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

тАШWith respect, Your Majesty. This is springtime. In summer, it is considerably hotter.тАЩ
Amestris whirled around. тАШHotter? How can we live with it hotter?тАЩ
тАШThe Court retires to the old Median capital of Ecbatana in the mountains. It is cooler there.тАЩ
тАШI should hope so. In fact, I ought to be there now.тАЩ The Queen waved her arms. тАШAnd these flies. I hate it here.тАЩ
A loud shouting arose from outside and the maid rushed with excitement to the window. тАШIt is the King.тАЩ
тАШOh, at last,тАЩ sighed the Queen. тАШNow, perhaps, we shall get some peace and quiet.тАЩ
тАШBut, your Majesty. There is to be a banquet which is decreed to last for seven days. It is the custom.тАЩ
тАШSeven days? And I suppose all they will talk about is wars and armies. There are times when I wish I was not the
daughter of the High Priest of Babylon. Perhaps, then, I could just go and hide away from all this fuss over nothing.
Khshayarsha has been already been King for twelve years. Why on earth is there all this fuss just because he now
rules from Shushan?тАЩ
тАШIt is the law of the Achaemenids, your Majesty. There are traditions to be maintained. The laws of the Persians
and the Medes are different to those of Babylon.тАЩ
тАШThen perhaps they should be changed,тАЩ the Queen retorted angrily. тАШThey are out of date.тАЩ
тАШThey cannot be changed, Your Majesty. Mithra, the son of god, has stated that laws must remain unchanged
forever. We do not risk his wrath by even daring to challenge them.тАЩ
Amestris lost her temper completely and whirled on her maid. тАШArtaynte, you are but a child who is here under
sufferance. You would seek to dictate to me? Your Queen?тАЩ
тАШCertainly not,тАЩ the teenager said as she bowed low. тАШI only answer your questions with truth.тАЩ
тАШLeave me,тАЩ the Queen commanded. тАШI will call you when I am ready to be dressed.тАЩ
тАШWith respect, Your Majesty. The King will expect to be greeted in the Great Hall.тАЩ
тАШThen he will have to be disappointed. If he asks, tell him I am unwell. Tell him anything you like.тАЩ
 Artaynte bowed again as she backed out of the Court of Women. тАШAs you command, Queen Amestris.тАЩ


KING Khshayarsha was carried into the city at the head of his Immortals to a rousing shout from the people of
Shushan. He smiled as garlands of early flowers were thrown into the roadway ahead of him and the procession
wound its way through the main gate and towards the palace as the sun shone bright in a clear, blue sky.
тАШIt is an omen,тАЩ called the General from the back of his horse. тАШAhura-Mazda is smiling down upon his new son.тАЩ
тАШI pray that you are right, Artabanus. I will need his help to rule this fine kingdom.тАЩ
Khshayarsha continued to wave to his people until the procession finally reached the gates of the palace beyond
which the common people were refused entry on pain of death. The King stepped from his portable ivory throne.
тАШWhere is the Queen?тАЩ
тАШI regret she is unwell, my Lord King,тАЩ replied a teenage girl beside him.
тАШUnwell?тАЩ For a moment, a dark look crossed his face and then he stopped. тАШWhat is your name?тАЩ
тАШI am Princess Artaynte - daughter of your brother, Masistes.тАЩ
His anger gradually subsided until he smiled. тАШYou have grown up very beautiful, my dear Artaynte. You wish to
please me?тАЩ
The girl blushed and then bowed her head. тАШIt would be an honour to serve you in any way you desire.тАЩ
тАШVery well. Come to my rooms tonight.тАЩ
Artaynte bowed low. тАШAs you command, my Lord King.тАЩ


HAMAN raised himself from bending over the still form before him. He had tried medicine, he had even tried
magic but the girl remained sleeping. As a last resort, he had even tried to exorcise the devil inside her but without
success.
He pondered. If he failed, the King would be very angry and that was not to happen at any cost. If the King lost his
way now, others would step in for their own ends and this great kingdom would collapse in a matter of months. Not
only that, he may well lose his own elevated position, and that would most certainly not do at all.
тАШOh great Ahura-Mazda,тАЩ he called in frustration. тАШHear me now. I entreat you by all the stars of the heavens to save