TableofContents

IntroductionListofPrincipalCharactersBookI

BekAmonemhetKiaSmenkhkara(life,health,prosperity!)

HatsuretSitamonRamessesHoremhebAyeTiyeAnser-WossettNefertitiTiyeAmonhotep,SonofHapuAkhenaten(life,health,prosperity!)Amonhotep,Sonof

HapuMerytatenTutankhatenAkhenatenlife,health,prosperity!)

BookIIHoremhebRamessesHatsuretAnser-WossettNefertitiAyeAkhenaten(life,health,prosperity!)

Amonhotep,SonofHapuAkhenaten(life,health,prosperity!)HoremhebTiyeAyeTutankhaten(life,health,prosperity!)

BookIIIHatsuretTutankhamon(life,health,prosperity!)Amonemhet

Amonhotep,SonofHapuSitamonTutankhamon(life,health,prosperity!)HatsuretRamessesHoremhebAyeTutankhamon(life,health,prosperity!)Seti

BookIVHatsuret

Tutankhamon(life,health,prosperity!)AyeAmonhotep,SonofHapuAyeTutankhamon(life,health,prosperity!)RamessesHoremhebSitamonAyeAmonemhetAnkhesenamon

(life,health,prosperity!)SuppiluliumasAnkhesenamon(life,health,prosperity!)SuppiluliumasHoremhebAmonemhetAye

BookVAmonhotep,SonofHapuAye(life,health,

prosperity!)SitamonAnkhesenamonRamessesHoremheb(life,health,prosperity!)

EpilogueAmonhotep,SonofHapu

AppendixAbouttheAuthor

BookDescription

ThespectacularconclusiontotheEgyptianepicbegun inAGodAgainst theGods. Afterhis brother’s assassination, anew Pharaoh must take thethrone and battle the corrupt

andviolentpriesthood.His name is

TUTANKHAMUN.Pulitzer Prize winning

author Allen Drury paints avivid,dramaticpictureof themosttumultuoustimesinoneof the greatest empires inhumanhistory.FollowingthemurderofAkhenatenandthebeautiful Nefertiti and thereligiousuproarthatthreatensto tear Egypt apart, the

pharaohhas todefy thegodsinordertorulehispeople.Themasterwriterrecreates

ancient Egypt with all itspomp, glory, politics, andtreachery, and bringslegendary titans of history tolife,withalltheirtragic—andalltoohuman—flaws.

***

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Killiany

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thisbookmaybe reproducedor transmitted inanyformorby any electronic ormechanical means, includingphotocopying, recording orby any information storageand retrieval system,withoutthe express writtenpermission of the copyrightholder, except wherepermitted by law.This novelis a work of fiction. Names,characters, places and

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***

Dedicated,

onceagain,

to

THEM

Sitting or standing, as the

moodortheritualoccasiondictated when they posedfor the royal sculptorsmillennia ago, they starepleasantly out upon thelong green snake of Egypt—whichtheycalledKemet,“theBlackLand”—andthedesert wastes of “the RedLand”beyond.

They have been there, someof them, five thousandyearsandmore.

If there is an Earth fivethousand years from now,someofthemwilldoubtlessbetherestill.

Smiling, happy, confident,serene, ravaged no longerbythefierceambitionsandviolent passions that oftenmoved behind thosedeliberately imperviousformal masks, they have asatisfaction, not given tomany,whichtheywillnever

knowbutseldomdoubted:They always said theywouldliveforever.

And as forever goes in thelivesofmen,theyhave.

***

Introduction

In the novel A God AgainsttheGods,towhichthisnovelis sequel, there is related theearlylifeandrisetosupreme

power of the PharaohAkhenaten, tenthgod-kingofthe EighteenthDynasty,whothirty-fourhundredyears agoruled the “Two Lands” ofUpperandLowerEgypt.Akhenaten,husbandofone

of history’s most beautifulwomen, his cousin,Nefertiti,wasthesonofAmonhotepIIIand Queen Tiye—“the GreatWife,” who for many yearsdirected (or thought she did)

the destinies of Egypt whileher amiable but indolenthusband enjoyed his luxuriesand let his country’s tenuousgraspuponitspoorlydefinedand loosely held “empire” intheMiddleEastgraduallyslipaway.The slippage was not

helped by Akhenaten, who,after suffering in early youthwhat we now know asFrolich’ssyndrome,adisease

ofthepituitaryglandthatlefthimmalformed with saggingbelly, woman’s hips, thinarmsandelongatedneckandface,becameCo-Regentwithhisfatherattheageoffifteen,sixteen, seventeen oreighteen. (Egyptologistsdiffer,astheydoonsomanyother things.Anovelistmustmake choices from amongtheirconjectures,addinghereand there a few of his own.

This I have done, tryingalways to remain within thebounds of what seemshumanly logical andeschewing those intensearguments over fragmentarydetails that understandablymake up much of the worldofprofessionalEgyptology.)Quite soon after his

coronation as Co-Regent,Akhenaten changed hisoriginal name, Amonhotep

IV, to Akhenaten, whichmeans“PleasingtotheAten,”theAtenbeingthetraditionalSun God in the form of abright and visible disk. Healsoestablishedanewcapitalhalfway between Thebes andtheNileDelta that henamedAkhet-Aten, meaning“Horizon (or Resting Place)oftheAten.”Andhebeganalengthy attempt to establishthe Aten as the sole god of

Egypt—thefirstsuchattemptat monotheism in recordedhistory—thereby seeking tosupersede all of Egypt’smyriad animal- and bird-headed gods, and doingparticular violence to thepowerful and deeplyentrenched priesthood ofAmon-Ra. Amon-Ra wasanotherformoftheSunGod,his very essence, hidden andmysterious. His priests had

foracenturyandahalfbeeninextricably entwined withthefortunesoftheEighteenthDynasty.Thus Akhenaten began

what is now known as the“Amarna Revolution,” Tell-el-Amarna being the presentArabic name for the emptyplain halfway up the Nilewhich is all that remains ofthebrieflyflourishingcityheestablishedthere.

For more than a decade,according to the version Ihave set forth in A GodAgainst the Gods, the“revolution” proceeded indesultory fashion whileAkhenaten,Nefertitiandtheirsix daughters attempted towinoverthepeopleofEgypt,rathermore by example thanbyanystrongovertinsistenceon Akhenaten’s part, to theworship of the Aten. Finally

convincedthatthiseasygoingpolicy would not work, andenraged by the continuingopposition of Amon,Akhenaten became moreactive.AttheconclusionofAGod

Against the Gods,Amonhotep III has died andAkhenaten has assumed fullpower. He has also by thattime fathered three daughtersbyhis threeoldestdaughters,

in a vain attempt to producesons who could succeed himand carry on the cult of theAten. In addition he hasalienated most of themembers of the royal family(“the House of Thebes,”)including his mother QueenTiye and his powerful uncleAye; he has raised to powerhis cousin, the scribe andgeneral of the armyHoremheb, who eventually

became the last Pharaoh ofthe Eighteenth Dynasty; hehasfinally turned in full furyuponAmonandallitsfellowpriesthoods;andhehasbegunthe emotional and physicalrelationshipwith his youngerbrother Smenkhkara that hasresultedinestrangementfromNefertiti and the beginningsof the final break with bothhisfamilyandhispeople.At that point, with his

father mummified andentombed after the ritualseventy days of mourning,withSmenkhkara namedCo-Regentanddestructionloosedupon his fellow gods,Akhenaten and SmenkhkarasetsailfromThebestoreturnto Akhet-Aten and A GodAgainsttheGodsconcludes.Here, three years later, in

1362 B.C., begins Return toThebes—which means, in

essence,“returntothecityofAmon,” who will eventuallywin their bitter battle and,with the assistance of manypowerful court figuresincluding Tiye, Aye,Horemheb and Akhenaten’syoungest brother,Tutankhamon, (bornTutankhaten) be restored toallhispowersandprivileges.Again,Iamindebtedtothe

friends mentioned in the

Introduction to A GodAgainst the Gods who haveassisted in gathering booksand research materials, whohave provided delightfulcompany on two invaluablevisits to Egypt, and whoseideas, bouncing off mine,have helped clarify myapproach to a tangled buthypnotic subject. Once againI am particularly indebted tothegreatBritishEgyptologist

CyrilAldred,until retirementKeeper of Antiquities of theRoyal Scottish Museum inEdinburgh. His bookAkhenaten,PharaohofEgypt(London:Abacuspaperbacks,Sphere Books, Ltd., 1968),has been my desk biblethroughout. In an extensiveand cordial personalcorrespondence he has beenunfailinglykind inansweringmy questions and politely

adamantinopposingsomeofmyconclusions.He tends to discount with

some vigor the thesis, inwhich I amnot alone amongthose familiar with AncientEgypt, that there was acontest between Horemheband his father, the PharaohAye, for the throne. In thisMr.AldredischaracteristicofmanyEgyptologistswhofindit difficult, if not downright

distasteful, to bring theirserenely sculpted friendsdown to human reality. Yetthesewerehumanbeings,andtheywere contending for thegreatest prize of the ancientworld, the Double Crown ofEgypt.Better a rendering giving

due weight to human desiresand emotions on a scale tomatch the prize, than anaccountasserenelyblandand

lifelessasthepaintingsonthewalls.There is much blood in

Return to Thebes, as there isin A God Against the Gods;but where the prize is great,andwhere those who seek itreally care and have at handthe means to express theircaring,bloodisapttofollow.I have opted to have myAncients bloody and humanrather than emptily—and

often falsely—smiling facesonthewall.For these views of mine,

and for others expressed inthe two novels, Mr. Aldredand his fellow Egyptologistsof course bear noresponsibility whatsoever.Taking a leaf from the bookof my complex protagonist,whopridedhimselfon“livingin truth” in all things, I havetriedasclearlyaspossible to

present the truth of thisfascinating period as I see it.Others disagree, and morepower to them. In the worldof Egyptology, oneconjecture is as good asanother, providing it stayswithinhailingdistanceof thefewscrapsofknown factwehave. I have tried to remainreasonably well in range ofall thematterscovered in thetwonovels.

I should perhaps repeathere the general principleswhich I have followed inconstructingReturntoThebesandAGodAgainst theGods,particularly in so far as theyapply to dates, spelling ofnames and certain familiarlocutions that the Ancientsdid not know but which Ihave adopted for the ease ofthe modern-day reader. Forinstance:

Estimates of how longAncient Egypt had been anentitypriortotheeventsofAGod Against the Gods andReturn to Thebes range froma minimum of one thousandtoamaximumofalmostthreethousandyears.Ihavechosenarbitrarily,onwhatseemsthemainburdenof theevidence,to put it somewhereapproaching two thousandyears.Wedonotknow:only

the sands of Egypt, whichcover all, know; and untilthere is time and money todig to the full beneath them(assuming that might bephysically possible, in itselfan optimistic conjecture),wewill never know with anydegree of certainty.Somewhere in theneighborhood of twothousandyearswouldseemtoencompass logically and

comfortably the earliestbeginnings, the seventeendynasties recognized by theEgyptian historian Manetho(who himself did not comealong with his arbitraryguesses until 305B.C.,morethan a thousand years afterthe events of these novels),and the so-called “Hyksosinvasion,” which precededtheEighteenthDynasty.In the same fashion I have

chosen1392B.C.asthebirthyear of both Akhenaten andhiswifeandcousin,Nefertiti.Itwassomewherearoundthattime: there are as manyguesses as there areEgyptologists. I havegrounded my time frame onthat arbitrary date and haveanchored it at the far end tosomewhere in theneighborhood of 1330 B.C.,whichallowssixtyorsoyears

for Akhenaten’s birth andadolescence, his co-regencywith his father AmonhotepIII, his co-regency with hisyoungerbrotherSmenkhkara,the reign of his youngestbrother Tutankhamon, thereignof their uncleAye, andmuch of the reign ofHoremheb, last Pharaoh ofthe Eighteenth Dynasty.Some professionals maydispute this, but anyonewho

delves into Egyptian historysoonfindsthathisownguessis just about as good asanyone else’s—providing itallows sufficient elbow roomforthegenerallyagreed-uponlengthsofthesevariouskingsof the Eighteenth Dynasty.ThisIhavesoughttodo.Similarly with names.

Horemheb, for instance, is“Har-em-hab” toMr.Aldred;“Harmhab” to the first great

historian of Ancient Egypt,James H. Breasted; andappears elsewhere variouslyas Horemheb, Horemhab,Haremhab, Haremheb,Harmhab, Harmheb, Heru-em-heb—somebody has tomake a decision, and in thiscase I’m it. “Horemheb” hasa solid ring to me, so“Horemheb”heisherein.Thisdecision,aswithmany

othernames,isbasedonwhat

tomeseemseasiestandmosteuphonious for the present-day reader to articulate andunderstand. Akhenaten’sfather was known to theGreeks, Romans, and tomodern-day Egyptians whofollow their lead, as“Amenophis III.” Aldredrenders him “Amon-Hot-pe.”I have chosen the thirdmostpopular version,“Amonhotep,”asthesimplest

for the modern reader’spurposes. Similarly the SunGodhimselfappearsinmanytexts as “Re,” pronounced“Ray” or “Reh.” I prefer thesimpler rendition “Ra,”pronounced “Rah,” whichseems to fall easiest on thetongue. He is also “Amon,”“Amun” and “Amen.”“Amon” seems the simplest,bothwhenstandingaloneandwhen used as a part of a

name.I have also adopted the

practice of breaking downintotheircomponents,forthefirst three times they appearin the text, themoredifficultnames of the EighteenthDynasty. If one gives toa, eand i (which were unknownto the Ancients and onlyintroduced in Greco-Romantimes for much the samepurposes of convenience that

I am striving for here) thesounds “ah,” “eh,” and “ee,”it becomes relatively easy.The name of Akhenaten’s(Akh-eh-nah-ten’s) thirddaughter, who appears in AGod Against the Gods as alittle girl and plays a majorroleinReturn toThebes, isareal jawbreaker—Ankhesenpaaten. But if thereaderwill take amoment tosound it out slowly—“Ankh-

eh-sen-pah-ah-ten”—thegoing becomes much easierand thenamequitebeautiful.And so with Nefer-Kheperu-Ra, Ankh-Kheperu-Ra, Neb-Kheperu-Ra (the brothersAkhenaten, Smenkhkara andTutankhamon)andtherest.For easy reference by the

modernreaderIhavealso,incommon with manyEgyptologists, adoptedcertain recognizable

locutions.ForAmonhotepIIIto refer to his family as “theEighteenth Dynasty,” forinstance, is a completeprolepsis, sinceManetho andhis list did not come alonguntil more than a thousandyears later. And yet theAncient Egyptians were atime-minded and orderlypeople and undoubtedly (touse a word beloved of theprofessionals)hadsomesense

of what went before, and intheir own minds must havehad some cataloguing of theroyal houses that precededtheirs. Accordingly I havethem refer to their own“Eighteenth Dynasty” andtheirown“HouseofThebes,”because this makes it easierfor us to understand whattheyaretalkingabout.Bythesametoken,theydid

not know the terms “Valley

of the Kings” or “Valley ofthe Queens,” although theydidhavesomegeneralwayofreferring to the royalnecropolis on the west bankof the Nile opposite Thebes.“Beneath the Peak of theWest” is one with somehistorical foundation, and Ihaveused it fairlyoften;but,forus, “Valleyof theKings”is more instantlyrecognizable, and so I have

oftenused it too. “Thebloodof Ra” is a locution for thebloodroyalthattheymaynothave used, but it isunderstandable here. Theydid not know the terms“mother-in-law,” “brother-in-law” and the like. They didnot know thatmillennia laterwe would refer to the oddlyelongated skulls ofAkhenaten’s family as“platycephalic.”Butweknow

that, and it simplifiesunderstandinginthetext.One name I have retained

in its original form isAkhet-Aten, the name ofAkhenaten’snewcapital.WeknowitmorereadilyasTell-el-Amarna, yet it seemsfitting to keep the name hegave it—and to syllabify itthroughout,sothatitwillnotbeconfusedwithhisown.For those who wish to

delve further in the period, IhaveappendedattheendofAGod Against the Gods apartial list, headed by Mr.Aldred, of some of theauthors who have been mosthelpful tome in constructingAGodAgainst theGodsandReturn to Thebes. I offerthem as a very modestintroduction to a vast andevergrowing literature,andIrepeatthewarningIgaveinA

GodAgainsttheGods:Once enthralled by the

Ancient Egyptians, you willbe enthralled, as theythemselves said so oftenabout so many things,“forever and ever—formillions and millions ofyears.”

AllenDrury

***

ListofPrincipalCharacters

The Royal Family (“the

HouseofThebes”):AKHENATEN, tenth Kingand Pharaoh of theEighteenthDynasty

Nefertiti,hiscousinandChiefWife

Kia, of Mesopotamia, hissecondwife

Merytaten, daughter ofAkhenatenandNefertiti

Ankhesenpaaten (laterAnkhesenamon), anotherdaughter

SMENKHKARA,Akhenaten’s youngerbrother, eleventhKing andPharaoh of the EighteenthDynasty; married toMerytaten

TUTANKHATEN (laterTUTANKHAMON),Akhenaten’s youngestbrother, twelfth King andPharaoh of the EighteenthDynasty; married toAnkhesenpaaten

Queen-Princess Sitamon,Akhenaten’soldersister

Queen Tiye, “the GreatWife,” widow ofAMONHOTEP III,motherof Sitamon, Akhenaten,Smenkhkara,Tutankhamon

AYE, her brother and fatherof Nefertiti, successor toTutankhamon as thirteenthKing and Pharaoh of theEighteenthDynasty

HOREMHEB, his son and

successorasfourteenthandlast King and Pharaoh oftheEighteenthDynasty

Nahkt-Min, son of Aye andhalfbrothertoHoremheb

The Lady Mutnedjmet,daughterofAye,halfsisterand later Queen ofHoremheb

Others associated with theCourt:The Lady Anser-Wossett,

lady in waiting to QueenNefertiti

Bek, chief sculptor toAkhenaten

Hatsuret,priestofAmonRamesses, later RAMESSESI,firstKingandPharaohoftheNineteenthDynasty

Seti, later SETI I, secondKing and Pharaoh of theNineteenthDynasty

Amonemhet of the village ofHanis,apeasant

Abroad:Suppiluliumas, King of theHittites

Gods:TheAten,Akhenaten’s“SoleGod”

Amon, “King of the Gods,”Akhenaten’s chiefopponent

Hathor,Sekhmet, Isis,Osiris,

Sebek, Hapi, Thoth, Ptah,manyothers

***

BookI

LoveofaGod

1362B.C.

***

Bek

I am the apprentice of HisMajesty, I have been taughtby the King; and now that Icometodie—forIamdying,theycannot foolmehowever

much they attempt it—I feelthat I have served well himwhose creation I havebeen…ashehasbeenmine,for it is as fellow artisans,almostmorethanasrulerandsubject, that Nefer-Kheperu-Ra Akhenaten, tenth Kingand Pharaoh of theEighteenth Dynasty to ruleover the Two Lands ofKemet, and Bek, his chiefsculptor, have labored all

theseyears.Nowmydutiespass tomy

principalassistant,Tuthmose:anditisbetterso,forIamoldandillandmuchdisheartenedby these recent days. Eversince His Majesty returnedfromthefuneralofhisfather,theGoodGodAmonhotepIII(life, health, prosperity!), inThebes three years ago, Ihavebeenasked todo thingsIwouldneverhavedonewere

I in a position to refuse. OfcourseIhavenotbeen,andithasnotbeenahappytimeforme. I am not sorry it isending, though I could havechosen some better means,had it been left to me, thanthis steady weakening thatthinsmyfleshandbrittlesmybones and withers intouselessness the strong handsthat carved so manywonderful things for him in

the years when we wereyounger.I hardly feel that I know

HisMajestynow.I thought Idid, so closely were ourthoughts and projectsintertwined. But this, Isuppose, only proves howslipperyistheslopeonwhichhumans meet and pass oneanother—particularly whenone of them is a god andanswerable only to his own

conscienceforwhathedoes.I suppose the Good God

Akhenaten (life, health,prosperity!)hasaconscience,thoughoflateithasnotbeenvisible to me. In the NorthPalace the Chief WifeNefertiti lives her life alone,unmolested but, as nearly aswe in the Court candetermine,unloved.Withherresides Queen Kia, native ofMesopotamia,secondwifeof

His Majesty, small, dark,quiet,friendlytoallsavehim,and observant—alwaysobservant. I have sculptedthem both, and both havebefriended me. I grieve forthe separation, particularlyfortheChiefWife,whohas,Ithink, loved His Majestygreatly all her life, and nowmust live out her dayswithout his presence toenliven them; even though I

think she had decided, quitesome timebeforehe sentherfrom his side, that she mustgo.With her also resides the

Prince Tutankhaten, just aweek ago entered upon hiseighth year. He is growinginto a reserved, quiet,thoughtful little lad.Weusedtoseehimtoddlingabout,fat,happy, always gurgling withlaughter. Now he is thinner,

less happy—rather sickly, infact—andnowhewalksmoresolemnly, forcing a dignitybeyond his years, as thoughhefeelsalreadytheweightofthe Double Crown he maysomeday have to wear …somedaynottoofaroff,Iamafraid, unless His Majestydecides to live his life muchdifferently than he has inrecenttimes.In the North Palace also

reside three ofHisMajesty’sfour surviving daughters bythe Chief Wife: Ankh-e-sen-pa-a-ten, thirteen, who is tobemarriedtothelittleprincelater this year; Nefer-neferu-ra, nine; and Nefer-neferu-aten Junior, eleven, namedfor her mother when hermother bore this name. Thiswas beforeHisMajesty tookthenamefromherandgaveitto His other Majesty, his

younger brother the PrinceSmenkhkara, now Ankh-Kheperu-Ra Smenkhkara,Co-Regent,KingandPharaohalso, in theunion thathasallof Kemet, and especially allof us here in the Court,saddened and dismayed thatsuchthingscanbe.That iswhy I say the little

princemaycometowear theDoubleCrown “someday nottoo far off.” Akhenaten flies

in the face of all right andreason: he overturns ma’at,the eternal order and fitnessof things that has existed inKemet from the Beginning.He affronts the gods, whomhe has hurled from theirtemples and driven from theland. And he hurries theirreturn, for they live in theheartsofthepeoplewherehisvengeance can never reachthem, and wait patiently for

their time to come again.Asitwill,forHisMajesty’stimeis no more than a ripple onthe Nile when matchedagainsttheeternalcalendaroftheirs.Yet I should not be happy

toseehisdownfall,andsoina way I am just as pleasedthat I shall probably not liveto witness it. Because HisMajesty and I have knowngreat days. We have

performed many “wonders,”as he calls them, together. Ishall never regret, though Ilive in the afterworld foreverand ever, for millions andmillionsofyears,thatIwasathis side and was given theprivilege of assisting him, inthe days before he wentbeyond us into his strangeworldandleftusallbehind.Have you been to Karnak

and seen the three colossal

statuesofhim that I sculptedthere? They guard theentrance to his first greattemple to theAten,whichhebuilt in the days before heestablishedthiscityofAkhet-Aten.HaveyounoticedhowIcaptured him, the veryessenceofhisbeing,thelong,narrow eyes, proud andarrogant and yet hiding suchpain—such pain!—the painof his awful ailment, which

came upon him as a youth,and whose bitter gifts I alsocaptured in the stone: thesagging belly, the woman’ships, the spindly shanks, theskinny arms, the elongatedneck, the pendulous lips, thehighcheekbones,thefacethatKemet has called “HorseFace” for almost twentyyears. All, all, I captured inthe stone. And he approvedmy doing it, he urgedme to

do it. When I demurred atfirst, he said, “Bek! Bek! Ilive in truth, and you musttoo. Make them see me as Iam,andtheywillknowwhata wonder they have asPharaoh! I command you,Bek.MakemeasIam!”And so I always did …

until lately, when it hasbecome more important tohim to try to keep pacewithonewhosefavorsfromnature

he can never match, than tolive in truth. And so he nolonger cries, “Make me as Iam!” but rather indicates,“MakemeasIwishtobe,toequalhim!”And so obediently

Tuthmose and I have begunto round out the cheeks,smoothoutthehollows,makehim look younger, moreconventional,moreperfect inthe style all Pharaohs before

himhavefavored.Ihavetriedto help him matchSmenkhkara’sgoldenbeauty,whichofcoursehecanneverin reality do, and becomesthereby,toallwhoseehimashe actually is, pathetic in thetrying.Pathetic and more than

pathetic: for in these pastthreeyearshehasorderedmetosculptandpaintthingsthatnotonlyhaveoffendedmeas

a man but have violated myhonor as an artist. And forthat, since I of course havehadnooptionbuttodoashewished, I think I cannot findit inmy heart to forgiveHisMajesty.Statuesofakingembracing

a king—paintings of a kingkissing a king—stelae of akingfondlingaking!I hope they may all be

destroyed sometime. I hope

theymay never see the lightofdayinafteryears.Buttheywill last our time, I knowthat, forhehasordered themcreated without shame, andhe has ordered themdisplayedwithoutshame,andwithout shame he has forcedupon Kemet the spectacle ofhimself and his brotheralmostasmanandwife.AndshamehascometotheHouseof Thebes because of it, and

because of it great sadnessand foreboding lie upon theTwoLands.Iknowthepretenseheused

to offer, though in recentmonths he has abandonedeven that—the pretense thatbecause theChiefWife isnolongerbesidehim(andwhyisthis, onemay ask, if not thathe himself decreed it!)therefore King Smenkhkarastands in her stead and takes

herplaceashishelper in theworship of the Aten, and somust have her titles, herpower and (who dares guesshow fully?) her wifehood aswell.Who believes such

madness? It is folly, self-delusion. It is worse: it isinsanity, though none darescall it so for fear of HisMajesty’s vengeance. Orperhaps I should say: none

outsidetheGreatHousedarescall it so. Because, as onewhopassesquitefreelyinandout and is able by virtue ofhis skills to spendsome timein both theNorthPalace andthe South, and sometimes inQueen Tiye’s Palace ofMalkata in Thebes aswell, Isense that there are somewithin the walls who havemore freedom to speak theirminds than we do—though

even they, I think,hesitate tochallenge him direct, butinstead satisfy themselveswith doing what they can toconceal the record of hisfolly.Thus the matter of the

“coronation durbar” whichhas now become such anissueinthePalace.…When he returned from

Thebes after his father’sfuneral—never,tothisday,to

leave Akhet-Aten again—hehelda“coronationdurbar,”ashe called it. At first heproposed that he shouldcrownKingSmenkhkara andthatKingSmenkhkarashouldthen crown him. One canonly imagine the argumentsthattookplaceintheFamily.Theremust have been some,because presently it wasannounced that fierce oldPinhasy, chief servitor of the

Aten, would crown themboth, chanting His Majesty’sHymntotheAtenforthefirsttime directly toHisMajesty,as though His Majesty nowembodied the Aten andshould now be worshiped astheAten.(NopriestsofAmondared

protest.None,atleastopenly,are to be found. Amon’stemples stand desecrated anddeserted from one end of

Kemet to the other. Only anoccasional whisper indicatesthattheyoungpriestHatsuretand some of his closestfriends still move in hidingthrough the land. Once IcameupontheCouncilorAye—who now styles himself“Divine Father,” meaning“father-in-law of the God,”namely Akhenaten—andGeneralHoremheb talking ina corridor at Malkata. “—

suret,”—IthoughtIheardthatportion of a name as thegeneral spoke to his father—“is now near MemphiswhereIamsendinghimgoldand sustenance.” “Good,”Aye said. “Tell him to be ofgoodheart.Tellhimthatsoonwe will bring him—” Thenabruptly they became awareof my approach and turnedaway with a sudden burst oftalkaboutinnocuousthings.I

pretended I had not heard,though I am convinced thatthe full name Horemhebspokewas“Hatsuret.”)So the coronation durbar

was held, a tragic spectaclefor all who love the eternalma’atandfitnessofthingsinthe Two Lands—and that iseveryone, I think, exceptTheir two Majesties, whocareneitherforma’atnor forthefeelingsoftheirpeople.

Side by side they sat upontheir thrones, KingSmenkhkara at his brother’sright hand where the ChiefWife should have been, noothers of the Familyanywhere about. Pinhasy putthe crowns upon their headsand chanted the Hymn toAkhenaten as the embodiedAten. Smenkhkara rose fromhis throne, stepped forward,turned, bowed low, offered

sacrifice and formal worshipto his brother. Akhenatenraised him up, kissed him,handed him gravely to hisseat.Adutiful shoutwentupfrom the scanty crowd ofcourt sycophants gatheredbefore the King’s House towitness this sad proceeding.A straggling little line ofemissaries from abroad—Mittani, Naharin, Byblos,wretched Kush—all that

cared, or could becommanded, now in thesedays when our possessionsfall away from the slackhands of His Majesty—jostled one another by withmeager gifts: this was the“Parade of Tribute.”Akhenatenclappedhishands.Trumpetsblew,achariotracebegan, youths dutifullyleapedintoathleticcontests,aforced air of gaiety covered

all. Within the hour thegamesandenvoysweregone,thetwokingshadwithdrawn,the crowd had dispersed, thepalacegroundsweredeserted.Ra moved on imperviousthrough an empty sky, overanemptyscene.As quickly as possible, all

was forgotten—until a weekago,whenbothHuy,thechiefsteward of Queen Tiye, andMeryra, the chief steward of

Queen Nefertiti, reached thatpoint in the building of theirtombs where they wished topay tribute—which one stillmustdo,ofcourse,onfearofdeath—toHisMajesty. Thenarose the question of howthey should best do this. Tome, who am still consultedgraciously though I give myadvice from a bed I do notthink I will leave alive—andto Tuthmose, who now

actually carries out mysuggestions and his ownskilled ideas—they bothproposed that they use thescene of the coronationdurbar.“As it was?” I questioned,

startledthattheyshouldmakesuchachoice.“Without the Chief Wife

and the Family?” echoedTuthmose,equallyaghast.“His Majesty lives in

truth,”Huysaid,asmuglookon his face. “Hewillwant itexactlyasitwas.”“If we, too, are to live in

truthashewishesallmen todo,” remarked Meryra withsimilarsuperiority,“thenyoumust portray it as ithappened.”“I would suggest,” I

remarked, I am afraid quitedryly, “that you consult yourmistresses and seewhat they

advise.”“They need not know,”

Huy said, though here inAkhet-Aten,wherethetombsalong the northern andsouthern ridges bounding thecity are open to public viewat all times, nothing isconcealed.“I would rather risk their

anger at being told than risktheir anger if things arehidden from them,” I said

with sufficient severity tostoptheirflippantattitudeandsobertheirsmugfaces.Whentheyspoke to theGreatWifeand Nefertiti later that day,theircarefreeapproachendedaltogether.Andnowwehavethe bitter controversy thatflares within the Palace andseemstohaveproducedsomesort of culmination in thecontinuing crisis we have alllived with ever since

Akhenaten sent his wife totheNorthPalaceandinstalledhisbrotherinherstead.Inthecitiesandvillagesof

Kemet, no one knows thatthisbattle rages.But it isnotin the cities and villages, ofcourse, that the fate of TheirMajesties will be decided. Itis always from within thepalaces that changescome inthe rule of Kemet, for thepeoplehaveneverrebelledin

all our nearly two thousandyears of history. Even now,ruled by the One who isincreasingly,ifstillwithgreatsecrecy,called“theMadman”and“theCriminal,” theywillnotrebel.HeisstilltheGoodGod, and it is unthinkable tothemthattheymighteverriseagainsthim.Unhappily for him, such

superstitious acceptance doesnotprevailwithintheFamily.

Yesterday the orders camedown,almostsimultaneously,from his palace, fromQueenTiye’s and from QueenNefertiti’s, to poorunfortunateHuyandMeryra.It will be quite a while, Ithink, before they find life asubject for smug jestingagain.His Majesty commanded:

portray thecoronationdurbarexactlyasitwas,himselfand

his brother alone (fondlyentwined!) thepaltry“ParadeofTribute”stragglingby.The Great Wife and the

Chief Wife commanded:portray thecoronationdurbaras the eternal traditions andma’atofKemet dictate, as ithas always been throughoutour history—Nefertiti seatedbeside Akhenaten, theirdaughters (even those whoare dead, for this is royal

myth, not royal fact) aroundthem, a lavish and fawningParadeofTributemaintainingthe dignity of the DoubleCrown—not exactly truthful,of course, but as truthful asmost of the pictures of royaltriumphs that have comedowntousfromancientdays.Now the battle rages. I do

notcarewhattheoutcomeis,for Iamnow, ironically, inaposition where I am

privileged to watch—aprivilegeIwouldgladlyyieldwere it possible, but onewhichIdonotthinkthegodswill permit me to evade.Tuthmose is a little more inthe center of things, but hetoo is safe.Weexist tocarryout orders, not give them.There ismuch stirring in thepalaces. Horemheb and hischief aide General Ramesseshave hurried back from

Memphis, where they hadgone to attend to thegovernment’s business in theDelta. Aye and his sister,QueenTiye,havecomedownfrom Thebes. Amonhotep,Son of Hapu, that saintedscribe whose wisdombecomes more universallyrespected as he learns toexpress it less, is bustlingabout. Tuthmose is keepingmeinformed.Ifeelthewind,

thoughIamnolongerabletobeat thecenterof thestorm.And storm it is, I am afraid,forHisMajesty.Ifearforhimandweepfor

him, because I think in hisown strange way he hasalwaysmeanttodoright,andto live in truth. It is histragedythathistruthisunlikethetruthofanyother.Inthat,I think, His Majesty hasfound the seeds of his

downfall,atlast.***

Amonemhet

I am Amon-em-het thepeasant, and you willremember how I saw HisMajesty with the PrinceSmenkhkara—whom we

mustnowcall“HisMajesty,”too—sailing downriver toAkhet-Aten from Thebes,golden in the torchlightagainst the dark bosom ofHapi, god of the Nile,chantingHisMajesty’sHymnto his god the Aten, on thatnight three years ago whenmy wife and I frolicked toomuch and wound up withchildnumberthree.NotthatImind him, or the method of

his getting, which is alwayspleasantanytime,buthedoeshavetobefed,ofcourse,andthatposesaproblem.Butwelove children, and wemanage.Numberfourwillbehere in another two weeks.Then, I suppose, will comefive, six, seven, eight—maythegodsstopus!Ho,ho!Letthemtry!Anyway,Itoldyouonthat

nightwhenIsawHisMajesty

thatitdidnotmattermuchtous here in the village whathappens in the great citiesamong the greatmen.But inthisIthinkIspoketooeasilyand too fast, because it hascometomattermuchintheselastthreeyears.Itusedtobethatwewould

hear distant reports that allwasnotgoingwellinKemet.Before His Majesty’s fatherdied—Amonhotep III (life,

health,prosperity!),thatgoodmanwhogovernedussowelland looks better all the timecompared to what we havenow—we used to hearrumors, sometimes, abouttroubles in far-off places. Itwas said our allies, orcountrieswe owned, orwerefriendly with, were notfriendly any more. But thisdid not bother us in thevillage.Itwasallfaraway.

It was also reported—particularlybyoldSahura,hewho once was a scribe andwent to the cities before hecame home to sit in thesquare all day and demandthatwelistentohisoldman’swarnings of disaster—thattherewastroubleinthewholegovernment. He said orderwas breaking down, ma’atwasbeingviolated,badtimeswere coming to the Two

LandsbecauseofthePharaohAkhenaten.Andeven thoughwedidnotice that thepriestsof Amon were worried andseemednotquitesopowerful,and occasionally a taxcollector tried to take morethanwhatseemedtous tobeour fair share of taxes (thelastsuchwoundupthatnightin the bosom of Hapi andnevermore was seen again,may the Forty-two Judges of

theDeadkeephimdrowningforever in the jaws of Sebekthecrocodilegod!),stillitallseemed far away and notmuchofourconcern.But now that His Majesty

Akhenaten is King, with HisMajesty Smenkhkara besidehim on the throne (andsomewhere else, too, soeveryone says), I have toadmit it: there is real troublein Kemet. It is not far away

now,itisinthevillage.Nowitconcernsusbecauseitisinourownplace.Nowwemustpayattention—althoughthereis not much that we can doaboutitnow,ofcourse:ithasgone too far. Ithasgotawayfrom us almost before weknew it was happening. Andof course we are onlyignorant peasants who mustobey thewill ofHisMajestyinallthings,ashaseverbeen

thewayoftheTwoLands.But, I tell you! Now we

have tax collectors whocome, not in ones or twoswhocanbekilledorcheated,but in gangs and bands whorove through the village anddemand great sums and callin soldiers to help themdestroyourdikesandfieldsifwe will not pay. Who getsthese sumswe do not know,butwedonot think theycan

gotoHisMajesty,orthatHisMajesty knows of this, forsurelyhewouldnotpermitit,being just and good and afather to us as Pharaoh hasalways been. But somebodygets this money. Somebodysends the thieves and thesoldiers.Whoisit?Whoistoprotectus?And now we do not see

priests of Amon any more,who also used to take taxes

from us, but who gave us inreturn food and shelterwhenwe needed it, and helped usfromtheirgranariesifwegotalowNileandtheInundationdid not flood our fieldsproperlywithwater and newsoil.NowthepriestsofAmonareallinhiding,andthenewpriestsoftheAtenlorditoverus.They too take ourmoneyandseizeourcropsandeventake our children away to

place them in the service ofthe Aten, who is HisMajesty’s god and not ours,and whom nobody in thevillagewants. Is this done atHisMajesty’scommand?Wedo not believe it. Butsomebodycommandsit,foritis done. And whom can welook to for salvation fromthesecrimes?ItshouldbethedutyofHisMajestytoprotectus,buthedoesnot.Whatare

wetodo?Now we talk, all up and

down the river, from villageto village in the ancient waythat carries the news ofKemet swiftly from theFourth Cataract to the Delta.Nowweareallawareofwhatis happening, because it iscausingtroubleforus,andforour wives and children. Wedid not pay attention whenHis Majesty was Co-Regent

with his father, because weknewhisfatherandtheGreatWifestillhadsomepower inKemet to see that we werewell governed, which isPharaoh’s charge. We knewthey were trying to look outforus.We could ignore his god

the Aten, which we did,because Amon and the othergods we have alwaysworshiped were permitted to

continue much as they hadalways done. Now all haschanged.Nowit isknowntous that

HisMajesty is not interestedin keeping the faraway landsthatbroughtwealthtoKemetand helped us all. He is notinterested in caring for hispeople when they go hungryandneedassistance.Heisnotinterested in maintainingma’atandtheeternalorderof

Kemet which has alwaysgiven us a contented lifealong theNile, ingoodyearsandlean.Heisnot interestedinprotectingus, as theGoodGodshould.He is interested in three

thingsonly:HisgodtheAten.His brother the King

Smenkhkara.Andhimself.We would never do

anything to harm HisMajesty, for he is theLivingHorus, Son of the Sun,KingoftheTwoLands,GoodGodand Pharaoh, and we are hispeople, as has ever been theway in Kemet. But we nolongerbelieveinhim,nordowe lovehimanymore, sincehedoesnot loveus.Andwethink—nay, I will go furthersince I am saying mythoughts secretly and in

private, and say we hope—that this will weaken himenough so that someone candosomethingtosaveusfromhim.Save us, his own people,

fromPharaoh!How sad that it should

come to that! How sad forPharaoh, and for us, whowanted only to love himhadhe but kept his trust with usandmadeitpossibleforusto

doso.Now from the Fourth

Cataract to the Delta weknow this is not to be. AndthisissadandfrighteningforKemet, because we do notknowwhatwillhappentous,and in the village we all gofearfulanduneasybecauseofit, and even in the midst offrolickingwithmywifeIfindI cannot stop thinking of it,which makes me pause so

that shecriesoutangrilyandblames me for being aweaklingandnoman,whenitis really His Majesty sheshouldblame.

***

Kia

PoorNaphuria—whom I stillcall that, as we do in mynativeMesopotamia, becausein ten years as his secondwife we have never been

close enough so that I couldcomfortably call himAkhenaten.Poor Naphuria, who

thrashes about in the grip ofhisfutileloveandhisunlovedgod and wonders why theTwo Lands slip away fromhim!Or does he wonder?

Sometimes I think he caresnot at all, so recklessly doeshe conduct himself, with so

harsh and contemptuous adisregard for the traditionalways of Kemet. They werenot my ways when I camehere, and it has taken meawhile to understand them,but I have learned that theyare good for Kemet. Theyhavekeptthisancientlandinrelativepeaceandstabilityforalmost two thousand years,saving only the invasion ofthe Hyksos and a few weak

kingshereandthere,andtwomillennia is not such ameanrecord foracountry. Iknow,infact,ofnootherlikeit.Butsuch a heritage apparentlymeansnothingatalltohim.Nefertiti and I have been

living in the North Palaceever since our return fromThebesafterthefuneraloftheoldPharaohthreeyearsago.Ididnothavetogo:Akhenatendid not banish me from his

side because I have neverreally been there. But Ithought itbest togowithherwhosestrengthandcourageIhave always admired. Therewas nothing for me in thepalaceofmen.We have with us brave

littleTut,nolongerthehappychild he used to be. Theintimationsoftheadultworldhave turned him old beforehis time, and the knowledge

thathemaybecalleduponatany moment to replace hisbrother weighs heavily uponhim.Ithinkhestilllovesandstandsinaweofhisbrother—ofbothbrothers,infact—andthe thought that he may beused to do them violencetroubles and shadows whatwasonceasunnypersonality.No one has ever said, orindicated openly, thatviolence is what may be

done: but it is implicit.Implicit in the air, andimplicit, let us be honestaboutit,inthesituation.Thusdoesthecorruptionof

the Aten, confused andconfounded yet more by theunhealthy love of thebrothers, spread and poisonthe happiness of the Family,as it spreads and poisons thehappinessoftheland.YetIdonotthinkTutsees

it in theseterms,beingstillachild, nor does the ChiefWife,norherthreedaughterswho also live with us. ToNefertiti particularly, whosepowerful personalityinfluences all of us who liveclosely with her, the Atenremains, I think, the perfectidealtowhichshewouldliketo see all Kemet aspire. ShehasneverwaveredinherfaithintheSoleGod,andshestill,

I think, loves theSoleGod’sprophet. The habit of love,ingrained in them both bytheir parents from earliestchildhood, remains unbrokenin her in spite of all. As itdoes inhim, I think,becausehe has made no move to“disgrace” her as those whofall from favor inKemet canbe disgraced—by thedestruction of her portraitsandcartoucheseverywherein

the land, the smashingofherstatues, the abolition of hername,andthusofherverykaand ba, the soul and essenceof her being. (Only onecartouche, on a “sun-shade”on theNile thathehasgivento Merytaten, has actuallybeen replaced, of all herthousands.) Nor has she“disappeared,” except thatshe now occupies a separateresidence and is no longer

portrayed officially as beingathisside.It is true that he has given

hisbrotheroneofhernames,Neferu-neferu-aten, “Fair isthe Goodness of the Aten,”has conferred on him thetitulary “Beloved ofAkhenaten,” and has had thetwo of them portrayedtogether in poses more thanbrotherly. But she lives on,unmolested and well

maintained, in the NorthPalace scarce three milesfrom his. Sometimes theyeven see one another whentheyproceedintheirseparatechariots to the Great Templeof the Aten to do worship,though both make everyattempt to assure that theirvisitswillnotcoincide.Whenthey do, no glance isexchanged, no word isspoken. All fall silent and,

oblationsdoneasswiftlyasisdecent, they hastily remountand speed away to theirseparate palaces. But, for awife the gossips of Kemetwould have you believe is“disgraced,” Nefertitimanagestoliveonverywell.Such, it seems to me, is

tokenenoughthatsomewhereinthestrangeworldtowhichhehasgonefromustheGoodGod retains some sense of

sanityandbalance,atleastonthat particular subject; andalso, I believe somememoryoflove,ifnotitsactualbeing,whichwill notpermit him tobefatallyharshtoher.Partly because of this, but

more, I believe, because shetruly believes in the conceptof one universal god, theChief Wife remains true totheAten.Andsoallofus inher household remain true to

it too: Tutankhaten, whohimself may yet rule in thenameoftheAten;healthyanddetermined Ankh-e-sen-pa-aten, who will become hisQueen; sickly Nefer-neferu-aten Juniorand sicklyNefer-neferu-ra,bothofwhomgivepromise of soon followinginto the afterworld the sixthlittlesister,Set-e-pen-ra,whowitheredanddied,likealotustaken from the river’s edge

and planted in the opendesert,scarcesixmonthsafterthemovetotheNorthPalace.The oldest princess, tough

and ambitious littleMerytaten, Queen of heruncleSmenkhkara,nowlordsit over the King’s House inthe stead of her mother,whom she apparentlydespises,fornokindwordtothe Chief Wife ever comesfrom her. She seems content

withher lot, even thoughhermarriage is known in thepalaces to be simply formwithout substance. I believeshe has no desire to havechildren, and indeed cannot,since she was injured in thedelivery of her father’sdaughter, Merytaten Junior,another feeble infant whoperished several years agoafter an uncomfortable andmercifully short existence.

(WhyisitthatAkhenatencanbegetonlygirls,mostofthemsickly?Isitsomepunishmentof Amon, perhaps, who hasneverforgivenhimandbidesonlythetimewhenhispriestscanreclaimtheirpower?)To Merytaten, being the

onlyQueenat thesideof thetwo Pharaohs is evidentlyquite enough. She supervisesher father’s household,attends him at ceremonies,

travels with Smenkhkara onhis frequent visits toThebes.He has returned to thecompound of Malkata andestablished a palace there,which he occupies quitefrequently, almost as if heconsidered thissomeformofappeasement of Amon—thoughherarelygoesnearthedeserted temples at Karnakand Luxor, and alwayshurriesback tohisbrother to

make public show of hisdevotion to the Aten. Tomethis seems very typical ofSmenkhkara, who remains acharming, golden man as hewas a charming, goldenyouth, but who seems tosuffer from some inherentweakness that keeps himalways indecisive andseemingtohangbetweentwodivergent paths of action.Perhaps this accounts for his

relationship with his brother.Weakness usually seeksstrength,butinacertainkindof mentality weakness seeksweakness.Yet perhaps in this I am

being unfair to Akhenaten,because I do not think“weakness” is exactly therightword forhim.Certainlyonewhohashadthecharacterto defy the awesome weightof the ancient gods and

traditions of two thousandyears, who has finallydeclared and conducted openbattleagainstAmon,themostpowerfulofthemall,whohasdared to “live in truth” inways that are shocking andaffronting to his people,whohas defied the powerfulmembers of his own familywhoopposehispolicies,whohas deliberately placedhimselfbeyondthereachand

understanding of ordinarymen,evenmorethanthegod-kingsof theNilearebeyondtheunderstandingofordinarymen—such a one is notexactly “weak.” He has apowerful personality and apowerful will, my husband,poorNaphuria;and it isonlyin the fact that the word“poor” comes automaticallyto my mind, and to that ofmany others, when we think

ofhim,thatthereisindicationof how weak, in the mostfundamentalsense,heis.He is weak in that he is

beyond the understanding ofmankind. He is weak in thathenolongerhasafootonthecommon ground, he is nolongerintouchwithrealityasit is perceived by most whotreadtheearth.Hehasmovedever more steadily into aworld of his own, a world

unique to him alone—aninsaneworld,ifyoulike.Noteven poor Smenkhkara, Isuspect,cantrulyfollowpoorNaphuriawherehegoes.We wonder, in the North

Palace and at Malkata—where the Great Wife stillprefers to live, though shecomes often here to see hersons (and always, withcomplete impartiality andlackoffear,seesNefertitiand

therestofus,aswell)—whatSmenkhkaramakesofallthisand what he feels about thestrangethingsNaphuriadoes.Does he bear the name, title,and aspect of wife to hisbrother willingly? Does heapprove when Naphuriaorders Bek and Tuthmose tomake Naphuria steadilyyounger and more beautifulinhisstatues,abandoningthat“living in truth” that touched

his earlier portraitures withnear grotesquerie, so that hemay try to match(pathetically,weallthink)thegifts nature has conferred onSmenkhkara? DoesSmenkhkara approve of thestelae and statues that showthe two of them in intimateand candid embrace? DoesSmenkhkara ever wonderwhether he, too, is leavingsanity to live inhisbrother’s

world? Or is he content tobaskinthefavoroftheGoodGod, accept his gifts alongwith his attentions, andappear unabashed andunashamed in a relationshipthat most would accept wereit kept private, but whichnone in tradition-boundKemet can accept when it isflaunted before themofficially by Pharaoh? Anddoes he truly believe in the

Aten, or is that, too, just aconvenience tohelphimstaywhereheis?Thesearequestionsthatare

now suddenly inescapable asthe Family gathers to dobattle over the paintings ofthe coronation durbar in thetombs of Huy and Meryra.Normally you would notthink two paintings on twostonewallswouldcausesuchfuror, but you must

understand that in Kemetthings that are pictured are.They exist because they arepainted,andtheyexistonlyasthey are painted—and theyexist, you must remember,not justforayearor twobutfor all eternity in thispreserving desert air.Therefore it is consideredveryimportant,intheFamily,how things are portrayed,because this becomes the

official history that will godown forever to those whocome after. It is no wonderthey are concerned about thetombsofHuyandMeryra,forin themthestorywillbetoldfor all time—not necessarilyas itwas,butas theDynastywishesittobe.So,thebattleofthedurbar,

whichhasbroughtthemalltoAkhet-Aten. Queen Tiye isthe last to arrive, her state

barge having docked shortlyafter noon today. Weunderstand she went directlyto her own small palace.Already she has sent wordthat she, Aye andHoremhebwill visit us in the NorthPalace this evening, “beforeweseeTheirMajesties.”Thismeans the three who mustultimately decide theFamily’s position wish totake counsel with the Chief

Wife, and possibly me aswell, before they act. It isflattering and it is alsodangerous, for it may wellinvite the open wrath ofAkhenaten, whose temper isbecoming steadily moreerraticandunpredictable.Butwe are not afraid. When wereceived the messenger,Nefertiti merely read theGreatWife’s words aloud tome and then turned to the

waiting servant and saidquietly:“Tell the Great Wife that

HerMajestyKiaandIwillbemosthappytoreceiveher,theCouncilor, and GeneralHoremheb at the eveninghourthatsuitsthem.”Then when he had swiftly

gonesheturnedtomewithaslightsmileandalevelglancefrom those steady, beautifuleyes,nowfilledwithsomuch

sadness,andsaid,withatraceofwistfulnessinhervoice:“Poor Naphuria, as you

would say. Once again heflirtswithfateandinvitesthewrathoftheFamily.Wemusttry to give our judgmentsfairly.”“Yes,Majesty,”Iagreed.“I

believewecandoso.”“I,too,believeit,”shesaid,

“though, once again, it willnot be a happy time.” Her

eyes widened in thought andalmost to herself she added,“Why does he always persistin making life so hard forhimself?”This I could not answer;

althoughinfairnessitmustbesaid thaton thisoccasion theresponsibility is equal. It isNaphuria who wishes to telltheunadornedtruthaboutthepathetic little coronationdurbar. It is the Chief Wife

and the Great Wife and therest of the Family who wanttotelltheofficiallie.It is, as usual, a head-on

clashofopposites suchashealways seems to invite. PoorNaphuria, indeed—and poorSmenkhkara, too; becausethis time, I think, the resultsmay be very serious. Theconfrontation that is cominghas been building for threeyears. It could have come

over almost anything but,ratherabsurdlytomewhoamstill, and will always be,essentially an outsider, it hascome over something asseemingly trivial as twopaintings in a couple oftombs.Thefeelingmusthavebeen

growing in the Family forsometimethataturningpointwouldhavetocome.Nefertitiand the Great Wife have

deliberately helped toprecipitate it by their ordersto Huy and Meryra. Theycould only have done so, Ibelieve, at the directsuggestion of Aye andHoremheb. Naphuria’s ordercame first—that made himvulnerable. The decisionseems to be that now is thetimetomakeuseofthis.Poor Naphuria and poor

Smenkhkara! I do not like

eitherone,particularly,butasa disinterested party I do notenjoy seeing them sowillfully rush headlong intowhat may prove to be greatdisaster for them, forKemet,andforusall.

***

Smenkhkara(life,health,prosperity!)

I wonder what is happeninghere. My mother landed at

noon today, and already, somybrotherandIaretold,shehasnotifiedNefertitithatshe,AyeandHoremhebwillvisittheNorthPalacethiseveningbefore they see my brotherand me. I do not understandit. Simple courtesy woulddictateacallupontheSonsofthe Sun before seeing acastoff wife (two, for Kia ofcourse has chosen, in herspitefulway, to gowith her)

whose only purpose must beharmtous.Perhaps thepurposeofmy

mother, my uncle, and mycousin is also harm to us. Ifso,wearereadyforit.Itdoesnotfrightenus.Wearestrongtogether and we will defythem. Not all their spitefulplottings will driveAkhenaten and me from thepathofloveandgloryfortheAten to which we have

decided ourselves. We defythem.I have beenCo-Regent for

three years now, and havebeen many times in Thebes,neverfailingtovisittheGreatWife dutifully on eachoccasion. At times she hastried to argue with me, asmothers will, but I have notpaid much attention. I haveturned it all aside with alaugh and a joke, as I long

ago learned to turn asideeverything hurtful andunpleasant. Or did I have to“learn” this? As far as I canremember,ithasalwaysbeenmy nature, save for theoccasion when my brotherandIfirstbecameone,manyyears ago. Then for a fewdays I did feel a terribleremorse and sadness, aterrible regret for what Iseemed to be “doing” to my

cousin Nefertiti and to mymother. Soon, however, mybrother convinced me thatwhatever was being done,they were doing, since theywere attempting to interferewith aunionordainedby theAten and intended only tostrengthenmybrothersothathe might better conduct theAten’s worship and bettercarry his faith to the people.Since that time I have never

worried, regretted or lookedback.And I do not intend tonow, whatever they may beplottingintheNorthPalace.On my visits to Thebes I

have now and theninvestigated the temples ofAmon at Luxor and Karnak.The few remaining prieststhere, those gaunt-eyed,starving ones who scuttleabout thesilentcorridorsandpeek out at me from behind

deserted columns as I pass,obviously think my brotherhassentmetheretospyuponthem.Andsohehas,andwhyshould he not? They spy onusallthetime,thosefewwhoare left openly, and thosemany who hide among thepeople and make their futileplans to overthrow us. WestillhavenotcaughtHatsuret,though our spies report himhere, there, and everywhere

fromKaroy toMemphis andback.Thepeoplesecretehimamongthemselvesandnotallmy brother’s threats ofvengeanceservetobringhimout. But he only plots: hedoesnotputplotsintoeffect.Wecansufferthat,aslongashedoesnotreceivehelpfromthosewhoareclosertous.Thismay now be about to

happen, though I wouldprefer it not, for it will only

mean great danger, andperhapsdeath,formymother,for Nefertiti, for Aye andHoremheb.We cannot sufferthem to plot against us,breedingtreacheryintheTwoLands, the army, even in thepalaces. That would violatethe very ma’at of Kemet,because an attack upon theSons of the Sun is an attackupon the soul of the landitself. My brother and I are

the guardians of that soul:indeed we are that soul, asPharaoh has always been.Were the hands of the GreatWife, my uncle, my cousinand the Chief Wife to beliftedagainstus, then,surely,would the people rise in ourbehalf.AndsadwouldbethefateoftheFamily.Idonotwantthistohappen

and I do not believeAkhenaten does either.

Thereforewemusthope,verydesperately, that good sensewill prevail and keep themfromthisfolly.Anythingelsewould be sad—very sad,because we would have totake vengeance, and wewould not hesitate. And thepeople, rallying toourcause,would make their namesanathema in Kemet foreverand ever, for millions andmillionsofyears.

I know Akhenaten haswished Merytaten to conveythis warning to the ChiefWifebeforeit is toolate,butIdonotbelievesheobeysherfather. She told me with asniff,“WhyshouldIgooutofmyway to seeher? I am themistress of the Great Houseand the King’s Palace. Lethercometome,ifshewishestobewarned!”That is one of the many

reasons why I do not likeMerytaten, who is my nieceand my wife and whodespises me just about asmuch, I think, as I despiseher. We have never beenclose,therehasalwaysbeenapricklytrucebetweenus.Thewayshetreatshermotherhasalways appalled me: shepositivelypreensherselfuponthewayshenowlordsitoverher.AsfarasIknow,shehas

never gone near her sinceAkhenaten sent Nefertiti tothe North Palace three yearsago.Andontheoneoccasion,a year ago, when Nefertitifinally found sufficientforgiveness in her heart toattempt a reconciliation,Merytaten dashed the basketof fruit and gifts from thehands of Nefertiti’smessengeranddrovehimoutof the Palace, shrieking

threats and imprecationsagainsthermotherwhich theterrified fellow had topromise he would swiftlycarryback.Two minutes later, of

course, Merytaten hadgatheredtogetherall thegifts—someof themquiteornate,including two goldenpectorals and a lapis lazuliscarab bracelet fromNefertiti’s own private

collection—and was sittingon the floor placidly eatingone of the pomegranates shehad sent, spitting out theseeds in all directions andhumming a satisfied littlesongtoherself.“Why are you so cruel to

her?” I could not helpblurting out. “She has doneyounoharm.”“Shedoesmeharmjustby

living,” she said ina flippant

tone. To which I could notresist:“Ithinkshedidusallharm

bygivingyoulife.”Thereupon, of course, she

screamedandshriekedatme,casting various aspersionsupon my character andmanhood which I chose tosuffer in patient silence, asthere were servants about intheouterhallandIhavesomerespect for the dignity of the

Double Crown, if she doesnot.Shedidnotquitedaregosofarastoattackwhatmakeshermost jealous, namely theperfect understanding thatexistsbetweenher fatherandme, but she made enoughunpleasant insinuations sothat I am sure the servantshad another good gossip thatday, as they often do at ourexpense. This is largelybecause of her, however:

Akhenaten and I of coursemake no secret of our union,becausewe live in truth, butwe conduct ourselves withdignityasFatherAtenwishesustodo.It isonlyMerytatenwho lowers the aspect ofeverything.I have suggested upon

occasion to my brother thathedisciplineher for this, buthe seems curiously listlessabout her effronteries as he

does about so many thingsthesedays.Ithinkheisnotinverygoodhealth;hisenergiesseem to be declining; thestrain of maintaining thecauseof theAtenagainst thegrowing opposition of theFamily, the still virulenthatred of the dispossessedpriests of Amon, and thegeneralapathy(ifnotoutrighthostility) of the peopletoward the Sole God have

inevitablybeguntotaketheirtoll.Latelytherehasbeenadded

tothisagrowingarthritisthatattacks and weakens hisalways vulnerable frame. Asif defying it, he has askedBekandTuthmosetoportrayhiminafashioneveryoungerand more handsome in theirsculptures, stelae andpaintings. I do not knowreally why he has done this,

unless it is to impress thepeople,whonow see himnolonger save here in Akhet-Aten, and even here onincreasingly fewer occasions.I asked him once why he,who has always pridedhimself on living in truth,should now be engaged in adeliberate lie about hisappearance.He looked atmeinthestrangest,moststrickenway, and asked, in the

emotional croak his voicebecomes in moments oftension, “You mean you donotknow?”“No,”Isaid,Iamafraidin

a somewhat offhandmanner.“Youarealwayshandsometome.”He cried out, some harsh,

inarticulate sound: his eyesfilled abruptly with tears.Apparently I had hurt himdeeply in some way I have

never been able tounderstand, no matter howmanytimesIhavegonebackover it. After a moment hecomposed himself, clearlywithgreateffort,andreachedout a hand to comfort me,because his strickencountenance had of courseturnedminestrickentoo.“It does not matter,” he

said then. “It does notmatter.”

Andherefusedtodiscussitwith me, ever again. But hisphysical glorification in thesculptures continues, so thatif one were to see only theportraits of these later yearsin Akhet-Aten one wouldbelievehehadalwaysbeenashandsomeandasvirileasanyotherPharaoh.Apparently, as I say, he

doesittoimpressthepeople,since he goes no longer

among them very much. Hehasnotleftthiscitysincewereturned here after ourfather’s entombment inThebes, and even here hisappearances are becomingmore and more infrequent.Occasionally still he willworshiptheAtenintheGreatTemple, occasionally he willstill dispense gifts from theWindow of Appearances,now and again he will still

visit the ledge along theNorthern Tombs from whichone gets such a commandingviewofthecityandtheplain(and where so manysignificant things, includingour own understanding, havehappened, over the years).But all of this is becomingsteadilyrarer.Increasinglyheworshipsinhisprivatechapelin the King’s Palace; it hasbeensixmonthssinceheheld

aceremonyattheWindowofAppearances; even longer, Ithink,sinceheventuredtotheNorthern Tombs. And toMemphis, our northerncapital in the Delta, and toThebes, he ventures, in theserecentyears,notatall.He has become

increasinglywhatIoverheardour cousinHoremheb remarkto his faithful shadowRamesses one day—“the

PrisonerofAkhet-Aten.”(I let themsee that Iheard

it,anddidnotlikeit,butourcousin Horemheb did notlook impressed by myannoyance, and Ramesses,not knowing which of us tofearthemost,onlygavemeasicklysmileasIbrushedpastwith a deliberately imperiousair.Theyarealwayshuddlingtogether, those two, planningI know not what: though

Horemheb continuesfaithfully to execute mybrother’s orders against thepriesthoods, and Ramessesapes him dutifully in that asinallelse.)“The Prisoner of Akhet-

Aten”—and therefore, ofcourse, my own frequenttravels.“Iwantyoutobemyeyes and ears,” he said soonafterweestablishedour jointhouseholdintheSouthPalace

with Merytaten three yearsago.Ididnotknowthenthatheintendedtoisolatehimself—or rather, perhaps, that theAten would further cripplehis already crippled form,perhaps so that he couldconcentrate more upon theAten’s worship without thedistractions of travel. I knewonlythathewishedmetodothistoassisthim.Inthesameloving spirit in which I have

always assisted all hisenterprises, Iofcourse said Iwould.Myfirstmovewastoreturn

to Thebes and secure mymother’s permission toconstruct a small palace formyself andMerytaten—who,insufferable as she is, is stillPharaoh’s daughter and myQueen,andhasherbirthrightofofficialhonors—withinthecompoundofMalkata. I then

began the regular round oftravels which takes me threetimes a year to Thebes andthree times a year toMemphis. Thus am I able tosupervise those activities ofgovernment with which hehas entrusted me, and to acttruly as his Co-Regent andhelper in ruling the TwoLands.I think I do these things

verywell.AndIalsoamable

to fulfill some of the publicceremonial demands that henolongercares,orperhapsisunable, to perform. I alwaystakehis latest statuewithmeand place it, in full regalia,beside me on the platform:and I suspect that in themindsofouryoungerpeople,and among the elder whohave not seen him in manyyears, and whose memorygrowshazywithtime,thereis

agradualreplacement,bythishandsome and sturdy figure,of the awkward, misshapen,shuffling reality that oncewas known everywhere inKemet. Thus do I assist himinthataimofhisalso.I really do think I conduct

thegovernmentverywell formy brother. And although atfirst I was made somewhathesitant and confused by theforeign policy, for instance,

conducted by our ForeignMinister,Tutu,I thinkIhavecome to understand it quitesufficiently. It consists oftrying to maintain thosealliances we still have in thefar north towardMittani andNaharin. Tutu gives mecopies of the dispatches thatcome in from there. I readthem and report on them toAkhenaten.We discuss themfromtimetotimeandIreport

back toTutuhis instructions:keep trying to warn off ourenemies and keep trying tosatisfy our friends, whoalways clamor for gold andalso, of late, beg us to sendtroops to protect them fromtheirneighbors.This last I am unable to

have Tutu promise, becausemybrotherdoesnothavetheinclination or now, perhaps,the strength, to make the

show of force that held ourpossessionssecureinthedaysof our forebears, beginningwith our great-great-grandfather, Tuthmose III(life, health, prosperity!) andlasting down through ourgrandfather, Tuthmose IV(life,health,prosperity!).Ourfatherabandonedthispracticein his later years, and now itseems almost too late, insome areas, to revive it. I

mightenjoy,myself,goingonexpeditionstodistantlandstore-establish their awe ofKemetand theholdersof theDouble Crown but, withoutmy brother’s agreement andactive support, I cannot do itby myself. And he does notseem to desire this. Again,energy flags and,with it, thewilltodointimewhatmightsaveusmuchtroublelater.But I do not worry

overmuchaboutthis,becauseall my life I have worshipedmybrotherandhavebelievedthat what he decided aboutthingswas right.Hebelievesthat Kemet’s wealth andstrengthshouldbedevotedtothe worship of the Aten, tothe establishment of the SoleGod, to the banishment ofmagic, misery and old, evilthings from the lives andmindsofourpeople.

“Ifpeople everywhere,”hehassaidtomeoften,“willbutbelieve in the Hymn andworshiptheAtenasIdo,thentheteachingsoftheAtenwillmake themhappier than theyhaveeverbeen.”At first I was young and

flippant, even with him, andasked:“Has the Aten made you

happy,then,Brother?”Helookedatmeforavery

long time and finally repliedquietly, “In my heart, I amhappy.”AndIneverdaredquestion

himthusagain.And, in fact, I have never

really wanted to, because Itoo have come to believe intheSoleGod, loving allmenand all nations, who canmake us all happy. CertainlytheAtenhasmademehappy,for he has placed me at my

brother’s side and made me,too,LivingHorus,SonoftheSun,KingandPharaohoftheTwoLands:andIknowthereis no higher happiness a godsuchasIcouldhave.Iknowthis,asIknowthat

it is only some passingmelancholy now that makesmeworryaboutthegatheringof the Family, about thisridiculous and unnecessaryquarreloverthetombsofHuy

andMerya—which of coursewill be decided in truth, asAkhenaten and I desire it—andabouttheuneasyfeelingIhave that my mother, myuncle Aye, Nefertiti and ourcousin Horemheb plan someunpleasantness for us if wepersist in the course FatherAtenhastoldustofollow.It is melancholy only, of

that I amcertain… though Icould wish this night were

past us, and all decidedhappily for all of us, as wedesire.

***

Hatsuret

They do not know, the twobesottedfools,howcloselyathand wait the instruments oftheirdestruction.Theydonotknow that I am in Akhet-

Aten, yea, even in the GreatHouse itself. They do notknowhowwellthisisknowntoothers,whoalsowait, andhowsecretlyandsubtly Iambeinghelpedtomytrystwiththem…for tryst Ihave, andallsignsnowpointthatitwillnotbelongincoming.When I was given

assurance of my safety andwas aided in my hiding byGeneral Horemheb and the

CouncilorandDivineFather-in-law,Aye,Ididnotknowatfirsttherealmeaningoftheirassistance—though I havebeensurefor tenyears,sinceI first became an acolyte inthemost holy ancient templeof Amon-Ra at Karnak, thateventually the PharaohAkhenatenwouldhavetodieforhissinsagainstAmonandhis betrayal of the ma’at ofKemet. When my brilliance

andshrewdnesstookmeuptobecome chief aide tododderingoldMaya,Amon’sHigh Priest, this convictiongrew. When Akhenatenordered Maya’s murder anddesecrated the temple on thedayoftheentombmentoftheGood God Amonhotep III(life, health prosperity!), Ihad no further doubts. SuchmonstrousevilasPharaohdidthat day can have only one

final repayment, howeverlongwemustwaitandplottosecureit.Forneverwastheresuchadreadfulthing!He ordered General

Horemhebtobatterdownthedoors. He orderedMaya andmyself to be killed as wefaced the soldiers and theirbattering rams, our armsoutspread across the ancientplanks. At the last second Ileaped aside, to be spirited

instantly away by manywilling hands among thecrowd. Maya, less nimble,died. Then Pharaoh directedthe soldiers to seize thesacred statue of Amon-Ra,Kingof theGods,andhurl itintotheNile,whichtheydid,and called down eternalcurses upon any who wouldseektorecoverit.Ofcourseateam of divers recruited byHoremheb recovered it that

night,afterAkhenatenandhisbrother the new KingSmenkhkara had saileddownrivertoAkhet-Aten;andit, too, is inhiding,safeuntilthedaywhenAmonmayruleagain in his rightful place intheTwoLands.Now I am in Pharaoh’s

house itself, having beenpresented to HisMajesty sixmonths ago by GeneralHoremhebasaslavecaptured

in some skirmish in Canaan.Horemhebhaddirectedmetogrowabeard,whichisalmostunheard of in clean-shavenKemet,sothismademelookforeign enough, and to that Iadded a reddish dye to myglossy black hair, and alsoaffected a noticeable limp inmyrightleg,whichservedtodisguise me further.Horemheb explained thatmyperfect tongue for the

language was due to myactually being a native ofKemet whose family livedclose to the border. I waskidnapped by a maraudingband of Canaanites when Iwas twelve years old, heexplained,andspenttenyearsin captivity before beingretrieved. My leg, he said,had been deliberately brokenby my brutal captors, andthusthelimp.

HisMajesty,whoseemstopay so little attention anymore to what is actuallygoingoninthelandofKemetthathebarelyglancedatme,accepted all this withoutquestion.Myveryodditywasmy safest disguise. The onlybreak in his indifferencecamewhenHoremheb calledattentiontomylimp.Thenheasked me to walk up anddownbeforehim,whichIdid

with an easy awkwardness,since I have practiced thishandicap until I am nowalmost afraid that I shall notbe able to walk normallyagain after His Majesty hasbeenremoved.“Ah,” His Majesty said, a

genuine sympathy in hisvoice. “I, too, know what itmeans to limp. You arewelcome to my household,Peneptah(forsuchisthefalse

nameIhavetaken).Weshalllimp about the Palacetogether,youandI,andkeepeachothercompany.”And he gave me for a

moment a smile of quiteextraordinary sweetness,which, did I not hate him soandwereInotsodedicatedtohis death, might well havemademe pause, ashamed bywhat we are doing to betrayhim. But even as I teetered

foradangeroussecondonthebrink of this fatal precipice,he destroyed my mood byabruptlyturningaway.“Where is Ankh-Kheperu-

Ra?” he demanded in a highquerulous voice, using KingSmenkhkara’s coronationname. “He was supposed towait upon me half an hourago, and still he does notcome.Cousin,fetchhim!”“Yes, Son of the Sun,”

Horemhebsaidsmoothly.“Atonce. It is all right, then, forPeneptahtobeassignedtotheranks of your householdscribes?”“Take him to Amonhotep,

Son of Hapu,” he saidimpatiently.“Telltheoldmantoputhimtowork.We’llfindsomethingforhimtodo.”“Thank you, Majesty,” I

said, bowing lowand feelinga great relief surge through

me, for had he suspectedanything I should have beendead upon the spot. But heturnedhisbackuponmeandshuffled away to a windowwherehecouldlookoutoverthe city, resting one clawlikehand against the woodenlintel, long bony fingersdrumming insistently whilehe waited for his brother—arasping, scratching, anxioussoundinwhichallhisuneasy

yearningwasexpressed.General Horemheb led me

away before I could witnesstheirtouchingreunion,whichI am sure, now that I knowthem,cameafteraseparationof no more than an hour atmost. Since then I have seenthem together many times.The younger King treats theelder with a deferential yetself-confident air, joshing,good-natured, patient and

obviouslydeeplyaffectionate.The elder receives hisconfident deference with agratitudesohumbleandself-effacing that it is almostembarrassing to see. It is butonemorereasonwhytheruleof Nefer-Kheperu-Ra mustcometoanend.Itisthethingthat will make its endingeasier, perhaps, thanwe nowthink.These past six months I

havebeenworkingasascribewith that wise old man,Amonhotep, Son of Hapu,probablythemosthonoredofall thecommonersofKemet.Across theNile fromThebesin the necropolis, hismortuary temple, given himby grateful Amonhotep III(life, health, prosperity!), hasnow been completed and isopen for worship. He still,though in his sixties,

supervises many of thearchitectural and publicworks. He continues to headthe corps of scribes whoassist Their two Majesties,and his opinion is almostalwayssoughtinthecounselsoftheFamily.“If Amonhotep, Son of

Hapu, takes a liking toyou,”Horemheb toldme, “all yourplans will be greatlyassisted.” A fleeting smile

touched his shrewd, sharp-featured face. “He hasassistedmine,andIknow.…”But somehowIhavenever

been quite able to establishsuch a relationship with theoldman.HeknowswhoIam,buthehasneverrevealedittoanyone else by somuch as ahint.Hecouldbetraymeandhavemyheadinaninstant ifhewould,buthedoesnotdoso. I assume this means that

he agrees with my purposes,but I can never be sure.Perhapshewants it thisway,because it means, of course,that I cannot move withouthisagreement.NomorecanImove without the agreementof Aye and Horemheb.Together these three, andpossibly the Great Wife aswell, whom they all consult,will decide the timing ofmyvengeance—andtheirs.

I had been working forAmonhotep, Son of Hapu,two months when hediscovered my secret. Hecaught me with the simplestof ruses. We were alone inthe writing room, he at oneside, I perhaps fifteen feetaway. He lurched suddenlyagainsta table, tipping it justsufficiently so that a pot ofblack ink began to slidetoward a pile of pristine

papyruslyingonthefloor.“Oh!” he cried in well-

simulated anguish. “Howstupidofme!Catchit!”And instinctively,

abandoning my carefullynurtured limp, I sprang todohisbidding.“Thank you very much,

Hatsuret,” he said serenelywhen I had secured the inkand returned the table to itsupright position. “I am

getting so stupid in my oldage.”But I would not say

Amonhotep, Son of Hapu, isstupidatall.Aside from an involuntary

startatthesoundofmyname,whichIcouldnotsuppress, Imade no response. Nor haveweeverdiscussedthematter.But Amonhotep, Son ofHapu,keepsaverycloseeyeon me: I think for Aye and

Horemheb, though he neverreveals in the slightestwherehis sympathies lie. So Iconductmyselfwith extremecare at all times,understanding that it isapparently my task to waituntil I am needed, and that Iwillbetoldwhenthattimeis,andwhattodowhenitcomesuponus.InthemeantimeIcanonly

watch in anguish the

desecration of the gods andthe ruin of religionthroughout the Two Lands.There are many among thepalace servants who are stillfaithful to Amon, and verycautiously, little by little, Ihaveletitbeknowntoafewtrusted ones who I am.Through them I am able tokeep in touch with myprincipal priests in exile, andthus am I able to knowmost

of the news of Kemet. So Iknow that from the FourthCataract to the Delta thetemplesofAmonlieinruins,that the priesthood isdispersed and mostly inhiding as I am, that all theother principal gods,includingOsiriswhoseritualsandcustomsfor thedeadHisMajesty has abandoned, arein equal despair anddesolation.

Neverhastherebeensuchagreatoverturningof thegodsas has happened under thisPharaoh,noteveninthedaysof the Hyksos kings. Eventhey honored Amon-Ra andhis fellow gods; even theyassociated the temples withtheir ruling. Not so theHeretic of Akhet-Aten, theCriminal, the Madman. NotsoHispatheticMajesty,whoshuffles about his palaces

here as in a dream world,sacrificingtohisfalsegodtheAten, still trying to convincethe people that one god canbe so great and so all-embracing that he can knowandrespondtoalltheinfiniteneeds of mankind, which isabsurdonthefaceofit.Iservediscreetly,Ilisten,I

observe. I see two foolishlovers trying to pretend thatthey are rulers of a great

country.Iseeall,all,religion,civilgovernment,Empireandall,fallingawayaroundthem.I see a man of thirty, so

crippled in body and sodiscouraged in heart—for Ibelieve he is greatlydiscouragedatlast,thoughhestill pretends he is not andtries toput agood faceuponit—that he seems almost tohavenoenergylefttorule.I see a man of twenty,

strongandvigorousand,yes,let me admit it, handsome,generous, kindly, andappealing, though of limitedbrain, wishing harm to noone,friendlytoall—Iseethisamiable but inadequate mantrying to administer the TwoLandsforhislistlessbrother.Was there ever suchapair

triedtoleadamodernnation?And will it not be right andfitting in the eyes of Amon,

and of all the gods, whentheir puny and patheticcharadeisputatlasttoend?SodoIbelieve,andforthat

day I work. Now there isbattle in the Family—theyconceal it from the servants,who learn all things—overthe tombs of Huy andMeryra. It would be aminorissue in any reign but this.Now,I think, ithassuddenlybecome a symbol of

everything, the issue onwhich the LivingHorusmaybebroughttoground.Iamreadywhentheyneed

me.Hatsuret, who will yet be

High Priest of Amon in thetemple of Karnak when thegreatdaysreturn,ishere.

