Part XIII: Deadly Race
The bow twanged again, and Amenutept yanked us out of it's path. Much as he had the night we met, he grabbed me around the waist and lifted me into the chariot as if I were light as a feather. But this time there was an urgency to his actions as he drew his sword. "Go." He ordered. I grabbed the reins, letting out what was probably a terribly wimpish screech when an arrow narrowly missed my head. I remember I somehow found time to wonder if I should get used to getting shot at, it seemed to happen alot to royalty. I turned then, looking back at Amenutept. "Get in!"
"Go!" He ordered again, and hit the horses to start them up.
"Amentept!" I screamed half in fear, half in fury. Oh no he didn't! I had to let the chariot go far enough away to turn fully around, otherwise I'd end up in the middle of our enemy. I did stop to think about what the captain of the guards had told me about it not being a Queen's place to sacrifice herself. But it certainly wasn't a Pharoah's! Least of all one with no heir. With the chariot turned, I could see Amenutept - his blade slicing deadly arcs around him as he cut down his attackers. Somehow he'd managed to avoid the arrows, but I knew his luck couldn't last long. Since he had attackers on three sides, I had to plow straight into it. There was cries of agaony cut off as the chariot drove through the men that echoed in my ears and made a sick feeling in my stomach. Somehow I managed to ignore them, reaching my hand out to Amenutept. A warrior gazed back at me, and I was struck by the thought that this was yet another piece of him I hadn't seen. "Amenutept!" I cried out, and then his hand was in mine and I barely managed to keep my balance as he pulled himself into the chariot. Then we were throgh the attackers, and open space was ahead of us.
"Duck." He yanked me down, and an arrow shot through where my head once was. The chariot veered wildly, and I stood back up, steadying the horses. "You disobeyed me again." He mentioned suddenly, an underlaying anger in his tone.
This seemed a really odd place to be having this conversation, but somehow I felt calm enough to reply. "You should be used to it by now."
"Will there ever be a time you obey me without questioning my judgement?"
"When you make choices that aren't suicidal." I countered. An arrow twanged off the side of the chariot, reminding us that we weren't free yet. It had been a well-placed trap, however they'd managed to set it up. Three chariots with bowmen were pursuing us, and the deadly missles could not be counted on to continue missing.
It seemed once again my chariot skills were being put to the test, but this time it seemed a far deadlier game. The chariots veered across the landscape, one falling too far behind to be of consequence, but the other two in fast pursuit - their arrows a deadly hail around us. As one drew closer, nearly parallel to us, Amenutept's hands joined mine on the reins. "Don't make the same mistake you made that night. This is more than a race." He reminded me, as he swerved the chariot. It slammed into the one next to us, causing it's bowmen and driver to be thrown. My grip on the reins, and Amenutept's on the chariot kept us safely on board ours though we were badly shaken. "Turn around."
"Are you crazy?"
"Trust me."
I reminded myself Amenutept was the warrior as I turned the chariot back the way we'd come, facing out pursuers. We thundered forward as the last chariot came to meet us, spurring their horses faster. I did the same. When Amenutept gasped into my ear I nearly lost control of the chariot. "Amenutept?" I tried to glance back, but his hand gently pressed against my face.
"Concentrate on the chariot." There was pain in his voice. He had to have been hit by one of the arrows I realized.
"But I don't understand what we're doing..." I gripped the reins, charging forward to the chariot that was doing the same.
"Pass alongside it." He ordered.
The battle is still etched into my mind even after all this time, the frightened whinnies of the horses, the clang of the chariots as they swept sides, shaking us. The flash of Amenutept's sword and the cry of the fallen attackers. Then we were past our second pursuers, and the one we'd left behind was upahead. Amenutept groaned, leaning on the chariot and I spared a glance back. The arrow was in the shoulder of his swordarm - which he'd just used. There was no way he could use it again.
One way suddenly seemed as good as the next. I'd long lost track of which way the city was, so I turned the chariot so we headed sideways from our last pursuer, plowing through the a night that suddenly seemed far darker than before. The first chariot was soon pursuing us again, but this time we had a good headstart. I saw the pricks of firelight first and worried what they were. Had our pursuers laid another attack ahead? But, no, they wouldn't use torches. When I saw buildings up ahead, I nearly cried in relief. "Amenutept - the buildings! What are they?" I glanced over to find him leaning heavily on the side of the chariot. "Amenutept!"
Opening his eyes seemed a heavy task for him, and his eyes themselves were distant. He managed to focus on the buildings ahead, though. "Soldier barracks..." His voice sounded slurred. Something an arrow shouldn't have done...but poison did.
My heart was in my throat, and I spurred the horses faster. Exhausted though they had to have been they obeyed me. As I grew closer I could make out more details. The line of torches on the walls, the central fire in the barrack center, the rows of buildings, and the lone guard patrolling this side of the barrack. He spotted the chariot as we drew close, and he ran forward, drawing a bow. "Halt!"
I stopped my frantic horses mere feet from him, slightly angry at the greeting after all we'd been through, but too worried to do anything about it. "Help, please! The Pharoah's been shot!"
