“Guard the Children for me, Ariennu.” His eyes misted too. He knew this was a farewell of sorts, but this morning she didn’t laugh and call him the worst liar ever when he said:
“I’ll come back, don’t worry. If the Children gave me any power at all, we’ll get through this.” His lips were on her eyes. “I’m no pure lamb to be offered up before their gods. They will find out soon enough just what I am...” He felt her mouth open in his kiss.
Goddess...her mouth’s hot...I can’t do this...
“And don’t let Deka use them to see how it is with me, ever...She’d just try to fix things for me, bless her...” He kissed her wildly, then stayed her arms firmly, before he began to weep too
“She’s just beginning to open. You saw it yesterday.” Marai paused, then added. “Last night...Oh sweet, Wise MaMa you are...” He held her again. “My Houra’s gone now, too...and when I saw she had died, I meditated on it but found our visiting priest, the nasty little bastard, seeking us out again with the ‘eye’ on his chest. He isn’t as humble as he wanted us to think he was...He and maybe his master too are full-’blood royal’ Princes. So now I wonder what this becomes? Am I taking on the divine houses of Kemet themselves?”
Ariennu reflected on his thought, then laughed just a little., arms still loosely around his neck.
“Well there are dozens of princes. Maybe there are so many that one or two aren’t so important. I hear the kings of Kemet try to fat up plenty of wives, honor women, and any woman in their family as well…just so they can get a their blood-royal pair that’s not too nasty close-blooded for when they die...I wouldn’t think it’s that serious...as long as none of them were wearing the wejat circlet or that blue and gold nemes on their heads.”
“They know how to look at us through the Child Stones, Ari.” Marai’s voice was solemn They already know how to use that crystal piece the priest was wearing to get to me. They might use it on the three of you just to get power over me. I’m afraid I was pretty angry last night over the enchantment games that priest put on us.” He paused, reluctant to tell Ari what he had done, but then deciding to go ahead with the story. When he finished he added: “That priest was in such a stir he gave me his name. It’s Wserkaf...of House Neferhetepes, I think. if that means anything with what you hear in the street. Wasn’t she one of the king’s daughters?”
“Oh, sweet mother, You had to drop that name!” I think I felt the bottom of my heart go, just then. He’s everything you said and on top of it a damned living legend, I’ve heard...and a spirit walker too! And he’s second only to Count Hordjedtef who was one of the sons of the king who built that...” she pointed to the largest of the Houses of Like Mountains. “No wonder everyone in the Kina market was backing off and rubbing their evil eye medals when they saw him.” Ariennu buried her face in his chest, gripping him tightly. In a flash, she relived everything that happened at the priest’s lotus pool. “Then Naibe is right...They will try to kill you.”
Marai wanted to stay and love her sweetly as the sun rose, right there on the top step in front of the waking courtyard, not caring who saw but his destiny was across the river.
She knew his need from his trembling touch. Ariennu would have accepted him an instant.
He stepped away from her, reluctantly.
“It’s done now, isn’t it?” Her tears were suddenly unrestrained.
“What is?” he smoothed her hair, wanting her even more as her hand cupped his buttocks and strayed to his loins. There wouldn’t be an answer to his question. That much he knew. He held her, swaying back and forth gently for a few more moments, trying to read the future in her touch.
“No, Lady. We’ll go on to something more. We just have too.” He kissed her brow again and scrambled down the steps, hoping it would be so.
She watched him leave. The sun rose, its light brightening her face. Every time he paused, turned and looked again, he wanted to go back and forget all of this until; at last, he saw that she had gone inside.
CHAPTER 7
THE TEST
The streets were beginning to stir with early morning vendors. While the merchants put out their wares, early shoppers, half thief and all skilled bargainer gathered and parried with them, hoping for lower options on the better goods. Smells of toasted flat bread and yesterdays beans were mingled with the ever present odor of fried fresh and salt fish and cheap “batter beer”.
After Marai reluctantly turned his back on the wonderful vision of Ariennu standing at the top of their apartment step, he found Etum-Addi at his booth, setting up early, too. He told the Sanghir merchant that his wives were well and would work for him today, but he reminded the man he had to go away for a few days to see the priests. The merchant knew Marai had been seeking them since he arrived a year ago. Marai explained that the real reason the family in the below apartment had vanished was that their old mother had died as soon as this Djerah got her across the river. They needed to take her body to the poor area to bury her.
The sojourner asked Etum Addi to send Ninka with some of his and the women’s portion across to the work camp so this young family could pay for a bit of earth, a nice mat and blanket to wrap around their savta’s poor body. They could bundle it with some of her things in hopes it would provide for her in whatever afterlife the poor of Kemet were given by their gods. So far from home, he doubted the gods of the wilderness would ever even notice her passing.
The merchant would later wonder how his big friend had news from across the river so early, since the old woman had been taken back to the workers camp, before her death, but Etum-Addi and he embraced briefly, promising to pick up their great partnership soon, but as they did, Marai felt an odd chill. It was as if the Child Stone in him knew they would never see each other again. He just didn’t have time to dwell on why he felt that way.
