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ismeninHello Darlings! Thank you so much for your wonderful response to my plea for the lOTR showing. I shall wait a few days to see if more turns up then mail Mr Whitehead with the people who have said they will go. Snoogles flist! xxx
Here is part two of The Sheban Mystery wherein Dom n Lij come across a puzzle. Hope you like it.
Thank you Lady Sunrope for beta!
Part 2 - Mystery by the River
Dom had looked at his spouse with concern. Sheba had been gone for a week, but twice that morning Lij had snapped over some small thing, and it was not like him to do so. Dom had also observed the slight purpling under his eyes, and had come to a conclusion. Lij needed rest - to get away from the pomp and the business of court for a while. He needed time to be himself, and in truth, Dom felt the same way, for he too was weary.
Dom waited for the right moment - he had known Lij intimately for many years. The moment he chose was in bed after love.
"You are not yourself, a stor, you need to rest. Let us go to the River House. Menkh is more than capable of taking our places for a short while - and it will give our Jed some valuable experience assisting him. After all, have they not managed well while we were away in the provinces? A little while longer will not harm."
Lij looked into his spouse's eyes, and saw the love and concern there. He nodded. "It shall be as you say, my love. In truth I have been longing for our little home, but thought we had been here for such a short time... leaving again so soon could make many anxious."
He grinned. "But Sheba did wear us out, the visit coming so soon after our travels. I am glad she has gone - as glad as I was to see her, I was happier to see her leave. She has the constitution of an Apis Bull."
Dom kissed his spouse gently on the mouth. "I do not think six husbands is enough for the woman, Lij. If she carouses with them as she did with us, I think she would need one for every night of the year. The poor men were exhausted - and she only brought two with her! I can well understand why the missing lover she asked us to find seemingly fled her embraces. But we will hear what Kerasonb has to say concerning any news of him when he returns from Tolan with his report."
Lij settled comfortably onto his pillows. "At least I am glad of the bed she brought us - it is very comfortable. We shall talk with Menkh and Jed in the morning."
***
By midday, Dom and Lij set out on their horses for the River House. However, Dom had requested a detour, and Lij was happy to agree. They moved south into the desert, where stood the great pyramids of Khafra, built time out of mind.
They were dressed in ordinary desert robes, and approached the building site as would any travellers interested in what was being constructed. Lij saw Imhotep, their chief architect, issuing orders, and watching the builders and work men with an eagle eye.
He did not see them approach, and when he heard Lij's voice in his ear made as if to kneel.
"You dare give us away, old friend, and I shall have you buried in the sand up your neck, and honey poured on for the ants to consume you."
Imhotep grinned at Lij. "And then, who would finish building the..." He stopped short, heeding Dom's warning cough.
"I am sorry, Dom," Imhotep said in a low whisper, so that the builders nearby would not hear. There were no titles and no formality when the friends were together, not like at court, where it had to be remembered at all times that Dom and Lij were gods.
Lij punched the architect gentlyon the shoulder. "You two have your secrets, then. I am content to wait until it is finished." He looked up at the towering edifice, wondering what it could be.
"Come, Lij, I have seen what I wanted. Our good Imhotep is working apace. It will be finished before the Inundation of Akhet as he promised me. I am satisfied."
Dom turned to the architect. "If any problems arise, you will find us at the River House for a time - but I cannot see there will be any difficulties. You are an artist, dear friend, and a god amongst architects."
Imhotep inclined his head as if in acknowledgement of a known truth, and the couple left him to his task, riding north to the river, and to their home.
***
They never sent notice that they were coming, for everything was always ready for them whenever they chose to arrive, their needs being few. Meri, their housekeeper, was working in the garden which had expanded to three times its normal proportions, as Lij enjoyed working in his own patch whenever he went there. Still, he acknowledged, as any gardener would, that the plants needed tending regularly, not merely when the part-time gardener chose to arrive.
Her husband, Heleb, took the horses from them with a slight bow. These may have been gods, but, after so many years, they were also his friends and he knew that they intensely disliked any formality concerning their visits, so he always offered them a shy grin, and a warm welcome.
Meri's first questions were about the children, so a comfortable half an hour was spent on the terrace, in the shade, drinking pomegranate juice -Lij's favourite - and talking about their respective families. Meri announced proudly that her eldest son was now a captain in the Pharaoh's army, and Lij blinked.
"I did not realize that you had a son in our army, my friend. Why did no-one inform us?"
Meri smiled at him indulgently. "He wished to get where he was on his own merits, Lij, and he has done so. We are very proud of him."
Dom asked his name, and made a mental note to send for the new captain when they returned to the Palace. If he was the son of Meri and Heleb, he would make a stalwart addition to their forces, his parents having proved loyal and very discreet concerning their royal friends.