For a moment he stared in disbelief, then he shouted to his comrades on duty and ran forward. I turned, putting my arm around Amenutept's waist and pulling his hand gently from the side of the chariot. He opened his eyes again. "Yshta..."
"We made it...don't worry..." I whispered, despite the frantic beating of my heart. His eyes seemed glazed and distant. The guards came up, and I reluctantly passed him to them.
He opened his eyes, gazing at the guards. Somehow still the Pharaoh despite his injured and dazed state. "Protect the Lady Yshta. We are pursued." He commanded, then his eyes closed. I cried out, leaping down from the chariot and ignoring the guard who'd stayed to help me down.
Another guard grabbed my arms, keeping me back as the rest carried Amenutept toward the barracks. "He isn't dead, Lady."
"Healers...that can't be from a simple arrow - it must have been poisoned!"
He nodded his agreement. "Awaken the others, we'll seek out their attackers." He ordered the guard who'd planned on helping me down and now stood numbly by the chariot. He seemed very young to me. "Healers..." I repeated, gripping his arms.
"We will send for them right away, Lady." He promised, leading me toward the barracks. He sat me down by the central fire. I was glad for it's warmth, as I felt suddenly chilled.
"Please wait here. We will do all we can for the Pharaoh."
The soldiers were assembling, their weapons ready, by the gate we'd entered through. Two, carrying scrolls, came out of the barracks, heading for the opposite gate. "Runners?" I looked questioningly at the young guard.
"One to the Palace, one to the temple for healers. But we know something of poison arrows, we'll do our best until they arrive."
"The captain is awake and he's leading us out in search of the attackers." The younger guard from earlier came up.
"Stay here with the Pharoah's Lady." He ordered him.
"But-" He made to protest.
"Don't argue." He told him. "The Pharoah ordered us to protect her. Stay by her side, I'll go with the troops."
He left then, and the young man frowned after him with a dark gaze. In some ways what was going on around me was there, but not there. My mind was focused on Amenutept. Would he live? He had to! He couldn't die tonight, not when we'd just confessed our feelings. Don't die, Amenutept. I kept thinking. Don't you dare die...
Yshta
To Be Continued...
I'm back! I haven't abandoned anyone! Though it may have seemed like it. OMG, I just poisoned Amenutept! Now what will happen? Well, since we know he lives to have Rapses we know he won't die. Course, I could always make this AU and kill him...j/k! He'll live, but what then? Stay tuned cuz our story's almost over!
Salmon
The bow twanged again, and Amenutept yanked us out of it's path. Much as he had the night we met, he grabbed me around the waist and lifted me into the chariot as if I were light as a feather. But this time there was an urgency to his actions as he drew his sword. "Go." He ordered. I grabbed the reins, letting out what was probably a terribly wimpish screech when an arrow narrowly missed my head. I remember I somehow found time to wonder if I should get used to getting shot at, it seemed to happen alot to royalty. I turned then, looking back at Amenutept. "Get in!"
"Go!" He ordered again, and hit the horses to start them up.
"Amentept!" I screamed half in fear, half in fury. Oh no he didn't! I had to let the chariot go far enough away to turn fully around, otherwise I'd end up in the middle of our enemy. I did stop to think about what the captain of the guards had told me about it not being a Queen's place to sacrifice herself. But it certainly wasn't a Pharoah's! Least of all one with no heir. With the chariot turned, I could see Amenutept - his blade slicing deadly arcs around him as he cut down his attackers. Somehow he'd managed to avoid the arrows, but I knew his luck couldn't last long. Since he had attackers on three sides, I had to plow straight into it. There was cries of agaony cut off as the chariot drove through the men that echoed in my ears and made a sick feeling in my stomach. Somehow I managed to ignore them, reaching my hand out to Amenutept. A warrior gazed back at me, and I was struck by the thought that this was yet another piece of him I hadn't seen. "Amenutept!" I cried out, and then his hand was in mine and I barely managed to keep my balance as he pulled himself into the chariot. Then we were throgh the attackers, and open space was ahead of us.
"Duck." He yanked me down, and an arrow shot through where my head once was. The chariot veered wildly, and I stood back up, steadying the horses. "You disobeyed me again." He mentioned suddenly, an underlaying anger in his tone.
This seemed a really odd place to be having this conversation, but somehow I felt calm enough to reply. "You should be used to it by now."
"Will there ever be a time you obey me without questioning my judgement?"
"When you make choices that aren't suicidal." I countered. An arrow twanged off the side of the chariot, reminding us that we weren't free yet. It had been a well-placed trap, however they'd managed to set it up. Three chariots with bowmen were pursuing us, and the deadly missles could not be counted on to continue missing.
