Entering Waset (W. UserBes)
Jan. 1st, 2018 09:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sekhmet_mrytamnIf he heard one more person compare him to the Dwarf-God and his namesake, Bes, Userbesneha swore he would quit his idea to come to Waset and spend the rest of his days among the Bedawi. Not, he mused, that the Bedawi were nearly as partial to those who were born smaller than the rest and doomed to spend adulthood the size of a child. Still, he mused, he had to admit that in Kemet he was treated very well. He was given every deference if not outright reverence as if he were some secret messenger or reprentation of the God himself.
Unlike the god, Userbes’ ass still ached. Why he couldn’t have just taken a boat the whole way was a moot point now. The Bedawi thought him interesting but gave him a wider berth, which was something that he had appreciated immensely.
Still, however, he was tired of all of the unwanted attention. If only he could immerse himself in a scroll, study amongst other learned physicians, there was no limit to how high a small man might rise - especially in the court of the Per’aa. Still, with all of the tensions throughout the two lands as of late, even he might do well to be careful.
He knew very few people in Waset, but one in particular - his friend Sekhmet Meritamen, UserBes learned had come into her own. She had obtained a position as the Swnwt to the Per’aa even before allying herself in marriage to the First Prophet of Imen. Perhaps, he wondered, she had become a bit more of a social climber than physician after all than he remembered her to be.
Still he was hoping for at least some hospitality and a comfortable sleeping couch when he got to the great city. He had much to tell Sekhmet after his years in Bharat. The exchange of information between Kemet and Bharat had been a very good assignment. The two medical traditions dovetailed beautifully. UserBes anticipated that both countries would have happier healthier people as a result.
The Hap was indeed becoming much busier as the city rose up eed boat was maneuvered aptly by it’s pilot through the myriad vessels that were going to and fro on the river. Some were guided only by the current while others used the wind to steer. The part of Waset that was not far from the Great Temple of Imen himself was dotted with the homes and estates of the nobles. Somewhere in that place, UserBes, thought, was his friend. What would she be like? Would she remember him?
“Well, of course she will,” he muttered to himself. “It’s not like she’s likely to forget a dwarf!”
They neared the mouth of a small cove that led to a small private landing near a large home. The small craft bobbed on the waves and eddies as they neared closer to shore. All around the house were endless gardens, lush and blooming with life. The perfume of the lotus and hibiscus assailed his nose even as the boat bumped the dock and the skiff pilot threw a line to a tall, lanky boy he judged to be perhaps in his fourteenth summer.
Userbes waited till the craft before jumping from it onto the dock.
“I am here to see Nebet Sekhmet,” UserBes said with a slight bow. “Tell her that Bes has come to visit her today. She’ll know what I mean”
The boy looked at the dwarf and tried to form words. Unable to do much more, he simply nodded his head even as his eyes as large as two cosmetic palettes never left UserBes.
Turning, the youth stumbled forward along the paving stones that led through the gardens toward the house beckoning the dwarf to follow. The path wound through ornamental and medicinal herbs as well as various types of fruit trees, dates, pomegranates and others that he had never seen before. It was like a private fortified world that was safe from any unwanted guests. Somehow, UserBes always imagined that Sekhmet would live in such a place.
Not looking where he was going, the youth tripped over an uneven paving stone and stumbled headlong, almost into the lady of the house herself.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Just beyond the youth, standing a short distance away was a face she had not laid eyes upon in many years.
It was a sight that made her heart pound with delight - or was it the tiny life growing inside of her? She couldn’t be sure, but UserBesNeha and she had been friends since childhood. They had studied medicine together and he had been more than ample proof to any outside their friendship that a man should never be judged by his height.
“UserbesNeha, “ Sekhmet felt her lips curl in a smile that she could no longer conceal. “How long has it been?”
The dwarf stepped over Nekheb, who was still sprawled across the paving stones. “Long enough for you to have risen to great heights,” Userbes smiled and grasped Sekhmet’s hand warmly. “Have I somehow arrived at the palace of Per’aa with no guards?“ he teased.
Sekhmet shook her head at him. “No. You have arrived at our home - my husband is the Vizier and Hm Netjer Tepe ne Amun.” She noted Nekheb still on the ground with bloodied knees and a visibly bruised ego. “Go inside, Nekheb, and have Iras take a look your wound,” she said softly, “then tell the others to prepare quarters for our guest.”
