Asenath (3 page)

The rest of the journey home was sombre. But when one of the soldiers informed us that we were only a couple of days away from our home, our spirits soared once more.

I began to imagine my reunion with my parents. Would Papa pretend to see a ghost, then gather me up and swing me around? Would Mama hold me close, and in her beautiful soothing voice, tell me how much she had missed me and how much I had grown?

I smiled thinking about it.

Soon, our beloved home appeared as a speck in the distance. The moment my fellow villagers and I saw it, we burst into cheers that could have subdued the storm-god Seth.

Suddenly, some of us began darting ahead. I thought that was a good idea and joined them.

In no time, a crowd came pouring out of the village. Amidst the joyous shrieks, crying and hugging, I looked around for my parents.

They were not there.

I tried to ignore the dread that rose up inside me. Perhaps Papa was still out fishing and Mama was out gathering water and herbs.

I blinked in astonishment. Already, I had readjusted to the old routine. It was as if the entire captivity had just been a horrible nightmare.

I entered the village, the familiar surroundings opening up around me like welcoming arms. Nothing changed, but nothing ever really changed here. Still, the people of our village never had reason to complain, for everything we loved and wanted was here—our families and friends, our comfortable mud huts and the pristine beauty of the Nile.

I arrived in front of my family's hut. I gazed lovingly upon it for a moment, then entered.

The house was extremely filthy. A thick layer of dust covered everything. Cobwebs draped from the ceiling and frogs and rodents scampered about.

A strange squeaking noise sounded from inside one of the water jars. I edged toward it and peered inside. To my horror, I saw a rat had given birth to slimy pink blobs. I screeched and backed away.

I was still looking around in bewilderment, wondering why our house was in such dreadful condition, when I heard a voice outside, "Kiya."

I turned around. Standing at the entrance to our hut was one of my father's closest friends, an elderly fisherman named Sakhbu.

"Welcome home. It's good to see you."

I hurried over to him. "Where are Mama and Papa, Sakhbu?"

Sakhbu paused for a moment. My skin grew cold. There was something about his voice. Something...
bad
.

Sakhbu took a deep breath. "Kiya. Be brave. Be strong." He placed his hands on my shoulders.

"Where are they?" I stared into his wrinkled face, suddenly too frightened to speak.

"Kiya." His voice was now soft. "Your parents have gone to the realms of the gods. The warriors murdered them after they took you away. They murdered Menah's parents as well."

All I remember after hearing that is screaming as I collapsed to the ground.

When I regained consciousness, I saw I was back inside my family's hut. Three faces looked down at me. One was Sakhbu, the other was his wife and the third was a portly, middle-aged man I had never seen before. I could tell from his garments that he was a priest. I also knew that he was not from around here, because he carried himself with pride and grandeur, unlike the nearby town priests, who were simple and modest.

"Are you all right, Kiya?" Sakhbu asked.

I stared up at him without answering, not because I did not want to, but because my tongue could not move.

"It has all been too much for her," Sakhbu said quietly to the priest. "And really, Lord Pentephres, who can blame her? First her captivity, and now this."

The priest clucked his tongue. If I had not been numb, I would have been intimidated by his grandeur.

"It is indeed too much for a young child." He looked at me with eyes lengthened by cunning kohl streaks. "Her parents need not worry. They can rest knowing that..."

Then I slipped back into nothingness.

CHAPTER THREE

I was certain I had died. There were no sounds, not even a faint light, nothing. I could not even see the gods who would decree my eternal fate. Perhaps I had been deemed worthless by them and discarded for all eternity.

One day, the darkness lifted.

I opened my eyes and saw I was in a strange room. Rows of reed mats stretched out to either side of me. Torches burned from alcoves in the stone walls. A large window revealed a dark-blue sky.

I looked around blankly, my mind in a fog.

A door at the far end opened to reveal a tall thin woman. She hurried over to me.

"Kiya! Praise Re, you have awakened." She knelt by my side.

"How are you feeling?"

