The hot sun of the Nile beat down upon their backs. Sweat accumulated before sliding down taunt brown backs. The male slaves were away constructing the pharaoh's tomb in the outskirts of the city while the females were in the fields tending the grain. Some had sleeping children strapped to their breasts, while other children ran between their legs earning a fair slap on the bottom.

Among them, one woman stood out among the rest. The straight edge of her posture veiled by a thick linen cloak pronounced the girl different. She could easily pass for a teenage boy if her graceful movements as she moved between the stalks didn't betray her. Although most of her face was hidden from view, a gentle chin and the slope of a slender neck was exposed to the onlookers.

To one man, it was all he needed to see.

Endymion wasn't sure how it happened or if it was even possible yet before he could stop himself, he found his mouth and mind moving of their own volition.

"I want her," his royal lips pronounced while the single thought repeating in his mind was mine. The absurdity of the situation tasted sour in his mouth. He had managed to find a slave with good posture…nothing could be a better gift.

His uncle chuckled deeply beside him, "You were always a strange one, nephew. You cannot even see her figure from under that sun-cloak. But if she is what you desire, then you shall receive her. I shall deny you nothing today even though you have chosen a slave."

"I thank you for your generosity, pharaoh. As for the girl, my desire may, perhaps, be based on other qualities aside from beauty. It has been twenty years of the day."

Pharaoh laughed again, "Endymion, your ideas make me laugh like no other. Today is, after all, a very special day for the prince of Egypt. I hope that this slave will please you."

"She already has…" Endymion whispered as the entourage surrounding Pharaoh and Prince moved on. Silently he wondered why a mere slave girl could possibly stand so proudly. 'She must suffer as I have suffered. She is but a dog.'

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"Where is Amy?" Selene asked Amy's mother, Tziporah when she dropped off yet another basket of harvested grain.

"Oh, Amilene was feeling ill again today. She's been in poor health lately. Odd that it occurs in spurts," Tziporah sighed as she shifted the little Zeke in his harness.

"I need only to pick three more baskets, and then I shall tend to her. Worry not, lady, Amy's strong and healthy," Selene said as she hid a smile. As much as it hurt Amy to lie to her mother, she did it to protect everyone. A few months ago, Rayenne, better known as Raye, stole two old scrolls from the palace for Amy. Whenever Amy was "sick" the girls would all go over to her room and learn how to read the ancient hieroglyphics.

"You and your sister are fine women, Selene. Your mother worries for you two. Isaac and Josiah have all been vying for your hand…"

Selene scowled at the mention of marriage.

"Mother worries too much. I'm but a child in many ways, and I won't be ready for any babes soon,' Selene huffed even as she played with 10 month old Zeke.

"Well, I speak too much when what I should really do is to bathe Zeke. Tonight is, however, a royal holiday, and the bath houses are surely packed," Tziporah said as she adjusted Selene's sun cloak for her, "That's better, child. You hide your face."

"Just doing my daily service for humanity," she replied cheekily, "And I'm tired of hearing about this royal birthday. I mean we're slaves! It's not like they'd kill five thousand pheasants for my birthday…"

"Hush, child. I know you and the other girls have your own ideas, but you must never let the wrong people hear. They could hurt your family! And be proud for Mina, she is dancing tonight, no?"

"Yes, I suppose you're right although a honor I think it not. I do wish to be able to watch over her, but it's much too late to sign up to be a serving slave. My own sister…forced to dance…I have to run along now and finish this before heading over to see Amy," Selene said as she started off with renewed vigor, all thoughts about the royal birthday gone as she now looked forward to learning whatever new scroll Amy got her hands on.

"Take care, child." Baby Zeke gurgled happily as his mother started back on her work again.

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"You seem more pensive than usual," Jaden said as he sank another ball into the rolling hoop before adding, "Not that I'm complaining."

"To think, tonight is officially the night I'm recognized by the gods for potential pharaohship… it boggles the mind, cousins," Endymion made another shot before barely missing.

"And plus you get the choice of any woman in the kingdom to be in your bed…hell even the Pharaoh's own chief wife, should you desire it. Now, that's what I call a good day's work," Natum joked.

"Yet the word is that you picked a slave, one that you didn't even see up close…one that could very well have been you at age 15…" Jaden continued while Endymion's face reddened.

"Say no more of the slave," Endymion warned with a quiet rage.

"I'm on your side, Endymion. I'm all about some slave loving. I've seen this particular slave who keeps on stealing old scrolls from the garbage, and she's just a vision…" Jaden barely missed the punch coming in for his jaw.

"Let the bastard go, Endymion. He's just pissed the last time he tried to pull the slave girl in for a kiss, she left a mark on him that may affect posterity for generations," Zachariah said as the men all erupted into laughter again.

"She won't run tonight. I've found out from the supervisor that she'll be working the feast tonight, and when I get my hands on her…"

"Yeah, sure, Jaden," Kenlum scoffed as he picked up another ball, "Now, are you ladies ready to get your asses whipped?"

