Ecbatana 7

'I am Cyrus, King of the four quarters of the world'-Cyrus the Great

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Arriving in Ecbatana after two months of travel, Artaxerxes was excited to see the famed Median capital. Surrounded by towering walls, the metropolis was the northernmost heartbeat of the Achaemenid Empire. Passing through the city thoroughfare, Artaxerxes looked on in awe at the number of people, trade, and commerce there was in open sight.

Even with a massive crowd gathered to pay respect to the King of Kings at the side of the main road, the city's vibrant commercial districts remained unaffected and continued on with business.

Most buildings in Artaxerxes sight were built with mud bricks and decorated with glazed tiles in varying hues of orange, yellow, green, and blue. Giving the entirety city an aura of prosperity. Of course, what stood out the most to Artaxerxes, was the towering Apadana at the center of Ecbatana, being elevated 10 meters above the ground. Similar in style to the one in Persepolis, though smaller, it was definitely a wondrous sight.

Passing the Apadana, where Artaxerxes and his immediate family separated from the cavalcade that had disrupted the hubbub of the city, the Achaemenids Ecbatana residence appeared, hidden from the public. The chief palatial site is crafted from fine stone, mud brick, glazed brick, and wood. And of course, supported by the classic Achaemenid columns on bull capitals gave Artaxerxes a sense of nostalgia, reminding him of his birthplace that he had unknowingly gotten quite close to, Persepolis.

"We've arrived!" Amytis yelled, causing an echo in the cavernous palace. "Stop being so loud little brat," Hystaspes said in annoyance, he had been in a foul mood ever since Dariaios beat him silly during a spar the same morning.

"Hystaspes, don't be rude to your little sister." Amestris scolded, having grown tired of Hystaspes rebellious phase. 'Heh, serves you right Hystaspes' Artaxerxes internally cheered his mother to go further, already having formed a grudge against his elder brother who likes to play pranks on the unsuspecting toddler.

Sadly today wouldn't be the day he'd see Hystsaspes scolded further, as his mother decided to drop it and leave her children alone, heading off to help manage the resettling of the royal harem.

In his sister's arms, Amytis, Hystaspes, and the quiet Rhodogune walked the palace gardens to play. The Achaemenids took great pride in their gardens, or so Artaxerxes inferred, from the sheer grandeur at display in both the gardens at Persepolis and Ecbatana. The layout of lush green spaces interspersed with palaces, pavilions, and audience halls was a defining feature of Persian garden design. Dressed-stone water channels unified the gardens through a carefully planned geometric layout by creating an elegant fourfold design, or Chahar bagh.

Throughout this design, the garden became a reflection of one of many titles owned by the King of Kings. Furthermore, the old Persian word for gardens was paridaida, which Artaxerxes could guess its English descent, paradise, and it was with good reason. It was even said in later years, that the Garden of Eden was based on the Persian's paridaida.

The garden that Artaxerxes was playing in with his siblings at Ecbatana had foreign shrubs and fruit trees, and grafters were employed to prune precious grapevines in Lebanon and replant them in Persian soil. Overall, it was truly a paradise on earth.

Artaxerxes, being only a few months old, rested on an elegant park bench as he watched Hystastpes being tackled onto the ground by Amytis and Rhodogunes sneak attack.

With Amestris prying eyes away, it was only so long before Amytis and Hystaspes' quarrel renewed. Hystatspes, commenting on how Amytis was apparently the ugliest girl alive, quite ironic to Artaxerxes considering she was a pretty girl in all regards, had officially commenced the current fight.

Rhodogune, though not one to speak, piledrived Hystapes into the dirt, where shortly after Amytis dogpiled on top, the trio then began to roll around, scratching and yelling at each other. Artaxerxes, once again contemplating how he had gotten into this situation, just decided to sleep, It had been a long journey, and with the cool summer breeze quickly fell asleep.

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