Shadows of the Nile (7 page)

*

At long last Ptah summoned her.

“You look very pale, Tadinanefer, not the beautiful girl you're supposed to be. I'll take you out. We'll go together to see my tomb, now in the daylight, and I'll show you just how beautiful it's becoming – almost as beautiful as you.” He smiled at her. “When we come back, I'll allow you to speak to your mother, if you're good.”

When they entered the tomb she could see how quickly it was taking shape. The walls were painted with scenes from Ptah's life and showed him hunting and fishing. There was one of a party with naked serving girls, and the family dressed in their fine clothes and jewels. There was no record of her.

She saw her previous servant's boyfriend, and when Ptah was busy giving instructions she went quietly up to him, as if to look at his work.

“I'm sorry about your girl,” she whispered. “I hope she wasn't too badly whipped.”

She got him to recognise her by showing him her pale hand beneath her clothing.

“She's okay,” he breathed sideways. “She was sent off to be punished by my far cousin. He didn't touch her. She's with my aunt now. We'll be married as soon as I finish here.”

Tadinanefer moved off quickly. She felt enormous relief.

“What do you think of my home for the afterlife?” Ptah asked her later.

“It's very lovely. I like the paintings and the writings. I wish I could learn to write, then I could write something for you.”

Ptah laughed.

“Write!” he mocked her. “Write – you! You belong to me. I control your life and I'll control your death. You'll never write because I'll never allow it. Now go to your mother and kneel at her feet and ask her forgiveness. Don't disobey me. You'll be watched.”

She scampered off. She hadn't meant to upset him. She thought he'd like the thought of someone in the family writing about him.

*

She found Masika in her room and rushed in, throwing herself at her feet.

“I'm very sorry, mother, for running off the way I did. Please say you'll forgive me, and say you'll speak to me.”

Masika touched her head.

“You're a bad child,” she admonished. “I'll speak to you, but you must remain kneeling whilst I do. You may go,” she called out to her servants. “And close the door. I'll punish my daughter on my own, and in my own way.”

“Good, that's got rid of them,” she said when they'd gone.

She pulled Tadinanefer into her arms and hugged her.

“Oh, my poor child,” she murmured. “You must forgive your father for all his wrongdoings. He's very unwell. He suffers a lot of pain and takes strange medicines to hide his discomfort.”

“I didn't know.”

“He was always such a good man. He'd never have locked you away in the dark in the ordinary way – he's growing old and his time here is coming to an end.”

She motioned Tadinanefer to sit next to her and took her hands in hers.

“There's something I must tell you, and it has to be said now. The hour has come. I must make you aware of all the facts and how you came to live with us.”

She paused, as if trying to find her way back to the beginning.

“As you know, you're not our natural daughter. Your mother was not one of us and neither was your father. They came from far away to this country, not on their own but in the company of a few others; all the other people were men. They were different to us, as you are, with white skin and fair or brown hair. Your mother, like your father, had hair the colour of gold which no one had ever seen before. The group came into our midst one summer. People were suspicious of them, and afraid, and one awful night they were attacked. Nearly all were slaughtered, including your real father. The only person left alive was your mother, Finn, who was beautiful and could be sold. Ptah bought her, not realising she was pregnant, but even that didn't matter because he was fascinated by her strange beauty. He made her his slave and was prepared to kill her baby at birth. At first she was only to be another addition to his ornaments, but he became more and more obsessed by her. He cut strands from her hair with a sacrificial knife, and put them in a jewelled box.”

“She must have been very frightened?”

“She was. I couldn't speak her language but I knew how much she mourned her husband. I tried to find out why they'd come here but could never really understand what she tried to say to me, but I believe she was commanded by someone. Anyway the day of your birth came. She suffered very badly. She was stressed and unhappy. She somehow knew she wouldn't get through the birth. You took a long, long time to arrive, and we thought you were dead when you emerged. Although Finn was very weak and losing blood, she held you briefly and breathed life into you. Then soon after she died. Because you were a girl, Ptah decided to keep you, to replace her.”

