Pharaoh's First Love

page 11

"I see no one has told you. I was born here. In a way this is my homeland. I know you allowed my parents to settle here and travel when needed for their work in exchange for their medical knowledge. But I was born here. My brother is Helm. One of your many soldiers." She explained.
Picking up the empty bucket and returning to him at the fence. "If the young prince wishes to learn I will teach him. He was excited to hold the instrument he took from me. But I will not enter your palace again, pharaoh. I will teach him here in the garden. With your permission of course. After all it may be your land but I find my parents garden to be far more lovely than the walls of your palace."
The pharaoh nodded and smiled towards her, bowing his head. “Fair enough. You have my thanks for being willing enough to teach him. And as such you may teach him wherever you find most comfortable. I would say I would see you around, but I doubt that will be the case if you wish to not enter the palace. Have a pleasant day and I hope that bruise upon your neck heals fully in time.” The pharaoh said his good bye as he wasn’t going to twist her arm into entering the palace if she was not of mind to do so. As far as he was concerned the misunderstanding between them was settled and neither country was at risk for a war starting. With that he turned and left her to tend to her own garden before making his way back into the palace where he would undoubtedly tend to some governing while being tended to by some of his harem. He would inform Jin of the arrangement once his brother returned.
Jin picked out a lotus flower hair pin. And Yun picked a book. The two and the guards then visited the home of the doctors.
Jin excitedly rushed would into the garden having found Shelyn watering all the plants still.
Yun followed. The three seemed ok in just chatting. Much like she did with the pharaoh. They discussed her becoming his teacher. And Yun insisted she take the offer to live in the palace. It’d be the best way to put that concubine in her place. Jin was all for it. But the garden too was so pretty. And oasis compared to the dessert they knew.
They exchanged gifts and she gave them flowers. Making crowns from them and offering them as gifts
Jin insisted Shelyn come for dinner so they could play after. And Yun was of course charming and also insisted. Kissing her hand and telling her the guards will be by to escort her on the dot.
Shelyn sighed. Waving off her guests with smiles. Of course Yun wondered if his dear brother had even noticed the bruise during her visit. They returned home. Jin happy and showing off the flower crown to everyone he saw.
Calion busied himself with matters throughout most of the day, receiving word from one of the maids that there would be a dinner held later that night to which the young Shelyn would be a guest. He assumed it was the work of Yun, to which he didn’t particularly care. He had no intentions upon joining the meal, after all his brothers were testing his patience and he felt they would only push his temper to flare further if he had to share a meal with either of them. Instead he requested his meal in his room, sending a lowly servant, another concubine he’d laid with several times, to enter the dining room when they all would be having a meal.
This servant had a letter, penned by the king, as well as a small gift in the form of a golden bracelet, a blue gemmed scarab was fastened to the top of the bracelet. A minor gift as if to make further apologies for the fate she had suffered the night before.
“Sheyln, please accept this gift as a token of my gratitude for instructing my dear younger brother. While I understand full well why you would desire not to teach within the palace I must ask that for his safety you reconsider. You must understand that being one of royal blood he is a target and I do not allow him to wander from the palace without being accompanied by myself or Yun. If you find this unacceptable my throne room is open to you for further discussion. Please enjoy your meal within the palace as I see my brothers had invited you. Naturally I don’t expect either of them to truly wish my presence and thus I am absent so that you and they might enjoy a relaxing evening.” Was written on a small piece of parchment which was humbly handed over, along with the bracelet to Shelyn after she was seated.