So it came to pass, the Emperor Cyrillus sailed west leaving behind the disasters and bad weather in the east being now only two days away from arriving back in Greece, Queen Sparta spent her time isolated in her bedchamber, refusing all food, water, medicines and company. King Therakles was sorely grieved by this dire situation and his future wife, Princess Gianna,did her best to console and advise him on the matter. Thereafter in the middle of the second day of Sparta's mourning, the beautiful roman royal lady took it upon herself to go and seek out a private audience with the Queen, in order to provide a little comfort, sustenance, solace and forgiveness. She, herself, did not actually believe her chances for speaking with the Queen would be in her favor and Princess Gianna was somewhat shocked when the door was opened up to her and she was allowed to enter by the guards.
And strange it was to enter into that darkened room, where the drapes and shutters were closed tightly against the blazing Mediterranean sun, the room was hot and humid, the stale air reeking of the strong scent of old wine, the atmosphere feeling more like a tomb than a room fit for a royal person. Here at her feet she had to be careful where she stepped for the floor was covered in the shattered remnants of furniture, dozens of broken amphora and drinking vessels of glass, the stench of stagnant water and dead flowers wilting in there vases. As for the Queen, she herself looked like a phantom or specter, dark circles under her tear stained eyes, face as pale as the moon, hair a mess, breath rancid, lips as red as blood. The once radiant and vibrant Queen now appearing half-dead. Princess Gianna wanted to cry witnessing this dreadful sight. For this scenario was much like the same as when she had gone to comfort General Cothos when he was deep in mourning for his dead wife, the irony of the situation was not lost on the princess who sat herself down at the foot of the bed for Sparta had destroyed all the chairs and therefore there was no where else to sit.
"Forgive my appearance and the condition of my bedchamber, dearest little Princess, fear not my moods of despair and anguish, for I can assure you, no harm shall come your way." Sparta said as she sat herself up in her massive bed brushing back the hair from her face.
"I have come to inquire if you require my assistance in any way shape or form, my dearest Queen, for I myself am well practiced at the art of suffering." Princess Gianna said with the light in her eyes of youth and hope.
"Be assured I am better practiced at the art of suffering than you, though the pain of being alone does sting and pulls me closer to the brink of insanity." Queen Sparta spoke reaching out touching the young woman's hand as she noticed the Princess was carrying a small basket.
"If it pleases you, dearest Queen, allow me to beseech to at least open up the window for a bit of fresh air, for the sake of your health.., for it does smell like a stable in here." she urged her further.
"The sunlight hurts my eyes and burns my skin, for I am left a wretch beneath the scorn of all things made." Sparta said setting her head in her hands.
"Perhaps then you would not be opposed to a little sweet treat I have made, just now, in the kitchen of the Palace." here Princess Gianna offered up a little bread roll made from oatmeal, walnuts, honey and cinnamon still warm from the oven and dripping with butter.
"They smell delicious Princess." Queen Sparta replied still without the joy or warmth of a smile. "But alas, my only nourishment comes from the bitter bile churning up in my stomach.., though you could sneak me in a little wine, for the benefit of my peace of mind.."
"King Therakles will not allow this, for you must first be nursed back to health and well being. Will you not at least allow your maidservants back in to clean up this mess.., and perhaps bathe and properly groom you, so that you may be a bit more comfortable in your grief. Surly your skin has become so dry and flaky, itching all over as if your skin has begun to crawl?"
Here at these words Sparta realized she had begun to scratch her arms and she did indeed need a bath to cleanse her body and conditioners and perfumes for her hair and skin, along with a neat and tidy room, but that would defeat the purpose of her act of deception. "Soon.., it will no longer matter." she said alluding to her own suicide.
"Please, oh Queen, do not waste away by this.., accident! Cothos was a good man, in your eyes, but he was not good enough to destroy your life by his untimely and unfortunate demise. Weep not for the dead, dear Sparta, for they can feel no pain. Let the spirit of Cothos go to be with his wife in the afterlife," she implored once again. Here she went over taking a comb from off the long table, not destroyed in the tumult of Sparta's rage, softly and gently she sat their combing out the knots from the ends of the Queens long copper blond hair.
Queen Sparta stared over at the beautiful young woman with clear flawless skin, pink cheeks, bright eyes, flowing silken raven tresses, smelling of jasmine, her skin glistening in the flicker of the oil lamp hanging from the ceiling. "It is good of you to come here.., and I hope, one day, you can find it in your heart to forgive me." she said as she began weeping.
"It was an accident only! Nothing more." Princess Gianna said helping to make the Queen a little more presentable.
"Nothing more?" she asked in a whisper as tense as wire.
"Nothing more." she replied smoothing out the monarchs long hair.
