Henshupta is sound asleep and she is no longer complaining about back aches and feeling ill. Spia made sure that the queen gets the nutrients she needs by buying her all kinds of fruits in the market near the inn they're staying. Spia also bought goats milk and home-made bread. It is still hot this time of day and she wanted to surprise the vulnerable queen.
I have seen her fight and defeated many opponents, but I have never seen her this fragile. She is still a girl becoming a full blown woman, Spia thought while looking at Henshupta. She now moves closer to her side and watches the girl as she sleeps like a baby. I have always liked you your highness, but never found the words to tell you since I am just a poor spy. I am sorry I have betrayed you. I have realized that your life is more important than mine, Spia continued while stroking some of the queen's hair that's covering her face. What an angel! the gods must have favored you so much that all falls, madly, deeply, in love with you, including me. What is it like to kiss a pharaoh?, Spia told herself and moved closer to kiss Hensupta on the lips.
Spia!!!..., the queen called out her spy's name and surprisingly caught the woman kissing her lips. Spia's eyes widened when Henshupta was already awake when she laid her warm kiss on the queen's mouth. It's been a month since Hekanefer made love to her , Henshupta thought. And since she had been feeling sick, the prince didn't want to force to be with her but now, she felt like Spia awakened her thirst for passionate love.
Spia, come lay down in bed with me!, Henshupta asked, her face blushing from heat maybe or the intense desire she feels from Spia. She needs someone to touch her now or she is going to go crazy. Maybe being pregnant has something to do with it, Henshupta thought. Spia was shy at first but she smiled and understood what the queen meant and squeezed herself in the tiny bed in a room they were able to rent for a week in Wadi Halfa.
After this city, they need to travel here to Cairo so they would reach Thebes at about 419 miles. It is 1600 miles from South Sudan to Cairo, so Spia and the queen need to regain their stamina and strength back and more if they wanted to last in their travels. Spia advised the pharaoh to stay in the city for a while and decided to continue after a week of rest in a small but center for trade and market in Sudan near the border of Egypt. Spia knew that General Jardin-Ur is already sent troops to capture the queen if ever she sets foot in Egypt. But she won't let that happen and help the Pharaoh sneak in her palace as soon as they meet with Prince Hekanefer and his army to escort the queen to Thebes.
Meraek, on the other hand, was assisted by Sabah emotionally since Henshupta has gone missing for more than one and a half year. She accepted his engagement proposal and will soon be married to the general on a full moon next year. Meraek still wanted to wait a little longer for the pharaoh to come back since Henshupta is her one true love and nobody else.
At first, Henshupta thought that the sadist Hekanefer wouldn't let her go but he did and loved her unconditionally, which ran to her favor as pharaoh. Now she needs to make sure that her people is safe and well taken cared of since she is out here fighting her own battles in her pregnancy and still to battle Egypt's courts when she returns home.
Henshupta eyes looked the inn's ceiling while Spia is asleep beside her. They made love several times and the pharaoh still wanted more like she's a lioness in heat for days now. Henshupta kissed Spia on the forehead feeling thankful that she has her to protect and help her in these trying times.
Oh Amun help us! Here it comes! This is a big one, a Sudanese citizen said while running towards a group of people in the market. Spia is out buying their regular food and stuff to last until the next three days stay at the inn. She ran to be able to reach the queen in their room and war her of the storm. Henshupta was walking from their room to a nearby water well where she gets a pail to clean herself, wash hers and Spia's clothing. Though Spia always tell her to rest (since she has fragile pregnancy) and not exert much effort on house chores, but she;s doing the chores because she needed to feel busy. She gets bored and feels cranky without anything to do in the room.
What is that? Oh no! (haboobs!), Henshupta thought without panicking, she walked faster to get back to their room. She pulled the table to block the door and closed the windows so the dust won't come in the room. Spia hid herself inside a half open barn she was able to squeeze herself in and waited for the storm to pass by.
Haboobs (Habub or dessert storm) doesn't happen in Sudan in a while but now it is happening.
Haboobs happen regularly in desserts such as Sudan or Sahara and it's an atmospheric gravity current which is also known as weather front. So this is unexpected but Sudanese and Egyptians always ready themselves when desert storms happen. They have experienced it many times so the people of Sudan and Egypt knew what to do.
Hekanefer shouted at his guards, soldiers to hide on solid ground or establishments. They are already near Wadi Halfa and decided to camp near the city so they won't miss the queen and Spia when they leave the place. Hekanefer and his soldiers covered themselves with the chariot and placed the horses inside a stable they were able to rent for a couple of days for the hay and water to feed the horses. Hekanefer
Hekanefer and his troops counted…4..3…2…1, then a blasting, drifting dust storm so intense drove by with tons of sand strongly covering, blinding, wiping off the tracks of horses, market people, tables, vegetables, meats, chariots and all that it can bury with its full orange, gold earth.