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POV Tamara

Oh, Ra… in like a minute from now I am going to be facing Egypt's new pharaoh… The guard held me roughly and pushed me whenever I slowed down. He had light brown hair, and was quite tall. His hair was sticking strait up, looking like a scribe's writing tool. He looked foreign, because his tan wasn't as dark as a normal Egyptian. I tried to engage him into a conversation, trying to make the most of it.

"Do you enjoy chopping people's heads off?"
He obviously was surprised, because I had no doubt any normal guard never heard their victims speak. (It's not like they had a chance to, because the next second, they would be decapitated). He obviously took me seriously, but I mean it as a crude joke.

He answered in a gruff voice, "No, unless you like to see peoples blood splattered on the ground, their bodies writhing for a few seconds, then suddenly stop moving altogether."

This man obviously had a not-so-nice childhood, considering how he spoke about death. I think he put a little too much detail, my stomach was a little queasy…

Surprisingly, he spoke again, "You obviously never take a bath everyday."

Sigh. I hate in when people comment my smell.

"Well, I do not have any money. Therefore, I am unable to have even the simplest luxuries. I do lead a rather Spartan life."

I need to be polite so he doesn't decide to behead me on the spot.

He smiled (which he wasn't very good at) and said, "There is no need for you to be polite. I couldn't behead you, even if I wanted to,"

I must have looked surprised because he added, "Pharaoh Atem decreed that until he fixed the laws, 'no innocent life shall be taken'. He mentioned this before he was crowned, but his father would rather stay with the old rules that he made. Besides, I don't like to behead people much, as I said before."

I was greatly relieved. Well, that was a weight off my back. At least I know I won't be killed too soon…

We arrived at the palace, and all it's splendor. It was dazzling… if only I was born royalty… instead, I'm a poor orphan who doesn't even get a decent bath every once in a while… I don't even remember my parents…

As we entered the palace, I noticed all of the servants scurrying around the palace, attending all of the royal families needs. Why is it that Ra grants some a life of luxury, while he leaves some out in the cold desolate desert? What did they do to deserve such pampering… and what did I do to receive such a rough life?

"Stay here as I talk with the pharaoh. We'll see what your fate is to be," said the guard in a rather serious voice.

I stood in the hall, examining all of the glorious decorations adorning this place. Most of them were statues of the past pharaohs, and others are papyrus art.

"Come in, peasant. Pharaoh Atem would like to have a word with you."

POV Atem

A dirty looking peasant girl entered the room. She clearly needed a bath, no doubt about that. She stared at me, her face void of emotion. Her brown hair was covered in dirt, adding to her emotionless expression. Her clothes looked more like rags than clothes, and her skin, which would normally look tan, looked brown. This girl seemed to have an extremely difficult life. I decided to show some hospitality, to see what she looked like beneath her layer of muck and grime.

I asked kindly, "Would you like to get yourself cleaned up first?"
She answered me with a shrug. I frowned at her disrespect, then asked, "What is your name?"

Eying me sharply, she said, " My name is Tamara. But, then again, what is the use of a lowly peasant to be telling their name to the supreme ruler of Egypt?"
It seemed as though she wanted to anger me, but I kept calm.

"Well, Tamara, would you be so kind as to take a bath? It will keep your foul smell from reaching our noses."

My comment seemed to have greatly angered Tamara. She kept her mouth shut, but it seemed to me she was about to say something extremely offending. As she marched out of my roomed, I thought about what the guard told me about her. Tamara clearly attempted to steal his money because of her poor state, and it seems to me she makes a living out of stealing. Not much of a living to tell you the truth. But I shouldn't be talking. I am the most powerful person in Egypt, ruling over my subjects, and I'm the richest man in this empire. Compared to me, Tamara doesn't have a living.

After about five turns of the hourglass, (five minutes) Tamara entered, clothed with something decent, her skin shining, and her hair wet, lying on her shoulders.

"Is there something you would like to speak to me about, your majesty?" she said in a voice not unlike the one before.

"Yes. Is it true that you attempted to steal the guard's money?" I said, with an accusing tone.

She narrowed her eyes and said, "Yes, I believe so. Since your father didn't seem to care about his subjects, most of us died from your father's horrible tax collectors, robbing us from most of what we have."

I was shocked from her statement. How dare she ridicule my father! I was about to respond, when she added, "It's true. You know your father takes much of what we have, no matter how much you deny it."

I closed my mouth. She wasn't scoffing at him. Tamara was stating the truth. I decided to find out if there were any plans of a rebellion, which is the last thing I will ever need.

"Did you, by any chance, hear of a possible rebellion?"

Tamara suddenly glowered at me. She said cautiously, " Perhaps, but not that I know of."

I stared at her intently. I had to test her to see if she was lying.

"Come here."

Tamara seemed startled for a time. She quickly recovered and slowly paced to me. I gently held her wrist and repeated the question.

"Now, tell me if there is going to be a peasant rebellion. And do not lie, because I will find out and you will find a quick death if you do."
Sigh. I was no good at threats, and the one I just made was an empty one. Tamara apparently thought it wasn't, so told the truth.

"Yes. Today I heard two commoners talk about it at the market."
There was no quickened pulse. Tamara, unfortunately, was telling the truth.

POV Seto

I was silently reading my scrolls, while that big oaf of a guard stumbled in. As he tried to come to me, he tripped and staggered over all of my precious items.

"Watch it, you great big lout. Those items are worth more than you make in a lifetime." I growled to him.

As he recollected himself, he started to talk endlessly about the happenings of the palace.
"…and the pharaoh was crowned…"

"I know he was crowned you fool!" I started to bellow, "I was there, watching my wretched cousin take the crown that rightfully belongs to ME!"

The guard cowered in fear, as I yelled in rage. Such stupidity! Everyone knows that I am greatly angered when it comes to the matter of my cousin.

"And, a peasant girl named Tamara was brought to the palace and told the ph… I mean, you cousin about a peasant revolt."

A revolt? I smirked. I'd like to see how my cousin would worm his way out of that situation. I suppose it was from his father's harsh rule. Well, maybe this can prove to be useful in the future… Perhaps even enough to lead me to overthrow Atem and becoming pharaoh… but that is nothing compared to what I truly desire…

Hehe! Can you guess? Whoever wins get bacon! And pie! Pie is goooood! No, I was kidding. But really, please try to guess it! I'll just throw in little games for YOU to guess! I guess that I got this idea from InsaneShadowFan… It's ok, right? It's totally her thing, and so's the bacon! I promise I'll update soon!