Called to Duty (Adventures Through Time) (5 page)

“Are they ready?” She whispered to Inka. She didn’t want anything to happen to any of them, but especially Alexander. She had trained him, and he had worked with Inka for a brief time while she attended to royal responsibilities. She did not wish to see him go into battle if he were not ready yet.

“I believe they are. You must trust the goddess. She sent them here for a reason.”

“I just hope it is not to die here.”

Inka regarded her with curiosity. He was her brother and she was sure he had picked up on her connection to Alexander. He had not said as much, but she was sure he must have. The way she looked at him, even though she tried not to, would be telling to her brother because he was the only one left who truly knew her.

“He told me during our last training session that these are tempestuous times and that they call for calm on our part so that we may go into battle prepared to win, not distracted by our hearts.”

She nodded. “I have no distractions.”

“Sure you do,” he smiled at her. “I hope for your sake the goddess will have mercy on both of you.”

She knew what he meant. Once the battle was over the future men would be returned to their time. They would have to be sent back it was the way of things. And she could not go with them. She wanted him to stay, but she knew it was not possible. Somewhere in there her heart hurt, but she had to keep a level head. She was leading her people into war. The women warriors, the men, with her brother, Helos and the future men beside her, they were going in strong and she needed to have a clear head. If she didn’t, if she faltered, then the consequences could be dire.

Inka had been right. Having the last of their blood on that battlefield was not smart. One of them should have stayed behind, but she couldn’t. She was a warrior, trained, devoted and ready for battle. She would not let these men and women go into battle without her. And clearly Inka had given up his chance at the throne because he preferred battle and leading the army over leading the country. He would not stay behind either. She hadn’t even asked him to stay.

“Inka…I…”

He smiled at her and pulled her into his arms. “It is okay. Your heart is like the sands of the earth—uncontrollable when the mood strikes them to flee with the winds. If it means anything to you, you do not have to feel guilty for loving another. Helos does not love you either. He wishes to be with Saka, your trusted warrior,” he smiled. “He refuses her only because he believes he will have to marry you if you do not choose another.”

“But I cannot choose who I want…”

Inka placed his finger over her lips. “Duty will call you my queen, my sister, and you must answer it, but for now, until it calls you should have the pleasure of love in your heart. But when duty calls you must answer it.” He stressed the need for loyalty to their rules once again.

She could hear the emotion behind his words as well as the warning. No matter where her heart was when the battle was over she would have to marry and Helos would be the intended if she could not find another who would be worthy. She was not in love with anybody from her time so there was nobody to rescue Helos from the task of becoming her lifelong mate. Or to rescue her from entering into a marriage without love.

“Alexander,” he motioned for Alex to come to him and Alex did. Nefertari could see the concern in his eyes and she could also see how the men in the room stopped to stare at them as if they were expecting trouble.

“Yes?”

“Please watch over my sister. We leave before dawn and I would not wish for her to injure herself while walking around the garden of statues,” he smiled at her.

“No problem,” his eyes did not betray their night of passion. He remained calm, stoic and unreadable.

“As for the rest of us we must be sure all is ready. Come,” he commanded his men and left them to themselves. Her brother was very wise—much like their father had been. But he was a military man to the core; he would not be happy sitting on the throne. He would only be happy training with his men, leading his men into battles or preparing them to survive one.

In her younger years she never thought the day would come when Nubia would be at war with the pharaoh, but the day had come. The day came when he tried to conquer their land, kill their men and women and enslave their children. They had started picking them off while Nubians journeyed freely. Once Nubia caught wind of the chaos they returned to staying closer to their own land and away from the heart of Egypt. They also knew that it wouldn’t be long before they had to fight to keep the enemy’s armies out of Nubia.

She and Alex walked out to the garden of the statues of the gods and goddesses. Unlike the heart of Egypt, Nubia’s statues were not grandiose. They were smaller, but just as beautiful and they left room to entertain more statues in the garden as time permitted. There was one, her favorite, and she wanted to show him. The goddess was good to her and so she had commissioned the piece to be placed by the waterway, near the greenery and the flowers. It was not far, but it was quite beautiful and she knew he would appreciate it so she took him over there.

“This is Amesemi. She is the goddess who brought you here. She is known to be a protective goddess and the wife of Apedemek who watches over the royals, but she is also rumored to have a defiant streak. She will not allow injustice and she possesses great powers. She is the only goddess I know of who can control time.” She took his hand in hers and held it tight. “She is my favorite—she has held that place for me since I was a little girl. I declared myself her warrior and my mother scolded me. No human can make such a declaration, especially not a child, she had said. The goddess picks and chooses and we, while fighting with her protection, do not elevate ourselves to such a glorious status.”