Very early on in their visits to the river, Dom and Lij had discovered, much to their amusement, that they had become Meri's cousins from the East, who visited her whenever they were in the area. She had said they were traders in frankincense, and therefore, from the more prosperous side of the family.
From then on, every time they came to visit, they brought with them some frankincense, and other herbs and spices and, as frankincense was expensive and rare, these gifts was very welcome.
The people in the surrounding area, Meri had commented, would benefit from this medicine, and she gave it out freely to those in desperate need of relief from pain.
It was a warm evening, a slight breeze blowing in off the river, so the two men walked along the bank, watching the birds and some of the animals that frequented the nearest bank of the river. They looked across to the far side, and saw a family of hippopotamuses sporting in the water. Lij was very glad they did not come over - he had no liking for the animals since being frightened by one as a small child.
Dom drew his burnous over his head. "Come, my love, it is growing chilly. Let us go to bed, for I am eager to lie with you, and to feel your body in mine."
Lij smiled at him, and grasped his hand in the darkening night. In this place they were truly alone, for Meri and Heleb lived in a house further along the bank - a bigger house having been built for them there by Lij's orders in the early days.
The lovers would be undisturbed here, and could make as much noise as they liked. Although their apartments in the Palace were so vast no-one could hear them unless they were in their room, Dom always felt that there might be someone listening. He did not care if they were, but it was very pleasant to think that no-one could.
They went in and Lij barred the door behind them.
***
Lij smiled. He was kneeling before the window, invoking the Sun, which was coming up over the riverbank. He could hear Dom, who was still lying in bed, raise himself upon his elbow the better to watch his lover.
Lij did not know what it was about watching him utter this prayer that intrigued Dom so - all he knew was that during the years they had been together, Dom had only missed this ceremony when he had been ill, or away from Lij. Therefore, he smiled, as he spoke the benediction attending the prayer, and the sun came up as it always did after God's word had been spoken.
Dom stretched lazily. It was very pleasant knowing that he did not have to get up to perform any duties today, nor were there any ceremonies that demanded his attention. Both men needed this rest as their lives were spent in service of the people, and they did not have very much time for themselves.
They had told Meri that they would strike the gong when they needed breakfast - they were in no hurry. There was a basket of figs on the table, and some bread left over from last night's dinner. Both men ate a few pieces of fruit, and then decided to take a short walk along the riverbank before calling for their meal.
Dom had gone back to the house for another drink of pomegranate juice, and was therefore very surprised when Lij came in, stared at him, took two deep breaths and said, "there's a body in the onion patch - and you will be amazed to discover who it is!"
***
The two men stood over the corpse. It was the very man they were asked to seek. Lij was staring at the body with a puzzled expression on his face. "Dom, what do you see?"
Dom took a closer look, evaluating what was before him. "It seems odd...it is Sheba's lost lover, I have no doubt, but why is he here amongst the onions? How did he get here? He was last seen at Tolan."
Lij walked around the body, looking carefully at it. The man was dressed in a good-quality clothing, with very fine sandals on his feet, and two gold bracelets on his wrists. But there was something wrong - something that niggled at Lij like an itch one could not reach.
He went outside the garden to the path that ran down to the river, and called over the wall to Dom.
"There are footprints in the mud, here, Dom. Two sets of clear footprints up from the river. Then there is only one set. Come and look."
Dom went out, and followed Lij's finger as he pointed to the footprints. "See, the one set come up to the wall. They are deeper before they reach this point, then there seems to have been something that disturbed the person because the footprints are blurred here, as if he had staggered. Then the footprints continue, but they are not so deep in the mud."
Both men followed the footprints along the path, up from the river until the earth became dry, and hid its secrets. Lij moved a bit further along, and said to Dom, "there appear to have been two or more camels waiting here at some time. There is clear evidence of that, as well as the hoof prints. It is not near enough the house to have disturbed anybody during the night, and even if we had heard them, we would have merely thought them some traveller stopping to rest."
They walked back into the garden, and Lij knelt down beside the body, and picked up the man's hand.
"This is not right, Dom. We know who this man is - but he is an enigma - come and look."
Dom knelt beside Lij, and tried to see what it was his spouse had seen. He shook his head. "Whatever it is you see, Lij, it is a mystery to me."
Lij picked up the hand and showed it to Dom. The hand was large, the skin rough, and nails broken and dirty. Lij moved to the feet and pulled off one of the sandals. The man's feet were dirty, the skin hardened and cracked. And there was dried mud on his front, as if he had fallen. There was no mud in the garden. He must've died on the path.
"This man was the consort of a Queen, yet his skin is rough and worn. And this is not his own clothing, Dom. It is far too short on him."
Dom looked down at his own hands, the skin smooth and well oiled. The man's skin was rough - Lij was right.
"How do you think he died, Lij? You seem to see so much more than I. Does the body give us any clues?"
