Wow was that ever messed up. Anyway, this is the very end of "the trap" and may serve to explain (or not) why everybody in "the blow" (the next chapter) is acting so crazy. Enjoy!
10 16 2025 ♃
All of this is copyrighted material and that means you're going to ask me if you can reprint or use any of it. To date, no one has – and no one has my permission to use it, therefore.
WARNING: Please don't read if you're offended by:
• Naughty language, blasphemy, sacrilege, etc.
• Insensitive and uninhibited references to disabilities and/or differences
• Recreational drug use and alcohol abuse
• Paganism and unconventional beliefs/practices
• Homosexuality
• References to the supernatural
• People praying and saying "praise God" and so on
• References to slavery and slavery-related subjects
• Expressions of misogyny, "homophobia," and so forth
Also, do not read any of this stuff – any of "JTPYO" – to children or allow them to read it. It's not for kids. Come on, you know that! If you've let your children read this at any point in the past, you're already having problems. (Actually, no one should read it, but that's another topic for another day.)
Anyway, yeah: Back to teh children. Tell the other parents before it's too late. Form a support group; you could call it "nax-alt" or something like that, i.e., a wholesome alternative for kids (and retarded adults) who have become a nuisance because they're constantly trying to act out scenes from my stories.
If you have made use of any of my writing – especially including past chapters, etc., from "JTPYO" that have been published in this blog – you should let me know ASAP by contacting me by email: rscribes@gmail.com. I'm not necessarily indemnifying you, but we should talk.
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JTPYO – King of the Waste [3] / the trap (excerpt: welcome to a life of worry and strife)
Copyright © 2024, 2025 by Kristi A. Wilson
(JTPYO – King of the Waste [4] the trap was first published in this blog in 2017)
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Which is me.
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: This is the very end of "king of the waste – the trap." Naxosos and Naemas have made it to the end of this ordeal and the Goddess-on-Earth's Second Nirith has just finished washing and oiling them. After inviting Naemas to sleep in her personal enclosure she saunters back to the where the assembly is still, in spite of adverse climactic conditions, assembled, leaving them to their own devices.
This is the very end of "the trap," when they have returned from the adventure of saving Thais's warriors from – guess what? – a trap where they're assailed by more than fifty armed men as they're obtaining water for the Children of God on the desert. When finally he returns, the tribe's children present him with gifts for saving the.
This is what goes on just before the beginning of "king of the waste – the blow" and serves to explain why everyone's temper is up, besides that they're all drunk.
Cuetio is Okocas's son, seen at the very beginning of "the trap," although you have read only a scanty bit of that part. He (Cuetio, a youth of fourteen) offers his pledge at the segment of "the trap" called "the children's gifts."
Memitha is one of the tribe's children under the age of fifteen and she has offered for her gift ("since our King has too many things already") a song that she made up especially for Naxosos their King and savior, with a dance. Naxosos is emotionally stirred by this and her parents' tale of how they escaped slavery to join the Children of God.
The references to a "dead man's clothes" have to do with Naxosos being dressed in the long-sleeved woolen shirt and breeches of a Jaraturi desert raider, booty from the place where their group took refuge immediately after liberating the warriors from "the trap" – the trap being a box canyon with very high walls, in a place the Children of God call "South Water vale."
"Did you hate your master then?" Naxosos inquired of Arem and the man said, with a twitch of an embarrassed smile, "No, Sire. I still do not blame him; it was his, his…" Arem trailed off a bit here, searching for the right expression, then said, "It is his business. I'm sure Memitha would not have been mistreated, but…"
"At the end, it didn't matter," Arem said matter-of-factly. "We had to leave. It was a great, a great gong ringing in my ear."
"Right?" Korsis agreed.
"Our God was talking to us, even though we did not know who he was or how to speak to him," Arem said simply.
"Did you desire freedom?" Naxosos pressed, feeling that this guy was a good, honest guy and they could talk without a lot of stilted politeness.
Uteyra spoke up now and, looking Naxosos in the eye, said, "To tell the truth, Great Lord, I never wanted it!" Once more she grinned her shy, dazzling grin.
Arem said, "I am not sure what to think about freedom, Great Lord. Except for one thing."
"Say on."
"The governor's agent came to my home one day, after I had been let from work and was eating the evening meal, and he had two men with him, our house steward's men. They did not say why they were there and they acted very friendly, and it was not unusual to see them, but I knew somehow, our God let me know, they had come to take Memitha and sell her into another house, and –" here Arem had to pause when his voice caught. "And, and Uteyra and Memitha were by the stream but I told them my wife was in the south field helping some other women finish with work – I knew a large group of women worked there, you see."
Arem's is not the only one whose voice catches, Naxosos considered, before he said, carefully, "Yes, our Father knows his children before they know him!" and Korsis and Naemas muttered as one: "Even so!"
