Free Shadows of the Nile by Jo Franklin

death. You’ll never write because I’ll never allow it. Now go to your mother and kneel at her feet and ask her forgiveness. Don’t disobey me. You’ll be watched.”
    She scampered off. She hadn’t meant to upset him. She thought he’d like the thought of someone in the family writing about him.
    *
    She found Masika in her room and rushed in, throwing herself at her feet.
    â€œI’m very sorry, mother, for running off the way I did. Please say you’ll forgive me, and say you’ll speak to me.”
    Masika touched her head.
    â€œYou’re a bad child,” she admonished. “I’ll speak to you, but you must remain kneeling whilst I do. You may go,” she called out to her servants. “And close the door. I’ll punish my daughter on my own, and in my own way.”
    â€œGood, that’s got rid of them,” she said when they’d gone.
    She pulled Tadinanefer into her arms and hugged her.
    â€œOh, my poor child,” she murmured. “You must forgive your father for all his wrongdoings. He’s very unwell. He suffers a lot of pain and takes strange medicines to hide his discomfort.”
    â€œI didn’t know.”
    â€œHe was always such a good man. He’d never have locked you away in the dark in the ordinary way – he’s growing old and his time here is coming to an end.”
    She motioned Tadinanefer to sit next to her and took her hands in hers.
    â€œThere’s something I must tell you, and it has to be said now. The hour has come. I must make you aware of all the facts and how you came to live with us.”
    She paused, as if trying to find her way back to the beginning.
    â€œAs you know, you’re not our natural daughter. Your mother was not one of us and neither was your father. They came from far away to this country, not on their own but in the company of a few others; all the other people were men. They were different to us, as you are, with white skin and fair or brown hair. Your mother, like your father, had hair the colour of gold which no one had ever seen before. The group came into our midst one summer. People were suspicious of them, and afraid, and one awful night they were attacked. Nearly all were slaughtered, including your real father. The only person left alive was your mother, Finn, who was beautiful and could be sold. Ptah bought her, not realising she was pregnant, but even that didn’t matter because he was fascinated by her strange beauty. He made her his slave and was prepared to kill her baby at birth. At first she was only to be another addition to his ornaments, but he became more and more obsessed by her. He cut strands from her hair with a sacrificial knife, and put them in a jewelled box.”
    â€œShe must have been very frightened?”
    â€œShe was. I couldn’t speak her language but I knew how much she mourned her husband. I tried to find out why they’d come here but could never really understand what she tried to say to me, but I believe she was commanded by someone. Anyway the day of your birth came. She suffered very badly. She was stressed and unhappy. She somehow knew she wouldn’t get through the birth. You took a long, long time to arrive, and we thought you were dead when you emerged. Although Finn was very weak and losing blood, she held you briefly and breathed life into you. Then soon after she died. Because you were a girl, Ptah decided to keep you, to replace her.”
    There were tears in Tadinanefer’s eyes.
    â€œPtah was mortified at Finn’s death. He had her body mummified and put in a hold to be buried in his tomb when he died. But, mysteriously, the body disappeared. Ptah was outraged and grieved; he was beside himself and kept repeating that you would take her place. He said you’d be treated like his daughter until he desired otherwise. My dear, you’ve got to escape from here, away from him – and I’ll