He clearly knew I was lying. I knew he knew. Time to verbally spar with him. Time to take his measure, feel him out. Now that he supervised the fleet and would potentially join with me he was relevant to my future. I needed to determine where Nykara stood in regards to me. Did he hate me as much as I suspected? Was he going to cause me trouble? “I actually do remember that encounter, Nykara. Vaguely, to be sure. Mostly, I remember how angry I was at Rawer.” I studied him for a moment. “If that was my ambition, to rule at a man’s side, would you think it foolish?” Best keep my ambition the same as Nykara remembered. Best not let him guess I intended to rule on my own.
He shrugged. “Why would what I think make any difference to you?”
“It wouldn’t,” I lied again. “I’m just curious.”
“Well, then, Rawer told you flat out he wouldn’t let you share rule, which means you’ll have to join with a different elite. I think you’ll face enormous obstacles if you attempt to do that. For one, your father’s going to officially announce Rawer as his heir at the next festival. I’m sure you know what other obstacles exist far better than me. Frankly, I have no idea if you have the ability or strength or cunning to surmount them.”
I stiffened at that. But I was in no position to defend myself without confessing my lie. And anyway, Nykara had no idea what I was capable of, or that I planned to actually succeed Father myself, or that he had, by taking Ameny’s place, become an unwitting player in my future, just as Amenia now was.
“But I get a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach when I think of Rawer being in charge of Dedi’s fleet, much less ruling Nekhen,” Nykara continued. “Once he rules, we both know he plans to stop sending expeditions throughout the valley. Where will that leave us boatmen?” His eyes narrowed a bit. “You, on the other hand, would convince whatever elite man you joined with to remove Rawer from the fleet and then use it to expand Nekhen’s influence. Assuming I understand your vision correctly.”
He was taking a subtle shot at me. I deserved it. “Your understanding is perfect,” I said.
“Well, then, if you were to declare, someday, you supported someone besides Rawer to rule our settlement – that would actually give me hope.” Nykara glanced around quickly, made sure no one was nearby. “In fact, I’d do everything in my power to help you make that happen, if it would put Rawer in his place. If that was truly your ambition.” He idly smoothed the ground with his palm. “Though I can’t imagine what help someone like me could give someone like you.”
“Someone like me? You weren’t afraid to hand out advice to Father in our meeting,” I chided. “That was dangerous...”
“For a commoner and interloper?” Nykara interrupted.
He was throwing my own words back in my face. But they were nonetheless true. “Yes.”
“I know that’s how you’ve always seen me. Don’t get the idea I suddenly think I’m more important than I actually am, just because Dedi made me an overseer.”
“And for all intents and purposes promised me to you?”
Nykara reddened slightly. “You know we’ll never be joined. Dedi will never make me his heir. Rawer will regain the fleet. Dedi had to threaten Rawer with something drastic to make him grow up. You and the fleet are a pretty compelling one–two punch.”
“I’m compelling, am I?”
“You know you are. Don’t pretend you’re unaware how you affect men. You wield your charms like a weapon. It’s kind of fun to watch, actually, especially since I’ve never been on the receiving end and never will be.”
“Glad I amuse you.”
“Anyway, Dedi won’t carry out his threat. Which is too bad for me.”
“Why?”
“Rawer will find working for me in the coming years intolerable. He’ll hate me even more than he already does. His hatred will fester until it’s all–consuming. The first thing he’ll do when he regains the fleet is ban me from the boatyard. So I understand I’m doing my new job on borrowed time. I didn’t seek it. I didn’t accept it hoping I could improve my status and become an elite or any such foolishness. My only ambition in life is to build boats and travel the valley. But right now Dedi needs me to oversee his fleet, and so I’ll do the best job I possibly can until Rawer disposes of me.”
“And after that? What will you do?”
He shrugged. “Nekhen’s my home. But if I can’t be a boatman here there’s an entire river to explore.” Nykara’s eyes rose to mine. “As far as not being afraid of your father today – I can’t be a proper overseer if I think of Aboo as our ruler in our meetings, or of you as our future ruler’s woman. I have to treat you both as co–workers in the same vast enterprise. To be silent when I can lend my expertise is no way to serve your father or Dedi or you. Or Nekhen.”
