Only The Beginning
By
Christine Hall
Title: Only the Beginning
Author: Christina Hall, aka Trillium
Rating: R for violence, sexual situations, and the usual bad attitudes
Special thanks to Kao Vang for editing and many good suggestions
Disclaimer: The Mummy and the characters therein are the property of
Universal Studios.
No infringement intended. I am making no money off of
this.
Chapter 3
The next morning Anak-sun-amun felt no desire to get up. Others
were also sleeping off last night's excesses, so for a while no one bothered
her. As the sun was reaching its highest point in the sky, though, Sedet,
one of the older servants, tapped on Anak-sun-amun's door and came in to
see of she was all right.
"I'm fine. Go away," Anak-sun-amun ordered, pulling the light
blanket higher around her chin. It was much too warm already to need it,
but she was loathe to take it off.
"Somehow I don't think so," answered Sedet kindly. Anak-sun-amun
groaned inwardly as the older woman approached the bed, slightly stooped,
but still quite healthy for a woman of her age. Sedet was a motherly sort,
always hovering and worrying. She certainly meant well, but Anak-sun-amun
was not in the mood to put up with her today.
Sedet pulled a corner of the blanket down so she could see
Anak-sun-amun's face, then inhaled sharply as she saw the livid bruises on
her shoulders. She looked at Anak-sun-amun questioningly.
"Pharaoh was displeased with me last night," Anak-sun-amun replied
stonily.
"Oh, my sweet," Sedet clucked. "Let me rub some ointment on those.
And you can have a bath, and something to eat, and soon you'll be feeling
more yourself."
Slowly and with much fussing on Sedet's part, Anak-sun-amun allowed
herself to be coaxed out of bed. Silently she cursed herself for a fool as
she made her way to the bathing room, Sedet encouraging her with every step.
She had been stupidly naive. Why had she assumed that she was special, and
that Pharaoh would always be more or less kind to her? Why had she harbored
the secret hope that if she pleased him for a time, he would eventually let
her return to her hometown? The realization that she was here to stay,
permanently, forever, was just now really sinking in. Pharaoh would use her
until he tired of her, and then she would be relegated to the position of
waiting on her successors, and then on the mistresses of the next pharaoh,
as she grew old and ugly and bitter here in the petty, backstabbing
environment of the royal court.
It was a depressing thought, to say the least. Anak-sun-amun sat
down on a bench in the bathing room and sighed.
"Child, child," Sedet murmured as she picked up a comb and began to
run it through Anak-sun-amun's hair. "Don't worry. Pharaoh had too much
wine last night, but he likes you. It wouldn't surprise me if he gave you
some very nice gifts by way of apology."
Gifts? The thought of gifts disgusted rather than comforted
Anak-sun-amun. They would be empty, hollow, meaningless in the face of the
pharaoh's behavior. And he would never apologize in words, of course. As
the absolute ruler, he did not have to, for everything he did was justified.
She sat in stony silence while Sedet worked on her hair and chatted on about
inconsequentialities. Finished with that, she helped Anak-sun-amun bathe
and put on her makeup, and then suggested that she might like to sit in the
garden for a while.
"The fresh air will do you a world of good, sweet. We'll find you a
nice, shady spot where you can relax."
They went outside, and Sedet saw her settled on a bench against a
wall. Then she left, promising to go to the kitchens and bring back some
food. Anak-sun-amun realized as Sedet spoke that she was indeed hungry.
Maybe eating would make her feel a little better.
There was shade where Anak-sun-amun was sitting, but the eye of the
sun burned hot over the roofs of the palace. It gilded the pyramids of the
old rulers, their majestic bulk dominating the view. Anak-sun-amun felt a
bit like one of the birds flying around the man-made mountains, calling as
loud as they could but never reaching the top, mere specks against the
backdrop of ancient stones. A light breeze stirred the branches of the
ornamental tree above her, sending pollen into the air. If she turned her
head she could smell the fragrance of the flowers, and see almost nothing
but dark, shiny leaves and woody branches. Almost as if nothing else
existed.
It was an appealing illusion, but no more than that. The pyramids,
the palace, the myriad temples, the imposing statues, the great fire in the
square that was never allowed to go out- those were reality. She shifted on
the bench, drew up her knees, and pillowed her head on her arms, sighing,
trying to just enjoy the solitude and not think of anything else.
