Chapter 997 Irises and Flames (Part 1)
I am the one who died for love, and my shroud should be dyed bright red,
Let it be as colorful and rich as my wedding day.
I must be dressed up like a bride,
When I am buried, the hijab must be placed on my head——
At the age of seventeen, she was still a girl who read love poems in the palace garden when she was extremely bored.
She is the jewel in the eye of King Smerdis and the most beautiful iris in the Kingdom of Sogdia. Every year, many marriage seekers from the Vlashkad Kingdom go to the palace, hoping to be able to marry them. The country marries this flower.
But her heart has never been within the high walls. She has had a strong interest in horseback riding and hunting since she was a child, and she has a deep interest in weapons and armor.
She even wished that she was a man so that she could become a general and gallop on the battlefield with her horse and sword.
But she is not. Her life can only be like those of her sisters, becoming a bargaining chip for palace marriage and stable rule, going to a prominent family, and living her ordinary life.
——————
At the age of nineteen, everything changed with the rise of a kingdom.
A small kingdom called Achaemenids defeated the Lydian Empire, the most powerful of the Vlashkad kingdoms, with incredible results. She heard some strange things from the rumors in the palace. There were rumors that the Achaemenids defeated an army of 500,000 people with only 20,000 people, and that the king of this country was a god who descended from the world.
She sneered at such superstitious nonsense. In this world where belief in gods is common, many kings have claimed that they are gods or sons of gods.
But it turns out that a hundred years later, they are just like other mortals, just a handful of loess.
At least in her opinion, there are no living gods in this world. Even if there are gods, they are the kingdom of gods hanging high above the white clouds.
But one thing she can confirm is that with the occurrence of this miracle, many things will change.
Subsequent developments proved that she was right.
Things have indeed changed. She was originally arranged to marry the crown prince of the Lydian Empire, but now she needs to go to the new Achaemenid Empire.
Until that time, she did not know her future husband, the legendary god on earth named Artaxerxes, the incarnation of the creator Ahura Mazda.
——————
She was very uneasy after leaving her hometown, and more worried and fearful about the future. As the marriage team gradually entered the territory of the Achaemenid Empire, she also heard More rumors about the Son of God.
It is said that he is not the biological son of the old king, but a strange baby who was carried back from the top of the holy mountain——
It is said that this son of God grew up from being carried back to the mountain. , it only took five years -
It is said that he had a body shape that was completely different from that of a mortal, and also had terrifying power. He killed five people from the Lydian Empire with one person on the battlefield. One hundred of the most powerful and brave noble warriors, and tore nearly a hundred assassins to pieces with their bare hands in an assassination attempt.
It is said that he had married a wife four years ago, and that wife was still his nominal sister. Of course, this is very common in the kingdoms, and one of her sisters married her brother. (You must taste the specialties of the Strawberry Cult)
It is said that few people can understand every word he said. This son of God seems to be naturally possessed of superb knowledge, and the rise of the Achaemenid Empire is inseparable. He invented many machines and weapons.
These rumors, whether true or false, disturbed her so much that to outsiders she seemed to be depressed all the time.
After trekking for half a month, the team arrived at Polis, the capital of the Achaemenid Empire.
As soon as she entered this city, she felt many places that were different from her hometown. The broad avenue is shrouded in the shade of trees, with white and gold buildings on both sides. Lush branches hang low on the street, covered with bright fruits.
Because the city is located on a plateau thousands of meters above sea level, the sunshine is warm and pleasant, and gentle wind sweeps through the bustling streets from time to time.
The residents of the capital, all tall, healthy and plump, welcomed their new queen warmly, which relaxed her mood a little.
Along the way, she saw many magical objects that she had never seen before, such as a metal car with four wheels that was extremely fast, a lamp that could light up without oil or fire, and the huge lights in the shops on both sides of the street. The glass showcases and the incredibly exquisite handicrafts inside, the strange tubular weapons in the hands of the guards and the huge boxes that make sounds and music.
These things overturned her common sense, and her worries gradually turned into a strong curiosity
Who created all this?
The team continued to move along the cleared streets and entered a wide square. The open-air area was a perfect circle.
Many streets and lanes extend from the square, and the center of the square is occupied by a tall stone pillar with a brazier at the top. Its square base is engraved with magnificent reliefs, depicting a winged figure. A scene in which the gods deliver a baby to a king.
As she got deeper into Polis, she realized that the rumors about the city were far from false. It was indeed a city made up of spectacular buildings, open squares, active theaters, and beautiful gardens. The glorious city composed of.
The distant snow-capped mountains and the ancient Acropolis provide a stunning backdrop, with various statues and silver spiers overlooking all living beings.
In any other city, such a powerful building would appear abrupt, but these spiers blend in with the surrounding landscape in perfect harmony, as if they were part of the mountains.
At the top of each spire is a burning sacred fire, representing the city's faith.
It is said that he designed this city.
————————
The team entered the palace. Compared with the city outside, it seemed quieter and deeper.
The huge golden sedan stopped at the main entrance of the palace, and a group of people were already waiting there.
She saw a man wearing a long-sleeved top, a wide waistband, and fluffy trousers. The drapes covered his feet and calves. A short cloak hung on the back, with a round The buckle was fastened, a bald eunuch wearing a red hat and white shoes came over.
Then the eunuch walked forward in small steps, knelt down, turned his face sideways, put one hand on his knee, raised the other hand to clasp the edge of the golden sedan, and said softly:
"The iris of the mountains, the pearl of the sea, the beautiful and noble Princess Elena Alcaraz, I am your most humble and respectful servant, and I will lead you to see Your Majesty later."
Although she didn’t know his name, she probably knew that he was a palace steward, so she nodded slightly through the gauze and said softly:
"Thank you very much."
As she said that, the two maids accompanying her opened the tent, and she stepped off the sedan step by step on the soft cushions.
Then the eunuch waved slightly to the back, and four dark-skinned warriors in short shirts came up immediately. They carried a smaller silver sedan, and she walked in immediately.
In the hands of the four strong men, the sedan had almost no ups and downs, but her heart was already in turmoil.
What will he look like?
What would he think of himself? A trophy? Or a tool for marriage?
In extreme anxiety, she felt the sedan shake.
We have arrived -
"Princess, we have arrived, please get off the sedan."
(End of this chapter)