Tutankhamun: The Book of Shadows (16 page)

The official scribes hurried forward with their palettes and sat cross-legged, their kilts stretched out over their knees like little tables, and wrote everything down swiftly on their open scrolls.

As I now realized they must have rehearsed many times, Ankhesenamun then rose and joined Tutankhamun, and they remained standing together while the crowd slowly absorbed the revelation and the implications of his words, and then got down on their knees to prostrate themselves. I wondered how Ay would respond to this audacious move in the great game of power. He turned to the multitude of faces, which were alert with anticipation that he would not accept such a demotion without a fight. But he was more intelligent than that. After a long, careful pause, as if it was he who held the destiny of the Two Lands in his hands, he spoke.

‘The Gods are all-knowing,' he said. ‘We who have laboured all our lives to support and strengthen the Great House, and to restore lost order to the Two Lands, celebrate this proclamation. The King is King. May the Gods make him a great King.'

The scribes wrote this down, too, and on a signal from Ay they passed their scrolls swiftly, hand to hand, down the chamber. They were then taken off by assistants, to be copied and distributed everywhere throughout the land and the dominions, in scrolls and on
carved stone stele. And then he led the crowd, prostrating himself before the royal couple like an elderly monster before his children, slowly and stiffly, and with the dangerous irony only he seemed to be able to insinuate into everything he did. Ankhesenamun and Tutankhamun had gambled everything on this moment, and on the success of their declaration. The next days would decide whether they had won, or lost.

The King and Queen processed out of the temple complex, back through the Sun Court, where the priests abased themselves on the carefully swept ground, through the colonnade and into their waiting chariot, which drove them swiftly away in a brief blaze of gold.

Before I followed them, to depart with Simut in his chariot, I looked back at the crowded area before the Colonnade Hall, and saw Ay standing at the centre of everything, watching us all go, still as a stone. It seemed as if waves of fervent speculation and excitement were breaking and spreading throughout the multitude all around him. The news would very quickly be communicated everywhere in the city, to the bureaucracies and the offices, the granaries and the treasuries; and the official proclamation would follow in Thebes, and then by messengers directed to all the major cities and towns–to Memphis, Abydos, Heliopolis and Bubastis, or south to Elephantine and the garrison towns of Nubia.

We followed the royal chariot back to the river, where a great crowd
had gathered, shouting prayers and acclamations, and then swiftly boarded the royal ship for the river crossing. The King and Queen remained in their private enclosure. The curtain was drawn. As we set off across the water, and as the cries from the dockside faded, I could hear them talking quietly to each other; the words were not audible, but I caught the tone of her voice, calming and encouraging his more querulous one.

When the ship docked at the palace, the royal couple disembarked and were quickly surrounded by a protective phalanx of palace guards. They hurried inside as if sunlight itself was dangerous.

Khay accompanied Simut and me along, talking quickly. For once he looked excited.

‘Ay will be incensed!' he whispered eagerly. ‘He didn't see this coming.'

‘But
you
did,' I said.

‘Well, I flatter myself to say I have been the beneficiary of the Queen's confidences. She would not have made this move in the great game without first establishing her network of support among those close to her.'

And she would need it, I thought. Ay gripped the Two Lands by the throat; he still ruled the priesthood, the bureaucracies and the treasury. Horemheb controlled the army.

‘But that was very nearly another catastrophe. How could it have happened? It must be investigated immediately. Fortunately, it did not prevent the King making his proclamation,' Khay said.

Simut bristled.

‘The Chief Architect is being brought here for questioning, even now.'

‘And you, Rahotep, are no closer to discovering the culprit, who seems to have the freedom of not only the royal quarters but now also the Colonnade Hall within the bounds of the sacred temple itself!' said Khay, as if now was the time for accusations to be shared equally among us.

‘We are fighting a shadow,' I said.

‘Which means precisely nothing,' he scoffed, irritatingly.

