trip was long and exhausting, lasting exactly three weeks.
They had waited several weeks to allow Alessios to fully recover. At the head of the caravan he was, glorious and terrible, riding his huge elephant and dropping pearls from his hands to the people, once more.
Behind him was Cítiê in her silver palanquin, being carried in the strong arms of four burly slaves.
Mem, Zai and Burya followed them, mounted on beautiful black-maned stallions, greeting the people with smiles.
Cassandra and her brother were transported in a cart drawn by old and slow oxen, inside two large iron cages. Seeing them go by, the entire town, from the youngest to the oldest, threw rotten fruits, vegetables and fish at them, however Cassandra limited herself to throwing sharp hateful glances at them while Cassio sobbed, hiding his face in his hands.
Behind them rode Umara, mounted on her camel. In his footsteps, the women of the town broke into songs of praise to the goddess Cimbel, who had sent a seventh Moon to ensure the victory of her children.
During the tour, Umara reflected on how changeable and fragile loyalty is, especially that of the people. The admiration and love of the masses are uncertain and weak, the human being hides behind his beliefs, conveniently moving his faith and devotion.
Just a few months ago, Cassandra received praise and flower petals because she was the force and main driver of the Empire's victories, today that honor belongs to me and I can't help but wonder... if I make a mistake, if I deviate from the right path, I may I also ended up like her, caged, denigrated and receiving insults from the same people who entertain me today.
00000
Upon arriving at the Palace, the prisoners were taken to the dungeon while the moons returned to their pavilion. For hours the women were assigned and entertained with massages and aromatic oils to later be helped to dress by the maidens.

That night, immensely tired as they all were from the long drive home, they sat respectfully quiet as one by one the nobles of the Empire rose to their feet and made pompous and needlessly long speeches.
So much hypocrisy made Umara's blood boil, because these same nobles who now swore eternal loyalty to the empire were the same ones who gave up everything for lost when they found out that Cassandra was leading the enemy army and had chosen to protect their wealth, leaving for neighboring countries.
In the end, the fate of the Empire and the victory had not been decided and conquered by the armies, not by the captains of the golden army, not even by the mighty Emperor. The true champions had been the Empire´s Lunas.