Pharaoh's Desire

by Chanta Rand

  Latmay bowed. “Your wish is my command.”

  Amonmose grimaced as he watched the doctor leave. He had no intentions of taking any medicine for an erratic heartbeat. He knew its cause, and it was a siren, not a serpent. Even now, he was fully prepared to storm down to her room and demand her complete and total surrender. Yet deep inside, he knew Kama might surrender her body, but never her heart, and that would not do. He wanted her to want him. It was time for a change in strategy.

  “Baal!” he called aloud.

  “Yes, your grace?” Baal seemingly appeared from nowhere.

  “Have the servants draw a bath for me. I’ll take it here in my chambers.”

  Baal bowed gracefully bow and nodded in acknowledgement. He stepped outside the Pharaoh’s chambers and quickly delivered the instructions to a waiting servant. There was a formal hierarchy at the palace. Everyone reported to someone, and they all ultimately reported to the Pharaoh.

  Minutes later, Amonmose’s chamber was a flurry of activity as dozens of servants brought in a huge copper tub and carefully placed it in the center of one of the Pharaoh’s adjoining rooms. The massive tub was large enough for him to sit with his legs outstretched. Once it was positioned perfectly, dozens more servants brought in buckets of rose-scented water and emptied them one by one into the tub. With so many servants dedicated to the task, the entire process happened very quickly. Two female attendants lingered by the chamber entrance ready to assist the Pharaoh with his private bathing.

  However, this evening Amonmose preferred solitude, so he clapped his hands loudly, signaling for everyone to make a hasty departure. Once he was alone, he removed his garments and lowered himself into the cool, soothing waters. It was the perfect solution to the seasonal heat. He took his time, lathering himself with a fragrant cleansing cream. Afterward, he would spread balanos oil over his body. The oil was extracted from a thorny tree in the Nile Valley and was purported to have mystical healing powers.

  The Pharaoh relaxed and soaked leisurely, replaying the events of the hunt in his mind. He was certain the appearance of the snake was no accident. But how did it get there? Who released it and how would he or she know how to time its exact placement? The person had to be someone with experience handling snakes, someone with nothing to lose by doing this, and, worst of all, someone in his inner circle whom he’d invited to the hunt. So far, he’d only discussed his concerns with Baal. At this moment, he did not know whom else he could trust. Whoever was responsible for that serpent would either go into hiding like a scared baboon or become even more aggressive, like a cornered hyena. In either case, he must be cautious. Someone was trying to tell him something, and today he’d gotten the message loud and clear.

  Later that evening, Kama sat in her room watching a spectacular sunset. So many times she’d sat by Akahmen’s pool watching the deep shades of red slowly transition into the shadowy purple hues of night. It was a brilliant display of color that she never tired of watching. Dyzet had told her the sun god, Re, was also worshipped here,and she could certainly understand why.

  Kama wondered if her mother was gazing at the same glorious sunset. Was Mutema thinking of her lost daughter? Did she cry at night? Was she lonely? Kama wished she would have spent that last precious day with her mother, helping her make bread and telling her she loved her. She remembered their brief encounter in the kitchen the day she left for Aswan. Her mother spoke of Satati’s impending marriage and what her wifely duties would be. At that time, Kama had never been intimate with a man, so she couldn’t imagine submitting to anyone’s touch. But now, she had a better understanding of her own body and the unfamiliar sensations she was feeling. She still remembered her mother’s words. She had said passion was a complicated emotion. Kama was beginning to believe her.

  She felt a tumultuous mix of emotions every time she thought of Amonmose. His touch drove her mad with a craving she’d never felt before. She loved it and despised it in the same breath. She wondered if her mother would understand these feelings. Not that it mattered. She would never get to ask her, for she would never see her again. Kerma was a distant memory to her now. A beautiful, sweet memory that she would always treasure.

  Her thoughts were interrupted by a discreet knock at her chamber door. Kama smiled to herself. It must be Dyzet. She was usually at home with her family at this late hour, but lately her visits had been more frequent, and Kama welcomed her company. Maybe they could watch the sunset together.

