𝑰𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑼

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒘𝒐

Menes shuffled his food about on his plate. Once again, he found himself stuck at dinner with his family and Anat's family. Not only was Anat his best friend but he was also The Grand Vizier's only son and Meritites was his only daughter. Even though the twins were older than him, they had all grown up together. For a long time, the trio was inseparable but as they got older Menes had noticed that his relationship with Meri had changed. Their dynamic wasn't the same, even Meri's tone and articulation switched up on him. He couldn't for the life of him figure out why and he wasn't sure if he should bring it up.

To be fair though, they had all grown up but Menes' relationship with Nat hadn't changed at all and it was just getting stronger. Growing up Menes lived a very sheltered life nevertheless that was to be expected, he was the Pharoah's son. For the nineteen years he walked this planet, all Menes really wanted to do was leave the palace and explore the kingdom his father ruled over. He wasn't asking for much, well he didn't have the courage to ask his parents if he could. It wasn't that he feared them, he just struggled to voice his concerns or converse with them. What was the point in lying to himself? He struggled to talk anyone, especially strangers. To say that he was anxious human being would be a light description of Menes. But that was all going to change tonight or maybe tomorrow.

Exasperated, Menes tried to slyly leave the dining room but his elbow knocked over his water bowl. It was loud enough to pause the audible chatter in the dining room and direct everybody's eyes to him. Menes visibly shrunk back into his seat while a blush creeped onto his cheeks. Almost instinctively, a servant began to clean up the mess he made. Menes refused to make eye contact with anyone in fear that they would strike up a conversation with him. His father cleared his throat and dread overcame Menes.

"The general, Chisisi, has been updating me on how your training is going. He's telling me that there's been a dip in your form recently. Is there any truth to what he's saying, son?" drawled DJEDEFPTAH, the Pharoah dried his hands tentatively with a piece of cloth while he looked at Menes.

"Djedefptah," warned Menes' mother, "this isn't the time nor is it necessary."

"I just want to know if Chisisi is telling the truth Sitamun," Djedefptah insisted, "so Menes are you going to answer my question or make more of a mess?"

"I-um." Menes stuttered. He wiped his sweaty palms against his clothes underneath the table.

"Speak up, I don't have all night!" the Pharoah commanded.

The tension in the dining room was palpable. Anat shuffled awkwardly in his seat, his heart ached for Menes. Especially since Anat knew how much Menes loathed confrontation. Just as Anat was about to step in for his best friend, KEKET- Anat's mother- grasped Anat's arm and subtlety shook her head at him telling him not to get involved. Anat had no intention to listen to his mother until Menes beat him to it.

"I don't know." whispered Menes.

Sitamun dismissed the servants in the room with a brush of her hand.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Djedefptah taunted him.

Menes was getting weary at all of these questions being directed at him. He was used to being the invisible child and he loved that. All of this attention was making his neck crawl.

"I said what I said father." Menes had no idea as to where this bravery had come from but he hoped that it wouldn't leave him.

Menes finally lifted his eyes from the table cloth and looked his father in the eye. He loved his father truly but, in this moment, Menes had never despised him more. His parents knew how much he hated being singled out yet they still did it.