Chapter 2

• Tiye relaxed in the hot steaming water even though it’s the hot season. Nevertheless, the hot water helped her tired aching muscles; she has been spending a lot of time training these days because her father was forcing her to do so.
• He stretched her limits to busy her day in silly demands. Such as learning the right etiquette of the court like some shallow, frivolous girl, he sends her some tutors who always rub her the wrong way, and it ends badly. She exhaled and dipped her head into the lukewarm water, cutting the world out.
• The king has been suspicious recently, and it is getting on her damn nerves; he needs to treat her as an heir, not just a little female or an ignorant princess.
• A servant entered her champers after asking for permission, holding a wooden box that contained a variety of fragrant oils and herbs to help her relax more and treat the bruises she gained from today’s scuffle. She sighed, enjoying the relief that it brought.
• A court messenger came with a letter from her father “The king requests your presence, your highness, princess Tiye to attend the council meeting today and he insists on wearing formal attire.” He gave her sides glance before clearing his throat “He said literary, and I quote ‘please, a princess today not a feral boy’.” He added quickly “His words your highness not mine.” With that, he scurried away, holding his rope in his hands so not to stumble while he fled.
• Tiye laughed quietly, she didn’t blame the male who ran so she won’t punish him; she knows those are her father’s words she heard them before and more than once.
• She was about to get out of the pool regretfully when her friend entered her champers unannounced as usual. Looking her up and down, she quirked a delicate brow, asking a silent question.
• “King’s orders. He wanted me in my armor. What is going on, the palace feels….unsettled?”
• “I know nothing. He asked for my presence in the throne room and ordered me to wear formal too.’’ She walked to her bed and stood waiting for her servant to dry her wet body. Her heart skipped a beat, it must be something serious.
• Her father has been acting weird for a while now. But at least today she’s going to know what’s wrong for sure, if not she will throw a fit. He already thinks of her as a little girl so she is going to act like it.
• Her servant harried to help her, drying up, dressing her, and brushing her long tangled hair. Tiye pursed her mouth in distaste, looking at her reflection in the mirror she looked so…. womanly in that white velvet gown with so much gold adorning it which made her stomach churn. She hated this.
• She wore her big golden wristband, hiding her birthmark. Her father said it’s not a normal thing to show and flaunt it around, it’s where the gods blessed her, or to be specific Sekhmet marked her.
• She doesn’t know why the lioness goddess would do that but it’s known that every heir to the throne has a god looking after him, protecting and guiding his ruling, but again why the goddess of war, destruction, plagues, and everything awful would bless her.
• She must be cursed by someone to have this fate; she would be hated by all as a result. It is said you gain some of the characteristics of your guardian and she sure doesn’t need this, she has her plate full already.
• She asked her father once before about that but his answer was because her mother died giving birth to her and as a last wish she asked the gods to protect me in her stead; she was disappointed though. She wanted maybe Horus or Hathor or anyone else but as an alternative she got the Savage lady.
• A knock on the door interrupted her musing, “The king is waiting princess.”
• She stood following the servant, walking elegantly, her head held high prideful, her friend _ not a friend now _ her protector only one step behind. It was something not needed and uncalled for. She can protect herself perfectly well, but it’s a tradition in every generation there must be a protector, a human shield you can call it that, for the pharaoh.
• “Princess, are you armed?” Her protector asked quietly. Her voice was just above a whisper, looking around suspiciously.
• “Yes Mandisa I have my daggers on me, but can you feel it the air is thick and tense?”
• “Yes, my princess, the palace doesn’t feel safe anymore, something is about to happen.”
• “I think my father called us today for that reason.”
• “Just be careful, my princess, and know I got your back.’’
• She nodded silently, looking ahead when she reached the throne room and the guards announced her arrival; she took a deep breath, raising her head, squaring her shoulders, walking with the pride of a queen to be.
• The commissionaire of the royal court announced her arrival
• “All hail princess Tiye, (Chione) the daughter of the Nile, (Maye) Ra’s beloved, (Neith) the one who stands above all others, all hail (Thema) the queen.”
• She staggered, her heart beating picked up quickly, and her eyes round with surprise. What has just happened? Thema? The queen? She looked her father’s way slowly, trying to comprehend the whole situation. The great hall was silent, nothing can be heard, and even the breaths of the occupants.
• They stood frozen in place like the huge columns that surrounded them on each side, only her unsure steps now resonated around. Her father has just officially named her the heir to the throne, the next queen, the next pharaoh.
• “My beloved daughter, how are you faring?” The king greeted her with his arms raised, beckoning her to get closer
• “I’m always in a good health by your blessings, my king,” She said, curtsying, paying her respects for her father the king.
• “No Tiye. Future queens bow to no one.”
• He said, holding his hands for her to help her stand up. She took her place next to her father’s throne and Mandisa again, one step behind. She regarded the council members who are murmuring among themselves now, gauging their reaction. It varied between shock, uncertainty, and anger. Of course, her uncle and cousin filled the last category they didn’t approve of her.
