Son of the SunLij, the Pharaoh Knefer-Lijedefer- ElijahSen-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. Sennacherib, King of Assyria - Karl Urban Argamus of Kishlan - Hugo Weaving Garmen - Craig Parker Iri-Natjer - Lij's cousin Pretep-Ra - Lij's cousin and Nat's wife Agor - Kishlan captain Soraya - Kishlan healer Lygia - Mistress of the Slaves Leila Khatun - Keeper of Mysteries Ahmose - Lij's chief concubine Peri - Aton - Another concubine Chief Herald Several friends, aquaintances and folks who merit mentioning, but no names, please! Part 23 - The Lion's Den The room was dimly lit by a few oil lamps, their wicks burning steadily in the gloom. The room was empty of people. A large cat-like creature was chained to the wall, gnawing on a bone. There was a scent of perfume in the air. Lij recognised the scent as the one Semiramis used, but there was no sign that she was here, now. The door opened. A servant came in. "You are to strip", he told Lij cooly. "The Lion of Ishtar will be with you soon." He went out, carrying an empty flagon with him. Lij took off his tunic, and folded it. He was pleased to note that his hands were not trembling much. He put his clothing on a chest at the foot of the huge bed. He looked around the room. Against the wall stood a pile of equipment very similar to that which Lygia had shown him earlier in the day. He tried not to think of it. The room was large, and well appointed. Finely carved chests lined the painted walls. There were two chairs and some stools, but the room was dominated by the bed, silk covered and high, and ornately carved out of thick, dark wood. Lij thought longingly of his bed - their bed - in the palace. Dom and himself lying side by side in it, warm and sated after love, wrapped in cool linen sheets. He tried to remember the instructions given to him by Gia on the behaviour expected of a bed slave. There were not many rules. "Keep your eyes lowered, your mouth closed and do whatever you are asked to do without hesitation or complaint. That way you will get out of there intact", Lygia had advised, more in hope than expectation - but this she did not say aloud. The door opened, and Sennacherib entered, tall, oiled and completely naked. His body was covered in fine hair, and was muscular but well formed. Lij moved his eyes lower. The Lion of Ishtar was hung like a prize stallion. Lij set his mouth. He would be strong. He lifted his head as the Assyrian leant against the closed door staring at him, hunger apparent in his dark eyes. Then the man moved forward and stood before Lij, still staring. Lij forgot instructions and stared back. He knew he had no choice in this, but he would not give himself willingly. Never willingly. He would not fight, but his mind and heart would be with his love. Lij did not know what the king saw in his face, but the man walked slowly across the room and moving from one side of it to the other locked the doors, and bolted them. Lij's heart sank. What did the king intend? Fear suddenly filled his soul, but was just as suddenly replaced with astonishment, as the man knelt at Lij's feet, arms crossed on his chest, head bowed. "Master, I am your humble slave, and I have displeased you. I am yours to command. Chastise me as you will." The man looked up, and Lij saw in his face a creature of many complex needs. And this, obviously, for tonight at least, was his need. Lij slapped him hard across the face. "You will learn humility and obedience before your lord! Lower your eyes!" he said, firm and clear. Sennacherib looked up, startled by the tone of Lij's voice. There was authority and command in it, there was no doubt. Now that was a surprising thing coming, as it did, from a young slave boy! Sennacherib's mouth turned up at the corners. Perfect! This boy was perfect! He bowed his head again. "Yes, my lord and master", he said, submissively. *** "Who has been here today that has no business within these rooms?" Seti-Hop asked testily of the Chief Herbalist . He stood before the quaking man, his arms folded, his mouth grim. The man shifted his eyes to look at his own feet. "No one, master, that I can think of.Except a few palace members seeking potions for various disorders. "Who, man - who?" "I'm sorry, Set-Hop, but I can't remember. A few servants, that's all. One came for a salve and another for..." "Yes, yes," interrupted the Physician, stemming the flow. "But whose servants?" The man scratched his head, then shook in in bemusement. "I cannot remember..." " I remember them," piped up the young priest. "I have been here all day, except for a visit to the privy. Let me see...um, one of Menkh's men on Imhotep's behalf. He had a headache. One from the Chief Herald for a stomach potion. One from the kitchens, for one of the pastry cooks who required a salve for a burn, and