Son of the SunList of players so far -Lij, the Pharaoh Knefer-Lijedefer- Elijah Sen-Adom, the harpist - Dominic Neferura-Ulive, Lij's wife and sister - Liv Menkh, Chief Advisor - Viggo Pen-Nekeb, A eunuch; body slave to Lij - Sean Astin Seti-Hop, a physician - Ian Mckellan Nefer-Aru, Lij's mother - Cate Blanchett Merit-Aton, Liv's mother - Miranda Otto Setep-Aton another royal physician - Chris Lee Orem, a eunuch, Liv's lover - Orli Captains of the Guard, Zeser-Amon - Sean Bean and His brother, Ankh-Aton - David Wenham Imhotep, the Royal architect - Billy Menep-Atifer-Ankh-Ra - Lij's Granny - An old woman with heart. Several friends, aquaintances and folks who merit mentioning, but no names, please! Part 9 - They Also Serve... Dom strode across the palace like a man possessed. Guards who might have challenged him in remote areas of the palace where he was not well known, opened doors and let him pass. Dressed as he was in a simple grey kilt, he should have excited no one's attention. But he did. Menkh, arriving back from his morning ride, stopped him in the narrow hallway leading from the stables to Setep-Ra's apartments. "Where are you...?" Menkh's voice stopped in his throat when he saw the expression on Dom's face. "My Lord is still hovering at the gates of death, and I intend to send the creature who poisoned him there in his stead!" Dom said between gritted teeth. Menkh's heart froze. He adored his little cousin. Had since the lad was old enough to ride about the palace on his back, pretending to be a warrior slaying the Hivites. And now he was lying close to death because...? Swiftly, Menkh asked Dom for the whole story. His face went white with shock and anger. "Do not fear, my friend. If the old crocodile refuses to eat the fruit, I shall ram it down his filthy throat myself!" Together they burst into Setep-Ra's rooms. They were empty. The bird had flown. A tearful girl slave with a bruised face, who was trying to tidy up a mess of tangled clothing, told them he had gathered together a bundle, and had left the palace when the king's condition had been discovered. None of his family were to be found. All had disappeared. Dom and Menkh both thought nothing could have confirmed his guilt more than this action. Dom disposed of the figs in the latrine, and they quickly returned to Dom's apartments. There all was the same. The King lay quietly on the bed. His grandmother sat in a chair on one side of him, rubbing his body with cleansing oils. Liv sat on the other, with Nefer-Aru standing behind her chair, her hands on her son's wife's shoulders. His wife came up to him, as soon as Menkh came through the door. He clasped her arms and said, quietly, "How is he, my love?" Merit shook her head. Dom went to the bedside, and Liv, smiling sadly up at him, gave him her seat - insisting that he sat there. He did so, grasping the nerveless hand lying still on the bed, and looking at Seti-Hop for guidance and hope. "We do not know what damage the poison has done, Adom. He hears us, but he does not answer. He opens his eyes, but he does not see." The old man's voice quavered. "Perhaps it may have been better for him to stay in the Dark Place, rather than return to us like this, to a living death". Dom raised his eyes from his beloved's face. "No, never say that. I would have him here, even if this is all there is to be for him. I will wash him, and feed him, and see to his needs. I...love him above all living things." Dom bent his head, and rested it on Lij's chest. "If this is all there is to be for him, then I will take it." Nefer put her hand on Dom's shoulder. "Thank you, my son", she said. Dom turned in amazement at the queen's words. "Lady?..." "You shall be my son, too, from this day on", she said, softly. "Your great love for my boy has touched my heart!" She kissed the top of Dom's head. The old woman coughed. "Perhaps we should all retire into the next room for a moment", she said to the gathered group. "I think..." What she thought, no one was destined to discover. Everyone left, as her hands made shooing motions towards them, from her chair. Soon they were alone. Menep gazed at Dom across the bed. "Get into the bed with him, and give him your heat. He will feel you there, even if he doesn't yet understand. He is reborn from the place of the Dead. He will be puzzled by this world of ours. Let him feel something he might remember. Let him feel love!" The old woman smiled wearily at Dom, and left the room. Dom lay down by his lover's side, put his arm over the king's waist, and drew himself against the still body. He rested his head against Lij's neck, and breathed in his scent. No one smelt like his Lij - no one. Even like this he smelt like desert rain, lemons, and