The news of Pharaoh's failing health spread like wildfire throughout the entire kingdom, sparking plans for rebellion among his allies. His weakened state gave rise to political tension within the domain, causing unrest both in the kingdom and within the royal family. A palpable tension filled the air as discussions intensified about the next heir. To preemptively address the looming conflicts, the Queen resolved to visit the realms and secure their loyalty.
Among the chosen delegates to accompany her was Femi, the mother of Nefertari. At the break of dawn, Femi was tasked to journey and rendezvous with the Queen at the camp, a crucial step in navigating the precarious political landscape.
Inside Nefertari's chamber, a slave knelt on the floor, wearing a white robe adorned with a colorful wristband and a feathered necklace. Most of the slaves belonged to the Monyan tribe, characterized by dark skin, with men displaying a muscular physique and women towering over the Elydians.
"Lady Femi has arrived," the servant announced, bowing her head as Nefertari's mother entered the room.
Approaching the door, Nefertari lowered her head and placed her hands over her chest in reverence. "My heart rejoices for your grace, Mother," she greeted. Ignoring the formalities, Femi embraced her daughter, gently caressing the strands of Nefertari's long hair. "You can break the formality. You will forever be my daughter," she chuckled elegantly.
Seated on a long upholstered seat, they basked in the moonlight streaming through the window. The chamber offered a view of a vast garden, featuring a rectangular pond in the center, teeming with colorful fish. Lotus blossoms graced the water, surrounded by blooming flowers. Succeeding rows of trees, including sycamores, palms, and grenadiers, adorned the lake, interspersed with meticulously arranged flower beds.
"Have your eyes finally chosen to stay beside your heart?" A corner of Femi's mouth lifted, accompanied by a glint of happiness in her eyes.
Nefertari took a moment to breathe, absorbing the serenity of the garden. She gazed up at the moon, contemplating her response. "Such a trivial query, Mother. The gods have not fondled my heart; the belief is unknown to my soul," she said, shrugging and glancing at Femi.
"You will have it someday," Femi uttered as a gentle breeze brushed her face.
"Have the gods bestowed love upon you, Mother? Have you felt it?" Nefertari clutched her chest, feeling her heartbeat. She then raised her golden cup, and a slave poured the wine.
A smile slipped onto Femi's lips as she looked to the moon. "I adore the moon. I fell in love with it," she paused, "I loved the light radiating out of its soul," she added, her eyes dimming with a touch of sadness, giving a meaningful response.
"The Gods favored the great king to be loved by you, Mother," Nefertari replied, steadily sipping her wine.
Their conversation continued beneath the grace of the moon, casting its glow across the desert. The light never ceased to wane, as if anticipating the approach of the aging night.
Femi shifted her gaze to Nefertari, offering a half-smile. "I will leave tomorrow at the break of dawn. My absence saddens my heart. I long to be beside you at the festival of the gods," she sighed heavily, once again turning her gaze to the desert, where the moonlight gently caressed her face.
"Fear not, for I am well. May the gods protect you, Mother. I will pray at the temples and burn offerings for your safe return." Nefertari assured, silencing Femi's fears. She took Femi's hand, placing it on her cheek, and offered a light kiss on her wrist. Femi smiled, attempting to conceal the sorrow in her eyes.
"It is late...must we rest? The night is getting old," Femi answered softly, gently caressing Nefertari's cheek. She then headed to the bed, sat down, and tapped her thigh, bidding her daughter to sleep.
"But I'm not a child, Mother," Nefertari creased her brow at the odd request.
Femi's brown hair radiated in the moonlight as she tucked a few strands behind her ear, imploring once again. "Do you have the heart to disdain your mother's desire?" she spoke with a gentle voice.
Sighing in defeat, only her mother's plea could soften her heart, and she willingly laid her head on Femi's lap. Femi brushed Nefertari's hair. "I pray to the gods to claim your heart. I wish for you to experience love someday."
