She didn't want to live for centuries
After enduring three exhausting weeks of arduous travel
through the rugged countryside, they finally made their way back to the magnificent
palace. Aya eagerly anticipated the comfort of her luxurious quarters and the
flock of servants who would cater to her every need and whim. At just eighteen
years old, she emitted delicate beauty that had stolen the pharaoh’s heart when
he took her as his third wife only a year ago. Her flawless skin glowed in the
sun, framed by luscious dark locks and deep, alluring eyes.
***
Although she
had initially resisted the arranged marriage, it was a great honor and
elevation in status for her family. Yet deep down, her heart still belonged to
Tanamet, her first and only love. He was a low-status merchant, and they both
knew their forbidden relationship could never be more than stolen moments of
happiness during her time living in her father’s house while Tanamet delivered
his delectable baked goods.
On her wedding
day as Aya said her final goodbyes to Tanamet, her heart ached with the
realization that she may never see him again. But he promised to find a way for
them to be together, and she clung to that tiny shred of hope as she was
whisked away to the wedding ceremony.
Despite the
grandeur surrounding her, Aya couldn’t stop dreaming about Tanamet. She
complacently followed orders and endured the middle-aged pharaoh’s clammy hands
groping at her and his wet kisses on her body. The marriage bed was only
visited once a month, much to her relief, and when she became pregnant, the
pharaoh showered her with gifts. With the birth of her son, Aya’s status rose
even higher, inciting bitter jealousy and hate among the other wives who could
only bear daughters. Fearing for her son’s safety and his role as her ticket to
higher status, Aya surrounded him with loyal servants from her father’s court.
The palace was filled with intrigue and tension, with sharp daggers hidden in
the eyes of two wives who held higher status than Aya’s own. And though the
pharaoh doted on his son with joy in his eyes, he showed no interest in his
daughters, who seemed to fade into obscurity after their births.
***
Aya strolled
through the palace, her steps gliding effortlessly as three handmaidens
followed closely behind. The grandeur of the long corridors never ceased to
amaze her, with its breathtaking wall paintings and magnificent statues of the
Gods. Her heart swelled with a sense of longing and nostalgia as she walked,
each footfall echoing off the marble floors.
As they reached
the ornately carved door to her quarters, Aya’s pace quickened, and her eyes
sparkled with excitement. The servants bowed and opened the massive door for
her, revealing a lavish room filled with luxurious furnishings.
With a joyful
smile on her face, Aya rushed inside and scooped up the chubby baby boy from
the nanny’s arms. She held him close, examining every inch of his healthy body.
“Is he well?” she asked the old woman who had nursed her as a child.
“He is thriving
and content,” the woman replied with a warm smile, bowing her head
respectfully.
Aya showered
the child with kisses before gently handing him back to the nanny’s care. “My
skin feels rough and dry,” she noted, turning to her handmaidens. “I think a
milk and honey bath would wash away the grime of the awful travel.”
The young women
nodded in agreement and quickly scurried away to prepare the relaxing bath. Aya
motioned to her favorite maid to assist with undressing her. “Ugh,” she sighed
wearily. “I feel soiled.”
“You will feel
clean and refreshed after your bath,” the maid promised, handing her a cup
filled with cool lemonade.
***
The piercing
screams and chaotic yells jolted Aya awake from her peaceful after-bath nap.
She stumbled out of bed, her heart racing as she spotted Tanamet leaning
against the wall with a dark, sinister look in his eyes.
“How did you...”
she stammered, fear coursing through her body. “What did you do?” she screamed,
horrified by the sight of her loyal servants lying lifeless on the carpet,
their once vibrant clothes now drenched in blood. “Where’s my son?” she
demanded, panic rising in her voice.
With a firm
grip on her arm, he dragged her toward the adjoining room where the old nanny
stood trembling, cradling Aya’s baby in her arms.
Tanamet threw
Aya to the ground and shouted, “You belong to me!”
She cowered
before him, lowering her head and whispering through quivering lips, “Why did
you kill my servants? What happened to you?”
“I died,” he
laughed. “And now I’ll live forever.”
“You’re not the
Tanamet I fell in love with,” Aya whimpered.
“No!” Tanamet
laughed again. “I was weak. Now I’m strong, and I do as I wish.”
“Kill me, but
spare my son. He’s just an innocent child.” Aya begged with tears in her eyes.
He took a step
back and observed her with a calculating gaze. “Your son will be Pharaoh! But
that old man can’t touch you anymore. You’re coming with me.” The air hung
heavy with tension as Aya resigned herself to her fate, knowing she had no
choice but to follow Tanamet’s command.
Continue reading the story in the anthology:
https://books2read.com/u/mq5qNO
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