The Falcon Rises (The Desert Queen Book 2) Read online

  The Desert Queen would not be pleased, but I did not serve her. Besides, I was anxious to return to Egypt. What was once court gossip had proven to be true, according to my wife, Inhapi, who was Queen Tadukhipa’s closest confidante. Amenhotep, Father of Egypt, lay dying. As his general I needed to be by his side, not babysitting a minor queen who struck the fancy of old Queen Tiye. I wondered what the Great Wife had in mind for the girl, but I was not one to worry much about such things. Inhapi did that for me. Once I finished oiling my leather, I polished my blade until it gleamed in the firelight. When I left this stinky hole, I would leave as a son of Egypt, not covered in sand and goat dung. I would make my Pharaoh proud. Like all intelligent men, I feared him, but I loved him too. He had been good to me over the years, granting me whatever I wanted. He had proved a crafty and intuitive leader, but battles had been few during his peaceful reign, and I longed for a decent battle. Perhaps that was why this delay seemed so unfair. I hadn’t wet the edge of my blade with the blood of my enemies in some time, except for the necessary executions specifically assigned to me. But what sport was there in lopping off the heads of whining courtiers?

  I tried to share these thoughts with Inhapi, but she did not care to hear them. “Why must you question everything? Amenhotep does you great honor by asking you to do these things.”

  “Yes but I am the general of the Egyptian army—not the chief executioner.”

  Inhapi’s dark eyes flashed at me, and the beads of her expensive wig clicked as she snapped her head around to glare at me. “Then what do you want, Ramose?”

  “An immortal name—as any man does,” I had answered her, but she waved her hand at me as if I were the stupid slave who had arranged her many silk gowns in the wrong order. My wife would never understand my mind, but I did know hers. She had a lovely face, came to the marriage bed with great wealth and was more ambitious than anyone other than Queen Tadukhipa. I agreed with Nebamun. Men were stronger and more intelligent than women, but in matters of wisdom and ambition, the fairer sex far exceeded their male partners. I was often amused and equally annoyed by the conversations Inhapi had with Tadukhipa. I warned them to keep their schemes to themselves, but they merely laughed.

  An intense argument nearby pulled me from my daydreams. I smiled at the sound of the Meshwesh father confronting our soldiers for some conceived wrong. If this continued, I would have to make my suggestion concerning the tribal women an official order. The truth was my men were bored. And when soldiers are bored, they tend to get into mischief. That mischief usually involves drinking excessively or indulging in another sport, women. Because there was not much beer or wine available, the Seventh Legion concentrated on the latter. I warned them to keep their hands to themselves—these desert mongrels would hate to have Egyptian sons-in-law—but these were not boys, and I was not their father. These men had been promised a battle with the Kiffians, a long-hated enemy of the two kingdoms.

  “Greetings, General Ramose.”

  “Horemheb.” I eyed the Meshwesh king suspiciously. Here was another one I could do without. “Do you bring an order from your Desert Queen?”

  I pretended not to notice his grimace. I could read him well enough to know what he thought about the girl who ruled over him. He was a proud man and had schemed greatly to get the advantage over his brother—all to have the kingdom stolen from him by his own niece. And not the niece he intended either. I found great humor in that and did not bother to hide my amusement.

  “I am not a messenger, Ramose. I do not deliver orders.”

  I grinned and slid my sword into its sheath and set it beside me. “My apologies, then. Why have you come, Horemheb?” The tall man dawdled about as if I could discern his thoughts by merely watching him shift his feet. “Out with it.”

  Without being invited, the tribal king sat near me close to the fire. I did not care for his proximity but made no mention of it yet. I’ve always found that you should never refuse information when it is presented to you, and Horemheb looked like someone who might be willing to part with some.

  “The kings will meet with you in the morning, in my brother’s cave.”

  “You could have sent a servant to tell me that. Yet you come. What else have you to say?”

  I have always dealt fairly with Egypt. You know I have come many times to Pharaoh’s court on behalf of my people; I have long desired stronger ties with the Black Lands.”

