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 27 - Rest and Recuperation "Well, I can manage to pretend to be ill for three days...", Menep had offered, slapping Ahmose on the arm as she attempted to put the lotion given her by Soraya on her great-aunt's feet. "...but not a day more. I cannot lie around in this tent, looking pale and interesting for any longer than that. I like to be up and doing, Menkh, you know that...you're tickling me, girl. Rub, don't tickle!..." ...Dom smiled as he remembered Menep's cross words of the previous night. This morning she was ensconced within her tent, moaning and complaining, and being the sort of old woman everybody dreads having to deal with. She was very good at it, too. Dom had gone to see her, and when the exotic Persian physician in Argamus' train had been chased out of the tent by the old woman's shrieks and Ahmose's buffetings, he sat by her side, and played to her. Whilst he was doing this - supposedly calming the savage beast of sickness - they talked. Dom confided to her the same secret that he had shared with Lij in the desert during the early days of their captivity. She barked with laughter, which she hastily turned into a groan, in case anyone that mattered was listening. "Why did you not tell him before, sweetheart?" she asked, grinning. "It wasn't important, not any longer", Dom offered, hesitantly, looking shyly over at Lij's grandmother, lying in state in her bed in the biggest tent the camp had to offer. "Are you sorry you won't be returning to that fair place? He loves you so much, he would let you go, though his heart broke in two - which it surely would without you. You won't go, will you, and leave my boy bereft?" she asked, anxiously. Dom shook his head. "No, Great...Menep", he amended as she wagged her finger and tutted at him. "He is my home, and my family and all my happiness is invested in his happiness. I shall be with him until the green grass of my birthland turns into sand - together in life and in death. I have no close family there, only three cousins. No one who means anything like he does to me. They will look after everything as well as - or even better - than I could." He smiled as the old woman wiped her eyes. "I love him", he said simply. "It is enough." *** Raya had insisted he wore a cloth around his head if he was going into the sun. "You have not been well, Lij, you must do as I say." she said firmly. He had donned one of the simple tunics that Dom and he had found on their previous visit here. Several personal items and articles of clothing suitable for a life in the country rested in the coffer in his room, placed there by Menkh's attentive servants. They proved useful, now. He was glad to remove the long blue silk skirt. The hem of it caught on the onion shoots. He grinned at her. "Yes, lady," he replied as he wound the piece of linen about his long, dark hair. Lygia came into the room and shooed him out. "Go and tend your onions, young man." "I hear and obey," he bowed to them, not the least bit cynically, but in truth. These women had saved him. They would have honoured places at court, even if few would ever know why. Lij sat in the late afternoon sun, and happily tended his onions. He smiled to himself as he thought of Dom and Menep in the desert, waiting for him to rest a little. It would not be long, now. *** Seti-Hop had to confide in someone. He had discovered the Chief Herbalist was the only person to have been left alone with the missing peach kernels on the morning they had disappeared. He had had the man arrested, confined and interrogated, but he would not admit to any accomplices. Seti-Hop had gone about the palace making discreet enquiries in places where he hoped to get information. In some he did, but in others he was baulked at every turn. A sealed document had been delivered to him with many apologies when he returned from his investigations. It was from Menkh but somehow it had become delayed. Menkh had not left orders about its urgency and it had been overlooked.The contents of this missive totally astonished the physician. He walked through the palace unhindered, and watched the chosen corridor carefully, and when he saw that the coast was clear, he gently tapped on the door. A familiar figure stood in the open doorway. "Menkh told me..." began the physician, waving the letter under a bemused nose. "Come in, quickly, before you're seen," interrupted a quiet voice. Seti-Hop hastily went in, and the door was secured behind him. An hour later he left the apartment as stealthily as he had entered. His mind was a maelstrom of emotions - fear, apprehension, anger, and hope. Now, at least, he knew nearly the whole story. Extra vigilance was needed by everyone concerned. He would see to it. *** Pretep-Ra and Setep-Aton had nothing now to do but implement their plan. They must wait for Lij to recover more of his strength before they struck. It wouldn't be much longer. They had good reports of his progress from the physician, Seti-Hop. And Menkh had to be here, too. Back from whatever hare-brained scheme he was executing at the moment. The poisoner-physician was well hidden, and plans had been made for his swift departure from the kingdom after the deed was done. Pretep-Ra had patience. She rubbed her bony hands together. Oh, yes, she could wait! *** Raya studied Lij with a physician's eye. He looked a little better. She sighed with relief, and applied herself to her food. Lij ate with relish the baby cucumbers seethed in milk. He had eaten a good helping of the goat stewed with figs, too. Gia smiled at Raya and winked at Meri-Hep. It was the best meal the boy...man...had eaten in a week. "You are a fine cook, Meri - is she not, Lord?" Lij smiled at Meri and voiced his agreement, but then looked