Shall We Play A Game? Chapter Six

Shall We Play A Game?
Chapter Six

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Paramesse, -though he much preferred Ramses, thank you very much!- rubbed at his temples in an effort to banish his growing head-ache. There were times where being a ranking officer of the Kemeti military simply wasn’t worth it, and by some strange coincidence, many of those times coincided with whenever he had to deal with that idiot Horemheb for an extended period of time. The man was a decent enough officer, but it was a widely known fact that he had achieved his current lofty position only due to being a favorite of Akhenadin and the Royal Council, and was only maintaining it because he hadn’t yet done anything to earn the ire of the Pharoah or her Guardians. As a general rule, he kept himself out of trouble, sleeping with women, drinking wine, and occasionally bringing himself to leave the capital and fight bandits for a few weeks. That, at least, had made him tolerable. Unfortunately, now that their Queen had opted to call for foreign suitors instead of marrying, say, him, he had been in a foul mood and taking it out on everyone around him. And Ramses had neither the rank nor the bloodline to tell him to stuff it.

“Oh, is my dear brother suffering?” a familiar, well-loved voice crooned, and Ramses couldn’t help but smile even as he felt an equally familiar and distinct edge of trepidation wash over him. Opening his eyes, revealing once again the Nile-side gardens of his family’s compound, he looked over at the speaker. She was a beautiful woman, of course, with her dusky skin and blonde hair, and if she wasn’t the eldest of his (many!) little sisters, he would have seduced her in an instant. Unfortunately, Hathor Nefert was the eldest of his little sisters, and equally unfortunately she was a free-spirited, playful nightmare when she felt inclined to be. Which was often. Very, very often.

“Yes, I am. My head hurts, my ears hurt. Gods, even my eyes hurt. I think I strained something with how much effort I was putting into not rolling my eyes, today.” he groused, and she giggled a bit sympathetically, moving to sit behind him. Tugging him back to lay his head across her lap, she gently and skillfully started to massage his aching head, and he sighed softly at the feeling, letting his eyes close again in something very much like bliss.

“Horemheb is still a bit sore about losing the chance to marry the Queen then, is he?” she asked, and he cracked one eye open just enough to give her A Look. Shrugging innocently, she continued. “What? The entire court is talking about it, everyone knows that the Council was angling for Her Majesty to marry him, but she decided to call half of the eligible men in the world here instead. Not that some of them got to stay very long.”

The last was said with a distinctly malicious giggle, one that would normally have Ramses worried about what was going on in her head, but this time he was in full agreement. He didn’t have much respect for men that would try and indulge in the servants of their host while courting said host. Especially not when some of those same suitors had made a few passes at various sisters and cousins of his at the same time. None of them were remotely worthy of laying so much as a finger on his kin, not to mention the fact that it could quite possibly have earned his family the Queen’s ire. She was a reasonable sort, certainly for a girl her age, but he had more than enough experience with girls her age to know that they could go from ‘reasonable’ to ‘very unreasonable’ quite abruptly.

“Yes, he’s less than happy about it, and unfortunately I’m the one he likes to complain to the most.

"Oh, poor Ramses." Nefert cooed, her fingers continuing their soothing ministrations. "Perhaps you should consider it an honor. After all, he must trust you to some degree if he's willing to voice his frustrations so freely, especially about the Queen."

Ramses snorted, not bothering to open his eyes. "An honor I could do without. I'd much rather he confide in someone else – anyone else – about his wounded pride and dashed hopes of becoming Pharaoh. I rather like living, and I have ambitions, little sister. Being known as the person close enough in his confidence that he complains about our god-queen is not healthy for either of those."

"Mmh, I can imagine, yes." his sister mused, scratching his scalp lightly for a moment.. "Though I must say, I'm rather glad Her Majesty decided against marrying him. Can you imagine Horemheb as our king? Kemet would be at war within a fortnight, I'm sure of it, not that he would notice. He’d be too busy bedding everything with breasts to realize what was happening until the capital was burning."

