by Max Overton
"My lord Sethi," he rumbled. "Do we not attack? My men grow restless."
Sethi turned from his regard of the enemy dispositions, his face bleak. "You have men left? I thought they had all deserted, fled south like the swallows."
Qenna's troubled frown vanished as anger washed across his face. "My men do not run."
"Then I commend you, Commander Qenna," Sethi said. "So many have that I am no longer certain of victory should I attack. The only thing that gives me cheer is that the enemy stands as idle as us. They also do not feel confident of victory."
"We gain nothing sitting here like old women," declared Qenna. "Let us attack and clear these would-be soldiers from our path and then march on to Men-nefer."
"No. They outnumber us. We must build fortifications and defend them until reinforcements can arrive from the south."
Qenna openly sneered at what he plainly considered a cowardly and dishonourable approach to war, but did as he was ordered. The Kushite army of Menmire Amenmesse dug sand and shifted rock, bringing in wood from the river valley to construct forts strung across the road. The fortifications effectively blocked the northern army from advancing as the flanks of the cordon of forts were protected by the river cliffs to the west and rocky desert to the east. What it also accomplished though, as Sethi found to his cost, was that the forts robbed his own men of the will to move further north. It was too easy to sit safe and secure behind the palisades.
For a time, the King in the North attempted to bypass the blockade by sending troops in barges upriver, but Menmire sent boats also and harassed any vessels that dared the southern waters. Soon, the river too was effectively blocked by small fleets of boats.
Months passed in stalemate. Sethi alleviated his desertions by cycling his men between the security of the forts in the north and the pleasures of Waset in the south. He scoured the river valley for food and women to keep his men content, and kept them on their collective toes by instituting raids against the legions dug in to the north. It was after one of these raids that the situation changed.
Qenna had led the raid himself, plunging deep into the camp of the Ptah legion, killing and looting, before withdrawing rapidly in the face of stiffening resistance. He took with him a Leader of Fifty they had captured, and when they got back to the forts, put him to the question. Qenna and his men were not really interested in what a junior officer might reveal, but it was an opportunity to enjoy a bit of entertainment at the man's expense. His screams filled the night and the men sat around enjoying pots of beer and roasted beef while making bets as to when he would next lose consciousness.
The man gabbled, screamed and pleaded, blood sheeting his body, and saying anything he thought might bring the pain to an end. Just before he died, he said something that made Qenna take notice. He immediately got up and strode across to the command tent in one of the other forts and sought audience with Lord Sethi.
"My lord, General Iurudef and the Heru legion have left for the northern border."
Sethi looked up from his meal and pushed the plate to one side. "How do you know?" he asked.
Qenna told him.
"A man will say anything to stop the pain."
"Perhaps, my lord, but I'm inclined to believe it."
"Why?"
"When we raided the Ptah camp, the tents were not full. It might be that they no longer sleep five to a tent, or that some were out on patrol, but it could also be that the Ptah men are spread out, trying to give us the impression that all parts of their line are still occupied."
"Hmm." Sethi considered it, idly pushing a scrap of bread around on the plate with his finger. "You suspect, but you don't know?"
"I think it likely, my lord," Qenna replied. "And if it is true it would give us a great advantage. We could attack and end this war once and for all."
"Do not fill your cup with more wine than is in the jug, Commander. We need to..."
"What do you mean, my lord?" Qenna interrupted.
Sethi sighed. "We only have the unsubstantiated word of a dead prisoner. I think it would be unwise to base strategy on this. Lead another raid, Qenna, and catch some more men. If they all tell the same story then I might believe it."
Qenna did so the following night and captured another four men. Under torture they all offered up essentially the same story, which the Kushite Commander duly reported to Sethi.
"There's one other thing, my lord," Qenna said. "Two of them said that King Userkheperure is also absent. He has gone back to Men-nefer with units of the Per-Bast legion."