Nekheb picked himself up from the limestone and hobbled with a slight limp toward the house without a word of either complaint or acknowlegement.
The dwarf watched the lad go, but even before UserBes could utter a single sound to object, Sekhmet raised a finger to signal she would brook no argument. “You are our guest in this house, you will be staying and you are not going to weedle out of it. “
“Don’t I get to have a choice?” UserBes grinned.
“No,” Sekhmet smiled back. “You won’t be staying in a tavern, nor will you be sleeping in a sparse stone cell at Ipet-sut meant for a wa’ab priest.”
“Far be it from me to argue with an old friend,” he said as the two went into the cooling shade of an awning before going into the house.
“That is most wise,” Sekhmet said. “Now you can tell me all the latest from Bharat.”
Inside of the per, servants were already scurrying, trying to do their work, be as unobtrusive as possible and not to be noticed all of the while staring in amazement as their mistress walked with the new guest through the great columned rooms. It was clear that so many of them had never even seen a dwarf let alone had one stay in their home. When UserBes flashed a smile at one of the youngest servant girls who had just happened to glance a little too long, she erupted into a cascade of giggles and scampered out of the room, causing more giggles from the comrades she left behind.
When at last they were in a cool receiving room with a small reflecting pool in side of it. Sekhmet motioned to the divans stren with pillows. There they drank wine and spent their time catching up. They spoke of Bharat, of medicine, of the few people they knew that were now currently in Nesnut’s court, and of the coming war.
“Things must be getting tense,” UserBes said, “ I came into Kemet with a Bedawi trading caravan before reaching the Hap.” He took another languishing sip from his cup of wine, “Had it not been for the fact that most of my traveling companions were convinced I was my namesake come to pay them a visit, I might very well have ended up imprisoned somewhere between the border and Waset.”
“Yes,” Sekhmet nodded. “I have heard rumblings about a possible conflict from both Tjeti and Her Majesty. Just a few rumors so far.” She then let out a soft laugh when thinking of how the Bedawi must have adored UserBes and imagined that they were constantly trying to rub his head for luck. “You seem to have that effect on people, my friend,” she said. “ Poor Nekheb was definitely dumbfounded.”
/
“I can only hope that will lessen with time,” UserBes agreed.
Unlike the god, Userbes’ ass still ached. Why he couldn’t have just taken a boat the whole way was a moot point now. The Bedawi thought him interesting but gave him a wider berth, which was something that he had appreciated immensely.
Still, however, he was tired of all of the unwanted attention. If only he could immerse himself in a scroll, study amongst other learned physicians, there was no limit to how high a small man might rise - especially in the court of the Per’aa. Still, with all of the tensions throughout the two lands as of late, even he might do well to be careful.
He knew very few people in Waset, but one in particular - his friend Sekhmet Meritamen, UserBes learned had come into her own. She had obtained a position as the Swnwt to the Per’aa even before allying herself in marriage to the First Prophet of Imen. Perhaps, he wondered, she had become a bit more of a social climber than physician after all than he remembered her to be.
Still he was hoping for at least some hospitality and a comfortable sleeping couch when he got to the great city. He had much to tell Sekhmet after his years in Bharat. The exchange of information between Kemet and Bharat had been a very good assignment. The two medical traditions dovetailed beautifully. UserBes anticipated that both countries would have happier healthier people as a result.
The Hap was indeed becoming much busier as the city rose up eed boat was maneuvered aptly by it’s pilot through the myriad vessels that were going to and fro on the river. Some were guided only by the current while others used the wind to steer. The part of Waset that was not far from the Great Temple of Imen himself was dotted with the homes and estates of the nobles. Somewhere in that place, UserBes, thought, was his friend. What would she be like? Would she remember him?
“Well, of course she will,” he muttered to himself. “It’s not like she’s likely to forget a dwarf!”
They neared the mouth of a small cove that led to a small private landing near a large home. The small craft bobbed on the waves and eddies as they neared closer to shore. All around the house were endless gardens, lush and blooming with life. The perfume of the lotus and hibiscus assailed his nose even as the boat bumped the dock and the skiff pilot threw a line to a tall, lanky boy he judged to be perhaps in his fourteenth summer.
