The King

64. Taj Olsultan

The tellers of the old kings’ tales tended to take liberties with the narrative of their stories, and when it suited them they always revised the endings in order to close with a flicker of hope. No one knows whether they told the truth or not, but everyone understands that those who related the events of history were granted the freedom to end their stories as they saw fit.

With this old Persian tradition in mind the following just may be true.

Forty days after the death of the shah the delegates of the parliament came together. They appointed Princess Taj Olsultan as regent in place of her little son, who later would ascend the throne.

The beautiful princess arrived at the parliament in her golden coach and entered the building accompanied by a group of guards. All the delegates stood up and clapped for Her Majesty.

Once she was officially sworn in she put her signature on all the parliamentary documents. Taj Olsultan recognised Afghanistan as a sovereign nation and pulled the Persian troops out of Herat. She arranged for housing and allowances for all the women of the harem and sent them back to their families.

During the long life of Taj Olsultan the trains arrived and all the streets of Tehran were bathed every night in the light of the new electric lamps.

The kings’ tales are never really finished, and this is because the storytellers always have to save something for the night that is to come.