"Has he, by the gods?" Sethi exclaimed, rising to his feet. He paced, filled with nervous excitement. "They've never been weaker than they are at the moment then. Now is our time. Have the men ready themselves, Qenna, and send for the other commanders. I will talk to them..." he grinned despite himself. "Five days and we could be knocking on the gates of Men-nefer. Once Seti is dead, we can unite Kemet again."
Qenna nodded solemnly and saluted, before hurrying off to find the other Troop Commanders. They ran to Sethi's tent, eager at the thought of action after so long. Sethi talked to them at length, debating plans and organising the men. With both the king and General Iurudef absent, and over a legion under strength, for the first time in months, Sethi's Southern Army had a numerical ascendancy. Coupled with an imaginative plan and complete surprise, Sethi was confident of complete victory.
In the darkness before the dawn, a large force of Kushites crept through the broken land to the east of the legions, evading or silently killing any guards they found, and at first light rushed silently out of the rising sun, stabbing and slashing at the unprepared Set legion. The northern soldiers were disciplined and rallied swiftly under the guidance of their officers, with reinforcements pouring in from the centre of the line, men of Per-Bast and Ptah, and it was then that Sethi struck with his main force.
Screaming loudly, Kushites swarmed through the gaps in the line, overwhelming the thinly spread Ptah legion and rolling the Per-Basts ahead of them. They caught the Set soldiers from behind, and caught between two attacking forces, hundreds died. Surviving units fled north in disarray and the Kushites pursued them, killing many more. Many of the Ptah legion broke for the river, and were hunted down in the reed beds or picked off by archers in the fleet of boats patrolling the sluggish waters.
Commander Setnakhte drew the fleeing Per-Bast legion together even as he retreated and waves of yelling black men from the south broke on his steady ranks before washing impotently back, unable to break the disciplined formations. All through that long day, the legion withdrew toward the north, sacrificing men to defend each cubit and stadium, but remaining steadfast and secure. Other fugitives gravitated toward perceived safety and swelled their ranks, countering the attrition of warfare. By the time the sun set, the Per-Bast legion was a lot closer to Men-nefer and larger than when they had fled their position. Units of Set and Ptah were present, and these men were pressed into the service of Per-Bast Troop Commanders.
Sethi was elated that night, and indulged in some premature celebration with his commanders, certain that the next day would see the annihilation of the Northern Army and days later their triumphant arrival at a defenceless capital city. The men celebrated too, passing round jugs of beer and roasting whole oxen over the cooking fires while physicians treated as many of the wounded as they could, mercifully dispatching others.
The next day at dawn, Sethi arrayed his Kushites, ready to destroy his enemies, but found that they had withdrawn many stadia during the night and were ensconced in a natural rock formation just to the east of the road. He was tempted to just march past them toward Men-nefer, but realised if he did so he would be leaving a battle hardened legion in his rear. They would have to be winkled out of their rocky fort first.
He attacked, throwing wave after wave of yelling men at the holed-up legion, only to see them retreat leaving the defenders almost unscathed. Night fell, and his own men licked their wounds and recuperated beside campfires, while the P
er-Bast men kept watch from their cold and cheerless rock bastions. Sethi was troubled by his inability to dislodge the enemy, but took heart from their self-evident discomfort and straitened circumstances. They were without food, water and fire. Tomorrow will witness their destruction, he told himself.
By noon the next day, the Kushites were no nearer victory and Sethi's anger and frustration was growing. If he concentrated his forces on a few places in the defensive circle, he had the advantage of numbers but only a few men at a time could fight in the narrow gaps between boulders. On the other hand, if he spread his forces out, he lacked the strength to push through before the enemy could rally men from another part of their circle. Not for the first time, Sethi regretted a skill that his Kushites lacked, that of the bow and arrow. Few tribesmen made war with the bow, much preferring the short stabbing spear, but that was a distinct disadvantage in the cramped conditions of the rocky redoubt. If only I had archers, he thought. I could stand back and pick them off one by one. He consoled himself with the fact that the Per-Bast legion had no chariots, few archers, and even fewer arrows. It might take time, but the Per-Bast legion would eventually be worn down.
