Chapter Seven
Howymose entered the queen’s quarters. He bowed to Nefertiti, considering there were others besides Nefret in the room.
“You sent for me, Majesty?”
“Yes. I need to dictate a letter.” She turned to her servants. “Leave us. Nefret, stay.”
The servants bowed and exited.
Howymose sat in the traditional scribe position.
Nefertiti shook her head. “No, none of that. You’re here on other business.”
Howymose stood up. “What’s come up?”
Nefertiti lowered her voice. “It seems that Akhenaten is going into the temple for a few days in a couple of weeks. He’ll be fasting and praying. Your group must get word of that. I’m sending Nefret here to Thebes immediately.”
“I’m all packed, Nefertiti,” Nefret stated, her small bundle in her hands.
“Can you get her to Thebes?” Nefertiti asked Howymose.
“I can get her a ticket, yes. I’ll tell our people here, and I take she’s being sent to Brianam-- Brianaten?”
“I am standing right here,” Nefret snapped at him.
“Sorry,” Howymose replied sheepishly.
“And yes, that’s what I’ll be doing,” Nefret went on.
“Be quick,” Nefertiti urged.
Howymose led Nefret out.
Biting her lip, Nefertiti couldn’t help but pace. Eventually, she returned to her queenly duties.
*******
Kevinkare was polishing some of his equipment when a noise behind him, startled him from his work. He turned to see Meritaten standing there.
“What are you doing here?” he hissed.
“If it’s found out that you’re gone, we’re doomed.”
She placed her finger over his mouth. “Hush.” She replaced her finger with her lips.
Kevinkare pulled away with a groan. “I have work to do.”
“Can’t you put them on hold?”
“Merit--”
“You’d resist a princess?”
“This princess, most of the time, no.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Why start now?”
“Meritaten--”
His protests were half-hearted and eventually he gave in to her requests.
****
Meritaten slipped through the secret passage into her room. There was a bounce in her step, and she was utterly happy.
Just as she collapsed at her window seat to look up at the stars, the door to her room opened. Akhenaten entered.
“Father!” Meritaten jumped up, feeling she’d been caught during her prayer to the sky.
Akhenaten’s face was grave.
He couldn’t possibly know I was gone, her mind thought frantically.
“You should be the first to know, Meritaten.”
“What is it, Father?” She tried to make herself look normal, but she wasn’t exactly an expert at concealing her emotions.
“Your mother was plotting against me.”
“Really?” Well, so am I, her mind responded silently, sarcastically.
“Yes. She will be banished to the northern palace.”
“What about her hand-maiden?”
“She was in it with her.”
“What will happen to her?”
“Nefret... since she is not part goddess like Nefertiti, she will be tried and probably sentenced to death.”
Meritaten’s eyes popped out in disbelief. In the time Nefret had worked for Nefertiti, the two had become good friends, being around the same age.
“Who will be Great Royal Wife?”
“For now, Kiya.” Akhenaten kissed his daughter’s forehead. “Try and get some rest.”
Akhenaten left.
Meritaten waited a few minutes for him to get down the hall before she scurried out the secret passage again.
******
Kevinkare was just settling down to sleep when he was informed that he had a guest.
“Who?”
“She gives her name as Mayati.”
Meritaten, Kevinkare thought. Mayati was a pet name her father used for her.
Meritaten hurried into his bedroom.
She disposed of the cloak covering her face. “Nefertiti has been banished! She’s been found out. So has Nefret. You mustn’t let her return from Thebes alone. Have her stay there with Brianamun or someone, and don’t tell anyone that she’s your sister. Thank the gods Father doesn’t know!”
Kevinkare absorbed the information quietly.
“I’ll send someone to Thebes immediately.”
“I must be back before I’m missed.” Meritaten kissed him quickly and ran off into the night.
*****
Brianamun was exhausted. He’d spent the day running around the temple making sure everything was in its place. It was late into the night when he was finally able to retire to his small house for the evening.
He had undressed for the evening and had pulled the thin sheet over him.
He was just drifting off into peaceful slumber when he heard a soft thud. His eyes fluttered open to see a graceful figure clad in white.
The apparition looked at him searchingly, trying to figure out if he was sleeping or awake.
Brianamun sat straight up in bed, the sheet falling away from his bare, muscular chest.
“Um, you told me you’d leave a window open for me,” the apparition spoke. “I thought this was the right one.”
“Oh, Nefret! You scared me.”
“Really?”
“Yes. What’s going on?”
“Akhenaten will be alone fasting for a few days within the precincts of a temple in Akhetaten.”
“This is good news. Nefertiti sent you?”
“Of course she did.”
Someone banged on Brianamun’s front door.
“Quick hide!” Brianamun hissed.
Nefret’s eyes looked around searchingly. Brianamun pointed to a screen, and Nefret scurried toward it.
Brianamun left his bedroom and made his way toward the front door. He pulled it open. One of Kevinkare’s messengers was leaning against the door panel, breathing hard.
He handed Brianamun Kevinkare’s letter.
Brianamun addressed him, “Go to the main temple. They will give you
accommodations for the next few days.”
“Thank you,” the poor boy panted. He headed toward the place Brianamun had pointed him to.
Brianamun returned to his bedroom, reading the note on the way. Nefret emerged.
“When do I go back to Akhetaten?” she inquired.
“You don’t.”
“What?”
“You don’t,” he repeated. “There’s a warrant out for your arrest.”
“How did they catch on to me?”
“Nefertiti. They were obviously watching her. The information you gave me was false. Akhenaten will perform his ceremony, but with sufficient guard.”
“So what happens now?” Nefret asked, obviously frightened.
“Kevinkare told me it’d be best if you remained in Thebes. I can find a wealthy merchant who supports our Cause that you can stay with.”
“So I have to give up my life in Akhetaten to stay in Thebes?”
“It’s what you originally wanted, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but my life changed dramatically since then. I made new friends... What happened to Nefertiti?”
“She was banished to the northern palace to live out the rest of her life. Meritaten hasn’t been caught yet.”
“Good for Merit.”
Brianamun sighed. “I’m sorry, Nefret, to be so grumpy and sour. This isn’t really like me. I’m usually really nice and have a personality, but this has been a long day for me. We lost a valuable ally. I’m only glad she got off so lightly, but you...” He smiled apologetically at her. “I’m going to do my best to make sure no harm comes to you.”
Nefret was lost in his eyes. Finally, she lowered her own and murmured, “What do I do tonight?”
“I guess you stay here.” Brianamun blushed. It was a small house with only three rooms: a living room, a kitchen, and his bedroom. “Here. You can take the bed. I’ll, um... I’ll go sleep in the living room.”
“That’s all right. It’s your house. I’m intruding here. I’ll go in the living room.”
“Here take the bed,” he ordered. He got an extra blanket and laid it on the ground. “See? Solves both our problems.”
She blushed, but decided it was better not to argue over any longer.
“Um, good night, Nefret.”
“Good night, Brianamun,” she whispered.