AN: Hmmm, I'm sorry that the preview was so confusing. I truly didn't mean for it to be that difficult to understand. So, I decided to post this chapter earlier. I have a few things to say about it before I begin. First, I have named it an Interlude and not a chapter because it is not told by Eleni's point of view. That being said, I wasn't sure if I wanted to have other points of view in this story, but soon realized there were times that I did want to use it. Those times (which will be few) will be marked as Interludes with the Point of view following. I hope that is easy enough to understand.
Secondly, I wonder sometimes if this is getting through, but I will keep saying it. This is an alternate reality story. While events are based (the major structure and theme) on Ester, the story itself is not her own. I did this for several reason. Some very lazy others not so much. First, I do not claim to be an expert in customs of Israelites or of Persian palace rules. I honestly didn't want that to overshadow the point of the book, though it seems it has. I created the alternate reality so that the focus was more on the characters themselves than the historical accuracy. (And also, I don't have time to become the expert needed to do it correctly) The other reason is that this is not I repeat not truth. This story is entirely fiction. I have no idea what Ester's life was like in the palace (granted it was probably not very close to some of my descriptions) and I am definitely not the original author. I chose to create my own version to show a more human side to Ester and highlight the courage and strength she must have had, but I cannot guarantee that I am accurate in her emotions or how she even acted. I knew very little about Ester the woman. As such, my character is not Ester, but Eleni. While similar (at least I hope) these two individuals are different. By making this an alternate reality, I hoped to show that distinction.
Wow, I know that was much more than you needed, but hey. I feel better! I bet most of you skipped over it anyway. So on with it then.
Disclaimer: This story is based on the book of Ester located in the Old Testament of the Bible. As such, any themes, characters, or plot that overlaps is not of my own creation.
Interlude
With the King
I sighed and shifted on my large empty bed trying to untangle the sheet that had somehow managed to wrap around my legs the past night. It had been a long time since I had known the comforts of my palace. Even though my quarters in the west were much more enjoyable than an average soldier's, nothing could beat the feel of this bedroom.
Except the warmth of a woman…
I sighed again. The only woman I wanted in my bed was the only one I could never again have. Why had she been so foolish?! I would not have put her on display; I just wanted her company that night. She should have known me better than that. After all she had given birth to my only two heirs.
Yet, she had to be the foolish woman she always had been. And I had been forced to punish her because of it. Granted, I would have anyway. Just perhaps not as harshly as she forced me too. Had she no mind? Deep seeded frustration forced a sharp breath from my lungs. She should have known what would have happened to her when she refused me - at the royal banquet no less.
She had poisoned me. I was sure of it now. I had wanted no other comfort save her own since she had been thrown from the palace for her disrespect. That wasn't how it was to work. I am the King! I am to bring as many heirs into existence as possible. Yet, after her, I found no comfort in the pleasures of other women. I found none could match her.
She was not named Calista for nothing. She was truly the most beautiful women in existence. And now I could never have her again.
War had kept me busy. The frontier efforts were stalling in the west. The Graycans were much better than I had anticipated. Their strong naval force was effectively blocking our continued expansion into their territory.
I frowned to myself.
We were wasting men and money trying to continue expanding there. Yet, the warrior in me refused to give up such prime land. The land boasted not only fertile soil from the many rivers crisscrossing its land but strong trading ties with many major regions across the great sea. I itched to see it under my influence. It would be the best achievement of my reign. I knew that, yet I also knew that right now it was impossible.
I had gone to see for myself how the war effort was fairing. Any hopes that had been lingering inside of me had been crushed back firmly. No, it was not going as planned at all. I hated to say it, but the Graycan's were too strong. We would have to fortify our position and bide our time.
I hated waiting.
Not only did I have a stalling military campaign, I now had to deal with another problem. The one that only made my thoughts return to my former wife.
I was in need of a queen.
