by Max Overton
"Greetings, Menmire Amenmesse," he said in a low voice. "Forgive me if I do not bow before you, but if I am recognised, all our work is undone."
I nodded my acceptance of this lack of protocol. "Who sent you, Hemaka?"
He looked around quickly, and then took a pace closer. "General Sethi, my lord. He plans an attack on the palace."
"Then you should tell him that Waset is crawling with the enemy. He would need an army to retake the city. Does he have an army?" I added hopefully.
"No, my lord. He recognises he cannot retake the city, but believes that a few brave men can rescue their king and spirit him out of the city."
"I am scarcely alone here. You see how I am guarded."
"I do not know the details, my lord, but General Sethi has made good use of the gold at his disposal and has made a number of bribes, buying the loyalty of men in responsible positions. He is confident that on the day, the right men will be in place and you will be able to leave the palace."
I felt like shouting aloud my joy, but I restrained myself. "When?" I asked.
"Soon, my lord. You must hold yourself in readiness."
Hemaka paused and appeared to be struggling with some inner turmoil. I pressed him to speak and with a show of reluctance, he continued.
"Menmire, please know that these are not my words, but come from General Sethi. He asks what your purpose will be if you are freed. He says, 'Of what use is one more free man if he wishes to live in obscurity? I need a man prepared to take up the heka and nekhakha of kingly authority once more and wield power in the land. Ask of Menmire if he forgives his brother Seti and wishes to live in peace with him and his heirs, or will he destroy him with the army I will raise for him'?"
I felt anger rise within me, anger that anyone would doubt I was a king. I stared at Hemaka until he quite forgot his earlier resolution and dropped to his knees in front of me, arms outstretched.
"Forgive me, Son of Re," he murmured. "They are not my words. I am but the messenger."
"Get up," I said, "before you are seen."
He rose to his feet and gathered his cleaning implements. "What message shall I take back to General Sethi, my lord?"
"Tell him that Menmire Amenmesse is still King of Kemet, and that if I have an army behind me I will crush my usurper brother and kill him and his son and his bitch wife. Tell him that I am King of all Kemet and my son Siptah will be king after me."
Hemaka bowed and smiled. "I will tell him, Son of Re. Be ready."
* * *
He left my presence and I returned to my bedchamber and composed my thoughts. It would not do to let any of the guards see my mood had changed. It only took one man to see that Amenmesse now had something to smile about, to carry word of this odd occurrence to his superiors, and my last hope would dry up like spilled water on a hot day. No, I must watch my every move, my every expression, the timbre of my voice. And soon, very soon, I will be free of this prison; free to wreak vengeance on my brother.
I pray to the gods to hurry that day.
Chapter 46
Year 6 of Userkheperure Seti
"How can you know this?" Seti demanded. "He would never admit something like that to someone he did not trust fully." The king stared suspiciously at his Tjaty. "Why should my brother trust you?"
"Not me, Son of Re, but rather one of his former servants, a scribe called Hemaka. He admitted everything to him, believing he was still loyal."
"So my brother spoke injudiciously to this Hemaka, who then came bearing tales to you? Is that what you are saying?"
"Yes, my lord; that is indeed what I am saying."
"I don't believe it."
Paraemheb frowned. "What is it you do not believe, my lord?"
"Is it not obvious? My brother is locked in his suite, unable to talk to anyone but hand-picked soldiers and a handful of trusted servants. How then is he going to hatch a plot to break out and assassinate me? He would have to bribe or suborn several men at least. Do you have the names of these traitors?"
"No, my lord; that is not what happened. Hemaka took a message to your brother purporting to come from General Sethi. He was to lead a band of men to rescue your brother from captivity. Your brother sent a message back to Sethi..."
"So this Hemaka is one of Sethi's men, after all? From what you were saying, I thought perhaps he was in your employ."
"He is, my lord."
"Oh, speak plainly, Paraemheb. Who exactly is this Hemaka?"
