chapter 2: Families and Secrets

It always made me cringe, not only seeing the slaves working outside of the palace walls, but hearing their cries as many of the guards and overseers cracking their whips at them, striking the so called trouble makers or lazy slaves on the back. Which is why I always refused to go outside of the palace walls, to the thin line where the Egyptian Nobles and some lower classes bordered the hovels that made up the Hebrews' homes. It was a painful sight to see and hear.

It always gave me nightmares. Pair up the sight and cries of the slaves with the strange growls and raging river from my subconscious memories of when the Pharaoh's wife, Queen Tuya, found me and Moses in a basket, floating down the river and one would have the makings of a human turning into a demon, becoming possessed by an evil spirit while going crazy.

On the outside, I appear to be the calm, obedient, and soft spoken adopted daughter of Pharoah Seti and Queen Tuya and the loyal and caring sister to Moses and Rameses, but on the inside, I was full of darkness. I could always feel something tugging at my soul. It felt a lot like sadness and guilt, but it wasn't. It was something indescribable.

The clinking of plates, utensils, and drinking goblets could be heard as I sat there, quietly savoring the taste of the food I had just eaten. Moses and Rameses sat on either side of me as our parents sat across from us, eating, drinking, talking quietly to each other, basically enjoying the atmosphere and company of each other. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see my father's favorite priests, Hotep and Huy, sitting at their own little table, drinking wine and casting sky glances at any one who happens to be looking at them. Hotep, the shorter, fatter priest, sneered at me before leaning closer to Huy, obviously whispering to him now.

I just frowned at seeing them and shook my head. I knew they were planning something. What? I didn't know. My actions didn't go unnoticed as a servant, a woman with short dark brown hair held back by a blue circlet, stepped forward, her brown eyes staring warily at the Pharoah.

"Is the food not to your liking, Princess Maya?" She asked. Her words escaped my attention at first but when she asked again, Moses glanced at me. From over the top of his cup, his eyes flickered to my caretaker, his elbow gently grazing mine to get my attention. "Mew?"

I finally turned my head to Kesi, staring at her.

"Your food, do you not like it?" The woman asked again. She gestured to my food, a simple smile on her face. It was well hidden, but I knew she was smiling at my absentmindedness.

"Oh, no! I mean, I do like it. I enjoy your cooking a lot, Kesi!" I could see Seti and Tuya both looking over at us as a few other servants traded empty plates for new ones with more food and refilled our goblets. A blush formed on my cheeks as I stumbled over my words.

Father, dressed in his white robes with gold lining his sash and collar and hood, the crown of the Pharoah upon his head, watched us with an impassive, stoney stare. You would think he was a statue, unmovable and unfeeling, but he wasn't made of stone. He is flesh and blood with a heavy burden of being the ruler of the Egyptian Empire. His words were always sharp, his tone commanding, but when it was just us, his family, he becomes a soft spoken man full of smiles and emotions. But it was rare to see him smile let alone hear him laugh.

Mother, in her silky white gown and golden bangles hanging off her right arm and her midnight hair held back by her own golden crown with a white lace veil trailing behind, was more open with showing her emotions and a lot gentler than her husband. Motherly concern flickered in her eyes, her eyebrows furrowing a bit. I knew that she would question me later about what was wrong. She always does.

Relief spread over Kesi's face and she bowed before backing away. "Very well." Was her parting words.

I could relax a little, my shoulders relaxing slightly. Again, I saw Hotep and Huy leaning closer to each other, talking once more.

"Maya?" Father's deep voice brought me back to attention like a general calling out to a soldier. Blue eyes met brown as our gazes locked. I felt a ripple of surprise flow through my body at the Pharoah addressing me.

"Papa?" I replied in my quiet tone, never breaking eye contact with him. I watched him take a sip out of a golden goblet before placing it back on the tray before a servant came back to refill it.

"What has you so troubled, Mew?" His voice was mild, hardened by the note of authority that was meant for leading and disciplining an army. To hear him call me by my nickname made me feel more comfortable around him. It wasn't that being around Papa was tense, he just gives off an unsettling authoritative vibe. One fit for a Pharoah of Egypt.

If I were younger, I would be sitting in his lap, babbling away and asking innocent questions until he would chuckle and tell me to eat or to pester my mother. But highly doubt Seti would allow his sixteen year old daughter to sit in his lap so wantonly, especially since we weren't related by blood. That thought unsettled me.

He was patient in getting an answer from me as I sat there, collecting my thoughts for a few minutes. Finally, I breathed in, quickly expelling my breath a second later.

"I was just thinking..." I started, my eyes looked down at my hands now. My cheeks burned from embarrassment. I didn't like speaking very much, but when I had to, I could.

"Of?" Father prompted softly.

"Maybe we could have these family meals more often." what I said was a half lie, but if I had said that his most favored priests were up to something then there would be a lot of tension and stress. So I just lied. But at the same time, I did want more meals with my family.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea. Doesn't it, love?" Mother's eyes lit up and a smile graced her lips. She reached out and gingerly touched her husband's shoulder.

Seti nodded in agreement, lips twitching with a small smile. "These meals together are always welcome." He said softly, "Perhaps we could have more meals together as a family in the future."

