by David Adkins
She wiped away the tears. “Night is falling but I shall arrange it first thing in the morning. I pray you will be safe until then.”
She departed leaving me deep in thought. If Murat had been captured by Ay then he would not easily talk, of that I was sure, and that would buy me time. I could not bear to think of my faithful servant being tortured in order to divulge my whereabouts. I also wondered if Lia and her father would be safe even after I had left. I shuddered for these possibilities were not things I wished to think about. I knew that Lia would leave at daylight and probably return with news by midday. I would have to be patient once again until she returned. I did not sleep easy that night for life on the run was a hard and dangerous life and one that I had never envisaged.
The next morning I gathered my few belongings together and waited for Lia to return. I had been right, for she returned just after midday with news that a boat would take me down river that very afternoon.
“I have hired a boat, Smenkhkare,” she informed me. “He is ready to leave and so we must go to the pier right away. I have paid him well and so there is no need for you to offer him any further money.”
“Did you have enough money?” I asked knowing that she and her father were poor and underprivileged.
“Murat also gave me funds to look after for he did not wish to carry it with him.” She offered me a pouch containing a large number of coins.
“I do have some money but I will keep some of this for I do not know what lies ahead for me.” I took about half of the coins from the pouch and handed them back to her. I thought she was going to refuse to take them but in the end she accepted them. “Thank you, Smenkhkare,” she said gratefully. “Now we must go.”
I nodded. “Thank you, Lia, for helping me despite the dangers you place yourself in.”
We left the metal works and hurried through the poverty-stricken area of old Thebes towards the river. The unpleasant smells of waste and refuse and the pleasant fragrance of food and herbs invaded my senses like a cocktail of everything that was good and bad in the old city. We did not go to the pier that I had been to with Murat but one a little further downstream which was not so large and less frequented. “Does the boatman know who I am?” I asked as we approached a small felucca.
“No, he has been paid well and does not ask questions.”
“Where am I going?” I asked remembering rather foolishly that in the rush to leave I had not asked.
“He is taking you to Edfu. It is far enough from Thebes for you to feel safer but you will still have to be very vigilant.”
We had arrived at the boat and I kissed Lia on both cheeks. “I will not forget what you have done. I will pray to the gods that Murat is safe. However, Lia, you and your father must remain alert and be ready to also leave in a hurry for Ay has spies everywhere. You have funds to start up again if necessary.”
“I will be brought news if soldiers are entering our part of Thebes for it would be a rare event. We will be safe and now you must go. Farewell, your majesty,” she whispered out of hearing of the boatman.
I climbed aboard the small vessel and the wizened, suntanned man nodded to me and I nodded back. No words were spoken for this was strictly a business venture. We gradually pulled away from the shaky pier and moved slowly towards the centre of the great river. We were now just one of many vessels heading back and forth under the late afternoon sun. It was a long trip to Edfu and I knew that we would not arrive until the next morning. However, we were still too near to Thebes and Malkata for me to feel comfortable. I relaxed in the boat as the boatman took the helm. So much had happened in the last month that I could hardly believe the situation I found myself in.
The small craft continued the journey to a destination I had never visited before. I would have to explore the town and find discreet lodgings when I arrived until I could make more definite plans on what to do next. After several hours the sun began to set and darkness fell rapidly over the great river. The boatman lit a lamp and I noticed that other boats on the river were doing the same. He spoke at last. “There is nothing to fear on the river at night for I have done the journey many times during the hours of darkness.”
“I do not doubt your skill,” I answered and drew some threadbare blankets around me for the temperature was falling rapidly. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep.
The next morning we pulled into the docks at Edfu. It was mid-morning and the temperature was already exceedingly high. It seemed that the further south you travelled down the great river then the hotter it became. I took off my robe in the heat and revealed my tunic. It was the worst tunic I had been able to find in my wardrobe at Malkata but it still gave me the appearance of a fairly affluent citizen. I would have to buy some less eye-catching clothes when I arrived at Edfu.
On arrival at the pier at Edfu I stepped off the boat and thanked the boatman. I put my robe back on despite the heat for I did not want to draw attention to myself as I walked into town. The pier at Edfu was fairly crowded but the activity did not compare with the bustle at Thebes. I looked around in wonder for I had never before left Thebes and its environs.
I began the short walk into the centre of town, staring about me at this strange city. Edfu was the old capital of Upper Egypt and an ancient place. As I approached the outskirts of the town I passed by a huge granary which was situated next to a temple to the god Horus, where there was also a large cemetery. I felt people were looking at me though I might have imagined it, so I pulled my hood further over my head, seeking obscurity. I passed a number of tenement buildings until I came to the town market. It was not as big as the one in Thebes but it was large enough and seemed to sell every possible item for use in everyday life and most particularly food and clothes. I decided my first priority was to find lodgings and then head back to the market for supplies. My situation was daunting for it was the first time in my young life that I had ever felt truly alone.
