"B-b-but, my Pharaoh! What if-?"
"Enough 'what if's, Akana. I'll be fine."
Akana pouted, giving me that look of hers. Like a puppy. She sighed, nodded her head. She didn't like it when I snuck out. She was a bit paranoid at times, but knowing how stubborn I am, she always gave up.
"Fine, fine. Just, please. Be careful, My Lord." She begged. I gave her a curt smile.
"I will, Akana. I'll be back before sunset." Saying that, I wrapped the black cloak around me and climbed onto the railing of the balcony. In an instant, I fell, landing with ease on the sand below. The wind blew, making my hood fall. I stepped into the shadow of the wall, sinking into it, and reappearing in the shadow of another building; one of the many houses in the Royal Village.
I looked around. No one had seen me. Good. I stepped out of the shadows and into the crowded streets. The sun was low in the sky, but I had a while before it set. Time to do some shopping. I notice a small sword shop, one that hadn't been there before. It must have been newly opened.
I stepped inside, removing the hood of my cloak. No one appeared to recognize me. Perfect. I looked around. Usually, it was a sword or dagger that would catch my eye. This time, though, it was a girl. She had black hair, with gentle curls and dark brown eyes. Her appearance reminded me of my twin, Heka.
She appeared to be nervous, and was fidgeting almost constantly. She would look over, see me looking back, and then turn away. I had the feeling that she wasn't going to approach me, so I approached her. My footsteps were almost nonexistent as I walked closer to the young woman.
"You appear to be nervous. Is something the matter?" I asked, taking a strand of her hair in my hand and twirling it in my fingers. Her cheeks flushed a gentle pink.
"What? Um, no… Nothing's wrong." The young woman assured me, staring at the dagger she was cleaning.
"What's your name?" I continued to play with her hair, watching as she polished the silver. How ironic that it was a silver dagger she was polishing.
"Umm… My name? Oh, yeah… My name is Mandisa. And, uhh, yours?" She looked up at me briefly, meeting my eyes and looking back to her work.
"Dekarei." I replied. She looked up, and, not paying attention to the blade, cut her finger.
"Ow!" She frowned, staring at the cut.
I took her hand in mine, examining the wound. It wasn't bad, just a scratch. Shadows wrapped around the wound, as my eyes turned to black momentarily. They returned to their normal red as the shadows vanished, revealing a healed finger.
"H-how did you…?" Mandisa looked up at me in amazement, blinking. Her jaw was dropped slightly. I smirked.
"Surprised?" I asked her, moving hair out from her face.
"You're…?"
"Yes."
"Oh… Oh my Gods…!"
"Shh. Keep it low profile, alright? I don't want anyone else finding out." I ordered. I took her hand, pulling my hood back up, and leading her out of the building. She didn't protest; she just had this shocked look on her face. It isn't every day that the Pharaoh flirts with a village girl, although Atem married a village girl himself.
I led her out of the village and to a small cave on the bank of the Nile. Still, she uttered not a word. When we were under cover of the cave, I removed the cloak, throwing it to the sand, and sitting. Looking up, I motioned for Mandisa to come and sit beside me. She obeyed.
I leaned against the back of the wall, sighing. She looked at me, still amazed. The Pharaoh had used magic to heal her, taken her out of the village to a private place, and was now sitting beside her. Alone. All alone with the Pharaoh of Egypt.
"Why… did you take me here?" She asked timidly.
I turned to her and smiled softly. "To talk. I want to get to know you better. There's something about you that… interests me." I said, reaching up and playing with her hair again. That same blush from earlier returned.
Most would have assumed that was interested me was her virginity, but that was not the case. Although I could tell from her scent that she was indeed a virgin, that did not matter to me as much as this girl's personality. I couldn't place what it was about her that drew me to her, but I wasn't about to complain.
"Tell me a bit about yourself. Where do you live?" I asked, meeting her dark eyes.
"Well, in that shop. My father and mother and I, we just moved here." She explained. "My father is a blacksmith and makes swords. We hear that this is the perfect place to sell, so we came here."
"Oh? So that's why I haven't seen his shop before." I noted.
"You mean you go to the village often?" She asked, a curious and innocent look on her face.
"Yes. I can't stand being in the palace all of the time." I said.
"Why not? I always thought it would be exciting to be royalty." She blinked, tilting her head ever so slightly.
"It's boring as hell most of the time. That, and I can't go one single place in the palace without remembering something horrible that has happened there." I explained with a heavy sigh. My hand lower to the sand, picking some up and letting it fall through my fingers.
