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Neithotep H’Sheifa awkwardly paced the length of the receiving room the slave had led her to, the black fabric of her kalasiris swishing with each stiff step of her feet. ‘Uncomfortable’ wasn’t even the proper word to describe how she felt about being in the Evening Star Palace under the light of day and by her own volition. The last time she’d been willingly behind these walls had been during the Sed festival; every other occasion since put a sour taste in her mouth.
She’d never cared much for the Palace before, and now… it practically stank of her trauma.
But Zoser was right. She needed a viable excuse for her increasingly frequent sojourns to the Palace, and a visit to her brother served as the perfect cover. While she and Sutekh were never particularly close, it didn’t seem outside of the realm of possibility that she would come to visit him. They were still family, no matter their strife, and deep within herself, Nia could admit she did miss him. Whatever happened, he was her brother, and the revelation about his true parentage had shaken the Sheifa family to the core.
It was also a matter that struck a little too close to home.
While Nia did all she could to ensure that her unholy union with the Pharaoh did not produce any children, the possibility always lingered in the back of her mind. Granted, she wasn’t a married woman like her mother had been, but the circumstances of their bedding were eerily and uncomfortably similar. Beautiful flowers plucked in their prime by cruel and demanding hands—it was a nearly identical story, and a tragic one always doomed to end in disaster. The young noblewoman could only pray hers did not end in the same way.
And so she waited for her brother, now a bastard prince, to attend her, wringing the fabric of her gown with nervous fingers. She’d told the slave that went to fetch him only that his sister came to visit, hoping he would think it was Nenet. She worried if he knew the truth, he’d refuse to see her, and that this trip into the lions’ den would have been entirely fruitless.
At last, she heard footsteps down the hall, pausing in her pacing and turning to face the door. Straightening her anxious posture and squaring her shoulders to assume her nearly forgotten confidence, she folded her hands in front of her and waited for her brother’s approach. As he entered the room, she dipped into a small half-bow—while she knew it was proper for his status as a prince, she felt silly according him such respect. He was her younger brother, no matter his titles, and she’d never bowed to him before.
“Sutekh,” Nia greeted him with a tremulous smile as she straightened, her expression full of nervous hope. “Brother. I hope my presence is not… unwelcome.” Biting her lip, she looked away while pondering what she ought to say.
“Are you… well? Have you found the Palace to your liking so far?” Her questions were awkward and stilted, but what more could she say? The circumstances of their parting certainly hadn’t been ideal, and she hadn’t seen him since. How did one greet their illegitimate prince of a brother without some measure of discomfort?
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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Neithotep H’Sheifa awkwardly paced the length of the receiving room the slave had led her to, the black fabric of her kalasiris swishing with each stiff step of her feet. ‘Uncomfortable’ wasn’t even the proper word to describe how she felt about being in the Evening Star Palace under the light of day and by her own volition. The last time she’d been willingly behind these walls had been during the Sed festival; every other occasion since put a sour taste in her mouth.
She’d never cared much for the Palace before, and now… it practically stank of her trauma.
But Zoser was right. She needed a viable excuse for her increasingly frequent sojourns to the Palace, and a visit to her brother served as the perfect cover. While she and Sutekh were never particularly close, it didn’t seem outside of the realm of possibility that she would come to visit him. They were still family, no matter their strife, and deep within herself, Nia could admit she did miss him. Whatever happened, he was her brother, and the revelation about his true parentage had shaken the Sheifa family to the core.
It was also a matter that struck a little too close to home.
While Nia did all she could to ensure that her unholy union with the Pharaoh did not produce any children, the possibility always lingered in the back of her mind. Granted, she wasn’t a married woman like her mother had been, but the circumstances of their bedding were eerily and uncomfortably similar. Beautiful flowers plucked in their prime by cruel and demanding hands—it was a nearly identical story, and a tragic one always doomed to end in disaster. The young noblewoman could only pray hers did not end in the same way.
And so she waited for her brother, now a bastard prince, to attend her, wringing the fabric of her gown with nervous fingers. She’d told the slave that went to fetch him only that his sister came to visit, hoping he would think it was Nenet. She worried if he knew the truth, he’d refuse to see her, and that this trip into the lions’ den would have been entirely fruitless.
At last, she heard footsteps down the hall, pausing in her pacing and turning to face the door. Straightening her anxious posture and squaring her shoulders to assume her nearly forgotten confidence, she folded her hands in front of her and waited for her brother’s approach. As he entered the room, she dipped into a small half-bow—while she knew it was proper for his status as a prince, she felt silly according him such respect. He was her younger brother, no matter his titles, and she’d never bowed to him before.
“Sutekh,” Nia greeted him with a tremulous smile as she straightened, her expression full of nervous hope. “Brother. I hope my presence is not… unwelcome.” Biting her lip, she looked away while pondering what she ought to say.
“Are you… well? Have you found the Palace to your liking so far?” Her questions were awkward and stilted, but what more could she say? The circumstances of their parting certainly hadn’t been ideal, and she hadn’t seen him since. How did one greet their illegitimate prince of a brother without some measure of discomfort?
Neithotep H’Sheifa awkwardly paced the length of the receiving room the slave had led her to, the black fabric of her kalasiris swishing with each stiff step of her feet. ‘Uncomfortable’ wasn’t even the proper word to describe how she felt about being in the Evening Star Palace under the light of day and by her own volition. The last time she’d been willingly behind these walls had been during the Sed festival; every other occasion since put a sour taste in her mouth.
She’d never cared much for the Palace before, and now… it practically stank of her trauma.
But Zoser was right. She needed a viable excuse for her increasingly frequent sojourns to the Palace, and a visit to her brother served as the perfect cover. While she and Sutekh were never particularly close, it didn’t seem outside of the realm of possibility that she would come to visit him. They were still family, no matter their strife, and deep within herself, Nia could admit she did miss him. Whatever happened, he was her brother, and the revelation about his true parentage had shaken the Sheifa family to the core.
It was also a matter that struck a little too close to home.
While Nia did all she could to ensure that her unholy union with the Pharaoh did not produce any children, the possibility always lingered in the back of her mind. Granted, she wasn’t a married woman like her mother had been, but the circumstances of their bedding were eerily and uncomfortably similar. Beautiful flowers plucked in their prime by cruel and demanding hands—it was a nearly identical story, and a tragic one always doomed to end in disaster. The young noblewoman could only pray hers did not end in the same way.
And so she waited for her brother, now a bastard prince, to attend her, wringing the fabric of her gown with nervous fingers. She’d told the slave that went to fetch him only that his sister came to visit, hoping he would think it was Nenet. She worried if he knew the truth, he’d refuse to see her, and that this trip into the lions’ den would have been entirely fruitless.
At last, she heard footsteps down the hall, pausing in her pacing and turning to face the door. Straightening her anxious posture and squaring her shoulders to assume her nearly forgotten confidence, she folded her hands in front of her and waited for her brother’s approach. As he entered the room, she dipped into a small half-bow—while she knew it was proper for his status as a prince, she felt silly according him such respect. He was her younger brother, no matter his titles, and she’d never bowed to him before.
“Sutekh,” Nia greeted him with a tremulous smile as she straightened, her expression full of nervous hope. “Brother. I hope my presence is not… unwelcome.” Biting her lip, she looked away while pondering what she ought to say.
“Are you… well? Have you found the Palace to your liking so far?” Her questions were awkward and stilted, but what more could she say? The circumstances of their parting certainly hadn’t been ideal, and she hadn’t seen him since. How did one greet their illegitimate prince of a brother without some measure of discomfort?
Iahotep may not have turned it on himself or his half-sister, Sutekh was more than well-aware that the Pharaoh was a cruel man. It was no secret that there was no kindness for anyone (but that damn cheetah) in the man’s heart. His brother-in-law did not know the definition of compassion or empathy. No, he was the sort who would beat his slaves and make them kiss the whip after. Iahotep did not need to raise a hand to his wife or her brother for them to know this to be true. The man’s cold gaze conveyed that story loud enough for all to hear.
However, what Sutekh didn’t know was that his sisters already knew what the Pharaoh was capable of. Iahotep was not innocent when it came to the accusation of raising a hand to his wife. He had hurt Hatshepsut, but Sutekh was in the dark about it… just like the other unspeakable things Ia did to his older sister behind closed doors. He was living under the very same roof where all these horrors were happening and he was absolutely blind to it. As far as he knew, his family was safe, but when his back was turned, Iahotep was committing the same sins as Imopehatsuma before him. Instead of his hands wandering towards Sutekh’s mother, however, the Pharaoh had found a mistress in his sister Nia.
And Sutekh had no idea.