"You're not wrong." Ramses agreed, allowing himself a small, somewhat malicious chuckle of his own. "The man does have a certain... enthusiasm for the fairer sex. Though I suppose we should be grateful he hasn't set his sights on you or any of our other sisters. Small mercies."

Nefert's fingers stilled for a moment, and Ramses could practically feel her rolling her eyes. "As if I would give him the time of day. I have standards, brother dear, such that he wouldn’t get so much as a second glance, no matter how desperate I was."

"That you do," Ramses chuckled, finally opening his eyes to look up at his sister. "Though I sometimes wonder if those standards are a touch too high. You're not getting any younger, you know, and I’m growing increasingly afraid that you shall live outlive us all, alone and surrounded by cats."

Nefert's response was to flick his forehead, eliciting a mock yelp of pain from her brother. "I'm barely seventeen, Ramses. There's plenty of time yet for me to find a suitable husband. Besides, if our Queen ends up marrying that Hittite prince, I might have to take opportunity of the peace to find myself a northern man. I’ve caught sight of him more than once, and if the rest of his fellows look as he does, I will find myself quite pleased with my options.”

Ramses groaned, partly from the flick to his forehead and partly from his sister's words. "Gods preserve us, not the Hittites! I'd sooner see you wed to a camel herder than one of those bloody-minded barbarians."

Nefert's fingers resumed their gentle massage, though there was a hint of reproach in her touch now, and in her tone as well. "Come now, brother. They're not all barbarians. I've heard the prince is quite cultured, and he speaks our tongue fluently."

"A cultured barbarian is still a barbarian," Ramses muttered, but there was little heat in his words. He knew better than to truly argue with Nefert when she had set her mind on something. "Just promise me you won't do anything rash. The last thing we need is for you to cause an international incident, never mind aggravating her majesty, by seducing one of her suitors."

His sister's laughter rang out, clear and bright, and he felt himself smile reluctantly in response.

“Brother, I would never dream of making such an attempt, though if the Queen rejects him I might try to convince him that Kemet holds other women in need of northern love.” she assured him, sounding at least half serious, which was comforting, even if he really didn’t want to hear about his sister’s ‘romantic plans’. They sat silently for several more minutes, before a servant entered the room and bowed low.

“Master Ramses, Lady Nefert. A group of guests have come to visit. A Prince Hasamelli and Lady Yuri of Hattusa, with handmaidens and a page. They wish to speak with you.”

Ramses shot upright, even as his sister inhaled sharply in surprise and rose as well. “What is it that they want, did they say?”

“Only to speak with you, Master, they didn’t say anything more than that. Shall I ask them to leave?”

“No, of course not, don’t be ridiculous. Invite them in, take them to the main hall and provide them with refreshments. Tell the rest of the family that we have guests.” Nefert ordered in her brother’s place, her tone and the look in her eyes brooking no argument, and she turned her attention to her frowning brother as the servant bowed their way back out of the room. “Don’t give me that, brother. I’m not going to turn away such exalted guests, and it could prove very beneficial to our family for them to regard us kindly. Now, pull yourself together and help me greet them.”

“Sister…” he started, but she was already going, sweeping from the room in a swirl of fabric, leaving him to lament -not for the first time, and certainly not for the last- at what he must have done in his past life to have such a strong-willed sister in this one. Well, at least he would get to see Yuri and her handmaidens again. Fascinating group, all four of them, especially for northerners.

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“Welcome, honored guests!” a woman that could only be Nefert crowed as she swept into the room, smiling brightly around at us all as her brother followed her somewhat sullenly, though he brightened somewhat on seeing my companions. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, given that -in another life- he would have tried more than once to make Yuri his wife, whether she was particularly interested in marrying him or not. Something I had firmly attempted to head off by stressing that Yuri was Kail’s future wife, rather than ‘merely’ one of his concubines. Future wives, after all, were far less acceptable ‘involuntary elopement’ targets than mere concubines, and frankly I didn’t want to have to deal with one of my future generals having himself on my brother’s list of enemies for trying to steal Kail’s girl. I had no need and even less interest in that sort of drama, thank you very much.

