"Marriage!" Atem shouted nearly losing his temper.
"I believe a suitable marriage would give the empire a sense of security." Aknadin said. "As Pharaoh, it is imperative to have a queen and it is your duty to produce an heir to preserve your legacy."
Shimon nodded in agreement.
"He is right, Divine One." He replied.
"Yes, I know all of this but why now?" Atem asked. "My father did not rush into marriage when he was crowned king. I thought I reserved the right to choose my own bride."
"As one of your loyal guardians, I believe it is best that I, along with Shimon, assemble the most suitable candidates for your majesty." Aknadin said with assured confidence. He knew Atem would protest the idea but the old guardian continued before the young ruler could utter another word. "I can assure you that you will not be disappointed. We will search high and low throughout your vast empire for the one who will please the king."
"But..."
"It was your father's last wish to me. And I am determined to keep my word."
Seeing how he was outnumbered, Atem reluctantly nodded in agreement. Aknadin and Shimon left to begin their search. Mahad emerged to the king's side.
"I don't like this." Atem murmured as he gritted his teeth.
"You can always refuse, sire." Mahad said. "It is in your power to do so if a candidate does not suit you."
"He could refuse." Seto began coming to the other side of Atem. "But it would be an offense to the people. Once again Mahad, you have proven to be unfit as the Pharaoh's counsel. I should also point out that he would also insult the gods as well. And we don't want their wrath upon us, now do we?"
"He's right." Atem said solemnly turning to Mahad. "I thank you for your advice and appreciate it with great earnest, but Seto has reminded me that I am bound by the people, my country and the gods."
Mahad tried to defend himself but Atem held up his hand ceasing the arguement between the two guardians. Mahad bit his lower lip, turned the king and bowed before dismissing himself. Seto imitated the same manner and followed his comrade out into the great hallway.
"Must you always be so critical?" Mahad asked as Seto stopped not too far behind him. "It must amuse you to undermine me."
"I am only pointing out your flaws which seemed to be numerous lately." Seto said folding his arms across his chest. "And trying to get you to see that your way of thinking will not move the kingdom forward. Besides, we still have the matter of Safiya. As head of security, I thought you might have had answer by now."
Mahad bit his lower lip again but stood his ground. He did have an idea but he was not about to share his findings with the young priest, no matter how much the others trusted him. Granted, Seto brought much strength out of the group through his blunt honesty. But Mahad feared for the girl's life. This was one secret that would remain with him until he had more solid information.
I need more time.
"I am aware of my duties, Seto." He said in a huff. "I don't need to remind you of your own. If you'll excuse me."
The sorcerer turned on his heels and left the pompous priest in the hallway. Mahad found himself in deep thought. He knew Atem better than anyone else. Although it was tradition for a Pharaoh to choose a young woman for a possible candidate as queen, he felt it was too early for Atem. Aknadin was determined to forging a union and Mahad had an idea who might be the top choice.
*
"It is only natural that you be chosen to be the next queen of Egypt." Aknadin said to the young woman who sat on the edge of the balcony watching the people in the courtyard go about their daily routines. "By marrying the Pharaoh, Egypt will be safe."
"By safe, you mean the throne will not be saturated by a half-breed." Kesi replied while twirling the light pink lotus flower in her left hand. "I never cared for politics, especially coming from you. Yet we do agree on one thing. Our Pharaoh should not link himself to that girl. I'll agree to help you if you promise that I am guaranteed to be queen." She narrowed her gaze towards him. "I believe you have the power to fulfill that promise."
Aknadin saw that she was looking directly at his golden eye. Out of all the young women in the kingdom, Kesi was the most qualified candidate. She came from a noble family that was close to the Pharaoh. She grew up in the palace and was groomed with the highest education and proper etiquette. Aknadin disliked the idea of Atem marrying early but he did promise his late brother that he would help him maintain the balance of Egypt. And maintain the balance he would.
"I'll start making arrangements for you to see the Pharaoh right away."
*
Safiya wandered around the palace exploring all the different rooms. There were so many to choose from that she felt she would get lost. One day, she came across a door which led her down into the prison cells. She came across the thief whom Atem had locked up a few weeks earlier.
"Hello? Is anyone in here?"
