Heart of the Lotus

by Mary R Woldering

  Wserkaf exited the small cubicle and went to his knees by the bed to tug out the box. When he had brought it back, placed it on the table, and opened the lid, he stared at the gleaming contents.

  “These look different today; shiny and…” his voice trailed. “Like they have…” He lifted one of what had originally appeared as a dull greenish plate from the box. This is magnificent, he thought, and yet Hordjedtef didn’t think so? In the soft, diffused light of the little room it looked almost sheer and glimmered faintly like a green version of his wdjat.

  “It’s wilderness glass? Crystal?” he held the plate close to his eyes. “Too bad the writing’s coded. I’ll bet Marai could tell us what it says, but who knows if he’ll even come back here. If he gets his ladies, especially if he must do away with Maatkare, he won’t ever be able to come here – at least not in our lifetime.” Wserkaf thought of the big sojourner and then thought of the two women he had known: first Ariennu, then Naibe. Then, he thought about the stonecutter who had likely taken his place.

  “In the eastern lands, the Shinar have a legend of tablets of wisdom carved on lapis stone and carried aloft by Enki,” Userre reminded his son.

  “This isn’t lapis, though,” Wse stood and took the plate to the doorway. Looking out to see he wasn’t being observed, he held the translucent olive colored plate up to the sun. “Looks like really high-quality wilderness glass,” he affirmed, adding: “Look at it one way and it seems dull and ordinary, but another way and it shimmers.”

  “When seen by the eyes the gods intended to see it,” Userre, without rising from his seat beckoned for his son to come back in. “Careful, Wse. I’m not entirely sure it needs to see too much light of day. It was hard enough for me to create the illusion of the ordinary while the Great One was here poring over everything. As you learned when you were his Inspector of the Way, things can have two images.”

  “I know you said he would find nothing of value in the box, but I hadn’t imagined your spell to be a full illusion,” Wserkaf’s jaw dropped. Although his father had been a high priest for many years, Wse never thought he would be interested in creating illusions or manipulating truth the way Hordjedtef did.

  The elder nodded then continued:

  “Now lay it down on the table and then take out the Eye I just gave you and lay it on top of a portion of the text you can’t read.”

  “I saw it translate when I was in the chamber, Father.” Wserkaf set the crystalline eye down on the smooth, dark surface and stepped back. The rondel glimmered slightly in the center of the ‘eye’ design. “A way for our people to read this strange writing.”

  Wse peered at the characters and again saw the cuneiform shapes of the Sanghir letters had enlarged and twisted into the pictographic images of Kemet syllables. As he slid the “eye” across the surface, the letters, once exposed returned to the original shape. Under the eye, all was revealed.

  “Oh, I would think much more,” Userre twittered in delight. “Now, one can read the writings of the gods no matter what land they call home.”

  “So it’s not just for our people?” Wserkaf asked.

  “You know that this knowledge will only be shared when all peoples are prepared for it. It is sensible, now that it is shared, that all people should be able to read it through the eye,” Userre informed his son.

  Khentie leaned over the table to grasp the disc and move it to the rolls of papyrus.

  Wserkaf spread them out and then as she was glancing at them, he unplugged some of the golden tubes.

  “Star charts. Diagrams for structures,” He breathed excitedly and the three pored over the findings until after the discovery of some poetic maxims. Wserkaf touched his brow and sat.

  This is too much, he thought, look at this. “All things come from one by its pure thought and act. All things are born of sun, moon, wind, and earth. The father of all that is perfect is with us and become earth. All things of the above are echoed in the below,” these are the words of Djehuti, written in…” the Inspector put the materials down. “I have to find a way to secure these.”

