War of the Crowns

by Christian Jacq

  ‘I’m not afraid of anything.’

  ‘The Hyksos are excellent archers. And they handle the slingshot very well, too.’

  ‘No better than we do,’ protested the young man, sending a large stone whistling on its way towards the enemy camp.

  ‘Get down!’

  It was the last order Ahmes gave the young recruit. Hit on the forehead by a pointed flint, the peasant died instantly.

  A deluge of missiles rained down on the earthworks protecting the main entrance to the Egyptian camp. From time to time the Hyksos unleashed an onslaught like this, pursuing a war of position which went on for ever. But did they know how the Theban forces were dwindling? It was a miracle that they had held out for so long. The messages brought by the carrier-pigeons gave the rebels some comfort, but they were no substitute for fresh troops.

  When the slingshots fell silent Ahmes went to the army’s headquarters, where Emheb was slowly recovering from a wound in his thigh.

  ‘The pressure is increasing, Governor. We need reinforcements.’

  ‘Every young man from Qis and the surrounding countryside has already joined us. We have no more reserves.’

  ‘Should we not fall back on Thebes with the survivors, before it is too late?’

  ‘And abandon Qis? That would be the start of defeat.’

  ‘It would be a tactical retreat, Governor, nothing more.’

  ‘You know that is not so.’

  Ahmes sprinkled his brow with tepid water. ‘You’re right, I know it isn’t. But victories in Nubia are no use to us. It is here that we must fight.’

  ‘You are very young, my boy, and you do not yet see far into the distance. Queen Ahhotep’s decisions are vital for our future, but you won’t understand them until later.’

  ‘Later? When we are dead? Our men are exhausted—they have given everything. Leave me here with the bravest, Governor, and go. We’ll hold back the Hyksos for as long as we can.’

  Emheb got to his feet with difficulty. ‘My old leg will soon be better, and I shall hold our position myself.’

  ‘Queen Ahhotep doesn’t want us all to die, does she? So let us do what is necessary.’

  ‘The queen is much more remarkable than you could ever imagine,’ declared Emheb with feeling. ‘Since she embarked upon the liberation of Egypt, she has not made a single mistake. Soon, I am sure, a new message will come from the gods.’

  Ahmes wondered if the governor had not also been wounded in the head: whether he liked it or not, Qis was on the point of collapse. ‘Let us both try to put on a brave face,’ he advised, ‘and boost our troops’ morale.’

  As they left the governor’s tent, the sound of fluttering wings made them look up.

  ‘Rascal!’ exclaimed Emheb. ‘Come here quickly.’

  The pigeon alighted gently on the governor’s shoulder. A tiny papyrus bearing the royal seal was attached to his left leg.

  The message was short and to the point: ‘Hold fast. We are coming.’

  The Great Council of the Hyksos was held in the Temple of Set. The emperor was last to arrive. As he passed, everyone bowed low, including the High Treasurer, who had recovered completely, much to everyone’s surprise. He must indeed be an important man for Apophis to have treated him instead of killing him.

  Swathed in a brown cloak, the emperor was even more sinister than usual. If his eyes lingered too long on an official, death was certain. Today, though, he seemed content to listen to Khamudi’s financial reports, without glaring at anyone in particular.

  The empire’s wealth was continuing to grow, and the temporary loss of Anatolian tributes was not going to reverse that growth. Commander Jannas, at the head of a powerful army, was even now crushing the rebellion, which would undoubtedly be the last.

  ‘We have just received a long message from the King of Kerma by … by the usual route,’ said Khamudi; he would not reveal the secret means of communication used. ‘He pays homage to Emperor Apophis, thanks him for his goodness, and rejoices in the calm that reigns in Nubia. The tribes are obedient, the country is prosperous, and gold will continue to be delivered to Avaris.’

  The emperor deigned to smile faintly.

  This demonstration of good temper prompted one of the officials to ask the question that was on everybody’s lips: ‘Majesty, when will the rebels at Qis be wiped out? Their very existence is an insult to Hyksos greatness.’

