As Fate Dictates

XXXVII-NOT A SLAVE

Tears cascaded down my rosy cheeks as I held my tummy. All I was, was sadness because every other emotion was pushed from my being. Where there was the love, the light, was an aching hollowness. I was honest, truthful and full of love for him than he could ever imagine.

I gripped my belly and wiped a tear or two from my cheeks as we arrived at my mother's palace. I had come home unannounced and obviously she would be worried to death about my being here and leaving the Pharaoh.

I descended from the carriage and walked to the door. I met a guard who immediately gave me passage to the interior of the palace. I stood and watched as the maids walked into the palace carrying my luggage.

"Your Highness!" I heard a voice squeal in joy and I turned to see Lapis walking towards me.

"I didn't know you were...coming," she said, rather shocked that the maids stood waiting for orders with my luggage.

"Show them to my chambers," I told her and she nodded half heartedly then walked away with the maids trailing along.

I strolled down the corridor thinking about my life and how on Earth it had changed so abruptly. I was soon turning nineteen but here I was, a married pregnant girl who had escaped from her marriage. Her marriage to the Pharaoh...

I wished I had never left California and that I was still a reckless teen always on the wrong side of my mother and her million rules. Don't get me wrong, I mean, I love my unborn child. I love him. Or her. But the father I could not bear to stay with.

I walked to my chambers where I found that the maids had put everything in place and they stood waiting for orders.

"Anything else, My Queen?" Lapis asked me, a worried expression clearly covered her pretty face.

"No, I am alright," I said as I sat on the bed, breathing heavily.

I put my leg onto the bed and it had swollen. I was very pregnant.

Lapis and the maids moved out of the room as I dismissed them and I rested my head against the pillows. Where was my mother?

"Nefera! Nefera, is anything wrong?" my mother immediately burst through the doors, her face stricken with worry.

I smiled and beckoned for her to join me on the bed. She did so ever so gracefully but with the aptitude of a lady.

I rested my head on her shoulder and a tear flowed against my will.

"He never loved me! He's taking another wife..." I sobbed with all the pain and the anger that I had built up inside of me.

My mother embraced me with the love only she could provide and listened to my woos.

"Sweetheart, cry all you can. Cry all the pain and the heart, my love," she comforted me.

"And he hid it from me yet she had been living there for two moons! I met her and he pretended never to have seen her!" I whimpered against her perfumed dress.

"Oh dear," she said calmly, gently brushing my hair.

"His mother said he'd been planning for the wedding and was joyed about it," I yelled in anguish.

"Mother, I did everything you told me to. I was a good wife and a good friend yet he wanted to replace me! And I am carrying his heir!" I sobbed in grief.

"You have been good, Nefera. It is not your fault," my mother soothed me.

"And I loved him...I would have died for him," I cried in desolation.

I whimpered against her chest and she held me in loving embrace as I poured my feelings out to someone who I knew cared.

"He took you for granted. I am sure that if he told you straight out, you would have agreed to it as it is the way of our people. But he hid it and pretended not to know anything so that was a mistake. Don't hold it on yourself, my dear," my mother said.

"You are a Daughter of the Nile. Your father was so proud of you and he loved you. So now, the Pharaoh is the one at a loss. So please do not over think it," she said sternly.

"You need to focus on your child. My grandchild. Oh Ra I feel old!" she joked as she helped me get on my feet.

"Now, how about some heavy meat soup as we wait for dinner? You can help me cook..." she suggested and I marvelled at the idea.

We walked up the corridor to her personal kitchen so as to prepare the soup, a particular favorite of mine.

"Your Highness, your presence is required in the Hall," a guard told my mother.

"By who? Who on Earth?" my mother asked the guard but he had already went about his duties.

My mother shot me a questioning look as she fixed her dress and ignored the kohl smudges from my weeping. She was presentable therefore hastened to the Hall as I trotted behind her.

I saw the Royal Palace guards positioned outside the Hall and I immediately knew that the No-Good Pharaoh had come seeking me. The doors opened and my mother gradually went inside and I followed.

"Ah, how are you Vizier?" my mother asked and I saw Raeah smiling at her.

"Amun-Ra has been merciful, my lady," he replied courteously.

"And what business brings you to my humble home?" my mother asked him straight away, not hesitating to beat around the bush.

"I have come to pick the Queen because the Pharaoh sent for her," he replied.

"Oh, is that it?" my mother asked him.

"Yes, that's quite it," he said politely.

"I know you are simply following orders therefore, tell the Pharaoh that my daughter cannot and will not be summoned like a slave. Tell him that she shall stay here till after she delivers after which she will decide if to return or not. Till then, he will not see her unless she so wishes. And do pass my greetings to him," she said politely and turned to lead me out of the room.

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Oh my God it's been long!

I am very sorry for the very late update. I can honestly say I was extremely busy with school and that's enough to drive anyone mad.

Anyway, how do you think Nefera and Merhut's relationship is going to turn out? Will they work about their differences?

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Thank you all so much for the support!