Five
FREEDOM! It was so close, but as Thutmosis' sonorous voice roared within the columned chamber, my liberation flickered like a tired flame. I hoped he would die. And then came the thundering of footsteps, storming after me as I frantically fled the court and dashed through the rows of palm trees that lined the yard. At the end I found a mud brick wall, and doom seemed to close around me, like the impending walls of the palace. The soldiers were gaining on me; they would catch me if I stopped now. I glared up at the wall and my eyes squeezed shut as they were greeted by the scornful sun. The top was nearly within my grasp. If I jumped, perhaps I could climb over...
The nearing guards gave me no time to think, their glinting spears coming after me in tightly clenched fists. I leaped for the wall and clung to the top as I used my shackled hands to pull the rest of my weight over. A cedar tree grew nearby, so I latched onto a branch which broke under my weight, and I plummeted to the street below. My ankle twisted painfully underneath me as I tried to catch myself. The streets, more crowded with business than before, made it nearly impossible to see the outer gates of Thebes, the only way out of the city.
I had to keep moving. I had to hide and reach safety somehow. Pain shot up my leg, but I forced myself onto my feet and kept moving. I picked a direction and ran. With so many people obscuring the street, it wouldn't be hard to lose the guards. I would have to hide well for the rest of the day, and try to escape Thebes tonight. With all the people bumping past me, I lost my bearings and merged with a sea of townsfolk, shifting one way and rolling to another. I didn't know where I was going, but the flaming red banners of Ahmose's palace flapped in the distance as I headed farther away from it.
I came to the edge of the street and dashed down a lone alley, passing under the shadows formed by the tall buildings, and slipped beneath one to catch my breath. From my distance, the loud gathering ceased to a murmur, and the pursuing guards were long lost in the crowd. I peeked around the building and watched as they passed the alley, scratching their heads, wondering where I disappeared to; a witch who could vanish into thin air. They would surely kill me if they ever caught up with me. I sighed and slid down the wall to rest against the cool ground. The adrenaline had numbed me, but now that I was no longer in danger, my brain processed the full capacity of my injury and agony wracked my body. I stretched my leg out to ease the throbbing.
A cat came from the corner and pounced upon an empty crate, turning it over and startling me. She sidled around the wooden frame, purring, peering at me with her jade green eyes. "You scared me, kitty," I breathed, swallowing my heart back down into my chest. She came to rub my calf with her soft head, and mewed as I scratched her hairy chin. Her thin body was orange with yellow stripes, like a miniature tiger, and her large eyes sparkled curiously. She meowed, grateful for the attention. I picked her up and cradled her in my arms, wanting to hold her since she was my only company, but a pair of children scurried by, and she scampered out of my arms and darted after them down the alleyway. I remained behind my corner, and secretly watched them go, envious of their carefree laughter.
I didn't know how long I sat there afterwards. I hid in the shadows, but as the afternoon sun sailed across the sky, the shade diminished, and I began to burn up. I emerged from the alleyway into a back street as many people fled to their homes for comfort from the heat. My sneakers were dirty as I trudged through the hot sand. My mind wandered; if this was a dream, how much longer till I awakened? But I began to feel so tired. I limped through the vacant back streets until I finally came to a shed, crawling inside the small space and collapsing on a heap of hay.
I glanced around the cool shed, finding only livestock who also sought refuge from the heat. The goat family residing in the next stall produced a foul odor that wafted through the tiny compartment. My nostrils burned, but I hardly registered it through my exhaustion. My eyes drifted to the ceiling, and my head drooped into the hay, giving out and surrendering entirely as my eyes fell closed. I intended to rest for only a moment.
But as I opened my eyes to awaken, my surroundings shifted and the room changed. My dreams were transitioning again, or maybe I was actually waking up this time. I looked around the room, searching for the animals in the shed, but when they didn't appear, I only became more confused. I saw my dresser with my photo of Father and the other archaeologists sitting there in its wooden frame. Then I saw my suitcases, still unpacked, sitting by the closet. I was in my room in Clair's apartment. I was back in the twenty-first century; I was finally awake.