My advisors had wasted no time in reminding me of my obligations upon my return. They were such annoyances at times. I was extremely uneasy with this whole plan to find my new wife, even if I had approved it.
There were too many ways it could backfire. For one, they could all be ugly. I snorted. No, that would defiantly not be the case. I knew that there were a few of them worth a second glance. I had already seen them once before. Yet, I could not remember any of their faces. A year of absence could do that to even the best of minds.
Secondly, I was certain that some of the nobility would be thrusting their daughters at me in order to gain some sort of influence over me. I already knew that was the case in the Youdiem clan. Yes, they had already informed me (several times) that their precious daughter, Tara, was one of my Chosen women. They certainly were bold when they named her. They must think me a fool to believe they could influence me with a mere woman.
The only woman who could have done that was Calista.
Great now I was thinking about her again. I rolled out of bed and went to the window to try and rid my head of her memory. I had thought it would be far easier than this. I looked out the window to see the morning sun rising slowly from behind the buildings of the capital. Bright streaks of color were searing through the dark of night bringing forth a new day.
I need a drink.
I had had too much spirited drink for it to impair me now. It was almost essential to Killertian society. I found it much like water, only more pleasant. Boy could I use one now.
I did not shift as one of my servants entered with my daily morning fruit. It was only when he left that I looked down to see a glass of my favorite drink. I smirked. They knew me well.
Not long after there was a knock on my door. I was sitting eating my breakfast. I frowned. I was not expecting anyone this morning.
"Enter."
The door slid open soundlessly. My inner servant bowed before speaking.
"King Tyrone, your advisors wish to speak with you. Shall I allow them entrance? They say they have urgent news."
My frown deepened. My advisors knew better than to interrupt me in the morning. Something must have happened. I nodded to the servant and he left quickly.
I had no time to ponder his words before my chamber was filled with three of my closest advisors as well as the head of my guard.
"What brings you here so early this morning?" I asked them all.
Marco looked to the others for permission before speaking to me.
"Belen brings news from the forests."
"The forests?" I questioned. "Explain."
He hesitated only a second longer before explaining.
"He says that Napoleon is coming."
"Belen's prince?"
"Yes, Highness. The current Prince of the Serh."
"What business does he have with me? The treaty is still in tact. We have not attacked them. They have been paying the tribute have they not?"
I looked away from my body guard to face the three advisors before me. It was Vernados that I expected to answer. He was most capable when it came to militarist affairs. But I was surprised when Sofronio spoke.
"He claims that you have taken his bride from him."
"What is the meaning of this?" My patience almost completely gone now. My mind had once again wandered at the mention of bride.
"He believes that one of your harem girls is none other than his betrothed wife, Xyleena." Ektoras explained. I looked to him confused. I kept him for his blunt nature. It was refreshing at times, but now I did not understand. "He seeks revenge."
"Is this claim true?" I asked.
Sofronio nodded gravely. "We have checked with Xylon. He believes that it is."
"Bring him to me as well as this girl."
Marco nodded and left to fulfill my request.
I sat back in my chair. This was not something that I wanted to deal with right now. Napoleon was a good leader; he had my respect. His people were strong. I did not need him acting up. I was confident that I could suppress any rebellion that he formed, but I did not need to spread my men between two formidable opposing forces. I needed them concentrated on the Graycans right now.
"How long until he arrives?" I questioned my remaining servants.
"Two weeks at the longest. He seems to be in quite a hurry. Belen is going out to meet him. Though, I'm not sure of what he can accomplish. He did turn his back of the Serh to follow you, King Tyrone." Vernados explained.
I sighed again. This was going to be the longest day in existence. Belen was also a member of my personal guard. Though he was not Killertian. He was a Serh warrior and extremely skilled with the bow. I do not know why he decided he wanted to protect me. But, he made the decision to fight on the Killertian side when we fought against the Serh. He was crucial in our defeat of them.
"Are you prepared for tonight, Milord?" Sofronio asked.
