The rage flashed through his eyes like a bolt of lightning, threatening to destroy anything in its path. The man he now called brother, the king he thought he had made everlasting peace with, had betrayed their friendship to the utmost degree. Everything that had transpired between them during the signing of their treaty had been nothing but an utter fallacy.

He could feel all the blood drain from his face, and his stomach knotted painfully at the thoughts that now raced through his mind.

The agony that that bastard Mursili had rendered, the innocence he had ripped from one so pure...

Ramses firmly believed that the gods themselves could not save Mursili from the retribution he would inevitably face in times to come. Nay, the gods would be glad to shred him into a thousand bloody pieces of flesh and sinew. His gizzards would be strewn across the lands for all the world to heed their warning; Never slight the Pharaoh of Egypt.

Yet, as his gaze dropped back to the sobbing princess, the one he had grown so fond of, whose pain and suffering was so evident, he could not help but feel his heart torn asunder. Swallowing the jagged rock that had formed in his throat, he reigned in his anger. He had to, if not for himself but for her. She did not protest when he moved to sit beside her.

"Mala, come," he beckoned her gently as he placed a warm hand on her shoulder.

"Come into my arms so I may comfort you in this time of hurt."

She did not hesitate to do so and clung to his robes with all the strength of her being. Fearful, perhaps, that that monster would come to tear her from them.

"No words can ever describe how remorseful I am that he did this to you to spite me. I cannot even begin to fathom what must be going through your mind and how you must be suffering, my dearest Princess. But know this; I do not think any less of you for it, and I do not believe you are any less honourable. It was an unspeakable and unforgivable act against you that he committed. I shall pray to the goddess Ma'at, the goddess of truth and harmony, that justice is wrought upon him, even if I have to bring it down upon his head with my own two hands."

Malawashina's head snapped up then at such a pledge. Her eyes were only pained further.

"Please, I beg you, mighty Pharaoh, do not wage another war because of what has happened. There has already been so much carnage and suffering due to the past loathing between our two nations. I cannot live knowing another war was started because of me."

"No, I will not start a war," he confirmed softly. "But if the opportunity to kill him arose, I would not hesitate."

"He is a monster..." She reiterated with a sob. Thinking about him only caused her to cry harder against the Pharaoh, and he continued to stroke her plaited locks and rocked her gently as the Queen had done.

Leaning over, Nefertari placed a gentle hand upon her husband's arm.

"I will go," she whispered. "I still need to ensure the servants know their roles for the celebrations."

"Do that later," he gazed up at her, his expression still saddened.

"You must rest, my star, especially when you are so heavy with babe. Ask your maidservant, Khali, to do it, for she is already well aware of the process."

Nefertari gave a small smile at his concern. "Do not worry about me. Take care of the princess. She needs the comfort that only you are capable of giving."

Nodding, he let Nefertari go, and she left the chambers silently.

Malawashina could not rip the cretin's image from her mind. She knew that Mursili would go to any lengths to destroy her. In his mind, if he could not have her, no one could. In his eyes, she had shamed him by refusing his numerous and often contentious advances.

To seal their alliance after the Battle of Kadesh, the offer by the Pharaoh to marry a princess of Hattusa was not an unreasonable request. Yet, it stung Mursili's already bitter heart, for Malawashina had been the only princess of marriageable age remaining at court. Despite having his queen and other ladies in his harem, she had been the only object of his desires for a very long time. Alas, for him at least, the gods had not shown him favour in his ambitions. Their apparent neglect had only sought to drive his hunger further.

Regardless of his ravenous desire for the Princess, how could he have refused the Pharaoh's offer for her hand in marriage?

To have done so would have been no different than shredding their alliance to pieces. Not that Mursili genuinely cared. He would have destroyed Egypt and all her pompousness if he could. He would have raped the land for all its mighty wealth and glory to take as his own. Even if he could do neither, he would at least covet the opportunity to smear Egypt's reputation throughout the world and thus, he would use the object he had desired as the spearhead to pierce Egypt's heart.

Ramses continued to rock Malawashina gently in his arms as she wept relentlessly in them. Sighing, he embraced her tighter. "I want you to know Mala, that I will always be here for you if you need me. If you wish to speak about what happened, if releasing it from your heart will bring you some form of solace, then I will listen."

"But you will think me a fool," she lamented.

He raised an arched brow. "And why would I think such a thing?"

"Because I fell into his trap. Utati had warned me not to meet him at such a late hour. She had been suspicious. And yet, I agreed upon the meeting anyway..."

"Did he send word of what he had wished to meet you for before you went to see him?"

"Not entirely, except that it was of utmost importance. I should have refused, but... I feared that he would do something if I did not go. Not that it mattered as he did something anyway..." She grimaced.

"You were not to know," Ramses offered gently. "It is not often in one's best interest to disobey a summons from their sovereign. You simply did what you thought you had to."

"And look where it got me."

"To Egypt," he added candidly. "And into my arms."

Malawashina could not help but flush at those words, and her fine mouth tugged into a heartfelt smile.

"Of which, for now, I wish to stay."

"For as long as you need," he answered as he stroked her head again.

"There is one more thing, but I fear it will only displease you further..."

Ramses sensed the hesitation in her voice and took her hand in reassurance.

