by Overton, Max
"Paramessu, son of Seti. I am commander of the Re Legion, Northern Army. And you, miss?"
"I...I am called Scarab. Thank you for your...your rescue."
"Ah, the little lapis scarab on the copper kilt pin. I wondered what a woman's pin was doing out here. You are unharmed?"
"Thanks to your arrival, Paramessu. How is Khu--my companion?"
"He will live. The army doctor says he has a nasty lump on his head but he is already conscious and complaining of the pain." He laughed. "That is always a good sign."
I nodded and smiled, feeling very tired and a bit light headed.
"What were you doing out here?" Paramessu went on. "This is not the place for a young girl."
I yawned and excused myself. "I don't know why I'm so tired," I explained.
"Probably a reaction to your ordeal. As to my question ..." He waited for my answer.
"I am on my way to Waset to see my brother."
"And you decided to walk? Does your brother know you are coming?"
I shook my head. "I hoped we could get passage with a caravan."
Now Paramessu shook his head. "Well, Scarab, your little adventure is ended. I am heading for Waset myself, and beyond, but I cannot slow myself down taking you. I will have Meny take you and--Khu, you said his name is--to Akhet-Aten."
"No!" I jumped up and backed away. "I cannot go there."
"Sit down Scarab," Paramessu said gently. "And tell me why not."
"I...I cannot." He waited quietly and I relaxed and sat down again.
"I am not your enemy, little Scarab. I do not want to harm you but I must leave soon and I cannot take you with me. Nor can I just leave you here. If there is something you are afraid of in Akhet-Aten you must tell me." He moved then, sitting down and leaning back on one elbow, stretching his long legs out.
His white though travel-stained kilt moved and I saw a small blue-threaded embroidered scarab on the edge. In that instant he ceased to be a stranger and I knew the gods had brought him to me, not just to save me from Bennu, but for another reason.
"Send your men out of earshot and I will tell you."
Interest made his eyes flash. He looked at me curiously for a minute then instructed Meny to move the men back from the fire. Meny raised his eyebrows but obeyed without question.
"All right, little Scarab. What is so important only I may hear it?"
"My name is Beketaten, youngest daughter of Nebmaetre and sister to the king. I overheard a plot by...by the queen and Tjaty Ay to overthrow the king."
Paramessu did not laugh, nor did he frown. He looked intensely at me and asked in a quiet, controlled voice, "Why did you not take this to the king?"
"Because I am counted as nothing in the court of Akhet-Aten but Ay has the ear of the king. All I would get for my trouble is death--and my brother would still be overthrown."
"Then why Waset? Were you seeking to save your life?"
"My brother Smenkhkare rules in Waset. He will know what to do. I sought only to tell him so he may act for the best."
Paramessu leaned back and stared up at the night sky and the star-studded body of the goddess Nut. After a few moments he spoke again, without looking at me. "You swear by the scarab, sacred to Khepri and Re, that what you say is true?"
"I do. May all the gods of Kemet curse me if I lie."
"When is this coup to take place?"
"On the night of the new moon."
"Ten days. My fifty men will not be enough to stop this, and my errand is just as urgent. What use would it be to save Kemet's king if Kemet were lost?" He thought for several more minutes. "I will take you to Paatenemheb, my General and Meny will carry out my mission in Waset." He got to his feet and grinned down at me, his face suddenly youthful. "Can you ride a horse?"
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Chapter Thirty-Five
Meny marched his Fifty out within the hour, armed with the letter of authority from Paatenemheb and also his verbal orders concerning the gold from the mines at Kemsah. He was not happy with his instructions but he would obey.
"I will meet you in Waset a month from the new moon, Meny. Bring plenty of men. Kemet will need them." The Fifty also took Khu with them, on a litter made from spears and a couple of the bandits' blankets.
"At least I'll get to see Waset," he told Scarab.
"I'll get down there when I can," she promised. "Then I'll show you the city sights."
Paramessu and Scarab stayed at the rock fort until the moon rose.
