ALL ARE MORTAL. Greg Pius

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СКАЧАТЬ you decided you needed more protection now that your husband is dead. That makes sense. His men will now return to their own tribal land. Your household has lost many swords. These two look very handy. But are they enough for what is to come I wonder?"

      Confused by these cryptic words, Sarai realised that she was not the only one holding back something in this conversation. Being much younger, she was more direct than her mother so blurted out at once this question,

      "What is it Mother? Do you foresee trouble?"

      Now the smile that played on her mother's lip had no humor behind it. It was a smile of reservation. She said words of comfort to her daughter, but did not believe them even as she uttered them in all sincerity. Then she added this more honest statement,

      "I always foresee trouble Sarai. It is my curse to have this gift that only allows me to see the dark possibilities of future events. Pray my child that you are never cursed with this affliction. In my dreams I see great danger for our family. Your uncle is plotting something that involves your father's younger wife. I can see no more than that but it is enough for me to warn you to seek more protection. "

      Concerned at these words Sarai replied,

      "Could he be after the jewel?"

      A chill went down her mother's spine. She grasped her daughter's right hand. In a voice of doom she said,

      "That's it! Now my dreams make sense. I dreamt of a Gin that gave power. It left my husband's side. Horses rode to capture it. A feeling of evil pervaded the intent in the faces of those horses...Alas that is when I wake up screaming. Luckily it is on the nights your father visit with his other wife. Sarai you always were the most intelligent of my children. I see now what I must do."

      Still trying to take in all that her mother had said, Sarai sat there in the garden rubbing her mother's hand. Then she felt a prickling in her thumbs. All her life, this was a warning of evil. At that exact moment she heard the loud voice of her uncle's chief guard. Alerted in time, she placed a finger on her mother's lips stopping her from saying anything more. The two of them eavesdropped on the words being spoken just beyond the thin garden wall.

      Those words were being uttered by a large man. He said,

      "You there, are you the one called Abram?"

      Looking into eyes of pure evil, Abram said without flinching,

      "No I am called Lot. Abram is on guard at the other entrance to this garden."

      The big gurad then said,

      "Go and tell him to report to the uncle of your mistress. He has questions that must be answered."

      Seeing the wicked smile on this man's face, Abram said.

      "At once excellency."

      Racing off to get to Lot before any more guards turned up. Abram came upon his nephew gazing at the flower picking girls of the palace. He said quietly.

      "Nephew I just told an ugly guard that your name was Abram. You have to go to the uncle of our mistress to answer some questions. Use you 'dumb desert wanderer' routine on him. Azur is inside the garden watching over the two women. They should be safe but I will wait here to protect them from any surprise visitors."

      Quickly sensing the seriousness of the situation by these final words, Lot raced off to do his uncle's bidding. Abram called out to the flower picking maidens these fake words,

      "Your mistress commands your presence. You are to bring to her all the flowers you have gathered."

      As skirted young females raced to their mistress, Abram drew out his large sword. He planted it in front of his large body. Now the back entrance to the private garden was guarded from any evil attack.

      After Lot got back from his harrowing experience, he told Abram that the uncle tried to buy him off after pounding him with questions about the number of guards in their mistress's household. Always quick witted, Lot had replied that there were still many guards, as the men of the dead husband's retinue had not as yet left for their home. As he suspected, this answer did not please his inquisitor. It was then that he was offered a bribe to be the eyes and ears of this wicked man. Lot pretended to go along with the deal, but was not convinced that his mistress was not any safer from his deceptions.

      Nodding,Abram told Lot to draw his sword then stand guard in his place. Abram then risked his mistress's displeasure by entering the garden. Azur came up to him to demand to know why he had left his post. But Sarai said in a calming tone,

      "I am sure Abram had a good reason for deserting his assigned place. Don't you Abram? You are still loyal, I hope?"

      Bowing his head to acknowledge his agreement, Abram said boldly,

      "Mistress there has been an attempt to bribe one of your guards. Your uncle has also asked him many questions about the number of swords protecting your household."

      Nodding, Sarai said,

      "So, now we see my uncle's intent. He plans to seize me to marry off to one of his own people. That would mean great loss of face for my father. My uncle may even try to use me as a hostage to force my father to abdicate."

      Sarai's mother nodded all the way through this surmise by her highly intelligent daughter. She said,

      "The army will only follow the one who possesses the jewel of power given to our ancestors by our most important God."

      Now Sarai was also nodding. Both women were so lost in their own thoughts that they were surprised when Abram said innocently,

      "Why then don't you steal it first mistress?"

      Azur scowled as Sarai's mother looked horrified at this sacrilege. But Sarai said this to placate her fears,

      "Mother in this Abram is right. We must pretend to steal the jewel then secretly return it to you. My uncle will race off hunting down the jewel but leave father in peace. It is the only way to stop his evil plan."

      Wanting to argue against a course of action that could only place her daughter in great danger, but knowing from her gift that this was their only chance, Sarai's mother said sadly,

      "I know he is right, but if I were to lose you then I could not live on this earth."

      Abram now spoke up to show his great promise,

      "Until the day I die mistress, no harm shall come to you."

      At this point Azur realized that Abram loved his mistress as much as he did so he added his own promise,

      "Little Sarai, I watched you grow year by year. No one will harm you as long as I breath. The two of us will protect you from your uncle."

      Smiling her gratitude Sarai said,

      "I thank you both. With your protection and a little cunning we will thwart my uncle's ambitions. Now mother, you must get the jewel and place it in your moon festival offering box. I will carry it out of the palace right under the nose of my corrupted uncle. And I will smile sweetly into his eyes when I leave his sight."

      Laughing mirthlessly, her mother said,

      "I СКАЧАТЬ