Jewel Of The Nile [COMPLETE]

Chapter Nineteen

The days following the events of the rebellion were stressful. First, obviously, there was the execution of the traitor. I personally did not attend, however. And after that, the Pharaoh was swamped with numerous duties. I barely saw him or Meritaten. But I was preoccupied with my studies anyway, and whenever I had a spare moment, I went to visit Kahmose and Huy. Fortunately, Smenkhkre had granted me permission to visit my friends whenever I please. Unfortunately, he insisted that I have a harem of guards with me at any one time outside the palace. So even though I did not have to, I still snuck out occasionally if I wanted to be with them alone. Although having guards around was not the worst thing in the world; nobody in the streets bothered me now.
Soon after the girl killed the three guards, Smenkhkre made a new law that if anyone was caught speaking about anything to do with the old religion, they would be put to death. At the time, it seemed like all Smenkhkre would do was punish the people for some reason or another. But, I soon realised, that even after almost a year, many people still did not like him being on the throne. To enforce his rule, Nebt explained to me, he had been put in a position where he had to do some 'unwelcomed' things for the people to respect him as a strong leader. That did not sit well in my mind, so I failed to dwell on it.
Today I was hoping on visiting Kahmose and Huy. Meritaten had informed me that she wanted to tell mother and Smenkhkre about me marrying Tutankhaten soon. She believed that we had waited for a long time, and we could not put it off anymore. My brother was now eight, and I was fifteen. Depending on when we told them, I would most like be married before the Nile floodwaters reduced. After that, my freedom would be much more restricted. I would not be able to visit my friends anymore. I would have to start attending even more public appearances. My security would be monitored continuously. Once I married the heir, I would become the second-most important woman in all of Egypt.
I managed to talk to Sete much more than I previously had. Before, I was seeing him less and less, but now, he was often posted to guard me when I went out into the city, so we spent much time together. I was glad to see that he seemed genuinely interested in becoming good friends. We would talk about nothing in particular, just anything that came up in the conversation at the time. We were good friends, but I still preferred Huy and Kahmose.
Sete approached me in the corridor. "Have I been granted permission?" I asked hopefully. That was one of the conditions; if I wanted to go out into the city, I always had to ask permission. I often sent Sete to ask on behalf of me however, simply because I knew it would spite my brother that I did not approach him myself.
Sete nodded. "Yes, however, the Queen does not want you to be out for too long. She says it is too dangerous today."
I frowned. "But she has not been out in the city for a long time. And you will be with me, along with the others."
"I know. But it is the Queen; she worries much. We, or, well, I cannot question her," Sete pointed out, leading me out the entrance of the palace where we saw the guards and the soldiers training with the general, Horemheb.
Sete was correct, we could not question my sister, and she did often worry for no real reason. But the Sed-festival was soon approaching, so perhaps the people were getting restless? Maybe that was what Meritaten meant.
Sete had gone over to talk to Horemheb about more guards for me. The great general frowned, and did not seem happy that I wanted to take away three of his precious guards out of their training. Well, too bad. I wanted to go out and see my friends. Our soldiers were some of the best in the world; we could afford to take three of them out of one training session.
Sete came back with one other guard, and seemed far from pleasant. "My apologies, Princess Ankhesenpaaten. It seems General Horemheb is in the midst of an important session, and cannot afford three guards to accompany you. He allowed Bek to come with us, however no more. He said that the number of police patrolling the streets as increased, and that you will not be harmed."
I shrugged, and began walking. "Honestly, I do not care how many guards I have with me. It is just my siblings will not be happy with him if they find out that he refused me three other guards. He is aware of this, is he not?" I asked.
"I should think so," replied Sete. "This is not new; the Pharaoh has allowed you out with us at least five times by now."
I nodded as I walked through the streets. Usually, I would be flanked with guards - one in each direction - one to the north of me, one to the east, one to the west, and one to the south. Now, Sete and Bek marched on either side of me, their swords drawn in case we stumbled into any trouble. On one occasion we did - a drunkard staggered out of the home we were passing, pushed through the guards and grabbed me. He kept saying how he would not let me go again, that I would regret it, and once even tried to kiss me! The guards tried to get him away from me, but he would not let go. I had the scratches he made in my arm for weeks. Once the guards saw that I was hurt, they were forced to use their khoseph sword, since the man would not let go. I hardly had the heart to continue to Huy's house after that, but I had promised her I would see her. So, I continued, no matter how shaken I was.