A small gasp of relief formed on my lips, and I climbed out of bed and headed for the door. I had to tell Clair all about my dream; about meeting Ahmose and Thutmosis, and of the danger I had faced. She would love to hear all about my dream. Her perfume wafted in the room as if she had been here just moments before. I brushed my fingers through the tangled mess of my hair, and opened the door.
Only I wasn't in the twenty-first century anymore. When I peered into the next room to find Aunt Clair, my head was no longer upright, but my entire body was cuddled in a bed of hay. There was a loud clanking thud that seemed to echo through the room. The low murmur of ancient Egyptian whispered around me.
It was dark, difficult to focus my eyes now that night had fallen. I wanted to see Clair, but a fear I couldn't put into words began to reveal itself as I lay there, unsure if I was dreaming again. My head throbbed a little; a sensation that felt so real, it blurred my vision.
A figure peered through the darkness and loomed over me as I lay defenseless in the hay. Startled, I bolted upright and scrambled farther into the stall. The figure was dark and broad, a frightening shadow against the backdrop of a strange light. The world outside clattered and became loud with commotion. Frantically, I sunk into my knees and hid my face, too afraid to face whoever had discovered me. This isn't real! This isn't real! I kept screaming the phrase in my head, hoping it would jolt me to reawaken in Clair's apartment. But there was now a blurry line between dreams and reality, and I no longer knew in which side I dwelled.
A soft voice spoke gently to me, its tone kind and sympathetic, encouraging me to come out of hiding. "I have finally found you."
I slowly peeked up from my knees and found a familiar pair of golden brown eyes. Ahmose stood over me. He appeared from the shadows like a dark angel, his hand outstretched and reaching for me, ready to take me away. But past his arm I could see the city of Thebes, and much of it was set ablaze. Black smoke billowed from the burning shacks and drifted into the night sky. Ahmose reached for me and placed his strong hand over mine.
"It is not safe here," he urged, "Come along with me."
"Is Egypt under attack?" I asked, and drew back into the shadows.
Ahmose scowled at the flames as they consumed the buildings and replied, "Nay, this is the result of vandalism. Thieves have set fire to the merchants' storages and have made off with their goods."
Past his arm I could see his guards wandering the streets. The merchants' stands collapsed under the flames behind him, and he turned to watch his men scramble to put out the fire. For a brief moment, he was distracted by the squabble, and I took the opportunity to slip out of the window in the back and flee.
I turned the corner and rushed down the street to the alley that had aided in my escape earlier. Ahmose realized I was trying to escape again and came after me, his footsteps not far behind mine. I swiftly turned another corner to try and lose him, but my ankle slowed me down considerably and he was gaining on me. My heart pounded in my aching chest, and my lungs throbbed as I ran out of breath.
By the time I came to another corner, my ankle finally gave out on me and I tumbled to the ground. Ahmose's approach was slow as his steps padded toward me.
I climbed to my feet and backed up against the mud brick wall to catch my breath. I gasped for air, and brushed the cold sweat from my forehead with a clammy palm. Ahmose lingered in the alleyway, watching me with irritated eyes. He wasn't even breathing heavy, unaffected by the pursuit. He stood straight, his shoulders pulled back in a domineering stance as Pharaoh, King of Egypt, most powerful man in the world.
I considered my options carefully, knowing it may be my last chance to escape with my life. I could try to get past him, but I wouldn't make it far with my ankle. From the irate way his eyes fixated on me, I could see he had no intentions of letting me go. It would be unwise to fight him because he had defeated me with little effort last time, but I would not surrender my dignity either. I knew what would happen if he dragged me back to his palace as a prisoner for Thutmosis.
I would escape, or die trying.
Ahmose loomed in the alleyway, waiting for me to catch my breath. He shifted slightly, like he wanted to approach me, but instead his lips parted and he asked, "Why have you run away?"
It was needless to ask a question with such an obvious answer, but I chose not to point out his faults when he wasn't the target of my anger. My heart was a steady drum in my chest. I gasped, "I was afraid of His Majesty's wrath."
