Ever since they were children, Ariel and Ramses had been the best of friends.
Ariel, an orphan who's parents had died of fever when she was a child, could remember as though it were yesterday. She had been looking for somewhere to live; for some kind family to take her in after her parents' death and had stumbled across the small pool that flowed below the palace balcony, where Queen Tuya and her friends often bathed. There she had come across the young Ramses, playing with a ball. When the ball had gone into the water, Ramses had gone after it; forgetting that he couldn't swim and that the water was a lot deeper than it looked!
Ariel had run along the edge of the pool and thrust her arms down towards the water.
"Take my hand!" she had shouted. Ramses, splashing and gasping for breath, had done so. Queen Tuya and her train had come out to see what all the noise was about and they had seen Ramses being rescued by a young red-headed peasant girl.
After that, Ariel had been presented before Pharaoh Seti, who had been informed of her "heroic deed" and when he had learned of her tragedy, he had maid her lady-in-waiting to his wife. In spite of her status as a servant, Ariel was treated with nothing but respect and kindness by Seti and Tuya; she was well-liked by her fellow servants and she and Ramses spent their free time playing together as children; sometimes joined by Ramses adopted brother Moses. As they grew too old for childish fancies, they instead spent their time together talking, laughing, having chariot races with Moses and playing tricks on the priests, Hotep and Huy.
One day, as Ramses was preparing to make a bag filled with wine to drop on Hotep and Huy from the balcony of his room, Ariel came in. "Oh, don't start without me, you!"
"Sh!" he hissed. "They'll hear!"
"Oh, sorry!"
"Where've you been all day?"
"Oh, your mother dropped a bottle of her favourite scent and it smashed in bits all over the floor. I've been bargaining with the merchant who sells it all morning. I'm sure he keeps trying to con me for a larger price!"
"Such as your virtue?"
"Exactly!" She shuddered. "He's creepy!"
"Oh, don't worry, my princess; he won't get you as long as I'm around!"
"Thanks, Ramses; you're a good friend!"
"Ready?"
"Ready! Oh, wait! Did you use the good red wine?"
"No, of course not!"
"Ok, go!"
As luck would have it, Hotep and Huy were passing by as the bag dropped and it missed them by several inches. "What the-?" They looked around in unison and then looked up. "Oh, Ramses, Ariel, you'll be in trouble for this!"
"Oops!" Ramses muttered.
"Here!" With that, Ariel took the bowl of wine and tipped the entire thing over Hotep and Huy. Hearing their groans of frustration, Ramses laughed and turned to Ariel. "Oh, my princess! You're just too good!"
"Don't call me that," she said, folding her arms.
"What; good?"
"No, don't call me your princess. You know it annoys me!"
"Of course! That's why I do it!"
She fixed him with a look. "You know that's why you're not married, right? Because no woman will have you!"
She ran off, laughing. Ramses hurried after her. "Come back here, you! You're going to be in so much trouble when I get hold of you!"
"Well, you have to catch me first!"