"Who's there?" Came a gruffy man's voice. "Who's interrupting my sleep?"
The young woman turned around to the cell behind her and saw a shadowy figured sitting at the back of the small room behind the bars.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."
The man looked up to catch the sight of the trembling young woman. He shuffled towards the bars and gasped.
"It's you! You're the cunning little hussy half-breed from the marketplace!" He shouted. "You should be behind these bars not me! But it shows how weak the Pharaoh can be when a pretty girl walks into his path, utters a couple of words and he bends to your will. So tell me little girl, does he bend to your will while you're keeping him company in his bed?"
"How dare you!" Safiya shot back. "I'm not that kind of a woman!"
"Shut up! You half-breeds are known for it. You steal from us and sell your bodies just so you can over populate our city and take over! To hell with all of you! May the curse of Anubis be upon you!"
The man continued to throw curses and hateful words at her. Safiya could not stand any more of it and bolted down the damp hallway and out of the dark corridors.
*
"Fragmented memories?" Mahad echoed trying to make sense of all that Atem had revealed to him.
"Yes. I am not sure what might have caused this but Safiya seemed to have no clear memories of her past." Atem said. "I am assuming she is a victim of a powerful spell."
"Are you quite certain?"
"I am not sure." He replied shaking his head as he touched his pendant. " I could not sense anything. I thought perhaps you might know something. Maybe there is a way to help her."
The sorcerer placed his right hand under his chin and began to process all the information given. Regretfully, he shook his head.
"I know many spells but I have never encountered one that can shatter one's own mind." He said. "It sounds like an advance form of shadow magic where the person must spend what seems to be an eternity in darkness collecting the pieces of their heart."
It sounded like a game in which Atem could possible solve with ease but there was no way he could enter into Safiya subconscious and help her. None of the sacred items worked on her. Atem huffed in frustration. One thing he hated most was being powerless and not being able to help those who were truly in need.
"But the real question is, what kind of magic would be powerful enough to do this?"
Mahad hesitated a bit as he lowered his right hand from his chin. As much as he wanted to tell Atem, he knew it was a premature idea at present. He needed more information and time. And time seemed to be the very variable he was lacking. Mahad looked back at his old-time friend, his eyes staring at him intently. Mahad could not keep secrets from him. He could tell Atem knew the truth. Suddenly, a memory emerged to the forefront of the sorcerer's mind. As he looked into the Pharoah's eyes, he knew he was thinking the same thing.
"Great One," Mahad began. "You don't think...?"
"You read my mind, Mahad." Atem said with a chuckle. "I knew I could count on you to understand. I am certain."
The sorcerer could not believe it. He had his suspicions about Safiya. Now judging from Atem's recent actions in feverishly protecting her, Mahad began to form a better understanding of the young woman. Yet there were still too many unanswered questions. Even though his king meant well, Mahad could not yet determine if Safiya's presence in the palace was a blessing or a curse waiting to be released. The sorcerer turned to his left side.
"Do the others know?"
"No." Atem said sternly. "I know you are sworn to speak if any new developments were to arise. But I believe it would be best to keep this from them."
"My thoughts exactly, sire. But, it still is dangerous to keep secrets from them. I am certain some already suspect something. Perhaps if I told Isis, she would understand." Mahad said trying to defend one of his allies.
"Yes, she probably would understand." The young Pharaoh began. "But she will most likely side with the others by reprimending me for my actions and fearing for my safety and the well-being of Egypt. Mahad, I am not asking you as your king but as a friend."
Mahad knew the urgency of this sudden development. He crossed his right arm over his chest with his bawled fist over his heart.
"You have my word."
*
The next few weeks, Safiya found herself wandering the halls of the palace still shaking from the prisoner's nasty words. Half-breed. These were just one of the many words that were hurled at her while she was living on the streets. The animosity and prejudice the Egyptians had against her kind was overwhelming. She could not understand why. She thought back to the day Atem saved her from being killed in the marketplace. The glaring eyes from the people burrowing into her very soul while they jeered and shouted hateful degrading words at her. And in that moment of pain, someone showed her kindness.
