Morning Star

  For day after day, for week after week, for month after month, theymarched southward and westward across the Desert, and in the centreof their host, mounted upon camels, rode Tua and Asti veiled. Once thehillmen attacked them in a defile of some rugged mountains, but theybeat them back, and once there was a great battle with other tribes ofthe wilderness, who, hearing that they had a goddess among them, soughtto capture her for themselves. These tribes also they defeated withslaughter, for when the fight hung in the balance Tua herself headed thecharge of her horsemen, and at the sight of her in her white robes theenemy fled amazed. Once also they camped for two whole months in anoasis, waiting till rain should fall, for the country beyond lackedwater. At length it came, and they went on again, on and on over theendless lands, till on a certain night they pitched their tent upon ahill.

  At the first brightening of the dawn Tua and Asti went out, and there,beneath them, near to the banks of a great river, which they knew forthe Nile, they saw the pyramids and the temples of Napata the Golden,the southern city of Amen, and thanked the gods who had brought themhere in safety.

  While they still gazed upon its glories in the red light of the risingsun the captain of the desert men appeared, and bowed before them.

  "Divine Lady," he said, "woman or goddess, whichever you may be, we havefulfilled the command given to us by Kepher, the ancient King of theWilderness. Beneath you lies Napata whither we have journeyed throughso many weary months, but we would draw no nearer to its walls, who fromgeneration to generation are sworn not to enter any city save in war.Lady, our task is done, and our men murmur to be led back to their ownplace, where their wives and children await them, ere, thinking that weare enemies, the people of Napata sally forth to attack us."

  "It is well," answered Tua. "I thank you and the gods shall give youyour reward. Leave us, and go back to your homes, but before you go,take a gift from me."

  Then she sent for the gold that they had gathered in their tradingin the city of Tat, and gave it to be divided among them, a great andprecious treasure. Only the pearls she kept, with a little of the gold.So the captains saluted her, and in the mists of the morning they andtheir swarthy host stole away, and soon were hidden in a cloud of dust.

  From the backs of their camels Tua and Asti watched them go like a dreamof the night. Then with no word spoken between them, for their lips weresealed with hope and wonder, wrapping themselves in their dark cloaks,they rode down to the highway by the banks of the Nile, which led to thewalls of Napata. Mingling with other travellers, they passed through theField of Pyramids, and coming to the beautiful northern gate that wascovered over with gold, waited there, for this gate was not yet opened.A woman who led three asses laden with green barley and vegetables,which she purposed to sell in the market-place, fell into talk withthem, asking them whence they came.

  Asti answered, from the city of Meroe, adding that they were singers anddealers in pearls.

  "Then you have come to the right place," answered the woman, "for pearlsare rare at Napata, which is so far from the sea; also it is said thatthe young King loves singing if it be good."

  "The young King?" asked Asti. "What is his name, and where is the oldking?"

  "You cannot have dwelt long in Meroe, Strangers," answered the womansuspiciously, "or you would know that the old King dwells with Osirisbeneath yonder pyramid, where the general of the Pharaoh of Egypt,he who rules here now, buried him after the great battle. Oh! it is astrange story, and I do not know the rights of it who sell my stuff andtake little heed of such things. But at the last high Nile before onethis general came with three thousand soldiers of Egypt, and the bodyof the Prince of Kesh, whom it seems he had slain somewhere, it is saidbecause both of them sought the favour of the Queen of Egypt. As theytell, this was the command of that Queen--that he should submit himselfto the King of Napata to be judged for his crime. This he did, and theKing in his fury commanded that he should be hanged from the mast of thesacred boat of Amen. The general answered that he was ready to be hangedif the King could hang him. Then there was a war between the people ofNapata and the Egyptians, aided by many of the soldiers of the city whohated their master and rebelled against his rule, which was ever cruel.The end of it was that the Egyptians and the rebels won, and the Kinghaving fallen in the fight, they crowned the Egyptian general in hisplace.

  "His name?--Oh, I forget it, he has so many, but he is a goodly man tolook at, and all love him although he is mad. See, the gates are open atlast. Farewell," and dragging her asses by the halter, the peasant womanmingled with the crowd and was gone.

  Tua and Asti also mingled with the crowd, and rode on up a wide streettill they came to a square planted round with trees, on one side ofwhich was built a splendid palace. Here they halted their camels, notknowing whither they should go, and as they stood irresolute the gatesof the palace opened and through them came a body of horsemen clad inarmour.

  "See the writing on their shields," whispered Asti.

  Tua looked and read, and lo! there in the royal cartouche was her ownname, and after it new titles--Queen of the Upper and the Lower Land,Opener of the Gates of the South, Divine Lady of Napata by grace ofAmen, Father of the Gods.

  "It seems that I have subjects here," she murmured, "who elsewhere havenone," then ceased.

  For now through the gate rode one mounted on a splendid horse, whoseshape seemed familiar to her even while he was far away.

  "Who is that?" faltered Tua.

  "My heart tells me it is Rames my son," answered Asti, grasping at hersaddle-rope.