Tiy and the Prince of Egypt (22 page)

Tiy paced the length of the room alongside a table with maps spread open across the length of it. Every vizier and senior priest of Upper Egypt would be filing in at any moment to discuss the first preparations for war. There would be plenty of contention around the table as opinions were voiced, but it would be nothing compared to the hostility ahead of them.

“
Would you please sit down,” Amenhotep said. “You are acting like your mother.”

Tiy
whipped around to face him, her eyes narrowed. “Just what do you mean by that?”

Amenhotep chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. “You are more stressed than a
hen thrown into a harem of cats.”

“I want to make certain we make the best decisions for our people.”

“We will.” He paused and glanced out the window. “I have asked the wives of my viziers to join us as well.”

Tiy’s heart plummeted.
“Why?” she asked, her voice tight. If the wives were coming, that meant Kepi was coming as well.  

A
knock sounded on the door.

“Stop your pacing,”
Amenhotep said. “I want you by my side.”

Tiy put her hands on her hips. “You should have told me she was coming.”

Amenhotep shook his head and beckoned her toward him with his hand. “If I had, you would have done everything within your power to convince me otherwise.”

Tiy opened her mouth to protest, even though he was right, but was cut off by another knock on the door. She
hurried to the head of the table, surprised when Amenhotep led her up a small dais to where the double throne rested. It looked more like a bench than a throne, but it added to the vision that she and Amenhotep were a united force.

“It’ll be only for a moment,” Amenhotep said in answer to her scowl.

Tiy nodded and took her place on the throne, beginning to understand why he had insisted she wear her full headdress and finest kalasiris. She neutralized her expression, straightened her back and held her chin high.

“Enter,” Amenhotep said.

The priests and viziers were first to enter, bowing before the throne before taking their seats at the table. Their wives followed, each offering a curtsy before finding a seat along the wall. The women, in particular, seemed thrilled to be included among Pharaoh’s counsel, even if they were relegated to the edges of the room.

But no one seemed more thrilled than Kepi. It was her first court
appearance since moving to Nubia and it was clear she had put every effort into her appearance. Her eyes had been dusted with malachite green, her lips painted ochre red. Even her nails had been stained with henna. Her face lit with a dazzling smile as she curtseyed before the throne, her eyes focused on Amenhotep. Just before she rose, she glanced at Tiy and gave an almost imperceptible smirk.

Tiy held her chin higher, refusing Kepi the customary nod she
had given the other women. It was a severe insult to be spurned by the queen, but Kepi didn’t seem to notice, or care. She didn’t even notice the shocked expressions of the women she sat next to or the slight movement they made to distance themselves from her. Kepi’s eyes remained on Amenhotep.

Amenhotep waited for everyone to get seated before speaking. “Queen Tiy and I can
no longer hope for a peaceful resolution in the south. As I am sure you have been made aware, I have issued a Declaration of War against Nubia.”

A
nod of agreement rounded the table.

“
Two armies will be assembled, one in Memphis and the other in Thebes. They will be split into three hundred companies of two hundred and fifty infantry soldiers. Are you in agreement?”

Another round of nods circled the table.

“Yuya, father of Tiy, Queen of Egypt, you may stand and approach.”

Tiy smiled as her father looked around the table before standing, surprise etched in his
brow. Tiy glanced at her mother and smiled at the mixture of anticipation and awe she saw on her face. Her father approached the dais and bowed low to the ground.

“I am at your service, Great One, Lord
of the Two Lands,” her father said.

Amenhotep touched the tip of his flail to her father’s forehead. “I appoint you
Chief Commander of Chariotry and give you responsibility over the elite chariot corps, the Maryannu.”

H
er father burst with pride, his chest puffed with importance as he stood. “I will rise to the challenge and give all that I have,” he said.

“
Egypt accepts your vow. You may return to your seat, Yuya,” Amenhotep said.

Her father returned to his seat
, no doubt eyeing her mother along the way, considering the look of pure elation on her face.

“Vizier Ramose, you may stand and approach,” Amenhotep said.

Ramose rose from his seat and bowed before the dais with less gusto, but no less respect.

“I too am at your
service, Pharaoh,” Ramose said, winking at Tiy before he finished his bow.

