A/N: Wow, three reviews for one chapter! I’m flattered! Hehe. Alright, time is going to move very fast in this fic. This chapter takes place about a week and a half after the last one, and spans the course of a week. You get to see Set and the others in this chapter, too!

Chapter 2: The Priestess’s Trials

A pale young boy ran from his playmate, laughing. The soon to be high priest had the day off from his lessons and decided that he deserved the free time. He, after all, was to become the second most powerful man in all of Kemet, and he wouldn’t get many days off after the next fertile season, in a few months, when the real training would begin. He and the other three apprentices, along with the pharaoh’s son, would be worked as long as Re was visible in the sky. Those of the Pharaoh’s court needed much proper training, since they would become the bearers of the Sennen Items.

The five had decided a game of tag was in order to celebrate, and at the moment, the apprentice high priest was running from his to be liege lord, the prince of Kemet. Atemu was among the youngest of the five playmates, with only Karim being younger by several months. Mahaado and Shadah were both a year above the prince, making the high priest to be, Set, the oldest at seven. The wide expanse in front of the palace was the perfect place to run freely and be as far out of the way as possible of those who were not as lucky as the noble children to have the day off. That, and they had the chance to see everyone who entered through the palace gates.

Which is why Set had suddenly stopped running, causing everyone to run to him and Atemu to declare him “It.”

“Se-et,” the five year old whined. “Why’d you stop?” Set answered by crossing his arms and glaring at the opening gate. The others followed his gaze to see a middle-age man ride through on horseback.

“Look whose back,” he sneered. None of the children actually liked the man; there was something strange about him.

“Yes,” Shadah said slowly. “And look what he brought with him. What man rides and forces a female to walk?” True enough, a young girl, probably as old as any of them, was walking silently next to the man’s horse.

“She’s a slave,” two voices answered him. The six year old looked at the eldest boy, than at another his own age. Mahaado’s head was cocked to the side, as though this girl was an experiment of sorts, one that needed to be observed from several different angles. Set was just glaring at her with an unreadable expression.

Karim shook his head. “Nah, she’s too pretty to be a slave. ’Sides, she isn’t dressed like one.”

“Neither was Mahaado when they brought him,” Atemu said softly. “Right, Set?”

“Yes.” But he had to admit, Karim was right. The girl did look pretty. Her ebony hair was left hanging down to her back, and sapphire eyes wondered around, taking in her surroundings. They locked with his for a moment and she flashed a small smile. He returned it, something the other boys didn’t fail to notice.

“Ooo, Set likes the slave girl, Set likes the slave girl,” Atemu said in a sing song voice. In seconds, the other three had taken up the chant. Once the girl had disappeared into the palace with her master, Set glared at them.

“I think I’m…It, aren’t I?”

With that, they stopped chanting and ran, laughing and screaming all the way. Set had the advantage, and within minutes, the title “It” had been passed to Shadah, who wasn’t having any luck with it. As he narrowly missed tagging Karim, a loud, thunderous voice caused all of them to stop in their tracks.

Pharaoh Akunamon eyed the two in front of him. The elder was kneeling in front of the court. That was all fine and well. But the girl who stood next to him, his slave, was on her feet. It was as though she didn’t realize she was in front of the Pharaoh’s Court. Her eyes were not on the ground, but absorbing the room---his throne room, to be precise. He turned his glare from the nobleman and the girl, and observed the rest of the court. Sehka, his High Priestess and bearer of the Tauk, was watching the girl intently. He was spared from seeing the others reactions as a loud bang resonated through the room.

Trust Akunadin to make a dramatic entrance, the Pharaoh thought with a roll of his eyes. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Secmenton, priest of the Rod, with his head in his hands. The nobleman stood up and moved to the side, catching the girl by the arm and dragging her with him into the shadows, as he bowed his head in respect for High Priest Akunadin. The girl focused on the priest of the Eye as he strode forward, five young boys in tow, her eyes slightly narrowed. All save one, the prince, kneeled in front of the pharaoh and took their respective places amongst the Court.

The pharaoh spoke. “Explain your presence to the court.” The nobleman moved so he was in front of the court, leaving the child to the shadows.

“Sire, during my last visit, I had the pleasure of speaking with one of your advisors. It was mentioned, in passing, my lord, of the failure of the trial of a young woman to succeed the High Priestess.” At this, Sehka raised an eyebrow and Akunamon leaned forward, intrigued.

“Go on,” he said, brows furrowed. What’s he getting at?

