"Is there a problem Lord?" he asked cautiously. Brianahtan turned his glare on Nickataten, "Last night your little girlfriend ran away from the city with my captain of the guard."
Nickataten felt the words sink in. Meritaten had gone! He looked at Brianahtan. Something else must have happened. Meritaten would have come to tell him she was leaving.
"She came here looking for me, didn't she?"
"And she's gone now!"
Brianahtan continued to glare at Nickataten, "Your assignment is over. Amenhotep believes they took the body of my brother with them."
"Did you go after them?"
Brianahtan suddenly sat bolt upright.
"That's it! They'll have taken the body to his home city. Nickataten, take twenty guards to Karkur Tohl and arrest them. Now!"
Nickataten wanted to protest against this idea but he also wanted to see Meritaten again. This was the perfect opportunity to find her.
"When should I leave?"
"Now, now!"
Nickataten headed for the door then stopped suddenly. He slowly turned to Brianahtan.
"Why am I doing this?"
"What?" Brianahtan said.
"You don't know where she is! She's in no danger. I don't have to do a word you say!"
"Have it your way," Brianahtan turned to Amenhotep,
"Imprison him."
Nickataten ran for the door but several guards blocked his way. He stopped and fell to his knees on the floor. Where was the point in trying to get away when Meritaten could be anywhere? He got up and turned to face the advancing guards.
"Come on, I'm not going to struggle. Take me away."
They looked at each nervously. Nickataten went up to them and grabbed their arms. He wrapped their hands around his wrists.
"Let's go."
The stunned guards led him down to the prison and locked him in a cell. Nickataten looked around him. This had been Meritaten's cell. He threw himself down on the bed. How cruel life could be.
* * * * *
Back in the throne room Brianahtan was preparing for Amenhotep to lead the search for the rebels.
"Now remember, I want them back alive so I can make an example of them."
"Yes Lord."
"I want Kevinutahn's body brought back."
"Yes Lord."
"Stop saying `yes lord`."
"Yes...er..."
"Get going now!"
* * * * *
As the sun set on that day, Amenhotep and twenty guards set off on horseback across the Western Desert. Tiy watched them go from the balcony in the harem quarters. Brianahtan could not enter the harem quarters so she spent much time in them. She was not aware of the whole Nickataten and Meritaten incident and began to wonder where the guards were going. A cough beside her made her look up. A eunuch was standing beside her. (A Eunuch is a castrated man who looks after the Pharaoh's harem)
"The Pharaoh wants to see you."
"So tell him I'm asleep."
"Please."
She looked at the expression on Akhnaten's face. He was the kindest eunuch she knew. Many of them were horrible and beastly.
"Ok, Akhnaten. I'll go."
He smiled and followed her out of the harem. As they walked down the corridor Akhnaten explained everything that had happened.
"That's why you mustn't get him angry."
Tiy tried to make sense of it all. Meritaten with Nickataten? What about Howylos? Why had they not told her they were leaving? She didn't know what to think.
They entered Brianahtan's private garden. He was sat on the fountain edge fiddling with the corner of his skirt. He looked up as they entered and stood up. The eunuch walked away and left them alone together.
"What do you want?" Tiy shot accusingly at him.
"To give you a present."
She raised an eyebrow. He held out his hand to her and she took it. He led her through the garden to her favourite spot. As they entered she saw Lilies everywhere. She gasped in surprise. Lilies were her favourite flower.
"I had them planted especially for you."
Tiy turned to him and hugged him.
"Thank you. It's beautiful."
Brianahtan could smell her perfume - lilies. He gently kissed her neck. She tried to pull back but he held her close to him.
"Brianahtan no!"
Tiy pulled back and stared at him with hurt in her eyes.
He angrily grabbed her arm and stood staring back into her eyes. Breaking away from her stare he looked around him at the garden. Any violent act he had been about to commit would be out of place here. He turned his attention back to Tiy. She stood before him trembling with tears running down her face. She was like the lilies in the garden. Was this what Nickataten had meant when he said that Brianahtan would understand if he fell in love? He had intended to throw her to the ground and rape her but he no longer wanted to. He released her arm and she fell on her knees before him, sobbing quietly. He crouched down and gently pushed her hair out of her face. She flinched at his touch but relaxed when she realised that he wasn't going to hurt her.
