Empire Rising (26 page)

In the last few months Eskkar had learned all about the mysteries of the farm. Now he understood that real wealth flowed from the crops in the fields, that gold merely transferred that wealth from one person to another.

When the farms produced in plenty, gold would flow into Bisitun and Ak-Empire Rising

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kad. However, without the farms, there would be little gold, no trade, and no prosperity.

The talk died out as the two men picked at the food spread before them. There was wine and bread, as well as cheese, dates, and honey. Ninazu had stocked his house well, with luxuries long absent from the villagers’ tables. Eskkar mixed a splash of wine in with his water. The long night had tired him more than he would admit, and he didn’t trust himself with too much strong drink.

He looked up when two women entered the room, passed in by the Hawk Clan guard who stood at the door. One carried a large wooden platter holding half a dozen slices of roasted horsemeat. The other held a small plate stacked with sweetened cakes. The women bore a strong resemblance, and Eskkar guessed them to be sisters.

The older of the two put a slice of horsemeat on each of the men’s plates, then left the platter in the center of the table. She took the sweet cakes from her sister and placed it before them as well, her eyes carefully appraising Eskkar as she did so. Then she bowed, looked at Grond, and both women left the room.

Grond cleared his throat. “Captain, I forgot to tell you, when we searched this house, we found six women here. Ninazu’s women. Four have returned to their homes or families. But these two . . .” He shrugged.

“They say they have no place to go.”

Eskkar shook his head. He’d be dealing with Ninazu’s legacy for months, one thing after another. Even the bandit’s loot had become a problem. They’d found a small, windowless room in the house containing four sacks crammed with gold, jewelry, and other valuables, Ninazu’s personal share of the booty. Many of the coins bore the marks of villages to the north and west, so the bandit had obviously accumulated plenty of booty even before arriving in Bisitun.

Ninazu remained with his plunder, though no doubt it gave him less pleasure today, sitting on it with his leg broken. Still, a Hawk Clan soldier stood constant guard over Ninazu and his gold. The bandit chief seemed much too crafty and resourceful, and Eskkar didn’t want to take any chances with him escaping.

But until now, Eskkar hadn’t heard about any women, though it didn’t surprise him. Even a bandit needed someone to run his household, as well as needing women with whom to take his pleasures. Six women seemed quite a number for one man. Eskkar’s opinion of Ninazu increased.

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“Well, they must have come from someplace.” Eskkar took his knife and sliced a bit of the warm meat and put it in his mouth. After last night’s slaughter at the corral, there would be plenty of horsemeat for the next few days. The steamy flesh tasted good, and he realized how hungry he was. Cutting up the thick steak, he alternated bites with bread, sweet and fresh, washing everything down with watered wine.

“Ninazu brought these two women with him when he rode into Bisitun,” Grond continued, as he worked at his own food. “Sisuthros asked me to take care of them. They offered to keep your house if they could stay here. I said that you would speak to them.”

Eskkar looked at his bodyguard in surprise, but the man’s attention remained focused on his plate. Grond had never offered to intercede for others with his leader, though more than a few in Akkad had sought him out, to try and take advantage of his friendship with Eskkar.

“I’ll talk to them later, then,” Eskkar said, as he finished the meat and selected some figs to finish the meal. He had never cared for the sweet cakes villagers devoured at every opportunity, thinking them somehow unfit for a warrior, a concept that dated back to his barbarian days. Trella had smiled when he told her about it, but she ate them only infrequently herself.

When he finished eating, he drank another cup of water, then stood up and stretched. The heavy meal sapped whatever strength remained and he felt exhausted. More than a day had passed since he’d slept, and even that had been cut short. He felt the heaviness in his legs, and cursed his own weakness.

“Grond, I’m going to get some sleep. Get some rest yourself. We’ll probably be up late tonight as well, with all these villagers pestering us.

Tell the guard to wake me in three hours.”

Eskkar had explored the house earlier. It possessed five rooms. The common room ran the length of the house, and took up half the structure.

One end contained a fireplace and a work table for preparing meals; the other held the large table where the previous owner had taken his dinner.

