Tiy and the Prince of Egypt

by Dee, Debbie

  “I know, I know. I’m overreacting. I know.”

  “Then why don’t you let me take you back to the Star in Memphis. I’ll help you get comfortable. Trust me, once you get settled, and the fan bearers wave their feathers over you, you’ll forget all about me.”

  This was apparently the wrong thing to say because her mother burst into tears and wrapped her arms around Tiy.

  “I’ll never forget you,” she said through her sobs. “My sweet, Tiy. I’ll never forget you.”

  Amenhotep reached up to pat her mother on the back. “What can we do to help you, mother Tuya?”

  Her mother stood straight, her sobs gone. “Let Tiy join me, your majesty,” she said as if she had been waiting for him to ask her all along. “A mother can only sleep when she knows her child is safe, even if her child is a grown woman and the protector of Egypt’s Own. I can’t help what I need.”

  Amenhotep’s lips pressed into a line. “Tiy, I will support whatever choice you make.”

  Tiy wanted to tell her mother to get a hold of herself and trust Amenhotep to bring her back safely, but if something were to happen to her, she would suffer in the Afterlife for refusing her mother’s last wish to her. Sensing Amenhotep disappointment and her own irritation, Tiy forced a smile and joined her mother on the Star in Memphis.

  The journey was tedious, seeming to take twice as long as the journey had taken so many years before when she had come to join the royal school of children. How much her life had changed since then!

  The Star in Memphis proved to have difficulty navigating the waters, whether caused by an inexperienced crew or a faulty hull, she did not know. She did know, however, that there had never been a more depressing sight than watching Amenhotep’s Appearing in Truth disappear into the horizon ahead of them. She was aware they had a strict timetable to adhere to in order for the campaign to succeed, but she couldn’t help but feel left behind.

  Several smaller, faster ships were deployed from his ship to hers with messengers seeking information regarding the issues of the Star in Memphis. She was half tempted to hop onto one of them and return to Amenhotep, but her mother clung to her arm and begged her not to leave her with the unfamiliar crew. More times than she wanted to count, Tiy watched with balled fists as the smaller ships also faded into the horizon. Never had she had such difficulty showing her mother the respect she deserved as her elder. Nonetheless, she stayed behind in an effort to convey her love and respect to the woman who gave her life.

  After a painstakingly long journey, the Star in Memphis finally reached her childhood home in Akhmim. Tiy greeted her father for only a brief moment before boarding one of the smaller, faster vessels. Considering the never-ending issues the Star in Memphis experienced, she knew her chances of catching up to Amenhotep were slim.

  They sped along the Nile, never stopping to rest. Her hopes soared as she witnessed the crew’s efforts to bring her swiftly to Pharaoh. They sought to please her and worked harder than before. But she grew concerned when they passed through Thebes with no sign of the royal fleet, and then lost all hope when they passed the first cataract and neared Dakka, the city in which she had promised Amenhotep she would stay. A dark emptiness washed over her and she slumped in her cushioned chair. They had traveled hard for nothing.

  “At ease,” Tiy said to the crew. “I fear we will not reach the Appearing in Truth before I disembark in Dakka. You may take your rest.”

  The crew, consisting of four oarsmen and one helmsman, nodded and relaxed their efforts. They took on a slower pace and Tiy stared at the distant horizon in silence. She wished she could just go to sleep and wake up once the war was over. No, what she wanted was to return to Memphis and sleep in her own bed with Amenhotep at her side. A cool breeze tickled her cheek and she woke from her trance. The sky had turned to grey, and much to her horror, the water in front of them churned into a frothing whitewater torrent. Two of her oarsmen were shouting at one another. She couldn’t believe she had been so oblivious to their situation.

  “Row to shore!” Tiy ordered.

  The oarsmen nodded and fought against the swift current, but their small raft was tossed about like a leaf in a downpour. One of the oars snapped, and then another, and another, and the oarsmen looked at her with alarm. With only one oar remaining, they were powerless to navigate the turbulent waters.

