"I am not coming out."
Sethe rolled his eyes. "As much as I would love to stay in here all day with you, I unfortunately have my Pharaoh duties to attend to."
Nyla scoffed, her silhouette picking at the fabric of the dress he picked out. He tried his best to keep the gown as radiant as her, but such a dress was hard to come by. There was not enough in the world to fully describe the glowing, vibrant passion he felt towards this sassy priestess. Even now as the sands of time continue to fall deeper down the hourglass, he could not pry himself away from her small antics.
"Nyla, come out," he tried gently as a thin, white curtain separated them.
The outline of her shape shadowed the veil between them, a tempting fruit waiting for his touch, for his affections. Though they were on two sides of a river, Sethe knew he would swim past the storming anger of the current to reach Nyla. He knew that she was consuming him, and he was helpless to stop her.
Sethe exhaled an exasperated breath. They had been bantering for half an hour, and his scheme and obligations awaited his attention, but as the most powerful man of Egypt, he still could not convince her to come from behind the curtains.
Seeing no other way, Sethe slowly pushed the veil to the side, revealing the shy and embarrassed priestess that could only peek up at him through her thick, black lashes, fluttering like the wings of a phoenix, her eyes holding the same timid fire that he remembered from last night.
He was at awe.
The dress he chose was the same shade as the nile when harvest season neared, the sun's ray reflecting against the sharpness of the blowing current, a glassy reflection against the lightness of her gown, a beautiful cerulean shimmering along with the rest of her.
It hugged the top of her chest tightly, the creases wrapped lowly across her shoulders instead of a typical two strap gown. Like most fashion for royalty, this dress cinched her waist with a gold band tightly pressed against her abdomen along with the numerous layers of a gem enriched necklace sparkling against her chest.
His eyes were stuck on her expression, the small breaths that escaped the rosy tint of her parted lips, the curious yet frightened lure of her dark, maple eyes, so warm, so sweet that he could feel the intensity rip his soul apart, driving him to madness. The dark, midnight outline of her eyes only amplified the hypnotising spell she cast on him.
With her long, flowing mass of black hair left to cascade down past her shoulders and a sun-beaded headpiece plated and weaved into her hair with a small, azure opal dangling at her forehead, she looked as beautiful as the goddesses she studied.
He had no words.
Hesitantly, Nyla wrapped her arms around herself, a deep sadness etched across her small features as she averted her gaze to the ground. "I... I know this looks strange on me," she whispered brokenly. "I tried to... tell you."
The shock wore off, and Sethe tried his best to stifle his laughter at how ridiculous she was being.
Nyla's body froze, eyes squeezed shut.
Taking a couple steps to close the distance between them, Sethe tilted her chin upwards, forcing Nyla to look up at him even though crystal tears were threatening to spill out like a river of her own anguish, her own insecurities seeping through the cracks of her demeanor.
He smiled. "How could you ever be embarrassed of your beauty?" he murmured lowly, leaning down to place a tempting kiss to her nape. "Do you not see how haunting your mere presence is for my broken heart?"
Nyla gently pushed at his chest. "You are a very dishonest Pharaoh."
His arms fell to her waist, hugging her tightly to the tantalizing torture of his eager, burning lips that seemed to leave a path of flames engulfing her body at every intake of breath.
Nyla felt her veins pulse against his ever so delicate touches, her restraint crumbling as she succumbed to the undeniable attraction he consistently pulled between them. She kept her guard up at at times throughout her life, yet it took one Pharaoh to redefine the shape of her walls, to build a gate that allowed him to enter freely.
Sethe's lips trailed up to the corner of Nyla's lips. "You deserve to be loved, my dear," he kissed her cheek, causing a blooming crimson to paint it. "To be desired." His hand dropped lower, grasping her hip until she was firmly against a private area, a yelp escaping her. "To be the most respected woman of Egypt."
At this, Nyla's love-drugged fantasy unraveled, and she remembered the difference between them and his scheme. A sudden coldness slithered around his touch, ominous and dark, a warning that Nyla could not afford to fall for this Pharaoh, knowing the lavish lifestyles they participated in from an abundance of greed to the mistreatment of those they deemed invaluable.
One day, Sethe would toss her aside.
Sethe noticed her withdrawn expression. "What is it?" he asked, cupping her cheek, his thumb caressing the smooth surface of skin. "Did I say something to upset you?"
As Nyla gazed into his dark, brown eyes, at the tenderness that swayed through them as his touch ignited her body even more than it already was. She leaned against his touch, loving the safety and security he brought to her anxious heart.
Because when Nyla was with him, wrapped by his affectionate gaze, and tucked into his loving embrace, she felt safe. It was as if nothing could tear them apart, and if she was with him, he would stay true to her.
Sethe brushed his nose against hers. "Please, tell me," he begged her softly. "I hate seeing this frown."
"You barely know me."
His lips curved upwards again into a breaktaking grin, capturing her last bit of restraint. "But I know that a smile belongs on those perfect lips of yours," he said, kissing her briefly afterwards. "I know that I cannot live a day without these spellbound kisses of yours, and I know that you are the key to saving Egypt."