“Yes, your grace.” He paused. “I thought nothing of it, until several days ago. You see, I had a…an argument with one of my younger sons, and he ran off.”

“I fail to see the relevance.”

“If I may be granted the time, sire.” The Pharaoh nodded. “I gave him several hours to himself, so that he may calm. Before I left, I went looking for him, to say my farewells. I did not succeed. Upon my search of the kitchens, I was told that he had fallen in the river by a kitchen slave girl.”

At this, the eyes of all adults present turned to the shadows, where the forgotten young girl stood, now watching the preceding carefully. Then they shifted back to the noble in front of them. “Elaborate.”

“The child, when asked to explain how she knew this, told me of her dream the night before and how my son had fallen into the river. I had a feeling she spoke the truth, and followed the path to the river, where my son lay upon the bank, unconscious, but alive.” Murmurs rose scattered through the court, silenced when Akunamon cleared his throat.

“How do you know she saw it in a dream as she said? It is possible that she merely witnessed the event as it happened.”

“My slaves and servants swore under penalty of pain that she hadn’t left the kitchens since Re had risen on that day.”

“Slaves lie,” Kepura, priest of the Ring, said icily. “Even under pain, to protect their own.”

The man in front of them was stumped, his cheeks flushed from the embarrassment he felt from not having thought of that. There was silence in the room, as Set smirked at the thought of the punishment the man would get for wasting the Court’s time. But the silence didn’t last long. “But it’s true!”

To say the Court was startled would be an understatement. The child, the slave that had once again been forgotten in the shadows, was glaring at the court as if they were disgusting her. “What is this!” Akunadin growled. He glared at the slave, then at her master, searching for an explanation. The poor man, however, looked just as startled as the rest of those in the room. No one had ever dared to question the judgment of the Court, and Mafdet help who ever did.

“It is!” the girl continued. “I saw it in my dream! Why doesn’t anyone ever believe me?” That did it. The Court exploded.

Each of the five boys looked on with amused expressions as the Pharaoh stood up. “Quiet! Pharaoh speaks!” he shouted. The effect was amazing. One could hear a copper pot drop several rooms away. Akunamon glared at his court, then the nobleman, and finally the slave girl, who returned the glare for several seconds before dropping her gaze to the floor. He turned back to the court. “Atenza,” he said. The priest nodded, and picked a set of golden scales up off the floor. He walked forward, setting the scales in front of the girl. There was a bright flash, and a white feather appeared on one side, a piece of the girl’s spirit on the other. The Scale rocked back and forth, finally coming to rest. The feather and her spirit were dead even, though later on, Karim and Mahaado would swear it was slightly tipped in her favor, and years after Set would agree. Atenza glanced at the pharaoh and picked the scales back up, returning to his place. Akunamon turned to his twin.

“Maat and Ammit say she is a sincere soul. Does the Eye say the same, Akunadin?”

Another flash, coming from the High Priest’s left eye, or where it should have been. “Yes,” he admitted grudgingly.

“My lord,” a soft voice said. Sehka stepped out towards him, though her eyes remained on the girl. “I believe the girl may possess the proper…qualities required. Perhaps she should be tested, so that she may prove herself worthy of such an honor.”

More murmurs broke out. Akunamon raised an eyebrow at the priestess. “She is to be your apprentice and successor should she pass the trials. It is, in a way, ultimately your decision.” Sehka nodded, confirming the girl.

“Set, Atemu,” Shimon said, tripping over a large, gold ankh almost as big as its bearer as he walked towards them. “You and the others take her outside as we prepare.”

Atemu looked at his father, who inclined his head in agreement. The five boys ran out of the room, Set and Mahaado grabbing the girl by the arms and bringing her along. Once outside, she pulled herself out of their grip and sat on the grass, a rarity in Kemet. The boys started another game of tag, save for Mahaado, who sat next to the girl and watched the others in silence.

“They aren’t so bad, you know,” he said after awhile. She looked at him. When she didn’t say anything, he spoke again. “I bet you wish you were anywhere but here.” She sighed, but didn’t speak. “I know it’s hard; last year…last year I felt like I didn’t belong. Like I wasn’t important. With all of them just staring at me…I wanted to go back to stables. I was so tired and upset because they made me do so much. I just wanted to scream!” She turned her head and smiled at him. Finally, a response from her! “I can’t believe you shouted like that in there,” he laughed. “I thought teacher was going to explode, his face was so red!”

“Hey, Mahaado! Come on! We need to defeat Set!”

