AN: Here's a new chapter. Please Review and enjoy the story. Follow, Favourite, and there will be more to come.


Chapter 9: Confessions

Pharaoh and Val approached the throne room, and one by one, they settled in nicely. On the way to their destination, Seti threw a small tantrum; flinging his arms to the side with great force. He was frustrated; not with Tuya, but with other matters he wished not to speak of. Val stopped, and waited impatiently; as Pharaoh slowly walked towards the steps just ahead of the throne. Seti paused on the second step, and turned to face Val; approximately twenty feet away. Val waited patiently for Pharaoh's word; for he dared not speak before the King of Egypt. Seti pointed a finger ahead of Val. A shiver ran down his spine, as he thought that, that finger was directed towards him. Val quickly pulled a 180 when he heard the sound of large doors closing behind him. Val gulped as he turned back towards Pharaoh. It was just the two of them; alone and together.

Pharaoh slowly placed his hands behind his back in a kindly manner. It was odd to Val. At first, he was able to approach the king without hesitation; but suddenly, when face to face, and alone, he was reluctant. Was he scared of Pharaoh? He was! Pharaoh's presence was terrifying. Pharaoh Seti furrowed his eyebrows, and stared into Val's soul with wide eyes.

Seti sneered, "Are you a messenger from Avaris?" Pharaoh stood with great poise; obviously showing Val that he was of true authority.

"Yes," Val answered.

Pharaoh said, "A messenger should not be calling me by my true name. It's either Pharaoh, or Pharaoh Seti. Got it?"

Val nodded, "Yes, Pharaoh. It will not happen again."

"So," Pharaoh started with a slight bend in his back. "Val, what's the matter? Why are you here?"

Val hissed, "You know why I'm here Pharaoh. Avaris was hit hard!"

"Reports," Seti ordered; hoping for a swift answer from the messenger.

Val delivered, "As you know, the disease started up North. It killed the majority of people who could afford to put meat on the table. The livestock became sick; and one by one, they died. And the farmers fled. Where could they go where they wouldn't starve? The disease has flooded across the country. Most of the cities and villages have lost all livestock, and the drought has not ceased. Large numbers of fields, acres of grain, are depleting quickly in the East, where it is bred. Unfortunately, it has reached Avaris; and the leading lady has sent me to inform you of the situation. Everyone in my city is suffering. If they are not dying from disease, they are dying from starvation. We are in a famine now, Pharaoh. And we do not know what to do."

Seti slowly shifted his eyes to the side, "It's coming here you said?"

Val nodded, "I'm afraid so."

Seti covered his mouth, and closed his eyes for a brief moment. His father had never been in this situation; this was all new to Seti. Seti rubbed his temples, irritated, and yet again, upset by the current events. He drew a quick breath before opening his sinister eyes. "When do you expect the famine to reach the kingdom?"

Val shrugged, "A month I would guess."

Seti sighed, "How much do you need?"

Val bit his cheek, "I can't say, Pharaoh. Her lady did not say."

"Very well," Pharaoh said, "You have my leave to go. Be sure that her lady will respond to my actions positively. We'll give you 10% of our grains, and 6% of our cattle for now. It's a high number, but her lady and I have a good alliance, and for years, and I would like to keep it that way."

Val rejected, "11%."

"No," Pharaoh replied, jabbing a finger in the air. "Servants will be sure to export that 10% to your city by tomorrow morning. We'll see how you make of it. I'll tell you what…Val…listen closely." Seti slowly, yet gracefully made his way towards the man in eerie silence. When the Pharaoh finally reached the humble messenger, he leaned forward, and stared into Val's eyes with fire. "Tell her lady that my offer to her is final. If she questions, it will go within hours. Make use of the supplies given, and use them responsibly; and more may come, I don't know. But if it depletes in less than a week, I'm afraid that I will have to cut ties with Avaris, and her governess until the famine is over. Does it sound like a deal?"

Val didn't hesitate to reply, "I'll return."

Pharaoh smacked a hand on the man's shoulder, hard; sending a quick sting down Val's arm. Seti snapped a finger, "Great, be sure to return. Val, you seem like a trustworthy man, and a trustworthy man does not disappoint. Do…not…disappoint. Return on Monday, and bring with you an answer."

Val smiled. "I will, my lord."

Pharaoh Seti clapped his hands together, and sleekly smiled, "Great! You know what Val I believe you and I will get along just fine. We will have a long and prosperous famine together. Don't hesitate to enter the throne room if you have any questions or concerns. Just wait for my word, that's all."

