The Conqueror and the Rose

Chapter XII - Susa

Above is a picture of the double doors Roxana enters. Also the antagonist comes out in detail in this chapter...Dun dun dun!!! 

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As they rode into the city of Susa, Roxana saw crowds gathering on the roads, welcoming their new commander, Alexander the Great. Alexander waved and smiled with vigour as he was rained down upon with rose petals, leaves, and the like. The people were bowing and cheering, but Roxana gave little note to the glory as they passed under the huge marble arch leading to the palace they would be residing in. 

Most of the army had already been dispatched and sent home. Nobody questioned why Alexander's hair was filled with dust, or why his wife, a Sogdian looked as brown as an Indian. Nobody questioned why the light had gone out of Alexander and his generals' eyes, or why Hephaestion was no longer there accompanying them. 

Roxana gaped at the extravagant palace structure of Susa. The first thing she saw were columns supporting a square, extravagant building adorned with intricate designs. Everything was colourful, from the little tiles that decked the roofs to the magnificent horse-shaped heads that rested on top of the columns. Palm trees, lightly swaying in the wind, provided shade as they passed under them. 

They were now walking to a staircase which was as wide for ten people to climb all at once. But beside this staircase, engraved on its wall, Roxana noticed a sculpture of a jaguar biting a doe on its rear. She stared at the peculiar image for a few seconds, trying to figure out why the Persian architects had engraved such a thing. When she looked up, she saw that Alexander and his generals had already gone forwards.

"My lady, you are to reside in a separate chamber," Someone said, and she whirled around. It was a guard, who bowed and motioned with his hand to follow him. She frowned for a moment and then obliged.

Roxana was astounded at the richness of her chamber. The light played teasingly on the floor as the curtains swayed in the breeze and filtered the sunlight pouring in. The floor was covered in a Persian carpet and in the centre of the room, there was a fluffy four-poster bed with curtains all around it. There lay neatly folded garments on the bed, so Roxana took them to the bathroom intending to take a bath. Suddenly there came a knock on the door.

"Come in." She yelled, walking briskly back to the room. A maid peeked her head through the door, then opened it completely.

"The king has requested your presence in his court room this evening." She said.

Roxana looked up. "Tell him that I will be there." 

"Will you be taking a bath?" The maid asked. Roxana observed her. She was middle-aged, and the creases in her eyes showed that she was someone who laughed a lot.

"Yes." In an instant the maid was all over the place, running the water in the bath, hanging her clothes on the rack beside, and preparing the makeup and jewelry for Roxana. Meanwhile, Roxana tiredly stripped out of her travelling clothes. 

After the bath, the maid brushed her hair and helped her in tying her red sash above her wide brown skirt. She also took a thin white veil and pinned it to the back of her head, and gave her a pair of circular golden earrings with turquoise gems in the centres. Roxana put them on hastily while maid smiled at her.

"What is your name?" Roxana asked.

"Bahar, my lady," she said. Roxana smiled.

"It means 'spring,' doesn't it?" She asked, as she walked to the door and the maid nodded. Roxana gave her one last smile, turned, and exited.

Roxana had never seen such tall doors. It looked like it was as tall as six people stacked together on their heads. These double doors were thin, and framed with gold. Their design was in in red and golden stripes. As the panels slowly opened before her, the two soldiers on each side bowed. Roxana drew a deep breath and lifted her chin. But what Roxana saw left her very much astounded.