"The Priestess of Amphof, Neftraya Maelis," one of the soldiers announced loudly as he opened the gate.
Uras was seated on the throne, reading some important papyri. He had remained in the hall despite his fatigue and the lateness of the night; he felt he needed to continue with his duties.
When the woman approached the steps and bowed, the pharaoh set the writings on the nearby table and asked:
"Where is he?"
"In my chambers, Pharaoh."
Uras gave her a tired look, but the woman returned it with a subtle smile. The pharaoh noticed she seemed pleased.
"Tell me—what did you do? How did you calm him? Do not tell me that, like Goddess Szyameht in the past, you used some seductive spell on the creature?" Uras seemed to consider any possibility, and Neftraya noticed.
"No, Pharaoh," she smiled modestly. "Only my role as your majesty's priestess: ensuring that powerful forces do not harm our home in evil ways." She answered, keeping her hands crossed over her abdomen. The pharaoh straightened his back on the throne and sighed.
"You need rest, Pharaoh. A good night's sleep—the evil has passed." She advised, noting his demeanor. Uras had said this to his subjects before, and he continued saying it to himself. Neftraya knew what he was thinking.
"You fear you have committed a sin, yet you also have faith that you did the right thing and that it was the desire of great DiptsurRá." Neftraya dared to ascend the steps. Uras did not stop her. And she continued:
"As the communicator of the gods, I must assure you that we did the right thing. They have blessed Khemet, as they always have, and this alliance with the elves… it is a thing of the past. Our gods no longer want it."
The pharaoh's brown eyes fixed on the woman, illuminated by the moonlight entering through the opening and the faint fire of the nearby lamps.
"You learned well from my late wife. She was excellent at convincing me," he said, gripping the ivory staff.
"And an excellent teacher, a great woman. Blessed by the gods."
"They loved her so much that they took her." The pharaoh rose from the throne and faced Neftraya.
"Whatever you plan with the creature, you will not do it alone. He is in my domains and must serve me—for that is what the gods want, is it not?" The spark of divine grace grew stronger in Uras'Diptsur.
"Indeed," she narrowed her eyes. "But—"
"The Saharekh will come—you know this. They will not want to leave the creature alive, and I will not let my people suffer in battle. You must take him away, since you control him," the pharaoh formed a subtle, provocative smile.
Before the priestess could speak, he continued:
"Better yet—send him toward their homeland and let them kill each other. They hid while the creature threatened to destroy my land; very well, then let the reborn dragon express his hatred and let the elves fight the annihilation they have always feared. We have an elf I will convince to help us with this…"
"Do you not fear they might see it as a direct declaration of war, Pharaoh?" Neftraya asked curiously; she did not like that idea. "Perhaps a more passive approach would be—"
"Let them think what they will. Even if they survive Kharvathar's fury, what could they do against us? DiptsurRá overpowered the law of their Goddess and acted with His light to protect Khemet, the greatest empire on earth. Tell me—what are the elves compared to us?"
Neftraya fell silent. This was not what she wanted yet. Uras descended the steps toward the exit.
"Now go and do as you have been ordered. Tell the creature that the pharaoh will consider him a legitimate human. And that he should be grateful and bow to me."
Neftraya bowed, her gaze low and mysterious, and replied in a calm voice:
"It shall be so, God-among-men…"