by Pharaoh
“Why?”
“Do you know anything about these women? Who are their families and what can they do to benefit Egypt?”
Asar sighed. “You are being most difficult, Khai. I went to a lot of trouble to arrange this. You can at least look pleased.”
“You could have at least told me before you arranged it.”
“Then it would not have been a surprise. Anyway, I have all of their names, including their backgrounds, which I planned to provide to you later for your scrutiny.” He leaned closer. “Did anything catch your fancy?”
“They’re all quite lovely. You did a very nice job of selecting, but the next queen of Egypt has to be more than just a pretty face.”
The dancers left the room to change, and the doors opened again. People began pouring in through the doors dressed in their native fashions and bringing in gifts to bestow on their new pharaoh. A crier announced each and every representative.
Khai sighed, wondering how long this part of the ceremony was going to take. He was still tired for all the early-morning festivities, and his body had long forgotten the nap he took. The procession line moved so quickly, he barely remembered the names or the faces. The crier stepped into the room to announce the next arrivals.
“The King of Upper Nubia and his lovely daughter Najre.”
Khai adjusted his position in his seat as King Bassey and his eldest daughter came forward. Trailing them were about a hundred servants and dancers bearing gifts from their kingdom. It had been years since he’d seen Najre’s face…not since King Bassey brought his daughters there to play while the two kings discussed a treaty between the two kingdoms. The late pharaoh and his army had defeated the Nubians in battle, and King Bassey and his people swore their allegiance to Egypt.
Najre had not changed a lot except her face was rounder and her figure fuller. She was dressed in a pretty linen shift dyed blue from indigo. Around her neck was a matching blue and purple collar that made her eyes appear larger then they really were. Her face was expertly done. Her eyes were rimmed, eyebrows were painted, and her lashes were darkened with kohl. Her cheeks were adorned with ochre. Najre had pulled her hair back from her face and covered it with a beaded band. Upon her feet she wore a pair of sandals, laced from ankle to knees with intricate beadwork. King Bassey’s daughter was indeed a beauty, but at twenty-five, she was nearing spinsterhood, which made him wonder if she might have a reason or defect for staying single.
She spoke intelligently and brought joyous salutations on his coronation. Her father spoke next, pledging his undying love and loyalty and wishing him a successful reign as pharaoh.
“Thank you,” Khai replied once he drew his attention from Najre. “How is your lovely wife?”
“Samanya is fine, sire, and will join us shortly for dinner.”
“Don’t you have another daughter?” He did not want to sound rude to Najre, but he was curious. “I seemed to remember another one.”
“Yes, Princess Zuri will arrive shortly with her gift to you.”
Khai looked at all the gold, ivory, and ebony that already lay at his feet, along with other precious gifts of pelt and furniture. “More gifts? You are most generous.”
“It is her individual gift to you. She chose it herself.”
“I look forward to seeing her.” He turned back to Najre. “You have grown into a beautiful young woman. Your father should be proud.”
“Thank you, sire.” She bowed and then took her father’s arm and walked toward their table. Their servants followed while Egyptian servants arrived to quickly scoop up the gifts and take them to the storage rooms.
King Geo Bassey from Lower Nubia arrived next with his daughter. Now he remembered her, Furaha. She was the one who tried to get his attention with her dancing earlier. She was dressed now in a skintight white linen shift with golden braiding and adornment. She had braided her long hair back and capped it off with a golden headband. He preferred her better this way, a little less flamboyant and a little more clothed.
“Welcome King Bassey and Princess Furaha.”
Their servants continued to carry in their gifts of appreciation.
“A long and prosperous life, pharaoh,” Furaha replied.
“I just spoke to a female relative of yours.”
“Nafre. Have we grown so big that you have forgotten us?”
“Yes, you have. You are quite lovely, princess, and a very skilled dancer.”
“Thank you, pharaoh.” She walked away, giving him a chance to get a good look at her rear end.
“She has grown in all the right places,” Asar replied wickedly. “I think I shall add her to the top of your list.”
Khai did not agree or disagree. He just ignored Asar and watched as more people came forth to pay homage. An hour passed, and the gifts kept on coming.
“Princess Zuri Maryani Bassey,” the crier announced. “Of the Upper Nubian kingdom. Youngest daughter of Chahide and Samanya Bassey.”
Khai looked up toward the door. A vision in gold entered accompanied by a lion cub. She walked forward with the feline obediently at her side. Khai eyed her and then the lion and then back to the woman again. He leaned toward Asar. “This is not playing fair.”
Asar frowned. “I did not know that she would be so lovely or smart, and she knows of your fondness for animals.”
“The creature is exquisite, and I am not speaking of the cub.” Younger than her sister by a considerable amount of years, Princess Zuri’s body was nubile and curvy. “When did she grow up?” She had been a little beauty as a child. She is different than the others. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that she does not lower her eyes when she looks at me. She stared straight into his face like an equal. She continued to walk until she stood at the foot of the platform below the thrones.
