Soldier of Sidon l-3

by Gene Wolfe

  The soldiers I spoke with were of Kemet. They said the men of Parsa here are horsemen. These soldiers of Kemet were tall and dark. Many wore headcloths like mine. They had spears and big shields with slots in them to look through. One had a light ax as well. It hung on the back of his shield, held by two loops of rope and prevented from slipping through them by the hook at the end of the haft. *These were hieroglyphic, hieratic, and sekh shat or enchorial. They may be compared to printing, cursive, and shorthand.

  5

  SAHUSET SUMMONS US

  WE ARE AT the inn once more, though we shared a fine roast goose first with Muslak, Neht-nefret, and Azibaal. I will not have long to write before we go, and there is much to write.

  The satrap wanted to see us. He is younger than I expected, with no gray in his stiff, black beard. He has the eyes of a hawk. With him were two others, older men of Parsa and Kemet. These three sat; we stood. When the servant who had come for us had named us to the satrap, he said, "I have need of a stout ship-not a trireme with hundreds of rowers to feed, but a small and handy ship with a bold captain. Are you bold, Muslak?"

  "Bold enough to do your will, Great Prince," said Muslak, "whatever it may be."

  "Let us hope you speak truth. You Crimson Men are brave sailors, I know. Have you been to the Tin Isles?"

  "More than once," Muslak declared.

  "I will not ask you to go as far as that." The satrap spoke to Azibaal. "You're one of this man's officers?"

  Azibaal nodded. "I am first mate, Great Prince."

  "In which case you would swear he was bold, whether he was or not. Are you a bold sailor yourself?"

  "I'm not as brave as he is," Azibaal admitted.

  Muslak shook his head. "Azibaal's as stout a seaman as you'll find anyplace, Great Prince. As stout as I, and more."

  "Let us hope. Two of you have women. One does not." The satrap pointed to Neht-nefret. "Whose woman are you?"

  She bowed her head, unable to meet his eyes. "Captain Muslak's, Great Prince."

  "And you?" He pointed to Myt-ser'eu.

  She stood very straight then, and her eyes were proud. "I am Latro's, Great Prince."

  For a brief time the satrap sat silent, and it seemed to me that Myt-ser'eu must not only have felt his gaze but feared his claws. At last she turned her head away.

  "Latro is not the name I was given."

  "I am of Kemet," poor Myt-ser'eu whispered. "We of Kemet call him Latro." (I asked her about this as we rode back. I have read my scroll to her, and it is there.)

  The man of Kemet, who sat at the satrap's left hand, whispered something to him. He is very tall but stooped, with a shaven head, a hook nose, and glittering eyes.

  The satrap nodded slowly. To me he said, "You have one name among the Crimson Men, another here."

  I nodded, for I had learned as we sat waiting that Myt-ser'eu and Neht-nefret called me Latro, but Muslak and Azibaal Lewqys.

  "You must speak aloud to the prince," said the other man of Parsa.

  I said loudly, "Yes, Great Prince, it is as you say."

  "I once knew a man named Artayctes," the satrap said. "He died at the hands of you Hellenes."

  I said nothing.

  "You do not recognize the name?"

  "I don't, Great Prince."

  "You are a Hellene and fear that you will be punished for his death. I understand. You will not be, Latro. You have my word. This Artayctes had a guard of Hellenes. He called in three and had them fight a man named Latro, who killed them all. Artayctes died before he could tell me of it, but certain others did not. You are that man."

  I said nothing, for I recall no such incident.

  "You do not deny it?"

  I said, "I would never contradict you, Great Prince."

  The satrap turned to Muslak. "Where did you get him, Captain?"

  "In Luhitu, Great Prince. He's an old friend. He wished to go to Kemet, and I offered to carry him here without charge."

  "If I send you south, will he go with you?"

  "Only if you wish it, Great Prince."

  "I do. Take him. I am going to send soldiers with you as well. What do you know of the southern lands, Captain?"

  Muslak said, "I have been as far as Wast, Great Prince."

  The satrap turned his hawk's eyes on Azibaal. "No farther?"

  Azibaal spoke up like a man. "No, Great Prince."

