Part 7 (1/2)
Tubal-cain continued to stare down Noah. Then he turned and called behind him, ”Brothers!”
Two other men stepped out, and Tubal-cain introduced them as Jabal, a shepherd, and Jubal, a minstrel of music. They were twins with completely opposite personalities.
”You have a nice family,” said Uriel, ”but not quite an army.”
So, this was the lineage that Cain had deserted for his wolf tribe, thought Methuselah. And now, they are our allies. Or at least they appear to be. Methuselah did not trust them.
Noah and his companions looked around. The slaves were becoming more agitated. Methuselah stepped up to Noah and whispered, ”We best leave before they think of using us as ransom.”
”Follow me,” said Tubal-cain. ”I have something you will need.”
Tubal-cain led them out of the quarters a short distance away to a cave at the outer ridge of the pit. They entered the cave to see a vast smelting furnace area with a pile of coal, molds, anvils and other metalworking implements. ”What is this place?” asked Noah.
”It is called a forge,” replied Tubal-cain. ”The G.o.ds taught me how to mix metals to make them much stronger for better tools... and weapons.” He finished the sentence with a punctuated grin. But he had more to share.
”I have discovered something stronger than even bronze, but I have not shown it to anyone. I hoped to keep it hidden until a day that I could use it for great benefit. I believe that day has arrived.” Jubal and Jabal smiled. Methuselah was all ears, mistrusting ears.
Noah and Uriel followed him to a table with a large meteorite on it. ”Metal from heaven,” said Tubal-cain. ”I did not have to even smelt it. I call it 'iron.'
”Help me move this table,” he asked. He positioned himself to push the heavy metallic worktable.
Uriel stepped over and b.u.mped it aside like it was a baby's crib.
Tubal-cain almost fell down and Uriel gave him a smile.
Below the table was a latched door. Tubal-cain pulled it open, revealing a hidden stash of weapons. He pulled up a sword made from the iron. Uriel could see that the Watchers had instructed him in the art of sword making. He wondered if Tubal-cain had been exposed to any black arts.
”These are swords. I see your guardian is already a master of them,” said Tubal-cain to Noah.
He handed one to Uriel, who grasped it with interest. The angel tested its weight and slashed the air. Good. Very good.
”It's more durable than bronze, almost unbreakable. If we could find this ore on earth, we could defeat an army. Who knows, maybe we could even kill a G.o.d or two.”
Tubal-cain was very deliberate in his words, which did not escape Noah's notice. He liked it. Killing the G.o.ds was exactly what he had in mind.
”I do not have an army,” Noah said, ”but what I do have is a squad of stealthy a.s.sa.s.sins.”
”With these swords, we could use their own secrets against the G.o.ds,” said Tubal-cain.
Uriel interrupted. ”As our near mishap of this evening ill.u.s.trates, we have nowhere near the competence for such a feat. If you think you can just saunter into the city of Erech, traipse right into the temple and challenge Anu to a duel, you are sorely misinformed and ill advised. You might as well jump off one of these cliffs right now, because that is what you would be doing.”
Noah said, ”Well, I guess that means you will have to train the rest of us, then, Uriel.”
Tubal-cain handed out swords to everyone.
Uriel had known it was coming. He groaned.
”Enough bellyaching,” said Methuselah. ”It is for Noah's advantage.”
”And I thank you for your measured counsel,” Uriel replied. He turned to Noah. ”What about the box?”
”What about it?” replied Noah.
”This is not your calling, Noah,” said Uriel.
”Am I not the Chosen Seed?” said Noah, ”to end the rule of the G.o.ds?”
Uriel was annoyed, ”Not in that way.”
”I will end their rule,” said Noah, ”one by one.”
Chapter 9.
Lugalanu's dining table was grand, twenty cubits long with a spread fit for a king: a soup of gazelle spleen broth with lentils, chickpeas and leeks. He often ate mutton or goats, but tonight was special: horseflesh. Beef was rare, for there was little pasture land. Fresh radishes, beets and turnips, figs and dates graced the table, as well as the fine delicacy of turtle eggs to compliment them. Royal privilege allowed the variety of breads and bread cakes made from the plentiful grains grown in the kingdom. These bread cakes were offerings made for the Queen of Heaven. Lugalanu and his temple staff ate the remaining amount after Inanna had her fill. He loved them drenched in honey.
Barley was the most common grain in the kingdom, making barley beer the most common drink. Dark or clear, fresh or well aged, Sumerians drank volumes of beer.
Lugalanu drank plenty of it this evening, barely touching his food. He sat all alone at this grand table spread. He watched Emzara and some maidservants clean up the food.
The leftovers would be eaten by the servants, with the exception of the meats that could be smoked and stored for later use. Good food was one of the surest ways to maintain grateful servants. With well-fed bellies, servants would more easily tolerate the fits of rage and abuse that occasionally came over Lugalanu. It is said that a man becomes what he wors.h.i.+ps, and this was no less true for Lugalanu. He sought to emulate the n.o.blesse oblige of Anu, but often mirrored the emotional outbursts of Inanna.
Tonight, he was depressed.
The object of his depression worked before him, cleaning the table and pouring him more beer. He stared at Emzara's gorgeous form, her regal posture. He contemplated her moral purity. It was all he could do to keep from throwing himself on her. The image of his gratification flashed through his mind. He would wipe the table of its plates and utensils, throw her up on top of it and take her by force. He was priest-king and it was his divine right. But he knew it would not be his victory. Thank Anu for the beer. It helped to calm him.
He watched her b.r.e.a.s.t.s through her tunic as she poured his beer. Servants wore simple white tunics, but his personal staff had an added element of decorative embroidery to set them apart. His eyes moved down to her stomach.
She felt the intensity of his gaze and spilled the beer on the table.
”I am sorry, my lord,” she said.
”You are beginning to show,” he said. It was not true. She was only a few weeks pregnant, and only the most observant would have been able to tell the thickness that was beginning to increase around her middle. He was trying to raise the topic of his offer again.
”I will wear loose clothes,” she replied. She completed her pouring and shyly moved to finish the clean up.
He grabbed her arm. He felt her recoil and released his grip apologetically. With a touch of heartsickness in his voice, he asked, ”Do I treat you well?”
”Yes, my lord,” she said. He had treated her well for the short time she had been with him. He had appointed her as an aide to the Chief Maidservant in charge of Lugalanu's personal staff, Alittum, an experienced, agreeable and ambitious woman, who constantly sought to ingratiate herself to Lugalanu.
Emzara administered the other servants, and domestic ch.o.r.es such as cooking, cleaning, and finances. Though she had been given a new Sumerian name, as were all captured slaves, Lugalanu called her Emzara when they were alone. He sought a connection with that inner part of her that was not owned by the G.o.ds. Her Sumerian name was Nindannum, which meant ”lady of strength.” This name, given her by Lugalanu, also expressed his great admiration for her. Such name references to ”ladies” were usually used only of G.o.ddesses.
Most slaves were branded with the name of the G.o.d on the back of their hands, but Lugalanu allowed Emzara the less popular form of wearing a bronze bracelet with the symbol. He sought to accommodate her personal devotion to Elohim by exempting her from any duties directly related to the wors.h.i.+p of the G.o.ds or their divination and sorcerous activities.
Her special treatment did not go unnoticed by Alittum, nor the fact that Emzara was learning Alittum's own responsibilities. Therefore, Alittum made life miserable for Emzara, criticizing her every move. Unfortunately for Alittum, it had the undesired effect of making Emzara try so hard that she was already a model servant.
But Alittum was not here now. She had departed with the other table servants.