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“Your move, Your Evening Radiance,” Sutekh chuckled with a teasing grin dancing across his face as he reached for another honey-covered date, popping the sweet treat into his mouth as he waited for his half-sister to take her turn on the board game laid out before them. If someone were to interrupt the two royals, they would instantly recognize that they were playing the classic game Hounds and Jackals as the pair indulged on the finest snacks that the kitchens could offer them at such a late hour. Although it might have been an odd sight at first glance as it was not common for Bastards and Pregnant Queens to be found playing a children’s game at such an ungodly hour--this was a scene that had become fairly common in the Evening Star Palace in the months since Sutekh had taken on the Naddar name and quickly became a fixture in the young Queen’s life as the two of them tried to make up for the lost time that had been stolen from them.
That was the purpose of these late nights. They had over sixteen years of memories as siblings that they needed to catch up on and make up for as it was only recently that the two of them had learned about the shared blood that flowed through their veins. As impossible as it seemed, they both were the children of the late Pharaoh Imopehatsuma. This connection was something that had been hidden from the both of them as long as Sutekh had been alive, until of course, the castle of cards that Iaheru had built for him had come crashing down as her husband learned the truth of Sutekh’s parentage. In a twist of fate that was unfairly cruel, Onuphrious had exiled the boy who had been raised as his heir from the Sheifa estate. Sutekh was incredibly lucky that Hatshepsut had taken him in that awful night and allowed him to take the name of their father. He was endlessly grateful for the girl who truly had no obligation to this boy who had shown up at the Evening Star Palace in tears, recounting a family secret that would forevermore link the two of them as brother and sister. Sutekh may be illegitimate, but that did not matter to them. Not when both of them needed a friendly face by their sides to help each other weather the horrid trials that life had decided to throw at them.
Although it was never addressed aloud, both of the siblings needed these few quiet hours where they were free to drop the formalities between them and learn how to be each other’s siblings. They both desperately needed this sort of bond in their lives and even though Sutekh couldn’t speak for his sister, he was nearly certain that there wasn’t anyone in the world that the pair trusted more than each other. That, of course, was thanks to the evenings that they spent like this -- chatting over board games as they talked about the stresses that plagued them throughout the day. So, let people question how proper it was for Sutekh to leaning back on a plush kline in the presence of the Queen he jokingly called ‘Hattie’. They needed this. They needed this more than words could convey.
Sutekh glanced over at Hatshepsut as he reached for another fruit (all taste-tested by a slave to ensure their safety) waiting for the queen to decide which action she was going to take that could bring her one step closer to victory. Currently, she had a leg up on the Bastard Prince and one more brilliant move from the girl would likely win her the game as Sutekh was lagging so far behind that he was unlikely to catch up. Not that it mattered anyway as Sutekh was more inclined to let her win than take the victory for himself. After all, he had grown up with the luxury of four siblings that he had mercilessly beaten in this game over the years. Hatshepsut didn’t. The joyful memories that would stem from this game were more needed by the sixteen-year-old who had always been royal first and girl second. Seven hells, the poor girl was barely into adulthood and she was already a wife and mother-to-be. It didn’t feel right for Sutekh to chase after unfair victories.
However, that didn’t mean that he was going to give her an easy time of it either. As she was clearly considering her options, Sutekh tried the age-old method of distracting her as he brought up topics for her to consider that had nothing to do with the game and were only meant to break her concentration. “I think I saw Zoser earlier today. Do you know how his library is progressing?” He could barely contain the slight smirk as he chose a topic that he knew would be near and dear to his sister as the bond between the tutor and his pupil was well known. Sutkeh had even seen how close the two were all those years ago at her coronation when he had stood in as the father figure that she--they both lost. He was hoping that she would be so eager to talk about the older man that her focus would slip and give Sutekh a chance to make his eventual defeat not a total annihilation. It wasn’t likely to work through as he was nearly certain that the girl would be able to see right through him and his tactics after so many nights spent playing games like this. Which was fine by him. It didn’t sit right with him to lie to her anyway not only because of the fact that she was his queen, but it made him feel fairly scummy after all she had done for him.
Leaning back in his seat he looked over at his sister, the girl who could have avoided being Queen if his mother had not kept such a massive secret from the entirety of Egypt for so long. A momentarily look of concern crossed his face as he thought about how stressful such a position must be for her as the girl was so young and caught as a pawn between so many cruel and powerful people… and that didn’t even take into consideration the physical toll that her pregnancy was taking on her. It certainly made his own concerns about poisoned food and the fate that was waiting for him at the front seem much paler in comparison to what was occurring in her life. “Hattie?” He quietly asked, the playful brotherly smirk dropping for once as his voice conveyed the worry he felt for her well-being, “How are you holding up with everything that’s happening? I know it must be a lot between Iahotep, the Baby, and the War… I’m worried about--” He trailed off at the end, not sure if his words were helpful or not as they seemingly came out of nowhere. Plus not to mention the harsh accusations from his other sister about how selfish being he supposedly was had stopped the statement about how worried he was about her right in its tracks. Sutekh didn’t want Nia to be proven right and have him only express his own fears and concerns with the only sister who actually seemed to care about him. However, he had already started to speak so he felt as if he had to finish the statement.
“I’m worried about you.” He said quietly as his eyes drifting up to her own, silently asking her to be open and honest with him. He was her brother, he was here for her to bend his ear and trust him to be her closest confidante in a palace full of deception and secrets. His own loyalty was squarely with her. Not Iahotep. Not Isetheperu. Her. Sutekh was doubtful that there was anyone in the court that she would be able to trust more with the truth about what was happening in her life. Zoser maybe? But even he didn’t have the blood bond that brought the two of them together and made it easy to put implicit trust in each other despite the nature of the court around them.
After all, that’s what brothers and sisters were for, right?
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This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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“Your move, Your Evening Radiance,” Sutekh chuckled with a teasing grin dancing across his face as he reached for another honey-covered date, popping the sweet treat into his mouth as he waited for his half-sister to take her turn on the board game laid out before them. If someone were to interrupt the two royals, they would instantly recognize that they were playing the classic game Hounds and Jackals as the pair indulged on the finest snacks that the kitchens could offer them at such a late hour. Although it might have been an odd sight at first glance as it was not common for Bastards and Pregnant Queens to be found playing a children’s game at such an ungodly hour--this was a scene that had become fairly common in the Evening Star Palace in the months since Sutekh had taken on the Naddar name and quickly became a fixture in the young Queen’s life as the two of them tried to make up for the lost time that had been stolen from them.
That was the purpose of these late nights. They had over sixteen years of memories as siblings that they needed to catch up on and make up for as it was only recently that the two of them had learned about the shared blood that flowed through their veins. As impossible as it seemed, they both were the children of the late Pharaoh Imopehatsuma. This connection was something that had been hidden from the both of them as long as Sutekh had been alive, until of course, the castle of cards that Iaheru had built for him had come crashing down as her husband learned the truth of Sutekh’s parentage. In a twist of fate that was unfairly cruel, Onuphrious had exiled the boy who had been raised as his heir from the Sheifa estate. Sutekh was incredibly lucky that Hatshepsut had taken him in that awful night and allowed him to take the name of their father. He was endlessly grateful for the girl who truly had no obligation to this boy who had shown up at the Evening Star Palace in tears, recounting a family secret that would forevermore link the two of them as brother and sister. Sutekh may be illegitimate, but that did not matter to them. Not when both of them needed a friendly face by their sides to help each other weather the horrid trials that life had decided to throw at them.
Although it was never addressed aloud, both of the siblings needed these few quiet hours where they were free to drop the formalities between them and learn how to be each other’s siblings. They both desperately needed this sort of bond in their lives and even though Sutekh couldn’t speak for his sister, he was nearly certain that there wasn’t anyone in the world that the pair trusted more than each other. That, of course, was thanks to the evenings that they spent like this -- chatting over board games as they talked about the stresses that plagued them throughout the day. So, let people question how proper it was for Sutekh to leaning back on a plush kline in the presence of the Queen he jokingly called ‘Hattie’. They needed this. They needed this more than words could convey.
Sutekh glanced over at Hatshepsut as he reached for another fruit (all taste-tested by a slave to ensure their safety) waiting for the queen to decide which action she was going to take that could bring her one step closer to victory. Currently, she had a leg up on the Bastard Prince and one more brilliant move from the girl would likely win her the game as Sutekh was lagging so far behind that he was unlikely to catch up. Not that it mattered anyway as Sutekh was more inclined to let her win than take the victory for himself. After all, he had grown up with the luxury of four siblings that he had mercilessly beaten in this game over the years. Hatshepsut didn’t. The joyful memories that would stem from this game were more needed by the sixteen-year-old who had always been royal first and girl second. Seven hells, the poor girl was barely into adulthood and she was already a wife and mother-to-be. It didn’t feel right for Sutekh to chase after unfair victories.
However, that didn’t mean that he was going to give her an easy time of it either. As she was clearly considering her options, Sutekh tried the age-old method of distracting her as he brought up topics for her to consider that had nothing to do with the game and were only meant to break her concentration. “I think I saw Zoser earlier today. Do you know how his library is progressing?” He could barely contain the slight smirk as he chose a topic that he knew would be near and dear to his sister as the bond between the tutor and his pupil was well known. Sutkeh had even seen how close the two were all those years ago at her coronation when he had stood in as the father figure that she--they both lost. He was hoping that she would be so eager to talk about the older man that her focus would slip and give Sutekh a chance to make his eventual defeat not a total annihilation. It wasn’t likely to work through as he was nearly certain that the girl would be able to see right through him and his tactics after so many nights spent playing games like this. Which was fine by him. It didn’t sit right with him to lie to her anyway not only because of the fact that she was his queen, but it made him feel fairly scummy after all she had done for him.
Leaning back in his seat he looked over at his sister, the girl who could have avoided being Queen if his mother had not kept such a massive secret from the entirety of Egypt for so long. A momentarily look of concern crossed his face as he thought about how stressful such a position must be for her as the girl was so young and caught as a pawn between so many cruel and powerful people… and that didn’t even take into consideration the physical toll that her pregnancy was taking on her. It certainly made his own concerns about poisoned food and the fate that was waiting for him at the front seem much paler in comparison to what was occurring in her life. “Hattie?” He quietly asked, the playful brotherly smirk dropping for once as his voice conveyed the worry he felt for her well-being, “How are you holding up with everything that’s happening? I know it must be a lot between Iahotep, the Baby, and the War… I’m worried about--” He trailed off at the end, not sure if his words were helpful or not as they seemingly came out of nowhere. Plus not to mention the harsh accusations from his other sister about how selfish being he supposedly was had stopped the statement about how worried he was about her right in its tracks. Sutekh didn’t want Nia to be proven right and have him only express his own fears and concerns with the only sister who actually seemed to care about him. However, he had already started to speak so he felt as if he had to finish the statement.
