Chapter Thirty Four: New Girls
The next day Kiya woke alone. Sunlight streamed into her bedroom, birds sang and, in the bright new day, the events of the night before seemed like a dream. She stared up at the ceiling and wished that she could swim back through the river of time and change what had happened. If only she had given Eopei a clearer warning, done more to protect her beside the lake. Kiya turned her head and saw that a breakfast tray was already beside the bed. She regarded the grapes and little cakes with disinterest. She didn’t feel hungry, indeed, she doubted if she would ever want to eat again.
In her mind Kiya rehearsed what she would say to the girls when she took the afternoon dance practice. She tried to remember Qelhatat’s demeanour when she had told such lies in the past – a bland benevolence at being the bearer of good news.
Despite Kiya’s anxiety the deception went well. After greeting the dancers gathered in the assembly room she said, “I have a message from Eopei. She has returned to Nubia for her brother’s wedding, but she will be back soon.” She was aware of some heads raised and puzzled eyes upon her. “A guard of honour arrived for her late last night. They were anxious to set off on their journey home and so I allowed her to leave.” Kiya looked around and could see that all were now satisfied with her explanation. She glanced at Urshu, who gave a slight nod. They were accomplices, collaborators in an evil scheme to prey upon the innocent. With a heavy heart she started to school the dancers.
As the days passed, Kiya gradually sensed that something was wrong. There was a nervousness among the soldiers, conversations that stopped as she approached.
“What is going on?” she asked Urshu.
“I am sure there is nothing for you to worry about, Highness.” His smile was almost a grimace as he blocked all further questions.
After that, Kiya was alert to any mention of the world outside. She pressed her ear to the door of the anteroom and listened to the conversation of the guards in the courtyard.
“If the King shuts the temple, I will have to move my family to the new city being built at Akhetaten. They say that there is plenty of work available.” Shut the temple? Surely not! Kiya listened open-mouthed.
“Yes,” said the other soldier. “If you want to be a labourer and build houses. I would rather fight a war than do such a job.”
“War? There will be no war. The new King believes in loving his enemies.”
“Shush, someone is coming.”
Kiya straightened up and raced back to the throne room. She managed to sit upon the throne and compose her features before Urshu entered.
“Your Highness, three new dancing girls await an audience.”
“Show them in.”
Urshu went to the door and ushered in three girls, who gazed at Kiya with awe.
“Good morning, girls.” Kiya smiled, trying to put them at ease.
“Good morning, Highness,” they chorused.
“Welcome to the Ipet-Isut Temple. You have the honour of dancing nightly before the Lord Amun-Ra. You will also take part in ceremonies and processions throughout the year.”
The girls nodded eagerly and Kiya found their enthusiasm touching. They all had long, dark hair and athletic figures, as indistinguishable from other dancers as pegs on a loom – and equally replaceable. Although Kiya was only slightly older than they, her recent experiences made her feel that she had aged a generation.
“The best dancers are chosen to perform before the Statue of Osiris. This is a dance of seduction to remind Osiris how he ejaculated the stars of heaven. You must never be on your own in the shrine. It is important to remember this rule. Always be in pairs when dancing in the shrine.”
“Yes, Highness.”At least the girls were protected from that particular danger, she thought and continued, “Tomorrow you will start training to learn the steps of the Dance of Safe Passage. You may go to your quarters.” She raised her hand in a gesture of dismissal.
“Thank you, Highness.” The girls bowed and were led away by a guard.
Urshu came forwards holding a piece of papyrus. “The scribe has written out the names of the new girls ready for you to transcribe,” he said.
Kiya was momentarily puzzled, then the import of his words sank in. Those girls were going to join the others on the scroll to take part in the temple’s deadly game of chance. She took the list from Urshu and stared at it with unseeing eyes. One girl sacrificed every month on the night of the full moon. Twelve girls a year. Twelve out of forty dancers - that meant almost one chance in three of being chosen in any one year. Kiya’s head spun as she did the maths. So many pretty girls, so many lives full of promise.
Urshu was waiting, watching her closely. “Shall I escort you to the shrine, Highness?”
“Very well.” Kiya got to her feet. She followed Urshu out of the throne room, through the anteroom and into the courtyard. The guards bowed as she passed and she acknowledged them with a slight tilt of the head.
As Kiya followed Urshu, she heard the distant sound of shouting. Urshu paused and raised his head.
“What is happening?” asked Kiya.
“There is a disturbance in the street outside,” said Urshu. “The guards are missing so they must have gone to deal with it.”
Kiya dismissed the problem and followed Urshu along the corridor to the shrine. He stood aside to let her enter and then closed the door behind her.
She gazed at the statue of Anubis. Although she mourned for Eopei, her love for the god still shone brightly enough to hold back the shadows. She was conscious that Urshu was waiting outside for her and she did not linger, but bent to her task. There was a pen upon the plinth and a small bottle of ink - someone had prepared the shrine for her visit. She unrolled the scroll and at the bottom of the list of names she inscribed the hieroglyphs of the new girls. Xonsu – that would be a hard one for the bones to copy she thought. Meritites, Reputneb, she copied the hieroglyphs in a neat hand. There was one more thing to be done. She found Eopei’s name and, blurred by rising tears, she drew a cross through it.
Kiya was about to leave the shrine when she heard the sound of running feet and Urshu’s raised voice. “This area is forbidden!” She tiptoed to the door and pressed her ear against the gap by the hinges. “How dare you invade the sanctity of the temple!” Urshu’s voice quivered with rage.
A rough accent answered, “No need to shout old man, we are not deaf. This temple is being closed down.”
“By whose order?”
“By order of the King.”
“Oh!” exclaimed Urshu. “In that case I will offer no resistance.”
“Just as well, old man, since you are weaponless and we have spears. I ask you once again. Where is the High Priestess?”
“Why?”
“She is under arrest and so will you be, if you fail to answer my question.”
Kiya braced herself for capture and was surprised when Urshu replied, “She is in her quarters, of course.”
“Where are they?”
“I will show you the way.”
Urshu was taking a risk. Kiya suspected that his courage was inspired by pride in his office, rather than any loyalty to her, but she was grateful for the chance to escape. She ripped off her robe, wig and crown and stuffed them behind the statue of Anubis. Then she opened the door and peered out into a deserted corridor. With mounting hope, she hurried towards the temple entrance but was brought to a halt by a group of soldiers, who rushed into the temple between the great pillars. It was too late for concealment. She stood still while they surrounded her.
“Who are you?” demanded one of them.
“Just a dancing girl, Sur.” She adopted crude, rustic speech and cringed away from him in a terror that was only partly simulated. Most of the other men ran on, searching for more important prey. Two remained to confront her.
“Come with us,” one of them commanded.
She looked desperately from left to right but saw no sign of rescuers. “No, Sur. I must get home.
” He made a grab at her but she evaded his clutching hand.
“Leave her be, we have to find the priests,” said his companion.
“We should question her,” said the soldier, but he allowed himself to be hurried on into the temple.
Kiya’s relief was short lived. When she emerged, blinking in the sunlight, a forest of spears blocked her way.
Kiya and the God of Chaos Page 34