My voice was hoarse. "Uh, all right. Where am I? What is this place? Who are you?"

The woman smiled. "I am Irikara. You are here in the Temple of Atum-Re in Heliopolis. The high priest Lord Pentephres brought you and some of the other village children here."

"What's Heliopolis?"

"The city of the sun-god."

My eyes widened in fear. "You mean this isn't my village?"

"No, Kiya. You are in the city now."

I began to shudder. I knew nothing of the big cities, except what I once heard from a passing trader. He told us that little children there were tied up in sacks and left to die.

I whimpered.

Irikara placed a gentle hand on my arm.

"Don't be afraid, Kiya. We're here to help you. Lord Pentephres has commanded that no harm should come to you or any of the other village children. And some of your friends are here too. Do you know Menah?"

My anxiety immediately vanished. "He is my best friend."

"How about the twins, Lyla and Nyla?"

"Yes."

I didn't know them too well, for they were quiet people who often kept to themselves. But I was more than happy to have familiar people around.

"Menah has been asking about you every day," Irikara said. "And Nyla sleeps on the mat next to you. This is the room for the girls, you see. Menah sleeps in the boys' room."

"Do you sleep here too?"

"Yes, over there by the window." She nodded toward it. "Anyway, we've cleaned you up so that you're now fresh and pretty."

For the first time, I noticed I had on a new and clean white dress.

"I also saved this for when you awoke." She drew something from her pocket.

I gasped.

It was the lapis lazuli lotus necklace. It was then I realised how close I had come to losing it.

Irikara pressed the precious gift onto my palm. My fingers closed tightly over it.

"Thank you!" I said. "Thank you, Irikara."

She smiled. "Why don't you go freshen up for dinner? You'll be able to see Menah and the twins. I'll leave you for awhile. You can wash your face over there."

She motioned to a pitcher and some bowls.

I gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you."

Everything was still so strange to me. But she seemed very nice.

"I shall see you soon." She disappeared out the door.

I strung the lotus around my neck. After splashing my face, I went over to the full-length mirror by the window.

I gazed at myself.

The dress I wore was cut modestly and reached just below my knees. My hair, which had become stringy and smelly during my captivity, now fell to my hips in a glossy black veil. My feet were bare. Though I was dressed very simply, I thought I looked glamorous.

I twirled around, loving how the dress flared out slightly. If only my parents could see me now.

Suddenly, everything came crashing back to me.

The captivity.

The terrible news of Sakhbu.

I woodenly walked back to my mat and sank down. It was not fair. I wanted to break down and cry, but for some reason the tears would not come. In the depths of my heart, I cursed Hapi for allowing this to happen. Never mind that I was in a temple.

I was so lost in these dark thoughts that I did not see Irikara reappearing until I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Kiya? Are you all right?"

I jolted, then looked up at her. "Yes, I'm fine."

As nice as she was, I did not feel comfortable confiding in her.

"Let's go get something to eat." She nodded.

I rose and followed her outside.

"Great Re, aren't you
tall
!" she said.

As Irikara led me down a dimly lit corridor, she said, "Before you have dinner, you will be meeting with some of the senior priests and priestesses of the temple. Lord Pentephres is currently away. He is in Thebes, meeting with Pharaoh. He will want to see you when he returns. Be on your best behaviour. Bow when you are introduced. The priests will be asking you several questions. Reply truthfully. If you do not know what to say, I will answer for you."

I nodded blankly. Her words barely registered in my mind.

Outside, the night was cold. I shivered and hugged myself.

Irikara led me through dirt paths lined with squat, mud brick structures, then into an alleyway. At the end, we found ourselves on the threshold of a gleaming courtyard.

My jaw dropped. I had not imagined that the rugged path would lead to such an elegant place. The courtyard's grounds were laid with polished tiles that reflected the torches. Rows of lotus columns lined the sides.

At the centre was a towering pointed pole, an obelisk covered in precious stones. The tip was capped with a solid golden
benben
pyramid which flashed against the looming night sky.

