Finding a way

Sick of seeing their people abused, a small group decides to work together to find a way to end the oppression.

Treason, they would call it. Meeting in secret, trying to find a way to overthrow their leaders and change the way the nation was run. For all intents and purposes, the name would be accurate. If they were caught, they would be imprisoned, tortured and publicly executed. For the four in question, faces illuminated by the flickering flame casting a dim light throughout the stone chamber as they spoke in hushed voices, the reward was well worth the risk… For what bigger treason could there be, than surrendering your nation to the control of another?

The day Kemet bowed to Roma a great conflict came to an end, and many were relieved; celebrant, even. As proud as the people were of their nation, the constant bloodshed had worn them down until there seemed to be almost nothing left. By the end, it didn’t matter how the war ended; only that it was done. Roma seized control of the land and the people, stationing a great number of its Legionnaire army within their walls to keep watch and pass down the Emperor’s orders.

These Legionnaires were often callous and cruel, taking whatever they wanted and attacking any who tried to stop them. The women were in constant danger of being assaulted, the children abducted, and the men murdered and left where they fell. The people of Kemet were no longer people to the Legionnaires, if they ever were. They were toys and tools, nothing more.

Many grew to accept the new order of their lives, whether they agreed with it or not. It was only a matter of time, though, before somebody tried to change things. Through the years, many had shown their defiance, and been struck down for it, their punishments growing more and more severe as the Empire’s patience waned.

Finally, after seeing their parents cut down in the field for the simple crime of a bad crop, two brothers from the city of Nusast decided they’d had enough. They hardened their spirits and knuckled down, working harder than ever so they would never meet the same fate… But when they were alone, they prepared; Abanoub, the older of the pair, worked on improving his physical strength and tempering a calm resolve. His younger brother, Nour, focused more intently on increasing his knowledge and sharpening his wit, though he allowed his fiery spirit to run rampant in his core.

While Abanoub tested the limits of his body, Nour would explore ancient crypts and tombs, solving riddles and searching for something, anything, that could help them.

Naturally, the passage of time took its course, and the brothers grew into formidable young men. They endured all that came their way, and never lost sight of their dream. Even when they seemed to be settling down, having both met and married beautiful women, they never stopped. Instead, their wives joined their cause, filling in the blanks with their charm, though not without their own strength and wit. 

They even brought a fifth member into the group, though this other member was more there as a servant; a young girl, rescued from a life in the slave trade. Servants and slaves were both forced to serve, of course, but slaves were treated considerably differently; as far from human as human could be - essentially the same as the Legionnaires treated all Kemetian people.

For Mertrashida, the servant in question, the difference was everything - but the very concept of claiming possession over another human being appalled her. She was at least fortunate, or perhaps less unfortunate, to be the servant of Rana, Nour’s wife; Rana was a kind and gentle young woman, and the truth of the matter was that she had saved Mertrashida’s life when she took her in off the streets, and cared for her considerably more than any other would. She never even gave the girl orders that she would consider too strenuous, stressful or dangerous, though she often found Mertrashida assisting other slaves and servants with such tasks anyway. 

When asked, Mertrashida simply said that she couldn’t sit back comfortably and watch the others take on so much work. Hearing this left Rana with a strange sense of pride; the pair had gained a respect and affection for eachother that was largely unheard of in their particular form of relationship.

It was due to this bond that Rana had insisted on Mertrashida’s presence during the midnight meetings. Nour had no opinion on the matter; that summarized his feelings on the girl in general. Abanoub was against it, having no trust or positivity toward Mertrashida, and his own wife, Tanit, was so enthralled by him that she agreed with anything he said. WHen Abanoub scornfully refused to allow Mertrashida to join them, Tanit jumped at the chance to show her approval for his decision, taunting the servant. Still, it was eventually decided that Mertrashida would be present, only because the use of a servant to cater to their needs would leave the four free to discuss their plans with less interruptions. After all, Abanoub had already insisted that some of his friends among the Kemetian Guard keep watch outside of the chamber, to deter any trespassers or eavesdroppers, so one servant to tend to their needs wasn’t so much to ask.

As long as she kept her mouth shut, did as she was told, and didn’t get in the way, she would be fine. Being a servant, this was exactly what she was used to anyway, and her respect and appreciation for Rana, along with her distaste and fear of the Legionnaires, ensured that she would never betray so much as a hint of what they were up to.

