“During the march the column will be followed by traders, healers, scribes, cooks, female servants and camp followers,” Hakor said.
“I had no idea war could be so complicated,” Amenherkoshef said. “It’s overwhelming.”
“So far we’ve only mentioned logistics, Majesty,” Kairy said. “We haven’t even touched on tactics and strategy for battles and campaigns.”
Amenherkoshef shook his head.
“Don’t worry, Majesty. Your father taught me over the course of many years, and I’ll teach you. If a farmer like me can learn, how much easier for a royal?”
Based on what I knew of my nephew and his capabilities and lack of initiative, Kairy had his work cut out for him.
***
Two evenings later I sought Ramesses in his room in the per’aa. He hadn’t sent for me yet, as he’d promised. “May I speak with you alone, Brother?”
“Of course.” He dismissed the servants waiting on him with a wave of his hand. “What do you want, Pentawere?”
“You and Father both know I want to fight more than anything. Why won’t either of you let me?”
“Your talents are better suited elsewhere.”
“My nephew, who doesn’t even know how to hold a sword properly, is more qualified than me to command troops?”
“Let’s be frank, Pentawere. Amenherkoshef will succeed me as pharaoh. He’ll need to lead his army in battle, as Father did, as I do. You’re never going to rise higher than you already have. Giving you command doesn’t make sense.”
“Our brother led your cavalry until he died. He had no more chance of rising higher than I have, yet he was allowed to fight. And he didn’t even want to.”
“I command the army, Pentawere. That leaves the cavalry for my son, now that he’s of age. He would have replaced our brother two days ago instead of you if he still lived. I wasn’t targeting you. But there’s no unit for you to lead.”
“Why not the chariots?”
“They have a good commander. You don’t know anything about chariots.”
Neither did my nephew know about cavalry. Yet he was now its leader. Another sore point. “Could you really find no one better to train your son than a chariot driver?”
“Kairy’s far more than a chariot driver,” Ramesses replied. “He has a better grasp of strategy and tactics and logistics than any of my officers. I count on him to deliver me to the right place at the right time on every battlefield. He’s never let me down yet. He’s absolutely the right man.”
“I see.” Best to stay on Kairy’s good side. He had Ramesses’ unwavering favor. “Tell me, Brother, when Father dies and you rule alone are you going to use your army to restore our empire?”
“I wondered how long it was going to take you to bring that up,” Ramesses said wearily, idly twisting a cup of wine with his fingers. “Attacking our neighbors will not be my focus, Pentawere. I’m going to embark on a building program to rival Ramesses the Great instead. I’m going to construct the largest memorial temple the west bank has ever seen – larger even than Amenhotep’s. I’ll have to double the size of the workforce in Ta Set Maat – its chief scribe Amennakht and I have been working on a plan to expand the village for some time.”
The same Amennakht I’d had dealings with. Who’d treated Neset so badly. Whose son Neset had spared.
“I’m going to reopen quarries in the Wadi Hammamat,” Ramesses continued. “They were a source of much fine stone in the time of the pyramid builders. They will be again. Amennakht has drawn a map of the mining region for me. An architect is designing a miners’ town. I’ll need about nine thousand miners. Probably have to draw on soldiers.”
“How will you finance an enterprise of that size?” I asked.
“There’s gold in the Eastern Desert,” Ramesses replied. “More than enough to make the venture worthwhile. Plus, I’m going to reopen and expand ancient turquoise mines in the Sinai. My men have located them. There are dozens of stelae and etchings on rock faces there commemorating mining expeditions on behalf of past pharaohs. Even a few marking victories over Shasu raiders.”
I recalled Neset’s story about one of those victories. “You’re sure there’s enough gold and turquoise to cover the expense?”
“I am.”
“Brother. When you become sole Pharaoh give me the army. Let me conquer the North in your name. I promise you’ll have tribute enough to fill your treasury. You won’t have to count on mines.”
“An army of aggression and occupation is too expensive to maintain,” Ramesses said.