It was better that he was kept in the dark, for everyone’s sake. As wrong as Ia’s actions were, there was nothing that could be done to stop him. He was the Pharaoh, the Supreme Kings of Kings. No man could stand up to his authority -- not even Princes. However, if Sutekh knew the truth, it was unlikely that a reminder of the Egyptian power structure would be able to curdle the rage it would stoke within him. Not when he was the one person in the kingdom who knew how destructive these forced unions could be and have every reason in the world to put a stop to it by whatever means necessary. He would easily do something that would get him killed if he knew what Hatshepsut and Nia went through in this palace that had been turned into a house of horrors with the arrival of the General.
What Sutekh did know was that Nia did visit the palace. Often. Rumors of her presence had reached his ears and every time a new one was stoked, the boy could feel a new flame of irritation rise within him. How many times had he heard that the Sheifa girl had been in the Palace, but had not even done as much as send a note to her brother? Would it kill her to write a short missive and slip it under his door? Surely it wouldn’t be too taxing for the girl to spare an hour for the boy she had grown up with -- no matter how insufferable he might have been. All of the Sheifa’s silence had stung, but hers was especially harsh as he knew that she was so close and still neglected him. Two months in and he had not so much as a peep from her.
This insult had cut so deep that Nia had been right. If the slave had identified her as Neithoep H’Sheifa, he would have refused the visit. She had two months that she could have seen him and she had wasted that time. Why should he waste his time with her?
Nia had been clever enough to anticipate that, though, and her plan had worked perfectly when the slave interrupted Sutekh in his study. Even though he been knee-deep in reports and trading ledgers from the past; the Prince had practically lept up at the news that one of his sisters had to be there to see him. He just knew that it had to be Nenet, his little sister. The pair had been close while everyone had been unaware of Sutekh’s parentage and she was one of the siblings that had not extended any form of communication after he was expelled from the Hei Sheifa. The two had been so close that her silence stung just as deep as Nia’s, but at least hers was somewhat forgivable. Nenet was the soft-spoken one in the family. If their father had ordered that no one communicates with Sutekh, she would follow. That was just her nature, but that wouldn’t have been her choice. The same could not be said for his other siblings who were willful enough to ignore Onuphrious.
So, the boy couldn’t hide the grin on his face as the slave lead him to a formal sitting area where ‘his sister’ was waiting. He had been so thoroughly convinced that it could be no one, but Nenet that he even called out for her as he entered the room, fully expecting to wrap the girl in a bear hug.
“Nenet! I thoug-” He cut himself off the moment he stepped into the space and saw that it was not the sister he was expecting to see. In fact, it was the one Sheifa that he did not want to see after everything that had happened.
Nia.
After two months, she was finally here.
There was a distinct shift in Sutkeh’s demeanor as he realized his mistake. The wide grin fell into a deep scowl and his posture straightened almost uncomfortably so. His body language made it clear that he was already closed off from the girl, even before she dropped into a low bow before him. His expression remained blank as she did so and he made no move to tell her that such formalities were not necessary between them. He just stood there with no hint of warmth. In truth, Sutekh was so stoic in this moment as he was fighting back the urge to say something rude to the girl -- just to make it clear that he had heard the rumors of her presence in the palace and how pissed he was that she had made no move to seek him out during that time. As he should be.
His silence and empty stare remained as Nia attempted to make idle chatter by asking how he liked living in the palace so far. The whole question felt like an insult to Sutekh. This was something she should have asked two months ago when he moved in or during the countless times she had visited. Not now as an opening gambit in a conversation that was happening several weeks too late.
“ Clearly, I have.” He said bluntly without any sort of the brotherly kindness in his voice that she had known before everything had changed so drastically, “ It’s been two months. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.” However, one look at the boy made it clear that this was a lie. Sutekh was not the same man that had been kicked out of her life. He was considerably thinner any signs he had of a developing a pot-belly while at the H’Sheifa were gone. Instead, his body was considerably leaner and his face was more gaunt. Not to mention he looked so physically exhausted. It was clear that life in the palace was taking its toll on Sutekh as he didn’t feel safe here. He was a threat to Ia’s claim and the boy had stopped eating without his half-sister out of fears that his meals were being poisoned. He wasn’t thriving in the Evening Star Palace, he was merely trying to survive.
The awkwardness between them only further stoked the irritation within Sutekh and it grew so much that the boy couldn’t help angrily tacking on, “ It should be I asking you that question after so many frequent visits, Lady Neithotep.” His words were scathing and his tone was no better as he lay the accusation on the table. With one simple sentence, Sutekh had made it clear that not only did the boy know, but he was beyond angry that he wasn’t given any thought by her. He couldn’t even bring himself to call her by her nickname. It was too painful for him to acknowledge that bond they once shared when he was so utterly convinced that she did not care about him.
This was something that he double-downed on with his next statement, hoping to cut to the chase so this painful encounter could end. “ You had two months to visit me out of the sheer kindness of your heart, but instead you’ve gone out of your way to ignore me. Clearly, you want something or you wouldn’t bother being here. You might as well save us the trouble and just spit it out sister.” His gaze leveled with hers as he laid out what he thought Nia was trying to accomplish in being here -- not understanding that she wanted to mend the break that his parentage had caused… which was something that Sutekh might surprisingly be receptive to if Nia could get him to look past the bitterness she had already caused. After all, he was lonely in the palace. He missed his family and wanted them back more than anything in the world.
But what the hell was he supposed to do when they clearly didn’t want him?
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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Iahotep may not have turned it on himself or his half-sister, Sutekh was more than well-aware that the Pharaoh was a cruel man. It was no secret that there was no kindness for anyone (but that damn cheetah) in the man’s heart. His brother-in-law did not know the definition of compassion or empathy. No, he was the sort who would beat his slaves and make them kiss the whip after. Iahotep did not need to raise a hand to his wife or her brother for them to know this to be true. The man’s cold gaze conveyed that story loud enough for all to hear.
However, what Sutekh didn’t know was that his sisters already knew what the Pharaoh was capable of. Iahotep was not innocent when it came to the accusation of raising a hand to his wife. He had hurt Hatshepsut, but Sutekh was in the dark about it… just like the other unspeakable things Ia did to his older sister behind closed doors. He was living under the very same roof where all these horrors were happening and he was absolutely blind to it. As far as he knew, his family was safe, but when his back was turned, Iahotep was committing the same sins as Imopehatsuma before him. Instead of his hands wandering towards Sutekh’s mother, however, the Pharaoh had found a mistress in his sister Nia.
And Sutekh had no idea.
It was better that he was kept in the dark, for everyone’s sake. As wrong as Ia’s actions were, there was nothing that could be done to stop him. He was the Pharaoh, the Supreme Kings of Kings. No man could stand up to his authority -- not even Princes. However, if Sutekh knew the truth, it was unlikely that a reminder of the Egyptian power structure would be able to curdle the rage it would stoke within him. Not when he was the one person in the kingdom who knew how destructive these forced unions could be and have every reason in the world to put a stop to it by whatever means necessary. He would easily do something that would get him killed if he knew what Hatshepsut and Nia went through in this palace that had been turned into a house of horrors with the arrival of the General.
What Sutekh did know was that Nia did visit the palace. Often. Rumors of her presence had reached his ears and every time a new one was stoked, the boy could feel a new flame of irritation rise within him. How many times had he heard that the Sheifa girl had been in the Palace, but had not even done as much as send a note to her brother? Would it kill her to write a short missive and slip it under his door? Surely it wouldn’t be too taxing for the girl to spare an hour for the boy she had grown up with -- no matter how insufferable he might have been. All of the Sheifa’s silence had stung, but hers was especially harsh as he knew that she was so close and still neglected him. Two months in and he had not so much as a peep from her.
This insult had cut so deep that Nia had been right. If the slave had identified her as Neithoep H’Sheifa, he would have refused the visit. She had two months that she could have seen him and she had wasted that time. Why should he waste his time with her?
Nia had been clever enough to anticipate that, though, and her plan had worked perfectly when the slave interrupted Sutekh in his study. Even though he been knee-deep in reports and trading ledgers from the past; the Prince had practically lept up at the news that one of his sisters had to be there to see him. He just knew that it had to be Nenet, his little sister. The pair had been close while everyone had been unaware of Sutekh’s parentage and she was one of the siblings that had not extended any form of communication after he was expelled from the Hei Sheifa. The two had been so close that her silence stung just as deep as Nia’s, but at least hers was somewhat forgivable. Nenet was the soft-spoken one in the family. If their father had ordered that no one communicates with Sutekh, she would follow. That was just her nature, but that wouldn’t have been her choice. The same could not be said for his other siblings who were willful enough to ignore Onuphrious.
So, the boy couldn’t hide the grin on his face as the slave lead him to a formal sitting area where ‘his sister’ was waiting. He had been so thoroughly convinced that it could be no one, but Nenet that he even called out for her as he entered the room, fully expecting to wrap the girl in a bear hug.
“Nenet! I thoug-” He cut himself off the moment he stepped into the space and saw that it was not the sister he was expecting to see. In fact, it was the one Sheifa that he did not want to see after everything that had happened.