The next day, the war of attrition was having a visible effect. More and more, Kushites pushed into the defensive circle, stabbing the enemy before being driven back, and toward midday, the attackers gained a foothold in the rocky fort and redoubled their efforts. Then a man came running to report to Sethi of movement on the road north.
"Soldiers, my lord."
"How many? Under what banner?" Sethi tensed, waiting for the news that would spell his failure to take Ta Mehu.
"Per-Bast. No more than a Troop."
Sethi relaxed. Calling for Qenna, he issued terse orders. "It is just the men who escorted Seti returning to their legion. Detach two hundred men and wipe them out. Show the defenders there is no hope."
Qenna grinned and ran to his men, calling them from the battle and together they raced to intercept the Troop of Per-Bast men. The northern men were waiting for them in a tight knot, and as the Kushites drew close, the front ranks knelt revealing archers and behind them young boys clutching baskets of arrows. Qenna yelled to his men to increase their speed, knowing their only hope lay in close-quarters fighting where the stabbing spear came into its own. Instead, a flickering shadow crossed the sun and then his men were toppling into the dust amid groans and screams. Again and again, the thrum of bowstrings sounded and sheaves of young men died, littering the ground, and throwing their comrades into confusion.
The officer in charge shouted a command and the kneeling men leapt up and forward, bronze swords and axes lifted high as they raced forward, slaughtering the wounded and confused Kushite warriors and leaving only a remnant, twenty or so, to escape back to Sethi. Qenna saluted his general, his face grey with pain from the arrow in his arm and an axe wound in his hip.
"Archers, my lord, with many arrows. I lost two hundred men within the space of twenty breaths."
"Withdraw the army from the assault," Sethi spoke, his face twisted with anger. "Overwhelm them. Destroy them before they can do any more damage."
Qenna saluted and limped away, shouting orders. The Kushite army withdrew from their assault on the fortified position and swarmed toward the tiny force of archers and axemen. The flood of men sweeping across the sand looked unstoppable, vastly outnumbering the troop of Per-Bast men, but clouds of arrows slew tens and then hundreds.
Sethi joined his men in the attack on the Per-Bast troop, desiring greatly to destroy them before they slaughtered his army. Despite his fury and the bravery of his bodyguard, he could not close with them, but could only stare across heaps of dead and wounded to where the enemy commander, a mere Troop Commander, directed the defence of his small command.
"I see you!" Sethi screamed above the din, "and if I ever reach you, you will die."
The Kushite attack faltered and then, under the goading of their officers, swept forward again, but now Setnakhte and his legion poured out from their rocky bastion and caught the Kushites in the rear, throwing them into confusion. Though still possessing numerical superiority, the Kushites broke and fled south, running to escape the arrows and axes that had slain so many of their comrades.
Sethi cursed, but could not halt his men's' retreat. He could only follow, trying to retain some semblance of command, but it was many stadia and two days later before he managed to reform the remnants of his once-great army. Qenna still limped from his axe wound, but his desire for revenge was great. He harangued his men, assuming overall command of the units and reported to Sethi.
"Give us the word, Lord Sethi, and we will teach those northerners a lesson. My men are ready to advance on Men-nefer again."
Sethi scowled and shook his head. "Not yet. We have suffered too many losses to be certain of victory. We must withdraw and build up the army again."
By the end of the month, Sethi's Kushite army had retreated almost as far as Waset once more, and he had sent word to Menmire Amenmesse and Khaemter that he needed more men.
Chapter 32
Year 4 of Userkheperure Seti
Year 3 of Menmire Amenmesse
Setnakhte guarded the North Road for a month, until General Iurudef returned from the northern border with a revitalised Re legion and several hundred auxiliaries garnered from the towns and villages of Ta Mehu. At this time, Setnakhte marched his Per-Bast legion back to Men-nefer and sought audience with the king.