“What did you say to her?”

She laughed. “I told her that I am a warrior of Amesemi and that I would give my last blood for her. I told her that I made that declaration to her and if she decided not to allow me to give her my devotion then she would put me in my place. My mother thought I would be struck down on the spot.” She laughed. “But the goddess confirmed me.”

“Yeah, how did she do that?”

She could tell he did not believe as much in the goddesses and gods, but he tried to understand. How could she make him understand this?

She turned to him, facing him fully. “Do you remember the mark you saw on my back?”

He groaned. “Oh yeah, that cute series of S-curves looking like an intricate layer of infinity symbols…the one perfectly centered the base of your spine…I remember licking it quite a bit.”

She blushed. “Yes, you had some techniques I did not know existed. Do all future men do as you do?”

“My technique is special to me,” he admitted. “But we do all have our own way of pleasuring a woman. Much like the men here I suppose.”

She shrugged. “I would not know. I have been keeping myself pure for my intended husband.”

“I…I thought you might be…but I…”

She smiled at him to calm him. “You did not hurt me. And I gave myself to you willingly. While we may not have a future together I wanted us to have that night. I wanted you to…I wanted to…feel you with me. I will always remember us.” She lowered her eyes to the ground. “Anyway,” she looked to the statue. “She gave me that mark.”

“You mean your parents had it tattooed on you?”

“No. I awoke one morning to the mark and once I did it is what assured my position. I had learned some fighting, but I don’t think my parents really ever intended for me to take on as much of a role as I have acquired. Before my father called me out of battle I led my own arsenal of warriors. But he called me home and my army became my brother’s army. My warriors his warriors and while I still command in battle, I was brought forth to become ready to be queen. After my mother and sister were gone I was the last for the line that actually willingly accepted the position. My brother would have never come willingly and I believe my father knew that. It is why he made these provisions.”

“Is this what you want—to be queen?”

“I want to lead my people, to keep them safe and whether that is into battle or leading them here at home to better our lives…I will accept whatever gift the goddess gives me, but I will always be her warrior. I will always fight the battles she asks me to fight.” She gestured to the far corner of the garden. “Mehit is down there. I would not be quick to anger her. She is said to be very vengeful. Don’t get on her bad side,” she laughed and he laughed with her.

“I’ll try my best not to.”

“We have Isis and some of the other goddesses; some were brought to us from Egypt when we were all living in unity, before the battles begun. The goddesses are welcome here though.”

“And how do you know they will all protect you?”

“Because they have so far, and because Amesemi brought you here. They have not countered your arrival so I believe even the gods and goddesses are angry with Ramathes. We are fighting the war they allow, and they have sent us help.”

“I’m afraid I’ll lose you,” he admitted. “I know we haven’t really known each other long. The few weeks of training and getting to know each other leave much to still learn. I know I’m going to end up back in my time, but I don’t want to watch you die.”

“Nor I you,” she didn’t want to think about him leaving her, even though she knew it would happen. The goddess was about balance and she would be forced to restore it. “I wish you could stay with me. I wish you all could stay. Your men seem to be enjoying Nubia.”

“Oh yeah,” he chuckled. “I think Greg and Mitch are falling in love with your female warriors and Ian’s looking rather hard too. We’re all without blood family ties in our time. None of us are married now. They bounced around in foster care and I never had a solid familial bond with my father. I guess that’s why we all attached so well with each other. I think they feel like they could have a family here. Everybody has been so nice to us.”

“That is the way of Nubia. We welcome all…sometimes that has not worked out so well for us, but we try to maintain our hospitality and acceptance of others. You would love to live here I know.”

“I would love to be with you,” he admitted. “You know if I could; if there was any way to be with you I would stay, but we have to return. We were also on the battlefield there and we have to go back. The goddess won’t let us stay anyway. You’ve already said she’s all about balance. I suppose the proper balance would be to return us to our time.”

“It would,” she nodded. “That doesn’t mean I have to like it.” She heard the high pitched yell and without hesitation she ran toward the screams and crying. When she reached the main yard she saw Loki laying little Hakna on the ground.

“What happened?”

“He was…he was playing,” Koi cried. “We were just playing and we came across Hex, he took us and made us go to camp with him and the guard killed Hakna. He ran him through with his blade and they let me go because they said I should tell you Pharaoh will come for you. They dropped us, me and my brother’s dead body near the river and I found help,” she sniffled.

Nefertari felt her anger rising. Hakna was only a boy. He was nine plus one day and those monsters had killed him. “Get my horse,” she ordered as she marched toward her abode.

“No,” Inka followed behind her trying to calm her, but she could not be calmed.

She pushed open the doors with such fury that they clang against the wall with a loud thud. The servants inside jumped in fear.