Tiy and the Prince of Egypt (10 page)
Read Tiy and the Prince of Egypt Online
Authors: Debbie Dee
PART
2
D
eser
t
Q
ueen
138
6
BC
Chapter 25. Transparent Sleeper
Chapter 26. Insecure Authority
Khufu’s Pyramid
The colder months came and went in a blur. Before Tiy could blink, she was in her second year of school. Tiy and Amenhotep found adventure wherever and whenever they could, despite his growing schedule and her increased schoolwork. When there was no adventure to be found, or when they wanted quiet moments alone, they sat by the Nile in Amenhotep’s secluded oasis, enjoying hours of conversation. Their promise to each other was as easy to keep as breathing air or drinking cool water on a hot day. They shared a friendship that blossomed and strengthened every day, a friendship that grew into something as natural as the sun rising in the morning and as bright as its noon-day light. And although they never spoke it out loud to one another, they needed each other. For different reasons, Tiy could only assume, because she couldn’t fathom why he would need her friendship. She only knew that her life would be like a shadow without him.
Kepi
still hated Tiy and showed it every day at school. She saved her ultimate cruelty, however, for when Amenhotep was absent from school. He would often be away for weeks on end, and Kepi’s malice escalated with each passing day. She was hurtful, lashing out in class with vicious insults at every opportunity. It wasn’t until the end of her second year that Tiy told Amenhotep about it.
“What do you mean she called you a
Mitannian swine?” he said through his teeth.
“
Menkheper gave her six lashings for that one, but she didn’t seem to care.”
“Had I been there, I would have ordered more
than six lashings. I’ll make sure this ends once and for all.” He jumped up from his perch by the Nile and stomped out from behind the trees.
Tiy scrambled after him. “No, no, Amenhotep. Don’t say anything.”
Amenhotep didn’t stop.
“Please, Amenhotep!”
He turned to face her, his fists clenched. “Tell me, Tiy. Why shouldn’t I do anything about this?”
Tiy hugged herself. “Because then she’ll know how much
it bothers me. I don’t want it to, but it does. I’m trying. I just don’t want her to know. Please, don’t tell her.”
Amenhotep wrapped
an arm around her shoulder and led her back to the Nile. “I won’t say anything. For now.” He gave her a pointed look. “If she gets worse, I want to know.”
Tiy nodded.
“I wish you wouldn’t listen to her,” he said.
“
But she’s right. I’m different.”
Amenhotep
sighed.
“
I’m not Egyptian.”
“You’ve lived in Egypt your who
le life, haven’t you?”
Tiy nodded. “My parents and grandparents too.”
“Then you are as Egyptian as I am and don’t let anyone make you believe otherwise.”
Tiy raised an eyebrow.
“Just wait, I’ll prove it. You’ll see that you belong here.”
“Let’s just forget about Kepi.”
Amenhotep nodded and then his eyes lit with a mischievousness she’d seen a hundred times before. It was a look that almost always got them into trouble.
“Whatever you’re thinking, Amenhotep, I’m sure Ramose will try to stop you.”
Amenhotep waved a dismissive hand in the air. “He might, but it’s just the thing you need. I won’t let Kepi bring you down, so I’m going raise you to the top of Egypt instead!”
Tiy folded her arms, but she couldn’t keep her own smile from sneaking through. “Now I
know
Ramose will stop us.” She paused. “What do you have in mind?”
“When was the last time you’ve been to Giza?”
Tiy’s smile faded. “I haven’t been back since I landed face-first in the arms of the sphinx.”
Amenhotep laughed. “That was such a good day.”
Tiy rolled her eyes. “I have no intention of repeating that experience.”
“
Don’t worry. I have something else in mind. I’ll convince Ramose it’s a good idea.”
Tiy smiled
and watched him dash into the palace. There was no way Ramose was going to be on board with Amenhotep leaving Memphis. The Nubian war had escalated and rebel assassins had cropped up left and right. For Amenhotep to leave the protection of his guard, would be ludicrous. Ramose would talk some sense into him.
