Jewel Of The Nile [COMPLETE]

Chapter Twenty-Two

"I suppose you are wondering why I am here," the Pharaoh said out of the blue. "I am too."

I nodded slowly. "Yes, the thought did cross my head."

Smenkhakre snorted. "No, I am here to inform you of your future."

I frowned. "Why not just get a messenger to tell me?"

"For you will take the news better if it is from me."

I was beginning to become a little worried. What was so bad that the most important person in Egypt himself had to personally tell me?

"You are getting married to Tutankhaten  in two weeks time. Enough for the tailor to make your dress."

I nodded in understanding. That must have been why I was to see the tailor so urgently in the morning.

"But wait...I thought my wedding was to be after the funeral of my mother and sisters?" I asked, the thought just emerging in my head. That was what Meritaten told me, was it not?

Strangely enough, my half-brother looked almost...concerned. Uneasy. What had happened?

He took a deep breath. "This is why I was to deliver the message to you personally. You see...the funerals took place last week, while you were still delirious."

My throat dried up and a churning sensation began in my stomach. I grabbed a hold of Nebt in a panic as the room rotated all around me and I stumbled for balance.

"What?" I whispered. I had missed the funeral of my own mother and sisters?

Smenkhakre would not look at me. "You know the procedure, Ankhesenpaaten. As soon as the bodies are finished mummification we must place them in their tombs, otherwise Aten will be displeased with us. You were delirious; you could not even sit up in your bed, let alone walk or be seen in public. What were we to do? It could not be held off any longer. The Priests said that if the bodies were kept waiting for you they would rot before they could be placed into their tombs. They would not make it to the afterlife or to Aten. Surely you would want the best for them, in death as well as life."

I could not speak. I had missed my own mother's funeral. I had missed her funeral. What kind of daughter was I? I was to be Queen one day, and this was how I treated my own mother?
I was disgusted at myself. Horrified. Ashamed. 

"So your wedding will be in two weeks," Smenkhakre continued. "Which means you  must co-operate with us. Do as we say."

"When do I not?" I muttered under my breath.

Smenkhakre ignored me and still kept talking. "You shall get married at sunrise in the gardens next to the fountain. We shall inform you on what day. Exclusive guests; invite only, so it will no doubt include my advisors, their families and friends, and other high-positioned nobles. It will be only a private little affair, we do not want to parade you around until you officially become the heir to the Queen's crown. Until then, we shall keep you under the public eye. Which means no going into the city. At all. Even to visit your little friends. Even with the guards. You are only to go out if I personally give you permission to go out with all of us. Do you understand?"

I nodded. "Yes," I said quietly. Frankly, I was not overjoyed about my terms and conditions but again, I knew better than to argue. He was my superior; I was nothing compared to him.

Smenkhakre nodded. "Good. I am glad we have sorted this out, that you now understand the situation. The tailor will see you in his workshop in ten minutes to fit you for your wedding dress. Please be punctual."

With that the Pharaoh and his slave entourage left, leaving the confused servant whom had just come back from fetching the sweet-smelling salts and the fresh flowers standing helplessly in the golden doorway, arms full to the brim with the Pharaoh's request.

I sighed. "Bring them in here," I addressed the servant. "Leave them on the bed. I shall sort them out later."

The servant did as I had asked and left the room.

Exhausted from standing up for so long, I collapsed on the bed. My legs hurt and my head pounded. How was I expected to stand up for something like a dress fitting when I could barely stand talking to my brother? Or perhaps it was just him.

Groaning, I dragged myself up and somehow encouraged myself to actually go to this dress fitting. I did not understand why I could not simply wear a dress I already had. Oh well. It was not up to me.

I headed towards the tailor's workshop, which was really just a room in the back corner of the palace. I had been there often, so I knew my way.

I began to have second thoughts about this marriage. I knew that my father had ordered it, and I had no choice in the matter anymore, and that I originally was eager for this, but now...now was different, for some reason. Perhaps because this was becoming more real, or because the time was nearing, but whatever the reason was...maybe it would not be so good.

I tried to reassure myself. My brother was only young. Surely it would be no different to what it was like now. We played together already. We ate meals together. We had lessons together. We would not be sleeping in the same bedchamber, so what would be the difference, other than a ring on our fingers and a title? 

I knocked on the small door of the tailor's workshop. "Enter, Princess Ankhesenpaaten."

Maarku looked up from a dress he was making. "How nice it is to see you again."

I grinned. "How did you know it was me?"

Maakru shrugged. "You were the only person I requested to see today."

I nodded to the dress he was working on. "It appears not."

"The Queen came to visit me yesterday," he explained. "This is just yet another dress she has ordered for me to finish with speed."

"Well, I suppose I had best leave to it." I turned around to leave. "We do not want the Queen to get mad at you."

"No," he called. "You take priority. This is your wedding. It has a national deadline, not for a single person. Sit down."

I sat down in one of the chairs provided as Maakru got his materials ready. "My little girl is getting married!" he exclaimed. "And I must make sure you look your absolute best!'

I giggled. I had known Maakru since I was a small child. He was one of these people who had practically raised me. He had been there through all the important stages of my life. Apparently, he was even with us when we were living in Thebes. Over thirteen years ago. 

"Now, Ankhesenpaaten, this is your wedding day, and I am asking you - what colour do you want your dress to be? Perhaps a purple? Or a blue?"

"Hmmm...how about a gold?"

"Gold it is! Lace or silk?"

"Up to you. You know what you are talking about."

Maakru laughed. "Very true. Well, do not worry. I shall make the best wedding dress for you the land has seen!"

Maakru kept me there for many hours, but I did not mind. We had many laughs as he measured me up for my new dress and I even ended up feeling better about the entire predicament. I left his workshop hours later, feeling confident that I would looking stunning when I was to be married in two weeks time. Perhaps I would even enjoy myself.

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Hey Guys....wow. I have almost 350 reads. Holy Moly. Thank you so much everyone for reading this far, and I know I end up saying this every chapter now, but really. Thank you.

Anyway...what did you guys think of this chapter?? Do you think Ankhesenpaaten will end up wanting to marry Tutankhaten again? Or do you think something might go wrong before then...

Leave your answers in the comments!!!

Love you all; sorry this chapter may be a bit short, so I'm really sorry about that. Hopefully, the next one will be longer.

See you in chapter twenty-three!!!!!!