The Trader´s Pact

by Nathaniel Burns

  Uli followed the second group, walking slightly slower than the others. On noticing Neti, Uli seemed to hesitate, before visibly steeling herself and continuing along the path, her steps somewhat reluctant.

  Neti, familiar enough with the habits of women, knew that Uli would think of some excuse however unneeded it was. Thus even before Uli reached her, Neti held up her hand and said, firmly but not angrily, “I don’t want to hear it.”

  Uli appeared confused, hesitant even, but said nothing,

  “I also know what it is like when you are not welcome.” said Neti.

  Uli replied, sincerely. “I would not think anyone in Thebes would ever chance it to be rude to you.”

  “There are men who do not like me, and possibly even more so who only respect me for the position I hold. Which is why I understand that you feel comfortable around your past friends, they are familiar and unthreatening.”

  Uli nodded, “That is so, but that is not why you came or sought me out, especially here.”

  Neti hesitantly looked about before turning her attention back to Uli, “As much as I dislike doing this, I do need to remind you that you are now in my care, and as such answerable to me.”

  Uli’s shoulders drooped as she said, “That is so.”

  “And being in my care means that if I request something from you then you are to do whatever you can to assist me with that matter.” Neti said and watched the woman’s shoulders stiffen. At the same time realizing that the woman must have received similar addresses in her life. “It also means that you are to share with me any information you have, or bear knowledge of, especially if I were to request.”

  Uli immediately looked up, there was a fearful and hesitant expression on her face.

  Neti again held up her hands to indicate calm before continuing her address, “Just as Dalva assisted with matters, you know things, things about the workings of men, and the world of women who…” Neti hesitated.

  “Prostitute themselves.” Uli flatly answered. “You need not try to be kind to me. I know what life and purpose I had before, and if requested, I will do so again. I am beholden to my owner for my keep.

  Uli’s response both confused and shocked Neti, causing her to reply, “That is not what I meant.”

  Defensively Uli countered, “I know how most people feel about us, how women in particular despise us, but I never expected it from you, Dalva always spoke highly of you.”

  “I did not mean anything negative with it, or imply anything…” started Neti, however she was cut short.

  Uli demanded, visibly angered, “Then what did you mean if not to insult me?”

  Neti took a deep breath before answering, “That you may be able to help me. That you may have information that could be useful to me in my investigations, but mostly that if you know things that could assist us, you are duty bound to confide in me.”

  Uli immediately, visibly calmed before imploring, “Please forgive me, I had not known.”

  “There is nothing to be forgiven. I can very well understand how easy it would be to misunderstand my request.”

  “What’s happened? Does it have anything to do with the rumors about the girl?”

  Neti tilted her head, her brows furrowing as she said, “I still want to know about these rumors.”

  “They are just talk between the women by the river, speculation, and concern for their daughters.”

  Neti nodded and then said, “Be that as it may, I think it would be best if we did not discuss it here. Come, We will not be disturbed at my per-nefer.”

  Uli followed Neti along the path then turned onto another. With the actual location of Neti’s per-nefer still unknown to Uli, she constantly looked around for landmarks that will enable her to find her way there again.

  Neti eventually slowed and showed her towards a doorway, covered with a thick cloth. The building itself was plain. From the path it appeared to join to the front of the rock face behind it. The walls had no decoration with only a few symbols on the wall, next to the doorway that identified it as a private per-nefer.

  They entered through the low doorway and within moments Neti’s bearers appeared. Both bowed low before Neti and she acknowledged them before dismissing them. The men looked towards Uli with obvious uncertainty, but made no objection as they left.

  “Come, sit,” Neti said pointing to the plush cushions in the public area.

  Uli hesitantly looked around her. Her gaze for a moment rested on one of the grass mats that restricted visitors’ view of the first of the chambers. “She is here, is she not?” asked Uli.

  Neti shook her head but then pointed to a doorway farther down the passage. “They placed her in the second chamber.”

  “She must be of a prominent family to receive such treatment.” Uli mused aloud.

  “Why would you say that?”

  “Because most others simply go to the state per-nefer to be wrapped in cloth and buried.”

  Neti remained silent for several long moments, especially since she knew that with the numbers Marlep had to process, even with those training as well, they could not provide everyone with the burial they deserved.

  “I guess it is the best a prostitute could aspire to.” Mused Uli.

  “Uli, you,” Neti said pointing towards the woman, “…are no longer a prostitute, you have to put that life behind you.”

  “It is far easier for one such as you to talk. But I do not know differently, I have not been taught differently.”

  “Then you should view this as a challenge.” Neti said “Look on it as an opportunity to learn to do something you have always wanted to do.”

  Uli looked blankly at Neti and flatly said, “But that is not why you brought me here, you want to talk about the things I do know, from a life I have experienced.”

  Neti was for a moment taken aback by the woman’s brutal honesty.

  “See, it’s not that simple.” said Uli, however remained standing.

