CHAPTER FOUR
The next morning Raziel escorted Princess Ayena to morning meal. He made sure that Zoser sat nowhere near her but, rather, where Raziel could watch him. In fact, Zoser did not have a chance to speak with her at all until after mid-day meal.
She had gone out to the gardens again to get away from Pharaoh, who constantly wanted to speak with her about her father. There wasn't much to tell that she hadn't already said but he insisted on her telling him every little detail. She understood that he wanted to make sure he was making an alliance with the right kind of person and the right kind of country, but some of the questions he asked were ridiculous. And Raziel never let her alone! He made sure he was within hearing and seeing distance, no matter where she went. Ayena wondered if maybe he knew that it had been Zoser in the garden with her the night before.
Somehow she managed to break away from the two of them and went to the same spot that she and Zoser had gone to the night before. He was there, floating in the lake. Ayena closed her eyes, knowing that he wouldn't be wearing a garment.
"Don't you have somewhere to be?" She asked. He jumped a mile, hiding his body from the neck down in the waters of the lake. "Please," she grinned, "don't get up."
Zoser's cheeks burned red. "Ayena!" He gulped. "I didn't know you were…how long were you…you didn't see…" He trailed off, embarrassed that she had seen him in such a compromising position.
She laughed. "Don't worry. My eyes are closed." She opened them long enough to find his clothes then handed them to him and turned around, closing her eyes while he got out of the lake.
A minute or so later he said, "You can turn around now." He was still red in the face. "How long were you standing there?" He asked, hoping that he hadn't given her an eyeful.
"Not long." She said, grinning. "So, what are you getting away from today?"
He smiled. It had been less than two days since they had met each other and she already knew him so well. "I was actually preparing for something. My father told me this morning that he wants me to go to the minister's meeting today. He thinks that it will help me for when I become a minister."
Ayena looked at him thoughtfully. "You don't want to become a minister, do you?"
Zoser nodded. "Is it that obvious?" He didn't wait for her to answer. "He wants so much from me! He wants me to become Prime Minister." He leaned up against a tree. "I want so badly to make him happy, but I don't want to be tied down to a life that I don't enjoy being in."
There was a grand pause. Then:
"Why don't you tell him that?" Ayena asked.
"Because I don't want to disappoint him. He's worked hard all his life and he expects me to do the same." He sighed deeply. "His father was a minister as well and he expects me to carry on the tradition I guess."
"What about what you want?"
"What I want doesn't matter when it comes to Pharaoh. I'm expected to be a good little boy and grow up to be a big important minister, just like everyone wants me to." He got a far off look. "I wish I could be like my father, never questioning anything. He's happy to do his part for Pharaoh. He doesn't mind all the rules of conduct, the never being acknowledged for what he does. How does he do it?"
"I couldn't tell you." She admitted, wishing that she had the answer. She put a comforting hand on his arm.
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"Minister Sabian?" Pharaoh acknowledged when he passed Sabian on his way to the throne room.
"Pharaoh." Sabian said, bowing his head.
"Are the Princess's arrangements suiting everyone?" Pharaoh asked, oblivious to the look of utter hatred on Sabian's face.
"Yes." The minister managed to choke out. "They are."
"I am pleased." Then he was gone.
Sabian hurried along to his quarters. Once inside he bellowed, "Damn him!" He was so sick of giving and doing for Pharaoh and not being given the credit he deserved. "The only reason I haven't killed him yet is because his idiot son will take over for him! If only he'd had a daughter! I could've betrothed Zoser to her and then when dear old Pharaoh croaked he would be ruler. But no, Zoser has to marry Kyrie, daughter of Rymon the imbecile!" He knocked over a pile of books with his arm. "Where's that going to get him? Not a seat on the throne, that's for sure!" He sat down on the stool next to his bed. "I had plans! Zoser was to become Pharaoh! Now my only hope is if Kyrie gives him a son and the next Pharaoh has a daughter." He looked over at the side of the bed that his deceased wife used to sleep on. "If you hadn't been so adamant to wait until he was older to betroth him my plans might have worked." A knock on the door made him jump. "Who is it?"
