A Short History of Kings
By Chris James
Chapter Eight
The heat steadily grew the further south they sailed, but Theo never complained. Ptah spoke to them in a halting Greek, good enough to communicate the essentials. Theo was pleased to discover that they were making good time and were about to stop on the island of Crete.
They sat beside the dock for most of the day and Amir took Theo on short runs into the town of Iraklio, a busy little seaport. But this was still a Greek community under the shadow of the Romans and controlled by Byzantine rule, they did not go far.
Ptah accompanied them to eat, still afraid of them and yet a bit more relaxed when he discovered that they didn't bite. He told them of the changes that had occurred in his home city of Alexandria and the sadness at seeing so much of antiquity disappearing. The Romans it seemed took souvenirs, robbing the city and temples of their wealth.
They slept on board the dhow and left at first light, tonight they would sleep in Alexandria. The lateen sail stayed filled with wind throughout the day and quite soon Ptah pointed at the haze on the horizon.
"Africa," He said. "There are storms ahead."
And he wasn't kidding. By the time they could make out the land ahead the air was filled with a fine dust that left them gasping for air. Ptah and the crew showed them how to wrap their faces with a wet cloth and things became easier. Theo and Amir gave in to the moment and dressed in their Arab garments, again they had to be shown how to wrap things properly.
The Arab lands were filled with tribes, and a native could generally tell his people by the clothing and the way they wrapped their head coverings. Ptah said this was very important; they must do it correctly to save face.
The desert had kicked up a lot of sand in the air and until it died down they could not make port. Ptah followed the coast and turned back, seeking the favorable wind that would allow them to sail into the harbor, on the third try they came close enough. The crew dropped the sail and used long poles in the shallow waters until they made the dock.
There was a great noise as Ptah leapt out onto the rickety wooden platform and was swamped by children and his loving wives, both of them. Theo grinned; there must have been a dozen children. Ptah must be a wealthy man.
By the time they were ready to unload the sandstorm had abated and the sun appeared through the haze. Theo felt the cloth surrounding him heat up and yet the sweat from his body was absorbed and it cooled him down. Amir seemed perfectly happy in his clothing; he looked much like the native people around them.
Ptah soon dispatched his family and turned back to the ship. He had their baggage taken off and hugged and kissed them as was the fashion here.
"You must go to the Roman officials for guidance," He said. "They are in that large building beyond the docks, you will see their soldiers. May the gods guide your steps, you have been most kind."
Amir hired a porter for the baggage and they made their way off the docks and up towards the building that Ptah had mentioned.
"Do we report to the Romans?" Amir asked.
"I don't see why, we won't be here long enough to need them," Theo replied.
Nikolas had told them they must get transport taking them to the Nile River. Once there they could take passage up river past the ancient pyramids and seek a caravan heading across to the Sinai. That was the only way they could get to the Red Sea and search for a ship heading south.
They stopped at the city walls and the porter set down their bags. Amir looked at the man, a common laborer who did not speak any language they might know, it was worth a try.
Amir pointed at himself and then Theo. "Sinai," he said. The man pointed at himself and shook his head, he wasn't going there. Amir made the motions of riding and said "Sinai" once again. The man smiled and pointed up the street. "Sinai," the man said.
They followed the man up the street and then turned this way and that, working their way through the back streets of the town. Theo kept his eyes open, they were lost if they had to retrace their steps. But they soon came out of the narrow alleys into a broad plaza.
The bazaar was the foremost Arab marketplace, everything could be found here. Their porter led them across to a corral filled with animals of all kinds, including a few camels that fascinated Theo. The man set their baggage down and bowed. "Sinai," he said and pointed at a group of Arab men sitting under an awning.
Amir figured this was the answer and so he paid the porter in small coins. The man grinned and clapped his hands; maybe they had given him too much. He bowed again and called down the blessing of the gods on them, a series of words Amir now understood.
They stood looking at the Arabs gathered under the awning. "Which of us should talk to them?" Theo asked.
"I will," Amir said. "Seems to work so far."
They gathered their baggage and approached; one of the men stood and came towards them. He asked a question in the Egyptian Coptic language which had a similar sound to the Greek Amir knew. The boy responded in Greek and the man's face lit up.
"You speak the classical language; it's so good to hear it once again. I spent some years of study on the island of Crete... my name is Tamir."
"I am Amir, and this one is called Theo... we are students from Roma."
"Ahh, you come seeking knowledge, what a fine thing. I saw you with that slave, what did you need?"
"I didn't know he was a slave," Amir said. "But I asked him how we might travel to the Sinai and he brought us here."
Tamir nodded. "My friend has beasts and will guide you, and what will you find in Sinai?"
"A ship we hope, we are bound for Kolachi."
"Kolachi, so far... it will take you weeks to get there and will be very expensive," Tamir said. "May I ask, why do you travel so far?"
"Our teacher is already there, but my father hesitated to send us last year because of the Roman armies." Amir was repeating the lie Gaius and Nikolas had cooked up.
Tamir shook his head. "Well you have a difficult journey ahead, the cost alone for the ship and the food, I hope you are prepared."
Amir nodded. "I am, can you and your friends deliver us?"
Tamir nodded. "We will take you to the Nile beyond the great pyramids and there you must take the ferry to the other side. I cannot go with you, but I will give you the name of a man you must seek, he will take you to the sea where there are ships."
"Good, what shall we do?" Amir asked.
"We will load your bags, have you ever ridden a camel before?" Tamir asked.
"I have, many years ago, but Theo has not... will you teach him?"
Tamir smiled. "I will teach him to ride, but the gods will punish his backside."
The distance they must travel was close to two hundred miles, and then the Nile intervened. Amir figured this trip would take at least four days, if there was a ferry at the Nile.
Tamir and his friends seemed good natured, but Amir could tell that Theo was staying alert. Amir paid Tamir half of the asking price, four pieces of Roman coin, and the rest would be paid upon delivery. Theo eyed the nearest camel closely and it stared back at him, Amir tried not to laugh but he knew Theo's history with pack animals.
"That certainly looks like a long way off the ground," Theo said, looking at the standing camel.
Tamir laughed. "It is but we will make it easier for you to mount." He nodded at the handler and the man tapped the camel's knees with his rod. The beast bellowed and then began to lower himself until he was kneeling with his belly in the sand.
