Bolero, Book 1
Disclaimer ~ I still don't own 'em.
Thanks to Natters and Buff (You do a writer's ego good!) We're reaching the end of Book 1 (finally!) so be prepared...
Chapter 9 ~ Secrets
The door of the chamber opened, Anck-su-namun letting herself in. "Where is your Med-jai?" she asked.
"He is right outside the door," Nefertiri said, spinning around, slamming down the looking glass. "And who invited you in?"
"I invited myself in, and that lump of a man was not the Med-jai I referring to. I was speaking of Onus."
"He has been reassigned. You let me down, Anck-su-namun. I thought you knew everything that happened in this palace."
"I do." Nefertiri looked at the woman, a hint of fear betrayed in her eyes. Anck-su-namun sat down, leaning back casually. "Did you have a little lover's spat?"
"Get out."
"Oh, so you did..." She grinned as she eyed the Princess.
"Anck-su-namun, you have crossed the line into the realm of the insane. You don't know what you speak of."
"Oh, but I do." The grin disappeared from her gold-painted lips as she stood, advancing on the Princess. "I would suggest, Nefertiri, for the sake of all concerned, you seek love elsewhere." She stared at the princess a moment longer before the grin slowly returned as she swaggered out of the room. "Oh, and good luck to you tomorrow, Princess," Anck-su-namun said, turning back once she reached the door. "You're going to need it."
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The mask pushed her warm breath back toward her face as the first clap resounded. She spun on the balls of her feet, her body tensing with the anticipation of the signal. She could hear her heart in her ears, as the seconds seemed to crawl by. She tried to remain focused, to remember all that had been taught to her. Her eyes scanned the room, looking for other things to store away for use later if necessary. It was her first mistake – her eyes fell on him, standing on the side of the chamber amidst the other Med-jai. He looked so stern and yet...something in the way his muscles tensed, she could tell he was with her, regardless of what had passed between them when they last saw each other.
Like lightening, "Begin!" resounded, and she spun about, the sais clanking. They streaked around each other, dancing about each other with such intensity that it might have been thought they were truly trying to kill one another. A face was struck, an arm around to pin, but it did not hold for long as a kick nearly behind the head knocked her off. She held her off, eventually having her legs swiped out from underneath her. She hit the tile with a painful thud, laying there for a split second before lifting her mask as the small crowd clapped.
Anck-su-namun lifted her mask, as her body relaxed. "Put your mask back on," she said with a smug grin. "Let's not scar that pretty face." Nefertiri clinched her teeth, launching herself to her feet, taking poise to start anew, her mask raised this time. More intensely, she went after her future mother, wanting nothing more than to ram the sais through her, but she pulled her stabs further, eventually having one...two knocked from her hands. She wasted little time, cart wheeling to the edge of the chamber, leaping up to the molding and the weaponry displayed on the wall. Anck-su-namun followed suit, launching both her sais into statues on the edge of the chamber, back-flipping to the other end of the chamber where she pulled a spear from the wall. They came at each other once more, deadlier objects in hand as they threw them at each other, the weight of the axe pulling Nefertiri more than she had anticipated, locking the blade into the spear. Anck-su-namun pulled the axe from the Princess's grasp, launching it across the room. Nefertiri hesitated. This was it...no backing down now. She latched onto the spear with both hands, allowing Anck-su-namun to flip her over, landing breathlessly on the cool tile. She started up, the point of the spear aimed at her throat. For a brief second, she thought that perhaps Anck-su-namun wasn't going to stop as the grin spread across her lips. "You are improving, Nefertiri. I shall have to watch my back."
"Yes, and I will watch mine." The smile faded from Anck-su-namun's lips as she stood up, offering a hand to the stubborn Princess, standing of her own accord as Seti descended the steps.
"Bravo! Bravo!!" he said, with a few claps. "Who better to guard the Bracelet of Anubis than my lovely daughter, Nefertiri?" The crowd clapped in agreement as the Bracelet was displayed for the last time. Seti placed his hand around his daughter's waist as he finished. "And who better to guard me, than my future wife, Anck-su-namun?" Anck-su-namun bowed respectfully, as Seti turned to face Nefertiri. "Well done, daughter," he said, hugging her. Nefertiri grinned, grateful for this rare display of affection. She opened her eyes as Imhotep, High Priest of Osiris descended the steps, walking past Anck-su-namun. Their eyes locked as he past, following each other carefully. The smile faded from Nefertiri's face, as she finally understood what she had meant the night before. Anck-su-namun glanced at Nefertiri, smiling knowingly as she bowed once more.