Chapter 5

Akhenaten felt a mix of relief and shame when he returned to the tent. He had a feeling he'd have to take the same measure many more times before it would be appropriate to lay with Ksunamun as his whole body was yearning to. He could see by faint starlight that she was asleep, her face buried in his blanket. He mused over what dream she might be having.

With great care, he crawled into the tent, realizing that there was just enough room for him to lay beside her. He lay so she was facing him, and drew her close. In her sleep, she nuzzled against his chest. His heart thundered at the sensation of it mingled with her hair brushing against his skin. He closed his eyes, and stroked her hair. The guilt was beginning to fade.

The next morning had been stunningly beautiful as Ksunamun and Akhenaten woke.

"We must eat something decent." Akhenaten said groggily when he knew Ksunamun was stirring from her slumber. He was reluctant to bring and end to this sensual situation.

"Is there anything left from last night?" She wondered blankly.

"Nothing fit to eat, I think. I've got my good knives in my bag - or somewhere out there. I will go hunt for something." He didn't voice the fact that he'd gladly have a taste of her lips to break his fast.

She groggily murmured an acquiesce as she rubbed her eyes and crawled backwards out of the tent. She'd dreamt of him last night, of him doing things to her that she'd only heard the vulgar young men in her old village offer to do to her.

As she stood and smoothed the skirt of her dress out, Akhenaten himself forsook the tent and grabbed his tunic. Hastily, he put it on, and found his best knives still lying by the charred wood from last night's fire. He took up two of the hunting knives - the two with the longest blades - and examined them, inspecting their sharpness. They were satisfactory to the Prince. Holding one in each hand, he playfully whispered "be back shortly," to Ksunamun, and disappeared into the foliage.

"Hurry." Ksunamun offered softly when he was out of earshot.

She had watched him until his lean, righteously intoxicating form was gone from her field of vision. She could not help but allow her eyes to follow him, his form mesmerized her.

A deliciously salacious thought crossed her mind then: You, Akhenaten, are more tantalizing, more striking and physically appealing, than any mortal man has the right to be.

He would find what he could. He wished that he had more time and more resources, so that he could hunt something truly impressive. But, he'd do what he could with the small area of lush jungle like oasis around him.

Akhenaten felt on edge, his senses fully alert to his surroundings. He listened with utmost concentration for sounds, any sounds. Crunching leaves, mostly. He stood still, not moving more than a hairsbreadth, for what seemed to him like an eternity.

His father had taught him how to hunt. Usually, he would think of this method as an obscene waste of time, but this place was small. There would obviously be some animals, it was big enough for that, but they would have nowhere to run, even if they tried, he would hear them.

The Prince only needed to catch something small - a bird, perhaps. However, he knew he would never catch any bird. He would need a bow and arrows. There was no way he could throw a knife blindly into the atmosphere and hope it hit a bird hard enough and accurately enough to kill it.

Nay, he would have to seek a creature that walked upon the earth, or dwelled in trees but did not fly.

He remained rooted to the spot, ever listening, trying to sense the presence of any animals worth eating. He had been able to do it several times before - he could do it now, if he tried hard enough - or so he hoped. His stomach had begun to mercilessly rumble, and he feared the sound would repel any possible prey.

After a while, Akhenaten began to doubt that there were any animals within the oasis. He could see no movement, he could hear nothing except the faint rustling of the leaves - but he could tell it was a rustling caused by the calm wind.

Just as he was preparing to give up, he heard a faint growling.

His breath caught in his throat as it came nearer. He turned, and saw before him a pair of menacing black eyes.

He froze, realizing what the creature was. In a second he was thrown down to the ground, the wind knocked out of him. As he had been taught, he forced all the remaining air out of his lungs before inhaling.

As he slowly drew his breath in, he felt pain explode across his chest as the leopard slashed him with its dagger-like claws.

The Prince remembered his hunting knife, then, and thrust it with all the force within him into the leopard's windpipe. It was only a matter of seconds after receiving the deadly wound that the leopard choked on its own blood, and drew breath no more.

Akhenaten felt almost trapped underneath the suddenly heavy body of the deceased leopard. The Prince quickly wrestled his way out from under it, and had to take a moment to get over the shock of what had just transpired.

