QUEEN OF BABYLON - BOOK ONE

21~QUEEN OF BABYLON

The festival was indeed a joyful, Sybil was happy the king did not crown a queen neither did he go on with his coronation. The gods surely have blessed Nephrite. Sybil walk to Grandma Khan who was chiding kitana. 

"Your imperial majesty",she said and bowed.    Grandma khan face her and smile. "Is that the maiden that was accused of theft who walked out with the king?",she ask taking her attention from kitana to Sybil. "Yes that is Nephrite of Medea",kitana answers involving herself in the discussion.

"Good heavens kitana!!!!",grandma khan exclaimed.  "Leave her be, grandma khan!",empress Avanti says from behind.

"Who are you to tell me what to do?",grandma khan ask.

Empress Avanti bows, "am sorry your imperial majesty".

"You had better be. I Dont have time for your childish behavior!!",Grandma khan warned and walked away. 

Sybil scoffs at empress Avanti and walk away too. 

Kitana look at all the women and follows Grandma Khan.  Empress Avanti was so angry at the king. If Grandma khan have to call anyone childish it has to be the king not her...........

Nebuchadnezzar and nephrite walk into the cold night air. Their entourages stood at a distance while they walked further. 

Nebuchadnezzar turned and face Nephrite, she was facing the moon and her beauty radiated through the light.

"Why did you favor me, your sovereignty?",she ask with a bow.

Nebuchadnezzar shrug, "I Dont know".

"I was accused of theft, I should be out of the palace by now",nephrite argued still.

Nebuchadnezzar shook his head as the cold air swept through his hair. "I know you didn't do it, why will I throw you out?",he ask.  

"Your sovereignty?.....".

"Nephrite Dont question what I can do!!!".

Nebuchadnezzar was getting angry at her, he don't want to lose his patience with her as he have never lost it with any maiden before.

"Forgive me, your sovereignty", Nephrite says and bow. 

"Dokman!",he calls. His head eunuch hurries to him and bows.  "Escort lady nephrite to her chambers",he said and turn his back to her.

Nephrite couldn't believe her ears, the king just dismissed her from his presence. She knew arguing with him would only get him angry. Instead she bowed and followed the entourage back to her chambers.......

The celebration finally came to an end as everyone left for their various homes and kingdoms.  One by one the Royal Court got disperse, Grandma khan and Sybil left first. Followed by the empress and her daughter. 

Lady Melanie and lady Anyang left. The other court viziers, philosophers and the rest left the royal court. The king already retired to him chambers.

The palace gradually became empty leaving behind the palace guards and servants who had to clean it up before dawn......

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Nephrite sat at her mirror and applied jade oil on her skin.  She hoped the king was not as angry with her as yesterday.  She was 1st rank consort of the king and royal court.  She smile and close the lid of the oil as her maid Alias ran in.

"Your worship".she bows.

"What can I help you with?", Nephrite ask sitting on her royal chair.

"The Empress Avanti has ordered to see all the maidens",she said her head still bowed.

  "Oh I'll be there in few seconds",nephrite said.   Alias bowed and clapped her hands, two maids enters and help Lady nephrite get ready for the meeting.

At the Harlan......

"By Marduk I never expected the king to crown lady Nephrite 1st rank consort. I expected her to be thrown out of the palace",lady Guinevere says. All the maidens have gathered except Nephrite.

"And why is that?",lady Jeri jin ask fanning herself with her golden fan.

"Because lady Jeri jin she is a thief, she stole the princess jewelry",lady Guinevere said.  Lady Jeri jin shook her head.  "And do you think the king don't know that?",she ask.

As they were talking lady Melanie walked in, her head as high as peacock. Lady Anyang sniff.

"Look at her walking in like she is the Queen",she said loud so Melanie could hear.  

Melanie stopped and face her, "I should have know it was you. You these shameless flea from ammonite".

"Do not call me names Melanie!, you might be chief consort but you are not queen",Anyang warned.  Melanie laughed and eye her, "at least I am above you. There is no way the king will choose you for you are as ugly as a toad",Melanie said.

"Beauty is not from the face, Greece peacock it's from the heart and that you lack!",she shot back.  

Melanie glared at Anyang and walk away.  She stopped at Guinevere and Jeri jin.    "And what are the two gossipers of Babylon talking about?",she ask smiling.

"Nothing that concerns the ugly duckling of Greece",Jeri jin said. Melanie gasped. "Did you just call me ugly?",she ask.

Jeri jin laugh, "you think we don't know how you manipulated the empress to take your side?",she ask.

"You this slut!!",Melanie exclaims. 

"At least a slut is better than a weakling!",Jeri jin shot back. 

At this nephrite entered. She silently walk to her place and sat down. She smile and watch the combatant argue.

"Jeri jin be lucky am in a good mood or else...."

"Else what? You can't do more than a dead flea that you are!!",Jeri jin shouted.

Melanie was about to respond when the eunuch announce the empress presence.  "Her majesty Empress Avanti!!!".

The maidens hurried to their position and bowed,  empress Avanti eyed all of them but hissed at nephrite.

"Sit",she orders. They all obeyed and sat.  

"Since you have all Been crowned  you will have to pass through the training of being a queen as you don't know who might be crowned queen",she informed.

"You will undergo some basic training and you will have to.........",she was cut Short as the king eunuch entered.

"Her majesty, his sovereignty request the lady nephrite presence right away",he said head bowed. Empress Avanti scoffs at nephrite but still dismissed her.  Nephrite bowed and follow the eunuch out........

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