Arta - the last princess

Chapter-7

After a few hours of riding they could see the city of Parse spread out before them in the hillside. The high pillars of the palace which were located between the high mountain and the city were visible.

Houses were mostly made of painted and glazed bricks. They were one story and sometimes two stories. The flagstone streets were wide enough for two carts to pass at the same time. Most of the houses had their own yards full of trees and flowers. Fountains and water wells could be seen in most of the road intersections. Parse was the richest city in the Persian empire.

Not many people were in the streets. Only some curious citizens were popping their heads out of their houses to see the conqueror of their city. Several buildings were damaged or burned when the enemy raided the capital.

Arta's heart broke when she saw the damages that the Sultan Faisal's army had caused to her lovely city. There were no children playing around, no seller was shouting to grab the attention of the passers, the city looked mournful and dead.

Arta was embarrassed. She was embarrassed to look at the people. His father's army had failed to protect the citizens from their enemy. She didn't want anyone to recognize her, so she had covered her head and face in the robe's large hat.

Reaching the palace, she gasped when she saw the heads of Persian soldiers on the spares at the palace gate for everyone to see. She closed her eyes and tears rolled down. She felt dizzy and held on to the camel's saddle tightly to keep herself from falling. She felt sharp pain pumping all over her body with each heartbeat. It was a devastating moment for her. She had never seen this much of brutality in her life before. How could a human do such a thing to his own kind?

Her thought went to Abtin, that royal man. He must be among these heads on the spikes. She didn't have the heart to look up and search for him. She felt so helpless and scared. What are they going to do to her?

Passing the gates, the soldiers parted toward barracks and sultan Faisal and other high-rank generals continued their way toward the main palace.

Arta saw that the sultan and generals entered the throne hall and were looking at every corner of the palace with enthusiastic eyes. Her heart was heavy. She was breathing with difficulty as if she was suffocating. "how did this happen to us? What are they doing in my home? God, if it's a nightmare I want to wake up NOW."

She was standing in the palace yard looking around herself and could not believe what she was witnessing. Strangers who were nothing a few years ago were now the ruler of this ancient and rich land. She closed her eyes and stood there. She tried to empty her head, she was losing her mind. She just wanted to disappear from the earth. This was too much for her. She felt miserable.

Samir had left her with a guard to ask Osman where he should take her.

"Give her one of the basement rooms in the west wing palace and assign two guards to stand at her door day and night."

Samir bowed and went back to Arta.

"Follow me" Samir said to Arta.

Arta realized that they were going toward her chambers and she thought that she will be given her room back. Reaching to the palace however she saw that Samir turned toward the stairs that were heading down instead of up. She stayed at the top of the stairs that were going to the basement "Where are you taking me?"

"To your room!" Samir replied.

"But my room is upstairs not downstairs."

"Well, I guess Osman had decided to give you a room down there."

"Who is Osman?"

"The sultan's son?!" he said as a matter of fact.

"Well, I don't care who he is. I won't go down there." She crossed her arms looking at Samir.