“I’m worried about you.” He said quietly as his eyes drifting up to her own, silently asking her to be open and honest with him. He was her brother, he was here for her to bend his ear and trust him to be her closest confidante in a palace full of deception and secrets. His own loyalty was squarely with her. Not Iahotep. Not Isetheperu. Her. Sutekh was doubtful that there was anyone in the court that she would be able to trust more with the truth about what was happening in her life. Zoser maybe? But even he didn’t have the blood bond that brought the two of them together and made it easy to put implicit trust in each other despite the nature of the court around them.
After all, that’s what brothers and sisters were for, right?
“Your move, Your Evening Radiance,” Sutekh chuckled with a teasing grin dancing across his face as he reached for another honey-covered date, popping the sweet treat into his mouth as he waited for his half-sister to take her turn on the board game laid out before them. If someone were to interrupt the two royals, they would instantly recognize that they were playing the classic game Hounds and Jackals as the pair indulged on the finest snacks that the kitchens could offer them at such a late hour. Although it might have been an odd sight at first glance as it was not common for Bastards and Pregnant Queens to be found playing a children’s game at such an ungodly hour--this was a scene that had become fairly common in the Evening Star Palace in the months since Sutekh had taken on the Naddar name and quickly became a fixture in the young Queen’s life as the two of them tried to make up for the lost time that had been stolen from them.
That was the purpose of these late nights. They had over sixteen years of memories as siblings that they needed to catch up on and make up for as it was only recently that the two of them had learned about the shared blood that flowed through their veins. As impossible as it seemed, they both were the children of the late Pharaoh Imopehatsuma. This connection was something that had been hidden from the both of them as long as Sutekh had been alive, until of course, the castle of cards that Iaheru had built for him had come crashing down as her husband learned the truth of Sutekh’s parentage. In a twist of fate that was unfairly cruel, Onuphrious had exiled the boy who had been raised as his heir from the Sheifa estate. Sutekh was incredibly lucky that Hatshepsut had taken him in that awful night and allowed him to take the name of their father. He was endlessly grateful for the girl who truly had no obligation to this boy who had shown up at the Evening Star Palace in tears, recounting a family secret that would forevermore link the two of them as brother and sister. Sutekh may be illegitimate, but that did not matter to them. Not when both of them needed a friendly face by their sides to help each other weather the horrid trials that life had decided to throw at them.
Although it was never addressed aloud, both of the siblings needed these few quiet hours where they were free to drop the formalities between them and learn how to be each other’s siblings. They both desperately needed this sort of bond in their lives and even though Sutekh couldn’t speak for his sister, he was nearly certain that there wasn’t anyone in the world that the pair trusted more than each other. That, of course, was thanks to the evenings that they spent like this -- chatting over board games as they talked about the stresses that plagued them throughout the day. So, let people question how proper it was for Sutekh to leaning back on a plush kline in the presence of the Queen he jokingly called ‘Hattie’. They needed this. They needed this more than words could convey.
Sutekh glanced over at Hatshepsut as he reached for another fruit (all taste-tested by a slave to ensure their safety) waiting for the queen to decide which action she was going to take that could bring her one step closer to victory. Currently, she had a leg up on the Bastard Prince and one more brilliant move from the girl would likely win her the game as Sutekh was lagging so far behind that he was unlikely to catch up. Not that it mattered anyway as Sutekh was more inclined to let her win than take the victory for himself. After all, he had grown up with the luxury of four siblings that he had mercilessly beaten in this game over the years. Hatshepsut didn’t. The joyful memories that would stem from this game were more needed by the sixteen-year-old who had always been royal first and girl second. Seven hells, the poor girl was barely into adulthood and she was already a wife and mother-to-be. It didn’t feel right for Sutekh to chase after unfair victories.
However, that didn’t mean that he was going to give her an easy time of it either. As she was clearly considering her options, Sutekh tried the age-old method of distracting her as he brought up topics for her to consider that had nothing to do with the game and were only meant to break her concentration. “I think I saw Zoser earlier today. Do you know how his library is progressing?” He could barely contain the slight smirk as he chose a topic that he knew would be near and dear to his sister as the bond between the tutor and his pupil was well known. Sutkeh had even seen how close the two were all those years ago at her coronation when he had stood in as the father figure that she--they both lost. He was hoping that she would be so eager to talk about the older man that her focus would slip and give Sutekh a chance to make his eventual defeat not a total annihilation. It wasn’t likely to work through as he was nearly certain that the girl would be able to see right through him and his tactics after so many nights spent playing games like this. Which was fine by him. It didn’t sit right with him to lie to her anyway not only because of the fact that she was his queen, but it made him feel fairly scummy after all she had done for him.
Leaning back in his seat he looked over at his sister, the girl who could have avoided being Queen if his mother had not kept such a massive secret from the entirety of Egypt for so long. A momentarily look of concern crossed his face as he thought about how stressful such a position must be for her as the girl was so young and caught as a pawn between so many cruel and powerful people… and that didn’t even take into consideration the physical toll that her pregnancy was taking on her. It certainly made his own concerns about poisoned food and the fate that was waiting for him at the front seem much paler in comparison to what was occurring in her life. “Hattie?” He quietly asked, the playful brotherly smirk dropping for once as his voice conveyed the worry he felt for her well-being, “How are you holding up with everything that’s happening? I know it must be a lot between Iahotep, the Baby, and the War… I’m worried about--” He trailed off at the end, not sure if his words were helpful or not as they seemingly came out of nowhere. Plus not to mention the harsh accusations from his other sister about how selfish being he supposedly was had stopped the statement about how worried he was about her right in its tracks. Sutekh didn’t want Nia to be proven right and have him only express his own fears and concerns with the only sister who actually seemed to care about him. However, he had already started to speak so he felt as if he had to finish the statement.
“I’m worried about you.” He said quietly as his eyes drifting up to her own, silently asking her to be open and honest with him. He was her brother, he was here for her to bend his ear and trust him to be her closest confidante in a palace full of deception and secrets. His own loyalty was squarely with her. Not Iahotep. Not Isetheperu. Her. Sutekh was doubtful that there was anyone in the court that she would be able to trust more with the truth about what was happening in her life. Zoser maybe? But even he didn’t have the blood bond that brought the two of them together and made it easy to put implicit trust in each other despite the nature of the court around them.
After all, that’s what brothers and sisters were for, right?
Contentment. So precious, yet so very elusive and rare.
Before she found out she had a brother, Hatshepsut had only been completely content while with the General she loved with all her heart. Wrapped in his embrace or engaged in conversation, she was able to simply relax and be herself, letting her anxieties and responsibilities flow away, if only briefly. With Sutekh, she could now do the same. She loved him too, but in a drastically different way. It was easy to forget that she was the Queen of all Egypt during their late night meetings. She felt like a normal young girl spending time with her brother.
A brother she had only recently discovered. All her life, she had wished for a sibling. It was lonely being an only child, even more so when one had become the ruler of a kingdom at the tender age of six. She’d always had Zoser to confide in, but the man who had been responsible for her education was more of a father figure than a sibling. Outside of their lessons, he had other duties to attend to. She had not seen him nearly as often as she would have liked.
The night Sutekh had showed up would be forever etched upon her mind. Hatshepsut had been alerted by her servants and had reached the foyer just in time to hear her mother tell him that he had no place in the palace. She knew him, of course. He was the heir of Hei Sheifa and she had no idea why he was crying and looked so lost. Demanding to hear his story, she had been astonished to learn that he was the son of her late father, the former Pharaoh, who’d had a fling with his mother. His father had thrown him out and he had nowhere else to go.
She understood why her mother hadn't wanted him there. He was a living reminder that her husband had been unfaithful. Had she already known or was she as surprised as her daughter? For the first time in her life, she had used her authority to overrule Isetheperu, insisting that Sutekh was welcome to live in the palace and take her father’s name. Her mother had told her that she would be sorry for that decision, but she knew she never would be.
Now they were making up for lost time and getting to know each other. Already she trusted him more than she trusted anyone but Osorsen and Zoser. It was fun playing Hounds and Jackels, a game that all children were taught regardless of status. She watched Sutekh make his move. It surprised her, as there was at lest one more possibility that would be more advantageous. Was he planning to let her win?. Although she believed he had allowed her to defeat him before, she knew that it was not because she was his Queen. He just wanted her to be happy. If letting her win pleased him, why should she deny him?
His grin reminded her of her father’s. Though her memories of the former Pharaoh were vague, there were definitely similarities between father and son. She sometimes wondered if those similarities had alerted his mother’s husband to the fact that Sutekh was not his biological child. Hatshepsut had never asked how his true paternity been revealed. Perhaps her brother would tell her eventually. It was really none of her business anyway.
“Are you going easy on me?” she asked, her grin matching his own. It was still strange to feel her lips stretched upwards to form the expression. The young Queen had never had much reason to grin. Royals, she had been told over and over by her mother, must always smile subtly and never give their true feelings away. It was a lesson she now heeded unconsciously, except in the presence of Osorsen, Zoser, or Sutekh.
Adjusting her position on the richly upholstered pillows covering the kline, she leaned forward and contemplated her next move. She too, plucked date from the golden tray and popped it in her mouth. Hatshepsut knew how afraid her brother was of being poisoned and everything he ate was sampled by her personal taster first. She was afraid of the same thing, especially now that Egypt and Greece were at war and the future of her kingdom grew within her. There were probably already Greek spies in the palace. All rulers had targets on their backs, but hers was now a lot bigger because she was carrying the heir to the throne. Sometimes she wondered if their paranoia had also been inherited from their father.
Sutekh’s voice interrupted her contemplation. He’s trying to distract me, she thought smugly. Perfect concentration had been one of those lessons that her mother had ingrained into her when she was a small child. A Queen’s attention must be absolute. It could never be broken by any kind of diversion. Kingdoms had fallen for less. I shall let him think it is working. “No, I haven’t seen Zoser lately, nor have I spoken to him. Maybe the library is taking up all of his time. I have no doubt that he will contact me soon and tell me all about it.” She picked up a stick by it’s jackal head. “And then I shall relate the news to you.”
