That night, Inanni listened to the sounds of her ladies sleeping before quietly slipping out of the chamber. She stood in the dressing room, eyes traveling over the neat chests bearing precious Syrian garb. Somewhere in her mind, a plan was beginning to take shape.
Her entire life, Inanni had obeyed others. She was pampered royalty but had less freedom than some of Egypt's slaves. Still, Inanni's family loved and protected her. She returned their love deeply and so willingly agreed to abide by her father's arrangement with Pharaoh. Inanni felt a lump form in her throat as she pictured her father, saying goodbye, hugging her and wishing her all the best before she left for Egypt.
The love she felt for her father and brothers eclipsed the strict indoctrination of obedience within Inanni. Though she trembled and paced with fear, Inanni was determined to save them, no matter the odds.
The King had informed her that Sheftu and Mara were headed to her home to spy on the usurpers. He even explained the main particulars of their plan. Inanni was no political strategist, but she had a few concerns for which the king offered no account. All day she had pondered the ways their venture into Syria could go wrong, simply based on their ignorance of her country's customs.
She was past patiently waiting for others to solve life's problems. If she had learned anything from being Mara's friend, it was that she needed to take control and decide her own destiny. Now that her family was threatened, Inanni had to put aside her fears and do something!
But where to begin?
First, she needed to gather clothing. Mara would need to cover her body or else be tormented by the men in Canaan. Secondly, Inanni needed to find a swift way into Syria without being noticed as the princess.
Inanni took a small woven basket and filled it with a set of typical draperies and coverings. Next, she rummaged through the chest provided to her by the late Pharaoh when she had first arrived in Egypt. It contained several Egyptian dresses and accessories. Inanni took a deep breath. Looking Egyptian was her only hope at escaping Egypt unnoticed. Though the clothing and makeup was daunting, she had to try.
In the candlelight, Inanni arranged the pots and creams of Egyptian makeup before her, and with shaking hands, applied the stuff to her face. In thirty minutes she resembled every Egyptian teenaged maiden, with red lips and black-rimmed eyes.
To hide her long hair, Inanni wound it into a crown atop her head, then selected a wig from the chest. She expected the wig to be itchy but was pleasantly surprised that it was light and comfortable.
Most of the dresses were either too narrow or too showy for Inanni to brave, but at the bottom of the chest she uncovered something suitable. It was a simple white shift, looser than the others and belted by a pale red sash. Last were the sandals, which were not too different from her own. Inanni got dressed and examined her reflection in the soft candlelight as dawn broke. If one got very close to her, they might guess she was foreign, but from a few paces away, she looked like any other Egyptian.
A coin purse filled with deben she tucked into her sash, the last item needed for the journey ahead. In the pale light of morning, Inanni left a note for her women, with strict instruction to destroy the note after reading it, and to obey a list of steps should she be sent for or otherwise visited.
Inanni debated leaving a note for Thutmose. She didn't want him to know about her plan because he would surely stop her, but at the same time she didn't want to appear ungrateful for all he had provided to her during her stay in the palace. Tears pricked the back of her eyes at the realization that she was throwing away her chance to be with a man she might love. With a blush and beating heart Inanni recalled the warm comfort of Pharaoh's embrace the previous day. When it was happening, she had been so distraught over her family news that it hadn't registered in her mind that the King was holding her in his arms, touching her with his hands, and otherwise showing her more affection than she had ever known from a man. Now, as she paused in reflection, the memory – the scandal of it and yet the romantic comfort of it - burned her cheeks and ached in her heart. Before the tears could fall and her resolve falter, Inanni swung the basket onto her back and made her way out of the palace.
She was more terrified than she had ever been in her life. But by Ishtar, she was going to save her family, friends, and country!