Four chambers, varying in size, took up the rest of the dwelling, all of them accessed from the main room.

The master’s bedroom occupied a corner of the house, with a solid door a few steps from the table. Inside, Eskkar found a large, comfortable-looking bed. A thick wooden bar leaned against the wall, and he used it to secure the door, knowing he’d sleep sounder with the door fastened.

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He heard Grond giving instructions to one of the soldiers to stand guard, more to keep anyone from bothering their leader than from any need for caution. Stopping only to unbelt his sword, he dropped gratefully on the bed, threw an arm over his eyes to block out the light, and fell asleep in moments.

The knocking on the door shook the wooden panels, and when Eskkar forced his eyes open, he realized the pounding had gone on for some time.

Grond’s voice called to him through the door, but it took a real effort to clear his head and force himself to sit up. A glance at the window told him several hours had gone by. He shouted at Grond to stop beating on the door, then went and opened it.

Grond had already gone, replaced outside the door by the two women who had served the meal earlier. One carried a tall pitcher of water in both hands, while the other held a large clay bowl. Both had drying cloths across their arms. They moved past him while he stood there, trying to comprehend their presence, and they placed their burdens on the small table near the bed. The older girl turned toward him and bowed.

“Lord Eskkar, I am called Lani. This is my sister, Tippu,” she added, nodding to the younger girl, who bowed even lower than her sister. “Grond asked us to attend to you when you woke up.” When he didn’t answer her, she went on. “Would you like some water, lord?”

Still not fully awake, Eskkar tried to clear his mind. The offer of water made him realize his thirst, so he nodded. The younger girl took an or-nately carved cup from the table and poured water into it, then handed it to him. He drained the cup before handing it back to Tippu.

“Lord, would you permit us to help you with your . . . bath?” Lani inquired. “Your tunic is filthy and covered with blood, as are your hands.

You should wash and put on clean clothing before you appear again before the villagers.”

For the first time, he noticed the stink of blood and sweat on his body.

“Is there a well nearby?” Eskkar asked, the dryness gone from his mouth.

He certainly didn’t plan on letting two strange women clean him. His thoughts flashed back to Trella, and the first time she had washed down his naked body, the first time any woman had ever done so. It had been intensely erotic, and now even the remembrance sent a shiver of pleasure through his manhood.

“Yes, lord, there is a well across the square, but right now it is crowded with villagers gossiping about the men from Akkad.”

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Fully awake now, Eskkar noticed how tall Lani stood, and how attractive, with a full, graceful figure, topped by soft brown hair. She’d rimmed her brown eyes with a trace of ocher, which added an intriguing reddish tint to them. Many of the wives of the well-off merchants in Akkad did the same, to enhance their beauty, though Trella never did.

Lani’s deep voice sounded pleasant to his ears, and she wore a dress of fine quality, no doubt plundered from somewhere by her former master. Now that he had time to study her, he guessed her age to be about twenty-fi ve seasons.

She noticed his stare and lowered her eyes. “Your pardon, lord, but we do not know what you wish. Please, instruct us.”

Either her words or her tone aroused him further, so he walked to the bed and sat. He looked down at himself and saw that, indeed, his tunic remained spotted with blood and dirt, and that his brief moments at the well earlier in the morning had not removed all the blood from his hands.

Glancing at the now-soiled bedding, he decided this Lani spoke the truth.

He considered going down to the river, but that would be a long walk from Ninazu’s house, and no doubt he’d be pestered every step of the way by villagers. Eskkar would have to use the cloths and water bowl after all. He could do it himself, but . . .

“Is there a clean tunic I can wear, Lani?”

She pursed her lips for an instant. “You are much taller than Ninazu, but perhaps we can find something in the house.” Lani turned to her sister.

“See what we have here. If there is nothing that will fit, we will have to send out to the market.”

Tippu put down her drying cloths, glanced nervously at Eskkar, and left the room.

Eskkar stood up, and pulled his tunic up over his head, then tossed the dirty garment on the floor. “Your sister does not talk much.”

