Scrolls of the Prophet
Book I
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Bathing with Friends
“Great Master Tancred...I have here in my knap...a scribed upon parchment that you really must see...That is of course...if you feel up to it...and are willing..?” I questioned quite simply. “It is surely the last of the objects I have brought for your review...”
“This is clearly too much...too fast...young master...Tav...I must have a moment to gather my wits and put forth consideration of the many things we have viewed so far...” The Great Master motioned with the waive of one hand. His palm out and sweeping far above the table as it passed over the layout of my earlier treasures. I scanned my view over at the wood-plate with its fanciful etchings, the sharp pointed spear-tip of silver intent and the great “Sword of Palmyra”.
It was quite a bit of digger’s luck to have gathered up such treasures all at once, and probably just as big a feat to take in the entire lot on such short given notice. I gave way to his needs and bowed down to his plea and agreed with his view. Within a slow motion of movement I put my heavily worn satchel to the flat surface of the table.
“Maria...Maria..!” Sir Tancred called out in his request for her service.
“Yes I am here Great Master..!” The young woman voiced over from her lowly position still down by his knee-height at one-pace away. Her attentions still focused on caring and nursing of the old Master Malakie.
“Oh come on now my girl...let the priestly buzzard be...He will be up on his own and singing in no time...but is surely o-k now and plays only distraught to gain more attentions...” The Great Master commanded, and with a more gracious tone continued to speak:
“Rise up my fine lass...and do attend to my friend here...for he looks heavily laden with heavy dust and some soils...and in a bit of a pit... if I don't say so myself..! Prepare the big soaker and let us treat the young master...to a bubbly relax...and an extra lot of soap-root to clean up his act before he attends our next meeting...and your extra-special scrubbing...from the grind of a sea-sponge...”
“As you command...sire...” She agreed from her lower location down on the floor, and while bowing her head she moved one-palm from its rest behind the priests balding head, she then titled Master Malakie with gentle persuasion, up from his lie in laid-out fool's splendor and up to a more appropriately seated position. She pulled his palm up from its sag and she moved it before him. With graceful attentiveness, she inserted a fine-grained wood-cup of tea from the table. The old one was now left to his own self support and he drank a big slurp of the tea all on his own. While slurping away there was a stint to his glint as he smiled over at me, no doubt from his bout of plying for care. The servant-girl, Maria, she then rose from her knees, and in one brisk-set motion, walked through the closed purple-sash of the curtain and toward the additional back section which off-roomed the tent. This, I was sure, led off from this room and to the Great Master Tancred’s, fine sleeping quarters.
“Well...goat-head young master...and don't show yourself shy..!” The lead knight called out to my staring while he stood from across the wood-table. “We will not pass you over...but we need a few moments to ponder your position...and to look over all these things...take some time my dear boy...and do clean yourself up...and upon your return...we will provide compensation...”
It was his final sound that made me feel better, and before adding words to our story we both showed out with sly-smiles. I reached in my knap and pulled out the old scroll, and with a matched-look of defiance...tossed its body on the table...
“Oh...young master...we'll have a look at your parchment upon your return...be off for a moment and do take charge of your scent...and that of your cleaning..!” The big man then added:
“Through there...Great Master..?”
I questioned in pointing at the purple-sash where Maria’s path had just led her away, and while Sir Tancred fast-nodded in a smirk of agreement, and with no further instruction or any sign given, shook my head in confusion as I turned and walked that way.
In all of my visits to this body of knights' camp, I had never one-time been beyond this blue-curtain. With great signs of tension I passed beneath the wide sash, took a few paces and came to another offset of the tent. “Its even bigger on the inside..,” I muttered, then turned to my right to make another room's entrance when I took in the sight of the great tub of brass.
Up to this point, one's bathing in general had been of convenience, only done on occasion and at my pass of a free-flowing river, stream, or sizable pond, these waters quite scarce while traversing through deserts. Of coarse more often than not, the occurrence my wash was almost forcibly required. This came to mind as I still thought quite highly of the portable camp’s orange-and-white-tent with its fancy seats for one's dumping, and here, I was completely unsure of the required bath-rituals. But more than that, I did not want to be caught in-front of Maria, or any other female for that matter, without body covering.
Just from the gesture and stilted look that Sir Tancred had given, I was pretty sure of his intentions and hoped they wouldn't leave me too overly exposed...fully belittled...and in front of a servant girl who looked more experienced, and was easily much older than the likes of myself, and also probably twice my age in years. As far as I could tell, she had no mark of promise on her cheek, chin, nose, or forehead. But out of respect for the keep of her honor...and mine...I decided to lower my gaze from taking her full view while I continued to process my paces through another hanging blue-sash.