"Tiy, I'm sorry."
She looked up at his face in surprise. He had never apologised and meant it before. Did he mean it now? There was only one way to find out. Hesitantly Tiy slid her hands around his neck and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her waist in response but that was all. She relaxed and began to sob all over again.
"I thought you were going to..."
Brianahtan stroked her hair, "So did I."
"What stopped you?"
Brianahtan wanted to say how he had compared her to the lilies and what Nickataten had said to him but his pride wouldn't let him.
"I don't know."
Tiy felt disappointed. She would never love him as Kevinutahn was her one true love but if he had told her that he had stopped because he cared and didn't want to hurt her then she could have liked him at least.
"So what now?" She looked at him.
Brianahtan took her hand, "You understand the myth about the Nile and the queen of Egypt?"
"The Nile won't flood unless the Queen is fertile."
"Yes," Brianahtan nodded, "well, the Nile won't flood unless you...you know...get pregnant..."
He trailed off as he saw the look on her face change. Tiy looked at him and realised why he had made an effort.
"All this was just so you can get me pregnant and make the people happy? Do I not come before your people?" She stood up, "Well the Nile can dry up for all I care! I wish I'd never married you! I wish I'd run away to be with Kevinutahn!" and as a parting shot she added, "maybe he'd still be alive if I had."
She turned and stormed out of the garden pulling some lilies from the wall and throwing them on the floor.
"Tiy!" Brianahtan watched her go and sighed.
He crawled forward and picked up the lilies she had thrown on the floor. They smelt like her. He angrily threw them to one side. He would not let himself fall in love and end up going all soppy like Nickataten had. Getting up he left the garden with its lilies behind.
* * * * *
The sun was just beginning to rise up into the sky. It's early morning milky glow and the pink streaks across the sky went unnoticed by Meritaten. All she could think about was that she had left Nickataten behind in Thebes. She hoped they would soon be able to return to the city.
As they entered the town Meritaten looked around. It was unusually quiet for Karkur Tohl. Normally the streets would be crowded with people by now trying to set up their stalls. She stopped her horse next to Howylos's.
"Where is everyone?" she whispered, afraid to break the eerie silence.
Howylos didn't answer. He was watching a window on the second floor of a nearby house. A woman was standing back against the wall looking at them. Howylos waved to her and she drew back from the window.
"They're afraid of something."
Howylos looked at Meritaten then at Kevinutahn. Kevinutahn motioned for Howylos to bend down so he could tell him something.
"They are afraid of Nickataten."
Meritaten looked up sharply.
"Why?" she demanded.
Both men looked at her, surprised by her sudden outburst.
"He's a demon Meritaten. He captured you and helped Brianahtan try to kill me. He's killed many of our followers...what more reason do you want?"
"Sorry. I just wanted to know why they in particular are afraid."
"This city is full of rebels and their supporters. It's only a matter of time before he sends his guards here." Meritaten wanted to argue back that he wouldn't but decided she should stay silent on this occasion.
"Let's get to Eos's."
Eos was the old lady that Kevinutahn lived with in Karkur Tohl. They drove the chariots round the streets until they go to the house. Howylos got down and knocked on the door.
A stern voice answered, "Who's there?"
"It's Howylos. I have an injured man that needs to stay here." He refrained from saying that it was Kevinutahn in case she didn't believe him.
The door slowly opened and Eos stepped out into the street.
Howylos smiled and hugged her. Eos hugged Meritaten and Itone also before turning to Howylos again.
"Where is the injured man?" Howylos stepped to one side to reveal Kevinutahn sitting in the chariot. Eos gasped. She hurried forwards and grabbed his hand.
"How can this be?" she cried.
"Eos." Kevinutahn smiled at the old lady, "I was mistaken for dead and left in the tomb. Tiy came to see me and when she realised I was alive she called Itone."
Eos smiled at him through her tears. She stood up and took charge of the situation.
"Well let's get him inside!"
Meritaten and Howylos helped Kevinutahn into the house and they sat him on a chair. Leaning on the table Kevinutahn breathed in deeply.
"Home again!"
They all laughed. All the tension and fear throughout the journey was dispelled and they shared gossip with Eos.
