Dedicated to a wonderful writer.

Author's note: Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

_______________________________________________

Several months later...

"Court is adjourned."

A senior ministry official furled a sheet of papyrus containing the latest Pharaoh's decree and headed off in search of a bite to eat.

It had been a long day, and Pharaoh Amenhotep III been sitting in the inner throne room for way too long.

Fretting silently, he eyed the swarm of nobles and court officials who beelined for the exit and wished he could join the throng departing.

However, the weight of the Nemes along with the Double crown made it hard to stand up, let alone walk without assistance even with his lean muscular frame.

Unfortunately, that was not the only reason he hesitated on leaving immediately.

This pharaoh had a secret-one that could shake the foundations of Upper and Lower Egypt along with the rest of the Ancient World should it be found out.

"Time," mouthed Prince Siatum, former Chief Queen Nefertiri's son, his half-brother, and the only person in the throne room who knew his secret.

Keeping the veil placed firmly over his whole face, the supposedly divine son of the God Amun taken human form in King Thutmose IV slowly lowered himself from the high chair, and made his way to a hidden passageway where he discarded the getup and took off the veil.

Sighing in relief, he gazed into his brother's eyes, only to find disappointment in them.

Before he could explain himself, his brother dragged him through the dimly lit passageway and brought him to a hidden chamber that he often used to unwind.

Gathering his wits about him, Prince Siatum placed his hands together, and prayed to the Egyptian Gods for guidance in dealing with his scatterbrained brother.

"How could you...Are you insane?", he bellowed, wondering how they could both be related.

"Be more specific," the teenager stated.

"I told you very clearly to stay in the palace! You are no longer presided over by a regent! You have been crowned as Pharaoh of Upper and Lower Egypt, and I hear word that you are prancing about with the commoners instead of upholding your duties!", he yelled in indignant outrage.

"I read from a book that rulers learn more about their people from..."

"Of course! It's from a book! Not from all the papyrus I send to you to read about our history, or about the Babylonians, or even Greek philosophy...no, it must be from those books you pick up from during your travels outside the palace!"

He didn't want to be so harsh on Amun, but he was forced to be.

His fear of losing Amun was greater than ever, especially now that Babylon was threatening them to send one of Egypt's princesses to them for marriage lest war break out.

It had only been a few months since their father, King Thutmose IV, died from a bout of epilepsy, and even the Mittanis, who were family with Amun, were wary of the new pharaoh's ability.

If he did not take matters into his own hands, the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt would be over with shortly.

"There are Hittites trying to take over lands, Kushites calling for their land back, the Babylonians wanting our daughters, and the Mittanis refusing your legitimacy and claiming your mother was not the princess they sent over!"

"How dare they!", he called out. "Make sure to not tell my mother about this. She would be sure to be upset if her own people thought that", he jested.

"Stop mocking me, we're in serious trouble and you must...update the royal harem."

"I already have my aunts, and my sisters idling away in there," he mused.

"We need Alliances...and preferably an heir to secure your line," the older brother confided.

"Can't you take over the throne? I...should they find out about...", he nervously mumbled.

"About what? The fact you can't see from far away, or that distinguishing red and green tones eludes you?"

"With you, any problem and its undue consequences seem trivial," he muttered.

Facing his little brother, Prince Siatum persuaded him to get a grip. "Let me finish-there are others in Egypt with connections to the previous dynasties, or to the former pharaohs that believe they have more right to the throne than you."

"Let them fight for it," he taunted. "See who survives being a rebel in this House with you around."

Keeping it together, he continued, "You just made one of Hapteshut's descendants a court official."

"Neferkare is a noble, is he not?"

"Men like him are dangerous," he asserted.

"Then it is better to keep him close than observe him from afar," the pharaoh countered.

"You can't do that for everyone! What about the assassins from this morning?"

"They're taken care off-in jail as far as I'm concerned. Is that all?", Amun retorted.

"Just vow that you won't go off without protection next time, alright?"

"Done. Deal with the assassins as you wish," he called out as he left the hidden room.

Coming out of the passageway, he came across the Captain of the Guard and gestured for him to come closer. Strolling through the palace, they conversed in muted tones over his concern for Egypt.

"With all the eyes watching Egypt, you don't blame your father for favoring your younger brother and making him Pharaoh?", the Captain of the Guard asked.

"Of course not," he replied. "Heavy lies the burden of the throne on whose head it lies. My father knew that of course, how much responsibility pharaohs have on their shoulders. Alas, he knew us best-that I like to live a life of luxury, but that is not why he chose Amun."

"Then why?"