“Over here...young master...Tav...” Maria called briskly to my low vision of entrance as I entered the room. Without hesitation, I lifted up my chin and raised up my eyes to see where I had arrived. This room was quite large in stature and Maria smiled quaintly out from her position next to a three-paneled wood frame that stood at head-height. Its structure peaked up from the rug over carpeted flooring with internal panels that appeared with shade-screens . She motioned with calmness as her arms moved with practiced patterns that drew me in further. I could not resist her bright demeanor and without given thought, then stepped in a bit closer. Within hidden efforts, I put foot-after-foot forward as I made my approach and used up what reserves that still remained stored-up in my thoughts of reservation.
“Please...if you will...step inside...and behind here...” Her eyes showed out agreeing, her voice soft and seductive as she put both palms to waiving in an informative way that guided me to come up and behind the three-piece wooden frame. It was fancifully detailed with silver-stenciled birds which were caught at mid-flight as they floated in airborne upon the tightly stretched turquoise-screened fabrics that in turn were tied tight to overlaid mahogany squares, each sitting round-topped upon the wooden paneled frames. The three-sectioned walls then showed themselves to be independently connected via sets of elongated brass-hinges while the three-doors stood standing fully free on their own. The entire three-paneled ensemble had been covered at the edges within a nice reveal of wicker zig-zagged patterns.
I stepped with an unsteady footing to peer through the screens which hid the brass-tub, it sat stiffly on a base of four-legs which raised it up stately in the middle of the room. I followed her lead to the open area behind the free-standing panel-wall. And once in position, my body spun easily into a circle before before the palms on my shoulders then turned me to forward and I faced her head on. My head bowed low as I contemplated every part of my tired being, and I felt caught still within sight and exposed to her eyeing.
With raw reckless abandonment, and with no gulp given by me to her prodding, she looked me cold in the face. Her dark-eyes held me captive in her deep pull of collectiveness as she stood close and steadfast while maintaining her position, but before she motioned softly and requested her needs. I paused without thinking while caught totally unsure of what my next move might be, then stood blank-faced as I awaited for some guidance.
“Clothes young master..clothes..!” She requested, as though no retort could be uttered in one's efforts to block her command. Maria reached out with a firm set of palms while she grasped at my tunic and grabbed up a wicker-basket. It only took me a moment to figure out what she wanted, and unfortunately I thought, she probably wanted me to place my current coverings in it.
Not wanting to upset her, I put forth no reservation and hastily disrobed to only the cover of my leggings. I placed my dusty soiled tunic and under-covers into the wide rim of the weaved basket as she held it out before me, and I felt somewhat foolish as I now stood there top-naked, raw-chested to my leggings and down to my worn sandals. She then moved her position to the opposite side of the partition but held the woven basket around at my side.
“Hmm...hmm..! She demanded, and I reluctantly complied by kicking off my sandals and dropping my leggings to the floor. I stepped free of their hold and bent down, grabbed them up, and dropped them in the basket. I took a deep breath as I stood exposed in the openness of my raw given birth-rite with only the thin-wall of screened-fabric between our two-views.
“Sandals too young master...Tav..!” She showed with a call which froze my veined-eyes, and then with a menacing gesture she leaned in to my side, behind the wood-curtain, and briskly flipped the wicker basket to a fully closed position. With her dark-eyes steadily raised up in dissension, she immediately rose their view higher up and toward the top of the tent. After getting her fill, Maria sat the round basket down on the floor-rug. And in an act of smooth calmness she reached around the partition and held out a cloth; “To cover-up you nude-ness as you sit in the tub...!”
I sighed with relief...then watched as her arm was withdrawn and she walked over to a small adjoining room to then vanished from sight as she disappeared in it. She soon reemerged to my regrets and sadness while holding a folded-over sheet and two-small towels that all seemed to be of similar orange-colored cottons.
The two-towels of one palm she sat on one of three-finely grained wooden stools that were lined up next to one-another at one-side of the tub, the great bulk of it took up much of the space in the middle of the room.
