'Trade winds to Meluhha' - Sample chapter

Chapter 1

King Shulgi's reward

Stable boy hurried out of his master's mansion in Babili. As he ran up the gentle slope, a dark lean foreigner in blue headgear crossed the road as if to accost him. He reminded Samasin of an elephant trainer from Meluhha working in the palace ground. A black purse swaying from the man's shoulder wobbled his brisk walk, but his cheeks blew in and out. Probably whistling one of those horrible Meluhhan tunes, thought Samasin. The man's wrinkled face broke into a smile and his lips parted.

It occurred to Samasin that he was already late for the King's work. He quickened his pace and passed by the Meluhhan as if the man did not exist. Behind him he heard a gasp of utter surprise.

Soon the two neat queues of date palms gave way to a denser growth of olive trees. The air became cooler, and sweet calls of Meluhhan birds called peacocks told him he had reached the palace ground. From afar he saw the Priest-physician of Babili awaiting him, doubtless carrying that frown which always unnerved him.

Drawing near, he saw the Priest-physician smiling, and let out a deep breath.

"You won't be treating any animal today, Sam," said the old man fishing out a slim package from cotton bag by his side. "King Shulgi appreciates your year-long service at the Palace, and has asked me to reward you."

Sam beamed, and held out both his palms. "It's the first time, Belum, that a person other than my foster parents has appreciated my hard work."

"Your master?"

"Not even Master Nergal." Sam laughed, but there was a hint of choking in his throat. He dug his teeth into the jute string binding the gift package.

The Priest-physician smiled. "Have patience, young man. Open it at home."

Sam knelt, took his mentor's right hand in both of his own, and kissed it. While he was returning, he reasoned that immediate celebration of King Shulgi's reward seemed in order. Just as he was nearing Master Nergal's mansion, his feet took to a narrow path running down from the main road.

It led him to a tavern which sat hidden from the prying eyes of passers-by. "You know how drunkards behave," its heavy-eyed owner had once told him. "I can't risk exposing their vice to the ladies going to the Palace." Sam had always suspected whether that was the real reason.

Even as he entered the tavern, he could hear the chirping of sparrows. It sounded pleasantly different from the evenings when men crowded there after work. Then it used to get so noisy that once he had missed King Shulgi's annual procession to the Temple of Marduk, despite all its drum beats and fanfare.

Sam pushed forth a piece of copper, and the keeper heaved a yawn before moving to one of the large jars behind him. An image of a gaping hippopotamus in the palace pool flashed in Sam's mind, and he chuckled.

Stepping over several tree trunks to reach his favourite spot, his attention was drawn by a man sitting in the shadows, slouching like a wounded leopard. Sam recognized his blue turban. It was the jolly old Meluhhan he had avoided on the way to the palace ground. The man sat motionless as if frozen in snow.

The Meluhhan threw a fleeting glance at Sam and resumed staring at his hand which seemed to be holding a tiny object. Although Sam could not see the man's face clearly, he could well imagine it carrying several furrows on the brow. What had ruined the Meluhhan's mood that even his apparently precious black purse had dropped to the ground?

Sam shrugged his shoulders and sat down. Letting the cool drink fizz around his tongue, he studied the package that the Priest-physician had presented to him. Was it necessary to open it only in the small hut that he shared with his master's cart man? Half way through the second flask, Sam assured himself that it would not do any harm if he slit the package slightly and had had a peek inside.