Shall We Play A Game? Chapter Two

Shall We Play A Game?

Chapter Two

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It was not unusual, in fact it was very common, for Ankhesenamun and her closest companions (and lovers, though they didn’t advertise that fact, not that there was anyone in the palace that didn’t know that the Pharaoh and her Guardians routinely spent their nights in bed together, sleeping or otherwise) to bathe together. Without handmaidens, more often than not, because why invite strangers into such an intimate setting when the five of them could do the same job, and make it even more enjoyable in the doing? And it was hardly out of the expected for them to do exactly that, after the better part of an entire day of court and audiences and feasting, all a result of a group of manipulative old men that wanted to see their Queen brought to heel. Something that they lacked the courage to attempt for themselves, even if they had had the ability. Which they most certainly did not.

So it was that five of the most beautiful women in the entire kingdom, utterly naked, wet skin glistening in the light of the setting sun as it poured in through the balcony and windows, were idly alternating between soaking in the sun-heated waters of the pool and lying on the sun-baked stone around its perimeter. The scent of fragrant plants and oils hung thick in the air, and soft music (streaming from a specially constructed room nearby, that allowed the musicians to play for their god-queen without intruding on her privacy or seeing anything that they shouldn’t) dipped and weaved around them.

“I swear by all the gods, ours and those of any distant land, that if one more over-fed, over-perfumed fool tries to convince me that he is the greatest gift to women in the mortal world, I’ll emulate some of my ancestors and start feeding them to the crocodiles. Let’s see my uncle and his cronies try to take my throne, my Item, from me then!” Ankhesenamun growled, leaning her head back against the alabaster rim of the bath, glaring at the ceiling as if she could make it (or, more accurately, the men she was thinking about) burst into flames from the effort.

“Shai, meryt, no. Can we please not discuss my traitorous father’s idiotic, delusional, heretical desires at the moment? We are here to relax and enjoy one another’s company after a long day, not bring the Court’s troubles to your rooms alongside us.” Neferure pleaded from where she was basking in the sun, letting it soak into her skin and sore muscles, sounding utterly disgusted at very thought of her father. Not that anyone was going to complain or chastise her for that. Akhenadin wasn’t a popular man in Kemet, to say the very least, but in this place and amongst these people? That was an understatement of an impressive degree. Bakara alone bore him enough ill-will to tip the proverbial scales quite heavily, and the rest of them had more than enough cause to dislike him as well.

“Hmm, if you insist, cousin.” Ankhesenamun relented with a sigh, flashing her Guardian and High Priestess a loving smile at the nickname and the affectionate address. It had been little more than an accident that they had discovered their relation so many years ago, a chance conversation with old Shimon (who Shai dearly missed, because unlike Ay, his replacement as Grand Vizier, he had actually cared for Kemet and for the royal family on a personal level) who had -upon seeing Neferure for the first time- been startled enough to speak without thinking.

Apparently, she looked similar enough to both her mother and paternal grandmother, both of whom the old man had known well that he couldn’t help but comment on the likeness. That had been enough of a thread for the questing pair of unknowing-kin to unravel until they discovered the truth. Both had been delighted, of course, and as they had grown older they had become not only the best of friends, but passionate lovers. Indeed, if either of them was a man, they likely would have already married and avoided this entire debacle, as was tradition.

“If we’re not going to talk about that man, or his little plot, what shall we talk about?” Isis mused thoughtfully, the Bearer of the Millennium Necklace idly combing her waist-length black hair from her own place seated on the edge of the pool, idly swirling the water with one leg as she softly hummed along with the music.

“We could talk about how Hasamelli completely disrespected that old bastard in an entirely deniable way? I would love to talk about that.” Bakara remarked from from where she, like Neferure, was sunbathing. Except, unlike the High Priestess, ‘former’ Thief Queen was sitting up and drying her exposed sex…and idly running her fingers through the carefully trimmed hair that topped it, working out any knots and tangles that might have cropped up after several days out of the palace. Cackling in a less-than-ladylike fashion, she continued. “Watching him swell up like a toad was one of the best things I’ve seen this year, and I pray to Ra that it happens again!”

