War Of Egypt

Chapter 23: Foreign Goddess

    Sanhir pulled the cloak over her head and walked up to the gates of the Southern Kingdom. This was suicide. Her golden grey eyes were fixed on the sandy desert ground as she walked up to the line passing through the gates.
    She watched the people go in. The people who were now under Kha's control and were lucky enough to be alive. The walls around the Southern Kingdom were high and just as Sebmet has said--they made a good fortress for Kha. Her eyes scanned the city walls as she waited for her turn.
   "You there, girl," said the first guard looking at her when it came for her turn to be checked. "Who are you and why are you on lord Kha's lands?"
    Sanhir pulled out her dagger and presented the beautiful object before their mortal eyes, "I come from Nubia with a gift from lord Kha's allies in the South."
    "Oh my," said the other guard. "It is such a beautiful gift." They both stared at the enchanted object nodding, "you may pass."
Sanhir passed through the gates and she was finally inside Kha's stronghold. She avoided glances and quickly made her way to where the stories emerge—the marketplace. The goddess moved towards an area where the women seemed to gather around and their stalls were close enough to speak to each other. One of the women raised her head and immediately spotted Sanhir in the crowd. She brought her hand up to her mouth and stared, for she knew who Sanhir really was—she had been a citizen of Nubia for the past years, it would be a great shame to not remember the daughter of an important deity such as Dedun.
    The woman beckoned to her and so the goddess approached. "Lady Sanhir?"
    Seeing that she could not fool the woman, Sanhir lifted her hands and then lowered the hood of her attire, "was I that obvious?"
   "Oh no I just recognized you—it's a gift."
    Sanhir frowned, "I know of you from Nubia. You were the woman who sold esssesntial oils in the marketplace near my Father's palace—why are you here? The land is a war zone for the Egyptians."
    The lady chuckled as she stared at the goddess from over her stall, "wrong place and wrong time. I was in the market when the Kingdom exchanged it's hands in powers. Now I can never leave."
    Sanhir nodded and lowered her tone, "is there any news of the royal siblings?"
   "Princess Ametis has not been seen and it is rumoured that she has been put in isolation under the city, they have prisons there. Her brother though, he is expected to show up here every now and then. Patrolling the streets like a dog for his master." She shook her head. "Why are you here Lady Sanhir? I think Nubia should not intervene in Egypt's matters."
    Sanhir whispered, "I am here for the heirs of Egypt. And I need the eyes for every corner of this city...where can I get such help?"
    The woman looked around and finally he eyes rested on a tall friendly-looking man, "be careful dear goddess for he is a newly recruited soldier. But he knows the city like the back of his hand."
    Sanhir stared at him.
   "No. Is there anyone else?"
   "You could always pick the weakest of Kha's men," she smiled and gazed to her right. The goddess followed her eyes and stared. She was looking at a couple of soldiers standing by a stall. They were wearing their shields on their heads so that they looked like idiots from where they stood. Sanhir shook her head and looked back on her first option.
    She turned back to the woman, "thank you kind soul. As a show of gratitude, I would like you to have this." From her cloak, she retrieved a seashell and clicked it open before their eyes. "It is from the currents of where the Nile meets the seas outside Alexandria—born from magic. It will always hold a gold pearl every time you open it. You will have no need for making a living in the markets."
    The seashell was placed into the woman's hands, and Sanhir wrapped her hands around it. She bid the woman farewell and walked down the market stalls towards the soldier.
    He was leaning against the walls, sharpening a piece of wood with a small sharp dagger. He raised his eyes frequently to scan the crowd and then returned to his carving. Sanhir walked past the soldier and dropped her armlet knowingly by his feet, then she continued walking away. It was not long before she heard him call out.
   "My Lady!"
    She paused and turned around slowly to face him, "yes?"
    The soldier reached her and stared for a while at her hauntingly golden grey eyes. It was a while before he cleared his throat and handed her her armlet, "this is yours I assume?"
    Sanhir nodded with a laugh and reached for it before she clasped it around her wrist again. She smiled her thanks at him and turned around to walk away. She could not hold his gaze for longer or he will have had realized she was a goddess; the difference was all in the eye colors.
   "I have never seen you around here before," said the soldier. "What is your name?"
    Everything was going according to plan and Sanhir was glad. She smirked for a moment before she swerved around to face him. "Tell me yours first."
   "Niuen," he said.
   "Kada," Sanhir lied moving towards him, "can you help me with something...Niuen?"
Niuen watched her carefully before nodding, "all right Kada, what is it you need assistance with?"
    Sanhir looked him right in the eyes, "I need a guide around the city."
    Nuien shifted his gaze off her head and around the marketplace, he shook his head and sighed, "it is not exactly a tour site right now."
    "I will pay you," Sanhir stated firmly and held out her hand for him to take. Nuien pondered this for a few moments before he gave and took her hand.
    As they walked through the markets Sanhir hid a smile.
   "So, you're new I guess, seeing that you want a tour for some reason." The soldier looked over his arm at Sanhir.
    She nodded, "yes, oh yes I am. I come from Kha's lands in the South. This is pleasant."
    At her reply, Niuen grunted under his breath as if to disagree with her. This place was not pleasant at all! But Sanhir did not give him the attention for it, instead she frowned and turned to look at the road. 
    They had exited the marketplace and were now standing in the middle of a moving crowd. Sanhir's eyes travelled all over the people. Most of them looked miserable as if they were forced to remain here, which they were of course.
   "It is a bit full right now, Kada," said Niuen. "It will be better in a few rotations. Do you want to go eat?"
    Sanhir looked around before nodding, "you are right that the place is full. But I am not hungry right now, so can we tour the rooftops?"
   "Kada you sure are mysterious. Any girl would never pass up an opportunity to eat something, especially with me—a handsome young soldier." He lifted his head and stuck out his chest like a stallion.
   "How much do those girls weigh?" She laughed, "or maybe I just do not like the soldier types."
    Niuen smiled and stopped walking for a moment to look at Sanhir, "you know you remind me so much of her..."
   "Of whom?"
   "Nothing."
   "Tell me," she insisted.
   "It's a long story..."
    She shrugged, "believe me when I say I have all the time in the world. Besides, a tour with a tale will go along so fine. I might even pay you more and right now the pay is really high and you do not even know it yet." She wagged a finger in front of him. This was true, Sanhir would give him more than just a sack of gold. She knew money was not enough and mortals had so many actual needs that they were not aware of of that simple fact. No, Sanhir would give him money and anything else he desired; a house—palace?
   "All right. Come with me, I think I know what you would love." He led her through the streets and they walked off.