Entombed in His Desire

Chapter 37

(I don't own the images to these stories.)
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Bastet's face held no emotion as she looked down upon all of them. "How dare you! My own son as well as one of my temple guardians; how dare you commit such a sacrilege in one of my temples!  You know that it is forbidden to wage war in this sacred dwelling!"

Amanda gazed into the cat goddess's eyes. All she could see was a look of judgment, and outrage. She became frightened and trembled in fear, worried that Bastet would blame her for everything that had just transpired. Frozen by her own feelings of terror, Amanda had no idea how to react. But at that moment, Bastet soon faced her while she addressed her son. "Maashes!  Is this the mortal woman that you have chosen?"

Maashes, who like Bassel was still bowing to his mother, wasn't even looking up at her as he soon responded to her inquiry. "Yes mother. This woman is the reincarnated soul of the Princess Mer Ek, the woman who had been promised to me many years ago; in a time when we still ruled over mankind."

"I see." Bastet replied. "But as you had stated earlier, once their soul leaves their body; they are no longer that person. And since the woman that I now see before me is Amanda Addington, and no longer the Princess Mer Ek, then it could be argued that your claim on her is no longer valid."

Maashes's head immediately jolted up as a look of anger soon flashed in his eyes, and he began to protest. "But she is the same as Mer Ek!  I look into her eyes, and I see the beauty that has always been there. She looks the same as she did before!"

"Wrong!" Bassel exclaimed. "She does not look the same!  That was never her true physical form. It was only a reflection of my love for her. I saw her true beauty and loved her for who she truly was. I didn't care what her true physical form was. I loved her for the beauty within her soul, and what you saw was the image that had been viewed in my own heart!"

"Interesting." Bastet mused. "One might say that you each have an equal claim. Perhaps I should just split her down the middle and give you each your rightful half."

She can't be serious! Amanda thought. Surely, she's being sarcastic. Amanda still feared the wrath of the cat goddess. However, not wanting to be cut in half, she began to protest. "Please, may I say something."

"You wish to speak, human?" Bastet asked. Her face was cold and stoic, as if she was annoyed by the fact that a mere mortal girl had interrupted her. But Amanda felt as though she had nothing to lose. If she didn't stand up for herself, then who else would?

"Look, I don't know what kind of twisted King Solomon type game you are playing. But if you plan on giving me to the one who protests by saying, 'But if you cut her in half, it will kill her! I would rather her be with him, than to have half of her dead body!', you are forgetting one thing."

Bastet sighed and folded her arms. "And what is that?"

"That if anyone has the right to claim me, it is myself." Amanda answered. "Maybe you wanted an outcome where one of them proves there love, I don't know. But the only person that I truly belong to is me. You're the goddess of women, and motherhood. Surely you can see my point."

Bastet then raised an eyebrow, leaned over, and whispered to Amanda. "Perhaps this was the response that I was hoping for."

Both Maashes and Bassel looked confused, as they both stared at Bastet in disbelief. With that, Maashes started to question her. "Mother?"

"Amanda's right Maashes. For she is the only one who has the right to claim her." Bastet explained. "When Mer Ek died, so did your claim on her heart."

"Then you would not object to my union with her?" Bassel asked.

"If that is what she wishes." Bastet replied. "I will even return your manhood. But only if that is what she truly wants. Keep in mind the manipulation you used to bend her to your will. Despite the love that you shared with Mer Ek long ago, you did whatever you had to do to possess Amanda. Even if it meant sacrificing the lives of those she loved. Perhaps Mer Ek did love you, but as I just stated, Amanda is no longer Mer Ek. Whichever one of you she chooses will be granted my blessing, and the other cannot interfere and must accept her decision."

Amanda became flabbergasted as she stuttered in annoyance. "W-wait! What? I don't want either one of them!"

"What other choice do you have, my dear?" Bastet asked. "Because of Apep everyone you love is gone. I am offering you two worthy suitors. Both of whom will be forever devoted to you."

"No, you're only half right." Amanda argued. "Apep didn't kill everyone that I ever loved.  Maashes killed my uncle, remember? And Bassel's own arrogance is what ended up costing the lives of everyone else. Not only that, but he used his ability to transform into a cat as a way to manipulate everyone; especially me."

"That maybe true." Bastet replied. "But Bassel was able to seduce you because you wanted him to. And when Maashes had replaced your uncle, and eventually began to transform into his true human form, you were extremely attracted to him. Even though you thought he was your uncle, you desired him just as every other woman in town. You can try and hide your feelings from yourself, but you can't hide them from me."

"Fine!" Amanda cried. "I'm attracted to the both of them. I admit it. But that doesn't change the fact that I am also angry at them as well. Mer Ek killed herself because everyone else controlled her.  They kept telling her what she should look like, and whom she should love. Even the man she loved tried to force her to be with Maashes. He promised her to Maashes, after he begged Hathor to change her appearance. She begged him not to, but he wouldn't listen to her. I understand now why she jumped to her death, she just wanted to be able to make her own choices. To be free from those who kept making decisions for her."

"Tell me, Amanda. What is it that you want?" Bastet asked.

Amanda started to cry, as she begged for help. "I want to be reunited with my friends and family."

"I'm sorry." Bastet replied. "But we have already told you. I can only raise the dead if they have just died. Once their soul leaves their body, and ventures to its final resting place, then that soul is no longer a part of that person."

Amanda stood still, and gently shut her eyes. Her heart was pounding, as the tears continued to flow. "I understand that it's too late to resurrect any of them. I know that's impossible, even for a powerful goddess like you. But I am not asking you to bring them back to life."

Slowly Amanda's eyes began to open, while she looked up at Bastet. The cat goddess seemed to be taken aback by Amanda's request, as her eyes widened in a look of astonishment. "Well my dear, I am impressed. It is rare for a mortal to leave me stunned. Are you actually requesting what I think you are requesting?"

"Yes." Amanda replied.

"What is she requesting?" Bassel asked.

"Yes, mother." Maashes interjected. "What is she requesting?"  They both widened their eyes in what looked like terror, while Bastet just looked at Maashes and sighed.

"You already know the answer my son." Bastet answered. "There is only one way that she can be reunited with her family."

Bastet then turned her attention back towards Amanda. "Are you sure that this is what you want?"

"Yes." Amanda replied. "I would do anything to be reunited with my parents again. I know that you can't bring them back to me, but you can send me to them. I will do whatever I have to do, even if it means that I have to die."

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