Marai wanted to make the old man shrivel up and vanish. He was getting angry enough to rally whatever spirit he couldfind again to make that happen. He didn’t want to go to Ineb Hedj any more. He wanted to stay right in Ahu Wadi and somehow begin to make a new life, now that the thieves were gone. Whatever the old man in the vision was doing had made the Children’s venture go terribly wrong.
They had told him a wise and elderly man with whom they had worked for years would graciously help him when he arrived. Marai remembered he had doubted their word at first, thinking the man wouldn’t be able to avoid jealousy. Now, it seemed, he had been right, if it was even the same man at all and not the illusion of the man provided by another.
This Djedi had quickly turned into an adversary who had all but dared the shepherd to come ahead and meet with him, teaching Marai plenty of terrible truths from afar. He even referred to something Marai had only suspected: that the Children of Stone had actually killed N’ahab-atall and his men through him, just to make the shepherd believe in his own new powers.. Even though he had, at first, wanted some kind of revenge for his family, had decided it wouldn’t be rational. He had wanted to escape, but the Children, or something inside him that had been amplified by his own Child Stone hadn’t allowed it.. Now the children were luring him toward sick and crippled women for reasons the didn’t even want to guess.
A hurt glare Marai would never forget suddenly glimmered in the old man’s spectral eyes. His tone changed.
Come to Djehuti at Ineb Hedj my handsome man of Ai. The ancient voice hissed. I promise you this, my young avatar; bring with you all the followers and devotees you have gathered by that time. All will be cared for in due time as it has been prophesied long before you breathed in this form.
The image of the elder faded into the vision of a smooth shape that resembled a mountain. White stone sheeting, painted with bands of brilliant color made the perfect shape gleam like a wide ray of the sun extending from it’s light to the earth. An area for a second mountain had been cleared, while a third area was being surveyed and marked off. A young and virile “Djedi”, with closely barbered black hair, stood draped in white, in the doorway to the white wall enclosing the mountain. In one arm he held a goose with a red ribbon around it’s’ throat. His other hand held a brilliant light that made Marai’s head ache even more when he tried to look at it. At the same time, just behind the first image, another image of a smiling, but shorter and heavy-set old man formed.
Marai focused on him, realizing he was seeing through yet another illusion. The jolly old fellow seemed more like the Djedi the Children of Stone had described as the wise teacher. The first image of the slim old man was someone else, posing as the wise master Djedi. The light in the taller and slimmer old man’s hand became clear. It was a large clear crystal with something etched on it, just as the image of the doorway swallowed the two men up. The crash of the door ripped through Marai’s spirit, jarring him violently awake. For a moment, the shepherd lay on the mat alone, reflecting on what he had seen and wondering if the journey would even be worth the trouble. The women were moving about, quietly packing a few things in baskets.
It was near dusk.
“I cannnn guh onnn...” the yellow-skinned woman, known as Wise MaMa, moaned aloud in misery. She mopped her face with the back of her hand, then fell face down in the sand from her perch on one of the asses, before Marai could grab for her. Her guts heaved and she vomited badly colored bile again.
The shepherd had been cursing himself all night for pushing sick women on like this, especially the elder, even though at this pace he felt as if he was standing still.
We’re almost there! Not much further...He would encourage them. At each dune he circled among the women, pushing and prodding them so they would be able to see his “splendid boat in the sand” before the sun rose and the heat of the coming day was upon them. He remembered the “boat” had sunk into the sand pit when he left it yesterday, but a slight wind out this far from the mountains could have heaped more sand on top of the place, making it nearly impossible to find.
The frail, dark Bone Woman leapt down from her mount, refusing to abandon the elder who lay suffering in the dirt. Little Lady flopped from her mount into the sand with an audible
“Weeeee....” the way the elder had done, then rolled on her back as if everything had become part of a silly game. She began to thrash and kick in great hilarity when she found she couldn’t quite right herself. Marai would have laughed at the fat little thing’s game, but he was more worried about helping the old woman.
“Just a little further...” he was urging himself more than he was pushing any of them.
“Lea...meee...” Wise MaMa cried in pain. She was vomiting again. She needed something wet to sip on so her fever wouldn’t get too high.
Marai got a skin of laban, fermented asses milk, which he had tied to the burden baskets on the seven asses they had brought with them. He turned and took the bag to her. Sheltering her against the rising wind with his cloak, he pried the waxed stopper out of the tip and lifted her head so she could drink the curdled milk.
She tried to struggle away from him.
Please. I beg you, let me go...It’s over for me now...I can’t... her thoughts cried.
Nothing doing, woman...I’m a son of Ahu and stubborn to the pit of me. If you die, it will be on our way, not left behind like this. Now drink! His thoughts ordered her.
She spat a little at him, or tried to, but the pain had sapped the last bit of her energy.
No man tells me what to do...her thoughts snarled defiantly. “Ohhh...” she suffered again. Her eyes were nearly swollen shut.
