Daughter of the Nile

Chapter Four

As soon as Ahk and Bek were around the corner, they had to fight to hold in their laughter. Ahk took her hand and tugged her into a hall she had not yet been in. They plopped themselves on the bench in the middle of the room, quietly giggling at their own antics.

"Oh, I have missed you, my brother!" Bek grinned as she threw her arms around his neck.

"And I, you, sister. I worried so for you when you left Thebes." Bek's eyes lost their glee. "Bek?" he asked. "What happened when you left?"

Bek sighed. "You know, you truly were the favored child, Ahk," she began. Ahk opened his mouth to answered, but she place a gentle finger over her lips. "But I do not blame you. Father no use for a daughter except for bartering chips in an alliance or treaty." Bek clasped her hands in her lap and focused on them. "Your mother, may the gods ever bless her soul, was more of a mother to me than my own, but all her pleading on my behalf would not move Father. You remember that he married me off to that prince from Nubia."

Ahk nodded. "That prince was an idiot. I could not believe Father gave you to him."

"Well, he was neither a kind prince nor a gentle husband, you can say that much." She sighed. "The three years I spent as his wife were not...pleasant. He would not even let me write to any of you."

"I am sorry, Bek," Ahk said, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her to his side. "When emissary came and brought us your body, Mother felt like she had lost a daughter even though you were not hers. Three years and the first word we have of you is your death. She was so heart-broken...we both were; Mother and I mourned for a year and a day." A single tear ran down the young king's face.

"Oh Ahk," she gently wiped the tear away. "I'm here now, little one."

"Little one?" he asked through his shaky voice.

"Well, not so little now I guess," Bek conceded softly. "I dare say our age gap has closed by at several years.

"It's only three or four years now," he answered with a small smile. "I'm nearly nineteen."

"You only lived six years longer than I?" Bek asked. "I had hoped was longer than that."

"Well, my...demise...was rather sudden," Ahk chuckled humorlessly.

"I'm sorry, Ahkmen," she soothed, sensing his discontent. "You had so much more ahead of you. I know you made a good pharaoh." Ahk shrugged non-committally. "Hey, I read your display," Bek continued. "You were loved by your people and respected by your allies. You traded well and fairly, and did not go to war needlessly." Bek smiled proudly. "The kingship suited you well, little brother."

"Thanks," he answered with a smile, hugging her.

"By the way," Bek said when they parted. "Where are we?" Ahk looked around.

"Oh, this is the Hall of Miniatures," he answered. "My friends, Jedidiah and Octavius live here."

Bek rose and wandered toward the nearest display, Rome. Her gaze raked over the unfamiliar architecture and clothing that the little people wore. "This is a representation of a kingdom?"

"Yes, one that rose many years after ours."

Just then, a red RC sports car sped into the room and parked under the bench. Two little figures came out, both strange to Bek's eyes.

"Hey there, Ahk!"

"Good evening, my liege!"

"Good evening, friends," Ahk stooped let the two miniatures climb onto his hand. "I'd like for you to meet someone." He stood and held them up at chest height so that they and Bek could see each other properly. "This is my sister, Bektamunet, the Flower of the Nile."

"Ahkmen!" Bek protested. "You know good and well that I never had any such title! Father never give me one."

"No," Akh answered. "but I am giving it to you." he smiled softly. "You always loved gathering lotus blossom by the pools in the gardens." He took her hand and gently squeezed, turning her wrist so that he could see the lotus flower designs on her cuffs.

"If I may, my lady," Octavius spoke up, "I believe it is a title that suits you well," He bowed low in Roman fashion, fist over his heart. "General Gaius Octavius of Rome, at your service, Princess."

Bek smiled at the little Roman's gallantry. "I thank you, Lord General. You honor me greatly." She answered with a dip of her head.

Jed stepped up. "Name's Jedidiah, ma'am," he said as tipped his hat to her. "If there's every anything ol' Octavius and I can do for ya, you give us a holler."

"Thank you, gentlemen," Bek answered. "I am honored to meet you both." Ahk put them back down and they climbed back into their little car. With a final wave, they sped out of the room and down the corridor.

"'Flower of the Nile', huh?" Bek put her hands on her hips, grinning teasingly.

"You always liked them so," Ahk defended. "Besides," He continued in his "pharaoh voice". "You are a lovely and fair as any lotus blossom on the Nile." Bek giggled and wrapped an arm around his waist. "I swear the flowers in the garden wilted a bit when you were brought home." He added softly, putting his arm around her shoulders as they left the Hall of Miniatures. "It was like the whole garden was sad. They did not perk up until your tomb beneath the garden was complete, and you were laid to rest, almost as if they decided that they had to bloom all the more in your memory."

"Father had me buried under the garden?"

"Yes, Mother insisted on it," Ahk smiled. "She really wanted to simply place your sarcophagus on a pedestal raised out of your favorite pool in the back garden so that you might be forever surrounded by the water and flowers you loved. However, she knew that it would not provide a place for your soul to dwell in the afterlife, so Father agreed to dig a small tomb beneath the garden."

"That...that was so good of him...and sweet of her, to think my preferences." Bek murmured. The pair continued walking down the hallway in a comfortable silence, simply enjoying each other's presence after so many centuries apart.