THE LOST PHARAOH CHRONICLES
Salvation in the Sun
LAUREN LEE MEREWETHER
Edited by
SPENCER HAMILTON
CreateSpace
CONTENTS
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GLOSSARY
Prologue
1. The Time of Amun-Re
2. The Time of Rebirth
3. The Time of Unrest
4. The Time of a New Crowning
5. The Time of Reuniting
6. The Time of Guilt
7. The Time of Growth
8. The Time of Exile
9. The Time of Death
10. The Time of Relinquishment
11. The Time of Pharaoh
12. The Time of the Aten
13. The Time of Rebellion
14. The Time of Aketaten
15. The Time of Change
16. The Time of Decline
17. The Time of Division
18. The Time of Quarrel
19. The Time of Wine
20. The Time of Silence
21. The Time of Suspicion
22. The Time of the Son
23. The Time of Lies
24. The Time of Obsession
25. The Time of Plague
26. The Time of Torture
27. The Time of Desperation
28. The Time of Betrayal
Epilogue
A LOOK INTO THE PAST
WHAT DID YOU THINK?
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About the Author
Acknowledgments
For Mark
Copyright © 2018 Lauren Lee Merewether
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
ISBN: 1523205881
ISBN-13: 978-1523205882
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GLOSSARY
CONCEPTS / ITEMS
Deben – weight of measure equal to about 91 grams
Dynasties – Old Kingdom, then Middle Kingdom, then New Kingdom (where this story takes place)
Eagle-Omens – ancient belief that an eagle either represented in dreams or spotted in real life can signify importance in dream-interpretation and prophecy
Hedjet – white crown worn by Egyptian regents of the 18th dynasty
Ka – spirit
Modius – the crown for a Queen
Pshent – the great double crown of Pharaoh
Sed Festival – celebration of Pharaoh’s thirty-year reign, and then every 3–4 years
Shendyt – a pleated royal apron or skirt lined with gold, worn by Pharaoh
Sidelock – a long lock of hair above the ear, kept despite a shaved head, to signify childhood; is usually braided
Sistrum – a musical instrument of the percussion family, chiefly associated with ancient Iraq and Egypt
Vizier – chief royal advisor to Pharaoh
GODS
Amun – premiere god of Egypt in the Middle Kingdom
Amun-Re – a name given to show the duality of Amun and Re (the hidden god and the sun) to appease both priesthoods during the early part of the New Kingdom
Aten – the sun-disc god of Egypt (referred to as “The Aten”); a minor aspect of the sun god, Re
Bes – Egyptian god of childbirth
Ptah – Egyptian god of creation, art, and fertility
Re – premiere god of Egypt in the Old Kingdom; the sun god; in the early part of the New Kingdom, Pharaohs began to associate with Amun rather than Re
Tawaret – Egyptian goddess of childbirth
PLACES
Aketaten – Egyptian city of modern-day area of Amarna
Akhe-Aten – necropolis for the city of Aketaten
Ipet-isut – modern-day Karnak of Thebes, “The Most Selected of Places”
Malkata – palace of Pharaoh Amenhotep III
Men-nefer – Egyptian city of modern-day Memphis
Saqqara – necropolis for the city of Men-nefer
Waset – Egyptian city of modern-day Luxor
PEOPLE
Aburiash (“Burnaburiash”) – King of Babylon
Ainamun – steward of Kiya
Aitye – steward of Nefertiti
Alashiya – King of Cyprus
Amenhotep III – father of Amenhotep IV and Thutmose III
Amenhotep IV / Akhenaten – second son of Amenhotep IV and Tiye
Anen – Second Prophet of Amun; brother to Tiye and Ay
Ankhesenpaaten – daughter of Amenhotep IV / Akhenaten
Ay – Nefertiti’s father; brother to Tiye and Anen
Beketaten – daughter of Pharaoh Amenhotep III
Beset – priest who performed burial preparations for the deceased
Henuttaneb – daughter of Pharaoh Amenhotep III; royal wife of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV / Akhenaten
Horemheb – Egyptian Military Commander; future Pharaoh
Huy – vizier to Pharaoh for Lower Egypt
Huya – steward of Tiye
Iset – daughter and royal wife of Pharaoh Amenhotep III
Jabari – chief royal guard
Kasmut – daughter of Anen
Kiya – Mitanni princess sent to seal foreign relations through marriage to Pharaoh
Maya – First Prophet of Amun; succeeded Meryptah
Meketaten – daughter of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV / Akhenaten
Meritaten – daughter of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV / Akhenaten
Meryptah – First Prophet of Amun; highest-ranked prophet of the Amun priesthood cult of Amun
Meryre – steward of Nefertiti
Mut (“Mutnedjmet”) – Nefertiti’s half-sister; daughter of Tey and Ay
Nakht (“Nakhtpaaten”) – vizier to Pharaoh
Nebetah – daughter of Pharaoh Amenhotep III
Nefeneferure – daughter of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV / Akhenaten
Neferneferuaten Tasherit – daughter of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV / Akhenaten
Nefertiti / Neferneferuaten-Nefertiti / Neferneferuaten – daughter of Ay, chief royal wife of Pharaoh
Negral – Babylonian warlord
Paaten (“Paatenemheb”) – Egyptian military general
Pawah – Fifth Prophet of Amun
Ramose – vizier to Pharaoh for the Upper Egypt
Satau – treasurer to Pharaoh
Setepenre – daughter of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV / Akhenaten
Sitamun – daughter and royal wife of Pharaoh Amenhotep III
Smenkare – Sitamun’s son
Temehu – Nefertiti’s mother
Tey – Nefertiti’s wet nurse and step-mother
Thutmo
se – firstborn son of Pharaoh Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye
Tiye – chief royal wife of Pharaoh Amenhotep III; sister to Ay and Anen
Tutankhaten – son of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV / Akhenaten
Wennefer – First Prophet of Amun during the reign of Pharaoh Horemheb
PROLOGUE
Pharaoh Horemheb observed the five prophets’ pale faces: lips, trembling with victory; eyes, tinged with triumph. Their wicked deeds would soon be erased once he signed the edict laid before him. The reed brush drizzled ink into a slosh on the table as he held it, re-reading the papyrus scroll for the fifth time. His stomach turned over on itself and heaviness pressed into his chest.