Val returned with a gentle expression mixed with a hint of gratitude, "Thank you, my Lord."


Tuya sat alone by the Nile River; plucking flowers from the shore, and ripping the petals off one by one. She'd been doing the same action for almost fifteen minutes, and started talking to herself whilst doing so. It wasn't long before she was becoming concerned about her well-being. It had been a week since her and Seti's last meeting, and it seemed that her friendship with the Pharaoh was dwindling and concerning; however, she couldn't wait to see the man. Just the thought of Seti made her giggle inside. She laughed hysterically as she gazed at the last petal on the lotus. Standing up with great ease, she threw the remaining portion of the flower into the air, and let the wind whisk it away. She threw her arms up, and danced in the night sky. She was full of elation, and she was excited. For it was the Festival of Fertility. It was one of rebirth and rejuvenation. She never knew what it fully meant, but it was sure that the royal family did. Tuya looked down, only to peer at her beautiful light blue dress that was neatly sown throughout the week by herself; and she was quite proud of the result. Next, Tuya adjusted her hair, which was placed into a nice bun; a single braid wrapped around it. She also made sure that her hair accessory was tightly in place. In her hair was the blue lotus that the Pharaoh graciously gave her the week before. She was a florist, and so she knew how to take care of her lotus well. It was still lively for the festival, and she was also satisfied with that result.

One moment she was standing by the river Nile, the next moment, she was standing at the golden gates; quietly entering the kingdom amongst the other people. Many were invited for this wonderful event. This was the fourth public festival of the year; which surprised Tuya considerably. Now she knew that Seti was not afraid to throw a party whenever he pleased. It took Tuya quite some time to make the twists and turns around the crowd, but she soon found a familiar face…a face she was all too scared of. Her shy side showing through, she quickly shadowed back into the crowd; trying to avoid the former Queen. They had a terrible occurrence, a bad first impression, and she was sure there was to be another one. Tuya gazed at the elegant woman in the distance talking to an all too important man, dressed in lively red robes. She also saw familiarity in the man beside the former Queen, another face she disliked, the Senator. The two were all too annoying for her taste. Tuya had never conversed with them in conversation, but she was starting to see why Seti was stiff at most times.

Tuya found most of the nobles, but it was funny. She found them all except for Pharaoh himself; and she wondered where on Ra's Earth would he be? It was then that the banquet was set, and she followed the crowd. She ate what she could, not too much though. She did not want an upset stomach, in which seemed to bother her lately. Tuya ate well for the cocktail hour, and she wondered if Seti was looking for her amongst the crowd; maybe so, maybe not. After all, he did feel horrible for ending their session of Senet early; and leaving her in the dust once again. So, she wouldn't be surprised if he didn't bother for that very reason.

After dinner ended, there was a hustle and bustle in the distance. Tuya heard shouting at first, and then saw a sheath of grain being held captive by an unknown hand. An individual beside her quickly explained what the sheath of grain symbolized. It gave Tuya some knowledge about noble Egyptian traditions. Suddenly, the people surrounding all seemed to spread; and so Tuya decided to swim amongst the many fish in the sea. She looked around and saw that everyone was creating a circle; a circle of dance for the night. Everyone surrounding her clapped, and so she clapped along. They were then told to be quiet by what looked like a priest. He took it upon himself to be the announcer for the people.

"Excuse me ladies and gentlemen," the priest said throwing his hands in the air, attempting to quiet the crowd. It took a bit of time, but the audience managed to settle. Tuya couldn't quite see amongst the crowd. She was somewhat tall, and still growing, but there was always someone taller. Tuya went onto her tippy toes, and gawked around to see the priest hanging about in the middle. He continued:

"Ladies and gentlemen, now that the Pharaoh has cut the sheath, we will dance with man and woman tonight as a symbol of rebirth for the feast of Min. I know, we usually pair the same sex, but tonight is a traditional evening, and we have to keep that tradition like our ancestors did years before. Here's how we pair. The man will choose the partner, a lovely woman of the evening star in this giant circle; he has to choose. Up first will be the King of Egypt; our wonderful Pharaoh of whom we are honored to have with us tonight."

