FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

I followed Maat out of Khaldun's chambers in silence... She and I had an understanding that speaking to me would cause problems. I glare at the back of her head as I follow her through hallways and I start to wonder exactly where we were going. These were not the royal chambers... these were servant quarters and they were mostly abandoned. My mind wanders and I begin to think about everything that has happened in my life that has led to this point.

I have served in the home of pharaoh since before I can remember. That servitude was a penance for the sins of my father against the holy order, the ultimate balance of the world. Set envied Osiris, the head of all the gods in the heavens and eternal king of all Egypt. It was his envy that drove him to murder... Father crowned himself king of heaven and Earth and reigned over Egypt for nearly twenty years. Many of the gods were suspicious of Set, but were unable to find any evidence of his betrayal. Set was a cruel and vicious god... and his rule was tyrannical at the best of times. He was informed by several spies that Isis, who had been the wife of Osiris, was pregnant and he became consumed with finding and killing her and her son.

But she always managed to evade my father. She travelled the world, hiding within its lost and ancient places, taken in by sympathetic gods and mortals a like. She gave birth to Horus, son of Osiris and she began to mold him for the throne. Set was furious and sent assassins to dispatch the boy from this world. He sent poisons and savage beasts to kill Horus, but all of them failed. Isis was a powerful healer and the divine mother goddess, none would harm her child while she drew the sacred breath of life into her lungs. Everyday Horus grew stronger and grew into the honorable man that his father had been. As they were always on the run from Set, they saw much of the world and in their travels they also found the evidence they needed against Set.

Isis and Horus called all the gods to council. All would stand and judge the evidence against Set and determine whether or not he had murdered Osiris. They trial wasn't very long and when the gods ruled that Set had betrayed his brother Osiris and murdered him. Set lashed out and attempted to kill Horus for this embarrassment. While he was unable to kill his nephew, he did manage to cut out his eye. Horus stood as all kings should, even though blood poured down his face. Set laughed madly as he was dragged away. Anubis passed the final judgement on my father and family. All were fed to the Devourer, except for me. I was only spared because Anubis had a terrible secret. He had allied himself with Set... and had solidified that alliance with the marriage of his sister to Set. I was the product of their union and my uncle had spared my life out of love for his sister.

And that was how I came into this world. Honestly, it was a far more interesting story than the rest of my life. I was born a prince and three days later I was a slave in my uncles' house. I served diligently and Anubis rewarded me with the knowledge of my past but he also warned me to keep my mothers' identity a secret or he would have my tongue ripped out. I was treated amicably for many years, even allowed to stay with Anubis' family. I played with and was even taught right alongside Maat, who was only a few weeks younger than I was. We were very close through our early years. Until we were eight... until the accident that is.

We were taking riding lessons together and our instructor said we had finished for the day, but we both were excited and wanted to keep going. We snuck back into the stables later that day, she mounted a rough looking stallion and I opened the gate for her. He was not broken though, and he bolted through the gate, knocking me to the side. Maat was only able to hold on for a few seconds before the stallion threw her off his back. She smashed into the ground and didn't move. I screamed for her guard and ran to her side. She was bleeding and she wouldn't wake up. The guards took her back to Anubis' palace and I was escorted right to my uncle. He beat me severely that night and came close to killing me. Nearly a week passed before Maat woke up and she and Anubis were told the horrible news that the fall had injured her womb and she would be unable to bear children.

Anubis blamed me for the incident and I was no longer treated well within his household. I was beat often, starved when convenient and was often given the most tiring of all the daily tasks. I received a slight reprieve when Ahkenanpu was born a year later and again when Khaldun was born a year after that. With two sons to carry on his legacy, Anubis left me alone most days. Then the sad day came when Horus passed from this world to join his father in the afterlife and Anubis was chosen to be the new pharaoh. We moved to the palace in the capitol and I began my life as a royal slave, which turns out was even worse than the being the slave in a nobles household.

