Chapter 13: Back at home
"What happened next?" Neferia asked, overly excited.
"That fool came in and said that we would be leaving!" Ramses explained dramatically.
"And what did you do?" His younger sister asked.
Ramses leaned back, smirking. "I was fighting all the guards, of course."
Neferia snorted with laughter. "Ha! You can't even fight me!"
Ramses crossed his arms in anger. "I can!"
She smirked, her purple eyes flashing. "Then show me!"
Ramses got interrupted once again when his father came inside. "Ramses! What are you doing here with your sister?! My advisers are looking for you!"
"Oh."
"You can't even prepare to rule a kingdom, can you?" Neferia teased sassily.
"You have an appointment, too, Neferia," her father said strictly. "Your tutor is waiting for you in the main halls."
She rolled her eyes and groaned. "Annoying."
"Go to him now. He will not wait for you any longer."
Neferia stood up. "Okay."
"What was that?!"
"…Yes, Father," she corrected herself.
He nodded in approval.
The two men watched her leaving.
Ramses' father sat down next to his son once his daughter was out of sight. "Ramses."
"What is it, Father?"
"I have forgiven your impolite behavior that last time in the litter. The gods have advised me to."
Ramses had an extreme difficulty to not roll his eyes and groan. Yet he managed, answering, "Thank you, Father. I am highly grateful."
"You should be. I will not forgive such behavior again."
"I won't yell at you again, I promise."
"Good, good."
Right when Ramses wanted to stand up to leave the hall and meet his future advisers, his father held him back.
"There is still something I want to know," the rather old man said.
"What do you want to know, Father?"
"I know I have deemed it as unimportant, but do you still have contact to someone from Lower Egypt?"
Ramses faced the ground. "I do not."
"That's too bad. Uniting Egypt would have been historical."
"I don't know if I am ready for that just yet."
"Yes, you are. You must be ready for anything and everything as Egypt's future ruler."
"Father, can I ask you something?"
"You are supposed to meet my advisers now. What is so urgent?"
"About the marriage with Neferia…"
"Yes?"
"Did you mean that seriously?"
The pharaoh gave his son an angry look. "Have I ever not meant anything seriously?"
Ramses faced the ground another time, incredibly disappointed. "No, Father."
"Good. That should answer your question."
"Do you think she really wants to marry me?"
"That is unimportant."
"Because she's a woman?"
"No. Because there is no other option."
"Dedyet is an option…"
"Then where is she?"
Ramses seemed surprised. "In her palace in Lower-"
"How could you marry someone who isn't here?"
"Oh… Right."
"Go meet your advisers now."
"…Yes, Father."