  “Since you are so stubborn about it I will speak plainly,” Neti countered, her voice conveying her irritation while shocking Uli. “As a previous prostitute you will know people, people I need to speak with.”

  Uli hesitantly looked at Neti before she firmly said, “They will not speak with you or help you.”

  “Why not?” demanded Neti.

  “Because they know what punishment they will receive.” said Uli.

  “It is not those people I wish to speak with.” Neti stated.

  “Then who?” demanded Uli.

  Neti again pointed down the hall and said, “The burning sage, thyme and myrrh keep the smell at bay, but the girl we found this morning was with child.” Uli looked at Neti in surprised disbelief as Neti continued, “You know as well as I do what awaits such a girl.”

  Uli nodded, somehow subdued by the news.

  “I suspect it was the concoction of herbs she took to rid her of the babe that killed her.”

  Neti’s words obviously shocked Uli who shook her head.

  “Now I know that there are many, many secrets kept and shared between the women who practice prostitution, but one thing I do know for certain, is that there are healers, not formal healers, but those who know what herds are useful for various complaints that help them. Particularly, there are those who know which herbs will rid you of a babe.”

  “You want to know who the girl saw, or who treated her? But she is not a prostitute.”

  “I don’t know that for certain. All we know of her is that she was young and wore clothing made from good quality cloth. She had nothing else with her.” said Neti.

  Uli shook her head before she spoke, “None of them would have treated her. Everyone knows the risks. She must have gone to a healer who gave her something else?”

  Neti shook her head, “I don’t think so. Healers are obligated to report any unmarried pregnant women. No unmarried woman would willingly draw such attention to herself, not even a girl. The only other option she would have had was to go to someone fam
iliar enough with the herbs. And given your history, you should know of someone like that.”

  Uli remained silent for several moments, before replying, “There are several who help, but most of them are somehow attached to the larger beerhouses that have women. They often barter services in exchange for privileges. But few really consider themselves with the health or welfare of the women, they sometimes treat those who appear ill. And if she was pretty they would have at least seen her.”

  “I’m not going to linger on the privileges part. The fact that the person could be an actual healer alarms me enough, but we still don’t know if this girl was a prostitute. Thus I doubt any of those would have helped her.”

  “The owners trust them but as you suspect, they are not the ones we turn to for help.”

  “So there is someone specific?”

  Uli nodded, however held up her hands as she spoke. “I don’t know if she will even speak with you. She very often chooses not to help those she does not know, so I do not think she would have helped the girl.”

  “I’m not looking exactly for who helped the girl, I just need to know what herbs would most likely have been used, especially since I suspect more than one was used.”

  “I do not think she would tell.”

  “How so?” asked Neti.

  “You must understand that people in the prostitution business talk, possibly more than others. She will be in danger if they discover she had talked, they will accuse her.”

  “It should not matter if the girl is not a prostitute.” Neti said.

  “But you said yourself that the girl might have been one. And while this woman may not be the best, she has been the only one to help us in the past, and if she is guilty you will have her removed.”

  “You suspect her of being guilty?” Asked Neti

  “No, she never would!”

  “She’s helped you, then why would she not help me?” challenged Neti.

  “You do not know what it is like, you do not understand. She does. She knows and understands our lives, just as well as she knows herbs. She knows the herbs that will never let you conceive a child. She also knows which will rid you of a child. She only uses them because she knows that there is little hope for a child born to a prostitute, at best they become runners or prostitutes themselves, but many do not even live to be that old because they are killed at birth. Those who do survive are hated, they are victimized because no one really knows who their fathers are.”

  Neti held up her hands as she spoke, “I believe that everyone would have an opinion regarding this, and that many may even agree with your view thereof. I however have no desire to disrupt her work, I only need some answers because I need to determine whether someone purposely gave this girl the wrong dose, because they wanted her to die, or if she dosed herself after discovering what she could take.”

  “They will not disclose the names of others, not even her.” Uli stubbornly insisted.

  Neti took a deep breath before reassuming, “When I went to Pi-Ramesses, the last time, the wife of the glass master craftsman’s prepared teas in advance for people, she also knew herbs. While I know that one cannot control what others put in their teas or elixirs, I know that many of the herbs when used or mixed incorrectly can kill someone. I also do not think that advice such as this would commonly be discussed along the riverbanks where the girl could have overheard it. Someone must have told her. I need to know who is giving out such dangerous advice, possibly to women outside prostitution, or I might end up having many more bodies like hers…” Neti again pointed down the hallway, “…and the women along the river will really have cause for concern with their daughters.”

  Uli appeared to think things over at great length before she said, “The woman lives near one of the beerhouses along the main road. It is easier for us to slip inside without drawing any suspicion when we need help. She mostly prepares all kinds of rubs, sometimes tees. Some of them you give to men who never finish or take too long, it makes them fall asleep. Other rubs make men very sensitive, so that they finish quickly.”

