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 26 - Waiting for Reunion Pen-Nekeb looked at his master and friend closely. He seemed comfortable enough seated beside him in the palanquin carried between two camels, but he looked tired. "Do you wish to rest here, Lord, or press on to the river house?" Lij shifted in his seat. He had obviously been hiding his pain, as Nekeb saw him wince. "How far is it, Nekeb?" the king turned his tired gaze onto his servant. "Not long now, Lord. If we continue we shall be there before dark." "Then we shall do so, friend. I would like to spend tonight in my own bed...our bed..." His voice tailed off and Nekeb saw the king's lip tremble. The movement was firmly suppressed by his teeth, but Nekeb saw, and was moved. His Lord had suffered at the hands of that merciless tyrant - may his sons stab him whilst he slept! - now he must rest, for there would be no peace for him when he returned to the palace.There he would have to exhibit all the attributes of a living god - in public at least. Nekeb bit his own lip. He would rest a short time by the river. The group in the desert with Argamus would delay their return by a few days, giving the Lord a chance to recover. The camels plodded on. *** Setep-Aton sighed. The cloth had disintegrated from its immersion in the powerful acidic solution. He picked it up on a stick and threw it down the latrine chute. Some other way of killing the king and his wife and unborn child must be found. Some way that implicated Menkh in their deaths. He must die, too. That would leave Iri-Natjer clear to take the throne. That night the physician had a dream. It came straight from Set, Lord of Darkness. He put the peach kernel water to boil until it was reduced to a thin viscous liquid. He poured it into three small glass phials. When Pretep came sneaking down in the early morning, he told her his plan. It would work. Pretep smiled. There was a secret passage leading from her apartments into those now occupied by the queen. It had not been used in many years, so it would prove a blessing, being unremembered.The queen's rooms had a connecting door which led into the king's chambers. All they needed was a little patience until the royal family were fully recovered from their sickness, and were accessible to all their family and friends. Then she would pounce. She could wait a little longer, then she would have it all; power, more abundant riches, and Egypt under her foot! Pretep-Ra rehearsed their plan over and over again in her mind, until she was sure she could have recited it in her sleep. *** The camels came to rest near his little house. Lij had divested himself of his woman's upper raiment, veil and jewellery, and was now clad in just the plain blue skirt. The bruises on his body had deepened, and were now blossoming, deep black with yellowed edges. He climbed stiffly out of his palanquin, and saw Meri-Hep and her husband rush out of their tiny house to greet their visitors. "Masters", Meri fussed as she bustled up to them, taking Lij's hand and tutting over his bruises. "We are not prepared for you! You should have sent us word. Is Dom not with you, Lij?" Lij bit his lip again, and looked at the ground. Nekeb could see that his Lord was exhausted. He cast an entreating glance at the woman now taking Lij by the arm, and she nodded at him. "Lij", Soraya said kindly, "come inside and I will attend to your hurts." "Go with her, Great One", Nekeb said quietly, and bowed low, as usual. "I will see to all here." Meri stared at Nekeb. "Great One? Why...what do you mean, master? Where is the Great One...?" Lij stared at Nekeb in frustration, and the couple, although not used to being in such exalted company, nevertheless recognised in Lij's face at that moment the nature of kingship. Lij was distressed. He had wanted to keep this place free from courtly ritual, but now the couple were face down in the dust at his feet. "Forgive us, Exalted One! We did not know you! Spare us your wrath!" Lij reached down for her hand in careful pain, and grasped it firmly. Quietly, as he lifted her he said, "Meri, my dear friend, are the little onions I planted thriving?" And Meri, rising to her feet, saw intuitively why the king had wanted this peaceful place, and with a rush of sympathy, and with a dig in her husband's side with her foot as she nudged him to his feet, she smiled at him. "Come inside and see, Lord. The sylphium survived, too, despite your mangling of it. You can look at them tomorrow." Lij smiled wearily at her and went into the house on Soraya's arm, whilst the rest of the party followed. Later with the old couple standing bemused in front of him, Nekeb explained that they could tell no-one of the Great One's visits here. He, Nekeb, would be returning to the palace in the darkness with the camels. He would send out a chariot and horses in a few days to take the king and his companions to the palace. They nodded for they knew when silence was needed. Speaking of their exalted visitor might prove very dangerous for them both, let alone for Dom and Lij...but most of all, they liked Lij and Dom for themselves. And, for their sakes, they could keep a secret. ***** Nekeb appeared at the palace, thinner than he had once been. People attributed this to the sickness he had lately endured. He assured everyone that the Great One was on the way to recovery, but still infectious. Seti-Hop seconded this opinion, and the king was left in peace. Nekeb wasted no time in visiting the queen to apprise her of the situation. Orem, who had travelled home with the rest of Lij's women from the wells of Al Jareth, was seated at her side, looking no worse from