The men stooped next to the body. The man's head and face showed no injuries, neither did his arms or legs, except for one deeply abraded area around one ankle. "We will have to get him inside, Dom, and strip him. Oh, I know, I know, I should have Heleb ride for the epistates, if there is one, and hand the matter over to the law. But I remember Meri saying yesterday, when she was giving us the news, that the law officer had died, and the authorities were in the process of appointing a new one. After all is said and done, we are the Law in this land. Come! Help me get him inside, and we will see what we can do."
Dom saw that Lij's eyes were sparkling with suppressed excitement. He loved a challenge - and here was one, ripe for investigation. He helped Lij to carry the body indoors.
Meri arrived just as they got the body onto the table, and shrieked in distress at the thought of the mud she would have to scrub off later, but Lij smiled at her and told her not to worry, that he would do it.
Meri examined the body in a philosophical way. It was not the first time she had seen a corpse, since the river was often used to disguise a crime, and people drowned in it from time to time, but she was interested in what Lij and Dom were trying to do.
Lij looked carefully at the body before they removed the clothing. As he moved down to the feet, he looked closer, and pulled out from one of the sandal straps, an ear of corn.
He showed it to Meri, who shook her head. "We don't get such long- eared corn this near to the river. And it is darker in colour than anything I have seen. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that it did not come from anywhere near here at all."
Lij put the ear of corn carefully aside. "No, it comes from further north - in fact, it is not long since Dom and I came from the place when it is stored. We went there on our yearly visit."
Dom nodded. "Kylos! I have never seen so much grain. A very wealthy region. Interesting!"
Lij unbuckled the sandal. "And look at his feet, Dom. They are red with the dust from the North, not the rich black soil that we have near the river. The man came from the North and was brought here, down the river. But he was last seen at Tolan, where the earth is black. Now, where has he been in the interval?"
They began to undress the corpse, being careful not to disturb any evidence that they might find. Dom was fascinated to watch how careful Lij was to be respectful in all that he did.
However, nothing else revealed itself to them, except the body itself, for when they had it stripped, it was obvious even to a fool what had killed him. The man had been beaten to death. And not only that - his body showed many signs that the abuse had been committed over a length of time. There was scars, and newer wounds covering his whole torso.
The tribal scars, as Sheba had said, were very disinctive. They were arranged in circles whilst the fashion in Sheba was for parallel lines.
"Poor man!" said Meri, covering him up with a sheet she fetched from the bedroom. " I cannot understand why people treat other human beings so. And since you pronounced the edict, Lij, no one has been allowed to treat a servant in such a way."
Dom pursed his lips. They did not mention to Meri that they knew of this man - and he was no servant. However, he was puzzled. "But why not throw him in the river if he died on the path? It would have been easier to push him back than carry him forward. And why is he dressed in clothing so obviously not his own? It makes no sense."
Lij, wrinkling his nose against the sweet odour of decay now pervading the room, made a decision. "We will have to bury him, soon. He has been dead since yesterday - too long to do anything else with him. There is a nice spot of land beneath the tree further down the bank. Meri, ask Heleb if he would bury him there, and then come to me - I have a commission for him."
Dom had not lived with Lij for all these years without knowing the man intimately. He smiled at him. "What are you going to do, a hashkeh?"
"I am going to find out who killed him, of course. And when I do, he - or she - will be punished to the full extent of the law." His grin faded. "This crime was committed in my domain, and I will have order in this land, Dom, and I am sure your feelings are the same. We will find the murderer - I have no doubt about it."
***
Several hours later Heleb came back from the Palace with the things that Lij had sent him to collect. Luckily it was easy for Heleb to gain access to Menkh, a safe system of communication having been implemented in the early days. Menkh knew his kings too well to argue when they decided to act.
Lij, without a word, handed the bag of money to Dom, who tried hard to conceal his amusement. Lij never had learned the value of money, and was just as likely, even now, to hand over a gold piece for a pomegranate as he was to offer a copper one for a pair of gold brushed sandals.
The men resolved to set about their journey the next morning, and while Heleb saddled up the camels he had brought from the Palace, they sat on the terrace and went over what they had discovered.
"Well," said Dom scratching his chin. "You noticed that the man had been dropped over the wall into the garden from the path outside. It was never intended that he land up amongst our onions. But where were they taking him? And why? Why go to all that trouble?"
"Indeed - it is a puzzle. We will find no answers to these questions here, Dom, and I am not sure that we will find any in Kylos - but we will try."
Taking farewell of Heleb and Meri, they set out for the North.
***
The two men had decided to pose as traders, and had decided that something useful but not valuable would be the best thing, as it would be too dangerous, too much trouble, to be a dealer in fine gems or gold, or valuable spices that might lead to them being attacked, or having their goods stolen.
They had settled on good quality papyrus and ink, which were plentiful in the Palace, and for which people would pay a moderate sum. It was also light to transport, Dom had remarked when he suggested it - thinking of loading and unloading it in the night when they stopped at a tavern to rest.
