The Arrogance of Love
* Chapter IV: Of Ceremonies and Guardians *
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disclaimer: The MA chars aren't mine, sadly. Otherwise, they'd
be on the air still. This fic is set in Ancient Egypt prior to
the birth of Rapses, and it is a SLASH story. That means two
characters- Rath and Scarab- are soon to be more than friends.
Don't like it, don't read it.
Note: This part is a little bleh.. that's why it took so long
actually, it just wasn't as interesting to write. But the next
one requires these scenes to occur first, and it's going to get
better.... please give it a chance! :-)
On Historical Accuracy: I love Egyptian history, but this is
completely non factual. I made up Nefer-ka, and this entire
dynasty, for that matter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rath worked silently in Scarab's labratory, his efforts focused as
usual on assembling and preparing the necessary elements for his
master's spells. More than half a year had passed since Scarab had
called Rath to service as his apprentice, and since then Rath had
rarely left these few chambers. Scarab's servants occasionally
shared with him the current gossip regarding the pharoah's new
son, but aside from that his world was contained entirely in this
lab. He'd gotten used to the monotony of it all, learned to live
with the isolation- knowing that in just a few days all of his
work would finally bring him the greatest reward possible. The
pharoah would soon present the new prince to the gods and to the
kingdom, and then a call for guardians would be issued through the
realm.
A call that Rath intended to answer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scarab stood stoically in the middle of the chaos that had enveloped
the pharoah's quarters as preparations were being made for the young
prince's first encounter with the world. Dignitaries from across the
Two Lands had arrived in the palace in the past days, gathering to
catch their first glimpse of the Living Horus as he was presented to
his godly family.
For once, Scarab wished he wasn't in quite so high a position of power
in the Pharoah's court. His attendance at tonight's continual
ceremonies and gatherings was of course mandatory, and he couldn't
imagine a worse way to spend such a lovely evening. Of course, his
new "apprentice" would be there, and his company was always enjoyable..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scarab's thoughts were distracted by a sudden force on him from
behind. Whirling around, Scarab saw a scruffy looking lad had
stumbled among the crowd and almost taken the vizier with him.
Shaking his head in disgust, Scarab offered one manicured hand
to help the ladto his feet.
Nefer struggled to his feet in embarrasment. "Forgive me, lord
vizier..."
Scarab brushed at his kilt where Nefer had touched him with a
grimace. Nefer flushed at the gesture, his pride pricked. "Excuse
me, Lord Scarab, but the pharoah announced that anyone who would
seek the honor of being guardian to the Living Horus was to come
see you."
"Of course, of course." Scarab's attitude was suddenly
businesslike. "So, you come from one of the warriors who wishes
to join the ranks? Just give me your master's name, and I'll have
one of the scribes return to him with the necessary forms."
Nefer gritted his teeth- how dare this pompous nobleman take
him for a *servant*! "If you please sir, *I* came from no master.
I wish to take part in the trials tomorrow myself."
Scarab laughed outright at this. "*You* presume to be a guardian?
How adorable- but this is no job for a careless boy. Return in a
few years, when you're even old enough to grow a beard."
Refusing to be dissuaded, Nefer snapped in reply, "I am old enough,
sir, and as the Pharoah's charioteer I am certainly no 'careless'
lad. Now, the forms, please."
Scarab gestured to one of the scribes. "Very well, boy, I'm certain
your family won't miss you if you perish in tomorrow's trials." He
turned to the scribe. "Draw out a contract for the lad here."
With that, the vizier disappeared into the inner chambers of the
pharoah's quarters.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By the time the afternoon ceremonies rolled around, Scarab had given
contracts of guardianship to over thirty hopeful candidates. He'd
carefully avoided most of the mages he knew would like to try for
the position, saving one last contract for his own candidate.
Rath waited for Scarab by the entrance to the Temple of Ra, his
patience wearing thin. The ceremony hadn't even started yet, and
already he was bored. It didn't help that all the glamour of the
festivities was only reminding him more and more of the coming
trials of the next day. If he failed, what would be left for him?
A life as Scarab's apprentice, serving quietly in a lab without
any dreams of his own? The thought was unbearable.
When Scarab approached, Rath was too lost in his own thoughts
to even notice. Scarab cleared his throat and asked quietly, "Are
you worried about tomorrow?"
Rath's face returned to its usual mask of arrogance. "Of course
not." He looked away to the throng entering the temple. "Shall
we?"
Scarab nodded, and the two joined with the crowds.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To be continued...
