Chapter 46 Chapter Forty-Four

Under the arbor of grapes in the garden, Sienna entertained Menelaus with a sumptuous dinner.The Greek likes the dark green vines with heavy grapes hanging down. When eating appetizers, he eats big purple grapes to satisfy his hunger.The pork chops cooked with fine herbs and mixed with pigeon meat, roast beef, honey quail, and animal offal whetted his appetite even more.He never left his eyes for a moment from the young female musicians, who were wearing light and thin clothes, delighting his ears with the music of flutes and silk Chuqin. "Egypt is a beautiful country," he praised, "I like it more than the battlefield."

"Are you satisfied with your villa?" "A real palace! When I get back home, I will order my architect to build me a similar one." "Where's the servant?" "Very accommodating." As he wished, Menelaus had a granite bath, which his servants filled with hot water, and which he enjoyed endlessly.His Egyptian steward considered it unhygienic and lazy in the bones; like his countrymen, he preferred tub baths.But he still obeyed Xie Na's order, and a massage therapist applied oil to the scarred hero every day. "Your masseuses are not obedient at all! In my country, those slaves don't have so many opinions. After bathing, they will make me happy and follow my emotions."

"They're not slaves," Shane explained. "They're salaried technicians." "Not a slave? This is a kind of progress that you lack!" "We just need strong men like you." Menelaus pushed away the honey quail that had been placed in a marble dish, and Xena's last words made him lose his appetite. "What are you implying?" "Egypt is a rich and powerful country, it's true, but can't we rule it with deeper insight?" "Aren't you the eldest son of Pharaoh?" "Is this kinship doomed to turn a blind eye to me?"

"Seti was an awe-inspiring figure, not even Agamemnon had his majesty. If you try to plot rebellion, give up, you will fail. Such a king is controlled by a supernatural power No, I'm not a coward, but the look in his eyes scares me." "Who said there was a plot to overthrow Seti? All the people loved him. But Pharaoh was also a man, and I heard he was in poor health." "If I understood your customs, the Regent would ascend the throne after his death, and this would avoid all succession struggles." "The regent Ramses will destroy Egypt. My brother is incapable of governing the country. Ramses is ruining Egypt. If you become my ally, the future will be better."

"For me, the so-called future is to return to my country as soon as possible! Even if Egypt takes me in and treats me with food beyond my imagination, I will be nothing more than a privileged guest. Forget your unrealistic dreams. " Nefertari led Helen to visit the apse of the plum house. This beautiful blonde woman with white arms was jumping for joy in front of the pharaoh's magnificent land.Wounded and exhausted, she could now take a walk or listen to music for a little bit of happiness, and the exquisite life Queen Duya had provided her for weeks was like a good medicine.But a piece of latest news makes Helen feel uneasy: the two Greek ships have been repaired, and the day of departure is approaching.

Sitting by the pond where the lotus bloomed, she couldn't help crying. "I'm sorry, Nefertari." "Aren't you as expensive as a queen in your country?" "To save face, Menelaus proved that as a warrior, he can level a city, annihilate the enemy to save his wife back under his roof. But, my life is hell there, and death may It's sweeter." Without further ado, Nefertari showed Helen the secret of weaving.Helen is full of enthusiasm and stays in the factory all day.Learn from the most experienced workers and start weaving luxurious robes.Her dexterity with her hands, which won the praise of professionals, made her forget about Troy, Menelaus, and the inevitable return home, until the night when Duya's sedan chair crossed the threshold of the apse.

Helen ran and hid in her room, crying and fell on the bed. The visit of the Great Queen meant that her rare happy days would come to an end.She hated herself for not having the courage to commit suicide. Nefertari gently asked Helen to go with her. "The queen wants to see you." "I'm not leaving here." "Duya doesn't like to wait for others." Helen complied.Once again, she is not the master of her own destiny. Menelaus was amazed at the proficiency of the Egyptian craftsmen, and the rumors that the pharaoh's ships could sail for months at sea seemed to be true, because the shipyards of Memphis repaired and strengthened the Greek ships with super speed.Menelaus saw many barges with which he did not expect a decisive battle, large barges that could carry entire obelisks, clippers, and ships of war.Egypt has lived up to its reputation as a deterrent.

He shook off these craving thoughts, and happily prepared to return home.The short stay in Egypt had allowed him to regain his former vigor, his soldiers were carefully cared for and entertained, and the army was ready to leave at any time. With bold steps, Menelaus walked towards the Great Queen's Palace where Helen stayed temporarily after returning from the apse of the Plum House. Nefertari received him and led him to his wife. Helen was dressed in an Egyptian linen suspender dress that seemed almost obscene to him; fortunately, no other Paris wanted to rob her!Pharaoh would not allow this kind of behavior to happen, not to mention that women here are much more independent than Greek women. They don't have to live in seclusion in the boudoir, they can move freely without covering their faces with scarves, sit on an equal footing with men, and even hold high-ranking positions.All these made Menelaus more vigilant: this is the atmosphere of freedom that cannot be brought back to the country.

Helen was so absorbed in her work that she forgot to get up when Menelaus approached her. "It's me, Helen." "I know." "Shouldn't you bow to me and say hello?" "In what name?" "But... I am your husband and master!" "The only master here is Pharaoh." "We're going back to Rasaidmun." "I still need a lot of time to finish my work." "Stand up and come to me." "Go alone, Menelaus." The king rushed to his wife and tried to grab her by the wrist.The dagger dangling in her hand forced him to step back.