"If the gods have finally taken my heart...will they give me a sign?" Nefertari mused softly; the caress of her hair eased her into the stillness of the night.
Femi's light touch composed a message on Nefertari's cheek, a skill she had learned from the high priest Hamar. Shukla, writing words with a fingertip, and then she wrote.
Love is always a sacrifice.
Nefertari smiled from those words, and her eyes remained sleepy.
"Must I sing a lullaby?" Femi continued to caress her hair.
"If it pleases your kind heart mother," she assured with her husky voice.
Femi started to sing in a melodious voice. The song relived the past, erasing fear, sadness, and doubt. "Don't look...don't turn," she whispered. The Princess' eyes began to wane from a sweet-sounding voice. "Close your eyes and the moon will shine." Femi continued caressing Nefertari's hair, she sighed only to turn her eyes to the moon, hinting sadness from her voice. "Fair child, hear your mother's voice, and contain her love to your heart." A single drop of tear fell from her cheek. "Don't be scared." She pursed her lips and breathed. "I'll be here to wipe your tears from the doom of the sky."
The darkness dispersed over the sands of Elydia, Nefertari drifted off to the river of dreams.
"Don't look...don't cry," Femi ended the song in a whisper, she could hear the gentle wind lauding a cold murmur to a peaceful moonlight.
****
Princess Nefertari ventured along the path that led to the temple, trailing behind her were the faithful servants. A symbol of a Falcon decorated her headdress, she wore a sleeveless cotton dress, embroidered in green feathers of a peacock. Her fragrance originated from the aroma of lily, myrrh, and cinnamon, the sweet smell of jasmine filled the air; it gave a pleasant mood to the slaves in waiting and royal guards of the palace.
Hamitha and Nefertari met along the pathway.
Hamitha's olive skin glistened from the sunlight, wearing makeup and dark eyeliner. She had golden jewelry on her neck, a status symbol in ancient Elydia. Hamitha were adorned with rings, earrings, bracelets, decorated buttons, necklaces, and pendants.
Nefertari lowered her head to acknowledge her older sister, but Hamitha walked towards her; ignoring the courtesy given by young Nefertari. "What a lovely day we have my dear sister...will the gods favor you today?" She stepped closer; smiling seductively behind her wicked eyes.
"The gods always favor me," Nefertari maintained an unwavering composure in the face of her sister's gaze.
Hamitha clicked her tongue in amusement, twirling Nefertari's hair with her finger as she whispered, "For now...my dear sister." Her tone was distant and firm, sweet yet poisonous, like a fruit sprinkled with thorns. "Oh, my dear sister," her lashes fluttered as she fixed her eyes on Nefertari's lips. "The walls have ears; you must wear your mask. It's a shame to put a scar on your lovely face." She softly clawed her fingers on Nefertari's arms as she muttered those words into her ears, then offered a venomous smirk.
At the temple of the gods.
A procession of a hundred chariots marched across the desert, drawing the attention of the people inside the temple who watched the approaching soldiers from afar. Nefertari sighed, her gaze lingering on the empty seat beside her. She longed for her mother; it had been a week since Femi left the capital of Theron.
Like the way it used to be, the roaring drums from the hands of a hundred slaves pulsated through the air. The echoes coming from the wind met the scorching rays of the sun.
Simultaneously, the smoke from the incense filled the air accompanied by a thunderous noise coming from the drums. The synchronized rhythm, the thumping vibrations traveled to Nefertari's heart. She clutched her chest, a silent plea to her heartbeat to be still. The gentle breeze brought chills to her skin, she quivered. Then again, the wind blew softly to her ears. Nefertari felt something unimaginable, the ache in her gut told her that something wasn't right.
The high priest Hamar stood in front of the temple. The incense profusely dispersed the odor of the sulfur, the fumes navigated through their seats, and it touched the terror from Nefertari's eyes.
