Daughter of Egypt

by Constance O'Banyon

  Thalia tried to put her feelings into words to this woman who had always understood her so well. “I have come to know joy in the simplest matters: seeing an orphan cuddled by a woman who lost her own child, seeing my people free of war, and knowing none shall hunger.” Thalia looked into her mother’s eyes. “I suppose those are not really simple matters. They mean the difference between life and death on this island.” She shook her head, not wanting to think of sad events on this wondrous day. “I suppose my four white Badarians and my chariot were stolen?”

  “Nay, daughter. Jamal found them and brought them safely home. They will be shipped to you as soon as it can be arranged.”

  Thalia felt relief, for she had worried about her whites. “I would ask if you would also send Jamal and his family to me. I feel sure he is in disgrace because he could not prevent Turk from taking me.”

  “He was sent to the Badari encampment in dishonor, but he has been made to suffer enough. He shall be sent to you.”

  “Jamal could not have saved me, Mother—I would not have him blamed.”

  Lady Larania nodded toward Ashtyn. “And what about him? He watches you guardedly while pretending to listen to Marcellus, who is trying in his own way to befriend him. No doubt Marcellus remembers when he was forced to face Ramtat’s stinging rebuke, so he knows well how your husband feels.”

  Thalia glanced at her husband and saw uncertainly in his gaze. He was overwhelmed by the family reunion he was no part of. “I love him. He is the finest man I have ever known, honorable and loving, and right now he fears I will leave with you and take his unborn child.”

  Lady Larania looked uncertain. “And yet, he is the man who abducted you.”

  “I … now know Ashtyn had little choice in the matter,” Thalia said hesitantly, hoping she could make her mother understand the circumstances that had brought her to this island. “Ashtyn and my grandfather feared I would fall into the rebel leader’s camp. The war might very well have gone differently if Turk had taken me to Sevilin.”

  Her mother’s eyes clouded. “I was so fearful we had lost you.”

  “I must admit, Mother, there were many dark days for me. But those times have passed.” Thalia smiled brightly. “Now that I have been reunited with my family, I can wish for nothing more.”

  The two women were joined by Adhaniá. “Look at my little sister—a queen!” She leaned close to Thalia and whispered with humor, “Can this be the little guttersnipe I rescued from the streets of Rome?”

  “Part of me is still that child,” Thalia said in all seriousness. “But I am finding out how difficult it is to be responsible for the well-being of so many people.” Thalia turned to her mother. “Much of what you taught me about running a household helped me make many difficult decisions here on the island.”

  Danaë gave voice to the question they all wanted answered: “Do we take you home with us, little sister?”

  Thalia knew in that moment she could never leave Bal Forea. She loved the people, they needed her and she needed them. And Ashtyn, she could never leave him. “While I will grieve for each of you when you leave, my place is here, beside my husband.” Thalia searched the room for Ashtyn, but he was not there.

  Danaë saw Thalia’s distress, and knew the reason for it. “Your husband asked to be excused. He said something about a matter that needed his attention.”

  Lady Larania patted Thalia’s hand. “I believe that young man could not face the possibility of losing you, my daughter. Go to him, put his mind at ease.” She gently shoved Thalia. “Go to him with haste! We shall have plenty of time to talk later. I have decided I shall remain with you until my grandchild is born.”

  Thalia stood, walking out of the chamber with her family watching her disappear through the curved archway. When she reached the corridor, she started running.

  Bursting into her bedchamber, she did not see Ashtyn until he came in from the garden and stared at her.

  “I can see why you missed your family. They are quite extraordinary.”

  “The women in my family are strong-willed, and when they want something, they pursue it.”

  “And you want to return home,” he said dully, his gaze sweeping her face.

  “I am home.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  Thalia saw hope flicker in his eyes and smiled. “I should have thought that would be obvious.”

  He searched her face. “Where you are concerned, nothing is obvious to me.”

  She saw the misery in his silver-blue eyes and knew, in that moment, that he wanted her to stay, not for Bal Forea, but for him. With that knowledge came another revelation. What she saw in his gaze was not worship for a queen, it was love for his wife. Thalia moved toward him. “Name me a reason I should stay, then I shall tell you mine.”

  “There are the matters of state, and the country needs its queen.” He reached for her, then allowed his hand to drop to his side. “But my true reason is more personal. Stay for me.” Grief poured from him, visible on the sharp planes of his face.

  “Ashtyn, do you not know when a woman loves you above all others? Wherever you are is my home. I hope we are never parted, beginning with this night.”

  He looked doubtful for a moment, then he smiled, drawing her tighter into his arms. “I was so certain you would leave me. I have been agonizing over what to say to keep you here.” He held her face between his hands and kissed her. “My dearest love, I have been in the depths of torment.”

