The Skin of the Gods

by Phil Armstrong

  “Good, now that we understand each other, I would like you to go to the market immediately. I don’t want you to tell anyone, why you’re leaving the palace. You need to talk with Seth, the jewelry maker to the Nesu. I need you to bring Seth to the palace immediately. The Nesu has requested that Seth meet with me; it’s a matter of great importance. Do you understand?”

  “Yes my Queen,” said Aya understanding nothing. Thoughts raced through Aya’s mind. “The revenge plan involves talking to the jewelry maker? Perhaps the plan is cunning and intricate. My Queen is clever; she will only tell me what I need to know. I need to do this and perhaps she will say more. Perhaps then the plan will reveal itself.”

  “Good, you can leave now; we have no time to waste. Tell Seth that it’s very important, the Nesu himself has sent for him. He’s to come to the palace immediately and ask for me.” Aya was walking to the door as the Queen completed her instructions. She hurried away feeling the sense of importance and urgency. The Queen did not have to remind Aya the protocol for leaving the royal palace.

  Aya walked to the guardhouse and asked for an away escort, “On Nesu’s orders.” The guard chief asked Aya where she would be going. Understanding the dangers associated with the market, he assigned her two royal guards.

  It was three hours later; the sun had started to gallop across the morning sky. Nithotep had left instructions to show Seth the jeweler to a specific room. Seth felt uncomfortable. He had entered an inner sanctum reserved exclusively for females. Aya presented Seth to the Queen; he displayed a puzzled look upon his face. Aya felt conflicted. Should she advise the Queen to move the location of the meeting? It looked suspicious. It would anger the Nesu if the Queen were to meet a man in the women’s quarters. Perhaps this was the Queen’s way of revenge; it was dangerous to have a liaison with Seth. She would be better exacting her revenge on Bener-ib. It looked like she was exacting revenge directly upon the Nesu. Nithotep spotted the puzzled look upon Aya’s face.

  Aya glanced at the Queen and recognized her gesture. She was to leave immediately. As she turned, she thought this whole affair looked odd. The Queen was dressed conservatively. This was not the way a temptress would entice a man. Aya left shaking her head as she retreated. Seth was a middle-aged man with unattractive features. The Queen is beautiful; she would be able to have her pick from the royal guard. She could have a dalliance with a handsome virile man. This would make the Nesu’s fist clench with a fit of uncontrollable jealousy. Yet she chooses to court Seth? Another shake of her head and Aya was gone.

  “Seth, please approach me, we’ve much to discuss.” Seth moved forward, nervously sitting upon a bench next to a small table. He looked across the table where a gold box was neatly placed. “Our Nesu needs you to do something and he’s asked me to convey his wishes to you directly. Listen carefully; I will only convey these instructions to you once.” Nithotep leaned forward and gently pushed the gold box towards Seth. Seth looked at the Queen unsure of his next response. He could see a small clasp on the front of the box holding a lid firmly in place. His puzzled look prompted the Queen to speak. “Open it carefully.”

  Seth leaned in placing both elbows on the table. He held the small gold box in his left hand. It was old, heavy and the workmanship was average. The clasp was solid and he managed to pry it open with his thumb and forefinger. When Seth peered into the box he was disappointed at first. Two small dark fragments lay within. He tilted the box and flipped the contents into the palm of his hand. As he examined the fragments carefully his curiosity got the better of him. “What are they?”

  The Queen smiled knowing the answer. She would never tell him but she anticipated him asking. “It’s a rare stone, the likes of which you will never see again.”

  “I’ve seen the stones that fall in the desert; gifts from the night sky.” Children would search for the unusual stones and bring them to the palace. They would exchange for food. “Occasionally the Nesu will ask me to polish them and mount them within a piece of jewelry. I’ve studied these stones closely but these are different, very different.” Seth held the pieces. He moved them to within an inch of his trained eyes. He used his small lean fingers to examine the stones. He could feel one side of the stone was smooth and rounded. The other seemed rough and ridged. He examined the stones; during the action of turning them he dropped them onto the table. One of the stones fell to the left, the other to the right. The hard stones bounced upon the surface of the table and came to an abrupt stop. Seth looked at the Queen in horror fearing a sharp show of displeasure. The Queen sat relaxed as she watched the fragments settle. As they lay on the table Seth noticed something strange. It became evident that the fragments aligned. Seth pushed the two halves together. The stones matched exactly along a break now forming a hooked shape. The assembled pieces resembled a claw but they were hard and formed from rock.

  The Queen watched Seth puzzle over the stones and decided to end his deliberations. “The Nesu has specific instructions for you Seth. You are to take this old box and melt it down for the gold. He wants you to craft two identical rings made from this gold.” She pointed to the open box. “The Nesu has asked for you to add his name to each side of the ring with the Catfish symbol on the left and the Chisel symbol on the right. He wants you to grind and polish the stones into an oval setting. A solid mounting should secure the polished stones. The rings have to be identical. You must work night and day, as the rings need to be made as soon as you can. The Nesu is expecting them and he will not wait long. I have to give you some final instructions. You must never make rings like these ever again. You must never mention the rings or let anyone see them. Do you understand Seth?”

