fuzzyspork (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
fuzzyspork) wrote2013-10-03 02:22 pm
fuzzyspork) wrote2013-10-03 02:22 pm
Entry tags:
Myshuno! prompt 4: All the daughters.
Prompt: All the daughters. ALL OF THEM. (from ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
smoothiesims)
Rating: Everyone
Word Count: 683
Notes: A scene from my Egyptian legacy, during the first generation. This probably won't happen in the actual story, unless I need non-plot-specific filler (or if this scene somehow becomes pertinent to the plot... because I am wishy-washy like that). Consider this canon. Not terribly spoiler'y though.
My Card
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Narmer’s eyes grew wide when he saw the length of the list of suitors that Zahra was unrolling in front of him.
“You see we have our work cut out for us today,” she said as she sat down opposite from the king in his study. She had arrived with a handful of scribes who settled onto cushions nearby, their brushes held ready. Narmer was glad the room was spacious because Zahra also brought her usual army of handmaids, attendants, and lackeys who arranged themselves behind her. Narmer never quite understood why a person needed someone whose sole purpose was to carry one’s sandals, but Zahra had taken to the royal life with an almost over-the-top enthusiasm. So, on a daily basis, she went around the palace and grounds at the front of her own personal little glamour parade.
“We’ll start with the older daughters,” Zahra nodded to the scribes and their brushes started moving across the papyrus scrolls they held on their laps. “And really, Narmer, we should have married off Nofret two seasons ago! Thank Ra she’s as pretty as she is, as this will help offset the notion that we are sending an old maid to someone.”
Narmer watched his second wife scrutinize the list of suitors, making disapproving sounds as she went down the scroll. Then she jabbed at it with a lacquered fingernail and exclaimed, “Ah! Perfect!”
“The mayor of Saqqara. Not exactly a high noble at the moment, but he’s destined to replace his elderly father as governor of the Delta. They are a respected family, loyal to the crown, and moderately wealthy. Though I suggest we include perhaps one of the royal barges as part of Nofret’s dowry. What do you think, husband?” She looked at Narmer with raised eyebrows.
He had absolutely no idea what opinion he should have on this matter, so he made a sound, “Hm.”
“That’s settled.” Zahra turned to one of the scribes, “Address a letter to the young mayor. He’ll be pleased to hear his proposal has been accepted.” Her attention was back on the list, “Now for Merit.” She tapped her chin with a bejeweled finger, “I’m afraid that girl has very expensive tastes. We’ll need to put her in the lap of luxury or she’ll be back in a year. . .”
After half an hour Merit was finally betrothed to a visiting Persian prince who it seems she had been “dallying” with anyway. Narmer wondered why the prince wasn’t their first inclination since Merit had already shown a considerable interest in the man. But he had no experience with this sort of thing and he figured there must be a method to Zahra’s approach.
Over the course of the next several hours Narmer was able to say little more than, “Hm” as each of his eight daughters were parceled off one-by-one. Even Nefru, who announced on her shaving day that if any boy or man dared waggle his genitals at her, he would be eating them out of a bowl with stewed onions and a crust of bread. But Nefru was now engaged to the newly raised priest of Ra who was twice her age and thrice as effeminate. Zahra assured Narmer it was a good “arrangement” and they were already dear friends. He took her word for it.
When it was all said and done, every daughter was matched to a suitable mate. The sun was touching the top of the garden wall and half of Zahra’s attendants had to be shaken awake to fall in line behind their mistress as she left the king’s study. The scribes wearily rolled up their scrolls and bowed their goodbyes.
Alone in the growing darkness, Narmer idly turned the simple beaded bracelet around on his wrist as he stared out into the silent garden. The bracelet was hardly the kind of jewelry that a king would be found wearing, but he cherished it anyway. It had been given to him by his daughters, and each of them had crafted one of the beads herself.
And his heart hurt.
------------------------
smoothiesims)Rating: Everyone
Word Count: 683
Notes: A scene from my Egyptian legacy, during the first generation. This probably won't happen in the actual story, unless I need non-plot-specific filler (or if this scene somehow becomes pertinent to the plot... because I am wishy-washy like that). Consider this canon. Not terribly spoiler'y though.
My Card
------------------------
Narmer’s eyes grew wide when he saw the length of the list of suitors that Zahra was unrolling in front of him.
“You see we have our work cut out for us today,” she said as she sat down opposite from the king in his study. She had arrived with a handful of scribes who settled onto cushions nearby, their brushes held ready. Narmer was glad the room was spacious because Zahra also brought her usual army of handmaids, attendants, and lackeys who arranged themselves behind her. Narmer never quite understood why a person needed someone whose sole purpose was to carry one’s sandals, but Zahra had taken to the royal life with an almost over-the-top enthusiasm. So, on a daily basis, she went around the palace and grounds at the front of her own personal little glamour parade.
“We’ll start with the older daughters,” Zahra nodded to the scribes and their brushes started moving across the papyrus scrolls they held on their laps. “And really, Narmer, we should have married off Nofret two seasons ago! Thank Ra she’s as pretty as she is, as this will help offset the notion that we are sending an old maid to someone.”
Narmer watched his second wife scrutinize the list of suitors, making disapproving sounds as she went down the scroll. Then she jabbed at it with a lacquered fingernail and exclaimed, “Ah! Perfect!”
“The mayor of Saqqara. Not exactly a high noble at the moment, but he’s destined to replace his elderly father as governor of the Delta. They are a respected family, loyal to the crown, and moderately wealthy. Though I suggest we include perhaps one of the royal barges as part of Nofret’s dowry. What do you think, husband?” She looked at Narmer with raised eyebrows.
He had absolutely no idea what opinion he should have on this matter, so he made a sound, “Hm.”
“That’s settled.” Zahra turned to one of the scribes, “Address a letter to the young mayor. He’ll be pleased to hear his proposal has been accepted.” Her attention was back on the list, “Now for Merit.” She tapped her chin with a bejeweled finger, “I’m afraid that girl has very expensive tastes. We’ll need to put her in the lap of luxury or she’ll be back in a year. . .”
After half an hour Merit was finally betrothed to a visiting Persian prince who it seems she had been “dallying” with anyway. Narmer wondered why the prince wasn’t their first inclination since Merit had already shown a considerable interest in the man. But he had no experience with this sort of thing and he figured there must be a method to Zahra’s approach.
Over the course of the next several hours Narmer was able to say little more than, “Hm” as each of his eight daughters were parceled off one-by-one. Even Nefru, who announced on her shaving day that if any boy or man dared waggle his genitals at her, he would be eating them out of a bowl with stewed onions and a crust of bread. But Nefru was now engaged to the newly raised priest of Ra who was twice her age and thrice as effeminate. Zahra assured Narmer it was a good “arrangement” and they were already dear friends. He took her word for it.
When it was all said and done, every daughter was matched to a suitable mate. The sun was touching the top of the garden wall and half of Zahra’s attendants had to be shaken awake to fall in line behind their mistress as she left the king’s study. The scribes wearily rolled up their scrolls and bowed their goodbyes.
Alone in the growing darkness, Narmer idly turned the simple beaded bracelet around on his wrist as he stared out into the silent garden. The bracelet was hardly the kind of jewelry that a king would be found wearing, but he cherished it anyway. It had been given to him by his daughters, and each of them had crafted one of the beads herself.
And his heart hurt.
------------------------