Shall We Play A Game? Chapter Five

Shall We Play A Game?

Chapter Five

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 Ankhesenamun glided through the palace corridors like she was floating on a cloud, her steps light and her heart even lighter, her sandals whispering across the polished limestone floors. The cool evening air whispered through the open colonnades, carrying with it all the rich, sweet scents of her palace that rode on the night-time breeze, which only broadened the smile that seemed permanently etched on her lips. It was a fortunate thing that she could make her way through her home on nothing but instinct, because her mind was in now shape to guide her steps, dancing as it was with memories of the day she had just finished. A magnificent day, spent in Prince Hasamelli's company.

Nodding absently to the guards outside her suite, she slipped through the door and threw herself on her bed with a sigh, uncaring of the potential for what it might do to her dress or hair or makeup, giggling softly to herself as she rolled back and forth before flopping onto her back and grinning at the ceiling.

“Oh my, Hasamelli must have made quite the impression upon you for you to act like this.” Isis’ voice drifted across her ears, the Shadows humming as she, Mana, Neferure, and Bakara approached from whatever corners of her rooms they had been waiting in, and Shai couldn’t help but giggle again, covering her eyes with an arm, finding the wine-red eyes of her Prince in the darkness there.

“I’ve never seen her like this. She’s acting like Mana. It’s weird.” Bakara mumbled in agreement, sounding mildly discomfited, but Shai didn’t care. Nothing could bring her mood down right now, and as soon as she told them, they would understand why.

“Tell us everything, meryt.” Her Neffy commanded, as if reading her mind, the bed shifting as four more bodies settled onto it, and Shai immediately launched into her explanation. 

The first thing he had done was formally introduce her to his future sister-by-marriage and their handmaidens, in the hopes that they could grow more familiar and, perhaps, even friendly with one another. This, they all acknowledged, was as much a cunning ploy as it was a genuine hope for a blossoming friendship. After all, the more time Shai and her lovers spent with Yuri Ishtar and her handmaidens, the more information Hasamelli might gain, and the more influence the Hittite girls might have on Shai’s opinion of their fellow Hattusan. That being said, his obvious care and affection for the Hittite girls was as good to see as it was obvious, and the Kemeti group would be able to gain just as much information on, and insight into, Hasamelli as he would into them.

The second thing he had done, however, had been utterly outside of any of their expectations.

“He…took you to a potters?” Mana blinked, voicing the bafflement that they all felt, and despite how much she had enjoyed her day, Shai couldn’t help but nod wryly, remembering how she had felt when they had arrived at the kilnshop. “A potters’ shop, during his day to prove to you that he should be your husband and king? What did you do, watch them make bowls for an hour?”

“I was surprised as well, but no. We took lessons on crafting together, in fact.”

Neferure's eyebrows rose in skeptical surprise. "Lessons in pottery? That's... unexpected for a royal outing."

Shai nodded, her earlier enthusiasm returning with a vengeance, her eyes sparkling as she looked around at them all. "Oh, I know it sounds strange, but it was actually quite enjoyable! Hasamelli said he wanted us to create something together, with our own hands. He spoke of how a strong partnership, like a well-crafted vessel, requires patience, skill, and a willingness to learn from mistakes." She shook her head with a soft laugh. “And, when I spun my wheel too fast and splattered both of us! Oh, you should have seen the look on everyone’s faces, but all Hasamelli had to say about it was that it was sometimes messy as well! They were so scandalized!”

Mana giggled at the mental image, while Isis looked thoughtful. "A clever metaphor for marriage and rulership," she mused. "And he was sharing a part of himself with you at the same time. I assume he did a very good job with his own attempt?” Shai nodded, and Isis hummed in satisfaction. “I thought as much. He’s dedicated to the Hittite god of craftsmanship, after all. In giving you the chess set, he gave you something that you loved, and in taking you to the potters he showed you something he loved while making a subtle point at the same time. Impressive…”

Shai nodded again, more rapidly this time. "Yes, exactly! And it wasn't just about the pottery itself. As we worked, he spoke of how each kingdom has its own unique strengths and traditions, just like different types of clay. He said that by blending our skills and knowledge, we could create something even more beautiful and enduring than either of us could alone."

