by Overton, Max
"Yes, the sooner I can get this poor woman back to Kemet, the better. Gentlemen..." Nakhtmin nodded at the officers.
The soldiers bowed in response and Scarab took a step toward the Gubla officer, her hand reaching for the man's dagger. The other guards shouted a warning but Scarab grasped the blade and threw herself toward Nakhtmin.
The Kemetu heir swung his head round at the shout of warning, and stepped back swiftly. Scarab's thrust missed and she stumbled forward, off balance. Nakhtmin brought his fist across and punched Scarab in the side of the head, sending her reeling. The dagger fell and the Gubla officer snatched it up, while the other guards ran forward. Nakhtmin was ushered out of the room and Scarab was laid on the bed. A servant was sent for and arrived with water and clean cloths. Scarab accepted the water but waved the girl away.
"Are you alright, lady?" the Amorite officer asked. "I'll have to report this, see, to the prince."
Scarab nodded, keeping a wet cloth pressed to the side of her face. "I will be alright. Please leave me."
The officer left and Scarab lay back on the bed, thinking about the last few minutes. Violence was offered to me--successfully. The god did not protect me. Why not ? Has...has the god abandoned me? Why would he do that ? She got up and crossed to stand under the high window. The strip of sky showed a sprinkling of stars that she knew lay in the southwestern heavens. She started to pray and then hesitated. What if she has abandoned me too? What if all my gifts have left me ? Suddenly she did not want to put the gods to the test. But I must. If my powers have left me, I must rethink my path through this...Holy Nut, show me the way south to Kemet .
Scarab stared up at the strip of night sky, hoping that a shooting star would streak across, or that the stars would shift and point the way. Nothing definite happened. Instead the stars continued to slowly wheel across the sky until her eye grew weary. She turned away at last and threw herself onto the bed, her mind in turmoil. Even Nut has deserted me. Why ? Eventually, she slept.
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Chapter Thirty-Five
Jesua had led the other members of the Pillar north to Taanach and now west to the city of Gubla on the Great Sea. At times, they were close enough to catch a glimpse of Scarab, and at other times could only guess her whereabouts from the actions of others. They noted the absence of Khu and the presence of the outrider messengers on the journey west, following them back to the small group that held Khu.
Some of the Pillar, especially Salom, was in favour of effecting an immediate rescue, but Jesua urged caution.
"Who can say what the Amorites will do to the 'Eye' out of revenge?"
Salom disagreed. "The 'Eye' can take care of herself, we have all seen it. In fact, they have used Khu to bend her to their will. We must free him."
"No. Not until we arrive in Gubla. There may be a chance to get close to the 'Eye' then and find out what she wants."
Salom backed down, grumbling. The Pillar hurried on after the Amorite column and entered Gubla by a different gate at about the time Scarab took up residence in the palace. Jesua set his men the task of scouting out the palace as best they could, given the heightened security, and to start cultivating acquaintanceships with palace servants. Two men kept an eye on the group guarding Khu as they set up camp on a hillside in direct line of sight of the palace.
Within a day, their task had grown more complex. Contingents arrived from two Kemetu nobles and the number of armed men increased, with Amorite and Gubla guards at every turn. By then, though, two members of the Pillar had secured employment within the Palace--Dahvin in the kitchens, and Marak as a water carrier. Both men were worked hard but few people notice a servant gainfully employed and they were able to scout out many areas of the palace out of reach to a casual observer.
"She is in the eastern wing," Marak reported. "I cannot get close enough to be sure exactly where as she is heavily guarded."
"I heard the Amorite soldiers are afraid of her," Dahvin added. "She has defended herself by the power of the gods."
"What have you heard about the two Kemetu nobles? Who are they and why are they here?"
"One is our enemy, Lord Nakhtmin, heir to the Double Throne; the other a general, aide to Lord Horemheb."
"Who is the general?"
"I don't know. It seems they are here to buy the 'Eye'. The two men do not talk to each other without insults being traded."
"Buy her?" Gershom exclaimed. "She is not a slave to suffer this indignity. We must free her."
"Naturally," Jesua agreed. "But how? She is tightly guarded."