"That's much better," Theo said. Tamir showed him how to mount and lock an ankle under the knee of the other leg, gripping the odd looking saddle in between. "This seems awkward, do I ride like this?"
"Yes," Tamir said, "now hold on tight." And Theo did as the camel stood up, nearly throwing him off in the process.
"Very good," Amir applauded, and then mounted his own camel.
Six camels in all walked out of the bazaar through the low gate, forcing them all to duck. The handler led the way with Theo and Amir close behind, while Tamir and his friend brought up the rear with the pack animals.
"Does it feel comfortable?" Amir asked.
"It's not like a horse that's for sure, but I'm getting used to it," Theo said. "I suppose we will end up spending a night out here, are there inns where we might stay?"
"No inns, we sleep under the stars unless they brought a tent along."
"I can handle that for a night," Theo said.
They rode for what seemed like hours, following the bank of the river, in and around marshy areas but always following the road. There were other travelers, more camels, and sometimes a herd of goats. There were farm fields and abundant crops close to the river, but away in the distance lay the desert.
As evening approached Tamir chose an area for them to stop, the only sign of comfort was a well. The handler staked out the camels and built a fire as darkness fell. Their meal was bread and porridge made of grains. Tamir handed out dates, a sweet treat Theo enjoyed very much. Then they settled down for the night.
It was late, hours before dawn, when Theo came awake and was instantly on alert. Under the dim starlight he could see the handler was untying the camels and Tamir was moving silently towards them, a long dagger in his hand. The second man drew his dagger and crept towards Amir, it looked a lot like they planned murder.
Theo sprang to his feet and confronted Tamir. "You will not succeed," Theo warned. Rather than listen Tamir lunged with his weapon and was thrown back as his weapon virtually exploded in his hand. Amir was awake now and as the second man approached him Theo held out his hand.
Again he summoned a ball of fire that swiftly struck the attacker and his screams filled the night air. Tamir was down and the handler managed one look at the scene and took off running into the night.
"I did warn you," Theo said.
The smell of the burned man filled their nostrils but he was dead by now and Tamir was on his knees begging for mercy.
"Heka," He whimpered, "You are a wizard."
"Maybe I am, but you chose to murder us and now I will show you no mercy," Theo said.
"No," Amir said. "No killing."
They bound Tamir hand and foot and left him lying in the sand. Theo led Amir away in the darkness and looked back at their camp.
"I'm sorry, but he doesn't need killing," Amir said.
"You're right; I was blinded by anger because we trusted him. I had to kill the other one."
Amir held Theo close and kissed his lips. "Our friends are far behind, from now on we trust no one except one another. I thank you for saving my life."
Theo smiled. "Here we are under a sky filled with the greatest number of stars I have ever seen and we speak of killing instead of love. I need you more than ever to help me control this power."
Amir stroked Theo's face. "I will always be here to advise you."
They kissed long and hard, and then broke away with a gasp. Theo looked off into the darkness. "I don't suppose that camel driver will be back."
"He saw what you did, we won't see him again," Amir said. "Their fear of magic is great, and if the handler speaks of this no one will believe him."
"And when the sun rises?"
"We load Tamir on a camel and ride on down the road. If we follow the river we will come to the ferry and can cross. Then I don't know, what shall we do with our captive?" Amir led their way over to the camels. "Now we have six camels and only three of us, one of us will have to lead the others."
"I have a mind to put Tamir on a camel and send him back," Theo said.
"And what if he comes back with more friends? We might get stuck by the river awaiting the ferry, we could be vulnerable."
"He called me a wizard... Heka, I wonder what he means?" Theo said.
"Superstitions, he is afraid of you now."
"Well I don't want him talking to anyone else about what he saw," Theo said.
"We'll think of something."
Dawn came and Amir found the handler's rod. He made the camels kneel which made Theo grin. "You do that pretty well."
Amir laughed. "I know better than to have you try it, camels can be more stubborn than a mule."
Theo shook his head. "I'm never going lose myself of that reputation."
They tied Tamir in the saddle of his camel and Amir took the leads of the others. They moved along the road until they came to a village at the confluence of the river. Here the water split to form the broad delta between the two branches. The Nile from here on was a large, broad river and they would certainly need a ferry to cross.
This area was well populated and about as expected Theo saw the Roman symbols begin to appear.
"That sign says 'Cairo,' are we entering a city?" Theo asked. "I didn't see it on the map."
"The pyramids are close by and so is the river, maybe the Romans are building a city?" Amir suggested.
The Roman symbols meant that they might soon run into some Roman troops, and eventually they did. Theo wasn't sure what to say, but Amir felt inspired. There was a small troop of soldiers holding a small fortified building surrounded with a wooden stockade, an outpost alongside the road.
They approached and a soldier stepped forth, holding up a hand for them to stop.
"What have we here?" The soldier inquired.
"Good day, Legionnaire," Amir said. "We are traveling to find the army of the First Citizen, Heraclius, Emperor of Roma and the Byzantine."
The man's mouth fell open at the sound of Amir's Greek for they looked like nothing more than two dusty Arabs. Finally the man's wits returned and he laughed.
"And why would you seek the Emperor?" He asked.
"I am sent by Nikolas the Greek, Historian and map maker for the court of the Emperor. My hand is to chronicle the great success of the fine Roman troops such as yourself. I am to map the lands conquered in Persia and the Arabian Peninsula."
The soldier straightened up at the mention of the court, he had no way of knowing if this was for real, but it certainly sounded important.
"Let me fetch the Centurion."
The soldier rushed away and soon returned with another man who was quickly buckling on his breastplate. Amir said the words again and this man stiffened, giving him a salute.
"And how may we assist your travels?" The Centurion asked.
Amir nodded at the camel holding Tamir. "We were being guided by this man who tried to murder us in our sleep last night, he did not succeed. I would leave him in your care if I might. Otherwise, we are headed for the Nile ferry, is it far?"
The Centurion nodded. "Just stay on the road, it's about a four hour journey. Our last word was that the Emperor is on his way to Jerusalem, you would have had a better journey by ship."
"I need to speak with the garrisons on the battlefield and collect their accounts of the war. My master will want to know your name; I will include it in my chronicles. The citizens of Roma will soon know of your bravery."