She had just decided in which hole to place it when Sutekh quietly asked how she was handling all of the pressure she was under. He was worried about her. Hatshepsut looked over at him, noting the concern in the dark eyes that were so like her own. The game could wait. She sat the jackal beside the board and gave him her full attention.
“It is difficult,” she sighed. “There is so much to do and learn in a very short period of time. I must be able to rule Egypt on my own during the war. It is a huge responsibility and one that I do not take lightly. Sometimes I lay awake at night fearing that I am not old enough or mature enough to make wise decisions. I will, of course, be able to rely on my mother and Zoser the way I have always done, but I want to stand on my own now. I want to prove that I am capable of being Queen.” She purposefully did not mention that she wanted to prove herself to Iahotep so that he would be proud of her.
Unless he didn’t return. Then she could marry Osorsen and Egypt would surely thrive. Though it was what she truly wanted, she wasn’t able to forget that night she and Iahotep spent together no matter how hard she tried. Hatshepsut had never been very ambitious, but that feeling of power she had experienced had been addicting and she wanted more of it, but without sacrificing her integrity or her compassion. She would never be ruthless and cruel like her husband and mother. It was simply not in her nature to be so.
“I am also afraid that I am too young to be a good mother, but my greatest fear is that my child will never draw breath. There will be assassins sent to kill us both. He is the future of Egypt and I am the only woman who can bear the heirs of the kingdom. If we die, so will the hope of our people. And that will make them easier to defeat.” She sighed. “I will be careful and trust no one. There are plans put into place to protect us, and I pray every day that they will be enough. Like any Queen, I would give my life for my kingdom, but I am not willing to sacrifice my child.”
Reaching over the board, she took his hand and squeezed it. “I am also worried about you, Sutekh. You shouldn’t be going to war at all. You must be careful. I am fairly certain that the Pharaoh will make an attempt on your life. It is why he is so adamant that you go. You can trust General H’Moghadam if there is anything that you are unsure of. He is on our side and hates Iahotep as much as we do.”
But do I hate my husband? Do I hate him truly? Of course I do, as long as he is trying to rid himself of my brother. If he gave that up, maybe I would change my mind.
There was only one secret that Hatshsepsut was keeping from her Sutekh … her love for Osorsen and the fact that they had been lovers for more than a year. However, he must know that the two of them were good friends. Everyone at court was aware of that aspect of their relationship. When they met again, she was going to ask Osorsen to look after her brother and keep him safe.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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Contentment. So precious, yet so very elusive and rare.
Before she found out she had a brother, Hatshepsut had only been completely content while with the General she loved with all her heart. Wrapped in his embrace or engaged in conversation, she was able to simply relax and be herself, letting her anxieties and responsibilities flow away, if only briefly. With Sutekh, she could now do the same. She loved him too, but in a drastically different way. It was easy to forget that she was the Queen of all Egypt during their late night meetings. She felt like a normal young girl spending time with her brother.
A brother she had only recently discovered. All her life, she had wished for a sibling. It was lonely being an only child, even more so when one had become the ruler of a kingdom at the tender age of six. She’d always had Zoser to confide in, but the man who had been responsible for her education was more of a father figure than a sibling. Outside of their lessons, he had other duties to attend to. She had not seen him nearly as often as she would have liked.
The night Sutekh had showed up would be forever etched upon her mind. Hatshepsut had been alerted by her servants and had reached the foyer just in time to hear her mother tell him that he had no place in the palace. She knew him, of course. He was the heir of Hei Sheifa and she had no idea why he was crying and looked so lost. Demanding to hear his story, she had been astonished to learn that he was the son of her late father, the former Pharaoh, who’d had a fling with his mother. His father had thrown him out and he had nowhere else to go.
She understood why her mother hadn't wanted him there. He was a living reminder that her husband had been unfaithful. Had she already known or was she as surprised as her daughter? For the first time in her life, she had used her authority to overrule Isetheperu, insisting that Sutekh was welcome to live in the palace and take her father’s name. Her mother had told her that she would be sorry for that decision, but she knew she never would be.
Now they were making up for lost time and getting to know each other. Already she trusted him more than she trusted anyone but Osorsen and Zoser. It was fun playing Hounds and Jackels, a game that all children were taught regardless of status. She watched Sutekh make his move. It surprised her, as there was at lest one more possibility that would be more advantageous. Was he planning to let her win?. Although she believed he had allowed her to defeat him before, she knew that it was not because she was his Queen. He just wanted her to be happy. If letting her win pleased him, why should she deny him?
His grin reminded her of her father’s. Though her memories of the former Pharaoh were vague, there were definitely similarities between father and son. She sometimes wondered if those similarities had alerted his mother’s husband to the fact that Sutekh was not his biological child. Hatshepsut had never asked how his true paternity been revealed. Perhaps her brother would tell her eventually. It was really none of her business anyway.
“Are you going easy on me?” she asked, her grin matching his own. It was still strange to feel her lips stretched upwards to form the expression. The young Queen had never had much reason to grin. Royals, she had been told over and over by her mother, must always smile subtly and never give their true feelings away. It was a lesson she now heeded unconsciously, except in the presence of Osorsen, Zoser, or Sutekh.
Adjusting her position on the richly upholstered pillows covering the kline, she leaned forward and contemplated her next move. She too, plucked date from the golden tray and popped it in her mouth. Hatshepsut knew how afraid her brother was of being poisoned and everything he ate was sampled by her personal taster first. She was afraid of the same thing, especially now that Egypt and Greece were at war and the future of her kingdom grew within her. There were probably already Greek spies in the palace. All rulers had targets on their backs, but hers was now a lot bigger because she was carrying the heir to the throne. Sometimes she wondered if their paranoia had also been inherited from their father.
Sutekh’s voice interrupted her contemplation. He’s trying to distract me, she thought smugly. Perfect concentration had been one of those lessons that her mother had ingrained into her when she was a small child. A Queen’s attention must be absolute. It could never be broken by any kind of diversion. Kingdoms had fallen for less. I shall let him think it is working. “No, I haven’t seen Zoser lately, nor have I spoken to him. Maybe the library is taking up all of his time. I have no doubt that he will contact me soon and tell me all about it.” She picked up a stick by it’s jackal head. “And then I shall relate the news to you.”
She had just decided in which hole to place it when Sutekh quietly asked how she was handling all of the pressure she was under. He was worried about her. Hatshepsut looked over at him, noting the concern in the dark eyes that were so like her own. The game could wait. She sat the jackal beside the board and gave him her full attention.
“It is difficult,” she sighed. “There is so much to do and learn in a very short period of time. I must be able to rule Egypt on my own during the war. It is a huge responsibility and one that I do not take lightly. Sometimes I lay awake at night fearing that I am not old enough or mature enough to make wise decisions. I will, of course, be able to rely on my mother and Zoser the way I have always done, but I want to stand on my own now. I want to prove that I am capable of being Queen.” She purposefully did not mention that she wanted to prove herself to Iahotep so that he would be proud of her.
Unless he didn’t return. Then she could marry Osorsen and Egypt would surely thrive. Though it was what she truly wanted, she wasn’t able to forget that night she and Iahotep spent together no matter how hard she tried. Hatshepsut had never been very ambitious, but that feeling of power she had experienced had been addicting and she wanted more of it, but without sacrificing her integrity or her compassion. She would never be ruthless and cruel like her husband and mother. It was simply not in her nature to be so.
“I am also afraid that I am too young to be a good mother, but my greatest fear is that my child will never draw breath. There will be assassins sent to kill us both. He is the future of Egypt and I am the only woman who can bear the heirs of the kingdom. If we die, so will the hope of our people. And that will make them easier to defeat.” She sighed. “I will be careful and trust no one. There are plans put into place to protect us, and I pray every day that they will be enough. Like any Queen, I would give my life for my kingdom, but I am not willing to sacrifice my child.”
Reaching over the board, she took his hand and squeezed it. “I am also worried about you, Sutekh. You shouldn’t be going to war at all. You must be careful. I am fairly certain that the Pharaoh will make an attempt on your life. It is why he is so adamant that you go. You can trust General H’Moghadam if there is anything that you are unsure of. He is on our side and hates Iahotep as much as we do.”
But do I hate my husband? Do I hate him truly? Of course I do, as long as he is trying to rid himself of my brother. If he gave that up, maybe I would change my mind.
There was only one secret that Hatshsepsut was keeping from her Sutekh … her love for Osorsen and the fact that they had been lovers for more than a year. However, he must know that the two of them were good friends. Everyone at court was aware of that aspect of their relationship. When they met again, she was going to ask Osorsen to look after her brother and keep him safe.
Contentment. So precious, yet so very elusive and rare.
Before she found out she had a brother, Hatshepsut had only been completely content while with the General she loved with all her heart. Wrapped in his embrace or engaged in conversation, she was able to simply relax and be herself, letting her anxieties and responsibilities flow away, if only briefly. With Sutekh, she could now do the same. She loved him too, but in a drastically different way. It was easy to forget that she was the Queen of all Egypt during their late night meetings. She felt like a normal young girl spending time with her brother.
A brother she had only recently discovered. All her life, she had wished for a sibling. It was lonely being an only child, even more so when one had become the ruler of a kingdom at the tender age of six. She’d always had Zoser to confide in, but the man who had been responsible for her education was more of a father figure than a sibling. Outside of their lessons, he had other duties to attend to. She had not seen him nearly as often as she would have liked.
The night Sutekh had showed up would be forever etched upon her mind. Hatshepsut had been alerted by her servants and had reached the foyer just in time to hear her mother tell him that he had no place in the palace. She knew him, of course. He was the heir of Hei Sheifa and she had no idea why he was crying and looked so lost. Demanding to hear his story, she had been astonished to learn that he was the son of her late father, the former Pharaoh, who’d had a fling with his mother. His father had thrown him out and he had nowhere else to go.
She understood why her mother hadn't wanted him there. He was a living reminder that her husband had been unfaithful. Had she already known or was she as surprised as her daughter? For the first time in her life, she had used her authority to overrule Isetheperu, insisting that Sutekh was welcome to live in the palace and take her father’s name. Her mother had told her that she would be sorry for that decision, but she knew she never would be.
Now they were making up for lost time and getting to know each other. Already she trusted him more than she trusted anyone but Osorsen and Zoser. It was fun playing Hounds and Jackels, a game that all children were taught regardless of status. She watched Sutekh make his move. It surprised her, as there was at lest one more possibility that would be more advantageous. Was he planning to let her win?. Although she believed he had allowed her to defeat him before, she knew that it was not because she was his Queen. He just wanted her to be happy. If letting her win pleased him, why should she deny him?
