"I tend to be sick in the early afternoons, and sometimes in the mornings," Flavia smiled with a little shrug. "Both quite normal, my mother assures me." Then the girl's face grew worried. "What is to happen to us with the Romans in the citv, Aunt Zenobia? Will they kill us? Will my child be safe?"

"So many questions, Flavia! Dear child, I do not know what will happen, but I am certain that Aurelian means this family no harm. I believe what he wants is to restore Roman rule to this city again, but that we shall try to prevent for Vaba's sake."

Flavia's face became less fearful. "You have always been a favorite of the gods, my lady."

"Of late," murmured Zenobia wryly, "I have begun to wonder." She motioned to a chair. "Sit down, Flavia. You must not tax yourself." Then she sat down herself.

Vaba, however, remained standing. "What is happening in the city?" he demanded.

"We do not know," Zenobia replied. "Each district in the city has been cut off from all the others so the people may not mix freely. It is impossible to get from one area to another without a pass, and precious few are being issued."

"Then we must wait for the council meeting," Vaba said quietly.

"Yes," his mother answered, and then, "Where is Demi? I have not seen him since the Romans entered the city."

Vaba frowned. "My brother disagreed quite violently with my decision to surrender to the Romans. He left the palace two nights ago, and I have no idea where he is. I do know, however, that he has banded together a group of young patrician hotheads like himself, and they are considering a guerrilla-type warfare upon the Romans."

"No!" Zenobia's voice was sharp. "We must find him, Vaba. Such behavior could endanger your position. I will not allow him to do that!"

"I have people out looking, but if the city is as tightly closed as you say, then it will be more difficult for them."

"The gods take the young fool!" Zenobia muttered.

"He is your son, Mother," Vaba could not resist saying.

"If you mean he is impetuous," was the calm reply, "then you are right."

"It was not just the surrender," put in Flavia. "We had only just told him about the baby."

"He was jealous," Vaba said.

"No, Vaba," Flavia defended her brother-in-law. "It is not easy for Demi to be the younger son. It is never easy for a younger son. Now Demi is to be upstaged by our child, and he had not the time to adjust. He will come around."

"What Flavia said is true, Vaba," Zenobia spoke. "I know that for some time Demi has chafed from having little to do. He is a natural soldier like your father, and a good leader. I had planned to send him to Alexandria to act as our governor. His thirst for power is not overly great, and that would have satisfied him well."

"I am not angry at him, Mother," Vaba replied. "Believe it or not, I understood how he felt. But now he endangers not only me but Flavia and our unborn child as well."

"He endangers Palmyra," Zenobia said. "He must be found!"

"We are doing our best. Can you not speak to Aurelian?"

"What? Are you mad? What should I say? Should I tell Aurelian that I cannot control my family? Please, will the Romans help to find my bad boy? They would execute him on the spot as a troublemaker! Do you want Demi's death on your hands, Vaballathus?"

"There have been no executions, Mother."

"That is no guarantee that there won't be," Zenobia said ominously.

"Oh!" They both turned to see Flavia white and swaying in her chair.

"Darling! What is it?" Vaba was kneeling at his wife's side.

"What if they kill you, Vaba?" Flavia began to sob piteously.

Zenobia could have bitten her tongue. "Do not fret, Flavia. The Romans will not kill this family, I am sure. They will execute a few unimportant people in order to impress their rule upon the masses. There will be messy affairs in the public squares, but we will not be involved. They will go after potential troublemakers, accusing them of things like hoarding and profiteering. Do not fear. Vaba will not be harmed."

"You are sure?"

"Quite sure," Zenobia said with far more certainty than she was feeling. Then she said, "Vaba, take Flavia to your apartments and stay with her until the council meeting. If I get any word before then I shall send to you."

The king stood up, nodding in agreement with his mother, and then he escorted his trembling young wife from the room.

"Now," Zenobia said, "I am ready to dress." Bab and Adria quickly aided the queen, pulling the exquisite kalasiris over her head, fastening her jewelry about her neck and in her ears and about her upper arms. Zenobia slipped the ring upon her fingers while Adria helped her into delicate golden sandals.

