Princess, Crown Not Included

We sat in a comfortable silence, the valley quiet apart from the breeze and the sounds of the two horses whinnying at each other now and again. Looking at the sky, I remembered what was about to happen and stood up, brushing myself off. Astarte frantically scrambled up as well, following the rule that subjects did not sit while the Pharaoh stood. I smiled to myself at her actions, and started to climb up on top of the broken rubble.

"Come on, you'll get a great view from up here!" I called down to her as I scrambled up the familiar rockface.

"A view of what?"

"Just come up!" I reached the top, and held a hand out to help her climb. Apparantly, due to her already being stood next to me and dusting her own hands on her legs, she didn't need it. I stood up and turned her to face the west, where the sun was just going down. "Watch..." We stood for a few minutes, waiting. I knew she was going to love it.

A feather-light touch on my hand made me look down, but all I saw was our two hands hanging loosely at our sides. Looking up, I noticed her own gaze was directed to the same place. I had assumed that it was her hand that had brushed my own, but seemingly it was mine that had moved. I waited till she looked away, then, tentatively, I slid my fingers through hers, registering again that jolt that jumped between us. The shadows shifted a fraction, and I guessed it was almost time.

"Look..." I pointed to the horizon. She tore her gaze away from our hands just in time to see the sky shift from twilighty yellows to a flaming red and orange that made it seem the world was ablaze. She gasped loudly, and, glancing over at her awestruck face, I couldn't help but notice how well the colours complemented her pale colouring, making her skin shine like copper.

Within seconds, the fire faded from the sky, to be replaced with a dull dark blue. We stood for a few more moments, our hands still locked around each other, till, eventually, her voice broke the silence.

"We should get back... I'll be in enough trouble as it is," Disentangling her fingers, she started towards the edge of the rock. I followed and started to climb down, intending to wait at the bottom and help her in her own descent. However, halfway down, a black and white blur dropped on my left, and by the time I had reached the sand, she was already standing there, recovering from her jump. I cast her a look that said "showoff..." and fell into step next to her as she walked towards her horse.

As we rode, we began to talk, about anything, everything. What palace life was like, why she had come to be in the temple, the funny things that had happened recently, particularly our suspicions that Dendera, the ringleader of the other maidens, was doing more with Acolyte Hasani than practising their chanting. Oh yes, and we had a lovely session of roundly abusing Seto. I mean, he's an excellent priest and a better friend, but his ego is the size of Nubia.

All too soon, we arrived at the city gates. By now it was night, too late for anyone to be coming in and too early for anyone to be going out. We rode quietly through the empty streets, our converstaion now ceased. I insisted on accompanying her to the temple gates, especially as they were only a short walk away from the palace doors.

"Well... thank you, Pharaoh..."

"What for?" I questioned, puzzled.

She turned her gaze towards me, her eyes betraying a smile she was surpressing. "For being so kind, for showing me that sunset... and for not beheading me where I stood." She really did believe I was going to kill her. Curious girl.

As she dismounted her horse, who I'd learned was a mare called Ramla, it struck me again how plain she looked. All the other girls had made the simple temple attire their own, a pair of ebony hair combs or a necklace. Yet this most beautiful one of them all had nothing. Sliding down from Tarik's back, I called after her retreating back. She turned, confused.

"I.. I just thought.." Oh, great, a mere temple maiden had redued the Pharaoh of all Egypt to gibbering incoherents. I took a breath and tried again. "All your friends... they all have something special... and I noticed you don't, so..." I pulled my lightest cuff from my wrist and held it out. "To say thank you. For being the closest thing I've had in a long time to a... a friend." Her eyes registered shock, not only at the fact I was giving her one of my own cuffs but also that I had described her as a friend. I guess neither of us were used to having too many of them. Well, true ones, anyway.

She tried to protest against the cuff, but I insisted, telling her that if anyone objected she could send them straight up to me and I'd deal with them. Creatively. In a way involving pins. I grinned at acheiving another of her beautiful smiles, before bidding her goodnight. She returned it, and I watched her lead Ramla into an empty stall in the stables, before she turned and waved shyly. I blew her a single kiss, and from the smile on her face, I knew she remembered that day in the courtyard the day before the Rites of Hathor as well as I did.

I turned myself, putting Tarik back into his stall, which was decidedly roomier than the one Ramla was now occupying. Stocking his feedbox with fresh hay, I stroked his silky nose and sighed happily. "Do you know, Tarik, I think things are going to get a lot better around here."