"As soon as their backs were to me," Arem went on, "I ran – I jumped out the window and ran. I did not even try to get anything, my scrip or cloak anything. The agent and our house steward trusted that I would never try to run away; the Steward has known me since I was a small child. They, all the three men, went to find Uteyra and Memitha because, I think, they knew she might fight them when they tried to take, to take Memitha."
"God will always save us," Thais murmured, and Naemas and Korsis said again, "Even so!"
"I found my wife and child by the stream and we ran from there, without anything except some money I had with me at the time –"
Thais said, "Memitha was a toddler; Arem and Uteyra ran through the night, as quickly as they could, carrying her, without stopping and without anything else, without a weapon or their cloaks, or food, and their lord's slave-takers perhaps an hour behind them."
Nirith said, "They were menaced and chased by wild animals several times just during the first night."
"Only when they were beyond Ha'a-quah'n's lands did they stop to rest for a few hours," Thais said.
Nodding, Arem said, "Yes, this is so. At the moment the agent came to my door and inquired about Uteyra, asking where she had gone, and somehow she happened not to be in the house at that moment – My thought was, then, at that moment, that no other person in my family would be born into captivity, ever again, and that I and mine would live and die a free man, and that I would give my last breath to make sure of that."
That was all it took, as things turned out.
"He's crying," Naemas explained some moments later after no one spoke.
Uteyra and Arem moved forward and – rather awkwardly, as they seemed unsure of what to do and there was no one to instruct them – knelt in the sand in front of Naxosos's chair, and embraced his knees.
"Never weep, Lord!" Arem exclaimed. "I know it now: We are free, whether we will or not!" and then he said, "And I still do not know what to think about it except that it's what the, our God willed!" and the assembly – some of whom were also weeping – cried out "Even so!"
Because he was unable to speak, Naxosos clasped Arem's forearm – the other returned his grasp quite strongly – and he placed his hand upon the woman's head.
"The Children of God are always free," Thais stated matter-of-factly, and the people returned "Even so!"
Thais then said, "Uteyra, Arem, we will speak on these things later at great length, for –" Here she spoke up to address the greater assembly "there is much more to the story, and our Lord will want to hear it all in the proper setting and state of mind."
"Do not cry, Lord!" Nirith whispered.
"I suppose I shall, anyway," Naxosos replied.
"At least his face is cleaner now," Thais commented.
The girl Memitha, meanwhile, had drawn aside to stand a short distance off with her hands behind her, struggling to maintain a calm demeanor, though, comically, every few seconds her mouth and eyebrows would twitch into shapes of ecstatic gleefulness.
The Children of God milled in seeming – perhaps tipsy – confusion.
"Yes," Naxosos was finally able to say. "I will talk to you at length later, Arem and Uteyra; there are a lot of questions in my mind. But we must consider poor Cuetio, awaiting us all this time!"
Memitha's parents arose and – with a great deal more poise and cheeriness – each performed a bow, and they went with their kid to stand behind the gifts. Memitha then began to caper and make droll faces, and the three of them conversed quietly in their original language while the tribe gathered around, congratulating them.
The sun climbed higher, a blessing as now as it put most of the area beneath the awning in shade.
"Are you going to be all right?" It was Korsis who inquired this time; he had returned to stand nearby during Memitha's dance.
"I will be once I have been able to sleep for ten or so hours," Naxosos answered, rubbing his sweaty neck and tear-streaked face with his headscarf. Glancing up he saw the girl Memitha with her parents and all their well-wishers; she was looking at him.
"As you can see, young lady," he said to Memitha, "I am overcome with emotion at your gift and with the experience of meeting your mother and father. May the Great Nameless God smile upon your family and grant you all the peace, happiness, and fruitfulness you deserve." As he spoke, everyone grew quiet.
Naxosos continued, speaking to Memitha: "Will I seem impertinent if I say that I would enjoy learning that one sequence you started with? I have seen others doing this and I wanted to try it, but I was too busy at the time." Chuckles went up from the collective. "I hope you can take the time to show me."
To his enormous relief, the child nodded eagerly and again capered and made a shrill noise of utter delight. (No shyness here! God smile upon her!)
Into the silence that ensued, Nirith spoke: "For the life of me, I have been trying and trying to guess what Cuetio's gift is and I simply can't!" and Thais said "You are speaking my thoughts."
"We're not ignoring you, Cuetio!" Naxosos called out. "And by the way, you have already made a gift to me, of this demonstration. We will, after we have had a chance to rest and gain back some of our strength, want to speak with you and your dad at length."
"Please, if you will, Cuetio," Thais said, "we are anxious to know what your gift is. You are holding nothing in your hands – and you are resistant to my attempts to read your mind." This raised chuckles.