His grin reminded her of her father’s. Though her memories of the former Pharaoh were vague, there were definitely similarities between father and son. She sometimes wondered if those similarities had alerted his mother’s husband to the fact that Sutekh was not his biological child. Hatshepsut had never asked how his true paternity been revealed. Perhaps her brother would tell her eventually. It was really none of her business anyway.
“Are you going easy on me?” she asked, her grin matching his own. It was still strange to feel her lips stretched upwards to form the expression. The young Queen had never had much reason to grin. Royals, she had been told over and over by her mother, must always smile subtly and never give their true feelings away. It was a lesson she now heeded unconsciously, except in the presence of Osorsen, Zoser, or Sutekh.
Adjusting her position on the richly upholstered pillows covering the kline, she leaned forward and contemplated her next move. She too, plucked date from the golden tray and popped it in her mouth. Hatshepsut knew how afraid her brother was of being poisoned and everything he ate was sampled by her personal taster first. She was afraid of the same thing, especially now that Egypt and Greece were at war and the future of her kingdom grew within her. There were probably already Greek spies in the palace. All rulers had targets on their backs, but hers was now a lot bigger because she was carrying the heir to the throne. Sometimes she wondered if their paranoia had also been inherited from their father.
Sutekh’s voice interrupted her contemplation. He’s trying to distract me, she thought smugly. Perfect concentration had been one of those lessons that her mother had ingrained into her when she was a small child. A Queen’s attention must be absolute. It could never be broken by any kind of diversion. Kingdoms had fallen for less. I shall let him think it is working. “No, I haven’t seen Zoser lately, nor have I spoken to him. Maybe the library is taking up all of his time. I have no doubt that he will contact me soon and tell me all about it.” She picked up a stick by it’s jackal head. “And then I shall relate the news to you.”
She had just decided in which hole to place it when Sutekh quietly asked how she was handling all of the pressure she was under. He was worried about her. Hatshepsut looked over at him, noting the concern in the dark eyes that were so like her own. The game could wait. She sat the jackal beside the board and gave him her full attention.
“It is difficult,” she sighed. “There is so much to do and learn in a very short period of time. I must be able to rule Egypt on my own during the war. It is a huge responsibility and one that I do not take lightly. Sometimes I lay awake at night fearing that I am not old enough or mature enough to make wise decisions. I will, of course, be able to rely on my mother and Zoser the way I have always done, but I want to stand on my own now. I want to prove that I am capable of being Queen.” She purposefully did not mention that she wanted to prove herself to Iahotep so that he would be proud of her.
Unless he didn’t return. Then she could marry Osorsen and Egypt would surely thrive. Though it was what she truly wanted, she wasn’t able to forget that night she and Iahotep spent together no matter how hard she tried. Hatshepsut had never been very ambitious, but that feeling of power she had experienced had been addicting and she wanted more of it, but without sacrificing her integrity or her compassion. She would never be ruthless and cruel like her husband and mother. It was simply not in her nature to be so.
“I am also afraid that I am too young to be a good mother, but my greatest fear is that my child will never draw breath. There will be assassins sent to kill us both. He is the future of Egypt and I am the only woman who can bear the heirs of the kingdom. If we die, so will the hope of our people. And that will make them easier to defeat.” She sighed. “I will be careful and trust no one. There are plans put into place to protect us, and I pray every day that they will be enough. Like any Queen, I would give my life for my kingdom, but I am not willing to sacrifice my child.”
Reaching over the board, she took his hand and squeezed it. “I am also worried about you, Sutekh. You shouldn’t be going to war at all. You must be careful. I am fairly certain that the Pharaoh will make an attempt on your life. It is why he is so adamant that you go. You can trust General H’Moghadam if there is anything that you are unsure of. He is on our side and hates Iahotep as much as we do.”
But do I hate my husband? Do I hate him truly? Of course I do, as long as he is trying to rid himself of my brother. If he gave that up, maybe I would change my mind.
There was only one secret that Hatshsepsut was keeping from her Sutekh … her love for Osorsen and the fact that they had been lovers for more than a year. However, he must know that the two of them were good friends. Everyone at court was aware of that aspect of their relationship. When they met again, she was going to ask Osorsen to look after her brother and keep him safe.
When faced with the accusation that Sutekh was going easy on the Queen, the bastard had to nervously laugh. “Me? Go easy on you? Never.” He instantly retorted with a slight smile dancing across his face. Granted, this was exactly what the older boy was doing, hoping that giving his sister a victory would bring a smile onto her face. It was such an honorable cause too, surely Sutekh deserved some credit for trying to make Hatshepsut happy in the wake of everything outside his sister’s room being just so completely terrible. “If you want a victory, my Queen, you’ll have to earn it.” Sutekh’s tone was light and jovial, a far cry from what the boy gave when he was outside of this room, forced to confront the constant what-ifs and troubles that came with being the bastard son of a long-dead Pharaoh.
Even though the question in regards to what Sutekh would have done had he become Pharaoh instead of Iahotep had frequently crossed his mind; truly he could not even begin to fathom what it would be like to stand in Hatshepsut’s shoes. The girl was only sixteen, she was barely out of childhood and yet already she had the entire world on her shoulders. He didn’t know how she did it. How on earth could his sister who was so young when she came into power, likely barely old enough to really understand the implications of becoming Queen at six years old, handle it with such grace and dignity? Honestly, if Sutekh had not made a point to ask her how she was faring once they were safe behind closed doors and out of the view of others (and when the laughter died down, of course), he never would have known that she was so deeply troubled about what was to come with the war unfurling its bloodstained banner once again; the same wretched banner that had taken their father from them a decade ago.
He did not know if Hatshepsut knew it, but she had such an impressive amount of inner strength in her answer to his question if she was alright that if they had not both been lounging on the plush cushions of her ornate bed, Sutekh would have thought that she had been speaking to a courtier and not her long-lost brother. If any man doubted her capabilities as a leader, the Bastard Prince would have quickly directed them to this moment where even when admitting that she felt that she was weak and unable to bear the burden of the tasks ahead, she was still ever inch of the unshakeable queen that she was born to be. Iahotep be damned. She was the proper leader of Egypt.
But she was still his sister. A newly-found one, yes. He did not have the same rapport with her that he would with Nenet and the only childhood memories that the two of them had to draw upon had the sort of stiffness that a courtier conversing with their monarch would always have. However, that did not mean that there weren’t new, stronger bonds forming between the two for reasons that Sutekh could never share with his half-siblings resting easily in the Thebes residence that he once called home, utterly safe and secure in the knowledge that they would not be outcasted and forgotten as Sutekh had been. Hatshepsut and her brother might have the same blood bond that Sutekh did with his other siblings, but what was between them couldn’t be as shallow as that. After all, the two of them choose to be each other’s family. The Queen could have very easily turned him away. Sutekh could have very easily disregarded his mother’s advice. Yet, they didn’t. They chose to recognize, accept, and cherish the bond that Imopehatsuma had given them. That was something that could never be understated or taken for granted.
This was likely what had made them grow closer to each other at a speed that Sutekh never had anticipated. Once he learned of his true parentage and discovered that Hatshepsut would not turn him away, the new Prince of Egypt had thought that it would take months for them to truly develop that brother and sister bond he had experienced with the Sheifa brood. To his complete surprise, it had only taken them a few weeks. Even though there was still a strange air to this, as if the two of them still could not wrap their heads around the fact that they were indeed from the same bloodline, that didn’t stop the two of them from quickly becoming as thick as thieves. Sutekh couldn’t believe that he was saying this, but sitting here with her now, he almost wished that the person who betrayed the Sheifas and revealed his mother’s secret had done so sooner instead of waiting so long.
That close bond was probably what caused Sutekh’s heart to break as he heard his sister admit that she didn’t think that she was going to be strong enough for the trials ahead. Had she been Nenet or even Nef (had it been under the right circumstances, of course) this was probably the moment that Sutekh would have reached out and offered a hug. However, even at this moment, Hatshepsut seemed just as strong as she always was making the Bastard Prince feel as if it would be wrong to offer such a thing. Instead, Sutekh merely reached for his sister’s hand and gave it a tight squeeze of reassurance.
“I know. The world out there has absolutely lost their minds and yet somehow you’re the one who needs to set it right. Have the gods forgotten you’re only sixteen?...” He tried to be reassuring, but his voice trailed off at the end in complete disbelief of it all. How on earth could the world have gotten so messy that it was all being left in the hands of his sister? Hatshepsut might be strong, but she was still just a girl. All of this was too much to ask of her, even with her litany of advisors and physicians at her beck and call. That wasn’t even touching on the stress that his own role in the war would bring upon her. She had only just discovered that she wasn’t entirely on her own and had a sibling that she never knew about. Now Sutekh was going to be torn away from her as neither of them was foolish enough to believe that Iahotep was going to let him return from his war if he wasn’t in a burial shroud.
His jaw clenched at the thought that all of his sister’s troubles were caused by one man. If Iahotep hadn’t decided to declare war during this delicate time where the man’s wife couldn’t keep her own food down for more than a few hours… had he just accepted that Sutekh was not a threat to the throne... if only the fool wasn’t so hungry for power and glory and had just waited a few months for his sister to have the baby before rushing to war, things would have been completely different. Instead, they had this selfish man to blame and now that he was Pharaoh, he couldn’t even be questioned on his terrible decisions that brought undue stress upon others.
However, it wasn’t as if Sutekh could undo all the things that Iahotep had done to bring them to this point. No amount of wondering what would have happened if another had assumed control of Egypt instead of him was going to change the fact that this was their reality now. Sutekh was a young man marked to die and poor Hatshepsut was a mother-to-be expected to run an entire kingdom at such a young age. The most that Sutekh could do was reassure her that everything was going to be alright.
“Well, if it brings you any joy, I feel as if Egypt couldn’t be in safer hands right now,” Sutekh started to say, trying to give her comfort in the wake of the biggest challenge pressing upon her at this moment. He gave the girl a slight chuckle with his words as he was thinking about the alternatives in Isetheperu and Iahotep. Although Sutekh was not foolish enough to speak ill of the Queen-Mother in her daughter’s presence, it wasn’t exactly a secret that he did not have a warm relationship with his step-mother -- for good reason too. He was the bastard of her husband and the living proof that Imopehatsuma had strayed from her. Sutekh’s entire existence was an insult to the woman who was known for her honor and she had made no attempt to hide her displeasure for her daughter’s decision. This hatred alone had ensured that Sutekh did not have the highest opinion of her and Iahotep… well, he was Iahotep. Did anything really need to be said on that front?