"Free Khu first," Salom said. "Give me two other men and I will do it myself."
"I told you, freeing him may bring down retribution on the 'Eye'."
"Actually, I think that may be round the other way," Terrik commented. "We know that the Amorites plan on selling her to the Kemetu. One's merchandise has to be in good condition for that. I think it more likely freeing her would bring retribution down on Khu. Perhaps that is why she does not free herself. We know she can do it."
"Hmm." Jesua considered this argument for several minutes. "I wish we could be sure. I will not risk the life of the 'Eye' unnecessarily."
"There might be a way." Nebhotep was an unassuming member of the Pillar. He ran where he was told to, fought when required, and generally kept out of everyone's way. His main duties involved keeping the members of the Pillar healthy and curing such ills and aches as afflicted them. Living now without Khu and Scarab, he kept to himself and seldom offered advice. Now everyone looked round expectantly at their newest member.
"I spent time with Scarab in Nubia a few years ago. We both speak some of the local dialects. If I could get into the meeting hall, I could ask her in say, the Q'ema tongue, and she could answer without anyone else being any the wiser."
"It is possible," Jesua conceded, "But how could we disguise you to get past the guards?"
Nebhotep smiled. "I am Kemetu, remember?" He ran a hand over his bristled head and face. "If I shaved and wore a clean kilt instead of these woolen robes, I could just walk in there. There are two groups of Kemetu here. Each will assume I belong to the other party. I should be able to get close enough to say something in Nubian to her, and hear her answer."
Jesua turned to Marak. "Where are the Kemetu quartered? Could we get Nebhotep there?"
"Possibly. One group is in the western wing and the other in the priests' quarters in the rear. The problem is that they do not mix except in the hall. If a strange Kemetu face appeared they'd think it was a spy."
"Besides," Dahvin added, "The group in the rear has a far smaller number of Kemetu. A lot of them are Sea People mercenaries. He'd be noticed."
"I think it would be better if I could wait near the hall until the other Kemetu were entering, and then just join them," Nebhotep said.
"What if they ask you who you are?"
"I don't know." Nebhotep thought for a moment. "Are the Kemetu military types or nobility?"
"Military," Dahvin said promptly.
"Then I will be a noble," Nebhotep said. "It would be a brave soldier or high-ranking officer that questioned a member of the nobility."
Jesua looked doubtful. "Can you impersonate one? You are only a physician."
"I've treated many a lord and lady in my day. My accent may not be refined and the nuances of courtly behaviour may escape me, but I think I can do it--at least for a few minutes. Do you have a better idea?"
Jesua shook his head. "You'll need a razor and a kilt. What else?"
"Gold, perfume, make-up..." He stopped, grinning, as the men of the Pillar started laughing.
The next morning, Nebhotep waited nervously in a small room near the meeting hall. He was dressed in a clean white linen kilt and headdress, and sandals. He had spent an hour fiddling with cosmetic pots and brushes earlier, in front of a polished copper plate, carefully applying malachite paste to his upper eyelids and kohl to outline and accentuate his eyes. A bottle of rose ess
ence was dabbed on salient points. 'You stink like a painted whore' had been Jesua's disgusted comment earlier, but now he passed Nebhotep a gold armband he had liberated from its owner. The waiting was not easy and Nebhotep found himself counting his heartbeats and making mental notes of his other symptoms.
"Does Scarab pass this way?" he muttered to Marak. "Perhaps I don't have to go into the hall."
"She accompanies the Amorites. They go in another way...get ready; I think the Kemetu are coming."Paramessu marched past at the head of his handful of officers and mercenaries, and then Nakhtmin with his many men. As soon as the last passed by, Marak opened the door and beckoned Nebhotep out. He slipped in behind Nakhtmin's men, not hurrying but with his nose in the air, swaggering as if he owned the palace. Marak watched his progress and groaned as the Gubla guards on the doors stopped him. Then he grinned as the guards saluted and allowed Nebhotep into the hall.
