By now, you all know the standard disclaimer. The mummies, Scarab, Heka and Amenhotep belong to DIC...Kah'shi, Aila, Nefray-ou, and Agri belong to me...Cassandra belongs to Annie...If you want to use a char in here, ask me?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~¤He was born. Amenhotep's only son. Heir to the throne of Egypt. Now a living god among the peasants and nobles alike. The living incarnation of Horus, son of Osiris and Isis. Not the oldest child - but the only son. He was not the first born son - the first son died when he was five years old.
It was a hard labor. He didn't want to come out and suffer the cold separation between mother and child. The screams echoed throughout the palace walls, reminding everyone that a miracle was taking place. A painful miracle, but a miracle nonetheless.
Queen Shinoba held the birthing mother, Aila, in her arms. Aila was sobbing uncontrollably. There was something wrong with the birth. The child wasn't positioned correctly. It was too much stress for the younger woman to handle. The queen looked at the younger woman with concern echoing throughout her brown eyes. She held tightly to the young woman and remembered the way that she had felt when Aila had come to the palace. She was ashamed. She was the Great Wife, her position was secure. But when Amenhotep had announced that he was taking another bride...Shinoba was jealous. Jealous of the attention that was going to be taken from the attention that he gave to her. She had treated Aila with cruel indifference. Never thinking that this was a woman...a girl. A girl who most likely was not aware of what her stature as a wife of the pharaoh was. What she was entitled to, and what she was forbidden to do.
But now as she felt Aila breathing heavily in her arms, she knew she had not longer to last. She put her lips closer to the young mother's hair and shushed her crying, trying her hardest to sooth her. Whatever comfort that had offered her, she would not know. With one final push and tear, a baby's cry replaced the screams echoing the room.
With the first breath of the child, came the last breath of the mother. ¤~
^*^*^*^
Aila had come to the palace at the request of the Pharaoh himself. He had decided that he should marry again. Though he was married to a beautiful woman, he knew that it was wise for him to have many children.
Ahmed and Jeferari had never even thought that this was possible. They needed the money. For, though they were not poor, they had other children. They had a standing in the palace. That is where the Pharaoh had approached them and told them that for his second wife, he would have Aila.
They had bought her a new more presentable dress to wear to the palace. Jeferari looked at her daughter, now with her beautiful dress on, with tears in her eyes. Her only daughter, and she was losing her. She shook her head, refusing to allow the tears to flow. Quickly she went to her drawer and pulled out her best jewelry; a thick golden bracelet, a beaded collar, which she had worn only when they had important guests over to their humble hut. And beautiful earrings that her mother had given her. She pulled out her kohl liner and set to work on her daughter.
First she sat beside her daughter and took her beautiful hair and separated into three unequal sections. The two thinner sections, alongside her face, were combed to a sheen and held between Jeferari's nimble fingers while she reached for the bindings. The bindings were of a thick and rich looking material, blended with velvet and silk, with a hint of royal purple and peaceful pale yellow. Murmuring something beneath her breath that her daughter wouldn't hear, she set the bindings flat on her hair. She wrapped the binding around her hair until there was no more binding material. Then she started on the other tuft. Making sure they were even, she turned her attention to the thicker section of her daughter's hair falling in dark waves, tracing her spine. She combed out the tangles and caressed it lovingly until it shone.
Then she finally took out the liner. Telling Aila to close her eyes, she began to draw a thick black line around her eyes, giving her a regal appearance. Taking a wrist, she placed the thick bracelet around her young daughter's thin arm, slipping it past her elbow, halfway to her shoulder.. She turned Aila around gently and attached the beaded collar. She looped the earrings over her ears, making sure that they, too, were even.
Now she looked at her daughter and silently kissed her cheeks and led her to the door. If Aila was sad, she didn't show it. If she was feeling anything, she didn't show it. She was numb inside. She was being forced to leave her parents; true, she knew that it was because they had other mouths to feed. She was of a marrying age and unmarried. She had younger brothers, and if the pharaoh liked her and made her a bride...Not only would she be cared for, but her family would bare a higher standing than ever before.
She turned back and saw her family standing at the door. Her mother was biting her lip. She let out an ironic and bitter laugh, it was the same thing her mother did when she was about to cry. Her father was looking miserably at his hands, and her brothers tried to run after her but were held back at the last minute by her father. She turned back towards the path to the palace with fear in her heart and sadness, but also excitement.
She met up with the Royal guardian to the Pharaoh. Jascari was now to be her guardian, her servant. He was a lowly guardian. Not nearly being so high as she had heard that the others were. The others. She sighed. She knew that the pharaoh was important, of course she had known that. But she had never realized just how important he was until she stood in front of the Royal Court and stood to be presented.