Userbes waited till the craft before jumping from it onto the dock.
“I am here to see Nebet Sekhmet,” UserBes said with a slight bow. “Tell her that Bes has come to visit her today. She’ll know what I mean”
The boy looked at the dwarf and tried to form words. Unable to do much more, he simply nodded his head even as his eyes as large as two cosmetic palettes never left UserBes.
Turning, the youth stumbled forward along the paving stones that led through the gardens toward the house beckoning the dwarf to follow. The path wound through ornamental and medicinal herbs as well as various types of fruit trees, dates, pomegranates and others that he had never seen before. It was like a private fortified world that was safe from any unwanted guests. Somehow, UserBes always imagined that Sekhmet would live in such a place.
Not looking where he was going, the youth tripped over an uneven paving stone and stumbled headlong, almost into the lady of the house herself.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Just beyond the youth, standing a short distance away was a face she had not laid eyes upon in many years.
It was a sight that made her heart pound with delight - or was it the tiny life growing inside of her? She couldn’t be sure, but UserBesNeha and she had been friends since childhood. They had studied medicine together and he had been more than ample proof to any outside their friendship that a man should never be judged by his height.
“UserbesNeha, “ Sekhmet felt her lips curl in a smile that she could no longer conceal. “How long has it been?”
The dwarf stepped over Nekheb, who was still sprawled across the paving stones. “Long enough for you to have risen to great heights,” Userbes smiled and grasped Sekhmet’s hand warmly. “Have I somehow arrived at the palace of Per’aa with no guards?“ he teased.
Sekhmet shook her head at him. “No. You have arrived at our home - my husband is the Vizier and Hm Netjer Tepe ne Amun.” She noted Nekheb still on the ground with bloodied knees and a visibly bruised ego. “Go inside, Nekheb, and have Iras take a look your wound,” she said softly, “then tell the others to prepare quarters for our guest.”
Nekheb picked himself up from the limestone and hobbled with a slight limp toward the house without a word of either complaint or acknowlegement.
The dwarf watched the lad go, but even before UserBes could utter a single sound to object, Sekhmet raised a finger to signal she would brook no argument. “You are our guest in this house, you will be staying and you are not going to weedle out of it. “
“Don’t I get to have a choice?” UserBes grinned.
“No,” Sekhmet smiled back. “You won’t be staying in a tavern, nor will you be sleeping in a sparse stone cell at Ipet-sut meant for a wa’ab priest.”
“Far be it from me to argue with an old friend,” he said as the two went into the cooling shade of an awning before going into the house.
“That is most wise,” Sekhmet said. “Now you can tell me all the latest from Bharat.”
Inside of the per, servants were already scurrying, trying to do their work, be as unobtrusive as possible and not to be noticed all of the while staring in amazement as their mistress walked with the new guest through the great columned rooms. It was clear that so many of them had never even seen a dwarf let alone had one stay in their home. When UserBes flashed a smile at one of the youngest servant girls who had just happened to glance a little too long, she erupted into a cascade of giggles and scampered out of the room, causing more giggles from the comrades she left behind.
When at last they were in a cool receiving room with a small reflecting pool in side of it. Sekhmet motioned to the divans stren with pillows. There they drank wine and spent their time catching up. They spoke of Bharat, of medicine, of the few people they knew that were now currently in Nesnut’s court, and of the coming war.
“Things must be getting tense,” UserBes said, “ I came into Kemet with a Bedawi trading caravan before reaching the Hap.” He took another languishing sip from his cup of wine, “Had it not been for the fact that most of my traveling companions were convinced I was my namesake come to pay them a visit, I might very well have ended up imprisoned somewhere between the border and Waset.”
“Yes,” Sekhmet nodded. “I have heard rumblings about a possible conflict from both Tjeti and Her Majesty. Just a few rumors so far.” She then let out a soft laugh when thinking of how the Bedawi must have adored UserBes and imagined that they were constantly trying to rub his head for luck. “You seem to have that effect on people, my friend,” she said. “ Poor Nekheb was definitely dumbfounded.”
/
“I can only hope that will lessen with time,” UserBes agreed.