Safiya still could not understand why the Pharaoh saved her. She was grateful for the rescue but why did he allow her to come and live in the palace after admitting to stealing? An image of the Trial flashed before her eyes. Did it have to do with what happened at the Trial? Safiya felt her head throbbing again. Why am I here? She could see Atem's magenta eyes. A warmth filled her. Atem. She placed her hand over her chest. Her heart began to pound faster under her hands. An image of the palace garden surfaced to her mind's eye.
The young woman sighed. He shared his mother's garden with me because he trusts me. Safiya stood taller and pulled back her shoulders. If she was going to live in the palace, she had to do something to make herself useful rather than sit in her room and roam the halls looking pretty. No. Safiya knew she was capable for more things. Her first task was getting better acquainted with Atem. The young woman rounded the corner when she ran smack into someone's chest. She looked up to encounter the familiar scowl of Seto.
"Safiya." He murmured.
"My lord," She said quickly backing away trying to hide her face while the blood creeped into her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I didn't see you there." How can you daydream carelessly? Now you ran into his lordship.
"It's all right." Seto said coolly trying to defuse the situation. "How can I be of service to you?"
The young woman hesitated.
"I-I was looking for Lord Mahad."
"Mahad has gone to the magician's training grounds and will be gone for a few days." Seto replied. "Perhaps I can help?"
It was a shot in the dark and she missed. Mahad seemed to be closer to Atem than any other guardian. The young woman shyly looked up at Seto opened her mouth to say something but her mouth went dry. Why did he intimidate her so? Seto waited for what seemed to be an eternity. He could feel his patience growing thin.
"I-I wanted to know if you know what the Pharaoh likes."
"Excuse me?"
The statement threw Seto off a bit.
"You know? His hobbies? What he likes to do when relaxing? What's his favorite food?" She suddenly paused and could feel the heat oozing into her cheeks again. These questions were meant for Mahad. She knew he would help but she was not so sure of Seto. Safiya sighed. She was rambling on like a fool and she feared Seto may have thought she sounded ridiculous. The young woman gathered her strength and began again. "What I meant to ask, my lord, is I want to be useful while staying here at the palace. I don't want to waste my time. I know I have talents and I'd like to be useful."
The young priest was awestruck by her innocence. Seto found someone who valued the importance of time and not wasting it. His heart began to violently beat against his chest. He could feel the blood rushing throughout every limb of his body. He had never felt so alive. Seto could hear the words of Karim echoing in his mind. Perhaps, he could take a chance.
"I can be of assistance to you."
She smiled. That caused his heart to continue to thunder against his chest again. All manners of thoughts like a love-struck teenager came to mind. Who would have thought a girl could do this much to a priest? Seto had to calm himself before he ended up in trouble.
For the next few weeks, Safiya spent her time with Seto learning everything there was about the palace life. Surprising to the young priest, she learned fairly quickly. Safiya astonished him. He would sit for hours in the library listening to her read aloud the scrolls which she picked for her ranging from topics of philosophy to literature. Her reading of some of the old hieroglyphs were equally impressive. Safiya learns about Atem's pastime such as riding his horse, hunting for lions in the mountainous desert and crocodiles in the marshy Nile. Atem is fluent in several languages as required for the ruler and highly intelligent.
"Is this true?" Safiya asked.
"Yes." Seto replied. "I have never known anyone to be so analytical. He can solve any difficult situation put to him and manages to have a definative solution. And his wisdom..."
The young woman smiled.
"He has a profound amount of wisdom for one so young which fascinates me." She said. "And, I feel you both have the same qualities."
Seto looked in her direction.
It's true. We do have the same qualities. Seto thought. It is why I find myself always challenging him to not only better him but to better myself. Always striving to push myself to the next level. To be the best. Yet, in the end... Her cheeks were flushed red. The young priest sighed. He seems to always come out on top.
Safiya turned to face the young man. He was gazing at her with those deep blue eyes. What was he searching for? An answer? A friend? Or someone he lost? She broke the gaze.
"Do you have any desires?"
"I serve only my king. We priests must forsake all earthly pleasures." Seto replied roughly. He then looked over at the young woman to see her eyes searching him. He took in a deep breath then sighed. "I do like hunting." He hesitatively began. "And I'm not bad in racing either. There were a few times where the Pharaoh and I would secretly go horseback riding and ride out into the rocky terrains testing our stamina, agility and strength. There were times where I would win but then he would always surprise me with his swift horse."
