text: For the next day, I wait. There is little I could do, for my father never summoned me. I would be put to death by coming uninvited. I also do not wish for the maidens to see me until I evaluate them. I need to be a frightening as my father, for their composure must not break when they meet him.
  
  My only savior from monotony is reading a report detailing that all is well from Ashich. Otherwise, I pace about the castle that I already know to well. Its glories offer nothing to me, unlike the masses below, because my childhood was here. I was just another child from my father until I killed a man who was disrespecting one of my father's concubines. It set me on a course for the glories of war.
  
  "Prince Darius," says the chief eunuch. It breaks me from my thoughts. I turn from the window to face him. I have learned that his name is Ashpenaz.
  "Are the maidens here?" I ask.
  "Yes," says Ashpenaz, "They are being prepared now. We have taken every measure possible for preparing them. Most of them bathe. Many take jewelry. Some perform rituals to the gods of love or sex. They will all be ready before the sun rises."
  "Good," I say. "How many are there?"
  "We have a thousand. Other could have been taken, but we do not have the time. Forgive me, Prince Darius." I do not see fear in his eyes. He is being polite.
  "I do not fault you. Tell me, are any very good or very bad in your eyes?"
  "I see a few with heart of greed," he replies, "Shall I not present them before you?"
  "No, but I want you to present them before me. If she is not honorable as you say, then nod your head so that I will not choose her."
  "As you say, Prince Darius." He bows, "Is there anything else in which you want?"
  
  > A Plan Has Come to your Mind
  "Ashpenaz," I say, "I will don the armor of a guard and see them with you. That way, I can inspect them before they see me."
  "I see why people call you Noble and Wise Darius, Prince Darius," says the eunuch. "I will tell a guard to give a guard's armor to you. Do you wish to meet at the entrance to where the women are kept?"
  "Yes, we shall meet in that place," I say.
  
  We depart, and I walk to the location. There I wait until the eunuch arrives. He says, "Take these, and you will be like a guard." I don the armor.
  "When we enter, do what you do, and I will talk to them to see if any stand above the rest. Do not act as though I am your king."
  "I will do as you say."
  
  We enter. The eunuch walks over to some of the women who were arguing over jewelry. I see the nakedness of many. I realize that their nakedness is all the same, for their form is as one. I see none as more beautiful than the next, so my heart becomes troubled. I know not if any are ones which my father might accept.
  
  I see much vanity. Many women are in front of mirrors and don jewelry and fine clothes to prepare for when they see me. There is nothing wrong with such actions, for I would enjoy the sight of this; however, they say vicious things to one another and glare at many of the other maidens. They are all the same.
  
  I walk among them, though none speak to me. Several whisper to other maidens and giggle. All of the women have the same skin and hair upon their flesh. I wish Ashich were here to consul me.
  
  I say things to the maidens as I walk by to look for a response that is different from the rest. I greet them, and they great me in return. Nonetheless, I see one who is different from the rest, for she still wears the clothes of a maiden in the city while the other wear the fine clothes offered to them.
  
  I approach her to speak with this maiden, but two other women come around her. Their eyes are like those of a dog chasing after its prey. Though it would be honorable to protect this maiden, and I am wearing the armor of a guard; however, I wish to see this without my involvement unless it is necessary. I move out of their vision behind a pillar, though I can still see them.
  
  The two women move to either side of the plain maiden. One of the women has lighter skin. The other has brown hair. The brown haired one says to the maiden, "We see your beauty, oh servant of dust, for you wish to be a simply street girl. We shall bruise your face as we have others so that we may win."
  The maiden replies while not appearing worried, "You shall not bruise me, and I have no desire to be chosen. I wish to return to my family. What you are saying seems like the ravings of a madwoman."
  The lighter skinned woman replies, "See as there are no guards around us? It is most exciting to bruise others as we have found. Even our servants receive the whip more often than they should, for we come from families of wealth."
  
  I place my hand on my sword, but before I approach the women, the maiden slams herself into the brown haired one. The brown haired woman gasps into surprise as she falls while the other stands not know how to respond. The maiden takes hold of the fallen woman's head and cracks it into the ground. She stands and stares at the lighter skinned one who then lunges at her. The maiden sidesteps and trips the woman causing her to fall on her face. Both the women flee. One is bleeding from the back of the head while the other appears to have a broken nose.
  
  I finally approach the maiden who is breathing heavily though she seems happy.
  
  I say to her, "Do you not have clothes or jewelry yet? I can have some brought to you in a moment. Also, why are you breathing such deep breaths?"
  She shakes her head though she takes a step back from me, "No, I do not wish to wear such things as fine jewelry. I am also fine, so worry not about me."
  
  She is a head shorter than me while her skin looks more tanned than the other women. She stands at the edge of the room while other women try to give her space.
  
  "Do you not come from the city? I have just noticed that your clothes are different than that of this city. Is that a different blue?" I ask. She looks surprised.
  "I live a day's travel on foot away from this place where my family is the servants of a noble's family. We came into town on an errand for my masters, but other guards took me from my father and told him what they were to do. He said farewell to me before I left, and now he is with my masters again. I wish to depart soon to see him, so I will not wear such jewelry or clothing."
  "What is your name? I hold some sway over the guards, and I will tell them to escort you back to your home."
  "I am Pamphylia, daughter of Dodavah. You have my most sincere thanks for your kind actions." She smiles for the first time.
  "I may even convince prince Darius to see you earlier so you may depart immediately."
  Her eyes open wide and her jumps in joy. She cries, "Please, I wish to leave this place!"
  
  I nod and leave. The chief eunuch sees me leaving, so he follows me out the door.
  
  > Talking
  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.
  
  > take Her Home
  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.
  
  Pamphylia told Darius that she would not marry the king if he did not worship the Lord, so Darius did not take her as a wife, for he took another. Though, Darius bought her and her family's freedom which pleased the Lord greatly. Then, he made peace with the Insanlar when he became king, so the Lord blessed his household.
  
  To this day, the Insanlar have not been provoked to war by the line of Darius.