The Arrogance of Love
* Chapter V: Of Trials and Honors *
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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: I know it has been ages, but as you know, our world has
been changing and fanfiction hasn't been a priority. But it is
still a good escape.... so I've returned to it finally.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ja-kal readied his bow, taking aim carefully. The field of
competitors for the guardianship had dwindled over the past
grueling hours, and he was now confident one of the four
positions would go to him. Only Arakh had remained against
him in archery, and now... Ja-kal's arrow split his brother's
in twain. A cheer rose from the crowd around them, and Ja-kal
flushed with victory. He ascended to the platform where the
other two chosen- the victor in a contest of unarmed fighting,
a crude soldier whose name Ja-kal had paid no heed to, and the
victor in a contest of speed, the charioteer "Nefer"- waited.
Rath waited in the gallery with the other contestants, rubbing
a cloth to clean the edge of his sword mechanically. The last
trial- a trial of swordsmanship- was soon to begin. His final
chance to earn the title he hoped for.
He heard the cheer from outside, and knew the contest of
archery was over. It was time. He was last among the competitors
to exit the chamber, and his name was not even announced-
clearly, no one expected him to win.
Eliminations in the previous rounds had left an odd number of
competitors, and Rath found to his embarrasment that he was
left without a dueling partner. A signal from the overseeing
scribe brought forth a suitable opponent for the first round.
Looking up to judge his rival's strength, Rath froze as his
gaze met the clear blue eyes of Ja-kal. Steeling himself,
Rath rose his blade to meet Ja-kal's. They stood in silence,
waiting for the signal to begin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ja-kal started when the messenger approached him, asking him
to sub in for the final round of sword competition. But he went,
obedient as ever, taking in hand one of the practice blades.
His heart sank when he saw Rath waiting for him. Rath was good,
of course, but Ja-kal was still better.
The duel lasted far longer than the others, for the two were well
matched- what Rath lacked in ability he made up with angry
determination. But that would not be enough, and Ja-kal felt the
dwindling of Rath's strength as their blades crossed again and
again. He saw desperation in Rath's eyes, and suddenly, without
thinking, faked a slip.
Rath took the opening, disarming Ja-kal with a careless ease.
An ease that disturbed him- he had never, not in all his rounds
of practice, disarmed Ja-kal that easily. Looking into Ja-kal's
eyes, Rath saw the truth. His friend had given him this win.
Shame burned beneath Rath's anger, consuming it and leaving
him weak. What kind of warrior was he, that the only victories
he could win had to be handed to him? But still, Rath was no fool-
Ja-kal had given him exactly what he needed to win this
tournament. He would take full advantage of it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next night, the titles of guardian were formally presented.
Rath, Ja-kal, Nefer, and Armon were called before the nobles and
charged with their task, introduced to the screaming baby that
was now heir to the throne of Egypt.
The pharoah retired, and Scarab came forward to present the
badges of their office. For the victor of speed, a panther
amulet and armor, sacred to the goddess Bastet. For the
victor of archery, the trappings of a falcon, the sharp eyed
bird tied to Horus. For the warrior, the trappings of a
ram- fitting for one, Rath mused, who appeared to be all
brawn and no brain.
Lastly, Scarab approached Rath. He held in his hands an amulet
he himself had enchanted, resembling a cobra. His hands shook
as he placed the amulet around Rath's neck, all too aware of
his nearness to the scribe. Finally, the ceremony was over,
and the assembled nobles dispersed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As Scarab and Rath made their way back to their own quarters,
Rath was halted by a messenger from the pharoah requesting
his presence. Worried that the deception had been revealed,
Rath followed obediently into the pharoah's own chambers.
Amenhotep waited for the scribe to come to him, the matter
of choosing the leader for his guardians having been decided.
The scribe had performed better as a warrior than he ever
would have imagined, and that combined with his brains and
his victory over Ja-kal... well, suffice to say all factors
pointed to him as the best choice to lead the defense of
his son.
When Rath entered, Amenhotep rose to greet him. "You did
well today, Scribe."