Nia.
After two months, she was finally here.
There was a distinct shift in Sutkeh’s demeanor as he realized his mistake. The wide grin fell into a deep scowl and his posture straightened almost uncomfortably so. His body language made it clear that he was already closed off from the girl, even before she dropped into a low bow before him. His expression remained blank as she did so and he made no move to tell her that such formalities were not necessary between them. He just stood there with no hint of warmth. In truth, Sutekh was so stoic in this moment as he was fighting back the urge to say something rude to the girl -- just to make it clear that he had heard the rumors of her presence in the palace and how pissed he was that she had made no move to seek him out during that time. As he should be.
His silence and empty stare remained as Nia attempted to make idle chatter by asking how he liked living in the palace so far. The whole question felt like an insult to Sutekh. This was something she should have asked two months ago when he moved in or during the countless times she had visited. Not now as an opening gambit in a conversation that was happening several weeks too late.
“ Clearly, I have.” He said bluntly without any sort of the brotherly kindness in his voice that she had known before everything had changed so drastically, “ It’s been two months. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.” However, one look at the boy made it clear that this was a lie. Sutekh was not the same man that had been kicked out of her life. He was considerably thinner any signs he had of a developing a pot-belly while at the H’Sheifa were gone. Instead, his body was considerably leaner and his face was more gaunt. Not to mention he looked so physically exhausted. It was clear that life in the palace was taking its toll on Sutekh as he didn’t feel safe here. He was a threat to Ia’s claim and the boy had stopped eating without his half-sister out of fears that his meals were being poisoned. He wasn’t thriving in the Evening Star Palace, he was merely trying to survive.
The awkwardness between them only further stoked the irritation within Sutekh and it grew so much that the boy couldn’t help angrily tacking on, “ It should be I asking you that question after so many frequent visits, Lady Neithotep.” His words were scathing and his tone was no better as he lay the accusation on the table. With one simple sentence, Sutekh had made it clear that not only did the boy know, but he was beyond angry that he wasn’t given any thought by her. He couldn’t even bring himself to call her by her nickname. It was too painful for him to acknowledge that bond they once shared when he was so utterly convinced that she did not care about him.
This was something that he double-downed on with his next statement, hoping to cut to the chase so this painful encounter could end. “ You had two months to visit me out of the sheer kindness of your heart, but instead you’ve gone out of your way to ignore me. Clearly, you want something or you wouldn’t bother being here. You might as well save us the trouble and just spit it out sister.” His gaze leveled with hers as he laid out what he thought Nia was trying to accomplish in being here -- not understanding that she wanted to mend the break that his parentage had caused… which was something that Sutekh might surprisingly be receptive to if Nia could get him to look past the bitterness she had already caused. After all, he was lonely in the palace. He missed his family and wanted them back more than anything in the world.
But what the hell was he supposed to do when they clearly didn’t want him?
Iahotep may not have turned it on himself or his half-sister, Sutekh was more than well-aware that the Pharaoh was a cruel man. It was no secret that there was no kindness for anyone (but that damn cheetah) in the man’s heart. His brother-in-law did not know the definition of compassion or empathy. No, he was the sort who would beat his slaves and make them kiss the whip after. Iahotep did not need to raise a hand to his wife or her brother for them to know this to be true. The man’s cold gaze conveyed that story loud enough for all to hear.
However, what Sutekh didn’t know was that his sisters already knew what the Pharaoh was capable of. Iahotep was not innocent when it came to the accusation of raising a hand to his wife. He had hurt Hatshepsut, but Sutekh was in the dark about it… just like the other unspeakable things Ia did to his older sister behind closed doors. He was living under the very same roof where all these horrors were happening and he was absolutely blind to it. As far as he knew, his family was safe, but when his back was turned, Iahotep was committing the same sins as Imopehatsuma before him. Instead of his hands wandering towards Sutekh’s mother, however, the Pharaoh had found a mistress in his sister Nia.
And Sutekh had no idea.
It was better that he was kept in the dark, for everyone’s sake. As wrong as Ia’s actions were, there was nothing that could be done to stop him. He was the Pharaoh, the Supreme Kings of Kings. No man could stand up to his authority -- not even Princes. However, if Sutekh knew the truth, it was unlikely that a reminder of the Egyptian power structure would be able to curdle the rage it would stoke within him. Not when he was the one person in the kingdom who knew how destructive these forced unions could be and have every reason in the world to put a stop to it by whatever means necessary. He would easily do something that would get him killed if he knew what Hatshepsut and Nia went through in this palace that had been turned into a house of horrors with the arrival of the General.
What Sutekh did know was that Nia did visit the palace. Often. Rumors of her presence had reached his ears and every time a new one was stoked, the boy could feel a new flame of irritation rise within him. How many times had he heard that the Sheifa girl had been in the Palace, but had not even done as much as send a note to her brother? Would it kill her to write a short missive and slip it under his door? Surely it wouldn’t be too taxing for the girl to spare an hour for the boy she had grown up with -- no matter how insufferable he might have been. All of the Sheifa’s silence had stung, but hers was especially harsh as he knew that she was so close and still neglected him. Two months in and he had not so much as a peep from her.
This insult had cut so deep that Nia had been right. If the slave had identified her as Neithoep H’Sheifa, he would have refused the visit. She had two months that she could have seen him and she had wasted that time. Why should he waste his time with her?
Nia had been clever enough to anticipate that, though, and her plan had worked perfectly when the slave interrupted Sutekh in his study. Even though he been knee-deep in reports and trading ledgers from the past; the Prince had practically lept up at the news that one of his sisters had to be there to see him. He just knew that it had to be Nenet, his little sister. The pair had been close while everyone had been unaware of Sutekh’s parentage and she was one of the siblings that had not extended any form of communication after he was expelled from the Hei Sheifa. The two had been so close that her silence stung just as deep as Nia’s, but at least hers was somewhat forgivable. Nenet was the soft-spoken one in the family. If their father had ordered that no one communicates with Sutekh, she would follow. That was just her nature, but that wouldn’t have been her choice. The same could not be said for his other siblings who were willful enough to ignore Onuphrious.
So, the boy couldn’t hide the grin on his face as the slave lead him to a formal sitting area where ‘his sister’ was waiting. He had been so thoroughly convinced that it could be no one, but Nenet that he even called out for her as he entered the room, fully expecting to wrap the girl in a bear hug.
“Nenet! I thoug-” He cut himself off the moment he stepped into the space and saw that it was not the sister he was expecting to see. In fact, it was the one Sheifa that he did not want to see after everything that had happened.
Nia.
After two months, she was finally here.
There was a distinct shift in Sutkeh’s demeanor as he realized his mistake. The wide grin fell into a deep scowl and his posture straightened almost uncomfortably so. His body language made it clear that he was already closed off from the girl, even before she dropped into a low bow before him. His expression remained blank as she did so and he made no move to tell her that such formalities were not necessary between them. He just stood there with no hint of warmth. In truth, Sutekh was so stoic in this moment as he was fighting back the urge to say something rude to the girl -- just to make it clear that he had heard the rumors of her presence in the palace and how pissed he was that she had made no move to seek him out during that time. As he should be.
His silence and empty stare remained as Nia attempted to make idle chatter by asking how he liked living in the palace so far. The whole question felt like an insult to Sutekh. This was something she should have asked two months ago when he moved in or during the countless times she had visited. Not now as an opening gambit in a conversation that was happening several weeks too late.
“ Clearly, I have.” He said bluntly without any sort of the brotherly kindness in his voice that she had known before everything had changed so drastically, “ It’s been two months. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.” However, one look at the boy made it clear that this was a lie. Sutekh was not the same man that had been kicked out of her life. He was considerably thinner any signs he had of a developing a pot-belly while at the H’Sheifa were gone. Instead, his body was considerably leaner and his face was more gaunt. Not to mention he looked so physically exhausted. It was clear that life in the palace was taking its toll on Sutekh as he didn’t feel safe here. He was a threat to Ia’s claim and the boy had stopped eating without his half-sister out of fears that his meals were being poisoned. He wasn’t thriving in the Evening Star Palace, he was merely trying to survive.
The awkwardness between them only further stoked the irritation within Sutekh and it grew so much that the boy couldn’t help angrily tacking on, “ It should be I asking you that question after so many frequent visits, Lady Neithotep.” His words were scathing and his tone was no better as he lay the accusation on the table. With one simple sentence, Sutekh had made it clear that not only did the boy know, but he was beyond angry that he wasn’t given any thought by her. He couldn’t even bring himself to call her by her nickname. It was too painful for him to acknowledge that bond they once shared when he was so utterly convinced that she did not care about him.