  When she opened the door, it was not Dyzet who greeted her but the Pharaoh instead. He looked magnificent, as usual. He wore a finely spun white linen kilt knotted at his waist. His bare chest was adorned with a gold pectoral collar encrusted with large turquoise and onyx cabochons. He never failed to impress her with his regal air and his confident manner.

  She bowed gracefully. “To what do I owe this visit?” she asked.

  Once again, she’d spoken before he had addressed her. She expected him to make a comment about her lack of protocol, but he surprised her.

  “I thought you might wish to accompany me on a walk,” he offered. “It occurred to me that you have not seen my garden.”

  Kama stared at him, not knowing what to say. Just when she’d learned to adjust to his forceful and commanding personality, he changed tactics. He’d done the same thing earlier in his litter.

  “Now?” she asked.

  “Yes, if that is your desire.”

  His amber eyes were warm and inviting as he held her gaze. He looked so sincere and honest. But did she dare trust him? Did she have a choice?

  Kama smiled shyly. “Lead the way.”

  Amonmose held his arm out to her, and she graciously accepted, permitting him to escort her. Both Baal and Shu followed a discreet distance behind them. They all walked in silence as Amonmose led the group down a series of hallways into an area of the palace that Kama had not previously explored.

  Eventually, they traveled down a dim tunnel with marble walls and elegant tile floors. The tunnel was not straight, and the walls appeared to curve into a large semicircle, slowly turning into a wide arc as they walked.

  “The terrain will soon change,” he told her.

  Kama watched incredulously as the beautiful tile floors transformed into a soft stone walkway. Even the walls lost their graceful veins of marble, replaced with rough textured stone and brick. Suddenly, the tunnel curved and abruptly ended, opening into the most exquisite garden Kama had ever seen.

  “It-it’s…incredible!” she exclaimed.

  “The garden was started long before I was born, but I have added to it considerably since I became Pharaoh. A few years ago, I commissioned a local stone mason to construct the tunnel and add a few more pathways.”

  Kama stood open-mouthed as she stared at an unending variety of lush green plants, radiant flowers, and towering trees. She’d never seen such stunning colors. A plethora of reds, yellows, purples, and greens dominated the landscape.

  Amidst the splendid blooms of flowers and plants, there were a multitude of trees. There were tall, spindly trees with thin branches, short heavy trees with thick trunks and dark foliage, and soft willowy trees with cascading leaves. The bushes were perfectly trimmed, and they dotted each area of the garden in all shapes and sizes. Kama stood on the main path, but she could see that several smaller paths ventured off in different directions. It was paradise. Sweet and secluded.

  “I have never seen its equal,” she admitted. “It’s more than a garden. It’s a masterpiece.”

  Amonmose smiled. “I’m glad it meets with your approval.” He took her hand. “Come. Let me show you more of this masterpiece. Baal and Shu will remain stationed at the tunnel entrance.”

  Kama allowed him to hold her hand, and she quietly listened as he proudly listed each flower, plant, and tree.

  “There are forty sycamore figs, one hundred olive trees, twenty-two date palms, twenty pomegranate trees, fifty-eight willows, sixteen arcadia trees, and forty-four lotus trees,” he told h
er. “But they are more than just scenery. Everything serves a purpose in this garden.

  “The pomegranate and date trees yield a delicious crop of fruit each year. The wood from the sycamores is used to make water wheels and other tools for agriculture. Its fruit also makes an excellent fig pie. We grow lotus trees to harvest the timber to make furniture and ships. The olive trees, of course, provide us with much needed oil to light all the lamps in the palace. When it comes to these resources, we are self-sufficient.”

  Kama marveled at the shiny dark green leaves of the olive trees. The fruit was so healthy and vibrant. In Nubia, there were no lush gardens like this. “What manner of irrigation do you use to keep all these plants prospering?” she asked.

  Amonmose looked at her with admiration. “Most women would not think to ask such a question. They like beautiful things and they accept them as they are. I am impressed with your curiosity.”

  She blushed, not knowing how to respond.

