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Chapter Five: Homecoming
“Fen!” A five-year-old Railin hollered across the palace steps. The small girl looked up, and a large grin spread across her dirt-smeared face. She had sat down because she had just finished training with Master Rainef, and was insanely exhausted. But at the sight of Prince Railin, Fen stood to say hello. “Fen,” Railin repeated as he reached her, out of breath from his short run. “Do you want to play with me and Nephthys?”
Fen smiled, but shook her head. “No sir, thank-you. I’m really tired, Prince Railin.”
Railin rolled his eyes. “I already told you! Don’t call me that! Just call me Rai!”
Fen looked down and grinned. “Yes my prin-… I mean Rai.” Rai grinned even wider, if possible, and then gave a child-like gasp as if he had come up with something brilliant.
“Hey, what if I gave you a piggy-back ride up the stairs so you don’t get more tired?” Rai nodded his head in encouragement as Fen began to frown.
“Oh no sir, I don’t think I should…”
“Of course you should! It’ll be fun!” Rai pressed on until Fen gave in.
“Alright!” Rai’s face brightened, and he turned around to allow Fen to jump on. Once sure that she wouldn’t fall off, Rai began to zoom around and up that stairs towards the doors of the palace.
Fen giggled uncontrollably as Rai ran around, nearly knocking into several merchants, who sent rather nasty looks after them. She held on tightly as he made one very sharp turn, and began to run straight up the steps, Fen still laughing.
They reached the top of the stairs, and Fen sat her chin on Rai’s shoulder. But only a second later, she saw a shadow fall on both of them, and she looked up to see the Pharaoh.
Rai slowly let her down, and he stood, hanging his head while Fen quickly fell to her knees in respect. Ramses barked for her to get up, and then turned on his son.
“What do you think you are doing?” Rai opened his mouth to answer, but his father cut him off. “She is a servant brat, and you are royalty. You are NOT to be giving such people rides on your back like a common slave! Especially not on the front steps of our home!” Ramses grabbed Fen by the hand, and then flung her to the ground. He grabbed a whip from a passing merchant. “How much is your weight girl?”
Fen whimpered her answer. “Six, sir.”
With her answer, the Pharaoh raised his whip, and pounded six sharp blows to her back. She bit her lip, so that she would not cry out, and tears rolled down her cheek by the third strike. Rai stood, watching with horror as his father beat his friend, and cried for him to stop. But Ramses II did not stop, and once he was done, he grabbed Rai by the arm and angrily led him away.
Fen laid still for a moment before shakily getting to her feet, a lesson learned. Prince Railin was royalty. She was simple servant rubbish.
But the Pharaoh wasn’t done with her this time. No, this time he came back, with a bigger whip. He struck out as he neared, and a thousand knives seemed to pierce her young skin. Her back was bleeding, it must have been, and her spine was on fire. This time she couldn’t help but cry out, as the whip continued to beat down on her sun-browned back, and the flogging continued. Tears streamed down her face, and got chocked in her throat with her cries.
Finally though, it stopped, and Pharaoh stood over her, the whip dangling from his grasp like a snake waiting to strike again. She trembled where she lay, and only dared to look up after a few moments. But to her horror, the Pharaoh’s face had changed. Into Psenmin’s. And in his hand, instead of a whip, was the vicious curved blade; a fang from a serpent. Psenmin raised his weapon over his head, and laughed. Then swung. Fen screamed.
Fen’s voice rang out hoarse as she violently awoke. She was sheathed in sweat, and beads rolled off of her like water. Blood mixed wither sweat, what was left from being dunked in the pool, and blood from the injury on her neck.
Her breathing was fast and shallow, and her heartbeat was fast. She slowly lifted herself up to her elbows from where she lay on her stomach, and nearly swore when she saw several others in the room. They all looked her way, stunned from the echo of her scream, which had just begin to fade from the large space. Slowly she pulled herself up from the floor, and once sure she could stand, Fen quickly strode form the room, and into the hallway.
She needed air. And so she chose the correct hallway to take her to the palace doors.
The actual palace doors were vast and lofty, and were only open during the daylight hours. And seeing them closed told Fen that she had slept through the entire day. Unusual, she thought, seeing as she would have probably been woken for an assignment or duty. But she shook it off as nothing, and found the servant’s door.
The servant’s door, or the Slide, named for the way it opened, was located to the extreme right of the palace doors. It was nearly invisible, and unless you knew it was there, you would never notice it. Fen strode quickly towards it, and slipped quietly out.
The cool night air hit her like a wave, and she inhaled deeply, enjoying the feeling it gave her lungs. The tingling sensation that only lasted a few seconds after that first, glorious taste of cold air. Looking either way before moving, not entirely sure she should be out, Fen slipped down the side stairs and jumped the low wall that surrounded the bastion. She was off into Egypt.
