Notes

CHAPTER _: The ways of the sword

Anahita's breathing slows and the hand on her chest stopped trembling as she tried to focus her attention on the dryness of the land beneath her. She had just turned seventeen, after all; she wasn't a baby anymore so she should be able to handle a small sword. Still, her unblinking eyes darted between components.

Anahita's hair fell past her shoulders and down her back, exposing her honey tanned skin, she snatched the sword from the ground and went back into position. The loosely fitted waist belt shuffled with each movement as she swept the strands out of her face, but her stubborn locks fell back on her eyes.

Frustrated, she pulls her hair tie from her wrist and tied her hair back into a dapper ponytail. She had no hope of ever exceeding into battle on one-on-one with Octavina, and actually winning. These troops were pros! How was she going to get to their level?

“Go a little easier… “ she mumbled.

“Do you ever see the opponent go easy on their target? I think not.” He scoffed.

Anahita listened for the approach of Octavian, she scrambled over the fence that the troops had set up. She drew her chin back, surprised by the sudden movements, he reminded her of a ninja in the movies she watched as a kid.

Smirking, she bit her lip, a wave of foolishness smother her thoughts. How could she possibly beat the leader of a fierce guild and overthrow him from the spotlight? Octavian would probably think she was weak if she were to make the wrong move.

Anahita felt her feet sink further and further into the sand with each step she took. With the sword held by her side, Octavian continued to fight back. Some watch as the aura between them grows more intense and serious, Nadine and Nadia rushed forward to Anahita's side with their hands ascended on the hilt of their sword.

"It's alright," Anahita kept her eyes on her component. The twins looked at each other taken aback by her sudden confidence to beat Octavian and backed away. Nadine turned as she heard Octavian laughing, "Confident. Are we?” He mocked.

Exhausted by all the training, she shook her head. "No I don't want to, let's practice more tomorrow," she whined. Listening to his rants, she threw her sword to the side and extended her arms to the sun. "As long as we’re both under the same sun, then I can be at peace." She held her arm over her eyes to block the sun, but it coursed around her arm anyway so it was no use.

As she lied on the sand enjoying the sun shining against her skin, thoughts of Jeremiah entered her mind. Where have you gone? Tears welled up in Anahita's eyes, the longing to go home was eating her away inside.

"The sooner you learn, the faster you can catch up to your brother and find him.”.

Anahita blew a loose strand of hair out of her face. Fast on her feet she went back into position. In school, gym was her favorite subject so she was good with her legs but with her arms, you might as well call her noodle arms because she mainly leaned toward soccer and track.

.































CHAPTER: Life in the palace

Anahita's gaze went to the sword at Cyrus’s side, her eyes widened in certain recognition. "I've seen that sword before..." Her voice trailed off when she realized where she had seen it before.

It can't be, distracted by her bombarding thoughts her eyes grew heavy from the overwhelming effects of excessive training. As she swerved for another lunge to Cyrus, her wrist begun to hurt from the heaviness of the sword, her heel turns on the sand to another direction causing Anahita to stumble back and land on her bottom.

































Chapter: Battle of Pteria

http://www.livius.org/articles/person/croesus/

http://www.binujohn.name/tag/battle-of-pteria/


Cyrus II of Persia conquers Lydia.

--------


Croesus was known in the early Greece for his legendary wealth. He asked the Delphic Oracles whether to take sovereignty of Cyrus or oppose him. The Oracles replied that if Croesus crosses River Halys that it would bring destruction to a great empire.


--
The brother she loved was a ruthless killer.

























(MEETS CYRUS)


Anahita didn't look back as she ran. She was getting better at dodging around soldiers in the palace. Turning the corner, she dashed into the seraglio. There were a few princesses screaming to the top of their lungs and scrambling to find shelter, but that didn't matter to her. Anahita ran to the courtyard of the palace, shouting for Jeremiah's attention.

He was being tugged away by a few men in uniforms. The shouts blurred the words he was shouting back and all she could see was him mouthing words that she couldn't read. No matter how fast she ran for him, he was getting farther and farther. Soon enough it was just a black silhouette in the distance.

Through a blur of angry tears she watched her brother ride away. Raising her hand to wipe her eyes, she found the stink of blood on her fingers suddenly unbearable. She clenched her fingers into fists, hating the anxiety she hadn't been able to cast off. It always flared at the mention of Jeremiah, and soon it was going to overwhelm her to the point of the unthinkable.

She wished she could be strong like the soldiers here, surviving the battlefield, even when the light of their eyes leave them, enemy or ally, they all still fought well.





