"A man in my employ. Formerly, he was a scribe in your brother's court."
"So who was he working for when he took this tale of rescue and death to my brother? Sethi or you?"
"He was working for me, my lord."
"So the message he carried from Sethi...?"
"Did not exist, my lord."
"So what was the point? There is no plot to break my brother out and reinstate him. Sethi does not have an army. My brother is no threat at all."
"Perhaps not this time, my lord," Paraemheb said. "But while your brother remains a prisoner, while he remains alive, there is always the possibility of a plot."
Seti turned to General Setnakhte who had remained silent to this point. "And what do you think, Setnakhte?"
"I think your brother Amenmesse desires your death, Son of Re."
"Don't use that name," Seti snapped. "He is not King of Kemet, and never was."
"Forgive my outspokenness, Son of Re, but he was, in the eyes of Ta Shemau and Kush at least. The south supported him and I have no doubt he still has many supporters in Waset. Give him the chance and he will be king again."
"He is a focus for discontent, my lord," Paraemheb added.
"What would you have me do?"
Paraemheb glanced at Setnakhte, who shrugged and turned away. The Tjaty cleared his throat. "You must rid yourself of this threat, my lord."
"Kill him, you mean? No, I will not do that. He is a son of my father, my elder brother, and..." Seti shook his head. "I will not kill him."
Without turning, Setnakhte said. "Yet you would have Sethi killed in an instant, if he was in your hand."
"That is different," Seti protested. "He is a scion of the nobility, and dangerous besides."
"Dangerous?" Setnakhte whirled to face his king, anger on his face. "Yes, Sethi is dangerous, while Menmire Amenmesse is alive..."
"Don't use that name," Seti shouted. "How many times must I tell you? I don't recognise his claim. He is nothing but my brother Messuwy."
"Then you may call him Messuwy if you wish, Son of Re, but I call him Menmire Amenmesse so you may recognise the fact that many people still think of him that way and always will. Sethi is dangerous while your brother is alive, but he would be no more than just another bandit chief if your brother was dead. Menmire Amenmesse is a danger to your life and your throne, to the life of your Queen and your infant son. If Sethi dropped dead today, Amenmesse would still be a danger. He will be a danger as long as one person wants to see him on your throne in your place. Nobody can achieve that today...or tomorrow...but what of a year from now? Two? When you have returned to Men-nefer or your attention is elsewhere, fighting against Kemet's foes? What if discipline grows lax and somebody breaks him out? Will you wait until he stands at the head of another army before you recognise he is dangerous?"
Seti stared at his General, appalled at the anger directed at him.
"He is right, my lord," Paraemheb said.
"Son of Re, I am completely loyal to you, for you are grandson of Usermaatre and son of Baenre who was his heir, just as you were Baenre's heir. The gods themselves placed you on the throne of Kemet, and I will defend your right to be there to the death. I can never recognise your brother's claim and it is only because I can see the dangers that arise from letting him live that I speak out now." Setnakhte advanced on his king and bowed, holding out his arms in supplication. "Give the command, Son of Re, and I will rid you of this menace to your family."
"He is my brother," Seti whispered.
&
nbsp; "When he first rebelled, you swore you would have his liver," Setnakhte said. "I was not there, but your words were carried to my ears. Was this report false, Son of Re?"
"No, but I was angry..."
"Then what has changed, Son of Re? Is it that now he has spilled the blood of thousands of your people? That he has shaken the pillars of the southern kingdom and turned many people from their loyalty to you? Tell me, Son of Re, that I may understand how these things make him less worthy of death."
Seti turned away, shaking his head. "He is deserving of death, I know, and if I was to meet him on the field of battle, I would kill him without regret."
"But?"
"But he is a helpless prisoner in my household, without his son who is also my prisoner, without friends, without even a sycophant to praise his name to his face."
"He has friends still, my lord," Paraemheb said. "They are in hiding now, but they exist."