I was given to Khaldun when he turned 13, they said I was to be one of his personal attendants. You know dress him, feed him, clean him, wip... well, you get the idea. He was a spoiled fop, but he was my master and cruel owner, not to mention a prince... He tormented me often, be he did far worse to the other slaves. His treatment of one slave in particular... a very kind and timid cheetah named Tabansi. I remember the day he was bought, it was not long after I was given to Khaldun... We were in a royal procession moving through the markets. Pharaoh insisted that we stop and look at new slaves, an awful pastime for someone who already was a slave.

"A sorry bunch the lot of them..." Pharaoh says in disgust.

"I don't know father," Ahkenanpu says as he examines a few females. "Some of them may have more value upon further inspection." He had just turned fourteen and he was at the age where it was expected he consider marriage.

"I've always found the idea of slavery distasteful." Maat says coldly.

"Beloved daughter..." Pharaoh says as he shakes his head, "This is the order of the world my dear. They are the lowest level of society and we the highest. Each level serves that above it and it is their sole purpose in life."

"If we are the top level of this order, then it seems we would be above such things." Maat says with a voice like steel. "I'm returning to the palace. I will not be party to this."

She leaves with her guard and all bow before her as she passes. She was beloved by the people. Her exterior might have seemed cold, but she had the true heart of a ruler. She was even handed in her judgments, was generous to the poor and downtrodden, she loved the people... The healers told her years before that she would never have children but Egypt had become her child and in my opinion it could not have had a better mother.

"Father." Khaldun says, interrupting my reverence. "I want that one."

I look up to see Khaldun pointing at a small cheetah boy, crying and cowering in the corner away from the other slaves. My heart ached as I looked at him then.

"I doubt it's worth the gold the trader is asking for it." Ahkenanpu says.

"I WANT it father..." Khaldun says with a growl and he jumps down from his litter and runs up to the cheetah and stares.

"Khaldun." Pharaoh says with a stern voice. "You will not throw our fortunes away on a useless boy."

"He's not useless..." Khaldun says as he grabs the cheetahs face and snarls menacingly at him. Which causes the cheetah to cry even harder. "I find him... attractive."

The market goes deathly silent as the words echo through the alleys. The cheetah's eyes widen and he looks terrified. The commoners, traders and guards all avert their gaze from the scene and pretend to be somewhere else. I look at Ahkenanpu, he seems disgusted but says nothing. Pharaoh stands and narrows his eyes.

"You will marry a fine woman of noble breeding." He says sternly. "If you wish, you are entitled to have a harem once you have taken a wife or two and you can put in it whatever you want."

"I will marry a woman of noble birth father." Khaldun says as he leans forward and kisses the poor cheetah on the mouth. He whimpers and tries to pull away which awakens something in Khaldun I had never seen before. "I want him NOW. And you cannot keep me from buying him, once he is my slave I can do with him whatever I want."

"You just want to hear the cat purr, don't you? Sick little fop." Ahkenanpu says with a sneer.

"Cheetahs chirp..." Khaldun says with a vicious smile. "And I'm going to make this one chirp so loud they hear him all the way in Nubia. I'm buying him father. I will take him tonight and you will not deny me of this."

Pharaoh is silent. He stands on his litter and stares down at his son. A son that had just showed defiance to his Pharaoh. Anubis slowly sits and folds his hands together. Would he punish this defiance or would he show divine mercy and leave Khaldun to his ravenous ambitions.

"Indeed..." That is all that Pharaoh says and he motions for the procession to move onward.

"SLAVE!" Khaldun yells for me and I hurry to his side. "Pay for him... keep him with you while we return to the palace, clean him up and make him aware of what I expect of him."

The cheetah begins to snivel and sob again, not truly knowing what Khaldun had in store for him.

"Master," I begin persuadingly. "He is simply a child and surely not worthy of my princes time or pleasure. There are many fine specimens here that may prove far more worthy and would be far more experienced than this..."