The Centurion visibly swelled with pride and bowed to Amir who still sat high on his camel. Two soldiers led Tamir away and Theo hoped they could leave now. Amir must have had the same thought.
"Good day to you Centurion, and before we go... your name?"
"Markus Avitus, with the Second Traiana Legion ... are you really going to put my name in your report?"
"Absolutely, it's my job," Amir said.
"Have a safe journey," the Centurion called out as Amir started his camel moving, Theo quickly followed, now leading the string of camels. They trotted down the road a good two or three miles before Amir reined in and started laughing.
"What a brilliant performance," Theo said.
"I did that quite well, don't you think?"
"It took courage, but how did you know what to say?"
Amir smiled. "You can always count on a Roman soldier to respect rank. He had a choice to make and he chose to believe that which seemed impossible. I stroked his ego, he swelled with pride... and here we are. I do feel sorry for Tamir; they will certainly sell him into slavery."
"He deserves no better," Theo replied. "Come on, we have hours to travel and I'm becoming hungry."
The road was hot and dusty, but there were places to stop along the way. Amir bought more dates and Theo was pleased until the boy started feeding them to the camels. Of course the animals needed food, Theo felt stupid for not realizing that.
Away in the distance Amir pointed out the strange looking ancient constructions known as the pyramids. They looked like small stone hills at this distance, a curiosity to Theo's mind but little more. And eventually they came to a wide path leading down to the river; they had reached the crossing point.
There were several groups of people squatting on the banks awaiting the return of the ferry, but none of them had animals. They climbed down off the beasts and led them to the water.
"What can we do when we reach the other side?" Theo asked.
"There must be someone who can guide us or at least tell us what to do," Amir replied. "If we keep traveling south-east we'll hit the Red Sea."
Theo pulled out their map. "The Sinai is very narrow there, but I don't see any port marked on the map."
"Nikolas said they were building a channel to the Nile and abandoned it when they figured out it might drain the river. There has to be at least a village, someplace ships can unload, we'll find it."
The ferry returned and for three coins they managed to take five camels and themselves across. They unloaded and walked the camels up the bank. Theo stopped and stared, the moment sinking in, they were facing the desert. Low hills of sand stretched away as far as he could see, yet out there somewhere was a vast stretch of water, it didn't seem possible.
A man and his family of three stood off to one side going through their baggage. One by one the man strapped a small load on each of his kids and checked their head wrapping.
"Amir, they're planning to walk out there. If they're going our way we should offer them a ride."
"I agree, we'll see how far my language skills go," Amir grinned. He hefted a small water skin and walked towards the family.
"Greetings," Amir said, and then he squatted down and waited for a response.
"Greetings as well. May the gods bless you, master," the man replied, squatting down and accepting the offer of water.
Amir said something in Greek and the man shook his head. This would be difficult; they only had a few words they could share. Amir took his camel prod and pointed to Theo and then himself. Then Amir drew a line to signify the Nile and then a large elongated shape to indicate the sea. He made the riding gesture and moved the prod from the Nile to the sea and the man nodded.
Small progress. Amir handed the man the prod and then pointed at the woman and three children. He looked back at the man and indicated the rough map drawn on the ground. The man smiled and drew a line towards the sea and then along further down the near side where he stopped.
Amir nodded, the man as taking his family to a village. Now the big question. Amir drew a picture of a ship and then pointed at the sea. The man nodded and pointed at the sea, spreading his arms to indicate a large ship.
Amir smiled and stood up, offering the man his hand. This man was instantly on his feet and ready to return to his family, but Amir stopped him. He pointed at the wife and children and then the camels, the man looked astonished. Amir repeated the gesture and placed his hands together. The man looked overwhelmed at Amir's generosity and grabbed the boy's hands, kissing them.
"Oh, we'll have none of that," Amir said, withdrawing his hands.
The two older children rode together, the wife and the smallest child on the baggage camel. The man, his name Badru, rode with a constant smile. The track across the sand, rock and scrubby growth was fairly well marked so there was little chance of becoming lost, but the journey took them all day.
Badru and his family would have taken three days to accomplish what they did in one long day by camel; Theo understood why the man was so grateful. And just as the sun was nearing the horizon they reached the sea. It looked huge, stretching away to the horizon between low cliffs on either side. But there were no great ships in sight.
Amir looked at Badru and pointed, the question written all over his face. Badru nodded and pointed away in the distance. "Tomorrow," he said, then "Tomorrow," again, the word repeated three times. He gestured towards the water and down the coast where they could see a small village. "Please... please," Badru said.
"I gather the ships will come in three days time, seems he is inviting us to his village," Amir said.
"Then let's go, I cannot abide sitting on this camel for one more mile," Theo said.
Badru led them down the track which followed the shoreline, and by the time the sun was setting they arrived in the tiny village. A dozen or so people came rushing from their homes which appeared to be little more than tented spaces covered in animal hides.
"Badru... Badru," the gathering chanted and he sat tall and proud on the camel. Amir looked around and noticed that there were no other camels in the village, these were a poor people. They dismounted and the villagers stood back respectfully.
"We have no way to communicate except by sign, so I guess we better keep our needs very simple," Amir said.
Badru spoke to these people and must have told them of their journey from the Nile, but then the men stepped forward and began to unload the camels. Badru took first Amir's and then Theo's hand and led them to a fire in front of one of the dwellings, gesturing for them to sit.
The camels were staked out in a line, and brought small mounds of grasses to eat. Amir watched as Badru gave orders and they were brought food and drink. These people were so poor and yet they gave willingly.
"You know we are going to leave our camels to these people, it will change their lives," Amir said.
"I was thinking the same thing, their kindness is astounding," Theo replied.
They both smiled as out of the darkness, beyond the fire light, the children of the village began to gather. Theo unwrapped his headdress and allowed his hair to hang down. Amir did the same and then gestured to the children. Within minutes they had eight little ones gathered around.
"I don't think they've seen a white face before," Amir said. "Such smiling dirty faces, they're adorable."
"We're not so clean ourselves, I wonder how they bathe?" Theo asked.
"The sea is right there, maybe in the morning," Amir said, and then he took a small girl into his lap.
Badru offered then a place in his tent, but Amir refused. The man would have put his family out to accomidate them, that would never do. So they slept on a pile of grasses, lying on their cloaks with the beauty of the heavens above them.