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"Mercy, Mina! I can't believe you're going to dance practically naked in front of the entire court just so the birthday prince can get a kick out of naked women shaking to a musical beat!" Littian, or Lita, spat as a watery-eyed Mina sat at Amy's table.

"You want to fight? Is that what? Well news flash, beast, she's not as talented in warfare as you. The goal here is to follow the royal decree and not get raped by a bunch of horny slave drivers or guards. What if they threw her in jail?" Raye shot back.

"Well at least she has some dignity at the end of the day! What's the difference if the royal decree just tells her to get on the ground and split her legs?"

"Stop it!" Mina shouted as she burst into tears.

"She's right. We can't do anything to prevent this from happening, so let's just try to make the best of it. After all, she's a great dancer… maybe that's all they want from her," Amy said hopefully.

"How can they use this against me? Is nothing sacred anymore? I find the one thing I enjoy doing the most, and they exploit me for it…" Mina whispered brokenly.

"Yeah, and half the slaves are proud for you," Lita said angrily.

"So really if they asked me to… you know… afterwards, I can't say no, can I?"

"You could," Lita insisted stubbornly.

"Chyea, she'd make a real dignified mummy, not that those bastards would even extend her that honor."

The girls sat silently as none dared to speak. What exactly would Mina do in such a situation? What would any of them do?

As if to break the melancholic reality, Lita spoke up first.

"Speaking of who's going to be a mummy, where the hell is Selene? She's never late."

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'Abba, where the hell am I?' Selene thought as she rubbed her pounding head. She felt her head pound heavily against the wagon's dirty floor as the wheel hit a rock. All she remembered was going towards Amy's after finishing her allotment and a blinding pain in her neck and then nothing.

Struggling against dizziness and pain, she tried to sit up only to have a cool hand on her forehead and a voice telling her to relax.

As her eyes focused on the person whose lap her head was resting in, she started. It was a slave woman…

"Help me, please."

"Hush child, it is out of our hands now."

"Please, my mother doesn't know that I'm here… Help me. I want to go home." Selene suddenly felt like a lost child who wanted nothing more than her mother and home.

"Hush, she shall know soon. Everyone shall know of your honor. Be proud, little one." The woman looked at her with unreadable eyes. Somehow her words sounded hollow to Selene's panic-stricken ears.

"Honor? Being kidnapped and confused is now an honor?" Her voice rose in volume as tears ran down her face. She suddenly realized when the cart driver up front growled.

"Shut her up, slave, we are almost to the palace and I don't want to hear her crying and whining."

"Hush child, Nadia's here. Be still for both our sakes," Nadia said softly to the girl she had in her arms. 'I hope my own child will never have to suffer this shame. No man would ever want her again after tonight…'

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Endymion stepped into the rose-scented water. Although a few Egyptian maids were milling around the pool, none were allowed within it. It was part of the tradition. Endymion felt the tension ease from his muscles as the scenting oils wafted into the air. Leisurely he allowed the maids to cleanse his body, amused when they reached the lower part of his anatomy.

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Selene stifled a blood-curdling scream as a surprisingly strong Nadia pulled off her clothes and pushed her into a pool of warm scented water. As soon as the cart had stopped Nadia had half-carried and half-dragged her into the castle with the wagon and apparently slave driver chasing behind them. And then she threw her into this pool… Selene had to admit that the water did wonders to her frazzled nerves. She smelled…jasmine? Where ever she was and where ever she was going, someone wanted her to look and smell nice. But why her?

As Nadia scrubbed her body hard for dirt and grime, Selene looked desperately for escape. She was obviously in the palace, but she still didn't know why she was here. The possibility of them executing her for learning how to read was unlikely since Nadia was doing her damnedest to get her clean, but there were worse fates than death. Hoping against all hope, Selene prayed to Abba that she wouldn't be bestowed the honor of becoming part of Pharaoh's harem. At the thought of honor, she paled and stiffened, is that what Nadia meant?

"Out," Nadia commanded suddenly as the scrubbing ceased.

Obeying, she walked toward the long drying linen Nadia held. Before she knew it there were a variety of slave girls working on scenting her entire body in perfumes and rinsing her hair with henna. A few even openly gaped at her silvery hair and bronze complexion to which Selene felt incredibly embarrassed. Her hair had always been a topic of discussion amongst the slaves. Many saw it as omen to a savior, the messiah, while others thought it was the sign of disaster.

"You must be so honored, and you are beautiful, lady," one of the girls complimented as she buffed Selene's chipped nails.

"Believe me, I'd gladly trade with you," she mumbled under her breath. Her sharp eyes didn't escape the three burly Egyptian guards stationed around her. If she said what she really wanted to say, she'd mostly earn a beating for everyone in the room. Helpless to her own fate, Selene was determined to at least keep the other slaves safe from possible harm.

'Those monsters are just waiting for me to slip up before they can lay a hand on us,' she thought bitterly. Although Selene's never been inside the palace before, Raye's stories about witnessing gang rapes and constant assault on slaves has made all the girls extra cautious.