spices. Dom raised himself up on one elbow, and kissed the slightly parted lips. Then he kissed them again. "You are my life!" he murmured into Lij's mouth. He lay down again, and put his head back on Lij's shoulder. Yes, by the Mother - if this is to be all, I will take it! he thought. The tears tracked down his face, and ran down Lij's chest, unheeded. Dom eventually fell asleep, exhausted with worry and care. No one saw Menep creep back in, and glance at the couple on the bed. Yes, she though, sadly. It is better, thus. Let them - let Dom - have this moment of peace. When the battle for the kingship begins, there will be no peace for any of us! She returned to keep vigil with the others - and to pray. The Priests of Sekhmet were gathered at the door, chanting softly. If either of the sleeping men heard them, they made no sign. ** Knefer-Lijedefer was walking between two rows of sheltering trees, watching the sun dapple through the branches onto the grass beneath his feet. It was peaceful here - wherever it was - light, tranquil and above all, green. Lij wondered where Dom was. He felt he was close, very close, but he could not see him. A drop or two of rain fell onto his chest. Lij brushed them away. It did not occur to him - why should it? - to ask why the rain didn't fall on his head. He walked towards a well, and sat down beside it, pushing the bucket over the edge, and listening to the satisfying splash as it hit the water below. Lij moistened his lips with his tongue...he was thirsty. Suddenly he felt a beloved hand behind his head, lifting it, and a cup was at his lips. "Drink, my love", a voice said. Lij closed his eyes, and drank. He slid happily down the side of the well, and fell asleep. ** "Did he take it?", Menep asked Dom, as he put the cup down on the small table beside the bed. Dom nodded. "All of it, Lady. I must...". He quickly picked up a cloth, and placed it between the sleeping man's legs. She smiled at Dom. "Go and bathe and eat something, my son. You will not help him by becoming ill yourself. I will sit here until you return." Dom smiled gratefully at her, and left the room. Menkh and his wife were in the outer chamber. The king had been carried into his own apartments by Dom, who said that Lij would be better off in his own bed - their bed. The bed where they loved and slept. Where they talked into the night. Where they were one. *** It had been ten days since Setep-Aton had poisoned the king. Ten days during which the countryside had been scoured for the murdering scoundrel by Menkh and the Captains of Thousands, the brothers Zeser-Amon, and Ankh-Aton. The brothers, known as The Scourge of the Wicked, adored their little king. Had shared, in their turn, his bed. Had worshipped him from near and far, and were known to swear obscene oaths by the curve of his upper lip. When told of the poisoning, Zeser-Amon went wild, smashing anything that came into his hands against the wall. His younger brother - gentler, less volatile - drew his brother into a crushing embrace, and held him there until he had stopped trembling from the rage that consumed him. "I will find him", he muttered through gritted teeth. And when I do find him, I will disembowel him with my bare hands!" Menkh uttered a gruff bark of laughter. "You will stand behind me in the line, Zeser...and as I stand behind Dom, I do not think there will be much left to work with when he has finished with the carrion!" Ankh smiled, grimly. "Then it is well done! We would see him punished! How is the Little One, now?" Menkh ignored the disrespectful term of endearment, given as it was, in love, and sighed, rubbing his hand over his unfashionably bearded chin. "Not well. He eats a little, and drinks, but he does not speak, or appear to know we are there. Some of the advisors are getting restless. They want a king they can see, not one who lies there, dreaming. It is too soon to despair....I still have hope..." Zeser put his hand on his comrade's arm, and squeezed it, comfortingly. "I know, old friend! But there is a kingdom to protect, here. The Assyrians would relish the chance of attacking a divided house. We must all stand together." Zeser looked his friend in the eye. "Would you take the throne, if it were offered you? You are nearest to him in blood, and by ties of affection..." Zeser recoiled as Menhk's eyes blazed fury. "Never say that again while he breathes! Never will I usurp his throne - until I place him in his tomb, and put the rod at his mouth - never speak of it!" Menkh clapped his hand on Zeser's shoulder to show him there was no ill will between them, then they leapt on their horses and rode about the countryside, hunting for the poisoner as if Set and his hounds were on their heels. |