Neferure's brow furrowed slightly, her sharp mind working through the implications, considering it carefully the way her uncle had raised her to. "Yet another analogy for a potential alliance between Kemet and the Hittite Empire. He's quite the diplomat, isn't he? An artist with his words, and fond of double-meanings."

"Oh, he is," Shai sighed, sounding almost -and her Guardians could scarcely believe it- dreamy. "But it never felt like mere politics. There was such genuine warmth and curiosity in his eyes as we talked. He asked about our customs, our beliefs, even our favorite foods! And he listened, truly listened, to everything I said."

This was quite remarkable to the other four girls. For all that Shai was a loving girl, for all that she relaxed and ‘let her hair down’ around them in private, she had never much played the part of the swooning maiden, and it had started to look like something entirely outside of her nature. Yet here she was, sounding every inch like the stereotypical smitten maiden, over a man she had known less than two weeks. It seemed absurd to believe in ‘love at first sight’, a thing of fairy tales even for the commoners that could marry freely, never mind someone of their various exalted ranks, but it was the only explanation that seemed to suit. The fact remained, however, that no matter how smitten she was with Hasamelli, there were other suitors and many potential pitfalls to contend with.

Bakara, ever practical and ever suspicious, voiced the concern that was on all their minds. "Shai, while I'm thrilled to see you so happy, and fully admitting that I have some fondness for him as well, we must remember that Hasamelli is not the only suitor vying for your hand. What of the others? And how can we be certain his intentions are as pure as they seem?"

Shai's radiant smile dimmed slightly, but she nodded, acknowledging the wisdom in Bakara's words. "You're right, of course. I haven't forgotten the others, nor the delicate political situation we find ourselves in. But..." She paused, searching for the right words to carry her meaning. "There's something different about Hasamelli. He seems to truly care about understanding me, understanding Kemet, and being understood in turn. It's not just about power or alliances for him."

Neferure leaned forward, her eyes -so much like Shai’s own- intense. "Perhaps. But we must remain vigilant. To that end, we need to discuss what information we have been able to gather over the last week, in regards to your commands after Bakara and Hasamelli detailed the attempted assassination. Bakara?”

“I’ve had the servants working in the wing where the other Hittites are staying followed and carefully vetted. At least three of them are working for members of the Council, your uncle included, but I doubt that’s a surprise to any of us, and they don’t seem to be doing anything but passively spying on them in the course of their duties.” the silver-haired girl said promptly, getting quiet scoffs of agreement from her audience. Servants being paid for information by one person of power or another was practically a cultural imperative the world over, and it wasn’t as if they didn’t have their own agents who did the same damn thing for them. “I’ve put a couple more of my best knives into their rotation, and I’ve made sure that their balconies and terraces are carefully watched by my own people, just in case the Medjai turns out to be less-than-incorruptible.”

All three of her nobly-raised lovers balked at that, instinctively rejecting the very idea that the most elite paramilitary force in their empire, people whose oaths had proven time and again to hold until death regardless of the odds against them, could possibly betray the Pharaoh they had sworn before the gods themselves to protect. Yet that instinctive rejection had an edge of acceptance to it as well, paradoxically, for as impossible as it seemed, no organization was incorruptible. And betrayal was so named not because it came from strangers, but those that were loved and trusted.

“Your thoroughness is appreciated.” Shai finally said, reluctant to speak but genuine in her words, and she looked at Isis. “Has the Necklace shown you anything of use?”

“Little of use. The Necklace demands a foundation of knowledge for me to work from if I wish to see anything beyond vague flashes and impressions. There is danger ahead, for all of us, but I cannot see when, or how, or from whom the danger comes. I will continue to refine my visions as I can, but I need more.” the eldest of them admitted, sounding frustrated with her failure to add anything new or valuable to their intelligence. After all, the fact that there was danger in their futures was hardly news!

