I paused and grasped at my belly. “I wish you wouldn’t say things like that.”
He grunted and picked up one of his freshly cleaned tunics. “Thank you, Naomi. I’m going to change now, so you may want to step out.”
A few weeks later, Horemheb rushed in to see me while I prepared his evening meal, and tossed a letter on the table. “Read it, right now.”
I quickly wiped my hands clean and broke the seal.
“It’s from Abi,” I said, recognizing the royal emblem.
“Yes, yes, I know, but what does it say?”
“You didn’t open it?”
“Naomi.”
“Sorry, all right.” I scanned the Nubian text, being a little rusty with my language skills. “Well, she starts off saying how glad she is to hear from me and find I am still alive and well―”
“Naomi, you know what I’m looking for,” he snapped impatiently.
I quickly scanned the note until I found it and frowned. “It’s not good news.”
“What did she say?”
“She’s very apologetic, and hopes Malachi can get out of fighting, but—”
“They still want to go to war.”
I nodded. “She says as long as Ay has power, they will not ally or trade with Egypt.”
I offered for him to look for himself, but he pushed the papyrus away.
“I will take the news to Tut. Unfortunately, removing Ay is not an option. He has royal blood and so is entitled to his station, no matter how much I would like to catch him out and have him removed.” He groaned and rubbed his temple. “I’m sorry, Naomi, but I will have to burden Tut with this now, and the chances of war are high. Be grateful your oldest is only nine and will be too young to be conscripted.”
I grabbed his arm without thinking. “Do you think the age range will be wider this time?”
He took my hand and grasped it tightly between his. “I’m afraid so. Ay and his son will insist upon it. It will most likely be able-bodied men between fifteen and thirty.”
“Oh no! That covers Itani’s husband, as well as Adina’s two oldest boys and her son-in-law, and Rena’s oldest!”
“What are you talking about?” We both turned and saw Tut leaning against the doorframe.
Horemheb released my hand and turned to him. “The Nubians are threatening war, so I had your mother write to her old friend and fellow queen for assistance. Unfortunately, the Nubians are determined.”
Tut walked over, glaring at Horemheb, then snatched the letter from my hand. “You should have left my mother out of this.”
“Tut,” I said gently. “I have been doing things like this since before you were born―”
He swung around and grasped my face. “I don’t care. I don’t want you burdened with such things. If there’s a problem I need your assistance with, I will come to you for guidance, but I do not want you involved.”
I scowled. “Tut, I don’t need to be protected.”
He glared at me before turning on Horemheb. “You are supposed to help me protect her, not drag her in to conspire with you.”
I grabbed his wrist and turned him to face me. “Tut, how is Ankhe?”
“Don’t change the subject!” His voice rose as his eyes flashed. I stared at him firmly, until he relented. “She is doing well. The child within her moves a great deal, which causes her discomfort, but she’s relieved that it lives.”
“Does she have a midwife to assist her?”
“I have been meaning to ask you.”
I touched my chest and smiled, feeling honored. “Tut, I would―”
“No, no, no!” Horemheb interjected. “She cannot go to the palace, Tut. You know that!”
“Then I will bring Ankhe to her―”
“I don’t think so.” I took his arm. “She won’t want to make that trip. Why don’t you ask Gerlind?”
“You don’t think Ankhe will suspect my feelings for Delila if I do that?”
I chuckled. “Of course not! She knew us both when we were wives of her father and knew we were good friends. Gerlind is also her grandfather’s wife now, so she is family through that line, as well.”
“I would prefer to know you were with her but…” He huffed. “Can’t we sneak you in?”
“No.” Horemheb folded his arms. “Not after those Hebrew women were attacked.”
Horemheb referred to an incident just after the assassination of Smenkhkare and Meritaten. Rumors spread that a Hebrew woman had sneaked into the palace and done the deed, so one day, several Hebrew women who worked in the palace were raped and murdered. Horemheb hurriedly released all other Hebrew women who worked in and near the palace from their duties, and flatly refused to let me ever return.
