Chapter 17
It was unavoidable. Inescapable.
His father was ill, irreversibly so. Ahkmenrah ground his teeth as he leaned over his clay tablet, carving the letters in with far more force than required. For the first time since he had began learning them, he did not care about words- they could not seal the crack in his chest. Not caring about correctness of line of the symbols he was copying, he dug deeper, ground harder, desperate to scalpel away the pain from his heart. It was of no avail. The ache remained, set in stone for life.
Finally surrendering to it, he rose, knocking his bench aside with a loud clatter, startling his tutor out of his papyrus-laden dreams. The man called for Ahkmenrah to wait a moment, but the prince didn't hear above the roaring in his ears.
A wisp of a figure lingered in the hall outside of the priests' innermost sanctuary. The person stood there silently, waiting until the last of the initiates left the temple for the night. Her/his wish was granted when the final group of adolescents left the premises, laughing and teasing each other about who was favored by the High Priests. Had any of them been more attentive, he might have glimpsed the wraith-like intruder as he/she passed through the double doors.
The intruder glided forward without hesitation- the item was straight ahead. There! Hanging limply in its indentation on the wall, the golden tablet flickered in and out of focus, beckoning alluringly. The culmination of so much work! How could it be proving so useless? No matter, this was not the first obstacle one had endured; doubtless it would not be the last. The person reached for it, touched it gilded surface... An invisible shockwave knocked the thief harmlessly away.
"The Tablet will not come to power without the touch of its Guardian, my Queen," Mahkment intoned softly.
Furious, the intruder threw back her hood to reveal the face of Shepseheret. "And what am I to do until then, wait for my husband to perish? This tablet was created to serve our family, not to wait for another!"
"Rest assured, the Guardian resides in your family tree, my Lady. But he has not yet been born, it seems. Or perhaps the tablet has not yet called to him or her."
Shepseheret hung her head in despair as Mahkmet continued, "Until then, I fear all we can do is wait. You best leave- it does you no good to lurk here in vain hope while your love slips away. Go, enjoy the time remaining to you both."
The Queen stormed out, her fiery eyes matching the flickering torchlight. "I am not finished yet."
0o0
"Fate interfered long before you called me, my child. I am sorry."
"Isis, Great Mother of All Life, I implore you to save my husband!" Shepseheret begged. She had only summoned the goddess once before- to put an end to the stillbirths. She had saved their family then; she must do so now!
Isis sighed sadly. "Daughter, I would if I could. Truly, I would! But the universe must be balanced, and Death is part of the Cycle of Life. Even a god is rarely able to stop it, and then only for a short time. This is not one of those instances where I can stop Death."
"But you are the Goddess of Healing, of Magic, and Life! You are my last hope!"
"I cannot cure your husband, my child. I can heal the sick to an extent, but if death has touched a mortal too deeply, I cannot intervene. Merenkahre is enveloped by death! Were I to try, chaos would be unleashed."
"What about the legend of you healing Ra? He himself was near death."
Isis bristled. "Ra is a god; there is a difference of vulnerability between us and mortals, would you not agree?" As if arguing with herself, she grumbled, "Indeed, that incident is partially why my powers were curbed. To think of what I could do before!.. Never mind. The point is, I am no longer allowed to interfere with mortal death. Believe me, I feel your grief- I wish I could do more for you."
Shepseheret swallowed her sobs. "I understand," she whispered, her voice barely audible. If the goddess could not help her, then it was utterly hopeless, and her heart shattered from the effort of accepting it. Anger swept in to take the place of happiness. "At least explain why that thing refuses to work!" She gesticulated towards an image.
"Ah, the golden tablet! It lies dormant until its one true Guardian comes forth to claim it."
"I gathered as much. When will this miracle take place?"
The goddess frowned. "Do not try to force this, child. Such forces are not to be meddled with, yet meddle we did. Now you must pay the price. Should you tempt to force Fate's plan, you will be asking for ruin."
"My husband and I crafted it for a reason! For precisely a tragedy as this! Yet it hangs there, useless as mold on papyrus!"
"Its time has not come."
"You could wield it, could you not?"
Isis's eyes darkened marginally. "I could, as could any deity. Believe me, you would not wish me to."
"But if it were to save my husband!-"
"Your husband is doomed. Believe me, if I could save him, I would! But Death is not something to trifle with lightly, daughter. Not even for a goddess." The goddess gently stroked Shepseheret's chin and raised her face upwards towards herself. "I know what it is like to lose your soulmate. The sorrow is unbearable, but you will survive. You must, for your sons' sake. They will need your guidance now more than ever."
The flow of the queen's tears ebbed somewhat as she basked in the deity's love and comradery. Only an idiot forgot the legends of Isis and Osiris, how the goddess searched for her husband's remains while defending her only child, Horus. Another mother, mourning her husband while caring for her child. Much like Shepseheret was enduring now. At least she was not a widow yet.
