The Princesses
Chapter 1- Longing
It was a hot Egyptian night, the wind was sweet and the princess breathed it in deeply. She stood on her rooms' balcony, overlooking her fathers' empire. The sight was beautiful, for as long as she could remember she would stand, gazing out for hours. But there was another reason for her nightly watches. For her room was directly across from the temple of Osiris. The temple which house the man she had known for many summers and housed a deep love for him.
For her it was enough to watch him, for that was all she could do. She was a princess, and he was a priest. Their fates were so close, but her father would never allow such a union. A pure princess of Egypt was a powerful tool if ever he needed. And how could she object? She loved her father so, he spoiled her rotten and they both knew it. However even as his favourite, some things could not be done. It was as the gods wanted.
The princess heard one of her hand maidens draw the sheer curtains blocking sight in to her private quarters from the outside world.
"Princess Nefertiti, your bath is ready." The lady in waiting was bowing low, her head to the ground.
Nefertiti turned to where her servant was waiting; it had not been a good night. She had not spotted the high priest even once. And it pained her so, for it was all she had.
The princess swept past the lady in waiting, making her way to the bath. Her room was spacious and luxurious. Fine silks draped over lounges, gold and precious jewels strewn around like common toys. She let her robe slip from her slender body, leaving it on the floor before her bath. Her handmaidens would pick it up, as they always did. The bath was wide and deep, made by the finest architects in all of Egypt. Her father spared no expense on his only daughter, whom he loved dearly. Nefertiti dipped her toe in to the water, as per her request the water was only luke warm. Perfect on a hot night like tonight. As the princess lowered herself into the water she released a sigh. It had been an eventful day, her younger brother, khufu, had returned home after touring the military posts on their borders. With him he had brought back delicacies she had never heard of and he had been eager for her to try them. She had humoured him by tasting a few small berries, but had said she would try the rest later. He had left a small basket of assorted fruits and biscuits for her, and gone to report in to their father. If she was honest, they were quite good. Different but good. the thought of them got the better of her, she knew she really shouldn't. she looked to the side where the basket lay. She could easily reach it if she tried. She glided over to the other side of the bath, her dark hair trailing behind her. Before she changed her mind she reached over to the small basket on the floor and dragged it over.
'now this, is a bath!' Nefertiti thought to herself as she held a small red fruit in her hand.
It was rather soft and smelled so sweet. She passed it hand to hand, examining the fruit. She hadn't seen this fruit before but ones similar.
"I wonder what you taste like…" she wondered aloud.
Nefertiti lifted the small fruit to her mouth and took a bite. It was the sweetest thing she had ever tasted. It's flesh was a bright red, almost like blood. She took another bite, and another and soon the fruit was no more. But for a seed, it was a perfect black sphere. The princess stared at it. It was quite beautiful, and smooth. She rolled it in her hands totally engrossed by the odd seed. Nefertiti wondered if she could plant it and perhaps grow more of the delicious fruits. She would be sure to ask her father tomorrow. She went to place it on the edge of the bath, but in her wet hands it slipped at the last moment and fell in to her bath. The princess swore to herself quietly, swishing around in the water trying to see if she could see it. Nefertiti could have easily made her hand maidens search for it, but she wanted it now. She was indecisive for a few moments before deciding to just dive down and see for herself. She wasn't a great swimmer, but she wasn't horrible either. After a half dozen attempts and having no luck at all, she gave up finding it.
"Iset, bring me my gown." Nefertiti called to her hand maiden.
the princess swam to the shallows and walked up the steps of her bath. The night air rushing to meet her naked wet body made her shiver, despite it's hot edge. The maid rushed out holding a new gown for the princess. Nefertiti turned around so Iset could cloth her.
The pharaoh sat at a long and grand table laden with food. With him his most trusted advisor the high priest Imhotep. His youngest son khufu had returned just a few hours ago and had been talking with him about the military outpost he had been to. The pharoh was growing tired as the sun had set before his sons return.
"khufu, I think we have talked enough this night. I bid you a good night." The pharoh went to stand but khufu interjected.
"father wait! Theres something I want to show you. A rare fruit from the northern jungles. It is said to posses a most lethal of drugs." Khufu was patting all around his robes. His movements becoming frantic. He knew it was here, he had placed it on himself to ensure its safety. He looked to his father as it dawned on him. Nefertiti. The fruit basket. He had placed it on top so it wouldn't be crushed in the journey! What a fool he had been, to forget such a thing.
