Asenath (16 page)

The guard reappeared. "My lady, Her Majesty Queen Ahmose gives you her consent as well as her condolences."

I let out a breath of relief. "Thank you. Please give Her Majesty my thanks."

The bodies of my friends were brought out and laid before me. They were swaddled in linen. I gingerly approached. I lifted the cloth on the face level.

I was afraid at first. But it comforted me to see that the twins looked like they were merely sleeping. Their faces, however, were unusually pale.

I took a moment of silence, remembering how they had lived their lives. They had been simple, quiet people. They had never complained and never caused trouble. Though they usually shied away from everyone, they were always willing to help if asked.

Afterward, I looked up and nodded.

My servants and I took my friends to the House of Death, where the mummifying was done. So it was that all the arrangements were made and the twins were set to have a goodly burial.

I informed my pupils' parents that classes would be suspended further. Then I spent each and every one of the next seventy days by the twins' side.

Khasekh came not long after the mummification had begun. "Asenath, I am so sorry."

We embraced.

"If I had known what you were planning to do," he said, "I gladly would have helped you."

"It was on a spur of the moment," I said.

The embalmers were now about to remove the twins' brains through their nostrils. I averted my gaze.

"This is very noble of you," Khasekh said quietly.

"It was the least I could do. I feel really bad that I was never able to see them."

"It was beyond your control." He patted my arm. "Say, since I knew them too, let me pay for the mummification as well."

I shook my head, knowing he did not have much money. "No, it's all right."

"No, please. Let me."

"It's fine."

"Please, Asenath."

He was so insistent, I finally allowed him to donate a meagre sum.

My parents came as soon as they could. Father was kind enough to use his connections to procure a tomb for the twins. They would be laid to rest in the priestly burial ground in the western valley.

Khasekh smiled when I informed him of this. "That is good," he said. "Now the deceased priests will have servants to wait on them in the afterlife."

That remark
bit
me.

"That was an unkind thing to say, Khasekh," I said. "The most unkind thing
ever
."

The mummifiers paused in their work and stared at me.

I ignored them. "Have you forgotten who they were? They were our
friends
. They lived in the same village as us, swam in the river with us, attended the Feast of Hapi with us."

Tears welled up in my eyes.

"I'm sorry, Asenath." Khasekh put an arm around me.

I pulled away.

"Please forgive me," he said. "I did not mean it that way. I am sorry."

I suddenly felt very weary. I leaned against him and closed my eyes.

Soon, the mummification was finished. The embalmers wrapped the twins in linen strips and placed them inside wooden coffins, which then went inside beautifully painted sarcophagi. Around the coffins, Khasekh and I placed
shabti,
tiny statues which were believed to become the deceased's servants.

From the quay at Karnak, we sailed across the river to the western valley. There, we were met by two funerary priests who wore jackal masks representing the god Anubis. Behind them were two mourner women who keened and tore at their hair.

Our humble funeral procession travelled deep into desolate rocky terrain. The ground grew so rough, my family and I disembarked our litters and made the rest of the way on foot. The sarcophagi meanwhile were lifted from their mule-drawn sledge and onto the shoulders of the House of Death's servants.

Father led us toward a small cave at the bottom of the valley. A freezing draft blew from within. I shivered.

Servants lit torches, revealing a flat cemented area. There, Khasekh and I laid offerings—bouquets, food and
stele
engraved with sketches of the twins.

Father led us down a flight of steps, which led into the burial chamber. The Anubis priests stood the sarcophagi upright. Khasekh and I positioned the canopic jars, alabaster vessels which contained the twins' internal organs.

Father took up a tiny
adze
and touched it to the sarcophagi. He chanted spells, performing the Opening of the Mouth ceremony, which was believed to restore the twins' senses.

I stared blankly into the red-orange gloom of the tomb. It was hard to believe that my friends, who were once full of life, were no more.

After the ceremony and a moment of silence, Mother took my arm. "Bid them farewell now, daughter. You will see them again one day."

