Fate's a Funny Thing

Chapter 1

Thebes 2,134 BC Thebes. City of the Living. Crown jewel of Pharaoh Seti the First.Home of Imhotep, High Priest of Osiris, Keeper of the Dead, and his beautiful wife Kridasha, Seti's youngest and most treasured daughter. Given to Imhotep for his many years of loyalty to the Pharaoh. Thebes, Birthplace of Anck-su-namun. Pharaoh's Mistress. No other man was allowed to touch her.

Anck-su-namun walked into her chambers, ignoring her lover's priests as she made her way to the center of the room where he stood. Imhotep reached out and pulled Anck-su-namun to him and into a feverish kiss. They both knew that at any moments someone could walk through the doors and discover them, but Imhotep was beyond caring. This woman had bewitched him in every way and he loved her more than he had ever loved another, including his beautiful wife. Imhotep's hands roamed over her perfect body, smearing the paint that the Pharaoh had ordered she be covered in.

While the lover's were wrapped in each other's arms they were too engrossed to notice the two occupants on the other side of the palace watching them through the window. Princess Nefertiri and her younger sister Princess Kridasha, Imhotep's young wife could see the entire encounter from the younger princess' balcony. Kridasha's heart was broken. She had no love for her husband, her own heart belonged to another as well, but she had enough respect for him to keep her desires to herself. Dasha felt a lone tear fall from her eye as her hand came to rest upon the swell of her belly. Nefertiri's reached out for her sister's hand, trying to offer some comfort.

As Imhotep's priests move to close the doors and give the couple their privacy, they are suddenly thrown open by the Pharaoh who gives the priest a look of angry confusion, "What are you doing here?"

At the sound of Set's voice the lovers quickly break apart and Imhotep ran to hide.

Kridasha and Nefertiri watched their father enter the viper's room, completely unaware that Imhotep is there as well. Dasha looks down and spots Amun the leader of the Medjai standing below her balcony with the rest of the Pharaoh's personal guards, one of which was the object of her affections, Reshet.

"Amun! Our father is in danger! You must go to him quickly!" Dasha called out as both she and Nefertiri point across the balcony towards Anck-su-namun's quarters.

Completely unaware that anything sinister had occurred, Seti strode towards Anck-su-namun's private room and threw the curtains apart. Seeing Anck-su-namun standing alone calmed the Pharaoh. She sent him a sensual smile, and Seti grinned back, walking closer to his mistress. However, upon moving closer to her, Seti was able to make out the smeared paint on her body.

"Who had touched you?" He exclaimed pointing to the speared pain on her arm. Anck-su-namun looked up at the Pharaoh in horror as Imhotep came up behind him and stole his sword from his side.

Seti turned around quickly only to be confronted with his most trusted priest as well as his son-in- law.

"Imhotep? My priest, my Son?" Seti questioned somewhat sorrowfully and for just a moment the look of regret is present in Imhotep's eyes.

Behind him, Anck-su-namun lifted her dagger and plunged it into the Pharaoh's back. Seti let out a painful wail as Imhotep raised the sword and pierced him through the chest.

Dasha and Nefertiri watched in horror as their father was killed mercilessly. "NO!" They both cry out; however Nefertiri leaned too far out and fell off the balcony. Kridasha reached out for her sister's hand but at that precise moment she was hit with her first contraction and the pain distracted her long enough to miss the opportunity.