The Quest

by Wilbur Smith

  Aquer smiled again, then addressed the usher and the commander of the palace guards: ‘We wish to be alone. Please leave us and do not return until you are summoned. Make certain that no stranger listens at the doors.’

  The guards thumped the butts of their spears upon the floor, then filed out. The usher followed them, walking backwards with his whole body doubled over in a low bow.

  As soon as they were gone and the great doors were closed Aquer spoke again: ‘At our last meeting I did not formally introduce you to the noble Lord Ek-Tang.’ Taita and the councillor exchanged a seated bow. Ek-Tang was a short, portly man of indeterminate age and Asiatic features. His eyes were coal black and inscrutable.

  Lord Aquer went on: ‘We have excellent reports from the surgeons of the Cloud Gardens. We have been told that the operation on Colonel Cambyses’ eye was a complete success.’

  ‘It was an amazing achievement,’ Taita agreed, ‘He has regained the full sight of the eye. Not only that, but the organ is completely natural in appearance. It cannot be differentiated from its twin in any way.’

  ‘Our surgeons are the most advanced on earth, but their greatest achievement is yet to come,’ Aquer told him.

  Taita inclined his head in enquiry but remained silent.

  ‘We shall return to that later,’ said Aquer, with a mysterious air, evidently designed to intrigue Taita. Then, abruptly, he changed the subject. ‘You will notice that Lord Caithor is not here,’ he said.

  ‘Indeed, my lord. I was surprised by his absence.’

  ‘He was an old man, and wearied by the weight of years. Tragically he passed away in his sleep ten days ago. His end was peaceful and without suffering.’

  ‘We should all be so fortunate,’ said Taita, ‘but I mourn his passing with you.’

  ‘You are a man of compassion,’ said Aquer, ‘but the fact remains that there is now an empty seat on the Supreme Council. We have conferred at length and prayed most earnestly for guidance from the one true goddess, whose name will soon be disclosed to you.’

  Taita bowed in acknowledgement of this favour.

  Aquer went on: ‘We have reached the conclusion that one man is eminently suited for election to the Council in Lord Caithor’s place.

  That man is you, Taita of Gallala.’

  Again Taita bowed, but this time he was truly speechless.

  Aquer continued genially, ‘It is the decree of the Supreme Council that you are to be ennobled, with the title Lord Taita.’ Again Taita bowed. ‘There is, however, one impediment to your election. It is customary for members of the Council to be whole and healthy. You, Lord Taita, through no fault of your own, have suffered a grievous injury that disqualifies you from this position. However, that need not be final. Your protégé, Colonel Cambyses, was sent to the Cloud Gardens for treatment but not on the merits of his case. Access to these extraordinary procedures is usually reserved for the most worthy members of our society. It is difficult to place a value on the immense cost of the treatments. You will learn more of this later. Officers of low or intermediate military rank do not usually qualify. Cambyses was chosen to convince you of the possibilities that exist. Without this demonstration, you would certainly have been sceptical and would most likely have declined to participate.’

  ‘What you say is indubitably true. However, I am glad for the sake of Meren Cambyses that he was chosen.’

  ‘As are we all,’ Aquer agreed unconvincingly. ‘That is no longer relevant. What is, though, is that you have been examined by the surgeons and, as a nobleman and elected member of the Supreme Council, you are entitled to preferential treatment. The surgeons of the Cloud Gardens have been warned of your imminent arrival. Their preparations to receive you are well advanced, which accounts for the delay in informing you. It takes time to make such preparations, but now the seeds have been harvested. The surgeons await your arrival. Are you prepared to take the opportunity that you are offered?’

  Taita closed his eyes and pressed his fingertips into his eyelids while he thought. Our entire enterprise depends upon this, he reminded himself. There is no other way in which I can get within striking range of Eos. However, the board is laid out in the witch’s favour. My chances of success are as thin as a silken thread. The end cannot be foreseen, but must be taken at hazard. The only certainty is that all is steeped in the poison of the witch, therefore it will be not only evil but surpassing perilous. He massaged his closed eyes as he wrestled with his conscience.