Fifteen minutes later Amenhotep
and Ramose came strolling around the corner with Merymose and Petep in tow. Their smiles put a sour taste in Tiy’s mouth.
“You didn’t agree to this, did you?” she said to Ramose the moment they reached her.
Ramose shrugged and smiled.
“
I counted on you to talk some sense into him.”
Ramose’s smile broadened. “I can’t be hel
d responsible for Amenhotep’s overwhelming desire to enter the Afterlife.”
Amenhotep
laughed. “Admit it, Ramose. You agreed that if we all disguised ourselves as tomb diggers and left through the lower quay, then we’d be as safe as old priests in a temple.”
“I didn’t mention any priests,” Ramose said, “but yes, the risk is low, even for my standards.”
Tiy threw up her hands. “This is absurd. There are Nubian spies everywhere!”
“They aren’t going to Giza.” Amenhotep said. “The place is dead.”
“And yet you are willing to risk your life to go there,” Tiy said.
Amenhotep grinned.
Tiy looked at Ramose, who shrugged again.
“I really don’t think we’ll run into any problems.”
She knew
he was right, which was probably why it had only taken Amenhotep a few minutes to convince the others to join him. Not only was the deserted Giza an unlikely place for assassins to lie in wait for royal targets but if they dressed as tomb diggers they’d be avoided all together. But why did she still feel so nervous about the trip?
“I don’t know,” Tiy said. “I still don’t think it’s a good idea.”
Amenhotep squeezed her shoulder. “I promise. It’ll be just the thing you need to forget…certain individuals.”
Petep
scowled and crossed her arms over her chest. Tiy cringed, knowing Petep had guessed who he was talking about. Fortunately, she had more manners than Kepi and said nothing to the other boys.
Amenhotep whispered in her ear. “Y
ou can ride on my camel with me if you want.”
Tiy flushed and turned her chin to f
ace him. He gave her a sincere smile and she found herself returning it. Of course he’d know the last remaining fear behind her reluctance, even when she hadn’t yet admitted it to herself.
“A
ll right,” she said. “Let’s go.”
***
Four hours and a much easier camel ride later, Tiy found herself staring up at the tallest of the three great pyramids of Giza.
“
Khufu’s tomb,” Amenhotep said with a whisper of awe. “His greatest life achievement and an eternal monument to his name.”
Towering at almost
280 cubits, Tiy could barely see the pointed top before it disappeared into the sky.
“
Ramose and I have tried to climb it several times, but neither one of us has ever made it to the top.
Ramose nodded. “It
’s too steep,” he said.
“And slippery,” Amenhotep
added.
Ramose laughed. “We usually end up sliding down on our backsides.”
“Which is half the fun.”
Tiy looked
toward the top again and her palms began to sweat.
“I bet you
could make it to the top, Tiy,” Amenhotep said.
Tiy
and the others burst into laughter, but when she glanced at Amenhotep and realized he wasn’t laughing with them, her jaw fell open.
“You are serious,” Tiy said
with a raised eyebrow.
Amenhotep nodded.
Merymose cleared his throat. “No one I know has been able to make it, especially not a girl,” he said.
Tiy
’s skin prickled with irritation.
“That sounds like a challenge,” Amenhotep said with an easy smile.
Tiy looked at Amenhotep, surprised to see complete confidence shining through his dark eyes. Why did he always insist she was more capable than her obvious weaknesses? Sometimes she wondered if he knew her at all.
“Fine,” she said. “I’ll climb to the top.”
Amenhotep nodded as if he expected no less from her while everyone else dropped their jaws in surprise.
“If you climb too,” Tiy added, eyeing Merymose.
Amenhotep laughed. “The challenge has been accepted and extended! What do you say about that, Merymose?”
Merymose smirked.
“I would say I’d like to see it.”
