Читать книгу ALL ARE MORTAL - Greg Pius - Страница 3

Her name was Sarai. She was the only child of that city's ruler! Young to be a widow, Sarai was ten years younger than Abram. Long dark hair fell down her back. She was still very slim. Her eyes were almond brown. With a full lipped mouth, Sarai had many admirers. Up until then they kept their distance. Her husband had been a very jealous man.

Now Sarai would become a target for many lustful men. She had a rich and powerful family which would help make the future of her next husband more comfortable. Already her father was being besieged with offers for her hand in marriage. Only the morning period specified by their cultural traditions now protected Sarai from a quick marriage. It was not unknown for suitors to jump the queue by kidnapping the daughter of a powerful man. The hostage was seen to be better off married to her kidnapper than returned with doubts over her virtue making future marriage offers impossible. Knowing how evil men could steal his daughter, the ruler of the city gave her a powerful bodyguard. With the hulking figure of Azur always at her side when in public, he thought Sarai would be safe.

Knowing the hearts of men better than her father, Sarai knew that one bodyguard could easily be distracted. She had no intention of being forced to marry anyone. Then when she saw two hulking figures filling in her husband's grave Sarai got an idea. Hiring two more bodyguards may just be enough to save her from future humiliation. Calling over the gravediggers' boss, she asked him in a serious tone of voice,

"How much to buy out the contracts of those two men?"

Used to haggling with clients, the owner of the graveyard said,

"They are very expensive mistress. But for the daughter of our esteemed ruler perhaps we can come to come arrangement."

Not used to haggling, Sarai thrust a bag of gold into his hands. She then said in a tone of finality,

"If that bag of gold does not cover both contracts many times over then they must be relatives of yours"

Not bothering to count the gold pieces because he could tell simply by the weight that he held a small fortune in his hands, the owner said

"They are yours mistress. I will have their contracts sent to your house. When would you like those two to start working for you?"

Sarai knew she still had to get home safely. So she said in a definitive tone of voice,

"They will come with me now. Unless you want me to take back that bag of gold."

In truth, the graveyard owner had meant to cheat by sending two of his less valuable workers. He would then claim it to be a simple clerical error if found out. But the lure of gold was too strong. As gold fever swept over his heart, the owner did one honest thing in his life. He took out the contracts from his carry satchel and handed them to Sarai. Whilst she checked them, he called over Abram and Lot. In a voice of regret he said,

"I am sorry to lose you both but this lady had need of your services. I have therefore gifted your contracts to her keeping. If I owe you any money it will be sent to her house."

Abram would have complained if it had been any other person. He was not used to being bought and sold in this manner. But he recalled looking into this beautiful woman's eyes. Looking at Lot to warn him not to make a fuss, Abram said in a submissive tone of voice,

"It seems we are at your service now lady. What would you have us do to help you?"

Sarai had doubled checked the contracts but still did not know the name of these two strangers. So she said in an inquisitive tone of voice,

"You are the ones listed here on these two contracts?"

Abram nodded his head then touched his forelock as was the custom of accepting mastery. He said in a proud voice,

"I am Abram of Ur. This is my nephew Lot also of my Father's house. We had to get revenge on renegades from a desert tribe. Now we must work in this city to both hide and survive."

This shocked Sarai as the desert tribes were known to be fiercely independent people. She could not stop her inquiring mind from overflowing into an intemperate question. In a tone of doubt she said,

"The desert tribe people do not always come into our city, so why do you not work as city guards?"

A look of sadness swept across Abram's face as he said,

"Both my nephew and I lost everything in a raid on our camp. We have no choice but to work to live. The city guard in a much sought after job. This work was all we could find."

Seeing the rawness of his speech, Sarai guessed that further questions would go unanswered. So she switched to a more formal tone when she sated the following,

"I am Sarai of the Three Trees clan. My mother was born in Ur. But my father is ruler of this city. You will work as my bodyguards. Azur here is my personal bodyguard. You two will protect my property and assist when necessary if we are attacked. Is that clear?"

Both Abram and Lot touched their forelocks to signify acceptance. There were no more words spoken as the small party made its way through the dangerous streets of the city.

When Sarai got back to her own house she instructed her house master to find accommodation for Abram and Lot. Then she ordered new attire for them that matched their position as bodyguards. A boy was sent to her father's armorer to get them sharp swords and knives. Before he left, Abram risked asking a request of his new mistress. He said in a soft tone of voice,

"Mistress we are of the desert. It is our way to use a bow as there is little hidden on sandy plains. Can my nephew have such a weapon from your father's armorer? Is it permissible?"

Sarai knew that bows were banned except for palace guards. But her father had never refused her anything. So Sarai replied in a thoughtful tone of voice,

"I will write my father a note. You will deliver it boy, before you go to the official armorer. I am sure my father will grant your request if it is presented to him by me."

Once the note was written, the boy left hurriedly. Abram watched him go. He had not been impressed with what the level of violence that he had seen happening on the city streets. So he inquired,

"Will the boy be safe. He will be carrying weapons when he returns. They can be easily stolen from such a boy."