Inside the meeting hall, Nebhotep found the parties had already moved to their places and the two Kemetu leaders were sitting at their tables. Facing him, at the far end of the small chamber was a table with the Amorites sitting behind it. Scarab sat, pale and worried looking, beside a richly dressed Amorite. That'll be Abi-Hadad , he decided. He debated how he was going to get close to Scarab. Several guards and men in each delegation were looking at him curiously, so Nebhotep sauntered toward the Nakhtmin followers, nodding to one or two, ignoring the rest. His seeming arrogance worked--several men bowed and more made way for him. He worked his way slowly round behind the crowd to the far right of Nakhtmin's table, no more than ten paces from Scarab. He tried to catch her eye, but she was staring fixedly at the envoy opposite Nakhtmin.
Nebhotep followed her gaze and shrank back behind another man when he recognised Paramessu. Dog turds, what's he doing here ? I thought Horemheb would send a lesser man . He felt sweat break out on his forehead, fearing that the general would remember him. Should I leave? The moment I say something, he will recognise me and...No, it has been years. He may not know me .
Abi-Hadad's aide called for silence and announced the talks open. "Prince Nakhtmin, General Paramessu, are you ready to make your offers for the person of Lady Beketaten?"
"I am," Nakhtmin replied. "Fifty deben of gold."
"A hundred," Paramessu replied.
"Do you even have that much?" Nakhtmin asked. "And did you bring it with you? Two hundred."
"I do not carry that amount with me, any more than you do, Lord Nakhtmin. My word is sufficient."
"That is up to our host," Nakhtmin replied. "The offer is two hundred deben of fine gold. Can you better it?"
"Farm land bearing cattle, wheat, vineyards and barley, measuring one thousand cubits in length and breadth. It produces crops to the value of a fifty deben every harvest."
"This offer comes from the estates of Lord Horemheb, I suppose?" Nakhtmin sneered. "My own personal estates far exceed his, and I can draw on the king's lands if need be." He shrugged. "River land, well-watered and with deep rich soil, two thousand cubits on each side, valued at a hundred deben annually. Also fifty slave girls, trained for palace work and another fifty versed in the skills of the inner chamber."
A buzz went around the room, many people turning to one another and commenting on the value of the offer. Nebhotep took advantage of the babble to raise his voice in the Q'ema tongue of Nubia. The Q'ema people had no words for what he wanted to ask, so he improvised.
"Highborn lady of the turd beetle, one who tends wounds calls to you."
The words were meaningless to almost everyone there and were almost lost in the noise, but Scarab looked up and stared in the direction of Nakhtmin's men. "I hear you, wound man," she said loudly.
Abi-Hadad looked round at her. "What did you say?"
"I merely commented on the generosity of the offer," she murmured, while her eye never stopped scanning the room.
Abi-Hadad turned back to the room. "The king of Amurru has land in plenty. Why would he need more? Offer gold, gentlemen, or something of greater value."
Nakhtmin yawned ostentatiously. "Then my offer must win, because Lord Horemheb cannot match the wealth of Kemet. Four hundred deben of fine gold."
Comments erupted again from the listeners and Nebhotep joined in. "Lady, the young tiller of soil is bound with ropes in a place known. Wish you...wish you he untie?"
Scarab smiled joyously for a moment as she caught a glimpse of Nebhotep. Then she dropped her head and calmed her expression. "Yes," was all she replied.
Nakhtmin turned to look at the source of disturbance behind him, saw an unfamiliar nobleman and waved him away. "You should not be here, whoever you are. Stand with your master, Paramessu." Nebhotep bowed silently and started moving slowly around the room toward the doors.
Paramessu watched, his face creased in thought. "I know you," he muttered, "But from where?"
"Do you have a counter-offer, General Paramessu," Abi-Hadad asked.
"Eh? Oh, yes." Paramessu collected his thoughts, knowing that only an extraordinary offer would secure Scarab now. "I offer the governorship of the Khent-abt sepat, together with half the revenues of the district, and the city of Zarw within it."
Nakhtmin was on his feet in an instant, shouting, and shaking his fist. "You cannot offer what is not yours. Governorships are given by the king." He rounded on Abi-Hadad. "This meeting has become farcical, Prince of Amurru. General Paramessu's offer is a joke." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Scarab's attention fixed on the door of the chamber instead of the proceedings. He glanced over and saw the unfamiliar noble talking to the guard.