The corner of Amenhotep’s mouth lifted and Tiy had to chew on the inside of her lip to keep from
laughing. Ramose’s sense of humor always cropped up at the strangest of times.

“Vizier
Ramose,” Amenhotep began, “I give you stewardship over the ground troops stationed in Thebes. Do you accept?”

“I do, Pharaoh.” He bowed again and returned to his seat, the weight of his responsibility preventing him from releasing any winks or sly smiles.

Amenhotep sat a little straighter “Vizier Merymose, you may approach,”

Merymose rose from his seat
like a nervous colt, his eyes flickering between Tiy’s head and the floor. Although she wore a long, dark wig, Tiy realized Merymose was aware of what Kepi had done to her. Her eyes narrowed.

Merymose bowed lower than her father and Ramose had. “I am humbly at your service, Pharaoh, King of Egypt, Son of Ra, Lord of the Two Lands—”

Amenhotep raised a hand and Merymose closed his mouth. “Given your unique knowledge of the Nubian territory I would like you to lead the ground troops from Memphis. Do you accept this great honor and responsibility?”

Merymose’s eyes widened
and flicked once more to Tiy. “Yes. Yes, of course, Your Majesties, Pharaoh and Queen Tiy.”

Tiy groaned inwardly. Why had she assigned him the vizier-ship? She had been desperate to get rid of them and figured there was no better place than the awful seat of
the Nubian Vizier. But she had practically paved the way for him to receive one of the most prestigious offices in the Egyptian army and now she would have to work with him on a more frequent basis.

Amenhotep swung the flail
over Merymose’s head. “Do you give your allegiance to the Double Crown of Egypt?”

“I do,” Merymose said.

“Do you swear upon the life of the son of Ra to speak none else but the truth?”

Merymose’s brows knit together. “I do,” he said.

“Egypt accepts your vow. You may return to your seat, Vizier,” Amenhotep said. “Kepi, wife of Vizier Merymose, you may approach.”

Kepi rose from
her chair by the wall, self-import bringing her nose in the air. Her lips curled up in a smile as if she too expected a prestigious responsibility. Merymose, on the other hand, lost all color in his face.

Tiy tilted her chin higher, lowering only her eyes to watch Kepi bow before
the dais.

“Pharaoh Amenhotep, how may
I be of service to Egypt,” Kepi said in a pretentious voice. A few murmurs broke from the women, no doubt surprised by Kepi’s use of Amenhotep’s given name.

Amenhotep waited for the women to quiet and for the room to
thicken with silence. When he opened his mouth, his voice came out like thunder. “Did you or did you not assault Pharaoh’s Great Royal Wife, Tiy, Queen of Egypt?”

Tiy’s mouth turned dry, but she couldn’t tear her eyes off the panicked expression marring Kepi’s beautiful features. A
flurry of whispers spread through the women.

Kepi stood
and her eyes flickered toward Tiy, horror and shock written across her face. “I—”

“And
did you or did you not threaten the life of Pharaoh, Lord of the Two Lands, King of Egypt?” Amenhotep said, his voice piercing the souls of everyone in the room.

Kepi’s mouth fell open. Merymose stood from the table, his jaw also slackened.
After a moment he sat, his shoulders slumped. He had given his allegiance to Amenhotep, had even sworn on his life to speak only truth. Unless he wanted to risk his acceptance into the Afterlife, there was nothing he could do for his wife. The whispering increased as the men joined in, everyone throwing shocked expressions toward Merymose and Kepi.

Kepi
snapped her mouth shut and smoothed her face to a calm expression. “I have done no such thing.”

Amenhotep leaned forward, his jaw set. “Are you calling Pharaoh’s Great Royal Wife, Tiy, Queen of Egypt
, a liar?”

Kepi stumbled back a step. Defaming the honor of the queen was punishable by deat
h. But so was assaulting and threatening her. Kepi looked to Merymose for help, but when none came, she looked to her friends sitting along the wall. They too had noble blood and usually those of higher rank stood together. But never against the queen. Or the Pharaoh.

Tiy placed an arm behind Amenhotep,
suddenly overwhelmed with gratitude for his strength and determination to support her. A small smile softened his features as he sat straighter and leaned against her arm.

“I would never presume to declare Her Majesty, Queen Tiy, a speaker of lies, Great Pharaoh,” Kepi said.

“Do you deny the allegations set before you?” Amenhotep asked.