The Prince dragged the carcass of the large cat through the dense foliage, to where he and Ksunamun had set up camp. When she saw what Akhenaten had killed, and his fresh wounds, pouring blood onto his now tattered tunic, her jaw dropped slightly, her face registering complete surprise.

"Are you alright?" She rushed over to him, and gingerly examined the slashes across his chest. "I must clean that for you."

Akhenaten wiped an impressive amount sweat from his brow with his arm before answering. "That would be wonderful. Did you know this beast was right here in this oasis?"

"That was here?" She squealed.

"Yes. Apparently, it is a good thing I was here with you. Imagine if that vicious creature had decided to pay you a visit in the middle of the night?" He knew he was going overboard with puffing of his own chest, but the look of admiration on Ksunamun's face was impossible to resist.

She shivered. "Don't even bring up that possibility."

"I'm fine, my little Lotus Blossom. But, I will need to lie down for a few minutes. Then we can skin that leopard and cut some nice chunks of meat from it."

The Prince saw the steam rising from the water Ksunamun had boiled in the goblet by keeping it over the fire. She looked almost as though she were cooking. She was carefully measuring and mixing various herbs she'd picked from around the oasis.

"For not being a healer you seem to know a lot about healing." Akhenaten commented.

Ksunamun smiled wanly. "You can't help but pick things up where I come from, Akhenaten. My mother firmly believes that everyone should know basic medicine."

"I do believe that that is a wise theory, Ksunamun. There are a lot of people who can't afford to receive treatments from good physicians after all, are there not?"

"Aye, but all the theories in the world won't change a thing unless action is taken - and I doubt that will be done. Most people do not have any education, and it is much easier to learn medicine if you've been educated at least a little. And you should also be aware that the only healers who are truly good at what they do are the ones who really want to do it. The only reason I'm going to help you is because I really want to. To see you suffer - it hurts me." She trailed off, and as Akhenaten propped himself up to gain a clear view of her, he saw that her cheeks had turned a truly shocking shade of pink.

His muscles weakened at this vision. She had just admitted aloud something she had obviously intended to keep a secret. He decided it would be prudent to remain silent, allow her to pick up the conversation when she felt comfortable pursuing it once more.

Ksunamun seemed to not want to talk anymore, though, for she remained silent until the brew she was cooking up had bubbled to her satisfaction and had simmered for a while.

She allowed the goblet to cool enough to that she could safely pick it up, her hands covered by the hem of the skirt of her dress, thus protected from the scalding heat of the gold.

"Akhenaten, I must warn you, this water is quite hot." She cautioned as she tentatively carried the goblet over to the tent.

"I gathered that from the steam." Akhenaten said soberly.

"You must lie down, Akhenaten. I absolutely refuse to treat you unless you do."

He reluctantly obeyed, lying down in the tent. She approached him and carefully straddled his hips as she had done the night before, but this time made sure her hands did not touch his chest. She would have preferred to be beside him, so as not to hurt him further, but the small tent did not permit that, so she worked with what space she had. She didn't understand why, but her thoughts kept running wild. She wanted to slap herself. Here she was, ready to tend Akhenaten's wounds, and all she could think of was the fact that if she just slid back a tiny bit, her centre would be resting atop Akhenaten's male weapon.

Without even thinking, she did move back on Akhenaten's hips a little. What she felt made a small squeal escape her lips. His shaft was hard, she could feel it pressing against her. She didn't know how, but she gathered enough courage to look into Akhenaten's eyes. They were glazed. "Akhenaten?" She asked in a whisper.

He smiled grimly. "You have no idea how much this hurts." He was not only referring to the gashes on his chest, and Ksunamun knew it.

Ksunamun laughed a little. "Endure, my prince."

"How much will this hurt?" Akhenaten asked almost facetiously. "The cuts, I mean."

Ksunamun shook her head to clear her thoughts, dipped a cloth she'd made from a torn strip of fabric from the hem of her dress. "Hmm - well, let us put it this way: you may begin to think that the leopard tickled you."

"Oh great," Akhenaten snorted, "Let's get it over with, then."