Today, thankfully, nothing happened on the way to their house. Bek and Sete stood guard as I knocked on the door in a way that made sure Huy and Kahmose would know it was me.
Huy opened the door, a huge smile on her face. "Ankhesenpaaten! I was hoping you'd come soon! Kahmose has been dying to see you."
I stepped inside, laughing. "Why would he be dying to see me?"
Huy smiled at me in a way I did not quite understand. It was not a sad nor wishful smile - more like I know something you do not.
Nonetheless, I put it out of my mind. Huy let me sit down on a low chair while she sat on the dusty floor, and told me that Kahmose was at the markets and would be back soon.
"So how have you been?" I asked.
Huy rolled her eyes. "I've been good. Although this is probably the last time you would be able to be out in the city for a while; there have been rumours that the plague is starting up again. Only a few cases, one, two, maybe three. Today should be fine. But it spreads quickly. Don't come back until it's definitely all gone."
I held my head up high in mock annoyance. "Do not judge me! I am not a little prissy princess! Remember last time, I half-carried Kahmose when he had the plague, all the way back to the palace," I reminded her.
Huy laughed. "That's true. You're not as 'prissy' as a Princess is imagined."
"What can I say? I was raised well."
"Raised the best in the country."
"I think you mean in the world."
We laughed. It felt good just to talk to Huy. More often than not, Kahmose was here with us, or Huy was not here, so I rarely got to talk to her on her own. And as much as I loved Kahmose, sometimes I just wanted to be with Huy.
I heard a groan from outside and nodded to Sete for him to open the door. On the outside, there was Kahmose, carrying a handful of food. He grinned as he saw me.
"Hey there, princess," he said, chucking me an onion. I ran to catch it but I missed, and it fell on the dirty floor. I looked up apologetically.
"I am so, so sorry! I did not mean to waste your food! I feel so bad," I gushed, feeling myself going red at the cheeks. Kahmose turned to face me, and I felt a warm shiver echo through my spine, and I was complied to smile at him. He laughed.
"Waste it? What are you on about?"
"I dropped the onion," I confessed, looking down.
Huy laughed, walked over, picked it up off the floor, wiped it down and handed it back to me. "There," she said triumphantly. "Good as new."
Kahmose tossed her her own onion and she caught it with one hand, and bit right into it.
I stared at them in disbelief. "You eat it raw?"
"Of course," replied Kahmose, biting into his own. "How else?"
Cautiously, I took a small nibble on the onion, consists of the fact that it was raw and had been on the floor.
I had to resist the urge to spit it out then and there. How could someone eat such a thing? Raw onions were awful! But I had to be polite to Huy and Kahmose. I knew the price of food was expensive and they did not have much. I did not want to waste their onion when they had payed good money for it.
"How do you like it?" Huy asked.
I nodded. "It is good," I lied. Kahmose laughed.
"You don't have to lie to us, Ankhesenpaaten! Come on, you don't like it. I could see it on your face when you took a bite. Here, pass it."
Reluctantly, I handed over the onion to Kahmose, convinced that he would through it away.
I was wrong. Instead, he ate it. Without even finishing the other one in his hand!
Huy laughed at me. I must have looked disgusted.
"Why don't we go down to the banks of the Nile?" she suggested.
I clapped my hands excitedly. "Yes! Brilliant idea!"
So we left Huy and Kahmose's humble home, and walked down to the Nile, the two guards trailing behind us. Part of Smenkhre's conditions were that I had to have Huy and Kahmose on each side of me when going out with them. Honestly, I did not mind that rule, since it probably would have been like that anyway.
We walked over the sand dunes and down to the banks of the Nile. The scenery did not change much since the last time I had been here, except that this time there was a pride of lions on the other side. Crocodiles still swam in the waters and ibises still waddled in the shallows. Eagles were still circling above and the wind blew the reeds in every direction.
I found a nearby rock and sat down on it.
Bek waited on the other side of the dunes, watching for any possible threats. Sete was around near us.
Huy and Kahmose sat down on rocks identical to mine and we began talking.
"It is beautiful here," I sighed. "I shall never get tired of this view. One day, I shall build a massive palace on the banks of the Nile, right here, and live in the room with the best view."
Huy laughed. "I doubt this is a good place to build a palace."
"Of course it is! And you two shall live with me!"
They both laughed at me that time, which slightly annoyed me. I was not joking around - I was serious. I wanted to stay friends with them for a long time. And even if I was not Queen, I would get Meritaten to build me my waterfront palace.
"You know, we may be going on a trip soon," Huy informed me.
"Really? Whereabouts? To Abydos? Or perhaps Karnak?" I asked eagerly. "Maybe I can get us to do a trip at the same time!"
