Chapter 2 – Audience with the pharaoh
Iare does not wake up until a servant taps on his shoulder. "Hey, wake up. Pharaoh wishes to speak with you."Still dreamy he looks at him, but stands up than to follow. He walks sharply through the long paces. They are decorated with different murals and here and there are some lovely made clay vases. Each one with a lot of small details and no one is similar to another. The nearer they come to pharaohs private chambers, the less people they meet. Without the guards of pharaoh, the king's loyals, whose number appears increased. Finally the servant stops in front of a big door. "Here we are. Pharaoh his waiting for you." He opens the door. "Please enter."Iare nods insecure. Every step into the room makes him more nervous. When the door is closed, he observes his new surroundings. It is a very big room...Of course it is. This is the pharaoh's chamber, he thinks. But what could the pharaoh want to know from him? Or is he angry because of this priest? A friendly voice pulls him out of his thoughts. "Hello. Nice to meet you."Atem stretches his hand out to welcome him gently. He smiles. Iare wants to grab it hesitate, but stops and prefers it to knell down in front of his pharaoh and bows to show his respect. "No, no! You do not have to! You are my guest." Atem pulls him up. "Your...guest...?", he repeats in an unbelieving voice. "Yes, my guest. I am pharaoh Atem. Please excuse that I haven't introduced myself befitting my station, but even a pharaoh needs some distance of this formal stuff sometimes. What?" Atem looks in Iares gleaming eyes now. Both blush a little and the oppressing feeling of Iares disappears. "..." "Mahado and Seth were right with you. You don't speak much, do you?" Iare contemplates himself. For one moment he had thought Atem was different. "What do you want from me?! What I am doing here?!", he yells at the pharaoh. "Calm down, calm down..., Atem places his warm hands on his shoulders,...Why don't you tell me your name first...?" "No! No before I got answers...!" "You want a response? You want to know where you are from? This is what I wanted to know from you...What have you done in the damned valley? Didn't you know it is cursed...?""This doesn't answer my questions! Why...Why have you abducted me?! You...You do not even know me!" He pushes him away in his rage. "Because...you could have died out there..."Atem could not feel any anger, even if this stranger was so harsh to him, as the pharaoh. In contrast he feels a little sorry for him. That was not all. Between him and this young man exists something like...an invisible link. As if they would know each other for a long time. But Iare is still insecure and shivers. Atem hugs him to take away his insecurity. "What is your name...?"After his soft voice reached his ear, Iare recognizes a strange feeling which grow stronger when he thoughts of Atem. He stops shivering. "Uhm...Call me Iare." "Ah...Iare...A wonderful name for such a beautiful person like you...""Have to say a divine being as you are!" "Mh..."Atem gives no response. Instead, he turns around to Iare and gives him a kiss on the lips. "Why have you...abducted me?" It is not easy for Iare to focus on his real purposes. Something other caught his attention, Atem whose hand is moving over his body. "Please...Please tell me...! I want to know!" Atem glances at him. "Mh...Only for your own safety. Somebody is hunting you. No need for worry any more..."He gives him another kiss. Iare, overwhelmed by his emotions, started to stutter. "Why...Why s-should somebody hunt me? I know only my name...""We do not know yet, but we'll find it out."Atem can not resist kissing Iare once again, but this time he kisses back lightly. "You are so beautiful!"They look at each other with a dreamy expression in their faces. Then Iare continues kissing the pharaoh's neck. They fall onto the big bed and caress each other. Atem enjoys the tenderness and relaxes. "You smell good Iare...""Really? I know my smell, but I never perceived it this way.""Mh...It's right...You hair smells like lotus...I know this smell so well...Iare...I think we met each other a long time ago...But...Every time I try to remember this, something..., he touches his head and closes his eyes,...something blocks my memory...I...I try to remember...but..." Suddenly Atem bursts out screaming. „Atem!" The pharaoh had fallen to the ground, lost his consciousness. "Atem! My Pharaoh! Please! Wake up! Atem!" Iare shakes his body, but he doesn't wake up. Atem groans slight. He is sweating.