  Apophis’s expression hardened. ‘You miserable imbecile, don’t you realize that it is only by my consent that the front at Qis exists? The Theban puppets are exhausting themselves there for nothing, and the survivors will soon be forced to retreat to Thebes. We shall pursue them and reduce that rebel city to ashes.’

  ‘Do you not fear, Majesty, that Queen Ahhotep may eventually decide to help them?’

  Apophis’s eyes burnt with an evil flame. ‘The emperor of the Hyksos fears no one. That woman Ahhotep is nothing but an upstart whose horrible death will serve as an example to anyone who might think of trying to imitate her.’

  As Apophis had received no alarming messages from his spy, whom even Ahhotep could not identify, he knew that the last rebels at the front would obtain no more help.

  ‘I should add,’ said Khamudi, ‘that Qis has no economic importance. Trade continues as normal through the great control-post at Khmun, which is beyond the rebels’ reach.’

  The emperor rose, signifying the end of the meeting. With an irritated wave of the hand, he indicated to Khamudi that the insolent man who had dared doubt his omnipotence was to be killed. The man was rather portly, so he would probably be a poor performer in the labyrinth, but he would amuse Apophis for a few minutes.

  As he left the Temple of Set, the emperor felt his legs grow so heavy that he gladly sat down on a chair borne by slaves—a chair which the pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom had used before him.

  Apophis shut himself away in his secret room at the heart of the citadel. Then he laid his hands delicately upon his blue-glazed flask, on which a map of Egypt had been drawn. When he placed his index finger on Avaris, then on Memphis and Khmun, each glowed bright red.

  Reassured, he touched Elephantine. At first the red glow appeared. But very soon it flickered, and in its place appeared strange images: an eye, a rearing cobra, a griffin with a pointed beak, and a jackal’s head. By using every bit of his magic, the emperor managed to make the vile things disappear, but Elephantine remained a blue dot on the map. That meant Apophis could no longer win back control: the Thebans had seized the great city and neither Nedjeh nor the Hyksos spy had been able to warn him.

  Nedjeh was playing his own game, the spy had been caught and killed, and Ahhotep had won back all the land between Thebes and Elephantine. That was the new reality. There was no longer any question of waiting for Jannas to return before breaking through the front at Qis.

  33

  Ahhotep had fixed the ivory throwing-stick bearing the signs of power to one of the highest battlements of the fortress at Elephantine. The eye would blind the emperor, the cobra would extinguish his destructive fire, the griffin would confuse his perception, and the jackal’s head would fill his mind with anxiety. At least, that was what the queen hoped. She was convinced that Apophis had cast many spells on Egypt in order to hold it in a prison of curses, whose bars must be broken one by one.

  Several boats and crews had remained in Miu, others at Buhen and the rest at Elephantine. Of the army that had originally set sail to conquer the South, barely half remained.

  ‘Is it wise to lose so many soldiers?’ asked Kamose worriedly.

  ‘Holding the South is vital,’ said Ahhotep. ‘But it is true that we shall be short of men to attack the North.’

  ‘In other words, Mother, our attack is bound to fail.’

  ‘Certainly not, my son. Since the beginning of this war, the situation has always been the same: we are fewer in number and our weapons are inferior, but we are endowed with the energy of the royal cobra that adorns Pharaoh’s crown. You must
make yourself many, breathe courage into those who lack it, and act with the strength of Horus—but also with that of Set.’

  ‘You can rely on me, Majesty.’

  With a pang of nostalgia, Moustache thought of the pretty Nubian girl to whom he had had to bid farewell. Her jet-black, enchantingly soft skin, her breasts, so firm and yet so soft to the touch, her legs, as long as a gazelle’s … He never stopped reliving the charms of that sorceress, with whom he had almost fallen in love. But he was a warrior, who had no right to become attached to a woman.

  Depressed, he headed for the stern of the boat to drink a jar of beer.

  Suddenly he stopped in his tracks. A heap of baskets next to the jars had moved. Dagger in hand, Moustache crept closer: there must be a stowaway on board.

  ‘Come out of there!’ he ordered.

  The baskets moved again, and the Nubian girl’s face appeared.

  Moustache gaped. ‘You, here?’

