Wolves in Winter

A short story about a day in the life of a small family.

“SEHKMET, HURRY UP BEFORE THE WATER BOILS!” Anubis groaned as he chopped the meat for their stew. A young girl, about 18, stumbled into the room with a heavy box in her arms.

“I’M COMING DAD!” She smiled and dropped the box on a table. “Sheesh I was going as fast as I could.” Anubis laughed and washed his hands in the sink before he messed up her hair.

“I know, I’m just playing.” Sehkmet laughed and nudged him hard in the ribs.

“Cut that out dad!” He laughed and shook his head as he opened the box and pulled out another smaller wooden box.

“Oh, I’m sorry dear. Did I mess your hair up for you boyfriend?” Sehkmet blushed and shook her head as she ran her fingers through it irritably.

“You’re so embarrassing!” Anubis laughed and pulled out a small tea bag and tossed it into the boiling water.

“Ah, you know your old man. I can’t help it. You’re my little girl, for all eternity.” When he put the wooden box away in the bigger one he kissed the top of her head. She blushed and playfully swatted his chest.

“Dad, your embarrassing me! And I’m not a little girl anymore.” Sehkmet stood straight and acted like a full grown woman. Anubis just shook his head and laughed.

“No your not, here let me show you.” He turned around and ran after as she screamed and ran.

“DAD!” Anubis laughed and chased her around the house as she giggled and screamed when he got close.

“COME ON DAD! HE’S GOING TO BE HERE ANY SECOND!” Anubis pounced on her and tickled her until tears came from her eyes.

“Oh no, I’m not going to stop until your beg.” He blew a raspberry on her stomach and she screamed with laughter. “DAD PLEASE!”

The front door of their cave-like house banged open from the wind. Both of them jumped and Sehkmet ran to the door. Anubis slipped into the kitchen and tossed the meat into the pot. Sehkmet was breathless when she came to the front door and saw a young man, about her age, closing the door. He turned around and was totally embarrassed from the snow in his hair.

“Hi Sehkmet, sorry about the door.” She shook her head and smiled.

“Its alright, here you have to lock it like this.” She slipped to his side and twisted a handle. This dropped a thick beam into the foundation to keep the door from being thrown open. He nodded and watched the muscles move like pistons in her hands and arm.

“Ok, thanks.” Sehkmet turned and looked right up at him. He was slightly taller than her and because of the small entrance way he was about three inches away form her.

“No worries. Are you hungry, Ptah?” He nodded and snow fell down the back of his shirt thus making him jump and the inches were down to zero. They both blushed and only she looked away.

“Um, here we have towels.” Sehkmet snagged one from a rack just behind her and wrapped it around his neck.

“Thanks, Sehkmet.” Looking back up at him she saw his eyes sparkle and felt his breath over her face.

“Your welcome” The two teens were speechless and they stared at each other for what seemed like hours.

 “AM I EATING ALL THIS BY MYSELF?” Anubis laughed to himself as he heard them scuffle out of the entryway and into the kitchen.

“Coming dad” Anubis turned around and smiled as he saw Ptah sitting at the table and Sehkmet no where to be seen. He frowned and placed a bowl in front of Ptah.

“Where is Sehkmet?” Ptah stood up and nodded towards her room.

“She went to get the books. Sir, could I ask you a question?” Anubis smiled as he made another bowel for his daughter.

“I think you already have. But go ahead if you have more.” Ptah was so embarrassed that he waited for Anubis to come back into the room.

“Well, I was wondering if I could have your daughter’s hand in marriage.” Anubis looked at his young man, shocked at his forwardness. Ptah was a good boy and Anubis did believe him to be in love with his daughter, but he never expected it this soon.

“Do you have a house for her?” Ptah looked at Anubis and his eyes sparkled with hope.

“Well, I have been working on one. It’s at the roots of the Resin Mountain. It’s close enough to the fortress and has a great view of the hunting grounds.” Anubis nodded and placed the bowel for his daughter at her seat.

“And your security?” Ptah smiled as he knew Anubis was going to say yes.

“There is a cave across the valley that I made a tunnel to. It had all sorts of plants and flowers in it. Not to mention the lake in it.” Anubis was impressed. Plants and flowers were very rare in this land.

“Alright, you have my consent. But there is one condition and that is she says yes as well.” Ptah smiled and nodded. “Yes sir, thank you sir.”

Sehkmet was in her room and she leaned against her door and listened to Ptah and her father talk. Inside she always wanted to be married but now, when it was here, she was scared. The books in her arms started to get heavy as she waited for them to stop talking. She looked at her feet and sighed as she knew that she didn’t love Ptah. The books in her hand were copies of the manuscripts written by the Mistress of Hathor. Inside one of them was he linage of the gods and goddesses. It was written that Sehkmet and Ptah would marry. Sehkmet didn’t want it to be true, but it was against the laws to go against what was written. Needing an answer she opened the book to the chapter about herself. Running her fingers over the pages she smiled as she found what she was looking for.

“Beloved of Ptah, but it doesn’t say I have to love him.” She whispered to herself. Sehkmet closed the book and tucked it under all the other books. She was smiling widely as what was written wasn’t that specific. She opened the door and walked into the kitchen.

“Hey guys.” Anubis and Ptah both smiled at her. She didn’t know which one was more grateful that she was there now. Anubis walked over to her and took the books from her arms.

“Hey, Sehkmet, your food is still hot so could you just close the door behind me as I go out to the fortress?” She nodded and he set her books on the table. Glancing at Ptah she saw he looked a little left out.

“Sure, I’ll be right back Ptah. It won’t take more than a minute.” Ptah nodded and smiled as he sat down and held his bowel in his hands to keep warm.

 “Ok” Anubis took his daughter’s hand and walked to the front door. There he slipped a backpack onto his back and held her shoulders as he spoke to her. “Sehkmet, honey, Ptah asked to marry you.” She nodded and bit her lip.

“I know” Anubis kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly. She was so smart and was such a sneak.

“Sehkmet, listen to me, if you do not want to marry him then don’t. I don’t mind, what is written is just words and it cannot control your sprit. Listen to me please honey, I know your going through a phase.” Sehkmet laughed and hugged him as she buried her face against his chest.

“I know, daddy, thank you, but I don’t want you to get hurt if I don’t comply. Dad, I know that with mom you had to be with her but now you’re free. Why do you not live in the castle? I know your father would love you there, especially after mother died.” Anubis sighed and pulled away from her and unlatched the door.

“I know, Metty, but I didn’t want you to be raised like that. You would be so different and you wouldn’t be able to see and do half of the things you do.” She smiled and tied her hair loosely as he used her old nickname. He slipped out the door and she closed and locked it behind him.

 She sighed and turned around and walked into the kitchen again. Ptah stood up when she came in. Sehkmet walked over to him and tucked the towel around his neck again.

“How’s the food?” He smiled and shrugged as he sat down.

“Haven’t tried it yet. I was waiting for you.” She sat down and wrapped her hands around her bowel. Smelling it she closed her eyes and sipped the stew slowly.

“It’s great, try it.” He did and a smile spread across his face as he felt warm inside.

“Your right, what did you put in it?” Sehkmet smiled and looked up at him.

“Dried herbs from my mother’s secret cave. We have a whole box of little tea bags. Each one I put together for different meals.” Ptah smiled as he sipped his stew and chewed casually on the chucks of meat.

“Really? Wow I’m impressed. Sehkmet, can I ask you something.” She nodded and picked out the chunks of meat with her fingers.

“Uh huh” Ptah lowered his eyes and stared into his bowel. He didn’t know what he was doing, other than taking her away from her father. Anubis was lucky to have her especially after his wife’s death. “Sehkmet” She looked up at him and blushed as she licked her fingers.

“Sorry” She whipped her fingers on the edge of her skirt.

 He stood up and draped his towel over his chair. Walking over to her she placed her bowel onto the table. Ptah smiled and kneeled beside her. Sehkmet knew what he was going to say and she swiveled around so he was in front of her. He took her hands and placed something into them as he wrapped his hands around them.

“Sehkmet, as it is written we are to be married. But I wanted to ask you for your hand because I know that not all things that are written are meant to be. I love you very much and I don’t want you to do something you don’t want to do. So now, on my knees, I want to ask you. Will you marry me?” Ptah had no emotion on his face as he looked into her deep blue eyes. Sehkmet sighed and her thumbs feathered the back of his hands.

“Ptah, I agree what you mean that not all things that are written are meant to be. Because the life span of my mother and my father’s happiness were not secured. But also it isn’t written that I have to love you. Ptah, I will marry you because I believe I can love you.”

 He smiled and looked down at her hands. She followed his gaze and bit her lip as he opened her hands to reveal a ring with a fire topaz surrounded with small smoldering rubies that seemed to feed the fire in the topaz.

“It’s beautiful Ptah.” He slipped it onto her finger.

“Not as beautiful as you.” They were both smiling from ear to ear as they stood up and hugged each other. He kissed her neck and she shivered against him.

“Ptah, I know I said yes, but can we wait until we have a house?” He laughed and pulled back as he held her hands.

 

“That’s just the best part! I have a house, it’s beautiful. I even found a cave alive with a spring, flowers and the only the Mistress knows! Sehkmet all it needs is your touch. I can take you to it now.” She smiled politely and shook her head.

“I better not leave the house when my dad is out. I love him, Ptah, and I don’t want him to be alone. After mother died he would be a Mask if I wasn’t here.” Ptah nodded but he didn’t look down cast at all.

“That’s ok, if he doesn’t want to go back to the fortress he can live with us.” Sehkmet smiled and wove her fingers between his.

“He’s a proud man. That’s a wonderful thing for you to say. But what he really needs is a woman, you know, someone who can give him more than I can.” Ptah smiled and nodded knowingly.

“I know what you mean.”

 

Author's Note

Whew, so long. Hope it was alright.

Reviews

[Amaunet]

Oooh nice. Can i see the rest of it?