Prologue
It was a cool night. The moon was full and the breeze blew sweetly. Three year old Kahmunrah waited with his father, Pharaoh Merenkahre, outside his mother Shepseheret’s bed chamber. He could hear the screams of agony coming from his mother. He had no Idea what was happening to her. Maybe it had to do with the bloated stomach she sported lately. He couldn’t guess why but felt it was so.
The screams stopped. Then Kahmunrah heard a wail which sounded like baby. It loud but had a sort melody to it. A few minutes later the wails turned into soft cooeing. A wizened old mid-wife emerged from the chamber. Her lips tugged upwards at the corners.
“Shepseheret awaits you” she said. And left a jovial Pharaoh and a very confused Kahmunrah. Wasn’t his mother screaming right then? Why was the midwife and his father so happy? What was making that cooing noise?
Merenkahre entered the room. So did Kahmunrah. They were soon hit by a wave beautiful smelling incense. Peacock feathers hung above on the ceiling in an fan shape as if the peacock had plucked whilst trying to impress the pluckers. The rich white silk from far off China fluttered about in the wind. Shepseheret was in the bed. She was known as the glittering jewel of the Nile. It was true, she was the most beautiful woman in all of Egypt. Her green eyes gave off a warm light and her dark hair was long thick and beautiful. She had a small angular jaw and royal high cheekbones.
Now she looked especially beautiful. Her body glowed with joy and in her arms a cooing baby. Excited at the prospect of having a sibling Kahmunrah raced to his mother. Shepseheret wrapped her right arm around him and brought him closer to the tiny baby in her left arm. Merenkahre came to them.
Something happened in his heart. His family was perfect. This was his little heaven, anything the afterlife had to offer couldn’t be any better than this. He had to make sure that they lived forever. They had to be immortals or else his afterlife would be nothing worthy of beholding joy.
“This is your younger brother Kahmun” whispered Shepseheret.
“What is his name Mama?”
“Oh, I don’t know you decide”
“Ahkmenrah” whispered the little boy. He stroked his little brother’s face lovingly.
“Will you promise to protect him Kahmun?” Asked the Pharaoh.
“Yes” whispered the toddler. Looking at his brother’s innocent face it was easy to agree.
