I called one of the servants who was loyal to me, who would follow my instruction without question, and sent him after the unexpected visitor, with the instruction to see where the man went in order to report it back to me later.
After the afternoon meal, my husband and his guests left for the local market; he was to help them secure goods for trade. By the turn of the evening, it was apparent that my husband’s guests would be spending the night in our home. Not that it concerned any of us as there is room enough within the house for several guests and it was not an uncommon thing to happen. But with everything that had occurred and several of Menwi’s predictions having come true, I was hesitant what to do, especially since I had not had time to speak with my husband and the pouch of coins I had tied under my caftan heated the skin it touched.
Nikare sought the servant I had sent off earlier, claiming that there was need for a cut of meat and that one of the sheep needed to be slaughtered. She was furious when I told her that I had sent him on an errant. Once again she appointed me to wash and anoint my husband and his guests’ feet upon their return, while the others tended to the preparations for the evening meal. She left claiming that she would need to barter for a cut of meat.
It was well into the evening before I had the opportunity to speak with my husband, whom I was surprised to learn was somewhat put off by the arrival of his guests. I handed him the money and told him about Huya’s warning. I also informed him of the man who had come to see the primary wife. I knew it sounded like a complaint on my part, since I would not be the first woman with a desire to get rid of a primary wife and I know of several who would take the opportunity as soon as it occurs. I explained to him that I had sent a servant to follow him and that he could speak with the man in the morning. Because of the presence of the young trader in the house, I opted to stay with my husband that evening; I did not need any talking behind my back.
The following morning I did not have an opportunity to speak with my husband, or to ask him what I should do, because he and his companions had left the house not long after the morning meal. I knew from parts of their conversation the previous evening that they were still looking for goods. They took the servant with them and it was only later that my husband disclosed to me that they had taken the matter to the medjay.
That same afternoon the visitor returned again, I only knew it because I heard Nikare reprimand someone and ventured to see who had vexed her this time. I only heard the latter part of him expecting some payment in full before he left again.
My husband’s guests stayed for another evening before they also left. Things within our home returned to normal, only that I found it increasingly difficult to oblige Nikare. I was distrustful of her and started to question her actions and decisions. Her glares and verbal barbs aimed in my direction also increased.
More goods arrived, and one morning my husband announced an impromptu trip to Thebes. He explained that there were too much goods and that he was sending two caravans. His declaration had us scurry to prepare flatbread to allow for the departure of a small caravan the same afternoon.
For a moment I thought he had gone mad, for the last caravan had not even returned yet and there was not even enough time to prepare the food. Nikare was beside herself and actually accused him of going mad; that the men would starve, but my husband insisted that they were to leave the same afternoon and that only he and two of the beast masters would leave, taking with them only what was absolutely necessary.
He came to me just before their departure and told me not to worry and that he would be safe. He had arranged for the medjay to join up with him outside the city. They would also be dressed as travelers and were to travel with him in hope of capturing some of the thieves, which is why he did not want too many of his own people with him, as too great a number of men would scare off any thieves.
Even with his assurances I felt uneasy. Too many strange things had occurred, and with such sudden arrangements it did not seem that he was properly prepared for such a trip.
He told me not to concern myself and that he would be back in time for the new moon.
Not three days after his departure the medjay came to our house. I remember it so vividly, because my entire body turned ice cold when they approached the home, four of them, dressed in full palace uniform getup. I could hardly speak when they addressed me. They asked to speak to Nikare and I feared the worst, for such news would first be told to the primary wife. I was too shocked to go in search for her myself and instead sent one of the servants to call her. Those who stayed with me seemed as shocked as I was by the events. My husband may at times have been a stern taskmaster but they all respected him and worked hard.
Nikare did not seem all that surprised to see them, and listened to what they had to say. Her face only changed when they informed her that they had come to take her away for questioning. She yelled at them and the servants looked at me in question. Since the medjay had not delivered the dreaded news and taken Nikare, as second wife my decisions would from now on govern their actions.
The medjay took Nikare away, almost dragging her along with them as she continued to hurl insults and profanities at them.
When the primary wife did not return that evening, I knew something was awfully wrong. I had no idea how to run such a vast home with so many people. I had no idea how much food we needed or how to divide the chores among the servants, and if there were things I needed to know beforehand. I also did not know if the medjay would allow me to speak with her, were I even to go to the guardhouse.
But the servants understood. They could have made things difficult for me and everything seemed more pleasant with her gone and many reported things to me of their own will. I did not need to constantly seek them out or stand guard over them like she had. With Nikare gone we had no money to exchange for goods for the house and instead relied on some of the servants bartering skills. I learned that there were many talented people amongst our attendants, for the kitchen staff came up with some of the most delightful meals, which were a welcome change from the regular fare of flatbread and whatever was about.