  “Wonderful, though. That’s what it is,” Userre sighed, leaning backward. “It’s wonderful,” he closed his eyes, complacent and satisfied. “All will be well as soon as all things are back together. Both pieces of the wdjat, these writings, and the neter stones. That is what the Great Teacher whispered to me when he gave me this Eye of Ra,” Userre smiled. “He told me this is the reason why all things would be placed here by the gods until the Daughter of the God came with her mated priest of Ra. Years ago, I thought it was Dede, but Rujet told me she knew it always was supposed to be me and our sons would carry it forth,” he shook his head. “That is why I tried to leave this world. It was when you fled to study with Dede and not long after your sweet mother bore two brothers who never drew a breath. That birth so wounded her spirit, because she knew she would never bear the sons of Ra as the legend had foretold. It broke her, but then a malady of the blood that often strikes women in childbed took her from me ten days later. I named your brothers Sahure and Kakai. In my grief, I blamed you that my Neferhetepes Ruddejet and all my dreams had become folly.” The elder paused, his ancient eyes glistening.

  Wserkaf tore his glance away, saddened that he had been so impetuous once.

  “A day later my assistants found me, a long vein opened. I should have bled out, but the hand of the god had paused the flow of blood. I made them swear no one would know of it and they thought all was well afterward, but soon enough I tried again. That time, your dear mother whispered her secrets to me - that it was not up to me to decide my time and that there was much to do. It is done now, but don’t worry. I tired of taking a blade to my arm after the second time. Now all is well, and all is aligning in proper accord.”

  “Blessing of Sweet Mother Hethara bring ease to you, Great Userre,” Khentie whispered, dabbing at her eyes. “May merriness and joy follow you the rest of your days. May it lift up your heart,” she whispered, grasping his hand in reassurance.

  Userre sighed, content. “It is truly lifted… now that purpose has returned.”

  Legend, Wserkaf thought, a sick laugh rising in his upper chest. It was always there but we never saw it until now. None of us did.

  Part 3: Revelations

  Chapter 16: It Begins Again

  It would be tonight. Maatkare knew the men were prepared well enough. He’d given Deka some space to contemplate on her own actions. As was his grandfather’s request, they would foment a rebellion. As with Deka’s wish, they would now hunt men.

  The prince shook his head in attempt to get rid of the daze. He hardly believed his own thoughts of murder and war in the past week of silent preparation, or the exhilarating energy they gave him. Every night since he had discovered Deka and her gifted guards’ secret, the surges of power had increased. Maatkare didn’t speak to the woman or command her as much, but he did try to regain control.

  And you, woman, what have you tricked me into doing? Are you, after all, some demoness placed here by an elder god? I’ll ride that wave of your bloodlust for now, but I will discover you and tame the wild edges. You know I can. He had asked her what her goal was, but received nothing but her submission. Even that had begun to concern him.

  Tonight, he strode to the center of camp to meet with his officers. Deka joined him but remained aside, head bowed in silence. He squatted near some soft orange earth and used a broken end of what had once been his flail to draw in the dirt.

  “Here is the river,” he drew the lines then made a mark to the left. “There is the Island of the Elephants, where our larger boats are. It won’t be the easiest campaign, but I still make my demands of you.”

  A subdued wave of huzzahs and murmurs of agreement rippled through the assembled men.

  After they silenced and Maatkare drew a few more marks, he announced: “We are here on this side. As you’ve been already working on the rafts at the lower shore, we’ll place most of you there to cross on our o
rder.”

  “The rest will stay to break camp and head to the Islands to load and make ready to return to Ineb Hedj. Any man or beast opposing your movement, you know what to do.”

  Addressing the first group again, he added:

  “Be silent at the shore and know we will come,” he indicated himself and Deka. “Stay low with no watch fire to be seen on the other side. Once we have crossed, watch for a signal to come across and start a fire in the grass. It’s been dry enough for a good sweep of burning. The moon will be rising by then. When it is high in the sky we will signal you again to move on the city. I expect you to snap to. If they resist us in any way, kill them. We will occupy the city and then decide if their rebellion demands that we raze it. Go to your tents and secure your belongings for those who are breaking the camp and marching overland. When you hear my call, answer.”

  With that, he assisted Deka in getting to her feet. He didn’t seek her approval or contemplate her growing crazed expression as she listened to his plans. What pegged his attention was the thought of dissent from many of his men. Deka had warned him about it when his stone was new and he was still recovering from his injuries, but he hadn’t thought it was a rebellion. Tonight, he wasn’t so sure.

