Fall of a King ; Battle for Egypt Book 2

Chapter 10 Suffering

     I slowly opened my eyes. Wincing at the pain in the back of my head. I looked around, but all I could see was darkness, complete and total darkness. Where was I? Where did they take me? I felt my stomach roll as the stench around me flooded my senses. This place smelled like death and decay. My eyes strained against the darkness. Trying to find any clue to where I was. I pulled my knees to my chest. I should have stayed with Ka, should have stayed in the hut. Ka should have come with me. But then he would be dead in the sand. And our children would be orphans. My heart stopped at the thought of my children. In my anger and fear I had left my children. They did not have their mother. Who would feed them now? They only suckled on my breast since the moment they were born. And now I am gone. Would they die now? Starve because their mother was selfish and angry? I felt tears on my knees as I cried softly. Guilt ripping through my body. I could feel the milk leak from my breasts.

As I sat there silently praying to Isis. Praying for her help and guidance. Praying that she looked after my children. That she looked after Neferure, now that she had my gift laying dormant inside of her. I hoped that Isis heard my prayers. I did not know how much time had passed. But I knew I was hungry, and thirsty. My lips were dry and cracked from not drinking water. It must have been a few days. But in this darkness it felt like years. Suddenly I heard a door creak in the darkness. Then a torch appeared. The torch lit up the small cell. I was in a cell in a dungeon. But where? Nothing around me gave me a clue as to where I was . A guard appeared at the door of the cell. A slash marring his once beautiful face. His eyes radiated pure hatred. 

"Get up witch, the king will see you now," he hissed, unlocking the door and pulling it open. I slowly got up, but my legs were shaky. And I stumbled toward him. He grabbed my arm, practically dragging me from the cell. I tripped over my dirty dress and fell to the ground. The guard only grabbed my hair. I cried out, as he used my hair to pull me to my feet. My legs still shaky, my stomach hurt and I felt as if I would faint.

"Whore," he mumbled under his breath. I felt my anger grow. I tried resisting him, but he stopped and slapped me hard across the face. I felt my head snap back, and I fell to the floor. I looked up to meet his gaze, meeting his hatred with my own

"Where are we? Tell me where we are," I demanded. But he did not answer. All he did was pull me up a flight of stairs. The stone scraped against my legs. And tearing my now dirty dress even more. I could see sunshine beyond the door. And as he opened it, Ra's light blinded me. How long had I been in that cell? When my eyes finally adjusted, I realized that I was back in Hierakonpolis. I felt myself stop, Sutekh was here. They had brought me back to Sutekh. I struggled against the guard as he dragged me across the courtyard. But his grip was so tight, and I was already weak from no food or water. That it did not matter how much I struggled. We had escaped, and now I was back. And no doubt Sutekh would kill me. If I had to die, so be it. But he would not find my children. He would never find my children. I would die before I gave up my children. Soldiers and courtiers, some I recognized from Memphis, were walking around. They all stopped and stared at me. Some of them spat, others called me a whore, a witch, or even both. They had betrayed Ka, and changed sides. Supporting a madman in their pitiful attempt to destroy me.

He led me into the palace, and to the throne room. Sutekh was already there. Sitting on his dark throne. As if he never left. His top advisors Ausar and Imhotep were standing beside him. Both had a malicious grin on their faces. Amenhet was standing by the door and the guard handed me to him and shut the door. Amenhet simply dragged me to stand in front of Sutekh. He threw me onto the ground. I looked up and glared at him. But all he did was smile. And then I met Sutekh's gaze. I had not seen him since he ran me through in the throne room of Memphis. I met his anger with my own. I was not afraid of him anymore. I was not the same woman he knew. Not anymore, he would not scare me. I had faced death and won. And Sutekh would never scare me again.