* * * * *
Meritaten went upstairs and came out of a door onto the roof of the building. She sat down facing the direction of Thebes and closed her eyes. She envisioned Nickataten and what he could be doing at that moment. She sighed and opened her eyes. All she could picture was him in a cell. She had hoped to see him walking round the garden or something. She had been taught how to see what people were doing by the servants of Hathor. (The servants at the temple of Hathor are celibate - a bit like nuns. They offer sanctuary to woman in trouble.)
She felt disappointed that it hadn't worked. She raised her hand to her neck and clasped the lily necklace tightly between her fingers. Howylos hadn't noticed it yet but he was sure to soon. That night would be their first shared together for quite a while. He couldn't fail to notice the necklace. A burning sensation on her neck told her that the sun was getting too hot to sit out in and she reluctantly got up and went back inside.
* * * * *
Nickataten was sat in the corner of the cell with his eyes closed. All around him he could feel Meritaten's presence. As he was starting to fall asleep he thought he heard her call his name. Opening his eyes he sat bolt upright and listened carefully. Behind the dripping noise of water running down and off the walls he was sure he could hear her. As quickly as the noise had started it stopped. Nickataten angrily picked up the plate he had been brought some stale bread on and threw it at the door.
A guard's face appeared at the window in the door.
"Quieten down in there!"
Nickataten rested his head on his knees. He had lost track of whether it was day or night. The window to outside had been bricked up after Amenhotep suggested that Meritaten had escaped that way. Nickataten had been about to say that he let her out but decided it didn't matter.
He was beginning to wonder whether he should give in and work for Brianahtan again. He would probably never get to see Meritaten again. When Amenhotep caught up with her it would only be a matter of time before she would be executed.
With these dreadful thoughts in his head Nickataten fell into a troubled sleep.
* * * * *
The night was drawing in and the air felt cool. Eos shut the door behind the last visitors and let out a huge sigh of relief.
"Finally we can get some peace and quiet around here." She mumbled.
All day people had come to see Kevinutahn and Howylos. Some were friends and supporters, others were rebels involved with the rebellion. Although Kevinutahn had been too weak to really discuss any serious plans they had all come to one conclusion - they had to get out of Egypt.
Eos wandered into the back room where Kevinutahn and Howylos were sat around on comfy chairs still discussing where to go.
"It has to be somewhere that Brianahtan and Nickataten won't think to look." Howylos said.
"An island," Itone said slowly.
He shot Kevinutahn a meaningful glance.
"Of course!" Kevinutahn cried, "Crete! It's perfect!"
"Rubbish!"
They all turned to look at Eos.
"You can't conduct a rebellion in Egypt if you're not even in the country!" She added.
"It's just so that Kevinutahn has time to regain all his strength and we can train the rebel fighters there unnoticed by any palace spies that should find us." Howylos explained.
"Why Crete then?" Eos asked.
"It's in ruins," Kevinutahn said, "Egyptians don't go there anymore so we'd be safe."
"If it's ruins then where would you stay?"
"Stop picking holes young lady," Itone said, chuckling, "There's still enough standing to provide shelter to a rebel force."
"Young lady yourself!" Eos snorted, but she was smiling.
Howylos laughed, "Maybe we should leave these two young lovers alone."
Eos blushed and busied herself plumping the cushions Kevinutahn was lying on. Howylos got up and started climbing the stairs.
"Night all."
"Night Howylos." Kevinutahn closed his eyes and Eos and Itone left the room so that he could sleep. Howylos walked into his room. Meritaten was standing by the window gazing wistfully in the direction of Thebes. He put a hand on her shoulder.
"I know you miss the city life but it's too dangerous to go back. In fact we're thinking of leaving Egypt altogether."
Meritaten carried on staring out of the window.
"I can't leave Egypt." She stated.
"Don't be silly Mayati."
Howylos pulled her away from the window and made her sit on the end of the bed. Suddenly his eyes caught sight of the lily necklace. He touched it.
"Where did you get this?"
"The...um...servants of Hathor gave it to me," she lied.
Howylos smiled, "It's pretty. Suits you."
They got into bed and Howylos wrapped his arms around her. Meritaten began to relax a little. She felt safe in his arms. She thought once more of Nickataten before she fell asleep.
