Irvine
Star
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2011
It was late and the sun was setting over the wondrous kingdom of Egypt, casting the gentle glow of twilight over the city of Thebes as its people prepared for their night’s rest. The city had been experiencing great prosperity in recent years, beginning after Pharaoh Neferis ordered the wicked Priestess of Set, Osira, and her sorcerer son, Amenophis, be killed for their treasonous behaviors. Unfortunately for the Pharaoh, the two were able to escape from the city and went into hiding in the Theban Necropolis on the other side of the Nile where they have, unbeknownst to the Pharaoh, been gathering an army for rebellion.
Osira’s tale was a wicked one that shook the very foundation of the entire Kingdom when her crimes came to light. The wicked priestess had worked her way up through the ranks of the Temple of Set until she had claimed the position of High Priestess. Once she had claimed the most prestigious position among the most feared group of priests and priestesses in the kingdom, she began to make her move into the Palace. Catching the Pharaoh’s eye was easy enough for a woman who could perform rituals to remove the wear of the years. Though she was thirty-five and had given birth to a child when she first met the noble Pharaoh, she did not look any older than her mid-twenties. She seduced her way into the Palace and manipulated her way into the Pharaoh’s personal harem. After a year of serving the Pharaoh and become his most reliable harem slave, Osira ordered for the death of Queen Farah so that she could become Queen. She was exposed before her coronation.
Though she had fled the city and avoided the spears of the royal guardsmen, the most loyal followers of Set knew where to find her. Across the Nile and deep into the Theban Necropolis to where the sun had burned the shadows, the wicked priestess had desecrated the tomb of the late Queen Farah and transformed it into her own lair from which she commanded her forces still hiding in the dark places of Thebes. She knew that the Pharaoh would never think to hunt for her here among the tombs, especially not the royal tombs. The relics which she stole from the Pharaohs of past brought her great wealth, this wealth brought her a great army, this army would give her the Palace, the Palace would give her Thebes, and Thebes would give her all of Egypt. Of course, a woman could not be Pharaoh but Amenophis could.
Unfortunately for the wicked Osira, her precious key to power had other things on his mind on this night; the eve of his destiny. His mind had grown more and more clouded with thoughts of his childhood playmate, Taia, with each passing day that brought the siege closer. Taia was the kingdom’s beloved princess; daughter of Pharaoh Neferis and his beloved late Queen Farah. Though she was several years younger than Amenophis, she was the only person with whom he truly felt that he connected with. Despite this, he was never particularly kind to her. She was the one that he wanted as his queen when his mother finished her work; when she became Queen and killed the Pharaoh so that her son would take the reins. Amenophis viewed her as his slave and while he never held back on shouting at her or striking her when she had not done as he had told, he had always made sure that she was cared for. If he wounded her, he would dress it. If he made her cry, he would give her the respect of letting her have her space. He truly did care for her but he knew that she had to be trained to be one hundred percent subservient to him. If she was not, then she would be dangerous to him as Egypt’s beloved princess.
Now, however, he worked not to enslave her but to free her. It was dusk and the morning twilight would bring more than light and warmth with it. Osira’s forces would storm the city when the sun resurfaced and they had been ordered to kill everyone in the Palace. Amenophis had spoken out against his mother, tried to claim his ownership of the princess, and had been subject to the lashings of Osira’s overseer. His mother would not tolerate any form of insubordination, not even if it was from her own son. In truth, he didn’t hold it against her. The work that she was doing was as much for him as it was for her and even the smallest fault in their strategy could bring everything down around them. The answer this problem was simple. Taia would not be in the palace when the sun rose.
Amenophis knew that he was risking his life by setting foot back inside of Thebes but he would not allow Taia to die at the hands of his mother’s rebels. As far as he was concerned, she was his slave and always had been. He had even told her so often when he and his mother lived in the palace. It was the cost of his protection, he would always tell her. He would care for her, feed her, and protect her at the cost of her freedom. She was toy and he was her guardian whether she liked it or not.
The young sorcerer had set out at noon that day dressed in plain tan robes which wrapped about his body, hiding his unusual clothing. The hood was pulled up over his head to hide his fair and face as well. He looked like a commoner as he wove his way through Thebes’ streets that day, visiting the less savory of the city’s places as he gather supplies for the night’s endeavors. It would not be easy to get Taia out of the palace and to safety without being seen but he was willing to take the risk. If Taia could not be his queen then he did not want to be Pharaoh and if he would not be Pharaoh then his mother would have him killed. Without Amenophis, Taia would die tonight and without Taia, Amenophis would stare down the spear of his mother’s executioner.