The queen then sat at her dressing table, and Adria brushed her dark hair until it shone. Then, taking a section of hair from each side of Zenobia's head, Adria braided it and drew the thin braids back to fasten them high on the back of the queen's head with a jeweled enamel pin. The rest of Zenobia's black hair flowed free down her back, and Bab dusted it with gold powder before placing the vine-leaf crown upon her mistress's head. The queen stood and walked to her polished silver mirror, smiling in satisfaction at what she saw.

"Bab, find me Cassius Longinus!"

Longinus came quickly, sprawling into the chair lately vacated by Rome's emperor. Helping himself to an egg, he dipped it into the salt and took a healthy bite. "Your secret garden gate is unguarded, Majesty. The council advises you and your family escape while there is yet time."

"To what purpose, Longinus?"

"You would be a rallying point for our people."

"There is no point in it, Longinus. Rome is already in full possession of the city. The army is as trapped as I am. There is no help for us. The king made the decision to open Palmyra's gates to Rome that the city and her people might be saved. He was right, and I can only hope Aurelian will let my son remain this city's ruler. To that end alone I will work, Longinus."

Longinus bowed his head in acceptance of her judgment, then standing, he said, "I will go with you to Rome, Majesty."

"It is time," Bab said. "It is midday."

"You have seen to my guard?"

"Need you ask, my baby? They await you outside the door."

Without another word Zenobia walked through her bedroom, through her antechamber, and out into the hallway through doors opened swiftly by her slaves. Instantly the one hundred men in her guard came to attention, and cried out, "Hail Zenobia! Hail, Queen of Palmyra!"

A small smile touched Zenobia's lips as she said, "Good afternoon, Captain Urbicinus."

"Majesty!" The captain saluted smartly.

The queen seated herself in her waiting litter, an opulent affair of solid silver, its raised designs all of a botanical nature. The cushions of the litter were of purple velvet. Immediately the four coal-black slaves in their cloth-of-silver breechcloths lifted the litter, and began moving down the corridor. Before them, behind them, and on either side of them inarched the queen's guard.

It was not a long trip to the council chamber, and with much ceremony-the wide double doors to the chamber were flung wide, the waiting trumpeteers played a flourish-the queen's guard marched into the room with the litter. The litter was carried to the head of the table, where the emperor and the young king were already waiting, as was the entire council. Dismounting the litter with Captain Urbicinus's aid, Zenobia caught Longinus's eye and saw secret amusement in it. As she seated herself opposite Rome's emperor the royal guard once more shouted, "Hail, Zenobia! Hail, Queen of Palmyra!" Then they positioned themselves along two of the walls of the room, facing some of the men of Aurelian's own legion, who lined the other two walls.

"The council is called to order," Zenobia said. She looked to the emperor.

By the gods, Aurelian thought admiringly, she yet has the courage to defy me, even now in the hour of her defeat. He almost regretted the decisions he had made regarding the city. Almost. The emperor stood and looked around the table at all the upturned and expectant faces before facing Zenobia. Then he said, "You are banished, Queen of Palmyra, from this city-state that you led to rebellion against your masters, the imperial Romans."

The room was deathly silent. No one's face showed any emotion, for it was as they expected, as Zenobia had led them to expect. What they waited for was his decision concerning Oden-athus's dynasty.

"Vaballathus, King of Palmyra, Roman law demands the death of a client king who rebels against Rome; but you were a child when you came into your inheritance. Your mother has ruled for you, and so in fairness-and contrary to what you have been raised to believe, we Romans are fair-I cannot hold you responsible for this rebellion. I therefore grant you your life, but you and your wife and whatever family you have are banished to the city of Cyrene."

“No!" Zenobia's voice was ragged.

"For how long?" asked Vaba.

"For life," was the reply.

"No!" A low and desperate cry.

"Be quiet," Aurelian said almost gently. "I have not finished." She was amazing, he thought. She cared only for her husband's life. If she might transfer that loyalty to him!

"Roman law will be served in the case of Palmyra's rebellion," continued the emperor. "Your king was scarcely a child, your regent a woman, a woman who was advised in all her plans by you, the Council of Ten. I have spared both your boy king and your queen regent. I will not, however, spare you. I must hold this council responsible for Zenobia of Palmyra's acts. You are men. You could have prevented all that has happened between Rome and Palmyra, but you did not. You allowed a woman total control, and her emotional and unbridled ways, her fierce pride, her ambition, have led you to your own destruction.