The Pharaoh's Crush PART 1 by Michelle Blake (smart ebook reader .txt) 📖

The Tales of Malik Seshta & Samar Azulai
The Pharaoh's Crush PART 1

_______________________________________

Tears fell down Maliks face as he sat in the room of his fellow dancers. Clothed in an effeminate silver linin dancers outfit, he sobbed quietly.

"Shh... Hush now Malik, try not to think about it... And try not to cry, we don't want you drawing attention to yourself..." Samar whispered softly into the young 16 year olds ear. She softly brushed his light brown fringe out of his eyes.
He was lucky, his family had managed to pass him off as a female, he was now one of the many dancers highered to entertain the pharaoh. Because of his skinny body and his long, light brunette hair they had mistaken him... His family had no choice but to offer him up to the Pharaoh. His little sister had fallen ill and now him dancing with the girls was the only way he could earn a living for his family.

"It's not fair Samar..." He whispered horsely to his friend.

"Shh... Please stop crying Malik, your make up is running..." She whispered to him in the loud talking of the room. All the other girls where dressed up in fine silver and gold outfits, similar to that of a belly dancer. Samar had helped Malik by stuffing linin into his shirt, so the Pharaoh would not get suspicious, but Malik couldn't take the Pharaohs abuse anymore.

"Come now... Just don't think about it..." Samar whispered as she applied some more kohl to Maliks eyes. He had to wear quite a lot to hide his masqulinity.


Malik suddenly felt a heavy press of guilt on his chest. Samar was just as scared as he was, but she chose to ignore her own fear to ensure the security of her friend.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered, wiping his eyes.

"Hey, it's okay, don't worry... I know I say it at every social function, but don't draw attention to yourself and the Pharaoh wont notice you... Just please don't get caught." She whispered, pushing her long black hair behind her ear. She blinked her large brown eyes at him, inwhich where outlined with black and green.

"Please don't get caught." She repeated to him again, fear in her eyes. She pulled the sobbing teenager into her arms.

"Thank you so much Samar." Malik whispere, Imbracing the temparary safty in Samars arms. Samar and Malik had been best friends ever since they were four. Their parents where fishing buddies and they'd grown up side by side.

"Alright girls." Said a voice from outside the dusty sandstone room. The small changing room grew silent as the high priest, Sekmeton walked in wearing a long blue robe lined with gold. Sekmeton, like many others in the palace, dared not to be seen without being caked in sapphires, eleralds, rubies and many other precious stones embedded in gold and silver.

"When you hear the lute, just walk in. Line up in formation in the middle of the hall in front of the Pharaoh and begin your dance." He said, his sort black hair cascading down his ears, and his think, golden neck chain around his throat. Malik just wanted to choke him with it... The guy made him sick. Just the sight of him made him want to throw up. But if that's how he felt looking at the Pharaohs high priest, he dreaded the ommonus feeling of soaking in the Pharaohs haunting aura. Even the sight of the Pharaoh made him shudder. How was he supposed to dance in formation with the group flawless with grace, while the head of the entire of North Egypt watched with a shameless erection?

The noise from the girls in the room suddenly erupted once again, growing louder, much louder. Malik stood from the wooden bench and shuddered, feebly attempting to ignore his current situation. He looked down at his golden anklets and his lether sandels. Also at the long, thin, practically see through legs in the bazaar outfit the Pharaoh had designed for the dancers. Malik couldn't bare being even in the same room of that horrible Pharaoh. He deeply sickened him, and for good reason.
The monster had taken his older brother and forced him to work as a servant. A week after he was abducted, Maliks family got told that he was killed in a terrible cooking accident.

Samar saw Malik in a state of deep and painful thought. She too, stood. She put a hand on Maliks bare shoulder in a vein attempt to comfort the now shivering teen. She felt horribly sorry for him, although deep down, she wondered if perhaps he was overreacting?

"It's okay Malik, it's okay..." She whispered to him. Malik nodded blankly, gaze stuck on the sandstone floor of the palace. He closed his eyes, forcing himself to momentarily disappear spiritually. He drifted away, feeling tears well up at the back of his eyes once again. He imagined he was at home with his sister and his mother.

"Come here..." Samar said softly to him. Malik opened his eyes, turned around and hugged his friend yet again. Samar held him closely, feeling him quake. She had to hault Maliks sorrow, she feared she too would burst into tears should she have to with stand seeing her friend like this much longer.

With his eyes closed, Malik really embraced the surroundings, which was ironically the opposite of what he had indended on doing.

