Karim came to walk next to Mahaado, the buff Priest easily keeping up with his stride. With Set being the master of ceremonies, all the preparations fell under the High Priest's watchful eye, and Karim had apparently taken that as an invitation to come along with the small group.
"What will happen now to our Pharaoh?" Karim whispered to him. Mahaado shook his head, lowering his voice to a whisper as well.
"He needs to rest, the last few days have been very hard on him," he said. "I will ask Mana to keep an eye on him, and get him something to eat to maintain his strength. He is going to need it to get through the burial, the coronation, and all his other obligations."
Karim heaved a sigh. "We have to assist our Pharaoh any way we can."
"We will," Mahaado answered, determined. The Pharaoh wouldn't expect anything less of his Priests. "For now, he must rest, and we need to attend to the late Pharaoh's needs."
"Who will announce the news in the city?"
"Set will send out his guards," Mahaado said. "It is going to be very busy, my friend. We have to keep the Court going, and take some of the pressure on our Pharaoh away."
"Very well." Karim halted, as they had arrived at Atemu's private quarters. The guards immediately took their positions next to the golden door panels. Atemu turned around to face the others, his posture strained and uncomfortable.
"I will be in my quarters if anyone needs me," he said, his eyes briefly resting on Mahaado and Karim before opening the door and entering his room. Mana was about to follow him, but at a short cough of her teacher, she stopped.
"Master?"
"Apprentice," Mahaado said, proud that she, even in this stressful moment, remembered the correct way to address him. "I want you to stay with our Pharaoh and make sure he eats and rests some. I will visit him later this evening. However," he focused his stern look at the guards, "no one but the Six Priests, my Apprentice and the vizier will pass these doors. If our Pharaoh is bothered by anyone else, I will deal with them as I see fit."
The guards bowed and reassumed their positions in front of the door, sharp spears ready to stop any intruder. Mahaado watched Mana enter the room, before he turned around and beckoned his fellow Priest to follow him. There was much work to be done.
Mana's heart weighed heavy and she fought against the tears about to spill. She had to be strong, for both her Pharaohs- she had come to see Akunamukanon as her own father as she grew up in the Palace. He had been so kind yet determined, and she had trusted him with her life. The Prince…no, Pharaoh now, was about to assume all his tasks and obligations…it was a daunting thought. Mana saw Atemu sitting on the sofa, his face blank as he was staring into nothingness. He had just watched his father die and keeping a tight mask was his way to fight off the tears and the despair now that his only relative had gone.
"Prince…eh, Pharaoh…"
"It is all right," he said. Atemu didn't mind how she called him either way, be it Prince or Pharaoh. Mana sat on the sofa next to him and searched out his hand again. It was her way of consoling him, of telling him that she was there for him. She wasn't good with words, or so she thought; she had the tendency to babble and go on and on about nothing really important at all. At this moment though, she was sure Atemu needed wise words of consolation and encouragement, words that Aishizu would speak in her soothing, deep tone of voice, that made anyone instantly feel better. Mana rested with her head on his shoulder, sighing softly. No words were said, and her fingers entwined themselves with Atemu's.
A modest knock on the door awoke her and she gasped. As her muscles protested from the cramped position they had been in, Mana realized that she had fallen asleep! Atemu was sitting like a statue, silent and emotionless, but she noticed the dark, black streaks on his cheeks, as the kohl around his eyes had smeared. Her best friend had been crying for the loss of his father, and she had fallen asleep on his shoulder! Mana felt horrified and remorseful. How could she have fallen asleep while her best friend needed her the most? Another knock on the door, this time more urgent.
"Would you…?" Atemu asked, voice soft.
"Of course." Mana quickly got up from the sofa and went to answer the door. A servant bowed and handed her a tray. She thanked him and brought the tray over to Atemu, carefully balancing it on her hands.
"Here, have something to eat."