"And wait only the opportunity to raise your brother up again," Setnakhte added. "They cannot make just anybody a king in your place, so they need your brother alive. You cannot make a dead man king."
"I will not kill him. He can do no harm by himself."
"And if Sethi appears with an army? What then, Son of Re?"
"Then I will re-examine my decision. Until then, I do not want to hear more of this. Do you understand?"
"As my lord commands," Paraemheb said.
"I hear and obey, Son of Re," Setnakhte said.
Setnakhte accompanied Paraemheb back to the Tjaty's quarters, pacing in silence alongside him until they were alone once more. The General threw himself down on a couch and stared at his companion.
"If he was somebody other than the king, I would call him a fool," he muttered.
"Hold your tongue, by the gods," Paraemheb said. "Such talk will serve no purpose except to get you arrested for treason."
"You know what I'm talking about. He's no fool, but sometimes he acts like one."
"He still feels for his brother," Paraemheb said simply.
"And such blindness could still unravel the fabric of Ma'at. Why can he not see that to leave the man alive is to invite disaster?"
Paraemheb shrugged. "There is nothing we can do while the king feels this way."
"I disagree. I think we must act in the king's best interests, whether he approves or not."
"You would sacrifice yourself for the good of the kingdoms? The king could not countenance leaving you unpunished if you openly flout his will."
"I did not say it would be done openly," Setnakhte said. "Only that it must be done."
"How?"
"Better you do not know."
"You swore an oath to obey the king, just now," Paraemheb protested. "As did I. We cannot break our oaths."
"I don't know what you swore to, but evidently I heard the king say something different." Setnakhte smiled and leaned back on the couch. "The king said he wanted to hear no more of this until Sethi turned up with an army, that is what I promised."
"You chop at words, General. You understood the meaning of his words as well as I."
"Perhaps, but it makes no difference. I will act in the best interests of the king and Kemet and once he gets over his initial anger, he will see the sense in it."
"You may be dead by then."
"That is in the hands of the gods."
Paraemheb contemplated Setnakhte's words. "Why are you telling me all this? Do you seek my help?"
"I don't need it, Paraemheb, but it would help."
"I could go to the king with this."
"You could," Setnakhte admitted. "But you won't. You can see the sense in my words though you make a show of reluctance. I do not contemplate this action for my own benefit, but only to preserve the Ma'at of Kemet. You see that, don't you?"
Paraemheb nodded slowly, reluctantly. "When? And how, for that matter. The men guarding him are drawn from the loyal legions and I doubt they'll obey even General Setnakhte."
"No, but they won't be here much longer. The king must soon return to his capital, he has already sent Chancellor Bay north. He will want to see his son, for one thing; and show himself on the northern borders. When he does that, he'll take the northern legions and leave me with Amun and the auxiliaries that I will form into a new legion, Mut perhaps, as consort of Amun. I'll replace Samut and raise up Ament. Then Amenmesse will try to escape and unfortunately be cut down in the attempt by the loyal men guarding him."
"But when the king finds out..."
"When the king finds out, it will be too late. Too late even to make much sense of the events. The men concerned will have been transferred, the reports written in such a way as to make the killing wholly necessary." Setnakhte smiled. "Who knows, maybe Sethi will have been seen approaching Waset and this news made the prisoner try to escape."
"And if Sethi does not put in an appearance?"
"Use your wits, Paraemheb. It does not matter if he comes or not, I only need the idea that he comes. Amenmesse tries to escape and my men kill him. With his death ends the last danger to the true House of Ramesses."
Chapter 47
Year 6 of Userkheperure Seti
Scarcely a month passed before news came to the court of Userkheperure Seti in Waset that there was trouble on the northern borders. The Retenu tribes were restless and the Sea Peoples were once more stirring from their cities on the Great Sea and raiding along the coast and into the several mouths of the Great River. At once, the king ordered his legions north by land, meaning to follow within days by barge to Men-nefer. He left General Setnakhte in charge of the southern army, with a refurbished Amun legion and the newly constituted Mut legion as the backbone of the south.