Zoser opened the door. "You wanted me to come with you today."
"Oh, that's right. I'm sorry son." He let his evil minister face fade into his happy father one. "I hope you understand the importance of this." Sabian said.
Zoser did. "It's the first step for me on the path to becoming a minister."
"I'm so proud of you." Sabian told him. "You're going to follow in my footsteps." And carry out my plans, he added silently.
"And I'm happy to do so." Zoser lied.
"Good. Let's go."
The pair headed to the ministers' room. It was a large dreary room lit with only by six torches that had an air of soberness to it. Prime Minister Uzrel sat at the head of a long table with Ministers Rymon and Jareth on either side of him. Sabian took his seat next to Rymon and Zoser sat next to him.
Uzrel stood up as soon as all the other ministers had taken their seats. "This meeting was called to discuss the situation between Egypt and Princess Ayena's country, Limia. Pharaoh will be joining us later on, as will Limia's Grand Vizier, Raziel."
Zoser jumped at the mention of Ayena's guardian. Raziel was the Grand Vizier of Limia?
Uzrel continued to talk. "Minister Sabian has brought his son, Zoser, to sit in with us today. I think I speak for all of us when I say that I hope that he will join us permanently one day." There were murmurs of agreement from the rest of the men sitting around the table. "Now, to discuss the matter at hand." He sat down. "Princess Ayena's father, King Azric, has expressed an interest in allying his country with Egypt for years. He knows that we are a strong nation and he admires Pharaoh's leadership. He knows that by backing Egypt he will become strong. If he does not, he knows that the government will eventually be overthrown."
"I've spoken with his daughter a few times since she has gotten here." Minister Jareth said. "She knows, as does Raziel, that this is important."
"I think we all understand that." Minister Rymon replied.
Uzrel nodded. "Yes, well, Pharaoh is ready and willing to side with Limia, if we are. The question is: are we ready?"
The room fell silent. Everyone there was weighing the pros and cons to the situation. Zoser folded his arms on the table and laid his head down on them. Uzrel looked at him in disapproval.
"Minister Sabian?" He said, making Zoser lift his head just a bit. "If you are to bring your son here, I suggest that you make sure that he pays attention." He sneered in Zoser's direction. "Zoser, what do you think of all of this?"
Zoser swallowed hard, knowing that this could decide whether or not he became a minister when he grew older. He didn't like the idea but he wanted to make his father happy. Everyone was staring at him, his father most of all. Again Zoser applied his quick thinking skills in order to save his ass.
"Will your refusal to align Egypt with Limia cause military action on their part?" He asked. He knew that the ministers were always discussing the possibility of war as a consequence of their actions.
"Why do you ask?" Uzrel seemed intrigued.
"Well, I know that Pharaoh has been asking Aye-" he caught himself, "I mean the Princess, a lot of questions about her father and about Limia. It's obvious that he is interested in this alliance. Nothing you say can really change his mind, seeing as he is the leader of Egypt and all power lies in his hands. But he wishes to have your approval before going ahead with anything, so he asks you to discuss this and if you all disagree he will begin to think about changing his mind. Nine out of ten times he will go with what he wants, but there is that tenth time that he will listen to you. If this is that time and you decide that this is a bad idea, will this cause King Azric to deploy forces out of Limia and into Egypt?" He took a deep breath and held it, waiting to see what the Prime Minister's reaction would be.
Uzrel gave him an amused look and suddenly chuckled. "My, my, Minister Sabian, you certainly have taught him our ways, haven't you?"
Sabian nodded. "It's what his mother and I both wanted: for him to follow in both mine and my father's footsteps."
Uzrel smiled. "I apologize, Zoser. You are certainly minister material in my mind."
Zoser pretended that he was happy about this but deep down he was screaming, Idiot! Why didn't you give them the wrong answer? You might've been able to save yourself from a boring life that you won't enjoy!
Sabian looked at his son proudly and was going to say something when the door to the ministers' room banged open. Raziel burst in, followed by Pharaoh.