Tuya peered between the shoulders of many, and finally found sight of a tall Seti standing alongside the priest. But she did not pay attention to the priest; instead, she focused on the Pharaoh. He wore his traditional Nemes crown, with matching blue and gold garments; the gold shimmered in the night sky, making the King of Egypt all glittered and glamourous. He smiled slightly as the spotlight was placed on him, and scanned the crowd as the man was talking. Tuya teased Seti by hiding behind one individual; for she knew that he was looking for her. Tuya giggled as she saw his expression slowly change from slightly elated to his famous disappointed face that broke Tuya's heart every time. Once the priest finished, Seti started towards the multitudes of people, gazing at each woman in front, beside and behind him. Pharaoh searched, and searched. You could tell that many were becoming annoyed by the minute; but they did not question. The Pharaoh was eighteen, and not yet married; and every woman amongst the crowd either screamed, or cried. It overwhelmed the poor man.

Suddenly, Seti could hear a small voice in the distance calling his name. "Seti, Seti, Seti," it echoed. He peered over his shoulder, looking behind and squinting as he observed a blue bundle of joy tucked behind another tall man. Tuya then pushed the man in front aside. Seti's eyes widened, his eyebrows raised, and a smile gleamed upon his face as he gazed upon Tuya. He was now breathless, and covered his mouth somewhat in surprise. Tuya thought to herself, "He really thought that I wasn't going to show, but here I am."

Pharaoh Seti didn't hesitate to grab her wrist and pull her into the middle of the circle. Everyone clapped along whilst the music played in the distance. They did not talk. They didn't need to. Instead, they stared into each other's eyes. Everyone seemed somewhat pleased, except for the "felines" in the corner, who were miffed about the whole ordeal. Both the Senator and Seti's mother knew exactly who the young lady was, even from a distance; and they weren't too keen on Seti's decision. The General, tucked aside in uniform, clapped his hands with concern. He gazed upon the two younglings as they danced in jubilation. He saw a true smile upon Seti's face; a face he once saw when Lara was still alive. Then, the General felt something inside that hurt; jealously.

Soon, the night was over; but not for the servants. They cleaned the outside quickly before dawn approached. They did not have all night! Anyways, the night was over for many, but not Tuya and Seti. There was still so much in store for them. Seti and Tuya laughed at each other's words and corny jokes as they wandered the streets inside the kingdom. It was there that Pharaoh had a little bit more freedom. Yes, there were still guards by his side, but as long as his mom, the Senator and the General weren't around, he was happy.


At first, the two sauntered, and then trotted; constantly asking each other what the hell they wanted to do for the rest of the night.

Tuya answered when Seti asked the question, "Well, I don't want to destroy the place." Tuya then looked up, and saw a tall statue in front of her. For some reason, she suddenly had the urge to climb it. "How about this," Tuya said as she walked up to the statue of another Pharaoh that somewhat looked familiar. She pointed at it fiercely. "Is that your dad?" she asked.

Pharaoh Seti nodded, "Yes. He was a great King of Egypt in my eyes. He died suddenly, but he taught me everything I know."

Tuya looked back upon the statue, and observed some washed graffiti upon the former Pharaoh's face. She chuckled when she saw the fake mustache, goatee, googly eyes, and a couple of awkward tongues hanging from its mouth. Tuya gawked at Seti, who seemed utterly proud of his work upon his late father's face. He was given a licking for it, but it was one way to get his father's attention, whether he liked it or not. Tuya started, "Let's climb. For some reason, I just want to climb."

Pharaoh laughed hesitantly, and slowly backed away from the woman. Tuya was confused as to why he was denying her, "What's wrong?" Tuya asked, concerned.

"That's okay," Seti started, "I'd rather be safe on the ground."

Tuya couldn't help, but laugh. She clutched her abdomen, and attempted to contain her laughter, but it was of no use. "I…I…I can't believe that a man with legs taller than a giraffes is afraid of heights!"

Seti crossed his arms like a small child, and grumbled, "I'm afraid of falling."

"Don't worry," Tuya said, proceeding to climb the statue. "Your legs will break your fall. I can't help but wonder how on Earth you were able to paint obscene images on your father's face if you are afraid of heights?"

Seti rolled his eyes as he followed, "It was a ladder. And it took a lot of courage to do so."

It took time, courage, blood, sweat and tears, but Tuya finally persuaded Seti to take the challenge. As Tuya aided his climb, she had to constantly remind him not to look down. Once to the tippy top, Seti breathed a sigh of relief. He heaved, "My, my, I'm out of shape."

"Seti!" Tuya yelped.

Seti jumped, "What, what?"

"You're shaking."

Seti was bewildered, "Tuya…I…I thought someone was dying! Please don't do that to me. And what do you expect from someone who is afraid of falling to their death?" He shot a finger at Tuya. "And don't think for a second that I've overcome my fear, because I haven't."