Userkheperure Seti and Queen Tausret received the Legion Commander and his Troop Commanders in the main throne room of the palace, and arranged for the hall to be crowded with courtiers and nobles. Setnakhte led his officers in and they all bowed low before the King and Queen, extending their arms in ritual supplication.
"Arise, my good and faithful servant," Seti murmured. "Arise, you and your officers and accept the rewards a grateful king bestows on his brave commanders."
Seti beckoned and servants hurried forward, bearing a heavy chain of gold and several golden bracelets.
"Legion Commander Setnakhte, for your many acts of bravery in defeating the Kushite horde, I bestow the Gold Chain of Valour upon you and grant you a setat of rich farmland in the sepat of Abdju."
Setnakhte bowed once more and then stood while Tjaty Hori hung the gold chain around his neck.
Hori embraced the commander and whispered in his ear. "An incentive to keep fighting, Setnakhte. The land is currently in the possession of the southern usurper."
Setnakhte grunted, and when Hori had withdrawn, addressed the king. "My thanks, Userkheperure. I look forward to taking possession of my land."
Seti nodded and smiled. "Let the Troop Commanders of the Per-Bast legion step forward." The five men advanced and bowed low again. "Your bravery has been noted and is hereby rewarded. Let every Commander accept a gold bracelet of one deben weight."
Each commander received the gift of a grateful king from the hands of Tjaty Hori, bowed once more and stepped back.
Seti waited and then said, "It is with sorrow that I hear that Acting Legion Commander Ahmes of the Set legion fell during the battle against the Kushite horde. Commander Iurudef of the Set legion is confirmed as General of the Northern Armies, leaving the position of Legion Commander vacant." The king paused and glanced at Queen Tausret before smiling and continuing. "It is my will that Troop Commander Ament of the Per-Bast legion be raised to the position of Commander of the Set legion. May he continue to defend Kemet and the House of Ramesses all the days of his existence."
Ament prostrated himself, tears of gratitude in his eyes, and Tausret bade him take his place with pride, as he had earned the honour shown him.
Hori then announced one further action. "Let Royal Butler Bay stand forth."
The Amorite stepped forward, his face impassive, though those nearest him noted a slight tremor in his limbs. Nobody knew whether he was to be honoured or castigated, and some remembered that he was related by marriage to the southern usurper. These people drew back
lest they be contaminated by the proximity of a man who must surely now be accounted a traitor.
"Royal Butler Bay," Seti said. "You have served me faithfully these past several years and I am minded to reward you. Some have cautioned me in this regard, reminding me that your sister was married to my usurping brother, and that your loyalty is divided. I reject that view as I have seen no evidence of anything but your devoted service. Alas, Ramose the Treasurer, my faithful servant is on his deathbed, so I must make provision for his absence. I can think of no better man to take up his burden and his privilege. Accordingly, I am making you, Bay, Overseer of the Sealed Things, Treasurer and Chancellor of the Two Kingdoms, second only to Ramose in that regard while he lives."
Bay looked dazed at this sudden fortune, but collected his wits rapidly and bowed low before the king. "May I prove worthy of your trust, Userkheperure."
Hori dismissed the gathering, but told Ament to stay behind. "At the express wish of Queen Tausret," he murmured. He ushered Ament and Bay aside and into a smaller chamber where food and drink had been set out on tables and servants stood ready to minister to their needs.
Ament wandered over to the tables to view the fare but he did not take anything. He looked across at the new Chancellor who was standing by the door with a bemused expression on his face. "Took you by surprise, I'll warrant," Ament said.
Bay nodded slowly. "It appears we have both risen in the world. I think..." He was unable to complete his thought as the door opened once more and the king and queen entered.
Bay and Ament at once bowed, but Seti smiled. "Get up, get up. I will stand for no formality today. I have honoured you both because you have done me a great service. Now is the time to eat and drink and forget our cares." The king beckoned to a servant who immediately poured rich dark wine into a beautiful blue glass cup and handed it to him. Another poured wine for the Queen, and others for the two honoured commoners.