They had wisely brought with them several grades of papyrus, so that they would have access to many different classes of people for their investigation. Besides, a rich merchant would hardly wish to use the same rough papyrus that a baker or a mason would, and Dom knew that the further they travelled from the river the more difficult these goods were to obtain.
It took two days to reach Kylos, and Lij, being careful to perpetuate their image, sold some papyrus and ink to the taverner in the second inn at which they stopped. Dom, sitting in the corner whilst Lij concluded the deal, was very glad that he had written out a list of the prices so that Lij would not be seen to be giving away the stuff, or charging enough to build a small house for one three foot scroll.
Lij had a very good memory, and had soon had no need to use the list. Dom had sauntered over when he saw the deal was concluded and began to engage the tavernkeeper in conversation.
"Oh, yes, master, I'm sure there will be many customers for you in Kylos. The last dealer we had come up from the river didn't know what to charge. No one bought much from him, and he hasn't been around for six months. You'll have no trouble selling your wares."
As they retired for the night, Lij thought it was a pity they had not brought a servant with them so that they would not waste time conducting business.
"But think of all the people we will meet during the course of the day, Lij. Far more than we would by merely wandering around the town. And people tend to talk more when they think you have something in common. We will do better as it is."
Lij, thinking it over, tended to agree.
***
When they reached the town, the first place of interest that they wanted to visit were the grain repositories, remembering the ear of corn that Lij had within his luggage wrapped carefully in a small linen cloth. However, they did not wish to look conspicuous in their search, and so stopped at the nearest large warehouse where records would be kept, which happened to be that of a local cloth merchant.
They were welcomed like conquering heroes. The owner, ushering them into his accounting rooms, showed the two men his clerks writing on papyrus that had been scraped down three times to get rid of the previous writings, and who were using the backs of the documents as well to record the accounts.
After they had finished their business they asked if he could recommend a good tavern in which to stay, and the one he told them about proved to be excellent. It was right in the middle of the town, where they could strike out in any direction and not seem to be choosing one particular kind of merchant to deal with, a thing they were most anxious to avoid.
"It is most fortunate, Dom, that most of the grain repositories appear to be in the centre of the town - it could not have worked out better," Lij commented as he got into bed, and thumped down a lump in the straw mattress which was pressing into his back.
"The only comfort I regret leaving behind is Sheba's bed. This thing is like sleeping on a bed of stones, the straw is so hard."
Dom turned and took Lij in his arms. "Then I will have to take your mind off sleeping, muh chree," he said, kissing his lover fervently in the darkness.
Lij sighed blissfully, and gave himself up to his lover's ministrations. Dom was right - he quickly forgot about the mattress.
***
The next morning Dom asked the taverner if there was a newer mattress they could have, cravenly inventing a bad back for Lij, which his partner endorsed by rubbing his back and sighing deeply. In truth, he was a little stiff that morning - but it had nothing to do with the mattress. Dom's touches had not taken into account the tavern's insistence on breakfast at a sensible time for those wanting to complete a good morning's business. Lij felt in severe need of fulfilment of other needs, never mind breakfast.
Over the meal they formulated a plan to move outward from the tavern, visiting each grain warehouse or repository in turn. As they set off for the first one they had high hopes, but by the time they came back in the evening, tired and hungry, their spirits had sunk a little.
There had been no warehouse that dealt in the dark yellow corn that Lij had in his little cloth. Carefully worded questions about the types of corn available in the city had led to a simple answer. The paler yellow corn was the one that people required, and that was what was provided for them.
"And in truth," Dom commented, as they sat in the bath house before their evening meal, soaking the weariness out of their limbs, "I shall not care, I am honest with you, Lij, if I never see another grain warehouse again."
Lij grinned, and threw Dom the sponge, gesturing that he wash his lover's back. "We visited five today, a stor - it may be that tomorrow we will be lucky. After all, the last merchant told us they were only about ten corn merchants in the city. If we do not visit them all tomorrow, it will be the next day."
Dom poured some oil onto the sponge and rubbed it over Lij's back. "But what will happen if we do not find any corn of this type? What shall we do then?"
Lij pursed his lips. "We will sell our papyrus and our ink, and keep our eyes open. It is all we can do."
Dom sighed, saying nothing. Lij was enjoying himself, and that was all that mattered.
The next morning they set out, Lij with a spring in his step, carrying the papyrus. Dom, carrying the ink, was less hopeful - but happily he was destined for a surprise.
Here is part two of The Sheban Mystery wherein Dom n Lij come across a puzzle. Hope you like it.
Thank you Lady Sunrope for beta!