The meetings were usually mere discussions of Roma’s grip on Kemet, and the atrocities of the Legionnaires, along with the changes the four would make when they finally figured out a way to seize control. The time came, though, when Nour had been absent for several weeks, only to return with a certain fire in his eyes, covered in dust and his clothes a dishevelled mess. He quietly informed the others that he’d found something that he needed to discuss with them that night, and spirits were high among the group. Even Mertrashida was excited, though she had always been nervous of the consequences of the group gaining too significant a foothold. 

Nour kept even Rana in the dark during the rest of the day, adamant that she would find out in due time with the rest of the group. There was, he insisted, far too much to discuss, and far too high a risk that they would be overheard. He was utterly convinced that he’d found the answer to all of their doubts and fears, so she didn’t press the issue any further.

The day passed slowly for all involved, as they impatiently waited out the light so they could finally meet. Nour was almost giddy with excitement as the sky darkened, and the others had begun to match his energy. Clearly, whatever he’d found, it was beyond significant, and was enough to turn things around once and for all.

Mertrashida continued with her duties and with assisting the other servants and slaves. She’d decided to keep herself busy and distracted as long as possible, even after she’d run through all of her tasks. Eventually, once the sun had fully set, Rana called her away, intstructing Mertrashida to follow her to her quarters. Throwing a damp rag to the girl, Rana couldn’t help the corners of her mouth lifting into an almost imperceptible smile. 

‘It’s time. Clean yourself up and get changed. I’ll be waiting outside.’

Mertrashida peeled off her dirty clothes and threw them aside, then used the damp rag to wipe herself clean. She focused primarily on her face and hands, where the majority of the dirt and dust had stuck, and where she most needed to be clean for the meeting. After that, she grabbed the change of clothes Rana had left for her, a plain tunic and shenti loincloth. Picking up her old clothes, she bundled them together with the rag and walked outside, handing them off to another servant outside before turning to Rana.

‘I am ready, mistress Rana.’

Rana nodded, instructing the girl to follow as she turned and began to walk away.

‘The others are waiting, but I sent some drinks ahead to keep them occupied. From what I understand, Nour’s discovery is great cause for celebration, and I have insisted that you be allowed just one drink with us. The rest of the night will carry out as normal, and you will still be expected to be ready to serve. Do not let me regret this,’ Rana warned, leading Mertrashida along the familiar path out of the city of Nusast, into the desert beyond. 

The entrance to the crypt was as dark as ever; it had been long abandoned during construction, having been deemed too dangerous a location. The four had decided to keep the entrance unlit, to reduce the chance of random curious visitors, and even the interior passageways were scarcely lit, with no torches in the first few passageways, either. After a few corners, though, the stone tunnels were well-lit, something that Mertrashida was especially thankful for; having to cart supplies through the tunnels would be a nightmare if she couldn’t see where to go.

The pair made their way through the stone passageways, guided by the flickering light of the flames. After some time, they finally reached the entrance to the meeting chamber, guarded by four large men. Rana nodded at one of them, the unofficial leader of the group by the name of Adil. Mertrashida kept her eyes focused on Rana’s heels as she always did, and did not meet Adil’s gaze or greet him as Rana did. Her job entailed keeping to herself, and she was good at it.

Once she was in the chamber, though, she was free to look around. The other three, sitting around a small round table, cheered when they saw Rana and lifted their cups in toast. Rana made room for Mertrashida to sit between herself and Tanit, and placed before it two empty cups and the jug of alcohol they had been drinking from.

Mertrashida paused, having always been made to stand and wait in the chamber. She had never been allowed to sit with them, formally or casually. Tonight was indeed a truly special occasion.

Sliding into her seat quickly so as not to cause offense, Mertrashida poured Rana’s drink first and handed it over, before pouring her own. She made sure to fill it as much as she could, knowing such opportunities were simply unheard of. 

‘So, we’re all here now. What’s this about?’ Rana asked, taking her first drink.

Nour waved her off. 

‘Give it a minute, you just sat down. Celebrate with us!’ He winked, taking anothe rmouthful of his own.

‘Easy for you to say,’ Abanoub complained, draining the last of his cup. ‘You’re the only one who knows the very thing we’re all waiting to hear!’ He passed his cup to Tanit, he set it down before Mertrashida, the meaning clear. She refilled the cup and passed it back carefully, before taking her own cup in her hands. 

‘Although, I must admit,’ Abanoub continued, smirking at Mertrashida, ‘I’m itching to see how the girl handles her drink… Fine, I can wait.’

