Chapter 10
Ra was just floating outside the palace balcony, clearly invisible that no one could see him. With him are Isis, Sobek, Thoth, Osiris, and Anubis.
"At first I never wanted to agree with this...but it seems like a good choice." the king of the gods sighed.
"Why would it be?" asked Isis, "There is no such thing as a good choice when it comes to choosing the life of another." her multi-colored wings fluttering behind her.
"There is." remarked Thoth, "The Queen at the start new the reason why she has to die if she wishes this to happen."
"But why did she hid it?"
"She knew somehow that her son had always longingly looked outside the palace, at the families that even though they were so many, they were happy. Him, as a Crown Prince had never even had a normal life, where you could see him running with the peasantry and nobles alike. He always have to carry with him the air of dignity which she knew later on that he will lose it."
"That's absurd! The Queen should have known the fact that the Pharaoh is treated like a god for he is Ra's son. As the Crown Prince, she should not expect him to act un-royal." the goddess of magic, argued.
"I'm not saying that the Queen should dress her son in rags and let him, all I was saying is that she wants her son to be fully understanding that there is no one above and below and that we are all equal." Thoth reasoned.
The two gods fought. They truly forgot that they are not alone. Meanwhile Ra, Anubis, Sobek, and Osiris was watching Aknankamon.
"Such a sad memory to leave him with." mused Osiris.
"It's not. This will be the dawn of a new era." Ra told him while keeping his gaze at the pharaoh who was sunk low in his chair. "Even though she died, she had left a daughter to continue what she had left."
"How about the Crown Prince? You saw it earlier that he suddenly changed." asked Anubis.
"Yes, I did." spoke Ra, "But he will not be alone in facing the prophecy that would be the cause of his death."
"So...you are saying...that the reason why Tawaret wouldn't want to give another is because the dynasty would have two powerful children?"
"Yes." Ra nodded, "That was the reason why."
"Did the Pharaoh know?"
"Yes, he knew. But what he only know is that his son carries the names of the three of us, what he don't know is that he will die without even reaching the age that he was now."
"That's so sad." remarked Sobek.
"That's not really." mused Ra, "The family had been blessed even though both of the heirs to the throne will both die at the same day."
"What?!" shouted Anubis, "Are you serious? Both of them will die at the same time?"
Ra nodded. He understood somehow that it was decreed. No such thing had been done in all the years Egypt had stood as the greatest and richest country in the ancient times. He also knew that it was beyond his powers to alter the events that were about to unfold.
"So...what will the millennium crown do?" asked Osiris, folding his arms.
"The crown will just limit the child to use her powers to the extent."
"What do you mean?" asked Isis, who had stopped her argument with Thoth and now was standing beside Anubis.
Ra looked at her, "You perfectly know what the child of the prophecy could do. But since there are two, it is quite dangerous leaving the other without an item to limit the use of the powers to the extent."
"So you're saying is that you fully understood why Tawaret wanted it?"
"Yes. But I'm not saying I liked the idea so much."
"Wait...I don't really understand this concept." Sobek complained, "What I really understand is why the crown had to be made what I don't get is why the Queen died and not the child."
Isis rolled her eyes, "Clearly you are not listening when we have the meeting." she mumbled, "Or you really don't have the brains to understand such a small thing."
"Hey!" shouted Sobek, "I heard that!"
"Stop it you two!" roared Osiris, "We are not here to argue we are here to watch the royal family." he reminded.
"Why do we even have to do it?" Anubis asked.
"It is because we are the reasons why the child came to be." Ra spoke, "We are the ones who decided."
"But still that doesn't answer my question." the god of crocodiles reminded him.
"In reality, there could be no two children allowed in the same dynasty that could be mentioned in the prophecy. But this dynasty was exceptional."
"Why? You said only one could be the one mentioned in the prophecy. Why not make the other the 'Chosen One' and the other as any other member in the pharaoh's court?" Sobek suggested.
The king of the gods glared at him, "I could clearly do that. But...the Pharaoh is said to be descended to me so that makes the royal family considered as deities. When they die, they become gods."
"Oh."
Isis then descended to the balcony. The other gods were shocked, especially Osiris.
"Isis, what are you trying to do?" he asked, worried.
"I'm going to talk to the pharaoh."
"That's not a good idea,child."
Isis then looked at Aknankamon, then she turned to the gods,"I have to tell him."
"Tell him what?" the god of the underworld asked.
"I have to tell him that his two children are in danger of dying."
"You couldn't. It is forbidden." Ra told her.
