Mac Tire � Son of the EarthAuthor's Note - Samhradhan- Irish name pronounced Sowrawn, meaning The Summer Person. Is this where Tolkien found it? I bags it anyway.Part 3 - Hide and No Seek The Day Before The Ship Sails..... The port of Tolan was so old that legend tells that it was there when the gods arrived to create Egypt out of the sands of the desert. The buildings were tall and built of age-blackened stone, so old that no one knew where the materials had come from - there was certainly nothing like it within a years journey or within living memory either. The place, a busy merchandising area was thronged with people, goods and cattle of every kind and description. Lij loved the place. He had fond memories of it. The god Thothmes, taking his heir, Knefer-Lijedefer, Prince of Princes there on his seventh birthday, gave him the lordship of the place as part of his fief, and Lij, remembering how it felt to have something - even a place - that was his very own at last, gifted it to Dom at their espousal. Lij, seeing Tolan coming into view from the back of his spent horse, remembered the marriage ceremony all too vividly, and had to swallow a few times before he felt calmer. Dom, my love; where are you? They arrived at the port, dusty and tired, early in the morning, and headed straight for the taverns. They dismissed the first three as being two dirty, and the fourth as being the place that Ninus and Dom would frequent before boarding ship. Menkh was glad the hours spent listening to Ninus talking had now borne fruit. They found another; neither too grand or too squalid, and were shown their room. Flinging his bundles onto the bed set out on the floor, Lij insisted on a bath. Menkh sat on the bed and just winked at Nekeb, saying dryly, "the communal bath at the end of this row is the best you will find here, Lij. Sailors don't have much time or space for refinements such as bathing, except in a copper bowl on the deck or in the sea." Lij looked down his elegant nose at his cousin. "I will not compromise my standards, Menkh. I like to be clean. If there is a bowl available on board, I will find it." They left their bundles with the taverner, who promised, on payment of a large fine, as was the law, that their gear would be safe with him, and set out for the bath house carrying clean clothing under their arms. Menkh hissed as, rounding the corner into a wider street, a caravan of about twenty camels headed straight for them. "In this doorway, quick!" he hissed, pushing Lij and Nekeb into the darkened opening. "Ninus!" He said quietly in Lij's ear. Lij trembled. Ninus to him meant only one thing - Dom. None of the three could make Dom out amongst the shrouded figures sitting atop the camels traversing the street. But the caravanserai, tinkling under its bells and shining with rich saddle cloths hung with gold tassels would be remarkable - and recognisable - anywhere. Ninus was a rich man who liked people to know it, and one who travelled in style. As soon as the caravan passed them, the three hurried around the corner into the bath-house. *** The bath had been leisurely and hot. They had asked for and been given a private cubicle, handing over the exhorbitant - to Nekeb - fee of one silver piece. "Stop nagging, Nekeb. You sound like one of those fishwives selling out there on the dock", said Lij, throwing a sponge at his friend and servant as they lay in the hot marble bath. Nekeb sniffed. There was no need, as he saw it, to throw good money away. They should have haggled a bit and brought the price down. But the wrath he felt then was as nothing to that he felt later that afternoon, as decently swathed against both the sun and curious eyes, Lij walked amonst the stalls lining the harbour walls, buying little things and stuffing them in a string bag he had purchased off a smiling woman. Nekeb had been negotiating with a trader for an object he knew would cause both laughter and scorn on board ship, but he didn't care. Making the seller bore two holes either side to thread string through it for ease of transportation, he hoisted his bargain onto his shoulder, and looked around for Lij, whom he had left to his own devices as Menkh had disappeared on a mysterious mission. Moving up behind Lij he was scandalised to see that Lij was handing over a large silver piece...for six pomegranates. Nekeb had more sense than to tackle his king in public. His Lord's temper had been on a knife-edge since reading Dom's letter, so he waited until they were back in their room before giving his anger a voice. "...and if you are going to be throwing money about like a...well, like a Lord...you'd better let me handle the finances from now on, Lij, or we'll be bankrupt before we ever reach