Rameke wanted to say something but Shabaka held up his hand to silence him. “You may look around the grounds in the company of the guard, but you may not remove anything. Your father’s possessions are now held by the pharaoh until the reason for his death has been determined. I will appoint a court scribe to list everything.”
“You!”, Rameke accusingly shouted, “You are just like your father, taking whatever you want. This is mine! I will call for a tribunal; I will go to the Egyptian pharaoh and let him know. You cannot take what is rightfully mine!”
“Until we know the true cause of your father’s death or his weakened state, the property will remain in the custody of the pharaoh. The trading post will continue to trade and the staff will continue with their duties. You will suffer no losses there.” Again Rameke made to object and Shabaka once again held up his hand. “That is how it will be.” He firmly spoke, adding, “If you continue like this, I will have one of the guards escort you to the gate.”
When Rameke finally relented, Shabaka turned to Neti, “Come, it has been a long night, you need some rest. I will send someone to bring Menwi.”
They returned to the palace where Neti learned that Aya had been given in the room next to hers, and was sleeping soundly after the healer had given her a sleeping concoction. Neti longed for one herself, one that was strong enough to make her forget everything that had happened since her arrival there, but she knew that such an elixir didn’t exist. She fell on her bed, not even bothering to pull the sheets around herself as she closed her eyes and gave in to the exhaustion that filled her.
Neti didn’t know how long she had slept, or what had woken her up as she lifted her head to look around the room. She shifted and as the sheets covering her moved as well, she knew that someone had checked up on her since her return. The room was light, with daylight filtering through the windows, although it was not the harsh light of midday. She heard a rustle and turned to look in the direction it came from, noticing a servant girl sitting on one of the cushions keeping a tired-looking Shabaka company.
“Shabaka?” she said, her voice still heavy from sleep. “How long have you been here?”
Shabaka looked up when he heard her voice and turned to look in her direction. “Not long. I have only recently come back from the embalmers.”
His words brought everything back, the evening before, Menwi, Aya, and the beast. Neti lowered her head back to the pillow as she spoke, “You should have woken me up.”
“There was no need; the guards found Menwi dead this morning. As it seems he died in his sleep last night. The embalmers do not see any cause for investigation with Dagi, his heart stopped, or at least that is what they say. I can arrange for you to have a look if you disagree.”
Neti shook her head, realizing she still had her wig on. She reached up to pull it from her head and simply placed it on the bed, feeling too drained to even move.
“I do not think that it would change anything”, she finally replied.
“I will start the official proceedings together with the court scribes tomorrow, but it will take some time; they will have to review everything and settle any outstanding debts before handing the estate over to Rameke.”
“It will take some time then.” Neti said, finally managing to find the strength to sit up.
“Yes it will, and I have received word that my parents are to return.”
Neti felt a tightening sensation around her heart and remained silent for several long moments, before she hesitantly replied, “Then it might be best if I returned home.”
Her words had Shabaka on his feet as soon as they were uttered. “No, I will not let you go.”
“Shabaka”, Neti calmly replied. “You have matters to tend to here. I have my own matters waiting for me at home. I cannot stay here indefinitely, and there is no telling how long this will take to resolve.” Neti did not add that she had no interest in witnessing the final outcome.
“But you cannot go. I will not have you leave on your own.” Shabaka insisted “I understand that you have matters to attend to, but it would not be safe.”
“Then send one of the medjays to accompany me, one you trust.”
Shabaka remained silent for several moments before he reluctantly agreed.
Epilogue
A nearly full moon cast an eerie glow over the drying vegetation as the stars twinkled in the sky above and a light breeze stirred the long dry grass.
The clatter of pottery and lighthearted chatter had already died down as everyone in the bayat had settled for the night.
The horses nearby nickered, the sound countered by the rhythmic sound of oxen chewing their cuds.
The rustle of grass underfoot was the only sound that was heard as the men approached the bayat.
Without any warning they entered the bayat. The occupants did not even have the chance to rise from their sleeping mats before their throats were slit and they were cast to the ground, slain.
Neti felt someone grab her arm and roughly pull her up. The man hesitated before saying something in Nubian which she did not understand. Whatever it meant, she soon found herself being dragged out of the bayat. Her feet hardly managing to keep her upright as she was dragged away.
Her heart was pounding and her throat was dry. She tried to think where the medjay Shabaka had assigned her could be, but feared that he had suffered the same fate as the others within the bayat. She could not understand why somebody took her away.
They came to a stop a short distance from the campsite, were she was tossed down to the ground and the man harshly said something again, to somebody she couldn’t see.
The other man replied and her entire body went cold at the sound of his voice. She was again pulled up and held in position. In the meantime her eyes had adjusted enough to make out the other man.
“Well now”, the man said in Egyptian, “I see we have what we came for.”
“What do you mean?” Neti demanded angrily.
“Your prince has something of mine, and now I have something of his, I wonder how much you are worth.”
“I am only an embalmer I am not worth much.”
“Ah, but then you see - that is where you are wrong. You are worth as much as the Egyptian pharaoh and the Nubian prince are willing to pay me to keep you alive.”
“I am not nearly important enough, so you are wasting your time”, Neti countered. “You might as well kill me now and save yourself the trouble, Rameke.”
“I see you remember my name”, Rameke replied. “Take her away; make sure you take anything of worth.”
END
The Forgotten Papyrus (The Mummifier's Daughter Series Book 5) Page 16