My husband arrived back home before the new moon, just as he had promised. He was then summoned by the medjay to attend a hearing before our pharaoh. The medjay had captured the man who had come to see Nikare along with several other desert raiders.
My husband afterwards related to me how they had been attacked in the evening. Several men had been killed during the fighting and those, whom they had managed to capture, had been taken to the guardhouse in order to be questioned. One eventually admitted that they were hired mercenaries and that they had been told that they could take all the goods once they had killed the foreman.
Nikare was found guilty of treason against my husband, our people, our pharaoh and the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses, since my husband was transporting the Nubian tithe. Along with the captured desert raiders she was sent to the gates for public stoning.
Another two such parties followed and several more raiders were captured. For a short while thereafter the trade routes seemed safe, with no incidents or raids reported.
But a season later the raids once again returned, only this time they seemed more aggressive and have remained so. They would kill everyone within a party, showing no consideration for those whose lives they were taking, and took anything of worth. They also attacked indiscriminately, small or large caravans alike. Although most of their attacks occurred at night, they would even attack during the day if the moment appeared right.
The medjay again arranged several parties with my husband and other traders, and again either caught or killed several of the raiders, but never enough for the routes to be completely safe again.
The threat alone had my husband again seek Menwi’s council and it was under those circumstances that we again traveled to Huya’s home. She waited for us outside because Menwi had forewarned her of our arrival, and I vividly remember sitting in the chariot-dray gazing up at the evening sky, watch
ing the twinkling stars as my husband went in to see him again. I didn’t want to enter the house and Huya was kind enough to stay with me, because even though there were several children still running around, there was a strange feel to the place a sense of agitation - but I may only have imagined it.
It was with Menwi’s help that my husband prospered, even during the worst of times. The foresight he had enabled my husband to plan his trips. His warnings advised my husband which animals to use. I remember there was this one particular trip where almost all of the donkeys suddenly had dropped dead from what appeared to be some sort of poison, when Menwi had advised my husband to use oxen. My husband had been unhappy about the expenses for using oxen but on his return was grateful that he had listened.
I found myself escorting my husband through the dark streets more often, with only the stars bearing witness, at times being the only guiding light other than the moon. Over time, it became a familiar trip, just as if we were going to see one of my husband’s trader friends.
All throughout his support, Menwi never asked for anything, not a robe or a loaf of bread or anything. I on the other hand felt guilty, and my husband responsible, because we benefited most from his predictions. I asked my husband there was something we could do for them, because it pained me to think of the circumstances under which they lived. My husband admitted to me that he had offered Menwi payment every time he went but he had always refused to accept it.
For the following trips I started taking sweetmeats along with us and any clothing we did not use. You can imagine it was quickly received and distributed, at times I think many actually kept a lookout for us, because there were always more than I had sweetmeats for.
It was then that I started talking with Huya, much as we had when she had been my companion, only this time we spoke of her people and those who lived there. She told me that many were gifted craftsmen but could not afford to purchase goods to turn into crafts, and that they relied on the commissions of others, who often did not pay them in full.
I spoke to my husband that evening, knowing that he knew of many sources for goods and fabrics. Together we decided to use the money he had offered Menwi to purchase supplies. We would start up a place where craftsman could come to practice their trade and only pay the material costs once the artifact had been sold.
It started slow at first, with a few hesitant women who had heard of it from Huya. We provided cotton, flax, reeds, wood and tools for them to work.
At first the women simply spun cloth, and produced cubits of fabric a week. They had no sales skills and although the fabric was of fine quality and strong, they could not barter for it for those living around them could not make them a suitable offer. Therefore my husband offered to purchase it, withholding the expense of the cotton or flax and take it with his goods when he traveled. Word of this soon traveled and within a moon cycle many more came. Many with goods to display, so much so that my husband set up a separate area, where he would encourage many of his trader friends to visit in order to secure goods.
Many young girls joined, learning the arts of weaving, spinning and stitching. Many even made clothes of their own. It made all the difference to those people. And every time my husband arrived to procure goods, the craftsmanship had improved. There were men who carved intricate patterns on wood. My husband was so impressed that he took a piece to show the pharaoh. The pharaoh in return requested a door to be made of such carvings.
Many traders came, many with raw materials such as cotton or flax, who needed it to be made into cloth, others came to buy baskets and mats, even doors and wooden furniture.
The pharaoh had heard about this and asked my husband, and although my husband did not relate to him his connection with Menwi, the pharaoh in turn approved of the project, having seen the results and the sudden improvement of the people’s living conditions himself.
