It was night in the shadows of the fires. Unbeknownst to the tent of the pharaoh came a black woman in a veil. Her hunched back and trembling hands gave out an advanced age. The face was stained with dust, covering the deep wrinkles around the eyes that sparkled like coals, reflected in the glare of the flames of the fires.
«You are an old wretch!» shouted in the Egyptian dialect to her one of the two guards standing at the entrance to the tent of the pharaoh.
«Tell Avletu that the nurse of Cleopatra, Onisia, wants to talk to him.» Squeaky voice with a Persian accent answered the woman.
The guard hesitated for a moment, and then went into the tent.
Avlet at that time was flushing dust from his face. He leaned over the copper basin, and his neck was watered with water from a golden jug by a white slave. The king snorted, splashing water on the carpet in all directions. The guard waited patiently. Finally Avet took the towel from the hands of a servant, wiped himself and only now drew attention to the guard.
What do you have Dionysius, say, Im listening to you?
«Oh, Divine Son of Heaven, an old slave to Cleopatras nurse wants to go to you.» «Low bowing,» and leaning on one knee, the guard said, not lifting his bowed head from the carpet that covered the clay soil in the tent.
«What is her name?» Asked severely.
She called herself Onesia. Answered Dionysius.
Avtet picked up his ears. The name of the captain of the Roman military ship «Aphrodite», whose name was Onisii, was remembered. In memory arose a tall, strong physique of the captain. The swarthy eagle profile of this battle-hardened warrior inspired respect and confidence to Pharaoh when the proconsul of Rome Gnaeus Pompey took his and Cleopatras care and ferried them to the Aphrodite from Syria to Naples, the captain made a good impression on Ptolemy.
«Surely this is the captain sent by Pompey, with some important secret report, this forced him to come to me in the image of my daughters nonexistent wet-nurse.» In the ear loudly ordered:
«Tell him to come in!» Pharaohs loud voice sounded so that he could be heard and behind the tent.
Hearing the name of the wet nurse, Cleopatra ran out of the half-closed tent, dressed in a snow-white Roman tunic.
«My father never had a wet nurse.» I was breastfed by my mother! Said the daughter with alarm, with astonishment, trying to speak as quietly as possible, almost in a whisper.
«Do not worry, daughter, this is my confidant with a report. Pharaoh answered, trying to calm her. At this time, a hunched, dry, old age of a short, almost dwarfish woman entered the tent. She looked around with a guarded and piercing gaze and stared at the princess. Ptolemy began to look at him with surprise. And then, deciding to satisfy his curiosity with the unexpected appearance of an unfamiliar guest, he gestured for his daughter to go to her own half. Cleopatra was extremely surprised at this visit, but fears did not leave her, even when Avlet told her who Actius was in fact. The life of Cleopatra in the palace, where there was a conspiracy and betrayal in her family. And now, without informants, it was impossible to save power to her father. With this Cleopatra quickly hid behind the curtain. The Visitors did not say a word until the servant left the tent. As soon as the last servant left the bedchamber of the pharaoh, the woman took off her veil, rubbed soot from her face with the palm of her hand, and a lean, tanned, copper-tinged skin, a short man appeared before Avelt. Under the burqa on it were clothes and equipment of an Egyptian warrior, on his chest hung a strange amulet on a black leather lace.
«Greetings, Ptolemy. Putting his right hand to his chest, and bowing low, began to speak entered. I am sent to you by the sky to secure your way to the Oracle of Amon Ra. My name is Kshatra, I am a priest of the temple of the god Shiva Nataraja, which is in Hindustan. I am here because you are making a pilgrimage to the temple of Amun to priests, ancestors, who were asuras and demons. They were expelled from the lands of India. Im here to protect the Ptolemaic family from the designs of ill-wishers, encroaching on your throne. I follow with your caravan from Mersa Matruh. On the way I had a chance to look at all of those who accompanied you. I did not notice any enemies. Be still, your way is safe. «Again,» Kshatr bowed.
Avlet threw him a wet canvas of soft linen:
«Kshatra, wipe your face, its soiled with soot, like a demon from a land of shadows on the bank of Styx.» Kshatr, having caught a damp cloth on the fly, wiped the soot from his face: «I see that you come from the south of Egypt and will not give yourself away as a foreigner.» But, the fact that you are a priest, I see no evidence. Avet paused, expressively measuring the stranger from head to foot with his gaze. «You came here as a guest, and my path in the sanctuary of Amon Ra should not be overshadowed by anything, so I leave you life.» I believe that the god Amon Ra sent you to make my way successful, it is a sign from above. Tell servants who cook food, let them feed you.
«Oh, the governor of the god Amon Ra on earth, do not stand your divine concern for me, Im not hungry. And here is what I am commanded to give to you the powerful heavenly powers guarding your path to the Oracle sanctuary, this amulet opening the way to the tomb of Alexander the Great and to his untold riches of the labyrinth under the land of the temple of Amun Ra. With these words Kshatr, took off the amulet and handed it to Ptolemy. Pharaoh put the gift of Kshatra on his palm, carefully examined it. It was a metal key made of unfamiliar material. On one side of the key is fixed a plate with notches in the form of small protrusions. From the opposite, the holder rests against a semicircle fixed by the middle convex part in the groove of the rod-holder. Ptolemy drew attention to the scrapping of the edge of this semicircle, it looked as if someone had deliberately broken off half the mug from the key holder
Avlet looked inquiringly at Kshatra, weighing his true intentions in his mind. A tanned, almost dark shade of skin gave him the appearance of a resident from the headwaters of the Nile. And did not produce the impression of a temple servant, Lord Shiva Nataraja from the land of Hindustan. Ksatr hastened to say:
This key will give you respect for the Oracle, power and wealth, which the rulers of Egypt did not yet know, oh, the great governor of the god Zeus-Amon on earth.
«Oh, yes, that would be useful, because I need money right now because of which the troubles in Egypt are brewing.» Pharaoh thought, he said aloud, How will you continue to carry out your mission? letting him of greatness and importance, spoke, letting the guest understand that he was accepted into the caravan.
«Theres no point in staying with you.» It will be useful if I go out to the oasis tonight and find out and investigate everything you need to know for your safe stay in the capital of Agurmi oasis Amun. «Having said this, Ksatr looked expectantly at Pharaohs eyes. Avlette was silent. He put on his neck an amulet, he hid it on his chest, began to consider the alien thoughtfully. He was amazed by the proud posture and boldness in the look of piercing black eyes, as he looked directly at Pharaoh, that commoners and servants and soldiers from his guard could not afford. He was a free and independent man, his behavior with the ruler of Egypt, one gesture that was enough to make the head of this frail man with a sudden appearance flew from his shoulders, spoke of this, a night visitor, even a hint of hostility to the untouchable person of the king. The pause was prolonged, Pharaoh continued, silently looking at the visitor. And then he said slowly: