Daughter of Isis - Lilian Nirupa (best ereader for pdf and epub .TXT) 📗

was in the future? Right now it was empty. His cave was being cleaned up and his memory would soon be erased. Lizla’s tears made the shape of her feet under the water almost disappear completely.
She took the pendant that Psusennes had given her in farewell and opened it. How beautiful was his own mother, Neferti! Lizla used to admire her so much. She had the quiet strength of her brother, Ramses IX who was Lizla’s father. But Ramses had married Nubkhesed, his older brother’s sister who became Lizla’s mother. Nubkhesed was the heir to the throne and the oracle had declared the royal couple to be the legitimate next Pharaoh and queen.
But Lizla’s aunt was always a source of fascination to her. Lizla remembered the Isis statue that her own father gave Neferti, his sister, in honor of her first son’s birth. Lizla had gotten her first vision of Isis from the statue. She looked so radiantly beautiful, like her own aunt, Neferti.
Lizla decided to get up and go to the temple. At the door she found a small package with her name on it. She opened it, surprised. How did anyone know that she would be going there? It was a message from Ishtar-la. Lizla was to return to Tanis immediately. Her own mother had been taken ill and was summoning her. In the package there was a short poem that Ishtar-la had decided to share with Lizla. It was an intense prayer to her own gods, to protect her beloved husband in battle. She prayed to Ishtar – the Babylonian Goddess of Love – to spare the life of her beloved husband, asking the goddess for him “whose burning eyes have kindled the fire of my heart.”
Lizla felt tears of fear and remorse rolling down her cheeks. Fear about her mother’s health. Remorse because the burning looks of Psusennes had only provoked pride and anger in her. Was that why she felt the cave of her heart so empty? Maybe that was what the old tiger was trying to tell her in her dreams.
And Psusennes had taken the valiant gesture was putting his life at the service of his country while she was safe and sound at the temple school. Lizla rolled down the papyrus message and put it back in the box. Then she cut some flowers from the garden and reverently entered the temple.
Lizla’s psychic nature found always a welcome relief in temples. Particularly today, she felt the silence in the temple had a healing quality to it. It calmed her mind, soothed her spirit, and made her communion with her ka so full and so complete. She bowed down to the statue of Isis and raised her eyes. She was astonished at what she saw. She had not seen the statue since the last time she had visited this new garden. Lizla was 10 years old then, shortly before her father was killed in battle.
She humbly offered her flowers on a tray and a lit candle she picked from the altar, and looked again at the statue that seemed to be the living image of her own picture in the mirror!
Lizla then found her way onto a cushion on the floor and tried to meditate. But her heart and mind were in turmoil. A few minutes passed by. The sweet smell of incense lingered with the perfume of the gardenias in her offering tray. A soft breeze touched her forehead and its cool relief flooded her with a feeling of peace. Lizla felt the soft touch of the goddess’ hand on her hair and once again she noticed warm, salty drops rolling down her cheeks into her trembling lips. She tried to pray but she could not. Suddenly her heart was not empty any more, neither was it afraid. A strong resolve rose up in her. It was more than her looks that the goddess had blessed her with. It was a divine strength that ran through her soul. Just like Nile, it seemed to overflow with the expansion of her youthful dreams.
She would go to Tanis and be by her mother’s side and perhaps let the burning looks of Psusennes kindle her heart like Ishtar-la felt from her beloved husband. Ishtar-la’s husband died in battle! Lizla suddenly remembered. Lizla rose to her feet. How was Psusennes? She prostrated herself before the life-sized statue of Isis and prayed fervently. “Oh divine Mother, please protect your son,” and a sudden feeling of intense longing pierced her whole frame. Once again she felt all alone. She rose, put her shawl around her head and bowed gratefully to the statue. It seemed to answer back with an exquisite look of love and support.
Lizla felt her courage inundate her resolve. She would go to Tanis at once. Oh, how she needed to see her mother and how desperately she wanted to see her cousin again!
She walked back always facing the statue toward the temple door. Suddenly she felt a warm hand holding hers. It was guiding her out of the temple. Lizla quietly let herself be led into the glorious garden. Under the brilliant desert sky, she met the tender eyes of her cousin who worshipped her with his adoring gaze. Psusennes said quietly, “I came back for you. Your mother needs you.” Seeing her alarmed look, he added softly, “No, she is not ill. That was the message we wanted the spies to hear. But she has urgent political matters to discuss with you. I volunteered to escort you to the Tanis palace. Would you come please? The royal boat is waiting for us.”
But Lizla could only notice the exquisite touch of his well-shaped hand in hers. She took hold of his hand and looked into his eyes and let his burning lips touch hers, feeling transported into a daze of winged dreams.
Then she recovered her composure, put her shawl around her neck, and answered brightly, “Just let us bring Iris with us. She will help me to pack.” And still holding his hand, Lizla let him guide her back to Psusennes’ palace. She had never seen a garden look so radiantly beautiful.

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Publication Date: 03-10-2009

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