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any longer.
Serramanna has taken a chariot battalion to arrest
Moses.
What is he wanted for?
It seems that two Bedouin chiefs, both Hittite agents,
are traveling with the Hebrews. Serramanna wants to bring
them in, along with Moses. Ahmeni didn t try to stop him,
since the law is on Serramanna s side.
Ramses imagined Moses at the head of his people,
pounding the ground with his staff, leading the way, moving
the stragglers along, and imploring Yahweh to appear by
night as a column of fire, by day as a column of clouds. No
obstacle could make him turn back, no enemy could
frighten him off.
I ve just had a long letter from Puduhepa, added
Nefertari. She s sure that the treaty will be signed eventu-
ally.
That s good news, Ramses said halfheartedly.
You re afraid for Moses, aren t you?
I hope I never see him again.
About the peace treaty, there s still one delicate issue.
Uri-Teshoop again?
No, a problem with the wording. Hattusili doesn t want
to assume sole responsibility for the prevailing climate of
war. He complains that it makes him look like an inferior,
obliged to submit to Pharaoh s will.
Isn t that the truth?
The text of the treaty will be made public. Future gen-
erations will read it. Hattusili refuses to lose face.
The Hittite must either submit or face annihilation.
350 Christian Jacq
Are we going to let the peace agreement fall apart over
a few strong words?
Each word has its weight.
Still, I d like to propose a new version, if I may.
Taking Hattusili s demands into account, I suppose?
Taking the future of both our peoples into account
a future free of war and misfortune.
Ramses kissed Nefertari on the forehead. I suppose
there s no resisting the Great Royal Wife s peacemaking tac-
tics.
Quite right, Your Majesty, she replied, laying her head
on Ramses shoulder.
Moses was in a violent temper. Aaron had to use his stick
on several slackers who insisted they wanted to return to
Egypt, where they d have enough to eat and a comfortable
place to sleep. Most of the Hebrews hated the desert; it was
hard for them to adapt to camping out. Many of them were
beginning to grumble about the harsh existence their
prophet had forced on them.
The prophet s voice boomed, urging the weak and cow-
ardly to obey Yahweh and continue on their way to the
Promised Land, no matter what trials and pitfalls awaited
them. The long march resumed, beyond Sileh, through
swamp country. The Hebrews got stuck in the mud, char-
iots overturned, leeches attacked both humans and ani-
mals.
Moses decided to stop for a time not far from the
border, near Lake Sarbonis and the Mediterranean. The
place was considered dangerous, for the desert wind de-
Ramses: The lady of abu simbel 351
posited vast quantities of sand on unstable surfaces, cre-
ating what was known as the Sea of Reeds.
No one lived in this desolate countryside, prey to squalls
and the whims of sea and sky. Even fishermen avoided it,
frightened off by quicksand.
A wild-eyed woman threw herself at Moses feet.
We re all going to die in this godforsaken place!
You re wrong.
Look around you. Is this any Promised Land?
Of course not.
We won t go a step farther, Moses.
Yes you will. In the next few days we ll cross the border
and go where Yahweh is calling us.
How can you be so sure of yourself ?
Because I ve seen His presence, woman, and He spoke
to me. Go get some sleep now. We have a great deal more to
accomplish.
Subdued, the woman obeyed him.
This place is horrible, agreed Aaron. I wish we could
leave right away.
A long rest is necessary. Tomorrow, at dawn, Yahweh
will give us the strength to continue.
Do you ever doubt we ll succeed, Moses?
Never, Aaron.
Serramanna s chariot battalion, commanded by one of
Ramses royal sons, had lost no time catching up with the
Hebrews. When he smelled the sea air, the old pirate s nos-
trils flared. He signaled his men to stop.
Anyone know about this place?
352 Christian Jacq
A veteran charioteer spoke up. These swamps are
haunted. I don t advise you to disturb the demons.
Still, this is the way the Hebrews headed, objected the
Sard.
They re free to act insane. We ought to have the sense
to turn around.
In the distance smoke rose.
The Hebrew camp isn t far from here, the royal son
remarked. Let s go arrest the men we want.
Yahweh s followers are armed, Serramanna reminded
him, and they outnumber us.
Our men are trained soldiers and our chariots give us
the advantage. At a good distance, we ll fire a volley of
arrows and demand that they hand over Moses and the two
Bedouins. Otherwise we ll charge.
Not without foreboding, the chariots slogged on.
Aaron woke with a start. Moses was already awake, staff
in hand.
That rumbling . . .
Yes, it s Egyptian chariots.
They re heading our way!
We still have time to escape.
The two Bedouins, Amos and Keni, refused to set foot
in the Sea of Reeds, but the frantic Hebrews readily fol-
lowed Moses. In the gathering darkness, it was hard to tell
sand from water, but Moses made his way unfalteringly
between sea and lake, guided by the fire that had burned in
him since adolescence, the fire that had become his quest
for the Promised Land.
Ramses: The lady of abu simbel 353
The Egyptian chariots found the going much more dif-
ficult. Some sank in quicksand, others lost their way in the
swamps. The royal son s chariot got stuck in a sinkhole,
while Serramanna s ran smack into the two Bedouins in
flight.
A wind blew in from the east, on top of the desert wind,
drying a path across the Sea of Reeds for the Hebrews.
Hardly caring that the two Hittite agents had been
crushed beneath his wheels, Serramanna cursed to find that
his chariot would no longer budge. By the time they freed
the vehicles and found the scattered troops, including a few
injured men, the wind had changed. Moisture-laden gusts
stirred up waves that closed the path through the reeds.
Seething with frustration, Serramanna watched Moses
escape.
fifty-seven
espite the excellent care she received from Neferet, an
Dexceptionally gifted young woman doctor, Queen
Mother Tuya was preparing for the great journey. Soon she
would be joining Seti, leaving Egypt s future happiness a
virtual certainty. Only virtual because the peace treaty with
the Hittites had not yet been finalized.
354 Christian Jacq
When Nefertari came to find her in the garden where
she was meditating, Tuya could read the emotion in the
Great Royal Wife s face.
Your Majesty, I ve just received this letter from Empress
Puduhepa.
My eyes are bad, Nefertari. Please read it to me.
The queen s spellbinding voice gladdened Tuya s heart.
To my sister, spouse of the Son of Light, Nefertari,
All is well with our two countries. I hope this letter
finds you and your family in the best of health. My
daughter is becoming a fine big girl and my horses are mag-
nificent. May it be the same for you and your family, your
horses, and Ramses the Great s pet lion. Your servant
Hattusili bows at the feet of Pharaoh.
Peace and brotherhood: these are the terms in order, since
the Sun God of Egypt and the Storm God of Hatti wish
to fraternize.
Bearing the text of the treaty, the ambassadors of Egypt
and Hatti are on their way to Pi-Ramses so that Pharaoh
may set the final seal upon our joint decision.
May my sister Nefertari enjoy the protection of all the
gods and goddesses.
Falling into each other s arms, Nefertari and Tuya wept
with joy.
Serramanna felt like an insect about to be crushed under
Ramses sandal. The downcast Sard was sure he would be
banished from the palace. The thought of rejection hurt.
Ramses: The lady of abu simbel 355
The old pirate had grown used to his role as a peacekeeper
and righter of wrongs. His absolute devotion to Ramses
had given his life meaning and put an end to his wandering.
The country he had come to plunder was now his home-
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