Kiya and the God of Chaos

by Philippa Bower

  Chapter Eighty Four: Home

  Kiya felt as if she had entered a different world when she emerged from the palace onto the crowded, dusty street. She saw Sabu waiting for them, a stationary figure among the busy throng. He was dressed in Bedouin robes and held a staff in one hand and the donkey’s reins in the other.

  “Sabu, how wonderful to see you,” said Kiya. She ran towards him, intending to embrace him, but paused when he bowed.

  “My Lady. You look beautiful as always.”

  “I am so grateful that you can take me home. You must let me pay you.”

  Sabu raised a hand. “No, my Lady. I am already indebted to you. Your generous wedding gift allowed me to buy land and goats. I am leader of my own tribe now.”

  “Sabu has done very well,” said Laylos as she unpacked a cloak from the donkey’s panniers. “Now put this on Kiya, you have a long journey ahead of you.” She put the cloak around Kiya’s shoulders, then looked beyond her and smiled. “Oh, good, here comes Huy. He was hoping to get here in time.”

  Kiya turned to see Huy hurrying towards them. People drew aside at the sight of his uniform and he was soon at her side.

  “I hope you were not going to leave without saying goodbye,” he said.

  “Thank you for everything you have done for me, Huy,” said Kiya.

  “It has been a pleasure,” said her uncle. “Life will be dull around here without you, Kiya.”

  “I will miss you,” said Kiya. She reached up and kissed him, then she flung her arms around her aunt and kissed her too. “I love you both.”

  “I pray to the gods for your safe delivery, my darling,” said Laylos. “We look forward to cuddling the new baby when you return to Akhetaten.”

  “Have a safe journey and give our love to your parents,” said Huy.

  “Please, my Lady, allow me to help you mount the donkey,” said Sabu and he lifted her onto Enno’s back.

  “Don’t forget to tell Dennu where I have gone,” said Kiya as she seized hold of Enno’s halter.

  “I won’t, my dear,” said Laylos.

  Sabu led the donkey down the road and Kiya turned to wave goodbye. Her aunt and uncle waved back and she watched them until the crowds closed in and they were out of sight.

  Kiya was aware of hostile eyes as she and Sabu made their way through the streets of Akhetaten. There were mutterings of “Nomads” and “Bedouins” as if they represented an alien culture in a settled land. She felt more relaxed when they had left the city and were on the road to Thebes.

  At lunch time they stopped in the shade of a palm grove and Sabu helped Kiya down from the donkey.

  “Are you tired, my Lady?”

  “Yes, but also hungry and thirsty. Let us see what Laylos has packed in the food bag.” Kiya brought out flat bread, dates and cheese and shared them with Sabu. “Would you like beer?” she asked.

  “Yes please. I say nothing against sweet water and yoghurt but I prefer a drink of beer.”

  Kiya poured two goblets from the barrel attached to Enno’s back and handed one to Sabu. Then they sat on the grass and ate and drank and watched people pass by.

  “Are you happy, Sabu?” asked Kiya.

  “Sometimes,” he said. “I was happy when I heard you had returned safely from the delta. But mostly I am content. Nadia Djar fills my heart and the desert fills my soul. What about you, my Lady. Are you happy?”

  Kiya sighed. “I thought I had happiness in my grasp but it slipped away from me. Now my heart and soul are troubled.” She felt a glow of love from the child within. “I carry a precious burden, Sabu, I must live for my child and not myself.”

  “And I am pledged to return you safely to your home. Do you want to rest, my Lady? Or are you ready to travel on.”

  “I am ready to go on.” Kiya packed away the goblets and allowed Sabu to help her up onto the donkey.

  By late afternoon they reached the inn where they had been attacked. Kiya heard sounds of drunken laughter from within and saw several ox carts parked outside. A soldier guarding the carts glared as if he might challenge them but Sabu flung back his cloak revealing a sword strapped to his side and the soldier looked away as they hurried past.

  By the evening, Kiya was exhausted. “We must stop for the night,” she said to Sabu. “I fear I can go no further.”

  “I regret that you will have to spend the night in the open,” he said. “But a Bedouin would not be welcome at an inn.”

  “I am so tired that I could sleep anywhere,” she said.

  They found a hidden spot among some bushes and tethered the donkey. Then they ate and drank and settled down to sleep. Kiya wrapped herself in her travelling cloak and lay on a mattress of grass. Warmed by the heat of the baby inside her, she gazed up at the stars. One shone more brightly than the others and hung in the sky above Thebes as if it was showing the way home.

  The next day, after breakfast, Kiya mounted Enno and felt happy at the thought of seeing her parents again. As she was led by Sabu through a familiar landscape of fields and escarpments she wondered what her mother would say when she saw that she was pregnant.

  Thebes lay ahead and across the river and Kiya could see the great temple of Ipet-Isut looking diminished without its obelisks.

  “I hope I do not meet any of my old comrades,” said Sabu as they walked through the streets of the east bank of the city. “There could be awkward questions to answer.”

  Kiya laughed. “Don’t worry, Sabu. With that beard and in those clothes they would never recognise you.”

  They took the ferry across the river and Kiya was on home ground, but how different the west bank of Thebes had become. They passed through an almost empty market place and she saw an open bar.

  “Let us stop here for lunch, Sabu.”

  Kiya was apprehensive that the barman might be reluctant to serve Bedouins, but he ushered them to a table with enthusiasm.

  “It is a pleasure to have new customers.”

  “Is business bad?” she asked.

  “Everyone has left since the temple closed. Few farmers sell their goods in the market and food is hard to come by. All has been taken by the King to feed Akhetaten.”

  Kiya chose a bird-egg omelette with cheese and wild greens. Sabu decided upon fried fish with bread. They drank beer and ate and complemented the bar-keeper on providing such good food in difficult circumstances.

  “I hope everything returns to normal soon,” said Kiya as she paid him.

  “I don’t see how,” he said gloomily.

  Kiya’s excitement grew as they travelled along the road from Thebes. Soon she would be home. She had not realised how much she had missed her parents until the imminence of homecoming.

  “This is the turning, Sabu,” she said as they reached the raised pathway that led to the farmhouse.

  Everything was as she remembered it. The fields on either side were well tended and when Sabu knocked on the door of the house Ramala opened it. Her enquiring expression turned to one of joy when she recognised Kiya.

  “Kiya, my darling you have come home!” cried Ramala. “She turned and called out, “Teos, come quickly. Kiya is here.”

  Teos hurried out of the house and helped Kiya from the donkey. “It is a pleasure to have you back,” he said. “Have you returned for good?”

  “I am not sure,” said Kiya and was about to explain but was interrupted by her mother.

  “You are with child! How wonderful.” She flung her arms around Kiya and kissed her then she turned to Sabu. “Is this your husband?”

  “No, this is Sabu. He is my bodyguard.”

  Ramala had been about to kiss Sabu but upon this information she merely bowed. “Welcome, Sabu,” she said.

  Teos embraced Kiya. “Thank you for bringing my daughter safely home,” he said to Sabu. “Would you like refreshment?”

  “I am grateful, but I must be getting back to my tribe.” He handed over Enno’s rope. “The children will miss Enno, they have made a great pet of him.”<
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  “Thank you Sabu, for everything you have done,” said Kiya, and this time she did kiss him, on the cheek, and felt the rough growth of his beard beneath her lips.

  “I am forever your servant, Kiya,” he said and he was gone, striding down the track to the main road.

  Ramala put her arm around Kiya. “Tell me, who is the father?” she asked.

  “It’s a long story,” said Kiya and allowed her parents to lead her into the house.