The young priest was letting his guard down to her. Safiya listened attentively as Seto listed a few of the recreational things he loved to do. It seemed him and Atem both had a strong love for playing games; particularly ones dealing with strengthening the mind.
"As one of the notable high priests, I was tasked to challenge the Pharaoh's magic." He paused. "The first time I ever challenged him proved to be one of the toughest tests I had ever taken. I held my ground and seemed to have him cornered but he managed to find a way out and defeated me. For years, I have been trying to beat him by constantly thinking of new strategies but he always seems to be one step ahead of me."
Safiya observed the young priest. While he spoke, Seto began to come alive. The walls he built around his heart began to crumble as the young woman encouraged him to reveal more about himself.
"But my greatest desire, is to help those who are less fortunate than myself. I am grateful to live in this great house and serve the Pharaoh but I wish I could do more."
From what she learned from Shimon, Seto was the youngest one to come into the house of Pharaoh. Safiya was very impressed with his knowledge of the law, the culture and of Atem. The young woman sighed.
"You can. I'm sure if you talk with the king, he will understand." She said.
"You think he will?"
Safiya nodded.
"I believe the Pharaoh is the kind of man who believes in new ideas." She replied. "It's that kind of thinking that will move the empire forward."
Seto could see her cheeks flush red from the mere mention of one of the many, what he thought, overly qualified characteristics of the Pharaoh. Seto scoffed.
"You really believe in such a utopia?"
Safiya turned around to face him.
"Do you?"
It was a legitimate and honest question. The young priest let out a chuckle...
"Many will say that you are foolish and too radical." He said. "This idea would not be smiled upon by most people."
"By most people, you mean those who are richer and who look upon those who's rank are beneath them. They work just as hard as any man from working the soil of the earth to carving wood with the hands to make the fine chairs you sit upon." Safiya turned her attention back to the Nile. She remembered the man sitting in prison for his crimes. Though he was a crude man and deserved his punishment, the young woman felt compassion towards him. An image of two shadowy figures appeared before her mind's eye. She shook it off. "Why do orphans have to suffer at the hands of the law simply because they are hungry? Their only identity they had was taken away from them through illness or war. No one is greater than the other no matter what their rank or status. We are all humans living on this earth trying to do our best to live each day as best we can."
Another figure appeared before her. A lone tall figure in a long robe covering him from head to foot. She tried to peer into the dark abyss of his face only to see nothing but utter darkness. Safiya shook the terrirfying image from her mind. Who was that? Were those people trying to warn me against it? Why?
"I was an orphan." Seto began as he leaned back into his chair. "I lost my mother in a terrible fire in the village where I grew up not far from here. I never knew my father. Mother told me that he was passionate in protecting the Pharaoh and the ideas that govern Egypt that he became a soldier. In the last war, he was killed. I decided not to stay in poverty for long. I took matters into my own hands. I entered into the priesthood and became the man I am now. I couldn't have done it without the help of Master Aknadin." He paused only to realize he had revealed more about himself than he had intended. Seto quickly turned to his right side, trying to conceal his embarrassment and weakness. "Forgive me. I don't know why I told you that."
Safiya turned to face the young priest with a smile.
"You just proved my point."
*
As the months progressed, Aknadin and Shimon began to present the Pharaoh with all the candidates who would throw in their chances of being chosen queen. Luckily for her, Kesi was brought to the forefront. She made sure to be involved in every activity concerning Atem from council meetings to temple visits. She went as far as traveling with him to Memphis to visit the great temple of Ptah.
To Atem dismay, Aknadin stayed true to his word and brought before him all the possible candidates for queen. And to Aknadin's dismay, he refused the majority of the young women who were all beautiful. All except Kesi. She made an impression on the Pharaoh with her words, thus winning her a chances to spend ample time with him. Gradually, the other candidates lost interest in Atem leaving Kesi as the prominant choice. Safiya walked along the hallways and could hear the whispers from the palace workers. Lately, the vast duties of the crown kept Atem away from Safiya and rumors of his ever growing temper began to take shape into one fantastic story. The young woman shook the nonsense from her mind. It could not be true.