***

Sitamon

My mother Queen Tiyeinvitedmetogowithherthistime to Akhet-Aten, and Iwas bored in Thebes, so Icame.Butshehasnotinvited

me to accompany her to theNorthPalacetonight,soIcanonly speculate what is goingtohappenthere.AtfirstIwasannoyed by this, but then Ithought: One more familyrow, this one probably themostbitterwehaveeverhadwith my peculiar brother. Iamprobablywelloffoutofit.Ihavehadenoughwranglingand disputation over theyears.The lastbattleofwills

can proceed without me. Atthirty-eight the Queen-PrincessSitamonisbeginningto reach an agewhere she isjust as happy not to beinvolved in angry things. Ishall hear the results soonenough.Sometimes I look back on

these three years since myfather died and marvel atwhathashappenedinthelandofKemet.Partly I suppose it

beganwithhim,whomarriedmewhenIwasveryyounginorder to secure his ownlegitimacy to the throne (theDouble Crown passing, as itdoes,throughthefemaleline,though I sometimes wonderwhat good that does us,whohavenorealrightofourowntohappinessbutmustalwaysbesubjecttowhoevermarriesus).Hespentmostofhis lifeenjoying the luxuries our

ancestors handed down tohim and managed by hisamiablewaystopersuadethepeople that this was goodgovernment. Already Kemetlooks back with heavylonging to the “golden age”oftheGoodGodAmonhotepIII (life, health, prosperity!).They call him “Amonhotepthe Magnificent” now,forgettinghowhelolledawaythe Empire and let civil

government slip, beginningallthethingsmypoorbrotherhas carried grimly on to thepointofneardestruction.Butin retrospect, as with mostrulerswhose people perceivetheirpersonal foiblesandareso astounded to find themhuman that they gladlyforgive them all theirtrespasses,hehasemergedinan increasingly favorablelight.

“We loved your father!”theyshoutatmewhenIpassin procession, addingcommendationforhimto theobvious love I can truly saytheybearforme.Ihaveneverquite shouted back, “So didI!”—such informality doesnot become a royal princessand Queen to Pharaoh—butthey can tell from myexpression that oursentiments coincide. Their

shouts of joy redouble andthey always conclude bylooking sad because he isgoneforeverand theycannothavehimback.Suchunitywith thepeople

as our father had,Akhenatenhasneverachieved,exceptinthe very early days when hefirst returned to public viewafterhisailment,andwhenhemarriedNefertiti. For a briefyear or two they had such

adoration as only my fatherand mother enjoyed,excepting one difference:myfatherandtheGreatWifehaditaslongashelived,andshehas it still, whereas poorAkhenaten—and poorNefertiti,whom I have cometofeeldreadfullysorryfor inthese recent years—enjoyedthe people’s love for afleetingmomentandthenlostitforever.

IsupposeIhavebecomesosympathetic toward mycousin Nefertiti because tosome extent my situationparallels hers. You willrememberthatformanyyearsIandhewhoturnedouttobemy cousin Horemheb havebeen lovers. I helped himkeep this secret, bore himthreechildrenwhomIhad todispose of, since I wasmarriedtomyfather(inname

only, but nonethelessirrevocably) and it was thusimpossible for us toacknowledge one anotheropenly, however open oursecret eventually became inthe Court and, I suppose, inthe Two Lands. ThenHoremheb (“Kaires,” as weknew him then) declaredhimself to beHoremheb, sonof my uncle Aye; my fatherdied; and I assumed—naïve

girl that I was at thirty-five!—that all was now clear forus to announce our love andbe married by my brother,who gave me his blessingafterenjoyingthepleasureoffrighteningme for amomentwith possible refusal. Butwhen I took the glad newsback to Horemheb it wassuddenlyno longerassimpleas it had always seemed.Horemheb, I began to

perceive,hadotherplans.He was, I found, not so

eager as I to rush intomarriage.Hewasnot,infact,eagertorushintoitatall.Hepreferred, he said, to keep“our loving relationship,” ashe called it, exactly where itwas—officially secret,officially unacknowledged,officially no restriction uponhim at all. He told me thiswas necessary because his

duties as general and chiefscribe of the army took himtoo often from home. Thesejourneyshadnever interferedwith us before, and I couldnotseewhytheyshouldnow.But he was adamant, andalthoughIperhapscouldhavetried to insist, we both knewit would probably notsucceed. Itwould requiremybrother’s full support, andHoremhebandIbothknowI

donothaveit;andHoremhebwouldhavetobemuchlowerthan my brother has raisedhim for my brother’scommand to be effective.Above all,mybrotherwouldhave to be a much differentand more powerful Pharaohthanhe is.Hewouldhave tobemorelikeHoremheb.In fact, I said almost as

much the other day andapparently hit closer to the

mark than Horemheb foundcomfortable.“You treat me as though

you were some Pharaoh!” Ishot out angrily in the midstofourmostrecentquarrelonthe subject. For a second helooked at me with completeandalmost ludicrousdismay:he actually turned pale. Hegrasped my arm so tightlythat ithurt,which iswhathemeant it to do. I cannot be

quite so melodramatic as tosay he hissed at me, but itwas certainly a furtive andemphaticsound.“Don’t you ever say that

again!” he ordered in asavage whisper. “Don’t youeversaythatagain!”I gave him stare for stare,

sinceIamdaughterandwifeof a Pharaoh, but I mustadmitthatforamomentIwasgenuinely frightened by the

enormoussuppressedangerinhis voice. I have been hiswife in all but name foralmost fifteen years, bornehim threechildren—andnowInolongerthinkIevenreallyknowhim.Except that I know one

thing now, after thatexchange.HewantstobePharaohand

fullyintendstobe,ifhecan.Somewheredowntheyears

we have lost Horemheb, too—bright, cheerful, willing“Kaires” who camemysteriously andunexpectedlytothePalaceofMalkata and charmed us allwith his enthusiasm,diligence and idealism. HelovedKemetthen,andIthinkhe loves her now; but downtheyearshehasalsobecomeenamored of power. I thinkhethinkshewantsitonlythat

he may better serve Kemet.Andperhaps this is true:but,menbeingmen,perhaps it isnot,entirely.Power for its own sake is

enormously attractive,particularly when, as is thecase with my headstrongbrother, it is being so sadlymisusedbythosewhohaveitInanycase,thequarreldid

not advance the cause of ourmarriage, for which I have

now almost abandoned hope.If he will not marry me, hewill not, and there is little Ican do about it. He talksvaguely of marriage “later,when it ismore fitting.” Butwhen is “later,” and whenwill it be “more fitting”? Inthemeantime,hesaysfirmly,we will continue as we are.Unfortunatelythis, too,Iwillaccept, because I suffer fromthesamediseaseasNefertiti:

I love him, as she still lovesmy poor, misguided brother,against all fitness, logic andcommon sense aboutwhat isbestforus,notthem.Therewas a time longago

whenIrathermadefunofmyperfect cousin Nefertiti,always so steady, so cool, soicycalmandself-containedinthe face of all adversity. Nohairwasout of placeon thatbeautiful head, no trace of

consternation ever creasedthat perfect brow. Eacheyelash was in perfect orderabove those lovely,contemplative eyes. Nothingseemedtodisturbtheserenityof the remote andimpregnable fortress of herbeing.But I learned, in time,thatawomanasvulnerableasany lived inside the fortress,and I came toadmireher forthe great dignity with which

she conducts herself in thevery difficult situation inwhichshelivesnow.Mybrotherisinhisspecial

world, my younger brotherhas followed him there, andnowonlytheyoungestofall,solemn little Tut, standsbetweentheHouseofThebesand extinction. Tut—and, ofcourse, mymother the GreatWife,myuncleAye,andmycousin Horemheb. But Tut

carries the blood of Ra indirect line, and he it is whowill rule next … if, as nowseemssteadilymorepossible,some move is made toremoveourtwobrothersfromthethrone.I feel sorry for

Smenkhkara, who goessmiling and amiable throughtheworld likeour father, butwithout our father’s geniusfor abiding by the eternal

order and ma’at of Kemet.Our father also had QueenTiye, of course, andSmenkhkara has only sourlittleMerytaten, who tries tolorditoverusallandpretendthat she is a greater Queenthan any of us. This isnonsense,andIhopethegodswill render her suitablejusticewhen the time comes.Why Akhenaten permits it Ido not know, unless it be

some lingering feeling that itlooks more fitting to have awoman in theKing’sHouse.Hedoesnot seem to feel thenecessity in other respects,but it may be he wants herthere for ceremonial reasons.Andinherwaspishlittlewayshedoeshaveagoodheadforhousehold management. Par-en-nefer, the major-domo, isa careless old man behindwhose back all sorts of

thievingandcheatinggoesonamong the servants,particularly in the purchaseand distribution of foodstuffsforthepalaces.Idonotknowhowmuchisspiritedawaytothe servants’ families everyday, but it must be anenormous amount. At leastMerytaten tries to keep thatunder control. Her naggingvoice is often raised to Par-en-nefer, and he can then be

seen bustling busily andangrilyaway,protestingashegoes that he will “set all torights—set all to rights!”These reforms last a day ortwo and the pilfering beginsagain.Idonotenvymynieceher task, though this is theonly sympathy I can find inmyheart forherpinchedandspitefulpersonality.SoSmenkhkarahasnoone

to help himkeep his balance

in a situation in which I donot think he has ever reallywantedtopreserveitanyway.I think he has been quitecontent from the beginning,beinglazyandeasygoingandalsoadoringhisolderbrother,who did not hesitate to takeadvantage of this. Now theypretend to rule the country,thoughactuallyitistheGreatWife, our uncle Aye andHoremhebwho carry out the

orders, and indeed originatethem,halfthetime.WereIAkhenatenIshould

be disturbed by this, but asnearly as he shows us, hedoes not appear to be. Hedrifts along: Smenkhkaradrifts along: the Two Landsdrift along. Smenkhkaramakes some pretense ofrunning things, makes histripstoThebesandMemphis,issues proclamations and

decreesinAkhenaten’sname,prideshimselfonbeing,asheconfidedtomerecently,“ourbrother’seyesandears.”Realpower resides where it hasresided formany years, withmy mother, my uncle and,lately,Horemheb.They do not quite dare

challenge Akhenaten openly,for he is after all the LivingHorus, Son of the Sun,Kingand Pharaoh of the Two

Lands. By adoption, as itwere, Smenkhkara hascomparable, if somewhatlesser, stature. It takes much—verymuch—for anyone toopenly challenge Pharaoh. Ithasbeendone,inourhistory,but only after the mostgrievous and long-continuingprovocations. And it has notbeendoneuntilthosewhodidit were sure they could win.The vengeance of Pharaoh,

even such a generallypeaceableoneasmybrother,does not fall lightly on thosewho fail in such arevolutionary and awesomeattempt.Now, however, I suspect

theattemptmaybemade.Itisa possibility I hardly darethinkabout,soterribleareitsimplications and so awful itsconsequences,nomatterwhowins. To overturn a Pharaoh

is to shake to the veryfoundations the being ofKemet, for Pharaoh is allthings toKemet.Suchan actviolatestheveryma’atof theTwo Lands. Only a Pharaohwho himself has violatedma’at could ever bethreatenedwithsuchathing.Tonight, I suspect,may be

thestartofit,thoughIdonotexpect the event itself tooccur then. There will be a

lastattempttoreasonwithmyolder brother, who isresponsible, and with myyounger brother, who is notresponsible but only theamiable and appealing dull-wit he has always been. Ifthat fails, then I shudder tothink what may happen nextinthelandofKemet.The argument at hand is

very small: two paintings ontwotombwalls.Aroundthem

riseissuessograveandgreatthat their settling canconvulse the earth from theDeltatotheFourthCataract.Knowing my mother, my

uncle, my cousin Horemheb,Nefertiti and my twodreaming brothers, I expecttheworse.But I do not want to be

there.IshallwalkbytheNileand

try to think of peaceful

things; though I think it willbe long, now, before peacereturnstotheTwoLands.…

***

Ramesses

Ihaveneverknownhimtobeso intent, so silent, sosecretive about his plans, hispurposes, his feelings.AlwaysuptonowHoremheb,

my dearest friend and mosttrusted comrade in arms, hasconfided all tome, things hewould never confide even toSitamon, to whom he hasbeenhusbandinallbutnamethese many years. I haveknown him myself for thirtyyears, ever since the day ofAkhenaten’s birth when Ibrought to Thebes the newsof the murder by the priestsofAmonofhisolderbrother,

who was the then CrownPrinceTuthmoseV.Wewereyoungscribestogether,youngsoldierstogether,traveledthelength of Kemet and fromthere north to Mittani andNaharin, south to Nubia andwretchedKush,intheserviceof His late MajestyAmonhotep III (life, health,prosperity!). In the pastfifteen years we havefaithfullyserved(thoughwith

many profound misgivingswhich we have expressedonly to one another) Nefer-Kheperu-Ra Akhenaten.Horemhebhasbeenapartofmyfamily,heisgodfather tomysonSeti,whonowstandstall and sturdy beside us,readyforwhatever thefuturemaybring.HeandImightbebrothers, even twins, soclosely have our lives, ourthoughts, our hearts run

together: and even I do notknow what inner pressuresmovehimnow.I do know that something

must be done. I say thisbluntly and withoutembellishment,forIamnotaclever man, I admit it. I amsimply a fair scribe and avery good soldier who doesnot concern himselfovermuch with policy. Butpolicy is everyone’s concern

now. Nefer-Kheperu-Ra hasmadeitso.TheEmpireisalmostgone,

theTwoLandsslipawayintochaos and confusion.Robbery and corruption,murder and mayhem fill thecitiesandplaguethevillages.Thetemplesofthegodsstandruined and deserted; thepriestswhohelpedadministergovernment are dispersed,deadorinhiding.Manycivil

officials cannot be trustedunless they are directlysupervisedbythearmy.Evenin the army itself Horemheband I must be constantly onthe alert to guard againstcorruption and betrayal.Menlook only to their own self-interest: the love of Kemetwanes because the heart ofKemet no longer beats.Akhenaten is the heart, andhe is no longer interested in

Kemet. Sad days haunt thekingdombecauseofthis.Horemheb and I do what

we can. Together withHoremheb’s half brother, theVizier Nakht-Min, we strivetokeepallonevenkeelwhileAkhenaten lives inhisdreamof the Aten and Ankh-Kheperu-Ra Smenkhkaraplays at directing thegovernment—an easygoing,empty-headedboyof twenty,

for such a task! It wouldmakeonelaughaloudwereitnot so tragic.Butwhat todoabout it? There we arefrustratedanddonotknow.Iknowtherearesomewho

whisper that there are plotswithin theFamilyagainst thetwo Pharaohs, that the GreatWife, the Councilor andDivine Father-in-law Aye,Horemheb, even Nefertiti,maybeplanningsomeaction

lookingtowardtheirremoval.I do not believe it, for howcan it be done?They are theSons of the Sun. It wouldviolate the eternal laws ofKemet. Itwould desolate theverykaandba, theverysouland essence of the countrywouldbedestroyedbyit.I,asimplesoldier,wouldgomadwiththerendingoftheworld.So would most of our fivemillionsofpeople.Wewould

be lost andwandering in theeternal darkness of theuniverse and Ra would nomore smile upon us. It couldnotbe.And yet—and yet … we

must be relieved of thisburden. Somehow the TwoLands must be restored totheir glory. Somehow thepeople must be protectedfrom the corrupt, themurderous,theavariciousand

the hurtful. Somehow theDoubleCrownmustregainitssplendor in the hands ofdecent and honorable men.Somehow the gods must berestored.…Horemheb asked me to

return with him to Akhet-Aten from Memphis, wherewe were seeking tostrengthenthehandsofafewfaithful servants in thenorthern capital. He did not

tellmewhy,excepttosay,ashe always does, “Because Ineed you with me—I musthave one man I can trust atmy right hand.” I do notknowhisplans,hispurposes,his feelings: but I know, asalways,thatImustbeheretohelp him in whatever heintends.He tells me there is some

argument over paintings inthe tombs of Huy and

Meryra. Akhenaten wantsthemoneway,theGreatWifeand Nefertiti want themanother. Evidently there aredeep feelings aroused in theFamily about this. I sense,though he does not tell me,thatHoremhebconsidersittobe a major issue; thoughbeing a simple soldier, I donotreallyseewhy.Iaskedhimasmuch.“Because it is time,” he

said.Andthatisallhewouldsay.I cannot believe it will

change things.Howcould it?TheLivingHorus,SonoftheSun, cannot be toppled bysuch a paltry thing. Thepeople would not permit it,unhappy and fearful thoughthey have been made by thestrange misrule of Nefer-Kheperu-Ra and Ankh-Kheperu-Ra. And how could

any of us who love Kemetlend ourselves to so dreadfulan overturn of all hertraditions that hold ustogether?

***

Horemheb

Simple Ramesses is baffledbyme,whichIwouldlike tothink ismorea tribute tomycleverness than his stupidity.I fear it is not, however. I

think it is onlybecausehe ishonest, dull and blinded bylifelong loyalty that he doesnot perceive my purposes;andsoItrytoconductmyselfwith extra circumspection inthesightofothers,lessclose,who observe me moreobjectively.In this I think I have

succeededverywelluptothismomentoffinalconflictwithmy irresponsible cousin. For

fifteen years I have gonefaithfully about his businessin the Two Lands, andbeyond.He has raisedme tobechiefscribeandgeneralofthe army, has used me withunhesitating trust to performhis will, has required of methatIdoterriblethings:AndIhave done them. From themurderofouruncleAaneninthetempleofAmonatLuxorto the murder of Maya—the

desecrationofAmon’sholiestplace atKarnak—the hurlingof Amon himself into thewaters of the Nile—and theruin anddispersionof all theother gods and theirpriesthoods—I have donethem. And somehow,although I have been theinstrument, I have secretlybeen able to convince thevictims that I am their friendand, like them, am biding

onlythetimewhenallcanbeputrightagain.AndsoIhavecome through unscathed andstill popular with the secretpriesthoodsandthepeople.It is as though I had

acquired something of theaura that Pharaohs have: thatwhateverseeminglyfalseIdois blamed on someone else(as rightly it should, in mycase), and that to me isaccorded a great forgiveness

such as is not given othermen. Particularly such as isnotgivenAkhenaten,I think;andagain,rightlyso.All of this has required

great subtlety, greatcleverness, the ruthlessleading of a shrewd andimplacabledouble life. Ithasalso required great courage,because not even such alistless and uncaring One asNefer-Kheperu-Ra could

afford to countenance suchbehavior, if he knew it. Hewouldhavehadmyheadonadozen occasions had I notbeen able to advance mypurposes with the requisiteamountofgraceandbravery.ThatIhavebeenabletodososafely has convinced mefurther, if I needed to beconvinced,thatthegodshaveinstoreformegreatthingsinKemet.

Many years ago—thirty,how the time rolls by!—Amonhotep, Son of Hapu,said to me when he firstbecame my friend that hethought I did indeed have“purposes” in Kemet. I wasonlyfifteenthen,newlycometo Thebes and all the dazzleof the Court. I knew Ipossessedgreatbrains,astoutheart,wit, charm, a lightningintelligence—and the skill to

dissemble,which IdidnotatfirstemploybecauseIdidnotseeanyparticularreasonwhyIshould.ButasIrosehigher,Ilearned.MyfatherAyewassecretlyguidingme,morebyexample than by directadmonition.Amonhotep,Sonof Hapu, as he moved moreand more securely into theposition he now occupies(which is really “the officialSageofKemet,”sowidelyis

he known, loved, listened toand revered), gave me manydirect and helpfuladmonitions that greatlyeased my way. My father’ssupport guaranteed meposition, his exampleschooled me in skill andstatesmanship. FromAmonhotep, Son of Hapu, Ireceived the intimateguidance and warm day-by-day friendship my father’s

high position and remoteausterity made impossible. Iowe them both very much:and will continue to owethemmuch,Ithink,asImovecloser to the destiny whoseshape the gods have madeclear tomebeyond all doubtin these last few troubledyears.Sitamon knows. Her shot

was in the dark, but I couldsee she sensed instantly how

shrewdlyithadgonehome.Ido want to be Pharaoh: I,Horemheb, say it secretly tomyself and not yet to anyother.But the daywill comewhen itcanbeproclaimed tothe world. When it does, Iwillbeready.HowthiswillcomeaboutI

do not yet see, for at themoment the path to theDoubleCrownisnotopen tome, who am the illegitimate

sonofAye,whoisonlyuncleandfather-in-lawto theKingand is not able, himself, toconferuponmeany rights tothe throne. He has givenmetherightoflegitimacy,andhehasgivenmetherighttobeamember of the Family. Bothhave been great advantages:but he cannot give me theright to the throne.Yet I feelthat somehow the gods willworkonmybehalf,asIwork

secretly and shrewdly ontheirs. Somehow I shall notgo unrewarded—this Ibelieve. In that belief I liveand govern and do greatthings, though always, up tonow,at thecommand,and inthe shadow of, my strangecousin and his amiable,emptybrother.Suppose the day comes

whentheyareremoved—yes,that tooIdaresaysecretly to

myself,thoughitistreasontoeven think it:when they areremoved. What will happenthen? Solemn little Tut, whousedtobesuchahappychildbeforehebecameoldenoughto sense that the world ofKemet is deeply in troublearoundhim,willsucceed.Hewill be married toAkhenaten’s second oldestdaughter, sweetly ambitiouslittle Ankh-e-sen-pa-aten

(another Merytaten but withmuch smoother edges); andfrom his loins will no doubtspring many sons to revivethe House of Thebes. Andwhat will happen to hopefulHoremheb then? Will hesucceed his father ascouncilor, when that goodman goes? Will he continueto run the army and governthecountrywhileTutremainsa child, and go finally to the

afterworld, graywith honors,afterTut takes full commandand presently permits an oldandfaithfulservanttoretire?This is a future most men

would greatly envy: but it isnotenoughforHoremheb.Still, as I say, that iswhat

appears to be the likelyoutlineofthefuture.Iseenoother path logically beforeme.YetIstillbelievethegodswill come to my assistance

andmakemePharaoh.How,Idonotknow.Forthepresent,Isuppose,I

am not intended to know. Iam intendedonly toplaymypart in the crisis that is nowuponus,and tohavemyjustshare in whatever must bedone to save the throne andthe Two Lands, which nowsuffer so greatly under mycousin’s misrule. That isenoughforme,rightnow—or

soAmonandhisfellowgodsinformme.I pray often to Amon,

whose statue I ordered to berecovered secretly from theNile afterAkhenaten orderedhimthrownin.Hatsuret—myfather—the Great Wife—Amonhotep, Son of Hapu—Ramesses—we six alone inall the world know whereAmonis,forafterthespecialgroupofdiversIcommanded

hadbroughthimup from thebottom of the Nile, I hadthemslainsothattherewouldbe no witnesses. Ramessesand I then took him to asecretplace in thenecropolisof Sakkara, near Memphis,where he stands in an emptytomb carved more than athousand years ago for somenoblewhonever occupied it.It is at the end of a tinypassage leading off frommy

own, which has been underconstruction in Sakkara formany years. After I had thepassage dug, the tombenlarged a little and suitablydecorated as a shrine, and aconcealed doorway fittedcleverly into place, I hadthose workmen slain also.Now,asIsay,onlysixinthisworld knowwhere Amon is;and only I, who have thepretext of visiting my own

tomb from time to time tosupervise its progress, everhave the chance to visit him.ButItaketheofferingsoftheothers, and he knows that allofusworktowardthedayofhis restoration, andhe favorsus in our endeavors andguidesusinwhatwedo.Sodoesheguideusnowas

we come finally toward theday of reckoning with thetreacherous Aten and his

foolish servitors. My cousinhas tried for fifteen years tomake the Aten the Sole Godof Kemet, he has persecutedAmonandall theothergods,hehashadhissubversiveandridiculous Hymn to the Ateninscribedonahundredstelaethroughout Kemet—and stillthe people do not love theAten, any more than theylove him. But this does notstop him: he continues, and

will continue, to worship hisSole God and try to inflicthim upon the rest of us. Hewillcontinuethistohisdeath:for such is the nature of mycousinAkhenaten.In a curious way, it is

almost possible to admiresuch stubborn determination,however foolish and self-defeating it has been. Hiswhole life since he becameCo-Regent with my uncle

Amonhotep III (life, health,prosperity!) has been adeliberatechallengetoalltheancient traditions of Kemet.He has defied the weight ofhistory: he has risked thewrath of centuries. And nowthat he nears the end of hisruleandhislife,forcertainlyhedoes,onecanonlyask:forwhat? Has he really had apurpose? Has he reallyknown what he was doing?

Or has he been simply thecreature of an automatic andincreasingly insanecompulsion,withoutstrategy,withoutaim,withoutsense?Ibelieve,myself,thatheis

insane. I have believed thisever since the day of myuncle’s death whenAkhenaten assumed fullpower, ravaged Amon, putaside Nefertiti and sailed offto Akhet-Aten from Thebes

with silly, bewitchedSmenkhkara singing theHymntotheAtenathisside.I think on that day herelinquished whatever shredsof reason still remained inhim. I think on that day thegods sealedhis fate, and thateverythingthereafterhasbeensimply preparation for thefinal ending of his crazydream.In thisendingIhavemuch

part to play. I do not knowyet exactly what it will be,what theGreatWife andmyfatherwillwish ofme; but Ifeel,thoughneitherhastalkedtomeaboutit,thatbothknowwellwhattheyintend.The army is in my hand,

though it would take almostimpossiblymuchtomakemysuperstitious soldiers riseagainst the Living Horus—andsoIknowitisnotbythat

meansthatwewillbringhimdown. But bring him downwe will. Of that I have nodoubt.And then in due time—

somehow, someday, in somefashionthegodshavenotyetrevealed to me but which Iknowtheywill,forIamtheirfaithfulservant—thewaywillopen for Horemheb and hewillleadKemetbacktowhatKemet was when he first

arrived, an eager lad, in thenflourishing Thebes, so manyyearsago.

***

Aye

My sister thinks it time, myson thinks it time, I think ittime, Amonhotep, Son ofHapu, though he confidesnothing direct to any of us

about it, indicates the same.We do not know what mydaughter Nefertiti thinks buttonightweintendtofindout.Then, perhaps, will indeedcomethetime—toact.Yetwhat do I contemplate

whenIsay“thetimetoact”?My mind shudders away

fromit.We say we are talking

about two carvings in twominor tombs of the pathetic

coronation durbar and whatthey should represent toposterity. In reality we aretalkingofsomethingelse.Behind them lies the face

ofdeath.Sofarwehavecomealong

theroadwithNefer-Kheperu-Ra and his bemused andfatefully willing brother …my two little nephews, whoso short awhile ago laughedand tumbled at my feet! Of

them Iuse theword“death!”MayAmon andAten and allthe gods forgive me thethought … and may theyunderstand, in horror andcompassion, why it is thatAye, Private Secretary,Councilor, Divine Father-in-law, must now face the factthat for him, as for others, itis a thought that can nolongerbeputaside.It is not enough to

catalogue the wasting oftemples, the withering ofempire, the corruption of theland. It is not enough to talkofgodsdestroyed,ofbrothersshamelessinpublicspectacle,of old ways thwarted andtraditions upside down. It ismore than that. It is ma’at,the fitness of things in all itsaspects, that Akhenatendestroyswithwhathedoes.…It is this he destroys now

simplybycontinuingtoexist,simply by continuing to bethe living symbol of all thathehasdoneagainstma’atandthesafetyandpreservationoftheTwoLands.Ihavetriedforaverylong

time to follow him,rationalizing much, excusingmuch,justifyingmuch.Whenhe asked me to stand at hisright hand years ago asassistant high priest of the

Aten, I did so, thinking Icould thereby modify andguide and in some measurecontrol his course. When Ipublicly recognized my sonHoremhebandadvisedhimtoaccept the honors andresponsibilities his cousindesired to heap upon him, Idid so in the thought, whichHoremheb shared, that thistoo would be a modifying,guiding and controlling

influence.It has not proven so, in

either case. Were it not thatKemet long ago came torespect and revere myintegrity and intelligence—not giving me love, butgivingme something I valuemorebecauseinmyminditismore important, namelyrespect—Ishouldnowmyselfbe suffering the secretgrumblings, the growing fear

and hatred that surroundPharaoh in the minds of hispeople. Were it not thatHoremheb, too, has beenuniversally respected andadmiredforhisdiligence,hisloyalty, his great shrewdnessandhisobviousdeeploveforKemet,hewouldbesufferinginthesameway.Fortunately we have been

able to escape opprobrium,retaining both the people’s

confidence and Pharaoh’s,and it is this which not onlygives us the opportunity butimposes upon us theobligation to assist inwhatever is decided tonight.Wewill, in fact, assist in thedeciding itself, for we arecome now to the momentwhen all must be decided sothat Kemet may be rebornandgoonintheeternalglorythatisrightfullyhers.

We have wasted toomuchtime: the Two Lands havedrifted too far. Now, verylate,wemustpullthemback.In this enterprisemy sister

is the guiding force, as shehasbeen theguidingforce inso many things for the goodofKemetforsomanyyears.Idoubtifevennow,confrontedthough we are by so manyfailures and misdeeds ofAkhenaten,weshoulddareto

even think of deposing himwere it not for his mother’sindomitable character andimplacable will. I can onlyimagine the endless hours,days, nights of torment shemusthavegonethroughthesepast three years to reach thepoint she has: for she wasalways a loving mother, andshe,too,hastraveledfar,veryfar, with Nefer-Kheperu-RaandAnkh-Kheperu-Rabefore

coming at last to theconclusion I think she has:that, for the good of Kemet,theymustgo.Whatformthiswilltakewe

do not know—do not dareexpressasyet,thoughIthinktonightwewill.Possibly the gods will

come to our aid and it willhappen naturally, forAkhenatenisnotwell,thatisobvioustoall.Heseemstobe

suffering not so much asickness of the body, thoughof course he has never beenreallystrongsincehisillness,asasicknessofthespirit.Heis listless,more erratic,moreuncaring. With it comes asharper tongue, an inward-turning sarcasm, a moresavage bitterness—when herousessufficiently to respondatall.Much of the time he stays

alone and broods; now andagain he calls me orHoremheb or my youngerson, Nahkt-Min, whom hehas now appointed vizier, tohis side for halfhearteddiscussions of policy andgovernment. More often hegoestoworshiptheAtenwithSmenkhkara and then theyretreat to his favorite aerie,the ledge along the NorthernTombs overlooking the city

andplain.AtregularintervalsSmenkhkara—I will say forhim that he takes his “dutiesof government” with analmost touching earnestnessandsincerity—travelsupriverto Thebes or down toMemphis, makes hisappearances at those twosecondary and now half-deserted capitals, performsthe ceremonies of the Atenandtransmitsafewdesultory

“orders” fromhis brother, sovaguely phrased that onlyancient habits of obediencebring themevenasemblanceof response. “That canal forHisMajesty’scommerceneartheoasisof theFayummightbe deepened,” perhaps. Or,“It might be that anexpedition to the westerndesert would find itemspleasingtoHisMajesty.”Not—the canal must be

deepened, you see. Not—anexpeditionwillgo and itwillfind thus, thus and thus forHis Majesty. It is all a half-formedhint,adelicate,wearysuggestion—almost, if youwill,adyingsuggestion.This is not how Pharaohs

getthingsdone.Itisonlyintherealmofhis

religion and his household,unfortunately, that he stillremains vigorous and

demanding. The temples oftheAtenflourish,thoughtheyhave few worshipers. Thewealth ofAmon and the restflow into their coffers, andfrom there directly into his.The compromise I oncesuggested—that the wealthand priesthoods of the twogreatgodsbeequallydivided—vanishedwith the blaze ofrage in which he destroyedAmon at Thebes on the day

ofhisfather’sentombment.Itwas not a very goodcompromise,probably,but atleast for a year or two it didwhat I had hoped, preventedopen conflict, preserved asemblance of uneasy peacebetween the two, re-established a little themystique of Pharaoh as theimpartial father of the land.But he was never impartial,really. Too long ago he

becametheslaveoftheAten.Andnowhepermitsnoothergod to reign in the TwoLands,ashepermitsnoothergod than likable, amiable,stupidly easygoing Ankh-Kheperu-Ra to reign in hisheart.Is it anywonderweof the

Family feel so torn aboutthem both? Akhenaten has agreatresidueofloveandpityto draw upon in our hearts,

forhewassoperfectayouthand became so pathetic andunhappy aman. Smenkhkarahas always been everyone’sfavorite, because of his ownsweetnatureandbecause theblessings the gods gave himwere never taken away. Inmanywayshe is a replicaofhis father, tolerant, friendly,outgoing,lovable.I have sometimes thought

it, never dared speak it even

tomyself,butnowIdo:itisapitytheterribleillnessdidnottake Akhenaten and leave usSmenkhkaratosucceedtotheDouble Crown. There wouldhave been no problems withAmon, no problems ofpersonal relationship, noproblems of any kind. Hewould have married, hadsons,donehisduty;hemighteven have taken to the fieldand restored the Empire, for

hehashisventuresomestreakand sometimes talkslongingly of the campaignshewouldliketogoonifonlyhis brother were not toojealousofhissafetytopermitit.Hewouldhavebeengood,kind, reliable, dull: just onemore greatly popular, greatlyrespected, greatly lovedPharaoh, easilymanaged andeasily controlled, taking hisplace in the eternal

unchanging parade ofKemet’srulers.InsteadcameAkhenaten.…Andhereweare.Idonotknowexactlywhat

mysisterhasinmindforthisevening, but I think in thefamily council that will beheld before we confront thetwoKings the basic questionwill have to be put: are theytoberemoved,andifso,howandbywhom?

I know that in the King’sHouse there are twoinstruments, once thedecision has been reached.Hatsuretwaits,carryinginhisheart Amon’s burning desirefor vengeance. And at theright hand of His Majestystands my son Horemheb,whose ambition at last isbeginning to frighten me, soboundlessdoesitappeartobedespite his outward

dissemblings.It isnotoften thatSitamon

andImakeoccasiontospeakonan intimatebasis: she isagood niece, I am a gooduncle, our friendship isalways amicable,we leave itatthat.Itisseldomsheseeksmeoutforcounseloradvice.Two weeks ago she did,however, telling me of herstrange little exchange withHoremheb,whichshethought

—and I agree with her—revealed his desire to bePharaoh. Yet how can he bePharaoh? The line ofsuccession is firm and clear,goingstraighttosolemnlittleTut, more uneasy every dayas he senses the concern ofhis elders increasing abouthim.“Uncle,”hesaidtomejust

yesterday, when I wasvisiting the North Palace—

climbinguponmy lap as heusedtodo,whichisnolongerquite so easy, as he isgrowingrapidlyheavierandIam in my sixty-fifth year—“must I be Pharaoh verysoon, when Nefer-Kheperu-Ra and Ankh-Kheperu-Radie?”For a moment I was so

taken aback by this childishcandoronasubjecthiseldershave never yet expressed

aloudtooneanotherthatIamafraid I must have looked alittlefoolish.“They are going to die,

aren’tthey?”herepeatedwitha bright insistence thatsuddenly frightened me sothat I instinctively clapped ahand over his mouth. HisstartledeyesstaredatmewithsuchterrorthatIknewImustdrop my hand instantly andhug him protectively to my

chest.“You must never, never,

never say such things,Nephew,” I said, managingwithgreat effort tomakemyvoice calm and soothing tostopthetremblingofhisbodyandthesurprisedandterrifiedlittle noises that werebeginning to whimper fromhis throat. “Nefer-Kheperu-RaandAnkh-Kheperu-RaaretheKings of theTwoLands.

They are well and no onewishesthemill.Somedayfar,faroffwhenyouareagrownmanandaremarriedandhavea family”—a thought I try toinstill in him every chance Iget,sincewedonotwantanyrepetitions of what is goingon now—“itmay be that thegod will call them to theWesternPeak—”“Which god?” he

demanded. “The Aten or

Amon?”“Perhaps both,” I said

soothingly.“IshouldliketheAten,”he

said with a surprisingfirmness that brought asudden terror to my heart.That repetition I had notforeseen.Butheisonlyeight,and no doubt will presentlyforget it, and so I made mytoneagaindeliberatelyheartyandcomforting.

“Perhaps theAten,perhapsAmon, perhaps both,” I saidwith a studied indifference.“Onedoesnotknowwhatthefuture holds, except that, asyoutrulysay,youwillindeedbe Pharaoh when Nefer-Kheperu-Ra and Ankh-Kheperu-Raareno longeronthis earth. But that will bemany,manyyearsfromnow,andyoumustneverdiscussitwith anyone, ever again. It

does not become one whowill one day bePharaoh thathe should gossip thus abouthisbrothers.”Thisdidwhat I intended it

to do. He straightened upabruptly and slid offmy lap,standing straight as a littlesoldieratmyelbow.“The Pharaoh

Tutankhaten,” he saidsolemnly, “will never gossipabout his brothers to anyone

again.”“That isgood,” I saidwith

equal solemnity. “Have I thewordof aSonof theSunonthat?”“You have the word of a

SonoftheSun,”hesaid,stillwithgreatsolemnity.Thenhegave a sudden sad sigh andbecame a little boy again.“But, Uncle, I do wish wecouldallbehappytogetherintheFamilyasweusedtobe.”

“Sodo I,Nephew,” I said,meeting the honesty in hiseyes with honesty in mine.“But until the god—or gods—allowsustobeso,wemustall be strong and brave andshow the world nothing andsaynothingaboutit,notevento one another. Do you notagree?”“Iagree,”hesaid,sounding

much too old and tired foreight.“ButIdowishitso.”

“Come,” I said then, risingand taking him by the hand.“Let us go and look at thelioncapturedlastweekintheFayum.Theytellmehehasamarvelous growl that says,‘Tut-ankh-AAATTTEN!Tut-ankh-AAATTTEN!’”“Uncle,” he said, breaking

into the sunny smile we donot see very often of late,“that’s silly. But let us goanywayandseehim.”

And so we did, and thesubject, I hoped, wasforgotten; though I am verymuch afraid it was not, for Isaw him just this morningbeing taken in his chariot tothe House of the Aten to doworship,andthelookhegaveme was once again knowingand troubled and far too oldforeight.How Horemheb can

contemplate thathewill ever

become Pharaoh under thesecircumstances, I cannot forthe life of me see. It is asabsurd as though I myselfwere to entertain such athought. The succession isestablished and preordained.Whatwemustallbethinkingabout now is how to bring itabout as rapidly as possible,with as little disturbance toKemet and with (I still hopewith all my heart) as little

hurtaspossibletoAkhenatenandSmenkhkara.There is a possibility—a

very remote chance—thatthey might be persuaded toleave the throne.NoPharaohhaseverdonesucha thing—voluntarily—in all ourhistory. But I am not talkingof voluntarily. Perhaps wecan trade themthe throneforretirement together here,suitably housed, suitably

honored, remaining asguardians of the Aten in theAten’scity,whileTutreturnsto Thebes to re-establishAmon and restore thema’atandpowerof theTwoLands—But what nonsense am I

talking?Smenkhkara the easygoing

lover of ease and luxurymight agree. But embitteredandunyieldingAkhenaten?

Never.What ever persuaded Aye,

who has seen so much oftragedy and unhappiness inthe House of Thebes (and Iamafraidwill yet seemore),to entertain for even amoment such blitheringthoughts!My desperate desire for

compassion and compromiserunsawaywithme.There is no easy way

around this situation for anyofus.Wegatherinmydaughter’s

palaceanhourfromnow,andthere we decide how best togo straight through, hopingwe may somehow come outsafelyontheotherside.

***

Tiye

Iamgettingold. I find that Iam thinking often now, withfrequent tears and deepeningsadness, of the old brightdays before trouble came

upon this House. We werehappythen.Allwaslaughter,gaiety and pleasure. Nothingclouded our sky, fromwhichRasmiledbenignlyonusall.Theworldwasfilledwithlifeand love and brilliant colorseverywhere. Contentment—real contentment—blessedtheHouse ofThebes and thefortunate people of our dearTwoLands.Iseethecontrastinfartoo

many things today. To takeone example: the temples.“Colors everywhere,” I said.Do you, too, remember howthe great pylons looked, thegiant figures of Pharaoh andthe gods striding across thestone, painted in vivid redsand blues and yellows, withlovely gold and scarletbanners flying from everyaperture? The palaces werelovely too, corridors, floors,

doors,ceilingspaintedwithathousand scenes of gods, ofPharaoh, of comfortabledomestic things and carefreehuntingandfishingalongtheNile. And on the river thebright sails going up anddown, and in the streets thebusy, happy bustle of ourhandsome people, the mendark and deeply tanned, thewomen fair, protected fromthe sun, gracefully

languorous as they werecarried by in litters andcouchesor,ifassignedbythegodstoalowerstationinlife,yet moving gracefully abouttheir burdens with happysmiles, quick laughter, warmwelcomingfaces.All, all has changed. A

drabness has come upon theland.Sincemysonclosedallthe temples save thoseofhisjealous Sole God, the work

crewsthatoncekeptallbrightand shining with theirconstant attentionshavebeendispersed. Care and love aregone from the world. Thecolorsofthegiantstatuesandpaintings on all temples butthe Aten’s have faded andbecomesplotchy,thebannersare long since taken downand destroyed, the palacesthemselves have beenallowed to fall into shabby

disrepairsaveinafewplaceswhere the orders of myselfand Nefertiti have been ableto preserve some semblanceof former beauty. (She builtherowntempletotheAtenatKarnak. He did not dareobject. It stands alone, asingle note of brightness inthe ruined surround.) On theriver there is less and lesscolor as if the boatmenwereafraid to show it, and in the

streets few smiles, littlelaughter, no longer theconstant happy chatter—mingled so often with thesound of music, which alsohasalmostvanishedfromourworld—that used to fillKemet with good will andlaughter from Memphis toKaroy.Asullensournessgrips the

land, a deep unease. Joy hasfled from Kemet and with it

theairofwell-beingthatusedto be the principaldistinguishing feature of ourdivinelyorderedlife.It is because there is no

order that this is so. It isbecause order—ma’at—theeternal fitness of things—hasbeen destroyed. It is becausemysonhasremadeourworldinhisownsadimageandthatofhishurtful,vengefulgod.Long ago when his father

and I first decided that wewould dedicate him to theAten,weintendedtheAtentobe a counterweight to thenoverweening Amon. Wenever contemplated that outofAkhenaten’s illnesswouldcome his great hatred forAmon and the other gods, orthatoutofhisworshipof theAten would come his finaldecision to overturn them alland make the Aten, alone,

supreme.Now the Aten is

inescapable. His round,empty face and long spideryarms, ending in tiny handsconferring ankhs and gifts,look down upon useverywhere; and to him mysonhasgiventitlesheretoforereserved for Pharaohs alonewhen they have celebratedjubileesoftheirreigns:“Live, Ra, ruler of the

Horizon, rejoicing in theHorizon, in his role of lightcoming from the Sun’s Disk,giving life forever and to alleternity, Aten the living, theGreat, Lord of Jubilees,Master of all thatencompasses the Sun’s Disk,Lordof theHeavens,LordoftheEarth,THEATEN.”Sohighhasheraisedhim.I know he still conceives

theAtentobeasunny,bright

and loving god. But seeingwhathasbeendoneinAten’sname, it has been long sincethe Aten has appeared thatway to our people. InAkhenaten’seyes—forhehastoldmesoonmanyoccasions—his “Father Aten” stillgleams happy and beneficentabove us all. In the eyes ofthe people he is a dark andvindictive god whosejealousyandintoleranceofall

others make him foreverimpossibletolove.Such is the tragedy of my

son Akhenaten. And such isthe tragedy of our House,which now must deal withhim, since the people cannot—and will not, so deeplyinstilled in them lies the fearandworshipofPharaoh,evenwhen they know—know—what he is doing to the land.They would never dare rise

against him; they wouldneverdareriskthevengeanceof centuries. In the land ofKemet,thisisnotdone.Yetitmustbedone;andI,

his mother, for many yearsPharaohinallbutnameoftheTwo Lands, must nowperform a terrible service formy people. Nothing will bedone unless I give the word:theFamilywaitsuponme.SoImustgivetheword,because

thereisnooneelsetogiveit,andnothingelselefttodo.I see them both, in those

early happy days:Akhenatenrunningandleapingdownthesandy pathways of Malkata,ten years old, shortly beforethe illness struck;Smenkhkara the newborn,crooning in my arms,suckling at my breast,beaming upon all the worldwith happy smiles and

welcoming gurgles. Theyweresuchhappychildren.Allmychildrenhavebeenhappychildren, though Sitamon ison her way to becoming asoured and disappointed oldwoman because marriage toher no longer has a place inHoremheb’sambitions…andTutisagingrapidlybeforehistime as the weight of theDouble Crown comes evercloser…andBeketatengoes

about a shy and frightenedlittle girl because she, too,senses gathering storms …and Akhenaten andSmenkhkara are far, far nowfrom the innocent andcarefree days when we alllaughed and loved oneanother in harmony andhappiness in the Palace ofMalkata.…I envy my husband,

sleeping peacefully in the

Valley of the Kings beneaththePeakoftheWest,becausehedoesnothavetomakethedecision I must make. Werehe alive, of course, he neverwould, because he wasalways weaker than I. Hewould flinch and smile andease away from it, as he didfrom so many unpleasantthings that, looking back,were clearly unmistakablewarnings. We used to worry

aboutthesethings,sometimessharing our worries,sometimes not, but eachsensing the other’s concerns.From time to time it wouldcome into the open: I wouldurge upon him some courseof action—insist upon it,finally, for the good ofKemet. Sometimes he wouldcomply and sometimes not.When he did, things rightedtemporarily;whenhedidnot,

they continued theirdownwardslide.NevercouldhecontrolAkhenaten, andashishealthfailedsosteadilyinthoselateryears,helosteventhedesiretotry.So came the awful and

disgraceful day of hisentombment, the destructionofAmon and the other gods,the final ascendance ofAkhenaten and the Aten, theputting asideofNefertiti, the

shameless enthronement ofSmenkhkara in intimate co-regencywith his brother, thefull impact, at last, of allAkhenaten’s crazy dreamsupon the Two Kingdoms.BecauseIthinkheiscrazy—literally insane, and far gonenowfromanyplacewherewewho love him can reach himanymore.Iblamemyselfforthis,asI

blame us all—but myself

most of all, for I am hismotheranditmusthavebeenmy failure, somehow, thatstarted it all: though Icannothonestly see how. I tried, Idid my best. I have alwaysthoughttoloveandsavehim:butIfailed.…The hours I havewept for

him,theNilesoftearsIhaveshed! Even now, as I makeready to leave for the NorthPalace, I am shedding more.

But somethingcold liesdeepinside,atlast.Itisnotmyson—my sons—I weep for anymore. It is for two alienbeings,andforuswhoatlastmustregardandtreatthemassuch ifKemet is to be savedfrom their infinite and awfulfolly.IbelieveIhavethesupport

of my brother Aye, mynephew Horemheb and ofAmonhotep, Son of Hapu. I

am not so sure of mydaughter-in-law, for I thinkher love still lives as it usedto do, with something of thehappy innocence of Malkatastill alive beneath all theunhappy bitterness of theserecent years. I think she alsostill believes in the Aten,whichIhavecometoregard,I think realistically, as anexperimentthatfailed.Had Akhenaten been

stronger, more insistent, hadhemovedfromthebeginningto impose his will as aPharaoh should, instead ofbeing so gentle, so cautious,so anxious towin the peopleto Aten through love insteadof fear, then he might haveachieved the religiousrevolution he sought and ridour House forever of Amon.But he wanted the people tocometotheAtenoftheirown

free will and he waited toolong for them to do it. Thenwhen he finally becameenraged and decided to forcethem, it was too late and hewent too far. And so theAten’s temples stand emptysave for fawning priestswhoflatter him, and the nobilityand sycophants of the CourtwhomustworshipasPharaohdirects if they would keeptheir positions, wealth and

power. Among the people,Hatsuret and his spies tell us—we think accurately—thetimeisripeforAmonandhisfellowstoreturn.But before Amon can

return my sons must go: thebargain of the gods is assimpleandasruthlessasthat.Later tonight we will

confront the two Kings,ostensibly to argue out thequestion of what is to be

placed in the tombs of Huyand Meryra to depict thecoronation durbar. On thesurfaceitwillbeanargumentdecidedbeforeitisbegun,forAkhenaten of course willhave the final say as long asheisPharaoh.Ifhewishestodepict the durbar in all itspathetic “living in truth”reality, instead of as adignified and opulentceremony designed to

strengthen and preservethrough all eternity thehithertogloriousimageoftheEighteenth Dynasty, then hecanorder it done.Butbeforewe argue that we will havemet at the North Palace andthere other decisions will, Ithink,havebeenreached;andthey may influence him fardifferently than he nowdreams.My tears are drying as I

prepare to go. They mayneverflowagainformysonsor for theirmother,whowillperform her last service forher beloved land of Kemetthough it kills her heartforever in the breast thatnourishedthem.

***

Anser-Wossett

I have been first lady inwaiting to Queen Nefertitisincewebothweregirls,andsteadily in these past threeyears my heart has been

wrung with pity for her, ashers has been wrung withsadness for her husband andthe happy times they onceknewtogether.I have watched her age,

something I never thoughtcould happen when we wereyounger;andatthesametimeseen her become morebeautiful, as maturity andsuffering have eroded theyouthful roundness and

arrogant prettiness andtransformedherintoastately,grave and truly beautifulwoman.Bek’s rising young

assistant Tuthmose hascaptured this best, I think, inthe portrait bust he has justcompleted.Wearing her blueconoidal crown, looking outupon theworldwith a subtlesadness, a knowing butindomitable serenity, she

gazesquietlyintotheeyesofthe beholder as I have oftenseen her gaze in these pastthree troubled years. Onlyonce have I caught that gazedirect,andthenitwastolookinto such depths of sorrowthatIquicklyfoundapretextto excuse myself and wentaway to weep in private forthebeautifulwomanwhohascome,onlytofindthatallhascrumbledandturnedhopeless

inherhands.For this I can never blame

the Queen, for it is onlyPharaoh who must bear theresponsibility. Her fault, ifany, has been in loving himtoo much, and continuing todo so long after all evidenceand common sense said suchdevotion was foolish andfatedtoendinemptiness.Shehas refused to believe it—refuses,Ithink,evennow.Of

all the Court—perhaps in allKemet—she is the only onewho still clings to the hopethatsomeday,somehow,theymaybereunited.But suppose they were,

what would it profit her?Nefer-Kheperu-Ra has notmuch longer to live, I think,anditisbetterthatshebefarfrom his side when thevengeanceofthegodsfallsatlastuponhishead.

This I believe itwill, for Ido not believe that even theGoodGodcansolongandsooutrageously challenge thegodsand theverykaandba,thevery soul andessence, ofthe Two Lands, withoutcoming eventually tojudgment. In my opinion,thoughIknowtheQueenhasalways supported him in hisheretical ideas (something ittookme long to forgive her,

andonlymydeeploveforhergentle person and my evergrowing admiration for herindomitable character finallypersuaded me to do so),judgment is long overdue.Vengeance will come, and itwill destroy both Pharaohs.So are we told who stillbelieve in Amon: and ournumberisas thesandsof theRedLand,howevermuchtheGoodGodmayhave tried to

discourageusandforceustoworship his way during thestrange unhappy time he hasbeenonthethrone.Fifteen years—fifteen

years! To thinkwe have hadto suffer him for fifteenyears! They have flown sofast it seems impossible tobelieve ithasbeenso long—were it not that the wearysorrow of my lady is asnothing to the weary sorrow

of the land. We carry aconstant depression in ourhearts because of him.Laughter and joy are gonefromKemet.Ithasbeenlong,toolong,andretributionforithas been long, too long, incoming.I speak occasionally with

him who is known inAkhenaten’s Southern Palaceas Peneptah, meeting himcasuallyatanappointedplace

in the market, appearing tothe unnoticing passers-by tobechattingeasilyofordinarydomestic things. Secretly weexchange gossip andinformation as we seem tostand innocuously talking inthe sun. I do not reveal toHatsuret any of the privateaffairs of the Queen, for myloyalty is first to her, whichherespects;butheknowsmeas a loyal followerofAmon,

andsohe tellsmesomethingof the whispers that arerunning through Kemet. Wetalk also of hidden thingswithintheFamily,whichbothof us are in position tooverhear and to know.Vengeance is coming, hesays; and he told me onlyyesterday that it will come“from those closest toPharaoh, whom he does notsuspect.”Healsotoldmethat

when I receive the sign fromhim—“which before long Ithink youwill”—I should beprepared at once to disguisemyself and the Queen—as ifone could disguise thatclassic face!—and flee tohiding in one of the villagessouth,towardAswan.“Our quarrel is not with

Her Majesty,” he said,“thoughAmonknowsshehasabetted and encouraged the

Heretic enough, through allthese years. But Amon willforgive her if she will goquietlyandnevermoreappearupon the public scene. Amodest house and a quietlivingwillbepreparedforherand for you, and for three orfour suitable servants toattend you. There you maylive out your days unknownandunmolested.Butshemustnothesitate.WhenI tellyou,

andyou tell her—go.Do notlookback,eitherofyou.Elsewill she, too, feel thevengeanceofAmon,whichisterribleandwilldevastatetheland.”“Must there be more

devastation?” I asked,embittered.“Havewenothaddevastation enough? MustAmon compound Aten, andbloody us all in the process?Whywillyounotbecontent,

Hatsuret—Peneptah”—correctingmyself as he gaveme a hasty glare of warning—“to simply reclaim thetemples and the Two Landsfrom the Heretic? Must yourun the risk of ruiningeverything as he has, in thebargain?”“Vengeance will not be

completeuntilheisdeadandallhisdoingslaidwasteashehas laidwasteAmonand the

othergods,”hesaidinaharshandunforgivingtone.“You men love vengeance

toomuch,”Isaid.“WhymusttherebemoreweepingintheTwoLands?”“So that theSoleGodwill

die forever,” he said in thesamecoldway.“Foreverandever, for millions andmillionsofyears—so thatnomanhereafterwilleveragaindare to blaspheme and say

thatthereisasingleuniversalgodsupremeaboveallothers.This is the reason we willdestroy the Aten, and theAten’s worshipers, and thesick cripple who hasconceivedblasphemy,andallhis works of all kinds,forever.”“You cannot destroy what

isinmen’sminds,Peneptah,”I said, “and though manycondemnwhathehasplanted

there, not all will be able toforgetit.Itmayoutliveusall,forallyourvengeance.”“First we will have the

vengeance,” he said with agrimassurance,“andthenwewillsee.”“IshalltrytopersuadeHer

Majesty as you suggest,” Isaid, dropping the subjectbecause I could see that hecould not and would notacceptmyprediction,whichI

think to be, unhappily, morelikelytobetruethanhis.“ButI do not know that she willlisten to me. It is not in hernaturetoflee.”“Then she will die with

him,” he said with a coldindifference. “And you, too,unless you abandon her andreturntoAmonintime.”“IshallneverabandonHer

Majesty!” I exclaimed,shocked into a loudness of

tone that brought his handinstantly clamped upon myarm.“You will have the

chance,” he said softly,“because you have been aloyal daughter ofAmon.Butit will not be offered twice.At the moment you receiveword from me, in thatmoment you must decide.And somust she. There willbenosecondchance.”

“You do not frighten me,Hatsuret,”Isaidinawhisperthat trembled despite myattempttokeepitsteady.“Amon is not interested in

whether or not anyone isfrightened,” he said. “Amonisinterestedinjustice.”“Vengeance!” I snapped.

“Vengeance only, notjustice!”“Thetwoarethesame,”he

saidwithanindifferentshrug,

and turnedaway to leavemestaring after him with toomuchdismayonmyface,forI soon became aware thatseveral were giving mecurious looks. I quicklygathered up the two earthenpots with their characteristicblue-striped design whichweremy excuse for being inthe market, went to mywaiting litterandwascarriedhome to the North Palace

through the city’s bustlingstreets.As we passed the King’s

House there was a suddenstir, a blare of trumpets, ahurried falling away ofcrowds before the entrance.Out they came, arms aboutone another’s waists, nodoubtontheirwaytoworshipat the House of the Aten.Pharaoh Akhenaten seemedsicklierthanwhenIglimpsed

him last, a month ago; itseemed tome that he leanedmoreheavilythanusualuponPharaoh Smenkhkara. Theirchariot dashed past, thecrowds instantly resumedtheirchatterandbustle,weallwent swiftly on about ourbusiness. Oddly, it wasalmost as though the twoKings had never passed, soquickly did life resume itspattern and close over them

liketheNileoverahandfulofsand.I returned to Her Majesty

much troubled, both byHatsuret’s warnings and bythis new sign that the GoodGod and the young Pharaohreally have no support at allamong the people to sustainthem:forIdonotreallywishthem ill, knowing howterribly Her Majesty wouldbe hurt if harm came to her

husband. Knowing me sowell, sheofcourseperceivedmy mood and demanded toknowwhat had disturbedmein the city.But I had neitherthe heart nor the courage totell her of either thing. Ipassed itoffwith somestoryofseeingachildslipandfallfatally beneath thewheels ofa passing donkey cart, but Idonotthinkshebelievedme.InfactIknowshedidnot,for

she responded with asearching look from thelovely thoughtful eyes andremarkedonly:“It is a time when many

thingstroubleus.LetuspraytotheAten—oryoutoAmon,ifyoulike—thatallwillcomewellfortheTwoLands.”“And for you, Majesty,” I

said fervently. “Particularlyforyou,whohaveenduredsomuch.”

“And with yet more tocome, I think,” she said in afarawaytone,as if toherself,“…withyetmoretocome.”Sincethenshehasbeenlost

in thought, withdrawn,remote, not participating assheusuallydoesinthegamesand prattle of her daughtersand of Tut and Beketaten.Now as we prepare for thearrivalwithin thehourof theGreat Wife, Her Majesty’s

father Aye, her half brotherHoremheb and Amonhotep,Son of Hapu, she remainssilent, unresponsive, almostlistless under my skilledhands as I assist her onceagain with the unguents andoils,thekohlforhereyes,theocher for her cheeks, thesweet perfumes, all thefamiliar beautifications withwhich I have helped herprepare for appearances so

many, many thousands oftimes.She will rise to this

occasion as to all others, ofthatIamcertain;andIknowevenmorecertainlythanIdidwhen I spoke with Hatsuretthat she will never flinch orflee from the vengeance ofAmon, which now seems tobe coming very close andsurely will not be longdelayed.

***

Nefertiti

“Fair of Face, Joyous withthe Double Plume, Mistressof Happiness, Endowed withFavor, at hearing whosevoice one rejoices, Lady of

Grace,Great of Love,whosedispositioncheerstheLordoftheTwoLands.”So did he have me

described on the boundarystelae that ring the city andstill carry these endearments,undisturbed.Nefertiti, which means “A

Beautiful Woman HasCome”—so was I named bymy mother on her deathbed,inthehourofmybirth.

And what is the object ofall these brave and flowerywordsnow,asfaithfulAnser-Wossett works diligently tohide my sorrow with lotionsandointments,sweetperfumeand pretty things? What ofthe “Mistress of Happiness”now, when it is another’svoiceatwhichtheLordoftheTwo Lands rejoices, andanother’s disposition thatcheershiminhis lonely life?

What remains for her whowas “Great of Love” whenlove is denied and sent awayto an empty and distantplace?ForthreeyearsIhavelived

in the North Palace,nevermoreseeingtheLordofthe Two Lands save only onthoserareoccasionswhenwehappen tomeet unexpectedlywhile passing to or fromworshiping the Aten. We do

notspeak,ourglanceshardlycross. I am afraid I cannotkeep some lingering entreatyoutofminewhentheydo: inreturnIreceivenothingbutafrozen stare. Whether thistruly represents his feelingsor whether he looks thus toavoid showingmore genuineemotion, I do not know andprobably will never know. Ilike to think it is because hedaresnotlookatmenaturally

for fear of what his eyeswouldshow.Butthatmaybepretending to myself. It mayallbeasdeadasmyheartsooftenfeels.Beside him always is my

cousin Smenkhkara,performing the weak pretextof government thatAkhenaten no longer favorswithhisattention.Butthoughhe is still diligent about hisvisits to Memphis and

Thebes, Smenkhkara isgrowingalittleindolentashegrows more secure in hisbrother’s affection. He istending to becomeincreasingly likehis father, alover of luxury, indulginghimself—and being indulged—in fine food, fine wines,fine jewelry.Anotheryearortwo and he will no doubtbegin to grow a bit fat, thegolden perfection will soften

andbloat:givehimfiveyearsandhewillwaddle.But Idonot expect even that to turnmy husband from hisobsession, so closely havetheirlivesbecomeentwined.Nor do I expect it to have

any effect onmy selfish andhateful daughter Merytaten,who lords it over theSouthern Palace as thoughshe were the Chief Wife, orpossiblyeven theGreatWife

herself. Nothing suits herbetterthantohavethingsstayexactly as they are, for sheexercises my rights, myprivileges, my honors withnone of the responsibility—and none of the concern forKemet—that always markedmyconductwhenIwasatherfather’sside.Shewasalwaysambitious, always grasping,always shrewish, even as achild.Nowshehasitall,and

makes sure that I know it.PossiblythisisbecauseIusedto punish her from time totime, used to impose a sternand evenhanded disciplineupon all the girls butparticularly upon her andAnkhesenpaaten, who hasmany of the samecharacteristicsbuthaslearnedunder my tutelage to modifythemtomoresubtleandmoreskillfulways.Idonotknow:I

knowonly that she ishurtfulto me and encourages bothher father and her uncle-husband to continue in theirfoolishandfatefullives.Thereby she invites upon

herself the retribution thatmay fall upon them. I hopeshe will be happy with herbargain,ifthattimecomes.I suspect that my mother-

in-law intends that it comefast, else shewouldnothave

called us together in familycouncil tonight. She islookingmuchaged, tiredandworn; the plump-faced girlwhositssmuglybesidesmugAmonhotep III (life, health,prosperity!) in the colossalstatues that still guard thedeserted temple of Amon atLuxor nowwalks the earth awrinkledoldwomanwhilehelies beneath it a shriveledmummy.But the indomitable

characterthatmadetheGreatWifePharaohinallbutnameof the Two Lands for somany years remainsindomitable still; and now Ifear that she has decided atlast to turn irrevocablyagainst her sons. I do notknowwhatshecontemplates:IdonotknowyethowIshallrespond to it.Many things inme cry out for vengeance:many cry equally for

forbearance and compassion.Smenkhkara is an amiablefool who may have to besacrificed, but Akhenaten isanother matter. His life hasbeen so hard, beginning sobrightly, turning so sad.Many and grievous are thecrimes he has committedagainstma’at,but many andgrievous have been thecompulsionsdrivinghimtoit.And he did create out of his

own heart and mind—theonly Pharaoh in our twothousandyearsofhistorywhoeverdareddefythepattern—thedecisiontoraisetheAtentobetheSoleandOnlyGod,a beacon to light Kemet’sway from centuries ofsuperstition and darknesstoward a new and gloriousfreedom … which Kemetdoes not want, and which IamafraidtheGreatWife,my

father and the others havefinallydecidedcanneverbe.But the Aten still lives in

my heart, as love still livesthere; which is one of thereasons I approachwith suchgreat apprehension ourconference tonight and whatmay flow from it. In myhouse the Aten lives, as itdoes in his; and I am raisingthe children, particularly Tutand Ankhesenpaaten who

may eventually reach thethrone, to know the Aten’struth and loving kindness. Iam determined that neitherthe Aten nor his principalprophet will be forgotten.PerhapsAmonandtheothersmust be restored someday,but modestly—modestly. Iintend to make certain thatthe Aten never loses thedominant position to whichAkhenatenhasraisedhim,for

theAtenisbrightandshiningand good. The old darknessofAmonmustneverreturntodominatetheTwoLandswithfear as it used to do. This Ishall always try to prevent,and I believe Tut andAnkhesenpaatenwillhelpmeshouldtheybecalled,asIamafraid they soonmightbe, totheDoubleCrown.It is for this reason that I

ordered three years ago,

shortlyafterheputmeaside,myowntempletotheAtentobebuiltwithintheconfinesoftheenormousonehebuiltjusteast of Karnak soon after hebecame Co-Regent fifteenyears ago. This temple Icommanded to consist ofnothing but glorification ofme and our daughters (in ahappy unity we do not, ofcourse, possess) worshipingthe Aten and being

strengthened by him. I didthis as an act of homage totheAten, so that itwould beunderstood that I was stillloyal to the Sole God nomatterwhatmight happen tomy husband; and also as anact of defiance toward myhusband, so that he wouldknowthathecouldnotbreakmyspiritormyloyaltytothegod,whateverhemightdotome. I did not try to have it

built here inAkhet-Aten, forhe could have prevented mehere and probably wouldhave done so. By ordering itbuilt atKarnak I secured theassistance and support of theGreat Wife. She confirmedmy orders, and he did notdare countermand them. Inany event, I doubt that heeven noticed, or if he did,remained uncaring, becausehe has never returned to

Thebes since the day of hisfather’sentombment.Perhapshe even pretends to himselfthatmytempledoesnotexist,sincehehasneverseenitandapparently never intends to.But there it standswithin theconfines of his, lovely incolors and brightness—atemple to the Aten and atemple to me,whom he cannever destroy for all hisunfairness that hurts me so

bitterlyinmyheart.Tonight we have an issue

on its face small, byimplication and timing great:the depiction of thecoronation durbar in thetombs of Huy and Meryra.Those two gentlemen,properly cowed, slinkfearfullyabouttheirbusiness,caught between theconflicting commands ofPharaoh that the scene be

portrayedexactlyasitwasinallitspatheticsparsenessandmore thanfraternal indignity,andthedemandsoftheGreatWife and myself that thehonor of the Dynasty bemaintained for all time bydepicting it as it shouldhavebeen:myselfandallsixgirls,alive and well and happy atthe side of Akhenaten,receivingthefulsometributesof our allies and vassals,

blessed through eternity intheraysoftheAten.I believe it may be the

Great Wife’s intention thatwe should present ourdemands (I doubt if I shallattend that session, but shewantsmyconsent)tothetwoKingsasaunitedfamily;andthat then, if Akhenaten andSmenkhkara refuse tocomply,moveswiftly to takesome action we will have

agreeduponherebefore theyare confronted. What actiondoes she have inmind? It isthisthatfrightensme.Isensean end of patience in the air—perhaps even an end oflove, as duty to Kemetpersuades both the GreatWifeandmy father that theymust put aside personalfeelings and move at last tochallenge Akhenaten’sunhappyrule.

InthisIdonotknowwhereI shall stand or what I shalldo. Imaynotknowuntil themoment actually comes. Icannot conceive of turningagainst him irrevocablymyself; love ingrained inmesince childhood—ingrained,ironically, by the very oneswho may now wish to putlove aside forever—wouldseem to make it impossible.Yet I agree with them: the

TwoLandscannotgoonlikethis.Somehow theremust beastop.Anser-Wossett puts the

final touches, for the many-thousandth time, to thechangeless perfection of myfaceandhandsmethemirror.Together, as always, wesurvey what her handiworkhas accomplished with thegiftsofthegodsIreceivedatbirth. My eyes meet hers in

the mirror and we exchangesmiles: in my own, I amafraid, but a ghost of thedelighted satisfaction withwhich I performed this littleritualinhappiertimes.As our eyes meet, there

comes a sudden disturbancein the courtyard, a hurryingdown the corridors, thedistant sounds of arrival.Myeyes widen and, despite myfirmest attempts, grow

frightened. Instinctively sheplacesareassuringhanduponmyshoulder,afamiliarityshehas never dared before in allour years together: but theseare not usual times. I placemy hand upon hers, exert agrateful pressure in return. Ihand the mirror to hercarefully, rise slowly to myfeet, turn with a carefuldignity toward thedoor, takea deep breath and lift my

head to its proudest heightuponmylong,gracefulneck.“Do not be afraid,

Majesty,” she says hurriedlyat my back. “The gods willnotdesertyouthisnight.”“Ipraynot,”Isayovermy

shoulderas I leave the room,“for I need theirstrengthening now as I neverhavebefore.”

***

Tiye

Mydaughter-in-lawgreetsusgravelyat theentrancetoherrooms in the North Palace.No outward sign ofnervousness or apprehension

touches thatperfect face.Yetit is she, I know, whom wemust convince before thisnight is over. I may have togive the word, but withouther support the attempt canfail and accomplish nothingbut more confusion anduncertainty for the TwoLands.We have had enoughofthese.

***

Amonhotep,SonofHapu

I have watched this familymany,manytimes,andneverhave I seen its principal

members so stern andtroubledastheyaretonight.Wecomenow,Ibelieve,to

the beginning of the end oftheruleofNefer-Kheperu-RaAkhenaten, that strange boywe all regard with suchsadness because there was atime when we all regardedhimwithlove.I shall soon be sixty-five

years of age, Aye and Ihaving marched the years

together andhaving, in somedegree, together beenresponsibleforthecreationofthe complex character thathas brought such disaster ontheTwoLands.Iwondernowifwe couldhavedone it anydifferently, produced somedifferent end: I do not thinkso. I think it all cameoriginally from his illness. Ithinkitwasalldecreedbythegods.

I think, perhaps, it wasdecreed by Amon, though Ihavetriedvaliantlyforfifteenyears now to convincemyself, as Akhenaten wouldhave us convince ourselves,that Amon is no more andonly the kindly Aten shinesover all. Perhaps my lack ofsuccess in sustaining thisconviction is that I knowAmon has not left us. He ishidinginasecretcorridoroff

Horemheb’stombinSakkara,awaiting only the proper dayto reappear. Now the dayapproaches,Ithink.Iknowinmy own heart, as I know intheexpressionsof thefaces Isee before me, that it isalmosthere.The Great Wife is older,

too, beginning to shrivel andwrinkle as the years marchon.Herface,ravagedbytimeand worry for her sons and

for the Two Lands, carriesonly a trace of its girlishbeauty and self-satisfaction;long gone are the dayswhenshe andAmonhotep III (life,health, prosperity!) ruledcontented over a contentedand unthreatened kingdom.Nowallthatisgone,saveforone thing: alone of them all,she still holds the undividedand unshaken love of thepeople of Kemet. They

respectAye,theyadmire,andsecretly,perhaps,fearalittle,Horemheb; they are deeplyfond of Sitamon, they lookwith anticipation andapproval on youthful Tut,theypityandstillretainsomelingering affection forNefertiti; but only QueenTiyedo they still simply andunreservedly adore. To themshe represents “the greatdays,” as they have already

come to call them, lookingbackward with a wistfulregret. To them she stillremains their Queen—andtheir Pharaoh, too, in aprofoundemotionalsensethatneitherAkhenatennorhistooamiable and slow wittedbrothercanevermatch.Thereforeifshehasfinally

decided, as I think she has,that the time has comewhentheymustgo for thegoodof

Kemet, the people, thoughmomentarily shocked andperhaps even horrified(though little feeling remainsfor either Pharaoh), willspeedily embrace whateverhappens if it is felt that sheapproves it. Particularly isthis true if one adds to it thefact that this will be amother’sterriblejudgmentonhersons.“If the Great Wife, their

mother, feels that way,” thewhisper will run, “then whoarewetoquestion?”And no one will. All will

unite in unanimous joy thatrelief has come at last to theTwoLands.Yet it is not an easy thing

for this to happen; it is nolightmatter.ItistragedysuchasKemethasrarelyseenandcan hardly remember. Itsburdenweighsuponuslikea

thousand stones as we takeourseatsinNefertiti’s throneroom facing the Great Wife,who by our instinctivecourtesy and deferraloccupies the dais. She isdressed in her full goldengarments and wears herdistinctive delicate andbeautifully worked goldencrown, set with carnelian,turquoiseandlapislazuli.Aye is frowning and stern,

Horemheb is grim and, asalways, wary; Queen Tiyeherself is sad, tense butdetermined.OnlyNefertiti,asalways, remains outwardlycalm and unemotional,though we all know thetensionsthatmustbeswirlinginside. It is perhaps in hopesof releasing these at once sothatNefertiticanjoininwhatmay have to be done thatQueenTiyebeginssobluntly.

“The time has come,” shesays, and though her voicequiversshecontinueswithoutflinching,“whenforthegoodof the Two Lands Nefer-Kheperu-Ra and Ankh-Kheperu-Ramustberemovedfromthethrone.”Thereis terriblesilencefor

amoment.ThenAyespeaks,aheavyemotiondraggingonhis voice, but he too sayingwhathemust:

“Sister,Iagreewithyou.”WelookthentoHoremheb,

whoforasecondmakessomeshow of hesitating. Then hebows gravely to the GreatWifeandsaysfirmly:“AndI,YourMajesty.”They look then to me,

wanting to unite all of usbefore we demand ofNefertiti her compliance andsupport. And so I too bowandsaysimply:

“It is for the good of theTwoLands.”Then we turn together to

the Chief Wife, who haslistened in silence, only thewidening of her beautifuleyes and the dead whitepalenessbeneathhermake-up(which now looks suddenlygarish and obvious,something we have neverseen with her before)disclosing her emotion. But

what emotion? We wait forhertosay.Alongmomentpasses.The

silence grows more terriblestill.At last she speaks, veryslowly, very carefully, as ifseeking time against ajudgment she dreads butcannotcontradict.“Why does Your Majesty

say this?” she inquiresfinally; and with a suddenimpatience, not unkind but

not yielding either, QueenTiyesays:“Niece, you know as well

asI.”Again the terrible silence,

andagaintheveryslow,verycarefulresponse,whileweallstare fascinated, not wishingto watch her bitter strugglebut unable to keep our eyesaway.“What will be Your

Majesty’sexcuse?”

“The excuse of thepaintings in the tombs,Niece,” the GreatWife says.“Youknowthat,too.”“Hewillbegivenachance

toagreeaboutthepaintings?”Nefertitiinquires,andwecansee she is clinging to somelast hope, inspired by alifelonglove.“He will be given the

chance,” Queen Tiye saysgrimly, “but you know as

well as we what his answerwillbe.”“Perhaps not,” Nefertiti

says with a suddenbeseechingeagerness thatweall know springs from hope,not reality. “Perhaps he willagree,andthen—”“Then there will be more

misrule,” Horemheb sayswitha suddenbitterness.Sheturnsonhimlikealioness.“Yourelish this!Youwish

him dead! You hate him asyoualwayshave!”For amoment he does not

reply. Then he looks hersquarely in the eyes andrepliessoftly:“DoI,‘LittleSister’?Does

‘Big Brother’ hate ‘LittleBrother’? Itwasnotsowhenwe were playing together inthehappydaysatMalkata.”“‘The happy days at

Malkata,’” she repeats, very

low. “‘The happy days atMalkata!’IwishthegodshadneverletusleaveMalkata!”“Theydidnottakeusfrom

Malkata,” Aye remarksquietly. “He did. There wasnothingbutsandwherewesittonight before he brought ushere. That you know also,Daughter.”“But he will be given the

chance,” she repeats, notreplying to her father,

seeming to speak from someinnerworld. “And if he saysno,asyouallexpect—”“And you expect,” Aye

says gently, but again sheignoreshim.“—then what will become

ofhim?” she concludes.Andsuddenly, frightening us all,her voice rises almost to ashriek. “Whatwill happen tomyhusband?”“Weshalltry,”QueenTiye

replies, and her voice againtrembles but she does notflinch from the importofherwords, “not to hurt him.Weshall try not to hurt either ofthem.But if theycontinueasthey are—and we have alldecided,Niece,thatthisisthefinaltest—then theymustgo.Thereisnootherway.”“You will not strike down

Pharaoh!” she cries. “YoudarenotstrikedownPharaoh!

The people would neverallowit!”“No,” Aye agrees, “they

would not—not even thisPharaoh, with all his sadmisrule—if they knew intime.Butwhoistotellthem,Daughter? Horemheb’stroops surround your palace.They have orders to let noone go out who is notapproved by the Great Wifeorbyme.Noonewillarouse

thepeople.”Again there is a silence as

she stares at him withunbelieving eyes, the lovelyface no longer serene butshadowedwitha terrible fearanddismay.“Iamaprisoner,then,”she

says in a broken, patheticvoice.“Iamaprisoner, then,andcannotevengotohim.”“You are a prisoner for a

little time only,” Horemheb

says;andadds,histonemoregentle than his words, “Andbesides, Sister: what makesyouthinkhewouldwantyoutogotohim?”To this she replies with a

sudden sharp, strangled cry,wordless but filled with pain—because it is true, and sheknows it as well as we. Shebegins to weep, a racking,painful, awful sound; and onherthroneQueenTiyebegins

toweepinsympathy.Butherexpressiondoesnotyield,andpresently Nefertiti rises andhalf walks—finally halfcrawls—to the foot of thedais. There she raises herhandsinsupplication.“Can it not be done,” she

asksbetweenhersobs,“canitnot be done—in—in such away—that it will not—not—hurt him? Can he not begiven a warning? Can there

notbeonemorechance?”“What warning?”

Horemheb asks sharply.“What chance? He deservesnothingfromtheTwoLands,or from us who are theirguardians!”“The gods did not make

you their guardians!” shecries with a sudden savagebitterness, turning on himthroughhertears.“Heistheirguardian!Healone!”

“And Smenkhkara,”Horemheb answers softly.“Do not ever forgetSmenkhkara.”Instantly her expression

changes: inspiration flashesacross the now ravaged facewith its make-up straggling,its hair at last disheveled,disturbed as we have neverseen it.She turnsback to theGreat Wife, again raises herhands in supplication. I think

all of us know instinctivelywhat is coming now. Hervoice is suddenly cold, clearandsteady.“Smenkhkara!” she says,

with a softness as still andserpentine as Horemheb’sown. “Smenkhkara! Wouldnot that be warning enough,Majesty? Would not thatbringhimtohissenses?”For several moments no

one speaks. We are figures

frozeninafrieze,capturedinour moment of revelation,devastated and enthralled asshe is by the prospect she—and Horemheb (perhapsinadvertently—who everknows, with Horemheb?)—haveopenedbeforeus.Atlast,becausenooneelse

seemsable, I clearmy throatand venture to break thesilence.“It would save a direct

attack upon Pharaoh,” I saycautiously.Ayeagrees,facegrim.“It would have that

advantage.”“I do not think it will

succeed,” Horemheb says atlast. “But if the Great Wifeagrees,Iamwillingtotryit.”WealllookatQueenTiye.