I glared at him for a moment. He smiled serenely. Yes, he did already know the answer to that question.
"No, I cannot believe I let you talk me in to the ridiculous plan. I have much more important things to deal with. Like Napoleon."
Ektoras grinned. "Perhaps a women would do you good, Sire. Relieve some tensions?"
I glared at him again as Vernados and Sofronio chuckled.
"Don't make me hurt you Ektoras." I warned.
He merely grinned again knowing he had gotten a rise out of me. He had been my advisor since we were both young. All three of them had. It did not bother me to have them treat me more as a friend than a king. After all, someone had to keep me sane. It certainly wasn't going to be a woman.
"Milord, I have heard some strange rumors floating around about those Chosen Virgins of yours." Vernados began.
I merely raised an eyebrow. What could have been going on in the palace in my absence?
Sofronio smiled serenely. "Xylon has taken to hiding from them. It makes life most difficult when I am in need of him."
"Xylon's hiding again?" I questioned.
"It seems that some of the new girls are as demanding as Calista was. I can only imagine how hard it must be for him to have to deal with more than one of her." Ektoras added.
A vein throbbed in my head. Did they honestly have to revolve everything around her? Of course, they didn't realize how much her name affected me, but still.
"She was quite difficult." Sofronio conceded.
"I remember the time she almost killed Lady Stella with one of her own cutting shears."
I frowned. Yes, I remembered that too. She had been very upset with Stella's decision to cover her body in more fabric. It had been a very long day between trying to convince Stella not to kill my wife for refusing her designs and trying to stop my wife from destroying all of Stella's designs and fabrics. She could be such a pain when her temper flared. It was not appropriate behavior for a queen.
"So what did the new girls do to make him hide?" I asked. Now I was curious. Could they all have tempers as great as Calista's had been? I hoped not. I didn't need to deal with that.
"One of them started shouting to Xylon at the top of her lungs just outside the harem walls."
Sofronio nodded solemnly.
"Yes, I saw her. She almost looked crazed." Vernados said.
A knock sounded on the inner door before I could comment on the mental health of a potential bride.
"Come." I said.
The door opened quickly and in strode four people. It surprised me to see who was in front. It was obviously a Serh woman. I knew of no other tribe who allowed women the freedom that the dark skinned Serh did. Her feline lope looked like it could quickly change into a fighting stance. She seemed on edge. Much more warrior than woman.
Next to her striding just as quickly was Xylon. His hair streaming behind him. A frown set on his face. It did not suit him at all. Trailing a step behind them was Marco.
My frantic inner servant was struggling behind them to try and get in front to formally introduce them. I waved him off. He seemed much appreciated to leave the room closing the doors as he left.
The woman stood very tall and seemed to radiate suppressed rage. I take that back. It was defiantly not suppressed. It was blatant rage.
"Finally." She hissed out. "Does it take a year to gain audience with such a busy man as yourself, oh great ruler of the plains?"
"War makes a man busy." I replied. I had encountered enough Serh women to not be taken aback by her forward, harsh tongue.
Her eyes narrowed to slits. "I am Xyleena, of the forest. I am the betrothed of Napoleon the bear of the forest, our Prince."
I nodded. I could easily see this truth. She would fit him well.
"You will release me from your filthy harem. Then, I will be taken back to my forest." She glared at me.
"I do apologize for your accommodations during your stay. Yes, you will be released and given a proper room. However, there is no reason for you to leave. Napoleon is coming here to get you himself."
She looked taken aback for only a moment before it was gone, replaced by her mask of hate. But I was not entirely unobservant. I would not have lived as long as I had if I was. I caught the glimmer and it made me wonder.
Had she thought I would throw her in a cell? That I would be so easily offended by her tongue? Or did she not believe that Napoleon would come for her? Perhaps after a year, she felt he had forgotten her. I knew Napoleon very little, but even I knew of his possessive nature. He would take back what was his. Of that I had no doubts. I bore him no ill will as long as he paid his tribute. I felt no need to keep her from him.