None of us had the chance to respond, certainly not with any sort of substance, before more people filed into the room. All members of Ramses’ family, it seemed, though I really only recognized his mother. Greetings and introductions were made as servants filed in bearing jugs of wine and platters of food, but before long the activity had died down enough for proper conversation to take place.

“We’re flattered and gratified by your visit, Prince Hasamelli, but I confess to some curiosity. Why has a Prince of Hattusa, one here to court our Queen no less, come to our humble home?” Ramses’ mother, a regal woman named Anneke, asked with a querying glance, before brightening and looking at the girls in my company. “Ah, is it because one of these lovely girls has fallen in love with my magnificent son and wishes to become his bride?”

“Mother…” Ramses sighed, shaking his head in resigned affection, and I couldn’t help but grin as she turned her attention to him and remarked rather sharply that she wasn’t a young woman anymore, and she would quite like to have grand-children before she went to Aaru. And unless he was going to accept one of the suitors vying for the hands of some of his sisters -which he wasn’t, until they were men worthy of them, he interjected firmly- than he was the only one who could provide what her old heart needed.

“Madam, I regret to inform you that the ladies in my company are spoken for, or soon will be. I have been playing the match-maker I’m afraid, though there is an officer I can imagine getting along quite well with the lovely Nefert. My brother’s Master of Archers, as a matter of fact, Rusafa,” I responded solemnly, causing the named noblewoman to perk up slightly and arch an eyebrow in my direction, a second eyebrow joining it at the looks of interest and evaluation she saw she was receiving from Yuri and the three sisters. “But that isn’t why I am here either. No, I’m here to thank your family in general, and Ramses in particular, for what he has done for my own family. I owe him my life, you see, and those of my companions. At least in part, and no small part at that.”

“My son?” Anneke blinked, her surprise at the end of my statement silencing whatever glee and interest she might have wanted to express on the matter of my match-making for her eldest daughter.

“Yes, he was one of the soldiers that helped intervene in an attack against our caravan by bandits, alongside Bakara and the rest of his comrades.” I confirmed, leaning back slightly in my chair and resisting the urge to steeple my fingers in front of me in the offing. “While the others seemed unaware or unable to react sufficiently, it was he who noticed that Yuri’s handmaidens were being overwhelmed in her defense. He charged to their aid, doubtlessly saving them from grievous injuries at best. In so doing, he cast them into disarray. So, his aid proved pivotal to preserving the lives of my beloved future sister-by-marriage and her dearest friends. An act that cost him an injury or three, at that.”

“Ramses!” several voices cried out, as more than a few of his sisters started towards him. Nefert reached him first, inspecting him…quite firmly for any sign of injury as their worried mother looked on, and I resisted the entirely undiplomatic urge to chuckle at his misfortune as he tried to free himself from the worried womenfolk.

“Off! Get off, I say! I’m fine, damnit!” he barked, waving his hands as if trying to ward off a particularly aggressive pack of animals, an edge of desperation in his voice. “Guardian Bakara saw to my injuries, which were hardly something to remark on in the first place!”

When they finally subsided, with manifest reluctance but apparently aware of and reassured by what the Guardians were capable of doing with their powers, he shot me an irritated look. One that I met only with a beatific smile and a slight inclination of my head. No matter how much he disliked the attention, at least from his family, I wasn’t going to regret bringing the entire event up. Especially not given the benefits that could come my way from doing so.

“Hmph. I did my duty and nothing more, as a soldier ought.” he finally grumbled, after he finally accepted that I wasn’t going to express an ounce of remorse or regret.

“Perhaps so, and I understand that duty better than most, but a life owed is a life owed all the same.” I shrugged lightly, relenting only slightly. “With my courting of your Queen on hold while her other suitors make their own attempts, I thought to make a friend of the man who did so much for us, and see him duly rewarded as well.”

“I can accept no reward from someone who is not my superior for the simple act of doing my duty.” he demurred, likely -and sensibly- not wishing to appear overly friendly (bought and paid for, in other words) by a foreign power. Something that could prove fatal for him, especially if my suit failed.