CHAPTER TWO: The Children

Anahita trudged back toward her room but paused when came to the main gathering hall. Red pillows and small tables furnished the area. Tall columns secured the levels lining fall along the four corners

Princess Atossa Shahbanu, she was the second eldest of the four children, her dark brown hair was braided in two and tied atop her head, adorning around her silver crown. Striking brown eyes; if she had not been so obviously frightened Anahita would have seen her as beautiful.

Prince Bardiya, he was the third child out of the four, a tad on the feminine side but low-key would remember if you crossed him. Bardiya had coarse black hair, sepia-brown skin, and red-brown, almost maroon, eyes.

Then Princess Roxane, the little star of the four children, she was astonishingly beautiful,




























CHAPTER:

(rejects Octavian)


All crowded behind Cyrus, listening and wondering what this private conversation was about. Peering over the shoulders of the King, Idan watched with the eyes of a hulk at each emotion displaying on her face.

At the sudden touch of fingertips, she pulled her hand away to her lap. Her heart ached with guilt. This was the man who found her, the one who took care of her, and the one who came to love her. He accepted her right off the bat, and yet here she was telling him that she was in love with someone else.

"I don't understand which part of him is good?" His hands were clasped in front of him. The strands of his hair covered the sorrow in his eyes. “I love you Anahita.”


She clenched her chest where her heart was and stared down at the pavement below their feet. “I don't want Cyrus to disappear from inside my heart.”























Chapter_: The Return

https://media.giphy.com/media/63HnDxjy62yFW/source.gif


After six years - 23 now (21 when she gave birth)

The Gods wronged this day, or perhaps they were simply cruel. The gentle scent of the carnation’s kindled memories of summers gone in the palace garden. Her eyes were closed but she realized that her earlier fatigue had passed on.

The nurses sped down the hall with her parents, straining to reach the young woman. Doctors swarmed her bed, racing to know the answers.

Anahita quickly opens her eyes, panic coursing through her blood. The soothing voice of her mother came to sight and she maneuvered comfortably to the recognizable woman sitting beside her. “M-mom!” She blurts, fast to hug her.

“Do not move my love,” Her mother stood on her feet and brought Anahita forward into an embrace. “I-it’s been so long, I missed you so much.” Silent tears streamed down her mother's cheeks. Brick by brick, her walls came tumbling down. Anahita inhaled her mother’s scent and rubbed circle motions on her back.

“I’m alright.” She mumbled to her shoulder.

A small palm caressed her cheek, the blue nails catching Anahita’s attention. large dark eyes behind black-rimmed glasses met hers, holding all the bookish knowledge. The girl's curious eyes asking for more, conflicted with a tight smile silently begging for an explanation.

“Is this m-my—”

“Sister.”

Tears brimmed Anahita’s eyes. “W-what’s your name?”

“Suha,” she smiled.

The last time she saw her mother was when she was pregnant. A large curve under a blouse ready to pop any second now. It felt so long ago, her expression faltered as Artystone came to mind.




“I opened two gifts this morning,”

“What?”

“My eyes.”





































Chapter __: Solomon’s Temple

http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/solomon/gallery/images/solomon-mormon-temple1.jpg


"As great in bigness as all these waters which flow forth upon the earth, hear me Goddess of the divinity waters, and return our beloved Anahita to us!" He extends his hands forward upon the still waters, his patience growing thin. After the death of his first wife, Cassandane, he never thought of loving another, she who bore him four beautiful children and she who brought so many emotions to him also brought him closer to Anahita.

In the beginning, this girl who entailed so many risks upon her sleeve was none but a problem for the empire. The many tests she had to take in order to become worthy of the title Queen of the Achaemenid empire, she did not give up.

Yes, at first she was impatient, anxious, emotional ... nothing like the women he knew, which both interested him and warned him. But later on, she accepted the role with open arms. Not only did her body become physically stronger, but her heart.

"She's not coming back!" murmurs from the crowd were heard from the temple. "The Gods must be angry, it could be because his majesty hasn't married her!"

The once still waters, lace with small ripples upon the surface so subtly as to break or tear the delicate placidity. Shoulder to shoulder, stepping on toes, all watched with their eyes wide open far too engrossed to blink fearing they might miss something.

A sense of anguish, more so than pain, had taken rule of Anahita's heart, and she was extremely light-headed. Over the last few seconds, she'd seen flashes of a woman, but this was the first time she had seen her so clearly.

When Anahita clasps her hands she is unaware, but slowly she plunges upward to the daylight above. Drops of water roll down her body, Anahita's brown eyes—flecked with gold—met his brown eyes and crinkled into a smile.

Adrenaline spiked in Cyrus's bloodstream. He snapped out of his daze, hustled to the woman and naturally lifted her. There was no denying that King Cyrus had changed over the years,