Shabaka looked the man, noting his sinewy build and developed leg and chest muscles before calmly stating, “You are not in any trouble if you answer my questions honestly.”
The man turned his head and looked up at Shabaka, before nodding.
“What is your business here?” Shabaka calmly asked.
“I am only a messenger, I promise. I have done nothing wrong.”
“I have seen enough messengers to know one when I see one,” Shabaka started, “…but what I would like to know is, who you had a message for? And who sent it?”
“I was to deliver a message to Zawe.”
“And have you delivered messages to Zawe in the past.”
The man nodded before he said, “Often, the man who sends them is very generous.”
“What does he give you for your service?”
“I receive a silver Kite for every three messages I deliver. This would be a third message.”
Shabaka said nothing for several moments before again asking, “What was this question?”
“I was told to never tell another. I am only to tell those for whom the message is.”
“So let’s make this simple,” Shabaka started. “Either you tell me what was in the message, or I have these men drag you back to the palace and put you in the stockades for the evening.”
The man’s eyes enlarged as Shabaka spoke, he then hesitantly looked around him before returning his attention to Shabaka. He cleared his throat before saying, “The message was, ‘Han wants to meet.’”
“The message was that Han wants to meet?”
Shabaka for a moment hesitated as a heavy sensation came over his heart, almost as if it was being squeezed. He looked for a moment at the messenger before asking, “And what was Zawe’s reply?”
“The usual place,” the messenger said.
“That was the entire message?” Shabaka asked.
“Yes.”
“Who sends you with these messages? Who pays you to deliver these messages?”
“I don’t know” The messenger said shaking his head.
“How can you not know?” Shabaka asked in disbelief.
The man again looked around them before answering, “The man keeps to himself in the darkness of a beerhouse. I have heard rumors that his face is scarred and that he does not want anyone to see him.”
Shabaka nodded, and then reached for his coinage pocket. He opened it and extracted a silver kite before holding it up in front of the man. “You can have this, but only on the condition that you tell no one that you spoke to us,” Shabaka said, stipulating. “Do you understand?”
The man eagerly nodded, stating, “I’ve never seen you before.”
“Good,” Shabaka said as he held the coin out towards the man.
The man made to take it but Shabaka tightened his hold on the coin, causing the man to look at him.
“Remember, you never saw us. And if I learn that you told anyone, these men…” Shabaka said pointing to the guards beside him with the other hand “…they will find you, and you will spend some time in the stockades.” Before releasing the coin, “Now get out of here.”
A few moments later the head guard came up to him and asked, “Do you want us to follow him?”
Shabaka looked in the direction the man ran off in and shook his head, “I think I can identify a trap when it has been set.”
“What do you mean?” The guard asked,
“Have you ever heard any tales of someone burnt that did not want to be seen?” Shabaka asked the guard.
The guard shook his head.
“Exactly. They will have us running around after a Ka.”
“But then why let him go?” the guard demanded.
“He cannot tell us anything.”
“How can you know that? We are the ones who have to constantly watch these people.”
“Because he is just a messenger, conveying messages. They know we are watching and they want to distract us.”
Shabaka returned to the palace, although all the way the name kept swirling in his head, so much so that he sought out Neti on his arrival.
He found them in one of the smaller private halls, used mostly by the queen, however he hesitated for several moments when he looked at them.
Neti was dressed in a dress Seota must have been making for a queen, while Seota was moving around her making adjustments to it. Neti stood absolutely still, almost lifeless, yet strikingly beautiful.
He, for a moment, considered that their discussion could wait only to be halted by Maathorneferure. “Shabaka, please come see.”
Quickly Neti’s head swung around as she looked in his direction.
“As you wish, my Queen,” Shabaka said before approaching them.
“Do you not think Neti looks beautiful in that?” Maathorneferure asked.
Shabaka swallowed several times before answering, “Yes she does, my Queen.”
“You know I am of a good mind to keep young Seota here with me, then I could have the most beautifully made clothing in all the kingdom.”
At the queen’s declarations, Seota suddenly became hesitant. Maathorneferure looked at the girl for a moment before saying, “Fear not child, I would never take you away from Neti. I owe her my life and that of my daughter, I would never take anything from her that was not mine.”
Neti also visibly relaxed and turned her attention to Shabaka, “I heard the guards came for you earlier, have you found anything.”
Shabaka nodded as he said, “We may have.” He then pointed to the door, “Why don’t you change and we can discuss it.”
Neti looked at the dress before turning to him, and saying, “We can talk here.”
“I fear that the walls might hear,” Shabaka said, causing both Seota and Maathorneferure to frown.
Neti quickly nodded in understanding and said, “I will be with you in a moment.”
Shabaka waited outside the door where Neti joined him a few moments later. She looked at him and knew, without asking, that something was troubling him. “What have you learned? Because you do not seem pleased by it.”