Tut frowned at me and ran his fingers over my hair. “I wish things were different so I could always have you with me.”
I reached up and pulled off his false beard. “Me too, son.”
He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and kissed my head. He sighed, squeezing me firmly. “Let’s not dwell on this.”
He turned to Horemheb. “Commander, what say you to a race?”
“I don’t think so. I have business I need to attend to,” Horemheb responded.
“What if I offer you a winner’s prize if you can somehow beat me?” He grinned mischievously.
“Tut, why don’t you find something constructive to do?”
“It would be a kiss from my mother.”
“Tut!” I gasped, pushing him off me.
“Where are the chariots?” Horemheb rushed out the door.
Tut laughed loudly and hurried after him.
Embarrassed, I hurried to finish up before they returned, in case Horemheb did win. The food seemed to cook at a painfully slow rate. As I set his food out on the table, I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking I had beaten them and would slip out before they returned. However, as I turned to leave, the door burst open and Tut rushed toward me looking flustered, but grinning. “I tried to win, I really did.”
“Tut!” I gasped, turning on him. “I can’t―”
“Horemheb! I found her!” He cupped his mouth as he yelled. A moment later, Horemheb stepped into the room. Tut pushed me forward. “As promised, a kiss from my mother.”
“No, I can’t!” I protested, trying to struggle against him. “Tut, Malachi… I’m married!”
“It’s just a kiss, Mama.” He pushed me into Horemheb, who caught me.
I tried to pull back. “I’m sorry, Horemheb, but you know I just can’t.”
“Naomi of Ephraim, daughter of Jorem!” Tut said in a commanding voice. “As king and Pharaoh, I order you to obey me. Give this man the debt I owe him.”
I gnawed at my tongue in frustration. I looked up at Horemheb, who waited calmly.
“Fine.” I kissed his cheek, but as I went to pull away, he caught me by the back of the head and pulled me back in. Our lips met, and I couldn’t help the rush of excitement that ran through me. I yielded to him for a moment and kissed him back, before I caught myself. I pulled away and slapped him. “You both should be ashamed of yourselves!”
As I stormed away, Tut laughed merrily behind me.
Itani’s rage exploded all over Tut. The army generals and captains had swept the whole sector and conscripted all men between eighteen and thirty. This meant only one of Adina’s sons was required to go, along with her son-in-law, but Itani’s husband, Nathaniel, was within the requirements.
She ran to my house in tears and bellowed at me to make Tut change the age range so Nathaniel didn’t have to go. When I told her I couldn’t, she came with me to the estate for several days until he showed up and she hollered the house down. She was so loud and vicious it made Ezra and Saul cry, while Rachel and Aaron hid in the gardens. Horemheb and I hung back and watched as Tut tried to defend himself but Itani would not allow him to speak. Finally, he was able to say, “I’m sorry, Itani! I already brought the age range up from what they originally wanted!”
“Then ma
ke an exception for Nathaniel!” she screamed. “He’s my husband, and we haven’t even had a chance to have children yet! And how is he supposed to help Joshua, or have you forgotten how you sent him off to war and made him lose his leg?”
“Itani!” he yelled furiously. “That was not my fault!”
“You’re Pharaoh, aren’t you? You can do what you like!”
“Within reason!”
“Nathaniel is not going!” She stomped her foot and clenched her fists. “Make it so!”
“I cannot. If I make an exception for him, then I will have to make an exception for our cousin, then our cousin’s husband, then his family and then their families, until suddenly no one is going!”
“Having you as a brother is useless!” Her chin quivered as she folded her arms. “I hate you!”
“Well, I hate you too, you horrible little brat!”
They both turned to me, talking at me all at once. Horemheb groaned beside me. I glanced up to see him rubbing his temple, trying to suppress a headache. I stepped over and took Itani’s hand. “Calm down, child. You don’t hate your brother, so apologize to him.”
“No!” She lifted her chin, pouting.
“Why can’t you be more like Hepsati? She understood!” Tut glared at her, folding his arms, too.
Itani gave him a filthy look. “Yes, and he came back short a limb.”