It seemed once again my chariot skills were being put to the test, but this time it seemed a far deadlier game. The chariots veered across the landscape, one falling too far behind to be of consequence, but the other two in fast pursuit - their arrows a deadly hail around us. As one drew closer, nearly parallel to us, Amenutept's hands joined mine on the reins. "Don't make the same mistake you made that night. This is more than a race." He reminded me, as he swerved the chariot. It slammed into the one next to us, causing it's bowmen and driver to be thrown. My grip on the reins, and Amenutept's on the chariot kept us safely on board ours though we were badly shaken. "Turn around."
"Are you crazy?"
"Trust me."
I reminded myself Amenutept was the warrior as I turned the chariot back the way we'd come, facing out pursuers. We thundered forward as the last chariot came to meet us, spurring their horses faster. I did the same. When Amenutept gasped into my ear I nearly lost control of the chariot. "Amenutept?" I tried to glance back, but his hand gently pressed against my face.
"Concentrate on the chariot." There was pain in his voice. He had to have been hit by one of the arrows I realized.
"But I don't understand what we're doing..." I gripped the reins, charging forward to the chariot that was doing the same.
"Pass alongside it." He ordered.
The battle is still etched into my mind even after all this time, the frightened whinnies of the horses, the clang of the chariots as they swept sides, shaking us. The flash of Amenutept's sword and the cry of the fallen attackers. Then we were past our second pursuers, and the one we'd left behind was upahead. Amenutept groaned, leaning on the chariot and I spared a glance back. The arrow was in the shoulder of his swordarm - which he'd just used. There was no way he could use it again.
One way suddenly seemed as good as the next. I'd long lost track of which way the city was, so I turned the chariot so we headed sideways from our last pursuer, plowing through the a night that suddenly seemed far darker than before. The first chariot was soon pursuing us again, but this time we had a good headstart. I saw the pricks of firelight first and worried what they were. Had our pursuers laid another attack ahead? But, no, they wouldn't use torches. When I saw buildings up ahead, I nearly cried in relief. "Amenutept - the buildings! What are they?" I glanced over to find him leaning heavily on the side of the chariot. "Amenutept!"
Opening his eyes seemed a heavy task for him, and his eyes themselves were distant. He managed to focus on the buildings ahead, though. "Soldier barracks..." His voice sounded slurred. Something an arrow shouldn't have done...but poison did.
My heart was in my throat, and I spurred the horses faster. Exhausted though they had to have been they obeyed me. As I grew closer I could make out more details. The line of torches on the walls, the central fire in the barrack center, the rows of buildings, and the lone guard patrolling this side of the barrack. He spotted the chariot as we drew close, and he ran forward, drawing a bow. "Halt!"
I stopped my frantic horses mere feet from him, slightly angry at the greeting after all we'd been through, but too worried to do anything about it. "Help, please! The Pharoah's been shot!"
For a moment he stared in disbelief, then he shouted to his comrades on duty and ran forward. I turned, putting my arm around Amenutept's waist and pulling his hand gently from the side of the chariot. He opened his eyes again. "Yshta..."
"We made it...don't worry..." I whispered, despite the frantic beating of my heart. His eyes seemed glazed and distant. The guards came up, and I reluctantly passed him to them.
He opened his eyes, gazing at the guards. Somehow still the Pharaoh despite his injured and dazed state. "Protect the Lady Yshta. We are pursued." He commanded, then his eyes closed. I cried out, leaping down from the chariot and ignoring the guard who'd stayed to help me down.
Another guard grabbed my arms, keeping me back as the rest carried Amenutept toward the barracks. "He isn't dead, Lady."
"Healers...that can't be from a simple arrow - it must have been poisoned!"
He nodded his agreement. "Awaken the others, we'll seek out their attackers." He ordered the guard who'd planned on helping me down and now stood numbly by the chariot. He seemed very young to me. "Healers..." I repeated, gripping his arms.
"We will send for them right away, Lady." He promised, leading me toward the barracks. He sat me down by the central fire. I was glad for it's warmth, as I felt suddenly chilled.
"Please wait here. We will do all we can for the Pharaoh."
The soldiers were assembling, their weapons ready, by the gate we'd entered through. Two, carrying scrolls, came out of the barracks, heading for the opposite gate. "Runners?" I looked questioningly at the young guard.
"One to the Palace, one to the temple for healers. But we know something of poison arrows, we'll do our best until they arrive."
"The captain is awake and he's leading us out in search of the attackers." The younger guard from earlier came up.
"Stay here with the Pharoah's Lady." He ordered him.
"But-" He made to protest.
"Don't argue." He told him. "The Pharoah ordered us to protect her. Stay by her side, I'll go with the troops."
He left then, and the young man frowned after him with a dark gaze. In some ways what was going on around me was there, but not there. My mind was focused on Amenutept. Would he live? He had to! He couldn't die tonight, not when we'd just confessed our feelings. Don't die, Amenutept. I kept thinking. Don't you dare die...
Yshta
To Be Continued...
I'm back! I haven't abandoned anyone! Though it may have seemed like it. OMG, I just poisoned Amenutept! Now what will happen? Well, since we know he lives to have Rapses we know he won't die. Course, I could always make this AU and kill him...j/k! He'll live, but what then? Stay tuned cuz our story's almost over!
Salmon