A Wind Called Fate
Part VII: The Pharaoh Amenutept
A Mummies Alive! Fanfic
Amenutept returned late in the night, but he came to wake me anyway. He simply stated that I was to put on one of my finest gowns and meet him in his throneroom. My maids grumbled as they assisted me in getting dressed and putting up my hair. They didn't know anymore than I did, however, about what was going on.
I hurried them through their tasks, and rushed toward Amenutept's throneroom. But I was drawn up short outside of it by the sight of my father. He was dressed richly, and looking rather dazed. I gave a cry of joy, and ran to embrace him. He hugged me back, delighted to see me looking so well, and asked a dozen questions about how I was faring in the palace. After a long moment together, Amenutept reappeared and my father grew silent.
"What has happened?" I demanded.
My father looked askance at my forceful question, but Amenutept smiled. "You will see in a moment. Come." He entered the throne room, and we followed him. He climbed to his throne, but my father stopped at the bottom of the steps. I hesitated there as well, but after he'd seated himself Amenutept looked at me with a frown. "Your place is here." He pointed to the empty space beside him. I climbed the steps to stand by his throne, feeling a little uneasy. Amenutept smiled at me briefly, then turned a firm gaze on a guard who waited nearby. "Send him in."
The guard exited, and a minute later another set of doors opened and a man strode in. My heart raced in fear when I recognized the nobleman who'd chased us from our first home. He bowed to Amenutept, but it was a tight bow. It was obvious he was angry. "Your Majesty." Their was no respect in his voice. "I have come. Against my will and better judgement." He glanced a me briefly, but there was no recognition in his eyes. "Tell me now - would you truly take a peasant's word over one of your lords?"
Amenutept looked at him coldly. "I do not answer demands from you, Hevar. If you conducted yourself with an ounce of the nobility you speak so freely of, perhaps I would have been quicker to doubt the words spoken against you."
"I can prove my innocence, I assure you." Hevar quickly changed his tone from one of attack to one of boredom.
"I doubt that very much, as I have taken time in anonymity to witness your court and rule myself." Amenutept replied. Hevar's eyes widened. "And I have found all rumors of your behaviour true, and therefore have reason to doubt your word far greater than the word of my future wife's father."
Hevar froze, sucking in breath in shock. "Future wife's father??"
Amenutept's eyes glittered coldly. "Yes, I don't believe you were properly introduced, were you? Allow me to present Yshta - who will be my wife and the next Pharaohess." He stood, holding out his arm to me, which I quickly took.
Hevar glowered at me, his eyes dark with fury. "A common peasant harlett a Pharaohess? If I knew she cared for power I'd have offered her some."
My face flushed in humiliation, but before I could react the royal guards had. They knocked Hevar's feet out from under him - knocking him to his knees, and one brought out his sword and placed it on the back of his neck.
Amenutept held up his hand. "Hold." Releasing me he walked down the steps to Hevar, who lay cowering on the ground. The guard put away his sword, and the second yanked Hevar to his feet. Amenutept faced him, his eyes filled with cold fury. "Speak of her again in that manner, and you will lose your tongue." He warned him.
A shiver ran down my spine as I stood at the top of the steps, but my eyes were glued to the scene before me. This wasn't Amenutept as I knew him, this was someone else entirely. Someone very dangerous. Someone I wasn't sure what to think of.
"If my life is forfeit, what difference a tongue?" Hevar had found his voice again. Anger and humiliation at his treatment carrying him into even more dangerous territory.
"I never said your life was forfeit. Your lands, yes. Your life? I think I will now have to consider that." Amenutept looked at Hevar in contempt, and turned away. "I think I will give you the chance you gave Yshta and her father. If you are gone from my lands in time, I will spare your life. But you are never to return."
"I am banished then?" Hevar's eyes widened.
"On pain of death." Amenutept returned to his throne and gazed down at him, his eyes still filled with anger. "Do you accept your punishment?"
Hevar's eyes glittered as he looked at us. "As though I have a choice." He responded. "How much time do I have to find my way to Egypt's border?"
"You have three days...You will be given a chariot...but my guards will be on your trail when the sun rises on the third day, and - should they catch you - you will not live to see another dawn." Amenutept's voice was sharp as steel. "You are free to go now. Make wise use of your time."
Hevar turned to leave, glaring hatred. But he'd learned his lesson it seemed, and said nothing as he strode from the room - shaking in fury.
Amenutept turned to my father, who'd spoken not one word since our entrance. "Hevar's lands and title are yours, sir. Rule them well."
My father bowed to him, but still did not speak. I couldn't blame him, I was without words of my own.
"Your Majesty." My servants bowed as Amenutept entered my chamber.
"Leave us." Amenutept told them. They were quick to obey.
I was seated by my window again, but I didn't stand. I glanced over at him, then back outside. It had been a week since the night he had awakened me to witness Hevar's punishment. I hadn't spent much time outside my quarters - and had seen Amenutept even less. I'd turned down several offers to dine with him. I wasn't ready to face him. That night had changed my views of him. I wasn't sure which side I'd seen to him was the real Amenutept. Until I could make sense of that, I wasn't sure how to react to him anymore. How could he show such mercy to me, but be without a drop of it for Hevar?