"what is it my son? Have you lost it?" the pharoh was intrigued by this new fruit his son had brought up.
"my deepest apologies father. I seem to have misplaced it." Khufu's hands were beginning to sweat. Thoughts of his dearest sister, and dread that she may have already eaten the fruit.
"lost it? You lost a poisoned fruit in my palace? Do you understand what you have done?" his father said angrily.
'more than you know father.' Khufu thought to himself.
"I'm sure it's just in my bag I left in my quarters. I will show it to you tomorrow father." Khufu was fighting to restrain himself. He had to get back to Nefertiti. Before it was too late.
The silence in the room dragged on, Seti, the pharaoh looked on his son. He noticed his disposition had changed, he was shaking slightly. Jumpy.
"you may go." Said seti.
"thankyou, father." Khufu bowed deeply to seti before turning and walking out the doors on the opposite side of the room. Seti watched for a moment then lifted his hand to get Imhoteps attention.
"follow khufu to his room, I want to make sure he has not made a fool of himself."
"yes, my pharoh." Imhotep bowed to his king before walking quickly to catch up with khufu.
Imhotep made it to the hall only to see the figure of khufu running in the wrong direction. What a sight. Never had he seen a royal in such haste! Imhotep quickly ran after the fleeing khufu. After many twists and turns Imhotep knew there was only one place the prince could be heading. The only thing this far up was the princesses room. Princess Nefertiti. The pharohs most valued jewel in all of Egypt. Suddenly Imhotep had a very bad feeling.
The prince burst in to his sisters room with out announcement. That in itself was a punishable offense. However accidently killing your sister was somewhat a little worse khufu had to think. He looked around like a mad man, trying to spot his beloved sister.
"Nefertiti! Nefertiti!" khufu rushed around in desperation, hoping against hope.
one of nefertitis hand maids came rushing out to meet the prince. She bowed low before him but khufu grabbed her by the shoulders and lifted her to him.
"my sister! Nefertiti! Nefertiti, where is she?!" his eyes searching the face of the maid.
"my prince, she sleeps." The maid mumbled, unsure.
the prince pushed her aside in his haste to his sisters bed chambers. Yet another punishable act. A place where no man should enter. Even those related by blood.
Imhotep let him self in to the princesses chambers, her doors were left wide open, and prince khufu was creating a royal disturbance. As he stepped in he noticed a hand maid on the floor, picking herself up in haste. She seemed to not even notice him before rushing further in to the room. He too followed.
prince khufu threw the doors of nefertitis bedroom wide open before rushing in to his sisters side. He tripped over cushions and clothes in his mad dash to the bed which his sister was sleeping. Vaguely he was aware of shouting behind him, but he had to get to his sister! Imhotep watched as if in a trance the prince throw the princesses doors open. It was agaianst the laws to enter the princesses private bed chamber. The hand maid threw her self at the prince trying to stop him from getting closer but he just pushed her off him. The prince reached the bed and climbed onto it. Imhotep had to stop this! Seti would not be pleased.
Imhotep jogged to the open doors and paused but momentarily. He muttered an apology to his god and to his pharoh for what he was about to do, and then, he crossed the threshold of the princesses room.
"Nefertiti! Nefertiti!" khufu called urgently to his sister, shaking her by the shoulders.
khufu felt a heavy hand on his shoulder and looked up. A cold dread filled his stomach. It was his fathers advisor.
"Imhotep…." Khufu's voice was shaking. "I think…..i think she ate the fruit…" the prince bowed his head low in grief.
Imhotep steeled himself. It was what he had feared. The foolish prince would be punished dearly for this. He would be lucky to be alive to see the sun set tomorrow.
"move aside." Imhotep immediately went to work on the princess. He checked all her vitals and pulled her from her sheets. He spread her out so as to treat her more readily. He looked to the hand maiden to the side.
"fetch my priests." He said coldly. All the maid could do was nod and leave running.
the prince sat on the side of his sisters bed, head in hand, openly weeping for his mistake.
"this is no time to weep my prince! We must save your sister!"
"i..i know! By the gods I know! If we can just find the seed, it contains an antidote. But nerfertiti wont wake, she cannot tell us where it would be."
"then search." Imhotep said sternly. For right now, it's all the prince could do.
khufu nodded to himself more than to Imhotep, he got up and started looking for first the fruit basket.
andddddd that's a wrap for the first chapter. I'm new to the imo x eve/nefer coupling but I must say, what a couple look forward to the next chapter!
I got the inspiration for khufu from evies brother johnathan, what a riot .