His golden brown eyes sharpened, and his shoulders slumped defensively. "My wrath was quenched the moment you kneeled at my feet. Why do you evade me?"
"You believed I was a petty thief. You insinuated I was acquainted with looters. You allowed me to be abused by your subject. What choice had you given me other than to flee?" My heart pounded as I wondered what he would do to me. Pharaoh only knew the pampered life of nobility. He was accustomed to being obeyed and heard. And I was not used to being bullied and pushed around. "Does Pharaoh understand mercy? Is the great King of Egypt unable to find compassion in his heart for a lost traveler?"
"Come back with me," he commanded, and I faltered when he ignored my plea.
My heart trembled with fear. "No," I answered.
"No?" he repeated sharply, as if he had never heard the word before. I cowered against the wall and braced myself for the force of his rage, but instead the shadows around his cheeks lifted and his lips rose into a smile. "I am the King of Egypt. I command all who dwell here." Did my plight amuse him?
"You do not command me," I reminded, sensing my grave deepen each time I refused him. "Why should I go back with you, when I know a gruesome death awaits me? I'd rather die here on the street than be violated by your men." I wanted to evoke some kind of impatience in him, hoping he would reveal his intentions for me. Did he plan to kill me?
The burning stand crashed behind us, and Ahmose, momentarily distracted, turned to observe as debris plummeted to the ground. I dashed for the alley around the corner as soon as he took his eyes off me. Ignoring my throbbing ankle, I ran as fast as I could down the alley, searching for any way out of the city. I only became more disoriented as I passed unfamiliar buildings. I couldn't see the large gates that led out of the city, which were probably swarmed by Ahmose's guards planning to capture me when I attempted to escape.
Ahmose pursued me down the alley, and before my ankle had the chance to give out once again, he tackled me from behind and we both landed in the dirt.
This was it, adrenaline flowing through my veins as the fight or flight mechanism seized my body. It was either fight for my life, or die trying. I tried to crawl away, but his arm slipped around my waist as he caught me and yanked me back.
"Let me go!" I screamed against the ground, tasting dirt on my lips. As soon as he rolled me over, I tried to wiggle out of his arms, pushing him away with my shackled hands. He pinned my arms down as I started to thrash against him.
"Stop fighting me," he commanded. "If you don't stop fighting me, I'll have to restrain you."
He was built like an athlete, his body chiseled with muscle. I started to push at his mountainous shoulders as he leaned over me, but the instant our flesh touched, an electrifying sensation sparked between us. And then there was a sense of familiarity, as if I had been here so long ago. He must have felt it too; everything around us seemed to come to a screeching halt. Everything about him suddenly seemed familiar; the way his arm wound around my waist, the way his chest rose and fell beneath my fingers as he drew in a breath. I did know him.
"It is you," I whispered. Ahmose was the man from my dreams. I didn't understand why I had doubted it before because it seemed so obvious now. Being so close to him, locked under his gaze, I felt both safe and afraid. "Please, just let me go," I whispered, enthralled by the sensation of being so close to him and desperate to go home. "Please let me wake up. I don't want to be here anymore."
Ahmose pulled back, confused. "What do you mean? Do you think this is a dream?"
"Of course this is a dream," I cried. "How can any of this be real?"
He took my face between his palms and looked into my eyes to examine me. "My lady, this is not a dream," he replied, his tone gentle, but serious. "I am Ahmose, King of Egypt. You are in Egypt."
"Egypt?" I echoed, though I understood perfectly what he was saying. Of course I knew I was in Egypt. I had taken a plane here. But when was I in Egypt?
"I am real; this is all real," he waved his hand around, motioning to the alleyway and smoke-filled air around us.
Then panic began to set it. I needed professional help immediately. I had to find Clair. Something was causing my brain to create these dangerous scenarios, to imagine all of this, and I was sustaining injuries as a result. I needed to find Clair before I could seriously harm myself or someone else.