this...Erin." Nekeb sniffed, and glanced at Lij, not knowing how he would take the criticism. But the king was a just man. "You are right, of course, Nekeb. And I expect you did not pay any more than you needed for your bath! " he laughed, as Menkh came back in. All three men studied the large copper bowl standing in the corner bright as a new coin. "They will laugh at you, Nekeb - on the ship. They will laugh," Menkh remarked grinning. "I care not as long as the Grea...Lij... is clean." Lij clapped his friend on the shoulder, and rubbed it, as they went through the narrow passageways to eat dinner. " I have never before bought anything. It amazes me, Pen-Nekeb, how you know the price of anything, being palace reared as was I. How do you know?" They entered the dining hall, to find it only a quarter full. The taverner explained this was the last day of trading before the three biggest trading ships left port, and everyone was anxious to procure a last minute bargain, or to sell their stuff on. However, Lij had not forgotten his question. "How do you know?" Menkh and Nekeb looked at him with mock pity on their faces. "Because we live in the world, Lij, and you don't." Menkh answered, still grinning. But his smile faded as he pondered on how this unworldly man, who had never even bought so much as a pomegranate for himself before today, would manage out there in the real world. However, manage he must; so the two guardians shook off their fears and applied themselves to their excellent dinner. *** Dom, too, was eating dinner in the well appointed place Ninus told him he always frequented when at port. He was not enjoying it, however, even though it was beautifully cooked and presented. Ninus had absented himself with apologies as he had some business to conduct, so Dom abandoned his meal half eaten and wandered out onto the thoroughfare to amuse himself amongst the dealers and traders. He bought a net of pomegranates and remembering too late how much Lij enjoyed the fruit, lost his taste for them, and thrust them into the willing arms of a young lad, who sat on the wall and sang Dom's praises as the juice from them ran down his face. He glanced at a nearby doorway and saw blue eyes staring at him from under a burnous, and sighed as he wondered if every pair of blue eyes he would encounter on his journey would remind him of the love he left behind. He went back inside and retired to bed. Tomorrow he would be on board ship, and that was certain. He slept fitfully, and when he did sleep, he dreamt of a beautiful man with blue eyes. *** The blue-eyed man he was dreaming of had also gone to his bed, having caught Dom's eye in the doorway of the tavern. Lij hurried to their room, trembling. He had only gone downstairs for a breath of air, as the night was sultry, and there was Dom, all bronzed skin and blond hair, staring at him. Nekeb brought Lij some wine, and when Menkh returned from another secret mission, Lij pretended to be asleep. He had nothing to say, and had nothing he wanted to hear. He was going because Dom was going. That was all there was to be said. In the morning Menkh explained how he had procured for Lij the position as oarsmaster on the ship, and Pen-Nekeb had been engaged as second cook. Lij, managing a smile he was far from feeling inside, remarked that it was a good thing that no one expected him to cook, as he was hard pressed to peel an apple. After saying their farewells, Pen-Nekeb and Lij walked up the gangway onto the ship. It was just after dawn, and Menkh said he had been assured that they would have time to look around the ship before the captain and his honoured passenger were due on board. Lij embraced his cousin one more time. "Kiss my babies for me. Tell them not to forget me while I am away from them. Tell them I love them, " he managed before turning swiftly away to hide his pain and disappearing below deck. "Look after him for us, friend", Menkh said, handing Nekeb a leather purse, closed at the neck by a silver ring. "I know you have plenty of coin, but this will help. You never know when you might need it. Farewell." Nekeb went slowly below, and stored his bundles and the bath in the corner of the tiny cabin allotted to them. Lij, as oarsmaster merited his own space, but the second-in-command had agreed that he and Lij could be housed together. No doubt he thought they were lovers, but Nekeb cared not what men thought as long as he could serve and protect the Great One. Nekeb was relieved that at least Lij knew intimately the workings of the ships in the Royal Fleet, knew how to navigate them, was perfectly conversant with the role of the oarsmen, and knew how to master men. Menkh had known this of course. That was why he had chosen this position