Neith

Coronation Ceremony

We're here to put a dent in the universe otherwise why else even be here?

- Steve Jobs

Neith's Pov

You know the times when you regret making a promise and want to turn back time so that you never made it? This was how I felt as I was being squished like a rodent by people in the market place.

Today the market was extremely crowded. Moving through the thick crowd of people was one of the biggest challenges I had ever faced in my life. To add to the chaos, there were venders everywhere shouting at the top of their voices to get people to buy their goods. Everything from goat's milk to silk dress to expensive jewelry was being sold.

The sun's scorching rays burned my skin adding to the already foul mood I was in. Sweat dripped from my forehead and also down my back.

Was this really worth it? I would have loved to stay at home and practice some of the new moves that brother had taught instead of seeing someone being crowned as the Pharaoh.

But father strictly told me to come. He made me promise. Damn it! He knew I could never break a promise.

Just come and stay a while that's all I'm asking, I recalled him saying.

Tsk... he and Ammon weren't even with me. They were off protecting the soon to be pharaoh. I snapped out of my thought. Thinking about them only made me angrier.

The whole of Amarna and even people from the neighboring towns had gathered on the bank to watch an utterly boring ritual. So many of them whispered about how excited they were to see the young prince. Did people enjoy these sort of things? Was I not normal then?

Just as I was lost in my own thoughts of the world, a huge ship passed by. It was so huge it blocked out the sun. The royal ship Kheops, had arrived and I looked at it with my mouth open, gawking.

It's beauty amazed me. With enormous red sails and the beautifully detailed carvings that were engraved on the dark brown wood, it would have taken anybody's breath away. The squeals of a few girls around me brought me out of my trance.

"I think I'm going to faint. He is just so handsome," a girl who seemed a few years older than me squealed as she held her friend's hand. Wondering who she was referring too, I looked up and immediately understood why.

A young man sat on a high wooden chair. His pale blue linen top contracted beautiful with his brown hair. The huge gold collar neck-piece glittered as the sun's rays hit it, making him look like one of the old gods that were described in the books. He turned and briefly looked in my direction and that is when I saw those emerald orbs.

Beautiful! I thought. I get why all the women looked so mesmerized.

The boat moved away from us and I could hear a lot of moaning. I smiled at their desperate attempt to look at the prince one more time before he truly disappeared away. It must be difficult to be a prince. So much attention must make one on edge.

The ship had now reached the sun temple. Now the priests would guild the young prince inside and they would perform the crowning ritual. After he emerges out he would be the new pharaoh. Usually after this there would be a wedding but it seems this time such a thing wouldn't occur.

I heard many rumors about it. Some of them were very interesting, while others were just plain goat droppings.

Everyone sat down at the bank since the ritual usually took a while to finish but I had other plans. I wasn't gonna sit under the blazing sun for this. Besides I already fulfilled my promise so there was no need for me to stick around.

As I made my way through the crowd, my mind wandered back to those green orbs. They somehow looked like they held the entire world. I smiled; perhaps coming here wasn't as bad as I thought.

******************

Aahotep's Pov

It was the wee hours of the day. The sound of birds chirping and the cool breeze slightly calmed my beating heart. I was anxious, very, very anxious.

Today was the day, the day I would become a Pharaoh. The last few months practically flew by. Probably because I hardly had any time to sleep with all the work that had piled up. This day came way too fast and I wasn't sure if I was ready yet. How could six months have passed since father died? It felt like it had happened last week. Maybe I should postpone the coronation? As I was panicking over the ceremony I heard a familiar voice.

''Why do you look like the world is going to end my dear boy?" a soft silky voice asked. I turned and a smiled as I looked at my favorite person in the whole world, my worries vaporizing immediately.

"Oh it's you mother," I said giving her a gentle hug. Her warmth was so comforting. I wished I could have stayed like that forever.

"Look at you all grown up. You look so handsome just like your father. You're gonna break so many hearts," she said teasingly.

"Mother!" I gasped in embarrassment.

"I'm just kidding. You should learn to loosen up a little," she said, cracking a smile.

"I'm so proud of you. So proud," mother continued, her eyes holding in the tears. My heart warmed at her words. I didn't want to disappoint her.

Mother had always stayed at my side. She was the one who looked after me when I was wounded from training or when I was sick. She was always there for me and I always appreciated her existence in my life. There would always be a part of me that would always hate father for the way he treated her.

He had many wives and I understood all of them would want to spend time with him but I remember the times when my mother would cry in silence because of him.

This was one of the main reasons I didn't want to get married at the coronation ceremony. I would never want any woman to go through what my mother went through. Besides even if I wanted to I couldn't, given the situation I was in it would only be a hindrance.

Adio was waiting for me at the port while the other ministers of the court had gathered at the temple. I needed to leave soon. My mother and I spoke for a few more minutes before she left. I took in a deep breath, stabilizing myself.

You got this, I said to myself and headed towards Kheops, the royal ship.

Today was the day I would be crowned the Pharaoh of Egypt and hopefully I wouldn't suck at it.