Chapter Eighty Nine: Birds
Kiya slept well that night with the baby at her side. Three or four times she woke to find the baby searching for her breast but, after suckling Meri, she fell asleep once more. The joy she felt at the baby’s birth was still with her the next morning. She lay in bed with her eyes closed, feeling the sun warm upon her face, and knew she would do anything for her baby, even sacrifice her own life without a second thought.
“What are all these birds doing?” Ramala’s voice was startled.
Kiya opened her eyes to see her mother sitting up in bed and looking around with wide eyes at the birds that surrounded them upon the roof.
Kiya clutched the baby to her and stared at the birds. There were all kinds – starlings, sparrows, thrushes, crows. Although vulnerable on the open roof, they showed no fear of the hawks, which hovered overhead. All were focused on Meri and they stood silently looking at him.
“Go away!” shouted Ramala. She leapt out of bed and flapped her hands. With a fluttering of feathers the birds rose into the air and flew away.
“How extraordinary,” said Ramala. “I have never seen anything like that before. You don’t think it has anything to do with the baby do you?”
“It might do,” said Kiya.
Ramala frowned. “It could make life very awkward.”
“Is breakfast ready yet?” The sound of Teos’s voice came from the vegetable patch. “I have finished picking lettuces.”
“I am just about to start preparing it,” Ramala called down. She turned to Kiya. “He managed that quickly. His back problem is completely cured.”
Kiya dressed and followed her mother downstairs with the baby.
“How are you feeling, Kiya?” asked Ramala as she stoked up the kitchen fire and put a pot of water on to boil.
“I am fine,” said Kiya.
“You are not tired or sore? Your nipples do not feel cracked?” Kiya shook her head. “It is as I thought, Meri is a healer. You have recovered from the stress of birthing remarkably quickly. Most women need weeks of rest.” She tipped grain into the water and stirred.
Teos came in with an armful of lettuces. He came over to Kiya and kissed the baby on the cheek. Meri stirred and gave out a loving glow. “Thank you for curing my back,” said Teos. “I feel like a young man again.” He turned to Ramala. “I will take lettuces and carrots to market. Prices are rising. People say that there is famine in the delta and foodstuff is much in demand.”
Kiya nodded. “I saw deserted fields when I was there. It has become a lawless place since the garrisons closed and farmers are fleeing to save their lives.”
“I feel sorry for them, of course,” said Teos. “But we are safe enough here and the high prices are very welcome, especially as so much of our produce is taken by the tax gatherers.”
“I still have some of the gold, which Anubis gave me, in my money belt,” said Kiya. “We need never want for money.”
Teos shook his head. “That gold is yours, Kiya. Who knows what challenges the future holds for you? Now that Ramala has her own medicine business we are more comfortably off than we have ever been.”
“It would be provident to save as much food as possible for our own use,” said Ramala. “Just in case there is a famine here.”
Teos laughed. “At your bidding I have kept back sacks of barley and wheat, but if I do not sell the lettuces they will spoil.”
While her parents ate breakfast, Kiya suckled the baby and listened to them talk about the situation in Thebes.
“Some businesses are booming,” said Teos. “The inns and whore houses have never been so busy as people try to forget their sorrows. The slave traders are busy too. Many debtors are being sold into slavery to pay off the money they owe.”
“The market was almost empty when I came through it on my way home,” said Kiya.
Teos nodded. “It is no longer a meeting place for farmers. Prices are high but there is much thievery. We sell what we cannot keep and, thanks to the demand, are able to return home promptly.”
After Teos had returned to work in the fields, there was a knock on the door and Khamet entered. “I am sorry to trouble you so early,” he said. “But my grandmother is failing rapidly. She is in great pain and I wonder if you have any medicine that would help her.”
“I have some belladonna left over from the birthing,” said Ramala. “Wait while I write out the spell.”
“The birthing?” Khamet saw the baby at Kiya’s breast. “Congratulations. What a beautiful baby. Your husband will be delighted to have such a child. Are you expecting to return to him soon?”
“Yes,” said Kiya. Meri finished suckling and turned his head to look at Khamet. Kiya fumbled to do up her shift, embarrassed to expose her breast to the eyes of the young man.
“Here let me take him for a moment,” he said. “What amazing eyes he has.” He stopped and stared, feeling the strength of Meri’s love, then he handed him back to Kiya. “What an astonishing child!”
“We think he might be a healer,” said Ramala.
Khamet turned to Kiya. “Please let my grandmother see the baby. She often speaks fondly of you and remembers you from a very young girl. I do not hope that she can be healed for her sickness is beyond such miracles. But her heart would be warmed by such a loving baby.”
Ramala had finished writing the spell. She picked up the flask of belladonna medicine. “Come on Kiya,” she said. “This may be your last chance to see Hernieth.”
Kiya fought back her instincts to protect the baby. What harm can come of bringing Meri to her neighbour? “Very well,” she said and, holding Meri tightly in her arms, she followed Ramala and Khamet out of the house.
Kiya and the God of Chaos Page 89
