Bast's Warrior

by Walters, Janet Lane;

  Kashe carried the remainder of their supplies. He led the way along streets and through alleys. The pungent aroma of manure told her of their nearness to their destination. She grimaced and breathed through her mouth.

  Kashe lowered his burdens to the ground. He led three camels to where she waited. The shades of their brown coats varied from pale to dark. He tapped the darkest of the three with some kind of prod. The camel knelt. With Tira’s help the sacks and bags were loaded on the camel’s back.

  He lifted two rolls of cloth she hadn’t seen before. “What are those?”

  “Tents.” He added bundles of wood to the load. With this done he hoisted a pair of leather sacks and strode toward a cluster of palm trees. “Wait here. I’ll bring some food so we can eat before we leave.”

  Tira sat with her back against one of the trees. Bast Ka perched on the pack camel’s back. The hawk landed on a post where the three beasts were tied.

  Before long Kashe returned with meat on skewers, bread, onions, melon and cheese. He filled two cheap pottery mugs with beer from a leather flask. Tira wondered how much time would pass before she stopped hoping for the aroma of coffee or the taste of an ice cold beverage.

  Kashe slid his meat and onions onto the bread and rolled it. “Tell me the whole story of the priest and how you sent Bast Ka to find me.”

  Tira looked up. “I didn’t send her. I spoke aloud about him and how I needed to find you. She ran off.”

  “How odd.”

  Tira swallowed the last of her rolled bread. She began to talk of how the priest had arrived in the doorway of the beer house. She continued and related his conversation with the house owner. “He seeks a man and a boy. Do you think the daughter travels disguised as a boy?”

  He frowned. “I can’t believe any girl of the Two Lands would do that. Why would she come here? She would seek the temples of the Three in Tebes.”

  “I don’t know any answers.” Tira leaned back. She reached for a piece of melon. She was still learning the customs of this land.

  “I wonder –” He shook his head. “A stray thought that makes little sense.”

  Tira chewed the sweet melon. “The boy was sick or injured. I wish we could help him. Anyone the priests choose to harm could be a friend.”

  “We can’t abandon our quest to champion a new one.” Kashe concentrated on finishing his share of the meal. He rose.

  “Do we have to leave this instant?”

  “Soon. I’ve an uneasy feeling that if we linger we’ll find trouble.” We need to fill the water sacks.”

  Tira walked to the well and used water to wash her hands and face. She was uneasy, too but she believed the sensation was caused by her worries about riding a camel. Even so she had to face this new experience.

  Kashe dropped the leather sacks beside her. He lowered a bucket into the well.

  “Why must we bring so much water? Aren’t camels able to travel without needing any?”

  “They can but we must carry enough to last until we reach a small oasis I know.” He lifted the bucket and poured water into the container.

  Tira found a second bucket and worked beside him. Once the bags bulged Kashe added them to the pack camel’s load. He led the three animals to a trough and allowed them to drink. Then he used a prod to tap the riding pair behind the knees.

  He pointed to the one with fur almost as pale as the sand. “This is yours.”

  Tira stared at the camel. “Do I have to ride alone?” The saddle atop the hump looked hard. She moved closer and lifted the woolen cloth. Beneath the tapestry she saw hardened leather and wood.

  Kashe nodded. “If you want to reach the Valley before the next moon ends you will. Don’t worry. You’ll soon become used to the gait. I’ve even slept while on a camel’s back.”

  “If you say so.” Tira gulped a breath. She thought of the kinds of vehicles she had used. Subway, taxis, buses. Even a bicycle would be preferable to a long legged beast with a strange shape. But she wasn’t in the world of mass trans. She had to accept this creature. “Might as well get this over with. Help me up.”

  Kashe assisted her onto the saddle. “Grasp the front handle and hold tight.” He handed her a slender hard leather baton. “This prod is used to control the camel. For now trust the beast to follow mine.”