“Just a minute, Karim! Coming?” The girl nodded, joining in the game. She, as the new girl, was declared It immediately. The five ran from her, laughing. Set, seeming to think he was undefeatable, started to taunt the girl as he ran from her. However, he snapped his mouth shut when she tapped him on the shoulder and quietly claimed him to be It.

“Wow,” Atemu breathed. “She got Set!”

Set, on the other hand, crossed his arms, unamused. “Fool’s Luck,” he scoffed.

“You just don’t want to admit that a girl beat you,” Shadah said with a smile.

Set smirked and gently pushed him away. “You’re It,” he said, running away. The younger boy sighed.

“Why me?”

Secmenton stepped outside, watching the six interact. He didn’t doubt for a minute Sekha’s words. The girl seemed to carry a certain air about her, one he thought only Set had possessed. Interesting that the next pharaoh may have such a pair in his court, a pair that might cause some…unique occurrences within the palace. He shook his head, pitying the prince for a moment. Just by looking at the six children, one had to admit they would make a great team. With them, Kemet could face its most prosperous times, or its most horrible. Funny how things could go.

He cleared his throat, and called the children in. Time to put the slave girl to the test. For a brief moment, he wondered if it was even possible for her to lose.

She stood in front of the round table, cautiously eyeing the urns in front of her. She didn’t like this. The pharaoh cleared his throat. “Before we begin, we must inquire of your status.” She cocked her head to the side, large bronze hoops from her ears clanking against her cheek. Before she could open her mouth to question, the pharaoh nodded to a scribe, who positioned his quill in a position signaling he was ready.

“Status?”

She paused. “Sold into slavery.”

“Age?”

“Six.”

“Name?”

“Aishizu.”

“Family and/or village?”

“Can’t remember.”

The quiet whisperings that had been going on since she had mentioned being born into slavery were now raised a notch or two, causing the Pharaoh to ask for silence. At the scribe’s audible sigh and raised eyebrows, Akunamon said, “We need no more from her as of yet.” He stepped down, stood at the table across from her. He gave it a rather quick spin, and motioned for Shimon. The Ankh-bearer took a scrap of thick linen from the only servant in the room, who left, and tied around the girl’s eyes as the table spun. She cast a quick glance at the cinnamon haired boy before her eyes were covered completely, leaving her in darkness.

Set’s eyes followed the table as it slowed to a stop and Shimon took a step back. The girl---Aishizu---didn’t move. He glared at the table and urns, wondering what the test could possibly be. He knew Mahaado, almost a year ago in the same situation, was forced to undergo a magician’s proof. Set himself had to go through a weird one for command and control, or something like that. He wondered what a table and seven urns would have to do with a seer’s proof. His question was answered as the Pharaoh spoke again.

“Of the seven urns, two are empty. Three more contain the deadliest of snakes, and the last contain ones of no harm. You, girl, must find the two empty and the two safe, without opening the lids or removing the cloth from your eyes. You are forbidden from touching the vases themselves. The table will be spun again as soon as a pot is removed. Proceed.”

Aishizu swallowed and stepped forward. She reached out, allowing her hand to hover above the lids. She walked around the table with amazing ease for someone blindfolded; only stopping when she reached a pot closest to the scribe. “Empty,” she said softly, taking step back. Atenza walked forward. He opened the lid and reached inside the urn before pulling out an unscathed arm. He then knocked the pot onto the ground, causing all children present to jump slightly at the sudden sound that interrupted the silent room.

“One empty, two safe,” he said, giving the table another spin. When it came to rest, he returned to his place beside the Pharaoh. Aishizu walked around the table again. She frowned for a moment before stopping near the apprentice priests. She declared the pot empty, her voice slightly wavering, unsure of something. Her judgment of the pots was proven true by Akunadin, who found the urn empty as a disappointment. He went to spin the table again, but Aishizu had set her hand firmly on it, removing her blindfold with her other hand. More whispers arose.

“Do you admit defeat, girl?” Akunamon asked. “There are still two more urns you must find.”

“No there aren’t.”

The younger boys, Karim and Atemu, closed their eyes. Slave or not, they liked this girl. All the other ones brought to the courts were arrogant and lady-like. Their silent prayers were different, but went along the same lines. Mafdet, save her. She’ll be thrown to the snake pits and sacrificed to the gods for this.

“You question the court again?” Kepura said, with perhaps a little more force than was necessary.

“Yes.”

“Explain yourself, girl.”

“There aren’t any safe pots. Two were empty, and four filled with asps.” Silence reigned the room. It was broken by Sekha, of all people, who brought her hands together in slow claps.

