Pinedjen looked down at Psusennes and Kira.
"Ah, Kira, I wasn't expecting you here. Psusennes though, he is... homeless. Not anymore. Kira, you may be escorted home."
"What about Psusennes?" she stated quickly, disregarding the guard showing her to the door.
"Psusennes lives here now. I do not believe you two will be seeing each other anymore."
One guard picked her up by the shoulders and drug her toward the door as she struggled out of his arms. Once the door shut, Pinedjen, without looking at Psusennes, said, "The guard will show you to your chambers. I would appreciate it if you would stay put and forget any questions you have. What is my business is not yours."
Psusennes' new room was very large, and it's overall quality must have been ten times that of his last room. His bed was also larger and very inviting. Psusennes slumped on top of it and pulled the linen sheets up to his neck. He couldn't sleep, there were too many unanswered questions. In Psusennes' dream, his father was pharaoh, and it became true. But how? There was still two more parts of his dream, which seemed to make more sense now.
Psusennes heard voices outside his door. It was his sisters, Mutnedjmet and Muatkare. Then a baby cried. Henuttawy was there too. Psusennes decided to open his door to ask one of the two why father is Pharaoh now. He pulled the door open, his sisters looked at him, "There you are! We heard you ran off. Did your new home come as a shock?"
"Yes, but would you please explain to me exactly why Pa is Pharaoh?"
"Fine, but don't expect me to talk to you after tonight. I haven't forgiven you yet, neither has Mother nor Sister."
Psusennes looked away from her, wishing she had not noticed the tears in his eyes.
"So, our family was at Henuttawy's ceremony. You were not there, obviously. But after the feast and Pharaoh's speech, Father said he had a deathly important announcement. He stood and told the people of Tanis, as the high priest, the gods told Father to appoint himself the new pharaoh and it would please them. Surprisingly, the pharaoh agreed and he gave up the crown. Father immediately ended the party and took us here, to the temple. I think he was lying about the gods wanting him to be Pharaoh."
Psusennes' confusion ceased; it was generally clear now. Though, it did seem fairly suspicious. He headed back into his room without saying thank you nor goodbye. He missed Kira, but Psusennes was not taking another risk that night. Overwhelmed, he lay on his bed and fell asleep.
Day broke in Tanis, Egypt; though, what woke Psusennes was not the sunrise, but a loud banging on the wooden door. The banging continued until he jumped out of bed yelling, "I'm up! I'm up!"
"Breakfast is on the table." A raspy female voice said through the door. It was Duathathor-Henuttawy.
Psusennes went to his new closet to grab his linens for the day. Opening the closet, he noticed something: he had no clothes. All of his clothes were still at his old house. Putting his sand infested linens on that he had worn the day before, he searched the corridors for the mess hall. He stumbled upon a servant who directed him towards his destination.
Psusennes found himself sitting in front a plate of honey glazed fish with a side of raisins and dates. He had never eaten so well in his life, full of unleavened bread. Stuffed, he grabbed his sandals and set off for the high priest's house. Thankfully, Pinedjen had not appointed a new high priest yet, so the house was still empty. He walked through the hallway, glancing at the empty pedestal where the statue once stood. Not wanting to be reminded of what had happened there last night, he rushed to his room.
Psusennes piled up his linens and was about to leave when he remembered to retrieve his paint. Wedging himself between the wall and bed, he slid the bed frame out from atop the hole that led to his corridor. He lit the lamp on his nightstand and started down the dark steps toward his paint supplies. He heard something. It was breathing. Someone else was in the corridor.
Psusennes slowly made his way to the back of the dark, musty corridor. A girl, curled in a ball in the corner, was illuminated by the lamp-light.
"Who's there?"
"Psusennes?"
"Kira?"
"Psusennes!" Kira revealed her face as she stood.
She rushed into his arms. "I thought I'd never see you again!"
"Me too."
"Wait, your father, he is Pharaoh?"
Psusennes went on to tell her about his announcement at the ceremony and his recurring dream. Then he asked her, "So, why were you in my paint room?"
Kira had tears in her eyes.
"Psen, my- my mom's gone."
"Where did she go?"
"No, Psen, when I was escorted back to the bakery, where my mom worked, I found her. Dead…" Kira was bawling now.
"Kira, I'm so sorry."
Psusennes held her in his arms as she wept, and he stayed there 'till they both fell asleep. He had an entirely different dream that night.