Copyright © 2011 preciious-diamondz
Chapter 12
Two more months passed, and during that time each girl who remained had their night with Xerxes, all except Esther. During the month leading up to the date she was set to go to the king, she had been constantly praying and asking YHWH for guidance and strength. She had also caught Mordecai, her dear uncle, outside the east gate of the palace and had confided in him for advice. He had been thinking of her often while she was in the palace and had prayed that somehow Esther’s life would be changed by this for the better – that some good would come out of the situation she was in.
She took comfort in knowing that her God was in control of all that happened and that He had a plan and purpose for everything in her life.
***
On the morning of her special day, Esther woke up later than usual, knowing she would be spending the night with the king and would need energy to keep herself awake and alert. She stretched her arms above her head as she yawned, blinking a few times to get her eyes to focus.
Standing around her bed were her seven hand maidens, as well as many other servants around the room. All of them had come to help Esther prepare as they all loved her and had spoken to her at least once.
“Well good morning to you all,” smiled Esther, sitting up in bed. “What do I owe to the pleasure of your fine company?”
Some of the women giggled, while one of her handmaidens spoke up.
“Esther, have you not forgotten, it is your night with King Xerxes. We were getting worried about you sleeping in.”
Esther shook her head.
“There is no need to worry; I was merely allowing myself more sleep so I would be able to stay awake tonight for the king.”
“Would you like some breakfast now then?” asked another handmaiden as a servant brought forward a tray of fresh fruit – Esther’s favourite kind of breakfast.
“How thoughtful!” exclaimed Esther, smiling at all the people around her. “But do I really need all of you to help me get ready? I feel bad having all of you helping me prepare when there is only one of me to get ready. Surely you are all tired from helping the other girls.”
The servants shook their heads.
“We were so excited for your night Esther, and because of your kindness towards us, there was no way in the world we would miss helping you when it was your turn to see the king,” said one of the servants.
“If you really insist, I will require some help in two hours, but for now I will need to keep my daily routine – eat, wash and pray.”
The servants nodded in understanding and walked quietly out of the room, knowing to come back in two hours. Her hand maidens followed, leaving behind the platter of fruit for Esther to eat.
She smiled at their kind words and thoughtfulness, acknowledging how blessed she was to be the favoured candidate.
“I have truly been blessed,” she murmured as she bit into a large strawberry, the sweet flavour filling her mouth.
She thought back to when she got to pick her outfit, from choosing the colour to being measured and fitted.
~
It was a cool day, the sun was shining and the breeze from outside swept through the harem. All the girls had been buzzing with excitement as they were taken to a different room, piled high with every kind of colour and style of fabric known to man. How they had swarmed like bees to honey when Hegai gave the instructions to choose one fabric. Everyone was pulling out different ones and holding fabrics up against their skin tone, trying to see what would look best. Some girls fought over colours, while others panicked if another girl picked a similar colour to them.
She could still remember rolling her eyes at them all as she went over to the white section, where not many girls had bothered going. Esther had always loved the colour white, as it was a symbol of purity. There she found many different fabrics that had potential, but she knew she could only pick one.
Esther reached out and pulled out a pure white fabric, opening it up and studying its design. It had white swirls stitched into it, with little silver beads that dotted the border of the fabric and were in the centre of the swirls. She smiled at the handwork and nodded – this would be the fabric of her outfit.
Esther folded the fabric back up and tucked it under her left arm, walking away from the fabrics and over to Hegai.
“I’m done,” she said, gesturing to the fabric under her arm.
Hegai smiled down at her.
“Very nice Esther, I’m sure the king will be most impressed with your choice. You may go to the room across from here and have a servant begin the work of designing a dress.”
Esther bowed her head in respect and walked out of the room, crossing the hallway and going into the next. She saw servants waiting ready for each girl, so she went over to the one who had a place card with the name ‘Esther’ on it.
“Good morning,” smiled Esther, taking the fabric out from under her arm and handing it to the servant.
The servant smiled back at her and took the fabric, having a good look at it.
She looked back up at Esther and her smile grew wider.
“You have chosen a very beautiful material, it will compliment your skin tone,” said the servant, taking out a tool to take Esther’s measurements.
“Thank you,” replied Esther, holding her arms out as the servant measured her.
“Do you have any ideas in mind for this fabric?” asked the servant, taking a few more measurements.
“Yes,” answered Esther. “I think I will have a one shouldered design, with one side draped around my shoulder, while the other will be bare. It will flow down to the floor and have a small train at the end. The waist will be tied with a silver cord to hold it in place while also highlighting my frame.”
The servant laughed when Esther finished talking.
“Well you’ve certainly made my job a lot easier and you’ve obviously given this a lot of thought. It sounds simple enough to do, so on that note may I begin?”