‘What matters is understanding how this man thinks. Everything he does is a clue to his mind. So we must read each situation carefully, and try to decipher and understand its meanings. The problem is: all our efforts at controlling the situation are undermined by the disruption he is carefully creating amongst us. To him it is a kind of elegant game. He challenges us to understand him, to make sense of him, and then to catch him. So far we have been successful in none of these things. We have hardly even begun to take him seriously. Or perhaps we have taken him too seriously, for if we ignored all of these acts, what power would he really have?'

‘You sound like a warrior admiring his enemy,' replied Khay sarcastically.

‘I can respect his intelligence and skill without admiring or respecting the uses to which he puts them.'

 

Ankhesenamun and Tutankhamun were waiting for us in a reception chamber, seated upon two thrones of state. The atmosphere was heady with euphoria, but there was also a tangible edge of anxiety, for everything had not gone quite perfectly.

Khay, Simut and I offered our formal congratulations.

Tutankhamun gazed at us all intently.

‘Bow your heads before me,' he suddenly shouted, standing up. ‘How is it possible that I should be so humiliated
again
? How is it that there is still no safety for me, even in my own
temple
?'

We all waited, our heads bowed.

‘Husband,' said Ankhesenamun, quickly. ‘Let us consider our options. Let us take good advice from these trusted men.'

He sat back down on his small throne.

‘Look up.'

We did.

‘None of you has been able to protect me from all these perils. But I have had an idea. I think it is a very fine idea. It may, in fact, solve all our problems at once.'

We waited with what must have been a mixture of emotions on our faces.

‘In what time-honoured fashion does a new King proclaim his power and courage but in a lion hunt? We have proclaimed ourselves King. Therefore what better means of proving our fitness to the people than for me to go into the Red Land and hunt, and return with the trophy of a lion?' he continued.

It was Khay who spoke first.

‘A masterstroke, of course,' he began, very carefully. ‘It would create a most positive image for the public. But lord, have you considered how it exposes you to great danger?'

‘And what is new about that? Here in my own quarters, which are supposedly secure, supposedly safe, there is still greater danger,' he said petulantly.

Ankhesenamun placed her hand gently on the King's.

‘May I speak?' she asked.

He nodded.

‘It seems to me the success of kingship is in great part dependent upon the carefully managed display of the powers and virtues of that kingship, in the person of the King. Parades of victory, rituals of triumph, and so on are the means by which we represent to the people the glory of kingship. Therefore, if the King were to be well protected, a symbolic hunt, conducted within one of the great hunting enclosures, could be most useful at this time,' she said.

‘That is a marvellous compromise,' said Khay immediately. ‘Such an event can quickly be organized within the safety of the hunting park. A lion, some wild deer too, perhaps…' he continued, hopefully.

But the King's face clouded.

‘No. Ritual is not enough. Prowess must be manifested. What dignity is there in killing a lion that has already been captured, and cannot escape? I must be seen to kill a lion. And it must take place in the wilderness that is its territory. I must be seen to assert my royal authority over the land of chaos. There must be nothing symbolic about it,' he replied.

This silenced all of us.

Now it was Simut's turn to speak. He was less diplomatic.

‘In the hunting enclosure we can control the environment. We can ensure your safety. But in the desert lies great danger.'

‘He is right,' said Ankhesenamun. ‘What matters, surely, is the spectacle?'

But Tutankhamun shook his head.

‘Everyone will know all I have done is kill a trapped beast. That is not the right gesture with which to begin my kingship. I am a good hunter. I will prove myself. We
will
go to the desert.'

Khay tried again.

‘Has your majesty considered that, in order to reach the hunting grounds to the north-west or the north-east we will have to pass Memphis? Perhaps that is not very…
desirable
. After all, it is Horemheb's city, and the base of the army itself,' he murmured, uncertain how he should be saying this.

Tutankhamun stood up again, leaning carefully on his gold cane.

