A Pharaoh and Her Beloved Queen - Chapter 22

“Narmer, lift your head, chest out. Remember you are the King of the Hittites; you must never shrink back or show fear at any time.” Even when instructing Narmer, Manefertiti’s voice remained as gentle as a refreshing breeze. A faint smile curled her lips, and her posture was elegant.

“Royal Sister,” Narmer replied, subconsciously straightening his sitting posture. His eyes lit up as the towering, majestic city revealed itself before him: Thebes, the capital of Egypt.

After receiving a severe scolding from Manefertiti, Narmer had realized the consequences of his willful behavior. He had been quite submissive during the journey. A crown shaped like palm leaves pressed down his fluffy, curly hair, making him look fair and tender. Manefertiti nodded with satisfaction.

She cast her gaze toward the city, which was a blurred memory to her. It was still marked by massive, rugged, and heavy city walls that reflected a dazzling golden light under the sun, proclaiming its unshakeable status.

Perhaps remembering something, Manefertiti squeezed her horse’s flanks, and the group accelerated toward the city of Thebes.

The swirling yellow sand arrived before them in an instant. Outside the city gates, a magnificent and massive guard of honor was already prepared. Chariots shimmering with a golden luster stood quietly to the side. Heshi stood at the very front; her hand, resting on the hilt of her blade, suddenly tightened as her gaze followed that familiar figure from her memory.

Heshi forced herself to suppress her emotions. She lowered her head, placed her right hand over her heart, and bowed her body. “His Majesty Narmer, Her Highness Manefertiti.” It was etiquette that allowed no room for error.

“General Heshi,” came the familiar, faint smile from her memory. Manefertiti’s gaze lingered on Heshi for a brief few moments before moving away.

Accompanying Heshi were other officials. Manefertiti exchanged pleasantries with them one by one as per protocol. Heshi stood to the side, her face slightly pale, not uttering a single word from beginning to end.

“General Heshi, let us enter the city,” Manefertiti declined the chariot and chose to ride her horse directly.

“Yes.”

The expected estrangement was there. Heshi mounted her horse with somewhat stiff movements and followed closely by Manefertiti’s side. The guard unit behind them maintained order on both sides of the street with disciplined efficiency.

The horses galloped toward the royal palace. Joyous cheers erupted from both sides of the street from time to time. To the Egyptian populace, the ceasefire between the two nations was worth celebrating. Simultaneously, they were surprised by the Hittites—a military empire capable of contending with Egypt—whose King was an underage child. Furthermore, the rumored Hittite Princess, said to be as ruthless as Her Majesty Edith, gave an impression of surprising grace and gentleness.

With her reddish-brown hair reflecting a warm glow and her graceful figure, Manefertiti’s most charming feature was the gentle smile that felt like stars falling onto a lake. Her face, distinct from Egyptian features, easily elevated her beauty to a refined and moving extreme.

Heshi followed woodenly behind Manefertiti, escorting her to the palace and handling the tedious affairs one by one in a daze.

“Your Highness, there will be dedicated staff in the palace to serve you. Heshi shall withdraw now,” her steady voice inadvertently betrayed a few stray tremors.

The hand resting on a book paused slightly. Manefertiti turned around, her gaze falling intentionally or otherwise on Heshi. “Naya, take Narmer down first.”

“Yes, Highness.” As Naya passed Heshi, she pointedly looked up; it was indeed that person.

The sound of orderly footsteps receded like a tide. Before long, only the two of them remained in the hall.

With a perfect, faint smile on her face, Manefertiti slowly walked toward Heshi, stopping only a pace away. Looking at the downward-bowed Heshi, a flash of irritation crossed her features, only to vanish instantly.

Her delicate fingertips landed on Heshi’s chin, exerting a slight force to tilt it upward. “General Heshi, look at me. There is no need to avoid me so deliberately. If you wish to stab me again, I will not hide.”

It was a tone of extreme affection, much like lovers in a deep embrace. Heshi stared at the Manefertiti so close to her, motionless for a long time. It took her quite a while to find her voice. “Your Highness, this is Thebes.”

It was a pale and weak warning. Heshi stood entirely stiff, allowing Manefertiti to pinch her chin.

Manefertiti let out a disdainful, light laugh. The softness on her face vanished, replaced by a heavy, ruthless decisiveness never shown to outsiders. “General Heshi, I know this is Thebes. I knew it five years ago.”

Hearing Manefertiti mention five years ago again, Heshi’s frozen expression softened slightly. “Your Highness, five years ago I made my choice: to never betray Her Majesty Edith.”

Unsurprised by the answer, Manefertiti withdrew her hand. A mix of melancholy, loss, and irritation surfaced at once. “Heshi, I regret it.”

Having said that, Manefertiti turned and walked toward the exit of the hall. Strands of helplessness and frustration tangled into the wind along with her reddish-brown hair. The faint sense of loneliness made even the bright light seem to dim.

Heshi watched Manefertiti walk out of her sight. Every drop of blood in her body was screaming: Chase her! Chase her and interrogate her!

Her body swayed forward, but Heshi stood in place for a long time. Ultimately, she did nothing and turned to leave the guest palace.

