Loving Artemisia (lesbian story)

Chapter 19 - Reunion

Third person P.O.V

The black and golden army of Persia marches back to their empire like a slithering python after a hunt on the land they have just claimed. The victory of Persian empress already traveled past her empire to the ears of the world like a storm. In the streets of the Persian capital busy with an anticipation of the army's glorious arrival, there stood a Greek girl who awaits her long lost sister.
By the order of the empress, Amaltheia settled in the royal palace as an honored guest few days ago. Her beloved city of Athens fell but the Persian empire embraced her as it did her sister a long time ago. Much like the empress, prince Artaxerxes shows her great generosity and interest as he is just a child left between these enormous halls all alone. In solitude, he has the liberty of a royal heir but also he feels the absence of his aunt dearly.
As for the missed empress, Anahita refused to leave Daphne's side throughout her journey as she insisted that she come along with her to Persia. Afterall, Daphne did nothing but to love her truly ever since she laid her eyes on the empress. The Greek woman sadly understood that Anahita's heart does not belongs to her but she was also able to see the crack between empress and the general's love affair day by day. Even though it troubles her the most, she couldn't resist finding a faith in the troubled couple's separation. After all, the heart wants what it wants and the sweet Daphne willingly submitted to that truth.
"Your majesty, I can ride alone." Daphne stresses her case but the stubborn empress who mounted the horse behind her only tightened her embrace as a response. "I'd rather die than seeing you fall from your horse and re-open your wound. The sun of Persia can perish even the strongest of warriors." Anahita replied with firm tone that silenced the Greek woman in her arms.
Not far from them rides Artemisia on her dark stallion, feeling a needle pierce her heart. Her utmost goal of revenge succeeded but she feels more empty than fulfilled ever in her life. The night she has spent in the temple of Athena was months ago. Foolishly enough, the cunning general of Persia assumed the passionate night they shared meant the empress's forgiveness but the sudden realization took over the empress that halted their further encounters. A realization that came with the aftermath of the war of Athens. While witnessing the lives of soldiers the war has costed her, Anahita told herself Artemisia's beauty that caught her heart is enough to kill a thousand men much like poetries and legends she heard when she was a young princess. However, when reality came knocking on her door she thought hard. The empress of Persia is known to be more insightful than the kings before her after all.

A long time ago, before Greeks united to stand against her and Persia, there was a war of Troy, the last quest of so-called union. A war that started because of one woman, Helen the beautiful that caused thousands of men's death. The legend of Troy travels through the world even now, yet when it reached the ears of young Anahita years ago, she scoffed. The tale that reached every girl's dream failed to impress the bright princess of Darius. While everyone curses that the cause of war was the beauty of Helen, she knew it was actually because of Paris, the prince who foolishly wished to have her despite the odds. "If only he gave up his burning desire for her, a great civilization of Troy wouldn't have crumbled to nothing." Anahita still remembers telling her father who was delighted to witness her brilliance then. Now the empress fails to see the difference between her and her judged Paris. Despite the camouflage that she brought a great victory to Persian empire, she knows that only reason she ordered the ruin of Athens is Artemisia. Did she thought the love shared between Paris and Helen was worth the city of Troy? No. Then what justifies her actions towards city of Athens now?
The thoughts like these swarmed in Anahita's mind for days now and the truth that her love for Artemisia is not well reciprocated as Paris and Helen's have been doubling her inner suffering.
Tired of punishing herself over what has already been done, Anahita decided to spend her days away from general to halt the thoughts and guilts that comes with her presence.