This was something that he double-downed on with his next statement, hoping to cut to the chase so this painful encounter could end. “ You had two months to visit me out of the sheer kindness of your heart, but instead you’ve gone out of your way to ignore me. Clearly, you want something or you wouldn’t bother being here. You might as well save us the trouble and just spit it out sister.” His gaze leveled with hers as he laid out what he thought Nia was trying to accomplish in being here -- not understanding that she wanted to mend the break that his parentage had caused… which was something that Sutekh might surprisingly be receptive to if Nia could get him to look past the bitterness she had already caused. After all, he was lonely in the palace. He missed his family and wanted them back more than anything in the world.
But what the hell was he supposed to do when they clearly didn’t want him?
As soon as Sutekh began to speak, Nia regretted coming. She should have known better, especially with their ‘closeness’ as children. But gods forbid she reach out to an estranged member of her family… gods forbid she be the only sibling to do so, and yet he still spewed vitriol her way. She ought to just turn around and leave at the rate this visit was going—after all, what was the point in arguing with him? He would see things his way, just as he always did. Nia doubted she could change that.
Stiffening further with each word he spoke, her posture was nearly an exact mirror image of his by the time he was finished. She was appalled at his reaction, and especially appalled that he should know she’d been here at all. No one knew, no one but her, the Pharaoh, the Queen, and Zoser. She came at night in secret, and any who might see her in such situations could hardly be trusted. All he had were rumors, and shouldn’t Prince Sutekh know better by now than to heed rumors?
While it was true that she spent more time in the Evening Star Palace than she’d ever wanted to, it was hardly at her own behest. When she came, she did what she had to, and she left; a friendly visit to her hostile brother was about the furthest thing from her mind. And while Zoser had come up with the excuse to visit Sutekh, she was certainly starting to doubt that had been a good idea.
“First of all,” she began in a clipped tone, her jaw rigid in her anger. She thought about simply remaining silent and just walking away, but when had Neithotep ever been able to hold her tongue around her spoiled prick of a brother? It would seem some things never changed… “Can you really blame me for waiting so long to come see you? We have never been close, your highness, not even as children.” The sarcasm in her voice was practically venomous, dark eyes flashing in irritation. “Considering how awfully you treated me as we were growing up, the way you looked down on me, the way you lorded your false power over me… do you really think my first thought when you were exiled from the Sheifa Hei was to come running after you here, full of apologies and adulation? I understand your parentage is not your fault, but perhaps you ought to consider that you are the one responsible for your isolation now, not us. Perhaps if you had been kinder to your family, they’d be more willing to stand at your side, even in the face of all… this.”
Taking a deep breath, she did her best to quell the rising fury in her heart, but her success was minimal, at best. She was far from finished. “Second, who besides Mother has bothered to visit you at all? No one, right? Not even Nenet? And yet the first words you speak to the only member of your family to come see you are words of condemnation. Again, I suggest that you ought to consider you are the problem, not us.”
If her jaw got any tighter, Nia thought her teeth might break. “And third, I have been in the Palace twice since you came here.” While she meant the rest of what she said, that, of course, was a lie, but a necessary one. She couldn’t exactly tell her brother why she was here so often, not without putting herself or even him in danger. “Once for the Sed festival, and once for the gathering Her Evening Radiance called for the noblewomen of the Court. Neither of which were occasions that seemed appropriate to come calling on you after. I’d suggest you check your information before you start flinging accusations at me. Or gods forbid you just ask if things are true before you act so hateful.”
There was a long moment of silence between them as Nia stared her brother down, dark eyes glittering like polished jewels. If he expected she’d back down or be cowed by his rage, he was sorely mistaken. Sutekh was not the man she feared in this Palace, not by a long shot.
“So, forgive me, Prince Sutekh, for even making the attempt to reach out to you. Forgive me for thinking it’s possible to heal a rift that has lingered for so long. I can see now I shouldn’t have bothered. Maybe it’s better that I just take my leave. Perhaps someone else will come see you in another two months."
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As soon as Sutekh began to speak, Nia regretted coming. She should have known better, especially with their ‘closeness’ as children. But gods forbid she reach out to an estranged member of her family… gods forbid she be the only sibling to do so, and yet he still spewed vitriol her way. She ought to just turn around and leave at the rate this visit was going—after all, what was the point in arguing with him? He would see things his way, just as he always did. Nia doubted she could change that.
Stiffening further with each word he spoke, her posture was nearly an exact mirror image of his by the time he was finished. She was appalled at his reaction, and especially appalled that he should know she’d been here at all. No one knew, no one but her, the Pharaoh, the Queen, and Zoser. She came at night in secret, and any who might see her in such situations could hardly be trusted. All he had were rumors, and shouldn’t Prince Sutekh know better by now than to heed rumors?
While it was true that she spent more time in the Evening Star Palace than she’d ever wanted to, it was hardly at her own behest. When she came, she did what she had to, and she left; a friendly visit to her hostile brother was about the furthest thing from her mind. And while Zoser had come up with the excuse to visit Sutekh, she was certainly starting to doubt that had been a good idea.
“First of all,” she began in a clipped tone, her jaw rigid in her anger. She thought about simply remaining silent and just walking away, but when had Neithotep ever been able to hold her tongue around her spoiled prick of a brother? It would seem some things never changed… “Can you really blame me for waiting so long to come see you? We have never been close, your highness, not even as children.” The sarcasm in her voice was practically venomous, dark eyes flashing in irritation. “Considering how awfully you treated me as we were growing up, the way you looked down on me, the way you lorded your false power over me… do you really think my first thought when you were exiled from the Sheifa Hei was to come running after you here, full of apologies and adulation? I understand your parentage is not your fault, but perhaps you ought to consider that you are the one responsible for your isolation now, not us. Perhaps if you had been kinder to your family, they’d be more willing to stand at your side, even in the face of all… this.”
Taking a deep breath, she did her best to quell the rising fury in her heart, but her success was minimal, at best. She was far from finished. “Second, who besides Mother has bothered to visit you at all? No one, right? Not even Nenet? And yet the first words you speak to the only member of your family to come see you are words of condemnation. Again, I suggest that you ought to consider you are the problem, not us.”
If her jaw got any tighter, Nia thought her teeth might break. “And third, I have been in the Palace twice since you came here.” While she meant the rest of what she said, that, of course, was a lie, but a necessary one. She couldn’t exactly tell her brother why she was here so often, not without putting herself or even him in danger. “Once for the Sed festival, and once for the gathering Her Evening Radiance called for the noblewomen of the Court. Neither of which were occasions that seemed appropriate to come calling on you after. I’d suggest you check your information before you start flinging accusations at me. Or gods forbid you just ask if things are true before you act so hateful.”
There was a long moment of silence between them as Nia stared her brother down, dark eyes glittering like polished jewels. If he expected she’d back down or be cowed by his rage, he was sorely mistaken. Sutekh was not the man she feared in this Palace, not by a long shot.
“So, forgive me, Prince Sutekh, for even making the attempt to reach out to you. Forgive me for thinking it’s possible to heal a rift that has lingered for so long. I can see now I shouldn’t have bothered. Maybe it’s better that I just take my leave. Perhaps someone else will come see you in another two months."
As soon as Sutekh began to speak, Nia regretted coming. She should have known better, especially with their ‘closeness’ as children. But gods forbid she reach out to an estranged member of her family… gods forbid she be the only sibling to do so, and yet he still spewed vitriol her way. She ought to just turn around and leave at the rate this visit was going—after all, what was the point in arguing with him? He would see things his way, just as he always did. Nia doubted she could change that.
Stiffening further with each word he spoke, her posture was nearly an exact mirror image of his by the time he was finished. She was appalled at his reaction, and especially appalled that he should know she’d been here at all. No one knew, no one but her, the Pharaoh, the Queen, and Zoser. She came at night in secret, and any who might see her in such situations could hardly be trusted. All he had were rumors, and shouldn’t Prince Sutekh know better by now than to heed rumors?
While it was true that she spent more time in the Evening Star Palace than she’d ever wanted to, it was hardly at her own behest. When she came, she did what she had to, and she left; a friendly visit to her hostile brother was about the furthest thing from her mind. And while Zoser had come up with the excuse to visit Sutekh, she was certainly starting to doubt that had been a good idea.
“First of all,” she began in a clipped tone, her jaw rigid in her anger. She thought about simply remaining silent and just walking away, but when had Neithotep ever been able to hold her tongue around her spoiled prick of a brother? It would seem some things never changed… “Can you really blame me for waiting so long to come see you? We have never been close, your highness, not even as children.” The sarcasm in her voice was practically venomous, dark eyes flashing in irritation. “Considering how awfully you treated me as we were growing up, the way you looked down on me, the way you lorded your false power over me… do you really think my first thought when you were exiled from the Sheifa Hei was to come running after you here, full of apologies and adulation? I understand your parentage is not your fault, but perhaps you ought to consider that you are the one responsible for your isolation now, not us. Perhaps if you had been kinder to your family, they’d be more willing to stand at your side, even in the face of all… this.”