Nykara was actually impressing me. Small cracks were appearing in the wall I’d erected between us. I almost regretted not having gotten to know him better years ago. Almost. Some deeply held beliefs were harder to overcome than others. At least he didn’t hate me. Or, if he was merely hiding his hate from me, it apparently wasn’t going to keep him from working alongside me. His obvious love for Grandfather would ensure he wouldn’t try to undercut me. Or so I hoped. That was important. Right now, Nykara was of use to me because he was operating the fleet instead of Rawer and weakening my cousin’s status among the elites. But if Nykara kept his new post permanently, despite his belief to the contrary, and I became Nekhen’s ruler, and I could convince him to willingly wield the fleet in service to me and my ambition, he might turn out to be the most powerful partner I could possibly have. It was obvious I was going to have to actively cultivate Nykara. Even though I still found that idea fairly distasteful. Using him was one thing, but if I wasn’t named ruler and was forced to join with him – well, that was something quite different.
“Outside of our meetings, whenever I encounter you or your father in the lower settlement or around Dedi’s fire or at a festival, I assure you I’ll appear to be in perfect awe. I won’t act familiar in any way or speak unless spoken to or pretend to be your equal. I’ll give you the respect you deserve. After all, I am what I am.”
“My inferior.”
“I didn’t say that,” Nykara replied. “You’re no better than me.”
“Really!”
“Do you feel inferior to Nekhen’s elite men because you’re a woman?”
“Of course not.”
“I don’t either, just because I was born a commoner. I comply with the outward expectations you elites have for a boatman, but it doesn’t change how I feel about myself.”
“So we have something in common,” I said. “Faith in our own abilities and worth. And as far as not acting familiar with me – that’s a refreshing attitude.” I shook my head. “Boys and men are quick to accost me, whatever their status. Most men elevated to a higher station, as you’ve just been, would sooner or later propose I be joined to them.”
“Why bother? Dedi’s already promised you to me,” Nykara said gravely. Before I could respond with indignation he smiled broadly and laughed. “You’re a ruler’s daughter. I’m only a common boatman, as Rawer rightfully says. You’ve never wanted anything to do with me – well, maybe a little, before Mother joined with Dedi. But that was just pretend.”
He was right. I had used him to irritate Rawer for a brief time.
“Anyway, you’re not going to willingly fall into my arms just because Dedi made a vague threat. The same goes for me. I’m looking for an exceptional woman to spend my life with – one who’ll love me, not one who can’t stand me.”
“Eliminates me,” I interjected flippantly.
Nykara nodded. “We’d make each other miserable. Neither of us needs that. And, for the record, I’ve never accosted a woman in my life. I don’t plan to start with you.”
“I’ve never seen you at Dedi’s fire without a boatman’s daughter at your side,” I accused. “Or several. Like the other night.”
“They seek me out. Not the other way around.”
“Something else we have in common – if you’re being truthful.”
“Fact is, I’ve only been kissed by one woman.” His eyes bored into mine.
So he did remember. Unaccountably, my face reddened. His eyes held mine longer than they ever had before. But they were twinkling. Nykara knew my kiss had meant nothing. He was teasing me.
“Like I said, I’m looking for an exceptional woman, one who’s talented and independent and interested in the things that interest me. I haven’t met her yet.”
Apparently, I’d misjudged Nykara where women were concerned. He wasn’t like Rawer after all.
“Well, then,” I said. “We should get down to real business. You wanted to know about Father’s donkeys.”
Nykara nodded. “Please.”
“We transport flint quarried by Seni’s men on the upper terrace to Grandfather’s workshops next to the ceremonial grounds. We transport stone and gold his men quarry and mine in the eastern desert to Nekhen. We transport wood for the woodcutters from the plateaus and river bottoms into Nekhen. We move foodstuffs from nearby farms overland. We transport water and fish and meat to the upper and lower settlements. We move items from Grandfather’s workshops – linen, leather, tools, weapons, wood goods – throughout Nekhen. We move pottery to the breweries. We carry trade goods to and from the oases in the western desert.”
