Muralsu. Chapter 10 General Horenheb looked deeply into Muralsu’s face, smiled and stood back. “You are right. Come with me.” He had dropped his authority and spoke as to a friend. He turned and walked to the door that the soldier opened for him, and without looking back he marched down a long corridor and into another room. This was reasonably furnished although austere as if it were not used often, but a tentative attempt at comfort had been made. “Sit down,” he said gesturing to a couch. “We cannot be overheard here. I cannot even trust my own men. This situation needs to be resolved quickly or Egypt will bleed to death.” Muralsu watched him pour two cups of wine. She decided to say nothing. He was obviously trying a different approach, having recognised that she would not be easily frightened. “I only wish for the good of Egypt. I do not expect you to believe me, nor do I care. I’ll be brief for I do not have much time. I am aware that you were a spy for Nefertiti so do not waste time with protestations. Please deliver up what I want and any unpleasantness can be avoided. He gave her the wine which she took remaining silent. “Tell me what it is you think I have, for I assure you, I cannot think of anything that would interest you.” “Ah now that is where I have a little difficulty. Let me be plain. That piece of offal who attacked you is the Queen’s lover. He is a time serving bastard with a particularly nasty habit. Despite the fact that he fools the Queen, we are fairly sure that he is behind a series of particularly unpleasant rapes and murders that have plagued the capital recently.” “The bastard tried it with me.” Horenheb ignored her interruption and continued. “We know that the Queen is endeavouring to communicate with the Hittite’s without using the proper diplomatic channels. Per-hor is making as much as he can from his position before the Queen remarries. The Queen gave you something. Per-hor for his own purposes wanted it, either to protect his position or to sell it. Now I want it. Muralsu took a sip at the wine to give her time to think. “Given time I could break you of course but there are easier ways.” A look of doubt fleetingly crossed Muralsu’s face. “I am sure that old man could stand up to a little before he dies. His pretence at stupidity is wasted and does not protect him. The girl however is such a sweet young thing.” Muralsu’s heart sank. “Girl?” “Yes your maid or whatever it is she does for you. She was arrested leaving your premises. “Leave her be General. She knows nothing and has only been with me a little while.” “More the pity. I am sure we can think of lots of ways of entertaining the men with her. Or perhaps I should give her to Per-hor” “Leave her!” “Give me it.” “I haven’t got anything. This Per-hor has made a mistake.” The General leaped forward and smashed the cup from Muralsu’s hand. He grabbed the beaded collar at her neck and twisted it. Muralsu fought down the desire to knee him in the groin. “If you don’t give me it I’ll have you pretty little maid brought in here and we will give you a demonstration of how Per-hor operates. It is not pleasant.” Muralsu eyes widened a fraction which was not missed by Horenheb. He let her go. “Oh yes, I know about you and your dirty little habits. She your latest? There was a knock at the door, and at a bark from Horenheb a soldier entered and glancing at Muralsu walked over to the General and whispered in his ear. He nodded and grunted. He followed the man to the door but as he walked behind Muralsu he grabbed her around the throat and lifted her so she was bent over the back of the couch. His head was against hers and the bristles on his cheek burned her skin. “Listen you black bitch, I’ve finished playing games. Think how you will dance with a broken spine. I will be back shortly and I will have what I want.” It was over an hour before he retuned giving Muralsu sufficient time to mull over how she was going to handle matters. She was still not entirely resolved when Horenheb retuned. He was followed by two soldiers who pushed Asif and Isis before them. Muralsu gave them a curt glance. Asif had a swollen eye and cut lip but otherwise looked unharmed. Isis had had her dress torn and her hair was like a heron’s nest. Her face was ashen and she was physically shaking. She shrank back when Horenheb walked over to her. He seized her by the hair and ignoring her squeals of distress, dragged her forward and flung her down against Muralsu. Bursting into uncontrollable tears the girl clutched her arms around Muralsu and buried her head against her shoulder. Muralsu put a comforting arm about her and whispered. “It