Taking a deep breath, she did her best to quell the rising fury in her heart, but her success was minimal, at best. She was far from finished. “Second, who besides Mother has bothered to visit you at all? No one, right? Not even Nenet? And yet the first words you speak to the only member of your family to come see you are words of condemnation. Again, I suggest that you ought to consider you are the problem, not us.”
If her jaw got any tighter, Nia thought her teeth might break. “And third, I have been in the Palace twice since you came here.” While she meant the rest of what she said, that, of course, was a lie, but a necessary one. She couldn’t exactly tell her brother why she was here so often, not without putting herself or even him in danger. “Once for the Sed festival, and once for the gathering Her Evening Radiance called for the noblewomen of the Court. Neither of which were occasions that seemed appropriate to come calling on you after. I’d suggest you check your information before you start flinging accusations at me. Or gods forbid you just ask if things are true before you act so hateful.”
There was a long moment of silence between them as Nia stared her brother down, dark eyes glittering like polished jewels. If he expected she’d back down or be cowed by his rage, he was sorely mistaken. Sutekh was not the man she feared in this Palace, not by a long shot.
“So, forgive me, Prince Sutekh, for even making the attempt to reach out to you. Forgive me for thinking it’s possible to heal a rift that has lingered for so long. I can see now I shouldn’t have bothered. Maybe it’s better that I just take my leave. Perhaps someone else will come see you in another two months."
Out of all the ways that Sutekh had imagined a reunion with his sister would have gone; he never fathomed that it would be like this. Angry and spiteful, each of them spewing words that were meant to hurt as they each took the chance to lay into the sibling before them.
It was all so infuriating that Sutekh could feel his fingers twitched when Nia dared to suggest that Sutekh had been the problem within the Sheifa household. Had she lost her mind? Before the truth had been revealed, Sutekh had been the one child that had managed to keep everything together while this overgrown toddler before him ran around like a heathen with her little babydoll. Unlike the two of them there are never been a scandal to his name. He had never been caught lying in the street in a pool of their vomit… or found passed out in an opium den like some filthy street rat that had crawled out of the Nile. However, Nia and Hena didn’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many times this had happened to them and she had the nerve to say that he was one who was to blame for everything going wrong.
Though, of course, that would be the narrative she’d tried to spin. How convenient was it to blame Sutekh for all her problems without taking a moment to examine her own faults? It was easier to ignore the strain that her actions had put on the Sheifa family. She could deny it all she wanted, however, the proof of this lay in the younger brother that she had spent the last twenty years coddling like some precious toy. Nia may be blind to it, but Sutekh could see it. Hena was nowhere near ready to take on the mantle of Heir. He didn’t have the discipline needed to manage a Hei. Not when he only cared about drugs, alcohol, and quick lays. He would run the Sheifa family into the ground and it would be entirely her fault as she had never learned how to grow up!
But no… of course, Sutekh was the problem here.
It was a miracle that Sutekh could manage to keep his tongue as his sister continued her tirade against him. However, the prince could sense that he was beginning to reach his boiling point when Nia launched into her third point. Did she really think that confessing to the fact that she had been here would suddenly calm him? That everything would be okay because Nia said that it was? As if the reassurance that she had only been here twice would staunch the invisible wounds that had come from the traumas he had endured. Maybe then her callous behavior towards her own flesh and blood would not sting so greatly.
“Only twice? My apologies then,” Sutekh spat out sarcastically as his vision began to blur from the hot tears that were welling in his eyes, “That’s as if you were never here in the first place! It’s not like I spent those two nights waiting for word from you. Foolishly hoping that you could sneak away, send a note with a slave, or anything really to show that you cared whether I was alive or dead!” His words were just as sharp and pointed as before, not caring that he was only making things worse by continuing the shouting match that was unfolding in the meeting room. He couldn’t help it though. Nia’s words hurt. More than she would ever understand. After all, she hadn’t spent her entire life in the midst of a lie. She hadn’t been the one who had lost her entire family in one fell swoop. Nia wasn’t living in mortal fear like he was. Of course, she would think that he would not notice the absence or not care about how his family was literally just down the hall, but could not be bothered to see him. Nia would never know just how deep and painful that knife could be especially in the wake of her blasé attitude in regards to the whole thing.
He had to turn away from her in that moment, walking towards the other side of the room where he could lean against a table and take a few deep breaths before he lost his temper with her. Sutekh wished that he had never walked into this room. After all, it probably would have been better for him to pretend that maybe Onuphrious was just keeping everyone away from him. Not when he knew the reality was that some of his family just didn’t care.
Sutekh didn’t move when Nia suggested that she’d leave the Palace. In truth, the Prince thought that may be the best course of action given how poorly this was going. There was no way that this was going to end well if neither one of them could see the situation through their sibling’s eyes. If she wished to leave, he wasn’t going to stop her. After all, she clearly had better places to be. However, her last sentence stopped him in his tracks, forcing him to take a sharp inhale as he realized that Nia was ignorant of what was happening in her brother’s life.
“I will not be here in two months Nia.” He said quietly as he turned around to face her, “The Pharaoh has personally promoted me to the rank of Deputy General.” He was certain that his sister could read between the lines and understand what Sutekh was thinking as he spoke in such a grave tone. The Bastard Prince of Egypt might be hopelessly in the dark to the trials his sister was facing, but even he was certain that she knew what kind of man Iahotep was. Their King of Kings was not the sort of man to give such gifts idly, not to the people who posed a threat to him. Sutekh was not a fool. He knew that these sorts of gifts came with strings and plots that the former Sheifa heir felt powerless to unravel. No one would be foolish enough to think that this would end with Sutekh returning home safe and sound… especially not the boy himself. It didn’t even need to be said. The boy of them would just know.
Sutekh was unlikely to return.
Nia could leave at this moment. Turn her back on the bastard that was so easy to blame for the troubles that had befallen her family… but was she prepared to face the possible consequence of never seeing him again?
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Out of all the ways that Sutekh had imagined a reunion with his sister would have gone; he never fathomed that it would be like this. Angry and spiteful, each of them spewing words that were meant to hurt as they each took the chance to lay into the sibling before them.
It was all so infuriating that Sutekh could feel his fingers twitched when Nia dared to suggest that Sutekh had been the problem within the Sheifa household. Had she lost her mind? Before the truth had been revealed, Sutekh had been the one child that had managed to keep everything together while this overgrown toddler before him ran around like a heathen with her little babydoll. Unlike the two of them there are never been a scandal to his name. He had never been caught lying in the street in a pool of their vomit… or found passed out in an opium den like some filthy street rat that had crawled out of the Nile. However, Nia and Hena didn’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many times this had happened to them and she had the nerve to say that he was one who was to blame for everything going wrong.
Though, of course, that would be the narrative she’d tried to spin. How convenient was it to blame Sutekh for all her problems without taking a moment to examine her own faults? It was easier to ignore the strain that her actions had put on the Sheifa family. She could deny it all she wanted, however, the proof of this lay in the younger brother that she had spent the last twenty years coddling like some precious toy. Nia may be blind to it, but Sutekh could see it. Hena was nowhere near ready to take on the mantle of Heir. He didn’t have the discipline needed to manage a Hei. Not when he only cared about drugs, alcohol, and quick lays. He would run the Sheifa family into the ground and it would be entirely her fault as she had never learned how to grow up!
But no… of course, Sutekh was the problem here.
It was a miracle that Sutekh could manage to keep his tongue as his sister continued her tirade against him. However, the prince could sense that he was beginning to reach his boiling point when Nia launched into her third point. Did she really think that confessing to the fact that she had been here would suddenly calm him? That everything would be okay because Nia said that it was? As if the reassurance that she had only been here twice would staunch the invisible wounds that had come from the traumas he had endured. Maybe then her callous behavior towards her own flesh and blood would not sting so greatly.
“Only twice? My apologies then,” Sutekh spat out sarcastically as his vision began to blur from the hot tears that were welling in his eyes, “That’s as if you were never here in the first place! It’s not like I spent those two nights waiting for word from you. Foolishly hoping that you could sneak away, send a note with a slave, or anything really to show that you cared whether I was alive or dead!” His words were just as sharp and pointed as before, not caring that he was only making things worse by continuing the shouting match that was unfolding in the meeting room. He couldn’t help it though. Nia’s words hurt. More than she would ever understand. After all, she hadn’t spent her entire life in the midst of a lie. She hadn’t been the one who had lost her entire family in one fell swoop. Nia wasn’t living in mortal fear like he was. Of course, she would think that he would not notice the absence or not care about how his family was literally just down the hall, but could not be bothered to see him. Nia would never know just how deep and painful that knife could be especially in the wake of her blasé attitude in regards to the whole thing.
He had to turn away from her in that moment, walking towards the other side of the room where he could lean against a table and take a few deep breaths before he lost his temper with her. Sutekh wished that he had never walked into this room. After all, it probably would have been better for him to pretend that maybe Onuphrious was just keeping everyone away from him. Not when he knew the reality was that some of his family just didn’t care.