There were tears in Tadinanefer's eyes.

“Ptah was mortified at Finn's death. He had her body mummified and put in a hold to be buried in his tomb when he died. But, mysteriously, the body disappeared. Ptah was outraged and grieved; he was beside himself and kept repeating that you would take her place. He said you'd be treated like his daughter until he desired otherwise. My dear, you've got to escape from here, away from him – and I'll explain why.”

“I have to go?”

“Yes. Ptah's plans for you are dreadful. He's dying. When he dies, he'll have you killed and entombed alongside him to accompany him into the afterlife. He lost Finn so he'll take you instead.”

“You mean he'd murder me!”

“Yes.”

Tadinanefer stared at Masika in horror. Ptah must definitely have hoped she'd die the night she was in the tomb, and only the snake had saved her life.

“Why are you telling me now?”

“I'm so fond of you, and I think you should have the chance to live. I wish things could have been different. I'd love to have taken you shopping with my other girls; I'd love to have planned a wedding for you. But Ptah would never allow it. You aren't safe here and you must go tonight. I'll say you're to spend the night on your knees in my room. He'll accept that. I've arranged for you to be collected and taken to a boat; it'll take you up the Nile to a place where you'll be safe and he won't be able to touch you.”

Masika pulled Tadinanefer to her and held her tightly. “I'll miss you so much. I'll always be there in the shadows close behind you. You'll always be in my prayers.”

“He'll punish you?”

“He won't know. I'll take a sleeping potion. He'll think I slept through it all.”

“What will I do? Where will I go?”

“I've paid a lot of gold to people to protect and transport you to distant relatives. Now try and rest for a while, and I'll wake you when the time comes.”

Tadinanefer lay down, but she couldn't sleep. The thought of everything Masika had said kept going round in her head. She didn't want to leave her, but the discovery that Ptah was ill and that he'd take her with him to the afterlife filled her with horror.

*

In the early hours Masika quietly woke her from an uneasy sleep.

“Quickly, Tadinanefer, the time has come. Wrap these robes round you and keep your face well hidden.”

She led her through the silent house to the outside. A man, also heavily robed, was waiting for them. She gave her one last embrace and pushed her gently away.

“Live, my darling Tadinanefer,” she murmured. “Live as Finn would have wanted you to.”

In tears, Tadinanefer allowed herself to be led away. Soon they reached the outskirts of the estate. Waiting there was a tethered horse. The man jumped on its back and lifted her up in front of him.

They set off.

*

They seemed to ride forever. Then the Nile came into sight and the horse was pulled up.

“We must get off here,” he said briskly. “There's a boat waiting for you.”

They walked quickly towards the river. Then suddenly they could hear riders.

“It's Ptah and his servants, we've been seen,” the man hissed. “You must fend for yourself. If I'm caught I'll be tortured and killed. May the Snake Goddess protect you, Tadinanefer.”

“Don't leave me!” But her pleas were to no avail. The horse and rider thundered off, leaving her vulnerable and alone.

She was terrified. Ptah was surely after her, and this time he'd show no mercy. She began to run towards the Nile to try and find the boat. But somehow she knew the boat wouldn't wait for her now. She must hide. But where?

The only answer was in the water. She must immerse herself in it and hide between the fishing boats. It was her only chance.

Quickly she wrapped her clothing tightly round her so it wouldn't float above her. It was very dark as she slid carefully into the black, murky water. She gave a gasp as the cold hit her, but she could see the torches coming towards her as she went up to her chin. Hiding between the boats was easy enough but she had to be prepared to go completely under if they came too close.

“She must be here,” she heard Ptah shout hoarsely. So it was definitely him!

She slid silently round the nearest boat, hanging to the side. She knew that soon she'd be spotted. The men wouldn't come into the river unless they had to. There had been talk of alligators in the area. She shivered, and then scolded herself. If she wanted to live she had to remain calm.