“Greetings, Khai I. My name is Zuri Bassey. Please accept this cub as a coronation gift from me to you.” She bowed gracefully, working the golden shift.
Khai looked down at the delicate brown flower. She looked absolutely ravishing. The skirt reminded him of a sunburst, and the rich golden shade brought out the color of her light-brown eyes. He stood, left the throne and his family and walked down the stairs. He hesitated only once, not wanting to startle the lion. It raised its head and purred ferociously. Though young, he could do him much damage. The spectators watched in silence.
Zuri spoke to the cat in her native language. The cat purred again and then reclined to the floor in a prone position next to her.
“Rise,” Khai said to Zuri.
She rose, handing the rein to the cub over to him. “His name is Simba.”
Khai accepted the rein and gently stroked Zuri’s hand with his finger. “Thank you for the gift. How did you know that I liked cats?”
“I make it a point to find out everything I can about my pharaoh. Plus I remembered your fondness for animals on our last visit to the palace.”
“But that was nearly thirteen years ago. I’m flattered.” Her intoxicating scent made him dizzy. “Can he do tricks?”
Zuri gave the cat a couple of commands much to the delight of the pharaoh and the audience.
“Will he listen to me?”
“Of course, you are pharaoh. He’s yours to command.”
Khai gave the cat an order in Egyptian, and the cat performed. The audience clapped. “He understands both languages.”
“Simba is an exceptionally smart animal.” She watched him under heavily lashed eyes as she spoke.
“Why did you not dance for me like your cousin and the other women?”
“I did not come to acquire a husband. I came out of loyalty to both families.”
“You do not wish to marry?”
“I did not say that. I do not feel that I have to flaunt myself in front of a bunch of strangers for your attention. If you want me to dance for you, all you have to do is ask, but I prefer to do it privately.”
A mummer of concern burst forth from the audience. A rebel in their midst. K
hai thought over the situation. Everyone now knew that she had disobeyed his supposed invitation to dance. “The crowd thinks that you have disobeyed an order.”
“I care not what the crowd thinks.” She bowed again and walked away, leaving him with the lion.
Khai called for someone to take the lion as he watched her walk away and join her family. Khai called for the procession to continue. He walked back up to his throne and sat down next to Asar. Her scent was still in his nostrils.
“Why do you have that silly frown on your face? Was she not to your liking?”
“Yes, she was very much to my liking, but she may be a problem. A pharaoh should not have a bride who will defy him.”
“I don’t understand what you are talking about.”
“She did not come to dance like the invitation stated.”
“But you did not send the invitation.”
“She does not know that. What if I had sent it? She is guilty of refusing to comply.”
Asar sighed. “I guess you are right. You have one big problem on your hands.”
* * * *
Maybe she had spoken too quickly. Zuri put her hands against her heart. It still beat fast. Now she owed him a private dance. She looked over toward the thrones. He was so handsome and muscular. She turned away just as she caught the vizier’s eyes on her. She shuddered, knowing that look, remembering it back from long ago. It implied an interest she did not expect to find.
Zuri settled back in her seat to enjoy the entertainment that had returned once all the gifts were distributed. The meal arrived shortly afterward, but she could not concentrate on it. He mind danced with emotion. Two men as different as night and day held her fate in the palm of their hands.
The next morning she and her family left the palace and headed home. She did not get the chance to speak to either of her old friends again, thankfully. She looked out of the window and cringed. The sight of slaves toiling under the hot sun never failed to disgust her. The people who kept them that way disgusted her even more.
“They’re erecting statues of Khai I,” her father explained as the entire family joined her at the windows. “They’re working on the statues for the entryway of the palace, and the vizier is having several busts done in Khai’s image to replace those of his father.”
“All for what?” Zuri asked. “To stroke some vain man’s ego?”
Her mother gasped. “You better watch what you say. Such words can get you into a world of trouble.”
Zuri slouched back into the litter seat. “I have a right to my opinion.”
“Yes, you do,” her father agreed. “But it is unwise to express them so openly. Remember, the walls have ears.”
“I do not believe in slavery in any way, shape, or form.”
Najre interrupted her. “Yet you sit her, enjoying being carried on the shoulders of others. You cannot change everything, Zuri. For your information, most of the builders are not slaves. They are people like you and me who feel honored to serve the pharaoh.”
“I understand what you are saying, but that does not make it right. Does the pharaoh compensate them for their work? No. Are they provided adequate food and a rest period? No. Can they walk away when they tire? No. In my book, they too are little more than slaves.”
Najre shook her head. “I do not know the answers to these questions. It has been this way for centuries. You cannot change things, and while we’re on the subject, what were you trying to prove with that little stunt with Simba? All you had to do was present the cub to pharaoh and walk away.”
Zuri lifted her chin defiantly. “It was not my fault that he stepped down from his throne and talked with me.”
“What did he say that held your attention so long?”
“He wanted to know why I did not join the rest of the young ladies in the dance, and I told him that I did not come to the coronation to be put on display or to compete for his hand in marriage.”
“What?” Samanya asked. “What are the two of you discussing?”
