Eternal Love
The Most Suspicious of Muffins
Chione was thrown to the floor. The guards that had taken her from the pharaoh's soldiers were not at all gentle as they handled her. She landed harshly before the throne of the pharaoh due to her hands being tied together.
"We finally caught her, O Great One," one of the guards sneered.
The young woman glared up at him, knowing full well that the guard had not been the one to catch her. It was the pharaoh's soldiers that had sought her out and captured her. But why? Chione was no criminal. Yes, she had fled from the palace when she was younger but not because she had done something wrong. This could not be because of that, could it? Many years had passed since then and she was certain no one would remember a simple servant girl. The only person that could was dead, unfortunately.
"How dare you! She is your future queen! Release her immediately!" the voice of the pharaoh boomed.
Chione had not even looked toward the mighty pharaoh yet and already she was frightened. There was an air of ferality in his voice but that was not what drew fear into her chest. No, it was how familiar the voice sounded that scared her. It was deeper than the voice she knew, more mature but still recognizable. It could not be his though for the owner of that voice was long dead. The guard seemed just as startled by the pharaoh's anger as she was, scrambling to help her to her feet. After the rope around her wrists was cut, she finally looked toward the pharaoh just in time to watch him descend from his throne. The sight of him increased the tightness in her chest and sent ice into her limbs. It could not be him, it could not! He was dead! And yet… There he was before her. He was older than she remembered, as if time had changed him just as much as it had changed her. But a dead person could not be changed in this way. The pharaoh approached her and took her hands in his, rubbing her wrists tenderly as his eyes met hers. They were not the rich brown she remembered, being a brilliant gold color instead.
"Are you alright, my love? Are you hurt?" he asked her.
His voice was gentle now, a stark contrast to the thunderous tone he had used with his guard. The moniker he used made her heart constrict, a memory of old playing in her mind. She recalled how the young prince had called her that, following it with promises of being his wife someday. As a young girl, only a few years younger than the prince, she had fantasized over the romantic words. But now, she was only disturbed. This man before her could not be real. Her love had died, been murdered by his brother. She had witnessed the whole thing which is why she and her mother fled from the palace before his body had even gone cold. She had not gotten to say goodbye.
"Y-Yes, I am fine," Chione managed.
Her brown eyes ran over the pharaoh's visage, taking in his golden brown skin, piercing golden eyes, and familiar features. He looked exactly like the murdered prince would have looked if he had been able to live longer. Not only that, this pharaoh looked more like a pharaoh than any human could. Pharaohs were considered gods but none of them had ever looked so godly, even if she only saw them in their depictions surrounded by hieroglyphs. She continued to stare at him, forgetting about the guards who's apologies became distant murmuring in her ears.
The pharaoh silenced his guards. "Come, my love. You must be tired after your journey. I will take you to our chambers."
Chione could only nod as she allowed herself to be dragged away. His touch was light on her body, easy to break away from but she could not bring herself to do anything but follow him. The walk to his bed chambers blurred by. Nothing was said between them during that time which allowed the young woman to regain her facilities. Upon entering the room, she tore herself away from the pharaoh and backed herself into a corner. The pharaoh frowned in response to this but did not immediately go after her, taking off his Nemes headdress and setting it aside. Without it, he looked even more like himself than before. Chione remembered how the young prince preferred his hair not be shaved or styled, black locks resting wildly on his shoulders just as they did now.
"Wh-Who are you?!" she cried.
"Do you not recognize me? I am Amentatenen, your beloved prince."
"No! You cannot be Amentatenen," her eyes filled with tears. "My beloved prince was murdered!"
The pharaoh approached her slowly, like one would approach an injured animal. Despite her fear and distress, Chione allowed him to take one of her hands in both of his. His golden eyes bore into hers as they pleaded with her to see that it was truly him. He brought her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles so tenderly that all of her resistance melted out of her.
"I am Amentatenen, my love. I know what you saw and I will not deny it happened. Yes, I was murdered but now I have returned and taken my rightful place as pharaoh and you will be my wife just as I promised."
"I-If that is true, then how is it you are here? The dead do not just reappear!"
"They do if they are of royal blood," he grinned, showing off his sharp canines. "Or rather they can."
Chione pulled away from him. "I do not understand…"
"After I died, I was entombed with a relic known as The Eye of Ra. I was unsatisfied with my death so I used it to beg the gods to be reborn. Through the aid of Osiris I became a child of Sekhmet and was birthed like this into the Nile by her counterpart, Hathor. I know I do not look quite the same but I promise you, I am still the same person."
The young woman had heard rumors that those of royal blood could return to the earthly plane after death but she had always assumed it was a manifestation of their ka. Either that or they were merely just tales made up to further the greatness of the godlike rulers. But now it seemed that the rumors were true, in a sense.
"...why do you look different though? You look similar but not. You appear more…"
"Godly?" Amentatenen finished her sentence before she could. "That is because I am no longer human."
Ice began to creep into her veins. "Wh-What?"
