Son Of Set 11

[ismenin]

Hooray for Holidays! Only one part to go, folks, and it won't be long in coming to you, I hope.

No screaming, now, for there is a **WARNING: CHARACTER DEATH** in this one.

Please be patient, and do not beat me. The END is in sight. Love you all.








**Warns ya agin. Character Death***

Grateful thanks to ladysunrope for her beta skills.

Son of Set 11 - The End of All Things


We woke early, as usual. Lij invoked the sun , and I watched him, my heart rejoicing that things were slowly returning to normal after all that had passed.

I was still feeling fevered, but Lij graciously allowed me to get up and eat breakfast with him on the balcony, facing the rising sun, as long as I promised him to be obedient to his wishes - and Soraya's command - and return to rest afterwards.

I smiled at him over the warm bread. Of course I would do it. He was, after all, my joy.

We enjoyed a leisurely meal, talking quietly over the happenings of the previous day. However, there was a question I needed to ask. I kept my eyes firmly on my plate and asked:

"How did you manage to keep silent during Nyn's...outbursts, Lij? I noticed you did not contradict him, or stop him, even at the branding yesterday, though it was more private than in the Assembly. Why did you not challenge him when he reviled me? I resent being called your bitch, Lij. I am your man, body and soul, but not your - or anyone else's - bitch."


I looked at him at last, and was shocked to see his eyes like blazing sapphires burning into me. He stood abruptly, almost knocking the chair from under him.

"If I had not remained silent, I would have killed him, Dom. Do you not understand? Killed him. I felt the rage building within me. The desire to silence him forever. Oh, yes," he continued, pacing the floor in his distress, "I am Nyn, too. Never forget it. We are two halves of the same apple, he and I. For years I have struggled to keep my temper within decent bounds, and I have succeeded - with your help, my love..."

Here he cast me such a loving look I was ashamed to have asked the question, but for the fact that we had promised to be more honest with each other.

He smiled at me, and took his seat again, but the smile vanished when he continued "...but it has not been easy. There are times I have wanted to...kill. Ede. I always remember Ede. Thinking of ways she could die was all that saved me from screaming with pain and fury. And Porphyry.... Ah! How I wished to do to him the things he was doing to me. But I never let it show, I kept it all within me. Except I did scream, as you know, for you heard me."

I shuddered as I gazed at him, so beautiful in the morning light. And I remembered how he had looked when we found him with Ede, and how I had to restrain myself when I killed her, from not mutilating her most cruelly for what she had done to my love. Truly, we all have that demon within us. The desire to harm those who hurt those who are beloved.

Lij smiled at me again, a wistful expression on his face. "Do you remember how cold I was when you first met me, Dom? Cold and contained? I trained myself to be like this because in that way I would not get close to people and therefore would not become angry or hurt by their mistakes. It was too easy for me to get angry. I have learned since, not to indulge myself...."

I nodded, remembering his fiery temper. As Nyn had reminded us, Lij had ordered a man's death on the day we met. I wondered how Nyn knew of this order, but now was not the time to question this, for I had just recollected that Lij had felled me with a silver goblet on our second encounter.

I saw, now, what Lij meant. Murder is only anger full-blown or anger left to set till it is cold and hard but anger all the same. Nyn was a murderer who had mastered both. He had, after all left Lij for dead on the island in the Middle Sea. He had, I had no doubt, organised the death of the physician, Melia, who aided us there, and who had obviously participated in the deception, for there was nothing the matter with Nyn's throat. I heard him speak, clear as a bell, the day before. It was a ruse merely to disguise his voice and make his imposture stronger.


"I have struggled, my Dom, to be a better man - and a better father, spouse, king. With your help I hope I have succeeded. But I could so easily...so easily have become him. Do you not see?"

I nodded. "I do see, Lij. I am sorry, I have been blinded by vanity. No man, after all, relishes being called his spouse's bitch. My pride was wounded. Since we knew we loved each other - even though at the time I was still a slave - you have treated me with gentleness and consideration. And you could never be Nyn, Lij. Your heart is too big."

Lij was not Nyn. Kerasonb had come to us that morning before we had broken our fast, disturbed at what Nyn had told the night guard during their watch. Tales of murder, rapine, cruelty and bestiality spoken of with relish and with ever increasing detail. One man had vomited over his boots at the things Nyn described. He was not a man, but a beast in human form. Truly a Son of Set, the Dark Lord.

I came out of my reverie as Lij grasped my hand across the small table and smiled at me again. "My love," he murmured. "Always my defender..."

I pushed Nyn to the back of my mind. He could rot on Garmen's island for all I cared. For what he had done to Lij, to me and to our family, I would have liked to have killed him. But this was not possible. He was Lij's brother, and my dear Nefer's son. I would let him go, though my heart cried out for vengeance against him.


