Dawn the next day,Traverios the physician stood outside the door of the Queen's bedchamber where he had been summoned by King Therakles who was deeply concerned by his sisters disturbing behavior. Here the two worried men were intently listening to the evening report from the new Captain of the Queen's body guard as he informed then thusly "Queen Sparta has been in a shocking state of grief which leaves her crying and screaming all through the small hours of the night. She is prone to outbursts of rage whereupon she has destroyed nearly every piece of furniture in her aggravated condition. It has come to pass that the Queen has viciously and violently attacked all her maid servants, so much so, the Queen has dismissed all the girls for their own safety. She will take no food, nor water, only insisting on amphora, after amphora, of wine to be brought forth unto her. And when she finishes one off, she smashes the vessel upon the wall or floor. How a woman can possibly consume so much strong drink, and survive, is beyond my comprehension."
"She is Themiscyran." King Therakles said with a heavy sigh, not knowing his sister was pouring the wine down the drain of her marble bathtub, as he listened further.
"When she called for wine.., the last time, and I, myself, did refuse the Queen, for the sake of her health and well being, whereupon hearing this, she did unsheathe her sword and threatened to cut off my head if I refused her again. We, her loyal soldiers, are deeply concerned for the happiness of our beloved Queen, for it seems to have died along with the general , of whom we are not allowed to speak his name, lest she fall deeper into the numbing abyss of despair."
The mind of the King was sorely trouble as he crossed his arms, Traverios shook his head "Let us go in and see for ourselves as she rests now." Sparta's brother said as he, himself, slowly opened up the old oaken door carved with the signet of a lion upon it, whereupon they entered into the dimly lit room where there strewn about the cold stone floor were the remnants of her chairs and tables in shattered and splintered bits of wood, shards of terracotta pottery sticky red wine staining the rugs. However, Traverios noticed the Queen had not destroyed the long table containing her jewelry, cosmetics and perfume oils, nor had she shattered the vases of fragrant, pretty flowers, other than those items her room was a disaster area.. Here amongst the debris they found Queen Sparta sleeping peacefully under a mass of blankets and pillows, her hair a disheveled mess, here lips stained scarlet by the blood of the grape, she being partially naked, asleep and dreaming. Traverios sat down upon the bed setting his leather pouch full of medicines, potions and elixirs next to him. Suddenly Sparta stirred from her rest rolling over, slowly opening up her bloodshot eyes, still in her full mode of deception saying, as she sat up reaching out for her physician "COTHOS!" she shouted loudly throwing her arms around the neck of the stunned doctor "You have returned from Hades for me, take me back there with you, impart to me that sweet kiss of death and we shall be together forever." her she wrapped her arms around him kissing him full on the lips like two lovers embraced in a kiss.
"Sparta!" King Therakles shouted out as Traverios did his best to resist, pushing her off of himself.
"Rest easy my dear, this is only a dream, a waking dream, a trick of your mind, for I, myself, am Traveros your trusted, long suffering, physician come to beseech you sweet lady to eat." he said in a calm soothing voice which did her heart good to hear.
"All I require is more wine.., so that I might die." she fell back in bed. "I have no need for food.., for I no longer have any appetite for life."
"Dearest friend, do not speak thusly, come sit up, I have a potion to help easy the chaos of your mind." he said offering up a small cup "Drink this." and so she did drink down the mixture of goats milk, ginger, honey and gall and the elixir was sweet, easy going down her throat.
Here she noticed her brother now standing at the foot of her bed and she said to him "Oh my dearest brother, my King, bless you for coming to meet with me, now at the time of my dying."
"Say this not, dearest sister for you are not dying! You are very much still alive.., but you must eat a little food for the nourishment of your body and soul."
"It is beyond my control, for I do not deserve to live, so come let me die in peace, entreat me no more to eat and be merry again, for I have grown weak and weary, and I, myself, have no desire to survive this tragedy." she said tears welling up in her eyes, ever the master showman fooling even her own twin brother into believing she was actually grieving for a man she despised.
Here is when the morphine rose into her bloodstream and she took in a deep calming breath as she raised the blanket over her head. "You shall live to see another day sweet sister." Therakles said as he lie down next to her in bed pulling back the covers from her face. "May grace be with you, mercy and peace." he kissed her forehead gently "For I beseech you, great lady, you are going to have to get through this. For Our Nation, and all of her people, are depending on your strength and courage at this moment in your life. Be not as a stranger to Happiness, open up your heart to her and let her back in, take her joy with you where ever you go and faithfully keep it warm." he smiled putting his arm behind her head as he cuddled her tight to his body.