“A request from the pharaoh.”
“What request?” Chahide asked.
“Khai had requested that all single young women dance for him at his coronation,” Zuri explained.
Samanya gasped. “You two were supposed to dance for pharaoh.” “This is bad for both of you. If the pharaoh said he wanted you to dance, then you should have danced.”
Najre frowned. “I am too old for such foolishness. I do not like younger men.”
“But he is pharaoh.”
“I do not care. He is a boy. I want a man.”
“What does age have to do with anything? He is pharaoh. If he wants you to dance, you dance. You can make him into a man. That is no excuse.” She turned to Zuri. “What about you? You are younger than he is.”
“I refuse to be put on display. I am not one of his concubines. I am a princess of Nubia.”
Samanya fanned herself. “I have raised the two of you to be respectful. What am I going to do with you? One wants to remain single and the other is a militant.”
Zuri ignored her mother. It was useless to argue. She was glad when the caravan made its turn to the right. Outside the litter window, she witnessed Egyptian women toiling in the wheat fields, state officials collecting taxes, and more peasants being led away in lines to work on construction projects. The new pharaoh had been crowned, and life was back to normal in Egypt.
Their entourage passed several mud and brick dwellings. These were not the glamorous structures like the ones her family and the pharaohs resided in. These were the homes of the common folk and the workers who broke their backs daily just to survive. They were the backbone of Egyptian society. She had been inside one once. They were built to remain cool during the hottest part of the day. Each home had a little kitchen with a grindstone for milling flour and a tiny oven for baking. The walls were not painted flamboyantly like those in the palace. They used a simple white paint and then decorated them with handmade tapestries. Floors were covered with reed mats, not rich carpet. Their meager furniture usually consisted of a few tables, stools, and beds.
Families played and bathed in the river unconcerned with passersby. Others strolled along the banks in bleached white linen sheets while children ran around naked, peaceful at play. Part of this scene reminded her of life in Nubia. Most of their people were poor, but they were not slaves.
Egyptian soldiers stormed past them on chariots and horseback headed into the opposite direction. Rumor had it that Prince Dakari, the pharaoh’s younger brother, was deep in negotiations with Assyria. Khai wanted access to some of the country’s natural resources—bronze and wood—and it was his brother’s job to find out how to get it. Usually that meant going to war and just taking it if the other country would not share. Khai’s father took over Nubia the same way. Egypt had a bigger army, and they just took over. She supposed it could have turned out differently. Kemosiri was not a tyrannical leader, and instead of putting her father in prison, he made him an ally. What kind of leader Khai would make was anyone’s guess. The country of Assyria was a lot bigger than Nubia and had a powerful army too. If Khai wasn’t careful, he could find himself and his county at war.
Chapter Three
Asar caressed the thigh of a beautiful Alexandrian female as she reclined next to him poolside. The woman had her eyes closed, but he doubted if she was asleep. “She outright disobeyed you.”
Khai floated in the pool. “So it appears. My signature is nowhere to be found on the invitation, so how would she know it was from me?”
Asar leaned over and kissed the woman and then sent her away. He turned and put his feet back into the pool. “You are looking for an excuse. It was implied. Am I or am I not your vizier and legal counsel? I act on your behalf. On some cases, one would say I speak for you.”
“In affairs of state, not in love.”
“Anyway, the audience and invited guests did not know this. To them she and her sister are guilty of not complying with your demand. Their
cousin Furaha is smart. She read the fine print.”
“Good. Then you marry her. The two of you, it seems, have a lot in common when it comes to getting your way.”
Asar chuckled. “She was quite ingenious securing the middle of the floor to draw your attention directly on her.”
“So are you saying I should choose her? I would have to worry all the time if she is plotting some type of strategy behind my back.”
“No, I am not saying that you have to choose her. Have you read over the list I gave you? Is there not one who stands out?”
“I will not say I am not intrigued by a couple of them. They have very impressive resumes. Some stand out more than others. Some will bring big dowries, while others are from countries that will make strong allies.”
“Is that all you can think about?”
“There is more to life than sex.”
Asar feigned shock. “Blasphemy.”
Khai pushed away from the side of the pool and swam several laps. His guards stood by watching. He returned to Asar who, too, watched. “Sex is important, but Egypt comes first. I am pharaoh now. I have to put my needs aside for the greater good of my people.”
“I used to be so envious of you. Now I am glad that I am not you. Sex is very important to me. It makes me who I am.”
“You are more than just a phallus.”
Asar cringed. “That was bad even for you. Look, I am serious. You have to choose a wife, and you have to make the Bassey sisters apologize for smiting you in the eyes of your people.”
“What would you have me do, drag them back here to Egypt in chains and make an example of them?”
“No, you cannot do that. It would be reprehensible. Request that they return for some other reason, and then you deal with them when they get here.”
“What excuse can I use to get them here? The coronation is over, and they should be halfway back to their home in Thebes.”
“I do not know, make up something.”
“I have never been a good liar, and I don’t plan to start now.” He swam around the pool again.