  “I did not need to know that.” Neti flatly stated.

  “She will be busy now, but I can take you to her in the morning when things will be quiet.”

  Neti nodded as she said, “Thank you.”

  “I will have to talk, because she knows me. You have to promise that you will not push her for information if she does not want to speak with you.”

  “I will not.” said Neti.

  3

  Chapter Three

  Uli led her along one of the main streets of Thebes. The street was so well frequented that Neti would never even have considered the possibility of a herbalist familiar with such objectionable practices would establish trade along it. Children ran amok. Several boys with little more than thong jewelry and partially shorn heads chased a swollen goats bladder, while others engaging in mock wrestling battles. Neti knew it would not be too long before they also entered training for the more advanced contests that could garner them recognition from the pharaoh and possible inclusion in the royal guard.

  Uli stepped into a house without announcing herself, something that shocked Neti as she hesitantly followed. The entranceway to the house was unlike anything Neti had ever seen. The public room was small with only a few cushions scattered across a grass mat. To the side there was a series of shelves, most made of only sticks tied together balancing on other sticks fasted to the wall. Each row of shelving contained an array of earthenware pots. Their contents gave the room a sharp scent, which somehow mixed with a musty node. Neti could not place it nor establish the reason for it. It remained one of the two things that retained Neti’s attention. The other was the fact that the house seemed far cooler than any other she had been in, even though the heat of the day was still to rise. The coolness made Neti uncomfortable, causing her to look around. She could not fathom any reason for it.

  Uli called to the back, but no response came. Uli, however seemed content to wait. It served as indication enough to Neti that the woman was familiar enough with the proceedings and that nothing appeared out of sorts.

  It was only some time later that the rustle of grass sandals on the packed floor could be heard. From another room a woman appeared. She was old, possibly as old as the pharaoh. There were many lines on her face while her walk remained steady, unhurried even. Neti for a moment considered the possibility that the cooler room could be for her health, especially since the pharaoh had often complained of the heat.

  She nodded her head at Uli before looking Neti up and down for several long moments. Her eyes were still clear and for several long moments rested on Neti’s sash, however she said nothing. Neti derided herself for wearing it, knowing that the woman would be more likely to refuse to assist them if she knew whom Neti represented.

  The woman however turned to Uli and said, “I had heard that you’d been sold again, although I dared not think it would be to someone close to the pharaoh.”

  “She is not unknown to our cause, “Uli said, “…she purchased Dalva as well as that young girl.”

  “She is pretty, I dare say very lucky not to have ended up a prostitute. Men would like her.” The woman deadpanned, allowing her words to hang in the air for several moments, causing Neti to become uncomfortable before continuing, “But fate and the Gods I dare say had other plans for her.”

  The woman’s words made Neti even more uncomfortable and caused her to look at Uli, questioningly.

  “It is known that she treats her servants fairly.” said Uli.

  “That is because women servants are easier than men servants. I would not consider myself fortunate for such an occurrence, a slave or a servant, they differ little in the eyes of their owners.” The woman said dismissively for a moment glancing towards Uli before adding, “However I know you well enough to know you would not have come here without a reason.”

  “She needs some help?”

  The woman looked at Neti appearing for a moment in sho
ck as she said, “Well it seems that even the pharaoh’s righteous are gullible to the whims of men.”

  Uli shook her head and said, “No, not that kind of help.”

  The woman looked at Neti again for several long moments before flatly stating, “This would then be interesting… to hear the desires of a young prefect who has every opportunity thrown at her feet. Do you wish for a hex on another?”

  Even though Neti had agreed to let Uli speak, she found it difficult to bite her tongue amid such blatant and acerbic remarks.

  “She needs your help with another matter entirely.” said Uli.

  The woman looked towards Uli in surprise before stating, “A love potion? I think not! For there is not one person in Thebes who does not know to whom she belongs, and I doubt he has yet fallen out of love with her. I would say she holds his heart just as he holds hers.”

  Agitation overcame Neti. It crawled over her skin like scarabs over a meal, slowly feeding her irritation, especially with the woman’s continued presumptuousness.

  Neti made to say something however the woman cut her short, “I thought not. She must be having trouble conceiving, well there are many things for that.”

  “I have no love troubles conceiving, neither do I have desire for a child.” Neti firmly stated, causing Uli to look at her in shock. “From what I have seen in recent times I would be the last to bring a child into this world.”

  “Well then you are lucky enough to have such a choice.” The woman countered, chidingly. “However other women do not. If they are barren, or even just considered barren, their husbands will look for another woman to bear his children and keep his house. But then it has not been confirmed yet that you are married, so you could be here for another reason entirely.”

  “Whether or not I am married remains irrelevant to the reason why I came to see you.” Neti unfalteringly stated before pointing to Uli. “Uli here tells me you can be of some assistance, and that you know of others who practice the same crafts.”