  The raft whirled toward a nasty looking bend in the river where the Nile cut through steep rock and jagged stone. Tiy was sure her look of alarm mirrored the oarsmen’s. She motioned for them to sit and brace themselves, taking hold of the rail herself. They had no choice but to let the rapids carry them wherever they may.

  Tiy shot a glance at the riverbanks and shuddered. Toothy crocodiles lined up with their mouths held agape, waiting for the easy meal they knew the currents would serve them. Tiy gripped the edge of the raft as the rapids threatened to swallow them whole. They spun in dizzying circles, their heads thrashing from side to side. One of her oarsman vomited off the side, but as their raft jerked around, half the contents of his stomach spewed onto another oarsman’s feet, who responding by vomiting as well.

  Blurs of browns and greens whirled through Tiy’s vision as they hurled past rocks and trees. She could no longer see the awaiting crocodiles, but she knew they were there. She could sense their voracious appetites as the small raft gave way to the Nile’s pressure and splintered beneath them. The waves swallowed her whole and tossed her around like a rag doll, her body smacking rocks, her lungs filling with unwelcome water. Her head became fuzzy and she knew she was drowning. Only this time she didn’t have Siese to pull her from the Nile’s grip. It wouldn’t be long before she passed into the Afterlife, never to see Amenhotep again.

  Chapter 37. Nile Monster

  Death couldn’t be this painful, Tiy thought. Her head throbbed, her lungs burned, and her throat was on fire. But it was the pain in her right leg that dominated the rest. Several precise points of pain radiated inward and intensified as she tried to clear her head.

  Her back pressed against something hard that shifted underneath her, increasing the sharp pain in her leg. Distorted sounds of shouting and growling penetrated her ears and echoed inside her head. She pried her eyes opened and adrenaline cleared the scene before her.

  A crocodile had clamped down on her leg and was dragging her toward the river. Three sheepherders beat the crocodile’s head with their long crooks, their efforts causing minimal distraction to the scaly monster.

  Tiy screamed, which startled the sheepherders and gave the crocodile a chance to pull her closer to the muddy waters churning up from the bank. She kicked with her free leg, spurring the shepherd boys into action as they resumed thumping the crocodile’s head. No matter their efforts, it would not relinquish her leg.

  “Don’t let it pull her to the water!” Shouted one of the sheepherders.

  “It’s going to roll!” Another shouted. “Don’t let it roll!”

  Tiy kicked with renewed fervor. She had seen what happened when a crocodile rolled its prey. Bones broke, limbs tore off. There was not much of a chance for the victim after that.

  The crocodile pulled her closer to the river, the water reaching her knees. Her vision blurred, the pain in her leg consuming her. She screamed again, but her voice sounded so far away. The crocodile was nearly submerged, its round eyes staring at her as it pulled her deeper into the river. The water lapped up against her waist, and then her chest.

  Two sheepherders stabbed the end of their crooks into the water, while the other grabbed her arms and pulled. Just as the water kissed her neck, the crocodile flipped and Tiy found herself face down in the water, sharp pain erupting from her back as it twisted to follow. The sheepherder holding her arms lost his balance and dropped her arms, leaving her to claw at the riverbanks.

  Tiy lifted her face out of the water and screamed again, more for agony than for help. She knew nothing could help her. If the Nile god wanted her, then he would have her. The sheepherder’s sh
outing rose to new heights and, just as Tiy’s head slipped beneath the surface, they waved their arms at a rider as he galloped in on a horse.

  Within seconds, the crocodile jerked and its jaws slackened. The sheepherders were suddenly surrounding her, prying the beasts jaws open and releasing her mangled leg from its powerful grasp. They took hold of her arms and dragged her to the safety of the higher banks.

  “She needs immediate attention,” one of them said near her ear, although she could barely understand him. Their faces hovered over her, but their voices sounded so far away.

  “I’ll take her to my house,” the rider said.

  “It’s too far, she’ll never make it,” one of them argued. “Look at her, she’s shaking.”

  She blinked. She didn’t care where she went or how she got there, just as long as she was taken away from the river. Her vision blurred again.

