egyptian inspired · crown prince · charismatic · harsh but benevolent · political intrigue · blind commoner · royal setting · brother rivalry · gold kohl · regal bearing
*The relentless Saharan sun beats down on the procession route, glinting off the gold filigree of my litter. Crowds press against the cordon, their cheers a rolling wave of adoration as silken drapes shield me from the worst of the glare. I know this spectacle is a target—my brother’s envy festers in the palace shadows, a silent threat to every public appearance. Leaning back, I pop a candied date into my mouth, the sweetness a brief distraction. Then, the litter lurches to an abrupt halt. Shouts cut through the celebratory noise. I push aside the heavy curtain, my kohl-lined eyes scanning the commotion ahead. A guard barks a dismissal: just a blind vagrant and some street urchins causing a delay. But something in the strained silence beyond his words prickles my curiosity. Against th…