  “I have a dedicated team of gardeners that tend to the plants each day,” he told her. “Some of the flowers are hand watered using large jugs. For plants requiring more water, the men bring it in using barrels carried by oxen. This garden also has its own source of water, which flows from a brook.”

  Kama sniffed the air. “What is that delicious scent?”

  “Probably the orchard. It’s this way.” They passed through a towering pergola, formed by two double rows of pillars covered in rich green and purple vines. “Welcome to my orchard,” he said proudly. “There are nearly ten varieties of fruits and vegetables and twelve varieties of flowers in this garden.”

  Kama smiled as he held out his hand with a flourish, as if he were presenting some great and wonderful treasure. “This is amazing!” she exclaimed. “You have an endless supply.”

  He chuckled. “That’s precisely the idea. Between the royal chefs and Latmay, this garden has seen its fair share of harvests.”

  Kama was confused. “Latmay?”

  “He uses many of the herbs grown here for medicinal purposes,” Amonmose explained. He pointed to each plant as he spoke. “Over there are the onion bulbs he uses to relieve colds. There is the thyme for pain, mint to cure indigestion, and dill for diuretic purposes.”

  Kama scoffed. “Sounds more like ingredients for supper.”

  Amonmose laughed again. “I agree. Come, there is much more to see.”

  They held hands as they explored each area of the garden. Kama found that Amonmose was quite knowledgeable about all the different species of flowers and trees. She listened quietly as his smooth, velvety voice wrapped itself around her. She was seeing another side of him today. Perhaps if he was another man and she was not here at his command, she could be content here. Perhaps. She shrugged her thoughts away.

  Amonmose led her to a new area of the garden, where she was surrounded by an abundance of flowers, including daisies, mandrakes, roses, irises, jasmine, mignonettes, celosia, and narcissus. The garden was elaborately laid out and sectioned into separate areas.

  “This garden was designed for privacy as well as enjoyment,” he told her. “Look up there,” he pointed skyward.

  From where she stood, she could see a large set of windows in the upper level of the palace. “It’s someone’s chamber window,” she guessed.

  “Yes. Mine. The garden is located on the north side of my quarters. This allows the cool breeze to filter into my windows throughout the day.”

  “The view must be spellbinding.”

  “It is. I can look down into the garden and smell the fragrant flowers in my room each day. For security reasons, no one can enter my chamber from the garden and vice versa. That was why I had the special tunnel constructed.”

  Kama frowned. “I don’t remember seeing this view from your chambers.”

  He met her dark eyes with a knowing stare. “You left in haste that day,” he gently reminded her of her urgent departure after his searing kiss.

  Kama searched his face, but she could see no signs of mockery. It was simply the truth, she had left in haste. Somehow, he seemed different from the man she met then.

  Amonmose gazed at her, and as if by magic, a frail blue lotus flower appeared in his hand. Its narrow, pointed petals glowed with a luminous shade of pale blue. He slowly drew closer and placed the delicate bloom in her hair. “The blue lotus is a symbol of creation and life,” he told her. “Before the universe was formed, there was a vast primordial ocean known as Nun. From Nun, a lotus flower emerged. Then, from the deep blue center of this flower, the newborn sun god Nefertum was born.” He softly caressed the smooth skin of her cheek. “This mystical plant celebrates the joining of a man and a woman and the infinite possibilities they can create.”

  His gaze was smoldering, and she felt a slow heat creep into her body. How could he so easily make her insides melt? If she were not careful, she would once again fall victim to his smooth voice and sweet words.

  Abruptly, she turned from him. Her heart was her own, even though it raced every time he touched her.

  “I want to show you something else,” Amonmose said, as though he hadn’t noticed. “This next place is extremely secretive.”

  Grateful that he was turning his gaze elsewhere, she followed him through a dense thicket of trees. He expertly weaved his way through the maze of foliage, and they emerged into a small field littered with yellow chrysanthemums. A thick ring of trees encircled the field, secluding it from the rest of the world.

  “How beautiful…” Kama murmured.

  “This is my hiding place.”

