Trapping the Intruder...
Commander Khonsu and Seti, the general in charge of the army detachment sent to Akhet-Aten (and later King Seti I, father of Ramesses the Great) decide to lay a trap for the intruder that they think is causing havoc. It proves to be more difficult than they expected...
The midnight-shrouded city lay quiet and still beneath Khonsu's gaze; here and there a faint glow of lamplight spoke of someone still wakeful. The horses stamped and pulled at their bits, tasting the increased force of the breeze that was coming from the west. The sky was clear overhead; the moon, nearly full, gazed down upon them like a great pale eye, bathing the landscape with silver. A long bank of clouds was rolling slowly eastward; they could see flashes of light along its underside, like fitful gleams of sunlight upon a dark, sullen river.
"You say he headed north?" Seti asked.
"Yes," said Khonsu. He had been waiting afoot by the ruined northern gateway of the city as arranged, watching the slow approach of the line of clouds, when the horse-thief had passed him. "He was driving two of my horses - I knew them by sight - and a sturdy war chariot. He was cloaked and hooded."
He fell silent, remembering how the man had driven through the gate and then had reined in and paused for a long moment, the head within the hood moving from side to side, the hand that Khonsu had glimpsed upon the reins
flexing slowly as though the driver were weighing matters in his mind.
Holding his breath in a gesture that he now recognized as childish, Khonsu had wondered if he might have been seen. But the man had shaken the reins after another pause, headed toward the northern pass, and vanished among the cliffs and valleys that formed the northern barrier of the city. Seti had arrived shortly after that.
Seti looked up toward the hills. "We can try to follow him," he said. You've patrolled near here. How's the terrain?"
"The hills are riddled with paths," said Khonsu. "Some are too narrow to accommodate a chariot and a team of horses."
"We'll follow this road to where it meets one of those pathways," said Seti, gathering the reins and turning the horses. "We can see what we find then." He shook the reins and urged the horses to a swift trot.
** ** **
The clatter of the chariot's wheels upon the roadway sounded unnaturally loud in the midnight hush. "Here's a fork!" Seti said.
"That's the first one," said Khonsu. "The wider path goes north up into the hills. The other way is passable only for about half a league, then it dwindles to a footpath. The larger branch splits once again, farther on, but there's nowhere else he could have gone than to this point."
"Let's go on, then," said Seti, frowning along the wide branch.
"Good," said Khonsu looking around. "I hope we can catch him. I want to talk to him."
The uneven thud and clatter of hooves upon hard-packed earth made both men turn in time to see a chariot bearing down upon them from the narrow fork. The horses' eyes and nostrils were wide, their manes flickering in the moonlight. The driver's face was featureless in the shadows of his hood.
"It's him!" gasped Khonsu. "He was waiting for us!"
"Well, he's found us!" Seti said through his teeth. He wheeled the chariot to the right in an attempt to block the pass. "Hold tight and I'll stop him!"
The roadway was too wide at that spot; the other driver reined his horses in a well-controlled, left-hand swerve that brought him through inches ahead of the other team's noses. His free hand seemed to flicker as he passed them.
Khonsu shut his eyes and flung up his hands against a sudden cloud of gravel and sand. Seti cursed and hauled at the reins as his horses squealed and shied, backing the chariot hard against the uneven shoulders of the road. It tipped perilously, the axles creaking - and then righted as Seti, still swearing, tried to calm the team.
"Do you see him?" Seti demanded through his teeth, his hands occupied with controlling snorting, shying horseflesh.
"Yes," said Khonsu, shielding his face against the strengthening wind. "Heading south toward the King's Road! I placed guards at the southern end just before the stables - we've got him bottled up!"
Seti smiled grimly and urged the horses to a gallop.
The line of clouds was closer now, nearly obscuring the moon as they clattered down along the road, past the northern palace, silent and ghostly on their left. The buildings thinned ahead of them.
"There he is, dead ahead!" cried Khonsu. "He's slowing! Damn this street!" he shouted as the Royal Road took a
bend, losing the other chariot from sight for a moment.
"We'll catch up with him!" said Seti.
The great temple of the Aten lay to their left, silent and pale in the increasing darkness. The walls of the royal enclosure seemed to raise themselves to either side.
A knot of shapes slightly south of them, just beneath the bridge that contained the Window of Appearances, resolved itself into the now abandoned chariot. The horses, reins trailing, were standing and gazing wide-eyed as Khonsu and Seti approached and reined in.