“Here you are...young master...put on this...” The young woman spoke, her soft eyes upon me through the fusion of the screen. Maria threw the thick fold of fabric up and over the peak of the middle bi-fold frame, and as I accepted the cloth I couldn't help but notice how extremely soft it was, and how it almost brought to mind the feeling of what comes to mind when hugging a sheep. When I opened its first-fold it smelt strongly of lemon-zest, and it hung from my palm as it draped down to the floor. I used two-hands to hold it outstretched, and the cumbersome thing possessed a holed open-seam front and a armhole on each side. At this point in the game I needed no instruction and put out no wait for any insightful instruction. First I dawned the cloth on and then wrapped its warm thickness around the entirety of my raw body.
When raising my eyes, Maria had slipped a matched waist-thong over the panel where I had first pulled the robing from. I palmed up the white strip and slid the long length through the two-hanging loops which were stitched on one to each side. With the waist-belt in place, I tied-off the ends just above where it covered my hip-bones. There was a newly found confidence that rose up within me, and I made a half twirl in examination as I stepped out from behind the three-frames of security.
I smiled at Maria while presenting my fashion. She now entered my area and stood a little distant while over at the far-side of the tub, and while she put to use her same practiced moves, she gave me the nod-wink which called me to her side.
On my way over to Maria I glanced through an adjacent opening, the archway of the tent-wall, and it led to the inner-sanctum of yet another room, one which lay just beyond, and it being the same room that she had previously entered when she retrieved the orange-towels only a few moments before.
When I looked into the room, along the very back wall, stood a large bench of darkened hard-wood with a face and legs which were covered in the most elaborate carving. It sat against the wall and just below a big window. This big hole in the wall was so high up that a tall person of stature would have to stand on the bench to simply view out of it.
On one-side of the room were mounted rows of fine shelving, the long planks in their running ran from the floor to high ceiling. Each length also of dark-wood and packed with all manner of labeled jar, bowl and flask. Some of which even came in clear-glass containers, so that the person who looked at them could easily see its entire contents. With a quick-eye of peeking, I caught sight of the many assorted iridescent-colored powders that were inside these jars as they ran down the entire run of the planked shelving.
When I took a quick look upon the opposing tent-wall, my blue-eyes fell upon a tall shadowy figure, it leered out like a warrior, for this ghostly form was that of Sir Tancred’s full body-armor, and it stood along side of his assorted sets of warring-clothes, these faceted on their own and covered with the heavy-links of his chain-mail. Next to these were expensive groups of spears, swords, shields and awesome big battle axes that ran out in an organized fashion while mounted to triangular framed stands below flowing cloth-walls.
This arrangement of war tools looked pleasantly inviting and quite regal as they ran out away on both sides of his outfits. From the look at all wealth I had just seen, it was obvious to me, and any other on-looker, that seven-silver-”shekels” would be of little annoyance to issue from such a well to do master.
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Just at that moment the blue-sash moved slightly, and into the room came a two small boys who carried mid-sized brass-buckets. Without posting a word they scrambled right past me and approached the big tub from the opposite side.
Maria side-stepped from her given position as the first boy in line slapped down a short stool and let loose with his dispersing of measured hot water into the vast empty brass-basin. He seemed barely of ten-years, but more likely much less. His small body dark-tanned and only covered with a square leather loin-cloth to hide away his privates it was secured with thin thong-string that wrapped around his narrow waist.
The boy smiled outgoingly as he unloaded his cargo and then dropped to the floor. He spun around lowly to avoid the next cast by the boy in the follow. The pair of them fast to re-align as they left the room rapidly through the sash of the doorway. I noted a small square of matching material that covered their backsides in hind-sight to avoid view of their bottoms. In some kind of style that I had never been privy, their heads were clean shaven except for a long silky-black-ponytail that hung loosely down, then draped plainly to a nip at the base back of their loin-cloths.
The young boys of dark-tanning had no more than left, when another pair with almost an identical look entered the room in possession of their own fat brass-buckets. In a show of obedient style, as though it had been performed many times before, these boys also projected without falter to the finish of an identical operation.
While the second boy poured out his water in a calm even flow, I looked upon him closer and took special notice of the fine blue-powder that shadowed his eyes, and the thin black-lines that marked in fine detail the outside edges of his small, pouty-lips. These directly applied alterations brought out to my view, the dark-color of his eyes and the simple, smooth features of his youthful young face.
The distinct look of the boys also featured, mounted wide bracelets upon their wiry wrists with similar mounted round-rings that were mounted high up over their arm-bends. The whole affect of their short appearance looked quite worldly to my eyes. And when finished with pouring, they simply turned around and left, the steam of the tub’s fill had sent up with consistent bursts of warm vapors and intriguing scents. Again as the boys departed the sash was brushed aside, while immediately another of like group came in to take their place.
