Responses to Comments:
Neferneferi - Thanks for your support and here's the update you asked for!
Kuruelna Kahini Kilani - Heh, your translation isn't too bad. I just thought that the line didn't make sense because it sounded like either it was spoken by a non-existent narrator who was commenting on Akunadin or Youlan herself decided to comment there.
Oh, are you trying to learn how to read Chinese? I guess maybe you should go to the library yourself to borrow books then. At least you won't be reading those adult books your mom brings home. ^_^
Chapter 4
The atmosphere in the hall was saturated with tension as Akunadin slowly replies, "Your Majesty… please forgive me in advance for not clearly explaining some of the details."
"Hmm, then explain them."
"Several months ago, I responded to an invite by the Hittite priests and took a trip to the Hittite Empire. While I was there, they imparted to me some divinity techniques that were different from the ones in Egypt. Their divinity does not require the observation of the changes of the stars to learn of one's good or bad luck. Instead, they make their observations through a crystal taken from a distant mountain. That crystal possesses a mysterious force that when used, you can know of the decrees of the gods. Therefore – because the weather was not favorable yesterday, I used this method of divination." [1]
Meti hears this and for the moment, couldn't find any loopholes in his words.
'Is that truly the case, Akunadin?'
Akunadin turned around and says to Meti, "High Priest Meti, I am truly sorry for not explaining this earlier."
Meti hears this apology and decides it was best for him to leave the hall.
'Whew… that was a close one. I was nearly discovered. That old man Meti … he is truly as keen as what the people say.'
"So, Akunadin …" The old Pharaoh speaks.
"Yes?"
"I entrust everything to you…"
{In the Women's Palace}
The Queen of Egypt had long since heard from the female servants of this ominous news. When she heard that the Pharaoh had agreed to Akunadin's request, she nearly fainted over from grief.
"My Queen, you must be strong! The Pharaoh surely must have his own reasons for deciding to do this." One of the servants said.
"His reasons … How can I not know of that… but … because of those reasons … he will sacrifice my pitiful child … I … how can I accept that?" The Queen began to weep in sorrow.
"They were just born … just born several days ago … now they are faced with such a fate … Oh, the gods! Why did you let me give birth to them?"
The servants watched the Queen, who was close to collapse, and didn't know what to do. However, in the mind of one of them, a plan flashed before her.
"Your Highness, I have an idea that may work …"
The Queen looked at this servant. "You are?"
"I am called Sala. I just started working here."
"What kind of plan do you have?"
"That priest said that he needed a prince as a sacrificial offering, so … if we were to use an ordinary child as a substitute … perhaps we can save the prince!" Sala explained. [2]
"That is out of the question! How can we use someone else's child as a sacrifice?! Every child in the world is their mother's treasure. As a mother myself, I can understand this principle."
The Queen promptly voiced her opposition to this plan. At this time, a middle-aged maid entered the room.
"Your Highness, I think that Sala's plan can work. I am willing to let my child be the sacrifice."
"Your child?!"
"My child was also born two days ago, but he had been brought into this world with an incurable disease. Right now, I am only adding to his suffering by letting him live. I … honestly do not wish to see him in pain as he tries to breathe …" As she spoke, her voice became choked with emotion.
"Alright … I thank you. I hope the gods will bless that child…"
The Queen accepted the plan as the servants began to organize their plan in preparation for the sacrificial offering.
Author's Corner:
Youlan: I keep thinking that this chapter seems like it was a bunch of rubbish…
Translator's Notes:
[1] There's a line that follows this paragraph that I can't include with the chapter without confusing people as to who is speaking it. If I were to try to translate this line, it would be: 'I truly can not believe this old fox! He goes as far as uttering such lies.' Too bad Youlan didn't include a narrator as one of her characters because I could then just write it off as that narrator who is speaking.
[2] I think Youlan wrote the wrong name here. She typed that someone called Liya was the one who said this sentence.
First posted on April 1st and updated on May 6th of 2004 by Rika.