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

тАШMy name is Hadasseh. From Babylon.тАЩ
тАШOur King and Queen from Babylon.тАЩ
тАШSo my father said. I never met him there but father said he saw him once or twice. Mother said he was very good
looking.тАЩ
Hegai smiled. тАШMaybe so. Me not notice.тАЩ
тАШWill you help me find my cousin?тАЩ
тАШWe all help. You lonely girl now.тАЩ
Hadasseh looked down at her hands in her lap and a tear slowly trickled down her face.


THE Chief Steward was admitted to the royal chambers at Shushan where he bowed before the King.
The King looked up. тАШYou have news, Harbona?тАЩ
The newcomer bowed again. тАШI regret it is not good news, my Lord King.тАЩ
Khshayarsha faced him. тАШWell, donтАЩt just stand there. Tell me.тАЩ
Harbona looked down at the polished mosaic floor. тАШThe child has disappeared.тАЩ
тАШDisappeared?тАЩ The King started to pace the floor. тАШAnd who was responsible for this... this treachery?тАЩ
тАШHaman and the others arrived in the city the day before yesterday and she was placed in the care of Hegai.тАЩ
тАШI am most surprised at Hegai.тАЩ
тАШIt was not entirely his fault, sire. Hegai was summoned by the Queen during the afternoon and he was forced to
leave the girl in the charge of some of the other concubines. Unfortunately, the Queen kept Hegai until after dark
and, when he returned to the harem, the girl had gone.тАЩ
тАШDid she run away?тАЩ
тАШNo-one knows, Your Majesty. They didnтАЩt see her leave and the gatekeepers say no stranger passed them.тАЩ
тАШThen she is still somewhere in the palace?тАЩ
тАШIf not the palace, then certainly the city.тАЩ
тАШThe city is a big place, Harbona. A young child could get lost forever.тАЩ
тАШYour slaves are searching for her, even as we speak.тАЩ
The King slammed his fist on the table. тАШWhy can we not get anything right these days? My father would have had
you all executed.тАЩ
Harbona bowed before his king. тАШI offer you my own life, Your Majesty.тАЩ
The KingтАЩs rage subsided. тАШYou are a faithful servant, Harbona. Send in the gatekeepers to me. I want a full report
of the incident. And,тАЩ he added. тАШI want that girl found.тАЩ
Artaynte strolled over and laid her head on the KingтАЩs arm. тАШI may be able to help.тАЩ
тАШYou?тАЩ
тАШI have friends in the market. I could ask them to look out for the girl if she is important to you.тАЩ
тАШShe is now an orphan in a strange city. She needs someone to look after her.тАЩ
ArtaynteтАЩs lips curled a little as she slipped her arms around the KingтАЩs neck. тАШIs that all you want of her?тАЩ
Khshayarsha drew back a little. тАШShe can be no more than twelve years old.тАЩ
тАШBut you have loved me several times these last few nights and I am little older.тАЩ
тАШThat is different. You are of the QueenтАЩs household and I am not looking for another concubine. If I ever find this
girl, she will become my Queen.тАЩ
Artaynte grinned wickedly. тАШAmestris would not like that, my Lord King.тАЩ
The King grunted. тАШAmestris will not be Queen for much longer if she does not please me a little more than she
has of late.тАЩ
тАШI hear that she has summoned my mother to Court for the New-Year celebrations.тАЩ
тАШHas she now?тАЩ said the King thoughtfully. тАШNow why would she do that?тАЩ
тАШWith respect, my Lord King, I believe the Queen thinks you are in love with her.тАЩ
Khshayarsha smiled. тАШI met her but once, my child, when I visited your father at Sardes. I admit that I was
impressed. Like yourself, she is extremely attractive.тАЩ
тАШShe is younger than my father, sire. I was born when she was but fifteen. She is only twenty-eight now.тАЩ