Chapter 6 ~ The Bracelet of Anubis
"There is to be a duel."
Seti certainly now had everyone's attention in the throne room. All eyes fixed on the Pharaoh as he sat down upon his throne, thinking for a moment. "The winner," he continued, "will be my protector. The other –" not wanting to outright say loser "- will be the guardian of the Bracelet of Anubis." A Med-jai stepped forward, carrying a golden box, intricately designed on the outside, rather plain inside, but no one seemed to noticed as all eyes fixed upon the glittering bracelet. "Both tasks are of the utmost importance to the welfare of Egypt. I shall take only the best warriors to compete." Every Med-jai in the room seemed to stand more erect, sucking in their stomachs as the Pharaoh stood, stepping down from his throne. "Anck-su-namun," he said, holding a hand toward his wife-to-be, "and Nefertiri." His motioned for both women to come from opposite sides of the room, joining hands with the Pharaoh. "At the next full moon, there will be a festival to honor Khonsu, and on that day, we shall have the duel!" The room clapped as Pharaoh held up the hands of his daughter and fiancé. Anck-su-namun grinned respectfully, glancing at Nefertiri who was not so sure of herself.
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"He is setting me up! My own father is setting me up for a humiliating fall!!"
"I'm sure he didn't mean it to be that."
"I have two weeks, Onus. Less than that even." Nefertiri sank down onto the stone bench in the courtyard. "He was there yesterday. He saw how poorly I stood up against Anck-su-namun."
"You need...to relax a little."
"How could I possibly relax when I have this baring down on me?" she demanded, her anger turning to confusion when he chuckled. "What?"
"That's not exactly what I meant." He paused for a moment, trying to decide how to put into words what he had drilled into him growing up. "I mean when you're fighting. You're trying too hard to beat her. You're not...in the moment of the battle, as it were."
"And how, Master Fighter, would I go about doing that?"
"Well, that you have to figure out for yourself."
"Some help you are," she sighed as she stood.
"What I mean," he said, following her down the hall, "is everyone has their own way. What works for me probably won't work for you."
"Well, what works for you? Maybe that will help me..." Onus thought for a long moment before saying:
"I couldn't tell you." He grinned as she huffed again, continuing down the hall. "It's not exactly something that I can easily put into words. Let's start simple. Your sais, for example. You treat them like something in your hand."
"But they *are* something in my hand."
"Well, literally yes, but you're also thinking like that. They should be an extension of your arm; they are part of you, you are part of them. Do you understand?" She nodded feebly, her eyes showing she was still trying to fully comprehend. Once they reached her chamber, Onus drew his scimitar. "Like this," he said, swinging his sword around, stopping half an inch from the pillar he aimed for. "It allows for complete control." He turned the hilt of the sword toward the princess. "You try." She took the hilt in her hand, testing the weight before hoisting it off his arm. It was a little heavier than any weapon she had trained with before, but not unbearable. She took aim, swung the sword, clattering it into the pillar, dropping it to the floor. "Well...you were able to swing it at least… that's a start. Come on. Grab your sais."
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They collapsed onto the pillows strewn about beside the bed, winded. "I think I have learned more today than I have in the last year of training with Anck-su-namun," Nefertiri said with a grin.
"I think," Onus said, turning to face her, "you're going to show her a thing or two. I knew you had it in you...you just had to find it."
"I found it, all right," she said, her grin softening as she thought about what she had said. A knocking resounded through the chamber, snapping Nefertiri upright like a child caught doing something naughty. Onus stood, sheathing his scimitar as he opened the door. Anck-su-namun grinned back at him, an eyebrow elegantly raised.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," she said, the corner of her mouth turning up into her catlike grin.
"Of course not," Onus said, bowing as he stepped aside. He couldn't have explained if asked what he did not like about the woman – something about her rubbed him the wrong way.
"I just came to wish Your Highness luck," she said, bowing deeply before Nefertiri who now stood beside her bed.
"Thank you," Nefertiri said, wondering what lay behind her words. "And I wish you the same."
"Thank you, Your Highness, but it really isn't necessary." She grinned as she turned, the light clinking of beads resounding through the silent chamber as she walked back through the door, casting a knowing grin toward Onus. He gratefully closed the door, turning back toward the Princess as she sank down upon her bed.
"What was that all about?"
"That was Anck-su-namun being Anck-su-namun," she said.
"No...no, there was something more...something behind all of that..."
Anck-su-namun grinned as she stepped away from the door, walking with her head held high.
"Well?" came the voice that made her skin tingle.
"If it is not as we expect, than I would be greatly surprised." She grinned as they entered an empty, silent room.
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Khonsu was the god of the moon, a patron deity of Thebes...or at least according to the book I have. Lord knows the gods and goddesses changed according to the author.
I need inspiration. That pretty blue button creates so much. :)