"YOU WILL NOT DEFY ME!" Khaldun shrieks as he strikes me. "He FEARS me... you ALL should fear me! He is my slave and so are YOU. If I want to have my way with him, I shall and there is nothing you can do about it. You can prepare him for me tonight or you can die here in the street now and I will still breed him tonight. CHOOSE carefully..."

"My eternal apologies my prince!" I say with feigned fear. "It will all be done as you have commanded."

He storms back to his litter and he and his guard move to join the rest of the royal procession. I pay the slaver for the cheetah and offer my hand to the poor boy. He's scared and pulls away from me in fear. It took only a moment to decide when I was given the option. I didn't make my decision based on fear, on the contrary I prayed for death often. It was the thought of this poor boy being ravaged by my young cousin, of being beaten and treated like an animal. It was going to happen regardless of what I did... at least this way he would have a friend and someone that would understand and listen to him.

"My name is Sebak." I say gently, "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise... I'm a slave too."

The cheetah looks up, teary eyed and I do my best to give him a friendly smile. I don't think I succeed as his lip quivers as he looks at me.

"I don't want to go..." he says in a broken voice. "I don't want him to touch me! I want to go home!"

I pick him up and do my best to cradle and comfort him while he cries. He throws his arms around my neck and sobs into my shoulder. I pat his head and try to shush him while I start my way back to the palace. Fortunately, the walk back to the palace is long, but under the circumstances it seems to take even longer. The poor little cheetah seems to have calmed down some and isn't crying as much as he was before.

"So what's your name?" I ask as I slowly walk along.

"Tabansi..." He says quietly.

"I'm very happy to meet you, Tabansi." I say comfortingly. "I would like to be your friend if that's okay. You see, I don't have any and you seem like a kind hearted kid."

"Thank you..." He replies softly.

"Not a problem Tabansi." I say with a forced laugh.

"No... Thank you for trying." He says as he looks up at me with swollen eyes. "I'll always remember that Sebak..."

"I'm sorry I couldn't do more." I say ashamed. "I won't lie to you... the life you were just sold into will not be pleasant for you. But I promise you that I will do everything I can to make sure that there are at least a few enjoyable moments in your life."

"What is it that I will be doing exactly?" Tabansi asks timidly.

"Prince Khaldun wants you to pleasure him..." I say gruffly.

"Yes, but how exactly am I going to do that? He didn't seem too happy with me to begin with..."

"He wants to have sex with you." I say with a grimace. "And he wants you to be scared while he does it. He wants you to fight him and lose... and he will more than likely beat and humiliate you."

"He wants to..." He starts shaking again and his breathing becomes labored. "I... I've never... had... and I don't... he's a boy."

"He doesn't care..." I say as I try to hold him tightly. "I'm very sorry... I wouldn't wish this on anyone. But you have to be strong. If you let him, he will destroy you. But we can help each other when we can. We can be there for each other when we need to cry and talk about the pain."

"Will you be there with me?" he asks terrified. "Will you be there when he hurts me? When he... rapes me?"

I say nothing. Mainly because I can't as tears swell up in my own eyes and catch in my throat. The answer was, I honestly didn't know. If I was, it would be torture to just let it happen and if I wasn't there, I'd hate myself for not being there to let him know he wasn't alone. I remain silent the rest of the way to the palace and as we walk through the gates Tabansi grips my clothing tightly and stares in awe at the sheer size and magnificence of it all, but a golden cage is still a cage...

Once we are in the royal quarters, I make sure he is fed. I inspect him for lice and diseases and then give him a bath. Once he is finished there I groom him and make sure he is put into new clothes. I try to be encouraging as I instruct him on what Khaldun expects, but most of the time he looks as if he is going to be sick. I place a hand on his head and try to give him a smile. That is when the doors to the room swing open and Khaldun strolls in. I quickly motion to Tabansi that we need to bow and we do in unison.