One of them shied.
"He's afoot!" said Khonsu. "Where could he have gone? There's no shelter here, unless he-"
He looked up, gasped, and seized Seti's arm.
A white shape flickered at the window: the wind catching a linen cloak.
Khonsu sprang from the chariot. "Follow me!" he called over his shoulder. "There's a doorway! It leads to the bridge!"
He and Seti plunged through the opening, ran up the two banks of eight steps two at a time, and arrived, panting, at the Window of Appearances. They could see the two chariots below them in the street.
"Footprints!" said Seti, pointing at the sand that lay in drifts before the window. "Going that way!"
Khonsu ran along the slope of the bridge, pelted down the ramp, and paused at the base, which opened to the middle palace of the Heretic.
The ramp led past the ruined garden to a wide courtyard that was bordered on two sides with the stubby bases of what once had been colossal statues. More ramps led up to the exits on the other three sides. Khonsu frowned and cast over what he remembered of the layout of the palace. Pillared courtyards lay to the west, and a labyrinth of small rooms. South of where he stood was a smaller, high-walled courtyard, entered by only one door. The door itself, made of bronze-clad timber, was still in place. Khonsu could see its square outline in the wall like a block of shadow.
Seti gripped his shoulder and pointed into the yard. "We've got him now!" he said.
A white cloak fluttered in the strong wind, huddled against the wall in the far corner. Khonsu stared and then let out a crow of triumph.
"There's no way out!" he hissed. "We've got him, all right!
"Come on!" said Seti, and ran through the doorway followed by Khonsu. He came to a halt in the middle of the room. "All right, now," he said, schooling his voice to gentleness. "There's no need to be afraid. We just—"
The slam of the heavy timber door behind them cut off his words. A moment later they heard the crash of the bronze bar into its sockets.
"No!" yelled Khonsu.
Seti strode forward, seized the cloak and then cursed. The garment had been carefully draped over a pole that stood against the wall. The wind had caught its folds and made it move as though it were still on its owner.
Khonsu stared at the door, then slid slowly down the wall to end up sitting on the floor. "Duped!" he said. "He was waiting just inside the door as we ran past. Brilliant! And there's no way out of here!"
"You say he headed north?" Seti asked.
"Yes," said Khonsu. He had been waiting afoot by the ruined northern gateway of the city as arranged, watching the slow approach of the line of clouds, when the horse-thief had passed him. "He was driving two of my horses - I knew them by sight - and a sturdy war chariot. He was cloaked and hooded."
He fell silent, remembering how the man had driven through the gate and then had reined in and paused for a long moment, the head within the hood moving from side to side, the hand that Khonsu had glimpsed upon the reins
flexing slowly as though the driver were weighing matters in his mind.
Holding his breath in a gesture that he now recognized as childish, Khonsu had wondered if he might have been seen. But the man had shaken the reins after another pause, headed toward the northern pass, and vanished among the cliffs and valleys that formed the northern barrier of the city. Seti had arrived shortly after that.
Seti looked up toward the hills. "We can try to follow him," he said. You've patrolled near here. How's the terrain?"
"The hills are riddled with paths," said Khonsu. "Some are too narrow to accommodate a chariot and a team of horses."
"We'll follow this road to where it meets one of those pathways," said Seti, gathering the reins and turning the horses. "We can see what we find then." He shook the reins and urged the horses to a swift trot.
** ** **
The clatter of the chariot's wheels upon the roadway sounded unnaturally loud in the midnight hush. "Here's a fork!" Seti said.
"That's the first one," said Khonsu. "The wider path goes north up into the hills. The other way is passable only for about half a league, then it dwindles to a footpath. The larger branch splits once again, farther on, but there's nowhere else he could have gone than to this point."
"Let's go on, then," said Seti, frowning along the wide branch.
"Good," said Khonsu looking around. "I hope we can catch him. I want to talk to him."
The uneven thud and clatter of hooves upon hard-packed earth made both men turn in time to see a chariot bearing down upon them from the narrow fork. The horses' eyes and nostrils were wide, their manes flickering in the moonlight. The driver's face was featureless in the shadows of his hood.
"It's him!" gasped Khonsu. "He was waiting for us!"
"Well, he's found us!" Seti said through his teeth. He wheeled the chariot to the right in an attempt to block the pass. "Hold tight and I'll stop him!"