"I have to go!" I cried, and struggled against Ahmose's iron grip. I tried to wiggle out of his hands, but he pulled me upright and into his arms, squeezing me against his chest.
"If I release you, where will you go?" I met his eyes for a moment as I considered his question. Obviously, I wanted to go home. I wanted to see Clair. But if I passed through the gates leading out of Thebes, would I awaken in the twenty-first century? My stomach turned as I thought about passing through the gates only to wind up in another city of ancient Egypt, an awful possibility I hadn't considered before. "Do you think the next city will be more approving of you than Thebes? You are not from Egypt. Do you have any idea what awaits in the desert? Lions, predators more vicious than you can imagine. Not to mention the scoundrels migrating between cities that love to prey on young women like you. How far do you think you will make it out there?"
His words rattled through my brain as I shuddered in his arms.
"Don't be afraid," he murmured.
Tears were in my eyes now. Not because I truly believed I had gone back in time, but because the thought of losing my sanity mortified me.
"Come back with me," he said. "I am not a barbaric man. I swear you will not be harmed. You have my word." He placed his palm over his chest. "A woman, as beautiful as you, is not safe to wander these streets. If I leave you here alone, it will be on my conscience forever. Please do not make me bear such a burden." His words, as fleeting and soft as a wisp of cloud, tickled my cheek as he spoke them. He said I was beautiful. My face suddenly felt hot. "You said you have no recollection of how you got here. How will you find your way home? I offer you refuge within my house until your memory has been restored."
He waited patiently as I considered my options. "If I return with you, will I be your prisoner?"
Sensing distrust in my tone, he offered his hand to me, urging me to take it. I raised my fingers to him and placed my palm inside of his. And there it was again; a flash of some sort, like a distant memory. What was I supposed to remember? Something about this man... His hand in mine felt so warm and gentle. Ahmose gave my hand a reassuring squeeze; I could feel his blood pulsing beneath his skin. He wasn't an imaginary phantom who would vanish if I touched him. He was here with me; he was real.
And then I started to cry. The familiarity I felt about him reminded me of Clair, and I desperately wanted to go home. I finally realized this was all real, and I wasn't dreaming at all. I really was in ancient Egypt, and I had no way of returning home.
He placed his arm around my shoulders and allowed me to lay my head against his chest as I continued to weep. "Please don't be afraid," he reminded me gently. "You will be safe with me. No harm shall come to you."
But I found no comfort in his words. I felt lost and astray, my mind like tumbleweed bouncing whichever way the wind decided. Was I insane? And what about Thutmosis? I had attacked him, though it was self-defense, but would they see it that way?
Ahmose sensed my apprehension. He took the sides of my torn blouse, having come loose during our chase, and tied it so I was covered. He reached his hand out to me and said, "Please trust me." He hadn't answered my question. I didn't know if I would be held as his prisoner, but I no longer had the strength to resist him.
I would have to surrender. Slowly, I took his hand and he started to pull me to my feet, but the weight on my injured ankle caused me to tumble back down. I grimaced as pangs of agony wracked my frame. "You're hurt?" he asked. Alarmed, he sunk back down beside me.
"I fell on my ankle when I jumped from the wall of your palace," I explained.
He glanced over my legs as I stretched the left one out to try and ease the pain. Hesitantly, he reached for my pant leg and pushed it up to reveal my ankle. "Such strange garments," he murmured. "It is swollen, and red. I can't tell if it is broken, but you shouldn't be walking around on it until it's had a chance to heal."
"If I cannot walk, how will I go back to the palace with you?"
"I'll carry you," he answered swiftly, adjusting my pant leg. He glanced at me, as if expecting permission before he put his arms around me and lifted me from the ground. I found a small amount of comfort being in his arms, but for much of the night, I fell into a daze; conscious, yet nearly unaware of everything around me. I was trapped in ancient Egypt.
I didn't know much of what happened after that. My brain felt like a muddy pit, sloshy and stale, and all I could think about was the loving faces of Clair, my colleagues and friends. I would never see them again. How could I possibly return to the future, when I didn't even understand how I came to be in the past?