After those few moments, he moved on to waterfront. He had to hurry before Naibe woke and decided to run after him, begging him to stay.
The dock with the boats that led to the grand causeway and temple district was located down the river a few leagues. On the other side of the river, he barely made out the shadowy outlines of the palace areas and nobles city estates which were still wrapped in early morning river mist.
With a small handful of blue faience beads, Marai paid for passage on one of the larger reed barques just as the full ball of the sun cleared the horizon. To his amazement, the boatmen kept taking up the barter others offered: little rings, beads, gold bees, cloth, and even a duck for crossing payment. They were piling people on the craft until it pulled away and floated half-submerged.
The dark, silt-laden water continually lapped over the sides and onto everyone’s feet. Naked oarsmen strained and sweated at their work, cursing the day, the stink of silt and citizens in the retreating flood, and the biting black flies that left free bleeding sores. A small cluster of wealthier passengers who had been, for some reason he never discovered, unable to put their own craft on the river, stood at the high end of the boat. Their servants tried in vain to fan away their expressions of chagrin and disgust.
Once the boat reached the other side, the throng of people moving toward the temples thickened. Marai became one of hundreds of faces filing past vendors and three-sided stalls that catered to this sideof the river’s wealthier patrons. Even at his imposing size, he found himself getting turned, twisted, pawed over or bumped by the crowds, bend over girls making offers, and small-time thieves.
Every day, and this morning had been no exception, he was constantly reminded of how easily he could be picked out of a crowd. He had always been tall and big and he had never been comfortable with that, even in the days before he looked so godly. All of this crowd continually swept and urged him back to the water’s edge.
Eventually, he threaded his way through the throng and to the gates at the first wall of the wide noble plazas. Guards approached, then stepped back, eying him up and down. They nodded and whispered to each other, admitted him in silence, th
en closed the gates behind him.
I guess they were told I was coming, then. The sojourner thought to himself as he moved up the corridor ahead of him along the packed earth alley between the powdery smooth white walls on each side of the path. Except for occasional sentries near the gate of each estate and a few servants going about their daily tasks for those who lived behind these walls, the alleyways were almost quiet. He stepped back for the occasional litter being borne past him, as it carried some dignitary or priest out to the temple district or in the other direction to the kings residence.
Marai continued forward, feeling a little lost. The white walls formed labyrinthine corridors that resisted being tracked. It was too easy to hget lost unless one knew exactly where to go. A stately villa of a noble or high-ranking priest (which Ariennu had just reminded him was about the same thing) was behind each gated area. As it was still early, there were similar cooking smells wafting from these roof kitchens, but this food was exquisite smelling. It was so far beyond the humble fish, beans, melon and bread he usually ate every day that his mouth watered at the thought of such heavenly food. Sounds of children laughing and playing, pet birds calling, cats chasing, and monkeys chattering greeted his ears.
After he had been walking quite a while, Marai noticed two sentries coming toward him. They were garbed in the style of regular peacekeepers with white head caps, light weaponry, rib armor, and short shenti. The sojourner almost stopped one of them to ask if they were looking for him, but decided to just move out of their way. They slowed in their evenly matched pace just a little and studied him as they threaded past him. In a moment, they went around a bend in the walls and out of sight.
The sojourner continued pacing back and forth in front of the wall where the men had passed him. Moments dragged by. Just when he was considering sitting beggar-fashion by the wall, he sensed the two men returning. They beckoned to him and he followed them. Without words, they conducted him back the way they had come, through one or two more twists in the wall and toward a large imported cedar wood double door. After a considerable amount of bustling back and forth outside, the men opened the heavy timber latches. Marveling at the way Marai had to crouch a little, the guards led him through a short tunnel that opened out onto an all too familiar pool area.
“Your name...” One peacekeeper looked up to whisper in Marai’s direction. Marai smirked, then bent to whisper back.
“I think he knows who I am.”
The other guard’s hand instinctively sought his blade at the big man’s rudeness.
Marai relented.
“Tell him...Marai bin Ahu...of the region of Sin-Ai.”
This was how he was announced an instant later, just as the other guard suggested:
“You’ll go to your knees and keep your face down when you go before His Highness, until you’re given leave to look upon him. His Highness is Great High One, to you.”
Highness...As Ari said, another prince... Why am I not surprised? Suspected as much. Marai almost grinned.
He had never visited or hoped to visit royalty before this moment. For the briefest of moments, he suddenly felt humble enough to kneel, but something in his soul halted him at a distance. After last night’s continued insult, no force on earth was going to allow his knees to bend. Kneeling to someone indicated respect or fear. The sojourner had no respect for this man at all. The only fear he felt was that he would hurt the old man if he was provoked today.
The morning sun on the plaza cast the form of the old man seated on his dark, throne-like chair in a ghostly light. He sat facing the approaching men while he took in the sun’s warming rays. A nice indigo and white striped linen awning shaded him from the direct light this morning. His mere nuance of a glance sent the peacekeepers back to their posts at the gate to wait until they were needed again.
I wonder if this is what it would feel like, if I were really a god. Marai thought.
