WaterGoddessMizu - I'm sorry to hear about you having a bad week but at least the chapter helped cheer you up.
Proxima Centauri - Yesss, the Internet is calling you ... beckoning you to log on ... AHEM. Anyway, it's really addicting, I must say.
It's true that it's hard to imagine those two chasing each other around like little boys ... but hey, I didn't write this ...
NeferNeferi - You'll get part of your answer in this chapter.
Chapter 30
Because today is the day where the Pharaoh will choose his Queen, most of the people in Egypt seemed to be gathered in the capital city of Cairo.
"Sala, why is it so noisy outside?" The old Queen asked, looking out at the clamoring people.
"Your Highness, they're here to see Pharaoh choose his new wife."
"Oh ... that's right." The old Queen stood up. "Is 'it' ready yet?"
"Yes, everything's done according to your orders." Sala responded respectfully.
"In a moment, take the girls, including the foreign princesses, to the appointed place."
"Understood." Sala left.
The old Queen looked out the window again, a smile unexpectedly appearing on her face. "Now let me see the abilities of the girls of today ..."
The Square in Front of the Palace
"How annoying ... how long are they going to make us wait?"
"The time has already passed a long time ago ... what are they doing?"
The several thousand girls, recommended by the various officials, were all complaining and grumbling to each other about how the time for them to go into the palace had passed by. Slowly, they became uneasy. Suddenly, an official appeared on top of the wall closest to them.
He shouted out to them, "Please pay attention to me! I will now read out the rules for you to follow before entering the palace."
Once he spoke, the people, who had been making a lot of ruckus, quieted down.
"In a few minutes, we will open the doors to allow you all to enter. Only the ones who pass the test can continue on into the palace."
"Test?"
"What test?"
The girls began to discuss this amongst themselves. As this was happening, the door slowly opened in front of them. They happily stepped forward ... only to be forced back by a group of animals.
"Ah!!!!!"
"This ... This is ..." The girls were staring disbelievingly at the beasts blocking the way in front of them. A lion! A group of lions! Each of them had a fierce look in their eyes as they bared their teeth.
The official said, "The ones who can safely pass through the group of lions can go into the palace."
"What?! What kind of joke is this?!"
"Pass through the group of lions?! We'd be bitten to death! I'm not going to do such a foolish thing!"
Gradually ... many of the girls left. They would rather find a ordinary man to live the rest of their lives with than to die here by the biting lions. The group of several thousand had now shrunk to a group of less than a hundred.
"Ta ... Tameri. What should we do?" Shebi asked timidly. She really wanted to just turn around and leave. Her heart was beating so quickly at the thought of having to walk pass a group of ferocious lions. Besides, so many others had already left. No one would be gossiping about her if she did the same thing, right?
"... ..." Tameri looked carefully at the group of lions. From the movements of their bodies, their expressions, their eyes ... "Oh!" The corners of her mouth moved up suddenly. "There's nothing to be afraid of, Shebi."
"Eh?! Wait a minute ... what are you doing?!" Shebi cried out in alarm. Tameri was walking right towards the lions without a hint of hesitation!
The group of lions, perceiving that someone was approaching them, raised their heads in succession to stare. Other than that, they did not make any kind of movement.
"I beg of you, just come back here! Tameri!" Shebi tried to stop her while Tameri simply paid no attention to the other girl's yelling. She continued to walk through the group of lions. It was very unexpected! The lions did not seem to have any desire of attacking. They were simply laying listlessly on the ground and quietly watched as she moved around them.
'Oh? This girl isn't as simple as she appears to be. What courage she has.' The official was watching the whole thing unfold in front of him.
The lions here weren't the ordinary lions found in the wild. They were raised since they were young in the palace for the purpose of taking them on hunting expeditions. The lions would only attack when they hear the commands from their trainers.
'So that's why the Pharaoh's mother had these lions brought here -- she wanted to test the girls' courage and nerve.'
The official waved his hand and a group of soldiers immediately took Tameri off to the side. Because they had seen someone successfully complete the test, some of the girls brought up the courage to also walk through the group of lions. The others, who felt fear at the idea, turned around and left the palace.
When most of the girls had finished the test, the officials began counting up the number of girls and surveying their backgrounds. Tameri, taking advantage of the moment, looked around her. She wanted to see if Shebi were among the group, but no matter how hard she looked, Tameri couldn't find her. Only when she looked to the opposite side of the room ...
"What?" She saw that Shebi was still standing on the other side of the group of lions. "Come over here, Shebi. The lions won't do anything to you." She urged her friend.
Shebi shook her head, her legs still trembling. "No ... I think ... I won't try to do this. Good luck, Tameri! I'm ... going back now." She turned around and left.
"Shebi?!" Tameri never thought that Shebi, who had dragged her all the way here, would leave her alone like this.
"I'm sorry but you'll need to go this way." A soldier walked over to her.
"Eh ... but ..." She was led into the palace by the soldier, watching as the entrance was getting farther and farther away from her.
'Forget about it ... I'll just ride this whole thing out ...'
Author's Corner:
Youlan: I've finally found the time to type this up ... typing this up without taking a break has made me a bit tired ...
Yami Youlan: What do you mean, tired? What's so tiring about typing in front of a computer?
Youlan: Humph ... What do you know? You have to use your brain to think of the plot for the story as well as your hand would have to follow the directions your brain sends to it ...
Yami Youlan: ... What kind of devious reasoning is this?
Posted on October 24, 2004.