Egyptian Timewave

Chapter 35

Before Abayomi can even finish processing that statement, the kitchen doors are thrown open as three guards burst in. Two of them make a half-sweep around the room while another stands at the door, presumable guarding it. As they approach, she finds them to be familiar, one being one of the two who had interrogated her only a few hours prior. The other, she doesn't know where she saw him, but she does remember his face.

She's certainly seen him before. Abayomi turns back to the food for a moment, startling so badly that she almost upsets the dish of mallow root when a hand claps down on her shoulder. She shies away from it and the hand lets her, falling down once she's moved out of its reach. When she turns back around to face the owner of the hand, she finds Huy to be standing behind her. When he sees her face, his eyebrow raises.

"You're not the princess, unless she changed her outfit to match with her handmaiden."

Abayomi snorts. "Well spotted."

The guard captain's brow raises even higher as he crosses his arms, something she hadn't realized was even possible. But he comments on something other than her snark. "It took far less time than expected for our paths to cross once more, it seems. I do hope you've been keeping out of trouble."

"Like you asked, I suppose?" Asenath inhales slightly from beside her, presumable putting the puzzle pieces together.

"Indeed."

She blinks innocently at him. Not that she needs to, all she's been doing is eating food and chatting so she's certainly done nothing wrong. "Do you believe that I would be in trouble after only two hours out of your clutches?"

He snorts. "No, but one can never be too careful, can they?"

She has to concede a point to that, but she moves on anyways. "So why are you boys storming into the kitchen now?"

"Routine procedure, handmaiden, routine procedure."

Her smile turns sour. He's going to call her handmaiden? "I do have a name, you know."

"I am sure that you do. Why are you bringing this up?"

"Because you called me handmaiden."

"That is what you are, a handmaiden. What else would you suggest I call you?"

"By my name, of course."

"I do not know your name. Nor should I use it."

Abayomi has to stare at him for a few moments before responding to that. "My name is Abayomi. Why do you think you shouldn't use it?"

He sighs, a long-suffering one by the sound of it, but responds. "As a mere handmaiden, you are of a lower status to myself and the other guards here. As such, I will refer to you by your position and not by your name, which would make you an equal."

Being of a lower job status mean you no longer get the same courtesy of someone using your name? She's about to point out the common courtesy of using someone's name when Asenath cuts in.

"If she's a lesser noble, would that mean you should use her name?"

Huy ponders that for a moment. "I believe it would, but I am unsure why that matters-"

"It's because I am a lesser noble."

He looks mildly taken aback by this, but after a moment's hesitation seems to take it in stride. "What are you doing in here, then, Abayomi? Pilfering the prince's food?"

Asenath squints at him. "How do you know that this had been the prince's?"

"I am one of his personal guards."

"Then should you not know that he turned it away this morning and called for something else?"

He blinks at that. "I was not aware that that was the case."

"It was, and I'm certainly not going to turn up my nose at good food that I wouldn't get to eat otherwise. If he refuses to eat it, I will. And it's delicious."

Huy nods, before jerking his chin at the dish Abayomi had rescued from falling. "What is that then?"

"Mallow root?"

"And why do you not touch it, only holding it there?"

"It's for my lady, she asked me to retrieve some for her."

He frowns at her. "If the princess asked that of you, then why do you linger here?"

"Because I'm not in that much of a rush, I can chat with a friend and snag a bite to eat."

He jerks his head towards the door. "Go take your lady her food, and don't tarry. You were lucky to gain your role here in the palace under her guidance, so do not betray the princess' kindness."

Abayomi supposes she could argue, but he seems set on his decision and really, if he's here to interrogate the kitchen staff, she doesn't want to participate in it. She's had enough interrogations for one day, thank you very much. She's covered for oh, the next year, if not longer. Silently, she waves farewell to Asenath and stands from the table, carrying the dish towards the doors of the kitchen only to stop when the other guard who had been doing a sweep stops in her path.

"You have to sit down."

She blinks at him, frowning. "Why?"

"We need to ask some questions of you before you may leave."

Abayomi's frown deepens, but Huy's voice cuts in behind her. "Imenand, stand down. Questions have been asked of her already this day, she is free to go." His voice raises higher. "Kheti, let her pass."

The guard before her - Imenand - steps to the side and Abayomi sweeps past, dipping her chin slightly when Kheti opens the doors for her. She supposes she'll spend the rest of the day hanging out with Anippe, or perhaps in the gardens? That would be nice. But if she does that, she still has to give Anippe her treat first. Well, not has to, but it would be the polite thing to do. If she crosses paths with Huy again, she also thinks that he might yell at her if she doesn't.
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Well Abayomi got away with a bit of luck. What do you think will happen during the kitchen interrogations? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out