The blazing sun cast it's rays upon the massive boat floated along the great Nile river. Music filled the air as two servants fanned Atem and Kesi who were enjoying the leisure of the ride under a large canopy. Aknadin was impressed that Kesi had managed to convince the Pharaoh to take her on one of his luxurious boats. Atem sipped a little bit of his wine as Kesi laid outstretched beside him enjoying the delicious figs, dates and sweet honey cake which she had requested. The Pharaoh allowed his eyes to drift over her. She was decorated in fine linen dipped in cool turquois paired with gold trimmings around her waist. Her feet were adorned with golden sandals. Kesi was not shy to display her family's wealth. She wore all manners of precious jewels around her slender light olive skin.
"Ah! What a glorious day." She sighed. "I believe the gods are smiling down upon us."
She allowed herself to press up against him. Atem caught a whiff of her black hair which smelled of sandalwood. And the scent of myrrh permeated from her like that of the lotus. Yes, Kesi was parading herself as a proud noble peacock with sharp claws if one was not careful. Atem turned the other way to see the people had flocked to the water's edge to catch a glimpse of their king. The young man scoffed.
This is a set up. Atem thought. This is only to show the people that I may be serious about Kesi. I know Aknadin and Kesi are working together...
Just off to the left side of the boat was a group of young children playing in the depths of the river. He smiled. He recalled one childhood memory before being confined to the palace. The pure laughter of the children filled the air mixing with the lute and lyre. Suddenly, something caught Atem's attention out of the corner of his left eye. The water seemed to shift. He could feel something churning in the pit of his stomach.
"Crocodile!" One of the children cried.
The children quickly swam back to the shore with the waiting crowd. The mothers screaming and calling out to their beloved. Some of the men snatched the girls from the waters while the mothers kissed the top of their heads. It seemed everyone made it to the shore...
"My son!" cried a woman. "Where is my son!"
Just among the reefs was a little boy still playing in the water unaware of the waiting crocs inching closer to him. The woman screamed. SPLASH! Atem looked over to the right of the boat to see a young woman swimming frantically to the little boy. The Pharaoh ran towards the other side of the boat and caught a glimpse of the young woman. His heart nearly stopped.
"Safiya!"
Kesi scowled. The foolish young woman was trying to be a hero against a float of hungry crocs. The lead reptile opened his mouth bearing it's teeth. The little boy turned around to see the terrible sight. Just before the reptile chopped down, Safiya snatched the little boy from the giant jaws and quickly made her way back to the shore but one of the crocs cut her off. She was surrounded. There was no escape. The little boy cling onto Safiya and began to whimper. She had to think of something quick. SPLASH! Another woman's voice screamed as another person jumped into the river.
Just as the large croc's jaws were about to snap down on the two victims, Atem suddenly jumped onto the leader's back, shut its mouth with his arms. The scaly beast trashed about violently in the water causing confusion amongst the others.
"My Pharaoh!" Seto cried. Seto activated his diadhunk and was about to call upon one of his beasts when Mahad stepped in front of him.
"Do not interfere." He said sternly but calmly.
"Are you mad!" Kesi cried. "Our king is in danger and you are telling one of his guardians not to interfer!" She bolted from the left side of the boat and came squarely face to face with the sorcerer. "If he dies, I will let all of Egypt know that you were responsible!"
Mahad did not flinch at the flash of anger in Kesi's eyes.
"I agree with Kesi." Seto said. "Now, do your duty to protect him or I will."
Mahad said nothing as he approached the edge of the boat watching Atem struggle to keep one of the crocs at bay while Safiya made a break for the shore. Once he saw they were in the clear, Atem let go of the reptile. But the leader of the float was not about to let him off easily. He grabbed onto a piece of his trunks and tossed him into the air. Atem dove back into the waters. He regained his bearings and saw three crocs coming straight at him. Quickly, the young man dodged the oncoming attacks, narrowly escaping a couple of chops. The crowd watched as the king swam back the opposite way. They waited with baited breath for him to resurface.
