POV Tabia
Everything, absolutely everything, was going off track, and it was driving Tabiya to despair. Her ears twitched, her tail hung low, and a worried expression never left her face. Anubis anxiously smoothed her black hair, braided into numerous plaits, and looked up with eyes accentuated by green malachite powder.
She looked at the crimson sun shining from the lilac skies and determined the time. Noon had long passed, and evening was approaching. There was so little time before the lady's departure, and so much to do! Suddenly, Tabiya felt the urge to drop everything, go to her husband, and lose herself in his sensual caresses.
For a few seconds, she froze, gripping her staff with one hand and stroking it with the other, but responsibility and her love for order were stronger. Besides, she had seen her husband just two hours ago.
Tabiya adjusted her golden diadem and cast her gaze over the women of the demonic realm, gathered by order of Netikerti. She then began to count her subjects. Today, Apophis was supposed to make an announcement, something she claimed was very important and deserving of everyone's attention.
"Gather everyone, my dear. Let's say in a week, in the evening," Netikerti had ordered her Anubis advisor, her full lips, adorned with an earring, stretching into a sly smile. "I have a brilliant idea!"
At that time, Tabiya thought the announcement was somehow related to the dark priestess who had been visiting their lands and had a long, emotional conversation with Apophis. But soon, she pushed that thought out of her mind. Her focus turned to the task at hand, which, as it turned out, was nearly impossible to complete.
Anubis had interpreted the order too literally and directly. Were they told to gather everyone? Then gather everyone they would! First, Tabiya chose an appropriate location. Clearly, the Pharaoh's throne room couldn't accommodate all the women of the demonic realm.
The shadowy gardens with demonic plants, scattered around the ancient pyramid, were too overgrown and would surely drown out Netikerti's speech. Explaining later why the last rows had heard and understood the words of the great advisor differently from the first rows would be difficult!
Gathering amidst sand dunes? Not the best idea, and Netikerti would certainly disapprove. The ruins of the watchtower near a small oasis, ten minutes' walk from the pyramid, remained. The ground there was covered with low grass and fairly level, except for a dried-up lake in the center.
Once the location was decided, Anubis gave orders to her assistants and, with a clear conscience, rushed to her husband, who had recently been rather capricious and had been deviating from the meticulously planned schedule. Having cursed him with the mummy's curse, Tabiya spent two intense days with him, not allowing him a single moment of rest.
She would have continued tormenting the man if she hadn't been rudely interrupted in the midst of her pleasurable activity. Three visitors burst into Tabiya's chambers—two trusted lamias and the sphinx, Evs.
"You go first," one lamia hissed at the other.
"No, you!" the second lamia replied indignantly. "They called you first!"
"What's going on? Ah..." Anubis finished at the same time as her husband and smiled blissfully. Engrossed in the man, she could barely think. Her husband, overwhelmed with pleasure, was breathing heavily and groaning hoarsely.
The second lamia nudged the first with her elbow. The first glared at her friend but still crawled a bit ahead.
"My lady," the girl stammered. "The Girtablilu won't come."
"Well, let them," Tabiya replied absently, lovingly stroking her husband's cheek.
"So you're not angry!" the lamia said with relief. "Then I suppose I'll just crawl..."
The lamia nearly disappeared behind the door when the meaning of what she had said reached Anubis. With monstrous regret, she pulled herself away from the exhausted man, feeling a pang of emptiness when his member left her. Anubis pushed aside the sheer fabric that covered the bed.
"Hold on!" she shouted after the lamia, and then, in a bewildered and faltering voice, asked, "What do you mean they won't come?"
The lamia returned, lowering her gaze sadly and replying, "They won't listen to me. They're complaining that I'm ruining their disguise. One almost stung me! I barely got my tail out of there."
"Rebels! Refusing to obey the order of the great advisor!" Tabiya said indignantly, though she kept glancing at her husband. "If they won't do it the easy way, then we'll do it the hard way!"
The lamia wisely remained silent.
"And what about you?" Anubis asked the second lamia. One look at the girl's distressed face told her that the second piece of news wouldn't be any better than the first.
"The sandworms didn't understand me," the lamia said shyly. "I tried this way! And that way! They don't understand. They probably won't come either... there."
Anubis grabbed her head. Instead of a calm, well-planned life with her sweet husband, she was faced with problems.
"Fine, I'll think of something," she muttered and turned to the sphinx named Evs, who was mesmerized by the flickering light of the candle. "Well, at least you say you have no bad news!"
"No," the cat replied gently, still not looking away from the gleam. "Got it!" she exclaimed, tapping the wall with her paw.
"Thank the desert!" Tabiya said with relief. "You've come to tell me something good?"
"No," Evs answered. Now the gleam was on her paw, and she tapped it with her other paw.
"Then why?"
The cat stopped playing.
"I wanted to ask you a riddle," purred Evs. "Listen, purr. Who lies in bed for two days, runs for five days, and then stands, blushing?"
Tabiya thought for a moment, and Evs elegantly stretched, softly laughed, and slipped out of the room.
"Two days in bed..." Anubis muttered to herself. Her face flushed, and her chest tightened with indignation. "Oh, you filthy cat!"
Anubis rushed after Evs, but she was already gone without a trace.