  Am I justifying a baser motive? If I do this thing will it be for Pharaoh and Egypt, or for Taita the man and his own selfish desires? he asked of himself, with cruel self-appraisal. Then he replied, with equally cruel honesty, For both. It will be for the Truth against the Lie, but it will also be for myself and Fenn. I long to know what it is to be a full man. I long for the power to love her with a passion that threatens to consume my very soul.

  He lowered his hands and opened his eyes. ‘I am ready,’ he said.

  ‘It was wise of you to consider your reply so carefully, but I am pleased with your decision. You will be our honoured guest at our palace for this night. In the morning you will commence your journey up the mountain and into a new life.’

  The storm was raging as they set out next morning. As they climbed the pathway the temperature fell remorselessly. Swathed in his leather cloak Taita followed the shape of Onka’s horse, which was almost obliterated by the swirling snow and the shimmering clouds of ice crystals that were blown across the track. The journey seemed much longer than before, but at last they saw the entrance to the tunnel appear out of the blizzard. Even the trogs that guarded the tunnel crouched down against the wind and blinked at Taita as he passed, their eyelashes laden with ice. With relief he followed Onka into the tunnel and out of the tempest.

  They passed through the mountain and emerged from the dank darkness and the guttering light of the torches into the warm sunshine.

  They rode past the trogs outside the tunnel, and saw the splendour of the Cloud Gardens spread below them. Taita felt his spirits lift as they always did in the enchanted crater. They took the now familiar path through the forest and on the far side came out on the beach of the steaming azure lake. The crocodiles were lying on the sandbanks, sunning themselves. It was the first time Taita had seen them out of the water and he was astounded: there were even larger than he had thought. At the approach of the horses the crocodiles lifted themselves on bowed legs and waddled to the water’s edge, then launched themselves into the lake, sliding gracefully below the surface.

  When they rode into the stableyard servants and grooms were waiting to welcome them. The grooms took the horses and the major-domo conducted Taita to the rooms he had shared with Meren. Once again fresh clothing was laid out for him, a wood fire burned in the hearth and large jugs of hot water stood ready.

  ‘I hope you will find everything convenient and to your liking, revered Magus. Of course, if there is anything you lack, you have only to ring.’

  He gestured towards the bell pull that hung beside the door. ‘Dr. Hannah has invited you to dine with her in her private quarters this evening.’ The major-domo moved backwards towards the door, bowing deeply at every second pace. ‘I will come to take you to her at the setting of the sun.’

  Once Taita had bathed he lay down to rest, but he was unable to sleep. Again he was imbued with restless excitement and an undirected sense of anticipation. As before, he realized the sensation came not from within himself but an exterior source. He tried to compose himself, but with little success. When the major-domo came for him, Taita was dressed in a fresh tunic and waiting for him.

  Dr. Hannah came to the door to welcome him into her rooms as though he were an old friend. News of his ennoblement had reached her and she greeted him as ‘Lord Taita’. One of her first concerns was to ask after Meren, and she was delighted when Taita told her of his continued excellent progress. There were three other dinner guests. Dr. Gibba was one and, like Hannah, he greeted Taita aff
ably. The other two were strangers.

  ‘This is Dr. Assem,’ Hannah said. ‘He is a distinguished member of our Guild. He specializes in the use of herb and vegetable substances in surgery and medicine.’

  Assem was a small, sprightly man with a lively, intelligent face. Taita saw from his aura that he was a Long Liver of vast knowledge, but not a savant.

  ‘May I also introduce Dr. Rei? She is an expert on reknitting damaged or severed nerves and sinews. She understands more than any other living surgeon about the bony structures of the human body, particularly the skull and teeth, the vertebrae of the spine and the bones of the hands and feet. Dr. Assem and Dr. Rei will assist with your surgery.’

  Rei had rugged, almost masculine features, and large, powerful hands.

  Taita saw that she was clever and single-minded in the pursuit of her profession.