* Chapter IV: Of Ceremonies and Guardians *
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disclaimer: The MA chars aren't mine, sadly. Otherwise, they'd
be on the air still. This fic is set in Ancient Egypt prior to
the birth of Rapses, and it is a SLASH story. That means two
characters- Rath and Scarab- are soon to be more than friends.
Don't like it, don't read it.
Note: This part is a little bleh.. that's why it took so long
actually, it just wasn't as interesting to write. But the next
one requires these scenes to occur first, and it's going to get
better.... please give it a chance! :-)
On Historical Accuracy: I love Egyptian history, but this is
completely non factual. I made up Nefer-ka, and this entire
dynasty, for that matter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rath worked silently in Scarab's labratory, his efforts focused as
usual on assembling and preparing the necessary elements for his
master's spells. More than half a year had passed since Scarab had
called Rath to service as his apprentice, and since then Rath had
rarely left these few chambers. Scarab's servants occasionally
shared with him the current gossip regarding the pharoah's new
son, but aside from that his world was contained entirely in this
lab. He'd gotten used to the monotony of it all, learned to live
with the isolation- knowing that in just a few days all of his
work would finally bring him the greatest reward possible. The
pharoah would soon present the new prince to the gods and to the
kingdom, and then a call for guardians would be issued through the
realm.
A call that Rath intended to answer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scarab stood stoically in the middle of the chaos that had enveloped
the pharoah's quarters as preparations were being made for the young
prince's first encounter with the world. Dignitaries from across the
Two Lands had arrived in the palace in the past days, gathering to
catch their first glimpse of the Living Horus as he was presented to
his godly family.
For once, Scarab wished he wasn't in quite so high a position of power
in the Pharoah's court. His attendance at tonight's continual
ceremonies and gatherings was of course mandatory, and he couldn't
imagine a worse way to spend such a lovely evening. Of course, his
new "apprentice" would be there, and his company was always enjoyable..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scarab's thoughts were distracted by a sudden force on him from
behind. Whirling around, Scarab saw a scruffy looking lad had
stumbled among the crowd and almost taken the vizier with him.
Shaking his head in disgust, Scarab offered one manicured hand
to help the ladto his feet.
Nefer struggled to his feet in embarrasment. "Forgive me, lord
vizier..."
Scarab brushed at his kilt where Nefer had touched him with a
grimace. Nefer flushed at the gesture, his pride pricked. "Excuse
me, Lord Scarab, but the pharoah announced that anyone who would
seek the honor of being guardian to the Living Horus was to come
see you."
"Of course, of course." Scarab's attitude was suddenly
businesslike. "So, you come from one of the warriors who wishes
to join the ranks? Just give me your master's name, and I'll have
one of the scribes return to him with the necessary forms."
Nefer gritted his teeth- how dare this pompous nobleman take
him for a *servant*! "If you please sir, *I* came from no master.
I wish to take part in the trials tomorrow myself."
Scarab laughed outright at this. "*You* presume to be a guardian?
How adorable- but this is no job for a careless boy. Return in a
few years, when you're even old enough to grow a beard."
Refusing to be dissuaded, Nefer snapped in reply, "I am old enough,
sir, and as the Pharoah's charioteer I am certainly no 'careless'
lad. Now, the forms, please."
Scarab gestured to one of the scribes. "Very well, boy, I'm certain
your family won't miss you if you perish in tomorrow's trials." He
turned to the scribe. "Draw out a contract for the lad here."
With that, the vizier disappeared into the inner chambers of the
pharoah's quarters.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By the time the afternoon ceremonies rolled around, Scarab had given
contracts of guardianship to over thirty hopeful candidates. He'd
carefully avoided most of the mages he knew would like to try for
the position, saving one last contract for his own candidate.
Rath waited for Scarab by the entrance to the Temple of Ra, his
patience wearing thin. The ceremony hadn't even started yet, and
already he was bored. It didn't help that all the glamour of the
festivities was only reminding him more and more of the coming
trials of the next day. If he failed, what would be left for him?
A life as Scarab's apprentice, serving quietly in a lab without
any dreams of his own? The thought was unbearable.
When Scarab approached, Rath was too lost in his own thoughts
to even notice. Scarab cleared his throat and asked quietly, "Are
you worried about tomorrow?"
Rath's face returned to its usual mask of arrogance. "Of course
not." He looked away to the throng entering the temple. "Shall
we?"
Scarab nodded, and the two joined with the crowds.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To be continued...