Child of the morning by Gedge Pauline 1945-

Author:Gedge, Pauline, 1945-
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Hatshepsut, Queen of Egypt, Queens, Historical fiction, Biographical fiction
Publisher: New York : Dial Press
Published: 1977-09-10T04:00:00+00:00

dcr, a short white kilt, a short leather hehiiet that hid her hair and touched her shoulders, and white leather gauntlets to shield her hands from the ruh of bow and rein alike. She also wore white leather boots, and under the gloves her wrists held the thick silver bands of Commander of the Braves of the King. Only on her helmet did she bow to her true station. A little silver Cobra rose from her forehead, and even the men far back could see the sunlight catch it. Her eyes traveled the rows of foot soldiers and the blue-helmeted charioteers, rising at last above the forest of spear tips and bows to the palace standing red in the distance. She abruptly turned to Thothmes, thinking of Senmut waiting on the roof and of User-amun and Ineni gathered above the walls to watch the army leave.

''Will you speak to them, or shall I?" she asked. 'Ten-Nekheb, are we ready? But where are the Braves of the King?" She swung anxiously to Nehesi, and he bowed, pointing with one leather-clad hand.

''Here they march now," he said. 'They are late, but I do not apologize. Majesty. You will see why in a moment."

From around a grove of trees, by the river, her fifty men appeared, their feet leaving a cloud of dust behind them, their shields slung across their backs. Before them a chariot rolled, new, finely plated in gold, intricately tooled and worked, the plumes of Amun engraved on its high prow and the Eye of Horus on each side. Its reins and curbs were of the finest, strongest leather. The horses' bits and tackles were gold. The spinning spokes whirled golden, too, as the charioteer raised his whip and the sturdy little horses broke into a gallop. In a flurry of suffocating dust and dancing white plumes it drew up before the party on the dais, and Menkh twirled his whip and jumped to the ground, laughing. Behind him the Braves of the King came to a halt and saluted. Nehesi left the stand, leaping gracefully to the earth, and walked to them. Hatshepsut strode to the edge and looked down.

Menkh bowed, his face under the blue helmet convulsed with glee. "A gift to Her Majesty from her loyal and adoring troops!" he called up to her, waving behind him at the chariot and the restless, dancing horses. She also sprang to the ground and walked up to the chariot, touching it, automatically checking the wheel axle, bits, and curbs.

Nehesi came forward. "This is no ceremonial chariot built for a royal progress," he said. 'This is a vehicle of war, fast and light, a gift from men of war to their Chief Officer."

She did not reply but leaped onto its floor, snatching up the reins and wrapping them around her gauntleted wrists. With a shout she was oflF, bent and tight, her face set and her legs apart for balance, while the men in her dust broke rank for a

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