“Bakara…” Shai sighed at her Shadow, shaking her head, but the last member of their group interjected herself into the conversation with her usual cheer.

“I have a better idea! Let’s talk about how friendly our Bakara was with a certain Khetani prince. Eh, eh?” Mana chortled, quite literally bouncing in place, her breasts bobbing enough in the water to create small waves and ripples across the surface of the bathwater.

That caught the attention, and the interest, of the other three, and every eye turned to the now faintly-scowling and…

“Bakara, are you blushing?” It was Isis who asked the question, her shock apparent, and at Shai’s closer inspection, she saw that her Guardian was entirely correct: her Shadow, the hard-bitten, crude, ruthless Thief Queen of Kul Elna, Bearer of the Millennium Eye, was blushing.

“Ah, shaddup! It’s not what you think, I don’t think he’s handsome or nothin’, he just fights good. Got a good sense of humor for a palace boy, too.” Bakara growled in response, turning her face away from the rapt attention she was receiving. Combined with the blush and her reversion to less refined grammar and speech patterns (a clear sign she was embarrassed), it was painfully obvious that there was quite a bit more to the situation. And that Bakara was lying. Still, one thing was more prominent a subject than teasing their lover about finally finding a man she seemed willing to do more than begrudgingly tolerate, and Shai frowned.

“What do you mean, he fight’s well?” she asked, her eyes narrowing at her lover. “Bakara, did you try to run one of my suitors off by attacking him at the border, or something of the sort? I know how you feel about northerners…”

“Oi! What do you take me for?!” Bakara barked in protest, head snapping around to give her a look that could only be described as affronted, her own eyes narrowing.

“Now, now, calm down.” Isis said soothingly, moving to start combing Bakara’s hair, the now-pouting (though she would, of course, insist that she was ‘scowling fiercely’) former commoner leaning back against the priestess’ impressive chest and folding her arms beneath her own more moderate bust. “Our Queen is simply surprised, and has doubtlessly forgotten Prince Hasamelli’s reference to ‘inhospitable and disreputable wanderers’ in the desert. I assume his party was beset by bandits, and you happened upon it?”

“Something like that, or so he says. I have my doubts.” Bakara responded begrudgingly, even as she allowed herself to be pampered a bit, something she had quickly learned to love after becoming part of Shai’s household. After all, it was nothing like her simple childhood in Kul Elna, or the harsh life she had been forced to live between its destruction and when she had met Shai.

"Oh? Do tell," Ankhesenamun queried, her interest thoroughly piqued. She shifted in the water, moving closer to Bakara and Isis. "What exactly transpired between you and our esteemed guest from Hatti?"

Bakara scowled, but there was no real heat behind it. She knew her Queen well enough to recognize when her curiosity wouldn't be denied. "Fine," she huffed. "I was out scouting the northern approach to the city border, keeping an eye on the trade routes with some of the regular army. Came across his caravan getting attack by some desert raiders."

"And naturally, you couldn't resist jumping into the fray," Neferure remarked dryly, though there was a fond smile playing at her lips.

"Course not," Bakara grinned, a flash of her old, feral self showing through. "Killing bandits is kind of my whole thing, you know.” Then she sobered and shook her head. “The only thing is, I don’t think they were actually raiders. Or at least, not all of them. Raiders usually break and run quickly enough, you know? Especially when they’re fighting two professional soldiers on two fronts. But when my troops and I hit them from behind, a group of them went straight for Hasamelli and that Yuri girl. They didn’t even try to escape or surrender, just threw all caution and sense completely to the wind in an effort to kill those two. The thing is? I’m pretty sure those raiders in particular were Khetani.”

Ankhesenamun's eyes narrowed, her expression growing serious. "Khetani? Are you certain?"

Bakara nodded, her own face grim. "As certain as I can be without having their parents tell me to my face that they are. Their fighting style, their weapons – it all pointed to deliberate training. Not common soldiers either, but something more... specialized."

"Assassins," Isis murmured, her hands stilling in Bakara's hair for a moment, before resumming more slowly. "Sent to ensure the prince never reached our court."

"But why?" Mana asked, her usual cheer dampened by the gravity of the situation. "I thought the Hittites wanted this alliance. Why would they try to kill their own prince?"

