Persian Nights – Chapter 21
Parisa stood in the outer chambers fiddling with her hands, nervous and slightly afraid. Tus had summoned her to Alamut, as well, and she did not know why. She had expected Astera and Nesrine to be summoned, the former because she was the queen and the later because Tus loved her, but he had no love for Parisa. Her marriage to him was only for the alliance with her father's kingdom, and nothing more. She had heard the handmaidens whisper, and knew that the King was with his first wife, "doing his duty." Nesrine was off at the temple, praying, and Parisa had been summoned to the great hall.
Faraz, the Captain of the Persian Guard, came out and nodded to her, signaling that whoever had summoned her to the great hall was ready to speak with her. Parisa took a deep breath and straightened her back, preparing for anything. She was a princess, the second wife of the king; she should start acting like it.
She entered the great hall to find Persian generals in a heated discussion with intelligence agents. Parisa may only be a woman of little education, but she recognized spies when she saw them. They were smaller than most men and had shifty eyes. She turned her attention to the twin thrones that she had heard about. Tamina was certainly lucky to have a husband like Dastan, one who viewed her as an equal and partner, something Parisa would never have.
Sitting in the regent's chair was her brother-in-law, Garsiv. The short-tempered prince rose and smiled at her. "Parisa," he spoke firmly, his eyes narrowing a bit. "Thank you for coming at such a late hour. I know you must be tired."
"I was not a sleep, Prince," she responded.
"Oh, well, just that same, I apologize," Garsiv stepped forward and placed his hands behind his back. "Tus has a task that he would like you to perform."
"A task… for me?" she blinked in shock.
"Yes," Garsiv nodded. "Princess Tamina has spoken very highly of you, and Dastan trusts her judgment greatly." He paused for a breath. "As you may know, the Byzantine princess Vigilantia is currently our… guest."
Parisa nodded. This much her handmaidens had told her. Garsiv gave a slight smile and she sensed that he liked this roman princess, but due to certain circumstances was forbidden to see her at the moment.
"You will be doing your husband, the King, a great service by seeing to her, giving her some company, talking to her," he gestured in the air. "I don't know… do what women do: gossip and such."
To speak with a princess from the west and learn of the foreign lands there was more than Parisa could have hoped. This would be a task she'd find some pleasure in. She bowed her head and smiled. "It would be my honor, Prince Garsiv."
XXX
The campfire was warm and they sat near it to ward off the cold. Tamina sat close to Dastan and watched as he fiddled around with the medallion in his hands. His eyes narrowed as he thought, glaring hard at the metal in his hand. She gently rubbed the back of his neck as his brow lowered and his eyebrows knitted together, as if he was angry.
Amar came over and slumped over by them. His devious eyes looked over at them and he gestured to the medallion.
"Whose sigil did you say that was?" the Sheik inquired, looking at the gold medallion with greedy eyes.
"The Warlord Kosh," Dastan replied.
"You mean that southern warlord?" Amar asked cautiously, paling a little.
Dastan nodded. "The same. He's been raiding the south of Persia for quite some time. In fact, we had been on our way to parlay with him when Nizam misled us into attacking Alamut." He tossed the medallion on the ground. "After which, he thought Kosh had agreed to a truce, but apparently he as begun his raids again."
Amar quickly grabbed the gold medallion. "Well, this gold can be put to good use. I'm going to need compensation for the men I lost in that attack earlier."
"What are you talking about?" Dastan laughed. "The only men that died were Kosh's marauders."
Amar narrowed his eyes and winked one eye. "No harm in being prepared, eh, Persian?" he tucked the medallion into his robes and it disappeared, no doubt never to be seen again.
"You really do love your gold, don't you, noble Sheik?" Tamina said, smiling.
"Gold is the only thing that all men seem to agree upon, my dear princess," Amar smirked, mischief in his eyes as he pushed himself up to waddle over to his men.
Dastan inhaled deeply and slumped his shoulders. "I don't think you should have come, Tamina," he said slowly.
"Why?" she raised an eyebrow. "Because Kosh is on the rise. Surely the Lion of Persia can handle a warlord like Kosh."
"Kosh is not just any warlord, Tamina," Dastan sighed.
"I know," Tamina said nodding. "He's the most powerful of the warlord in the entire region, and his loyalties towards the Persia shift like the faces of the moon."
