War of the Crowns Read online

  Titi yielded. The emperor hated obvious displays of the former culture, and Kebet already enjoyed preferential treatment.

  ‘Are you absolutely sure Ahhotep is dead?’ asked the Syrian.

  ‘Absolutely. The man who poisoned her has been executed, and Thebes is in mourning. Before long, all the rebels will lay down their arms. Ahhotep was their heart and soul, and without her they will have neither the strength nor the courage to continue. I know the Egyptians well: they will believe that their queen was punished by the gods because she acted wrongly. Shouldn’t we encourage the spread of that idea?’

  ‘I’ll see to it, Governor.’

  Most unusually, two taverns had been opened. Under close watch by the guards, they were selling bad beer which the revellers would have to be content with. At the first sign of drunkenness, troublemakers would be arrested and deported. The emperor would not tolerate any breach of public order, and Aberia would be delighted to increase the number of prisoners destined for the camp at Sharuhen.

  ‘This beer is rubbish,’ said the Afghan.

  ‘Just like this pathetic so-called festival,’ agreed Moustache.

  ‘In other words, we’ve been robbed. I think we deserve compensation.’

  ‘Shall we call the innkeeper over?’

  ‘That coward? He’s scared to death. What we need is someone with real authority. That armed guard, for example.’

  Moustache went over to him. ‘My man, my friend and I are thoroughly dissatisfied. The procession is mediocre, the beer is undrinkable and the atmosphere is depressing, all of which is absolutely unacceptable, don’t you think?’

  The guard was struck dumb with astonishment, but soon got his voice back. ‘You’re both drunk! Follow me and don’t argue.’

  ‘We can’t,’ said Moustache.

  ‘What the devil do you mean?’

  ‘He’s right,’ said the Afghan, ‘we can’t. First, we’re not drunk. Second, we’re not here to have fun - still less to see the inside of one of your prisons.’

  ‘And who the devil do you think you are?’

  ‘A rebel who’s going to kill a Hyksos guard, burn down this pathetic tavern - and so give the signal for the army of liberation to attack.’

  * The Montuhoteps were one of the principal lines of the XIth dynasty (c2060-1991 BC).

  10

  As soon as the flames roared up, Ahhotep’s soldiers - half of whom had mingled with the crowd - charged at the Hyksos guards in charge of keeping public order. Well trained in close combat by the Afghan and Moustache, they had the advantage of surprise, and in a few moments they had killed most of their enemies.

  The astounded Syrian commander told Governor Titi, ‘Go to the palace, quickly! Order your men to join forces with mine.’

  The terrified priests had taken refuge in the temple with the statue of Min. From the top of the climbing-pole, two youths were throwing pots at the Hyksos guards. Urged on by Moustache, the revellers turned on their oppressors. Several Hyksos were trampled underfoot by the inhabitants of Kebet, who were only too happy to express the hatred they had held in for so long.

  The Syrian and Titi did not get far. Suddenly, there before them stood Ahhotep, at the head of Titi’s personal bodyguard. These men now belong to the army of liberation,’ declared the queen.

  ‘Majesty, you … you aren’t dead! No, it’s a ghost - it must be a ghost. We must run to the Temple of Geb. They won’t dare touch us there.’

  Ahhotep prevented an archer from firing.

  The two fugitives managed to force their way through the skirmish, which was turning definitively in favour of the Egyptians, and reach the forecourt of the Temple of Geb. The door was closed, and Titi hammered on it with his fists.

  Open up! It’s the governor, and I demand safe haven!’

  The door remained closed.

  All at once, a heavy silence fell over the town: no more shouts of victory or cries of pain, no more voices, not even the bark of a dog.

  Alone on the temple forecourt, Titi and the Syrian were gradually surrounded by the people of Kebet and by the soldiers of Ahhotep’s army.

  Ahhotep stepped forward. ‘Hear these words, which are spoken in this place each time judgment is pronounced: “May the liar fear Geb, the creative power which loves truth. He detests falsehood. It is for him to decide.’”

