The Tale of Coltypt

by Rakoon1


Finding a Hiding Place

After having managed to escape from the palace, Seshat wandered by the citadel, trying to find a place to wait for the perfect opportunity to get out of Coltypt and finally be completely free of Seti.

However, the security tightened as soon as the next day. When Seti proclaimed to every people of Coltypt about his ascension to power, all citizens of the lower class were enslaved and forced to work in the construction of buildings, monuments and temples, or working intensively in plantations to produce food that would go mostly to the upper classes. A tight surveillance was placed in the immediate vicinity of the kingdom to stop anypony from running away, mainly Seshat, whose presence in Coltypt was known by Seti.

Unable to leave the kingdom, Seshat had no choice but to wander the streets, hiding in dark corners to not be recognized by the soldiers who patrolled the city. She lived the next few days trying to survive. But it was not easy, since she could barely find food for herself, as much to the foal in her womb that depended on her to handle the remaining months before to be born.

It passed a week since Seti took over Coltypt, a week since she lost her husband and her foal’s father, a week since she began living in the shadows of the kingdom. She walked through the streets of the area where the lower class of the kingdom lived, hiding her face with the hood of her cloak when she saw a scene that caught her attention.

An earth mare was going home with an earth filly who was supposed to be her daughter and that seemed to be three-is-old. The mare had brilliant cerise coat with three seeds as Cutie Mark, mint mane and dark grayish lime green eyes. The filly, who couldn't be more than four years, had the same coat and eyes that his mother, but had a light cobalt bluish gray mane. The mare was carrying a basket on her back that contained food, that barely was enough for the two of them. The filly was walking beside her mother, carrying a rag doll.

"Mommy, why don't we have more food?" the filly asked. "Normally, we have more."

"I know, but, Isis, now Pharaoh requires a larger portion of the food that we grow" the mare replied.

"Why?" Isis asked. "I thought the Pharaoh was good."

"Now we have a new pharaoh, my dear, and he is not as generous as..." Isis’ mom started, looking around to see if anypony was listening. “As Pharaoh Nefertem."

Upon hearing the name of her late husband, Seshat realized that they were loyal subjects of Nefertem. She knew that the lower class admired and loved Nefertem, as he struggled to improve their lives, something that got a lot of work. However, it seemed that Seti was destroying this hard work in a few days.

When Isis and her mother passed by Seshat, the little filly dropped her doll in front of the former queen’s hooves who hastened to take the doll and to extend it to Isis.

"Here you go, my dear."

“Thank you” she thanked her, getting the doll.

"That's very kind of you" Isis’ mother said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome" Seshat said, turning to Isis's mother, smiling, revealing her face accidentally.

Seeing her, Isis' mother held her breath and said:

“Queen Seshat..."

"Please don't say my name" Seshat asked. "Someone can hear."

"I don't believe it's you" Isis’ mother said. "But what are you doing here, Your Highness?"

"I'm hiding from my brother-in-law" Seshat said. "Right now, there's nopony he wanted to get more than me... and my son."

She took her hull to her womb.

"The news about your pregnancy spread quickly since Pharaoh Nefertem announced it, but a lot of the Coltypt inhabitants think you were dead along with the Pharaoh" Isis’ mother said.

"Fortunately, I managed to escape thanks to a great friend" Seshat said. "Since then I've been trying to get out of Coltypt, but Seti tightened the security too much."

"Mom, do you know her?" Isis asked.

"Yes, honey, this is Queen Seshat, Pharaoh Nefertem’s wife" her mother said.

Upon hearing that, the filly was aghast when she heard that.

"A queen?" she repeated.

"Yes, but it's best not to say to anypony" her mother said, turning then to Seshat. "My name's Nut, Your Highness, and this is my daughter, Isis."

"Please, you can call me Seshat" she said. "After all, I am no longer queen."

"For us, the people of Coltypt, you will always be our queen" Nut said. "Your husband has improved our lives. It's a shame that we have to see his brother destroying everything he has built."

"Yes..." Seshat said sadly.

There was a silence and then Seshat felt a wave of weakness and pain in her womb that gave a groan.

"Your Highness, are you okay?" Nut asked.

"Yes, it's just that I don’t have eaten this week" Seshat said.

"Come with us" Nut said. "We can help you. You can stay with us."

"No, I just can’t..." Seshat started. "You can get in trouble with Seti."

