- The warriors die on battlefield out of love of Motherland,
the explorers go deep into the unexplored chasms of ocean out
of love of truth, but what did you out of love for girl?
- I let her go.
"The usual miracle"
Sun bathed the high porticos and pillars of rich house, making the engraved figures of animals and men move in its dozy haze. The place appeared to be peaceful, statues in shadow of tamarisks and palm-trees, men and woman with big slanting eyes and smiling mouths shimmered when the light breeze touched their stone bodies. The breeze, carrying stench of dead and disaster.
Chariot with rich decoration speeded through the gates to the inner yard, where horses begun to snort and prance nervously, sensing the smell of smoke and burning flesh. Driver jumped from the chariot, tossed the reins impatiently to his attendance and dashed through the yard to the relatively low and plain building, with the first wisps of smoke floating over its roof. The man rushed to the group of people who watched coolly as several servants were pouring oil from the huge jars in the growing flames. One of the people turned on the sound of steps and his face blanched under the brown tan.
-Imhotep, my brother, what you are doing here?- stuttered the man.
-What I AM DOING HERE?!- hissed the new-comer in return, snatching the collar of his brother's tunic-Tell me
better what you are doing?
-I ordered to clean my house of corpses, don't you see? Several of the slaves died yesterday, it's necessary to
purify the place with the fire.
At that moment men's cries erupted from the doomed building, cries of despair and anguish.
-Corpses, didn't you say? Congratulations, brother, your flame has more prominent resurrecting power than the
spells of Isis!
Omnisedeck gulped nervously and lowered his eyes.
-Imhotep, they are only the slaves.
-How many of them are ailing actually?
-One…dancer, girl from Crete, I've bought her with the last party from Mycenae pirates. Pity she hadn't last long,
she was perfectly trained. But other lived in the same house, so they all possibly are infected!
Without spare word Imhotep pushed his brother away and strode to the burning building, ignoring panicked looks on the faces of his men and Omnisedeck's household.
-Don't do it, brother! -cried the Pharaoh's Treasurer in his back, but in vain.
Slaves with jars scattered under Imhotep's furious gaze, but he waved them to come back.
-Extinguish the fires, shut and guard the doors, but don't enter.
With these words he pulled the collar of his robe over his face and disappeared behind the doors.
*****
The air inside was stiffing, full of smoke and horrible stench of many human bodies crammed into the narrow space. At first he couldn't see anything, half-blinded by fumes and the entire gloom of the place. He only heard people stirring, screaming, weeping and praying and cursing in many languages. Then his eyes adjusted to scarce illumination and he noticed that at least fifty men, women and children were packed in the room and doomed to die.
"Bastard"- whispered he, but at the same moment somebody's arm snatched the rim of his closes and he nearly fall into the jumble of human bodies. He steadied himself and walked through the bulk of tangled hands, legs and heads to the far corner of the room.
Even as crammed as they were in this ill-fated chamber, people tried to keep themselves as far as possible from the lean body of the girl, lying on the rag at the foot of statue of Maat. Imhotep considered it a bitter irony, because the heart of the girl was about to be weighted against Goddess's feather at the entrance to netherworld. The girl was dying.
Her eyes, wide open and blazing with fever, looked in darkness under the ceiling, but it wasn't this darkness what she was seeing. She smiled dreamy in Imhotep's face, uttering words of her native language, incomprehensible for him. Her beauty had already that otherworld brand which could be seen on the faces of dying men and little children. Merry expression of her exhausted face made Imhotep shudder with pain and something like compassion, which wasn't an ordinary feeling for him.
He touched her thin cheek, burning in fever. Girl turned her head recklessly and stared at him. Instantly the light of cognizance appeared in her dark eyes, she strained her last strength and seized his hand with her half-transparent weak fingers. She muttered something, then, seeing that he didn't understand, pulled him nearer. Her fervent breath touched his cheek. She muttered again, this time in his language:
-Take me out of here. Bring me to my father, he'll reward you beyond your imagination.
Imhotep smiled bitterly. About what rewards she was talking, poor dying slave girl?
Then he noticed that the dirty clothe, covering her neck, slid aside, baring her shoulder. Her squinted, then bowed to take a closer look. No sores, no bleeding, the signs of black pest. He listened to her breath. It was frayed, and came out in sharp gasps, but without any signs of asphyxiation, usual for this kind of affliction. The girl obviously was ill, and her disease was dangerous, but it wasn't black plague.
He stood up and frowned to his thoughts, then shrugged and headed back to the entrance. Guards opened the door, bowing at sound of his weary voice.
-Keep them inside for two days. Don't forget to supply them with water and food. If after two days no signs of
disease appear let them go out. I'm taking the girl with me to the Temple
of Osiris.
*****
About one month later, Home of Omnisedeck, Thebes
Glinting of daggers in the red light of torches was bewitching. Air swished and glittered when the two blades were crossing and piercing it. Lean body of dancer appeared to be half-transparent, no more than shadow among other shadows.
Then the music ceased abruptly on the shrillest note, reminding of the cry of the wounded bird, hiding in reeds on the banks of Nile. Imhotep closed his eyes…
…The boat, floating down the river, with maimed body of Osiris, and two women, crying in the loneness of night…
Crowd erupted in cheers and applause and the vision vanished.