Lord Iri-Natjer's man, for a sleeping draught. His Lord had had a wakeful night, and doesn't want to repeat the experience." Seti-Hop nodded. "Very well." He turned to the Herbalist. "I will set a guard on these rooms, and one shall remain here until I say he may be removed." He left the room, and made his way to the kitchens. Then to Menkh's offices, where Imhotep was working for the time being. He did not visit Iri-Natjer's apartments. There was no need for him to do so as he had already questioned several servants, and from them he had uncovered enough evidence to condemn the guilty thrice over. There had been one man who had been left alone in the dispensary that day. One man who could have taken the kernels. The Chief Herbalist. All Seti-Hop had to discover now, was whom he was helping and why he was helping them. He sent the guard to take him to the cells. *** Dawn was rising over the Kishlan palace. Nekeb and Menep had kept a sleepless watch in the slave quarters. Soraya, coming back into the room after a short sleep and observing the couple had risen after a restless night, had sent outside for their companions to comfort them. She saw also that the large room now contained the ten members of the newly arrived female dance troupe sitting quietly against the wall. No others were present, as it was very early and the house had not yet risen. Orem came in first, followed by Ahmose and Peri-Aton, two of Lij's women. Ahmose was as tall as Orem, and very big in the hip, but she fitted on the bench beside Menep with no trouble at all. "Come, Great Lady, there is no need to weep until we hear bad news. Conserve your strength for later, by the horns of Hathor, you shall need it." Menep gave a watery smile. "Silence, you great ox! Why must you be always right?" She snaked an arm around Ahmose's waist, and the Chief Concubine of the Pharaoh's Women kissed Menep's nose again. "Because I am never wrong, my dear father's favourite aunt - but you know this already." Orem was conducting a low toned conversation with Nekeb, while Peri-Aton had gone to talk with the "dancing girls" on the other side of the room. Soraya and Lygia had prepared a warm, soothing tisane for the distressed group and were just handing it out, when Lij unexpectedly walked into the room. The silence was total, then as one the assembly knelt, arms outstretched, heads bowed. Soraya and Lygia stood, for once nonplussed, whilst Lij leant shakily back against the doorframe and shook his head in amazement. Then he saw Menep and Nekeb. He ran across the room, smothered the old woman in breathless kisses, clasped Nekeb by the shoulders, punched Orem on the arm, and kissed the hands of his two ladies. He went across the room, and did the same thing to the dancers. "Who are they?" Lygia whispered, not wishing to disturb the magic contained in the room by speaking aloud. "Mostly princesses of great houses - they are his women, lady, " answered Orem, who was at that moment, the only one capable of coherent speech. "His women? All are his women?" Soraya spluttered. Orem smiled. "As was I, at one time. His, I mean, not a woman - although one could hardly call a eunuch a man." "I would call you so", said Lygia quietly. "You...you all risk your lives coming here. The house will be awake in a short while. You must keep to your disguises." She went over to inform the dancers of this important fact. Lij had come back from greeting the women, and had once more possessed himself of his grandmother's plump form. "I see you have recovered from your sickness, Mamma", he observed, allowing her to sit down and drink her tisane. "Yes, indeed, my chick. Seti-Hop found a most valuable herb for my old bones. I feel twenty years younger...well, ten, at least", she amended, conscientiously. He smiled softly at her, holding her free hand in both of his own. Nekeb asked the question on everyone's mind. "Did he hurt you, Lord? Not that I can see a hurt, but...?" Lij smiled at Nekeb. "No, he didn't hurt me, friend. Not at all...I shall tell you at a more convenient time," he said. indicating his grandmother with a subtle sweep of his eyes. Pen-Nekeb nodded. Then Lij realised that Lygia and Soraya had just witnessed the Pharaoh's court on their knees before their Lord, and had uttered not one astonished word. "You knew, didn't you?" he said to the two women in a quiet tone. "Now, how did you know?" Lygia grinned at him. "We'll tell you later, Great One, but..." "Oh, no no no!" Lij protested. "I am used now, to you calling me Lij, and there are so few that would dare to do so..." His voice tailed away, as his mind floated upstairs to Dom, probably still asleep in his silken bed. He sighed, deeply, and turned to speak to Lygia. *** Dom was not asleep. He was lying in bed, wiping the tears from his face with a silken