Chapter 13 Be mine

Under the walls built with endless sand, time is just a paused clock. Ancient Egypt divided a year into three seasons. I spent two seasons here. Every day, Aten would come to find me.
He would obediently stay by the bed when I was not awake. When I woke up, I would see him lying on one side of the bed, his little hand holding mine. I advised him many times that as he grew older, he would have to marry, and it was not suitable for too much contact between them.
His small eyes showed a touch of stubbornness:
"Please, you cannot casually abandon me since you have chosen me. You must always be with me."
The strength in the child's small hands was surprisingly muscular, causing me pain. He said:
"If I become pharaoh, you will belong to me."
I thought it was just a child's innocent talk, not noticing the conviction in his eyes.
As a grown woman, I should have been married long ago.
But Akhenaten refused to let me marry; to ensure the purity of the royal bloodline, the royal princess had to marry within the royal lineage.
In the end, Akhenaten made an absurd decision.
He wanted me to marry him.
And the first one to know the news was the angry young boy before me, Aten. Of course, I also learned about this news. I cannot imagine how foolish this decision is in this bloodline-dominated feudal society. It's mind-boggling and highly disgusting. I can't bear it any longer. So, I decided to confront Akhenaten.
"Father, why did you make such arrangements?"
"Why did I make such arrangements? Ankhesen, as a princess, you should know this is the best choice to continue our royal bloodline.
"It's the royal duty to bear the purest seed for the empire's birth."
The pharaoh's authority was unquestionable, and his cold, snake-like eyes made me tremble. Although they were incredibly similar eyes, the pair I've seen in modern times had never truly made me quiver inside. I looked back at the queen, filled with sorrow. I asked her:
"Mother, do you also approve?"
"Ankhesen, listen to me..."
The queen didn't continue her words, and I understood her meaning. She approved. The powerlessness of destiny surrounds me. At that moment, an overwhelming rage rose. My thoughts and beliefs differ from theirs; the principles I believe in are just jokes to them.