  “She’s in shock,” another said. “I think she’s bitten her tongue.” He pressed a hand to her cheek and came away with blood.

  “She’ll make it. Your houses are not equipped to care…”

  The rest of what the rider said was covered by her chattering teeth. Tiy whimpered and let her head fall back as he picked her up and hauled her onto the horse with him. She didn’t care that he was a stranger, riding off with her to some unknown place. And even if she did care, there was nothing she could do about it. She couldn’t move her leg and the rest of her limbs felt heavier than the arms of the Sphinx.

  The horse sprung into a gallop and she screamed in agony, the vigorous motion sending shooting pain up her injured leg. The rider held her closer each time she screamed, murmuring words into her ear that were lost to her. She bore the excruciating pain for only a short while before her eyes rolled back and carried her into darkness.

  ***

  She awoke underneath a thick layer of soft fur. Her arm hung off the side of the bed and someone was stroking her hand with the softness of a feather.

  “She must be wealthy,” an older woman’s voice said. “Look at her hands. There is not a single callous or crack on them. This girl has not known hard labor.”

  “Does it matter that she is wealthy, mother?” someone asked with a voice she recognized as the rider.

  “No, of course it doesn’t matter, but it will help us find her family. She has nothing but the shreds of her white dress to identify her. Poor thing, to have endured not only a shipwreck and the frightening water, but to wake up with a crocodile on her leg! I’ll get some soup warmed for when she comes to.”

  Tiy’s head felt too foggy to stay awake, and the pain was still too much to bear, so she sunk into the soft fur and let herself fall back into oblivion.

  She awoke several times, occasionally to the quiet sounds of night and more often to the noises of someone working and cleaning. She wasn’t sure how long she drifted in and out of awareness, but after a time she could no longer ignore the throbbing pain in her leg or the fire in her throat.

  There was a sweeping sound near the foot of the bed, the swipe of bristles aggravating her headache. She cleared her throat, and the sweeping stopped. Pulling the fur down from over her face, her eyes squinted against the bright light streaming through the high windows. She took in the sight of her humble surroundings.

  “You are awake!” an old woman said as she dropped her broom and bustled over. The woman thrust a cup into her hands and tipped it until warm liquid fell into her mouth.

  “How long have I been asleep?” Tiy said, her voice coming out in a croak.

  “Long enough.”

  Tiy lifted her head to look at her leg and sighed with relief. At least it was still attached to her and not in the belly of a crocodile as she had been afraid it would be. Although it was bandaged from thigh to ankle and burning as if on fire, she was glad it was still there.

  “I was beginning to think you were never going to wake up,” the woman said. “It’s a good thing my Wesi found you when he did, or you might not have made it. Crocodiles are not to be played with.”

  “I wasn’t playing with it,” Tiy said, trying to wiggle her toes.

  “I know my dear, I know. Now, drink up.” She tilted Tiy’s chin up again and thrust the edge of the cup between her cracked lips.

  “Thank you for your hospitality, madam, and to your son for saving my life.”

  “Please, call me Tama.”

  “My oarsmen, are they alive?” Tiy asked.

  “Surely it is not just the oarsmen you are concerned for. Wasn’t your family with you as well, or an escort?”

  Tiy shook her head. It occurred to her in that moment that she could be deeper into Nubian territory than the safe city of Dakka. And the kind woman could very well be a supporter of the Nubian rebellion. She had to be careful about what she said. She couldn’t know how Tama or her son would respond if they discovered she was Egyptian, or that she was Queen.

  Tiy took stock of her attire. Her beautiful kalasiris was ruined, torn and covered in mud. Her wig was gone, exposing her pale yellow hair, and most of her jewelry had been lost in the Nile. She looked ordinary and without origin or any defining features. She could work with that. If she could just get back to Dakka, or at least near the border, she could get word to Amenhotep to let him know she was alive.

  “A young, pretty woman such as you should not be traveling alone.” Tama clicked her tongue in disapproval.

  “I was separated from my family.”

  “Does your family know you encountered a storm?”

  “Probably not.”

  Tama crossed her arms. “Won’t they come looking for you?”