"Sethe-"
"You were upset because you feel insecure, is that it?"
Her eyes widened. "H-How do you know that?"
This time, his eyes held empathy, an understanding of the insecurities she felt in his presence. "I am a Pharaoh, my dear. There are times that I feel as if I am unworthy for this crown," he pointed to the golden crown that rested on his head, the tail of a serpent outlined in the same embroidery as the base rested between the parting of his long hair, silky and soft.
Nyla reached up to touch the cool metal with her fingertips, brushing against the engravings and the heavy weight his title carried.
Sethe continued, a faraway look in his eyes. "With the state of Egypt my father left me with and the brewing dishonesty in the courts, I had never felt as alone as I did that night. In simple terms, I felt weak."
"You are not weak," she stated fiercely. Nyla's hand fell back onto his chest, her fingers playing with the lavender silk wrapped across his shoulder. "A weak Pharaoh would not maintain such confidence in the midst of a conspiracy."
He grinned. "May I take it that you are finally accepting me into your heart?"
"Be serious," she said, flicking him.
"I am," he insisted, a playful gleam in his eyes. "However, I believe you should listen to your own advice."
She tilted her head at him, brows furrowing.
"You are not weak or incapable, Nyla. I chose you to play this part because I know you will stay firm to your beliefs and that you will maintain your loyalty just as you promised when you took the oath as a priestess."
"Do you really believe that, Sethe?" she asked, voice trembling with uncertainty and mingling with the hope he tried to portray. "Do you truly trust me?"
He embraced her tightly, resting his chin on the top of her head as he gently rocked her body in a comforting rhythm, falling heart to heart with her. Sethe could feel the vulnerability, could hear the hidden fears from her soft, lilting yet sorrowful voice, the sound of a woman who never had an easy path laid out for her.
The storm of chaos approached the Nile rapidly at a force that the gods themselves could not postpone. There was a tide shifting the balance of powers, tipping the vulnerable over while imprisoning the dishonest. And Sethe was senseless enough to bring Nyla into the recipe for disaster.
But he would not let her fall. No matter the consequences of his action or the fragile state of his own heart, he would continue to protect Nyla from the backlash.
"I do," he admitted. "So, how about we put on a show for my advisers?"
Nyla did not need to answer his question. She was ready.
* * * *
"The Pharaoh has arrived," announced Jabari. "Show respect to his Majesty."
Slowly, the men of the royal court fell to their knees, heads bowed in respect, but Sethe would be lying if he said he did not sense the whispers. The bloodthirsty gleam in their eyes heightened with the rising of a new sun, insanity and greed engulfing them in wings of darkness and veiling their intentions with mundane talks of politics and war.
They were scheming before he walked in.
Sethe's eyes met Jabari's, who silently nodded. He asked Jabari to keep a few of his most trusted guards hidden behind pillars and curtains to overhear the advisers.
The shadow of a smile graced his lips. "Rise," he commanded, settling in his throne. "How are our borders, Jabari?"
His friend stared blankly ahead, keeping the facade up for their esteemed guests. "Your Majesty, the Hitties have retreated far west. Casualties of our last battle are on the lower count, however, many soldiers are wounded." Jabari bowed. "I humbly request that we send more medical supplies to the battlefield. The Hitties will return."
Sethe stroked his chin, a map of his nation and the prospects of battle playing a side by side view in his mind, a strategy piecing itself like a puzzle, the parts to victory fitting into his meticulous scheme. He could use the war to his advantage.
His dark eyes surveyed the men before him. If the traitors truly plotted against Sethe, then there should be a handful of them that oppose the war and would use the Hitties invasion as a gate to an uprising against his dynasty. They would only need one spark, one event to fuel the other advisers into betraying their Pharaoh.
Sethe had to be careful.
"How much time do we have until they return?" he asked.
"About a month, your Majesty."
"How severe are the injuries?"
"Depends on the battalion. Some were ambushed at our hidden regions. The lookouts were caught off guard, and the soldiers were attacked from the surprise invasion," recalled Jabari, his jaw clenched. "Your Majesty, may I speak out of line?"
"You have my permission."
Jabari's glacial gaze narrowed at the advisers. "No one should have known of our plot to ambush the Hitties. Only a select number of people knew, so my question is how did the Hitties find out?"
An older adviser scoffed, the wrinkles that creased his visage sinking into his skin as a frown replaced his coy smile. "Are you implying that someone in this room has sold information to our enemies?" he scoffed. "Surely, you are mistaken. Pharaoh, you must punish him for such accusations."
Another adviser built on his ally. "We have no proof of malice in this court, nor is there any circumstances pointing to the destruction of our nation by feeding the despicable Hitties private information," he said, arms crossed. "It is pure insanity."
"It is," agreed Sethe, resting his chin on the palm of his hand. A sly smile painted his lips, coy and calculative, the grin of a man who knew enough to destroy an empire. "But I must say I will have to take a different approach, gentlemen."
