The chatbox has been hidden for this page. It will reopen upon refresh. To hide the CBox permanently, select "Permanently Toggle Cbox" in your profile User Settings.
This chatbox is hidden. To reopen, edit your User Settings.
It was safe to say that Sutekh was a little apprehensive when he received the summons from Iahotep to attend that evening’s dinner as he had important news he wished to share. The Prince could already tell that this announcement was unlikely to be a pleasant one as there was nothing good about his brother-in-law. The Pharaoh was not a kind man and even though Sutekh did not have the faintest clue of the cruelty he was capable of; the boy knew enough from the rumors he had heard as a soldier about life in Iahotep’s unit to know that there wasn’t a drop of kindness in that man’s body. This was a man that Sutkeh did not doubt would murder them all if it benefitted him.
Now he was summoning them all to dinner.
As he was the Pharaoh, Sutekh could not refuse the invitation. All he could do was take comfort in the fact that his half-sister Hatshepsut would be there as well, given that the notice had directly mentioned that all the Naddars would be coming together. In truth, Sutekh was curious as to how the meal would go as this was the first time that the entirety of the royal family was gathered together. Normally, it would only be three or less at these sorts of meals with Sutekh commonly being the missing face. This would be the first time that the Pharaoh, Queen, Queen Mother, and Bastard Prince would all be in the same space for an extended time.
Sutekh wondered how the encounter would go along with what could be so important that Iahotep needed everyone together. The former Captain supposed that it had something to do with the war on the horizon as that seemed to be on the forefront of everyone’s mind -- Sutekh’s included. Had the war started a few months ago, the boy would have been thrilled at the prospect of conflict and he normally would have spent dinners like this, quietly begging his parents to let him go fight. He was a soldier at heart, after all, and had been a promising charioteer during the few years he had been allowed to go fight in the Sheifa Harakat. However, those days were over now. Sutekh actually looked forward to staying behind while the others shipped off to the battlefield. It would be nice to stay close to Hatshepsut without Iahotep around -- and who knew? Maybe Sutekh could use the smaller council as a way of speaking to the man Sutekh still couldn’t bring himself to not call his father.
Perhaps he could even convince Onuphrious to welcome him back into the family…
But that was wishful thinking and Sutekh knew it. He was a Naddar now, not a Sheifa and this meal solidified that. He couldn’t stop himself from considering what he might say as some of the slaves helped him dress for such an informal-yet-formal event. A white tunic of the finest fabrics was put on him along with countless pieces of gold jewelry that glimmered in the candlelight. His eyes were lined with kohl and a typical wig for people of his stature was carefully placed upon his head. Sneaking a glance at himself in the mirror, the twenty-four-year-old looked every part of the prince he was… save for the hollowness in his cheeks and the dark bags under his eyes. These were features that were quickly being carved into his features it seemed.
Before he left his chambers, gifted to him by the Queen, Sutekh was sure to add one more necklace to the ensemble. However, it was one that was quickly shoved beneath the tunic as it was something that he wasn’t supposed to wear since this change in title: a small charm bearing the Hei Sheifa symbol. No matter how clear it was that he would never go back, Sutekh couldn’t bear to cast aside the family who had raised him to be the man that he was today.
Blood be damned, he was still Onuphrious’s son. At least until he came to accept the same truth that everyone else had come to terms with.
Entering the dining hall alone, Sutekh saw that he was the first to arrive. The ornate room was completely empty save for a few slaves scurrying about to finish laying out the meal before the Naddars’ arrival. He could have sworn that he saw one of the younger ones look at the door in fear when they heard it swing open, but the Bastard Prince pointedly ignored them as he made a point of looking at the painting’s on the wall as they finished their work, offering them a slight reprieve to hurry before any of the other royals showed up. He supposed, after all, they were fearful that instead of Sutekh at the door, it was the Pharaoh or the Queen mother -- two people who may not have taken kindly to the notion of waiting. If this dinner had taken place a month ago, in the Sheifa household, Sutekh would have probably have been displeased at the notion too. However… recent circumstances had made the Bastard Prince a bit more sympathetic to those in awful places in life.
Glancing around the space, Sutekh was a bit surprised to see that it was fairly similar to the informal dining room he had known Thebes. In fact, if this space wasn’t bigger and more opulent; he could have sworn that they were mirror images of each other. The walls were decorated in the stories of gods and past pharaohs alike and a large wooden table dominated the room. It was weird though seeing only four chairs instead of seven. It almost seemed… emptier without the promise of more people coming together for the meal. Not even the obscene amount of food on its surface seemed to off-put this. Meats and fruits from all over the realm filled the surface, each item on a golden plate. Sutekh’s mouth watered at the sight and the pleasant smell that filled the room.
Absent-mindedly, the boy wandered over to a plate of figs and reached for one. He stopped himself, though, before he could pluck one off the plate. A small frown crossed his face he pulled back his arm. The fig had always been a favorite treat of his, so it was only natural that he would gravitate towards them when his belly grumbled like it had been all day. However, he couldn’t bite down on any of them. Not until they were tested first.
That was the part of Palace life Sutekh wasn’t quite used to yet. When he lived in Thebes, no one in the Saaraya worried that their meals contained poison. Here? Sutekh couldn’t get the thought out of his mind. It was natural that as a member of the royal family, he should be worried about some outsider wishing him harm -- especially as Sutekh was not blind to the rumblings about a war with Greece being on the horizon. However, this fear went just a bit deeper for Sutekh. He wasn’t so nervous about the threats outside the Evening Star Palace, not when he was terrified of the ones that were within his new family. Sutekh knew that he was not exactly a welcome presence in the royal family. He was only tolerated for the sake of Hatshepsut -- who was the one who had welcomed him into the palace and gave him the name of Naddar, to begin with. He did not believe that his brother-in-law and step-mother held the same love for him… not when he was a threat to their control of Egypt as a possible male heir.
Granted, Sutekh could not inherit anything and had no intention of challenging his sister’s claim. He had made this more than clear on multiple occasions, but the Bastard Prince couldn’t shake the fear he held for the lions of his family. Sutekh couldn’t let himself eat anything that wasn’t tested by Hatshepsut’s personal taster first -- not when he was certain that their hatred of him did not outweigh the safety of their pregnant Queen. She was the only one that he trusted in the Palace and she was the only one that kept him safe. As much as he was a reassuring presence by her side, the sixteen-year-old was his shield between him and those who did not like him.
So, even though the rumbling of his stomach and the somewhat gaunt look to his face made it clear that he should eat the fig, he needed to move away from the temptation.
However, before he could take a single step, the great stone doors behind him began to open and Sutekh turned to greet whoever would be next to arrive in order to hear whatever news Iahotep had to share. Hoping that it would be his sister, Sutekh put a smile on his face; an expression that would surely falter if it was one of her other relatives instead….
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.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
It was safe to say that Sutekh was a little apprehensive when he received the summons from Iahotep to attend that evening’s dinner as he had important news he wished to share. The Prince could already tell that this announcement was unlikely to be a pleasant one as there was nothing good about his brother-in-law. The Pharaoh was not a kind man and even though Sutekh did not have the faintest clue of the cruelty he was capable of; the boy knew enough from the rumors he had heard as a soldier about life in Iahotep’s unit to know that there wasn’t a drop of kindness in that man’s body. This was a man that Sutkeh did not doubt would murder them all if it benefitted him.
Now he was summoning them all to dinner.
As he was the Pharaoh, Sutekh could not refuse the invitation. All he could do was take comfort in the fact that his half-sister Hatshepsut would be there as well, given that the notice had directly mentioned that all the Naddars would be coming together. In truth, Sutekh was curious as to how the meal would go as this was the first time that the entirety of the royal family was gathered together. Normally, it would only be three or less at these sorts of meals with Sutekh commonly being the missing face. This would be the first time that the Pharaoh, Queen, Queen Mother, and Bastard Prince would all be in the same space for an extended time.
Sutekh wondered how the encounter would go along with what could be so important that Iahotep needed everyone together. The former Captain supposed that it had something to do with the war on the horizon as that seemed to be on the forefront of everyone’s mind -- Sutekh’s included. Had the war started a few months ago, the boy would have been thrilled at the prospect of conflict and he normally would have spent dinners like this, quietly begging his parents to let him go fight. He was a soldier at heart, after all, and had been a promising charioteer during the few years he had been allowed to go fight in the Sheifa Harakat. However, those days were over now. Sutekh actually looked forward to staying behind while the others shipped off to the battlefield. It would be nice to stay close to Hatshepsut without Iahotep around -- and who knew? Maybe Sutekh could use the smaller council as a way of speaking to the man Sutekh still couldn’t bring himself to not call his father.
Perhaps he could even convince Onuphrious to welcome him back into the family…
But that was wishful thinking and Sutekh knew it. He was a Naddar now, not a Sheifa and this meal solidified that. He couldn’t stop himself from considering what he might say as some of the slaves helped him dress for such an informal-yet-formal event. A white tunic of the finest fabrics was put on him along with countless pieces of gold jewelry that glimmered in the candlelight. His eyes were lined with kohl and a typical wig for people of his stature was carefully placed upon his head. Sneaking a glance at himself in the mirror, the twenty-four-year-old looked every part of the prince he was… save for the hollowness in his cheeks and the dark bags under his eyes. These were features that were quickly being carved into his features it seemed.
Before he left his chambers, gifted to him by the Queen, Sutekh was sure to add one more necklace to the ensemble. However, it was one that was quickly shoved beneath the tunic as it was something that he wasn’t supposed to wear since this change in title: a small charm bearing the Hei Sheifa symbol. No matter how clear it was that he would never go back, Sutekh couldn’t bear to cast aside the family who had raised him to be the man that he was today.
Blood be damned, he was still Onuphrious’s son. At least until he came to accept the same truth that everyone else had come to terms with.