A short distance from the heaving market, down a side alley, I found what I was looking for. I extracted a coin from my pouch and looked at the premises which seemed neither too impoverished nor too affluent. A young boy outside assured me that there were excellent, vacant rooms within. I knocked at the door of the two-storied building and waited for a response. After just a few seconds the door was opened by a sturdily built man with a scarred left cheek. His politeness belied his appearance. “Can I help you?” he inquired.
“I am seeking a room,” I blurted out.
“We have two rooms on the upper floor. You can even choose which one you want if you have sufficient funds to pay the rent.”
“I do and I would probably only wish to stay for a couple of weeks at most.” I knew that Edfu was too close to Thebes for me to feel entirely safe and I would soon have to move on. I probably needed to leave Upper Egypt which meant pushing on to Kush or Nubia. It was a prospect that did not appeal to me but I knew it would soon have to be faced. Two weeks would give me time to consider and make plans.
He nodded his large head. “Follow me and take a look.”
I followed him up the rickety staircase on to the second floor landing. He opened two of the four doors and I looked inside at the two rooms on offer. I chose the slightly larger of the two rooms but in truth there was little difference between them. “This one will be fine,” I said.
“I need one week in advance and then if you stay two weeks then I will also need the second week in advance.”
I handed him the necessary coinage and he nodded appreciably. “You look like a fine young man but I must inform you that I will not put up with any trouble. I am discreet and I expect you to be discreet. I ask no questions and you ask no questions.”
“I understand,” I replied.
“You have a bed and furniture. Everything else you need you get yourself. Make yourself at home but remember you have neighbours and the walls are thin. So no noise and no trouble and we will get on fine.”
“You will find that I will give you no cause for worry,
” I assured him.
He grinned and slapped me gently on the back. “Excellent, I am sure you will make an ideal tenant and so I will leave you to settle in.”
I could not believe how simple it had been to obtain lodgings. I placed my few belongings under the bed and decided to go to the market to buy some clothes and some food.
Once again I went out into the bustling city of Edfu with my robe on and with my hood up. I did not spend long at the market and quickly returned with what I needed.
Now I could at last relax, though I still did not feel completely safe. I lay on the bed and made the decision that I would stay no longer than one week in Edfu but I was not sure of my next destination.
Chapter 14
That evening I lay in bed going over the options in my mind and I could only think of one viable proposition. I decided that Kush was out of the question as I knew that Egyptian relations with Kush had been strained of late, bringing the two nations close to war. The proposed marriage of my sister, Nebetah, to the king of Kush was obviously aimed at decreasing tensions but that seemed to have failed with Nebetah remaining in Malkata. It would therefore be dangerous and perhaps foolish to throw myself on the mercy of the king.
The viable proposition was further to the south in Nubia or Wawat as it was sometimes called, and the more I thought about this option the more I liked the idea. To us Egyptians, Kush and Wawat were all part of the vast area known as Nubia but in recent times it had become two kingdoms with Kush in the north and Wawat in the south. Egypt was on very friendly terms with the southern kingdom due partly to the marriage of my sister, Henuttaneb to the Nubian king. The only problem was that to get to Wawat I would have to pass through Kush.
I had not seen Henuttaneb for over two years and my sister was nearly four years my senior. She had always been most friendly with Iset who was close to her in age and she had had little time for her retiring small brother. I knew that messages passed frequently between Iset and Henuttaneb and so she might well be aware of all that had happened recently in Malkata. She was my sister and I would hope she could be relied upon to persuade her husband to give me refuge in their capital, Napata. Napata was a very long way from Thebes and therefore well out of the reach or influence of Ay. I was still the pharaoh’s brother and could hope for a hospitable reception.
The fact that Napata was such a vast distance from Thebes down the great river was a problem particularly because the long journey would entail travelling through Kush. I was aware that camel trains with large numbers of traders made the journey regularly all the way from Thebes to Napata and on the way passed through Edfu. I would have to find out when the next camel train was due and try to join it. It would probably be months before I reached Napata and sought out my sister but once there I hoped I would be safe and I could start to make plans for the future.
I found out by asking around at the market the next day that the next train was due in Edfu in nine days’ time. It would then be a question of seeking to join the train when it arrived and buying what was needed for the long journey down the Nile and across the desert. I informed my landlord that I intended to stay in my lodgings for about another ten days and I gave him the extra money he required. I was told that the traders seldom lingered in Edfu for more than a day or two before continuing the journey south. It was now just a question of being patient and waiting for the camel train to arrive. The long journey brought with it a feeling of great excitement for I was about to see more of this vast and mysterious world.
My excitement was brought to an abrupt halt just two days before the camel train was due to arrive. There was a knock on my door as I was eating and I got up to see who it was. I nervously opened the door and saw my landlord staring at me, looking equally nervous. The big man seemed agitated but subdued. “There are people to see you,” he croaked and stood aside.
A small, middle-aged man dressed in fine clothes entered my room closely followed by four armed guards. He looked me up and down. “Who are you?” he asked in an authoritative voice.
“My name is Metos,” I replied, giving the first name that came into my head.
