Mac Tire � Son of the EarthPart 13 - Uneasy HeadsDom stared at Lij, still holding his bruised face, which stung like the bite of scorpions. Bill of Divorcement? My Lij - oh, what have I done? He sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at his spouse who was trembling with anger - and if he had but known it, fear - before him. "Well, Dom? What have you to say to me? Why did you not tell me of your... connection to this woman? Did you think it would trouble me? For you were right, if you did think so." Lij pulled up a chair and sat in front of Dom, staring into the strained grey eyes. If Lij owned the truth he was afraid to hear what Dom had to say. There were still secrets he held with this woman - his wife. His wife! Lij felt a knot furl itself in his stomach. Dom lowered his hand and Lij saw the thick purple weal that now disfigured Dom's swollen face. He put out trembling fingers as if to touch it, then withdrew them hastily as if they had been burned. "I have so many wives besides my dear sister, Dom, as you know. And I am fond of them all - but since you came to me, it is only then that I found love. Why Dom, did you not tell me? Why did you ask me to leave the room earlier? Do you love her still?� So many questions. Dom shook his head violently. "If it is in me to hate, that is what I feel for her. Hatred. She has ... Lij. I cannot tell you what we said when we were alone, but I can assure you it is nothing for you to be concerned about, but I cannot tell..." Lij leapt up from his chair, and paced about the room. Dom still sat on the bed and did not attempt to touch his spouse. It would be like touching a live brand. Dom could feel his heat across the room. "Nothing to be concerned about? Dom, my heart is scalded and you tell me not to be concerned? Why, why did you not tell me? I have confided in you, my heart...I...oh, Dom! Why?" Dom lowered his head. He could not own to his soul-mate that he was ashamed. Ashamed of being frightened of his wife. Disgusted by her. Terrified by her. He was a man, after all. These things could not be admitted. He would be less of a man in his own eyes if he expressed his fear of her. He had said to his love that he could explain things to him. Now Dom realised with a dawning awareness, that he could not. "I did not think it mattered, Lij. The occasion never arose..." Lij slammed his hand against the wall, and turned to Dom. "That excuse will not do, Dom. When the Hittite princess I wed to foster good relations between nations, came to me in tears, Dom, you could have mentioned it then. When she crouched at my feet and owned she loved another man, but was married to me, you could have spoken privately to me when she had left. When I raised her and said love struck where it would and we could not choose where or when. When I sealed her Bill of Divorcement and kissed her and told her I could not bear to see the agony she would suffer by being bound to a man she did not love, when there was another who would cherish her, and sent her on her way rejoicing, you said nothing then, either. When you and I in our bed that night spoke of it again...you could have mentioned it, Dom. But you chose to keep it secret. Why?" Dom rose and crossed to the table against the wall where the mead was standing in a silver jug. He poured some out with a shaking hand. He offered a cup to Lij who shook his head, impatiently. "I am willing to understand, Dom, my love..." He sat down again, his legs unsteady. "Have you nothing to say to me?" Dom drank and put down the empty cup and came and knelt at Lij's feet. "I cannot explain it, Lij. I do not understand it myself. I am sorry I did not tell you. I thought it would make no difference to us. After all it did not concern..." "...Do not tell me again that it did not concern me, Dom, or I shall lose my temper!" Dom smiled wryly. Did Lij not think he had lost his temper already? "You seemed frightened by her in that room, Dom. Why does she frighten you? I admit the hairs on the back of my neck rose up, but that was because of the way she looked at you...like a dog staring at a juicy marrow bone. Dom, make me understand. Tell me what hold she has over you that can demand your silence, when I, your liege-lord, cannot be given either your trust or your confidence. You have said nothing yet, to alleviate my distress." "I am sorry, my Lij, but I can say nothing more. I do not love her. I never loved her. I found her...alluring, once, years ago - but that is not the same as love. I have loved only you...only you..." His voice broke, but Lij did not move towards him to comfort him. "You love me, but you cannot trust me? You cannot tell me...is this so?" "It is so. I cannot tell you. I cannot tell a living soul. I thought our love would be enough, muh hraw..." Lij shook his head. "Love cannot thrive where there is no trust, Dom. I cannot live with you until you can find it in yourself to tell me all..." "I cannot! I cannot, Lij! Will you not trust me with my secret without knowing why? I love you! You are my life! You and