* * * * *
Meritaten felt a cool breeze across her cheek. Opening her eyes she rolled over and swung her legs out of bed. She turned as Howylos muttered softly.
"It's early Mayati."
"I'm not feeling too good. You stay in bed."
Meritaten walked over to the window. She was feeling ill. A wave of nausea swept through her and she hurried out of the room into the garden. Leaning against the wall of the house she placed a hand on her stomach. The sun was beginning to rise and she felt it's first warming rays on her face. Another wave of nausea hit her. She hoped she wasn't going to be sick. The morning was starting so well that...
The morning! Feeling sick! The sudden realisation of what this meant caused her to vomit. Holding herself up by leaning a hand on the wall she tried to think clearly.
I must be pregnant, she thought. It had to be Nickataten's as she had not been that close to Howylos for well before Nickataten.
She wandered over to the barrel of water in Jessitahn's back garden, which was used for washing. Meritaten slid her hands into the fresh cold water and splashed it over her face.
"You're an early riser." Kevinutahn's deep voice caused her to whirl round suddenly. The smile on his face turned to one of concern as he saw how pale she looked.
"Are you ok?"
Meritaten stood by the barrel unable to say anything. As the tears began to fall down her cheeks Kevinutahn hugged her tightly. Pressed against his warm body she felt safe and secure, almost like none of this was happening.
"What's wrong?" he asked gently.
"I just feel ill and...and I want to go home."
In his arms, Kevinutahn felt her body shake with her sobs.
"You know we can't go home."
Kevinutahn stepped back and smiled at her.
"Breakfast?"
* * * * *
Nickataten stared at his cell walls. He had been in here for what seemed like a lifetime. Any light to his cell had been cut off and he had no idea whether it was day or night. Food was not given to him regularly and often he would cry out in hunger. This was one of those times. He half-heartedly threw an empty bowl at the door and yelled as loud as his weak chest would let him.
"I'm so hungry!"
No answer. He flopped onto the floor and closed his eyes.
"I'm going to die." He whispered, more to himself than the surrounding darkness.
If only he could see Meritaten just one more time. Lying on the hard floor he drifted into a troubled sleep.
He was woken up a short while later by guards pulling him to his feet.
"Get up!"
"What's...happening?" Nickataten murmured sleepily.
"The Magnificent One wants an audience with you."
"Well I don't want to see him."
Nickataten was dragged to his feet roughly and pulled from his cell.
* * * * *
Tiy screamed. It was an angry scream rather than a scared one but still a scream. Eventually the doctor left the room and she was alone. What had just happened to her was something all wives had to endure. (At the time the test for fertility was to insert a garlic clove into a certain orifice and if the girl's breath smelt of garlic the next day then she could conceive. A girl's nurse often hid some garlic under the girl's pillow to chew the next morning so that her breath smelt and her husband would not abandon her.)
Tiy had no nurse and even if she had then she had she would have had no intention of chewing the garlic. She sat on the end of her bed gingerly. How could Brianahtan justify the pain she would be in for at least a week?
"Leave me alone!"
Tiy got up and went over to her window. She watched the guards drag Nickataten through the garden. She wandered what Brianahtan wanted with him. Nickataten had been in prison for 4 months now. In this time he had not had the chance to shave and had a beard and moustache starting to grow. Tiy decided it made him look older. In fact he looked quite...Tiy couldn't think of the word she wanted to use...rugged! That was it. She decided to hide outside the room where Nickataten was being taken and listen to what Brianahtan wanted with him.
Suddenly she was aware of a trickle down her leg. Blood. The tears began to form in her eyes. If only she'd gone to Karkur Tohl all that time ago with Kevinutahn then none of this would be happening to her. Leaning on the windowsill she wandered where he was and what he was doing.
* * * * *
Nickataten was thrown roughly to the floor before Brianahtan. His vision was starting to blur.
"Can I have some water?"
Brianahtan clicked his fingers and a servant came forward with a flask of water, which Nickataten gulped down quickly. Feeling a little better Nickataten looked up at Brianahtan.
