Moon Queen by Katharine Branning

Author:Katharine Branning
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blue Dome Press
Published: 2014-10-16T06:12:08+00:00

Chapter 64

Sullied Scepter

“Long life to Giyaseddin Keyhüsrev, may he prosper in God’s grace!”

The Sultan stood in the Great Palace, in the very rooms he had inaugurated with such joyful anticipation that afternoon. Now the walls of the divan room vibrated with his angry voice, bellowing the same phrase over and over again with a force that risked shaking Joseph’s wall of tiles to the floor.

“Long life to Giyaseddin Keyhüsrev, may he prosper in God’s grace!”

“Whatever possessed her to dare such an effrontery to my honor, in front of all my guests, on this day that was dedicated to glorifying my reign? This is an unforgivable offense and she must be punished!” yelled the Sultan with all the force of his lungs, even though Köpek, Ibn Bibi and other court officials and important emirs were sitting right next to him on the shining new carpets of Hanife, in the shadow of the glittering glaze of Joseph’s tiles.

After the Sultan’s berserk rage of smashing every one of the golden plates had played itself out, his private guards had ushered him out of the tent, in front of the dazed looks of the two hundred guests assembled there. It was clear there would be no musical concert that night, no chance to savor the breezes off the lake under the sparkling glow of the full moon; no, the anticipated joy of that evening had been smashed to bits and now lay on the ground along with hundreds of glass shards.

The banquet guests dispersed, completely perplexed as to what had taken place to anger the Sultan in such a violent fashion. Pages came in serving fruit on plates, and then, suddenly, he went totally mad with rage. Gaziye took over as hostess, smiling to all and apologizing for the unfortunate incident, but what was there to be done? Apparently the gift of Mahperi has offended the Sultan, she repeated to each one as they left the tent, making sure that all would understand that it was Mahperi’s fault. Gaziye knew the gossip about the outrage would soon spread throughout the entire Empire.

Köpek had whisked the startled Giyaseddin Keyhüsrev away out of the view of his enraged father.

And everyone wondered where Mahperi had gone.

Köpek went to the Big Palace and found the Sultan in a state of rage, just as he had planned it.

“Köpek!” roared the Sultan, “I thought you had this whole evening arranged and organized as per my wishes! How could you have let such a thing happen? Did you have any idea this outrageous display had been prepared?”

Lie, Köpek told himself, lie. If it suits your purposes; if it advances your plans, lie. It will not be a lie in God’s eyes. No, God will forgive me and understand that this lie is not a sin, but a necessary part of my plan to claim the power that is rightfully mine.

“No, of course, my Sultan, I did not,” he insisted, carefully avoiding Ibn Bibi’s eyes. “I was told simply to allow for a special presentation by the Queen Mahperi for the fruit course, that is all.

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