Part 2 - Mystery by the River
Dom had looked at his spouse with concern. Sheba had been gone for a week, but twice that morning Lij had snapped over some small thing, and it was not like him to do so. Dom had also observed the slight purpling under his eyes, and had come to a conclusion. Lij needed rest - to get away from the pomp and the business of court for a while. He needed time to be himself, and in truth, Dom felt the same way, for he too was weary.
Dom waited for the right moment - he had known Lij intimately for many years. The moment he chose was in bed after love.
"You are not yourself, a stor, you need to rest. Let us go to the River House. Menkh is more than capable of taking our places for a short while - and it will give our Jed some valuable experience assisting him. After all, have they not managed well while we were away in the provinces? A little while longer will not harm."
Lij looked into his spouse's eyes, and saw the love and concern there. He nodded. "It shall be as you say, my love. In truth I have been longing for our little home, but thought we had been here for such a short time... leaving again so soon could make many anxious."
He grinned. "But Sheba did wear us out, the visit coming so soon after our travels. I am glad she has gone - as glad as I was to see her, I was happier to see her leave. She has the constitution of an Apis Bull."
Dom kissed his spouse gently on the mouth. "I do not think six husbands is enough for the woman, Lij. If she carouses with them as she did with us, I think she would need one for every night of the year. The poor men were exhausted - and she only brought two with her! I can well understand why the missing lover she asked us to find seemingly fled her embraces. But we will hear what Kerasonb has to say concerning any news of him when he returns from Tolan with his report."
Lij settled comfortably onto his pillows. "At least I am glad of the bed she brought us - it is very comfortable. We shall talk with Menkh and Jed in the morning."
***
By midday, Dom and Lij set out on their horses for the River House. However, Dom had requested a detour, and Lij was happy to agree. They moved south into the desert, where stood the great pyramids of Khafra, built time out of mind.
They were dressed in ordinary desert robes, and approached the building site as would any travellers interested in what was being constructed. Lij saw Imhotep, their chief architect, issuing orders, and watching the builders and work men with an eagle eye.
He did not see them approach, and when he heard Lij's voice in his ear made as if to kneel.
"You dare give us away, old friend, and I shall have you buried in the sand up your neck, and honey poured on for the ants to consume you."
Imhotep grinned at Lij. "And then, who would finish building the..." He stopped short, heeding Dom's warning cough.
"I am sorry, Dom," Imhotep said in a low whisper, so that the builders nearby would not hear. There were no titles and no formality when the friends were together, not like at court, where it had to be remembered at all times that Dom and Lij were gods.
Lij punched the architect gentlyon the shoulder. "You two have your secrets, then. I am content to wait until it is finished." He looked up at the towering edifice, wondering what it could be.
"Come, Lij, I have seen what I wanted. Our good Imhotep is working apace. It will be finished before the Inundation of Akhet as he promised me. I am satisfied."
Dom turned to the architect. "If any problems arise, you will find us at the River House for a time - but I cannot see there will be any difficulties. You are an artist, dear friend, and a god amongst architects."
Imhotep inclined his head as if in acknowledgement of a known truth, and the couple left him to his task, riding north to the river, and to their home.
***
They never sent notice that they were coming, for everything was always ready for them whenever they chose to arrive, their needs being few. Meri, their housekeeper, was working in the garden which had expanded to three times its normal proportions, as Lij enjoyed working in his own patch whenever he went there. Still, he acknowledged, as any gardener would, that the plants needed tending regularly, not merely when the part-time gardener chose to arrive.
Her husband, Heleb, took the horses from them with a slight bow. These may have been gods, but, after so many years, they were also his friends and he knew that they intensely disliked any formality concerning their visits, so he always offered them a shy grin, and a warm welcome.
Meri's first questions were about the children, so a comfortable half an hour was spent on the terrace, in the shade, drinking pomegranate juice -Lij's favourite - and talking about their respective families. Meri announced proudly that her eldest son was now a captain in the Pharaoh's army, and Lij blinked.
"I did not realize that you had a son in our army, my friend. Why did no-one inform us?"
Meri smiled at him indulgently. "He wished to get where he was on his own merits, Lij, and he has done so. We are very proud of him."
Dom asked his name, and made a mental note to send for the new captain when they returned to the Palace. If he was the son of Meri and Heleb, he would make a stalwart addition to their forces, his parents having proved loyal and very discreet concerning their royal friends.
Very early on in their visits to the river, Dom and Lij had discovered, much to their amusement, that they had become Meri's cousins from the East, who visited her whenever they were in the area. She had said they were traders in frankincense, and therefore, from the more prosperous side of the family.
From then on, every time they came to visit, they brought with them some frankincense, and other herbs and spices and, as frankincense was expensive and rare, these gifts was very welcome.
The people in the surrounding area, Meri had commented, would benefit from this medicine, and she gave it out freely to those in desperate need of relief from pain.