Grinning, the youth Cuetio stepped forward once again. Before he could speak, Nirith said brightly, "Cuetio's father Okocas is a tribal elder, even though he is not yet fifty years of age. His mother was the Keeper of a fisher settlement but she chose to live with the tribe in the desert when she married Okocas. Cuetio's sister Fiyani was born at the Home of the Elite and so was Cuetio."
Nirith went on: "Cuetio will soon be fifteen – we have already asked him whether, after he comes of age, he will choose to live with the Children of God in some other place, or stay in our desert dwelling, and he says he will most likely stay, for which we are glad!"
"Yes," Thais agreed.
Here the youth Jechelo – Naxosos could tell it was him – was heard to make a sneering noise, which Cuetio ignored.
Hm, now I know them all and their names, and everything, he considered morosely. They will want for me to greet them when I see them. Their mothers will flirt with me; I will no longer be able to get away with ignoring them. Thinking as he suppressed a sigh: Perhaps I should reconsider the life of a shiftless vagabond.
Cuetio now said in a sprightly tone: "Naxosos King, it's easy to see that, after saving the Children of God from disaster, you are at the limit of your endurance. I apologize that this has taken as long as it has – but on the other hand, you seemed to like it, if I am not mistaken."
A number of people laughed at the youth's presumption.
"I speak for my friends here as well as myself, when I say it was much, much better than expected," Naxosos replied. All the assembly laughed at this, especially the children. "And, you kids, just so you will know: I will gladly risk my life again for you – collectively or for any one of you. I mean that from the depths of my heart. None of you had to reward me, nor will you ever have to. That you live and thrive is enough."
"You're getting drunk," Naemas muttered.
Naxosos did turn this time, and looked Naemas in the eye. "Your nerve!" The other grinned.
Cuetio said, "Lord, I did not have to think long before I knew what my gift would be. May I approach?"
"Certainly, Cuetio!" Thais cheerily replied.
The boy approached until he stood directly in front of Naxosos. "Here is my gift, Sire," he said and pulled his knife, a simple blade of steel fitted into a wooden handle, from its sheath on his belt. A couple of onlookers gasped and there was a general mild stir as almost everyone present shifted uncomfortably.
The youth gave him a somewhat challenging look.
Curious in spite of the fatigue that threatened to incapacitate him, Naxosos nodded for him to proceed. (Glancing around at the assembly and his own cohort, he noted more than a few expressions of alarm.)
"Here, then, is my gift," the boy said and kneeling he laid the weapon on the sand at Naxosos's feet, and folded his hands and bowed his head. "I will offer our King a lifetime of service." After a moment of absolute silence – even Naxosos could think of nothing whatsoever to say – Cuetio stated further, "I know I am not yet of age, but I will of course take this vow again as soon as I am let to do so."
"I…" Naxosos stammered.
Thais said, "This is wonderful, Cuetio! And very unexpected!"
She started to speak further, but suddenly another of the kids, Jechelo, now hurried up almost bumping into Cuetio, who managed to remain in place.
"I, too, want to offer my service, Sire!" Jechelo declared and now his knife was in his hand.
(Oh, no!)
And now all the other boys, and a few of the older youths and the men, and a couple of the acolytes – one of whom was his brother – sprang forward.
Suddenly Naemas and Korsis were between him and the increasing multitude of people wanting to offer their lifelong service to Naxosos King – who observed the space between him and the cloth bearing the gifts growing littered with an assortment of bladed objects.
(Oh, dear!)
"You guys!" Korsis roared, "this is stupid and you know we can't do this right now!" and Naemas cried, his tone bordering on panic, "Don't do it! Don't do it! I'm telling you! Don't!"
Naxosos observed – though his view was limited – that girls and women were now surging forward to offer their service as well.
(Fortune!)
"Cuetio!" Thais said, in her most commanding voice, "Do not move! Everyone else, retire to your former place!"
"Do not get sand upon the gifts, or tread upon them!" Nirith warned.
"Take your weapons and withdraw!" Thais demanded again, in a bit louder tone.
At last the horde receded; each individual collected his or her blade and withdrew.
"Where is my brother?" the Goddess-on-Earth inquired. "If he's not asleep I would ask him to attend us now – and if he is asleep, bring one of the others who is still awake," and someone, a woman, called from the midst of the assembly, "We will fetch him, Goddess!"
The youth Cuetio remained in the same posture, eyes down, his plain steel knife on the trampled sand.
Thais said, "I want everyone here to pay close attention, as it seems all here will do it: I will instruct our Lord, our Naxosos King, on this – in a very abbreviated form – and if you are serious about pledging yourself, you will remember it. That is, I will instruct him, our King, on how to receive a pledge and to the rest how one effectively offers a pledge."
Naemas and Korsis withdrew as the tribe receded from the space around Naxosos's chair.
Except for Ember, who had drawn near during the melee and stood watching keenly. (Ah: She has seen this. It was something from the time of his birth, he remembered her telling him of shepherd-men placing their blades on the ground before her as she sat with him, Naxosos, in her arms.)