The pharaoh stepped closer to her, trapping her in the corner she had backed herself into as he repeated himself. "I am no longer human."
"What… What are you then?"
"A child of Sekhmet. In exchange for my rebirth, I have taken on her qualities."
"I-I do not understand, what does that mean?"
The pharaoh sighed almost regretfully. "It means that while I am more powerful than any human, some sacrifices must be made. I must watch my temper and hunger carefully, lest I lose myself to the ferality my goddess possesses."
Chione's eyes widened as he spoke. The goddess Sehkmet was known for her bloodthirst and rage. It became clear that her beloved had become a creature similar to the lion goddess. She did not fully understand what he was but she found that she did not care. Her beloved had returned from the dead and sought her out in order to marry her like he once promised. In that moment, nothing else mattered.
"Is there something I can do to help you with your… inhuman-ness?"
He smiled briefly. "I need to consume blood to survive… While I can still enjoy food, it no longer satisfies me."
"You want to drink my blood?" Chione asked uneasily.
"If you do not mind. I can easily find someone else if it bothers you."
"...Will it hurt? W-Will you be able to stop?"
"Of course I will. I have very good control over myself when I am not enraged or starving. And no, it will not hurt beyond the pinch of a bite."
After a few moments of thought, Chione nodded and stepped closer to him. "You may have my blood then."
Amentatenen wasted no time. His fangs sunk into the flesh of her neck and while it caused her to wince loudly, any pain ebbed away quickly and was soon replaced by pure bliss. She sighed out and melted into his arms, which held her as if she might disappear. After a few moments, he released her and soothed the bite with soft kisses.
"...I have missed you so much. Will you still be my wife despite my condition?"
"Yes," Chione breathed, smiling dreamily.
The bliss induced high she got from his bite might have clouded her judgement as Chione found herself unwilling to pass up the chance to be the Amentatenen's queen. Although the prospect of marrying a monstrous man returned fear to her chest, she could not help being delighted by the idea. After his death, she had not only mourned him but also mourned the loss of the marriage she had fantasized about. Nothing could make her happier in this moment or for the rest of her life than to be Amentatenen's wife. As the pharaoh pulled back, leaving her neck tingling from his kisses, she caught the sight of his smiling face. The fangs were something she would have to get used to, among other many things, but she did not mind. The bite had not been painful and in her heart she still deeply loved the man before her. As a result, Chione felt confident that she could handle being married to him. She would feed him, love him, and care for him for as long as she lived and there was no doubt in her mind that he would readily, and happily, return the favor to her.
"Yes, I will be your wife, happily and forever."
"We finally caught her, O Great One," one of the guards sneered.
The young woman glared up at him, knowing full well that the guard had not been the one to catch her. It was the pharaoh's soldiers that had sought her out and captured her. But why? Chione was no criminal. Yes, she had fled from the palace when she was younger but not because she had done something wrong. This could not be because of that, could it? Many years had passed since then and she was certain no one would remember a simple servant girl. The only person that could was dead, unfortunately.
"How dare you! She is your future queen! Release her immediately!" the voice of the pharaoh boomed.
Chione had not even looked toward the mighty pharaoh yet and already she was frightened. There was an air of ferality in his voice but that was not what drew fear into her chest. No, it was how familiar the voice sounded that scared her. It was deeper than the voice she knew, more mature but still recognizable. It could not be his though for the owner of that voice was long dead. The guard seemed just as startled by the pharaoh's anger as she was, scrambling to help her to her feet. After the rope around her wrists was cut, she finally looked toward the pharaoh just in time to watch him descend from his throne. The sight of him increased the tightness in her chest and sent ice into her limbs. It could not be him, it could not! He was dead! And yet… There he was before her. He was older than she remembered, as if time had changed him just as much as it had changed her. But a dead person could not be changed in this way. The pharaoh approached her and took her hands in his, rubbing her wrists tenderly as his eyes met hers. They were not the rich brown she remembered, being a brilliant gold color instead.
"Are you alright, my love? Are you hurt?" he asked her.
His voice was gentle now, a stark contrast to the thunderous tone he had used with his guard. The moniker he used made her heart constrict, a memory of old playing in her mind. She recalled how the young prince had called her that, following it with promises of being his wife someday. As a young girl, only a few years younger than the prince, she had fantasized over the romantic words. But now, she was only disturbed. This man before her could not be real. Her love had died, been murdered by his brother. She had witnessed the whole thing which is why she and her mother fled from the palace before his body had even gone cold. She had not gotten to say goodbye.
"Y-Yes, I am fine," Chione managed.
Her brown eyes ran over the pharaoh's visage, taking in his golden brown skin, piercing golden eyes, and familiar features. He looked exactly like the murdered prince would have looked if he had been able to live longer. Not only that, this pharaoh looked more like a pharaoh than any human could. Pharaohs were considered gods but none of them had ever looked so godly, even if she only saw them in their depictions surrounded by hieroglyphs. She continued to stare at him, forgetting about the guards who's apologies became distant murmuring in her ears.