“I have the worst sister in the world!”
“Well I―”
“Stop it!” My sharp tone caused them to fall silent. “Horemheb, can you arrange for Nathaniel to be placed in a low risk regiment?”
He nodded. “I can put him with the king’s escort.”
“There you go.” I squeezed Itani’s hand. “Will that satisfy you? He will be off the front line and close to your brother.”
She huffed. “I guess it will have to do.” She turned to Tut again and pointed at him angrily. “But you better not make him do anything dangerous!”
She turned on her heal and marched out to find Rachel and the boys.
Tut groaned and marched out as well, leaving Horemheb and me standing there.
I folded my arms and sighed. “They are so dramatic.”
He laughed. “Naomi, they are just like you. Do you not remember how you spoke to me the day I came to collect a wife for the late king? Do you not remember the demands you made of me?”
“Hmm.” I pursed my lips remembering. “I blame you for all this, then. I was fairly pleasant up until that point.”
He laughed. “I wish I could take the credit.”
A few days later, the men left for war. We watched as our young men were gathered up and marched out of the city, and prayed with all our hearts that they would each return to us.
unt Naomi!”
I sat up, startled. I shook off the sleep and heard it again.
Malachi woke the second time. “Is that―?”
“Eliora!” I exclaimed excitedly and scrambled for my robe. I shot out of the house in a flash, running through the streets to Eliora’s house.
I approached and saw Bilhan and his oldest son ushering the youngest three children across the street to Rena’s house. Eliora’s ten-year-old daughter remained inside to assist. I waved to them quickly as I pulled open the door and rushed in.
My sisters and Dana were already present, and doing what they could to ease Eliora’s pain through the labor. I rushed over to the stove and found the water boiling, so placed some bandages in it to prepare them for afterward, to slow the bleeding.
“Naomi!” Eliora gasped. “Good, you are all here.”
“Of course we are. We wouldn’t miss our baby sister giving birth.” I knelt down and checked her progress. “You are doing well.”
She smiled briefly before a cramp hit her. Her labor progressed steadily, and she was brave throughout. Then, near the end, I checked her and saw the child in breech. I had to do something quickly or they could both die.
“Lean her back!” I ordered my sisters. I looked up into Eliora’s eyes and said, “This is probably going to be uncomfortable.”
She nodded quickly, and as I slid my hand in to try to rotate the child, she moaned in pain. “It’s moving easily… oh, there’s the head.”
I carefully engaged the child’s head and, instantly, the labor intensified. She screamed as the child shifted lower, so fast I almost didn’t remove my hand in time.
My sisters helped her back up onto the birthing stool and she bore down. The child came very quickly after that; only two pushes later and she was out. She looked a little blue, but I quickly revived her and she began to wail. I handed her to Eliora, who smiled excitedly and kissed her cheek.
The placenta passed, but I couldn’t get the bleeding to stop. I grabbed Adina’s arm and pulled her down to help me as Rena and Dana helped Eliora lay back on the bed. Adina grew frantic beside me as we both struggled to stop the bleeding.
“Dana, bring Eliora food and water quickly,” I ordered.
Dana and Rena’s attention suddenly shifted to us and they both looked alarmed. Dana leaped to her feet to obey my order, while Rena leaned over Eliora. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m just tired,” Eliora said with a sigh, but I could see the loss of blood wearing her out. Her eyes glazed over and her head fell back.
“Fight, Eliora!” I barked. “Come on, fight!”
“Naomi?” she muttered.
“Yes, stay awake.”
“Rena, I’m tired.”
Rena clasped her face. “Do as Naomi says, stay awake.”
But her eyes became heavy and she fainted. Adina and I focused completely on trying to stop the bleeding, but it seemed never-ending.
“What has happened?” Adina said in a frightened voice. “Why won’t she stop bleeding?”
“I have only seen this much bleeding once before,” I said, remembering Meketaten. I grew frantic, not wanting my sister to die.
“When?” Rena’s tense voice asked. “When, Naomi?”
I didn’t want to answer her, so I kept focused on applying pressure to Eliora.