"We travel by night, Scarab. It is cooler, and also the waning moon will be a continuing reminder of our deadline." Paramessu was persuaded with difficulty to continue calling her Scarab, instead of her proper name. It was safer, she insisted.
It was also safer to walk, she said, after her first experience on the back of a horse. Being so far off the ground and having no control of her motion was unnerving. She clung to the animal's neck with a death grip, her legs clenched and her muscles taut. Paramessu shook his head and suggested a different tack.
"We ride together, on the same horse. The other one can trot behind us so we have a fresh mount."
Paramessu started off at a walk, with Scarab clinging to him behind. After a while he kicked the horse into a trot but she found it difficult to stay upright and he was forced to slow again. She gripped him so hard that first night that his arms were bruised the next day, the imprints of her fingers clear.
They stopped just before dawn in a rocky gully Paramessu estimated was near the cliffs above Akhet-Aten. He fed the horses a handful of grain from the saddlebags and whatever scraggly bits of grass he could find in the dry streambed. Water was a problem, and would be until the road north angled closer to the river valley. However, the horses had to have water so he doled out every drop they could spare. In the meantime, Scarab took the blankets and found a spot in the meager shade cast by the precipitous sides of the gully. While she slept, Paramessu thought about her riding problem and came up with what he thought would be a solution. Later that afternoon, after she woke, he fashioned a belly girth from a piece of rope, sat the girl on the horse's back and pushed her feet under the rope. She hung on with her hands, and with her feet also anchored, rapidly gained confidence. He led the horse around in a walk, then a trot, increasing its speed at her command. When they left that night, Scarab was able to hang on despite the bounce of the gait and they made a good distance that second night, though still riding two to a horse.
This time they pushed on until the sun was well above the horizon, the heat of the day steadily increasing. Paramessu drew rein on a ridge crest and pointed to the north and west where a faint darker stain smeared the rolling red of the desert.
"The river," he said. "I was hoping to be here a bit earlier but we have a decision to make. The main road north keeps to the high plateau of the desert. It is less traveled but the going is faster. Also, there is not much water. The other road goes to the river and is used by many people. The main advantages are pasturage and water."
"What do you think we should do?" Scarab looked longingly at the distant river and licked her dry lips. She shifted the cloak about her shoulders, feeling the sweat starting from her skin beneath the heavy material. I wish I'd brought one of my thin tops , she thought. She wasn't quite comfortable wearing nothing above the waist in front of this man, though she felt a rather worrying desire to. "We're going to need water soon, aren't we?"
"Yes, and feed for the horses." He considered a moment longer. "When I left Paatenemheb he was heading down to Ineb Hedj. He was to follow along within a day or two as he had business with the king. The only question is did he come back out to the desert road or is he going upriver, either by road or by water." He shook his head. "I don't know but I'd guess the river."
"How long to the river then?"
"Too long in this heat. We'll rest here then strike down tonight. With luck we'll be there before dawn." He turned the horses and rode back down into the hollow between the r
idge and the surrounding dunes. An intermittent trickle of water had stained the rocky slopes at some time in the past and encouraged the growth of stunted grasses. Though dry now, the vegetation provided sparse forage. Paramessu hobbled the horses and turned them loose to graze.
Working up the slope he scanned the surface rocks, looking for loose stone and signs of life. He lifted a few slabs, letting them fall again before moving on. At last he grinned and pointed.
"Here. Help me move this rock."
Scarab scrambled up the slope, trying to adjust her cloak to cover her while keeping her arms free. With a grimace she gave up and put the cloak to one side, not looking at Paramessu as she gripped the rock where he indicated. They heaved and the slab tilted and rose until it was vertical, balancing on one edge. Scarab held it in place while Paramessu moved smaller rocks into position. They then lowered it, the edges grinding down, the rocks shifting and settling.
"I think that is stable. Stand clear a moment." Paramessu scrambled up on top of the slab and tentatively jumped on the spot. Nothing moved and he did it again. He nodded and jumped down. "It'll do." He ducked under the slab and started clearing away loose stones and earth.
