Princess, Crown Not Included

With a smile that was almost a smirk, Atem tore his eyes away from the group of temple maidens in the courtyard below him and turned to his High Priest. Screw whatever random ceremony he had to be present at the next day, he'd rather just sit and watch the girls sit aound the temple well till evening rituals. Well, no, that was a lie: there was only one he particularly wanted to see. Astarte.

The Pharaoh knew that was her name because he had once heard Seto, the High Priest, order her to fetch more incense during the Ceremony of Ra. He had been so absorbed in watching her walk away, her ebony braids swinging with the motion of her strides, that he had almost tripped over his own sandals and gone flying into the altar. The image came back to him with as much force as it had had that day, and he had to physically shake himself to rid his mind of the image and get his thoughts back to whatever Seth was saying.

"Pharaoh?"

"Yes, yes, Seto, I'll be there, just make sure I'm woken.... You done? I'm busy." Though he could see the shock and anger on the older mans face, not even Seto's ego and pride would allow him to disobey a direct dismissal. He bowed low, and backed out of the doorway. Atem sighed contentedly and turned back around in his seat on the balcony to recommence his observances of the girls below him. One of them, a tall girl with flaming red hair, noticed and announced the fact in a mutter to the rest of the girls, who all started that sychronised giggling that all females seem capable of. The redhead nudged Astarte in the side of the head, causing the giggles to get even louder, and even from his high vantage point Atem could see the red flush that crept along her cheeks. In a gesture that any of the higher priets would disapprove of, he blew eight kisses from his fingertips, one for each of the girls. This, of course, drove the laughing into hysterics, and would have gone on for longer, had not one of Seto's lower acolytes hurried out to chivvy them back into the temple to prepare for evening rituals.

They rose and followed him back into the shade of the temple. Just before she stepped through the doorway, Astarte turned and glanced up at the Pharaoh. He smiled and blew another kiss, just for her. She flushed again, and turned back inside, with a shout for her friend to wait for her. Atem stared after her retreating back for a few seconds, before rising and walking throught to his private quarters, where he flung himself face-up onto his bed and tucked his hands behind his head.

Why couldn't her get her off his mind? He was Pharaoh of the most powerful empire on Ra's earth. He should be making an engagement to some princess of a neighbouring contry, keep the allies close. He couldn't afford to throw away the future of his people on a selfish whim. But he could still dream, couldn't he?

Tomorrow was the ceremony of Hathor, the goddess of love and peace his favourite gaggle of maidens served.

Who knew, maybe he would see her there.