The harem

POV: Roxanne

I was running down the corridor to the hall where other women were being kept. Dara was following me and I could hear his footsteps which was making me to move even faster, I did not want him to guide me in my own  castle or even have the opportunity to talk to me. Although he had not answered any of my accusations and frankly, what was there to be said? For all I cared, he was the biggest sinner and criminal, even worse than "his new king" Alexander. He betrayed his country and his king which he had sworn to be faithful to. 

I could feel he was getting closer to me, at this point it was more like a chasing scene rather than taking a prisoner to her room. I was steps away from the hall doorway when he caught my arm from behind and made me turn. He pushed me to the wall while squeezing my flesh painfully, waiting for me to moan of pain. I said nothing, looking at him with a blank stare and waiting to see what he wanted. 

When he saw my silence, he smiled and suddenly moved his hand to my veil. I acted in reflection, slapped his hand hard and drew myself back. He still had my arm in his grip so I could not get away from him. He tightened his fingers and hissed under his breathe: "you can no longer run away, princess. You asked what I sold myself for? You will find out soon enough" . He then opened the door and threw me inside and slammed it shut. 

As i entered, all heads turned and all of a sudden all the girls started talking at the same time. Before they could reach me, my mother ran and hugged me tight, thanking the gods for my return. Everyone's eyes were puffy and red from crying and I noticed that none of them wore any jewellery which was odd. I looked around the room and realised that this room also had not been safe from those soldier's looting. They had taken all the jewellery and valuables from women. The girls were scared and vulnerable, all trying to explain to me what had happened when I was gone and how those barbarians took their property by force and even queen's famous necklace was not secure from them.

I looked at Yalda, my sister in law, whom I loved dearly. She was sat in a corner, tired and worn off. Her lovely face was covered in traces of kohl she always used in her eyes, she had been crying.The shock of loosing so much in one day had hit her hard. She had lost her title, her husband and her freedom. 

The thought of my brother made my eyes watery. I had forgotten about him in that valley, helpless and vulnerable waiting for his destiny. Suddenly, I felt exhausted, these women expected me to be their leader and protector, to tell them everything was going to be alright and I would find a way to get us out of there but I, myself, was in need of a shoulder to cry on, someone to tell me what I had to do now. I wanted someone to talk about the horrors of what I witnessed in the valley, the humiliation I experienced when I had to kneel before Alexander and how I nearly killed a man, something I never thought I was capable of doing.

I slowly walked to Yalda and sat beside her. I put my hand on hers but did not say anything. My mother realised how I felt and told the girls to be quite. They brought me water and a change of clothes which was a very simple blue dress, one of the few things barbarians failed to take away. My riding outfit was muddy from the time I spent hiding in cave. I wished I could also change my veil but I had no access to my clothing.

My veil was a part of me now, a sign of my identity. From the moment I opened my eyes everyday till the time I laid in bed, it was on my face. I had hundreds of it, each suitable with one of my outfits and all handmade from silk, so they could be kind to my skin. 

I could not remember myself without it and I knew from what I was told by my mother, that I had worn it since I was born. It was ordered by my father who died a day after my birth and my brother always made sure that his order was obeyed. I remembered asking my mother why I had to wear it and she always told me because I was special and different. 

But what was really special about me? I used to ask this question from everyone, my brother, mother, Farhad, my teacher and even priests in the big temple but none of them could tell me. From what I could see, I was more ominous than anything else, since my birth there was disaster after disaster for our country and people: my father's death, flood, famine and poverty for people and now this. Although Farhad assured me the line of disasters started before my birth, I was not too sure, then maybe I was another misery for this land.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I noticed my mother, her beautiful eyes were looking at me with concern. She asked:" did you meet Alexander?" 

I nodded my head.

" what was he like?"

I thought for a second, honestly I had been so engaged with my own issues that I had to think to remember him. 

" a mindless barbarian, he has blue eyes and golden hair, and he has no beard." our people rarely had coloured eyes, and their features were dark with olive skin, brown eyes and black hair. My mother was from the Northern country which was why she had dark blue eyes and honey coloured hair. Our men also always had beard, the noble and rich men would have groomed it regularly and showed their wealth by wearing jewellery on it.

"what is going to happen to us now?" I looked at her, she was not expecting an answer. I had never seen her so lost, she was always very put together, never showing too much emotion and hid her true feelings behind a smile. The situation was so bad that she was no longer able to mask her fear.

I looked around the hall filled with my brother's concubines, they ranged from 14 to 30 years old. There was no future for them, no security. Most of them had been stolen from their families and gifted or sold to the king, there were some noble women who had become his wife for political reasons. And now they would have been given to other men, maybe forced to prostitution or even get killed. I had to do something about them.

