| ||||
|
KHSHAYARSHA returned a month later, full of the progress which had been made at Persepolis. He was not alone. With him were two young men of about Astur's own age.
'My Lord King,' the Queen greeted at the main gate of the Palace. 'Welcome home.' He stood before her and held her shoulders. 'It is good to be back, Astur. I have missed you.' She smiled at the compliment. 'With your permission, I have arranged a great banquet for my Lord and King.' Khshayarsha was more than a little taken aback at such an unexpected greeting. 'I would be honoured, my Queen.' He gestured towards the young men who rode on horseback behind his throne carriage. 'These are my sons, Darius and Artakhshayarsha.' Astur smiled up at them and the older one nodded slightly while the younger came as close to ignoring her as was possible. She bowed before them. 'I am honoured to welcome you to Shushan, My Lords. You will also be most welcome at my banquet.' Darius actually smiled at the invitation whereas his younger brother produced something more akin to a scowl. Khshayarsha took Astur's arm and they walked together up the marble staircase. 'I noticed that it was Megabyzus that met me on the road. I didn't like to ask but is my uncle unwell?' 'Artabanus is perfectly well, my Lord King. He has asked to see you during the banquet.' Khshayarsha was intrigued but asked no more as they went their respective ways to prepare themselves for the meal. Astur had excelled, having personally instructed the royal kitchens and staff and sent post-riders to Caspia for sturgeon's eggs and to the Plains of Sharon for fresh oranges. It was the very best meal Khshayarsha had ever tasted and he reclined alongside his Queen and sons until Artabanus strode in to beg an attendance. For a long time, the two men spoke in whispers and, occasionally, one or the other of them looked in Astur's direction. Eventually, the King called for silence. 'It has been brought to my attention what has been done in my absence and I am most distressed.' The King was looking straight at Astur as he spoke and Artabanus looked on with ill-disguised glee. Astur hung her head in shame as she felt the eyes of everyone upon her and to be brought so much embarrassment in front of the King was more than she could take. The King turned his head. 'Lord Artabanus. Go and fetch Sataspes and bring him to me.' Artabanus left, the beaming smile of vindication all over his face. The King leaned closer to Astur. 'Why?' 'Because he broke your express command and raped my Maid of Honour.' 'Where is Artaynte now? Has she recovered?' 'She is fully recovered, my Lord King.' 'Then why is she not here as she should be, to entertain her King?' 'She feels deep shame, your Majesty. Up until her rape, she had known only one man - you. She had always refused the advances of others because she valued your love and intended to keep herself pure and clean for you but, since her attack, she feels contaminated and unable to approach you.' He looked thoughtful. 'I see. So you took it upon yourself to right this wrong?' She bowed her head. 'I did, my Lord King.' 'Without my permission?' 'Yes, my Lord King.' She had failed her King and brought shame to the house of Achaemenia. 'And undermined the authority of the Commander of the Guard?' 'Yes, my Lord King.' Tears welled close to the surface as every eye in the room watched her. Artabanus re-entered with Sataspes and stood before the King. 'Well,' said Khshayarsha to the culprit. 'What have you to say for yourself?' Sataspes was clearly nervous despite his father's confidence. 'I did a serious wrong, your Majesty. I implore your forgiveness.' 'He is but a boy,' laughed the father of the young man. 'Your Queen has made a grave error in this matter.' The King was furious. 'I will be the one to decide who has made grave errors, Artabanus.' The room fell silent once more. The King stood up and faced Sataspes. 'For abusing a member of the royal household within the city limits, I hereby sentence you to...' He looked at Artabanus. 'Death by impalement.' Sataspes bowed his head and Artabanus went as white as a sheet. The King faced them. 'I will not have my authority undermined while I am away from the city. Let it be written in the laws of the Persians and Medes that, while I am absent, the Queen's word is my word. So let it be spoken and written to the length and breadth of the Empire.' He turned to Sataspes once more. 'Because you have repented of your action and the Queen has intervened in your behalf, your sentence is hereby suspended conditionally.' The young man raised his head with a quick sideways glance of thanks to Astur. 'What are the conditions, my Lord King? Speak and I will obey.' 'You are, I believe, a sailor of some prowess?' 'I am, your Majesty.' 'Very well. Tomorrow, you will march to the Nile with a chosen crew and will commandeer a suitable ship. From there, you will sail westward along the Lybian coast. I have heard that, beyond the pillars of Hercules, there is a wide ocean which borders the Land of Sands. You will follow this coast until you come to the land of Kush and then navigate the Nile Canal until you return to Egypt. Do this great act and your life is spared.' The young man was ecstatic. 'It shall be done as you command.' The King turned to the older man. 'Artabanus of the Achaemenids. For rebellion against my law and Queen I should have you banished to the Kavir. However, because of your past loyalty, I will waver the sentence and simply confirm your removal from the office of Commander of the Guard.' Artabanus looked stunned and the King's sons were clearly unhappy that their unknown step-mother had just taken precedence over their great-uncle. 'Leave me,' said the King eventually. A murmur ran through the guests as Artabanus left in shame and the King reclined once more. The Queen leant close to the King and spoke in a whisper. 'But I did not intervene in behalf of Sataspes.' 'Ah. But you were going to, weren't you?' 'Yes, I was. But how did you know?' 'I am King,' he said with mock pomposity. 'I know everything.' | ||||
 CHAPTER
FIFTEEN
| ||||
|
