Chapter 4 Four

"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.