The Pharaoh's Whore

Chapter Eleven

I was awoken with a start, there was a loud bang followed by yelling.

"What in Ra's name?" I mumbled as I looked around.

A man in rags being held by two burly guards was thrown into the cell next to me.

"And be quiet!" One of the guards yelled to the man.

The guards left with their stomping footsteps echoing through the room.

"What are you here for?" The man asked me quietly.

"I-I was the Pharaoh's mistress. I swore loyalty to Bernice and Trypheana when they ruled, but when Trypheana died and Bernice took the throne, I was in more danger than ever before. A few weeks ago, Bernice summoned me to her chambers, she told me to swear loyalty to her again. But I told her that I couldn't because I had already done so." I said quickly.

"Then she found your letters to Aulutes addressing him as Pharaoh then she sent you here of accounts of treason" the man said.

"Yes. How did you know?" I asked looking at him suspiciously.

"The whole word knows. Bernice told the people that she would execute you if they all did not swear loyalty to her and that she would use you as an example of what happens to traitors if they go against her rule. I also know this because I was the messenger that Princess Cleopatra sent me to deliver your messages to the Pharaoh." He said softly.

"But my brother will surely rescue me. Bernice cannot have a Lady of Isis executed." I said.

"Your brother cannot do anything, as much as he wishes to, he cannot. As much as Religion is important in Egypt, the Pharaoh is considered God of Egypt. The High Priest can do nothing to save you I'm afraid." He said sadly.

"I-I cannot die" I said leaning my head against the cool stone wall.

"I am with the King's children." I mumbled, there was no use of hiding it now since I was about a couple months along.

"How many seeds are you blessed with?" He asked.

"Twins. I cannot bare to let them die. I will do all in my power to protect them. My life matters not, but theirs does." I said.

"What is your name?" I asked him peering closely at him.

He had a skinny frame with a round face, his white kilt was shredded at the ends and he had scars on his body.

"Alexia" He said softly.

I nodded in acknowledgment and looked at my dress. It was becoming wrinkled, something that Badra wouldn't be pleased about. My eyes watered at the thought of her, I wondered if she had recovered or like Cleopatra had thought, that she would die. I angrily brushed the tears away and straightened my back up.

"I'm sorry, I have no news of Badra" Alexia said sadly.

I shrugged and started picking at my nails, there was grime and dust sticking to them.

"I bet I look like an absolute mess right now" I said laughing.

"You don't look that bad. I mean your makeup is all over your face, and your hair is messy but that's about it. I can only imagine what I look like. The guards beat me before they led me here." He said.

"Why are you here?" I asked him softly.

"I got caught with a letter that I smuggled to the Pharaoh. Bernice threw me in here so fast it was almost like Ares was channeling her." He said laughing.

"Who's Ares?" I asked, I had never heard of this person before in my life.

"Greek God of war. Always angry." Alexia said laughing.

"Well, that is what Bernice is." I said laughing along.

"Shut up in there!" The guard shouted pounding on the door with his fist.

Alexia and I rolled our eyes and whispered.

"I have big news, your brother is getting married in a years time! But also Bernice is getting married to some Governor of some sort." He said softly.

"I'm happy for my brother, but why did he not tell me?" I asked, hurt.

"Well, the day that you were thrown in here was the day he made the announcement so you probably wouldn't of heard it." He said smiling at me.

"I hear no news of my beloved nor of anything else" I said angrily banging my fists on the ground.

I winced from the now blazing pain in my knuckles but it was nothing compared to the pain that I felt in my heart.

"Don't. If you hurt yourself they will do nothing but laugh at you." Alexia said sounding concerned.

"I'll do what I want" I said through gritted teeth.

He threw his hands up in surrender and laid down on the floor. I stood up slowly, my legs were asleep from all this time that I've been sitting down. I held on to one of the bars and steadied myself. I stretched and walked to the entrance of my cell.

"Let me out! I am Ife, Lady of Isis.  Her Spirit shines within my soul! I command you, let me out!" I shouted at the top of my voice.

"Eh, shut up! You're nothing! Pharaoh Bernice has got a problem with you! You won't live long enough to see the next month!" The guard shouted back.

"What? I'm to be executed so soon?" I said gasping.

"Indeed. Bernice wants no dirty people like you clogging up this dungeon in her glorious Egypt. Soon, Aulutes will be brought here and she will be served with his head on a silver platter!" The guard bellowed slamming the door open and stomping over to my cell.

"How dare you talk about the Pharaoh like this! When he reclaims the throne I will personally see to it that you are executed!" I screeched.

"He has no title here in Egypt anymore. He is labeled as a traitor, nothing more." The guard said angrily.

"How dare y-" I began before the guard hit me.

I gasped and fell to the floor. The guard opened my cell door and grabbed me by my hair, I started screaming. He pushed me up against the wall and started ripping my dress apart. Alexia awoke, seeing my distress he shouted,

"Leave her alone! She's pregnant! Surely if you rape a pregnant woman then you'll surely spend eternity with Set!"

The guard banged my head against the wall and stomped out of my cell and locked it once again.

"Thank you Alexia" I said breathlessly as I started seeing black dots.

"Don't mention it" He said softly.

Even though my dress is torn, I don't know if my love is safe, and I have two extra mouths to feed, having Alexia here makes it slightly more bearable.