Jascari stood by her until the last minute when he nodded for her to approach where the pharaoh sat and his queen stood by his side. Her lips trembling, Aila bowed low to the ground, as she had been taught. Though this time, she had bowed lower than she had ever done before. She struggled to hold a quiet and frightened gasp when she felt a hand lifting her chin. Her eyes betraying her fear, she heard a hushed "hmph!"
The pharaoh quickly turned to hush his queen and then turned his attention back on the tiny bride. He lifted her face until her eyes were forced to meet his. She could not look away. Yet, even if she could, she would still not be able to. For in his eyes, a hypnotic sheen had cast a spell within her being.
He looked at her, with genuine interest. A beautiful girl. Girl still, she was not yet a woman. But with great potential. With help and training, she could have a very great potential indeed. She looked frightened, yes, but he was intrigued by her. He had never met the girl to her face before, but had heard some talk of her within the palace. And then he had gone to Ahmed and Jeferari to discuss this. Jeferari was a beautiful woman in her own right, and her daughter was a younger, smaller version of her. 'Yes', the pharaoh thought with a gentle smile, 'I am greatly pleased'.
They were married. And Queen Shinoba stood with her. Within a year, she was pregnant. She bore the pharaoh his first son, Kharis.
The next three years passed quickly...she was happy at the palace. Queen Tiye had gotten over her jealousy of this young girl, who, at this time, was merely fifteen. Then Kharis disappeared.
It was a sad day at the palace, a time filled with grief and anger.
Then, a little bit more than one year later, the sadness turned to joy when Amenhotep's physician Agri declared that Aila was once again pregnant.
^*^*^*^
Kah'shi sighed with frustration at the lack of enthusiasm and difference displayed by his companion. His guardian. His father had appointed Nefray-ou as the Royal Guardian to the heir of Egypt when he was born. He had been friends with him since before he could remember. And usually Nefray-ou was more fun. Oh well he had other things that he had to do...that he could do. He was the Prince of Egypt, heir to the throne of the Upper and Lower Lands after all. He grinned as he shooed Nefray-ou away. Not that he cared that he would one day be pharaoh... of course not. He was lost in his thoughts.
Suddenly one of the servants came into see him. To bring him news of great joy. Queen Shinoba had had a son.
'A son? A son!?' Was all that could run through his mind. He knew that his own mother had only been a lesser wife of the pharaoh, and that Queen Shinoba was the Great Wife. Therefore, if Queen Shinoba had a son, no matter which son is the older, he would then replace the son of the lesser wife in the line for the throne. All the pleasures that Kah'shi had enjoyed would be his no longeras another would take his place. His face turned bright red as he stormed out of the palace as quickly as his five-year-old legs could carry him.
He needed to get away. To run away. He would no longer have a parent's love. He had lost his mothers affection when she had died. He could not lose his father's as well... He was all he had. The others had been so cruel to him. His birth was a horrible omen. He was not looked upon with much favor. And it was foreseen that he would have a life shrouded with mystery before he would ever become pharaoh.
^*^*^*^
Kah'shi threw the ball to his younger brother, Rapses. Rapses had just turned four, and Kah'shi knew that he was not that strong. Certainly not strong enough to handle a ball being thrown hard to him. Inwardly Kah'shi grinned. He knew what he was going to do.
With a sigh, he threw the ball at his brother. The ball whipped through the wind, creating a whooshing sound. Then a loud thud, as the ball met its mark on the forehead of Prince Rapses. Rapses screamed and started crying with pain, holding his head. Kah'shi leaned over Rapses and started snickering with a wicked grin on his face. He turned suddenly as he heard the sound of footsteps running towards them.
Queen Shinoba came up behind them and fell to her knees beside her sobbing son. She looked at Kah'shi for an explanation. Kah'shi had an innocent expression on his face and looked like he was about to cry as well. He couldn't say anything, lest he give himself away to his royal mother. He was afraid that he would start laughing with sheer giddiness, so instead of answering her question, he looked concerned for his brother. The queen put her hand on his head lightly and then took her son in her arms. She turned and walked briskly into the palace, leaving Kah'shi alone smirking at her back.
^*^*^*^
Kah'shi glared at his reflection in the looking glass. He groaned. Now was not the time for vanity. But it was easy for him to be vain... He was sixteen, a tall young man with slanted eyes of steel gray. He had a firm mouth. His limbs were tall and wiry. His back was straight. His earlobes were longer than usual, but very attractive on him. He had a thick earring through one lobe. His nose was straight and he knew that he was handsome, and royalty. But he was not the heir to the throne after all. That ingrate was. Rapses...
