The Prince's Punishment

Chapter One

Prince Tepemkau’s PoV

I was awakened by the bright rays of the sun shining high and mighty over Egypt. I swiped my hand across my brow as I turned over in my large bed made of nothing but the finest Egyptian silk, nothing but the best for a Prince of Egypt. I allowed my eyes to adjust to my surroundings before I managed to pull myself out of bed, tossing the covers aside and coming to a sitting position, my elbows resting on my knees as I looked around the room with a sigh.

The walls covered in countless hieroglyphs, large posts held up the structure with the strength of a thousand or so men. I let out another sigh as I stood up and lifted my arms into the air letting my muscles stretch out for the day.

The sound of shuffling footsteps could be heard as I stepped out from behind the post after having dressed myself accordingly. “Your father craves a word with you, Sir.” A short dark skinned girl spoke, her voice soft and shy. She had dark black hair that framed her hideous face. I couldn’t bear to look at her any longer. Her mere presence disgusted me that I could practically taste the bile rising in my throat. “Be gone with you slave. I shall go when I am ready. Do not disturb me again.” 

She flinched at my words and with a quick nod she scurried away, her head kept down at all times like every other slave girl we had working for us. How they disgusted me. Their stench was completely unbearable but who could blame them when they spent all day in the hot sun sweating. Ha. If I had been born to a slave I probably would have disgusted myself too. I shook my head and continued to put on my proper attire.

A long medium length wrap-round skirt that rested just at the length of my calves. The linen was lined in a fine blue-green and gold, even my belt matched. My chest laid bare for the exception for a large chest piece made of pure gold with a solid ruby that lied straight in the middle in the shape of a scarab. Tops of my arms were lined with golden bracelets fit for a man of my stature. They too, held a ruby shaped scarab as did the rest of my jewelry. My hair was fixed neatly to my liking as usual; it was brushed out and styled to flow freely around my shoulders in soft loose curls that somehow took on their own shape at their own accord. I didn’t find it terrible; I rather much enjoyed the look and kept it as my signature look. I wore a single golden ring with a rather large ruby in the middle. And, last but not least a brand new pair of freshly woven leather sandals that tied around the ankle, the straps corresponded along the length of my foot wrapping around my big toe to keep the shoe in place. I was now fully complete in my attire and presentable to speak with my father, the Pharaoh.

I wandered the halls of my home taking in the scenery of it. Every wall was lined with hieroglyphs that told a story of my father and all his exploits. Pictures of my father sitting on his throne with my mother by his side and myself as an infant in her arms plastered one of the large walls as if it were a mural. Across from that same wall was yet another family picture but am no longer an infant but a child of perhaps five or six. My how times have changed since then, I chuckled softly to myself as I continued down the large hallway.

“Prince Tepemkau, your father says to meet him outside on the balcony.” I turned to my left seeing yet another slave girl and could only sneer at her appearance. At least she wasn’t as hideous as the other one was. She was at least bearable for me. I nodded my head to her, she didn’t deserve to hear my voice and so, without another spoken word I walked off leaving her behind, in a slight bow with her head down and her hands clasped together as a form of respect to the royals.

I took my time reaching my father; I hadn’t really felt like having a conversation about being Pharaoh yet again for the third time this week. I was growing tired of his constant talks of “This is your path son and one day you shall be the morning and evening star, and you shall rule all of Egypt and its subjects.” As if I had somehow forgotten what I would be without his constant reminder. I knew what my title entailed, but of course, He does what he wishes for he is Pharaoh. The morning and the evening star, his word is law. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at this. Finally, I reached the balcony; I could see my father standing tall, his large bony hands resting against the sun-baked mud which was hardened and turned into brick, it was what made up our entire palace. “You wanted a word with me father?” I walked up beside him and looked down at the slaves who although were heat exhausted and dying of thirst worked robotically, without so much a care in world other than what they needed to accomplish in order to call it a day’s work and head back home only to come and complete yet another task tomorrow.

“Yes. Do you see those people down there my son?” I looked over the balcony again and then looked to my father. “Yes. Of course, they are slaves, but what of them father?” “You my son will never have to know the hurt they feel or the poverty they have. You my son were born of royal blood, handpicked by the God’s to bear the title of Pharaoh.” And here we go again with the Pharaoh talk. It never gets old with him. “When I pass on to the next world you shall be the morning and the evening star just as I was and have been and my father before me. But before we go on with this, we must find you a suitable bride.” “A bride…?” I was dumbfounded by his words.

He had never spoken of me needing to have a bride to become Pharaoh. Where was he going with this? “Yes. You must have a bride to carry on your legacy. So you may pass it down to your son and him, to his son after him.” I sighed turning to face him fully. “But father, I am not ready for such a commitment. I am still young an-…” “Be still, Pharaoh speaks. You are of age to marry, that is my word and my word is law!” I sighed again. “But father…” “I said be still!” I bit my tongue and shut my lips. “We will find you a suitable bride and you will marry her. This is for your legacy not for love. You will soon learn to love the woman who bears you a son.” I looked down and nodded my head. “Yes father…” “Lift up your head boy, you are not a slave! A Prince of Egypt does not bow his head nor look to the ground like a peasant! You will do well to remember that or you shall find yourself without a family and thrown into poverty. I will not have my son act in such a demeaning manor that he brings shame to my honor.” “Yes father. I apologize.” “Good. You may leave now.” My hands clutched tightly into fists at my sides as I tried to contain my building anger. How dare he speak to me in such a manor. Yes, I am a Prince of Egypt and I will be treated as such! A wife, a woman I do not even care for?

I could feel my nails digging into the palms of my hand as my anger continued to rise. Had I not been born a Prince of Egypt I would have my own choice in whom and when I marry but alas I am not born to just any family, I am born to a royal. Surely this arranged marriage would be the end of me, or worse… I might actually come to enjoy her just as my father said I would learn to. “You will learn to love the woman who bears you a son.”  The thought of those words sent chills down my spine.