Chapter Text
The death of his father was a deep shock for Satoru. One day he was fine, the next, sick and just after that he wasn't there anymore.
Everyone had decided that acting as if it was the decision of the gods meant they were not supposed to feel sad, wrenched, and devastated.
He hated that.
The man he looked up to, all his life, his mentor, his hero, his father, had just passed, and he was supposed to act as if nothing had happened. He was supposed to just swallow it and think of more important things? Bullshit.
He was human too.
Or maybe not anymore.
That was the second most shocking thing.
Satoru was undoubtedly a good candidate for the throne. He was assertive, perseverant, smart, and open to discussion. But he could also be unshakable, cold-blooded, and extremely logical when he wanted to. All of those were great qualities for a king.
His more than god-like features were just an additional bonus. White hair that reflected light as brightly as diamonds, and eyes so blue the Nile had to be envious, Satoru had everything for himself.
He could also be funny from time to time and was way too good with children for a man who never had one of his own.
Therefore the people loved him. Love being an understatement here. He was adored. At the youthful age of 23, he already had temples all around the empire.
People thought that praying through him was a good way to bring success and fulfillment into one's life.
So yes, the news was surprising, but not really.
In the last sparkles of his life, the late Pharaoh, when asked to bless his successor, surprisingly said
May the gods of forever and tomorrow bless Pharaoh Satoru
And then he died.
Leaving Satoru to deal with the utter chaos that ensued.
As stated previously, Satoru was a good candidate for the throne, yes, but what he wasn't, however, was the first son.
That was Sukuna's title. First Prince of Egypt and Heir to the empire.
So why was the heir, not the one succeeding to the Pharaoh then?
Sukuna had been a diligent prince. Sometimes greedy, and other times too insensitive, maybe. But he still spent his whole life accomplishing his royal duties without much of a complaint. He was the representative of his father, at more than one event.
When the late Pharaoh had fallen ill, he stepped up as his temporary substitute and took care of all the country's affairs.
After all that display of qualities, Satoru was surprised when it ended up being him who was called the next Pharaoh.
What didn't surprise him however was the Royal Bride's reaction.
She started screaming a lot of nonsense about how this was not possible, Satoru had forced the Pharaoh's hand (How?), the king was delirious, Sukuna was the only truthful heir, and also the usual low blow, how the offspring of a mere concubine could become the Pharaoh, while her son was left with nothing (not really, he was still First Prince).
Satoru was feeling exhausted, and nothing had even happened yet.
One of the hem-netjer-tepi (High Priest), had to step forward to calm everyone down.
He explained that the late king had been talking about it for some time before passing. The oracles had come to him and had warned him about hard times to come for the empire if some things did not change. And from there, the king had decided that maybe changing the one to intercede for us with the gods could affect our fates.
The king was not delirious, nor was he being controlled by anybody. After consulting the gods, who did not voice any opposition to that change, the late pharaoh announced that Satoru would be next in line. And that's why he had been sending him out more, and even asked him to go on the frontline and discuss with the generals.
That was kind of a slap in the face to everyone who had had any complaints.
And it was just as quickly decided that Satoru would be appointed Pharaoh.
But they now had an additional problem (as if Satoru's headaches were not bad enough).
They had to find a Royal Bride.
The Pharaoh institution ceremony had always been a cojoined ceremony, where the first wife was also appointed Royal Bride.
What that implied, was that no one could be crowned Pharaoh without having an official spouse.
Between the date of the death of the last Pharaoh and the day of the coronation of the next one, there should be a total of 9 decans (90 days. 1 decan= 10 days).
This meant Satoru had 9 decans to find a suitable spouse and to establish his power and authority as the new Pharaoh, for a smooth transition.
There was no way this was going to work out just fine.
The demise of the Pharaoh struck his people profoundly. While the king was renowned for his firm yet equitable rule, his passing left Egyptians apprehensive about the uncertain future without their formidable leader. News of his death swiftly traversed the borders of the empire, spreading a sense of unease among the populace.
The revelation of the chosen successor came as a shock, fueling anxieties about the new ruler's ability to fulfill his responsibilities. Concerns mounted among the populace, pondering the ramifications should the successor falter in his duties.
Upon learning of the next Pharaoh's quest for a queen, the Mitanni King saw a golden opportunity to enhance diplomatic relations with the central empire. Thus, he extended a gracious invitation to the soon-to-be king, enticing him to unwind in the renowned baths of his lands. His underlying motive was to ensure that during the visit, the prince would encounter his daughters and depart with the assurance of selecting one of them as his future queen.
Satoru found himself inundated with invitations to depart from Memphis, the capital. Recognizing the need to secure a queen swiftly and to reassure his people, he resolved to embark on a kingdom-wide journey. Instructing his scribes to chart a route, he dispatched envoys to inform various kings of his anticipated visits.
He commenced his journey three days following his father's death, as advised by the Oracle. Despite his desire to linger beside his grief-stricken mother, time constraints compelled him to expedite the search for a spouse before undergoing the requisite tests and preparing for his father's funeral rites and his coronation day.
Embarking from Memphis, he traced the course of the Nile towards Upper Egypt. Passing through Amarna, Karnak, Thebes (where a restless night with one of the governor's daughters proved too verbose for his liking), Luxor, and The Valley of the Kings, he ultimately reached Aswan. From there, he voyaged by ship across the Red Sea, venturing through Canaan, Amurru, and Aleppo. Three and a half decans after his departure the prince arrived in Washukanni, the capital of Mitanni.