THE GREAT LADY OF ALKION

CHAPTER 82

"I sent a secret message to Anippe and she is still with us," Luciana whispered to Astrid.
"Good. The banquet begins in a little while. It shall end everything. Be prepared for a great show."
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" You thought that I would be on your side but you were mistaken Lady Meritaten,"Anippe laughed miserably.
" Pharaoh, we cannot listen to her words. They are all fabricated. She is not worthy of trust."
" If that is so, then it means that what she said against Rashida is false as well. Aren't you contradicting yourself ?" Astrid asked.
Pharaoh was now hot with anger and his fingers balled into fists.
" Who then is to be trusted in this damned palace if the both of you are like this ?" he asked.
" I did not do what they are accusing me of,"Meritaten said and knelt on the floor.
Just then, the doors were opened and in walked Abasi who could not understand what was happening.
With careful steps, he reached the centre and bowed.
"You summoned me my king,"he said.
" When did I ?" Pharaoh yelled.
" But I got a letter stating that you summoned me," he said nervously as he looked at his daughter who was kneeling." Did Meritaten offend your majesty ?"
" Is this man mad or what ?"
" I did it," Astrid spoke." Pardon me Pharaoh for acting unauthorized and for stealing your stamp. It was only to bring him here for the sake of this case."
"What does he have to do with this ?"
" He is the one who dispatched men to come harm Astrid so she could lose the child,"Asenath spoke boldly.
" What is this little thing saying ?" Abasi said as he squinted his eyes as he pointed at Asenath.
" Show some respect to my daughter!"Khafirin spoke with authority.
" It's alright father. I can take him," Asenath said.
" Here is something we found outside Astrid and Seti's room. Like an amulet. I was sent to Abasi's house and saw the pattern in his office. He acted strangely and later I had someone look into this pattern on the amulet and I was informed that it was a secret code he had. It belongs to a small faction he runs."
" This is nonsense,"he defended himself.
" Nonsense ?"Smenkhhare spoke."I kept something from all of you and I apologize for it. I did not have all the men who harmed Astrid killed. I spared one of them and used torture on him in hiding because I knew that someone would finish him off if they knew he was alive. Asim!"he called out and his personal guard stepped forward." Go bring the man."
Asim walked out and Abasi stood firm looking at Meritaten from time to time.
He returned with a man bound in chains and pushed him to the ground.
" Here he is,"Smenkhhare began." Speak up and tell me all you told me before."
" It was him,"he said as he pointed at Abasi." He ordered us to do it."
" I do not even know you."
" I can prove it."
" Prove it ? How ?" Pharaoh asked.
" I am part of his small faction that runs illegal activities for him. For those who have earned his trust, he had us tattooed as a symbol of our devotion to the sect. Look at my chest."
He pointed through his bound hands and indeed there was a small tattoo of the udjet eye, an ankh and lotus. He also has one on his chest."
"I refuse to be defamed this way. I am priest."
"If you are truly innocent, then you should show us your chest to prove your innocence," Seti said.
"I will do no such thing."
Pharaoh shook his head with his eyes shut and spoke.
" Tear his shirt open," he commanded and Asim walked towards Abasi and held the neckline of this shirt and tried to pull it. Abasi held onto it resulting in a struggle and finally the shirt tore revealing a similar tattoo.
" By the gods,"Pharaoh gaped.
" You cannot accuse my father like this. Tearing his shirt open is disrespectful,"Meritaten said." That amulet and tattoo says nothing."
" Nothing ? I found the amulet by Astrid on that day and kept it since it was not enough evidence to use against you," Smenkhhare said.
" You left it by her door to expose me,"Meritaten cried out and ran towards Smenkhhare and began to pound his chest. He stood looking down at her as she cried more." You are a monster Smenkhhare. I hate you."
"Enough!" he yelled and pushed her away and she fell to the floor.
"Pharaoh,please grant justice to the victims of all of their actions," Asenath said as she walked to the centre and knelt on one knee.
"I will have failed as king if I do not punish them severely."
He sat on the throne and took his golden flail and crook crossing them in front of his chest.
"I Ramses, Pharaoh of Upper and Lower Egypt, grant my verdict. You Anippe shall be banished from the palace for the mistake of supporting evil but for the sake of confessing your wrongs, you shall keep your life."
Anippe sighed and kowtowed before the Pharaoh to thank him.
"Abasi, you were a priest chosen to serve Ra and you used your capacity to harm a royal child. This shall be punished by death through hanging!"
"Nooooo! I am innocent. It was my daughter who did it. She used my men to do that. I am innocent," Abasi cried out and Meritaten's eyes widened in disbelief as she tried to process what her father had just said.
"Take him away!" Pharaoh ordered.
He was dragged out of the hall by two guards as he yelled for mercy but his plea fell on deaf ears.
"Meritaten, you married my son and became a princess of Egypt. You overstepped your position and harmed others out of jealousy. You shall be imprisoned in Amarna and live without any privilege. You shall receive ten whippings a day. Having you kept in the royal records will only make you a blot on my reign so henceforth your marriage to Smenkhhare is annulled."
" You cannot do this to me. You can't. I am your wife,"she cried as she ran towards Smenkhhare and fell to her knees holding onto his thigh pleading," My father can abandon me but you cannot abandon me Smenkhhare."
Smenkhhare turned his look away from her and she let herself fall to the ground but was pulled out of the hall still crying.
"Smenkhhare! Anyone can abandon me but you cannot abandon me."
" And you,"Pharaoh said as he fixed his gaze on his only daughter who was sitting on the floor trembling."I gave you everything you wanted. Treated you well even after your mother's actions and yet you turned out to be like her."
" I was angry and had no choice,"she said meekly.
" You didn't have a choice when you killed your brother's unborn child ?Huh ?You have shamed me and I will not have a child of that kind. From now on, you shall rot in the dungeons in the basement. Never shall you get out of there and you are no longer a princess of Egypt."
" Father no. Don't."
" Only upon your death shall you leave the dungeon and be buried in the desert."
" In the desert ? I am your daughter."
" I Ramses, pass my judgement. So it shall be written and so it shall be done ," Pharaoh said and put his flail and crook away and stood up before walking down the stairs."Come here Thutmose."
Thutmose who had been dumbfounded the entire time walked towards Pharaoh and stood beside him. Pharaoh walked two steps forward and took Asenath's hand in his.
"Rashida, I gave you to Thutmose for marriage but you chose the evil path. You do not deserve a good man like him. Your marriage is also annulled."
He looked at Thutmose then at Rashida then sighed.
" Thutmose, Asenath shall be yours," he said as he placed Asenath's hand in Thutmose's.
"Nooooo. You can't give him away to someone else. I love him father."
"Take her away," Pharaoh said and turned his back on the only child he considered . "Father,"she cried as she was dragged out of the hall.

