The Prodigal Page #7

The truth or it'll go

hard on the lot of you.

- The plague.

- The plague?

- How do you know?

- How do we know?

Well, first he complained of the fever

and then the next thing,

well, what else but the plague

strikes like lightning?

The plague.

You, barber-surgeon, the test for the dead.

But, my good man, the evil humors

of the plague spread at the merest touch.

Me touch him?

Have you never read Hippocrates?

The test, quick!

Remove his chains

and have him taken to the pits.

Next.

Why do you wait?

Who will be the next

to pay their respects?

Your Majesty.

The silly rooster has

taught us a sad truth.

That it is easier to walk into

the lion's den than out again.

One more, Samarra, one more,

and then I'll go to bed.

- You will?

- Hand on my heart.

Good news, my High Priestess, the best.

Your news must be happy indeed.

Never before have I seen you smile.

What is it?

The unholy infidel, Micah ben Eli, is dead.

He died of the plague,

was thrown into the vulture pits.

Never again will he trouble you.

Never again.

- I come from Ramadi the Steward.

- From the dungeon?

The pits?

- Ramadi says make ready.

- When? When will it be?

The night...

The night of the full of the moon.

Tell Salkhad

and Harun and Nisbin...

They will all be told, friend.

Carmish? What's he doing here?

He's the slimiest gutter rat

in the whole of Damascus.

- He sold his soul the day he was born.

- Yes.

And that I am.

But what rat would stay on a sinking ship?

Nahreeb is sinking.

He's gone too far.

Every beggar in Damascus knows it.

Every beggar in Damascus is with you.

Micah, it is gold from Carmish

that is keeping us alive.

Of course, if you lose,

in the full of the moon,

I'm back on the other side.

Full of the moon!

And we can't even get our chains off

so as we can fight.

And I want to hit somebody.

Oh, how I want to hit somebody!

I saw him. In the line at the granary.

Your Micah!

- What?

- I saw him in the line at the granary,

your Micah.

It was someone who looked like Micah.

No, the granary of the west.

He was standing outside.

- Hand on my heart.

- But he's dead.

Do you hear? Dead.

You know that.

I said hand on my heart.

I saw his face as plain as the full moon.

And no one but Micah

could look that much like Micah.

Oh, Yasmin!

I've got my weapon. Where's yours?

Pepper. Just a little.

Yasmin said you were here.

It seemed too wonderful to believe.

You were dead, so I was dead.

- You are alive, now I may be.

- Samarra...

I know just how we might be gone

from here.

I've made the journey so many times

in my thoughts.

My gods will find

a worthier high priestess.

- Come.

- I stay.

But you must

take yourself away from here.

- Why?

- Leave now.

- Why, Micah?

- Do as I say for your own sake!

Why are you here?

- What have you to do with them?

- I am one of them.

You?

- What do you mean to do?

- We mean to wreck your gods.

We mean to and we will.

Now, go before you're hurt.

Micah, I have offered you your freedom.

Your life.

Myself.

But as you would destroy me

for your faith,

so I would destroy you for mine.

Rhakim!

Now!

Asham!

Come on.

All of it, anything,

don't let them through!

Nahreeb is dead.

Let him hang by the Tinted Wall

for all to see.

To the Tinted Wall!

Samarra! Samarra!

They saw him hanging on the Tinted Wall

with their own eyes.

They'll never lay

their murderous hands on me.

I have a galley waiting for us.

We'll sail to Byblos.

No. I stay here.

I told him that his life wouldn't be worth

the tail of a locust.

- And I'm telling you.

- My people would not harm me.

When they see me,

they will stop this madness.

You're not frightened at all?

A high priestess cries the day she is born,

never again in her lifetime.

You must go with Bosra now.

You must promise me, Yasmin,

never a tear.

Wait.

Here.

Oh, no, Samarra.

- Only the high priestess may wear this.

- Guard it for me until next we meet.

May the gods in the Four Halls

grant that we meet soon.

Oh, Yasmin, remember,

you were chosen to be High Priestess.

Be worthy.

Whether or not we meet soon,

I will be with you always.

Hand on my heart.

I loved you so.

Come on!

Come on!

She must die now or we fail.

Home.

There is home, Asham.

I would rather be a servant

in my father's house

than a king in Damascus.

Micah!

My son.

Father.

My Micah.

Father, I have sinned.

No need to talk of that now, my son.

I've sinned against heaven

and in your sight.

I'm not worthy to be called your son.

Caleb. Run!

Run and tell our family, our friends

and our neighbors.

And send to Joppa for musicians

who can make joyous music.

For this, my son, was lost, and is found.

And Caleb, the fatted calf,

bring the fatted calf.

For this night

we shall eat and make merry!

Ruth.

She would not come.

But what if she did come?

If she did come, I would tell her

that what cannot be forgotten

can sometimes be forgiven.

What you have to say

is better spoken aloud than kept within.

Say it.

Say it I will.

Lo, these many years I've served you

and have done everything

that you've asked me to do,

but there's been no rejoicing,

no feasting for family or friend.

You've never given me so much as a kid

that I might make merry with my friends.

But for him who wasted your living,

just threw away his portion,

for him you kill the fatted calf.

Son, you are ever with me,

and all that I have is yours.

It was meet that we should make merry

and be glad

for this, your brother,

was dead and is alive again.

And was lost and is found.

Ask yourself, Joram,

"Have I not judged my brother

too harshly?"

My sons, my rock,

my future.

English.

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