Gods and Guardians

Chapter 15: Journeys to Meinz

Nimrod and Damian were running the endurance path this evening, completely drenched in sweat. From a distance, they were identically grown and similarly built with only the distinction of Nimrod's hair to tell the difference. As they came closer, Damian's slightly more mature face was striking. Unlike Nimrod, a light emergence of hair was peeking above his lips and below his chin.

Left of them was the towering walls of the Courtyard. Windows broke the monotonous line of bricks to reveal offices of captains and training rooms within the walls. Some trained in the morning and some in the evenings.

'Nathan told me he met a merchant yesterday, Mensa.' Nathan was one of Nimrod's personal servants.

'What does he deal in?' Damian asked.

'Perishable goods mostly. Tomatoes, spices, vegetables generally. He brings them from the south, buys wheat and barley from Simsee to sell south.'

A group of ladies riding along the other side waved at Nimrod and Damian. Only Nimrod replied with an absentminded wave. Damian looked away uneasily.

'Why didn't you answer them?' Nimrod asked teasingly.

Damian rolled his eyes and increased his speed.

'Come back here. Where are you going?'

Damian did not slow down forcing Nimrod to chase after him.

Nathan and Dahira waited with the horses at the entrance to the courtyard. While Nathan stroked Saunda's mane, Dahira kept his eyes on the path. It was getting dark and the prince should be returning home as soon as possible. Dasirus was not back, but the servants especially Dahira seemed to have forgotten. Nimrod hardly obeyed his father's admonition to come back on time, but it nonetheless made his servants uneasy if he chose to stay till dark. Each time a group of runners came into sight, Dahira wished they were Nimrod and Damian.

'Where is His Highness? It's getting dark,' Dahira said.

Nathan didn't answer.

'His Majesty never likes this.' Dahira craned his neck as if that'd bring Nimrod faster.

Nathan pursed his lips contemptuously.

'Nathan?' Dahira wanted him to talk.

'What!' He didn't look away from the horse.

Dahira was startled. 'Why are you so quiet?'

Nathan turned for the first time. 'You talk too much.'

Dahira opened his mouth to say something, but decided otherwise.

'Better,' Nathan said, and turned back to Saunda.

Nimrod and Damian arrived, breathing heavily. They threw themselves on their backs panting and laughing as the servants sought to attend to them.

'Is everything all right, Your Highness?' Nathan asked stiffly, courteously.

Nimrod waved a tired hand. 'Nathan, never mind. We are just tired of goofing that's all. This dunce right here...' Nimrod slapped Damian suddenly.

'Ouch!' Damian exclaimed, slapping him back.

They fell back laughing, holding their faces. Dahira tried not to laugh having understood what was going on. Nathan did not even flinch, his mien, uncompromised.

'Well,' Nimrod began after the laughter died, 'We were talking about something before this whole madness began. Nathan...'

'Yes Your Highness,' he replied chauvinistically.