If You Feel Better

Chapter 29

The party was in full swing with the streets completely crowded with citizens doing various activities. The black night sky was illuminated with the light from the lanterns below swaying in every adult's hands. The air was loud with the laughter of children, the conversations of friends and family, and the spirit of lovers. Colorful banners were strung up on the houses and shops and decorations off all kinds dotted every surface in sight. Vendors lined up down the streets to sell their festival-themed goods and to potentially bring in more business during the days following.

The pharaoh was sitting in his palanquin that his servants had brought up to the balcony of a building where he could view the entire excursion below. He was surrounded by four of his guards at each corner, preventing the curious onlookers from clustering him. The unfortunate side effect of being royalty was that he had to keep most of his citizens away at all times. If he did not, he would be smothered by people wanting to see him and talk to him every second of every day. But he knew that his people understood why he couldn't join them and he was just happy that they were all having a good time.

He smiled, watching his daughter below who was dancing to the sound of professional musicians playing on the street. She was among the general population, meeting as many of them as possible and celebrating with them as an equal instead of as a superior. Her eyes were closed as she listened carefully and projected her dancing the way she felt it in her soul. The music was upbeat and fun, perfectly matching the tone of the party. She wore a gown specifically made for this event, more lavish and expensive than anything anyone else around could possibly afford. Her hair was braided in a chunky braid draped over her shoulder with pink lotus flowers interweaved throughout and a few loose strands framing her face.

Others were dancing with her, but everyone who stood on the sidelines had their eyes directed toward only the princess. She was stunning in both her looks and her movements. She was dancing for herself, not in any specific way or style. It was simply how she felt and the appreciation for it was obvious.

When the song ended, the entire crowd, including Aya, clapped for the musicians who had done an amazing job. They bowed to the crowd and then started up another song. Everyone began to disperse to do other things, leaving Aya wondering what she should do next herself. She had done so many things already and there were a million more options to choose from. Her father had really spared no expense. This was the most fun she had ever had. She had never been allowed to attend any other public festival and the feasts thrown periodically in the palace had grown dreadfully boring. She had never realized what she was missing, both in the partying and in the interactions with people. It was something she didn't think she could do without ever again.

She walked along the street, eyeing the vendors and activities, keeping an eye out for anything that caught her interest. A booth nearby was handing out papyrus to make paper boats that could be sent down the Nile or float in a pool of water. She ran up and gladly took a sheet of paper from the vendor. It was more for children, but it was still something Aya had never done before and thought it might be fun.

She took her papyrus and sat down at one of the communal tables where parents were helping their children fold the paper into a cute little boat. She turned her paper over at all angles in her hands, examining it closely. She didn't actually know how to fold it. No one had ever taught her. She felt a little silly that she couldn't do something so simple while literally being surrounded by children who were having no problem with it.

She looked down at the little boy sitting next to her. He was folding them completely unassisted. When he finished one, he just started another. He had a pile of about fifteen paper boats beside him, starting to topple off the table from the sheer amount.

"Hey, do you think you could teach me how to fold?" Aya asked him, leaning down closer to his level so he could hear her over the noise.

The boy didn't seem phased by who was talking to him. He continued making his current boat silently until he was done and then he turned to Aya and said "Yeah, you turn your paper like this." He grabbed a fresh piece of paper laying in front of him, turned it on an angle, and slowly folded it. "And then you fold it like this. And then like this. And then like this." Soon he had a perfect little paper boat in his hands, which he then added to his growing pile.