wilbursmith_warlock-第44部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　
　　He　slipped　out　of　her　arms　and　she　just　had　the　strength　left　to　protest；　'Don't　go。　Oh！　Please　don't　go；　my　lord。　My　beautiful　lord。'
　　
　　'Not　for　long；'　he　whispered　and　gently　drew　out　the　sheepskin　from　under　her。　She　saw　the　stains　upon　the　snowy　fleece；　the　blood　bright　as　the　petals　of　a　rose。　She　had　experienced　only　that　brief　pain　at　the　piercing　of　her　womanhood。
　　
　　He　carried　the　fleece　to　the　terrace　and　she　watched　him　through　the　doorway　as　he　hung　it　over　the　parapet　wall。　From　far　below　there　came　the　faint　sound　of　cheering　as　the　citizens　waiting　below　saw　this　proof　of　her　virginity　displayed。　She　cared　nothing　for　the　approbation　of　the　peasant　hordes；　but　watched　the　naked　back　of　her　new　husband　and　felt　her　chest　and　her　aching　womb　swell　with　love　for　him。　As　he　came　back　to　her　she　held　out　both　arms　to　him。
　　
　　'You　are　magnificent；'　she　whispered；　and　fell　asleep　in　his　arms。　Much　later　she　came　gradually　awake　and　found　that　her　whole　being　was　filled　with　a　lightness　and　a　feeling　of　joy　that　she　had　never　known　before。　At　first　she　was　not　certain　of　the　source　of　her　well…being。　Then　she　felt　his　hard　muscular　warmth　stir　in　her　arms。
　　
　　When　she　opened　her　eyes　he　was　watching　her　with　his　strange　yellow　ones；　and　he　smiled　gently。　'What　a　splendid　queen　you　would　make；'　he　said　softly。　This　he　meant　sincerely。　During　the　night　he　had　discovered　in　her　qualities　that　he　had　not　before　suspected。　He　sensed　that　he　had　found　in　her　someone　whose　desires　and　instincts　were　in　perfect　harmony　with　his　own。
　　
　　'And　what　a　splendid　pharaoh　you　would　make　for　this　very　Egypt。'　She　smiled　back　at　him　and　stretched　voluptuously。　Then　she　laughed　softly；　reached　up　and　touched　his　cheek；　'But　that　could　never　happen。'　She　stopped　smiling　abruptly　and　asked　softly；　seriously；　'Could　it？'
　　
　　'There　is　only　one　thing　that　stands　in　our　way；'　he　answered。　He　did　not　have　to　say　anything　more；　for　he　saw　a　sly　acquisitive　expression　bloom　in　her　eyes。　She　was　entirely　in　step　with　him。
　　
　　'You　are　the　dagger；　and　I　shall　be　the　scabbard。　No　matter　what　you　ask　of　me；　I　shall　never　fail　you；　my　beautiful　lord。'
　　
　　He　laid　one　finger　on　her　lips；　which　were　inflamed　and　swollen　with　his　kisses。　'I　see　clearly　that　there　is　little　need　of　words　between　us；　for　our　hearts　beat　in　unison。'
　　
　　*　　*　　*
　　
　　King　Apepi's　entourage　remained　in　Thebes　for　almost　a　month　after　the　wedding。　They　were　the　guests　of　Pharaoh　Nefer　Seti　and　of　his　regent；　and　were　entertained　in　royal　fashion。　Taita　encouraged　this　delay。　He　felt　certain　that　Naja　would　take　no　action　against　Nefer　while　Apepi　and　his　daughter　were　in　Thebes。
　　
　　The　royal　visitors　spent　their　days　hunting　or　hawking；　visiting　the　numerous　temples　on　both　banks　of　the　river　dedicated　to　all　the　gods　of　Egypt；　or　in　tournaments　between　the　regiments　of　the　northern　and　southern　kingdom。　There　were　chariot　races；　archery　contests；　and　foot　races。　There　were　even　swimming　races；　in　which　the　chosen　champions　swam　the　full　width　of　the　Nile　for　a　prize　of　a　golden　statue　of　Horus。
