Okay, here's the next chapter. I'm getting a hold on all of the school and extracurricular stuff, so hopefully chapters will start coming faster. Enjoy!
Bastet
I was absolutely infatuated with Matiwaza; that had been my resolve.
Until I saw Ramses again.
For six months, I had only seen his face in my mind. I had only remembered the whispers of his touch. But now, as he stood in front of me, it rushed back.
He looked exhausted, as though he had aged overnight. His sun-kissed skin seemed to sag, up until he saw us approach. Ramses looked to my face, and suddenly, looked the way he always had. He stood straight and tall, eyes hardening in resolve. The Egyptian army stood behind him, swords raised and expressions angry.
"Have you had enough fun? We have cornered you. You have no way out." He announced in a strange, eerily monotone voice. The Dark Prince barked a laugh.
"Oh, I have a way out. If you want to know the mother of your children is alive and well, you will let me pass." he replied coolly.
"You're bluffing." I called out, wispy with thoughts of seeing Ramses once again.
"Am I?" He asked as he unsheathed his sword and pointed it at my back. The sword pricked into my skin. I stiffened. All sounds seemed to stop. "Let me go!" I shouted, suddenly furious. How dare he have that weapon so close to User and Nephtys!
"Tell your troops to stand down." Matiwaza commanded, ignoring my protests. The soldiers, in a surprised state, parted for him to pass.
"No! Ramses, make them get into formation! What are you doing? I can handle myself!" I screamed, reaching toward him, but Matiwaza pulled me back in to the chariot by the waist. My screams turned into curses, but by that time, the army was already out of sight.
"Let me out of here." I said for what seemed to be the 100th time. Matiwaza, as usual, was silent. I was curled up, one baby in each hand, glowering at my captor.
"You should eat while you can." he said, ignoring me.
"You didn't even give me a chance to answer. You just commandeered all of my free will. I didn't have a freakin' chance." I continued.
"What do you even see in Commander User Ramses?" he inquired, finally addressing the topic.
"That is the father of my children. He is not a man I can simply say I have no feelings for!" I exclaimed, furious. I put the babies down on their pallets (we were not even allotted the room for a crib).
"You can go to him when I am defeated." He replied simply, then turned his back. The sudden realization came over me.
"You are waiting for Tatukia to step in. You think she is not aware of what her army is doing?" I asked in disbelief.
He whirled back around, a storm gathering in his pitch black eyes. He put his hands on either side of me, then kissed me. All the energy of his getaway surged into me, but keeping my ground, I bit his tongue. He pulled away, holding the back of his hand to his mouth.
"Is biting a normal custom in your country?" He asked, a smirk brimming behind his hand.
"Don't you ever touch me again." I replied darkly.
"Well, we won't die of boredom for however long we are here. But I know how to tame even the wildest of lionesses." He continued, lighting a match and burning incense. My stomach dropped.
"Really? Egyptian incense? Put that crap out." I ordered, but I could already hear my words slurring. I knew of the incense; Ramses had used it before (not on me, of course). The women would fall into his arms, intoxicated by the smell.
Matiwaza stalked, like a lion circling his prey. My thoughts turned into jumbled nothings.
"This...is...evil..." I declared drowsily, seeing how powerful this incense was. He ignored me, pulling me by the waist to his body. I tried to put my hands on his chest in protest, but it was futile.
I felt my dress drop around me, and kept trying to push him away, but he was already lowering me into his lap.
"Stop it. No..." I tried to formulate. I found myself begging for Ramses to find me inside.
"You have no feelings for me?" He asked, and I didn't respond. I felt his chest heave in a chuckle. "I would love to see Ramses face when he discovers you have been with me."
"No!" I shout with a sudden burst of strength. But then he moves, finished playing with his food, and I know the moment has come. I close my eyes, wincing with what was soon to come.
"Your Highness!" I hear.
"What is it? I told you not to disturb me." Matiwaza snarled.
"Yes, but our guards are-" He was stopped short, and I heard something drop with a loud thump.
"In here making love to a woman, while your people die of starvation?" a man's voice solicited. I was suddenly alert, hearing the hatred in the man's voice, and knowing there was serious danger nearby.
Matiwaza stood up. I could see a better view, and saw it was an obvious mutiny. The man talking was followed by many other men, angry expressions on all of their faces.
"You must be joking. A mutiny?" Matiwaza asked, an uninterested look giving away how serious he thought the situation was. I slowly prepared, grabbing a sheet and wrapping it around my body. I would have to be stealthy if I had any chance of escaping. Somehow, running stark naked through the hallways with two babies was not something that looked very good.
"This is no joke. Look at your proof." Something moved through the crowd, and King Tushratta's dead body was at Matiwaza's feet. I gasped as I put my hand to my mouth.
"Father!" He shouted, stunned by Tushratta's demise. "You would kill your king?" He turned back to the mutinous guards, exclaiming in anger.
"We want you dead, too." The officer said. I resumed my quest in horror. If I could just get to the crib, then the door...
"If we give your heads to the Hittites, maybe they will leave us alone." the man continued to explain. I continued to crawl, and finally got to Nephthys and User, sleeping soundly. I stood up on my knees slowly … deliberately. At last, they were safe in my arms.
"That is the nature of the gods, I suppose. Men turning their backs on their leaders." Matiwaza mused, but I saw the guards quickly put him at sword point. I crouched, inching toward the door. I was just passing the messenger killed.
"And you are his woman?" I heard another man ask. He didn't wait for my answer, but wielded his sword. I gasped, more in anger than surprise.
"Would you think a goddess can be slaughtered?" I questioned in the most foreboding voice I could muster. "I will simply come back and wreak havoc on your nation. Back down. Now!"
His sword froze in mid-downward-swing. Everyone froze.
"Bastet." They gasped. I heard the metallic clang of swords dropping to the floor, then knees. Their heads lowered to the floor as I stood up, keeping my eyes on them.
"Get out of here, Matiwaza. I'm giving you a freebie. Babylon will shelter you. Go." I ordered, as sternly as I could muster. He was quiet, I barely heard the sound of footsteps rushing away.
I waited a few moments, giving him the time to get away before my fury set in and I took back my promise. Then, slowly, purposely, I walked away, leaving my worshipers to grovel on the floor.
A goddess of war could be merciful, right?
A/N: Many thanks to my beta-reader! This chapter was really a mess...
Don't forget to review, as usual!