Chapter 27: A strange conversation
Dedyet got dressed in her white linen dress and some jewelry and made her way outside the room. She walked downstairs and straight ahead, seeing the entrance door that was kept safe by several strong guards. Quite unsure who to talk to, Dedyet sat down on a nearby chair and watched an angry prince enter the halls.
"Ugh, dumb Father," the man cursed quietly. "And dumb line of succession. This damn- Oh!"
Dedyet smiled nervously once she was looked at by the stranger. "Hello."
The man blinked. "Hello?"
Right when wanting to start a conversation, Dedyet was interrupted.
"Are you a concubine?"
"What?"
"A nurse?"
"Err-"
"I am sorry, Lady, but there are no children in here. The youngest prince is my brother and he's already sixteen."
Dedyet smiled nervously. "Oh, err, I am Dedyet. No nurse or servant or whatever."
The man recognized her name and face. "Oh!"
"I…live here now. Since quite some time, actually. Have you…forgotten?"
"You are stunningly beautiful."
Dedyet blushed nervously. "Oh! Heh, thank you are. And you are…?"
"Single."
Silence.
"Oh!" He blushed deeply. "How rude of me not to introduce myself! It's just that everyone in the kingdom already knows me."
"You are Ramses' younger brother, right?"
"I am next in line to the throne."
"Oh, but…isn't Ramses-".
"It doesn't matter. It's me who'll take his place."
Dedyet raised an eyebrow. "Why would you take his place?"
"Oh! Heh!" Quickly, he changed the subject. "You are not from here, are you?"
"I am from the other side of the country. Lower Egypt."
"Ew! That's a barbaric hellhole. Tell me about it." He posed dramatically.
Dedyet felt insulted by this man's disrespect. She was ready to defend her side of the country and said, "My home is anything but-"
But he interrupted her. "How unbelievable that such a beautiful woman can come from such an ugly place."
"Well, actually-"
"You are the King's daughter, right?"
"His sister."
"Being second in line is so annoying, isn't it? People have more rights than you just because they are older!"
"Err, I think age doesn't really matter that much…"
"Interesting, really interesting."
Dedyet nodded, all of a sudden remembering that the man she was talking to had left before the start of their breakfast last week, claiming to be needed in other businesses. So he hadn't really seen how everyone had been fine with having her here. Somehow, this man seemed mysterious.
"What do you like so much about my brother? There are many men prettier than him. Namely me."
"Oh! Err, I don't know… I think it's his personality I fell in love with first."
Successfully, the prince hid a face showing some sort of disgust. "And now? Any plans?"
She smiled warmly, her eyes sparkling. "We are about to marry."
"What?!"
"Huh?"
"How old are you?!"
"Sixteen. Why?"
"My brother is way too old for you!"
"Hm, we have never really talked about that. But as I said, I think-"
The man's eyes widened. "I have to go."
"Oh. So soon?"
"Yes. Goodbye." He kissed her hand and left the hall.