Fall of a King ; Battle for Egypt Book 2

Chapter 9 Painful Revelation

We were now fugitives, we had no home. We lost Memphis, and now we lost Hierakonpolis. We were running, running for our lives. Running to save the lives of our children. Narmer and Neferure... They were the ones that I worried for. Sutekh would stop at nothing to see his legacy secured. In securing his legacy he would see my children slaughtered. If we only had more time, more time to live our lives. To challenge Sutekh. Meet him in open battle, and finally defeated Sutekh. Then we truly would be free. And there would be peace in Egypt. But now we were running, running and hiding. I hope and pray to the gods that we would stay hidden. At least until we knew who our allies were, and where to go from here.

It was early morning when we reached the village. Ra's lights were barely rising over the horizon. It was small, the huts spaced around a small main square. The village was nestled against the Nile. Several small reed boats were docked in the reeds. It seemed peaceful, untouched by the battle around them. And yet there were marks on the huts, as if a battle was fought here long ago. And if  I looked closer, the huts looked familiar. The village itself looked familiar. And yet, it seemed like a distant memory. A dream I dreamed long ago. Where had I seen this place before? Had I been here before? Was this one of the many villages I doomed from my visions during my captivity under Sutekh.

"Will anyone take us in," Tiye asked, looking up at her brother-in-law. I continued to look around. I felt my heart skip a beat. I knew this place, I knew this village. But how? When did I come to this village? And yet this seemed like a dream, or maybe a nightmare. I held my children closer to me. Both sound asleep, dreaming with no care. They did not know what was going on. 

"A wise woman, Ka and I met her a long time ago. She lives just outside the village," Bakari said. Ka looked at him, but I could not read his expression. They both gaurded their expressions from us. What were they hiding?

"Bakari, you are speaking of Nefertari. Do you think she has lived after all these years," Ka asked. Nefertari, that name seems so familiar. As if I had heard it before. Where had I heard that name before? Everything around me was so familiar, and yet I could not tell where I had seen it before.

"Who is Nefertari, how do you know her," I asked. Looking at both of them. Ka turned around and looked at me and our children. He gave me a small reassuring smile. But I still felt anxiety in my stomach. 

"Nefertari is the wise woman of Gerza. She hid Bakari and I from Sutkeh's forces when we were 15. We were foolish and almost got caught. We would dead if it was not for her," Ka said. After a few more moments we reached the outskirts of Gerza. A lone hut stood there, smoke curling up into the sky. We rode up to the door. And Bakari got down from the wagon. He walked up to the door. But before he could open it, the door opened. I could hear her voice, but it sounded so familiar. Where have I heard that voice before? 

"You are late," the woman said. As if she saw us coming. But how would she know? Was she like me? No, that was not possible. My mother and grandmother were long dead. And even my gift had become dormant.  Could there really be others like me? Gifted by Isis herself. 

"Sutekh launched a surprise attack. Ka and I knew that this would be a safe place. We need to hide for a few days. We need hide our families for a few days," Bakari said. His tone has a sense of urgency to it.

"So Ka did become king, and married with children. Praise be to Amun Ra. The gods are good," the woman said. Hope in her voice. Was she an ally? An ally against Sutekh? I knew we had many allies in the common folk. They were the ones who suffered the most from Sutekh's cruelty.

"Yes, he became king of Memphis. He has brought his queen and newborn twins. They need to be protected at all cost," Bakari replied. I heard the woman sigh. As if she had seen this many times before. Had many seek refuge from Sutekh and his forces?