Pharaoh Merenkarhre and his troops stood glorious and in supreme power. They had successfully conquered the island of the Seychelles which was south east of the African coast. The Pharaoh had decided to branch out his empire to the tropical land that was a mere boat trip away. Soldiers were currently gathering the local people in the large courtyard in the middle of the island civilisation. The Pharaoh didn't want to oppress the people of the Seychelles who were very like Egyptians in their looks and life styles, he wanted purely to extend his land that was all.
The great Merenkarhre explained this to the citizens gathered and begrudgingly and reluctantly some accepted it. The majority still fought against the invasion leading to street fights and brawls. In the middle of the chaos of the crowded courtyard a little girl no older than 6 wept. The girl had golden skin and translucent light gold hair that was cut short, her ringlets falling to her jaw. Her azure eyes were puffy and red from her crying and the gold and bronze flecks in them looked dull from her sadness. She stood in a floor length crisp white cotton, loose dress that had a scooped neck and 3/4 length sleeves and tan leather gladiator sandals. She was dirty from running in the sand and the gardens and had plants sticking out from her tight curls and clinging to her dress, having pierced the fabric
Pharaoh Merenkarhre was being escorted by his guard from the violence back to the tent in which he was residing during his stay. He was ushered through the crowd when a hiccup and sniffle followed by some light blubbering caught his attention. He turned to see the young blonde with the turquoise eyes that looked so sore from crying.
"What's wrong?" The Pharaoh asked crouching down (much to his guards protests who now had to form a circle around the ruler in order to defend him) and opening his arms to the child. The young girl reluctantly embraced him, crying on to his shoulder.
"What is your name, girl?" Merenkarhre asked and this time a voice the replicated the sound of a delicate bell jingling replied:
"Tropeaka"
"Well Tropeaka why are you crying?" The Pharaoh urged gently
"A man he was a … a Egypi-tian … he kill-liked my parents!" She broke into a fresh wave of tears. Merenkarhre
Sudenly felt so guilty-this was all his fault. The Pharaoh decided to accept the blame and try to remedy his wrong doing by offering the child an option.
"I'm sorry to here that Tropeaka but I am Pharaoh Merenkarhre. How would you like to back to Egypt to live with me and my family? You'd have a better life than what you would here as an orphan" he explained and Tropeaka too young and too tired to understand just nodded. The Pharaoh scooped the small child into his arms and carried her away from the brutal scenes that littered the island.
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Once inside his tent Pharaoh Merenkarhre told his troops of his plan to leave. Obviously most of his men would remain there until the people confirmed but the Pharaoh himself and his most trusted advisers and generals where to return to Egypt. Young Tropeaka did not hear this though as she'd been fawned off on to a servant who had quickly stripped her, bathed and washed her (in a divine smelling Chamomile, Passion Flower and Aloe Vera soap the smell of which pleasantly lingered around the 6 year old's person), dressing her in a loose, white linen, sleeveless dress that fell to her knees and a gold satin rope with tassels on the end was secured in a knot around her middle. She wore tan leather slip on flat shoes on her feet as well. The servant also french plaited her light thin ringlets placing a head band of orchids and orange and pink hibiscus flowers on her pale gold hair. Tropeaka was then fed a meal of finery and ate with Pharaoh Merenkarhre himself.
"Now my dear Tropeaka we make tracks for Egypt in under an hour till then I would like you stay in the tent with your servant that's caring for you, ok?" He asked and the girl nodded mutely. The Pharaoh sighed before asking:
"Tropeaka what language do you speak?" He was aware a language barrier might be present but wasn't sure.
"Europa and Seselwa" she smiled and the Pharaoh smiled, many Egyptians could speak a basic sentence or two in Seselwa Creole.
"Ok, I shall have you tutored in my native tongue too, that way you can add to your bilingual abilities" Merenkarhre smiled before exiting the tent leaving Tropeaka with the servant assigned to care for her.