"Very well." She conceded.
"You may leave." I told her.
She hissed one final time, and then quickly walked back the way she came. I turned to Xylon.
"Was she one of the Chosen that you loved to hide from?" I questioned Xylon with a barely suppressed sigh.
The smile that slid on his face also brought back his buoyant energy.
"I guess now the Chosen are down to three." He said.
"Are they all that bad?" Ektoras asked with a grimace.
I knew his preference fell towards Killertian women over foreign.
"Hmmmm" Xylon mused. "Perhaps not them all." He said with a mischievous glint in his eye. Sometimes he acted half his age. Or more like he always acted that way.
"Xylon, are they all prepared?" Sofronio questioned the harem keeper.
"Yes, they are each purified. We can begin sending them to you tonight after the feast."
I nodded in defeat. There was no way I could escape.
"What happens if I dislike them all?" I asked hopelessly.
"Surely one will peak you interest." Xylon sing-songed.
I shot him a look that clearly told him how much I disliked his singing. He merely smiled.
"Has one struck you, Xylon?" Ektoras asked.
Xylon let out an obviously exaggerated gasp. "You know I do not think such thoughts about women. I am a Chosen Man. The King is the only one I serve."
Ektoras chuckled. Sofronio was studding Xylon silently.
"Does one at least not make you run in fear?" Vernados rephrased Ektoras question.
Xylon's sly smile reappeared. "Maybe"
Even Sofronio's eyes widened at that confession. It was known to us how much Xylon disliked handling the whims and wishes of the harem. He was the perfect man for the job, but he would never have admitted to enjoying it. Because he didn't. For him to genuinely like one, for it not to be fake, one of them must be a gem.
"My." Sofronio let out.
"Want to give me a clue to the diamond among the rocks?" I asked him.
"Your children know her better than I do." He said.
"My children?" My heart sped up. What was this woman doing to my children?
"Calm down, Majesty." Xylon said quickly. "She does them no harm."
I relaxed my tensed muscles just a touch.
"She visits them?" Sofronio asked.
Ektoras snorted. "Probably hoping it will gain her favor with the king. Yeh?"
Xylon shrugged. "No one else has ever tried. I think Basil would be very hard to fool."
"Does Basil approve of her?" I questioned. Basil was more solemn than his sister. Harder to please and harder to fool. He would become a great leader. Of that I was certain.
"Perhaps, Highness, you should ask him yourself."
I put my head in my hands. "Yes, I do need to see them." What else did they want to pile onto me today?
Ektoras smirked. "You have fun."
***
"DADDY!" I heard her shout as a blur of blond hair collided with my legs.
"Hello, Gala." I looked down at her to see the ecstatic smile vanish from her face to be replaced with a frown.
"You're late." She huffed. Her green eyes boring into my own. My heart panged guiltily. I had been gone too long.
"Am I?" I replied.
She nodded her head up and down quickly. "Yes, yes you are!"
I bent down so that I was level with her. I smiled as her bottom lip jutted out.
"I'm sorry for making you wait." I ruffled her hair.
"Daddy." She complained. "I'm a big girl now. You don't do that to big girls." Oh how she wished to be grown up. "Just don't do it again, k?"
I nodded knowing that was a promise I was never going to keep. She however fully accepted my response and flung her arms around my head, giggling all the while.
I held her for a moment or too longer then released her. The pleasure of holding my little angel had seemed only to grow stronger with a year's absence.
"Have you been having fun while I was gone?"
Her eyes widened. It almost appeared as if she had just remembered something important. I guess that some things had not changed in my absence.
"Oh! Daddy! Guess what! I made a new friend. Well, really more like a couple, but! Oh Daddy she's so nice, and she loves to play with me, and Basil doesn't yell at me when she's here, even Liki likes it when she comes here. Oh we had the bestest time the other day…" She continued telling me all about the amazing adventure she had, but I tuned her out. She could continue all day if I let her.
