Cursed Times - Only Yesterday! Sequel to Wattys 2015 winner!

Chapter 65: Trueth - Brave Old World Part 2

Dinner was an understatement; Trueth thought as she glimpsed out of the window. A full-blown banquet had been set up with Kemet's magical and political elite united by appetite. Nefertiti for once had not spent ages in the kitchen preparing delicacies. Instead, the palace's chef had rallied his troops. Rows and rows of tables were disappearing under gleaming dishes with roasted fowl, fish, lamb, as well as a staggering variety of vegetables, fruits and sweets. There were far too many sandalled feet for the cats to join so Trueth had shoved morsels of goose into Blondie's bottomless stomach before she got dressed, had felt Mish-Mish's raspy tongue licking sauce off her finger. She pushed aside a soft purple curtain, peeped into her bedroom and smiled. The two beasts were fast asleep in her bed, shedding hair on her pillows. As well as on the draperies. She brushed herself off, sneezed and smiled. She truly was home.

Trueth descended to the ornamental gardens of the Suka Palace, wove her way through the throng, smiling, nodding and bowing to guests until she reached the bench where Seisi had installed himself. Metjen stood close by, speaking to a group of high ranking priests. Like Seisi he wore a long white linen shendyt but unlike his new Chief Advisor, he sparkled with ornaments. Somehow, it suited him.

Seisi had turned his head away from her, frowning deep in thought and pulling at his lower lip. He radiated stress, and that in itself was unusual.

She left him alone, smiled at the nearest priest and addressed Metjen instead. 'What's up with him?'

'Not sure,' Metjen said. 'We started talking about family, how happy you looked this morning and he suddenly went all quiet... .'

Sparks exploded in Metjen's eyes and he raised his finger. That sort of thing usually happened when he received an important message.

'Problems, oh magical Christmas cracker?' Trueth asked.

'Not with Seisi,' Metjen said. 'I just got notice the other civilisations in this world have woken up to the fact that some of their hapless descendants still form little pockets of magical resistance in the demon world. The People have sent a few dream walker teams to America, Australia and New Zealand. Caused a bit of a stir apparently back home. I think it's about high time the magically gifted get organised. No matter what world they're in.'

A thought shot through her mind. 'Are the demons still out there?'

'We don't know. Our final release of cosmic energy should have sent them straight back to their plane but we'll have to see. The trouble is, they have infested so many humans with their evil, I'm not entirely convinced it's going to make any dent in the shit going on back home. Or did you mean here in Kemet?' Metjen asked belatedly.

'That as well. No trace of Nebmutef or that rogue high priestess?'

Shhhh, touchy subject! Iseret said.

Metjen's stormy expression showed she was spot on, as usual, so Trueth dropped the subject and turned her back at him to check on her lover. 

Seisi still seemed to be scrutinising the bushes. Dog was asleep on his feet, unlike the cats she seemed to be just fine with large agglomerations of floppy footwear.

Trueth planted a kiss on his cheek, he turned around and smiled at her with a sad expression. He was usually such a cheerful and determined person. His lingering weakness must be getting to him.

'I love you,' he declared fiercely.

'I know that, dear. What is bothering you?' Trueth asked.

Seisi hesitated for a moment. Then he said, 'My family.'