Chapter Eighty Two: An Unfortunate Encounter
Washed and dressed, Kiya returned to the bedroom and opened the door to the main room. Daylight flooded in through the large, Cretan-style windows. The sudden brightness made her blink as she looked around the sparsely-furnished room. There was an empty table, a chair and an open chest full of papyrus scrolls. It is more of an office than a living room, thought Kiya as she went out onto the veranda. She sat on the cushions of the seating ledge that ran along the back of the veranda and looked out across the terrace to the garden. Workmen were already rebuilding the ruined wall. One of them lifted a brick and called the others over to look at it with an exclamation of astonishment. Had he found one of the death-ray gouges? wondered Kiya and she shivered at the thought of those terrifying eyes.
A servant girl was walking towards the house carrying a laden tray. Kiya watched as she climbed the steps to the terrace. “Lord Dennu wishes you to eat, my Lady,” she said.
“Thank you,” said Kiya as the girl put the tray down on the low table in front of her. “Where is Lord Dennu now?”
“He has left the palace, my Lady,” said the girl.
“Did he say when he would return?”
“No my Lady.”
Kiya saw a flicker of curiosity in the girl’s eyes. “You may go,” she said. The girl bowed and left. Kiya regarded her breakfast. Freshly made bread, dates and flagon of beer. She thought she wasn’t hungry but she ate well. For a while she sat on the veranda, half dozing in the shade and admiring the garden. An ornamental lake was edged with papyrus reeds and water lilies. A grove of palm trees stood by its side and Kiya marvelled at the effort it must have taken to create such a paradise from the bare earth. There were pathways shaded by vine-covered trellises and a newly-turfed lawn dotted with fruit trees. Everywhere were flowers - in beds, climbing the branches of trees, in pots on the terrace. Beside the palace were flowering shrubs, including the one she had hidden behind the night before.
A familiar figure was coming across the lawn towards her and with joy she recognised Laylos. Her aunt was carrying a bundle of clothing and the star-metal spear. Kiya leapt to her feet and ran across the terrace to greet her.
“Laylos, how wonderful to see you. How did you manage to get into the palace?”
“Dennu gave me a pass,” said Laylos, as she climbed the steps. “What a beautiful place you have here.”
“How is Dennu?” Kiya asked.
“He is upset about you, as usual,” said Laylos. Kiya led Laylos to the seating ledge. “Is that beer on the table?” said her aunt. “It is thirsty work hurrying through the streets of Akhetaten. Now, tell me what happened to you. Was the mission successful? What happened in the harem?”
So Kiya poured her aunt a beer and gave her an account of her adventure. When she had finished, Laylos was aghast. “My dear child, you could so easily have been killed.” She examined the scar on Kiya’s arm. “You say the baby healed your arm?” Kiya nodded. “It is a true miracle,” breathed Laylos. “The most marvellous magic.”
“The baby has come between me and Dennu,” said Kiya.
Laylos nodded. “He said little, but I gathered that he was not best pleased about your pregnancy. However he still considers you his responsibility and wants you to remain at the palace while he is gone.”
Kiya regarded her aunt with apprehension. “Gone? Where is he going?”
“He is going to lead a tribute convoy to Crete. He is anxious to see his father and will be setting off soon.” Laylos paused and then said, “Who is that woman?”
Kiya looked up and saw, to her dismay, that Bunefer was approaching the house. She wanted to hide but it was too late, the harem controller had seen her.
“What are you doing here, Princess Vitane?” she said.
“You must be mistaken,” said Laylos. “This is my niece, Kiya, the wife of the priest Dennu.”
“The likeness is astonishing!” said Bunefer. “The Princess is missing from the harem and I am trying to find her.” She stared at Kiya, suspiciously. “Enough of this game playing – come back to the harem, Vitane.”
Kiya shook her head. “Vitane has gone,” she said.
“Do not think me a fool, you are the Princess.”
“No. Many people make the same mistake for she is my identical twin!” said Kiya.
“What rubbish!” Bunefer was becoming angry. She seized Kiya’s arm. “Come back at once or I will summon the guard.”
“What would her husband, Lord Dennu, say if his wife was arrested!” said Laylos. Bunefer hesitated and allowed Kiya to pull away from her grasp.
“My sister Vitane had to depart, but before she went she left you a gift,” said Kiya. She leapt to her feet and hurried into the house. Her shift was lying across the bed and she picked it up and ripped out one of the pockets.
When she got back, Laylos was commiserating with the unfortunate harem controller. “These young girls! I believe Vitane was in love with a peasant boy back in Crete, you know how the young value love over duty.”
“I cannot imagine what she is thinking of. Vitane should feel honoured to be a wife of the King.”
“Here you are!” said Kiya, thrusting the pocket at Bunefer. “Vitane said she was sorry and hoped this would be a recompense.” The gleam of a gold nugget shone through a split in the seam of the pocket and Bunefer smiled as she felt the size and weight of the gift.
“Give my thanks to Vitane... er, what did you say your name is?”
“Kiya,” prompted Laylos.
“Yes, Kiya, of course. With a gift this generous I can look forward to a comfortable old age.”
“In return for the gift Vitane wishes you to remain silent about her departure,” said Kiya.
“If your – I mean her – absence is discovered no amount of gold would persuade me to keep quiet,” said Bunefer. “However, the deflowering ceremony went well, which is all that matters for now. I see no reason why the King should be told that his new bride is missing.”
“The deflowering ceremony?” said Laylos. “What is that?”
“It is when the King takes his new wife’s maidenhead,” said Bunefer. Laylos stared at Kiya in astonishment and she felt herself blush. Bunefer was deep in thought. “The ladies of the harem will be coming tomorrow and the King’s bedding schedule will be full. I doubt if he will miss Vitane for a while.” She gave Kiya a penetrating look. “All will be well if Vitane returns shortly.”
“I hear that Nefertiti, his main wife turned out to be an angel,” said Laylos. “Do you suppose that Princess Vitane was an angel as well?”
“She might have been,” said Kiya.
“Angel or not, I will expect her to come back to the harem,” said Bunefer.
“If I see her again I will let her know,” said Kiya.
Bunefer nodded. “I hope that one day I will receive an honest explanation of this matter,” she said and she hurried away clutching her pocket of gold.