The Pharaoh's Dancer

The Children

Before Amunet even realized, a year with Teremun passed. She hadn't been given any tasks as of yet and her freedom was even farther from her reach. Every day was the same routine. Training and studying without any opportunities to actually show Teremun her progress. Amunet was pretty certain that Kamilah thought she was dead for she never heard another word from the Consort. However, the superiority complex of a Royal Wife didn't disappear but was merely replaced by the Pharaoh's own consorts rather than his father's.

Teremun's Chief Wife Masika had quickly caught onto Amunet's existence and before long it was made public that the Pharaoh had a secret concubine that he devoted more time to than his actual wives. Of course, her name and face were never revealed, but Amunet lived in constant worry that she'd be discovered and her secret job as a spy would end. Something that Teremun simply laughed about.

"It's not going to matter if people know that you and I are intimate," Teremun had responded with a loud laugh and a shrug of his shoulders. Amunet's scrunched up her nose at the specific word choice but didn't bother trying to refuse him or deny the statement. "If my enemies learn that you belong to me it's just going to make them want you more. Seducing them, drugging them, getting information from them will be all be a whole lot easier considering they'll be too focused on besting me rather than the probability that you're working for me. It's a rather simple strategy. After all, men are creatures of very little thought."

Amunet rolled her eyes. Teremun smiled and ran a hand through is hair before leaning back on the assortment of pillows scattered around them. Amunet sat with her legs tucked under her and started at the handsome Pharaoh's face. His eyes were closed with an arm extended behind his head. He seemed so calm which made Amunet slightly irritated. She pictured herself smothering him and then making a run for it but obviously that wouldn't work. As if hearing her thoughts, Teremun opened one jade eye and looked at her with a smirk. Just as his hand was extending to grasp her hair a knocked sounded throughout the room. Teremun sighed and dropped his hand back to his side. Amunet felt her heart droop slightly and her skin longing for his touch, but she quick shoved the unnecessary feelings aside and instead watched Ubaid stroll into the room.

"Your children wished to see you, my Lord," he said with a low bow. Teremun's face split into an honest smile and he waved for the guard to allow his children to enter his quarters. Amunet had been surprised by his caring attitude towards his children and many people found it strange how much he devoted to the ones with little to no significance to his bloodline. Amunet smiled at the Pharaoh's expression and watched as his seven children scrambled into the room, an abnormally small amount for a Pharaoh. Then again, Teremun only had three official wives, something nearly unheard of. Masika, his queen, had given birth to his heir Mosi along with another son named Bes and a daughter named Quibilah. His second wife Jendayi had only given birth to a single son she'd named Naeem. Teremun's last wife was a beautiful woman named Ife who had birthed three adorable daughters, Femi, Oni, and Omorose. All the kids were between the ages of three and ten and already Amunet could see their father in all of them.

Mosi was loud and crafty with identical eyes of his father. He'd taken a strong liking to Amunet and immediately attached himself to her the moment he entered the room. Bes was always smiling and had soft and delicate features almost like a girl's. Quibilah wasn't nearly as beautiful as her half-sisters but she was by far the most intelligent. Naeem was similar to Kamilah's son Chisisi, Teremun's half-brother, physically weak but with a gentle heart. Amunet smiled slightly as he walked into the room at a slow and gentle pace grinning at the sight of Teremun and trying to keep up with his siblings. Femi, Oni, and Omorose could have been triplets with their identical large eyes and heart-shaped faces along with curly dark hair and porcelain skin. They were the spitting image of their gorgeous mother.

Teremun laughed as his children swarmed him begging for attention. Amunet allowed a slight giggle to escape her own lips as Femi began shoving Quibilah out of the way so that she could sit on Teremun's lap. The Pharaoh smiled and glanced over at Amunet who was unconsciously stroking Mosi's hair. Teremun frowned and looked between the two of them.

"It's not fair that my oldest son and heir to the throne likes you more than his own father." Teremun sulked and Amunet allowed her laugh to ring around them. Her violet eyes danced and laughed and Teremun stared at her sweetly while trying to simultaneously keep his children from strangling him. Mosi's hold on her arm tightened and he snuggled farther into her arms. Teremun noticed the action and reached across the space to grab the back of Mosi's shirt and pull him towards him. Teremun brought his own jade eyes to the identical ones in front of him and pressed their foreheads together. "She's mine," Teremun said pointing to Amunet with a completely serious expression gracing his face.

Mosi stuck out his tongue and wiggled free before running back to Amunet. Teremun rolled his eyes and Amunet smiled trying to resist the blush creeping up onto her face. She watched the father play with his children and were reluctant to watch them have to leave after hours of playing. Teremun flopped back onto the cushions and sighed. He glanced over at Amunet and outstretched his arms. This time, it was Amunet's turn to roll her eyes, but still she crawled towards him and rested her head on his chest. His arms enclosed her waist and pressed her closer to his frame. She took in his rich, earthy smell that she hated herself for loving so much and allowed her eyes to droop close. Teremun brushed her hair from her face and planted a soft kiss on her forehead before falling asleep as well.