No one had to wonder what to say; addressing Naxosos, Thais spoke: "Cuetio has offered his pledge, our King; if you accept it, simply nod, and I'll tell you what to say next." (In reply, Naxosos nodded.)
The Goddess-on-Earth spoke on: "Cuetio, it's true you're not of age yet, to offer such a bargain; in this you spoke well. We will consider this a temporary allegiance until you are of age."
(Throughout this part, Naxosos was aware of the man Okocas's weeping and the muted utterances of the two women of his company as they tried to comfort him.)
The youth stayed in the same attitude, keeping his eyes down and hands folded.
Thais said, "Until our King is more accustomed to this, I will act for him – if you are willing, that is, Lord!"
After a few seconds Naxosos was able to speak. "Let it be as you say, darling!" and the Goddess-on-Earth replied "Very well!"
In a swift motion she bent to pick Cuetio's knife up from the ground. She seemed to check it for cleanliness; then, with the hilt in her right hand, she turned the blade toward the youth who continued to kneel in an attitude of supplication.
"Cuetio, Okocas's son," the Goddess-on-Earth pronounced. "Are you a baptized and dedicated Child of God?" and the youth answered quickly "Yes! Yes, I am!"
Here Nirith said, "I will attest that he is baptized, for I was there to witness and a number of others who are with us today were there!"
"That is well," Thais said. "Since you are baptized, our assumption is that your intention in offering your service is untainted by corruption, so we will not interrogate you, Cuetio."
"The priests may question me at any time, Goddess," the boy murmured.
She said then: "Okocas, we all know you – will you allow your son to apprentice himself unto the house of our Lord, the Gorardeno Naxosos of Viragos, until he is able to make his own decisions?" and the man uttered through his tears, "Yes!"
"Therefore, we take responsibility for your life, Cuetio Okocas's son," Thais announced, "and accept your temporary vow of service." With a delicate action, she then touched the flat of the blade to each of the boy's shoulders; he looked up at her and grinned, then; they grinned at each other.
"You are bound to this house until you come of age, at which time you may rededicate or renounce yourself," Thais finished.
She then placed the knife back onto the sand between Naxosos and Cuetio, its hilt toward the youth's right hand. "Take up your weapon and rise, then."
Beaming, Cuetio stood, brushing the knife off and replacing it in its sheath.
Not wanting further conversation or displays of any type, Naxosos said quickly: "Cuetio, I have decided on an order for you, now that you're in my service." (The youth couldn't stop smiling and his soulful eyes brimmed with tears) "Are you hearing me?"
"Yes, Lord!" Cuetio replied briskly.
At this moment the warrior Merelioides came up, his horse ambling in his wake. Thais waved him back and so he stood waiting.
"Cuetio, Okocas's son," Naxosos said, "my first order is that you attend to your family and its property as though they, people, animals, and objects, were your sole responsibility. Do this with all diligence. Do not fail me! I will be watching!"
With a chuckle: "Yes, Lord!"
"I have nothing further at this time," Naxosos sternly continued. "However, I will probably think of something! When that becomes the case, I will send for you!"
"Yes, Lord."
Naemas spoke now, quite unexpectedly: "Hey, Cuetio," and the boy looked up and said "Yes, ah, yes, Lord?"
"Cuetio," Naemas said, "when you have performed all the duties that the King assigned to you –" (this caused general laughter) "will you then help with a task? It's a one-time-only type of thing, just for today and maybe tomorrow."
"Naemas…" Naxosos complained in a faint tone.
Ignoring this, Naemas said, "Find the four donkeys we rode to the South Water, and check their hooves and their hides; make sure they have extra feed. I think they're all right, but I'm so tired…I just want to lay down and sleep for a day. Maybe longer."
"That's a great idea!" Korsis pronounced authoritatively.
"I have no problem with that," Naxosos affirmed. "Let it be so."
"I obey my lords!" Cuetio said – seeming a bit relieved. A little cheer went up.
"Help me, someone," Naxosos now grumbled in a low tone. Nirith took his elbow and helped him to stand.
Korsis also darted forward but by then Naxosos already had his feet under him. The dancer took his other elbow anyway. As he stood trying to control his wobbling, Naxosos saw that Korsis wanted to say something. "What?" he asked.
"You are all dismissed to your rest, work, and prayers," the Goddess-on-Earth announced to the tribe. "However, I have called my brother Merelioides here in case anyone would like to learn about the pledging ceremony. He will be more than happy to spend time in instruction and answering questions."
Without missing a beat, the warrior spoke up: "We are overjoyed to help our people, Goddess!"
Korsis leaned close. "About the one girl, little green-eyes, right?" He was talking about Coledini being upset by his bantering; Naxosos nodded.