Suddenly she saw someone coming her way. She took a deep breath and went under. It was a totally new experience for her, but somehow she coped, keeping her eyes completely open and looking upwards. She saw the light come towards her, and wave about searching for her, for what seemed like an eternity. At long last it disappeared, and finally it was dark above her again. Slowly she took her head out of the water. She gasped, drawing in air, as silently as she could manage.

They were retreating.

“Two of you keep looking,” she heard Ptah say. His voice sounded very weak. “I have to go back. I'm not well. Bring her back – I don't care how you do it. If necessary kill her, but bring her back to me.”

Now she knew. There was no choice. He really was prepared to sacrifice her in order to take her with him to the afterlife.

She had to get out of the water. She was very, very cold. She pulled herself onto the bank and ran along the path away from the lights.

She needed to get out of her wet clothes. After what seemed like forever she came to an outhouse of a farm. The night sky was turning into dawn, and she could see some clothes the workmen wore in the fields. She stripped off everything she had on and slung on a couple of long garments. They were warm and dry, although they smelt of soil and animals. She wound a cloth round her head and blacked her face with some mud from the ditch. She took her damp clothes and hid them as best she could under some stones. Now she was indistinguishable from one of the labourers.

She journeyed on at a frantic pace. She felt very hungry and thirsty but she had no time for the niceties of life. Someone would find her clothes. They'd track her on fast horses, and then if they caught her they'd slit her throat.

She reached the river once more. She could hide in one of the bigger boats which would take her up the river. She clambered in the nearest one and carefully covered herself with sacks, and waited.

Soon she heard voices, and men talking loudly to each other. She kept very still as the boat started to move away from the bank and up the Nile. In spite of everything, lulled by the quiet rocking of the boat and the sound of the water flowing round her, she fell asleep.

*

She awoke suddenly, feeling stiff and unable to breathe. The boat had stopped. There was shouting from the bank. She heard someone call, “We're from Ptah. We want to know what you're carrying.”

One of the men mumbled and swore quietly. “Thinks he owns us all,” he said. “Fish!” he shouted back. “Only fish.”

“Search your boat! We're looking for someone!”

Fortunately the search was only half-hearted, although a pole only just missed Tadinanefer's head as they prodded the sacks.

“Nothing here. Who are you looking for?”

“One of Ptah's daughters. There's a good reward for anyone who finds her.”

“Okay. We'll watch out for her.”

That was it. The boat sailed on, and although Tadinanefer felt unable to breathe properly, she knew that every mile carried her further away towards safety.

The men fished and laughed, and threw their catch onto the deck, not stopping to deal with it but carrying on. Finally they were satisfied with their spoils, and she could hear them eating and drinking and sorting their catch.

*

At last they came to their destination, and the noise made her guess it was a large town where the fishermen would get a good price. She felt them dock. She knew it was time now to make a move before they found her. She leapt up quickly, worried her stiff limbs wouldn't respond to her urgent demands, but she needn't have worried for as soon as she saw the exit to freedom she ran nimbly round the obstacles on the deck, dodging the men, who stared at her in the utmost astonishment, and leapt onto firm ground.

“Stop that tramp!” someone yelled. “He's been hiding on our boat and stealing our fish!”

No one stopped her. She may have looked like a down-and-out but she had the grace and speed of a gazelle. Soon they were all far behind her and she'd reached the narrow backstreets.

She found a big urn of water outside a house. Not caring who it belonged to or what it was doing there, she cupped her hands together and drank thirstily. When she was satisfied, she wandered on. She was ravenously hungry. If she didn't eat soon she felt she'd die. There were many buildings along the street with kitchens opening out onto the road. She carefully looked into each one of them. There had to be food left out on a table, food left over from a meal, something. She would even steal animal food if she had to. Almost the very last house she looked into rewarded her; she saw a piece of half-eaten bread which had fallen onto the floor. She checked to see if anyone was about, quickly went in, deftly picked it up, and concealed it under her clothes.