The Quest (Novels of Ancient Egypt)

by Wilbur Smith

  This was Eos’s boudoir. The walls and roof were covered with tiles of ivory, each carved with beautifully executed designs that had been painted with jewel-like colours. The effect was gay and enchanting. Four oil lamps were suspended from the ceiling on bronze chains. The light they threw was mellowy. Against the far wall a silk-covered couch was piled with cushions and a low ebony table stood in the centre of the floor. On it were set bowls of fruit, honey cakes and other sweetmeats, with a small crystal jug of red wine, its stopper in the shape of a golden dolphin. On another table lay a pile of papyrus scrolls and an astrological model of the heavens, depicting the tracks of the sun, the moon and the planets, fashioned in fine gold. The floor was covered with multiple layers of silk carpets.

  He went directly to the central table and selected a bunch of grapes from a bowl. He had eaten nothing since he had left the witch’s warren, and now he had the appetite of a young man. Once he had devoured half of the bowl’s contents, he crossed to a second door in the wall beside the couch. It was screened by another richly decorated leather curtain, the twin to the one through which he had entered. He listened beside it but heard nothing, then slipped through the division in the curtains into a smaller anteroom. Here, a stool was set beside the far wall in which a peep-hole had been drilled. Taita went to it and stooped to peer through.

  He found that he was looking into the Supreme Council chamber of the oligarchs. This was the spy-hole Eos used whenever she came down from the high mountain to preside over and direct the Council’s proceedings. The chamber was the one in which Taita had first met Aquer, Ek-Tang and Caithor. Now it was deserted and in semi-darkness. The high window at the back framed a square of the night sky, which included part of the constellation of Centaurus. From its angle to the horizon he made a rough estimate of the time. It was past midnight, and the palace was quiet. He returned to Eos’s boudoir and ate the rest of the fruit. Then he stretched out upon the couch, spun a web of concealment to protect him while he slept, closed his eyes and was almost immediately asleep.

  He was awoken by voices coming from the Supreme Council chamber. The intervening walls should have muffled them, but his hearing was so enhanced that he could recognize Lord Aquer’s.

  Taita rose quickly from the couch and went to Eos’s spy-hole. He looked through it. Eight warriors in full battledress were kneeling before the dais in attitudes of subservience and respect. The two oligarchs faced them. Lord Aquer was on his feet haranguing the men who knelt before him.

  ‘What do you mean, they have escaped? I ordered you to capture them and bring them to me. Now you say that they have eluded you. Explain yourself.’

  ‘We have two thousand men in the field. They will not be at liberty much longer.’ The speaker was Captain Onka. He was cringing on his knees before Aquer’s wrath.

  ‘Two thousand?’ Aquer demanded. ‘Where are the rest of our troops? I commanded you to call up the entire army to deal with this insurrection. I will take the field at the head of the force. I will find the traitor Tinat Ankut and all his fellow conspirators. All of them, do you hear? Especially the newcomer Meren Cambyses and the strangers he has brought with him to Jarri. I will personally oversee their torture and execution. I will make an example of them that will never be forgotten!’ He glared at his officers but none dared speak or even look at him.

  ‘When I have dealt with the ringleaders, I will unleash my vengeance on every incomer in Jarri,’ Aquer ranted. ‘They are traitors. By order of this Council their property is confiscated by the goddess and the state. The men will be sent to the mines – we are short of slaves. I want older women, and children over the age of twelve years, placed in the slave pens. The younger children without exception are to be put to the sword. Any desirable girls will go to the farms for the breeding programme. How long will it take you to muster the remainder of our regiments, Colonel Onka?’

  Taita realized that Onka must have been promoted to command the regiment that had formerly been Tinat’s.

  ‘We will be ready to ride before noon today, great lord,’ Onka replied.

  Taita listened in consternation. Everything in Jarri had changed during his sojourn in the mountains. Now his first concern was for Fenn and Meren. Perhaps they were already in Onka’s hands. He must make contact with Fenn immediately to reassure himself of her safety, but it was vitally important, too, that he make the most of this opportunity to eavesdrop on Aquer’s plans.

