I'd like to thank my 100th reviewer, Kat G, as well as everyone else...I love y'all and thank you so much!

Title courtesy of my Tom Peterson alarm clock. You know, the furniture guy ("Tom Peterson, and Gloria's too!") Does anyone else out there have a Tom Peterson alarm clock? Why does my roommate hate it so much??? I love it!!!

I'm posting earlier than usual because I'm sick and I need cheering up. Consequently the chapter's a bit short, but chapter 7 is well worth the wait, trust me:)

Chapter 6

Wake up to a Happy Day

Morning came, and the princess still hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. The insomnia that had gripped her wakeful nights for months now was beginning to catch up with her. Nefertiri stifled an unhappy yawn and climbed out of bed. She was determined to apologize to her father for the way she'd been acting. It was, of course, all his fault, but now that she had access to the library...Nefertiri swallowed a tinge of guilt at the thought that she'd been disobeying her father...but the blame couldn't really be placed on her; it was, after all, Achsu-rai's suggestion. She chose to forget the fact that she was planning on asking him to take her to the library again as soon as she'd finished her book. What Seti didn't know could not hurt him.

When Nefertiri reached her father's quarters, the Medjai at the door informed her that he had already left for the day. "Well, where did he go?" asked Nefertiri, peeking inside the door. "He usually doesn't get up this early..." Her voice grew faint as she caught sight of the bed. Her father may have been gone, but the room was not completely empty. A head rose sleepily from the pillow, twisting toward the door to discern just who had disturbed her rest. The woman's eyes squinted slightly in the sudden daylight, then widened in shock when she saw who stood there.

Neither woman moved as they contemplated each other. In a moment, new boundaries, new rules were thrown up between them. A relationship scattered to the wind, years of confidence, a million secrets, all gone in a fraction of a second as both realized the consequences of this single moment.

One walked away. Later, both cried.

Nefertiri had nearly reached her room when she heard the frantic footsteps behind her. "Nefertiri!" Anck-su-namun called. "Please, wait!"

"Go away," the princess said, willing her feet to carry her through the doorway.

Anck-su-namun caught her arm, struggling to speak through the tears the constricted her throat. "Please, Nefertiri, would you just let me--"

"Do not address me as such," Nefertiri spat back, herself blinking back tears but willing them to stay hidden. "You are no longer my friend."

"Please don't do this, I didn't mean for this to happen!" Anck-su-namun sobbed.

"Somehow I doubt that!"

"What do you think happened, Nefertiri? You think I seduced him? You think I want this, you think I want my entire life to be ripped away from me?"

"I don't know what to think. But I know a couple things. I know I want you out of this room. Now."

"Nefertiri! What do you expect me to do? Refuse him? Am I worth more to you dead than alive?"

"Get...out," Nefertiri said slowly, deliberately, as if she didn't trust her own voice. When no reaction came, she screamed instead. "Get out!" Her statement cracked in the air like a thundercloud, and Anck-su-namun leapt back as if she'd been physically struck by her friend's declaration. She straightened, imitating the regal posture of the princess that she knew so well, as if she'd suddenly come to a decision. The tears had stopped flowing, but she still had to fight to get the words out coherently...

"Goodbye...my friend."

With that, she did as she'd been bidden and left the princess to herself. When Nefertiri was sure Anck-su-namun was out of sight, she let her shoulders droop slightly, tasted the salt as the tears ran down her face...but she was not sorry. She couldn't afford to be sorry.

He found her just after midnight, as he was finally ready to make his way home. It had been a long day of political maneuvering and backstabbing, and Achsu-rai wanted nothing more than to collapse onto his bed and sleep 'til the end of time.

And then, of course, he saw Nefertiri sitting on a bench on his way through a courtyard, and his entire plan changed. But his joy at seeing her was cut short by the look on her face, the evidence of countless tears written blatantly in her eyes.

"Princess?" he inquired quietly, not wanting to disturb her. "What are you doing out here so late?"

"Would you take me to the library?" she asked. "I've finished my book."

"Of course," he agreed immediately, all previous fatigue forgotten. "Is something wrong?"

Nefertiri managed a faint smile. "Is it that obvious?"

"Tell me."

"It's just...everything. One of those days, you know?"

Achsu-rai offered a hand. After a moment of hesitation, she took it, and they walked arm in arm out of the courtyard and towards the library. He wished desperately to know her troubles. It bothered him a little that she wouldn't tell him when something was so obviously wrong. What am I saying? Achsu-rai thought to himself. Why should she tell you? What are you to her but a piece of furniture, just another part of the palace she takes for granted? She doesn't really care for you.

"Thank you," she said, breaking him out of his self-pity.

"For what?"

"For caring," she said with another small smile. "It means a lot to me."

He returned the smile. "You're welcome, Princess."

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