Tanit nodded eagerly, leaning into her husband, and Rana sighed. 

‘Fine, let’s just drink first. Go on, ‘Shida. Take a sip.’

Mertrashida felt all their eyes on her as she lifted the cup to her lips. Taking in a mouthful, she found herself quite surprised by the taste. It was half fruity and half bitter, which came to a strange, strong mix that she found almost grew stronger and sharper as it sat on her tongue. Eyes widening, she gulped it down and stared down at her cup.

‘And that,’ Rana explained, ‘is what wine tastes like. What do you think?’

Mertrashida cocked her head and ran her tongue around her mouth, collecting the last of the flavour. 

‘I like it!’

Abanoub laughed, a deep booming laugh that echoed around the chamber. 

‘I should hope so! That wasn’t easy to get, and it wasn’t cheap. It’d be a damn shame for it to go to waste on somebody who doesn’t appreciate it.’

‘I do appreciate it. Thank you.’

Abanoub waved her thanks off, turning to Rana.

‘You’ve raised her well, I must admit. You could almost be her actual mother,’ he chuckled, taking another drink. Tanit timed her drink with his but stayed silent, and Nour sipped away at his own while his eyes flickered mischeviously among the group.

Rana smiled lightly.

‘I suppose we are a bit closer than most… If Nour and I ever have children of our own, perhaps Mertrashida will have turned out to be good practice. Speaking of which, what of you two? Have you decided yet whether you want any?’

Tanit looked down at her drink while Abanoub paused.

‘I’m… Open to the idea,’ he responded, his town soured. ‘Tanit is not so sure…’

For the first time since Mertrashida had entered the room, Tanit began to speak.

‘My mother died birthing me. I’m afraid I’ll do the same and leave Abanoub and our children alone.’

Rana nodded thoughtfully before apologising.

‘I see… Sorry to have brought it up,’ she offered, taking another drink.

Mertrashida followed suit, drinking down another mouthful, while Abanoub reassured Tanit and Rana that all was fine. Nour passed his empty cup along and Mertrashida quickly filled it, before gulping down much of what was left of her own. From the dwindling weight of the jug, she would need to bring them something else to drink soon, and wanted to make the most out of her rare opportunity while she could. 

Nour saw her drinking and chuckled, but said nothing. 

‘Alright, on that note, I think we should get down to business,’ he suggested.

‘Finally!’ His brother proclaimed, as the group focused their attention on him. 

Nour rummaged inside of his tunic and pulled out a roll of parchment, which he waved in the air. 

‘This here is the answer to all of our problems. Getting the Legionnaires out of Kemet is child’s play compared to what we’ll really be able to do,’ he teased.

‘Go on, then, what is it?’ Abanoud asked.

‘Yeah, what is it?’ Tanit mirrored.

Rana stayed silent, sipping at her drink, and Mertrashida followed suit, downing the last of her cup. Nour looked over at her once more. 

‘Done? I need you to wipe the table, right here in front of me. Clean and dry.’

Abanoub groaned at the delay, and Mertrashida hurriedly rose from her seat, taking a rag from a pile she had prepared on a previous visit. She vigorously wiped the table down, noting that there was a significant amount of wine spilled all over the surface. 

Once he had enough space cleared, Nour waved Mertrashida off, and she returned to her seat to pour a new drink for Tanit, noticing the empty cup in front of her.

‘According to old lady Erna,’ Nour continued, referring to a local woman seen as something of an Oracle as he unrolled the parchment, ‘this is going to make us Gods.’

Gods?! Was he serious?

Not a soul breathed after hearing those words. The implications of what Nour had just said were massive… Incomprehensible, even. They’d expected him to find something he could use against the Legion itself, some sort of blueprint to their capital or their machines of war… Perhaps even the recipe for a serum to increase their own strength, sure… But something that would turn them into Gods?

‘Bah!’ Abanoub scoffed, breaking the silence. ‘There is no such power,’ he mocked disdainfully, before chugging down the rest of his drink. ‘There are no Gods.’ He slid his cup to Mertrashida, who quickly refilled it. ‘This has all been a waste of time… And wine,’ he added, noticing that the last of the jug had been emptied into his cup. He tilted his head toward the door as he met Mertrashida’s gaze, and she immediately stood and made her way out.

‘You misunderstand me, brother. I do not mean the Gods as we know them. I simply mean…’

That was all she heard before she left the chamber, the thick stone blocking the noise.