Shabaka made to speak but then ended up shaking his head finally stating, “I’m uncertain.”
Neti looked along the passage before indicating for him to follow. “Come, we will take a walk in the gardens where we are less likely to be heard.”
Shabaka followed her to the palace’s private gardens and fist checked to see if they were alone before he said, “I don’t know if this observation is worth it.”
Neti looked at him perplexed as she asked, “Why?”
“Because it has been several days already, and we have only questioned a handful of men. And even you have said that the gold is almost fully accounted for now.”
Neti looked at him for several moments and tilted her head before stating, “But that is not which concerns you.”
Shabaka walked several paces from her before returning. He prepared to speak but then shook his head.
Neti stepped forward and placed her hand on Shabaka’s arm, forcing him to stand still and look at her, “Something you saw or heard this evening has upset you. Tell me or you will not find rest this evening.”
“It is a name,” Shabaka said, but then again turned from her in frustration and said, before declaring, “But somehow I know it cannot be right. I refuse to accept that it may be true.”
“Shabaka,” Neti calmly said, causing him to turn towards her again. “Tell me exactly what happened.”
Shabaka took a deep breath before starting, only to end with, “But I think I heard wrong, I cannot think why he would be caught up in something like this.”
“Are you even certain that it is the same person? You know as well as I do that certain names are more common.”
Shabaka looked at her for several moments but then threw is hands up. “That is just it… I don’t know.”
“So why not ask him?” Neti asked, for which she only got an exasperated look. “Right, then why don’t you
want to ask him? You have to have a reason. ”
“Because he is like a brother to me and I simply refuse to accept that he would do something like this.”
“But if you refuse to believe it, why are you so upset?” Neti outright asked.
Her question stopped Shabaka dead in his tracks.
Neti stepped forward and took both his hands in hers bringing them together before she spoke, calmly, “I have known you for some time now, Shabaka, which is why I know when you are conflicted. I also know that you would not be so without good reason. But if you do not tell me then I cannot help you.”
Shabaka looked at her and hesitantly nodded, yet still could not seem to find the words. He then closed his eyes and allowed his shoulders to droop, something he knew he would only ever allow Neti to witness. He whispered, “I don’t know what to do.”
Neti for a moment firmed the grip in her hands before releasing it, and said, “You have always told me never to judge, but to follow the clues. Your sense of right and wrong will guide you, it always has, and it will tell you what to do. Just listen to it.”
Shabaka released a heavy sigh before he said, “But what if I am right? What if it is him?”
Neti squeezed his hands again before releasing them and saying, “We both know that we cannot make the right decisions for others. Just as we are duty bound not to lie to the pharaoh. We have to execute our duties without favor or prejudice.”
“It does not make it any easier,” Shabaka said,
“Then you should look to see how you can verify that it is not him,” Neti said.
Shabaka looked at her, the said, “Either way I will have to go and see him.”
If you do then take someone with you, so that you will not be caught off guard,” Neti said.
“You should come with me,” Shabaka said,
“And you do not think such a thing will alarm him, if he is involved?” Neti asked
Shabaka shook his head, “Knowing Rahann, your presence would make him less so if he was.”
17
Chapter Seventeen
The following morning, Neti and Shabaka made their way to the more affluent area in Pi- Ramesses, that in unlike Thebes’s dusty roads was paved.
“It makes a difference from all the dust,” Neti said as the looked around her.
“It might, but the flies are still here and they bite,” Shabaka moaned and he again swatted at some flies. “I am certain they bite here more than in Thebes.”
Neti smiled, “I do not think there is a single place in the whole of Egypt that you will not find flies, but I agree with you, these seem to be more aggressive.”
They passed several children, who walked in ordered groups as they carried water flagons on their heads. Neti looked at them for a moment then said, “The children here are much more reserved than those in Thebes.”
“Meaning?” Shabaka asked.
“They do not play in the streets like the children in Thebes.”
Shabaka looked back at the children Neti was referring to and said, “Those are servants not children.”
“What?” Neti asked astonished.
“Being a child born from a servant becomes a servant once they are old enough. Many here prefer child servants since the cast less to feed. Is it not like that in Thebes, I am certain I have seen child servants there.”
Reluctantly Neti nodded, “Yes, there are many child servants in Thebes, but I had thought it would be different here.”
“I have been to many places in my time, and have seen that no matter where one goes, human nature never changes.”
Not long thereafter they arrived at Rahann’s home and Shabaka knocked on the door. They waited for several long moments before Shabaka again knocked on the door.
“Are you certain this is his home?” Neti asked, when no one answered the door.
“It has always been,” Shabaka said and pushed open the door. It gave way although the darkened interior of the house was quiet. The house was clean, with large grass mats cast on the floor and several pieces of furniture standing about the public room.
“I don’t think he is home?” Neti said, hesitant to follow Shabaka’s lead.