  “Yes, you have frequented Pharaoh’s court.” He appeared to need encouragement to continue, and I hoped my agreeing with him would serve that purpose.

  “You know I am a wealthy man, General. The gold mines of Abu Simbel belong to me only. My brother has no claim to them. Of all the men here, I am the wealthiest.”

  I tossed my last piece of firewood on the waning flames and waited. I could have corrected him by sharing stories of the wealth I had acquired during my service to my Pharaoh, but why bother? His self-importance amused me.

  He licked his thin lips and prattled on. “I am not a greedy man. I reward my friends. Help me claim my right, and I will gladly reward you, Ramose. For a man of your skills, what I am asking is a small thing. My people need a strong leader—someone who values Egypt. Not an impetuous young woman who will doubtless embarrass them and worse, lead them into danger. She is too inexperienced, a spoiled princess with a weak father who does not respect Egypt. As king, I would always put Egypt first.”

  Was he asking me to kill the girl? A smirk spread across my face. “You have asked me nothing as yet, Horemheb, but let me remind you that I am here at the Great Wife’s command. I obey her above all others, except for Amenhotep. So unless you have a request from him regarding your ‘small thing,’ then perhaps you should stop speaking. And if I may be so bold…”

  He drew his wiry frame up and glared at me but wisely kept his mouth shut.

  “You do not know me so well that you could ask me to do murder for you, if that indeed is what you ask of me. If I were not man enough to kill when I needed to, I would not lower myself to ask another to do the work for me. For that would make me less than a man.”

  He rose to his feet like a viper had struck his calf. My hand flew to my sword, and a nearby lieutenant set his hand on his khopesh and waited for the man to make the wrong move.

  Horemheb stalked off through the sand, and I breathed a sigh of relief. It would do no good to kill one of the tribal kings before I took their mekhma away. The lieutenant laughed mockingly in Horemheb’s direction and went about his business. I picked up my sword and strode to my tent. I had had enough of these people for one night. I thought about calling the captains to my tent to review our plan of approach, but we had been over it three nights in a row. It was time to move this bleating, banging tribe to their permanent encampment in Zerzura. And good riddance! From what I heard, it was not the holy land they expected it to be. Then again, what city could compare to Thebes? I had expected to hear something from Nebamun today, but as of yet no messenger had arrived. Perhaps the best thing would be to rest and steer clear of any of these Red Lands dignitaries.

  “General,” a female voice called from outside the tent. Who could that be? There were no camp women here. Perhaps the Desert Queen had come to her senses after all. I slid back the flap and found myself face to face with the Desert Queen’s guard, Ayn. She was as tall as me, but I noticed she had not come dressed in her warrior garb tonight. Rather, she wore a long, soft-looking tunic, and her wavy hair was brushed to a shine. I caught a whiff of her scented skin as I held the flap back to invite her in. I looked about as she ducked inside to make sure none of my men saw my visitor.

  “Ayn, isn’t it? What can I do for you?”

  She didn’t answer me right away but instead strolled to my table of weapons. I added the sword I carried to the collection and watched her survey my inventory. “Do you need a lesson in weaponry?”

  “Do you think I need a lesson in weaponry?”

  I stared at her. I was too tired to play games. �
�Speak plainly, then. What can I do for you? Are you here in service to your mekhma?”

  “No.” Her voice sounded rough and serious. “I am here for myself.” She stepped toward me, and I studied her. She was not a beautiful woman, but she was attractive. I was a man who admired strength in others, and it was rare to find it in women. Her arms were well made, the muscles sculpted from her warrior’s work. Her breasts were small, and she had a slim figure without any woman’s curves. I could tell she had never borne children, for her hips were straight and slim. Even in her soft brown tunic I could see that her skin was clear and perfect. She stood quietly and let me appraise her. I noticed with some amusement that she was studying me too. That thrilled me, and I felt my manhood rise.