“As for me, I have gathered what information I can from our diplomats, soldiers familiar with the borderlands, and the other suitors. Most of them lacked anything useful to add, far more interested in attempting to cast aspersions on Prince Hasamelli, but I can now say with confidence that it is a widely accepted fact that Kail Mursili is a very strong contender for Kingship after Šuppiluliuma dies. His older brother, Arnuwanda, is the acknowledged heir apparent, but he doesn’t measure up to his younger brother. The most complimentary thing I have heard said of the man is that he is ‘perfectly competent’.”

“Talk about damning someone with faint praise.” Mana muttered, wincing slightly on the distant Khetani man’s behalf. “So, he would make a good king, but Mursili would be a better one? Could Arnuwanda be behind the assassination attempt, then?”

“I doubt it, they’re said to be fairly close, though not as close as Hasamelli and Mursili are.” Neferure shrugged slightly, sounding a bit put out at how little information she possessed, and therefore how much speculation that she had to make. “They’ve fought together in previous conflicts, and often rely on one another in matters of court. Not to mention the fact that Arnuwanda has proven repeatedly childless. So, I suppose it’s possible, but I don’t consider it terribly likely. Frankly, my suggestion would be that Mana ingratiate herself with Yuri Ishtar and her handmaidens. She lacks an assignment at the moment in regards to this matter, and she is also the most personable of us all. As Mursili’s future wife, and those who are her closest companions, they are the most intimately familiar people with the Hittite court in this entire kingdom, save Hasamelli himself.”

Shai nodded thoughtfully, considering Neferure's suggestion. "That's an excellent idea, Neffy. Mana, do you think you can manage that?"

Mana's eyes lit up with excitement, pleased to have a job to do. With Shai busy letting herself get courted and -until now- lacking an assignment on the ‘Hittite issue’, she was mostly at odd ends during the day. Her responsibilities, after all, were few outside of Guardianship, unlike Neferure or Isis, or even Bakara. "Oh, absolutely! I'd love to get to know them better, especially Yuri. She seems so sweet, and she’s definitely exotic. I don’t even think she is Khetani! And who knows? Maybe we'll end up being friends for real, not just for political reasons."

"Just be careful." Bakara warned, shaking her head at her fellow once-commoner’s enthusiasm. "Remember, they have their own agendas and loyalties, and not even to Hasamelli at that. Don't let your guard down completely, because I have no doubt that they’re just as wary and interested in learning about us as we are about them."

"I know, I know," Mana said with a pout and a dismissive wave of her hand. "I can be friendly without spilling all our secrets, Bakara! Give me some credit! I'll make the arrangements first thing in the morning."

Shai couldn't help but smile at her friends' banter and prompt willingness to help. It was comforting to know that even as the political landscape shifted around them, some things remained constant. It gave her a rock to hold onto, a point of stability, an oasis in the desert, if she was feeling particularly poetic.

“At any rate, and all of that aside, after the pottery class, we had the mid-day meal together. Then we spent most of the afternoon reviewing the less sensitive Court duties and pleadings from the people. He gave me good advice on many of them. I can certainly say that he has a different perspective, a different way of looking things, from we four. Different from most people I have ever known, actually. And before you ask, I’m not sure how to put it into words. He just…sees things differently, frames them differently. It was…something.” she returned the conversation to it’s original subject, determined not to ruin her good mood. “After that, a moonlight walk through the gardens, just the two of us, talking about…well, anything, really. Favorite colors, favorite hobbies, best childhood memory. Nothing that could remotely be considered important for people of our rank and in our current position, but it felt meaningful.”

The other four exchanged speaking glances again, before Isis, Bakara, and Mana all looked at Neferure together. Sighing softly, the Pharaoh's cousin gently took Shai’s hands in her own and met her eyes.