Queen Sparta breathed in a deep sigh of relief for she had achieved success, for it was true she was well practiced at the art of Love, Suffering and War, yet nonetheless,our clever Sparta was far better practiced at the cunning art of Deception. However, there was still one more part of her plan that needed to come to fruition. So she acted quickly "You know.., perhaps it would be good for me to eat a little morsel of food." she said "For I am starving." now this was the truth for she had been using this time as chance to fast for atonement to the gods for the murder she did commit with malice aforethought, hoping for a little godly forgiveness.
"Yes! Pleas! Eat!" Princess Gianna exclaimed delighted to have a good result.
"Oh.., but where is my own hospitality? Here Princess have a little drink of this fresh goats milk and ginger." Queen Sparta said offering up a cup of the potent elixir prescribed by her physician. "There you are, you drink this and I shall have a bite to eat."
Shortly thereafter as the two sat together Princess Gianna was well pleased as she observed Sparta bathe herself and anoint her body with aromatic perfumed oils, now as she did this Gianna helped to straighten up a bit by moving all the broken furniture to one corner of the room, however Sparta still refused to allow the drapes or shutters to be opened. Then, in a matter of ten minutes from the time she took her first sip of the intoxicant, Princess Gianna became very lightheaded and she sat back down on the bed with the aid of Sparta, who was now dressed, fresh and ready for the next phase of her play of deceit. "Rest now my pretty." Queen Sparta said as she slipped the cloak and dress off of the unconscious young woman.. Disguising herself as Princess Gianna, leaving her asleep under the covers of her own bed, Queen Sparta, with the little basket in hand, hood pulled up over her head covering her face, she slipped out unrecognized right under the watchful eyes of her guards, who did not know they too were being deceived. Escaping the Palace grounds, and free to move about the city undetected, Queen Sparta walked out towards the foothills of Mt.Parnon where she disappeared into the mouth of a deep dark cave, a place she knew well a place where she would often meet Synos in secret when they were both still in the military academy.
It was not until some three hours later when it was discovered that Queen Sparta had gone missing after having purposely given the young Princess a little morphine. Anger quickly overtook the King, but his concern for his disturbed and deeply troubled sister outweighed his outrage and he sent forth search parties to locate the Queen. And, were it not for the interceding of Captain Brittas, all of the Queens body guards were in jeopardy of losing their lives. By sundown the situation grew more dire and stressful for the Queen's brother who realized he had no other to choice than to summon the one person who might know where to find her. That man was Major Synos, for many times he and Sparta had disappeared together and no one ever knew where they came or went from or to, and so the King had only one thing to do "Send out my command to the Northern border, I order Major Synos to return to the palace at once, tell him nothing of this matter, let me be the one to explain. For I am in need of my sister to be home, secure and safe and I have faith only in him in this matter."
And strange it was to enter into that darkened room, where the drapes and shutters were closed tightly against the blazing Mediterranean sun, the room was hot and humid, the stale air reeking of the strong scent of old wine, the atmosphere feeling more like a tomb than a room fit for a royal person. Here at her feet she had to be careful where she stepped for the floor was covered in the shattered remnants of furniture, dozens of broken amphora and drinking vessels of glass, the stench of stagnant water and dead flowers wilting in there vases. As for the Queen, she herself looked like a phantom or specter, dark circles under her tear stained eyes, face as pale as the moon, hair a mess, breath rancid, lips as red as blood. The once radiant and vibrant Queen now appearing half-dead. Princess Gianna wanted to cry witnessing this dreadful sight. For this scenario was much like the same as when she had gone to comfort General Cothos when he was deep in mourning for his dead wife, the irony of the situation was not lost on the princess who sat herself down at the foot of the bed for Sparta had destroyed all the chairs and therefore there was no where else to sit.
"Forgive my appearance and the condition of my bedchamber, dearest little Princess, fear not my moods of despair and anguish, for I can assure you, no harm shall come your way." Sparta said as she sat herself up in her massive bed brushing back the hair from her face.
"I have come to inquire if you require my assistance in any way shape or form, my dearest Queen, for I myself am well practiced at the art of suffering." Princess Gianna said with the light in her eyes of youth and hope.
"Be assured I am better practiced at the art of suffering than you, though the pain of being alone does sting and pulls me closer to the brink of insanity." Queen Sparta spoke reaching out touching the young woman's hand as she noticed the Princess was carrying a small basket.
"If it pleases you, dearest Queen, allow me to beseech to at least open up the window for a bit of fresh air, for the sake of your health.., for it does smell like a stable in here." she urged her further.
"The sunlight hurts my eyes and burns my skin, for I am left a wretch beneath the scorn of all things made." Sparta said setting her head in her hands.
