The golden question why

Banou hear from Aylin almost everyday. Nothing strange is ongoing wth Hassan's behaviour. He is doing the same thing. Meeting merchants and getting more contacts for his business. Banou hopes that she is thinking too much in it. After all the heir to the throne is a sensitive subject that all Ottoman is eyeing on. Her siblings each have their own plans to make the best out of the situation. 

A week later, Aylin comes to find Banou in a hurry. Hassan had pick up the two boys from school and gone to somewhere. Banou hurry to find her men to go look for her nephew without alerting him. In the end, they found that he had taken the boys out of the capital. At home, Banou doesn't have anyone to relay on. Aylin had already inform her husband and he had a team of bodyguards who have rush out to trace where Duke Hassan have gone. Meanwhile Banou put on her rider's uniform and ride on her horse. Together with a few man servant whom are skilful enough to fight, they ride out of the city. There is only one fork road when they come to a middle of the road. One heading towards the silk road and the other is going towards another city. Banou decided to split up the group however these man servants are train in the army before they are let go of physical body damage, they know how to track the horses. They advise Banou to follow the road towards silk road base on what they can see. Banou trust them and them all head towards that direction. 

At night falls, the Man servants spot a group that have stop at the forest. The men dismount and walk quietly. If they are not the one they are looking for, they will leave. However they are the one, they need to ambush them without a sound. Banou is told to stay behind with the horses while the men sneak in. She waited for awhile and hope that no harm comes to the boys. Her fear comes when she hears screams. Her legs suddenly become soft. She hold on the horse for a sense of help and security. She continue to breath in steady. She continue to wait and she still hear screaming and metal knocking. She hold the blade in her hands tight. She did not plan to use it but if there is a need to, she must use it. Her hands tremble and she continue to hear the shouts and screams. As her hands tremble she pray silently with sincerity. After a long time, one of her men come running to her.

"Consort Princess, it is safe now."

"Are the boys..."

"They are safe. We have tired up the rest."

"Let us go there."

She walks into the tall grass and follow her man servant. When suddenly everything is clear, she see most of the men of Persians are tied up. Each beaten with a swollen face. She look for Arya and Darius and find them hiding behind the wheel of the carriage. She call for them and they stand up slowly. Banou can see they want to cry but both put up a brave face. She praise them for being brave at the time like this. She look at those Persian men and begin to question them. After awhile they revel that the Duke had given them some money to bring the little masters out to the tavern on the silk road. What he wants to do, they don't know. So in the end, they travel all the way back to the city and enters the gate before it closes. Afshin who is waiting at the gate, see the heirs are safe, he kneel down. Banou later find out that the body guards have gone off to chase the Duke thinking that he have the boys with him. They are yet to return. Thus that night, Banou put the boys in her mansion. Afshin also believe that they will be safer in the prince mansion. That night, no one really sleep. Banou keep hearing the dogs and cats making noise. Nothing else is happening. Occasionally she peek into the room that the boys are sleeping in. 

The morning comes and the body guards returns to the mansion of Afshin. Later after food, they rush to the prince's mansion. In there, Banou question them. Seems like hey have chased the Duke the whole night. He had disappear. For now the plan is have the boys stay in the Prince mansion. The two boys are older than her twins but they get along well. The four becomes a companion for each other. Afshin daily comes over to conduct lessons for the heirs. The twin occasionally comes and join them for a lesson. After lunch they will play together. Including Li Han who have learn to walk. This sort of happiness did not last long. A the dark night, someone creep in through the wall. He walk around and look into every door. He happens to walk to the courtyard where the children are sleeping in. Finally he see what he is looking for. However before he can step into the room, a sword is place on his neck. He feels a sense of disappointment. 

"Step back."

He follow the instructions. Wang MoMo close the door. She walk and the person command him to follow Wang MoMo.Behind them, two bodyguards walk out and stand in front of the room.

They continue to walk as the crickets sing in the night. He see that he is walking to the open library where Banou and Afshin is drinking tea. He is made to kneel down and the sword continue to lay on his neck. 

"I think you know why you are kneeling there and what we want to hear from you."

"I am the Duke! You dare to ..."

"I dare Duke Hassan. Now tell us what is your purpose in doing this?"

He keep silence for awhile. 

"I am your nephew!"

"Unfortunately, there is no bond with your family. I am an outcast. No one consider me as a family member except my father."

"I don't care what is the story behind! I am the Duke!"

"Yes you are the Duke but why are you planning to harm the heir to the throne?"

He remain silence. The sword press hard. He stare at the floor as his sweat drips from his face to the floor. 

"Duke Hassan, tell us what you know. Today all these will never spread out of this mansion. No one will know that you try to kidnapped and attempts to kill the heirs. No one will know what you said this night and i will never let my brother, your father to know what you have done here in Tang."

"Duke Hassan, please ..."

"Sir Afshin... am i better than that two boys? Am i?... Better?"