Red String of Fate [One-shot collection]

4. Routine [Atem x Reader]

Being a servant in pharaoh's palace was not an easy job, but somehow you managed.

You had to wake up before the sun rose and prepare a bath for Pharaoh. Then you had to go to the kitchens and take breakfast prepared earlier. You had to examine the food and take it to pharaohs chambers and wake him up. You had to choose his clothes carefully, with matching jewelry. If there were urgent messages, you had to present them. Then you proceeded with simple chores, and just before a noon take the Pharaoh the dinner. Rest of the day went peacefully, with everyone minding their own business. And you could sleep, accomplished with another normal day, normal routine.

But not today.

You stood with a plate of fruit, blinking at the total chaos in the grand hall. You blinked and smiled with your lips clasped tightly. Servants were walking here and there, mostly arguing over petty things. The tables still stood unprepared and the decorations made out of flowers dang from the columns.

The guards on either of your side by the doors looked perplexed. You clutched onto the plate harder as you tried to keep composed.

Today was the last day of the Beautiful Feast of the Valley. As the last celebrations finished many officials, priests and nobles were to gather in the palace for the feast. For a whole day you've been busy with preparation, and now – merely hours before everyone would gather here, the hall was a mess.

How could this happened?

You woke up just a little earlier than usually. You took your normal route to the kitchen and snatched Pharaoh's food. With a smile on your face you entered his chambers. The bedroom was spacious yet cozy. There stood a table, that could be used by more than only one person, and another one filled with papyruses and letters. You shook you head, looking at the mess on the wooden desk, taking a mental note to deal with it later.

You put a tray on the bigger table and proceeded with opening the hangings by the window. Fresh morning air, not yet touched by sun swelter that would come later, filled a room. Man on the bed sighed and fidgeted a little turning his face away from the sun.

You breathed the air for the last time, smelling faint aroma of flowers from the festival. You walked through the room feeling gaze on your back. In the dressing room you entered, you stepped before a high wardrobe. You opened it and thought carefully about the outfit that would be suitable for today.

You hummed looking through the shelves, than you organized and kept in order for years. Finally deciding on the clothing, you started collecting the articles – the decorative belt, sandals. The last one, the linen kilt , was out of you reach.

"What made me put this on the highest shelf?" you grumbled to yourself. "Right, if it's not used every day why not just put it there? Pure genius."

You took a stool covered with a few materials and set it in front of a wardrobe. Still, even standing on the stool you couldn't reach.

"Just a little more," you mumbled and tip-toed. With no other choice, you jumped and snatched the kilt from the shelf. What you didn't predict was the fact, that you would slip on the unstable stool. With other materials flying around you waved your arms."Uwaaah~!"