  Tira nodded. She clutched the bar. Kashe waved the stick. The camel’s rear legs straightened. Tira pitched forward and feared being catapulted over the animal’s head. She gasped and was too scared to scream as the front legs straightened. The movement jerked her back. A seatbelt would be nice.

  Do not look down. She opened her eyes a slit and disobeyed the silent order. She gripped the front of the saddle until her knuckles blanched. The ground seemed miles beneath her perch.

  What was wrong with her? The fifth floor walk-up had been further from the ground than this. So was the Empire State Building where she’d ventured once. Except in those places her feet had been firmly planted on a solid surface.

  Kashe mounted and made the process seem easy. He led the way. The pack animal followed. Hers became the caboose of the small procession.

  As she grew accustomed to the swaying gait of the animal her death grip loosened. Once again her thoughts drifted to her lost world. She drew in a deep breath. Today was not the moment for dreams of what might have been. If she hadn’t responded to the flyer she would be on the run, in jail accused of a murder she hadn’t committed or dead.

  Tira sighed. Being in this new land was in some ways better. She enjoyed the challenge of the situation. Here she had a companion and a friend. She hoped he would become more.

  She locked the past away and concentrated on the present. They had left the grass and scrub behind. Heat shimmered from the sands turning them into a glittering sea of gold. In the distance she saw rolling dunes. Outcroppings of stone, some tall and others flat dark spots broke through the sand. They formed a pattern reminding her of a crazy quilt. Far to the left she saw a dark outline against the sky. Were they cliffs like the ones they had passed along the river road? Did they surround the Valley?

  Her thoughts turned to the quest. Finding the three symbols of the rule was a vital step in establishing the unity of the Two Lands. She needed the keys. Without them the search could take years. The scroll given to her by the chief priestess of the Bast temple gave no clue to where the keys were hidden. She had the map of the Valley Bast Ka had pulled from the nomarch’s shelves. The cat had also chosen a plan of the temple once dedicated to Toth. Must she and Kashe go to the place now the center of worship for Aken Re?

  They rode until sunset. As the heat of the day bled away Tira shivered. Kashe halted his camel near a cluster of rocks. The beast knelt. So did the pack animal. Hers remained standing. There must be some signal. She pulled the prod free and tapped the camel. Nothing happened. Kashe approached. Slowly the beast folded its legs. What had he done?

  Though her steed was kneeling Tira couldn’t move. Her shoulders hurt. Her legs were numb not to mention other parts of her body.

  Kashe grasped her waist. “Swing your leg over.”

  “I can’t.”

  “You must.”

  “The beast wouldn’t kneel.”

  “In time you’ll learn the signals.”

  “Right.” Slowly she raised her leg. She slid into his arms. When he released her she sank on the ground. Numbness stormed to life. A moan escaped. She forced herself to stand. Though tears lurked she refused to allow them to fall. Curses rose in her thoughts but those she wanted to shout refused to emerge. She removed the camel’s saddle and joined Kashe.

  Once her tent had been pitched she crawled inside and collapsed on the blanket. In the morning she would eat and practice. Her bones and muscles ached too much to allow her to move.

  Chapter 10

  When Tira staggered into her tent Kashe kindled a small fire with pieces of wood he’d carried from the market town. The pungent aroma made his stomach rumble. Though they’d ridden no great dis
tance Tira’s exhaustion troubled him. How soon would she be able to tolerate longer rides? The distance to their destination would take a moon of sun turns at this rate. He groaned. However long, they had no choice.

  He placed lentils, onions and meat in a clay pot that he buried in the sand. He placed some of the coals over the lid. As he drank a mug of beer and ate a cold meal he watched the fire die. How far from her homeland had Tira traveled? What kind of transportation had she used? Though she bore a great resemblance to his Nubian ancestors he also noticed differences in the curve of her lips and in the shape of her nose.

  He shrugged and got to his feet. Inside his tent he allowed his speculations about his companion to lull him to sleep.