"Tell me, Mala. There shall be no ill will against you."

"Mursili demanded that I observe Egypt for him and relay to his ministers what I see."

Ramses tensed slightly at her words, and she could tell from the darkness that seeped into his eyes that her news had struck yet another chord. His calmness unnerved her, and she began to shiver in his arms.

"Do not fear, Mala," he whispered, sensing too well her feelings.

"What will you do?" She asked, the worry in her gaze deepening as she looked up at him.

"Observe in return," he answered. "I ask that if they confront you, seeking information, you will deny knowing anything and seek me out immediately."

"Of course, I would never betray you, especially not to the likes of that worm, Mursili."

"Good girl," he wiped a stray tear from the corner of her eye with his thumb.

"Are any of them to be trusted?" He asked after a short moment's silence.

Malawashina did not hesitate to answer then.

"Saduhi can be trusted," she replied. "I have known him since birth. He is like an uncle to me. He is my father's most trusted friend and confidant; the only 'friend' of my father's that Mursili allowed as part of my escort here."

Ramses nodded, deep in thought. "Does this Saduhi know of any of this?"

The Princess shook her head. "No, he knows nothing. Nor is he aware of what Mursili did. I am sure that if he knew, like my father and brothers, he would not hesitate to storm Buyukkale palace and cut off Mursili's head."

"Then perhaps we should tell him."

Malawashina went to open her mouth in protest, but Ramses quickly placed a jewelled finger against her rouged lips to hush her. "But," he continued, "As you said, we do not wish for unnecessary bloodshed and so will bide our time."

"Forgive me for bringing so many ill tidings."

He shook his head then and stroked her cheek. "There is nothing to forgive. I shall be forever thankful that you told me."

"Well," She began, sighing. "I should not keep the mighty Pharaoh just for myself. I am sure he has more important duties..."

"It is my duty to keep my wives happy and content as well. Besides, if it means that I can spend more much-needed time with you, then the whole world can stop and wait."

She chuckled at his words and nuzzled her head into his chest as her heart fluttered with yearning. "Then they will be waiting for a very long time."

With this, he leaned down and brushed a light kiss on her cheek.

"So the Pharaoh commands it."

Sighing with frustration, Amunherkhepeshef flopped himself down onto a cedar bench in the temple's main garden.

He had been searching for his mother for what felt like a dynasty, only to find that she and every other person he could converse with was busy. He understood well, of course, due to the upcoming festival and the union between his father and the princess, almost everyone would be preoccupied. Yet, he had already memorised his role in the entire affair, and his mother was too much of a perfectionist to let other people, including her eldest son, help her.

The previous day he had gone to inspect the construction work on the new annex to the city's temple dedicated to Set. The construction there, much to his benefit, was ahead of schedule. Now that all his tasks were complete and his father had granted him time away from his lessons until after the celebrations, he did not know what to do with himself. He almost wished he had returned to the palace harem to play with his siblings at least, but he knew that they were most likely being taught their roles in the celebrations as well.

Suddenly, a tinkling sound came from the shrubs behind the bench. Turning to face the direction of the noise, the young prince jolted with surprise from the grey-streaked feline that leapt up onto the bench unexpectedly. No sooner had he collected himself was he knocked onto his backside by the young girl who had bound over the bench, she having not anticipated that he was also there.

Her obsidian eyes were wide in horror at what had just transpired, and she stared down at him, her body rigid in fear. So much in a daze was she, she had not realised that she had landed right on top of him.

Ready to shove off the culprit and give her an earful for her insubordination, the prince realised who it was upon him and froze in surprise. Her bosom was pressed hard into his chest, her slender legs straddling him. Her thin linen skirts had bunched up around her hips due to her fall, and if it were not for his shendyt, they surely would be skin to skin. He could feel the heat emanating from her body, and it caused his own to burn hot like the desert sands.

Immediately she clambered off him and pressed her head into the grass beneath them.

"Your Royal Highness, Mighty Prince of the King's Body, forgive me! I did not realise you were sitting there!" Her voice shook.

Feigning annoyance, he answered, "Touching a member of the Pharaoh's household without permission is a punishable offence."

Utati whimpered and pressed her head harder into the ground.

"I jest, Utati," he chuckled. "I do not mind if it is you."

His statement surprised her, and she raised her gaze to stare at him.

"I...I mean, you are Princess Malawashina's maidservant! I would not dare have her best friend punished. Come, stand up," he offered her his hand, a gesture she also did not anticipate. Hesitating, she continued staring at him with her wide obsidian orbs, his kind amber gaze entrancing her.

"If you keep lying there, ants will crawl up your skirts!" He joked. She immediately took his hand, and he hauled her to her feet.

"We better not allow that, then," she flushed. "Someone will then have to attend to all the bites." Her body shivered involuntarily when she realised what she had allowed to slip from her mouth. Though his cheeks too flushed a bright crimson, the small grin that tugged at his lips caused her, and then him in turn, to burst into a fit of innocent giggles.

"I assume you were chasing that cat that was here a moment ago?" He asked after they had calmed.

"Yes, I was. I was trying to befriend it."

"Oh, that is a shame," he suddenly appeared crestfallen, and her eyes widened with surprise.

"Your Highness?"

"I was hoping you had come to befriend me!"