After Arslan sent out the announcement to gether all the military force in order to fight to Pars, many ministers led their soldiers to join Arslan in Pershwa Castle.
Lusitanian prime minister, Giskal, is busy dealing with a lot of things since his brother, King Innokentis VII, doesn't care about anything. Innokentis is always devoted to the fantasy about being in love with Parsian queen, Tahamine, so he leaves every problem, including polity and military, to Giskal. The problem now bothers Giskal very much is that the high priest, Boden, leads his followers leaving Yekbatarna (the capital of Pars) and seizes the control of Zapol Castle. Thus Giskal summons Silvermask to defeat Boden since Zapol Castle is an important fortress between Pars and Maryam.
Andragoras is imprisoned in the underground dungeon. Saam comes to the dungeon and asks Andragoras about what really happened 17 years go: whether he killed King Osris and attempted to murder prince Hilmes. Andragoras answers that it is what Hilmes has always believed, and tells Saam that their father, (Saam is Andragoras' and Osris' brother) Costarches, was a powerful king, but he was very superstitious. Costarches believed the prediction about he wouldn't have any grandson, and the only way could save royal family from this fate was to let his first son's wife, Osris' wife, bear a son, and this son should also be Costarches' son. Saam is surprised by these words, because if Andragoras tells the truth, then Costarches commited incest, so prince Hilmes is Osiris' brother instead of his son. Saam then asks about Arslan. Andragoras answers that he and Tahamine have a child, but...His words are stoped by the distracting noise outside the dungeon. (darn it!)Saam steps away. Andragoras calls him back and tells him not to believe everything he just said, because it might be just a lie.
While Saam follows Silvermask to attack Zapol Castle, he meets his old friend, Kibater, who was a royal knight before. Silvermask asks Kibater to join them, but Kibater refuses and leaves. Hilmes then continues approaching to Zapol Castle. When Parsian army attacks the castle, Boden flees secretly. Boden's followers are killed; only the ones who come over and pledge allegiance to Giskal are allowed to live.
Kibater meets Melrein, who is the son of Zute clan leader, tells Kibater that he's looking for his younger sister who has been missing for a year. A maidservant come to them and asks them to meet Maryam princess, Elina, who needs Parsians' help. Maryam had been conquered already before Lusitanians attacked Pars. Maryam king and queen were killed; only princess Elina fled. After Elina knows Kibater was a royal knight, she also asks him about prince Hilmes. She reveals her veil and tells him that she is blind, but she still remembers Hilmes was very tender to her. She also wants to meet Hilmes if anyone can help her, so Melrein volunteers to arrange it.
2 days before the date of going out to battle, Arslan summons up a meeting. At night, an assassinator sneaks into Pershwa, but is found out by Gieve. He is no match to Gieve, so he jumps off from the balcony. Next day, Parsians have a banquet in Pershwa Castle to wish a good luck for the battle the next day. While one of the commanders, Esvon, is talking about his brother, Gieve appears. Gieve tells Esvon that his brother died in Yekbatarna, becuase Gieve saved him from Boden's torture by killing him. Esvon gets angry and fights Gieve. Arslan walks out and sees what has just happened. Gieve tells Arslan that he likes his own lifestyle and leaves the castle. However, Darun later tells Arslan that actually Gieve wants to investigate the situation in Yekbatarna and inside of Lusitanian army.
Arslan leads his army toward Pars. Meanwhile they have a fight with Lusitanians and they win by depending on Narsus' intelligence. Arslan tells a Lusitanian captive to go back to tell Lusitanians that Parsians will come to Yekbatarna soon.