Entering the dining hall alone, Sutekh saw that he was the first to arrive. The ornate room was completely empty save for a few slaves scurrying about to finish laying out the meal before the Naddars’ arrival. He could have sworn that he saw one of the younger ones look at the door in fear when they heard it swing open, but the Bastard Prince pointedly ignored them as he made a point of looking at the painting’s on the wall as they finished their work, offering them a slight reprieve to hurry before any of the other royals showed up. He supposed, after all, they were fearful that instead of Sutekh at the door, it was the Pharaoh or the Queen mother -- two people who may not have taken kindly to the notion of waiting. If this dinner had taken place a month ago, in the Sheifa household, Sutekh would have probably have been displeased at the notion too. However… recent circumstances had made the Bastard Prince a bit more sympathetic to those in awful places in life.
Glancing around the space, Sutekh was a bit surprised to see that it was fairly similar to the informal dining room he had known Thebes. In fact, if this space wasn’t bigger and more opulent; he could have sworn that they were mirror images of each other. The walls were decorated in the stories of gods and past pharaohs alike and a large wooden table dominated the room. It was weird though seeing only four chairs instead of seven. It almost seemed… emptier without the promise of more people coming together for the meal. Not even the obscene amount of food on its surface seemed to off-put this. Meats and fruits from all over the realm filled the surface, each item on a golden plate. Sutekh’s mouth watered at the sight and the pleasant smell that filled the room.
Absent-mindedly, the boy wandered over to a plate of figs and reached for one. He stopped himself, though, before he could pluck one off the plate. A small frown crossed his face he pulled back his arm. The fig had always been a favorite treat of his, so it was only natural that he would gravitate towards them when his belly grumbled like it had been all day. However, he couldn’t bite down on any of them. Not until they were tested first.
That was the part of Palace life Sutekh wasn’t quite used to yet. When he lived in Thebes, no one in the Saaraya worried that their meals contained poison. Here? Sutekh couldn’t get the thought out of his mind. It was natural that as a member of the royal family, he should be worried about some outsider wishing him harm -- especially as Sutekh was not blind to the rumblings about a war with Greece being on the horizon. However, this fear went just a bit deeper for Sutekh. He wasn’t so nervous about the threats outside the Evening Star Palace, not when he was terrified of the ones that were within his new family. Sutekh knew that he was not exactly a welcome presence in the royal family. He was only tolerated for the sake of Hatshepsut -- who was the one who had welcomed him into the palace and gave him the name of Naddar, to begin with. He did not believe that his brother-in-law and step-mother held the same love for him… not when he was a threat to their control of Egypt as a possible male heir.
Granted, Sutekh could not inherit anything and had no intention of challenging his sister’s claim. He had made this more than clear on multiple occasions, but the Bastard Prince couldn’t shake the fear he held for the lions of his family. Sutekh couldn’t let himself eat anything that wasn’t tested by Hatshepsut’s personal taster first -- not when he was certain that their hatred of him did not outweigh the safety of their pregnant Queen. She was the only one that he trusted in the Palace and she was the only one that kept him safe. As much as he was a reassuring presence by her side, the sixteen-year-old was his shield between him and those who did not like him.
So, even though the rumbling of his stomach and the somewhat gaunt look to his face made it clear that he should eat the fig, he needed to move away from the temptation.
However, before he could take a single step, the great stone doors behind him began to open and Sutekh turned to greet whoever would be next to arrive in order to hear whatever news Iahotep had to share. Hoping that it would be his sister, Sutekh put a smile on his face; an expression that would surely falter if it was one of her other relatives instead….
It was safe to say that Sutekh was a little apprehensive when he received the summons from Iahotep to attend that evening’s dinner as he had important news he wished to share. The Prince could already tell that this announcement was unlikely to be a pleasant one as there was nothing good about his brother-in-law. The Pharaoh was not a kind man and even though Sutekh did not have the faintest clue of the cruelty he was capable of; the boy knew enough from the rumors he had heard as a soldier about life in Iahotep’s unit to know that there wasn’t a drop of kindness in that man’s body. This was a man that Sutkeh did not doubt would murder them all if it benefitted him.
Now he was summoning them all to dinner.
As he was the Pharaoh, Sutekh could not refuse the invitation. All he could do was take comfort in the fact that his half-sister Hatshepsut would be there as well, given that the notice had directly mentioned that all the Naddars would be coming together. In truth, Sutekh was curious as to how the meal would go as this was the first time that the entirety of the royal family was gathered together. Normally, it would only be three or less at these sorts of meals with Sutekh commonly being the missing face. This would be the first time that the Pharaoh, Queen, Queen Mother, and Bastard Prince would all be in the same space for an extended time.
Sutekh wondered how the encounter would go along with what could be so important that Iahotep needed everyone together. The former Captain supposed that it had something to do with the war on the horizon as that seemed to be on the forefront of everyone’s mind -- Sutekh’s included. Had the war started a few months ago, the boy would have been thrilled at the prospect of conflict and he normally would have spent dinners like this, quietly begging his parents to let him go fight. He was a soldier at heart, after all, and had been a promising charioteer during the few years he had been allowed to go fight in the Sheifa Harakat. However, those days were over now. Sutekh actually looked forward to staying behind while the others shipped off to the battlefield. It would be nice to stay close to Hatshepsut without Iahotep around -- and who knew? Maybe Sutekh could use the smaller council as a way of speaking to the man Sutekh still couldn’t bring himself to not call his father.
Perhaps he could even convince Onuphrious to welcome him back into the family…
But that was wishful thinking and Sutekh knew it. He was a Naddar now, not a Sheifa and this meal solidified that. He couldn’t stop himself from considering what he might say as some of the slaves helped him dress for such an informal-yet-formal event. A white tunic of the finest fabrics was put on him along with countless pieces of gold jewelry that glimmered in the candlelight. His eyes were lined with kohl and a typical wig for people of his stature was carefully placed upon his head. Sneaking a glance at himself in the mirror, the twenty-four-year-old looked every part of the prince he was… save for the hollowness in his cheeks and the dark bags under his eyes. These were features that were quickly being carved into his features it seemed.
Before he left his chambers, gifted to him by the Queen, Sutekh was sure to add one more necklace to the ensemble. However, it was one that was quickly shoved beneath the tunic as it was something that he wasn’t supposed to wear since this change in title: a small charm bearing the Hei Sheifa symbol. No matter how clear it was that he would never go back, Sutekh couldn’t bear to cast aside the family who had raised him to be the man that he was today.
Blood be damned, he was still Onuphrious’s son. At least until he came to accept the same truth that everyone else had come to terms with.
Entering the dining hall alone, Sutekh saw that he was the first to arrive. The ornate room was completely empty save for a few slaves scurrying about to finish laying out the meal before the Naddars’ arrival. He could have sworn that he saw one of the younger ones look at the door in fear when they heard it swing open, but the Bastard Prince pointedly ignored them as he made a point of looking at the painting’s on the wall as they finished their work, offering them a slight reprieve to hurry before any of the other royals showed up. He supposed, after all, they were fearful that instead of Sutekh at the door, it was the Pharaoh or the Queen mother -- two people who may not have taken kindly to the notion of waiting. If this dinner had taken place a month ago, in the Sheifa household, Sutekh would have probably have been displeased at the notion too. However… recent circumstances had made the Bastard Prince a bit more sympathetic to those in awful places in life.
Glancing around the space, Sutekh was a bit surprised to see that it was fairly similar to the informal dining room he had known Thebes. In fact, if this space wasn’t bigger and more opulent; he could have sworn that they were mirror images of each other. The walls were decorated in the stories of gods and past pharaohs alike and a large wooden table dominated the room. It was weird though seeing only four chairs instead of seven. It almost seemed… emptier without the promise of more people coming together for the meal. Not even the obscene amount of food on its surface seemed to off-put this. Meats and fruits from all over the realm filled the surface, each item on a golden plate. Sutekh’s mouth watered at the sight and the pleasant smell that filled the room.
Absent-mindedly, the boy wandered over to a plate of figs and reached for one. He stopped himself, though, before he could pluck one off the plate. A small frown crossed his face he pulled back his arm. The fig had always been a favorite treat of his, so it was only natural that he would gravitate towards them when his belly grumbled like it had been all day. However, he couldn’t bite down on any of them. Not until they were tested first.
That was the part of Palace life Sutekh wasn’t quite used to yet. When he lived in Thebes, no one in the Saaraya worried that their meals contained poison. Here? Sutekh couldn’t get the thought out of his mind. It was natural that as a member of the royal family, he should be worried about some outsider wishing him harm -- especially as Sutekh was not blind to the rumblings about a war with Greece being on the horizon. However, this fear went just a bit deeper for Sutekh. He wasn’t so nervous about the threats outside the Evening Star Palace, not when he was terrified of the ones that were within his new family. Sutekh knew that he was not exactly a welcome presence in the royal family. He was only tolerated for the sake of Hatshepsut -- who was the one who had welcomed him into the palace and gave him the name of Naddar, to begin with. He did not believe that his brother-in-law and step-mother held the same love for him… not when he was a threat to their control of Egypt as a possible male heir.
Granted, Sutekh could not inherit anything and had no intention of challenging his sister’s claim. He had made this more than clear on multiple occasions, but the Bastard Prince couldn’t shake the fear he held for the lions of his family. Sutekh couldn’t let himself eat anything that wasn’t tested by Hatshepsut’s personal taster first -- not when he was certain that their hatred of him did not outweigh the safety of their pregnant Queen. She was the only one that he trusted in the Palace and she was the only one that kept him safe. As much as he was a reassuring presence by her side, the sixteen-year-old was his shield between him and those who did not like him.
So, even though the rumbling of his stomach and the somewhat gaunt look to his face made it clear that he should eat the fig, he needed to move away from the temptation.
