Princess Kita sighed. She had been standing in the same place beside the throne the entire day. She had permitted her eyes to loose focus hours ago and her mind to wander. It was her younger brother's inaugural ceremony. In moments he was to become the next Pharaoh of all of Egypt. Kita, however proud, was enraged with her late father for leaving the throne to the younger of the two siblings.
A cry of "Long live Egypt!" brought her back into focus. It was dark outside and a cheering audience of peasants and royalty alike greeted her mysterious hazel eyes. Kita glanced at her best friend standing beside her and caught her eye. Ishizu smiled and nudged her brother, Marik, who had fallen asleep on her shoulder.
Marik stretched, exposing his tan Egyptian stomach. "Is it over?" He asked with a yawn.
Ishizu ruffled his light blond hair. Although he was only three years younger than 24-year-old Ishizu, she still treated Marik as her baby brother. "Yes Marik, we can go inside now. There is a feast in the hall. Let's go eat, shall we?"
Kita didn't move. She stood and looked out at the crowds, all there applauding and shouting for her brother, Yami, the Pharaoh of Egypt.
"Kita?" Her thoughts were interrupted by Ishizu, who placed her hand on her shoulder. "Kita? Is there something wrong?"
Kita shook her head of shoulder-length, jet-black hair. "No. I'm sorry, I was just – "
"Thinking? Most certainly a first!"
"Marik!" Ishizu scolded. "Hold your tongue!"
"Come on, 'Izu!" Ishizu flinched at the nickname. "I was just teasing. Kita didn't take it seriously, right Kita?"
Kita smiled. "It's alright Marik. I know you are merely taking out your own instabilities on me." She began walking back down the podium stairs and back through the palace doors.
A loud cry of "Kita!" caught her off guard. She turned to see the eager face of her 15-year-old brother.
She bowed mockingly. "My Lord Pharaoh."
"Kita," Yami said in all seriousness. "Pharaoh as I may be, I am still your younger brother."
"I apologize, Yami."
The new pharaoh shrugged. "Think nothing of it, sister. By the Gods, I am so excited! Kita, will you be my advisor? These are times of peace, however there are the rebels left over from the civil war in the villages. Will you?"
Kita smiled and embraced her brother. "Yes my brother. You awoke this morning but a prince, and tonight you will fall asleep a king. I'm proud of you, Yami." Kita lightly ruffled her brother's hair and walked as far away from him as she could go, which was out into the hallway leading off of the banquet hall.
She peered out the second-story window and watched as the peasants scattered back to the village and the soldiers went back to their posts. Her thoughts drifted to Yami.
Yami, I am proud of you. Truly I am! However, I think I got the raw end of this. It was always tradition for the eldest to take the throne. She allowed her eyes to wander and finally permitted them to rest on the ground past the gates, in the village, where the peasants lived a simple life in their mud-brick houses with thatched reeds for a roofs, and dirt for a floor. How does the common woman live? Does she get cheated as I do? Kita tossed her black hair out of her eyes. I've decided. I will spend a short day as one of them. She pushed back from the window and glided up the stairs to her room on the third floor.
Kita rummaged around in her wardrobe until she found exactly what she was looking for. It was a black hooded cloak she had "borrowed" from Marik, and conveniently "forgotten" to return it. She draped the cloak over her shoulders and pulled the hood over her head so that her face was hidden in shadow. I'll only be out until tomorrow evening. She promised herself. Yami will be too busy to notice my disappearance. With these final thoughts, Kita walked to the window, took a deep breath and allowed her body to fall three stories to the ground, though by some great miracle, landed gently on her feet. Isis, give me strength.