reproachfully at Gia. "Very good indeed. But, you promised me, Lygia, always to call me Lij in private. By the horns of Hathor, we will never be more private than this...yet...Lord?" "I'm sorry, Lij, but you just looked so regal sitting there..." Lij laughed. "Oh, yes, a very kingly pose, on the floor with the cream from the cucumbers all over my face." He dabbed at his face with the cloth Meri handed to him, and made a face he thought might be indicative of his royal station. Lygia laughed. Raya offered him a Tiger Nut sweetmeat, but he declined in favour of some juicy watermelon. Raya took a sweetmeat and nibbling it, fixed Lij with her candid stare. "Will you be well enough to leave in the morning, Lij? Another few days here would be beneficial to you. I would be happier. You are not fully recovered..." He shook his head. "Pen-Nekeb will be here in the morning, very early, with the chariot and horses.That will only give me one day to organise things before the company returns from the desert. I would be prepared when Dom..." His eyes filled with unshed tears. "When Dom...I do not want him to see me unprepared. I wish to be myself again for him." He turned his gaze on Meri. "What may I do for you, dear friend, to honour you for your care of me?" Meri lowered her head. "Nothing, Lord. There is nothing we need. We have our little house, and a horse and a cow, and a fine garden. We have everything we need." Lij smiled gently at her. "Yes, that I see. But surely there is something that you want rather than need, Meri?" She grinned. "Well, I want a larger house, and another cow and a girl to help me in the house and garden and a purple silk robe, but..." "No buts - you shall have them. I shall order a larger house built for you beside the little one, and the new couple can live in your present one. Pen-Nekeb has a cousin I think might suit, if I remember correctly. He said the man was good in the garden, and his wife is a notable cook and housewife. They have two young children, I understand, so they could be of great help. I shall have them sent to you, to see if you approve. The garden will be enlarged, too...I have a mind to more of your onions my dear. They are nicer than those we have at the palace, and so is the garlic ... and I shan't forget the robe, either. I have a very good memory..." He got no further, for Meri, risking her life if she but knew it, flung her arms around his neck, and wept into his shoulder. He patted her gently, and made soothing sounds until she stopped, sniffed loudly, and sat down again. "Thank you, Lij". He grinned at Raya and Gia. "You two will, of course, have positions at court. If you have no objection, that is? "What positions, Lij? No more slaves to tend, I beg you." Gia twinkled at him. "Impatient woman. Wait and see. My word is wisdom, my will is law. None gainsay me. No living soul dare...." Lij drew his features together into his familiar look of bored hauteur, and winked at them. Raya grinned. "Except for Menep, and, perhaps... Dom?" she offered. Lij laughed and agreed. He had finished his portion of melon, and idly reached for a sweetmeat. Raya handed him the dish, and he happily took two of the remaining delicacies onto his platter. He would be magnificent, she thought. She couldn't wait to see him act in his capacity as king and god. It would prove a very interesting study. *** In the early hours, before light had broken through the gloom, Nekeb arrived with a chariot and three horses. After they had loaded the women's packs onto the spare horse, and the women had changed into Egyptian robes, Lij took a fond farewell of the guardians of the river house and promised to return with Dom as soon as it was convenient to do so. As they approached the palace, Lij crouched on the floor of the chariot, and was swiftly covered by a cloak. As dawn broke in the east, he entered his palace unobserved. Nekeb knew his way around the palace, and coming in through a side door, stopped in one of the countless storerooms, stowed the packs there, and found a carpet. He wrapped the unwilling Lij up in it, regardless of his protests that the dust tickled his nose. He and Raya carried The Son of the Sun into his apartments, shepherded by Gia and Seti-Hop, who assured the guards that the Great One was all but fully recovered, and had requested this carpet be returned to his apartments after cleaning. Lij, driven nearly mad by the dust inside the floor covering, hoped the guards were unobservant. The carpet was filthy. The carpet was removed shortly afterwards because the Lord was displeased with the pattern. The guards thought nothing of it. They were well used to the vagaries of the highborn. Semenue, inside the carpet, sneezed loudly. Raya and Gia, bearing the carpet aloft and away, smiled, and Raya managed an even louder sneeze for the guards benefit. When, minutes later, even before the morning meal was served, Lij's mother approached the door and was admitted by Seti-Hop, and the pharaoh's wife came after her, regally dressed and royally escorted by her loyal Orem - the guards relaxed their threatening stance if not their vigilance. The Exile of The God was over. Their king was with them once again, cured and healthy. Kerasonb smiled. He and his cohorts had guarded God's sickness well. May they now guard their Lord's health with the same determined zeal. The oath had been sworn. They would keep it. *** In the desert, on the third day, Menep miraculously recovered her strength, having delayed the travellers long enough for Lij to enjoy a few days respite at his river house, and the cavalcade moved off at a reasonable pace towards the Royal Palace. Dom's heart filled with joy as he thought of his love and their future life together. Tomorrow! he thought, exultant. Tomorrow! |