I ended up on the back of Ahmose's horse and together we rode back to the palace. A servant greeted us and after exchanging words with Ahmose, she led me away to the privacy of a furnished chamber, with the aid of a walking stick. She brought me some food and wine, and spoke little to me. She kept me company for a short while until Ahmose returned and sent her away.
Was it time for my sentencing now? I had escaped capture from him, assaulted two of his men, and stowed away in a shed that did not belong to me. I was a criminal. He said I wouldn't be harmed, but I couldn't take him for his word. Was I his captive? He had brought me to a sleeping chamber. As soon as he came into the room, I rose from the bed and sunk into a shadowy corner. He rinsed his hands in the basin on the table. What was he planning?
He drew in a short breath as if to gather his thoughts, glancing curiously at me every few moments. "Your tears have flown heavily, yet you haven't spoken a word since we returned," he said, his profile illuminated by the firelight coming from the alabaster lamps. "What ails you? Were you harmed while on the streets?" He hesitated by the table, falling quiet as the flickering flames danced with his shadow on the wall.
I bit my lip, holding strong with my silence.
Though my lack of cooperation frustrated him, his tone didn't rise. "In all of Egypt, I am the only one who wishes to help you, and yet your countenance is that of a scorpion. I can see in your eyes you wish to sting me."
I dropped my eyes to the floor, unsure if he wanted me to look at him, though I couldn't help for staring. His humility and patience were admirable. "No," I answered. "I eluded danger for most of the day, until you discovered me this evening. How did you know where I was hiding?"
He grinned and replied, "I am the King of Egypt. Did you believe I would not find you?"
His message was not subtle in the way he watched me. No matter where I ran, he would always find me. "I was unwise to underestimate you," I sighed. "I believed I was insignificant and Pharaoh would forget about me." But he hadn't forgotten me. He was the one pulling the strings in all of Egypt. I needed him as my friend long enough for me to find my way back to the twenty-first century.
"There is something about you," he responded before falling into a pensive countenance. "Have we acquainted each other before? I feel as if I should know you for some reason, and that is why I cannot forget you." He stretched his hand towards me, compelling me from my corner.
I did not budge. "What do you want with me? I demand to know! Do you want to kill me? Am I your slave?" I glanced at the bed fearfully.
"Sit," he replied evenly. "I told you not to be maneuvering on that ankle." I did as he commanded and sat in the chair. Bringing the wash basin, he kneeled before me, adjusting my pant leg to reexamine my ankle. He started to slip my sneaker off when I inched away.
"What is that? It doesn't look like water," I said, peering into the basin.
"It is sacred oil mixed with herbs. It has been blessed with the ritual chanting of Isis. It will heal your wound," he said, easing my foot into the colored liquid. His eyes gazed over it intently beneath dark lashes, watching the droplets of color cascade down my heel as he trickled water over it.
"Why are you helping me?" I asked, wondering what had happened to his air of superiority. Was this a game to him; a trap?
"Normally I would never do this myself, but I feel the need to be near you for some reason," he murmured, and lifted his eyes to meet mine. My heart fluttered under his amber gaze. "I cannot begin to understand your turmoil." He dipped my hands into the basin and rinsed my ankle with the cool liquid, gently stroking the perfumed contents into my skin. "This must all be very frightening for you. You have lost you memory and have wound up in a distant land with unfamiliar faces and strange ways of life. But I mean you no harm and offer you refuge here. Your memory lapse cannot be permanent. I am sure it will return to you soon, and when it does, we will find a way to send you home."
"Send me home?" I couldn't believe it. "But I attacked your right-hand man. Aren't you...angry with me?" Thutmosis; was he dead? I looked into his pious eyes as he continued to rinse my foot, stroking my skin with a dampened silk cloth.
"Thutmosis is well," he replied. "Shaken up, but well. His garments are ruined though." I thought I caught a hint of a grin on his lips before fading into a straight line.
"I never meant for any of this to happen. Earlier, I only intended to protect my honor. As a man of great nobility, you must understand what it means to defend something as precious as honor."