  I stepped closer to her, putting my finger under her chin to stare into her eyes. They were brown and warm like the eyes of a doe. Yet there was no fear in them. Her most attractive feature was her lips, bare, pink and full. I imagined them suckling on various parts of my body but doubted that she had the skill or knowledge to please me in such a way. Perhaps she would allow me to teach her.

  “Are you a gift from your queen?”

  “I am no man’s property. What about you, General? Are you someone’s property?”

  I gripped her forearms and pulled her close. I saw no fear, only curiosity and desire. My answer was a rough kiss. If she fled from me, I would know she was not worthy of me. But she did not.

  Ayn kissed me back, and her frenzied hands ran over my chest. I stripped off my garments and stood before her in my naked glory. With a serious face, she unbound her hair and untied her tunic, letting it hit the floor. Looking at her pleased me, and as we came together I cupped her breasts in my hands. We feverishly kissed again and to my surprise she pushed me down onto my bed. Her dark brown hair fell across my face as she scooted onto my lap. She said nothing, and neither did I. No promises were made, no lies were told. Ayn had come for one reason, and I was obliged to give her what she wanted. I massaged her breasts as she moved in perfect rhythm until I could take no more. I arched up and flipped us, and she struggled with me, perhaps disappointed that she was no longer in control. But after a few minutes she began to shudder beneath me. I rode the crest of the euphoric wave and plunged into her one last time, then fell on her hair and breathed in her scent. She smelled of cedar, some unknown flower and sweat. It was a pleasant combination and a far different one than that of the women of the Egyptian court.

  I collapsed beside her. She did not linger long. The dusky-skinned girl collected her tunic and tied her hair. The oil lamp sputtered, and the light flickered.

  “Did you get what you came for?” I asked her playfully.

  I could feel her observing me in the darkness, but she did not answer me. Ayn ducked out of the tent and left me with my thoughts. So sleepy was I that I did not think of anything much. I drifted off and slept through the night.

  Chapter Six

  The Gift—Nefret

  We rode hard for the walls of Zerzura. After seeing the palatial estates in Thebes and the brightly colored walls of the Egyptian temples that lined the city’s roads, Zerzura appeared diminutive in comparison. But to most of my people, it was the reward of a generation of prophecies, and they would not be denied. Smoke billowed from behind the stone walls, and the grand wooden doors were firmly closed against us. Behind Zerzura was a steep line of hills and beyond that the blue waters of Mare Nostrum.

  Ramose ignored my request to wait for the Shasu, the most elite warriors of the Meshwesh, and sent another legion of his soldiers to Zerzura to take the city by themselves. In no way did I want Egypt to claim the victory. Everyone knew that what Egypt took, it would not give back. We had not come all this way to be living out of Egypt’s hands.

  The only reason I did not send Ramose back to Egypt was that he agreed to send scouts to find Alexio. I had told him, “I sent one of my most trusted advisers to track my sister, but that was some time ago. I need someone who knows these lands to bring him back, with or without her.”

  “Who is this man to you?” he had asked me suspiciously, looking from my face to Ayn’s as he munched on one of the last remaining apples.

  “Is that important?”

  “I think it is, mekhma. My mission, and that of my men, is to provide you with assistance. To take your people back to your homeland. And of course, to keep you protected until we return you to Queen Tiye’s protection. I heard nothing about traveling the desert searching for anyone—even a trusted adviser. How is that pertinent to my orders?”

  Ramose had peered at me as he squinted into the sun that morning. It rose behind me, and I felt its warmth upon my bare neck. He was wasting my time—I knew he did not want to help me, although Ayn seemed to think differently. I suspected that my guard was smitten with the arrogant general. Regardless of this potential conflict of interest, I knew I could trust her. But I would never trust him.

  “It will be difficult to leave my people without Alexio here. He is a voice of reason and knows his father better than anyone. The people need him!”

