The King of Kings was dying. This in itself was no great surprise, as dying was what old men generally did. And had the king been any other old man, his dying might have caused no great disturbance. But he was no ordinary old man. He was the Emperor of the World, Lord of the Four Zones; and rumors of his illness fueled a whispered panic throughout the palace complex.
“Twin sons,” Nura overheard some baron mutter from the other side of. . .
The King of Kings was dying. This in itself was no great surprise, as dying was what old men generally did. And had the king been any other old man, his dying might have caused no great disturbance. But he was no ordinary old man. He was the Emperor of the World, Lord of the Four Zones; and rumors of his illness fueled a whispered panic throughout the palace complex.
“Twin sons,” Nura overheard some baron mutter from the other side of. . .
From some far-distant place, Ninsunu heard someone pounding on her chamber door. She rolled over on the bed, turning away from the sound, pressing the down-stuffed linen pillows against her ears, but the knocking continued.
From a far-off land, she heard her father’s voice, “I’m here with a guard, Ninsunu. If you do not open this door, he will break it down. I give you until I count three.”
In her faraway dreamland, Ninsunu smiled . . .
From some far-distant place, Ninsunu heard someone pounding on her chamber door. She rolled over on the bed, turning away from the sound, pressing the down-stuffed linen pillows against her ears, but the knocking continued.
From a far-off land, she heard her father’s voice, “I’m here with a guard, Ninsunu. If you do not open this door, he will break it down. I give you until I count three.”
In her faraway dreamland, Ninsunu smiled . . .
Leander woke to shouting, and to the feel of dirt and gravel on his face. All around, men were running and shouting “Throw me my helmet!” and “Spear! Where’s my spear?” and in the air were humming and zipping sounds, and thuds and angry screams, and an arrow fell from nowhere and buried itself in the tent.
Then two more — zip-thud, zip-thud — in the dirt near his head.
He was up and running for the tent, finding it empty. . .