Hertearshavestopped,sheisstaring far away into somedistance place—Malkata, I

think, in the old days, withlittle boys running andlaughing through thecorridors. Almost she doesnot breathe, so intensely andso tragically is she thinking.Almost do we not breatheeither, waiting upon herword. The silencelengthens … lengthens …untilat last sheuttersagreatsighandreturnstous.“Letusseewhattheysaya

half hour from now,” shesays, her voice firm, adecision of some kindobviously reached. “Thenwewillknowbetterwhattodo.”“You do agree with me!”

Nefertiti cries with a risingexcitement “You will trywhat I suggest!Oh,Majesty,Majesty!TellmeyouwilldoasIsuggest!”Queen Tiye stares down

uponherstillprostrate figure

with a look both wonderingand compassionate. Gentlyshe rises, steps forward,reaches down and brushes afallenstrandofhair from theChiefWife’s sweat-drenchedforehead.“Donotworry,Niece,”she

saysgently.“Ishall try tobefair to all. Though the godshelp me”—and suddenly shegives us a wild look, almostas thoughwewerenot there,

swept away again into theworld of our terribledecisions,twiceasterribleforher, their mother—“thoughthe gods help me, I do notknowhow!”“Good!” Nefertiti cries,

leapingtoherfeetlikeagirl,wildly excited and happy,while the old Queen gropesblindly for her brother’s armand with his help blindlydescends from the throne.

“Oh, thank you, Majesty,thankyou!”Andsherushestothedoor,

flings it open, forgetting—probably for the first time inher entire life—how shewillappear to the servants—andclapsherhandsfuriously.From all sides they come

running.Twominuteslaterwearein

the chariots on our wayacrossthestillbusynighttime

city—pastthebrightlylightedshops and bazaars wherebuyers and shopkeepershaggle over bread and meatand vegetables, past theshrilly whistling hawkers ofcandy and fine linens, thedonkeycartspushingthroughwith their loads of straw, thecasually strolling soldiers,hand in hand, who knownothing of the terrible dramaour hurried passage

represents as we race by,scattering them momentarilybefore they close placidlybehindus—onourwaytotheSouth Palace to see the twoKings.Behind us in the doorway

Nefertiti stands watching, astrange mixture of triumph,terrorandsorrowonherface.Tears are oncemore runningunheededdownhercheeks.In the savage light of the

torches she looks like anavenging goddess—ecstatic,butshakentotheheartinhermomentofvictory.She isstillaverybeautiful

woman.***

Akhenaten(life,health,prosperity!)

“Brother,”hesaysnervously,standingclosebythewindow

in the South Palace, peeringto the north across the lowjumbled roofs of the city, “Isee a little group of torchesmoving thisway.Theycomequickly, as if on horses orchariots. I think they comeourway.”“So?” I inquire dryly, for

you and I have learned,Father Aten, that this is thewaytocalmthissimplechildwho is Co-Regent, King and

PharaohoftheTwoLandsasIam,yetatmanymomentsisstill just my worried anduncertain little brother inneedofmycomforting. “So?Are the Lords of the TwoLandstotremblelikewomenthereby?”“I do not tremble like a

woman!” he says, halfindignantbutturningtosmileat me. “It is just”—hisexpression changes abruptly

again to one of nervousnessand concern—“that I do notlike the thought of having todobattlewithourmother.”“Therewillbenobattle,”I

say, raising myselfawkwardly from my throne,hobbling carefully down thesteps of the dais, shufflingover to standbesidehim,myarm reassuringly around hiswaist.“SheistheGreatWife,”he

says uncertainly, leaningclose against me as if forprotection.“AndIamNefer-Kheperu-

Ra Akhenaten, King of theNorth and South, LivingHorus,Sonof theSun,GreatBull,KingandPharaohoftheTwo Lands, He Who HasLived Long, Living in Truth—andalltherestofit,”Isay,trying to josh him from hismood. “And not even the

Great Wife, I warrant you,willdaretoattackme.”“ButIamnotthesethings,”

he says with a little shiver Icanfeelrunthroughhisbody.“Iwas not born so, I amnotso,savebyyourgrace.”“Or if I shoulddie,” I say,

stilllightly.“Thenyouwouldbeall thisbyfull right, for itis all yours by blood as nextin line,shouldInolongerbehere.”

He gives me a long,searching, sidelong glance,his face completely serious,determined,young.“I will never let anyone

harm you,” he assures mesolemnly.“And I,” I respond, my

voicecroakingsuddenlywithemotion, “will never letanyoneharmyou,either.”Suddenly we kiss, not

lingeringly and lovingly as

we often do, but with aterribledesperation.Yetwhyshouldwebothbe

afraid, Father Aten? We areunderyourprotection,andallwedoisguardedbylove.Below the guards come

jangling to attention.Horses’hoofs ring on pavement, thesweating animals snort andpuff. Bustle fills thecorridors, shouts and soundsof arrival echo through the

SouthPalace.Reluctantlywe release one

another and he assists meback to the dais. Leaningheavily on his strong rightarm, yet still having to dragmyselfpainfullyandbysheerforce of will, as I mustincreasingly do in theserecentmonthswhenmybodyseems to weary along withmy mind, I remount thethrone.

“Her Majesty the GreatWife, the Divine Father-in-law and Councilor Aye, theGeneral Horemheb, the SageAmonhotep, Son of Hapu!”the Guardian of the King’sOwn Room shouts frombeyondthedoor.“Inamoment!” Icallback

sharply. “When the GoodGodisready!”QuicklySmenkhkarahands

methecrookandflail,adjusts

the pleated kilt over myknees, settles the goldenheaddress more gracefullyabout my shoulders, adjuststhe towering blue linenDouble Crown more firmlyon my head, makes sure theuplifted cobra head of theuraeus is centered exactlyabovemy forehead. Then hequickly adjusts his ownregalia, exactly similar tomine, and takes his seat on

thethroneatmyrighthand.Then, andonly then,when

all is ready, do I raise myvoice and, aided by yourloving strength, O Aten, andhis, call out in a strong andcommanding voice thatmiraculouslydoesnotfailmebutsoundsstrongandsteady:“Bid those enterwhowish

audience with the Kings oftheTwoLands!”

***

Amonhotep,SonofHapu

Theygreetusliketwogoldenstatues,seatedontheirdoublethrone. In spite of all we

know, all we think, all weplan,itisimpossiblenottobeawedby theancientmystery.Aye, Horemheb and I fall toour knees, touch ourforeheadstothefloorinritualgreeting.OnlytheGreatWiferemains standing, rigid andunyielding in her goldengarments,crownedheadhigh,eyes staring fearlessly intotheirs.“You have not provided

chairs for us, my sons,” shesaysinaclear,levelvoice.“Ididnotrearyoutoshowsuchdiscourtesytothosetowhomcourtesyisdue.”She pauses expectantly

while Aye, Horemheb and Irise. No expression crossesAkhenaten’s face,andafteralightning sidewise glance tosee what he should do,Smenkhkara sets his face inthe same unyielding pattern.

Thesilence lengthens,beginsto turn awkward. Anger, forher and for us, begins to fillourhearts.OnceagainNefer-Kheperu-Ra has misjudgedtheworldinwhichhelives.“You wished to see me

about something?” heinquires, ignoring herquestion. For a split secondwe can sense her debatingwhether to force the issue,orderAye tocallupservants

with chairs—which I do notthinkevenPharaoh,lostasheis in dreams of theAten andarrogance, would darecountermand. We can alsosense Smenkhkara’sinstinctive protest at thisbrutal treatment of theirmother, evenaswesensehisimmediate helplessresignation as he realizes hecannotdefyhisbrother.Then we sense her

decision:No, let him act likethis, if he is fool enough. Itwill only strengthen ourresolve.“Verywell,” she says, and

with serene grace turnsgravely and beckons usforward. Not looking at thetwoKings,we advance,Ayeat her right hand, Horemheband I respectfully a half stepbehind,heontherightbesidehis father, I on the Great

Wife’sleft.“Are you comfortable

now?”Akhenatenaskswithabiting sarcasm; and serenelyshe replies, “Yes, my son,and we thank you for yourcourtesy in granting usaudiencethisnight.”“What is it you wish to

discuss?”heasks;andasshedid with Nefertiti, QueenTiyedecidestobeblunt.Herresolve,werealize,goeseven

deeperthanweimagined.“Your shameful order to

Huy and Meryra that theirtombs should depict thedurbar solely with yourbrother and yourself, insteadofinthetraditionalwaywiththe Chief Wife, yourdaughters and the tribute ofthe Nine Bows and all ourvassals and allies, as befitsthe dignity and honor of thisHouse,” she says calmly,

biting off the concludingphrasewith an emphasis thatshows she does not desire totakeanynonsense.Neither,ofcourse,doeshe.“Mother!” he says sharply,

hunching forward awkwardlyon his throne and glaring ather from his slanting, wide-set eyes. “Madam! Thedignityandhonorofthetruthare more important than thedignity and honor of this

House.Anddoyounotforgetthat this is what my FatherAtentellsme,andthisiswhatIbelieve.”“Thenyou are a fool,” she

says coolly, and instinctivelywegasp,fornoonehasdaredtalk to a Pharaoh like thisbefore, not even a mother.But theGreatWifehasmadeuphermindatlast,andthereis no mistaking, of course,where his iron comes from.

Shegave it tohim: it isonlynatural that she should get itback.Whichshedoes.“Not as great a fool as

those who would deny thetruth!” he says with asharpness equal to hers. “Inwhich category, Madam, Ifind you now. I have givenmyorder toHuyandMeryrathat the durbar shall bepictured as it was, Ankh-Kheperu-Ra at my side, the

fewpaltrytributeswehad—”“Andwhose fault is that?”

she interrupts angrily. “WhohaslettheEmpiredwindletonothing? Who has been solost in his games with theAten—and with his brother—”“Careful,Madam!”hecries

angrily, his voice beginningto get its emotion-filledcroak.“Mother,becareful!”“So lost with these things

that he has paid no attentionto keeping Kemet strong, hehas let all slide, he hasabandonedall,hehasbeennoPharaoh but a play-Kingdoing futile things for emptyand futile purposes!” sheshouts above his bitterprotest,andthen,womanlike,begins tocry.But there isnoquestion of this beingweakness. They are tears ofanger, and she dashes them

angrily from her eyes as shehurrieson,permittinghimnochancetoreply.“You have let the Two

Lands fall into chaos andcorruption!Youhavemadeamockeryofgovernment!Youhavemade ofKemet, and ofyourself and your poorbrother, a laughingstock totheworld!Youhaveloweredthis House and this Dynastyto the ground! You have

debasednotonlyyourselfbutall of us with your foolishAten and your wild crazydoings!Anditmuststop.”And, breathless, she stops,

continuing to cry, continuingtodashawaythetearswithafurious,impatientanger.Onlyher heavy breathing and hisfill the room: the rest of us,including poor Smenkhkara,who now looks scared todeath and even younger than

his twenty brief years,scarcelydarebreatheatall.It is obvious that he is

going through an intenseinner struggle. Tentatively atlast his brother reaches outand grasps his arm, withsomething of the samesoothing gesture we used sooften to seeNefertiti employwithhis rages inhisyoungerdays. But he is much older,the rages go deeper and last

longer: itwill takemorethanSmenkhkara’s frightenedlittle gesture to calm himnow.“Majesty,” he says at last,

words barely distinguishablein the harsh croak of histerribleemotion,“I thinkyouhad better go and take yourfellow traitors with you. Ishall not punish you as youdeserve, for you are mymother,andallofyouare—”

Hehesitatesforasecondandthen changes the word as heappears to be swept by asuddengustoffeeling—canitbe regret and sadness, canthose actually be tears in theeyes of our strange, strangeNefer-Kheperu-Ra?“Sinceallofyouare—my—myfamily.But I do notwant you comenear me again, or try tocommunicatewithme inanyway, or defile and defame

Father Aten, or Ankh-Kheperu-Ra, or me, ever,ever, ever again. Go! Go!Go!”Againthereissilencewhile

he stares at us like somewoundedanimalcorneredandfilledwithbitternessandhate.We are stunned, we do notmove. He is pale andquivering with the emotionand effort of it all, lookingsuddenly as though Anubis,

guardian of the grave, weretouchinghimurgentlyon theshoulder and might not longdelaycallinghimtotheWest.At his side his brother looksequallystricken,butinawaytypical of poor Smenkhkara,who must now pay thepenalty we have decidedupon for his brother’sintransigence: he looksstrickenforhismother,whomhe loves, for his brother,

whom he loves, and for us,whom he loves. His concernis all with others, not withhimself.Howsad that suchagoodhearted ladmust die forno other crime, really, thansimply being toogoodhearted.But this will come a little

later, in some way no doubtalready planned by Aye andHoremheb. For the momentthey must make one last

attempt to bring the GoodGod back to reason, beforethey can finally feelthemselvesfreetoproceedastheymust.“Does YourMajestymean

to stripme of allmy powersand duties as Councilor?”Aye inquires at last in a lowandtremblingvoice.“I have told you,”

Akhenaten replies, obviouslywith a great effort but

unrelenting:“Go!”Andso,aftera fewfurther

seconds of uncertainty,Queen Tiye, still weeping,gestures us toward the door.Aye is weeping, Horemheb(quitegenuinely,Ibelieve)isweeping; I, too, weep forthem all, for tragedies pastandtragediesyettocome.AtthedoorIcannotresista

quickglancebackward.There on their thrones,

holding one another in adesperate grasp whoseterrible desolationcommunicates itself to melike a blow, the two mightyKings of the Two Lands areweepingtoo.How strange and terrible

can families be, whosemembers sometimes do suchawfulthingstooneanother.Wegotothebeautifullittle

palace of the Great Wife on

thebankof theNile, there tosetinmotionthefatethegodshave decreed for him whothought he could destroy thegods.

***

Merytaten

Idonotknowwhathappenedwhen they allmet last night,becauseSmenkhkarawill nottellme.AllIknowisthatthismorning he ismoping about,

bursting into sudden tears,utteringunintelligiblesounds,acting like a sickly girl,which I often think he is. Ihave never understood myfather’s infatuation for him:tome he has always seemedtheweakest—if,nodoubt,theprettiest—of the Family. Ihavesufferedhimashusbandbecausethatiswhattheneedsof theDynasty require, but Iam glad to say I have never

let him touch me—even hadhe wanted to, which he hasnot.I have suffered him also

because it is not only theneeds of the Dynasty thatconcernme.Ifmyfatherdies,as his poor health anduncaring ways with food—Idoubt if he eats enough nowto keep a bird alive—maysoon guarantee, then mypuling child of an uncle-

husbandwillbecometheonlyKing, supreme in power andauthority, omnipotentPharaoh of the Two Lands.No one will dare challengehim,noonewilldarecontrolhim,noonewillruletheruler—saveone.Iwill.Andpresently,when

he has served my purposessufficiently—when with hisspineless agreement I haveremoved my mother and my

grandmother forever fromanypower inKemet—maybeevenremoved themfromlifeitself,ifthegodsdonotsoondo the task for me—then Ishall consider what to doabout him. After I haveaccomplished that, Kemetwill have anotherHatshepsut(life, health, prosperity!) torule and strengthen the TwoLandsanew.I can do it. I have the

strength.Ihavethecourage.Iam capable of it all. Theytend to dismiss me as adomineering, unpleasant,interferinggirl,buttheydosoat their peril. None of themwillbesafefromthePharaohMerytaten (life, health,prosperity to me!) when thetime comes for me to strike.…Thus do I dream,

particularly on days like

todaywhenmypatheticstickof a husband shows himselfin all his pretty weakness. Idespise him. I despise themall. Maybe what I dream isnonsense but I do not thinkso. Everybody around me isweak except my mother andmy grandmother, Aye andHoremheb.Whatnaturedoesnotdisposeof,Ican,ifIplancarefullyenough.And Iwill.I have little else to do but

think about it all day long. Iam quite capable of it. Theywillsee.Now I think I hear him

coming:thereisasnifflinginthehall.Yes, herehe comes,stillwipinghis eyeswith theback of a hand. But he hasstopped crying, I think. Infact, he looks quite excitedand,surprisingly,ofasuddenquitehappy.He isnot alone.Peneptah, the bearded new

scribe who has entered myfather’shouse, iswithhim. Ihave noticed Peneptah forsometime.Heappealstome.Hetoo,Ithink,isverystrong.He is also very manly andexciting in that way, too.Hatshepsut (life, health,prosperity!) had her Senemutas builder, councilor, loverandstrongrightarmtosmiteherenemies.WhyshouldnotMerytaten (life, health,

prosperity to me!) have herPeneptah?But now the weakling

speaks.“The Great Wife has sent

meabeautiful scarabby thismessenger!” he saysexcitedly. “Good Peneptahhas brought it to me as aproof of her love! She doesnothateusafterall!”“I did not know she hated

you,” I say coldly, though I

cannot resist a quick, secret,amused little glance atPeneptah,whoreturnsitwithequalhumor,andasfurtively.“You were not there last

night,”Smenkhkarasays,andforamomentlooksasthoughhe might burst into tearsagain. But he is too excitedby this bauble from hismother, which to me meansnothing but to him, in thecontext of their apparent

quarrel, seems to meaneverything.“So she has sent you a

scarab,” I say, letting myvoice become mocking.Peneptah again gives me asecret little smile behind myuncle’sback.“Yes, here it is!” he says,

still sounding like an excitedchild, and opening his hand,revealsittome.Itisindeedabeauty, large and finely

carved, made of carnelianwithinlaidwingsandeyesoflapis lazuli. Imust confess itappeals to me simply foritself. Itmust come fromherprivate collection, and beveryold.Perhapsitwasevenworn by Hatshepsut (life,health, prosperity!) SuddenlyIamsureofit.“Can I have it?” I ask

bluntlywhilePeneptahsmilesbenignly in the background

andencouragesmewithlittlewinksandnods.“Well—” Smenkhkara

hesitates, and then saysdoubtfully, “It should bewashed, I think. It gives offanodorofsomesort.Itstainsmy hands.” He holds themouttome,andindeedthereisawhitishdustuponthem.“It must be simply age,” I

say impatiently. “I cannotsmell anything. Here, give it

tome!”And obediently, of course,

he does, for anyone whospeaks strongly toSmenkhkaracanusuallycarrytheday.I take the scarab in my

hands, rub it between them.The same powdery staincomesoffuponme. I liftmyhandstomynose,takeadeepbreath. There is indeed,thoughIwillnotgivehimthe

satisfaction of saying so, afaintpeculiarodor.Seeingmegive no sign, he follows myexample and sniffs his handsdeeply. Behind his backPeneptah continues to smileand nod encouragement. ImustseethathereturnswhenSmenkhkara goes to myfatherlaterintheday.“It is nothing but dust,” I

sayscornfully.“I suppose you are right,”

he agrees less doubtfully. “Itmust be very old. I do notthinkshewouldsendaproofofherlovetomethatwasjustnew-made. It can only bevery—very—”And quite amazingly he

stopsinmid-sentence,givesadeepgaspforbreath,clutcheshis throat, utters a strangledand incoherent cry and fallswrithingatmyfeet.Instinctively I start to lean

down tohim,when suddenlyhe goes limp. I start toscream, but am dimly awarethat Peneptah has leapedforward and put a hand overmy mouth. Suddenly I, too,cannot breathe. He removeshishand, Istruggle, Istart tofall. Gently he lowers me tothe floorbesideSmenkhkara.Again I try to scream, Icannot, there is no air, Icannot breathe—I cannot

breathe—my body istwisting, turning—I cannotbreathe!Dimly through my terrible

thrashingsIseethatPeneptahhas stepped forward,carefully scooped up thescarabinaheavyclothdrawnfromthefoldsofhisgarment,andsteppedback.Hebeginstofadefrommy

glazing eyes. He is in thedoorway, looking

thoughtfully and patientlydown upon us. He is stillsmiling.

***

Tutankhaten

Criersareshoutingsomethingin the city. There is afrightened silence out thereeverywhere.WhenI lookoutof the windows I see hardly

anymoving in thestreetsbutthere is much running andwhispering in the NorthPalace.MycousinNefertitiiscrying hysterically as thoughshe has seen terrible things.They say my brotherSmenkhkara and my cousinMerytaten are dead, struckdown suddenly by someunknown disease. Now Icome next to my brotherAkhenaten in line for the

throne. I do not want to bePharaoh. It means terriblethings. I am frightened. I donotwanttobePharaoh.…

***

Akhenatenlife,health,prosperity!)

Ah! They have killed myheart. Helpme, Father Aten,

help me or I shall die!Whycan I not die? I want to die!Helpmedie,FatherAten,formy heart is dead, they havekilledmyheart!Hewantedtodoonlygood—Iwantedtodoonly good—they have killedhim, Father Aten, they havekilled my heart. I shall gomad. I shall go mad! Helpme,FatherAten!Helpme!

***

BookII

DeathofaGod

1361B.C.

***

Horemheb

HeneverstirsfromtheGreatHousenow:neithermyfathernor I see him once in amonth, probably. Yet thegoverning of Kemet

somehow goes on because ithas to go on. It goes onbecausewemake itgoon…and because there is no oneelsetodoit.WhenSmenkhkaradied(as

he had to die, and I feel noregret for that: he was thewilling fool of his brother,and deserved it), the heartseemed to die as well inAkhenaten. This of coursewas what we intended. For

seventy days he did nothingbut hover, weeping, over theembalmment and burial; Ithink even the preciousAtenwas forgotten during thattime. He acted as oneparalyzed, lost in grief,uncaring what went onanywherearoundhim,savingonly that the tomb, themummy and the coffin—thoseaffrontstothegodsandcommon decency!—must be

exactlyashewantedthem.Therefore, of course,

neither my father Aye normyself was stripped of anyhonorsorpowers.Wesimplywent right ahead, aided bymy younger half brotherNakht-Min, whom wepersuaded Akhenaten toappoint Vizier, doing whathad to be done for the TwoLands, exercising ourauthority unchanged, giving

our commands as though hehad never removed us fromoffice. Besides ourselvesthere were only three otherwitnesses to that. One diedthe next morning, and theloyalty and support of theGreat Wife and Amonhotep,Son of Hapu, have neverwavered. No one will everknow that Nefer-Kheperu-Racried “Go!” to us in thatfrenzied, frantic, childish

way,andbanishedus foreverfrom power. And he is toodisheartenedandbrokennowevertotryitagain.This we have proved by

puttingittothetest.Thefirststep, of course, was to orderimmediately that thecoronationdurbarbedepictedin the tombs of Huya andMeryra exactly as the GreatWife and Nefertiti wished.Nowinbothtombsthescene

isasitshouldbeforalltime:serene on their thrones,Akhenaten and Nefertiti,surrounded by theirdaughters, receive theParadeof Tribute from our dutifulallies and vassals. Aroundthem are happy games andcelebrations of hisassumptionofpower.It does notmatter that this

isnotthetruth.Give it a few years and it

willbe.When he made no

objection to this, being stilltoo bemused by grief tocountermand us—we wereverycareful,mindyou, togotohimandannouncewhatwehad done; he merely gave along shuddering sigh andstared at us from those red-rimmed, unseeing eyes untilwe shivered, in somethingapproaching fright, and went

away—we felt that we haddestroyed his will as we hadintended, and that he wouldnever recover sufficientstrengthtodefyus.Weknewthat we could begin toproceed—stillverycautiouslyand slowly, for he is stillPharaoh,ofcourse,and therestillmight be some last flareof rage and defiance, thoughwe think itveryunlikely—toprepare for the end of his

rule, theenthronementofTutandthereturnofAmon.“The end of his rule”: this

we have yet to accomplish,and the means are not yetfully clear. We have brokenhis will and with it we haveapparently broken his body,for we understand fromHatsuret,whostillremainsonregular duty in the Palace,that he takes little food orwater,praysconstantlytothe

Atenandtohisdeadbrother,grows steadily thinner andweaker,andseems,infact,tobe fading away physically aswell as mentally. He livesalmost in a daze, Hatsuretsays (fingering withsatisfaction the beautifulcarnelian and lapis scarab,long since cleansed of itsimpurities, which he hangsabout his neck on a goldchain and loves to fondle as

he talks), and his end cannotbetoolongdelayed.Buthowlong is “too long,” and howmuchlongercanweaffordtolet Kemet suffer theindignities that everywherebesether?My father and I, aided by

clever Tutu the ForeignMinister, now handlePharaoh’s correspondencewith our allies and vassals—andasorrycorrespondenceit

is.Theyusedtobegforgold:now they beg for salvation.TheHittites,pushedbackandheld firmly in place byTuthmoseIIIandAmonhotepII (life, health, prosperity tothemboth,greatbuildersandsavers of the Two Lands!),are on the move again,raiding down under theleadershipof theirnewKing,Supp-i-lu-li-u-mas, intoMittani, Syria, Byblos and

beyond.With themconspiresAziru of Amurru, playing adouble game which isobvious to Aye and myself,though even now I do notquitedaresendoutarmiesonmyowncommand: I amstillparalyzed by the simple factofPharaoh.ItisPharaohtheywant. They want the LivingHorus at the head of histroopstosavethem,andtheyareright:nothingelsecando

it now. Things have reachedsuchapassofdemoralizationinournorthernterritoriesthatonlyhisactualpresencecouldproduce thenecessarymagic:andheisinnoconditionatalltogo.Wedonotfeelguiltyabout

this, nor do we takeresponsibility for it, sinceeven when he had thestrength he had noinclination. The Empire has

been crumbling for a decadeand he has done nothingabout it evenwhenhe could.He would never havechangedevenhadwelefthiminhealth.Hehasalwaysbeenhopeless in this regard, as inso many others. He has hadhimselfdepictedinthefriezesand statues smiting theenemies of Kemet like anyotherPharaoh,butinhishearthehasnothadthewillorthe

energy to lift a finger. It isonlyoneinthelongcatalogueofhissins.So the letters come in.

Theystilladdresshimas“theKing,my Lord,my Sun,myGod.” They still say, “I amthy servant, the dust of thyfeet.…”Theystilltellhim,“IlooktotheKingmylord,andthere is light.… I move notawayfromtheKing’sfeet.…Onmyneckreststheyokeof

my lord the King.…” Theyprate,“AtthefeetoftheKingmy Lord seven times andagain seven times I prostratemyself upon my back andupon my breast.” And theybegforhelp,poordogs:“OhmyLord,ifthetrouble

of this land lies upon theheartofmyLord,letmyLordsend troops, and let himcome.…“Lord of the Two Lands,

King ofKings,God-King onearth:leadyourarmytousinyour own divine person, atthe head of your vast army,with glittering chariots ofgold, with warriors heavywith weapons as far as eyecansee!”And from Simyra and

Tuniptwomonthsago:“Bringhelp,beforeitistoo

late!”AndfromTuniptwoweeks

ago:“Now we belong no more

to our Lord the King ofKemet…whenAziru entersSimyra,Aziruwilldowithusas he pleases, in the territoryofourLord,theKing.…”AndfromTunipyesterday:“And nowTunip, thy city,

weeps, and her tears areflowing, and there is no helpforus.”Andherewe sit paralyzed,

whileallfalls!Wedonot showhim these

letters andwedo not answerthem. What would be theuse? He would do nothinganyway. All falls, all falls!The TwoLands dwindle andtheHittitesadvance.WouldIwere Pharaoh now, to rid usof this shamebefore it is toolatetorebuildtheEmpireandmakeKemetgreatagain!Itislate,itislate!

Allfalls.…My father counsels

patience.He shrinks, I think,from further death, as doestheGreatWife.Fromtimetotime Nefertiti still tries, invain, to see her husband.Fortunately he alwaysrefuses,sowedonothavetointerpose force to keep herfrom him. If shewere to seehimshemightbeabletorallyhim for one last attempt to

reasserthispower.Sheis theonly one who could. But hedoes not know this: hedeliberately keeps her away.Poor Akhenaten, who hasalways cut himself off fromeveryone and everything thatcouldhelphim!Imightweepforhim, in someotherworld—indeed, I have wept forhim, in days past. But hereceivesnotearsfrommeanymore.Itisalltoolateforthat.

Almost a year has passedsince the death of Ankh-Kheperu-Ra. Still he grieves,shutawayintheGreatHouse.When my father and I visit,the windows are shuttered,incense burns, priests of theAten,byhisorder,stillchantdirges in the corridors: all isdark and gloomy. He hasstoppedwearinghisregaliatogreetus.Nowhewearsonlyashabby old linen shift like a

woman’s, not even thepleated kilt of Pharaoh. Herarelybotherswithawig,hishead looks dirty andscrofulous. His misshapenbody is thinner, moreelongated,more grotesque, ifpossible.Idonotthinkheletsthem bathe him very often.He is turning a little moreeach day into an old man,though he is barely thirty-two. Only the terrible eyes,

haunted,unhappy, filledwithpain, stare out at us, saying:Leave me alone. He curlsupon his throne like ananimal, wounded, resentful,dreadfully bereft. We neverdare stay long. Consciencedoesnotpermitit:anditisallwe can do to stand the sightand smell of him, even for afewmoments.…Iwonderifwedidtheright

thing.

My concern now is howbestandquickesttofinishthebusiness: because if the godsdid notmean for us to beginit,theyshouldnothaveletus.And if they will not soonfinish it forus, thenwemustdoitourselves.Ramesses and Hatsuret

have their orders to report tome instantly anything thatwill serve as excuse. Then Ishall immediately confront

theGreatWifeandmyfather,and whether I receive theirapproval or not, it will bedone.I am determined that it

shallnotcontinuelikethis.***

Ramesses

Ihearsomegossipamongthesoldiers that Nefertiti hasselected twelve from amongher small contingent ofhousehold troops and had

them assigned to her aspersonal bodyguards. Whydoes she need them, Iwonder? No one is attackingher.

***

Hatsuret

Anser-Wossett has sought anaudience with Pharaoh. Toeveryone’s amazement, hehas agreed to receive her.They have already been

closeted alone for almost anhour. Soldiers are posted atthedoor.TheyareNefertiti’sand will tell me nothing. Iloitercloseas longas Idare,but say nothing. They beginto give me strange looks. Idrop back into the crowd.Why would Anser-Wossettseek audience? Why wouldhe receive her? When shedepartsIamwaitingnear thesteps. Our eyes meet, I nod

toward themarket-place.Shegives the slightest of nods inreturn. I think she will meetme.Somethingbrews.Imustfind out what it is. TheHeretic must not be allowedto escape the vengeance ofAmon.

***

Anser-Wossett

I approach the South Palace,trembling, on the orders oftheQueen.Isendinmynamewith the humble request thathe grant me audience.

HatsuretlurksaboutasIwaitbut I never glance in hisdirection.Ifullyexpect tobeordered sternly away, if notworse. When the messengerreturns with word that theGoodGodwill seeme, I amamazed. I glance then atHatsuret.He is as amazed asI, everyone is amazed. But Ikeep my face composed andimpassiveastheQueendoes,andwalkpast themall down

the long corridors to hisroom. Incense is burning,priestsof theAtenchant softdirges for Smenkhkara. I amannounced, the doors areflung open. I sink to myknees without looking up,bend low to touch myforehead to the floor.Behindmethedoorsclose.Ilookupand cannot suppress aninvoluntary start of dismay:he looks so awful.Of course

heseesit,hehasalwaysseeneverything. A bitter andsarcastic smile touches hisface.“The Lady Anser-Wossett

may rise,” he says, “beforeshe falls over fromastonishment at my sadappearance.”“No, Your Majesty,” I

stammer, “no—no—I only—”“Iknow,”hesaysinamore

kindlytone,somethingofthegraciousness he always usedto show me in the old daysreturning. “Here, take thisseat beside me, and we willtalk.”“But, Your Majesty,” I

stammer again, overcomewithaweandhesitation, “theseatbesideyouis—is—”“It isanempty throne,”he

saysbleakly.“Iknow.Pleasebe seated and tell me why

youcome.”Stillhesitantly,forwhathe

invites me to do is reallysacrilege, I slowlymount thesteps to the dais and seatmyself, trembling inwardlywithfrightat theenormityofmypresumption even thoughhehasinvitedit.“Don’tsitontheedge,”he

commands with a trace ofamusement. “Sitbackandbecomfortable.… Now”—when

I have obeyed, very gingerly—“howdoyoufindme?”He is dressed in a simple

butcleanlinenshift;heisnotwearing the pleated kilt ofPharaoh.Hehasputonawig,which is clean. He looksmuch thinner and older thanwhen I saw him last, reallyquite emaciated. There arecircles under those eyes thatalways seem to penetrate tothe very limit of one’s

innermost pretensions. I donot think he has bathed thisday,orperhapsforseveral:arankodorafflictsmynostrils.But I tell myself firmly thathe is the Good God, theLiving Horus, King andPharaoh of the Two Lands,and I must do nothing thatwill destroy this intimacywhich is greater than theChief Wife and I had everdaredhope.SoIgivenosign

—at least I think I give nosign. But again, with theheightened sensitivity toothers’reactionstohispersonthathehashadeversincehisillnesssomanyyearsago,heknows.“Yes,” he says with a sad

smile, “I am afraid I am notascleanlyasIusedtobe,andI am sorry if it offends you.But there is nothing now”—and again his face takes on

that terrible bleak look—“thereisnothingforwhichtokeepmyselfinorder…somore and more I find that Iam letting myself becomeslovenly. Which I know Iought not to do, but”—heutters a heavy sigh—“somehow, I do not seemtocare.…Here”—hereachesfor a bottle of scented waterthat stands on a small tablebeside his throne—“let us

scatterthisaboutandseeifitwill make our talk morepleasant.… If you had givenme advance warning youwere coming,” he goes onwhen he has finished and Iam breathingmore easily, “Ishould have made myselfcompletely presentable foryou.Butthenyoumighthavebeenafraidtotalkhonestlytothegod.Now you can talk to one

who, as you see, is but anuncleanman,tiredandillandnot, I think, too longfated tostayonthisearth.”“Oh no, Your Majesty!” I

protest. “Many, many yearsawaityou.Manygood thingsstilllieahead,oncethis—thispresenttimehaspassed.”“Once this present horror

haspassed?”heechoeswithasmile so infinitely sad that itseemstoturnmyheartinside

out for him. “Oh no, Anser-Wossett: it is not going topass. It is going to staywithme until I die. Which, as Isay,willnotbelong,I think.And do you knowsomething?” He swingshimself to face me fully,bracing himself with an armagainstthearmofhisthrone.“Idonotcare.Isimplydonotcare. I pray only to FatherAten that he may take me

quickly, so that I may leavethisungratefulpeoplewhodonot understand or appreciateme and go to rejoin the onewhodoes.”“Your Majesty,” I venture

then, a terrible fear andtrembling returning to myheart,forIdonotknowwhathis reaction will be: but theQueen has told me that if Iam brave he will respect itand I will receive no harm.

“Your Majesty, there is stillone who understands andappreciates you, here on thisearth.Whycanyounot,evennow, return to her who stilllovesyou?”For several moments he is

silent,sittingfrozenasheis.Iglanced away when I spoke,not daring to meet his eyes,and so I, too, sit frozen. Iexpect one of the suddenrageswithwhichHerMajesty

and I were once so familiar:sucharageaskilledhisuncleAanen, for instance, orAmon’s old High PriestMaya. May it not now killAnser-Wossett?Butwhen hefinallyspeaksitisnotinragebutagenuinepuzzlement.“Why did she send you to

me?” he asks. “Wehave hadno reason to speak to oneanotherforthreeyears.Thereisnoreasonnow.Sheisdead

to me—dead! Does she notunderstandthat?”“No,YourMajesty,” Isay,

emboldened by his evidentwillingness to remain calm,“shedoesnotunderstandthatbecauseshestilllovesyou.”“What cause have I given

her to do that?” he asksbluntly, and this time I doturn to him and face him assquarelyashefacesme.“No cause whatever, Your

Majesty,” Isay,asbluntlyashe. “In fact, much cause tothe contrary. But we womenare like that: it is the onlyexplanation. She has beencommitted to you from achild. She, at least, remainstrue.…”Andthen,becausehestill does not rage butcontinues to look at mecuriously from those strange,hooded eyes we will neverget used to, I venture still

further. “Is there nothing inyou that remains true to her,YourMajesty?”“Why did she send you

here?” he asks, ignoring myquestion. “It was not to tellmeofoldlove,surely.”“No,”Isayveryquietly.“It

was to offer you a plan toescape.”“Escape?”heasksblankly.

“Are you telling me, then,that the Living Horus is a

prisoner?”“You would not be if you

would still go about amongthepeople,”Isay.“ButYourMajesty stays always here,always secluded, alwaysalone.”“I am alone!” he says

sharply.“They take advantage of

it,” I say, wondering at myowncouragebut feelingnowthat I have gone too far to

stop.“Who?”“Many.”“Namethem!”“They are as numerous as

the sands, Your Majesty,” Isay, trembling again insidefor fear my evasion willprovoke his wrath, butdeterminednottobedivertedfrom the Chief Wife’spurpose. “They are in yourhouse, they are throughout

Kemet, they are north inNaharin, they are south inwretched Kush, they areeverywhere along yourborders—everywhere.Andaslong as you remain here inthe South Palace and do notbreak out, as long as you donottakethegovernmentbackinyourownhands—”“Are you saying my uncle

Aye and cousin Horemhebare betraying me?” he

interruptssharply.“I say they are ruling

KemetbecauseYourMajestywill not,” I retort, and trulythen I do not expect to live,foratlasthisfacecloudsanda furious expression comesintohiseyes.“Yougotoofar,Lady,”he

says, his voice suddenlychokedwithemotion.“I humbly beg Your

Majesty’spardon,”Isay,and

lowermyhead and drawmyveil acrossmy eyes,which Iclose in both fright andresignation, for I fullyexpectthenext step to be callingofthe guards, followed byprisonordeathforme.Instead,nothinghappens. I

amawareofhisheavy,angrybreathing,Iamsharplyawarethat the effect of theperfumed water is wearingoffand theodor is returning;

I am aware that I am but ahumble subject daring tospeak to the Good God asonly the Family, I am sure,haseverspokentohim.Iamaware that I am sitting,incongruously, on the throneof Kemet, a thought thatalmost makes me burst intohysterical laughter. I amawareofmanythings,buttheprincipaloneIamawareofisthatheisnotgoingtokillme,

or even let his rage continuemuchlonger.“You speak treasonous

things,” he says at last,quietly, “but no doubt youbelieveyouhavegoodcause.Exactlywhatisthereasonmywifesentyouhere?”At this I am greatly

encouraged, for I believe ithas been a very long timesince he has acknowledgedthe fact that Her Majesty is

stillhiswife.“She has prepared your

escape,” I repeat. This timehestudiesmeintently.“Tell me,” he says, half

mocking, “where doesPharaoh‘escape’to?”“Twelve of her household

troopsaretrainedandready,”Isay.“Prepareyourself.TheywillcometonightatmidnightwhileallthePalaceisasleep.Her Majesty will come with

them. She will announce totheguardsthatsheiscomingto see you. You,meanwhile,will have told your guardsthatyouexpecther,verylate,andthatsheistobeadmitted.Theywill not dare challengeher if you have given theorder. She will remain but avery brief while. You willthenseehertotheouterdoor,accompanied by her soldiers.Hidden around the corner in

thenext streetwillbea litterfor you. You will proceedtogether, not in haste butwithout slowness either, tothe litter. No one will darechallengeyou.Youwillgotothe North Palace, take upresidence and tomorrow anew day will begin for theTwo Lands when you gotogether to the Window ofAppearances to announce toKemet that you are reunited

and that henceforth you areresumingactivecontrolofallYour Majesty’s affairs,removingAyeandHoremhebfrom their offices andappointing others loyal toyou.”I pause, a little out of

breath from this lengthyrecital.Icanseethatheis,forthe moment at least,interested and perhaps evenexcited: his face showsmore

animation than Ihaveseen itshow since the death ofSmenkhkara. For a momentthis lingers, I can see himthinking about it almost asthough he believed itpossible.Then as abruptly ashis face has begun to glowwith life, the glow fades.Heseemstoshrink,towithdraw,to hide away into himselfagain; he actually seems togrow smaller and more

wastedevenasIwatch.Itisavery odd sensation I have,and it tells me before hespeaksthatwemayhavelosthim. But he is courteousabout it: His Majesty hasalwaysbeencourteoustome.AndIdonotintendtogiveupwithout an argument, havinggonesofar.“Lady,” he says, “tell your

mistress Iappreciatehercareforme,but tellher thatwhat

she proposes is impossible. Icould not leave this housewhere I have been happy toreturn to one where I wasunhappy—even though I amno longer happy here. But itis here I belong. It is here IcanbestworshiptheAtenandthememory of—of himwhostrengthenedmeinallIdid.Icould not abandon them toreturntotheChiefWife.”“I do not believe she

wishesyou toabandon them,Your Majesty,” I say. “SheworshipstheAtenasyoudo.Together you can give himnew life in the Two Lands,where few now favor him.And as for His late MajestySmenkhkara”—he flinches atthename,butIgobravelyonas Her Majesty would wish—“I believe Her Majestyfully respects your grief forhim, and would not resent

your expression of it. HerMajesty,” I conclude quietly,“has suffered much, andlearned much, in these lastthreeyears.Ithinkshewillbehappy only to have youreturnedtoherside,andwellagain.”“Yes,” he says gloomily,

distractedandasiftohimself,“Iamnotwell.…”“Then come to the North

Palace, Your Majesty!” I

urge. “Come back to thosewho will love and care foryou! Do not remain herewhere you are so unhappyandalone.Theydonotreallycare for you here—no onedoes. I think Your Majestyknowsthis,inhisheart.”Again I havedaredgreatly

in saying suchcandid things:but I feel I must. And itappearsthatIhavebeenright,for now he turns finally,

draws himself back in histhrone and again looks mefullintheface.“Itwouldbenice,”hesays,

so forlornly that it wrenchesmy heart, “to be wheresomeonecaredformeagain.”“Then return to the North

Palace tonight!” I exclaim.“Give the orders! ReceiveHerMajesty!Leaveherewithher! And restore yourselftomorrow to the power that

grief has driven from yourhands!”He looks at me

thoughtfully for a very longtime, during which I hardlydare breathe for fear I willwronglyaffecthisdecision.“Well—”hesaysatlast.“Return to those who love

you, Majesty!” I dareexclaim, encouraged by hishesitation.“AyeandHoremhebwould

bemuchupset,”he says in afaraway tone, and I can seehimconsidering—rejecting—accepting—rejecting—accepting again—“but if itwere done swiftly andwithoutwarning—if they didnot know until I appeartomorrow at the Window ofAppearances what myintentions are—if I performwondersagainforKemet,mypeople—”

“Then Your Majesty willdoit!”Icryjoyfully.Hereachesouta long, thin

hand and clutchesmine witha desperate grasp like onedrowninginthearmsofHapi.“Go and tell my wife,” he

says in a hurried, almostfrightened voice, “that I willreceive her at midnighttonightandwewillgo to theNorthPalace!”“Majesty!” I cry, and

leaving the throne ofKemet,whereIhadneverexpectedtositinallmylifeandofcourseneverwillagain,Ikneelathisfeet, lift the hem of hisgarment and press it to mylips.Heplacesahandgentlyon

myhead.“Go,now!”hesayswithan

excited urgency. “The LadyAnser-WossetthasservedtheTwoLandswellthisday!”

“Thank you, Majesty,” Isay humbly, backing out ofhispresence.ThelastIseeofhim is the misshapen figureleaning forward intently onthe throne, the long, narroweyes wide with thought, themind far away—but aliveagainnow,nolongerdull,nolonger dead, as hecontemplateswith an evidentexcitement what will happenthisnightandtomorrow.

I have succeeded beyondthe wildest hopes of HerMajesty and myself. Actingentirely on Her Majesty’sintuition,wehavecaughthimatthatexactmomentatwhicheven the deepest mourningbecomesboringanditistimeforlifetoresume.As I leave the Palace I

becomeawarethatHatsuretissignalingme insistently fromthe small crowd of watchers

that always idles about thegates. He wants me to meethim in themarket-place. He,too, has an urgency abouthim. I consider for a secondwhether it can do harm. Iknow I will tell him nothingof what has occurred—andperhaps I can find outsomethingfromhimthatwillbehelpful infurtheringTheirMajesties’ plans. With theslightest of movements I

returnhisnod.When my carriage reaches

the market-place I order thedriver to stop and wait in ashady corner. I dismiss myescort of soldiers and sendthemontheirwaybacktotheNorth Palace, asking theircaptain to tell Her Majestyonly: “The Lady Anser-Wossett has good news.”Then I compose myselfbeside a vegetable vendor’s

stand and pretend to inspecthisofferingswhile Iwait forHatsuret.Presently,hecomes.

***

Nefertiti

Word has reached me fromthe captain of the guard that“TheLadyAnser-Wossetthasgood news,” though she hasnot yet returned from the

market-place to give it meherself.Shelikestogotothemarket from time to time,though it isnotnecessaryforher to do so, since mysteward Huya oversees thebuying for the North Palace.(Poor Huya! He has beencowed since the decision todepict the coronation durbarinhistombastheGreatWifeandIdesired.ButIhavetoldhimnothingwashisfault:he

andMeryrasimplygotcaughtin the midst of a familyargument, and all is well.Nonetheless, he still findsdifficulty meeting my eyessometimes.)So Anser-Wossett has not

returned but her messageindicates that our wildesthopes must have come true.He is going to accept myplan: he is coming back tome, and theworldwill begin

anew, for me and for poorthreatenedKemet.ForthisIhavedreamedand

planned and plotted for ayear, ever since the murdersof Smenkhkara andMerytaten. I did not know,for a time, whether I couldrecover from those twodeaths, which were inconsiderable measure due tome. When I mentionedSmenkhkara’s name that

night during our familyconference, I did notcontemplatethathewouldberemoved so swiftly and soviolently:Ihadthoughtsomegentler means, such asbanishmenttowretchedKushor the Red Land, might beused.ButIsupposemyfatherAye and Horemheb had nochoice: he would not havegone, Akhenaten would nothavepermittedit,andnothing

wouldhavebeenachieved.So, though I cried wildly

for a time when I heard thenews, for my hapless, well-meaning cousin and even formy shrewish, unnaturaldaughter—butmostofallformyselfwhohadbeenpartytosuch a dreadful thing—I didnot cry overlong. I thoughtthe principal obstacle to myhusband’s rule (and my ownhappiness) had been

removed, and that we couldnow go forward to a betterdayforallofus.I did not contemplate how

terriblyhemightbeshattered,for I had refused to believethe signs that revealed howdeeply he cared for hisbrother—and I had alsogrievously misjudged thedetermination of my fatherandthetruenatureofmyhalfbrotherHoremheb.

Iamnowdesperatelyafraidofthemboth;andso,Ithink,isQueenTiye.We have not discussed it

verymuch,butwhenwehaveshe has spoken with aprofound and still grievingsadness of the son whosemurdershehadtoagreetoinordertosave,shethought,thesonwhomust be saved if hewas to continue to wear theDoubleCrown and discharge

the great responsibilities oftheTwoLands.Except that her plan, too,

went awry:he stillwears theDouble Crown but he hasretired almost entirely fromtheruleof theTwoLands. Itrests now with Aye andHoremheb; and I sense thatHoremheb, in particular, isgrowingevermore restiveashe exercises many of therights of power without the

sanctionofpower.This theGreatWifesenses

as well as I; and both of us,now, are coming to perceivehow iron ishiswill andhowruthless his determination.We know what his ultimateambitionis,becauseSitamon,embittered by his refusal tomarry her, recently told theGreat Wife. Yet he cannotpossiblybePharaoh,forpoorlittle frightened Tut comes

next,andsoonnowhewillbemarried to Ankhesenpaaten,which will sanctify his fullclaim upon the throne; andwhere does Horemheb fitthen?We cannot see: yetweknowhedreamsofit,andweknow that such a dreamer isdangerousindeedtoPharaoh.So both Queen Tiye and I

have come to realize thatwhatwewereresponsibleforhas not worked out at all as

we thought it would. Justyesterday when she wasvisiting me—having finallycome down from Thebes tospend a few days in herpalace here and see forherself what all reports havetoldher—weadmittedthistooneanother.Finding that sheagreedwithme, I decided toput into effect at once theplan that is apparently goingtosavetheGoodGodandthe

TwoLands,atlast.(It is now nearing

dinnertime. Ra is sinking inthewest.TheNilehasturnedtocopper.Acrossontheotherbankthecultivatedlandsthatserve Akhet-Aten, and thedistantmountainsbeyond,arebecomingpurpleandmistyinthe dying light. Anser-Wossett should be back bynow.Ishallsendveryshortlyto find out where she is, for

she must report to me indetail all that she said tomyhusband, and all that he saidtoher.)Actually Ididnotneed the

approval of the Great Wifefor my plan, because I havebecome determined to do it.And actually she did not sayin so many words that shedoesapprove.ButIcouldtellfrom her expression that shewas relieved to know that I

was going to accomplishwhatwehavebothdesiredsodesperately in this past year:the beginning of thecampaigntorestoreKemettoall her glories,whichwill belong and hard because ofAkhenaten’salmostcompleteuncaringforitintheserecentmonths.For me, of course, it will

meanevenmore:thereturntomysideofhimwhomIhave

loved since a child and stilllove, despite all the insultsandindignitieshehasheapedupon me and the coldnesswithwhichhehastreatedmesinceheputmeaside to takeSmenkhkarainmyplace.Ithasnotbeenaneasytime

for me—sometimes I havethought I would die of it, sobitterlyhasithurtmyheart—but I have been strong and Ihave persevered, as becomes

a daughter ofAye andChiefQueen of the Two Lands.Now it is all going to comerightatlast,asIhavealwaysfeltitwouldifIcouldjustbebraveenoughtowithstandtheburden that might havecrushedmecompletelywereImadeofweakerstuff.Butmostofall,Ihopeand

believe, it will meanhappiness for him who hashad so little in his tense and

lonely life. As a boy, beforehis ailment, when he wasCrown Prince, handsome,vigorous, joyously activewithalltheworldwaitingforhis rule, I know he washappy. I think that perhapsfor six years after we weremarried, while our sixdaughters were entering theworldandourchildhoodlovefor one anotherwas ripeninginto maturity, that he was

happy with me. Then hebegan to lose heart becausehisworshipoftheAten,eventhoughhebuiltthisgreatcityintheSoleGod’shonor,wasnot spreading to the people.He destroyed Amon and theothergods,heabandonedme,he turned to Smenkhkara.Perhaps he was happy withhis brother, but I do notbelieve it, for still the Atenfailed towin the people, and

still his dreams of auniversally loving worldunder a universally lovinggod did notmaterialize.Andeven if he was happy withSmenkhkara, that, too, onlylasted three years—could notlast more, for Kemet’s sake.Allhisyoungbeauty lost, allhis dreams frustrated, all hisplans gone wrong: I do notthink Nefer-Kheperu-Ra hasbeenveryhappywithhislife.

Ithasmademeloveandpityhim the more.… Even whenhe turned againstme I couldnotstop.In this past year word has

come to me through myfather, through HoremhebandthroughAnser-Wossett—in just amoment Iwill sendforher,Iamanxioustoknowthatallisreadyformyplan—of how completely he hasabandonedphysicalprideand

self-respect. It has beenobvious to all of Kemet thathe has virtually abandonedcivilgovernment,butsincehehas kept himself mostlyhiddenintheSouthPalaceinthe past twelve months onlytheFamilyandhisimmediateservants have been aware ofhis personal deterioration.Anser-Wossett from time totime sees Peneptah, thebearded scribe who assists

Amonhotep, Son of Hapu,andfromhimshehasbroughtmestoriesoflittlethingsthattheothers havenot known—the lateness of the hour atwhich he rises, thelistlessness with which heshufflesabout thePalace, thegrowing disinterest in eating,the frequent nocturnalpassages when he cannotsleep but goes, driven bydemons—or the vengeful

gods—to wander thecorridors alone andunbefriended. These thingshave made me weep manybittertearsandhavemademyheart cry out to him …though when I have tried toconvince him of mycontinuing love and mydesire to help he has refusedto see me and has continuedonhisdesolateway.But now all that will

change: I shall make himhappyagainatlast.He is coming back—I still

cannot quite believe it! I donot knowwhat promptedmeto organize my plan, torealize by some blessedinstinctthatnowmightbethetimewhen hewould respond—but somehow I knew.So Iformed my household guardof twelve men, giving noexplanation to my father or

Horemheb, both of whomwerecuriousbutdidnotquitedareaskmeoutright.I testedtheir loyalty, I waited until Iwas sure I could trust themcompletely—and then I sentAnser-Wossett to him today,and all has fallen into placebeyondmydearesthopes.I shall not truly exult until

all has been safelyaccomplished. But for thefirst time in many years I,

too,believeIwillonceagainbe happy, which in mydarkest moments I thoughthadbeendeniedmeforever.It is nearing time to go to

my formal banquet room fordinner, and Anser-Wossettmust come to me. We havemuchtotalkabout.Irisefromthebenchbefore

mymirror,whereIhavebeenthinking these things, hardlydaring to acknowledge the

growinghopeandexcitementI have seen in my eyes(which still are beautiful,though very sad—but muchlesssadnow,andverysoon,Ihope,notsadatall),andgotothedoor,openitandclapmyhands for a servant. For amoment none are about, thebusy palace seems unusuallyquiet;butpresently I seeoneofmylesserladiesinwaitingcoming towardme down the

longpaintedcorridor.Amazingly, she weeps.

Whatcanitmean?Whatcanitmean?My heart feels a sudden

terror, I do not know why.But very soon, in a voiceracked with sobs, she tellsme,andIdo.I know now where Anser-

Wossettis.Herbatteredbodywas tossed off at the palacegate a fewminutes ago by a

chariot that fled away, itsdriver masked andunrecognized. Itwasobviousshe had been tortured beforeshe died. So all must beknown to someone whowishesusill.My poor Anser-Wossett

who has been with me somany years! Oh, my heartgrieves, it grieves! Good,faithful, loving, loyal—ah,such evil, such evil!May the

Atenhelpusnow…!For many minutes I stand

like stone while the ladyweeps beside me. I am toostunnedtoweep,twostunnedtothink…forawhile.ButpresentlyIdo.IamnotadaughterofAye

andChiefQueen of theTwoLands for nothing. My heartwhich has known so muchsorrow can stand a littlemore.

I shall harden myself. Ishall meet what comeswithoutfear.Rightnowthereis just one thing to do: go tomyhusbandandrescuehim.I call the captain of my

guard,Igivehimtheorders,Iprepare myself hastily toleave.IwearmygoldenshiftandmyBlueCrown,forIgoasaQueenwithmyheadheldhighandmy faceonce again—asalwayswhenmypeople

see me—commanding andcomposed.IamNefertitiandIwillnot

bedenied.No one sees us leave the

Palace and start across thecity whose many thousands,all unknowing of the eventsthat are occurring in theirmidst to affect their livesforever, are placidly eatingbeforetheirpeacefulhearths.A chillwind is driving off

the Nile now that night hastruly come. It is turningwinter and soon it will becold: but not for AkhenatenandNefertiti.Wewillwinthisbattleand,

with Father Aten’s help,regain in happiness our fullruleandglory.He has made many errors:

no doubt I have. But fromnowonwewilldoall thingsrightfortheAtenandforour

beloved kingdom and peopleoftheTwoLands.

***

Aye

Now is this hour of finalreckoning, before HoremhebandIgotomysistertosecurehercomplianceintheterriblething we must do, I seek a

balance between the good Ihave known of my nephewAkhenatenandtheevilhehasbrought upon our belovedkingdom and people of theTwo Lands. Imust also, if Ican, accept the fate that verylikely is about to fall equallyuponmybeautiful,misguideddaughter,whohassufferedsomuchandwhomIhavelovedsomuch as things have spundown and down with

increasing rapidity for themboth.Of my nephew Nefer-

Kheperu-Ra, what is one tosay? I loved him as ahandsome child before hismalady overcame him, Iloved him as a young,misshapen but well-meaningCo-Regent, I still loved himasanincreasinglywillfulandheadstrong King; but eachstage of love has been less

than the one before, andsteadily my dismay andmistrust have grown. I haveforgivenhimsomuch:weallhave forgiven him so much.The balance finally drawnmust, I fear, come downagainsthim.We could accept, I think,

theearlyattemptstoestablishthe Aten—the murder of mybrotherAanen,whoaskedforit—the attempt, for which I

was directly responsible, togive the Aten equal staturebut still maintain Amon andthe other gods. We couldevenaccepthisdesperateandpathetic attempts to achievethe son Nefertiti could notgive him by marrying histhreeoldestdaughters,andbythem having three daughters,all puny and mercifully nowdead.Butnoneofushasbeenabletoaccepttheseyearsjust

past when all the gods weredestroyed, andwhen amiableand foredoomed Smenkhkarashared the throne, met hisfate, and left his brother todeclineevermoreswiftlyintothealmostanimalsqualorwenowseewhenwevisithiminhishauntedpalace.Smenkhkara,Iknow,made

some earnest if ineffectualattempts to keep thegovernment going during the

period he shared the throne,whileAkhenatenbecameevermorelostinhisfadingdreamof the Aten. Horemheb, myother son Nakht-Min and Ididwhatwecouldtohelp,anassistance Smenkhkaraaccepted gratefully, for hewasveryyoung.Butitdidnogood: the whole thingcontinuedtoslidebothwithinKemet and on our borders,until the awful night when

Nefertiti inspired us to killhim, and his mother, mysistertheGreatWife,agreed.We thought then, foolishly

asitturnedout,thattheshockof his brother’s death woulddrive Akhenaten out of hislethargyand,afteraperiodofsuitablemourning, bring himback to active rule. We alsothought it would make himcompliant to our growingconvictionthatAmonandthe

other gods must be restored,ifnottotheirfullpower,thenat least toapositionbefittingtheir place in all our ancienttraditions. But neither, alas,wasmeanttobe.Insteadwehave the lonely

andhauntedreclusetowhomwe report the formalities ofour rule in his name, butwhose slovenly person wecan hardly bear to look at,andwhoseintelligence,while

still great, is increasingly faraway in the depths ofmourning and the pointlessworshipoftheAten.Orsowehad thoughtuntil

tonight. Suddenly tonight hehas revived and with mydaughter’s aid threatens toresume with all his olddemanding persistence thepower of the Double Crownandtheactiveandunrelentingpursuit of his sacrilegious

SoleGod.For perhaps an hour after

Horemheb came to me withthe news Hatsuret and hishidden acolytes had torturedoutofpoorAnser-Wossett (aviolence I would never havecondonedhad Iknownaboutit, unless it were absolutelynecessary: I think frighteningher with it would have beenenough, though she wasalways fiercely loyal to my

daughter and it might nothave been) I remained silentinmychair,staringblanklyatthe wall while a thousandthings raced through mymind.I dismissed Amonhotep,

Son of Hapu, who had beenwithmediscussingmattersofgovernment,andorderedhimto tell no one. He lookeddeeplyhurtandoffended, forit is the first time in many

yearsthatwehavenotsoughthis wisdom in our familycouncils. But I told him thatthe responsibility now restedsolely on my sister, myselfand my son Horemheb.Wounded,hewentaway.Fora moment I had a pang ofuneasiness and regret; then Iputitaside.Wecancountonhis loyalty, we always have.Hewill tell no one, and it isbetter that on this final

dreadful occasion he not bedirectly involved. It is trulyour responsibility alone, forwe, even more than his oldtutor, have made Akhenatenwhatheis.SoIsatandthought,while

patiently Horemheb sat withme. He made no attempt toinfluence me, he spoke noword.Hesimplywatchedmewith a complete andcontrolledattentiveness.

He is very shrewd,Horemheb, very determinedand very astute. There is noway for him to reach theplacehewouldliketofillbuthe is an invaluable assistanttomeinallthatmustbedonetosavetheTwoLands.So a few moments ago I

finally turned to him andasked:“What would you suggest,

myson?”

“There can be only onesolution,” he replied in asombervoice.“I shudder to contemplate

it,”Isaid.“So do I,” he said calmly,

“butwehavenochoice.”“Can we not somehow

banishhim?”He looked at me long and

steadily before he repliedwithaquietcertainty:“Father, you know

perfectly well it would notwork. Nefer-Kheperu-Raperhaps has nothing left buthisstubbornness,buthedoeshavethat.Thewoundmustbecleansed completely, and itmust be cleansedimmediately, now theopportunity has presenteditself. We must close ourhearts, harden our resolve,asktheblessingofAmonandthe gods, and strike without

mercy, leaving no possiblechance that he could everreturntopower.”“TokilltheLivingHorus,”

I almostwhispered, so awfulis it to contemplate, evennow, “is no light thing, myson.”“I do not approach it

lightly,” he said with thesame implacable calm. “Iapproach it as the thing thatmustbedonetosavetheTwo

Lands from utter and finaldestruction, both within andwithout.”“Tutshouldbetold.”“Tut is a child,” he said

withasuddenharshness.“Wewill tell himwhen it is over.It will be time enough thenforhimtoknowthatwhathefears has happened. AsRegent, I will inform him indue course. First, it must bedone.”

“‘As Regent’?” I echoedsharply. “Who said you willbeRegent,myson?”“You have just heard me

say it, Father,” he said,staring me impassivelystraight in the eyes. For asecond I was so taken abackby his sheer effrontery that Icould not speak. Then Ireplied in the cold tones thathavemademanymentrembleat thewrathof theCouncilor

Aye:“I shall be Regent, and

there will be no furtherdiscussionofit!”“You are old, Father,” he

said, “and I am still in myforties, still relatively youngandvigorous.AndIhavethearmyatmyback.Itwouldillbecome us to engage in anunseemlybattleforcontroloftheKing.”“You have some of the

armyatyourback,”Isaid,forit is true, he has manydivisions loyal tohim, “but Ialsohavemanymembersofitwho still stand in awe andcomplete loyalty to theDivine Father-in-law Aye. Isitcivilwaryouwishustofallinto over the corpse of yourcousin Akhenaten? If so”—and my voice was as steelyandunrelentingasIhaveevermadeit—“Iamready.”

He paused then in hisheadlongflighttowardinsaneambitionandstudiedmeforavery long time, verycarefully, while myexpression remained sternand never yielding.My eyesmethiswithan icy sternnessas I thought:This ismy son.WhathaveIcreated…?ButIshall ever be stronger thanhe, and he knows it in hisheart.

AndpresentlyIcouldsensethat with an obvious greateffort of will he wasacknowledgingthistohimselfand abandoning his insanebluff to replace the one manwhose consistent strengththrough more than thirtyyears has been the truesalvation ofKemet in all hertroubles.“Verywell,”hesaidatlast,

very quietly, still not taking

his eyes from mine. “But Ishall be King’s Deputy,then.”“You may be that,” I

conceded, for our strengthsare so nearly equal that,though I did not show it, Ifeared abattlebetweenus asmuch as he. “We shallproclaim all from theWindow of Appearances induecourse.”“After the occupant of the

Window of Appearances isnomore,”he said softly;andthough I shuddered again atthe enormity of it, I agreedwithequalsoftness,“It is thewill of the gods.…However,” I added firmly,“there must be no harm toNefertiti.”“She has already been

warned,”he said,“and if sheisasintelligentasIknowherto be, she will already have

abandoned her pathetic plotand be even now preparingherself for gracefulwidowhood.”“Are you sure of that?” I

demanded. For the first timein our interviewhe smiled, aslight,wrysmile.“No, I am not sure of it,

Father. You have bred afamilyoflions,andasoneofthemIcannotvouchforwhatoneoftheothersmaydo.”

“Your sister must not beharmed,”Isaidagainsternly.He responded with a coldindifference. “That is up toher.Ihopeshewillnotbe.”Imadeitanorder:“Youwillseetoit!”He gave me a steady look

andshrugged.“It is up to her,” he said

again;andturningthesubjectwithasuddenbriskness,“Wemustyethavetheapprovalof

theGreatWifebeforeweact.Do you wish to go to heralone, or shall we gotogether?”“Together, I think,” I said,

and repeated, again with ashudderattheenormityaboutto engulfus: “Themurderofthe Living Horus is no lightthing.”“Good!”hesaid,leapingto

his feet. “Wemust go to herat once, for the time is very

short in which to catch himunpreparedatthePalace.”“Yes,” I agreed, and also

stood up. As I did so therecame a frantic pounding onthe door. Withoutannouncement or apologyRamessesburst in,wild-eyedanddesperate.“The Queen has left the

NorthPalace!”hecried.“Wemuststopheratonce!”“Yes!” Horemheb

exclaimed, starting for thedoor.Thenhepausedinmid-stepandsaidslowly,“No,lether come to him.…Wewillmeetherthere.”“No harm to her!” I

shouted in a terrible voicethatmadeRamessesturnpaleat my fury. But Horemhebgavenosign.“Go to theGreatWife and

send me word at once,Father!” he yelled over his

shoulder as they crossed thethreshold and started runningdown the hall. “Tell her it istoo late to stop the justvengeanceofthegods!”“I will!” I shouted back.

“But again,no harm to yoursister!”But they were gone at the

turning of the corridor andtherewasnoanswer.Iflungarobe around me against thecold and hastened shouting

through the house for achariot.Andnow I amat thegates

of the lovely littlepalacemynephew built for his motherinhappierdays,andnowtheyare escorting me to herprivate chamber. And nowtogetherwemust agree uponourlast,awfulactforthesakeof Kemet and the millionswho, all unwitting, plungewithustonightintoafutureI

believe not even the greatestgodscanforetell.

***

Akhenaten(life,health,prosperity!)

CanitbehopeIfeel,afterallthese awful months? I can

scarcely imagine it. Yet do Istill have sufficient faith inthe word of Nefertiti that Ibelieveitmustbeso.…Only you and I, Father

Aten, know the agonies Ihavegonethroughsincetheycametomewithwordofmybrother’s death. The reasonwas never officiallydiscovered,butforthetwoofthemtodiesoswiftlyandsohorribly there could be but

one explanation. Someonesaw fit to poison them:someone very close to me. Iscarcelydareadmittomyselfit was at the order of mymother, my uncle and mycousinHoremheb,yetthereisno other sensible conclusion.Is it any wonder I haveretreatedintomyself tonursemyawfulpainandlonelinessas best I could? I have notdared do other, for daily I

have lived in fear thatpresently they would comeforme.The Living Horus, Great

Bull,SonoftheSun,HeWhoHasSurvived,LivinginTruthForever, Nefer-Kheperu-RaAkhenaten,KingandPharaohof theTwoLands—coweringlikeathiefinhisownpalace,terrified of his own family!Father Aten, it has beendreadfulforme.Still,Icould

donoother.Fortheseventydaysittook

to embalm him, I venturedout only to supervise theprocess. So terrible was myobvious grief that no oneventured to speak to me, letalone harm me, then. I wasenwrapped in grief, engulfedin grief, drowned forever, itseemed to me, in grief. I donotrecallnowwhetherIevenknew when Ra rose in the

eastandsetinthewestduringthose endless interwovendays and nights: It seems tome only a long, gray blur inwhich I came and wentbetween the House ofVitality,where the riteswenton,and thePalace.Priestsofthe Aten accompanied mewherever I went, chantingtheir dirges for the dead.Frequently, for hours at atime, I couldnot evenmove,

but only lay weeping on thefloor before the sculpture ofthat beloved head thatTuthmose completed for meonlyaweekbeforehedied.Icould not believe he wasgone, my little brother whogrew tobesuchacomfort tomyheart and sucha strengthtomy being. But hewas: hewas.The mummification of

Merytaten I left to others. I

scarcely knew when it wascompleted, gave to Nefertitiand my mother (how couldshe have the courage, theeffrontery and theheartlessness?) the task ofpresidingoverherfinalgoingbeneath the ground in theRoyal Wadi in the easternhills of Akhet-Aten. I wasnotified that it had occurred,butthatwasonlyadaybeforeI had to preside at my own

grief-filledceremony.Ibarelynoticed:mydaughter’sgoingmovedmeverylittle.Ineverliked her particularly. Shewas simply a conveniencewho, like her mother, couldnot even bearme a son. Shewas useful to keep thedomestics of the Palace inline:thatwasall.To Smenkhkara, however

—evennow itcutsme likeaknife to say that name—I

gave the most tender andmost loving entombment hecould possibly have desired.The memory of his sunnynature, always open,generous, undemanding,comforting, supported evenas it devastated me. I gotthrough it somehow andarranged it so that all whocome after will know howmuchhemeanttome.I used one of the coffins

originally prepared forMerytaten,fortherehadbeenno time to prepare onesuitably ornate for him.AroundtheheadoftheonetowhomIhadgivenNefertiti’sname of Nefer-neferu-atenand the title, “Beloved ofAkhenaten,” I caused to beplaced the sheet-gold vulturethat usually bedecks thecrownofaQueen:thegoldenwings will protect him

forever.HisbodyIcausedtobemummified,notwitharmscrossed over the chest like aKing’s as though to carryscepters,butasaQueenwithhis left hand closed uponhisbreast and his right armstretched along his side: thuswill all know the position heheld in my life. And at thefoot of his coffin I caused tobeinscribed,asiffromhimtome—as the God who will

someday raise him from theafterworld—the prayer Icomposed myself in one ofthose occasional curiousperiods of detachment thatcome in themidst ofdeepestgrieving:“I shall breathe the sweet

air that issues from thymouth. My prayer is that Imaybehold thybeautydaily,that I may hear thy sweetvoice belonging to theNorth

Wind, that my body maygrowyoungwithlifethroughthy love; that thou mayestgivemethyhandsbearingthysustenance and I receive itand live by it; and that thoumayest call upon my nameforever and ever and it shallnotfailinthymouth.”Thus will all know how

tenderly and eternally hetouchedmyheart.ThenIcameawaytoreturn

here to the Great Palace andresume the seclusion fromwhich I have not, from thatdaytothis,goneforth.AtfirstItooknointerestat

all in government. Aye,Horemheb and Nakht-Mincame tome as in a recurringdream, their wordsmeaningless, their reportsincomprehensible. SomehowKemet continued to begoverned,bythembutnotby

me. I knew this was wrong,that I should bestir andreassert myself, but a greatlethargyheldmyheart.And in spite of what I

sensedabout theirpart in themurder of my brother, I feltthat Icould trust them:Iwasstill the Living Horus, andnone,not even theywhohadwounded me so deeply,woulddarebetrayme.More lately, I have not

been so sure: but still thegrief and lethargy have heldmeprisoner.Ihaveeatenlessand less, grown thinner andmore grotesque. WithincreasingcarelessnessIhaveallowed my physicalappearanceandcleanlinesstodecline.Again,Ihaveknownthis was not right, that prideand the dignity of Pharaohshould require me to dootherwise. But again, the

great pain and dullness havemade me listless anduncaring.So it has gone until a few

shortdaysago.Idonotknowexactly what inspired theturning point, unless it wasmy surviving brother andnow my heir, who came tome with a childish concernbecause he had not seen meformanymonths.Timidlyhecame alone in his chariot,

surrounded by soldiers, fromthe North Palace where helives with Nefertiti. Timidlyhe sent in word that he washereandaskedtobeadmittedto my presence. My firstinstinct was to say no, as Ihave refused, until today, allrequests frommywife.Thensomething made me relent,some memory of my ownchildhood, a realization ofhow little, how lonely and

how lost he must feel in themidst of all these violentlyunhappy grownups; and so Ireconsidered and bade thembringhimin.“Brother,” he began, after

he had prostrated himselfdutifullyatmyfeetandIhadraisedhimup,“YourMajesty—howareyou?”It was asked very simply

anddirectly,asbefitsachild;and it revivedwith a sudden

rush all the affection I havealwaysfeltforlittleTut,whowas such a happy baby andnowhasbeenmadetenseandover-old by all that hashappened in his eight briefyears.“I amnotwell,Brother,” I

responded, beckoning him tosit beside me on the emptythrone—the first of the onlytwo Ihave sohonored—“butyour visit makes me feel

better.”“Oh,” he said, eyes wide

and earnest, “I am so glad.We have all been worriedaboutyou.”“Haveyou?”Iaskedwitha

smile, though I hardlybelieved it—at least not ofmy mother, Aye andHoremheb. “You are verykind.”“I have brought you a

present tomake you happy,”

hesaid,andheldoutabrownlittle hand, clenched tight.Slowly he unfolded it, eyesgleamingwith excitement, toreveal an exquisite pale bluefaience pendant of the godThoth in his aspect of thebaboon. I still have a likingfor Thoth, whose priesthoodin the old days was quitesmall and never any realthreat tome; and besides, heisthegodofwisdom,scribes,

learning and the arts, all ofwhich I have respected andencouragedallmy life.But Ididnotatonceacceptthegift,for through my mind thereranasuddenterriblewarning:Beware! They killed

Smenkhkara with poison.Perhaps they have sent thisinnocent child towreak theireviluponyou.Beware!“It is beautiful,” I said,

keeping my voice calm but

not for the moment taking itfromhishand.“Why don’t you take it?”

heinquiredinapuzzledtone,his eyes concerned. “It willnothurtyou.”“Are you sure?” I asked,

unable to keep the concernfrommyvoice.“Look!” he said. “It does

nothurtme.”And he lifted it, turned it

over, shook it, placed it next

tohisface,sniffedit,lickedit—all with a deliberate andknowing air that made merealize sadly that even at hisage he must have come tounderstand the evil of hiselders and the method theyusedtowreckmylife.“No,”Iagreed,smilingasI

tookitfromhishand,“itdoesnot hurt you and you havebravelyprovedthatitwillnothurtme.Ishalltreasureitand

wear it on a gold chainaround my neck as evidencethatthereisoneofmyfamily,atleast,whocaresforme.”“We all care for you,” he

said earnestly, upset by mybittertone;butIamafraidtoomuchhashappenedformetoconcealmybitterness.“Youaregeneroustothink

so, little Tut,” I said, “and Ipray you may never havecause yourself to think

otherwise. But I must warnyoutobecareful,asImustbecareful,fortheSonoftheSunhasmanyenemies.”“I know it,” he said,

lookingsuddenlyquiteasoldashisapparentknowledgeofthedangerousworldinwhichwelive.“ItisveryhardbeingPharaoh,isitnot?”“Forme,” I said somberly,

“it has been very hard. Butfor you, when it comes your

time, I hope and believe itwillbebetter.”“I am frightened,” he said

in a wistful little voice thatcaused me to take his handquickly and give it areassuringsqueeze.“You must not be,” I said

firmly.“They say you may die

soon,” he said in the sameremote little voice, “and thatthen I will have to be

Pharaoh. And I amfrightened.”“Idonotintendtodieyet,”

Isaid,soundingmorepositivethan I often am about this:often it seems I may dienaturally at any moment,eveniftheydonotsucceedinmaking me die unnaturally.“Itwillbemanyyearsbeforeyoumust assume theDoubleCrown.Bythenyouwillbeaman, big and strong, and no

one will dare frighten or doharm to the new Son of theSun.”“I hope so,” he said in the

same wistful fashion. “Oh,Brother,Ihopeso!”“Itwillbeas I say,” I told

himemphatically.“Youmustbe brave and patient andnever fear; and when yourtime comes, you will be agood Pharaoh and do greatthingsforKemet.Iknowit.”

“Are you sure?” he asked,eyesbig anddesperate inhissearchforreassurance.“I am sure,” I said with a

flatcertaintyIindeedwasfarfromfeeling:for theevil thatthreatens me may yetconsume him. “I, Nefer-Kheperu-Ra Akhenaten,LivingHorus,SonoftheSun,decreeit!”“Well,” he said with a

suddenrelievedsighthattold

me my firmness had beenaccepted, “I’m glad of that.”Hismannerbecamesuddenlygrave and dignified, he rosefrom the throne and bowedlow. “Now I must return tothe North Palace, YourMajesty, if I may have yourleavetodepart.”“Youmay,littleBrother,”I

said with equal gravity.“Cometomeagainwhenyouwishtotalk.”