Rath bowed nervously. "Your majesty is too kind."
Amenhotep smiled. "I think not. You certainly showed yourself
to be quite the warrior. Such a warrior, in fact, that I would
entrust the matter of my son's safety and education to your
guidance and leadership."
Rath froze. "I would.... decline such an honor."
Amenhotep turned to look at him in surpise. This was not the
answer he would have expected. "Oh?"
"I would suggest... that for leading defense.... you want a
warrior at heart. I am, for all my skill, a scribe first. If
you wish me to teach the Living Horus, that is within my
capabilities. But his defense.... that I would leave to
Ja-kal."
Shrugging, Amenhotep replied. "As you wish, then. Ja-kal shall
be leader of the guardians."
Bowing his thanks, Rath retired from the room. Amenhotep ordered
Ja-kal called to him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rath retired to his quarters without confronting Scarab, not
wanting to explain a decision that he did not quite understand
himself. For someone who lived for advancement and power, Rath
certainly had declined quite a position today, and it didn't
make any sense. But when he thought of leadership of the
guardians, it wasn't the power that came to mind now. It was
the one moment where Ja-kal had faltered, opening the way for
him to everything he desired.
Well, not to everything he desired. For all his indifference,
Rath had noticed that there were certain.... physical....
pleasures he had never tasted, never known. And for some
reason, whenever he was near Ja-kal, a desire to experience
such pleasures awakened strongly within him. The sensations
awakened were new to him, and frightening... he did not want
to contemplate their meaning. So, rather than lie in bed waiting
for sleep to come and bring more disturbance to his mind, Rath
rose and crept silently from the building.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scarab heard Rath's footsteps leaving the building, and rose from
his own bed to follow stealthily. Rath walked to the Nile, staring
out over the riverbanks as he remembered how it felt to have
Ja-kal near him. He did not hear Scarab's approach until he felt
a hand on his shoulder.
Looking back with a start, Rath met for once a gaze as full of
confusion as his own. He was startled once more when Scarab
wrapped one arm around him, drawing him in a tender kiss.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To be continued...
* Chapter V: Of Trials and Honors *
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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: I know it has been ages, but as you know, our world has
been changing and fanfiction hasn't been a priority. But it is
still a good escape.... so I've returned to it finally.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ja-kal readied his bow, taking aim carefully. The field of
competitors for the guardianship had dwindled over the past
grueling hours, and he was now confident one of the four
positions would go to him. Only Arakh had remained against
him in archery, and now... Ja-kal's arrow split his brother's
in twain. A cheer rose from the crowd around them, and Ja-kal
flushed with victory. He ascended to the platform where the
other two chosen- the victor in a contest of unarmed fighting,
a crude soldier whose name Ja-kal had paid no heed to, and the
victor in a contest of speed, the charioteer "Nefer"- waited.
Rath waited in the gallery with the other contestants, rubbing
a cloth to clean the edge of his sword mechanically. The last
trial- a trial of swordsmanship- was soon to begin. His final
chance to earn the title he hoped for.
He heard the cheer from outside, and knew the contest of
archery was over. It was time. He was last among the competitors
to exit the chamber, and his name was not even announced-
clearly, no one expected him to win.
Eliminations in the previous rounds had left an odd number of
competitors, and Rath found to his embarrasment that he was
left without a dueling partner. A signal from the overseeing
scribe brought forth a suitable opponent for the first round.
Looking up to judge his rival's strength, Rath froze as his
gaze met the clear blue eyes of Ja-kal. Steeling himself,
Rath rose his blade to meet Ja-kal's. They stood in silence,
waiting for the signal to begin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ja-kal started when the messenger approached him, asking him
to sub in for the final round of sword competition. But he went,
obedient as ever, taking in hand one of the practice blades.
His heart sank when he saw Rath waiting for him. Rath was good,
of course, but Ja-kal was still better.
The duel lasted far longer than the others, for the two were well
matched- what Rath lacked in ability he made up with angry
determination. But that would not be enough, and Ja-kal felt the
dwindling of Rath's strength as their blades crossed again and
again. He saw desperation in Rath's eyes, and suddenly, without
thinking, faked a slip.