‘A royal visit to Memphis is
most
desirable at this time. We intend to take Horemheb closer to our hearts. He is an old ally, and in case any of you have forgotten, he was my tutor in Memphis. He has been too long engaged in the Hittite wars. We shall travel with all due ostentation. It is necessary for me to appear there, now more than ever,
because
it is Horemheb's city. I must make my presence and my new authority clear. And when that is accomplished, I will return in triumph to Thebes, and parade my victory through the Ways of the city, and everyone will know, and acknowledge, that Tutankhamun is King not only in name but also in deed.'

The consequences and ramifications of all this multiplied in our minds. Ankhesenamun spoke again:

‘The King is right. He must be seen to be King, and to do the things kings must do. This is most necessary, and must be done. But we must request one important thing. This is my personal request…'

She looked directly at me.

‘Will you, Rahotep, accompany the King? You and Simut will be jointly responsible for his safety.'

How had I ended up, after all, holding the shortest of straws? How had I got myself so far into this situation that there was no choice but to go forward? I thought back to Ankhesenamun's first plea, her appeal based on need and fear. I decided not to think yet about the recriminations, the consequences of all of this, at home.

I bowed my head. Simut glanced at me, and then nodded in agreement.

‘We will need a well-trained and completely trustworthy team. But let us take a small one, without extravagance or unnecessary ostentation: a cook, trackers, servants, and a select handful of guards. They must all have been vetted for security by the offices of the palace, as well as by the treasury. By which I mean Ay himself,' I said.

‘That is a sensible suggestion,' said Ankhesenamun, ‘for then we implicate the Regent in the arrangements, rather than excluding him; for in his exclusion he is more dangerous.'

Khay realized he had no choice but to agree.

‘I will make all the necessary security arrangements for the visit to Memphis with Simut,' he said.

‘Excellent,' said Tutankhamun. He clapped his hands together. And I realized that for the first time he actually looked happy.

The house seemed deserted when I arrived home. I realized how rare it was for me to find myself inside in the daytime. I felt like a stranger, as men do sometimes in their own households. I called out a greeting, but only Thoth responded to the sound of my voice, and came to me, his tail raised.

I found Tanefert watering the plants on the roof. I stood quietly at the top of the stairs, under the portico, for a little while, just watching her as she moved among the pots, self-possessed, self-absorbed. She has a few strands of silver in her midnight hair, which she refuses, rightly, to dye or to pluck out. We have been together for so many years; their number is greater than those of my life before I met her. I realize how lucky I have been. My life before seems a faint dream of another world; and the life since then a new story, with our girls, now almost young women, and the late surprise of my son.

She put down the watering can and stretched her back; her many bracelets glittered as they sifted and tinkled down her soft skin. I
thought for a moment they were like the years we have been together, because I had given her one every year, on our marriage anniversary.

Then she realized I was standing there. She smiled questioningly at the strangeness of my appearing here at this hour. I moved over to her. We stood together, side by side, my arm around her shoulder, looking out at the view of the city, in silence. It was late afternoon, the sun had moved across the Great River, and now hung above the western bank. From here we could see all the roofs of our quarter crammed with washing hung out in the heat, and the vegetables drying on racks, and bits of discarded or reused furniture, and birdcages.

‘Your plants are flourishing,' I offered, tentatively, to break the silence.

‘All they need is water and sun, and a little bit of attention…'

She gave me one of her meaningful looks, but said nothing more. She had read my face instantly, as she always does. She was not going to let me off lightly. She waited, playing with a brown, curling leaf.

I wondered how best to broach the subject.

‘I have to go away for a few days.'

She continued to gaze out at the horizon, enjoying the fresh, light breeze from the north. She shook her fine black hair loose, and it hung about her face for a moment before she smoothed it back again into a glossy knot.

I gently turned her towards me, and held her. But she was tense within my embrace.

‘Don't try to make it all right. I'm afraid.'

I held her closer, and she relaxed a little.