“And you move raw materials from Dedi’s boats to the various workshops after we return from expeditions,” Nykara concluded.
“Yes.”
I spent an hour explaining to him how we acquired and bred our donkeys and cared for them, how many we devoted to each industry, how we rotated them on and off duty to keep them sound and healthy, how we kept one herd in the wadi and another along the river bottom to prevent transmission of disease, how we went about scheduling their use with each of the elites. He listened with interest to everything I told him, asked quite a few pertinent questions.
“I’ve taken enough of your time,” Nykara said abruptly. “Thank you so much. I’ve learned a great deal that’ll help me in my job. Which I need to get to. I have many arrangements to make for Seni’s expedition.”
An unexpectedly interesting boy. Grandfather was wise when he chose him as overseer instead of Rawer. Nykara is now part of my plan to expand Nekhen’s influence throughout the valley whether he likes it or not. His replacing Rawer was a happy accident, one I intend to take full advantage of. Someday, if Nykara earns my trust, I may even confess to him my actual ambition, not the one he thinks he knows. He’s already said he’s willing to help me push Rawer aside. He’s smart enough to be an asset. And if he has second thoughts – well, I have ways of bending him to my will. I’ve never met a man yet who could resist me. Nykara still remembers my kiss. And, unaccountably, so do I. It wasn’t all that awful.
Assuming Nykara delivers on the promises he made today and isn’t replaced as Grandfather’s overseer right away. And assuming I can figure out a way to make him actually like me. I’m sure he’ll come to tolerate me as we work together. He was quite civil today. But I need him to be committed to me if I actually become ruler so I can utilize the fleet to realize Grandfather’s vision. Tolerance has to turn into something more personal. I’m the one who built the wall between us, with how I’ve treated him in the past. I’m the one who has to tear it down. I fear I have my work cut out for me. I’ve erected a very mighty wall.
I spotted Grandfather walking towards us. Was something wrong? He should have been back at the boatyard by now.
“I hoped you’d both still be here. I’d like a word,” he said, settling into Father’s leather chair under the sunscreen.
Nykara sank back to the ground a little apart from me, both of us facing Grandfather.
“I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see the two of you working together at last,” Grandfather said. “I’ve been waiting a very long time for the two of you to set aside your differences.” He held up a hand to silence me before I could say anything. “I’m not blind, Abar. I know how it’s always been with you two, since the day Tai became my woman. Abar, you thought Nykara threatened your position in the line of succession. So you ignored him and made him feel like an outsider. And you haven’t treated him any better since Tai died.”
My face started to burn. Grandfather had never taken me to task before about anything. To do it for the first time in front of Nykara was humiliating.
“Anyone in Abar’s position would have treated a commoner the same way,” Nykara said.
I was surprised he was defending me. Especially since Grandfather was pointing out how I’d wronged him.
“Yes, they would have,” Grandfather replied. “And do.” He turned to me. “But Abar, you’re not just anyone. You’re exceptional. I expect better of you.”
My face felt even hotter. “I’m sorry, Grandfather,” I said, chastened.
“I’m not the one you should apologize to,” he replied.
He meant Nykara. That was asking a bit much of me. I remained silent.
“I love you, Abar, more than anyone else in the world. And I love Nykara. I really hoped the two of you would have stopped avoiding each other and come to like each other by now. Maybe you will someday. Maybe that doesn’t even matter.” He leaned forward, earnest. “What I know is this. You are the two most outstanding young people in Nekhen. Abar, you’ve always wanted to make Nekhen greater, since the first time you listened to me tell our family’s ancient stories. I know you feel like you’re the only one who cares about our family quest to expand Nekhen’s influence. I presume you’ve always felt you’re going to have to pursue it on your own. But not anymore. Nykara, as an overseer, is now in a position to help you.”
“Help me do what, exactly?” I asked, suspicious.