  "Very well. Listen to me, all of you. South of this land lies another called Nubia. It is not subject to my brother, but is not at war with us. Once it was subject to Kemet, thus the wise men of Kemet," he nodded toward the tall man, "know much of its history. Some even speak the tongue used there. No one here knows much of its state today. No one knows anything of Nysa, the wide land south of Nubia. I govern this land for my brother, and as his satrap it is my duty to know much of the neighboring lands. I wish to send you, with your ship and crew, south as far as the Great River runs. You will find out these things for me, and return here to tell me of them. Is that plain?"

  Muslak bowed. "It is, Great Prince."

  The satrap looked toward the smaller man of Parsa, who rose and gave Muslak a heavy leather burse. He is short, and like many short men he sits and stands very straight. His scant beard is white.

  "There are cataracts," the satrap said. "You will have to carry your ship around all save the first. It will be difficult, but it cannot be impossible. You will have to carry the supplies you buy with my gold around those cataracts as well. Keep that in mind when you choose them."

  Muslak bowed again. "I will, Great Prince."

  "It may be possible to hire local people to help you. This man," he nodded toward the small man who had given Muslak the burse, "will see to that. His name is Qanju. He will go with you. He will have a scribe and three of our soldiers at his command. You, also, will be at his command."

  Muslak said, "We salute him, Great Prince."

  "The man on my left is Sahuset, a wise man of Kemet. He too will go with you." The satrap turned to this Sahuset. "Will you have a servant, Holy One?"

  If I had shut my eyes when Sahuset spoke, I might have thought it a snake, so cold and cunning was that voice. "No servant who must be fed, Great Prince."

  "That's well."

  Once again the satrap spoke to Muslak. "I will also send soldiers of Kemet with you. How many, you may say. They will be subject to Qanju just as you and everyone else aboard are. Bear in mind that you and Qanju will have to feed them, buying food in the places you pass. Bear in mind also that you will need many men to help you get your ship past the cataracts. How many shall I give you?"

  Muslak stroked his chin. "Five, Great Prince."

  So it was decided. A servant returned us to the courtyard in which I had written and told us to wait. Soon Thotmaktef returned. Qanju wished to speak with us, he said, and after that we might go. He led us in a new direction, and soon into a sunlit room in which there were many scrolls like mine in wooden racks. Qanju was writing at a table there, but rose and laid aside his stylus when we came; he is no taller than Myt-ser'eu. He welcomed us, invited us to sit, and sat again himself. "I am to be your leader on a journey that is sure to be long and laborious," he said. "Since that is the case, it seems good to me to become better acquainted with you before we set out. I assume that none of you objects to my leadership? The satrap, Prince Achaemenes, has appointed me-I am a scholar, and would never appoint myself to such a position. If anyone objects, this is the time to say so."

  Muslak cleared his throat. "I do not object, Noble Qanju. But I most respectfully ask that any orders given my crew be relayed through me."

  "Of course." Qanju nodded, smiling. "I'm no seaman, Captain. I'll consult you on every matter concerned with your vessel, and replace you only if I must. Is that all?"

  Muslak nodded.

  "Anyone else?"

  No one spoke. At last I rose. "Noble Qanju, I have come to Kemet to follow the footsteps I left here years before. I know now that I came to this city, and met Mu
slak here."

  Qanju motioned for me to continue.

  "If I find those steps, I will follow them," I finished.

  "Ah! But what if you do not, Lucius?"

  "I will remain with my friend Muslak until I do, if he will allow it."

  Muslak said, "I will."

  "Will you inform us, if you intend to leave? Bid us goodbye?"

  I nodded. "Yes. Certainly."

  "That is well. You know where you are, Lucius-that is your name, by the way-and why you are here, because you read your scroll while you waited to speak with the satrap. You will have forgotten tomorrow, unless you read your scroll again."

  Myt-ser'eu looked surprised, but I agreed.

  "This girl, and your friend, have reminded you of these and other important matters from time to time, serving as the memory you lack. I join their company, and join it gladly. Yes, my dear?"

  It was Myt-ser'eu. "I don't think that name you used is in Latro's scroll, Most Noble Qanju."

  Smiling, Qanju nodded. "I learned it by occult arts, my dear. Do you believe that?"

