someone, as if made of marble and gold. At first Taor could not see it. It was like the sun was shining in his eyes, and it hurt his vision… but then he noticed a graceful head, and the way luxurious black wings flapped over it. Marble hands slid over the pharaoh’s shoulders like snakes, beautiful lips bent to his ear to whisper something. It seemed that fire would burst from those lips, not breath. The golden creature suddenly looked directly at Taor, and, gods, how beautiful it was.
Pharaoh waited for his words, but he forgot what he was going to ask for. The lips did not move. This is probably how a person who is turned into a statue feels: you want to talk, but you can’t. And yet he braced himself. The future of an entire people depends on him: they will be turned into slavery or released. He must be strong. Taor spoke.
«I would not dare to ask for anything for myself, and yet I have one desire. May the bloody war end in peace, may the lands devastated by the battle remain independent, and may all prisoners be free».
That’s all, there is nothing more to say. Request or impudence? How will the ruler of Egypt react to this? Will Pharaoh consider that his general wants too much? Will he leave the decision for later or will he answer now? Consent or refusal?
Taor always worried about others more than about himself. This set him apart from most people. It was said that such a quality would someday destroy him. Sometimes they laughed at him openly. But the golden creature behind the back of the throne suddenly looked at him with interest. How it looks like a deity, revived and delighted. Deity with a maiden body, dark wings and serpentine strands of gold color. Has anyone else seen her? Taor did not dare to take his eyes off her golden nails, which slid over the ruler’s forearms. She bent down to Pharaoh’s ear and whispered something.
«Let it be so», the answer of the ruler shocked everyone present. «The prisoners will receive freedom, and the lands you seized will gain independence. No tribute, not a single slave… if someone wants to stay as a guest, he was allowed to, if someone needs funds to get back to their homeland, they will be allocated them from the riches you seized. Is this your desire?»
Taor was confused. He did not express the request to the end, because he was ashamed, and Pharaoh already knew everything. The golden creature straightened up behind the throne. A sly smile played on his lips, his hands rested like a business on the ruler’s shoulders. Did it read the thoughts of the congregation and convey them to Pharaoh? Who is it? Rather, she. Taor saw a slender body, barely covered by ornaments and garments that little resembled the clothing of the Egyptians. And the wings… they were alive, they moved, they flapped, then folded into a black halo above their heads. They acted like two large hands, absolutely mobile and graceful. Even the wings of birds are not like that. They were like two fluffy patches of darkness, like a separate living being above a divine body.
With difficulty Taor was able to nod at Pharaoh’s words.
«Do you have any more wishes?»
Pharaoh’s second question certainly struck him. He did not dare to hope that the first one would also be performed, and in fact, according to tradition, it should have been the only one.
«This is all that I dreamed of – about peace for everyone», his language almost did not obey.
That’s all, the moment of his triumph is over. The golden creature looked at him, seemingly laughing. It expected him to regret having wasted his request. But he didn’t regret it.
Pomegranate seed
At the exit, he ran into Ujai. The former military leader moved as if in a dream. Taor was even frightened at how strange he looked. Already looks like a mummy, although still alive. It seemed that a withered hand was devouring him, like a snake that had taken root on his body. How could this happen? What happened to him? After all, lately he has not even been on the battlefield, Taor fought instead. The young man was familiar with many epidemics. He saw how the warriors who touched the unclean blood became infected and sick. Everyone he killed in the last battles had impure blood. From her came filth and infection. Even scorpions avoided pools of such blood. But Ujjai could not get infected this way. It was safe here in the palace: no fights, no epidemics, no one who was infected would simply not be allowed here. Therefore, he did not even ask the question of whether the former military leader himself could be contagious?
Maybe he went out into the desert and something happened there? Taor did not know if it would be proper to ask about someone else’s illness. It would probably be better to pretend he didn’t notice. The court has its own ceremonial. The curious are not trustworthy. Plus, it’s dishonorable to laugh at a losing opponent. Taor believed that Ujai deserved much more high office than himself. Although, perhaps, it was precisely because of illness that he was dismissed.
Their gazes met for just a moment. Ujjai was the first to avert his sunken, sore eyes. He wanted to say something, but did not dare and just walked by. Taor looked after him for a long time. It was as if he did not know this wretched, withered man. Where did the tall, mighty warrior go, who always treated everyone with arrogance?
«Are you looking for someone?» an old friend was already hurrying to him. Smenkhkara hung around at court, as usual, although he did not hope to get anything here. Only the son of one of the Pharaoh’s concubines, although he was rightfully considered a prince, he could count on little. But he was always aware of what was happening.
Taor considered asking him about the deity behind the Pharaoh’s throne and giving him advice on how to govern the country. For some reason it was uncomfortable to ask, as if you were interested in something forbidden. Perhaps you shouldn’t have asked at all, so as not to make yourself more enemies than you already have. Taor knew that after today’s honors, many here were ready to tear him up alive.
«You are the hero of this day, but what will happen tomorrow», Smenkhkara slapped him on the shoulder, faceted bracelets jingled melodiously. His dark hair was beautifully styled in thin braids, and his face looked unusually pale, as if the sun hadn’t touched him for a long time. It was hot all around, even the large pools with lotuses that glowed blue throughout the palace did not exude coolness, and for some reason an unpleasant cold emanated from the prince. There was not a bead of sweat on his skin, and his hand was icy to the touch. He confessed to Taor that he recently broke up his harem.
«Someone drove away, someone presented, but most sacrificed».
«But why?» Taor was slightly amazed. Smenkhkara never came across as a cruel man.
«I just want something more,» he said cryptically.
«More?»
«Yes,» his eyes flashed like two obsidians buried forever in a pyramid. «The flesh is so dirty, so low. Deities are made of gold…»
«But», Taor wanted to argue that Smenkhkara is not a god, but he remembered his relationship with the pharaoh and said nothing.
«Sculptures of gods, I think only of them… Even if they came to life, they are not physical beings, not people… However, now we will have only one god. You must have heard rumors already, no matter how far away you are».
«One god?» Taor still didn’t want to believe it. The very thought seemed wild to him. Although if you remember the deity that stood behind the throne. It alone could be worth all the other gods. A living deity instead of a pantheon of statues. Although no, probably he was wrong. The gods do not come to life and do not come to the royal palaces. Most likely, it was one of the pharaoh’s daughters. Taor did not even remember all of them by name. Smenkhkara could list