Lij's new body servant - a cousin of Pen-Nekeb - came in at that moment to tell us Garmen of Kishlan was travelling up the Royal Road. My rest would have to be postponed.

I summoned up a smile as Lij raise his eyebrows at me and winked. It was, after all, the pharaoh's private road.


I had told Garmen to come that way when I left him in Kishlan. "Your reception, this time, my friend, will be somewhat warmer, and I as king and god give you permission to travel upon it," I had said, to him as I prepared to mount my camel for the journey home.

He had clasped my shoulder. "It could not be any colder, my good friend! I look forward to our next meeting," he laughed as he waved me farewell.


Lij and I went out onto the forecourt, dressed in all our finery to greet him - a great honour for a minor king - and the fresh air blew my darkling mood away.

Garmen slid off his camel as graceful as ever, his long fair hair blowing in the welcome breeze. We stepped forward to greet him, but he knelt quickly before Lij and kissed his foot. He kissed mine also, which came as a great surprise. I had forgotten, for a moment, that I, too, was king of Egypt.

"I am glad to see you returned to your rightful place, Great Egypt," he said quietly. He had nodded at Zeser-Amon who had ridden out to meet him, so obviously the captain had given him the good news

Lij reached down and took Garmen's hand, lifting him up. "You have behaved kindly towards my beloved spouse, the king, Kishlan, and for that I thank you." Lij said, in the same formal tone, as there were many courtiers standing behind us. But his smile was private and friendly.

There was no hint in Lij's eyes that he knew of out brief liaison, nor in Garmen's either. He looked at me in the same way he looked at Lij. There was no burning lustful gazes, as there had been in Kishlan. For that I was glad. Garmen was a king - and a wise man.

After he had rested and bathed and we had eaten and talked informally of what he intended, we took him to see Nyn. We knew Garmen was equal to any situation, so we felt no compunction in allowing him to see his charge, for such Nyn was. He would be within Kishlan's keeping until he died.

"You are very like to look at, lord," Garmen said softly, staring at Nyn who was glowering at him from his chair. Nyn was pale, but otherwise healthy. His burns had scabbed over and he laughed at Lij when he asked his brother if they hurt.

"Not as much as the sight of you hurts me, little brother. You and your bitch..." He got no further. Lij jumped so quickly I hardly saw him move. He put out his hand and grabbed Nyn's throat, pressing him back into the chair. Nyn did not move, he just stared at his brother with smiling eyes, though the grip must have hurt.

"Say that word of my beloved spouse once more, brother, and it will be the copper mines of Gebir for you, not Kishlan's comfortable retreat. And I will give you two weeks there before they tire of your nonsense and shove you, living or dead, into the salt pits. Be silent!"

Lij removed his hand from Nyn's throat as if it burned, and returned to his place beside me, feeling for my hand at his side. I grasped his and squeezed tightly.

Nyn clapped his hands in delight. "Well done! I thought you still had some spirit in you, Lij! I knew I could rouse you to real anger if I tried. Now..."

"Come!" Lij said to us, in a voice dark with anger. "You will leave in two days for Kishlan, Nyn. See you are prepared for it."

He swept out of the room, his lips pressed tightly together, his hand shaking as I clutched it in the corridor.

Garmen, with his usual tact, pleaded weariness and asked to be allowed to rest in his rooms until dinner. I took Lij back to my apartments, to love the anger out of him.

*****

He lay in my arms, trembling - but his time from passion, not anger.

"You are ever my quiet place, a hashkeh," he whispered into my ear. I kissed him, gently, my lips ghosting over his like a feather brushing them.

"You are my life," I answered, my voice catching from the joy I always felt when I lay with him.

His hands were soft and cool on my body. Touching, squeezing. "Take me!" I sighed, my breath hot on his neck. My fever had returned, but it was now blended with the fever I felt for him. His body was warm upon mine, his kisses hot and needy.

I spread my arms out in complete submission. "Yours, I am yours, for as long as you wish to claim me."

"Mine!" he answered hoarsely as he put his mark upon my neck. No brand had ever burned hotter. With a cry of gladness, I gave up myself into his keeping.


*****


The next two days were busy. Lij had arranged for his mother and the rest of the family to be brought from Basara. However a messenger came that some of the company had been taken sick after eating some badly prepared food, and would be delayed. How the gods protect us!

Garmen came to us and told us he was ready to depart and awaited only our word.

I had returned to bed sick and giddy, cross at the way my body seemed to betray me. Lij ordered me to stay there. I was reluctant for there seemed no good reason for this.
I leaned up on my good arm. "Why, Lij? Where are you going?" I asked, feeling uneasy but not knowing why.