Neferure's brow furrowed in thought. "Perhaps not all of them do. There could be factions within the Hittite court that oppose a potential union, for any number of reasons. It could even be nothing more than an expression of internal strife, something that has nothing to with his proposal at all.”

"But why send assassins disguised as raiders? Why not just have an 'accident' occur during the journey?" Mana pressed, bewildered, and not for the first time her family-by-choice was reminded of the fact that, for all she was Shai’s childhood playmate, a powerful Mage, and an Item Bearer, she had been born a commoner, and one without the cut-throat experience Bakara had been forced to gain in order to survive. She had come a long way since those ignorant days of peasantry, but in some ways she was still lacking.

"Because they wanted it to look like an attack by our people." Isis said softly, her comb still running through Bakara's hair. "If the prince had died at the hands of 'Kemeti raiders', it would have given the war hawks in Hatti all the excuse they needed to push for conflict."

“That is a good explanation, and there is a note of truth to it, but it seems…wrong, for that to be the whole explanation. It’s certainly possible, but I think there is more to it. It’s not been so long since the Khetani experienced the full power of the Items and our ka that they will have forgotten, and I doubt even the most ravenous of their war-hawks will imagine a fresh army will offer a different result.” Neferure said slowly, reluctantly, shifting into a sitting position herself, a flash of her own sex having Shai biting her bottom lip briefly despite the seriousness of the situation. “You said that they were specifically targeting that Yuri girl as well?”

“Yes. They fought her handmaidens as well, but it was pretty obvious to me that they were trying to kill Yuri Ishtar and Prince Hasamelli. The handmaidens were just in the way. Dangerous too, by the way. Those three girls could probably kill half of the Palace Guard by themselves, and Yuri isn’t bad with a blade either.” Bakara confirmed, and the room frowned as they considered that.

“Prince Hasamelli did say that Yuri’s future husband, Kail Mursili, was his ‘most beloved brother’, and it was obviously not an exaggeration if he was willing to send his future wife and her handmaidens to accompany him here, to help him make his proposal to you, Shai.” Neferure was clearly following the thread of her thoughts quite firmly, eyes flicking back and forth sightlessly as she thought. “If Hasamelli and his brother are as close as they seem, and if his claims about Yuri are accurate, then it’s possible that this attack has everything to do with Kail Mursili.”

The room was silent for a long, long moment as they all digested that. For most of them, the political calculus of dynastic squabbles were something that they had learned quite literally from the cradle, and even Bakara and Mana were plenty familiar with power plays and the viciousness with which they could be carried out.

“With his favorite brother and his future wife dead at the hands of his nation’s traditional enemies, his powerbase would be significantly weakened, and he would not be difficult to prod into a rash response. And we all know how cruel and capricious fate can be on the battlefield, even for princes…” Shai mused, twirling several strands of water-slicked hair around her finger and tugging on the resulting twist thoughtfully. “Someone in the Hittite royal family or court is trying to weaken him, even kill him. This is a dynastic issue of Hattusa.”

“And, while I’m sure whomever it is likely questions the probability of a Kemeti Pharaoh marrying a Khetani prince, if they are rivals of Kail Mursili and attempting to undermine him in his father’s court, even kill him, than allowing his closest and most loyal brother to be Pharaoh of Kemet would be a death knell. How far would an overt move to remove Mursili get if a single plea for help could bring the might of our nation down upon the plotters?” Isis pointed out, and murmurs of surprise and consideration flowed around the room. None of them had considered that angle of things, but it certainly made sense, and the complexity of the situation…

“This is a serious problem, then, and one which we are now involved in.” Shai sighed, rising from the water with a faint moue of disappointment as she realized her day was not yet over. “I will have Hasamelli summoned to the private gardens. He and I will speak on this. I’m not interested in my guards or my servants constantly having to fend off assassination attempts on one of my guests, while I remain ignorant of the reasons for those attempts.”

