I’d stayed for the week-long afterbirth rituals – bathing Khentetka in water steeped in acacia seeds, braiding her hair as she nursed, and the final rite, offering her beer and a see-face.
Pabasa had been fascinated by Little Matia, gazing at her for hours every day, letting her clutch his tiny finger with her tinier ones.
“Maybe they’ll marry someday,” Khentetka had mused.
“Stranger things have happened,” I’d replied. My life was proof of that.
Wetnurses shooed the two children out of Father’s room – Pabasa and his cousin Ika, named after Father, Baki’s son by Nebetah. Pabasa was a month older than Ika. As for Sabu, he had several children by several women, none of them elite. His were scattered throughout Nubt; none had ever set foot in Father’s per’aa or been acknowledged by Sabu. According to Baki, Sabu still had hopes of taking to wife Satiah, daughter of King Ny-Hor, in order to revive his original alliance with Pe and Dep.
We crowded close to Father – Sabu, Pentu, Baki, me and the elites. As usual, Sabu wasn’t pleased I’d been included. He’d fought that fight so often, and lost every time, that he didn’t fight anymore. He simply glared at me.
“I don’t know you,” Father said, addressing the spy.
“My name is Ameny, Majesty. I’ve worked myself into position as a guard in King Scorpion’s audience hall.”
“How did you manage that?”
“It wasn’t easy, Majesty. Especially not after Iynefer and Kanefer infiltrated his court and were caught. I’ve been careful. No one in Tjeni has any idea I’m from Nubt. I’m stationed next to King Scorpion’s throne daily. I hear many things.”
“Such as?” Father asked.
“King Scorpion has all but secured the entire North,” Ameny replied.
“Secured? What does that mean?” Ani asked.
“He controls all the trade routes, My Lord. Northern rulers haven’t pledged Scorpion fealty, but they cooperate with him and keep him well-supplied with whatever foodstuffs or raw materials or finished products he requests. They give his boats safe passage through the delta and he gives theirs safe passage throughout the valley.”
“How did Scorpion manage that?” Maya asked.
“He sent farmers from Tjeni to create settlements on the trade routes between the North and the Sinai and Maadi. He did it to cut off Maadi’s access to goods and raw materials. Maadi no longer exists. Scorpion also established a settlement in Setjet called Sakan. It’s a distribution point between the North and the valley. Because of Sakan, fewer Northern goods are reaching Pe and Dep now. It’s becoming weaker.”
I glanced at Sabu. He was frowning. That wasn’t good for his ambitions – a weakened ally. His concern made me happy.
“Scorpion’s son Iry created a new settlement at the foot of the delta to replace Maadi about three and a half years ago,” Ameny reported. “Craftsmen had been working there for centuries – they called it Ptah’s Settlement. The craftsmen made tools and pottery and such that delta estates needed, and delta estates supplied the craftsmen with food. Iry seized control and made it loyal to his father.”
I perked up at mention of that familiar name. Iry had been destined to rule Nekhen back when we’d started negotiating our alliance. I wondered how he’d ended up in the North, about as far from Nekhen as anyone could get.
“It’s called Ineb-hedj now – White Walls – after plastered mud-brick walls that protect the settlement’s warehouses and granaries. Scorpion’s heir, Lagus, has ruled there the past seventeen months. Ineb-hedj controls the intersection of the river and the delta. It’s the largest settlement in the North and growing larger by the month, swelled by steady stream of settlers from Tjeni. Barley from delta estates is transported to Ineb-hedj and stored in its granaries or traded farther south for emmer. When Scorpion needs grain, Lagus sends boatloads to Tjeni.”
“How can that be?” Maya asked. “We’ve had four low inundations in a row. Doesn’t drought affect the delta?”
“Hardly at all. Land’s plentiful. It’s not in a narrow strip like this part of the valley. Thanks to shipments from Ineb-hedj, Scorpion’s built up a surplus in his granaries here in the South. When war comes, more grain, and weapons and soldiers, will be able to reach Scorpion from the North in little more than two weeks, depending on wind and current.”
“I thought that was a three-week journey,” Sabu said.
