People of the Tower (Ark Chronicles 4) (18 page)

15.

Summer passed, and in Shinar and on the plain of Nineveh, men and women harvested the crops. Then Nimrod summoned his warriors.

On donkey back came Gilgamesh
, Enlil and Erech’s two other champions. Opis also came. She rode on donkey back, wrapped in a white cloak and an impenetrable reserve. The peak of her beauty had vanished, and there was a haunted cast to her eyes. Already a slight woman, she had grown thinner, gaunter. She no longer smiled, although at times, a kitten or a puppy wagging its tail brought a faint upturn of her lips. Whenever she looked at Gilgamesh, and he wasn’t watching, a longing came over her. She yearned to hold him, to have him know her as of old. But whenever he touched her, her skin crawled. It was an involuntary reaction.

“
Not yet,” she would whisper.

Now he no longer tried
. It made her ache and her heart wilt.

A day
’s journey from Babel, as he slept on a mat beside her, she rolled over and gazed at him in the moonlight. She reached out, willing herself to touch his handsome face. She fought herself, moving her hand closer, closer.

His eyes opened
. He had an almost preternatural sense of danger.

“
I hear something,” she whispered, as she drew her hand back.

He looked into her eyes, and then he rose, picking up his lance, striding into the darkness
. When he lay back down later, she pretended to be asleep, even as she damned herself for being a coward.

Later, in another week, she told herself, she would be better, and she truly believed her lie.

The next day, the city rose before them. It was so much bigger than Erech. The Tower, with the fifth level completed, dominated the skyline. Babel seemed to seethe with people.

Gilgamesh took her to Menes
’s two-story house. He spoke pleasantries with her grandfather and then asked if Opis could remain here during the campaign. A pause before the “of course” and “we’d be delighted to have her” made Opis squirm. In a few more minutes, Gilgamesh rose, saying he had to report to the palace. Opis felt as if he wanted to flee her presence, as if he couldn’t wait to get away.

Because the others
watched, she endured his kiss. His smile was pained. Then he turned and marched away, Enlil forced to jog to keep up with him.

“
He’ll be back before you know it,” her grandmother said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Opis flinched
. Then she smiled apologetically. “You startled me.”

Her grandmother patted her shoulder, a slight frown on her face.

Opis caught a last glimpse of Gilgamesh, with the swirl of his military cloak and his loping stride. A terrible feeling of doom filled her, and she wondered if Gilgamesh would ever return to her.

16.

Uruk stood in the throne room as Gilgamesh entered. Heat flushed across Gilgamesh’s face. His knife-hand twitched and there was a roaring sound in his ears. All his secret plans vanished as a snarl of rage came from deep within his throat.

Only when powerful hands grasped his arms did Gilgamesh regain his senses.

Nimrod stood before his throne, with his face flushed and rage in his eyes.

Gilgamesh blinked repeatedly, trying to work out what had happened
. He saw that he held a knife. He let go with surprise. The clatter of bronze on tiles was loud in the silent room.

Mighty Men looked upon him in wonder
. Uruk was pale.

Thebes held one
of Gilgamesh’s arms. Enlil held the other.

“
Well?” Nimrod asked.

Gilgamesh licked his lips
. He happened to glance at Uruk, at the great ape in armor. A roar erupted from Gilgamesh’s throat and he struggled to free himself. At Nimrod’s command, Mighty Men dragged him from the room.

He panted in the antechamber.

A moment later Nimrod walked in. “Leave,” he told the others.

The warriors scattered.

The king approached as he held his baton. “Old friend, what is the meaning of this?”

Gilgamesh fought for self-control
. He gave Nimrod a shaky smile. “Your Majesty—”

“
No,” Nimrod said, as he swept the air with his baton. “I want no formality from you, Ghost Stalker. I want to know why you have murderous rage against my War Chief.”

Gilgamesh struggled with himself
. He’d made an oath to Opis never to reveal what had happened. He also understood that if he told Nimrod about the oath, that the king might choose between Uruk and him.

“
Mighty Hunter,” Gilgamesh said, “this is a private matter between Uruk and me.”

“
The instant you step into my presence, you whip out your dagger and charge my War Chief. I understand the two of you don’t get along. Why, the two of you have feuded from the beginning. And that entire sordid episode over the girl…” Nimrod studied him. “What happened when Uruk came to Erech?”

Gilgamesh bowed stiffly
. “Your Majesty, I beg forgiveness for my actions. I-I didn’t plan this.”

“
I know you didn’t. You’ve always been the one under control. But when you set eyes on Uruk…” With the baton, Nimrod scratched his cheek, and he began to pace.