I was not so worried about myself. Whatever happened to me would have been my punishment. I was the cause of this war and i was ready to pay for it. 

The door opened and Alexander entered accompanied by some of his soldiers. Unconsciously, all the girls backed up in a corner, trying to get as far as possible from those soldiers who were looking at them like hungry lions looking at a gazelle. These women were not used to dealing with men, because it was forbidden as a harem rule. All our servants were female and we also had eunuchs to attend our needs who were castrated men. I, myself never liked or trusted eunuchs, they only cared about money in their life and had no feeling or respect for other things.

We waited in silence to see what Alexander wanted. I was standing in the back beside Yalda who seemed really scared and nervous. Alexander waited until a soldier with a sack entered and stood beside him. All eyes turned to the sack and then to Alexander. He said:" My ladies, I hope you have been treated kindly so far, and be assured that your safety will not be threatened in future. You are allowed to stay where you are now until you are chosen by one of my soldiers who will be your provider and protector hence forward. Those of you who are not chosen, will be given duties as servants."

" what about those whom do not wish to be chosen?" I said, before I could stop myself. His eyes searched the crowd and stopped on me and he grinned victoriously. 

" I am afraid this is not a decision you can make. Remember your place as prisoners and obey the king if you want to live."

My mother looked at me in anger which made me not to reply. She separated from the crowd and walked to where Alexander stood. She bowed and said: " my lord, will you kindly tell me about my son's fate? Is he going to be buried with respect?"

Her voice was trembling, I knew how proud she was and it must have been really difficult for her to kneel before her son's killer.  Alexander Paused for a second and asked her to get up. As she did, he said:" but your son is alive my lady. He is in dungeon and I have not decided his fate." i could not believe it, he had not killed my brother. Yalda squeezed my hand in happiness as other girls giggled blissfully to the good news. My mother, however, had tears in her eyes. She was mumbling words in gratitudes to Alexander's mercy towards her son.

He took mother's hand and planted a kiss on it:" you have magnificent eyes my lady, they are filled with motherly emotions that almost makes me envy Darius. He was a lucky man, such a shame he was ungrateful for all the things he had."

Mother thanked him graciously. He then looked at us and said:" my men came and took your valuables, to show my generosity I am returning them to you." he took the sack from the soldier:" the owner of each valuable shall come and collect it from me."

The girls started praising him happily but I was boiling in anger. Why was he doing this? He could have left the sack and we could all sort out our things. But no, he wanted all of us to bow to him, to acknowledge him as the new king. Why did not these girls care? Was the jewellery all they cared about? 

I was deep in thought while the girls went up to Alexander to kiss his hand and take back what was theirs to begin with. One of the items was Yalda's diamond necklace, she glided to where Alexander stood, took her necklace and thanked him for his mercy on her husband. I was happy that none of my belongings were between those, I guessed they had not been to "Forbidden Garden", my personal residence. 

There was nit much remaining in the sack where my heart skipped a beat by looking at what Alexander took out from it. It was my Goddess Anahid necklace, the one I always wore for protection. My hand touched my neck where it was supposed to be unconsciously, and I found it empty. When and where did I loose it?

Then I remembered, I had taken it out when I was watching Darius fighting Alexander to pray. I must have dropped it when we were running away.

He was holding the necklace and waiting for the owner to come forward. Everyone went silent, they knew The necklace was mine, it was a gift from my mother. Before I could move, my mother stepped forward:" I thank you my lord for your kindness. You are a generous man and great king." she went to take the necklace when Alexander said:" but this does not belong to you my lady. I found this behind a big rock Close to the battlefield. Forgive me, but I only give this to its owner." 

Why was he doing that? I had already kneeled before him once that day to release the people, why did he want me to do it again? If only that necklace was not that important, I would have never gone to claim it.

I moved forward slowly, not wanting my mother to fight my battle. This man wanted to break me the best he could in order to satisfy his broken pride. I was not going to give him the satisfaction.

I looked him directly in the eye and said:" Thank you, I appreciate your profusion. I did not realise I had lost it."

I was not kneeling or even bowing, I was standing right in front of him, waiting for him to hand me my necklace. He did not seem bothered, brought the necklace close and when I grabbed it still did not let go. He said:"do you want to visit your brother princess?"

I was surprised and shocked:" you would let me visit him?"

"of course. He is, as I said, kept in the dungeon. You want to see him?"

He was still keeping my necklace in his hand. " yes, I will be forever grateful of this kindness and nobility if you grant me this."

" then you shall go and see him now"

He had a smirk on his face that I could not understand. He was returning women's belongings, he did not react to my rebellious behaviour and now he was offering for me to go and see my brother. 

If only I knew what I was about to witness, I would have never gone to see my brother. But I did not know.