“The Prince lay dead, slain by my hand. There was no doubt his father would answer with war. If I stayed to defend India, Nestan would be lost forever. Yet, if I left to find her, I would not be able to protect my country. Though perhaps a difficult choice to some, there was no question in my heart of what I would do. Life meant nothing to me without her. I would search over the whole earth if necessary.”

“With my decision made, I called the master of my guard, and he summoned my Knights. I selected the same hundred from their number as who had come with me to slay the Prince, and another sixty soldiers to manage our supplies and gear. The rest of my armies stayed behind to fortify the castles and secure the palace when the Persians attacked, as they surely would. Asmath and her servant also accompanied us.”

“Soon, we passed through the gates of my fortress in a tight battle formation, the thunder of our march echoing across the plains. Though groups of armed men waited for us, they were unable to match our strength. We scattered them like chaff to the winds.”

“When we came to the city, it was in complete disarray. Soldiers of the King mixed with mine, and others still from the son of Khvarazmsha. They fought small battles in the streets, which we simply rode through. None gave any significant challenge to us, and we made it to the port without delay.”

“Once there, my men scoured the docks for news of the two Kadj men or my beloved. But unfortunately, we learned nothing, so I hailed the Captain of an Indian warship. He recognized me as Amirbar and asked how he might serve us. When I told him of Nestan’s kidnapping, he invited us to board at once.”

“His ship was well stocked. More, we carried our own supplies and chests of gold to restock ourselves if the search took us to distant ports. But, if I knew then what I know now, perhaps I would have set a different course.”

“Once we boarded, his oarsmen rowed us out of the harbor. When we reached the open sea, they raised sails and we spent all day challenging everyone we passed. We searched every vessel, large or small. Yet for all our efforts, we found no sign of Nestan, and none who knew of the men we sought.”

“Weeks went by like this, but no other ship or crew had any information. I grew desperate with worry to find her. My blood boiled with wrath. But for all my strength and fury, I could direct my anger nowhere other than at myself.”

“At each port, I sent small parties of men looking for her. They were instructed to return with news the next morning, or if they found nothing, depart for India to inform Pharsidan our search continued. Meanwhile, the rest of us made our way across what seemed to be a silent sea.”

“Occasionally, we met other merchant ships, but none ever carried word of what we hoped for. Other times pirates attacked or refused to stop, forcing us to board them. Each time I looked for news but was always disappointed. No one could tell us anything.”

“One year passed like this, but it felt like two for me. The hull and rigging of our ship were battered and beaten from the long voyage, and only two of my Knights remained with us. One who studied languages and history, while the other was learned in surgery and medicines. Besides these two, only Asmath was by my side.”

“The loss of those who accompanied me to this misfortune pained my heart. Some had perished in battles, while others were scattered by duty or need. The manner of their passing did not matter to my conscience. Each man gone marked another wound added to the gaping hole in me.”

“I grew mad for want of my nightingale. Sorrow became a joy to me and slowly gnawed at my sanity. Resigned to Fate, I decided whatever was willed upon me would be. I could not deny Heaven any more than I might stop the sun from rising. But though my misery was great, I did not believe God would abandon a man so forsaken by fortune.”

“This kept an ember of hope alive in my heart, enabling me to continue searching for Nestan.”

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