However, before he could take a single step, the great stone doors behind him began to open and Sutekh turned to greet whoever would be next to arrive in order to hear whatever news Iahotep had to share. Hoping that it would be his sister, Sutekh put a smile on his face; an expression that would surely falter if it was one of her other relatives instead….
She had to look like a queen tonight.
Iahotep’s request … Hatshepsut refused to call it a summons … that she, her mother, and her half-brother join him for dinner had been a surprise. What news did he have for them? It must have something to do with the war. Maybe the soldiers were ready to ship out already and he wanted everyone to know that he was leaving the kingdom in his wife’s hands. That seemed like the most likely explanation to her.
She stood before her mirror as her handmaidens dressed her in a semi-sheer golden kalisaris over a tight fitting blood-red sheath. Gold was becoming her signature color. She wore it to almost all public functions now, and it was fitting that Egypt’s queen should be attired in such a regal hue. The kalisaris was loose and pleated, and the slaves adjusted the folds and pinned a golden brooch just below her bosom to hold it in place. In the center of the brooch was a large ruby. Several strands of rubies and gold beads dangled from the brooch.
As her slaves artfully arranged folds around her gently curved belly and wrapped a belt that matched the brooch just below it to accentuate her pregnancy, Hatshepsut wondered how Sutekh felt about the upcoming dinner. She knew that Iahtoep and Isetheperu were offended by his very existence and she hoped they would at least be civil. The young Queen planned to seat herself next to him and have all of his food discreetly sampled by her own taster. He was wary of being poisoned and for good reason.
Usually, she brought his meals to him herself and stayed to talk for a bit. He trusted her and she trusted him and she was glad that they were getting to know each other. Hatshepsut had always longed for siblings, and Sutekh was precious to her. At first, she had thought of hiring a taster for him, but that would have told her husband and mother that he was wary of them and they would have something else to resent him for. So she did the best she could without arousing suspicions.
After she was dressed, her makeup was applied and her hair braided and coiled around her head. A long wig composed of hundreds of tiny braids was set upon it. Each braid was tipped with a a row of red and gold beads. A headdress made of linked golden circles that reached her shoulders and a heavily beaded collar were the finishing touches to her ensemble. Her upper arms, wrists, and ankles were adorned with golden bands embedded with rubies and dangling ruby earrings sparkled in her ears. Her sandals were gold and decorated with red beads.
Looking every bit the part of a powerful Queen, albeit a very young one, she left her chambers and traversed the corridors to the dining hall, her attendants following her at a respectable distance. As she entered, she smiled when she saw Sutekh turn toward her. He looked quite striking in the attire of a prince. He was standing beside a plate of figs, probably afraid to take one. Hatshepsut crossed the room to his side, nodding for her taster to join them. “Brother,” she greeted him warmly. “I’m pleased that we are the first two to arrive.”
Without being commanded, the taster picked up a fig and bit into it. After five minutes, she was still fine. “These are safe,” Hatshepsut said, plucking one and popping it into her mouth. “And in a few moments we will know if the rest of it is harmless as well.”
She glanced toward the taster, who was walking around the room trying everything the servants brought in,not just for his sake but also for the queen’s. She was well aware that many people didn’t want her child to be born and that she was in as much, if not more, danger that he was. “You will sit beside me, Sutekh, no matter what the Pharaoh says. I shall insist upon it.”
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.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
She had to look like a queen tonight.
Iahotep’s request … Hatshepsut refused to call it a summons … that she, her mother, and her half-brother join him for dinner had been a surprise. What news did he have for them? It must have something to do with the war. Maybe the soldiers were ready to ship out already and he wanted everyone to know that he was leaving the kingdom in his wife’s hands. That seemed like the most likely explanation to her.
She stood before her mirror as her handmaidens dressed her in a semi-sheer golden kalisaris over a tight fitting blood-red sheath. Gold was becoming her signature color. She wore it to almost all public functions now, and it was fitting that Egypt’s queen should be attired in such a regal hue. The kalisaris was loose and pleated, and the slaves adjusted the folds and pinned a golden brooch just below her bosom to hold it in place. In the center of the brooch was a large ruby. Several strands of rubies and gold beads dangled from the brooch.
As her slaves artfully arranged folds around her gently curved belly and wrapped a belt that matched the brooch just below it to accentuate her pregnancy, Hatshepsut wondered how Sutekh felt about the upcoming dinner. She knew that Iahtoep and Isetheperu were offended by his very existence and she hoped they would at least be civil. The young Queen planned to seat herself next to him and have all of his food discreetly sampled by her own taster. He was wary of being poisoned and for good reason.
Usually, she brought his meals to him herself and stayed to talk for a bit. He trusted her and she trusted him and she was glad that they were getting to know each other. Hatshepsut had always longed for siblings, and Sutekh was precious to her. At first, she had thought of hiring a taster for him, but that would have told her husband and mother that he was wary of them and they would have something else to resent him for. So she did the best she could without arousing suspicions.
After she was dressed, her makeup was applied and her hair braided and coiled around her head. A long wig composed of hundreds of tiny braids was set upon it. Each braid was tipped with a a row of red and gold beads. A headdress made of linked golden circles that reached her shoulders and a heavily beaded collar were the finishing touches to her ensemble. Her upper arms, wrists, and ankles were adorned with golden bands embedded with rubies and dangling ruby earrings sparkled in her ears. Her sandals were gold and decorated with red beads.
Looking every bit the part of a powerful Queen, albeit a very young one, she left her chambers and traversed the corridors to the dining hall, her attendants following her at a respectable distance. As she entered, she smiled when she saw Sutekh turn toward her. He looked quite striking in the attire of a prince. He was standing beside a plate of figs, probably afraid to take one. Hatshepsut crossed the room to his side, nodding for her taster to join them. “Brother,” she greeted him warmly. “I’m pleased that we are the first two to arrive.”
Without being commanded, the taster picked up a fig and bit into it. After five minutes, she was still fine. “These are safe,” Hatshepsut said, plucking one and popping it into her mouth. “And in a few moments we will know if the rest of it is harmless as well.”
She glanced toward the taster, who was walking around the room trying everything the servants brought in,not just for his sake but also for the queen’s. She was well aware that many people didn’t want her child to be born and that she was in as much, if not more, danger that he was. “You will sit beside me, Sutekh, no matter what the Pharaoh says. I shall insist upon it.”
She had to look like a queen tonight.
Iahotep’s request … Hatshepsut refused to call it a summons … that she, her mother, and her half-brother join him for dinner had been a surprise. What news did he have for them? It must have something to do with the war. Maybe the soldiers were ready to ship out already and he wanted everyone to know that he was leaving the kingdom in his wife’s hands. That seemed like the most likely explanation to her.
She stood before her mirror as her handmaidens dressed her in a semi-sheer golden kalisaris over a tight fitting blood-red sheath. Gold was becoming her signature color. She wore it to almost all public functions now, and it was fitting that Egypt’s queen should be attired in such a regal hue. The kalisaris was loose and pleated, and the slaves adjusted the folds and pinned a golden brooch just below her bosom to hold it in place. In the center of the brooch was a large ruby. Several strands of rubies and gold beads dangled from the brooch.
As her slaves artfully arranged folds around her gently curved belly and wrapped a belt that matched the brooch just below it to accentuate her pregnancy, Hatshepsut wondered how Sutekh felt about the upcoming dinner. She knew that Iahtoep and Isetheperu were offended by his very existence and she hoped they would at least be civil. The young Queen planned to seat herself next to him and have all of his food discreetly sampled by her own taster. He was wary of being poisoned and for good reason.
Usually, she brought his meals to him herself and stayed to talk for a bit. He trusted her and she trusted him and she was glad that they were getting to know each other. Hatshepsut had always longed for siblings, and Sutekh was precious to her. At first, she had thought of hiring a taster for him, but that would have told her husband and mother that he was wary of them and they would have something else to resent him for. So she did the best she could without arousing suspicions.
After she was dressed, her makeup was applied and her hair braided and coiled around her head. A long wig composed of hundreds of tiny braids was set upon it. Each braid was tipped with a a row of red and gold beads. A headdress made of linked golden circles that reached her shoulders and a heavily beaded collar were the finishing touches to her ensemble. Her upper arms, wrists, and ankles were adorned with golden bands embedded with rubies and dangling ruby earrings sparkled in her ears. Her sandals were gold and decorated with red beads.
Looking every bit the part of a powerful Queen, albeit a very young one, she left her chambers and traversed the corridors to the dining hall, her attendants following her at a respectable distance. As she entered, she smiled when she saw Sutekh turn toward her. He looked quite striking in the attire of a prince. He was standing beside a plate of figs, probably afraid to take one. Hatshepsut crossed the room to his side, nodding for her taster to join them. “Brother,” she greeted him warmly. “I’m pleased that we are the first two to arrive.”
Without being commanded, the taster picked up a fig and bit into it. After five minutes, she was still fine. “These are safe,” Hatshepsut said, plucking one and popping it into her mouth. “And in a few moments we will know if the rest of it is harmless as well.”
She glanced toward the taster, who was walking around the room trying everything the servants brought in,not just for his sake but also for the queen’s. She was well aware that many people didn’t want her child to be born and that she was in as much, if not more, danger that he was. “You will sit beside me, Sutekh, no matter what the Pharaoh says. I shall insist upon it.”
The summons had come without preamble, a servant meek at her door, Iohatep’s invitation tripping off his tongue in the presence of the Queen Mother. He scurried off almost without finishing, leaving Isetheperu to ponder stone-faced in the following silence.
It was not out of the ordinary per se. Isetheperu often dined with her daughter and the Pharaoh -- she could not yet bring herself to see him in her mind’s eye as her son-in-law -- though the palpable tension between the pair was nearly unbearable on such occasions. She maintained such familial traditions out of care for Hatshepsut’s wellbeing, and desire to keep tabs on the man on the throne.