“Scorpion’s got seven cargo boats with sails, Majesty,” Ameny said. “Great sheets of linen affixed to masts. The wind out of the north pushes his boats upstream much faster than men can row.”
That was sobering. As was the fact that Nubt’s granaries were nearly empty. Nothing concerned Pentu more. We’d been hit hard by the low inundations. Unlike Tjeni, we couldn’t call on the delta to replenish our supplies. Our farmers were barely producing enough grain each year to feed our population, and that only because they were irrigating more land than ever. Because we were bordered on north and south by enemies, irrigation was our only option to increase our cultivable land.
“Surely Scorpion’s depleting Tjeni’s resources propping up Ineb-hedj,” Sabu said.
“The settlement’s effectively self-sufficient, supported with food by delta estates loyal to Scorpion, Majesty,” Ameny said. “In fact, shipments of luxury goods destined for King Scorpion’s grave pass through Ineb-hedj constantly. His war preparations haven’t diminished Scorpion’s wealth. His control of trade routes is actually increasing it.”
“What’s Iry doing if he founded Ineb-hedj but Lagus rules there now?” I asked Ameny.
“He’s been in charge of Scorpion’s war preparations for a year and a half. Unfortunately for us, Iry knows what he’s doing. He’s already achieved more than Mekatre did the prior three years. We’re close to the point where we won’t be able to withstand Scorpion’s army when he attacks.”
“As I’ve warned all of you over and over,” Sabu said pointedly.
“Why hasn’t Scorpion already moved against us?” Maya asked.
“Three reasons. First, he believes his blockade’s working, that he’ll weaken us so much we won’t be able to resist. Second, he’s sent a great number of his farmers to the delta. He has enough grain to withstand low inundations now, but he doesn’t have enough men left at Tjeni to invade us. Third, he’s worried about King Ny-Hor. If Ny-Hor seizes Ineb-hedj he’ll cut off grain and materiel and supplies from the North and cripple Scorpion. Because of Ny-Hor, Scorpion doesn’t dare pull his farmers from the delta to swell his army for an invasion of Nubt. That’d leave him outmanned and vulnerable in the North.”
“Attack Scorpion now, Father, while his army is small!” Sabu insisted. “We’ve constructed a fleet. We’ve trained men to fight. We’ve stored grain. Why are we still sitting here, not pressing our advantage, growing weaker because of the blockade, giving Scorpion time to get his affairs in order? As Ameny said, give Scorpion enough time, and when he launches his attack we won’t stand a chance.” Sabu slammed one hand into the other palm. “We must strike Tjeni now, while we can, or perish!”
“Strike!” Ani seconded.
“How do we know our army’s any better than Scorpion’s was when Mekatre was in charge, Brother?” I queried.
Sabu looked at me, incredulous that I’d ask such a thing. “Because I say it is!”
That certainly filled me with confidence.
“We should invade Tjeni tomorrow!” Baki seconded.
Baki was so transparent. He assumed Sabu would be Nubt’s next king and so wholeheartedly supported him in all things. He wasn’t happy that I’d given birth to Pabasa before Nebetah had given birth to Ika, thus making his son more or less irrelevant in terms of succession.
“If you don’t trust my army, give me gold, Father,” Sabu demanded. “I’ll buy mercenaries. I’ll turn them loose to raid Tjeni. They can attack Scorpion’s caravans and prevent him from receiving goods from the desert. They can attack Scorpion’s boatmen wherever they camp along the river and
take their cargos and burn their vessels. If Scorpion can’t get supplies from the North, his control of the delta won’t matter.”
“I agree,” Ani said.
“And I,” Baki added.
“Barbarian attacks won’t be traced back to us,” Sabu promised.
“Of course they will, Majesty,” Pentu told Sabu. “Scorpion will assume you’re behind any attack. Poke Scorpion, and he’ll leave Ny-Hor to chance and devote his attention to Nubt and that’ll be the end of us.” Pentu gazed at Ani and Maya and Bebi in turn. “Is that what you and your families want? To be driven out of existence?”
“I’ll give you no gold, Sabu,” Father said firmly. “You will not negotiate with any barbarians either. Do you understand?”