The pharaoh silenced his guards. "Come, my love. You must be tired after your journey. I will take you to our chambers."
Chione could only nod as she allowed herself to be dragged away. His touch was light on her body, easy to break away from but she could not bring herself to do anything but follow him. The walk to his bed chambers blurred by. Nothing was said between them during that time which allowed the young woman to regain her facilities. Upon entering the room, she tore herself away from the pharaoh and backed herself into a corner. The pharaoh frowned in response to this but did not immediately go after her, taking off his Nemes headdress and setting it aside. Without it, he looked even more like himself than before. Chione remembered how the young prince preferred his hair not be shaved or styled, black locks resting wildly on his shoulders just as they did now.
"Wh-Who are you?!" she cried.
"Do you not recognize me? I am Amentatenen, your beloved prince."
"No! You cannot be Amentatenen," her eyes filled with tears. "My beloved prince was murdered!"
The pharaoh approached her slowly, like one would approach an injured animal. Despite her fear and distress, Chione allowed him to take one of her hands in both of his. His golden eyes bore into hers as they pleaded with her to see that it was truly him. He brought her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles so tenderly that all of her resistance melted out of her.
"I am Amentatenen, my love. I know what you saw and I will not deny it happened. Yes, I was murdered but now I have returned and taken my rightful place as pharaoh and you will be my wife just as I promised."
"I-If that is true, then how is it you are here? The dead do not just reappear!"
"They do if they are of royal blood," he grinned, showing off his sharp canines. "Or rather they can."
Chione pulled away from him. "I do not understand…"
"After I died, I was entombed with a relic known as The Eye of Ra. I was unsatisfied with my death so I used it to beg the gods to be reborn. Through the aid of Osiris I became a child of Sekhmet and was birthed like this into the Nile by her counterpart, Hathor. I know I do not look quite the same but I promise you, I am still the same person."
The young woman had heard rumors that those of royal blood could return to the earthly plane after death but she had always assumed it was a manifestation of their ka. Either that or they were merely just tales made up to further the greatness of the godlike rulers. But now it seemed that the rumors were true, in a sense.
"...why do you look different though? You look similar but not. You appear more…"
"Godly?" Amentatenen finished her sentence before she could. "That is because I am no longer human."
Ice began to creep into her veins. "Wh-What?"
The pharaoh stepped closer to her, trapping her in the corner she had backed herself into as he repeated himself. "I am no longer human."
"What… What are you then?"
"A child of Sekhmet. In exchange for my rebirth, I have taken on her qualities."
"I-I do not understand, what does that mean?"
The pharaoh sighed almost regretfully. "It means that while I am more powerful than any human, some sacrifices must be made. I must watch my temper and hunger carefully, lest I lose myself to the ferality my goddess possesses."
Chione's eyes widened as he spoke. The goddess Sehkmet was known for her bloodthirst and rage. It became clear that her beloved had become a creature similar to the lion goddess. She did not fully understand what he was but she found that she did not care. Her beloved had returned from the dead and sought her out in order to marry her like he once promised. In that moment, nothing else mattered.
"Is there something I can do to help you with your… inhuman-ness?"
He smiled briefly. "I need to consume blood to survive… While I can still enjoy food, it no longer satisfies me."
"You want to drink my blood?" Chione asked uneasily.
"If you do not mind. I can easily find someone else if it bothers you."
"...Will it hurt? W-Will you be able to stop?"
"Of course I will. I have very good control over myself when I am not enraged or starving. And no, it will not hurt beyond the pinch of a bite."
After a few moments of thought, Chione nodded and stepped closer to him. "You may have my blood then."
Amentatenen wasted no time. His fangs sunk into the flesh of her neck and while it caused her to wince loudly, any pain ebbed away quickly and was soon replaced by pure bliss. She sighed out and melted into his arms, which held her as if she might disappear. After a few moments, he released her and soothed the bite with soft kisses.
"...I have missed you so much. Will you still be my wife despite my condition?"
"Yes," Chione breathed, smiling dreamily.
The bliss induced high she got from his bite might have clouded her judgement as Chione found herself unwilling to pass up the chance to be the Amentatenen's queen. Although the prospect of marrying a monstrous man returned fear to her chest, she could not help being delighted by the idea. After his death, she had not only mourned him but also mourned the loss of the marriage she had fantasized about. Nothing could make her happier in this moment or for the rest of her life than to be Amentatenen's wife. As the pharaoh pulled back, leaving her neck tingling from his kisses, she caught the sight of his smiling face. The fangs were something she would have to get used to, among other many things, but she did not mind. The bite had not been painful and in her heart she still deeply loved the man before her. As a result, Chione felt confident that she could handle being married to him. She would feed him, love him, and care for him for as long as she lived and there was no doubt in her mind that he would readily, and happily, return the favor to her.
"Yes, I will be your wife, happily and forever."