Yet tonight's invitation, extended specifically to all members of Hei Naddar, came packaged with an unspoken meaning. The newest member of the royal family would be joining them as well, a thought that had Isetheperu’s eyes narrowing in veiled disgust as her servants set about dressing her for the evening’s events.
Sutekh’s revelation as the bastard son of her late husband -- with that moralistic matriarch of Hei Sheifa no less -- was more than a complication. Isetheperu could manage the fallout of a new possible, notably male, heir to the throne of Egypt that existed outside the sphere of her personal control. He would not exist there long, and the political maneuverings necessitated by such a development were familiar. Sutekh himself held very little power outside of his newfound name and the seeming delight the Queen took in having a sibling to look after. Whatever claim he had to the throne was weak in the face of Imopehatsuma’s natural born heir. But a claim he could make.
Though he had little to no legal footing to stand on if he were to make the case, this need not be an obstacle for the ambitious or single-minded -- Isetheperu knew this well-enough herself. After all, it was not the law which determined who would be king. It was the king who determined what should be law. Egypt’s past was littered with men who held lesser claims to rulership and still seized that most coveted prize, whether by force or cunning.
The bastard prince’s own protestations that he desired anything of the sort did nothing to placate Isetheperu. If any truths existed, the most central to her world was that all men dreamed of the throne. Even if Sutekh believed his own words, the Queen Mother held little doubt that, if the opportunity to become Pharaoh ever reared its head to him, he would seize it. Such was the nature of men.
Isetheperu, knowing this, knew that it was more important than ever to maintain a close watch on Sutekh’s activities and connections. The wrong snake whispering in his ear could turn the wheels. There were many in the nation who would use the bastard’s blood to their own advantage, to grow their own power by having their choice of Pharaoh inducted to the throne. It was what Isetheperu would do.
Beyond this, though, more dominant even than her daily conniving, was the Queen Dowager’s unshakable sense of pride. If Sutekh were simply a complication, he could be managed. But she refused to swallow her pride to engage with him in any truly meaningful way; the embarrassment of Imopehatsuma’s indiscretions was great enough without the compounded humiliation of having to live under the same roof with its product, to see it speaking to her own child, to share its name and its meals and call it her son.
With this undercurrent of rage boiling ever just below the well-manicured and decorated surface of her face, Isetheperu entered the dining chamber.
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.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
The summons had come without preamble, a servant meek at her door, Iohatep’s invitation tripping off his tongue in the presence of the Queen Mother. He scurried off almost without finishing, leaving Isetheperu to ponder stone-faced in the following silence.
It was not out of the ordinary per se. Isetheperu often dined with her daughter and the Pharaoh -- she could not yet bring herself to see him in her mind’s eye as her son-in-law -- though the palpable tension between the pair was nearly unbearable on such occasions. She maintained such familial traditions out of care for Hatshepsut’s wellbeing, and desire to keep tabs on the man on the throne.
Yet tonight's invitation, extended specifically to all members of Hei Naddar, came packaged with an unspoken meaning. The newest member of the royal family would be joining them as well, a thought that had Isetheperu’s eyes narrowing in veiled disgust as her servants set about dressing her for the evening’s events.
Sutekh’s revelation as the bastard son of her late husband -- with that moralistic matriarch of Hei Sheifa no less -- was more than a complication. Isetheperu could manage the fallout of a new possible, notably male, heir to the throne of Egypt that existed outside the sphere of her personal control. He would not exist there long, and the political maneuverings necessitated by such a development were familiar. Sutekh himself held very little power outside of his newfound name and the seeming delight the Queen took in having a sibling to look after. Whatever claim he had to the throne was weak in the face of Imopehatsuma’s natural born heir. But a claim he could make.
Though he had little to no legal footing to stand on if he were to make the case, this need not be an obstacle for the ambitious or single-minded -- Isetheperu knew this well-enough herself. After all, it was not the law which determined who would be king. It was the king who determined what should be law. Egypt’s past was littered with men who held lesser claims to rulership and still seized that most coveted prize, whether by force or cunning.
The bastard prince’s own protestations that he desired anything of the sort did nothing to placate Isetheperu. If any truths existed, the most central to her world was that all men dreamed of the throne. Even if Sutekh believed his own words, the Queen Mother held little doubt that, if the opportunity to become Pharaoh ever reared its head to him, he would seize it. Such was the nature of men.
Isetheperu, knowing this, knew that it was more important than ever to maintain a close watch on Sutekh’s activities and connections. The wrong snake whispering in his ear could turn the wheels. There were many in the nation who would use the bastard’s blood to their own advantage, to grow their own power by having their choice of Pharaoh inducted to the throne. It was what Isetheperu would do.
Beyond this, though, more dominant even than her daily conniving, was the Queen Dowager’s unshakable sense of pride. If Sutekh were simply a complication, he could be managed. But she refused to swallow her pride to engage with him in any truly meaningful way; the embarrassment of Imopehatsuma’s indiscretions was great enough without the compounded humiliation of having to live under the same roof with its product, to see it speaking to her own child, to share its name and its meals and call it her son.
With this undercurrent of rage boiling ever just below the well-manicured and decorated surface of her face, Isetheperu entered the dining chamber.
The summons had come without preamble, a servant meek at her door, Iohatep’s invitation tripping off his tongue in the presence of the Queen Mother. He scurried off almost without finishing, leaving Isetheperu to ponder stone-faced in the following silence.
It was not out of the ordinary per se. Isetheperu often dined with her daughter and the Pharaoh -- she could not yet bring herself to see him in her mind’s eye as her son-in-law -- though the palpable tension between the pair was nearly unbearable on such occasions. She maintained such familial traditions out of care for Hatshepsut’s wellbeing, and desire to keep tabs on the man on the throne.
Yet tonight's invitation, extended specifically to all members of Hei Naddar, came packaged with an unspoken meaning. The newest member of the royal family would be joining them as well, a thought that had Isetheperu’s eyes narrowing in veiled disgust as her servants set about dressing her for the evening’s events.
Sutekh’s revelation as the bastard son of her late husband -- with that moralistic matriarch of Hei Sheifa no less -- was more than a complication. Isetheperu could manage the fallout of a new possible, notably male, heir to the throne of Egypt that existed outside the sphere of her personal control. He would not exist there long, and the political maneuverings necessitated by such a development were familiar. Sutekh himself held very little power outside of his newfound name and the seeming delight the Queen took in having a sibling to look after. Whatever claim he had to the throne was weak in the face of Imopehatsuma’s natural born heir. But a claim he could make.
Though he had little to no legal footing to stand on if he were to make the case, this need not be an obstacle for the ambitious or single-minded -- Isetheperu knew this well-enough herself. After all, it was not the law which determined who would be king. It was the king who determined what should be law. Egypt’s past was littered with men who held lesser claims to rulership and still seized that most coveted prize, whether by force or cunning.
The bastard prince’s own protestations that he desired anything of the sort did nothing to placate Isetheperu. If any truths existed, the most central to her world was that all men dreamed of the throne. Even if Sutekh believed his own words, the Queen Mother held little doubt that, if the opportunity to become Pharaoh ever reared its head to him, he would seize it. Such was the nature of men.
Isetheperu, knowing this, knew that it was more important than ever to maintain a close watch on Sutekh’s activities and connections. The wrong snake whispering in his ear could turn the wheels. There were many in the nation who would use the bastard’s blood to their own advantage, to grow their own power by having their choice of Pharaoh inducted to the throne. It was what Isetheperu would do.
Beyond this, though, more dominant even than her daily conniving, was the Queen Dowager’s unshakable sense of pride. If Sutekh were simply a complication, he could be managed. But she refused to swallow her pride to engage with him in any truly meaningful way; the embarrassment of Imopehatsuma’s indiscretions was great enough without the compounded humiliation of having to live under the same roof with its product, to see it speaking to her own child, to share its name and its meals and call it her son.
With this undercurrent of rage boiling ever just below the well-manicured and decorated surface of her face, Isetheperu entered the dining chamber.
When the ornate door opened, Sutekh glanced nervously at the dining hall’s entryway as it was far more likely that the person entering the hall was one of his more estranged ‘family’ members. However, when he saw his half-sister glide into the room, he couldn’t help the smile from blooming on his face as he stepped forward to greet her.
“Hatshepsut, I can’t say that I’ve been happier to see you walk through those doors.” He said with a nervous laugh as the two of them knew how excruciating this brief period before the meal commenced would have been if it had been one of her relatives to enter the space instead of her. Those moments would have been filled with unbearable tension and awkwardness that would have probably resulted in Sutekh begging for whoever his companion was to just take a dinner knife up from the table and end his torment. However, now the two of them could have a few moments to reassure each other that this meal won’t be a complete disaster given that this was the first time that Sutekh was invited to the table alongside the other royals. That alone made Sutekh nervous as he didn’t know what to expect from Iahotep and Isetheperu as neither of them ever dined with the former Sheifa heir before and the meals he shared with Hatshepsut had become rather informal as the two of them bonded as siblings and caught up on the years that were stolen from them that they couldn’t be much of a guide either.
His eyes instinctively dropped down to the rounded belly that Hatshepsut’s choice of outfit put prominently on display. It was still early in her pregnancy as Hatshepsut was still in her first trimester, so the bump was small, but the way the dress had been tied would tell a different story. “How are you feeling? He won’t be giving you much trouble tonight, right?” Sutekh asked with a flicker of concern crossing his face as he glanced down at her bump. Having quickly become a close confidante of the Queen due to their shared blood, Sutekh was fully aware of how badly affected she was by the bouts of morning sickness that came in the early stages of pregnancy. However, that didn’t mean he understood much about it and what could set it off. For that reason, Sutekh was always concerned about making sure that Hatshepsut was as comfortable as possible so that his nephew wouldn’t give his poor mother a difficult time.