"It's more than that, princess," Dastan exhaled and looked over at her with his blue eyes. "Kosh was not always a problem. When his father, Lord Havaar, was alive, Kosh even served in the Persian army. He rose quickly and was even one of Tus's most trusted officers. When Havaar died he turned against us, and made a demand… one that my father would not yield to."
"What demand?" Tamina asked, scooting closer to him.
"He wanted his sister back," Dastan said.
"His sister?" she furrowed her brow, confused to his meaning.
"Yes," Dastan nodded. "Lord Havaar gave his eldest daughter to us in an alliance of marriage."
"One of Tus's wives," Tamina said. "Which one?"
Dastan sighed deeply. "Our newly made queen."
"Astera!" Tamina nearly shouted, then covered her mouth, when the others looked up to see what was going on. She lowered her voiced and mouthed the woman's name, shocked and stunned.
"I know," Dastan replied, shrugging. "I feel sorry for Tus. But with this knew development… I think I'm beginning to suspect what Kosh is really after."
Tamina gave a nod. "He wants the Persian throne," she said, reading his mind. "If Tus should get Astera with child, Kosh would have a blood link. He could then kill Tus and rule as regent… practically the king."
Dastan nodded. "And I suspect that Astera may be in on it."
"You do?" Tamina narrowed her eyes. She had to admit, she had no love for Astera, but she could not imagine the woman being capable of such treachery. "What are you going to do?"
"We're going to go back to Alamut," Dastan said, looking into the fire. "I think it's very clear where Ambassador Aulus has fled, and we're not going to be able to get at him alone… even with our present company. We'll need the full might of the Persian army."
Tamina leaned her head against his shoulder. "What we need is the Hand of the Gods, my Lion," she glanced up at him. "Perhaps we should visit the Hourglass of Time when we return."
Dastan visibly shuddered. "We don't need the gods to stop this, Tamina," he said. "With all the might of the Empire behind us, no divine assistance will be necessary."
XXX
Aulus woke to the sound of hissing. His eyes flirted over the bed to the carpeted floors. The sides of the rich cloth tent swayed in the night wind, and he pulled himself up, shifting out of the arms of the harem girl Kosh had loaned him for the evening. Slowly pulling on his long tunic, Aulus slithered out of bed. He lifted the curtain and ducked outside.
"Roman has bad tastes in friends," came the soft voice of the Hassassin.
Aulus turned to see the dark cowled figure standing to his left. He placed his hand over his heart, trying to stay its rapid palpitations. The man's snake was slithering around his shoulders, its forked tongue flicking out as its golden eyes watched him.
"What do you mean?" Aulus demanded, after he had regained his composure.
The Hassassin knelt and picked up a fist full of sand, standing and letting it slip from his fingers. "Like the sand falling, so does life," the man purred, his dull, drugged, eyes sleepily looking out at him. "When the sands run out, death awaits."
"Are you threatening me?" snarled Aulus.
"Make no threats I do," the Hassassin smirked. "I merely bring a warning." He narrowed his eyes and his smirk widened. "This fulfills the debt we owed you for your hospitality, Roman. If you call upon us again, be prepared with necessary funds."
"Why, I never!" huffed Aulus. He blinked and when he opened his eyes, the hooded figure was gone. He stamped his foot in the sand and looked around for the patrolling guards in Kosh's encampment. Why had none of them seen the Hassassin's approach? Growling in irritation, Aulus went back into the tent and woke the harem girl for some much needed distraction.
XXX
Parisa approached the doors nervously. She had been informed the roman princess was still awake, reading from some scrolls in the library. She was glad to be back in Alamut, and had hoped to find the High Priestess here, but apparently she had gone out with Prince Dastan in search of the Ambassador from the Byzantine Empire.
She cautiously poked her head through the door and saw the beautiful westerner seated underneath a burning oil lamp, reading. Parisa stepped forward and lightly cleared her throat.
The roman princess looked up and smiled. "A friendly face," she beamed. "You must be Parisa."
Parisa raised her eyebrows, surprised. "Yes, I am… how—"
"Garsiv told me he would find someone for me to talk with," Vigilantia replied. "In letter, of course. Under the present circumstances he cannot see me in person."
Parisa arrived at the table where Vigilantia was seated and sat down next to her, folding her hands in her lap. "You were to be Garsiv's wife?" Parisa asked.
