Heretic of El Amarna

Chapter 20: Thutmose

“Mother?” I shouted down the hall to the women’s chambers.

She came quickly, knowing that I wouldn’t shout unless it was urgent. “What, my son?”

“Nefertiti is gone, and I found this tucked under Amenhotep’s head rest when I went to ask him if he knew where she had gone.”

My mother’s tan face paled to an unhealthy shade of white. “What?” She demanded, eyes going wide.

I grimaced. “Look for yourself.”

She snatched the note from Amenhotep out of my hands, her eyes flying across the papyrus, reading every line of hieroglyphs with careful haste. When she was finished, she looked up at me, her lips set in a thin line, hands clutching the papyrus, and her nails almost tearing into the paper. “What does that worthless, good for nothing lout think he is doing?” She screeched. “Running off to make his own way in the world because he has nothing left here? That impudent wretch! I shall not have it. Send the guards out to find him, Thutmose!” She raged, eyes dark with her fury.

I resisted the urge to lean back to avoid the blows her words rained on me. “What about my bride?” I murmured, staring at the white-washed, mud brick floor in abject silence.

“She has probably followed the fool you name brother.” She snapped. “I knew there was something going on between those two.” She clenched her jaw then tore Amenhotep’s note into miniscule shreds, stamping over to the nearest window and casting them out with a look of disgust on her lips.

I stayed silent, knowing that if I did not, she would rage longer, and I would only end up apologizing for her bad mood – something I extremely disliked doing.

She finally turned to me, staring me down with those stormy brown eyes that were almost black most days. “Well, what are you doing standing there and dawdling? Go get the guards into a posse and get your bride back.”

“What about Amenhotep?” I frowned.

Why hadn’t she included my brother in the whole “get them back” bit?

“Your brother can just go for all I care. He has two sisters, who can be married to some prestigious son of a lesser wife, should something bad happen to you. Anyone would be better than that stupid child.” My mother snapped, glaring at me.

I swallowed hard, but nodded. “Yes, mother.” I turned, striding down the hall, wishing I could’ve made my escape before I had to listen to her whole rant.

I might not have liked my brother, but I didn’t hate him, and I certainly wasn’t going to let him go. He deserved more respect and understanding. Whatever my mother thought, Amenhotep was not stupid or foolish. He was actually very intelligent. He just was not good with affairs of state.

Which was why I was the Crown Prince and he was not.

***

The guards scoured the whole city, but they found no trace of either Nefertiti or Amenhotep.

I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on. Why did I always have to get the blasted things when I was needed or had something of import to do?

Sighing, I continued to massage my forehead, staring out across the city as I stood atop the white-washed wall of the palace.

The city lights below me winked in and out as people moved about their homes, blocking light sources or lighting the lamps as evening set in. All day… All day I had searched the dark city beneath me, and still nothing had shown up.

I had spent the day in fruitless searching and alternating bursts of fury and panic as I considered what my brother had dragged my bride to be into.