Time and Again

13

Time and Again - Part 1: In The Beginning

The City of Ur, Kienger – 9^th March 2532 BCE

A few heads turned as the stranger trudged up to the city gate, a large pack slung over one shoulder. Although he never considered himself tall, most of the natives stood well short of even his 175 cm (5′10″) and with his red hair, paler skin and strange clothing he stood out from the dark haired swarthy natives. Nevyn was used to the looks however and paid no attention to them. His recent wanderings across much of the ancient world had accustomed him to the fact that his appearance drew peoples attention and he rarely noticed any longer.

His mind was focussed instead on the same problem that he had been gnawing away at for months. Why had he felt compelled to leave Egypt and travel to Sumer? Watching the construction work being carried out at Gaza had been fascinating. Actually seeing the pyramid rising from the desert sands as workers laboured year after year to lay the layers of huge stones one atop another was a dream come true for any student of ancient history, and Nevyn had studied longer and more intensely than anyone he knew.

But no! The first pyramid was barely half finished when he felt 'the call' and was compelled to leave egypt and travel up the Mediterranean coast to Ugarit from where he crossed to, and travelled down, the Euphrates river. Once he reached the flood plains, and began travelling through Sumer itself, he had entered each new city with the hope that this was where the dreams were calling him, but each time he was disappointed. Each time he would awake the next morning to the knowledge that he must travel further south. Now here he was, months later, at the southern most city of Ur, right on the shore of the Gulf. And the really annoying thing was that he still had no idea why. //Just once, I'd like a dream that actually laid out what I'm supposed to do and the reasons behind it clearly and unambiguously. Is that really too much to ask? But no, Ithe best I ever get are vague portents and irresistible urges to go somewhere or do something.//

Shrugging his shoulders to get the sword to sit more comfortably across his back he snorted at the foolish nature of his thoughts. He should be used to nothing making sense after all these years, but it still irked him that he did not even know who or what the beings were who directed his actions.

As he came out of the shadow of the gate he noticed the people all along the broad boulevard that led into the heart of the city staring up into the sky and pointing.

"U-gu ud-de," someone shouted in panic ("the sun is vanishing").

Glancing up he immediately saw what had caught their attention. The sun's disk was not it's usual perfect circle. Today a small black sliver was eaten into the left edge. //Well, well. An eclipse. (14) I guess I'm finally in the right city and just in time for the show by the looks of it. Probably still got about an hour to go till totality. Hopefully I'll find out what I'm here for by then.//

As time wore on and more and more people began to mill about on the streets in panic, Nevyn realised that he would just have to go with the flow. With his pack stored in a room at a merchants' hostel near the gate, he gradually followed the main crowd of people towards Nanna's temple in the centre of the city.

The steps of the temple platform were crowded by groups of common men and small clusters of the more wealthy, all jostling for position to place their pleas before the priests outside the sanctuary at the top. The commoners gave way easily before the armed scowling stranger as he strode up the stairs, scanning the crowd, looking for some clue as to why he was here. The sun's disk was almost completely covered now, and it was starting to grow cold. Perhaps only five more minutes until totality.

He had almost reached the entrance of the sanctuary compound when he heard a familiar sounding voice crying out between sobs. "No, please no – Let go of me! I'm an American citizen – Please, someone help me – Please don't hurt me again, I'll be good, I promise. – I want to go home!" Nevyn stopped dead in surprise. That was the last language he had expected to hear spoken in this setting.

//I know that voice. But what the devil is she doing here?// he thought, staring at the girl, dressed only in the short skirt of a slave, who was being dragged through the entrance by a well dressed citizen and two young teenagers who were probably his sons. //She must be why I'm here.//

Reaching the entrance at last, the merchant stopped before the shaven headed priest bowing slightly in greeting. "Holy One, I am Gadasama(15) a cloth merchant of this city. On a fine day last week, my sons and a couple of their friends were out hunting in the river marshes when they found this mad girl wandering naked. Since she is obviously one touched by the Gods and destined to serve as a holy handmaiden, I have brought her here on this day of omens as an offering to the temple."

Nevyn felt like covering his face with his hands and groaning. He would have to act fast. If the priest accepted her into the temple he was going to have a hell of a time getting her out again. With the girl's looks, which the priest was eyeing appreciatively; the story the merchant was telling; and the eclipse which would be seen as a momentous sign of something important about to happen; it was unlikely that she would be turned away. They needed pretty girls to participate in the ceremonies and to act as avatars by which the devout could demonstrate their devotion to their gods. Unfortunately the duties meant that the girls tended not to stay pretty for all that long and fresh new faces were always welcome.

Looking around him, Nevyn counted at least two dozen armed soldiers. Most of them carried stone tipped spears or axes, although a few had copper or even bronze knives stuck through their belts. While Nevyn was confident that both his skills and the quality of his weapons were far superior to anything the locals had, it was never wise to provoke a confrontation if it could be avoided. Unfortunately, his magic did not seem to work very well in this world, and would be of little help. Perhaps luck would be on his side and he could get them out of this without bloodshed.