"Love is strange." she whispered before falling fast asleep in her brothers comforting arms leaving the two men even more concerned for the sanity of the Queen then when they had first come in.
"She is Themiscyran." King Therakles said with a heavy sigh, not knowing his sister was pouring the wine down the drain of her marble bathtub, as he listened further.
"When she called for wine.., the last time, and I, myself, did refuse the Queen, for the sake of her health and well being, whereupon hearing this, she did unsheathe her sword and threatened to cut off my head if I refused her again. We, her loyal soldiers, are deeply concerned for the happiness of our beloved Queen, for it seems to have died along with the general , of whom we are not allowed to speak his name, lest she fall deeper into the numbing abyss of despair."
The mind of the King was sorely trouble as he crossed his arms, Traverios shook his head "Let us go in and see for ourselves as she rests now." Sparta's brother said as he, himself, slowly opened up the old oaken door carved with the signet of a lion upon it, whereupon they entered into the dimly lit room where there strewn about the cold stone floor were the remnants of her chairs and tables in shattered and splintered bits of wood, shards of terracotta pottery sticky red wine staining the rugs. However, Traverios noticed the Queen had not destroyed the long table containing her jewelry, cosmetics and perfume oils, nor had she shattered the vases of fragrant, pretty flowers, other than those items her room was a disaster area.. Here amongst the debris they found Queen Sparta sleeping peacefully under a mass of blankets and pillows, her hair a disheveled mess, here lips stained scarlet by the blood of the grape, she being partially naked, asleep and dreaming. Traverios sat down upon the bed setting his leather pouch full of medicines, potions and elixirs next to him. Suddenly Sparta stirred from her rest rolling over, slowly opening up her bloodshot eyes, still in her full mode of deception saying, as she sat up reaching out for her physician "COTHOS!" she shouted loudly throwing her arms around the neck of the stunned doctor "You have returned from Hades for me, take me back there with you, impart to me that sweet kiss of death and we shall be together forever." her she wrapped her arms around him kissing him full on the lips like two lovers embraced in a kiss.
"Sparta!" King Therakles shouted out as Traverios did his best to resist, pushing her off of himself.
"Rest easy my dear, this is only a dream, a waking dream, a trick of your mind, for I, myself, am Traveros your trusted, long suffering, physician come to beseech you sweet lady to eat." he said in a calm soothing voice which did her heart good to hear.
"All I require is more wine.., so that I might die." she fell back in bed. "I have no need for food.., for I no longer have any appetite for life."
"Dearest friend, do not speak thusly, come sit up, I have a potion to help easy the chaos of your mind." he said offering up a small cup "Drink this." and so she did drink down the mixture of goats milk, ginger, honey and gall and the elixir was sweet, easy going down her throat.
Here she noticed her brother now standing at the foot of her bed and she said to him "Oh my dearest brother, my King, bless you for coming to meet with me, now at the time of my dying."
"Say this not, dearest sister for you are not dying! You are very much still alive.., but you must eat a little food for the nourishment of your body and soul."
"It is beyond my control, for I do not deserve to live, so come let me die in peace, entreat me no more to eat and be merry again, for I have grown weak and weary, and I, myself, have no desire to survive this tragedy." she said tears welling up in her eyes, ever the master showman fooling even her own twin brother into believing she was actually grieving for a man she despised.
Here is when the morphine rose into her bloodstream and she took in a deep calming breath as she raised the blanket over her head. "You shall live to see another day sweet sister." Therakles said as he lie down next to her in bed pulling back the covers from her face. "May grace be with you, mercy and peace." he kissed her forehead gently "For I beseech you, great lady, you are going to have to get through this. For Our Nation, and all of her people, are depending on your strength and courage at this moment in your life. Be not as a stranger to Happiness, open up your heart to her and let her back in, take her joy with you where ever you go and faithfully keep it warm." he smiled putting his arm behind her head as he cuddled her tight to his body.
"Love is strange." she whispered before falling fast asleep in her brothers comforting arms leaving the two men even more concerned for the sanity of the Queen then when they had first come in.
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