At least this was helped by the taste tester roamed around the table, taking bites from everything that was laid out for the family to dine upon. Sutekh carefully watched what the slave nibbled on, trying to take mental note of what was safe before the meal commenced. After all, he would not put it past Hatshepsut’s mother and husband to take this opportunity to poison him or some outsider wanting to hurt Iahotep or Hatshepsut. He doubted that such a thing could happen now as after Iahotep had nearly been poisoned, the safety of the royal family’s food had become more of a priority, but still… Sutekh would not put it past their absent dinner guests to want to use it.
However, at least the figs were safe as Hatshepsut demonstrated by biting into one. Sutekh was quick to follow suit as he was simply ravenous. It was near torture having been so close to such a glorious meal and not being able to touch any of it. Thank the gods that Hatshepsut was kind enough to allow her taste-tester to be used for his meals as well. She was, quite frankly, a lifesaver with that simple action. “Thank you,” He said quietly in gratitude as his eyes roamed over the sheer amount of food laid out on the table, He couldn’t wait for the others to arrive so he could fill himself until he was certain he would burst.
However, it appeared that this was not all that he had to be grateful for when it came to his sister’s generosity that evening as she promised him that one of the two coveted seats that came with being next to her would go to him rather than the others who had yet to arrive. He nodded slightly in gratitude before quietly quipping, “Thank the gods. Can you imagine how painful this evening would be if we were both stuck in-between them? I think I’d rather take the poison.” With there only being four people who would be partaking in this feast, the seating arrangement would not have the room to spare anyone from avoiding other members of this dysfunctional family. If you weren’t next to someone, you were across from them, but even still… the reassurance of being next to his sister set Sutekh at ease. After all, he was so used to having a seat next to his numerous siblings at the Sheifa table that him being next to her might make this almost seem like a normal family.
Almost.
The Bastard Prince was swiftly reminded of that this would never be a proper family when the doors opened again to reveal Hatshepsut’s mother, Isetheperu, entering the room. Instinctively, Sutekh stepped away from Hatshepsut and back a step, knowing full well that Isetheperu probably did not like how her daughter had warmed up to her half-brother. As the former Sheifa did not want to test the woman’s ire, it was easier to step away and treat things as if they were rigidly formal than face the consequences of not showing ‘proper’ respect to the Queen. The boy was also quick to drop into a slight bow as the older woman walked in, addressing her by a formal title before wisely shutting his mouth as the mother-daughter pair greeted each other.
Sutekh did not have much of a relationship with the Queen Mother. Even before the truth of his parentage had been revealed, Isetheperu had always been cold and standoffish to the young lad during the court sessions that he had attended. He never paid much mind to such treatment though as the boy had no real reason to interact with the Dowager Queen. Even now as they lived in the same household and Sutekh openly referred to himself as her child’s brother; she was determined to keep the same distance between the pair. Except now instead of it being a mere difference in age and rank, there was an undercurrent of anger to the way she ignored him. The Prince couldn’t exactly blame her though. He was the living proof of her husband’s betrayal and no matter what the law or the boy himself said, the Queen Mother was fearful of Sutekh staking a claim to the throne. Not that he ever would. The lone month that he had been here thus far has been so miserable and traumatizing that Sutekh had every intent of escaping the Palace as quickly as possible. However, not even the notion of Sutekh wishing to return to the Sheifas was not enough to placate her when she thought it would be far more fitting for this hideous blot on her husband’s legacy was brought out of this building in a casket.
In truth, he feared death at her hands more than Sutekh worried about the plots Iahotep could be laying. The link that Imopehatsuma’s selfishness had given then meant that things were more personal for Isetheperu. He was certain she would take far more joy out of his demise than Ia would -- not including all the awful things this woman probably wanted to do to his mother. Sutekh had been wise enough to not only keep his distance from this woman but also not divulge these fears to Hatshepsut. The girl was newly married to Iahotep and thus her loyalty to him was weak, but the same could not be said for the way Hatshepsut viewed her mother. Sutekh would be an idiot to approach either topic.
Though strangely, the distance that Isetheperu enforced between the two hurt in ways that the Prince had trouble articulating. Naturally, the young man had questions about his father. He knew who Imopehatsuma had been as pharaoh. Sutekh knew that the man was a warrior and how he clearly found joy in the battlefield. But who was he away from the swords and arrows? Who was he behind closed doors? Was he a kind and caring father -- the sort that would have doted on Sutekh had he been her son instead of Iaheru’s? Did he have a sense of humor? What were his hobbies? Sutkeh knew nothing about the man he was now being defined by and he wanted to know who he really was. He wanted to hear stories about the former Pharaoh and see elements of himself woven in the actions of man. But most importantly--He desperately wanted to know if Imopehatsuma was really was the monster that she portrayed him to be. After all, what would that mean for him or Hatshepsut if he really was the sort of man who did not care about the lives he ruined?
Isetheperu was the one with the answers. She knew him better than anyone. If only she had been willing, Sutekh was certain that she could bring peace to this inner turmoil of his as he constantly questioned what was written into his DNA. However, the shame and worry that his very existence brought onto her prevented Sutekh from ever plucking up the courage to even approach the topic of Imopehatsuma whenever they were in the same room together. He didn’t know if there was anything that he could do to maybe break this down a bit just so he could get some answers. He wouldn’t mind the cold stares and stiff greetings so much if he only knew what she knew.
The Prince remained quiet as his sister and her mother greeted each other, pointedly either keeping his gaze on Hatshepsut or the table behind them so that he might not anger his step-mother. However, it was a mistake for him to choose the table to focus on as his stomach began to roar to life within him. He blushed fiercely at a particularly loud grumble before quietly reaching for another fig to help abate the gnawing ache that he had grown used to in the past month. He hoped that no one noticed, especially not Isetheperu as even though it was plainly obvious that Sutekh was afraid of being poisoned, it wasn’t something that he was keen on addressing near the woman. Instead he just quietly chewed on the fruit, setting his stomach at ease as the group awkwardly waited for the host of this event to arrive.
However, the minutes began to slowly tick by with no sign of Iahotep coming through those doors. This wouldn’t have been much of an issue, but with Isetheperu now being in their mix, things were so tense that Sutekh swore that it could be cut with a knife. Not to mention the delicious smell of the food wafting throughout the room was driving the boy’s stomach crazy. He was so eager to dig in and get some food into his system, that he almost forgot about the stress that came with the uncertainty of not knowing what this family meeting could be for. Luckily, his sister’s round belly provided quite a convenient excuse to get them all to at least sit down as they waited for Iahotep.
“Hat--Your Evening Radiance?” Sutekh started to say, momentarily forgetting that he should use his sister’s proper title around the Dowager Queen rather than the more informal monikers that the two young adults preferred to use in each other’s company, “Do you want to sit down? I don’t think it’s good to stand for long periods given your condition.” There was a rather apologetic lilt to his tone as he tried to navigate how to suggest they all sit down in a way that wouldn’t set her mother off on him. This was the best he could do, but Sutekh could already see the aging woman snapping at him for speaking so informally to the Queen or sticking his nose where it didn’t belong. He could only hope though that his obvious concern for her well-being would counteract these sorts of statements though as it might reflect poorly on the former queen. Good gods, Sutekh didn’t know. All he knew is that he wanted to sit down and eat because he was starving.
However, given that he was not pharaoh nor queen, the decision to commence the meal didn’t lie with him. Sutekh could only hope that his sister would keep her word that he would have a seat next to her instead of between the two people who wanted him dead.
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.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
When the ornate door opened, Sutekh glanced nervously at the dining hall’s entryway as it was far more likely that the person entering the hall was one of his more estranged ‘family’ members. However, when he saw his half-sister glide into the room, he couldn’t help the smile from blooming on his face as he stepped forward to greet her.
“Hatshepsut, I can’t say that I’ve been happier to see you walk through those doors.” He said with a nervous laugh as the two of them knew how excruciating this brief period before the meal commenced would have been if it had been one of her relatives to enter the space instead of her. Those moments would have been filled with unbearable tension and awkwardness that would have probably resulted in Sutekh begging for whoever his companion was to just take a dinner knife up from the table and end his torment. However, now the two of them could have a few moments to reassure each other that this meal won’t be a complete disaster given that this was the first time that Sutekh was invited to the table alongside the other royals. That alone made Sutekh nervous as he didn’t know what to expect from Iahotep and Isetheperu as neither of them ever dined with the former Sheifa heir before and the meals he shared with Hatshepsut had become rather informal as the two of them bonded as siblings and caught up on the years that were stolen from them that they couldn’t be much of a guide either.
His eyes instinctively dropped down to the rounded belly that Hatshepsut’s choice of outfit put prominently on display. It was still early in her pregnancy as Hatshepsut was still in her first trimester, so the bump was small, but the way the dress had been tied would tell a different story. “How are you feeling? He won’t be giving you much trouble tonight, right?” Sutekh asked with a flicker of concern crossing his face as he glanced down at her bump. Having quickly become a close confidante of the Queen due to their shared blood, Sutekh was fully aware of how badly affected she was by the bouts of morning sickness that came in the early stages of pregnancy. However, that didn’t mean he understood much about it and what could set it off. For that reason, Sutekh was always concerned about making sure that Hatshepsut was as comfortable as possible so that his nephew wouldn’t give his poor mother a difficult time.
At least this was helped by the taste tester roamed around the table, taking bites from everything that was laid out for the family to dine upon. Sutekh carefully watched what the slave nibbled on, trying to take mental note of what was safe before the meal commenced. After all, he would not put it past Hatshepsut’s mother and husband to take this opportunity to poison him or some outsider wanting to hurt Iahotep or Hatshepsut. He doubted that such a thing could happen now as after Iahotep had nearly been poisoned, the safety of the royal family’s food had become more of a priority, but still… Sutekh would not put it past their absent dinner guests to want to use it.