It will be better for Pharaoh and for Egypt if future generations did not remember the heretic line of Pharaohs before and the wickedness of the priesthood, he reminded himself. The sharp intake of breath behind him made him grip the brush harder. His wife and queen, Mut, stood there. He felt her tears as his own, but he was in the wolves’ den and so hardened his will. In his hand, he held the legacy of those who came before him. Pushing the chair back, he stood up with a graceful grandeur and placed the brush in its well.
The five prophets of Amun leaned forward in their seats, gnashed their teeth, ready to pounce, but Pharaoh Horemheb raised his hand to silence them. His guards stood at either side, spears in hand and swords sheathed.
“You said you would sign,” one of the pale faces said in the silent moments after. “For the greater of E—”
“There are none greater than Pharaoh.” His stare cut through the tension in the room, centering on the one who had spoken; the man drew his jaw in and forced his lips closed. “Before we sentence the past to death, you”—he raised his finger to all five prophets in the room—“you will remember.”
Wennefer, the First Prophet of Amun, narrowed his eyes at Pharaoh. “But we all know the past. It is for the future generations to not know about the weakness of Akhenaten or the transgressions of those who opposed him. It is for Egypt.”
“You will hold your tongue, First Prophet.” Pharaoh’s glare met Wennefer’s equal. The two most powerful men of Egypt stood, seeing who would break their stare first. Finally, Pharaoh struck him down. “I, Pharaoh, the sole divine ruler of all of Egypt, appointed you, Wennefer, as First Prophet of Amun, and I can remove you.”
Wennefer’s upper lip twitched, but he slowly bowed to Pharaoh and then took his seat. “As Pharaoh says.”
The other four prophets’ faces became paler. This Pharaoh would keep his reclaimed power over their leader.
“By signing this edict . . .” Pharaoh Horemheb’s finger jammed again and again into the papyrus on the table. “By signing this, Pharaoh is condemning the memory of those now gone to eternal erasure, damning their memories to the bottom of the Nile, never to be seen again.”
“Yes, Pharaoh,” the prophets muttered. A few eyes began to roll and a few heads began to shake, but at the hot glare of Pharaoh, all movement ceased.
I just threatened their leader; they so easily forget, Pharaoh Horemheb thought.
“We discussed this edict. It is what is needed,” Wennefer said to Pharaoh as the other prophets nodded and murmured in agreement.
“And yet you feel no remorse.” Pharaoh’s eyes were centered on Wennefer, but his words were to all. “I, Pharaoh, have seen your drooling, your dancing feet, your hunger for this everlasting punishment to be pronounced. You, oh great, wise prophets of Amun—you desire this . . . but you are no better than those we are about to erase. You do not deserve to be remembered. Your wickedness lives on, but your deeds will be covered.”
Pharaoh Horemheb’s voice was no more than a whisper, yet strong enough to move mountains, causing Wennefer to shake at the knees and sit back down. They all muttered indecipherable words to explain away their demeanor.
Once again Pharaoh silenced them. “Only because this history undermines the power of Pharaoh—not just in the eyes of our own but also those of our foreign allies and enemies—will I, Pharaoh, sign it.”
Queen Mut let out a despairing breath behind him. He forced himself to ignore her.
“But first,” he continued, “we will remember those to be denied a place in history. We will know the truth, and we will acknowledge they lived and breathed. They are worthy of much more than this pitiful end. You will remember, and their lives will stay with you until the day you die. They will weigh heavy on your hearts, and they will haunt your minds even as you journey to the afterlife.”
A silence settled in the room, inching its way further inside the bones of those attending there.