* * * * *
Amenhotep and his guards had stopped on the final dune overlooking Karkur Tohl. So this was the rebel town. Across the quiet morning air he heard the sound of a horn being blown.
"Do you think we've been spotted?" Amenhotep said.
The guards laughed.
"Come on then. Let's find the girl and her husband."
Amenhotep and his guards galloped down the dune and into the town. No one was in the streets and all the windows had been covered with sheets.
"You'd think someone was expecting us," Amenhotep growled.
* * * * *
Howylos was shaken awake by Eos.
"Get up! They're here!"
"Who's here?" he mumbled sleepily.
"The guards!"
"Damn!"
Howylos leapt out of bed and Meritaten followed. They quickly dressed and ran downstairs. Only Eos was in the kitchen.
"Where's Kevinutahn and Itone?" Meritaten asked.
Eos pointed to a hole in the ground where the stove usually stood.
"Get going. I'll come and see you when they've gone."
Meritaten followed Howylos into the small hole. They had to crawl a short way and then the passage opened out into a proper corridor. Waiting for them in the corridor were Kevinutahn and Itone. As Meritaten followed them down the corridor to a chamber she heard the scraping of the stove being replaced over the hole.
* * * * *
Eos was cooking some soup on the stove that she would take down to them later when she heard the knock on the door. Pulling open the heavy wooden door Eos found herself face to face with Amenhotep. She could have cursed. Amenhotep was a friend of Howylos's and if he was looking for Howylos then here would the perfect place to look.
"May I come in?"
Eos put on a fake smile, "Of course, come in."
Once inside Amenhotep took a good look around him. Eos watched him. He was looking for hiding places.
"I imagine you were quite distressed when you heard about Kevinutahn's death."
Eos took a deep breath before saying, "It's still distressing! Please don't talk of him anymore!"
Amenhotep looked at the old lady. There was something almost sarcastic about the way she replied to him. He wandered into the kitchen with the lady close behind him.
"Cooking?"
"Yes, soup. Would you like some?"
Amenhotep sniffed the pot suspiciously. It could be poisoned.
"No thank you."
Amenhotep continued to search the house but found nothing. Angrily he turned on Eos.
"Where are they woman?"
"Who?" She asked, trying to look confused.
He roughly pushed her against the wall and snarled, "You know who and when I find them I'll be back for you!"
With that he stalked out of the house. Eos calmed herself down and went back to the soup in the kitchen.
* * * * *
Amenhotep called to a guard who had lit a fire in the street.
"You! Bring me a burning branch."
The guard obediently ran over with a burning stick.
Amenhotep snatched it from him and walked up to the front door of Eos's house. He laid the stick at the bottom of the door and it wasn't long before the flames took control of it.
"Seal off the back entrance!"
Several guards ran to the back of the house and sealed the back door.
* * * * *
Inside, Eos was beginning to smell smoke. Wandering out of the kitchen she saw the flames licking up the front door and gasped. Running to her back door she found that it was locked from the outside. She hurried into the kitchen to go under the stove but the smoke was making it difficult for her to breathe and she hadn't the strength to move it. A window! Eos started staggering for the nearest window but collapsed coughing before she made it. As she lay on the floor she could see her house falling down around her. Her last thought was of Kevinutahn. The son she never had.
* * * * *
Outside, Amenhotep surveyed his handiwork.
"Why did you burn it down?"
He turned to look at the guard who had asked the question.
"They were in there but the old lady wouldn't give them up so I killed them all."
"Does that mean that our job is over?"
Amenhotep glanced at the people in the street. They were all staring at the house that had once been the base of their rebellion. All that was left was a pile of burnt rubble.
"Yes," he said quietly, "Our job is over."
* * * * *
Meritaten sat looking at the passage they had come down. She could smell something. It was probably Eos cooking. In the chamber Howylos and Itone were trying to keep Kevinutahn from going back to the house.
"She can look after herself!"
Kevinutahn sighed. Howylos was right but what if something did happen? The three men sat around in silence. Suddenly Meritaten leapt to her feet.
"FIRE!"
Howylos ran into the passage and came out coughing.
"Smoke is billowing down this passage. We've got to get out!"
"Which way?" Meritaten cried looking at the three other passages.