"Don't worry about her too much," Korsis whispered. "The kids get used to men being rude around them while they're still little. They usually, especially that one – she's a saucy vixen! – they take it in stride. All us guys, we all know about the long and painful death we'll have if we, you know, try anything."
"I wasn't –" Naxosos began defensively, but Korsis said, "No! Listen! It wasn't what you said, Naxo! It was that the Goddess was there!" With a laugh: "You're lucky Thais was there, you might be in real trouble if there hadn't been so many people around." The dancer then kissed Naxosos noisily upon his cheek and put his head-covering up, saying "Get some sleep, Naxo! See you later!" before turning and trotting off.
Stay away from my mother, Naxosos thought, despising himself somewhat for not being brave enough to say it aloud.
"Let us collect the gifts and secure them," Thais was saying.
Naxosos didn't expect for anyone to want to linger – the heat seemed almost lethal now, with the sun only in its second hour of rising. However, Merelioides (Red) strode in and stood before the assembly, between the cloth bearing the gifts and Naxosos's chair: His giant form blocked out a great deal of the light; Naxosos was glad for the shade and tarried for a few moments even as Nirith plucked at his sleeve, trying to get him to come along with her.
"I will be the King," Red solemnly joked, atypically speaking in the first person. "And whoever wishes may pledge to me, and I will instruct him."
Naxosos barely managed to get out of the way before Red – with nary a glance to make sure the way was clear – seated himself upon the chair he'd just vacated. The chair groaned and creaked, and made other alarming noises.
"Ah," the warrior declared, making a regal gesture as he sat with his knees sticking up on the ridiculously small chair. "That's better!" His imitation of Naxosos was not lost on the gathering, though audible laughter was sparse and somewhat fearful.
"Would anyone like to speak to Merelioides about the pledging?" Thais said; to Naxosos's surprise many people, including the kids – who were unexpectedly energized – vociferously agreed.
Thais spoke up again and said "The pledging for girls and women is somewhat different, but Merelioides can instruct you in this as well." Again the exuberance was greater than anticipated.
"Let's go, Lord," Nirith said, tugging on Naxosos's arm. "This is the best time to leave."
Naemas was there, suddenly, and caught hold of his other arm. "She's right," he said. "Just walk as you can. We're going to go to our left, here, and then we'll walk all the way to the other end of the latho –"
"Eighty yards!" Nirith said, giggling, which drew a weak laugh from Naxosos.
"Then," Naemas said as they steered him and began to walk in the direction indicated, "you'll be washed off and oiled!" With a laugh: "Remember when we were sad that our wash water wasn't fresh? But now we're saying: 'Remember when we used to be able to wash?'"
"You're trying to insult me, aren't you?"
They were half-carrying him but it was all right; he was making every third or fourth step. Their progress was slow enough that it wasn't so obvious his toes were dragging, he told himself. Everyone was paying attention to Red, and to Thais; nobody was watching him anymore. He wondered where the other five warriors were – their horses could be seen gamboling and lolling in the water with the other animals.
"I want to burn these clothes," Naxosos commented bemusedly as behind them, those remaining to hear the warrior Red talk about pledging roared in laughter at a jest.
(Dead man's clothes!)
"No, we are going to preserve them!" Nirith said. (He couldn't tell if it was a joke.) "And you will want to wear them again – the color is becoming!"
He already knew, but again was reminded that Nirith was a great deal stronger and more agile than her manner and appearance suggested. That she could carry him as easily as though he was a woven basket, however, presently occupied less of his conscious attention than the proximity of her large breasts and the fact that one of them was bouncing merrily against him as they walked.
"How can they stand this heat?" Naxosos inquired, in an attempt to think of something else.
"You'll feel better once you've had a wash," Naemas, whose attention presently seemed far away, reiterated.
"There's food, too," Nirith said. "And some wine."
"How is it we didn't run out of wine days ago?" Naxosos wondered.
"The closer we get to the hills, the more caches there are. There's a big one pretty close to here," Naemas said. "It has books in it, and some wine and some water. I hope we get to see it."
At this moment the gathering burst into laughter at something the warrior said. It all sounded quite far away now.
"Is he making fun of me?" Naxosos fretted.
"Probably," Naemas said.
Passing the latho and its frolicking animals, they traversed the camp. Naxosos did not see, nor did he hear, any sign that anyone was in residence. The entire assembly, including all the priests and all the women, had remained to hear the warrior Merelioides speak to them about pledging service to the King.
"There's our tent!" Nirith said when the white awnings, billowing in the updrafts created by rapidly-heating air, came into view.
The Goddess's tent – so-called – was usually not one, but an assortment of canopies, screens, and enclosures. It was almost always at the easternmost edge of the camp, facing north. As before, no one stirred or called out. No one was heard snoring or talking. The noise of the assembly faded to a whisper.
The sun punished, but as soon as they were among the Goddess's tents its heat became negligible and the breezes appreciably greater.
