This is my first Mara story. I am pretty excited about it. Please tell me how it is and review! i totally welcome flames. ENJOY!!!
Disclaimer: I dont own Mara, Daughter of the Nile

Unexplained Excuses

The sun was slowly rising over the horizon. Smells wafted through the air, food and incense. Mara woke up immediately wide eyed as her mind, groggy still from sleep tried to find its bearings. She began to breathe easily again when she realized exactly where she was. Living not as a slave anymore but the wife of a Count, a Countess, she was living in luxury and owned magnificent ornaments for her to wear. She even had her own slaves and how she loved to tell other people what to do when she had been the one before carrying out people's orders.

Currently she was lying underneath her beloved Sheftu's arm, and she reveled in the safety the man beside her radiated, like heat from a fire. Her stirring had roused him and she watched his eyes open and land on her face. She smiled at him while he smiled back at her.

Snuggling closer to him he wrapped his arms tighter around her body. It had been a month since that horrible yet exulting night that Thutmose was crowned Pharaoh. She had healed from the lashes that had befallen on her, but they had still left scares. Long, ugly, lines crisscrossed her back. The skin marred up rough in places. She hated it, hated it desperately. Why couldn't she be the perfect wife for Sheftu? He deserved a woman who was unmarred from such scares, physically and emotionally.

She sighed, her chest rising up and down and her heart ached for Sheftu to read her mind and reassure her that he loved her no matter what. Yet she knew that he loved her or else he wouldn't have claimed her to be his wife, he would have just finished her off the night of the revolution.

However her husband had heard her sigh and guessing what was wrong traced his fingers along the scares of her back. It soothed her and she relaxed once again. They needed no words to express how deeply in love they were.

After a while Sheftu had to get up. He had to shave and get ready for a day in the court of the pharaoh. Thutmose had already started one military campaign. When his sister had died, they had received word that the king of Kadesh had advanced onto Mediggo. They thought that the civil unrest in the kingdom would be a great time to strike with their armies.

However Thutmose was ready for them and left with his army just last week to head them off. He had left Sheftu and two other men in charge of Menfe in his absence. Sending back reports every other day, they had just received one that they had finally gotten to a town just south of Mediggo. Small mountains separated them and their wrath right now, but no one knew when the fighting would actually start.

Sheftu was at the palace from sunrise to sunset and was too weary to do anything when he got back but sleep. So this little quiet time in each others arms was nice.

Mara was getting bored staying at Sheftu's house everyday. She had learned everything she needed to know about managing a counts house and being a proper wife. What to expect from the servants and politics. She learned who to talk to, who to ignore. Who was supposed to receive a bow and how low or who she was never supposed to bow to. What was considered scandalous and what could jeopardize her life.

She sat in bed watching Sheftu's servants dress him, eating grapes to perfume her mouth and she came up with the perfect answer to fix her boredom problem.

"Sheftu?"

"Yes my love?"

"I want to go to the palace with you today. I am utterly bored here and I problem not to be a problem. I just wan to watch."

Sheftu looked like he was actually thinking about it, and her heart soared in her chest at the hope.

"I will let you come if you agree on one condition."

"Yes, yes anything!"

"Nekonkh must accompany you everywhere."

"Alright!"

"Well then hurry and get ready we must be off."

Mara hurried and got out of bed and called her servant. Soon she was ready to go, wearing a long white dress with a gold linen, fringed belt around her waist. Her hair was down but gathered in the back and secured with a dark blue lotus bloom. Gold bangles covered her arms and she wore the ring Sheftu had officially given to her again on their wedding ceremony, and another ring with Sheftu's family crest. Dangling gold earrings encased a rare blue stone and the matching necklace lay daintily on her throat. She had to admit she looked good.

Ready to go in record time the couple started on their way in the carriage. Mara leaned against Sheftu and watched the sun rise out the window as they traveled the road parallel the Nile on the way to the palace. The sky was bright pink with blue streaks running through it, and was breathtaking.

They arrived soon and servants met them at the gate. Sheftu helped his wife down and they started walking down the road lined with trees to the palace. Settling in his office Sheftu sent one of his retainers to find Nekonkh the captain at once.

Mara reclined on the couch and watched Sheftu talk to Lords and vessels about this and that. Finally they were alone.

"Are you enjoying yourself my love?"

Mara yawned making Sheftu laugh. She loved his laugh.

"Well since you are so bored when Nekonkh gets here you can go visit the Canaanite princess. I hear she has been utterly exasperated out of her mind."

"What!? Inanni is still here in the palace. But the king said that she could go home."

"Well with the campaign and all he had never found the time to make sure she got back to her country safely."

"Find Nekonkh. I am going to go see the princess."

She must have thought I had abandoned her!"