And His Name Is Dennitza. Daughter of Dawn. Natalie Yacobson
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gleamed slightly. Taor only just noticed how strange it was, just like a pomegranate seed. Of course, this is not a grain that was pulled out of the fruit, but a hard ruby, which the craftsmen have given an intricate shape. Some currents emanated from the stone.
«Like?» Smenkhkara caught his gaze.
Taor nodded reluctantly.
«Very inventive. What kind of jeweler made it?»
The friend smiled mysteriously.
«Jeweler?» his black eyebrows parted so mockingly, as if he heard a terrible stupidity. «How little you know yet».
«I see that the stone is rare. Does he symbolize something? After all, this is not a solar disk, which, probably, is now supposed to be worn by everyone. Another deity’s mark?»
Smenkhkara did not find it necessary to answer.
«This stone is even more reliable than a magnet. It will always return to its owner, even if you lose it, or drink it, or give it, it will still remain yours, because it will burn other people’s hands and again be attracted to you. He can have only one owner, but it is almost impossible to get such a stone. It can neither be ripped off nor stolen. Only if she gives it to you herself».
«Who?»
Smenkhkara was silent, as if he had not heard the question at all. His perfectly shaped black eyebrows came together thoughtfully on the bridge of his nose, muscular arms in bracelets somehow seemed constrained.
«I would also like such a stone».
«It is too early. Come to me later, when the celebrations are over. Then it will probably be about time».
Why isn’t the time now? Taor watched Smenkhkara leave. He had no more friends here. So he had no one to expect kind words from, but there was no one to expect an open attack either.
He ignored the man hurrying towards him through the crowd. Only when the sharp blade cut the air a millimeter from his face did Taor recoil. The weapon drove into the column. The young man felt blood running down his cheek from the cut. Everything, as then on the battlefield, when he could have been killed, but only wounded in the temple. As if someone invisible pushed him away now. Again! All repeats. Everything is closed, as in a circle.
Taor watched, dazed, as the Nubian guards tied his assailant. Another dagger fell from his hand and clinked on the floor. Apparently, he was going to strike from close range. This was the first time Taor had seen this man. He could not look at him for long. The guards quickly led him away. What a madman could have dared to attack him right in the palace. After all, it was immediately clear what the outcome of events would be.
Taor absentmindedly rubbed the blood off his cheek with his hand. Could it be that this person is really insane. Yes, he has many enemies here: influential, rich, high-ranking. Naturally, none of them would kill him with their own hands.
It was enough to hire someone. The assassins would have waited for him in a dark alley. The body would be thrown into the Nile. He had heard of such cases. So they removed people who were objectionable to influential persons. Several killers were always sent so that the victim had no chance to escape. Nobody attacked in public. No man in his mind would do that.
«He’s going to be executed right now,» ordered the chief vizier.
It will not be difficult to predict what will happen next: the culprit will be brought to his knees, his head will be tilted, and a sharp blade will cut his neck. Taor could not allow this.
«No!» He raised his hand resolutely. «Today is the day of celebration. Let this person be pardoned».
«But…»
«I myself am ready to ask Pharaoh about it».
Well, he again chose the path of direct conflict, as once upon a time. The vizier looked at him with mild condemnation, but tried not to betray his indignation. He quickly gave the order to put the captured man in prison. There he will stay until he is sentenced. Vizier Panahesi was firmly convinced that the pharaoh would listen to his advice more than to the petitions of his general. Let him think so. Taor was not about to get into an argument. So far, he has achieved a postponement of the execution, then, perhaps, he will be able to do more.
Although why should he try for a completely stranger to him, who, moreover, was going to kill him? He didn’t know himself. It was just as natural for him to sacrifice his own interests for someone else as to breathe.
The blood flowed down his cheek more and more. Taor had the feeling that someone was looking at him from the crowd, someone whom he himself could not see.
At the exit, the chief vizier caught up with him. Panahesi was angry. Now, when there were almost no witnesses around, he no longer tried to control himself.
«You cannot ask for mercy on the one who was going to kill you».
«But my petition will soon be in your hands. You will have to hand it over to Pharaoh, whether you like it or not.
– You have already crossed all permissible boundaries today.
Borders?! Who installed them? Taor looked away. He knew that he was asking too much, he expected that his request would be refused, but his right to at least try to intercede for all these people».
«They will not be grateful to you, all these people…»
«I don’t need it».
«Just do not say that you never dreamed of your own power, let it be power even over a small province of Egypt».
«Never,» the answer came easily to him, because he was always honest and straightforward. Many were disarmed by such honesty, so Panahesi suddenly took a step back.
«So you are not like everyone else».
«Like everyone in the palace, is that what you want to say? You know only those people who come here sooner or later. I communicated with ordinary people in all parts of the world, I met those who were ready to sacrifice themselves for the sake of another’.
«While not being in love with him?»
The question was venomous, like a crushed snake, because Taor did not understand its meaning.
«On the battlefield, no one is in love with anyone, but someone is always ready to sacrifice himself to save a comrade, even if he does not know his name, even if he never sees him again at the end of the war».
«These are all ordinary soldiers, but the one who raised his hand against you raised it against the Pharaoh himself, since you represent him’.
«But I want peace and forgiveness for everyone, because I know what war is. So let him be forgiven».
«This is stupid kindness».
«And yet it’s right,» Taor turned and wanted to leave. The feeling that someone was watching him did not pass, and it was not at all the grand vizier who had pestered him so inappropriately with unnecessary discussion. He decided everything for himself, he did not want to change anything in his actions or outlook. Fate made him a warrior, but he didn’t want war. He knew how to fight as if he himself were one of the gods, but did not see the need for bloodshed. If people knew how to be honest, then they could agree on everything peacefully. So he believed and was not going to change his opinion.
His armor clanked melodiously as Taor departed. The sandals scratched the floor a little.
«You cannot save the whole world,» Panahesi’s angry voice caught up with him at the door.
«But I have the right to try».
Taor objected, turning only slightly, but a golden shadow in the distance struck him like a flash of lightning. His head was scorched, his heart was scorched… What is it? Glamour! Or, near the already empty throne of the pharaoh, someone really stood and looked at him, as if at an insect that would certainly be crushed someday.
All-crushing power