"Your Majesty, I have forty chariots that I can send in to meet him. All our galleys could do was to ny to keep pace with the dust-cloud he threw up, as he raced for the funerary temple of Mamose and all its treasures. There was nothing to stop him now, as his chariots came bowling southwards along our side of the river. These regiments comprised nearly three hundred of Salitis" fast war chariots, his elite divisions which he led himself. We cannot prevail against their chariots." "I can fight on, of course," Tanus agreed. The messenger, who had expected to be killed, kissed Queen Lostris" sandals. None of us spoke until Tanus had sent the man away with orders that he be fed and cared for. "What, in the name of Horus, were you laughing about?" "You crazy old fool." He forced a grin at me. As soon as he saw that I was conscious, he masked the expression of concern and worry that had twisted his features. I found myself lying on a sheepskin mattress, with Tanus leaning over me. Iwoke again under the awning on the deck of Tanus" flagship. She addressed her first question to Tanus. QUEEN LOSTRIS CALLED HER WAR COUNCIL when the news of the Hyksos crossing reached us in the Palace of Memnon. His fleet was superior in every way to the one which Salitis and Intef had assembled, but the battle they fought lasted for almost a week before Tanus destroyed or drove them back into the Delta. When it finally happened, and our spies on the east side of the river opposite Asyut warned us of the approach of this fleet from the Delta, Tanus rushed his own ships northwards to meet them. "Taita, what about your chariots? Can they not give battle to the Hyksos?" They are our only hope for eventual victory." If I am given the time and the material, I can build new and better chariots with wheels that do not burst, but I cannot replace the horses. Salitis will overwhelm and destroy us very easily. My chariots are swifter than those of Salitis, but my men cannot match his in skill and training. Therefore, since I could do nothing to allay these fears, I thought it best to keep them to myself. I had searched my heart for a counter to this move when Salitis and Intef made it, but there was none that I could think of.
I had realized that this must happen, but I had refrained from warning either Tanus or my mistress of the likelihood, for I did not wish to add to the feeling of gloom, and heighten the despondency of our people. I must know what the gods require of us." I ask you to work the Mazes of Ammon-Ra for me. But I must ask you now before I make the final decision. "Taita, I have not asked you before, because I know how dearly it costs you. When we were alone, Tanus said softly, "Salitis has four regiments across the river. However, there must be droves of renegade Egyptians from the usurper's navy available to Salitis, and even if that were not the case, it would certainly be possible to recruit enough mercenary Syrian sailors in Gaza and Joppa, and the other ports along the eastern coast of the great sea, to man several hundred of these galleys and transports. Those ships were lying abandoned in the docks of Memphis and Tanis in the Delta. We knew that when he swept through the Lower Kingdom, Salitis had captured most of the fleet of the red pretender intact. It was the enemy's logical move, and both Salitis and Lord Intef should have made it much earlier. Secretly, I had expected and dreaded what would happen next. THE SUCCESS OF MY CHARIOTS AT ESNA, and the feeling of confidence that it instilled in us all, were short-lived. His chariots are so fast that he can swing around our positions as he did at Asyut. We can wait for him behind walls of stone, or behind barriers of the sharp staves that Taita has equipped us with. "I can slow him down, perhaps," he replied frankly.
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However, Salitis had brought his transports up behind the screen of fighting galleys, and while the river battle still raged, he was able to embark almost two full regiments of horse and chariot, and ferry them intact to our side of the river, without our galleys being able to reach them. "Tanus, the enemy horses that swam across last night?I must have them."
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