The Queen of Persia

Chapter Fourteen

It's quiet. The air in the King's private chambers is crisp and frigid. My tongue tightens, keeping me from gasping. The guard stationed by the door does not budge, flinch, or show any signs of life, other than the cloud of fog that swirls around his nostrils. I fight the urge to look down the length of my dress and keep my chin straight up.

I take in everything. My eyes skim over the width of the room, observing the rich fabrics that drape from the ceiling to the exotic furs that coat the floor. This is all mine for an entire night. Tonight, is my night with the king. I know what is expected of me. I try not to let the terror of the task ahead show on my face.

I study him with eager eyes. His tall form towers over the frame of a carved wooden stand. His fingertips trace over the finished surface. Something in his eyes seems lost in the tiny grooves the pads of his fingers trace. His eyes flash in my direction. The creases of his eyes make my heart smile. He recognizes me. Relief floods through me.

"Esther," he says, excitement trilling through his voice.

I'm grateful for the length of my dress. It hides my trembling knees as they sink into a bow. Warm skin brushes against the tip of my chin. I look up into King Xerxes's eyes. My lips spread into a fragile smile. The king warmly returns one to me.

"How I've missed this face," he murmurs quietly, almost as if it was meant for only himself to hear. Slowly his hand trails down from the tip of my shoulder and grips my fingers. He turns away, and gently tugs my arm. I follow him as he walks toward the open balcony leading outside the walls of his room.

The chilly night air bites at my skin, and I shiver, struggling to push back against the invisible force. King Xerxes seems unaffected by the icy breeze, and confidently breathes the outside air. He approaches the railing, and edges out to take in the view. I slowly peer over his shoulder, our fingers still interlaced.

The stars shimmer over Susa below like a lamp held over a diamond. The city below is quiet, beautiful and calm. the mountains that span in the distance appear like shadows in the night. I'm in awe.

"This is all mine. Everything."

My eyes shift from the sea of homes in front of me and search for King Xerxes's. When I find those entrancing orbs something inside me begins to warm, despite the chill gnawing at my bones.

"Whomever I choose to be my wife — my queen — will have all that belongs to me. Do you understand, Esther?"

Whomever he chooses to be his wife will be at Persia's mercy. What an honor it would be to be chosen to rule by his side. Part of me wonders if he feels fire igniting in his chest when he sees me like it does when I steal a glimpse of him.

"It is a lot to ask of someone. No one can bear that burden easily, Majesty."

"I agree. It isn't simple being royal. People envy me. They envy my power, my wealth, but they don't understand how imprisoned I am by it all. Everyone always looks to me for the answer for every problem, hoping I hold the solution."

The corner of my lip sags as I offer him a sympathetic look.

"What's worse is when you make a mistake and you can't correct it. Persian law requires that every edict be obeyed. Once I have commanded something I can't take it back, no matter how badly I want to."

"Like with Vashti?"

King Xerxes's eyes sink, and his lips tighten in shame.

"Yes. That is a mistake that I will have to live with for the rest of my life, but I can't go back. I can only move forward."