ARTABANUS of the Achaemenids looked up as the music started and then smiled with pleasure as the veiled concubines abruptly entered and began to parade seductively before him. One by one, they stopped before him, whirled around, and then continued to skip across the marble floor. Eventually, he heaved his bloated body onto one elbow and pointed. Roxana stopped and bowed before him. 'You wish for me to please you, my Lord?'
'Yes, my dear. Come closer.'
'Wouldn't you rather have me?' said a voice nearby and Artabanus turned to see the source.
'Princess Artaynte,' he managed to blurt out just before the melon hit him full in the face.
'What about me?' called Astur and Artabanus almost had a heart attack at the revelation that she was still alive.
'Get them!' he shouted and pandemonium broke out in the palace as Artabanus shouted for guards and all the girls threw things at them and then, just as suddenly as they had arrived, vanished from sight.
ASTUR and Artaynte slipped quietly through the gatehouse and up the stone steps as they heard the guards searching for them.
'Will the other girls get away all right?' asked the Princess.
'I think so. It is me they are really after. Did you see the look of shock on the face of Artabanus?'
Artaynte giggled. 'He looked as if he had seen a ghost.'
'I suppose he had, in a way. He was so sure he had killed me.'
'At least it might gain us time until Artakhshayarsha is fully recovered.'
'If we can keep away from them in the meantime.'
'I think so. Remember the mountain at Ecbatana. None of the men could keep up with us.'
'Yes, and we know all the secret ways of the palace and city walls having been in hiding for so long. Push through the passageway. Let us cross to the other side.'
Carefully and quietly, the two of them crept through the stone passage over the gateway and thence down the far side through the guards' quarters.
Astur peered out of the doorway before closing it again. 'There are a dozen or so of them standing outside Mordecai's old gatehouse. They think we are still in there.'
'I hope they don't know about the secret passageway.'
'I'm sure they don't. Give them time to go inside and we'll slip past them and into the city.'
One by one, the guards went into the gatehouse and then the two young women slipped into the shadows. Silently, they crept across the public square and along the narrow street leading to the market place. Halfway along it, a doorway was thrown open and they were caught. Torches flashed as they were dragged down stairs and then thrust into a large cellar before a group of men wielding swords and spears.
'Bring them to me,' shouted the one who was obviously the leader.
The two of them were roughly hauled across the floor and then thrust at the man's feet. Astur's heart beat frantically as she tried to work out who these people were.
'Now let us see who it is that we are about return to Artabanus on a skewer.'
One of the men snatched Astur's veil away and the leader's mouth dropped open.
'It is the Queen,' he gasped and stepped back in amazement as others pushed near for a closer look.
'It cannot be,' said another. 'She is dead.'
'It is the Queen,' said Artaynte loudly. 'And she has returned to Shushan to save you all from Artabanus.'
'Princess Artaynte,' cried another at the sight of the second unveiled face. 'By Ahura-Mazda, we are saved.'
Astur smiled. 'Not yet, we are not. We must first save the King.'
'The King?' said a big man. 'The King is dead. I helped to bury his body.'
'King Khshayarsha is indeed dead. But we now have another King who will reward your loyalty well.' She paused to convince herself that she was doing the right thing. 'His son, Artakhshayarsha, is now King.'
'Artakhshayarsha is alive?'
Astur nodded. 'Alive and in the palace, though Artabanus is yet unaware of it. We must prevent him finding out until we are ready.'
The leader bowed before her. 'Your Majesty, we are at your command.'
'How many are you?'
'Upward of one thousand, your Majesty.'
'Not enough. Spread the word around the city tonight. Inform everyone that the King is alive. Tell them to gather before the palace at daybreak.'
'It shall be done, Queen Astur.'
FOR the rest of the night, the girls kept the guards tied up looking for them. Other women from the city joined in the game, too, and, soon, the palace was in total confusion.
Artabanus was furious. 'Don't tell me that you have not yet found them yet.'
'We tried, My Lord. It would appear they are everywhere. It is as if they have the gods with them.'
'Superstitious nonsense. I have an army of thousands of men who have stood firm against Babylonians, Egyptians and Greeks alike. Now, it seems, they have a pair of females running rings around them. Are they men or mice?'
'They are tired after their long march from Ecbatana.'
'Then the sooner we catch those women the better for all of us. When I get my hands on them...'
'They can't keep running around forever, My Lord. They must have somewhere to return to.'
Artabanus suddenly stopped. 'By Mithra, you are right. Bring two men. I know just the place to find them.'
'But where, my Lord Artabanus. We have looked everywhere.'
'I fear, Captain, that there is one place you will have overlooked. Get your men. I will meet you in the Court of Women.'
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CHAPTER
THIRTY-NINE
