Compared to the rest of the barracks the commander’s five roomed quarters were luxurious and having no family he had them all to himself.
‘ I’ve had a bed made up for you here, commander Ayi, I hope it will be comfortable enough for you.’
‘Thank you, I’m sure it will be and between the two of us I think we can do away with the commander bit, Khety.’
‘In that case Ayi, I invite you to dine with me. Shall we go through? My servants have prepared a meal, it is quite a simple one I’m afraid.’
The table had been laid out under the shade trees in the garden and while Khety insisted that it was simple fare, the spread that included, besides the staples, chicken, duck and desert hare, with sweet meats to follow, looked pretty good to Ayi. The wine being Syrian was exceptionally good too.
During the meal, prompted by Khety, Ayi described in detail Tuti, Abba and Hann’s part in the capture of the Desert Hawk’s and their leader the renegade Nomarch.
‘Your officers seem to be exceptional young men,’ said Khety when the tale was at an end.
By now with the meal and half a skin of wine consumed between them the two men had become comfortable with each other and Ayi judged that now was the time to tell Khety the reason for his visit.
‘They are indeed special, so special that I have the Pharaoh’s permission to bring them here and make a request of you.’ Ayi said, as he reached into his cloak and produced the royal seal given to him by the Pharaoh.
‘This gives you permission to demand anything you want and I cannot refuse.’
‘True, but what I propose is beyond the norm and I would prefer to make it a request, which gives you the opportunity to refuse, should you feel unable to arrange what I request.’
‘Well I’ll say this, you certainly know how raise a mans curiosity; come on, out with it man.’
Ayi smiled at Khety’s impatient tone and wondered how he would react to his request, even as he blurted it out, ‘My officers wish to take part in one on one combat.’
‘They could do that anywhere in the land. Why here?’
‘Because of who they are, and the fact that the contests are to be to the death.’
There a sharp hiss as Khety took a breath, then silence a he mulled things over before speaking, ‘I still ask why here? The Pharaoh could order anyone to fight them and none dare refuse.’
‘Ah, there is a problem with that. How can I put it?Abba, Tuti and Hann are not the true names of the officers in question and if their names were known, none would dare harm them for fear of the Pharaohs wrath.’
‘Maybe that would be as well, if they are so important as to make people fear the wrath of the Pharaoh.’
‘Yes, but the young men themselves insist that the fights are truly to the death and the Pharaoh for reasons of his own has agreed to that without fear or favour. So here I am in a place where none can possibly know who they are, requesting three opponents to fight my men to the death.’
‘Regardless of who they are, I couldn’tpossibly, nor would I want to order any of my men to take part in such a contest.’
‘And that is precisely why I made it a request, but are you sure none of you men would volunteer for such a fight.’
‘I’m sure… no wait there may be one who might, given the right incentive.’
‘And what would that incentive be?’
‘Discharge from the army and a bounty to take back to his village in Nubia.’
‘Ah, I see, you mean Ibhet, the big Nubian trouble maker, and you are prepared to let him fight?’
‘I am, to be honest Ihbet hates it here and is always fighting with the other men. He’s a vicious fighter who will kill one day and I shall only have to execute him in the end. So yes I think it is better to give him this chance.’
‘That is one now there is only two more needed, is there no one else you can think of?’
‘None unless you count the two Libyans due for execution tomorrow and surely you wouldn’t want to give them the chance of freedom?’
‘Why not? Let’s ask them.’
The next morning Khety had the Nubian brought before him and he accepted the proposition with a grin. Next the Libyans were brought up from the pit and were given a choice that was no choice at all. Be executed forthwith or take part in a fight to the death, with freedom as the prize should they win. They of course took the second option and the contests were set for three days hence.
When Abba was released Tuti and Hann took him to the cookhouse for breakfast and they had barely finished eating when they were ordered to attend the fort commander in his office. There, commander Ayi gave them news of the forthcoming contests and informed them of the choice of opponents.
‘The Nubian is mine,’ cried Abba, stating his claim before anyone else had the chance to draw a breath.
‘Well, in that case Hann I’ll give you first pick of the other two,’ said Tuti.
‘That is kind of you, I’ll have the one with the big nose.’
‘But they’ve both got … ha, ha, very funny. I that case I’ll take the one … ’
‘Stop this foolishness at once,’ said commander Ayi. ‘ It is no laughing matter. These men will be fighting for their lives, as will you, so I suggest that you spend the next two days honing you skills in preparation and I strongly advise you to keep off the drink too.’
This last remark was directed at them all, but his eyes came to rest on Abba, who squirmed uncomfortably under their stare.
Tuti Abba and Hann spent the next two days on the edge of the desert at the far side of the oasis, away from prying eyes. There they practiced from dawn to noon and again in cool of the evenings in preparation for the contests. Having asked to face their opponents in a fight to the death, they now realised that they must give themselves every advantage for in such a contest there was an even chance that they could be the ones to die.
Back in the fort the Nubian and the two Libyans were given the same opportunity to practice, albeit under the watchful eyes of armed guards in the case of the Libyans. All three however declined. Such was their confidence in their own fighting abilities that they were certain that they could easily overcome a trio of wet behind the ears boys. Even though the Libyans were enemies, in the interest of fairness commander Khety ordered that they be allowed out of the pit for exercise twice a day and be fed the same food as the rest of the garrison. As to the Nubian, freed from the pit and excused duties until after the contest, he spent his time bragging to anyone who would listen, about how he would annihilate the big, snotty, young officer.