“Shai, be honest with us. Are you going to pick Hasamelli?”

Shai's smile faded slightly as she met Neferure's gaze. She was silent for a long moment, weighing her words carefully.

"I... I don't know." she finally admitted, her voice soft. "My heart tells me yes, without hesitation. That he's everything I could hope for in a husband and partner. But my mind reminds me of the complexities we face, of the other suitors and alliances to consider, and I won’t let myself ignore that…though it’s proving far more difficult than I could have ever imagined it would."

She sighed, squeezing Neferure's hands. "I feel drawn to him in a way I've never experienced before, and I care for him nearly as much as I care for each of you. It's as if we've known each other for years, not mere days, as little sense as that makes. But I'm also acutely aware of my responsibilities to Kemet. I can't let my personal feelings cloud my judgment when the fate of our kingdom hangs in the balance."

Isis leaned forward, her expression thoughtful. "Perhaps it's not a matter of choosing between your heart and your duty, this time. Perhaps you can satisfy both, for once in your life. What if Hasamelli truly is the best choice for Kemet as well as the best choice for you? His diplomatic skills, his genuine interest in our culture, and the potential alliance with the Hittites could bring great benefits to our kingdom. If Neferure’s information about Mursili’s position is correct, that alliance could be nothing less than ironclad, and while Enlil-Nirari’s offer is a good one, Hasamelli isn’t a crown prince like he is. That makes it far less likely that Kemet will simply become absorbed by, or merged with, his homeland."

Bakara nodded reluctantly, folding her arms beneath her breasts with a faint scowl -and a light blush. "I hate to admit it, you know how I feel about those northern bastards, but he’s a good enough sort and Isis has a point. A strong alliance with the Hittites could provide us with much-needed stability and prevent another war from breaking out."

Shai's eyes lit up with hope, looking around at them all. "Do you really think so? I've been trying to convince myself that my feelings for him aren't clouding my judgment, but hearing you say it..."

Mana grinned and threw an arm around Shai's shoulders. "We wouldn't say it if we didn't mean it, Shai. And let's be honest, you've been practically glowing since you met him. I've never seen you like this before, it's absolutely adorable."

Neferure nodded firmly in confirmation, her own expression softening, and she pressed a gentle kiss to the palm of Shai’s right hand. "It's true. Your happiness is important to us, Shai. And if Hasamelli can bring you joy while also benefiting Kemet, then perhaps he truly is the best choice."

Shai felt a weight lift from her shoulders, one she hadn't even realized she'd been carrying. Or, perhaps more accurately, one that she had desperately been trying to ignore due to the implications and the fears that it was composed of. "Thank you, all of you. Your support means everything to me."

"Just promise us one thing," Bakara said, her voice uncharacteristically gentle and soft. "Don't rush into anything. Take the time to be certain, both of your feelings and of the political implications. And remember the promise we all made to one another. It’s not just you that is involved, here. If you were to marry, you would find a man who wouldn’t come between us, one that would treat all of us well. Do you believe Hasamelli can be that man?”

Shai's eyes softened as she looked at each of her beloved guardians in turn. "I promise, Bakara. I won't rush into anything without careful consideration. And as for our promise..." She paused, a small smile playing on her lips. "I believe Hasamelli could be that man. In fact, he's already shown signs of understanding and respecting our bond."

Mana leaned forward eagerly, sensing salacious gossip, and gossip that involved her family-by-choice at that. "Oh? Do tell!"

Shai's cheeks flushed slightly as she recalled the conversation. "During our walk in the gardens, he asked about the four of you. Not just your roles as my Guardians, but about our relationships. He was... surprisingly perceptive. He said he could see the deep connection between us, and that he admired the strength of our bond. He also assured me that, if we were what he called a ‘package deal’, he wouldn’t take the four of you for granted. ‘Wives in all but name’, he said. Promised, really."

Isis raised an eyebrow, curious and feeling somewhat gratified, having expected to be a concubine at best to any man her Pharoah picked. Someone to entertain him and bear him children, but nothing more than that. "And how did you respond?"

