Loving Artemisia (lesbian story)

Chapter 8 - Loss

Anahita

The arrival of Persian king Darius, spread all over Greece like an storm. He makes land full at the field of Marathon with an
invading force which outnumbers Greek defenders 3 to 1.
So it dawned the hopeless Athenians do the unthinkable.
They attacked...
Before our weary, tired soldiers take a deep breath after a month at sea. Before my lover join the great force of my father's army and unite together under his control. They attacked ... 1000s dead and 100s of their own.
The royal order of retreat frightened me and whole Persia with the message that said the king of the kings, Darius of Persia wounded, on the stake of life and death. King of Persians summoned all his greatest generals and advisors from every corner of our nation.

Here he was, the man who made me laid on the golden bedding, life leaving his once brave face, blood running out of his chest.
The tears streamed down my face when his eyes that used to shine everytime with pride and love towards me, meets with mine. Breath he is taking is numbered and soon he will be escorted to another realm where he will sleep peacefully forever with the woman who
blessed me to him.
Without a word, we just held our gaze. So much words exchanged with this simple gesture. He looks at me with so much love, pity and guilt for leaving me.
Unable to continue our silent conversation, I ran out of his chambers just to collide with my brother who resembled my broken state.
He entered the chamber and I left, leaving them to say their farewells. Unable to breath and stay still, I ran away to Pasargadae - The Palace of Peace. The usual comforting and peaceful place welcomed me and newly placed tomb for my very own father was enough for me to run out of patience. I broke down into tears and the empty hall of extravagant palace filled with my sound of grief and sadness.
It feels like I have no longer anyone to protect me and anyone I have to rely on.
8 days passed and nothing has changed for me except the tomb that now have my father in it since I didnt left the Pasargadae.
However, I was fool to think everything was same outside of this place.
Shadi, my handmaiden informed me Artemisia came back the same day I entered this holy place. Words say, she was the one who pulled the deadly arrow from my father's chest.

"Where is Xerxes?" I asked once I stepped out of the Pasargadae. By the mention of his name, my maids trembled.
"I asked you a question." I thundered making them get on their knees.
"Naval commander Artemisia gathered the priests, wizards and mystiques from every corner of the empire and set him to wander the dessert in order to make him God King. " Shadi replied with shaky voice.
Anger run through my veins like a poison. Couldn't believing what I heard, I rushed to generals palace. The sudden anger in me was equally caused by what she did to my brother and the bitter fact that she never came for me. In the cold and lonely palace of Pasargadae, I secretly hoped that she will come up to me and comfort me. However, much to my disappointment she never came. Probably, she will never come to me. Instead of being with me she manipulated my brother to take revenge against Greek.
I was never the option for her, she follows her only wish to burn the Athens.
Even after devoting my whole being to her, she is still far away from me. Possibly, too far for me to reach in this lifetime.

"How dare you do that to my brother?" I yelled,
the moment I saw her.
Her green eyes showed no emotion or anything at all. How could she do this to me? At that moment my heart was breaking, shattering into pieces. Even though she was silent I knew deep inside, she chose Xerxes over me because he is the only path for her to take vengeance she desired.
Hatred towards her turned into hatred towards my own self. If I were Xerxes, the crown prince, now the successor of our father I would've been with her without any thoughts, giving her the world she deserves. Unfortunately, I'm just a mere princess who
does not have much claim to the throne like my brother.

"His majesty has returned."
"Xerxes, the prince came back as king of the gods."
"Now we have a great and powerful king."
"We will win the war for sure now."
Words like that spread through Imperial Palace of Persia like a wind when Xerxes came back from his journey that Artemisia sent him.

First, I didnt recognized him. He looked completely different with golden layer of skin with giant physique. Everything resembled my brother was gone. He became a
"God-King", with every bit of his humanity surrendered to give him the form he is now.

Soon after he returned, the sacred royal palace of Persia drowned in blood of our allies. Artemisia trusted no one, she murdered every single person Xerxes used to trust, care and counsel.
Everyone who engaged with Xerxes were introduced to her wrath even his queen, mother of his son.
In a moment, I believed I will become one of her victims. After I witnessed my sister-in-law's death, I've become certain she is fully capable of ending my life.
But her wrath never came...

"For glory's sake
for vengeance's sake
War!"
The God king declared before his people while Artemisia watched her flawless manipulation take shape.
No one left to stood in her way.
No one dared to stop her.
Even me...

The war is coming to Greek once again. But this time with much more force and much more desire to conquer. Xerxes, the new king ordered every soldier to march against Greek and Artemisia commands all of Persian ships to the south.

Some of my people say Xerxes became monster instead of God. They believe he sold his soul to death and he will ruin the great empire of Persia with his madness. Because of that thought some turned their back to Xerxes and turned to me.
They believe I can become the queen like few queens ruled this realm before our Achaemenid clan take over. However, our clan never seen a queen being monarch in their empire. One of the advisors who believes in that was Alchaemis who used to be respected advisor of previous king, Darius. One day he visited me with his supporters or in this case my supporters.
" Prophecy said you are the reincarnation of queen Mandana, mother of our nation, Creator of Cyrus the Great. Please claim your rightful throne and save us from devil force threatening our empire, your majesty." He said.

However, that devil is my flesh and blood and only family member. Do I want to betray my brother? Do I want to become empress of Persia?