“Rein in the priests,” I said firmly. “Take away their estates and villages. Haven’t you seen the gold and copper adorning temples? The Amen priests alone control more of the valley than Father does. Haven’t you read the report put together by Vizier To? We could field an army for decades with what the Amen priests alone control.”
“I will not anger the gods by stealing from them,” Ramesses snapped.
“The priests are not gods,” I replied.
“Might as well be.”
I took a deep breath. Blind and obstinate. “So, if you’re going to be a miner, what am I going to do when you rule the land?”
“You want to command troops, Pentawere? Fine. I’ll give you command of the soldiers who’ll guard my miners. Either in the Wadi Hammamat or the Sinai. Take your pick.”
I was highly offended, though I dared not show it. Not only trivial posts, but both in the desert. Denied both true opportunity and the comforts of Pi–Ramesses. I shook my head in disbelief. Why were Ramesses and Father treating me this way?
“A priest traveled with me from Waset,” Ramesses said. “Ramesesnakht. He’s a younger brother of the First God’s Servant, Usermarenakht. He’s going to be in charge of my mining expeditions when I take the throne. He’ll be at a party tonight here in the city, at the villa of a priest named Sabestet.”
“I know Sabestet well, Brother.” I’d attended many of his parties. All of them fabulous.
“Come with me. Meet Ramesesnakht. You’ll be working for him.”
For. Not with. Relegated even closer to obscurity than I was now.
Ramesses snorted. “The Amen priests? You think I don’t see how powerful they’ve become, Pentawere? The very day I’m crowned I’m going to replace Usermarenakht as First God’s Servant with Ramesesnakht. Him I can control. And I’m going to appoint his son as Steward of Amen. That’s how I’m going to neutralize the Amen priests.”
Sure you will. By placing so much power in one family? No doubt Ramesesnakht has relatives he’ll appoint to other posts. The moment they’re widely entrenched he’ll be able to dictate to you, not the other way around. But I knew Ramesses would disregard my concerns. He didn’t value my perspective or advice. He was going to stubbornly neuter his army and let the last best chance to assert royal power over the priests by expanding the empire slip away. Why could I see it plainly and he couldn’t?
“I should clean up before the party, Brother.” I bowed, then spun on my heel and headed towards my own room in the per’aa. Reaching it, I slammed my door shut behind me. I pulled my khepesh from my belt and heaved it into a corner. It clattered to the floor. “Don’t need that anymore,” I muttered.
***
I wasn’t surprised by the number and status of party attendees and the host of servants and musicians and dancing girls and the quantity and quality of the food and drink that night, for Sabestet was a very wealthy and influential priest. I passed through his very large expensively–decorated private villa near the per’aa into the lush garden at its rear. It was surrounded by high vine–covered mud–brick walls. The garden was brightly lit by torches. Palm fronds clacked high overhead, moved about by the warm breeze. The scent of flowers was heavy. The low hum of dozens of conversations and occasional peals of female laughter filled the air. I spotted Peyes and Hakor in a corner of the garden, drinking wine with six or seven women. Amenherkoshef was a few paces away from them along with Kairy. He
spotted me and made a beeline to my side. Kairy followed, stationing himself a few respectful paces away.
I scanned the garden. “Didn’t you bring your wives to Pi–Ramesses, Nephew?”
“They’re both with child,” he said proudly. “Mother said they should stay behind in Djeme.” He gazed at a clutch of women who were boldly staring at him and giggling. “I may find a woman to keep me company in Pi–Ramesses, though, maybe arrange for a concubine or two. I’ll need a harem someday.”
“Following your grandfather’s example instead of your father’s?”
He smiled broadly. “And yours, Uncle.”
That had been true of me not so long ago. Before Neset. But not anymore.
“Majesties. We haven’t been introduced.”
A young man, probably late teens, stumbled to a stop in front of Amenherkoshef and me, a woman on each arm. He and they were well on their way to being drunk.
“My name is Nehi, Majesties. My father commands the Amen Division at Waset. Antef. I’m his deputy.”