"Perhaps then you would not be opposed to a little sweet treat I have made, just now, in the kitchen of the Palace." here Princess Gianna offered up a little bread roll made from oatmeal, walnuts, honey and cinnamon still warm from the oven and dripping with butter.
"They smell delicious Princess." Queen Sparta replied still without the joy or warmth of a smile. "But alas, my only nourishment comes from the bitter bile churning up in my stomach.., though you could sneak me in a little wine, for the benefit of my peace of mind.."
"King Therakles will not allow this, for you must first be nursed back to health and well being. Will you not at least allow your maidservants back in to clean up this mess.., and perhaps bathe and properly groom you, so that you may be a bit more comfortable in your grief. Surly your skin has become so dry and flaky, itching all over as if your skin has begun to crawl?"
Here at these words Sparta realized she had begun to scratch her arms and she did indeed need a bath to cleanse her body and conditioners and perfumes for her hair and skin, along with a neat and tidy room, but that would defeat the purpose of her act of deception. "Soon.., it will no longer matter." she said alluding to her own suicide.
"Please, oh Queen, do not waste away by this.., accident! Cothos was a good man, in your eyes, but he was not good enough to destroy your life by his untimely and unfortunate demise. Weep not for the dead, dear Sparta, for they can feel no pain. Let the spirit of Cothos go to be with his wife in the afterlife," she implored once again. Here she went over taking a comb from off the long table, not destroyed in the tumult of Sparta's rage, softly and gently she sat their combing out the knots from the ends of the Queens long copper blond hair.
Queen Sparta stared over at the beautiful young woman with clear flawless skin, pink cheeks, bright eyes, flowing silken raven tresses, smelling of jasmine, her skin glistening in the flicker of the oil lamp hanging from the ceiling. "It is good of you to come here.., and I hope, one day, you can find it in your heart to forgive me." she said as she began weeping.
"It was an accident only! Nothing more." Princess Gianna said helping to make the Queen a little more presentable.
"Nothing more?" she asked in a whisper as tense as wire.
"Nothing more." she replied smoothing out the monarchs long hair.
Queen Sparta breathed in a deep sigh of relief for she had achieved success, for it was true she was well practiced at the art of Love, Suffering and War, yet nonetheless,our clever Sparta was far better practiced at the cunning art of Deception. However, there was still one more part of her plan that needed to come to fruition. So she acted quickly "You know.., perhaps it would be good for me to eat a little morsel of food." she said "For I am starving." now this was the truth for she had been using this time as chance to fast for atonement to the gods for the murder she did commit with malice aforethought, hoping for a little godly forgiveness.
"Yes! Pleas! Eat!" Princess Gianna exclaimed delighted to have a good result.
"Oh.., but where is my own hospitality? Here Princess have a little drink of this fresh goats milk and ginger." Queen Sparta said offering up a cup of the potent elixir prescribed by her physician. "There you are, you drink this and I shall have a bite to eat."
Shortly thereafter as the two sat together Princess Gianna was well pleased as she observed Sparta bathe herself and anoint her body with aromatic perfumed oils, now as she did this Gianna helped to straighten up a bit by moving all the broken furniture to one corner of the room, however Sparta still refused to allow the drapes or shutters to be opened. Then, in a matter of ten minutes from the time she took her first sip of the intoxicant, Princess Gianna became very lightheaded and she sat back down on the bed with the aid of Sparta, who was now dressed, fresh and ready for the next phase of her play of deceit. "Rest now my pretty." Queen Sparta said as she slipped the cloak and dress off of the unconscious young woman.. Disguising herself as Princess Gianna, leaving her asleep under the covers of her own bed, Queen Sparta, with the little basket in hand, hood pulled up over her head covering her face, she slipped out unrecognized right under the watchful eyes of her guards, who did not know they too were being deceived. Escaping the Palace grounds, and free to move about the city undetected, Queen Sparta walked out towards the foothills of Mt.Parnon where she disappeared into the mouth of a deep dark cave, a place she knew well a place where she would often meet Synos in secret when they were both still in the military academy.
It was not until some three hours later when it was discovered that Queen Sparta had gone missing after having purposely given the young Princess a little morphine. Anger quickly overtook the King, but his concern for his disturbed and deeply troubled sister outweighed his outrage and he sent forth search parties to locate the Queen. And, were it not for the interceding of Captain Brittas, all of the Queens body guards were in jeopardy of losing their lives. By sundown the situation grew more dire and stressful for the Queen's brother who realized he had no other to choice than to summon the one person who might know where to find her. That man was Major Synos, for many times he and Sparta had disappeared together and no one ever knew where they came or went from or to, and so the King had only one thing to do "Send out my command to the Northern border, I order Major Synos to return to the palace at once, tell him nothing of this matter, let me be the one to explain. For I am in need of my sister to be home, secure and safe and I have faith only in him in this matter."
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