Gilgamesh swallowed painfully
. He was still surprised at himself.

“
I had hoped to hear your proposals, to listen to your counsel versus the others. I miss you, my friend. Believe me, I understand this feud. It was a difficult decision sending you to Erech.” Nimrod frowned. “Being king is harder than I thought. Everyone vies for my attention, wishing to sway me to his way of thinking. Soon men—and women, too—stop telling me the truth. Then I have to shift through every word in order to discover the truth. Now I find that the one man I trust, whom I’d believed could still honestly tell me what he thought, now he too has left me. Ah, Gilgamesh, it is a lonely thing to be king.”

“
Nimrod,” Gilgamesh said, taking one of the king’s broad hands. “I would tell you on the instant what makes my gut boil, but I have made an oath to another, an oath that I dare not break.”

Nimrod studied him
. Finally, he withdrew his hand. “It doesn’t take a Mighty Man to understand what could cause such a quarrel between you and the War Chief. I will not ask you to join the meeting tonight.”

“
Please, don’t send me home.”

“
You’re too important for that. Your mind is keen, your judgments swift and sound.” A smile crept onto the king’s face. “Perhaps there is another task for you. I need a herald to sound out our foes, to judge their reactions and to be courageous enough to give them my words. Are you willing to do this?”

“
I am yours to command, Sire.”

Nimrod
’s grin turned crafty. “Before Ymir attacked anyone, it was the Nephilim’s policy to send a herald to his foes. I have tried to understand the reason. I now believe that it was unnerving to his enemies, and I think the herald spied out their defenses and resolve. You’re the perfect choice. I want you with me on the day of battle. But I cannot have you in camp with the War Chief, or not in camp for very long. You and Uruk have become like two vicious hounds that hate one another, yet both are needed to take down a terrible lion.”

“
Is this war truly necessary?”

The grin left Nimrod, and his manner changed
. “The decision grieves me. It is why I wish to hold a council with all my Mighty Men. The former elders will come and Lord Japheth.” Nimrod put a hand on Gilgamesh’s shoulder. “Your question strikes close to my heart, old friend.”

Gilgamesh
nodded. Nimrod had already decided on war, and as king, he now played a part. For just a moment, Nimrod had let down his guard. Now the moment had passed. How lonely indeed it must be to be king. Gilgamesh pitied his old friend, and he determined to speak honestly to Nimrod, even if he was the last man to do so.

17.

In armor, an ermine cape and with his helmet in the crook of his arm, Gilgamesh ducked and entered a large tent as raindrops drizzled against the oiled leather. Sitting on mats waited clan elders, Shem, Ham and massive Beor scowling as he stood in back. Two youths wearing wolf caps entered behind Gilgamesh, his guards.

One of the wolf-capped guards said,
“This is Gilgamesh, the governor of—”

“
We know very well who he is,” Ham said.

The youth with the wolf cap blushed.

“You may go,” Shem told them.

The two youths hurried out the tent.

“Won’t you sit, Gilgamesh,” Shem said.

“
Thank you,” Gilgamesh said, spotting the mat reserved for him. Despite his uneasiness, he unpinned his cloak, with water droplets falling from it. He hooked it to a nearby stand, placing his helmet at the foot of the stand.

“
You look very martial,” Shem said. “You look indeed like the herald of Babel.”

As Gilgamesh
sat, he noted faces. Beor looked hostile. Not that he blamed the big man, but Beor’s presence made him uneasy. Many of the sons of Shem seemed to hold their judgment about him. What Ham and Shem thought, he couldn’t tell.

“
I journeyed here to bring you the king’s words.”

“
Just get on with it,” growled Beor. “Give us Nimrod’s lies.”

Gilgamesh
’s mouth turned dry. For a brief moment, he wondered if Nimrod hoped to solve his problem with Uruk and him by having the enemies of Babel slay him.

“
Before I relay the message, I want you to realize that these aren’t my words,” Gilgamesh said. “Some of them, perhaps, might seem…well, I don’t want to get into what the words might seem like to you. I represent the King of Babel, but I am not the king.”

“
Do you claim then the Antediluvian sanctity of herald?” Ham asked.

“
Exactly,” Gilgamesh said.

“
Shall we grant him that immunity, brother?”

“
Of course,” Shem said.

Ham nodded to Gilgamesh
. “You may rest easily among us, Herald.”

“
Thank you.”

“
It took courage to come alone,” Ham said. “The least we can do is respect it.”

“
You are kind,” Gilgamesh said.

“
I’m afraid,” Shem said, “that what you have to tell us won’t be so kind.”

“
They’re not my words,” Gilgamesh said.