  Once they had settled round the board, the company was convivial, and the conversation fascinating. Taita reveled in the interplay of their superior intelligence. Although the servant kept the bowls fully charged, they were all abstemious and none did more than sip their wine.

  At one stage the conversation turned to the ethics of their profession.

  Rei hailed from a far-eastern kingdom. She described how the Qin emperor had handed over to his surgeons the captives he had taken in battle. He had encouraged them to use the prisoners for live dissection and experiment. All the company agreed that the emperor must have been a man of vision and understanding.

  ‘The vast majority of human beings are only one cut above domestic animals,’ Hannah added. ‘A good ruler will make every effort to see that they are provided with all the necessities of life and many of its comforts, depending on the means at his disposal. However, he should not allow himself to be persuaded that the life of each individual is sacrosanct, to be preserved at all costs. As a general must not hesitate to send his men to certain death if the battle is to be won, so an emperor should be prepared to dispense life or death according to the needs of the state, not by some artificial standard of so-called humanity.’

  ‘I agree entirely, but I would go further still,’ said Rei. ‘The value of the individual should be taken into account when the decision is made. A slave or a brutish soldier cannot be weighed against a sage or a scientist whose knowledge may have taken centuries to accumulate. The slave, the soldier and the idiot are born to die. If they can do so for good reason, then so much the better. However, the sage and the scientist whose value to society is incalculably higher should be preserved.’

  ‘I agree with you, Dr. Rei. Knowledge and learning are our greatest treasures, far outweighing all the gold and silver of this earth,’ said Assem. ‘Our intelligence and our ability to reason and remember lift us above the other animals, above even the masses of lower humanity who lack those attributes. What are your views, Lord Taita?’

  ‘There is no clear or obvious solution,’ Taita answered carefully. ‘We could debate the matter endlessly. But I believe that what is in the common good must be preserved, even if it means cold-blooded sacrifice. I have commanded men in battle. I know how bitter the decision to send them to their death can be. But I did not hesitate to order it when the freedom or welfare of all was at stake.’ He had told them not what he believed but what he knew they wanted to hear. They had listened attentively, then relaxed and their attitude towards him seemed easier and more open. It was as though he had shown his credentials and they had lowered a barrier to allow him into their fellowship.

  Despite the good food and wine they did not sit for long. Gibba was the first to come to his feet. ‘We must rise early on the morrow,’ he reminded them, and they all stood to thank Hannah and take their leave.

  Before she allowed Taita to depart she said, ‘I wanted you to meet them because they will assist me tomorrow. Your injuries are much more extensive than that of your protégé and, what is more, they have consolidated over the years. There will be considerably more work for us, and we need the extra hands and experience. Furthermore we will not be able to work in your quarters, as we did with Colonel Cambyses. The operation will be carried out in the rooms where I made my initial examination.’ She took his arm and led him to the door. ‘The other surgeons will join me tomorrow morning to conduct the final examination and plan our surgical strategy. I wish you a peaceful night, Lord Taita.’

  The major-domo was waiting to show Taita back to his quarters, and Taita followed him without taking account of their route through the complex of passages and galleries. He was thinking about the conversations in which he had participated that evening when his reverie was interrupted by the sound of weeping. He stopped to listen. It came from not far away, and there was no doubt that it was a woman’s. She sounded as though she was in the extremes of despair. When the major-domo realized that Taita had paused and was no longer following him closely, he turned back.

  ‘Who is that woman?’ Taita asked.

  ‘Those are the cells of the house slaves. Perhaps one has been punished for her faults.’ The man shrugged with indifference. ‘Please don’t concern yourself, Lord Taita. We should go on.’

  Taita saw that there was no point in pursuing the matter. The man’s aura showed that he was intractable, and that he was simply following the orders of his superiors.

  ‘Lead on,’ Taita agreed, but from there he noted their route carefully.

  After he has left me, I will return to investigate, he decided. However, his interest in the weeping woman faded rapidly, and before they reached his quarters it had been obliterated from his mind. He lay down on his sleeping mat and fell almost immediately into an easy, untroubled sleep.