our children...!" Lij turned to the wall and pressed his face against the plaster. Dom came swiftly across the room and took Lij in his arms. "Do not, Lij. You will see them again, soon, I promise you..." Lij twisted himself out of the embrace. "Make no more promises to me you cannot keep, my Lord. You promised me at our espousal that you would honour me and obey me as your liege lord. You promised me in bed that night that you would love no other as you loved me. That you would treat my lightest request as a sacred utterance to be obeyed without question. Since you knew I loved you, have I ever commanded you to do anything that was distasteful? That I knew you would not care for? That displeased you? No, because I loved you and trusted you. I have ordered you to tell me what is the matter between you and Ede and you have refused. I have asked more than once, and I shall not ask again. Our contract is now broken and it is you who has severed it. I shall send for Nekeb, and have the document sent to you. I pray you will excuse me, now." Lij walked swiftly to the door, and Dom did not see the cataract of tears flowing down his beloved's face. He sat on the bed, stunned. After a few minutes he went to the adjoining door and turned the handle. It was locked. He returned to the bed and sat on it, bemused, staring at his feet. What had happened in the few hours that had passed since they entered Tara? His whole world was broken if he was not Lij's, he knew that. He had not noted the passage of time. Nothing mattered to him, now. There was a knock at the outer door, and he went to unbolt it. Nekeb was standing there, pale and anxious. He held out a parchment to Dom. Dom took it. He did not glance at it - he knew what it was only too well. It felt like a hot brand burning his hand. He has written out my death warrant. Oh, Dhia! My Lij...love! He beckoned his friend into the room, and immediately turned his back on him, trembling. He could feel his emotions rising. This paper was his doom. To be severed from his love by death would have been better. At least he would have died loving me. Does he hate me tonight as much as he loved me this morning? How will we exist here - so close together yet so apart? It will be agony. To see him and not to touch... Dom firmly suppressed his feelings . He had a task to accomplish; the downfall of Sowrawn. This he could not do if all his thoughts were of Lij. However, he could not shake the thoughts off. "How is he, Nekeb?" Nekeb sat on the proffered chair and shook his head. "He is not...he is distressed, Dom. Could you not tell him what he wishes to know? Can you not explain? He is badly hurt, and sorrowing - and he loves you so, Dom." He watched Dom pace around the room, noting his pallor and his stricken expression. He sighed, knowing that there was an exact replica of this suffering behind the bolted door on the other wall. "I cannot tell, old friend. I have sworn..." Dom felt that he had already said too much to Nekeb; he after all, was Lij's friend and servant. The less that was known the better. "Is he sleeping?" Nekeb shook his head. "No, my lord. He lies on the bed and stares at the ceiling, and says nothing. He is very warm. Perhaps his fever is returning. It would not do for him to become sick again, Dom. He says he has nothing now but the children he fears he will never see again to keep him from following Anubis into the Otherworld." Dom clasped the Egyptian's hand. "Go back to him, friend. You are a comfort to him. And ask a guard to send Cass to me, if you would." The door closed behind Pen-Nekeb and Dom realised that he was still gripping the parchment tightly in his hand. He sat and slowly opened the document and recognising Lij's distinctive script, read.... Bill Of Divorcement. The former Great Royal Spouse of God, Lord Payankhi of Thebes, Sen-Adom has been discovered to have been already possessed of a living wife when he entered into union with The Lord of the Two Lands, Knefer-Lijedefer, King of Egypt. Such marriages are prohibited by the laws of Egypt, only the god-king - being far above mortal men - is allowed more than one spouse. Therefore the marriage between the god-king and Sen-Adom is declared to be null and void and the latter named deemed guilty of perjury and bigamy by concealing from his intended spouse - Knefer-Lijedefer, Living Forever - the existence of the aforementioned wife. The punishment is affixed for these crimes, and is not unto death. Justice will be executed by the god-king in person at a time specified later. The union was severed by the spoken word in the presence of two witnesses, Pen-Nekeb, Lord of Accron, and the Lady Ede of Tara, and ratified by this edict. Signed this day by the hands of: Knefer-Lijedefer, former spouse of the offender. Ede of Tara, present wife of the offender. Pen-Nekeb of Accron. Friend. The parchment fell to the floor, unheeded. Oh, Maeve, what have I done? Lij - my soul, my life! Dom stood and picked up the parchment and read it again, then folded it carefully and put it in the waist