CHAPTER 6

A/N: I have placed this version of Joseph in the middle kingdom, under the reign of Senunet the third, but I'm going to simplify it and call her Senunet.


Senunet stood on the bank of the Nile and watched as seven cows walked up out of the river itself, the grazed on the banks blissfully unaware of the starving gaunt cows that quickly followed them but didn't graze as the first set did rather they turned and devoured the full seven cows. Senunet rose dripping in sweat.

Finally returning to the dreamscape, he watched as a single stalk of grain bore seven beautiful and ripe ears of corn, but as before sprouting up behind the stalk was a black withered stalk of corn that strangled and devoured the good ears.

"Hathi, call for my magicians and wise men," he ordered his butler.

"Yes my lord," Hathi said leaving the king's bedchamber.

Senunet slouched in his golden throne listening to the ramblings of his priest as they retold him the dreams that he had told them for the third time, finally he lost his patience and yelled, "I know what was in the dreams, I had them. Your job is to tell me what they mean."

"We... We do not know majesty," one of the priest admitted as they bowed before the king of all Egypt.

"Then why do I keep you. Oh, I remember, I keep you so you can tell me the meaning of my dreams so they cannot rob me of my sleep," he said as he sent out the priests and whispered to himself, "is there no one in Egypt who can interpret dreams?"

"My Lord," a voice said from the shadows, "I could not help overhearing your dilemma," Hathi said as he handed a cup of wine to his king.

"I suppose you are going to tell me that you have the ability to read messages of the night."

"No, my lord, however, I may know someone how may be able to ease your mind, my king."

"Hathi, I have no wish to discuss this matter."

"Please your majesty, two years now I have failed to live up to a promise made, let me now tell you of the man who helped me, in a dark day."

"Five minutes, Hathi, that is all I am willing to offer you," Sesnunet said, he was many things but his father had instilled loyalty into him as a child.

"Two years ago, I displeased my king, and was placed in your prison," Hathi said hesitantly, he wasn't happy about reminding his lord that he had displeased him in the past as he was in a bad mood at the moment.

"I don't recall, just continue."

"Yes, well, one night I had a dream as did, your late baker who was jailed with me, in fact, we both had extremely strange dreams. The servant that was caring for us was not only able to tell that we were distressed but also the meaning of both of our dreams."

Sesnunet looked at the cupbearer and thought about it. Didn't his father one say that a king that judges quickly does not always judge wisely, "Look at me and tell me the tale."

Hathi looked up and let the king see the truth in his eyes, he knew that if his king saw any deceit in them he wouldn't be sent to prison, simply told him the truth of what happen, that night so long ago.

"You said that this all took place nearly two years ago and only now do you tell me of this?"

"Well truth be told, I was a bit worried that you would be angered if I reminded you of my faults," Hathi said.

"Tell me of the other dream you heard him interpret."

"On the same night that I dreamt of the grapes, the baker dreamt of... Baskets of bread of all things... Anyway, he told Joseph that the birds kept eating the bread from the baskets until there was nothing left."

"And this... Joseph's interpretation came true."

Hathi nodded as said, "just what the mighty Pharaoh ordered."


Joseph lay on Hotep's cot, the pallet was thicker then the one the other prisoners slept on, he woke with a violent cough, true as assistant to Hotep he did have some privileges, and after he began to fall ill, Hotep had moved him to the guard's servant room. Still he was a prisoner with responsibilities that the others did not have, he was still prone to illness just like any other man. He could tell from the faint light that had begun to filter into his room and the chattering from outside the of his door.

If he didn't get up soon, Amosis would kill him... Then bring him back to clean up the mess, he chuckled at the inside joke that the soldier and he shared. As his violent coughs subsided, he knelt on the dirt ground to pray before he started yet another day, despite being deprived of yet another night of sleep. As always, he offered his prays in the silence of his heart, he had learned long ago that praying aloud in this land only resulted in a beating.

He could feel the aches from the beating one of the newer prisoners had given him.

It was better that he resave the beatings, rather than others; when the prisoners fought among themselves the guards had a bit of a bad habit of either doing nothing about it or betting on them and the outcome.

As he finished his prays the door opened to reveal soldiers, and not the usual prison guards but what looked like palace guards.

Instantly, Joseph grew rigid, frozen with fear as the grabbed him roughly and dragged him thru the door to the antler chamber. They chained his hands behind him and forced his head up by pulling on his sandy blond hair so that the torchlight fell painfully into his sensitive blue eyes.

"Eyes of Ra," the one with the torch said, "this is him."

"Let him go," a voice Joseph never thought he would hear again say, "this man can do things for Pharaoh that no one else can."

"Hathi?" he asked as the hand in his hair released him, "I thought you had forgotten about me."

"only until now," Hathi admitted.

"Keep this up and I'll see you in that prison cell," another voice called from the shadows.

"Malik," Joseph said softly, greeting his master, "why are you here?"

"Pharaoh has had a dream none of his wise men can interpret. Hathi has told him of you and were sent to get you. Come, let's get you cleaned up a bit first."

Joseph stayed silent and only nodded, it only took Joseph a few moments to wash, change and shave.


As always Joseph walked a step behind his master and to the right, he paused just before stepping into the chariot and shifted the warm desert sand between his toes.

"What are you doing?" Potiphar asked looking at the now grown man doing such a childish act.

"Feeling the sand between my toes, enjoying the sun as it warms my face," Joseph said, "it has been so long, I feared that I would never bask in its rays again."


The guards and Potiphar bowed to Pharaoh as they entered the throne room, Joseph could feel himself weakening and leaned against the column of the room. He knew that if he broke his consentration on standing he would not be able to regain his footing and stand again, he was weak, too weak and his ankles hurt too much to kneel before any man and rise again. When the guards stood and realized that he had no intention of bowing they struck him forcing him to crumple on the floor.

What Sesnunet noticed was the slave's blue eyes, they had a fire in them. Why had he not blocked the attack, he wondered, why did he allow himself to be abused in such a manner. Was he use to being harmed, the bruises on him spoke of one who was able to fight. He, at first, feared that the hit may have ended the slave's life and the only one able to interpret the dreams that he had, but that thought was quickly squashed when Potiphar knelt by the slave's side and whispered, "Kontar."

"I'm... I'm fine Malik," Joseph said between his caughs.

"Remove his chains and send for my Physician," Sesnunet ordered as Potiphar helped Joseph rise, "as for you two, strike this man again and I will remove your heads."