"Any!" Kevinutahn shouted catching her by the waist and pulling her down the nearest one.
Itone and Howylos followed.
They stumbled down the dark passage with the smoke starting to fill the air around them. Gasping for air.
Kevinutahn fell to the ground pulling Meritaten with him. Meritaten scrambled to her feet and Howylos pulled Kevinutahn up. Finally when they thought they could last no longer a fresh blast of warm air blew on their faces.
"Jessitahn's house!" Kevinutahn choked out the words as they crawled out of the passage into the bright sunlight.
Collapsing on the soft grass Meritaten saw her first view of Jessitahn's garden. Small blue flowers grew up the walls that were white and clean. Around the edges dark green bushes grew small and controlled.
"Kevinutahn? Oh my god!"
Kevinutahn looked up at the girl running towards him. Jessitahn was one of the fairly younger rebel members, although by no means the weakest. She knelt beside Kevinutahn and looked at the smoke pouring from the hole by her garden wall. She turned to look at Howylos who motioned that they should go inside. Jessitahn helped pull Kevinutahn to his feet and they went inside.
The inside was cool and fresh looking. They all laid down on a rush mat in the front room.
Jessitahn had brought in a bowl of cold water and some strips of cloth. As she bathed Kevinutahn she could hardly stop trembling.
"We thought you had been killed."
"Not likely!" he weakly joked.
Jessitahn rung out the cloth and placed it on his head.
"So why is there smoke pouring out of..."
She stopped. It had suddenly dawned on her that smoke was pouring from a hole that was supposed to be secret. Howylos leapt to his feet and ran to the garden. A column of smoke was slowly rising from the hole into the sky. Beside him Jessitahn stared in horror at the smoke and realised that soon Amenhotep and his guards would be on their way.
* * * * *
Amenhotep was riding out of the town when a guard called to him to stop. The guard pointed to a small area to the west of the town. A column of smoke was rising into the air above a house.
Amenhotep allowed himself an evil grin.
"There are obviously some underground passages and that makes that spot a rebel house."
He set his horse on a gallop through the streets with his guards close behind.
* * * * *
"We've got to go again."
Howylos said to Itone.
"Look at Kevinutahn. He cannot go anywhere in that state."
Kevinutahn had developed a harsh rasping cough from the smoke and was supporting himself weakly on his arm. Howylos looked at Itone.
"How can we stay?"
"We must hide somewhere."
Jessitahn started up the stairs.
"There's a concealed entrance to the roof. You'd be safe up there."
Meritaten and Howylos helped Kevinutahn up the stairs whilst Itone helped Jessitahn to open the door. As they climbed up onto the roof the baking heat of the noonday sun shone mercilessly down on them. Jessitahn started to climb back down into the house.
"Where are you going?" Meritaten asked.
"Someone has to send the guards away."
They watched Jessitahn go back into the house and prepared for a long wait in the hot sun. Itone opened his mouth to say something but stopped when he heard the sound of horses being pulled up outside the house. Meritaten crawled to the edge of the roof and looked over. Below she could see Amenhotep banging on the door.
* * * * *
"Open up this door!"
Amenhotep went to bang on it again when it opened and he was face to face with a pretty young lady.
"Can I help you?" Amenhotep let his eyes follow the curve of her body. Nice, he thought. Then as an after thought, shame I may have to hurt her.
"I want to look around your house."
"Why?" she inquired.
"I don't know!" Amenhotep said sarcastically, "Could be something to do with the smoke in your garden."
"Yes, I was wondering where that was coming from..."
Amenhotep shoved her backwards into the house and pushed her against the wall.
"Don't play the innocent little girl to me! Where does the passage go to?"
"It goes right up your rear end!"
Following this Jessitahn spat in his eye.
"Aahh!"
Amenhotep stepped back from her. That was all Jessitahn needed to escape. She ran to the garden and scrambled over the wall.
"Get after her idiots!"
The guards ran through the house but by the time they got to the garden Jessitahn had gone.
* * * * *
On the roof, Meritaten was gazing longingly in the direction of Thebes. She was imagining Nickataten's strong arms round her, his lips on hers...
Jessitahn was standing on the roof of the next door building jumping and waving at them. Howylos broke into a smile as he saw the guards giving up and returning to Thebes. For the time being they were safe.