My view took in the same loin-cloth of meager body-covering, brass-rings on their arms, and long braided tails. In the same manner as the others they brought forth more water, then about faced and bolted as the tub filled with water. My mind was at swirl from the advance of the ordeal, set full of distraction, and I had almost completely forgot the servant girl Maria who was still standing close by, relaxed and in patience.
“Kemet-Egyptian”...slave boys..!” She spoke in surprise, her form now standing much closer at my side. The voice she put out was quite and matter-of-factly. “There are seven of them all-together that make up their group...and the great master had nabbed them in a card-bet he'd won...The master is quite pleased with their job-skills and mannerisms to boot...and he had chosen to bring their small group back with him from his distant ventures abroad...were he had so gallantly guarded a royal “Kemet-Egyptian” priest...one who had been ransacked on his return trip from “Thebes”...the boys are very well behaved and their guardians were brought also...I think the whole lot were involved in some type of extra barter..,” she spoke well informed and with caring in her voice.
I was not sure of the boy’s treatment back in their home lands of “Kemet-Egypt”, but I was sure in my heart that they were all well treated here. For surely they were watched over while under the thoughtful eyes of Sir Tancred the lead knight and also a Great Master. Between her soft talk and the young boy’s happy smiles, I did come to notice without staring, the incredible whiteness of all their bright teeth. “one would like his teeth to show out that white..!” I thought as I took in the whole scene again. And with the big brass-tub now completely filled, I watched as the last set of two-boys quickly came and then exited.
“Little “Kemit – Egyptian” boys, you just have to love them..!” Maria gave over with an over-sized smile as she placed a friendly palm to the top of my shoulder, and I stood a-bit stiff while only adorned in the robe.
“Now young master...Tav...the white-powder of this tub-tray is first dipped with the end of that there, small brush...and then in a repeating...consistent action...one must push its bristles back-and-forth across your mouth full of teeth...but make sure to take your time and get between all the cracks and crevices...and since you are clearly so new at this young master...it would be wise to complete this part of the clean-up first before entering the tub and spoiling all the water...After rinsing your mouth with this cup of fresh water...please dispose of the waste without swallowing it down...and spit it in this wooden-bowl for disposal.” Maria pointed out the locations of all required things that she spoke of.
“Also...young friend...you should try to remember to allow the great amount of newly created bubbles to sit on your teeth for the count of one-hundred...and after the first few uses...your teeth will become familiar to your use of the powder and you shall not need such a long count in your wait for conclusion...” The woman of beauty gave out in her guide, so I would not feel self-conscious about the state of my mouth. It had been in my practice to make use of frizzled-branch stem, to rub it upon my teeth and keep them free of debris.
“I guess now in such modern times as these, the alchemists of the world have been busy again.” This seemed proof-true of this period so I would just have to get use to it. “Brushing one’s teeth with the use of white-powders..!” I thought to myself after putting the tip of my finger into the dish and touching my tongue with the powdery construct. “Minty...” I thought, “and on the other palm,...it would surely surprise my love of life Maggy...if I were to show up at our meeting with such a mouthful of wonderment...”
I lost the path of my thoughts on my dearest love Maggy, when the smell of Maria now so filled my mind. It was the scent of sweet flowers, a particular kind that I did not know the name of but had smelt once before “Sodom..!” I jested and held my thoughts in. My eyes coming across tempted while I close-noticed the sultry skin of her face, arms and neck. I took in their glistening with each flicker of candle-light which sparked up the soft silver-powders that speckled her skin.
“Pay attention young...master..! I have much in the doing in the Great Master’s tent...and bathing young boy’s...well...it was surely not among them...or even planned for in ahead...”
I was not sure what her thoughts on bathing would take me, but I had the distinct feeling that I was about to find out. With a quickened response I put attention to my eyes and tried not to let her pass without view.
“Now after your mouth-brush with the items that lay here..,” She pointed out the dish that housed the wood-handled-brush of small size, and the bowl of white-powder that hung right beside it. I followed her gaze with one of my own, and examined the display that stood out before us. The round brass-dish that held the mouth-powder of use was, just one of six-trays that spiraled in rotation around a thick centralized bronze-shaft. The post at its middle ran up from the tub's end and gave levitation to the whole group in all. The round, fat lip of the very big tub sat only a few fingers in distance from the top of first nearby dish.