Ksunamun smiled almost pityingly, and wrung the cloth until there was no excess water. Carefully, she pressed the damp cloth to the largest of Akhenaten's scratches.

Akhenaten cried out as the steaming hot water touched the deepest gash that ran nearly from one shoulder to the other.

"Shh." Ksunamun whispered soothingly, "The pain must get worse before it can get better."

"My mother used to say that." He rasped ruefully. "I'm telling you though, that really does not tickle."

"Guess what, my Prince, as soon as we get back to the palace, we must get you stitched up."

Akhenaten's eyes went briefly wide. "I'm not going to the palace's physician about this."

Ksunamun knew his reasons right away; he knew his injuries would worry his parents. "That's alright. You find me a needle and thread and I will fix you up. My mother taught me how to do that, stitching wounds."

"And won't it come in useful." Akhenaten chuckled.

"I suppose, aye." She admitted musingly. "Now, clench your teeth and do try not to make a sound." She requested.

He nodded, and she rubbed the rest of the wounded flesh, continuing to cleanse the wounds. The Prince wanted nothing more than to scream freely, the slashes on his chest hurt so badly, burning like fire. However, he dutifully did as he'd been told, and kept his teeth tightly clenched, only allowing groans to escape from him.

Ksunamun ceased, and considered the gruesome wounds on Akhenaten's now tender looking chest. "I'm sorry," She apologized.

"For what?" Akhenaten ground out, his breath heavy.

She was hesitant, but when the words came, they tumbled out of her. "I think there's a way to make this hurt less."

"Please, have mercy and do it, whatever it is."

"Alright." Ksunamun agreed solemnly. She once again resumed work cleansing Akhenaten's cuts, this time using dabbing as her method. The cloth she was using was quickly becoming drenched with blood, and several times she rinsed it as best she could in the goblet of hot water. "You are fortunate these are not very deep, Akhenaten. A little bit deeper and your very ribs would be exposed. That would be bad indeed."

Akhenaten's voice was strained. "I'm sure the pain wouldn't be that much more though."

"To the contrary, my prince. If your ribs were exposed, the pain itself could kill you. It all depends on how much tolerance you have for injury. You don't have so much."

"I'm insulted."

"Don't be. You were fashioned by the gods, and they make no mistakes. To feel insulted by such a truth is an insult to the gods."

"So, you are philosophical, too?"

"I suppose you could say that." Ksunamun shrugged.

When Ksunamun was satisfied that his wounds were clean enough, she slipped her hand under his back, encouraging him to prop himself up a few inches. He did, propping himself up with his arms.

Ksunamun tore fresh strips of fabric from her skirt, and tied them expertly around Akhenaten's chest, making a tight, perfect bandage. "It is not the cleanest, but I will wash your wounds again before I stitch them."

"Thank you, Ksunamun." Akhenaten breathed.

"It is nothing." She shushed him with a kiss.

Ksunamun took up one of Akhenaten's sharpest knives. It had a medium length blade - about six inches - but length was not what she was after. She was more interested in how clean the cut made with it would be. With expert hands, she sliced open the leopard carcass along it's underbelly and carefully separated the skin from the rest of the body. It was a grizzly task, but she was accustomed to doing things that exposed her to knives, flesh, and a lot of blood.

"Thank you, mother dearest." She whispered under her breath.

Akhenaten had wanted to skin the leopard and fillet it, but Ksunamun insisted that he rest. She knew how to do that type of thing well, after all, she'd had to slaughter the cows and sheep after her father died, so she would not need the assistance of the Prince for such a tedious and mediocre chore.

She lifted her head and looked in the direction of the tent as she heard Akhenaten groan in agony. The sound seared her heart, and she couldn't help but wince. The last thing she wanted was to see Akhenaten in pain. There was a part of her that wanted to run to him, hold his head against her chest and whisper to him that he'd be well soon, and she'd make sure of it. But, there was a bigger, more dominant part of her that wanted distance now, that didn't want to fall in love. Or, at least not admit it was falling in love. Ksunamun called out to the Prince. "Are you alright in there, Akhenaten?"

