Pharaoh of Egypt

Chapter 2- Menes can help us all

One day Before Her Death

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"So what am I supposed to call him? Djat or Akhi?"

Nefret laughed washing her feet in the Nile,

"You can call him Menes Rana."

"But Nefret why would I call the man you're about to marry by his name? He's older than me so it's improper."

Nefret flicked some water in my face and I glared at her,

"Rana he let you call him by his name, now don't make it weird."

She went back to washing her feet and I looked to the side red blooming across my cheeks,

"So... Menes then?"

"That's right," she chuckled standing up, the beads strung across her neck jingled and she reached a hand down. Clasping it, she tugged me up,

"Let's go back now, before Abi sends a search party out for you."

"And you too."

"Oh you know he wouldn't Rana, Menes is watching over me so he knows I'll be fine, but you? You're always off doing Ra knows what."

Her hand tightened around my own and she glanced back grinning,

"And anyway, we need to go back to prepare for my wedding tomorrow!"

The guards behind us stepped back and we walked the short distance back to the palace. The towering entrance was lied with guards and on each step going up the stairs stood a guard sweating under the sweltering heat.

Clambering up the steps to the palace the guards lowered their heads placing their hands over their hearts and I did the same before being hurriedly dragged up by Nefret.

A line of handmaidens appeared from behind the corner carrying jugs of wine on their shoulders and I swerved out of the way, narrowly avoiding them,

"Nefret! Slow down or we're going to crash into someone."

She laughed dodging the servants carrying flatbread on a platter, her beaded wig bouncing as she stood on her tiptoes snatching a bread from the unknowing servant and I smiled as she ripped it in half tossing me a piece.

Releasing my hand she tore into the warm bread, slowing down to walk around the corner walking right into Menes.

"Menes!"

"Habib? I thought you were in our quarters?"

His arm went around her waist and I looked to the ground, embarrassment blooming across my cheek for calling out to him.

Menes pressed a chaste kiss on her forehead and she reached up feeding him the last piece of her bread,

"Where are you going?"

"To see Pharaoh, the Romans are pushing against the borders again. They're getting annoyed by your fathers avoidance."

"What do they want with our country?" I blurted and his eyes snapped to me. Avoiding his gaze I looked at Nefret and she shrugged,

"Just the usual, trade, supplies, food."

"Then why doesn't Abi let them in?"

"Because in return to letting us trade wider and get more money, they want to situate camps out here and take some of the farmers as soldiers for their armies. Your father doesn't want to let them gain any control over Egypt, not even a small slab of land. He said only on the day that Osiris comes to collect his soul will he ever consider giving up the Kingdom Ra has given to him."