The sound of a soft footstep caused her to jump, and her first
reaction was to tug at her skirt to make sure it covered most of her legs.
Looking up, she was confronted with the sight of the High Priest Imhotep,
gazing down at her, a slightly amused expression on his handsome face.
"High Priest, I..." she became flustered, for she should have gotten
up and bowed to him immediately, but she had not, and now he might again
think her rude.
He dismissed her concerns with a little shake of his head. "May I
sit?" he asked, indicating the other end of the long bench.
"Of course, High Priest," she hurriedly assented, moving over, but
she was confused. Walking with her to her room last night (had it really
been only last night?), now asking to sit with her...what did it mean? And
how could she possibly think clearly with him close enough to touch?
"What...what brings you here, if I may ask?" she asked, thinking that
perhaps the direct approach was the best in this case.
"I came to speak to the Pharaoh, but he is otherwise occupied. I
was told to wait for a while." He seemed very accepting of this fact, but
Anak-sun-amun sensed some displeasure under the surface. The High Priest
was not accustomed to being kept waiting, not even by Pharaoh.
Anak-sun-amun found herself wondering what it would be like if that
displeasure ever came out into the open. She would certainly not want to be
in his way if and when it happened.
Anak-sun-amun realized that the he was looking at her intently. No,
not at her, exactly, but at her shoulder, where the bruises left by the
Pharaoh's hands stood out painfully against the skin. "Are you hurt, my
lady?" he asked, such concern in his voice that Anak-sun-amun was almost
embarrassed.
"It is nothing," she replied, turning away and hoping he would drop
the subject. But he did not, and her other shoulder was bruised too, so her
shift of position only gave the High Priest a better look at her injuries.
"If it were any other man.." he murmured as he reached out and
touched the purpling mark. His fingers brushed over her skin so lightly
that Anak-sun-amun could barely feel it, but nevertheless she was overcome
by the desire to move closer to him, to crawl into his embrace and take
shelter there where it was safe. His hands were so large and gentle, his
chest strong and muscular and no doubt warm and silky smooth. The
temptation was almost overwhelming. She pulled away.
"High Priest, I mean no disrespect, but His Majesty does not allow
any other man to touch me."
The breeze picked up, ruffling the leaves louder. "But you- what
would you allow?" he asked, and then stood and bowed to her courteously.
Anak-sun-amun tried to scramble to her feet and return the gesture, but
before she could he was gone. A different set of footsteps, slower and
shuffling, approached, and Sedet came up through the plants to the bench,
bearing a generous tray of food.
"Is something wrong, child?" inquired Sedet when she noticed
Anak-sun-amun gazing fixedly in the opposite direction.
"No, nothing," she replied, turning with a smile. "What did you
bring? It smells delicious."
"A little of the leftovers from last night." Sedet set the tray
down on the bench between them and handed Anak-sun-amun a bowl. "You like
dates, right?"
"You know they're my favorite." Anak-sun-amun found herself
smiling, though that was due to the earlier presence of her visitor as well,
and not only to the food. The servant woman looked very pleased with
herself, though. She was doing her best, Anak-sun-amun thought, feeling
much more charitable than before. "Sit down, Sedet, share with me. You
brought plenty for two."
"It's good to see you happy again," stated Sedet firmly, leaving no
room for arguments.
As they ate, Sedet once more chattered on about everything and
nothing, but Anak-sun-amun did not find it nearly as annoying as she had
before. After a few minutes, though, she said something that made
Anak-sun-amun's ears perk up.
"And Tari, poor girl...you know, that priest who was...killed...was
her cousin, and she asked permission to go to the Temple of Osiris tomorrow
to make an offering..."
"Was it granted?" Anak-sun-amun asked with sudden interest, sitting
up straighter and nearly losing her grip on her bowl.
"Yes, it was, but why is that so exciting?"
"Not exciting, I just...Pharaoh was so angry last night...I
wondered...."Anak-sun-amun could not find a way to finish that sentence, and
Sedet looked sorry for apparently having upset her.
"I know last night was difficult, but I don't think he's angry
anymore. At any rate, several of us are going with her. You could come
too, if you like."
"I think I will," Anak-sun-amun nodded. "I did not know Tari's
cousin, but it will be good to get out of the palace, and maybe we can see
the new sculptures they are working on at the Temple. They are supposed to
be quite beautiful."
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