"Oh, I'm just fine." He said sarcastically, "Just lovely. I hope you do not decide to scratch me this hard at any point."

The laugh escaped her against her volition.

"Oh, you find that funny, do you?"

"Well, aye," She admitted, "It was the way you put it, Akhenaten. I couldn't help it. You have a rather unique way with words."

"That marks the first time anyone has ever said I was funny." He said so quietly it was only just barely audible.

Ksunamun continued to work, peeling away all of the leopard's skin in one large piece.

"What do you want to do with the skin?" She asked curiously, "It is too beautiful to just let rot out here."

Akhenaten disobeyed Ksunamun's orders to remain in the tent. He came to her side, his breathing laboured. "If you like it, we shall take it back with us and I will have it tanned for you. A new rug."

"Really?"

"Really," he assured, grasping her shoulder as he knelt down on the ground, "I want to at least help you carve this beast for cooking. He cut my flesh up, I want to cut his up too."

"You are not satisfied with killing it?"

"No, not even close," Akhenaten admitted. "He stalked me. When I at last realized he was there, he was two inches away from me, looking me right in the eyes."

"Oh, Akhenaten," she breathed.

He grasped her other shoulder with his free hand, "I'm still here. I emerged victorious. That's what's important, right?"

"Aye, but I'm just thinking, what if it had been me, and not you?"

"Do not worry, Sweet Ksunamun. I shall protect you," he vowed, trying to sound heroic for her, "I will never let you be hurt by any creature, animal or not."

Their eyes met and clung.

Akhenaten decided to break the silence. "Here, pass me that knife, please."

Ksunamun silently surrendered the blade to the Prince, her eyelashes sweeping her cheeks.

"You know, I did not mean to make you feel uncomfortable, Ksunamun." Akhenaten said softly. I was hoping you would kiss me, he thought.

"I know, I know." She nodded slowly.

Akhenaten butchered the leopard with a speed and skill that Ksunamun had not expected the Prince to posses.

Two hours later, large slabs of meat, including the hind legs of the leopard, shoulder chops, and an assortment of other good pieces of animal flesh had been cooked, some being eaten by the Prince and Ksunamun.

What remained of the carcass was quite substantial. The unusable parts, like the bony forelegs, and some of the organs were in a rancid pile.

"Akhenaten, I do believe this meat is not very palatable to me." Ksunamun commented pensively as she chewed.

"That's too bad, Ksunamun. I was rather hoping that you'd like it."

"It is not nauseating or anything, I just prefer domestic meats, you know?"

"Aye, that I do. There is definitely a difference in the taste. It is the difference in what the animals eat that causes the meat's flavour to change."

"I knew that."

"Who taught you?"

"My father, when he was still alive."

There was a very long pause in the conversation.

"Akhenaten, it is alright. Really, it is. Aye, I mourn my father yet, but life goes on. Eventually, we must all perish. We are mortal in body. But, as you well know, our souls are immortal. We must die so we can go to the afterlife."

"When you put it like that, it seems bearable, Ksunamun."

"It was that knowledge, Akhenaten, that helped me through when my father passed. It will help you too." She grasped his shoulder, squeezing it gently.

"I think you will help me more than anything." Akhenaten said softly. "I have a tendency to not see the bright side. I always need someone like you to show me."

"Akhenaten, I will agree with you on this one. You do seem to need help to see the positive. If it takes me helping you for you to do it, I will help you."

The Prince offered a lopsided grin. "Thank you."

Ksunamun allowed her hand to drift from Akhenaten's shoulder to his forearm, and there her hand remained. "I'd do just about anything for you right now, my Prince."

"And why would that be?" Akhenaten asked, forbidden thoughts flooding his mind.

"Because the way you look right now, the way your voice pierces me - it stirs something within me - a longing to aid you any way I can."

A hot flush settled on Akhenaten's face.

Ksunamun kissed Akhenaten's cheek. "Let's go to your palace now, shall we?"

Akhenaten rose to his feet and aided Ksunamun to hers. "Technically, it is my father's palace."

"You know what I mean."

"Aye, that I do. Let me go get Sutekh."

Akhenaten found Sutekh eating lazily where he'd been tied the night before. The horse appeared to be much more energetic than before, the result of a good night's sleep.