As Amenophis wandered the now darkened halls of the Palace in search of Taia’s bed chambers, he couldn’t help but notice the lack of guards. The city loved their Pharaoh and most had forgotten about the looming threat of the traitor Priestess. He supposed that the recent period of prosperity and happiness had lulled Thebes into a false sense of security. Who would want to kill the man that gave the city so much? Sure, there were still guards in the Palace but not nearly as many as he had expected. The Pharaoh would die tomorrow. He simply didn’t have the manpower here to stop what was to come.
Osira’s tale was a wicked one that shook the very foundation of the entire Kingdom when her crimes came to light. The wicked priestess had worked her way up through the ranks of the Temple of Set until she had claimed the position of High Priestess. Once she had claimed the most prestigious position among the most feared group of priests and priestesses in the kingdom, she began to make her move into the Palace. Catching the Pharaoh’s eye was easy enough for a woman who could perform rituals to remove the wear of the years. Though she was thirty-five and had given birth to a child when she first met the noble Pharaoh, she did not look any older than her mid-twenties. She seduced her way into the Palace and manipulated her way into the Pharaoh’s personal harem. After a year of serving the Pharaoh and become his most reliable harem slave, Osira ordered for the death of Queen Farah so that she could become Queen. She was exposed before her coronation.
Though she had fled the city and avoided the spears of the royal guardsmen, the most loyal followers of Set knew where to find her. Across the Nile and deep into the Theban Necropolis to where the sun had burned the shadows, the wicked priestess had desecrated the tomb of the late Queen Farah and transformed it into her own lair from which she commanded her forces still hiding in the dark places of Thebes. She knew that the Pharaoh would never think to hunt for her here among the tombs, especially not the royal tombs. The relics which she stole from the Pharaohs of past brought her great wealth, this wealth brought her a great army, this army would give her the Palace, the Palace would give her Thebes, and Thebes would give her all of Egypt. Of course, a woman could not be Pharaoh but Amenophis could.
Unfortunately for the wicked Osira, her precious key to power had other things on his mind on this night; the eve of his destiny. His mind had grown more and more clouded with thoughts of his childhood playmate, Taia, with each passing day that brought the siege closer. Taia was the kingdom’s beloved princess; daughter of Pharaoh Neferis and his beloved late Queen Farah. Though she was several years younger than Amenophis, she was the only person with whom he truly felt that he connected with. Despite this, he was never particularly kind to her. She was the one that he wanted as his queen when his mother finished her work; when she became Queen and killed the Pharaoh so that her son would take the reins. Amenophis viewed her as his slave and while he never held back on shouting at her or striking her when she had not done as he had told, he had always made sure that she was cared for. If he wounded her, he would dress it. If he made her cry, he would give her the respect of letting her have her space. He truly did care for her but he knew that she had to be trained to be one hundred percent subservient to him. If she was not, then she would be dangerous to him as Egypt’s beloved princess.
Now, however, he worked not to enslave her but to free her. It was dusk and the morning twilight would bring more than light and warmth with it. Osira’s forces would storm the city when the sun resurfaced and they had been ordered to kill everyone in the Palace. Amenophis had spoken out against his mother, tried to claim his ownership of the princess, and had been subject to the lashings of Osira’s overseer. His mother would not tolerate any form of insubordination, not even if it was from her own son. In truth, he didn’t hold it against her. The work that she was doing was as much for him as it was for her and even the smallest fault in their strategy could bring everything down around them. The answer this problem was simple. Taia would not be in the palace when the sun rose.
Amenophis knew that he was risking his life by setting foot back inside of Thebes but he would not allow Taia to die at the hands of his mother’s rebels. As far as he was concerned, she was his slave and always had been. He had even told her so often when he and his mother lived in the palace. It was the cost of his protection, he would always tell her. He would care for her, feed her, and protect her at the cost of her freedom. She was toy and he was her guardian whether she liked it or not.
The young sorcerer had set out at noon that day dressed in plain tan robes which wrapped about his body, hiding his unusual clothing. The hood was pulled up over his head to hide his fair and face as well. He looked like a commoner as he wove his way through Thebes’ streets that day, visiting the less savory of the city’s places as he gather supplies for the night’s endeavors. It would not be easy to get Taia out of the palace and to safety without being seen but he was willing to take the risk. If Taia could not be his queen then he did not want to be Pharaoh and if he would not be Pharaoh then his mother would have him killed. Without Amenophis, Taia would die tonight and without Taia, Amenophis would stare down the spear of his mother’s executioner.
As Amenophis wandered the now darkened halls of the Palace in search of Taia’s bed chambers, he couldn’t help but notice the lack of guards. The city loved their Pharaoh and most had forgotten about the looming threat of the traitor Priestess. He supposed that the recent period of prosperity and happiness had lulled Thebes into a false sense of security. Who would want to kill the man that gave the city so much? Sure, there were still guards in the Palace but not nearly as many as he had expected. The Pharaoh would die tomorrow. He simply didn’t have the manpower here to stop what was to come.
Amenophis --- Princess Taia