Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Chapter 14 begins

     So it came to pass within the hour King Vyakles of Sparta ordered two ships to be made ready for sail. These ships he ordered filled with a wide assortments of gifts of tribute to the Nation of Themiscyra and their new Queen. The gifts included the following: twenty four amphora's of wine, ten jars of anise-flavored elixir called Ouzo, seven large jars of pepper, two small jars of saffron, fifteen bags of garlic cloves and fifty bottles of virgin olive oil, along with seventy bags of grain and two large bags filled with gold and silver dechadrachm.
     Now Queen Thera made the wise decision to leave all of the women's belongings there in the Sparta. Giving all the horses, goats, tents, cooking vessels, textiles, wagons, carts, etc... to the Nation of Sparta as show of respect and affection. Queen Thera ordered only their armor,  fruits, vegetables, bread and honey and goats milk to be brought aboard the ships. As Admiral Vasha prepared his ships to sail he instructed his crew to erect two large tents upon the deck of each ship. The crew of Spartan Sailors did so in a short time and placed in many cushions, silk pillows and blankets therein so the women would have a safe, restful place to sleep while sailing upon the dark sea.
     As everyone set about their tasks preparing for departure King Vyakles returned to his palace to prepare himself and his guards for the journey east, to the Black Sea. However, as Vyakles gave out orders and instruction to his ministers upon his absence Queen Keeva stirred in her bed, awoken by the sound of her husbands voice echoing down the palace halls from his Throne room. Queen Keeva arose from her lonely bed wrapping herself in a long white linen robe, then she crept down the hall listening in on the King with his Council. She heard the voice of the Kings' physician saying " I shall prepare a mixture of mint, chamomile, purple cone flowers and honey, this should enable the women to sleep through the night during the journey, it will also help calm their nerves whilst upon the open water." Kaderios said as he departed the crowded room. Keeva peeked her head around the corner where she saw her husband standing over a table with a map, he had a look of delighted excitement on his face as he said "The ships are being made ready. I await word from Admiral Vasha and then we shall depart."
     Queen Keeva felt a terrible sense of dread at hearing these words imparted by the King, so she spoke up in a small voice asking  "Are you leaving me my King?" a note of sad jealousy in her tone as she had not seen much of her husband since the arrival of the foreign women.
     Here the men gathered there quieted themselves, then each, one by one, made a hasty departure as the Queen of Sparta came into the great room the bright glow from the oil lamps flickering in her wet eyes. Vyakles sighed then spoke to his wife "Yes, my lady. The Fates have conspired against us. You see, I have good news and bad news." Vyakles said as he turned from his maps and papers giving his wife a somber look.
     "What of this, bad news?" Keeva asked expecting the worst.
     "Queen Ethera of Themiscyra, through old age, has died." Vyakles closed his eyes giving a slight bow of his head as he held the hands of his wife, whom was shocked by the news.
     "Oh no."
     "Yes, now there in lies the trouble. Commander Thera has just, this very hour, received word of her mother's passing. The emissary brought out the golden Crown of Themiscyra, The Commander is now Queen of all Themiscyra. I have just witnessed her coronation down in the cherry orchard"
     Here Keeva's heart went out to Thera saying to her husband. "Poor, dear Thera, to loose her mother and be crowned in a foreign nation. She must feel terrible."
    "Yes, not only that but the King of Thrace has a great animosity towards Thera and her Nation. We are worried war may have already broken out. This is why I have ordered Admiral Vasha to prepare to set sail. After all, Vasha is the new Queens established breeding partner, a great deal is at stake."
     "I understand my King, but tell me why must you make the journey? Surely your men are capable of the task." she asked in a grave manner as she had heard the rumors of the King's infatuation with Thera, and her husband had not been to her bedchamber in 'lo these past few weeks.

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