Esther nodded eagerly.
“I will help you with it so it works out the way it did in my head.”
While the other girls nearly took twice as long thanks to their fussing and refusal to help the servants, Esther and her servant spent the next three hours working with the fabric, having only a short break in the middle for something to eat.
By the end of it, Esther truly looked like a princess fit for a king. She thanked the servant over and over, as she was so pleased with how it looked on her.
~
Esther stopped herself from daydreaming further and finished the last of her breakfast. There was a lot to be done and hardly enough time to do it all in.
She washed her face in the water bowl provided next to her bed, drying her face with a soft towel.
Next, she took out a little mat and knelt down on the floor, interlacing her fingers together and closing her eyes.
She prayed to YHWH, asking Him for strength and courage for when she had to meet the king. She prayed the king would find favour in her if it was His will for her life, and that she would be spared the life of a concubine if she did not find favour with the king.
Just because today was an important day, she knew she had to make time for her God. Her daily routine did not change, for she knew her God was always with her wherever she went.
“May I bring glory and honour to You in everything I do today, and may Xerxes see something different in me that could perhaps be seen as a quality of a queen. May Your will be done in all that I do Father, and protect me from any harm that could follow, Amen.”
She spent a few more minutes on the ground; seeking the peace she knew only her God could give to her. Once she felt at peace, she slowly got up and rolled the matt back up, slipping it back under the bed.
~ 2 hours later~
Esther had washed herself in the king’s favourite oils and scrubbed herself clean from head to toe. She had sat in the sun to allow her hair to dry and now she felt as though it was time for the servants to help her get ready.
They came in quickly, almost as excited as she to begin the work of preparing her.
Her hand maidens came in with her dress, while other servants set about bringing in cosmetics to suit Esther’s skin tone, as well as the jewels that had been kept under Hegai’s care until the day of preparation.
Esther sat down on a comfortable chair in her room, claiming she did not need to go into any special room, as she would feel far more relaxed where she was.
First, she was sprayed with a soft perfume which smelt of sweet flowers mixed in with a fruity overtone, while some of the servants set to work about painting her nails with clear paint that would give her nails a pretty shine.
Another few servants massaged her shoulders to get rid of any knots she had in them from stress, while her hand maidens got the other servants to help them smooth out her dress and make sure it was without fault.
After this was done, two of her hand maidens went over to Esther and massaged a sweet smelling oil into her hair and scalp, explaining how it would make the hair easier to work with. She had already told them a few days in advance that she wanted to have her hair done in soft curls, and they had been more than happy to do a few run throughs to make sure it suited her outfit and face shape before her big day.
While they worked on curling her hair with some of the servants who had finished her nails, others went about applying the powdery cosmetics to her face. Once again, the hand maidens knew the exact colours that would best suit Esther, so all the servants needed were a few quick instructions before than began to work on Esther’s face.
During this time there was much laughter and joy, with Esther telling jokes her father used to tell her, and the women commenting on how pretty she looked.
All of them secretly hoped Esther would be crowned queen, as they loved being in her presence and hearing her laughter fill the air. Some had even said amongst themselves that it would be the king who would be so lucky to have a wife like Esther, rather than Esther to have a husband and king like Xerxes.
An hour passed and still everyone was in very high spirits. Esther had made sure the servants took breaks and ate with her, explaining to them how much she appreciated their hard work and effort into preparing her for her night.
She shared her nervous thoughts with them, and took comfort when they reassured her Xerxes would find her pleasing. They explained how his previous wife, Vashti, had always been a proud queen, and at times was rumoured to have abused her position – in more ways than one.
Esther promised them that if she were to become queen, she would do everything in her power to see Persia and its provinces flourish under her rule.
The hand maidens helped her up after lunch and got her to sit back down, telling her that if she wanted to be queen, she had to be ready on time.
“We have plenty of time,” said Esther, waving her hands at them. “Please relax.”
The servants and hand maidens refused to relax by now, they needed to have Esther ready well and truly before sunset, just in case there was a problem.
They stripped Esther of her old clothes and bought out her outfit, helping her step into it without ruining her hair or make up that they had worked so hard on.
She stayed still as one servant wrapped the silver cord around her waist, twisting it so it sat at the correct position. There was more fussing about how the dress looked, with some of the women moving Esther’s hair this way and that way to ensure it stayed in the right place.
Another hour passed before everyone was happy with their work, although Esther had kept reminding them they should be as calm as she was.
Her Almighty God had caused her to stay calm through the process, and she knew nothing could better prepare her for her night then knowing He would be watching over her.
“Time for the jewels,” smiled a hand maiden, nodding to the other six to take the jewellery over to Esther.
