Burnt Spring

vi. letters to neferneferure

It was after a long time that Seti could lay down on the ground. He felt the bed of grass underneath him tickle his skin as he stretched his limbs and relaxed. Inanna too joined him.

Now she used to take him out everyday when the healers would be working. Seti got to know her more and more– the way she used to blush when caught staring at him, her incomplete words, her beautiful fragrance. . .

Seti wanted her to open up. And in order to do this he himself had to take the first step.

"I want to share my truth with you, Inanna."

She stiffened. She turned her head towards him, her warm eyes widened in surprise.

"I am Prince Seti, the younger brother of King Ausar of Luxor."

He had expected to see shock etched on her face, but there was not even a twitch to be seen. She kept looking at him, a longing gaze wreaking havoc and peering into his soul. Deep down, Seti's heart smiled.

"I was going to be married to Princess Neferneferure of Nubia. Our marriage was fixed. But we weren't allowed to meet before the marriage, so instead, we wrote each other letters in secret."

Heaving a sigh, Inanna sat up. Seti followed the move and sat upright too, shifting closer to her. "Her letters melted my heart. She was a bold and outgoing woman, full of light and life. Maybe a contrast to my own cold exterior, yet matching the chaotic waves of my heart. Then came the day of our marriage."

Seti noticed Inanna clutching the hem of her dress. Her forehead shimmered with a sheen of sweat beads.

"Bu-but, but–"

"She was burnt. The room she was in was set on fire," Inanna completed..

Seti gasped. "Ho-how did you know?"

Inanna fidgeted. She cleared her throat. "It's all known. Everybody knows. And you were speaking things in your nightmares. So I heard things and realised the bits, filling the gaps on my own."

Seti narrowed his eyes. "I see. So you know that the king thinks it's me who caused the fire? That it was me who wanted to kill the queen but instead invited my own doom?"

Inanna pursed her lips and shut her eyes. "They blame you for nothing."

"You trust me?"

"I had read the letters. I have a feeling you can never be involved in such a heinous crime."

"You mean to tell me you know so much by just hearing me utter gibberish in sleep and reading my letters?"

"Yes."

Seti's core groaned in frustration. "Now that I have shared my story with you, tell me yours."

"I already have– I jumped in the river to escape a burning pain." Inanna balled her right palm into a fish. She rubbed her right arm, drawing her knees closer to her chest.

Seti touched her shoulder and made her face him. "Be clear to me. Who are you, Inanna? What is your real name?"

"We-we need to go!"

Inanna got up and began walking towards the cottage. Seti limped behind her with his staff. "Inanna, wait!" Seti called.

She paused. "What is it?"

"What is the perfume you use?"

"Pomegranate. It's my favourite."

"That's exactly what emanates from the letters of Neferneferure."

Inanna was going to run away but Seti held her by the back.

"I heard you call me by my name last night."

"I got to know–"

"And you sang the song Isis used to sing to me. Surely you cannot get it from the letter?"

Colour rose to Inanna's cheeks. "I need time. Goodbye."

She yanked away her arm and ran inside the cottage.

****

Istustaya and Papaya were like the messengers of the Goddess herself. Much to Inanna's reluctance, they pulled her out of the cottage early in the afternoon.

"We would return by night. Take care of yourself."

So Seti was all alone, all good.

"I can now do my work."

After the three women left, he went to Inanna's room. Contrary to her simple personality, the room was nothing less than a complicated mess. There were clothes thrown all over, various types of flowers kept in pots and the familiar smell of pomegranate.

He searched through the trunks. There was nothing of his importance except a bottle of perfume that was close to being empty. He had almost given up hope. Tired, he sat on the bed.

"I thought-I thought she was Nefer–"

Something creaked under the bedsheets. He quickly got up and pulled the sheets up. There he saw what lit his hopes again– a stack of letters.

Seti couldn't express the happiness and joy he felt at the moment he opened the letters and saw his own handwriting.

Yes, they were the letters addressed to Neferneferure.