Flight of Souls

Chapter 2 – Hamunaptra

Tiye sat against the stone wall, trembling with fatigue and fear, her arms around the sleeping child. They'd endured a harrowing chariot ride at top speed through the dark desert, stopping only to rest and water the horses. Imhotep had whipped the horses faster and faster, well beyond any safe speed, as the chariots containing his followers fell behind. Tiye had not been able to do more than clutch Horemheb with one hand and the rail of the chariot with the other. When they'd reached their destination, Tiye's fears had only increased. She'd never been away from Thebes, before – rarely even been out of the palace. She'd seen enough paintings however, to recognize this place at once. Hamunaptra, City of the Dead. What in the name of Ra himself could Imhotep want here? Imhotep had taken her arm and pulled her into a building, pushing her into a bare stone room. Since then he'd ignored both her and the child. Now he was raging – pacing back and forth across the small room, snarling obscenities. The priests who lived in Hamunaptra clustered in the doorway in bewilderment. Spinning on his heel, Imhotep reached out and grabbed the chief priest by the front of his robes. Tiye couldn't hear what Imhotep had hissed into the man's face, but they'd left the room together moments later. Tentatively, the priests came forward and helped her to her feet. They'd shown her to a small chamber, obviously a room shared by two of the priests. They'd brought food, wine and water for washing, before leaving her alone. As courteous as they'd been, Tiye still heard the sound a key turning in the lock. Sighing, she tucked Horemheb into on of the narrow beds and turned to lie down on the other.

Images spun through her head, bits and pieces of conversation between Imhotep and his priests. Had Imhotep really killed the Pharaoh? Was Anck-su-namun really dead? Why had Imhotep kidnapped her and Horemheb? What possible use could he have for them? Nefertari loved Tiye, true, but would this influence Nefertari's husband, Ramses at all? Ramses had little use for his younger half sister, and he had no use at all for the infant half brother borne by his father's upstart concubine. She doubted that either of them was of much value as a hostage, not with Seti dead. For all his faults, Seti had been a loving parent. Ramses was now Pharaoh, Tiye realized.

For two days, Tiye and her little half brother were locked in the small room. For two days they saw no one but the priests who brought their meals. Tiye had begged to be told what was happening, but she received no answers. On the evening of the third day she heard the key turn in the lock, and looked over to see Imhotep step through the doorway.

"My Lord Imhotep, why am I here?" Tiye asked, keeping her voice as steady as she could.

Imhotep glanced to where Horemheb sat playing a game with sticks and polished stones. "I brought you here to look after the boy," Imhotep answered, looking back at Tiye.

"But why do you want him?" Tiye asked in bewilderment. "What is he to you?"

Imhotep smiled coldly. "He is my son."

Tiye gasped, barely able to comprehend this. Anck-su-namun had been unfaithful to Seti? For that crime she had risked being stoned to death. She stared from Imhotep to Horemheb, and then raised her eyes to Imhotep again. "Is Anck-su-namun dead?"

An odd flash of pain crossed Imhotep's eyes. "Yes."

"And you killed my father?"

"Yes." Imhotep watched as Tiye covered her mouth with her hand and leaned back against the wall. "Allow me to explain, princess. Anck-su-namun and I planned many things. We planned to arrange the death of your brother Ramses, so that MY son, Horemheb, would be heir to Pharaoh. When the time was right, we had planned to kill Pharaoh, so that Anck-su-namun would be Queen Regent in his name. We had planned to rule Egypt together, and have our son rule after us. Now we must form a new plan.

I will resurrect Anck-su-namun and she shall stand at my side for all eternity. However, she was never crowned Queen, and she is now known to have been unfaithful. Ramses is now Pharaoh. Horemheb is still heir, but that is only until Ramses has a son of his own. Horemheb's parentage will now be uncertain. It will be whispered that he is indeed mine, and not Seti's son. We must act quickly." He moved toward Tiye and put his hand on her face, raising it to meet his eyes. "A man married to a royal princess has a claim on the throne should there not be a clear male heir."

Tiye's mind whirled and a sudden weight appeared in her stomach. "What about Nefertari?" she managed to say.

Imhotep stroked her throat, his fingers brushing her collarbone. "I will deal with Nefertari when the time comes."

"What about Anck-su-namun?" she gasped. "If you can indeed resurrect her, she will not be pleased."

Imhotep shrugged, his fingers curling around her neck. He was now so close to her that her breasts were brushing against his chest. Tiye tried to shrink back closer to the wall. "A man is allowed more than one wife. And if you have a daughter, she could marry my son, making his claim clearer. Oh yes, Tiye, this new plan will work. I will be Pharaoh. Nothing can stop me now."

Stepping away from her, he opened the door. A group of priests entered and stood waiting. "Come, my cat-eyed princess. It is time for you to become my wife."

Her new chamber was much larger and more luxurious than the old one had been, but it was still a prison. It had been nearly two months since she had been married to Imhotep in that unceremonious way. Immediately after the ceremony, one of the priests had taken Horemheb, and Imhotep had brought her to this new chamber, locking the door behind them. Tiye had told herself that it would be useless to fight, pointless to do more than close her eyes and endure. Still, the aura of evil she perceived around Imhotep had been such that she had been unable to simply acquiesce. It had indeed been useless. Imhotep had merely tightened his hands about her throat until lack of air had rendered her helpless. Then he'd done as he chose.

Tiye sat before the window and wearily leaned her head against the sill. Since that day, he'd visited her chamber every day, sometimes more than once. He seemed determined to get her pregnant. She rubbed her flat stomach nervously. It was possible that he already had. She hadn't fought since the first time. The bruises had faded, but the lesson had been learned. She shuddered at the memories. Imhotep seemed to take delight in prolonging the daily encounters, forcing her to serve him in different ways. Sometimes he required her to dance for him, sometimes to bathe him. Sometimes he would instruct her in sexual acts she'd never before even heard of. She always obeyed; inwardly despising herself for her lack of courage, even as she knew that resisting meant only pain.

Imhotep had gone that morning. The process of mummification took seventy days, so Anck-su-namun would soon be entombed. He would conceal himself near Thebes until Anck-su-namun had been buried, then break into her tomb. He would steal her body and bring her back here to Hamunaptra, where he would try to resurrect her. As horrifying as that seemed to Tiye, she found herself hoping that it would succeed. With Anck-su-namun alive, she hoped Imhotep would leave her alone.

Author's notes:

At the time of Seti's death, Ramses had at least two wives (he ended up with eight in all), and seven children, five of which were sons. This however, would make Imhotep's plan for becoming Pharaoh on the strength of being Tiye's husband wildly optimistic at best – ludicrous at worst. So I chose to ignore these facts, and pretend that at the time he became Pharaoh, that Ramses only had the one wife – Nefertari – and no children.