Loving Artemisia (lesbian story)

Chapter 16 - Themistocles

The army of Persia was almost ready to seize the glory. Every man who have a Persian blood running through his veins, started to march to the city of Athens, capital of Greeks.
For their sake, I ordered Amaltheia and her adopted family to stay with Daphne's father's place where he sweared to protect them at any cost. I decided it is best to reveal her sister to Artemisia after the war, in hopes to give her a new light after her long awaited vengeance.

•••
We were currently discussing the tactics of warfare at the great hall.
"Your grace, our emissary reported Themistocles of Marathon is alive and well. He is currently uniting the fleet of Greeks at the Salamis."
The news suprised me to the end and many questions followed it.
How did he survive? Did Artemisia lied about killing him? If so, why? Does she have a feeling towards him?
The last thought managed to fuel the anger inside of me. Not only did he shot the deadly arrow to my father, he made the love of my life fall for him. I looked at Artemisia who wore the surprised expression as me.
"Salamis, you say?" I asked again.
"Yes, your grace."
"My empress, I seem to failed conquering the united fleet of Greece. Let me fight againt them and correct the mistake I made." Artemisia said.
It just made me believe that she wants to see him again for who knows what reason. It could be a sincere wish to finish what she started but for me the romance they shared made more sense. I shall not allow that to happen and besides I want to see that infamous Themistocles by myself.
"No. I will personally lead the Persian fleet to Salamis." I said looking at her dead in the eye.

"And I give the full authority of Persian army to commander Artemisia. She will lead our army to the battle against Athens on behalf of me."

Her green eyes widened and many murmurs followed through the hall. The power to lead the entire army of Persia belongs only to the Royal family of Persia but I just gave her the power descended to me though my bloodline.

"My decision is final and not for questioning.
If you dare to disobey me, I will take whoever it is as a traitor and punish them accordingly." I ordered which left them no choice but to obey.

•••

The council meeting has dismissed but I ordered Artemisia to stay.
"Leave us." I ordered to my maids and immortals.
"Do you have any explanation why Themistocles survived?" I asked, fury hidden in my voice.
"I believed he sunk with his ship but I may have undermined his swimming skill." She said.
"Come here, Artemisia." I said calmly, calling her to my golden throne.
When she stood right before me, I pulled her hands and made her sit on my lap.
"It is hard to believe, you out of all people made that kind of silly mistake. You and I both know you are better than this." I said while pulling the strands of her armor.
"Tell me why, Artemisia?" I kissed her lips hungrily which made her reposition herself to straddle me on the royal throne where the kings of all time sat before me.
"It doesn't matter, afterall. I will kill him by myself because you belong to me." I whispered to her ear while ripping of the last clothing she wore.
Her nude form caused the stirring sensation of desire inside of me. I kissed, nibbled every skin I could find as a marking of my territory. As a response she gripped the edge of my throne while grinding on me.
"You are mine, Artemisia." I said and slipped my fingers inside of her. With the perfect combination of fury and desire I made love to her right on the golden throne of Persia. Hopefully not for the last time.

•••

The gentle waves were dancing along the shore, I was standing before the fleet of Persia. A thousands of battleships ready to destroy my arch nemesis, one who dared to stole everyone I loved.
"Be safe." We told each other before seperating.
"I will come to unite with the army as soon as I defeat Themistocles. Until then try not to burn all of Athens. I commanded the generals not to kill artists, scholars or anyone who did not yielded a weapon against us." I said to her which she nodded. With that said I turned my back to her, walking to the head battleship designated for me.

It wont be long before I face the one person I desire to murder more than anything. It will be a slow death, I promise you Themistocles.
For vengeance's sake.
The journey on the sea to the Salamis was, indeed, a short one. During the stay at our camp in Thermopylae, my army was well-rested and well prepared for battle. I was sure that I could defeat the hundred ship of Greece who dared to block my path. However, I knew I should take the matter cautiously. In case, if the Spartans decide to join the war, I'd hate to lose to them. Thus, I prepared for everything which made me believe victory is mine for sure. 

Just when the sun was setting, we spotted the Greek fleet who didnt expected us to come early. Not waiting for a second, I commanded my army to start the battle of Salamis, the history will remember this day as empress of Persia's victory against Themistocles of Greek. Our warships sailed forward, not giving the Greeks a moment to position themselves for their benefits. Arrows are fired as if it is a rain poured down on the Greeks.
"I need you to capture Themistocles alive." I commanded to my immortals who obliged immediately and went to fulfill my order.

Much to my dismay, Greeks were fighting bravely. I pulled the string of my bow, releasing it to shot a deadly arrow to Greek soldier's heart who seemed as if he is undefeatable and on a killing spree. With my archers I shot arrows towards them nonstop, giving them nothing but a death by each arrow. Just when they were about to be defeated Spartan army arrived. The widow queen of Leonidas whom killed by my very own brother led her army to help the Greeks. However, we were still at advantage, I had a plan and our army still outnumbers them. Our gazes locked, queen Gorgo and her proud Spartans, I smiled to them.
"Give the signal to my death warriors" I ordered and soon after from the cliff of Salamis, my personally prepared suicide soldiers jumped straight to the Spartan ships, spilling the flammable liquid all over them. Then, I light the fire onto my arrowhead and shot it towards them, burning each and every one of them. A great victory with only hundreds of suicide soldiers loss.

•••

"Empress Anahita, we captured the Themistocles as you ordered."
I ordered my soldiers to make sure every one of the Greeks and Spartans are dead. Like I said before, I wont repeat the mistake of being not cautious enough and I will make sure this is the last time we have to deal with the Greeks. Once and for all, they will become our sub nation, our slaves for century.

"Where is he?" I asked and they escorted me to the dungeon below my warship.
There he was, a man chained down, blood spilling from his wounds.
"Ah, you must be Themistocles. The hero of Marathon. The kingslayer. The savior of united Greek." I said which caught her attention.
"You must be the empress. Daughter of king Darius. But we are both kingslayers arent we?" The man said, his brown eyes boring into my dark ones.
I chuckled humorously,
"A brave man with humor. I like it."
"You see, I wanted to ask you a question. At this point you should be well acquinted with my commander Artemisia. Am I right?"
I asked which he nodded slightly.
"Well, the thing is she is not someone who gives her enemy the chance to survive in battlefield. How did you survive?" I asked looking at him.
"I must be something special then." He said
"How did you become so special?"
"Maybe she liked me fucking her." He said smiling with her bloody lips.
I smiled at him.
"You know where you messed up, Themistocles?" I asked walking towards him.
"Not when you shot an arrow to my father." I said and motioned my immortal to bring the half burnt queen Gorgo.
"Not when you left my brother Xerxes alive at Marathon." At this point Themistocles was trying his best to set himself free as he watches my immortals do unthinkable things to queen Gorgo.
"Not when you triggered Greeks to unite against Persia." He was screaming when I started burning his eyes with melted steel.
"Not when you led the Greek fleet to oppose us." I said and my immortals started to crush his bones.
"When you touched my woman, you sealed your own death, Themistocles." I said and cut his manhood completely which resulted his earpiercing scream.
"You shouldnt have even looked at what is mine, you dog." I said and ordered them to cut his head and sew it into a body of a dog.
After that I fed his body to my hounds and sent his head on dog body to the Athens. Hopefully, they will receive it before Artemisia burns them down.

A/N: hey, you guys waited long enough and you deserve two chapters. Tell me what you think on comment! The end is near.