Outside the tomb, Father dismissed the priests and mourners. Then we sat down for a commemorative feast.

Mother had prepared the food herself. Had I not been so morose, I would have enjoyed it.

No one said much. Once in a while, Father asked Khasekh about his studies. But soon, we were all lost in our own thoughts.

The boat ride back across the river was in complete silence.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

A week after the twins' funeral, I half-heartedly resumed my classes. One day, my pupils and I were out having our break in Lady Ahwere's garden when a servant approached.

"Life, health and prosperity to you, Lady Asenath. I have a message from Her Majesty, Queen Ahmose." She held out a scroll.

"Lady Ahwere is out. I suppose you can keep it until she returns."

"It is for you, my lady."

I stared at her. "Are you certain?"

"Yes."

I took the scroll and broke open the seal. The message was not very long, but it astounded me nonetheless. Queen Ahmose wished to have dinner with me. I surmised she wanted to convey her condolences about Lyla.

The following evening, a handmaiden of the Queen escorted me through the gleaming halls of the Women's Palace and into her mistress' luxurious apartment. We crossed a vestibule lined with vases shaped like kneeling women. At the end, the handmaid drew back gossamer draperies.

"Approach her Majesty," she said with a graceful sweep of her arm.

I took a deep breath then entered into the presence of the Great Royal Wife.

The Queen reclined upon an ivory couch lined with silken pillows. Though not in her full regalia, she looked every inch the ruler she was. A broad collar-necklace of pearls and emeralds glittered across her chest. A fitting sheath dress flattered her slim lengthy figure.

Her large green eyes were fixed upon me. She exuded an air of cunning and intelligence, a woman who could
not
be fooled.

I swallowed and got to my knees on the alabaster floor. "Life, health and prosperity to you, your Majesty. O Great Royal Wife, Favourite Lady, may you live forever."

"Arise and approach me, Lady Asenath." Her voice brimmed with clarity and finesse.

I began to move forward when a leopard lying below her lifted its head and growled. I paused.

"Don't be afraid," the Queen said. "He won't hurt you."

I came before her and bowed again. "It is a great honour to meet with you, your Majesty. I thank you for inviting me here. How may I be of service to you?"

I folded my hands in a gesture of defence.

The Queen swung her feet to the ground and sat up. "I was told you buried the twins. Lyla was my handmaid, as you know."

"I do, Majesty. It was most gracious of you to give me your permission."

"Tell me about the funeral. I hear your father performed the last rites."

"He did, Majesty." I told her everything.

"I must say," she said. "I find this to be most noble. It seems you are fiercely loyal to those close to you. Such a trait is rare these days, wouldn't you agree?"

I shifted slightly, intimidated by those penetrating green eyes. "Yes, Majesty."

"Having said that, I wonder if you would be interested in tutoring my daughter, the Princess Hatshepsut? For I trust you will give us the same loyalty you gave your peers."

My eyes nearly widened in a most undignified manner. Though I was not obsessed with social politics the way some people were, I could not deny the prestige of this offer.

"Yes, I would, your Majesty," I said, stunned. "I thank you for this opportunity. I do indeed vow to you my loyalty. I am but your humble servant."

The Queen smiled and scratched the leopard in between the eyes. "I am greatly pleased. You are to inform your pupils' parents that in two days' time, your classes will be moved to the library of the Women's Palace. The Princess will be joining you then. Everything you need will be provided for."

"You are most kind Majesty."

"Good. Then it's settled." She rose, her jewels glittering with the movement. "Shall we go to dinner now?"

"Yes, Majesty."

I was surprised to discover it would just be the Queen and I that night. I had expected a much larger company. I was nervous for I did not know what I could possibly converse with her about.

"You know what," the Queen said as we sat down. "The other day, my beautician showed me a new kind of anti-wrinkle cream. I tried it last night. So far it seems to work."

I was amazed at her sudden casualness.