"You've been avoiding me." It was a statement.
"I? Avoiding you?" I tried to sound confused.
"Don't insult either of us by denying it.." He crossed the space between us, and I forced myself to look up at him. "Have I upset you in someway?"
"You have done nothing wrong." I answered honestly - he hadn't.
"That was not my question." He replied. "Did I upset you?"
I looked away, uncertain what to answer. But I finally decided on honesty. "Yes."
"What?"
"What happened the night with Hevar...you weren't who I knew you as that night...you were someone else - someone frightenly used to dealing in life and death."
"I was the Pharaoh that night." He told me.
"But you are always the Pharaoh."
"I own the title...but when I deal in judging and ruling, then it is more than a title. It becomes all of me. Do you understand?"
"No." I answered.
"The Pharaoh is a god. Unfallible and unquestionable, his word is law and every life in Egypt is his to command...But I, Amenutept, am a man. I am fallible, I do not know everything. But that is not what the people need, they need their god. And it is my duty to give them him. As my people have a duty to me, so I also have a duty to them."
I sat in silence after he'd finished explaining. "So, he isn't the real you?"
"He is me, but only a piece. Does that bother you?"
"In a way...I don't know what to think of who I saw that night..."
"You feel I was unjust?"
"No...perhaps...I don't know...You showed mercy to me, but none for Hevar."
"Hevar's crimes were much greater than your own."
There was the same type of weariness in his voice that had been in it in the fields of my father. "Did he reach the border?"
Amenutept hesistated, then shook his head. "Scarab informs me he was caught."
"...He is dead then?"
"He was given a fair chance, despite his crimes." Amenutept atated.. I remained silent. "It bothers you."
"Life is a precious gift, it seems a shame to waste it."
"It's a shame it was wasted on the likes of Hevar to begin with." Amenutept replied. "But then, if he had not chased you from his lands, you would not have been there to steal my chariot." He reached out a hand to caress my face. "And that truly would have been a waste."
I blushed, and looked away from his gaze.. There was something in his eyes, something I couldn't comprehend. I was beginning to understand him better, but I still felt confusion over how he could be two so completely different people. Nor did I understand anymore than I had the first day why he'd chosen me to be his wife. I seemed to be confused alot lately, and I didn't like it.
Yshta
To Be Continued...
Salmon '03
What, no more reviews? Well, I'm going to keep writing this anyway! Mwahahahaha....
*a-hem* Sorry about that. Reviews? Please?
Part VII: The Pharaoh Amenutept
A Mummies Alive! Fanfic
Amenutept returned late in the night, but he came to wake me anyway. He simply stated that I was to put on one of my finest gowns and meet him in his throneroom. My maids grumbled as they assisted me in getting dressed and putting up my hair. They didn't know anymore than I did, however, about what was going on.
I hurried them through their tasks, and rushed toward Amenutept's throneroom. But I was drawn up short outside of it by the sight of my father. He was dressed richly, and looking rather dazed. I gave a cry of joy, and ran to embrace him. He hugged me back, delighted to see me looking so well, and asked a dozen questions about how I was faring in the palace. After a long moment together, Amenutept reappeared and my father grew silent.
"What has happened?" I demanded.
My father looked askance at my forceful question, but Amenutept smiled. "You will see in a moment. Come." He entered the throne room, and we followed him. He climbed to his throne, but my father stopped at the bottom of the steps. I hesitated there as well, but after he'd seated himself Amenutept looked at me with a frown. "Your place is here." He pointed to the empty space beside him. I climbed the steps to stand by his throne, feeling a little uneasy. Amenutept smiled at me briefly, then turned a firm gaze on a guard who waited nearby. "Send him in."
The guard exited, and a minute later another set of doors opened and a man strode in. My heart raced in fear when I recognized the nobleman who'd chased us from our first home. He bowed to Amenutept, but it was a tight bow. It was obvious he was angry. "Your Majesty." Their was no respect in his voice. "I have come. Against my will and better judgement." He glanced a me briefly, but there was no recognition in his eyes. "Tell me now - would you truly take a peasant's word over one of your lords?"
Amenutept looked at him coldly. "I do not answer demands from you, Hevar. If you conducted yourself with an ounce of the nobility you speak so freely of, perhaps I would have been quicker to doubt the words spoken against you."
"I can prove my innocence, I assure you." Hevar quickly changed his tone from one of attack to one of boredom.
"I doubt that very much, as I have taken time in anonymity to witness your court and rule myself." Amenutept replied. Hevar's eyes widened. "And I have found all rumors of your behaviour true, and therefore have reason to doubt your word far greater than the word of my future wife's father."
Hevar froze, sucking in breath in shock. "Future wife's father??"
Amenutept's eyes glittered coldly. "Yes, I don't believe you were properly introduced, were you? Allow me to present Yshta - who will be my wife and the next Pharaohess." He stood, holding out his arm to me, which I quickly took.
Hevar glowered at me, his eyes dark with fury. "A common peasant harlett a Pharaohess? If I knew she cared for power I'd have offered her some."