What could Nour have meant? If only the wine hadn’t run out just yet, she could’ve listened to more. Still, if she hurried, she could make it back before she missed too much. In fact, she might be able to surprise the others by calling in a favor… After all, she’d spent a lot of time helping other servants and slaves when she hadn’t a need to, and she was often offered by them and their masters to call on them if she needed something within their power.

Fortunately, the crypt wasn’t all that far from Nusast, and she didn’t need to travel very far into the city to find what she was looking for.

It seemed like almost no time at all had passed before Mertrashida was making her way back through the stone tunnels, greeting Abanour’s friends at the door and entering the chamber, a fresh jug of wine in each hand.

Whatever the others were discussing, the conversation broke immediately upon noticing that somebody was entering, but they relaxed once they recognised the servant, though the air had become thick with tension, and Rana was looking rather pale. Abanoub was the first to notice the wine, standing up straight upon sight.

‘Woah, there! Where did you get that much?’ He asked suspiciously, eyeing the servant. ‘Did you steal it? Ahh, no matter... Come, sit.’ 

Mertrashida smiled lightly and moved back to her seat. Four empty cups quickly joined her own, and she refilled all but hers; Rana kept her hand covering it. 

‘Well? Did you steal it?’ She asked, narrowing her eyes.

‘No, mistress. The man who prepares it keeps insisting he owes me for helping him, so I took him up on it.’

Rana nodded, removing her hand.

‘Go on, then. I did say one cup, but this wine is yours. Drink as you wish.’

Mertrashida nodded happily and filled her own cup, realising that the others were quietly watching the exchange, save for Abanoub; he truly didn’t care where the wine came from, and was clearly all too happy to drink it, considering he was nearly finished with his cup already.

‘So, girl, get this,’ he began, placing his cup down on the table. ‘Little Nour thinks he found a way to give us all powers. What do you think of that?’ He asked, his face expressionless but his eyes betraying a spark of amusement.

‘It sounds like something out of a story, if I’m being honest,’ she admitted. Abanoub nodded. 

‘Smart girl. That’s what I thought, too… But dear little Nour has been searching for a long time, and he’s convinced this is the real deal, so we’re going to give it a try. That parchment of his is pretty detailed, too; it doesn’t just tell us what we need to do, it even tells us what kind of powers we can choose… Rana here thinks we should let you pick one, too...’

Mertrashida was stunned. Her bond with Rana was great, but she never imagined being offered a gift such as that. She looked around at the four pairs of eyes on her, feeling a little overwhelmed and uncomfortable. Swallowing, she looked up at Rana and nodded. 

‘I would be honored, mistress.’

Abanoub interjected before anything more could be said.

‘Granted, this depends on several things. You’ve been keeping quiet as ordered, and that is the first condition. Next, you must help us prepare for the… Ritual, and assist with carrying it out. Last of all, you’d damn well better remain trustworthy.’

Mertrashida nodded solemnly at his words.

‘I understand. I will do as you’ve instructed.’

She looked around at the group, noticing that they all seemed pleased. Rana especially, for she couldn’t help but smile lightly. 

‘May I ask what kind of powers the parchment described?’

‘In time,’ Nour answered, passing his cup along to be filled; Abanoub did the same. ‘For now, though, we have this unexpected gift of wine, and I can think of just one thing to do with it,’ he smirked. ‘After today, we will have to carry out some construction to be ready for the ritual… But a year from now, if Nour is right, we’ll have the strength we need to drive Roma’s Legionnaires from our land once and for all… Perhaps even go and teach them a lesson, while we’re at it,’ he grinned darkly.

The discussion was over for the rest of the meeting, and the five of them drank cheerfully. Mertrashida quickly found herself getting rather drunk, and was a source of great amusement for the others, along with perhaps a little concern for Rana. Even the guards outside were called in for a cup, before being sent on their way home. With the discussion concluded, there was no real need for them to stay any longer. 

When the jugs were emptied and the five were ready to walk, they carefully made their way outside. Mertrashida stumbled a little, and Rana helped her remain upright as she walked her to her personal quarters. 

‘Mistress?’ Mertrashida began, her voice slurred, as Rana lay her down on her cot.

‘Yes, ‘Shida?’ Rana answered.

‘Thank you for including me,’ Mertrashida finished, fading away into sleep.

Rana paused, staring down at the girl with a sullen look on her face.

‘You’re welcome…’ 

She left the room a few moments later, her last whispered words still hanging on her mind.

‘... And I’m sorry, little ‘Shida.’