Hamar raised his hands; the slaves halted the drums. Then, he started to speak in a deep voice.
"PEOPLE OF ELYDIA...IN HONOR OF THE GODS. WE HAVE SET THE HIGH TABLE. THE SACRED LIGHT IS BRIGHT. OH GODS OF HEAVENS HEED OUR PRAYERS. TAKE OUR OFFERINGS. BLESS OUR LAND! "
The great priest bowed to worship the heavens. The people knelt, and together they shouted the name of their god.
"AMUN RA!"
"AMUN RA!"
"AMUN RA!"
"AMUN RA!"
The priests offered prayers to the gods, their chants resembling the buzzing of humming bees. The most powerful man in the land emerged from the tabernacle, feeble and frail, yet Pharaoh's voice resounded through the crowd. To the people's presence, he projected strength, instilling fear with a commanding tone as he graced the gods with powerful words.
"I, the Pharaoh, adoring the great god of the two kingdoms of Elydia, have invited you to the shrine set upon this divine altar, and to whom I offer praises day by day!"
"I pray to the gods with awe that they will deign to even out the unwitting faults I have committed. I, the Pharaoh, ask for their blessing and favor, according to the powers which they wield. I, the Pharaoh, will take after the supreme example and perform good works in the name of the gods!"
The Pharaoh extended his blessing, raising symbols to the sky. The soldiers blew trumpets, chariots lined in place, and a hundred drums rattled once again, echoing through the air. However, with each beat and marching sound, a sense of horror revisited Nefertari's memory. Today's scene, though familiar, promised to be more intense.
Six male prisoners were presented in the middle of the field, caught in battle. Masculine, dark-skinned, with black veils hiding their faces, their upper bodies were exposed, covered only by a small piece of tattered black cloth. The prisoners removed the masks from their faces and began to flee.
The charioteers ruthlessly whipped the prisoners, not stopping even as blood spurted out like a fountain.
One courageous prisoner managed to grab a whip in mid-air, causing the general to fall from the chariot. Seizing the opportunity, the prisoner snatched the sword and thrust it into the general's chest. However, fate was not on his side; an Elydian soldier on horseback swiftly approached, and the brave prisoner's neck met the sharp edge of an axe. His lifeless head rolled onto the sands. From afar, the gruesome scene stirred excitement in the crowd. Princess Hamitha bit her lower lip, finding pleasure in the bloody carnage. Nefertari's blood drained from her face as she watched the horrifying spectacle.
Another soldier pierced the body of a prisoner. They stabbed them with spears like helpless animals, sliced their flesh with swords, and trampled their bodies beneath the wheels of the charioteers. The sounds of hell resonated from the land, yet it failed to elicit sympathy from the crowd. Even the heavens remained silent. Blood once again showered the desert, mangled organs decorated the sands. The chariots continued dragging the prisoners, resembling ants caught in a merciless stream of wheels. Hamitha laughed at the sight, biting her lip. She turned to Nefertari, their eyes locking, and Hamitha concluded the sinister scene with a vicious grin.
The sound of the drum was not heard, a dying man crawled along the sand. An Elydian soldier smashed his skull with the golden ax. The trumpets echoed the ending of the event, all prisoners were dead while the vultures watched the delightful feast from above.
Nefertari sighed of relief. There was no reason for her to kill, however, the circumstance proved her wrong. A new captive, delivered in the middle of the arena. It was a woman. She stood at the center without resistance and did not even bother to move or escape.
Hamitha's eyes gleamed with delight upon seeing a new prisoner. Hamar commenced to speak; unlike before, he had a somber expression, "T-the gods have s-spoken," he paused, "We must offer the blood to the gods. No one will be s-spared," he ended it in a mournful voice. Then, he walked down the stairs to initiate a ceremony by burning the remains of the vultures and placed it in front of the statues.
A gust of wind blew, caressing Nefertari's face and whispering a message she could not comprehend. Her palms turned cold with sweat as the shrieking cries of vultures resonated through the wind, sending chills down her skin.