“I understand,” Sabu acknowledged angrily. “But I warn the rest of you – the very day I take the throne I’m going to attack Scorpion.”
“Of course,” Baki said supportively. “You’ll be king, Majesty.”
“I have daughters and grandsons, Sabu,” Father pointed out. “Don’t take your position as heir as certain.”
Sabu looked directly at me. Obviously, he wasn’t worried about Baki’s son. “You put Father up to this, didn’t you, Sister.” He pointed his finger at me. “You’ll never sit my throne. Nor your son.” With that, Sabu stalked from Father’s room.
Ani and Baki followed.
Father dismissed Ameny.
“What are we going to do about Sabu?” Father asked the rest of us wearily. “I’m afraid he’s going to start a war with Scorpion no matter what I say.”
“One we have no chance of winning,” Bebi noted.
“We could turn him over to Scorpion. That’d solve the problem,” Pentu said practically.
“I suppose we could.”
Father had never conceded that point before. Did he mean it?
Father sighed. “Keep an eye on Sabu, Pentu. Let me know if he disobeys me. I love my son, but I truly worry about Nubt if it’s in his hands. Though… I guess I won’t be around to worry once I’m dead.”
No. But the rest of us will.
3255 BC: 11th regnal year of Scorpion, King of Tjeni
Peret (Seed)
Iry
“Come to steal my husband away again, I see,” Merit said in greeting after Mekatre and Lagus and I landed at Sety’s estate.
Father had sent Mekatre and me from Tjeni to visit the delta and Sakan and report on conditions. We’d picked up Lagus at Ineb-hedj along the way. He and Sety were going to accompany us to Sakan.
I’d spent nearly the last two and a half years preparing for war and organizing goods transported to and from Tjeni, though I’d delegated the latter task to Tamit. She’d run roughshod over all opposition and was in firm command of Tjeni’s quays and warehouses. Those who’d refused to submit to her leadership were long gone; those who were in place were absolutely loyal to her. She also had charge of the scribes who tracked the emmer and barley grown on the region’s farms, and the grain we imported from the delta to fill our granaries – a truly critical function since we’d just experienced our fifth low inundation in a row. Father had been so impressed by Tamit that he’d made her overseer of the goods being accumulated for his grave in addition to her other duties. Since I was constructing that, we were working together closely on that project.
Tamit and I were exceedingly happy. Hard to believe Abar was already two years old. She was Father’s only grandchild and he was crazy about her. For me, being separated from Tamit and Abar was the only downside to this expedition.
Mekatre and I had spent a day at Ineb-hedj on our way to Sety’s estate. The settlement had grown considerably since I’d returned to Tjeni. Cargo boats had actually been anchored along the riverbank, waiting for quays to be vacated so they could move into the harbor and tie up. The walls had been completed and the entire area north of the warehouse district was now covered with huts erected by new arrivals. Hori and Hemu and Paser and Isu had greeted me warmly at the quay after I disembarked. Lagus had watched our reunion with disapproval, accompanied by fan bearers and a standard bearer and a girl holding a sunscreen over his head and half a dozen bodyguards. He appeared to have a formal relationship with the overseers, like a king’s with his subjects, not a shared sense of mission like we’d all developed. Isu had confided while showing me the walls later that day that Lagus had demoted Meru back to the ranks of workers after he completed the fourth wall. I noted that no new boats had been constructed since I’d called Niay to Tjeni. Raia was apparently as lazy as ever and Lagus apparently saw no need for a larger fleet. I had the sense that Ineb-hedj was growing despite him, not because of him.
Sety and Merit led us from the landing place up the slope to their house. She was wearing the gold necklace I’d awarded her. The familiar sights brought back pleasant memories of the months I’d lived on the estate, planning my takeover of Ptah’s Settlement. Sety’s operation was as marvelous as I remembered, his fleet moored along the river, smoke spiraling from his workshops, cattle bawling in his fields, barley waving in the breeze. Every one of his boats had masts. His boatmen had adopted Niay’s innovation.