Seti placed his head between his hands in disappointment and Astrid placed her hand on his back. He gave a weak smile that disappeared replaced by a frown.
As Pharaoh ascended the stairs his legs wobbled and Thutmose ran to support him.
"Are you alright ?"
"I need to rest,"he said and Khafirin rushed to help take him to his room.

"Let's go," Astrid said and Seti stood up to join her. They walked hand in hand to their room. Once inside, Seti threw himself onto the bed and placed his arm over his face.
"I know that all of this is hard for you especially the case about our child and Rashida but if you need me, I will be here for you. Cry onto my shoulder when you need to weep. Wake me up when you cannot sleep. Talk to me when you want to be heard."

That was one of the longest days in the royal family and they wouldn't forget it.

A moon later...

" You called for me,"Astrid said as she looked at Rashida.
" I am actually surprised that you came. Thutmose didn't. Smenkhhare didn't and I did not know who else would but you."
" Pharaoh forbade us from coming here."
"Don't worry. I bribed the guards."
"With what ?"
"A dance. What else ?" she chuckled."It is the only thing I can do now."
"You danced for them ?" Astrid gaped.
" Of course not. I had some jewels on me when I was brought here. My wig jewels are expensive and I survived by them. Father is still mad at me, isn't he ?"
" Yes. He couldn't believe it and punished you like this."
"He did. I know my father's wrath. With what I did, I was supposed to be sentenced to death and this was the only way to keep me from it."
" Your father dotes on you but you disappointed him."
" I know. I have called you here to apologize for what I did to you. I was mean to you and thought that you stole my father's and brothers' love from me."
" I can't promise that I will forget everything you did in a blink but I would love to forgive and let go of the anger I feel someday."
" That would be wonderful. I owe you a lot. You, Seti, Smenkhhare and Thutmose. Not forgetting father. I also learned that Meritaten was the one who set me up to tell father of my affair and it wasn't you. I am sorry for not believing you."
"I would never tell on you Rashida. Anyway, it's in the past. If you change for the better, you might find an friend in me once you are out of here."
" Out of here ? I don't think that is possible. Father imprisoned me for life and it cannot be revoked."
" There are exceptions to each case."
" You really see the light in everything, don't you ? I now understand why they love you so much. I have apologized and still will each time. I hope that you will have a good life up there,"she said as she pointed at the ceiling above them and laughed."You will take care of my father and brothers for me, won't you ?"
"I will."
"Thutmose too," she whispered."Now go. This is not a place for a royal woman to be."
"May you be well," Astrid said and smiled.
She left the dungeon and a sad Rashida sitting on the squeaky wooden bed given to her.
"Carry out my order," she said to the guard outside her prison. He nodded and she sighed.