“I will,” he promisedsolemnly,andadded,withaninnocent emphasis that toldmemuch,“Ilikeyou.”“Thankyou,Neb-Kheperu-

Ra,”Isaid,formallyusingthename the Family has agreedhe will take when he doescometothethrone.“Youarealways welcome in myhouse.”“Good!” he said with a

quicksmilethatlighteduphis

face. “Be of good cheer,Brother, and do not worry.Allwillcomewellforyou.”“And for you too, little

Tut,” I said, “and do youneverdoubtorforgetit.”“I will try not,” he said,

fallingabruptlysolemnagain.“Butattimesitisnoteasy.”Afterhehadgonetheglow

ofhisearnestandlovinglittlebeing stayed with me for awhile, a bright, even if

troubled, note in my wearylife. But I was deeplydisturbed by the fears herevealed to me. Even itsyoungest member,apparently, is haunted by theghosts of the House ofThebes.LaterIreflectedthathehad

notevenmentionedNefertiti.I wondered if this might nothave been her deliberatedesign, to send him as a

reminderofherpresencethatwould work upon me andmakemeweakentowardher.But I did not weaken, for atthat time Iwas still toogonein grief and resentment, andthethingsthathadcausedmetoputherfrommeinthefirstplace.But presently I began to

think; and in these past fewdays I have found to mysurprise, with a growing

inward excitement, that I ambeginningtodwellalittlelessupon the past and a littlemore upon the future. Insome subtle way I cannotquite define, my heart andmindarecomingtolifeagainaftertheirlong,darkpassage.And so today Anser-

Wossett, with her nevershaken loyalty to Nefertitiand her honest concern forme,openedtheway.Shewas

the key, as I know Nefertitihoped she would be. Thedoor is unlocked and I amreadytocomeforth.I do truly believe that this

ishopeIfeelatlast,OFatherAten,youwhohavesustainedme in all my troubles.Together—and together withNefertiti, too, who I nowrealize possesses a love forme that nothing can evershatter, which revives in me

my love for her—we willresume our rule of our dearTwoLands.I have given the order.All

is ready. The guards areexpecting her, they will lether in, we will go to theNorthPalace and from there,tomorrow, to theWindow ofAppearances to announce theresumption of our rule. It isnow threehours tomidnight.I haveonly towait patiently,

here on my throne wherenone will dare disturb me,and very soon I will see heragain.Andthen,FatherAten,perhaps your son Akhenatenwillfindsomelittlehappinessintheworldoncemore.With excitement and

anticipation growing eagerlyin my heart, I am told thatAmonhotep, Son of Hapu,would see me. I send wordthat he is to be admitted. I

shall not tell him our plans,but he ismy old, dear friendand teacher,andhispresencewill entertain me for a littlewhileIwait.I arrange myself upon the

throne,putonmywigwhichIhavenotwornfordaysuntilmy visit with Anser-Wossettthis afternoon, straighten mylinen shift, prepare to greethim with the smile of oldfriendship and affection. He

appears in the doorway, facedistraught, eyes filled withgreat agitation … and hope,which I now know I shouldnever have allowed tobemuseme,dies.“Majesty!” he cries with a

frantic urgency. “Flee,Majesty! Flee! They arecoming to do awful things!Youmust flee, Ibegofyou!Flee!Do not hesitate, do notdelay—flee!”

“Who is coming?” Idemand sharply, my voicesuccumbing to its damnableemotional croak. “Who iscoming to my palace? Tellme.”“Horemheb, Ramesses,

Hatsuretandtheirtroops.”“Forwhatpurpose?”“I do not know, Nefer-

Kheperu-Ra,” he says, usingmynamewitholdfamiliarity,“butIknowitbodesnogood

to you andHerMajesty. Shehas left the North Palace.They seem to know she iscoming here—they arecominghere.Please!Please,IbegofyouasafatherwhichIhave almost been to you allthese unhappy years—go!Pleasego!Immediately!”“Where can I go that they

will not findme?” I ask himbitterly;andsuddenlyIrejectit all, him, them, everything

—exceptmydearwifewhoisriding to me swiftly throughthenight,herplanapparentlyexposed, her life in jeopardyasInowknowmineis.A great calm and radiance

settle on me, Father Aten,comingfromyoutoyoursonAkhenaten. I know what Imustdo.“Her Majesty is indeed

coming here,” I tell this oldmanwhoisalmostastranger

tomenow,soremotedoesheseem in his terror. “She isbeingverybrave.Icanbenoless brave. I shall go to thegate andgreether.Theywillnotdareharmus.”“They will, Majesty!” he

criesinanguishasoutsidewehear the distant approachingsounds of many men andmanyhorses.“Theywill!SonoftheSun,youmustgo!”“No,” I sayquietly, “Iwill

notgo.”AndIstarttowardthedoor,

noting with disdain thatAmonhotep, Son of Hapu,thatgreatsagewhomwehavelooked up to and revered allthese years, is clingingdesperately to my sleeve,weepinglikeawoman.Heisbutapoorthing,afterall.Igoarmoredinourlovefor

one another, and for you,FatherAten.

I am Nefer-Kheperu-RaAkhenaten.She is Nefer-neferu-aten

Nefertiti.Andwewillprevail.

***

Amonhotep,SonofHapu

Hetriestoshakeoffmyhandwitha furious impatience,hehobbles ahead of me along

thecorridorasfastashecan.Heislikeonepossessed—butof a weird otherworldlyserenity I am unable topenetrate.Theyarecomingtokillthemboth,andhewillnotlistentomewhiletherestillistime. He could flee—evennow, with luck, they couldmanage to escape and fleetogether—and from somehidden place seek friends torise and put down their

enemies … but he will notflee,forheknows,asIknow,that they no longer have anyfriends and their tragic storyisatlastplayedout.SoIweepasIclingtohim,

seekingevennowtoholdhimback.Asweneartheentrancehe turns upon me with asudden violent movement,eyes still remote but blindedbrieflybyasavagerage.“Let me go!” he snaps,

yanking his sleeve finallyfrommygrasp.“Getback!”Furiously he stares at me,

helplessly I stare back.Outside the sound ofapproaching troops comesnearer.“Yes, Son of the Sun,” I

murmur at last through mytears, “Iwill let yougo.”Heturns instantly and resumeshis shuffling, stumbling runtoward the great wooden

doors where servants standwide-eyed with terror,waiting to fling themopenathiscommand.“Open!” he shouts with a

terrible urgency. They obey,tumblingoveroneanother intheirfright.Welookoutuponagarishscene.Awildwindisblowing off the Nile, greattorches hiss back the night.There is a jumble of horses,troops, men—and a single

beautiful woman, standingstraight and composed in herchariot as it pauses on oneside of the courtyard toconfront that of her halfbrotherwhichhas justdrawnupontheotherside.For a moment we are all

frozen in one of those awfulspells that last forever inmemory and, perhaps, intime. Over Akhenaten’sshoulder I can see them

staring, first Nefertiti andHoremheb at one another,then the two of them atAkhenaten—he looking fromeach to each and back again,revealing nothing in a facethat now is as composed ashers,sereneandunafraid.A breathless silence fills

the world. The wind blows,the torches flare; only therestless shiftingof thehorsesand the dry rustling of the

palms keeps us in tenuoustouch with reality. We arefiguresof stone, awaiting thewordthatwillstartustolife.Itcomesatlastfromhim,inavoice thatmiraculously ringsclear and commandingthroughthesquare.“Why do you come here,

Cousin? What business haveyou with your King andPharaohatthisstrangehour?”Horemhebstaresathim,he

and Nefertiti at Horemheb.FinallyHoremhebspeaks,hisface working with emotionbut his voice filled with aterribledetermination.“We have come to arrest

Your Majesties and removeyou forever from the rule oftheTwoLands,”hesays,anda great shuddering sigh goesup from the tremblingsoldiers,theterrifiedservantsandthefewlatewanderersof

the city who have beenattracted by the unusualcommotion.“You speak treason,

Cousin,” Akhenaten saysquietly,his facebetrayingnoemotion other than a calmconviction that he willprevail. Abruptly his voicerises in sharp command:“Arresthim!”There is a stirring among

the troops, an uneasy

movement, the exchange ofmany awed and frightenedglances—but they have hadtheir orders and althoughmost are simple peasant ladsconfronted by the awesomeage-old mystery of theirPharaoh, they stand firm.Horemhebistheirleader,andcommandstheworld.“Arrest him!” Akhenaten

shouts again, his voice nowcroakingwithafuriousanger

that is frightening in itsintensity … but they do notmove.“ARRESTHIM!”heshouts

for the third time…andstilltheydonotmove.The silence returns. Our

dreadful paralysis hasenveloped us again. Nonestirs. A stillness as of deathliesonusnow.“Your Majesties,”

Horemheb says at last, face

still filled with emotion butvoice implacable, “had bestcome quietly so that no onewillbehurt”“No!” Nefertiti cries, her

voice as implacable as his,ringing firm and fearless inthechillingwind.Calmlyshetakes the reins of her chariotfrom the trembling hands ofher driver and turns toAkhenaten, standing rigid onthetopmoststep.

“Husband,” she says, stillin the same clear, untroubledvoice,“comewithmeandletusleavethistraitorousdogtoeat his vomit as befits him.Come!”And she slaps the reins

across the backs of herhorses,whowhinnyandstartforward.Instantly the world goes

mad.“Stop her!” Horemheb

shoutsinaterriblevoice.“Letherthroughonpainof

deathandtheeternalcurseofPharaoh through all time,foreverandever!”Akhenatenshoutsinfuryequallyterrible.For the slightest of

moments the world hangssuspended.Then the terrifiedbut obedient soldiers tumbleforward, her chariot issurrounded, the horsesscream and rear high as

someonestabsthemandtheirentrails begin to spill uponthe stones. Wild shoutsmingle with the horses’screams as the soldiers seekto strengthen one another’sresolve. The dust swirls upand hides the dreadful sceneforseveralmoments.Whenitishurriedawaybytheracingwind, the melee emergesagain in all its awfulexcitement. At its center

standsHoremheb,holdingthereins of the dying horses.Straight and proud, eyesfierce,expressionfearlessandenraged, Nefertiti stands atthe front of her chariot.BehindherstandsHatsuret,aglistening battle-ax raisedhighabovehishead.Forwhatseemsaneternity

butcanonlybeamomentshestays so in the wildlyflickering light of the great

bronze-shielded torches,beautiful, brave, indomitableandunconquerable.“Now!” Horemheb shouts.

Hatsuretraisesstillhigherthegleamingax.Sofasttheeyeisunableto

follow, it flashes for a splitsecond and comes down tocleave forever that perfect,timelessskull.Aheavy,unbelievinggroan

comes from the stunned

soldiers and the watchingcrowd, awild animal screamfromAkhenaten.DesperatelyI clutch his arm, with astrength I did not know myoldbonescouldmusterIdraghim back inside before anycan emerge from the blood-sickstuporthatengulfsthem.Frantically I shout at theservants, frantically they leapto slam shut and bolt themassivedoors.

“Majesty!” I cry. “Youmustflee!Oh,mydearson,Ibeg of you, please, please,please,comewithme!”Heisinadaze,hedoesnot

know where he is—but heobeys. Blindly he staggersaway with me down thecorridor. At our backs wehear the first heavy crash ofthebatteringrams.SomehowIhurryhim,half

falling, half stumbling,

leaning on me for support Iam almost afraid I cannotgive, I am so desperate andfrightenedandmyhearthurtsso as I struggle to breathe,down the seemingly endlesscorridors to the privateentrance at the back.Miraculously Horemheb hasnot thought of this: perhapshe could not imagine herdeath would not deliver theGood God helpless in his

hands. Only Akenaten’stroopsareonguard,andtheyhave as yet had no word ofwhathastranspiredinfront.I stand for a moment

irresolute,andinthatmomenthecomesbacktome.“Chariot,” he croaks.

“Chariot!”“Yes!” I cry, and give the

command. Sped bymy hasteand agitation, the guardsspringtoobey.Inamomenta

chariot with two horsesstandsbeforeus. In thenext,the back gates have beenswung open.With a strange,startling agility, calling uponwho knows what reserves ofstrength and terror, he leapsupasIhavenotseenhimdosince he was a child andgrasps the reins tightly inhislong,thinhands.“Majesty—”Icry,andstart

to clamber upwith him. But

savagely he pushes me back—savagely,but,Ithink,quiteimpersonally, for I know hehardlyrealizesIamthere.“No!”hecries.“Igo!”Andlashesthehorses,who

leapforward,andvanishesinthenightofthestillsleeping,unsuspectingcity.Iknowwhereheisgoingin

his blind grief anddesperation and I know thattheywillfindhimthere.

I bow my head and weepbitterlyforNefer-Kheperu-RaAkhenaten, tenth King andPharaoh of the EighteenthDynastytoruleover thelandofKemet,whose livingbodyI know I shall never lookuponagain.…Some time later—some

little time, though to me inmy utmost agony of soul ithas seemed very long indeed—Ihearthecrashofthegreat

doorsgoingdown, a swirl ofsoldiers jangling through thehalls. Ever nearer comes thevoiceofHoremheb.Isituponthegroundanddrawmyrobeover my head and waithumbly for his coming: for Iknow that forme as well hemeansDeath.But amazingly it does not

come.Iamawareofasuddenquiet, I am conscious that heisstandingoverme.SlowlyI

drawmyrobeawayandlookup with tear-filled eyes intohisstrainedandravagedface.For a long time our eyes

hold in silence. Then at lasthe reaches down and gentlydraws therobebackovermyhead. I prepare myselfinstantly for the end of life.Butagainheastoundsme.“Donotfeel toobadly,old

friend,” he says softly, “anddonotthinkIwillblameyou

for what you have done thisnight. You have done whatyou believed you had todo”—hepausesandhisvoicegrows infinitely sad, with adepth of feeling I had notknownwasinhim,mybrightand clever “Kaires” whocametoussolongago—“andso,Ithink,havewe.”With an abrupt harshness

he cries, “Bring my horse! Igo alone to the Northern

Tombs!”Thereisanobedientjumble of response—and heisgone.Idrawmyrobetighterover

my head, I lock my handsaroundmyknees,Irockbackandforthindesolationforourpoor lost Akhenaten and ourbeautifulNefertiti.

***

Akhenaten(life,health,prosperity!)

Farbelowmethecitysleeps.Here where I have come so

often,Irestinyou,myFatherAten. You are my protector,my friend; you open for methe peaceful ways. For yourson Akhenaten you will setall things right andmake theworldtosingagain.Youwillrestore to me my belovedwife, who has not died, andmy dearest brother, who hasnotdied,andtogetherwewillruleinhappinessandloveforall our people, forever and

ever, for millions andmillionsofyears.It seems to me that

somewhere, but a littlewhileago, there was horror in thenight. I cannot rememberexactly what it was, Iremember light and voicesshouting, there seems tobeagreat terror—and then iteludes me. I cannotunderstand, I no longerremember,Iforgetandwitha

smileofinfinitepeaceIthinkagain upon your wonderfuland loving grace to me, myFatherAten.You know, my Father

Aten,howlongandfaithfullyI have loved you, and howearnestly I have sought tomake my people understandyour joyous kindness to theworld. I have laboreddiligentlyinallthingssothatthey might know how you

havemade theworld to be abeautiful and happy place,andhowyouloveallmenandkeep them safe, O Sole Godwhorulestheuniverse.Ihavetried to make them see thatthey must not be afraid ofothergods,thattheymustnotfear the powers ofmagic, ofevil and of darkness—thattheymustloveonlyyou,whoare all things good and kind,in whose holy light all men,

women,birds,animals,livingthings are blessed andshelteredandmadewhole.This I have tried to do,

FatherAten—onlyyouknowhowhardIhavetried.IthinkI may sometimes have mademistakes, for though I am agod I am also human; butthey have been mistakesgrownoflovingyou,andnotfromevilinmyheart.Iknowmy people have not

understood me always, andperhapsIhavenotunderstoodthem as much as I wouldwish;butIhavetriedtoservethem, and to save them, asbest I couldwith thebenisonof your loving guidance. Foryou I married my daughters,that I might have sons tocarry on my line and spreadyour gospel to all the landsand oceans, not only ofKemet but far beyond our

borders, for all men needyour loving help. For you Iput aside my dear wifeNefertiti for a time and tookto my side my dear brotherSmenkhkara,whorepresentedtomeall thatwashappyandhopefulinmyownyouththatwas so sadly ended when Ifellill:inhisloveIthoughtImight find the strength tohelp me strengthen you. Foryou I destroyed Amon and

the other gods, so thatnothing would stand in thewayofyourdominanceoftheworld.I have wanted only love,

for you, for myself, foreveryone. Dimly I seem toremember that there wasopposition—bitterness—Ihave a vague feeling thatsome things were unhappyanddidnotgorightforme—I try to remember, but my

mind is tired tonight, FatherAten, and I cannot.Nor do Iwish to or need to, protectedas Iambyyour love, restingin peace within your lovingarms.Itmay be all has not gone

as I would have wished, itmay be I have been wrongaboutsomethings.ButIhavelovedyou,FatherAten,andIhave loved my kingdom andits people, and for them I

have sought only happythings. I have tried, FatherAten—I have tried: only youknow how hard your sonAkhenatenhastried.…Far below I see the tiny

spark of a flickering torch,twisting erratically in thewind. I thought the windmight be cold up here, forsomehow I seem to havecome without my robe, cladonly in my linen shift; but I

amwarm and comfortable inthe glow of your love, and Ido not feel it. Somehow allthe world seems bright andfilledwith happiness tonight,andallbadthingsaregone.…I believe it is a single

horseman who comes: thetorch rocks as in thehandofone who rides a gallopingsteed. He has started up thelong stone ramp that leadshere to the Northern Tombs.

His progress slows as hismounttakesthesteepincline.But he is coming, FatherAten, and to greet him IbelievethatIwillsingtohimonce more my Hymn that Iwrote to you, which I havesung so often to sustain methroughallouryearstogether.Idonotknowwhoheiswhocomes:butIthinkthathecanonlybemoved,asallmenaremoved, by the loving beauty

ofwhatIsingtoyou.Irisetomyfeet—Iseemto

have been lying prostrate onthe ground, though I cannotremember why—and I movetotheedgeoftheterracethatfrontsthetombs.Ispreadmyarms wide to embrace mycity, my beloved kingdomand the glorious shiningworld. It is filled for metonightwith amarvelous all-conquering peace in the

beauty of your love, and Isingtoyou:“Thou arisest fair in the

horizon of Heaven, O LivingAten,BeginnerofLife.Whenthou dawnest in the East,thou fillest every land withthy beauty. Thou art indeedcomely, great, radiant andhigh over every land. Thyraysembracethelandstothefullextentofallthatthouhastmade, for thou art Ra and

thouattainesttheirlimitsandsubdueththemforthybelovedson, Akhenaten. Thou artremote yet thy raysareuponthe earth. Thou art in thesightofmen,yetthywaysarenotknown.“When thou settest in the

Westernhorizon, the earth isin darkness after themannerofdeath.Menspendthenightindoors with the headcovered,theeyenotseeingits

fellow. Their possessionsmight be stolen, even whenunder their heads, and theywouldbeunawareofit.Everylioncomes forth from its lairandallsnakesbite.Darknessistheonlylight,andtheearthis silent when their Creatorrestsinhishabitation.“Theearthbrightenswhen

thou arisest in the Easternhorizon and shinest forth asAten in the daytime. Thou

drivest away the night whenthou givest forth thy beams.The Two Lands are infestival. They awake andstandupontheirfeetforthouhast raised them up. Theywash their limbs, theyputonraiment and raise their armsin adoration at thyappearance. The entire earthperformsits labors.Allcattleareatpeaceintheirpastures.The trees and herbage grow

green. The birds fly fromtheirnests,theirwingsraisedin praise of thy spirit. Allanimalsgambolontheirfeet,all the winged creation livewhen thou hast risen forthem. The boats sailupstream, and likewisedownstream.Allwaysopenatthy dawning. The fish in theriver leap in thy presence.Thy rays are in the midst ofthesea.

“Thou it is who causestwomen to conceive andmaketh seed into man, whogiveth life to the child in thewomb of its mother, whocomforteth him so that hecries not therein, nurse thatthou art, even in the womb,whogivethbreath toquickenall that he hath made.Whenthechildcomesforthfromthebody on the day of his birth,then thou openest his mouth

completely and thoufurnisheth his sustenance.When the chick in the eggchirps within the shell, thougivesthimthebreathwithinitto sustainhim.Thou createstfor him his proper termwithin the egg, so that heshallbreak itandcome forthfrom it to testify to hiscompletion as he runs abouton his two feet when heemerges.

“How manifold are thyworks!Theyarehidden fromthesightofmen,OSoleGod,like unto whom there is noother!Thoudidst fashion theearthaccording to thydesirewhen thou wast alone—allmen, all cattle great andsmall, all that are upon theearththatrunupontheir feetorriseuponhigh,flyingwiththeirwings.And the landsofSyria and Kush and Kemet

—thou appointest every mantohisplaceandsatisfiethhisneeds. Everyone receives hissustenance and his days arenumbered. Their tongues arediverse in speech and theirqualities likewise, and theircolor is differentiated forthou has distinguished thenations.“Thou makest the waters

under the earth and thoubringest them forth as the

Nileatthypleasuretosustainthe people of Kemet even asthouhastmade them live forthee, O Divine Lord of themall,toilingforthem,theLordof every land, shining forthforthem,theAtenDiskofthedaytime,greatinmajesty!“All distant foreign lands

also, thou createst their life.Thou hast placed a Nile inheaventocomeforthforthemand make a flood upon the

mountains like the sea inorder to water the fields oftheir villages. How excellentare thy plans, O Lord ofEternity!—aNileintheskyisthy gift to the foreigners andto the beasts of their lands;but the true Nile flows fromundertheearthforKemet.“Thy beams nourish every

field and when thou shinestthey live and grow for thee.Thou makest the seasons in

order to sustainall that thouhastmade, thewintertocoolthem, the summer heat thattheymay tasteof thyquality.Thou hast made heaven afaroff that thou mayest beholdall that thouhastmadewhenthouwastalone,appearinginthine aspect of the LivingAten,risingandshiningforth.Thou makest millions offorms out of thyself, towns,villages, fields, roads, the

river. All eyes behold theebefore them, for thou art theAtenofthedaytime,aboveallthatthouhastcreated.“Thouareinmyheart,and

there is none that knoweththeesavethyson,Akhenaten.Thou hast made him wise inthyplansandthypower!”Triumphantly I conclude,

my voice loud and clear inthe silent night, ringing overthecity, theNile,Kemet, the

world; and as I do, thehorsemanreachestheedgeofthe terrace, dismounts andwalks slowly toward me. Isee that it is my cousinHoremheb and that he iscarrying a battle-ax … andsuddenlyIremember.Iknow.Great terror for a second

fills my heart, but then youcome to me and place yourhand tenderly upon myshoulder and strengthen me,

O Father Aten, and all ispeaceful and serene againwithme.Youare likeuntoagreat light, a Nile of Nilesthatfloodsmybeing.I do not fear him. He will

notharmme.IamtheLivingHorusandI

standarmoredinyourlove.“Ah, yes, Cousin,” I say

quietly as he advances.“Somehow I knew that youwouldcomeforme.”

***

Horemheb

From afar I hear his high,wildkeening,whipped tomeon the wind as my horsestruggles up the long inclineto the Northern Tombs.

Dimly above me in theblustering night I see hisgaunt, ungainly, white-cladfigure,armsoutstretchedasifto bless the world with theobscene mouthings of hisemptyAten.To him his words may

makesense.Tometheymeannothing. Only the measuredcadence tells me what hethinks he is chanting. Fromhis mouth there issues only

gibberish.UponhisfaceasIapproach

thereshinesalightunearthly:itfrightensme.Heisinsomeotherworld,gonefromusforgood, leaving us at lastforever, poor, sad, patheticAkhenaten. I am filled withhorror of what I have doneand still must do: yet I tellmyself that it has to be, forKemet, for the Dynasty, andforhim.

He looks to be at peace atlast.ItispeacethatIamheretobringhim.Suddenly lucidity returns

and he says the onlyintelligiblewords that I haveheard:“Ah, yes, Cousin.

Somehow I knew that youwouldcomeforme.”Thereisinhisvoicesucha

calm acceptance, in his eyessuch a look of humble yet

tranquil submission, as of awounded animal awaitingwith pain yet a marvelousserenity the blow it knowswill end its world forever,thatalmostitturnsmylegstowater.It brings to my heart such

terrorandsuchgriefforwhatI must do that almost I turnand run screaming from thenecessary horrors of thisdreadfulnight.

Almostitstaysmyhand.Almost…

***

Tiye

I sit in the window of thelittle palace he built for meand look my last upon theNile,mybelovedTwoLandsand all the lovely world that

once was so kind andgenerous tome. I have donemy duty and I can live nomore.An hour ago they came to

me, my brother andHoremheb, faces ravaged,eyes filled with tears, yetcalm with the calmness ofmen who have accomplishedwhattheybelievedtheymust.“It is finished,” Aye says,

his voice shaking with

emotion, yet firm. “Both aredead.Allisover.”Though I had given the

word, Iyetcryout,a terribleshrieking wail that echoesdownthecorridors.Myheartdieswithinme.Twosons Ihave sacrificed

to Kemet and all my life ofcareanddevotionfortheTwoLands has ended in horrorand ruination. Perhaps, astheytellme,ithasendedina

new birth forKemet, a greatchange that will be for thebetter after all these sad pastyears.So do they believe. So

would I like to believe. So,perhaps, I can make myselfbelieve.But however it has ended,

ithasendedforme.After I have wept for a

time,mybodytornwithsuchsavage sobs that they lookat

mewithfright,ItellthemthatI wish to be buried in theRoyal Wadi beside my sonsandNefertiti.Bothpledgemethis, and I do not think theywillbetrayme.Then I tell them I wish to

be alone for a while, anddismiss them. Weeping also,butstronginthecertaintythatwhat we have done must beright,theyleaveme.I sit alone at my window

andlookmylastuponallthelovelythingsthatmakelifesohappyon this earth for thoseblessedwiththegoodfortunetoenjoythem.I have not been so blessed

inmanyyears.The poison gleams beside

meintheglass;IamtakingitwithwinesothatIwillnotbeawarewhenitgoesdown.Presently I shall cease my

looking,andgotosleep.

***

Aye

My mind staggers withhorror, my hands reek withblood:Ithinktheyshallneverbecleansedagain.Yetwhat couldwe do, for

theTwoLands’sake?If only we had not … if

onlyhehadnot…ifonly…butwedid.Imustthinknolongerthus.

I shall weep forever for mybeautiful daughter and lostunhappy Akhenaten, for mysister and for us all. But anewdayhascomeforKemet.TutankhatenisKing.I must put away the past

that kills my heart and help

my frightened little nephewrestore the Two Lands toma’atandtheirancientglory.

***

Tutankhaten(life,health,prosperity!)

I weep so long and so sadlyfor my mother, my brother

and my beautiful cousin.Theywereallsokindtome.Who will be kind to me

now?Beside me

Ankhesenpaaten,whowillbemyQueen,weepssoftlytoo.We are alone in all this

world.Though but a child, I am

KingandPharaoh.ButwhomcanItrust?What will happen to us,

now that the grownups tellme I must rule this sad landofKemet?

***

BookIII

LifeofaGod

1358B.C.

***

Hatsuret

He is a pliant lad. If hecontinues as we desire, heand Amon will enjoy manylongyearstogether.

***

Tutankhamon(life,health,prosperity!)

Today is the day we mustleave the city of my brother

andreturntoThebes.All about me is bustle,

confusion, last-minutepacking and preparation, thefinal hours of readiness inwhicheveryonerushesabout,worries, checks tomake sureall is right, hopes to forgetnothing, tries to remembereverything.AlloverthecityIcan hear these sounds asAnkhesenpaaten and I standat the window and stare for

the last time at the gleamingwhite rooftops, the golden-spired temples, the miles ofonce-crowded streets,gardens,parks,alleywaysthathe called into life the year Iwas born and which, on thisday thirteenyears later,mustnowbegintodie.On the river the great

barges wait, filled tooverflowing with householdgoods, gold, jewels, the

wealth of what was once hiscapitalandforthesepastfouryearshasbeena favoriteoneof mine. A vast flotilla jamsthe Nile from the southernboundarytothenorth:Alltheofficers of the Court, thenobility, the civil servants,their families, servants andslaves are packed and readytoleave.Wesailatnoon,mygold-painted barge in thelead, followed immediately

by thatofmyuncleAyeandthenbymycousinHoremheb.All the rest will jostle intoplace and the long journeyupstreamwillbeginamid thehectic shouts of pilots andoarsmen, the heavy rhythmicslap of paddles onwater, thesnapping sounds of sails asShu the wind god belliesthem out, the excited shoutsof thosewho look forward—and perhaps, underneath, the

quiet sobbing of those wholook back … desperatelymuffled, of course, becausethisissupposedtobeahappydayandnooneissupposedtofeelregret.As we push out from the

landing stage at the foot ofthelongrampthatleadsfromthe now empty North Palace—all its bright hangingsstripped from the walls, allmy dear cousin Nefertiti’s

statues and objects of artremoved,allfurniturestackedon the barges, even thekitchens emptied totally ofpots andpans—trumpetswillblow, bannerswill fly, a lastdwindling shout will risewistfully from the smallofficialguardandthehandfulof poor who remain to servethem. All others have beenremoved in these recentweeks,sentawaytostartnew

livesinvillagesfarfromhere.The city will stand desertedsave for its lonely guardians.Itwillbelonelytoo.Itistimetosayfarewell:to

Akhet-Aten, to him, and tothedream.…Or so, I think, would they

have me believe. And so, Ithink, would I have thembelieve, for only if theybelieve itwillmyQueenandIbepermittedtolive.…

I go in deathly fear ofmyuncle Aye, my cousinHoremheb and evil Hatsuret,whonowrules triumphantasHigh Priest in the fast-rebuildingtempleofAmonatKarnak.Allgoeshappilynowfor him, the monster whokilled my brotherSmenkhkara, my cousinMerytaten, and last andmostawful,mybeautifulNefertiti.At his side with cold

confidence my uncle andHoremheb work their willupon me and, through me,upontheTwoLands.Once I believed they did

this because they reallybelieved it to be best forKemet.Now I wonder if it is not

just their own glory theyseek.WhenIfirstbecameLiving

Horus, Son of the Sun,King

and Pharaoh, I cowered, achild just turningnine, in thedark night of murder andhorror that ended the life ofAkhenaten, Nefertiti and mymother the GreatWife. Herswas the death of duty, Irealizethatnow:shedidwhatshefeltshehad todofor theTwo Lands and then bravelypaid for itwith her own life,and I honor and respect herfor it, terrible as it was. But

therewasnoneed to killmybrother, no need to kill theChiefWife.Theycouldhavebeen taken prisoner and sentaway somewhere, if thatwasdeemedbest forKemet—andperhapsitmighthavebeen.Ican see that argument now.But there was no need tomurder them just at themoment they seemed at lastto be returning to oneanother.Therewasnoneedto

kill my poor brother, driveninsane as he was by all thathadhappenedtohim:noneedto kill my “second mother,”my sweet Nefertiti whoseonly crime was loving him.They could have beenallowed to enjoy in peacewhatever happiness theycouldsalvagefromthewreckofthebitterpast.…You will say these are

heavythoughtsforayouthof

thirteen. But I wear a heavycrown,andbecauseofitIamoldbeyondmyyears.SoIcowered,notknowing

whether at any moment Imight not be next. I did notreally think so, for I wasindeedtheLivingHorusthen,I had the blood, the DoubleCrown was mine by right.These things had not savedAkhenaten,butIthoughttheymight save me, whom they

thought untainted by his“heresy.”BesidemetrembledmylovingAnkhesenpaaten—my niece and four years mysenior, but ordained fromchildhood tobemywife:wethought she too might facethe ax ofHatsuret before thenightwasended,fornowshebore the final right oflegitimacy to the throne. Sowejumpedandscreamedandclung to one another fiercely

when the door suddenlyopened.But itwasmy uncleAyeandHoremheb,andtheirwordswerelovingandsweet,and we believed them, andrelaxed.“SonoftheSun,”myuncle

saidgravely,“wecometotellyou that you have succeededtothegloriousthroneofyourancestors. The House ofThebes, in you, will berestored to glory. Through

you Kemet will once moreflourish and be happy. DearAnkhesenpaaten, you willrule beside him as ChiefQueenoftheTwoLands,andfromhis loinsandyourswillcomemanyfinesonstoservethekingdomandpreserveourDynasty.Donotbeafraid,forweareyourservantsandyourfriends,anditwillbeso.”And Horemheb, his hands,

thoughIdidnotknowitthen,

just washed of the blood ofmybrother,agreedwithequalgravity:“Sonof theSun, itwill be

so.”And because we were so

frightened and wished sodesperately to believe them,we did. And presently ourtrembling ceased, though notour tears for thosewhoweregone; and soon Queen Kiaappeared,herfaceassadand

ravaged with weeping asours, and led us away to herquarters, hugged us androckedusforawhileandputus finally to bed, where wefell asleep in one another’sarms while she crooned agentle song all night long tosoothe our restless nightmaredreams.(Dear, kind, gentle Kia,

Nefertiti’sfaithfulfriend,andours!Whereisshenow?Ido

not know. When I went toThebesformycoronationshewas here; when I came backshewas gone.When I askedmy uncle where she was, hesaidvaguely, “Shewished togo and live in the Delta, farfromthisplace.”ButsecretlyI had the three I now regardasmy only true friends—mymuch older sister Sitamon,youngMaya,my schoolmateand now supervisor of the

necropolisatThebes,andmycousin, theVizierNakht-Min—trytofindherforme.Theyhaveneverbeenable.)Very soon thereafter we

were taken toThebes for theceremonies that wouldsanctifymyplaceasPharaoh.Somewhere I heard dimlythat there had been a hastyembalmment of Akhenatenand Nefertiti, not the ritualseventy days but more like

ten or twenty, and that theirrotting, half-prepared bodieshadthenbeenhurriedawayinthedeadofnighttotheRoyalWadihereinAkhet-Atenandthere been hastily andfurtively buried. Only mymother the Great Wifereceived seventy days andfullhonors,andnowisburiedbeside them. Meanwhilethroughout the length ofKemet—on our borders—in

embassies sent to KingTushratta of Mittani, KingSupp-i-lu-li-u-mas of theHittites and such other fewremaining friends and alliesasmybrother leftus—itwasbeing announced that he,mymother and the Chief Wifeweredead“ofanaturalfever”andthatIwasnowtheLivingHorusandsoontobemarriedtoAnkhesenpaaten.So all proceeded as my

captorswished.Itwasagreatshock to me to realize thatthis is what they were, myuncle Aye who had alwaysbeen so fatherly and kind tome, my cousin Horemhebwith whom I had played sohappily so many times asbabyandchild—butIlearneditfast,asIhavelearnedmuchelsefastinthesefouryearsofmy imprisonment on thethrone.AnkhesenpaatenandI

were helpless and alone: thegame proceeded as they saiditmust.So there came the great

day;andIwilladmit that forme, as a child, and forAnkhesenpaaten, who wasallowed to watch nearbythrough dazzled eyes thoughwe were not yet married, itwas,althoughatfirstalmostadisaster, in final impact anawesome and powerfully

moving thing. It was onlylater that we came to realizethatambition,evil,corruptionanddeathunderlay it all.Forthe moment it became aspectacleasoverwhelming tous as it was to all whocrowded Thebes to witnessthe triumph of Amon,returning to power throughthe medium of his small,bewildered, nine-year-oldpawn.

I had not slept much thenight before, falling at lastinto fitful dozing not longbefore my uncle came towakenme. So I felt, at first,sleepy-eyedandqueasyatmystomach. After I retired torelieve myself, he gave mestrong tea, followed by winemixed lightlywithwater: thefirst shocked me awake andquieted my stomach, thesecondseemedtoputmeinto

adreamlikeandhappymood.I forgot all that had broughtme to this hour and thoughtonly of what lay ahead. Agreatexcitementbegantofillmyheart.Next there entered to me

four white-robed priests ofAmon,whoundermyuncle’ssupervision stripped frommemy nightclothes and washedmybodythoroughlyinall itsparts.(Alittletoothoroughly

at times, I thought. I likenotpriests:theymakemeuneasyon many counts.) Theyanointed me with unguentswhich they told me weresacred to Amon. (Only eightdaysbefore,whenmybrotherwas alive, the unguents hadbeen just unguents. Now thepriests said mumbo-jumboover the sticky stuff and itwas suddenly sacred toAmon.Iwasnottoobemused

tomiss the irony of this, butgavenosign.)Thentheyplacedaboutme

only the pleated kilt of aPharaoh, in my case verysmall, of course, for I wasstill but a skinny child.Theyplaced nothing on my head,nosandalsonmyfeet.Nakedsave for the kilt, I wasescorted into the firstcourtyard of the temple ofKarnak (its battered doors

still scoured by the fires ofmy brother) and there joinedthe solemn procession—headed, of course, by AyeandHoremheb,who fell intostepjustbehindme,andafterthem by Hatsuret and hishighestaides.Followingthemcame many priests andpriestesses, not only ofAmon, but of all the othergods. (Howquickly, in but aweek’s time, had they

reappeared from hiding toseize anew their long-lostpower!) These last wereshaking sistrums, clashingcymbals, beating drums andblowing on the long bronzetrumpets whose mournfulmooing must sound likeHathorthecowgoddesswhenshehasabellyache.Inresponse to theirsudden

raucous noise there camefrom beyond the walls a

great, deep, roaring soundwhich startledme so that fora moment I turned back infrighttomyunclejustbehindme.“Be happy, Son of the

Sun,” he said, placing asoothing hand on my nakedshivering shoulder—shivering more from chillthan fright, actually: it wassunny but cold that day inKarnak. “These are your

people,andtheyloveyou.”And I believed him, and

stilldo:fortheyaremineandthey do love me, andAnkhesenpaatenaswell. It isnot their fault that they areunable to know who reallyrulesthem.So we moved solemnly

forward through the firstpylon, erected by my fatherAmonhotep III (life, health,prosperity!), and suddenly I

wasgreetedbysightssuchasI had never seen up to then,buthave seenonly toomuchof since.My uncle had triedtoforewarnme,buthiswordshad not really prepared meforsuchastartlingspectacle.Priestsmaskedtorepresent

the gods descended uponmefromevery side,dancingandcavortingandwhirlingabout,uttering welcoming shrieksand, to me, unintelligible

ritual cries. All this wasentirely new to me because,having been raised in theAten, I had never knownthese grotesque masks andceremonies. They did notperceive it then, nor do theyrealize it now, but in thatmoment I thought with asudden blinding flash: Buthow absurd! They arechildren playing children’sgames!

And instantaneouslythereafter the thought whichonly Ankhesenpaaten knows,and shares: My brother wasright.Itisnonsense,allthis.None of this showed upon

my face, for by nine I hadlearnedverywellhowtokeepmy feelings hidden. Isubmitted placidly when apriest wearing what I nowknowtobethefalconheadofHorus of the Horizon seized

mebyonehand,andanother,wearing the old man’s maskofRainhisformofAtumashe sinks in old age into theWest,seizedmebytheother.So excited were they at thusbeing back in power againthat they almost yanked meforward through the secondpylonbuiltbymygreat-great-great-great-grandfatherTuthmose I (life, health,prosperity!). My naked feet

barelyskimmedthestonesofthe courtyard as they hustledme along. Behind me Ayeand Horemheb, Hatsuret andthe rest had to puff to keepup.All this happened very

quickly, you understand, andit ended very quickly too,because suddenly I sawwheretheyweredraggingmeandIcriedoutsharply,“No!”and let myself go limp in

theirhandssothatmysacredbody touched thegroundandthey had to stop in sheerhorror of their ownprofanationofmyperson.Beforeme I saw a pool of

water,with fourmaskedmenstanding around it at thepointsofthecompass.LaterIlearned, of course, that thisrepresented the division ofthe world into four partsaccordingtotheancientcreed

of Heliopolis. But to me, achildseeingamaskofanibis(Thoth, of course), a dog’scurvedmuzzleandsquare-cutears (Seth), and two morefalcon beaks (Horus ofBehdet, and Dunawy)apparently about to plungehimintoapoolofwater,onlyone terrified thought couldcome: It is like my distantbrother Tuthmose! They aregoing to drown me as they

drownedhim!AndagainIshrieked,“No,

no,no!”andsaggedupontheground.Outside the loving roar

continued. Inside all wasconsternation.Instantlymy uncle stooped

down, angrily ordered thefrightened priests aside,scooped me into his arms.Soothingly he murmured inmy ear, quieted my

trembling, which now wasquite genuinely caused byfear, and patiently explainedonceagainthesignificanceofthe four who confrontedme.Since I could see that theywereobviouslyasterrifiedofme as I of them, utterlyconfounded and confused bymy reaction, I soon believedhim and regained mycomposure. I slipped out ofhis arms, stood straight for a

second and then marchedsturdily forward, head heldhigh.After that I feltno fearand the ceremony proceededwithoutfurtherdifficulty.Reassembled in their

positions around the pool,these child-men, in what Inow felt morecontemptuously than ever tobe their child-masks, pouredwater over me from fourgolden jars. This water—

which (I thought as before)uptoAkhenaten’sdeatheightdaysagohadbeenonlywater—now was presumed tosplashthedivinityofthegodsupon me. Why this wasnecessary, since I am divinebybirth,Ididnotunderstand;but having now resolved tosee it through as befitted thePharaoh I intended to be, Isubmittedquietly.I was then led on to two

chapels between the secondand third pylons, onerepresenting the “House ofFlame,” the ancient northernsanctuaryofAmon, theotherthe“GreatHouse,”orancientsouthern sanctuary. In thefirstweremore priests,moremasks: Horus, Neith, Isis,Buto of Lower Kemet,Nekhebet of Upper Kemet,Nephthys and many others(most of whose names I

learned later: theywere, as Isay, mostly new to me)chanting my solemn praises.Noisilytheyaccompaniedmeforwardtothesecondchapel,pausing in its doorway as Iwentwithin.A priestess representing

Amon’s daughter, the snakegoddess, loomed out of theshadowy interior, around herhead a great linen cobra’shood held stiff by bands of

gold.BeforeIknewwhatshewasdoingshehadenvelopedmy body with hers. Herbosom was suffocating andher perfume overpowering. Ialmost gagged from thestrengthof itbutmanaged todistract my throat bypretending to cough. Thisstinking embrace wassupposed to represent mybeing acknowledged as theheir to the throne—Amon’s

hidden hand supposedlyguiding his daughter’s hoodto rise behind my head. Tome it was simply beingcrushed by an offensivelysmelly woman. But I hadmade up my mind, andaccepteditsolemnly.Next came a priest named

(I learned later) Inmutef,accompaniedbyotherpriests,each bearing one of thecrowns of Kemet (recovered

from my brother’s palace atAkhet-Aten, I learned later:hehadnotquitedareddestroythese ancient symbols).Quickly they were placed inturn upon my head and asquickly removed—thecombinedwhitemiterandredmortar-cap that represent theDouble Crown of the twogoddesses Buto andNekhebet, meaning the TwoLands, Kemet itself; the atef

crown of Ra, the seshedheadband, the ibis crown ofThoth, the blue leatherkhepresh crown, the diademof two tall plumes similar tothosewornbyAmon,andthegreat golden wig, its flapsrestingonmychest.Thenthekhepreshwas returned tomyheadandIwasledonthroughthe third pylon to anothershadowy chapel (it is as mybrothersaid:Amonisalways

cold, hidden and unhealthy)where I knelt before a rosegranite shrine originallydedicated by my great-great-grandfather Tuthmose III(life, health, prosperity!).There in ringing tones frombehind me Hatsuretannounced that Amon hadconfirmedmywearingof thekhepresh and henceforth Ihad sway over all thedominions of the sun. To

prove this, he announced, IwouldfeelthehandofAmontouchmy neck. A cold handimmediately did, making mejumpwithitsiciness.I knew it was the hand of

Amon, all right: the hand ofAmon that had killed mybrother Smenkhkara, mynieceMerytatenandmydearcousin Nefertiti. But withgreat effort I managed toshow none of the awful

revulsion that withered mybody at his touch, and all inattendancebreathedasighofsatisfactionas I roseagain tomyfeet.There followed the

conferringofallmytitulariesand names, including mycoronation name of Neb-Kheperu-Ra that the Familylong ago selected to bemineif I should become King. Iwas also hailed, in a great

shout that allowed of norebuttal,“Tutankhamon!”Notmyrealnamethathonors theAten, but their name thathonors their god:“Tutankhamon!” There wasnothing I could do butoutwardly accept, thoughinwardlyImadeapromisetomyselfabout that. Iwas thenled on to the most ancientinnermostsanctuaryofAmonwhere the golden idol,

releasedfromhislonghidingin the passageway offHoremheb’stombatSakkara,once more gleamed andglittered mysteriously in thegloom.I looked into his hooded

eyes and joined as best Icould in the prayers chantedbyHatsuret and the rest; butbetweenthehoodedeyesandmy own there passed amessage that I think the

hooded eyes understood. Noone else saw it—no one tothisdaysaveAnkhesenpaatenis aware—but between thegodandmethereisnosecret.We are not friends, and he

knowsit.Then I was led back

throughthepylonstothefirstcourtyard, which had nowbeen thrown open so thatbetween its walls and as farasmyeyecouldcarry, to the

verybanksoftheNileitself,Icould see my people,thousands upon thousandsupon thousands of them,waiting to watch me gothroughonceagain,inpublic,the full traditional coronationceremony that they had notseen since the crowning ofmy father, more than fortyyearsago.Now the great roar welled

uptogreetmeinperson.And

now it suddenly all becamereal to me, and toAnkhesenpaaten, too, whowasbrought forward to sit atmy right hand, her chair alittle back as became onesoon to be, but not yet,Queen. Now I was to beunited with my people in abond of affection and lovethatnothingcouldbreak.Theunion with the god, restoredwith such desperate haste so

thathemightasserthisclaimonmeas Iwas inducted intokingship, had been a cold,confusing and repellentceremony to me. The takingofmycrownagainbeforemybeloved people of mybelovedKemetwasathingsowarm and marvelous thatAnkhesenpaaten and I couldonly smile at one another inthe wonderment and joy wesharedinit.

The first part of the daywas ridiculous—empty andhorrid, as far as we wereconcerned. The second waslove, inwhosearmswehaverested ever since, and uponwhose endless kindness andunshakable loyalty we stillhopetobaseourrule.Iwasseatedontheancient

throne of coronation, so oldthat its origins are lost intime. Before me the masked

priestsdancedandchantedinthebrightsunshine,somehowno longer chill but soft andwarmwiththemagicoflove.The khepresh was removed,theDoubleCrownwasplacedupon my head. Priestsmasked as the spirits of theNile twined the lily and thepapyrus, representing theTwoLands,aroundapillartosymbolize their union. I thenroseandmademyceremonial

run around a square markedout upon the sand: thisancient rite represented theway my distant ancestorsmillennia ago ran around theboundariesofourfirstcapitalof Memphis to symbolizetheirassumptionofrule.There was more chanting,

longandsolemn,towhichthevast crowd listenedrespectfully. Finally Ireturned to the throne,

steppedforwardandliftedmyarmsforsilence.Iwasawareof consternation around me,sudden startled looks frommyuncleAyeandHoremheb,Hatsuret’s uneasy turnings:thiswasnotpartof tradition.Akhenateninauguratedit,thisrevolutionary direct contactwiththepeople: theythoughtthey had destroyed it, withhim. I could see memory intheir eyes, fear of what I

mightsay,andIknewImustbanish it at once. Indeed, Ineverintendedelse.“Mydearlybelovedpeople

of Kemet!” I cried, and myflutingchild’svoicenodoubtsoundedthinandreedyintheutter silence; but they lovedmeforit,andtheirlovecameuptomeinwaves.“Muchofsadnessandofill

has fallen upon us in recentyears. Many were to

blame”—for I would notblamehim, ever, who strovefor love and died for it,though I could sense thesilent protests around mebecause I did not—“and allmust now work together, torepair what has been doneand make the Two Landswhole again. I will restorema’at, I will bring backhappiness. All will be againin Kemet as it was before.

You and I, my dear people,togetherwithourdearQueen,Ankhesenpaaten,willworktorestoreourbelovedland.“Wewillhelponeanother,

you and I!Wewillmake allcome right again for Kemet!Great will be her gloryhereafter, forever and ever,formillionsofyears!“I, Neb-Kheperu-Ra”—for

a split second I hesitated, forthe new name did not yet

come easily to my tongue:then I decided it best to beclever and appear to accept—“Tutankhamon”—a joyfulroar broke the silence to theveryedgeoftheNile,fortheyhave never loved mybrother’sSoleGodoflove,soIrepeateditslowly—“I,Neb-Kheperu-Ra Tutankhamon,dosopromiseit!”Andturnedbacktoresume

my seat for the ceremonial

games, to find my uncle,Horemheb and Hatsuretnodding and beaming withgreat relief and approval.They need not haveworried:it was not at that moment Iwouldchoosetodefythem,achild of nine only. How onearthcouldI?There followed a

procession through Thebesthat lasted all afternoon, atwhich those who had been

unable to crowd around thetemple were able to shout tome and Ankhesenpaaten,borne high in our gold-painted baldachins, theirexited, happy greetings. Wethen crossed the river toMalkata and attended thetraditional ceremonialbanquet for an hour or so,afterwhichwewere sent offtobedinchargeofRamessesand his wife Sitra, who are

kindlypeopleifalittledull.It was high time for us to

leave,infact,becausebythennearly all the top officials ofthe Court, including evenHoremheb (though not myuncle Aye), were becomingvery drunk, and other thingswere apparently soon tohappen.OnsuchoccasionsinKemet—including thebanquets that traditionallyfollow funerals, and

particularly at the greatFestival of Opet, which hasnow been revived and lastsfortwoweekswhileAmonisbrought fromKarnak to visithis temple at Luxor—theladies wear cones ofperfumed wax atop theirwigs. As the wax melts, theperfumesrundownovertheirbodies.Thiscombineswithagreat deal of wine thateveryone drinks, and

presentlythingsoccurthatarerather far from the stately,dignified life recordedon thewalls of our tombs andtemples.AnkhesenpaatenandI soon learned, in fact, thatsuch occasions oftenconclude with most of theguests rutting like animals ina communal orgy whichdisgusts us so that we havebanned it from our ownbanquets. But it goes on all

over Kemet, all the time.Nextday,ofcourse,everyoneis dignified again and sereneasatemplepainting,ifalittlehollow-eyed.We went to bed with the

howls of our own guests—and fromacross the river thehowlsofthecommoncitizensof Thebes, who always pourinto the streets in a drunkenmass on the slightest pretexttomimictheirbettersinevery

naked particular—ringing inourears.Withawrynessthatcametomeevenattheageofnine, I reflected that thecoronation of the King andPharaoh Tutankhamon wasindeed being suitablycelebratedbyhiscountrymen.When we said good nightbefore being led to ourrespective chambers,AnkhesenpaatenandIagreedthat thiswould never happen

in our own palaces again.This is one thing, in spite ofsome grumbling by thosewho consider us strait-laced,that we have been able toachieve.After that I lingered for a

few weeks in Thebes, whileAye and Horemheb gaveorders toAmonhotep,SonofHapu, and to Tuthmose, ourchief sculptor, to start therebuilding and redecorating

of all the temples. I thenmade a triumphal coronationprogress to Memphis, toHeliopolis, Hermonthis, andfinally back to Hermopolis,across the river from Akhet-Aten;andsofromtherebackto this city that today weabandon.HereIhavehadoneof my principal seats ofgovernment, though I havespent much time, too, inMemphis and in Thebes.

Thebes in particular I like,because that is where I firstbecame aware of life, in thePalace of Malkata; and nowthat we are being forced toleave this city that holds somany unhappy memories—and yet, for me andAnkhesenpaaten, as childrengrowing up mostly in thepalace of Nefertiti while mymother the GreatWife spentmuch of her time in Thebes,

manyhappymemories,too—itistoThebesthatIwillgo.Itoldmy uncle recently that Iwishedtoaddtomytitlesthewords “Ruler of Southern‘No,’” which means Thebes;and there was happyagreement from all, becausethey thought it meant Iwanted to be near Amon,whom I appear to love somuch. Actually I want toreoccupy Malkata, which of

allmypalaces,savetheNorthPalace here which we mustnowabandon,Ilikethebest.Six months after returning

here, Ankhesenpaaten and Iwere married in a lengthyceremony, its first rites heldin theHouse of theAten, itssecondhalf held in the smalltemple of Amon adjoiningwhatused tobemymother’spalace, now standing emptybesidetheNile.Ourdesireto

give the Aten such renewedprominence of course greatlydisturbed Horemheb andHatsuret,but to theirsurpriseitwasAyewhosaidfirmlyitshould be so. It was he, infact, who encouraged us torequestitinthefirstplace.“Wedonotwishtodestroy

the Aten altogether,” he saidtoHoremhebwhenthetwoofthem argued it out in mypresence.

“Why not?” my cousindemandedbluntly.“Because Aten is still a

sacred aspect of Ra,” Ayereplied with equal bluntness.“AndwhilewehaverestoredRa’sotheraspects,andgivenback their power to Amonandtheothergods,wecannotsimplypretendtheAtendoesnot exist. The key to changein Kemet, my son, is‘gradual’—gradual. Even

though he (Aye does notname my brother if he canpossiblyavoidit.Hedoesnotgo so far as to call him “theHeretic”or“theCriminal,”asHoremheb and many othersdo, but he will not say hisname)isgone,stillforatimethe Aten was supreme. Thegod can only be reducedgraduallytoalesserrole.”“Well, see that he is!”

Horemheb said tersely, at

which my uncle came asclosetoopenangerasIhaveever seen him display withmypowerful cousin,whom Ithink he even then wasbeginningtofear.“You do not order the

Regent to do anything!” hesnapped. “I shall proceed inmoderation and sense, as Ihavedoneallthings.”“Including—” Horemheb

began sarcastically, but his

father cut him off with aterriblefierceness.“Do not raise old ghosts

with me! There is guiltenough for all and bloodenough for all! Be satisfiedwith your portion, and bestill!”For quite a long time

Horemheb stared at him,apparently unabashed, whileI, frightened of their anger,almost hesitated to breathe.

But Horemheb apparentlywasmoreintimidatedthanheshowed, for presently heturned away with a sullen“Let us not do too muchhonortotheAten,then!”Towhichmyunclereplied,

more calmly, “We will not,youmay rest assuredof that.Butneitherwillweinvitetoomuch comment and concernbybeingasviolenttowardtheAtenashewastowardAmon

and the others. It is balanceKemet desperately needsnow.Balance!”Horemheb made no reply

ashedeparted,andmyuncleturned back to me, stillbreathing a little hard, to sayquietly, “Son of the Sun, donot be alarmed by thesearguments between yourcousin and me. Though amature man, he is still toorash and impatient in some

respects. I know in his heartheseesmywisdom,asIhopeyoudotoo.DoyounotagreewithwhatIsay?”SodutifullyIsaid(because

it conformed so well to myown desires, in any case),“Yes, Uncle. Your wordsmakesensetome.”And thus we had our

wedding, blessed at least inpart by the Aten, as wewished; and thus began the

small defiance—never daringverymuch,forwearestillsoyoung and our hold on thepeopleandonthearmyisnotyet strong enough—whichhas allowed us to keep ourheartsatrestandfeelthatweare being true to those whowatch us from the after-world, expecting us to keepfaithwith them. It is for thisreason also that, until thisday, I have continued to use

both my names, signingmyself sometimes“Tutankhamon” andsometimes “Tutankhaten,” sothat both appear on myofficialdocuments.Now I have been told that

as of this day this will nolonger be permitted: fromnow on all must be“Tutankhamon.” It will alsobe “Ankhesenamon” insteadofAnkhesenpaaten. But they

cannot change what we callourselves in our hearts, orwhat we call one another inthe privacy of our chambers.Between ourselves, at least,we will continue to do whatwefeeltobeourduty.Onthisdayalso,beforewe

depart, I must set my seal—“Tutankhamon”—to thetext of the “restoration stela”thatHoremheb has drawn upforme.Heproposestohaveit

inscribed on two tablets, onein the temple of Karnak andthe other in the temple ofLuxor toprovide,ashe says,“a suitable celebration ofyour return to Thebes.” Inthem he wishes me todescribe for eternity how IhaverestoredtoAmonandallthe others their rights,prerogatives and privileges.He also wishes me tocondemn my brother. This

time my uncle and even myfriend and cousinNahkt-Minare agreed. I do not wish todoit,but theseare thewordsImustendorseforthem:“Now when His Majesty

[myself] appeared as King,the temples from one end ofthe land to the other hadfallen into ruin; their shrineswere desolate and hadbecome wildernessesovergrown with weeds; their

sanctuaries were as thoughthey had never been; theirprecinctsweretroddenpaths.The land was in confusion,forthegodshadforsakenthisland. If an army was sent toAsiatowidenthefrontiersofKemet,itmetwithnosuccess.Ifoneprayedtoagodtoaskthings of him, he did notcome. If one supplicated agoddess, likewise shedidnotcome either. Their hearts

were enfeebled becausewhathad been made wasdestroyed.”I know that in large

measure this is true yet I donot like the tone of criticismofmybrother,whowaskindtome—hewaskindtome.Hemayhavedonebad things toAmonandtheothergods,butdid theynotdobad things tohim? He did not turn uponthemuntilverylate,whenhe

felt he could do no other. Ishe to be blamed to eternityforthat?Apparently he is, forwhen

I showed signs of demurring(this was handed to meunexpectedlyafterdinnerlastnight when I was of courseentirely unprepared for it), Iwas threatened that if I didnot sign we would not beallowed to return to Thebes,and there would be public

disgraceforme.Iamstilltooyoung, as I say, to have fullpower, so I decided todissemble.Isaidthat,whileIregrettedwhattheyseemedtoregard as the necessity toattack a Good God (theywinced at that title, as Idesired they should) whocould do them no furtherharm, still I could see thatAmon perhaps needed to beappeased, now that they had

made him so strong again.They did not like thisreminder very much, butsince I was conceding theycould say no more about it.So with silent apologies tomy brother I agreed to therestofitaswell.I related (in Horemheb’s

words—he,beinga scribe, isvery good at words, ofcourse) how I was speakingfromthedomainofTuthmose

I (life, health, prosperity!) atAkhet-Aten (where mybrother had built ourdistinguishedancestorasmallhonorary temple). I said Imust congratulate myself onwhat I had accomplished forAmon and the other gods sofar, and stated mydeterminationtoputanendtoevil and cause the ruinedtemples to flower oncemoreas“monumentsofeternity.”I

alsopromised tobuildAmon“an august image of puregold” inlaid with lapis lazuliand other precious stones,greater than he had everreceived—it would takethirteen stretchers to carry it,in fact, which I reflectedsilentlyoughttobeenoughtomake Hatsuret dance up anddown the obelisk ofHatshepsut (life, health,prosperity!) in sheer glee. I

also related how I had“gathered in priests andprophets, children of thenotables of their towns, eachthe son of an eminent manwhose name is known,” toform the revived priesthoodof Amon (all of themcarefullyselectedbyAyeandHoremheb, of course, eventhough officially appointedby me) and told how I hadendowed the temple at

Karnak with treasures andfilled its warehouses withmale and female slaves towaituponthem.I also described how I

intended to rebuild Amon’sbarges with cedar-wood ofthe finest quality and gildthem with gold so that theymightglitterupontheriverasof old, and provide for themmaleandfemaleworkersandsingers toassist themintheir

task—all this for the delightofallthegodsandgoddesses,wholovedmeandwerefilledwith delight by my care forthem (as indeed they shouldbe, for it is all being handedback to them on a goldenplatter).For this, I concluded, the

godshadalreadyrepaidmeahundredfold, particularlykindly old Amon, who now“lovesbetterthaneverhisson

Neb-Kheperu-Ra, Lord ofKarnak, Tutankhamon, himwhosatisfiesallthegods.”To this I affixed my seal

—“Tutankhamon”—but notbefore I asked my cousinHoremheb, “Is this how youwould achieve balancebetween Amon and Aten,Cousin?Tome it seems youwouldputAmonagainontopoftheworld.”“It is not so, Son of the

Sun,” he said, rather morevehemently than I think heintended. “It is simply amatter of redressing thewrongs that have been donehim.”“Well, be sure you do not

lifthimtoohigh,”Isaid,“forhe has been known to castdown even Pharaohs whomhedoesnotlike.”Hegavemeastartledlook,

flushed and growled, “Well,

it will be done correctly. Donot worry, Majesty. He willnot cast you down, for heloves you—as you,” headded, suddenly peering atme, sharp and shrewd, “lovehim. Is it not so, Son of theSun?”“It is so, Cousin,” I said

calmly, “with all my heart.Does not everything yourequiremetodogiveproofofit?”

“I require of you nothingyoudonotgrantwillinglyoutof your deep love for thegod!” he said. “Is that notalsotrue,SonoftheSun?”I saw from his expression,

and my uncle’s that it hadbetter be, so I laughed andsaid, “Certainly, Cousin,certainly!Iwouldnothaveitotherwise. Never would Ihaveitotherwise!”“Ihopenot,”hesaid,while

at his shoulder my unclelookedasintentashe,“fortodo so would only bring newsorrowsupontheTwoLands.Andthatweallwishtoavoid,dowenot?”“Youhavetheproofofit,”

I saidcheerfully. “Myseal isaffixed to your writing. Youhold it in your hand.Certainly even for one assuspicious as you, Cousin,thatshouldbesufficient.”

“He is not suspicious,”myunclesaidgravely,seekingtoturn aside the contest hesensed beneath our words.“He is simply careful of thekingdom.”“And I am not?” I

demanded, suddenly stern,drawingmyselfuptomyfullheight,whichofcourseisnotyet full-grown: butimpressive enough, I guess,for they both stepped back a

little as though from aphysical impact, at my regalpresence. “Do you dare tellmeIamnot?”“No, Majesty,” Aye said

hastily; and, “No,Sonof theSun,”echoedHoremhebwithequalhaste.And,“Verywell,then,” said I. “Take yourpaper and have your stelaecarved. I, Neb-Kheperu-RaTutankhamon,haveagreedtoit,soletnomorebesaid!”

“Yes, Majesty,” they saidas one; bowed low; andbackedoutwhile Istill stoodstern and imperious beforethem. Behind me I heard agiggle: Ankhesenpaaten hadbeenpeekingthroughaslitinthe curtain that conceals myprivate passageway to thethrone.“You have them scared,”

she said, coming out andtakingmyhandinhers.

“Not really,” I said. “I amscaredofthem,andsoshouldyoube,untilwearepowerfulenough to bend them to ourrule.”“Yes,” she agreed,

suddenly somber, for weagree in all things, andparticularlythis.“Thetimeisnotyet.”“Not yet,” I said, “but it

willcome.”“Yes,” she said softly,

kissingmeassheoftendoes,for we have found greathappiness and are very closenowthatIamoldenough,“itwill come.” Her eyes lookedsuddenlyfierce.“Iswearitbythe blood of my mother andmyfather!”“I swear it by thebloodof

mybrotherandmycousin!”Isaid with equal fierceness:and then we clung to oneanotherverytightlyforavery

long time, for in reality wearestillchildrenandtodaywearebeing forced to leaveourfavorite city under thecommand of others, and weare, in truth,unable todotheslightestthingaboutit.Butthetimewillcome,itis

simply a matter of gettingthrough these next few yearswithout antagonizing themtoomuchorrevealingtothemtoo clearly what our real

thoughtsare.For thepresent,Iintendtodoonemorething,using the “restoration stela”asmyexcuse,whichIthinkIcan do in the guise ofmaintaining that “balance”my uncle talks about. I willtell themabout thiswhenweget toThebes. If theyprotesttoomuchIshallabandonit—fornow.IftheydonotIshallgo ahead, regarding it asonemore small step on the long

road we must go to returnKemet to the only balancethat can truly restore herglory,thebalanceoflove.Now the trumpets are

blowing,thereisbustleinthecorridors.Theyarecomingtogetus.Itistimetosaygood-bytoAkhet-Aten.Westandtogetherforalast

momentat thewindow,armsabout each other’s waists,eyes suddenly filled with

tearsaswelookourlastuponthe ghost city to which wewill never, in all probability,return. They are with usachingly now, our ownspecial ghosts. One shufflesawkwardly down the hall.Onegivesusa steadyglancefrom serenely beautiful eyes.One,olderandharriedbyhercares for Kemet, looks at usabsent-mindedly yet withlove as she vanishes fromus

downanemptystreet.Wehavenot leftyou,dear

ghosts.By us you will be

rememberedandrevenged.I, Neb-Kheperu-Ra

Tutankhaten,sodecreeit.***

Amonemhet

You will remember me,Amon-em-het the peasantwholivesbesidetheNileandwatches the grand ones passupanddownon theirway to

death and disaster? Well, Iam still here, a little oldernow:andlotsofthemarenot.So I guess I can’t complain,even though life has neverbeen easy for us here in thevillage,and Ihave justaboutgivenuphopethatiteverwillbe.Tonightthevillageisbeing

greatly honored, so we aretold, because the processionof the new Good God, our

boy-King Tutankhamon, hasgraciously decided to tie upalongourshoresonitswaytoThebes. What this “honor”meansinfactisthathundredsof oarsmen, priests, slavesandservantswillsoonswarmashore to chase our womenand children and buy upeverybitoffoodwehave—orstealit,iftheycan’tbuyit.When I first heard they

were coming—horsemen

rode ahead to spread theword, followed by the soundof many trumpets on theriver, far off—I ordered mywife and our six children(yes,wekeep at it, though itmeansmoremouthstofeed—butalso,yousee,morehandstofeedmywifeandmewhenour mouths grow toothlessagain, as theirs firstwere) totake away our precious littlehoardofgrain,ourtwocattle,

our two donkeys, even ourdog and the cat—and hidethemseveralmiles fromherein a secret cave we know atthe place where the BlackLand ends like a knife edgeand the Red Land begins. Itoldthemtoremainthere,forevil visitors sometimes wantmorethanfood,andmywifeis still comely and we havethreegirls,andpoorpeasantshave little appeal from the

whims of nobles, thugs andcitymen.I then left our hut wide

open, the rough stone tableand benches where we eatandtheroundstonewherewegrind the grain left in place,oursleepingpalletsstackedinone corner of the room, ourearthen pots and pans inanother. I hoped this woulddiscourage any would-beevildoer off the boats who

mighthappen to look in, andwith a silentprayer toAmonthat all would be well withmy family and our house, Iwent forth into the village tolearnwhatIcouldlearn.The thing I learned, tomy

pleasedsurprise,wasthatthisvisit was different from thelast such one we had, whenthe Good God’s father,Amonhotep III (life, health,prosperity, and may his

memory be blessed forever,good father to us that hewas!) decided to tie up heremanyyearsagoonhiswaytoMemphis.ThattimeitdidgojustasIsaid.Iwasbutaboyat the time, and even I wasnot safe from drunkenstrangers. The village wasstripped of everything wehad, there were screams andscuffles in the bushes, manyof us children learned things

that nightwe had not knownbefore.Thegreatonespassedthrough like a plague oflocusts and we cursed theirmemory(exceptfortheGoodGod, who remained on hisgolden barge and could nothave known what went on)for many years thereafter. Itwasthisthatmadeusallrushour goods and families awayat sundown when we heardthenewPharaohwascoming.

And for a littlewhile, as Ienteredthemarketsquareandgreeted my friends withworried glances—all of usstanding about uncertainly,tremblingandfearfulofwhatmight happen as the noisyvisitors approached—itseemedtheoldpatternwouldbe repeated. And it seemedthat itwouldbe approvedbyPharaoh and by Amonhimself, for it was one who

announced himself asAmon’s High Priest whostrode first into the square,stabbedthepoleofhisflaringtorch into the sand with ascornful authority, and criedout:“Draw near and give up

your goods for the comfortand well-being of Pharaoh,who blesses your humblevillage with his sacredpresence this night! And

provide you also those whowill giveus comfort! So sayI, Hatsuret, His Majesty’sHighPriestinthemostsacredtempleofAmonatKarnak!”At first none of us said

anything, being too afraid tomove.“Well?”hecriedoutagain,

his voice becoming furiousand demanding. “Well,well?Do not stand there likestones, but do as I say!

Move!”And, turning, he gestured

imperiously to the severalhundred men, some of themalready swaying drunkenly,whostoodbehindhim,manyarmed with clubs or spears.Slowly at first, but gainingcouragefromoneanotherandfrom his fearsome presence,theybegantostumbletowardus,weaponsraised.Desperately we looked

about, not knowing what todo or where to turn. I foundmyselfcryingoutinmyheartwith a frantic anguish,“Somebody do something!”And abruptly, not knowingwhat impulse pushed me orwhere the courage camefrom,IfoundthatIwas.“Sir!” I cried, my voice

shaky but determined,stepping forward while myfriendsgatheredbehindmein

a tight, protective group.“Great Sir, I beg of you, wearebuthumblepeasantshere.Wehave only the goods yousee on our backs. We havelittle for the comfort ofPharaoh, but he is of coursewelcome towhatwehave, itisourgreatesthonortogiveittohim.Takeit,please,GreatSir, but spare us, his loyalsubjects, from the wrath youshow, for we have done

nothingtodeserveit!”A murmur of agreement

camefrommyfriendsbehind,an angry jumble ofimpatience from the mob infront.The High Priest tore his

torch from the sand andjabbed it in again with amightyforce.Asifobservingfrom some other world,whereIexpectedverysoontobe,Inotedthathehadalong

blackbeard,quiteunlikemostof us in Kemet, who areclean-shaven. I also saw thatit was plaited with goldthread, which made merealize that Amon must nowbe very powerful againindeed.Wehad heard this inthe village, but now we sawit.“Scum!” he shouted.

“Scum and double scum!Give us your goods at once

and provide us othercomforts,oryouwillnotlooklong upon your villagebecause it will no longer behere! And you will not beheretoseeevenitsruins!”And he strode forward

suddenly and grasped mearound the throat with hishairy, powerful hands,forcingme to my knees, myhead back, my breathstopping, my throat trying

helplessly to gag, my eyesbeginning to bulge from myhead. All began to swirl andswim, a blackness wascreeping fast upon me—andsuddenly there was a singlehighpitchedangry shout, theHigh Priest threw me to theground and leaped back, agreatsilencedescendedonalltheworld.Two of my dear, brave

friendsplacedtheirtrembling

hands beneath my arms andraised me up. Slowly theworld came back into shape.Ourswastheonlymovement,the only sound my deep,sobbinggasps for breath.Allelsewasfrozen.Behind the mob, which

now had turned in fear towitness him, there stood ayouth of perhaps twelve orthirteen, naked to the waist.He too carried a long torch,

almosttwiceastallashe.Hewore apleatedkilt ofgoldenthread and on his feet gold-painted sandals, and aroundhis shaven head a thin goldband with the hood of thecobra goddessButo raised tostrike his enemies. Therecould be no doubt who hewas, and when he cried onesingle angry word—“Down!”—weall,hishigh-and-mightiness the High

Priest as hastily as the rest,fellgrovelingtoourknees.“Hatsuret!”he shouted,his

light boy’s voice crackingdeeper now and then on theedge of manhood (but none,none, dared laugh, for thiswasagod).“Doyoureturnatonce to your vessel, and doyoutakethisrabblewithyou!Atonce!”For a moment it seemed

Amon’s prophet might defy

him—a strange dark glanceshotfromhiseyestothoseofPharaoh,whichglaredbackathim furious and unafraid.Their duel lasted but asecond. Without a word thepriest rose slowly tohis feet,disengaged his torch andstarted back to the Nile, hisawe-struck gang slinking offbehind him.Hewalkedwidearound the Good God, whogavehimnotaglance,norhe

one at Pharaoh. There wassomething almostcontemptuousabouthiswalk,but our brave littleKing, forwhomagreatlovewasfillingour hearts, gave not theslightest sign he noticed. Hestood absolutely still, sternand unyielding, a gleaminghandsome little god in theflickeringlightofhistorch.“Men of this village,” he

saidatlast,hisfacesoftening

as he looked down upon us,“rise to your feet.… You!Whatisyourname?”“Amon-em-het, Your

Majesty,” I said humbly, mythroat terribly raw butmanagingtogetitoutclearly.“Your faithful and loyalsubject,asareallofushere.”“SoIseeyouare,”hesaid

gravely.“And I see thatyou,Amonemhet, are a brave andhonest man. I must humbly

beg your pardons for theactionsoftheHighPriestandthose, unhappily for themblindedwithwine,whohavedisturbed your peace thisnight. The High Priest, Ithink”—and his voice trailedaway a little as some innerthought engaged him—“isbecoming a little too high.…But that,” he added morebriskly, “is my concern, notyours.

“To you I say this: YourPharaohlovesyouandwishesall to go well with yourvillage. You will receive nomore visitors this night, norwill you ever again bedisturbed in your peacefulpursuits.Toseethatthisisso,I do name you, Amonemhet,tobetheChiefHeadmanandLeader of this village, and Idochargeyoutocometomeat any time, in Thebes or

Memphis or wherever I maybe,ifyouneedhelpwithanyof your problems. Do nothesitate, for I amyour friendandyouaremine.Inproofofthis, I give you this ringwhich is mate to another Ihave—”andhetookfromhissteadyfingerandplaceduponmyshakingoneasimplegoldbandbearingonitstopwhatIcould not read, but knewfromitslongovalshapemust

be his cartouche, worked ingold upon the carnelian. “Ichargeyou towear it alwaysas the symbolofyouroffice.If you ever need my help,bring it with you when youcome to me and you willalways be admitted. If I everneed your help, I shall senditsbrothertoyou.Donotloseyours or sell it or let it bestolen from you, for with itwill go the powers with

whichIhaveendowedyou.“Men of this village! I

charge you to guard andprotect this ring and with itAmonemhet your ChiefHeadman and Leader, whowill in turn protect you withmyloveforeverandever,formillions and millions ofyears.“I, Neb-Kheperu-Ra

Tutankh”—he hesitated veryslightly—“amon,sodecreeit.

And I wish you good night,andmaythegodsbewithyoualways.”He lifted his torch, bowed

gravely to us as we all fellprostrateagain,andstartedtoturnaway.Abruptlywecouldsensehimpause;andpeeringupfurtivelythroughnarrowedlids,we could see that in hispath stood another gleamingfigure, this one aman in hisforties with a sharp, shrewd

face,crossednowbyafrown.We could see he must besomeone very great, for hisfabrics gleamed with arichness smelling of wealthandpower.“Ah,Cousin,”Pharaohsaid

(and we knew with a thrillthat this must be the famousGeneral Horemheb, King’sDeputy and leader of thearmies,aboutwhomwehaveheard so much, even in our

humble village), “have youcomeforme?”At this simple question,

which to us seemedstraightforward enough, astrange expression, twistedand odd so that it seemedalmost tobefilledwithsomedeep, mysterious pain,shadowedthefaceofGeneralHoremheb.Wedidnotknowwhy: it frightenedus.Hastilyhe disguised itwith a cough,

raisinghishandtohismouth;when it came away hisexpression was calm again.But itwasverystrange:verystrange.ApparentlyitpuzzledPharaoh,too,forherepeated:“I said, Cousin: have you

comeforme?”“They await you at dinner,

Son of the Sun,” GeneralHoremheb said. “It growslate, and we did not knowwhere you had gone. We

werebecomingfearful.”“I have been talking to

these friends of my faithfulvillage,” Pharaoh saidpleasantly.“Ihavebeeninnoharm from them. On thecontrary. But I must speakwithyouaboutHatsuret.”“Yes,” General Horemheb

said, his frown returning. “ImetHatsuret on theway.Hedidnotseemhappy.”“Nor am I,” Pharaoh said,

still pleasantly but with afirmness in his voice thatboded, we fervently hoped,no good for his high-and-mightiness Hatsuret “Wemusttalkaboutthat.”“In good time, Son of the

Sun,”GeneralHoremhebsaidcomfortably.ButHisMajestywasnottobediverted.“No, I think tonight,” he

said. “I had thoughtnotuntilwe get to Thebes, but now I

thinktonight.Come,Cousin,”he said before GeneralHoremheb could utter theprotest that clearly startedupon his lips—yet whyprotest?Wecouldnotseethereason, but of course we aresimple peasants and we donot know the things thattroublethegreat—“Givemeyourarm,andlet

usgo.”Andheturnedoncemoreto

wave us a kind farewell,gesturingthatweshouldrise.We leaped to our feetwith arousing shout that brought asudden happy smile to hisface. We realized then that,for all that he is Pharaoh, heis still really but a boy; andwe shouted again, withencouragement and loyaltyand a warm, deep lovelinkingourheartstohis.He said no more, but

wavedonceagainand turnedupon the arm of his cousinandwalkedgravelyaway.Wewatched until theydisappeared among thepalms, watched even longeruntil we saw their torchesemerge at last upon theriverbankontheothersideofthegroveandthenascendanddisappear into his greatgolden barge; and even thenwe did not stop looking, but

stood staring long and hard,straining our eyes as thoughwecouldsomehowcommandhim back again so that wecouldseehimalwayswithusin our village, our dearlybeloved little Kingwho nowleads the Two Lands andcaresforusinhisheart.So,asIsaid,youcanseeI

amstillhere—anddoingverynicely, thank you. Muchbetter, in fact, than I,

Amonemhet the peasant everdreamedinallmydaysthatIwould do. I have HisMajesty’s ring, I have hisappointmenttorunthevillage—soon after he left, somequestionaroseastowhereweshould place the new cisternand I said, “Over here,” andmy friends echoed eagerly,“As you say, Amonemhetover here”—and I have hispermission to come and see

himiftheneedarises.Iknowthat I shall do everything IcantohelpHisMajestyandIshall do anything he desires,for he is a wonderful GoodGod. Longmay he rule overus,with his kindness and hisgoodnessandhislove!NowIamleaningagainsta

palm tree in the darkness ofthegrove,chewingonapieceof sugarcane as I watch theglittering scene before me.