"Don't push me, or I'll call for help. In Egypt, violating someone is punishable by death." "But...you are my wife, and you belong to me!" "Queen Duya asked me to be the supervisor of the weaving factory. If you can't bear it, just go, I won't keep you." Menelaus broke two swords and three javelins on the stone mill used by the baker at his villa, and his rage so terrified the servants that, without Siena's intervention, the security might have arrested the madman.Xena stood aside, and the hero's rage did not abate; when Menelaus was at last weary, Xena handed him a mug of stout.

Menelaus gulped down the wine and sat down on the stone mill. "This bitch...what the hell is she playing?" "I understand your anger, but it's useless. Helen has the freedom to choose." "Freedom, freedom! This civilization that gives women so much freedom should be abolished!" "Will you stay in Memphis?" "Do I have a choice? If I don't bring Helen back to Rasa de Mon, I'll be laughed at; my people will laugh at me, and one of my loyal captains will slit my throat in my sleep Slaughter. I can't live without this woman!" "The job that Du Ya entrusted to her is not a joke. The Empress appreciates your wife very much." Menelaus hit the millstone hard with his fist. "I hope Helen dies badly!" "Lamenting is not the answer, now we share the same interests." The Greek pricked up his ears. "If I become Pharaoh, I will return Helen to you." "How should I do?" "Join me and prepare to destroy Ramses." "Seti may live to be a hundred years old!" "Nine years of rule have exhausted my father, who has exhausted his strength in serving Egypt without pay. I remind you again that we need time; during the mourning period, as soon as the vacancy of power is declared, we can strike quickly and violently .Such a strategy cannot be improvised." Menelaus arched his back wearily. "How long do we have to wait..." "Feng shui comes and goes, trust me. But we still have a lot of details to work on." Homer, leaning on Ramesses' arm, toured his new abode—a comfortable villa two hundred meters square, located in the middle of the garden, three hundred meters from the wing of the Regent's palace.A cook, a maid, and a gardener formed the poet's dedicated servants, and he demanded a delightful array of bottles and jars filled with olive oil, star anise, and preserved bouquets. Homer, because of his bad eyesight, stooped to smell every tree and every flower, whose species did not seem to please him.Ramesses doubted that he would like the beautiful new residence built for him.Suddenly, the poet became excited. "At last, a lemon tree! No beautiful verse can be written without being near it, the work of the Creator. A chair, quick." Ramses brings a three-legged chair, which seems to suit Homer well. "Someone get me some sweet sage, please." "Is it for treatment?" "You'll understand later. How much do you know about the Trojan War?" "It took a long time and the casualties were numerous." "This is an outline without poetry! I shall invent a long poem describing Achilles and his exploits, which I shall call the 'Iliad'; in memory." The regent thought Homer was a little pompous, but he appreciated the poet's fanaticism. A black and white cat came out of the house and stopped a meter away from the poet. After hesitating for a while, it jumped onto his knee with a snap. "A cat, a lemon tree, and some wine! I'm not mistaken. It will be a masterpiece." Sienna was proud of Menelaus, the Greek hero who could pull himself out of adversity and was willing to play the game.In order to win the favor of the king and the priests, Menelaus presented to the temple of Gulna some Greek amphorae with pointed bottoms, painted with yellow stripes on the body, and decorated with a decorative border in the shape of a lotus bud at the bottom.These dazzling vessels were placed in the treasury of the temple. Greek sailors and soldiers knew they might stay long, perhaps forever, in the suburbs of Memphis, so they started trading, trading ointments, perfumes, and gold and silver utensils for food.The administrative unit also allows them to open shops and small factories to develop their skills. Those Greek officers and high-ranking soldiers joined the Egyptian army, and they would be hired to do public works jobs, like repairing canals or mending embankments.Most will marry, have children and establish their own homes, so they will likely integrate into Egyptian society.Neither Seti nor Ramses was worried about their existence. This new "Trojan horse" was much smarter than the first one, and took root as soon as it landed. Menelaus saw Helen again, and Queen Duya was present; he behaved with the gentleness that a husband should have towards his wife, but the queen still had the power to decide their meeting and would not allow him to act inappropriately. behavior that harassed her.Although Helen doesn't believe his sincerity, she finds that Menelaus has kept his temper in check. Menelaus subtly softens Ramses' hostility.Their meeting was formal, and neither party made any presumptuous remarks; and being a guest of honor, Menelaus bowed to the strict demands of the court, and endeavored to maintain good relations with the regent.Despite Ramses' callousness, an open confrontation was avoided, and Sienna and his Greek friends calmly set their trap. The mustache on his smooth face is neatly trimmed, the nails are clean, and his eyes are shining with wisdom. He sits in Xie Na's cabin, admiring the aroma of the beer he drinks.According to their agreement, such meetings should be kept secret. The king's eldest son disclosed the arrival of Menelaus and Helen, but, still distrusting the young diplomat, he did not speak of his plans to Arxia. "How is the situation in Asia?" "More and more complex. The small duchies are falling apart, each king dreaming of forming a federation he can control. Such disintegration is good for us, but it won't last. Contrary to my colleagues, I am convinced that the Hittites have How to manipulate ambitious and disaffected nations and gather them under its banner. Then Egypt will be in danger." "Will it take long?" "A few years. But it was all talk and negotiations." "Did Pharaoh know?" "Inaccurate information. Our diplomats are outdated people who cannot see into the future." "Have you any means of obtaining accurate information?" "Not yet. But I have a good friendship with some of the king's confidantes, and we have met informally and thus learned some important secrets." "Foreign Minister Meba and I are very warm, we are almost friends. If we continue to cooperate, I can help you get promoted." "Your reputation is still very loud in Asia, and Ramses is still unknown there." "If something important happens, please let me know."