Prophecy
By Millennium
5: No Parents There for Guidance
¹: Atlantean's: The race of Atlantis
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'Step by step…don't make a sound…quiet as a dormouse…' As a figure tiptoed down the hall, keeping out of sight from all the servants and guards.
"Seshen! Where have you been?" A panicked voice called making the figure freeze and stiffen.
"I…er…uh…" Seshen stammered, turning to see Sehka there with a look of concern and irritation.
"Well?" She said, tapping her foot, looking much like a mother. "You just disappear from the service! Don't leave a proper message! Your guards have to end up chasing you, and you sneak back into the palace like a common thief!"
"Um…I was having lunch away from the palace?" She said timidly.
"Where?!" Sehka demanded.
"Just at a ridge! No where too evident."
"A ridge?! What were you thinking? People at the top of the ridge could easily assassinate you!"
Seshen fell silent, 'Yeah, someone did try that.' Her mind answered bitterly. She looked at the priestess apologetically, "Sorry."
"I-… Uh…" She gave a sigh, then looked back at the princess, "You just worried me, y'know?"
"I…I'll try to inform you next time." She said, looking back at her.
"What about your brothers? Do they know?"
"I think."
"What do you mean 'think'?"
"I sent a messenger! They should've gotten-"
"Seshen! There you are! I've been so worried about you!" A male voice cried from the hall and quickly strode over to embrace her.
"Eh? Akunumkanon? Didn't you get the message?"
"We did, we did." He held her out at arms length, "You aren't hurt are you?"
Her mind panicked, 'He knows?!' She stood there, much resembling a fish out of water, "…huh?"
"Oh. I just got so worried! A criminal broke into the palace and was found in the stables – they promised revenge on our family and I was worried about you."
"Criminal?" She squeaked. "Did you imprison him?"
"No, he got away… That's why I was so worried." He sighed and looked at Sehka, "Send a message to Akunadean to double the amount of guards in the palace and the chambers."
"Right away, Pharaoh!" She said, bowing quickly before hurrying off.
"Twice the amount of guards?" Seshen asked incredulously. "But…but…"
"Look," he said in a serious tone, "Don't argue with me. I'll do everything I can to ensure the safety of my family and the Kingdom." Taking her hand, he lead her to the royal throne room, "Now come – I would feel it safer if you are around both my guards and your own."
"Aww… But Akunumkanon!" She whined.
"Seshen, please. Just until I get word that the criminal is either captured, or so far away that he can't reach us."
She looked up at her older brother about to protest, but the look of seriousness and sadness defeated her, "Okay."
"Come then." He said, smiling at her as he lead her back to the throne room.
"Wait." She said, stopping, remembering the bag her back, "I just want to quickly put this in my room… May I?"
"Of course – Just be quick." With a quick nod she ran back to her room, pulling out some scrolls. Looking around urgently she shoved them into the drawer in her dresser then put the bag on her bed before hurrying out to meet Akunumkanon.
"Where to now?"
"Throne Room, I have some work to take care of."
"Bo-ring!" She whined, walking after her brother much like a child after their parents.
"You haven't changed the slightest, you know that?" Akunumkanon said smiling.
Seshen grinned and gave her brother a hug, "Why? Should I?"
"I wouldn't want you to change even if I was given the world."
"Thanks." She said, looking at him sincerely, "That really mean's a lot to me." Breaking the embrace she paused at the window and looked outside.
"Seshen?"
"Beautiful." She murmured, looking at the view of the sparkling Nile River, "Mother always used to look out the windows, every chance she had. Father would always complain about her dawdling." She said, laughing softly. Leaning against the windowsill she gave a content sigh, "Even though it was an arranged marriage, they both loved each other dearly."
"Yes, they did."
"Hey…Akunumkanon?"
"Yeah?"
"With father gone and no arranged husband, who am I to marry?"
"Huh?" He was taken aback by the question, never really giving the matter a second thought, and even if there was, Seshen had a habit of making herself scarce. Normally brothers and sisters would marry, but his mother had already arranged a bride for him and Akunadean, being a priest could choose. He gave a sigh and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, "How about-"
"My Pharaoh!" There was a shout from the end of the hall as a messenger came running up to them, past them and into a wall.
"Ouch." Seshen grimaced in sympathy pain as he hit the wall. She stood fully and made a move to help him, but the messenger shot to his feet.
"My Pharaoh! My Lady!" He said, bowing before them both, keeping his gaze on the floor, he delivered his message, "The High Priest's request your audience immediately, the criminal that the guards had been pursuing was spotted a two day ride from the border of Kemet."
"You're kidding me! Who told you this information?"
"We got a notice via a Golden Falcon."
"The tribe of Kaa's." Seshen murmured, she slipped away and began to walk down the hall.
"Seshen! Where are you going?!"
"To the library!" She called back and began to run off.
Akunumkanon whirled on the messenger, "Is that it?"
"Yes, your Majesty."
"Good, now fetch some guards. Get the message to the head of guards that at least one guard is to be at my sister's side at all times, got it?!"
"Yes, sir. Right away." Bowing deeply he ran off in the other direction.
Akunumkanon rubbed his temples, "Oh, that Seshen… She's too independent." Sighing he went back to his throne room where his priests were waiting.
« Library »
"Kaa, Kaa." Seshen murmured, her fingertips grazing over dusty books, scrolls and documents. "Hmm… Kaa banishing… Kaa sealing… Kaa summoning… Domestic animals? No, this doesn't go here." Picking up the basket of scrolls she put it in the right place. Walking back to the 'K' section she jumped as she heard something land with a thud behind her.