“As . . . Pharaoh . . . says.” Wennefer clenched his jaw and crossed his arms over his chest. Leaning back, he nodded his head. “Where shall we begin with this . . . chronicling?”
Looking to the statue of Amun standing behind the prophets, Pharaoh drew in a deep breath. Amun had granted him his victory. “We shall begin with Pharaoh Akhenaten and the birth of his beloved . . . Queen Nefertiti,” Pharaoh said as he rested back into his chair.
Queen Mut’s hand came to his shoulder, as if to thank him for starting with her half-sister.
CHAPTER 1
THE TIME OF AMUN-RE
Outside, the rock’s ashes blew under the sun spells of the earth. The fiery winds whistled, carrying the cries of a newborn babe. Death crept and life blossomed. A mother whispered, “Her name shall mean ‘The beautiful one is come.’ ”
Stroking the baby’s buttery soft cheeks, the nurse Tey cradled the little girl, letting the mother hold the baby’s tiny hand. With a soft whisper, Tey crooned, “Your name shall be Nefertiti . . . the Beautiful One . . . a name worthy of your mother’s legacy.”
Temehu smiled in the last moment of her life. A midwife placed aside the statues of Bes and Tawaret and closed Temehu’s eyes, telling her to dream of life with Amun-Re.
Nefertiti let go of her mother’s hand, and it fell with a thud. As if sensing her mother’s death, Nefertiti’s little brow furrowed, and cries came forth.
Tey hummed an enchanting melody, forcing a smile even as the midwives and servant girls in the room wailed in mourning. She carried Nefertiti from that room filled with death and with life, toward the master’s bedchambers; it was time for her to be blessed by her father, Ay, brother of the Queen of Egypt. She slowed to a stop as Nefertiti fell asleep in her arms.
As she looked at the closed doors to the bedchambers, that morning’s breakfast grumbled in her stomach and bile rose in her throat.
Temehu, her master . . . so kind and loving . . . was gone. Dead.
Tey had now inherited the duty to tell Temehu’s husband that he would never see his wife again.
The servant boy opened the door for her. She swallowed and walked inside Ay’s bedchambers.
“Ay,” Tey murmured as her tears finally fell.
Ay turned to scold her for not using his official title, but at the sight of her watery eyes he held his breath, fearing the worst. “Temehu . . . or the child?” Ay asked, leaning the full weight of his body onto the dressing table. His eyes scanned the baby bundle she held with sudden dread.
“Scribe of Pharaoh, Overseer of Pharaoh’s Horses . . . your chief wife,” Tey said as Ay closed his eyes, hating himself for wishing Tey’s next words regarded the baby instead. “Your Thousand Splendid Suns, your Temehu, has passed from this life.”
Our Temehu . . . my Temehu, she thought.
Ay clenched his fists and blew out the air he held captive in his chest. Sliding his fist to his forehead to shield his tears’ escape, his strong shoulders slumped. His heart fell into his stomach as if someone had dealt a blow to the core of his soul. He had but one wife, Temehu; he longed for no other woman. The other men of his stature had many wives with one chief wife, but he had only Temehu . . . his one, his cherished, his beloved.
Wanting no witnesses to his pain—his weakness—he bellowed, “LEAVE!” The blast of his yell defeated the candlelight on the table, and his servants scurrie
d out of his bedchambers.
Tey made a bold decision and remained. The doors closed behind her.
Ay pulled off his wig and fell to his knees. He let out a guttural moan and slammed his hands into the dresser, not noticing Tey still stood at his door. He examined his wig’s intricate human hair braids interwoven with golden beads as the sweet smell of perfume reached his nostrils. His hand grazed his bald head as he threw the wig off to his side. Years of working to obtain an official’s wig meant nothing now.
“Scribe of Pha—”
“I said leave!” he spat through his teeth as he spun to face her. The moonlight glistened on his tear-stained face. The shadows in the room hid the smudged kohl surrounding his eyes, but as he spoke, the same kohl revealed itself as it began to streak down his cheeks.
Tey could understand his anger at the life he had been handed. She wanted to collapse to the floor as if it were her own; instead she stood strong for her master’s husband and walked toward him.
“Leave, I said!” Ay entreated her once more.
Nefertiti awoke to her father’s yells. Tey held up the baby girl for Ay to see, hoping her small cries would cast light into his heavy heart. “Temehu brought forth this new life before she left us,” Tey said.
“Tey, why do you cause me so much inner turmoil?” Ay asked. “First news of Temehu’s death . . . and now of my newborn daughter?” He reached up to hold the baby’s fingers.
“To lessen your sorrow,” Tey answered, her eyes downcast. To lessen my sorrow, Tey thought to herself.
“It is great still,” he said as he pulled back from the child and climbed to his feet. I cannot accept this child, not now. I need to see Temehu to know it’s true, he thought. “Take me to Temehu.”
AY STEPPED into the room where his wife’s body lay. The midwife and servants dabbed the sweat from her face and bosom with reverence. Their tears dampened their work.
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