Brotherly Love(This scene was posted to my website last year. Earlier this year I decided that I had too many bits and pieces up, and I deleted the entry and the page. But somehow the page count for my site's dashboard reflects page view attempts on this scene.
Well, all right. I am putting it back in, but in a more polished form. Enjoy it!) This takes place shortly after Hori's return. Rai, Ramesses' second son, is jealous. Where he had been the ranking prince, he now is second to Egypt's Crown Prince - who is only months older than him. This scene ensues. |
Hori leaned against the wall and propped a foot behind him. "Is that so?" he said. "You have spent the past several years in a snit because your mother, apparently, kept her legs crossed for six months so that I could be born first and usurp your position?
Is that it, half - wit? Well, take it, then! Take it and all it stands for! You go stand in on audiences and be peered at by everyone with eyes to stare at you! I'll stay happily in the background and applaud until my hands are sore! I can't imagine a better person to step into those 'honors'! "You go spend time at Karnak! Get tutored until your head spins and you swear that ink runs in your veins rather than blood!! And those glorious days that you –Crown Prince of Egypt! – spend lugging jars of water around! I cede it to you with a full heart! You are certainly fit for that work!" "You take that back!" Rai said through his teeth. Hori drew himself up and stared him in the eye. "Very well, little brother," he said. "I take it back with my humblest apologies – you are not fit to lug slop water around to be poured anywhere some paunchy priest tells you! You can go herd geese! The geese are as mean, stupid and noisy as you are!" "Curse you Hori!" Rai snapped. "Take it back!" Montu been watching the exchange with a widening grin. He stepped forward. "Stop it, Rai," he said through quivering lips. "Don't you see that he will just tell you that - very well - the geese are not as mean, stupid and noisy as you? If you do not want to be the butt of his insults, then stop setting up for his archery!" Rai rounded on him. "Who asked you?" he demanded. "No one," said Montu. "I was prompted by a sense of charity. If you do not want it, I wash my hands of you." Hori looked him over and suddenly grinned. Let us call a truce, Rai," he said. "You want what I have and I can't give it to you." He eyed his brother and added, "And look on the bright side. If someone I have managed to infuriate succeeds in throttling me, you will step into my position and find yourself enjoying it just as much as I do now! I will wish you joy of it from the fields of Yaru!" Return to Kadesh Preview |