is over Isis, do not cry.” She glared at Horenheb, a look of hate in her eyes and she appeared to waiver before speaking. “Very well.” “No” Asif was silenced with a hefty clout. Horenheb grinned and took a seat waiting for her to say more. “I am not Egyptian General, and owe no allegiance.” Her accent was deliberately thicker. “What I used to do was for - friendship.” She continued. “I still do not know what you are talking about, but if I did have something you wanted I would gladly let you have it, if …” “If?” “I and my companions go free, and with my troupe be allowed to go our way unmolested. By way of compensation for certain unpleasantness, you let me have say eight shat of silver.” A larger sum might not have been forthcoming whereas what she had asked was the price of a cow, and expensive enough commodity. Horenheb clapped his hand on the edge of the chair. “I knew it, once a whore always a whore. I knew that you would give in when the price was right.” Muralsu did not move. It was strange that in the extremity of danger part of her mind still registered the scent from Isis and the curves of her body pressed against her. “General we still have a problem.” “Don’t push too far; my patience is nearing its end.” “How do I know that you will keep your side of the bargain? What is to stop you killing us.?” “My word” “Who would know if you broke it?” “Spit it out.” “I will meet you on the jetty when we leave. You will bring the silver and if I can find anything of interest for you I will give it too you there where there are lots of people.” “I don’t like the fact that you besmirch my honour but I agree. Just don’t try to slip away, you won’t her far, and I’ll keep that pretty little baggage with me as you seem quite attached to her. You can have her back on the jetty.” He raised a hand. “Nothing will happen to her before then.” “We have agreement then.” Muralsu inwardly sighed with relief. Things were working out nicely. She could protest to the Queen that she had been betrayed by Per-hor, and had to destroy the letter. As her position as courier was now compromised she would be of no further use to the Queen and had therefore sailed for home. She would be back with only a short absence and could await Miah’s return. Horenheb stared at her a while and then sat back in his chair. He gestured and spoke to the soldier. “Lock the girl up, but do not harm her. The old man can wait outside.” He waited until they were alone. “You are to be congratulated on a pending marriage it seems.” Muralsu stared back with a sinking feeling. “I seemed to recall Miah, an insignificant little man but full of his own importance. Always on his dignity, very correct, very proper. He isn’t the sort of man to marry an exotic whore like you.” Muralsu kept her mouth shut. “In fact I was having dinner the other night with – a lady, - who tells me than Miah’s sister is making enquiries about you. Now don’t tell me that you are to start married life without equating your dear husband to be of all the facts. I mean will you be keeping that pretty little maid with you? What do women like you actually do with them anyway, you know, girls, other women? I’ve often wondered.” So that was it and she had a nasty feeling that the hope of a few moments ago of returning home so easily were not to be realised. She had better get it over with and so spoke outright. “What do you want General?” He grinned. “Attack, attack. I really do like you. I really could find work for someone like you.” He then dropped all pretence at civility in which he had wrapped his recent conversation and became brusque and military. “You will still proceed to the Hittite capital as planned.” “No!” “Yes. You will go there and you will follow the Queen’s recent instructions, but you will deliver the King a letter that I will compile. If not, then, one,” he counted off on his fingers. “Miah will learn all the sordid details about you. Two I will have his career wrecked. Three, I will find that maid of yours and, - well you get the picture.” Furiously Muralsu thought of a way of countering or buying her way out of the situation but could not. For now she had to acquiesce in the hope the situation could be turned to advantage. She and Asif were released although Isis remained to ensure that they did not abscond. Horenheb sat back in his seat congratulating himself for not only had he prevented the Queen’s secret communications from leaving Egypt, he had turned the messenger to his own advantage, A resourceful woman though. and too clever by half. She was a loose end and he needed to neaten matters up. “Bring that madman back, I have a use for him.”