Misplaced (3 page)

Egypt’
s
mos
t
v
enerabl
e
publi
c
figure
s
approache
d
from
separat
e
hall
w
ay
s
whic
h
cam
e
togethe
r
a
t
th
e
grea
t
balcony.
Followin
g
centurie
s
o
f
tradition
,
th
e
sister
s
too
k
thei
r
place
among
the
others
in
two
rows,
shielded
from
view
by
a
heavy gauze
curtain.
Father
would
pull
it
aside
to
start
the
ceremony.

S
plen
d
i
d
i
n
la
y
er
s
o
f
gold
,
wit
h
carnelia
n
an
d
blu
e
lapis
je
w
elr
y
o
v
e
r
a
simpl
e
whit
e
robe
,
Pharao
h
P
ep
y
I
I
too
k
hi
s
plac
e in
the
center
of
the
first
row.
Pride
brimmed
in
Khara’s
heart
at the
rare
sight
of
him
this
w
ay.
A
striped
headdress
completed
hi
s
regalia
,
th
e
tw
o
hangin
g
side
s
o
f
i
t
framin
g
cheekbones
grown
e
v
en
more
prominent
with
age.
In
his
arms
he
carried folds of gold-encrusted fabric.

“Th
e
peopl
e
o
f
Egyp
t
sen
d
yo
u
thi
s
magnificen
t
gift.
”
H
e
let
th
e
fold
s
drop
,
re
v
ealin
g
a
cap
e
o
f
ten
s
o
f
thousand
s
gol
d
beads,
whic
h
h
e
fastene
d
beneat
h
he
r
chi
n
wit
h
a
v
el
v
et
y
leathe
r
strap.

Hopin
g
tha
t
th
e
dee
p
breath
s
sh
e
too
k
woul
d
settl
e
her
stomach, Khara mo
v
ed to her place on his right.

“Wher
e
i
s
Unam?
”
th
e
pharao
h
aske
d
impatiently
.
The
place on his left
w
as
v
acant.

A
n
unknown
,
middle-age
d
pries
t
spok
e
up
,
wringing
hi
s
hands
.
“
A
thousan
d
apologies
,
m
y
Lord
!
Th
e
Hig
h
Priest
remain
s
dee
p
i
n
pra
y
er
,
ensurin
g
abundan
t
blessing
s
fo
r
this
day
.
Hi
s
holines
s
send
s
m
e
i
n
hi
s
place.
”
Th
e
anxiou
s
cleric
b
o
w
e
d
,
runnin
g
hi
s
han
d
s
o
v
e
r
hi
s
s
ha
v
e
d
hea
d
,
l
oo
kin
g
a
s
thoug
h
h
e
migh
t
cry
.
He
r
fathe
r
di
d
no
t
loo
k
pleased
,
but
nodded
to
affirm
that
the
great
honor
of
standing
on
pharaoh’s left
would
be
his.
Khara
o
v
erheard
Menefra
snicker
as
Nandor,
th
e
ro
y
a
l
bodyguard
,
snorte
d
an
d
muttere
d
i
n
hi
s
Nubian
tongue.

Th
e
vizier
,
whos
e
lon
g
pointe
d
ear
s
an
d
u
ncompromising
e
y
e
s
reminde
d
Khar
a
o
f
a
jackal
,
looke
d
t
h
e
par
t
e
v
e
n
more
today
.
Dresse
d
i
n
a
blac
k
robe
,
h
e
seeme
d
t
o
floa
t
t
o
hi
s
position
at
the
far
right
of
the
second
row.
Next
to
him,
feet
planted
and
arm
s
crossed
,
Nando
r
stoo
d
behin
d
hi
s
m
aster
.
Ornamental
scars
co
v
ered
much
of
his
bluish-black
skin.
The
line
continued
wit
h
Menefra
,
wh
o
f
idgete
d
constantly
,
an
d
ende
d
wit
h
Egypt’
s highest-ranking
officer,
General
Sobo,
a
short,
angry
man
with the
E
y
e
of
Horus
painted
on
the
leather
patch
that
co
v
ered
his missing
e
y
e.
To
make
matters
worse,
his
good
e
y
e
w
as
painted
t
o
match
.
Th
e
effec
t
w
a
s
tha
t
o
f
a
disguis
e
gon
e
frightfully
wrong.

“This
is
no
occasion
for
w
eapons,”
the
general
gro
w
led
at the
sight
of
the
scabbard
fastened
to
Nando
r
’s
broad
belt.
The tooled
leather
did
little
to
disguise
the
ominous
sickle-shaped
sword
.
Sobo’
s
smil
e
tightene
d
i
n
condemnation
.
“
Al
w
ays
challenging tradition…”

“Le
t
i
t
go
,
Sobo,
”
pharao
h
commande
d
withou
t
turning around
.
H
e
leane
d
clos
e
t
o
Khara
.
“
A
kis
s
fo
r
m
y
girls,
”
he whispere
d
wit
h
a
w
ar
m
smile
,
“fo
r
goo
d
luck
.
Afte
r
today,
you
will
be
one
with
the
gods.”
P
ausing,
he
leaned
for
w
ard
to
pee
r
throug
h
th
e
curtai
n
a
t
th
e
happ
y
face
s
below
,
patien
t
a
s
the
y
w
aite
d
fo
r
a
glimps
e
o
f
thei
r
god-king
.
Pharaoh’
s
voic
e resonated with pride. “Today, my daughter makes history!”