  ‘Majesty, don’t let there be a misunderstanding about me!’ implored Titi. ’bapretended to be an ally of the Hyksos so that I could better protect my fellow citizens - without me, many would have been executed or tortured. In fact, I have been loyal to you ever since the beginning of your campaign. You remember our meeting, don’t you? I realize now that I should have confided in you. Here are two proofs of my righteousness: first, the names of the sailors, caravan-owners and merchants who betrayed Egypt to the Hyksos - I’ll tell you them all, I swear it! And the second proof is even more convincing.’

  Titi plunged his dagger into the Syrian’s back, rolled the wounded man over and finished him off.

  Then he knelt down. ’baam your humble servant, Majesty.’

  Ahhotep’s eyes flamed. ‘You are nothing but a coward, and you have violated this sacred place. This is my decree, which will be kept in our archives. Your title of governor is withdrawn, and it will not be conferred upon any of your descendants. Your goods will be given to the temples of Kebet, your writings will be destroyed, your name is to be accursed and forgotten for ever. Any pharaoh who granted you pardon would be unworthy of wearing the Double Crown and would at once be abandoned by the gods.’

  At the trade-tax post outside Kebet, a guard said to his superior officer, ‘Sir, I can see smoke.’

  ‘Where?’

  4It looks as if it’s coming from the town.’

  ‘Probably just some old building burning down. It’s not our concern. We’re here to collect taxes from anyone who passes through Kebet, charge them the maximum fee and keep the emperor happy. Nothing else matters.’

  ‘Sir?’

  ‘What is it now?’

  ‘There are people coming.’

  ‘You deal with it. My arm’s aching from stamping my seal on all those documents, and I need a nap.’

  ‘There are an awful lot of them, sir.’

  ‘Merchants, do you mean?’

  ‘No, sir. I think they’re soldiers.’

  The officer was jolted out of his apathy. He looked out of the tax-post and his jaw dropped. On the Nile, there were ten warships carrying many archers. On the road, there were hundreds of Egyptian soldiers, commanded by Moustache.

  The soldiers soon reached the tax-post.

  ‘This,’ announced Moustache, ‘is the choice I offer you: you can either surrender or be killed.’

  Hollow-cheeked and sad-eyed, Heray bowed before the queen.

  ‘Majesty, I offer you my resignation as Overseer of Granaries and of Thebes’s security. I can only hope that you may one day be able to forgive my incompetence and lack of foresight. No one could have been more at fault, and I know it. The only favour I beg is not to be expelled from Thebes, but if you decide I must be I will accept your decision.’ Ahhotep smiled warmly at him. ‘I have no reproaches for you, Heray.’

  ‘Majesty! I let an assassin get near you - he poisoned your food and you almost died. Because of me, the battle for freedom could have been lost. Dismissal is the very least I deserve.” ‘No, Heray, because every single day you demonstrate the greatest of all virtues: faithfulness. Thanks to that, we shall remain united and we shall win.’

  ‘But, M-Majesty …’ stammered Heray.

  ‘Do me the honour of continuing in office, my friend, and carry out your duties with the greatest vigilance. I myself have made serious mistakes, and I fear I shall make more in the future. Our enemies will continue to attack us in the most cunning ways they can think of, so there must be no weak points in our armour.’

  The big man was moved to tears. He prostrated himself before the Wife of God, whom he admired more each day.<
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  Ahhotep raised him to his feet. ‘You have a great deal of work to do,’ she said. ‘Before he was executed, Titi supplied us with an impressive list of collaborators. But he mixed truth and lies, hoping that we will kill people who really are allies. So you must check each case with great care, to make sure that doesn’t happen.’

  ‘You can rely on me, Majesty.’

  ‘Now, let us go and look at Qaris’s model.’

  Qaris had already, with profound joy, added Kebet and its surroundings to the liberated area on the model. No more Hyksos occupation, no more arbitrary arrests, no more torture: the people were beginning to breathe more freely again.

  ‘How happy Seqen must be,’ murmured the queen. ‘When we succeed in reopening the caravan routes, many of our difficulties will be solved.’