Tuya slapped Seti's shoulder in return, "You are still alive, are you not?"

Seti took off his crown from atop his head as he planted himself beside Tuya. He repositioned his hair by running his fingers through it several times. Tuya noticed this and couldn't help, but question, "Why don't you shave like the rest of the men? Doesn't that head of hair get a little…hot?"

Seti flirted, "Oh, it is hot; but I wouldn't be able to attract the ladies if I did." The two laughed for a moment; gazing into the horizon before them. "Are we going to watch the sun rise?"

Tuya gently placed her head on Seti's shoulder. "I think so."

As she rested, staring at the night sky, Seti peered over to where he and Tuya's hands lay; side by side, not linked. Was it that they were both scared? Or was it that they weren't ready for that sort of relationship yet? Seti was. Most women would marry the Pharaoh at the drop of a hat, but it was hard to please a woman such as Tuya. She was so normal, and so pure. Seti attempted to slide his hand into hers, but failed when she adjusted her position. When Tuya finally settled, she caught sight of Seti's gaze; a look of desperation, and happiness.

Tuya cocked her head to the side, "What's going on Seti?"

Seti was hesitant, but he knew that it was finally time to speak his thoughts, and put them into words and actions. He was tired of pretending. Seti started, "Tuya, I'm going to be honest right now. I've been trying to tell you for a while, but I did not have the courage to do or say so."

Tuya raised an eyebrow, "Okay?"

Seti continued, "Tuya…I…I…" The words, again, struggled to escape his lips. "I…r…really…like…you."

Tuya sighed, "I know you do, we are good friends." –

"No, not like that," Seti interrupted, "I mean, I really, really like, like you." Seti didn't know how to say it any other way. "I'm attracted to you!"

Tuya was lost for words, "Seti, I don't know."

"It's…it's just how I feel about you. I want to hold your hand…and I want…I love seeing you, I love hanging out with you, and I love having deep conversations with you. You cannot say the same for me, but I know that…that I have deep feelings for you; and I'm going to let you know that those feelings will never change. My world is different from yours, Tuya. I mean, what does the word "date" mean?"

Tuya stared blankly at the man, but Seti was sure to continue.

"Tuya, this brings me to another topic. I like you a lot, and I like you so much that I want to make sure that everything you have is set and kept safe. I have been withholding other information besides my feelings for you." Pharaoh Seti grasped Tuya's hand; Seti was relieved, for she didn't pull away. "You asked me twice what was going on with my work. You were concerned, especially last week, and I'm sorry that I've withheld that information from you, and from all of Egypt."

"Spill it," Tuya said, irritated.

Seti placed his fingertips upon his chest. "Almost all of Egypt has been going through droughts; and there's been a depletion of livestock. A famine has emerged, and unfortunately, we caught it too late. I'm afraid by next month your village will starve. The famine will hit without warning. But do not be afraid, for I ask of you a favour."

Tuya's mouth was gaped open, "A favour?"

Seti nodded, "Tuya, I am trying my best to aid every town and city in Egypt as best I can, yours included. But I can't be everywhere all at once. I'll be here at the kingdom. Tuya, I need you to help your village, and save them from what's to come."

"What should I do?" was Tuya's response.

Pharaoh Seti grasped Tuya's shoulders. "The court held a grand meeting today to discuss the situation at hand. To every city and town we are giving two to three cows, and thirty sheaths. Without a leader, the food will not last. Help ration, and protect your livestock from disease. Please, protect your people. I want them to be happy…I want Egypt to be happy, and most of all, I want you to be happy. Please, I've never experienced anything like this before; neither has my father. Tuya, help me here." Tuya did not answer. Seti continued, "The only downside is that we won't be able to see each other until the famine is over. It could be next month, it could be years. Tuya, will you deliver?"

Tuya was disappointed. The thought of leaving a good friend during the midst of a famine was daunting; yet it had to be done. For the greater good of Egypt, it had to be done. "Yes, Seti. I will do so."

Seti smiled, "Good."

Then, a sleek smile of her own slid across Tuya's face. It was quick, but Tuya did not hesitate to give Seti a quick peck on the lips. After the sudden kiss, Seti was left breathless, and Tuya was bashful. Tuya murmured, "I'll miss you."

It was a shame they did not kiss again. They didn't talk for the rest of the night either. Instead, the two companions watched the sun rise; waiting for a new dawn and a new beginning to arrive for the better.

They soon parted ways. The famine hit hard, but it didn't cease until four years later.

Chapter 10 coming soon...