Sarai laughed a crystal clear laugh. She said in a tone of high amusement,

"I would pity anyone who tried to steal from Amon. He is the oldest son of the city's king of thieves. They have their own code. Their 'king' and his family are better protected than my father. The boy has been my firmest protector ever since I saved him from my father's palace guard. He had just stolen the Guard Captain's jeweled knife. I came along just as the Captain was going to slice him in two. Of course, he saw his chance and slipped out of the guard's clutches. He then ran and hid behind me. I laughed so much, tears ran down my face. As the Guard's Captain has known me since birth he spared the boy. But the boy is still being punished today."

Abram thought he had missed something whilst gazing into the eyes of his mistress. Young males did not look down in submission to anyone. But this time it was not pride but sheer lust that kept Abram's eyes firmly locked in Sarai's gaze. Still, he saw the anomaly in her words. Trying to impress this beautiful lady had suddenly become very important to Abram. So he said in a tone of inquiry,

"How could the boy be still punished if you rescued him from this Guard Captain's clutches?"

That laugh that seemed to rock Abram's soul to its very foundations again was heard by his ears. Smiling broadly at the big joke she explained,

"A short time later my father gave me a bodyguard from his palace. Just guess who that turned out to be? Much to Amon's horror I might add."

All desert tribe people were good at adding up what they could see and hear. Abram was exceptionally good at both these skills. So he replied in a tone of understanding,

"Surely not? Your own personal bodyguard was the Guard Captain? No wonder Amon bolted out of here so quickly. Aren't you afraid he may not return?"

Somewhat affronted that this man would doubt her power over all males of any age, Sarai said in a tone of high dungeon,

"We city people are not all evil. The streets may look grim but I grew up on those streets. Some of my best friends are street folk. There is not a more loyal people anywhere than my neighbors."

Stunned at the rebuke in Sarai's voice, Abram said in a much meeker tone of voice,

"I had not intend to give offence mistress. Both Lot and I are new to your city, so we do not know their ways. Forgive my impertinence."

Feeling once more in control of her emotions, Sarai replied,

"You are forgiven Abram. But remember your place in future. My father has done wonders with this city since he became ruler. Before him the streets were lethal and crime ridden. My neighbors may steal but they do so only to survive. There are much worse people hiding their evil intentions in mansions around this city."

Just then a noise distracted them from this awkward moment. It was the boy Amon returning. In his arms were two huge swords, two long knives and some arrows. On his back he had slung the short bow favored by the palace guard. In a breathless voice Amon said,

"Sorry it took so long mistress. That fool of an armorer cannot read. He had to get his slave to read out the Ruler's order."

To prove her point to Abram and assert her superior knowledge of the city Sarai asked,

"Tell us Amon my lovely boy were you hindered on your return trip in any way?"

A look of sheer scorn raced across the face of this young boy as he asserted,

"None would dare. My father would have their innards for his midday meal." A look of triumph now made Sarai's face look even more radiant, as she accepted the bundle from the hands of Amon.

That night Sarai got an invitation to the palace. It was from her birth mother. Sarai's father had two wives. Her mother was the senior wife so issued all the invitations. This one was for the celebration of the full moon festival. A big gathering of the city's richest and most powerful people would attend. As the eldest daughter of the ruler Sarai knew she was expected to attend. Besides she had not had a chance to have a long chat with her mother. So Sarai sent Amon with a note of acceptance.

Sari now called her dressers to help her chose an outfit. Usually she wore something demur so as not to excite the lust of her father's visitors. But this time she chose something revealing. Yet no one new would be at that celebration. So who could she be trying to impress with her physical charms? This is a question Sarai avoided answering even to herself.

Arriving at her father's palace, Sarai was flanked by her three bodyguards. Still not trusting Abram and his nephew, Azur took the front position. This left the two new men to walk behind their mistress. With her perfume filling the space between them, Abram did not mind his lowly placement one little bit. He walked taller in Sarai's presence with a puffed out chest that sent Lot into hysterics.

There to met their daughter was both her mother and father. She was her father's only daughter among his children. So when he said,

"My daughter you make a father's heart glad!"

There was no ironic twist to his words. The smile on her father's face warmed Sarai's heart so she replied,

"When I saw your face honorable father it was as if the sun rose in my eyes."

Not wanting to miss out, her mother now said,

"Sarai you are more lovely each time I look at you. There is a light in your eyes I have not seen for some time. We must talk on this in my garden. Forgive your senior wife a short absence from your side my esteemed husband."

Laughing at this mock timidity from a woman he knew to be a tigress in bed, her husband took advantage by saying,

"I have two wives. Surely I can let one leave my side especially to talk to my favorite daughter."

Now Sarai was in on the family joke, so she said in mock horror,

"Be careful my father. Your youngest son will hear and never let you forget those words."

Determined to have the last say for once in his time with these two powerful women, her father said in mock severity,

"Am I not master in my own palace. If he dares do such a thing I will have him banished to the farthest oasis."

Now mother and daughter were both laughing, knowing that the youngest son of which he directed this empty threat was the real favorite child. Just seven years old, Sarai's youngest step brother was as precocious as Sarai herself had been at that age. This was one reason why her father loved them both so much. A man used to the fawning attention of palace officials relished the displays of temper he saw from his children.