"What the Pharaoh doesn't know, he can’t feel" Nut said. "Besides, you're pregnant. You've to think on your foal."

Although Seshat not wanting to get Nut and her family in trouble, she knew she had to think about her foal, so she accepted Nut’s offer.

Nut and Isis took her to their house, which stood near the limits of Coltypt, not far from the river. It was two-storey house which was fairly simple, but cozy. Upon entering, Isis accompanied Seshat to a chair, while Nut put the food they had brought in the kitchen.

"Are you okay, your Highness?" Isis asked.

"Yes, my dear, I am" Seshat replied.

"Is it true you have a foal inside your womb?" Isis asked. "How did he get there?"

Seshat giggled before Isis’ innocent ignorance. She replied:

"This is something that you will learn when you're older."

"Isis, don’t disturb the queen" Nut said, while approaching, bringing a dish with some vegetables. "She needs her rest. Why don't you go play?"

"Yes, mommy" she replied, pulling away.

Seshat observed her going to a bed that there was there to play with her doll. Their house had just a just Division on each floor, where on the ground floor there was a corner to the kitchen and two beds against the wall and on the top floor there was an extra bed. The former queen turned to Nut and asked her, while eating some vegetables that she had given her:

"Does anypony else lives Here?"

"Yes, my adopted son" Nut said. "Two years ago, shortly after my husband passed away, I found him wandering. He was only three years and told me he didn't know where his family was, so I took him in."

"It must be hard to raise two kids alone" Seshat commented, seeing how hard was Nut’s life.

"Yes, but it's worth it" Nut said.

"I hope he doesn't mind if I stay here" Seshat said.

"Don't worry" Nut said. "Seth can seem a little too serious, but deep down he is kind and generous."

And it seemed that Nut was right. When Seth arrived, Seshat was surprised because he was not a pony. He looked like a jackal, but he wasn't (and that was good because jackals were known for their malice and for being followers of the Lord of Chaos). He was a sha, who was a creature resembling a jackal but with a rigid and forked tail with erect and narrower ears, rectangular at the base, and a long snout with a slight downslope. He had a dark grayish gamboge fur and dark amaranthish gray eyes. In spite of his not very nice greeting, it seemed like he didn't care that Seshat stayed.

Thus, Seshat found a place where she could hide from Seti.

In the palace of Coltypt, Seti was sitting on the throne, with Tuya by her side. A guard came in and Seti asked:

"Any sign of my sister-in-law?"

"No, sir" the guard said. "We looked for her everywhere, but there is no sign of her."

"You are incompetent" Seti said. "How hard can it be to find a pregnant earth mare? She should probably be wandering around hungry, desperate for food. I think something like that is not difficult to notice."

But the guard remained quiet, fearing that, if he said the wrong words, Seti would punish him dearly. But the Pharaoh sighed and said:

"Get out of my way and continue the search."

The guard waved, made a bow and rushed to get out of there. After the guard got out, Tuya, who wanted her husband to come back to what he was before, told him:

"Seti, my dear, don't you think it's better to quit this ridiculous quest? Leave Seshat alone. She will not cause you any inconvenience."

"She's not the one I'm worried about" Seti replied. "Nothing would give me greater pleasure than seeing her out of my kingdom. But she carries in her womb the only obstacle between me and the full control over Coltypt."

"I'm sure Seshat will think first on the security of her foal" Tuya said, putting her hull on her husband’s shoulder. "She will not want to risk his or her life just to reclaim the throne."

"My dear Tuya, you're too kind" Seti said, putting his hull over hers. "But that makes your judgment be clouded. Maybe that child does not represent a danger to me for now, but, in the future, I’m sure he will try to get back the title of pharaoh that belonged to Nefertem and I'm sure he will have the support of the people. I can't let that happen."

"But, Seti..." Tuya started.

"Please, my love, don't worry about it" Seti said. "This is something that concerns me. Go see our son. I'm sure he misses his mother."

Tuya wanted to continue trying to dissuade her husband to stop the atrocity he was planning to do, but she realized that would not do any good. He was too consumed by the Lord of Chaos’ darkness. Then she came out of the throne room.

After his wife got out, Seti rose up from the throne and headed out to the large windows of the throne room, contemplating his kingdom. He said:

"I'm going to find you, Seshat. You can be sure of that. I'm going to make sure that this foal of yours isn't born. And even if it is born, I will make sure it does not live to adulthood."