  He’s mad, he heard them thinking.

  Nothing you can do about it now but follow orders until we get home, then find other work, thought another.

  I don’t know, I’m not so sure there was an uprising out of Buhen. Did you know of it? They are a calm and peaceful people; respectful of our laws.

  And finally, he heard: it’s the woman. She’s infected him with madness. You know, they become as animals. The spearman whose heart he ate? Remember that and how he was brought from death by her, like the half-blood prisoner? I’ve seen her Kush guards. They become lions too, and give her the hearts of beasts she lets them take.

  But it is rebellion, he mused, then turned to the woman at his side. Tonight, her passion was subdued.

  “Then be Anhur and I at your side will be Menhit. Be that, else they will think us mad, beloved. Be dire, and more than they dream possible. It is how you become God. Be ravenous wolf and I will become the lioness. Together we shall ascend and lay waste to the enemies of my father.” He felt her fingers curl around his arm and pull him to her, but drop her gaze. It was as if she knew her ferocity was spiking and that she soon would not be able to contain it.

  The lone sentry walking the wall around Buhen was too easy to bring down. Prince Maatkare thrilled at the sight of Deka leaping at the man as if she had been made of shadow, then wrenching his neck. The man sagged to the ground dead, having never seen or even sensed his killer.

  “What fool Overseer of the Guard sends a single man to walk the perimeter wall,” the prince whispered under his breath. Bending to Deka, who had triumphantly straddled the corpse, he whispered into her hair: “Good work. Clean kill.”

  “Watch for more…” her husky voice betrayed her briefly subdued need for blood. In one fluid motion, she raised and plunged her dagger into the man’s still chest. Dark blood pooled at the wound. She bent quickly for her taste, beckoning to the prince to share. Come my love. We have taken an animal. Its blood is a gift to bring us life, her thoughts permeated his soul.

  Maatkare Raemkai knelt on one knee, tasted the cooling blood, and then kissed her briefly. He clasped her to him as they knelt, his desire rising. Only the knowledge that other men would be nearby and waiting for this one’s report brought him back to reality.

  “Nefira,” he cautioned, desperate to engulf her with his mouth. “Pull him over here under this brush, so he won’t be found right away,” the prince moved to his haunches then began to tug at the lifeless man.

  Deka looked up from her feast at the guard’s chest as if puzzled, but complied, a possessive lion-like growl issuing from her thoughts that said: Mine. My kill. I offer it to you, my mate. No one else but us will eat.

  Red-gold flame glimmered in her very human eyes as they stood and advanced to the gate.

  “Wait. We need a plan. It’s not well guarded, but never the less…” he pulled her to him just as two more men appeared in a circuit of the outer wall. “See? Thought so. Walkers.”

  She paused, quickly deciding on her next move.

  “Then, you attack me. Look like you are raping me, but we will struggle without sounds. When they come to stop you, we cut their throats.”

  Very predictably, the men saw the charade the two put on and were about to call out.

  “Nin een sehsehr…” Maatkare’s deep voice growled followed by a sudden flash of light in the guard’s faces. Their cries of alarm remained unvoiced.

  “Wha…?” Deka lifted her head, dazzled. The blood of their victims spurted out in an arc to the ground. Maatkare had knifed them both the moment the light flashed.

  “Your plan would have exposed us, Nefira.” Maatkare dipped his forefinger into the wound of one of the guards they had just dropped, then put it into Deka’s mouth. “I called down ball-energy to startle them.” But he knew in an instant:

  She’s not listening, not paying attention.

  “Nefira. Take little now, feast later.” He pulled out his finger – she had been sucking hard on it, almost chewing. “We need to push on inside the gate and gain our prize,” he whispered. “The men wait below for our signal. Now go, beauty, go!” his tongue slipped inside her lips to taste the guard’s blood in her mouth. “Be as if we belong here,” he stroked her buttocks gently, wishing he had an hour instead of the flash of a few moments.

