Stolen From Time

Kyah

Kyah ran through sandstone streets her breath panting in uneven gasps. Next to her was Bayak, her closest friend and ally. His breathing was a little more even. His size might be considerably greater than her, but she had to admit he handled short bursts of speed far better than her. Being almost half his size her abilities lay in more cross country running or mounted getaways - none of this caught red handed and fleeing for her life type business.

Behind the two modest athletes were Medjay shouting for them to stop. Luckily, their heavy weapons and armour caused them to lag a safe distance from Kyah and Bayak. Though, their long bronze khopesh did well at making up that distance.

'What have you done to make them so mad, Penu?'

Kyah sucked in a laugh, a stitch forming mercilessly under her ribs. 'Me? Why I can't think of anything, Mahes.' She replied with her most convincing innocent act, shrugging her shoulders as they rounded a corner into another busy street.

Bayak's answering laugh rumbled so deeply, Kyah swore she could feel it in the ground as her feet met the stones. 'You can't think of any reason why the palace guards are chasing us - even through these Gods forsaken streets?'

Kyah adjusted the Hedjet crown that sat too big on her head with a dubious smile. 'Off the top of my head?' She paused, glancing down at the scrappy garments she had worn through and patched up over and over again. 'I cannot think of a thing!'

Bayak's thunderous laugh was even louder this time, the frustratingly contagious kind that leaves everyone around him laughing along. 'Let us hope they do not catch you, Penu. Or they will cut off your head my friend!'

Kyah grinned, picking up what reserves of speed she had. Soon they would reach the river and they could disappear among the watery reeds, so long as no crocodiles were waiting there hungry for flesh of thief. Then they'd be in real trouble.

Bayak and Kyah raced through the city, making impressive time as they reached the outer edge. Past the walls were fields of barley and figs, various vines lined the dirt road and local peasants were working hard as it was still Shemu and the harvest was good this year. The backs of young boys were bent low as they repaired canals ready for Akhet when the Nile would rise and flood the fields. Bayak turned to Kyah grinning devilishly at her before disappearing among the fig trees. The hired Nubian police shouted curses at them from behind and with fingers pressing under her ribs to loosen her breath she followed suit.

Peasants all turned in alarm as a tiny filthy girl wearing a Hedjet dashed past them. Some shook fists in the air, others spat curses, one woman hailed the Goddess Hapi for a sign the Nile would flood early this year. But Kyah did not stop. The Medjay were formidable warriors, everyone knew that. They were more feared to be met in battle than even Sekhmet herself. An arrow zoomed past her, hitting the ground where Kyah was just about to put her foot. Worse than Sekhmet, the Medjay were furious archers, the best in the world. Now she was in trouble.

Filled with exhilaration Kyah made for the river, certain that Bayak had done the same, twisting in and out of fig trees to better prevent being shot. Their meeting point was only a short distance away, the Medjay voices sounded muffled, a single voice louder than the rest shouting orders to return the Hedjet. Fig trees grew sparser as Kyah neared her destination. Papyrus came into view; she breathed a sigh of relief as she could now smell the river water ahead. Still no sign of Bayak but she also had not heard echoes of capture either. Kyah's feet met softer tread as the earth became less dry and hardened by the sun and more soaked in refreshing river water.

The river is here.

Kyah pushed past a fig branch, stepping into ankle deep sun warmed water, she had finally reached the river and allowed herself another breath of relief. Her boat waited tied to a fallen tree a few feet away from where she emerged. As she spotted it, Kyah paused, her breath left her once more as she began to run every possible prayer through her mind, looking at the figure standing next to the Papyrus boat. Though she could hear the Medjay chasing closer, her body would not move.