"We're going to sleep here?" Scarab looked doubtful. "What if it comes down? I think I'd rather sleep out in the open."
"Up to you of course, but look here before you decide." He pointed to the dark earth floor of the tiny shelter. "There's been a water seep under here recently, hence the forage grass. The water attracted insects--I saw some small beetles. The earth is still faintly damp and a lot cooler. I really think you'd be better off here."
Scarab allowed herself to be persuaded and Paramessu rigged up the blankets in such a way as to increase the shade without cutting out too much of the faint breeze that stirred the hot air. They ate, drinking sparingly from the last water jar, then crawled into the shelter. It was a tight squeeze and Scarab tried rather self-consciously not to touch the muscled body of the soldier. She lay awkwardly, pushed up against one side of the shelter, staring up at the disconcertingly close underside of the rock slab, waiting for sleep but very aware of the man's presence.
Presently, Paramessu fell asleep. His breathing deepened and his muscles relaxed. Scarab rolled over on her side, propping herself on one elbow and studied the sleeping soldier. He's really not bad looking , she thought. Really old, but he looks young and defenseless asleep . She smiled and reaching out, traced the muscles of his arm with a fingertip. I feel safe with him . She also felt a strange warm feeling in the pit of her stomach but did not know what that signified. Sighing, she rolled over onto her back and closed her eyes.
When she awoke, she was alone in the shelter, the angle of the shadows telling her it was late afternoon. She lay and looked at the flattened earth next to her for a few moments, smiling to herself, then scrambled out awkwardly, straightening and pulling at her kilt quickly. Paramessu was down with the horses, adjusting ropes and packing their bags. He looked up as she approached.
"You slept well."
Scarab yawned and stretched her arms high and back, then blushed as she realized the effect her action was having on Paramessu. "Are we leaving soon?" She looked down and traced a pattern in the earth with a toe, not wanting to meet his eyes.
"Yes." Paramessu controlled his expression though he felt like grinning. "I left out the last of the bread and water by the shelter."
Scarab nodded and hurried away. She broke her fast then went behind some rocks and squatted briefly before removing the blankets from the shelter and walking slowly back to the horses. Paramessu took the blankets and the empty water jar and packed them. He held out her cloak but Scarab shook her head.
"Later maybe, it's too hot now."
Paramessu mounted the horse and reaching down, swung Scarab up behind him. She tucked her feet under the girth rope and slipped her arms around his waist, taking a firm but gentle grip. Paramessu said nothing, kicking the horse into motion, up over the crest and onto the trail that led toward the distant river.
The smudge of vegetation and water was further away than it looked and the river was still only a thin strip of burning red reflecting the setting sun as it plunged into the mouth of Nut on the western horizon. The heat leaked from the air quickly when night fell, though the sand and rock still retained heat. Scarab felt chilly but refrained from pulling out her cloak, snuggling closer to the broad muscular back of Paramessu. His heat warmed her, the feel of her breasts rubbing against him strangely disturbing and motion of the horse lulling her. She dozed, dreaming she was back in the rock fort but it was not Bennu beside her on the blanket. It was Paramessu and she no longer felt afraid.
The horses stopped and she woke; the stars bright above her and a feeling of damp in the air. "Where are we?" she asked sleepily.
"On the edge of the cultivated land. We made better time than I thought." Paramessu swung his leg forward over the horse's neck and slid to the ground, lifting Scarab down. "We'll stay here until dawn."
"I thought we were traveling by night."
"Only in the desert. We can't afford to miss Paatenemheb, so we need to talk to people, find out whether he has passed yet. Don't worry, it'll be cooler by the river--warmer at night too," he added.
They spread their blankets under the stars and the half moon that rose in the east, its phase indicating it was close to midnight.
"Time's running out," Paramessu commented. "We can't allow less than five days to get to Akhet-Aten, so we must find Paatenemheb within the next two or three days." He yawned and soon they fell asleep to the sound of the horses ripping the fresh green grass hungrily.