his travels. The queen was glad to hear that Lij had arrived safely at the river house, and having heard most of the tale from a relieved Orem on his return, begged to know how long it would be until her brother was restored to her. Satisfied at last, she went to rest upon her couch, taking a happy lover with her. *** Lij lay on his bed, and stared at Dom's second best harp, in its place at the foot of the bed. His thoughts were his own, but the people around him had no doubt as to where his mind rested. Soraya had anointed his hurts with her unguents, and the pain caused by the long journey had eased slightly. Lygia brought him a warm posset of, she said smiling at him, some herbs in honey wine. Lij could smell the poppy in the drink - his father had had much of it given to him in his final days. But he knew he had not slept for days, and obediently drinking it down, fell into a dreamless sleep. In the outer room, Meri, Gia and Raya spoke in low voices. They would care for him for the few days allowed to him before he was secretly returned to his throne and his responsibilities. Meri told the other women about Lij's desire to help in the garden, and the loving way he and Dom were together. "He did not act like a king when he was here, I can tell you. He pottered in the garden, and laughed and joked with Dom, and with us." Her eyes lowered. "They lay in bed together. I saw them twined around each other. Dom's head on Lij's breast, at peace. I thought that the Great One might not approve of their love, and that is why they came here. A God can do anything, and his people would smile at him. He is their light. I was stupid not to know..not to realise." Her voice tailed away. "He will always be young Lij to me." "And so he would want it, Meri", Lygia said, decisively. "He relishes this time away from the constraints of court. He will always find peace here with Dom, and with you." Soraya went in and looked at the sleeping man. There was only one thing he needed to be made whole again. The man he wanted at his side. ***** Dom sat in his tent with Garmen of Kishlan. Garmen was peeling almonds, and nibbling them whilst talking to Dom. He was an entertaining man, and Dom responded to the touch of humour in this conversation. Humour that had been sadly lacking in his life in recent times. He thought of Lij, lying comfortable in their bed in the house by the river, and longed to be at his side, holding him, talking to him, cherishing him, just to be able to touch... ...Garmen was laughing. Dom drew himself back to the present with an effort. He smiled at his companion, who offered him a nut. Dom took it, and bit into it. Soon, now. Very soon. ***** It was cold in the desert at night. Even under his warm coverings, Dom felt it. Cold on the outside, yes, but warm on the inside as he thought with such joy of the imminent reunion with his lover and friend. His mind strayed back to happier times. Lij splashing in the river like a child, throwing water in Dom's laughing face. Lij on the roof garden chasing night insects off Dom's newly oiled naked body. Lij nibbling fruit peeled and sliced by Dom, the juice dripping off his chin. Dom licking the juice off... Dom felt a familiar heat in his groin, and he groaned softly. Now that his Lij was safe again, he felt the familiar stirrings of desire return to him. His hand moved down and the pressure, even though from his own fingers, inflamed his senses further. He thought of what had happened between them after he had attempted to lick the sticky peach juice off Lij's bare chest. A tender memory.... With his long fingers Dom cupped his sac, feeling the hardness within tingle at his touch.... Lij, chasing the bath attendants out, giggling like a carefree youth, and being hoisted into the bath by Dom's strong arms. Dom filling the large sea sponge with fragrant oils, and dribbling the contents over... Dom sighed. He needed Lij. Needed his embraces, his soft kiss on his lips. Needed to feel Lij's body enter his. Needed to hear the moans, the groans, the whispered endearments, the screams as Lij reached his climax. Those tender arms, soft skinned but finely muscled, clasping him tightly in a rictus of desire. Dom wet his fingers and moving his hand backwards impaled himself on them. A slight sob escaped him, firmly suppressed, as he imagined that they were Lij's fingers...or better still, Lij's... His other hand moved frantically against his sweating skin. Lij lifting Dom's legs out of the water, as he sat on the black marble steps of the bath. Lij pouring the oil over his fingers, and inserting them, wanting him... Dom groaned again. His mind his heart, his hands were filled with Lij... Lij entering him, gentle but eager, the water splashing over their warm, oiled bodies. Lij thrusting harder, their soft cries mingling in the warm night air. Lij bending over Dom's quivering body to catch his lips in a frantic kiss... Dom touched the end of his member, as the warm liquid leaking from it bathed the head. He pulled hard and fast on himself, no longer willing to wait. He needed this completion... Lij thrusting his tongue into Dom's hot mouth, moaning with exquisite desire. Lij tweaking his nipples with those cunning little fingers. Lij bucking like a horse as he was broken and remade in that moment, lying completed inside his love, hot sweat bathing the inside of Dom's shaking legs as they lay there, forgetful of time, heedless of everything except their love... Dom shuddered as his hand filled with warm liquid, his jerking shaft responding not only to his touch, but to the sensual memories of his only love. His love... Three days. Three days more and he'd be home. |