‘Nothing in the world means more to me than you and the children. Khety has orders to watch over you all, and to help you if you need anything.'

She nodded.

‘How long will you be gone?'

‘Perhaps ten days…no more than fifteen at most.'

‘That's what you said last time. And you promised not to do it again.'

‘I'm sorry. Believe me, I have no choice.'

She gave me one of her darkest looks.

‘There is always a choice.'

‘No, you are wrong. I don't feel I have any choices. I feel trapped by circumstances always beyond my control. And every step I take, in any direction, only takes me deeper and deeper into the trap.'

‘And I fear the knock upon the door. I fear opening it to find some grim Medjay messenger standing there, with a formal expression on his face, preparing himself to give the bad news,' she replied.

‘It won't happen. I can take care of myself.'

‘You can't ever know that for certain. This world is too dangerous. And I know you never feel so alive as when you are at the heart of danger.'

I could say nothing.

‘Where are you going?'

‘Hunting.'

She laughed, despite herself.

‘I'm serious. I'm accompanying the King to the hunting grounds, north of Memphis.'

Her face darkened again.

‘Why?'

I took her down the stairs, and we sat in the shady quiet of our small courtyard. Thoth watched us from his corner. The sounds of the world–the street-sellers, children shouting, their mothers shouting back–came to us distantly. I told her everything.

‘Ankhesenamun…'

‘Yes?'

‘Do you trust her?'

I hesitated, and she saw it.

‘Be careful,' she said. And she was about to say more when the street door banged open, and I heard Thuyu and Nedjmet coming up the passageway, arguing about something of intense importance. Nedjmet threw herself heavily upon the dozing Thoth, who has learned to tolerate her clumsy embraces. Thuyu embraced us both, and balanced herself against my knees, while she ate a piece of fruit. I admired her sleek grace, and her shining hair.

Tanefert went to fetch them water. My middle daughter quickly told me what was on her mind.

‘I'm not sure I will get married.'

‘Why not?'

‘Because I can write and think, and I can look after myself.'

‘But that doesn't mean you won't meet someone who you can love…'

‘But why would you choose to love just one person when there are so many people?'

I stroked her hair.

‘Because love is a decision, my darling.'

She mulled this over.

‘Everyone says they can't help themselves.'

‘That's falling in love. True love itself is different.'

She wrinkled her face up doubtfully.

‘Why is it different?'

At this point, Tanefert returned with the jug of water, and she poured out four cups, waiting for my answer.

‘Falling in love is romantic and wonderful, and it's a very special time. That's when it feels like nothing else matters. But living in love, year after year, in true partnership, that's the real gift.'

Thuyu looked at both of us, raised her eyes to the heavens, and said: ‘That just sounds so
old
.' And she laughed and drank her water.

Then the maid brought Amenmose out into the cooling air of the early evening, awake after his afternoon sleep. He held his arms out, dozily and grumpily, to be picked up; I swung him up on my shoulders so he could rattle the cages of the birds with his little stick. Soon he had them in an uproar of indignant song. I took him down then, and fed him some honey cake and water. Sekhmet returned, too, and joined us, taking her baby brother on her knee, and amusing him.

My father came home from his afternoon game of
senet
, which he plays with his old cronies. We greeted each other, and then he went to sit in his usual place on the bench, his lined face watching us from the shady corner. The girls sat with him, chatting away. Tanefert began to
think about dinner, and issued her instructions to the maid, who bowed and disappeared into the storeroom. I set out a plate of figs, and poured my father and myself a small cup of wine each, from the Dakhla oasis.

‘A libation to the Gods,' he said, raised his glass, and smiled with his wise gold eyes, observing Tanefert's quiet sadness.

I looked around at my family, gathered together in the courtyard of my house, on this ordinary evening, and I raised my own cup in libation to the Gods who have granted me the gift of such happiness. Surely my wife was right. Why would I risk all of this present, here and now, for the sake of the unknown? And yet it called to me, and I could not say no.