“There now,” Asim spoke up, drawing her attention back to the present, “They are ready for the progression, and the opening of the mouth ceremony.”
Neti nodded her head, then started cleaning her area.
That evening she sat down to dinner with Asim and Tei-Ka, sharing stories of her parents.
The following morning, Neti took up her position in the procession, surprised by the number of attendees having arrived to escort her parents to their final resting place.
Suten Anu took his position next to her, with Asim and Tei-Ka walking behind them. Neti glanced about, and was surprised when Shabaka joined the procession. His arm was held stationary and bandaged to his body, and he still walked with a slight limp.
She had had dinner with Suten Anu a few evenings prior, and he had filled her in on the proceedings, informing her that Shabaka was finalizing the arrangements for his departure. Also, that Shabaka found himself dealing with an ever-increasing number of complaints that the citizens were logging against the mayor.
Neti’s attention returned to the present, as she slowly walked behind the bier, until it came to the graveside. The priest performed the Opening of the Mouth ceremony, and the bearers moved the sarcophagi from the bier to the grave, placing them next to each other and carefully placing the canopic jars with them.
Neti approached the grave, placing her mother’s gardening tools and sewing equipment next to her, before turning to her father, placing the Senet game and his collection of amulets beside him. She then stepped back and allowed the gravediggers to close up the grave, remaining until they were done.
She felt his presence behind her, long before he spoke up, “You think they will be happy?”
Neti looked up at the sky, smiling as the sun warmed her skin, before replying, “Yes, they will be fine.” Thinking it better not to tell him that she had seen their spirits. She turned to look at him before asking sincerely, “How have you been?”
“Busy,” he flatly replied.
Neti nodded her head slightly, and then replied, “Suten mentioned that you are keeping him busy. He almost missed our dinner the other evening.”
“He is a very competent man,” Shabaka replied before gesturing with his uninjured hand for her to join him, adding, “Come, I will walk you back.”
“So how are things, really?” Neti asked, falling into step next to him.
“Difficult,” Shabaka replied, and then elaborated when Neti looked at him, frowning, “The complaints against the mayor are constantly increasing, I had hoped that we would be done already, but they just continue to come in.”
“He was not the honest man he portrayed himself as being,” Neti stated, adding, “most of us knew you could pay him to turn a blind eye.”
“You have a complaint?” Shabaka was quick to ask.
Neti gave a slight shake of the head, answering, “No, other than my license papers, I have avoided the man.”
“I see,” Shabaka replied, and then continued a short distance before he asked, “How are things?”
Neti smiled before replying, “Much better since we returned. I’m not fully accepted, but at least not everyone seems set on avoiding or insulting me.”
“That’s good,”
They walked some distance further,, and Neti’s heart started racing as the city gates loomed ahead. Finally out of desperation she asked, “Have you heard anything about Ma-Nefer?”
Shabaka looked at her for a moment, “No we have not seen hide nor hair of him, but the guard is to be notified the moment he enters town. We have also sent word to Abydos and Aswan, in case he is headed in that direction.”
“And the exchange that Suten discovered?”
“The guards will go out and arrest anyone that shows up. However I think that a man with Ma-Nefer’s cunning would not be as foolish.”
“I see, and Kandurt?” she asked as they entered the Eastern Gate.
“He and his men are still missing. They must have cleared out of town within moments after Suten paid him, possibly fearing the repercussions of their actions.”
“And the mayor?”
Shabaka audibly sighed at that, “The mayor refuses to talk to anyone, but has said he will plead his case with the pharaoh.”
Neti huffed in disbelief, “I doubt that the pharaoh would listen to him.”
“That is debatable,” Shabaka replied, as they turned onto the road her home was situated on, finally asking, “What are you going to do now?”
Neti smiled at him, replying, “I am going to prepare lunch,” hoping she could get him to join her.
“No,” Shabaka quickly replied, “I didn’t mean right now. I meant now that everything has come to a close.”
“Oh! Sorry,” Neti replied, her heart suddenly feeling heavy. “Marlep offered me the remaining chamber at the main Per-Nefer until I am able to continue on my own.”
“I see, so you will continue your family heritage,” Shabaka replied in a low tone, giving a nod of his head, his gaze dropping to the ground.
“It is what I know, and I’m good at,” Neti said without expression, adding, “And you?”
“I have to escort the mayor to the Palace,” Shabaka said as they halted before her home.
“I see,” she replied, “I take it you will be leaving soon.”
“We’re leaving in the morning. The barge is being loaded as we speak. I did not want to miss your parents’ funeral.”
“Thank you,” Neti mumbled in reply.
Shabaka cleared his throat, “Also, I wanted to come to see you.”
“To say good-bye?” Neti questioned.
“Not quite,” Shabaka replied, taking a deep breath, before once again clearing his throat. “I came to ask you if you would be willing to accompany us to the palace.” Neti looked at him in surprise, causing him to quickly add, “I realize that you have plans. However, you helped me to capture him, and the pharaoh will want an audience with you.”
Neti looked down at the ground for a moment, a tightening sensation started squeezing at her heart, “And that’s all?”
Shabaka remained silent for a while, causing Neti to look up at him, before he replied, “No. Not really.” His reply had Neti tilt her head slightly, her heart speeding up at the thought that he might be interested in her, her heart once again shriveling when he replied, “I was hoping that you would consider joining up with me. I know it’s a big decision, and you don’t need to answer now. You can wait until we have seen the pharaoh and finished this. But I could really use your skills. You see things, understand things and think differently from the others. You make comparisons, and deductions, and I need that if I’m going to continue with this.”
Neti swallowed, before asking, “And where would we do this?”
“Wherever the pharaoh sends us,” Shabaka keenly replied.
“I see,” Neti drawled.
“Please just think about it. I could really use your help, and there’s nothing binding you at the moment,” he quickly replied, then suddenly having realized what he had implied, added, “Is there?”
Neti shook her head, “No, but I will have to make arrangements. I cannot just leave everything unattended.”
“I will help,” Shabaka was quick to volunteer.
Early the following morning, from the reeds next to the river, Ma-Nefer watched as they boarded the barge bound for the Palace, along with the mayor and guards, sneeringly vowing, “I will get you for this.”
Table of Contents
Copyright
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
PROLOGUE
he Mummifier´s Daughter - A Novel in Ancient Egypt
The Mummifier´s Daughter - A Novel in Ancient Egypt Page 18