  She gave him a shocked look. “You have a hiding place? I thought the Pharaoh could go wherever he wanted and do as he pleased.”

  Her tone was teasing, and he appeared to accept it in good humor. “True. Yet, each person needs a place to enjoy solitude. A man who is not comfortable spending time alone with himself cannot expect others to desire his company.”

  “I never thought about it in that manner,” she confessed. “Is that a sage philosopher’s quote?”

  “No, it is a quote from my father.”

  “Interesting. And did your father also teach you the art of seducing helpless women in your private garden?”

  He grinned. “No. I taught myself that skill.”

  Kama cast him a glance from the corner of her eyes. “I knew the real Pharaoh was in there somewhere, hiding behind your false pleasantries.”

  “You have a sharp tongue, woman.” Amonmose tugged her wrists and pulled her toward him. “As I recall, tasty but sharp.”

  She opened her mouth to give a warning, but he paid her no heed. He pulled her into his arms and claimed her lips with a deep kiss. She was held prisoner in his passionate embrace. His mouth was warm and soft as his tongue expertly caressed hers. It was even more delicious than their first kiss, and she wondered how she could have denied herself this pleasure.

  He was methodical in his actions, and he left no area untouched as he sucked and nibbled her lips. Her mouth was alive with the taste of him, and she stopped resisting, wanting only to savor the feeling of his tongue intimately entwined with her own.

  As his kiss deepened, it became more tender, and she felt herself succumbing to his gentle touch. Her hands moved to his chest, and she found herself unable to resist stroking the hard planes of muscle there. His bare skin was hot to the touch, and when her fingers brushed against his nipples, she felt his deep moan of approval against her mouth. Frightened, she dropped her hands and pulled away, breaking their contact. She had no idea how to handle him. She could barely handle herself.

  But Amonmose pulled her back, softly caressed her shoulders, and gently placed butterfly kisses on her eyelids, nose, and cheeks.

  “You are so beautiful,” he murmured as he trailed kisses from the corners of her lips to the delicate tips of her earlobes.

  Kama stood stunned by passion. Her body was numb and tingling, something she’d never experienced before. She held him tightly as he suckled and teased the sens
itive skin of her neck. As he moved to her collarbone, she arched her body backwards giving him access to the tender flesh.

  Amonmose groaned with pleasure as he moved his hands down her curvaceous body, stroking her smooth skin. He let his hands roam lower and cupped her buttocks, feeling her supple skin through the thin material of her dress. His palms stroked her soft flesh, and his manhood hardened instantly.

  Kama looked at him through fearful eyes. “What are you doing to me?” she begged.

  He took her hand and placed it on the hardness between his legs. “The same thing you’re doing to me. It’s called desire.”

  Before she could respond, he swept her into his arms and carried her the short distance to the middle of the field. He laid her down on a soft patch of grass. A lazy breeze of warm air floated over them, carrying the fragrant scent of the brilliant, yellow chrysanthemums.

  Amonmose looked at the gorgeous creature beneath him. How many times had he fantasized about this very moment? The image of Kama lying beneath him had haunted not only his dreams but his days. Now, it was finally here. It took every ounce of his strength not to mount her and thrust himself inside her. He’d waited a long time to have her, and he meant to savor every moment of this.

  His breathing was ragged as he spoke. “From the moment I saw you, I have been unable to think of anyone else but you,” he said. “You have lit a fire inside me that cannot be quenched.”

  He showed her the depth of his desire by capturing her mouth with a passion-filled kiss. Kama writhed in pleasure as he stroked his hands across her breasts, rhythmically rubbing each nipple with the palm of his hand in a circular motion. Her cries of pleasure encouraged him even more.

  He pressed on, simultaneously trailing hot kisses down her neck and fondling her nipples between his thumb and forefinger. Her tunic was thin, and he could see the dark buds beneath the sheer material. He kissed her nipples through the light fabric, and the dark berries immediately hardened in his mouth. He generously showered each one with attention, gently licking and teasing the hard buds until her garment was wet and soaked from the warmth of his mouth.