Once again she stood completely still as the earrings were clipped into place, the diamond bracelet was slipped onto her wrist, and the sapphire blue ring was placed on her finger.
The servants stood back with the hand maidens once Esther had been given one final inspection, and all were pleased with their work. Esther no longer looked like a simple princess, but rather their future queen and wife of Persia’s king.
“All the best Esther,” said a servant, giving her hand a squeeze.
The others joined in and murmured their best wishes. Hegai came in on the chorus of murmurings and looked over at the girl in the centre of it.
Esther of Susa stood tall and confident, smiling at the people around her. She looked over at him and her smile grew bigger.
“I am ready for his Majesty,” said Esther, stepping forward.
“His Majesty is ready for you,” replied Hegai, holding out a hand for Esther to take.
She turned around and smiled at the servants, thanking them one last time before being led out of her room by Hegai.
“There will be no girls lined on either side of the pathway out of the harem, but I’m sure you have been given enough encouragement from the servants.”
Esther couldn’t help but giggle.
“I prefer their smiles to the glares some of the girls got from others who have gone before me,” replied Esther, walking down the long corridor that would lead her out of the harem forever.
Once they reached the top of the stairs, Esther looked out and could imagine the angels in Heaven, replacing the girls who had previously lined these steps for others.
She carefully made her way down with Hegai, smiling to herself.
They walked for a few more minutes, chatting about how her day had gone and how she was feeling.
Hegai stopped when they reached the king's quarters and turned to Esther.
“Esther, I am sure you will have a high chance of becoming queen. Treat the king in the same way you have always treated people, with respect, love and kindness, and I am almost certain he will find favour in you.”
Esther nodded.
“Thank you for your advice Hegai, I will be sure to do so,” said Esther, looking ahead at the doors that kept the king inside.
“You can do all things Esther, through He who gives you strength,” said Hegai, letting go of her hand and ushering her towards the door.
She smiled back at him as she approached the door, surprised that he would say something like that.
The guards opened the door for her, announcing her name and where she lived as she walked past them and into Xerxes’ chamber. She prayed a silent prayer as she stepped forward, searching for the king.
The king was where he had been for each of the girls, behind the silk curtains that surrounded the outside around his bed.
“Your highness?” called Esther in a gentle voice.
“I am behind the silk curtains, please come forward.”
Xerxes had already heard a little bit about Esther, and was curious about her. He had secretly looked forward to meeting the girl who was apparently a pleasure to everyone, who always had a kind word to say.
Esther crept forward cautiously, opening the curtains with care and slipping past them. She bowed low to Xerxes and stood where she was.
Something stirred within Xerxes' heart, something he had not felt in a long time. It was as if something was tugging at his feelings, drawing him towards the girl that stood before him.
The king looked at where she had come in, and his eyes fell, not to her outfit first like all the other girls, but to her face. She had smooth, soft skin and pretty eyes that seemed to hold a sparkle to them. What surprised him more was her gorgeous smile that seemed to speak volumes to him even though nothing escaped her lips. His eyes trailed down the rest of her, looking at her simple yet beautiful white dress with its train at the back and the jewels that went with the outfit. Her lush brown locks framed her face perfectly and made everything about her all the more beautiful and perfect to look at.
The king realised he had spent more time looking at Esther than any of the other girls, so he quickly spoke.
“Esther of Susa, why do you wear such little jewellery, unlike the other girls who have come to me?” he asked curiously.
Esther’s smile didn’t falter as she spoke, “Sometimes less is more your majesty, and I didn’t want you to be overwhelmed with the amount of jewels I could wear. I am not royalty; I am simply a peasant girl who was given the opportunity to spend a night with you.”
The king was pleasantly surprised with her answer.
“Please come forward,” said the king, gesturing with his hands.
Esther obediently listened to him, walking closer to him and stopping short a few feet away from where he sat.
He sighed.
She was far more beautiful than the other girls who had come to see him, but was her heart as good and pure as her looks?
“Come sit next to me on the edge of the bed,” he said, trying to keep the warm smile off his face.
He didn’t want her to get too confident after spending only a few minutes in his presence.
“Tell me about yourself,” he said, looking at her as she sat down gracefully.
Esther’s insides froze.
What could she tell him? She had made a promise to her uncle that she wouldn’t breathe a word of her Jewish background to anyone in the palace – it was far too dangerous.
Suddenly, she felt a small voice speak to her, soothing her and guiding her in what to say to the king.
“Oh my king, how can I tell you anything about me, when it is I who should be listening to you?”
Again, she surprised Xerxes with her words. All the other girls who had been brave enough to speak to him had rambled on about their lives – he was barely able to fit a word in himself!
He reached out and held her hand, scaring himself at how bold he was being.