My heart fluttered with joy and I couldn't help myself as I rose from my spot and went in between my adoptive parents, hugging them both.

"Thank you, Mama, Papa." I whispered. Tuya returned my hug with a kiss and a hug while Seti patted my hand that was draped around his neck. After breaking away from them, I took my place between Rameses and Moses once more.

But when I glanced back at the Pharoah, I swore I saw his lips curl back into a pleased smile, but it was quickly covered by the goblet he placed to his lips.

-
"What on Earth was that all about?" Asked Rameses later on after our family's evening meal came to an end. The three of us ended up adjourning to our favorite hideaway, which was a simple statue of one of the Gods, overlooking a balcony and a courtyard where the despicable priests, Hotep and Huy hang out. Moses chuckled from beside him, patting our step-brother's shoulder.

"Mew just wants to spend more time with us, maybe-!" Moses didn't get to finish his sentence as I pinched his cheeks. "Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"You want finish your thought, sweet brother of mine?" I asked with an irritable smile.

Moses smiled as best he could through the pain of me pinching his cheeks. "No, not really. Ow!"

"Maya, you can release Moses now. I don't think he meant any harm." Rameses gently pulled my hands away from Moses's face, allowing the younger Prince to rub the pain out of his cheeks. Rameses held on to my hands, stroked the backs softly in an effort to calm me down. "Now what's really bothering you?"

I just pulled away from him, turning my back to him to avoid his gaze. As I rested my arms on the stone balcony, I found myself staring off in the distance, not really focusing on anything in particular.

"Maya...?" Rameses walked up to my side. The first crowned Prince was ready to put his hands on my shoulders when Moses' surprised voice spoke.

"Mother."

I knew she would come around sooner or later. My mother always knew to discuss certain things in private before bringing her husband's attention to it. But Papa could see through me. I could tell. But how long would be until he would pry. No one could keep a secret from the Pharoah.

"Boys, do you mind if I talk with your sister alone?" It wasn't so much a question asking for permission, it was like an order, a command for Moses and Rameses to leave for a bit. Tuya has always had a strange aura of authority like her husband, but she was more approachable then the Pharoah was. Unless you went straight to Seti, Tuya would be the one to handle most of the problems so the Pharoah would have less stress on shoulder.

"Oh, sure, Mother." Moses kissed mama's cheek before walking off and Rameses, who was a bit reluctant, grabbed my shoulder and planted what appeared to be a brotherly kiss on my cheek.

"I'll be nearby if you need me, Mew." The Prince murmured before pulling away. He pecked mama on the cheek as well before following after Moses.

Once we were alone together, the Queen stepped closer. "Maya, what really bothered you during dinner?" She asked gently.

I just focused my gaze on Hotep and Huy just loitering about down below. A few other priests passed by but those two remained where they were. Mama looked at them before touching my shoulder.

"Maya, speak to me, love. What is wrong?" She asked again. Finally, I shifted my weight on my feet and turned my head to look at the woman who raised me. I could see a few wrinkles around her eyes but other than that, Mama's sun kissed skin looked as vibrant as ever.

"If I told you, I might disappoint you and Papa." I replied quietly. I gauged her reaction, and saw concern flooding her gaze. Her face softened as she placed her hands on the sides of my face.

"You could never disappoint us. We love you. You are daughter. Both you and Moses are a blessing sent by the Gods." She began,.

"And when the Gods send a gift or a blessing, you don't ask why." I finished for her and she smiled.

"Exactly. You remembered what I told you." Even Mama's voice was warm and loving. She planted a kiss on my forehead, stroking my hair.

"Of course I do. I remembered everything you and Papa told me." I mumbled as I allowed her to embrace me.

"Then you know that we could never stop loving you."

"Even if we're not related by blood?" I asked.

My question seemed to stun the Queen of Egypt, but she cupped my cheeks, staring me in the eyes.

"Daughter, where is all of this coming from?" She asked. I just shrugged, refusing to meet her gaze. I really dug myself in a hole now.

"Nowhere, I was just thinking lately... About how you found me and Moses and loved us, even though we were just babies, children of some poor woman who probably had no choice, but to give us up."

Her smile was reassuring as she chuckled. But there was an underlying sadness, her eyes filling with sorrow. "I have thought of this, more times than I can count." Mama's tone was soft, barely audible and in her eyes, I could see her imagining the pain my real mother must have felt when she sent me and Moses floating down the river. "Your birth mother loved you and Moses to have sent the two of you through the Gods' hands. Don't you think?"

I inhaled but found myself nodding in agreement. "Yes, but..." I blinked back my tears and touched my mother's hands, holding them to my face, "you are my real mother, Tuya. You found me and my twin brother, and gave us the love and home that our real mother couldn't give with just a lullaby."

The two of us stared at each other, both of us tearing up. Tuya drew me to her body and kissed the top of my head.

"Mew, my sweet daughter." She murmured softly, stroking my hair again. "Seti would be overjoyed to hear you say this. Just as I am."

Even so, I still couldn't help wondering the circumstances for my and Moses's real mother giving us up. I couldn't get the feeling that Papa might know something. But what?