“Somehow I’m not surprised you’re not just sending him home. Fine, let’s see what he has to say.” Neferure drawled dryly, rising to her feet as well and gesturing for the others to do the same, and Shai blinked at her cousin in surprise. Arching an eyebrow back at her, the Rod-Bearer scoffed. “If you imagine I, we, will not be present for such a meeting, you are quite mistaken. We need to know as much as you do, more in fact given our responsibilities. As for you not sending him home, how could you? You’re intrigued by him, I can tell.”

Shai opened her mouth, blushing faintly, to protest, but a flapping wave of Neferure’s hand silenced her words before they could be spoken.

“I’m not angry about it. I admit to some curiosity as well. He and the Assyrian are the only members of the lot that hold any real value, and I was…pleasantly surprised by the fact that he so carefully tailored one of his gifts to your interests.” she reassured her cousin and Queen, smirking slightly at the look on Shai’s face and her subconscious nod of agreement. “Clever of him though it might have been, it still shows an understanding and respect for who you are as a person, not a Queen, and that I consider a good omen of his nature.”

A small smile played on Shai's lips. "You're right, as always, Neferure. His gift of that ‘chess set’ was... unexpectedly thoughtful. And enticing, I will not lie. It is, as you say, clever way to ensure he and I spend time together, and that I enjoy it when we do." She paused, her expression growing more serious. "But this situation with the assassins complicates matters considerably. We need to tread carefully."

"I have to agree." Isis said, rising from the pool and reaching for a nearby linen cloth to dry herself. "If there are indeed factions within the Hittite court working against Prince Kail Mursili, factions willing to frame us and start a war in pursuit of their goal, we must be cautious not to inadvertently embroil ourselves in their internal conflicts."

Bakara snorted, following suit and wrapping a cloth around her waist. "Too late for that, I'd say. The moment I stepped in to save the prince's life, we became involved. We’ll be involved again, I have no doubt, when Yuri and her handmaidens attempt the return journey."

"True, but…are Yuri and her servants not remaining until Hasamelli has either succeeded or failed?” Mana asked curiously, and Bakara shrugged, the gesture sending her breasts swaying slightly.

“Hasamelli seemed to think not. He teased Yuri relentlessly about how she and his brother would be pining for one another the entire time she was gone and how he could never consider himself a loving brother to them both if he extended their separation. Of course, if he comes to learn that it was in fact an attempted assassination, he might be less keen to send her into danger once again.” she explained, which was entirely reasonable to all five of the young women.

Ankhesenamun nodded thoughtfully, her fingers absently tracing the edge of her Millennium Pendant as she picked it up, before slipping it over her head and settling it between her breasts. "Then we must prepare for both eventualities. Bakara, I want you to discreetly increase security around the Hittite delegation, especially Yuri and her handmaidens, and I want every ear under your command listening for northern visitors that might have ill intentions. Isis, see if your Necklace can offer any insights into potential future threats."

"Of course, my Queen." Isis murmured, her hand instinctively reaching for the Millennium Necklace that wasn't currently adorning her throat, and she quickly made her way towards where it was resting atop her own clothes.

"Neferure," Ankhesenamun continued, turning to her cousin, "I'd like you to use your connections to gather any information you can about the current political climate in Hatti. Anything that might shed light on who could be behind this plot. Ask even my other,” she grimaced faintly. “Suitors, if you must. They might know something useful."

Neferure inclined her head in acknowledgement, though she frowned faintly. “We must be careful in how we approach this. We don't want to appear accusatory or give the impression that we're meddling in Hittite affairs."

“No, but if Hittite assassins are trying to kill him and his future sister-by-marriage and frame us for the deed, we have every right in the world to ask about it, and I don’t think he will begrudge us that. If he does, then so far as I am concerned he isn’t a worthy suitor, regardless of his gifts, and he can solve his own dynastic problems once I send him home.” Shai responded bluntly, and smiles of varying size and willingness quirked the lips of her lovers, several heads shaking, as they finished dressing.

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Dying had been a surprise.

Literally.

The primary, lingering emotion I had felt when I awakened into my new life had been surprise and incredulity. Whatever had killed me, however I had died, it had been nothing less than an utter, bewildering, unexpected event.