The next few days were idyllic, they were treated like kings. Amir was given to understand that the men of the village were employed in loading and unloading the ships that came this far north. And on the second day a caravan arrived, camping out near the water and awaiting the arrival of a ship.
Two dhows sailed into the waters nearby, not large craft but capable of carrying a good amount of cargo. The sailors beached the craft and planks were laid out to the shore so that unloading could proceed. The products would be moved further inland by caravan to other communities.
Badru went aboard one of the dhows and spoke to a man who looked ashore and shook his head. They continued to talk until Badru suddenly came ashore and walked over to Amir. He bowed slightly and hesitated before gesturing to the dhow and then rubbed his fingers together. The captain wanted payment, Badru seemed embarrassed.
Amir smiled and reached in his pouch for some coins. Badru then smiled and took four of the coins back to the man on board who nodded and gestured them onto the ship. Theo and Amir gathered up their bags and then smiled. Amir pointed at the camels and then at Badru who didn't seem to understand.
Amir led Badru over to the camels and placed the reins of one of them in the man's hand. He pointed at all the camels and then tapped Badru's chest. "Badru's camels now," Amir said.
The look of wonder on the man's face was something to see, no one had ever given him such wealth. Theo stepped forward and handed Badru the camel prod as a final gesture of the gift. The poor man was so overwhelmed he didn't know what to do. But Theo shook his hand, hugged him and kissed his cheeks in the Arab fashion, Amir did the same.
Badru yelled to his family and they came running, taking the boy's baggage and carrying it to the shore near the ship. Amir got down on one knee and looked at each of the children he had come to know so well.
"May the blessing of the gods be upon each of you," He said in Greek. And he handed each of them a small Roman coin, more wealth than they could comprehend. To Badru's wife Amir gave a small red cloth tied in a knot, which contained coins. "Be blessed," Amir said, and then they boarded the ship.
The crew settled their bags in the bow and the boys sat down with their possessions. The villagers and the crew pushed the ship out of the sand until it floated once again. Then push poles were used to turn the vessels around. The sails were raised and the two vessels slowly moved away, leaving Badru and his family at the shore waving in farewell.
"What did you give his wife?" Theo asked.
Amir smiled. "Five gold coins, one for each of them. I thought Badru was a nice man, he deserved to be rewarded."
"So we have no idea how far this boat will take us, do we?"
"We should relax, anywhere south is a good destination," Amir replied. "Later on I'll show the captain our map and see what he says."
Hurghada would be their first stop by the end of the day, and after two more stops they would reach Jeddah on the far side of the Red Sea, their first contact with the Arab States. The area had all been conquered by the Romans, but here on the fringe there would be little if any Roman control.
Jeddah was a small Arab city on the edge of a vast desert, but here they found other ships, larger ships sitting by the docks. A small coin bought them the services of a man to carry their baggage and they went in search of refreshment and information. It was Amir who spotted the sign.
"Oh, a Greek scribe, do you see that?"
"Scribe, for what?" Theo asked.
"He probably writes correspondence, not all of these people are literate. I imagine the new Roman rulers require something like this," Amir replied. "At least he'll understand us."
But the man behind the table wasn't Greek, he was Turkish. "Greetings," Amir said in Greek and the man looked up from his papers.
"Goodness... where did you come from?" The man asked.
"Roma, we're headed for Kolachi," Amir said, and then introduced himself and Theo.
"I am Osman; you have a long voyage ahead, my friends. Not many would attempt such a trip."
"I'm going home, Theo is my friend. Can you assist us in finding passage?"
"Today is impossible, tomorrow yes; I'm going to Adan myself."
Amir dismissed their porter and Osman led them to his rooms where he bid them store their baggage. To Theo's delight he then took them to a cool dark tavern where they sat and were introduced to tea.
"The drink comes from the Indian states, not too far from Amir's homeland," Osman said. "The leaf is picked, dried and then boiled in water to extract the flavor. It is delightful with goat's milk and honey."
They ate a meal of goat stew with bread and cheese and then Osman led them to the docks in the early evening and sought out the captain of the ship. It was only a matter of exchanging coin for two more passages; they would go aboard in the early morning as the ship was loaded.
Osman spread carpets for them on his side porch and they bedded down for the night. Amir lay in the darkness and listened to the sounds of a strange culture around them. They were one step closer to Kolachi. It had been six years since he had been taken away, it seemed like a lifetime.
He remembered the garden behind the house where he used to play with his young sisters, gone... all gone. The garden wall of huge stones covered with plants, surrounded by bushes. And there in the wall, the symbol of the Pinatu, an ancient mythological flying serpent of Harappa origin. It was behind that stone that Amir's mother had hidden the crown which was to have come to him.
The knowledge had been kept alive in his mind by her final words to him. "The blood is in you, my son. Never run away from your heritage, you must come back to claim the crown. Without you the Pinatu will devour our people... " And then she had died from the arrow embedded in her chest.
Amir had wept over her body until the general found him. He had allowed the boy to stand and watch as she was buried in front of the wall behind which lay his future. And then the endless journey had begun, five months on the road surrounded by armies. Amir had turned ten; it was just another day, and another night with the general's cock in his mouth.
He wondered now, if he had been older, would they would have killed him? But he was too young for the general to rut like a common whore. Instead he became the man's sex slave, even performing the duty as an entertainment for some of the man's cronies. It kept him alive, and Amir wanted to survive, to go back and wear that crown.
Osman awoke them just after dawn and allowed them to wash up in a bucket of water. Wrapped in their desert clothing they all walked to the docks, carrying baggage and the coins to pay for their passage. They brought their baggage on board and paid their fare.
Vendors hawked food on the docks and many of the crew stopped their work to eat. Amir bought them some more dates, bread and cheese; otherwise the ship would feed them once a day. It was late morning before they were ready to leave port.
The voyage to Adan, and then on to Salalah at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula was unremarkable except for its sameness. Osman departed their company and Amir bid him farewell. Once again they were stuck without a means to communicate to their hosts, but the sailors stayed busy with the needs of the ship. The port of Salalah was tiny and they despaired of finding a craft large enough to traverse the great ocean that stood between them and Kolachi, but find it they did.