Satisfied she'd gotten her point across, Isis pressed on. "I wish I could offer you comfort, but all I foresee are darker times ahead for you. An evil looms within your family, but it is disguised too well for my sight."
"Who dares threaten my family?!"
"Jealousy, pain, and betrayal. Set may be involved, though how he could have returned so soon... This wickedness feels different from him, but if he is the cause, then your family is in graver danger than I thought."
"If he is behind Merenkahre's illness!-"
"No, the king is dying of a natural-borne disease, of that I am certain. No, this serpent has yet to strike, ready to sink its poison into your loved ones one by one.
Your family will survive, but only if you heed my warning. Despite your frustrations with it, the tablet will protect your loved ones from many threats, but only if used properly. Should it fall into the wrong hands, it will destroy everything you cherish. Now all we can do is wait."
"We shall keep it within the family, Great One! I intend for my children to use it, and my grandchildren."
"Can you look me in the eye and assure me there are no wicked ones among your relations?"
Shepseheret shuddered- she had always detested Menet. "Mostly on my husband's side."
Isis smirked. "Regardless of whose side, they exist, and are every bit as capable of using it as you are. Some more than others."
"I understand, My Lady." Shepseheret replied.
"I warned you and your husband against crafting this instrument, daughter. I was as vehemently opposed to its birth as much as I itched to carve the spells into it myself. We have both meddled in the Craft, perhaps beyond our abilities; when we do, all it brings us is sorrow. For now, the tablet lies dormant until its guardian comes forth to claim it."
"Is there nothing else you can tell me? Anything that might spark it to life, or at least ease my sorrows?"
The goddess shook her head. "There is much I cannot say about the tablet. Anything else must be told to its keeper, and then only when the moment is right. What purpose would it serve to divulge more? You will know when its guardian arrives, and then... Well, I am a believer of learning as one goes along."
"A final word of caution: do not favor one of your sons over the other. I have seen this happen frequently in nobility and royalty, but so far you and Merenkahre have admirably avoided it. Nevertheless, I warn you against it now, as one of them is about to ascend the throne. Treat them both honorably and with love, or your worst fears shall be realized. Ahkmenrah and Kahmunrah will either grow into the closest of allies, or they will perish by each others' hands. It is up to you, and them.
"I also must warn you about Ahkmenrah."
"What about my child? Is he in danger?" Shepseheret cried.
"The royal family is usually in danger, however well you fake invulnerability. No, your youngest has inherited your gifts." Shepseheret stifled a gasp of surprise as Isis continued, "He does not possess them to the extent you do, or a daughter of yours might have, but they are there nonetheless. As he matures, so will his powers, swirling inside him like a desert storm. He is of the age for them to manifest; do not leave him in darkness. He must learn control, or he might be the cause of much destruction. He is struggling with a young man's heat and fire, but your love and guidance can soothe him. Be careful, for there is one other who, should he learn of his potential, will kill him."
"What of Kahmun?"
"Because he shares your blood, your eldest also shares your sensitivity, but not to the extent Ahkmenrah does. No, Kahmunrah has learned to stand on his own- and there is his greatest flaw. In spite of his love and loyalty to you and your family, Kahmunrah possesses an innate sense of hesitation and distrust of people. He has striven against leaning on others, relying only on his strength and cunning to rise above and meet your expectations. Should he continue down this path of isolation, he will one day meet his fiercest enemy, and succumb."
"Is there anything else I must know?"
"I have burdened you with enough. I apologize, for you came to me with hope, and now I leave you with little more than foreboding and wariness! But let me shed some light: despite great tragedy, the tablet will be the cause of much joy, not only for Egypt, but for the world. Your sons will be part of Egypt's Golden Age, but it is up to you to lead them. Do not overlook one in adoration of the other." With this wisdom, Isis vanished.
Ahkmenrah headed for his room, barely noticing anyone else there. He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on moving his own two feet while longing to keel over and collapse under everything. Until he heard it.
A whisper, the longing within it so palpable, he could feel it in his own heart. "Hello? Who is there?"
A guard approached him. "Your Highness, is something wrong?"
"N-no. You heard it too, right?"
"Heard what, my liege?"
Ahkmenrah looked in the direction the voice had come from. "Nothing."
0o0
Kahmunrah jerked awake, hot air blown into his face rousing him.
"By Set's name, get off me!" He shoved his stallion aside. Shemet nickered softly, giving him the biggest puppy eyes he could muster. "My brother has taught you well- no, I do not have oats for you. Must he spoil you so much?" He chuckled, petting Shemet's velvety cheek. "Stupid the stable hands! What do we pay them for, to let you starve?" He groaned as his horse gave him a mournful whinny. "Sorry, I'm just not in a good mood, all right? I have to go." Reluctantly, Kahmunrah stood up, rubbing the backs of his calves- sleeping in the stables did not benefit one's sore muscles.
Shemet lowered his nuzzle towards the prince, blowing more warm air into his face. "I know I know, but my lessons await. I cannot shirk them now, however badly I wish. Menet is not one you want to keep waiting."
