Eleven |

Braids

"Hold still, Anippe," Atem muttered, struggling to make a braid on his daughter's hair.

"Ugh, I want to play." his daughter whined.

"I said we would after I finish braiding your hair."

Anippe slouched, frustrated at how her father was acting.

"Are you done now?"

"Anippe," Atem began, now getting slightly annoyed at her impatient behavior.

"Hmph."

As Atem undid the braid he struggled with; he noticed his daughter's frowning face from the pond's reflection.

He chuckled to himself.

Who knew she was this handful at just seven years old.

"If you behave as I braid your hair, I promise I will take out my special cape so we can play."

"Really?" Anippe gasped, turning to look at her father with huge eyes.

"Yes, now turn around and let me work," Atem replied, making her face towards the courtyard and continuing with his braiding.

"Now, what did Isis say? Does this go above this one, or was it this one? How many strands? Two or three?" Atem thought to himself.

" Ra, this is harder than being Pharaoh of Egypt. Perhaps I shall get Isis-" Atem stopped and furrowed his eyes.

" No. Mahad and Seto will tease me endlessly if they find out I couldn't do a simple braid. No, I have to do this."

Gritting his teeth, Atem glared at Anippe's hair.

" Mark my words, I will braid you… you untangled beasts!"

Anippe didn't know how long it was until her father finished braiding her hair. And frankly, she didn't care.

"Papa, let's play now! You promised!" she immediately demanded, jumping in excitement.

Her father rarely took out his special purple cape. It was only for exceptional occasions.

So for him to propose this was a miracle.

"Very well then," Atem replied.

After ordering the servant to bring the cape down, Anippe began to play with her braids.

"No, Anippe! Don't play with your hair." Atem spoke.

"You saw how long it took me to make those." with a sly smile, Atem added, "Don't you want Mahad or Seto to see your pretty hair?"

However, Atem was trying to perfect her braids so Mahad and Seto could see how wrong they were to doubt his skills.

"I didn't need help." Atem talked to himself proudly.

After the cape had arrived, Atem put it on, and thus their playtime began.

The scenario was simple.

Anippe acted as a customer at the local market, and Atem was a foreign prince visiting Egypt. Cause he was wearing his crown and special cape, you know?

"Ah!" Anippe acted, gazing in awe at her father's cape.

Circling him, Anippe touched his cape as she gushed, "This cape is divine! So cute!"

Atem had a dull expression. With a sigh, he replied in a tired tone, "Young lady, no one is permitted to touch the cape."

"Hahaha!"

Both Atem and Anippe turned to see who had interrupted their playtime.

Of course, it had to be Seto.

"What is this? What did I witness?" Seto continued to laugh.

Atem furrowed his eyes at Seto.

"Not even when you were a spoiled prince, did you act like that!" roared Seto, clenching his stomach.

"Seto…" Atem hissed through his gritted teeth.

With a sigh, Atem turned back to face his daughter, but to his utter shock, both braids got destroyed.

She had taken off the bands that held them.

Noticing her father caught her, Anippe chuckled.

"Oops," she replied, trying to act innocent.

Atem groaned in defeat.

It didn't help that Seto continued to laugh just a few feet away from them.

The next day, Atem ordered Anippe's hair to be cropped. Only one long strand of her hair could remain. Sure enough, Atem wouldn't have to worry about braiding her hair for an entire year, enough time to regain his dignity.

Note(s):

I used a quote from one of the characters Dan Green plays. Which would be Eusine from "Pokemon". I forgot what episode it is, but Eusine says to a lady, "Young lady, no one is permitted to touch the cape." I found it quite hilarious, imagining Atem saying that. I just had to write it haha.

Children in Ancient Egypt had their hair cropped with the exception of one long strand, which was cut once adulthood was reached. However, in my case, children keep their hair as in the anime I saw no child with their hair cropped.

RIP Anippe's hair haha.

Author's Note:

Who else didn't like it when your parents or guardians braided or styled your hair? I for sure didn't. I hated every second of it. Yet, unlike Anippe who is offered playtime if she behaves, I was threatened with a smack. Lucky her.

Also, just a warning, not every chapter I'll write will be lengthy. Some may be super short, others long. We'll see as time goes. Until the next one!