"No...you see, one of the men from one of the families in our house is a trader. He goes around all the lands outside Egypt and trades with them, and brings back foreign delicacies. He invited Kahmose and I on his next trip," Huy explained.
I nodded in understanding. "Whereabouts?"
"We don't know," Kahmose replied. "But probably around Ur, and Persia, and Nubia, and perhaps even Greece if we are lucky."
"Wow...I have never been to any of those places. Merely just stayed in Egypt. Although it is such a beautiful place here, why would anyone want to be elsewhere?"
He laughed. "To experience new things, Ankhesenpaaten. Egypt is lovely but we don't have the same things as the other countries. We have sand, a delta, and some oasis' in the desert, and a river. These other places have mountains, oceans, rivers, lakes and grassy fields that stretch on for aeons. Don't you want to explore the outside world?"
Kahmose sounded exactly like Ahmose. I knew Egypt was not the centre of the world. But that does not mean I wanted to leave it.
"Perhaps, for a day or two. But I will always come back right here, to this spot on the Nile in Akhetaten. Egypt is my home, and nowhere else will ever come close to it for me."
A huge, shrill scream echoed around in the valley. Everyone, including Sete, snapped up to try and see the owner of the voice. I heard the footsteps of Bek running further down the dunes. Huy stood up.
"I think I recognise that voice," she said shakily, her face paling. "Wait here. I shall be back soon."
She ran off back into the city, leaving myself, Kahmose, and Sete, who was now brandishing his sword in a menacing way.
"What was that?" I faced Kahmose.
"I don't know," he replied, but kept his eyes glued on the city
  I looked at him worryingly, but before I had a chance to speak again, another scream was released - and this time it sounded further up the Nile; just out of our sight.
"Sete," I ordered. "Go: see what it is. Kahmose will protect me; you need not worry about us. Go and investigate! Hurry!"
Sete did not need to be told twice. We watched as he sprinted up the Nile, jumping over a dazed, sleeping crocodile. Then he turned around a bend in the river and we no longer had him in my sights.
"Are you alright?" I asked Kahmose gently. He looked up at me. His eyes were filled with a kaleidoscope of colours. You could almost fall into them, they were that deceiving. I could have stared at his eyes for hours.
"Yeah," he murmured, looking intently down at a small fish that was darting around the shallows. "I'm fine."
"Hey." I lifted his chin up with my fingers. "Look at me."
Kahmose smiled softly but his eyes would still refuse to meet mine.
"Stop it! That is an order." I said it lightly but I meant it. "Tell me what is wrong. I want to help."
"It's just...This is normal. You hear these screams all the time, but yet there is nothing you can do. It is just part and parcel of living in the city. Someone is always getting murdered, or hurt, or attacked - even by wildlife. You wouldn't hear about it; not in the palace. That kinda stuff isn't a threat for you guys. But it's very, very real in the heart of the poor side of the city. We're poor. People will do anything for an extra piece of food, or some coin. And to the good people, like Huy and I, it breaks our hearts. But there's nothing we can do about it, otherwise we will become the next target."
"What about the police? Can they not do anything?"
Kahmose shook his head sadly. "No. It's too big a problem, even for them. Besides, they mainly work on the wealthier parts of the city."
I was astounded. How could such a problem like this be occurring right outside my home and I not know about it? How had someone not done anything to change it?
"I can fix this," I said. "I can just tell Smenkhkre to order more police, more precautions, more laws - I can stop this. I shall just tell the Pharaoh that it is too dangerous for me otherwise, and if he does not see to this then I shall constantly be in danger."
Kahmose shook his head again. "No, that will not work. The Pharaoh is almost double your age. He will simply forbid you from stepping foot in this part of the city again. And I would not be able to bear that."
I was silent. Kahmose was probably right; Smenkhkre would forbid me. And for some reason, the idea of never seeing Kahmose again broke my heart.
"So there is nothing we can do," I said flatly. Kahmose failed to reply.
I looked around, only to see that Sete and Huy had not returned yet, so I assumed Bek had not either.
We were all alone.

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I'M SORRY
I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while - for some reason this chapter took ages to write and then this past weekend I went on a camping trip with my friend, so I couldn't write. I finished this Sunday night and this morning, when I am supposed to be getting ready for school. '--___--'

Anyways... Now that I actually HAVE finished this chapter, what do you guys think? What do you think of the Pharaoh's new rules?
What do you think of Kahmose and Ankhesenpaaten? (Pretty sure I've already asked this question but oh well.)

Leave your answers in the comments 🔽🔽😘😹💖

Thanks to all my readers for reading up to this far, I really hope you are liking this so far!
See you in the next chapter!