Atem raced towards the shore, dodging ever croc that tried to block him. He seemed to be in the clear when the leader of the float cornered him. Now Atem was the one cornered and he was running out of air. The large reptile charged at him at full speed. There was no way out. Suddenly, the scaley beast careened into a barrier of some sort. Stunned, Atem quickly reached out his hand and activated the powers of his Puzzle. The Eye appeared on his forehead and a ring of energy surrounded the leader but he was not about to give up. He tried to charge at the king again when a massive animal knocked the sharp-snout reptile out of the Pharaoh's path. Atem raced to the surface gasping for air. The crowd and those on the boat breathed a sigh of relief as the king slowly made his way to the shore. He looked back to see the hippopotami came just in time. He dragged himself to the muddy shore and collasped on his back. He looked to his right to see the crowd being led by Safiya coming towards him.
"Great king, are you all right?" One woman asked.
The crowd gathered around the young man. They had never seen the Pharaoh in this state before. Atem looked around at his subjects. For once, he felt as though he belonged with them and he could feel the love and sincerity emitting from them.
"Yes, I am fine." Atem replied.
"It seems the goddess Isis was with you, my king." said another citizen.
The people continued to praise the young man for his fearless act. They could not believe they had witnessed the divine king risking his life to save another. Atem searched the group and his eyes fell on the little boy who was now accompanied by his mother.
"Are you all right?" The Pharaoh asked looking into the eyes of the little boy.
The boy timidly nodded.
"Yes."
"Oh thank you, great king." The mother said. "May the blessings of Ra contiue to shine brightly upon you." The woman then looked at Safiya who was still dripping wet. "And to you, you risked your life for my son. I thank you."
It seemed this was a small victory for the young woman. Atem smiled as his attention switched to Safiya. The crowd dispersed little by little as they left the two alone.
"That was very daring of you." He finally said.
"Says the man who just wrestled a five-hundred-pound reptile." Safiya replied.
Atem uttered a chuckle but then sharply sucked in some air. Safiya looked to see an injury on his right side. He must've gotten it when he was wrestling with that beast. The young woman ripped the side of her dress. She needed some medicine to help aid in the healing. Thankfully, there was some aloe vera nearby. Safiya broke off a leaf of the plant and sliced it open with one of the sharp pointed rocks beside her. After cleaning the wound, the young woman applied the slimy substance onto the broken skin then gently wrapped it with the long cloth.
"Atem!" Kesi cried running off the boat, coming to shore and coming to his side. "Are you all right?" She looked down and saw the wound and gasped. "You're hurt!"
Atem tried to wave the problem away. But Kesi's cry attracted some of the people to return. So, it became a commotion.
"I'm fine, Kesi."
"Absolutely not." The young woman said. "We are heading back to the palace immediately." She turned to one of the soldiers. "Prepare the horses!"
Safiya was stunned at how quickly the soldiers moved at the sound of Kesi's bark. She watched as they quickly assembled the chariot and the rest of the parties' mode of transportation. Atem stood to his feet and stumbled a bit causing Safiya to rush to his side.
"Take my hand."
Kesi's eyes narrowed towards her as Safiya extended her hand to the king. The young woman pushed Safiya's hand away and nearly growled at her.
"I believe your little stunt today proved how helpful you've been to the king." She said as she guided Atem back to his chariot.
Atem heard the malice in Kesi's voice. How he wanted to tell Kesi how he truly felt about her. Yet, the people were all watching. One wrong move, and he could seriously damage the trust his father worked so hard to build between the people and the royal house. He gave one last glance at Safiya then disappeared with some of the guards back to the palace.
Seto stepped forward towards Safiya. He could feel the hurt radiating from her. He could not imagine what else she might have been through in her life. Abandonment. Lost. Pain. Feeling as though no one in the world cared about you.
"May I offer you a ride back to the palace?" He asked.
Safiya looked up into the young man's blue eyes. Strange. Out of all his pompousness, there was the gentleness she had been searching for. In a sense, she felt as though they shared the same past. In that moment, Safiya knew Seto understood her.
The high priest could feel his heart thundering in his chest again. Her innocent blue eyes had a little bit of tears on the verge. It nearly caused him to want to forget that he was a priest and overstep his boundaries. How he wanted to sweep her up in his arms and comfort her. Seto restrained himself and waited for her answer.
"Seto." Aknadin interrupted. "I believe you are needed back at the temple."
