Gods and Guardians

Chapter 2: The Circumcision Exercise

'How's your father's health?' Damian asked.

Nimrod stared into the clear stream, not looking at Damian. His hair hid his ears from sight as he tossed a stone into the stream, lost in thought.

When the maid broke the news, Kiyanna seized his arm, not giving him a moment to think. He followed her, pretending to be calm. Their entrance into the king's room startled their stepmother, Queen Haneya.

Massey, Nimrod's elder brother and the king's second son, stood with his arms folded in one corner. His cold eyes never betrayed his emotions. 'Kiyanna, what took you so long?' he asked, but she didn't answer. Haneya was seated close to the king, who was lying face up in bed. She excused the seat for Kiyanna.

'Father, what's the matter?' Nimrod inquired.

The king raised his eyes weakly. 'I don't know,' he shivered. 'I feel pain all over. My eyes... my stomach... I... I... feel like vomiting—' He retched, shot to sitting position, and spattered vomit over the marble floor.

Kiyanna patted his back gently even as the retching continued without any vomiting afterwards. Nimrod pulled closer.

Massey suddenly unfolded his arms and hurried out of the room. Nimrod heard him mutter, 'What's keeping this cursed physician?'

Kiyanna knew Massey had sent for her to prepare some medicines. Queen Haneya had no talent for creating concoctions, so no one would ask her to prepare them. She was grateful Kiyanna was around.

As Kiyanna went about putting things together, Nimrod took the seat next to Dasirus.

'It will be fine, Father,' he said, among other things.

'Thank you, my dear,' Dasirus said, squeezing tears from two corners, his shakiness calming down a little.

Nimrod looked down at him. It was about a division ago that they had that quarrel. All of that bitterness and anger had all but disappeared now. Seeing how frail, almost helpless his father looked, he wondered if there was something he could do.

'Father, it will be fine,' he kept saying.

'Father is doing better,' Nimrod said, tossing another stone into the stream. Knowing they'd soon discuss the circumcision exercise, he decided to broach the subject. 'When will you register for the exercise?'

'I cannot believe you won't be participating,' Damian, who was 21 teneries old and the right age for the exercise, responded incredulously. Nimrod, his friend, was already 22. It turned out the king had delayed Nimrod's schooling for one tenery, which is why he was a tenery late. Now, the king was exempting him again?

Damian would deny this was happening. 'Nimrod, come on. Talk to your father... is there no way–'

'This is the only way.'

Nimrod had been ill but recovered about two tenths ago. His father was not too confident he was ready for the grueling exercise. The forest of Larza was a dangerous place, and Dasirus was not willing to take that risk with Nimrod's life. Parents could exempt their sons from participation for a couple of reasons, with health being a common ground. Nimrod did not see this coming when his father invited him for a discussion the previous day.

'How's your health, my dear?' Dasirus asked.

'I'm good, strong as a stag.'

The king dropped the quill pen. 'I want to talk to you about something.'