for his cousin. There was nothing else on board ship he was capable of doing. From a young child, Lij had wandered into the fastnesses of his father's vessels, and was often found down there by worried guardians, tying knots and learning from the rough seamen, who took great pains to teach the young lad what he wished to know. This was not only because he was his father's chosen son. They liked him for himself. Nekeb listened through the thick planking of the bulkhead and heard laughter trickle through the timber. Yes, Lij knew how to manage men. He was a master at it. Nekeb smiled, and secreted his valuables as best he could. At the lodgings he had sewn coin into the various garments he had packed for himself and Lij. Menkh seemed to think the Great One would find no use for his finery, but Nekeb wasn't so sure. He'd protested vehemently when Menkh had suggested he leave it all behind. Nekeb had refused, and Lij said if he wanted to behave like a pack horse and traipse all over the world with fine raiment in bundles around his neck and a bath strapped to his back, then he had his permission to do so. Nekeb had remarked that one never knew when a king might be called upon to act like a king, and folded the garments and trappings carefully away. *** By the time Dom, accompanied by Ninus had come aboard, Nekeb was frying shrimp in the galley, watched approvingly by the first cook, and Lij had been learning the names of the men serving under him, and asking pertinent questions about their positions, the hours they worked, and other salient points. The men, all muscled and sea hardened as they were, begin to think this little boy -as they had first perceived him- might make a fine substitute for Koram, who was inclined to indecision and panic in moments of stress, and had never even bothered to find out their names. The time-beater heaved his drum into position, the men took their places, and if Lij made a few small errors the men disregarded them as being natural to a man in a new position, especially one as young as this one was - or seemed. When asked his age and he told them he was nearing thirty, they were disinclined to believe him. But when he told them he was born in the same year as - and was named after - the Pharaoh, they grinned at him and accepted the truth of it. Three hours later, as they passed the mole, heading for open sea, they had settled into their routines. All would be well. Later in the day Nekeb took down a bowl of the shrimp to Lij, who, refusing them with a smile, said he would eat when the men did. The men grinned at each other approvingly, and bent their backs into their work. When their food came down on the ropes, he ate with them. Within the day they were his slaves. The oars thrummed through the night, creaking against the rowlocks in a steady rhythm. Ninus wanted to make good time on this first leg of the journey. He had come below to see how the new man was managing, and was satisfied with what he saw. Even though Ninus was annoyed at having his perfected routine interrupted, he begrudgingly admitted - to himself, of course - that the man seemed adequate to his task, and he was better looking that Koram had been. Much better looking. Lij gave the First Oar his orders as the shift changed over and he left his post after a watch and a half on duty. He hungrily ate the cold shrimp Nekeb had saved, and settled down beside him for a well deserved sleep. Nekeb, feeling Lij snuggle into his back, sighed in contentment. This was bliss. To have Lij so near, the man he loved more than his own life, but could never tell of his love. The noises of the ship faded around the men as they fell into dreamless sleep. Only Dom was left awake to watch the night's black cloak envelop the sea. *** Dom had refused the evening meal. He sat on the bunk in his cabin and stared at the darkening wall. He was not sure he had done the right thing. He would never be sure. He had responsibilities in Egypt, too. Responsibilities to his spouse, to the children he thought of as his own and to the lands with which he had been gifted. But a king does not cease to be a king because he is not in his kingdom. Whilst he thought everything was well in Erin he had not troubled about it. The Tanist heir was extremely capable - he would have made a fine ruler, had he been allowed to live. But Dom knew nothing of this usurper, this murderer of kings, this slayer of children and despoiler of women. All he knew of him was his name..."Sowrawn, the Summer person..." Dom muttered, fiercely, "...You will be cut off in your flowering season, foul tyrant. You will answer to me for your crimes against my people and my lands, and the gods, and by Dhia, you will pay for them with your blood!" |