The Pharaoh & His Daughter

Prologue | Her Legacy

In memory of Dan Green, his beloved wife, Michal Friedman, and their precious twins. They are always in my prayers.

Mahad could only hold his tears back as the baby girl gazed at his eyes.

They were aquamarine gems, just like her mother's.

"Hello, Anippe."

The baby smiled softly at Mahad, making his heart melt.

His attention shifted to the cries and mourning of the people.

He heard the horns and the marching footsteps of countless soldiers.

"I promise you, Mana, I will look after them," Mahad vowed, cradling the baby closer to his chest.

"I swear," Mahad whispered as he heard his Pharaoh's sobs finally echoing from down the hallway.

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FIVE YEARS LATER

"She sure is Mana's kid," Isis spoke with a gentle smile. Mahad could only nod.

Both he and Isis were sitting under the courtyard's corridor shade, watching how the young crown princess splashed her feet in the garden's pond.

The princess let out a sweet laugh as she tried picking up a toad from one of the many lily pads.

That made Isis chuckle; however, as she turned to Mahad, she saw the pain in his eyes.

"Mahad," she began, but he only shook his head. He didn't want to talk about it. Isis pressed her lips in a thin line and became silent once again.

Seeing the princess have fun by herself in the pond, surrounded by countless flowers and under Ra's sun, was enough to make Isis's heart swell in pain.

She was the spitting image of Mana, except she had blonde tips at the bottom of her brown hair and a few strands of red hair. Otherwise, it was looking at Mana herself when she was younger.

Isis could not imagine the pain Mahad felt every day. He practically raised Mana at the princess's age, and now, instead of watching her raise her child, it was him.

Mana had been so excited to become a mother, for her and Atem to raise a beautiful family together.

And when they had discovered she was pregnant, for this miracle to have happened, both the Queen and King were ecstatic.

Why, out of all the people in the world, did this tragedy occur to them? Instead of celebrating the arrival of Egypt's heir, the people mourned for the loss of their Queen. Why was Mana denied the chance to live to see and raise her daughter with Atem?

"Enough sorrow."

Both Isis and Mahad turned around and stood up rapidly to bow before the Pharaoh.

"Pharaoh," both Isis and Mahad spoke simultaneously, but Atem held his hand to stop them.

"It is alright, you two. It is only us."

Atem smiled at the nervous expressions of Mahad and Isis before setting his gaze on the small figure on the pond. His eyes immediately filled with tender love and admiration.

"I know," he began, never leaving his gaze off his daughter, "it's hard looking at her without thinking of Mana."

Isis sucked in a breath, whereas Mahad stood still.

"For the longest time, I was mad at the gods. Why did they forsake such a tragedy upon Mana? Why her? It wasn't fair." Atem smiled sadly, "I wanted to be selfish for once, to have my wife and best friend with me. I deserved it. I have done so much for Egypt; I deserved this one thing in my life, no?"

Atem was silent for a moment.

"But, when I look at Anippe every day, tug her in at night, play with her, I can't help but love Mana even more. She gave her life for her. I know; I know she would do it all over again. Even if she knew she was bound to die, she would choose Anippe's life over her's every single time. As I would as well."

Closing his eyes, Atem continued, "Instead of looking at my daughter in melancholy and grief, I look at her with joy, love, and admiration. She is the last piece of Mana I have in this world. She is the home of my heart. Though she will never experience the love only Mana could ever offer, a mother's love, I know with me by her side, she'll never be alone. I hope I can give her the same amount of love Mana was ready to give her."

Opening his eyes, he smiled at Mahad and Isis before he excused himself and walked towards the pond.

Mahad smiled at the new scene before him. Atem, now soaked in water, was now swinging his daughter in his arms.

Anippe giggled, exclaiming, "I'm flying!"

Isis smiled tenderly, watching her Pharaoh laugh as his daughter chased him around in the pond.

"No, no, Anippe, you don't use the lily pads like that." Atem began as he crouched down before his daughter.

"When your mother and I were young, we would use them as hats." He demonstrated as he placed a lily pad on his head. The princess burst out laughing before she chose a lily pad as a hat.

"My lily flower is bigger than yours!"

"Then I shall steal your flower!" he declared as he began chasing his daughter.

Mahad laughed softly.

Though Mana was not with them, they would never let her legacy and memories die. Anippe had every right to know just how wonderful her mother was. He would be damned to let her memories die.

Seeing the Pharaoh carry the princess in his arms as he pointed at a lotus flower and explained to her why lotus flowers were Mana's favorite flowers, Mahad couldn't help but let tears stream down his eyes. Atem was doing an excellent job at keeping her memories alive.

"Rest easy now, Mana," he whispered.

"She is in good hands," Isis whispered back.

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"Anippe," said Ma'at.

"He sure is clever," Ra chuckled as the rest of the gods turned to him.

"Why? What does her name mean?" Serket asked.

"Anippe means daughter of the Nile," Seshat replied.

"Atem named his daughter Anippe as he and his wife Mana have many fond memories at the Nile river," Anuket added with a tender smile.

"Every time he'll see her, call her name, or hear her name, it will only bring joyful memories," Amun spoke with admiration as he gazed down at the Egyptian Pharaoh who walked alongside the Nile river. A group of guards and servants followed a few yards behind.

And upon his shoulders, his daughter sat. She had her chin resting on his head.

She wore the most beautiful smile ever.

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Note:

"Anuket, in Egyptian religion, the patron deity of the Nile River. Anuket is normally depicted as a beautiful woman wearing a crown of reeds and ostrich feathers and accompanied by a gazelle." - britannica .com