Chuckling, Prince Siatum answered, "However, after so many years sitting on the throne, you get used to that sensation. It's hard to give up actually, so what does he do when the court forces him to place a son on the throne, with him only acting as regent?"

Dumbfounded, the soldier looked straight into the prince's eyes with no clue.

Clicking his tongue in disappointment, "Choose the weakest one-one you can easily manipulate to your favor, and as Amun has a malady that he would do anything to cover up..."

"Wow," the guard exclaimed.

"Oh please. My father brought Egypt military conquests and built on a grand scale-you don't do that by not breaking a few bones and trampling on others beneath you."

"So he was not the favorite after all?", the soldier mused.

"I was granted a normal Egyptian noble life and served in the Army with no special treatment. He was sheltered no doubt by our mother as he was a 'miracle child'..."

"Using the terminology that the Israelites use?"

"It's true-his mother was barren most of her life, 'cept for Amun, and well-you can see how he turned out," he said with a chuckle, having implied that his brother's vision problems had to do with Amun's mother being older than most when she gave birth.

"Then it was more so a matter of...instead of 'We [the pharaoh] thinks he [Amun] needs special treatment because he [the pharaoh] think he [Amun] is inferior [to us]', it was actually 'He [Amun] deserves special treatment because he [Amun] is born inferior."

Grinning, Prince Siatum said, "You got something right. My father never did see him...as a complete person, and as you have seen, even with me telling the pharaoh not to trust anyone..."

"But your father must have seen you as a threat to his rule at some point, right?"

"Like I said, I prefer a life of luxury, did you see how many assassination attempts were attempted just this month, not to mention this morning," he commented.

"This morning was your doing though," he quipped.

"Yes." Sighing, he continued, "My younger brother feels the 'burden' so much that he frequently goes amongst the commoners, but he must be more cautious. Next time, it will not be my men that aim at his throat. He must learn to take better care of himself in the future."

"Have you never had an inclination for the crown?"

Turning around, he faced him, chiding, "If I would have wanted it, I would have it-my father's permission be ******. Fortunately for my brother, I've seen the strain it caused on the previous pharaoh and have come to learn where the true power originates."

"May I ask where?"

"Highly inquisitive you are today, Captain. Watch yourself. Sometimes it's better not to know, but I'll give you this one for free."

Glancing around, he whispered, "Power behind the throne-that is where kingdoms fall, and empires are long left buried in the sand."

Gulping, the Captain of the Guard knelt, and pledged his allegiance to their Dynasty.

"Good. Now as for the guards who saw the young pharaoh sneaking out of the palace..."

"Yes?"

"As long as rumors can spread over the misadventures of a young Egyptian noble..."

"Understood, they shall be silenced," he exclaimed.

"Tut-tut. I want them alive, can you do that?" Casting a side-eye at the ambitious Captain, he pondered on how he would get his request done exactly.

"How you feel about a pair of mute guards who would follow your every move?", he offered.

"Perfect!"

Clasping his hands together, the Captain remarked, "They shall be thankful you saved their lives, sire."

This one was quicker on the uptake than he thought. With the guards having been branded as criminals, having him be their savior was a brilliant idea. After all, loyalty purchased from a life debt held more worth than family bonds.

Too bad Prince Siatum had to practically lead this soldier to water for him to think of it.

Some men could use a spare original thought in their skull.

Then again, where would be the amusement in that?

If only influencing his brother were ever this simple.

________________________________________

Author's note: Btw, Prince Siatum is not one of the antagonists for this story so yeah. (non-spoiler)

Nemes: pieces of striped cloth used by Egyptian pharaoh, not the crown, symbolized power

Double crown: Used together with the Nemes, represented power over Upper/Lower Egypt

History footnotes:

This story is set in the Eighteenth Dynasty, the first dynasty of the New Kingdom, Egyptian Empire, and the pharaoh ruling at the time is Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Queen Hapteshut is one of his ancestors (his great-great grandmother), but other pharaohs such as his grandfather viewed women in an unfavorable light or helped destroy artifacts related to her. (Yes, the relative mentioned also share the ancestor, but it will be explained why they differ in breeding.)

Scholars debate whether his mother was Mittani or not, as his father was refused a Mittani princess to wed, until the 7th, 8th or 9th time when the head of the Mittanis sent one of his daughters. He also had a brother, or half-brother, named Prince Siatum, likely had a regent as he was given a coronation at a pre-teen age, and his father was known for military conquests in Nubia (modern-day Sudan) and Syria as well as building temples/other buildings on a massive scale.

And yes, this is set long before the Israelites in Egypt were made slaves as they lived in Egypt for likely hundreds of years after Joseph was made Governor of Egypt, but they are a tight-knit community and usually keep to themselves during this time.