Act Four: Other Pretty Slaves

The cold hands pushed Rehema’s shoulder. Rehema tighten her eyes and refused to let them opened.

Whoever this person was didn’t get called into the Pharaoh’s chamber last night.

Her body was sore. Her thoughts wander to the woman in the painting. Would she have like what he did to her? Instead of avoiding eye contact would she look at him? The woman in painting had to be

someone important or least had to be. Why else would her image be place behind the Pharaoh’s throne? The cold hands still shook her a bit harder.

“Rehema get up!!” a high pitch voice cried. Rehema turned over and give the person her shoulder.

“Rehema this serious!” The high pitch voice cried.

“Eboni go back to sleep” Rehema muttered.

“The Queen has request your presence!” Eboni cried.

Rehema shot up and turned to look at her fellow slave. Like herself Eboni was very pretty. Her dark skin was the dark brown, her pitch black eyes were widen, and her face was round. Her black hair was in long braids.That why the Queen give her that name.

The Queen give all the girls new names. Some of the girls who were there longer than Rehema’s group said that they didn’t understand why. Rehema felt maybe the Queen wanted them to have something nobody else could have. They were brought to her the next day they arrived.

Rehema remember how the Queen looked at them with pity and smiled.

Madu and two women stood besides her. “I know most can’t understand me and the Pharaoh has forbidden me from translate my tongue. I can’t understand how all of you are feeling” She spoke with a gentle tone. “Most of you are cursing us; the ones that robbed you of your freedom. You’re family is dead and your home so far away.” The Queen turned to Madu and nodded.

“Bring the first girl forward” That how they got their new names. Rehema noticed that the Queen and Madu were always so kind, yet they still deferend the Pharaoh. Something happened.

Everyone seem to know and avoid the topic. What it was-

“Rehema, Rehema, Reheam!” Eboni yelled. The loud complains of the girls and muttered in different languages. “Rehema gogo” a young woman in her left muttered.

“Gogo little pretty” the girl in her right cried. Rehema rolled her eyes.

The girls have picked up certain words, but they were still limited.

“Alright pretties I’m leaving!” Rehema spoke aloud causing more girls to groaded in annoying and some sit up to give her a face. Rehema chuckled and sat up.

Both girls walked down the dark hall. Ra had yet to be reborn. The faded light of torches guide them to the court of the palace. The court had a beautiful garden in the center. A large pool covered half of the center. White lotuses flowers covered most of the pool. Rehema stop and looked at the garden. Nobody really came here. It was the Pharaoh’s private garden. He didn’t even come here and avoid it.

Rehema didn’t understand why. Why have this lovely garden and place to relax if your going to not used it. Must be a noble thing.

“Rehema come on!” Ebony cried while pulling at her arm.

Rehema nodded and followed to the familiar pathway to the Pharaoh’s apartment. Rehema and Ebony instead of taking the left side that lead them to the Pharaoh’s room. They walked to the right.

They walked passed several guards whose eyes followed them. It was uncomfortable, but it was familiar now.

“Oh, oh, oh Lost Maiden of the Nile, oh Lost Maiden of the Nile, oh LostMaiden of the Nile where has tho gone? Oh Lost Maiden of the Nile where are you hidden? Oh, Lost Maiden who is the chosen of the Gods.

Her dances were so elegant and lovely. O-”Both girls stop their steps. The Queen was singing that song again. Ebony didn’t know the song or the story behind it but Rehema did.

The legend of the Lost Maiden of Lower Egypt. Most of the children made their own version of the story and made a song that went along with it. Rehema remember making her own version and sing with her friends. They would pick the most pretty girl from their group and circle around her while singing the song. Rehema smiled fondly at the memory. Her friends were the best and funniest. It was disappointing that they didn’t survived the attacks of the bandits.

Yet, Rehema still had faith that her older brother survived the attack.She remembered that he went to the fields to look for something and didn’t return when the slave owners came to raved their home. Her heart refused to accept that she saw his bloody body with the rest of the men. Her mind argued logic.

The song of the Lost Maiden bought so many memories. The Queen must have very fond memories with the song or she liked to make people uncomfortable.

“She’s sing that song again. Do you think someone from court is there?” Ebony asked.

Rehema shook her head. The Queen had very dark humor at times and her entourage had to be always be on their toes. She wasn’t shy to call out her entourage or nobles about their reasons about them trying to win her favor. “Good luck trying to seduce him!” She would often say. No, Rehema though the Queen just liked to make people uncomfortable.

“Took you long enough” The Queen spoke. Rehema and Ebony looked at each other. The Queen was sitting in her vanity with a long skinny brush in her hand. The Queen’s vanity was covered with different shapes and color jars. Necklaces and rings were arranged by size and length. A wooden box was open with the lid on the side. Rehema couldn’t really see the Queen’s face since she had her back turned.

“Thank you Ebony for bring her. Please wait outside” The Queen said. Ebony bowed and left.

The Queen lifted circle mirror with a golden long handle.

“Rehema your going to town” Rehema’s eyes shot up to look at the Queen.

The Queen placed her brush into the small jar and moved it to her eyelids.

“You are the only one among the slaves who understands the language, and your looks won’t drew much attention at least I hope not” She muttered.

“There are people I haven’t heard from a while, and I’m worrying something way have happened”

Rehema was frozen. The Queen placed her mirror down.

“There are whispers about something my maids have spoken only little. I need you to find out what’s happening in my Kingdom.” She added.

“Do you don’t I’ll run?” Rehema muttered. The Queen turned around and smiled sadly.

“I hope that you do, but my husband will find out and thinks like some expect Madu that your are nothing but an outsider of this land” She admitted.

Rehema touched her chest. “You are my trusted informet and you remind me so much of someone. I wonder if that why he calls you so often?” The Queen thought.

Rehema blinked. Who was she referring to? A past lover of the Pharaoh? A friend?

The Queen shook her head. “You are going to be comply by Aya and Ebony and I want you three to look for a woman named Amunet”

Rehema nodded. “Ask her if she received any word from Yuma”

The Queen stood up and walked over to Rehema.

“Take this and tell them that Urbi sent it” Rehema looked at the small ring with a blue beetle on the top.

“I know the Pharaoh called for you last night, but I really need you to do this”

The Queen lifted the girl’s chin. Brown eyes stared at each other.

“Rehema you have my full trust and I’ll make sure you girls have a break from him for a while” The Queen said. Rehema nodded.

Even the thought of runway left her mind. The Queen’s smiled and trust meant the world to the slave girl. She was the only one who showed her any kindness when she didn’t have to.

The Queen and Madu were the only ones who treated the enslave girls like people.