Amenhotep
laughed. “You hear that, Tiy? He says he’s looking forward to seeing you at the top.”
Tiy sighed.
She knew what Merymose meant. He didn’t think she could make it, and by Ramose’s shaking head, and Petep’s eyebrows in her hairline, they didn’t think she was capable either. A fierce determination to prove them wrong swelled up inside her.
“Are you coming, Amenhotep?” Tiy asked.
“Of course,” Amenhotep said with a grin.
“I’m coming too,” Ramose broke in. “And I’ll be the first to the top.”
“Ha!” Tiy said, her competitive nature rearing its head. “I’ll make it to the top so far ahead of you that I’ll be able to carve my name three times before you ever show up—with my fingernails.” She clenched her jaw, ignoring the flip of her stomach.
Ramose puffed his chest.
“I’ll make it up so far ahead of you that I’ll be able to carve my name eighteen times—with my elbow.”
Petep’s nose wrinkled. “That’s so disgusting, Ramose. Anyone who has elbows rough enough to carve stone needs a better body servant.”
Tiy smirked. “I’ll be able to recite all two hundred chapters of the Book of the Dead. Backwards and forwards.”
“I’ll grow a beard!”
Ramose said.
Tiy
burst into laughter, as did everyone else.
“
I don’t want to be here all day,” Petep said once their laughter quieted. “If you are going to do this, you should start now.”
Tiy gazed up at the polished limestone caps
and her stomach turned flipped again. Each stone was joined with such precision that only hairline joints were visible. It almost looked like the pyramid had been carved from one giant stone. Tiy took a steadying breath.
She placed her right foot on the surface and leaned forward, letting her fingertips touch the stone above her head.
It felt like the board Nebetya used to round her fingernails and Tiy wondered what Nebetya would think of her current path to embarrassment. She would probably cry.
Pushing off
with her other foot, she lifted her body, letting her left foot rise above her right. She took a few tentative steps straight up the pyramid until she was a little more than a body length off the ground. Feeling pleased about her progress, she peeked over her shoulder and grinned at Amenhotep. And then her foot slipped and she found herself sliding on her stomach to the ground.
Ramose burst out laughing,
Petep punched his shoulder, Merymose smirked, and Amenhotep helped her to her feet.
“You can do it,” Amenhotep said
, patting her shoulder. He folded his arms and glared at the boys.
“
I was just getting a feel for the surface,” Tiy said.
They
saw through her fib. Ramose laughed harder, Petep punched his shoulder again, Merymose bit back a smile, and Amenhotep squeezed her hand.
“Maybe you should stay here and watch the boys go up,” Merymose said.
“Don’t feel bad,” Petep said. “Amenhotep said himself that he and Ramose have never made it to the top.”
Ramose barked a laugh. “But we made it higher
than three steps.”
“Hush!” Amenhotep said. Everyone obeyed.
Tiy faced the pyramid, her face flaming hot and her hands on her hips. She refused to let anyone tell her she was incapable of doing something, especially a couple of boys. Determined to conquer the magnificent structure, she imagined herself climbing the smooth blocks of stone. She imagined how her feet would need to be placed in order to reduce the harsh slope and how she might be able to keep from slipping.
She kicked off her sandals, knowing the smooth, worn leather soles couldn’t grip the stones the way
her flesh could. Ramose quieted. Perhaps he had never thought to remove his sandals. She wanted to turn around and smirk at him, but she resisted. She was still unsure of her plan and didn’t need another fall to add to her humiliation.
She moved to
the west corner of the pyramid and faced the opposite corner. It was so far away that she had to squint to see the edge of it. Placing her foot on the slanted stone, she turned it until it angled nearly horizontal to the ground rather than straight up and down. And then she hoped for the best as she placed one foot in front of the other toward the east corner, gradually gaining altitude with each step. She knew it would be slower than going straight up the side of the pyramid, and might cost her bragging rights, but if she could give herself less incline to handle with each step, she might have a chance.
