Chapter 36: A surprise party?

Uncle de Nile tunred to his niece. He started to whisper to make Nefera feel like they were talking about something really important. "How did your plan work yet, Nefera?"

She looked surprised and whispered back. "My plan? What plan?"

"The plan to make your mother have a stillbirth, you dumb- ugh!"

"I feel like we should talk to Mother about it first, Uncle. What if she doesn't even want to have that still- thingy?"

The uncle felt his anger coming up. "No, we will not talk to her! Talking to her would ruin the surprise!"

Nefera gasped. "Is it a surprise?"

Her uncle suddenly smirked darkly. "Indeed. Like a surprise party for her birthday!"

"But Mother's birthday was already two weeks ago, Uncle!"

He rolled his eyes, talking quietly. "The fact that your mother will have a stillbirth is a surprise we should not spoil. If we already tell her, she will get sad. It would destroy the whole surprise! Do you understand what I mean, Nefera?"

"I do! But, Uncle, is it already sure that Mother will have this still- thing?" Nefera asked.

"Listen, Nefera, your mother will only have a stillbirth if you stress her enough."

"Should I tell her that she has to prepare for her stillbirth, so that she is stressed?"

"ARGH, NO!"

Nefera got scared and pressed Neferet against her chest.

"You would ruin the whole surprise and everyone would be mad at you beacause of it, Nefera!"

"Oh!"

Uncle de Nile suddenly heard footsteps coming closer to the garden. He hurried. "I will soon leave you again and travel away back to my palace, but-"

"I didn't know you had a palace too, Uncle! Father always says that we have the best palace, only for us!"

He groaned in anger. "Nefera! If you don't stress your mother enough or tell her anything about her stillbirth, your brother will be born and take over the throne immediately!"

The princess gasped in shock. "Really, Uncle?"

"Yes, really! So just do as I told you!"

The toddler nodded in a determinded way.

"There you are!" Dedyet said, approaching both of them.

"I'm sorry for walking away, Mother!"

"Oh, it's okay, honey."

"I wanted that you have stress!"

She raised an eyebrow. "Stress?"

The uncle quickly interrupted them. "Fun! She wanted you to have fun while trying to find her! Nefera was hiding here in the garden all along! She told me not to tell you about her little hiding place!"

Dedyet laughed. "It is good that I have found you two now. Our fruit salad is already prepared, and the servants should be bringing it to us any minute now!"

She sat in the middle of the bench. "I see you have found Neferet, darling!"

"Yes, I did! She was taking a walk in the garden, right, Uncle?"

"Indeed! I have found her in one of the bushes!" He put on a disgusted face. „It was probably a nurse who had placed her there," he added, rolling his eyes.

Nefera quickly spoke up. "Neferet wanted to get her dress dirty, because she wants to have a new one!"

Her mother smiled. "A new dress? I don't think that's so necessary, hun! I find Neferet's dress quite pretty the way it is! Don't you too, Nefera?"

"Yes, that's what I told Neferet, too! But she doesn't wanna believe me!"

Dedyet giggled. "She's probably jealous, because you have so many pretty dresses!"

The day had seemed to reach its highlight, as they both laughed happily.