The Reed Fields
An Egyptian Tragedy
By Brandon L. Campbell
Copyright 2015 Ascending Realm Publishing.
www.ascendingrealm.com
[email protected]
This book is a work of fiction. The names, places, characters and
incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used
fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to
persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is
entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced,
scanned or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written
permission from the author except in the case of brief quotation
embodied in critical articles and reviews.
I dedicate this book to my mother.
I will love you forever.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
South of Heliopolis, Egypt on the Nile River, 365 BCE
* * *
Chapter 1
Hidden behind a clump of papyrus, a small boat waited not more than three feet from the shore. The pirates had perfected their art of intercepting and pouncing on unsuspecting crafts as they sailed the main channel. At the right time, the pirates launched toward their next victim. To them, it was just another unwary passenger boat.
As heavy rain fell from the dark skies and pelted the river relentlessly, the pirates caught up to the passenger boat within minutes. As soon as they were within a few feet, the pirates tied their boat to the passenger boat and stormed aboard. The lead pirate made a bee line to the young, innocent and scared, priestly looking passenger.
“How about it, boy. Are you spreading the disease?”
Akua was so frightened that when he spoke no sound came out. He thought that he might die right there.
The pirate grabbed Akua’s arm and pulled him to the back of the boat. Akua was terrified of the rusty knife the pirate held in his other hand. He pushed Akua back with his legs resting against the one-foot high railing. Then he stared Akua in the eyes for almost five seconds. The river pirate clinched the knife tightly in his hand and then ran it into Akua’s stomach. The pirate reared back and hit Akua across the mouth with so much force that Akua fell into the Nile River.
The lead pirate walked to the front of the boat and said, “Everybody stay right here. I want him to die.” The other two pirates proceeded to take all of the food and supplies they could find. About a minute later, the lead pirate looked at the others.
“Okay let’s go.”
The pirates boarded their boat, untethered it from their inanimate victim, and slowly moved back to the river’s edge waters. Akua’s body was floating not more than ten feet from the passenger boat.
Immediately Addaya and Bak, the passenger boat crew, jumped into the river and swam towards Akua. Akua was unconscious when they got to him. He was bleeding profusely from his knife wound. They dragged him through the water back to the boat. Two of the passengers helped get Akua into the boat.
The young female onboard, Nyla, checked for a pulse.
“He is not dead,” she said in a shaky voice.
Akua was unconscious. Nyla wrapped his wound with a bandage made from the flax cloth of an empty food sack. Blood seeped from his mouth. The others knew he could easily die from internal bleeding.
*
“We will be adjacent to Atfih soon. It’s a small city, but we should be able to get food supplies there and find help for Akua,” Addaya said.
The city of Atfih was one and a half miles east of the river. Akua was conscious by the time they reached the city, but not able to move. As he lay motionless and bleeding under the canopy at the back of the boat, the others conferred about what to do next.
“Foremost, we need to find out if there is a doctor or magician that can come to the boat and help Akua. The gods could curse us all if we let a priest die. After that we should try to get more bread, fruit and beer to replace what the pirates stole,” Tiaa, Nyla’s sister, said.
“I agree with Tiaa,” Addaya replied.
Addaya and the fisherman, Pamu, volunteered to go to the city while the others stayed back to care for Akua. The two walked quickly, sometimes running, to the city. Once there, they asked if there were any healers in the city. One of the townspeople told them of Ahhopte, a magician and healer that lived on the edge of town. They went to Ahhopte immediately. When they found him, Addaya spoke up.
“Ahhopte, we need your help. We have a wounded priest on our boat. Will you come and help him?”
“Yes. Of course.”
“Follow us to the docks,” Addaya said.
The three, plus a couple of townspeople that wanted to help, ran towards the boat. When they reached the small, wooden moor, they all boarded the boat. Nyla eagerly explained to Ahhopte what had happened to Akua. Ahhopte knelt over Akua and removed the makeshift bandage.
“Nyla, you did a wonderful thing with the bandage. Thanks to you, Akua’s bleeding has slowed considerably. All that I have to do now is clean and dress the wound. Akua’s body will heal itself. He is very healthy.”
Ahhopte opened the goatskin bag he carried and grabbed a small glass container.
“What is that?” Nyla asked.
Ahhopte looked at Nyla in an uninviting way. Nyla’s question bored and irritated Ahhopte at the same. He did not want to be disturbed while he worked. He reluctantly answered her.
“This is a mixture made from poppy flowers and water. When Akua ingests it he will feel less pain.”
Akua struggled to drink some of the liquid. Ahhopte made it a point to talk with Akua to make sure he was still coherent.
“Now Akua, I’ll disinfect the wound with oil of fir and then apply honey. Next, I’ll wrap it with clean bandages. By the time the boat arrives at Thebes you’ll have healed significantly.”
Ahhopte wrapped the wound with papyrus linen cloth. As he was doing this, he looked at Nyla.