Akhenaten stopped a few feet away from the horse. "Are you feeling better today, boy?"

The horse looked up at the sound of the Prince's voice and whinnied. Akhenaten stroked the horse's muzzle affectionately.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to quit gorging yourself until we get home, my friend," Akhenaten laughed as he untied the horse and led him back to the campsite.

He returned to find that Ksunamun had packed everything back up in the saddlebag except for the left over meat.

"Holy Ra, you work fast," Akhenaten commented.

"Oh, never mind that. What will we do with the meat?" she wondered.

"Leave it," he shrugged, "Animals will come for it once we leave."

"Alright, I suppose," She sounded almost doubtful, "I guess everything's sorted, then," She sighed, wiping her sweat drenched forehead with the back of her hand.

Akhenaten took the large bag with the supplies into his arms and tied it to Sutekh's saddle, "Would you like me to help you mount my horse?"

"Yes please, he's rather tall."

Akhenaten knelt down and cupped his hands, forming a makeshift species of step. Ksunamun lightly placed her left foot on the Prince's hands as she grabbed Sutekh's saddle, and swung her right leg over the beast, mounting him with more grace than expected.

"Thank you," she grinned, "He is pretty big, you know."

"Yes, and he's also pretty fast," Akhenaten nodded as he expertly climb on the horse so that he sat directly behind Ksunamun. He wrapped his arms around her as he took up Sutekh's reins. "How many horses have you ridden?"

She hesitated. "I have actually only ridden ponies."

"That's alright. This is pretty much the same, only Sutekh is larger and can go quite a bit faster than most on occasion. Are you frightened?"

"Not as long as you are holding me." She said in a bare whisper.

Akhenaten grinned, and moved closer to her, so she leaned back against him snugly. "I've got you." He promised as he kissed her hair and kicked Sutekh's flanks gently.

They quickly covered the two miles to the palace, flying through the desert, which was becoming hot and blindingly bright in the morning light. Ksunamun grasped the Prince's leanly muscled upper arms with her hands, her long nails just tangibly digging into his flesh. Her back was pressed firmly against Akhenaten's chest. Sutekh was going at a speed she had never traveled at in her life, and she felt a bizarre mixture of fear and giddiness as a result.

As they approached the palace, an audible gasp escaped her lips.

"Its interior is much more impressive." Akhenaten chuckled merrily, "You will see."

Sutekh continued galloping, automatically making his way to the palace stables. Akhenaten dismounted first, then helped Ksunamun off, as well. He led the horse into the stable, and put him in his stall, along with fresh water, and a full bale of hay. The Prince made sure the horse was settled before returning to Ksunamun.

"Alright. We are going to my chamber. I hope we do not run in to anyone, because I want to surprise my father. I think we'll be alright." He held out his hand, and she grasped it. "What do you think?"

"I cannot believe we are actually doing this."

"Well, believe it. This was a brilliant idea on your part. I do love that pretty little head of yours, Ksunamun."

He led her to the entrance at the back of the palace. Ksunamun was momentarily stunned by the opulence of the palace. It was huge, looming, literally dripping with lavish gold ornamentations and buntings of rare silks.

"I take it you're impressed?" Akhenaten chuckled, noting the glimmer in Ksunamun's eyes.

"Yes." she answered at length, "This place is incredible."

"I suppose. I can't really say, I've grown up surrounded by all this, so I'm accustomed to it."

The two continued walking through the corridors, made of stone and covered in gold, of the palace. Akhenaten led Ksunamun to the far end of the east wing of the palace. The east wing was Akhenaton's 'apartment', housing his chamber, his personal library of papyri, and many other rooms, most of them remaining unused by the prince.

He led her to his bedchamber. It was the room he spent most of his time in when he was in the palace. As he pushed aside the delicate fabric curtain that was the meager partition between the bedchamber and the rest of the apartment, Ksunamun's breath caught in her throat.

"Please, make yourself comfortable." He placed a hand at the small of her back and gently steered her into the chamber, allowing the partition to fall back into place behind them.

The chamber was dark - lit only by two torches that burned faithfully in their brackets high on the stone walls.