“I am innocent, Great Lord of Egypt,” Kepi said through clenched teeth.

Amenhotep took in a deep breath. “What proof do you have of your innocence?”

“What proof does she have?” Kepi shouted, thrusting a pointed finger at Tiy.

The entire room seemed to gasp at once.

Amenhotep’s grip on the crook tightened, his knuckles turning white.
“Will anyone stand in defense of the accused?” he asked.

Kepi turned left and right, pleading with her eyes
, but none would meet her gaze. The room became still, silent. No one, not even Merymose, stood for her.

Amenhotep struck the bottom of his crook
to the marble floor. “I declare Kepi, wife of Vizier Merymose, stripped of all privileges among the royal courts, including all rights to the temples, festivals and assemblies.”

Kepi fell to her knees, her face white. For a girl who grew up among the wealth of Egypt, it was a fate worse than death. Merymose hung his head as the room filled with gasps and shocked whispers.

Amenhotep continued. “If you fail to adhere to your punishments or so much as show your face among society, your rights to the Afterlife will also be removed.” 

Kepi began sobbing, “But I have done nothing wrong!
”

Amenhotep st
ruck his crook to the ground again, but Tiy suspected it was done more out of anger than in tradition to the proceedings. His eyes moved over those in attendance. “And if anyone is found associating with her, they will also lose their rights to the Afterlife.”

A fresh wav
e of astonishment spread over the room. No one would sacrifice their chances of the Afterlife to help Kepi. Tiy’s lips relaxed into the tiniest of smiles. Amenhotep had never felt threatened by Kepi, but he had made sure Tiy could feel just as secure.

Kepi rose to her feet, her eyes no longer fixed on
Amenhotep, but boring into Tiy’s with murder and hate. She pointed another finger at Tiy, her face a deep shade of red. “I did nothing she did not deserve! She is defiling Egypt’s crown!”

The room erupted into a chorus of shouts, all in defense of Tiy’s name. Amenhotep’s voice cut above them all.  “Y
our tongue will be cut from your mouth for such insolence! Never again will you speak ill of the queen.”

Kepi’s entire frame shook as she glared at Tiy. “I would rather die.”

Amenhotep stood and the room hushed as everyone lurched to their feet. He stared down on her like an angry bull, his nostrils flaring with every breath. Kepi matched his gaze without flinching, a final testament to her strength.

Amenhotep tapped his crook twice
, the sound echoing up into the highest corners of the ceiling. Although his voice lowered, Tiy knew everyone in the room felt the force of it.

“So be it,” he said.

Although Tiy was present for Kepi’s beheading, she couldn’t watch, nor could she bear to see the pain on Merymose’s face after it happened. But when he glanced her way, as he often did during war deliberations, she never saw blame or anger in his eyes, only shame and regret. As if to relieve his grief and humiliation, he dedicated himself more than anyone to the war efforts, forgetting himself in his work. He became a model of respect and dedication to the crown and Tiy knew it was only a matter of time before the memory of Kepi’s transgressions would no longer stain his reputation.

A sense of urgency hovered amo
ng all those involved with planning the war efforts. Everyone, it seemed, had their own agendas and ideas that would, in their belief, enhance the campaign. Discussions were always held in the War Room, and almost every day several arguments broke out as the conversation grew heated. Amenhotep needed only to clear his throat for everyone to regain focus.

After several weeks
of fierce discussion and painstaking planning, everyone was finally satisfied that all avenues had been explored. Their stratagem was simple: surround and overwhelm. The garrisons stationed in Thebes, constituting a third of the army, would follow Ramose and march through the eastern desert, past Nubia, and return along the Nile toward the southern Nubian borders. Merymose would lead those stationed in Memphis, including her father’s chariot corps, to the deserts of the east as well, but turn west at the bend between the fourth and fifth Nile cataracts in order to surround the eastern borders of the Nubian capital, Kerma. Amenhotep and his fleet would follow the Nile and surround Kerma from the north and west, using the waters as both a tool and a weapon.