There was a mat laid out in front of the main enclosure, as always, and a few seats. No one was there. (Naxosos felt the Second's intense relief and gratitude, as though it was his own, that she would soon be able to wash and change into clean garments, and rest in her own bed. Naemas was, as always, intent upon the next stage of the adventure in whatever form it might take.)
"Do you have clean clothes in your scrip, Naxo?" Nirith inquired. "If you do not, I will fetch some for you – and you, Naemas, if you wish!"
Naxosos found he was relieved that she was paying attention to Naemas, offering to help him wash and dress.
Before he could formulate an entire thought about this, however, Naemas's clothing and scrip, and belt, and cloak and everything, lay on the ground and he was sitting on a nearby camp-stool, unlacing his boots.
"I suppose…" Naemas said briskly, answering Nirith. "And, if you will get me a razor and a mirror, that would also be well."
To this Nirith replied with an amused little snort, "Don't you have your mirror and your razor, Naemas?"
"I would rather use yours! You asked me what I wanted!"
"All right. And you, Naxo?"
"Yes, please bring me smallclothes, breeches, and a shirt – you know I'm one size smaller than Naemas."
Chuckling, she disappeared into a nearby tent.
The women used magic, too, he reflected unhappily. But they are worlds better off than I! Again he wondered how they had made that noise, then remembered Tolalo lecturing him about discipline.
Naemas's boots were off. "Ah!" He cried, vigorously shaking out his hair that was matted with dust and sweat. "Look, the jars are sitting right there!"
"Don't you think we should –"
Jumping up, the other went to inspect a nearby jar. "There's a dipper and there's a gourd – and, look! The water's been filtered – I'm sure it's from the latho, but it's clean…just don't drink it!"
Naxosos had to laugh at his friend's insouciance.
"Why do you still have your clothes on?!" Naemas wondered.
"I'm cold," Naxosos joked, although he really was cold. Shakily, he removed his (dead man's!) breeches and tunic and Naemas dumped water on him. The water, tepid and stale, was nonetheless refreshing.
Chills racing up and down his spine and each of his limbs, Naxosos sat to pull off his boots; Nirith returned at that moment with their fresh clothing.
"Oh my!" she exclaimed in false startlement. Then: "Yes, that is the water for you to wash with, though it was mostly meant for our Lord. If you are both going to use it, be sparing!"
"Are you going to go to your tent?" Naemas said. He dipped out some more water and poured it over Naxosos's head.
It was the most refreshing thing he had ever experienced, though he shook with chills from head to toe.
"Eventually," Second said. Then: "I have to go help Thais, she can't be left to manage things by herself just now. But then I will go to my tent. You are welcome to wait for me there, Naemas. You know you do not have to ask." (Naxosos could feel her looking at him when she said this, and was careful not to return her glance.)
She set some things down on another bench. "See? Here are my razor and mirror – and you will return them in spotless condition, by the way! – and some cloths, and here is a little bit of oil. Again, I thought it would only be Naxosos. But there is enough for both of you if you are careful with it." Then: "Naxosos, please do not bring your boots into the Goddess's tent."
"I hear you," Naxosos replied – she was definitely flirting with him, because no one had to be reminded not to wear his boots in here.
Later.
The Second then strolled away, casting a final flirtatious glance over her shoulder, back toward the assembly, presently cheering and clapping over something.
"They're all getting drunk," Naxosos remarked.
"You put some water on me, now," Naemas said. "Do you want for me to cut your beard?"
"No, thank you; I'm much too tired." Naxosos took the water-gourd and splashed the other's scalp, hair, and neck; Naemas had to sit next to him so he could do this.
"I can barely hold it," Naxosos commented about the gourd and his unsteady hands. "There, is that all right?" With a weak laugh: "Look how my arm is shaking!" Then: "Luckily Thais knew what to do about that poor kid, Cuetio, because I would likely have dropped the blade on him and given him a cut."
At this Naemas snorted and said "You're splashing water everywhere." With a shrug: "Let it go; I'm a lot better than I was." Then: "You try to stand up for a few seconds and I'll splash you some more. Go on: Stand up. You can do it!"
"Oh, Fortune…" Trying not to look down at himself, knowing that he was a great deal scrawnier and poorer-looking than he had been only a few days ago, he stood. I look like I have a wasting disease…
Naemas splashed him with water; he then gave him a cloth to wipe off his face, neck, and arms, then another one – because by then the first one was entirely begrimed – and Naxosos managed to get himself reasonably clean.
Naemas put some oil on his scalp and on his sunburned shoulders and neck – "Sit down and I'll do your feet. Let's use all this up before Korsis comes looking for us!" he advised.
"He won't do that! Not today." Naxosos held up one foot, then the other, as Naemas used up about half the ampule of oil on him and the rest on himself. "He's for bed."