The banquet that evening was a raucous and enjoyable affair. Afterwards, Sety and I retired to our favorite spot, the far north end of his turtleback. We’d spent hours there after I first came from Tjeni, talking almost every night. It’s where I’d proposed my takeover of Ptah’s Settlement. I wanted to speak freely with him this evening without Lagus or Mekatre overhearing. To our right were the river and the fields that lined them, and quays and boats, the turtleback’s shadow creeping towards them. On the far side of the river an immensity of waving reeds and papyrus stretched all the way to the horizon, golden in the slanting light. To our left were plains covered with grazing cattle and sheep and goats, hard to make out clearly against the setting sun. Directly north of us more delta. The wind was blowing and a few birds were riding updrafts over the marsh, their cries sharp and urgent. I hadn’t felt so much at peace since I’d left this estate the first time.
“It’s been nearly five years since I stayed with you here, Sety,” I said. “Nearly five years since Father adopted your Northern strategy.”
“How are things in the South?”
“The blockade continues. Based on what my spies tell me, Nubt’s not capable of waging an offensive war and never will be unless King Ika buys hundreds of mercenaries. King Ika will have to fall back within his walls when Father attacks. But his granaries won’t allow him to survive a long siege.”
“Is King Scorpion able to marshal enough men to seize Nubt and occupy its territory?”
“Enough men wasn’t the issue when I first returned to Tjeni, Sety. Everything else was. Mekatre had made a mess of things. Useless boats. The wrong weapons. No strategy. No understanding of the enemy. I had to start the preparations over entirely. I’ve fixed almost everything. All Father lacks now is enough men. Sending so many farmers to the delta has weakened our ability to fight. I’ve been trying to figure out how to take Nubt with a minimal force. I haven’t been able to so far. Nubt’s walls are a significant obstacle to overcome.”
“The king must be itching to attack Nubt. He declared war years ago. Do you think he’ll recall his farmers so he can invade any time soon?”
“All these low inundations have tied Father’s hands, Sety. Right now, keeping farmers in the delta to grow grain to feed Tjeni takes priority over conquering Nubt. Plus, he’s worried about Antef. If Antef tries to move against Ineb-hedj or disrupt the trade routes Father wants to be able to instantly assemble an army to stop him. The farmers Father’s relocated here from Tjeni are in effect a Northern army.”
“Right now, the North’s secure,” Sety said. “We can raise more men to fight than Antef can. When we visit Farkha and Sakan, you’ll see for yourself that they’re firmly behind your father, just like the delta estates and smaller settlements. Everyone’s keeping an eye on Antef.”
“Is Ny-Hor’s health any better?”
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br /> “He’s declining. Antef’s the ruler in all but name. He doesn’t even pretend his father’s in charge anymore. But he can’t raise much of an army. Pe and Dep’s smaller than Nekhen. Antef’s going to have to buy mercenaries if he intends to make a move against your father.”
The sun dipped below the horizon and darkness rolled across the delta.
“I got the impression Lagus doesn’t exactly get along with the elites in Ineb-hedj,” I said.
“How blunt do you want me to be, Iry?”
Not a good sign. “Tell me the truth. As always.”
Sety sighed. “Lagus rules by fear. He struts about as if he’s already king, accompanied by bodyguards and sycophants. Your parties and rewards? A thing of the past. He personally examines all the luxury goods that arrive in the settlement and takes the best for himself. He’s got a couple of children by elite daughters already, but he’s made it clear he’s going to marry for political advantage, meaning a woman higher ranking than any in Ineb-hedj. That doesn’t keep a steady stream out of his bed, though.”
“He’s always had a way with women,” I sighed.
“There’s no one to rein him in, so far from Tjeni. Lagus doesn’t listen to anyone’s advice or counsel. He’s set some of the elites against others. He plays favorites.” Sety put his hand on my shoulder. “They all miss you, Iry. They didn’t know how good they had it until you were gone. In fact, they now refer to Ptah’s Settlement and Ineb-hedj as two distinct places and times.”
“Father specifically sent Lagus here to forge ties with all the settlements in the North and get them to pledge Father fealty.”
House of Scorpion Page 32