“Tonight I wish to listen to you too, for you are already showing me signs of what I have been looking for. Tell me of your life before you were summoned to the palace, I wish to know about you Esther.”
Esther was touched by his words, and could already feel her cheeks going a faint pink. His hand was warm and strong against her small, delicate one. She had met him only a few minutes ago, and already she was starting to develop feelings towards him.
“I used to live with my uncle, who works as a scribe,” began Esther, unsure of whether she would bore him with her words. “We had a small house to live in, but I made the most of it. My uncle took good care of me and I admired his dedication to looking after me.”
The king looked puzzled.
“What about your parents Esther?” he asked.
At the mention of her parents she had to keep the tears from forming in her eyes; her dear parents that would be smiling at her from Heaven if they saw her now.
“They were killed when I was just a young girl, my uncle is my only surviving relative. He took me in after their deaths and treated me like his own daughter,” replied Esther, keeping her voice even.
The king felt bad after asking her, feeling sorry for Esther and her misfortunate.
“I’m sorry Esther, I can tell it still troubles you.”
Esther put a smile back on her face and shook her head.
“I’m okay, I just miss them so much. My uncle used to tell me stories of my mother and how beautiful she was, and how hard my father fought to win her attention.”
The king laughed.
“A woman is like a butterfly, beautiful to look at and yet so difficult to catch.”
It was Esther’s turn to look surprised.
“I’m sure lots of women would be easy for you to catch, your highness,” said Esther quietly, looking away.
She felt his hand rub against hers, and he brought her face back to face him.
“There are few women who have looked past my position, and seen who I am inside,” said the king sadly.
“I’m sure there are some, who if given the chance, would love to see who you are,” whispered Esther, looking right into Xerxes’ eyes.
“Like who?” prompted the king.
Esther sucked in a breath and decided to take a leap of faith.
“I would be honoured, your majesty,” she said.
“As would I with you,” said the king, letting go of her hand and moving over on the bed.
“Come lay with me, and we shall talk some more,” he said, giving her a genuine smile.
Esther moved next to him on the bed, propping herself up with a pillow and looking at Xerxes, all of her nerves and worries disappearing.
“What is it you would like to talk about?”
***
As night dragged on and turned into the early hours of the morning, the pair spent ages talking to one another, exchanging memories and laughing at the other’s stories. Esther had never felt so happy, nor had she ever laughed so hard. Throughout the night her feelings had grown towards Xerxes, and her body had inched visibly closer towards his.
The same could be said for the king, who kept moving closer to Esther, until his clothes brushed against hers.
He felt more than physical attraction to the girl before him; he was a man completely in love. Her personality was just as beautiful as her outside appearance, and he was mesmerised by her kind and gentle spirit. He had needed to find a queen quickly, but he never thought the love would come before the marriage. It was as if something was pulling at his heart and telling him to make Esther his wife.
Just before the sun rose, the king got up from the bed and took Esther with him. He walked her out of his bed chamber and towards the doors. He stopped short and held her hands in his.
“Oh Esther, you have no idea what you’ve done to my heart this night. I feel complete with you next to me, and I can be my true self around you. Your beauty is far greater than any captured city’s loot, and your heart more pure than the whitest of snow. I have searched you as a young woman and found nothing to be at fault.”
Esther bowed her head.
“My king, you are too kind to me. I do not know what to say; I fear I will ruin this perfect moment,” said Esther, tearing up slightly.
“Then do not say anything yet, for I have something to ask of you,” he said, putting out something out of his robe and clasping his hands back around hers. "You must promise not to breathe a word to anyone other than Hegai, my most trusted eunich, until I say it's alright to do so. What I am about to ask you is very important."
Esther nodded.
"I give you my word."
He looked her in the eyes and asked her the question he had been hoping to ask since the first moment he had met her.
“Will you Esther of Susa, choose to be my beloved wife and Persia’s next queen?”
Esther’s throat closed over as the words sunk in. Her God had provided her with a new future far greater than she could ever ask for.
She nodded happily and smiled.
“Yes, I will be the wife of Persia’s beloved king,” she said as he slipped a ring onto her finger.
Esther threw her arms around him and he picked her up, spinning her around, their laughter filling his quarters and echoing around the palace.
A new chapter in Esther’s life had just begun.
________________________________________________________________________
Okay I decided to upload this early, so don't expect the next chapter for a little while as I'm going back to school on monday *sad face*. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, it took me around three hours to write :) By the way, if you think the proposal was a little quick, read the biblical account of this. I believe YHWH (God) had a purpose for Esther, and so Xerxes really did fall in love with her from just one night in her presence. He also needed a new queen, so it wasn't exactly one of those 'court the girl for a few years and then propose'. Trust me, I'm trying to follow the biblical account as best I can so it can be portrayed accurately. Vote and comment? :P