Turning around, she calmed when she realized it was only a book. Walking over she noticed that it was glowing, "How strange…must be a book of magic." Kneeling down she picked it up and set it on a nearby table. Opening the drawer she pulled out a candle and set it in a stand, lighting it with a wave of her hand so she could get a better look at the book.
It was a large black book made of a strange material. Running her fingertips along the edge of the cover, it appeared to be made of bone. The front and back over were held together by the black material on the spine and two golden clasps, equally spaced apart. On the front were strange golden markings in the bottom left and right hand corner and at the top, centered, was what appeared to be the Eye of Horus, though the extended markings at the bottom were warped slightly. She noted that it was sealed with a large strip of golden material, small markings – barely visible – suddenly glowed as she turned the book over so the light could catch it. Her eyes fell on the markings and before she knew what was happening she chanted words foreign to any known language in existence.
"Ee, narka se auo." The golden clasp fell open and Seshen backed up in surprise. One hand to her beating heart, the other to her lips. 'What was that?' Her mind wondered. Looking around to make sure the library was empty she reached over picking up the book, balancing it in her hands she opened the book, and was immediately plague by numerous voices.
"No, please don't hurt- AHH!"
"MOMMY!!!"
"All alone…so cold…"
"You're a fool!"
"No…I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"PLEASE DON'T HURT ME!"
"I don't want to be like you…I'll NEVER be like you!"
"You're a fool to resist… NOW OBEY!"
"What are you doing?!"
"Who are you to toy with the dark arts?!"
Her hands trembled and she made a move to close the book, however her hand caressed the edge and began bleeding. Dropping the book she back away covering her ears and shutting her eyes – this time, images joined the voices.
"Hey, sister? Are we going to play… no… its not true." A little boy backed away from the room, a figure lay upon the floor unmoving in a pool of blood.
"What have I done?" A horse voice arose from a dark corner as eyes scanned bloodied hands. "NO!!!"…
"NO! I WON'T LISTEN! YOU'RE NOT REAL!" A woman fell to the ground, her hands over her ears as she shook her head.
"Mother? What's wrong?" A child entered the room to see the woman crying.
"LEAVE! ITS DANGEROUS HERE!!!" The woman screamed then fainted, her body glowed and from above her a monster snarled…
"What are you going to do…? Just abandon all hope, no body wants you." A sinister voice cackled.
"Leave me alone!"
"Oh? Defying us now?"
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" A slap and gasp of pain was heard and the voice spoke again, hatred burning in the darkness.
"Don't you dare defy us again! Foolish human!"
"What…are you..?"
"Damn mortal."…
"Run!" A woman knelt down beside a boy and pulled the cloak up and pushed him out the door.
"But, mother-" The boy turned around and looked at her pleadingly.
"I SAID RUN!" She screamed and slammed the door, running to the front of her small home she slammed the door only to have it crash down as various men poured into the room, wielding bloodied weapons…
"We have to seal it! They're disobeying us! They don't want to be controlled!"
"It's the only way! We have to keep them!"
"You're a fool." A man in a black cloak swept from the room…
"NO! I said, obey!" A whip crack was heard and a shriek went up in the room.
/HUMAN'S CONTROL US NO LONGER!/ A voice snarled and a strange creature leapt out and destroyed the man…
"He was right! They're disobeying us! What do we do?" A murmur went up through a faceless crowd.
"We seal them from the darkness from which they came."
"What about the stronger ones? They can escape that easily!"
"Trick them into entering the throne room… cast a spell to seal them in crystal. Then imbed a weapon in the crystal as a sign of victory and power…" The voice faded away…
The sound became clearer, though the visions disappeared. /Blinded by power… humans are fools!/
/We'll return… we always return. We've been on this planet since the day of its birth, and we'll last till the day of it's death./
/The Atlanteans¹ shouldn't have messed with the dark powers…they allowed it to control them, consume them… now their so called 'city of perfection' has sunk into the dark, water depths./
The other voice cackled, /How long do you bet that the humans will resist the power this time round?/
/One week./ A another voice chuckled.
/I doubt that. This time, they took the liberty of sealing the secrets, and using our language as the key to unlock it./ The voice seemed to smile as a thought occurred to it. / But there are humans who will have this language imbedded in their mind and they'll crave the power… I bet 500 years./
/That's interesting. I say, 1000./
/Heh, I'll be rich with your powers by the end of this bet-/
/Hey! Cheater! You can see along the lines of all four dimensions!/
/But not predict it. I bet 150 powers that under invasion, the dark land… the land of Kemet will reawaken us all./ Grunts, chuckles and murmurs were heard before they all coursed in one voice.
/Till the time of the next re-awakening!/…
Seshen fell to the floor, trembling. Her body ached all over, for each word spoken had stuck pain in her body, both mentally and physically. Shaking she reached over and slammed the book shut, the clasp clicked loosely into place, but she didn't notice.
Concentrating her power together, she formed a spell, chanting softly the book became consumed in a white light, but the dark aura returned and devoured it. Getting to her feet in determination, she started another spell and the book began to fade away, before disappearing entirely.
"Hopefully no one will ever find it." She said in a hoarse whisper, then sighed and looked to the ceiling, "Mother… Father…I hope I made the right choice…"
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Thanks to the reviewers!
inuyasha0001: Not that soon as I had to re-write it cause I didn't like the way I first did it… ;) Thanks!
Ain-Siti-Naunet: You like the cliffhanger? Thanks for pointing out the mistake, I'll fix it another time. Glad you like the horse, I based him on a real horse that belonged to a friend of a friend. [grins] Thanks for reviewing!
Next Chapter… 6: Turning to the Gods
Please review!