For a moment, a whimsical vision of a time many years in the future formed in the sojourner’s thoughts. He saw himself seated on a throne like this, except that it was solid gold. The throne was on some remote and cloud-shrouded mountaintop, as if he had become the god Sin. He blinked slowly, coming back to the present.
It showed a bit of bravado for the elder to face him alone after last night, he thought. This morning, other than the gate guards, Marai had seen only a servant or two moving around the plaza. These were young personal grooms. They bowed and asked in almost silent whispers, if “his highness” wanted or needed anything before the meeting commenced. The inspector priest who had come to his apartment yesterday, the other attendants and the boy from last night weren’t present. From time to time, a domesticated cat or hound would appear, then saunter quietly away.
Marai noticed a strangely familiar strength and intelligence hanging in the air that he hadn’t sensed anywhere other than on the Children’s vessel. That energy washed about him, but quickly took on a watchful and sinister tone as he remained lock-kneed and standing before the priest. Marai grinned, placing his hands on his hips and swelled so full of the Children’s joyous, projected thoughts, that pride obliterated any uneasiness he had begun to feel.
The old man’s head craned up, like a turtle head emerging from its shell. He gasped slightly, with a sharp intake of air, like a reverse serpent’s hiss. His blackest eyes widened in odd delight as he contemplated his guest for a moment, with bird-like fascination.
This, he nodded approval, is no bedraggled shepherd and no foreign merchant either.
It had never occurred to the so called Great One to contemplate the fine details of his guest’s image beyond what he had sensed eons ago. Today, he regarded a tall, excellently formed man who looked just as sure of himself as he looked friendly. That man smiled warmly down at him from the other side of the pool. Marai’s lack of reverence stunned the elder. Such insolence simply wasn’t allowed of any visitor to royalty. His own father had been famous for ordering the immediate execution of any man, woman, or child who failed to show proper reverence. This sojourner’s behavior was especially unforgiveable after, through his heka, young Ausebek and even his own protege had almost drowned in chest deep water last night.
On your knees, Akkad! I know you can hear my thoughts! His cold, stern spirit voice rang like the clash of ancient weaponry. The old man sat taller in his dark stone chair. He looked as if he really wanted to leap out of it, seize Marai by the hair, and ram his head into the floor several times in forced respect.
Long ago, with his father and men at his side, he might have accomplished that. It was only the current king, his great nephew Menkaure who had become unusually famous for his accessibility. In his reign, the king conducted many fine entertainments and even allowed children to play and study with his own children as they grew. That change had rippled through Kemet in that the king’s actions toward outsiders were to be followed by his court. The old man and many others felt it was a dangerous trend, but complied with measured civility.
Marai bowed his head politely, hand at his chest in deference, knowing he had to make some sort of respectful gesture. His knees remained locked in an unbent pose that said:
Why should I? Are we not both free men? And that you began this by sending your lackey with his message yesterday. His own inner protest stirred. Marai knew well enough that the old prince could order him executed with a gesture. Kill me? You could try...he returned. Marai knew he didn’t have to worry about that this morning. He sensed this imaginary Djedi already knew if he provoked his guest, it would result in a bloodbath. The big man remained standing, somewhat at ease, but watchful.
Glancing around the open plaza and then back into the three sided niche behind the elder, Marai saw a square-cut white marble chair which matched the dais and was the height of the old man’s stone chair. In fact, it seemed the white chair actually matched the dais better than the black one in which the old man sat. A sumptuous embroidered drape had been laid out over the seat cushions and arm rests. The chair had
been pulled to one side of priest’s chair. The white marble chair had bottom slots for poles so it could be carried like a sedan.
Marai thought it looked sturdy enough. It definitely appeared more comfortable than the two mats placed by the table in front of the old man’s dais.
The elder prince observed Marai as intensely as he himself was being observed. He was amazed at the man’s behavior. Men of the sandy wilderness, especially those who might have slipped into Kemet to avoid starvation were never so full of themselves.. Sojourning merchants who stood to be banished for misconduct, weren’t either. This man Marai was being beyond rude. Hordjedtef had to admit, that because his protege had taken the first step yesterday, demanding this man’s obeisance was starting to seem ridiculous. He glanced away, still a little insulted, but did not react until he sensed the words in the sojourner’s thoughts
I respect your noble birth, Your Highness, but I’d rather sit to talk. The sojourner continued to show his skill of projecting and receiving silent thought. I really didn’t sleep well last night. We’ve both put ourselves through so much already. Don’t worry...my head will be lower yours.
Having sent that thought to the old man, Marai strode around the pool before his host could do more than shrink backward. Turning, he lifted the marble chair, carried it from the dais and turned it, setting it down and dragging it lightly across the polished floor into a better position. Marble against polished tile made an annoying skreek. Moving the drape to the back of the chair, he sat heavily and faced the priest.
The guards, who were still lurking by the plaza door, filled it and rushed forward, ready to throw Marai bodily from the plaza but the old man waved the guards away. His dark slit eyes widened for a moment in surprise.
You have defied me, Akkad! And by that, the power of our gods. Know they allow you life only by my intercession. The spirit voice growled at him.
Voices in Crystal Page 43
