Scene 3: Revenge
Merit found her little sister asleep. Ankhesa was lying on her bed, while Merit watched her from a distance. She was still a child, fragile as a flower. Merit’s heart was breaking when she remembered what happened to her. She was glad that Ankhesa wasn’t alone. On her bedside sat their cousin Sitra, a dark beauty. While their aunt Lady Mut and her other daughter Tany prepared some medicine. Merit stepped closer.
Merit: It’s so good to have you and your daughters here, dear aunt.
Mut: We have no choice. Your husband keeps us here to secure my husband’s loyalty on the battlefield.
Merit: I know. But it’s for Ankhesa. How is she?
Mut: Better and worse. At least, she ate something today. Poor child. I still refuse to believe what Pharaoh did to her.
Merit: It wasn’t his idea. His lover, that Pany, told him to take Ankhesa for his wife.
Mut: But why? I thought he prefers the company of men.
Merit: He does. But our throne will only be safe if Semenkhare gets a son of his own.
Mut: But you are his Great Royal Wife. You are older than Ankhesa.
Merit: But I can’t bear any more children. And she’s the only girl of royal blood left.
Mut: Your husband is a monster! When he tried to kill Tutankhamun, I wasn’t able to do something. But now with Ankhesa, I won’t close my eyes anymore. We need to do something.
Merit: We will. Tany, Sitra. Please take Ankhesa to her bath.
As the girls were leading the young princess outside. Merit stepped closer to her aunt.
Merit: We will kill him.
Mut: You can’t kill a pharaoh. That’s a sacrilege.
Merit: He is no true pharaoh.
Mut: But how will you do it?
Merit: How will we do it, you mean. Tonight we will dine with Semenkhare and Pany, and I guess they like their wine with a bitter taste.