He knew she had gone sun-blind. Marai touched the skin flask to her cracked and stained lips.
She took a sip, then another, but retched again.
“Ohhh...” she cried out.
Bone Woman’s face grew harsh with resentment, even though she sensed Marai was trying to help. The second sip went better. Wise MaMa shook her head and grabbed for the skin, but the shepherd stayed her hand.
Not so much...just enough until we’re there...Marai picked the old woman up, thinking she would feel more secure in his arms instead of sprawled over the back of a choppy-gaited ass already loaded with provisions.
Bone-Woman dragged fat little Brown Eyes to her feet, then followed them on foot. Soon the rising sand and wind picked up on the foot of a domed mound.
“Baaaawwww...” came another sound. The fat little dancer was rooted to the spot where she stood frozen in terror as the wind started to whip at her clothes.
The Bone Woman urged her to keep moving, but the asses had frozen too, as if they sensed something.
Marai smiled. The mound on which they were standing was the one covering the vessel.
The animals, and for some reason the little woman, had sensed it. Instead of moving to comfort “Brown Eyes”, he beckoned for Bone Woman to drag her if she had to, and to come to where he stood.
Gently setting the old woman down and kneeling in the dirt, he brushed the drifted sand away from the surface beneath his knees. He welcomed the fiery sight of the hexagonal color-patterns spreading over the opalescent surface in the instant before the round opening formed. Before she noticed the widening opening, Marai lifted Wise MaMa again.
The old woman’s head whipped around. She began to struggle and shriek in concert with the braying. tethered asses. The Bone Woman struggled up the hill with Brown Eyes in tow and froze, her face drawn with shock at the fiery lights that danced and bounced in her companions faces. At that moment a wail escaped her. She fell to her knees.
“Ta-Te...” she cried out “Ta-Te!”
Deka, Naibe-Ellit, Ariennu a sensual voice, quite like the Marai’s own voice, breathed through the women’s faces, rustling their hair as the shepherd dumped them into the cloudiness. He scurried back out to round up the bewildered animals and seal the opening behind everyone.
Don’t be afraid. The voice continu
ed.
This man who has brought you to us
Is named Marai.
Your wishes are understood.
Wise MaMa sprawled on the floor, looking almost dead.
Deka had thrown her arms around Little Lady who cowered and hid her face.
The women looked at each other in the knowing alarm that something had been able to read their thoughts and that it was linking them together to form an answer. The voice meandered about each one, speaking and gently weaving an enchanting spell with its thought-words.
Ariennu born in the town of Tyre on the Kina coast
Know you, that youth passes
Age is the voice of wisdom and experience.
Marai felt the voice inside his own thoughts at the same time it welcomed each woman. The “voice” moved to the whimpering cow-eyed girl.
You were never named
Only used by ones of this place
We name you Naibe-Ellit
According to your desire.
Marai knew enough of pure Sumerian and Akkadian to tell him such a name could mean “Calls my Lady”. It bothered him again. She had been graceful when she danced and alluring despite her wretchedness. Her thought voice had been the voice of the goddess. She had been the mistaken child of a holy quadish, so she at least sensed some things. The shepherd wondered how such a dim and ugly little creature could be aware of or even know to call out for the goddess he had always worshipped.
The Children’s voices turned to the Bone woman.
Remember, Deka
That you find it hard to be pleasing
as your child name
Your other name you will learn on the day
The arrow of your anger flies
Accepting love and joy,
You will understand your pain and regret.
At last the voices spoke to all.
You have agreed to come with our Marai
On faith, not understanding why
Your journeys will not be into oblivion;
Go with him.
Be Love to him,
comfort his heart...
Be love to him as he will need.
Do not fear him, or yourselves when you are with him
His heart is made of stars.
Ariennu, the elder, who had heard her name so clearly lay in the floor, numb from the thoughts sent through her by the marvelous voice. Red Ariennu Wett Awinoo her own thoughts repeated. She was too sick to move. Her final fever had begun to rise. She panted and gasped, suffering faintly. Breathing was becoming so very hard for her now.
All this fuss for a spent and filthy old kuna like me...I’m dying anyway...I can’t see anything. Cold! Hold me just a little bit...like to die with a good-looking man holding me...Her thoughts flooded the shepherd.
Marai sat beside her and pulled her up, knowing all that lay ahead for the women. He had heard the Children tell everyone they would not be headed into oblivion. To him, that meant the women would be healed. He thought all along that the Children would do something like that if he brought them here, but couldn’t resist the temptation or the curiosity. At least now, they would be able to fend for themselves after they went their separate ways.
Ariennu, Wise Mama...He consoled the miserable woman. You won’t die! You’ ll see. He lifted the elder woman into his arms again, and motioned for the others to come to the antechamber where the cleaning tube and veil of images were located. Gesturing for them to undress, the shepherd suddenly turned and left for the large room.