“But my brother and I would certainly be happy to show you around our magnificent city. I had heard in Court that each suitor will have several days of exclusive access to our Queen for the purpose of courting, and so I would invite you to accompany us around Memphis during the days that are not yours.” Nefert interjected before he could continue, sensing an opportunity and latching onto it with both hands. Smiling radiantly around the room, she continued. “Doubtlessly you will appreciate the company of a military man like my brother amongst so many women, and I should rather like to become more familiar with Princess Yuri. Besides, you cannot dangle something as tempting as a man like this ‘Rusafa’ in front of me and then leave me in the dark of the finer details!”

I was sure my eyes were sparkling with amusement as I inclined my head graciously in her direction.

"Your offer is most generous, my lady. I would be delighted to accept such charming company during my stay in Memphis. And I assure you, Rusafa is every bit as intriguing as I've implied - perhaps even more so. Alas, he remains at my brother’s side for the time being, but the girls and I shall be happy to regale you with stories of his valor and wit."

Ramses shot his sister a look that was equal parts exasperation and resignation. He knew that tone in Nefert's voice all too well - she had latched onto an idea and would not be easily dissuaded. Still, he felt compelled to at least make a token protest.

"Sister, I'm not certain it's entirely appropriate for us to-"

"Nonsense, brother dear," Nefert cut him off smoothly, her smile never wavering. "It's the very height of hospitality to offer our guidance to such esteemed guests as this, and ones who have so vocally praised you at that. In fact, it would be churlish, would shame our House and our nation, to send them back to the Palace unaware of Kemet’s many gifts and beauties.”

Ramses opened his mouth to protest further, but a sharp look from his mother silenced him, the expression of a matriarch that was unwilling to tolerate any further problem-causing from one of her children. Ramses, being a wise man, heeded her, and Anneke turned to me with a gracious smile.

"We would be honored to host you and your companions, Prince Hasamelli. Perhaps you might join us for a mid-day meal tomorrow? We could discuss your tours of the city in further detail then."

I inclined my head respectfully, hiding a smile of amusement rather more masterfully that Yuri was at the sight of the deadly and intractable Ramses yielding to nothing more than a look from an old woman. "That would be most agreeable, Lady Anneke. We thank you for your generous hospitality."

Nefert clapped her hands together, practically radiating anticipation. "Wonderful! Oh, there's so much to show you. The temples, the markets, the gardens along the Nile, oh, and a boat tour as well, of course..."

As Nefert continued listing potential sights, I caught Ramses' eye. The Kemeti officer was doing an admirable job of masking his displeasure, but I could see the wariness in his gaze. He didn't trust me, not fully, and I couldn't blame him. I was, after all, a foreign prince vying for his queen's hand, and he was the subordinate to Horemheb, the man who would have been Pharoah if not for the presence of men such as myself. But there was also a glimmer of curiosity there, perhaps even a hint of respect. I offered him a small nod, acknowledging his concerns while silently reassuring him of my honorable intentions.

"And of course, we must introduce you to the game of senet!" Nefert was saying, her eyes bright with excitement. "It's a favorite pastime here, and I'd wager you Hittites have nothing quite like it."

I allowed myself a small, enigmatic smile. "Actually, my lady, we have our own game that I think you might find intriguing. It's called chess, and I'd be honored to teach it to you during our time together. A little cultural exchange between Hattusa and Memphis, as it were."

Ramses raised an eyebrow at this, his interest clearly piqued, but there was knowledge there as well. “I have heard of this game, I believe, from some of the palace staff. They say that you yourself created it and crafted a play-set as one of your intent-gifts to our Queen. They say that she practices with her Guardians day and night to master it. A game of strategy, yes?”

“Quite right, on all counts, save perhaps for how your Queen spends her nights. I should be glad to hear it if it is true, however, quite glad.” I confirmed, enjoying the flicker of warmth that came with the confirmation, or at least the strong rumor, that Ankhesenamun was quite focused on enjoying my gift. Humming softly, I rose to my feet and bowed, the girls and Tito -who seemed to have caught the attention of some of Ramses’ youngest sisters and, by all appearances, had no idea what to do about it. Poor kid.- mimicking me. “We have imposed on your hospitality enough as it is, after appearing so suddenly, for which you have my apologies. Shall we present ourselves tomorrow, or will you be sending a servant to inform us when to join you?”

