Of Serpents and Kings

The trees provided a comfortable shade and the wind carried the pleasant scent of the lotus flowers to my nose. 

The garden was magnificent and worthy of the pharaoh. Hopefully, I would grow into that title. 

Everyone seemed to think that I was the divine ruler of the Nile. I would argue that the gods had chosen my older brothers for that role. I was just an insurance policy my father had made who just happened to pay off. 

Although, I accepted the position because, without my help, Egypt would fall into a period of chaos. I was the last of my father’s dynasty and without me on the throne, there would be a dispute between who would take up the mantle of the divine ruler. I had to keep my family’s legacy intact. But the job did come with quite a few perks. This majestic garden was one of them. 

As I walked among the shaded paths, I soon came across the body of a cobra laid out across the trail. It was injured with a deep cut running 4 inches down its side. I thought it was dead until I got closer. It expended the effort to raise its head and hiss at me. 

My bodyguards would have probably warned me against helping the creature. After all, one bite could kill me in 15 minutes. The priests could heal me if they found me in time and I might even be able to heal myself. However, the chance of survival would be cut in half as soon as I got bit by the creature.

The risk was worth it to me. The snake was a powerful symbol for gods, goddesses, and pharaohs. I couldn’t let one die a horrible death when I held the power to heal it. 

I neared the snake, being as careful as I could. I couldn’t afford to die now, even from such a revered symbol of power. I took slow steps toward the creature, stopping whenever it started hissing. Eventually, I got close enough to help it and had enough of its trust to not be bitten immediately. 

“Seneb,” I chanted, holding my hand over the cobra. The flesh on each side of the gash started sewing themselves together. This upset the cobra. It lunged at me and I barely dodged its venomous bite. 

“I’m trying to help,” I tried explaining even though I could hardly expect the snake to understand me. 

After a few more moments, the cobra settled back down. It kept its eyes trained on me as I kept chanting the healing spell. The healing process continued until there was not even a visible scar where the wound had been.

I slowly backed away from the cobra. It could regain its strength any second now and decide to attack me. However, the snake just lifted its head and looked at me. It seemed peaceful and not likely at all to attack me as it had tried before. In fact, it seemed completely docile. 

I stood up, confused by the behavior even though it was better than the alternative of me dying to its venom. I backed away from the snake as quickly as I felt I could without angering it. Yet it just stood there, staring at me.

 I was at least twenty feet away now; a safe distance. I turned around, listening in case the snake started rapidly slithering toward me. The familiar sound of a snake slithering didn’t happen and I finally accepted that I was safe for now.

“You would think that the pharaoh of all people would be able to differentiate between a goddess and a common cobra,” a feminine voice remarked.

I whipped my head around to see a stunning woman in place of the snake. She had long black hair and brilliant green eyes. She wore a dress made out of the finest linen and jewelry adorned her form from the crown on her head to the golden sandals on her feet. She was most certainly a goddess as she claimed. 

“You’re staring,” she stated.

Within a few seconds, the shock wore off and I came back to my senses. I fell at once onto one knee, looking down at the ground. 

“Goddess,” I addressed her in a revering manner. 

She just chuckled. “Aren’t you sweet. There is no need for formalities. You are the pharaoh and are thereby one of us. You may address me by my name, Qebhet. I’m the daughter of Anubis.”

I slowly looked up at her before raising myself back to a standing position. I brushed off my clothes, awkwardly trying to look my best in front of her.

“My name is Amkhu,” I replied.

She chuckled again. “Yes, I know. You are the pharaoh after all.”

“Oh,” I said, embarrassed for a few seconds before remembering how she came here. “Well then why did you decide to meet me in the form of a cobra? You could have just walked up to me and announced yourself.”

Her smile was playful as she told me “Well that wouldn’t have been nearly as exciting.”

“Why come meet me anyways? I talk to the gods every evening. Why go through all the effort of coming to meet me here and now?” I questioned.

“Because, Amkhu. I don’t intend to just talk with you. I wish to help you keep the kingdom of Egypt afloat. The deaths of your brothers and father have taken their toll on the balance of the kingdom. You haven’t been trained very well for the position of pharaoh and I fear that you may not be able to restore the balance. Your heart is pure, however, and with my assistance, you may make a great pharaoh yet.”

My blush must’ve been quite visible. “Thanks,” I mumbled. “I feel like we should throw a celebration. It's not every day a goddess makes her presence known in the physical world.”

“There is no need for that,” she assured me. 

“Wouldn’t a reason to celebrate help raise the people’s morale? And having you in the public’s eyes would help legitimize my reign. I think a festival would truly be the best way to begin bringing balance back.”

She took my words in and contemplated for a few moments.

“Fine,” she relented. “But I’ll have the final say on the festival plans. Now may I see where I will be staying?”

I gave a genuine smile as I led her back towards the palace. The gods apparently did see fit to bless my reign as pharaoh.