of his trousers. He poured himself a cup of mead and drank it down. The noise that suddenly came from up from his throat frightened even him. It was the sound of a wounded animal. Then came the tears. A few minutes later there was a slight tap on the door. Dom brushed his hands quickly over his face and opened the door to Cass, who stared at his Lord in astonishment. "What is it, Lor...Dom?" He entered the room and put the tray he was carrying on the table. Dom silently handed the paper to the guard, and feeling giddy with grief lay on the bed, his hands over his face. Cass sat and read the document in bemusement. "But how was this discovered? Who was it you were married to?" Dom did not remove his hands. "Ede," he said quietly the sound muffled and weary. Cass's face showed his astonishment. "I did not think to find her here, Cass. It was all a long time ago, and long before love entered my life. Now there is nothing for me. I shall complete my task here, if the gods spare me to do it and return with Lij to Egypt, where I shall live in seclusion. At least I hope he does not mean to separate me from our children..." Dom took the linen towel offered to him and wearily wiped his face. "I came here for a purpose, Cass. To overthrow the evil that is Sowrawn. If I keep my mind to the task, perhaps I will be able to exist. I cannot look to Lij for help, now. He has totally rejected me." * Lij lay upon his bed counting the knots in the wooden beams supporting the ceiling. He thought that if he did this it would stop him going mad. Nekeb was sitting by the fire, trying to look as if he were not keeping an eye on him. Lij turned his back on his friend's scrutiny, and closed his eyes. He regretted deeply the rash mood that had inspired him to write out that document so hastily. It may be that Dom might have changed his mind about speaking if he had been given time to consider things more carefully. I love him, and I will always love him. I have been a fool. How will I live without his daily presence? Sleep...without his body next to mine? At least he has his mission to keep his mind occupied. I have nothing but memories of him and my darling children. Suddenly, through the adjoining wall he could hear the sound of the harp. Dom was playing the tunes they loved to listen to when alone together. Lij let a sob escape his throat then quickly turned it into a cough lest Nekeb should approach and try to comfort him. He deserved no comfort. He was a proud and unforgiving man. He would speak with Dom in the morning, and see how things might be resolved. He turned in bed and uttered a cry of protest as the pain he had been suffering from of late shot down his arm. Nekeb came swiftly. "Lord?" Lij winced. "It is my arm, Nekeb. Ask outside if there is a healer that might look at it for me." At least that will take my mind off the music, and the hands playing it Lij thought, sadly. Within minutes of Nekeb's mission, Ede entered carrying a basket covered with a cloth. She smiled kindly at Lij, who was now sitting in the chair. "What is it ails you, Lij?" He told her the problem in a few words, holding the top of his arm with the other hand. "Will you remove your robe so that I can see to it?" she asked. "You need not fear I do not know what I am about. I am a notable healer.� Lij stripped off his fine linen bedgown, and she looked at the arm carefully. "First look, then touch,� she smiled. "Ah!" the woman nodded, as she lifted his arm. "Right under your arm here, you have a huge boil, my dear. No wonder it was paining you! It will have to be lanced to let out the poison." Nekeb looked concerned. "Will it hurt him, lady?" Ede glanced at him. "Not if I am doing it, Nekeb." Ten minutes later, Lij was back in bed, relieved of pain, with just a touch of soreness where Ede had cut into him with a sharp knife, squeezing out the poison with deft fingers. He was grateful to her, and said so. She smiled sweetly at him. "I will come to look at it in the morning, my dear. Try to sleep. I know you have been very disturbed this day, but time heals all things. Rest now" As she closed the door, Nekeb turned to Li with a frown. "I do not trust her, Lij. There is something that is not right here...." Li glanced at his friend. "Nonsense, Nekeb. She is perfectly amiable. I admit at first I was very wary of her, but that was because of Dom..." Nekeb could have kicked himself for bringing his Lord's mind back to his predicament. "Go to your room, Nekeb. I shall be more comfortable, now." Lij settled into the bed. pretending that he would sleep. Nekeb shook his head. "No, Lij. Tonight I shall stay with you." He took a blanket and prepared to lie on the floor. Lij shook his head. "Do not be so foolish, old friend. This bed is big enough for four. Come, if you must stay, lie down." Nekeb reluctantly did as he was told. Soon, despite all the dramas of the day, he was fast asleep. Lij lay awake, listening to Dom play tune after tune never repeating one, until just before dawn, he too fell into an uneasy sleep... �but Dom played on. |