Four or five hours after they first entered the forest they reached their destination. A group of ramshackle huts stood in a large clearing through which a wide shallow stream ran. To Hanno the huts looked like the temporary shelters you would erect for a few nights or maybe a week, at most. After they had crossed the stream three men came out of the largest shelter and the elder of them spoke, ‘Who’s this you’ve brought my child?’ A strange turn of phrase Hanno thought, and answered since the boy did not, ‘I am Hanno and your boy saved my life.’
The man gave him queer look, until the boy who was behind Hanno nodded, then he chuckled and said, ‘Aye he is a good lad, like his brothers,’ he said inclining his head towards the other younger men. ‘The tallest is Ida and the other is Ehan, I am Annan and the one who saved you my youngest, is Ny. Who I wish to talk to in private.’
While Annan and Ny disappeared into the farthest hut, Ida invited Hanno to sit by the fire and Ehan served him some stew from a pot that sat on the embers. The stew smelt and tasted delicious and contain besides some unidentified root vegetables, chunks of sweet and tender meat. A luxury he had not tasted since night before the battle when they had feasted in celebration of the victory that never came.
As he ate Hanno was aware of what he judged to be an argument going on in the far hut. The voices were raised although not loud enough so that he could understand what was said and he imagined that the father, like his own father would have been, was angry with his young son for putting himself in danger.
What ever the argument was about it was soon over and Annan, Ny and the other young men joined him around the fire. Ny dished out stew all round and then took his to the far hut. ‘Does the boy not eat with you?’ Hanno enquired.
‘Yes normally,’ said Annan. ‘But tonight the...boy has something on his mind,’
They ate for a while in silence, and then when they had finished eating, Ny reappeared, collected the bowls, washed them in the stream and returned not to the far hut but to the centre hut of the three and came back with skin of what turned out to be beer.
Annan took a long swig and the beer must have loosened his throat, because he passed on the skin and began to talk. He explained that he was a Cedar wood dealer from the far side of the mountain. Having completed their quota for the season on the far side he and his family had crossed over and were busy surveying the trees in preparation for felling which would take place on this side of the mountain in the coming season.‘We are middlemen if you like. We negotiate a price with the owners who have the trees felled and trimmed and then we arrange transportation to the coast and sell on the timber there.’
‘A good business to be in, my family is in shipping and the trade in Cedar is buoyant,’ said Hanno.
At the mention shipping Annan’s eyes lit up, in his business you needed, as many connections as you could get maybe this rough looking soldier Ny had rescued would provide another one. ‘Who is your father maybe I’ve traded with him,’ he said.
‘I doubt it. It is a long time since my father has done any face to face trading, he leaves that to his overseers these days.’
‘ Still tell me his name I may have dealt with him in the past.’
‘Very well, his name is Ahab of Tyre.’
Annan who was drinking from the skin began to choke and Ny rushed over and began to thump him on the back as he coughed and spluttered. Eventually when he regained his breath he spoke again, ‘ Sorry my lord I should have known you were no common soldier,’ then seeing the looks of puzzlement on the faces of the others he explained. ‘Our guest in none other than Prince Hanno of Tyre.’
The silence that followed this announcement was broken by Ehan who said, ‘Welcome My Lord.’
‘My Lord,’ echoed Ida.
And Ny’s eyes sparkled as he gave a bow.
Nearby in the darkness beyond the firelight Khaian who had been spying on them, slipped away, he was on his own now, Baas the soldier that had come to his rescue had died of his wounds and there was little he could on his own against five of them. The Shield had slipped from his grasp this time, but he knew now that Hanno was taking it to Tyre and he would return with an army to take it from him.
Embarrassed by the formal greetings from the family, one of whom had saved his life, Hanno said.‘Now that we’ve been formally introduced, I’ll thank you to drop the, My Lord, and Prince, just call me Hanno and hand over the skin before I die of thirst.’
Ida took the skin from his father’s hand and passed it over. ‘My L…’ he began, but seeing Hanno shake his head began again, ‘Hanno why did those men attack you and what is so special about the pack that keep it with you even when you eat.’
‘Ignorant boy hold your tongue,’ hissed Annan, glowering at his son.
Hanno held up his hand to calm him, ‘No Annan, the boy has the right to ask and I will reply.‘From their manner of dress the men who attacked me where soldiers of the Aamu and the only thing they could have been after is the shield of the sun, and that is in the pack.’
‘I’ve never heard of these Aamu and it’s obvious that you’ve been in some kind of battle, but you’ve answered the boy’s question, you need say no more Hanno,’ said Annan.
Hanno considered this for a while and then said, ‘No I think you deserve to know more and it will help me fix things in my mind, so if you wish to listen I will tell you more.’
‘Excellent, I have to admit I’m curious’ said Annan. ‘And there is another skin of beer in the stores to keep us going.’
The skin was passed around, everyone settled down and Hanno began his tale. He told them of growing up in the royal household in the land of Kemet, of his friends Tutimaious and Abbados. Of growing up and returning home, only to return again to help his friend who was now the Pharaoh Tutimaios drive the Aamu from the land of Kemet. He told them of the magical shield of the sun and how it had helped them fight and win three battles. Then he told them how Abbados had betrayed Tutimaious by stealing the shield on the eve of the fourth battle, the destruction of the army and the death of his friend Tutimaios. Finally he told them of his own escape, the death of Abbados and the recovery of the shield.
By the time he had finished talking the skins of beer were empty and he was more than ready for sleep. Annan had allocated him the third shed, so he bade them goodnight and retired to bed. The bed made from ferns that smelt fresh and green was surprisingly comfortable and he fell asleep immediately. While he slept, he dreamed of Tutimaios and he smiled, for in his dream his fiend lived once more.In the morning he spoke to Annan. ‘I would like to thank you for your hospitality. But now I must continue my journey, I need to get the shield to a place of safety.’
‘We discussed this last night after you had gone to bed,’ said Annan, ‘ we feel that you need someone to guide you through the mountains and Ny has volunteered. Once through the mountains, if you take him with you to Tyre I will come to collect him when my business is finished here.’
‘There is no need to go to all that trouble,’ said Hanno. ‘If the boy takes me through the mountains, I can find my own way from there.’
‘Ah, but if you take him with you,’ said Annan, ‘it gives me an excuse to come to Tyre and who knows, maybe I could discuss supplies of Cedar with your father’s overseers.’
Annan wasn’t stupid, he knew that Hanno would be obliged to put in a good word with his father about his assistance and that would stand him in good stead in any dealings with the overseers. It was a crafty move to send the boy, but Hanno couldn’t blame him for that, so he grinned back at him and said, ‘All right then, I’ll see you in Tyre.’
Before they set off after breakfast, Annan handed Hanno a rolled up bearskin and a pack containing besides food, a tinderbox and some dry materials to start a fire. Ny carried a similar pack and bearskin. Annan explained that as they climber higher the air would become colder and they would need both the bearskin and a fire to keep them from freezing at night.Hanno said his goodbyes, Ny hugged his father and brothers and they set off.