However, at least the figs were safe as Hatshepsut demonstrated by biting into one. Sutekh was quick to follow suit as he was simply ravenous. It was near torture having been so close to such a glorious meal and not being able to touch any of it. Thank the gods that Hatshepsut was kind enough to allow her taste-tester to be used for his meals as well. She was, quite frankly, a lifesaver with that simple action. “Thank you,” He said quietly in gratitude as his eyes roamed over the sheer amount of food laid out on the table, He couldn’t wait for the others to arrive so he could fill himself until he was certain he would burst.
However, it appeared that this was not all that he had to be grateful for when it came to his sister’s generosity that evening as she promised him that one of the two coveted seats that came with being next to her would go to him rather than the others who had yet to arrive. He nodded slightly in gratitude before quietly quipping, “Thank the gods. Can you imagine how painful this evening would be if we were both stuck in-between them? I think I’d rather take the poison.” With there only being four people who would be partaking in this feast, the seating arrangement would not have the room to spare anyone from avoiding other members of this dysfunctional family. If you weren’t next to someone, you were across from them, but even still… the reassurance of being next to his sister set Sutekh at ease. After all, he was so used to having a seat next to his numerous siblings at the Sheifa table that him being next to her might make this almost seem like a normal family.
Almost.
The Bastard Prince was swiftly reminded of that this would never be a proper family when the doors opened again to reveal Hatshepsut’s mother, Isetheperu, entering the room. Instinctively, Sutekh stepped away from Hatshepsut and back a step, knowing full well that Isetheperu probably did not like how her daughter had warmed up to her half-brother. As the former Sheifa did not want to test the woman’s ire, it was easier to step away and treat things as if they were rigidly formal than face the consequences of not showing ‘proper’ respect to the Queen. The boy was also quick to drop into a slight bow as the older woman walked in, addressing her by a formal title before wisely shutting his mouth as the mother-daughter pair greeted each other.
Sutekh did not have much of a relationship with the Queen Mother. Even before the truth of his parentage had been revealed, Isetheperu had always been cold and standoffish to the young lad during the court sessions that he had attended. He never paid much mind to such treatment though as the boy had no real reason to interact with the Dowager Queen. Even now as they lived in the same household and Sutekh openly referred to himself as her child’s brother; she was determined to keep the same distance between the pair. Except now instead of it being a mere difference in age and rank, there was an undercurrent of anger to the way she ignored him. The Prince couldn’t exactly blame her though. He was the living proof of her husband’s betrayal and no matter what the law or the boy himself said, the Queen Mother was fearful of Sutekh staking a claim to the throne. Not that he ever would. The lone month that he had been here thus far has been so miserable and traumatizing that Sutekh had every intent of escaping the Palace as quickly as possible. However, not even the notion of Sutekh wishing to return to the Sheifas was not enough to placate her when she thought it would be far more fitting for this hideous blot on her husband’s legacy was brought out of this building in a casket.
In truth, he feared death at her hands more than Sutekh worried about the plots Iahotep could be laying. The link that Imopehatsuma’s selfishness had given then meant that things were more personal for Isetheperu. He was certain she would take far more joy out of his demise than Ia would -- not including all the awful things this woman probably wanted to do to his mother. Sutekh had been wise enough to not only keep his distance from this woman but also not divulge these fears to Hatshepsut. The girl was newly married to Iahotep and thus her loyalty to him was weak, but the same could not be said for the way Hatshepsut viewed her mother. Sutekh would be an idiot to approach either topic.
Though strangely, the distance that Isetheperu enforced between the two hurt in ways that the Prince had trouble articulating. Naturally, the young man had questions about his father. He knew who Imopehatsuma had been as pharaoh. Sutekh knew that the man was a warrior and how he clearly found joy in the battlefield. But who was he away from the swords and arrows? Who was he behind closed doors? Was he a kind and caring father -- the sort that would have doted on Sutekh had he been her son instead of Iaheru’s? Did he have a sense of humor? What were his hobbies? Sutkeh knew nothing about the man he was now being defined by and he wanted to know who he really was. He wanted to hear stories about the former Pharaoh and see elements of himself woven in the actions of man. But most importantly--He desperately wanted to know if Imopehatsuma was really was the monster that she portrayed him to be. After all, what would that mean for him or Hatshepsut if he really was the sort of man who did not care about the lives he ruined?
Isetheperu was the one with the answers. She knew him better than anyone. If only she had been willing, Sutekh was certain that she could bring peace to this inner turmoil of his as he constantly questioned what was written into his DNA. However, the shame and worry that his very existence brought onto her prevented Sutekh from ever plucking up the courage to even approach the topic of Imopehatsuma whenever they were in the same room together. He didn’t know if there was anything that he could do to maybe break this down a bit just so he could get some answers. He wouldn’t mind the cold stares and stiff greetings so much if he only knew what she knew.
The Prince remained quiet as his sister and her mother greeted each other, pointedly either keeping his gaze on Hatshepsut or the table behind them so that he might not anger his step-mother. However, it was a mistake for him to choose the table to focus on as his stomach began to roar to life within him. He blushed fiercely at a particularly loud grumble before quietly reaching for another fig to help abate the gnawing ache that he had grown used to in the past month. He hoped that no one noticed, especially not Isetheperu as even though it was plainly obvious that Sutekh was afraid of being poisoned, it wasn’t something that he was keen on addressing near the woman. Instead he just quietly chewed on the fruit, setting his stomach at ease as the group awkwardly waited for the host of this event to arrive.
However, the minutes began to slowly tick by with no sign of Iahotep coming through those doors. This wouldn’t have been much of an issue, but with Isetheperu now being in their mix, things were so tense that Sutekh swore that it could be cut with a knife. Not to mention the delicious smell of the food wafting throughout the room was driving the boy’s stomach crazy. He was so eager to dig in and get some food into his system, that he almost forgot about the stress that came with the uncertainty of not knowing what this family meeting could be for. Luckily, his sister’s round belly provided quite a convenient excuse to get them all to at least sit down as they waited for Iahotep.
“Hat--Your Evening Radiance?” Sutekh started to say, momentarily forgetting that he should use his sister’s proper title around the Dowager Queen rather than the more informal monikers that the two young adults preferred to use in each other’s company, “Do you want to sit down? I don’t think it’s good to stand for long periods given your condition.” There was a rather apologetic lilt to his tone as he tried to navigate how to suggest they all sit down in a way that wouldn’t set her mother off on him. This was the best he could do, but Sutekh could already see the aging woman snapping at him for speaking so informally to the Queen or sticking his nose where it didn’t belong. He could only hope though that his obvious concern for her well-being would counteract these sorts of statements though as it might reflect poorly on the former queen. Good gods, Sutekh didn’t know. All he knew is that he wanted to sit down and eat because he was starving.
However, given that he was not pharaoh nor queen, the decision to commence the meal didn’t lie with him. Sutekh could only hope that his sister would keep her word that he would have a seat next to her instead of between the two people who wanted him dead.
When the ornate door opened, Sutekh glanced nervously at the dining hall’s entryway as it was far more likely that the person entering the hall was one of his more estranged ‘family’ members. However, when he saw his half-sister glide into the room, he couldn’t help the smile from blooming on his face as he stepped forward to greet her.
“Hatshepsut, I can’t say that I’ve been happier to see you walk through those doors.” He said with a nervous laugh as the two of them knew how excruciating this brief period before the meal commenced would have been if it had been one of her relatives to enter the space instead of her. Those moments would have been filled with unbearable tension and awkwardness that would have probably resulted in Sutekh begging for whoever his companion was to just take a dinner knife up from the table and end his torment. However, now the two of them could have a few moments to reassure each other that this meal won’t be a complete disaster given that this was the first time that Sutekh was invited to the table alongside the other royals. That alone made Sutekh nervous as he didn’t know what to expect from Iahotep and Isetheperu as neither of them ever dined with the former Sheifa heir before and the meals he shared with Hatshepsut had become rather informal as the two of them bonded as siblings and caught up on the years that were stolen from them that they couldn’t be much of a guide either.
His eyes instinctively dropped down to the rounded belly that Hatshepsut’s choice of outfit put prominently on display. It was still early in her pregnancy as Hatshepsut was still in her first trimester, so the bump was small, but the way the dress had been tied would tell a different story. “How are you feeling? He won’t be giving you much trouble tonight, right?” Sutekh asked with a flicker of concern crossing his face as he glanced down at her bump. Having quickly become a close confidante of the Queen due to their shared blood, Sutekh was fully aware of how badly affected she was by the bouts of morning sickness that came in the early stages of pregnancy. However, that didn’t mean he understood much about it and what could set it off. For that reason, Sutekh was always concerned about making sure that Hatshepsut was as comfortable as possible so that his nephew wouldn’t give his poor mother a difficult time.
At least this was helped by the taste tester roamed around the table, taking bites from everything that was laid out for the family to dine upon. Sutekh carefully watched what the slave nibbled on, trying to take mental note of what was safe before the meal commenced. After all, he would not put it past Hatshepsut’s mother and husband to take this opportunity to poison him or some outsider wanting to hurt Iahotep or Hatshepsut. He doubted that such a thing could happen now as after Iahotep had nearly been poisoned, the safety of the royal family’s food had become more of a priority, but still… Sutekh would not put it past their absent dinner guests to want to use it.
However, at least the figs were safe as Hatshepsut demonstrated by biting into one. Sutekh was quick to follow suit as he was simply ravenous. It was near torture having been so close to such a glorious meal and not being able to touch any of it. Thank the gods that Hatshepsut was kind enough to allow her taste-tester to be used for his meals as well. She was, quite frankly, a lifesaver with that simple action. “Thank you,” He said quietly in gratitude as his eyes roamed over the sheer amount of food laid out on the table, He couldn’t wait for the others to arrive so he could fill himself until he was certain he would burst.