"I was honest with him." Shai replied, her cheeks flushing a deeper shade of pink. "I told him that you four are as much a part of me as my own limbs, that I couldn't imagine my life without you, and not just as my Guardians and closest friends or confidants. And I... I asked if he truly meant what he said about accepting all of us, because any future I would tolerate was one that would include the four of you. And his answer…"

"What? What did he say?" Mana prodded, practically bouncing with anticipation, eyes bright and ignoring the amused and exasperated looks she got from her lovers for her exuberance.

"He said that he understood, that love should never be limited or confined by anything but loyalty. That in his travels, he's seen many forms of family and partnership, and that what matters most is the strength of the bonds between people, not the shape those bonds take." Shai's eyes shone as she recounted his words. "He even joked that having four brilliant women to help guide Kemet could only make us -he and I- stronger as a we led our nation. Said that five wise women to one brash man was a good idea."

“Hmm. Implying that he has no issue with us being intimately involved in ruling and advising. If we combine that with his claim of treating us as ‘wives in all but name’, as you said his words were, then I have to admit that he seems to be a very attractive option.” Neferure remarked slowly, sounding interested, only to flush slightly as four sets of eyes swung towards her, more than one eyebrow arching. Defensively frowning around at them, she asked. “What?”

“You said he was a ‘very attractive’ option there, Neffy. Could it be that our aloof Rod-Bearer finds a certain foreign prince handsome~?” Mana drawled teasingly, giggling with an unrepentant grin at the withering look that the other girl turned on her in response.

Neferure's cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red as she tried to maintain her composure. "I was speaking purely from a political standpoint, of course. His willingness to include us in matters of state is appreciable. His... physical attributes and how I may or may not feel about them are utterly irrelevant to the discussion at hand.”

Mana's grin only widened. "Oh really? So you haven't noticed his striking eyes, his fiery hair? The way his robes accentuate his broad shoulders, the cleverness of his tongue?"

"Mana…" Neferure warned, her voice low but lacking its usual edge as her blush deepened somewhat.

Shai couldn't help but giggle, her earlier giddiness returning as she, for once, had the opportunity to indulge in one of the most ancient and instinctual traditions of humanity: talking about good-looking members of the opposite sex. "It's alright, Neffy. I think we can all admit that Hasamelli is quite handsome. There's no shame in acknowledging it."

Bakara snorted, a smirk playing on her lips. "I suppose even I can concede that point. For a northerner, and a noble at that, he isn’t bad looking. Certainly easier on the eyes than the rest of the fat fucks that have come to try and woo Shai away from us.”

Neferure’s only response was to growl at them in embarrassed aggravation. Fortunately for her, Isis was willing to take pity on her -this time, anyway- and intervene on her behalf. In a manner of speaking, at any rate.

"While I agree that Prince Hasamelli is indeed pleasing to look at, and have more than once witnessed our dear friend admiring him from a distance,” she said with a small smile, one that broadened at the Rod-Bearer’s squawk of outrage, “We should perhaps return to the matter at hand. Shai, I do not think you need to worry about this. You’re no stranger to flattery, and far from naive. That being said, we don’t need to worry about your judgement just yet. At the very least, you need to finish the month of encounters with your other suitors. Come the end of that month, without having spent excess time with Hasamelli, you will be able more accurately judge how you feel about him.”

Shai nodded, her expression growing more serious as she considered Isis' words. "You're right, of course. I need to give each suitor a fair chance, and not let my initial feelings cloud my judgment. It's just..." She trailed off, a wistful look in her eyes.

"It's just that he makes you feel things you've never felt before," Mana finished for her, her voice uncharacteristically gentle. "We understand, Shai. But Isis is right. You need to see this through properly."