"You have a great responsibility, Setnakhte," Seti said. "You must keep the peace not only in Waset and Ta Shemau, but also in Kush. I realise you will be stretched thin with only two legions, especially if there is any trouble, but you have permission to raise auxiliaries as needed."
"I will not let you down, Son of Re."
Seti smiled and nodded. "I know you won't. You have good men under you and I recommend you rely on Ament as your second."
"I will use him as he deserves, Son of Re."
The king looked sharply at his general and opened his mouth as if to ask what he meant, but instead nodded. "Kush will be a thorn in your side, as Messuwy and Sethi made their mark down there. You will need to rule them with a rod of hardened bronze."
"I thought Setuy was still King's Son of Kush."
"Yes, but I do not fully trust him. He has bent his knee to me and sworn his loyalty, but he served Messuwy and Khaemter rather too well. He continues to rule Kush in civil matters, but I give you charge of all matters military. You will have a document from my scribe to this effect."
"My thanks, Son of Re." Setnakhte hesitated, then, "If I am to hold supreme military power in the south, may I also appoint my deputy to rule in Kush when I am in Waset?"
"You have someone in mind?"
"Hori, son of Kama. He is First Charioteer of His Majesty, and King's Messenger to Every Land."
"A good man," Seti agreed. "I had thought to take him north with me, but if he would serve you well down here, I will assign him to you."
"Thank you, Son of Re."
"One other thing, Setnakhte. You know my thoughts on this already but I will repeat them so there is no misunderstanding. My brother Messuwy is to remain under guard at all times. He is not to converse with anyone alone, nor is he permitted to receive letters or send them. His person is sacred, being of the royal family, and he is to remain safe and unharmed. Do you understand me, Setnakhte?"
"I hear, Son of Re, but what if there is a rescue attempt by Sethi or...or anyone? If there is a danger they might succeed, should I then..."
"No, not even then. Faced with the choice of killing him or letting him go free, you will let him go free. I would rather be tasked with hunting him down again than let him be slaughtered in a cage." Seti stared at his General as if trying to rea
d his thoughts. "You are not to kill my brother Messuwy...under any circumstances."
"As you wish, Son of Re."
"You swear it? On the gods? Or must I put it in writing?"
"I swear it."
* * *
Userkheperure Seti set out the next day, his barge tugged northward by the river's flood current. The king stood at the stern, between the two men on the twin rudders, staring back at the city as its walls slowly slipped out of sight. He had battled the south too long to be untroubled at leaving, and he knew that he would have to make some decision concerning his brother before long. In the meantime, there was a voyage of several days to face, and very little to occupy his time.
"Time," he muttered under his breath. "That is indeed the question. How much time?" His right hand crept to the stained bandage on his left bicep where his wound still wept pus. The flesh felt hot and swollen beneath his fingers, and he cried out involuntarily as one finger probed too deep. The two men on the rudders stared at their king but swiftly lowered their concerned gaze when Seti glared angrily at them.
The voyage north was swift as the river in early flood bore the king quickly to Men-nefer, and a mere six days later the barge nosed in toward the docks where a huge crowd had turned out to welcome their victorious king home.
Tjaty Hori led the official delegation of priests, court officials and nobles, together with Chancellor Bay, while the prominent businessmen of the city waited to greet their king. The businessmen had outlaid a substantial amount of gold to deck the city in banners of rejoicing, and the provision of meat, bread and beer for the common citizens, served on trestle tables at every street corner. All a man or woman was required to do to earn this largesse was to shout their praises of the king as he made his way through the streets to the palace. This was no hardship for the people because the civil war between the Two Brothers was over and the kingdoms could now look forward to a time of peace and prosperity. Some men were already likening it to the reign of the king's grandfather Usermaatre Ramesses.