He seemed awfully young to hold such a prominent position. “Nehi.”
He leaned towards me, lowered his voice, spoke confidentially. “I have to wait behind my father too. It’s hard for men like us, ‘eh, Majesty?”
The son of a pharaoh and the son of a soldier? It was offensive Nehi thought we were anything alike. But why waste my breath putting him in his place and causing a scene? “Yes. Very hard.”
Nehi and his women staggered off.
Kairy moved closer and addressed Amenherkoshef. “Nehi’s exactly the kind of officer you don’t want to be, Majesty. He has a reputation within the army. He’s lazy. He’s deputy because of who his father is, not because he’s a leader. He shirks work. He favors friends. Soldiers won’t follow him unquestioningly into battle.”
Amazing. An officer known to be incompetent. My brother hadn’t driven him from the army. That wouldn’t happen if I was in charge.
The women standing with Peyes and Hakor were beckoning Amenherkoshef now, insistently.
“Don’t keep them waiting, Nephew.”
Amenherkoshef practically raced to them.
Kairy followed, slowly. I noted that he was keeping a discrete distance from my nephew. He appeared to be watching over him tonight, not drinking or enjoying himself. Or interfering with Amenherkoshef’s fun.
“Majesty!” A woman sidled up to me and wrapped her fingers around my arm. “Tell us about your great victory over the Shasu. Everyone’s talking about it.”
A second grabbed my other arm, carefully, below the bandage.
Both were young and beautiful and perfumed and glittered with jewels. Both were strangers.
“You are?” I asked.
“Bunefer,” replied the first.
“Hui.”
A third woman joined us, the prettiest by far.
“This is my sister...” Hui began.
“Kensuw,” I interrupted.
“You remembered, Majesty,” she said, smiling.
“How could I not? A pleasure to see you again, My Lady.” A brief dalliance several years ago. Her father was an official of some kind. “Your family’s villa is just down the lane, as I recall.”
“A villa you once knew well, Majesty.”
“Is it true we’re drinking wine you retrieved from the wretches?” Hui practically purred.
“Apparently my brother requisitioned it for this party,” I confirmed. I looked around. “Based on the number of guests, possibly every last drop.”
Bunefer touched the edge of my bandage lightly, with her fingertips. “You were injured, Majesty?”
“I heard you raced alone through the Shasu camp ahead of your men,” Kensuw said. “I heard you defeated them practically single–handed.”
I laughed. “Tales get exaggerated in the telling. A rather minor skirmish, everything considered. The wretches never had a chance.”
“I heard the cavalry was in total disarray after your brother’s death, Majesty,” Hui said.
“If you hadn’t restored discipline, who knows what swill we’d be drinking tonight,” Buneb interjected.
Seeds I’d planted had sprouted. Ramesses and Father might have no use for me, but I was going to make sure the people of Pi–Ramesses understood my worth. “True. But disciplined or not, one of our cavalryman is worth a dozen Shasu. Victory was certain.”
“A word, Pentawere.”
Ramesses stepped to my side, accompanied by two men. The girls hastily bowed to him.
“I’ll find you later, Majesty,” Kensuw whispered seductively as they slipped away.
She’d been an utterly delightful girl. I’d spent many evenings with her over a span of months, an unusually long relationship for me. Tonight I had no interest.
“That was unlike you, Pentawere. Being modest around women,” Ramesses noted.
I shrugged.
“I understand you’ll be protecting my mining expedition, Majesty,” the younger of the two men said. He looked to be about thirty, his companion at least a decade older.
“This is Ramesesnakht,” Ramesses said. “The priest I told you about.”
“Pleased to meet you,” I said formally. “Yes, I’ll be protecting your miners.” From wind and sun, no doubt. Not actual enemies.
“My brother, Usermarenakht,” he said.
“First God’s Servant.” I nodded. “We served together on a Great Kenbet three years ago.”
“Tomb robbers, as I recall. Nasty business.”
“Have you spent time in the desert, Ramesesnakht?”
“No, Majesty.”
