Karmel Epilogue

Ashulti clapped his hands and the servant appeared with the last of the wine. He held up his goblet and waited as the young lad emptied the jug. “The Mistress has gone to the marketplace for more Master.” Karmel muttered, bowing his head. Ashulti glanced into the goblet. Half empty. It would suffice till Peta came home. His hands trembled as he brought the cup to his lips. Red dripped down his chin, streaking his graying beard. Why bother to wipe it away. Karmel turned to leave. “Bring me some bread and cheese.” Ashulti hollered after him. The boy was the son of Peta’s seamstress. His wife felt compassion for the fatherless lad and his widowed mother. She insisted she needed help with the household chores when he sailed. He hadn’t been on a ship for almost a year. Peta cried when he approached the topic of letting the lad go. He gave in to her and Karmel stayed. “Bah!” Ashulti groaned, throwing the empty cup across the room. Karmel took a step back, the tray of bread and cheese tipping. “Just leave it on the table.” Ashulti barked. The boy moved to the basket of clothes Peta left to be folded. He handled each piece with care, shaking it gently before laying it down on the table, hand pressing out wrinkles. Ashulti followed his small hands as they worked. Within minutes he stacked the linens neatly to the …show more content…
On the table, Karmel laid out fresh sesame-honey bread. It was covered by a linen cloth but Ashulti could smell the sweet delicate aroma. Pushing back the covering, he broke off a large chunk. Peta baked it earlier and it was still warm. She kneaded the dough with a vengeance, slapping it back and forth on the wooden table. Stopping only to brush back a stray hair, the tears streaming down her face caked white flour along her cheek. He chewed the soft, sweet bread. She’d be angry that he had eaten half the loaf she planned to serve with the evening stew. She would get over it. He wanted his