Kingdom Of The Sphinx

Chapter One: The Day of Offering

My Dearest Somnambula

I have joyous news- My pilgrimage to Pandaemonium will soon be at an end. In three days I will be confirmed and after I settle accounts here, we will be voyaging back down the river to my true home, the land of the Sphinx. I feel so excited at the idea of entering into service of the temple, and finally putting all this learning and training to work. My time here has been fruitful, and this mysterious city has it's charms, but I look forward to seeing home again. I've missed my family, my friends, you most of all. Of course I also miss Jepti, but knowing cats as I do he'd scarcely notice I'd left. He must has grown in the years I'd been away.

I must confess this, as it will be easier to do in writing than face to face. I have failed my final exam to be a priestess. I was most disappointed, but I can't say it was a surprise. After all, only one in a thousand qualify to be a Priestess. Pressing on, I still received the coveted position of temple warden. While I would have preferred the life of a priestess, but I think the position will suit me well.

Of course, this means that I will be able to marry one day and as I'll be making my return around offering day I fear many suitors will be pestering me at the feast. In truth, no one in court could catch my eye, not a single one. There is but one, we both know who could possibly capture me, but I dare not write the name. Perhaps when I attend the feast, I can rekindle this old fire. I look forward to this most of all.

Hug Jepti for me, and know that I look forward to seeing you again. Your friendship has been an inspiration and has been a great comfort through the trying times of my pilgrimage. I hope I can repay you in some form when we meet again.

With love always,
-Jasmine

So many ponies know the story, it hardly seems worth telling. The famine, the Sphinx, the riddle, the daring rescue, that part is no mystery. However, in a thousand years it seems ponies have forgot the truth behind the myth. My people lacked a written word that could survive to this day, so ponies of modern times can be forgiven for not remembering the truth of the story. Trading the ponies who lived, and suffered those trying times for a comforting fairy tale.

They speak of me, Somnambula the Pillar of Hope, as if I were a saint. Parents tell their foals tales of the adventures of courageous Prince Hisan, and many a soldier has entertained themselves by firelight with tales of the great Bomani, the soldier so powerful they called him the ender of worlds. But where are the tales of her? Her name has been lost like nighttime dew meeting the sun. I will remember her, and with this document, I hope her legend and what she did for the kingdom will be remembered by all.

Another thing that I wish to clarify, while we're getting this all in writing; is the relationship we had with the Sphinx. In my kingdom, the Sphinx was not just an evil crop stealing meanie, she was the patron of the entire kingdom. While we did have a Pharaoh, far and wide we were known as the "Kingdom of the Sphinx" because it was her who granted us with her blessing on the crops to make them fruitful, and her wisdom to advise our leaders. The Sphinx was not just powerful physically, she was powerful in magic, well able to keep our kingdom prosperous and safe. In truth, we loved her for it. Every merchant, farmer, and craftsman in the kingdom would bring her a portion of their yield as an offering. We did this once a year, and it was known as the Offering feast. This day was one of our most joyous days. Everypony from the lowliest peasant to the Pharaoh himself stands before the Sphinx, and she knew all of us by name. All our functions, be they courtships, business deals, or matters of war, where decided on this day. For that was the day we were in the presence of the Sphinx, and had access to her great wisdom.

I awoke the morning of the offering day, the same way I often did, with my beloved cat, Jepti walking over my head. This was the black and white cat's usual way of telling me I'd slept to long for his liking, and he was ready to be fed. I opened the jar of pickled fish I kept near the bed and poured a portion into Jepti's dish. Stretching as I stepped out of the bed. My mother hated that I kept a jar of stinking fish by my bed but Jepti rarely got his fill of mice. The magic of the Sphinx kept the vermin away so much, I had to resort to feeding my cat.