  He stayed at the peep-hole while Aquer continued to issue orders. He was an experienced commander and it seemed that his tactics would be effective. However, Taita could make his own plans to counteract them. At last Aquer dismissed his colonels, and the two oligarchs were left alone in the hall. Aquer threw himself angrily on his stool.

  ‘We are surrounded by fools and poltroons,’ he complained. ‘How was this insurrection allowed to flourish under our very noses?’

  ‘I smell the odour of the putative magus, Taita of Gallala, in this,’ Ek-Tang answered. ‘I have no doubt that he has instigated this outrage. He comes directly from Egypt and Nefer Seti. No sooner do we welcome him into Jarri than the country is plunged into the first rebellion in two hundred years.’

  ‘Two hundred and twelve years,’ Aquer corrected him.

  ‘Two hundred and twelve,’ Ek-Tang agreed, his voice crackling with irritation, ‘but such pedantry serves no good purpose. What is to be done about the rabble-rouser?’

  ‘You know that Taita was the special guest of the goddess and that he has gone to meet her on the mountains. Those who are summoned by Eos never return. We need spare no further thought for him. You will never see him again. Those he brought with him to Jarri will soon be arraigned—’ Aquer broke off and his angry expression cleared. He smiled with anticipation. ‘His ward, the girl he called Fenn, will receive my special concern.’ Taita saw his aura throw off sparks of lust.

  ‘Is she old enough?’ Ek-Tang asked.

  ‘For me, they are always old enough.’ Aquer made an expressive gesture.

  ‘Each of us has his own tastes,’ Ek-Tang conceded. ‘It is as well that we do not all enjoy the same amusements.’ The two oligarchs rose and, arm in arm, left the hall. Taita returned to the witch’s boudoir and barred the door before he made the first cast for Fenn. Almost immediately her sign appeared in his mind’s eye, and he heard her sweet voice ring in his head: ‘I am here.’

  ‘I cast for you earlier. Are you in danger?’

  ‘We are all in danger,’ she replied, ‘but for the moment we are safe. The land is in turmoil. Where are you, Taita?’

  ‘I have escaped from the mountain and I am hidden near the Supreme Council chamber.’

  Even over the ether her surprise was clear. ‘Oh, Taita, you never fail to amaze and delight me.’

  ‘When we meet I will have much more for your delight,’ he promised. ‘Are you or Meren able to come to me or must I find you?’

  ‘We are hidden too, but only five or six leagues from where you are,’ Fenn replied. ‘Tell us where we must meet you.’

  ‘To the north of the citadel a narrow valley is carved into the foothills. It is not far from the mountain road, about three leagues from the palace. The entrance is marked by a distinctive grove of acacia trees on the hillside above it. Seen from far off, it is shaped like the head of a horse. This is the place,’ he told her, and transmitted an image of the grove to her across the ether.

  ‘I see it clearly,’ she replied. ‘Sidudu will recognize it. If she does not I will cast for you again. Go to the valley quickly, Taita. We have but little time left to flee this wicked place and the wrath of the Jarrians.’

  Swiftly Taita searched the boudoir for a weapon or some form of disguise, but found neither. He was still bare-footed and dressed in the simple tunic, which was filthy with dust and soot and scorched by drops of burning magma. He went quickly to the outer door and let himself through into the empty audience hall. He had a clear memory of the route he must follow to reach the entrance through
which Tinat had brought him on his first visit to the citadel. He stepped out into the corridor to find it deserted. When the oligarchs had left, they must have dismissed the guards. He made for the rear of the building and had almost reached the tall double doors to the rear courtyard when a loud voice halted him.

  ‘You there! Stand and give account of yourself.’

  In his haste Taita had neglected to spin about himself a spell of concealment. He turned back with a friendly smile. ‘I am confused by the size of this place, and I would be glad of your assistance in finding my way out.’

  The man who had accosted him was of one of the citadel guards, a burly middle-aged sergeant in full uniform. He had drawn his sword and was striding towards Taita with a belligerent scowl.

  ‘Who are you?’ he shouted again. ‘You have the look of a dirty, thieving rascal to me.’

