The morning was quiet, only the cold wind moving through the camp. The men stood in a circle, and in the center knelt the captured leaders of the rebellion. There were only a dozen of them, but each had the blood of hundreds on his hands. Among them stood their chieftain — the only one whose name I knew.
"Stand them up," I ordered.
The execution squad stepped forward. The soldiers were silent, but there was no mercy in their eyes. Everyone in camp knew what these men had done.
I stood in front of the chieftain.
"This is the end. Your defiance brought nothing but death to your people. Egypt is united now — and you will pay the price."
The chieftain glared at me but said nothing.
I gave the signal, and the spears struck. One by one, the bodies fell to the sand. Before the dust had even settled, I ordered their remains burned — nothing left behind that could become a symbol for future rebellion.
---
A few days later, we returned to the capital. The palace courtyard was alive with ceremony. Soldiers lined up in perfect ranks, drums beating a slow, heavy rhythm.
Sobekneferu sat on her throne, pride shining in her face. I entered the hall with Karem at my side and bowed deeply.
"Great Queen," I began, "the rebellion is broken. The North is under your rule. The tribes have either surrendered or been destroyed. Egypt stands united."
The hall fell silent. Then Sobekneferu rose from her throne.
"This is a day that will be remembered for generations. You have secured peace, Amenemhet — you and your men."
She motioned to a priest, who stepped forward carrying a gold ring engraved with the double crown. She slipped it onto my hand.
"From this day, you are not only my counselor, but Egypt's guardian of peace. Your courage will be written into the temple scrolls."
I bowed my head. "It is an honor to serve you, my queen."
When the hall had emptied and we were alone, Sobekneferu descended the steps of her throne and came closer than ever before.
"Amenemhet," she said softly, "tell me the truth. Are you still a man… or have you become a god?"
I froze. I saw true curiosity in her eyes — and fear. Slowly, I allowed myself a faint smile and shook my head.
"I am no god," I said. "But Hor gave me strength to lead you to victory. Without him — and without your will — we would not be standing here today."
She studied me for a long moment, as if weighing every word. Then she nodded.
"Then let it be so. If you are no god, then you are my most valuable man."
I bowed again.
"And I will remain so, for as long as you reign."
Years passed. The wars were over, but the army remained in motion – no longer on battlefields, but on training grounds. Every day I trained with the soldiers, refining the tactics that had once led us to victory. The young recruits watched me with wide, admiring eyes – to them, I was the man who had once walked beside Horus.
My body did not change, but everything else did. The palace grew, the cities expanded, the trade routes flourished. The people of both the north and the south learned that peace could be stronger than war.
Neseret stayed by my side. Her laughter and her voice greeted me every time I returned from the training grounds or a council with the commanders. But time left its mark on her – the faint lines around her eyes, the way she moved a little more slowly after a long day. The more I saw her, the more I realized that my time flowed differently from hers.
Nakht was no longer the small boy who had once given me a carved wooden figure. He now stood beside me, broad-shouldered, his hands strong like a soldier's. His first spear was given to him by Karem, and I trained him personally.
"I want to serve Egypt as you have," he told me one morning as we stood on the practice field.
"Then be ready for the day when you must fight not only with your spear, but with your mind," I answered. "Serving Egypt means protecting it – even when it hurts."
Seeing him grow, seeing Neseret look at him with pride – it reminded me that all those years of war had meaning.
But somewhere deep inside, there was still a shadow. Every year that passed reminded me that while they grew older, I stayed the same. And one day, the whole world would notice.
Time past fast Nakht was no longer just a boy with a spear – now he stood at my side as an officer. He trained with me, learned from Karem, and led men on small border campaigns. He was strong and determined – and when I watched him, I felt a pride I had once never thought myself capable of feeling.
One day, a messenger summoned me to the palace.
The throne hall was quieter than usual. Sobekneferu no longer sat as straight as she once had – her shoulders seemed heavier, her gaze more tired. And yet, when I entered, she still radiated the majesty that only a queen could have.
"Amenemhet," she said slowly, beckoning me closer. "Come. Today I do not wish to speak as a queen, but as a woman who has seen everything."
I bowed my head. "I am here, my queen."
For a moment, she simply looked at me. "I have watched you over the years. You do not change. And I…" she extended her hand and showed me the faint wrinkles on her palm. "Time has caught up with me. I can feel that the end of my reign is near."
"No," I said quietly. "You are still strong. Egypt is strong."
She smiled faintly, though there was bitterness in her eyes. "You are a good advisor, Amenemhet. You always have been. But do not tell me you don't see the truth. You know what is happening. I can feel my body slowing, and I know the day is coming when someone else will take my place."
