Pyramids: The Gateway to Stars

Chapter XI

Chapter XI
Darling

Asim accompanied me all the way to the palace once the royal chariot returned to the pyramid after Khufu took it earlier and came home alone. Throughout the trip, he told me multiple reminders which he had already recited earlier but chose to repeat them, over and over, so it would be permanently engraved in my mind.

He spoke like an old man, somewhat like a father, but his face and his age was still too young to be called like that. He's probably just a few years older than me.

But seriously. What am I gonna do now that I'll be staying at the lion's den for the meantime?

I doubt I'll even survive for a week but... let's see. Khufu doesn't look that bad anyway. I just have to avoid him as much as I can and stay behind the shadows to prevent getting too much attention. Yep, that'll be my plan for now.

We arrived in the palace in no time. From my estimation, it usually takes about half an hour between the palace and the pyramid of Queen Habibah. But since I had been clouded with my thoughts the entire ride, it didn't feel too long for me.

When the chariot stopped in front of the gates, Asim jumped to the ground and offered his hand to assist me on going down. Blown by the harsh winds earlier, I fixed my frizzy hair and accepted his hand.

"You should go along with the guards, Hesperia," he said once I stepped on the ground. "They'll be the ones who'll escort you inside the palace. Then the maids will show you the room where you're gonna stay for the meantime."

"How about you?" I asked. "Are you gonna leave already? And are you really sure it's fine with... with His Majesty to let me stay here?"

"That's exactly what I'm gonna do," he responded. "I'll go talk to His Majesty and persuade him to have you stay here. I'm pretty sure he'll agree with it so you don't have to worry much, alright?"

"O—Okay." That's all I said before I came along with the guards inside the palace. Unlike the previous events, they didn't drag me all the way to somewhere. It's almost like an improvement in a short span of time.

From being accused as a thief, I'm now free and will no longer be punished for stealing a corpse, but meh, the entire situation didn't become any less complicated than before because this time, I'll be kept in the palace as a soul repossessing a missing corpse. The Queen's corpse at that.

The guards stopped in front of the head maid who seemed to be expecting me at the end of the aisle. Once the guards left, she gave me a quick tour all over the palace to refrain me from getting lost while staying here.

It was a big help since the palace was indeed a gigantic maze if you don't memorize its twists and turns. While we were at it, she also stated basic reminders and etiquette that I should follow. The last place we resorted was a single room located on the second floor of the palace. She said that would be my room for the meantime.

"If you need something, just ask any maids you meet and they'll be delighted to answer it for you," she said for the last time, planning to leave. "And oh, before I forget: there are already clothes in the basket prepared for your everyday use. Probably around five dresses. But if you want to buy more clothes that suit your liking, you can get them at the market."

"At the market?"

"Yes, you can ask Ahmad to send you there. He's a reliable man."

"I will take note of that."

"Okay, but for now, do take a rest, Hesperia. It seems like you really had a long day today." She stared at my face, perhaps noticing at the dark circles under my eyes. "I'll send a maid later to bring your dinner here instead. Would that be alright?"