Ahmose's golden eyes lifted to meet mine in a gentle gaze. His pout lips rose into a small smile. "You are admirable to be so defensive of your dignity. I respect that. Explain to me how a traveler like you comes to value honor so greatly?"
His voice was like smooth velvet as he spoke; the Egyptian accent that offset his tone gave him a regal sense of royalty.
"Everyone must have honor," I replied. "If one does not have honor, then what is their worth? It cannot merit much if they have no pride."
Ahmose laughed softly. He let the cool silk fall into the basin and dried my foot with a towel. I felt somewhat refreshed, having the dirt and sweat cleaned from my skin. Whatever reagents were in the liquid, they began to ease the throb of my swollen ankle. He lifted his arms to adjust his crown, causing his jeweled collar to shift suddenly, revealing more of his bare chest. The firelight etched shadows across his flat stomach. Blushing, I shifted my eyes to the alabaster lamp on the table.
"Is His Majesty always humble to his guests?" I asked, still unsure of my purpose for being here.
"I am more interested in you," he replied. "I have never heard a woman speak of such ideas...honor, dignity, and pride. You are indeed proud; I respect you. Have you no idea what brings you to Egypt?" Ahmose's eyes flashed with amusement, or maybe simple intrigue.
I had to be careful what I said in front of him. My presence here alone could change my future in the twenty-first century. He sat down on the edge of the bed. The indigo sheets shifted under his weight, until he smoothed the creases beside him and patted the empty space to welcome me to sit with him. I slowly eased myself down on the bed next to him, sensing my heart flutter into a quick tempo.
"I must have been wandering around, lost. I got lost in the desert. The terrible heat has weakened my body and my memory has left me for the time being. I'm afraid I can't remember anything else," I replied.
"Yes, the heat is unforgiving, and unrelenting to anyone unused to it," he said. He looked away for a moment, so I stole a chance to study his profile. The light coming from the lamps cast a warm glow over his bronzed skin, etching shadows in his sharp features. His eyes, observing the wall decorated with bright tapestries, reflected the flames like burning ambers. "And you're clever," he added suddenly, shifting back to watch me. "You speak the language of the westerners."
"It's called English," I answered, and suddenly clamped my mouth. Oops, I meant to say Latin! Another slip up like that and he would figure out I was holding back more than I led him to believe. Ahmose's smile broadened and then faltered as he drew in a breath. He reached out to touch my cheek.
"So you remember some things about your land," he said. I grew rigid beneath his warm touch. His lips sunk and his eyes darkened. "Are you from a land across the Mediterranean?" He had already asked me this earlier, but the way Ahmose's trusting gaze wavered as he waited for my answer, I sensed he knew I was lying.
"I do not know."
But he continued to question me anyway. "You are an educated woman. Are you also wealthy, or at least noble?"
This was becoming unbearable. I shifted uncomfortably beside him, desperate to avert the conversation from me. I glanced around the golden room and gasped, "In comparison to His Majesty, I am not."
"I have offered my home to you, and the best explanation you can give me, the King of Egypt, is 'I do not know'?"
"I don't know where exactly I am," I replied desperately. "The geography of the area is unfamiliar to me. Perhaps you can tell me more about the land across the Mediterranean? You must have been there before. Your knowledge of English is impressive." I flipped the conversation back to him.
Ahmose scrutinized me, but seemed more satisfied with that answer. Then, he laughed gently. "I have never been there. I can speak English, as you have called it, because my advisors taught me. We trade and communicate often with westerners who come to Egypt for grain during times of famine. It was necessary for me to learn their tongue." Ahmose straightened himself, his shoulder nearly brushing mine. "You know the identity of your language. Perhaps you can use this to identify your land. English...land...Eng-Land...?"
I nearly fell off the bed. He was so clever, and growing dangerously close to a familiarity of the twenty-first century.
"I know not of a land called Eng-Land, but it sounds like a strange name the westerners would use to identify their homage," he murmured. "Does it sound familiar to you?"