  The odd shouts Tira shouted as she practiced her fighting style woke him. He left the tent and watched her lithe movements. His morning erection pulsed with a need he pushed aside. Now wasn’t the time to engage her in a different kind of encounter.

  Tira spun and danced across the sand using the embedded rocks to propel her body into the air. Her feline grace brought his control of his desire toward the fracture point. He wanted to join the dance. That idea was wrong. The fate of the Two Lands lay like a boulder on his shoulders. They must succeed. If the priests of Aken Re won the battle people would suffer.

  Kashe went behind a spire of rock and relieved himself. He had been called by Horu to be the warrior’s companion. After they found the symbols she might vanish as quickly as she had appeared. Chilled by that possibility he rubbed his arms. He wanted her to stay. He wanted to spend the rest of his lifetime learning about her in love and in friendship.

  Tira sank to the ground. For a time she remained still. When she rose she dusted sand from her clothes. “You seem interested in my method of unarmed combat. If you’d like I could teach you.”

  He would definitely enjoy sparring with her but not to learn a new fighting style. Temptation slithered in serpentine patterns through his thoughts. He clenched his hands. He wouldn’t give in to the escalating rise of lust. “I’m adept at wrestling and am an expert with bow, spear, mace and knife. Now isn’t the time for me to learn new ways.”

  “You never practice. Are your skills so well-honed they emerge after weeks of idleness as perfect? Think of how much more you could be if you mastered what I can teach. For me, having a partner would help.”

  He met her gaze. “Each time we touch my desire grows.” He saw passion flare in her eyes. He looked away and dug the pot from the sand taking care not to add ashes or sand to their meal.

  “I feel the same.” She took a bowl and dished a share of the stew.

  “We will use our own ways so we don’t divert our energies from the quest.”

  She poured water into a cup. “What you say makes sense but keeping at a distance distracts me. I think about you as much as I do the quest.’

  Kashe bent his head. How could he answer her? One of his reasons for keeping her at a distance was the warning he’d read in the scroll. The other seemed as important. What if she was Bast’s avatar? Though she denied holding that role he couldn’t be sure her denial was true. He had no wish to incur the goddess’ wrath. He pressed his amulet. Horu, god of the skies, give me the strength to resist.

  A voice rang in his thoughts. The god Horu and the goddess Bast walk the Two Lands.

  He nearly dropped his bowl. What guise did they wear? Had he already encountered them?

  Tira cleared her throat. “Are you all right? You look like you’ve seen some dread spirit.”

  “Just startled by a stray thought about Horu.”

  She finished her food and rose. Kashe gulped a breath. The cloth binding her breasts was dampened by sweat and the dark color of her nipples showed. He looked away. Why were covered breasts more fascinating than the exposed ones of the women he’d seen daily? Was a mystery always more intriguing that an open display? His body responded. He looked up.

  Tira’s expression showed she knew the direction of his thoughts. He finished eating and began loading the pack camel. At least while riding he wasn’t in danger of touching her.

  Again they rode until sunset. As soon as they ate the evening meal Kashe retired to his tent. As he prepared for sleep his thoughts drifted to the priest who had appeared in the market town. Who had he sought and why?

  Tira thought the daughter had disguised herself as a boy. Kashe didn’t think any girl of the two lands would take such a step. But the daughter had been raised by the nomad clans of the desert. Would that make a difference in her behavior? Was the boy another claimant for the pharaoh’s chair? Though the idea of another candidate pleased Kashe he knew no boy could claim the daughter. The next pharaoh must be a man. Still, a wish grew stronger for another man to appear and upset the plans of the priests, Pian and the nomarch of Mero.

  Kashe groaned. An impossible dream. There was no chance for any of their ambitions shriveling like crops during a drought. His spinning thoughts became a web of dreams.

  They slept late and prepared to leave. Kashe climbed one of the rocks to study the sands. When he faced the way they had traveled he saw a moving dark spot in the distance. He flung Horu Ka into the air. With a flutter of wings the hawk sped toward the traveler. Who approached? Kashe jumped to the ground and joined Tira. “There’s someone on the way.”