Maria pointed them out one at a time as she explained their sorted uses. As she listed them out I hardly had a clue to just what she meant... “TMI..,” I thought briskly, for it leaned toward the female body personal, and no matter what she stated, it felt like it was in the making of way too-much information...
“Then young master...Tav.., you pour the hole contents of this particular dish into the water and just before you enter the wetness...stir it quite fervently with this big hanging-spoon here...” Her finger called out a second a dish of blue-powders, and then she pointed to the biggest wooden-spoon I had ever seen. It hung out like a club via a fragile leather-thong, and draped from a brass-hook of stability that was mounted to the spindle that climbed up from the tub. The large open-concave of its elliptical-head, had been bored out with roundness to hold the blue-powder. It was clear to my mind that with the use of both palms, one would be stifled at powering the great beast of wooden-spoon through the streams of the water.
“This will cloud the water with the shading of blue-milk, and produces the spontaneous, thick bubbles that all find enticing...it also does well to give you the smell of fresh-lemons in the beginning of springtime...the clouded display of its color in blue...provides comfort as well...for no-one can see the sunken family treasures that lay below the waters...”
Maria showed out with her white-teeth again, and as she placed a palm to hide away her mouth-full of giggles, I noticed without show the long length of her nails, and once considered, accepted their ability to cure the many itches that plagued my back from time-to-time. I adjusted my thinking and put such scandalous thoughts to the back of my mind…
“Now young master...after you stir it with great amounts of passion...take this round of ball here...a thick round of sea-sponge... and dowse it in the third-tray of green-powders and Scrub around your feet, your legs, and of course your family treasures...and about the round of your neck...and down on your back-side..!” She pointed out the rough textured brown lump of, exactly what I was not sure of. The brass-dish of green-holding I accepted as real, but the mention of sea creatures was not in my forte'. “Did she just mention sea-sponges..?” I questioned to myself.
“Then...when you are finished with the things I have shown you, pick up this small bell and give ring...now young master...if I don’t show up in an instant or hurry...just sit back down and relax for a moment...surely I will be right in...” The young woman with flowery scents and very reflective soft-skin sat the fancy small bell back on the dish where it came from. “Any questions of me young master...before I let you go on your own to attend to your business..?”
“Not for the moment fine miss...but I will ring if something becomes of great need...” I replied in a flustered look that took in all the water, the tub, and included the dishes.
“Then...have fun with your bathing...and hang your robe here..,:” She waived her palm gently at a tall hook and stand, it stood close by and only half a pace away. The stand rose up from a base of three-separate wooden-feet. The top of the stand was steamed with precision so that the final run of wood at its peak had looped in a hooked circle several times.
The design was quite unique in appearance as the final end had then poked out from its body and would hook to hold tight any run of long body-cloth. In addition, there was another three-rounded hooks of firm bending which sat at lower locations.
“A fine bit of craftsmanship...” I thought, as Maria made brisk at her stroll for an exit. She left from the room through the fallen width of the blue-sash, and left me alone to figure out my next steps.
“Where is a lake when you need it the most..?” I mumbled in frustration. “Is this what it's like in these very modern times...when upon visiting abroad it calls for one to be unclothed...naked...and doing of all things...bathing with friends….?”
...Select Next Scroll...
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Thank you valued Rider's Vault Members..!
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CURRENT VOLUME List:
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Scrolls of the Prophet...historical/biblical/adventure/coming of age
- Awakening
- Gathering
- Binding
- Bloodline
- Prophecy
- Phoenicia
- Future Dig
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Scrolls of the Past...historical/adventure/coming of age
- Amen Rey (Egyptian)
- House of the Fawn - (Greek)
- Spice Road - (Persian)
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Dominatrix...sci-fi/thriller/action/space adventure/coming of age/assassin
- Domina
- Bisal
- Alaran
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Terraformation..sci-fi/action/adventure/alien love story/space travel
- Terra-Form
- Terra-Rise
- Terra-Site
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Quest of the Seeker..thriller/murder mystery/afterlife/coming of age
- The Key
- The Clown
- The Seeker
**Hint: The Seeker is the Grim Reeper's brother...:)
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The Cleaner..action/thriller/coming of age/assassin
- The Child
- The Woman
- The Teacher
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Ready The Yeti..children's series/adventure/life lessons
- I Am Ready
- I Am Sassy
- I am Abominable
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Scrolls of the Prophet - Book Volumes 01 - 07 + all other titles in progress (25 Book Volumes)
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