“How certain is Senbi?” I asked.
Khenemet looked at me as if I were mad. “He has seen the emmer wheat, of course.”
“Is… is it a boy?” I asked nervously.
“They will not be able to tell for another month, perhaps more. But that she is pregnant he is certain. Nafre’s personal physician from the Delta showed him the test and Senbi insisted it be repeated in his presence. There can be no doubt.”
In a few more moments I was surprised to see Irisi appear at the sanctuary entrance. When she was told of what had happened, she turned white. “I cannot… I mean, I have no idea how this could have happened. Just last week I replenished my priestess’ supply of the herb. She…”
With Irisi present, Khenemet’s whole demeanor changed. He was no longer as volatile and seemed entirely in control. “How do we know this herb, this… this potion of yours actually works?”
“It works,” she replied icily. “There are many ways that women use to prevent pregnancy and most are false practices or herbs. There are only three priestesses that know how to prepare this potion. I am one of the three and it was only I who prepared this, for I knew how important it was. How well it works cannot be questioned.”
Khenemet gave a false smile and paced to the table that held an urn of fine barley beer. He refreshed his cup and offered to pour some for Irisi, who refused.
“And what of this handmaiden of yours? Could she have been compromised?”
“No,” Irisi shot back quickly. “That is not possible.”
“Bribery comes in many forms, my dear priestess,” Buikkhu added.
Irisi whipped her head around to Buikkhu, her eyes blazing with hatred. “As well you should know,” she spat. “Both of you! But I can vouch for her, for she is a relative of mine and would take her own life rather than betray me. I will send my acolyte for her this moment.”
“No need to do that,” Khenemet said calmly, “for I have already sent for her and…” Suddenly, one of Khenemet’s priests appeared at the entrance and motioned. “In fact, she has arrived.”
Standing at the entrance was the handmaiden, shaking with fright. As soon as she saw Irisi she rushed into her arms and sobbed.
“You have frightened this poor woman. Her heart races like a bird.”
“She need fear nothing, Irisi, for we mean her no harm. We only require information so as to control this crisis. That is why I needed you here tonight, to question her.”
Despite Irisi’s upset, she was focused on calming her priestess. “I will do what must be done, but in the future you will ask me first before taking any action against my priestesses. Do we have an understanding?”
“We do. I apologize, but our response must be swift, as I know you agree. Let’s begin.”
Over the next hour, under Khenemet’s direction, the three of them asked the frightened young woman many questions. By the end of the time, it was clear that she had performed her duty exactly as instructed and had never missed giving Nafre her potion in her morning meal.
“And no one could have taken the potion out of her food or just thrown the food away?”
“No, Chief Priest,” the woman answered, directing her attention to Irisi. “As instructed I watched her every time and I was the one who removed her dishes. When I heard she was with child, I knew I would be accused.”
“No one accuses you of anything, my child,” Irisi said reassuringly. “We are only interested in knowing how this happened, that is all.”
“Is there anyone else who could have…” Khenemet began, but Buikkhu quickly interrupted him.
“Wait. Who else has been seeing Nafre of late?”
“Her mother visits from time to time. And her personal physician, Nakhti. He has always visited her. She has complained to me about his constant attentions. I think she prefers Senbi.”
“Anyone else?” Buikkhu persisted.
“No,” she answered, her eyes averted toward the floor.
“You seem hesitant,” Buikkhu observed.
“She is tired,” Irisi offered.
“Please let her answer,” Buikkhu said. “Every bit of information might be important.” He looked toward the handmaiden.
“There is one thing. I am… perhaps it is not something I should mention.”
“Go on, sister,” Irisi urged.
“Nakhti… well, one time he was bathing and… and I did not mean to do this, but Nafre had asked me to fetch him, for she had a headache. He is very private, he never smiles, and he is ill tempered at times. I try to avoid him.”
“Go on,” Buikkhu said impatiently.
“As I announced myself he was drying off and…” here she turned toward Irisi, who nodded for her to continue.
“He tried to hide himself, but I saw his body and it… I think it was covered with tattoos, horrible ones.”
“You think?” Irisi asked.
“I did not dare to look for long, for they were so hideous. I still think that perhaps I imagined them, for I detest him.”
“And these tattoos,” Buikkhu continued, “did they… were they designs or animals or holy letters?”
“Snakes. Terrible mut monsters. Even now I shake thinking of them.” Buikkhu abruptly stopped his questioning and looked to Khenemet, who sat slowly on his chair. Irisi thanked the girl, hugged her and sent her on her way with an admonition to speak to no one about this.