  Myt-ser'eu bobbed her head, looking frightened. "If you say it, Most Noble Qanju."

  "I do not. I merely wished to learn whether you would believe it. The satrap had been given a name for your patron. He confided that name to me. Hearing it, it was no great riddle to unravel the accent of a Crimson Man. It's all quite simple, my dear, as most tricks are."

  There was a moment of silence before Neht-nefret asked, "Then you aren't really a seer?"

  "Oh, but I am, my dear." Qanju's dark eyes twinkled. "My tribe is the Magi, and we are quite famous for it. Unlike the pretenders to our art, however, we do not lie about it. Do you wish your fortune told?"

  Slowly Neht-nefret nodded.

  "Then I will do it," Qanju said, "but not now. We will have many idle hours on the captain's ship. There should be ample opportunity."

  He cleared his throat. "Now that we are better acquainted, I will say the things I called you here to hear, so that I may get on with my work and you with your lives. First, that I will be in charge of our expedition. There will be no man on our ship who is not answerable to me, and no woman.

  "Second, that I'll delegate my authority in certain matters. Captain Muslak will be in charge of our vessel and its crew. And of you, Neht-nefret. Lucius will be in charge of our soldiers, both those of Parsa and those of Kemet. Also of Myt-ser'eu, of course."

  I said, "I forget, Noble Qanju, as you said. It seems to me that I'm not a suitable person to put in charge of armed men."

  Qanju nodded, still smiling. "Should the charge of this expedition devolve upon you, as it may, you may remove yourself from command, Lucius. Until it does, it shall be as I say."

  Azibaal said, "I think you've chosen wisely, Most Noble Qanju."

  Qanju smiled and thanked him. "The third thing I wished to tell you is that Thotmaktef here, whom you have already met, is the scribe our satrap mentioned. He will be in charge of Sahuset-the most difficult post of all. I ask all of you, Myt-ser'eu and Neht-nefret particularly, to assist him in every way. Will you do that?"

  Everyone nodded.

  "That is well. I need not explain, I hope, that the Great King wishes only friendship and peace between the People of Parsa and the People of Riverland. Not everyone is as well-intentioned as he, however."

  "I am," Muslak said.

  Qanju nodded. "As am I. If we seven quarrel with one another, how can we not quarrel with the Nubians? If we war among ourselves, we are sure to fail."

  Neht-nefret looked from me to Muslak. When neither of us spoke she said, "There'll be three soldiers from Parsa and five from my country. If they fight…"

  "We will be ruined." Qanju's gentle gaze fell upon me. "It will be your task, Lucius, to make sure they do not. You are not of Parsa, nor of Kemet. Thus you will be resented equally by both. Your task will not be easy, but not beyond your ability. Captain, have you questions regarding the supplies you will buy?"

  Muslak shrugged. "Ship's stores, and a few things to make us comfortable where there aren't any inns. Are there inns in Nubia, Noble Qanju?"

  "A few, but we will go beyond Nubia."

  "I know," Muslak said. "Into Nysa, wherever that is."

  "As far as the river runs," Qanju whispered.

  We were dismissed, all but Thotmaktef. Qanju's voice halted us before we reached the door. "Be wary of Sahuset. He may mean you no harm, but you will be polite to him without friendship, if you are wise."

  Now a woman who serves this Sahuset has come for us, and Myt-ser'eu and I will go with her when the moon is down.

  First I will write that when Thotmaktef came to us in the courtyard there was a baboon at his side. It was very large, and looked as grave as any man. I do not think the others saw this baboon, but I did. Thotmaktef himself did not see it, or so it seemed to me. I looked away, and after that I no longer saw it.

  6

  I REMEMBERED

  MY WIFE, MY home, my parents-everything I once knew came rushing back-my service to the Great King and the death of my friends. I know this because Muslak and Myt-ser'eu have told me. Now they say that I must write, as I do. This is what I remember now.

  We were at this inn. A woman came, a strange and silent woman whose eyes do not move as other women's do. She spoke to Muslak, saying that we were to go with her at the setting of the moon. Neht-nefret was afraid, and Muslak would not go. She spoke to me, the last time I heard her speak, saying that if I wished to remember I must come with her. Myt-ser'eu and I said we would both go, but sleep a little first, for the moon was not yet high.