The high priest was a little annoyed at his master's interruption. He sighed. Safiya spoke up.
"I thank you for the offer but I'll walk back to the palace." She replied. "It's not too far."
The young woman bowed her head and began her long walk to the palace. Seto turned to Aknadin.
"You'd marry off that snake to the Pharaoh?" He asked trying to make sense of why his master was pushing such a woman on Atem. "Would it truly be for the best for the country?"
Aknadin knew Seto was right. Kesi's ambitions were clear to not only gain favor from Atem but to rule Egypt in the way she saw fit. He lifted his eyes towards the direction of Safiya as she continued her trek towards the palace. A painful memory surfaced in his mind. He could hear a voice of a man accusing him again. Aknadin supressed it and kept his back towards Seto.
"It is for the best." He said.
"I hope you are not planning on overstepping your boundaries as a high priest." Seto said.
The old man turned to face the young man.
"I am well aware of that, Seto." Aknadin replied. "Rest assured, I will not be manipulated by Kesi. You have my word."
Seto watched as Aknadin dismissed himself. He thought about the idea of Atem being married to another. If that were to happen, then Safiya would be free to... Seto shook the idea from his head. There was no way Aknadin would approve of the match and his duty to the king took top priority in his life.
*
"I can't believe this happened!" Mana exclaimed as she walked around in the middle of the room on her hands with the other half of her body in the air. "You dove into a croc infested Nile to save a little boy. You're braver than me."
"I couldn't just sit there and let the boy die." Safiya replied.
"Yes, but you could've been killed." Mana replied. "Now you see why many of us don't like going down to the river to wash our clothes."
"Maybe they'll invent something to make washing clothes easier." Safiya said throwing a wink.
Mana laughed.
"That'll be the day!"
Isis came behind Safiya and began to brush her hair.
"Mahad told me what happened." She began. "What I'm still trying to wrap my head around is that the Pharaoh jumped in the waters to rescue the both of you."
"He jumped in!" Mana gasped.
"And apparently, he wrestled the largest crocodile in the river. Thank the gods you all came out alive." Isis said. "It's a miracle his injuries were not terribly serious."
"Oh, I guess you didn't hear." Mana said falling gracefully on her feet and sitting Indian style. "It seemed the prince's wounds weren't serious after all. By the time he reached the palace, the wound was completely healed."
Isis stopped brushing Safiya hair and turned to face the young magician.
"Are you quite serious, Mana?"
The young magician nodded.
"Positive. Mahad told me. I think it's all thanks to you, Safiya."
The young woman shook her head.
"I believe the Pharaoh healed himself with his own magic." She replied. "I had nothing to do with it. He's in the complete care of Lady Kesi."
Mana huffed as she changed positions. Now, she was lying on her stomach, her legs bent backwards rocking back and forth.
"I don't see why they're trying to force him to marry her. I don't think she's right for our prince."
"He's the Pharaoh, Mana." Isis said. "And you shouldn't talk against Shimon's and Aknadin's decisions for our king."
"But I thought he had a right to choose who he wanted to marry." Mana continued. "That old witch has no regards for those below her station and treats everyone with such contempt."
"You're only saying that because you accidently made a few of honey cakes explode in her face." Isis said. "And it is not right to be making fun of the Pharaoh's possible future wife."
Safiya stifled her chuckles a bit. She could see the comedic scene where Kesi with much of the seeds spread across that perfectly smooth olive skin face and entangled in her sandlewood combed hair. Possibly, there would be some wine nearby dripping from her pristine white dress and her eyes flaring with anger and disgust. Yes, Safiya could see those flashing eyes that held no compassion.
"Well, it's true." Mana said defending herself. "Besides, she's not the kind of woman he'll marry. Have you seen the way she's been throwing herself at him and making such a big scene about things? I don't care what you say, Isis. Our king would never unite himself with such a terrible human. Power and influences don't make the qualities of a queen. She's so cold-blooded, Kesi was able to have a law passed driving all orphans and poor people out of the inner city."
"All of them?" Safiya gasped.
"Yes. I'm afraid it has been passed."
The rumors she heard on the streets were true. But could the king allow such a terrible act to happen? The young woman shook her head in disbelief.
