Esther: The Girl Who Was Queen

Prelude: Cast Out

Queen Vashti sat at the head of the long line of tables on lavish silver framed couches with golden cushions and frilly, silver and gold laced pillows. All about her were the finest decorations in the kingdom. The curtains were of fine white and purple linen on rods of silver that gleamed brighter than the stars in the candle light. The floor was covered in beautiful mosaics depicting enchanted creatures tiptoeing in marvelous gardens.
Grapevines were seen running through out the masterpiece with emerald stems. The small hare seen stealthily sneaking into the garden was outlined with mother of pearl and etched from the marble.
All along the length of the table there was a feast not to be countered. Unless you were one of the few sober persons left who remembers that this was the end of a grander feast. One lasting 187 days. This being the last.
The queen was among those still sober.
And so when the knock came and the seven eunuchs of the King entered in, Vashti was level headed.
The men told the queen what the king desired and awaited her response.
The king, the very drunk king I might add, had requested that Vashti come and present herself to the people at his feast. Vashti refused quickly. First of all her husband was drunk, second of all, Vashti knew that appearing before the king now would end in humiliation for one of them. Most likely herself.
She refused.
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When the eunuchs returned to the feast the king saw them enter and beckoned them to him. They delivered their news and quickly returned to their seats.
The king was furious.
He called his lead advisers to himself and asked their advice. "According to the law, what should happen to Queen Vashti, because she has not performed the command of me, King Ahasuerus, delivered by my eunuchs?"
One of his closest advisers, a man named Memucan, spoke up, "Oh king, not only did queen Vashti wrong you with this deed that she has done, but also the whole of your kingdom, since the queen's behavior will be made known to all women, causing them to look at their husbands with contempt, since they will say, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.'  Even this day those who are with the queen, the wives of the kings officials, will disregard the words of their husbands because of Vashti's deeds. So then, if it please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. So when the decree, made by you oh King, is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike."
So the king did as his advisers suggested and stripped Vashti of he title. Vashti was sent back to her father's household and lived in sorrow for the rest of her poor miserable life.