Rai stood out on his balcony and watched over Egypt. The sun had set, and it was now cool in the desert. Short buildings stood in shadow of the light the moon provided, and gave the city a look of suspicion. He looked down at the palace beneath him, and looked at the torches outside that broke the darkness. And that’s when he saw it.
A shadow came darting out of the Slide, and paused for a moment before hurrying on. It made it to the wall, and looked around once more before jumping it. As it did so, that’s when Rai noticed the shimmering gold clothing worn by the silhouette. And as it jumped down from the partition, he saw a distinct set of curves and a pair of dimples that he knew all too well. The one thing he didn’t know, however, was why she was sneaking out in the middle of the night. And that meant he was going to find out.
Turning, Rai strode quickly out of his quarters, down the stairs, through the slide and over the wall, following the fleeting outline that was Kesi Fenyang.
Fen ran until she was short of breath, to make sure she hadn’t been followed. But also for the thrill it gave her to run free through the streets, the wind in her short hair, and the night as her cover. No one was out, all of the families safe inside their houses. And Fen finally felt free.
Slowing to a walk, Fen now had time to think. With no particular place in mind, Fen followed her feet, and simply wound her way through the streets of Egypt.
For the first time since Reuben had given it to her, Fen pulled the star out from where it had been tucked in her uniform. Actually, she realized, she’d forgotten to change from the clothing she had worn at the festival, and now regretted it, because of the blood that stained it. But it mattered little now, and she let the necklace hang free from her neck, and felt as if a large weight had been lifted a small bit.
Fen thought of many things, Egypt, her position as a guard, Neph and Eshe, and Rai. And she thought about her dream, and became terrified for a moment to think of it.
She couldn’t ever remember, before that night, having any sort of dream; ever. She’d never waded through her thoughts in her sleep, and although Neph and Eshe often spoke of theirs, she’d never actually experienced one.
However, she knew from Neph that what she’d had was not a dream, but a nightmare. A dream that manifested itself from her deepest fears and darkest memories. And from her newest injuries. She’d never feared Psenmin before now, but after what had happened, all of it, she couldn’t help but fell helpless from him.
Fen only pulled herself from her thoughts when she nearly fell down a steep slope. Looking out in front of her, she saw the exact valley, where only two moons ago, she had fought, and won, but in return had been slashed.
She only stood a moment, and decided to descend the valley and wander through it again; alone. She looked around as she reached the bottom, and saw nothing. The deep pits were empty, and the endless amounts of workstations were void of all life. She was alone in a valley that reeked of pain and suffering. Fen thought back to that day, and remembered what the young man had told her.
No! You and your filthy palace scum are what cause us to work ourselves worthless out here. It’s time to end it!
Fen had been stunned, for a moment, into saying the next thing that came to mind.
Maybe, but this isn’t the way to do it!
Had it been the truth? Had she meant what she had said? Fen looked down at the small star that hung from her neck. Did she agree with that man? Was he right? Was it time for change?
Then Fen remembered the man at the festival. The one that had turned the water to blood. The one that had fought with Ramses. The one that had talked about Adonai.
Adonai. Was that her God now? Did she have just the one? It was odd, she thought, Religion, and realized that the Star around her neck didn’t make her what she was. It was what she believed inside, what was most important. And it occurred to her that she hadn’t actually adopted the Egyptian religion, when Reuben had taken her in. Of course she’d been told of the Gods, like Re, Anubis, Horus, Isis, and so forth. But, looking back now, did she ever actually believe in their existence? Did she ever truly think that Re was a king on high, watching them all from his seat in the sky? Did Anubis really bring plague famine and such, or was it just circumstance? And could anyone, god or mortal, ever control the gift of love? Or the curse of it, because of course it always had two sides.
Faith plagued her heart and mind, and so for the time being, Fen let it sit at the back of her thoughts to brew and work. She would trouble over that later, along with the rest of her worries. For now, she would enjoy the peace and quiet of the valley and–
“That’s a beautiful star there. Fitting I would say.”
Fen spun on the spot, and reached for her weapons, only to realize that she had left them back at the palace. Cursing silently, she tried and failed to make out the target. The man was sitting in shadow, and so she couldn’t see his face. However, she could see the body of a man who had worked all of his life in the sun and dirt.
He hadn’t yet attacked, and he’d had prime opportunity to do so when she hadn’t been paying attention. And so Fen spoke. “Who are you?”
“In good time.” Fen tried furiously to make out his face while he spoke, but to no avail. “But first, how is your neck?”
