The Morning Sun

Heartache

After the meal Khepri made her way silently back to her chamber. Feeling as if she was to be condemned into Osiris's land of the dead.  The only sound in the deserted corridors was her leather sandals hitting the stone floor, her head down, her eyes fixed to the ground. 

Her heart felt heavy and ached in her chest, all she wanted to do was to go home. To see Tarik, her mawat and father, to see her mothers loving smile and  feel her fathers hugs and even her brothers teasing, she missed that the most, as well as the two princes. 

  Upon entering the chamber she saw Ebony, who upon seeing Khepri's face pulled her into one of her big hugs whilst Khepri  couldn't keep the tears from falling, she wept silently until she felt drained.

The sobs racked her body. Ebony said nothing just held onto her tight. 

"I want to go home. I want to see Mawat" 

"I know my Lady, you shall see her soon" 

Khepri closed her eyes and breathed in the smell of Ebony's perfume. It was a citrus scent and was the same smell as her mawat. 

 After a while once she had wiped the tears off her smudged face Ebony stood back staring at her mistress

 " what is it my little senit?"

 Khepri changing into her sheath stopped for a moment.

 "I got told off" she revealed. 

Ebony frowned putting her hands on her hips watching the girl intently 

"what did you do?"

 Shaking her head slightly, she waited for Khepri to explain.

 "We missed two ceremonies because last night me and some girls went to the lake and drank a bit too much"

She trailed off as she saw Ebony's chubby face glower, a deep frown crossing her face. 

 " No wonder the priestess told you off"

 Shaking her head again she crossed her arms against her big chest , tutting at Khepri. 

" I miss home" Khepri said quietly sitting on the bed.

 " I never realized how much, until I was talking about it last night  but I miss the palace my family and the princes" the tears began to fall again, wiping them away with her hands trying to catch them before they fell down onto the sheets.

 "Shh, my little senit" Ebony cooed enveloping her again " you will see them all again soon, this isn't forever"

From that night on-wards Khepri became the perfect priestess. She completed any task given to her and did it to the best of her abilities. The girls all said how the floor of the great Hall had never looked so clean. Even the older priestesses were impressed. If she was given lots of work she didn't complain she just got on and did it, excelling finally at  the languages she practiced them relentlessly along with the harp she would practice everywhere, she even practiced to her shrine.

The goddesses statue seemed to smile in the burning candle light as it watched the work Khepri was putting in.