Title: Even Angels Fall
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Don't sue, no copyright infringement intended.
A/N: Once again, sorry for the wait. I love you all for reading, and for not flaming me for my irregular and scarce updates. Please, enjoy!
A/N 2: I should also mention that I drew inspiration for this chapter from "The Memoirs of Cleopatra" by Margaret George, an amazing book that gives a good idea of what life for a royal was like in Egypt back in the day. The description of Alexandria and the name Achillas come from this lovely book. The italics are quotes directly taken from the movies.
Chapter Seven: Sesen
"Bravo! Bravo! Who better to protect the Bracelet of Anubis and to protect me than my lovely daughter, Nefertiri."
The princess was glowing with undisguised pride as her father descended from his dais to stand beside her. The fact that he completely ignored Anck su Namun was immediately noted by those who were interested; the women of the harem who were allowed to witness the contest. They hid behind their ostrich feather fans, but the ignominious tone of their audible whispers still struck Anck, and she hated every single one of them for it. Anck rose to her feet as gracefully as she could under the circumstances and withdrew into herself, raising the beautiful façade that she relied upon since her birth.
She bowed and took a few steps away from the Pharaoh, but she continued to look at Nefertiri. The viper's eyes blazed, but perhaps it was Nefertiri's hubris that prevented her from seeing what lay in those treacherous orbs.
After the Pharaoh declared that everyone should dine at once, he embraced his daughter tenderly. Nefertiri closed her eyes and smiled widely, feeling that she had finally redeemed herself after her transgression in the market all of those months ago. When she opened her eyes, she saw Imhotep descending from the dais, followed by his priests who had previously guarded the Bracelet of Anubis, and although it was most likely dangerous, he stole a glance at her while her father's back was turned.
Nefertiri offered him a subtle grin in return. The corner of his mouth threatened to rise but he controlled the impulse, saying with his eyes what he could never say aloud and with his heart he willed her to understand.
The Royal Family traveled to Alexandria next, the journey to the north was significantly slower due to the inundation of the Nile. They had to travel against the water and it hindered their progress, but Seti refused to stop for any reason whatsoever. "The river will stop for the son of Osiris!" He boomed with surprisingly good humor when Imhotep merely suggested a brief respite for the exhausted rowers.
The scenery itself was majestic. They had left the baking desert that surrounded Malkata and seemed to enter into an oasis, where the vegetation on either bank was lush. The saturated shades of gold, green and brown made a dramatic backdrop to their journey. There were temples, there were cliffs, there were villages where people would run to the shore to pay homage to their sovereign.
Time seemed to complement their journey, albeit it passed very slowly. Nefertiri remained in the shaded part of the barge with Ashayt and usually a book of some sort to occupy her mind since she did not have her tutors with her. She read and translated, but every so often she would stand and take a turn about the deck, to survey the land and to make small talk with those who traveled with them.
Imhotep watched her from a distance, he was even more guarded because of the constant proximity to her as well as her father. He led the prayers to Amun-Ra, although they were far from Thebes, every morning when they woke to a gloriously red sunrise.
Anck su Namun was now one of Seti's wives. Their marriage had been made official in Malkata, shortly after her ungainly defeat by her husband's daughter, and the ceremony had undoubtedly overshadowed the events of that particular evening.
What was most disappointing, perhaps for Anck su Namun, was that her privileges as a true wife were not much better than those she had as a concubine. Yes, she was given some new dresses, pretty trinkets, pure bred horses that were brought back separately to the palace at Thebes, but when all was said and done she was nothing more than a trophy that Seti had placed upon a pedestal. He took great pleasure in flaunting her, for she was the most stunning of his women, and the gods knew what they got up to in his bedchamber at night. The hope was that she would produce a boy, since Seti had no live sons despite the impressive size of his harem.
Seti remained on good terms with his oldest daughter. More and more he was beginning to display signs of his intention to make her his successor, to the chagrin of many of the Pharaoh's advisors. They were of the belief that a women could not possibly assume the role of Pharaoh no matter how intelligent she was. During the journey, Nefertiri spent afternoons seated next to her father, listening to his concerns and occasionally posing a question or two about whatever topic they had chosen to discuss. Imhotep hovered nearby in the background, listening to the conversation while maintaining a façade of polite indifference.
As always, the priest was amazed at Nefertiri's beauty. The soft orange glow of the sun complemented the warmth of her skin, her neck left exposed since her hair was swept up in the old Macedonian style. The numerous pleats of her dress hid her form but her arms were bare save for the Bracelet of Anubis, which she now wore all of the time.