"Not bad..." Khaldun says as he circles us. "You look even more attractive now that you've been cleaned up properly. You've done your task well slave, you can leave me to get... acquainted with the new one."

I hesitate... I don't want to leave him, not with this monster. I stay bowed and clench my fists. I was older and stronger than Khaldun and I could kill him before the guards outside would have time to react. But then they would kill Tabansi and myself. At least this way he has a slim chance of being freed someday. If I hold my ground, maybe he will just do what he wants with the boy and I can stay and let him know that he's not going through this terrible thing alone.

"GET OUT!" Khaldun screams as he kicks me in the ribs as hard as he can. It knocks the wind out of me and I gasp and fall to the floor.

"Go..." A small voice says and snap my gaze over to Tabansi. He's shaking, but he hasn't moved otherwise. "Ma... Master commanded you to leave. Jus... just go."

"Yes, listen to my new toy." Khaldun says with a cruel smile. "If you defy me again, I'll have the guards kill you where you lay."

I stare at Tabansi. I can't see his face, but I see the tears falling to the palace floor. He's trying to save me... I slowly get to my feet, though my side hurts. I bow ever so slightly to Khaldun and walk out of the room quickly, shutting the doors behind me. I walk to the other side of the hall way and turn to face the door. I stare past the guards and my gaze burns into the wood, maybe if I starred hard enough the gods would grant me the vision to see what was going on. At first all I hear is some talking, nothing I can actually make out. Then I hear some scuffling and then Tabansi cries out in pain... this is followed by more screaming. It echoes through my head and I rush towards the door, but the spears of Khaldun's guards stop me before I get too far.

I stare at them while tears fill my eyes and I start to beg, but Pharaohs' guard has been trained since birth to care only for his family. I race away quickly, making turns and bolting down corridors, not really sure what I'm looking for. Tears sting my eyes and I can't really see where I'm going. Strong hands grab me and I look up to see an extremely bulky lion growling at me.

"AN-HUT!" A familiar voice commands and the lion releases me immediately. I look behind him and see Maat.

"MAAT!" I cry as I fall to the floor. "You have to stop him. PLEASE! You have to stop him!"

"A slave in the house of pharaoh will not speak the royal family's names!" The lion snarls. "She is your mistress, your princess!"

Maat places a hand on her guards arm and kneels down to face me. "What's going on?"

"Khaldun... the prince. He bought that cheetah boy at the market... he's going to defile him!" I sob. "If I had to guess, I would say he hasn't even seen his seventh year... He's not ready."

"Bring him." Maat says to her lion guard as she gets up. He grabs me gruffly and forces me along. We walk quickly towards Khaldun's chambers. Tabansi was still screaming, crying as well now and it was joined with Khaldun's yelling and maniacal laughing. The guards snap to attention as she approaches.

"Open this door..."She says in icy anger.

"Forgive me, my lady..."One of the guards begins. "The prince demanded that he not be disturbed."

"He's already disturbed. Now open this door or I will have your heads." She says, he words wielded like a fine blade.

The guards bow and quickly open the doors. Maat walks in first, followed by myself and An-hut. What I see breaks my heart into a thousand pieces and had An-hut not had a hold of me so tightly, I may have killed Khaldun right there. Tabansi had been struck several times across the face and his nose was bleeding. His shendyt had been torn off and the shreds were tossed about the room. He was laying on the bed in a very defensive position, his legs pulled in close behind him, his hands covering his exposed shaft... he was crying and shaking violently. Khaldun was completely exposed as well, but the sick bastard was enjoying what he did to Tabansi. He notices us and quickly looks around at what he was doing and embarrassment creeps into his face.

"Wh-what are you doing?" He says as his embarrassment turns to anger. "These are my private chambers, leave now!"

