Read Online Tiy and the Prince of Egypt by Debbie Dee - Free Book Online Page B

Pharaoh’s house welcoming the Mitannian bride and hoped Nebetya would have details of how the foreigner was being received among the royal servants.
    Nebetya jumped up when Tiy entered her chambers. “You’ll never believe what I heard today,” Nebetya said. “The royal servants are so chatty.”
    Tiy plopped down on a cushion and leaned her elbows on her crossed legs. “Well, that is good, I suppose. Was it about the new queen?”
    “ No. Apparently Prince Amenhotep is returning from the Nubian rebellion early. The battle is getting out of hand, and Pharaoh Tuthmosis isn’t comfortable with the heir of Egypt being so close. Some of the servants think he is still sensitive about losing his eldest son in battle.”
    “ I thought he died in a bull hunt?”
    Nebetya shook her head and lowered her voice. “It was all hushed up because the priests were afraid the Egyptian people might believe the royal line was weak.”
    “Why?”
    “The prince died in the first conflict he led.”
    Tiy ’s mouth formed a circle. The pharaoh was the people’s protector. If the heir died in his first conflict, it meant the gods were unhappy with the kingship. And if they weren’t satisfied, they wouldn’t bestow the power and protection Pharaoh needed to rule and protect.
    “ It couldn’t have been in Nubia,” Tiy said. “The rebels have barely begun causing trouble, but I don’t remember hearing about any other battles.”
    Nebetya nodded. “Exactly. No one was supposed to know about this one.”
    “Where was it?”
    “In Mitanni.”
    Tiy choked on absolutely nothing and gasped for air. Her ancestors had come from Mitanni. Pharaoh Tuthmosis must hate her.
    “What is it?” Nebetya asked alarmed .
    Tiy cast her eyes to the ground.
    “Oh.” Nebetya said, her eyes filling with understanding. “None of the servants have said anything about you. Trust me. They wouldn’t have been afraid to speak their minds. Besides, don’t you remember, their new queen is a Mitannian princess?”
    “I remember , but that doesn’t change the fact that a Mitannian soldier killed the heir to Egypt’s Double Crown.”
    “Well, I guess they have worked out an agreement. When the Mitannian King h eard the prince had been killed he was supposedly so afraid Pharaoh would send his entire army to revenge his son’s death that he sent his daughter as a peace offering.”
    “That’s horrible.” Tiy mumbled.
    “It doesn’t matter . No one cares where your great-great-great-grandfather came from.”
    “ Kepi and her friends do.” And she thought she understood why Kepi hated her so much. Tiy had the same blood running through her veins as the people who killed her future as Queen.
    “Who?” Nebetya said in a way that conveyed both surprise and anger.
    “Just a girl in class.” Tiy said. She told her what happened in class. “She said I don’t belong here.”
    “Is that what you think?”
    Tiy shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, it’s not like I was invited to attend before I helped Amenhotep. I’m only here because Pharaoh said yes, although, I don’t think he thought I should come either.”
    “You are an official’s daughter, are you not?”
    “Yes, but—”
    “And you are smart enough to keep up with the curriculum.”
    “With some extra studying , yes, but—”
    “But what, Tiy? Do you think that spoiled, pompous brat has more right than you?”
    Tiy smiled. She couldn’t believe Nebetya called Kepi a pompous brat. Nebetya always said exactly what she thought, which was refreshing, but it got her into trouble more often than not.
    Nebetya chuckled and the tension ebbed away. “You see,” she said. “What Kepi said is nothing to fret over.”
    “You ’re right.”
    Nebetya flashed her biggest smile and winked. “Of course I am.”
    Once again Tiy was glad Nebetya had agreed to come with her. She was exactly what she needed.
    “Now, about Prince Amenhotep’s arrival,” Nebetya said.
    “What about