Waking up in Hattusa, capital of the Hittite Empire, around three thousand years before I had been born the first time was also a surprise, but (as insane as it sounded for a technologically obsessed, nerdy child of the modern age such as myself to say) also a welcome one. I had always adored this time period and the Hittite empire itself, almost as much as I liked Egypt, Rome, and Byzantium.

How convenient for me that I now lived at a time where two of the four (three of the five, if counting the time period) were present and in close proximity to one another. It was even more convenient that thsi new life of mine seemed to be a combination of two of my favorite alternate history manga in existence: Red River and Yu-Gi-Oh. Even more conveniently, I had been reborn as the man who, without my arrival, would have been named Zannanza. A prince, well-regarded, handsome, wealthy, and influential, of the Hittite Royal Family. Even better, while my brother Kail was still a powerful sorcerer of winds and storms, I possessed a supernatural talent for crafting items, a talent that no other version of Zannanza had ever possessed. I might not be able to summon lightning bolts by my will alone, but I was not without talents and powers of my own.

And now, through the twists and turns of my new life, I found myself in Egypt, vying with nearly thirty others for the hand of Atem. Or, I suppose I should say, Ankhesenamun. It was…unfortunate that, unlike the real Zannanza and the Zannanza of Red River both, Ankhesenamun hadn’t specifically written my father and asked to marry one of his sons, but I wasn’t particularly afraid of some competition, nor was I surprised that an Ankhesenamun from a world such as this would not meekly beg her nation’s most prominent enemies for a husband.

Fortunately, she seemed to like me. In fact, even now I was making my way to her private gardens to meet with her, and though I was trying to temper my expectations, I couldn’t help but hope that I had made an even greater impression upon her than I had dreamed. After all, she was just as beautiful as I could have imagined, and I was just as intent on sparing her and Egypt the suffering ahead of them as I was sparing the Hittites, Kail, and Yuri their own. The fact that Bakura, or rather Bakara, was already closely aligned with the Pharaoh was potentially a good sign, but I wasn’t naive enough to believe that it meant Zorc would never pose a threat. In fact, it meant that either something horrible might happen to turn Bakara against her found-family, or there was an all-new threat that would act on Zorc’s behalf…and that meant I couldn’t predict it.

As I approached the entrance to the gardens and my escorting guards peeled away, I took a moment to breathe and settle myself internally before crossing the threshold. The gardens were beautiful, of course, lush, green, and fertile, and the air was thick with the scent of the many flowers or scented torches that filled the space. Moonlight filtered through the palm fronds, casting dappled shadows that danced and rippled in the light breeze, and I could hear the soft burbling of fountains and artificial streams in the midst of the greenery around me. They were, in short, everything and more that I would have expected from the private gardens of a Pharaoh. And speaking of the Pharaoh, I could see her ahead of me, silhouetted by the torchlight, and my breath caught. She was beautiful, more beautiful than she had been in all her royal finery when I had first seen her earlier today, and I tried not to be too encouraged by the fact that she was meeting me in less ornate (though, of course, still richly made) garments.

Then my stride stuttered briefly, for as I got within a few feet of her, as she turned towards the sound of my approach, I could see that four of her Guardians were present. Isis, Neferure (and wasn’t seeing the future Seto Kaiba as a devastatingly beautiful woman a shock, even more than seeing Bakura as one!), Bakara, and Mana were all present, all armed with their Millennium Items, and all watching me carefully.

“Prince Hasamelli, I am glad that you could join me.” Ankhesenamun greeted me softly, inclining her head slightly in polite greeting as I came to a stop a few feet from her side, and I couldn’t help the way my lips curled up at the corners at how sweet her voice was. Soft and clear, like a bell, and as I bowed I found myself bizarrely glad of that fact.

“Your Majesty, I wouldn’t imagine refusing for even a moment.” I responded, rising from my bow, and she eyed me for a long moment before gesturing for me to join her. Elated, and hoping it didn’t show too strongly on my face, I stepped up to join her. Unfortunately, it seemed my facial control was imperfect, because a ghost of a smirk flickered across her lips.

“Do not imagine that you have been called here so that I might declare my undying love for you, Highness. You may have made a good impression at the audience earlier, but an impression is all it was. I am not so easily swept off of my feet.” she chided gently, and I coughed, blushing, as muffled giggles came from Mana’s direction, and soft snickers from Bakara’s.