  “I do. Should I return the completed rings to you or my Nesu?”

  “You can return them to me directly. I will inform the Nesu as soon as you’ve completed your task. You must hurry but the quality has to be high. Seth, these are important rings. You cannot begin to understand how important they will become. You must make them to withstand the ravages of time. They must be solid and durable. You must make them to last, nothing too intricate.”

  Seth listened intently and was armed with enough information to proceed. “I understand; I’ll start immediately. I’ll use the workshop within the palace. It’ll take me some time but I’ll have them ready as soon as I can.”

  “The Nesu will be pleased Seth. I’ll arrange for food and drink to be available for you. High quality and durable, that’s what he’s expecting.”

  “Yes my Queen.”

  Seth placed the broken fragments into the gold box and asked for permission to leave. He left the Queen’s quarters with the box in his hand and ring designs filling his imagination. Nithotep watched Seth leave allowing a smile to form. She had managed to set the plan in motion. Her Nesu would return and be pleased with her actions. She would not disappoint him; she had repaid his faith in her. Nithotep leaned backwards and allowed a deep breath to exhale from her body. She felt calm as if the burden of a wriggling snake had been passed to another. She trusted Seth; he would work diligently and produce the rings as requested.

  The Nesu returned in a better mood. He inquired about the tasks left with Nithotep. She had pleased him with her efficiency. The guards prevented access to the workshop, restricting the normal flow of workers to approved individuals. Seth toiled away relentlessly stopping only for food and water. Occasionally he would break for a few hours of sleep. He acted like a man possessed. He could not sustain this pace and started to look run down. He pushed himself hard knowing the importance of the rings. The unusual nature of request meant that they must be very important rings. The Queen ensured he was given the finest food as sustenance to keep him going. The heat from the smelting process was intense. Seth was glad to complete this part of the process.

  The grinding of the stones into two oval settings proved problematic. The stone was exceptionally hard and difficult to shape. Seth’s eyes were growing tired and strained but he was driven to complete the rings.
It was many days later before Seth demanded to see the Queen. Seth had worked each day and most of the nights. He looked tired and drawn. Despite his tired face he had a glow of excitement and pride within his eyes. Seth had a brown colored cloth scrunched within his hands. He unfolded the cloth and placed the rings carefully upon the table. The Queen looked at the bright shining gold rings. The rings were perfect. They appeared solid and masculine. They were decorated with the raised images of the Catfish and the Chisel; symbolizing the markings of the Nesu. The stones were deeply set and formed in a perfect oval. The smooth side had been polished. The dark rock now appeared grey with small black stripes. Nithotep retrieved one of the rings to perform a closer inspection. She liked what she saw. “Nesu Narmer will be pleased. You’ve done well Seth. He’ll like these.”

  Seth smiled in relief. He was tired but proud. The rings were of exceptional quality and he had managed to produce them quickly. The rings looked identical. Later that evening, Nithotep presented the Nesu with the rings for inspection. He was pleased but looked nervous. The rings could not have arrived at a better time. Both teams of guards were expected to arrive at the palace by mid-morning of the next day. Runners had informed the palace of their impending arrival. The Nesu would receive them and begin the next part of his divine plan. He leaned forward and kissed Nithotep gently on her forehead. “You’ve done well. Seth’s done well. Tonight we should sleep, for we both have an important day tomorrow.” Nithotep smiled knowing she had relieved her Nesu of his most pressing burden.

  They prepared for bed resting their heads on wooden neck supports. Nithotep had handled the important assignments with ease. The rings had now been delivered and the Nesu seemed pleased. She had done well. It seemed as if a weight had been lifted from her. She now felt tired and relieved. It was not long before she fell deeply asleep. It was still late when Nithotep opened her eyes to rest them on the familiar shape of her husband. An empty space greeted her half open eyes. It was an important day tomorrow and she knew her husband was worried. Was he doing the right thing? What were the consequences if he had chosen foolishly? She needed to support his decision. He was breaking with tradition but times were changing rapidly. It left him with no choice but to implicitly trust mortals. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and rose to her feet. The evening air was hot as she walked naked through the limp sheers onto the stone balcony. She could see his troubled silhouette leaning on the balcony railing. The light from the moon illuminated it. She walked up to him from behind. He had heard her but did not turn to see her approach.

  She said nothing; she pressed her warm body against his. She ran her hand from his right shoulder across his back and let it rest high on his left shoulder.

  “Can’t sleep?” she said in a soothing voice.

  “No. I’m punishing myself over this. Am I doing the right thing? I feel that I am.” He continued to stare out into the darkness.

  “If you feel that you are, then you must be doing the right thing,” she said in an assuring tone. She kissed his ear lobe and snuggled into his neck.

  “My sweet Nithotep, you know things have changed since the first Nesu. It’s a more dangerous time now. People are always trying to kill us, no matter what we do for them. We have to be diligent at all times. You know this. I can’t afford anything to happen to us. I have to be prudent and make alternate arrangements. I have to put my trust in mortals. Do you know how this makes me feel? So you ask if I can sleep.”