It was a warm evening, a slight breeze blowing in off the river, so the two men walked along the bank, watching the birds and some of the animals that frequented the nearest bank of the river. They looked across to the far side, and saw a family of hippopotamuses sporting in the water. Lij was very glad they did not come over - he had no liking for the animals since being frightened by one as a small child.
Dom drew his burnous over his head. "Come, my love, it is growing chilly. Let us go to bed, for I am eager to lie with you, and to feel your body in mine."
Lij smiled at him, and grasped his hand in the darkening night. In this place they were truly alone, for Meri and Heleb lived in a house further along the bank - a bigger house having been built for them there by Lij's orders in the early days.
The lovers would be undisturbed here, and could make as much noise as they liked. Although their apartments in the Palace were so vast no-one could hear them unless they were in their room, Dom always felt that there might be someone listening. He did not care if they were, but it was very pleasant to think that no-one could.
They went in and Lij barred the door behind them.
***
Lij smiled. He was kneeling before the window, invoking the Sun, which was coming up over the riverbank. He could hear Dom, who was still lying in bed, raise himself upon his elbow the better to watch his lover.
Lij did not know what it was about watching him utter this prayer that intrigued Dom so - all he knew was that during the years they had been together, Dom had only missed this ceremony when he had been ill, or away from Lij. Therefore, he smiled, as he spoke the benediction attending the prayer, and the sun came up as it always did after God's word had been spoken.
Dom stretched lazily. It was very pleasant knowing that he did not have to get up to perform any duties today, nor were there any ceremonies that demanded his attention. Both men needed this rest as their lives were spent in service of the people, and they did not have very much time for themselves.
They had told Meri that they would strike the gong when they needed breakfast - they were in no hurry. There was a basket of figs on the table, and some bread left over from last night's dinner. Both men ate a few pieces of fruit, and then decided to take a short walk along the riverbank before calling for their meal.
Dom had gone back to the house for another drink of pomegranate juice, and was therefore very surprised when Lij came in, stared at him, took two deep breaths and said, "there's a body in the onion patch - and you will be amazed to discover who it is!"
***
The two men stood over the corpse. It was the very man they were asked to seek. Lij was staring at the body with a puzzled expression on his face. "Dom, what do you see?"
Dom took a closer look, evaluating what was before him. "It seems odd...it is Sheba's lost lover, I have no doubt, but why is he here amongst the onions? How did he get here? He was last seen at Tolan."
Lij walked around the body, looking carefully at it. The man was dressed in a good-quality clothing, with very fine sandals on his feet, and two gold bracelets on his wrists. But there was something wrong - something that niggled at Lij like an itch one could not reach.
He went outside the garden to the path that ran down to the river, and called over the wall to Dom.
"There are footprints in the mud, here, Dom. Two sets of clear footprints up from the river. Then there is only one set. Come and look."
Dom went out, and followed Lij's finger as he pointed to the footprints. "See, the one set come up to the wall. They are deeper before they reach this point, then there seems to have been something that disturbed the person because the footprints are blurred here, as if he had staggered. Then the footprints continue, but they are not so deep in the mud."
Both men followed the footprints along the path, up from the river until the earth became dry, and hid its secrets. Lij moved a bit further along, and said to Dom, "there appear to have been two or more camels waiting here at some time. There is clear evidence of that, as well as the hoof prints. It is not near enough the house to have disturbed anybody during the night, and even if we had heard them, we would have merely thought them some traveller stopping to rest."
They walked back into the garden, and Lij knelt down beside the body, and picked up the man's hand.
"This is not right, Dom. We know who this man is - but he is an enigma - come and look."
Dom knelt beside Lij, and tried to see what it was his spouse had seen. He shook his head. "Whatever it is you see, Lij, it is a mystery to me."
Lij picked up the hand and showed it to Dom. The hand was large, the skin rough, and nails broken and dirty. Lij moved to the feet and pulled off one of the sandals. The man's feet were dirty, the skin hardened and cracked. And there was dried mud on his front, as if he had fallen. There was no mud in the garden. He must've died on the path.
"This man was the consort of a Queen, yet his skin is rough and worn. And this is not his own clothing, Dom. It is far too short on him."
Dom looked down at his own hands, the skin smooth and well oiled. The man's skin was rough - Lij was right.
"How do you think he died, Lij? You seem to see so much more than I. Does the body give us any clues?"
The men stooped next to the body. The man's head and face showed no injuries, neither did his arms or legs, except for one deeply abraded area around one ankle. "We will have to get him inside, Dom, and strip him. Oh, I know, I know, I should have Heleb ride for the epistates, if there is one, and hand the matter over to the law. But I remember Meri saying yesterday, when she was giving us the news, that the law officer had died, and the authorities were in the process of appointing a new one. After all is said and done, we are the Law in this land. Come! Help me get him inside, and we will see what we can do."
Dom saw that Lij's eyes were sparkling with suppressed excitement. He loved a challenge - and here was one, ripe for investigation. He helped Lij to carry the body indoors.
