Hori reared back in horror. “By the sacredeye of Horus! Is this true?”
Senemut nodded. “Of course, I told HerMajesty that the Lady Isis is common-born and not suitable to serveas regent. Her Majesty did not insist, so that brought an end tothe discussion. Still, I am worried,” he murmured, his mind turningfrom Hori to Hatshepsut.
What was the explanation for her eccentricbehavior? Was she still ill? Amun help her, had the illnessaffected her mind as well as her body?
“What do you suggest I do, Hori?” he added.“I am worried about Hattie. I wish to be of as much help to heras…”
“Hattie?” Hori eyed him shrewdly. “How is ityou call Her Glorious Majesty by a pet name of childhood?”
Senemut looked at Hori, and then dropped hisglance under the older man’s perceptive gaze. “I…that is…HerMajesty requested I address her thus. In private,” he added, tosoften the words.
“I like it not.” Hori sat back and scowled.“It is dangerous to befriend royalty. I have lived a long time,Senemut, and I cannot begin to count the number offriendsof pharaoh who have disappearedsuddenly and never been seen again—except in small, unidentifiablechunks that wash up on the shores of the Nile! I do not wish thesame to happen to you.”
“Nor do I wish to grace the belly of acrocodile.” Senemut shuddered. “Yet Hattie—Her Majesty—says she hasneed of me. She seems so lonely, so dazed, so confused since thedeath of her husband, the Great God. How can I refuse a requestfrom her?” Then, he continued more softly, “And I am not sureI wishto refuse her anything sherequests.”
Hori shook his head. “This bodes ill for you,I fear. You are falling in love with her…nay, do not troubleyourself to deny it! It is writ clearly across your face—as clearas Ra shines above.” He pointed at Senemut. “Mark me well…no goodcan come of this.”
Senemut sighed. “You may be right, oldfriend, but I am as powerless to halt it as I am the flow of theNile. I am under her spell, and naught can change that. She holdsmy heart in her hands.”
CHAPTER 9
“Make this stroke a little longer,” Senemuturged, leaning over Hattie’s shoulder. “Do not forget to addthe ankh. There! Youhave done it correctly. You have written your name:Hatshepsut.”
Hattie dropped the brush and picked up thescrap of papyrus, scrutinizing it. The hieroglyphs were a bitstraggly, but they were recognizable. Her training as an artist hadpaid off. She sighed with pleasure. “I thank you for your help,Senemut! I cannot believe that I must learn to write again. Mymemory has played me false,” she said, then winced, a littlealarmed at how easily the lie now came to her lips.
“You are learning rapidly, Hattie. It is apleasure to have such an apt pupil. And such a beautiful one,” headded, smiling.
Hattie stared at him, her cheeks growingwarm. “Why, Senemut! I believe this is the first time you have paidme a compliment. I thank you.”
The laugh lines around his eyes grew deeperas his smile broadened. “You have been forthright with me, and havehonored me with your trust. I am glad to give you my trust inreturn, and speak to you the words of my heart.”
Hattie groaned inwardly. She trusted Senemutimplicitly, it was true, yet she had not given him the completetruth in return. She hadn’t told him who she really was, or how shecame to be there. Instead, she’d stuck to the glib lie that nowcame so easily out of her mouth. She longed to tell him the truth,but didn’t dare. The truth was too fantastic for the most educatedtwenty-first century mind to accept. How could she expect Senemutto believe it?
On the other hand, ancient Egypt was rifewith belief in magic, spells and incantations, and the inexplicabledoings of gods and goddesses. Perhaps Senemut would have littletrouble accepting her bizarre tale as fact. Didn’t she owe it tohim to give him the opportunity to know and embrace the truth? Hadshe underestimated him?
Hattie cleared her throat. “Senemut, I havesomething I must tell you—”
A messenger burst into the room at thatmoment and dropped to his knees, cutting short her falteringconfession. “Majesty!” he cried. “Forgive my intrusion. I bear amost important message!” He halted, panting, looking from Hattie toSenemut and back again.
Hattie glanced at Senemut, then turned to themessenger. “Very well. Give me the message.”
The messenger rose and passed a papyrusscroll to her. “It is from the Great Army General Snefru,Majesty.”
She unrolled the scroll and scrutinized it.Her reading ability was still far too new to allow her to decipherit accurately. Silently, she passed the scroll to Senemut.
Senemut scanned the papyrus, then turned tothe messenger. “You may go.”
The messenger bowed and hastened from theroom.
Senemut turned to Hattie, his expressiongrave. “Snefru says that Nubia is rebelling. He awaits yourorders.”
Hattie was in over her head with theintricacies of local politics. Geography had never been her strongsuit, even in her own time, and here all the countries boreunfamiliar names. “Nubia is rebelling? Why? I do notunderstand.”
“A change of pharaohs is often viewed as anopportunity to rebel—because the reins of power are held a littleslackly at such times, or mayhap just to test the mettle of the newruler. It is best to crush such uprisings quickly, before they getout of hand.” His voice was harsh.
“Crush the uprising? I do not like the soundof that. Could we not send an ambassador to negotiate for peace?Chancellor Neshi, mayhap?”
“The time for diplomacy is past,” Senemutinsisted. “The Nubians are a vassal state, and have no authority torebel against their rulers. It is vital that Egypt defend andmaintain her borders, her territory. If one such rebellion isoverlooked, every vassal state will soon rebel. It must be stoppedat once. I feel certain Chancellor Neshi would agree with me.”
Fear and indecision gripped Hattie. She wascertain the real Hatshepsut would have spent a lifetime in trainingfor this moment, and would know exactly what to do. She would haveno qualms about ordering troops into action, and having thosetroops slaughter every last man, woman and child who dared toattempt to throw off her rule. Wasn’t that the way