“I know…Ah!” Shai nodded again, somberly, before flinching, her eyes blowing wide. “Ah, but I still love all of you, I promise! When I say I’ve never felt this way before, I don’t mean…”

“Shai, stop.” Bakara barked, rolling her eyes and clapping a hand over her Pharoah’s mouth, stopping the sudden panicked babble in its tracks. “We know you love us, you just finished telling us that you told Hasamelli outright you wouldn’t accept him if he would try to separate us. It’s fine, so relax. Different isn’t better, or worse, just different. We’re not offended by that.”

“Yeah, and it makes sense that it doesn’t feel the same with him as it does with us. We’ve known each other our whole lives, fell in love with each other over the course of years. It was slow, it was stead, it was just…a natural progression from one kind of love to another. With Hasamelli, it’s sudden, it’s new, it’s not happening the same way. Bakara’s right, we understand.” Mana said reassuringly, pressing a warm kiss to Shai’s cheek, and the Pharoah hummed happily into Bakara’s hand at both the affection of the gesture and the warmth she felt at the words. Not to mention the accuracy of the statement, the way Mana had made it make sense.

Shai's tension eased at her lovers' reassurances, and she gently pulled Bakara's hand away from her mouth to press a kiss to the palm. "Thank you, all of you. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Isis smiled softly, reaching out to stroke Shai's hair. "You'll never have to find out, meryt. Now, perhaps we should discuss your plans for the coming days? You still have several suitors to meet with, after all."

Shai nodded, her expression growing more focused. "Yes, you're right. Tomorrow I'm meant to meet with Enlil-Nirari. I admit, I'm curious about him, and about what he and his father have planned. They only just cast off the Mitanni. Entering into a compact with us is a dangerous double-edged sword, a chance for their troops to become embroiled in fighting far from their home while their nation is still stabilizing. They must be planning something, but I don’t know what it might be."

Neferure leaned forward, her earlier embarrassment forgotten in light of more serious conversation. “I agree, they do, and in regards to their plans…”

Shai settled herself more comfortably as her mind turned from romance to ruling, but for the rest of the night, no matter how serious the discussion grew, the warmth of Hasamelli’s company never truly left her, and the image of his smile was never far from her mind. It hadn’t even been a day yet, but she was already counting down the time until they were together again.

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Nakia (born Mal-Nikal of Babylonia, though she hadn’t thought of herself as that girl-child in a long, long time), Tawananna of Šuppiluliuma, Queen-Consort of the Hittite Empire, seethed as she stalked out of the private quarters of her opulent palace, fists clenched tightly at her sides, the shattered remnants of a pair of clay tablets on the floor behind her. Snapping her fingers at one of her many staff, a mousy little thing with brunette hair, she pointed back into the room.

“Clean that up, you stupid girl!” she barked as she passed, cuffing the servant girl across the head to reinforce the point, ignoring the whimper the chit gave in response as she scurried to obey. Worthless, just like those fools she had sent to deal with Hasamelli and Yuri. A full third of the guards under her control, and they couldn’t manage to kill two people when working in concert with the bandits she had hired! Oh, she knew that, according to the report that she had just read, one of the Kemeti girl-queen’s little pets had come across the caravan with her own soldiers and turned the tide. What few agents she possessed in the Kemeti border towns and fortifications hadn’t been able to tell her much, but they had been able to tell her that. It was almost unfortunate that none of the guards who hadn’t been in her service had survived, she would have liked to collect what information she could from them before she had them killed.

As it was, she was fortunate that everyone involved save Hasamelli, the summoned bitch, and the bitch’s servants were dead. With how much confusion was involved in the situation, she would be able to avoid any fingers being pointed her way. The cut-outs she, or more accurately Urhi, had used to subvert the guards in the first place had been killed within a handful of days after the caravan’s departure, once she had gotten confirmation that the caravan was far enough away that it wasn’t likely to turn back for some reason. Urhi himself was as loyal to her as she, in the depths of her heart, was to him. That left no one who could possibly be traced back to her with any degree of accuracy.