  ‘Tomorrow,’ enthused Qaris, ‘we shall celebrate the true Festival of Min! And the Queen of Egypt will lead the ritual, paying homage to the ancestors’ memory.’

  Ahhotep’s beautiful face was sombre. ‘This is only a modest victory. It will lead nowhere unless we redouble our efforts.’

  Our weapons have improved a great deal, Majesty,’ said Qaris. ‘They’ll soon be soon as good as you wish them to be.’

  ‘If we are to extend the liberated area northwards, we need more boats. The Hyksos have chariots and horses, and know how to use them; we know how to make use of the Nile. We must open new boatyards straight away, and put as many craftsmen as possible to work.’

  11

  Emheb, governor of Edfu, was a huge man. Everything about him was huge: his head, his nose, his shoulders and his girth. At first sight he looked like a man who enjoyed the good life, but his bull’s neck and hard eyes gave the lie to that impression.

  He was a staunch ally of Queen Ahhotep, and had been in the thick of the early battles of the war for freedom. He had pretended to submit to the Hyksos occupiers of Edfu, while quietly killing them one by one and replacing them with men from his own rebel network, until eventually he regained control of his city.

  Seqen’s death had affected him deeply, and he had never imagined that the young woman could withstand such a shock. And yet, with a courage that even hardened sceptics admired, she had decided to carry on the work her dead husband had begun. As the dawn sun rose, vanquishing the dragon of darkness, Emheb pictured Ahhotep’s success. To have reached Qis was in itself an achievement, one which had restored a little of his countrymen’s lost pride; and they owed that happy fact to a queen who was bold enough to attempt the impossible. Then the cold light of day had come to the front, which had not moved in months, and he had to face facts: Apophis, for whatever reason, was allowing the situation to stagnate. Either the emperor was convinced that the Egyptians would eventually give up, or he was preparing for a massive offensive.

  Emheb knew very well that, even if he strengthened his positions, he would not be able to hold out for long against the full might of the Hyksos regiments. But Ahhotep trusted him completely, and he would not withdraw. He no longer asked questions. Ahhotep had ordered him to hold the line, and he would hold it.

  His personal scribe showed in Ahmes, son of Abana, a young and extraordinarily brave soldier.

  For once, Ahmes looked worried. ‘Governor,’ he said, ‘we must reassure our men. Many of them still believe that Queen Ahhotep is dead and that it would be better to surrender before we’re slaughtered.’

  “I have just received messages signed by the queen herself. Not only is she alive but she has retaken Kebet. As for those who wish to surrender, have they considered what their fate would be?’

  ‘That’s precisely what I told them, sir, but rumours are like poison. We—’

  Ahmes broke off as a lookout shouted, They’re attacking! The Hyksos are attacking!’

  They both rushed out to take up their battle positions.

  As soon as he was in position, Emheb dispatched carrier-pigeons to Thebes with an urgent request for help. If reinforcements did not arrive in time, the front line would collapse and the enemy armies would overrun the South.

  The port at Thebes had become a vast boatyard, where even the soldiers were set to work by the carpenters, so that as many boats as possible could be built in record time without sacrificing quality.

  Several teams went off to find timber, mainly acacia and sycamore. Trunks and branches were trimmed with an axe, and split into planks. Hammers and chisels were used to cut out mortises, heavy mallets to force in the tenons, and a short-handled adze for finishing. No one counted the hours, for everyone knew their work was vital and that Egypt’s future depended on it. Every time a boat neared completion, the men who varnished the planks with cedar-oil and beeswax rejoiced in the fact that they would soon see a new vessel launched on the Nile.

  Ahhotep had set the weaving-women of Thebes to work making linen sails. Some consisted of one large sheet, others were made from strips of varying widths sewn together with great care. With these new sails, the Egyptian war-fleet would be much faster.

  Always accompanied by Young Laughter, who watched over his mistress as vigilantly as his predecessor, Ahhotep made constant inspections of the boatyard and encouraged the craftsmen. If a man seemed so exhausted that he was at risk of having an accident, she ordered him to take a rest. She made sure to check the oars, too. The steering-oar enabled an experienced helmsman to manoeuvre his boat with relative ease on a river which could be capricious, while the rowing-oars enabled the sailors to give of their best when the boat was travelling upstream or if there was no wind.