"I'm taking the boy." Maat says as she walks over to her brother. "He is not properly trained and I wouldn't want you to break your new toy on your first time."

"I can break him in just fine!" Khaldun snarls. "This is that other slaves doing isn't it? You've always been too kind to these creatures."

"They are not creatures." Maat says as she walks over to the bed and drapes a blanket around Tabansi and helps him up. "Come with me little one, this is no place for you yet."

Tabansi nods, still crying and clings to her kalasiris. She grabs the boys hand and walks towards us. He places Tabansi's hand in mine and gives me a cold look... There was some kind of meaning behind what she did, but at the time I couldn't figure out what it was.

"YOU will not take my property away!" Khaldun screeches, "I'm not finished with him! He's mine and I will take him if I want too!"

"I see a poor boy that is scared and frightened." Maat says as she faces her little brother again, "He has no idea what his future holds, he's scared of all those around him and he has no idea how to cope with the situation."

"I could care less about that little slave's mental well-being." Khaldun snorts.

"I was talking about you little brother." As she says it, Khaldun's eyes widen and he begins shaking. "You have no place here, no power... Pharaoh doesn't love you, Ahkenanpu hates you to be perfectly honest. None of the slaves or people would weep at your passing. You will do nothing to make your mark on the world. All you have is your fear... and little brother, you are very afraid."

Khaldun says nothing, he just stares at Maat with a great deal of fear in his eyes. Maat walks past us and the three of us follow. Almost as soon as we get out of the room, Khaldun screams and there are several loud crashes. I look back to see his guards running in and I see a goblet fly out of the room and shatter against the opposite will. Tabansi squeezes my hand and I hold it more tightly and look down at him. He had at least stopped crying, but he still trembled in fear. Khaldun's screaming continues but fades as we walk further away. We follow Maat all the way back to her chambers on the other side of the palace.

An-hut opens the doors for his mistress and motions that we are to enter as well. We do and he closes the doors behind us, but he remains outside. Maat's room is no less magnificent than any other room in the palace, but it was less finely decorated and she had many more depictions of the gods displayed than anyone else in her family.

"Come here little one." She says to Tabansi as she holds her arms out. He hesitates at first but eventually walks over to her timidly. She grabs a cloth from her vanity and wipes the tears and blood from Tabansi's face. "I'm sorry this happened to you little one. I think slavery is an affront to the gods... No one should be treated like this."

"Thank you mistress..." Tabansi says quietly.

"We need to have a talk cousin." Maat says looking at me.

I nearly jump out of my skin and panic sets in. I stammer but ultimately can't say anything and I end up standing there with my mouth open. She gives me an extremely small smile while she watches my expressions and it is enough that I can collect myself.

"You knew?" I ask.

"As long as you have." She says with a sigh, "I was eavesdropping on you and father the day he told you, all those years ago."

"You never said anything..." I say as I walk closer.

"Well father did say that he would rip you tongue out if you told anyone." She says as she continues to inspect Tabansi's wounds, "You were my best friend... I didn't want anything to happen to you."

"Is that why you haven't said anything to me all these years?" I asked gruffly.

"I was told that if I engaged you, father would kill you." She says as she walks to her wardrobe and finds something small for Tabansi to wear. "He blamed you, he wanted to kill you after the accident. I told him that if he did I would end my own life and he would be left childless. I made a deal with him... If I didn't speak to you, he would let you live. So that is what I did."

I don't say anything, I don't have too. Maat continues tending to Tabansi and does so until he is all cleaned up and dressed. She pats her lap and the little cheetah sits, more relaxed in her presence. I shift my weight slightly and look at the little fellow. I wasn't allowed to marry, but I adored children and would love to have my own someday but honestly I've never found a woman that I thought was interesting enough to even consider it.

"What was your name little one?" She asks as she wraps he arms around the cheetah.

"Tabansi, princess." He says, slightly louder than normal.

