Being Aquila

PROLOGUE.

PERSIAN EMPIRE

Sniffing the suffocating air surrounding my horrid situation, I gulp down a jug of my saliva. The drum in my chest collided forces with the already ringing temple bells.

''It is time'' Queen Mother whispers as she fixes the veil in my finely treated hair. This is the last worn apparel before a coronation.

''I cannot do this" I say.

Today, I sell myself to the kingdom and get nothing in return. I clench my wet fist and shake my head in denial. I am not ready for this, am I?

'' You have trained all your life for this. Hence forth, you do well to remember all I have taught'' She leans for a hug, I step back.

''I can't ...I am...I am'' I stutter.

''You are nervous, its normal. You are getting married to the king, 'The Gemini'. ''

''How do I behave'?''

''Behave as though you are in his debt. He is now your lord.'' She concludes before the wide temple doors open up. As I shiver in fright, I kiss the Queen Mother's hands and walk slowly into the temple.

"Enjoy tonight, it is  your first and last'' she added before I stepped into the temple.

Walking passed the congregation, I sigh in feigned confidence. How time flies?.
I fight the tears back into my eyes as I curse my fate. The cold memories of how I got dragged into this mess flashed before my eyes.

Everything as vivid as it were. The war, the death , the torture and the abduction.
20 years ago, The Persian army invaded my City Greece, killing the old and seizing the young. The echos of the sword slitting my Mothers throat still is my everyday nightmare. I was too young to understand the reason behind the Greek-Persian wars but, 5 years was enough to understand that everything was about to change.

The army had taken us to the fields. We were merely slaves as young as we were, grazing the land and harvesting the crops. Starving and dying as the days passed bye.
The ironical story of this coronation is a seasonal reminder every night of my life.
These Persians wouldn't think of believing, The new Aquila , The Queen of Persia, is not of Persian Origin but is a Greek slave. This discovery can land my head on a silver platter. 

Growing up in the Persian palace, I learnt to understand their obsession with titles, battles, death and  power. It is seemingly nothing but justice to burn a man into ash.

The system is no monarchy.
The king, 'the Gemini', is the only authority in the whole of Persia. He has the power  to command a fleet of soldiers to battle or kill them all without questioning. I like to contradict the belief that he is the strongest man in Persia.

It is a legend. When the later Gemini is buried, 25 able men willing to fight for the throne are engaged in a deadly combat. The only survivor becomes the new Gemini.
With every new Gemini, there comes a new Aquila.

That's where I come in. The Aquila, The Queen of Persia.
The amazon, working on the instructions of the king is the title to respect.
She is The glory of the city, The warrior, The Spy, The one always representing the king on the battle front. She has no power of her own.

To be honest from my perspective, She is the 'Kings slave', but that title is sugar coated as 'Queen' .

How can a queen be married to a king but is never called his wife?

How can the queen be the stronghold of a 'Mighty King' who never fights his battles?

How can a queen have no affair with any other while he is free to have more than 500 concubines?.