  “Just one?” she asked.

  “I see only one camel.”

  “Do you think it could be the priest?”

  Kashe shook his head. “Didn’t you say he traveled with two guards?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then he would never be alone.”

  “Who could it be? Do you think we were spied on and someone who wants to keep us from completing our quest is on the way?”

  “The rider is too far away to tell.”

  “Should we load the camels and run?”

  “We wouldn’t get far enough to escape. You’re not up to racing on your steed.” Kashe reached for his spear. “Even if we rush to pack whoever comes could follow our trail.” He looked at the rock. Bast Ka sat at the top and stared toward the rider. The hawk returned and landed beside the cat. Neither of the animals seemed alarmed. With a shrug Kashe strode toward the approaching camel. He held the mace in one hand and the spear in the other. Better to be prepared for any situation.

  As the camel neared Kashe saw the rider held a smaller figure in front of him. He turned and shouted to Tira. “I think the rider seeks help for a child or someone who is ill. I don’t understand why they came to the desert.”

  “Could they be the boy and the man the priest sought?”

  Kashe frowned. “There are no physicians out here.”

  Horu Ka shot into the air, circled Kashe’s head and flew toward the approaching camel. Kashe ran. When he reached the beast he stared at the man and his burden. “What happened to my brother?”

  “Beaten. Pian and the Aken Re priest.”

  “My father?”

  “Did little to help or hinder.” Anger tinged Tuten’s voice. “The priest was furious to learn you and Tira had left. He ordered the village searched. Your father sent men into every home. When I returned from fishing they questioned me and learned nothing other than your dislike of becoming a priest. Pian insisted Namose knew something. The boy refused to speak. Your father was called away so the priest ordered a flailing. Pian wielded the flail and the priest asked questions.”

  “What then?”

  “Your father returned and discovered what they pair did. He ordered Pian to cease.”

  Kashe’s jaw clenched. “They will pay.” He walked beside the camel. “Where are they?”

  Tuten shrugged. “They left the compound by barge. Your father joined them. He took a barge of guards.”

  “Which men went with father?”

  “None of the elite. They remained to guard the compound. Once the nomarch left your mother summoned the physician for Namose. When your brother woke he asked for me. The guards brought him to the house. They gave me coins, supplies and a
camel. Namose and I left to find you.”

  “Were you followed?”

  Tuten shook his head. “I don’t think so. We avoided the river road and took to the sands until we neared the market town.”

  Kashe frowned. “A priest of Aken Re sought a man and a boy in the town. How did he know you had fled?”

  “Spies. Two priests came to the compound the day your father left. I heard they were there to study the scrolls. Namose didn’t believe that was their reason. He thinks they are there to control your mother and sisters.”

  Kashe continued to walk beside the camel. “When Pian beat Namose, how much did my little brother tell them?”

  “He tried his best not to say anything but he did tell them you were headed for the Valley of the Pharaohs.”

  Kashe drew a deep breath. “Did the priest in the market town spot you?”

  “I don’t think so. Since I traveled alone and left Namose with a friend they wouldn’t connect me to him or to you.”

  “How did you find us?”

  “Saw the horse and chariot and figured you would take the back way to the Valley. Some quiet talk gave me your starting direction but I knew you would change your route. The hawk appeared last night. Guided us to the remains of your last camp.” He halted the camel beside the others.

  When the camel knelt Kashe took Namose into his arms and carried him to the fire. Dried blood stained the white linens on the boy’s back. The dressing reeked.

  Tira crouched beside them. She brushed her hand over the youth’s skin. “I must examine him.”

  “Are you a physician?” Kashe asked.

  “No but I know a bit about the care of wounds.” She turned Namose to his stomach and untied the bandages. “Heat some water so I can clean his back.”

  Kashe looked up. “The crusts of healing have formed. Do you want him to bleed again?”

  She pointed to two areas of red and swollen skin. “There is poison here and here. His sleep is that caused by fever.”