“Naomi!” Rena screeched. “When?”
I glanced across at Eliora’s daughter and said, “Go get your Papa.”
“No!” Rena wailed and grabbed Eliora’s shoulders. “Wake up! Don’t you dare die!”
Eliora’s daughter sprinted from the room in a panic, just before Eliora’s breathing started to labor. Dana knelt beside her and tried unsuccessfully to give her water. Rena grasped Eliora’s face and leaned closer to her. “Please don’t die.”
Eliora’s eyes suddenly shot open and she smiled at Rena.
“Rena, don’t cry for me.” Her eyes glazed over and her hand fell limp beside her.
“No,” Rena breathed.
Adina sat back, knowing our efforts were of no avail. She stared at Eliora with her jaw hanging while Rena sobbed. I pulled Eliora’s tunic over her and hung my head in grief. My baby sister, the most beautiful one of us all, was gone. The one who always seemed to brighten a room with her presence. I leaned over to a bowl of water and wiped my hands to get off the worst of her blood. I then handed it to Adina, who did the same.
The door burst open and Bilhan rushed to her side. He lifted her head into his lap and wept over her. I looked down at the infant and saw it searching for her mother’s breast, so I carefully shifted her head and latched her on. She needed a wet nurse, so I decided to focus on that rather than my grief. I looked at Rena, who I knew was trying to wean her youngest, then at Adina, who still had a few months until she delivered. I was also weaning Ezra, so my eyes fell on Dana. Her youngest was four months old, so still nursing exclusively.
I touched Bilhan’s arm. “Your daughter lives. Would you agree to Dana being her wet nurse?”
He nodded slowly, barely taking in what I said, but enough to notice his new child suckling. He glared down at her and muttered, “I don’t want it anyway.”
I couldn’t help slapping him. “Don’t you dare talk like tha
t! Eliora would―”
“Eliora’s gone,” he snarled. “That child killed her.”
My sisters both glared up at him.
“Don’t you dare say that!” Adina hissed. “We each would gladly give our lives for our children like she did! Don’t you dare take away from her sacrifice.”
His head hung as he stroked her hair. “My beautiful Eliora,” he whispered. “How can I live without you?”
We all avoided looking at each other, our hearts sinking as we wondered the same thing; how could we live without our baby sister?
We buried Eliora beside our mother. A great sadness hung over our family for many weeks for the loss of Eliora, especially her husband. He was beside himself. He didn’t know what to do with six children, four of whom were daughters. So we rallied around him and each of us took turns watching the children while he worked to support them.
Malachi was shaken by the event as well. He became afraid of getting me pregnant again, so stopped touching me. When Itani came to us and announced she was with child, he seemed to relax and I soon found myself pregnant again.
Meanwhile, I received word from the palace that Ankhe delivered a stillborn. I felt terrible for her, especially with Tut gone at war. So I wrote a note to her to let her know she wasn’t alone. It didn’t take long for me to receive a response, and a day later, she showed up at my door and wept on my shoulder.
Zakkai shook me awake. “Mama.”
I rolled over. “Zakkai? What is it?”
He grinned. “A dog had puppies in our shed.”
Malachi sat up. “What?”
He jumped up, muttering to himself about the meat all being eaten as he left the room.
“Can we keep them?” Zakkai asked.
“No, Zakkai, we don’t need dogs.” I rubbed my eyes, sitting up.
“I could train them to guard the sheep, or chase rats. Dogs could be very helpful.”
“Zakkai…”
Rachel ran in and jumped on me. “Mama, they are so adorable! We should keep them!”
“No!” I heard Malachi call from outside.
Zakkai leaped to his feet and rushed after Malachi, knowing he was going to chase the dog and her pups out of the shed. Rachel hurried after him, and a few moments later, I heard Zakkai arguing with Malachi, followed by the mournful tears of Rachel as she pleaded with her father to leave the pups alone. I sighed and climbed out of bed.
KIYA: Rise of a New Dynasty (Kiya Trilogy Book 3) Page 4