  ‘I didn’t want to leave you, so I hid. I want to go with you, wherever you’re going.’ She wriggled free and threw her arms round his neck.

  ‘You are just like a panther, a she-cat.’

  ‘She-cat … I like that very much. From now on, that is what you must call me.’

  ‘Listen, you have no right to travel on a war-boat and—’

  ‘You’re a war-hero, aren’t you? Besides, I can fight. All you have to say is that I am your Nubian soldier.’

  Moustache sensed that he would not win this particular fight. And as he really had fallen in love, he went to see Moon, who with his usual skill was guiding the fleet towards Thebes.

  As they neared Thebes, Ahhotep’s heart skipped a beat. This was where she had been born, where she had loved and where the desire for freedom had lit up her life. No other landscape could ever replace the splendour of the Nile, the great Peak of the West, the peaceful fields interspersed with palm-groves. Normally dedicated to peace, this enchanting place had nevertheless been transformed into the home of war, since that was the only language that could be used when dealing with the Hyksos.

  She relived the Nubian expedition in her thoughts. It was evident that the Hyksos spy had not harmed it in any way. The conclusion was inevitable: he had stayed in Thebes. The names she was compelled to think of were those of people beyond suspicion. And yet Seqen had indeed been betrayed.

  Hailed by cheering crowds, the boat reached its moorings. In accordance with tradition, the queen presented Hathor, patron of boat travel, with an offering of incense to thank her for her protection.

  The first to rush up the gangplank was little Ahmose, who leapt into his mother’s arms.

  ‘Have you worked hard?’ she asked.

  ‘Grandmother and I never stopped. You shall see how beautiful and clean the houses are. We’ve cleaned everything, even the weapons.’

  Teti the Small looked ten years younger. Anyone who had forgotten that the fragile old lady was the queen’s mother, charged with watching over Thebes in the absence of Ahhotep and the pharaoh, had been forcibly reminded. Angered by the Thebans’ easygoing attitude, Teti had reestablished strict rules of cleanliness and, with Qaris and Heray, had seen that they were obeyed. Not a single home or storehouse had escaped being cleansed and purified. Each house was now equipped with jugs and basins for washing thoroughly in the morning, and with a supply of natron, the best of all mouthwashes. The weaving-workshops had produced many tunics for both men and women, who were delighted to renew their clothing.

  In the shade of fabric canopies stretched between four stakes, barbers shaved the soldiers each morning and washed their hair, while the ladies’ hairdressers worked hard to make them as pretty as possible, not forgetting to anoint them with perfume—it was admittedly still rather basic but it spoke of better days to come. By means of curling-tongs and spatulas for spreading wax, wigs were put back to work. The craftsmen were still a long way from achieving the masterpieces of yore, but they were once again making model wooden heads and slowly regaining their forgotten skills.

  Even the most modest of houses was now furnished with mats, storage chests, cooking-pots, ladles, grain-bins, jars for oil and beer, and an amulet representing the god Bes, whose hearty laughter drove away evil spirits. Sturdy brooms, made from long, stiff palm-fibres, enabled housewives to banish dust, while teams of washermen ensured that linens were kept clean.

  The military base had become an attractive small town. Each morning it was filled with the scent of fresh bread. Young Ahmose had not exaggerated: Teti the Small really had been busy.

  The most surprised person of all was She-Cat, who marvelled at the sight of the pretty white houses and their well-kept gardens. ‘This is not a place to make war,’ she said. ‘Are we going to live here?’

  Moustache smiled. ‘You are. I have to leave again.’

  ‘I’ve told you I won’t leave you, and I’m very stubborn.’

  ‘She-Cat, I—’

  ‘Take me into one of those houses and give me a fine tunic. Then we shall make love.’

  The closed council meeting took place on the terrace of the royal palace, bathed by the setting sun. The evening was so delightful that, for a few moments, Ahhotep wished she could forget past and future battles, persuade herself that the goal had been attained and there was no need to go any further.

  But to yield to that illusion would have been the worst kind of desertion. Besides, she had to hear Qaris’s report.

