Heya people,
First off, sincerest apologies to the Egyptians or anyone else about my version of Ancient Egypt, I have no intention to offend. Take it as an AU Egypt. If anything, I marvel at the Egyptian queens.
Secondly, if anyone came here from Will She Remember? Don't worry, I haven't abandoned it. In fact, as some of you already know, I've already drafted every chapter till the end, which is near.
Thirdly, do review if you've enjoyed the read.
Cheers ;)
It was a sunny day in Egypt, like any other day in this prosperous and peaceful land. Queen Fukayna, adorned in mostly white and blue linen to the ankles was enjoying the beauty of her land. Despite the shade provided by her servants, the weather was starting to take a toll so much that the queen decided to rest by the great river Nile. She watched the river water flow with little interest until something golden, tan, and dressed in strange clothes floated and moved along the currents towards her. Instantly, her guards were on high alert, spears at the ready to stab the floating object.
Queen Fukayna stood up and walked over to her guards, ignoring her servants' pleas. The queen motioned for her guards to pick up the stranger instead of ending whatever breath left in that foreigner. Once placed on the ground, the queen walked closer for inspection at the unconscious body that was motionless and with visible signs of injuries, defensive wounds on the arms, hands, torso and legs. Compassion overwhelmed the great ruler for some unknown reasons and she ordered her people to place the wounded person on her own palanquin to the surprise of her servants. The queen walked beside her palanquin, ever so frequent glancing at that unconscious body.
The maids were then ordered to prepare bath water while Queen Fukayna looked at the wounded stranger who was still passed out and was now placed on the day bed near the bath area. When the bath water was of the right temperature, Queen Fukayna ordered her servants to leave and they were unsure but they knew better than to question their queen. A basin with warm water was filled and the queen peered down at the unconscious beauty that was before her. The bleeding had stopped and the injuries did not seem too severe yet the queen, having highly value cleanliness, decided that she would personally care for the stranger that she felt so strangely connected to.
Slowly and gently, the queen stripped her guest of wet clothes, feasting her eyes on the body that lay naked and injured. She then proceeded to wipe the dried blood off the soft, tan skin, applying ointment before bandaging up the wounds. She stopped for a moment to admire how clean skinned the stranger was as opposed to her own many tattoos. Next, she stood up and poured the water away to retrieve more fresh bath water. The queen wiped lovingly at the face that had no red lips nor black eyeliner. It was unlike what she had on daily. Despite the lack of makeup, the queen saw and knew that the face before her was immensely beautiful with an evenly matched body. She took her time cleaning every inch of that stranger's body, appreciating the work of art, washing the body like it was a treasured possession. The queen even took some time to wash clean the golden blonde hair. When completely cleaned, the queen took one of her own fine linen to dress her stranger, even equipping the still unconscious body with jewelry made of gold. She dried the short blonde hair and gave it a little brush before lifting up the body and allowing it to lay on her own bed.
The queen, pleased at how peaceful her guest looked in bed had walked over to the bath area and cleaned herself.
Queen Fukayna's guest was tucked in comfortably but the queen lay only on top of her bed, reading, being true to her name. Suddenly, the queen felt a shift, her guest was stirring. She positioned her reading material away and focused her attention to her guest. Anxious thoughts invaded. What if the guest was a threat to her life? What if she was trained in assassination to end the queen's female rule? What if the wounds were inflicted purposefully? Should she call for her guards?
All of her fears were silenced when she met the bluest and most beautiful eyes that she had ever seen even when they were now filled with fear, fatigue, and other overwhelming emotions. The queen agreed that a person's eyes revealed who they really are. This pair of eyes were curiously peering up at her. Her guest had mysteriously shrunk lower into the Egyptian cotton sheets, revealing only the upper half of her face.
An amused smile crept across the queen's face as she turned her body to better face her peering, silent guest. "Golden, a long way from home, are you not?" the queen asked as she tugged on the closest strands of blonde hair.
"Where am I?" the stranger asked in a raspy tone as her blue eyes tried to focus on as much detail as possible from her disadvantaged position. From what she could see, past the purple mesh material curtains which hung around the bed, the environment was clean, quiet and decorated in marble and gold. Her head was spinning and her body was sore.
"Egypt. Do you know not?"
"That I do know but where specifically and why do you speak English?"
The queen chuckled before replying, "Golden, do you know not? Knowledge is vital and your language is simple. What brought you to Egypt? You certainly stand out with hair so golden, like it is the Sun." Once again, she tugged at the blonde hair and the action seemed to irritate the hiding guest.