　　
　　Out　in　the　desert　they　hunted　gazelle　and　oryx　from　speeding　chariots；　or　hawked　for　the　great　bustards　with　the　swift　Sakers。　No　royal　falcons　remained　in　the　palace　mews；　for　they　had　been　released　into　the　wild　during　the　funeral　rites　of　Nefer's　father。　Along　the　riverbank　the　guests　hawked　for　herons　and　duck；　and　speared　the　huge　whiskered　catfish　in　the　shallows。　They　hunted　the　river　horse；　the　mighty　hippopotamus；　from　the　fleet　war　galleys；　with　Nefer　at　the　tiller　of　his　own　galley　named　the　Eye　of　Horus。　Princess　Mintaka　stood　beside　him　and　shrieked　with　excitement　as　the　great　beasts　broke　the　surface；　their　backs　studded　with　spears；　and　the　waters　turned　pink　with　their　blood。
　　
　　During　these　days　Mintaka　was　often　at　Nefer's　side。　She　rode　in　his　chariot　when　they　hunted　and　handed　him　the　lance　when　they　drove　up　alongside　a　galloping　oryx。　She　carried　her　own　falcon　on　her　arm　as　they　quartered　the　reed　beds　for　heron。　At　the　hunting　picnics　in　the　desert；　she　sat　beside　him　and　prepared　little　treats　for　him。　She　selected　the　sweetest　grapes　for　him　and　peeled　them　with　her　long；　tapered　fingers　and　then　popped　them　into　his　mouth。
　　
　　Every　evening　there　were　banquets　in　the　palace　and　there　also　she　sat　at　his　left　side；　the　traditional　place　for　a　woman　so　that　she　never　blocked　her　man's　sword　arm。　She　made　him　laugh　with　her　wry　wit　and　she　was　a　marvellous　mimic：　she　imitated　Heseret　to　perfection；　simpering　and　rolling　her　eyes；　and　speaking　of　'my　husband；　the　Regent　of　Egypt'　in　the　portentous　tones　as　Heseret　now　employed。
　　
　　Though　they　tried；　they　could　never　be　pletely　alone。　Naja　and　Apepi　saw　to　that。　When　Nefer　appealed　to　Taita　for　assistance；　not　even　he　could　manoeuvre　a　secret　meeting　for　them。　It　never　occurred　to　Nefer　that　Taita　did　not　exert　himself　to　do　so；　or　that　he　was　as　set　on　keeping　them　innocent　as　the　others　were。　Long　ago　Taita　had　engineered　a　tryst　for　Tanus　and　his　beloved　Lostris；　and　the　consequences　still　echoed　like　thunder　down　the　years。　When　Nefer　and　Mintaka　played　bao　there　was　always　an　audience　of　slave　girls；　while　courtiers　and　the　ubiquitous　Lord　Asmor　hovered　nearby。　Nefer　had　learned　his　lesson　well；　and　no　longer　underrated　Mintaka's　skill　on　the　board。　He　played　against　her　as　if　he　were　matched　against　Taita。　He　came　to　learn　her　strengths；　and　to　recognize　her　few　weaknesses：　she　was　always　overprotective　of　her　home　castle；　and　if　he　pressed　her　hard　in　that　quadrant　she　might　sometimes　offer　an　opening　in　her　flanks。　Twice　he　exploited　this　and　broke　up　her　defence；　but　the　third　time　he　discovered　too　late　that　had　anticipated　his　tactic　and　had　laid　a　trap。　When　he　had　exposed　his　west　castle　she　rammed　a　phalanx　through　the　gap；　and　laughed　so　deliciously　when　he　was　forced　to　capitulate　that　he　almost；　but　not　quite；　forgave　her。　Their　bouts　became　ever　more　keenly　contested　and　in　the　end　were　of　epic　proportions；　so　that　even　Taita　spent　hours　watching　them　and　occasionally　nodding　in　approval　or　smiling　his　thin；　ancient　smile。