'And to think I was worried sick about Mina dancing tonight at the banquet...here I am probably about to become some bed slave to one of those monsters.'

Selene was next led into a different chamber where Nadia and another older woman attended her. The guards, thankfully, remained outside of the door as she was dressed. The sheath itself was extraordinary. The candlelight reflecting off of it gave it a peachy glow, and Selene thought the garment actually sparkled. The coolness and smoothness of it on her skin temporarily alleviated her anxiety. Seconds later, the dress worried her.

'I have never seen anything like this and it obviously didn't come cheap. Hell, it probably wasn't even made in Egypt. So this must mean that where ever I'm going or whoever I'm going to meet is pretty damn important…'

Nadia took her hand again and led her around the corridors and hallways with those annoying guards following. Selene was so confused and nervous that her palms felt clammy and her cheeks were flushed red.

"Nadia, what is to happen to me?" She whispered desperately.

"Abba be with you child," she replied with one last pitying look at Selene before stopping them in front of a large palm oak door.

Loudly, she proclaimed to Selene in a toneless voice, "You shall await his majesty within the chambers."

Gulping loudly as her fears were confirmed, Selene was pushed into the chamber roughly before a loud clang outside sealed the exit.

"Well fuck," she cursed loudly before examining the splendor before her.

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"I can't believe this had to happen now! Mina's been carted off to Abba knows what, and Selene's missing! What are we going to do now?" Lita fumed as she pulled on the white linen robe.

"I'm going to stay here to try and find Selene while you guys make sure Mina gets out of there alive and in one piece. Maybe she's just gone off…somewhere, you know her," Amy said.

"But that's just it, that's not like Selene at all. Sure she can be a bit whimsical and rebellious sometimes, she's as reliable as a rock when it comes to us. She wouldn't miss the meeting this for the world!" Raye retorted. She was already dressed in the uniform and was in the process of lacing her twine sandals over her tan legs.

"Well no time arguing about it. The sun's almost gone, and we need to report to the palace for duties. I just hope Selene's all right," Lita said softly. The pair adjusted each other's hair into the traditional style for slaves, a tightly bounded bun.

"She's a big girl. She can take care of herself. Everything will go fine," Amy said hoping her words were prophetic.

"Time to go, Ames. See you and Selene tonight," Raye said over her shoulder as the two set off toward the palace in the distance.

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Endymion looked at himself in the gilded mirror. Dressed in the full suit of Egyptian royalty he could hardly recognize himself. Even harder to believe was that today the gods would crown him with his princeship and later his pharaohship.

But the thought did not bring a smile to his face. Today was exactly twenty years ago since his father's death.

Endymion's birth was as controversial as the life of his father, Pharaoh Tekum III. A rare event, Endymion was born during the Sothic event, once of the 1461 Egyptian years when the heliacal rising of the star Sirius came back to its original position coinciding roughly to the flooding of the Nile. The night he was delivered from his mother's womb, the star Sirius, shone an azure blue in the night sky as the priests and priestess prayed to the gods for a boy, since by that time Pharaoh's six wives had already managed to produce 14 females. The first time Endymion opened his eyes, everyone in the room gasped in horror and awe. His eyes shined a deep blue like the star that heralded his arrival. They didn't know what to make of it other than that the boy was as rare and as fearful as the Sothic period. If he had been the child of a slave or a servant, he probably would've been dumped into the Nile and his parents executed, but his father, desperate for an heir and instantly amused by his son's odd appearance, loved him beyond all else.

From birth, his father trained him to take on the duty of pharaoh. Little did he know that a few months after his birth, the heavy flooding of the Nile had hurt his father's political regime severely. While the country was in turmoil as regional officers began plotting an uprising against the royal family, Endymion enjoyed the many luxuries of first-born princes. He adored his father, and although his mother, Anack, was not the chief wife, she was by far the Pharaoh's favorite wife. He had a happy childhood when he spent many days playing with his cousins. Even then he had an affinity to four of his uncle's sons. Jaden, Natum, Zachariah, and Kenlum were his childhood buddies, friends and soul brothers who have participated in countless antics and tricks with him. Pharaoh gave Endymion's uncle, Salik, the responsibility of squelching the rumors of rebellion. Things seemed to have settled down, and everyone worked on rebuilding the destruction caused by the floods.

And then the Pharaoh was poisoned the night of Endymion's third birthday, and a slave was pinpointed as the perpetrator. After an elaborate ceremony and sealing of a tomb, Uncle, now Pharaoh, Salik took over the kingdom. The days of carefree happiness ended for Endymion as a large-scale investigation headed by Pharaoh penetrated any pockets of slave resistance groups. They were eliminated quickly and Endymion learned to despise them. After all, it was because of them that his beloved father was killed.

'Tonight, the woman shall suffer. After dawn she will no longer be able to stand proudly as if she were more than a dog or a cow to society. She will lose her foolish pride, and I shall avenge my father,' Endymion nodded to his reflection solemnly before leaving for the lavish banquet prepared for him.