Disguised Persians in Alexandria idled near their horses waiting for the appointed time... Soon... Very soon... Almost over... Just a moment more... The signal... Do you see it? No... Well, maybe... YES! There it is.
A red-colored arrow rose into the sky and fell to earth. Instantly, the Persians leaped on their horses, unsheathed their weapons and rushed towards their targets.
Men cried warnings; women screamed and children cried in fear. Twenty-three Persians began riding and hacking their way to their target - the place where Farida was expected to be. She was not there. Instead, they dragged out the only person they found - Khumnhotep.
Farida heard the shouts, screams and crying and ran out of Sutaijha's dwelling to see what was the matter. She saw a group of riders in the distance bearing down on the building where Khumnhotep lived. She cried out for Ekrem, but it wasn't necessary. He had followed behind her as she rushed through the door and into the street.
Ekrem recognized one of the riders. "Persians!" he cried out. "Get back inside, Farida!" Then he dashed off to follow the plan put in place by Khumnhotep.
Other Egyptian men were now running about, taking up positions here and there on the roofs of the buildings. Two strange horsemen galloped down the street where Farida stood.
"FARIDA!" shouted the rider. She turned only to see the shoulder of a suddenly stopping horse and a man's strong arm reach down to grab her. Trapped in the arm and lifted to the front of the saddle before the rider, she turned her head and in horror realized who it was who held her.
"NO Elodar! Let me go!"
"Never, Farida!" And Elodar galloped forward with Bantu at his side to join his men before the house of Khumnhotep.
Khumnhotep's house was so located at the confluence of three streets that only by one of these three streets could anyone leave the town once they entered. Buildings bordered the streets on all sides. So focussed on Farida was Elodar that he didn't see the Egyptians who now stood on the roofs with bows drawn. As he galloped forward towards his men, he didn't see the small phalanx's of Egyptians form in the streets behind him blocking with pointed spears and sharpened swords any possibility of escape.
When he reined in his horse, Elodar saw Khumnhotep held in check by two of his Persians; but then the voice he heard wasn't Khumnhotep's at all. It was familiar, but unexpected.
"Throw down your weapons, Persians and live!" Ankhu repeated his order, "I say again Persians, throw down your weapons! You cannot escape!"
Startled, Elodar looked around him, as did his men. Four of his men, filled with bloodlust rather than good sense, spurred their horses and tried to gallop up one of the streets. They promptly sprouted arrows from their chests, gasped and fell from their horses into the dirt of the street.
"Release the woman and the Captain!" shouted Ankhu. He stood on the roof of a nearby building with two archers at his side. Elodar could see him clearly... so could two others of his men. One carried a bow with an arrow pressed against its string. In one swift move of his arms and hands he lifted the bow and let loose the arrow straight at Ankhu. It struck the Captain on the uppermost edge of his shoulder doing little more than tearing cloth, but causing the Egyptian to drop to his knees in defense.
Without command, the air suddenly filled with arrows. Persians fell left and right, dying or wounded. "STOP!" ordered a distressed Ankhu. "You may hurt Farida or the Captain! STOP I SAY!" The Egyptian auxiliaries heard and obeyed immediately.
The remaining Persians dropped their weapons and dismounted, except Elodar. He looked down at Bantu, who lay on the ground an arrow through his throat. He pressed the knife in his hand more firmly against Farida's side making clear and visible what he held there. "She dies unless you let me go!
The Persians holding Khumnhotep looked at Elodar in surprise. "Captain? What of us?"
Elodar looked at them with contempt. "I came here for the girl. You came here for plunder. I have what I want. Your problems are your own."
The two Persians looked at each other as waves of anger passed over their faces. They released Khumnhotep. Said one of the Persians to Elodar, "Then let this Egyptian be your problem instead of ours." They stepped back and Khumnhotep was free to confront Elodar. Only the threat to Farida held the Egyptian in check.
Farida had one free hand. While Elodar was distracted by his two rebellious men, she cautiously reached into her silk belt with her left hand and withdrew the long pointed needle that held the material together around her waist. The knife was pressed to her right side. Her left hand held the needle. Elodar was looking to his right at Khumnhotep. She brought the needle down from just above the horse into the creature's shoulder.
The horse whinnied in pain and reared up. Surprised by the horse's sudden movement, Elodar could not prevent his knife hand from flying backwards and away from Farida as he struggled to maintain his seat. Both he and the girl were thrown from the horse as it reached the zenith of its leap and returned to its front two hoofs. The horse immediately galloped away leaving Farida and Elodar in the dirt of the street before Khumnhotep's home.
Dazed, but aware of his exposure, Elodar scrambled to his feet and drew his own sword searching around him for Farida. Khumnhotep, meanwhile, had run forward to place himself between Elodar and the fallen Farida. Before the somewhat dazed Persian could react, Khumnhotep stood before him brandishing a curved sword dropped to the ground earlier by one of Elodar's men. The Persians held their breath looking warily at the Egyptians closing in around them yet fascinated by the pending battle unveiling before their eyes.
As Maatkare and Ekrem left their positions to pull the unconscious girl to safety they heard Khumnhotep speak to Elodar through clenched teeth and tightened jaw muscles, the Egyptian's right hand gripping the Persian sword tightly and with purpose. "Now," said Khumnhotep. "We shall finish this."