Heretic of El Amarna

Chapter 22: Amenhotep

I smiled to myself as I opened my eyes, the sun’s last rays bursting over the horizon as Ra made his nightly journey to the Underworld, where he dined and rested each night in Osiris’s abode.

It was time to get moving again.

I sat up, staring down at Neferitit, who still slept at my side, the blanket we’d shared draped over her slender shoulders.

Giving her a shake to wake her, I stood, yawning and stretching like a cat. The city of Abydos was within sight, no more than half a night’s travel away.

Nefertiti stood up, blinking sleep from her limpid brown eyes. She smiled at me, a yawn rising from her.

I smiled back and pulled her into my side. “We’ll be in Abydos by dawn, love…” I whispered, savoring the ability to call her by those sorts of affectionate nicknames.

She nodded, grinning. “After so much suffering and traveling through this horrid desert, we’ve finally reached our destination.” She wrapped her arms around my neck, resting her head on my shoulder.

I played with a look of her thick black hair. “Mhmm… So breakfast?”

She laughed. “You and your stomach.” She shook her head. “Besides, it’s night now. So it cannot be breakfast.”

I poked her arm playfully. “I suppose you are correct…” Giving her a sly glance, I murmured, “O Wise One…”

She gave me a mock glare and smacked my shoulder. “You. Come on. We should get going. We can eat dinner on the way.”

I nodded, moving away from her to collect the blanket. There was little else to pack up.

Nefertiti pulled out a biscuit and some hard strips of smoked meat for each of us. Then she took the folded blanket from me. Placing it into the pack, she handed me the food she’d set aside.

I took it and pulled the pack onto my back.

We started walking along the sand in silence as stars started peeping out of the sky to watch us with cold, distant eyes filled with curiosity.

***

The city’s towering walls of granite loomed before us.

I turned to Nefertiti. “This is it, Nefertiti…”

She stared up at the walls, astounded.

In the moonlight, they were dark sentries, guarding the city from harm, and intimidating those who might lean towards evil.

I shivered. At night like this, Abydos was not the most welcoming sight.

“It is not…It is not a comforting sight at all, is it?” Nefertiti murmured, seeming smaller somehow.

I shrugged. “It is far more welcoming during the day.” I whispered in her ear, pulling her into a hug so that her back rested against my chest.

She laughed softly, leaning her head back against my shoulder. “I hope so. We are going to live here after all.”

“Well, let us approach the city, love… We need to alert the sentries to our presence and…”

She cut me off, raising a hand. “Amenhotep, think for a moment. Two strangers showing up in the middle of the night? It will raise far too many questions. Instead, let us wait the night out here and in the morning, we can come into the city on the road with all the other travelers. It will arouse far less suspicion that way.”

I nodded. “As usual, you are wise, my love.” I whispered, still soaking in the joy I got from being able to call Nefertiti by those sweet affectations I had once believed she would hear only from my brother’s lips – if that.

She smiled at me. “So, why not begin settling in for the remaining hours of the night?” She murmured, keeping her voice soft to avoid having it travel over the sand to the ears of the sentries. “We have only two or so hours left before Ra will begin his journey across the sky.”

I agreed. I was exhausted, whatever I had previously thought.

She was right. We needed to rest.

Taking her hand, I pulled my pack off, dropping it to the sand and drawing her down to sit beside me as I dug through the bag for the blanket I’d brought.

Minutes later, we were lying on the sand, nestled up in each other’s embrace. Nefertiti fell asleep almost instantly, a slight frown creasing her forehead as she struggled to keep the moan of pain at bay when her feet brushed the sand the wrong way. They pained her even in sleep, something that bothered me greatly.

Sighing, I closed my eyes, listening to Nefertiti’s even, soft breathing. Soon, I was asleep too, and my awareness of things around me faded into oblivion as I fell into the dream world.  

***

We woke to the bright rays of Ra’s light bursting over the horizon.

Smiling, I rolled over, facing Nefertiti.

She was still asleep, a peaceful smile on her face.

I loved watching her sleep. Her face and body were so relaxed, something that rarely occurred when she was awake. She was not moving about in her usual busy bustle nor was she cunning and scheming ways to avoid Thutmose.

Asleep, she was just herself. She was peaceful and beautiful. There were no complications, no sorrows, no pains. There was only a quiet lull of peace.

Unfortunately, I had to wake her up so that we could get into the city before someone discovered us and had questions about where we came from.

I stared at her dirt-covered face for a few moments, thinking how nice it would be for both of us to get a bath once we got inside the city. I would have to find work soon, but for now, we would get into the city and find a place to stay.

I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

Beside me, Nefertiti stirred, opening her eyes and squinting at the sky. “We should get into the city.” She mumbled.

I smiled, clambering off the ground and picking my pack up. Swinging it onto my back, I swept her prone form into my arms, burying my face against her neck as her hair fell out of the way. Kissing her neck, I surpressed the laugh bubbling up from within me as I felt her responding shiver.

She put her arms around my neck as I suddenly spun her about in a circle. In the middle of the desert, the two of us laughed and reveled in our freedom.

Somehow, it seemed that the knowledge that I was really free from my previous life hadn’t sunk in until I had seen the walls of Abydos with the sun’s rays spreading over their granite balustrades.

“Amenhotep! Please… Stop…” Nefertiti gasped, burying her face against my neck this time. “You are making me dizzy.” She laughed, her lips brushing against my neck this time and sending electrical jolts dancing down my spine.

I stopped as she had requested, setting her down with care, mindful of the condition her feet were in. “Come on. Let’s go through those gates hand in hand. As soon as we find someplace to stay, we shall get both of us a nice bath, a good meal, and then we will address our marriage.” I whispered, hugging her.

She nodded, and taking my hand in her small one, she tugged me onwards towards the gate, eyes sparkling.

I followed, a smile on my lips as my eyes fell upon the pink granite walls of Abydos.

Finally.

Freedom.

For me.

For her.

Both of us could be happy after so many years of confusion and emotional – as well as physical – pain.