Our families and goods areback,ouranimalsaretetheredfor the night, the villagemostly sleeps.Only a fewofusare stilloutherewatchingwhat goes on, for it isprobable that we shall neverseeitslikeagain.Allalongtheriverthegreat

flotillarocksgentlyatanchoronHapi’sblackswift-flowingbosom. Many of the smallerboats are dark, their

occupants already sleeping,but from others sounds ofdrunken singing and revelrystill come. Shadowy figuresstand and fall and tumbleabout against one another.Nowandagainonetopplesinthe river with a whoop, hisfriends pull him out withshrieksand roarsof laughter.Thank the gods Pharaohforced them to find theiramusement with each other

andnotwithus!Most of the ten great state

barges are still blazing withlight. Some aboard must beeating late. Others must bebusy with matters ofgovernment,whichIsuppose,for the great ones, continueeven at night. Pharaoh’sbargegleamsbrightestofall,though its curtainsaredrawnandwecouldnotseeinevenif we were closer, which we

donotdaretobe.Nodrunkenvoices rise from his barge.Only sweet sounds of musiccomefromtheupperdeck.A singer begins,

accompaniedonlybyasingleharp and the occasionalgentle shaking of a sistrum.Hisvoicerisespureandclearlike silver in the night. Theother boats gradually fallsilent to listen.He concludeswith verses we have all

known fromchildhood, for itis a very ancient song andeven the villages know itssweet yet melancholymessage:“Bodies pass away and

others come in their place,since the time of them thatwerebefore.“The gods that were

aforetime rest in theirpyramids, and likewise thenoble and the glorified are

buriedintheirpyramids.“They that build houses,

theirhabitationsarenomore.What hath been done withthem…? Their walls aredestroyed, their habitationsare no more, as if they hadneverbeen.…“None cometh from thence

totellushowtheyfare,totelluswhat theyneed, to setourheartsatrestuntilwealsogoto theplacewhither theyare

gone.“Beglad, that thoumayest

cause thine heart to forgetthatmenwillonedayglorifythee at thy funeral. Followthy desire, so long as thoulivest.Putmyrrhonthyhead,clothe thee in fine linen, andanoint thee with the marvelsoflife.“Increase yet more the

delights that thou hast, andletnotthineheartgrowfaint.

Follow thy desire and dogood to others and thyself.Do what thou must uponearthandvexnotthineheart,until that day of lamentationcometh to thee—forHeWithThe Quiet Heart, GreatOsiris, heareth notlamentations, and criesdeliver no man from theunderworld.“Spendthedayhappilyand

wearynotthereof!

“Lo, none can take hisgoodswithhim!“Lo, none that hath

departedcancomeagain.…”Softlyhisvoicediesaway.

The harp shimmers one lastnote, the sistrum rustles intosilence. A melancholytouches us all, we in thegrove and they on the greatboats. One by one the lightsbegin to go out, the revelryfalls away. Soon it is no

more. Only on Pharaoh’sbarge the lights still burnbehindthecurtains:theGoodGoddoesnotyetsleep.Silently we steal away. A

wind is rising from theNile,inalltooshortatimethefirstfingers of Ra will creep upthe eastern sky and we willhave to resume our lifelongburdens.May His Majesty sleep

well! May all go well with

him!May he rest secure andhappyinourlove!Mayallgowell with him, forever andever, for millions andmillionsofyears!

***

Amonhotep,SonofHapu

They face us now across thepolishedcedarwoodtablesentfrom Lebanon years ago as

giftforhisbrotherwhengiftswere still being given: twodefiant children in the softflickering glow of the oilburninginthealabasterlampsthat hang from hooks alongthe cabinwalls. The curtainsare drawn tight against thenight,outsidethesingingandrevelry are at last beginningtodiedown.Thecrewof theroyalbargeissleepingontheshore. No one is near to

disturb the six who are stillawakeat this latehour:Aye;Horemheb;Hatsuret; the twochildren;andmyself,whoamstill permitted to attend theircouncils, because Horemhebhaskeptthewordhegavemethathorriblenight:heforgaveme. Miraculously ourfriendship, and my trustedplace with the Family,continueunchanged.It is apparent that His

Majesty is very angry, andthatAnkhesenpaaten(thenewname “Ankhesenamon” doesnot yet come easily to me)shareshisfeelingsfully.“Ihaveaskedyouhere,”he

begins, his boy’s voicebreakingnowandagainwithadolescence,buthis intensitysuch that he ignores it savefor an occasional impatientshakeofthehead,“becauseIammuchdispleased. Iwould

have the cause of mydispleasure—removed.”“What is thecauseofyour

displeasure,SonoftheSun?”Ayeasksgravely.Tutalmostinterrupts with his scornfulanswer,which startles us all,itissounlikehimheretofore:thismustbeanangergenuineindeed.“You know what it is,

Uncle!” he says sharply. “Ihavenodoubt theyhave told

youallabout it longsince. Itis the High Priest and hisrowdieswhobreaktheKing’speaceandharryhispeople!”“I am sure there was no

intention—” Aye begins, butthis time Pharaoh doesinterrupt.“Oh, there was intention,”

he says coldly. “I was there,Uncle. I saw the intention.”HeturnssharplyonHatsuret,who is still standingnear the

door because Pharaoh hasdeliberatelynotaskedhim tobe seated. “What did youintendtodotothatpoormanhad I not stopped you,Hatsuret? Is the High PriestofAmonamurderer?”Hatsuret starts as though

struckaphysicalblow in theface. His eyes narrow withanger, but he knowshemustcontrolit,andhedoes.“Your Majesty,” he says

quietly, “I was but teachinghimalesson.”“What kind of lesson?”

Pharaohdemands.“Andwhathadhedonetowarrantsuchalesson? Speak! I wouldknow!”“He and his village were

insolent,” Hatsuret begins.“They defied me when Iasked for goods for Pharaoh—”“Iarrivedbeforeyouthink,

Hatsuret,”Pharaohinterrupts.“Iknowwhatwassaid.”“Do you accuse me of

lying, Your Majesty?”Hatsuret demands with asharpness hewould not havedared show a grown man.Perhaps he should not havedaredwiththis.“Do you accuse me,

Hatsuret?”Tutasks,hisvoicesuddenly soft and dangerouswith an emotion we have

neverheardinitbefore.Hatsuretisobviouslytaken

abackbut,foramomentonly,heholdshisground.Thenhiseyes drop and he sayssullenly:“They were insolent. They

would not have given mewhatIaskedforPharaoh.”“Amonemhet offered it!”

Pharaoh says. “And you didnot ask only for me. Youaskedforyourselvesandthey

knew, as I knew, what youwanted.Youdolie,HatsuretIshouldhaveyourhead!”“Perhaps it were best,”

Ankhesenpaaten says clearlybefore any of the rest of us,shocked,can reply. “Itmightremove a painful thorn fromYourMajesty’sside.”“The ‘thorn’ is Amon!”

Hatsuret retorts angrily.“Would you remove Amonagain, Your Majesty, as the

Hereticdid?”“The‘Heretic,’”Tutbegins

inablazeofanger,“wasmybrother,” he finishes, morequietly. “I do not intend todebate that with you now,Hatsuret. You are back inpower, Amon rules the landwith us again. But I amdetermineditshallbeafittingrule, and not the threateningways you displayed in myloyalvillagetonight.”

“Amonhasdone all thingsfittingsofar,SonoftheSun,”Horemheb remarks quietly.“On every side the peoplewelcome him. Are you notpleased that he has returnedtoblessourHouseandhelpitlead the Two Lands tohappiertimes?”For a second—longer than

he perhaps intends, longenough to stir uneasiness inour hearts—His Majesty

hesitates.“I am pleased that Amon

has been restored,” he sayscarefully, “and I am pleasedthat he wishes to aid ourHouse. I desire only that hedo so inways thatwill trulybenefit theTwoLands. I didnotseethosewaystonight.”“I am sure theHigh Priest

will take your desires intoaccount very seriously,”Horemhebsayssmoothly.

“AndIamsure,”Ayesays,“that we will all forget thewords that have been spokeninangerbyyouboth,andbyHer Majesty. Only in theclosest trust and confidencecan Pharaoh and the godsworktogethertosaveKemet.And all that reallymatters isto save Kemet, do you notagree?”“Yes,Uncle,”Pharaohsays

with what appears to be a

sudden submission, thoughnow, startled by his mostunusual display of defiance,we can no longer be sure. “Iagree. Hatsuret, go now.Guide yourself better andserve us well, and you shallhave no more complaintsfromme.”“Thank you, Your

Majesty,” Hatsuret says,bowing low so that thecarnelian scarab at his neck

swings loose on its goldenchainandgleamsandglittersin the light. “It will ever bemy pleasure to serve youwell, O Son of the Sun—ifHer Majesty,” he adds withanother bow, so low that wecannot be sure whether it isrespectfulornot,“willpermitme.”“Your own actions will

permityouornotpermityou,Hatsuret,” she says, her

determined young voice andcoolexpressionrousingsharpand uncomfortable memoriesof her mother. “It is for youtodecide.”“Yes, Majesty,” Hatsuret

says, his eyes for an instantdarkagainwithanger;butherecovers smoothly. “Suchwill ever be my earnestintention.”“Go then,” Tutankhamon

says, “and sleep well, for

tomorrow we arrive inThebes and great will be theceremoniesthereof.”Once again Hatsuret bows

lowtothemboth;bowstous;and leaves. We hear hisfootsteps pass above usacross the deck, we hear amuffledexchangeassomeofthe sleeping crew rouse tohand him down.We look atone another and our realcouncilbegins.

“Uncle,” Pharaoh says, “Idonotlikethatman.”“Nor I,” Ankhesenpaaten

agreescalmly,andherwordsare so bold that there is nodoubt at all whose daughtershe is. “He murdered mymother, my sister and myuncle,andhehelpedyoubothin an even greater crime, thedeath of Pharaoh, for whichthegodswillnot forgiveyouor cease to harry this House

untoitslastgeneration.”“YourMajestyknowswhy

this had to be done!”Horemheb says sharply, hisfaceflushedwithanger.“I have heard your

reasons,” Ankhesenpaatensays, indifferent to the pointofinsolence.“They are sufficient!”

Horemhebsnaps.“Sowe are told,” she says

inthesamecoldway.

“It is done,” Horemhebsays, breathing hard, “andnever will I discuss it morewithYourMajesties.”“Perhapswewoulddiscuss

it with you, Cousin,” Tutsuggests softly, but at this acurtain of rejection seems tofall across Horemheb’s eyes.His face sets in stubbornlines.“Perhaps you would,

Cousin,”hesaysevenly,“but

I am afraid that will notmatter.”“Well,” Aye says hastily,

for all of this tonight—Tut’sdefiance, Hatsuret’s anger,Horemheb’s deliberateinsubordination—hasbroughtthetruesituationsosuddenlyand glaringly into the lightthathe,likemyself,isdeeplyupsetby it. “Well, now. Idonot think there need be anycause for controversy among

us.WeareagreedthatAmonand our House must worktogether to return Kemet toglory. There is no place forargument in that.There isnoneed for falling out about it.TomorrowwelandinThebesandYourMajesty’srule,inasense,willtrulybeginatlast,there in the place whereAmon lives, the place thatyouandHerMajestyenjoysomuch. The past is dead with

those who peopled it: whatthe gods have taken awaycannot be returned.Wemustlook forward now, no longerback. The good of Kemetrequiresit.”“The ‘good of Kemet’!”

Pharaohechoes.“Youalwaystalk of ‘the good of Kemet,’Uncle. How much it hasexcused,inyourmind!”“Only what has been

necessary,”Ayesays,hisface

grave.“Andyoushouldthankus for it, Neb-Kheperu-Ra,because had it not been soyouwould not nowwear theDoubleCrown.”“Is it your thought I enjoy

the Double Crown, Uncle?”Tutankhamon asks, and helooks as young as he is,strainedandworriedwithhisburdens.“Ishouldbehappy,Iassure you, were it to restuponsomeotherhead.”

“It cannot, YourMajesty,”Aye says quietly, “for youalonehavetheblood.”“And I!” Ankhesenpaaten

reminds him sharply. Hebowsinapology.“And you, of course, dear

Niece,” he agrees humbly.“Indeed, without you theDoubleCrownwouldnotresteasilyupon theheadofNeb-Kheperu-Ra.”“It does not rest easily,

Uncle,” Pharaoh says with awryness beyond his years,“butitrests.…Tellme,then:what arewe to do about thistroublesomepriest?”“I shall vouch for him,”

Horemhebsaysfirmly.“Iwasnot present in your villagetonight until it was all over,so I did not see for myself.But,” he adds quickly asTut’seyesbegintonarrow,“Ibelieve Your Majesty, of

course,astowhathappened.Iagreeitwasillthoughtout,illconsidered,evillydone.Evenpriests are humansometimes.”“They should not be,” Tut

says. “Particularly the PriestofAmon.Heshouldbeabovethe desires and passions ofordinarymen.Otherwisehowcan he serve me and thegod?”“I shall speak to him,”

Horemhebassureshim.“I have already spoken to

him!”“I shall reinforce your

words,” Horemheb sayssmoothly. “Itwill nothurt tohaveallofusspeaktohim.”“I, too,” Aye says. “With

your permission, Majesty, ofcourse.”ForamomentTuthesitates,

obviously consideringwhether to tell us something.

The decision is apparentlynegative.“Very well,” he says,

seemingly mollified. “If yougivemeyourwords.Icannothavehim troublemeandmypeople thus.” And suddenlyhe yawns, a great yawn,rubbing his eyes with hisfists,remindingusoftheboyhereallyis.“I give my word,” Aye

says.

“And I,” says Horemheb,and moves quickly to takeadvantage of the moment.“And now, Majesty, had wenot best seek sleep, as youyourself suggested? It growsvery late and Thebes awaitsustomorrow.Itwillbeaverylongandtiringday.”“I think so,”Pharaoh says,

yawningagain.“Ihavemuchtodotomorrow,asyousay.Ishall announce my plan

tomorrow,then.”“What plan is that?”

Horemheb demands sharply,andhis fatherandIsuddenlyfind ourselves listening veryintently.“Oh, just a plan,” His

Majesty says lightly, butbetween him and his wifepasses a look that stirsunhappy memories andmakes our blood run cold.Wehavehadenoughofsecret

“plans”betweenaGoodGodand his Chief Wife. Surelythe gods will not permit itagain!“Canwenotbe told,”Aye

suggestsquietly,“so thatwe,unlike your people, may bepreparedtoassistyouinit?”“Ihopeyouwillassistusin

it, Uncle,” Tut says with asmile growing sleepy eithernaturally or deliberately, wecannot decide which. “But I

have now decided thattomorrow will be timeenough. You are right: wemust sleep. Good night,Uncle. Good night, Cousin.Goodnight,Amonhotep.Restwell in the arms of Nut thenight, for tomorrow will be,asyousay,abusyday.”“No, wait—” Horemheb

begins, but before he can gofurther His Majesty givesway to another tremendous

yawn.“Ay-yai!”he says, blinking

hard.“Iamtired.Arewenot,wife?”“We are,”Ankhesenpaaten

says and, rising, goes to thedoor and opens it. There isnothing to do but bow andleave.As we step out upon the

deckalonesingerissoundingalastfarewelltotheday.Allabout are either asleep

already or silent listening tohis song. His closing wordsare familiar: we have heardthemallour lives.Butnever,perhaps, with quite themelancholy chill that Aye,Horemheband I feelnow,aswe realize that our youngKingandhisyoungwifehavesuddenly and unexpectedlybecome as elusive andmysterious as those we haveknownbefore.

“Increase yet more thedelights that thou hast,” thesinger urges, his voice liftedhighon thesilkensheenofaharp, his words givenemphasisby thegentle rustleof a sistrum. “Follow thydesireanddogood toothersand thyself. Do what thoumust upon earth and vex notthy heart, until that day oflamentation cometh to thee—for He With The Quiet

Heart, Great Osiris, hearethnot lamentations, and criesdeliver no man from theunderworld.“Spendthedayhappilyand

wearynotthereof!“Lo, none can take his

goodswithhim!“Lo, none that hath

departedcancomeagain.…”We cross the deck, are

handed down by two sleepycrewmen. We pause for a

moment on the bank. All isfinallyquiet.OnlythelightinPharaoh’s barge still burns:the children must still betalking about their disturbingmystery.“Do what thou must upon

earth and vex not thy heart,”Horemhebmurmurssoftly.“For, lo, none that hath

departed can come again,”Aye replies with equalsoftness.

“Good night,” we sayabruptly to one another, andgo swiftly to our separateboats. But not to sleep for awhile,Ithink.CertainlynotI,andnot,Iamsure,theRegentAye nor the King’s DeputyHoremheb.

***

Sitamon

Far down the Nile we hearthe trumpets blow.The greatcrowdwaitingonbothbanksstirs and shouts withexcitement. Faintly

beginning, growing everlouder as the flotillaadvances,comestheswellingroar of love that greetsPharaoh and his Queen astheyapproachtheircapitalofThebes. Not since myparents’ day has there beensuch a welcome for a GoodGod and his wife. My littlebrotherandourniecearewelllaunched upon the path theFamilywishesthemtotake.

I say “the Family”—andyet what of us is left? I, theQueen-Princess Sitamon,settling ever more rapidlyinto lonelymiddle age whilemydreamofmarriage tomycousin Horemheb fades assurelyastheeveningglowonthe Western Peak … myuncle Aye, doing his best,with guilty hands and fierce,unhappy conscience, torestore to Kemet the ma’at

and order for whose sake hehadtoviolatema’atandorderso dreadfully himself …Horemheb, troubled by it allbut not, I think, troubled asmuch as he used to be, nowthat the fires of his ambitionhave truly begun to consumehim…my youngest brotherTutankhaten (pardon me:Tutankhamon) …Akhenaten’s and Nefertiti’sthird daughter

Ankhesenpaaten (forgiveme:Ankhesenamon) …Nefertiti’soddlittlehalfsisterMutnedjmet (stillaccompanied everywhere byher always chuckling, faintlysinister dwarfs, Ipy andSenna), and her brotherNakht-Min,childrenofAye’ssecond marriage, to gentleTey, who also stillsurvives…andthatisall.Where are we now, the

great Eighteenth Dynasty?How fast has dwindled theHouseofThebes!My mother and father

gone…my younger brotherSmenkhkara dead ofpoison … our little sisterBeketaten, always sickly,deadofafever…Akhenatenand Nefertiti dead of theax … their daughtersMerytaten,Meketaten,Nefer-neferu-aten Junior, Nefer-

neferu-raandSet-e-pen-ra,alldead, Merytaten of poison,the others of that fragilehealth that has taken everyproduct ofAkhenaten’s loinssave Ankhesenamon … alltheir children by him dead,too.…Cursed are we, I begin to

think, cursed by fate and theanger of the gods, broughtuponusbypoor,foredoomedNefer-Kheperu-Ra and his

lostdreamoftheAten.All, all dead. And of the

eight remaining, only Aye,Horemheb and Nakht-Minreally have influence in theTwoLands;andofthemonlyAye and Horemheb reallyhavethepower;andofthem,which will win in their duelover the helpless persons ofmy little brother and myniece?Because duel it is, and

make no mistake about it.They would have you thinkotherwise, covering all withsweet words for one anotherand shows of unity. But thewords grow increasinglytense and the unity showssigns of cracking, to thoselikemyselfwhowatchitmostclosely. Beneath their publicdisplay the old lion and theyoungercontestforthebonesof Kemet. Two defenseless

childrenonlykeepthemfromoneanother’sthroats.Onlyinthe balance of theircontention lies safety formybrotherandourniece.I pray for them that they

may have many sons, andswiftly; for only by thismeans can the Dynasty berestored and Kemet and theFamily truly returned toglory,andonlybythismeanscantheyhopetolivelongand

bring peace and stability tothe TwoLands. I understandtheyhavelatelybeguntolivetogetherasmanandwife,andperhaps Ankhesenamon willsoonhave a son. I pray so, Iprayso.Wehavehadenoughof deaths and killing in thegloriousEighteenthDynasty.IspeaksobitterlybecauseI

thinkitneednothavebeensohad there been, at variouspoints along the way, more

understanding here, morerestraint there, moreimagination somewhere else.Yet all have been trapped inthe stately ritual of thekingship of Kemet, whichrequires of those who wouldkeep the Double Crown asteady obedience, and ofthose who would acquire itabsolute loyalty and endlesspatience for the will of thegods to work itself out. My

brotherAkhenatenoverturnedall,ofcourse;butbeforehimour father had begun to letthings slide; our mother hadtried valiantly but withoutmuch success to hold themtogether; Aye had soughtdesperatelytokeepabalance,onlytobethwarted;andsoonthemisgivingsoftheFamily,the ambitions of Horemheband the vengeance of Amoncombined to bring blood

upon our House as chaosswepttheland.Somewhere there must

have been a key, but it wasnever found. I believeAkhenatentriedtoshowitus:tohim,however strangelyheexpressed it, the key waslove, by One God, for allmen. Perhaps he came tooearly, perhaps he was toostrange to make usunderstand, since he and his

weaknesses loomed so largebeforeus, to theexclusionofthe dream. But he may havebeen right … he may havebeenright.Except,ofcourse,that it could not succeed inKemet as Kemet has alwaysbeen; and as Kemet hasalways been, so Kemetmustalways be, if the TwoLandsare to come again tohappiness,serenityandpeace.Perhapsorder,tous,means

morethanlove.Perhapsthatisourtriumph.Orperhapsitisourcurse.It may be we will never

know.Now the roar is becoming

steadily louder. As I watchfrom my vantage point atopthe first pylon at Karnak—waiting to join them forworshiptoAmon,whosenowtriumphant priests haveassisted me up the sharply

winding secret stairwayinsidethegreatstonemasstothiscommandingoverlook—Ibegin to catch a glimpse ofmany banners, crimson,purple, gold, orange, greenandblue,sparklinginthesun.I see the rhythmic glisteningofoarsas theyplunge inandout of the water, I see whitesails billowing in a favoringwind,Iseeboatsasfarasmyeye can reach, more boats

upon the river than I haveseeninmanyyears.Trumpetsare blasting now in almostcontinuous frenzy, the heavythrobbing of drums isbeginning in the courtyardbelow. Great excitementseizesall.And Ipray formylittle brother and our niece,whose golden barge I cannow see coming ahead of allthe rest, that they may havethe happy and fruitful role

thattheirgentleheartsdesire.Oneof theassistantpriests

comes for me—darkHatsuret, harsh instrument ofunhappy destiny for some ofthose I loved, comes upriverwith the rest from Akhet-Aten—andIamleddownthestairs and transported in anopen, jewel-hung litter to thelandingstage.Iamgreetedwithaspecial

affectionbythewildlyhappy

throng, for they have alwaysloved me, and—I am veryhappytobeabletosay—stilldo. The Queen-PrincessSitamon has alwaysfortunately been someone alittleapart,somehowseparatefromtherestoftheFamilyintheirminds:thishasbeenmyintention, which they rewardwith their love. Iama livingmemoryofpasttriumphsandpasthappiness for the land. I

take them back to the olddays of my father and theGreat Wife, for which theystill secretly yearn in theirhearts even as theydesperately hope that thisreignwilleventuallymakeallrightforKemet.At forty-two I am an

established symbol of thepast.Whichisallrightwithme:

I don’t mind. In fact it has

been my deliberate purposeeversinceitbecameapparentto me that my mother, Ayeand Horemheb werebecoming determined to ridthe land of Smenkhkara andAkhenaten.Istayedawayandthus was spared anyresponsibility or guilt whenHatsuret, who had his ordersto abduct Smenkhkara andMerytatenandtransportthemto permanent exile far to the

south in wretched Kush,instead took it upon himselfto murder them. I was notprivy to the anguishedcounsels and torturedreasoning by which Aye andHoremheb persuaded mymother to approve the finalremoval of Akhenaten andNefertiti,norwasIinsidethemind ofHoremhebwhen he,too,exceededhismissionanddecided to kill them and so

removethemonceandforallfrom their disastrous rule ofKemet—and quiteincidentally, of course, fromthe path of his ownambitions.Iwasnotinvolved—if anyone was, exceptpossibly gentle Tey—in theagonized process by whichmyuncleAyemadehispeacewithallthisanddecidedtogoontowhatmayyetbecomeafinal contestwith his son for

possession of the DoubleCrown.Iamnotamongthosewhoevennow,Iamsure,arestudyinghowbest to removemy littlebrotherandsoopenthewayforthemselvestofullpower and kingship in theTwoLands.And praise all the gods

thereare,Idonotwanttobe.Thank themall that I amoutofit!Butgivemestrengthtocome to the aid of the

childrenifIhaveto,forIamone of the very few realfriends they have left—thoughthesoundof loveandgreeting that now fills theworldwouldmakeyou thinktheyhadmillions.Sotheydo,while they ride the goldenbarge and sit the goldenthrone.Buttomorrow,ifneedbe, the crowdswill shout forsomeone else and give theirdocile worship to whoever

has the power to claim it.Rightnowtheloveisgenuineenough for the two bravelittle figures who dismountandcomesmiling towardmewhile theheavensbreakwithsound;andnodoubtitwouldbequitegenuineforsomeoneelse tomorrow. After all, ithastobe:suchistheplaceofPharaohinourworldthatthepeoplehavenochoice.“Sister,”hesayscheerfully,

greetingmewithakisswhoseobvious affection draws aspecialroarofapproval,“itisgood to seeyouagain. Ithasbeen long since you came toourcapitalofAkhet-Aten.”“And long since you will

go there again, I take it,” Imurmur in his ear, for AyeandHoremhebarecomingupswiftlybehindhim.His eyes flash atmine and

hemurmurs quickly back, “I

will not have it dishonored,though. I shall tell Kemetabout that before this day isover.”“Good,” I say, and turn to

Ankhesenamon, standingquietlybyhisside.“Niece,” I say formally as

the others arrive, giving andreceivinganaffectionatehug,“I trust your journey was apleasantone.”“We accomplished much,”

she replies easily, and overher shoulder I can see Ayeand Horemheb exchange aglance in the interestedsilence that has fallen on thecrowd as we momentarilypause, a glittering andapparently close-knit familygroup,onthelandingstage.“I am glad you are

returning to Thebes,” I saytruthfully.“Ithasbeenlonelyfor me here, much as I love

Malkata.Ihaverattledaroundthe compound like the oldbagofbonesIam.”“Aunt!” she says with a

laugh. “A better-preservedbag of bones I have yet tosee. Yes, we shall join youin”—shehesitates,thengivesme a quick wink—“rattlingaround the compound. Afterall”—andsheraiseshervoicedeliberatelyso theotherscanhear—“wewill have nothing

bettertodo.”“You will have the Two

Landstorule,”Itakethecuestoutly, and give my uncleand Horemheb look for lookas they prepare to greet me.“That will be enoughoccupationfortheGoodGodandhisChiefWife,surely.”“Indeed it will!” Tut says

withequalstoutness.“Andinthis endeavor, Sister, I wantyoualwayswithustocounsel

and assist, for you are verywise and your”—a slightemphasis, but noticeable andalmost openly defiant—“counselwewillvalueandrelyupon.”“Ishallbehappytohelpin

anyway Ican,” I saycalmlyand, turning tomyuncle andHoremheb, give them theritualkissofgreetingonbothcheeks, thereby forcingofficial cordiality from them

in return and causing theireyes to lose, temporarily atleast, the sharpness withwhich they have beenobservingus.“You look well, Niece,”

Ayesays.“Itwillbegood tobeaunitedfamilyagain,nowthat we are all returned toThebes.”“Yes,” Horemheb agrees

gravely.“If you can stand it,

Cousin,” I say dryly. Hesmiles in away that tellsmeitreallyisallover.Horemhebis enwrapped in his ownpurposesnowandIobviouslynolongerfigureinthem.“Icanstandit,Cousin,”he

sayspolitely.“Ifyoucan.”“Let us go to the temple

and worship!” my brothersays sharply, as one mightalmost add: “and get it overwith!” The cautious and

carefully observing lookreturns to the faces of myuncle and my cousin.Something obviouslyhappenedonthejourneyfromAkhet-Aten. I will find outpresently from the children.Inthemeantimeit isobvioustheireldersfearyetmorewillhappen.It isobviousthatmybrother and my niece havecome to some determinationthatitwill.

They are very young,however,henearingfourteen,she soon to be eighteen. Butthey come of tough-mindedstock, he of the Great WifeandsheofNefertiti.Itwillbeaninterestingcontest,ifithasto come to that. In it, theQueen-Princess Sitamon hasalready chosen her side. I,too, am a child of the GreatWifeandI,too,canbetough-mindedifIhavetobe.Inthe

causeofmylittlebrotherandAnkhesenamon, I may havetobe.The moment passes. The

roar of the crowd beginsagainasthechildrenstepintotheir gold-painted baldachinand are hoisted high on theshoulders of the bearers. IfollowwithMutnedjmet,whoreturned to Malkata a weekago in advance of the royalparty, completewith Ipy and

Senna—“Mustyoutakethosetwo characters everywhere?”Isnappedthismorningasweprepared to come to Karnak.“Yes!”shesaidwithadefiantchuckle, echoed by twosqueaky little ghosts oflaughter from her half-sizedfamiliars. Then come Ayeand Tey in their ownbaldachin, as befits theRegentandhiswife,followedbyHoremhebandNakht-Min

in theirs. The rest of theCourt, including Ramesses,Amonhotep, Son of Hapu,andTuthmose, chief sculptorsince the death of faithfulBek,followonfoot.Weleave the landingstage

and proceed down the longavenue.Itislinedwithpriestsof Amon, elbow to elbow,rigidatattentionalltheway.Ahead of us all Hatsuret

walks, his High Priest’s

leopard skin flapping aroundhis stocky brown legs, hiscarnelian scarab and hisglossybeardglisteninginthesun, his stride confident andcommanding.How high have you risen

again, O Amon, I think tomyself as we rock along onthe sturdy shoulders of ourbearers.Becarefulyoudonotfall anew from too muchprideandarrogance.

ItisobviousfromthesetofHatsuret’sheadandshouldersthat there is no limit to hisprideandarrogance, and thathe has no intentionwhatsoeverofeverpermittingAmontofallagain.The crowd pours out its

adorationandexcitementinaconstant loving roar as weapproach the first pylon.Thetrumpets have resumed theirbellowing, the great drums

throb. Pharaoh has comehome to Thebes, and on twolittle figures dressed in clothofgoldnowrestthehopesofKemet.

***

Tutankhamon(life,health,prosperity!)

My wife and I understandfullynowwhatisexpectedof

us inAmon’s temple, and aswe dismount inside I bowgravely to themaskedpriestswho dance their ritualsaround us. They chant.Ankhesenamon and Irespond. We move throughthe stations of the temple,making at each its properoblation. In our wake theothersdutifullycopy.Finally I proceed alone to

theinnersanctum,theholyof

holies.There he is, eyes hooded,

the single ray of sunlightfalling through the slit in theroof, the solid gold of hisfigure glowing softly in thegloom. He is standing in anewSacredBarque,onlyfouryears old but polished andrubbed and hand-workedeverydayuntilitnowhasthelook and patina of theoriginal: one would think it

hadbeenthereforcenturies.He looks at me, I look at

him. Again we understandeach other, though those atmy back see only mydutifullybowingfigure.“Theenemy of my life,”Akhenaten called him once,tome.Beware,OAmon,Itellhim privately now, lestbrother follow brother andyou find yourself with enemyagain.

He gives no sign, but oureyesholdforlongasIliftmyhead and stand before himproudly and unafraid, staringup as sternly as he staresdown.Wealmostenterintoatrance together, it wouldseem,untilpresentlyoutsideIhear a murmuring amongstAye, Horemheb, Hatsuret,Nakht-Min. I shakemy headas if to rid it of some heavyburden, which indeed I have

begun to feel pressing downuponmealmostphysicallyinthelastfewseconds,andturnsolemnlytoleadthemout.Ankhesenamon keeps me

company at my side, behindusSitamonwalksalone,headheldashighasours.Irealizewithasuddenrushofloveformy big sister that she is ourallyandourfriendinaworldthatholdsveryfew.Afterhercome my uncle, my cousins

and Hatsuret. We returnthrough the columns andstatues,weemergeagainintothe long processional wayflanked by priests, we comeagaintothelandingstage,weturn to the left and enter thefield beside the temple. Aplatform has been set up. Iintend to say some words tomy people upon this myformal day of return. I shallthen be taken in triumphal

procession through allThebes, worshiping at Luxoraswell,goingacrosstheNileto visitmy father’smortuarytemple and thereworship hismemory and my mother’s,and all my illustriousancestors’ back to Menes(life, health, prosperity!) ofthe First Dynasty, twothousandyearsago.Then there will be great

rejoicing, drinking and

roisteringalloverThebes,farintothenight.BythenIhopemywifeandIwillbesoundlyasleep in Malkata withSitamon.Bythenweshallbethoroughly exhausted by theday’sceremonies.But those who roister, and

my uncle and Horemheb aswell,will,Ihope,havereasonto pause and think of mesometimes as the day andnightwear on. For inwhat I

will speak from the platformnowIamabout togive themwhatmybrother used to call“wonders.”Idonotcallthemwonders, because for methere is no wonder about it:theyaresimplythethingsthatin fairness (and for theprotection of my crown)should be done. It is well Ihavewaitedfor thismoment,becauseitwillnotbeeasytochallengemenow.

I think the journey fromAkhet-Aten has been verygood for me. SomewherealongthewayIseemtohavefound a sudden newconfidence, the confidence Imust have if I am to be agoodKingandPharaohtotheTwo Lands. I think it beganwith my facing down ofHatsuret in thevillage: Iwassoangrywithhisbullyingofinnocent peasants that I did

not even stop to think of thefears that used to hold mesilent in his presence. Itcontinued to grow in myargumentontheboatwithmyuncle and Horemheb. Iperceived that whenAnkhesenamon and I reallystood firm—my angerapparently continuing togiveme strength—it really cowedand frightened them. Theydidnotargueback,theyslunk

away. For quite a whilethereafterweweretooexcitedto sleep, but lay side by sidein our golden bed reviewingall that had been said. I toldher how it began, of myfriend good Amonemhet inthe village, and all thatfollowed after. Wecongratulated one anotherthatwehadwonasignificantvictory. From now on theywillbegintoobey.Fromnow

on we will not be afraid toassert ourselves and do whatwe think is right for Kemet.The love we have receivedeverywhere from the peopleconfirmsusinthis.Whatisright,Ithink,isthe

restoration of a balance. Ithink I let Horemhebpersuademe to go too far inmy “restoration stela.” HegaveitallbacktoAmonand,being only nine, naturally I

wasunabletothinkitthroughvery clearly or do anythingabout it if I had. I was theirprisoner in Akhet-Aten—infact,Istillfeltmyselftobesojustaweekagoonthedayweleft—and I submitted easilyto Amon then. It is differentnow. It is amazing how fastone’s feelings can change asone grows older. I no longerfeeltheirprisonertoday.I think it is time forAmon

once more to be brought toheel—Hatsuret representshim well, as Ankhesenamonand I commented to oneanother when we saw thatarrogant figure swingingalong so confidently beforeus into the temple. It is timeto make it walk humblyagain. I took his measure inAmonemhet’s village and Iwon. I feel now that I willcontinuetowin.

Wereachtheplatform,takeour places. The Family,Hatsuret and the rest sit in arowofgildedchairsalongtheback, Ankhesenamon and Iside by side on our goldenthronesinfront.(Thebackofevery chair and the backs ofour thrones carry carvings ofthe head and enormousdouble plumes of triumphantAmon. There, too, I think Iwill restore a balance.) I am

continuing withAnkhesenamonthecustomofmy father with the GreatWife, of Akhenaten withNefertiti: my wife is mypartner and almost, as nearlyas tradition permits, myequal. We love one anotherandwewill share our powerforalltheyearswearegivento rule the Two Kingdoms.This will be very many, forwe are young and long lives

stretch ahead for us in theserviceofourbelovedKemet.The trumpets give a final

blast,thereisafinallongrollonthedrums—andsilence.Itistimeformetospeak.Iriseandmove to the edge of theplatform. My people stretchas far as the eye can see. Ibegin to speak and, happilyfor me, my voice seems tohave stopped cracking withthe unexpectedness of youth.

(Maybemy voice has grownup in this past week too! Ihopeso,foritisembarrassingto be steady one minute andsqueakythenext.)“My beloved people of

Kemet!”Icry.Agreatroaroflove comes up in response.Then they are swiftly silent,listening intently to what Ihavetosay.“It gives Her Majesty and

megreat pleasure to be back

inThebesagain!”Another roar of approval,

anotherquicksilence.“HereandinMemphiswill

we re-establish our capitals,but it isparticularlyhere thatour hearts will rest. For thisreasonIamthisdayaddingtomy titles thewords ‘RulerofSouthern No,’ ‘Ruler ofThebes’—and I am restoringtoThebesherancientnameof‘No-Amon,’ City of Amon,

which latelyhasbeenknownby another name. [Mybrother’s “No-Aten,” ofcourse—“CityoftheAten”—but I am determined not tonamehimorblamehim.]“These changes, signifying

my close friendship withAmon,doI,Neb-Kheperu-RaTutankhamon,decree.”There is another great

shout, including applausefrom Aye and Horemheb,

whoknewIintendedthis,andapprove; though I think theyareuneasyconcerningwhatImay do next. I will showthem.“People of Kemet,” I

continue while all fall stillagain,“youknowwhatIhavedoneandamdoingforAmon,here and everywhere in theTwo Lands. You know I amrestoring his temples,replenishing his wealth,

returninghispriesthoodtoitsancientglory.YoualsoknowI am doing the same for allothergods.YouhavereadmyRestoration Stela and withyour own eyes you seeeverywhere about you inKemetthelivingtruthofit.IamdoingasIhavepromised,formywordisgoodandIdowhatIsayIwill.”Oncemore, approval, loud

andfervent.Iturnforaquick

downward glance atAnkhesenamon, who givesmeanencouragingsmile:weare no longer afraid of myuncle and Horemheb, or ofanybody. So I proceed to jarthemalittle—nottoomuch,Ithink,butenoughsothattheywillknowthatNeb-Kheperu-Ralives—andrules.“ThoughIreturntoThebes

andtoMemphis,”Iresume—and suddenly it is very still

indeed, particularly behindme—“I do not wish todestroy or take vengeanceupon those who in recentyearshavesoughtsomeotherfaiththanAmon.“I wishmy rule to be one

of conciliation, of happinessandofpeace. Iwish tobringallofyou,mydearpeopleofKemet,andallourgreatgods,together once again inharmony and love. I wish to

restorema’at and do justicetoall,inallthings.”A little uneasily, for they

donotknowwhattomakeofmy frank reference to theAten and to recent unhappyyears,mypeopleapplaudme.Aye,HoremhebandHatsuretare listening very intentlynow. It is exciting to knowthat in their eyes the childKing has become trulyPharaoh at last. Suddenly I

am someone who can makethings happen, and to whomtheymustlistenbecauseheisthe Living Horus and soleruleroftheTwoLands.Ilikethis.“So thatallmayknowthat

peaceandconciliationaremypurpose,IwishitknownthatIdonotdesirethedestructionof the templesof theAtenatmy city of Akhet-Aten, nordo I wish punishment to be

visited upon any who maystill wish to worship, in theprivacyoftheirownhomesorinhis temples, thatparticulargod.”I sense a tense, uneasy

stirring atmy back.But I gofirmlyon.“It is my desire that the

Aten shall resume thehonored place he had beforerecent unhappy years cameupon us. [Again I refuse to

name or blame my brother,whowasalwayskindtome.]The Aten shall not besupreme, neither shall he beinferior. He shall notdominate, neither shall he bedominated. He will return tohis rightful and traditionalplaceamongthegods,andwewillcontinuetohonorhimaswehonorAmonandallothergods. This, too, do I, Neb-Kheperu-Ra Tutankhamon,

decree.”Applause and approval

come, but thinner and moreuncertainly now, as manyeyes look past me to myuncle, to Horemheb and toHatsuret.I,too,turnandlookat them. Their faces are astudy in many things, butsternness is the chief. I stareat them with equal sternnessandpresentlytheylookaway.Suddenly I know I can do

everything I wish to do tomake Kemet a happy andprosperouslandagain.“My beloved people,” I

resume, and in the silencethat has returned my voicerings clearly across the vastcrowd, “in addition to thepreservationandmaintenanceof the templesof theAtenatAkhet-Aten,forwhichIshalldispense suitable funds fromthe coffers of Pharaoh, it is

mywillthatthetempleoftheAten here atKarnak shall beenlarged and extended, sothatitmaybesuitableforthegodasheresumeshisrightfulplaceamongus.“To you, Amonhotep, Son

of Hapu, builder and makerof so many great things forthe House of Thebes, do Igive this responsibility. Andyou,Tuthmose,chiefsculptorto Pharaoh, do I charge to

assisthiminthistask.”There is a murmuring, an

uneasiness. But I am onlybeing fair and restoringjustice. I continueunperturbed.“I charge you also,

Tuthmose, to make for meanother set of scepters, agoldencrookandflailsimilarto theseIcarry”—andI raiseandshowthemtomypeople,for these are things they

regardwithanawealmostasgreatas thatwithwhich theyregard my own person.“These bear the name ofAmon. Iwish the second settobearthenameoftheAten.Thus will Amon and Atenboth be served, and confirmmeinmyrule.”Againtheuneasiness.They

do not know whether toapplaud. They know theycannotprotest.

“And finally do you,Tuthmose, build for me asecond golden throne, equalinsizetothisoneonwhichIsit today. And do you placeon the back thereof picturesof HerMajesty and me, anddo you place above, blessingus,thesignandcartouchesoftheAten, so that in this, too,we may restore balance andma’attothegods.”Oncemore,murmuringand

uneasiness. I do not lookbehind me at my uncle, mycousin and hateful Hatsuret,for I do not wish to bedistracted by what I assumeto be their disapprovingstares. I am doing exactlywhat is right: I am notthreatening Amon, I am notexaltingtheAten:Iaminfactreducing the Aten. If I amstill keeping him greatenough to giveAmon pause,

well, then, so be it.Ankhesenamon and I areagreed that this is the onlyway to restore the health oftheTwoLands.“My beloved people of

Kemet!”Iconcludesolemnly,and now the whole worldseemshushedandlistening.Ihave their attention forevernow. Never again will theKing be considered just aboy, I can tell that, and I am

glad of it, so that happinesssuffuses my whole beingthough I do not discount thedifficulties and do not foolmyself that my path will beeasy.“It is my desire that from

this time forward the TwoLandsandalltheirgodsshalltruly be united again in loveandtoleranceforoneanother.It ismydesire that you shalllive together, one with the

other, forever and ever, formillions and millions ofyears, inharmonyand joy. Itismydesire thatallourgodsshall live together, one withthe other, in this same way.Thus, and only thus, can ourbeloved Kemet be wholeagain.“Join me in this, I say to

you, people of the TwoLands! Joinme in this, I saytoyou,greatgodsofKemet!

And together we will enteruponanewdaywhenoldbadthingsaresweptawayandtheland sings again withhappinessandpeace!“So do I, Neb-Kheperu-Ra

Tutankhamon,decreeit!”AndIbowlowtothemand

turn to Ankhesenamon, whorises and comes forward tostand beside me. Now thegreat shout of love andloyaltywellsupagain.Ihave

puzzled them a little, madethemthink,convincedthem,Ihope, that they must forgetthe past, be compassionatewith one another, moveforward together forKemet’ssake. I may even havedisturbed them a little—certainly I know I havedisturbed my uncle,HoremhebandHatsuret,whohaveotherideas.Butnowallis forgotten in our physical

presence before them, ourliving proof that the GoodGod and the Chief Wife arewith them and working fortheir welfare always, whichwetrulyare.Theirloveforusengulfstheworld.For many minutes their

shoutsgoon,untilat lastweturn away to prepare for thegreat procession. First weshall return to the temple torelieve ourselves and eat a

hastybitoffoodtosustainusduring the long afternoon.Then we shall remount ourbaldachinsandtheprocessionthrough Thebes, across theNile tomy father’smortuarytemple, to the Valley of theKings, and so finally toMalkata,willbegin.We give the Family an

easy,smilinglookaswestepfrom the platform. Aye,Horemheb and Hatsuret

preserve a careful politeness.Nakht-Min, Amonhotep, Sonof Hapu, Ramesses andTuthmose dare to lookfriendlyandpleased.Sitamonsteps forward fearlessly tokiss us both, and on somesudden impulse as startlingand inexplicable as most ofthe things she does, funnylittle Mutnedjmet does thesame while Ipy and Sennabounceabout,shrillycrowing

and applauding, somewheredownaroundourkneecaps.“Majesty,”Sitamonsaysin

a voice she makesdeliberately clear andcarrying, “I agree entirelywithwhatyou said. Itmeansa great new day for Kemet.We have had enough ofseparation, bitterness andhate.”“I, too,” Mutnedjmet says

happily,“I,too.”

“And we!” Ipy and Sennaflute with their customaryprivileged informality. “Andwe!”“Thank you, Sister,” I say

gravely to Sitamon, and,“Thank you,” gravely to therest. “Mywife and I will doour best in all things for ourbelovedTwoKingdoms.”“You may rely on me,”

Sitamon says in the sameemphatic way as I take her

arm and Ankhesenamon’sandwebegin towalk towardthetemple.Behindustheothersfallin

line.Nowordcomesfrommyuncle,my cousin or the darkanddangerouspriest.ButIdonotcare.I am truly Pharaoh now,

andIdonotcare.***

Hatsuret

The day draws toward itscloseandInolongerleadtheprocession.IleditallthroughThebes, walking aheadtriumphantly as the High

Priest of Amon should,sanctifying by his presencethe god’s blessing andsupportofPharaoh.ButwhenwecrossedtheNileandwereabout to land on the westbankheturnedtomeandsaidfirmly in the presence of theFamily:“Hatsuret, I wish that you

take your place somewherebehindusnow.On thatbankof the Nile I let you lead

through Thebes as a sign ofmy respect forAmon.Here Iwish you to letme lead as asign of Amon’s respect forme.”“But, Son of the Sun—” I

began smoothly, confident Iwouldhavethesupportoftheregent Aye and GeneralHoremheb in my objectionstothissacrilegiousorder.“We so wish it,” he said

evenly, and turned his back

on me to point out to HerMajesty the distant toweringcolossi of his father whichguard the mortuary temple,and the gracefully ascendingstairways of the mortuarytemple of Hatshepsut (life,health, prosperity!), far offagainstthetawnycliffs.“But—” I began again;

looked around inconsternation at the others;found them also too taken

aback, apparently, to speak;found myself inadvertentlystaringintothecoollyamusedeyesofthePrincessSitamon,whoisnotmyfriendandhadbest not become too cleverwith me; and was forced tosubside in angry silence andconfusion until the royalbarge touched the landingstage.ThereImadealastattempt,

starting to step forward as

though the conversation hadnotoccurred.“Hatsuret!” Pharaoh said,

and his sharp young voicecrackedacrossmyfacelikeawhip.“Youheardme!”“Obey His Majesty,” Aye

said calmly, “for it is notworthdisruptingthisday.”“It is not important,”

Horemhebagreed.“It is important to me,”

Tutankhamon said; and I

almost replied with equalarrogance, “And it isimportant to me.” But I didnot quite dare, particularlysince my allies seemed forsome reason to beabandoningme.I said no word but waited

for them to disembark andthen took my place behindHoremheb and Nakht-Min.AsIdidsoHoremhebturnedand shook his head slightly

with an expression as if tosay: Do not worry. We willtamethiscub.Butwehadthoughthewas

tamed!Suddenlyhedoesnotseemtobe,anymore.Well:thisdoesnotfrighten

me. Three times now I havedone the work of Amon andthe House of Thebes.Smenkhkara—Merytaten—even that great proud beautywhoscornedAmoninallher

pride and arrogance, thatspoiled one who thought shecould live forever but couldnot,Nefertiti.IkilledthemallforAmonandfor thosewho,like myself, sought therestoration of the god and arebirthofma’atandjusticeintheTwoLands. Iwillnotbeafraid to kill again for thesamereasons,ifwealldecideitnecessary.Today I sense the thought

hasbegun to enter themindsof Aye and Horemheb.Certainlyithasenteredmine.For four years the boy Kingand Ankhesenamon haveappearedtobedociletoolsinourhandsaswehaverestoredtheoldreligionandbegunthelongtaskofbringingbacktheancientorderofKemetoutofthe chaos left by theHeretic.Thetaskisfarfromcomplete:we have much farther to go.

Yearsofpatientworkstilllieaheadtorepairallthedamagethe Criminal of Akhet-Atenleftbehind.Two stubborn children

cannotbeallowedtostandinourway.We reach the mortuary

temple of Amonhotep III(life,health,prosperity!).Theprocession halts, the GoodGod and the Chief Wife arelowered to the ground. They

walk into the temple to doworshiptohisfather.Horemheb drops back a

step.Iwhisperurgently,“Wemustdiscussthis!”Henods.“Tonight I shall talk tomy

father.”“WhereshallImeetyou?”“Alone!” he snaps, and

starts to turn away. Then hehesitates and turns back tomurmur more courteously,

“Donotpress,Hatsuret.Youwillbeadvisedinduecourse.Rest assured all things willcomerightforKemetandforAmon.”AndforHoremheb,I think,

but this I would never, ever,dare say to anyone. He, too,can kill for his purposes as Ihave killed formine.We areallies and must remain so.The welfare of Amondependsonit.

Iconveymyunderstandingwith one swift look, bowimpassively,raisemystaffofoffice and move off as heleaves me to approachRamesses, standing at thefoot of one of the Colossi.Every line of his body as hewalks away speaksdeterminationandpower.I must always remain his

friend.Isense it isbecomingvery

dangeroustobehisenemy.***

Ramesses

He is greatly troubled. HecallsmeasideasPharaohandthe Chief Wife go into themortuary temple ofAmonhotep III (life, health,

prosperity!) and demands inthe peremptory tone he usesmore and more frequentlynow:“Ramesses, what do you

makeofthis?”“It seems to me,” I say

cautiously, “that TheirMajesties wish to restoreharmony and peace to theland.”“So he says,” Horemheb

agrees, skepticism heavy in

hisvoice.“Sohesays.”“What do you think?” I

ask,stillcautiously,forIhavelearned that there are timeswhen it is best to approachHoremhebslowlyandlethimdothetalking.“I think,” he says, and his

eyes narrow, “that though hepretends to lower Aten, hestill means to leave him inplacehighenoughtothreatenAmon. I think he means

someday to restore the Atenaltogether.”“Oh no!” I say, shocked

into speaking loudly enoughso that soldiers and priestswaiting nearby shift uneasilyandglanceatusasopenlyastheydare. “Ohno!” I repeat,hastily whispering. “Hewould not dream of such athing. He knows the evilNefer-Kheperu-Ra—”“The Heretic,” Horemheb

interrupts sternly, anddutifullyIamend:“—the Heretic—brought

upontheland.HeknowshowthankfulKemetistoberidofhim. He has seen howspeedily in these past fouryears,underyourmagnificentleadership”—(it does noharm, these days, to flatterHoremheb)—“the Aten hasbeen reduced and Amonraised again to his supreme

and rightful place. HisMajesty would not darereversethisprocess!”“Iamnotsosurenowas I

was a week ago what HisMajesty will or will notdare,” Horemheb says dryly.“I think His Majesty isbeginning to fancy hismajesty. I think we must beonguard againsthim, lest heoverturn all our work. Hetookusbysurprisetoday.He

must not be allowed to takeus by surprise again. I wishyou to make it your specialcharge to know all that hedoes, at all times. Startingimmediately after theprocession. You and Sitrahave guarded the childrenbefore. Do so again tonight.TakeSetiwithyou—theylikeSeti. Arrange it so that youbecome their intimates.Insinuate yourselves. Watch.

Listen. Report to meeverything.”“Whatifheobjects?”Iask,

knowing it is probably astupid question, but then Ihave never pretended to beclever. Ramesses is only asimple soldier—a very goodone, but not brilliant likeHoremheb. Or like my sonSeti,whosemothermusthavebeenembracedbyAmon, fortheboycertainlydoesnotget

hisbrainsfromherorme.“He will not object,”

Horemheb says with theobvious patience hesometimes showsmewhen Ifail to grasp his intentionsimmediately. “I said, takeSetiwithyou.TheybothlikeSeti. Work through him.Officially, I will have youassigned as Head of theKing’s Household. The restwillfallintoplace.”

“But suppose he doesobject?”Irepeat,againratherstupidly,Iamafraid:butafterall,theGoodGodisreachingan age, as he showed today,when he is beginning to gethis own ideas.And he is theGoodGod.“He will not object,”

Horemheb says, a certainharshness entering his voice.“How can he object? He isonlythirteen.”

“ButheistheLivingHorus—”Ibegin.“He is not going to fly yet

awhile,”Horemhebsayswitha sudden grimness in hisvoice.“Wewill see to it thathiswingsremainclipped.Donotworryaboutthingsthatdonot concern you, Ramesses.Do as I say. Tell Sitra andSeti to be prepared to moveinto Malkata tonight. Fromnow on you are Head of the

King’s Household and theyare the King’s friends andhelpers.”“They are,” I say

truthfully.“SoamI.Willthatnotmakeitdifficultforus to—”“Ramesses,” Horemheb

says,placingahandlikeirononmy arm and lowering hisvoice in the way that hasmade me a little afraid ofhim, of late. “I have never

had cause to question yourfriendship or your loyalty inalltheseyearswehavefoughtandworked side by side.Donotgivemecausenow.”“No, Horemheb,” I say

hastily. “Of course not. Wewilldoasyousay.”“Good,” he says, releasing

my arm and lightening histone so that those few whohad dared glance our wayglancenolonger.“Look!The

GoodGodcomes!”And from the mortuary

temple the two childrenemerge blinking into thesoftening afternoon sunlightand the procession preparesto resume its statelyprogressto the Valley of the Kings,and from there toMalkata. Isearchformywifeandsoninthe crowd, finally find thebright and handsome lad oftenwhobelongstome.

“Go find your mother,Seti,” I direct, “and tell herthat we are moving into thePalaceofMalkatatonight.”“Why?”heasksblankly.“Because your ‘Uncle

Horemheb’decreesit,”Isay,“sonoargument.Getalongtoyourmother!”“But only Pharaoh

‘decrees’—” he begins; andthen abruptly stops.His eyeswiden thoughtfully: all

childrenaround thePalace inthese recent years havebecomeoldbeforetheirtime.HeapparentlyseessomethingIdonotunderstand.“Very well, Father!” he

says briskly, and runs off,leaving me standing puzzledinthesun.“Ramesses!” Horemheb

shouts as the processionbegins to move slowlyforward toward the barren

rockygorgeswherea specialaltar has been set up for theGood God’s worship of hisancestors.“Yes!” I shout back as I

hurrytocatchup.“Iamhere,Horemheb!”

***

Horemheb

Imovethemaboutlikeblackand white pieces on thecheckered board of the gameofsenet,andtheyjumptomycommand. Many things in

Kemet, now, jump to mycommand. And why shouldthey not, since I am theprincipal power and movingforcetherein?Orso,atleast,itsaysinmy

titles.…“King’sDeputy”wasgiven

me by my father at myinsistence, you will recall—which he did not relish toomuch—whenheassumed thetitle and position of Regent.

Since then, with hisagreement, sometimeswilling, sometimes grudging,Ihaveaddedmanymore:“The King’s Elect … the

Administrator of the Two…TheGreatestof theFavoritesof the Lord of the TwoLands…theTwoEyesoftheKing of Upper and LowerKemet … The True Scribe,The Well-Beloved of theKing … Chief Intendant …

The Confidant of the King’sSpecial Confidants … TheGreatest of TheGreat…TheMost Powerful of thePowerful…HighLordofthePeople…”Thus the titles, which I

have adopted to impress allthe people—and which, Isuppose, impresssomeof theCourt.Others, particularly my

father, know that essentially

they mean something lessthan half what they say. Hecontrols the other half, andmore.TheRegentAye isstill the

mostpowerfulmaninKemet,though his son presses himhard on every count. Wemanagetoworkinreasonableharmony—for now. Butinevitably the day is comingwhen one or the other mustyield. As between a man

seventy-one and one fifty-one, time, if nothing else, isonmyside.Much else, of course, is

alsoonmyside;butmuch ison his side, too. The RegentAye is now the longestcontinuing link with whatKemet regards as the goldenage of Amonhotep III (life,health, prosperity!),exceedingevenSitamon,whofanciesherselfintherole—as

she has fancied herself inotherrolesthatshewillneveroccupy. She apparentlythought she was going to bemy wife. In all honesty, forquitealongtimeIthoughtsotoo.But thingschange,planschange. Mine no longerinclude such a position forher. It is unfortunate,probably, but there it is.Womanlike, she now refusesto see me at all, which I

consider rather foolish. Wehave always been friends,alwaysenjoyedoneanother’scompany:sheisanintelligentwoman, I value her opinionsand advice. She has turnedagainst me, however, andtoday she has made it quiteclear that she intends to sidewith the children against meand my father. This is notwise on her part, but sheknows the risks and, I

suppose, being a daughter ofthe Great Wife, has thecharactertomeetthemiftheycome.Ihopeso,forhersake.Inanyevent,Ayepossesses

still an influence in KemetthatIcanonlychallenge,notdefeat; and I dare notchallenge it too openly,either.Thedaywillcome,butit will be awhile, I think.Meanwhilewework togetherin uneasy tandem, a tension

between us that couldexplodeintoactionwhenTutgoesifnotbefore.How naturally I use the

phrase“whenTutgoes”!Tuthas been on the throne onlyfour years, he has not yetreached majority, he couldconceivably live and rule foranother thirty, forty, fifty—yet somehow I do not thinkhe will. Already, in fact, Ihaveacceptedinmyheartthe

possibility that he, too, mayeventually have to beremoved from the throne ashisbrotherswerebeforehim,if Kemet is to flourish andprosper again. And thatKemet flourish and prosperagainismysoledesire.Ifeelthis even more deeply, ifpossible,thanIdidonthedayI came to Thebes as eageryoung “Kaires,” so manylongandbloodyyearsago.

All Ihavewitnessed since,all I have been party to,simplyconfirmsmeinwhatIthoughtthen:thatIcaremorefor the Two Lands and theirwelfare than even theoccupantof theGreatHouse.And now that I see openingbeforeme thepossibility thatImyselfmaysomedaybetheoccupantof theGreatHouse,this motive is even moreinsistentinmy…particularly

when the present occupantalready shows signsof beingasstubborn,as inflexibleandas unmanageable as theHeretichimself.I do not know what has

inspiredtheboytobecomesosuddenly independent. Aweek ago he was a willingchild of thirteen, shy,compliant,almosttimorousinthe way he acted in thepresence of my father and

me.Youwouldhave thoughtwe were keeping himprisoner in some fashion,insteadofaidinghimineveryway we could to restore theTwo Lands to ma’at andglory.ThereweretimeswhenI almost thought he wasafraid of us. Yet all that wehave done we have done forKemet. Surely he must seethis.Now he no longer seems

afraid.Ibelieveitbeganwiththe episode in the villagewhen Hatsuret, who is anambitiousfoolandsometimesadrunkenone(withhim,too,Imaysomedayhaveadatetokeep), triedtoleadhisstupidforayagainstthepeasantsandranafoulof theKing.I thinkTut was so shocked andangered by what he foundHatsuret trying to do that helost any lingering belief he

might have had inHatsuret’sposeofpriestlypiety.Healsolostthefearofhim,whichhehas felt ever since Hatsuretperformed for us thoseterriblebutnecessaryerrandsthat helpedput an end to theruleoftheHeretic.In those,ofcourse,hewas

actingupon theordersof theGreat Wife, my father andmyself.Heexceeded them inthe case of Smenkhkara and

Merytaten, but in case ofNefertiti and in my ownrendezvous with Akhenaten,we did, viewing it now inretrospect, exactly what hadtobedone.Ihadnotintendedthat we go that far—permanent arrest and secretimprisonment somewhere intheRedLandwasmyoriginalthought—but Nefertitiprovoked me beyondendurance,andsoendedall.

“Husband,” she cried tothat awful scarecrow he hadbecome, “comewithme andletusleavethistraitorousdogtoeathisownvomitasbefitshim!”Me, her own brother, her

friend from childhood! Thisshe said about me, in thepresence of all thosewitnesses, thinking herselftooproudandtoopowerfultosuffer the fate of those who

flaunt the gods too brazenlyandtoolong!Somethingbrokeinsidemy

head.Ablindingflashoffurydroveallbeforeit.BehindherHatsuret stood with axpoised.“Now!”Icried,anditwasdone.Andhavingcausedthatawful thing, Iknew thentherewas but one thing onlyleftformetodo,andthatwasend the whole sad shadowshow once and for all,

forever. And so I followedhim to the Northern Tombsanddidit.Whenmy father and Imet

againafewminuteslater,wedidnotknowat firsthowwewould face the Great Wifeand tellher.But itwasdone,all done: there was nothingremaining but to movestraight ahead. We told herwith pain and weeping, wethought we convinced her

that the final steps had beeninevitable and necessary—because by then we wereconvinced of it ourselves: ithad to end, they could nothavebeenleftalive, itwouldhavemeantnothingbutchaosfor the Two Lands. Sheappearedtoagree,welefther.Inthemorningtheyfoundhersitting dead by the window,her head propped againstpillows so that her sightless

eyescouldstillgazeupontheeternalNileand thekingdomshe had loved and served sowell.Still there was nothing to

do butmove forward. It wasdone, all done. My boycousin was on the throne, anew day had dawned forKemet.Achildofninecouldnot rule, it would have beenridiculous.The reins fell intothe twopairsofhandsstrong

enough to take them up.MyfatherandIbeganouruneasybut inescapable joint rule oftheTwoKingdoms.I suppose it was

understandable that my littlecousin should considerhimself a prisoner after that,because naturally we had tomake decisions in his name,wehadtorepairthesadstateof Kemet just as rapidly aswe could. It was imperative

that we restore ma’at andjustice, bring back Amon asthe principal element ofstability among the people,place Pharaoh firmly oncemore in his position ofpartnershipwithall thegods.I wrote the restoration stelasetting forth the things thatmustbedoneandproclaimeditinhisnamesothattheTwoLands would know that thiswas his plan and intention.

And the rebuilding of ashatteredsocietybegan.Never have I worked so

hard before, never has myfather laboredsodiligently—and neither of us has everbeenasluggard.Thechaosinwhich Akhenaten left thisland was unbelievable. Weareonlyjustbeginningtoseesome orderly patterndeveloping again, only justbeginning to perceive the

possibilityofre-establishingasoundand stable future—andsuddenly Tutankhamonbetrays us all bymaunderingoffoncemoreabouttheAten!IsitanywondertheRegent

and I have been astoundedand upset this day? Is it anywonderwefeelasthoughthegroundhadbeencutsuddenlyonce more from beneath ourfeet? Is it any wonder that,whereas it took me years to

come to thebitter conclusionthat Akhenaten must beremoved,andyearsafter thatto actually do somethingaboutit, ithastakenmeonlya few swift hours toacknowledge and accept thevery real possibility thatTutankhamonmayhavetoberemovedtoo?I do not know what

ultimate dream possesses theboy,what secret plottings go

on between the two of them—for I suspect that she, likeher mother, is probably theconstant encourager andsupporter of her husband’sfollies.But I do know that itcannot be permitted tocontinue.Idoknowthatiftheheresy, which we thoughtdeadwithitscreator, is toberevived in the person of hisyoungest brother, then thistime there can be no long,

spun-out unraveling of theyears to bring it toconclusion.We are only justbeginningtofindourwayoutof the tangle left by Nefer-Kheperu-Ra. For the verysake of Kemet, we cannotpermit Neb-Kheperu-Ra todrag us back into itwith ourworkonlyhalfcompleted.Oh,Iknowhetalkedabout

“reconciliation,” “harmony,”“peace” and “love.” I know

he talks—now—only ofmaking the Aten a friendlypartnerwithAmon.Thosearepretty words—pretty words.Perhapsheissincereinthem.But we have heard their likebefore.WasnotAkhenatensincere

too? And did not sinceritylead very fast to fanaticism?Anddidnotthatinturnmakeinevitable Kemet’s troubles?And does that not mean that

wehavenochoicebuttostopit now before it becomesagain a ravening serpent intheland?Would that IwerePharaoh

now,andtherewouldbenoneofhisnonsenseeveragain inKemet! Would that I couldseize power now and setthingsrightonceandforall!Nomandeservesitmore—

none has worked harder orwaited more patiently—none

would be a more worthyservant of the Two Lands.ThePharaohHoremheb (life,health, prosperity to me!) isneeded by this kingdom.Amonandall thegodsknowitaswellasI.…I must talk to my father

about this. I have sent wordthat I will meet him in hisaudience chamber here inMalkata an hour from nowwhenRamesses tellsme that

thechildrenarefinallyasleep,andwhen, from theCourt tothe farthest reaches ofThebes, the world will befilled with drunkenness androistering and no one willnoticeourquietconferring.I have been patient for

many, many, years—all mylife, it sometimes seems tome. All that I have done Ihave done for Kemet. I amgetting no younger. Now

Tutankhamon suddenlythreatensall.TheRegentAyeand the King’s DeputyHoremheb must decide thefuturebeforehebecomesoldenoughtotakefullpowerandthwart us, as his brother did,when we seek to do what isrightandbestforKemet.

***

Aye

He has sentword tome,mypatient son—now suddenlyimpatient. We must talk ofPharaoh and the kingdom,and at once. I understand his

urgency. I feel something ofitmyself after this surprisingday. But I am not, I think,quitesoanxiousashetoleapto a conclusion that couldonlymeanmore unhappinessand horror for the House ofThebesandfortheland.It seems tome that allmy

life I have been mediatingbetween the violent and thepeaceful elements of both.Sometimes I have been

successful. More often, Isuppose, I have failed. Yeteven though I now amreaching substantial age andshowing a little in myphysical reactions, there isnothing slowed yet in theheart andmindofAye. I seethrough impatientHoremheb.What Sitamon told me yearsagoistruernow.Heseekstobe Pharaoh, and it has, Ithink, become in him an

obsession that rationalizes allhe may feel necessary toachievethegoal.This is a very dangerous

statetobein.Itcanleadtoafanaticismofakinddifferentfrom, but no less devastatingthan, the fanaticism of hiscousin Akhenaten. I grant toHoremhebhis oft-proclaimedmotive that all he does hedoesforKemet;yetIthinkinhis own strange way

Akhenaten was trying to dothe same. He sought toapproach it on the spiritualplaneof theAten,hoping,asI understood him, to spreadthe goodness downward tothe people. Horemhebapproachesitonthepracticalplaneonwhichhehasalwayslived, seeking to make surethat goodness reaches thepeoplebyaroutemoredirect:he will command them to be

good and kill them if theyaren’t.As between the two,giventhesadconditionoftheTwoLands,Isupposeforthepresent (and perhaps alwaysin our long history)Horemheb’swayisthebetterand more certain of success.Yet I cannot escape thelingering feeling that inAkhenaten’s method theremayhavebeensomekeytoitall that we failed to grasp—

but could have, had we butpossessed a vision and aselflessness as great as his:even though with him, as Isay, it soon became afanaticism we could notfollow.There may have been a

moment—just a moment—when,hadallcomeright,wecould have joined him in hisdreamandmadeitwork.Thetraditions ofKemetwere too

strong.Theyhadheldustoasteady course, save for theHyksos invasion and a fewtimesofdynastic turmoil, foralmosttwothousandyears.Itwas easy for us to turn backto them when doubt assailedus. And with Akhenaten,doubt assailed us early andoften. He proclaimed love,but doubt ate up love. Thefault was equal: Akhenatenlost his grip on reality long

before we suspected, Ibelieve. The tragedy had toplayitselfouttotheend.But it does not need to be

revived.Allofthat,wethought,was

past. Yet tonight we face anew condition. The Aten isnot dead with his unhappyprophet. He lives anew in aboy of thirteen, who says heseeks a balance between thegods to restore the Two

Lands.This, I know, is why

Horemheb comes to me inanger and alarm. Knowinghim and the methods he hasresortedtoincreasinglyinthepast four years, I think theRegent Aye will have toemploy all his resources toprevent further tragedy. Andwhenallissaidanddone,theRegentAye’sresourcescomedown to just one thing: the

RegentAye.Iamseventy-one, last link,

saveforSitamon,whohasthepeople’s sentimental lovebutnopower,withthegreatdaysof my sister and AmonhotepIII (life, health, prosperity!).Like Horemheb, I too havemany loyal friends in thearmy, many staunchsupporters amongofficialsofCourt and governmentthroughouttheTwoLands.If

it came toopenwarbetweenusIdonotknowwhichcouldcommandthegreaterstrengthinthefield:probablymyson,for he is younger, morevigorous, more careful aboutkeeping suchalliances strongand fertile by a constantpolicy of pressure andreward.ButheisweakwhereIamstrong:mystrengthisintheheartsofmen,andonthatsubtle but often decisive

battlefieldIamverystrong.After the deaths of my

sister, my nephew and mydaughter (no one will everknow the agonies it cost meto accept Nefertiti’s murder,even though I understoodhow it all happened in thatterrible moment of fury,dismay and finaldisillusionment betweenbrotherandsister)therewasagreat revulsion in the

kingdom, a great turningback.FromitIemerged,asIknew I would, the onerevered leader whom allelements respected andaround whom all could join.Thusitwasrelativelyeasyforme to reject Horemheb’s tooquickpresumption inseekingthetitleandpowerofRegent:we both knew the countrywouldnotstandforit.So he deferred to me,

grudgingly but practically.Our contest was over in amoment,foressentiallyitwasno contest: he would havebeenregardedasusurper,andall he attempted would havebeen sapped and subvertedthereby.Therefore we began our

jointruleofKemetuneasyinourpartnershipbutawarethatitwas all that could save thekingdom.Behind the symbol

provided by my youngestnephew,thatsunnychildwhotoosoongrewsadlyoldintheshadow of his unhappyelders, we began therebuilding and restoration ofthe Two Lands. Horemhebtraveled constantly fromNapata to the Delta, up anddown the river, ceaselesslyprodding, goading, directing,exhorting,commandingintheKing’snametherebuildingof

temples, the re-establishmentof justice, the restoration ofma’atandsocialorderwhereit had so universallycollapsed. In Memphis,Thebes and in Akhet-Aten,where we believed it best toremain for a while until thecountry had become fullyaccustomed to the idea thatwewould presently return tothe ancient capitals andabandon Akhenaten’s city, I

too worked tirelessly on theendless details of civilgovernment and foreignrelations, seeking to bringback an equal order to asystemthathadvirtuallydiedin Akhenaten’s last dreadfulyear. (In that time, also, wehadworkedinharnesstowardthesesameends,onlytofindourselves thwarted by thepresenceofamaturePharaohwho had lost thewill to live

and the desire to govern—inwhose name we did things,buthesitantly,tentatively,notknowing when his interestmightsuddenlyreviveandwemight find ourselves facingpunishmentforthingswehaddone in good faith and lovefor Kemet because he wouldnot.)With Tutankhamon—until

today—wehavehadno suchproblems. He has been a

malleable and apparentlycontented child, appearing tolookwithapprovalonallthathasbeenaccomplished inhisname. He has obliginglygiven his seal to all that weasked, conferred on us thetitles and powers we haverequested. (Horemheb, Ithink,hasrequestedafewtoomany, but I have acquiescedin this, since he seemed toneed them for reassurance. I

have known his reasons, andmy bland agreement has initself been a kind of triumphforme,ashe isawarewithachagrin he strives to keepsecret from me, but which Iknow as I know manythings.)SowehavekeptTuthappy,

givenhimthefirst traditionalcoronationinmorethanfortyyears, married him to mygranddaughter

Ankhesenamon, a childalmostasbeautiful, and fullyas shrewd, as her mother;taken him on lion hunts andexpeditions,shownhimtothepeople on regular inspectiontourswhichbothheand theyhave seemed to enjoy,arranged for envoys to bringhim interestinggifts fromfarplaces, done all we could tokeep him entertained andhappy while we have done

the necessary business ofgovernment inhisname.Theeducation of both childrenhas been entrusted toAmonhotep, Son of Hapu—whatwouldwehavedone intheHouse ofThebeswithoutthat wise contemporary ofmine!—and everything hasbeen ordered to make surethat he would growcomfortably into the eternalmold of the ideal Pharaoh,

steady, reliable, predictableandsure,asmostofhisgreatancestors have been beforehim.Until today and his

surprising remarks on hisofficial return to Thebes. Ihad been disturbed by ourargumentonthejourneyfromAkhet-Atenbut Ihadno realideauntilhespoketodaythatanother independent mindmight have been developing

under our very noses, soclever have both childrenbeen at concealing their realfeelings. I am still notconvinced of it, though IsuspectHoremhebis.It is nearly midnight: I go

to the window and lookacrosstheNileatThebes.Itisstill brightly lighted with theflares of welcome andrejoicing.AcrossHapi’sdarksurface, covered now with

many hundreds of boatsriding at anchor while theirowners,crewsandpassengerscelebrate ashore, comes asteady hum composed ofrollicking music, good-natured shouts, coy screamsand raucous laughter. I haveneverbeenone to join in thedrunken revels that alwaysaccompany our great stateoccasions—or indeed anyother occasion, for that

matter, since in Kemet highand low alike have a greatfondnessforwineandallthatfrequently happens in itswake—but tonight I almostwish, rather wistfully, that Idid.It would be nice,

sometimes, to simply let goand forget the cares ofgovernment.Itwouldbenicetobeacommondrunkardlikeeveryone else. It would be

nicetolettheheartandmindreel happily down into thatspinning forgetfulness that isthe solace of so many lessermen.Itcanneverbe.Dutyisthe

lifeoftheRegentAye,dutyisthe burden of his family.Duty killed my sister theGreatWife, duty—ashe sawit—killedmy brotherAanen,duty killed my daughterNefertiti, duty sometimes

almostkillsme.But it will not occur yet

awhile.Iamthelastsurvivorof the elders, andmy coursehas a time to run before it isover.ThatIknow,andKemetcan be thankful for it—asmany signs of publicgratitudeshowmeKemetis.There is a knock on my

door, furtive but firm. I saysoftly, “Come!” and turn tofacemyson.

Icanseeatoncethathehasworked himself to a pitch ofanger and determination, andI can tell that he, too, hasbeen fortified by wine. Idecide itwilldonoharmformetohaveone,andmuchtomyadvantageforhimtohavepossibly two or three more,somyfirstmoveafterhehasbowed and kissed my hand(he is always verycircumspect about observing

thecourtesiesduetheRegent)istoofferhimacup.Surprisingly,herefuses.“I have had too many

already,” he says. “But youhaveone,Father, if you like.Itwill helpyoucelebrate theunveiling of our newAkhenaten.”“Myson,”Isay,takingmy

ornatechairofoffice,itselfsoelaborately gilded anddecorated as to be almost a

throne, “seat yourself anddiscuss this with me withoutdramatics, ifyouplease. Idonot propose to let myself bedisturbed by a thirteen-year-old boy, particularly since Ido not believe he intends atallwhatyouanticipate.”“How do you know?” he

demands, not accepting theinvitation for a moment, butgoing to thewindow himselfto stare moodily across at

riotous Thebes. “Listen tothem!Theywouldnotcareifhere-establishedtheAtenfullscale and began the wholebusinessoveragain.”“Oh yes, they would,” I

respond sharply. “They areforgetful now but tomorrowthey will remember. Theyweremadeveryuneasybyhiswordstoday.”“And you claim you were

not?”hedemandswithequal

sharpness, turning to seathimself. “Tell me truthfully,now,Father.”“I was surprised,” I admit

carefully. “Unprepared—startled—unsuspecting. Butnot, as I said, disturbed. Oralarmed.”“You should be both,” he

saysmoodily, “for hemeansno moderation though hebabblesofit.”“Your cousin does not

‘babble’!” I snap, for Ilearned long since it does nogood to disparage withoutadmittingthestatureofone’sopponent.(“Opponent”?DoIalready consider him so? Imust not think such thingseven to myself, elseHoremheb will have me offbalanceandonhissidebeforeIknowit.)“Neb-Kheperu-Rais a fine and thoughtful lad,and what he said showed

much deliberation. Whereinlieyourfearsaboutit?”“Where any intelligent

man’s lie,” he says. “In theghostoftheaccursedAten.”“Accepting the fact that I

am of course veryunintelligent,” I say dryly, “Icannot find myself asfrightenedasyouofasimpleboy.”“Iapologizefor theword,”

he concedes, “but he is no

longer a boy, and he is notsimple. I am beginning tobelieve that in his heartTutankhamon is as complexastheHeretic.”“I know you like that

designation,” I say, againsharply, “but I prefer to letthe past go. He is dead andcanharmusno longer.He isNefer-Kheperu-RaAkhenatento me, and will always soremain.”

