The Curse of Naram-Sin by Peter Gibbons

Author:Peter Gibbons [Gibbons, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-12-04T16:00:00+00:00

Fifteen

The Agrianians tended to their wounded, applying salves and bandages from whatever supplies they could muster between them. Xantho carried Tiki’s body away from the battle site and laid him down on a clear stretch of soft grass. Those almond eyes seemed to stare at Xantho as though Tiki could see through them still from wherever his spirit now walked. Xantho hoped Enlil would help the boy, take his soul to the heavens, and not allow him to be dragged to the underworld into Nergal’s realm. Tiki’s eyes were wide open, and his mouth turned down in a permanent look of terror and pain.

Xantho swallowed down the lump in his throat. He closed Tiki’s eyes. As he did so, he held his hand there for a moment against the boy’s soft face. A boy so full of life and fun, with so many possibilities stretching before him. Xantho shook his head, wiping at his wet eyes. It had surely been Wulfgar’s final spear throw that had killed Tiki. Xantho had his chance to kill the traitor, and he let him go. And now Tiki was dead. Not only that, had Xantho left Tiki at the Macedonian beach camp, he would not have been in harm’s way, and though the camp soldiers would have made him a slave, at least Tiki would be alive. The thought that he was responsible for Tiki’s death burned in Xantho’s stomach. He stopped fighting against the tears and gave himself over fully to sorrow. Sobs racked his body, quick breaths jerking his shoulders as salty tears rolled down his face.

“Tiki, please no,” Penelope gasped. Xantho hadn’t heard her approach, but she knelt next to him. She placed a hand on Tiki’s thin arm, holding it tight.

“Wulfgar,” Xantho said.

“He did this?”

“I saw him throw the spear.”

“Poor Tiki. A great deal of laughter has just left the world,” she lamented, and her head sank to her chest.

Eleven of the enemy had died in the fight. The Agrianians and the Warriors of the Light had wounded many more, but most of those men escaped on their fleet ponies. There had been no pursuit. The Agrianians had lost three men, and another eight were badly injured. All the Warriors of the Light had survived the encounter. They would take the day to bury the dead and patch up the wounded before pushing on for Priapus. The Companion cavalry was still out there somewhere, and the hope was that they had reached the town by now and would engage any enemy in the vicinity.

Xantho dug a grave for Tiki at the base of a tall, straight fir tree, which he hoped would serve as a dignified monument for his young friend. It stood alone on a wide expanse of grass high above the landscape, which stretched below to where the Agrianians had made their camp. Xantho dug the grave with his kopis, knife, and bare hands. Penelope sat at the base of the tree in silence. She had offered to help, but he had refused.

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