Meri arrived just as they got the body onto the table, and shrieked in distress at the thought of the mud she would have to scrub off later, but Lij smiled at her and told her not to worry, that he would do it.
Meri examined the body in a philosophical way. It was not the first time she had seen a corpse, since the river was often used to disguise a crime, and people drowned in it from time to time, but she was interested in what Lij and Dom were trying to do.
Lij looked carefully at the body before they removed the clothing. As he moved down to the feet, he looked closer, and pulled out from one of the sandal straps, an ear of corn.
He showed it to Meri, who shook her head. "We don't get such long- eared corn this near to the river. And it is darker in colour than anything I have seen. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that it did not come from anywhere near here at all."
Lij put the ear of corn carefully aside. "No, it comes from further north - in fact, it is not long since Dom and I came from the place when it is stored. We went there on our yearly visit."
Dom nodded. "Kylos! I have never seen so much grain. A very wealthy region. Interesting!"
Lij unbuckled the sandal. "And look at his feet, Dom. They are red with the dust from the North, not the rich black soil that we have near the river. The man came from the North and was brought here, down the river. But he was last seen at Tolan, where the earth is black. Now, where has he been in the interval?"
They began to undress the corpse, being careful not to disturb any evidence that they might find. Dom was fascinated to watch how careful Lij was to be respectful in all that he did.
However, nothing else revealed itself to them, except the body itself, for when they had it stripped, it was obvious even to a fool what had killed him. The man had been beaten to death. And not only that - his body showed many signs that the abuse had been committed over a length of time. There was scars, and newer wounds covering his whole torso.
The tribal scars, as Sheba had said, were very disinctive. They were arranged in circles whilst the fashion in Sheba was for parallel lines.
"Poor man!" said Meri, covering him up with a sheet she fetched from the bedroom. " I cannot understand why people treat other human beings so. And since you pronounced the edict, Lij, no one has been allowed to treat a servant in such a way."
Dom pursed his lips. They did not mention to Meri that they knew of this man - and he was no servant. However, he was puzzled. "But why not throw him in the river if he died on the path? It would have been easier to push him back than carry him forward. And why is he dressed in clothing so obviously not his own? It makes no sense."
Lij, wrinkling his nose against the sweet odour of decay now pervading the room, made a decision. "We will have to bury him, soon. He has been dead since yesterday - too long to do anything else with him. There is a nice spot of land beneath the tree further down the bank. Meri, ask Heleb if he would bury him there, and then come to me - I have a commission for him."
Dom had not lived with Lij for all these years without knowing the man intimately. He smiled at him. "What are you going to do, a hashkeh?"
"I am going to find out who killed him, of course. And when I do, he - or she - will be punished to the full extent of the law." His grin faded. "This crime was committed in my domain, and I will have order in this land, Dom, and I am sure your feelings are the same. We will find the murderer - I have no doubt about it."
***
Several hours later Heleb came back from the Palace with the things that Lij had sent him to collect. Luckily it was easy for Heleb to gain access to Menkh, a safe system of communication having been implemented in the early days. Menkh knew his kings too well to argue when they decided to act.
Lij, without a word, handed the bag of money to Dom, who tried hard to conceal his amusement. Lij never had learned the value of money, and was just as likely, even now, to hand over a gold piece for a pomegranate as he was to offer a copper one for a pair of gold brushed sandals.
The men resolved to set about their journey the next morning, and while Heleb saddled up the camels he had brought from the Palace, they sat on the terrace and went over what they had discovered.
"Well," said Dom scratching his chin. "You noticed that the man had been dropped over the wall into the garden from the path outside. It was never intended that he land up amongst our onions. But where were they taking him? And why? Why go to all that trouble?"
"Indeed - it is a puzzle. We will find no answers to these questions here, Dom, and I am not sure that we will find any in Kylos - but we will try."
Taking farewell of Heleb and Meri, they set out for the North.
***
The two men had decided to pose as traders, and had decided that something useful but not valuable would be the best thing, as it would be too dangerous, too much trouble, to be a dealer in fine gems or gold, or valuable spices that might lead to them being attacked, or having their goods stolen.
They had settled on good quality papyrus and ink, which were plentiful in the Palace, and for which people would pay a moderate sum. It was also light to transport, Dom had remarked when he suggested it - thinking of loading and unloading it in the night when they stopped at a tavern to rest.
They had wisely brought with them several grades of papyrus, so that they would have access to many different classes of people for their investigation. Besides, a rich merchant would hardly wish to use the same rough papyrus that a baker or a mason would, and Dom knew that the further they travelled from the river the more difficult these goods were to obtain.
It took two days to reach Kylos, and Lij, being careful to perpetuate their image, sold some papyrus and ink to the taverner in the second inn at which they stopped. Dom, sitting in the corner whilst Lij concluded the deal, was very glad that he had written out a list of the prices so that Lij would not be seen to be giving away the stuff, or charging enough to build a small house for one three foot scroll.