“He is dead,” Horemhebsays,“but Idonotagree thathecanharmusnolonger.Heis still alive in the hearts ofhis brother and his daughter,andhecanstilldohishatefulworkthroughthem.”“Hewillnot,”Isaycalmly,

“forIwillnotpermitit.”“You think I will?” he

demands.“Iamassensibleofwhat the kingdom needs asyou,Father.ThatiswhyIam

withyounow.”“I am Regent,” I remind

him coldly, “and need nolecturing on my duty to theTwoLands.”“Lecture not and be not

lectured,”heretorts,andforamoment a genuine hostilityflaresbetweenus.Butbeforethe moment becomesirrevocablehiseyesdropandhe says more calmly, “I amsorry,Father.But Iammuch

disturbed by this day, and Ido not think it wise to letourselves think that ithadnofar-rangingsignificance,forIfeelitdoes.”“What did he say?” I

inquire, making my ownvoicereasonable.“Hesaidhewished to restore a balancebetweenthegods.Hesaidhedid not want to exalt eitherAmonorAtenattheexpenseof the other, neither did he

wish to take from one toreduce the other. He said hewishedhisreigntobeoneofreconciliation, harmony andpeace for all the people ofKemet and for all the gods.He said he wanted love torule again in theTwoLands,as it used to do. He said hewishedalltobeatpeacewithoneanother. I seenothing sounreasonableorfrighteninginthat.”

“And he decreed—hedecreed,Father,thefirsttimehe has ever dared use theword—that the temples ofAkhet-Atenremainunspoiledandopentoworship, that thetempleof theAtenatKarnakbe extended and enlarged,that Tuthmose make him anew crook and flail bearingthe name of the Aten, and anew throne bearing on itsback himself and

AnkhesenamonbeingblessedbytheAten,togetherwiththeAten’s titularies andcartouches.Quitea lot tosayina‘reasonable’address!”“Iwill admit hemay have

gonealittlefar—”“Alittle!”“—alittlefarinhisattempt

to be conciliatory, butessentiallythereisnoharminanyof these, is there?Ihopeyou have not contemplated

diverting the funds andenergies of the kingdom todestroying the temples ofAkhet-Atenwhentherearesomanymorepressingthingstobe done! Leave them aloneand they will be forgotten.Shu will blow the sands oftheRedLandoverthemsoonenough.Youwillsee.”“But,” he says, his face

stubborn,“fundsandenergieswill have to be diverted to

enlarging the temple atKarnak, will they not? Howdoes that fityourcomplacentpictureofit?”“I am not complacent,” I

retort,“Iamsimplypractical.It is true that ifwedo that—and I for one thinkwemust,forheistheLivingHorusandhehasgiventhedirectorder,andit isnogreatthing,andIwill not be a party to astruggle over something so

minor—it will take somefunds and some number ofworkmentodoit.Butneitherwill be great, I am sure ofthat.Hewillbesatisfiedwithlittle.It isagestureofpolicyon his part: I do not for amomentbelievehewishesusto empty the treasury tosatisfy it. If worst came toworst,Ishouldsimplyrefuse,inanyevent.Thereisnothinghe could do. I think even at

thirteenheiswiseenoughnottocontestit.Wecanaffordtobendalittle.”“And the new set of

scepters,whichareunneededand an unnecessary flauntingof the Aten in the face ofAmon? And the new throne,which is evenmore so?” Heshakeshishead.“No,Father:there is a purpose here thatreaches far. It must not beallowedtogrow.”

“Itwillnotbe.Butthereisnoneedforittocometoopenbattle.”His eyes narrow and he

looks back down the years. Iknowwhatheseesandbracemyselfforhisnextremark.“I remember other times

when you said that. Iremember other times whenyou counseled temporizingand compromise. And Iremember what happened

then,howfinallyitallranontoolongandgotoutofhand,andyouandIhadto—”“Stop!” I cry harshly, but

hecontinuesinexorablytotheend.“—when you and I had to

countenance, and finallycommit,murder—”“Stop!”“—murder,becausewedid

not act soon enough.…And,Father”—his voice becomes

low and he looks at meunblinking with the iron ofmy own soul in him, butmany years younger—“wemust face now, unafraid andunhesitating, the possibilitythat it may have to come tothatagain.”“No!” I cry desperately.

“No!”“Cutdowntheyoungshoot

nowbeforeitbecomesagreattree, Father,” he says, voice

stilllowbutimplacable.“Cutitdownnow!”For several moments I am

unable to answer him, sohurtfully and with suchsearing force doesmy breathtear through my lungs, sowildly does my heart poundwithin my breast, so deeplydoIcravethatsanityreturntothis conversation which hassuddenly become so grim.Toomanyghostssurroundus

now—too many! I am notsure,foralittle,whetherIcanmuster strength to reply tohim.Butpresentlymybreathing

calms, my heart subsides, alifelong steadiness returns tothe Regent Aye. When Ispeak at last it is in mycustomary calm andmeasuredtones.“There will be no more

killing in the House of

Thebes.Neb-Kheperu-Rawillnotbepermittedtogotoofar,neitherwillanyman,leastofall in his own family, bepermitted to raise his handagainsthim.Allwillproceedaccording to ma’at andjustice as has been theimmemorial way of Kemet.OnlythuscantheTwoLandsbeserved.Anddonotforget,my son: it is the TwoLandsweserve, not theTwoLands

thatserveus.”He looks at me for a long

time, his emotions clear buthis courage still not greatenough to make the finalchallenge that both of usknow he inevitably willsomeday. I return him lookfor look and never flinch,though it calls upon all myreserves to do so, and myreserves are also growingoldernow.Butthankthegods

they are still sufficient! It ishiseyes,notmine,thatfinallyyield.He looks away again

toward still roaring Thebes,whose wild hilarity sinksscarcelyyetuponthenight.“I pray to the gods,” he

says finally, his voice stillvery low, “that you are notmaking a terrible mistake,Father.”“I pray that you will help

me do all things right forKemet,” I say gravely, “andthat neither of us makes amistake.”“Good night, Father,” he

says: bows low, kisses myhand; and straightens to go.His eyes once more meetmine and I read themessageclearinthem:Watchyourself,Father. I am waiting. Andmine reply: Watch yourself,Horemheb. I have outwaited

shrewder men than you …though I know in my heartwhat I now will never tellhim: there are very fewshrewder men than my sonHoremheb.Iknow,infact,onlyone.After he has gone I leave

my room andwalk slowly—handslockedbehindmyback—head bowed—brooding,brooding, brooding—forperhaps an hour along the

sleeping pathways ofMalkata. Only an occasionalsentrygreetsmewithhushedrespect.AllelseisquietinthePalace.About my legs three dear

little boys run and frolic,laughing, calling, racing,jumping,beggingmeto“playhorsie,”“playball,”“tellusastory!”Ghosts accompany me—

toomanyghosts.

Across the river thedrunken shouts of the happykingdomstillreverberate.The Living Horus has

returned to Thebes and allrejoice.Ishiver,andgoin.

***

Tutankhamon(life,health,prosperity!)

In the room adjoining, kindRamesses and gentle Sitra

snored; on his pallet againstthe wall young Seti,exhausted by our excitedchatter of the glorious day,layatlastasleep,curleduponhimself with occasional littlegruntings like a puppy filledwith dreams of hunts andchases.VerygentlyIreachedout my hand and touchedAnkhesenamon. As silentlyasI,sheleanedclosetomeasIwhispered, “I think I heard

HoremhebspeaktoRamessesalittlewhileago.”“I, too,” she whispered

back. “Ramesses said, ‘Theyare asleep,’ Horemheb, ‘I goto him now.’ Ramesses,‘They will hear nothing.’Whatdoyouthinkitmeans?”“I thinkwe should go and

findout.Willyoucomewithme?”“Ofcourse.”Very carefully we rolled

off the bed, our feet touchedthe floor without a sound. Islipped into my pleated kilt,sheintohertransparentgold-embroidered linen shift. Setistirred uneasily, groaned,whimpered, turned andsnuggled comfortably againstthewall: his backwas to us.At first softly, then with adeeper, steadier rhythm, hetoobegantosnore.Thedoorwashalfajar.We

slipped past Ramesses andSitra, drowned now in sleeplike Seti. Very carefully weopened the door to thecorridor: thank the gods it iswell oiled and does notsqueak. We were in thecorridor, thedoorwasclosedbehindus.Allwassilent.Weclasped hands tightly: wewere trembling but unafraid.Webegan to tiptoealong thecorridor. Perhaps the gods

directed our steps. Withoutword, without consciousdecision, we found we wereon our way to the rooms ofmyuncleAye.We took a turn in the

corridor, bumped squarelyinto a sleeping guard. Hestaggered awake with amuffled exclamation, spearinstinctively raised high.Instantly he saw who wewere.Iglaredathimwithmy

finger across my lips. Heshrank back humbly againstthewall.“You will be silent!” I

hissed. “You will tell noone!”“Yes, Son of the Sun!” he

whispered, trembling. “Ohyes,YourMajesty!”“Good!” I whispered in

return.“Youwillberewardedwelltomorrow.”“Thank you, Majesty!” he

whispered. “Oh, thank you,SonoftheSun!”“Shhhhh!” I hissed again

sternly. He nodded withdesperate earnest and wepassedon.Outside the audience room

of my uncle Aye we heardtheir voices. We crouchedclose to the door. Welistened, staring at oneanotherwide-eyedingrowingterror. When we realized

Horemheb was about toleave, we turned and racedback as quickly and silentlyaswe could.The guard gaveus an elaborate wink andpretended he did not see orhearus:Ireallywillgivehimsomegoldtomorrow.We sneaked past deeply

snoring Ramesses and Sitra,past deeply snoring Seti.Trembling we slipped backonto the bed; trembling we

clutched one another tightly;tremblingwefoughtforsleepthatwould not come.AcrosstheriverThebesstillroared—forus.

***

Seti

TheythoughtIwasasleepbutI fooled them. I heard themwhispering, Iheard themslipout,Iroseandfollowedthemas far as I dared, until they

mettheguard;thenIdaredgonofurther,Iturnedandracedback tomy pallet. Now theyhave returned and lie againwithintheirgoldenbed.Icanhear it shake with theirtremblingbutIdonotthinkitis love. I think they areawfully frightened ofsomething.Tomorrow I shalltellmyfather.

***

BookIV

OrdealofaGod

1353B.C.

***

Hatsuret

They move more and moretoward the Aten, the twoclever ones who havepretendedtobesuchmildandhumble children. They have

made their dutiful tributes toAmon, they have begun torestorehistemplesandaddtohis riches, they have tried topersuadeustheybelievefullyin his restoration to hisrightful place at the righthandoftheKing…butwithhis left hand the King doesotherthings.The Aten’s temple at

Karnak has been extendedandenlarged.Hispriesthood,

whilereduced,remainsactiveinmany places. The templesat Akhet-Aten, now almostdeserted save for a fewsquatters who grub out theirmeager existence amid thecrumbling mud walls ofempty homes and ruinedpalaces, are still kept up. Heuses the Aten’s crook andflail in public ceremoniesalmost as often as he usesAmon’s; and the special

throne with its arrogantflauntingoftheHeretic’sgodconferring his blessing upontheir ostentatious domesticityis carried with them, andused, wherever they go upand down the length ofKemet.TheAtenisnotdeadinthe

Two Lands, he is not evenloweredasPharaohpromised.He is simply being kept inreserve, and may be brought

out again at any time tooverwhelmus.This I think Tutankhamon

intends, and this I think theQueenencourageshimtodo.Tomorrow he turns eighteenandassumesfullpower.Willhe seize the day to re-establishtheheresy?Isaytoyou,OAmon,your

High PriestHatsuretwill notpermitit.IsaytoyouthattheRegentAyewillnotpermitit.

I say to you that Amon willrule and reign forever,supreme among his fellowgods, bowing to no one,yielding to none, as he ismeant to do, through alleternity.This do I, Hatsuret, who

havelaboredsolongandhardto save Kemet from the evilandtheunbelieving,pledgetoyou,OAmon.I have not hesitated

heretoforetobringvengeanceinyourname.I shall not hesitate, be it

necessary,todosoagain.***

Tutankhamon(life,health,prosperity!)

Around us the hordes ofAmon grow more

overweeningdaybyday.ItisnotenoughfordarkHatsuret,that hateful priest, to lord itoverthetempleatKarnakandparade himself up and downthe land in all his pomp andglory.Alwaysheisaboutthepalaces, always he mixes in:suffered and assisted, ofcourse, by my cousinHoremheb,wholikestohavehim present as threat to me,asIambondsman(helikesto

think)tohim.Well: tomorrow all that

changes. All, all changes.Ankesenamon and I havebeenprisonersfornineyears.Tomorrow we will beprisonersnolonger.After our return to Thebes

wewereforcedtoresumeourhumble pose: theconversation we overheardthatnightoutsidemyuncle’sdoor terrifiedus so that fora

timewefearedconstantlyforourlives.Indeed,westilldo,though after a whileapprehensionbecomessuchaburdenthatitdullsofitsownweight. We had to go onliving, of course. We had tocontinue performing the ritesand ceremonies and dutiesthatfalluponPharaohandtheChief Wife. We could nothideaway, thoughatfirstwewanted to. We confided our

fears immediately toSitamonand through her interventionwere able to secure fromherown household guards a fewwe could trust to attend ourprogress and safeguard oursleep—inaddition,ofcourse,to Ramesses, Sitra and Seti,whosewards,youmight say,we have remained: notminding that toomuch, sincethey are kind and loyalpeople. And because he

seemed, that night, to be farkinderandfairerthanwehadthought him to be in recentyears—and because Sitamontold us she also believes inhis loyal determination toprotect our rights andpreserve us on the throneagainst the ambitions ofHoremheb—we begancautiously to renew our trustinAye.We remembered that he

wasalwaysa lovinguncle tome and a loving grandfatherto Ankhesenamon when wewere little. We graduallyforgave the years after I firstcame to the throne, when Iwasstillaboyandheseemedto us an eager usurper ofpowers I was too young toexercise. Maturity broughtwithitakindlierviewofhim.In retrospect he began toseemwhatwenowsuspecthe

has always been: the steadyanchor of the House ofThebes, the one unswervingconstant through all thetroubled times and tempestsofmyfather’slateryearsandmybrothers’tragicrule.Concerning Horemheb, we

have other ideas. Influencedpartly by Sitamon, partly byhisactions,butmostofallbyhis really frightening threatsto our lives in that dreadful

overheard conversation, wehave no faith at all in him.Sitamon says, “I believe hebegan by truly caring forKemet and wishing to makeher great again. I believe hestillhasthisdesire.ButIalsobelieve he now desires tomake Horemheb great alongwith Kemet. And which ofthose desires is the greater.…”Hervoicetrailsawayandwe all reach the same

conclusion.WeallmistrustHoremheb.

Wehavemistrustedhimeversince themostdreadfulnightof all, the night he orderedHatsuret to kill Nefertiti andhimselfmurderedAkhenaten:though we eventuallymanaged to understand howthese awful events mighthave come about through agenuine desire to save theTwo Lands from further

disaster.But thememoryhasalways made us fearful ofhim—more so as the yearshave passed and he hasgatheredtohimselfincreasingpower,which I knowhewillnotyieldwithoutastruggle.Well: I am ready for him

now. Tomorrow all changes,and with it Horemheb.Otherwise, I will have hishead. I am the LivingHorusandafter tomorrownonewill

daresaymenay.Aye I intend to keep close

to my side, however. Wehave finally returnedwithoutreservations to the feelingthatinhimwehaveagenuinefriend,onewhoseonlydesireandambitionreallyistoservethe Two Lands. He will nolonger be Regent, of course,andIdonotthinkIwillmakehim Co-Regent, for there isnoneedforthat.Itistruethat

Ankhesenamon has alreadyhad one stillborn daughter,not the son we ferventlyhopedfor;butsheispregnantagain,scarcetwoweeksfromdelivery, and this time, ifAten and the gods agree, theCrown Prince will be born.Someday when he is oldenough Iwill createhimCo-Regent. Meanwhile,tomorrow I am eighteen andall power returns to my

hands. I shall be very slowandcautiousaboutwhomIletit out to hereafter, even toAye. But we have decidedthathewillcontinuetobemymost trusted adviser—ascounterweight to Horemheband Hatsuret, and for manymore good reasons,principally his own integrity,loyalty and care for ourbeloved kingdom which isonlynow,nineyearsafterthe

death of Nefer-Kheperu-Ra,beginning to recover somesemblance of order from hischaoticrule.There are other things I

mustdoaftertomorrow,also.ImustseetoitthatthebodiesoftheGreatWife,mybrotherSmenkhkara, Merytaten,Meketaten, Nefertiti andAkhenaten are returned withsuitablerespectandceremonyto theValleyof theKings to

rest beside our ancestorswheretheyproperlybelong.Ithinkofthemoften,lying

in the RoyalWadi at Akhet-Aten: how very lonely theyseem,sofarawayfromusinthe now deserted city. OnethingIhaveconstantlyaskedAyeandHoremhebtodo,andI think Aye in particular hasobeyed:make sure that thosegraves have not beendisturbed and that all is safe

andsecurethere.Theyassureme it isand,havingnowordtothecontrary,Iassumetheyaretellingmethetruth.Butitistimeformyfamilytocomehome now: the reasons ofstatethathavemademyuncleandcousinreluctanttoreturnthem here will be canceledwhenItakefullpower.IhavetoldAye this, and he agrees.It is time for thedead to resteasy, even poor Akhenaten,

whobroughtsuchdisasteronus all—particularlyAkhenaten, who will find inourplans, I think,muchwithwhichhemightagree.Wefeelthatheanddearest

Nefertiti are watching usfrom the after-world andsupporting us in what weintendtodo.Because, look you: Amon

is becoming too great again.Heisnevercontent,thatone,

particularly when his forcesare led by such as Hatsuret,that ravenous, ambitiouspriest. Amon is pushing usagain, growing too strong,meddling too much. Onceagain, likemy father andmybrothers, I am facedwith thegreed of Amon. He wantslandandhewantsgold,muchof which Horemheb returnedtohiminmynameyearsagowhen I was too young and

helpless to prevent it. Butabove all he wants power.And while Aye has workedwith him reluctantly, andwhile Horemheb, I am sure,thinks he could work withhim completely, I know thatI, Neb-Kheperu-RaTutankhamon,cannot.Every time I go to the

temple atKarnak it seems tome the messages I exchangewith those hooded eyes,

gleaming from the goldenhead in the single ray thatilluminates that sombersanctuary, grow morethreatening andmore hostile.Amon has never been myfriend, from the first day Isaw him as a child of nine:and he knows well what Ithink of him, too. Ourexchanges,neverfriendly,arenow almost openly hostile,although since I alone face

him while the others remainrespectfully outside theinmost chamber, they do notknow. But he knows and Iknow:Amonmustbereducedagain,beforeheswallowsmeup.There is another reason,

too.Amonandthegodshavebeen restored for nine yearsnow, and dutifully andearnestlyAnkhesenamon andI have sought to understand

them and try to appreciatetheir role in the life of theTwo Lands. And we haveconcluded this: They are notbringersofhappinessandjoyto our people. Mostly, theyfrightenourpeople.Theyaresimplyweapons in thehandsof ruthless priests and those,like Horemheb, who use thepriests to impose their willuponthekingdom.We will grant you that

somearelovablelikeHathor,amiable andwise likeThoth,gravely impressive likeSekhmet, stately andcommanding likeHorus. Butnonesays,“IamLove.Iwanttoloveyouandhaveyouloveme.Iwantyou—allofyou—to be free from superstitionand fear, happy in our loveforoneanother.”None says this—save one.

AndsoAnkhesenamonand I

find ourselves coming backmore andmore to thegod inwhose faith we were reared,the godwe are toldwemustcontinue to reduce and,ultimately,forget.But we cannot forget, and

himwedonotwishtoreduce.He is too bright, too happy,too loving—too comforting.Comforting,wethink,iswhatweandourpeopleneednow,morethananything.

That is why we havepreserved his temples inAkhet-Aten, enlarged histemple at Karnak, used asoften as we dared his crookand flail and the goldenthrone emblazoned with hisimageblessingus.Andthatiswhy I think I begin to see inthe eyes of Amon latelysomething of the fear healways tries deliberately tocreateinothers.

That is why it will pleasemetodowhatweplan.Butitmust be done slowly andcarefully,stepbystep.Imustnot make my brother’smistakes.IdonotthinkIwill,because I do believe he wastruly a fanatic and I am not.But that does not make mypurposelessfirmnormywilllessdetermined.Ishallbecareful,Ishallbe

clever, I shall follow the rule

of my uncle Aye we haveheardhimexpresssooften:ifchange is to succeed inKemet,itmustbegradual.GradualIwillbe,butIwill

not be deflected. Our mindsare made up and we aredeterminedtodoit.WehavelearnedcraftinournineyearsastheprisonersofthePalace.We have also learnedtenacity.Tomorrow we will be

prisoners no longer. Thingswill begin to happen as wewish them to happen.Gradually, Uncle, as yourecommend: but inexorably,nonetheless.

***

Aye

Hatsuret complains andHoremheb mutters of darkthings; and I must confessthat I am not as easy as Iprofess to be when I answer

them.Nordo I approach thisoccasionofmynephew’sfullassumption of power withany less apprehension thanthey. But as I stand now inmy room in Malkata whilethe servants dress me in myrobes of office to attend theceremonies soon to begin inteeming, excited Thebesacrosstheriver,IknowthatImust remaincalmandsteadywhatever happens. Because

upon the calmness andsteadinessof theRegentAyedepends,Ithink,thefutureofwhatremainsoftheHouseofThebes.I am old, and I am tired;

butIamnotreadyyettoyieldto others less selfless than Ithe control of this kingdom,this beloved land. I havelabored too long for Kemet,rescued her too many timesfrom disaster, given her my

heartandstrengthtoooften.Ihave connived in terriblethings for the Two Lands—only because I thought I hadto, only because I could seenootherwayout,butterriblenonetheless. And terrible inwhat they have done to meinside, too, though I havesurvived them—for onesimplereason,Ithink.Someone has had to

survive.

Now two clever childrenare about to come to power;andwhat will thatmean, forme and for Kemet? Hatsuretfears a restoration of theAten, Horemheb fears apermanent impediment to hisambitions: I fear I shall becalledononceagain tostandin the middle and hold offcontending forces by sheerstrengthofcharacter, for thatis about all that is left me

now.Icommandgreatrespectfrom the people, no one isrevered as I am—but inKemet it is not the peoplewho decide what happens inthePalace. It is thosewithin.And there the Regent Ayepossessesmeansthatdwindleastheyearsclosein.Yet in a profound though

somewhat negative sense Ithinkitisthepeoplewhoareindeed my strength: because

thanks to their support I donot believemy son quite yetdares challenge me openly.Thepeoplearenotcapableofgiving me power, but themassive weight of theirreverenceformeissufficientto prevent anyone fromtaking it from me. Not eventhe army, which Horemhebcommands and has rebuilt tosome reasonable degree ofcompetence since

Akhenaten’s death … noteven, I think, my youngestnephew, who today iseighteen years of age andmoves, as he rightly should,toclaimhisfullinheritance.It ismy duty as Regent to

make sure that the transitionis peaceful and occurswithout incident. I shall thenlay the seals of my office athis feet, which he will wishme to do in any event, and

offer myself for whateverfurtherservicehemayfeelanoldmancanrender.Ishallbevery much surprised if hecontinues me as Co-Regent,for he wishes to be Kingalone, as he should, and mygranddaughterissoontogivebirthtoasonwhoinduetimewillbecomeCo-Regent,asheshould. But I shall also bevery much surprised if hedoes not keepme at his side

as principal councilor andadviser, for the onlyalternative to me is my son.AndIknowNeb-Kheperu-RafearsmysonasIdo,andwillnever give him suchauthority.Idonotknowexactlyhow

Iknowthis,forbothchildrenare always very circumspectabout Horemheb, even intheir private conversationswithme;but Idoknow it. It

shows through. They dislikeand fear him, whom oncetheylookeduptoasakindlyolder friend of theirchildhood days.He has beenvery astute about concealinghis ambitions, having onlyslipped once years ago intalking to Sitamon; but thatwas enough. Everything hehas done since has beensuspect,toher,tothemandtome;andincreasinglyinrecent

years his actions haveconfirmed what those fewinadvertent wordsforeshadowed. During myregencyhehashadenormouspower, second only to mine;and he has used it tostrengthen himselfeverywherehecould,withthearmy, with the people(through fear, however, notthe love they bear me andPharaoh), and through the

priests of Amon whomHatsuret leads once more totriumphintheland.It is age, I suppose: but

with increasing clarity I findmyself remembering thosemany conversations with mysister and Amonhotep III(life, health, prosperity!) inwhichwedeploredthesteadyinroads of Amon upon thepowerandprerogativesoftheEighteenth Dynasty. I can

remember their attempts tostop this, I can rememberhow their failures drove mybrother-in-law to dedicateAkhenaten to theAten, I canof course remember all else.Somuchtragedyandsomuchpain as a result of this! Andnow it seems we have comefull circle to find ourselvesfacing the same problemagain—this time, becauseHoremhebbelievesheseesin

the swarming priests ofAmon the surest road topower.Hewillbedefeatedinthis,

as I believe hemust be—forunderhispatrioticexteriorhehasbecometooarbitrary, tooharsh, too stern to ruleeasygoing Kemet—providinghe does not have assistancefrom another quarter.Providing my last survivingnephewdoesnotplaydirectly

into his hands and the handsof Amon. Providing there isno foolhardy attempt torevive the god whosediminishment has beennecessary in order to restorema’at and justice and thefragile balance of the TwoLands.Bitterly I argued

Tutankhamon’s defense, thatnight after Pharaoh hadreturned to Thebes and

proclaimed the counsels ofmoderation which I myselfhad originally proposed tohim; sternly I orderedHoremheb to abandon hiswild ideas that “the youngshoot must be rooted outbefore it becomes a greattree.”Horemhebwasclosetohysteria then, I think, andactually I was more uneasythan I cared to admit tohim,myself, not being prepared

for the forthright firmnesswithwhichmynephewstatedpropositions that had beensimply diplomaticsuggestionsonmypart.ButIrealized that this was in allprobability youth’senthusiastic tendency tooverstate; and since next dayhe appeared to have relaxedto a more comfortable andless urgent frame of mindabout it, I knew I had been

right to face down my sonand block his foolishexaggerations. Since thenwehave moved gradually, as Idesired, to restore Amon,gradually to reduce theAten.Tut andAnkhesenamon haveseemingly been quite contentwith the placid flow of theirdays,theroundofceremoniesand entertainments, theirlingering sentimentalallegiance to the Aten while

the formal re-association ofthe Double Crown withAmon has proceeded undermy careful guidance.All hasappeared to go smoothly …untiltoday.Andtoday,Imustmost earnestly hope, themood will continue andnothing drastic will be done.…Iseemtohavefallenintoa

dreaming study as theservants dress me, because I

become aware that one ofthem is pulling gently at myarm to getme to raise it andslip it into the gold-threadedrobe he holds. I start, andapologize with a smile. Hereturns itwith theworshipfulair they all show me: I stillhave much respect to relyupon.“It is almost time to go,

Excellency,” he says. “Thebarges are ready at the

landingstage.”“I will pay attention and

help you complete thisspeedily,” I promise, andbendmyself to it asheholdsout to me the seals andsymbolsofoffice.…Horemhebwillbedefeated

in his ambitions, as I say,providing Neb-Kheperu-Radoesnotdosomethingfoolishthis day. I think all of us intheCourthaveknownthathe

and my granddaughtercontinue in their hearts tofavor theAten, that for themboth there is an extremelystrong emotional pull in thememories of Akhenaten andNefertiti, that it is quiteunderstandable that theyshould remain loyal to thefaith in which they werereared. But I have done all Icould to ease and moderatethis during the nine years of

my regency, and with theirco-operation (for they arevery far from fools) I think Ihave done very well. TheAten has been preserved—for, after all, he has been agod of this dynasty for thebetter part of two hundredyears, though never such aone as Akhenaten tried tomake of him—yet he hasbeen gradually reduced to amore reasonable position.

Therewasneverany thoughtin my mind, and obviouslynone in Tutankhamon’s orAnkhesenamon’s, that heshould be banishedaltogether. That has beenHatsuret’s idea, of course,and I suspect Horemheb’s,but that is not how Kemetfunctions.Wehavenotlastedalmosttwothousandyearsbygoing to extremes: we havelasted by moving gradually.

So it has beenwith theAtensince the death of his mostfanatic worshiper. Not so,alas, has it been with Amonsincehisrestoration.There, of course, is the

danger: that action willprovoke reaction, thatPharaoh will move toostrongly and too fast tocounteract the reneweddominance of Amon whichhe rightly fears. I have

cautioned him repeatedly,directlywhenhewasachild,more indirectly anddiplomatically as he grewolder, that all thingsmust bein moderation, all must begradual. Politely he haslistened,butIhavelearnedtomistrust suchpoliteness fromthe young. My daughter andmy other two nephews werealways very polite tome too—and thenwent headlong to

their destruction. I pray toAten,Amonandall thegodsthat thiswill not be the casewithNeb-Kheperu-Ra.For,ifso, sad and dreadful againmay become the burden andthedutyoftheRegentAye.…I am dressed and ready to

leave.Trumpetssound,drumsbeat. From across the Nilecomes the swelling roar ofexcitement that alwaysheralds the royal progress

fromthePalaceofMalkata.Ileavemyroomsandwalk,

preceded by heralds, throughthe busy corridors to thelanding stage. It is January.The sky is filled withscudding clouds, the windwhips sharp off the river.Sitamon, Horemheb, Nakht-Min, my second daughterMutnedjmet (and of courseher two annoying littlepeople) are there already.

Pharaoh and the Chief Wifehavenotyetemerged.The others are to precede

us.OnlyIamtoridewithmynephew and Ankhesenamon.Thisissignificantandnotlostupon Horemheb, who looksannoyed and upset and for amoment appears about toprotest.Istarehimdownandhe embarks, casting a darkglance back at the Palace ashegoes.Itisnotagoodomen

fortheday.It is time for a boy of

eighteen to be very, veryclever.Idonotknowwhetherhe has it in him, though IhavetriedasmuchasIcouldto impart frommyyears andwisdomtheconviction that itisvery,verynecessary.

***

Amonhotep,SonofHapu

Normally I would ride withthe Family, but Aye hasasked me to wander among

thepeopleontheeastbankinThebes and tell him of theirreactions to what Pharaohdoes this day. None of usknows what this will be butallareapprehensive.Wehavewitnessed so many of thesestate occasions at the templeof Karnak. Far more oftenthan not they have meanttrouble for the Two Landsand further unhappiness fortheHouseofThebes.

Yet we have done all wecan, the Regent and I, to tryto make sure that today willnot be such another as thosemany that have gone before.Wehavebeendealingwithabright and gentle lad, whoseintelligence lies somewherebetween the extremes ofAkhenaten’serraticbrillianceand Smenkhkara’s amiabledullness and whose commonsense, we hope, far exceeds

themboth.SincehisreturntoThebes, when he startled usall by the generosity of hisgestures toward the Aten, hehassubsidedintoanapparentacquiescence in all that hasbeen done forAmon and theother gods. He has beencontent to make his pointfrom time to time only by agentle but persistentencouragement of theenlargement of the Aten’s

temple atKarnak,by a fairlyfrequentdisplayoftheAten’scrook and flail, and by hisemployment of the Aten’sthrone, which he takes withhim everywhere and useswheneverhecan.Hehasalsoinsisted that the temples atAkhet-Aten be protected andhasrefusedtopermitreprisalsagainstthesteadilydwindlingAten priesthood (many ofwhose members discreetly

disappearedimmediatelyafterAkhenaten’s death, anyway,so that now only a handfulopenlyremain).In these things Aye has

encouraged him, and whenTut has sought my advice Ihave counseled the same. Iknow our policies havedisturbed Hatsuret, I thinkunduly (for surely Amoncannot honestly complainabout all that has been given

back to him!). I know theyhavemadeHoremhebuneasy,sometimesdangerouslyso,tothepointwherehisfatherhason occasion been forced towarn him forcefully about it.But the Regent and I speakfrom thewisdomof seventy-oneyears,now,andweknowour way is best. At leastmoderation has preventedanother open clash betweentheLivingHorus andAmon;

and this is a clash we knowmustneveroccuragain.Noneof us—the Two Lands, thisHouse, none of us—couldsurviveanothersuch.So it is with some

trepidation that we await thefull assumption of power byPharaoh today. Yet I detectnoneofthisamongthepeopleas I wander through theodorous alleyways andcrowded streets of Thebes,

jostling along with theenormous crowd that makesits way eagerly towardKarnak. There is a holidaymood in the air, a happyexcitement: Pharaoh and theChief Wife are very popularamong the people, certainlythe most popular pair tooccupy the throne since thedays of Amonhotep III (life,health, prosperity!) andQueen Tiye. Whatever dark

doubtsdisturbtheinnercirclein the Court, they are nottransmitted to the streets.There Neb-Kheperu-Ra andAnkhesenamonrulesupreme.If the streets decided suchthings in Kemet, these twowould reign for many years.So they may—I for onedevoutly hope they will—ifHis Majesty is shrewd. Noteven Horemheb will be abletodoanythingifHisMajesty

is shrewd. But from thismoment on none of us whofavorhimcanreallyhelphimsetthecourse.Itrestsentirelynow in what lies behind thathandsomeyoung face,whichof late has begun to lose itsyouthful roundness andacquire a withdrawn, uneasyexpressionasitsownerlooksintoafuturethatnowbelongstohim.Slowlyyet inexorably, like

some vast oozing jelly, thecrowd fills up the banks ofthe river and all the publicspace around the temple,pushing me along on itssurface like a bug until Icome to rest finally where Iwanttobe,besidethelandingstage near the foot of theplatform thathasbeensetupfortheGoodGod’saddresstothe people. (He favorsAkhenaten’s custom, and

knows he is effective at it.)Ramesses is in charge of theguards this day, and throughthe crowds he recognizesmeand sends two soldiers toescortme. Idonotmind thisassistance now, for I am intruth getting old and it hasbeen a lengthy walk fromwhereIfirstputashoreatthetempleofLuxor.Heprovidesa chair for me, which Ithankfully accept, and then

stands beside me for a timewhile we watch the peoplecontinue to come, and hearfrom upriver the first long-rolling shouts that greet thebeginning of the royalprocession. I have little toreporttoAyethathedoesnotknow: Kemet loves hisnephew and granddaughter;andupontheirownshouldersreststheirfate.This I think even dull but

reliable Ramesses senses (heis the perfect foil forlightning-quick Horemheb,which I am sure is whyHoremheb hasmade him hismost trusted lieutenant allthese years) because, afterwatching the crowds for amoment, he asks me in hisusual amiable, half-bewilderedfashion:“What do you think His

Majestywill tell us this day,

Amonhotep?”“Ithinkhewilltellusheis

happy to have full power,” Ianswerpromptly,“andthathewill use it only for the goodof Kemet.Which is what allof us who have power mustdo.Including,”Iadd,forwithRamesses one must spellthings out, and I intend theword to get back,“Horemheb.”“Oh,” he says, “I think

Horemheb intends always todoonlythat.”“Do you?” I ask, speaking

frankly, for I am indeedveryold andHoremheb’s possibleannoyance does not troublemeanymore.“WouldIweresosure.”“Why are you not?”

Ramesses asks, squatting onhis heels at my side andloweringhisvoicesothatwewill not be overheard by the

pressing crowd. “Whattroublesyou,Amonhotep?”“Horemheb grows

impatient aboutmany things,these days. Too manythings.”“Only those that threaten

thekingdom,”Ramessessaysstoutly,andInod.“Granted. But only as

Horemhebseesthem.”“Who better?Horemheb is

verywise.”

“Andveryambitious.”“Ambitionisnotacrimein

a man. It has given himpowertosavetheTwoLands,manytimes.”“He has done much for

Kemet,” I agree, “but now Ithinkittimeforhimtorelaxalittle and let things take theircourse.”“But what course will that

be?”heasks,comingbacktohis original point—Ramesses

isnotalwaysasdimasoneisinclined to think. “Is thatnotwhatwemust learnfromHisMajesty? And is it notworrisome a little, since wehave had so muchmisgovernment from theHouse of Thebes, and nowknow not what its youngestsonmaydo?”“You must not speak

treason, Ramesses,” I saysternly,andthoughhelooksa

little takenabackhedoesnotyield much. He is alsostubbornlyloyalandunafraid,which is another reasonHoremhebvalueshim.“I mean not treason,” he

says, “as you perfectly wellknow, Amonhotep. But thislad, likehisbrothers,worriesme.Heappears tobeagoodKing but so for a time didthey. Then somethingchanged.Could itnotchange

withthisone?Andwouldthatnotbeasaddayfor theTwoLands?”“It would be if it came

about,” I agree, “but it willnotcomeaboutbecauseheisnot his brothers. He ishimself.”“But he has the blood,” he

persists.“Andhehasthewifetomatchit,daughterassheisof the Heretic and theBeautifulWoman.Itcouldbe

a bad combination for thekingdom.Iworryaboutit.”“I knowyoudo,” I say, as

around us the roar increasesanddistantlywe see the firstgolden prow splitting Hapi’swaters, “and I know yourfriend does too, and so youworrytwofold.ButItellyou,Ramesses,thisGoodGodyoumustnotworryabout.Hehasbeen well-trained, he is anamiable lad, he is possessed

ofcommonsense.”“I hope so,” he says, his

eyes widening with a bleakthoughtfulness I have neverbelievedhimcapableof,“forI should hate to see morekilling in the House ofThebes.”“Therewillbenoneifallof

us—all of us,” I say moreloudlyas theroarofgreetingbegins to overwhelm us,“who have any direct part at

all—including you,Ramesses, you are asresponsibleastherestofus—agree and make certain thatallwillgowell.Youmustnotbepartytoanykilling.”“I do not want to be,” he

says with a shudder. “Youknow that is not my nature,Amonhotep, except as asoldierinthefield,whereitisall impersonal against theTwo Lands’ enemies and

does notmatter. It is notmynatureasafriendtoallintheHouseofThebes.”“Itisnotthenatureofmost

of us,” I say, hesitating for asecond but then deciding tospell this out, too: “It mustnot be the nature ofHoremheb,either.”“It will not be,” he says,

risingtohisfeetwithawincefor muscles aching from hisawkward posture atmy side,

“iftheKingkeepshispartofthe bargain and does not doanythingfoolish.”“He will not do anything

foolish,” I say firmly as heprepares to return to his postat the landing stage to assistthe royal debarkations.“Believe me, Ramesses, hewillnot!”“I believe that as you do,

Amonhotep,”hesayswithanunhappy smile that robs his

words of some of their stingbut not their significance.“Pray to thegodsour trust isnotbetrayed.”“Go to your post,” I say,

dismissing himwith a wave.“Dowhatyoucan to restrainyour friend, should it benecessary.”“Praywithmeitwillnotbe

necessary, Amonhotep,” hesays as he turns away. “Myheart would break should

they of the House of Thebesturnagainupononeanother.”And so would mine, good

Ramesses, I think as hedeparts.Sowouldmine.Andyou pray no more ferventlythanIaboutit.Yet for awhile all appears

to be going well. (Indeed,looking back now in thisnight electric with horror, itstill appears that all wentwell.With what insanity did

the gods drive Horemheb todothethinghedid?)First comes Sitamon,

serene and gracious asalways, receiving from thecitywhich ismore trulyhersthan anyone’s—since shenever really abandoned itduringAkhenaten’s reignbutalways stayed as much aspossible at Malkata—theloving tribute she alwaysdoes. With her comes

Mutnedjmet, small cleverface almost submerged in ahuge black wig. On eitherside her two little familiarslaugh and chatter in theirsqueaky, privileged voices.To her the crowd gives anamused yet affectionatewelcome: she long agobecame the official jester ofthe House of Thebes, hereccentricities emphasized byIpyandSenna,whomshehas

hadaboutherforfifteenyearsandmore.Thepeoplelikeaneccentric in a royal house, itgives themsomethinghumanand comfortable to laughabout amid the pomp.Mutnedjmet has deliberatelycourted it. She has nevermarried and probably neverwill; was one of her halfsister Nefertiti’s closestconfidantes in the last, tragicyears; and now goes about

amongthepeopledoinggreatgood with many charities.She is much shrewder thanmost realizebut iscontent tohide it behind the publiccharacter she has carefullycreatedforherself.Howsucha one could be daughter toAye and half sister toHoremheb must intrigue thepeople, too, they are both sostiff and proper in all theirpublic doings. But

Mutnedjmet goes her ownway quite successfully and,aside from her friendship forNefertiti,hasmanagedtostayoutoftheunhappyeventsthathaveafflictedtheFamily.Following Sitamon and

Mutnedjmet comesHoremheb, riding withMutnedjmet’s brother, hishalf brother, the VizierNakht-Min. (It is interestingto note that at the moment,

until Ankhesenamonproduces living issue, thefamily of Aye nowoutnumbers the House ofThebes.) Nakht-Min is hisusual smiling, imperturbableself: he too has managed tostay relatively free from theFamily’s agonies. Horemhebis dark-visaged, self-absorbed, somber, stern. ToNakht-Min’s smiles andwaves the crowd responds

with friendly cheers: he iswell liked and muchapproved, managing as hedoestomoderatesomeofhishalf brother’s more stringentapproachestothings.ForHoremheb,whomakes

nogestures,offersnosmiles,scarcely looks up from thebrooding studyhe appears tobein,thereisbutascatteringof applause, few cheers, nowarmth. He gives none: he

gets none. The people areafraid of him, which is sadindeedwhenone thinksbackover four decades, (alas, sofast does time rush on!) tohappy young “Kaires,” andwhen one pauses to reflectupon how driven the matureman is by what he sincerelyconceives to be his duty tothe Two Lands. Duty tohimself, yes, because he hascome to feel that he and

Kemet are synonymous andthatonlyhecanrestorehertoherfullestglories;butdutytoKemet most of all, I dobelieve. I give him that: butthe crowds, seeing only theincreasingly stern, publicappearance,knowingonlythegossipandthewhispersofthethings he has done—hearingof them only, notunderstanding the inneragonies which prompted his

actions and took their bittertoll from him when heresponded—are not socharitable.Theymayapprovein theirheartsofwhathedidto rid the kingdom ofAkhenaten and Nefertiti, butthey seem to feel that heshould at least smile at themabout it. Then they couldcomfort themselves with thefeeling that it was really allright … and they could get

over their instinctiveapprehension that theythemselves may yet sufferequally from such an ironwill, shouldhe everhave theunchecked power to turn ituponthem.Much, much rests on the

shouldersofNeb-Kheperu-Raand Ankhesenamon. Thepeople’sprayers,movedbyacertain underlyingdesperation, are with them,

and now from up the rivercomes the proof—that long,rising roar of love, whosedeep, almost animal fervorcannot be matched inmemoryunlessonegoesbackto his father and mother intheirgreatestdays.Neb-Kheperu-Ra

Tutankhamon, Great Bull,Living Horus, Beloved ofGoddess Buto and GoddessNekhebet, theTwoLadiesof

theNorthandtheSouth,Lordof the Two Lands, Great inSplendor, Sacred to Amon(and friend to Aten), twelfthKing and Pharaoh of theEighteenth Dynasty to ruleover the kingdom of Kemet,comes.Thegreetinggrows,swells,

takes over the world. In themidst of it two small goldenfigures step down from theirgolden barge and stride

sturdily forward to the firstpylon where dark Hatsuretand his masked priests wait.After them comes Aye, faceas always calm, mienimpressive, receiving fromthe people that special soundof deep respect and humbleworshipthathisadvancedageand unique place in theirhearts always guarantee him:Histributeand,onesuspects,his shield against the

ambitions of his son. Heacceptsitwithadignifiedbutsmilingbow—hehastakentosmiling in public in the lastfew years, as part of hissubtle campaign to holdHoremheb in check—and, asalways, the crowd isdelighted at such humanityfromonewhomostofhislifehasappearedbasicallykindlybutoutwardlyunbendingandsevere.Hedecidedsometime

ago, apparently, to letHoremhebbetheonetolookunbendingandsevereifhesodesires; and since Horemhebobliges without the savinggrace of also being kindly, itis Aye who profits in theircontest for the trust of thepeople. One would thinkHoremheb would perceivethis and moderate his ownseverity accordingly; butHoremheb, like all in this

powerful, headstrong group,goeshisownway.Pharaoh and

Ankhesenamon move on tothe first pylon. Behind themthe rest of us fall in line. Ihate to give up mycomfortable chair but nowmypresenceisexpected,soImust comply. I wince likeRamesses from achingmuscles as I take my place.Wemoveonintothetemple,

whereHatsuretpresidesinhisusual imperious fashion overthe rites of Amon which aredesignedtosanctifythisday.Thesecompleted—Pharaoh

and Ankhesenamon goingthrough the rituals withimpassive faces that revealnothing to their closelywatching elders—we returnto the platform set up in theopen field beside the temple.I am able to sit down again,

thistimewiththeFamily,anda welcome relief it is. I amseated beside Sitamon, whogreets me with kindlyconcern and presentlymurmurs, “Come to metomorrow atMalkata. I havean idea for you,” whichleaves me puzzled butintrigued. She is a generoussoul, Sitamon, bearing well,after an initial period ofbitterness,herdisappointment

that Horemheb apparentlywill nevermarry her. I thinksheisbetteroff,myself,andIsuspectshehasconcludedthesame.Whenwe are all arranged,

the crowd having finallyquieted its restless pushingand shoving and theoccasional renewed bursts ofcheering with which it hasrelieved its boredom whilewe have been inside, an

attentive silence settles overall. Tutankhamon rises andmoves forward to centerstage.Thesilence,ifpossible,growsdeeper.His arms are crossed

beneath the robe he wearsagainstthecold:heisholdingcrook and flail. The two setsare so nearly of a size thatone has to look closelysometimestotellwhichheiscarrying. The crowd cannot

see,butwecan:todayitistheAten, and with a wry littlesmilevisibleonlytousseatedbehind him, he turns andhands them to Hatsuret,standing at the side.Hatsuretlooks for a second as thoughhe would like to crack themover his knee, but of coursehehasnochoicebuttoacceptthem. He passes themhurriedly on to a youngerpriest behind him: so

hurriedly that Pharaoh againsmiles the slightest of smilesas he turns back to face thecrowd.“MypeopleofKemet!”he

cries, and his voice ringsclear and strong over theblustery gusts that sweep offtheriver.“IgreetyouonthisdaywhenIcomefully tomyheritage.Ithankyouforyourkind attendance on theseceremonies,andIwantyouto

knowthatonyourlovesIrestmy rule as King and LivingHorus.”It is a graceful opening,

received with great applauseand gratification. He hasmadehimself oneof them inthese warm initial remarks,andhebindsthemevencloserwithhisnext.“Inhonorofthisdayandso

that all here may suitablycelebrate with Her Majesty

andmeourhappinessinyourloyallovesIamorderingthatthe granaries be opened sothat each among you mayreceive a goodly share offood this day. And I amfurtherorderingthatfromtheTreasury the Grand VizierAye”—there is a stirringamong the Family, for nowweknowwhathe intendsforAye, a title and officesupreme and unusual, if not

entirely unknown, in ourhistory—“shall distribute toeach and every one whocomes to him between nowand the time when Ra-Atumsinks to rest behind theWestern Peak one weight ofgold apiece with which tocelebratethisday,orfeedhisfamily, or do with what hewill.”Nowtheresponseisjoyous

indeed: he has appealed to

their loyalty, their stomachsand theirgreed.So far it isavery skillful performance.Now he moves on to deeperthings.“My people ofKemet,” he

says,andhelowershisvoicedeliberatelysothattheymustnow be absolutely still andstrain with all their attentionif theyare tohearhiswords,“itisnowfiveyearsalmosttothe day since theChiefWife

and I left our capital ofAkhet-Aten to return to ourcapitals of Thebes andMemphis.Inthattime,asyouknow,muchhasbeendonetorebuild the temples ofAmonandtheothergods, torestorecivil order to the land, tostrengthen our defensesagainst our enemies of theNineBowswho threaten ourborders, particularly KingSupp-i-lu-li-u-mas of the

Hittites,whowarsagainstus.Much has been done torestore to the Two Landspeace where peace, for atime,didnotexist.“Much, however”—and a

certain sternness enters hisvoice which makes thesilence, if possible, moreprofound—“remains to bedone. Amon has beenrestored, the Aten has beenreduced. A balance has been

sought. Yet the Two Landsdo not yet know the full anduniversal peace Her Majestyand I would like to see. Forthisreasonwewouldproposenewplansandpoliciesforthekingdom.”Now the apprehension we

havebeenfeelingintheCourtaswenearedthisdayspringsback full-blown in all ourhearts. What “new plans,”what“newpurposes”?Others

announced new plans andpurposesfromthissamespot:disasterwasthechildoftheirintentions.Prayitmaynotbeso with Tutankhamon! Aye,Horemheb, Hatsuret, Nakht-Min, Ramesses,Mutnedjmet,Sitamon, myself—nocommon subject listensmoreintentlythanwe.“First, however,” Pharaoh

continues calmly, “I wouldtell you of the new officials

of my court. The Councilor,Divine Father-in-law andRegent Aye, our most dearand trusted adviser, willhereafter be what I havealready told you, the GrandVizier. To him will report,assistinghimandobeyinghisordersinallthingsconnectedwiththeinternalaffairsofthekingdom, our cousin andfaithful friend the GeneralNakht-Min, who will

continueinhispresentpostasVizier of Upper Kemet.”There is awave of applause.They are pleased to havepopular Nakht-Min remainwith them. “Also workingwith the Grand Vizier andsubjecttohisorders”—wealltense anew, for now comesthe dangerous one—“will beour cousin and faithfulservant, the GeneralHoremheb,whoinadditionto

his title of Vizier of LowerKemet will bear the title‘King’s Defender of LowerKemet.’ To him, workingwith the Grand Vizier Aye,do we entrust the defense ofour borders againstSuppiluliumas and theHittitesandagainstallotherswho dare to challenge thepower of Pharaoh, wherevertheymaybe.”Again applause, more

perfunctory yet curiouslyrelieved. They are glad tohave Horemheb far away tothe north, and busy. So,obviously,isPharaoh.Furtively we glance at

Horemheb, demoted thusabruptly from his treasuredpost and powers of King’sDeputy and, in effect,banished, at least for a time,to the Delta. He loves theDelta, loves Memphis, loves

the role of warrior-defenderof the Two Lands: butobviouslynotontheseterms.His face for several secondsis a study as he first flushes,thenpales,thenflushesagain.Butthereisnothinghecandoand he knows it. Our pliableyouth of eighteen is pliablenolonger.Heisassuminghispowerswiththefirmnessthatishis right.Horemhebwouldbe well advised, I think, to

accept, obey and reserve hisambitionsforanotherday.Until, that is, Neb-

Kheperu-Ra does what wewho love him have feared.Suddenly now, withoutwarning, he responds to theurgings of his blood (orperhaps of his wife, whoknows)—tries to be tooclever—behaves like hisbrother—goes,wearealmostimmediatelyaware,toofar.

“Through these good andtrusted servants,” heannounces, while all againfall silent, “I shall presentlyannounce toyou indetail thenew plans and purposes HerMajestyandIproposefortheTwoLands.Theywillseektobring about a more perfectbalance between Amon andAten,andallthegods;toputan end to lingering factionswithinthelandwhofavorone

ortheother;topermit,aboveall,freedomtoallourpeopleto worship whatever godsthey please, openly andunafraid, placing not oneabove the other nor loweringthem likewise. We havewished for this since the daywecame to the throne; ithashappened only partially.Fromnowon theChiefWifeand I are determined that itshallbethetrueanduniversal

stateofourdearTwoLands.“To symbolize this unity

wedesireforallthegodsandall our people, I amorderingthis day the start of mymortuary temple. It is to bebuilton thewestbankof theNile on that rocky spurwhich, slightly north of themortuary templeof theGoodGod Hatshepsut (life, health,prosperity!)curvestowardtheriver.TheredoIdecreetothe

Grand Vizier, and to myfaithful sculptor Tuthmoseand to all my loyal artisansandworkmen,thesethings:“Halfway up the ridge,

thereshallbehewnacircularlevel platform which it willtake three hundredmenwithlinked hands outstretched toencompass.“Around the edge of this

platformthereshallberaiseda hypostyle hall of columns

entwined with lotus andpapyrus symbolizing theunityoftheTwoLands.“There shall be over these

columns no roof, noranywhere above the circlewithin them any roof; andtheyshallbeopentotheraysofRaforeverandever.”Sitamon and I exchange a

disturbed sidelong glance.There is a restless stirringdown the line of chairs.

Something familiar andfrighteningiscreepingtowardusinthewindyday.“In the center of the circle

there shall be a single stoneshaft, circular in shape, theheight of a man and thebreadthofaman.Itshallbearupon it no signor symbol ofanygodoranyone,saveatitsbase, in small, the cartoucheof myself, the Pharaoh whobuilt it;buton thealtar itself

there shall be no sign orsymbolofanygod.“Thuswillitbeaplacefor

allthegods,whereallpeoplemaycomeandworshipfreelyastheywish.”Now Horemheb and Aye

are looking at one anotherwith growing alarm andcomprehension; and over theothers a frozen stillnesscomes. In front of us thecrowd listens attentively but

without noticeable change.They followastepata time,asheintendsthemto,anddonot put it all together. Thepeople are innocents who gowhere Pharaoh leads them.They do not look ahead, aswewho have trod this tragicpath before find we aresuddenlylookingahead.Serenely Pharaoh

continues, while at his sideAnkhesenamon looks up at

himwithapprovingadorationin her eyes.Have they reallynoconceptofwhattheydo?“Down from the point of

this holy circle which isnearest the Nile,”Tutankhamon says, his voiceringing clear above thesharpeningwind, “there shallradiate twelve broadstairways descending to theplain.Inthecenteratthefootof each there shall stand the

figure of a god, beginningwith Amon and the Aten atthe two innermost stairways,followed on either sidesuccessively by Ptah, Horus,Thoth,Hathor, Isis,Sekhmet,Buto, Nekhebet, Ma’at andRa-Herakhty.“Thereby shall all be

equally honored, and somayeach who worships choosethestairway thatsuitshimashestartshisclimbtotheholy

circleofmymortuarytempleabove, there to find peace,loveandcomfortforhisownheart.”The circular platform—the

circular rowofcolumns—theunadorned altar—the twelveradiatingarms…theAten.But somesmerized are the

people as they listen, sopleased are they by thehonors to be given all thegods, so unable are their

simple minds to visualizethesesymbolsasthoughfromaboveandtoseetheminonecoherent whole as Pharaohhas cleverly described themstep by step, thatwe can tellthey do not perceive this.Instead they exclaim withwonder and pleasure andburst into prolonged andhappy shouts; while Tut andAnkhesenamon, neverindicating by somuch as the

flickerofaneyelashthattheydoindeedknowexactlywhattheyaredoing,smileserenelyoutuponthem.“Thus,” saysTutankhamon

firmlywhentheapplauseandexcitement have finallysubsided, “do I decree, andthus do I charge you, GrandVizier, and all my loyalservants of the Court, to seethat it is well and speedilydone.…

“Good people,” heconcludes, “dear children ofourdearTwoLands:mayallthe gods keep you andcomfort you, and may theygive us many long years torule over you that we mayanswerwithourlovetheloveyoubearforus.“And now let there be

rejoicing until the last manhasfallentosleep!”Andhewaves to themand

then he and Ankhesenamonglance at us with pleasant,apparentlyinnocentsmiles,astheshoutsandjubilationwellup again and they begin towalktowardthegoldenlittersin which they will be bornehigh through Thebes in theslow triumphal processionthat will not end until manyhours from now when theycross the river and return toMalkata.

Clamorously the peoplepress forward toward Aye,who rises, wraps his robeabout him and, withinscrutable face, gestureswith his staff toward theTreasury and the granariesstanding side by side on theroad to Luxor. A roar goesup, dutifully they fall inbehind: he goes to keepPharaoh’s promise.Horemheb, his face set in

sternly formal mold thatreveals nothing of what hemust be thinking, stridessomberly toward the landingstage,lookingneithertorightnorleft;thepeopleopenwayforhiminfear-tingedrespectand close again silentlybehind him as he passes. Heapparentlyintendstoreturnatonce to the Palace, there totake counsel of who knowswhat thoughts. Nakht-Min,

looking troubled butmanaging to maintain hisusualamiableoutwardaspect,chats for a moment withRamesses, who also looksdisturbedbut as thoughhe isnotquite surewhyheshouldbe.Nakht-Minthenoffershisarm toMutnedjmet and theytoo move toward the barges.IpyandSennaskipsqueakingalong beside, receiving theirusual amused catcalls from

the crowd, replying withshrill and sometimes ribaldrejoinders.Sitamon and I are left to

bring up the rear. For amoment we simply standsilently looking at oneanother,while around us ourescorting guards waitpatiently, and beyond thecrowdsurgesawayafterAyeandtheGoodGod’spromisedbounties.

“Well,” she says finally inavoicelowsothatonlyIcanhear. “We face the legacy ofAkhenatenrathersooner thanIhadthought.”“We must help Pharaoh

before it is too late,” I say,myteethchatteringbothfromthecoldrattlingmyoldbonesand fear of what the futuremayhold.“So we must,” she agrees

firmly,“andinthisyouandI

must be allies, Amonhotep.Come back with me now toMalkataandwewilltalk.”Gratefully I accept her

invitationandweareescortedto the remaining royal bargethat waits for us at thelanding; not knowing that bythen, of course, it is alreadytoolate.

***

Aye

He has come to me, stayedfor ten minutes and, raging,gone. I am left to put theworld togetheragainone lasttime—ifitcanbedone.

The day passed in paradesand ceremonies. At last, asthe Nile turned bronze andpurple light began to fallupon the Western Peak,Pharaoh and Ankhesenamonreturned to Malkata. Tey,Sitamon, Horemheb and Idinedwiththem—early,forithadbeenawearingday.Thenthey retired, he to theirregular bedchamber, she to aspecial one arranged for her

down the corridor somewayfrom his. The birth of theCrown Prince being so near,they do not for the presentsleeptogether,becausesheishaving some difficulty withthis pregnancy and is upmuch, and restless, in thenight: it is better she beattended by nurses and byTey, who watches over herwith loving care. And he ofcourse has his harim if he

wishes to go there; though,beingdeeplyinlovewiththeChiefWife,Ibelieveheveryrarelydoes.On this night, for the first

timeinmanynights,hedranka little more wine than heusually does. Itwas, he said,the exhaustions of the daywhichcaused the indulgence;and the importance oftomorrow, which he wantedustobesuretounderstand.

“I wish to sleep soundlytonight, Uncle,” he said tome, “because tomorrow webegin my mortuary templeand announce the new lawsfor religion, with which youmustassistme.Muchwillbedone for the Two Landstomorrow,muchwillchange.I wish to be fresh and readyfor this. I amvery tired rightnow.”“I, too, Son of the Sun,” I

admitted; addingautomatically, “But I assumethe changes will not be toogreat, as I do not believe theTwoLands tobequite readyyetforanythingsensational.”“Not ready ‘yet,’ and not

ready ever, Son of the Sun,”Horemhebsaidgravely.“Thekingdom has had enough ofviolent changes. So we hopeyoudonotplananysuch.”“Onlywhatwillbebestfor

Kemet, Cousin,”Tutankhamon said, a certainiciness entering his voice.“You may be assured ofthat.”“I hope so, Majesty,”

Horemheb said, standing hisground. “Good kingshiprequiresnoless.”“I am a good King!” Tut

exclaimed, blazing upwith atemper that was suddenly,chillingly, reminiscent of his

older brother. “You need notinstruct me in my duties asKing,Cousin!”“Such was not my

intention, Majesty,”Horemheb said, still calmly,though I could sense hisgrowing anger beneath theenforcedblandness.“Itwasareminderonly.”“Idonotneed reminders!”

Tut snapped. “Givememorewine!”

And he held out his cupimperiously to Horemheb,who accepted it withimpassiveface,brushedasidethe servant who steppedforward automatically toassist him, went to the winejarinthecorneranddippedaportion, full running over,which he brought back andplaced, still with impassiveface,atPharaoh’shand.“Now!” Tut said. “Drink

withme,Cousin,totomorrowand a better day for theTwoLands!”For a moment Horemheb

didnotraisehisowncup,butstared, still with the sameimpassive air, at the King.Finallyhe raisedhis cupandbowed.“Very well, Majesty. I

drinktothat.”“And I!” Tut exclaimed.

“And let there be no more

nonsenseaboutit!”Across the table Sitamon

stirred instinctively as thecupsmettheirlips,andsodidI—bothofus,Iknow,seizedby a sudden fearfulapprehension.But of course nothing

happened. Both drank deepandreplacedtheircupsonthetable. The moment passedwithout incident. In a secondIwastellingmyself,andIam

sure Sitamon was too, howabsurd it was to haveimagined for amomentwhatIknowwebothdid imagine.Not even Horemheb—howsadly easy it has become tosay, “Not even Horemheb,”when calculating degrees ofevil!—would dare anythingsodesperateandblatantinthepresenceofusall.We relaxed, themealwent

on. Tut, growing more

talkative from the wine,changed the subject, beganreminiscing about the earlydays here at Malkata. Soonwewereallrecallingpleasantthings—carefully avoidingAkhenaten, Smenkhkara andNefertiti, of course, but stillfinding much to talk aboutconcerningmy sister andmybrother-in-lawand theirgreatdaysonthethrone—andsoitall passed amicably until Tut

finally announced in a voiceslightly fuzzy from hisunusual imbibing, “I amsleepy, and my wife shouldbe in bed too, taking care ofthe Crown Prince. You willexcuse us. Come to me atnoon tomorrow, Uncle. Wehaveworktodo.”“Yes, Majesty,” I said as

we all arose, Ankhesenamonawkwardwith her pregnancybut looking beautifulwith it,

too.“Good night, Sister,” Tut

said, kissing Sitamonaffectionately, a gesture shereturned with a suddenfierceness that surprised hima little, though I couldunderstand the reason for it:neither of us, still, was quiteconvinced we had beenmistaken a few minutesbefore.“Good night, Cousin,” he

said pleasantly toHoremheb,offeringhishandtobekissed,whichHoremheb did gravelywithoutchangeofexpression.“You, too, I will seetomorrow, for there is muchto be done to carry out mydesires for your new post inLowerKemet.”“Yes, Son of the Sun,”

Horemheb said. “Sleep well,fortomorrow’ssake.”“Whatmeanyouby that?”

Sitamon asked sharply, herworries breakingunexpectedly to the surface.Horemheblookedatherwitha blank surprise and thenrespondedwith a calm, half-humorousair.“Why, Cousin, I mean

naught but what I said: heshould sleep well, fortomorrow’s sake.He himselfhas saidmuch depends upontomorrow. I agree.What did

youthinkImeant?”And under his bland stare

her eyes finally dropped andshe murmured, “I do notknow,Cousin. I supposeyoumeantwhatyousaid.”“I suppose so,” he said

comfortably. “I can think ofnothing else I might havemeant. But sendword tomyquarters by a servant later,and tell me, if you think ofsomething.”

“Iwill,” she repliedwithasudden flash of anger. “Youmay be sure I will send aservanttoyourquarterslater,Cousin. I hope he will findyouthere.”“He will find me there,”

Horemheb said serenely. “Ihave no other plans thisnight.”“What is this?” Tut

demandedwithapuzzledhalflaugh. “I do not understand

all these riddles youpropound,Sister.”“She does not understand

themherself,”Horemhebsaidinthesamecomfortableway.“Doyou,now,Cousin!”Butshedidnot reply,only

giving him a long stare,finally shaking her head andturning away. As she did soher eyes caught mine and amessageshotfromthemasiftosay,Iamcountingonyou,

Uncle:controlhim!And so I think I still may

be able to do, though at aprice I do not yet wish tocontemplate, so fiercely doesitharrymeinthisoncemorehaunted night for the HouseofThebes.After we had all said our

farewellsthepartybrokeup.Icould see thatAnkhesenamon,too,hadbeentroubled by Sitamon’s

remarks and the hiddencontest,whosenatureshedidnot understand, withHoremheb. But she also wastired, too tired for hernormallyquickperceptionstofunction at their best; andbythen she was also feeling asshe said, a little ill, so shegratefully accepted Tey’ssustainingarmandtheywentoff together to herbedchamber. Pharaoh, after

once again bidding us allgood night (a repetition heapparently did not realize,now that thewinewas reallybeginningtoclaimhim),wentoff to his, where faithfulRamessesandlivelySetistillguardhis doors eachnight—though this, too, I think hemaychange…orwouldhavechanged … I must nowremindmyself.…Whatwill happen tome! I

have dipped my hands inhorrorsooftenforthesakeofKemet,anddonotknownowwhen,ifever,Iwillgetthemclean!Toomany thingshavecrowded me over the years.Toomany…I bade Horemheb good

night and proceeded alone tomy bedchamber. There myservant helped me undress,clothed me in my sleepingrobe, lit a small fire in a

brazier in the corner againstthechillofthewinternight.Idismissed him and preparedmyselfforbed.Iwasabouttoextinguish the lamp whensharp knuckles struck thedoor in a fashion not to bedenied. I knew who it wasinstantly. My heart began topound,myhandstotremble.Imade them stop, took deep,deliberate breaths to steadymyself, moved with a

deliberate slow dignitytoward the door. Once againthe knuckles struck, louderand more imperative. Ithought:He is not afraid ofbeing heard. It was notnecessary for my son to tellme what this meant, thoughhedidsoassoonasIhadlethim in and closed the doortightlybehindhim.“Iputasleepingpowderin

hiswine,”hesaidharshlyand

without preliminary. “Soonhewill sleep a sleep like thesleepofthedead.Isuggesttoyou that he must never beallowedtowaken.”“You cannot—” I said,

wondering that I could speakatall.“Youcannot—”“I can and I will,”

Horemheb said sharply. “HehasrevivedtheAtenthisdayand intends to revive himfurthertomorrowandtheday

after—andthedayafter—andthe day after—until all theland suffers again from themadness.Itmustnotbe.”“You cannot!” I said,

trying to holdmy voice to anear whisper but becomingalmost shrill in spite ofmyself. “There must be nomore killing in the House ofThebes.Youcannot.”“I can and I will,” he

repeated in the same harsh

voice, “with or without yourpermission, Father. Itwill bedonethisnight.”“No!”Icried.“No!”“Yes,” he said with a

steady quietness doublydevastating in contrast tomyfrantic protest. “Yes, Father.Therewillbenomoreturningback, no more tolerance forthat which will destroy thekingdom if we let it growagain. The consequence I

warnedyouoffiveyearsagowhen he returned to Thebeshas come. As a youth hetoyedwith theAten and youalloweditwithyourpolicyof‘compromise’ and‘toleration.’Asamanhenowseeks to restore the Atenfully, and that you cannotallow. You cannot permitKemettoberavagedagain.Itwouldbeunconscionable.”“It is unconscionable what

you propose,” I managed togetout.“Hehasdonenothingto deserve this. His gesturesto the Aten have beenharmlessthesepastfiveyears—”“Not harmless!” he

snapped. “He has kept theAten alive, and very muchalive. The throne, the crookand flail, preserving thetemples at Akhet-Aten,enlarging the temple here at

Karnak—they have not beenharmless. And they have notbeen done with a child’sinnocence, for Neb-Kheperu-Rahasnotbeenachildsincethe Heretic’s death. He hasknown exactly what he wasdoing, and so has she. Nowtoday, with their clever trickofa‘mortuarytemple’thatisnothingbut theAten ingiantform,theymovetobeginthefullrestoration.Tomorrowhe

says there will be ‘new lawsfor religion.’ That can meanonly one thing. It must bestopped. Father! Surely youcanseethat?”“Icanseeonlymorehorror

fortheHouseofThebes—”Ibegan, and I am afraid myvoicebrokeandtrembledandsounded very old: I am veryold. He interrupted mewithout pity. This nightHoremheb has gone beyond

pity.“I can see only more

devastation for the TwoLands,” he cried, his voicesuddenly filled with a greatanger. “It is enough, enough,enough! Iwill have nomoreofit!Father!”—Andhedaredput a hand like iron on myfrailoldarm,agraspsofierceI thought itmight crunch thebonewereItoendureitlong.“Father! With … you …

or…without!”Andheglaredintomyeyes

with an anger so consumingthat I thinkhebarelyknew Iwasthere.“We will hold him to the

mortuary temple and nothingelse,” I began—feebly, I amafraid,butIwasalmostattheendofmystrength.“Wewillnotpermithim—”“Notpermithim!”hecried.

“HeistheLivingHorus,Son

of the Sun, full in his poweras of this day! We will‘restrain’ him? Whatnonsense! One restraint onlyis possible now. Father!”And again his painful griptightenedonmyarm,hiseyesstaredfuriouslyintomine,hespoke very slowly anddistinctly. “You know I amright.Youknowheintendstodo what I say. You knowwhat this means for the

kingdom. You know wecannotstanditagain.…”Abruptly his voice became

verysoftandveryadamant.“With you orwithout you,

Father.Withyouorwithout.”For what seemed many

minutes he held me so, hisgrip unrelenting, his eyesboring into mine, his faceimplacable. And at last, ofcourse, I told him what hewanted to hear: because, in

truth, I felt him tobecorrectandI,too,wasterrifiedofthechaos into which the last ofmy three ill-fated nephewsmight once again plunge theTwoLands.“Very well,” I whispered

huskily, shuddering andturning away as he instantlyreleased me, covering myhead with my robe and notlooking at him again. “Verywell.Dowhatyoumust.”

“Good!” he said—oneshort, sharp, explosive word—and was gone, leaving meto weep, as I have so manytimes before, for three dearlittle boys, running andlaughing down the sunlitpathwaysofMalkata…threelittle boyswho became greatkingsandbetrayedtheirtrust,and sohad todie to save theTwo Lands, for whose sakewe of this House have seen

and done and suffered somuch, in all these recentdreadfulyears.…I weep: but I will go on

because I am Aye, and theTwoLandsdependuponit.

***

Tutankhamon(life,health,prosperity!)

The wine is creeping gentlyupon me. It makes me feel

pleasantly dizzy—relaxed,peaceful, happy—wonderfully happy, becausenow I am Pharaoh in all thefullnessofmypowers,nowIam the LivingHorus beyondthe hand of anyman to stay,not even trusted Aye, noteven mistrusted Horemhebwhom I have now, I think,broughtfinallytoheel.NowIcan do all the great things Iwish to do for my beloved

people and our beloved TwoLands.Downthehallmydearwife

sleeps, and with her sleepsour son who will soon beborn to stand beside me andsomeday wear the DoubleCrown. She shares in all myplans as her mother sharedwith my brother and as theGreat Wife shared with myfather before them. We areagreed on what we will do

and we know the gods willassist us, because what weplanisgoodforall.Great Amon will be

lowered once more to hisproper place, greatAtenwillbe lifted once more to sitbesidehim:aboutthemalltheother gods will be peaceablydisposed in friendly rank.Equal honor, equal tribute,equal love will go to all.Worshipwill be freely given

bythosewhowishtogiveit,to whatever god they maywish to honor. Peace andgoodtimeswillprevailinthevillages,includingthevillageof Hanis of my friendAmonemhet, who regularlysendsmesimplegiftsoffruitand grain—which Iappreciate more than jewels,for I have many jewels andmuch fruit and grain, and Iknow his gifts represent real

sacrificesof friendship,andIvaluethem.…All,all,willbehappy and peaceful again inKemet, and the years willunfold in glorious harmonyfor us all as I father manysons and restore our borderswithmany brave battles, andthe House of Thebes bringsback the land again tohappinessandlove.This do I wish for many

reasonsbutmostofallforthe

sake of my brother anddearestNefertiti, who soughtto do great things but wenttoo far. I shall do thempatiently,shrewdly,earnestly,with great love in my heartforallmen—forsuch,Ithink,are becoming my principalqualities.Iwillbeagoodking.I, Neb-Kheperu-Ra

Tutankhamon, Living Horus,dosodecreeit.

My eyes grow heavybehind their shuttered lids,my brain begins to swimaway along some gloriousriverwhere I go to dreamofhappy days for belovedKemet … our belovedpeople … our belovedHouse…Idrift…Ifloat…tomorrow will begin theglories, tomorrow will beginthe love, tomorrow all menwillknowwhata trulyGood

God I am … tomorrow allwill come right …tomorrow…tomorrow…

***

Ramesses

Hecame tobedanhourago,eyes drowsy and dulled withwine. He gave us a sleepysmile, amiable anduntroubled.

“GoodRamesses!”hesaid,giving my back anaffectionate slap. “GoodSeti!”—tousling the hair ofmy sturdy fifteen-year-oldwith an affectionate hand.“What would I do withoutyoutwofearlessguardiansofmygate?”“We attempt to keep them

safe, Your Majesty,” I said,pleasedwithhisfamiliarity.“Not even great Horus

could enter hereunchallenged!” Seti assuredhimwithaneasygrin.“Wonderful,” he said,

holding out a hand to bracehimself as he staggeredslightlyagainstthedoorjamb,his words slurring a bit.“Wonderful,toknowIamsoloved.”“Youarebyus,Sonof the

Sun,”Isaidstoutly;andSeti,who after all is only three

yearsyoungerandsoreallyafriend of both TheirMajesties, noddedvigorouslyandsaid:“Always,SonoftheSun.”“Good,” he said. “I love

you both. Keep me safe.Goodnight.”“Good night,” we echoed

together, and watched withfondlyapprovingsmilesasherighted himself with carefuldignity and went within.

Becauseitistrue:wedoloveHisMajestyandhedoesloveus. It is also true that wereportfaithfullytoHoremhebonalltheydo,butHoremhebdoes not misuse it and lovesthem as we do … or so wethought until just now,whensuddenly all has grown darkand frightening so that wecrouch together trembling,knowing nothing but fearingawful things, while in His

Majesty’s room there occurs—what?It began scarce five

minutesago.Wewerealmostasleep ourselves, whenabruptly we were joltedawake by the sounds ofsomeone softly approaching—very softly, but not softlyenoughtogetpastourtrainedears, which woke us evenbefore the visitors roundedtheturninthecorridor.

“Whocomes?”Idemandedquite loudly, for I knew HisMajesty was sleeping thesleep of the wine-drownedand would not easily bedisturbed.BothSetiandIhadsprung to our feet, spearsraisedandready.“I come,” Horemheb said,

and his voice was cold andremote as if from some fardistance, which frightenedme,whohavebeenhisfriend

and intimate for so long: butsometimes of late I do notknowHoremheb.“And I,” said the accursed

priest,wholordsitoverusallnow that Amon has beenrestored. “Does His Majestysleep?”“His Majesty sleeps,” I

said.“We would go in to do

business with His Majesty,”Horemhebsaid.

“But—” we both began inautomatic protest. Hatsuretstarted to give us his usualpompous glare, but it wasunnecessary: Horemheb’scoldexpressionwasenough.“Stand aside, good

RamessesandyoungSeti,”hesaid softly. “Our businesswith His Majesty will bebrief.”“But His Majesty is

sleeping!” I blurted, I am

afraidsoundingasstupidasIknow he thinks me; but agreat fear was beginning toseizemyheartandIcouldtellfrom Seti’s white-faced,wide-eyed look that it wasbeginningtoseizehistoo.“Aside!”hesaid,anditwas

soharshandsoviolentthatI,who have always thought IknewhimbutwondernowifI ever did, shrank backagainstthewall,shieldingmy

son,whoshrankbackbehindme. The gesture must havetouched Horemheb in someway, for his expressionsoftened for just a momentandhesaidmoregently,“Donot be afraid, either of you.We come on the business ofKemet, and all will go well.Do you move down thecorridor and take up yourstations by Her Majesty’sroom until we are done.

Please.”This appeal I could not

deny—indeed, I could notdenyhiminanycase,butfora moment or two thisgentleness somehow seemedtomake itbetter—sobothofus mumbled some word ortwoofagreementand startedto move away, looking backfearfullyaswewent.Horemhebstoodfora long

moment facing the door.

Then he took a deep breath,squaredhisshoulders,openedit very quietly, and went in.Hatsuret followed, but notbefore giving us a lofty andcontemptuous look—towhich Seti, I am pleased tosay, respondedwith themostvulgarstreetgesturehishandcouldperform.But our moment of

pleasure at this stoppedimmediately the door closed

behind them. Awful fearswereinoureyesaswelookedat one another. We creptaway down the corridor toHer Majesty’s door, wherenow we stand, looking backin terror at thedoorwehaveleft.Itisveryhushed,verystill,

in the Palace of Malkata.What havewedone, to yieldupourchargesoeasily?Whatcould we have done, in the

face of such a demand, fromsuchasource?It is very quiet, very still.

Presently we both becomeconsciousofaclickingnoise.It is our teeth chattering,thoughithastakenusquiteawhile to become aware ofthem.

***

Horemheb

Heliesonhisrightside,faceflushed, breathing sonorousand steady. Perhaps thepowder was not necessary:the wine might have been

enough.Anyway, there is nochanceoffailurenow.The once round and rosy

cheeks have become a littlehollowed, the brow is notquitesosereneandunlinedasit used to be; the years arealready beginning to taketheirtollofNeb-Kheperu-Ra.It may be as well there arenoneleft.Hatsuret leans above him

likethedark,avengingfalcon

hehasalwaysfanciedhimselfto be. The long thin speargleams like a needle in thelightof thesinglecandlethatgutters low in the alabasterlamp by the bed. Slowly helowers the spear, gripping ittightly in both hands, towardthe tender skin near the leftear.Heshiftsa little,seekingexact position, lowers it stillfurther; pauses, takes a deepbreath and looks up atme. I

nod.Without a sound the spear

sinks into the skull, drivenwith all the force of hismusclesandhishatred.Bloodspurts, the dying body givesseveral convulsive leaps …quivers, jerks, trembles,shakes … subsides. Thefranticallystrangledbreathingstops. The God Neb-Kheperu-Ra Tutankhamonhasrejoinedhisancestors.