Sutekh didn’t move when Nia suggested that she’d leave the Palace. In truth, the Prince thought that may be the best course of action given how poorly this was going. There was no way that this was going to end well if neither one of them could see the situation through their sibling’s eyes. If she wished to leave, he wasn’t going to stop her. After all, she clearly had better places to be. However, her last sentence stopped him in his tracks, forcing him to take a sharp inhale as he realized that Nia was ignorant of what was happening in her brother’s life.
“I will not be here in two months Nia.” He said quietly as he turned around to face her, “The Pharaoh has personally promoted me to the rank of Deputy General.” He was certain that his sister could read between the lines and understand what Sutekh was thinking as he spoke in such a grave tone. The Bastard Prince of Egypt might be hopelessly in the dark to the trials his sister was facing, but even he was certain that she knew what kind of man Iahotep was. Their King of Kings was not the sort of man to give such gifts idly, not to the people who posed a threat to him. Sutekh was not a fool. He knew that these sorts of gifts came with strings and plots that the former Sheifa heir felt powerless to unravel. No one would be foolish enough to think that this would end with Sutekh returning home safe and sound… especially not the boy himself. It didn’t even need to be said. The boy of them would just know.
Sutekh was unlikely to return.
Nia could leave at this moment. Turn her back on the bastard that was so easy to blame for the troubles that had befallen her family… but was she prepared to face the possible consequence of never seeing him again?
Out of all the ways that Sutekh had imagined a reunion with his sister would have gone; he never fathomed that it would be like this. Angry and spiteful, each of them spewing words that were meant to hurt as they each took the chance to lay into the sibling before them.
It was all so infuriating that Sutekh could feel his fingers twitched when Nia dared to suggest that Sutekh had been the problem within the Sheifa household. Had she lost her mind? Before the truth had been revealed, Sutekh had been the one child that had managed to keep everything together while this overgrown toddler before him ran around like a heathen with her little babydoll. Unlike the two of them there are never been a scandal to his name. He had never been caught lying in the street in a pool of their vomit… or found passed out in an opium den like some filthy street rat that had crawled out of the Nile. However, Nia and Hena didn’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many times this had happened to them and she had the nerve to say that he was one who was to blame for everything going wrong.
Though, of course, that would be the narrative she’d tried to spin. How convenient was it to blame Sutekh for all her problems without taking a moment to examine her own faults? It was easier to ignore the strain that her actions had put on the Sheifa family. She could deny it all she wanted, however, the proof of this lay in the younger brother that she had spent the last twenty years coddling like some precious toy. Nia may be blind to it, but Sutekh could see it. Hena was nowhere near ready to take on the mantle of Heir. He didn’t have the discipline needed to manage a Hei. Not when he only cared about drugs, alcohol, and quick lays. He would run the Sheifa family into the ground and it would be entirely her fault as she had never learned how to grow up!
But no… of course, Sutekh was the problem here.
It was a miracle that Sutekh could manage to keep his tongue as his sister continued her tirade against him. However, the prince could sense that he was beginning to reach his boiling point when Nia launched into her third point. Did she really think that confessing to the fact that she had been here would suddenly calm him? That everything would be okay because Nia said that it was? As if the reassurance that she had only been here twice would staunch the invisible wounds that had come from the traumas he had endured. Maybe then her callous behavior towards her own flesh and blood would not sting so greatly.
“Only twice? My apologies then,” Sutekh spat out sarcastically as his vision began to blur from the hot tears that were welling in his eyes, “That’s as if you were never here in the first place! It’s not like I spent those two nights waiting for word from you. Foolishly hoping that you could sneak away, send a note with a slave, or anything really to show that you cared whether I was alive or dead!” His words were just as sharp and pointed as before, not caring that he was only making things worse by continuing the shouting match that was unfolding in the meeting room. He couldn’t help it though. Nia’s words hurt. More than she would ever understand. After all, she hadn’t spent her entire life in the midst of a lie. She hadn’t been the one who had lost her entire family in one fell swoop. Nia wasn’t living in mortal fear like he was. Of course, she would think that he would not notice the absence or not care about how his family was literally just down the hall, but could not be bothered to see him. Nia would never know just how deep and painful that knife could be especially in the wake of her blasé attitude in regards to the whole thing.
He had to turn away from her in that moment, walking towards the other side of the room where he could lean against a table and take a few deep breaths before he lost his temper with her. Sutekh wished that he had never walked into this room. After all, it probably would have been better for him to pretend that maybe Onuphrious was just keeping everyone away from him. Not when he knew the reality was that some of his family just didn’t care.
Sutekh didn’t move when Nia suggested that she’d leave the Palace. In truth, the Prince thought that may be the best course of action given how poorly this was going. There was no way that this was going to end well if neither one of them could see the situation through their sibling’s eyes. If she wished to leave, he wasn’t going to stop her. After all, she clearly had better places to be. However, her last sentence stopped him in his tracks, forcing him to take a sharp inhale as he realized that Nia was ignorant of what was happening in her brother’s life.
“I will not be here in two months Nia.” He said quietly as he turned around to face her, “The Pharaoh has personally promoted me to the rank of Deputy General.” He was certain that his sister could read between the lines and understand what Sutekh was thinking as he spoke in such a grave tone. The Bastard Prince of Egypt might be hopelessly in the dark to the trials his sister was facing, but even he was certain that she knew what kind of man Iahotep was. Their King of Kings was not the sort of man to give such gifts idly, not to the people who posed a threat to him. Sutekh was not a fool. He knew that these sorts of gifts came with strings and plots that the former Sheifa heir felt powerless to unravel. No one would be foolish enough to think that this would end with Sutekh returning home safe and sound… especially not the boy himself. It didn’t even need to be said. The boy of them would just know.
Sutekh was unlikely to return.
Nia could leave at this moment. Turn her back on the bastard that was so easy to blame for the troubles that had befallen her family… but was she prepared to face the possible consequence of never seeing him again?
Thick was the self-pity in which Sutekh drowned himself, Nia’s heart long since hardened against his plight. Risen from a noble Hei’s heir to the rank of prince and yet bemoaning his changed circumstances, she wondered if he realized how he sounded. Yes, life must be so hard in a literal palace with the wealth of a kingdom at his beck and call. What a trying existence.
Did she envy his living in close quarters with Iahotep? Of course not, but she also doubted the Pharaoh put her brother through quite the same torments she dreaded. And yet he had the gall to seek her sympathy? To use his ‘misery’ to guilt her for not deigning to visit sooner? Gods, if he knew half, even a quarter, of what she’d been through at Iahotep’s hands…
Needless to say, Neithotep felt little compassion for her brother’s quandary.
“Do you even hear yourself when you speak? I always knew you were selfish, Sutekh, but this is petty, even for you,” was her flat response to his attempt at guilt tripping her. “Do you think you are the only one in the world who suffers? Do you think our lives revolve around your disgrace?” Her tone was scathing, dark eyes as sharp as the vocal lashing she flung at the bastard prince. “Hate to break it to you, but they don’t. We all have our own problems, and if you could pull your head out of your ass long enough, you might even see it.”
A sweet-tempered woman by nature, there were few in her life who got under her skin the way Sutekh did. She loved her brother, of course she did, but she’d never met a more frustrating man. Even as a child, he’d been unable to see beyond his own selfish worldview, behaving as if his very presence was a blessing from the gods themselves. Treating his own siblings as if they were barely better than the help all because he couldn’t stand that they dared to indulge themselves in the hedonistic culture that defined their country. How could he honestly be so indignant that she hadn’t made him a priority? If their roles were reversed, and she was the one cast out, would he have rushed to her side? She sincerely doubted it.
His speaking again was the only thing that prevented her from going on, biting her tongue to stymy the flow of rage that threatened to burst forth. As it was, she showed very little reaction to what he said, even if the implications of his words were more than clear. The Pharaoh meant to throw him in the line of fire, and the son of a rich merchant family, Sutekh wasn’t exactly well-equipped for such a position. It would be nothing short of a miracle if the man returned intact.
But the truth was, in that moment, Nia couldn’t really bring herself to care. With his lack of concern over the years and his selfish railing against her now, the woman was more than happy to leave his fate in the hands of the gods. Deep down, did she want him to die? No. But neither did she really care if she never saw him again.
I will not be here in two months Nia.
“Good,” was her cold reply. Time would surely see her come to regret her callous disregard for Sutekh’s welfare, but not then. Not with the fire of her anger still burning so hotly in her chest. “Best of luck to you, Deputy General.”
Without another word, Neithotep turned sharply on her heel and left the room before either of them could further destroy whatever tenuous ties still held them together.
This character is currently a work in progress.