Rapses had replaced him in his father's eyes. And since his mother was dead, any love he had once had was gone. And now Nefray-ou was no longer allowed to leave his new post as Rapses guardian. He had no one.
But that would change. He swore it. He would no longer live his life in this desolate style to which he had become accustomed. He turned away from the mirror with a disgusted sigh. He was alone. He had no chance of ever changing that. Women did not want to marry into royalty if there is no chance to become queen...And since Rapses was relatively healthy, there looked to be no chance of that happening. He had to do something.
His thought was interrupted by a knock on his chamber door. "Come in.." He called. The door opened to reveal a face at the door that at first he did not recognize. As his eyes adjusted to the sudden light, he saw Lord Scarab standing before him.
"Your father is concerned about you, young prince. He wishes me to occupy your time and energy in my office." He waited expectantly for the Kah'shi's reply.
Kah'shi was caught off guard at the proposal. He accepted after a moment's hesitation. Scarab bowed and backed from the doorway, instructing Kah'shi that lessons will begin in the morning.
Kah'shi shut the door behind him and sighed with anticipation. If he learned enough, he could take care of his problem. He grinned deviously as he imagined that he heard Rapses' screams echoing through his mind.
He couldn't wait for lessons to begin.
-----
The next day Scarab was out of the palace so lessons couldn't in fact begin that day. Disappointed, he walked out of the palace and down the street, leaving the palace walls behind him.
He didn't know how long he had been out, though it was soon dark. He was feeling devious...he had all of this energy inside of him that he didn't know how to get out. Though he would soon get his chance.
The arrival of a young woman caught his attention. She was dressed oddly, but that alone peaked his interest. He stood quietly in the shadows. She passed him, never knowing she was being watched. He let his eyes stray on her figure. She wore a gray covering over her torso, and tight blue coverings that wrapped the fabric around each leg. On her feet were the oddest looking sandals he had ever seen. They covered her entire foot, not just the bottom. Quickly his hand went to touch his chin thoughtfully. 'Not bad' he thought. 'She is attractive...could be fun...' His eyes lit up for a moment, and then as quickly as it had happened, it was gone. He straightened and allowed himself to focus on what was happening. She was walking away, he would have to act fast.
Suddenly he wrapped his well-built body around her shoulders and put his hand over her mouth, stifling her screams.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~¤He was born. Amenhotep's only son. Heir to the throne of Egypt. Now a living god among the peasants and nobles alike. The living incarnation of Horus, son of Osiris and Isis. Not the oldest child - but the only son. He was not the first born son - the first son died when he was five years old.
It was a hard labor. He didn't want to come out and suffer the cold separation between mother and child. The screams echoed throughout the palace walls, reminding everyone that a miracle was taking place. A painful miracle, but a miracle nonetheless.
Queen Shinoba held the birthing mother, Aila, in her arms. Aila was sobbing uncontrollably. There was something wrong with the birth. The child wasn't positioned correctly. It was too much stress for the younger woman to handle. The queen looked at the younger woman with concern echoing throughout her brown eyes. She held tightly to the young woman and remembered the way that she had felt when Aila had come to the palace. She was ashamed. She was the Great Wife, her position was secure. But when Amenhotep had announced that he was taking another bride...Shinoba was jealous. Jealous of the attention that was going to be taken from the attention that he gave to her. She had treated Aila with cruel indifference. Never thinking that this was a woman...a girl. A girl who most likely was not aware of what her stature as a wife of the pharaoh was. What she was entitled to, and what she was forbidden to do.
But now as she felt Aila breathing heavily in her arms, she knew she had not longer to last. She put her lips closer to the young mother's hair and shushed her crying, trying her hardest to sooth her. Whatever comfort that had offered her, she would not know. With one final push and tear, a baby's cry replaced the screams echoing the room.
With the first breath of the child, came the last breath of the mother. ¤~
^*^*^*^
Aila had come to the palace at the request of the Pharaoh himself. He had decided that he should marry again. Though he was married to a beautiful woman, he knew that it was wise for him to have many children.
Ahmed and Jeferari had never even thought that this was possible. They needed the money. For, though they were not poor, they had other children. They had a standing in the palace. That is where the Pharaoh had approached them and told them that for his second wife, he would have Aila.
They had bought her a new more presentable dress to wear to the palace. Jeferari looked at her daughter, now with her beautiful dress on, with tears in her eyes. Her only daughter, and she was losing her. She shook her head, refusing to allow the tears to flow. Quickly she went to her drawer and pulled out her best jewelry; a thick golden bracelet, a beaded collar, which she had worn only when they had important guests over to their humble hut. And beautiful earrings that her mother had given her. She pulled out her kohl liner and set to work on her daughter.