“I’ll come to collect you personally. I’m often at the palace or on its grounds anyway, so it only makes sense for me to kill two ibis with a single arrow.” Nefert responded promptly, glancing sidelong at her brother, who half-rolled his eyes but nodded. “My brother will be joining me, he is often in the vicinity of the palace as well, in the course of his own duties.”

“Then we shall, all of us, look forward to it.” I responded, entirely genuine, as I sketched another brief bow before leading my companions from the estate into the bustling streets of Memphis.

“What was that all about, Sam?” Yuri asked softly as we strolled side-by-side back towards the palace, and I couldn’t help but feel satisfaction at her use of the nickname. ‘Shem’ always made me think of Dragon Age, one of the games that had birthed my love for RPGs, and Bioware games in particular. Even if later entries had later proved utterly disappointing, the first -and portions of the second- would always hold a special place in my heart. Of course, that had little to do with my satisfaction, which had rather more to do with the familiarity it displayed and how comfortable she was with me. A quality friendship on display, that.

“Perhaps I simply wished to display my gratitude to a particularly impressive, heroic man that did so much for us?” I riposted mildly, and the look that she leveled at me in response was as dry as it was disbelieving. Chuckling, I shook my head. “Oh, ye of little faith. I shall have you know that I am, in fact, quite grateful to Ramses.”

“I’m sure that you are, and so am I, but I know that’s not all of it. So fess up.” she pressed, falling easily into the more modern lingo that she and I shared with one another, both being transplants as we were from the twenty-first century.

“Ramses is arguably the best military mind that Kemet has. Horemheb and Djoser are competent, but unimaginative, and neither of them holds the personal loyalty of their soldiers the way that he does. His family is well-regarded, wealthy, highly-placed, and politically powerful. And it only promises to become more so once more of his sisters get married.” I acquiesced, folding my hands behind my back as we turned another corner, all of us keeping our eyes open for potential threats. After dealing with Nakia’s efforts for as long as we had, it was second nature, even in a supposedly-safe place like the capital city of a nation some thousand miles from our enemy. “Frankly, making friends with his family can only be to our benefit, and to Kail’s, even if I don’t end up marrying the Queen.”

“In other words, he’s Kemet’s equivalent of Prince Kail, but not part of the royal family?” Hadi asked curiously, and I nodded in confirmation. She considered that for a moment, before bobbing her head slightly. “It makes sense that he was so interested in Princess Yuri, then.”

“Birds of a feather flock together, as the saying goes. Similar people have similar tastes, and all that sort of thing.” I agreed, flashing a grin at Yuri, who rolled her eyes eloquently.

“I’m sure you’ll get along well with Nefert, then, because if Ramses is Kail, you certainly are her equivalent. I’ve known her for all of an hour, and I can still tell that she has the same attitude that you do.” she shot back, and I gave her a slightly mocking bow.

“Clever, attractive, witty? Quick-thinking, intelligent, philosophical?”

“Irreverent, abrupt, bothersome, cocky, perverted, and lacking in self control.”

“Hmm, ouch. Tell me how you really feel, little sister.” I remarked, grinning as the girls and Tito gasped softly and looked between us, clearly expecting me to take some offense. Poor things still weren’t used to how laissez-faire the two of us were with each other, or with them for that matter. They had only been dealing with us for a few months, after all, and neither of us were anything like their culture and upbringing had prepared them for. I’m sure that I was particularly baffling to them, as a member of the Hittite Royal Family. Yuri, at least, was ‘understandably’ strange, having emerged from the sacred spring of Ishtar’s temple in Hattusa. Her oddities were obviously related to her semi-divine nature, as far as the world at large was concerned. There was no handy excuse for my own, though fortunately I didn’t need one. Being royalty had its perks, after all. “I’ll have you know I have plenty of self-control. God-like self-control, really, for a man surrounded by such beauties. I am practically an ascetic monk! And giving suitable advice to my brothers and their officers about creative ways to show affection to the women in their lives is hardly perverse! Besides, I hardly think you ought to be casting stones. Remind me again what your country’s most famous export is in the modern age? I struggle to remember the name, but weren’t there tentacles involved?”