I turned my attention instead to the tree on the far side of the courtyard where Basil and 'Liki', Angeliki as everyone else called her, sat. Basil was looking up from a very large book. It was always a wonder to me how he enjoyed reading the scrolls of the kings. Yet, he almost drank them in.
At the moment though, his eyes were focused entirely on me. His deep azure eyes seemed for once to mirror the young boy he was. They were filled with childlike happiness. He too had missed me.
I felt a tugging at my sleeve. I looked down at my frowning daughter. "Daddy, are you listening?"
"Of course I was, little princess. It sounded like quite the adventure."
She nodded. "It was!"
"Father." I heard from just above me.
I turned around to find Basil standing very close in front of me. He seemed almost lost between acting like an adult and jumping into my arms. Wavering between being grownup and giving into his emotions. "Welcome home, Father." He said as his arms gripped me tightly. I smiled into his neck. The thrill of his embrace chastised me again for my absence. I wished that my duties allowed me more time at home, but recently that had not been the case. I missed my almost grownup son.
"It's good to be home, son." I said as I released him.
"Hey, Basil! Did you tell Daddy about Eleni yet?"
He turned toward his sister with a frown on his face. Apparently, they got along as poorly as before I though with a grin.
"I already told you that I wasn't going to tell him about her."
"Please!"
"Who is Eleni?" I questioned though I had a good idea as to who it might be. It was better to stop them before they got started.
"No one, Father." Basil replied.
"BASIL!" Gala fumed. "Eleni is our friend. She should meet Daddy."
Basil shot her another annoyed expression. "He will meet her soon enough. Besides, he isn't supposed to have any favorites. You know that."
"But-"
"No."
"Please!"
"NO! Gala, leave me alone." Basil said he turned back towards the tree. His book tucked neatly under his arm.
"Not until you tell Daddy." She said as she grabbed for his book.
"Hey!" Basil exclaimed as he started running after his younger sister who was holding his prized literature. "Give that back!"
"NO!" She yelled as she weaved between the watching servants.
I sighed and smiled giving up. I shouldn't have even tired to stop it. They seemed to thrive off their mischief towards each other. Truly, I did not mind it. They filled up an emptiness inside of me. It helped to mend the pieces left by their irresponsible mother. I did not regret that Gala so resembled her mother because she was so much her own bundle of energy. It was hard to express how much that child meant to me. So, I just used common words like love.
Basil too held a deep place inside me as both my son and firstborn. Even at a young age he had shown the maturity and cunning of a King. He would take my crown. He knew this. He was already preparing. It made me almost burst with pride that he was my son.
I turned to Angeliki who had gotten to her feet. She bowed in greeting and respect.
"King Tyrone, It is a pleasure to see you."
I smiled at her. But I was not in the mood for idle chat today.
"Who is Eleni?"
I saw the hesitation in her eyes. But was unable to figure out what it meant.
"She is one of your Chosen Virgins, King." Angeliki said.
"Why does she come here?" I questioned.
"She comes to visit the children and me as well. I, I knew Eleni personally before her admittance into the palace."
I raised an eye at that. So she knew Angeliki. And Xylon had been singing her praises in his own way.
"What do you think of her?" I asked.
I soft smile graced her lips. "Your Highness, if I may be so bold, I believe that would be unfair to her and the other contestants."
I sighed and nodded. I had expected as much. But the way Angeliki spoke, the tone she used, left no doubt in my mind that she deeply respected this Eleni woman.
I guess I will find out soon enough…
"Daddy! Basil made me fall down."
"I did not!" He replied fiercely.
Such a long day.
I sighed again.
So, there you go. I would love to hear feed back. Even, yes, even those how have questions about my accuracy and such. I actually have learned quite a bit about history through your comments. So, please review and let me know what you think. I'm not going to include a preview since the last one was pathetic, but if you really want them, I can see reason, just let me know. Thanks. TG