“Honestly Hattie? I would not be worried about making the wrong decisions. There is no such thing as a wrong decision if you follow your intuition and stay true to your convictions.” He uttered, recalling some of the best lessons he had learned not only as Onuphrious’s protege but also as a Captain in the Sheifa Harakat. Hard decisions were inevitable and they would not be so easy as choosing right from wrong. People will likely get hurt and things may not turn out the way you want, but the best you could hope for was doing what seemed to be the right thing. “I know it’s scary, but truly, you have a great sense of judgment and I’ve never seen someone be so committed to taking the moral route, no matter how difficult it will be. If Iahotep’s war does not bring us any trouble, Egypt will flourish under your guidance.”
In the midst of needing to reassure his sister, he had completely forgotten that it had been his turn until he glanced down and noticed that Hatshepsut had widened the gap between their two pieces. Not wanting to reveal that he was purposely letting her win (though it was pointless as she had already realized what was happening) Sutekh decided that instead of continuing his tread of making bad moves, he tried to bring his game piece closer to Hattie’s. It was still far enough ahead that she was still clearly winning, but not far enough away that it would begin to look suspicious. He glanced up at her and invited her to make her move as well as he continued to speak, hopefully putting some of her concerns to rest and if he couldn’t? Hopefully, it would give her some reassurance to glance back upon when things were seemingly too much to handle.
“The safest place that you can be is here in the Evening Star Palace. There isn’t a single place in all of Egypt that can withstand anything and after… well…” He started to say, making reference to the time when Iahotep had thought that someone had attempted to poison him, but trailed off at the end realizing that directly mentioning it was not going to help his sister feel safe in any way, shape, or form, “The entire staff will be at your disposal to prevent that. Everything is tested twice and you’ll have an entire unit of guards at your disposal to protect you. There’s no way that any harm can come to you or your son.”
At this moment, the Prince bit his lip, clearly considering something, but unsure if it was his place to utter what was thinking aloud. He knew that between the guards and servants, Hattie would be safe, but if she needed to quickly getaway to someplace that no one would know that she was the Queen of Egypt… well Sutekh might have a method of getting her there quickly and with no questions asked. “And if the Evening Star Palace isn’t enough,” He started to say, clearly hesitant as he had no way to check and ensure that the person he was about to suggest help with this plan would actually be willing or not, “If you could somehow get to my mother, she will be able to get you somewhere safer with the Sheifa shipping connections. I’m sure she would be more than willing to help after all you have done for me…” It was rather bold of him to assume that the Sheifa matriarch would be willing to partake in such a risky plan. She would be obligated to if Hatshepsut asked as his sister was the queen… but still. The next time he saw the older woman, Sutekh would have to mention offering as much to her. She might be willing to help, but her grace could only go so far if she was not given any sort of warning that she would need to hide royalty.
However, when the topic turned to himself, a heavy silence filled the room. Hatshepsut admitting that Iahotep most likely wanted Sutekh dead was not all that surprising. The Prince himself expected as much, but it still was not an easy pill to swallow. No man wanted to die. Especially not the young man who still had so much to do with his life. He wasn’t ready for it to be snuffed out because he might possibly pose a threat to the Pharaoh. It was a scary thought to consider and truthfully, Sutekh was a little grateful that his sister offered him some reassurance when she told him to put his faith into General Osorsen. It did surprise him to hear that the man hated Iahotep as well, but he didn’t dwell too much on it. Many soldiers were not found with the thought of going off to die in an unnecessary war, perhaps this was why?
Not that it mattered anyway as he nodded his assent to her suggestion. His mouth moved to offer her some form of reassurance that everything would be alright, that he would return from the battlefield alive and okay… he just couldn’t bring himself to form the words. Truthfully, that was not something that could be easily protected against as poison or bad decisions could be. His fate now belonged to the gods of war and whether or not they were going to take pity on him. Sutekh felt so powerless to do anything to prevent this from happening and there was nothing that his sister could do either beyond just praying for mercy.
“I’ll be fine. I was a captain before. I know what to do and what’s expected of me.” He quietly said after a long moment, not feeling nearly half as confident as he needed to be at this moment. All Sutekh could really do was keep his bow near him at all times. He might be rubbish with the khopesh, but at least he was proficient with the long-ranged weapon. Maybe that might spare him from the heat of battle… Might.
Shaking these terrible thoughts out of his head, Sutekh tried to refocus on happier things, but that was hard to do. There was really nothing that they could do or say to guarantee that everything would be alright. Everything was left to chance, designed to trip them up in a world made by people who wanted to see them fall. It seemed impossible, but still, they would have to do it. They had no choice in the matter, but even so, it did bring up a rather funny thought for Sutekh to contend with in this tense moment. “You know, I kind of wished our father was a goat farmer instead. I’d much rather herd animals than deal with this mess, wouldn’t you?” It was certainly random, but it brought a light smirk to Sutekh’s lips and hopefully to Hatshepsut’s too. After all, the two of them really needed a little laughter to deal with this nightmare, didn’t they?
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When faced with the accusation that Sutekh was going easy on the Queen, the bastard had to nervously laugh. “Me? Go easy on you? Never.” He instantly retorted with a slight smile dancing across his face. Granted, this was exactly what the older boy was doing, hoping that giving his sister a victory would bring a smile onto her face. It was such an honorable cause too, surely Sutekh deserved some credit for trying to make Hatshepsut happy in the wake of everything outside his sister’s room being just so completely terrible. “If you want a victory, my Queen, you’ll have to earn it.” Sutekh’s tone was light and jovial, a far cry from what the boy gave when he was outside of this room, forced to confront the constant what-ifs and troubles that came with being the bastard son of a long-dead Pharaoh.
Even though the question in regards to what Sutekh would have done had he become Pharaoh instead of Iahotep had frequently crossed his mind; truly he could not even begin to fathom what it would be like to stand in Hatshepsut’s shoes. The girl was only sixteen, she was barely out of childhood and yet already she had the entire world on her shoulders. He didn’t know how she did it. How on earth could his sister who was so young when she came into power, likely barely old enough to really understand the implications of becoming Queen at six years old, handle it with such grace and dignity? Honestly, if Sutekh had not made a point to ask her how she was faring once they were safe behind closed doors and out of the view of others (and when the laughter died down, of course), he never would have known that she was so deeply troubled about what was to come with the war unfurling its bloodstained banner once again; the same wretched banner that had taken their father from them a decade ago.
He did not know if Hatshepsut knew it, but she had such an impressive amount of inner strength in her answer to his question if she was alright that if they had not both been lounging on the plush cushions of her ornate bed, Sutekh would have thought that she had been speaking to a courtier and not her long-lost brother. If any man doubted her capabilities as a leader, the Bastard Prince would have quickly directed them to this moment where even when admitting that she felt that she was weak and unable to bear the burden of the tasks ahead, she was still ever inch of the unshakeable queen that she was born to be. Iahotep be damned. She was the proper leader of Egypt.
But she was still his sister. A newly-found one, yes. He did not have the same rapport with her that he would with Nenet and the only childhood memories that the two of them had to draw upon had the sort of stiffness that a courtier conversing with their monarch would always have. However, that did not mean that there weren’t new, stronger bonds forming between the two for reasons that Sutekh could never share with his half-siblings resting easily in the Thebes residence that he once called home, utterly safe and secure in the knowledge that they would not be outcasted and forgotten as Sutekh had been. Hatshepsut and her brother might have the same blood bond that Sutekh did with his other siblings, but what was between them couldn’t be as shallow as that. After all, the two of them choose to be each other’s family. The Queen could have very easily turned him away. Sutekh could have very easily disregarded his mother’s advice. Yet, they didn’t. They chose to recognize, accept, and cherish the bond that Imopehatsuma had given them. That was something that could never be understated or taken for granted.
This was likely what had made them grow closer to each other at a speed that Sutekh never had anticipated. Once he learned of his true parentage and discovered that Hatshepsut would not turn him away, the new Prince of Egypt had thought that it would take months for them to truly develop that brother and sister bond he had experienced with the Sheifa brood. To his complete surprise, it had only taken them a few weeks. Even though there was still a strange air to this, as if the two of them still could not wrap their heads around the fact that they were indeed from the same bloodline, that didn’t stop the two of them from quickly becoming as thick as thieves. Sutekh couldn’t believe that he was saying this, but sitting here with her now, he almost wished that the person who betrayed the Sheifas and revealed his mother’s secret had done so sooner instead of waiting so long.
That close bond was probably what caused Sutekh’s heart to break as he heard his sister admit that she didn’t think that she was going to be strong enough for the trials ahead. Had she been Nenet or even Nef (had it been under the right circumstances, of course) this was probably the moment that Sutekh would have reached out and offered a hug. However, even at this moment, Hatshepsut seemed just as strong as she always was making the Bastard Prince feel as if it would be wrong to offer such a thing. Instead, Sutekh merely reached for his sister’s hand and gave it a tight squeeze of reassurance.
“I know. The world out there has absolutely lost their minds and yet somehow you’re the one who needs to set it right. Have the gods forgotten you’re only sixteen?...” He tried to be reassuring, but his voice trailed off at the end in complete disbelief of it all. How on earth could the world have gotten so messy that it was all being left in the hands of his sister? Hatshepsut might be strong, but she was still just a girl. All of this was too much to ask of her, even with her litany of advisors and physicians at her beck and call. That wasn’t even touching on the stress that his own role in the war would bring upon her. She had only just discovered that she wasn’t entirely on her own and had a sibling that she never knew about. Now Sutekh was going to be torn away from her as neither of them was foolish enough to believe that Iahotep was going to let him return from his war if he wasn’t in a burial shroud.
His jaw clenched at the thought that all of his sister’s troubles were caused by one man. If Iahotep hadn’t decided to declare war during this delicate time where the man’s wife couldn’t keep her own food down for more than a few hours… had he just accepted that Sutekh was not a threat to the throne... if only the fool wasn’t so hungry for power and glory and had just waited a few months for his sister to have the baby before rushing to war, things would have been completely different. Instead, they had this selfish man to blame and now that he was Pharaoh, he couldn’t even be questioned on his terrible decisions that brought undue stress upon others.
However, it wasn’t as if Sutekh could undo all the things that Iahotep had done to bring them to this point. No amount of wondering what would have happened if another had assumed control of Egypt instead of him was going to change the fact that this was their reality now. Sutekh was a young man marked to die and poor Hatshepsut was a mother-to-be expected to run an entire kingdom at such a young age. The most that Sutekh could do was reassure her that everything was going to be alright.