"I was seeking adventure," the guest replied without meeting the queen's gaze.
"Was getting injured and floating like a dead body in the Nile part of adventure seeking?" the queen carried on, ignoring the irritation of her earlier action.
"No, I was attacked by nomads in the dessert," the blonde guest replied with some embarrassment.
"That is no place for a person like you, golden. Short, soft and without an idea of self-defense. Blonde too. They could or might have wanted to make you their slave," the queen said before tugging on blonde hair again.
"Look, I get why you're calling me golden but I must insist that you stop tugging at my hair!" the blonde said with a little more force than she had intended.
The queen was entertained but she narrowed her eyes. "Very well then, golden," she said as she reached over and gently stroked the blonde hair. Her action seemed to sit well with the guest as her blue eyes appear less resolute. "Do you want to sit up? Have some wine and maybe some bread? Or fruit? Meat?" She could not understand why she was bending over backwards to make her guest feel comfortable.
The blonde had difficulties getting into a sitting position and the queen instinctively reached over to help. When she was up, she finally got a look at herself. She had unfamiliar clothes and jewelry on. "Why am I dressed like this? Are you making me into a mummy?!" the guest asked as she started to fear, blue eyes looking horrified.
Queen Fukayna burst into laughter and as she stopped, she looked over and asked rather seriously, "Are you dead? Why speak of being a mummy?"
The guest looked down and whispered, "I heard some people were mummified alive and mummies have jewelry on."
"Did you also hear that you have to be wrapped to be a mummy? Are you in a sarcophagus? And does my personal royal chambers bear any resemblance to a tomb?" The queen bit back, sounding so harsh that blonde was inching away from her.
"Royal?" the guest echoed before she started coughing as her throat was too parched.
The queen reached out and poured wine into the golden chalice before passing it over.
The guest seemed hesitant as if the threat for being mummified was still real. The queen rolled her green eyes and took a large sip out of the cup before handing it over again.
This time, the guest took it and she greedily drank.
"Slowly, it is in abundance." The queen smirked as she passed over a piece of bread, assessing if she needed to take a bite off first.
"You're royalty?" the stranger asked after getting some food and drink in while the queen waited patiently beside her guest.
"Is it that hard to believe? Look around you. Everything is clean and beautiful, a splendid reflection of me," Queen Fukayna said with pride.
"Does the arrogance come with it?" the blonde asked bluntly.
If someone else had asked what the guest had asked, the queen would not bat an eye to have the person executed but she was somewhat impressed. "Would you not be arrogant, if say, you're the sole ruler of the throne of Egypt, much to the dismay of my father and the premature death of my brother, my supposed co-ruler? Arrogance to you, but to me, it is an entitlement. Since I was a child, I was trained with knowledge and endurance. I am the sole heir, groomed to be a ruthless leader. I am pharaoh. I am to be worshipped as a living god."
The shorter of the two had gone weaker again, but she managed, "You're queen?" As soon as she said that, she rested her head hard on the pillow.
There was a flash of concern on the queen's face but she assessed that it was just fatigue, before she said, "I'm Queen Fukayna."
"Fu-what? I'm sorry," the blonde said as she blushed and looked down at her hands. Suddenly feeling out of her social class.
"You can call me Franky, golden," the queen said as she grinned. She tucked some stray blonde hair behind the guest's ear.
"Are, are you sure? You're the queen," the blonde asked as she looked around, appearing worried. "Is there a king?"
Franky snorted. "Yes, I'm sure and no, there is no king and there would not be one."
"I'm Bridget," the blonde said with some relief.
"That is a lovely name. Golden is what I prefer. This color is intriguing," the queen said as she reached over and lightly ruffled some blonde hair.
Bridget laughed a little and Franky loved the sound.
"Do you want to take a bath? I could have the servants adjust the bath water for-"
"I now know that you're royalty and all but I'm not. Could you not have people serve me?" Bridget interrupted.
"Uh, alright should I prepare the bath for you then?" Franky asked.
Bridget's mouth hung open, "You, the queen wants to prepare me a bath?"
Franky smirked, "Well, it is not the first or do you now want the servants? They could give you a massage or I could too."
"What do you mean it's not the first?" Bridget asked with a higher pitch as her heart started beating faster.
"You do not wonder? How your wounds are cleaned? How you wear clean clothes? How you got from the Nile into my bed?" Franky asked with a smile and seeing that she rattled the blonde, she inched closer before adding, "I wiped you clean, all of you. I dressed your wounds. I carried you into bed. And now, I'm going to make you my queen."