Fen realized even before he came into the moonlight who he was. She took a step back, as he rose to a good six inches taller than she, and stood defensively, bringing a hand to her neck. But his face was not that of someone wishing to do harm. In fact, he almost looked… hungry.
“I don’t wish you any harm. Please, I just want to know that you’re alright.”
Fen pulled away her hand, and craned her neck so that he could see the gash that started just under her ear. An indistinguishable emotion passed over his eyes as he extended a hand to touch. But Fen swatted it away before it came near. “Do not touch me.”
The man looked hurt for a moment, but it passed, and again that look came into his eyes, of a primal hunger. He bowed, confusing her, and said, “I am Jehrome. Welcome home, Kesi Fenyang.”
“Thank-you, sir”
“No, thank-you princess; please, blessed be.” The squat merchant busily gathered his things and set off for another side of the main entrance hall. Eshe stood beside Nephthys in the massive crowd that always loitered the palace during the daytime hours, and craned over Neph’s shoulder to look at the shawl she’d just purchased. It was a gorgeous blend of greens and browns, looking like the collage of a dense forest.
“Nephthys!”
Neph turned to the call, and groaned at the sight. Her father was steamrolling his way towards her, his face turning an unhealthy shade of red.
"What do you think you are doing?" Ramses looked reminiscent of a very angry warthog, nose crinkled up in an odd fashion and breathing heavily.
"I was purchasing a wrap for myself, your majesty."
"And just how did you pay for it?"
Neph swallowed hard. "With the kingdom's currency, sire."
Ramses bared his teeth and clenched his fists in a way that only helped to make him look more pig-like. “And where did you get Kingdom currency?”
Neph had grown pale, and she swallowed again. “I, uh-”
Eshe cleared her throat in a loud way that made it obvious to anyone in the surrounding area that she’d slipped a name into it.
“Railin!” Neph let out a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding, and nearly dropped to the floor with relief as she began to weave the story for her father. “Yes, you see, I had asked Railin if he would purchase this scarf for me. However, he was extremely busy father, and he simply gave me the money to buy it with.” Neph felt like doing a happy dance.
That is, until she took the time to look at her father. Ramses’ features had gotten back to their usual mottled grey and brown color. However, the look on his face more that made up for it. “Nephthys, are you lying to me?”
Neph took a moment to weigh her chances before answering. “No, of course not your majesty.”
Ramses was not convinced. However, he let it slide, only to back Neph into another corner. “I have found a suitable husband for you.”
Nephthys dropped from the high she had been riding to an ultimate low. She felt the bottom of her stomach give way, and her mouth gape. “You – you have?”
Ramses nodded his head once. “Yes, and you are to meet with him tonight at dinner. He will then make his decision. So do not be late this evening, Nephthys. Do you understand me?”
Neph had lost all hope. “Yes, your majesty.”
Ramses, obviously pleased, began to walk away. But he turned once more before going. “And servant girl,” he said harshly. “If you ever use your tongue in my presence again without being told to, I will see to it that it is cut out.”
“Aisha!” Set was ready to completely lose it. Not only was the Pharaoh being as unreasonable as she had ever seen him, but she had no water with which to cook and her aide was playing with her cookware. Not to mention the fact that all of the recipes she’d tried thus far had failed miserably and there was a parade marching through her skull.
“Aisha! Stop banging on everything and help me!”
Aisha screamed over the din “What?”
Set restrained herself from throwing a clay pot at the girl. “I said STOP BANGING ON EVERYTHING AND HELP!”
The racket continued and the repartee in Set’s head became louder. Unable to stand anymore, Set tipped Aisha at the ankles and grabbed the spatula she had been holding. “Stop the banging.”
Aisha pulled herself up and brushed off her clothes. “Well Gods Set, all you have to do was ask. You didn’t have to go and trip me.”
Set again resisted the urge to do bodily harm and instead turned back to her break which was doing anything but rise. In fact, it looked like something a camel had spat out.
Aisha looked over Set’s shoulder. “Eww, you’re not gonna feed them that are you?”
Set smacked Aisha with the spatula. “No you pain in my ass. I’m trying to figure out how to make bread without water.”
Aisha blinked. “Um, you can’t do that. It’s not possible.”
Set took a deep breath. “Yes well, I’m finding that out. So instead of making as much noise as you possibly can, figure out something else to serve with dinner. Ramses is having some sort of guest tonight, and if I don’t give them a spectacular meal, we’re both dead.”
Aisha nodded, and to Set’s utter amazement, set herself to work.
A bell tolled throughout Egypt. The Pharaoh’s Guard said goodbye to a newfound friend. The Princess stared at herself in a mirror where a worried face stared back. And the Chef and her aide tentatively began to serve a waterless dinner.