　　
　　Their　love　was　so　apparent　that　it　cast　a　glow　upon　all　those　around　them；　and　wherever　they　went　together　there　were　smiles　and　laughter。　As　Nefer's　chariot　sped　through　the　streets　of　Thebes　with　Mintaka　on　the　footplate　as　his　lance…bearer；　her　dark　hair　flowing　in　the　wind　like　a　banner；　the　goodwives　ran　out　of　their　houses　and　the　men　paused　from　their　labours　to　shout　greetings　and　good　wishes。　Even　Naja　smiled　benignly　upon　them；　and　none　would　have　believed　that　he　fiercely　resented　the　attention　of　the　populace　having　been　diverted　from　his　own　nuptials　and　brides。
　　
　　Lord　Trok　was　the　only　sombre　presence　at　the　hunting　parties；　the　picnics　in　the　countryside　and　the　banquets　in　the　palace。
　　
　　Their　time　together　sped　by　too　fast。
　　
　　There　are　always　so　many　people　around　us；'　Nefer　whispered　over　the　bao　board。　'I　long　to　be　alone　with　you　even　for　just　a　few　minutes。　There　are　only　three　more　days　before　you　have　to　return　to　Avaris　with　your　father。　It　might　be　months；　even　years；　before　we　meet　again；　and　there　is　so　much　I　want　to　tell　you；　but　not　with　all　these　eyes　and　ears　pointed　at　us　like　nocked　arrows。'
　　
　　She　nodded；　then　reached　across　and　moved　a　stone　that　in　his　preoccupation　he　had　overlooked。　He　glanced　down　and　almost　discounted　it；　until　he　realized　that　his　west　castle　was　now　under　a　forked　attack。　Three　moves　later　she　had　broken　his　front。　He　kept　up　the　losing　battle　for　a　while　longer；　but　his　forces　were　in　disarray　and　the　oute　was　inevitable。　'You　caught　me　when　I　was　distracted　by　other　things；'　he　groused。　'So　much　like　a　woman。'
　　
　　'Your　Majesty；　I　make　no　claims　to　being　anything　else　than　a　woman。'　She　used　his　title　with　an　irony　that　bit　like　the　jewelled　dagger　she　wore　on　her　belt。　Then　she　leaned　close　and　whispered；　'If　I　were　alone　with　you；　would　you　promise　to　respect　my　chastity？'
　　
　　'I　swear　by　the　wounded　eye　of　the　great　god　Horus　that　I　will　never；　as　long　as　I　live；　cause　you　shame；'　he　told　her　earnestly。
　　
　　She　smiled　at　him。　'My　brothers　will　not　be　overpleased　to　hear　that。　They　would　wele　an　excuse　to　slit　your　throat。'　She　slanted　those　magnificent　dark　eyes　at　him。　'Or；　failing　your　throat；　some　other　part　of　you　might　satisfy　them。'
　　
　　Their　chance　came　the　next　day。　One　of　the　royal　huntsmen　came　in　from　the　hills　above　the　village　of　Dabba　to　report　that　a　lion　had　e　out　of　the　eastern　wilderness　and　raided　the　cattle　pens　during　the　night。　It　had　jumped　the　stockade　and　killed　eight　of　the　terrified　beasts。　In　the　dawn　a　horde　of　villagers；　brandishing　burning　torches；　blowing　horns；　beating　drums　and　screaming　wildly；　had　driven　it　off。
　　
　　'When　did　this　happen？'　asked　Naja。
　　
　　'Three　nights　ago；　Your　Grace。'　The　man　was　prostrate　before　the　throne。　'I　came　upriver　as　soon　as　I　could；　but　the　current　runs　strongly　and　the　winds　were　flukey。'
　　
　　'What　has　happened　to　the　beast？'　King　Apepi　inte