The craft was old and decrepit, and yet it floated. They had seen it as they arrived and wondered as it just sat there with no life on board. Two days they awaited some activity, maybe a worthy craft would arrive, but nothing happened. Amir discovered an elderly man living on the ship and he allowed them on board, it was his ship... well almost.
There was water in the hold and rotten boards on the deck, but Amir had a feeling about this ship.
"We will buy it and make it sail," He said.
"I don't mean to offend you, but it looks like it's about to sink," Theo said.
"Then we'll have it fixed, we are taking this vessel to Kolachi."
They paid off the debt on the craft to a local merchant, hired on several crew members and worked on the ship for a week. Theo dared not stand in Amir's way, his need to return home was becoming urgent. On the seventh day they sailed.
They followed the coastline, appraising the seaworthiness of the craft. Water still managed to find a way through the sides of the hull but they bailed the water and manned the pump. The journey would take a week the old man said, but Theo wasn't sure he even knew the way.
They sailed for hundreds of miles following the coast and suddenly the land fell away on their left, the Arab lands had ended. East was the only requirement, and east they sailed. If the ship failed them now they would all drown.
The ship was slow, dragging a great weight of water in the hold along with them. Amir noticed that the supply of food was running low, the water barrels showing less than a third of their capacity. The crew grew restless until one morning they saw a flock of birds wheeling in the sky. It was an hour later that they came across the first of the fishing boats.
Amir had them steer the ship closer and he called out. "Hello the boat," in Greek. Several of the fishermen looked up and smiled, calling back in a strange tongue.
Amir broke out in a huge grin. "Urdu... they are speaking Urdu, these are my people."
The ship sailed close to the fishing craft and Amir held a long conversation with the fishermen. The only word Theo could understand was 'Kolachi.' The fishermen pointed to the east and a little north of their current path, Amir was beside himself with joy.
"We are close... so close after all these days of sailing, the gods are with us," He said.
"Kolachi is that close?" Theo asked.
"They say four hours of sailing, just a little north of our current course." Amir had the old man alter course and then went to stand in the bow. A crew member came on deck and he was wet from the knees down. He babbled at the old man who handed over the rudder and went below to look.
Theo knew what was happening; they were taking on more water. Everyone went below and shifted their possessions to the upper deck; the deck below was already awash with water. They left the old man steering and everyone bailed and worked the pump. It was a race between the water and the distance they had to travel.
Theo was working his third shift on the pump when he heard Amir yell. "The river... the river... we have arrived."
The outward flow of the Indus River would be too much for the ship to handle so they aimed the ship towards the beach. Better to run aground than sink, everyone braced for the landing. The poor tired vessel slid slowly into the sand and groaned as it slowly rolled towards one side and stopped.
People came running down the beach and gathered to help them remove their baggage and as Amir stepped ashore he fell to his knees. Theo could see the tears on his face and gave him the time to feel the emotions of his homecoming. The crew came ashore and stood around, but Theo went and shook the hand of each of them, giving them a hug.
He wondered what they would do now, stuck here in this strange country. But when he handed each of them five of the golden Roman coins they patted his back, yelled in excitement and took off for the distant town. Only the old man remained, his ship slowly rolling further and the timbers springing loose as the sides were crushed.
Amir finally stood and hugged the old man, placing his money pouch in the man's hands. The man smiled his toothless grin and hefted the bag, and then he looked up at the ships sitting at the docks in the distant harbor. Theo could almost read his mind; he would find a new ship.
Theo moved their baggage above the surf line and under the trees, and then he sat down to watch Amir. The boy was pacing back and forth in the sand, his mind working on what they might have to do next. All Theo knew was that Amir's land was upriver, but he had no idea how far. Finally Amir walked up and plopped himself down on the sand.
"We are almost there... almost," Amir said. "The distance is greater if we travel by land, I hate to say, but we must take a boat once again."
Theo groaned and lay back on the sand. "How far is it?" He asked.
"Nikolas said it would be about six hundred miles, a week's travel... I'm sorry," Amir said.
Theo laughed and sat up. "After all we've been through, just be sure we get the royal treatment."
"Oh... and I'm out of coins," Amir said.
Theo smiled. "I have some left; do you wonder why my bags weigh more than yours?"
"Good, I was afraid you might have to make some... and that would be wrong. I don't want our lives bound by this magic you have," Amir said.
"I haven't used it since the Nile; I won't unless it's absolutely necessary. So how do we find this royal vessel to take us up the river?"
"We start by riding in one of the local carts... and here it comes," Amir laughed.
The bullock cart was pulled by a huge horned beast, one that Theo decided to avoid. The man in the cart was gracious and they rode with him for almost ten miles into the city. Kolachi, a city of many flavors, races of people and the terminus of the longest river in the region.
The Indus River, the Sindhu in the local dialect, cut the region in half from the ocean to the great mountains that delineated Asia. It meandered through the foothills, the desert tundra and watered the fertile plains that fed the people of Amir's land. Now all they had to do was traverse six hundred miles of it.
The language spoken here was a mix of Urdu and Sindhi, Amir could handle them both. They soon had a porter for their bags and a room in a fine inn. Amir called for a tailor and unwrapped the Arab dress, dropping it all on the floor.
"Dress as you may, I will not wear that again if at all possible," Amir growled.
"What shall we wear here? Would a tunic attract too much attention?" Theo asked.
"Not at all, the salwar and a tunic will look very much like the local dress."
"What's a salwar?"
"Um... leg coverings, they are quite comfortable," Amir said.
"Oh, that's fine, you choose our clothing," Theo said. "And tell me, what's that smell?"
Amir smiled. "I was wondering when your stomach was going to catch up with your imagination. That is the smell of curry; you will learn to love it."
"I think I still have much to learn, when do we eat?" Theo laughed.
They washed up, already regretting the lack of a proper Roman bath. A tailor arrived with clothing. He used a stick to take the measurements and went out to his cart to find them something. He returned with richly brocaded tunics in brown, green and gold, and the salwar Amir had mentioned. They each chose two outfits and dressed for their dinner.
The bazaar was filled with vendors, and they bought bowls of spiced chicken and rice, the national staple. Theo had been warned but he took a huge bite of the chicken and paused, looking frantically for his goblet of the local brew. He tossed the liquid down in one gulp and gasped.