  The major-domo came for him as soon as he had breakfasted; He led Taita to Hannah’s rooms, where he found all four surgeons awaiting his arrival. They began at once. It was strange for Taita not to be consulted and instead to be treated like a piece of insensate meat on a butcher’s slab.

  They began with the preliminary examination, not neglecting the product of his digestive processes, the smell of his breath, the condition of his skin and the soles of his feet. Dr. Rei opened his mouth and looked at his tongue, gums and teeth. ‘Lord Taita’s teeth are much worn and corroded, Dr. Hannah, the roots badly mortified. They must be causing him pain. Is that not so, my lord?’ Taita’s grunt was noncommittal, and Rei went on, ‘Very soon they will constitute a serious threat to his health and eventually his life. They should be removed as soon as possible and the gums seeded afresh.’

  Hannah agreed at once. ‘I have taken such eventualities into account and made arrangements to harvest more essence than we will need for the regrowth of the damaged area in the groin. There will be sufficient for you to use on his gums.’

  At last they arrived at the site of his injuries. They hovered over his lower body, pressing and touching the area of the cicatrice. Rei measured it with a pair of calipers, and made notes on a papyrus scroll in small, beautifully drawn hieroglyphics. While they worked they discussed the mutilated area in dispassionate detail.

  ‘All the scar tissue will have to be dissected out. We must get down to the raw flesh and the open blood vessels so that the seeding will have a firm foundation on which to grow,’ Hannah explained, then turned to Rei. ‘Will you trace the major nerves and determine their residual viability for us?’

  Rei used a bronze needle to trace the nerve endings. It was torture to submit to her probe. Quickly Taita controlled his mind to filter out the pain. Rei realized what he was doing and told him sternly, ‘I admire your ability to suppress pain, Lord Taita, as it will stand you in good stead later. However, during my examination you must let it through. If you continue to block it, I will be unable to discover which part of your flesh is dead and must be removed, and which is alive for us to build upon.’

  She used black dye to draw lines and symbols on his lower body to guide Hannah’s scalpel. By the time she had set it aside, Taita was bleeding from hundreds of tiny painful needle pricks, and was pale and sweating fr
om the torment she had inflicted. While he recovered, the four surgeons discussed her conclusions.

  ‘It is as well that we have on hand more than the usual quantity of seeding. The area we will have to recover is larger than I first calculated. Taking into account the amount needed for the new teeth, we shall require all that I have harvested,’ Hannah told them.

  ‘That is indeed so. The open area will be extensive, and will take much longer to heal than any reconstruction we have attempted previously. By what means can we ensure the passage of urine and faeces from the site without contaminating the wound?’ asked Gibba.

  ‘The anus will not be involved, and will continue to function in its accustomed manner. However, I intend to place a copper tube in the urethra. Initially this will convey the urine, but as soon as the seeding begins to stabilize and cover the open wound, it will be removed to allow normal regrowth of the organ.’

  Although Taita was the subject, he managed to maintain an objective interest in the discussion and even made contributions that the others welcomed. When every facet of the procedure had been covered in exhaustive detail, Assem referred to him one last time: ‘I have herbs that can be used to suppress pain, but perhaps they will not be necessary. While Dr. Rei was examining you, I was amazed by your technique of pain control. Will you be able to use it during the operation, or should I employ my potions?’

  ‘I am sure that they are most effective, but I would prefer to control the pain myself,’ Taita told him.

  ‘I shall observe your technique with the utmost attention.’

  It was the middle of the afternoon before Hannah brought the conference to a conclusion, and Taita was allowed to return to his quarters. Before he left her, Hannah said, ‘Dr. Assem has arranged for a herbal potion to be left beside your bed in a green glass phial. Drink it in a full bowl of warm water. It will purge your bladder and bowels in preparation for the operation. Please do not drink or eat anything more tonight or tomorrow morning. In the morning I would like to begin as soon as the light is good enough. We must give ourselves ample time. We cannot be sure what unexpected difficulties we may encounter. It is essential that we finish during daylight hours. Oil lamps will give insufficient light for our needs.’