Their faces visibly paled at the clipped tone of their Pharaoh, discomfort crawling up their spines like insects. Although Sethe smiled, it did not reach his eyes. They was a dark force within his pupils, a hunger for vengeance, and an equally matched ferocity that belonged in the dunes of sand and pyramids. Their Pharaoh had a look of sheer power, of unimaginable grief etched with the ambition to shatter the tightly knit social structure of their court.
He was not to be tested.
At that precise moment, Nyla walked into the throne room, her gown of cerulean skies flowing behind her like the gentleness of the Nile, her expression masked by the adoration and regality she poised herself in. No longer did the scared priestess fill the gaps of her silence, no, now she reigned the Pharaoh's power with equal strength, a queen matched to tame a wild man.
Just as we rehearsed, Sethe thought as his grin widened.
He stood to greet her. "My dear, have we disturbed your rest?" he asked, arm outstretched towards her.
Nyla sighed as she embraced him. "The other maidens here have been giving me cold looks all day," she pouted. "I feel as if they wish to harm me, Pharaoh."
Sethe was having a hard time reeling his laughter back inside his body. The purpose of Nyla's "unexpected" visit was to rouse an alarm in the advisers, to let them fear for the stability of their positions. None of the previous women left his palace because their sponsors had decided to stay for the advisers' meetings.
If they saw how smitten Sethe was with her, a woman who could influence the Pharaoh with just her breathtaking smiles and addictive kisses, then they would fear the power she held in her hands, especially if Sethe teased the idea of Nyla becoming his Queen.
He held her hips, head tilted. "Are they troubling you?"
She peered at him with hooded lashes, doe-like, brown eyes as warm and tempting as the emotions that rocked between like the tingling of their attraction. Her lips parted slightly as she slowly pulled her bottom lip into her mouth, captivating his attention with one small act.
For a minute, he forgot that she was only playing the role he asked her to.
Sethe caressed her cheek with the pad of his thumb. "I shall have a talk with them. No one shall disrespect you in my palace," he asserted, turning to his advisers. "This seems to be another topic at hand today."
His plan had already set the pieces to their game, the delicacy of betrayal and counter attacks weighing upon their shoulders like burdens. Some advisers exchanged nervous glances with one another while others yawned at the scene, disinterested in political plots and much more interested in other aspects of the court.
There was also wandering eyes that hungrily swallowed the vision of Nyla, their gazes mentally undressing the gown from her body as a fantasy glazed their sensibility. The spell of lust clouded their judgment, whispering the forbidden and painting a twisted tale for them.
Bubbling anger grew in his chest, the muscles in his body tensing to attack, to eliminate the men who dared to gaze at Nyla with such sexual longing. His grip tightened on her hip, brown eyes boring into his advisers with a silent warning.
One brave adviser stepped forward. "Pharaoh, perhaps it is not wise to involve the young lady in such affairs," he said, eyeing Nyla in disgust. "We still need to find a bride for you to increase stability in Egypt. The people will feel more comfortable by your reign if you had a Queen or some concubines. Please, reconsider."
Sethe raised a brow. "What makes you think that I have not chosen a bride?"
"Y-Your Majesty-" he stumbled, eyes wide as he glanced between Sethe and Nyla. "You cannot possibly mean-"
Even Nyla stilled in his arms, her confident demeanor trembling. Her eyes quickly raised to meet his, a silent question weighing between them, but Sethe only followed his heart, only followed the temptation she always brought to him. How could he not make her his?
"We shall discuss that at a later time, but Priestess Nyla is my guest and companion now. I will not have anyone disrespect her."
"But it is improper!" argued another adviser. "Pharaoh, many women across the vast territories have arrived to win your favor, women of status, of power, and most of all these women could form the strongest alliances with us. You must think of your responsibility!"
"My responsibility?" questioned Sethe slowly, his voice a threatening low tone. "Is that how incapable you men see me?"
"No, your Majesty," he said, shaking his head. "We are just worried."
"Your jobs to me do not require you to worry about my romantic affairs. I want to know whether Jabari's claim has weight to it, not insults towards a woman of high esteem," he bellowed, pushing Nyla behind him when she jumped at the tone of his voice.
The advisers went into an uproar, chaos ensuing in the room as voices spoke over each other, trampling and belittling one another for causing suspicion, for forcing a dent in their plans. Jabari predicted this chaos, giving Sethe the right verses to repeat in order to fuel the dysfunction between them.
One adviser managed to push himself to the front of the crowd. "Pharaoh, what could you possibly mean by this?"
"There is a traitor among us."
----
I am only two hours behind schedule >.< pls don't kill me. I have exams every week, so it's been tough, BUT I KEPT MY PROMISE. Honestly, I have a bit of stalker situation that I've been trying to stop for a couple months now.
Toxic relationships aren't always from romance. They can be any type of relationship whether it be friendship, family, or admiration.
And in no way is toxicity okay. It's a shame that people write it with such ease, but the aftermath is very messy, scary, and can even feel crazy. Anyway, it's like 1 am here, and I got a chem exam to study for in the morning.
What do you think of Sethe's character and Nyla's? I bring up toxicity because a lot of historical books revel at those dynamics, and I wanted Sethe to be different.
Don't forget to vote, comment, and follow!