In a house away from the palace, there was a kind of circular hut, with the entire floor covered in golden carpets and cushions, and a comfortable bench, Tykar fought the armed soldiers without any effort and without any weapons. Their blows did not reach their targets. They quickly piled into a corner, exhausted and defeated, while Tykar showed no signs of fatigue.
"You should fight someone your own size, Tykar."
Tykar looked back and smiled when he saw Durin glaring at him.
"Is that a challenge from the mighty Dihm, brother?"
"Don't call me by that name. Durin is enough for me to know you're talking to me."
"Are you ashamed of your origins?"
"No. But I am ashamed of some...members of my family."
"Yes. I share that feeling." Tykar said, approaching and standing next to Durin, as he watched the soldiers grouping up for a new fight.
"I don't want to see you near my wife again, Tykar."
"Do you want me to run every time she seeks solace in my arms?"
Durin smiled.
"Is that what you were doing last night? Were you comforting her?"
Tykar glanced sideways at his brother's blond hair.
"Mycon hasn't talked to you yet, has he?"
"Not today." Durin answered without turning around. "Does he have anything important to tell me?"
Tykar positioned himself in the center of the enclosure and waited for the soldiers to attack. This time, he didn't allow the swords and Nunchakus to even clang before he left all the soldiers collapsed again and returned to Durin's side.
"We know about what did NOT happen between you and your wife."
"Did she complain?"
"No. I think she must be relieved, but... You're not really married if you don't consummate, are you?"
"I'm the Pharaoh. I can change our laws if..."
"You won't be Pharaoh until you fulfill the demands of the Great Pharaoh." Tykar said, starting to walk towards the soldiers who were already in attack position again, when Durin stopped him by putting his arm in front of him and looking sideways with an enigmatic smile at Tykar.
"How about a bit of a real challenge in this combat simulation?"
Tykar looked at him with an intense, silver glint in his eye.
"I'd love that." He said and ducked, punched the ground and when he opened his hand again as he stood up, a silver sword like his eyes, emerged from his hand, growing as he rose.
Tykar raised it expertly and faced Durin.
"Do you still remember how to use magic?"
Durin smiled back and punched the wall next to him, and soon a golden sword grew from his fist.
"Forgetting that would be like forgetting to walk. Do you remember what you learned first? Did you walk or practice magic?" He asked and they began to fight with their swords.
The soldiers watched, not knowing what they should feel. Fear or admiration, after all, they were the two most powerful gods facing each other.
The fight between them was fierce. It soon became clear that Tykar had much more skill than Durin, his attacks were more precise and always hit the target. Their swords flashed as the fight became more intense. The soldiers watched in amazement as sparks of ice and fire flew from their swords and the damage they caused to the floor or wall where they fell and protected themselves with their shields, but they couldn't stop watching the fight.
But Tykar's skill would not guarantee his victory. After he hit Durin in the face with the sharp point of his sword and a trickle of blood ran down the new Pharaoh's face. He stopped the fight.
"I can't use weapons more powerful than that katana against someone so weak, brother. Train harder, and then I'll accept your challenge." He said as he saw the flame of fire blaze in Durin's furious eyes and, slapping one hand against the other and causing his own sword to disappear between his hands and his eyes to return to their naturally brown hue, he bowed slightly and withdrew.
"He's right."
Durin clapped one hand on the other, as Tykar had done, and the sword disappeared in his hands, before turning to Mycon who was watching from the entrance to the fighting house.
"I may have made the fight easier so as not to hurt Tykar." He said with a smile and looked at the aghast soldiers. "You're dismissed for the day."
The soldiers began to file out of the door.
"You want to tell me something about my wedding, right?"
"Maybe I don't need to say anything anymore."
"You never told me about the consummation. Why not?"
"That's obvious, right? The marriage clause was made for your father to prevent you from having an illegitimate child. To guarantee the Dihm lineage. And if you don't consummate your marriage... I believe you must have learned from Pharaoh's ritual how children are born, right?"
Durin started walking towards the palace and Mycon followed him.
"I wasn't a virgin for the ritual, Mycon."
"You know that's an aberration. Tykar is more responsible than you and he saved himself for that day. That's what's expected of a Pharaoh. Couldn't you wait to have your harem?"
"Does it matter?"
"You insult the whole kingdom when you flout our customs. We are aware of the unusual sexual appetite of our Pharaohs and for this reason, the Gumis spend their lives choosing among the most beautiful and virginal young women, without limit, to color our Pharaoh's harem. None of them needed a greater incentive than this to wait for the day of the ritual."
Durin's face turned grim.
"He threw me out!"
"He made a mistake. And you're an adult and you know that doesn't justify his mistakes."
"If you're so upset by my behavior, why are you supporting me to sit on the throne?"
"Because I loved your father and first of all I have to do everything possible to ensure that his last will is done, but I'm beginning to believe that he has poured all his resources into the wrong son."
Durin smiled calmly and arrogantly.
"Tykar could never be Pharaoh."
"What makes you think so?"
"The way he was begotten." Durin said and stopped.
Mycon was already opening his mouth to reply, but stopped himself when he saw Celesty, in a red dress that clung to her curvaceous body under her transparent tulle, approaching.
"My Pharaoh." She bowed and looked seductively at Durin.
"What are you doing here?"
"You are my late husband's heir. I'm here so that you can fulfill your obligations and place me under your protection."
Durin looked inquiringly at Mycon, who nodded.
"It is the New Pharaoh's duty to take care of everything the Old Pharaoh left behind. Unfortunately for you, Celesty, as you were once a Farida and you can no longer have her as your wife, as you've already married..."
"What do you advise?"
"She should be taken to the harem and made head of your women."
Durin turned to Celesty.
"Do you know that if you go to the harem, you will serve me just as you served my father?"
"I look forward to it, my Pharaoh." She said and winked.
"I feel like vomiting just imagining myself touching you. But go on. I can drink something to boost my spirits and decide to put you back in your position as Farida." Durin said, ending the conversation as he was followed by Mycon to his office.