This is a different kind of story, one that I have not attempted before. I would welcome feedback on it. I suspect that it might be too rambling for some but we all like different things and variety is not a bad thing. Any suggestions for future stories would be welcomed. My personal favourite theme is masturbation, but what the heck I'll try anything once!
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Pharoah watched the sun as it dipped towards the far horizon. It had been a long hot day, one of many in a summer that had stretched on relentlessly. He was sitting in the Royal Barge, watching the Nile slide past beneath the boat and reflecting that yet another year of his reign had passed smoothly by. He was a good Pharoah, no, he considered himself to be the best Pharoah. He wasn't diverted by the foreign wars that had scarred his forebears, and he enjoyed the warmth and company of a beautiful Queen who had pleasured him for nearly 15 glorious years. But it was this same Queen that was now the cause of his greatest worries.
The Queen was ageing. Not dramatically, not visibly on a day to day basis, but over the years her youthful splendour had given way to a maturity that spoke of the coming of her passage to the afterlife. She had become morose, even a danger to herself. The constant attention of the best servants in Egypt had only partially hidden the signs of the years. And it was at this time of year, the annual pilgrimage down the Nile to the Temple of Youth that the Queen suffered the most.
Pharoah sat back in his chair and watched the fertile lands bordering the Nile slip by. The fervent green of the pastures was backed by the stark rugged gold of the sand and the desert. It was the water of the Nile that gave life to the crops, that and the seeds from whence they came, and Pharoah sat and wondered and thought. The inspiration came upon him with a flash, it must have been a gift to him from the gods. There was no time to lose.
On arrival at the temple there were the usual courtesies, but as soon as possible he called the High Priests to him for a meeting. As he outlined his idea they nodded wisely. They had learnt that Pharoah had ideas that were always from the gods, to dispute them was foolish and dangerous. Better to abide by his wishes and watch another sunrise that object and meet an untimely end.
By morning messengers had been dispatched to the corners of the kingdom. Ten slave colonies had been chosen and from each 100 perfect slaves were needed. A priest and physician went with each messenger. Possible choice slaves were bathed and clothed in loose shawls. The physician used his knowledge of form and size to make sure that the men with perfect proportions were chosen. The slaves were fit, used to hard manual labour and the physicians were spoilt for choice. In groups of 5 they were prepared for selection by the women.