Why me?

Chapter 1: Why Me?

5 months ago:

It was early evening and everyone was sitting at the table and eating with relish when suddenly there was a knock on the door. Nefertiri's father got up and opened it. All eyes went to the door.

It was the Pharaoh's guards. Ordinarily they would never knock on any unimportant people in the little village unless it was something very important. Or something terrible had happened. "What can I do for you, high guard of the Pharaoh?" Asked my father and bowed briefly.

Everyone had to do that, if not they were given painful punishments that made one wish they had never been born. And all because of this Pharaoh. Although he is very young, the youngest of his time, that was still not necessary, at least Nefertiri thought.

The guards looked at her father and then glanced at the rest of the family. The view of Nefertiri stopped. She already suspected something bad and held her breath."We have orders to bring you and your eldest daughter to the palace," said the first, pointing at her with his finger. Nefertiri shrank back a little and didn't know why she and her father had to go to the palace. She looked at her father. Had he done something bad? But judging by the way he looked, he seemed as surprised as all of them.

The guard got impatient and said, “Come on! Hurry up. We don't have all day.” So they had no other choice and Nefertiri got up.

With one last look at her two sisters and her confused mother, she went to the palace with her father and the guards. Little did she know that she would not see them for a very long time.

Once there, they were led to the throne room and finally left alone. Nefertiri was only amazed at the oversized size of the room. It was at least as big as the largest field of corn they owned. She was even more amazed at the beautiful decorations.When she looked ahead, she saw the throne.

Even the gods would be jealous of these. And everything was in gold. Sure, if you were Pharaoh.

Speaking of Pharaoh: A huge door on the other side of the room was opened with sweeping motion and the Pharaoh walked elegantly towards her. Nefertiri knew that Pharaoh was young, but she hadn't believed that he was so young.

He was at least as old as she was. And she was sixteen. For such an age you had enough problems and still rule a kingdom? She just couldn't imagine it.

He was dressed quite regally but had no crown. When he was standing in front of them, they bowed deeply.

"Please. You don't have to bow to me.", He said and Nefertiri realized that his voice was very gentle. So she raised her head, imitating her father, and looked Pharaoh straight in the eye.

He had red eyes. On closer inspection, he had blood-red eyes.That scared her a little, but she didn't let it show. He also looked at her for a long time and he grinned cheekily.

Suddenly she blushed around the tip of her nose and lowered her gaze.

"God, why do I blush? That was so embarrassing and he had seen it. Damn it.", She thought, but her thoughts were interrupted when her father asked Pharaoh why he had called her here.

The Pharaoh broke eye contact and gave her father a friendly look.

"We need to discuss something. Can I speak to you in private for a moment?" He asked. "Of course, high Pharaoh.", Said her father and looked at Nefertiri with a look that should mean that she should leave them alone for a moment.

She did so and bowed deeply and went out of the hall. In front of the hall door she saw a couple of chairs and unceremoniously sat down on one. She didn't know what the two of them had to discuss, but it had something to do with her.She was quite sure of that.

Not even five minutes later the door was opened from the inside again. She got up and looked at her father questioningly. Her father looked at her sadly and she noticed that he had a large, brown purse in his hand.

She looked at him again and paused. Did he have tears in his eyes? That didn't mean anything good and she felt herself starting to shiver slightly. She wanted to go home as soon as possible and get something to eat again, pretending that nothing had happened.

But it didn't come to that.

"Nefertiri", her father began to speak, "I find it very difficult to tell you, but ... you will dance for Pharaoh."

She let out a relieved breath and stopped short.

To dance? You just had to dance for him? Then that wouldn't be a problem. She had danced for many men and made a lot of money doing it. She just danced, that was her life, she loved it. And she knew she was the best at her field.

Nefertiri looked at him confused.There was surely something else and what she was supposed to hear would change her whole life.

"Well ... you will live in this palace ... forever.", Her father said sadly when he noticed her look.

Shock.

