The Pharaoh's Whore

Chapter Eighteen

I opened my eyes slowly, the sunlight was lazily streaming in through the white curtains. I sat up in bed quickly,

"Where am I?" I thought.

Then everything came back to me, Emmis and Alla's bodies, the two men, and Selene. I burst into tears at the thought of Emmis and Alla. I heard quick footsteps and Cliao opened the door.

"What is wrong?" She asked sharply.

"E-Emmis a-and Alla" I said sobbing.

"Poor thing" Cliao mumbled as she sat down on the bed and hugged me. "Don't cry now. Mistress Selene is very honorable. She will protect you."

"I understand" I said.

"Mistress is expecting you in a few moments for the first meal of the day." She said, standing up.

I nodded and she walked out of the room.

"Did you sleep well?" Selene asked me as I sat down in the living area.

I nodded slowly at her.

The servants served us our food and we started to eat.

"Were you educated?" Selene asked me.

"Yes. My mother taught me while my brother was at school" I said.

"No my dear, I meant educated in the ways of combat" She said.

I shook my head, I only knew how to use a dagger and that was it.

"I know how to use a dagger or knife" I said.

"Psh, anyone can use a knife." She said.

I lowered my eyes and continued eating.

"Fern will teach you the ways of poison and I will teach you how to use a sword" She said softly.

"Why must I learn?" I asked.

"To defend yourself. You don't know what will happen to you in this life, Ife." She said sharply.

I nodded quickly, I did not want to make her angry again.

"Good. After you've bathed you will meet Fern in the kitchen" She said.

After my bath, I walked down to the kitchen. A young girl stood by the window surrounded by jars filled with of various things, a match and a kettle.

"Ife?" The girl said still facing the window.

"Yes. You are Fern?" I asked.

"Who else?" She said throwing her tiny head back, laughing.

I smiled weakly, not getting what was so funny about it. I stepped beside her and looked at her, ready for instructions.

"Do you know anything about poisons?" Fern asked.

"I know that they can kill you and that some take a few hours or days to take effect while others can work instantly." I said.

"Good. You're not as dumb as everyone says you ar-" She said before putting a hand over her mouth.

"I am sorry, I have no idea what I'm saying." She said shrugging her shoulders.

She showed me the few poisons that she had laid out on the table and showed me how they work. I even got to mix a few of them together to form a antidote. Also she gathered natural resources to make poisons, I even made a few of them myself!

"Those were the most common things in Egypt that you can find, now If you are ever captured you can always make these and slip them down the guards throat, distracting them by the thought of you, if you know what I'm saying" Fern said winking at me.

"Well..." I said trailing off, still puzzled by this girl.

I walked out of the kitchen and once I was out of sight and I sensed that she had turned back around I hid behind the inner wall, I wanted to know what this girl thought of me.

"You can come out now Maria, the shrew is gone." I heard Fern say.

I heard a female giggle- who I assumed was Maria- and I heard a couple of light delicate airy footsteps walk towards Fern.

"I heard you stop saying how everyone thinks she is stupid" Maria said laughing.

"I don't know why Selene is protecting her. She has no status whatsoever anymore." Fern said coldly.

I felt fingertips brush against my skin, I froze I thought I had been caught. I looked to my left to see Selene standing right beside me.

"Don't worry" She mouthed.

She marched right out of the wall through the opening as I stepped out into the Kitchen.

"She is a lady of Isis, her brother is the High Priest." Selene said, I could hear the acid in her voice.

"M-M-M-Mistress" Fern and Maria said stuttering, they fell to their knees and started to weep.

"Shame on you girls, you will now have no food for two days and will have the floor to sleep on by the door instead of a nice warm mat!" Selene roared, hitting the girls harshly.

"W-w-we're sorry Mistress" They said, I could see them trembling under Selene's hawk-like eyes.

"Sorry won't cut it! Now go sweep the outside area!" She shouted.

They nodded meekly and ran out the door, not even looking at me as they passed.

"Forgive them my lady, they are young and foolish" Selene muttered taking my hand in hers and patting it reassuringly.

"Is it true that people think of me that way?" I asked.

"It is just Servant talk, nothing to worry about. Everyone gossips about everyone else so it is nothing personal." She said.

I nodded and walked out to the courtyard and sat down on a stone bench, my hands were clasped firmly together as I was in deep in thought.