“I hope you’re prepared for hardship and deprivation.”
Ramesesnakht laughed. “Rest assured, Majesty, I’ll be bringing plenty of servants and luxuries along. You’ll share my pavilion. Can’t have a royal camping like a common soldier.”
“Certainly not.”
“There are some officials near the pond you should meet, Majesty,” Ramesesnakht told my brother. “And priests suitable to fill positions in the future.”
As I’d predicted. The future First God’s Servant was already spinning his web. And Ramesses was blindly jumping into it.
“We’ll talk again later, Pentawere,” Ramesses promised.
As soon as he was gone I snatched a cup of wine from a passing girl.
“Majesty.”
I turned. Debhen was behind me. Along with several women, none of them the young wife who’d guided Neset and me through Ramesses’ hall during our tour of Pi-Ramesses. Sabestet was with him.
“A fine party, Sabestet.”
“You know I entertain weekly,” he replied, slightly offended. “You haven’t come to one of my parties in months.”
Because of Neset. “I’ve been tied up with various duties.”
“Even a pharaoh’s son needs to relax occasionally,” Debhen said.
I scanned the garden. “Is your wife around somewhere?”
He laughed and squeezed the waists of the two women on either side. Both squealed. “She’s young and naïve, Majesty. Not like these two.”
We spoke a while longer and Debhen and Sabestet moved on. I wasn’t sorry to see them go. I’d been like both of them once, but not any more.
“Is it really you, Majesty?”
I turned. “Nedjemib.” Another past conquest. Another beauty. Another indictment of my life before Neset. “Didn’t your family relocate to Mennefer?”
“A year ago, Majesty. After Pharaoh moved to Djeme, Father and most of the other high officials who didn’t go with him returned to the old capital. The only important people left in Pi–Ramesses are army commanders and merchants. It’s really quite dull now, or so I’ve been told.” She looked up at me. “You’re the only royal living here permanently, aren’t you?”
“I am.” I glanced at the girl standing beside her. A stranger, probably no older than sixteen. An exquisite stranger, her eyes and long hair jet black, her cheeks dimpled. “You are?”
“Tjuyu, Majesty,” she said shyly.
“My cousin. From Abdju,” Nedjemib said. “Her father is high priest of Osiris’ temple. Harwa.”
“A very important position. What brings you to Pi–Ramesses, My Lady?” I asked.
“I received a message when His Majesty’s barque docked at Abdju, requesting me to travel with him to Pi–Ramesses.”
“So did I, at Mennefer,” Nedjemib said. “And a dozen other women I’ve seen at this party.”
Strange. “Was the message from my brother?”
“It didn’t say,” Nedjemib replied.
“It looked official though,” said Tjuyu.
Nedjemib glanced in Amenherkoshef’s direction. “Who’s that soldier watching over the future pharaoh?”
“Kairy. Normally he drives my brother’s chariot. Now he’s teaching my nephew how to be a soldier.”
“Is he married?”
“Does it matter?”
She laughed. “Not really.”
“You’re not the only woman at this party intrigued by Kairy, Nedjemib. Better go latch on to him before someone else does.”
“I think I will. Coming, Cousin?”
“I’d like to stay with His Majesty,” Tjuyu said. “If that’s alright?”
“Certainly.”
We perched on two flat–topped rocks edging the pool in the garden’s heart, practically surrounded by flowers. A few more couples were seated similarly, though out of earshot. Most of the guests had migrated towards the veranda at the rear of the house. Serving girls were busily refilling empty cups with wine. I watched Kairy and Nedjemib for a moment. She didn’t seem to be making much headway. He appeared to be polite and attentive, but not particularly interested.
“If your father is high priest, I assume you serve Osiris as chantress?”
“I do, Majesty. Mother taught me to sing when I was very young. I know all the chants by heart. I’ll lead the rest of the girls soon.”
“I’ll bet your voice is sweet,” I said.
“Father says it’s the best of all the chantresses. So did Mother, before she died.”
The Gardener and the Assassin Page 30