Something More :: the story of Xerxes and Esther retold

02

The night was young but Xerxes was more than able to break the heart of another woman yearning to please him. Her beauty was surface level and shallow, so a long lasting passion was out of the question. Are all these supposed "women of virtue" really this empty and easy to lure? His whim is uncertain and he tells them this, among other things, and they still choose to give themselves to him. As he got back into his garments and let the young woman do the same, he looked away, feeling indifferent as per usual with this sort of thing. He could hear the woman speaking to herself quietly and asks her to speak up.

"There's a woman among us who knew this would take place and advised me against it, my lord, yet I fell into petty pleasures like the others. I am no different to the others but she still saw something good in me." She sighed, pain evident in her tone. He turned to her, curious to whom she was describing. "You're a man of pleasure seeking virtue with no one retaining it."

"And this woman holds true to the words she says?" He asks. "She holds true to what she advises you in?"

"That and much more, and we admire her greatly. She holds her head as a queen should and humility is strong in her spirit."

"Whom do you describe? What do they call her?"

"Esther of Susa, an orphan with a strong sense of self, my lord."

"And she is among the candidates I'm to choose from?"

"Yes, although an unfortunate fate, if I am to be truthful, my lord. The women among her have no true identity in anything other than your favor. She holds true to something beyond that."

"She seems set apart among you."

"Even more so."

He sent her away quietly and decided to go to the balcony, the guards close by, and considered the young woman's words. He didn't even know her name and yet he used her in such a dishonoring way without a second thought. What kind of honored man does this? He'd never felt this kind of conviction with any of the countless women before yet the idea of the perfect woman had stirred guilt within him. Will she accept him in all his great imperfections, his past, his angers, his fears?

He went to sleep with only her on his thoughts, and vivid dreams following suit. A woman glowing with incredible strength behind her eyes and a heart for not just him, but for his kingdom all together, a heart for the people far below her station. Can she see beyond the wealth, the land, the face of the king? He lived in an environment that worshipped him most of his whole life; a wife who treats him less like a god and more like a man could finally bring a bit of reality into his world. This Esther of Susa may do just that.

°o.O.o°

Dressed in servant's clothes and hidden among the other men, Xerxes chose to take the next day to observe the women chosen to pursue him. Women of beautiful complexions, noble birth, and humble education talked among themselves of petty things. He was somewhat entertained by them, but there was no shine behind their eyes, no glow in their smile, no strength beyond the pretty facade. Where was the one who saw good in a woman used by the most powerful man in the region? Where was the girl admired by her peers all competing for the same prize? Who among them held onto their identity more than an uncertain future?

As he glanced about the room, he saw several men drawn to a particular group of women and found himself curious. He soon followed and saw whom they call came to; there sat a pristine woman reading Persian law to her companions, but she taught in such a way they hung on every word. A woman able to read was already extraordinary, but you could practically see her heart beating for them. There was a beauty like none other in her soul and Xerxes wanting to know much, much more of her. Surely she's the one they speak of, a woman of grace and virtue, a queen only lacking a crown.

"Esther of Susa," says a guard among them, "if the king chooses another, he is a certain fool. If it is so, would you choose another?"

"I choose the path laid before me. In time, my heart will find it's companion and his place in this society is no matter to me; a man of honor is one I hope to choose."

"How can you define honor when our king chooses his fleshly desires over all thing?" Asks another girl, one of which Xerxes remembered from a night shared together a season ago.

"Honor holds to no title." She replies. "A king is a man regardless of stature or wealth, and we all have sinned, surely. We all hold things unwisely and the king, like any other, seeks something long lasting. Lust is always seeking more, but he wants a genuine love. If it is with me, I will choose to serve and love him beyond marriage duties and seek him as a man, not a king. I believe he'll find one who shall do that for him."

In that moment, she won his heart and he had to have her. He listened more and more to her words, her passion, and couldn't wait another moment without arranging an evening with her. But this would be different, for she was set-apart among the women of his kingdom and she would reign alongside him as queen.

°o.O.o°