“Well, if it brings you any joy, I feel as if Egypt couldn’t be in safer hands right now,” Sutekh started to say, trying to give her comfort in the wake of the biggest challenge pressing upon her at this moment. He gave the girl a slight chuckle with his words as he was thinking about the alternatives in Isetheperu and Iahotep. Although Sutekh was not foolish enough to speak ill of the Queen-Mother in her daughter’s presence, it wasn’t exactly a secret that he did not have a warm relationship with his step-mother -- for good reason too. He was the bastard of her husband and the living proof that Imopehatsuma had strayed from her. Sutekh’s entire existence was an insult to the woman who was known for her honor and she had made no attempt to hide her displeasure for her daughter’s decision. This hatred alone had ensured that Sutekh did not have the highest opinion of her and Iahotep… well, he was Iahotep. Did anything really need to be said on that front?
“Honestly Hattie? I would not be worried about making the wrong decisions. There is no such thing as a wrong decision if you follow your intuition and stay true to your convictions.” He uttered, recalling some of the best lessons he had learned not only as Onuphrious’s protege but also as a Captain in the Sheifa Harakat. Hard decisions were inevitable and they would not be so easy as choosing right from wrong. People will likely get hurt and things may not turn out the way you want, but the best you could hope for was doing what seemed to be the right thing. “I know it’s scary, but truly, you have a great sense of judgment and I’ve never seen someone be so committed to taking the moral route, no matter how difficult it will be. If Iahotep’s war does not bring us any trouble, Egypt will flourish under your guidance.”
In the midst of needing to reassure his sister, he had completely forgotten that it had been his turn until he glanced down and noticed that Hatshepsut had widened the gap between their two pieces. Not wanting to reveal that he was purposely letting her win (though it was pointless as she had already realized what was happening) Sutekh decided that instead of continuing his tread of making bad moves, he tried to bring his game piece closer to Hattie’s. It was still far enough ahead that she was still clearly winning, but not far enough away that it would begin to look suspicious. He glanced up at her and invited her to make her move as well as he continued to speak, hopefully putting some of her concerns to rest and if he couldn’t? Hopefully, it would give her some reassurance to glance back upon when things were seemingly too much to handle.
“The safest place that you can be is here in the Evening Star Palace. There isn’t a single place in all of Egypt that can withstand anything and after… well…” He started to say, making reference to the time when Iahotep had thought that someone had attempted to poison him, but trailed off at the end realizing that directly mentioning it was not going to help his sister feel safe in any way, shape, or form, “The entire staff will be at your disposal to prevent that. Everything is tested twice and you’ll have an entire unit of guards at your disposal to protect you. There’s no way that any harm can come to you or your son.”
At this moment, the Prince bit his lip, clearly considering something, but unsure if it was his place to utter what was thinking aloud. He knew that between the guards and servants, Hattie would be safe, but if she needed to quickly getaway to someplace that no one would know that she was the Queen of Egypt… well Sutekh might have a method of getting her there quickly and with no questions asked. “And if the Evening Star Palace isn’t enough,” He started to say, clearly hesitant as he had no way to check and ensure that the person he was about to suggest help with this plan would actually be willing or not, “If you could somehow get to my mother, she will be able to get you somewhere safer with the Sheifa shipping connections. I’m sure she would be more than willing to help after all you have done for me…” It was rather bold of him to assume that the Sheifa matriarch would be willing to partake in such a risky plan. She would be obligated to if Hatshepsut asked as his sister was the queen… but still. The next time he saw the older woman, Sutekh would have to mention offering as much to her. She might be willing to help, but her grace could only go so far if she was not given any sort of warning that she would need to hide royalty.
However, when the topic turned to himself, a heavy silence filled the room. Hatshepsut admitting that Iahotep most likely wanted Sutekh dead was not all that surprising. The Prince himself expected as much, but it still was not an easy pill to swallow. No man wanted to die. Especially not the young man who still had so much to do with his life. He wasn’t ready for it to be snuffed out because he might possibly pose a threat to the Pharaoh. It was a scary thought to consider and truthfully, Sutekh was a little grateful that his sister offered him some reassurance when she told him to put his faith into General Osorsen. It did surprise him to hear that the man hated Iahotep as well, but he didn’t dwell too much on it. Many soldiers were not found with the thought of going off to die in an unnecessary war, perhaps this was why?
Not that it mattered anyway as he nodded his assent to her suggestion. His mouth moved to offer her some form of reassurance that everything would be alright, that he would return from the battlefield alive and okay… he just couldn’t bring himself to form the words. Truthfully, that was not something that could be easily protected against as poison or bad decisions could be. His fate now belonged to the gods of war and whether or not they were going to take pity on him. Sutekh felt so powerless to do anything to prevent this from happening and there was nothing that his sister could do either beyond just praying for mercy.
“I’ll be fine. I was a captain before. I know what to do and what’s expected of me.” He quietly said after a long moment, not feeling nearly half as confident as he needed to be at this moment. All Sutekh could really do was keep his bow near him at all times. He might be rubbish with the khopesh, but at least he was proficient with the long-ranged weapon. Maybe that might spare him from the heat of battle… Might.
Shaking these terrible thoughts out of his head, Sutekh tried to refocus on happier things, but that was hard to do. There was really nothing that they could do or say to guarantee that everything would be alright. Everything was left to chance, designed to trip them up in a world made by people who wanted to see them fall. It seemed impossible, but still, they would have to do it. They had no choice in the matter, but even so, it did bring up a rather funny thought for Sutekh to contend with in this tense moment. “You know, I kind of wished our father was a goat farmer instead. I’d much rather herd animals than deal with this mess, wouldn’t you?” It was certainly random, but it brought a light smirk to Sutekh’s lips and hopefully to Hatshepsut’s too. After all, the two of them really needed a little laughter to deal with this nightmare, didn’t they?
When faced with the accusation that Sutekh was going easy on the Queen, the bastard had to nervously laugh. “Me? Go easy on you? Never.” He instantly retorted with a slight smile dancing across his face. Granted, this was exactly what the older boy was doing, hoping that giving his sister a victory would bring a smile onto her face. It was such an honorable cause too, surely Sutekh deserved some credit for trying to make Hatshepsut happy in the wake of everything outside his sister’s room being just so completely terrible. “If you want a victory, my Queen, you’ll have to earn it.” Sutekh’s tone was light and jovial, a far cry from what the boy gave when he was outside of this room, forced to confront the constant what-ifs and troubles that came with being the bastard son of a long-dead Pharaoh.
Even though the question in regards to what Sutekh would have done had he become Pharaoh instead of Iahotep had frequently crossed his mind; truly he could not even begin to fathom what it would be like to stand in Hatshepsut’s shoes. The girl was only sixteen, she was barely out of childhood and yet already she had the entire world on her shoulders. He didn’t know how she did it. How on earth could his sister who was so young when she came into power, likely barely old enough to really understand the implications of becoming Queen at six years old, handle it with such grace and dignity? Honestly, if Sutekh had not made a point to ask her how she was faring once they were safe behind closed doors and out of the view of others (and when the laughter died down, of course), he never would have known that she was so deeply troubled about what was to come with the war unfurling its bloodstained banner once again; the same wretched banner that had taken their father from them a decade ago.
He did not know if Hatshepsut knew it, but she had such an impressive amount of inner strength in her answer to his question if she was alright that if they had not both been lounging on the plush cushions of her ornate bed, Sutekh would have thought that she had been speaking to a courtier and not her long-lost brother. If any man doubted her capabilities as a leader, the Bastard Prince would have quickly directed them to this moment where even when admitting that she felt that she was weak and unable to bear the burden of the tasks ahead, she was still ever inch of the unshakeable queen that she was born to be. Iahotep be damned. She was the proper leader of Egypt.
But she was still his sister. A newly-found one, yes. He did not have the same rapport with her that he would with Nenet and the only childhood memories that the two of them had to draw upon had the sort of stiffness that a courtier conversing with their monarch would always have. However, that did not mean that there weren’t new, stronger bonds forming between the two for reasons that Sutekh could never share with his half-siblings resting easily in the Thebes residence that he once called home, utterly safe and secure in the knowledge that they would not be outcasted and forgotten as Sutekh had been. Hatshepsut and her brother might have the same blood bond that Sutekh did with his other siblings, but what was between them couldn’t be as shallow as that. After all, the two of them choose to be each other’s family. The Queen could have very easily turned him away. Sutekh could have very easily disregarded his mother’s advice. Yet, they didn’t. They chose to recognize, accept, and cherish the bond that Imopehatsuma had given them. That was something that could never be understated or taken for granted.
This was likely what had made them grow closer to each other at a speed that Sutekh never had anticipated. Once he learned of his true parentage and discovered that Hatshepsut would not turn him away, the new Prince of Egypt had thought that it would take months for them to truly develop that brother and sister bond he had experienced with the Sheifa brood. To his complete surprise, it had only taken them a few weeks. Even though there was still a strange air to this, as if the two of them still could not wrap their heads around the fact that they were indeed from the same bloodline, that didn’t stop the two of them from quickly becoming as thick as thieves. Sutekh couldn’t believe that he was saying this, but sitting here with her now, he almost wished that the person who betrayed the Sheifas and revealed his mother’s secret had done so sooner instead of waiting so long.
That close bond was probably what caused Sutekh’s heart to break as he heard his sister admit that she didn’t think that she was going to be strong enough for the trials ahead. Had she been Nenet or even Nef (had it been under the right circumstances, of course) this was probably the moment that Sutekh would have reached out and offered a hug. However, even at this moment, Hatshepsut seemed just as strong as she always was making the Bastard Prince feel as if it would be wrong to offer such a thing. Instead, Sutekh merely reached for his sister’s hand and gave it a tight squeeze of reassurance.
“I know. The world out there has absolutely lost their minds and yet somehow you’re the one who needs to set it right. Have the gods forgotten you’re only sixteen?...” He tried to be reassuring, but his voice trailed off at the end in complete disbelief of it all. How on earth could the world have gotten so messy that it was all being left in the hands of his sister? Hatshepsut might be strong, but she was still just a girl. All of this was too much to ask of her, even with her litany of advisors and physicians at her beck and call. That wasn’t even touching on the stress that his own role in the war would bring upon her. She had only just discovered that she wasn’t entirely on her own and had a sibling that she never knew about. Now Sutekh was going to be torn away from her as neither of them was foolish enough to believe that Iahotep was going to let him return from his war if he wasn’t in a burial shroud.
