III: The Thief's New Home

Ramses dismounted from his chariot and turned to help the woman down as well.

My woman. He thought a little smugly as she stumbled and fell against him. She caught her breath sharply as her side fell into his. Scowling she stood quickly and stepped away from him. He took her by the wrists which were still bound and led her inside.

"Waset, prepare a room for our friend here. She will be staying with us from now on." Ramses said addressing a servant who stood nearby writing on a scroll.

The man glanced up and looked over the woman at his master's side. He took in her disheveled appearance and her tied wrists and his eyes widened in surprise. But he ran off to do as he was told without saying a word.

Ramses led her quietly through the large palace that she had not been inside during the daytime. She looked around carefully watching for escape routes or for anything that might help her get out of this horrible situation. She didn't see much available to her. She did however see a few servants doing their work, guards holding their stations, and a lot of beautiful palace.

Ramses's family had been one of the lower nobles before, but when he had become the lord, the User family had risen quickly in influence and wealth. He was one of the most powerful men in all Egypt now, and Egypt was second only to the Hittites in power.

They hadn't passed any other women who seemed to be concubines yet for which Seshafi was grateful. The women of powerful lords were often cruel and grasping. They fought each other to be the favorite and who ever was the favorite of her master had the most favor and influence over the others. She had no desire to fight for influence here, but she would undoubtedly be seen as another rival to struggle against.

She became very tense when she realized that he had led her to his own private quarters in this large palace. His rooms were many and consisted of most of the east wing of the palace.

It is barely noon! What does he plan to do? She thought with growing anxiety and anger.

Ramses led the woman to the room furthest from the others. He opened one of the large doors and pulled her inside with him before shutting the door again.

They were inside his bedchambers. She shivered as she saw the large bed that was by the wall.

Ramses stood by the woman and looked at her curiously.

She would rather die than be here. She had said that. Still people often said things they didn't mean. Had she truly been by the mouth of a crocodile facing her death head on, she might have said something entirely different. That didn't much matter to him presently.

He was unsure of how he wished to proceed. Did he wish to seduce the woman or to simply take her? What he did with her now could very well define how they would see each other after this. He supposed that if she truly bored him later he could dispose of her. She was not a merchant's daughter or someone important that he had to be careful of. She was a thief and if she was unwilling to take her place here she need not take any place ever again.

She stood by him stiffly and tried to edge away from him. He stood so close to her and she was nervous of him. She did not like the way he watched her or stared at her body. It made her uncomfortable and was a very bad glimpse of what she might expect in the days to come.

Still unsure how he wanted to treat her, Ramses reached out and took her arm again. He led her out of the doorway and further into the large chamber. She walked slowly stiffly fearing the direction they took.

He did the small favor of avoiding the bed and instead brought her to a couch near one of the two windows. She looked out the window and suppressed a sigh. At least she could see out; see that the world was still there even if she was held away from it.

She was startled when she saw the knife in his hands.

Seshafi gasped loudly at the knife held near her. She kicked out with one of her legs and attempted to knock the man or his hand away from her.

Ramses easily avoided her sudden attack. He leaned forward and pushed her down onto the couch and leaned over her body. There was hate in her eyes, but he could see the fear there too hidden in her depths.

Slowly, holding her eyes with his own he moved the knife to her wrists. While she looked on he cut the rope from her. Then he sat up and backed away slightly holding the knife loosely in his hand.

She sighed and sat up. She rubbed her wrists and hated the horrid marks in her skin from where the rope had burned and chaffed her. At least she had not been cut and bled.

"Your name."

she glanced up him surprised. It was the first thing he had said to her personally. She bite her lip and looked at him silently stubborn.

Ramses was amused. She was being defiant and he found it exciting. She had become his new game and she was proving not to bore him. "Should you not tell me your name, I will have to tie you up again." he said keeping his face stern and commanding to hide his inner mirth.

She scowled and seemed to weigh his words for their truthfulness. She must have known he was not jesting.

"Seshafi." she answered angrily.

He laughed out loud while she flushed angrily.

"Seshafi? An 'angry woman' hm?" he asked raising an eye at her. She did not reply to him. Her parents had given her the name many years before. Why change it now?

Seshafi meaning angry woman. He thought watching her again. It suited her. She was a angry woman. He wondered about her though. Why was she angry, why she was a thief? He would find out.

"So Seshafi, you so detest being here that you would rather try the crocodiles?" he asked her.

"Yes." she snapped immediately.

"How depressing when I am already so fond of your company." he smiled softly at her and leaned a little towards her being careful to keep the knife away.

She scoffed at him and turned away. "Do not think your flattering will work with me. I am not a fool court-woman who will believe your every word." she told him loudly.

He laughed softly again. Good. She was truly proving to be fun. He thought the next few days would be very entertaining for him. And the nights.... He looked over her form again. The dress was worn, old and somewhat loose on her, but he thought she looked well enough. The nights should prove well for him too.

He was almost glad that the woman had stolen from him. It gave him the opportunity to play with her.