“Now I’m going to leave some of the poppy flower liquid with you, for when Akua has more pain. Akua’s bandages will need to be changed once a day. I’ll leave enough bandages for ten days.”
Ahhopte pulled Nyla aside to find out more about what had happened.
“If your boat really was attacked by pirates, then what provoked them? Why did they stab Akua?”
“You don’t believe me? You think someone on the boat did this? They stabbed him because of his priestly appearance. There are those in Egypt that despise the priesthood and religion altogether.” Her voice rose as she continued, “You should know how villainous river pirates are.”
It was obvious to Nyla that Ahhopte was not convinced pirates did this. She just wanted to get the boat back on the river and forget about Ahhopte and this town.
“The same pirates that wounded Akua also took all of our food. We need to reach Thebes without stopping again. Can we get food in the city?” Addaya asked Ahhopte.
“Yes. The temple priests in Atfih should provide food for the rest of your journey. Since Akua is a part of our priesthood they will not ask for money. Just return to the city with me and I’ll take you to our small temple.”
About an h
our later Addaya and Bak returned with two large sacks of food. With rationing, it would be enough for the journey to Thebes.
Within minutes of their return, Nyla insisted they set off. Addaya and Bak had to work in haste to get the boat ready. Akua was still weak and could not do much more than rest under the boat’s canopy. As the sun began to set, Tiaa prepared another meal. Akua still did not want to eat anything, so he just had a cup of beer for supper.
I wonder why Nyla was so eager to leave? Why is it that we even have a priest on this boat? The priesthood has their own fleet of flat-bottomed boats and they never travel amongst laypeople, Addaya thought to himself as he looked into the muddy water.
*
Akua was feeling better the day after he was stabbed. Although he still could not move much, he was talkative at supper. Everyone was curious about Akua. Nyla went to the back of the boat to try and learn more. She spoke in a soft and loving voice.
“Akua, why are you on this boat? Why aren’t you on a priesthood boat?”
Akua was ashamed of what was done to him by the priesthood. But he also knew that the people on the boat were inquisitive and would start talking and conspiring if he did not answer her satisfactorily. If he answered Nyla truthfully he would have to do a lot of talking. In the end, he decided he did not want to let anyone know much of his story, just enough to get by.
“I am from Heliopolis. I am a priest from the Nag Tamai temple there. I did not choose to travel the river and I certainly did not want to go alone. My hand was forced by the priesthood to travel south to The Land of Kush. And as such they did not offer me one of their boats.”
Nyla could sense that Akua was upset. She was surprised to hear what Akua said and even more mystified to find out that the priesthood made him leave. She did not want to upset him further with more questions so she left and headed back to the front of the boat.
“Tiaa, mystery does surround Akua. He was put on this boat by the priesthood. I think they exiled him. I don’t know, but he had to have done something bad. And now that Ahhopte knows about the stabbing, word could spread. I will not let some strange priest incriminate me or put me in danger,” Nyla said.
“Then don’t get too close to him. He had to do something real bad to be exiled. Maybe he blasphemed against the gods or killed someone,” Tiaa said softly.
“But Tiaa, I have to get close to him. I have to tend to his wound.”
“Nyla, you have always tried to help people whether they were good-hearted or not. I hope you know what you’re doing. Heaven help you.”
For the next few days, both Nyla and Tiaa asked Akua questions about his past, although he never said much and they were afraid to push it. By the time the boat reached Thebes everyone aboard was curious about Akua.
“Thank you Addaya for finding medical help for me. And I thank you, Nyla for helping me heal,” Akua said unexpectedly.
“You are welcome,” Addaya replied.
“I am glad you are nearly healed,” Nyla said.
Addaya walked to the front of the boat. Nyla followed him. Addaya turned around to speak with Nyla.
“Maybe Akua is a better man than we thought. Maybe he was done wrong.”
“Perhaps, but I know for a fact that he’s hiding his past from us and that is not what a righteous person does.”
Everyone on the boat left and walked to the city. The boat was not to depart for the south until the next morning. Except for Akua, Pamu and the boat crew, Thebes was the destination for the passengers.
“Akua, can I go with you to see the city? I don’t want to spend the night in a strange city alone.” Pamu said.
Akua was in no mood to make a new friend. But looking at Pamu and hearing his words tugged at his heartstrings.
“Okay, Pamu. Let’s go and find out what this city is all about.”
Chapter 2
Akua and Pamu returned to the boat the next morning. Addaya and Bak were already preparing to set off.
“Did you two find a place to stay last night?” Addaya asked.
“Yes. We stayed with Nyla and Tiaa’s mother. It was enjoyable for the most part, although it seemed like they were glad to see us leave this morning. How long will it take us to reach The Land of Kush?”
“About six days,” Addaya said.