"But with who?" Naemas joked.
"Please forbear, Naemas," Naxosos replied.
"They're gonna get in trouble," Naemas said simply, talking about Naxosos's mother and the dancer Korsis Zarodi. He bent to place the empty ampule carefully into the edge of his scrip.
Naxosos said, "I wonder why there aren't more insects here? I do not see them; I do not hear them. It seems strange, for there is vegetation and animal dung."
"With the rain, they're probably a lot closer to the foothills. The streams are running."
"That's likely the reason," Naxosos said after thinking it over.
Naemas added, "Sooner or later they'll show up." He sat down again next to Naxosos.
They remained in silence and stillness for a good minute, listening to the assembly guffawing and cheering at what seemed a great distance.
Where will we get more wine? Naxosos worried. There isn't a village or even a farm within miles! (Though he had viewed it only once, the great map was imprinted in his mind now and he kept seeing parts of it and – as on Jechelo's map – seeing them both from the air and from the ground.)
"As long as we're sitting here naked –" Naemas began.
Naxosos responded, with some ire, "Not on your life! Did I make a mistake asking not to be carried? And you were just sitting here talking about Korsis coming in search of us!" I sound silly. "How is it no one can believe I'm mortally exhausted?
He was about to remonstrate further, but the other cut him off with a laugh. "Can't you take a joke?"
Secretly relieved that Naemas would be occupying Nirith's time and attention in the near term, Naxosos then regretted having spoken so sharply and was about to apologize, when "Just asking!" the other chuckled.
Picking up the clean clothing Nirith had brought, and his other things, and the small bundle that was Nirith's razor and mirror, Naemas said, "I'll see you later, then," and without a backward glance, dripping water, he sauntered to the Second's tent a short distance away and disappeared – to sound as well as sight, while Naxosos fought an urge to call him back.
To casual observation Naemas had no one feature that set him apart from other men (unless one were by chance to recognize him as one of the Tagros's sons), or any quality that would mark him as more lovable or more respected than most; he was moreover woefully deficient in many desirable traits.
However, Naemas seemed always to cut a legendary figure, and could be counted on to come through stunningly at times when another with greater advantage would have given up.
And at the end it was all a lark. Always a lark.
There were many better at running or scouting, piloting a boat or hunting, or making friends with people in a new place, or escaping pursuit, but in any region one might visit, when the nickname Long-Legs was mentioned, all knew who was meant.
He saved my life again. And Naimejo did, too. Again.
(As well, the other had just done him a favor by making sure Nirith didn't get more of a shot to take advantage of him, the prospect of which was beginning to make him rather uneasy.)
Naxosos dressed in his clean smallclothes and breeches; he picked up his clean tunic and belt and scrip, and his dagger, and his cloak, and left his dirty clothes and boots lying.
He looked around to see if anyone approached – there was nothing in view except sand and awning-poles, and tents; only a glimpse of the sky could be seen.
Distantly, the collective applauded, erupting into little spasms of clapping and singing; laughing along with them was the warrior Merelioides, who seemed to have no difficulty pretending to be the King, doling out sage advice on courtly manners and protocols, and not-so-subtly mocking Naxosos.
Good for him. Then: I didn't save his life. He would have got out one way or another.
Naxosos sovereign of the Children of God turned and went into the Goddess's tent.
The great enclosure's anteroom he well knew, and the layout of the rest of it; he went through without calling out, for it was clear there was no one present. Muslin tenting overhead billowed gently, letting light in, keeping out heat and dust. Mats and rugs lay underfoot.
It was always cooler here, and hushed: This was Thais's art. And no one could hear what was going on inside from outside the tent, if she didn't wish it to be so.
In the Goddess's complex no one including the warriors ever had to stoop, even through a doorway. There was always plenty of room.
The main partition of the tent contained a great area of cushions and coverlets, and there was an additional canopy over the sleeping-place, creating an area of greater shade without the loss of air movement. Usually five or six, and sometimes more women would sleep here – the Second, though she had her own tents, usually slept here.
It was rather perfume-y, but not to the point of offensiveness.
Naxosos threw himself upon the main grouping of cushions and arranged his scrip and other effects to have everything close to hand. He was still a little damp; he decided to sit up for a few minutes until all the water in his hair had run down into and been absorbed by the waist of his breeches.
However, he awoke some time later and though the inside of the tent was shaded he could tell a couple of hours had passed; he had it seemed slumped over and fallen asleep almost as soon as he had sat upon the cushions.
Thais was not there and there was no scent or other sign indicating that she, nor anyone else, had been – not surprising, for she had been away from the tribe for a number of days and her duties were many.
Pulling up a satiny coverlet, Naxosos lay back on the cushions. A couple of hours of rest had done little against his many hurts. He was still shaken with chills. His sunburn from the javelin-contest still smarted. He remained unsettled about the deaths he had witnessed. The pain from a donkey-ride of some miles, it seemed, might be with him forever.