“The day I turned rule over to your father, three people in my hut understood and embraced my vision for Nekhen and the southern valley.” Grandfather looked at me, then Nykara. “The three of us. No one else. Not Aboo, even though he said he did. Not Rawer. And I know you understood it, Abar, because Nykara told me about your idea of expanding Nekhen’s influence by setting up trading posts. I must admit, it’s even better than my idea was, relying only on trade.”
I glanced sidewise at Nykara. He’d revealed my plan to Grandfather? He’d thought it worth mentioning? Was he playing some angle to raise his status in Grandfather’s eyes? “When did Nykara tell you?”
“On our trip to Abu.”
“Right after you told me in the brewery,” Nykara added.
“Two years ago?”
“I’ve been waiting for the right time to act on your plan,” Grandfather said. “That time is now.”
This was becoming a most interesting conversation. I addressed Nykara. “I’m surprised you didn’t take credit. Especially the way I was treating you back then. Still treat you.” My eyes met his. “I guess I wouldn’t have blamed you.” That was as close to an apology as I could come. He was, still, a commoner, and I was elite.
“It wouldn’t have been right,” Nykara said simply. “It was your idea.”
He was truly a strange boy. Rawer would have done the opposite. As well as any ambitious elite son. To my shame, I would have too, had our positions been reversed.
“I assume you’ve been thinking about it more since then?” Grandfather asked.
“I have. I’ve worked out the details in my head.”
“Tell me,” Grandfather urged.
“I believe we should establish permanent trading posts in Tjeni and Nubt,” I said forcefully. I had in fact given my idea considerable thought. “Appoint a man to lead each post, along with two or three assistants. Constantly restock the posts with goods, so the natives of both places can exchange with us year–round. Hiw and Inerty are too small for posts of their own, but traders from Hiw can easily travel to Tjeni and those from Inerty to Nubt. Use your boats, Grandfather, to transport goods back and forth regularly, say once a month. Pick permanent traders who are willing t
o join with local women and bring their children up to follow our customs and our way of life. In a few generations, as those children and their children join with locals, our culture will be engrained, and Tjeni and Nubt will begin to look like us, think like us, worship like us – and eventually see the benefits of recognizing Nekhen’s ruler as theirs.”
“Magnificent!” Grandfather exclaimed proudly. “A long game to weld the settlements of the South into a single entity. One powerful enough to exert a united will everywhere in the valley thereafter.”
“Assuming Aboo lives for many more decades, our traders and their descendants will have established a strong foothold in Nubt and Tjeni by the time he dies,” Nykara told Grandfather. “Our culture will be embedded in those settlements like a tree’s roots, deep in the ground. It’ll be impossible for Rawer to undo what you and Abar have started when he succeeds Aboo.”
Nykara really did understand my plan. He might prove to be even more of an asset than I’d thought. “We should appoint some of the younger elite sons as the permanent traders – the ones who won’t take over their father’s enterprise and won’t be content to work for their older brothers,” I said. “They’ll fit in with Tjeni’s and Nubt’s elites, as equals. Once they convert the elites to embrace our culture, those settlements’ commoners will surely follow. Being selected as traders will be an opportunity for the elites, and result in a closer tie between their families and ours.” And a way to neutralize Rawer, for many of them are his followers.
“That’s the only part of your plan I’d change,” Grandfather said thoughtfully. “Can you guess how, Nykara?”
It was upsetting he was asking Nykara’s opinion, especially about my plan. Although, earlier today, Nykara had exhibited quick–wittedness and intelligence. Based on how Grandfather had just chastised me for my past treatment of Nykara I decided not to voice an objection but to keep an open mind. But how could Nykara possibly improve what I’d thought out so carefully?
“Abar should appoint the best men she can find to lead and staff the posts, whether they’re elites or commoners,” Nykara replied. “Ability should count more than an accident of birth. Their mere presence in Tjeni and Nubt as Nekhen’s representatives will ensure they’re embraced by those settlements’ elites.”
The Women and the Boatman Page 18