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Thick was the self-pity in which Sutekh drowned himself, Nia’s heart long since hardened against his plight. Risen from a noble Hei’s heir to the rank of prince and yet bemoaning his changed circumstances, she wondered if he realized how he sounded. Yes, life must be so hard in a literal palace with the wealth of a kingdom at his beck and call. What a trying existence.
Did she envy his living in close quarters with Iahotep? Of course not, but she also doubted the Pharaoh put her brother through quite the same torments she dreaded. And yet he had the gall to seek her sympathy? To use his ‘misery’ to guilt her for not deigning to visit sooner? Gods, if he knew half, even a quarter, of what she’d been through at Iahotep’s hands…
Needless to say, Neithotep felt little compassion for her brother’s quandary.
“Do you even hear yourself when you speak? I always knew you were selfish, Sutekh, but this is petty, even for you,” was her flat response to his attempt at guilt tripping her. “Do you think you are the only one in the world who suffers? Do you think our lives revolve around your disgrace?” Her tone was scathing, dark eyes as sharp as the vocal lashing she flung at the bastard prince. “Hate to break it to you, but they don’t. We all have our own problems, and if you could pull your head out of your ass long enough, you might even see it.”
A sweet-tempered woman by nature, there were few in her life who got under her skin the way Sutekh did. She loved her brother, of course she did, but she’d never met a more frustrating man. Even as a child, he’d been unable to see beyond his own selfish worldview, behaving as if his very presence was a blessing from the gods themselves. Treating his own siblings as if they were barely better than the help all because he couldn’t stand that they dared to indulge themselves in the hedonistic culture that defined their country. How could he honestly be so indignant that she hadn’t made him a priority? If their roles were reversed, and she was the one cast out, would he have rushed to her side? She sincerely doubted it.
His speaking again was the only thing that prevented her from going on, biting her tongue to stymy the flow of rage that threatened to burst forth. As it was, she showed very little reaction to what he said, even if the implications of his words were more than clear. The Pharaoh meant to throw him in the line of fire, and the son of a rich merchant family, Sutekh wasn’t exactly well-equipped for such a position. It would be nothing short of a miracle if the man returned intact.
But the truth was, in that moment, Nia couldn’t really bring herself to care. With his lack of concern over the years and his selfish railing against her now, the woman was more than happy to leave his fate in the hands of the gods. Deep down, did she want him to die? No. But neither did she really care if she never saw him again.
I will not be here in two months Nia.
“Good,” was her cold reply. Time would surely see her come to regret her callous disregard for Sutekh’s welfare, but not then. Not with the fire of her anger still burning so hotly in her chest. “Best of luck to you, Deputy General.”
Without another word, Neithotep turned sharply on her heel and left the room before either of them could further destroy whatever tenuous ties still held them together.
Thick was the self-pity in which Sutekh drowned himself, Nia’s heart long since hardened against his plight. Risen from a noble Hei’s heir to the rank of prince and yet bemoaning his changed circumstances, she wondered if he realized how he sounded. Yes, life must be so hard in a literal palace with the wealth of a kingdom at his beck and call. What a trying existence.
Did she envy his living in close quarters with Iahotep? Of course not, but she also doubted the Pharaoh put her brother through quite the same torments she dreaded. And yet he had the gall to seek her sympathy? To use his ‘misery’ to guilt her for not deigning to visit sooner? Gods, if he knew half, even a quarter, of what she’d been through at Iahotep’s hands…
Needless to say, Neithotep felt little compassion for her brother’s quandary.
“Do you even hear yourself when you speak? I always knew you were selfish, Sutekh, but this is petty, even for you,” was her flat response to his attempt at guilt tripping her. “Do you think you are the only one in the world who suffers? Do you think our lives revolve around your disgrace?” Her tone was scathing, dark eyes as sharp as the vocal lashing she flung at the bastard prince. “Hate to break it to you, but they don’t. We all have our own problems, and if you could pull your head out of your ass long enough, you might even see it.”
A sweet-tempered woman by nature, there were few in her life who got under her skin the way Sutekh did. She loved her brother, of course she did, but she’d never met a more frustrating man. Even as a child, he’d been unable to see beyond his own selfish worldview, behaving as if his very presence was a blessing from the gods themselves. Treating his own siblings as if they were barely better than the help all because he couldn’t stand that they dared to indulge themselves in the hedonistic culture that defined their country. How could he honestly be so indignant that she hadn’t made him a priority? If their roles were reversed, and she was the one cast out, would he have rushed to her side? She sincerely doubted it.
His speaking again was the only thing that prevented her from going on, biting her tongue to stymy the flow of rage that threatened to burst forth. As it was, she showed very little reaction to what he said, even if the implications of his words were more than clear. The Pharaoh meant to throw him in the line of fire, and the son of a rich merchant family, Sutekh wasn’t exactly well-equipped for such a position. It would be nothing short of a miracle if the man returned intact.
But the truth was, in that moment, Nia couldn’t really bring herself to care. With his lack of concern over the years and his selfish railing against her now, the woman was more than happy to leave his fate in the hands of the gods. Deep down, did she want him to die? No. But neither did she really care if she never saw him again.
I will not be here in two months Nia.
“Good,” was her cold reply. Time would surely see her come to regret her callous disregard for Sutekh’s welfare, but not then. Not with the fire of her anger still burning so hotly in her chest. “Best of luck to you, Deputy General.”
Without another word, Neithotep turned sharply on her heel and left the room before either of them could further destroy whatever tenuous ties still held them together.
As his sister tried to lecture him, Sutekh couldn’t believe how selfish she was being. How dare she try to act as if what had happened to him was nothing or she had somehow been through worse when she still had a family and wasn’t in danger of dying. How dare she.
This disbelief was something that he couldn’t hold back when he immediately countered, “Are you kidding me Nia? Which one of us was told that the man who raised me, who I’ve called father for twenty-four years is not the man who sired me? That instead I am the product of our mother’s rape! Then on top of that, as if being told that my entire life is a lie isn’t bad enough, I am tossed out like a common dog and sent to live with those who would rather see me dead!” Sutekh practically screamed at her when she called him selfish and petty, as if somehow this change had been nothing, but lovely. As if. The only good thing that has come from this change was Hatshepsut coming into his life as it seemed to be that she was the only sister who actually cared about him given how none of the Sheifa girls could be bothered to even write to him. As if it was only their father’s blood that made their DNA. He was still Iaheru’s son, he was still their brother. Siblings don’t treat each other like this.
But most people didn’t have Nia for sister.
“But no. Being made to go to court is so awful. Forgive me for forgetting my sympathies, how rude of me to not take into consideration that actually being responsible is such a laborious task.” Sutekh said sarcastically as he pointed out the supposed hypocrisy of their situations. He didn’t know that she had been to the palace more times than just for court sessions. If he knew what she went through at Iahotep’s hands, he would probably be a bit more sympathetic. Her attitude would make it difficult for him to truly calm himself and see things from his sister’s point of view. He would see their trials as more equal, but as things stood, it seemed to be that Nia was equating losing Hena as her babydoll and actually needing to take on her role as a courtier with Sutkeh losing his entire family in one fell swoop. It was simply unfathomable in the bastard’s mind and he couldn’t even rationalize how Nia could be so selfish and heartless by expecting Sutekh to not be upset at his treatment thus far. Did it really tax his sister that great to look past childhood grudges and support her brother?
Apparently it was as instead of realizing how unreasonable she was being, Nia decided that she was done with dealing with her brother. That one word she uttered when he all but admitted that the chances of him coming back from this war were slim to none cut him to the core. She had to be heartless. There was no other explanation for why she would be so selfishly cold in the face of anyone, let alone her brother, telling her that this might be the last time they ever saw each other. He was so stunned that she was so stubborn in her hate for him that she couldn’t even put it aside for two moments in order to consider the fact that Sutekh was likely to die in the upcoming war. No, she could only think about herself.
He didn’t stop her as she stormed past him. Sutekh couldn’t even gather his senses about him to stop her or summon sort of reason to call her back as she was so content to see him dead. He didn’t want to even see her after that statement, but the shock was quick to fade away into a wave of red hot anger that blinded him as he saw the meeting room door slowly begin to close. Something that demanded that this was not where the story ended and he needed to have the final word, the final said. If Sutekh had to guess this wasn’t just the culmination of every hurt emotion bubbling to the surface from Iaheru lying for so long to Onuphrious kicking him out, the inevitable reality that he was going to die in the sands of Egypt and the pain that came from knowing that at least of his family members couldn’t look past their own selfishness for two minutes.