I drew a slow breath. "Even if that day comes, Egypt will never forget you. You were the one who united the land."
She tilted her head, her eyes softening. "And you were the one who made it possible for me. Without you, I could not have done it."
She was silent for a moment, then added:
"I envy you, you know? The gift you've been given. No wrinkles, no slowing down. You look the same as when I first saw you. And yet… I pity you. One day, there will be no one left you know. Everyone you love will be gone. And you will remain."
Her words struck me. They were the very thoughts I had been pushing away in the dark of night.
"Perhaps that is true," I admitted at last. "But as long as I am here, I will protect what we built together. And when new generations come, they will know it was your hand that gave them peace."
Sobekneferu smiled – tired, but grateful. "Then so be it. And while I still reign, I want you to remain my advisor – and Egypt's protector."
I bowed my head. "I promise you that."
The death of Sobekneferu shook all of Egypt. As I stood by her sarcophagus, I felt a tightness in my throat. Her body was laid to rest with all the honors she deserved — priests recited prayers, and the people wept in the streets.
After her passing, the selection of a new ruler began. It wasn't quick — the nobles and priests debated for several days before finally announcing the man who would take the throne. He was younger, strong, and the people accepted him with joy. His first steps onto the throne marked the start of a new era.
During the celebrations, I kept to the side. I watched the dancing and music, but all I could hear in my head was the memory of the woman who had once welcomed me and given me her trust.
Later, when the festivities were over, I found Neseret. She was sitting in the courtyard, holding a small lamp. Her hair was now streaked with gray and her face lined with wrinkles, but her eyes were as alive as the day I first met her.
"Egypt has a new ruler," I said as I sat down beside her.
She nodded. "I heard.
We were quiet for a moment. Then she looked at me. "You have changed too, Amenemhet. Not on the outside — never on the outside — but inside. I see what this has cost you."
I reached for her hand and held it gently. "Neseret," I said softly, "I swore to the Pharaoh that I would protect what we built. And I swear to you — when the day comes that you walk to Osiris, I will walk with you. I won't let you go alone."
A faint smile appeared on her face, but her eyes glistened with tears. "And what then? When we get there?"
I brushed her fingers with my thumb. "Then there will be no pain, no fear. And if the gods allow it, I will stay by your side until they send me back."
Neseret lowered her head and rested it on my shoulder. "You have always been my gift. Even when you thought the gods had taken love from you, you gave me more of it than I ever deserved."
We sat there for a long time, until the lamp burned out and the stars appeared overhead. In that moment, I knew that even if I was immortal, I could still give her what she needed — the certainty that she would never be alone.
When Neseret finally fell asleep, I rose quietly, snuffed out the lamp, and stepped outside. The night air was cool, and the palace courtyard was silent, broken only by the soft trickle of the fountain. My steps carried me to the old part of the palace, where I knew I would find Karem.
He was sitting on a low stool by a fire I had assumed had long burned out. He turned as soon as he heard me approach, and that same mischievous glint I remembered from years ago lit up his eyes.
"You look like you just had a conversation with Anubis himself," he smirked. "What's eating at you this late at night?"
I sat down across from him. "You know it's been years since we started hunting for signs of the cult. Years. And still nothing. No clear traces, no names, just shadows slipping through the dark from time to time."
Karem chuckled, though his voice carried a note of weariness. "Maybe that's a good thing. You know as well as I do that if we ever found them, it would just end in more blood. And honestly… I've had enough of wars. I'm happy just drilling the young recruits, yelling at them for holding their spears wrong, and kicking them into shape when they're too slow."
"That doesn't bother you anymore?" I asked, resting my chin in my hand.
Karem's smile softened. "Bother me? Maybe once. But I'm an old man now, my friend. I've got my scars, my memories. Maybe the cult is still out there, but if they haven't struck after all these years, either they've grown weak or they've lost their nerve. And honestly… if they ever do attack, I hope they do it soon so I can still stand on my feet and crack some skulls."
I couldn't help but smirk. "Your sense of humor hasn't left you."
"If it had, I'd already be dead," he laughed. "And stop worrying so much. You've still got ages ahead of you. If Sobek is planning something, you'll be there to stop it. Me… I'll just enjoy the rest of my days and keep watching your back as long as I can."
For a while we just sat in silence, listening to the crackle of the fire, feeling that rare peace that only comes when war sleeps.
"So," Karem said finally, lifting a cup of wine he'd had waiting, "what do you say we toast to the fact they still haven't found us? Maybe it will piss them off enough to finally crawl out of their holes."
I smiled faintly and accepted the cup. "So be it."