"Lee Edgar - Princess 01 - Queen of The Persians" - читать интересную книгу автора (Edgar Lee)

тАШThen they will be my advisors in Shushan.тАЩ
тАШBy the law of the Achaemenids, you will need seven.тАЩ
тАШYou, my friend, will lead them as my Chief Advisor, my Prime Minister.тАЩ
Haman bowed to hide his sly smile of triumph. тАШI am honoured, Sire. What of Hegai?тАЩ
тАШHegai is no longer eunuch of the concubines. I shall give that position to Sha-ashgaz. For his bravery today,
Hegai shall become eunuch only to the Queen and her daughters.тАЩ
Haman bowed. тАШIt shall be as you have spoken, my Lord King.тАЩ
The King left and Haman and his assistants continued to minister to the girl as she lay on the couch. Outside, the
hustle and bustle of an army getting ready to march sounded across the narrow valley.
In the midst of the preparations, several riders drew up and prostrated themselves before Khshayarsha. тАШWe have
found the remains of a wagon on the road from Babylon, my Lord King. It has been recently burned by fire and there
are two bodies inside it.тАЩ
The KingтАЩs heart grew sad. тАШThe childтАЩs parents perhaps?тАЩ
The Captain nodded. тАШI fear so, Sire. The man looked as if he had been struck down with a sword but the
woman...тАЩ
тАШGo on, man.тАЩ
тАШShe... she had been tied for rape.тАЩ
The KingтАЩs anger flared. тАШWho would do such a thing?тАЩ
The Captain looked down. тАШI can vouch for my men, Sire. Not one of them would do such a thing in peace time.тАЩ
тАШI need to know,тАЩ roared the King. He called for the Commander of the Armies. тАШArtabanus, investigate this matter
fully. I will not rest until the perpetrators of this evil crime are brought to justice.тАЩ He turned to Haman. тАШLet it this day
be written into the law of the Persians and Medes. Whoever did this foul deed shall pay by being dismembered and
his house will become a public privy. From now on rape within the city limits or even outside in peacetime is
punishable by death.тАЩ
тАШSire, by Achaemenid tradition, once a law has been written it cannot be changed.тАЩ
The King turned on his Chief Advisor. тАШYou would presume to change my law?тАЩ
Haman drew himself erect. тАШNever, Highness. You are the Ahasuerus, King of Kings. Your word is the word of
Lord Ahura-Mazda.тАЩ
The King relaxed. тАШI confess I am upset over this matter.тАЩ
тАШMy Lord King,тАЩ soothed the Magi. тАШI feel as you do.тАЩ
Khshayarsha glanced down at the prone form in front of him. тАШIf I had the guilty ones before me now, I would give
them to Hegai who, I am sure, would tear them apart with his bare hands.тАЩ

THE royal city of Shushan was full of sound. A public holiday had been declared for the arrival of the King from
Babylon and everyone was in the streets to welcome him. The already-present Queen, on the other hand, had a
headache.
тАШI do wish those people wouldnтАЩt make such a noise,тАЩ she sighed. тАШCan we not keep them quiet?тАЩ
тАШI fear not, Queen Amestris,тАЩ replied her young Maid-of-Honour. тАШYour husband the King is due into the city at any
moment.тАЩ
The older woman glanced at the sun. тАШHe is late, as usual.тАЩ
тАШMessengers say he was held up at the Choaspes Cataract, Your Majesty.тАЩ
тАШFloods?тАЩ
тАШNo, your Majesty. Something about a child being found in the river.тАЩ
тАШA child?тАЩ Amestris was furious. тАШAll this upset because of a mere child?тАЩ
тАШI understand that the childтАЩs parents were murdered in the most terrible manner and that the King has sworn
vengeance.тАЩ
тАШHas Khshayarsha not got enough to do without involving himself in the petty affairs of the peasants?тАЩ
The maid thought it wisest not to answer as her Queen paced the room, wringing her hands. тАШIt is so hot here.
Why did we have to move from Babylon where at least the wind kept us cool? Here in Shushan it is sweltering the
whole time.тАЩ