Hatsuret withdraws thedripping spear, straightens,looksatmewiththestartofatriumphant smile. It lastsperhaps a second before myknifedrivesbetweenhisribs.His face has time for awild,horrified look, instantlyerased by death, before hefalls spread-eagled acrossPharaoh’s body, their bloodcomminglingon the finespungoldensheets.

Noisily I run to the door,flingitopenwithacrash.“Help, Ramesses, help,

Seti!Help,help,all!” Ishoutat the top of my lungs asdutifully down the hall mytwo faithful friends begin tostumble toward me. “ThepriestofAmonhaskilledtheLiving Horus! Help, help,all!”

***

Sitamon

So horror has come again tothe House of Thebes. I amalmosttootiredtothinkaboutit,tootiredtodoanythingbutsit in my room and stare

blankly at the wall, lost intragedy beyond tragedy,despairbeyonddespair.Whatdoes it all addup to,what isthe purpose, what is thepoint…?Except that I know,well enough. The purpose isto put Horemheb on thethroneandthepointisthathebelieves he, and he alone, issufficiently strong ofcharacter and determinationto restore the Two Lands to

all their ancient power andglory.Andhemayberight…he

may well be right. I can seehis argument. But at what acost!When the Palace was

awakenedlastnight,notlongafterwehadall retired, therewere great cries, shouts,uproar throughout thecompound. People racedthrough the corridors and

along the paths, there wereshouts of “Guards!” and thesoundofarms.Iarosehastily,clothedmyself—mypleasant,incompetent ladies inwaitinghad already hurried across tothe main Palace, too excitedandtoocurioustohelpme—and also hurried out, notknowing what had occurredbut sensing that, whatever itmight be, I shouldundoubtedly have a part to

play.AndsoIdid,andmuchyet lies ahead for me—who,withmy uncle Aye and auntTeyrepresent,Ithink,thelastislands of sanity left inMalkatathisday.Brushing aside my

squealing, fluttering ladies,striding imperiously past thefrightened guards whothemselves were so curious,frightened and confused thatSuppiluliumas of the Hittites

might well have invaded uswithout challenge at thatmoment,Icameswiftlytotheroomofmyniece.Beyond itdown the hall I could see acrowdgatheredatthedoorofthe King. I recognizedHoremheb, Ramesses, Setiandmyuncle,sawfromtheirexpressions that somethingawful must have occurred;but before I could proceedfurther was compelled into

my niece’s room by a long-drawnrecurringhowl,almostanimal in nature. I knew atoncewhatwas going on andwhere I was needed most. Iturnedinstantlyandwentin.OnherbedAnkhesenamon

was writhing in prematurechildbirth, her eyes blankwithpainassherepeatedhercontinuous cries. One handtightlyclenchedgentleTey’s,the other ripped the cloth-of-

goldsheetsinfranticagonies.All around hovered nurses,bringing hot water andcompresses, utteringsoothing, crooning sounds:here, at least, instinct wascompelling all to doefficiently what naturedemanded.Outsidethemen’stumult in the corridorscontinued; in the Queen’sroom we had our women’swork to do and could not be

bothered.Tey looked up at me with

tear-filled eyes and saidgratefully, “Thank the godsyou are here, Sitamon. HisMajestyhasbeenslainbythepriestHatsuret,himselfkilledby Horemheb, and this—thisis the result. They did noteven tell her gently, somesoldierrushedinandshoutedit out. Shewent immediatelyintoconvulsions.Praywithus

thatwemaysaveherandthePrince.”“Yes,” I said; gave her a

hug of encouragement; laidmy hand for a moment onAnkhesenamon’s sweat-drenched, unheeding brow;andthentookmyplaceintheline of ladies who werebringingbucketsofhotwaterand compresses from a hugekettleboilinginthecorner.For threehourswe labored

so. Time blurred, shrank,expanded,passed.Outsidethenoise gradually died away;when I could think at all, Iassumed that my poornephew’s body must havebeen taken already to theHouseofVitalitytobegintheseventydaysofembalmment.Now and again I foundmyself weeping convulsivelyfor him who had been sogentle and kind and young.

Then Ankhesenamon wouldutter some particularlyrending cry and I would becalledbacktotheonlyrealitywe knew in that room, herreality.Once,atsomepointIcannot fixnow, therewas animperious rapping on thedoor. I knew that impatientsound and said quickly, “Iwill go,” before anyone elsecould respond to it. On thethreshold stood Horemheb,

his face lookingdrained and,either sincerely or artfully,ravagedwithpain.“What do you want,

Cousin?” I demanded coldly,for even then I knewinstinctively what hadhappened, I knew hewas nolonger friend or lover toanyonesavehimself.“Wearebusyhere.”“HowareHerMajestyand

thechild?”heasked.

“They are well,” I lied,“andnoconcernofyours.”“They are of concern to

everyone,” he said, “for HerMajesty isnowthesole ruleroftheTwoLands.”“And will so remain if I

have anything to say aboutit!” I snapped, and with allmy strength flung the heavywoodendoorshutinhisface,having time only to catch aglimpse of the sudden naked

rage that replaced the pioussorrow. If I had any doubtsleft as to what had occurredinTutankhamon’sroom,theyvanished then. And not fearbut a cold fury wiped awaythelastlingeringtracesofanylove I might once havemistakenlyfeltformycousinHoremheb.Back I plunged into the

ceaseless yet orderly activityin that overheated, fate-filled

chamber. Again time didstrange things, shrank,expanded, blurred, faded, re-emerged, became a jumble,passed. Finally there was alast dreadful shriek and myniecefellback,eyesclosedasif in death. Hastily weascertained that she was allright,thenturnedtothechildwhich lay on the bloodiedsheets before us. FranticallyTey and Iwashed it, slapped

it, breathedupon it, shook it,sought with cries andsupplications to bring forthsome sign of life. Therewasnone.The last child of

Tutankhamon andAnkhesenamon had beenborn dead. And in one lastcruel jokeof thegods, itwasnot theCrownPrincewehadall so confidently expected,either.Thelastroyalchildof

the Eighteenth Dynasty wasbut one more of those punyforedoomed girls who, saveforunfortunateMerytatenandAnkhesenamon herself, haveapparently been destined tocurseforever thelineofpoorAkhenaten.Now twelve hours have

passedandAnkhesenamon isinmy small palace at the farend of the compound ofMalkata, the palace I have

occupied ever since mymarriage to my father forty-sixyearsago.Sheissleepingthe sleep of utter exhaustionin the bed that has beenbrought in next to mine. Inthe next room dear Tey alsosleeps.Inaroomontheotherside the four nurses sleep. Ihave not been sleeping: Ihave been on guard. And asmuchasonewomancanwhois also aQueen and Princess

of the blood of Ra, I havemade sure that we will besafehere.I have my own household

guards, completely loyal tome, and these have beenplacedonpostallaroundmypalace.Ihaveorganizedtheminto regular watches: only ahandful of servants whom Itrustarepermittedtocomeinandoutwithfoodandwater.Ihave established my own

small armed camp. Nomessages have reached usfrom others inMalkata,withthe single exception of Aye,andIhavesentnonetothem.Aye’s message said: “Keepher safe. I trust you.” Myreply said: “I shall guard herwith my own life. You havemy trust also.”As indeed hedoes, and between us I thinkwemaymake some sense ofthis, though I do not yet see

how.I said we have had no

messages from others inMalkata,butwehavehadonevisitor, anhourago.Aguardcame to tell me, inconsiderable agitation:apparently the demand forentry had been as imperiousasthenightbefore.TiredasIwas,Icouldbeimperioustoo.I had the guard show thevisitor to my audience

chamberandwenttoconfronthimalone.“What do you want?” I

demanded sharply before hehadachancetospeak.“Morevictims?”“Do not be too clever,

Cousin,”hesaidangrily,“orImayfindone.”“That would be three in

twelve hours,” I snapped. “Imust congratulate you onyour taste for blood, Cousin.

It is beginning to becomeyou.”At thishehad thegrace to

flush.With what I could seewas a great effort, hemanaged to make his tonemorereasonable.“I am here to inquire for

thesafetyofHerMajesty,”hesaid, “and to take her to themain Palace where she maybe placed under suitableguard and made safe while

sherecovers.”“I would not let you have

HerMajestywereyouMeneshimself!” I said. “You placeHer Majesty under suitableguard? You keep her safe?Why, Cousin, I dare say shewouldbeassafewithyouasher husband was. You havegiven him the greatest safetyofall,thegrave.Howkindofyou to wish the same safetyforHerMajesty!”

“Cousin—” he began, afurious anger rising in hiseyes and voice.But I simplygave him a contemptuouslookandstartedtoturnaway.He reached forward andplaced a restraining hand onmyarmandsaid,“No,wait,”inasuddenlypleadingvoice.AndfoolthatIam,something—oldlove,oldhate,oldhabit—made me respond to theappealandturnback.Atleast

I heard his rationalization ofwhat he had done, anyway,and I was glad to have that,for now I know that it willjustify anything for him, andso I know better what weface.“Well, Cousin?” I said

coldly.“Whatisit?”“To begin with,” he said,

“Hatsuret killed Neb-Kheperu-Ra.Ididnot.”“How could Hatsuret have

beeninhisbedchamberifyoudid not take him there?” Idemanded. “How could hekillhiminyourpresenceifhedidnothaveyourapproval?”“I killed Hatsuret instantly

the deedwas done,” he said.“I revenged His Majestyinstantly.”“You do not answer my

questions, Cousin,” I said,“because you know youcannot. You took that

pretentious priest—who,incidentally, is no loss toAmon or the Two Lands, Igiveyoucredit for that—andyou told him to kill mybrother. And then you killedhim, tocoveryourcrimeandmake it appear to the peoplethat the Priest of Amon hadmurdered Pharaoh. Thus youremoved Pharaoh and ridyourself at the same time ofone who knew all your

crimes. And thus you, too,Cousin, sought to lowerAmon in the eyes of thepeople. Even you, proudCousin, are afraid of Amon!Twoducksfelltogetherattheslingshotofthatgreathunter,Horemheb.Howskillful,hownoble! I would congratulateyou,were itnot—were itnot—” at which point, being awoman, thougha strongone,and very, very tired after the

dreadfulnight,Ibegantocry,quietly enough but withoutbeingabletostop.Therestofour conversation took placetothesteadyfallofmytears,which only seemed to makehim more anxious to justifyhimself.“Youmust understandme,

Cousin,” he said quietly,shifting his chair closer tomine and taking my hand,which at first I sought to

remove but then allowed toremain limp in his, for whatwas the use? I was toooverwhelmed suddenly withgrief to end a contact I nowdespise. “You mustunderstand aboutTutankhamon and aboutHatsuret, for on yourunderstanding of themdepends your understandingof me, which I hope I havealways had, and will always

have.”“Oh, you have always had

it,”Isaidbitterlythroughmytears. “And never more thannow,Iassureyou,Cousin.”“I think not,” he said,

flushingagainwitharenewalof anger, but forcing himselfto remain calm. “You knowas well as I that our littlekingletwaswellbegunonhisplantorestoretheAten.Youknow that was what he

intended. You know thatyesterdaywhenheannouncedhis so-called ‘mortuarytemple,’ that jokeuponallofus who thought the Aten indisgrace, he was alreadystarting down the road thatwould bring him backinevitably to Akhet-Aten.You know the Two Landscould not have survived thisagain.Youknowhehadtoberemoved, as Hatsuret, that

priest grown too big of apriesthoodalsogrowntoobigagain,hadtoberemoved.Myfather agreed with this: whydoyounotseeit?”“Idonotbelieveheagreed

withit,”Isaid,“exceptunderthe pressure of yourpersuasions.”“Heagreedwithit,”hesaid

grimly, “and so it was done,becauseheknewtherewasnootherway.”

“There are always otherways than killing and morekilling!” I said, an anger ofmyownbreakingthroughmytears. But he only shook hisheadsomberly.“No, Cousin. Sometimes

therearenot.”“AndsonowyouwantHer

Majesty!”“SheistheruleroftheTwo

Lands, last bearer of thelegitimaterighttotheDouble

Crown,” he said simply. “Imustseethatsheissafe.”“Iwillseethatsheissafe,”

I responded sharply. “I havereceived the charge of AyethatIdothisandIshallobeyhim,forItrustAye.”“When did Aye speak to

you?”hedemanded.“He sentme amessage,” I

said, “and I replied that Iwouldguardherwithmyownlife. And so I will, brave

Cousin, so raise your spearandstabmeintheheadorinthe heart or wherever yourgreatconcernforKemet tellsyou to strike me if that iswhat you wish to do!” Andflinging off his hand, I stoodup and pointed to the door.“Begone, Cousin! I do notwishyou to comehere againwithout invitation. My nieceremains with me and I willyield her only to Aye.Work

on the old man, if you can!ButIdonotthinkyoucan.Sogo,Cousin.Justgo!”He, too, stood up, and for

several moments our eyeslocked furiously. My tearswereforgottennow,Iseethedwithanangerasgreatashis.For a second I thought hemight indeed raise his spearand run me through: Iwondered with a strangelydistant curiosity whether

anyonewouldhearmydyingscream. Then I found thewords to vanquish him… atleastforthemoment.“In the name of Aye,” I

said,“whonowtrulyrulestheTwoLands,go!”“Hedoesnot rule theTwo

Lands!”heshouted.“I—”“You do not, Cousin,” I

interrupted in a voice thatsomehow managed to be socoldand level that it stopped

him in mid-utterance. “Shedoes, and through her, hedoes,because that ishowwehave decided it. And unlessyou would slaughter us allthis day in one great finalblood-drowningoftheHouseof Thebes, you will be gonefrommysightbeforeIcallmyguards and have them throwyou out, O great Vizier ofLowerKemet!”For another long and

furious moment he glared atme; and then with aninarticulate, strangled cry ofragehe spunonhis heel andleft; and womanlike, I sankback in my chair and gaveway once more to tears,trembling all over butwith aresolveashardasstoneinmyheart.Iknownowwhymycousin

Horemheb wishes to gainpossession of Her Majesty,

andIknownowwhywemusttruly be prepared to die sothathemaynothaveher.SheisindeedthelastbearerofthelegitimaterighttotheDoubleCrown. He thinks far ahead,does Horemheb, but fartheryetthinkstheQueen-PrincessSitamon.I returned tomy roomand

resumed my patient vigil atmyniece’sside,sotiredthatIcould barely keep my eyes

open.ButIknewImustkeepthem open until sheawakened so that we mighttalkofthisanddecidewhattodo.Another hour has passed

since then. Now at last shestirsandopenshereyes.Theywander, then focus: sheknowsme.Abruptlyhereyesfillwithsadnessandterrorassheremembers.“My husband!” she says,

andbegins to cry.Patiently Iwait until she rememberssomethingelse.“And the Crown Prince?”

she asks. And then we crytogether as I give her, askindly as I can, the secondblow the gods have decreedshemustaccept.We do not cry for long,

however. Into her eyes therecomes presently a cold andsteady resolve. She is not

Nefertiti’s daughter fornothing. She smiles, wanlybutgamely.“I am hungry, Aunt,” she

says in a weak but steadilystrengthening voice. “Havethem feed me, and then wewillplanwhatmustbedone.”“Yes, Niece,” I agree

thankfully. “He has notdefeatedusyet.”“No,” she says, not

bothering to askwho Imean

becausesheknows.“Norwillhe, while I am Queen andLordoftheTwoLands.”

***

Aye

Two days have passed sincethe horror. Hatsuret’s bodyhasbeenburnedonatraitor’spyre, his ashes thrown intothe Nile. Neb-Kheperu-Ra

lies in theHouse ofVitality,the long process ofembalming begun. We havesixty-eight days in which todecidethekingdom.It is only now that I have

beguntothinkclearlyagain.IknowthatImust,forKemet’ssake,andIknowthatIwill.Ihave suffered great regret,great anguish, great despair,in thesepast twodays:manytimes I have not known

whether I would comethroughwithmysanityintact.It has been a terrible ordealforamanofseventy-six.ButIhavesurvivedandnowit istimeformetomoveon,sincesomeone must. More thanever, I believe, Aye is theonly element of stability thatstands between the TwoLandsandchaos.Ankhesenamon and

Sitamon summoned me two

hours ago to Sitamon’sheavily guarded palace, towhose protection I haveadded substantial numbers ofmy own household troops.They told me of their plan,which is unknown in ourtradition: but these are nottraditional times. At first Idemurred, aghast: neverbefore has such a thing beendoneinallourhistory.“I will not order you to

support me, Grandfather,”HerMajestysaid,“butitwillbemucheasier forme ifyoudo.”IsaidIwantedtothinkand

they were silent and let methink. Finally I began tounderstandtheirideainallitsclever ramifications. At firstuncertainly, thenwholeheartedly, I endorsed itand pledged my support.With her first genuinely

happysmile since thehorror,my granddaughter embracedme, called a scribe, dictatedherwillthatIshouldholdthetitle,powersandprivilegesofCo-Regent until the burial ofNeb-Kheperu-Raandtoldmeto publish it immediatelyfromtheDeltatoNapata.Scarcely had I returned to

mychambershereinthemainpalace than my son came tomewithhisownideasforthe

future. They were moreconventional and in theirvaulting ambition hostile tothe careful compromise thatmust be worked out. Theywere also personallyrepugnant to me, as I knowthey would be to mygranddaughter.Hewishedmysupport. I temporized, whichangeredhim.Hewasangeredevenmorewhen I toldhim Iwas Co-Regent, but there

was,forthemoment,nothinghe could do. He went awayplanning, no doubt, furtherthings.Instantly Icalled ina team

of scribes, dictated aproclamation announcing myappointment as Co-Regent,announcingthatIwillremainso until Tutankhamon isburied, announcing furtherthat Her Majesty will notchoose a husband to be

successor to the King untilthat day. Then I dispatchedmany horsemen and manyrivercraft(forIamtakingnochances on how manyHoremheb may be able tostop when he learns of theirdeparture) to carry theproclamation throughout theTwoLands.I then sent word to my

granddaughter and Sitamon,repeating my pledge to co-

operate fully with their planand telling them that I havealready, in fact, sentword tohim who is the key to it, sothathemaybeswiftlyonhisway.No doubt Horemheb will

wish to kill us all when helearnsofit.ButIamstill theCo-Regent Aye, lastremaining link with thegolden age of the EighteenthDynasty; and my niece and

my granddaughter still guardbetween them the legitimateright to the Double Crown;and not even he, I think,woulddare.

***

Amonemhet

NowallissadnessinthelandofKemet andall is fearhereinmyvillageofHaniswhichIhave ledfaithfullyandwellfor His Majesty since the

night fiveyearsagowhenhemade me Chief andHeadman. I have sent himmanygiftsoffoodandgrain,hehassentmeandthevillagemanygiftsinreturn,doublingour gifts with his, protectingus fromhungerandguardingusalways,ashisfriends.NowHisMajestyliesdead

in Thebes, scarce eighteenyears of age; and it is givenout that hewasmurdered by

the priest Hatsuret, that evilone of Amon, “in a fit ofmadness that took himsuddenly at the sight of HisMajesty.”We do not believethis in the village, nor is itbelievedbyanyofourfriendsin the other villages, nor, Ithink, by anyone in all theTwo Lands. The rumor thatruns along the Nile says hewasmurderedattheordersofhis cousin the General

Horemheb, that crafty,glittering one who stoodbeside him that night in allhisarrayofpompandpower;and great is the fear that wefeelnowforwhatwillhappennextinthelandofKemet.No one, however, knows

the fear I know, becauseapparently I have beenchosen toplayapart inwhatis going on in Thebes. I donot know why, unless it be

that I was His Majesty’sfriend and was known tothose he trusted in the GreatHouse as another he couldtrust. Never did I go to himwith the ring he gave me toaskhelp,thoughhetoldmeImight;andneverdidhesendto me for help, though Iwould have left all else andgonetohimatoncehadhesorequested. But now his ringhas been sent to me secretly

togetherwithfourfinehorses(hidden in the safe place weknowon theedgeof theRedLand), a bag of gold, tworolls of papyrus, and a letterfrom the Co-Regent Aye.Imagine me, the peasantAmonemhet, receiving aletter from the Co-RegentAye!I cannot read it, of course,

but my oldest son, who isstudying to be a scribe, says

hewillreadittome.SonowI sit in my hut as in a daze,whilebeforemethetworingsgleam side by side on thetableintheflickeringlightofthetaper,andagainstthewallmy wife and our other eightchildren huddle together andstare at me with frightenedeyes while my oldest sonclears his throat importantlyandbegins:“‘The Co-Regent,

CouncilorandDivineFather-in-lawAye, inThebes, to theHeadmanAmonemhet, inhisvillage of Hanis, greetings.Mayallgowellwithyouandwithyour village,whichwaseverdeartotheheartofNeb-Kheperu-Ra, may he liveforever young and happy intheafterworld!“‘The Co-Regent Aye is

empowered by Her MajestyAnkhesenamon, Queen and

Lord of the Two Lands, torequest the HeadmanAmonemhetasfollows:“For the loveyouboreHis

Majestyandtheloveanddutyyou bear Her Majesty, theQueen and Lord of the TwoLands, Her Majesty desiresthat you take these fourhorses and this bag of gold,together with one other youcan trust to assist you, andride secretly at once to His

Majesty Suppiluliumas, Kingof the Hittites. Go at yourgreatest haste for her sake.TakewithyouthisringofHisMajesty which I send you,and show it to them thatguard the borders ofSuppiluliumas to prove thatyou truly come from theGreatHouse.Presenttothemalso the roll of papyrusbearing the ribbon of blue.This is Her Majesty’s

commission to you. It namesyouasherenvoyandrequestssafe passage be given you toher royal brother,SuppiluliumasoftheHittites.“‘When you have been

broughtsafelytothepresenceofHisMajestySuppiluliumas—’”“But there is war with the

Hittites! What if his borderguards take the ring and killyou and you never see the

King!” my wife wailssuddenly, and our five girlsdutifully startmewling alongwithherlikeanestofkittens.“Silence!” I thunder, very

loudly, for I, too, of course,am quite aware of all thepossibilities: but they don’thave to make me morefrightened than I am, withtheir caterwauling. Whensilence has been restored Isayasfirmlyasmytrembling

voice will allow, “Now bestillandletoursonproceed!”“‘When you have been

broughtsafelytothepresenceof His MajestySuppiluliumas,’” he resumes,his voice also shaking withexcitement and fear, butstriving to maintain thatgrand detachment they teachhim as a scribe, “‘do youdelivertohimthesecondrollof papyrus, that which is

bound by the ribbon of goldand sealed with HerMajesty’s seal. Her Majestywishes me to trust you bytellingyouthatthisisaletterfrom Her Majesty to KingSuppiluliumas.Youarenottoreadit,butyouaretoguarditwith your life and see that itgetssafelytohishandsalone.“‘Then do you wait upon

King Suppiluliumas for hisanswer; and do you then

return at your greatest speedto Thebes and deliver hisanswer directly to HerMajesty, who will beawaiting you anxiously eachdayandprayingconstantlytothegodsforyoursafety.“‘HerMajesty and I know

this is a long, hard anddangerous journey, full ofmany perils for you. But weknow of His Majesty’s lovefor you, and yours for him,

andwerememberwellthatheoftentolduswhatabraveandloyal subject you are.Therefore HerMajesty trustsyou with this great mission,upon which rests the fate ofthe kingdom of Kemet andthe ancient glory of theTwoLands.“‘Go with the gods, good

Amonemhet! Go with ourlove! Perform your noblemission bravely and

successfully,andHerMajestyand Iwill givegreat rewardstoyouandyourfamily!“‘This do we swear upon

the name of him who lovedyou, faithful servant, andwhom you loved, Neb-Kheperu-Ra Tutankhamon,he who has gone to liveforever young and happy inthe afterworld, forever andever, for millions andmillionsofyears!

“‘So speaks theCo-RegentAye, in Thebes, to theHeadmanAmonemhet, inhisvillageofHanis.’”My son stops reading and

anawfulsilencefallsuponusin our little hut (somewhatlargernow,though—wehavebeen able to add two morerooms as the family hasgrown. I have prospered asHeadmanof thevillage.)Fora long time no one says

anything;wejuststareatoneanother and at the twogleaming rings, like birdshypnotizedbythecobra.Itismysonwhofinallyspeaks.“Father!” he says, his eyes

gleaming with excitement.“MayIgowithyou?”“No!” his mother wails.

“Youare theoldest,weneedyoutohelpusif—if—”“Silence!” I thunder again,

I am afraid not a very

convincing thunder, for theyall start shouting at once,even the baby beginning toscream in the midst of thechaos.“Silence!”Eventually they obey me

andItrytospeakascalmlyaspossible, though I too amseized with fear, excitementand also—yes, because thehonorandthedangerandthechallengeareallbeginningtowork a powerfulmagic upon

me, I must admit it—with asortofterribleeagerness.“I will go,” I announce

flatly.My wife and the girlssob, the boys look solemn-eyed with fright. “YoungAmonemhet”—I pause asthey watch me fearfully, allsavehe,thescamp,whoIcantell regards it now as a greatlark—“will go with mebecause—because,” I go onfirmly over my wife’s

anguished cry, “I am anignorant,unletteredman, andhe is young and clever andlearningtobeascribe,andhecanhelpmeifIhavetoreadanything. He can also helpme with the border guardsand, yes, even with HisMajesty,KingSuppiluliumas,if need be. His brother isalmost fifteen and already afine, sturdy lad.Hewillbeagoodguardiantoyouall if—

if—”I pause as my second son

stands up, happy, proud andconfident. I almost chokewith the suddenemotion thatsweeps me as I realize howmuch I love them all, andlove my village, and how itmay be that I will never seeanyof themagain, for this isgreat danger into which wego.“So let there be no more

squalling about it. Wife!Children!Getfoodandwaterready for us at once! Weleave immediately on themission of Her Majesty, inthe memory of him wholovedusandwhomweloved,Neb-Kheperu-RaTutankhamon, Lord of theTwo Lands, may he liveforever young and happy inthe afterworld, for millionsandmillionsofyears!”

Andsopresentlyweareonour way under cover of Nutthe night, whose grasp stillliesfirmupontheland.Itwillbe several hours yet beforeRa’s first faint fingers begintomarktheeasternsky.We are muffled in heavy

wrapsagainstthewintercold.Ourhorses,loadedwithwaterand food hidden under pilesofstraw,aremuzzledsotheywill not whinny. In careful

silence we skirt the village,keeping to the edge of theRedLandaswewilldoeverynight of our journey at othervillages. During the days wewilltravelthepublicroadlikeany other peasants bound onnormal business, so ordinaryinappearancethatIthinknoteven the great GeneralHoremhebwillfindusamongKemet’s millions. And whenwe get to the border of the

Hittites—well, I will thinkaboutthatlaterwhenwehaveto meet it. I am frightenedenoughasitis,rightnow.Butboundagainstmybody

I carry the rolls of papyrus,wrapped in old rags so theylook like nothing; and on aleatherthongaroundmyneckthe bag of gold and the ring,resting warm and snugagainst my chest; and in mymind’s eye a small golden

figure, head held high andeyes filled with love andkindness for me and myvillage, defying his evilcousin and the evil priest—bright and brave and youngand good, as he will alwayslive inourhearts,evenashelives forever in theafterworld.AndIknowthatIwillgive

whateverisaskedofme,evenlife itself, to help her whom

he has left to keep thekingdom,ifshecan.

***

Ankhesenamon(life,health,prosperity!)

My grandfather has chosenour messenger well, one for

whom my husband alwaysfelt deep trust and fondregard.Heisasimplemanofabsolute integrity, loyalty,honor, a peasant who candisappear among otherpeasants so that no one willnoticehispassageashegoesswiftlyonmymission.IpraytotheAtenandtheothergods—not to Amon, for Amon,like Horemheb, would stophimifheknew—thathemay

come safely toSuppiluliumas, and thatSuppiluliumas will swiftlyrespond.I had never thought to do

such a thing, never dreamedthatIwouldfinditnecessary.But I did not dream of myhusband’sdeatheither:anditcame. Now if I would savethe Two Lands from mygrasping cousin I must dowhat I am doing. My aunt,

my grandfather and I see nootherway.At first, of course, I saw

nothing. When the soldierburst upon me with hisdreadfulnews,IfaintedasifItoohaddied.WhenIreturnedtotheworldIfoundmybodytortured with pain, my childalreadyon theway; Ihadnotime or ability to think ofanything else. Then thatended, I fell into a deep,

unknowing sleep. When Iawoke I remembered: dread,terror, grief for my gentlehusband flooded my heart.Sitamon,tryingherbesttobekind,forsheisverykind,toldmeofthedeathoftheCrownPrince—who was not theCrownPrinceatall,thankstothe vengeful gods. Againgriefconsumedmybeing,butnot for long: again I had notime.

Now I carry inmy heart acrying for Tutankhamon, ourlost prince and our lostchances, which I shall neverlose though I live to be theage of Aye; but there hasbeen little or no time to giveto that. I realized that I wassole ruler of the TwoLands,that I had to strengthenmyselfformanythings:griefhad to be sternly conqueredand swiftly put aside. Now

though I weep ritually eachday for Pharaoh, I do notreally cry inside: I suspect itwill be a longwhile before Ido. Someday I know I will,but not now. Now a coldresolve resides inmy ka andmy ba, in the very soul andessence ofmy being. I thinkonlyofmyplan,andofwhatI shall do when it has beenaccomplished. First I shalltake vengeance upon

Horemheb. And then I shallrestore to Kemet all that hasbeen taken from her in thesepast sad years, using thepower which will be fullyminewhentheanswercomesfromSuppiluliumas.ThatIshouldappealtohim

was Sitamon’s idea to beginwith, but I was quick toembrace it when I lookedabout the ruins of ourHouseand saw what was left after

the horror. The gods havealwaysdeniedmesons: eventotheend,Icouldbringforthonlygirls,alldead—all threedead,even the last,when theGood God and I wanted sodesperately to have a son.Had I been so delivered, andhad the child lived, I shouldhave ruled the kingdom asRegent until he was oldenough to take the throne,and no one, not even

Horemheb,wouldhavedaredchallengeme.But itwas nottobe.And so I am forced todo a desperate thing, strangeand unknown to our history,but theonlythingleftformetodo.My cousin has not yet

approached me formally formy hand but it will come: itwill come. Sitamon tells mesoandlogictellsmeso.Iamthesurest road to theDouble

Crown for Horemheb. Wethink he will not dare try ituntil Pharaoh has gonebeneath the ground, butsurelyhewilltryitthen.Andby then, I hope, I shall haveanswerforhim.Meanwhile I remain in

Sitamon’s palace and refuseto give him audience. WhyshouldI?Assurelyasthoughhe used the spear himself hekilledtheLivingHorus,ashe

killed the Living Horusbefore him; and not I, noranyone in Kemet, I believe,acceptshisfeebletaleofhowhesurprisedHatsuretatitandkilled him to revenge theKing.AsSitamonsays,thatistransparent nonsense. Whyshould I give audience tosuchanevilone?I am ruler of the Two

Lands and I ambut a girl oftwenty-two. Yet am I

daughter of Nefertiti andAkhenaten, and strong musthe be who bends to his willthechildofthatunion.Imayyet have to flee, he may yetkill me: but while I live, I,Ankhesenamon, Queen andLord of the TwoLands,willdo all I can to keep mykingdom safe from such aone.…When we were young

—When we were young!

Were Tut and I ever young?—myhusbandandIdreamedalways of the day when wemightbringtoKemettheruleof love and universalhappiness thatmy father andmother tried to create. Theydid many wrong things,particularly my father: thiswe can all see now. But atleast their hearts were good,and they wanted only goodfor the Two Lands and our

people. In theAten, theSoleGod, my father thought hehad found the key; and thisdid my husband and I alsobelieve, and now it is I whoam left tobelieve it alone—Iand to some degree mygrandfather andSitamon.Allelsehasgoneback to jealousAmon.Yet even so there was no

need to do what Horemhebhasdone.TutankhamonandI

were not going to overturnthe kingdom again. Weplanned nothing violent, we,too,wantedonlylove.Wedidnot even wish to turn againupon Amon, though Amon,we knew, was always readyto turn upon us. We simplywanted all the gods to live,like all our people, in loveand harmony. We wanted tofavor the Aten, as weintended to do in the

mortuarytemplewhichwouldbe his symbol. Yet eventhere, particularly there, wewould have given all othergods, including Amon, arightfulandworthyplace.Now it is not to be: Aye

does not think it wise toproceed with the project atthis time and I agree withhim. Perhaps later, he says,and I think later I will holdhim to it. But right now all

energies and effort must bedevoted to diggingTutankhamon’s tomb in theValley of the Kings. He hadnotorderedworkbegunonithimself,becausehewishedtoconstructasinglehugefamilytomb in which all of us, myfather and mother, the GreatWife, Beketaten,Smenkhkara, Merytaten,Meketaten, our other sisters,ourselves and all, might be

gatheredtogethertolieinoneplace.ThusTutankhamondidnot order his own individualtomb, and so now his friendMaya (who supervises thenecropolis as his father Panidid before him), the sculptorTuthmose and our goodcousin Nakht-Min aresupervising the crew that isworking frantically night andday to dig his sepulcher. Itwill be hurried and cramped

andsmall,butinithewillbeburied with full honors andwithalltherichesoffuneraryfurniture, jewels andequipment that befit a GoodGod.Becausethat iswhathewas,my earnest younguncleandhusband,whomIcametolove and whom my badcousinhastakenfromme:hewas a Good God, and hewould have been a great onehadhelived.Butitwasnotto

be.…Meanwhile, loyal

Amonemhet hurries on hisway toSuppiluliumas,and inSitamon’spalaceinMalkataIawaithisword.MaytheAtengranthim safepassage andaquickreturn.The days pass slowly for

me, but they pass. I amdetermined to do this thingand when I have, though Ihave husband, it will be I,

Ankhesenamon, who trulyrules the Two Lands. Thenwill there come finally toKemettheloveandpeaceandgoodness that my father, mymother and my husband allfailedtobringabout.Tradition—superstition—

jealous gods—the ambitionsofothers—alldefeatedthem.I am determined they will

not defeat Ankhesenamon,last direct descendant of the

Eighteenth Dynasty, lastmember of the House ofThebes.

***

Suppiluliumas

I do not know what I havehere. They appear to be twobrave,iffrightened,peasants;yet in the papyrus which Iholdinmyhandastheystand

trembling before me I findthat Her Majesty the Queenof Kemet (if so strange andunheard-of a document canindeedcomefromher,whichI doubt—and yet who couldforge such a thing, and forwhat reason?) refers to theolder,obviouslythefather,as“theLordHanis.”Whatdoesthis mean? Is he in disguiseasapeasant?Ishereallyoneof her nobility, sent on

mission tome?What does itmean?Andwhy tome, whoam at this very momentravaging the borders of hercollapsingempireandraidingdeep into her territory? Weare at war with one another,does shenotknow that?Canitbeshehassenthimandhisson to sue for peace? Andwhat of her husbandBiphuria, whom they, Ibelieve, call Tutankhamon?

Does he know of this? Is itdone with his knowledge, orissheappealingtomebehindhis back? Would she daresuchtreason?WhatusecanImakeof this togainmyownadvantage? It is all verypuzzlingtome.I peer down from my

throne upon “the LordHanis,” who stops tremblingand straightens proudlybeneath my glance; still

obviously frightened, butbrave,asIsaid:brave.“Youare theLordHanis?”

I inquire in a mild tone ofvoice, for I do not wish toharm my chances of gettingto the bottom of this bydisturbinghimevenmore.“I am?” he responds

blankly; and then, as his sonnudges him sharply in theribs, repeats hastily, “I am!Yes, Your Majesty, I am!

Bringingtoyouthegreetingsof Her MajestyAnkhesenamon, Queen andLord of the Two Lands, asyou see, may it please YourMajesty.”“Oh, it pleases me,” I

agree, exchanging a wryglance with my son Mursil,whostandsatmyrighthand,vainly trying to conceal hisbaffled amusement at thisstrange scene. “Welcome to

the land of the Hittites, OLordHanis.”“Itismypleasure,”hesays

loftily, “to be here.Particularly,”headds,“onthebusinessofHerMajesty.Poorgirl!”“‘Poor girl’?” I echo

sharply.“Why‘poorgirl’?”“Youhavenotheardthen,”

he says, suddenly cautious;and then, shrewdly (I stillthink he is a peasant, but no

matter: I will play the gameuntil I find out itsmeaning),“Perhaps it is in HerMajesty’sletter.”“Perhaps it is,” I agree,

“but it is not in this one youhavegivenme.Thisonesaysonly that you are the LordHanis and his bodyservant”—at this “LordHanis” gives his son asuperior glance and his songrinscheerfullyandnot,Iam

afraid, toorespectfully,athislordship—“and that I am towelcome you as though youwereHerMajestyherselfandreceive from you hermessage. Why does this notcome from His MajestyBiphuria? Do you carryanotherletterforme?”“Perhaps,” said “Lord

Hanis,” and I say—suddenlystern,forIdonotwanthimtothink he is too clever—“Do

not jokewithme, Lord, or Ishallhavethyfleshservedmeonaplatter,whichyouknowwedohere in the landof theHittites.”(Of course any civilized

man knows we do no suchthing, but it has helped usmilitarily a good deal tospreadsuchrumors.Icansee“Lord Hanis” and his bodyservant have heard them, forboth he and his son turn

suddenlypaleandveryquiet.)“Come now,” I say more

reasonably. “I have nointention of eating you, goodLord Hanis, or your soneither.ButifHerMajestyhassentmeanotherletter,giveitme at once. I still do notunderstand why it comesfrom her and not from HisMajestyBiphuria.”“His Majesty is dead,”

“Lord Hanis” says, and

suddenly his eyes fill withtears and he is quitegenuinely overcome. I couldwishIhadafewsubjectswholoved me as he obviouslylovedBiphuria.“Hehasbeenfoully murdered, and that iswhy Icome toyou fromHerMajesty,Ibelieve.”“You ‘believe,’” I say

sharply. “Has Her Majestynottoldyou?”“Her Majesty,” he says

grandly, recovering a bitthrough his tears, “does nottellmeeverything.”Now I know he is a

peasant,buttheknowledge,Imust say, givesme a suddenrespect for Her Majesty’scleverness. Apparently thereis some desperate urgencyabout this message of hers,andwhobettertoentrustittothan two peasants who canpass unseen through the

millionsthatfilltheworld?“Well,come,come,”Isay.

“Give me her other letter,now. I would read it and tryto untangle this mystery formyself.”Hehesitates,althoughIam

sure he has orders to hand ittome.“Give it to His Majesty,

Father!”hissonsayssharply;andwithastrangereluctance,almost as though he were

afraid of its contents,although of course he reallyhasnoideawhattheyare,hedrawsfrombeneathhisragsasecond papyrus. This one istied with a ribbon of gold,and upon it in wax a royalseal, which I take to be HerMajesty’s,forbeneathitthereis also stamped in small, asthoughfromasignetring,thecartoucheofBiphuria.“HowdoIknowthisreally

comes fromHerMajesty?” Iask, and again from beneathhis rags my strange “LordHanis” takes a leather thongon which hangs a smallleatherbagandaring.“See?”hesays,holdingthe

ring next the cartouche ofBiphuria. “Are they not thesame?”Mursil and I inspect them

carefully.Inod.“Hide His Majesty’s ring

again, my lord,” I advise.“Wedohaverobbershere…Well then, letmeseewhat itsays.”Andwhilemylord,hisson

and Mursil all watch meclosely I untie the ribbon ofgold, break the wax seals,open Her Majesty’s letter,start to read—and, with astartledgaspthatmakesthemjump, almost drop it inamazement.

NeverhaveIheardofsucha thing! Never have Idreamed it possible! It isimpossible! I do not believeit! Yet here it is, I give youmy word as King of theHittites, sixty years old andawarethattheworldisfullofwonders,butbyallthegodsIknowofanywhere,notfullofthis kind of wonder. It isabsolutely unbelievable. Yethereitis:

“Her MajestyAnkhesenamon, Queen andLord of the Two Lands, toHisMajestySuppiluliumasofthe Hittites, greetings. Mayallgowellwithyou,mayallbewell in your house and inyourcountry.Mayweliveinpeacehereafter.“I say to you this,OKing

oftheHittites:“My husband

Tutankhamon, whom you

know as Biphuria, has beenslain in a terrible way bythosehe trusted.All the landof Kemet grieves for him. I,his widow, grieve for him.Yet I must act, O mightyKing,foryouknowwhoIamand the blood I bear. I carrythe blood of the LivingHorus, eternal and sacred intheeyesofRa—”(Sometimes their

pretensions in the land of

Kemet amuse the rest of us;butthereitis.Whatdoesthisstrange girl want of me? Ilearnsoonenough,andthisiswhenIgasp.)“—andinmetherelies the

right to the Double Crown.Lo,at thismomentwhilemyhusband whom you callBiphuria lies dead, I ammyself the LivingHorus, fornootherrulesnowinthelandofKemetsavemyself.

“I am, however, but ayoungwoman,surroundedbyfew friends and manyenemies. Though I couldcontinuetorulealone,yetmyheart does not desire it andmy enemies would seek todeny it to me. I needs musthaveahusband tosharewithmemypower.That iswhy Iwrite you, O King of theHittites.ThisiswhatIaskofyou:

“MyhusbandisdeadandIhave no son. People say thatyou have many sons. If yousendmeoneofyour sonshewillbecomemyhusband, forit is repugnant tome to takeone of my subjects tohusband.“Thus will your son be

King and Pharaoh of Kemetatmyside,OSuppiluliumas.Thuswill oneofyourHousebe given an honor never

before conferred upon onewho was not of the land ofKemet. Thus will our twokingdoms be united so thatwemayliveinpeacetogetherforeverandever,formillionsandmillionsofyears!“Thus do I beseech thee,

mighty King of the Hittites!Send me one of your sonsthat I may marry him andhave his help in the rule ofKemet.Heedmespeedily,for

Biphuria will be buried soonand on that day I must havehusband to rule with me asKingandPharaoh.“Great will be the

happiness in my heart, andgreat the happiness betweenour two countries, if youacceptmyofferoftheDoubleCrown,OmightyKing!Youknow such a thing has neverbeendonebefore.YouknowIdonotlie.”

But that, I thinkas I finishreadingandslowlyrollupthepapyrus again, tapping itthoughtfullyagainstmypalmas I muse, is exactly what Ido not know. I still cannotgraspit.Itisunbelievable.“Mursil,” I say finally,

“takemyLordHanisandhisson to your private quarters,dine them and wine themwell. Let them sleep fullyovernight until they wish to

rise, for I can see they areweary from their longjourney. Then tomorrowescort them yourself to ourbordersandletthemreturntoHerMajestywithwordthatIamconsideringherrequest.”“Youdonotacceptit,then,

Majesty?” my Lord Hanisinquires hesitantly, and Ishakemyhead.“Not yet,” I say, “but tell

HerMajestyIdonotrejectit

either. Tell her I must thinkabout it for a time. But tellherIshallactquicklywhenIdo.”“But—” he says, face

crestfallen, voice openlydisappointed.His son tugs athisarm.“We do not know the

message, Father,” he says.“Perhaps His Majesty needstimetothinkaboutit.”“HisMajesty,” Isaydryly,

“wouldnotsayheneedstimeifhedoesnotneedtime.Youhave a bright lad there, myLordHanis.Iamsureheisofgreat help to you in yourvillage.”“Yes, Your Majesty,” he

says, his eyes humble as heacknowledges my perceptionof his true calling, but proudalso in his son, which I likebecause I have many sons,and theyareall fine ladsand

a great help tome, as his tohim. “He isa bright lad, andwe thank you for yourpatiencewith us in receivingthewordofHerMajesty.”“Go,then,andrestwell,”I

say, “and tomorrow beginyourreturntotheQueen.TellherasIsay:Ishallthinkandthen I shall act. She willreceive further word fromme.”After Mursil has taken

them away I sit for a longtime,musing.ThenIclapmyhands and order the servantwho comes to gather beforeme at once the great oneswho form the council of mykingdom.To them I read Her

Majesty’s letter. Theiramazement is like to theheehawingofsixteendonkeysatfeedingtime.“Since the most ancient

times,” I remind them, “sucha thing has never happenedbefore.”They nod and agree and

babble on in noisyamazement. None, however,daresgivemeadviceuntil,asusual,Imyselfdecidewhattodo.Tomychamberlain,Hattu-

Zittish,Isay:“Go to the land of Kemet,

bringme informationworthy

of belief. They may try todeceive me. And as to thepossibilitythattheymayhavea prince in spite ofwhat shesays, bring me backinformation worthy ofbelief.”AndthenItellmygenerals

that I will lead a campaignagainst Kemet’s city ofKarkemish in Palestine. Myspies inform me it is illdefended and I know I can

conqueriteasily.IshallkeepthewargoingforawhileasIprobe Her Majesty’s words,justincaseitisallsomekindoftrickdesignedtolullmetosleep.

***

Ankhesenamon(life,health,prosperity!)

He sends back words ofdisbelieftome.FirstIreceive

them from Hattu-Zittish, hisambassador, who speaks tono one else but whosepresence, of course, instantlyinterests Horemheb. He triestodemandfromHattu-Zittishwhat it is all about. Hattu-Zittish is an old man likeAye, possessed of greatdignity. He ignoresHoremheb’s noisy demandsand will not tell him: hespeaks only to me. He sees

my situation and he leaves. Isend no word by him,because Horemheb wouldsomehowextractitfromhim,but I know he will reporttrulywhathehasseen.Meanwhiletherealsocome

to me, in great secrecy, myfaithful Amonemhet and hisson, using their peasants’anonymity to slip within thepalacewalls.TheyalsoreportHis Majesty’s words. To

them I entrust my writtenreply, and once again theybegin their long journey onmybehalf. I love them for itand tell them that I havealready sent gold to theirvillageandspecialgiftstothefamily, and will send moreupontheirsafereturn.Tutankhamon has been

forty days in his bath ofnatron in the House ofVitality.Thirtyremainbefore

he goes beneath the ground.SitamonandAyecounselmenot to worry, that all willcome right. But time growsvery short. How can I notworry?

***

Suppiluliumas

Before me again come mystout Lord Hanis and hissturdy son. Her letter thistimeisshortandsharp:“Her Majesty

Ankhesenamon, Queen andLord of the Two Lands, toSuppiluliumas, King of theHittites:greetings.“Whydoyousay,‘theyare

trying to deceive me’? If Ihadason,shouldIwritetoaforeign country in a mannerhumiliating tome and tomycountry? You do not believeme and you even say so tome!“He who was my husband

is dead and I have no son.Should I then perhaps takeoneofmysubjectsandmakeof him my husband? I havewritten tonoothercountry, Ihavewrittenonlytoyou.“They say that you have

many sons. Give me one ofyour sons and hewill bemyhusband and lord of the landofKemet.“So say I, Ankhesenamon,

toyou,Suppiluliumas.”

Andso,intruth,saidHattu-Zittish just yesterday whenhe, too, returned from theland of Kemet. And so,having taken the city ofKarkemish meanwhile, andbeing in a position to begenerous, and seeing also, asshe so cleverly said in herfirst letter, that together wemay combine our twocountriesintoonevastempirethat will control the world

from the Fourth Cataract oftheNile to thebordersof theMongols, I have decided tosend my youngest son,Zannanza, who is fair andfavored andwhom I love, towedthisdeterminedladyandthroughherbecomeKingandPharaohoftheTwoLands—athing I never thought wouldhappen in all those millionsandmillionsofyearstheyarealwaystalkingabout.

***

Horemheb

She has sent out mysteriouspackages from Sitamon’spalace to some place alongtheriver.Wedonotyetknowwhere,thoughIhaveahunch.

Ramesses and his men areuponitandsoonwewillfindout. Some instinct tells methat when we solve thatmysteryotherswillbesolvedaswell.

***

Amonemhet

We have good news for HerMajesty and we sing as weleave the border of theHittites and approach theborder of our own land. Her

prayer—which His Majestykindly toldus, saying,“Icantrust two stout men of theland far better than I canmyown nobles, my good LordHanis”—will be answered.ThePrinceZannanzaandhisparty will depart secretly fortheTwoLandstomorrowandwill arrive in Thebes twodays before the Good God’sburial.Thusallwillbe readyin good time for Her

Majesty’s wedding and anend once and for all to theevil ambitions of GeneralHoremheb.The Prince Zannanza and

his party will comepretendingtobepeasants—asI have gone pretending to bethe Lord Hanis! I,Amonemhet, “the LordHanis”!YetIwillbe,andyoumaybelievemeornotwhenItell you. You had better,

because it is true. HerMajestygavemeherwordonit justbeforewe left this lasttime.“My good Amonemhet,”

she said, looking morebeautifulanddeterminedthanany lady I have ever seen,“deartoNeb-Kheperu-Raanddear tome: when you returnsafely from my secondmission, and when all issettled happily as I know it

will be, I shall come to yourvillageofHanisandtheremynew husband and I willofficiallyproclaimyouwhatIhave named you to HisMajesty Suppiluliumas. Youwilltrulybe‘theLordHanis,’forever and ever, and yourson and all your family willrise andgo far in the serviceof our House. This do Ipledge you on my word asQueen and Lord of the Two

Lands.”So,yousee, Iwillbe Lord

Hanis after all. Who wouldever have dreamed such athing of the peasantAmonemhet! If I had notbeen brave on the day HisMajesty came to Hanis, andso begun his love for me, itwouldneverhavehappened.Beside me my son is

singing, too,aswesee in thedistance the guardhouse on

the border of our belovedTwoLands.Itwillbegoodtobe home, good to stopadventuring, even though“Lord Hanis” will come outofit.Ithasbeenveryexcitingforustobeinvolvedwiththegreat ones, but we will bequite content to return toourvillage and lead our simplelives—though now, I guess,thiswillnotbepossiblesincewewill be called, as she has

promised, to the service ofHer Majesty in the GreatHouse. Well, I shall do mybestasIalwayshave,andsowilltherestofmyfamily.Weare simple folk but sturdy.Kemetrestsonthelikesofus.We carry the burden and donotcomplain.Nowwe arewithinhailing

distance of the guardhouse.There seem to be moresoldiers than usual there, but

thisdoesnotalarmus.Ishoutandwaveand theyshoutandwave back. It is not untilweare almost upon them that Isee that they are carryingbowsand spears at the readyand that their greeting is notmeanttobefriendly.“Whatisyourname?”their

captain demands in a loudvoice.Suddenly trembling

inwardly, though I try to

remain outwardly thedignified“LordHanis”Isoonwillbe,Igivehimmytitle.“Where have you been?”

he goes on, still in the sameloudvoice,whilethesoldiersencircle us, and my son,suddenly terrified, clingstightlytomyhand.“Onbusinesstomybrother

in the Red Land,” I say ascalmlyasIcan.“Thatisalie!”hecries,and

he gestures to the soldiers,who suddenly move to seizeusboth.Desperatelymy son breaks

away and begins to run.BeforeIcanevencryoutoneofthesoldiersdrawshisbow.Anarrowflies.Idonotknowwhich is louder, myanguished cry or my son’sdying scream. I see him fall—I struggle frantically buthelplessly in my captors’

arms—I begin to sob wildlyashorrorclosesinuponme.“Now, Peasant

Amonemhet,” the captainsays in a terrible voice, “youhaveuponyouaringandweintendtofindit;andyouhavebeentocertainplaces,andweintend to hear about them;andyouknowcertain things,andwe intend to learn them.Will you tell us of your owndesire or shall we make you

tellus,aswemadeyourwifeandfamily?”The world is spinning

away, spinning away,spinning away, very fast:soon,Iknow,itwillbegone.But with one last ounce ofstrengthIsummonwhatIcanfrommyparchingmouthandspititstraightinhisface.Hedoesnothitme—heis,

I suppose, GeneralHoremheb’s man, and

General Horemheb’s men dothingswithgrace,fortheyaresoon to rule the world. Hesimply wipes his face verycarefullywithhis robe.Thenhegesturestomycaptorsandsuddenly I am pinned downspread-eagled on the ground.“Now,” he says softly fromsomewhereabovemeasIfeelthecoldirontouchmyprivateparts, “tell us things, PeasantAmonemhet.”

I try as long and hard as Icannotto,butIdo:Ido.Anddeath, when it comes at lastan hour (two hours? three?)after he has begun, is ablessing of the gods for thegreatLordHanis.

***

Aye

I have received a messagefrom Suppiluliumas of theHittitesdeclaringwaruponusfor the murder of his sonPrince Zannanza, surprised

uponour borders on hiswaysecretly to marry mygranddaughter.Idonotknowhow actively he will pursuethis, or how far he will getinto our territories, but I donot blame him: I do notblame him. Horemheb hasvolunteeredtomusteraforceand go at once to meet him,which I suppose is right.Horemheb manages botheffects and consequences,

these days, and it is onlyfitting that he should nowattempt to settlewhat he hasbegun.Alsohisworkon thishasgivenhimanexcusetobeabsent from my nephew’sburial,whichhasnowstartedwith ceremonies here at thetempleofKarnakonabright,sunny day, in the soft windsof spring. This saves us allfrom embarrassment, for IdoubtthatHerMajestycould

look upon him without openhatred and I doubt that Icould without showing thedismayandrevulsionIfeel.As surely as Akhenaten

ever did, Horemheb ismovingawayfromus.Ishalltell him so somedaybefore Idie.Hedeservestobeforcedtofacetheparallelbeforeitistoo late: because sooner orlater,somehoworother,heisgoing to take the Double

Crown. It is still not clear tomehowthiswillcomeabout,particularly after this latestepisode, but I have no doubtof it any longer. The will istoo strong and the ambitiontoo fierce. Having done somuch, he will not blink atmore.Itwillcome.It will not come, however,

withoutonemorestruggleonthepartoftheCo-RegentAyeto preserve the order of

Kemet. If it has to come, itwillcomeina legitimateandorderlyway. I amas fiercelydetermined as he on thispoint. Iwill sacrificemyself,actually throwmyself on hisswordifneedbe,tostophimfrom stealing the throne andthus overturning the very kaand ba, the very soul andbeing,oftheTwoLands.At my granddaughter’s

suggestion I have recently

added tomy titlesanewonewhich describesme as “Aye,whoisdoingright.”AndsoIshall continue, as longas thegods give me breath. Myson’swill is fierce butmine,forallmyseventy-fiveyears,is still the fiercer. I do notknow how events willproceed from this dayforward, but I am not afraidto face them, whatever theymaybe. I shalldo rightuntil

all ends forme, as Ihaveallmy life for Kemet. I cannotchangenow.Not,mind you, that it will

beeasy,orthatIseemywayclear to save the land frombeingravagedbyHoremheb’sambition.But itwill come tome, I think. I am giving itmuchthought,assistedbymygranddaughter, by Sitamon,and by my oldest livingfriend, Amonhotep, Son of

Hapu, that faithful one whocontinues, like myself, toserve our House in his finalyears. We are discussingmany plans, consideringmany possibilities. It is notonly Horemheb who plots,thesedays.Heisforcingustoplot,too.Meanwhile, the ceremony

proceeds.Thebeautifulcoffinof solid gold, bearing thelikeness of my dear nephew

asheused to lookbefore theyears began to harry him,round-faced, youthful andserene, rests on the platformbeforeus.AtitsheadpresidesthenewHighPriestofAmon,one Nefer whom Horemheband I selected together:probably our lastcompromise, as he wantedone loyal solely to himself, Iwanted one beholden to noone in the Court.We settled

finally on Nefer, hitherto aminor priest in the temple ofAmon in Memphis; a weakandelderlymanwhowilllastmy time. After thatHoremheb may do as hepleases. But while I liveAmon will not take sides inthe struggle for the DoubleCrown.Now Nefer intones the

ancientphrases,goesthroughtheancientritual.Tut,Ithink,

wouldhavelikedtobeburiedin the Aten faith, but this Idid not quite dare attempt.Had I done that, I toowouldhavebeenguiltyofupsettingthe balance. I would alsohave invited reprisals fromAmon and fierce demandsfrom Horemheb, whomAmon would then supporteven more openly than hispriestsdonow.InsteadIdecided,withHer

Majesty’s approval, that wewouldusetheritesofAmon.But in return for thatconcession we have madesure that in his tomb therehave been placed the crossand flail of Aten, the throneof Aten, and many otherthings of Aten includingwines fromAten’s vineyardsand scarves from the linenmills of Akhet-Aten marked“Year 8” and “Year 10” of

Akhenaten’s reign. And onTut’sshavenskull there restsa beaded uraeus with fourraised cobra heads, eachbearing the cartouches andtitulariesoftheSoleGod.Into the tomb also, small,

cramped and limited,prepared as it was in greathastebecauseofthetragicallysudden nature of his death,we have been forced tojumbletogetherwithoutmuch

order some two thousandother things—some takenfrom the tombs in the RoyalWadiatAkhet-Aten(whereIam preparing, as he wished,to move the bodies of mysister, Akhenaten, Nefertitiand the rest back here to liebeneath the Western Peak),somenewlyfashionedjustforhim—some taken from thestorehousesthatholdfuneraryitems originally prepared for

other royalty but for onereasonoranotherneverused.Included also are themummifiedremainsoftwooftheir stillborn daughters, andmementos of two of theQueen’sdeadsisters,anivorypalette bearing the name ofMerytaten and an inlaid boxthat once belonged to Nefer-neferu-ra. Maya offered aminiature of the King on hisbier, Nakht-Min five

ushabtis, tiny figures of theKingwearingvariouscrowns.Smenkhkara’scartoucheisonone of the coffins, and thereis a gold pectoral thatbelongedtoAkhenaten.It is a great huddle of

things, but all do suitablehonor and will be ready forhimwhen he awakens in theafterworld.Wehavemadeupinricheswhatwehavelackedinspace.

Nefer has finished now.The bearers lift the coffin toits baldachin, Akhesenamon,Sitamon and Mutnedjmet(and, of course, Ipy andSenna) begin their ritualwailing; Nakht-Min,Amonhotep, Son of Hapu,and I follow gravely after.We, too, are lifted into ourbaldachins. Slowly theprocessionbegins.Before the temple, through

Thebes, along the east bankof the Nile, the vast crowdsstand silently as we pass.Now and again someonebursts suddenly into a cry ofsorrow, quite genuine; eachtime this happens a low,sympathetic groan passesfromoneendoftheenormouscrowd to the other. It is aneerie, yearning, wistfulsound: they loved Neb-Kheperu-Ra,theywishedhim

well, and now they fear afuturewithouthim.Slowly, slowly, we pass

throughThebestothebeatofmuffled drums, the mutedmourning of trumpets, therepeated regretful groaningsof the people. Slowly wecome to the landing stage,slowly we board the goldenbarge, slowly we set outacross the Nile: once again,as so many times before,

Hapi bears the burden of theHouseofThebes.The world is silent now;

onlythesplashofoarsbreaksthe stillness of the river.Behindon theeastbank theywatch us go, our gleamingbannersflutteringathalfmastin the gentle wind of spring,Rahighoverheadas this, hislatestSon,returnstohim.We reach the west bank,

aregreetedbymorepriestsof

Amon. We are taken to thenecropolis, move slowlytoward the entrance to theValley of the Kings. Wedismount from ourbaldachins. The othermembersofourfamilygrouputter their final ritual cries,fall to their knees, bow theirheads in silent farewell: theywill remain where they areuntilwereturn.Her Majesty and I go on

alone behind the group ofslaves who bear the coffinhigh,andwho later, after thefinal rites are done, willreturn with the priests toplace the last objects in thetomb and close its doorsforever.We move on through the

barren rocky gorge, throughthenakedearthasraw,harshand savage as it has foreverbeenandwillforeverbe.We

come to the entrance to thetomb, we pass within. Wereach the antechamber, turnright to the crypt. Carefullythe slaves lower the goldcoffin into its two enormousinterfitting sarcophagi,removethelidsothatwemaylook down upon themummified remains ofTutankhamon, andwithdraw.MygranddaughterandIdrawnear. She begins to weep,

softlyandsteadilyinareleaseshe has not until now, Isuspect,beenabletoachieve.Iweepwithher,asdeeplyasshe. I have loved all mynephews: and all have come,beforetheirtime,tothis.I am clad in the leopard

skin of a high priest. AtAnkhesenamon’s insistence Ihave reserved for myself—and no one, not evenHoremheb, has dared

challenge it—theprivilegeofperforming the rite of The-Opening-of-the-Mouth.Normally this honor is

reserved for the successor tothe dead Pharaoh. With astartled glance at mygranddaughter, standing headbowed, tears streamingdownher cheeks, I suddenly think:And perhaps it is this time,too.…This is the thought that

comes,atlast,tome.But I remain impassive,

though my heart surgeswildly with many things. Itaketheironprong,Iloweritgentlytotouchthelipsofthedead boy (I shall not makethe mistake of poorAkhenatenwithhisfatherandactually damage the teeth inmystrainandnervousness),Icryhisnamethreetimes,andI say to him with a loving

gentleness, because this ishow I feel for him, though Iknow that duty forcedme tobeasresponsibleforhisdeathasHoremheb,andtheanguishand ordeal of that decisionwilleatforeveratmyheart:“You live again, you live

again forever! Here you areyoungoncemoreforever!”Silenceanswers,thoughwe

knowthatwithmycallingofhisnameandtheutteranceof

these gentle words the longprocess of coming to lifeagainintheeternalafterworldhas begun for Neb-Kheperu-Ra.Hardly able to see through

her weeping, Ankhesenamonleans down and places awreathoffreshflowersonthemummy.In tears, clinging to one

another,weturnaway.Maya,superintendent of the

necropolisandclosefriendofHis Majesty, enters withpriestsofAmonaswe leave,to supervise the final nestingofthecoffinwithinitsgildedsarcophagi, the final placingof the funerary furnishings,thefinalclosingofthetomb.Forsomeminuteswestand

and watch, still holdingtightly to one another whileRa looks down upon theyoung girl and the old man

who must decide the fate ofthe Two Lands. Was thereever such a pair had such aheavytask?Presentlytheworkisdone.

Maya and the priests bow tous and withdraw. Only weandtheslavesremain.The slaves who, unknown

to them, will see notomorrow, begin their laborsto their characteristic low-voiced chant. Plaster slaps

againsttheheavystonedoors.Hammerspoundagainst theiredgestosealthemforever.So we lay him to rest—

slain by Hatsuret andHoremheb but slain evenmore, I think, by the beliefsofhisbrother,stilldoingtheirworkfrombeyond thegrave:my darling nephewTutankhamon, thatsweetandgentleboy—safeatlastforalleternity—nevermore to be

disturbed by hand or eye ofmortalman.We turn, eyes still blinded

by tears, and walk slowlybacktowardtheothers.I will permit myself this

nighttoweep.ThenImustfacemyson.

***

BookV

TriumphofaGod

1353-1339B.C.

***

Amonhotep,SonofHapu

Myoldfriendembarks todayon a dangerous course—embarks, and perhaps comes

dead ashore, in more waysthan one, should Horemhebnotbeastakenbysurpriseasweestimatehewillbe.

***

Aye(life,health,prosperity!)

He came to me yesterdaymorning, plaster scarcely

twelve hours dry onPharaoh’s tomb. He spokewithout preliminary, almostwithout greeting save aperfunctory “Good morning,Father”—not usingmy titles,not honoring my age anddignities, consumed by theforce of his own obsessionandhiscertaintythatheneedsbut state it with suitableimpatience for it all to comeaboutatonceashedesires.

Well: this did not impresstheCo-RegentAye, though Ilet him think it did. I playedfortime,successfully,Ithink;andtodayhewillfindoutthatthings are not as he soarrogantly assumes them tobe.“Father,” he said (he did

notevenbow:inhismindhewas my superior already, Isuppose), “I come to you onthebusinessofKemet.”

“What else, my son?” Iaskedmildly, because it wasobvious he was under greattension and I thoughtmildness best. “There hasbeennothingbeforeeitherofusbutthebusinessofKemet,formany years.What aspectofitconcernsyounow?”“The marriage of Her

Majesty to the new LivingHorus.”“Oh? I did not know she

had selected a new LivingHorus.”“Itwouldnotmatter if she

had,”hesaidcontemptuously.“The choice rests with youandme,inanyevent.”“Does it, my son?” I

inquired dryly. “Does HerMajestyknowthis?”“She will soon enough.

Whatcanshe,ahelplessgirl,do about it? She will takewhom we give her, and he

willbetheKing.”“I believe,” I said slowly,

“that she had the PrinceZannanza in mind, did shenot? Strange that he shouldhave died so tragically enroute, thereby bringing usfurther troubles withSuppiluliumas.”“Suppiluliumas is a bag of

wind,” he said harshly. “Ishall drive him out ofPalestine in a month’s time,

havenodoubtofthat.Hehadno right to send Zannanza.NoforeignershouldweartheDouble Crown. It was rightthatZannanzashoulddie.”“His father does not seem

to think so,” I remarked.“Nor, I believe, does HerMajesty.”“She is a helpless girl,” he

repeated in the same harshtone.“Whatcanshedoaboutit? She will take whom we

give her to be the LivingHorus.”“You have someone in

mind for this honor,Horemheb?”I gave him a bland look,

underwhichhe fidgeted.Buthe was not, of course, to bedeterred.“Certainly,” he said.

“Myself.”Though my granddaughter

and I had expected this ever

sinceTutankhamon’smurder,thesheereffronteryofittookmybreath away.Here itwasatlast,asbluntanddirectandinsistentaswehadassumeditwould be.Yet still, now thatit had come, it wasoverwhelming.But not overwhelming in

the way he had hoped, myshrewd, ambitious son;because, after giving himstare for stare, I said quietly,

“IshouldhavetoconsultHerMajesty most carefully onthat.”“You will not consult Her

Majesty on it for onesecond!” he snapped. “I, theGeneralHoremheb,whohaveat my back the army of theTwoLands,thepriesthoodofAmon, and the people ofKemet,tellyouthisishowitwillbe!”“You have some of the

army—”“Ramesses has secured all

butafewgarrisonsforme!”“—and you may have the

priesthoodofAmon—”“Nefer’s age makes him

timid.Ihavethem.”“—butyoudonothavethe

people of the Two Lands.They hate and fear you, mypoor Horemheb. They willneveracceptyouasKing.”“ThepeopleofKemet,”he

grated with a furious anger,for here I had apparentlytouched him straight on thequick—I had not realizeduntil that moment thatHoremheb,too,feelstheneedof love and suffers for thelackofit—“willlearntolovewhoever wears the DoubleCrown as they have learnedmany times in the past. Iftheydonotlearnoftheirownwill, they will be made to

learn.Whydoyouthinktheirdisapproval would make mehesitate,Father?”“Ihaveneverhadtolookat

it that way myself,” I saidwith a thoughtful air I knewwould infuriate him further,but I did not care at thatmoment, I was beginning tobecome angry myself,“because the people havealways loved me. I haveneverhadtoforcethem.And

I think they give me, still, astrength you would be hardputtochallenge.”Helookedatmeforalong

moment before he spoke.When he did he was veryquiet,verycalm,very firm. Iknew then that words wouldno longer stop Horemheb,and that now only theshrewdest measures couldpreventhimfromworkinghiswilluponusall.

“I shall have her, Father,”hesaid,“andIshallhavetheDouble Crown. Now: will itbe with your approval andsupport, orwillAye, too, gothe way of Akhenaten,Nefertiti, Tutankhamon, yoursimple Amonemhet andZannanza?”“You are proud of such a

catalogue?” I asked with aterrible bitterness, thinkinghim at that moment a

monster: but his answer wasnot the answer of amonster,and almost persuaded me togiveway.“No, Father,” he said

quietly. “I am not proud ofthe thingsIhavebeendrivento do for the sake ofKemet.But for the sake of Kemet Ihave done them; and for thesake of Kemet I will dowhateverelseisnecessary.Soconcede me my motive, if

youwill.”“What are you?” I half

whisperedatlast.“I am he who loves the

TwoLands,”hesaidsimply.“There is not one you

name,” I said, “saveZannanza, who did not trulylove the Two Lands. Howcouldsuchhorrorscomefromlove?”“Idonotknow,Father,”he

said, still quietly. “But they

have.” Abruptly his facechanged, his voice changed.Hispatience,Icouldsee,hadrun out. “Now,” he saidharshly,“letushavenomoreparley.Iwouldhaveyousendfor Her Majesty, Father—atonce—so that we canconcludethisbusinessandbemarried tomorrow at thetemple of Karnak. At whichtime Amon will crown meLiving Horus, King and

Pharaoh of Kemet, as thegods have ordained frommyearliest youth, when a seeronce said to me: ‘You willcometogreatpower.’”“I did not know of this

seer!” I said ina lastattempttoholdhimoff.“I told no one,” he said

withabitterlyhumorlesslittlesmile, “else I should neverhave lived to see theprophecy come true. Now

send for my cousin, Father.We must settle this with nomoretalking.”Again our eyes held; until

finallyIsaidwithalittlenodandawearysigh,“Verywell.Ishallgoandtalktoher.”“Callherhere!Atonce!”“My son,” I said quietly,

“allwillbeasyouwish.ButImust be allowed to speak toher privately first, to explainwhythismustbe,topersuade

her to accept itwillingly andgracefully.Surelyyoudonotwish to see hatred forever inthe eyes of your wife whenshelooksatyou!SurelyevenHoremheb needs at least alittlelove!”Which, as I had shrewdly

calculated,was the thing thatdidit.Hisfacecontortedwithpain, his eyes actually filledfor a moment with tears. Heis driven, my son, driven:

differently, but as surely, ashiscousinAkhenaten.Herubbedahandsavagely

over his eyes. The pain wasstillinthemashesaid:“Very well, Father. Go to

her. Say it is only my greatlove for the TwoLands, andtheneedthatallbecomecalmand orderly again as soon aspossible, that compels this.Buttellheritmustbe.AndIwill send word at once to

Karnak—in your name—tellingthemtomakeallreadyfornoontomorrow,asweareagreed.”“I shall give you my seal

upon it,” I said and, taking apiece of papyrus hurriedlyfrommytable,Iwrote:“ToNefer:“Prepareallatoncefor the

marriage tomorrow of HerMajesty Ankhesenamon,Queen and Lord of the Two

Lands, to the new LivingHorus,whom shewill revealto the world at that time, sothat all may rejoice in hisglory, and ma’at and ordermay come again to thekingdom.”And hurriedly stamped it

withmysealandgaveithim;and he went away, believingallwouldbeashesaid.AndIwentatonce to thepalaceofSitamon, stopping only to

bring Amonhotep, Son ofHapu, along from the smalladjoining house he nowoccupies as steward of herestates; and in Sitamon’sprivate chamber, conferredwith her, with him and withmy granddaughter, whocarries the blood of Ra andwith it the legitimate right totheDoubleCrown.…Now we are again at

Karnak, and again the

multitudes stretch out beforeus. Akhenaten began thispractice of speaking directlyto the people and allowingthem to be witness to greatevents; Tutankhamoncontinuedit;itseemsgoodtome,too.ChangesintheGreatHouse come fromwithin theGreatHouse,butasIneartheend of my life, and as Irealize that the people’s loveisreallyallthatislefttome,I

havecome toperceive that itcan sometimesbeofgenuineassistance.Her Majesty and I are

gambling all that it will be,today.Again the drums beat, the

trumpets blare, the bannersfly. All is pomp, bustle,excitement. Neb-Kheperu-Raisintheafterworld:itistimeto move on. The people areeagerandexcited, filledwith

shouts and cries and suddenexplosions of impatientanticipation as they wait tolearn who their new LivingHorus will be. There is anuneasy, uncertain note inmuch of this: many fearHoremheb.He sits beside me, face

impassive, revealing nothingto thecrowd.Onlywe in theFamily, who know him sowell, can see the grim little

lines of satisfaction at thecornersofhismouth.Hewillbea fierceLivingHorus,myclever son. Somewhere farback, I think,hedecided thathewillneverreceiveloveandsohewillnotdeigntogiveit.The brief tears of yesterdaywere only a moment’sweakness.My son is himselfagain. In him Kemet willhaveasternfatherandahardand ruthless taskmaster. The

people sense this and areafraid.Neferdodders forward(we

have previously, of course,been inside the temple tooffer our dutiful sacrifices toAmon), makes a few lastritual signs, chants a lastblessing upon the Queen,doddersbacktohisseat.Pale, tense but perfectly

composed, as icily calm andverynearlyasbeautifulasher

mother used to be,Ankhesenamon comesforward.Hervoicetremblesalittle at first, then steadies.Clearanddetermined,itringsoutacrossthecrowd:“GoodpeopleofKemet! I,

Ankhesenamon, Queen andLordof theTwoLands,onlyexistingbearerofthebloodofRa, sole remaining daughterof Nefer-Kheperu-RaAkhenaten andNefer-neferu-

aten Nefertiti”—beside me Ican sense Horemheb growtense,forthisreferenceisnotnecessary, stirring as it doesold ghosts and old pains,unless she has some purposehecannotyet fathom—“havecalledyoutogetherthisdaytoreceive a new Living Horusto wear the Double CrownandsitbesidemeasIconductmy rule of our beloved TwoLands.

“Such a one must be wisein the ways of men and ofgovernment.Suchaonemustbe shrewd in counsel, soundin advice, fierce inwar, kindinpeace.Suchaonemustbea worthy successor toAmonhotep III, Akhenaten,Smenkhkara,Tutankhamon”—and againHoremheb tenses—“life,health,prosperitytothemall!Such a onemust be pleasing

tothegods,togreatAmon,togreat Aten”—again he stirsuneasily—“and to them all.Such a onemust be pleasingalso tome, who am the solesurviving daughter of Nefer-Kheperu-Ra Akhenaten andNefer-neferu-aten Nefertiti,sole existing bearer of theblood of Ra, sole bearer ofthe legitimate right to theDoubleCrown.…”She pauses, takes a deep

breath. We can see throughher transparent skirt that herlegsaretrembling,butitdoesnotaffecthervoice.Daughterof my daughter she is, andproud would be Nefertiticouldshehearhernow.“Suchaone,”shesays,and

her voice rises slightly, “IhavealreadybesidemeintheHouse of Thebes. He hasserved us long and faithfullyandwellformanyyears.The

highest posts of governmenthave been his, the highesthonors have rightfully comehisway.Ihaveknownhimallmy life and never found himwanting. Valiant in war”—IcansenseHoremhebbegintorelax a little—“gracious inpeace, magnanimous andwise in all things, it pleasesme to marry him and thuscreatehimLivingHorustositbesideandhelpmeasIrule.

“MypeopleofKemet,hailyournewPharaoh!HailAye,Living Horus, Great Bull,LordoftheTwoLands,Kingand Pharaoh of our dearlybeloved Kingdom of Kemet!May he have life, health andprosperity forever and ever,for millions and millions ofyears!”The world explodes in a

roarofsound.Iamconsciousof a strangled crybesideme,

of Horemheb half startingfrom his seat, of Nakht-Minat his side reaching up andpulling him down again, aninstinctive movement thatcould cost him his life butwill not if Ankhesenamonand I can prevent it, and wewill. I am conscious of astrange, moaning sound, likeuntotheinsane,comingfromHoremheb’s lips, drownedout, thank the gods, by the

ecstaticroaringofthepeople.ThenIriseandleavehimandgo forward to stand besidemy granddaughter and theworld seems to crack widewith sound, somuchdo theylove me and so relieved arethey that she has not chosenHoremheb.Whenthesounddiesatlast

shecriesfirmly:“Nefer!Doyoumarryusin

theritesofAmon!Now!”

Weturntolookathim,andforamomentpooroldNeferappears absolutely paralyzedas he stares desperately firstatus,thenatHoremheb,thenbackatus.Fromthecornerofmyeye,forIwouldnotdeignto give him open look, I toosteal a glance at Horemheb.He is deathly pale,completely immobilized.There is nothing, after all,thathecando,awayfromhis

troops and in front of thismultitude.My granddaughterand I have gambled, and wehavewon.“Nefer!” She cries again

sharplyand,likeachild’stoysuddenly yanked by a pieceof string, he jerks hastilyforward and takes up hisposition in front of us. Fourof his priests automaticallyattendhim,twooneachside.Inashakyvoice—solowthat

HerMajestyorders“Louder!”andheobeysenoughtoreachthe front ranks, so that wehavesufficientwitnesses—hebeginstheceremonies.Tenminutes later I am the

LivingHorus,Aye,thirteenthKing and Pharaoh of theEighteenth Dynasty to ruleoverthelandofKemet.…Now we parade

triumphantly through Thebesand everywhere we are

greeted with wildestadoration. Ankhesenamonsmiles proudly and waves:each wave produces a newsurge of loyalty and love.Nowandagainshe turnsandsmiles at me: the crowd’sresponse grows even louder.We congratulate one anotherthat we have done the rightthing.My granddaughter hasservedthekingdomwellwithher eager acceptance of my

idea—and I have received atlast my deserved reward formore than fifty years ofselflessservicetotheDoubleCrown.Aye the survivor, Aye the

balancewheel, has saved theHouseofThebesthisonelast,thismostimportant,time.We do not fear my son’s

reaction, violent though hemight wish it to be. He willacceptthisashemust,forhe

has no choice. If he were totry to overturn us by forcenowIdotrulybelievethatforthe first time in all our twomillennia the people wouldrise and kill him for it. Heknows this, and sopresently,forhehasmuchsenseand isnofool,hewillworkwithusas we wish him to do,quieting themad ambition towhich he has increasinglydevotedhislife.