“She has been through a great deal, and is afraid, Lord Eskkar,” Lani said calmly, as she poured water from the pitcher into the bowl. “As am I.

We are both frightened of what is to become of us.”

Eskkar watched her movements as she soaked one of the washcloths in the water, then wrung it out. Her hands were quick and sure. “You have nothing to be afraid of, Lani. No one will harm you now.”

She turned to face him, looking into his eyes. “You should remove your undergarment, Lord Eskkar. I fear that needs changing as well.” She wrinkled her nose as she spoke, but didn’t say anything else.

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For a moment, Eskkar hesitated. Damn the woman, treating him like a child. He stood, then loosened the garment and pushed it to the floor.

She moved it aside with her foot, then took the washcloth and began cleaning him. She started with his face, scrubbing hard to get all the surface dirt and rubbing his beard to clean it as well. Then she began on his neck and shoulders, rinsing the cloth again, turning him around to do his back.

Standing naked in front of this woman, he felt himself begin to stiffen. She ignored his growing erection as she rinsed out the cloth again and again, moving lower until she knelt before him, her face inches away from his now-firm manhood. But she gave it no attention, except to wipe it gently with the cloth, before scrubbing his legs vigorously.

“Please sit down, Lord Eskkar, so I can clean your feet,” Lani said, rising to rinse out the cloth yet again. She knelt and started cleaning his feet.

Tippu returned, carrying a tunic. If she thought it strange to see her sister on her knees before a naked man with an erect penis, she said nothing, didn’t even meet Eskkar’s eyes.

Lani turned to her. “Lord Eskkar will need a fresh undergarment.

Bring one.” Tippu again left without a word.

Apparently there was no shortage of undergarments in the house, Eskkar decided.

When Lani finished his feet, she asked him to stand again, and dried his body with a clean cloth, rubbing gently on his face, then briskly on his chest and shoulders, then gently again around his still-firm manhood.

Again, she asked him to sit, then she wiped his feet dry.

“There, my lord, at least you’re clean enough to meet your subjects.”

Suddenly she reached out and brushed his penis with her fingers. “If my lord would like a woman, I or my sister would be glad to pleasure you.”

This time she met his eyes, waiting for his answer.

Eskkar noticed a slight change in her voice, something that made the offer more than just a duty. To his surprise, he wanted her, and not only for the physical need. Something about her aroused him. “You’ve seen me naked, Lani. Now let me see you. Take off your dress.”

She wiped her hands quickly on the drying cloth, lifted her dress up over her head, and tossed the garment over the foot of the bed. She shook out her hair to straighten it, then just stood there.

For the first time he saw her as a beautiful woman. His manhood surged as he stared at her lush body, all softness and curves.

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Once again the door opened, and Tippu slipped back into the room, closing the door behind her. She barely raised her eyes to take note of the two of them.

“Bring the garment here, Tippu,” Eskkar said, without taking his eyes off Lani. “Put your dress back on, Lani.”

He took the undergarment from Tippu and pulled himself into it, grunting a little as he forced his still-erect penis into the clothing before lacing it tight around his waist. Tippu handed him the clean tunic, and he pulled it over his head. He noticed its quality, a fine garment more suited to a rich merchant than a soldier. Nonetheless, it fit well enough, though a little tighter than he liked, and reaching only to midthigh. By then Lani had put her dress back on, and again she knelt at his feet, this time to fasten his sandals. He helped her with the lacings, and she lifted her eyes to him as their hands touched.

A loud knock on the door startled both of them. Grond entered without waiting for permission. “Are you well rested, Captain? You slept half the afternoon.”

Eskkar did feel better, much of the tiredness gone from his body and mind. A quick glance at the window showed about two hours of daylight left, still plenty of time to meet with Sisuthros.

“Yes, Grond. I think I needed the rest.”

“Lord, may I speak with you for a moment?” Lani asked, her eyes downcast and her tone respectful.

He thought for a moment. No doubt Grond had told her Eskkar would speak with her. But she hadn’t reminded him of it, merely asked for permission. Eskkar glanced at his bodyguard, but saw the man staring at Tippu.