once his sister's eyes had beheld the water moving below that obelisk, khaemwaset felt that they must stay. he had set about hunting at once, for he would not allow merneith to sully her head with dirt. what her caught now would do until they had amassed their own runners. but hunting an oasis had been open, whereas here the terrain dipped and swayed.
the sea caught his gaze, and he stood to watch the interplay of gold and azurite.
khaemwaset missed mother and father; he shut his eyes and sent skyward a prayer for their safety. and when he opened them, it was to behold another nearby shadow, a woman of charcoal and sandfire which at once captured his full attention.
here there was danger, and here there was interest. as intended pharaoh, khaemwaset meant to take the measure of both these things.