-Ancient Egypt-
Neferu was beautiful. She had golden tanned skin. Her hair was long and straight. It was dark brown, but it looked black. Her eyes were a radiant blue; a rarity in her time. She was thin, a reflection of the difficult life she had led. Food had often been a luxury she wasnât awarded. Nevertheless, her breasts were proud and perky.
Neferu had been raised in the Queenâs palace, a servant nearly from the day she was born. Her mother was a servant also, and Neferu had spent nearly every year of her life residing in the servantâs quarters inside the palace. This was a place that might as well be called a prison. Servantâs were locked in their quarters at night and were forced to sleep on beds made of raised dirt and straw. There were clay pots alongside the wall for them to defecate in, and on the other side; pots of food.
In the earlier years of her life, her mother would fight the servantâs who crowded at the pots during feeding time. She would always salvage something for Neferu, even if it meant there was nothing for her. But her mother was killed when she was 9, and there was no one to take care of Neferu. Servantâs only watched out for themselves. It was the only option they had. Watching someone elseâs back often left them starving, or sometimes⊠dead.
Neferu had survived the next few years by stealing food from the cooking area in the palace. She never took much for fear of being caught, but it was enough to keep her going.
When Neferu was 17, she was selected to go to work as one of the Queenâs personal servantâs. She was very lucky. The Queen had 5 servants, and they were all treated very well. The 5 girls shared one very large room, where they slept on lambskin mattresses, stuffed with wool. They even had woven quilts for cover. Twice a day they were fed leftovers from the daily feasts held at the palace.
Neferu liked the Queen a lot. The first day she worked for the Queen, she was asked to massage her feet. Normally Neferu found feet to be repulsive, as the servants she had lived with had scaly, blistered, dirty feet. But the Queen had very small, very dainty soft feet. She admired them quietly in her head as she kneeled in front of the Queen massaging them. She absentmindedly began to smile. The Queen took notice and spoke to her.
âMy dear servant girl, why are you smiling this day?â She asked tenderly.
âOh my Queen, Iâm sorry, I was just thinking how beautiful your feet are.â She replied, looking up at the Queen.
The Queen saw Neferuâs eyes for the very first time. She gasped. She had seen only one man with eyes like that before.
âYou should never apologize for smiling. Your smile is like the sun. Where might you have gotten such beautiful eyes?â
Neferu smiled brightly. âMy Queen, my mother always told me that I was blessed, and that my eyes were a sign from the Godâs that I was someone very important. I am supposed to do something great in my lifetime.â
The Queen smiled back. âIâm sure you will.â Her look became more serious. âDid you know your father?â
âNo, my Queen, I didnât. My mother said he was killed before I was born.â Neferu replied, looking suddenly depressed.
âTell me, did your mother ever work as a servant anywhere else?â The Queen asked, placing a hand on Neferuâs cheek.
âYes, my Queen. We were sold to this palace when I was three by King Ramtatna from the North of here.â
âYes, I know Ramtatna well. He is not a good man. Have you ever seen Ramtatna?â The Queen asked. It was now very clear to her that Ramtatna was Neferuâs father. The blue eyes aroused her suspicion, and Neferu had just confirmed it.
âNo, I havenât my Queen. Not since I was very young. I do not remember him well.â
Neferu replied.
âYou should be so lucky. Iâm happy you were sold here. You are much safer here.â The Queen told Neferu. Then she looked confused. âIâve taken a liking to you. I donât usually care for my servants so much, especially upon my first meeting with them.â
Neferu smiled again, her eyes glowing. âI am honored, my Queen. No one has ever liked me before.â
The Queen laughed, but then she realized that Neferu wasnât joking. âSo what is your name, young servant?â
âI am Neferu my Queen. My mother named me.â She explained, enthusiastically.
âI see. Your name means âBeautiful One.ââ The Queen told Neferu, who was very excited. I shall call you Neferu from now on. You may call me Anruka.â
âOh, yes my Queen!â Neferu replied.
âAnruka.â The Queen corrected.
The massage had gone on far too long and the Queenâs feet were going numb. She dismissed Neferu, and then laid down for a nap. Neferu returned to her new room very excited.
Neferu went immediately to her bed and sat down. There was a large plate of food sitting at the foot of the bed for her, and it was still warm. She took up her plate and smiled through her meal. Upon finishing, she noticed that the 3 girls in the room with her were staring at her. She looked at them innocently and wide-eyed, wondering why they were staring.
âI heard the Queen likes you.â One of the girls said.
âYes, she has told me so.â Neferu replied happily.
âWell arenât you just special? At least now the Queen is going to have someone new to practice her sick ways with.â The girl replied, cockily.
âWhat do you mean?â Neferu asked.
âThe Queen likes to make love to women. You better watch out. Sheâs going to be making love to you next.â The girl said, and laughed.
Neferu was quiet. She wondered if what the girl said was true.
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The girls had all turned on their sides and settled in to sleep. Neferu sat up, still wide awake. She was thinking about what they had said. It couldnât be true. The King would have sent his guards to kill her, unless maybe he didnât know. How could he not know about something like that? Surely there would have been rumors that made their way back to him.