The next day, Paramessu set the girth rope on the other horse and rode alone, with Scarab following behind on her own mount, learning to control the beast with reins and feet. She was disappointed not to be holding the soldier--her soldier--once more, but was also exhilarated at her independence. They reached the river and rode along the well-worn paths and minor roads, through farm land and past small villages and the occasional town. Paramessu nodded to those he met, occasionally asking for news of troop movements. Nobody had seen anything and Paramessu slowly became more worried. To distract him, Scarab edged her horse alongside his and asked questions, drawing out the details of his youth, his life in the army and his aspirations. She added in comments, tales of her childhood and stories from the palace at Waset and more from Akhet-Aten. Paramessu had never seen the new capital city and quizzed her on every aspect, disappointed she did not know more.
"Sorry, Paramessu," she said once again. "I lived in the palace and didn't get out into the city much."
They stopped in a tiny farming village and bought food, eating it beneath the shade of a palm tree at noon as the horses dozed, standing head to tail, and their swishing tails keeping the flies at bay.
"I'm unsure what to do," Paramessu confided. "Paatenemheb obviously hasn't got this far but now I'm worried he is either still in Ineb Hedj or else has taken the desert road."
"Is it far to Ineb Hedj?"
"Another four days if we ride hard but every hour we ride puts us another hour further from Akhet-Aten. The figures are starting to work against us."
Scarab leaned back against the trunk of the palm tree and chewed a grass stalk. A cool breeze blew off the water, ruffling the folds of her headdress. She watched an ibis as it flew past, flapping its way steadily downriver.
"I wish we could fly," she murmured. "Then we'd have plenty of time."
Paramessu watched the bird until it was out of sight, then grinned and pointed at the rippled water. A small fishing boat slowly beat upriver, tacking against the current, its small white triangular sail catching the breeze. "Maybe we can fly another way. It is downriver to Ineb Hedj, with the current, maybe as little as two days if we sail through the night."
Scarab looked up in surprise. "Can you sail a boat?"
He shook his head. "No, but there are people all along this river who can." He thought for a moment longer. "There are two proble
ms with taking a boat north. We'd have to leave the horses and if we sailed at night, we could go right past Paatenemheb in the dark. Never mind, I think we have to try."
They found a boat that afternoon and traded the horses for passage downriver to Ineb Hedj and a handful of copper. The boatman was pleased with the trade, the horses being worth as much as his whole boat, and agreed to ferry them down as fast as current and wind would take them. The gods must have been smiling as the breeze, which had been from the north all day, backed to the west and freshened, and by late afternoon the fishing boat was forging down the river, a white bow wave foaming in front and a wide wake spreading out behind. The boat heeled over in the wind, sometimes sending the water cascading over the sides, upon which the master of the boat would ease away from the wind a trifle and his boy would frantically start bailing.
Scarab sat up in the front of the boat, her cloak flapping about her, her face lifted, breathing the fresh air laden with the scents of reed and rush, farmland and thicket; watching the banks glide by so effortlessly. Paramessu sat in the stern with the boat's master, questioning him about aspects of the boat's construction and handling.
At dusk, they put into a small village and tied up at the tiny, rickety wharf. Paramessu and Scarab went ashore to find food and to ask about the movements of any soldiers. Again, there had been none.
"Could he have slipped by unseen?" Scarab asked.
"He could, if he was traveling alone, but he had a Fifty with him and that many men are noticeable. Unless we go by them in the darkness. I think we cannot risk sailing through the night."
They stayed overnight in the village, Paramessu paying for beds and a meal with a piece of copper. Scarab drew a few curious looks as few servant girls had shaved heads, though after several days away from amenities, a reddish-brown fuzz of hair was beginning to cover her scalp. Begging a piece of copper from Paramessu, she sought out and hired a sharp bronze knife to shave her head again. Paramessu stifled a laugh when she came back into the rooms and completed the job, smearing ointment into small nicks in the scalp. She wore her headdress for the remainder of her stay in the village, only taking it off when they were back on the river.