The only risk with t
heir plan was that the army would be split. It would weaken each division, but they were confident in their strength and skill, and fortified by their swift chariots and massive fleets. Several touted these strengths, but Tiy couldn’t help but glance at Amenhotep with worry seeping into every part of her body. She would join him on the journey toward Kerma, but at Amenhotep’s insistence, would be receiving accommodations far outside Nubia where she would remain during the battles. It was a compromise they had agreed upon after far too many arguments to count. He wanted her far from the battles and she wanted to be near him. They agreed she would stop just beyond the borders of Nubia in a city called Dakka. It was a city that had remained faithful to the Egyptian crown and was also within a few days journey from Kerma should she need to travel to the Nubian capital. She was satisfied with their compromise, but not entirely pleased.

The meeting came to a close and Tiy reached her arms above her head to stretch.
Turning to Amenhotep she sighed. “Long day,” she said through a yawn.

“I need to visit the p
riest of Amun,” Amenhotep said as he stood from his chair.

“That is a good idea. I’ll see you later?” Tiy asked even though she knew she’d see him later
. She always saw him later.

Amenhotep
nodded.

H
e didn’t come to her room until the early morning hours. Slumping onto the bed, still clothed in his daytime robes, he was asleep before she could sweep the cobwebs from her mind and formulate a coherent question about his visit with the priest. He looked exhausted, worry lines pressed into his forehead. She always thought he was too young to bear the burdens of a pharaoh; however, watching him sleep, watching his body heal, she realized he was, at seventeen, more of a man than many twice his age. She kissed his forehead, a simple expression that felt fitting at that moment. She kissed him again, this time on the cheek and he sighed in his sleep. She wanted to kiss him again, but she didn’t want to wake him. But with those few kisses, she felt something inside her stir to life. And for the first time, she thought she might know what that feeling could be.

***

Morning came sooner than she expected. She had been unable to find any rest after Amenhotep came into her room, worrying about the days and weeks ahead of them, about Amenhotep’s safety, and the fate of Egypt.

Before she could take a breath,
they were preparing to board the ships that would carry them to Nubia. She stepped aboard the newly finished royal ship, the
Appearing in Truth
, excited to finally see what Amenhotep had designed. He watched her as she crossed the deck toward their cabin, his hand running through his hair.

“Where is my daughter?” her mother cried from the dock.

“Her majesty, the Queen has boarded the
Appearing in Truth,
my lady,” Siese said.

“I must see her at once
!”

Tiy sighed
and abandoned her exploration for the moment. “Mother, I am here.”

Her mother wrung a piece of linen in her hands. “They tell me the
Appearing in Truth
is not stopping in Akhmim.”

“That is right,” Tiy said. “Pharaoh must be the first to arrive
in Nubia. He can’t stop in Akhmim. The
Star in Memphis
will escort you home.”

Her mother’s gaze flitted to the
Appearing in Truth
. “I thought you weren’t going the entire way. I thought you were stopping in Dakka?” Her voice rose in pitch and warbled a little.

“
We have scheduled a stop in Dakka for provisions,” Amenhotep said. “She will go ashore at that point and stay far from any battles.”

Her mother nodded, but the linen in her hands
received a fresh wave of torment. “My only daughter is going to war and I have to say good bye here? Now?”

Tiy
shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Was her mother serious? Was she really creating a scene with the entire Egyptian fleet standing watch? Her mother was usually so careful about the public’s perception of her.

“Mother,” Tiy said, stilling her mother’s wringing hands wi
th her own. “You know I will be fine. The gods will protect us. Ra will look over us.”

“I know, I know.
I’m overreacting. I know.”

“Then why don’t you let me take you back to the
Star in Memphis.
I’ll help you get comfortable. Trust me, once you get settled, and the fan bearers wave their feathers over you, you’ll forget all about me.”

This was apparently the wrong thing to
say because her mother burst into tears and wrapped her arms around Tiy.

“I’ll never forget you,” she said through her sobs. “My sweet
, Tiy. I’ll never forget you.”

Amenhotep reached up to pat her mother on the back. “What can we do to help you, mother Tuya?”

Her mother stood straight, her sobs gone. “Let Tiy join me, your majesty,” she said as if she had been waiting for him to ask her all along. “A mother can only sleep when she knows her child is safe, even if her child is a grown woman and the protector of Egypt’s Own. I can’t help what I need.”

Amenhotep’s lips pressed into a line.
“Tiy, I will support whatever choice you make.”

