Beyond that, I have only a blur of images as the sled was loaded onto a boat and ferried to the western shore, then carried on into the valley of the tombs. My head was a tangle of that day’s memories and those belonging to the time that Amenophis, Nava, and I had been fugitives in that same valley. While Amenophis and the priests performed the rituals that would let Thutmose begin his journey to Osiris, I saw apparitions of Samut and his little boy, of Kawit and her erring brother, even of Idu and his devious uncle.
As soon as the last of Thutmose’s belongings were placed in the tomb, masons sealed the entryway with stone, and priests sealed it with words of power. Several tents were set up nearby, each sheltering a royal feast. We were supposed to honor the dead by taking pleasure in the plentiful food and drink, but I was so exhausted that I might as well have eaten handfuls of flour.
All I wanted was the chance to speak with my family. That didn’t seem like much to ask for, yet from the day of their arrival until the day of Thutmose’s funeral, all of our meetings were brief, distracted, formal, or all of those together. As the recognized bride-to-be of Prince Amenophis, I was herded here and there like a prized cow. Oh, it was all done with perfect politeness by adept, tactful servants and officials, but it was still herding.
“How do you do it, Ta-Miu?” I said, gazing down at the little cat and her five babies. “How do you manage to go your own way and escape all the go-here-go-there-your-regal-presence-is-requested?”
Ta-Miu cocked her head at me as if considering a reply. Her basket was kept in the room where Nava and Mahala slept. If it had been placed in my bedchamber, Nava would have been in and out all night, doting over the kittens, and I never would have gotten any sleep. The cat had given birth in the middle of the time of waiting, and her kittens gave me stronger faith in the renewal of life than the chants of a hundred priests. At last, having reached a conclusion, Ta-Miu closed her eyes as the kittens nursed and purred expressively as if to say, “It’s your own fault for not having been born a cat!”
She was probably right. I’d just have to make the best of being who I was.
I hoped that with Thutmose’s funeral over, I’d be able to spend more time with those I loved, but I was wrong. Now the palace bustled with preparations for the magnificent banquet at which Amenophis and I would be presented as man and wife to all the most important people in the Two Lands. Because this was to be a royal event of the highest significance, countless details had to be arranged. In all the uproar, a foreign army could have invaded Thebes and no one would have noticed. In fact, I’d wager that the head cook and chief steward would have grabbed the soldiers and put them to work.
Nava and Mahala were seldom around. The master of the royal musicians had whisked them away to be part of the entertainment. They came back to my quarters very late every night, and it was making Nava cranky.
“Why does this stupid feast have to be so complicated?”
“Because it’s the one event that tells everyone Amenophis and I are married,” I told her.
“We just have a ceremony. Mama told us about it, right, Mahala?” Nava asked. When her sister confirmed this, she went on: “It’s short and there’s wine and then it’s over.”
“Yes, but that’s a ceremony for Habiru people,” I said, doing my best to humor a tired child. “We don’t have any wedding ceremonies except for this feast. I’m not Habiru.”
“You should be.”
“And Ta-Miu thinks I should be a cat.”
Nava nodded thoughtfully. “That would be good, too.”
Seven days before the banquet, I received a message from Aunt Tiye, inviting me to her apartments for a meal. When I arrived, I was overjoyed to find Father, Mother, and Bit-Bit there. Aunt Tiye beamed as I embraced my parents.
“It’s about time,” she stated. “Ay was making my life miserable. ‘Why bring us here to see our daughter if we never get to see our daughter?’ he said. Well, now here you are. See her all you like. I have banquet arrangements to supervise.” She swept out of the room gracefully, followed by all the servants.
We didn’t need them. A fine meal was spread out on several small tables. Within moments of Aunt Tiye’s departure, we were laughing and talking and taking deep pleasure in each other’s company just as if I had never left Akhmin.
Or perhaps that was only what I wanted to believe. The truth was, the longer I sat feasting and chattering with my family, the more a sense of strangeness seemed to creep over me. As I recounted all that I’d experienced since leaving home, Father and Mother reacted to my adventures with astonishment, sympathy, fear, praise, even scolding. They seized some parts of my story as opportunities to tell me what they would have done and others as moments to sternly order me never to do that again!
Bit-Bit stayed silent. Her face was stone, and the only time her lips moved was when she ate or drank. Even then, she avoided the delicacies laid out for us, taking only a few mouthfuls of bread and a few sips of beer. There was no sign that she was glad to see me again. What had happened to my loving little sister? My heart ached to know.
Father leaned back in his chair and patted his belly. “I don’t know if I will ever be able to forgive Tiye for intercepting our letters for so long, but I will say this in her favor: She knows how to order good food.”
My second mother, Mery, leaned over to take his hand. “We are together now, and Tiye is truly repentant for what she did. If that won’t let you forgive her, then try to do it for your own sake, or for the sake of the son she lost.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“I’ve forgiven her, Father,” I said.
“Have you, little kitten? Well, you’re still young. Wait until you have your own children and someone keeps you from knowing if they’re well or happy or even alive!”
“Not knowing if you were all well was just as bad,” I replied. “But it’s over.”