First she sat beside her daughter and took her beautiful hair and separated into three unequal sections. The two thinner sections, alongside her face, were combed to a sheen and held between Jeferari's nimble fingers while she reached for the bindings. The bindings were of a thick and rich looking material, blended with velvet and silk, with a hint of royal purple and peaceful pale yellow. Murmuring something beneath her breath that her daughter wouldn't hear, she set the bindings flat on her hair. She wrapped the binding around her hair until there was no more binding material. Then she started on the other tuft. Making sure they were even, she turned her attention to the thicker section of her daughter's hair falling in dark waves, tracing her spine. She combed out the tangles and caressed it lovingly until it shone.
Then she finally took out the liner. Telling Aila to close her eyes, she began to draw a thick black line around her eyes, giving her a regal appearance. Taking a wrist, she placed the thick bracelet around her young daughter's thin arm, slipping it past her elbow, halfway to her shoulder.. She turned Aila around gently and attached the beaded collar. She looped the earrings over her ears, making sure that they, too, were even.
Now she looked at her daughter and silently kissed her cheeks and led her to the door. If Aila was sad, she didn't show it. If she was feeling anything, she didn't show it. She was numb inside. She was being forced to leave her parents; true, she knew that it was because they had other mouths to feed. She was of a marrying age and unmarried. She had younger brothers, and if the pharaoh liked her and made her a bride...Not only would she be cared for, but her family would bare a higher standing than ever before.
She turned back and saw her family standing at the door. Her mother was biting her lip. She let out an ironic and bitter laugh, it was the same thing her mother did when she was about to cry. Her father was looking miserably at his hands, and her brothers tried to run after her but were held back at the last minute by her father. She turned back towards the path to the palace with fear in her heart and sadness, but also excitement.
She met up with the Royal guardian to the Pharaoh. Jascari was now to be her guardian, her servant. He was a lowly guardian. Not nearly being so high as she had heard that the others were. The others. She sighed. She knew that the pharaoh was important, of course she had known that. But she had never realized just how important he was until she stood in front of the Royal Court and stood to be presented.
Jascari stood by her until the last minute when he nodded for her to approach where the pharaoh sat and his queen stood by his side. Her lips trembling, Aila bowed low to the ground, as she had been taught. Though this time, she had bowed lower than she had ever done before. She struggled to hold a quiet and frightened gasp when she felt a hand lifting her chin. Her eyes betraying her fear, she heard a hushed "hmph!"
The pharaoh quickly turned to hush his queen and then turned his attention back on the tiny bride. He lifted her face until her eyes were forced to meet his. She could not look away. Yet, even if she could, she would still not be able to. For in his eyes, a hypnotic sheen had cast a spell within her being.
He looked at her, with genuine interest. A beautiful girl. Girl still, she was not yet a woman. But with great potential. With help and training, she could have a very great potential indeed. She looked frightened, yes, but he was intrigued by her. He had never met the girl to her face before, but had heard some talk of her within the palace. And then he had gone to Ahmed and Jeferari to discuss this. Jeferari was a beautiful woman in her own right, and her daughter was a younger, smaller version of her. 'Yes', the pharaoh thought with a gentle smile, 'I am greatly pleased'.
They were married. And Queen Shinoba stood with her. Within a year, she was pregnant. She bore the pharaoh his first son, Kharis.
The next three years passed quickly...she was happy at the palace. Queen Tiye had gotten over her jealousy of this young girl, who, at this time, was merely fifteen. Then Kharis disappeared.
It was a sad day at the palace, a time filled with grief and anger.
Then, a little bit more than one year later, the sadness turned to joy when Amenhotep's physician Agri declared that Aila was once again pregnant.
^*^*^*^
Kah'shi sighed with frustration at the lack of enthusiasm and difference displayed by his companion. His guardian. His father had appointed Nefray-ou as the Royal Guardian to the heir of Egypt when he was born. He had been friends with him since before he could remember. And usually Nefray-ou was more fun. Oh well he had other things that he had to do...that he could do. He was the Prince of Egypt, heir to the throne of the Upper and Lower Lands after all. He grinned as he shooed Nefray-ou away. Not that he cared that he would one day be pharaoh... of course not. He was lost in his thoughts.
Suddenly one of the servants came into see him. To bring him news of great joy. Queen Shinoba had had a son.