"Ahh, Raziel." Uzrel said as the Grand Vizier of Limia stood next to him. He stood up to let Pharaoh sit down in the chair, then stood on the other side of it.
Raziel saw Zoser and gave him a look that would've stopped the wind in its tracks. Zoser didn't understand what his problem was. He'd never done anything to Raziel. What reason had he given the man to hate him?
Uzrel introduced Raziel to the group then asked them to please honor the Pharaoh by lowering their eyes. Uzrel muttered something in the ancient tongue. Zoser didn't understand any of it, but he knew that it was a blessing to the Pharaoh and that he was supposed to stay quiet and keep his head bowed. After Uzrel was finished Pharaoh stood and addressed the ministers.
"Ministers, this alliance is important to Limia. Raziel has informed me that there are several groups trying to start a revolution there. King Azric needs Egypt's backing to keep the government from being overthrown. We need their resources. It's as simple as that. I have talked with Raziel as well as with Princess Ayena. Azric and Limia seem to be a safe ally." He nodded to them. "What do you wish to do?" He asked Uzrel.
"I was a little wary at first, but I think I'm beginning to see your side of it, Sire." He looked like he was thinking for a second. "However," his eyes darted over to Zoser, daring him to say something. "I just thought of something." He addressed Raziel. "Has King Azric discussed the possibility of a war if we do not align ourselves with Limia?"
Zoser's mouth hung open. He'd just thought of it! What kind of idiot does he take me for? He silently fumed. Is this how things work? The ministers do all the work, all the thinking, and the Prime Minister takes credit for all of it? He didn't know what made him do it, but the seventeen-year-old found in him more strength than he'd ever known he had and he walked out of the room.
Uzrel watched him walk out, smiling amidst the protests of the other ministers. Sabian smiled too. The two of them realized then and there that Zoser truly was ready to begin his journey to the ministry.
() () () () ()
Zoser couldn't believe it. The nerve of that man! "I just thought of something!" Zoser mocked, pacing around his room. He had wanted to go to the gardens, but he figured that Ayena would still be out there and, as much as he liked her, he wanted to be alone. "Gods, why do I do this to myself?" He asked. "I want to make my father proud, but his wishes will never be my wishes, his plans will never be my own." He continued to pace. "We are nothing alike!" He pulled a chain out from underneath his vest. He'd almost forgotten that it was there. It was an amulet of the Eye of Horus. His father had given it to his mother and, before she had died, she had given it to him. He took it off, looked at it for a moment, then threw it across the room. "Nothing alike!" He raged.
"Temper, temper." Raziel was standing in the doorway.
Zoser jumped. He hadn't realized that anyone had been listening. "Get out, Raziel!"
"I'd rather not." Raziel looked over at the amulet that lay on the floor of Zoser's room. He bent down to pick it up at the same time that its owner did. "What do we have h-"
"Get your hands off of that." Zoser warned.
"Or what? You'll call your father on me?" He turned the amulet around in his hands. "Some quaint little family charm?" He asked. "Did Sabian give this to you?"
"No." Zoser was quickly losing his temper again. "Give it back."
Raziel held it out for Zoser to grab, then pulled it back. It amazed and angered the boy to see that a man almost twice his age was teasing him like the children had done to him when he was younger. "You know, I was impressed with the way you stormed out of there." Raziel said, referring to what had happened at the ministers' meeting. "You do realize that Uzrel did that on purpose don't you?"
"What?"
"He wanted to see what kind of response he'd get out of you. Apparently he got the right one." He laughed a bitter laugh. "Your father should be here soon to congratulate you."
"What do you want?" Zoser barked.
Raziel grasped the Eye of Horus tightly in his right hand and moved towards Zoser threateningly. "The same thing I wanted the night we got here. I want you to stay away from the Princess."
Distant footsteps could be heard coming down the hall. Raziel slowly backed away from Zoser.
"Remember what I said." He warned, tossing the amulet at Zoser.
He caught it before it landed on the floor and when he looked back up again, Raziel was gone.