•Ahkmenrah's p.o.v•
I woke, as I always did, to the suffocating darkness that my sarcophagus brought. For a while, there was only silence, as always. I cursed my tablet. What good was eternal life if you spent it in a box? Suddenly, there was the sound of a stone dragging against stone. Was someone freeing me at last?
"Hello, my dear. I know you must be shocked and a little afraid, but you will get used to it. Teddy Roosevelt, President of the United States of America. At your service young lady. Might I ask your name?" The sound was to far to be above my sarcophagus. There was more silence for a moment. I wanted to resume my screaming, but something told me to wait. I heard a familiar voice speak.
"Anelra, servant to the mighty Pharaoh Merenkahre, Queen Sheseheret the Jewel of the Nine Kingdoms, and Ahkmenrah Fourth King of the Fourth Kings." Anelra!? How was she here? I had to speak to her. She could free me. I screamed as loud as I could and fought the lid with all my might. I tried to say who I was, to tell Anelra, my old friend, to release me. That they had misjudged me. Alas, not only were the bandages covering my mouth, but the heavy lid was muffling the sound no doubt. I heard Teddy and Anelra leaving and slowly stopped yelling. It's been over 50 years and I'm still locked in here. If I ever got out I would never want to return. How did Anelra know English? Was it the tablet? I didn't know all of the secrets of the tablet so it could be a possibility.
I began to think about the past. I thought about when Anelra and I were close friends. My father always disapproved because she was born a servant. I never paid mind though. I was doing no one harm by spending time with her. Mother adored her. Anelra was like the daughter she never had. She was even there when my mother passed. I remember the sounds of her sobs. She did the save with my father a few years later. He had warmed up to her a little and she had always cared for him. She was a remarkable woman for a servant. She was extremely intelligent, loyal, caring, brave, and rarely thought of herself. That was the way she had been raised I suppose. I closed my eyes and thought back to when we were children in Egypt.
I knocked on Anelra's door when we were about six. I was going to invite her to dinner with my family. Mother had approved and convinced Father it was a good idea too. Kahmun was still a bit aggravated about it, but he would behave for the most part in front of our parents. I would probably be teased for moons to come, but I didn't mind. I wanted my family to see how wonderful my best friend was.
"Ahkmen, you don't have to knock. I know when you're coming before you even turn the corner." She was faced away from me on her hammock.
"How can you tell when I'm coming?" I tried to sound shocked, but I couldn't hide a hint of admiration for my friend. She seemed to know everything at times.
"Your sandals make a pop sound and the jewels on them make a rattle noise. The rest of your jewels jingle too. No one else down here would have that many jewels, if any at all." I realized that she was sewing something. It looked like one of Kahmun's capes.
"Why do you have that?" My older brother always seemed to be giving Anerla more chores. I pitied her, though she always scolded me not to. She was grateful to live in the palace and serve my family. I could see that it frustrated her though. She had so many things to tend to.
"Prince Kahmun said he needs this stitched up. He tore it while riding in a chariot. Now, what can I help you with, Your Highness?"
"Ahkmen or Ahk is fine, Anelra." I narrowed my eyes at her. That cape must be causing her more trouble than it was worth. Perhaps she'd been scolded by the other servants again. She told me that often when she was not there to help with certain duties, the other servants were less than kind to her. Mostly because they felt she was getting favoritism because of our friendship. They never listened to her when she tried to explain the work my dear brother gave her. That would explain her behavior. She always acted distant and formal when she was upset. Well, I would just have to cheer her up! "I came to invite you to dinner." I put my hands behind my back and stood as tall as I could.
