Egyptian Timewave

Chapter 44

Meramenseamen escorts Anippe all the way to her uncle's door, sticking so close to her than they're almost touching. Too close, by far. He nods to the two guards flanking the door.

"The princess is here to speak with Prince Amenhotep."

One of the guards turns to rap on the door before opening it. "My prince, your niece is here."

"Let them in."

The guard pushes the door open further and Anippe is directed inside. After she crosses the threshold, her uncle nods to the guard who escorted her. "Leave her here, I wish to speak with my niece alone."

Meramenseamen nods, bowing, before he retreats out the door. It shuts behind him. Anippe raises an eyebrow at her uncle.

"Why am I here?"

"What, you don't want to spend time with me?"

She gives him a dark look. "If you only wanted to spend time with me, you would have asked instead of sending a guard to bring me to you, and you wouldn't have arrested my handmaiden!"

Amenhotep makes a tsking sound. "You surely aren't upset about that, she was arrested for treason, after all."

"Amenhotep, Abayomi has done nothing of the sort! She's innocent! You must let her go!"

Her uncle sighs. "Come, sit beside me."

He's sitting in the chair, so Anippe just drags a chest across from him and sits on that. Once she's comfortable, she leans forward. "Uncle please, I swear to you that Abayomi is innocent."

"We have evidence of her wrongoings, Anippe. Pharaoh won't be able to dismiss it."

"Please, let me tell Grandfather that she's innocent. Amenhotep, she doesn't deserve this!"

Amenhotep just shakes his head and reaches out to touch Anippe's arm. "I know you would like to believe otherwise, but she is a danger to us. To you. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Uncle, beyond being upset that you're imprisoning my handmaiden for something she didn't do. Is this because we've been speaking to Kahotep?"

Amenhotep raises an eyebrow. "Kahotep? I'll have to send someone to ask him questions, regardless of him being your favourite priest or not. Anippe, can you not see that your handmaiden is influencing you?"

"Influencing me? What do you mean by that?"

"You've changed, little niece. You've changed since she arrived here to serve you. There is no other reason for that to happen than for her to be influencing or controlling you. If your handmaiden is doing such, she is a danger to you and I will not stand for it."

Changed? If she's changed, it's only due to learning of the future Abayomi comes from. "I've changed? You're the one who is changing, Amenhotep. Since when have you refused to hear what I say?"

It's true, that he isn't listening to her. He used to hear her concerns and work through them with her, yet he seems to just repeat what's he's saying without a care for her. When he scoffs and dismisses her, it only cements her belief.

"Let it rest, Anippe. Nothing you say will free your handmaiden. She is guilty, and Pharaoh will see it so."

Anippe can't help but frown slightly at her uncle's apparent refusal to refer to his father as such, only calling him by his title.

"Amenhotep what's wrong? Something isn't right with you."

"It's only concern for my lord Aten, Niece. Nothing more."

Anippe glances to the window, where a cloud snakes across the sun to block some of it's light, causing shadows to repeat the same on the floor.

"You can't believe that Abayomi is causing any problems with Aten, he's a god, the sun disk itself! She's only a girl, one who has been here for a mere few weeks!"

"Which means that the Snake is working through her, and working fast. She must be prevented from furthering Its work."

Anippe all but throws her hands into the air. "If you refuse to truly listen to a word I say, Uncle, then I am leaving."

She almost makes it to the door before he grabs her arm. "You aren't leaving, Anippe, not until your handmaiden's trial. You will stay here for the night. If you need anything from your rooms, tell a guard."

Then he pushes past her, going out the door himself. She frowns at his back. "And where are you going?"

"To interrogate your handmaiden, of course. If you wish to no longer speak with me, then I will not force you to do such."

He opens the door and slips out. Anippe can hear him passing orders to his guards to keep her inside. Anippe turns, returning to the chest she had perched on and pushing it open. Right on top is a bowl and a few sticks of incense. She grabs the bowl and one of the sticks, carrying it over to the window. It takes the work of a few short moments to light the incense and placing it in the bowl. She bows towards the sun and the blue sky above, closing her eyes.

"Lord Amun-Ra, what do I do? You sent Abayomi here to do work for You, and now she is in danger. How can she ever complete Your task this way? How can I keep her safe?"

A breeze brushes past her, followed by a low croon from a hawk. She opens her eyes to see it perched on the windowsill, having arrived without her notice. The bird croons again and stretches up to nibble on a piece of her hair. With its head angled, it watches her for a moment before winging off. Anippe exhales. Patience. That is Amun-Ra's message for her.

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What will happen with Abayomi's interrogation? What do you think is going on with Prince Amenhotep? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out