"Yes," Vigilantia nodded. "And I still might be. It all seems to rest on what Ambassador Aulus has been up to. My brother would never have assassins sent to kill King Sharaman. Never. He wants to end the conflict with Persia, so that both kingdoms can prosper in peace."
"A noble goal," Parisa replied.
"What about you, Parisa? How has your marriage to King Tus been?" Vigilantia asked, obviously unaware of how things were between the three wives to Tus.
"I am his second wife and least favorite," she answered, meekly. "My father, the noble Sheik Sirdar is old and ailing, and has no sons. So he sought to protect our people and me by allying our small kingdom with Persia through marriage. When my father dies, all of our lands and people will become subject to the Persian crown."
"Does your husband, the King, not share any interests with you?" Vigilantia asked, giving Parisa a sympathetic smile.
"Prayer is the only thing that we seem to have in common," Parisa replied, sorrowfully. "His heart lies with Nesrine. Out of all three of us, she is the one who sees him the most. Astera gets one night a month because of duty, and Nesrine gets the rest. I have none."
"I'm sorry," Vigilantia reached out and gave her a comforting pat on the arm.
Parisa took a deep breath and forced a smile. "No, I am sorry, I am pouring all my problems onto you, when you have problems enough of your own."
"I have faith my part in this will be absolved," Vigilantia said. "The Lord knows I came to Alamut for peace, not to create a war."
"You are a… I'm sorry, what do you call yourselves?" Parisa asked.
"Christians," Vigilantia replied. "We are followers of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and his holy Father."
"The Creator?" Parisa inquired, unsure of the religion of the Romans.
"Yes," Vigilantia replied. "The All Mighty knows all and He knows I am innocent of any sins."
Parisa nodded, feeling uncomfortable taking about gods she knew nothing about. The beautiful roman princess seemed to sense her unease and changed the topic. "Have you heard the legends of Alexander the Great?"
Parisa shook her head. "I have heard the name, but nothing of the legends surrounding him," she said. "All I know is that he was a great conqueror."
Vigilantia smiled, and scooted over to her, holding up the scroll.
"Why don't we read about him together," she said, raising an eyebrow. "It will do good for us to lose ourselves in history and forget the troubles of present."
Parisa felt herself genuinely smile for the first time that she could remember. "I would like that."
XXX
"Done so soon, Tus?" Astera called after him, as he sat up from the bed and pulled his robe on.
"I have done my duty, Astera," he said, standing. "It says nothing about cuddling with you afterwards."
Astera ran her hands down her legs. "You will need to lay with me many more times, my husband, until you get me with child," she said. "Or is your brother Dastan the true buck of the Persian Empire."
Tus lowered his brow and glared at his queen. "Why don't you return to your brother, as he has requested?"
"My place is by your side, my husband," Astera purred, running her tongue across her lip suggestively. "I am your first wife, your queen. You took my maidenhood and I made you wise to the ways of the world."
Tus huffed. "You were not my first, woman!" he growled as he tied the string around his waist, covering himself.
Astera sat up and made no moved to cover her exquisite form. Her copper skin glistened with sweat. Her stunning blue eyes glared out at him. "When you came to our wedding bed, husband, I was the one who had to tell you what to do!"
Tus clenched his jaw, resisting the urge to strike her. Despite how he felt about her, she was the only thing that guaranteed the loyalty of the southern tribes. Her brother had been stayed after Nizam's death, and had halted his raids, but if something were to happen to his little sister, Tus knew that the Warlord Kosh would raise a deadly sandstorm across the lands.
"Come back to bed, husband!" she snapped. "Prove to me that Dastan is not the only lion Persia has to offer."
He growled and flung his robes off and pushed her to the bed. "If it were not for your brother, I would have terminated our marriage a long time ago," Tus said. "But be mindful, Astera. If Kosh dies, I will no longer have to fear his retribution. Then this…" he gestured to their bed. "This will be nothing. It will be dissolved and you can go back to your tribes and find a goat herder to who would be willing to marry you."
"I am a queen," Astera said. "Crowned by the High Priests of Nasaf. Even if you wanted too, you can no longer get rid of me that easily." She shifted under him and positioned her hips. "Now, close your eyes, my husband, and think of your Nesrine… and give me a son!"