"Papa! Where are you?"
"Nefret! Gods be praised, where have you been?"
"I'm sorry Papa," a little dark haired girl said, looking up at her father, frightened. "I got lost!"
"Well come on, we have to hurry if we are going to get that bracelet today!"
"Really? We can get it today?!" Nefret said, eyes shining. Her father smiled, picking her up.
"Well tomorrow is your birthday isn't it?"
"Thank you Papa!" she said, hugging her father as they navigated the crowded marketplace.
"Don't thank me yet. We still need to find Nephthys."
It took the pair only a few minutes to find the vendor they were looking for. She was an elderly woman, and stood behind a table covered with all sorts of fine jewelry. As Nefret and her father approached, the woman smiled toothily at them.
"I saved it for you, little Nefret," she said, pulling a cloth from under the table. Her father put her down, and Nefret leaned on the table, standing on the balls of her feet eagerly. The woman unwrapped the cloth, and sitting in it was a pure white alabaster bracelet. The edges were trimmed with shimmering gold that shone brilliantly in the bright Egyptian sun. Beaming, Nefret looked up at her father as he laid a handful of gold in the vendor's hand. He took the bracelet carefully from the woman, and gently put it around his seven-year-old daughter's wrist. It fit easily over her small hand. Frowning, Nefret slid it up further, but it still fell down off her hand.
Smiling, her father bent down. Gently, he pushed the bracelet up until it was snug just below her shoulder. He stood back up, taking his daughter's hand.
"Thank you, Nephthys," Nefret's father said, nodding to the old woman.
"You are most welcome, Aktun. My son will be around tomorrow for the fruit."
"I shall have it ready."
"Papa," Nefret said, looking up at her father.
"Yes, my little Nefret?"
"I love you Papa."
"I love you too Nefret."
...Nine Years Later...
"We need a basket of figs for when Djer arrives, Nefret!"
"I know Papa. I won't forget!"
Nefret walked down to the shoreline, the sun setting across the Nile and making the waters run orange. She loved walking in her father's orchard at sunset. The sweet smell of the Nile mixed with that of fresh fruit always made her happy. She set down the basket at the base of a fig tree, and began dancing around in her bare feet, her thin white linen dress brushing loosely against her tan skin. She closed her eyes, breathing in the sweet aroma around her.
But, as she stood there, facing the Nile, she felt a hand cover her mouth. Her eyes opened wide as she tried to remove the hand. But she quickly became dizzy, and slipped into unconsciousness without a sound.
"Your majesty, guests to see you."
The pharaoh nodded at the guard, who opened the doors and let in two dirty men, both of which had a nasty look to them.
"What have you brought to repay your debt to me?" the pharaoh asked, looking down at the men with distaste.
"We have brought a wondrous gift, your majesty," the first one hissed, beckoning towards the door. "We have brought you the Jewel of the Nile."
The pharaoh sat straighter in his chair. He looked eagerly towards the doors, expecting someone to appear, holding a golden chest that would open to reveal a precious gem beyond anything the world had seen before. However, he was not greeted by a golden chest, or magnificent gem. Instead the men placed in front of him a young girl, bound and gagged.
"This is your Jewel of the Nile?" the pharaoh asked, eyes betraying his annoyance. "You give me a sobbing slave girl?"
"She is not a mere slave girl, your majesty," the man holding her said. "She is a goddess in human form."
"He speaks the truth," another said. "We saw her dancing on the shores of the Nile but two days past. She glided over the sands beside an orchard of fruit the likes I've never seen."
"Very well," the pharaoh said, bored with the men already. "She will make a fine birthday gift for my son. Now be gone. Your debt has been paid."
The men left, muttering excitedly amongst themselves.
"Take her to my son's chambers. He can do with her as he wishes."
Two guards took the sobbing girl by the arms and hoisted her up onto her feet. She collapsed as they put weight on her feet, so they resorted to carrying her out of the pharaoh's hall.
As they reached the prince's chambers, one of the guards knocked gently on the door. It was answered a moment later.
"What-" the prince began, before catching sight of the girl suspended between the two guards. "By Ra, what is going on?" he asked, taking the poor girl from the guards and bringing her gently over to the bed in the middle of the room.
"A gift. Your father said she is an early birthday present," the first guard said emotionlessly. The two left as the prince shut the door.
Carefully, he walked over and knelt in front of the girl, gently removing the gag in her mouth. As soon as it was out, she began sobbing uncontrollably, her voice shaking.
"Please your majesty. You-you have to let me go. I beg you, let me return home. My fa-father. He is all alone. Two d-days. Please, l-let me go!"
"Calm down!" the prince said, putting his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to get her to stop shivering. "Now, just tell me from the beginning."
The girl sniffed, took a deep breath, and launched into her story.
"My father Aktun is a merchant in Beni Suef," she said really fast. "He and I live along the river where my father trades goods. We have an orchard where we grow fruit to sell in the marketplace. Two nights past, I was out near the riverbank, picking fruit for a friend of mine who was coming later. But I was ambushed from behind and put to sleep with some drug. And when I woke up, I found myself tied to a camel being led my some filthy men. I don't know why they took me," she said, tearing up again. "My poor father. He'll be all alone, worried about me. I have to go see him. He needs me!"
"Calm down. You are in no shape to go anywhere," the prince said softly, yet firmly. During her rapid monologue he had been undoing her bonds. Her wrists and ankles were swollen and rubbed raw. They obviously hurt, for when he took them off, she whimpered softly. "I will, however, send a message to inform your father that you are well. It will take two days to reach Beni Suef. But it is the best I can do. Would you like me to write a letter out for you?" he asked kindly, noticing her bleeding palms.
"No," she said, shaking her head as he stood up. "He cannot read. That is why he needs me. I must go-"
"Stop," the prince commanded. She became quiet instantly, looking at him fearfully with her deep brown eyes. The prince sighed, and knelt down in front of her again. "Please, you are not well. And if you continue exerting yourself you will only make it worse. Just sit still for a moment, while I bandage your wounds. Then, you can sleep, while I go send a message to your father. Can you do that?"
She nodded, sniffing as the prince gently wrapped her hands and ankles in linen.
"Good. Now, forgive me, but I have not yet asked your name."
"It is Nefret, your Majesty," she said softly. Smiling, the prince looked up at her with his brilliant violet eyes.
"It is a pleasure, Nefret, though under unfortunate circumstances. I am Atem. I would prefer you not to refer to me as your Majesty or my Lord or anything of that sort."
Nefret nodded as he returned to tying her bandages. As he finished he stood up, towering over Nefret.
"Now get some rest. I will send word to your father."
"Thank you, Prince Atem," she said, softly, watching him as he crossed to the door and opened it. As the door shut behind him, Nefret crawled across the bed until she was at the headboard. The bed could easily have taken up her entire dinning room at home. But she suddenly realized how tired she truly was, and lay her head on the pillow, crawling under the soft sheets. Never had she been in such a bed. Before she could question being in the prince's bed, she was already asleep.