Nefertiri had exactly this feeling at that moment. Was she supposed to live with this pharaoh in this huge castle? And that forever? Why? Why she?

But she couldn't think any further because she got her father out of her thoughts. "He wants you to dance for him forever and in the beginning I didn't want to give you up. After all, you are my oldest and dearest daughter. But then he promised me this huge sum.", He pointed to the bag.

"And that's not even a quarter of that. Plus, we get whatever we lack and what we want ... I just couldn't refuse, my beloved daughter. I hope you will forgive me someday."

Those were her father's last words. He turned away from her and left, leaving her alone.She was deeply shocked and did not move. Well, it was worth that much.

But her family would be fine, very well, in fact. And didn't she want that? She wanted to see her family happy. And that was only possible with a lot of money. Money rules the world, she thought with a sigh. They weren't the poorest, but they weren't the richest either.

Her father was a simple farmer and her mother a housewife. Her sisters helped her with the household and Nefertiri earned money by dancing. They could all live with it and survive. But that wasn’t enough.

Suddenly the first tears ran down her cheeks and finally she began to cry silently.

She stayed in this position for a while until the door opened again. She quickly washed away the traces of tears with her hand and looked at the door.

The Pharaoh stood there and studied her. It was very uncomfortable for her, but she avoided saying anything. Instead, she looked straight into his eyes again.For the second time.
They reflected interest and curiosity.

"I know it's very difficult, but I think you would feel better with me. Of course, as I promised, I'll send your family money and everything else, but I want you to dance for me." he said in a tone she couldn't define.

He came slowly towards her and with every step he took closer to her, she backed away until she felt the wall against her back. And when he was very close to her, she held her breath.

"I want you to dance just for me," he breathed in her ear and she got goose bumps. She felt all the blood rush to her head and how she turned tomato red.

She got very hot, although he did not touch her, she felt the warmth of his well-formed body. She wondered if her brain was still in tact because she was no longer physically under control.

She remembered that she had to breathe, took another breath to keep from suffocating, but didn't move.It smelled so good, she realized with a sigh.

Why is she sighing all the time? Maybe this was all some dream that she was about to wake up from and find that everything is the same.

But if it were a dream, then she wouldn't feel the heat from his body and the good smell. But she felt him, very clearly. He pulled back a little and looked into her eyes. Only now did she notice that he was looking pretty good.

Black, shoulder-length hair and some strands tickled his eyes, the face was so immaculately clean and beautiful that you could really have thought that he had jumped out of a prince's story.

Then there was the body, more perfect than any other. Was he doing any sport? Confused by the sudden thought, she inwardly shook her head.

She lifted her head and looked back into his face, which was smiling slightly. Then there were the eyes.This was what fascinated her the most.

She raised her hand and wanted to pull a few disturbing strands back from his face, but then she stopped in the middle of the movement.

Suddenly she felt different. She also realized something. She could no longer see her family through him. And that hurt her very much. She could never play with her siblings again or comfort them when they were hurt.

Her parents would surely want new children again and she would be forgotten. As if it never existed.

Suddenly she felt hatred and anger rise within her. These feelings could not be suppressed, they were too strong for that and not even that he was the Pharaoh could stop them from giving him a resounding slap.

It just happened that way. Her hand was still trembling from the blow and suddenly she was afraid too.
She was sure to get a terrible punishment now, she was sure of that.

He turned his head back to her and each of her thin fingers could be seen on his glowing red cheek.He grimaced for a moment, as if he was only now feeling the pain, and looked at her again.

She was about to do detention, she thought, but he was still silent. Then he broke eye contact and turned around.

"A couple of servants will be coming from me soon. They will show you your new room and get you new clothes. If you need something, please contact one of my servants or me directly. Good night," he said monotonously and left again in the hall.

Nefertiri, who took her hand down, watched him go. What a stupid situation that was. She was really lucky again. Best of all, she felt no sign of pity.

She moved away from the wall