"What do you want?"
Brianahtan's face was hard and uncaring.
"You've had enough time to think down there."
"About what?"
"Are you ready to work for me again or do I execute you like the spiteful rebel you are?"
Nickataten thought about this. He didn't know what to do. If he worked for Brianahtan again then there was always a chance that he would see Meritaten again but he didn't want to work for Brianahtan.
"Let me help you make your mind up." Brianahtan grinned evilly. "I had those escaped rebels burnt. If you were thinking of dying for her then she's already dead!"
The words cut through Nickataten like knives. Meritaten dead? He wanted to run away to a corner and cry but somehow regained his composure. He glared at Brianahtan.
"Then I want to join her."
Brianahtan inwardly cursed. He had wanted Nickataten to say that he would work for him again. He sighed. "Then you shall be executed in two days time."
The guards pulled him to his feet and started to drag him from the room.
"And Nickataten?"
He turned to see Brianahtan laughing.
"Should you change your mind then just shout!"
Nickataten could not control his feelings any more. Kicking out at the guards he made a dash for Brianahtan intending to strangle his once friend. Brianahtan had been prepared for a reaction like this and pulled a dagger on Nickataten. Nickataten stopped short of Brianahtan. He was immediately grabbed by the guards who held him tightly. Brianahtan's face had a look of triumph on it.
"You've still got the killing instinct in you."
Nickataten felt shameful. How could he have been about to kill someone? Even Brianahtan. Maybe he should just go back to work as normal and try to forget Meritaten.
"Put him in the cell until he changes his mind."
Nickataten looked up sharply.
"You will."
As the guards dragged him away Nickataten made a promise that he would be with Meritaten. If that meant allowing Brianahtan to kill him then so be it.
* * * * *
Meritaten was sat on the roof of Jessitahn's house. A cool breeze blowing from the north was filtering out the sun's heat. She absentmindedly rubbed a hand across her tummy. After the initial shock of finding out she had thought about it more carefully. She smiled to herself. A little bit of Nickataten was inside her and it made her feel happier than she could ever have imagined. She pondered what to call the child. If it were a girl then maybe she'd call it Nofret or maybe Carolatahn (a friend of Meritaten's). If it were a boy then she knew exactly what she'd call it...Aaronaten. She thought it was the perfect name for a boy.
"Aaronaten," she said it out loud then smiled.
"Who's he then?"
She whirled round to see Kevinutahn walking over to her with a smile on his face.
"Nobody!" she snapped, angry with him for sneaking up on her.
"Sorry."
He sat down next to her. His arm brushed against hers and a delightful shiver ran down her spine. They sat there for a few minutes just staring out towards the direction of Thebes.
"Howylos is worried about you."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Is there anything you want to tell me?"
"No!"
The anger in her voice made Kevinutahn move away from her.
"We used to be good friends Meritaten. What went wrong?"
She looked at him. The hurt in his face was clear to see and Meritaten felt herself wanting to tell him everything. She moved closer to him.
"I'm sorry."
"Why won't you talk to me anymore?"
She looked into his eyes. They sparkled back at her and she found herself moving closer to him. Hesitantly he pushed her hair out of her face.
He frowned, "I don't..."
Meritaten leant forwards and kissed him. She had only meant it to be a short kiss, nothing in it but it became more passionate. Kevinutahn kissed her neck and she closed her eyes enjoying the sensation. She imagined when Nickataten had done this.
"Nickataten." She murmured softly.
She was suddenly shaken back to reality. She saw Kevinutahn's horrified face.
"What did you say?" He gripped her shoulders tightly.
The tears poured down her face.
"Don't tell Howylos!" she sobbed.
Kevinutahn let go of her and turned away.
"What was I thinking? My best friend's wife!"
"Kevinutahn!" Meritaten grabbed his arm, the tears still falling.
"And you!" He shouted, "You have much to answer for! Now I know why you wanted to return to the city!"