"I am not hungry." Atemu ignored the tray with the bowls and plates on it, not interested in the figs, the cheese or the bread. Mana took one of the silver goblets and poured some wine from the silver carafe. Filling it half up, she used the other carafe with crystal clear water to dilute the wine. She handed the goblet to him.
"Drink some, for me," she pleaded. Atemu took the goblet from her, distraught. Mana took his other hand and pressed a fig with a slice of cheese onto his palm
"Please, if only for me," she urged him. Finally, he nibbled some of the fig, but not to his heart's content.
"After you're finished, you're going to rest," she said. "And I won't take 'no' for an answer, Prince, so…"
"Atemu," he interrupted her. "My name is Atemu, Mana."
"I'm not allowed to speak the Prince's name…"
"I am a Pharaoh now, and my rule is that you address me with my name, when we are in private quarters," Atemu said. "We have been friends for so long, Mana. It would be wrong if we allow our positions to come between us."
"You're right." Mana smiled a little goofily, yet she felt excited. Receiving the Pharaoh's permission to call him by his name was something very special! Carefully, she tried to call out his name.
"Atemu," she said and giggled. Such childish behavior wouldn't do, and she straightened herself, becoming more serious. "Atemu," she repeated, "I want you to take some rest after you've finished that slice of cheese."
"There is a lot of work to be done." Atemu sipped the wine from the silver goblet. "I have to answer to my duties and plights."
"You don't have to," she said. "I mean, not now. Set has the supervision on all the preparations and duties at the moment." She spoke rather familiarly of the Priests in Atemu's presence, especially when she couldn't be overheard. Referring to the six Priests with all their respective titles got annoying and bothersome pretty fast to the girl. Mana noticed that Atemu had finished the fig and quickly pressed another one in his hand. "You can leave it all to him."
Atemu chewed on the fig, motions slow and pensive. "I know I can trust Set, but I am Pharaoh now, and it is my duty to meet my people and take up my responsibilities as their ruler."
"I'm at your side," Mana said, almost cheerfully. "And my Master will be, and together we'll stand strong!"
He smiled at her words, knowing that she spoke the undoubted truth. "I could not ask for better advisors."
"Now eat some more," she urged him again, but let it slide as soon as he shook his head. Apparently, two figs were all that he could handle at the moment, and it was of no use to continue imposing. Mana took a slice of bread herself, her stomach rumbling. She ate in silence, keeping an eye on Atemu.
"Go lie down," she said softly. "I'll keep watch over you."
"I can not," he protested, but his voice lacked vehemence. "How can I rest when there is so much work to do?"
"Come," Mana said as she stood up and she reached for his hand again. Her gentle smile and insistence made Atemu cave in, and he stood up as well. Before she took him to the bedroom, she handed him a piece of cloth so he could clean his face and hands. She hadn't mentioned the dark streaks on his cheeks, still feeling guilty about not being there when he had needed her the most. She made a stern vow to herself to keep watch over him indeed, and not forsake her vow this time.
At the threshold of the bedroom, Mana let go of his hand. These were Atemu's private quarters, and she blushed at the thought of following him into his bedroom! He turned towards her.
"Thank you," he said. "I will do my best to rest properly."
"Prince," Mana said, her cheeks flushed. "I will be here to watch over you, as I promised."
"I know." He went into his bedroom and Mana scolded herself mentally. She didn't feel tired due to her short nap earlier, and she usually was quite energetic... maybe she could continue practicing some spells, while the Pr... Pharaoh was asleep? She realized that Atemu hadn't corrected her when she had called him Prince. She chalked it up to him being tired. Mana wished to be closer to him, like sitting on his bed, to watch over him while he slept. She longed to brush the wayward strands out of his face and to touch his cheek, his warm skin. Maybe it was more intimate and closer than friends normally would interact, but Mana's innocence, her warm personality and her desperate need to take care of her best friend as well as she could, made her overlook any boundaries.