"No." She murmured as she clutched the red jasper necklace around her slender neck. "Atem wouldn't do this. It's not like him."
Atem? Isis looked over at the young woman. The way she said his name made her believe Safiya had stronger feelings for the young ruler. One, Mahad was secretly encouraging from time to time. She would not be surprised if he had orchestrated the little stunt at the Nile. Then again, Safiya has proven through the several months she had been at the palace to be head-strong.
"What were you doing out near the river anyways, Safiya?" Isis asked.
The young woman did not respond. She was trying to make sense of the current situation. Mana had informed her of Atem's strange and cruel behavior towards the people. Many of the palace personals were beginning to fear his unpredictable temper and face his fiery rage. It would explain why the citizens seemed slightly stunned by Atem's actions in saving the boy. The young woman felt a knot tie in the pit of her stomach. If I don't do something soon, I'll lose him. Her gaze moved over the the fresh bowl of fruits the maid had laid out for her. She moved from her bed and headed towards the near the balcony. Safiya picked up one of the dates and examined it. She had an idea.
*
The prison walls rattled with the shackles of the recent prisoners as they begged for food and water. The thief knocked his chains against the walls when a shadow was cast over him. The man looked up to see Safiya at the door. He scoffed.
"Have you come to indulge me in your beauty? Or will you run off again like a scared little girl at the sound of my truthful words?"
The young woman tossed a small sack into his cell. The man turned to see the small white-greyish cloth towards the door. He slowly approached it and could smell something familiar. He quickly opened it to reveal some fruit, bread and cooked fish.
"I know it's not much but it was all I could take from my room without being suspicious." Safiya said.
"How do I know this is not poisonous?" He asked. "I don't trust the likes of you."
Suddenly, his stomach growled.
"If I wanted to have been done away with you, I would have had the Pharaoh to dispose of you for the hateful words you spew at me and from what I can gather, you're not in his good graces either." She said confidently. "I don't want to be your enemy. I'm sure you have a reason for your crime and probably did not mean what you did. I have come here to find out the truth. So, the question is, will you trust me or will you throw your opportunity away?"
The thief hesitated a bit. He stared into Safiya startling sapphire blue eyes. She was not about to waiver. He caved in and began to devour the fresh fruit and bread. Safiya sat down in front of the barred doors and watched the man devour his food like a hungry lion devouring his prey.
"I don't know why you're being so kind to me. No doubt it's for some mischievous reason." He muttered under his breath as he bit into the warm bread.
The young woman pulled out a small jar from under her cloak. The man quickly grabbed it from her and opened the top. The sweet taste of water quenched his dry lips.
"I am assuming your crime was stealing." Safiya began. "Why?"
The man took another bite into the bread and chewed slowly.
I'm a poor man." He began. "I have been living on the streets ever since the harvest. I was not able to pay my taxes to the king thus I was thrown out of my own home and ruined. In order to survive, I did whatever means necessary to make it to the next day. It's not fair that the richer get richer and the poor get poorer. Each year, the taxes increase to the point that the people cannot properly pay what they own to the results that they have virtually nothing which results in their ruin and disgrace. Many of the children become orphans because their parents have been taken to debtors' prison or forced into hard labor to pay for their debts. Most of them die to the work load or are killed for trying to find a way to survive."
"And you believe you're on death row?"
"I insulted the Pharaoh because I couldn't see how he would allow a half-breed like you into the palace after your past crimes of thievery." He said.
The young woman bowed her head in shame. It was strange to be thinking about it now. So many people in the prisons were being punish for a crime they committed but she escaped the punishment. She could see the contradictory in Atem's decision. She still could not figure out why he saved her that day. Suddenly, her head began to throb. She slowly got up from the floor.
"Thank you for enlightening me." She said. "You have helped me put a lot of things into perspective. Know this, I may be a half-breed but we are not as bad as you think. All we want is to live in harmony and peace with the Egyptians. Don't you think it's better to be kind to one another and maintain peace amongst ourselves rather than allow the Pharaoh worry about petty things? He has enough to worry about as it."
The man stopped midway from eat the rest of the bread and looked up at the young woman. She nodded and quickly headed out of the prison. The thief was left alone with his thoughts as he finished the rest of his food.