He smelt the sandstone of the walls and floors and the sand just outside the window. He could taste the damp summers night and the clear rushing water of the Nile in which was stationed just a few metres away from the Pharaohs palace. He could sensed the footsteps of the disgustingly rich guests arriving. Rich people from all over North Egypt were gathering to honor the Pharaohs 5 year anniversary of ruling north Egypt.

Samar softly realised her tight hold on Malik and he slowly opened his eyes, forcing himself to hold back is tears. He had to be strong.
Samar put a hand under Maliks chin, gently alinging his glance with hers.

"Hey... You alright, now?" She asked with a kind smile toward the mentally scarred teenager.

"...Hows my face?" He asked, suddenly looking generally concerned for his apperence.

"You look beautiful." She said with a smile.

"I don't look manly?"

"When did you ever look manly?" Samar asked. The two friends laughed, tempararely shaking off the chill of the night until suddenly the ominous sound of the plucking lute filled Maliks ears.

"That's our quewe. Don't forget your steps and remember, if the Pharaoh talks to you, either sound effeminate or don't reply at all!" Samar whispered harshly to Malik, he brush at his long brunette hair with his fingers.

The girls started to pour out of the room in pairs. Malik and Samar where the last two out they waited to be last, that would put them at the back of the group, drawing less attention to Malik.
They all ran out effeminately in a line and stood in a square formation, three tiny steps appart from eachother.

"And remember, if the Pharaoh askes, your name is Akira." Samar whispered loudly as the lute faded softly. Malik nodded to himself.

"Yep..." He whispered. He turned his head towards the band, that was on his left of the massive palace room. There where three girls with lyres, a man with a lute, two men with drums, three symbols set up around two men and five girls standing next to eachother in the backround, wearing the same outfit as the dancers and holding tamberines.

Malik turned around and saw the many large tables set up in the palace, and all the jewel incrested people sitting at them. They all stared blankly at the dancers, waiting patiently for the music to start and for the slaves to entertain them with their routine. Malik then faced the front of the massive sandstone palace. The Pharaoh was sitting at his huge golden thrown, His legs crossed as he lent his head on the palm of his hand, staring pervertedly at the girls in their revealing costumes. He was cloaked in diamonds, rubies Saphires and every single gem stone you can imagine. The royal Egyptian king was also cloaked in an impressive amount of gold and silver, and a tall, red and white headdress sitting atop his head. The Queen also sat next to him, she too was cloaked in jewels, similar to his. Maliks heart begun to race. He looked at the ground, seeing the royal red carpet.
He couldn't help but feel an enormaous wave of rage fill his body as he looked back up to the Pharaoh, though these emotions where short lived they where quickly overshrouded in a shower of fear and panic.

Suddenly the music begun, the tune that they had rehersed to. Malik raised his arms above his head and copied all the other girls movement, dancing gracefully with the rest of the group. He stepped, twirled and moved in the same formation as the rest of the 30 odd girls clothed in silver and gold. Malik tried so very hard to keep up with the girls, he constantly looked over to Samar to ensure he was following the group correctly. She too looked over at him constatly to check on him, their glances met often.

The five girls with the tamberines sang about the river Nile and the god of the sun, Ra. Their soothing voice softened Maliks nerves slightly, but he couldn't lose his consintration, he had to keep up.

Left, left, forward, backwards, twirl...
Malik told himself the routin in his head to ensure that he kept with the group contently. Until suddenly, the last step came up. The group had to come in closer and do the same steps, only bunched up, dangorus close.

Malik stepped back like he was assigned, one and a half steps, the group too, moved in and then they continued their steps.

The Pharaoh watched them intensively, following their every move with his eyes. He studied their grace and footing profusively. That made Malik slightly nervous, so he looked away and focused on one of the large sandstone pillars that was used to keept the roof up.

Malik really believe he was doing alright, he smiled to himself and continued, until to his dismay, Samar was a fraction of a step out of place, he accidently tripped her with his large, clumbsy feet, she fell into him with a frightful scream, Malik then tripped into the girl next to him. she was greatly shocked, she had no plans to be stopped so abruptly, she too fumbled and fell into the girl next to her. This continued like a domino set of belly dancing girls. Before Malik could speak, half the group of dancers had fallen onto the floor, including him.

The entire room of rich guests gasped begun talking amungst themselves. The girls all stood up quickly, acting as if nothing had happened. They all stood in their finishing possestion and smiled as if the devistating fall hadnt occured at all. Malik, who wasn't fast like the rest of them, was still on the floor, he looked up and then quickly stood. The Pharaoh looked shocked, staring at Malik.

The dancers all gasped with breath from exhaustion from