I wasn’t sure of the precise translation for the words that she spat at me in response, given my admittedly very limited knowledge of Japanese, but I caught enough to know that they weren’t particularly flattering and contained a phrase that amounted to ‘damned foreigner’ at least once. Ah, she was so pretty when she was glowering and growling like that, blushing bright. It really was almost a shame that I shipped her and Kail so damn hard, otherwise I might have had to try and steal her for myself.

“Yes, yes, gaijin bad. Really, you shouldn’t be so angry about a mere cultural observation.” I flapped a hand dismissively, enjoying the way she bristled, before deftly changing subjects. “At any rate, I can’t entirely disagree. Nefert is playful, what you would call a genki girl, but I wouldn’t underestimate her. She is as deadly with her mind as Ramses is with her sword. That’s why I think she’s perfect for Rusafa, balancing his personality and strengths out with her own, and it would help the poor fellow get over his continental crush on you at the same time.”

"Rusafa has a crush on me?" Yuri asked, her annoyance forgotten as surprise colored her tone, and I almost laughed as the three sisters visibly restrained themselves from rolling their eyes or palming their faces. "I hadn't noticed..."

"Of course you hadn't," I replied with a fond smile. "You're far too focused on Kail to notice such things. But trust me, the poor man has been pining for you since the moment he laid eyes on you. It's quite tragic, really. As far as he’s concerned, the sun is in the sky because you put it there."

Yuri flushed, looking uncomfortable, though I could see a bit of reluctant flattery as well. Small wonder, really. For a high-school girl from Japan who had only just had her first kiss from a classmate before being thrown through time to find herself the attention of princes and generals and men of wealth and power alike, this had to be rather overwhelming and exciting. "I... I had no idea. I hope I haven't been leading him on..."

"Not at all," I reassured her. "You've been nothing but kind to him, and treated him as a good friend, something I have no doubt he deeply appreciates. It's not your fault that your mere existence is enough to make men fall at your feet."

She rolled her eyes at that, but I could see the tension leaving her shoulders as I lightened the mood again. "You're exaggerating and flirting again, Sam."

"Only slightly," I said with a wink, getting a reluctant smile from her, as I had hoped to. "But in all seriousness, Rusafa does love you, he simply knows that he doesn’t have a chance with you. Likewise, however, he doesn’t see much of a future with anyone else. Nefert is a fine match for him, because she is in many ways like you, though I would wager she is somewhat less martially-inclined than you are. I think having someone to get over you for will make the entire process much easier on him.”

“So you set up the twins with Kikkuri, you keep insisting that you know the perfect woman for Kash, even if you refuse to tell me more. You’ve been bending over backwards to push Kail and I together, you even think you know who would be a good second wife for Juda. And now you have international romance planned for Rusafa.” she listed off, counting on her fingers as she listed them all, ignoring me as I practically preened in pride, before giving me a deadpan look. “Do your fingers get tired from all the strings you have to tug on to make everybody dance like marionettes, Hasamelli?”

“Not remotely.” I responded promptly and without so much as an ounce of shame, greatly enjoying the looks on everyone’s faces. Tito, my sole male ally amongst so much estrogen, was too young to really understand, but he saw something that annoyed his sisters and, as their younger brother, found enjoyment in that fact.

A simple, pure sort of pleasure that I, once -and again, for that matter- a younger brother myself, could feel a deep and profound connection with.

