Semet's Daybreak

Infinite Azure – The Queen’s Daybreak Semet Entries from Semet's diary.

This blue carpet seems endless.

Before the worried gazes of my citizens, my bare feet tread the sand. I see them. In their eyes. Their emotions. I am not worried for myself. But they are. Handkerchiefs out, some weep, some rejoice in this great day that legitimizes my divinity.

The day of the trip…

I am leaving. And when I return, I will be fully the Queen of Kedet. Or else… or else I will not return.

I lightly touch the papyrus of my boat with my fingertips. Its perfect surface reveals the love the shipwrights poured into its construction. They are all right there, lined up on the beach. In the beating of their hearts, I sense both their apprehension and their devotion.

The silence is deafening as I grasp the oars, seated in my boat. My breath quickens. “They're counting on me. I cannot let them down. Otherwise…”

I turn my head, and I see them. The hundreds - thousands, perhaps - of men and women who are already waiting for my return even though I haven't left the coast.

A cloud passes. A golden ray bathes me in its light. “The Six are with me. This journey cannot fail. I cannot fail. It's impossible.”

..............................

It had been a long time since I'd had to exert myself physically. The navigation lessons came back to me as my arms ached from all the rowing. Finally, I understood the value of these skills.

Exhausted, I decide to take a break. It's only after all this time that I realize what's around me. Beyond the gentle lapping of the still water, I glimpse all sorts of colorful creatures: fish, mollusks, and mammals. Life teems beneath the tangled coral as it blooms on the sands of my beautiful nation. In the distance, I see the coast. Forests, plains, and even immense masses of stone covered with something white. Could this be snow? It is indeed very cold near it.

From these accounts, this great journey, and the experiences gained will emerge the fundamental wisdom for my future position.

This blue carpet seems endless, as will be the memories left by my reign.

The entries stop here. After Semet returned to Kheta-Kedet, the villagers feasted for six days and six nights. Their new Queen had finally ascended the throne, and decades of abundance were awaiting.