Akua and Pamu were the only passengers left. They slowly drifted into the river. Since they were headed upriver, they avoided the main channel that was still flowing fast enough to create white caps about ten inches high. As Bak and Addaya pushed and paddled the boat, Akua and Pamu sat down under the canopy. Akua could tell that Pamu was eager to converse with him. Pamu offered to Akua his story in the hopes that Akua would reveal more.
“Two years ago, I left Elephantine to fish in Heliopolis. It was a wonderful experience, but I promised my father I would return. That is why I’m on this boat.”
“Pamu, do you like being a fisherman?” Akua asked.
“It is a good life. Sometimes I wish I could learn new things. I do the same thing every day and it can be boring. I am curious about what you do.”
Akua felt more at ease with Pamu. Pamu was not pushy like Nyla or Tiaa to learn about his past. He could not decide about revealing more to Pamu.
“Akua, would you come and meet my family when we get to Elephantine?”
“Yes. That sounds great. Thank you,” Akua answered excitedly.
Akua was glad Pamu was being kind to him, but was feeling uneasy about befriending someone during his struggles.
*
“When I get to Kush, I am going to the temple at Abu Simbel,” Akua told Pamu.
Akua realized he was going to have to answer Pamu’s questions. In a way, he felt a burden would be lifted talking about his hardship.
“I have been curious why a priest from Heliopolis was going so far south and why you are even on a common riverboat,” Pamu replied.
“Pamu, I was to be married back in Heliopolis. Her name is Nefertet and she is very beautiful. The thought of living with her was magnificent. I was very happy when she agreed to marry me. She is still in the city.”
“You never did marry your true love?” Pamu asked.
Addaya and Bak were both listening to the conversation. At first it bothered Akua but he soon decided that he did not want to hide this from them.
“Technically, I am still an apprentice in the priesthood. I have been taught by a wonderful priest, Armanahtep. He even arranged for me to be given a home. A special man, indeed. But I am going to tell the people I meet I am a priest, my apprenticeship was only a few more months anyway.”
Pamu wanted to say something. Something that would just let Akua know he was listening intently. But he decided to not interrupt Akua with unimportant words.
“My father was killed in a tomb building accident not long ago. After his death, things got strange. Soon afterwards a longtime family friend passed through Heliopolis on her way to Memphis. Mneshet was like a mother to me during childhood. Our short visit was great and she really warmed up to Nefertet.
“The next day, Mneshet spoke with Nefertet. She mostly just recollected her time with my father and me. Although she did say something that Nefertet decided to follow up on. Now Pamu, I still don’t understand this fully but something about my past or my father’s legacy precedes me in the priesthood. It makes them angry and scares them. I don’t know any more about it than that.
“So Nefertet went to see Meehi-Ahk, the high priest at the Per Atum temple in Heliopolis. Her only intention was to try and help me. Basically, Meehi told Nefertet what Mneshet had told her was of no concern now. Nefertet thought it was a dead issue at that point, but Meehi was not happy about what she had uncovered. I always thought that Meehi was a good man, but I found out that he was not.”
The late afternoon sun had warmed the boat significantly. As Pamu repositioned himself, Akua paused to watch the hippopotami bask in the heat.
“The next day, Meehi paid a visit to Nefertet’s father. Meehi convinced
her father to forbid our marriage. I don’t know what was said. I do not understand how our marriage could be such a threat.” Akua’s voice grew louder as he continued, “One day I might have to kill Meehi. He certainly does not care about me or Nefertet. He is bad for Egypt.”
“Akua, that is awful. I feel bad for you and I am sorry.”
“To make matters worse, Meehi has sent me away. He told me my mission was to gather spiritual, religious, and magical knowledge. He told me I could give this gift to the people and he was adamant about my leaving. But I know now that he just wanted to get rid of me and stop any chance of me or Nefertet digging into the past. I did not want to leave, but I also know what the priesthood is capable of. I feared for not only my life but for the lives’ of Nefertet and her family.
“My future life was taken from me. I don’t even care whether I live. I certainly don’t know what I’m living for. But you, Nyla, Tiaa, Addaya, and Bak have given me reason to take another look at my situation. I can’t just give up. Maybe I really can bring gifts to the people of Egypt. Maybe I can touch the lives of many.”
“Akua, you have a friend for life in me. You will always be welcome at my home.”
“Thank you. That is heartwarming.”
Pamu looked out into the river. It was dark by now, but the moonlight offered just enough to prevent total darkness. Pamu contemplated for a moment and then spoke.
“I am just a fisherman and I don’t know what my future holds. I don’t want to just drift through life like the nets I cast drift in the water.”
Right then, Akua thought about taking Pamu to Abu Simbel with him. He knew it would be a complication, but he also was genuine about changing Pamu’s life for the better. At some point before he parted with Pamu, he intended to offer this.
Without Tiaa’s feminine touch, meals were less extravagant. Each one on board helped themselves to a few cups of beer and some bread over a two-hour period. The boat moved slowly through a wide, meandering part of the river. Akua and Pamu slept under the canopy while Addaya and Bak guided the boat.
The Reed Fields Page 1