In front of the Gods, the fire from the sacrifice grew, and black smoke ascended into the thin air. The air carried a message, and the dark fume had chosen a deity – it was Horus.
The blood drained from Nefertari's face as the omen sent shivers down her spine. An underlying fear and a prickling pain in her heart conveyed a sense of terror. She flinched from her seat; the loud sound of the drums caused her to fidget. Exhaling a sharp breath, she tried to hide her anxiety. Finally, she stood and left the temple. The servants bowed their heads as she approached. Nefertari stepped to the altar to don the golden mask of a falcon and took the bow, but High Priest Hamar intervened. Lowering his gaze, he extended his arms and presented a unique weapon in his hands.
The Pharaoh's golden dagger.
Nefertari's expression revealed surprise as High Priest Hamar presented the dagger—a special weapon reserved only for the Pharaoh. Still puzzled, she accepted it and glanced at her father. The Pharaoh nodded, and she lowered her head in acknowledgment.
The rumbling sound of drums thundered once again from the willful hands of slaves. Nefertari's footsteps left imprints on the sands, the wind carrying the prayers from the chanting priests. "Awake, awake, awake, awake in peace, Lady of Peace. Rise thou in peace, rise thou in beauty. Goddess of Life, beautiful in heaven, Heaven is in peace."
With every step, the grains of sand joined beneath her feet. Bravely treading the desert, she carried the Pharaoh's dagger. The chant of ancient prayers accompanied her until the voices of the priests gradually faded away.
The sharp air blew, causing the sands to dance through the breeze. The wailing cry of birds echoed as if announcing the arrival of death.
Ignoring the heat of the sun, Nefertari felt a single drop of sweat fall from her forehead as she heard the moans emanating from the prisoner. In her mind, she began to sing her mother's song: Don't look...don't turn. Don't look...don't cry. The soft cries from the prisoner became a familiar melody, mumbling in a haunting tune as she walked closer to the woman.
Approaching the prisoner, Nefertari peered beyond the veil that covered the captive's face. A smile unexpectedly graced the woman's lips. Nefertari's eyes narrowed, finding it unusual to witness such warmth, peace, and undying love within the prisoner's smile.
Her heart shredded into pieces, leaving Nefertari with no choice but to take the woman's life. She sighed, tightening her grip on the dagger and raising it. The woman stood, meeting death with sheer bravery.
The wailing of the Falcons reached the heavens, and the wind whispered a cold murmur. The gentle breeze moved the veil, revealing the face of the woman.
"M-mother!" Nefertari blinked her eyes. "Mother! Mother!" her voice quivered in shock. Tears escaped quickly from her eyes, and she immediately lowered the dagger. It seemed her heart had been ripped from her chest over and over again. It was too painful to watch. For a moment, Nefertari's mind went blank, she had no idea what to do. Femi held her daughter's cheeks. Kill me; a silent plea came from her eyes.
The world of a brave Nefertari crumbled at her request. "N-no...p-please...n-no. I-I beseech y-you m-mother. D-don't l-let me d-do t-this," she replied in a suffocated whisper, "Don't let me do it, Mo-mother."
Femi could not speak; she cut her tongue to protect her lover. But her eyes begged once again, she pursed her lips, giving a slight nod. She blinked tears from her eyes; it made wet tracks down her face and dripped from her wobbling chin. "Uhmm." Moans coming from her lips invoked her daughter to kill her.
Nefertari whimpered in bitter irony, with eyes welled with tears. "No...no...no." She shook her head, almost choking her words. In her trembling hands, she held her mother's face and whispered, "If there is no salvation for us." Nefetari paused, her eyelashes fluttered as the tears fell again. She had a hard time saying the words. It seemed like she had to swallow again and again to remove the lump on her throat. "L-let's face death." She pleaded behind her falcon mask; seeing her mother and killing her was the only way to end it. But she won't let it, not now, not ever. Her shoulders heaved as her eyes turned blurry. "I-I can't kill you mother...let them kill me," her eyes rimmed in tears and her chin trembled when she uttered her final decision.