Queen Ahmose turned out to be very talkative. She did most of the talking too, much to my relief. She spoke mostly of health and beauty issues, as well as Princess Hatshepsut, who was undoubtedly her pride and joy.

Sometime after the relocation of my classes, I received a message from Lord Potiphar.

Meet me at the Palace courtyard after your classes. I have news for you.

I could only guess what this was about.

The following day when I went to the courtyard, Lord Potiphar was already there.

"I could not write down what I had to tell you," he said. "Let's go for a walk, shall we?"

I was glad he was not one for useless small talk.

We strode away from prying ears.

"You've heard about the cupbearer's and baker's verdicts, haven't you?" he asked.

"Yes."

Earlier, I had heard that the baker was found to be the guilty one and executed, while the butler was restored to his position.

"But that is already old news," I said.

"Not quite. Joseph was involved."

I nearly stopped dead in my tracks. "What? But you never told me that."

"Well, I did not want to get your hopes up too soon. Also, I did not want to write it down as the message might have gotten intercepted. But anyway, Joseph was put in charge of the two as they were elite prisoners. Before the cupbearer left, he apparently promised Joseph that he would speak to Pharaoh on his behalf.

I gasped. "So that means..."

"Yes." Potiphar smiled.

"But it has already been a while since then. Why hasn't anything happened?"

"I have a feeling the cupbearer is biding his time. You know how delicate Palace politics are. Understandably, he would not want to risk Pharaoh's wrath a second time. Hence, I too waited a bit before telling you of this."

I nodded slowly.

"But don't worry, Asenath," Potiphar said. "Inevitably, the cupbearer will have to tell Pharaoh. He made a promise. He is just being very careful right now. I am sure that before the year is over, Joseph will be released."

I smiled brightly. "I suppose you're right. Thank you so much for telling me of this, my lord."

"You know, I would take you to visit Joseph again, but seeing how rough the prison is..." He gave me an embarrassed look.

"I understand."

"Well, Asenath, I have to go now. I will keep you updated. Take care, my dear."

"You too. And thank you once again, oh so very much."

One morning I lay in bed suspended between the sleeping and waking world when a thought struck me.

Of course. Of
course
.

Because I now worked in the Palace,
I
could help hasten my dear one's release. I could somehow run into the cupbearer and talk with him about this. Now I had to find the opportunity.

Coincidentally―or not―a few nights later, my parents and I were invited to dinner at the Palace.

Khasekh was there. I was astonished to see him, as I had not expected him. But I was more than glad he was there.

"Thank goodness for you," I murmured to him. "If it hadn't been for you, I would have been bored to tears tonight."

"You won't be bored. You won't be bored at all." He grinned.

"Why is that? Will you be performing some monkey acrobatics?"

He lightly punched my arm. "Wait and see."

He did not disappoint. He injected life into the usually dry gatherings of the nobility. Even Pharaoh and the Queen, who were usually so serious, roared with laughter at his antics. I was amazed and amused at how these high-born people appreciated my best friend's plebeian humour.

At dessert, Khasekh said, "I wish to present a gift to Lady Asenath."

He produced a small drawstring bag. "This is for you, my lady."

I took it. I drew out a necklace of faience beads. It was similar to something I already had. Nevertheless I treasured it as it was a gift from my best friend.

"This is lovely. Thank you, Khasekh." I strung it on.

"There is also something I wish to ask. Though I wonder if it should wait until after my graduation."

"No!" Father said. "Ask now, Khasekh."

Khasekh took a deep breath. He got down on one knee before me. "Lady Asenath, will you marry me?"

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

I dropped my goblet. It fell with a
clang
to the floor.

Some people jumped in their seats.

"This could be a grand theatrical performance," Pharaoh said.

The guests laughed. Pharaoh smiled and leaned back in his seat, as if he was indeed watching a play.

"This is, uh, most unexpected, Khasekh." I hoped he would recant, revealing it was a joke.

"I know," he said. "But will you, Asenath?"