Love Unbound

She wears the jewels of the priesthood, her arm, legs and headdress marking her as untouchable. I wear the wristbands of a slave; my only possessions are my loincloth and cloak. My master gave me the wristbands as a sign of honour but they also mark me as his property. I have more freedom than most, if not I wouldn't be in this situation. Because of my fleetness of foot, he has chosen me to be a runner. And run I do. Everyday I gather the messages he has scribed and deliver them to his outlying lands. He feeds me well for the journey, knowing that I will falter if not fed. He gives me journey bread and cool water for the day but I know even if they are gone early I must not return before the messages are delivered. So I run. It's no hardship, for it gives me a sense of freedom even if I can never be free. I enjoy the wind in my hair and the ground is soft beneath by feet. I run for my master's profit but there is pleasure in running as well. 1

    I was running when I met her. It was dusk and I had furlongs to go before I'd delivered the last message. I don't like running at night. There are predators that would eat a man and leave nothing but the slave bracelets for evidence. Even those would be carried off by eagles if not recovered quickly. I was running fast, head down, concentrating on the path ahead and wondering if the overseer would offer me a bed for the night, when I ran into her, literally! She was kneeling by the river, lost in prayer, hurriedly completing the rites that are held to Solaris at dusk and dawn. I, concentrating on warmth and safety, didn't see her and as I rushed past too close, she staggered, toppled and fell gracefully into the river. I stopped abruptly, horrified by my action. A slave could be killed for touching a priestess. At the very least I would be beaten. The scars on my back burned from the memory of previous beatings and I considered running, as far and as fast as I could, knowing that even if I ran to the ends of the earth it wouldn't be enough. I would be caught and returned; my punishment doubled for having tried to avoid it in the first place. 2

    A scream, her scream, roused me to action and before I could think further I dove in the water and reached out to grab her. She struggled for a moment and then relaxed in my arms, leaning into me and allowing me to take her weight. I swam to shore, giving praise to the Gods and masters who'd insisted I learned to swim. 3

    I half dragged her, half carried her out of the water until she was safe on the bank. There she lay gasping and sputtering. Her head bled profusely from where some object had hit her. Although I wanted to help, I dared not. And I stood at a distance while she recovered. Finally she stood shakily and turned to face me. Her beauty stunned me into silence. Her earth-shaded dress had gone semi-transparent and it clung to the hollows and curves of her in a way that was more suggestive than the scantily clad dancing girls who made a living from seduction. As my manhood rose, I looked to the ground, my eyes fixed, awaiting my punishment. 4

    Her voice, as musical as the beaded and silver charms strung to ward off the disgraceful dead, wafted in the evening air. There was no sign of anger or chastisement in her voice and I dared to raise my head just a fraction. She was a head shorter than me and in raising my eyes; they locked with her own. Her eyes held depths of sorrow and I couldn't have said whether they were brown or midnight black. All I knew was that I would bear any punishment if I could see them light with laughter.5

I fell to my knees, waiting for the condemnation, the blows; knowing that the next breath could be my last and not caring in the least. They didn't come, neither the words that would send me to the executioner nor the blows that I deserved. Instead I heard the musical voice above my head. "I would know the name of my rescuer before you go," she lilted lightly, "now you must run as if you haven’t been here, as if you haven’t met me and I will offer prayers to the gods for your safe passage."6

"My name is Amun-et!" I stuttered, as I got to my feet, not believing my luck, not believing she wasn’t going to make me pay for touching her, albeit inadvertently.7

"I will pray for you Amun-et. Now run!" Then she was gone, leaving only a hint of frangipani to colour the wind. I ran on and on without pause, without rest, my thoughts giving wings to my feet. When I arrived at the overseer’s house I was given a place at the hearth.  Only my tiredness allowed me to sleep through the turmoil of my thoughts.8

    After that I dreamed about her all the time. I made plans, lover's plans, dreamer's plans, foolish plans. I knew none of them could come to pass but that didn't stop me. I didn't know her name, yet I made excuses to pass by the river where she prayed. And I stopped often to pray myself. This earned me some beatings for wasting time and I bore my stripes proudly oblivious to the pain they brought me.9

She never acknowledged my presence, or my devotion but sometimes her eyes smiled when she gave me a blessing.10

    One day I came to the river, after dark. She was there, alone. Her eyes shone as if she'd been crying but her face was serene. She looked as if she had undergone an internal struggle and won. Gloriously. Victoriously.  11

    I stopped. I couldn't help myself. This lady had given me life when I deserved death and I could no more stand aside and watch her in danger than I could become a free man by wishing.12

    Night fell swiftly, the temperature dropped suddenly and I felt more than heard her sharp intake of breath.  She was wearing no more than on the day I first met her, her jewelry enclosing her, her pride surrounding her like a shroud. Her fear was palpable. 13

"What is it?" I whispered into the darkness.14

"Amun-et. Run!" She whispered back ferociously. "You mustn't be seen with me! I am a sacrifice for the gods and I die alone, as alone as I have lived. I am happy to go, for this is my service, but you tempt me too much. Before I die, I desire to be held and since that day at the river I have thought of no one but you. If you run now I can keep my vows."15

"We could run together!" I say unthinkingly.16

"No!" she says quietly but vehemently, "I am a priestess of Solaris I won't forsake my vows."  17

I hear the growl of an animal in the distance and know what I must do.18

I kneel beside her and hold onto her, she melts into me clinging as she did in the river and I turn her towards me to look into those depthless eyes.19

Night falls swiftly. The predators draw nearer and the scent of frangipani fills the air, as I pray that the eagles come to claim my wristbands before my master or the temple finds them with her jewelry.20