QUEEN OF BABYLON - BOOK ONE

26~QUEEN OF BABYLON

By the time nephrite arrived at the palace, the celebration was already at the middle. She could hear the loud music from afar off. She spent hours riding from the temple.

KRYPTONITE PALACE, EMERALD CITY....

Nephrite dismounted from the horse, she gripped her Saree and started for the doors, God knows she hates the stairs. She basically ran in. Nephrite looks up at the night sky, the moon was almost out.

"Hurry!".

Sigma and alias unsure of why their mistress was in a hurry to enter the palace followed as fast as they can. They were have been asking questions on their way back but nephrite didn't answer any instead she just told them to hurry.

Inside the feast, Nebuchadnezzar looks around wondering why nephrite was not here. The king was certain something was wrong but because this was his grandmother's day he was determined not to ruin it.

He sat on his emerald throne enjoying the feast , his grandmother was seated on his right while his aunt empress Avanti on his left.

Empress Avanti seems to have cooled off and waiting for the perfect time to strike. She was certain that something dramatic was bound to happen tonight.

Avanti look from left to right with her darting eyes watching every maiden talk and eat and drink. Different governors and lords and kings from different kingdom came to pay homage to the great grandma khan. The mother of late king Amherst father of king Nebuchadnezzar.

Just then as the feast has reached it highest peak the chief vizier Gunghi stood up to address the people seated

"Hail the sovereign God, God of all gods!".

"Hail!!!!!!".

"Hail Marduk god of mankind!",he shouted.

"Hail!".

"Hail king Nebuchadnezzar the great sovereignty of Babylon!!".

"Hail king Nebuchadnezzar!!".

"Hail the great grandma Khan Jhan",he shouts more.

"Hail!!!!". The people responded clapping and cheering. Everybody loves the king they seems to say.

"Today we are gathered for a great celebration. The great grandma khan celebrate her great years on earth". He stops as everyone cheers. "And to celebrate let's raise our goblets and drink to the health of our great Khan!". He said.

Everyone raised their cups and shouted, "to the great grandma khan!". As they were about to drink it; the grand door pushed up and someone shouted.

"Stop!!!!!!!!"......

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Everyone turns back to see nephrite standing at the door, hair loose, face flushed and pale. Sybil was ultimately confuse, why will nephrite come in here like this.

King Nebuchadnezzar smile as nephrite walked in admits stares, one thing he likes about her was that she knew how to get everyone attention.

Everyone wondered why nephrite had stopped them from drinking. The palace was like a grave yard now as no one voice was heard even a pin drop could be heard. Nephrite knelt in front of the king, king Nebuchadnezzar stretched his emerald scepter at her, nephrite kissed it and stood up.

"Your sovereignty. Forgive my barging in". She apologized first.

"How dare you stop the celebration?",vizier Gunghi ask eying her.

Nephrite eyes him back. Why was he the only one who said a thing. She was about to respond when the moon shone into the palace. The words of the priestess rung in her head,

'by the forth night of tomorrow someone close to you will die'.

Who is the person? Who would die tonight? Alias and sigma watch nephrite with a close look. It was like their mistress was losing her mind slowly. Nephrite held her head as it was pounding badly.

"Forgive her your sovereignty but her grace is weak and tired",sybil injected to save a confuse nephrite. Nephrite shook her head. "I am not mad! I know what I am saying. Someone is going to die tonight!!!",she shouted. Everyone gasped. Fear gripped the mind of the people present.

"What do you mean? Where did you get that from?",empress Avanti ask with scorn. Nephrite knew telling them that she went to see a priestess will only worsen the case so she lied instead, "I had a dream your sovereignty". she said.

"A bad nightmare perhaps?",vizier Gunghi says and everyone roars with laughter. Nephrite had to pinch her thighs to prevent herself from punching the vizier face.

"And what if I can prove it?",she ask challenging him. "How did you intend to do that?",the king as in a soothing voice. Nephrite felt warm inside, the king voice could help a broken soul.

Nephrite had no prove so she looked around and her eyes feasted on the grandma khan goblet. She don't know what pushed but she dragged the cup from the woman. Everyone gasped again.

Shock was written on everyone face. Did she just drag a cup from the great khan?.

"And what in the name of Marduk did you just do?",empress Avanti ask glaring at nephrite.

"It is poisoned, the khan will die if she drinks this",nephrite said. Says the girl who stole jewelry many thought. No one believed.

"How will you prove that it is poisoned?",Sybille ask. Sybil wondered why nephrite ran mad under her own watch!.

"I will drink from it. And if it really is poisoned the offender be thrown into the burning furnace and same applies for me".nephrite said. At this point Nebuchadnezzar became scared for his heart, what if it is not poisoned as she claim it be? He will have to punish her.

Nephrite took a deep breath and slowly held the cup at her lips before gulping down the rest. She scrunched her nose and smile.

Vizier Gunghi laughed and said, " See nothing is wrong. Her grace just wasn't feeling well as the chief dual had said, let's go on with the celebrations and............". He was cut short when someone shouted.

"Your Grace!!!".

Nephrite held her throat and clutch her chest in pure pain. Her world looked like a pounding horse. She stepped back in pain and closed her eyes the last thing she heard before she became died To them world was her name being
called over and over again.

"Nephrite!!!!!".

"Your grace!!!!!".

"Jadeite!!".........

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