  ‘Majesties, Rascal has returned from Qis. Emheb received your message and awaits you with impatience. Unfortunately, there is a danger of another front being opened up at Kebet. Our lookouts fear a counter-attack by the last supporters of the Hyksos in the region, aided by the garrisons in the forts on the desert road.’

  ‘The safety of Thebes must be guaranteed,’ said Kamose. ‘Before leaving for the North, we must resolve the problem of Kebet.’

  ‘Emheb and his men must be at the point of exhaustion,’ objected Ahhotep. ‘We cannot make them wait any longer. You, the wearer of the White Crown, must sail quickly to their aid. I and two attack regiments will take care of Kebet.’

  ‘Mother, that’s madness.’

  ‘With respect, Majesty,’ put in Heray, ‘I agree with Pharaoh.’

  ‘Perhaps, my son, acts of madness are all we have left.’

  34

  After embracing his mother, whom he feared he might never see again, Kamose set off for Qis at the head of a reduced fleet, his heart in turmoil.

  It took Ahhotep some time to console Ahmose, who was furious at not being allowed to accompany his brother. At last he stopped sulking and agreed to continue training, particularly since Teti had promised not to give him preferential treatment.

  ‘Mother,’ asked Ahhotep, ‘did you notice anything unusual in Thebes during my absence?’

  Teti thought, then shook her head.

  ‘Nothing about Qaris’s or Heray’s behaviour caught your attention?’

  ‘No. But you can’t mean you suspect them of—‘

  ‘Be very watchful, I beg you.’

  ‘You aren’t really going to venture on the road to Kebet, are you? You said that to reassure Kamose, but you mean to stay in Thebes, don’t you?’

  Ahhotep smiled. ‘You know me so well. Why ask?’

  The queen had chosen the two regiments commanded by Moustache and the Afghan for a specific reason: their experience of quick, effective raids; she did not have enough men for a frontal assault on the enemy. The little troop would have almost no time to rest and would have to summon their last reserves of strength, especially if they suffered heavy losses.

  Ahhotep addressed the soldiers, hiding nothing of the hardships they were about to endure. Not a single man withdrew.

  ‘It’s fear, not courage,’ explained Moustache. ‘They know that the Afghan and I break the backs of deserters. Grant me one favour, Majesty: She-Cat wants to carry my water-skins.’

  ‘Does she know the dangers she’ll be facing?’

  ‘A Nubian g
irl fears neither snakes nor wild beasts. And this one is more stubborn than all other women put together! Oh forgive me, Majesty, I did not mean to say that—’

  ‘We leave in an hour.’

  The leading citizens of Kebet gathered in the forecourt of the temple to discuss the future. They dreaded the Hyksos so much that they were planning to change their allegiance, turning their backs on young Pharaoh Kamose, who would never be able to consolidate his power. True, Thebes was holding its head high again, but for how long? It was no good thinking about it: this rebellion would not last long, and only those who collaborated with the emperor would escape his vengeance. Voices in favour of rallying officially to the Hyksos cause were beginning to ring out when the Queen of Egypt made her appearance.

  Attired in a gold diadem and a simple white dress, Ahhotep was more beautiful than ever. The crowd fell silent and bowed.

  ‘The wounds of the occupation are still far from healed,’ she said, ‘and Kebet needs many repairs. Instead of debating idly, you should be at work.’

  ‘Majesty,’ said the High Priest of Min, ‘we are your faithful servants and—’

  ‘I know that you were preparing to betray me because you do not believe in Thebes’s final victory. You are wrong.’

  ‘You must understand, Majesty, the Hyksos are threatening us.’

  ‘I am here to liberate the desert road for ever, and to guarantee Kebet’s safety. If you show any more signs of cowardice, you will have me for an enemy.’

  The queen’s actions gave Kebet renewed life. She set out a programme of urgent works and appointed new administrators who would be responsible directly to her. The common people could approach and speak to her, and that simple contact brought hope to life again.

  As always, the Afghan and Moustache looked on admiringly.

  ‘She really is extraordinary,’ said the Afghan yet again.

  ‘Be content with obeying her,’ advised Moustache, ‘and don’t waste time on crazy dreams. Every man in Egypt is in love with her, except me, now that I’ve got my Nubian girl—and even that’s not certain.’