My face flushed in humiliation, but before I could react the royal guards had. They knocked Hevar's feet out from under him - knocking him to his knees, and one brought out his sword and placed it on the back of his neck.
Amenutept held up his hand. "Hold." Releasing me he walked down the steps to Hevar, who lay cowering on the ground. The guard put away his sword, and the second yanked Hevar to his feet. Amenutept faced him, his eyes filled with cold fury. "Speak of her again in that manner, and you will lose your tongue." He warned him.
A shiver ran down my spine as I stood at the top of the steps, but my eyes were glued to the scene before me. This wasn't Amenutept as I knew him, this was someone else entirely. Someone very dangerous. Someone I wasn't sure what to think of.
"If my life is forfeit, what difference a tongue?" Hevar had found his voice again. Anger and humiliation at his treatment carrying him into even more dangerous territory.
"I never said your life was forfeit. Your lands, yes. Your life? I think I will now have to consider that." Amenutept looked at Hevar in contempt, and turned away. "I think I will give you the chance you gave Yshta and her father. If you are gone from my lands in time, I will spare your life. But you are never to return."
"I am banished then?" Hevar's eyes widened.
"On pain of death." Amenutept returned to his throne and gazed down at him, his eyes still filled with anger. "Do you accept your punishment?"
Hevar's eyes glittered as he looked at us. "As though I have a choice." He responded. "How much time do I have to find my way to Egypt's border?"
"You have three days...You will be given a chariot...but my guards will be on your trail when the sun rises on the third day, and - should they catch you - you will not live to see another dawn." Amenutept's voice was sharp as steel. "You are free to go now. Make wise use of your time."
Hevar turned to leave, glaring hatred. But he'd learned his lesson it seemed, and said nothing as he strode from the room - shaking in fury.
Amenutept turned to my father, who'd spoken not one word since our entrance. "Hevar's lands and title are yours, sir. Rule them well."
My father bowed to him, but still did not speak. I couldn't blame him, I was without words of my own.
"Your Majesty." My servants bowed as Amenutept entered my chamber.
"Leave us." Amenutept told them. They were quick to obey.
I was seated by my window again, but I didn't stand. I glanced over at him, then back outside. It had been a week since the night he had awakened me to witness Hevar's punishment. I hadn't spent much time outside my quarters - and had seen Amenutept even less. I'd turned down several offers to dine with him. I wasn't ready to face him. That night had changed my views of him. I wasn't sure which side I'd seen to him was the real Amenutept. Until I could make sense of that, I wasn't sure how to react to him anymore. How could he show such mercy to me, but be without a drop of it for Hevar?
"You've been avoiding me." It was a statement.
"I? Avoiding you?" I tried to sound confused.
"Don't insult either of us by denying it.." He crossed the space between us, and I forced myself to look up at him. "Have I upset you in someway?"
"You have done nothing wrong." I answered honestly - he hadn't.
"That was not my question." He replied. "Did I upset you?"
I looked away, uncertain what to answer. But I finally decided on honesty. "Yes."
"What?"
"What happened the night with Hevar...you weren't who I knew you as that night...you were someone else - someone frightenly used to dealing in life and death."
"I was the Pharaoh that night." He told me.
"But you are always the Pharaoh."
"I own the title...but when I deal in judging and ruling, then it is more than a title. It becomes all of me. Do you understand?"
"No." I answered.
"The Pharaoh is a god. Unfallible and unquestionable, his word is law and every life in Egypt is his to command...But I, Amenutept, am a man. I am fallible, I do not know everything. But that is not what the people need, they need their god. And it is my duty to give them him. As my people have a duty to me, so I also have a duty to them."
I sat in silence after he'd finished explaining. "So, he isn't the real you?"
"He is me, but only a piece. Does that bother you?"
"In a way...I don't know what to think of who I saw that night..."
"You feel I was unjust?"
"No...perhaps...I don't know...You showed mercy to me, but none for Hevar."
"Hevar's crimes were much greater than your own."
There was the same type of weariness in his voice that had been in it in the fields of my father. "Did he reach the border?"
Amenutept hesistated, then shook his head. "Scarab informs me he was caught."
"...He is dead then?"
"He was given a fair chance, despite his crimes." Amenutept atated.. I remained silent. "It bothers you."
"Life is a precious gift, it seems a shame to waste it."
"It's a shame it was wasted on the likes of Hevar to begin with." Amenutept replied. "But then, if he had not chased you from his lands, you would not have been there to steal my chariot." He reached out a hand to caress my face. "And that truly would have been a waste."
I blushed, and looked away from his gaze.. There was something in his eyes, something I couldn't comprehend. I was beginning to understand him better, but I still felt confusion over how he could be two so completely different people. Nor did I understand anymore than I had the first day why he'd chosen me to be his wife. I seemed to be confused alot lately, and I didn't like it.
Yshta
To Be Continued...
Salmon '03
What, no more reviews? Well, I'm going to keep writing this anyway! Mwahahahaha....
*a-hem* Sorry about that. Reviews? Please?