Lij had a very good memory, and had soon had no need to use the list. Dom had sauntered over when he saw the deal was concluded and began to engage the tavernkeeper in conversation.
"Oh, yes, master, I'm sure there will be many customers for you in Kylos. The last dealer we had come up from the river didn't know what to charge. No one bought much from him, and he hasn't been around for six months. You'll have no trouble selling your wares."
As they retired for the night, Lij thought it was a pity they had not brought a servant with them so that they would not waste time conducting business.
"But think of all the people we will meet during the course of the day, Lij. Far more than we would by merely wandering around the town. And people tend to talk more when they think you have something in common. We will do better as it is."
Lij, thinking it over, tended to agree.
***
When they reached the town, the first place of interest that they wanted to visit were the grain repositories, remembering the ear of corn that Lij had within his luggage wrapped carefully in a small linen cloth. However, they did not wish to look conspicuous in their search, and so stopped at the nearest large warehouse where records would be kept, which happened to be that of a local cloth merchant.
They were welcomed like conquering heroes. The owner, ushering them into his accounting rooms, showed the two men his clerks writing on papyrus that had been scraped down three times to get rid of the previous writings, and who were using the backs of the documents as well to record the accounts.
After they had finished their business they asked if he could recommend a good tavern in which to stay, and the one he told them about proved to be excellent. It was right in the middle of the town, where they could strike out in any direction and not seem to be choosing one particular kind of merchant to deal with, a thing they were most anxious to avoid.
"It is most fortunate, Dom, that most of the grain repositories appear to be in the centre of the town - it could not have worked out better," Lij commented as he got into bed, and thumped down a lump in the straw mattress which was pressing into his back.
"The only comfort I regret leaving behind is Sheba's bed. This thing is like sleeping on a bed of stones, the straw is so hard."
Dom turned and took Lij in his arms. "Then I will have to take your mind off sleeping, muh chree," he said, kissing his lover fervently in the darkness.
Lij sighed blissfully, and gave himself up to his lover's ministrations. Dom was right - he quickly forgot about the mattress.
***
The next morning Dom asked the taverner if there was a newer mattress they could have, cravenly inventing a bad back for Lij, which his partner endorsed by rubbing his back and sighing deeply. In truth, he was a little stiff that morning - but it had nothing to do with the mattress. Dom's touches had not taken into account the tavern's insistence on breakfast at a sensible time for those wanting to complete a good morning's business. Lij felt in severe need of fulfilment of other needs, never mind breakfast.
Over the meal they formulated a plan to move outward from the tavern, visiting each grain warehouse or repository in turn. As they set off for the first one they had high hopes, but by the time they came back in the evening, tired and hungry, their spirits had sunk a little.
There had been no warehouse that dealt in the dark yellow corn that Lij had in his little cloth. Carefully worded questions about the types of corn available in the city had led to a simple answer. The paler yellow corn was the one that people required, and that was what was provided for them.
"And in truth," Dom commented, as they sat in the bath house before their evening meal, soaking the weariness out of their limbs, "I shall not care, I am honest with you, Lij, if I never see another grain warehouse again."
Lij grinned, and threw Dom the sponge, gesturing that he wash his lover's back. "We visited five today, a stor - it may be that tomorrow we will be lucky. After all, the last merchant told us they were only about ten corn merchants in the city. If we do not visit them all tomorrow, it will be the next day."
Dom poured some oil onto the sponge and rubbed it over Lij's back. "But what will happen if we do not find any corn of this type? What shall we do then?"
Lij pursed his lips. "We will sell our papyrus and our ink, and keep our eyes open. It is all we can do."
Dom sighed, saying nothing. Lij was enjoying himself, and that was all that mattered.
The next morning they set out, Lij with a spring in his step, carrying the papyrus. Dom, carrying the ink, was less hopeful - but happily he was destined for a surprise.
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Date: 2006-10-03 10:56 am (UTC)By the way I'm reading Wilbur Smith's Warlock right now which is set in ancient Egypt. I'm having fun imaginging teenage Pharoah Nefer Seti as Lij. Well he has green eyes not azure blue and, well, he does get hitched to a girl *shudders* (it may be a while before we see WS writing slash!) but the way WS describes his lovely young male body - well our darling Lij does spring to mind.
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Date: 2006-10-03 12:34 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2006-10-03 05:34 pm (UTC)I`m enjoying this.
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Date: 2006-10-03 07:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-03 06:59 pm (UTC)*sits
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Date: 2006-10-03 07:17 pm (UTC)I love how excited Lij gets that he gets to go detective-ing! He's like Geoffrey Shawcross, only prettier! ;)
Great work, Issi! Can't wait to see what the surprise is!
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