The roadway was too wide at that spot; the other driver reined his horses in a well-controlled, left-hand swerve that brought him through inches ahead of the other team's noses. His free hand seemed to flicker as he passed them.
Khonsu shut his eyes and flung up his hands against a sudden cloud of gravel and sand. Seti cursed and hauled at the reins as his horses squealed and shied, backing the chariot hard against the uneven shoulders of the road. It tipped perilously, the axles creaking - and then righted as Seti, still swearing, tried to calm the team.
"Do you see him?" Seti demanded through his teeth, his hands occupied with controlling snorting, shying horseflesh.
"Yes," said Khonsu, shielding his face against the strengthening wind. "Heading south toward the King's Road! I placed guards at the southern end just before the stables - we've got him bottled up!"
Seti smiled grimly and urged the horses to a gallop.
The line of clouds was closer now, nearly obscuring the moon as they clattered down along the road, past the northern palace, silent and ghostly on their left. The buildings thinned ahead of them.
"There he is, dead ahead!" cried Khonsu. "He's slowing! Damn this street!" he shouted as the Royal Road took a
bend, losing the other chariot from sight for a moment.
"We'll catch up with him!" said Seti.
The great temple of the Aten lay to their left, silent and pale in the increasing darkness. The walls of the royal enclosure seemed to raise themselves to either side.
A knot of shapes slightly south of them, just beneath the bridge that contained the Window of Appearances, resolved itself into the now abandoned chariot. The horses, reins trailing, were standing and gazing wide-eyed as Khonsu and Seti approached and reined in.
One of them shied.
"He's afoot!" said Khonsu. "Where could he have gone? There's no shelter here, unless he-"
He looked up, gasped, and seized Seti's arm.
A white shape flickered at the window: the wind catching a linen cloak.
Khonsu sprang from the chariot. "Follow me!" he called over his shoulder. "There's a doorway! It leads to the bridge!"
He and Seti plunged through the opening, ran up the two banks of eight steps two at a time, and arrived, panting, at the Window of Appearances. They could see the two chariots below them in the street.
"Footprints!" said Seti, pointing at the sand that lay in drifts before the window. "Going that way!"
Khonsu ran along the slope of the bridge, pelted down the ramp, and paused at the base, which opened to the middle palace of the Heretic.
The ramp led past the ruined garden to a wide courtyard that was bordered on two sides with the stubby bases of what once had been colossal statues. More ramps led up to the exits on the other three sides. Khonsu frowned and cast over what he remembered of the layout of the palace. Pillared courtyards lay to the west, and a labyrinth of small rooms. South of where he stood was a smaller, high-walled courtyard, entered by only one door. The door itself, made of bronze-clad timber, was still in place. Khonsu could see its square outline in the wall like a block of shadow.
Seti gripped his shoulder and pointed into the yard. "We've got him now!" he said.
A white cloak fluttered in the strong wind, huddled against the wall in the far corner. Khonsu stared and then let out a crow of triumph.
"There's no way out!" he hissed. "We've got him, all right!
"Come on!" said Seti, and ran through the doorway followed by Khonsu. He came to a halt in the middle of the room. "All right, now," he said, schooling his voice to gentleness. "There's no need to be afraid. We just—"
The slam of the heavy timber door behind them cut off his words. A moment later they heard the crash of the bronze bar into its sockets.
"No!" yelled Khonsu.
Seti strode forward, seized the cloak and then cursed. The garment had been carefully draped over a pole that stood against the wall. The wind had caught its folds and made it move as though it were still on its owner.
Khonsu stared at the door, then slid slowly down the wall to end up sitting on the floor. "Duped!" he said. "He was waiting just inside the door as we ran past. Brilliant! And there's no way out of here!"