"Oh… I understand." Mandisa said, watching the sand slip through my hand. She reached out, catching some of that falling sand in her palm, and enclosing her fingers around the small grains. The flipped her hand over and released the sand, allowing it to fall once more.
"Have you ever wondered what it's like to live in the palace?" I asked, looking at her.
She met my eyes and blinked. "Well, of course… I don't know anyone who hasn't wondered such a thing."
"Would you like to find out? Having a guest stay with me would make things much more interesting." I said with a gentle smile. She blushed again. Glancing down, she began fidgeting with the rim of her skirt. After a moment she looked back up at me and smiled.
"I would love to." She said happily.
"Good." I smiled. "I'm glad. Come, we'll go straight there."
"What about my parents, though?" Mandisa looked up at me as I pulled her to her feet. My arms encircled her waist and I pulled her against me.
"I'll send word to them explaining." I assured her. She sighed and smiled, nodding in agreement.
Shadows wrapped around us. I felt her tighten her grip on my shoulders, and held her tighter. "Relax." I said softly, as the light around us completely disappeared. When the shadows faded, we were in my room. Mandisa looked around curiously, noting everything in the room including all the swords and other trinkets.
"Akana!" I called for the younger girl. Immediately she opened the door, poking her head through. She looked at Mandisa and I for a moment before coming into the room completely and closing the door behind her.
"Yes, Your Highness?" She asked, bowing.
"Let everyone know that I have a guest staying with us for a while. She is to be treated as royalty. Understood?"
"Yes, My Pharaoh." Akana nodded her head before exiting the room.
A slight smirk came across my face. "Heh. She's being taught well. How funny, that I care not for such formalities." I said, chuckling. "Quite ironic."
"Is this your room?" Mandisa asked, looking up at me.
"Yes." I replied, running a hand through her night colored curls.
"Then, where shall I be staying?" She asked.
"Here, with me." I said, giving her a gentle smile. A blush came across her face. However, she nodded and did not protest. I looked outside. The sun was setting, and it was almost time for supper.
"Come. We'll get you into some more suitable clothes and go to the dining hall to eat." I said, taking her hand and leading her out of the room and down the hall. I led her into another bedroom; one that had not been used for years. Walking to the closet, I pulled out a white sash and blue skirt. I laid them on the bed before turning to Mandisa.
"Take off your clothes, and I'll help you into these." I said, motioning to the sash and skirt. She blushed, timidly removing her clothes. She did so in such a shy way, it was easy to tell she had never been naked in the presence of a man before.
I took the skirt, sliding it up her legs and to her hips. She shuddered, not used to another's hands touching her. Taking the sash, I wrapped it around her breasts and tied it. I smiled, twirling her.
"You look beautiful." I said, making her blush darken.
"Thank you…" She replied. "Although, I'm not used to such revealing clothes…"
"You'll get used to them, don't' worry." I assured her, taking her hand in mine. I kissed it gently before leading her out into the hall once more. It was a longer walk this time, and when we reached our destination, it wasn't another bedroom.
The dining hall was a large, circular room with a long, rectangular table in the center. There were chairs lining the table, the one at the head being the most intricate. That was my chair. The second most intricate was the chair to the left of mine, used only for royal guests or family.
As we entered, everyone in the room bowed. I led Mandisa to the table, sitting her in the chair left of mine, before sitting myself. All the priests sat around us, as well as the members of the Council. Some of them did not look too pleased that I had brought a village girl into the palace, but they would deal. They had no choice in what I did. None what so ever.
When the meal was finished, I stood. Everyone bowed again, as I took Mandisa and exited the room. She had been very quiet during supper and hadn't eaten too much. However, it was her first night here and she was probably scared.
I led her into that same bedroom once more. I figured that since she was already so nervous, she should have a way to cover herself as she slept. I pulled out a white silk night gown that was almost see through. I removed the clothes she was wearing, and again that deep blush of hers returned.
After I slipped on the gown, she seemed much more comfortable. I took her hand, leading her to my room once more. Closing the door, I went over to my bed, laying down on my back. Mandisa hesitated before coming and sitting on the edge of the bed.
I smirked, pulling her down next to me and wrapping my arms around her waist. She gasped, but relaxed a bit after realizing what had happened. I played with a strand of her hair, watching as her eyes shut gently. Weather she realized it or not she turned, facing me, and laid her hand on my chest.
She looked so calm when she was asleep. Quite a turn from how nervous she had been earlier. I smiled, closing my eyes as well. It had been an interesting day, and I wondered what the morrow would bring.