"Well Tabansi," She begins in an easing tone. "I'm very sorry about what happened. I'm very sorry that you have to stay in this place. I promise that I will do whatever I can to make you comfortable here, but I need to talk to you... both of you, about your role here."

"I can't!" Tabansi says with a quivering voice. "Especially with him! He's mean, he beat me and doesn't care about me or my body."

"I know little one..." She says with legitimate concern. "But I can't protect you forever. As much as I don't agree with it, you are his property now and I can't keep you from him. But I can try to tutor you... with someone nicer. Someone that won't beat you and does care about you. Someone that can teach you how to survive here."

"I... don't know..." Tabansi says as his head drops down.

"Khaldun will probably come for you tomorrow." She says with a sigh, "And if he brings Pharaoh I will have no choice but to give you to him. Wouldn't you rather be prepared as best you can?"

"I... I guess..." Tabansi says reluctantly. "Who is going to... tutor me?"

"Sebak." She says plainly

"What?" I ask with a start. "Are you out of your mind? I can't do that to the poor boy! This is sick! Everyone in this whole family is SICK!!!"

"Sebak, he'll die!" Maat yells back.

"NO. I refuse." I stare at her shaking in anger. "I haven't done that with anyone and I'm certainly not going to start with a child a third my age."

"Tomorrow, my brother will come for him regardless of what we do here tonight." She says forcefully. "If we do nothing, then a similar scene will unfold for this poor boy tomorrow. He will be beaten and raped... multiple times and if he doesn't satisfy Khaldun, he'll kill him in the worst way he can come up with."

"I can't..." My voice breaks, "He's suffered enough."

"And if you don't help him, he will suffer even more." She says as she grips the boy tightly. "You are the only one in this world that he has a bond with. The only one aside from me that has shown him any kindness and we both know you will do your best to go easy and help him prepare."

I feel defeated and ashamed... I look at Tabansi, who has remained silent throughout the whole ordeal. He was just staring at me, no noticeable expression, he just stared. I look at Maat and she gives me a stare that conveys that she understands and that she is sorry. My stomach feels sick and I try to push everything out of my head. I walk over and kneel beside Maat and Tabansi.

"Tabansi..." I say as my voice catches. "I'm sorry... but I need to..."

"Sebak is going to teach you how to please my brother." Maat says as she motions for the boy to stand up. "He's going to teach you how to survive here. I beg you not to hate him for this... Be strong."

Maat places a hand on my head and walks out of the room, leaving me and Tabansi alone. I don't look at him, I can't... not with what I have to do rolling around in my mind. Tears swell up in my eyes and I hate everything that Egypt is... I hate everything that Anubis and his house stand for... I hate that I have to defile this innocent boy that shouldn't even be here.

Arms are thrown around me and I am startled at first. "It's okay..." Tabansi whispers into my ear. "I trust you, Sebak... I know you won't hurt me."

Several hours later, I emerge from the room. I close the door behind me and rest my head against it and I sob into the wood. What had I done? How could I live with myself after what I just did to that boy? I slowly turn around and see Maat standing on the other side of the corridor. I glare at her, snarling and briskly walk away. The anger seethes up from deep inside me. The disgust, the hate the shame it all eats away at me until all that is left is rage.

"Sebak." Maat says as she grabs my arm

"NO!" I yell as I rip myself out of her grip. "You won't TOUCH me!"

"Don't do this!" She shouts with the first real emotion I've seen in years, "I know you're angry, but what you did helped that boy. Now he might be..."

"IF you EVER speak to me again..." I growl as I grab her by the throat tightly, "I WILL KILL YOU."

Her eyes widen and she struggles against my grasp. For a moment, I see the little girl that I used to play with all those years ago... I wrestle my rages back down and I release her. She grips her throat shakily and coughs. She looks at me, a little frightened, but says nothing.

"Maybe..." I say with a low rumbling voice, "Maybe we should go back to not speaking to each other." She looks at me with sad eyes and I walk away, never looking back.