• ‘’what’s the meaning of this, brother?"
• Hanbal shouted angrily. His brother has just ruined everything. All this hard-working and planning turned to dust.
• “What happened is not a surprise dear brother, it’s a fact I just readdressed it, from now on the future queen will attend all the council meetings. I’m getting old brother and it’s about time she starts to know about her kingdom and its affairs.” The king said sternly but quietly, trying to ease the tension. But his sickly sweet voice didn’t deceive anyone.
• “This is nonsense, you should have discussed this with the council you have no right to…..”
• The king cut him off angrily and stood up “How dare you talk to me like this? I am king Zosar, the rightful ruler of Egypt. I am the pharaoh who built his kingdom sacrificing his flesh and blood, I am the god-king, address me properly. Brother or not I should have your head for this.’’
• Hanbal sneered, “We all know that brother, but now you sentenced us all to death. How the other kingdoms will see us ruled by a slip of a girl no one will regard us, we will be a living joke among our neighboring kingdoms.” He spat the words bitterly, looking Tiye in the eye.
• The king was about to reply when his daughter put her hand on his arm asking him silently to give her permission to reply after all, this whole thing is about her.
• “What do you mean, uncle? It’s not the first time that Egypt’s throne has a female ruler. It happened before and it’ll happen now and even after me, we never discriminate.” She said, looking him in the eye challengingly.
• “Yes, my sweet niece, but those queens were married to their brothers, they were just queens, not pharaohs, and you have no brother so……” the smile on his face was like a cat that cornered its prey, it looked victorious he thought this was her weakness as she is a lonely child.
• ‘’So you are saying because I don’t have a brother, I can’t claim what’s rightfully mine? Because I don’t have a shaft same as you, I will be just some trinket"
• Descending the stairs she approached him elegantly, her guardian following she just raised her hand stopping her, she doesn’t want to look weak needing someone’s protection.
• “All I’m saying is you need a man beside you and because you don’t have a brother, the next one in line with royal blood is my son Pilis, he is the perfect candidate. “ He smiled triumphantly, now things are going his way, maybe the declaration of his brother didn’t ruin everything after all. He will get what he wanted; no one will take the throne from him once again.
• Tiye gritted her teeth, so that’s what you up to dear uncle. This is what you have been scheming for a while and from the reaction of most of the surrounding people, they support this muck you have just spouted. You want the throne of course you always did; she needs to tread carefully and don’t lose her composure.
• If she evaded this situation and crushed this man’s ego, the rest will respect or fear her it doesn’t matter which one, they are the same thing to her. She turned to look at her father and she pitied him. There was anger, betrayal, desperation, and sadness in his always used-to-be-kind eyes. She smiled and nodded, hoping to ease his worries.
• “Ok uncle I hear what you say and I understand it perfectly, you might be right but what is the proof that your son is a king material. Is he smart, is he strong, is righteous, is he worthy of that throne?”
• “How dare you speak of my son like that? Everyone in this kingdom knows about his bravery and strength.”
• The princess smiled utterly sweetly at her uncle as she got what she wanted “Then let him prove it, uncle?”
• “Choose anyone here and you will see.” He turned around to look at everyone else as in invitation.
• “Why dear uncle? I choose myself of course. After all, he’s trying to steal what’s mine. If he won, I’ll give him the throne and I will be the dump female that you all want but if I won, no one speaks of this nonsense ever again or he will be punished by death.”
• Hanbal’s eyes lit now. This is even better than what he planned.
• “Father, May I speak?” this was the first time that prince pilis spoke he was watching the events taking place quietly, assessing silently
• “Of course, my son. What do you have in mind, speak freely?”
• “Since all of this is happening and the future of Egypt depends on it, I think we should make it public. The people need to know about their future, to be put at ease and see their future king proving himself.”
• “That’s a wonderful suggestion, my son. What do you think, princess? Is that fine with you?”
• The princess replied, heading to her seat next to her father “Why not uncle! it’s just perfect, the date to the dual will be after the Wepet-Renpet Festival and Wag Festival in fifteen days to be exactly where the games take place.”
• The king stood angrily, ending the meeting followed by his guards and advisor, but not before he looked disapprovingly at his daughter and left without a word.
• Then the throne room was empty except for Tiye and Mandisa.
• “Aren’t you worried that I’ll make a fool of myself?” she asked her friend without turning.
• “This is very important Ti, you stepped the boundaries this time. You put everything on the stake.” yes her friend was worried.
• “Listen, I need to prove myself to them. My father. Hell, even me. My uncle just said what everyone was thinking of. No one intervened. Or have you missed that? They see a week slip of a girl like he said who isn’t worthy but now I’ll show them all what I’m made of. And what this girl is capable of.”
• I am the queen of these lands and I will be damned if anyone took what’s mine.
• After all, I am the one who is blessed by the gods.