"My mouth is on fire, but it tastes so good."
"Take the next piece and dip it in the yogurt, that will cool it down some," Amir said.
With their dinner consumed they strolled around the waterfront, watching dancing girls in the taverns and followed by vendors trying to hawk their wares to the foreigners. Theo stood out of the crowd because of his looks, Amir found it amusing.
"You know what I don't see?" Theo said. "I don't see any sign of the Romans."
Amir nodded. "They are gone from here. Kolachi is bound by Persia to the north and the Indias to the south. Here you will see the influence of the Buddha and the Hindu beliefs, but they seem to exist together quite well. My father's beliefs were Hindu, it remains to be seen what I shall follow... if anything."
Theo nodded. "And what would these people think of a Druid?"
"You would be embraced... valued. Mysticism and magic are well placed in the Hindu religion as are their beliefs in the Goddess. Shakti is the female side of the god belief; the divine energy is brought through this goddess. I'm sorry, Theo... this is not easy to explain."
"The beliefs of a Druid are not easy to understand either. We accept the power and control nature has over us, the spirits of life are in everything. I will study what you tell me, we'll find that kind of sharing will do us both some good."
"I want to return to the inn and share," Amir said with a little smile.
"I can think of nothing else."
They made love, something that only made them realize how exhausted they had become. Sleep overcame the urge for sex, which returned again when they awoke at dawn. There was no set decision as to which of them would give and which would receive. The pleasure was equally shared no matter what they did.
All these months together had taught them to sense the other, to feel the ebb and flow of passion within their bodies. Amir could not say whether Theo's dominance left him any more in love than his moments of giving the boy his just due in return.
The demands of their young bodies were easily met; the need to give voice to those feelings was smothered in kisses. It would not do to wake the other guests at the inn with their screams of pleasure, but it was always there just below the surface each time they mated.
Amir had a way of probing that drove Theo wild. It was done with such patience and sensitivity, and in such a slow manner as to be maddening. But although they were much the same in size, Theo always felt that Amir made better use of what he had.
All the magic he possessed could not match the power Amir held over him. Theo could feel the duality inside himself struggle. During love's hold he would have been helpless to perform the slightest bit of magic; for it was there he learned that Amir possessed powers far beyond his own.
It wasn't just the sexual power Theo felt, there was something else. From their first coupling Theo had felt something buried deep inside Amir, it was revealed in these moments. It was like a door slightly opened, beyond which he could not fathom this distant place inside Amir.
Over time his senses had become heightened, more alert. It was what had alerted him time and again when the desires men strove to harm them. It was not something Theo could talk about. If Amir had something to say he would listen. But the closer they came to Amir's homeland the stronger Theo felt it become, it just had no name.
It was unfair that he should recognize this power inside Amir as the boy plunged deeply and made Theo shudder with desire. It was the perfect cock for his bottom, the sweetest meat for producing the divine feelings he needed. And if there was any power behind it then Theo knew he should focus on their activity. As always Amir had his first orgasm and returned to stroking, there always seemed to be a need for a second.
Theo was well and truly consumed, satiated and exhausted by this morning offering to their love. Amir had a way of inflaming his desires to the point of orgasm without the aid of a single touch.
"Are you satisfied, my love?" Amir asked.
Theo groaned. "Do you have to ask? Look at me, the evidence is splattered across my body."
"Such a waste of precious seed," Amir said.
Their visit to the docks left them with no doubt that there were many choices for small boats to carry them up river. By asking around Amir came up with the name of a man and his family, merchants who made the trip quite frequently.
Gatik was a Hindu, immediately obvious by the greeting he gave Amir. "The blessings of Shiva on you."
"May the gods bring you prosperity," Amir replied.
"They have been kind, do you seek transport?" Gatik asked.
"Yes, my friend and I would like to reach Guddu, not far from the ancient Harappa cities."
"I know the place, the Rai Kingdom. Have you come far?"
"We traveled from Roma, the birthplace of the Roman Empire," Amir said.
"I am unfamiliar with the birth, only the pain they have left us," Gatik said, and then he smiled. "But I am sorry if I have offended your friend, they are gone, and we will heal."
Amir nodded. "He is not Roman; they offended his people as well. The water gets sweeter the further we get from their well."
Gatik nodded. "I will enjoy your company; we will leave tomorrow as the cock crows. Can you be ready?"
"We will bring our baggage and I will give you the coins you must have," Amir said.
"All is well then. We will feed you and offer you pleasant conversation for your journey home, it is home you seek?"
"My father's people, they know me little from years ago. I will wait to see if I can call it home."
Amir told Theo about the conversation, and received the expected reply.
"Your father's people, will they welcome you?" Theo asked.
"Some of them must be family; I just don't know their names. But the Rai rules the land; he will not enjoy the company of another who would be king. I'm sure we'll soon find out."
The voyage upriver was like pealing away the years, a travel back in time. Amir could embrace the culture once again through conversations with Gatik, a plain and truthful speaking man. Theo was seeing all this for the first time, and yet it was familiar.
The river valley had been a home to civilization since before time had been counted. There were great piles of stone that had once been fortresses and entire cities lay in ruins, Gatik was sure to point them out.
The growth of trees and plants was unfamiliar and in some places forbidding. Theo was told of the good and the bad plants and animals. Here there were snakes so poisonous that a single bite might kill a full grown man. Amir hated to translate that part of Gatik's speech to Theo, but the boy needed the knowledge to remain safe.
The days passed easily because of the company. Gatik's wife cooked wonderful curries and made delicious breads in her small round oven. But his children were old enough to work, and there was a boy much their age that embarked upon a mission to teach Theo their language.
Age, Theo realized he had turned fifteen while their soggy ship had been slowly sinking in the sea off the Arabian Peninsula. And then like a sack of stone hitting him upside the head Theo understood Amir's urgency, he would turn sixteen in less than a week.
Although already reckoned as a man, Theo figured there must be something special about this age for the boy. For himself Theo had not felt like a child in years, the decisions of manhood had been upon him so quickly during this time in his life. But Amir, he needed to understand what drove the boy... no, the man... his man.
"My father sat his throne at the age of sixteen, I wish to do the same," Amir explained. "I may not be king except in name, but I must take possession of the crown."
"So the crown is vital to you, does it have any meaning beyond symbolizing the ruler?"