His jaw clenched at the thought that all of his sister’s troubles were caused by one man. If Iahotep hadn’t decided to declare war during this delicate time where the man’s wife couldn’t keep her own food down for more than a few hours… had he just accepted that Sutekh was not a threat to the throne... if only the fool wasn’t so hungry for power and glory and had just waited a few months for his sister to have the baby before rushing to war, things would have been completely different. Instead, they had this selfish man to blame and now that he was Pharaoh, he couldn’t even be questioned on his terrible decisions that brought undue stress upon others.
However, it wasn’t as if Sutekh could undo all the things that Iahotep had done to bring them to this point. No amount of wondering what would have happened if another had assumed control of Egypt instead of him was going to change the fact that this was their reality now. Sutekh was a young man marked to die and poor Hatshepsut was a mother-to-be expected to run an entire kingdom at such a young age. The most that Sutekh could do was reassure her that everything was going to be alright.
“Well, if it brings you any joy, I feel as if Egypt couldn’t be in safer hands right now,” Sutekh started to say, trying to give her comfort in the wake of the biggest challenge pressing upon her at this moment. He gave the girl a slight chuckle with his words as he was thinking about the alternatives in Isetheperu and Iahotep. Although Sutekh was not foolish enough to speak ill of the Queen-Mother in her daughter’s presence, it wasn’t exactly a secret that he did not have a warm relationship with his step-mother -- for good reason too. He was the bastard of her husband and the living proof that Imopehatsuma had strayed from her. Sutekh’s entire existence was an insult to the woman who was known for her honor and she had made no attempt to hide her displeasure for her daughter’s decision. This hatred alone had ensured that Sutekh did not have the highest opinion of her and Iahotep… well, he was Iahotep. Did anything really need to be said on that front?
“Honestly Hattie? I would not be worried about making the wrong decisions. There is no such thing as a wrong decision if you follow your intuition and stay true to your convictions.” He uttered, recalling some of the best lessons he had learned not only as Onuphrious’s protege but also as a Captain in the Sheifa Harakat. Hard decisions were inevitable and they would not be so easy as choosing right from wrong. People will likely get hurt and things may not turn out the way you want, but the best you could hope for was doing what seemed to be the right thing. “I know it’s scary, but truly, you have a great sense of judgment and I’ve never seen someone be so committed to taking the moral route, no matter how difficult it will be. If Iahotep’s war does not bring us any trouble, Egypt will flourish under your guidance.”
In the midst of needing to reassure his sister, he had completely forgotten that it had been his turn until he glanced down and noticed that Hatshepsut had widened the gap between their two pieces. Not wanting to reveal that he was purposely letting her win (though it was pointless as she had already realized what was happening) Sutekh decided that instead of continuing his tread of making bad moves, he tried to bring his game piece closer to Hattie’s. It was still far enough ahead that she was still clearly winning, but not far enough away that it would begin to look suspicious. He glanced up at her and invited her to make her move as well as he continued to speak, hopefully putting some of her concerns to rest and if he couldn’t? Hopefully, it would give her some reassurance to glance back upon when things were seemingly too much to handle.
“The safest place that you can be is here in the Evening Star Palace. There isn’t a single place in all of Egypt that can withstand anything and after… well…” He started to say, making reference to the time when Iahotep had thought that someone had attempted to poison him, but trailed off at the end realizing that directly mentioning it was not going to help his sister feel safe in any way, shape, or form, “The entire staff will be at your disposal to prevent that. Everything is tested twice and you’ll have an entire unit of guards at your disposal to protect you. There’s no way that any harm can come to you or your son.”
At this moment, the Prince bit his lip, clearly considering something, but unsure if it was his place to utter what was thinking aloud. He knew that between the guards and servants, Hattie would be safe, but if she needed to quickly getaway to someplace that no one would know that she was the Queen of Egypt… well Sutekh might have a method of getting her there quickly and with no questions asked. “And if the Evening Star Palace isn’t enough,” He started to say, clearly hesitant as he had no way to check and ensure that the person he was about to suggest help with this plan would actually be willing or not, “If you could somehow get to my mother, she will be able to get you somewhere safer with the Sheifa shipping connections. I’m sure she would be more than willing to help after all you have done for me…” It was rather bold of him to assume that the Sheifa matriarch would be willing to partake in such a risky plan. She would be obligated to if Hatshepsut asked as his sister was the queen… but still. The next time he saw the older woman, Sutekh would have to mention offering as much to her. She might be willing to help, but her grace could only go so far if she was not given any sort of warning that she would need to hide royalty.
However, when the topic turned to himself, a heavy silence filled the room. Hatshepsut admitting that Iahotep most likely wanted Sutekh dead was not all that surprising. The Prince himself expected as much, but it still was not an easy pill to swallow. No man wanted to die. Especially not the young man who still had so much to do with his life. He wasn’t ready for it to be snuffed out because he might possibly pose a threat to the Pharaoh. It was a scary thought to consider and truthfully, Sutekh was a little grateful that his sister offered him some reassurance when she told him to put his faith into General Osorsen. It did surprise him to hear that the man hated Iahotep as well, but he didn’t dwell too much on it. Many soldiers were not found with the thought of going off to die in an unnecessary war, perhaps this was why?
Not that it mattered anyway as he nodded his assent to her suggestion. His mouth moved to offer her some form of reassurance that everything would be alright, that he would return from the battlefield alive and okay… he just couldn’t bring himself to form the words. Truthfully, that was not something that could be easily protected against as poison or bad decisions could be. His fate now belonged to the gods of war and whether or not they were going to take pity on him. Sutekh felt so powerless to do anything to prevent this from happening and there was nothing that his sister could do either beyond just praying for mercy.
“I’ll be fine. I was a captain before. I know what to do and what’s expected of me.” He quietly said after a long moment, not feeling nearly half as confident as he needed to be at this moment. All Sutekh could really do was keep his bow near him at all times. He might be rubbish with the khopesh, but at least he was proficient with the long-ranged weapon. Maybe that might spare him from the heat of battle… Might.
Shaking these terrible thoughts out of his head, Sutekh tried to refocus on happier things, but that was hard to do. There was really nothing that they could do or say to guarantee that everything would be alright. Everything was left to chance, designed to trip them up in a world made by people who wanted to see them fall. It seemed impossible, but still, they would have to do it. They had no choice in the matter, but even so, it did bring up a rather funny thought for Sutekh to contend with in this tense moment. “You know, I kind of wished our father was a goat farmer instead. I’d much rather herd animals than deal with this mess, wouldn’t you?” It was certainly random, but it brought a light smirk to Sutekh’s lips and hopefully to Hatshepsut’s too. After all, the two of them really needed a little laughter to deal with this nightmare, didn’t they?
“Me? Go easy on you? Never.If you want a victory, my Queen, you’ll have to earn it.”
Sukekh sounded quite lighthearted, which warmed his sister's heart. He had come a long way from the scared and confused young man who had shown up at the palace that night. One day soon, Hatshepsut hoped, he would think it as his home, even though her mother and husband would never accept him. The palace was so large that they never had to see each other if they didn’t want to. She had made certain that the chambers he had been given were far from theirs. As a consequence, it wasn’t close to hers either, but that could not be helped.
“Good,” she retorted, narrowing her eyes in mock suspicion. “Because if you let me win, I will know and I will never play a game with you again.” She was just joking, of course. She would be disappointed if he let her win, but she would pretend to be happy about it because that would please him. Hatshepsut never played board games with her ladies-in-waiting anymore because she suspected that they lost on purpose. It was what anyone would do when competing against their Queen. She would do the same if their positions were reversed.
But Sutekh was her brother. They were acquainted well enough that he should know that losing to him would not infuriate her. She would learn from her mistakes, which was what she had been doing all her life. Hatshepsut doubted that she was more skilled. She didn’t have time to play often. In contrast, he had three older siblings to compete against. And he was older and more experienced in the ways of the world than she.
“I know. The world out there has absolutely lost their minds and yet somehow you’re the one who needs to set it right. Have the gods forgotten you’re only sixteen?...”
She smiled when he squeezed her hand, and returned the reassuring pressure. “Some Pharaohs in the past were younger when they began to rule on their own. The gods are testing me, I think, to make sure that I am worthy of my birthright.”
Hatshepsut spoke with conviction. She was a pious young girl and believed that the gods had a hand in everything that happened in Egypt. When things went wrong, it was because a mortal made a disastrous decision. As they wanted their realm to thrive, they needed to make sure their chosen ruler was fit to guide its people. That was why her mother and the Council had chosen Iahotep for her husband instead of Osorsen, why she had fallen pregnant so soon, and why she was responsible for Egypt during the war. They wanted to see if she could overcome adversity and emerge victorious. She was doing everything in her power to impress them,
If she did, maybe they would open up a way for her to marry Osorsen.
“Well, if it brings you any joy, I feel as if Egypt couldn’t be in safer hands right now,.
Hatshepsut chuckled too, assuming he was speaking of Iahtoep. He would ruin the kingdom if he was allowed to run rampant. Why the Council had not reined him in yet, she had no idea. Maybe he had found a way to blackmail them. Or perhaps they, like Sutekh and herself, were counting on him dying in battle. Her brother might not be the only soldier in the Egyptian army with a price on his head.
Sutekh seemed to have more faith in her than she had in herself. She needed to hear his words of reassurance. They gave her the confidence to continue on. “Maybe there are no wrong decisions, but there are certainly poor ones. Mother says I am too gentle and too compassionate. She claims that a monarch must rule with an iron fist and that I should make my people fear me.” She sighed. “That is not who I am or who I will ever be. I hope I am strong enough to do what needs to be done and to do it my way.”
Hatshepsut watched as he made his move, ensuring that the game was a bit more challenging. So I called him out. she thought, and he knows that I’m onto him. As she contemplated what she should do next, she listened to him speak of protection. He was right. The Evening Star palace was as close to impregnable as a structure could be. Assassins, however, were trained to get past any defenses. One of them had recently tried to poison Iahotep, though that could have been an inside job. She knew she must watch her own back and not rely on anyone but Zoser to protect her.
The young Queen was not nearly as sure as Sutekh that his mother would help her. Sirdsett H’Shiefa loathed her mother and her father had forced himself upon her. If Hatshepsut had not been born, Sutekh might have had a shot at the throne. She was a kind woman, but she could not be trusted completely. “I will remember that, though the plans to protect me will most likely be enough. I will not leave Egypt, though. My place is here with my people.”
