The Oasis by Pauline Gedge

Author:Pauline Gedge
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: PENGUIN GROUP (CANADA)
Published: 2011-05-10T00:21:04.031000+00:00

10

AT DAWN the men were roused and told to eat and drink. They did so quietly, each turned inward upon his own thoughts as the time of battle drew nearer. Some prayed. Others fingered amulets or charms while they stowed the remainder of their rations and tightened their sandals.

An officer appeared and to Ramose’s great relief severed the thong that had bound him to the soldier. The feeling of freedom did not last long, however. Curtly he was told to accompany the man to the front ranks, where Kethuna already stood in his chariot behind his charioteer, his squadron around him. New sunlight flashed on the spokes of the vehicles as the restless little horses shuffled and tossed their plumed heads. Already the boulder-strewn desert gave off a blinding glare. Ramose shaded his eyes as he looked up at the General. Kethuna surveyed him impassively for a moment. “My orders are to set you in the forefront of my troops,” he said. “I am commanded to do no more than that. If you are recognized by the foe before you are killed, then so much the better for you. But if I discover that you have lied to the One or misrepresented the situation here at the oasis, I am to execute you at once. Walk beside the horses.” For answer Ramose bowed and took his place in front of the chariot. Outwardly calm, his thoughts seethed. There would, of course, be no one to give battle. The oasis would be barren of soldiers. Would Kethuna blame him, or would he simply presume that they had set out too late to intercept Kamose as he moved towards a siege of Het-Uart, and it would be up to Pezedkhu to engage his combined army along the Nile? Would there be an opportunity to disappear into one of the villages in the oasis during the first moments of confusion? The word to march was being shouted down the lines and the standards were being raised. Ramose mentally shrugged. I will not allow myself to hope, he told himself. Today will unfold as the gods desire and with that I will be satisfied.

The chariot began to roll and doggedly Ramose went with it, inhaling the comforting, sane smell of horseflesh and leather. The oasis slowly took form, becoming smudges of green on the ground and haphazard clusters of palms against the blue sky. Nothing moved out there where the horizon shook in waves of heat. Ramose’s responsibilities as a scout had been carried out along this track and he saw that the tents once sprouting at this northerly approach had gone. The horses stumbled as they trod the sharp gravel that lay black and glinting under their hoofs. The charioteer spoke to them soothingly. The sound of the thousands of men behind was a low susurration of footfalls.

For perhaps two hours they marched, while the oasis grew and continued to fill their vision. It lay silent and peaceful. No cries of warning echoed from its limpid palms.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.