"Theo, I have no idea, but my mother died rather than give it up, it must be important."
On the fourth day of their travels Gatik seemed excited; they were approaching Sukkur, a town where he would make some good trades for his merchandise. The landscape around them had turned from rainforest to desert, the mountains looming closely in the background. The temperature had also gone up and Amir just said they were lucky it wasn't the monsoon season yet.
Gatik tied up at the docks and went ashore to find someone for business. Amir decided they should walk in the bazaar and dozens of vendors quickly surrounded them. Theo chose a handsome basket which he filled with fresh fruit for Gatik's family; Amir bought a bolt of golden cloth woven by local weavers.
The business Gatik needed took several hours and then they were back on the river.
"Guddu is the next stop, this will be as close as I can bring you," Gatik said. "You are sure this is what you want?"
"If my family is not there I'm not sure what we'll do," Amir said.
"I will be back this way in one week's time, I will look for you," Gatik said. "If you cannot find them then you should return with us. I don't know what will happen to you."
"I will consider your offer," Amir said.
Another day and they reached Guddu. The desert had retreated and the rocky cliffs which surrounded the town were covered in lush green growth. Gatik made the dock and they said their farewells. Theo and Amir stood on the dock and watched their friend sail away; then they turned to the town.
"We will need food, but otherwise it's little more than a few hours walking time," Amir said. "I remember this place; I have stood in this place before."
"This was part of the kingdom?" Theo asked.
"Yes, but the king lived in the old city built by the Harappa, we will have to climb."
And climb they did, following a winding path up the sides of the cliff behind the town and on into the jungle of trees and vines. There were piles of stone, walls that must have stood tall and thick in centuries past. Theo was beginning to see that they were entering a vast ancient city surrounded with a battlement.
And then Amir halted and stared ahead. "We are not alone in this place," He said.
He was right; there was a group of people gathered before an arched entrance through the walls. They approached and saw the ground was strewn with flowers and the smell of burning incense filled the air. The people had been seated in prayer until they saw the boys approaching and then they became silent.
"Do not look at them, walk straight ahead," Amir whispered.
Theo followed in Amir's footsteps, his eyes riveted ahead at the arch which he could now see was spattered with blood. Amir held his head high and felt the eyes following him. The Hindu worshipers were of a blood sect, he could only hope the walls were spattered with goat's blood.
It was this craziness that his father had controlled. The myriad number of strange deities and cults within the Hindu beliefs had caused wars, only his father had calmed the storm. Amir hoped that once he possessed the crown that his path would become clear.
Once thru the arch Amir almost gasped at the sight before him. The once proud palace of the ancient kings had been torn down; the seat of the throne was broken. In a land of symbolism this kind of destruction was unthinkable to any but the Persians.
Amir skirted the ruins and glanced back at Theo. "Watch where you step, the grounds could be alive with snakes."
Theo's eyes opened wide and a hand slid under his tunic to grasp the medallion. The Druids did not fear serpents, but he wasn't sure if the magic would hold them at bay. His eyes scanned the ground as he followed Amir past the pile of stones.
Theo knew this must have once been the palace, sadly it was now gone. But Amir didn't seem dismayed, maybe he expected it. The garden was overgrown; a haven for slithering creatures, but Theo saw none. Amir led them up a small rise and stood before a tree which was surrounded by a stone wall.
"It's here," Amir said, and he fell to his knees. The ground looked no different than the surrounding area but Amir bent over and kissed the dirt. "My mother lies beneath," He said quietly.
Theo knelt down and stared at the soil, he could sense a presence beneath the surface. How well Amir remembered her grave, it was as if he could sense her presence as well. But Amir rose and walked towards the wall, pausing only to pull up a few spindly bushes and reveal a carving.
Theo was intrigued and stood up to join him. "This is the Pinatu, the guardian of all that is sacred from the beginning of time... it guards my crown," Amir said. He began to run his fingers across the stone searching for a way to move it, but it was massive.
"Can I help?" Theo asked.
"Of course, that's why you're here." Amir smiled... a sad little twitch of his mouth but a smile nevertheless. "It's your fate to be here with me and witness the crowning of the new king."
Theo dug his fingers in at the edge of the stone as Amir did likewise. It was heavy but it moved a little. "It was meant to come out," Theo said. "Try pushing instead."
Amir laid his hands on the stone, his fingers on either side of the Pinatu's head and he pushed with all his might... and the stone pushed back. Ever so slowly the stone moved outwards and Amir kept his hands in place as the length of the stone was revealed and then it stopped.
They both looked down at a shallow bowl carved in the top, and there lay a finely embroidered cloth bag. Amir's hand shook as he lifted the bag, clutching it to his chest as he stood. Theo dared not touch it for fear of breaking some taboo, but he watched in amazement as Amir opened the bag and withdrew the crown.
Three rings of silver and three of gold were woven together, the whole covered in precious stones. The symbol of the Pinatu stood out on the front and its eyes blazed with two enormous rubies. Amir's hands shook and Theo knew what to do.
"I will crown you king, if you will allow it," Theo said.
"I'm afraid," Amir whispered. "I don't know what it will do to me."
"I'm here, nothing bad can happen," Theo said. He lifted the medallion out from beneath his tunic and saw it was glowing. Even the magic of the Druids could sense the great power in this crown. But the moment had come to give Amir his due and Theo took the crown from his hands and held it high as he prayed.
"May the wisdom of the Goddess guide you, may the love we share define you. Amir, King of Wisdom and Light."
And when he was done he placed the crown on Amir's head.
The ground shook beneath their feet and there was a great sound, as if all the stones around them were moving... and they were. Theo turned to look and saw the piles of stone that had been the palace had begun to resurrect it, the building slowly taking shape once again.
Amir stood still, his head bowed, as all these wondrous things began to happen around them. The palace was soon restored and yet Amir did not move, instead he levitated. Even Theo was astonished at that as Amir remained poised several feet off the ground.
The clothes on his body slowly began to change, the color and shape now defined as a long golden robe that seemed to billow in an unseen breeze. And then Amir drifted towards the palace and around the side towards the front. Theo followed at a short distance behind until he spied the crazy Hindu worshipers gathering before the building.