However, it appeared that this was not all that he had to be grateful for when it came to his sister’s generosity that evening as she promised him that one of the two coveted seats that came with being next to her would go to him rather than the others who had yet to arrive. He nodded slightly in gratitude before quietly quipping, “Thank the gods. Can you imagine how painful this evening would be if we were both stuck in-between them? I think I’d rather take the poison.” With there only being four people who would be partaking in this feast, the seating arrangement would not have the room to spare anyone from avoiding other members of this dysfunctional family. If you weren’t next to someone, you were across from them, but even still… the reassurance of being next to his sister set Sutekh at ease. After all, he was so used to having a seat next to his numerous siblings at the Sheifa table that him being next to her might make this almost seem like a normal family.
Almost.
The Bastard Prince was swiftly reminded of that this would never be a proper family when the doors opened again to reveal Hatshepsut’s mother, Isetheperu, entering the room. Instinctively, Sutekh stepped away from Hatshepsut and back a step, knowing full well that Isetheperu probably did not like how her daughter had warmed up to her half-brother. As the former Sheifa did not want to test the woman’s ire, it was easier to step away and treat things as if they were rigidly formal than face the consequences of not showing ‘proper’ respect to the Queen. The boy was also quick to drop into a slight bow as the older woman walked in, addressing her by a formal title before wisely shutting his mouth as the mother-daughter pair greeted each other.
Sutekh did not have much of a relationship with the Queen Mother. Even before the truth of his parentage had been revealed, Isetheperu had always been cold and standoffish to the young lad during the court sessions that he had attended. He never paid much mind to such treatment though as the boy had no real reason to interact with the Dowager Queen. Even now as they lived in the same household and Sutekh openly referred to himself as her child’s brother; she was determined to keep the same distance between the pair. Except now instead of it being a mere difference in age and rank, there was an undercurrent of anger to the way she ignored him. The Prince couldn’t exactly blame her though. He was the living proof of her husband’s betrayal and no matter what the law or the boy himself said, the Queen Mother was fearful of Sutekh staking a claim to the throne. Not that he ever would. The lone month that he had been here thus far has been so miserable and traumatizing that Sutekh had every intent of escaping the Palace as quickly as possible. However, not even the notion of Sutekh wishing to return to the Sheifas was not enough to placate her when she thought it would be far more fitting for this hideous blot on her husband’s legacy was brought out of this building in a casket.
In truth, he feared death at her hands more than Sutekh worried about the plots Iahotep could be laying. The link that Imopehatsuma’s selfishness had given then meant that things were more personal for Isetheperu. He was certain she would take far more joy out of his demise than Ia would -- not including all the awful things this woman probably wanted to do to his mother. Sutekh had been wise enough to not only keep his distance from this woman but also not divulge these fears to Hatshepsut. The girl was newly married to Iahotep and thus her loyalty to him was weak, but the same could not be said for the way Hatshepsut viewed her mother. Sutekh would be an idiot to approach either topic.
Though strangely, the distance that Isetheperu enforced between the two hurt in ways that the Prince had trouble articulating. Naturally, the young man had questions about his father. He knew who Imopehatsuma had been as pharaoh. Sutekh knew that the man was a warrior and how he clearly found joy in the battlefield. But who was he away from the swords and arrows? Who was he behind closed doors? Was he a kind and caring father -- the sort that would have doted on Sutekh had he been her son instead of Iaheru’s? Did he have a sense of humor? What were his hobbies? Sutkeh knew nothing about the man he was now being defined by and he wanted to know who he really was. He wanted to hear stories about the former Pharaoh and see elements of himself woven in the actions of man. But most importantly--He desperately wanted to know if Imopehatsuma was really was the monster that she portrayed him to be. After all, what would that mean for him or Hatshepsut if he really was the sort of man who did not care about the lives he ruined?
Isetheperu was the one with the answers. She knew him better than anyone. If only she had been willing, Sutekh was certain that she could bring peace to this inner turmoil of his as he constantly questioned what was written into his DNA. However, the shame and worry that his very existence brought onto her prevented Sutekh from ever plucking up the courage to even approach the topic of Imopehatsuma whenever they were in the same room together. He didn’t know if there was anything that he could do to maybe break this down a bit just so he could get some answers. He wouldn’t mind the cold stares and stiff greetings so much if he only knew what she knew.
The Prince remained quiet as his sister and her mother greeted each other, pointedly either keeping his gaze on Hatshepsut or the table behind them so that he might not anger his step-mother. However, it was a mistake for him to choose the table to focus on as his stomach began to roar to life within him. He blushed fiercely at a particularly loud grumble before quietly reaching for another fig to help abate the gnawing ache that he had grown used to in the past month. He hoped that no one noticed, especially not Isetheperu as even though it was plainly obvious that Sutekh was afraid of being poisoned, it wasn’t something that he was keen on addressing near the woman. Instead he just quietly chewed on the fruit, setting his stomach at ease as the group awkwardly waited for the host of this event to arrive.
However, the minutes began to slowly tick by with no sign of Iahotep coming through those doors. This wouldn’t have been much of an issue, but with Isetheperu now being in their mix, things were so tense that Sutekh swore that it could be cut with a knife. Not to mention the delicious smell of the food wafting throughout the room was driving the boy’s stomach crazy. He was so eager to dig in and get some food into his system, that he almost forgot about the stress that came with the uncertainty of not knowing what this family meeting could be for. Luckily, his sister’s round belly provided quite a convenient excuse to get them all to at least sit down as they waited for Iahotep.
“Hat--Your Evening Radiance?” Sutekh started to say, momentarily forgetting that he should use his sister’s proper title around the Dowager Queen rather than the more informal monikers that the two young adults preferred to use in each other’s company, “Do you want to sit down? I don’t think it’s good to stand for long periods given your condition.” There was a rather apologetic lilt to his tone as he tried to navigate how to suggest they all sit down in a way that wouldn’t set her mother off on him. This was the best he could do, but Sutekh could already see the aging woman snapping at him for speaking so informally to the Queen or sticking his nose where it didn’t belong. He could only hope though that his obvious concern for her well-being would counteract these sorts of statements though as it might reflect poorly on the former queen. Good gods, Sutekh didn’t know. All he knew is that he wanted to sit down and eat because he was starving.
However, given that he was not pharaoh nor queen, the decision to commence the meal didn’t lie with him. Sutekh could only hope that his sister would keep her word that he would have a seat next to her instead of between the two people who wanted him dead.
Hatshepsut could not even imagine how Sutekh had felt as he waited alone in the dining hall, knowing that the next arrival might be one of the two people who felt threatened by his existence. His smile and his greeting told her how relieved he was that she had preceded her husband and mother. She had intentionally been early for this very reason, wishing to spare her half-brother any distress. Without her presence, he could have been subjected to open hostility, but she knew that Iahotep and Isetheperu would not say or do anything that might upset her and cause problems with her pregnancy.
That was also why she had accented the small bump to make it look larger, so that neither of them would forget that she was with child and didn’t need to become upset. They would … hopefully … be on their best behavior, thought that wasn’t saying a lot. Both her mother and husband were volatile creatures and just being in the same room at Sutekh would raise their ire, Iahotep saw him as competition and he was a reminder to Isetheperu that the former Pharaoh had cheated on her.
Hatshepsut had known before she allowed Sutekh to stay in the palace that they would resent him, but she had no regrets as to the decision she had made. She treasured the close relationship that had grown quickly between them. He was one of only three people she trusted implicitly. The others were Osorsen and Zoser. Sutekh was so much a part of her life now that she didn’t know how she had lived without him. They needed each other as each of them had entered a new phase in their lives. She confided things to him that she had told no one else. How she wished they had known of this ‘family’ dinner beforehand so that they could have discussed the best way to deal with the Pharaoh and Dowager Queen.
“I am fine,” she reassured him. “The baby is quiet tonight and I don’t feel the least bit nauseous. I pray it will stay that way.” She had taken some of Skylla’s herbs about an hour ago, hoping to prevent the sickness that often afflicted her in the evenings as well as the mornings. No matter how ill she felt, Hatshepsut knew that she couldn’t leave Sutekh alone tonight. It would be like throwing him into a pit of vipers, which was, she thought, a rather apt analogy.
She nodded to her brother’s thanks, knowing how afraid he was of being poisoned. It was a paranoia they shared, and the young Queen understood it completely. She dined with him every evening, bringing along her personal taster. When Sutekh had first arrived, she had considered hiring a taster for him too, but had changed her mind after a bit of contemplation. Having his own taster would make it clear that he didn't feel safe here, and that would only make the Pharaoh and Dowager Queen angrier, knowing that he didn’t trust them. They might resort to more creative means of getting rid of him, methods that Hatshepsut would not be able to stop.
“Thank the gods. Can you imagine how painful this evening would be if we were both stuck in-between them? I think I’d rather take the poison.”
The young girl laughed. Another thing she cherished about Sutekh was his sense of humor. When she was feeling overwhelmed by her responsibilities, she could always count on her brother to cheer her up. “So would I,” she agreed, popping the rest of the fig into her mouth. “Wedged between those two would be a fate worse than death.” Idly, she wondered if her mother was as much behind this dinner as Iahotep. Maybe they had planned it together. Sometimes the two of them seemed as thick as thieves. There was also an undercurrent to their relationship that implied that they had once been more than simply colleagues. The very notion made Hatshepsut shiver whenever she saw them together.
Before she could say anything more, her mother swept through the door, looking as elegant and composed as ever. There was no animosity visible upon her face, of course. It had been Isetheperu who had taught her how to mask her own feelings when she was a child. A Queen must never show her emotions. She was much better at it than Hatshepsut. Then again, she’d had a much longer time to practice during all the years she was married to her father.
“Mother!” she exclaimed with a smile, stepping forward to embrace the woman who had given her birth. Her presence tonight was inevitable, so it was best to act pleased to see her. The young Queen had been making quite a few decisions without her assistance, and she knew that her mother must be disappointed that she wasn’t relying on her as much as she used to. This was necessary. Hatshepsut would be ruling Egypt in Iaotep’s absence and he had told her to trust no one. It was a sad revelation, but she believed that Isetheperu wouldn’t blink if she was forced to sacrifice her daughter and unborn grandchild so that she could live.