We later hired tutors, who taught the young ones and anyone who wanted to learn how to read and write. You could imagine that many who lived in the more prominent areas were not pleased by what was happening. It became difficult to cheat educated servants, which I also learnt Nikare had done in the past. The servants with proper skill also required higher wages, which their masters were forced to accept. Where young men would spend an entire day gathering mud to make bricks for a piece of flatbread, those same men now made bricks of their own, for which they could set their price.
Many who had struggled to put food on the table could instead focus on other matters now, were able to look forward to the next day without fear of going hungry. Men, who had been let go from the quarries after the demand for stone from the Egyptian pharaoh had dropped once his new palace was completed, were once again able to walk with pride. The quarry managers themselves were forced to treat their workers better.
My husband never took credit for any of it. He knew that many who had gained from exploiting their workers would dislike him for his involvement. Just as he knew that even though they had complained about it to the pharaoh, it bore his approval and therefore they could do little to oppose it.
Whenever my husband and I discussed the matter, he would always say that the people only needed to be shown a way by which they could achieve something, and that once they had found it, they would follow it. He insisted that he had done nothing more than making it possible and that seeing people doing something for themselves and benefiting from it, is what made others more willing to try. He was even honest enough to say that even in this matter he had profited significantly.
For nearly two whole turns of high tides things went well. My husband would approach Menwi to enquire about good times to set out with goods, while the people around Menwi would often produce a large portion of those goods. Menwi always knew when we were coming, so Huya would always be waiting outside.
Until that last time…
My husband once again went to enquire with Menwi and as usual I stayed outside. He never took long, which was what alarmed me at first. Usually by the time I had handed the children the sweetmeats and enquired about the new goods he would return, but this time he stayed long thereafter. I thought maybe Menwi had a lot to tell him but when he finally appeared, it was apparent that whatever Menwi had told him did not bode well. He would not speak for some time, and simply sat in the chariot-dray and made no attempt to gather up the reins and urge the horse on. It was strange, because he was always lively when he returned from Menwi.
I asked my husband what Menwi had told him, but he said nothing, hardly seemed to notice me. Knowing no better and desperate to understand why my husband was in the state he was in I exited the chariot-dray saying “Well if you will not tell me, I shall go speak to him myself.”
My words seemed to jolt him out of his thoughts, because he called me, “Come back, there is no good to be learned from him.”
I knew that if I listened, he would not tell me what he had heard from Menwi; my husband has always tried to protect me from dangers, has always been protective, and as much as I appreciated that, I wanted to know what was wrong with him.
I entered the house, knowing that it in defiance of my husband’s wishes, but I didn’t care since if he would not tell me I had to get the information from the man himself.
My sudden appearance in Menwi’s room did not startle him, but since he could see the future, why would it?
“What did you tell him?” I demanded anxiously.
“No good could come of your knowing…” he replied, “…you were warned.”
“What did you tell him? He will not speak a word, only sits in our chariot-dray.”
“I did not want to tell him, but he pushed, demanded an answer to his question”, Menwi said.
“And what was your answer?” I demanded.
“That it would not benefit him”,
“That what would not benefit him?”
“The next movement of goods?”
I was confused, could not understand why he would say such a thing, or how the movement of
goods could not benefit my husband, and insisted, “Why not?”
It was the first time I have ever seen someone so hesitant to speak, but my stance remained firm, and he finally relented, “Because he will meet with the gods before then.”
It took me a moment to understand what he meant and then I, too, was rendered speechless, for there is not much you can say when you are faced with such a premonition.
I know not how long I stood there, my body almost unwilling to move as I tried to make sense of it in my mind.
I felt numb when I joined my husband. He still said nothing, but finally gathered up the reins to start the horse on his way home. To this day I am convinced that it was the horse who took us home that evening.
Shabaka looked at Neti as he asked, “And has your husband been killed?”
Aya looked at him, shaking her head in response, “No, not yet, but he may as well have. There is little left of the man I married.”
“When was his…” Neti struggled to find an appropriate word “…death to occur.”
“On the evening the full moon rises to its apex.”
Neti looked at Shabaka and paused briefly. “That is in three days.”
Shabaka looked towards the doorway, “The day has already begun.”
Neti’s gaze followed his and noticed the lightening sky.
Shabaka looked towards Aya as he spoke, “We would like to meet your husband.”
Aya looked from Shabaka to Neti, almost hesitantly, before she replied, “You can return home with me”, she then looked towards Neti, “But she should stay here, it is for the best.”
“If you want us to help, Neti will come with me.” Shabaka firmly replied.
The Forgotten Papyrus (The Mummifier's Daughter Series Book 5) Page 7
