The Treasure Of Ankesenamun Chapter four
Luxor
When Tasha woke in the morning, Ray was already showered and dressed. They ate breakfast companionably but Tasha could sense that Ray had something on his mind. The plan was to call in to the Cairo museum because Tasha wanted Ray to see the Tutankhamun exhibits before their journey to Luxor. They were soon packed and took a taxi to Mariette Pasha Street where the pinkish stone Cairo Museum is situated. Fortunately, they'd arrived very early but even so, tourists and guides were already thronging around the lotus pond at the entrance.
Inside, the first thing Ray was aware of was the stuffiness and the heat. Then, he looked around in awe, at the exhibits. Tasha led Ray to the second floor and then to Tutankhamun's gold and blue funeral mask.
Ray gazed at the mask. " All that, is gold, isn't it", he murmured. " Must be a fair few quidsworth, there".
" Over eleven kilograms. Gold, inlaid glass, red carnelian and the blue, is lapis lazuli," Tasha told him. " He died when he was only nineteen years old. His tomb was discovered by Howard Carter...".
" The mummy's curse".
" Well, not really, Ray. That's a bit of a myth. There were, deaths but they were undoubtedly coincidental".
" Weird, Tasha..All the wealth, all the stuff they had buried with them. And all these dead bodies, around ! Doesn't it give you the creeps ? ".
Tasha smiled. " No, Ray. I suppose I've got used to it".
" So he was a pharoah, then. Was he married? ".
Tasha nodded. " Yes. His wife was called Ankhesenatum. What happened to her after his death is a mystery. She might have been murdered. Perhaps he, was. We
don't know".
" That'd be a tough one for the Guv to try to sort out", thought Ray, suddenly realising how far away from home he was. Then he remembered what he'd read in
Tasha's notes.
" Ankhesenamun.. Is she why you came over here, this time ? Is that what you're working on? ".
Tasha didn't reply. She was looking at the doorway. Ray's eyes followed her gaze.
" It's him again", he hissed. " It's that bloke from outside the restaurant and the market. Hang on, I'll be back in a mo". Ray moved quickly away and through the
doorway.
" Oi ! Pal ! ", he called at the retreating figure of a tall, heavy set Egyptian. The man stopped but didn't turn around. Ray, broad shouldered and solid, moved to face
the man.
" You've been following us for two bloody days. Now you don't have to. 'Cos I'm right here. Askin' you why".
Ray hadn't seen Tasha walking to stand behind him.
" Ray..".
" Leave this to me, Tasha. This bloke keeps followin' and he stares then he buggers off, when we notice him. I want to know what he's playin' at !".
People were now slowing down to stare and to listen to this Englishman who looked angry and whose body language said, " If he doesn't explain, I'll deck the sod".
" Ray", said Tasha quietly. " This is Amid. He works for Hanif. I hadn't realised that this is who you saw, before. I didn't see him, when you, did. "
Ray spun to face Tasha. " Well if you know him, why hasn't he spoken to us ? Why is he creeping around following us ? ".
" My apologies", said Amid. " It is absolute coincidence, I assure you ! I simply didn't want to interrupt the good time such a lovely couple were obviously having. I
didn't want to intrude. I have business at the museum today. If you will excuse me, I will go and meet my associate. I'm already a few minutes late for our meeting".
" So good to see you again Tasha", he murmured, before walking away quickly. Ray stood, still fuming. " His mouth smiled but his eyes didn't", he said irritably.
"Creepy bastard!".
Tasha and Ray left the museum, got another taxi and made their way to the airport for the hour long journey south to Luxor. During the flight, Tasha told Ray about
Tutankhamun and Ankhesenatum. She explained that the latter's name had originally been Ankhesenpaaten. Her father, the pharoah, had built a new city in honour
of one, god, Aten who was represented by the disc of the sun. He had rejected the old gods represented by Amun plus the powerful priests who administered the
religion.
" One, god " said Tasha, was a new concept. " Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun were stepbrother and stepsister. When their father died, Tutankhamun became
pharoah but he died when he was about nineteen years of age. She was heartbroken and frightened. She wrote a letter to an enemy, the King of the Hittites, asking for help. Tasha told Ray what was in Ankhesenamun's letter :
" My husband has died and I have no son. They say about you that you have many sons. You might give me one of your sons to become my husband. Never shall I pick out a servant of mine and make him my husband ! I am afraid."