Lighthearted laughter drifted through the noisy hall. The banquet was clearly filled with the faces of many generals who had returned to Thebes with Edith. The rich aroma of wine and the sensual music and dance made the atmosphere even more festive. Dancers swayed, and the music was decadent.

Several massive gemstones were inlaid into the oval dome. The layered walls of the dome converged at the top in the shape of flower petals. The connections were hollowed out, allowing glimpses of the starry sky hanging high in the night—it was magnificent, making the banquet atmosphere even more dreamy and cheerful.

When Ye Zhiqing entered, she saw Edith gazing indifferently at the festive scene below, looking completely out of place at the lively party. Edith held the rim of her wine cup, swirling it, her thoughts unknown.

Ye Zhiqing shifted her gaze to the sides of the hall; at a glance, there seemed to be no empty seats left.

Edith had already noticed Ye Zhiqing’s vexed expression. Her indifferent face was quietly coated with a layer of faint warmth. She waved her hand at the right moment, signaling Ye Zhiqing to come over.

Manefertiti, who appeared to be chatting happily with High Priest Karnak and Vizier Gid, noticed Ye Zhiqing the moment she appeared. Her red lips curved slightly, and her peripheral vision flicked toward Edith, who sat high up. She took in every small interaction between the two; it was truly interesting.

A flush quickly stained her face. Ye Zhiqing lowered her head and chose the quieter right-hand passage to walk quickly toward Edith. At the thought of Lamassu’s insistence that she wear a heavy set of gemstone and gold jewelry, Ye Zhiqing shivered. Ultimately, at her own strong insistence, she had chosen a slightly ornate robe. Aside from that, the only ornament on her person was the golden bracer Edith had given her.

In Punt, Ye Zhiqing only wore grand attire on necessary occasions; otherwise, her clothing was primarily clean and efficient. Now in Egypt, she felt even less burdened by such things.

Edith sat upon a crescent-shaped high platform protruding toward the center of the hall. A staircase carved from alabaster wound upward. Ye Zhiqing sat at a desk slightly lower than Edith’s; as Edith’s concubine, this position was perfectly appropriate.

The crisp clinking of wine cups and the noisy banquet atmosphere fell silent for a moment because of Ye Zhiqing’s sudden appearance. Edith leaned her upper body forward slightly. “Why are you so late?”

Ye Zhiqing was momentarily speechless. She couldn’t very well say she was late because she was arguing with Lamassu over whether to wear that jewelry. After a long silence, she squeezed out: “Choosing clothes.”

A slight ripple of amusement appeared in Edith’s indifferent golden eyes, a laugh she couldn’t hide. The only ornament on Ye Zhiqing was that golden bracer. Her collar was embroidered with simple star patterns in gold and silver thread, and the hem of her robe had a subtle water lily pattern; it was only slightly more luxurious than what she usually wore.

“Beautiful,” Edith praised without stint while seeing through Ye Zhiqing’s clumsy excuse.

The Queen’s faint smile fell into the eyes of countless people in the hall, instantly taking on another layer of deep meaning. The noise resumed as usual, but the peripheral vision of the crowd constantly swept toward the seemingly intimate pair on the high platform.

Also looking out of place at this banquet was General Heshi, who stood behind Manefertiti. She had been assigned to ensure the safety of the Hittite King and Princess. Fortunately, she stood in a corner where no one noticed the coldness and murderous aura radiating from her.

High Priest Karnak sat to the right of the Hittite Princess. The two turned their heads to talk from time to time, looking very pleasant. In Heshi’s memory, her father was always kind and smiling, but his smile now looked like pure flattery to her.

It was disloyalty to Her Majesty Edith, yet she could only watch in silence—a deep and hopeless sense of exhaustion.

Deceptive currents were hidden beneath the seemingly calm surface. The two on the high platform seemed unaware.

“Majesty, where is the Hittite Princess?” Ye Zhiqing did not enjoy banquets. The reason she agreed to Edith’s request to come tonight was to see what kind of person the Hittite Princess was; the memory of nearly perishing in the Mediterranean was particularly vivid.

“The second person on the right.”

Following Edith’s gaze, she saw reddish-brown long hair and exquisite features with an Eastern classical charm. Ye Zhiqing froze; the woman from that night was actually the Princess of the Hittites. Her previously loose long hair was now bound by an exquisite palm-leaf crown, and her clothing had changed significantly, which was why Ye Zhiqing hadn’t noticed anything unusual at first glance.

Her gaze stayed on Manefertiti for a long time without being withdrawn. Ye Zhiqing’s dazed look caused a hint of displeasure in Edith’s eyes. The swirling of her wine cup grew more vigorous, and the moving liquid occasionally splashed out.

Sensing Ye Zhiqing’s gaze, Manefertiti gave a graceful and polite nod toward her with a faint smile. Unlike her coldness toward Ye Zhiqing that night, Manefertiti’s reaction now looked to others as if she and Ye Zhiqing were already old acquaintances.

It was a subtle, wordless gaze. Just as Ye Zhiqing recovered her senses and prepared to look away, a moist sensation came to her lips.