How could I respond? I fought the urge to laugh, because Ahmose had no idea what he was talking about, and because England actually existed in the twenty-first century. I merely shook my head.
"What is your name, Traveler?"
Finally, a question I could answer honestly. "Kara."
"Kara," he smiled, "You know who you are. Impressive, considering how much you've forgotten. Are all women like you where you come from? Can they fight as fiercely as a desert lynx?" He reached for my hair, but when I flinched mistrustfully, he quickly pulled his hand away.
"They can if they choose to learn," I replied, trying to keep my answers as vague as possible. I wanted to protect my future, if I could ever return there.
Ahmose grinned, "Women can choose that kind of thing freely? But combat is a man's duty. Why would something so dangerous interest a woman?"
"If women cannot learn to fight, how would you expect them to protect themselves from men?" I answered, still seething from my earlier encounter with Thutmosis.
Ahmose's expression suddenly darkened, and his brows knitted into a scowl. I was afraid I had offended him, but then he replied, "A man is supposed to protect the women of his land, not strike fear in their hearts. Unfortunately, not all men live by valiant honor. Those kinds of men are cowards, and it disheartens me to say they exist even here in Egypt."
His answer caught me completely off guard. "Does the great Pharaoh of Egypt live by this honor? Is his Queen more pampered than any other woman in the world?" He may have been the man from my dreams, but he was also the King of Egypt, who most likely had a wife. I felt a little jealous.
His eyes snapped to mine in a heady gaze. He scowled, "I am the one who will ask the questions for the time being." His demeanor suddenly changed, and his reaction to the mention of his wife was strange. I fell quiet.
He ran a hand through my hair. "Your home sounds like a strange place, much different from the other western empires..." I sighed as the touch of his fingers sent tremors of heat through my veins. The caress of his hand, and the gentleness of his words when he had told me I was beautiful, elicited an emotion in my heart that I could not put into words. Frightened, and flustered, I drew away.
"I thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty, but should you not save these tender advances for your Queen? Only her hair is worthy of your touch."
He immediately drew his hand away. "You do not appreciate flattery?"
"Not from a married man," I reminded. He glared at me, the same way he had looked at Thutmosis when he mentioned a mysterious woman earlier. I was afraid he was going to shout at me, but instead he sighed.
"I am not married," he growled. Afraid I had upset him, I fell quiet. He drew in a breath and shrugged. Sensing my unease, he said, "You needn't be afraid. I said your offenses have been pardoned, and I will honor my word. You may stay here as long as you like. This room is yours to do as you please, and I will provide you with a servant woman to attend you. Of course I expect you to return the favor..."
A cold knot coiled in my belly and I went rigid beside him. What could he possibly warrant for his hospitality?
He stood from the bed and said, "I wish for you to tell me all about the land you come from." He paused in midstride and added, "Once your memory has returned." He started to head for the door, but I spoke up.
"I hope one day I can return the favor because you have been so kind to me," I replied miserably, knowing I could never tell him about the future. But he smiled; whether he believed me or not, I couldn't tell. "Thank you for giving me a safe place to stay, but may I ask something personal of you?"
He seemed surprised or maybe offended, considering all he had done for me already. But he smiled warmly, and responded, "If you request something personal of me, you must be willing to offer something personal of yourself in exchange."
It was one obstacle after another with this man, and his implications were never forthright. My face suddenly felt hot. "You are the greatest King of Egypt," I replied, trying to control the blush that scorched my cheeks. "Would your friendship merit more than I am able to pay? Am I worthy of such an honor?"
He came and sunk down before me, his eyes level with mine. We were just as we had been before in his golden throne room, only now it was he who was on his knees. His honey brown eyes were more piercing and probing than any I had ever encountered before. They were like a pair of ambers left untouched, crying out for my fingers to grasp them. A smile came to his lips, and he breathed, "My friendship you shall have."
I didn't know how or why I came to be in ancient Egypt, but I had somehow found the lost pharaoh and I was one step closer to uncovering his secrets.