'A son? A son!?' Was all that could run through his mind. He knew that his own mother had only been a lesser wife of the pharaoh, and that Queen Shinoba was the Great Wife. Therefore, if Queen Shinoba had a son, no matter which son is the older, he would then replace the son of the lesser wife in the line for the throne. All the pleasures that Kah'shi had enjoyed would be his no longeras another would take his place. His face turned bright red as he stormed out of the palace as quickly as his five-year-old legs could carry him.
He needed to get away. To run away. He would no longer have a parent's love. He had lost his mothers affection when she had died. He could not lose his father's as well... He was all he had. The others had been so cruel to him. His birth was a horrible omen. He was not looked upon with much favor. And it was foreseen that he would have a life shrouded with mystery before he would ever become pharaoh.
^*^*^*^
Kah'shi threw the ball to his younger brother, Rapses. Rapses had just turned four, and Kah'shi knew that he was not that strong. Certainly not strong enough to handle a ball being thrown hard to him. Inwardly Kah'shi grinned. He knew what he was going to do.
With a sigh, he threw the ball at his brother. The ball whipped through the wind, creating a whooshing sound. Then a loud thud, as the ball met its mark on the forehead of Prince Rapses. Rapses screamed and started crying with pain, holding his head. Kah'shi leaned over Rapses and started snickering with a wicked grin on his face. He turned suddenly as he heard the sound of footsteps running towards them.
Queen Shinoba came up behind them and fell to her knees beside her sobbing son. She looked at Kah'shi for an explanation. Kah'shi had an innocent expression on his face and looked like he was about to cry as well. He couldn't say anything, lest he give himself away to his royal mother. He was afraid that he would start laughing with sheer giddiness, so instead of answering her question, he looked concerned for his brother. The queen put her hand on his head lightly and then took her son in her arms. She turned and walked briskly into the palace, leaving Kah'shi alone smirking at her back.
^*^*^*^
Kah'shi glared at his reflection in the looking glass. He groaned. Now was not the time for vanity. But it was easy for him to be vain... He was sixteen, a tall young man with slanted eyes of steel gray. He had a firm mouth. His limbs were tall and wiry. His back was straight. His earlobes were longer than usual, but very attractive on him. He had a thick earring through one lobe. His nose was straight and he knew that he was handsome, and royalty. But he was not the heir to the throne after all. That ingrate was. Rapses...
Rapses had replaced him in his father's eyes. And since his mother was dead, any love he had once had was gone. And now Nefray-ou was no longer allowed to leave his new post as Rapses guardian. He had no one.
But that would change. He swore it. He would no longer live his life in this desolate style to which he had become accustomed. He turned away from the mirror with a disgusted sigh. He was alone. He had no chance of ever changing that. Women did not want to marry into royalty if there is no chance to become queen...And since Rapses was relatively healthy, there looked to be no chance of that happening. He had to do something.
His thought was interrupted by a knock on his chamber door. "Come in.." He called. The door opened to reveal a face at the door that at first he did not recognize. As his eyes adjusted to the sudden light, he saw Lord Scarab standing before him.
"Your father is concerned about you, young prince. He wishes me to occupy your time and energy in my office." He waited expectantly for the Kah'shi's reply.
Kah'shi was caught off guard at the proposal. He accepted after a moment's hesitation. Scarab bowed and backed from the doorway, instructing Kah'shi that lessons will begin in the morning.
Kah'shi shut the door behind him and sighed with anticipation. If he learned enough, he could take care of his problem. He grinned deviously as he imagined that he heard Rapses' screams echoing through his mind.
He couldn't wait for lessons to begin.
-----
The next day Scarab was out of the palace so lessons couldn't in fact begin that day. Disappointed, he walked out of the palace and down the street, leaving the palace walls behind him.
He didn't know how long he had been out, though it was soon dark. He was feeling devious...he had all of this energy inside of him that he didn't know how to get out. Though he would soon get his chance.
The arrival of a young woman caught his attention. She was dressed oddly, but that alone peaked his interest. He stood quietly in the shadows. She passed him, never knowing she was being watched. He let his eyes stray on her figure. She wore a gray covering over her torso, and tight blue coverings that wrapped the fabric around each leg. On her feet were the oddest looking sandals he had ever seen. They covered her entire foot, not just the bottom. Quickly his hand went to touch his chin thoughtfully. 'Not bad' he thought. 'She is attractive...could be fun...' His eyes lit up for a moment, and then as quickly as it had happened, it was gone. He straightened and allowed himself to focus on what was happening. She was walking away, he would have to act fast.
Suddenly he wrapped his well-built body around her shoulders and put his hand over her mouth, stifling her screams.