There was worry about the number of desert men mustered against him, apparently a thing unprecedented. Only a couple of weeks ago, after the javelin-contest upon the Pleaghi Marthea, he and Naemas had discussed that after his use of sorcery and because of the gambling that had gone on at the contest, he would now be required to worry about pursuit.
The silence of the Goddess's tent was welcome, but not so trustworthy as before, he found: What if pandemonium reigned outside and him sitting here, comfortably oblivious?
And his very next thought was for the tribe's children: Now knew each by sight, name, voice, and all sorts of other particulars. (And they had seen him at the weakest point, probably, in all his life.)
Were they in danger? An urge, unfamiliar and dark, beset him now as he found himself wishing to rise and go see what was happening out in the camp.
In particular he was tormented by thoughts of the baby Quilli being threatened: The way she had clapped her hands and been excited about him ("Ba, ba, BAH!") and, giggling, had covered her mouth like a grown-up girl. That such a creature might ever be in fear or in pain seemed beyond any tolerance.
He recalled, suddenly, feeling thus about his sisters when they had been newborn: That some sort of menace, heretofore unperceived, hung over the family, and that from this point forward his constant vigilance would be required. (And found himself thinking: They would have been better off if you had run off into the desert when you first met Naemas and he asked you to, King of Fools!)
That's silly: Someone would have fetched me by now. It was true that the relative silence and calm of the Goddess's tent was always hard to get used to at first.
Stretching out, he strove to pacify his mind.
If from now on, having pledged their service, men and women (and children) began dogging his every step, trying to do things for him, that might get to be troublesome.
Then: I will not try to guess the fathers of Unimi's and Gyesha's children…
Yes, it was all going to be troublesome. He had barely noticed any of the kids before; they stayed away from him, under the customary directive to leave all adults except for family members alone. But now – he knew this as he knew little kids – he belonged to them.
And their mothers – not so much their dads, luckily, who might be helpful in keeping the women, and their kids, back.
Oh, Father Ivask! We are going to have some words!
The girl Coledini had been upset by his bantering; Korsis had reassured him, but he would have to make it up to her sooner or later. Any overture, no matter how friendly or well-intentioned, might cause further disturbance. He would have to be very careful. (Of course, he considered, women and girls, including very young girls, seemed to find Naemas charming and funny no matter how ignorantly he behaved. I should ask his advice; he was right about the warriors, and not a moment too soon…)
He thought then that perhaps Cuetio might be of some help in that regard, seeing how well he knew and could somewhat anticipate all the other kids.
At least his brother was one person, he considered, that he didn't need to worry about…very much.
That idea brought with it a concern, that of whether M'jo was going to say anything, the next time he saw Dad, about Mother having a boyfriend. That made him feel an unease that was slow to drizzle away; in fact it didn't, quite.
Korsis and M'jo had formed an attachment and considering the circumstances it was something to be desired. (Is Korsis one of the fathers?! Did Mother see how he was flirting with Unimi and Gyesha?) But in the long game, it would – yes, it would be a problem.
He knew in his heart of hearts that he should already have said something to Ember, or to Korsis, or perhaps try to embarrass them both at once – it was his duty. He was being weak.
His stepfather Nathaniel and Korsis's father, a well-heeled and influential Celan noble, not only knew each other, but were friends. He had not given this much thought before – now he found it preying on his mind.
Here we all are, out of danger at least, and NOW I am worrying.
Then: Is it just that I'm wondering where she is? But of course he wasn't. Thais never excused away or set aside her duties to the tribe. If she had been present upon his falling asleep, it was more normal for him to awaken and find her gone.
The food and drink Nirith had mentioned now occurred to his mind. He knew he likely didn't have to go back outside for these things, for in the Goddess's tent there was always some viand laid out – although it was usually in the anteroom or some other partition, and he didn't feel like wandering about looking for it.
When Thais comes in, she will wake me up and I'll get her to bring some…he considered drowsily. Then: Do I need to pee? He couldn't decide. Am I drunk? There was little way to tell.
Naxosos fell quickly and deeply to sleep.
this excerpt: 11 July 2024 / 26 August 2025 / 16 October 2025
22 October 2017 / 2 February 2022 / 18 – 28 April 2022 (the call to service) / 4 June 2022 – 17 March 2024 (flashbacks the arrest and at the Sha-halom monastery) / 23 July 2022 (on the first part of the journey) / 27 July 2022 (however long it takes) / 4 August 2022 (the snipers) / 15 August 2022 (the call to service) / 20 August 2022 (the arrest) / 22 December 2022 (the rescue/the dragon's egg) / 22 May 2023 (Cuetio) / 15 July 2023 (trapsprung) / 22 May – 7 April 2024 – 23 June 2024 (the children's gifts)
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