He had only been to visit her in private once, in her room within the cabin. Greedily, she took what she could from him in almost complete silence, because Ashayt slept just outside and the Medjai were never too far away. Imhotep never thought he would be so adept at finding ways in and out of places, for now he could practically materialize out of thin air into the princess's room undetected.
Anck su Namun had also been drawing his attention of late. He remained extra vigilant of all that he ate and drank, especially when she was within anything less than five paces of him. He spoke tersely to her—if he had to speak at all. He did not even look at her.
Therefore he could not possibly know the turmoil brewing in her mind. He could not know that her ba, her innermost soul, was churning with resentment toward everything and everyone. She hid it well, but if one were to look hard enough, they might be able to distinguish her despair in her countenance.
Finally, the sight of glimmering Alexandria appeared before them, and the river seemed to shrink because of the numerous smaller boats, merchants doing business in what was probably one of the busiest and most lucrative markets on the entire Mediterranean coast. Nefertiri watched the fishermen displaying their catches, as their wives assisted them in the transactions. It was a wonderful floating market that she always enjoyed visiting, despite the fact that most activity stilled upon the sight of the Royal Barge rowing through the city.
The palace was the one where Nefertiri's mother was born and raised. Her father had built a chapel in her mother's honor when she passed away in childbirth, it was one of the many things that Nefertiri loved about the city beside the Lighthouse and the Library. The people lined the streets, mostly Egyptians of Greek heritage, who nonetheless loved the princess whom they already revered as Isis. To greet them, Nefertiri had dressed in a loose fitting Grecian style dress of white silk. She appeared heavenly, giving many poets and singers inspiration for their work.
Because she stood in support of her father, Imhotep conjectured that that was the only reason why there was hardly any opposition against Seti. There was a feeling that the Pharaoh was losing touch with his subjects, which was becoming increasingly true but Nefertiri's benevolence and rumors of her imminent ascent to power offset any unhappiness the people might have had with their current ruler. Imhotep had to admit that there was more than a little merit in that rumor because of Seti's renewed enthusiasm with involving his daughter in matters of state.
The retinue disembarked from the barge upon arrival at the palace, where many of the king's ministers awaited him. They looked somber, their faces lined with worry. Nefertiri noted this and wondered could things really be that much worse here than in Thebes? She supposed that Thebes was further inland and therefore protected by the buffer cities while Alexandria lay exposed, vulnerable to attack by sea. And Alexandria was their pride and joy, a place of learning and advancement.
"Welcome, Your Majesty, Your Highness." General Achillas said as Seti approached.
"Thank you, Achillas. I trust you have much to tell me of the affairs of things here. I will be keeping Nefertiri close to me, and anything you say to me may also be said to her."
There was a slant to the Pharaoh's words that both the general and the princess recognized. In that moment, they both realized Seti's true intention of making Nefertiri his real heir. The king would not wait any longer for a son. Time was not on his side, and with so much pressure from his military commanders about the possibility of war, it followed that he would want his successor to be someone wise, someone he trusted and loved even if it was a young and relatively naïve princess.
"Your Highness, I know this may not be in my place to say, but…"
"Oh, what is it Ashayt? You have been skittish as a jackal the whole morning! It is too beautiful a day to spend trying to discern your subliminal messages. Please, say whatever is on your mind lest your agitation transfer onto me!"
The two young women were walking outside in the Lotus Pavilion, as was their routine. Nefertiri stopped to admire the jasmine flowers that were in bloom, nonchalantly awaiting her maid's reply.
"…My lady, you have not bled for more than seven weeks."
The only noise that could be heard in the pavilion at that moment was the rustling of leaves caused by the breeze.
Nefertiri was frozen in dawning realization. It had been a long time since her training with Anck su Namun ended but it was most certainly true that she had not bled recently at all. She blithely attributed the delay to the strain her training put on her.
"Ashayt, you cannot mention this to anyone. Do you understand me? Swear to Isis that you will not voice this thought again." The princess's voice was an urgent whisper.
If this was not the result of stress, Nefertiri did not know what she could do. She never thought she could conceive, fertility was something that the women of her family were simply not blessed with. Her own mother suffered two miscarriages before she delivered Nefertiri successfully, although the cost was her life.
She needed to speak with Imhotep, for he was the only man she wanted to tell if her maid's suspicions proved to be correct. Not to mention that after all, he was her physician. What were they to do? The implications were not to be taken lightly, this was the point of no return. If this was true and if both of them acknowledged it then the only reasonable course of action was to make it public and to make their marriage official before the eyes of the Pharaoh and the Egyptian people.