He sighted and turned to his brother, Omnisedeck. The elder man smiled:
-I noticed that you like her. I'll send her in your room tonight. You saved her life, and she have to be grateful.
Imhotep didn't reply. He was watching the dancer girl, who had put away
her daggers, bowing graciously to her master's guests.
*****
He stayed near the window, staring at the palaces, temples and orchards of Thebes, ghostly in moonlight. Moonlight can play strange tricks with mortal eyes- the Great City of Pharaohs looked not only like it wasn't existing in reality-it looked like it never existed, like it was only the product of one's imagination. Pale shine on the horizon, reflection of moon light in the waters of Nile and in the sands of desert-it was the only real thing in this world, made of wind and shadows.
Door creaked behind, and the slim little figure walked into the room. Dancer girl. She looked tentatively at High Priest, with a shade of smile on her lips, both shy and arrogant. Imhotep tore his gaze from the high cupola of Temple and nodded at girl. She was carrying a golden goblet in her hands, adorned with flower ornament.
-You saved my life.
Foreign accent in her voice made the words sounds even more charming.
-You will be rewarded-continued girl, with the same mixture of shyness and arrogance, which amused
High Priest.
-I am the daughter of Minos, King of Crete. My name is Anthia, but they call me Anck-Su-Namun…
That was really amusing! Imhotep restrained a smile, and answered with mocking pomposity:
-Yes, Princess Anthia. And I am the son of Amon-Ra…
-You laugh at me!-cried the girl indignantly and swiveled around, ready to leave the room.
-No, don't run away, at least before you give me this goblet. I'm thirsty.
She turned around, regarding him with the strange gaze of her long slanting eyes, then smiled and handed him a goblet. The red liquid in it smelled as mint and clove.
-I hope, you wouldn't give me poison, my beautiful princess?-asked Imhotep with smile and sipped the drink. If
he looked in the girl's face, he wouldn't be so sure. Strange expression appeared in her eyes-fear, expectation,
hope?
Whatever it was, what happened next was obviously surprise for her. Imhotep gasped, paled and fell on all four, violently spitting out the liquid. Girl shrieked and dashed to him, scared and ready to help, but all her eagerness was rewarded only by strong blow, which pinned her to the wall. High Priest scrambled on his feet and approached to Anthia, looking murderously.
-You-hissed he-who sent you to me with poison?
His strong arm clasped her throat, his eyes searching her face with loathing and disgust.
-No…-whispered the girl, catching his hand.-It wasn't poison, I swear!
-So what it was? Best wine from my brother's stores, to please his dearest guests? You better answer me now,
girl, or you'll answer to executors under the torture!
-It was-tears glinted on the tips of her long eyelashes-It was Love Potion!
Perplexed, Imhotep let go of her neck and picked up the goblet with the last drops of mysterious liquid. He poured several red drops on his palm, tasted cautiously-and leaned to the wall in the fit of uncontrollable laugh.
-You-coughed he at last-you, stupid chick-head, how much of dry roots of lotus you've put in it? It's your luck
I used to poisons, girl, or it would kill me in a minute. Who told you the recipe?
-My nurse…it was long time ago, back in my father's home…
Girl blushed under her brown tan and was ready to fly, but Imhotep took her hand gently and stopped her.
-No, my little witch. You should pay for your crime.
Her lips tasted of mint and clove, and nigh wind from the upper Nile.
*****
When Imhotep woke up next morning, girl wasn't in the room. He descended to hall to talk with Omnisedeck, and nearly collided with his brother, who was smiling and happy as lurk.
-This girl-started Imhotep.
-Yes, the girl, can you believe it- great Pharaoh, Seti himself was charmed by her dance and took her to Palace
with him!
NOW, DEAR READERS SHOULD I CONTINUE? IT DEPENDS ON YOUR REVIEWS!
Historical footnote to chapters 2 and 3:
Chapter 2:
Medinet El-Fayoum (Faiyum)
Originally named Crocodilopolis, then Arsinoe, Medinet El-Fayoum
was the main place of worship of the crocodile god, Sobek. Apparently,
during ancient Medinet, crocodiles were adorned with gold and fed honey
cakes and meat by the priests.
Chapter 3:
Imhotep:
Imhotep was a historical figure. He was the architect, physician, scribe, and vizier of the 3rd Dynasty pharaoh Zoser. It was Imhotep who conceived and built the Step Pyramid at Sakkara. In the Late Period, Imhotep was worshipped as the son of Ptah and a god of medicine, as well as the patron (with Thoth) of scribes. The Greeks considered him to be Asklepios, the god of medicine.
Maat
Considered the wife of Thoth and the daughter of Ra by various traditions,
Maat's name implies "truth" and "justice" and even "cosmic order", but
there is no clear English equivalent. She is an anthropomorphic personification
of the concept maat and as such has little mythology. Maat was represented
as a tall woman with an ostrich feather (the glyph for her name) in her
hair. She was present at the judgement of the dead; her feather was balanced
against the heart of the deceased to determine whether he had led a pure
and honest life.