Chapter 54: Clear visions
Dedyet stormed through the palace halls.
"Your highness! Be careful!" A shocked nurse said out loud. But Dedyet ran past her, quickly arriving in the main hall.
"Ramses!"
"Good evening, my darling."
"Where is your mother?"
"She has left already. The curtains in her quarters were against her tastes."
The queen's eyes widened. "W-what?"
"She couldn't bear the sight of them."
"So that's why she left?"
"Yes."
Dedyet sat down in both shock and sadness. "I can't believe it."
"It's not my fault! It were several women who have decorated her rooms! Do you think it is appropriate to torture them?"
"What?! No! How could you even think of such a thing?"
He shrugged. "They have clearly displeased royalty."
Dedyet sighed. "Please just leave these women alone, Ramses…"
"Don't you think they should learn from their mistake? My mother was incredibly displeased!"
"It's just curtains, Hun."
"Curtains in her room! Curtains she had to look at! With her eyes!"
Dedyet chuckled, sadness in her eyes.
Ramses quickly got over himself and his arrogant attitude. "What's wrong, Hun?"
"You know," Dedyet mumbled sadly, "I have a feeling your mother didn't even want to see me."
"Oh, she did! It's just that you've been asleep, so I thought I shouldn't send anyone to wake you. I know that falling asleep is something that troubles you since being pregnant, my love."
Dedyet kissed him sweetly. "Thank you, Hun… Have you at least had a nice chat with your mother?"
"Oh. Yes…"
"Is she still mad about me being…there?"
"I guess?"
"Oh…"
"She would have preferred Neferia as my wife, you know."
"I think that's weird."
"No, no! It has been tradition for a long time! Many people have done it before! For example, my great great-great-grandfather and his daughter's-"
"Ramses!"
"Yes?"
"This is horrible!"
"Why?"
She sighed. "You wouldn't understand it…"
"That's how I have been brought up, Dear."
"I know." She smiled sadly.
Ramses took a breather before saying, "Have you thought about a name for our baby boy or girl yet?"
"Yes, many times. But I think it's not allowed to say the name out loud?"
"Not before birth."
"Right. What about you? Do you have an idea?"
"My mother does..."
"That's great! Has she written them down for us?"
"Royalty doesn't write."
"...Has she asked a scribe to write down the names?"
"No..."
"Aww... I would have loved to read them!"
Ramses sighed. He loved Dedyet so much and she was the most important person – being the child's mother and all – yet his own one had clear visions about the baby's name. Visions he was too afraid to mention out of fear to make Dedyet feel upset or to make him appear as a weak mommy's boy. Dedyet didn't even like Neferia! How would she possibly react to being asked to name her baby after her?!