Prologue - nightshade

Prologue - nightshade

The cool night had risen over Egypt. Nut, the goddess of the night, had spread out her robe. Occasionally small ships drove along the Nile. Here and there a beggar was still on the way or a guest who had just come out of one of the many taverns and hurried to the next.
The atmosphere in the Pharaoh's palace was calm. The servants took care of the well-being of the nobles, the priests were just performing the last prayers and rituals and the Pharaoh sat with his two faithful high priests and friends in his room and conferred with them.
"The Nubian people are getting restless. There could be a rebellion," said Atem.
Mara nodded. "Nubia is going through a famine. Supplies are running out. Women and children are starving."
"We can no longer take from the supplies that we have here in the palace. Otherwise we will have nothing more when the drought begins.", Seth objected.
"What if we ask our neighboring countries to help?" Suggested Mara.
Breath shook his head. "No, they wouldn't do that voluntarily. We'd have to divide Nubia between them and us."
"What if others from the court split up their supplies?"
This time Seth shook his head. "Even if there is enough for everyone, we'll never get together."
"But it's worth a try!", Mara replied and stood up, "We can't let the dispensing of supplies stop and the country go hungry!"
"Mara, calm down. I don't want it to come to that either, but we have no other choice." Breath asked and indicated that she should sit down.
"Yes, we did!" She replied resolutely.
"And which ones?" Asked Seth.
"I'll go to Nubia myself tomorrow and take some supplies with me."
"That's way too dangerous! I won't allow that, Mara!" Breathed back.
"What should we do then? The supplies that we sent to Nubia have apparently disappeared and I will now investigate the matter myself."
Breath sighed. He knew his high priestess. She had been so stubborn since she came to the palace as a slave, and he knew full well that it was difficult to convince her otherwise.
"All right. Take someone from the station with you."
"I'll take Joey with me. Then nothing can happen." Mara stood up and bowed briefly to the Pharaoh. "I will now withdraw and prepare everything."
The young high priestess left the Pharaoh's room and walked, head held high, through the corridors of the palace to her common room with Seth.
Immediately she got up the nurse and bowed.
"Make sure that my things are packed by tomorrow and that there are some supplies underneath. Joey should get ready to travel to Nubia with me tomorrow. You can then go.", She said and leaned down to the little child, that sat on the floor and played with a rattle. Lovingly she stroked the head of the boy, who held out his little hands to her.Mara lifted him in her arms and walked with him across the room, packing a few things for the trip on the side.
Seth did not return to his room until late when Mara and the little boy were asleep. He wasn't exactly pleased that his wife wanted to go to Nubia, but he also knew she couldn't be dissuaded.

The next morning, Stand stood in the courtyard with the little boy in his arms and said goodbye to Mara. The Pharaoh was also there to say goodbye.
"Take care of yourself," he said softly.
Mara nodded. "I will. Take good care of our little mokuba." She kissed the sleeping boy on the forehead and Seth on the lips before pulling on the hood and getting on the horse. "I'll be back soon."
Seth nodded.
"Good luck.", Atem said before she rode off with Jonou.

Several days passed that neither Seth nor the Pharaoh heard anything from Nubia. One night Joey was riding through the dark desert, urging his horse to gallop faster. Sand and dust swirled up and the cold struck him in the face. He had been out for the second night now. His stomach growled and his throat felt dry and rough.
At a fast pace he rode through the city and passed through the gate of the palace.
Two guards with torches in hand came up to him. One took the horse's reins.
"Wake up the high priest Seth immediately and get a doctor! Tell Seth that his wife Mara is injured.", He croaked and handed the high priestess to a servant who immediately brought her to the palace. Jonou followed him.
Halfway through, Seth met them and took over the carrying of Mara, which he brought into his room.
"Mara, do you hear me?" He asked worried and in a shaky voice.
"Se..Seth ..." She tried to smile, but only managed poorly.
"Lie still. The doctor will be here soon."
"I don't need it ... now ... I wanted to see you one ... last time ... before ... before ..."
Seth put a finger to her lips and silenced her. "Save your strength. You mustn't say something like that ..."
"Seth, what happened?" Asked Breath and looked at the pale woman in bed.
Seth looked at Jonou and waited for an answer.
"When we got to Nubia, the division of supplies had already been stopped and everything was assigned to the army. The people believed there was more to come for the army and rebelled. When Mara tried to calm them down and distribute the supplies, pushed and pushed the crowd so that it ran straight into a knife. We couldn't prevent it. Forgive me, sir. "
"Se ... Seth ..." Mara breathed weakly.
“What is it?” He grabbed her cold hand.
"Promise me that you will take good care of ... Mokuba ..."
"Of course I will. But you mustn't say that. You will get well again."
Mara shook her head. "No ... and you know ... just like me ..." Slowly she leaned higher and gave Seth a quick kiss on the lips."I ... will always ... love you ..." she breathed and closed her eyes.
"Mara, wake up! Open your eyes!" Seth pleaded and his meadows filled with tears. He pressed the dead body closer to him.
Pharaoh sent the servants away, as well as the doctor who had just arrived. Then he turned to Seth and put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do for you, tell me. Don't do anything rash, Seth, please."
"Mara ... oh ... Mara ..." he sobbed softly.
“Seth, she will have an honorable grave and an equally honorable burial.” Breath turned. He wanted to leave Seth alone a little now.
"Breath, I know that you are the only one who can do this and I ask you to be your friend. Please help me save our souls from the underworld and save them for a next life. I know that the puzzle can do it . "
The Pharaoh looked at Seth in surprise. "Seth, even if I did that, you'd have to kill yourself too, and even if it works, there is no guarantee that you will meet again or that you will be born again in the same time."
"I don't care. I at least want to try!"
"Seth, you know what you're saying!"
"Of course I know what I'm saying! Please, breath."
Breath sighed. "Okay. But I don't give any guarantees!"
Shortly afterwards there was a bright glow from the room and the next morning the lifeless bodies of the high priest Seth, his son Mokuba, his wife Mara and the dead body of the Pharaoh lay in the room. A black desert scorpion crawled across the room at the Pharaoh's feet. The broken puzzle was also at the Pharaoh's feet.
When the servant went into the room the next morning, the palace was filled with a loud scream. The dead bodies were taken away to the funeral ceremony and the puzzle pieces were placed in a golden box that was to be buried with the Pharaoh's body.
Nobody knew that the souls of the five dead were locked in the puzzle, waiting to be born again.