Unfortunately, it also meant that her targets were safely in Kemet, and for all that the Kemeti Pharaoh was little more than a girl, she wasn’t stupid. The escort that she would send Yuri and her handmaidens home with would be…significant, significant enough that another bandit attack would likely prove insufficient to handle the matter. That would prove difficult enough, but perhaps it was possible that she could avoid that problem and solve two problems at once when she tried to remove Hasamelli once again. She wasn’t stupid, the boy was handsome, a talented warrior and diplomat, and a craftsman. If it wasn’t for his self-control and savviness, which she begrudgingly was willing to admit were impressive, he would likely have dozens of children by now, given the number of women that had -literally, at times- thrown themselves at him since he had matured into a man. She didn’t doubt that he had a good chance of successfully courting Ankhesenamun, which would mean a Kemet solidly supporting Kail Mursili. That was entirely intolerable, which meant he had to die sooner rather than later. Which meant sending assassins after him in the heart of Kemet. Not the easiest task, logistically, but she was sure there were plenty of Kemeti that would leap at the chance to kill the son of their once-invader and would-be conqueror, especially if they were primed correctly with speculation about his intentions towards their Queen and kingdom.

Running a hand through immaculate, short-cropped blond hair, she considered the situation. Intrigue such as this was her bread and butter, it was how she had survived as the bought-and-paid-for concubine of a man over thrice her age, disposed of his previous Tawananna, and begun to weave the threads needed to ensure it was her bloodline that would rule Hattusa, not Hinti’s. The fact of the matter was, however, that this was not across the width and breadth of a kingdom that she helped rule, where her influence and power was the greatest. It was in the very heart of another Queen’s kingdom, amongst a people she was unfamiliar with, without a ready-made powerbase to wield. This would take time, time she wasn’t sure that she had, and that meant that she had to begin as soon as possible. Hattusa and Memphis were separated by over 300 farsang, and it would take the better part of a month for anyone to travel that sort of distance, even with horses and even if they encountered nothing to slow them down. On the other hand, the borders of a kingdom always attracted those dissatisfied with their lot in life, which halved the distance…hmm.

"You there!" Nakia barked, pointing at a nearby servant as she spun on her heel and began to retrace her steps back towards her quarters. "Fetch Urhi to my chambers immediately. Tell him it's urgent."

The servant bowed deeply and scurried off to find the queen's most trusted advisor and, though no one knew it, her oldest friend and the only person in this world that she loved, outside of her son. Her son, who should have been Urhi’s! Shaking away the old pain and older hate, Nakia swept into her now-cleaned quarters, her mind racing with possibilities. She needed to act quickly, but carefully. One wrong move could unravel everything she had worked so hard to achieve, not to mention ran the risk of her head getting removed before she could put Juda on the Hattusan Throne, and that wasn’t something she was willing to allow.

Within minutes, a tall, lean man with sharp features and long, almost feminine hair entered the room, bowing low. "My queen, you summoned me?"

“Urhi.” Nakia graced him with a smile, waving for him to seat himself, though the smile faded once he had and her attention turned to the subject of their meeting. “We have a problem. I have just received confirmation that our trap failed. Hasamelli, Yuri, and her servants successfully made it into Kemet. Evidently, that half-blood girl that Ankhesnamun has running her bandit-hunters happened across the ambush and did her job rather more efficiently than we might have hoped. Luckily for us, none of our patsies nor the bandits were taken alive, but the failure remains even if it is an uncompounded one.”

Urhi's face remained impassive, save for the fact that his eyes narrowed slightly. "That is... unfortunate and fortunate alike. That means we will have to make our next attempt within Kemet itself, using Kemeti. A complicated and time-consuming process, not to mention a far more risky one than we might have preferred. My Queen, I fear I might have to handle this personally, and that will put our plans here on hold.”

