Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Giggles erupted throughout the room as Mana, Kisara and Layla Muran lay on Layla's bed in her chambers talking about the boys; Lord Seto, Master Mahado and their pharaoh Atem. They had managed to sneak off to Layla's chambers while Atem was out and Seto and Mahado were somewhere else
"Lord Seto is so handsome, I wish he were mine" Kisara said, Mana snorted
"No way, Mahado is so much better. I mean he is a magus after all" Mana pointed out to the other two.
Both she and Kisara looked at Layla who didn't say anything to them just sort of spaced out, Mana looked at Kisara
"I think I know who she's thinking about" she told her and Kisara nodded
"Yes, she has been daydreaming before. It's not the first time" Kisara added.
Mana looked back at her friend and sighed; she always wondered why Layla didn't tell Atem that she liked him. It was obvious that her friend liked the Pharaoh but she wasn't about to tell him, as Layla had told her she didn't think Atem would like someone who wasn't of high status. It broke Mana's heart to watch her friend watch as the Pharaoh was presented with princess after princess and the poor girl would act like normal, though Mana knew she was sad
"Mana" she heard Kisara call her name.
Mana shook her head and turned to Kisara
"Sorry, I was thinking" she told her
"About why Layla won't tell Pharaoh?" Kisara asked her, Mana nodded her head
"Yes" she replied and sighed "Kisara, if she doesn't tell him it may be too late" she added.
Kisara nodded and turned to her other friend who was still spaced out thinking to herself or daydreaming about the Pharaoh
"Layla" she called to the young girl, Layla snapped out of it and turned to look at her friends who were looking at her and smiled sheepishly
"Sorry friends I was merely daydreaming" she told them and they nodded their heads in understanding
"We know and we think you should tell him" Mana said.
Layla frowned confused at what her friend meant,
'Tell who what?' she wondered what Mana had meant before she realized that Mana had meant the Pharaoh and it dawned on her that she and Kisara might have known about her little crush on the Pharaoh.
Okay, so maybe little was an understatement. Layla had a big crush on the Pharaoh but she knew she shouldn't, even though Mana and Kisara told her she should tell him it wouldn't be right. She was five years younger than Atem, being only 15 years old and the daughter to his vizier Siamun Muran. She was well treated and Atem had always looked out for her ever since she could toddle after him, Mana and Mahado
*Flashback*
Layla wriggled in her godfather the Pharaoh Akunumkanon's lap getting restless and bored, she was stuck in the throne room listening to the adults talk but none of it made sense, she sighed and leant back looking at the adults in the room; there was her aunt Isis standing quietly. She waved her little hand at her and Isis smiled at her waving back, Layla then saw the young prince Atem walk past the room.
She wriggled desperately trying to get free, her godfather let go of her knowing she wanted to leave. Layla rolled onto her stomach, and slid off her godfather's lap and landed on her feet on the floor. She raced through the room crowded with people and out into the corridor, toddling along hurriedly trying to find her friend.
Layla then spied him leaving the palace heading outside
"Temmy" she called out trying to catch up to him, she then tripped and fell flat on her face.
Layla struggled to push herself up because she was all sore, her bottom lip trembled as tears filled her eyes and she began to wail.
-
8 year old Prince Atem was heading to the Nile River to practice his hunting with Mahado, who was already there and he had taken Mana with him, while his father was in a meeting, he headed through the palace doors when he heard wailing. Atem stopped and turned back around running down the path and into the palace, there in the corridor on the floor was 3 year old Layla Muran. Atem noticed she had fallen over and ran to her and helped her to sit up
"Layla" he said to her.
The vizier's daughter stopped her crying when she heard the voice, she was then helped into a sitting position and saw Atem
"What happened?" he asked her gently, Layla sniffed
"Fell over" she replied.
Atem then noticed her grazed knees and hands
"Want daddy" she told him
"Daddy is not here remember" Atem told the toddler whose bottom lip began to tremble as tears filled her eyes and she began to wail again.
Atem winced at the loud noise and tried to calm the toddler but it was no use, then he thought about taking her to the Nile River with him
"Layla would like to go to the Nile River with me?" he asked her, that did the trick.
Immediately the 3 year old stopped her crying and looked at him
"Weawy?" she asked him and he nodded
"Yep and Mana and Mahado are already there" he replied as he wiped her tears away and picked her up, he stood up and carried her out of the palace with her head resting on his shoulder and sucking her thumb.
When they arrived at Nile River, they saw Mahado showing Mana how to hunt; Layla raised her head as she saw them and took her thumb out of her mouth
"Mana, Mado" she called out to them.
13 year old Mahado and 7 year old Mana, who were standing in the water, looked over at the sound of the voice and smiled as they walked over to Atem and Layla
"Hi you two" Mana said
"Hi Atem, hi Layla" Mahado said
"Hewo" Layla said
"This little one fell over so I decided to bring her along" Atem told his friends, Mana looked at Layla scraped knees
"Aww poor baby" Mana told her "feel better?" she asked her.
Layla nodded her head
"Yeah" she replied, Atem took Layla's sandals off and put her down in the water and she stood there sucking her thumb watching her friends.
Layla then noticed a big fish swimming around, she pulled her thumb out of her mouth and bent down to tried to catch the fish which dodged her several times until the young toddler caught the fish. She tried to hold onto it and managed to
"Temmy, Mana, Mado wook what I gots" she called to them, the three turned around as they watched the 3 year old toddle over to them and she showed them the big fish
"Wow, did you catch that all by yourself?" Mahado asked her and she nodded her head enthusiastically
"Yeah, I caughted fishy" she replied
"Well done" Mana told her proudly
"Better than me" Atem told her, she then put the fish back into the water and watched it swim away.
Layla then yawned and rubbed her eyes, Atem picked her up and she rested her head on his shoulder as she sucked her thumb and fell asleep. The three friends smiled at her
"I think it is time to put this one to bed for her nap" Mahado told the other two and the three got out of the water and made their way back up to the palace with Atem holding Layla tightly but not to tight.
*End Flashback*
Layla snapped out of it when she heard Kisara calling out her name, she looked at her friends who where looking at her worriedly
"Are you okay?" Mana asked her and she smiled
"I'm fine Mana, just lost in my memories" she replied.
Suddenly they heard Mahado calling for Mana and Lord Seto calling for Kisara
"We've been caught" Layla said giggling as the other two groaned, the three girls got off of Layla's bed and left her chambers.