Tomorrow we leave foralmost deserted Akhet-Atento repeat the ceremonies atthe temple of the Aten, andthen to Memphis where wewill repeat them in thetemplesofAmonandofPtah.Thenwewill returnhereandI shall plunge back happilyinto theneverendingdutyofgovernment.I am, after all, only

seventy-five. I feel I have

muchtimeleft.Ifeelthegodshavemuch remaining for thePharaohAyetodo.…

***

Sitamon

“IfeelIhavemuchtimeleft,”heusedtosaytomeofteninhis early days upon thegolden throne. “I feel thegods have much remaining

left for me to do.” YetPharaoh is nearing hiseightieth year, the endobviously approaches, andlittle that he planned hascometopass.Horemheb, moreover, is

still here. He has not goneaway. He has neverabandoned his ambition—hisfatherwaswishfultothinkhewould—and his demandsbecome more insistent every

day.Thelatestisthisdemandformarriage and co-regency,which has brought us alltogether again in familycouncil—the last council, Ithink, that the House ofThebes will ever hold …because soon I think theHouse of Aye will fullysucceed at last … and afterthat, unless I miss my guess—which I seldom do—theHouseofRamesses.

Myunclelikestothinkthatitwashewho suggested thatAnkhesenamon marry himand thus thwartHoremheb. Ihave never argued it withhim, but it was I whoproposed it in that hurriedmeetingafterTutwasburied.Wewerefilledthatnightwithfurious stratagems, desperateproposals, wild starts andstops; my cousin seemed toloom like some gigantic

monster just across the river,waiting to consume us all.Perhaps hewas.At any rate,when we were exhausted atlast by all our futilethrashings about, I lookedstraight at Aye and said,“Thereis,ofcourse,onemanshe might marry whoseselectionwouldsettleitall.”There was silence for a

moment.Ankhesenamonwasthefirsttograspmymeaning.

“Yes!” she cried happily.“That would be it!” Then ofcourse there was a greatbabble, Aye protesting,Ankhesenamon, Amonhotep,SonofHapu, and I insisting,all of us getting more andmore excited, all of usdrinking much wine tocelebrate, evenAye for onceindulging (forwe all thoughtwehadkilledthemonster),sothatpresentlyitwasforgotten

who had really offered theidea in the first place. But Ididnotforget,becauseformeit was the settling of an oldscore. We were lovers fortwenty years, he gave methreechildrenwhomIhad todispose of because we couldnot be married while myfather lived; then when hecould marry me he refusedand went off in pursuit ofother ambitions. So much, I

thought that night, for you,my fine Horemheb, and somuchforyourambitions!But this was reckoning, of

course, without Horemheb—and without the simplechances of life, which sooften confound us all. Tobegin with, of course, therewas never any question thatPharaohandtheQueenwouldlivetogetherasmanandwife.My uncle, after all, was

seventy-five then, and stilldevoted to gentle Tey, whoover the years has been sucha wonderful mother andfriend to Nefertiti, toHoremhebandNakht-Min,tome,toAkhenaten,toallofus.In official duties and onceremonialoccasions shehasbeen his secondary Queen,because of courseAnkhesenamonhastheblood;but in his tomb and in other

personal representations hehas continued to present heras his consort. And to thisAnkhesenamon, being assensible and as practical asher mother (thank the godsthe erratic heart of my poorbrother did not find its wayinto the body of his onlysurviving daughter!), hasreadily agreed, for she toolovesTey.Shedidaskratherwryly once, “Grandfather,

should you not give mesomething to signify thisunion blessed by all thegods?” So with a smile hesaid yes and within a weekpresentedherwithabeautifulring bearing both theircartouches, which sheconstantly wears, as she toldme once, “to symbolize myhappily married state.” Butaside from this, and theirpublic appearances for

government and ceremonies,they lead separate lives—though, with her mother’sdeterminationandherfather’sstubbornness, she has triedrepeatedly to have childrenfrom another source whocould be presented to thepeople as children of Aye,and so be accepted aslegitimate heirs who mightthus revive and perpetuateour dwindling, unhappy

House.For this honor, after long

talks with Pharaoh and withme,shechoseNakht-Min.HeandMutnedjmet,bornwithinayearofoneanother toAyeand Tey, are approachingmiddle age (how fast theyears sweep over, how fastwearecoveredbytimeasbythe whispering, ceaselesssands of the Red Land!) butboth are still handsome and

well favored. Mutnedjmetgrows,ifpossible,evenmoreeccentricassheages.Shestilldoes much good among thepeople with many charitableventures,andsheisstillmuchloved; but Ipy and Senna,who are also aging butsomehow seem perverselyeternal, continue to hop andcackle by her side, and thepeople still have muchaffectionate fun with this.

Nakht-Min, on the otherhand, continues with quietdignity to serve the kingdomwell as Vizier of UpperKemet, general of the army,scribe, confidant and adviserto his father, firm friend toHerMajesty.Therefore when she

summoned him, two monthsafter she married Aye, andtold him what she had inmind, he was perfectly

willing to comply—particularly since he is veryfond of her, as she of him,and no fonder of his olderbrother than the rest of us.Indeed,hehasputhisfaithinAye and Ankhesenamon toprotect him, and Aye andAnkhesenamonhave;butthisis another question thatremainsunresolved.IamsureHoremhebhas plans for that,too, as he always does for

everything. He is not Aye’sson for nothing. (Thegenerations repeat theirpatterns inallofus. I thinkIam like my mother, QueenTiye: at least I hope I haveshown something of herstrength and her loyalty toKemet.Ihavetried.)Nakht-Min, in any event,

has been willing; and threetimesinthesepastfouryearsAnkhesenamon has secretly

become pregnant by him—only to see, each time, herchild born dead. The eventhasbeenevensadderbecausetwice they have been boys:shecouldhavegiventheTwoLandsaCrownPrinceatlast.But the curse of poorAkhenaten still seems tohold; though now, I believe,she ispregnantagainandwemust pray once more for ason who will live… if Aye

lives.But Aye, I think—and I

thinkhe thinks—isnotgoingto live much longer. He isfailing very noticeably now.His eyesight is almost gone,he has difficulty hearing, hemoves very slowly andalwayswithacaneandonthearm of a page. There aremanydayswhenhedoesnotrise from bed, whenAnkhesenamonmustcometo

himtosecurehissealonstatepapers. Sometimes hescarcelyseemstoknowsheisthere.Increasinglyinthispastyear she has made decisionsalone and Tey has guidedAye’s trembling hand tomake the necessarymarks inthe proper places. It is allvery sad; and will not, Ibelieve,lastmuchlonger.He has built his mortuary

templeonthewestbanknear

my father’s. He has built arockchapel toMinandotherlocal gods at his family seatof Akhmim. He encouragedHoremheb to mount acounteroffensive againstSuppiluliumas which drovehim back a bit in Palestine,though our frontiers continuein sad disrepair all throughthe region where we oncecouldwalk unchallenged.Hehas brought all the Akhet-

Aten bodies save those ofAkhenatenandNefertitibackto lie beneath the WesternPeak; and they will soon bealso returned, now that wethink the bitter passions theyaroused have finally died, sothat they, too, may safelyrejoin our ancestors. And hehas continued to lend hisenormous prestige toAnkhesenamon’sdetermination to keep the

Aten officially equal toAmon, so that their uneasybalance of tension has beenmaintained in reasonabledegreeexcepthere inThebeswhere Amon again reignssupreme.And this, in truth, is about

allthatonecansayoftheruleof Aye, who came, at mysuggestion,almost too late tothe power he had earnedthrough all his long and

frequentlytormentedyearsofdutyanddevotiontothegoodoftheTwoLands.Nowas he comes to die—

for this he is doing, there isno point in closing our eyesto it—Horemheb again seeksto take the Double Crown.And this time, I think, therewill be no stopping him. Hehas been patient these pastfouryearsbecausehehashadtobe,butithasnotbeeneasy

forhim.Nowatsixtythereisnothing to stand in his way.HewillbeKingandPharaohat last,mypoorHoremheb—forwhomIusethatadjectiveas automatically as I do forpoor Akhenaten. I wonder iftheDoubleCrownwillmakehim any happier than it didmybrother?I find that I am the first to

arrive at my uncle’schambers.Hehasbeeninbed

thesepastthreedays,anditisTey who ushers me in, withfingeronlips.Thoughwearevery quiet, some signaltransmits itself to the fadingbrain: he rouses, his eyesopen, he peers up at me. Ilean to kiss his forehead, hemanagesafeeblesmile.“Well,Niece,”hewhispers,

“soweallmeetagain,foronelasttime.”“You must not say that,

Son of the Sun,” I tell himfirmly. “Weshallmeetmanytimesagain.”“In the afterworld, dear

Niece,” hewhisperswith thetrace of a smile. “In theafterworld…Tey,helpme.Imustriseandbeseatedonmythroneforthem.”She starts to protest and I

say quickly, “Nonsense,Majesty, you staywhere youare.Wewill not respect you

lessifyoulieabedwhereyouwillbecomfortable.”“Onemight,” he sayswith

a ghost of a laugh. “But hewould rather see me in bed,anyway. It will make himhappier.”“Well,bethatasitmay,”I

say,“youstaywhereyouare.Wewillhandlehim.”“Can anyone, now?” he

asks,againwiththeghostofalaugh. “It is getting less easy

allthetime.”And as the others arrive,

very shortly thereafter, it isapparent that he will not beeasy to handle this night, atall. First comesAnkhesenamon,lookingtenseand determined, followed byNakht-Min, doing his best toappear unconcerned;Amonhotep, Son of Hapu,strongerthanHisMajestybutalsobecomingquitefrail;and

then Horemheb andMutnedjmet, Ipy and Senna,all of whom seem to havereached the door at the samemoment. This leads toimmediatefriction.“You are in our way,”

Mutnedjmetsays—flatly, for,like Nakht-Min, it has beenyears since she liked ortrustedherhalfbrother.“‘Our’ way?” he snaps

angrily.“Mustyouhavethose

two hobgoblins with youcackling like geese whereveryougo?”“Yes,” she says coolly,

while Ipy andSenna cling toher legs, peering up at himwith a deliberatelyexaggerated fear that onlymakeshimangrier.Therearetimes when neither she northeyshowanysense,andthisisoneofthem.“Mutnedjmet,” I intervene

sharply while Aye looksabout in a half-bewilderedway as old, sick people do,“this is a private conferencewith Their Majesties. Thosetwowill not be permitted inhere. You will remove thematonce.”“Well—” she begins, still

defiantly, trying to decidewhethertocontinueannoyingHoremheb, whom shedespises, or obey me, whom

she likes and respects; whilebehind her back Ipy andSenna stick out their tonguesatme and I come very closeto striding over and slappingtheir silly little faces. Butfortunately their mistressdecides that appeasing me ismore important. She leansdown,whispers in their ears,and with a last insolent lookatme and a leer at him theygo scurrying away down the

corridor—cacklinglikegeese,exactlyashesays.“Now,Majesties,”he says,

breathing hard, “perhaps wecan have a little sense hereandgetonwithourbusiness.Father,” he adds almostperfunctorily, going over toliftAye’stremblinghandandkissit,“howareyou?”“I hear them calling me

from the Peak of theWest,”Pharaohwhisperswithawry

expression, “but I am not inquite such a hurry to answeras you would have me, myson.”“Iaminnohurry,”hesays

with a scowl that does notconceal theflushthatrises inhis face—can there be someshame left in Horemheb? “Iwish only Your Majesty’scontinued health and well-being,SonoftheSun.”“Yes,” Aye whispers, “I

know.” He starts to saysomethingelse,thenseemstolose the thread of it.Ankhesenamon surveysHoremhebcalmlyandasks:“What would youwith us,

Cousin?”“Maywesit?”heasks.“Therearechairs,”shesays

indifferently:sohedecidestoremain standing. So do therestofus, save forTey,whoseats herself on the bed

besideAyeandtenderlytakeshishand.“I have made no secret of

it,”hesaysbluntly.“Ithinkittime that I be made Co-Regent to aid His Majesty,whoweallpraywillbewithus long but who nonethelessmight welcome someassistance in his burdensomeduties;andIwouldmarry.”“Whymustyoucometous

about marriage?” Her

Majesty asks, carefullyavoiding the other issue forthemoment.“Youmaymarrywhom you please, as far asweareconcerned.”“I thinknot,”he says, “for

the one I would marry is inthisroom.”“But I am married to His

Majesty!” she criesindignantly,evenasIalsocryout,with all the bitterness ofthe long, scorned years.

“Even so, I would not haveyouwereyouthelastpeasantleftinKemet!”“What about you, Lady?”

heinquires,ignoringusaswestand with mouths open inamazement, realizing theaudacity of his thinking—orthe farseeing nature of hisplan, depending on how youlookatit.Herfaceisastudyinmany

things—first disbelief, then

shock, then repugnance, thenscorn,thenasortofwild,feyhilarity.Itisfinallythescornand the hilarity that strugglefor victory on Mutnedjmet’sface,andeventuallythescornwinsout.“You do me great honor,

Brother,” she says withscathingsarcasm,“andImustremember to sacrifice to allthegods,particularlytothosewho may presently take our

father, so that I may thankthem suitably for it. Buthaving done so, I must tellthem that I have to declinewith thanks. I am entirelyunworthy of so great aposition.”“Itwillbegreat,”heagrees

icily, “and you will beunworthy of it. However, Iam offering it to you. Youwould be fool indeed not totakeit.”

“She has the blood,” shesays, gesturing towardAnkhesenamon, who hasturned paled with both fearand anger as the full impactofhisaudacitysinksin.“He is the Living Horus,”

he says, pointing to theirfather. “Therefore, dearSister,thebloodhaspassedtoyou.” He turns sharply uponAnkhesenamon, so sharplythat she jumps. “Is that not

so,Majesty?”“If I have children—” she

begins,breathlesswith shockand anger, while Nakht-Min,fortunately standing at theside where Horemheb doesnot see his expression,struggles to remainimpassive.“If you do, theywill be no

children of his. Is that notso?”“Go!” she cries, drawing

herself to her full height.“Go!”“No, I shall not go,” he

saysquietly,“norwillanyonehere be able to force me to.We will have this out now,forIhavewaitedlongandtheyears will soon be no kinderto me than they are to him.Father!” he says loudly,turning to Aye, who huddlesback against Tey, hisbewildered old eyes now

wide with fear. “Give meyour blessing to marry mysister!AndletmehelpyouasCo-Regent with all thosedutiesyouareno longerabletoperformyourself!”It is then so hushed in the

roomthat it seemswehardlybreathe; yet that tortured,worried, gasping soundmustbe coming from somewhere,andIsupposeitisfromallofus, though we are

concentrating so hard uponHis Majesty that we arehardlyconsciousofit.For a long timeAye looks

from face to face.At firsthecontinuestoseembewilderedandafraid; thengraduallyhiseyes clear, his expressionchanges, a strange, almostunearthly calm and serenitybegin to surround him. Hismind is lucid and he hasmade it up. Even before he

speaks, I for one knowwhathewillsay.Ayethesurvivor,the balance wheel and ourrock, is about to perform hislast service for the TwoLands.“You will forgive me,

Granddaughter,” he whisperscarefully,ignoringhersuddenanguishedcryofprotest,“ifIsay to you thatwhat he saysmakesmuchsenseforKemet.You will forgive me if I

admit what he tells me, andwhat the gods also tell meevery waking moment ofevery day—that soon I willawake no longer, butwill goto liewith theothersbeneaththeWesternPeak.Sixtyyearsand more have I served thisHouse, this Dynasty, thiskingdom; but now the godsbeckon me and I can do nomore.Soon,verysoon,Imustrespond and go with them.

What, then, of our belovedkingdom?“It is true, my dearest

granddaughter, that you havenot yet had children forKemet, and are very like notto before I go. It is true thatthismeansthat thelegitimateright to the Double Crownwill very soon pass toMutnedjmet. It is true thatwhat he has wanted for solong will very soon come to

pass: the gods, too, wishHoremheb to be the LivingHorus.Andsohewillbe.”Again Ankhesenamon

cries, “No!”Horemheb givesher a single sharp look, thenhis face becomes impassive.He can afford to bemagnanimousinthismomentoftriumph,butIdonotthinkhe will be magnanimous forlong. Already my mind isracingwithwhatImustdo.

“Therefore,” Aye goes on,his voice becoming evenmore of a whisper as heimposes this long butnecessarystrainuponit,“itisfitting that I should nowappoint him Co-Regent,whichIherebydoandchargeyou all to proclaim it andhonor it; and it is fitting thathe should be married to hissister so that his right to thethrone can never be

challenged.Todoelsewouldbe to bring new troubles anduncertainties to Kemet—andKemet,” he says with asudden heavy sigh, “has hadtroubles and uncertaintiesenough in these lastunhappyyears.Thisistheonlywaytomake the transition easy andsecure for the Two Lands;and now, as always, that ismyonlyconcern.”He pauses and looks at

Horemheb, a long, searchinglook that Horemheb returnsunflinching.“My son,” he says, “you

soonwillhavewhatyouhavelongwanted.Therewillbenoneed for you to be harsh orcruel or unkind to anyone.That is all over now: let thepast go. This kingdom needscharity and generosity and aloving hand from Pharaoh. Icharge you to give it these,

for soon you will haveabsolute power and no onecan restrain you. LetHoremheb not beremembered as a vengefulman: let him be rememberedas a Good God who soughtalways to bring peace andhappinesstotheTwoLands.”“SohaveIalwayssoughtto

do, Father,” Horemheb says,very low—but this timeAyeseems to hear very well.

Againheholdshiminalongandsearchinglook.“So do you do hereafter!”

hesays,andforallthatitisawhisper,itisanorder:thoughit comes from a dying manandwillbeobeyedorignoredashisheirmaychoose.“Daughter,” he says to

Mutnedjmet, whose facewears now a defiant andobstinatepout,“Iwishyoutobemarried toyourbrotherat

once. You may live as youplease thereafter, and nodoubt”—the last faint ghostof a smile touches his lips—“and no doubt you will.Butyouaretogothroughtheceremonies and confer uponhimthelegitimaterighttotheDouble Crown so the peoplemayknowthatheistheirtrueand lawful ruler. This youwill do this night, so that Imayknowithasbeendone.”

Again there is a silencewhile she looks first at him,then atHoremheb, then backto him, then back toHoremheb.Finally,fixingherglance firmly on her brother,shesayscalmly:“Very well, Father. For

you, forKemet, I shalldo it:not for him.” Her voice fillswith a savage sarcasm. “Asforyou,Brother!Seetoitthatyou do not come near me

after our ceremony, everagain,becausethosetwolittleguardians you despise somucharealwaysatmydoor.They do truly cackle likegeese, as you say. That iswhy they have always beenthere and alwayswill be—toprotect me from the variousmadnesses of the House ofThebes. They will cackle ifyoucomeforme.AndIshallalso have always bymy side

armed guards, loyal only tome, for I shall constantly re-examine them tobe sure thattheyare.Andtheywillstrikeyou dead, be you LivingHorus or no that day. Sobeware, Brother. Keep farfromme!”Ithinkforasecondthathe

would like to strikeherdeadright there;but thestakesaretoo high and he cannot. Idoubt, in fact, that he ever

will.Theyaretwoofakind.Isuspect thatMutnedjmet, Ipyand Sennawill live out theirlivesquitehappilyandsafely,coming and going as theyplease, to the eternalannoyance and eternalfrustration of the mightyLivingHorus.Now Aye falters, his eyes

begin to acquire again theirwandering look; the longstrain is starting to tell. He

sighsheavily.“Go now,” he whispers.

“Granddaughter, give me alast kiss, for I may not seeyouagain.Icommendyoutoyourcousin,whowillbekindandgentletoyou,fornowhehasnoneedtobeother.”On that point we all have

reservations; so after she haskissed him, weeping bitterly,and after Nakht-Min,Mutnedjmet and I have left

Horemheb to talk a littlelongerwithonewhohasveryevidently forgotten us by thetime we reach the door, IbeginatonceupontheplanIhave devised while Pharaohhas been talking. Not to mysurprise,Mutnedjmet joins inentirely.“Call onme for anything,”

she whispers fiercely as thefourofusstandforamomentin the corridor, clustered

together away from theguards, Ankhesenamon stillweeping as though her heartwould break, as perhaps itfinally has. “I shall alwayshelp.Sitamon?—”“Yes,” I whisper back. “I

am prepared. Come,Ankhesenamon! Come,Nakht-Min! He may dietonight.Comewithme!”AsIreachthefarendofthe

corridor Pharaoh’s door

opens again and Horemhebcomes out. Mutnedjmet hasgone, Ankhesenamon andNakht-Min have hurriedahead of me out of sight.Only he and I can see oneanother. We both stop. Weexchange a long, unyieldingstare. Neither of us givesground.Wearetrulyenemiesnow, though I, likeMutnedjmet,knowIamsafe.So are those I have taken

undermycare, if there isbuttimeformyplantosucceed.I inclinemyhead,a slight,

ironic bow. He makes noresponse. I leave him staringthere, turn on my heel andhurry away. He does notfollowforthemoment,buthewill:hewill.HeisthesonofAye, isHoremheb, and very,very thorough. I have untilmorning to dowhat I intend.Itmayjustbeenough.

***

Ankhesenamon

Ahead of us in her beautifulgildedbargegoestheQueen-PrincessSitamon,travelingtovisit her estates in theDelta.Following in this second

barge come her householdservants. Disguised amongthem are her new servingmaid, Mutnofret, and thelatest addition to herhousehold guard, Seneptah.Them she intends to leave ather favorite farm near Tanis,where, she tells them, theywillfindanoldfriendshehashiddenandprotectedalltheseyears, with whom they willbesafetoliveouttheirlives,

astheywishtodo,together.Kia!DearKia!Nakht-Min

and I had thought her deadthesemanyyears.Andallthetimemy auntwas hiding hernear Tanis and keeping hersafe,asnowshewillkeepussafe!Itisbutonemoreofthemany great kindnesses shehas performed in this world:surely she will live happilyforeverintheafterworld!Shetellsusshewillvisitusquite

often in Tanis. We hope so,foritwillbeastrangelifeforusatbest;bearable,withKia,but not really happy withoutSitamon—and Mutnedjmet,who tells us she, too, willvisitasoftenasshecan.When we left my

grandfather’s room thatnightaweek ago, bothNakht-Minand I thought we would bedead within a day. I do notbelieveHoremhebknowsthat

I am pregnant, but thepossibility that I could bewould have been a constantthreat tohim:hewouldhavehad to kill me or he neverwouldhaverestedeasyonthethrone. There would alwaysbe the chance of acounterclaimant; and ifHoremheb is the kind ofPharaoh we all think he isgoing to be, acounterclaimant would find

much support among thepeople and even thepriesthood—becauseifAmonthinksheisnotgoingtofeelastrong hand, too, Amon ismistaken.TheTwoLandsarein for cold times as the newLiving Horus seeks to bringalloncemorewithin the ironbounds ofma’at—as he seesit; and order—as he sees it;andjustice—asheseesit.HisbrotherandIarewelloutofit

to be hidden away in Tanis.EvenifheletusliveatCourt,itwouldbeacheerlessworld.Yet even knowing this, it

hasnot, of course, been easyto embark upon our newlives. I did not mind givingupmyfinerobesanddresses,but the jewels—the jewels!Ah, it hurt me to abandonsuch lovely things! ButSitamonwas right: a servingmaid with jewels would

arouse impossible suspicion.Better to leave them forHoremheb to find and seizewhen he learned fromSitamon that we had “fledtogetherinterrorintotheRedLand,noteventakingfoodorwater, sogreatwas their fearofyourvengeance.SolettheRed Land claim them: theywillnotlivebeyondtwodaysin that empty desolation!” Ihave kept only a small gold

scarab ring that belonged tomy mother, and it I do notwearuponmyhandbutupona hidden chain beneath mypeasant dress. And Nakht-Min has stripped himself ofall possessions, too, keepingonly a small jewel-encrusteddagger to remindhimofpastposition,whichhe,too,keepshidden beneath his peasantrobe.We miss the finery, we

miss the power, we missbeing waited upon. It isstrange to know that greatministers of state willnevermore attend us, thatwewill never again be able toclap hands and have a dozenservants come running, torealizethatwehavenopowerat all and that now it is wewho must come running, atleastforshowinthepresenceof others, when Sitamon or

someone else of rank clapshands. It is strange not tohave our food prepared andbrought, our beds made softand comfortable, our everywish attended instantly by ahundred willing souls whoseonlydutyintheworldwastomakeuscontent.Itisstrangeto realize that armed guardsno longer stand alwaysbetween us and theunexpected, the threatening,

the dangerous—to know thatwe are now alone andunprotected and, save ofcourseforsuchsafeguardsasSitamon can provide us,vulnerable at any time to thechance of exposure, capture,tortureandinevitabledeath.But I am not the daughter

of Nefertiti and Akhenaten,and he the son of Aye andTey, for nothing. We havechosentolive,andifpossible

tohaveourchildlive(andtheothers we intend to have,becausewehavedecidedthatwearemarriednowinfactifnotinceremony),andforthatwe have had to make ourbargain. We are blessedbeyond all measure that wehave so kind and loving afriendasSitamontoassistus,and nothing we can ever doforheras“servingmaid”and“memberof theguardatHer

Majesty’s farmatTanis”canrepayherforthat.So it is with a good heart

and in good spirits that thelast rightful heiress of theHouse of Thebes has passedforever from the sight ofKemet, and that, with anequalcheerfulness,theVizierofUpperKemethasvanished“interrorintotheRedLand.”Wehaveeachother,wehaveour coming child and others

yettocome,wehavetheloveof Sitamon, Kia andMutnedjmet,wearesafefromHoremheb.Thereismuchforwhich to thank the gods.Allof the gods—and the SoleGod, who still, I believe,watchesoverme.Two days ago, near noon,

we passed the village ofHanis and I wept for dearloyal Amonemhet and hissimple family: I never

thought to bring upon themsuch horror and I shallremember and honor themalways. And now today, justahead of the great goldenbarge that precedes us, I seethe river beginning to swingslowlytotheeast,andIknowthat I am come again toAkhet-Aten.Asifatasignal, theothers

sense it too. The oarsmenhavebeen singing: they stop.

The servants have beenchattering: they stop. Onlythesplashoftheoars,thelazysnap of a sail, the cry ofThoth the ibis along theshores, break the silence.Slowlyweglideon, theriverwidens, the great bendappears. To my right gleamthe fading towers, thecrumblingpalaces,theruinedhouses,ofmyfather’scapital.Do I see you once again,

dearghosts?IthinkIdo.Iseeyou, Mother, I see you,Father,Iseeyou,GreatWifeand easygoing, simpleSmenkhkara, I see you, dearbrave Tutankhamon brightandgoldeninsun!Iseeyou,all our happy times ofyesterday when we all wereyoungandhappyandtheSoleGodruled!Where did you make your

mistake, Father? What

happened to you, Mother?We lived in love,wewantedonly love! Where did it allvanish? Why did it all gowrong?Slowly we glide on, past

theemptytemples,thegapingpalaces, the deserted houses.On the royal landing stage,rottingawayandhalfsaggingin thewater, a singlepeasantwith a donkey stands andwaves at us. Through my

tears I wave back. YourQueen is passing, last citizenof Akhet-Aten! Say farewelltoallthatherewasbrightandlovely, for it will not comeagain. Say farewell! Sayfarewell!BlindlyI turnandburymy

face against Nakht-Min’sloving and protective chest.He soothes me, his handbrushing tenderly across mybrow.

“Do not look back anymore,” he whispers. “Do notlookback.”Even if I would, my tears

are soheavy that I couldnotsee.Where did it all vanish,

where did it all go? Whatwent wrong, Father? Whatwent wrong, Mother? Whathappenedtoourdream?

***

Ramesses

What happened to theirdream? I stand here withPharaoh,bothofusbeginningto slow and stumble as wenear our seventieth year, and

I askmyself: what happenedto their dream? I amnot onegiven much to musings, buthere at what remains ofAkhet-AtenIcannothelpbutask it of myself—though Iwould never ask it of himbecause it is against all hisordersandIwouldnotdare.Nefer-Kheperu-Ra and

Nefertiti wanted only love:andhorrorwastheend.Iamonlyasimplesoldier,

but I cannothelpbutwonderwhy.Oh, I remember all the

step-by-step: I can still nameyou each mistake as it camealong. Pharaoh and I oftendiscuss it and finally say tooneanother,“Well:letitbealesson to us.” At least weknowwhatnottodo,notthateither of us ever would. Butstill, I mean: what reallyhappened?Why did it really

gowrong?These are questions I do

not believe the Good Godasks himself, even in theprivacyofhisownroom.Itisa lonely room, because herarely has time for the harimand the Queen of course isneverthere—orifsheis,itisonly to taunthimforawhilebefore she disappears againwith her snickering littlecompanions,who growmore

obnoxious and repulsive bythe year.We are all roughlyofanage,butthosetwoseemtobeeternal;theydonotage,they just crinkle away,sneering evilly at the rest ofus, sharing some neverendingprivatejokewiththeirmistress. I think the joke isthat he had tomarry her andmake her Queen so that hecould be King. Somethingwent wrong there, too, but

historymade it impossible tocorrect. She comes only toargue,andgoesaway.So, too, did Sitamon until

she died recently andunexpectedly at Tanis. Inthese later years she used togo often there, graduallyalmostabandoningherpalacein the compoundofMalkata,particularly when he was inresidence. He has not beenthere much either in recent

years, for he has alwayspreferred Memphis and nowfor all practical purposes hasmade it his principal capital,though Thebes remains theseat of Amon and so hecomesatthetimeofOpetandforotherceremonies.Mostly,though,hestaysinMemphis.Sitamon died of a seizure

of the heart in her sixty-second year, having beforethen been in excellent health

asfarasweknew.Shemadeher regular progresses aboutthe country, joinedMutnedjmet in manycharities, remained belovedby the people. There weremany things Pharaoh wasunable to forgive her, butbeing loved by the people, Ithink, was the mostunforgivable of all. Nor didhe like theway she too, liketheQueen,neverhesitated to

challenge his decrees andcomplaintohisfaceabouthisharshness. “It is necessary,”wasallhewouldgrateout toher; and lately he stoppedsayingeventhat,onlyturningawaywith ablack andangryface.Finallyherefusedtoseeher at all. But she stillremained beloved of thepeople.Now he has appropriated

allherestatessavethefarmat

Tanis, which she leftspecifically to three of herserving people, the maidMutnofret and the guardSeneptah, who are marriedwith three fine children, andan older serving womannearer her own age,Nessamon, whom they seemtoregardalmostasamother.(Things about them were

different, wigs, clothing,waysofwalking,mannerisms

carefully cultivated over theyears;butwhenhesentmetoinspectthepropertyforhimIof course recognized theminstantly. Instinctively I bentlow to kiss Her Majesty’shand—there was immediateconsternation—but, havingdone that, there was nothingforitbuttokissQueenKia’shand and bow low toNakht-Min. We stared at oneanother: I don’t know which

ofuswasthemoreconfused.At first they were terrified,but I gave themmy absolutepledgethatIwouldkeeptheirsecret. I have never saidanythingtoHisMajestyandInever will. They are nolonger threat to him.And heis my friend: I would savehimfromfurtherblood.)Sitamon’s will was very

strong that they should havethe farm, calling down upon

Pharaoh’s head the eternalwrath of all the gods if heinterfered; and since it is, ashe says, a rather poor andinfertile place, thoughpleasant—andsincehe isnotentirely sure, I think, thatSitamoncouldnotmakegoodher threat from theafterworld,sostrongapersonwas she—he has decided tolet them keep it. And toAmonhotep, Son of Hapu,

now almost ninety years ofagebut still, up toherdeath,active as steward of herestates, he has given herpalace at Malkata for theremainderofhisdays.So, aside from the Queen,

who isasstrongashe isandwhom he will never controlandnowveryseldomsees,allhas been put in order by theLiving Horus. Ma’at, orderand justice have been

restored, harsh laws andpunishments govern all: theTwo Lands are quiet and atpeace because they do notdarebeanythingelse.Abroadthe Hittites still continue topress halfheartedly, butSuppiluliumas is also dead,Mursil II is a lazyweakling,andtherehavebeennomajorclashesinrecentyears.Allisin order save one thing. Hehas mentioned it to me

increasinglyoflate,andtodaywe are here to put it right atlast.He intends to remove the

mummies of Akhenaten andNefertitiand,Iassume,returnthemtoThebestoliewiththeothers beneath the WesternPeak.Or at least thatwaswhat I

thoughtheintendedwhenwelandedherelastnight.Nowitisnightagain,andIamnotso

sure.Wehavebeen twice to the

Royal Wadi, the first timealone, the secondaccompanied by the smallgroupof soldierswebroughtwith us. All but those twotombsareemptyanddesertedlikethecityitself.Ithasbeenan eerie experience to behere,becauseonlyamongthetreesattheveryfringesoftheNile do there remain four or

fivepeasantfamilies.Allelseis empty, crumbling, open tothe sands, deserted. Theglassworks that used toproduce such beautiful bluefaïence were the last activityin thecity to shutdown, andthat was five years ago.Shortly before that the lastguards were withdrawn, thelast contingent—two—of theonce powerful priesthood ofthe Aten were arrested and

sent to work as commonlaborers in the royal granitequarries at Aswan. Nothingremains here but ruinedbuildings and ruinedmemories. I shall be quitehappytogetitoverwith,andleave.We surveyed all the tombs

today, not only those in thewadi but the Northern andSouthernTombs.ThetombofAye, who died two weeks

after the marriage ofHoremheb and Mutnedjmet,was never occupied: he wasburied hastily andwith scanthonors in the Valley of theKings. Pharaoh did not evenconduct the Ceremony ofThe-Opening-of-the-Mouth:wedonotknowwhereAyeisnowintheafterworld,andhisson obviously does not care.The other tombs along thehills, like Aye’s, were never

finished and never occupied.ThescenestheycarriedoftheHeretic and the BeautifulWoman riding with theirdaughtersaboutthecityhavebeen almost completelydefaced on Pharaoh’s orders(as he also contemptuouslyordered the de-manning ofAkhenaten’s colossal nakedstatue at Thebes). Only theHymn to the Aten has beenallowed to remain intact in

Aye’s tomb, probablybecause Pharaoh even nowdoes not want to breakentirely with the Aten, whostillremainsamongthegods,thoughnowaminorone.We surveyed them all and

then came back again to thewadi,where the soldiersmetus; and after he had stood along time staring at thesarcophagi ofAkhenaten andNefertiti he turned to the

captain and said tersely,“ProceedasIsaid.Wewillbetheretonight.”“Where?” I asked, I am

afraidinmyusualstupidway—I am still not very bright,andIdonotknowwhyhehassuffered me all these years,except that I am a goodsoldierandabsolutelyloyaltohim—and for a moment Ithought he was going to tellme.Thenhe tookmyarm in

hisusualfamiliarmanner,hisvoice got its usual joshingnoteandhereplied:“Ramesses, as always you

ask too many questions. Allwill be revealed. Let us goback to the barge now andhave supper. You will seelater.”But no surprise that comes

nowcan,Iamsure,matchthesurprisehegavemewhenwefinished supper. He pushed

back his chair, gave me anappraising look and saidquietly:“Ramesses,myfriend,how

would you like to be Co-Regent, King and Pharaohwith me of our kingdom ofKemet?”For several seconds Imust

havelookedevenmorestupidthan I probably do look,becauseIwascompletelyandentirely astounded. Never in

my wildest dreams, never inmymost unbelievable—but Iam a good soldier and I amalsonofoolwhenitcomestosomething like that.An offerto share the highest positionintheworldisnotsomethingyouhesitateoverlongabout.“Son of the Sun,” I said

fervently, “I accept. But”—again it must have soundedstupid, but it was all sosudden and overwhelming I

simplycouldnotresistasking—“whyme?”“Because,” he said quietly,

“you are my old and trustedcomrade in arms whoseloyalty and trustworthiness Ihave tested many years inmany places.Because I haveno heir, of course, from HerMajesty”—he made agrimace both of sadness anddistaste—“or from anysecondarywife,orevenfrom

theharim.BecausethereisnoonewhoagreesmorecloselywithwhatIhavedoneandyetplantodofortheTwoLands.Because there is no onewhohas more faithfully carriedout my wishes or been ofgreater help to me. BecausethereisnooneIwouldrathersee assume the DoubleCrownif thegodsshouldseefittotakemebeforemyworkis done. Because you are

faithful Ramesses, whom Ilove and who loves me, ourbrotherhoodstrengthenedinahundredclashesofwarandathousand things of peace.BecauseIthinkyouwouldbea good Pharaoh. Because Ineedyoutohelpmerule.”Hesmiled, a quizzical yetcuriously tender smile, andasked in a tone once morejoshing, “Is this not enoughfor you, O ‘stupid’

Ramesses?What more can Ido to explain it?Must I begyouforit?”“Oh no!” I exclaimed

hastily. “I have alreadyaccepted,Majesty! Iwas just—justcurious.”“Well,nowyouknow,”he

said. “So rise, Living Horus,andcomewithmethatImayannounce it to these firstwitnesseswhoarewithus,astomorrowitwillbecarriedto

Memphis and to Thebes andtoallourdominionsfromtheDelta to Napata, and toMittani, and to Hatti, and totheGreatGreenandtoalltheworldbesides.”So we went out on the

deck, he had a trumpeterblow a salute and caused adrum to be beaten; and thereI, Ramesses, in the presenceofsomethirtybewilderedbutsoon wildly enthusiastic

soldiers, became Co-Regent,Living Horus, King andPharaohoftheTwoLandsofKemet, like unto my dearfriend Horemheb by whosesideIhavemademywayandlived my life all the dayssince I firstmet him in frontof the temple of Karnak,fifty-fiveyearsago.I did not think there could

be more surprises after that,buttherewasone.

“And now,” he said, “wegototheNorthernTombs.”

***

Horemheb(life,health,prosperity!)

He is overwhelmed, goodRamesses,yetthisisanhonor

overdue. His qualities aresimple but sound, his loyaltytomeandmyideasabsolute.I shall have an excellentCo-Regentbesideme tohelpmewithmyburdens,andwhenIgo Kemet will have a rulerwho can be trusted to keepher to the course I have set.Thus will the Two Landsprosper,whichhaseverbeenmyaim.Now I can sense him

wondering earnestly as weride along through the silent,ruinedcity:whyarewegoingto theNorthernTombs,whatdoIhaveinmind?Ithinkhemay suspect, forwhen I turnsuddenly and catch him offguard he looks worried andfearful—he is still, at heart,the simple, superstitiouspeasanthewaswhenwefirstmetatKarnak.ButI thinkinhisinnermostbeingheknows

that this is the onlyway: theonlyway,ifthelastghostsofAkhet-Aten are to be laid torestforever.It is very still as we ride.

The soldiers have gone onahead to make all ready.About us the great citystretches, crumbling awaynow into earth, its vacantboulevards, empty palacesand temples, gaping houses,inhabitedonlyby snakesand

scorpions.Khonsridesaboveinhissilverboat,thesandsoftheRedLandwhisper gentlyover in the soft warm windthat blows against the Nile.Mycousinandmyhalfsisterhad their chance: they failed.It is right that Idowhat Idotonight.A hardness has come into

me over the years: I am farfrom amiable, idealisticyoung “Kaires” who came,

cricket-bright, to Thebes solong ago.Yet I do not knowhow it could have beenprevented.Greatwrongsweredone, great evils broughtupon the land. Life said tome: “These things you mustdo for Kemet.” I did them,andtherestfellbytheway.Atfirstitwasnoteasy;but

tosomedegreehemadeitso.He ordered me to kill ouruncle Aanen, raging at him

blindly in his fiercefrustrationswithAmon. Ididso,andthatwasthefirststep.Afterthatitgraduallybecameeasier—or if not easier, atleast, shall I say, more of ahabit. Killing is somethingonebecomesinuredto,Ihavefound, even if one’s ka andba can still cry out inside inhorror at what one does. Itwas notmy nature originallyto kill; I was young, I was

happy, I liked theworld.Butpresently I came to see thatmyduty to the kingdomwassuch that I might well haveno choice. I fought against itfor awhile but then gave in.It had to be. Each time myagony grew a little less,though never has itdisappeared entirely. Thereare times even now when Iawakensuddenlyinthenightandseemyselfwithbitterness

and loathing. But thekingdomhadtobesaved,andI was the only one strongenoughtodoit.After Aanen, as I say, it

became easier. This wasaidedbyAkhenaten,wholeftus and went far away intothose mystic realms of hisown where only he—andpossibly Nefertiti, though Ithink even she did not fullyunderstand him—could go.

There he built his dreamworld,whichshesharedforatime, and then poor, foolish,easygoing Smenkhkara, whotried to please everyone andreapedthesadrewardthereof.Meanwhile the Two Landsfailedabroadandcollapsedathome. My father, the GreatWife and I knew somethinghadtobedone.Hatsuretwenttoo far and killedSmenkhkara and Merytaten.

We thought we hadAkhenaten isolated, captive,stripped of his ability to ruinKemetfurther.ThenNefertititried to rescue him, hedecided suddenly to reclaimhis power: his own examplewith Aanen, Hatsuret’s withtheothers, influencedme toomuch, perhaps.Yet, again, ithad tobedoneand it provedbestthatitwas.Iorderedherdeath,inamomentofrageas

blindas that inwhichhehadme kill Aanen; yet it wasnecessary. After that I tooktheverysamestreetswetaketonight and followed him toexactly the same place, theledge along the NorthernTombs;andtheredisposed,asthe gods told me I must, ofthat sad, sad figure that oncehad been such a promisingPharaoh. And that, too, wasnecessary.

Then came Tutankhamon,and for a time,while hewasstill a child, my father and Ithought he could be trustednot to takeusbackdown thesame blind path thatAkhenatenhadfollowedwithhis sacrilegious “Sole God.”Butsoonthesignswerethere.Slowly but surely,withwhatthey thought was disguisingcleverness, he andAnkhesenamon began to

attempt to re-establish theAten and once more cutAmon down. With this lastmotivation I foundmyself inagreement, for Hatsuret wasnot content with therestoration of Amon and thegreat powers we had givenhim: he thought to rule usonce again as Amon had inthepast.Itwastimetolowerboth Aten and Amon onceagain; but neither could be

done ifNeb-Kheperu-Ra andAnkhesenamon persisted intheir course. So Hatsuretbecameagainmyinstrument,notknowing that indoing sohewassealinghisowndeathand the new restraint ofAmon.AndAmonemhet andhis family were sacrificed todefeatAnkhesenamon’scrazyscheme. So was Zannanza.And these things, too, werenecessary.

My father continued tomumble on, sinking evermore rapidly into age. I wastempted to assist the processbuthewastoomuchbelovedby the people; and in anyevent I knew the end couldnotbe longdelayed.Evensoit was four years before theold man died, four years inwhichhecontinuedtopermittheAtentoflourish,modestlybut persistently, under his

protective rule. Only at theenddidhegivemethepowerIneededtosettheTwoLandsright;and ithas takenallmyefforts ever since to achieveeven a modest start uponrestoring theorder, thema’atandthejusticethathavebeensosadlyallowedtofallawayintheselastthirtyyears.Marriagetomybothersome

halfsister,thoughitgaveme,of course, no heirs—I never

intended that it should, forwho could couple with aninfuriatingbaggage like that?—did confirm my claim tothe throne. Then Sitamonremoved my only remainingproblem, and for that mythanks to her, wherever shemay be in the afterworld.Ramesses, of course, is notmy only spy: I have knownforfiveorsixyears that theyare at Tanis. But Kemet has

forgotten Ankhesenamon,whorepresentstheHereticinanyevent,andIamsosolidlyin command of the kingdomthatherchildrenarenolongerthreat to me. They are nolonger in the direct line, andmynamingofRamesses,whobrings with him brilliantyoung Seti and, now, Seti’sown lively little secondRamesses, summons furtherweight against them. I think

theyare soafraidofme,andso thankful tobealiveat all,that theywill never be heardfromagain.And,also,Iwantnofurtherblood:Iamtiredofblood. I have never wantedblood,thoughbloodhasbeenmy portion. They may liveout their lives and be happy,forallofme.Their happiness is all I

begrudge them, becausehappiness, though I am

Living Horus, Good God,King and Pharaoh, has notcometome.Idonotknowwhy,exactly,

except that I suppose it hasbeensacrificed, like somuchelse, to my ambition to rulethe kingdom. But from thedayIenteredtheGreatHouseandbegan to realize thestateinto which likable but self-indulgent Amonhotep III(life, health, prosperity!)was

allowingKemet to decline, Ialso began to think upon theprophecy of the ancient seerwhoclutchedmyhandwhenIwas ten and cackled, “Youwill come to great power!” Ibegan to feel that in somemysterious, secret way thegodshadselectedme tosavethekingdom.AndapparentlyIwasright,forhereIam.Yet even so, I have not

known happiness. A little,

perhaps, with Sitamon, untilherhopesofmarriagehad tobe sacrificed, like all else, towhat I came to realize wasmy duty to Kemet. Anoccasional scrap here andthere, possibly, on campaignor in the harim with someanonymous, compliant slavegirl. But nothing lasting,nothingreal,nothingtoreallystirmyheart.PerhapsifIhadmarried Sitamon it would

havecometome:butifIhadmarried Sitamon Iwould notbe King. And so theconundrum turns back uponitself and renders its ownanswer.…We are beginning to leave

the confines of the city now.Themile or so of open roadleading up to the NorthernTombsshinesdimlybeforeusin the moonlight. There arelights above on the ledge.

Ramesses grows ever moresilent and concerned. But itmust be done. There is nootherway.ItwillcompletetheactionI

began five years ago when Iordered the destruction anddefacementofallmonumentsandportraitsofAkhenaten,ofTutankhamon and of Aye,and began to date my reignfromthereignofAmonhotepIII (life, health, prosperity!),

ignoring the three who camebetween. Thus do all officialrecords, paintings, sculpturesand monuments nowproclaim. It is not the truth,butitisthetruthasIintenditto be; and as I remarkedduringtheFamily’sargumentover the painting ofAkhenaten’s coronationdurbar which ended in suchdisasterforhim,itmaynotbethe truth now, but give it a

few years and it will be. Ageneration or two, perhapsthree, and it will never beremembered that I was notthe immediate successor toAmonhotep.Thishasbeenthefirststage

of my campaign to wipe outthe Aten heresy, and allconnected with it, once andfor all. Tonight brings thecompletionofmyplan.Ihavehesitated many years, but it

must be done. There is nootherway.…WhenAyefinallydied,two

weeks after creating me Co-Regent, I came to the throneto find that all about waschaos,despitethebesteffortsof both of us duringTutankhamon’s reign. Powerhad been too divided, I didnot have a free hand to dowhat needed to be done.Myfather to the end was

moderating, mollifying,conciliating, compromising.Yet the condition of thecountry had passed beyondthose gentler things. Abroadthe Empire was virtuallygone. Suppiluliumas and therest were raiding at willacross our borders. Tributefrom foreign vassals hadfallen to virtually nothingbecausenovassal any longerrespectedus.Thestandardof

the Living Horus no longercommanded theallegianceofour territories and the swiftobedience of the “NineBows” of our traditionalenemies.AthomeAmonhadbeen partially restored, newtemples had been built,corruption had been partiallycleared away but still waspresent in every level ofgovernment and domesticlife. My father, too, lived in

dutytoKemetallhislife,butby the time he came to thethronehewastoooldtobeasstern as the times required;andinanyeventitwasnotinhischaracter.Iwasleft,andIfoundthatitwasinmine.During his reign I

organized a campaign andpushed Suppiluliumas backfrom his halfhearted attempttoavengeZannanza.MursilIImadeafewgesturesafterhis

father died, and them, too, Irepulsed.Nowthebordersarereasonablysecure,thoughthepeace is tenuous and at anymomentwemayhavetofightagain;certainlyIhavenotyetbeenable to recaptureall theterritories we have lost. IshallkeeptryingwhileIlive,but I suspect it may beRamesses, or more likelySeti, who will avenge us intheend.

Meanwhile, I haveconcentrated on domesticmatters. Here I have beenharsh, perhaps, as Sitamonalways told me, and asMutnedjmetstilldoeswhenIcannotgetawayfromher;butharshness was needed torestore the land and make itjust and safe for all. Here,too, thework progresses andisnotyet finished;but inmyEdict I have laid the

groundwork and establishedthe rules. “Slowly andgradually,” as I wryly recallmy father always saying,Kemet is beginning to movemyway. The Edict has beenthewhipwithwhich todrivethehorse.Unlike those who went

before, I do not followAkhenaten’spracticeofgoingdirectly to the people. Tutfollowed his precedent,

Ankhesenamondid,Aye did.Idecided that fewthingshaddone more to weakenPharaoh’s authority anddamage the mystique of theDouble Crown than thisattempt to speak with thepeople on their own level. Ihave never appeared beforethem to address them onmyintentions,andIneverwill. Ipass among them in pompand ceremony, they see me

from an awesome distance: Inever step down. In distanceliesthemysteryofthethrone,and distance I have restored.TheEdictwasgiventhembyMaya, that same Maya whowas superintendent of thenecropolis and friend toTutankhamon, but has yetmanaged with his skill anddiligence to become one ofmymost trustedadvisers.Heit was who appeared before

the awed multitude in myfavorite capital of Memphisandreadmycommands.I began by telling them

(through Maya and theproclamationwhichwas thenwrittenonpapyrusandsenttoevery city and village fromthe Delta to Napata) that Ihad taken counsel with myheart how best to expel eviland suppress lying. I toldthem that I spent my whole

time seeking the welfare ofKemet and searching outinstancesofoppression.I told them thatMaya,my

scribe, would give them thefollowingorders:First, Iorderedpunishment

for those who rob the poorwhentheybringtheirhumblelevies for theroyalbreweriesand kitchens. I said that anyofficer who did this wouldhave his nose cut off and be

senttoTharu.I said next that if any

officer finds a citizen whodoesnothaveaboat tobringhis tribute of wood toPharaoh’s storehouses, thenhe shall find that citizen aboatandaidhimtobringhistribute.AndIsaidthatifanycitizenfindsthathisboathasbeen robbed, he shall not berequired to pay furthertribute;ratherrestitutionshall

be made to him out ofPharaoh’streasury.I went on to say that any

soldier or officer who isguilty of robbing the poorwhen they bring gifts to theharimortothetemplesofthegodsshall alsohavehisnosecutoffandbesenttoTharu.Tostopthegeneralpractice

by tax collectors of seizingthe slaves of taxpayers andputting them to labor for six

or seven days in order toexact extra taxes which theythenpocketthemselves,Isaidthat any tax collector foundguilty of this would himselfbe put to six or seven days’labor.Iwentontocorrectanother

prevalent abuse by orderingthat any soldier found guiltyof stealing hides that he wassupposed to be collecting forPharaoh,andofnotleavinga

hide with each household ashe was supposed to do,should be given a hundredblows, opening five wounds,andhavethehidestakenfromhim.I then turned to other

corruptions of tax officialsthat had grown up in recentyearsandordered thatseverepunishment should be metedout to dishonest taxinspectors who connive with

dishonest tax collectors toretain part of the taxes forthemselves; and I also saidthat any official or soldierwhoseekstostealvegetablesbeing brought to Pharaoh’shouses and storehousesshould likewise be givenmany blows, opening fivewounds.AndIsaidthattaxeson grain should be leviedmore heavily upon the richthan upon the poor, for the

poor need grain to live andtherichhavemuchgrainandcanafforditI thenreminded themwhat

I had already done (this wasin the second year of myreign,when I thought it timetogivethemageneralreviewof what I had accomplishedfor themtothatpoint). IsaidthatIhadimprovedtheentireland,thatIhadsaileditasfarsouthasNapata,travelingthe

interior from one end to theother,whichwastrue.InotedthatIhadfoundtwoexcellenthonestcitizensandappointedthemVizierof theNorthandVizieroftheSouth,asindeedIhad,PeraandNeferhotep. Isaid that I had led these twoto the truth and instructedthem to administer all myregulations honestly andfairly, guarding themselvesagainstthetemptationtotake

bribes and always workingdiligently for Kemet; and sothey have faithfully done,from that day to this. I saidthatIwouldpaythemdirectlyandwellwithsilverandgoldfromtheroyaltreasurysothatno one could obligate themwithgifts;andsoIhave.Ithenissuedastrongorder

for punishment of anygovernment official takingbribes;andInoted that Ihad

appointed new priests(including young Nefer, ableandmywillingservant,tobeHigh Priest of Amon on thedeathofhisfeebleoldfather),new prophets and newofficials of the courts (to ridtheland,thoughIdidnotfeelIhadtospellitout,oftheoldoneswho had done somuchtocorruptoursociety).IremindedthemthatIwas

legislating for Kemet to

improve the lives of itspeople; and I announcedtimes and places when Iwould be present regularlythroughoutthelandtopreside(but not to speak) while myofficials conducted theirbusiness for the good ofKemet. And I promised thaton these occasions I wouldgive gifts of gold and silverand grain to those citizenswho had done well, and

deserved it. And this, too, Ihavedone.I told them then that I had

so far accomplished manygreat things for themand forthe Two Lands, and that Iwouldcontinuetodosowitha strong hand, for suchcorruption and sadness hadfallen upon the Two Landsthatonlyastronghandcouldrescue them; and I ended bysaying(throughMayaandthe

writtenproclamations):“Hear ye these commands

whichMyMajesty hasmadefor the first time governingthe whole land, when MyMajesty remembered themanycasesofoppressionthathaveoccurredbefore!”Since then some five

hundred noses have been cutoff, the prison in Tharu hasgrown by three thousand, agood many hundred blows,

opening a good manywounds, have beenadministered.But ithasbeennecessary.This isanamiableand easygoing people, buttheydoneedan ironhand tohold them to the course ofjustice.ThisIhaveprovided.I had originally prepared

this Edict for Tutankhamon,andsomepartsofithadbeenpublished in his name. But Ifelt no compunction about

claiming it, expanding it andreissuing it for myself,becausewhen hewas alive Iwas the principaladministratorofit,anyway.But, as I said, much still

remains to be done. So Itravel ceaselessly up anddown the river—I am evennow on my way to visitThebes, after I complete thebusiness here—and I laboreach day from the time Ra’s

first light begins to slantacross the landuntil the timethe last purple glow fades atlast from the western hills.My life is work, for I havefew pleasures. I have littletime for them, and the needsof the kingdom will not letmerest.…We are at the foot of the

last ramp up the hill to theNorthern Tombs. Our horsespuffandwhinny,ourprogress

slows. Above we can seesoldiers,torchesflaringinthegentlewind.Theyareformedinto ranks and stand facingus, so thatwecannotyet seewhatisbehind.We top the rise, halt the

horses, hand the reins to twosoldiers who hurry forwardandtie themsecurelytoa jutof rock. The rest standimmobile,whitewithfearandsuperstition as their captain

salutesusandsayssolemnly:“Your Majesties, all is

ready.”Ramesses starts—he is not

yetusedtohisnewtitle—andIsay:“Very well, good captain.

Leave us now and we shallperformthebusiness.Remainat the bottom of the hill andwhen we come down I shallinstructyou.”“Yes, Your Majesty,” he

says; calls an order to hismen; they march swiftlydowntheramp.Weseenowwhatisbehind

them.“No!”Ramesses cries, half

turning away, his facecontorted with fear andhorror.But:“Yes!” I say in a terrible

voice. “You are King now,too,myfriend!Actit,anddowithmewhatmustbedone!”

Andafteramoment,withaheavy sigh and a littlewhimperingsound,herejoinsme and we walk forward tothe great pyre of wood onwhich lie the broken bits ofbone and rotted flesh thatoncewerehewhowasknownas Nefer-Kheperu-RaAkhenatenandshewhooncewas known as Nefer-neferu-atenNefertiti.Here on the ledge where

they liked to picnic, herewhere he loved to broodabove his shining,foredoomed city, here whereI, Horemheb, raised my axand ended his pathetic life, Ikeep my last appointmentwith my strange cousin andhisbeautiful,unhappyQueen.She is not beautiful now,

norishe.Wehaveheremereghastly tatters, wrappedcarelesslyinhastyrags.There

was no time or desire tomummifythemproperly,theywere pitched pell-mell intohurried graves. Only a fewjewels sewn with desperatehaste into the fraying fabricstill gleam and glitter in themoonlight, and them I reachdown and carefully remove,for I am a careful man andwastenotwhatIcanuse.This done, I take two

timbers from the pile, hold

them for a moment in thetorches that flare high allaround, casting a garish lightupon the scene—like to thelight of that wild night infront of the Palace when Isawthemlast—andhandonetoRamesses.He takes it in a trembling

hand. He still is inclined towhimperabit,butmymindismadeup.Istrikehimsharplyontheback.

“Light the pyre!” I order,and plunge my own timberinto it. After a frightenedmoment he does the same.The wood, drenched inpitchblende, catches at once.We step back from theblasting heat. In seconds theflamesareroaringtowardthesky.“Sodie,Akhenaten!”Icry,

and tomymindcome racingthewordsofThe-Opening-of-

the-Mouth,which I turnnowfor my own purposes in thismomentoffinaltriumphoverhim.“Die,Nefertiti!Dieyouboth forever! You die again,you die again forever! Hereyouwillneverliveagain,youdieagainforever!”Another sob comes from

Ramesses atwhat he regardsas this impiety; but I havesaidwhatImeanttosayandIamnotafraid.It iswhat they

deserve, and the gods, Iknow,arewithmeasIsayit.Oncemorehestartstoturn

away. I grasp his arm andforce him sternly back. Weface the holocaust, in whichwecandiscernnothing.Thereis one sharp pop! as of abone, or perhaps a skull,exploding, but that is all wehear, save only the steadyrush of flame that mountshigher and higher as the

impregnated wood roars intoashesandtakesthemtoasheswithit.Formanyminuteswestand

so while they burn. I feelgreatcalmness,greatserenity.Now they are truly goneforever,andKemetandIcanboth,atlast,resteasy.Finally the flames flicker

and die. Nothing but ashesremain.Itisover.We turn, untie our horses,

mount and ridedown.At thefootthetroopsawaitus,rigid,awedandterrified.“Captain,” I say, taking a

purse frommy belt, “here ismuch gold for you and yourmen, five pieces each forthemandtenforyou.Doyoureturn now to the ledge,disperse the embers, rake thearea, remove all traces. Andbe sure to spread the ashesthinly over the rock, so that

the winds of the Red Landmay blow them away andthey may nevermore beseen.”“Yes, Majesty,” he replies

ina shakingvoice.“Wego.”And fortified by my gold,they gather up their courage,put aside their superstitionsandobey.Ramesses heaves once

moreadeep,shudderingsigh.ButItellhimcalmly,“Sonof

theSun,itisnomatter.Itwasnecessary for the sake of theTwoLandstoputthemtorestforever—we did it—it isdone.Comewithmenowandwe will go to Thebes andmakeyouKing.”Helooksatmestrangelyas

though he has never reallyknown me, though we havebeenclosest friends formorethanhalfacentury.“Yes, Son of the Sun,” he

saysatlast.“Itshallbeasyousay.”We go down from the

NorthernTombs, through theghostlycity, along theemptystreetsandsototheriverandmygoldenbarge.Khons rides above in his

silver boat. All is quieteverywhere. No human stirs.Only a lone dog howls,somewherealongtheNile.Thecityisdead.

The Heretic and theBeautifulWomanaredead.The evil concept of One

Godisdead,foreverandever,for millions and millions ofyears.Themaddreamisended.Thevastplainsleeps.

***

Epilogue

Amonhotep,SonofHapu

So it ends, as it began, inThebes. Far down the Nile Ihear them coming, Pharaoh

and the Co-Regent, and theCo-Regent’sson,andhisson.Once more comes thefamiliarroarofgreetingfromthesamefamiliarcrowd.Thesame crowd—the sameenthusiasm—the samewelcome—the same pompand circumstance—it neverchanges, though the faceschange. Nor will it everchange, Isuppose,as longastheTwoLandslive.Andthat,

theytellus,willbeforever.Forever is becoming a

somewhat easier concept formenow,becauseamonthagoI attained one hundred yearsofage.Idonotknowwhythegods have preserved me solong,unlessitbetohaveonemind that can still rememberhow it all began. And one,perhaps, that can stand asideand watch the pageant passandreflectuponthemortality

that overtakes us all, evenshouldwehappentobeGoodGods,LivingHoruses,Kingsand Pharaohs of the TwoLands of the kingdom ofKemet.Horemheb and Ramesses

areeighty,now,andbotharebeginningtoshowsignsofit.Bothhavelivedthewarriors’lifeandHoremhebhasaddedto it the burden of all thethingshehashad todosince

to restorema’atand order tothekingdom.He,Ithink,willgotoliebeneaththeWesternPeak somewhat sooner thansimple,kindlyRamesses;butIdonotthinkhewillbewithusmuchbeyond.And of course it does not

really matter. Horemheb hasset theTwoLands firmly ontheir course at last; an ironwillhasrestoredastable,ifasomewhat iron, society. All

that remains now is torecapture fully our lostterritories and Empire, andthatIdonotthinkwillbetoolongdelayed,thoughIdonotexpectthateitheroftheGoodGods,orI,will live tosee it.Thereisonewhowill.The great golden barge is

nearing now, approaching onthe usual roar of sound, asthey prepare to disembark atKarnaktostarttheFestivalof

Opet.Horemhebstandsintheprow; behind a little, at hisright hand, stands Ramesses;andbehindhimstandforcefuldetermined Seti, now thirty-nine, and his own youngsecond Ramesses, nowtwenty.Ialmostsaid“SetiI,”forsoon,Ithink,hewillbe.Ifeel in my old bones, whichhavegrownmoresensitivetonature’s winds and humanweather as I have achieved

my century: the Good Godswillnotbeheremuchlonger.Ibelievetheyearswillbefewuntil Seti succeeds to theDoubleCrown.The House of Thebes is

finished, the EighteenthDynasty is, for all practicalpurposes, over. TheNineteenth Dynasty, for allpracticalpurposes,hasbegun.And now truly, such is thestrong character and

imperious will of Seti, thegreat days of Kemet will atlastreturn.So we come again full

circle, as we have before inour ancient history of neartwo thousand years, fromglory to collapse to gloryagain.Itisgood,asInearmyown end, to know that thefuture shines bright oncemore for theTwoLands andfor thewearer of theDouble

Crown;becausegrievousandmanyarethewoundswehavesuffered in recent years, anddark and dismal haveappeared our chances, manytimes.Now the dream is at last

played out, the remainingcharacterssoonwillleavethestage; and out of it all, whatremains? What of him whostill haunts the plains ofAkhet-Aten, who still lives

restlessly in the hearts of allwho knew him, even thoughHoremhebwouldliketothinkhe banished him forever ontheledgebeforetheNorthernTombs?He still lives: andasmuch

as any, and perhaps morethan most, will continue tolive,Ithink,foreverandever,for millions and millions ofyears.WhowasAkhenaten?What

was he? Was there any trueidealism and consistency inthe godwho raised his spearagainst the other gods, whosang of love and happinessand joyful worship yetmarried his daughters,abandonedhiswife,lovedhisbrother, ruined the kingdom,lost theEmpire,sacrificedalltohislovely,futiledream?I did not used to think so

before I reached my present

years;andevennowIamnotsure I am right to believe it.Yet it seems to me that hewasatrueidealist,andsocanbe forgiven much; and thathis inconsistencies werehuman inconsistencies andtherebybecameofthemselvesan understandable, and soforgivable,consistency.Out of his hatred for the

godsbecause theywouldnotrescue him from his

disfigurementcame,withtruehumanirony,hisSoleGodoflove.He was idealistic, power-

loving—humble, arrogant—gentle, ruthless—practical,impractical—normal,abnormal—weak, strong—adreamercursedbydreams.Hewasbothgodandman,

and in both a multitude. Hegreatly tried and greatlyfailed; and though his

message of a Sole God oflove was not for us, I yetsuspect that sometime,somewhere, it will find ananswerintheheartsofmen.They are on the landing

stage now, they turn toreceive the tumult of thekingdom: Horemheb andRamesses—two fast-aginggods who hold themselvesdeterminedly erect with thepride of their position; Seti

and young Ramesses—symbols, and soon to becreators,of thenewday.TheTwoLandsareingoodhandsnow, and before long, Isuspect, will have forgottentheir strange, unknowablePharaoh and the chance oflovethattheyhadinhim,andlost. But somewhere burieddeep the memory will live,uneasily; and Kemet, for allthat Horemheb has returned

her successfully to the waysofherancestors,willneverbethesameagain.Nor,perhaps,will the world beyond herborders.Now as they begin their

slowprogresstowardthefirstpylon of triumphant Amon’stemple—wheretheywillstopatthelitterinwhichIlieandbowlowandgreetmefondlyforoldtimes’sakeandallwehavebeenthroughtogether—

twoscenesareinmymind.The first is thatearlynight

upon the ledge when heannounced his Hymn to theAten and had us join him inthe flaring torchlight as hechanted.Itcanbefoundnowonly in the tombofAye andoneortwoothers,butitlivesin my heart as I suspect itdoes in Horemheb’s, thoughhewouldneveradmitit:“Thou arisest fair in the

horizon of Heaven, O LivingAten,BeginnerofLife.Whenthou dawnest in the East,thou fillest every land withthy beauty. Thou art indeedcomely, great, radiant andhigh over every land. Thyraysembracethelandstothefullextentofallthatthouhastmade, for thou art Ra andthouattainesttheirlimitsandsubdueththemforthybelovedson, Akhenaten. Thou art

remote yet thy rays are notupon the earth. Thou art inthesightofmen,yetthywaysarenotknown.…“Theearthbrightenswhen

thou arisest in the Easternhorizon and shinest forth asAten in the daytime. Thoudrivest away the night whenthougivestforththybeams.…The entire earth performs itslabors.Allcattleareatpeacein their pastures. The trees

andherbagegrowgreen.Thebirds fly from their nests,theirwingsraisedinpraiseofthyspirit.Allanimalsgambolon their feet, all the wingedcreation live when thou hastrisenforthem.Theboatssailupstream, and likewisedownstream.Allwaysopenatthy dawning. The fish in theriver leap in thy presence.Thy rays are in the midst ofthesea.

“Thou it is who causestwomen to conceive andmaketh seed into man, whogiveth life to the child in thewomb of its mother, whocomforteth him so that hecries not therein, nurse thatthou art, even in the womb,whogivethbreath toquickenallthathehathmade.…“How manifold are thy

works!Theyarehidden fromthesightofmen,OSoleGod,

like unto whom there is noother…!“Thy beams nourish every

field and when thou shinestthey live and grow for thee.Thou makest the seasons inorder to sustainall that thouhastmade, thewintertocoolthem, the summer heat thattheymay tasteof thyquality.Thou hast made heaven afaroff that thou mayest beholdall that thouhastmadewhen

thouwastalone,appearinginthyaspectoftheLivingAten,risingandshiningforth.Thoumakest millions of forms outof thyself, towns, villages,fields, roads, the river. Alleyesbeholdtheebeforethem,for thou art the A ten of thedaytime, above all that thouhastcreated.…”And as the two elderly

Pharaohs who are, and thetwo youthful Pharaohs who

are yet to be, leaveme aftermuch kind greeting and passwithin the temple ofKarnak,thislastthingcomestome:That night on the river

when the Court left Akhet-Aten and Tutankhamonstopped for the night at thevillage of Hanis; and when,on thedeckofHisMajesty’sbarge, very late, the lonesinger sang, to theshimmering sound of a harp

and the gentle rustle of asistrum,hisbittersweetwordsthat speak to us all, old andyoung,richandpoor,greatestof theearthorsmalleston it,afterall thestrife isoverandthefinalwordissaid:“Beglad, that thoumayest

cause thine heart to forgetthatmenwillonedayglorifythee at thy funeral. Followthy desire, so long as thoulivest.Putmyrrhonthyhead,

clothe thee in fine linen, andanoint thee with the marvelsoflife.“Increase yet more the

delights that thou hast, andletnotthineheartgrowfaint.Follow thy desire and dogood to others and thyself.Do what thou must uponearthandvexnotthineheart,until that day of lamentationcome to thee—for He WithThe Quiet Heart, Great

Osiris, heareth notlamentations, and criesdeliver no man from theunderworld.“Spend thy days happily

anddonotwearythereof!“Lo, none can take his

goodswithhim!“Lo, none that hath

departedcancomeagain.…”

September 1975–March1976

***

Appendix

TheWritingProcess

Interviewer: Could you

talk about your actualworking procedure? First ofall, in terms of research—How much research-typeplottingdoyoudobeforeyouactuallystart?

Drury: Well, I’ve donevery little because, on theWashington novels, a greatdealofithasgrownoutofmycoverage ofWashington as areporter. For Advise andConsent I did a certain

amountofresearch,onSenaterules. In A Shade ofDifference—House rules, tobesureIhadaParliamentaryProcedure correct. I waspretty sure I had it straightfromcoveringitasareporterallthoseyearsbutIwantedtobe absolutely sure. In AShadeofDifference,althoughI had covered the UN in anumber of cases, for briefperiods,Iwentupandspenta

month researching the UNrules and procedures rightdown to the shade of thecarpet in the SecurityCouncil, the color of a vaseon a table and that sort ofthing, to be sure I had itauthentic. In Capable ofHonor, the conventionprocedure,Idida littlebitofreference to conventionmanuals, but mostly it wasexperience from covering it.

Now, when I undertake theSan Joaquin business, I willgo down and read backnewspapers and do a lot offactual research on the waythings developed there andI’ll have to domore than ontheWashingtonnovels.

Interviewer: As far asday to day working habits,howdoyouliketoproceed?

Drury: Well, I seem toget up about eight-thirty or

nine and write ’til noon orone p.m. It averages out I’dsayaboutfourhoursofsteadywork, reasonably steady—getting up to get a drink ofwaterortolookatthevieworwhatever one does whenone’s writing—anythingexcept getting back to thetypewriter. But on thewholeit averages about four hoursofwork.Itrytodoitmoreorless like a job—I try to give

myselftheweekendsoff.I’vefound that, however, once Istart on something with veryfew exceptions I will carrythroughonit,Imean,Iwon’tknockoffforamonthortwo—at themostmaybe aweekorso.Itrytogorightstraightthrough and finish it. I’vefoundonthewholeI’mluckyin this. If I have someproblem, if I’m tied up onsomepointsometimesifIjust

leave it alone foracoupleofdays it kind of works itselfoutandwhenIgetbackto itit seems to flow again moresmoothly.

Interviewer: Do you setyourselfanyquota?

Drury: No, it averagesroughly five typewrittenpages a day, double spaced,which is somewhere around800-1,000 words a daymaybe. And, again, I think

the solidity one gets fromwritingnewspapercopyhelpsthere, too. I thelpsone learntowritefast.

Interviewer: Howextensivelydoyourewrite?

Drury: Well, I wouldn’tsaymassiverewrites,butIdoa lot of line changes andparagraphdetailand thatsortofthing.

Interviewer: Do you dothat after you’ve jumped

aheadtwentyorthirtypages?Drury:Yes, I usually let

it pile up to that extent andthen I go over it and do itthen.And then, of course, atfrequent intervals, everycoupleofweeksorso,Ireadthe entire thing from thebeginning to where I am atthat point, and many thingswilloccurtomeasIgoalongeach time—somethingoccurstomeorsomechangeIwant

tomake.So it’s a continuingprocess.

Interviewer: Do youspend much time sociallywithotherwriters?

Drury: No, not somuchother writers. I don’t knowtoomany of them. I supposeifonelivedinNewYork,onemight develop more alongthat line—although I don’tthinkIwouldanyway.IfIdidlive there I’d probably steer

clearof thembecauseI thinkthe writing community tendsto be a sort of a self-cannibalizing communitybasedonwhatI’veheardofitand what I’ve read of it. I’dstay out of that atmosphere.Of course, reporters I seewhen I’m in Washington—Ihavefriendswhoreportthereor up on the Hill or at theWhiteHouse.

Interviewer: What

guidelines do you thinksomeone who is trying tolearn theartof reportagecanfollow?Whataresomeofthethings that make goodreporting?

Drury: First, I thinkbasically, getting the factsstraight, and next studyingpeople and learning humannature as much as you can;analyzingwhy people do thethings they do and getting

some feel of the humanmotivations behind whateverisgoingon.

Interviewer: So that youcanevaluatetheinformation?

Drury: Yes, I think so,and in terms of thepersonalitiesinvolved.

Interviewer: How muchofthis,though,canyouuseintheactualreporting?

Drury: Well, if it’s justfor reporting you can’t use

too much of that—it’s morein the area of articles andcommentaries on what’sgoing on—which reallybasically is thearea inwhichIwasinvolvedovertheyears,ratherthanstraightreporting.

Interviewer:Canyousayanything more about generalprecepts you learned as areporter, that you could passonorthatyou’vebeenabletoapplytofiction?

Drury: I think that thereporter’s technique forgetting a lead, of stating anattention-getter right at thebeginning. In Advise andConsent,BobMunsongoestothe door and picks up thePost and says, “Oh, Goddamn,” and everyonewonders what’s he swearingabout, what’s going tohappen. To establish youreventandthenwritingitisto

take something that happensand then analyze it anddevelop all the things thatsurround it and people whosurround it are involved andso on. And move on fromthere to some conclusion ofthat initial event. And that, Ithink, is probably newspapertraining. And also thetechnique of having eachparagraph as much aspossible and each event as

muchaspossiblegrowoutofthe one immediatelypreceding it. And frequentlythat can be done with aphrase or two. You just linkoneepisodewithanother.Butit keeps, the reader going, itkeeps him interested, carrieshimforwardinthestory.Thatalso I think is a techniquefrom newspaper training. Sothat—what you have is notnecessarily linear in time

necessarily—but a verballinking together. Iwas tryingtothinkofaspecificexample—a paragraph: “Nothingfurther came that night fromthe President” and then aspace, “Nor should it have,”hethoughtbecause…andsoonandsoon.Justtyingin,sothat it carries the flowof thenarrativeforward.

Interviewer: Is readingpartofyourdailyroutine?

Drury: Yes, I usuallyread a little bit every day. Ifind that when I’m workingon a novel, I don’t so oftenreadothernovels.That’sonetime when I want to stayaway from them, with theexception of Seven Days inMay; I haven’t read any ofthese Washington novelswhich followed Advise andConsent because I didn’twant to be influenced even

indirectly or subconsciously,bywhatsomebodyelsemightwriteaboutWashington.AsIsay, my reading tends moreand more toward thehistoricalnovel.

Interviewer: Whathistorical novels have youreadrecently?

Drury: Just recently, IcameacrossareissueofFordMaddox Ford’s “The FifthWife” which is about

Catherine Howard, HenryVIII’sfifthwife.Andthat’saveryfascinatingaccount,veryinteresting and beautifullydone with much detail. It’salmost like thisnovelAManforAllSeasons,inthefeelofHenryVIII’sEngland,whichyougetoutofthenovelfromthe great detail he goes intoabout tapestries and thetactilesideofit.

Interviewer: What about

straight history? Have youeverreadmuchofthat?

Drury: Yes, I’ve read agood deal of that, too. Oh,things like Bruce CattonOnThe Civil War, for instance,and quite a bit of Englishhistory and American,Revolutionary period—anything that’s interesting inthehistoricareaIusuallywillsoonerorlaterread.

Interviewer: Do you go

backtoGibbon?Thucydides?Drury: Yes, I just

finished a history of wars, abookonGreece, I think.TheWill of Zeus I think is thenameof it. I guess the rangeis prettywide, I don’t know.Thereisn’tmuchIhaven’tatleastdippedinto.

Excerpted from “An

Exclusive Interview withAllenDrury”byJohnKnoop,which appeared in Writer’sYearbook 1968, withpermission from Writer’sDigest.

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AbouttheAuthor

Allen Drury is a master ofpoliticalfiction,#1NewYorkTimes bestseller and PulitzerPrizewinner, best known for

the landmark novel Adviseand Consent. A 1939graduate of StanfordUniversity, Allen Drurywrote for and became editorof two local Californianewspapers. While visitingWashington, DC, in 1943 hewashiredbytheUnitedPress(UPI)andcoveredtheSenateduringthelatterhalfofWorldWar II. After the war hewrote for other prominent

publications before joiningthe New York Times’Washington Bureau, wherehe worked through most ofthe 1950s. After the successofAdviseandConsent,heleftjournalism towrite full time.He published twenty novelsandfiveworksofnon-fiction,many of them best sellers.WordFire Press will bereissuing the majority of hisworks.

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