“But his servant should be,” Shabaka said moving into the room.
“He has a servant?” Neti asked, following him inside.
“He is not married, so he needs someone to tend to his home,” Shabaka said as he moved about. He suddenly stopped. “This is strange. I would have thought he would have more than one servant – Unless he is…” Shabaka looked to the covered door, which let to the private chambers of the home, then hesitantly looked towards Neti.
“What? She asked. Neti then looked in the direction of his gaze, and smiled. A slight flush covered her cheeks as she said, “I am not unfamiliar with the practice of men bedding their servants in the absence of a wife.”
Shabaka walked towards the cloth-covered doorway. He pushed the woven cloth aside and listened. “It does not sound like it,” Shabaka said.
“And you would know?” Neti said teasingly.
Shabaka made to speak, but midway seemed to change his mind. Finally stating, “I have had to pull him from far too many such situations in the past.”
“I have a feeling that would make for a good story, just for another time.” Neti said as she also looked about the room. “I am going to look in the upstairs kitchen,” Neti said and then made for the short flight of stairs.
Shabaka looked around the room, only to again look towards the staircase as Neti again descended few moments later, carrying something.
“Look what I found,’ she said once she had reached the base of the stairs, then held up a glass container.
“Somehow I think his connection to these people cannot be denied any longer,” Shabaka said as he took the container from Neti. He tipped it ad said, “It looks like it had something in it.”
“From the smell, I would say it was either a strong palm wine or vinegar,” Neti said.
Shabaka frowned, “Why would he need any of those?”
“Could be that his servant uses vinegar when making bread; it is often used instead of yeast.”
Just then the door opened and a woman, of about Neti’s age, stood there with a pitcher of water. She steeped back on the unexpectedness of seeing them and had to quickly move to prevent the pitcher from falling. Once she had righted herself she angrily demanded, “What are you doing here?”
Shabaka stepped forward, more into the light. But even before he could speak, the woman first lowered the pitcher she was carrying then went down on bended knee. “Forgive me Prince Shabaka. I had not realized it was you.”
“Rise,” Shabaka calmly said. “I should have not startled you.”
“What is it that I can do for you today?” The woman respectfully said.
“I’m looking for Rahann, do you know where I can find him?”
“I am not certain, he left early this morning.”
“Do you know when he will return?” Neti asked drawing the woman’s attention to her for the first time.
“He did not tell me.”
“Do you know where he might have gone?” Shabaka asked.
The servant shook her head, “I would imagine to his duties.”
The woman’s answer had Shabaka look at Neti for a moment before he returned his attention to the woman, “Thank you. We will not keep you any longer.”
Once outside, Neti looked at Shabaka and demanded, “What is it?”
“Rahann was never assigned an official position. Ramesses, although fond of him, knew that Rahann did not have the discipline or the desire to take up a position. He knew Rahann was more likely to frustrate people. So he kept Rahann in the city as a liaison for his kingdom.”
“That way Ramesses could ensure peace remained,” Neti said. “And it is also why you question the servant’s assumption that he has gone to fulfill his duties.”
“If he had, he would have returned home. Which means that she would
know that he would not be home for some time. None of this makes sense anymore.”
Neti watched as he gain started pacing in frustration. She gave him several moments to contemplate his thoughts before she spoke, “Shabaka.” At the mention of his name, Shabaka looked at her. “You have once said that, if we do not understand something we should go back to the beginning.”
Shabaka shook his head, “Even if we did, it would not help. So many things have been added to this that since then that I no longer have an idea as to what is relevant. In fact, even if it were I probably made it possible for them to outsmart us in the first place.”
“Why say that?” Neti asked.
“Because I did the most foolish thing anyone in our position could do,” Shabaka angrily stated.
“And what was that?”
Shabaka lowered his head into his hands as he said, “I did what I have warned you and Moses so many times not to do.”
“You spoke to someone about the case,” Neti said.
Shabaka nodded, adding, “Not just someone, Rahann.”
“What!” Neti exclaimed, surprised.
“At the time I could not have known, in fact I had no way of knowing that he could be involved.”
Neti looked uncertainly at Shabaka before hesitantly asking, “What did you tell him?”
“Only that we were investigating the possibility of gold being taken from the craft hall I could possibly have mentioned that we are investigating Geris’ murder.”
“You need to remember exactly what you told him,” Neti stressed.
“What does it matter? He knows that we are investigating this matter and, in all likelihood, also knows that we have had two of his people under observation. For all I know, he could have already left the city… and all of it because he played on my trust,” Shabaka remanded himself.
“You said yourself that you did not know. We do not even know if he is really involved with this.”
“They used his nickname, the one we used as children. Why would they use it if not to protect his true identity?”
Neti looked at him, not knowing what to say, she shook her head as she spoke, “We don’t know yet. And we both know that jumping to conclusions will only hinder this.
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