“I have information that you might go by another name,” he said. He turned to one of the guards. “Fetch the witness.” He then turned back to me. “I am Tolu, the governor of Edfu.”
“And who do you think I am?” I asked warily.
“The pharaoh’s young brother is on the run after plotting treason. He is about your age.”
I felt fear lodge in my brain and course through my body. How had he found me? I thought about rushing out of the tenement in a bold bid for freedom but I knew it was hopeless. The armed guards barred my exit. “What has this to do with me?” I asked shakily.
“We will soon find out,” he said.
“I have done nothing wrong and I must insist you leave.” I tried to sound bold.
“If that is true we will not keep you. Here he is. I found this man who is from Thebes. He said he would recognise the young royal, Smenkhkare, the man we seek.” The guard had brought a young man not much older than me into the room. I stared at him and though I did not know who he was I feared that I saw recognition in his eyes.
“I have never seen this man before,” I blurted out.
“But I have seen you in the gardens at Malkata when I made a delivery,” he said. “You are Smenkhkare.”
“Are you sure?” asked the governor.
“I have definitely seen him in the Malkata gardens,” he confirmed. “I have a good memory for faces.”
Then the governor turned to me. “It seems you are probably the pharaoh’s young brother and so you are under arrest.”
“This is nonsense,” I said. “Do I look like the pharaoh’s young brother?”
“Smenkhkare would not wish to look like Smenkhkare,” he smiled. “Now you will come with me. Guards take him.”
Two guards closed in on me and took an arm each. “You have made a mistake,” I pleaded and protested my innocence.
“If you are telling the truth I will soon know. I will find more men who will hopefully recognise you before I send you back to Thebes. It would not be wise to send Ay the wrong man, though I am quite sure that we have the right one.”
Ay, I thought to myself. It was always Ay. My hatred for Ay welled up as they escorted me from my room.
I was led through the town like a common criminal, flanked on either side by the two guards who did not lessen their grip on my arms. We soon arrived at an impressive building that proved to be the governor’s residence. The building was large and stood out against the nearby smaller tenement buildings. I was led through the entrance into an impressive hall.
“This is where I conduct local law cases,” the governor explained in a surprisingly friendly fashion. He then led me into an office off the main hall. “Take a seat, Smenkhkare,” he offered.
I sat down. “Why are you calling me Smenkhkare?” I asked.
“Because that is your name, as my name is Tolu, and I am governor of Edfu so please do not insult my intelligence.”
I shrugged. “What do you want from me?”
“You could start by admitting who you are. We both know that you are the pharaoh’s brother Smenkhkare.”
I could see no point in denying it any longer for he obviously knew who I was. “I am Smenkhkare.”
“I have nothing against you personally, Smenkhkare, but as you have probably found out it is best not to antagonise Ay.”
“Ay is pure evil,” I said.
“That may be the case, but he holds power in the land and cannot be ignored. I received a communication from him some days ago to stay alert for the young pretender to the throne who may turn up in Edfu, and lo and behold you did.”
“How did he know?” I gasped.
“He seems to know everything. Your mistake, Smenkhkare, was taking off your robe when you disembarked from the felucca. You were seen, though it took us a little time to find you.”
“It was hot,” I sa
id simply with an air of resignation.
He smiled. “And you have been burned.”
“What will you do with me, Tolu?”
“I will return you to Thebes and Malkata tomorrow. I do not wish to have you in Edfu any longer than I have to. You will soon be back in Ay’s custody.”
I sighed. “He will have me murdered.”
“Why did you try to overthrow your brother?”
“I did so to survive. I was seen as a threat to the throne,” I replied.
“You must have done something to be seen as a threat,” he offered.
“I was there when Thutmose was murdered by Ay. I knew that Ay had had my brother murdered in order to secure the throne for the more pliable Akhenamun. What I knew and my hatred made me a threat. The only way to survive was to secure the crown for myself before Ay also had me murdered.”
“I see,” said Tolu. “I do not know whether it is true or not but, if it is, I see.”
“It is true,” I assured him.
“Even if it is, I cannot let that influence what I do. Ay wants you back at Malkata and I serve Ay and owe my position to him. I cannot go against him, Smenkhkare.”
“Nobody dares go against Ay,” I shrugged. “It seems that evil conquers all, even the son of a pharaoh.”
“You are under house arrest. You will have a good meal and a comfortable last night in Edfu. I am afraid that is all that I can offer you, just good hospitality for one night. You will be well guarded so please do not do anything stupid. I really do not wish to harm you, Smenkhkare.”
“In sending me back to Ay you are harming me.”
He shrugged. “As governor of Edfu it is what I have to do.”
****
I was taken by the guards to a room on the upper floor. Tolu was true to his word and the room was most comfortable, certainly far preferable to my previous accommodation in Edfu. I was also served with an excellent meal and a supply of wine. My treatment, however, did not alter the fact that I was a prisoner for I was well aware that guards had been placed outside my door. When I looked out of my small window there were also guards on duty in the courtyard below. Tolu certainly did not mean me to escape.