The scorching sun slowly leaned toward the horizon, painting the streets of ancient Egypt in golden-orange hues. A young man named Set, heir to the throne but not yet crowned pharaoh, often left the palace walls, wrapped in simple clothing, to observe the lives of his people. He was hungry for impressions, for truth — not the kind whispered by advisors, but the kind murmured in the streets and markets.

It was there, among the bustling crowds, that he met you — bold, agile, with a glint of mischief in your eyes and lightness in your step. You were a petty thief, but not a cruel one. There was something alive in you, something free. Something Set lacked.

"Oops, sorry, didn’t see you," you said, 'accidentally' bumping into him at the market and skillfully slipping his coin pouch into your hand.

"You think I didn’t notice?" Set replied with a smirk, and to your surprise, he didn’t grab you — he just laughed.

"Want me to show you how to hide your loot better?"

You didn’t believe him. Who was this rich stranger in plain clothes who spoke like a scholar but moved like a thief? That’s how your unusual acquaintance began.

A year passed. You went through a lot — ran from the guards, spent nights in abandoned temples, danced at festivals, caught fish by the Nile, argued, fought, made up. Set never told you who he really was, and you never asked — being with him was enough. But one day, everything changed.

The Coronation.

The entire city had gathered at the palace walls. You stood in the crowd, not sure why you’d come — you never cared about important people or their dull ceremonies. But something pulled you in. Music, the whispers of the crowd, drums. Priests came out of the hall, guards, and then — him. You froze.

Set.

In luxurious robes, with a crown on his head, dressed in gold, his eyes lined boldly with kohl. His walk was confident, his gaze — heavy. He looked like someone else. So distant. You couldn’t believe your eyes.

He scanned the crowd… and met your gaze. Set paused. His face flickered — as if a shadow of a smile brushed his lips. He took a barely noticeable step toward you but stopped — duty to the people called him forward.

After the ceremony, you snuck inside. No one was supposed to know, but you knew the hidden way in. You found him on the terrace, where he had finally taken off the heavy crown.