cloth. "Oh, Lij!" he gasped, through a throat aching with longing. *** "Why are we waiting here, Menkh. Why do we not storm the palace and get our Lord out from that place?" Zeser-Amon questioned, anxiously. He looked out of the tent towards Kishlan, shimmering in the distance. Menkh put down the document he was studying, and regarded his companion carefully. "I am waiting for re-enforcements from the east, my friend." "Re...?" The man broke off suddenly. "How many and from where?" "Five thousand or more, from our vassal states. That will swell our ranks to six times the size of the entire Kishlan army. I could not bring all the force out of Egypt and leave the whole country in a vulnerable state. Amen-Senmut is a good general. He will overlook our lands whilst we are gone. He is not known as the Sword Of Egypt for nothing." "Argamus needs schooling in the obligations of a vassal king. The Lord could put his foot on the Kishlanite's neck and crush his puny kingdom at any time. I intend reminding this puppet of the fact. In three days they will be here, and Garmen and I will proceed to Kishlan to inform the king of their arrival. I have no doubt he will release his prisoners promptly." Zeser-Amon looked at his friend carefully. "I pray he will, Menkh. And that the Lord will show him mercy. This kingling knows not the mind nor the purposes of the Great One. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a Living God." Menkh smiled. "That is very true, old friend, as Argamus will find to his cost!" *** Soraya had whisked Menep off to her dispensary to find a lotion for the old woman's sore feet. The other two women had joined their sisters of the dance troupe and were talking intently together. Nekeb took the opportunity to speak with his master. "Was it very dreadful, Lord?" he asked, quietly. Lij smiled at him. "Well, if you call beating a man who has caused you nothing but pain with a leather strap "dreadful", then I suppose it was, yes." Nekeb looked at his master in astonishment. "Yes, well, Nekeb, we all have our own little foibles don't we?" said, Lij, smiling. Nekeb, remembering the occasion when he was found by his lord on his back in the bath-house wearing a woman's gown and being pressed hard into the marble floor by his young lover, blushed and agreed. "So...? He prompted the king. Lij sighed. "He wanted to be beaten, so I beat him. He wanted to be chastised, belittled, cowed, so I did that, too. I have had years of experience in being men's master, Nekeb, but in this case, I must say that I enjoyed it very much! He is not much hurt, but, by the gods, he must be stinging!" "Today he has gone out hunting with Argamus. I fear he will be uncomfortable on his horse. He begged me to return tonight. Only a fool would have taken it as anything other than a command. I must do so." They were sitting on the bed in the room Lij had been allotted when he was ill, and where he still slept. Nekeb looked hard at Lij. There were shadows under his eyes, for all that he was smiling. "How is Sen-Adom, Great One?" Nekeb prompted. "Is he well? How are they treating him?" Lij turned his head towards his former slave and began to speak, but the words died in his throat, stillborn. Nekeb put a tentative hand out and clasped the kings trembling one in his own. "Lord...?" The dam broke. Lij put his head on Nekeb's shoulder, and wept. Nekeb clasped his Lord close, pity filling his breast. They had been inseparable for the months they had been together, the Lord and Dom. Ate together, walked together, played together, slept together. Now they were so close, but apart. Soraya had told them the whole story during the night's wakeful hours. He was grateful to these women for the risks they were taking. "Why are you doing all this for our king - risking so much for a stranger. You don't know him, after all?" Nekeb had asked the two women, who smiled at him. "He is...blessed" was all he could get from them. He had given up the struggle. Lij lifted his head, wiping his face in his hands. Nekeb offered him a scrap of cloth, and Lij took it gratefully. "I am sorry, my friend, to succumb to such weakness. What must you think of me?" Nekeb smiled wryly. If I told him he would not believe it - how much I love him! "You are a brave man, my Lord, and a loving one. Dom is fortunate to be beloved by you." "I miss him, Nekeb. I am being stupid..." Lij rose suddenly. "I must return to his rooms shortly. He will expect me there when he returns. I will confide in you that I do not look forward to coupling with him. Not after..." "Not after Dom?" Lij looked into Nekeb's eyes. "what we have...had...was perfect, Nekeb. One cannot improve on perfection. Come, let us join the others in the common room. I wish to see Menep once more before I go upstairs." Silently, they returned to the others. |