"By whom? Ra, you make the law! Who could have forbidden us to communicate with humans?" she asked.
Ra didn't answer. He didn't want her to know that it was him, who made the law, long ago. He then sighed and looked at the goddess of magic.
"Isis, not now. I have a plan I wish to share with you all."
Back at the palace of the gods...
Ra entered the gardens then turned to his colleagues.
"We will come to the child's concession to the royal family."
The other gods looked at each other, unsure. Isis then stepped forward.
"Are you sure, my lord?" she then looked at the others, "I think it would not be a good idea considering the fact that the pharaoh himself before had asked for our anger not to be directed at his son."
"I'm not saying that we should come as deities all I'm saying is that we should come as peasants or nobles in disguise."
"What about the plan?" Osiris asked.
"When the pharaoh is alone, that's the time that we had to tell him." Ra told them, "His son of course would be present."
"But how?" asked Anubis, "You've seen earlier how withdrawn he is right now." he gestured to the ball of sphere he had summoned earlier without the other gods knowledge.
"I will come in his mind and tell him." Isis assured.
"Ra! The prince is just six years old! Do you think he could withstand the powerful energy of a god?" he reasoned.
"He could. I'll make sure he doesn't feel it." Isis told him.
Anubis crossed his arms, "Okay.I agree but what about the others? Do you think they would agree with this?"
"They sure will."
"I still don't get it." Sobek spoke, "Would you mind answering my question earlier?"
Thoth sighed, "Alright. This is the reason why: It was decreed in the prophecy that the Chosen one will carry the names of the gods. But one thing is: This dynasty was chosen. It was the prince among many of the predessors."
A voice spoke, "You got it wrong, god of knowledge."
The other gods looked everywhere. Clearly they heard the voice, but it was not someone who was with them.
"Show yourself!" barked Ra, "You whom I heard!"
The voice laughed, "As you wish, Lord Ra." the said person stepped out.
Isis hissed, "Meshkenet!"
The said goddess looked at the latter with fire in her eyes, "How wonderful you seem to remember, goddess of magic."
"What are you doing here? As far as I am concerned you weren't called for." Anubis asked, standing in front of Ra.
"Oh, I'm here to clear what Thoth told Sobek." Meshkenet then looked at the god of knowledge, "Apparently Thoth told him half the truth."
"What do you mean?" Isis asked.
The goddess of childbirth looked at all of them, "It seems to me you never asked."
"Asked what?"
"I am the goddess of childbirth, creator of Ka!" she roared, "Don't you even care that you only asked Tawaret who was just a protector of pregnant women?"
The other gods looked at Ra. They clearly didn't understand what was happening. Ra then looked at the goddess infront of him.
"I called the others why didn't you come?"
"Oh, I was busy breathing Ka into a newborn baby." the said goddess answered, then her anger showed, "But that is not the problem here! Why didn't you consider asking my say in this?"
"The others had already voted in this matter." Osiris reasoned.
"I don't care!" she then turned to all of them, "I took the Queen's life when I heard about this. I was not supposed to, but Tawaret told me that the child would die anyway."
"Why did you?" asked Anubis, "You know that the pharaoh and the prince loved her."
"I want to and as payment." Meshkenet told them, "I heard also from Tawaret that she requested that a crown be made."
"Yes, she did." Ra told her.
"That's also part of what I told her."
"What do you mean?" asked Isis.
"You will know later on." the goddess of childbirth smiled, "And as for the child, I really like her to live anyway eventhough that it is unfair to have two powerful children in the dynasty." she added as she faded.
The other gods were silenced. They clearly angered a goddess about the matter. But what could they do now? the decision had been done.
"Now I know the real reason." Sobek murmured.
"I don't know she would go to extremes like this." Ra mused, "I just wished I remembered."
"No need to bother yourself, my king." Osiris told him, "I'm sure Meshkenet would have cooled her anger somehow by taking the queen's life."
The pharaoh of the gods looked at him, "How can you be sure Osiris? You saw her anger earlier."
"I know." he answered, he then looked at the sky, "And I do hope hope the young prince too."
Osiris then looked at them who was gathered. It seems to him no one had wished for this to happen but it already had been done. He then have to prepare himself to meet the Queen that was about to come to his judgement hall.
Anubis - god of scales and embalming
Meshkenet - goddess of childbirth and creator of Ka
Ra - king of the gods and god of the sun
Osiris - god of the underworld
Sobek - god of crocodiles and strength
Isis - goddess of childbirth and magic
Tawaret - protector of pregnant women and childbirth
Thoth - god of knowledge and writing