Ali and Nino Page #3

What... what name should I sign?

Your new name.

My dear parents, please don't worry about me.

Ali and I are married, and everything

has turned out for the best.

Life is simple in the mountains.

We raise chickens,

and we grow our own vegetables.

We work all day and play

a full part in the life of the village.

We have none of the comforts of the city.

But I can honestly say

I have never been so happy in my life.

With all my love, Nino.

I need something warm.

Something warm. Something warm.

My father suggests we make our way to Sweden.

Neutral country.

Does he suggest how we might

get there in the middle of a war?

They pay no attention.

When you write back,

tell them we are living the way

most people live in our country.

And it makes sense.

It belonged to Ali's mother.

Thank you so much, Safar Khan.

Thank you.

Do you fetch the water from the well

every morning, my child?

And do you do all the cooking?

Yes, I do.

Thank you.

I approve of your wife, Ali Khan.

But...

she is a very bad cook.

Safar Khan, can I tempt you to some more?

No, thank you. Delicious.

I couldn't.

How's life in Baku?

All is much the same, except...

the streets are rather chaotic

because our Russian governor has run away.

Why would that be?

The czar abdicated.

What?

Yes.

So the Russians have all left the city.

And our soldiers are back from the front,

released from their oath to the czar.

But what about the Nakhararyans?

The entire Nakhararyan family

has fled to Moscow.

And my family?

I believe they have

very sensibly gone to Tbilisi.

Does that mean we can go back?

I see no objection.

We've been happy here. Do we have to leave?

This is the best chance we'll ever have

to take our independence.

Was it like this when you left?

No.

The revolution in Russia

has caused chaos everywhere!

The Russians may have gone,

but we are still in danger.

Brothers, come closer, please.

I want to make the situation clear to you.

Our town is surrounded by deserters

from the czar's armies.

They're going village to village

killing everyone in their path.

They've set fire to the oil fields

and are almost upon us,

desperate and resolved to loot and

destroy our houses, rape our women.

They outnumber us!

And we have fewer weapons.

I ask you to join us to defend our homes

and keep the enemy from our door!

You're back just when we need you most.

Ali Khan.

What happened to your eye?

Piece of Russian shrapnel.

So one day fighting for the Russians,

the next day fighting against them.

At least they trained us.

Come.

We need to start preparing.

The deserters will be here

in a matter of hours.

Please, take these instruments

inside and sterilize them.

Our job is to protect the old town.

Nobody gets past us and nobody

fires until they get the order.

Get ready. To your positions.

Hey. Skkrsh.

Now!

Mehmed.

Mehmed.

What happened?

Mehmed. Mehmed.

We have to go.

I have to fetch Nino.

We have to leave.

What? What about all the wounded?

The city's about to be destroyed.

We have to leave.

You all right?

I'm staying here with Ilyas.

You have to go with my father to Persia.

- No, I want to stay with you.

- No, you can't.

This fight isn't over yet.

I'll call the baby Ali.

This is Yahya Guli.

He will show you to your quarters.

Welcome to Persia, my lady.

I am your eunuch. Please.

Follow me, Princess.

Please.

I would think it must be very tiring

to be the only wife of a young husband.

But of course, all you have to

do when he gets too much for you

is to send him off to the dancing boys.

Has he ever given you a disease?

No.

You are very lucky with him.

Wear this.

Wear, wear.

It will protect you against any rival.

Thank you.

Any news?

What are all these?

I told you I don't want to wear a veil.

I am sorry, Princess.

I can't allow you to leave

the harem without one.

What do you mean?

I'm just going to the bazaar.

You have to wear a veil.

It is the law of the land.

I can't let you be arrested.

Arrested?

Then I'll stay in.

I'll stay in.

Please go.

Thank you.

Go. Get out.

It's been weeks

since I've heard from you, Ali.

I'm so lonely here.

Please come for me.

I'm afraid my state of mind

can't be good for the baby.

Promise you'll come as soon as you can.

- Fatali Khan.

- Ali.

- When did you get here?

- This afternoon.

The National Council

have given me a job to do.

What?

Well, it's an announcement of a new country.

Fatali Khan is here

to proclaim our independence.

This is extraordinary.

Yes!

I declare the creation

of a new sovereign nation.

It will guarantee civil and political rights

to all its citizens,

regardless of ethnic origin,

religion, class, or gender.

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

Let us pledge allegiance here and say

aloud our promise to our new country.

- Our flag is raised.

- Our flag is raised.

- And it will never fall.

- And it will never fall.

I thought I'd lost you, Ali.

I thought I'd be here

for the rest of my life.

- When can we go home?

- Not yet.

But when the baby's born,

you'll be able to leave.

I can't wait that long. I can't.

I feel like a prisoner.

I can't go out with you.

I can't receive guests.

I can't go out to Tehran because

I'm not allowed to mix with unbelievers.

Do you wonder I can't bear it here?

And I can't stand that eunuch another day.

He keeps wanting to paint my nails

and shave all the hair off my body.

I don't want to see him ever again.

And I don't want to see you either.

So please...

Please.

What's more important to you?

Your wife and child or your country?

Ali Khan.

It's a girl.

It's a girl, Father.

Next time, it will be a boy.

Hey.

She's so beautiful.

I love you.

I love you too.

Will you come and join us soon?

No. I have decided to stay here.

But what will you find to do in Tehran?

I don't know.

I will probably marry again.

You should come back

when everything falls apart in Baku.

What do you mean?

I think you know what I mean.

The war may be over,

but our troubles are only just beginning.

Have a safe journey, my son.

Good-bye, Father.

Good-bye, my son.

Make sure the rooms are allocated

as I explained to you.

Prime Minister.

We're like some blind,

helpless newborn creature

trying to swim through shark-infested waters.

Still, at least our neighbors

are respecting our independence.

What worries me, Prime Minister,

is that we are a small country,

and up there are 160 million Russians

very thirsty for oil.

You worry too much, Ali Khan.

I thought I'd make you

deputy foreign minister.

What do you think?

Thank you, Prime Minister.

I will do whatever you wish.

Good. Then that's settled.

We need to find a place to entertain

our diplomatic guests,

and I am told you're redecorating.

Yes, the palace should be ready in two weeks.

Any chance you could make that a week?

I was surprised to find

you have an opera house here.

Yes. Quite a lot of us

can read and write as well.

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