Still, the mother's love prevailed, before she could throw away the dagger. Femi grabbed the weapon and thrust it to her chest.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!!" Nefertari exploded in hysteria, staring at the blade buried in her mother's chest. Great tremor overtook her as she screamed in horror. "No! No! No!" In shaking hands, she tried to pull out the dagger. Nefertari struggled with her thoughts. Imagining it was a nightmare that she would soon wake up. But the truth was more powerful to defeat; her mother's strength remained on the Pharaoh's golden dagger.
Femi finally fell in the sands of Elydia, a satisfaction of smile slipped from Pharaoh's lips.
Out of nowhere, darkness loomed to the desert.
The crowd stood from their seats, watching the moon defeating the sun. They scurried out of fear. Reckoning would soon arrive at the sands of Elydia.
Nefertari knelt on the sands; she allowed the darkness to embrace her. She held her mother's face, whispering in a trembling voice. "Mother...p-please...p-please," she implored every word with pure misery. For a while, the world stopped to move, the pain of a weeping heart lingered along the sands of Elydia.
"HAAAHHHHH!!" She screamed to the heavens with her tears. Embracing her mother, as she shouted again and again to the sky. Her cry filled the darkness. With a shaking hand, she removed the veil and threw her Falcon's mask. The sun had returned; the wind made its presence known from sands. The sandstorm was about to set out.
The desert frolicked from the wind, and the world became a blur. Now, it would begin to dance with the wind and play among the sands. There was no spotlight but an eclipse. The ephemeral flurries, compelled to be oppressive. Darkness from the sky changed the spectrum, and a sheet of sands assailed everything on its path.
She hugged her mother into her arms. "M-mother...m-mother," Nefertari uttered, again and again, she laid her cheek to Femi's face, holding her firmly. Tears streamed down from her face; she would never let go until the final moment. In her weak hand, Femi wrote on her cheek. Don't be afraid. I will always love you. She wrote again, then lovingly wiped the tears while coughing out blood.
"You...you will be in my heart," Nefertari said softly. She gasped for air, endless tears made it harder to breathe.
Shall I sing you a lullaby? Femi lightly touched her face.
Nefertari chuckled between the endless sobs, she immediately wiped her eyes, but another tear threatened to spill. She shook her head; she would be the one to sing to her mother, in her quavering voice she began to speak. "D-don't l-look...don't turn." She shut her eyes and continued to sing the pain in the lullaby. "C-close y-your eyes and the t-the moon will shine." Nefertari gasped again for air to breathe, she was crying, but still, she managed her voice not to break. "F-fair c- child hear your mother's voice and take her love to y-your heart," She could feel the life was leaving on her mother's breath. She placed her lips to Femi's ear so her mother could hear her voice.
The sandstorm felt like a gentle friend, not suffocating them; it whirled and swirled above their heads.
"D-don't be scared," Nefertari sang a lullaby in the whirling sands. "I'll be here to wipe your fears from the doom of the sky." With a shaking hand, she brushed Femi's eyes to close the window of her soul. Taking her mother's hand, she kissed it. Femi tried to open her eyes; she could see her daughter's face dimming from her fading sight.
Nefertari paused for a moment, she gazed at the sky, then buried her face to her mother's neck. "Don't look...don't cry." Femi smiled; then raised her hand to wipe away the tears. A final glimpse, a final goodbye and she exhaled her last breath. Nefertari kissed her cheek, sending her endless tears. Sorrowful moans escaped from her lips. Her chin trembled in deep emotions stirred in a long-lasting sob. Nefertari held her mother in her arms. She would not let go; she would not send her to the gods. Not yet...not yet. That was all she could give from her embrace.
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