  I wrote. Afterward we went to a room here, barred the door, and made love. It was long and slow and very good, for Myt-ser'eu knows much of love. When it was done, I slept.

  I woke. Myt-ser'eu slept beside me, and the silent woman sat upon a stool on the other side. I supposed that Myt-ser'eu had admitted her while I slept. She says she did not.

  The silent woman woke Myt-ser'eu and beckoned to us. We followed her; her name is Sabra. She led us very far, through dark streets, to the house of Sahuset. It is a small house in a large garden. I held Sabra's hand and Myt-ser'eu mine; even so, it was hard to keep to the path. There was an animal that watched us, or something that appeared to be an animal. It did not snarl or roar, but I saw its green eyes gleaming like emeralds in the shadows.

  Sahuset's door stood wide. Someone I could not see lit a lamp as we entered, and Sahuset entered from another room. That was when he dismissed the silent woman, calling her Sabra. I expected her to leave the room; she did not, but went to a corner and stood motionless there, regarding Sahuset and us with an unseeing stare.

  "You cannot remember, Latro. I have asked you to come here that I might help you." Each time that Sahuset uttered a word, one of the crocodiles hanging from his ceiling stirred.

  I said that if he could help me see again the days now long past, I would be most grateful.

  "I seek your gratitude. I seek the good will of this woman and of all who will be with us in the south, too. But yours I desire most of all. You have been cursed by a god. That is an ill thing, for you. Yet numinous."

  Seeing that I did not understand, he added, "To be cursed by a god is to be touched by a god. To be touched by any god is to share divinity in some small measure. When the high priest leaves the sanctuary he strips off his clothing and bathes. Did you know that? His clothing is burned."

  I said that I did not. Myt-ser'eu said she did, but I think she lied.

  "He does not wish to infect the worshippers with divinity. Were they so infected, what need would they have of priest or temple? I myself am a priest, a priest of the Red God. Do either of you know of the Red God?"

  Myt-ser'eu shook her head. I said that since I was a soldier I might be a servant of the Red God.

  "The ignorant masses believe the Red God evil," Sahuset taught us, "because he commands the evil xu. If he tells an evil xu to leave a man, that xu must go. They are compelled to obe
y him in all things." He sighed. "The Red God is the desert god."

  Silence filled the crowded room that seemed too big for that small house. In it we said nothing.

  "The horse and the river-horse, the pig and the crocodile are sacred to him. He has a great temple in the south-"

  "Set!" Myt-ser'eu sounded frightened. "This is Set."

  "The Red God has many names." Sahuset spoke as those speak who calm a frightened child. "You may use whatever name you wish. The names of gods do not matter, because no one knows the true name of any god."

  "I think we'd better go," Myt-ser'eu told me, and took my arm.

  I shook my head.

  "You are a man of courage," Sahuset said. "I knew it. None but brave men have value. I have told you that I will earn your gratitude, if I can. You have not asked why I want it."

  I said, "Then I ask now. What favor do you wish from me?"

  "Only your favor," Sahuset told me, "only that. Suppose that we found a scroll in the south, a yellowing scroll inscribed with long-lost wisdom. Would you keep it for yourself?"

  "Yes," I said, "if I could read it."

  "If you could not?"

  I shrugged.

  "Bring it to me, and I will read it for you. Will you do that?"

  "Certainly," I said, "if you wish it."

  "Or a stone so inscribed? Any such thing?"

  I nodded.

  "That is all I ask. You will remember your promise to me-or I will remind you of it. Now take your hand from that."

  I looked down at my left hand, and saw that it was holding a winged fish, carved of black wood. I had not been conscious of picking it up, but must have taken it to toy with while I spoke. I put it down as Sahuset asked.

  "I will require a drop of blood from you," he said, "and a drop of blood from an impure woman."

  "I will gladly give you a drop of mine," I told him, "and go into the city to find such a woman for you, if you wish it."

  From a drawer Sahuset took a long, straight knife with a thin blade of bronze, the tongue of the crocodile of green stone that formed its grip. "I doubt that will be necessary," he said.