This anger was everything bad that had ever happened to him and more. It clouded his thoughts as he stormed into the hall after Nia, watching her head down the hall as if she hadn’t just told her brother that he could die for all she cared. That calm stride was the final straw and destroyed any final reservations that Sutekh might have had about blurting out something that had been on his mind since the truth had come out. Something that practically deafened them both as it echoed in the halls as he screamed at her, “Why the gods didn’t make you the bastard instead of me, I’ll never understand! After all, you certainly have the personality for it, you selfish overgrown brat!” Not wanting to deal with this bullshit any longer, Sutekh turned on his heels and stormed off in the opposite direction, heading deeper into the Palace where she could not follow him given her lack of royal blood. Even if she tried, Sutekh would order the guards to escort her out and leave her in the dirt outside the palace. Perhaps then she could understand a fraction of what he had been through. Not that he cared anymore. He couldn’t be bothered to think about the hurt his words might have caused or how he had only deepened the divide that had always between. He couldn’t be bothered to care.
Perhaps he was really Imopetsuma’s son, after all.
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This character is currently a work in progress.
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As his sister tried to lecture him, Sutekh couldn’t believe how selfish she was being. How dare she try to act as if what had happened to him was nothing or she had somehow been through worse when she still had a family and wasn’t in danger of dying. How dare she.
This disbelief was something that he couldn’t hold back when he immediately countered, “Are you kidding me Nia? Which one of us was told that the man who raised me, who I’ve called father for twenty-four years is not the man who sired me? That instead I am the product of our mother’s rape! Then on top of that, as if being told that my entire life is a lie isn’t bad enough, I am tossed out like a common dog and sent to live with those who would rather see me dead!” Sutekh practically screamed at her when she called him selfish and petty, as if somehow this change had been nothing, but lovely. As if. The only good thing that has come from this change was Hatshepsut coming into his life as it seemed to be that she was the only sister who actually cared about him given how none of the Sheifa girls could be bothered to even write to him. As if it was only their father’s blood that made their DNA. He was still Iaheru’s son, he was still their brother. Siblings don’t treat each other like this.
But most people didn’t have Nia for sister.
“But no. Being made to go to court is so awful. Forgive me for forgetting my sympathies, how rude of me to not take into consideration that actually being responsible is such a laborious task.” Sutekh said sarcastically as he pointed out the supposed hypocrisy of their situations. He didn’t know that she had been to the palace more times than just for court sessions. If he knew what she went through at Iahotep’s hands, he would probably be a bit more sympathetic. Her attitude would make it difficult for him to truly calm himself and see things from his sister’s point of view. He would see their trials as more equal, but as things stood, it seemed to be that Nia was equating losing Hena as her babydoll and actually needing to take on her role as a courtier with Sutkeh losing his entire family in one fell swoop. It was simply unfathomable in the bastard’s mind and he couldn’t even rationalize how Nia could be so selfish and heartless by expecting Sutekh to not be upset at his treatment thus far. Did it really tax his sister that great to look past childhood grudges and support her brother?
Apparently it was as instead of realizing how unreasonable she was being, Nia decided that she was done with dealing with her brother. That one word she uttered when he all but admitted that the chances of him coming back from this war were slim to none cut him to the core. She had to be heartless. There was no other explanation for why she would be so selfishly cold in the face of anyone, let alone her brother, telling her that this might be the last time they ever saw each other. He was so stunned that she was so stubborn in her hate for him that she couldn’t even put it aside for two moments in order to consider the fact that Sutekh was likely to die in the upcoming war. No, she could only think about herself.
He didn’t stop her as she stormed past him. Sutekh couldn’t even gather his senses about him to stop her or summon sort of reason to call her back as she was so content to see him dead. He didn’t want to even see her after that statement, but the shock was quick to fade away into a wave of red hot anger that blinded him as he saw the meeting room door slowly begin to close. Something that demanded that this was not where the story ended and he needed to have the final word, the final said. If Sutekh had to guess this wasn’t just the culmination of every hurt emotion bubbling to the surface from Iaheru lying for so long to Onuphrious kicking him out, the inevitable reality that he was going to die in the sands of Egypt and the pain that came from knowing that at least of his family members couldn’t look past their own selfishness for two minutes.
This anger was everything bad that had ever happened to him and more. It clouded his thoughts as he stormed into the hall after Nia, watching her head down the hall as if she hadn’t just told her brother that he could die for all she cared. That calm stride was the final straw and destroyed any final reservations that Sutekh might have had about blurting out something that had been on his mind since the truth had come out. Something that practically deafened them both as it echoed in the halls as he screamed at her, “Why the gods didn’t make you the bastard instead of me, I’ll never understand! After all, you certainly have the personality for it, you selfish overgrown brat!” Not wanting to deal with this bullshit any longer, Sutekh turned on his heels and stormed off in the opposite direction, heading deeper into the Palace where she could not follow him given her lack of royal blood. Even if she tried, Sutekh would order the guards to escort her out and leave her in the dirt outside the palace. Perhaps then she could understand a fraction of what he had been through. Not that he cared anymore. He couldn’t be bothered to think about the hurt his words might have caused or how he had only deepened the divide that had always between. He couldn’t be bothered to care.
Perhaps he was really Imopetsuma’s son, after all.
As his sister tried to lecture him, Sutekh couldn’t believe how selfish she was being. How dare she try to act as if what had happened to him was nothing or she had somehow been through worse when she still had a family and wasn’t in danger of dying. How dare she.
This disbelief was something that he couldn’t hold back when he immediately countered, “Are you kidding me Nia? Which one of us was told that the man who raised me, who I’ve called father for twenty-four years is not the man who sired me? That instead I am the product of our mother’s rape! Then on top of that, as if being told that my entire life is a lie isn’t bad enough, I am tossed out like a common dog and sent to live with those who would rather see me dead!” Sutekh practically screamed at her when she called him selfish and petty, as if somehow this change had been nothing, but lovely. As if. The only good thing that has come from this change was Hatshepsut coming into his life as it seemed to be that she was the only sister who actually cared about him given how none of the Sheifa girls could be bothered to even write to him. As if it was only their father’s blood that made their DNA. He was still Iaheru’s son, he was still their brother. Siblings don’t treat each other like this.
But most people didn’t have Nia for sister.
“But no. Being made to go to court is so awful. Forgive me for forgetting my sympathies, how rude of me to not take into consideration that actually being responsible is such a laborious task.” Sutekh said sarcastically as he pointed out the supposed hypocrisy of their situations. He didn’t know that she had been to the palace more times than just for court sessions. If he knew what she went through at Iahotep’s hands, he would probably be a bit more sympathetic. Her attitude would make it difficult for him to truly calm himself and see things from his sister’s point of view. He would see their trials as more equal, but as things stood, it seemed to be that Nia was equating losing Hena as her babydoll and actually needing to take on her role as a courtier with Sutkeh losing his entire family in one fell swoop. It was simply unfathomable in the bastard’s mind and he couldn’t even rationalize how Nia could be so selfish and heartless by expecting Sutekh to not be upset at his treatment thus far. Did it really tax his sister that great to look past childhood grudges and support her brother?
Apparently it was as instead of realizing how unreasonable she was being, Nia decided that she was done with dealing with her brother. That one word she uttered when he all but admitted that the chances of him coming back from this war were slim to none cut him to the core. She had to be heartless. There was no other explanation for why she would be so selfishly cold in the face of anyone, let alone her brother, telling her that this might be the last time they ever saw each other. He was so stunned that she was so stubborn in her hate for him that she couldn’t even put it aside for two moments in order to consider the fact that Sutekh was likely to die in the upcoming war. No, she could only think about herself.
He didn’t stop her as she stormed past him. Sutekh couldn’t even gather his senses about him to stop her or summon sort of reason to call her back as she was so content to see him dead. He didn’t want to even see her after that statement, but the shock was quick to fade away into a wave of red hot anger that blinded him as he saw the meeting room door slowly begin to close. Something that demanded that this was not where the story ended and he needed to have the final word, the final said. If Sutekh had to guess this wasn’t just the culmination of every hurt emotion bubbling to the surface from Iaheru lying for so long to Onuphrious kicking him out, the inevitable reality that he was going to die in the sands of Egypt and the pain that came from knowing that at least of his family members couldn’t look past their own selfishness for two minutes.
This anger was everything bad that had ever happened to him and more. It clouded his thoughts as he stormed into the hall after Nia, watching her head down the hall as if she hadn’t just told her brother that he could die for all she cared. That calm stride was the final straw and destroyed any final reservations that Sutekh might have had about blurting out something that had been on his mind since the truth had come out. Something that practically deafened them both as it echoed in the halls as he screamed at her, “Why the gods didn’t make you the bastard instead of me, I’ll never understand! After all, you certainly have the personality for it, you selfish overgrown brat!” Not wanting to deal with this bullshit any longer, Sutekh turned on his heels and stormed off in the opposite direction, heading deeper into the Palace where she could not follow him given her lack of royal blood. Even if she tried, Sutekh would order the guards to escort her out and leave her in the dirt outside the palace. Perhaps then she could understand a fraction of what he had been through. Not that he cared anymore. He couldn’t be bothered to think about the hurt his words might have caused or how he had only deepened the divide that had always between. He couldn’t be bothered to care.
Perhaps he was really Imopetsuma’s son, after all.