Pushing through the last few people between him and the group at the entrance, Nevyn shook the merchant roughly by the shoulder and shouted at him in the local Emegir dialect. "Unhand this girl. What have you done to her?"

The whole party turned to face him, the merchant taking a couple of steps back at sight of the armed foreigner glaring ferociously at him. Her free arm pressed across her chest in a futile attempt to conceal her breasts from the sight of all the strangers around her, the girl seemed to shrink even further into herself, her voice dropping to a plea. "Please, don't hurt me. I don't want to be ra… hurt again. Oh please, let me wake up now. Tell me this is just a dream."

Switching languages, Nevyn spoke softly and soothingly. "It's okay Cordelia, I'm here to rescue you. I won't let any of these people hurt you."

"Oh thank god! You speak English. I've been so afraid an…" she paused confused. "Do I know you?"

"No. We've never met, but I know who you are, and I'm going to get you out of here."

The merchant's two sons had moved to stand in front of their father, blocking Nevyn from reaching out to him again. Seeing their support and looking around at the guards who had moved to block the temple entrance, the merchant drew in his faltering courage. Squaring his shoulders he confronted the glowering stranger.

"This girl is touched by the gods I say. She heals faster than is humanly possible. When my sons found her in the marsh, she fought like an animal, but look there is not a mark on her now. Only the Gods could heal her so quickly. Look at the sky! Surely this is a sign that she has been chosen."

Suddenly all the frustrations of recent months bubbled over inside Nevyn and he snarled loudly, his knife appearing so quickly in his hand, the merchant had no idea where it had come from. Squeaking in panic, the fat man quickly stepped behind the priest, dragging Cordelia with him.

"This is your last warning merchant. The girl is under my protection. Release her now!"

Although unsettled by the sharply gleaming, naked metal pointed towards him, the priest's pride prevented him from backing down. He was after all, standing on the very portal of his god's home. How dare this barbarian challenge him here. "Put your weapon down stranger, before I call the guard on you. I will decide matters here."

Nevyn stared at the priest for a long moment, watching the beads of sweat forming on his brow and the worry in his eyes. Then he sighed and the knife disappeared again. "For now Holy One, but if this beast continues to hurt her I will not hold back next time. You may judge me afterwards, but that will not prevent me from striking first."

The merchant dropped Cordelia's arm like it burned him. "Who are you calling a beast stranger? I am a respected merchant in this city. Why should we accept the word of a, a, – zilulu, a vagabond like you? This girl was found wandering alone and unclothed nearly half a day's travel from here. Why should we believe this girl is under your care?" The merchant was feeling more confident now that the priest had stepped in. " You do not look much alike."

Nevyn glared briefly at the merchant, giving a small tight smile when the fat man cringed away again, before turning back to give the priest an assessing look. He seemed fairly ordinary. Short like most of his countrymen, slightly flabby from an essentially sedentary life and his head was shaved as a mark of his calling. His flounced kilt was made of plain white linen and the felt cape undecorated save for a small moon sigil at the collar. But more than appearance, Nevyn was trying to get a measure of the man's character. Many of the priests Nevyn had met in this world possessed an ability to see through any lie or deception. It would be safest to assume this priest was such a one.

Picking his words carefully Nevyn replied, "Forgive me Holy One. My manners have deserted me. I am known as Nevyn the Guardian. Although most recently come from Kemet, I have spent many years dealing with savages in the northlands and I forget sometimes that things can be done differently here in civilisation. This girl has been placed in my protection. I can offer no proof other than my ability to understand her speech which none other here can do, but I will not leave without her. I would prefer to settle this peacefully, but if I must fight then many here shall never see Utu's light again."(16)

And just as Nevyn finished speaking the last sliver of the sun's disk was swallowed up and darkness settled over the temple and the city. A wail arose from the crowd gathered in the square below the temple as the last of the light died. The guards, dignitaries and others on the temple platform were all shifting nervously now. Casting glances all around and up at the starry sky. The merchant and his sons were on their knees begging for mercy, but Nevyn was impressed to note that although still sweating uneasily, the priest was maintaining a tight grip on his emotions and refusing to let anything except calm show in his face.

The priest glanced upwards, swallowing nervously as he saw the faint misty streamers stretching outwards from the black hole in the sky where the sun had been. "This is unprecedented. I must consult my brothers and seek guidance from my god."

As though on cue, the doors of the temple began to swing open, spilling bright silvery light across the group outside. As the doors swung fully open, the source of the light moved forward out of the sanctuary, finally being revealed as a tall glowing figure who bent slightly to step through the doorway. With gasps of superstitious awe, the people fell flat to the flagstones, prostrating themselves before their god, until only Nevyn and Cordelia remained standing.

"Nan-na im-ma-ra-e an-ki-a u-ga-ga," the priest cried out in wonder. (17)

Recovering from his momentary surprise, Nevyn bent deeply from the waist and nudged Cordelia where she stood staring open-mouhed beside him. "Bow," he hissed, and after a brief hesitation she did so.

« Previous part | Next part »

Back to Fanfiction main page.