Book 1 Chapter Seven Part 1: Horus

Horus (ancient Egypt)

After spending three weeks in town, Horus started his journey to travel home. The journey took six days, by foot and by water.

Mother, I am home.” Horus said, after he walked into the gate. Their home, is a wooden hut, in front of a meadow of wheat farm.

Right after entering, Horus saw again the old man Baal and his mother sitting there, drinking water.

“Master Baal?” Horus frowned and said, despite Baal was right, about his dealing with those thugs, his cruel and ruthless attitude, still make Horus, extremely wary seen, Baal, within his home.

Ishtar smiled, “What are you doing there? Come sit, this is a very important man that I want you to meet.” Ishtar said

Horus sat down.

Nephthys also entered the room.

“Sixteen years, Min, far too long.” Nephthys said. Baal is in fact, Osiris’ former bodyguard, Min.

Ishtar smiled “Horus, I want you to meet this very important man. He is your father’s former Chief bodyguard, Min.” Ishtar said

Min smiled “Horus and I met some days ago, in the market. You taught him well, My Lady, only, he can be a bit too soft with his enemy, sometimes. But still, kindness is a good thing, but in war, ruthless, is still necessary sometime.” Min said

Horus smiled “Master Min, I heard my mother talk much about you, when I was a child, never thought I get to meet you in person.” Horus replied

“Master Min. That is a name, I haven’t heard in years. I’ve gone by the name Baal, for so many years, I think I almost forgotten my real name.” Min laughed

“Min, what happened within the last sixteen years?” Ishtar asked

“After the Lady Nephthys rescue me from the dungeon that day, I travel North, back to the Mediterranean Sea. I grew up there, know the way of the waters. Seth, might be a great warrior on the land, but he knows nothing about the way of the sea. To avoid detection, I changed my name, to Baal and start working as a sea merchant. We primary travel along the coast of North Africa, West coast of Babylon and Southern coast of Europe, going as far as Spain.” Min replied

“But never travel beyond Spain.” Nephthys said

“My Lady, we are merchants, not explorers, the world beyond the abyss, let explorers figure out what that is.” Min said

Min took a sip of his water. “The last ten years, Seth’s yearly increased tax rate and wide spread execution of educated, make life more and more difficult for the peasants, the pharaoh of some city states, choose to rebel against Seth’s rule, none of it went well. We are the only ones that declare our independence and survive, Seth doesn’t know the way of the water. But we know the ways of the waters. So, we are able to declare our independence. But it can be hard for us too. Seth is considering closing the boarder with the Mediterranean Sea, try starve us into submission. We’ve been sending ships, into the abyss, to discover, what is out there. So far, nothing promising. Things are getting worse out there, My Lady, worse than it was, during the great famine. People are starving and dying.” Min said

“I am aware, Min. We might live on the land, North of the Red Sea, away from the conflict, but I am always keeping my eyes out on what happened. In the rest of the world.” Ishtar replied

“Since we declare our independence from Seth’s rule, Seth has declared us as pirates. My Lady, I know that you love your son and want to protect him, but, at a time like this, only one person can rally the power of the people, together, to over throw the rule of Seth. The son of Osiris.” Min said “With your permission and if the young Prince Horus is willing, I would like to further prepare him, for what is to come.”

“What are you, intending to do?” Ishtar replied

“The prince Horus is now sixteen years old, which is a man. He had study much, in term of the arts of warfare, fighting and all discipline that can help make him a great pharaoh. But he spent most of his life on this farm, haven’t really seen the world. Like the great Ptah once said, experience in travel, is just as important to what you learn in books, otherwise what you learn in your book, is like dead waters. Since our fleet declare independent from that of Seth, I would like to offer the prince Horus, an apprenticeship within my fleet, to better prepare him, for the days to come. That is, if the prince Horus and the Lady Ishtar, agrees.” Min said