The little one smirked, wondering if he was going to remove his clothing first. She unwrapped a veil from her throat, but began to shriek at the green-yellow flame dissolving it as soon as it hit the floor of the vessel.
In a moment Marai appeared at the glimmering archway to the main antechamber, still fully clothed, but tugging one of the asses the four of them had brought from the wadi.
“Watch this...” he whispered aloud, but gestured just in case the women had been too distracted to look at his lips. Calm filled him again, as if the nurturing presence of the vessel had cured all of his worries about the women he brought with him. He became as tranquil as the Children were brilliant. Breathing in, he placed the ass on the platform of light. Everyone watched the cleaning tube descend.
The flea-ridden creature brayed and kicked the sides in vain, just as the shepherd had done the first time he had been trapped in the light-filled tube. Clinging to each other in horror, the women wondered what sort grim sacrifice to this god of light the man was showing them.
It’s no sacrifice...He laughed It’s about being clean...Marai smiled peacefully, feeling as if his very teeth flashed like the sun. He had never felt quite so radiant or so godlike and knew he almost certainly looked more like a god now. His magnificence wasn’t calming the women at all. As they watched the poor animal frozen and terrified in the tube, cool firelight raced about its hide. The moment the tube vanished, the ass bolted free, cavorting, kicking and braying wildly about the room until Marai managed to chase it down and seize it by its black mane. When it had calmed enough, he led the beast to the women.
See that? he suggested, smoothing the animal’s still twitching coat. No dirt, no scabs, no fleas...even smooth in the hair and tail. Now one of you...Marai quickly chose Deka, becausae she seemed to accept his softly glowing aura more than the other women. He pushed her into the platform.
She hadn’t removed her wool drape or her dark linen skirt. Her face hardened and nostrils flared for a moment as the lights descended but she didn’t cry out, even when a different set of lights destroyed her clothing with cold green flame.
Her stoniness reminded Marai of something he had seen in the illusion of Old Djedi’s accusing face. That memory suddenly made him feel a lot less godly.
Is it true? He asked the children, as the dark-skinned woman was being cleaned and sanitized. About my will not truly being mine alone? Will I be getting moved around like a pea in a shell game?
The voices whispered within and without him now, no longer as remote as they had been when he was away from the star boat. That, in itself, comforted him.
The ending of the bodies of the men saddens you.
The bell toned voices rang soberly this time.
I wanted to escape from them, not slaughter them! I expected you would help me do that. His thoughts snapped back, treating the voices as if they were still outside him.
It was your wish, was it not,
To punish the leader
For the violation of your family,
Because of the destruction
Of the burial places.
The Children calmly reminded him with Sheb’s voice.
Marai knew the Children spoke the truth. He had wanted the band of thieves dead, but he hadn’t expected this new power to transform his rage into death for nearly thirty men. More unnerving was the lack of effort it took to dispatch all of them. The killing had tired him less than taking a cool and refreshing walk across the early evening sand. His own natural strength and swiftness, coupled with a new ability to get inside the passage of time and break it apart had made the men’s attack appear slow enough that all of their moves had been anticipated. Knowledge of their plans became Marai’s lethal defense. His desire to stop the knives drawn against him had turned the weapons back on their owners. What his actions did to his spirit had been another matter.
Marai saw a dejected, hunched and twisted, but clean, dark-skinned woman standing in the tube. He gestured with the thought.
Good! One is done.
Bone Woman quietly exited the area, lost in deep thought. Her hand waved aimlessly in the direction of Wise MaMa, as if she had decided the elder woman would go next.
Her...Her next. Deka’s low, sweet thought voice urged.
Marai lifted the woman who lay shivering in a feverish heap on the floor and carried her into the tube. Gently setting her on the floor he whispered into her thoughts.
I hope this doesn’t hurt you. Once he had cle
ared the platform, the lights came down again and enclosed the old woman. She whimpered again, more ill than afraid. The shepherd understood she had probably never shown fear a day in her life, until now. Deka sat quietly, watching the fiery lights wash over her elder.
Your actions are yours the children continued.
You did not understand it was their day to pass
Into another realm
The men who take others
Were to rout them
You saved more lives from destruction
Marai paused as the Children spoke within him, briefly visualizing through his own new Child Stone, a detachment of over a hundred trained men. They were attired in battle gear and led by a fairly young looking nobleman, perhaps a prince.. He saw them arriving at the wadi station. Their faces bore a look of astonishment when they saw no one in the camp and found the skulls still smoldering a little in the burn pile. The shepherd saw these same soldiers packing whatever items were salable and burning out the rest of the tenting and spoiled goods. The wadi of Ahu was quietly passing into hands of the Kemet militia.
It would become a way station on the Copper Road, eventually, but now it was in the hands of the overlords his family had paid for so many years. These men would have killed women in such poor condition if they had found them abandoned. They would have lost many men themselves taking the wadi from N’ahab-Atall and his men if they had arrived earlier.
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