  “Because … ?”

  “You want me to say it?”

  She spoke in earnest, “I do.”

  “Beloved, I cannot take a breath without thinking of you. Years before I met you, you were a shadow in my mind, and I wanted and desired you. The first time I saw you, I knew my life would never be the same, and it hasn’t been. Love has done that to me.”

  Thalia slid her arms about his waist. “What about the woman that you once wanted to wed?”

  Ashtyn looked confused. “I don’t know who …” Then he smiled. “You mean Shajada.”

  “I was jealous of your feelings for her,” Thalia admitted.

  He gave her a slow smile that melted her insides like hot honey. “Were you indeed?” He laughed. “Shajada is nothing to me. She is now the wife of one of my officers and has given him six children. The poor man has to listen to her lecture him from day to night. My Thalia, when you first asked me about her, I could hardly recall her name.”

  Thalia placed her head on his chest, listening to the beating of his heart. “Did you ever think we would find happiness together?”

  He tilted her chin and gazed into her eyes. “I hoped we would.” He lifted her in his arms and carried her toward the bed. “Tonight there will be no shadows between us.” He laid her down and joined her. “Beloved … how many times I wanted to call you by that endearment,” he whispered, pressing his mouth against hers. “Has ever a man loved a woman more than I love you at this moment?”

  Thalia felt tears on his face, and it brought tears to her eyes. The Destroyer had one weakness, and it was her.

  “We shall build a new Bal Forea together so that our sons and daughters will know only peace and prosperity. I will ask Marcellus, who is a master architect, to remain for a while and help us rebuild. And I will ask Queen Cleopatra to open trade with us and help our people prosper.” She frowned in thoughtfulness. “And Ramtat will send a herd of Badarian horses, and I will ask him to send Heikki, his master of horse, to train our men in raising the rare breed.”

  He could not speak as he listened to her plans that would bring peace and prosperity such as Bal Forea had never known. She had the power and family connections to do just what she said.

  Ashtyn took her face between his hands and looked deeply into her eyes, and Thalia could see he was still troubled.

  “I have something to ask of you.” He hesitated, swallowed and traced her lips with his finger. “Forgive me for taking you out of Egypt in such a harsh manner. I should have go
ne to Queen Cleopatra and laid the facts before her.”

  “Ashtyn, do not suffer over what you were forced do. I have come to understand you had no choice. Your one aim was to save Bal Forea, and you did that.”

  “Then you forgive me?”

  She touched his face, loving him so much it hurt. “Without hesitation.”

  He gathered her close, his body trembling. He buried his face in her silken hair, wondering why the gods had favored him with such a wife.

  “You once considered yourself a daughter of Egypt, but you, Gracious Majesty, are the queen of my heart.”

  Epilogue

  Egypt

  Cleopatra stood on her balcony as she had so many times, staring out at the turbulent sea that splashed waves against the high garden walls. There was a restless stirring within her, an inkling of trouble to come. Octavian was making noises in the Senate of Rome, stirring up the people with the intent to set them against Antony.

  Had her ambitions taken her too far—was she the cause of Antony’s troubles? True, she was ambitious, and she had convinced Antony to share her ambitions.

  But Antony was no Caesar.

  How her heart burned with love for Antony. Perhaps it would have been better if she had been happy to remain Queen of Egypt with him at her side. But it was too late to turn aside now—the die had been cast. Trouble was coming their way, and she would have to be prepared.

  Cleopatra frowned. Tomorrow she would have the builders begin construction on more war ships. If Octavian came, she would be ready for him.

  She heard Antony stirring in the bed, just waking.

  With hurried footsteps, she went to him, and he pulled her into his arms.

  As his lips touched hers, she felt a coldness in her heart. She would lose him, just as she had lost Caesar, but his loss would take all the joy from her life. She snuggled closer to him, trying to fight against her growing dread.

  “Antony,” she whispered, “you are the true love of my heart.”

  His dark gaze settled on her face. “Even more than Caesar?”

  How often did she have to convince Antony that her love for Caesar was nothing compared to the love she felt for him? “I love you more than my own life,” she admitted.

  Even as his mouth found hers, troubles still haunted her mind. She had felt this same emptiness just before Caesar had been assassinated.

  Her arms tightened around Antony, as if by holding him to her she could stave off any trouble that came to Egypt.

  Love stung like a dagger in the heart. She closed her eyes. Truth to tell, her greatest love was Egypt, and she could feel it slipping out of her grasp …

  Daughter of Egypt

  © 2008 Evelyn Gee

  ISBN: 9780843960068

  LEISURE Books

  Ed♥n