The Prince's Mistress

The House Of Whores

CHAPTER 25

MATA HARI POV

We walked through the corridors of the palace, a crowd was beginning to form behind us as the palace caught wind.

"The Persian king would request your surrender and complete submission..in exchange for your safety."

The King laughed an honest laugh and the other members of the the noble court laughed with him, falsely I felt.
"That is all?" He asked sarcastically.
Members of the council shifted awkwardly, nervously.

The Persian messenger took a deep breath and his tarrifying eye lowered as he tryed to reason "Listen carefully, Leonidas. Xerxes conquers and controls everything he rests his eyes upon. He leads an army so massive it shakes the ground with its march, so vast it drinks the rivers dry. All the God-King Xerxes requires is this: a simple offering of earth and water. A token of Sparta's submission to the will of Xerxes."
We seemed to stop walking in front of the well, a huge watering well inside the palace that we kept covered with a giant rock, but today was open because of the work day..

King Leonidas scratched his beard and shifted on his feet casually, and passed in front of us all in thought... "Submission? Well, that's a bit of a problem. See, rumor has it that the Athenians have already turned you down. And if those philosophers and, uh, boy-lovers have found that kind of nerve-"

The messenger's kind exterior melted to that of anger.

The kings council Theron moved to speak to the king
"We must be diplomatic sire-"

King Leonidas turned and gestured to him annoyed, quickly cut him off, raising his mighty voice "And of course Spartans... have their reputation to consider."

"Choose your next words carefully, Leonidas. They may be your last as king." Persian messenger retorted coldly. His pupils huge with warning, it made all the muscles in my stomach clinch in fear. This messenger had clearly not heard well of king Leo, no one EVER speaks to him that way...and lives. He turned to the mass that had gathered behind him. He looked cautiously to the men woman and children who's life's all depended on him. The wind blew at his back and his brow furrowed in thought. He saved the queen for last. He blinked and looked at the queen. He looked at her in the way that married couples look at one another...a secret conversation. She told him something with her eyes , approving whatever plan he had.
The king pulled his sword swiftly from its holster and pointed it directly at the messenger. The kings guard and the royal council pointed there's at the soldiers the messenger brough.t as well in just that small second we all became active, everyone posed to strike or watching to see what would happen next. I stood closer to the queen, whimpering slightly. she turned her head to my side and nodded slightly She was telling me to be strong.

Persian messenger "Madman! You're a madman!" The man put his hands up and his Adam's apple bobbed as he swill owed nervously.

"Earth and water! You'll find plenty of both down there." He indicates the well with his sword. His eyes blazed with anger, his voice like a mad bull. my heart beat erratically in my chest.

He backed up nervously alone with is counterparts. "No man, Persian or Greek, no man threatens a messenger!"

"You bring the crowns and heads of conquered kings to my city's steps! You insult my queen. You threaten my people with slavery and death! Oh, I've chosen my words carefully, Persian. Perhaps you should have done the same."

Persian messenger: This is blasphemy! This is madness! Leonidas lowers his sword and looks toward The queen, who nods, approving visibly his decision...
The king chuckled dryly "Madness? This is Sparta!" he boomed loudly and kicked the Persian messenger into the well. I watched in horror as the kings guard cut the throats of all the men who came with.