Lion Head Mesa hsekiu

He had seen the men come to tempt Toula and to charm her, and it wasn't until he had laid eyes upon Rashepses that Harakhte took himself from their number. He lingered long enough to see the first of the visitors clamboring for the cenote, and then he had dispersed; his soothsayer flanking him, whispering of plans and plots and all manner of things, none of which he took heed of. In this venture he had lost. The girl had made her choice and it was a strong one—and it was not himself that was chosen. He did not slight the girl for this. He knew the gods had made their choice through her, and in time they would turn their eye upon him also, and he only needed to wait.
To wait was not something he wanted. Harakhte was a man of action; even if that action was reserved to subterfuge and trickery, he prefered to keep himself busy. During this time in the southern desert he managed to convince his honor guard to stand down; they kept a greater distance from him as with each passing day his ire grew, and soon enough even the soothsayer did not wish to keep his company. The ruse was successful in that it granted Harakhte solitude.
In that solitude, he met the Old Gods of his mother; he made his wishes, and formed his pacts, and watched each night as the stars wrote his future. And when he'd been given enough vision in this way, Harakhte branched further from his protectors and fled again, north. He followed those stars until they aligned above Muat-Riya; he passed this pleasure palace by and merged with the retreating rear-guard of party-goers. As these splintered in to their various factions, he was focused on only Akashingo.
Thus when the man arrived this second time to the familiar arches of the Red Palace, he did so unaided. His princely bearing remained, but there was a wildness to him now that spoke of his solitude.

one prince moved to consort.

and now two princes arrived at akashingo within a short while of each other.

thutmose had never returned. senmut supposed he had been drawn away on business.

it was the erpa-ha himself which attended this silent audience, bayek lingering somewhere beyond him in quiet. "royal prince harakhte," senmut greeted, noting that the man was without his impressive retinue, that he wore a new bearing.

"for what purpose have you returned?" his was voice was even and not unkind, only inquiring, for this time there was no queen of akashingo to claim as a bride.

It would have been customary to be announced, but he came alone. He could have commanded a slave to do it for him; this was a passing thought, and one he put aside promptly, for Harakhte did not wish to hear a slave speak his holy name, and sunder it.
It was the Erpa-ha who came, who spoke.
He smiled and bowed his head.
It is the decree of the gods, of course. Of this he was certain, and so his voice was like steel and his smile unwavering. I have seen the expansion of Muat-Riya, I know that Pharaoh has been wed, and yet I do not return to Akhet. His head raises, he stands poised now with princely airs.
My place is here, to serve in the court. To bring honor to my name and to my people.
For what else could he gain from this?

the gods. harakhte had come back to serve, and in this senmut saw no malice nor any wavering.

"walk with me."

they would move slowly to the top of the mesa. "in what capacity do you mean to serve?" he said, thinking of the other's clear courtcraft and the positions at court not yet filled, or those which must be replenished.