GRADUALLY, order in the room returned to normal as Harbona returned from having completed his duty. Behind him, Marduka arrived, dressed in the clothes which Haman had used to display him to the city. He bowed low before the King.
The King stood up once more. 'Marduka, son of Jair, you have served me well. From now on, you shall have the house and position of Haman at the Queen's bequest. I need someone I can trust as Prime Minister and I believe that you are that man.'
Harbona placed an object in Mordecai's palm. 'Take this seal-ring. Whatever you command shall be the word of the King and Ahura-Mazda.'
'It is a great honour,' said Mordecai as Astur slipped her arm through his.
'With you two beside me,' smiled Khshayarsha. 'It is I who am honoured. In the history of the Persians and Medes, none have served their king with greater loyalty.'
'It is our duty,' said Mordecai. 'Our God has decreed that, one day, we will again have a Kingdom of our own. But until then, we shall all continue to serve you faithfully.'
'If we live,' said Astur quietly.
'Yes,' said Khshayarsha thoughtfully. 'We must find a way to overcome the law I was tricked into passing.'
'With respect, my Lord King,' spoke up Harbona. 'Much as it grieves me to say so, the law is unchangeable and, therefore, cannot be reversed.'
'Maybe not,' said the King thoughtfully, 'but perhaps there is another way. Marduka, can your people fight?'
'If they have to, your Majesty. They would not use arms against you, but self-defence would be a different matter.'
'Very well. Put through an order in my name that, on the day decreed by Haman, the Jews are permitted to defend themselves by whatever means are necessary. Instruct all the Princes and Satraps throughout the Empire to give your people any assistance that is needed.' He smiled. 'I would suggest you use Haman's gold reserves to buy-off any reluctant ones. Any plunder in the process will become yours, of course.' He smiled to his Queen and new Prime Minister. 'May your God go with you.'
THE next day, the scribes were busy again. In every language of the day, they copied out Marduka's carefully-worded decree and each document was sealed with the King's own seal-ring and issued to post-carriers to go to the length and breadth of the realm. Great consternation arose over some of the wording and Marduka continued to explain and clarify over the next few weeks as the ferocious summer heat forced the Court to retire to Ecbatana in the mountains.
A new kind of relationship had developed between Astur and Khshayarsha. This time, they went to the summer capital together and the Queen was shown the great palaces of the Zagros. The couple were virtually inseparable as all day-to-day matters were left to Mordecai and the other Princes. Only the really important issues of state were brought to the King's attention.
'Why did your cousin not insist on Haman's sons being executed?' the King asked one day as they strolled through the palace gardens. 'I have to say, if I had been Marduka, I would have had them all hung, their women ritually desecrated, and the children sold into slavery in Anatolia or somewhere equally remote.'
Astur bowed her head. 'Marduka acted at my request, my Lord King.'
Khshayarsha turned to face her. 'But they had not only encouraged their father in the dirty deed, they had actually killed your mother and father.'
'They had, I agree. But my memory tells me that there were also one or two who objected. If Marduka had had them all killed, the possibly innocent would have died with the guilty. Now, we shall leave the matter until we return to Shushan. Whichever of Haman's sons refuses to honour your counter-decree and insists on still attacking my people shows himself to be a rebel against your law. Then, he will surely deserve to die.'
Khshayarsha smiled. 'You've got it all worked out in your clever little mind, haven't you? I'm glad you are on my side.'
'I always will be, my husband. You are a wise ruler and your word can be trusted.' She changed the subject. 'Any news of Themistocles?'
'Yes. He has written only this week, requesting a year or so to learn the Persian language before coming to Elam.'
'A year will not make a lot of difference, will it?'
'Certainly not. Although, I admit, I am not entirely convinced that a further full-scale invasion of Greece is what I want right now. I am so happy to just be here with you and my loyal people. For the first time in decades, the whole Empire is at peace. War is an expensive business and wealth can be utilised for better purposes.'
'There are many who would disagree with you on that matter.'
'You are right, my dear. Megabyzus for one. It seems he is not happy unless he is suppressing some revolt or other. If I do not watch him carefully, I would not put it past him to start a revolt just so he can go and put it down again.'
Astur smiled. 'Surely he is not that bad.'
'He is not bad, Astur - simply young, inexperienced and headstrong. He thinks with his sword-arm instead of his head.'
Astur threw her head back and laughed aloud.
'It is good to hear such laughter. So many times, courtiers laugh to please me and I know they do not mean it but are simply afraid to disappoint me. I admit, at times, I would rather they be honest and genuine like yourself.'
'My Lord King,' said Astur, gripping his arm. 'You must be the wisest king who has ever ruled Persia.'
'Not the world?'
Astur hesitated. 'Israel did have a good King once. His name was Solomon and his God asked him what he needed to rule his kingdom, thinking he would ask for riches or glory. However, he asked for wisdom instead and it was granted him. King Solomon has written thousands of proverbs which are still quoted by wise men, even here in Persia.'
'Is there a way I could be as wise as this King?'
'You already have great wisdom, my Lord. You also have something else.'
'And that is?'
'You have the power to apply the wisdom in a far greater way than Solomon ever had. You are King from India to Ethiopia. Prince Darius will have a lot to live up to.'
'Darius has empathy for people. I wonder sometimes if he will not be too soft.'
They walked through the archway into the great walled garden. 'If used well, a certain amount of leniency can go a long way.'
'Like you with Haman's sons?' said the King. He plucked the head from a flower in bloom and placed it in Astur's hair before continuing along the side of the ornamental lake.
'Exactly. Give them enough rope and they will hang themselves upon it.'
'Are you not worried about what will happen on the day Haman decreed by lot?'
'Not at all, my Lord King. I have every confidence that my people have the strength to defend themselves.'
'Some of my Princes are wondering if I have not given your people too much freedom by the counter-decree.'
Astur stopped suddenly. 'What do they fear?'
'That the Jews will unite and overthrow the Empire or at least part of it. They might try to say it is the arrival of this Kingdom of which you spoke earlier.'
Astur shook her head. 'They will not do that.'
Khshayarsha frowned. 'How can you be so sure?'
'Because it is not yet the time for this kingdom. Anyway, Marduka and I have written to the Jews forbidding any kind of rebellion.'
'Ah. But will they take notice of the Queen of the Persians?'
Astur's eyes flashed in the sunlight. 'They had better.'
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CHAPTER
TWENTY-FOUR