Rath took the opening, disarming Ja-kal with a careless ease.
An ease that disturbed him- he had never, not in all his rounds
of practice, disarmed Ja-kal that easily. Looking into Ja-kal's
eyes, Rath saw the truth. His friend had given him this win.
Shame burned beneath Rath's anger, consuming it and leaving
him weak. What kind of warrior was he, that the only victories
he could win had to be handed to him? But still, Rath was no fool-
Ja-kal had given him exactly what he needed to win this
tournament. He would take full advantage of it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next night, the titles of guardian were formally presented.
Rath, Ja-kal, Nefer, and Armon were called before the nobles and
charged with their task, introduced to the screaming baby that
was now heir to the throne of Egypt.
The pharoah retired, and Scarab came forward to present the
badges of their office. For the victor of speed, a panther
amulet and armor, sacred to the goddess Bastet. For the
victor of archery, the trappings of a falcon, the sharp eyed
bird tied to Horus. For the warrior, the trappings of a
ram- fitting for one, Rath mused, who appeared to be all
brawn and no brain.
Lastly, Scarab approached Rath. He held in his hands an amulet
he himself had enchanted, resembling a cobra. His hands shook
as he placed the amulet around Rath's neck, all too aware of
his nearness to the scribe. Finally, the ceremony was over,
and the assembled nobles dispersed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As Scarab and Rath made their way back to their own quarters,
Rath was halted by a messenger from the pharoah requesting
his presence. Worried that the deception had been revealed,
Rath followed obediently into the pharoah's own chambers.
Amenhotep waited for the scribe to come to him, the matter
of choosing the leader for his guardians having been decided.
The scribe had performed better as a warrior than he ever
would have imagined, and that combined with his brains and
his victory over Ja-kal... well, suffice to say all factors
pointed to him as the best choice to lead the defense of
his son.
When Rath entered, Amenhotep rose to greet him. "You did
well today, Scribe."
Rath bowed nervously. "Your majesty is too kind."
Amenhotep smiled. "I think not. You certainly showed yourself
to be quite the warrior. Such a warrior, in fact, that I would
entrust the matter of my son's safety and education to your
guidance and leadership."
Rath froze. "I would.... decline such an honor."
Amenhotep turned to look at him in surpise. This was not the
answer he would have expected. "Oh?"
"I would suggest... that for leading defense.... you want a
warrior at heart. I am, for all my skill, a scribe first. If
you wish me to teach the Living Horus, that is within my
capabilities. But his defense.... that I would leave to
Ja-kal."
Shrugging, Amenhotep replied. "As you wish, then. Ja-kal shall
be leader of the guardians."
Bowing his thanks, Rath retired from the room. Amenhotep ordered
Ja-kal called to him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rath retired to his quarters without confronting Scarab, not
wanting to explain a decision that he did not quite understand
himself. For someone who lived for advancement and power, Rath
certainly had declined quite a position today, and it didn't
make any sense. But when he thought of leadership of the
guardians, it wasn't the power that came to mind now. It was
the one moment where Ja-kal had faltered, opening the way for
him to everything he desired.
Well, not to everything he desired. For all his indifference,
Rath had noticed that there were certain.... physical....
pleasures he had never tasted, never known. And for some
reason, whenever he was near Ja-kal, a desire to experience
such pleasures awakened strongly within him. The sensations
awakened were new to him, and frightening... he did not want
to contemplate their meaning. So, rather than lie in bed waiting
for sleep to come and bring more disturbance to his mind, Rath
rose and crept silently from the building.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scarab heard Rath's footsteps leaving the building, and rose from
his own bed to follow stealthily. Rath walked to the Nile, staring
out over the riverbanks as he remembered how it felt to have
Ja-kal near him. He did not hear Scarab's approach until he felt
a hand on his shoulder.
Looking back with a start, Rath met for once a gaze as full of
confusion as his own. He was startled once more when Scarab
wrapped one arm around him, drawing him in a tender kiss.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To be continued...