  ‘Peace, friend.’ Still smiling, Taita held up both hands in a placatory gesture. ‘I carry an urgent message for Colonel Onka.’

  ‘The Colonel has left already.’ The sergeant held out his left hand. ‘Give the message to me, if you are not lying and you truly have one. I will see it gets to him.’

  Taita pretended to grope in his pouch, but as the man came closer, he seized his wrist and pulled him off balance. Instinctively the sergeant pulled back with all his weight. Instead of resisting Taita went with him and used the impetus to crash with both elbows into his chest. With a shout of surprise the man lost his balance and went over backwards. Quick as a leopard, Taita landed on top of him and drove the ball of his right hand up under his chin. The vertebrae of the sergeant’s neck parted with a loud crack, killing him instantly.

  Taita knelt beside him and began to untie his helmet, intending to use his uniform as a disguise, but before he could get the helmet off his head there was another shout and two more guards rushed down the corridor towards him with drawn swords. Taita prised the blade out of the dead man’s hand, and sprang to his feet to face his attackers.

  He hefted the sword in his right hand. It was a heavy infantry model but it felt familiar and comfortable in his grip. Many years ago he had written the manual of arms for Pharaoh’s regiments, and swordsmanship was one of his passionate interests. Since then age had taken from him the force of his right arm, but now it was restored to him, as was his agility and fleetness of foot. He parried the thrust of the first assailant and ducked under the cut of the second. Keeping low, he slashed at the back of the man’s ankle, neatly severing his Achilles tendon. Then he jumped up and pirouetted unexpectedly between the two before either could recover. The unwounded man turned to follow him, but as he did so he opened his flank and Taita stabbed deep in his armpit, sliding the point of his blade between the ribs. With a twist of his wrist, he turned it in the wound, opening it wide and freeing it from the suction of wet flesh. His victim dropped to his knees coughing up gouts of blood from pierced lungs. Taita spun away to face the trooper he had crippled.

  The man’s eyes filled with terror and he tried to back away but his maimed foot flopped nervelessly, and he almost fell. Taita feinted for his face and, when he raised his guard to protect his eyes, sent a thrust into his belly, cleared his blade and jumped back. The man dropped his weapon and fell to his knees. Taita stepped forward again and stabbed down into the back of his neck, under the rim of his helmet. The trooper dropped face down and lay still.

  Taita jumped over the two corpses and went to the first man he had killed. Unlike the others, his uniform was not bloodstained. Swiftly he stripped off the man’s sandals and laced them on to his own bare feet. They were a tolerable fit. He strapped the sword belt and scabbard round his waist, then took the helmet and cloak and pulled them on as he ran for the rear doors of the citadel. He slowed to a walk as he reached them and spread the scarlet cloak to cover his torn, soiled tunic. As he marched towards the doors he sent out an impulse to lull the minds of the sentries who guarded them. They glanced at him with little interest as he passed between them and went down the marble steps into the courtyard.

  The parade-ground was bustling with the men and horses of Onka’s regiment preparing for campaign. Taita saw Onka himself strutting about and shouting orders to his captains. He mingled with the throng and passed close to Onka as he made his way towards the stables. Although Onka glanced in his direction he showed no sign of recognition.

  Taita reached the stableyard without being accosted. Here, there was the same furious activity. The farriers were reshoeing the horses, the armourers were busy at the grindstones sharpening arrowheads and blades, and the grooms were saddling the officers’ mounts. Taita thought of attempting to steal a horse from the lines, but he realized there was almost no hope of that plan succeeding. Instead he made his way towards the back wall of the palace compound.

  The stench guided him to the latrines tucked behind the buildings. When he found them he looked around carefully to make sure he was unobserved. A sentry was patrolling the top of the walls above him, so he waited for the diversion he knew must come. It was not long before he heard angry shouts from the direction of the citadel. Whistles bleated and a drumbeat signalled the call to arms. The three bodies he had left in the passage had been discovered, and the attention of the garrison was focused on the citadel. The sentry rushed to the far end of the parapet from where he stared out over the parade-ground to find the reason for the alarm. His back was turned.

