Sands Of Time

Chapter Two:

Anzu shivered as a dark wind blew into her window and opened her eyes slowly. 'This wind is a sign of something bad.' Anzu sat up and looked to her side seeing the Prince sleeping soundly next to her. She shook her head wondering why he would rather sleep in her bed rather than his.

"Go back to sleep…we have a big day tomorrow." Atem said in his sleep as if he knew she were up.

Anzu gave him a small laugh and did as she was told, laying down and slowly drifting back in to the land of dreams. Dreams that would not soon let her sleep peacefully…

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Hours later the young prince woke to find that his new future queen hadn't gotten a wink of sleep the night before. "What's wrong?" He sat up.

"It was a dream," she looked back at him with a worried frown written on her visage. "Oh, My prince, it scared me so. Why are the gods plaguing my mind with these visions?"

"Well, what was this dream about? Maybe the gods are trying to tell you something."

"Oh, I shouldn't bother you with my burdens."

"Hush! Just tell me… would you make the future Pharaoh beg?" he pouted.

Anzu gave him a small laugh and a playful nudge, "I'd like to see that." She admitted and sighed, "Okay, since you 'are' my best friend, and husband now, I'll tell you."

"Good." Atem sat back against the headboard waiting to hear her story.

----------Dream----------

Anzu walked through the dank dark halls of the palace with her lit torch and the wind picked up all of a sudden, blowing out her torch. 'What's going on?' Anzu shook in fear and closed her eyes but that didn't stop the darkness.

Slowly she peeked open her eyes to see a doorway filled with a blinding white light and Anzu was slowly drawn to it. She took a few steps at first then ran full force into the light and beyond. Something called to her to stop and she did only to see that she was on the edge of a cliff.

Below her was a small village of desert people. Suddenly she felt as if she belonged down there, with those people. "What does this mean?" She asked the voice in her mind, but it was in vain, no one heard her.

A scream ripped through the mountains drawing her attention back down at the village, "Oh no!" She gasped as raiders ran through and killed everyone, soon the rising flames of their burnt life floated up to her. Anzu reached out her hands and let them sink into the flames. She felt no pain but she could feel the heat, it was like a memory, the heat.

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Atem blinked and pulled her close as he noticed a few tears forming in her eyes. "Shh, Anzu, that was only a dream, I am sure there is another meaning behind it. Please don't cry, I don't like it."

"Oh I'm sorry Atem, it's just… I have been having this dream ever since I moved into your palace. Do raiders really run around and burn things?"

"Not in Egypt!" Atem declared as if daring someone to even try and take on the greatness of Egypt. "My father makes sure of it, and soon 'I' will make sure of it"

"Atem?" She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I love you." He looked back at her deeply. "I will always love you."

"I will always love you too." He smiled, "nothing could ever break our bond. When your father brought you here I knew that I would not only love you as my queen but my closest friend." He blushed lightly and hugged her. "And if you like, we can investigate this dream of yours."

"Really? You would do that for me?"

"Yes, you would do that for me, wouldn't you."

"Of course but that's different, you are the prince of Egypt and are not to be denied anything, I am just your queen, I don't deserve your favors."

"Shut up. You are so stupid, you know I hate it when you treat me like a Prince." He looked away.

"Oh Atem, how can I treat you any different than what you are?"

"Alright, Treat me the way a lover would." He declared. "You are my true love and that's all I want you to be."

"Yes, my love." She smiled at how romantic he was.

"That's better." Atem tossed over the covers and pulled her to him, "I must be off to my chambers, I will come back and then we can find the meaning behind the dream you had." He kissed her forehead before leaving.

"Thank you, my love." She whispered as her chambermaids came in to decorate her for the day.