“Well done, young one. You saw through the trick. You prove to us once again that even slaves can be among the noble and righteous when you question the court. The reaction of the other children only demonstrates this further, for you have been among them for only a few hours and are already accepted. A quality rarely found in others thought creditable. You are most worthy of taking the tests.”

Aishizu blushed and swallowed. “More tests?”

Sehka smiled. “Yes, but only after we have you in a few lessons. I wish to see how you learn as well. You will be taught the basics of reading and writing.”

“Why?”

“Why? I believe I have already explained it.”

“But I can already read and write.”

At this, Akunadin froze, before fuming at the girl’s forgotten master, who stood in the shadows. “You teach slaves to read and write!” he growled.

“I…It wasn’t…I never…”

“My father taught me.” Her voice was soft but clear. “He was a scribe for the temple. He taught me and my older brother how to. He was going to teach my younger brother, too, but…” she trailed off, her voice becoming strained with her last few words. She fell silent.

“Very well,” Sekha said, frowning, her fingers gracing over the eye on the Tauk. “We shall let you rest the night. Your true trials will start tomorrow.” She looked at Pharaoh Akunamon for conformation of this. He nodded.

Aishizu stood across the room from Set a few days later, a smile playing over her face. She was in the process of her last test, Ka summoning. She wasn’t exactly sure what her Ka was as she had never seen it, but according to Sekha, it was strong. Set’s Ka was in front of her. She had seen him duel the others before now, and knew that Diosu probably wasn’t weak enough for her to injure. Still, she wanted to try. She closed her eyes, concentrating on drawing out her Ka. Without thinking, she called out, “Spirit Superior!” and attempted to attack. As she thought, her Ka wasn’t quite as strong as Set’s, but she was still pleased with it. Both Kas disappeared, returning to their owners.

The next day, Aishizu was temporarily given the Tauk by Sekha, to see if it would allow her to bear it. It glowed brightly, causing her to place a hand to her neck. She dropped to her knees, her other hand breaking her fall. But, unlike the other girls, she was conscious and sane. She was accepted.

The elderly priestess gave the girl a rare smile before telling her to be at her quarters at dawn tomorrow for the real training. Later, at the small feast given to announce that five of the six future priests had been found, Aishizu found her self surrounded by the other boys. Karim declared that since she was the only female among the Court, save the queen, they were to protect her as well as Atemu. Even though she was older than him by a year, he declared her to be their Little Sister.

Aishizu sighed in happiness. For the first time in a year, she felt like something more than a slave.

A/N: Whew! (wipes sweat off forehead) Long chapter. Let’s see. I’m pretty sure the names I used for the Pharaoh’s Court are correct. I know Karim and Mahaado and all them are right, and according to the website, I think I got their predecessors. Even if I didn’t, they’re staying who they are.

Quick review:

Pharaoh Akunamon (aa ku naa mun) Atemu’s father; holder of the Sennen Puzzle

High Priest Akunadin (aa ku naa dyn) Set’s predecessor as High Priest; holder of the Sennen Eye

Priestess Sekha (se ka) Aishizu’s predecessor; holder of the Sennen Tauk (Necklace)

Priest Secmenton (sec men tin) holder of the Sennen Rod; Set’s predecessor concerning the Rod

Priest Atenza (aa ten za) holder of the Scales; Karim’s predecessor

Priest Shimon (sh e min) holder of the Ankh; Shadah’s predecessor

Priest Kepura (ke pour aa) holder of the Ring; Mahaado’s predecessor

Alrighty then. Nice little review for you. Now you’re all going to kill me---Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses 101, part I.

Mefdet- goddess protector against snakes and scorpions

Maat- goddess of truth, justice, and order

Ammit- goddess that devoured the heart should you not be worthy enough to enter the afterlife

Re- also known as Ra; creator god and god of the sun

Oookay, now that that’s over with, I will remind you about time in this fic. The span of chapters will move very fast. One chapter could take place years after the last one. That should explain why characters change or disappear, or whatever. If personalities seem strange right now, please tell me. I’m not sure what I’ll d abut it, but it’d be nice to know

I’m upping the rating on this when I post the third chapter. There’s going to be a little more romance than I had originally spoken of, so…yeah. Forewarning, I’ve never actually written a pure romance fic, so I can’t tell you how well I’ll do with it.

I’ve talked…typed for far too long. My Author’s Notes should never be this long again, so you’ll have to forgive me. Review?