Meritaten shook with the force of her sobs, "You don't understand!"
She scrambled to her feet and ran inside leaving Kevinutahn battling with his conscience.
* * * * *
A little while later Jessitahn appeared beside Kevinutahn on the roof.
"Is Meritaten ok?"
He looked at her blankly.
"Only she left about five minutes ago on a horse."
Kevinutahn suddenly leapt to his feet, "What?"
"You'll never catch her Kevinutahn."
"Why? I've got to try."
"She's taken the only horse."
Kevinutahn dropped to his knees.
"This is my fault!"
He thumped his fist on the roof several times until it bled. Jessitahn backed away and called for Howylos. Howylos came running onto the roof.
"What's happened?"
He saw Kevinutahn banging his fist on the roof. He ran over to his friend's side.
"Kevinutahn, what's wrong?"
Kevinutahn looked into Howylos's kind face. How could he tell him that his wife had run away to be with their enemy? Even worse how could he tell him that he had just kissed Meritaten?
"Sit down Howylos."
Howylos sat next to Kevinutahn looking puzzled.
"Should I go away?"
Kevinutahn looked up as if seeing Jessitahn for the first time.
"Oh. Um...yes that would probably be best."
As Jessitahn turned to go Kevinutahn called to her.
"Jessitahn, there's something you could do for me."
"Yes?"
"Get word to Alexatros that we're ok and tell him the meeting will go ahead as planned."
Jessitahn frowned.
"You know him don't you?"
Jessitahn shook her head, "But Carolatahn will know him won't she?"
"Good idea. Get the messenger to go to her then."
Jessitahn left them alone on the roof together. Kevinutahn looked steadily at Howylos.
"I don't know where to begin really."
"Just tell me everything."
Kevinutahn related the whole story to Howylos, looking shamefully away as he told Howylos of the kiss he had shared with Meritaten.
Howylos stared out over the desert. He felt numb inside. He had loved Meritaten more than life itself and after all this time to know that she had not felt this in return...he was devastated. He turned his grief stricken face to Kevinutahn.
"Why him?"
"I don't know. I'm guessing that's where she's gone."
Howylos suddenly thought back to the necklace that Meritaten had been wearing since they left the city. He must have given it to her.
"I'll kill him." Howylos muttered quietly.
"Howylos you must think only of the rebellion now!"
"As long as I get to kill him!"
Kevinutahn was starting to wonder whether perhaps he should have lied to Howylos about the whole thing. He looked at Howylos's face. He appeared normal now. The pain and anger of a minute ago had been replaced with his usual calm look. Kevinutahn knew Howylos well enough to know that he wasn't all right but took it as a sign to change the subject.
"When Jessitahn gets back we'll pack for the trip."
"So how exactly are we getting to Crete?"
(Crete is a small island south of Greece. The Egyptians destroyed it in anger when the Cretans refused to let them land there and it is now uninhabited apart from a few surviving Cretans.)
"Well you know the plan is to get all the rebels onto Crete to train and go back strong to defeat Brianahtan?"
"Yes, but how do we get there?"
"Well, one of the northern rebels has a ship that we can use. All of us must be in Memphis by two days time to get on his ship to sail to Crete."
"Ah, Memphis. That means we have to sail up the Nile to get to open water. Surely some royal patrol or other will spot us."
"Not if we all pretend to be the crew for a fishing trip."
"Kevinutahn! Have you looked at the latest list of rebels? No way would a simple fishing trip need that many people for crew!"
"Look, IF we get stopped then half can hide."
Howylos wasn't convinced but didn't really feel in the mood to argue with Kevinutahn. The sound of the front door shutting heralded Jessitahn's arrival home and they went inside to pack for the trip to Crete.
* * * * *
It was getting late when Meritaten finally reached the city gates. She had wrapped herself in dark robes and put a silver circlet on her head over a black veil. This was the chosen dress of the Servants of Hathor. The Egyptian people saw them as sacred and Meritaten hoped she would be let into the city without too much trouble. She was also hoping to stay with them. They had raised her from a child when she was orphaned. Ironically it had been Nickataten's father that had ordered them dead.