  Once they had hidden the bodies, they straightened out their clothes and walked in through the slightly open gate as if they lived in the city. There were no guards to challenge them – they were dozing around a watch fire.

  No one’s challenged these fools recently! They sleep soundly, letting everything depend on the outer watches. Maatkare pointed to the four who slept and enjoyed the quiet of the cooler night. Heka. They sleep under a spell. Someone has uttered words over them, he hesitated, wondering who or what might have done this, but she urged him to continue walking up to the inner wall. The center of the city would be full of slumbering families.

  “It is Ta-Te. He aids us. I know he does, Raem,” she began aloud but continued in a low whisper. “I saw him do this, the day Man-Sun came to me. I saw him take an ordinary peasant and make him powerful. Now he takes me and he waits to take you. He has addled these men for us, so don’t hold back, my love. Allow it. Kill them all… all who betray us.”

  Deka released his arm, and with a gesture that brought silence she pointed out her personal guards, Rutiy and Sutiy, moving stealthily up the rise to the inner walls. Behind them were a dozen heavily armed men.

  Maatkare seethed at the unplanned attack, but felt a coiling pang of fear in his gut.

  “I gave no order, woman. What heka did you call on to bring these men here?”

  Then to himself: Menhit and Anhur or Wepwawet. This is all her doing. Watch yourself. Don’t get swept up with clench fever. She gets too hot, she needs to be put down.

  “Shh, my love,” she grabbed one of the sleeping guards from by the fire and gored his neck open with claw-like fingernails. The guard gurgled and fell, never waking up to know his own death. “Enjoy it,” she offered him her bloody fingers as he had done to her on their last kill.

  The prince hesitated, but a moment later lapped the dark fluid from the woman’s fingers. It was exhilarating. The psychic onslaughts of delight that rushed through his body became too much to control.

  Once Maatkare had finished, he realized he must have partially transformed. His hair felt as if it had massed into a mane-like central ridge that sprawled down the back of his neck. He felt his shoulders knotting and growing thicker; his teeth elongating.

  Wepwawet – this is what I want those we take to see, but I don’t yet feel fully changed. He touched his face as he snarled and advanced, wanting to go on all fours and tear apart the rest of the guards outside the inner wall before do
ing the same in the center of the city. My face is still a man’s face, but her face… He saw out of the corner of his eye that Deka’s face had become lioness-like; but with eyes glowing red and the drool of her victims’ blood on her lips. Pay attention! he chided himself. Make the signal!

  He took his bow and the arrow that had been prepared with pitch-coated twine. Lighting it in the guard’s campfire, he shot it high over the walls. The men outside by the river scattered up and down the outer walls of the city along the riverbank, setting fire to dry grass wherever they could.

  Marai lay awake for a long time. Sleep hadn’t come easily since the spiritual attack that chose all of them in turn, then settled on Naibe and the child. On occasion, he woke, sweating and anxious, because he felt the presence of the same energy. It seemed weaker, but minimally there as if watching and waiting for an opportunity.

  So, you won’t stop. Not a week ago and not now. Why come to me? his eyelids cracked open and he watched for an ethereal response. He thought of Deka tonight and wondered how he had gone wrong with her simply by being reluctant to bed her when she was ugly and too respectful to do so once she was healed. He reviewed her rage when he made glorious love to Naibe that night on the journey to Ineb Hedj. Or was it you after all, Deka? I saw this thing weigh on us all. It came to kill the men in the camp, but you were there and spiteful. It came when Wserkaf cast his spell, muddying our thoughts and acts. As I learn more, I wonder how much of this thing is Ta-Te and how much is your rage. If it is, why rage at me? And now this prince as host? There’s just more to this than one would think.

  He nestled close to Ariennu, then felt her stir and saw her look at him. She smoothed his forelocks. It was Marai’s favorite of her gestures. Thoughts, my beauty? Deka and him again?

  Bothers me. You know that, he answered silently. It’s going to force me into something soon.

  She’s gone, Marai. Accept that. It’s not like Deka was ever one of us. She told us she was coming to Ta-Seti no matter what, ever since her tongue was freed by the Children, Ari reminded him in thought.