Recap: Saman and Jenna come to visit and reveal they have converted to Judaism, just like Aunt Annabelle. Ava goes to the pageant with Jasmin. At the pageant, Galla’s father announces how the Jews “are different from us and that we don’t want them here.” Ava flees from the pageant and heads back home.
I entered the house just as Mihran was reciting Havdalah. I joined the family and stared at the flickering double-wicked flame. I tried to erase the awful feeling I had from the proclamation. After Havdalah, my aunt directed her maids to clean up from Shabbos. I told her about the proclamation at the pageant.
“It’s upsetting to hear our cousins speak like this; but, my dear, Hashem is in charge, not any person.”
“People were cheering.”
Aunt Annabelle sighed. “It doesn’t mean we can’t continue our way.”
Saman knocked on the door to Aunt Annabelle’s sitting room.
“Sorry to disturb you, Mother.”
Saman and Jenna entered. Their faces were serious.
Were they worried about the proclamation?
“We need to speak with you,” he said.
“Should I leave?” I asked.
“No, Ava, it affects you, as well. We want to share something with you.”
There was a long silence.
“Yes, my children. What is it?”
Saman glanced at Jenna.
I wondered what it was they wanted to share with such serious faces.
“Jenna and I discussed this for a long time. It was not a decision we took lightly.”
He cleared his throat.
Jenna smiled encouragingly.
“We’ve decided to leave Aluna.”
Aunt Annabelle’s eyes widened. “But why? That was the kingdom Jenna’s father bequeathed to you. How can you just leave?”
“We appreciate the gift and the time we were able to be there and rule, but now with the baby coming and—”
Jenna bowed. “May I continue to explain, dear husband?”
Saman nodded.
“Saman has been an exemplary, kind ruler. The people loved him. It’s just that, as you know, both of us have discovered the truth – the true religion – and we have to follow our hearts. The right place for a Jew is Yerushalayim.”
Saman took his mother’s hand. “We put my assistant minister in charge, and we packed everything up.”
Aunt Annabelle’s forehead creased.
“We want the new baby to be brought up in an environment of truth and goodness. I wrote to Aunt Helena in Yerushalayim. I asked if we could come stay with her until we find our own place.”
There was a long, stunned silence.
“Yerushalayim!” Aunt Annabelle exclaimed.
“It is the best place for us to raise our family,” Jenna said.
“So far away!” Aunt Annabelle rose and paced the room. “To be so far away from us.”
“I apologize, dear Mother. Please forgive us. We wish to start tonight. It’s a very long journey, and travel by day will be too hot for the animals and for Jenna. We wish to arrive before the baby’s time to come.”
Aunt Annabelle stood in one place with her eyes closed and hands clasped. She stood that way for a few minutes. Then she opened her eyes and spoke.
“I am happy for you. You have found the true meaning in life, but I will miss you terribly.” Tears glistened on her lashes.
“You will come visit. Aunt Helena has asked many times in her letters that you come.”
“My duties here are many, but when I can, I will come.” She kissed her son and daughter-in-law.
Jenna and Saman were moving so far away. I would miss the new baby.
“When will we ever see you again? Yerushalayim is so far!” My eyes filled with tears as I embraced Jenna.
A short while later, the camels were loaded, and our dear Saman and Jenna were on their way with their servants. It was a moonless night that carried them away.
Aunt Annabelle and I hugged.
Just then, Nazanin and Omer stormed into the room.
“A desecration! We heard your son performed a desecration on his body. A royal prince does such an act! We are not staying any longer here. We’re packing and going to the Norit home to finish our visit for the pageant.”
Aunt Annabelle’s mouth formed a straight line.
“I wish you well,” she whispered.
Galla glared at me. She strode outside to retrieve her dog. The family left without polite goodbyes. The Norit family is wealthy and live on the other side of Aurora. It would take them close to an hour to reach them.
Aunt Annabelle closed the heavy front door behind them. There was sadness in her kind, dark eyes.
Jasmin’s mother approached my aunt.
“I am so sorry, dear Queen, but our family is fearful to stay with a desecration. There is much animosity, and we don’t want to be involved.”
Jasmin’s mother bowed her head. She kissed both of my aunt’s cheeks. “We will miss you.”
Jasmin’s family was leaving, too?
No! They’d lived here since I was a baby. I needed Jasmin to stay.
“Please, Aunt Annabelle, tell them to stay.”
Aunt Annabelle shook her head. “There’s nothing I can do, Ava.”
I rushed to Jasmin’s bedroom. She was packing, throwing things into a sack. “You can’t leave!” I sobbed. “I need you.”
We fell into each other’s arms. Her tears brushed my cheek.
“When will I see you again?” I asked.
“I don’t know. I feel so bad that we have to leave. I hope you will be safe here,” she said.
I pointed up at the sky. “Hashem will help,” I whispered.
First, my dear cousin Saman, and Jenna – who is like a sister to me – had gone to faraway Yerushalayim, and now my best friend was leaving.
If only Mihran hadn’t—
I had to let go of that thought. If I believed Hashem was in charge, then everything happened for a reason. Still...
Jasmin and her family left next. Other servants were mumbling.
After they left, a large group of servants approached my aunt and told her they were leaving also, for safety.
Farah mumbled, “I’m sorry. We’re fearing a mob coming, and we can’t stay.”
The servants all left with their bags.
I sat by the window, watching their shadows on the ground as they strode away from the palace.
Aunt Annabelle came over and put her arm around me. “Don’t tell Mihran about all this tumult. He’s resting in the back room.”
Arash, an older man who had been with the royal family since Aunt Annabelle was a young girl, stepped forward.
“I will stay, Your Majesty. I will not leave you.”
“Thank you, dear Arash,” Aunt Annabelle’s voice shook. “I appreciate your bravery and your loyalty.”
That night, Aunt Annabelle turned to me.
“Ava, you must get some sleep now. We need our strength for the days ahead.”
I couldn’t imagine sleeping now. I’d just lost my best friend. The servants had all left in fear of an uprising. How could I sleep?
Aunt Annabelle reassured me. “Hashem is in charge, Ava. Go to sleep.”
Alas, I would need that strength much sooner.
There was an urgent knock on the door.
Arash answered and ushered in one of Saman’s servants.
My aunt gasped. “Has something happened? Why are you back?” She sank into the nearest chair.
“No, Saman and his wife are fine. He sent me to tell you a warning we heard at an inn where we stopped. The King of Arabia, Marmar, has heard about the events here, and he has decided to come and take over the palace and to take captive anyone who stayed here or who visited your palace recently. With due deference, Your Majesty, it would be prudent for you to pack essentials and leave as quickly as possible. King Marmar could be here by late tomorrow morning. He has Egyptian stallions that could carry him here even sooner. The best thing is to head to Yerushalayim, where you will be safe. Take back roads.”
To be continued…
Susie Garber is the author of a newly released historical fiction novel, Captured (Menucha Publishers, 2025), as well as historical fiction novels Please Be Patient (Menucha, 2024), Flight of the Doves (Menucha, 2023), Please Be Polite (Menucha, 2022), A Bridge in Time (Menucha, 2021), Secrets in Disguise (Menucha, 2020), Denver Dreams, a novel (Jerusalem Publications, 2009), Memorable Characters…Magnificent Stories (Scholastic, 2002), Befriend (Menucha, 2013), The Road Less Traveled (Feldheim, 2015), fiction serials, and features in Binah Magazine and Binyan Magazine, and “Moon Song” in Binyan (2021–2022) and Alaskan Gold (2023–2024).