  “I know that you are tight and full of restless energy. You resemble a coiled snake about to strike. My dear Nesu…” she stopped to consider her next words carefully. She had to show support, she had to show compassion. Nithotep pressed her cheek against his left shoulder blade hugging him tightly. “I might not trust all mortals but I do trust you. You’ll make the right decision. The Gods put you in this position and they’ll appreciate your actions. You have a big day tomorrow. You don’t want to make any mistakes due to fatigue. Come back to bed, you’ll never sleep if you continue to worry about the right course of action. You need some rest my Nesu.”

  She dropped her hand and pulled his forearm backwards. She ran her hand down his arm to link with his hand. She pulled at it gently asking him to turn and come back to bed. They walked silently back to the bed and resumed their sleeping positions. It did take a while but the Nesu finally calmed his mind and fell asleep. Nithotep refused to sleep until she was certain her husband was relaxed and in deep sleep. She rolled her eyes towards his still body. He might have had doubts but she knew he was making the right choice. He would do well in the coming day’s activities. She allowed her heavy eyelids to close and soon joined her husband in deep sleep.

  * * * * *

  Chapter 8: A lie can travel halfway around the world

  Haworth, West Yorkshire, England, Present day.

  Beth could hear something faint but she struggled to recognize the source of the sound. She was neither awake, nor asleep but suspended in that state between. The ringing in her head forced her to concentrate. The shrill noise pierced her consciousness like an unwelcome visitor. Beth had fallen asleep, comfortable and relaxed deep within her armchair. She woke violently, finally recognizing the distinctive sound of her doorbell. She shook her head as if to shake the cobwebs from her brain. She pushed herself out of the chair and moved quickly to the door. Wiping away the sleep from her eyes, she opened the door without thinking. A policeman in full uniform smiled in acknowledgement. Beth studied the young man’s face trying to read his expression. Her heart grew heavy. He looked tall, wearing the police hat made him look taller.

  “Beth Martindale?” asked the policeman in a firm, steady voice.

  “Yes?” was all that Beth could manage. She was instantly annoyed with herself for the feeble sound that emerged from her mouth.

  “Ms. Martindale, I’d like you to accompany me to Keighley station; we have some news about your fiancé.”

  “What news? Can’t you tell me here?” Beth sounded irritated; she was still angry from her weak greeting and being wakened from her deep sleep.

  “I’m afraid not we have something that we’d like you to see.” The policeman remained calm speaking in a flat monotone voice.

  Beth examined his face looking for the slightest clue. Did he know anything? Was this good or bad news? “Why did I need to go to Keighley? Why couldn’t we meet at the Haworth police station?”

  “We have the right equipment in Keighley. We’d really like you to come with us please.”

  Thoughts streamed through Beth’s mind. “What type of equipment? Was this a lie detector thing? Are they going to question me?”

  “I’ll get my coat.” Beth closed the door on the policeman leaving him to patiently wait on her front doorstep. She had not seen this guy before and would have preferred to talk with Eric, her local village Bobby. Beth grabbed her coat, secured her house keys and fluffed her flattened hair. She pushed her feet into a pair of sneakers and fumbled with the laces. A polite knock on the door signaled some urgency. “I’m coming, hold on I’ll be right there.” Beth completed her check of the kitchen and moved towards the door. “What does he think I’m going to do bolt out of the back door or something?” she rolled her eyes at the thought.

  Beth exited her cottage on Sun Street and turned to lock her front door. The policeman waited patiently a few paces away. A thought raced through her mind. Watching TV cop shows sometimes does help. Beth turned to face the policeman, “Hey, am I being arrested?”

  “No Miss, we’re simply asking you to accompany us to the station where we can discuss our recent findings with you.”

  “So I don’t need to call a lawyer or anything?” The only lawyer Beth knew was David Wilks from the Blue Phoenix Group.

  “You can always call a lawyer if you feel you need one. In this case I would recommend that you see what we have to show you first then decide. I can tell you that you’re not a suspect Miss, if that will make you feel better?”

  Beth observe
d a couple of the neighbors huddled together gossiping. They watched Beth talk to the policeman and pointed to the police car with its blue flashing lights. The policeman had activated the car’s warning lights. He had parked in a poor place causing the road to narrow. He felt it prudent to warn traffic but the lights looked more sinister. The flashing lights provided some drama and added to the excitement of seeing Beth seemingly arrested. The traffic volume was light as people stared and continued to point. Beth thought the scene looked like many she had watched on Coronation Street, a popular British soap opera. She decided to get in the car quickly and end this spectacle that provided entertainment for the neighbors. The cop held the back door open for her and she slipped into the back of the car as quickly as she could. The cop entered the car and flicked the blue flashing lights to an off position. He fastened his seatbelt and picked up his radio to inform the dispatcher that they were on their way. He placed the car in gear, gently pushed the accelerator and started their journey to Keighley.