text: [Themes: fan fiction, biblical, romance]
  
  He asks me, "Did you find a maiden which you fancy?"
  "Yes, she is Pamphylia, the daughter of Dodavah. Do not treat her any differently, but go and take a handsome adviser and put him in my garments. Then, have him stand in the garden when the sun sets. I will take Pamphylia to him where he will tell her to depart. Then I, as a guard, will ask her if she wishes to marry me. Then, I will know if she wishes to be my wife, for I do not think she, unlike all the other maidens, wishes to become my wife."
  "I see you wish for what is not given to you," says the chief eunuch Ashpenaz, "And you wish to take that which is difficult to take."
  "Such is the way with me I suppose. I have many others to choose from if this does not end with her agreeing, though her strength is... exhilarating for me to see."
  
  He departs, and I go to the gardens. There I sit and ponder things. My father will be entertained by a story such as this, and so he will approve of Pamphylia if she agrees.
  
  After time passes and the sun is close to setting, I see a handsome adviser of my father is my robe and armor. I say to him, "Be kind to Pamphylia and say to her 'you may depart to your father'." He nods. I leave for the maiden.
  
  As I am about to open the door, the ground shakes for a moment. Such things show the gods are restless, so fear enters my heart. A crow calls three times, and I hear a ripping sound. I turn. One of my father tapestries shows his grandfather standing apart from all of the gods, but it rips from the top down. The tear is between the greatest of our Great Kings and the gods. My heart trembles in fear, for the gods have strong desires around my situation.
  
  I harden my heart and enter. There, all of the women are fearful, but I see one who is not. I walk to her as she walks to me. I ask Pamphylia, "Why do you not tremble?"
  With a smile, she says, "I do not see a need to fear in these situations, for I trust in the One who causes the earthquakes."
  "Ah, I do not know many who worship Deprem the most."
  "Do you have audience with the king?" She looks hopeful amongst the fearful.
  "Yes, follow me."
  
  I lead her out to the garden. I can see fear in the eyes of the handsome adviser, but his face masks his fear.
  
  The adviser says in a princely voice, "Are you Pamphylia, daughter of Dodavah?"
  She shows no fear when she replies, "I am, Prince Darius." I try not to smile at hearing another addressed as Prince Darius.
  "Then, you may depart for your father." His composure remains firm.
  "I am most thankful. Live long and prosper, Darius the Kind," she says. She turns and smiles at me. Her eyes show her joy.
  
  The adviser departs from us.
  
  "May I ask you a question before we depart?" I ask.
  "I am a servant. There is no need to ask for my permission, but I will surely answer it." She says. "But please, let us be hurrying. I have no things to take, and I may be able to see my father before the sun rises."
  "Would you have accepted if Darius would have asked for your hand in marriage?" My heart thumps like war drums in my ears.
  "No," she says. My heart sinks. "He has attacked my people, for I am not of this country. My father and I are of the Insanlar people." I now know why the tapestry was torn. The gods are unhappy with my choice of her, and they do not wish for me to marry her.
  "I suppose there is no way you could love a man who did such things."
  She shakes her head. Pamphylia replies, "I shall not be wed to one who does not worship my God."
  "Is your God not the god of the desert?"
  "He is Ancient of Days. No other gods are before or beside Him. He was the one who caused the earthquake. I do not know what it means exactly, but He has an interest into what will happen to me. Such things are wonderful to those who help me, but horrible to those who don't. Guard, whose name I do not know, you will be blessed."
  
  I nod. In my head, I realize that I have two choices. I could simply take her home. Then, the gods would be satisfied, yet I could also renounce the gods and worship her god. My father may be displeased and the priests of my nation will surely try to kill me, but it would unite us with the Insanlar which would make this state even more powerful. Furthermore, we would simply have to worship of God which would greatly simplify all of this pleasing I must do for all other gods.
  
  > convert to Find Favor with this One God
  I say, "I will convert to find favor with your... my God."
  She dances in praise to our God. She says to me, "Such words are a sweet honey to me! Praise God!"
  "Will you answer one last question?"
  "Yes," she stops dancing and looks at me. I cannot tell what she is thinking at this moment.
  "If I purchase you and your father's freedom, will you become my wife?"
  Her mouth widens until she covers it. Everything suddenly becomes very quiet. I see her take three long breaths before Pamphylia says to me, "I am valued greatly by my master. No amount of many a guard may have could purchase my family and I; however, I greatly appreciate your display."
  "I wish to reveal a secret to you. I will end the hostilities to your people, for I am Darius. See, this is my signet ring which had hidden in my pocket." I turn to two guards walking by and call out to them, "Who am I?"
  They salute me and answer, "You are our prince, Noble Darius."
  
  I turn to Pamphylia whose eyes are crying. She says to me, "I accept after you are officially a member of my people. You need to worship our God."
  "That is something which I will gladly do." I embrace her.
  "You also have to do one painful thing," she says.
  
  > Epilogue: The Converted King
  Before the Insanlar were defeated by the army of Darius, he was called home to his father who ordered him to take a wife before he died, for the king was sickly. Darius dressed as a soldier and talked to all of the maidens that his guards rounded from him. He met an Insanlarite named Pamphylia who he saw as different from the rest, for she fought off wicked women who wished to harm her and bruised them greatly.
  
  Pamphylia told Darius that she would not marry the king if he did not worship the Lord, so Darius converted and was circumcised. He became king, for his father was too merry on wine and too sick from disease to know what he was doing. Darius and Pamphylia made an alliance between their two nations. Darius destroyed the false temples, the high places of worship, and ended all worship to other gods. His people then worshiped the Lord and do so to this day with the Insanlar.
  
  The line of Darius and Pamphylia lasts to this day, but is their line not in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings? But, Darius and Pamphylia loved one another, and their hearts were for the Lord which pleased the Lord greatly.