Tiy wanted to tell her mother to get
a hold of herself and trust Amenhotep to bring her back safely, but if something
were
to happen to her, she would suffer in the Afterlife for refusing her mother’s last wish to her. Sensing Amenhotep disappointment and her own irritation, Tiy forced a smile and joined her mother on the
Star in Memphis
.

The journey was
tedious, seeming to take twice as long as the journey had taken so many years before when she had come to join the royal school of children. How much her life had changed since then!

The
Star in Memphis
proved to have difficulty navigating the waters, whether caused by an inexperienced crew or a faulty hull, she did not know. She did know, however, that there had never been a more depressing sight than watching Amenhotep’s
Appearing in Truth
disappear into the horizon ahead of them. She was aware they had a strict timetable to adhere to in order for the campaign to succeed, but she couldn’t help but feel left behind.

Several smaller, faster ships were deployed from his ship to
hers with messengers seeking information regarding the issues of the
Star in Memphis
. She was half tempted to hop onto one of them and return to Amenhotep, but her mother clung to her arm and begged her not to leave her with the unfamiliar crew. More times than she wanted to count, Tiy watched with balled fists as the smaller ships also faded into the horizon. Never had she had such difficulty showing her mother the respect she deserved as her elder. Nonetheless, she stayed behind in an effort to convey her love and respect to the woman who gave her life.

After a painstakingly long journey, t
he
Star in Memphis
finally reached her childhood home in Akhmim. Tiy greeted her father for only a brief moment before boarding one of the smaller, faster vessels. Considering the never-ending issues the
Star in Memphis
experienced, she knew her chances of catching up to Amenhotep were slim.

They s
ped along the Nile, never stopping to rest. Her hopes soared as she witnessed the crew’s efforts to bring her swiftly to Pharaoh. They sought to please her and worked harder than before. But she grew concerned when they passed through Thebes with no sign of the royal fleet, and then lost all hope when they passed the first cataract and neared Dakka, the city in which she had promised Amenhotep she would stay. A dark emptiness washed over her and she slumped in her cushioned chair. They had traveled hard for nothing.

“At ease,” Tiy said to the crew. “I fear we will not reach the
Appearing in Truth
before I disembark in Dakka. You may take your rest.”

The crew, consisting of four oarsmen and one helmsman, nodded and relaxed their efforts. They took on a slower pace and Tiy
stared at the distant horizon in silence. She wished she could just go to sleep and wake up once the war was over. No, what she wanted was to return to Memphis and sleep in her own bed with Amenhotep at her side. A cool breeze tickled her cheek and she woke from her trance. The sky had turned to grey, and much to her horror, the water in front of them churned into a frothing whitewater torrent. Two of her oarsmen were shouting at one another. She couldn’t believe she had been so oblivious to their situation.

“Row to shore!”
Tiy ordered.

The
oarsmen nodded and fought against the swift current, but their small raft was tossed about like a leaf in a downpour. One of the oars snapped, and then another, and another, and the oarsmen looked at her with alarm. With only one oar remaining, they were powerless to navigate the turbulent waters.

The
raft whirled toward a nasty looking bend in the river where the Nile cut through steep rock and jagged stone. Tiy was sure her look of alarm mirrored the oarsmen’s. She motioned for them to sit and brace themselves, taking hold of the rail herself. They had no choice but to let the rapids carry them wherever they may.

T
iy shot a glance at the riverbanks and shuddered. Toothy crocodiles lined up with their mouths held agape, waiting for the easy meal they knew the currents would serve them. Tiy gripped the edge of the raft as the rapids threatened to swallow them whole. They spun in dizzying circles, their heads thrashing from side to side. One of her oarsman vomited off the side, but as their raft jerked around, half the contents of his stomach spewed onto another oarsman’s feet, who responding by vomiting as well.

Blurs of browns and greens
whirled through Tiy’s vision as they hurled past rocks and trees. She could no longer see the awaiting crocodiles, but she knew they were there. She could sense their voracious appetites as the small raft gave way to the Nile’s pressure and splintered beneath them. The waves swallowed her whole and tossed her around like a rag doll, her body smacking rocks, her lungs filling with unwelcome water. Her head became fuzzy and she knew she was drowning. Only this time she didn’t have Siese to pull her from the Nile’s grip. It wouldn’t be long before she passed into the Afterlife, never to see Amenhotep again.