“I did not expect it to be so, though of course I couldn’t help but dream of making such an overwhelming impression.” I returned candidly, shaking my head and smiling gamely, honestly pleased that she seemed at ease enough to even say such a thing to me. Or rather, to say it in the way that she did. “Rather, I am pleased to have made such a good impression as I have, and pleased to share your company, however briefly and whatever reason you’ve decided to do so.”

“Oh? For whatever reason, you say? Even if it is a serious matter?” she asked, arching an eyebrow as we started to walk down the exquisitely crafted stone path, and I nodded in confirmation.

“If you’ll forgive my honesty, O Queen, I came here to marry you. I am hardly foolish enough, or out of touch with reality enough, to believe that serious matters would never arise in any time we might spend together. Nor am I naive enough not to be aware of the fact that my proposal of suit hasn’t caused an uproar amongst your Council and your people.” I remarked, clasping my hands behind my back and admiring the life around me, even if what I would much rather do was stare at the utter goddess that I was walking beside. “In fact, I expect at least one or two of your other suitors to try and dispense with me, either through causing a scandal or through more…aggressive and permanent means.”

“You believe that my hospitality will be so easily breached?” she asked, her tone holding an edge of danger, of warning, and while I acknowledged that warning, I wasn’t going to yield so easily. For one, she would never respect me if I did, and for another…well, for another, let’s just say Lust and Wrath weren’t the only Seven Deadly Sins with whom I shared intimate familiarity.

“I believe that I am the least popular of your suitors, amongst our number and your people both, and that men ensorcelled by greed or by hate are not prone to thinking about the consequences of their actions before they take them.” I responded calmly, before shrugging and allowing myself a wry smile, glancing over at her. “And, if you will forgive me again for my bluntness, anyone stupid enough or desperate enough to make such an attempt, is either too stupid and arrogant to believe they could be caught, or too desperate to care. It is the second that concerns me more. There is nothing more terrifying, after all, than a man or woman who feels that they have nothing left to lose and nothing left to live for.”

Ankhesenamun's eyes narrowed slightly at my words, but I could see a glimmer of respect in their depths, though whether it was for my candor or for the words themselves, I wasn’t sure. "You speak boldly, Prince Hasamelli. And with more insight than I might have expected." She paused, studying me intently. "Tell me, then, what do you make of the attack on your caravan in the desert?"

I felt a flicker of surprise at her directness, but quickly composed myself. "Ah, so you've heard about that incident. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, given that someone so close in your council was present for the event." I glanced briefly at Bakara, who met my gaze with a challenging smirk. "To answer your question, Your Majesty, it was painfully obvious that it wasn’t a simple, if bold, bandit attack on an opportune target."

"Oh?" Ankhesenamun's tone was carefully neutral, as was her expression. "And what leads you to that conclusion?"

“The attackers were too well-trained, too focused on specific targets. Namely, myself and dear Yuri." I explained, shrugging again, hoping that none of the concerns that I felt were showing themselves. It had been one thing to know it was coming, and another thing entirely to confront the event in question. Things had been…fraught, before -and even after- Bakara and her troops had gotten involved. “I assume that your lovely Guardian informed you of the details of the attack from the time she arrived until it was over?” She nodded, and I nodded somewhat bitterly, wrinkling my nose slightly. “Well, to add information she does not possess, the attack also involved a betrayal on the part of some number of the soldiers that were escorting me. Were it not for some vigilance on my part, and far more on the part of Yuri and the three sisters, Bakara might not have arrived in time.”

Ankhesenamun's eyes widened slightly at this revelation, her gaze sharpening. "A betrayal from within your own escort? That is... concerning. Can you tell me more about these traitors?"

I nodded grimly. "They were part of the contingent assigned to me by my father's advisors. I had my suspicions about some of them from the start -they seemed a bit too eager to volunteer for this mission, and even a task as honorable as this couldn’t explain all of that eagerness- , but I confess it was still something of an unwelcome surprise when it happened. During the attack, they turned on us, specifically targeting myself and Yuri."