  Taita swung himself up on to the flat roof of the latrines. From there the top of the wall was within reach. He took a run and leapt for the lip of the parapet, then he pulled himself up with both arms until he could throw a leg over. He rolled across the top of the wall and dropped over the far side. It was a long fall, but he rode the shock of landing with braced legs and glanced round swiftly. The sentry was still gazing away from him. The edge of the forest was close by and he darted across the open ground into the trees. Here he took a minute to orient himself, then began the steep climb into the foothills, using the cover of gullies, long grass and shrubs to hide himself from a chance watcher below. When he reached the crest of the hill he peered over it cautiously. The road that led up to the Cloud Gardens was just beneath him. It was deserted. He ran down, crossed it quickly and took cover in a patch of scrub. From there he could see across to the horse’s head grove of trees on the next promontory. He bounded down the scree slope into the valley, the loose stones rolling under his feet, and reached the bottom without losing his balance. He trotted along the base of the hill and came to an opening. The valley sides were steep and he went a short distance into it, then turned and climbed to a vantage-point from where he could watch the entrance and settled down to wait.

  The sun reached its zenith, then began to drop towards the horizon. He saw dust on the road across the valley. It looked as though a large troop of cavalry was riding hard towards the east. An hour or so passed, and then he heard the faint sound of hoofs coming closer. He sat up, alert. A small band of riders appeared below him and stopped.

  Sidudu was at the front, mounted on a chestnut pony. She pointed up the valley towards where Taita was hiding. Meren spurred past her and took the lead. The party came on at a trot, Meren followed closely by a lovely young woman on a grey colt. Her long legs were bare and her blonde hair was tumbled by the wind on to her shoulders. She was slim, the set of her shoulders proud. Even from this distance Taita could see her breasts standing out under the bleached linen of her tunic. The wind flicked aside her golden curls to reveal her face, and Taita drew a sharp breath. It was Fenn, but a different Fenn from the girl he had known and loved. This was a confident, poised young woman in the first flower of her beauty.

  Fenn was riding her grey colt and she had Windsmoke on a lead rein behind her. Hilto rode at her right hand. Nakonto and Imbali followed them closely, both mounted and sitting their horses well – they had learnt new skills in the many months he had been away. Taita left the ledge on which he squatted and scrambled down the cliff. He jumped out and dropped down the last steep pitch. Th
e scarlet cloak opened round him like a pair of wings, but the visor of the leather helmet obscured the top half of his face. He landed in the path directly before Meren.

  With the reflexes of a trained warrior, Meren saw the Jarrian uniform and rode at him with an intimidating yell, drawing his sword and swinging it high. Taita had only just enough time to straighten and draw his own weapon. Meren leant from the saddle and hacked at his head. Taita turned the blow with his blade and jumped aside. Meren pulled his horse down on its haunches and dragged its head round. Then he came back at the charge. Taita ripped the helmet off his head and threw it aside. ‘Meren! It is Taita,’ he yelled.

  ‘You lie! You are nothing like the magus!’ Meren did not check his charge. He leant out from the saddle and levelled his blade, sighting along it at the centre of Taita’s chest. At the last moment Taita swayed aside and the point of the sword grazed his shoulder as Meren swept past.

  Taita shouted at Fenn as she rode forward. ‘Fenn! It is me. Taita.’

  ‘No! No! You are not Taita! What have you done with him?’ she screamed. Meren was gathering his mount under him, bringing its head round for his next attack. Nakonto had his throwing spear resting on his shoulder and was ready to hurl it as soon as he had a clear view past Meren. Imbali jumped down from her horse and hefted her battleaxe as she ran forward. Hilto followed her with drawn sword. Both Fenn and Sidudu were nocking arrows to their bows.

  Fenn’s eyes glittered like emeralds in her anger. ‘You have done away with him, you villain!’ she yelled. ‘You shall have an arrow through your black heart.’

  ‘Fenn! Behold my spirit sign!’ Taita called urgently, in the Tenmass. Her chin jerked up. Then she saw the sign of the wounded falcon floating above his head and blanched with shock. ‘Nay! Nay! It is him! It is Taita! Put up your sword, I tell you! Put it up, Meren!’ Meren swerved, then reined his mount back.