Scars

Chapter 9- The messenger

The food served on Djehuty's last night in the Tahtib was one of the tastiest meals he ever had, yet he barely ate anything. His mind was only thinking about that message. As they finished the food and were about to head out for a walk, a toast was made by Henenu. Djehuty cared little about it, as he just wanted to check the message.

He swiftly exited the hall and read the message. It was a very vague poem. He was confused. "What is this even supposed to mean?" The gist of the poem was,
"The crocodile in the Nile,
It has been a while.
It'll drag you for a mile.
Add two more bodies to the pile."
Djehuty thought he would share it with Henenu, but first he went to show it to Iset and Aten.
"What do you think this message wants to convey? Why would they choose you? If it were just to make a joke or something, I don't think someone would go to that extent." Iset said.
"It's not. It's a serious message. And he said he would come back to seek a reply from me. Without knowing who it is that I am replying to, it doesn't make much sense, does it?" Djehuty said, "I feel we should share it with his highness Henenu. He needs to know, after all.
Aten did not say anything. He just sat there, thinking. "Is there something on your mind?" Iset asked.
"The message said it had been a while. What is it that has not happened in a long time? An attack of some sort. He said his highness, General Senemut, knows, but the Emperor wouldn't listen. I am sure it is about his safety. And it has something to do with a territory that lies close to or at the bank of the Nile."
"I think we better go to his highness, Henenu. He must be able to decipher it."

"WAIT!" Iset screamed. "We can't go to Henenu!"
"What?" A perplexed Aten and Djehuty stopped as they turned around to see Iset.
"It means someone; we don't know who, but someone is under threat." His highness Senemut knows something about it, but it seems he has lost all power, preceding Djehuty taking over his place, and he can't do anything about it. What options does he have? To inform someone who might be off the radar."
A look of utter confusion could be clearly seen on their faces. "Go on!" Djehuty said.

Iset said with his eyes shining bright, "This is the perfect plan for him: His sources must be being followed, and he would not be able to convince the emperor at all. We can safely assume he can't trust any of the royal eight either. What would he do then? Find someone who would be trusted and would be able to do something about it: you."

"What is this threat we're talking about?" Aten said.

"Only one man can answer all our questions." Iset turned around, followed by them.

They rushed back to their premises and sat in Djehuty's room. The anonymous messenger will be here anytime now.
A small knock on the window, and all three of them stood up, their grips strong on their daggers. He knocked on the window twice, and the messenger said, "You can step out. It's me."

"Come on in." Djehuty said. They invited him in and sat with barely any light in the room.

"What the hell is this message supposed to mean?" Aten asked him right away.
The messenger looked at Djehuty. "You can answer it. They are my brothers."
"Since we're sitting here, I would assume you haven't gone to Henenu."
"What would you have done if we did?" Said Iset.
"You would not see me again." He said.
They looked at each other, as if agreeing that their gut feeling was absolutely right. Djehuty said, "We realized you did not go to Henenu, even though he is a royal officer. There has to be a reason for it."
"Even he cannot be trusted with this. He would simply do his job and inform the capital, most probably Prime Minister Sadiki. And that would bring no result, and"
"WHAT IS THAT MESSAGE SUPPOSED TO MEAN?" Aten lost it. He stood up, yelling at the messenger. He also stood up, and so did Iset and Djehuty to calm them. "Let's sit down and talk." Djehuty said.

"Keep your calm, young man. I am here to inform you. But you better show some respect."
"I apologize; please continue."
"The message is clear. The crocodiles here are the notorious black cape mercenaries of Nubya. For a decade, they have been continuously trying to trespass on and damage the state of Kemet in one way or another. Their leadership recently changed, and apparently they have been planning a number of attacks to be executed simultaneously."
"Go on," an eager Djehuty said.
"This is not the worrying part. The mercenaries are barely a handful. There must be no more than two thousand. But they are now secretly being aided by the state of Nubya." He said. "They are known to be ruthless killers, not sparing anyone. And they have a small group that is the most dangerous and bizarre of any fighters known to date."

"That can't be true!" Iset said. "So you're telling me the man-eaters of Nubya?" His mouth gaped in horror.

"That is not a rumor. The man-eaters of Nubya are closer than you might think."

"That explains the crocodiles," Iset said.
"But the pile of bodies?"

"A hundred and nine mercenaries. The deadliest and most feared man-eaters of Nubya have allegedly killed more than four thousand men. And they are known to pile the bodies where they live, closer to the bank of the Nile. They then eat them.

"Oh God."
"So that explains the pile of bodies." Iset asked, "But two more?"
"They are on their biggest hunt to date."
Aten said, "The King!"
"Who must the other person be?"
"The only man more powerful than his highness!"