"Come now, Kiya," Irikara said. "We must not keep the priests waiting."

With great difficulty, I detached my eyes from the magnificent sights. I continued on my way. As I followed her across the courtyard, I smelled the bittersweet scent of incense wafting through the air.

Irikara led me inside an enormous limestone building. Once more, I paused in my steps.

The walls were covered in colourful glittering images. I approached a portrait of a hawk spreading out its glorious wings. The picture was made up of tiny precious stones.

"Kiya, come." Irikara tugged my arm and practically dragged me the rest of the way through the corridor.

We entered a vast hall. At a long cedar table, two priests and a priestess sat before a sumptuous feast—roast fowl, lotus bread, cucumbers, onions and honey cakes.

Irikara led me up to them. She bowed.

I awkwardly aped her movements.

"
Ankh, weneb, sedjet
―life, health and prosperity to you, holy ones," she said. "Please allow me to introduce to you Kiya. She was one of the

village children who came with Lord Pentephres. Alas, she was unconscious upon her arrival."

One of the priests, a short, stout balding man, gave me a friendly smile. "How old are you, Kiya?"

"Ten."

I cast a quick glance up at him before averting my eyes once more. Though I did not know anything about the city, I knew these were important people to be respected and feared. Gleaming in their linen robes and sparkling jewels, they looked like they could command day to be night with a single word.

The priest looked at his colleagues. "She's quite a lovely girl, don't you think?"

The second priest, a thin man with a large nose, frowned. "What trades do you know?"

He looked at me with large painted eyes that seemed to see through me.

I stared at him, not understanding the question.

"Did you do any chores before you came here, little girl?" the friendly priest asked.

"Um, I―"

"Speak up!" the frowning priest said.

"I cleaned tents and washed laundry. Before that, I helped my mother clean our hut. I also gathered water from the river."

"Tents, indeed," he scoffed. "We're not lowly barbarians."

"Neither is she," said his more amiable colleague. "She
is
Egyptian, just like us."

"She's awfully tall for her age," the priestess said, looking at me as if I was something that had gotten in her way.

The frowning priest waved his hand. "Very well. Irikara, you may take her to be fed."

We bowed and left the room.

Irikara led me outside once more. We entered another building which was unmistakably the kitchen. Delicious cooking smells filled my nostrils.

I realised I was starving.

Irikara seated me at a table. A frowning old serving woman approached and dumped food onto my plate. I was too hungry to feel offended. I gobbled everything up.

After I had satisfied myself, I heard footsteps behind me.

"Kiya?"

I turned. It was Menah and the twins. I let out a whoop of joy and flew over to them.

"It's so good to see you." I embraced them tightly.

"You too." Menah squeezed my arm.

Beside him, the twins were silent, though there were wide smiles on their faces.

"We were so worried about you, Kiya," Menah said. "I asked Irikara―"

"You urchins are too loud," the grouchy old woman screeched. "Lower your voices or I won't give you any more food for the night."

Menah gave me a look. He leaned toward me and mumbled, "Don't mind her. That is just the old kitchen hag. She and her daughter are so mean. But everyone else here is nice."

"Old hag? Menah, you dreadful thing! By the way, what happened to your hair?"

He grinned and ran a hand through his newly bald head. "Shaved it. Makes me look more dashing, don't you think?"

I giggled. "No. You look funny."

"This is how the royal princes look, Kiya." He raised his chin.

"Whatever you say." I rolled my eyes and laughed. I realised I had not laughed in a long time.

After dinner, I returned to the girls' room with the twins. I saw most of the mats were occupied by sleeping females of all ages. Lying beside me was a young woman who I had not met yet. She was already snoring soundly. I wondered if I would be able to get to know her the following day.

Long after the twins had fallen asleep and the last torch had been extinguished, I lay listening to the snores and grunts around me. Though I was very tired, I could not fall asleep.

I felt my grief weighing down upon my chest, nearly suffocating me. In an effort to block out the pain, I squeezed my eyes shut.