She suddenly felt a bit dizzy. Suteh’s suggestion could not have come at a better time. She pretended not to notice that he had almost used her given name. “Yes, I think that would be best.” They were in the family dining hall, not the formal one, and there was room for twelve people at the table. Iahotep would sit at the head and so Hatshepsut moved to the foot, thereby making certain that he did not sit too close to Sutekh. A slave pulled out the finely carved chair for her, and she gracefully sat down. Indicating the chair next to her, she glanced over at her brother. “Come sit beside me.”
Her mother could select her own seat. The petite Queen expected that she would decide to sit on the other side of the table with Iahotep.
Where was her horrid husband anyway? He had arranged this dinner after all.
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.
Badges
Deleted
Deleted
Hatshepsut could not even imagine how Sutekh had felt as he waited alone in the dining hall, knowing that the next arrival might be one of the two people who felt threatened by his existence. His smile and his greeting told her how relieved he was that she had preceded her husband and mother. She had intentionally been early for this very reason, wishing to spare her half-brother any distress. Without her presence, he could have been subjected to open hostility, but she knew that Iahotep and Isetheperu would not say or do anything that might upset her and cause problems with her pregnancy.
That was also why she had accented the small bump to make it look larger, so that neither of them would forget that she was with child and didn’t need to become upset. They would … hopefully … be on their best behavior, thought that wasn’t saying a lot. Both her mother and husband were volatile creatures and just being in the same room at Sutekh would raise their ire, Iahotep saw him as competition and he was a reminder to Isetheperu that the former Pharaoh had cheated on her.
Hatshepsut had known before she allowed Sutekh to stay in the palace that they would resent him, but she had no regrets as to the decision she had made. She treasured the close relationship that had grown quickly between them. He was one of only three people she trusted implicitly. The others were Osorsen and Zoser. Sutekh was so much a part of her life now that she didn’t know how she had lived without him. They needed each other as each of them had entered a new phase in their lives. She confided things to him that she had told no one else. How she wished they had known of this ‘family’ dinner beforehand so that they could have discussed the best way to deal with the Pharaoh and Dowager Queen.
“I am fine,” she reassured him. “The baby is quiet tonight and I don’t feel the least bit nauseous. I pray it will stay that way.” She had taken some of Skylla’s herbs about an hour ago, hoping to prevent the sickness that often afflicted her in the evenings as well as the mornings. No matter how ill she felt, Hatshepsut knew that she couldn’t leave Sutekh alone tonight. It would be like throwing him into a pit of vipers, which was, she thought, a rather apt analogy.
She nodded to her brother’s thanks, knowing how afraid he was of being poisoned. It was a paranoia they shared, and the young Queen understood it completely. She dined with him every evening, bringing along her personal taster. When Sutekh had first arrived, she had considered hiring a taster for him too, but had changed her mind after a bit of contemplation. Having his own taster would make it clear that he didn't feel safe here, and that would only make the Pharaoh and Dowager Queen angrier, knowing that he didn’t trust them. They might resort to more creative means of getting rid of him, methods that Hatshepsut would not be able to stop.
“Thank the gods. Can you imagine how painful this evening would be if we were both stuck in-between them? I think I’d rather take the poison.”
The young girl laughed. Another thing she cherished about Sutekh was his sense of humor. When she was feeling overwhelmed by her responsibilities, she could always count on her brother to cheer her up. “So would I,” she agreed, popping the rest of the fig into her mouth. “Wedged between those two would be a fate worse than death.” Idly, she wondered if her mother was as much behind this dinner as Iahotep. Maybe they had planned it together. Sometimes the two of them seemed as thick as thieves. There was also an undercurrent to their relationship that implied that they had once been more than simply colleagues. The very notion made Hatshepsut shiver whenever she saw them together.
Before she could say anything more, her mother swept through the door, looking as elegant and composed as ever. There was no animosity visible upon her face, of course. It had been Isetheperu who had taught her how to mask her own feelings when she was a child. A Queen must never show her emotions. She was much better at it than Hatshepsut. Then again, she’d had a much longer time to practice during all the years she was married to her father.
“Mother!” she exclaimed with a smile, stepping forward to embrace the woman who had given her birth. Her presence tonight was inevitable, so it was best to act pleased to see her. The young Queen had been making quite a few decisions without her assistance, and she knew that her mother must be disappointed that she wasn’t relying on her as much as she used to. This was necessary. Hatshepsut would be ruling Egypt in Iaotep’s absence and he had told her to trust no one. It was a sad revelation, but she believed that Isetheperu wouldn’t blink if she was forced to sacrifice her daughter and unborn grandchild so that she could live.
She suddenly felt a bit dizzy. Suteh’s suggestion could not have come at a better time. She pretended not to notice that he had almost used her given name. “Yes, I think that would be best.” They were in the family dining hall, not the formal one, and there was room for twelve people at the table. Iahotep would sit at the head and so Hatshepsut moved to the foot, thereby making certain that he did not sit too close to Sutekh. A slave pulled out the finely carved chair for her, and she gracefully sat down. Indicating the chair next to her, she glanced over at her brother. “Come sit beside me.”
Her mother could select her own seat. The petite Queen expected that she would decide to sit on the other side of the table with Iahotep.
Where was her horrid husband anyway? He had arranged this dinner after all.
Hatshepsut could not even imagine how Sutekh had felt as he waited alone in the dining hall, knowing that the next arrival might be one of the two people who felt threatened by his existence. His smile and his greeting told her how relieved he was that she had preceded her husband and mother. She had intentionally been early for this very reason, wishing to spare her half-brother any distress. Without her presence, he could have been subjected to open hostility, but she knew that Iahotep and Isetheperu would not say or do anything that might upset her and cause problems with her pregnancy.
That was also why she had accented the small bump to make it look larger, so that neither of them would forget that she was with child and didn’t need to become upset. They would … hopefully … be on their best behavior, thought that wasn’t saying a lot. Both her mother and husband were volatile creatures and just being in the same room at Sutekh would raise their ire, Iahotep saw him as competition and he was a reminder to Isetheperu that the former Pharaoh had cheated on her.
Hatshepsut had known before she allowed Sutekh to stay in the palace that they would resent him, but she had no regrets as to the decision she had made. She treasured the close relationship that had grown quickly between them. He was one of only three people she trusted implicitly. The others were Osorsen and Zoser. Sutekh was so much a part of her life now that she didn’t know how she had lived without him. They needed each other as each of them had entered a new phase in their lives. She confided things to him that she had told no one else. How she wished they had known of this ‘family’ dinner beforehand so that they could have discussed the best way to deal with the Pharaoh and Dowager Queen.
“I am fine,” she reassured him. “The baby is quiet tonight and I don’t feel the least bit nauseous. I pray it will stay that way.” She had taken some of Skylla’s herbs about an hour ago, hoping to prevent the sickness that often afflicted her in the evenings as well as the mornings. No matter how ill she felt, Hatshepsut knew that she couldn’t leave Sutekh alone tonight. It would be like throwing him into a pit of vipers, which was, she thought, a rather apt analogy.
She nodded to her brother’s thanks, knowing how afraid he was of being poisoned. It was a paranoia they shared, and the young Queen understood it completely. She dined with him every evening, bringing along her personal taster. When Sutekh had first arrived, she had considered hiring a taster for him too, but had changed her mind after a bit of contemplation. Having his own taster would make it clear that he didn't feel safe here, and that would only make the Pharaoh and Dowager Queen angrier, knowing that he didn’t trust them. They might resort to more creative means of getting rid of him, methods that Hatshepsut would not be able to stop.
“Thank the gods. Can you imagine how painful this evening would be if we were both stuck in-between them? I think I’d rather take the poison.”
The young girl laughed. Another thing she cherished about Sutekh was his sense of humor. When she was feeling overwhelmed by her responsibilities, she could always count on her brother to cheer her up. “So would I,” she agreed, popping the rest of the fig into her mouth. “Wedged between those two would be a fate worse than death.” Idly, she wondered if her mother was as much behind this dinner as Iahotep. Maybe they had planned it together. Sometimes the two of them seemed as thick as thieves. There was also an undercurrent to their relationship that implied that they had once been more than simply colleagues. The very notion made Hatshepsut shiver whenever she saw them together.
Before she could say anything more, her mother swept through the door, looking as elegant and composed as ever. There was no animosity visible upon her face, of course. It had been Isetheperu who had taught her how to mask her own feelings when she was a child. A Queen must never show her emotions. She was much better at it than Hatshepsut. Then again, she’d had a much longer time to practice during all the years she was married to her father.
“Mother!” she exclaimed with a smile, stepping forward to embrace the woman who had given her birth. Her presence tonight was inevitable, so it was best to act pleased to see her. The young Queen had been making quite a few decisions without her assistance, and she knew that her mother must be disappointed that she wasn’t relying on her as much as she used to. This was necessary. Hatshepsut would be ruling Egypt in Iaotep’s absence and he had told her to trust no one. It was a sad revelation, but she believed that Isetheperu wouldn’t blink if she was forced to sacrifice her daughter and unborn grandchild so that she could live.
She suddenly felt a bit dizzy. Suteh’s suggestion could not have come at a better time. She pretended not to notice that he had almost used her given name. “Yes, I think that would be best.” They were in the family dining hall, not the formal one, and there was room for twelve people at the table. Iahotep would sit at the head and so Hatshepsut moved to the foot, thereby making certain that he did not sit too close to Sutekh. A slave pulled out the finely carved chair for her, and she gracefully sat down. Indicating the chair next to her, she glanced over at her brother. “Come sit beside me.”
Her mother could select her own seat. The petite Queen expected that she would decide to sit on the other side of the table with Iahotep.
Where was her horrid husband anyway? He had arranged this dinner after all.