Ramses threw the knife onto his bed across the room. She watched it go with a feeling of nervousness. Even if she were to get to the knife...to kill a noble man was a crime worse than her stealing. Nothing would save one such as herself then.

Ramses turned to the woman suddenly and took her wrists in his hands again. Before she could protest he had her lying down on the couch and his body was looming over hers.

He grinned arrogantly down at her as he held himself away. His body was only inches from her own and he could close that distance at any moment.

She felt her breath become ragged as she fought against the desire to thrash about and scream. It would do no good to fight him and it might encourage him to become violent with her. Perhaps if she simply laid still he would be bored and let her be.

Ramses saw the determination in her eyes. He recognized it. Some woman had tried to resist him before and they had failed. He knew her determination to be her decision to not enjoy his ministrations nor to provoke his desire.

If she was going to be still and let him do as he wished, then he would take the opportunity easily.

He leaned down slowly listening to her breathing become more and more uncontrolled as his face neared hers. He was only a few breaths away from her. She stared up into his eyes feeling trapped and nervous. What would he do? She squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to think about it.

He looked at her face for a moment, seeing her nervousness and he smiled. Then slowly, so that she would have to feel the wait and feel the warmth of his breath before he touched her, he lowered his head down and touched his lips to her neck.

Her eyes flew open and she gasped in shock. Her whole body shivered as he slowly kissed her neck just where her pulse beat most strongly. Her breathing became more and more ragged. He was taking his time, tasting her skin, flicking her with his tongue lightly, brushing his lips against her.

Why was he taking so long? Why did he not just get it over with? She squirmed impatiently and as she did so, he closed the rest of the distance between them.

His body fell along hers, lying on top of her, claiming her with his weight.

She gasped loudly again forgetting that she had meant to be still and silent. It was too new, too different and strange. No one had ever touched her. She had been a lowly street rat. Stealing, begging, sleeping in the alleys. No one had bothered her because she had nothing, and no one had wanted her because she was so dirty and low. She had stopped being so wretched when she had learned how to better take what she needed, but after that she had also learned how to avoid being preyed upon.

But this was so different. His body was warm and hard against hers. His lips were moving in circular motions over her neck.

She was too confused and disoriented to notice that his hand had moved away from her wrist. It traveled along her arm and came to stop above her chest. When he lightly gripped her breast in his hand her body twitched and she cried out loudly.

He smiled to himself as he massaged her. She pulled away from him, using her now free hand to push at his shoulder but he didn't move. She grunted annoyed and tried to squirm away from him. She didn't like it. She hated his lips on her skin, she hated the feel of her body in his grasping hands.

Blushing furiously and feeling too warm from the heat of his body so close to her, she tried to shove him away.

Ramses got up and sat straddling her hips as he held onto one of her wrists and looked down at her.

Her face was flushed and angry. Her lips parted with her heavy breathing. Her eyes glared at him with hate and fury.

He wanted this woman. He looked down at her with no expression on his face as he considered it. She was fiery. She was exciting. And he wanted her. And now looking at her face, flushed and warm from what little he had done to her, he knew how he wanted her as well.

He did not want to force her and have to hold her down as she struggled with him; he wanted her warmth, and her passion. He wanted to see that determination in her eyes melt into desire as he seduced her and left her begging for more from him. He wanted the heat and fire that would come from her response to his embrace.

He wanted her to become his lover, not to become his toy.

He got up and moved off of her body. Quickly she stood up and pulled away from him. She held her arms tight across her chest and glared daggers at his head.

He stood up and walked towards the door. He opened it and looked down the hall. A servant was waiting at the far end of the hall in case he was needed.

"Waset!" Ramses shouted snapping a little more than he had meant to. The woman had some how managed to make him irritated. The servant quickly straightened up and hurried towards his master. He bowed his head and waited for his orders.

Ramses made a quick gesture for Seshafi to leave the room and for once she obeyed easily, very ready to be out of his presence.

"Waste take this woman and get her cleaned up and taken care of." Ramses ordered looking at his aid.

"Of course Sir, and you?"

"I shall be headed back to the palace. Pharaoh has much to do this day." which meant Ramses had much to do this day.

"Of course Sir." Waste lightly took Seshafi by her elbow and started to led her away. Ramses saw a faint sly smile on her face.

"Seshafi." he called sharply. She stopped and turned to look at him with detest on her face.

"My palace is well guarded. You would do well to not try and escape. And if you do try or if you do somehow manage to free yourself, I will find you again and you will not like the punishment." he said warning her in a flat tone.

She believed him. Biting her lip and turning away angrily she began to walk with the servant again. Ramses sighed softly hoping that she would not run; it would be less fun to chase her. Then he headed down the halls on his way back to Pharaoh's palace.


A/N: Seshafi actaually does mean ''angry woman'' in Egyptian, but that is mordern Egpytian so I don't know if that's what it meant in Acient Egypt.
And thanks to Dana, for reviewing!!!!