  Ramose had handed the apple core to his white horse and scoffed, “The people need him? I am not so certain. There seem to be a great many kings around this place. Surely the Meshwesh can live without one more leader.” He closed the distance between us, but I did not flinch. “Be warned, Desert Queen, I will not allow you to break your promise to the Queen.”

  My brows knit together, and I dropped my voice menacingly. Ramose wasn’t the only one committed to this mission, as he called it. “I have no intention of breaking my promise. Despite what you think, I am a woman of my word.”

  With a disrespectful glance he murmured, “Hardly a woman at all,” as he turned to walk away. I wished I had a knife in my hand.

  Ayn shouted, “Do not turn your back on the mekhma! Her request is not unreasonable, General! Unless it was your intention all along to leave the Meshwesh at the mercy of Omel.” She leaned on her spear, and her voice was stern—even angry at Ramose’s disrespect.

  “Omel?” He spun on one foot. “You mean Horemheb?” We had his interest now. “What does he have to do with this?”

  I replied, “Alexio is his son and my closest ally, except for Ayn and perhaps one other. His presence here is crucial if we want to keep the people safe.”

  “Safe from what? Egypt? You will owe her your life before this is over.”

  I didn’t back down. I needed his help, and I felt his resolve weakening. “And how will the Queen view this decision, General? After all the expense? All the time invested? I do not know her well, but I believe the Queen to be a shrewd woman who is accustomed to getting a return on her investment. What will she think when you have to return to this region—to Zerzura—because Omel, or Horemheb, as you call him, has sold the gold mines to the Greeks? Or better still, the Mycenaeans, who are always hungry for the metal?”

  With an angry shout of frustration, Ramose had walked away, but Ayn reported to me that evening that he had indeed sent out a small scouting party to bring Alexio back.

  On top of my request, Ramose had not taken kindly to the idea of waiting for the caravan to snake its way through Saqqara and the Red Lands—he had made that plain enough. In the end, the Shasu and the Egyptians led the second attack but did not get very far. The initial attack had done little except alert the Kiffians that we intended to retake the city. The Third Legion had arranged themselves in front of the four towers of the White City, but there was nothing we could do except wait on a better plan.

  “This was a mistake!” Amir, the leader of the Shasu, complained to Omel, who stood beside me. “What now?” The canopy was full of tribal kings, including my father, my new ally Siti, Orba, Ramose and two of his men whose Egyptian names escaped me. Ayn and I were the only women present. All eyes were on me.

  “Amir, I know you are anxious to avenge our fallen brothers and sisters, and for that I thank you. But now we must work together. We are too close to victory.”

  Ge
neral Ramose said, “The fastest way to deal with these savages is to burn them out. A few well-placed fires and they will scream for mercy.”

  “And destroy our city?” Orba asked him as if Ramose were a child asking to play with a basket of asps. “What happens when you leave and our defenses are down? We will be at the mercy of any who decide to come against us.”

  “We have used this method before, at the Wall of the Crows and at Kadesh, and those walls were much taller than these. My men can position the flames in a manner that will minimize the damage. Once the city is yours, you will have all the time you need to make repairs. We mean to obliterate these Kiffians quickly.”

  Some of the Meshwesh agreed with Ramose, while others were not so sure. King Siti said, “We can wait them out. Starvation has a way of humbling a man.”

  Before we could discuss it further, we heard screams echoing through the tribe. Surely these Kiffians were not so foolish as to attack us with two legions of Egyptian soldiers present. In a rush, I left the tent to see what was happening. Faithful Ayn stood beside me, drew her sword and handed me her spear. Looking around I could see the people pointing in the direction of the city.

  “Meshwesh dogs! Look what we have!”

  I pushed toward the front of the gathering that faced the gates. A nasty monster of a man with long red hair stood on the parapet between the two center towers. He yelled at us in a language we did not understand. After his tirade had ended, he stood with his hands on his hips, two shield men on either side of him. The doors directly below him opened slowly, and a man rode out on a horse, dragging a half-naked woman with a chain about her neck. My heart melted in my chest. Pah!