“He is an Apep priest,” Khenemet whispered. “How did we miss that?”
“He wears that robe at all times,” I added. “We should have suspected.”
“So, the Apep priesthood is alive and apparently doing well enough to influence some powerful people in Lower Kem,” Khenemet added. “Very interesting.”
“He somehow suspected what we were doing to Nafre,” Irisi said, “and he developed a potion to counteract it. It must have been very powerful.”
“Their magic was well known at one point,” I said, “for the scrolls speak of their powerful abilities.”
“Bakht!” both Khenemet and Buikkhu said in unison. “Meryt-Neith’s nemesis.”
“I had heard in my travels that the Apep priests were ascendent once again,” I reminded my superiors. “I relayed that to you.”
“We shall expose him and demand that Qa’a have him put to death,” Buikkhu exclaimed.
“No! Do not be too hasty, Buikkhu. This will require some thought, for an enemy exposed and under our watch is much more valuable to us, eh?” He gave a brief smile.
“As for you two,” Khenemet said, tipping his staff to me and Irisi, “tread carefully. Not a word to anyone, of course. See what information you can obtain from your sources.
“As for your priestess, Irisi, she may be more valuable to us than I had anticipated. Her observations are keen and should be encouraged without compromising her.”
“And what do we do about telling Qa’a?” I asked.
“I will take care of that in the morning,” Khenemet said, as he stood with difficulty. He appeared tired and I noted that while he enjoyed this intrigue, it also took its toll on his carriage. He had aged considerably in the last few years. “You will accompany me,” he added, looking directly at me.
Khenemet was smart enough to dismiss all servants before his meeting with Qa’a, for the King erupted in a fit of anger and recrimination, blaming Khenemet, Irisi and Horus himself for what had transpired. It was only after most of the morning had passed that Khenemet succeeded in settling the King, much of that success due to my calming presence.
“And how do we deal with this, Chief Priest? How can we have an heir to the throne from Lower Kem?” Qa’a asked.
“We do not even know whether it is a boy or girl, nor can we be assured of its fate,” Khenemet replied. “You do have an heir in Banafrit and if she had a male heir she would reign as Regent until the child comes of age. We have the precedent of Meryt-Neith.” That appeared to settle well with Qa’a. I did not say so, but to me Queen Amisi’s inability to carry another child se
emed to be part of the play that the gods had visited upon the King and us all. That route was a dead end, with no options for us to consider. Unspoken was what was in all our hearts at that moment, that Nafre would bear a daughter and solve for us the problem that we now faced.
It was not one monthly cycle later that the word came that the emmer wheat had blossomed and Nafre was to bear a son.
SCROLL TWENTY-FOUR
An Evil Brew
Urshte
“Yes, it is hard to believe she is already eight,” Qa’a said, as he gazed lovingly at Princess Banafrit, swimming smoothly through the water with her friends. “She has grown so quickly. You would not remember this, Urshte, but Nomti may. Do you remember the Queen when I first met her?” I was not certain of the King’s intent, as I heard through my sources that the Queen’s body, and surely her heart, had changed since their marriage.
“Of course, how could I not?” Nomti replied. “I have known her since we were children in Nekhen, and our fathers were fellow businessmen. You were quite smitten by her.” We had been sailing on Mother Nile, our boat tacking to and fro on the dry desert winds of early evening. As Ra sank slowly behind the mountains, silhouetting them, we had stopped to allow Banafrit and her cousins time to cool off in the water. Their giggling resounding in the night air as they splashed each other. For a long moment Banafrit disappeared by diving below the surface. As her playmates turned around nervously to find her, she emerged far downstream and swam back towards them.
“And I remember a foolish young man in need of some lessons about women,” Merkha added, laughing.
“Indeed I was smitten, and foolhardy, too,” Qa’a said, smiling widely. “It is just that Banafrit reminds me in many ways of Amisi when she was younger. She is agile and happy and makes friends easily. She loves music and creeps into my room sometimes when I have musicians and dancers perform for me.”
“She is sweet as honey,” Nomti added, “and very curious. Merkha tells me that her tutors are sometimes taxed to their maximum keeping up with her.” I noted by the way he leaned forward that Merkha’s hearing was not what it used to be and the aches in his bones made him stoop a bit when he walked and sat.
“Yes, she has a kind disposition, too,” Qa’a went on. “But she is also headstrong. I know it is a long way off, but when the time comes you must all work hard to find her a suitable husband. Her heir will rule all of Kem.” We all nodded in agreement, satisfied that the King would include us in the circle of those he would ask to help in such an important task.
