Nine |

Child Again

Atem couldn't help but smile at the sight before him.

His five-year-old daughter was placing small flowers all over her hair.

"Look, Papa! I have a garden in my hair!" she giggled as he kept looking at her lovingly.

"It is quite a garden. Can I grow one too?" Atem asked, kneeling.

"Okay." Anippe cheered. She began to pick more flowers from the edge of the Nile river.

Atem turned his head towards his servants and court, and sure enough, as they promised, they stood a few feet away from them.

He never understood why they always needed to follow him.

He just wanted some alone time with his daughter. That's all.

"Papa, are you cross?"

"Huh?" Atem let out, shifting his gaze back at Anippe.

"You're not smiling. Is something wrong?" Anippe asked again, now placing small flowers in his hair, one by one.

"Not at you, Anippe," Atem began with a reassuring smile. "I just wish I had more time to spend with you alone, that's all."

Anippe frowned.

"Then why don't we run away from them?"

Atem forgot to breathe.

In Anippe's place stood the love of his life, a mischievous look in her eyes, repeating Anippe's exact words, "Then why don't we run away from them?"

He was a young boy all over again. He, standing in a frozen state while Mana smiled cheekily at him.

The breeze tousled her brown hair while her aquamarine eyes sparkled.

"But what if they catch us? We'll be in trouble," he said.

"Not if we run faster than them, Prince," she replied. "Besides, what's life without getting in a bit of trouble here and there?" she teased before extending her hand for him to grab.

"Let's go, Prince," Mana said with a sweet smile.

Atem extended his hand towards her.

"Let's," he replied before the memory vanished.

"Papa? You okay?" Anippe asked, worrying at the sudden sad expression that had appeared on her father's face.

Atem closed his eyes and let out a deep breath.

Opening his eyes, he turned to his daughter.

"You want to run away from them?" Atem asked her.

The biggest smile appeared on Anippe's face.

"Come on then," Atem whispered before turning back to check up on his court.

Good, they weren't looking.

Both stood up before they burst into a run.

By the time the guards and court turned their attention back on them, they were a few yards away from them.

"PHARAOH!" they screamed as they ran after them.

All they could hear was the sweet sound of the Pharaoh's and the princess's laughs.

Note(s):

"For most of their waking hours pharaohs were constantly surrounded by people. These royal entourage members consisted of hangers on from the royal court, usually officials, family members, noble servants, and royal bodyguards. Royals usually got to pick out who hung out with them." - What It Was Like to Be Egyptian Royalty, from Weird History

Author's Note:

Decided to get back on track with the story and it had to be on Father's Day. Hahaha.

Hope you're all doing well and fun fact. The events of this chapter is what occurred before the scene where Atem carries Anippe on his shoulders as the gods look down on them (which you can read at the end of the prologue).