"...Zarw..." Paramessu repeated, following the direction of Nakhtmin's gaze. "Nebhotep, by the gods. Guards, hold that man." The Gubla guards immediately stepped in front of the door with their blades drawn. The Amorite soldiers likewise drew their swords but surrounded Abi-Hadad, staring grim-faced at the Kemetu nobles.
"Nebhotep," Nakhtmin repeated. "I know that name. He is one of the traitors who supported Smenkhkare. There is a price on his head in Kemet."
Abi-Hadad signalled to his men and they surrounded Nebhotep, binding him with strips of linen, He looked askance at Scarab, afraid that she would do something to liberate the captive but she just looked on, pale and trembling slightly. "So the rumours are true, Lady Beketaten," he murmured. "You have lost your powers?" Scarab said nothing and the Amorite prince addressed Nakhtmin again. "I agree that only a king can grant sovereignty over a province or a land, Lord Nakhtmin. Therefore I must disregard General Paramessu's offer..."
"Lord Horemheb will be king," Paramessu shouted. "He has the army behind him."
"The army is loyal and you are a traitor," Nakhtmin snapped back. "Do you accept my offer, Prince Abi-Hadad?"
"I think you can do better, seeing as the merchandise is now Lady Beketaten and a traitor with a price on his head."
Nakhtmin shrugged. "A thousand deben."
"Kemet can do better than that."
"Perhaps you should just tell me what you want."
"You are the only son of your father the king. You are without sons. Make me heir to Kemet until you get a son."
The Kemetu throughout the room hissed their dismay but Nakhtmin considered the demand, a small smile on his lips but not in his eyes. "Heir until I have a son?"
"Be reasonable, Lord Nakhtmin. You could have a son by a common whore and count your bargain fulfilled. Heir until your son is ready to be made co-ruler with you at say, fifteen summers."
"And you will be content to stay in Amurru until called to the Kemetu throne? Or renounce it publicly, should a son of my body be raised to the throne beside me?"
"Yes."
"And hostilities to cease between our two peoples immediately?"
"Yes."
"Then we are agreed," Nakhtmin said slowly.
"You have already offered gold," Abi-Hadad cut in quickly. "That is part of the price. A thousand deben."
Nakhtmin scowled. "What else?"
"Please, Lord Nakhtmin
, you must understand my position. I should hate to impugn your reputation, but some might ask what is there to prevent you repudiating this agreement the moment you are back in Kemet with your captives."
"You would have my gold," Nakhtmin growled.
"Yes, and it is a generous gift, but I want something else. Something that would reassure any who ask the terms of our agreement. I want our General Jebu to garrison the city of Zarw. We would feel a lot safer with this reassurance."
Paramessu strode across the room and slammed his fists down on Nakhtmin's table. "You cannot do this."
Nakhtmin ignored the irate general as best he could and spoke around him to the Amorite prince. "Your suggestion is preposterous. Giving you Zarw would be putting a knife at the throat of Kemet."
"And I will not do it," Paramessu added. "I will not take my troops out of Zarw and hand it over."
"You will do as you are told," Nakhtmin said. "Or Kemet will have one less general. However, it will not come to that. Abi-Hadad, I ask you to withdraw this demand."
"I must have some reassurance that the agreement will remain in force after I have handed over the captives."
"I will give you one of the forts on the Way of Heru. You may occupy it and fortify it as a forward base."
"Which one?"
"The one on the coast, near the Bay of Gulls."
Abi-Hadad made a show of considering the offer, but found it hard to conceal his pleasure. "Agreed, but I want an exchange of hostages too."
Nakhtmin nodded. "Three youths from noble families to be raised as honoured guests in either court."
"Agreed. And the peace treaty."
"A non-hostility agreement for a period of one year. Renewable if both parties agree."
"And the gold - a thousand deben."
"Five hundred. You are getting a lot more besides."
"Eight hundred."
"Eight hundred," Nakhtmin agreed. "Have the agreement drawn up, Prince Abi-Hadad, and I will sign it this afternoon. I can pay you the full sum now, from the treasury on my ship, the fort at the Bay of Gulls to be handed over in a month's time. The exchange of hostages to take place there a month later."