  “Not here. I should find a way to reach them. Where am I?”

  “Soleb, dear, about a day’s journey north of Kerma.”

  Tiy’s stomach clenched. She was most certainly in Nubian territory. “May I use one of your horses?” she asked with as much sweetness as her hoarse voice would allow. “I promise you will be compensated.”

  Tama glanced at Tiy’s hands, no doubt recalling her earlier assessment. Tama had to know she could repay her for the horse.

  Impatient to get moving, Tiy yanked the fur blanket from the rest of her body and her jaw dropped in shock.

  “That is right, my dear. You won’t be going anywhere for quite some time.”

  A pain shot up Tiy’s leg and she glanced at it. Dark red circles seeped through the linen wrappings.

  “I’m so sorry, dear,” Tama said. “Your dressings need to be changed. It may hurt a little.”

  Tiy nodded and a wave of nausea rolled over her as the old woman worked on removing her bandages. Tama lifted her leg by the ankle, but even her gentle touch sent excruciating jolts of pain up her leg and into her head. She didn’t want to see what festered beneath all those layers of cloth, but she was morbidly curious to see what damage the crocodile had caused.

  “It isn’t broken,” Tama said. “At least, I don’t think so. I have never met someone who has survived a crocodile attack. How did you keep it from rolling you?”

  Tiy shrugged. She didn’t feel like talking about what happened. It brought back too many gruesome memories and she was having a hard time keeping the contents of her stomach contained as it was. She watched the last piece of bloodied cloth fall to the floor and let her eyes trail back to her leg. More gouges than she wished to count littered her flesh—most of them so dark they looked black. She fell back onto the bed, not wanting to see anymore, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists while the old woman tended to her wounds. Tama moved quickly, yet with the gentleness of a mother tending to her newborn babe. Tiy mumbled her thanks before a fierce nausea swept over her. But rather than sending her careening over the edge of the bed to empty her stomach, it pressed her into another wave of darkness.

  When she awoke again, Tama insisted she let her bathe her and dress her in clean clothing. Tiy felt refreshed afterwards but utterly exhausted. She fell back to sleep at once, waking only to eat and drink. This carried on for several weeks. She wok
e up, managed a small task or activity, then fell back to sleep for the remainder of the day. All the while she could do nothing to send word to Amenhotep. Any correspondence between them would put her more in danger and quite possibly hurt his campaign.

  At one point, she became feverish and the old woman paced the cabin with worry etched deep into her brow. She bathed Tiy with cool rags and forced her to drink more liquid than any normal person could consume in one day. She fussed over her night and day as Tiy slipped in and out of sleep, slowly recovering and gaining strength.

  Tiy thanked her often and let her know her efforts would be rewarded, but Tama would click her tongue and wave her off at the mere mention of compensation. With all of her children grown, she insisted she found a great deal of satisfaction in caring for someone again.

  After several weeks, Tiy was able to walk around the house with a little assistance, and by the time six weeks had passed since her arrival, she was able to walk to the porch and back on her own. She worked hard every day, determined to make a quick trip to see Amenhotep before settling in Dakka. Not only did she assume he’d want to see for himself that she was still alive, but she missed him more than she thought possible, especially late at night when the house was quiet. Every night, when the moon was high, the pain of missing him filled so much of her body that her stomach heaved in an effort to release some of it. But it never helped. It only made her chest hurt in a new way.

  Every day she worked harder and every day she was one step closer to Amenhotep. But every day she feared Tama or Wesi would discover her true identity and all would be lost.

  Chapter 38. Familiar Face

  The war in Nubia raged on. After learning Wesi was not part of the rebel movement and did not despise the Egyptians, Tiy sent a message through him to Amenhotep. She never told Wesi that her husband was Pharaoh; she wasn’t sure how that information would be received, or if it might spread among his friends and into the ears of someone who would use her to bait Amenhotep. Instead, she addressed her letter to Merymose, knowing he would pass it along to Amenhotep. She told him that she was safe but in an area in which he couldn’t send correspondence for risk of spies. The last thing she needed was a letter from Pharaoh!