Nakia growled in aggravation, running her hand through her hair again. Destroying Hasamelli and Yuri had already proven difficult enough when that blasted acolyte of the Smithing God had proven utterly immune to her Rose Water. Instead of abducting the chit and dividing the Third and Fourth prince’s over their mutual desires for her, he made a speech in the middle of the capital’s main market about the loyalty between brothers and how much the girl and his brother were meant for one another! He had increased their popularity ten-fold instead of destroying it, and then he and the girl and made themselves heroes by helping blunt the initial attacks by the Mittani!

Even she, with all of her agents and allies and informants, had been caught utterly flat-footed. That the Mitanni, under their damned ‘Blood Prince of Darkness’ Mattizawa, had dared attack the Hittites so soon after their humiliating ousting by the Assyrians, was something that no one could have expected. Yet despite the disruption to her plans, she had sent Urhi to deal with the girl in the chaos. She had survived and been captured by Mattizawa, only for her to -and Nakia still couldn’t believe the stories, for all some of them had come from her own damned sister!- have the blasted Mitanni start believing that she was Ishtar incarnate as well! Trapped with only her handmaidens in the middle of a war, and somehow the chit had not only survived, but proven crucial to a Hittite victory in said war and won the hearts and minds of their enemies while she was at it!

Honestly, if the little bitch wasn’t such a constant problem for all of her plans, ruining decades of careful effort, she would almost be impressed and proud of her for how well she was doing for herself. The fact of the matter was, however, that if she couldn’t cut Yuri Ishtar’s throat to curse Kail and his brothers to ensure Juda’s ascension to the throne, then she was damn well going to cut her throat for interfering and to ruin Kail Mursili’s soul.

“It infuriates me, but I believe you are correct. If you can rile people into action against them in the Kemeti borderlands and return swiftly, do so, but you have free reign of my resources and permission to do whatever you see fit in order to accomplish our goals if it proves more complicated or time consuming than that.” she finally voiced with manifest reluctance, looking up to meet his eyes seriously. “But you had best return to me, Urhi. If you are caught and killed by those southerners after all that we have been through, after all we have yet to do, I will bring you back from Irkallu and make you suffer for it. Am I quite understood?”

Urhi bowed his head deeply, a faint smile playing at his lips, hearing and understanding the words left unspoken, as he had since that day he had been forced to refuse her plea to elope, so many years ago. "I understand completely, my queen. I have no intention of failing you or leaving your side. I will handle this matter with the utmost discretion and return to you as swiftly as possible."

Nakia nodded, her expression softening slightly. "See that you do. We've come too far and sacrificed too much to let those children ruin everything now."

"Indeed we have." Urhi agreed, his voice low and intense. "I will begin making preparations immediately. With your permission, I'll depart within the week, traveling under the guise of a merchant. It will allow me to move more freely and make the necessary connections without arousing suspicion."

"A wise approach. I’ll make the necessary excuses for your absence." Nakia said, nodding her approval. "Use whatever resources and contacts you need. I want Hasamelli and the girl dead, and I care very little how it is accomplished. Rebels, assassins, misguided patriots, an arranged accident…anything and everything that it takes. We cannot allow Kail’s favorite brother to become Pharaoh of Kemet.”

“My Queen, if the deed can be done by mortal men, it will be. You have my word.” he swore, and bowed his way from the room at her gesture of dismissal, leaving her to brood, to plot and to plan and search for a way to move forward. Perhaps arranging a scandal for Kail while his little concubine was gone? He had been known to take lovers in the past, unlike Hasamelli, and surely at least one of them had had a child in the time since. A bastard child and a woman seeking legitimacy arriving on his door-stoop would do wonderful things to sour the populace against him, and could sow discord between he and Yuri as well. Discord that she could take advantage of to separate them and destroy them one at a time. Hmm. That had a great deal of merit to it. She would have to send out for information on such past lovers.

Considerably happier, now that she had a new, promising possibility with which to destroy, or at least severely undermine, her enemies, Nakia rose to her feet again and strolled out into her gardens for a bit of relaxation. She had long since learned that focusing only on her plans without sufficient peace at times would only degrade her efforts in the long run.