"And you believe this was orchestrated by someone within the Hittite court?" Neferure interjected, and I glanced back at her to find her eyes were watching me sharply. Looking for a lie, I wondered, or for something else?

"I do, yes." I confirmed, well aware that it was, and who had arranged it as well, for that matter. My step-mother was not a pleasant human being, after all. Understandably, perhaps, but still. "The level of coordination, the inside knowledge of our route and defenses, not to mention so many of our own soldiers turning traitor - it all points to a plot masterminded by someone at a very high rank and carrying significant influence. Someone who wants to prevent this potential alliance, and who holds a deliberate and particular dislike for myself and my brother, Kail. Someone of significant rank and influence, with the ability to not only facilitate such treachery, but possesses both the wealth and the power to entice oathsworn soldiers into treachery and prince-slaying.”

Ankhesenamun's expression grew grave as she absorbed my words. "This is indeed troubling news, Prince Hasamelli. It seems the stakes of your visit are higher than we initially believed." She paused, her gaze flickering briefly to her Guardians before returning to me. "Tell me, do you have any suspicions as to who might be behind this plot? You certainly sound as though you do."

I hesitated, weighing my words carefully. Nefertiti might be dead in this world, and an alliance between her and Nakia was impossible, but that didn’t mean word couldn’t filter back to Hattusa if I made accusations. Secrets could only be kept, after all, if everyone who knew them were dead. And even then, there was always a chance that they would get revealed anyway. "I have... theories, Your Majesty. Suppositions and logical conclusions. But I'm reluctant to voice them. Accusations of this magnitude could have far-reaching consequences, especially given the delicate state of relations between our kingdoms."

"A diplomatic answer," Isis observed dryly. "But perhaps not entirely helpful in this situation."

“I am aware, I assure you, just as I am aware that I doubt this will be the last attempt. The person behind this has already tried to start a war between our nations, so they’re clearly willing to take extreme chances in pursuit of their goals and, as I just observed, there are at least twenty-odd people living in the very same palace as I am that could prove quite willing to enter a temporary alliance to dispose of me.” I snorted softly in rather unamused amusement, before flashing them all a smile. “Of course, if any of you fear that what has happened or what might happen will scare me away, allow me to dispel such fears promptly and directly. The only thing that will cause me to abandon my efforts to earn your heart and your hand, O Pharoah, will be you unequivocally, and with obvious, genuine, personally held hatred, telling me to leave and never return.”

“Hmm…” she hummed softly, and I was pleased to see that there was a faint tint of color to her cheeks in response. “We will see, Prince Hasamelli.” she shook her head and gave me a smile. “Thank you for speaking with me. Mana will show you back to the entrance, where you will find your escort back to your room. We will speak again in the future.”

“I am happy to speak with you at any time, Majesty, and look forward to that chance whole-heartedly.” I accepted the politely worded dismissal good-naturedly, bowing respectfully, and she inclined her head again before continuing off down the path, Neferure and Bakara at her heels, leaving Mana at my side. Together, we watched them walk away until they were out of view, and as they turned the final corner and slipped away, I sighed and shook my head before turning my attention to my companion. “Well now, Lady Mana, shall we make our way out? I confess, between the battle, the audience, and this, it’s been something of a day.”

She laughed, bright and clear, and nodded her head as she spun on her heel to start back the way that we had come, humming softly to herself. She was certainly a cheerful girl, and just as beautiful as expected (she, was, after all, the basis for the most popular source of fanart in the entire franchise), even if she didn’t seem inclined to make small talk at the moment. Whether it was due to her not knowing me, due to my nationality, due to instructions from Ankhesenamun, or even simply because the time we would be together would be so brief -I could see the torches at the entrance already-, but I found myself not minding regardless of the reason. She was good company all the same.

“Guards, please escort Prince Hasamelli, honored guest of our Pharaoh, to his rooms.” she instructed, coming to a stop and addressing the two waiting men, before smiling warmly at me. “Sleep well, Your Highness, and thank you for your honesty with my Queen. You’ve certainly made an impression.”

“Sleep well, Lady Mana, and thank you for your own with me.” I responded with another bow, and just like that my first night as a potential husband for the Queen of Egypt came to an end.