One of her other pieces was nearer to Sutekh’s than the one she had moved before, so she picked that one up and placed it next to his. It would not guarantee her victory but it was a step in the right direction. “I’ll be fine. I was a captain before. I know what to do and what’s expected of me.”
“I know you’re a good soldier, Sutekh. Just be aware that you have enemies in your own camp and that General H'Moghadam can be trusted implicitly.” If anything happened to either him or Osorsen, she didn’t think she would be able to bear it. Surely the gods would not test her in that way!
“You know, I kind of wished our father was a goat farmer instead. I’d much rather herd animals than deal with this mess, wouldn’t you?”
Hatshepsut laughed.“It would be a lot easier, though I think I don’t think I would made a very good goat herder.” She looked up at her brother, tilting her head thoughtfully. “When I go into the city, I see the longing looks on the young peasant girls’ faces when they catch a glimpse of me. They want to be me. I wonder how they would feel if they knew that I envy them for their simple lives and their freedom.”
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“Me? Go easy on you? Never.If you want a victory, my Queen, you’ll have to earn it.”
Sukekh sounded quite lighthearted, which warmed his sister's heart. He had come a long way from the scared and confused young man who had shown up at the palace that night. One day soon, Hatshepsut hoped, he would think it as his home, even though her mother and husband would never accept him. The palace was so large that they never had to see each other if they didn’t want to. She had made certain that the chambers he had been given were far from theirs. As a consequence, it wasn’t close to hers either, but that could not be helped.
“Good,” she retorted, narrowing her eyes in mock suspicion. “Because if you let me win, I will know and I will never play a game with you again.” She was just joking, of course. She would be disappointed if he let her win, but she would pretend to be happy about it because that would please him. Hatshepsut never played board games with her ladies-in-waiting anymore because she suspected that they lost on purpose. It was what anyone would do when competing against their Queen. She would do the same if their positions were reversed.
But Sutekh was her brother. They were acquainted well enough that he should know that losing to him would not infuriate her. She would learn from her mistakes, which was what she had been doing all her life. Hatshepsut doubted that she was more skilled. She didn’t have time to play often. In contrast, he had three older siblings to compete against. And he was older and more experienced in the ways of the world than she.
“I know. The world out there has absolutely lost their minds and yet somehow you’re the one who needs to set it right. Have the gods forgotten you’re only sixteen?...”
She smiled when he squeezed her hand, and returned the reassuring pressure. “Some Pharaohs in the past were younger when they began to rule on their own. The gods are testing me, I think, to make sure that I am worthy of my birthright.”
Hatshepsut spoke with conviction. She was a pious young girl and believed that the gods had a hand in everything that happened in Egypt. When things went wrong, it was because a mortal made a disastrous decision. As they wanted their realm to thrive, they needed to make sure their chosen ruler was fit to guide its people. That was why her mother and the Council had chosen Iahotep for her husband instead of Osorsen, why she had fallen pregnant so soon, and why she was responsible for Egypt during the war. They wanted to see if she could overcome adversity and emerge victorious. She was doing everything in her power to impress them,
If she did, maybe they would open up a way for her to marry Osorsen.
“Well, if it brings you any joy, I feel as if Egypt couldn’t be in safer hands right now,.
Hatshepsut chuckled too, assuming he was speaking of Iahtoep. He would ruin the kingdom if he was allowed to run rampant. Why the Council had not reined him in yet, she had no idea. Maybe he had found a way to blackmail them. Or perhaps they, like Sutekh and herself, were counting on him dying in battle. Her brother might not be the only soldier in the Egyptian army with a price on his head.
Sutekh seemed to have more faith in her than she had in herself. She needed to hear his words of reassurance. They gave her the confidence to continue on. “Maybe there are no wrong decisions, but there are certainly poor ones. Mother says I am too gentle and too compassionate. She claims that a monarch must rule with an iron fist and that I should make my people fear me.” She sighed. “That is not who I am or who I will ever be. I hope I am strong enough to do what needs to be done and to do it my way.”
Hatshepsut watched as he made his move, ensuring that the game was a bit more challenging. So I called him out. she thought, and he knows that I’m onto him. As she contemplated what she should do next, she listened to him speak of protection. He was right. The Evening Star palace was as close to impregnable as a structure could be. Assassins, however, were trained to get past any defenses. One of them had recently tried to poison Iahotep, though that could have been an inside job. She knew she must watch her own back and not rely on anyone but Zoser to protect her.
The young Queen was not nearly as sure as Sutekh that his mother would help her. Sirdsett H’Shiefa loathed her mother and her father had forced himself upon her. If Hatshepsut had not been born, Sutekh might have had a shot at the throne. She was a kind woman, but she could not be trusted completely. “I will remember that, though the plans to protect me will most likely be enough. I will not leave Egypt, though. My place is here with my people.”
One of her other pieces was nearer to Sutekh’s than the one she had moved before, so she picked that one up and placed it next to his. It would not guarantee her victory but it was a step in the right direction. “I’ll be fine. I was a captain before. I know what to do and what’s expected of me.”
“I know you’re a good soldier, Sutekh. Just be aware that you have enemies in your own camp and that General H'Moghadam can be trusted implicitly.” If anything happened to either him or Osorsen, she didn’t think she would be able to bear it. Surely the gods would not test her in that way!
“You know, I kind of wished our father was a goat farmer instead. I’d much rather herd animals than deal with this mess, wouldn’t you?”
Hatshepsut laughed.“It would be a lot easier, though I think I don’t think I would made a very good goat herder.” She looked up at her brother, tilting her head thoughtfully. “When I go into the city, I see the longing looks on the young peasant girls’ faces when they catch a glimpse of me. They want to be me. I wonder how they would feel if they knew that I envy them for their simple lives and their freedom.”
“Me? Go easy on you? Never.If you want a victory, my Queen, you’ll have to earn it.”
Sukekh sounded quite lighthearted, which warmed his sister's heart. He had come a long way from the scared and confused young man who had shown up at the palace that night. One day soon, Hatshepsut hoped, he would think it as his home, even though her mother and husband would never accept him. The palace was so large that they never had to see each other if they didn’t want to. She had made certain that the chambers he had been given were far from theirs. As a consequence, it wasn’t close to hers either, but that could not be helped.
“Good,” she retorted, narrowing her eyes in mock suspicion. “Because if you let me win, I will know and I will never play a game with you again.” She was just joking, of course. She would be disappointed if he let her win, but she would pretend to be happy about it because that would please him. Hatshepsut never played board games with her ladies-in-waiting anymore because she suspected that they lost on purpose. It was what anyone would do when competing against their Queen. She would do the same if their positions were reversed.
But Sutekh was her brother. They were acquainted well enough that he should know that losing to him would not infuriate her. She would learn from her mistakes, which was what she had been doing all her life. Hatshepsut doubted that she was more skilled. She didn’t have time to play often. In contrast, he had three older siblings to compete against. And he was older and more experienced in the ways of the world than she.
“I know. The world out there has absolutely lost their minds and yet somehow you’re the one who needs to set it right. Have the gods forgotten you’re only sixteen?...”
She smiled when he squeezed her hand, and returned the reassuring pressure. “Some Pharaohs in the past were younger when they began to rule on their own. The gods are testing me, I think, to make sure that I am worthy of my birthright.”
Hatshepsut spoke with conviction. She was a pious young girl and believed that the gods had a hand in everything that happened in Egypt. When things went wrong, it was because a mortal made a disastrous decision. As they wanted their realm to thrive, they needed to make sure their chosen ruler was fit to guide its people. That was why her mother and the Council had chosen Iahotep for her husband instead of Osorsen, why she had fallen pregnant so soon, and why she was responsible for Egypt during the war. They wanted to see if she could overcome adversity and emerge victorious. She was doing everything in her power to impress them,
If she did, maybe they would open up a way for her to marry Osorsen.
“Well, if it brings you any joy, I feel as if Egypt couldn’t be in safer hands right now,.
Hatshepsut chuckled too, assuming he was speaking of Iahtoep. He would ruin the kingdom if he was allowed to run rampant. Why the Council had not reined him in yet, she had no idea. Maybe he had found a way to blackmail them. Or perhaps they, like Sutekh and herself, were counting on him dying in battle. Her brother might not be the only soldier in the Egyptian army with a price on his head.
Sutekh seemed to have more faith in her than she had in herself. She needed to hear his words of reassurance. They gave her the confidence to continue on. “Maybe there are no wrong decisions, but there are certainly poor ones. Mother says I am too gentle and too compassionate. She claims that a monarch must rule with an iron fist and that I should make my people fear me.” She sighed. “That is not who I am or who I will ever be. I hope I am strong enough to do what needs to be done and to do it my way.”
Hatshepsut watched as he made his move, ensuring that the game was a bit more challenging. So I called him out. she thought, and he knows that I’m onto him. As she contemplated what she should do next, she listened to him speak of protection. He was right. The Evening Star palace was as close to impregnable as a structure could be. Assassins, however, were trained to get past any defenses. One of them had recently tried to poison Iahotep, though that could have been an inside job. She knew she must watch her own back and not rely on anyone but Zoser to protect her.
The young Queen was not nearly as sure as Sutekh that his mother would help her. Sirdsett H’Shiefa loathed her mother and her father had forced himself upon her. If Hatshepsut had not been born, Sutekh might have had a shot at the throne. She was a kind woman, but she could not be trusted completely. “I will remember that, though the plans to protect me will most likely be enough. I will not leave Egypt, though. My place is here with my people.”
One of her other pieces was nearer to Sutekh’s than the one she had moved before, so she picked that one up and placed it next to his. It would not guarantee her victory but it was a step in the right direction. “I’ll be fine. I was a captain before. I know what to do and what’s expected of me.”
“I know you’re a good soldier, Sutekh. Just be aware that you have enemies in your own camp and that General H'Moghadam can be trusted implicitly.” If anything happened to either him or Osorsen, she didn’t think she would be able to bear it. Surely the gods would not test her in that way!
“You know, I kind of wished our father was a goat farmer instead. I’d much rather herd animals than deal with this mess, wouldn’t you?”
Hatshepsut laughed.“It would be a lot easier, though I think I don’t think I would made a very good goat herder.” She looked up at her brother, tilting her head thoughtfully. “When I go into the city, I see the longing looks on the young peasant girls’ faces when they catch a glimpse of me. They want to be me. I wonder how they would feel if they knew that I envy them for their simple lives and their freedom.”