  The queen had ordered the construction of several cargo-vessels, each capable of carrying enormous quantities of weapons, raw materials and foodstuffs. These would ensure , that the Egyptian army was self-sufficient if it succeeded in breaking through into enemy territory. Even milch-cows would be taken on board, after prayers had been offered to Hathor to calm these precious animals. Calves and oxen would be tethered to rings fixed to the deck, but the cows that were good sailors could wander about freely.

  The sound of running feet alerted Laughter, who bared his teeth but then, when he saw that it was Qaris coming, sat down in front of his mistress.

  ‘Majesty,’ panted the steward, ‘we’ve had an alarming message from Emheb. The Hyksos are trying to break through the front, and he asks urgently for reinforcements.’

  ‘Are enough boats ready to leave?’

  ‘No, Majesty. If we take those that are, they’d be so overloaded that they’d probably capsize. Besides, would it not be dangerous to leave Thebes unprotected?’

  It was not the exhausted Rascal who made the return flight to the front but another pigeon, almost as experienced as its leader.

  The traitor who had infiltrated the Thebans had at first thought of killing the bird, but soon thought better of it. Even an excellent archer could not be certain of success, unless he shot as the bird was taking off, and in that case someone was bound to see him.

  He decided on a more reliable course of action: in the pigeon’s food he’d put a poison which would not take effect until the bird was halfway through its flight. It would never reach Qis, Emheb would think he had been abandoned, and the emperor’s army would smash the barrier that blocked its way to the South.

  ‘Still no message?’ Emheb asked Ahmes.

  ‘No, sir, nothing.’

  ‘The queen cannot just abandon us!’

  ‘Either our birds have been killed or Thebes can’t send any reinforcements. Either way, sir, we must manage alone. Our men are putting up strong resistance, and the Hyksos haven’t yet launched an all-out attack. I think they may be testing our mettle before sending in their main body of troops.’

  “We must lay more booby-traps,’ decided Emheb. ‘It’s vital that the enemy waste a great deal of time dealing with them. And we must set up more concealed firing positions. The Hyksos may have a larger, stronger army, but they do not know this terrain. Despite our difficulties, all is not lost yet.’

  ‘Indeed it isn’t, sir,
’ agreed Ahmes.

  The two men knew that they were lying to themselves, the better to overcome their fear and fight courageously to the end.

  ‘I must go back to our forward positions,’ said Ahmes, whose young face betrayed not a trace of emotion.

  ‘As soon as you feel you’re in difficulty, send me a footsoldier and I’ll hurry to your aid.’

  ‘May the gods preserve you, Governor.’

  ‘May they also protect you, my boy.’

  Emheb had no regrets. From the very beginning of this mad adventure, he had known that the Egyptian army was not strong enough to take on the Hyksos monster. And yet that was the only road they could have followed, even if it ended in the death of Ahhotep and the destruction of Thebes. At least these years of rebellion had wiped away the shame and bitterness of the past. The Egyptians had at last stopped behaving like cowards, and could appear before the court of the afterlife in the proud knowledge that they had done their duty.

  A young officer came running up. ‘Governor, there are two Hyksos war-boats coming,’ he said with a cheerful smile.

  Emheb thought he must be having a bad dream. ‘And you’re actually pleased about that?’

  ‘Oh yes, sir, because they’ve chosen their moment very badly.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘They’re about to meet the most beautiful war-fleet I’ve ever seen: about twenty Egyptian boats from the south—with Queen Ahhotep at their head!’

  12

  Wearing her mother’s gold crown, and holding up the Sword of Amon before her, the Queen of Freedom stood at the prow of the flagship as the oarsmen rowed swiftly along.

  The Hyksos boats reacted immediately. After hurriedly lowering their sails, they turned tail and retreated as fast as they could.

  On the banks, the Egyptian footsoldiers gave shouts of victory. At last, the reinforcements they had awaited so long!