Garden of the Lion and the Dove

Chapter 11

"Hakuno...are you alright?"

She looked up from the text she was translating. Shub stood on the other side of the table, her face etched with concern. "What are you talking about Shub?"

Shub looked down at her hands and then back up at Hakuno. "It is just that...you have been spending the past couple of days with Munzur... You two seem to be getting to know each other quite well."

Hakuno put down her pen. Was Shub worried about her? She smiled. "We share something in common. It is very hard to explain Shub." She shook her head. There was no way she could betray Munzur by telling Shub about him being a magus. Shub would not understand. She might even fear Munzur as a result.

"But Hakuno...you do not find this odd at all? Logically? You are not one to spend time with someone you just met and speak like you are doing."

Why were Shub's eyes so wide? She really seemed to be making a big deal out of nothing. "There is nothing to fear Shub. You are over-reacting." She glanced out her window. "Oh, it is that late already?" She got up from the chair and handed the papyrus sheet to Shub. "Can you get this copied onto a tablet?"

"Of course Hakuno. Are you...are you planning on meeting him?"

"Why do you think I am hurrying?" She laughed. "I will return soon Shub."

She left Shub in the middle of her room and hurried to the gardens. Like the past couple of days, Munzur was waiting for her on the bench by the water lily pond.

He smiled. "I thought you were not coming today."

"I was in the middle of translating a text. I lost track of the time." She settled on the bench.

"I heard the King is returning. He will be arriving here by tomorrow."

"Yes." Hakuno looked down at her sandaled feet and wiggled her toes. She giggled. "Knowing him, I know he will want to play around in a game with me right away."

"Oh yes, I forgot you two usually spend the evening hours engaging in random board games and whatnot."

"Yes we do and he gets so cranky when I win." She let out a long sigh. "Sadly, I think these evening meetings of ours is at an end. The King is not the kind of man who likes his schedule rearranged."

"That is alright. I will be spending time at the other temples in the kingdom for the next couple of days."

"Oh really?" She felt a twinge of disappointment. She greatly enjoyed their conversations. Unlike Gilgamesh, they spoke about more intelligent topics, Gods, sacred texts, and even magus-related matters. She had also told stories about herself and her various experiences in the traveling caravan.

A small frown crossed her face. Now that she was thinking about it, Munzur never really talked about himself. He had also never revealed what his powers are either. She voiced the question out loud.

"Oh, of course. I never did tell you did I?" Munzur chuckled. He glanced around, probably to check the locations of the working slaves. There were a couple working nearby but not close enough that they could overhear what Munzur said if he whispered.

He leaned in close. She could feel his breath on her cheek. "You will find out the truth of my powers soon enough."

She turned her head to look at him in confusion. Her whole body turned cold as she stared into the depths of his black eyes. Those eyes were not kind. They were manipulative and cold. Why did she think of him as kind? This man was anything but!

She opened her mouth to protest but no sound came out.

"Shhh. We do not want to alert the slaves," he whispered.