Amir floated up the steps and sat down on a carved stone bench, the throne of his father. The crowd of people rushed forward and Theo was about to stop them when they fell to their knees and bowed. "Dariush... Dariush," they chanted. The king had returned.
Theo sat on the steps off to one side and waited. Many in the crowd stood up and bowed deeply before they turned and ran off, presumably to spread the word. And still Amir did not move, he appeared to be in a deep trance.
Over the passing hours the crowd swelled as people came hurrying in from every direction. The gasps and moans as people fell to their knees in worship filled the courtyard. The sun reached its zenith and Theo felt hunger, but it was then that Amir stood up and spread his arms. He gave Theo a quick glance and a smile. "I just turned sixteen," He whispered.
Amir began to speak to the assembled and their chanting ceased to hear his words. And hear him they did, Amir's voice was amplified to great strength and he sounded like a god.
"I am Amir, son of Dariush... I have claimed my crown, but I am not your king, I will never be king." There was a murmur throughout the crowd, an angry sound to Theo's ears. But Amir raised his hand for silence and the crowd obeyed.
"You have the Rai as your king, and soon there will be another that will rule your hearts and minds. This is no longer the palace of the king; it is but a pile of stones in his memory. Remember the peace of his reign, for the times ahead will try your patience and bring you new ways.
"I will remember this place, but I am no longer of this world." With that he turned to Theo and gestured him over. Theo walked across the steps and took Amir's offered hand. "Let us disappear if you please," Amir whispered, and Theo willed it to happen.
They skirted the crowd who were now either wailing in anguish or running around seeking evidence of Amir's whereabouts. They walked back through the arch and past people rushing to the site of the palace.
"That will be remembered for a long... long time," Theo said.
Amir nodded. "As it should, but it will be my father they remember and not me."
"The crown... it gives you powers... did you know that?"
"I had a feeling, and the memories of my father. He used to rise off the ground during prayer; he could summon fire and bring down the rains on his enemies. But the crown was his source of wisdom as well, you saw me in that trance."
"You never told me any of this," Theo said.
"The memories didn't come to me until I put on the crown, but there is one other thing you need to know... I can see the future."
"Oh... that's amazing, and very useful," Theo said. "You said something about the times ahead, you know something."
"Yes... there is a prophet growing stronger in the Arab world. His followers will start a religion and try to conquer the world," Amir said.
"What... not again. What's going on? First this Christianity and now... the gods must be angry with us," Theo groaned.
"This is why we must leave here," Amir said. "I'm sorry; I have brought you all this way and... "
"No... hush. I love you Amir, I would follow you to the ends of the earth." And then Theo began to laugh. "And I did. Oh, dear king... together we have such a great love... I would die without you."
Amir nodded, holding back tears and trying to smile. "We see with the same eyes and the same mind, I'm grateful that you understand. But this new religion will wash over this land and we cannot be here when that happens. Together our power gives us unimagined strength, and now we need to use it once again."
Theo nodded. "Back to Greece then?"
"Yes, it's our destiny," Amir said.
Theo laughed. "We may tempt fate, but we will never conquer destiny."
"How wise of you, our lives are just beginning, let's make sure we keep them."
A Short History of Kings- Epilogue
The death of The Prophet in 632 AD opened the floodgates of Islamic invasion all across the Arab world and into the ancient lands of Mesopotamia. Caliph fought caliph, the wars spreading ever eastwards into the Hindu Kush, and north to the Turkish border. Within fifty years of The Prophet's death the armies of Islam would have Constantinople under siege, but they would not win.
Greece, a shadow of its former glory, a place where a man might sit under a tree and study the vast blue Mediterranean. Theo was doing just that, pondering the way his life had gone the past thirty years. He was a learned man now, Gaius had seen to that. The ancient classics, the great philosophers and science, all had been studied until the old senator was satisfied.
"For your life to have meaning in the future you must learn from the past," Gaius used to say, and so Theo had learned. Now he sat surrounded by a dozen young men who called him teacher. He could speak to them of the classics and the philosophy of great men, but they came to hear of his experience, his worldly travels.
Theo had no need for money so he taught them, charged their parents exorbitant fees and gave the money to the poor. He owned one of the nicest estates on the cliffs overlooking Piraeus, and the students lived there part of the year. These boys came to him, stayed with him, and learned to love him in all ways... except one.
Amir had shown interest in the work Nikolas performed for the Empire. The commission to map the Roman conquests had ended with the death of Heraclius in 641. But the knowledge of what lay upon thousands of documents was needed. As Amir had foreseen there was a demand for accurate maps and they had set about a grand survey, their first choice being the Mediterranean Sea itself.
It allowed Amir to travel, establishing teams of surveyors and collecting their data. Nikolas minded the library where they kept their finished work. It meant being away from Theo, in body only, their minds were now connected.
The crown of King Dariush, servant of the Pinatu, and Amir's father had finally revealed its secrets. Just as Theo's Druid medallion enabled the owner to perform certain forms of magic, the crown had a lasting effect on Amir.
His mind had expanded upon donning the crown for the first time, and every time thereafter. Being able to foresee the future gave way to a greater understanding of the here and now. With Theo already so close in heart it seemed only natural that Amir would seek to join their minds... and it worked. Now his thoughts would become Theo's if he so desired and the reverse was true as well.
They were apart for months... and yet not. That Theo surrounded himself with handsome and intelligent young men was no cause for worry, in fact he knew it made the man quite uncomfortable to be adored like that. But Theo was a good teacher, it was his calling, and Amir had no concerns, they shared all else in life.
Gaius had lived to the incredibly old age of eighty-three, and as would be his wish he died in bed with a sweet young man of sixteen. Theo attended the funeral pyre, sending the man off with ancient prayers none could understand except the gods.
For a child of Britannia to have come this far was remarkable, and Theo knew he was blessed. If not for a king he would have spent his life pulling fish from a net, or walking behind a plow. If not for a king he never would have traveled halfway around the world and found the one thing in life that he could love. And if not for the king who now ruled his life, Theodoric of Britannia would never have learned the greatest lesson in life. Love conquers all.
Grant, God, thy refuge;
and in refuge, strength;
and in strength, understanding;
and in understanding, knowledge;
and from knowledge, knowledge of what is right;
and from knowledge of what is right, the love of it;
and from loving, the love of God.
God and all goodness.
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