“
Yes, yes, we know,” Beor said, from the back, still standing. “These are Nimrod’s words. Please spout them, so we can end this farce.”

Ham turned toward the back
. “Don’t you think it was brave of Gilgamesh to come alone among us?”

Beor
scowled. Then he seemed to consider. After a moment, he said, “Yes. It was brave.”

“
Then give him the honor due a brave man.”

Beor nodded
stiffly. “I ask your pardon, Gilgamesh.”

“
I freely give it,” Gilgamesh said. “And I want you to know that I hold no ill will against you for the time you held me prisoner.”

Beor grunted.

“This is all very seemly,” Assur said. “But perhaps we could get to the matter of this meeting.”

Gilgamesh sat straighter
. Nimrod had coached him on the message, and he had insisted that Gilgamesh uphold the majesty of the King of Babel. First clearing his throat, Gilgamesh began to speak.

“
These are King Nimrod’s words: ‘I ask for tokens of your good will, men of Nineveh. Send us Ham and Rahab and Shem and Ruth, and bind Beor with stout cords. Then you must send his daughter Hilda to Babel. I wish as well that Odin, a traitor to the Mighty Men, be strongly bound and sent to me. In return, I, Nimrod the First of Babel, Erech, Akkad and Calneh, will give you political unity and delivery from want. Mankind, as you know, faces many dangers. Drought and famine are a constant worry. Wolves, lions, leopards and the dreaded dragon prey upon humanity. In uncounted numbers, these beasts roam where they will. Pestilence and disease threaten the weary, and fear in its many guises only heightens these dangers. Together, however, in an empire spreading across the Earth, we may act in one accord and bring relief to each other. Warriors of note even now journey to you and will help you exterminate these terrible monsters. With the warriors are wagons full of food and drink and precious gems and rare perfumes. I bring the bounty of Babel to all that embrace mankind’s empire. And I bring the sword and the spear to those whose evil and treachery plot disunity, disharmony and therefore destruction upon the embryonic civilization built upon the sweat and labor of those who so recently escaped the awful doom of Jehovah. Some of you will come to Babel to help finish the Tower unto Heaven; some will stay on the plain of Nineveh to help build glorious cities with protective walls of stone. I, King Nimrod the First, march to you and hope to find a peaceful and loving embrace. Yet in my hand, I also hold the sword. Choose wisely, sons of Shem and those of Japheth, and a long and fruitful life will be yours.”

“
Tell him we’ll fight!” Assur said, leaping to his feet.

“
Is that wise?” asked his brother, Arphaxad.

“
I wonder that too,” Elam said, another brother. “According to his herald, Nimrod only wants to help us build cities. And is there not strength in unity?”

“
What are you saying?” cried Assur. “Nimrod doesn’t worship Jehovah, but Bel and other demons. If we follow him, he’ll lead us into idolatry.”

“
Maybe those claims are exaggerated,” Elam said.

“
I assure you they’re not,” Ham said.

“
But that makes no sense,” said Elam. “I’ve visited Babel. It was magnificent, and the Tower they constructed awes the imagination. If Nimrod led them in demon worship, I don’t believe Jehovah would reward such treachery. Surely, plague, and death by beasts, would have winnowed them to a frightened mass. Instead, confidence and plenty and healthy sons and daughters are their lot. We must consider this offer carefully.”

“
Who here dares to bind me?” asked Beor.

“
No one,” Assur said. “We will fight.”

“
And start a war?” asked Elam.

“
They’re the one invading us,” Assur said.

“
That isn’t what Gilgamesh says.”

“
Nimrod is full of smooth words,” Ham said. “Never doubt that those who come from Babel march as conquerors.”

“
What do you think, Father?” asked Elam.

Shem regarded his sons and he glanced at Gilgamesh
. “We must fight.”

“
Yes,” Assur said, sounding relieved. “Tell Nimrod he will face our full might.”

Gilgamesh stood and bowed
. “Is that what I should say?”

“
Do not seek our disunity,” Shem said. “Otherwise, you might lose the rank of herald and be called a spy.”

“
May I ask a question?” Gilgamesh asked.

Shem made a smooth gesture.

“What does Noah say to all this?”

No one answered.

“May I speak with Noah?” Gilgamesh asked.

“
Not today,” Ham said.

“
May I ask why not?” Gilgamesh said. Above all else, Nimrod wanted to discern if Noah helped them.

“
No, you may not ask Noah why,” said Ham. “He doesn’t feel like speaking today. What you may do is return to Nimrod and give him our decision.”

Gilgamesh pinned on his ermine cap
e and marched from the tent with his helmet in the crock of his arm. He marched into the drizzle, knowing now that war could no longer be averted.