SWORD MAIDEN OF SEKHMET

Chapter 44: Confrontation

"I cannot believe you allowed this to happen!"

Bekenamen, fists clenched by his side, stood face to face with the Prince Djedefre on the bank of the Nile, his face a mixture of fury and despair.

Barely an hour before, one of the younger priests, posted as lookout, had run to tell him that a boat had been sighted. Not the Lotus, but a black ship with the blood-red image of Anubis on its sail. With a terrible feeling of foreboding in his heart, Bek had called for Reseph, told him to gather as many armed priests as he could and follow him down to the great river.

Just as he had arrived, the black ship was nosing up to the jetty and Bek was immediately relieved to see the Prince standing in the bows. But his hopes had been quickly dashed when he saw how few men were aboard and the Prince sprang ashore to tell him what had happened.

Now, he fought to control his anger, to think clearly. It was plain the the Prince was as distressed as he was. To one side stood Sethos and Kames, hanging their heads in shame, while Seb cried openly.

At first he had found it hard to believe Djed's account of the intervention of the Goddess, but nods from his two priests confirmed it. It was his one ray of hope. Had he listened to such a tale a week or so earlier, he would have doubted the truth of it. But he had witnessed with his own eyes the incarnation of the Goddess he worshipped, Sekhmet. Gods walking among men: it was a time for wonder.

"So where is she now?" he demanded

"I don't know," Djed replied. "The Goddess said she was to follow her own path. So I believe...I hope...she is safe."

"But you must have some idea? Where were you when you first noticed she had gone?"

"At the centre of the temple, by the altar." The Prince thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"What?" Bek asked.

"You know where the temple of Hathor is situated?"

Bek nodded.

"Before we were attacked, I took her to the edge of the desert, to show her the sight. I dread to think it, but I wonder whether it is possible that she went that way?"

Bekenamen closed his eyes, praying that the Prince was wrong.

"The fact is," Bek said, "You...we...have no way of knowing. She may have escaped to the desert, she may have doubled back to the river, she may have been captured. We need to act fast."

"There is a problem," Djed replied, hesitantly. "I am ordered back to Court by my father, the Pharaoh."

"So?" demanded, Bek.

Djed thought for a moment.

"So my Father will have to wait," he said finally, with the hint of a smile.

Bekenamen drew the Prince aside and they walked along the bank for some minutes, talking.

© Copyright Adriana Nicolas 2017