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tamingthemuseTitle: Untitled
Fandom: Original
Prompt: Hegemony
Warnings: none
Rating: G
Summary: Jacky and Mata’ka’ala flee from Babylon to Egypt, but first they make a stop in Kedesh.
They arrived in Kedesh under the cover of night, the cold winds of the north at their backs.
Jacky burrowed into his cloak, hiding his face away from the bite of oncoming winter. He had thought that this close to the Middle East it would be warmer, but he had forgotten to take into account the change of weather patterns over the millennia. It was colder here, in this time. There was more green all around them, thin grass and far more trees than he expected.
But winter was well on its way here and Jacky spent more time huddled in his cloak than looking at the landscape.
The city they were entering was larger than the one they had left, but nowhere near as massive as Hattusha or Babylon. When Mata’ka’ala had first mentioned that this was their destination, Jacky had been thrilled to be given the chance to see the city that had caused so much turmoil between the four great empires of the ancient world.
He knew that Kedesh had been greatly disputed between the two nations for many years before he had arrived in the past. Both had claimed Kedesh as their hegemonical city at one time or another and as an excuse to start a war.
He also knew that the battle of Kedesh was the world’s first recorded battle. But that was many years ago and the city had recovered from the bloodshed of years past.
The city walls were tall and forbidding in the grey light of night, with only small bits of flames to light up the guard towers. The city itself slept and was silent save for the barking of a dog in the distance followed by the bleating of a sheep.
Jacky struggled out of his hood and turned his eyes to Mata’ka’ala where he led the horse. “Will we have shelter tonight?”
Mata’ka’ala glanced up at him, his eyes bright despite the little light. “Gods willing. There’s an inn there.” He gestured and turned their horse in that direction.
The guards at the gates had let them in with only a narrow eyed look and a quick flash of silver from Mata’ka’ala’s hand while Jacky sat atop the horse, a nervous sweat beading his brow. Now, away from the guards with heavy armor and deadly weapons, he breathed a sigh of relief and slipped from the back of the horse before Mata’ka’ala tied the lead to a post. Jacky glanced over his shoulder back toward the guards no longer visible.
“Do you think Kuzi-Teshub’s influence reaches here?”
Mata’ka’ala grunted under the weight of their saddlebags as he hoisted them over his shoulder. “I don’t doubt it.”
Jacky jumped. As far as he knew, Kedesh belonged to the Hittite empire after the battle, and so Mata’ka’ala’s answer shouldn’t have startled him. “It is wise for us to be here?”
“If we want to get to Egypt, this is the fastest route. Just keep your head down.”
Jacky snorted and tugged his hood up over his head. “You’re the one that stands out,” he murmured against the cloth.
Mata’ka’ala eyed him as he led the way into the building, but said nothing as he passed through. Jacky paused a moment to admire the building itself. Like all the buildings of this era, it was mud brick and wood. It had far more craftsmanship than he had ever believed possible when back in his office in New York.
A whitewash of paint covered the yellow of the brick from sight and bright paint bordered the doorframe and thin slats of windows. He had a feeling that, in daylight, the street behind him would come alive with colors. He couldn’t wait to see it.
If they were allowed to stay that long. Maybe they would have to flee with the sunrise. With a small pout of distaste, Jacky followed Mata’ka’ala into the dimly lit inn.
Fandom: Original
Prompt: Hegemony
Warnings: none
Rating: G
Summary: Jacky and Mata’ka’ala flee from Babylon to Egypt, but first they make a stop in Kedesh.
They arrived in Kedesh under the cover of night, the cold winds of the north at their backs.
Jacky burrowed into his cloak, hiding his face away from the bite of oncoming winter. He had thought that this close to the Middle East it would be warmer, but he had forgotten to take into account the change of weather patterns over the millennia. It was colder here, in this time. There was more green all around them, thin grass and far more trees than he expected.
But winter was well on its way here and Jacky spent more time huddled in his cloak than looking at the landscape.
The city they were entering was larger than the one they had left, but nowhere near as massive as Hattusha or Babylon. When Mata’ka’ala had first mentioned that this was their destination, Jacky had been thrilled to be given the chance to see the city that had caused so much turmoil between the four great empires of the ancient world.
He knew that Kedesh had been greatly disputed between the two nations for many years before he had arrived in the past. Both had claimed Kedesh as their hegemonical city at one time or another and as an excuse to start a war.
He also knew that the battle of Kedesh was the world’s first recorded battle. But that was many years ago and the city had recovered from the bloodshed of years past.
The city walls were tall and forbidding in the grey light of night, with only small bits of flames to light up the guard towers. The city itself slept and was silent save for the barking of a dog in the distance followed by the bleating of a sheep.
Jacky struggled out of his hood and turned his eyes to Mata’ka’ala where he led the horse. “Will we have shelter tonight?”
Mata’ka’ala glanced up at him, his eyes bright despite the little light. “Gods willing. There’s an inn there.” He gestured and turned their horse in that direction.
The guards at the gates had let them in with only a narrow eyed look and a quick flash of silver from Mata’ka’ala’s hand while Jacky sat atop the horse, a nervous sweat beading his brow. Now, away from the guards with heavy armor and deadly weapons, he breathed a sigh of relief and slipped from the back of the horse before Mata’ka’ala tied the lead to a post. Jacky glanced over his shoulder back toward the guards no longer visible.
“Do you think Kuzi-Teshub’s influence reaches here?”
Mata’ka’ala grunted under the weight of their saddlebags as he hoisted them over his shoulder. “I don’t doubt it.”
Jacky jumped. As far as he knew, Kedesh belonged to the Hittite empire after the battle, and so Mata’ka’ala’s answer shouldn’t have startled him. “It is wise for us to be here?”
“If we want to get to Egypt, this is the fastest route. Just keep your head down.”
Jacky snorted and tugged his hood up over his head. “You’re the one that stands out,” he murmured against the cloth.
Mata’ka’ala eyed him as he led the way into the building, but said nothing as he passed through. Jacky paused a moment to admire the building itself. Like all the buildings of this era, it was mud brick and wood. It had far more craftsmanship than he had ever believed possible when back in his office in New York.
A whitewash of paint covered the yellow of the brick from sight and bright paint bordered the doorframe and thin slats of windows. He had a feeling that, in daylight, the street behind him would come alive with colors. He couldn’t wait to see it.
If they were allowed to stay that long. Maybe they would have to flee with the sunrise. With a small pout of distaste, Jacky followed Mata’ka’ala into the dimly lit inn.