" So what 'appened then ? ".
" The King did, send one of his sons. Prince Zannanza. He was murdered, en route".
" Who arranged all the killings ? ".
" Possibly the old man, Ay, vizier to the previous pharoah. Or perhaps the General Horemheb who became pharoah after Ay. Horemheb erased all records of his
predecessors - Akhenaten, Neferneferuaten, Smankare, Tutankhamun and Ay. As if they never existed. And of course, of Ankhesenaten as well. Ay is thought to have
married her even before Tutenkhamun's funeral, in order to claim the throne".
Ray's eyes were closed. " A right bunch of villains, then", he drawled. Tasha grinned. " You could say that, yes".
Luxor was, like Cairo, hot, dusty, busy and noisy but in the taxi out of the hustle and bustle, Ray looked interestedly through the car window. They were following
the banks of the Nile river, which now that they were moving into the village areas looked more blue, cool and sparkingly beautiful than ever. There were also green
cultivated fields on its banks. He could see women in black, men in the traditional galabias - the long, usually white, caftan like garment. There were donkeys and he
noticed someone carrying greenery on her head, walking to feed a water buffalo. It felt like drifting back in time, Ray thought. It was like a scene from many. many
years ago.
They arrived at the rustic house Hanif had lent them. Mud brick, white stucco exterior. There was a small courtyard with a few large palms potted in huge teracotta
pots. The house was very close, to the waters of the Nile. Inside, was very clean but simple. Wood floors, pinkish walls, rugs and there were white shutters at the
windows. Another smaller, palm in a pot. A good size sofa and a table with four chairs. They explored and found a small kitchen, a bathroom with a huge, bath and
one bedroom with a king sized bed, white sheets and linen and plump white covered pillows. There was a modern, plug in fan in each room.
Tasha made them some refreshing mint tea and they took it outside, to where they could be close to the river. Feluccas, boats with their white sails gleaming, made
their way slowly along the Nile.
" It's bloody beautiful, 'ere", said Ray. " Peaceful, too. Can't hear anything except a donkey, braying somewhere! He grinned, turned his head..." 'ey ! Shurrup !
You're disturbin' the peace!".
They decided to go out for an evening meal, later on but to have a rest, first. At least they planned, to have a rest. When Ray saw Tasha lying nude on the bed, her
arms above her head, eyes closed and relaxing, he stripped off and sat on the edge of the bed, running a hand lightly from her arms to her thighs. He leaned
forward and gently kissed her mouth, stroking her breasts, appreciatively.
" Love your tits", he muttered. " And your skin... So soft..". Tasha opened her eyes. " Mmmm...More, Ray. That feels good". He bent his head and took a nipple in his
mouth, sucking and licking gently and caressed the other, with his fingers. Tasha squirmed, in response and Ray's big hands moved to her thighs, spreading them
apart. He traced down her stomach to her navel, with his tongue and continued, finding her clit. He nibbled and licked until Tasha was writhing, with pleasure. His
tongue slipped into her and he continued to rub her clit with his fingers. She tasted sweet and she was wet, for him. Ray slid back up and positioned
himself above her. He felt her hand close around his stiff cock and he moaned, as she stroked the length of him, in a tantalisingly slow, rhythm. Ray moved so that
the head of his clock was positioned to push into her. " Are you ready, for this?", he smiled, watching her face. Her beautiful eyes looked up at him. " Want you, Ray..
. Please, fuck me, now". He slid into her, waiting for a few seconds after she gasped at the size of
him then he began to move very slowly in and out again, inch by inch. When Tasha bucked her hips to take more of him and to speed up his thrusts, he teased her,
making her wait and making her almost come.
When he'd driven her to crying out his name and begging him, Ray suddenly began thrusting into her hard and fast, relentless and lost, in passion.
" Oh yes ! Ray ! Oh god...Oh please...". He kept up the banging into her until she came and came again and then with a groan, he came himself, shuddering, with the
strength of his orgasm.
They fell asleep, curled up together, for several hours. Then Ray's blue eyes suddenly flicked open. He'd heard something. Footsteps...