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The great Pharaoh rode on the back of a mighty white horse into the main citadel of Egypt. The small party he'd returned with cantered in behind him but Merenkarhre had insisted in Tropeaka travelling with him. Currently the little girl, who hadn't changed since they'd set off the day previous was tucked up on the Pharaoh's lap, snoozing. Sudden applause and whooping jolted her awake and she quickly began to panic. She was surround by a crowd of bronze skinned an dark haired foreigners who were screaming and celebrating as if their life depended on it.
"Ssh, Tro. They will not hurt you, I will not let them. Come now-relax, soon you shall meet my family. My wife and my sons" Merenkarhre whispered in the girl's ear, using the girl's new pet name. She did relax slightly but her eyes still shifted uneasily.
Soon enough they approached marble steps and people in finery stood in an arc around the allocated entrance path. None looked finer though than the 3 people stood in the centre Tropeaka noted. One was a woman around Merenkarhre's age, she was dressed in Egyptian robes and had a crown placed delicately on her jet black hair. Her pin straight raven locks fell to her shoulder and complimented her bronze skin and chocolate eyes. Next to her was a tall, well build man who looked to be 15 but defiantly was the first Lady's son for they shared the same complexion. He too was dressed in white linen robes but he did not look happy, he was scowling. The final person was more of a child. An 9 year old boy with bronze skin, chocolate hair but with eyes the colour of sparkling ocean water. He was wearing a terracotta colour, loose fitting but tapered leg, cotton chinos and a long sleeve, informal white shirt.
Merenkarhre dismounted the horse and the 3 figures, his family, ran toward him. The lady threw her arms around him, kissing him once before drawing back, noticing the young girl he was holding.
"Merenkarhre?" The woman, Queen Shepseheret enquired.
"My dear, this is Tropeaka our troops left her an orphan. She is from the Seychelles for she is only 6" Merenkarhre explained. His two sons Karmunrah and Ahkmenrah were stood close enough to their parents to hear their conversation.
"Tropeaka? What kind of a name in that?" Karmunrah snorted.
"The Seychelles population is made up from settlers from the continent Europa. It probably means something very special to them" Merenkarhre defended as Shepseheret lifted the wary little girl into her arms, bouncing Tropeaka on her hip.
"So she's from a settlers heritage why does that make her special? If anything it makes her blood bad" Karmunrah was struggling to see why he was been bored with the girl's presence.
"Her heritage and so called bad blood allows her to speak 2 languages and is willing to learn a 3rd - she is willing to learn Egyptian" Merenkarhre argued back.
"And?" Karmunrah faked a yawn.
"That's 2 more that you brother and she's less than a third of your age" Ahkmenrah nonchalantly chipped in, shrugging as he watched the girl intently as she buried her head in his mother's shoulder in an attempt to hide from the crowd.
"Hilarious Ahk! But why is she here?" Karmunrah spat out.
"She is to live with us" Merenkarhre announced, Shepseheret smiled, hugging the little girl tight. Ahkmenrah stepped closer to his mother and Tropeaka attempting to initiate a friendship while Karmunrah gasped. He started stuttering out protests and cusses before turning in his heel and flouncing back inside.
"Hello Tropeaka, I am Ahkmenrah but please call me Ahk" Ahkmenrah introduced himself and the quite literally golden girl, slid off his mother's hip, landing lightly on the ground before facing him.
"Hello Ahk, I'm Tropeaka but you already know know that. You can call me Tro though" she smiled at the young prince.
"Mother may Tro and I play together?" Ahkmenrah asked his mother.
"Why of course, Ahk … just keep her safe" Shepseheret ordered but the Ahkmenrah was already leading Tropeaka away with haste.
Play they did. In fact Ahkmenrah and Tropeaka soon became inseparable. They played together, were tutored together not to mention tutor each other. Tropeaka taught him Europa and Seselwa and Ahkmenrah taught her Egyptian. They ate together, (fake) duelled together, Chariot raced together. You name it, they did it and always together. They were a team and joined at the hip. This blissful cycle continued for 5 years and then it all changed.