“Bani, it is time to get out of the water!” Qa’a yelled.
“Just a few more moments, father,” the Princess yelled back, giggling as her friends tried to pull her underwater. By now the light was failing fast.
“Now!” Qa’a answered. As soon as the girls were back on board the sailors hauled up the nets that protected them from crocodiles and hippopotamuses.
“And you, Merkha, are you and your family well?” Qa’a asked after watching the girls dry off. I thought his question odd, for Qa’a rarely asked about the personal lives of his advisors.
“Yes, we are all well. My father still lives, far beyond his years, although he can no longer see clearly. My sisters and brothers all prosper in their businesses.”
“Yes, my people have told me that you and your family have become successful businessmen.” The King had a habit of referring to his spies as his people.
“It was not always so, Qa’a. It is only in the past few years that I have been able to save for my elder years, which fast approach.”
“You need not save anything, Merkha,” the King said defensively. “You know that I would provide for you whatever it is you need. You have served the Royal family well.”
“I know that, but I also wish to leave something tangible for my brothers and sisters and many nieces and nephews.”
“So how have these rewards come about? You never talk about them.” I glanced at Merkha, for I suspected Qa’a already had learned how Merkha’s fortune had accumulated.
“It is simple, I put some gold into whatever projects Nomti here involves himself in.” Qa’a smiled. “At first it was only a few debens, for what does a simple priest possess? I am also very frugal, as you know. But as the gold grew, so did my investments, which has led to even more gold and jewels.” Nomti sat slowly back in his chair, embarrassed, not wanting to appear deserving of praise.
“A few of Nomti’s schemes have not fared as well as others,” Merkha continued, “but overall I am quite happy.”
Qa’a looked out over the water for a long time. The breezes filled the sails and I saw the captain look at Qa’a more than once, hoping he would command us all back to shore. Ra’s last light was dimming quickly. Even the children seemed anxious to get back. Qa’a did not seem to notice.
“And… and what do you hear of Mume?” Qa’a suddenly asked us, still looking away at the distant river bank leading to the desert. I thought the question a strange one, cropping up so suddenly. I waited for Merkha to answer, but he seemed to be at a loss.
“I am not sure of your question, Master,” he finally said. “Do you mean what kind of child is he turning out to be?” Merkha glanced at me questioningly, but seeing my own look of surprise he recovered quickly. Qa’a nodded.
“He is like many four-year-olds, active, full of energy.”
“Yes, I see him playing from time to time from my portico.”
“Excuse me for asking, my King, but do you not see him regularly?” I ventured. I knew from the look that Merkha shot me that I had gone too far.
Long moments passed and I wondered what went through Qa’a’s mind. “No, Urshte, I do not see him, not regularly… hardly at all. It is… oh, Horus, I hardly know what it is. Nafre satisfies my manly needs, and she is good at that. But I do not enjoy her company. She tried to force Mume’s presence on me at first, thinking we would mortar a bond, but I have set her straight on that.” Again, Qa’a seemed lost in thought. After several more quiet moments, he spoke. “She angers me. I feel as if she has tricked me… has tricked us all, by having a child, and so quickly.”
“I see,” was all that I could respond.
“Do you, Urshte? Perhaps you could help me see, too, for I feel as if I am blind when it comes to these things. Perhaps my two Horus priests can help and you, too, Nomti.” The ropes of the boat creaked against the mast and sails, as the evening winds began to shift.
“I listen to Khenemet and hear one side of an issue, then to you or Merkha or Nomti and get another side. I listen to my people and get yet another. It is all too confusing. I wish for things to be simpler, like they were in Narmer’s time. No foreigners to deal with, no need for spies. The King ruled then and all obeyed.”
For days afterward I thought about our conversation on the boat, until one evening when Nomti was done instructing me on letters he wished sent to foreign traders who complained about the taxes along Wat Hor. Nomti leaned back on his rush chair, rubbed his eyes and put his hands behind his head. He stared into the night sky for many minutes before he spoke.
“I still think of that night nearly a month ago when we sailed with Qa’a.”
“It is funny you say that, for I do the same.”
“Interesting. What troubles me most about it is that Qa’a was right about his blindness. He does not see what is obvious to me, and to you, too, I suspect, that until he shines forth a vision for the Two Lands, all those around him will grope about in the dark of night.”
Qa'a (The First Dynasty Book 3) Page 31
