Chapter Sixty Two: Captured
Kiya thought she had been saved but, such was his bloodlust, Massui ignored the intruders and continued his attack. As the blade plunged downwards he was struck on the side of the head with a blow that sent him sprawling. The knife clattered harmlessly across the marble flagstones of the floor.
Kiya was hauled to her feet and stood trembling, her knees scarcely able to support her. She recognised her rescuers as Cretan soldiers, wearing the wide clinched belts that were the fashion of the island. At a command from their captain, two men roped her arms behind her back and Kiya realised that she had been saved from death only to become a captive.
Massui still lay unmoving on the floor. Kiya thought he was unconscious but, when two Cretan soldiers tried to lift him, he lashed out at them. He fought bravely and was not subdued until his nose bled and an eye was blackened.
“Dog!” said the Captain, when the priest was safely pinioned. He stepped forwards and slapped him on the face.
“Coward,” snarled Massui and was slapped again. He is probably mad, thought Kiya, but she had a grudging respect for the Nome Lord’s courage.
They were dragged into the hall where Huy stood between two soldiers. They looked dishevelled and one of them held a knife to Huy’s neck. A third soldier was sitting on the floor nursing a bleeding head. Her uncle had obviously put up a good fight.
Behind him Laylos stood passively, also a captive. Her eyes widened when she saw Massui. “I never thought that you’d still be here,” she said.
“Is that why you came to loot my palace?” he said. He turned to Huy. “You too. Were you not once a captain in my garrison? It is a desperate world when servants turn against their master.”
“We are all equal under the Aten,” said Huy. “But I fear we are about to become the lowest of the low. We have been captured by Cretan slave-raiders.”
At a command from the Captain they were dragged from the building and down the steps to where Kiya saw six war chariots, their horses shifting restlessly. Opposite them in the gardens stood an elderly couple. Kiya recognised them at once and her heart lifted - Anubis and Hathor had arrived in time to save them!
One of the soldiers beckoned to the two gods, commanding them to come forwards. Anubis pulled the hood of his cloak further over his face but did not move. The soldier shouted an order in the Cretan tongue. Hathor glared at him then dragged Anubis away. They seemed to hobble slowly but when the soldier started off in pursuit, they disappeared behind the shrubbery. The Captain called the soldier back, there was little value in such elderly slaves.
Kiya made no effort to resist as she was hauled into one of the chariots and thrown to the floor. She expected Anubis and Hathor to discard their disguises and emerge from the bushes, but nothing happened. Two men climbed into the chariot with her – the driver and a spear carrier. The tail gate clanged shut and still there was no sign of her liberators. With a jolt, the chariot started moving.
“Help!” yelled Kiya, but her plea went unanswered.
Kiya tried to brace her legs against the sides of the chariot as it lurched over the potholes of the road. She felt angry with the gods for not coming to her rescue but anger turned into misery as the bruising journey continued. She could see nothing but the sky above her and the backs of her captors. Should she try to escape? She decided against throwing herself over the tailgate of the chariot as she would end up speared or trampled to death by the following horses.
After a while Kiya became aware of a salty, ozone scent tinged with rotting seaweed. They must be nearing the sea. At last the chariot stopped, the tailgate was let down and Kiya was pushed out onto a sandy beach.
She gazed at a huge expanse of water, which stretched to the horizon. It must reach to the edge of the world, thought Kiya. Somewhere in that vastness was the island of Crete. Finding it would be as miraculous as the Bedouin finding their oases.
The ocean might be as limitless as the desert but there was no peace to be found here. Breakers crashed upon the shore, seagulls screamed overhead and the surface was churned by restless waves.
“Ouch stop pushing! Give me a chance to find my feet you bullies.” Laylos was being unceremoniously deposited upon the sand. Kiya rushed to help her, as far as her pinioned hands would allow.
“Thank you dear.” She leant upon Kiya and managed to stand up. “I am bruised from head to toe. Life as a slave will be a welcome release after such a journey.”
“I fear that worse is to come,” said Kiya and indicated a large boat standing half in the water and half on the beach.
“Oh no!” groaned her aunt. “If we survive this, I vow I will never crave for adventure again.”
Huy and Massui were already being hustled towards the boat. The soldiers in charge of Kiya and Laylos gave them both a shove, urging them to follow.
“Do not manhandle me, young man,” said Laylos and was pushed once more.
A man, who must be the ship’s captain, was gesturing from the stern, demanding them to hurry. He exchanged a few angry words with the captain of the raiding party while Kiya climbed a ladder into the boat. The climb was difficult as her hands were still tied but she was pulled up by a member of the crew and pushed from behind by a soldier. She landed on the deck in an undignified heap and was hauled to her feet. Behind her came the sound of cursing and grunting as Laylos was also dragged aboard.
Kiya saw that Massui and Huy were already seated beneath an awning, which was attached to a central mast and stretched across the bowels of the ship. Behind them rows of dejected-looking people stared at her with lack-lustre eyes.
At least we will be out of the sun, thought Kiya as she was directed to sit on the bench beside Massui. A sailor tied her ankles to a metal ring in the ship’s timbers. She wriggled against her bonds but the rope was tight and well-knotted.
“We are trussed up like swine for the slaughter,” complained Laylos, who was being tied on the other side of Massui, next to Huy.
“Are you all right, my darling,” he whispered.
While Laylos told Huy that she was not all right and would never recover from such a journey, Kiya looked around at their fellow prisoners. The boat was only half full and she reckoned that there were mean pickings in Gesem now that the bulk of the population had fled. Those remaining were the sick and the elderly – and foolhardy visitors like themselves.
Shouted orders came from the shore. The ship shuddered beneath Kiya’s feet and there was a rasping sound as it was pushed down the beach. Soon it was floating on the water, rocking gently from side to side upon the waves. The sail was unfurled to the wind and Kiya felt the thrust as the boat was pushed forwards towards an unwelcome future.