“Nor am I remotely close to finished, either. After all, I still need to find someone for Mali, Tito, Hadi, and Ramses. And who knows what other friends we will make, you and I? Friends that we have a solemn, no, divine mandate to ensure have the romantic happily-ever-afters that they deserve!” I responded grandly, determination and honesty underlying the dramatics, not voicing for the moment that I already had plans, if tentative ones, for Hadi. Her devotion to Yuri was more akin to Rusafa’s than anything else, and she had been the one to risk execution to save Yuri from the drunken advances of Kail by entering their room and intervening. Even her sisters, who would gladly die in battle for Yuri, hadn’t dared to do that.

Not that they would need to, anymore. I had been waiting for Yuri to arrive, and the moment she had I had gotten behind the pair of them and pushed, hard. No waiting fifty chapters for things to really take off while I was here, thank you very much! And no angsting over Yuri staying in the here and now or returning to modern day Japan, either! No Arazawan war, and certainly neither of the wars with Egypt, which might stop the Seven Day Fever, which meant no immediate succession crisis when Suppuliliuma died…

“Prince Hasamelli, you’re chuckling darkly again.” Hadi said dryly from just behind my left shoulder, and my laughter -entirely unplanned, and utterly innocent- promptly cut off.

“Ahem. Yes, thank you Hadi.” I coughed a bit sheepishly into my fist, manfully ignoring the fact that it was now me who was the target of smirks and amused, teasing looks. “And I’ve told you before, you don’t need to say ‘Prince’. We’ve saved one another’s lives, all of us, more than once. There is no need for titles between us.”

“That goes for me too, you know, Hadi.” Yuri interjected quickly, as she had every other time I had brought this up with the sisters.

“That’s very kind of you to say, Your Highnesses.” the calm and common response came back, as it always had before, and both Yuri and I sighed softly in affectionate aggravation. Someday, they would actually cave in and treat us as the friends -as the family- we all were, instead of servants and masters. At least in private, propriety in public needing to be observed as appropriate, of course.

As we approached the palace gates, I noticed a subtle shift in the demeanor of our group. Yuri's playful banter faded, replaced by a more regal bearing befitting her status as a princess. It was remarkable, really, how well she had taken to it despite being raised as a thoroughly average middle-class girl of the modern age. Perhaps it was that cultural calm and reserve the Japanese were so famous for, turned to a different purpose. The three sisters fell into a protective formation around us, their eyes scanning our surroundings with practiced vigilance, looking more like the handmaidens and chieftain’s daughters that they were. Even Tito straightened his posture, trying his best to look dignified despite his youth and inexperience.

I, too, felt the change come over me. The easy camaraderie of our walk gave way to the weight of my responsibilities as a prince and potential suitor to the Queen, of someone trying to change the fates of several nations and dozens (thousands, really, but only dozens whose particular fates I knew) of people. My steps became more measured, my expression more guarded, and the pressure that had ever-so-briefly been left behind dropped back onto my shoulders. The palace guards snapped to attention as we approached, recognizing us immediately, rapping the butts of their spears on the ground.

"Welcome back, Your Highnesses," one of them intoned, bowing deeply. "Her Majesty has been asking after your return. She was hoping that Princess Yuri and her handmaidens would join her in the royal baths and for a light meal."

Yuri glanced at me, a silent question in her eyes. I gave her an imperceptible nod, encouraging her to accept the invitation. It was a good sign that the Queen wanted to spend time with Yuri - it meant our efforts to ingratiate ourselves were bearing fruit. Or, at least, that I was interesting enough that she wanted to collect information on me from my companions.

"We would be honored, of course." Yuri replied smoothly, inclining her head slightly in a bow of acceptance. "Please inform Her Majesty that we shall join her shortly."

“Of course, your highness. And Prince Hasamelli, a bath has been drawn for you and the young man as well. She imagined that you would be somewhat dusted and tired after a day out in the city.” the guard looked at me, and I bowed with a small smile.

“She was quite right about that. Yuri, please make sure to pass my thanks on to Her Majesty for her forethought and generosity.” I agreed, getting a noise of confirmation from the raven-haired girl, and I turned to Tito as we started to go our separate ways. “Now, as for you, my young friend, I noticed you were getting some interesting looks from some of Ramses’ younger sisters. Allow your elder to advise you on the mysteries of the female mind…”