Khaldun came for Tabansi the next day, as we knew he would. Somehow, Tabansi forgave what I did to him and he told me that when he was with Khaldun, it was easier. But he still cried and he didn't enjoy it, how could he? How could anyone?

It's been eight years since that day. Khaldun grew worse and worse, Anubis became old and weak, Ahkenanpu was to become the new pharaoh and Maat... kept to herself. Tabansi and I became very close, a friendship that bonded us together throughout all the horrible days of our lives. And that brings us to the present. Maat had kept her word, she hadn't spoken to me for eight years, but if she was choosing to break that silence now it had to be important.

"I have to break my promise to you Sebak." Maat says as she finally stops and turns to face me.

"I gathered." I say slowly, "I suppose I should thank you for saving me."

"Don't thank me yet." She says as she crosses her arms, "You owe me for a few things I've done for you over the years, including that. I need your help."

"Here we go..." I say as I throw my arms up in the air, "Can't you just do something for me out of the kindness of your icy heart?"

"...No." She says plainly. "I love you cousin and I do still value the friendship that we once shared. But what kindness have you ever shown me? Besides, you are a slave in my house."

"Thought you didn't condone slavery." I growl, "Hypocrite."

"I don't condone slavery," She says as se rolls her eyes, "But the task that I am undertaking would be a lot easier if you didn't have any choice but to follow my orders."

"Fine... So what are you up to then?" I ask as I shake my head.

"I'm going to kill Pharaoh and his heir." She says as she locks her eyes on me.

I stare at her with my mouth open. And for a moment I think I may have heard her wrong. I search her face for any indication and all I find is a fatal seriousness to her expression. I slowly walk towards her and look around making sure that we are truly alone.

"Are you insane?" I ask in a hushed tone, "You, I and anyone else we've EVER spoken with would be executed for treason!"

"Pharaoh has already broken the divine order by naming Ahkenanpu his heir." Maat says with a shrug, "If I do nothing, when pharaoh dies he will become pharaoh and the other gods will destroy our house. Just like they did your father's. The god Thoth and his house must be allowed to take the throne next if we are to survive."

"I can't even get close to your father or Ahkenanpu." I say as I shake my head, "I wouldn't be allowed in their presence."

"I'm taking care of them." She says in a hushed tone, "I'm going to poison them. It's slow enough that I won't be in danger of being discovered. If I time it correctly they will die in their sleep and no one will know until morning. I need you to take care of Khaldun."

"I won't do it quickly." I say as I revel in the thought. "He's going to suffer."

"You're not going to kill him." She says as she narrows her eyes. "We need to make sure that someone can carry on the line of Anubis."

"Then what the hell am I doing?!" I ask agitated.

"I want you to punish him..." She says with a wicked smile, "He's out of control and I need to reign him in if I am to have any chance of saving our house. I have to marry him for that to happen and I have to be able to maintain control of him."

"How am I supposed to punish him?" I ask, intrigued.

"He still pays an awful lot of attention to Tabansi." She says as she taps a finger on her arm. "Still humiliates, rapes and beats him."

"Your point?" I snarl as I think of those images.

"Don't you think someone should even the score?" She says as he smile widens, revealing teeth as sharp as daggers.

I stare at her and realize that she was just as wicked as the rest of her family, our family. I think about everything she said. About breaking the divine order, the gods being upset and killing us all when they put Ahkenanpu down. I find that I don't care about any of it. I could care less about Anubis or Ahkenanpu. I couldn't muster any care for the gods that have done so little for the common people of Egypt, I didn't even care if I was killed when it was all said and done. The thought of hurting Khaldun, the very idea of Khaldun, laying frightened, bleeding and defiled on the palace floor gave me immense pleasure. I growl as I mirror Maat's dagger filled smile and realize that I look very much like a true jackal... Like one of them in this moment. Perhaps... it s a family trait.