It was not the time to think of all this now, however. For now, she needed to breathe deeply and try to walk on trembling legs, even though she was acutely mindful of her body and its several imperceptible changes.
Seti was indulging his subjects with a lengthy and frankly overwhelming audience that had been long overdue. After all the drunken carousing of the Opet Festival, the cheerful atmosphere of the court had drastically plummeted. Nefertiri had been asked to sit with her father throughout the day and was becoming completely immersed in her unofficial role as her father's successor.
Nothing had been vocalized yet though with each passing day Nefertiri felt that she would perhaps get her wish and become Queen of Egypt; something that she never thought to achieve because of Anck su Namun's chances of conceiving a son. What a cruel irony, she thought, that she herself could be with child while the newest wife of the Pharaoh showed no signs of pregnancy despite the fact that they had been intimate far before they were actually wed.
She still did not fully believe it to be true. Yet at times, she caught herself fingering the fabric of her dress that rested above her stomach and immediately she removed her hand. This was no time to be indulging herself in whimsical ideas of a child who had his eyes. Again she felt like hitting herself for imagining their child's appearance. Nefertiri steeled herself ruthlessly to listen to Achillas who was currently speaking about the importance of levying taxes to fund the construction of more ships for the Royal Fleet.
Apparently war with Assyria was on the forefront of everyone's minds. Seti said nary a word, he only listened. This in itself was an unusual occurrence for which everyone was grateful. Nefertiri supposed a reason for his uncharacteristic reticence could be that he was coming out of the stupor that Anck su Namun induced. The haze was lifting. Although he remained somewhat cantankerous, the Pharaoh finally seemed to realize that the country needed a strong leader especially when conflict loomed in the future. If he were to die now the subsequent struggle for the Egyptian throne would only make it too easy for outsiders to invade and conquer.
"…and therefore I believe it necessary to impose new taxes on the people. Surely you can all see the reason why! Alexandria is a port city and I daresay it is a key to the rest of our realm. If we surrender it then all is lost. Our fleet needs to be in the best condition if it is expected to defend us. These years of peace have made our soldiers negligent-"
"Yes, yes, Achillas. You have quite made your point. I thank you for your candidness in expressing your opinion," Seti said evenly as the general nodded curtly and sat back down. There was a murmur amongst the men, some voicing their agreement and some making their protest known.
They all fell silent when the Pharaoh suddenly stood to make some proclamation. Neferitiri watched their reactions as her father began to speak.
"While the thought is not a pleasant one," he started slowly, "I admit that I agree with General Achillas. I want our military to be in superb condition in the event that we are attacked. I will not have this kingdom ransacked by bloodthirsty barbarians!"
There were noises of approval from most of the military commanders, all shrewd men of strategy. They all looked at the princess with a gleam in their eyes as if she was the one to thank for making her father see reason and rediscover his common sense. She noted this with interest, staking out future allies.
"On a happier note, I would like to tell you I am of the opinion that my oldest daughter, our dear Princess Nefertiri, is to be married in the very near future." This elicited several gasps of surprise.
The princess herself was shocked into speechlessness. She was not expecting that at all. Seti had not spoken to her of the possibility of marriage at all, for she knew marriage was an item on her father's list of priorities that was just under her coronation as Queen of Egypt—both of which she thought were most unlikely to ever occur so soon!
"To whom, I cannot yet say for I am still in deep thought about the man who will be best suited to my daughter…whom I intend to make the next monarch of this dynasty."
Nefertiri's jaw dropped literally as her father turned to smile at her with all the tenderness that he had ever shown in a serious audience. She quickly regained her composure and snapped it shut. Taking his proffered hand, the princess stood and smiled at the equally shocked courtiers.
"I thank you, father, most revered ruler for your kindness and the honor you give me by making me your true heir. May Osiris grant me wisdom so that I may make you proud."
She smiled again to hide her astonishment, standing stock still as the Pharaoh bent to kiss her cheek.
May Osiris also posit a solution for a future queen, who may already be carrying an heir for Egypt, Neferitir thought privately.
Everyone present in the chamber was too swept up in the news to notice that the High Priest had slipped in moments ago. He had just finished overseeing the progress of the school of medicine that was recently improved under measures that he himself took great pains to ensure.
He arrived just in time to hear the announcement. Consternated and bewildered, Imhotep found a vacant chair to sink into. Rationally he knew that he should have expected this. Anguish filled him almost instantly after as he realized that they could never be married as they had hoped against all hope. For she was to be Isis and forevermore out of his reach.
TBC…
Also, the title of this chapter is the Ancient egyptian word for lotus flower, the symbol for creation and rebirth. Forgive me for the symbolism...I couldn't help it.