"I am going to see Nyn - alone." he said, quietly, his eyes full of pain. "Perhaps he will speak to me if I go alone - oh, never fear, Dom, I will have guards present. I am not that foolish. But he delights in tormenting us if you are there. Perhaps, alone with me, he will be more open. I want him...I need him to tell me why he did what he did...why he is what he is. I will come for you so that we can watch him leave, together, I promise. Sleep, now."

I understood then that Lij needed this knowledge more than anything. He kissed me, and I settled back on the cool pillows. I slept.


Dom puts down the stylus and goes to the table to pour out some wine. His hand is shaking, and he spills more than half the cupful over the marble floor.

The scribe has gone to his evening meal, and Dom notices for the first time how late the hour is for the servants have lit the lamps against the crowding dark.

He walks over to the window and watches the rim of the sun dip behind the distant hills. He stands there for some minutes, not moving...trying not to think.

He is alone in his rooms; the servants, sensing his need for solitude, have left him. He can hear a harp playing softly in the background. It reminds him of Lij. He puts his hand to his face and finds that he is weeping.

Angry with himself, he puts the cup down hard against the marble topped table. His task must be finished.


I was woken some time later by a servant dropping something on the floor. He bowed low and stuttered his apologies, which I waved aside. I asked him how long I had slept.

"Some hours, Great Lord." Then where was Lij? I asked the man if he knew where the Great One was. His answer had me leaping out of my bed and screaming like a banshee for my clothes.

"The Great One is in the Assembly Hall, my Lord King, bidding the Lord Nynetijer farewell." he had said, complacently. That Lij had not come for me was all I knew. That this was not like him, after a promise made with love, filled me with dread.

I ran along the deserted corridors and brought myself up short as I turned the corner. The double doors of the Audience Chamber stood wide open at the end of a long vestibule stretching some hundred yards in front of me.

I walked forward slowly as befitted a king. The guards stood to attention and the servants lining the corridor knelt as I passed them. I could see Lij on his throne upon the dais, wearing the blue and gold embroidered cloak that I had given him from my own extensive wardrobe. He was safe. My panic was needless.

In the distance I could see Nyn standing between two guards, dressed in a white tunic which fell to his knees, and a cloak draped over his shoulders, covering his arms, which were bound behind his back. I could see, as I approached that his mouth, too, was bound. I felt no pity. No one was sorry to see him leave and the court had already experienced his venom. I secretly relished the anger Nyn must have felt especially as he could no longer express it.

The chief herald was reading aloud from a scroll but I was still too far away to hear. I saw Lij dismiss Nyn with a wave of his hand, and the guards took him by the shoulders and led him, struggling furiously, out through the side door. I shook my head. The monster still did not believe that he had no more part to play in this land.

The herald was still reading. As I drew nearer I heard Bithar, Nyn's servant, scream, "No! We... I cannot be parted from him, it is too cruel! Have mercy on us, Great One! Let me go with him, I beg you!" and I saw Lij stand and take one step down towards the anguished servant. Something was said that brought anguish to Bithar for he recoiled.

By then I was running. I hated the man as the accomplice he truly was. I was not as trusting as Lij seemed to be.

The man screamed "No!" once more and before the guards could reach him across a room twenty yards wide, he had snatched a knife and thrown it with deadly accuracy straight at Lij's heart.


Bithar lasted but seconds, the guards extinguishing his life before he could voice a single word but it was too late. My spouse fell down the remaining steps, and landed on his back, and lay still.


Lij was lying on the cold marble, a gold handled dagger sticking out of his chest. Menkh and Nat rushed to him, but I screamed at them, "He is mine! Do not touch him!" and they stood aside in silence whilst I knelt and took my dying spouse in my arms.

I could see he was past help. The blood was running out of the corner of his mouth as he gasped for breath, his hand fluttering weakly against the jewelled hilt of the knife. I knew that to withdraw it meant his instant death, and I needed to tell him first how much I loved him.

I sat on the floor and took him in my arms, and folded him close within the wide expanse of his cloak, gently easing his arm away from the knife. His eyes were closed, but he opened them and tried to focus upon me. But I could see he was beyond even this.

I dared not weep. My soul would tear asunder. I vowed then that I would go with him into the Otherworld. He should not face Osiris alone, even if Anubis were there to aid him. He was my love. My friend. My life.

This was desolation. The darkest pit I have ever experienced. My whole being ached with the pain of it. I could hardly breathe. I could not take my eyes from his face. All around me was silence, except for the sound of sobbing.

My Lij was already dead, although he still breathed. He had no more than a few moments of life left in him. I gave no thought to anything except my vow that we should be together. I kissed him, softly. "I love you, my soul," I whispered.

It was to be the last time this side of eternity that my lips would touch his, for I, too, was a dead man.

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