She stopped at the gate and a guard came out to see her. Howylos had done this once, Meritaten thought.
"State your name and business!"
"Servant of Hathor returning from the desert."
Many of the servants of Hathor had to spend time alone in the desert as part of purifying one's soul and Meritaten hoped she would not be questioned further. Luckily the guard believed her and she was let back into the city.
She looked towards the palace. Her heart began to beat faster and a sensation like butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Nickataten was there. She had intended to go the temple of Hathor to find the servants first but she had to see Nickataten again. Turning her horse's head towards the palace she shook the reins and they trotted up the street.
At the palace she tied her horse to a railing. The horse stood quietly. It had been on many rebel missions and understood when to be quiet and when to make noise. Meritaten climbed onto its back and was able to vault the wall. Dropping down on the other side she remained still for what seemed like an eternity until she was sure no one had heard her. Creeping through the garden she hid behind a bush under Nickataten's window. She was about to climb through when the sound of footsteps reached her ears and she crouched down. Holding her breath she watched the guard walk past. Once he was out of earshot she stood up and crawled through the window.
The room was dark but she could hear the sound of someone breathing heavily in the bed. She frowned. Nickataten didn't breath like that. She crept over to the bed and took a look at the sleeper. Amenhotep! Meritaten backed off and walked straight into the table. The small statue that had been on the table went crashing towards the floor. Turning quickly Meritaten put out her hands to catch the statue but missed. In the silence of the room the noise seemed deafening. Without a backward glance to see if she'd been seen Meritaten leapt out of the window and took off through the garden.
* * * * *
Amenhotep sat up sharply. A movement in the corner of his eye made him look towards the window but he saw nothing. Shrugging he lay down to sleep again. His door burst open and a guard came running in.
"Are you ok?"
Amenhotep sat up again.
"What are you on about?"
The guard looked at the broken statue on the floor. Amenhotep followed his gaze. So he had seen someone in his room.
"Search the grounds for anyone who shouldn't be here."
The guard hurried off to do his bidding. Amenhotep sat in bed staring at the mess on the floor. He knew he was sleeping in Nickataten's quarters. He guessed it had been Meritaten come looking for Nickataten.
"So you're still alive." He murmured softly.
Meritaten climbed up a tree near the wall. It was too far to reach the wall easily. Behind her she could hear the sounds of guards searching the gardens for her. There was only one thing for it. Meritaten closed her eyes and jumped. She expected to feel herself smash into the wall but instead felt the air rush past her as she hit the ground outside the palace. She heard a shout from the other side of the wall. They must have heard her fall. Getting up she hurried away to find the horse.
* * * * *
It was totally dark when Meritaten reached the temple of Hathor. She banged on the door. A small square in the great wooden door opened.
"Who is it?"
Meritaten relaxed as she heard the sound of Carolatahn's voice.
"It's Meritaten."
The square closed and Meritaten heard the sound of bolts being undone and then the great door opened. Carolatahn hugged her friend tightly.
"Oh Meri! Where've you been?"
"It's a long story," Meritaten sobbed.
"Why the tears?"
Carolatahn led Meritaten inside and closed the door behind them.
"Like I said, it's a long story!"
"We've got all night." The two friends went into the sanctuary for the servants where Meritaten told Carolatahn the whole story.
At the end Carolatahn's face was pale.
"What is it?" Meritaten asked.
"Nickataten."
"He's not like you think. Oh I know..."
"No it's not that. It's just that...the Pharaoh gave out a message today that Nickataten is going to be executed in two days unless he leaves the rebel cause."
"What?" Disbelief registered on Meritaten's pretty face, "He's not even a rebel!"
"Maybe if we go to the execution he'll see you and then tell Brianahtan that he's changed his mind and then he'll be alive!"
Meritaten rubbed a hand across her tummy. She would go to the execution then. It was her only hope of saving Nickataten's life.