Moswen's Plight

The fiery sun beat down on princess Moswen, while she rode on her skittish elephant across the devastating deserts of Egypt. She was travelling to King Atum's estate to be wed to him. Moswen’s heart lifted, imagining the luxurious benefits she would acquire by being King Atum’s new wife. It simply seemed too good to be true! She would enjoy bountiful prestige, honor, and respect. She would have as many treasures as the world was years old! Believing herself invulnerable, she thought, Nothing could possibly ruin this day! Unfortunately, it was destined to be spoiled.

As Moswen was riding through the hot desert, a mongoose was peacefully napping on the sand in front of them, wholly unnoticed. The exhausted elephant moped across the ground, and accidentally stepped right on the mongoose's tail. The startled animal screeched in anger from being awoken from it’s nap. The elephant reared, bucked, and pounded through the air. Moswen fiercely and fearfully clutched the elephant for dear life, while he violently thrashed about. The elephant trumpeted. Moswen fell. Dust rose.

Riderless, the elephant bolted off. The pompous, and petrified princess then wearily gathered herself up, and despaired over her misfortune. This is not how my day was supposed to be going! While she was stranded in the desert, her cowardly elephant was galloping off into the distance, free from control, all because of a wild animal. Would anyone come to her aid? As her traumtic experience caught up with her, Moswen began to realize just how tired she was. Her eyes drooped, and her mouth loosed a calm yawn. Giving in to the tempting desire, Moswen got down and laid herself on the ground, falling into a deep sleep.

Seizing the opportunity, a deadly cobra wound it’s way out of the sparse brush and across the sand toward the princess in her careless slumber. "Ah, yesss," the serpent whispered to itself, "another carelesss human to feast upon. Oh how I love the feeling of my fangsss ssinking into their sssoft flesh as the venom rushesss into their blood."

The snake neared Moswen, and then drew back its head preparing to strike.

Just before its deadly fangs would have plunged into her body, an angry viverrine rushed to save her, screeching at the cobra. Moswen bolted awake, and screamed in her fright.

The rescuer then dove at the cobra and plunged its sharp teeth deep into the top of the snake's neck, surprising it, and causing the serpent to fall dead to the ground.

Moswen gasped as she realized this was the same animal that had scared her elephant away. It had just saved her life, and she knew it. It had risked its own life to save hers. She was touched. The mongoose shied away as Moswen reached out to touch it, but didn’t flee completely. It watched her with soft, intent, curious eyes.

Just then, Moswen’s betrothed, Atum, came into sight on the road beside them. He had been worried when Moswen hadn’t arrived at the scheduled time, so he had come out looking for her. But as he saw Moswen in her frightful state, and the strange wild creature in front of her, Atum assumed she must be in danger. He unslung his bow, nocked an arrow, and quickly took aim.

Moswen saw this and shouted in alarm, “Atum, no!” But it was too late. As the arrow hurtled through the air on a perfect path towards the animal’s head, the princess leapt through the air, placing herself between the arrow and its intended target. A terrifying instant later, Moswen crashed to the ground as the deadly shaft buried itself deep into the woman's chest.

Atum dropped his bow and rushed to her side in the horrifying realization of what he had done. Tears streamed down his face as the king, his hands shaking, picked up his bride. Sobbing a deep, mournful cry, he knew she had only moments to live. “Why?" he pleaded. "Why did you take my arrow for that wretched animal?"

Moswen’s chest racked in pain. “Oh...not wretched, my love. He saved me...he saved me.” Her eyes then closed a final time, and her tender body fell limp.

Atum then saw the dead cobra, and knew what had happened. He sobbed an even deeper, more painful cry in his despair. He had killed her. It was his fault. He had loved her with a passion unlike anything else. She was his most cherished and dearest companion. Yes, he was rich, but they had loved each other. But he had killed her, and now she was gone.

Forever.

Atum picked himself off the ground-Moswen’s lifeless body still cradled in his arms-and walked the journey home. He lived with the undying pain for the rest of his life. It never ceased, and he never, ever, forgot.