Ch. 15: When You Least Expect It
Daniel sat staring at the wall. It wasn't Latin or Babylonian…or Egyptian. Actually, he knew a whole lot of what it wasn't, but he still didn't know what it was. The letters looked Greek, but when he translated them it made no sense. He took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Lost in his own thought, he didn't hear Mytel come in.
Mytel walked over and crouched in front of him. She placed her hand on his knee, causing him to look up and smile. "Daniel, perhaps you should take a break for a short time. It may clear your mind."
Daniel nodded. "You're probably right." He leaned over and gave her a soft kiss.
Mytel stood up and took Daniel's hand, pulling him to his fee. "Come. I know a good way for you to relax."
Daniel simply let her lead him down the corridor. They stopped outside of Mytel's chambers, where she disappeared inside for a few minutes. Daniel was leaning against the wall when she emerged, a small bag slung over her shoulder. "Where are we going?"
Mytel grinned mischievously. "You'll see." She headed back down the corridor.
After a couple of minutes, Daniel knew exactly where she was taking him. "Why are we going to the clearing…and what's in the bag?"
Mytel laughed. "You have little patience. Just wait."
When they got to the clearing, she led him to the edge of the hot spring and set down the back. "The steaming waters will calm your muscles as well as your mind."
Daniel blushed and looked around sheepishly. "Uhh, I don't have anything to wear in the water."
Mytel stepped close to him. "You don't need anything."
_________________________________________
As Daniel's fingertips played through Mytel's wet hair, he felt hers tracing the outline of the muscles in his chest. They were lying on one of the large towels Mytel had brought with. Daniel felt her shiver. The sun was starting to go down and the temperature was falling. "We should head back."
Mytel nodded against his bare shoulder, reluctant to move. "Lusof, Kamah, and I are to dine with the elders. They wish you to join us once again."
_________________________________________
Daniel shifted in his chair. Most of the conversation throughout the meal had focused on politics. He was sitting between Kamah and Caruwin, leader of the elders. Across the table, Lusof kept glaring at Daniel. As the plates were cleared, Caruwin broke into the conversation. "It is time to turn to lighter things." She turned to Mytel. "Now that you have completed your service, have you begun thinking of joining?"
Mytel nearly choked on the juice she had been drinking. "I…uh…I haven't thought about it."
Lusof glared at Daniel as he spoke to Caruwin. "My sister is concerning herself with other matters at the moment."
Mytel glared at her brother. "You have not been joined either, Brother."
Caruwin smiled. "She is right Lusof. But for now you must focus on leading us." She turned back to Mytel. "Surely there must be some man you have your eye on."
Mytel was flushed with embarrassment and getting redder. "Umm, well, I guess, sort of."
Kamah stood abruptly. "Tomorrow I return to my lessons. I should return to my chamber to study and sleep." She nodded at those around the table before walking out.
Daniel took this as his out. "I should take my leave too. I want to get a little more work in before I go to bed."
Caruwin stood. "Of course. We all have much to do. This was a pleasure." With that, everyone wished each other a good night and headed their separate ways.
_________________________________________
Daniel flipped through yet another book. He still wasn't making any progress. He set the book on the floor in the middle of a pile of papers to wipe his glasses on his shirt. When he looked back down a smile spread slowly across his face. He grabbed a pad and pen and began scribbling ferociously.
Daniel sat staring at the wall. It wasn't Latin or Babylonian…or Egyptian. Actually, he knew a whole lot of what it wasn't, but he still didn't know what it was. The letters looked Greek, but when he translated them it made no sense. He took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Lost in his own thought, he didn't hear Mytel come in.
Mytel walked over and crouched in front of him. She placed her hand on his knee, causing him to look up and smile. "Daniel, perhaps you should take a break for a short time. It may clear your mind."
Daniel nodded. "You're probably right." He leaned over and gave her a soft kiss.
Mytel stood up and took Daniel's hand, pulling him to his fee. "Come. I know a good way for you to relax."
Daniel simply let her lead him down the corridor. They stopped outside of Mytel's chambers, where she disappeared inside for a few minutes. Daniel was leaning against the wall when she emerged, a small bag slung over her shoulder. "Where are we going?"
Mytel grinned mischievously. "You'll see." She headed back down the corridor.
After a couple of minutes, Daniel knew exactly where she was taking him. "Why are we going to the clearing…and what's in the bag?"
Mytel laughed. "You have little patience. Just wait."
When they got to the clearing, she led him to the edge of the hot spring and set down the back. "The steaming waters will calm your muscles as well as your mind."
Daniel blushed and looked around sheepishly. "Uhh, I don't have anything to wear in the water."
Mytel stepped close to him. "You don't need anything."
_________________________________________
As Daniel's fingertips played through Mytel's wet hair, he felt hers tracing the outline of the muscles in his chest. They were lying on one of the large towels Mytel had brought with. Daniel felt her shiver. The sun was starting to go down and the temperature was falling. "We should head back."
Mytel nodded against his bare shoulder, reluctant to move. "Lusof, Kamah, and I are to dine with the elders. They wish you to join us once again."
_________________________________________
Daniel shifted in his chair. Most of the conversation throughout the meal had focused on politics. He was sitting between Kamah and Caruwin, leader of the elders. Across the table, Lusof kept glaring at Daniel. As the plates were cleared, Caruwin broke into the conversation. "It is time to turn to lighter things." She turned to Mytel. "Now that you have completed your service, have you begun thinking of joining?"
Mytel nearly choked on the juice she had been drinking. "I…uh…I haven't thought about it."
Lusof glared at Daniel as he spoke to Caruwin. "My sister is concerning herself with other matters at the moment."
Mytel glared at her brother. "You have not been joined either, Brother."
Caruwin smiled. "She is right Lusof. But for now you must focus on leading us." She turned back to Mytel. "Surely there must be some man you have your eye on."
Mytel was flushed with embarrassment and getting redder. "Umm, well, I guess, sort of."
Kamah stood abruptly. "Tomorrow I return to my lessons. I should return to my chamber to study and sleep." She nodded at those around the table before walking out.
Daniel took this as his out. "I should take my leave too. I want to get a little more work in before I go to bed."
Caruwin stood. "Of course. We all have much to do. This was a pleasure." With that, everyone wished each other a good night and headed their separate ways.
_________________________________________
Daniel flipped through yet another book. He still wasn't making any progress. He set the book on the floor in the middle of a pile of papers to wipe his glasses on his shirt. When he looked back down a smile spread slowly across his face. He grabbed a pad and pen and began scribbling ferociously.