|
XVII
"I can feel an opening - there! - big enough to get my hand through," Seti said. He was standing by the door, groping along the spine, where it was set into the socket of the pivot. "If I can get my hand through there, maybe I can get enough purchase to cut away the wood and-" He broke off with an oath. Khonsu hurried over to the door. "What is it?" he asked. "It's bronze-clad all the way down! Damn and rot it!" "How thick is the bronze?" asked Khonsu. "If it's just a thin layer, we can punch through it with the points of our blades and then whittle away the wood." Seti sat back after a moment. "More than a finger's breadth," he said. "This door is fortified from top to bottom. What was this courtyard, anyhow? A treasury?" Khonsu looked up at the high walls. "These walls are clad with limestone. In fact, all the pillars, all the lintels, all the grillwork - all are stone. I had thought," he said bitterly, "That it would make this palace a more secure lodging-place for everyone." "You were right about that," Seti said through his teeth. He pushed himself to his feet and paced the length of the wall. "It's getting darker. The clouds have closed in... Could you reach the top of the wall by standing on my shoulders? And maybe get enough purchase to climb over?" Khonsu ran his hand silently down the polished stone walls and craned his neck back to look up to the top of the wall, then shook his head. "I'd need to be half again as tall as I am," he said, "With fingers cupped like a frog's toes to get any purchase on this stone." "And there's nothing we can pile up and use as stools," Seti said, peering around in the darkness. "This was a neatly laid trap. And it caught a brace of geese!" |
Khonsu sat down on the floor with a muffled oath and drew his knees up after a moment. "We're in the palace complex," he said. "The western part, where no one is staying. This was the harem courtyard, as I recall."
"That's why the walls are so high," Seti agreed grimly.
"The others are only across the street," said Khonsu. They're sleeping now, but in the morning we could shout for help and make noise-"
"Using what?" Seti inquired with a gentleness that was eloquent of clenched teeth.
Khonsu looked at the stone walls and his dagger again, and then sighed.
Seti's annoyance faded a little. "Well, anyhow," he said. "We can certainly shout tomorrow. No use wasting our breath tonight. Do you suppose that fellow knew we were laying for him and came up with this trap while he was outside the city?"
"I'm ready to believe just about anything," Khonsu said. "A brilliant plan, perfectly executed - the bastard should have been a general!"
Seti's ironic smile vanished as a rumble overhead made him look up.
The clouds were massed and black now, the moonlight a thing of the past. The wind had been building; it whirled shrieking through the walled courtyard. A rapid succession of blinding white flashes lit the area just as the skies opened with a roar.
"Oh shit!" Khonsu yelled as he pelted for the small portico by the door. By the time he and Seti had reached it, their clothes were plastered to their skins and they were shivering in the increasing cold.
"It only lacked this to make a perfect evening!" Seti said through his chattering teeth, watching the sheets of water slant down from the sky. "I can't imagine what more can go wrong this night!"
A moment later he and Khonsu were turning to stare behind them as the door swung slowly outward.
"General Seti? Commander Khonsu?" It was one of Lord Nebamun's personal guard. His quiet, respectful voice was barely audible above the crash and rattle of the storm. "Follow me. His Grace has been looking for you."
And he turned and led them back through the doorway, beneath an arcaded walkway to the covered ramp that led to the Window of Appearances, where the Second Prophet of Ptah, flanked by his guard, stood waiting with folded arms and a formidable scowl.
"That's why the walls are so high," Seti agreed grimly.
"The others are only across the street," said Khonsu. They're sleeping now, but in the morning we could shout for help and make noise-"
"Using what?" Seti inquired with a gentleness that was eloquent of clenched teeth.
Khonsu looked at the stone walls and his dagger again, and then sighed.
Seti's annoyance faded a little. "Well, anyhow," he said. "We can certainly shout tomorrow. No use wasting our breath tonight. Do you suppose that fellow knew we were laying for him and came up with this trap while he was outside the city?"
"I'm ready to believe just about anything," Khonsu said. "A brilliant plan, perfectly executed - the bastard should have been a general!"
Seti's ironic smile vanished as a rumble overhead made him look up.
The clouds were massed and black now, the moonlight a thing of the past. The wind had been building; it whirled shrieking through the walled courtyard. A rapid succession of blinding white flashes lit the area just as the skies opened with a roar.
"Oh shit!" Khonsu yelled as he pelted for the small portico by the door. By the time he and Seti had reached it, their clothes were plastered to their skins and they were shivering in the increasing cold.
"It only lacked this to make a perfect evening!" Seti said through his chattering teeth, watching the sheets of water slant down from the sky. "I can't imagine what more can go wrong this night!"
A moment later he and Khonsu were turning to stare behind them as the door swung slowly outward.
"General Seti? Commander Khonsu?" It was one of Lord Nebamun's personal guard. His quiet, respectful voice was barely audible above the crash and rattle of the storm. "Follow me. His Grace has been looking for you."
And he turned and led them back through the doorway, beneath an arcaded walkway to the covered ramp that led to the Window of Appearances, where the Second Prophet of Ptah, flanked by his guard, stood waiting with folded arms and a formidable scowl.