Before, in Egypt 2

A few weeks later, Queen A was on her throne, listening to the complaints of a commoner when a young priest with an urgent message came in.

"Yes?" Queen A asked, dismissing the commoner with a wave of her hand. He stuttered, furious, but the guards moved in on him and he left.

"My Queen," the young priest began on bended knee, "The holy spirits from the faraway hill where I am priest, and where Boras was priest, demand a meeting with you."

A sat up straight. "Is this about the vision Boras had?" Boras was the priest that A had murdered.

"No, your Highness," the young priest said, a note of fear underlying his words, "It's about Boras' death."

"He interrupted my party and gave me terrible, yet worthless news," A explained airly. "I have nothing further to say."

"The holy spirits will be very upset about this. They say you have angered the ancient god Cannis."

A laughed haughtily. "What do they know, so far away on their little hill? I've had nothing but good fortune here in Egypt. In fact, there have been no threats to the throne. King E and I thrive."

"You've been warned," the young priest said, his voice a bit stronger.

A was enraged. "How dare you-" she began, but the young priest was already up and running.

King E came in at the sound of his Queen's voice. "My Queen, is everything all right?"

"No," A said, kicking a golden vase and sending it skittering across the hall. "A priest came in from the hill and said with Boras' murder, I've upset the ancient god Cannis. He wanted me to meet with the holy spirits, but I have nothng to say to them. Why don't you go?"

King E sighed internally. "I doubt it would appease them any. I didn't kill Boras, after all."

Queen A instantly slapped her King's face, angered beyond words.

"My Queen, A, I didn't..." he said, his voice trembling.

"Get out of my sight," she hissed.

He obeyed rather than fight back, leaving through the side door. A maid scurried to collect the vase. As she made her way past the queen, A reached out and grabbed the maid's wrist, hard. The maid winced in pain and fear.

A looked into her brown eyes. The maid's terror was reflected in A's green ones. A dropped the maid's wrist. "Go," she commanded, and the maid went.

***

On the hill, the holy spirits gnashed their sharp teeth. They were tiny winged creatures, with deadly fangs and claws. The holy spirits served the old god Cannis: the first ruler of all Egypt. In killing Boras, A had killed Cannis' most special priest. Cannis sent his rage and hunger for blood into the holy spirits, and they were all too happy to comply. Something had to be done about A's selfishness and reign of power. A sacrifice wouldn't be enough this time. Something had to be done to make the Queen suffer. This wasn't the first time the Queen had angered Cannis, but it would certainly be the last time.

***

This morning was the annual sacrifice for Egypt's other gods. The day before, just after the sun went down, a child barely a man or woman would be chosen for the sacrifice. The gods required it, and then king and queen had to preside over it, or be thought traitors.

In truth, A loved it. She saw no use for the commoners in her beautiful land. The sacrifice just reinforced her power over all of them. At every sacrifice, she vowed she would live for eternity, and rule over all the lands of the world. SO far this wish had not been granted, but A had a feeling it would soon come true.

A stood up from her outdoor throne at the alter and addressed her people: "We could not have asked for a better day for our sacrifice to our loving gods," she began. "All present for this occasion will have the gods' favor upon them for the whole year." The elite smiled and nodded, the commoners wore frowns of displeasure and disgust.

The young man, thirteen years, was forced to stand and walk to the alter with two guards. The fire was burning hot and thick. His eyes shone with terror.

"No! Nooooo," wailed a woman in the front, obviously the boy's mother. "Please!" she begged. "What gods would demand such a thing?"

A glared at her, and guards moved toward her. Her husband shielded her with his arms, while whispering words to quiet her. At last she fainted, and A continued the ceremony.

Of course the boy did not go into the fire alive. King E slit his throat while A held a cup underneath to catch the blood that poured red and dark. The boy's body was tossed onto the flames, which turned a brilliant green and smoked white into the air. The goblet of blood was poured onto his body while priests that lived in the city blessed him and prayed over him.

A shot a triumphant smile at her King; E smiled back and touched her cheek, leaving streaks of red that marred the gold paint she wore.

While the city gods were appeased, Cannis still was not. He sent the holy spirits down from the hill, and fast they flew over the grass and into the city where they invaded and hundreds fell.

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