The Forgotten Pharaoh Read online

  We boarded a boat to cross the Nile to where the military manoeuvres were to take place. Nebetah waved to us but Akhenamun did not. I watched as Akhenamun now joined by his sinister companion, Metos, walked to the temple while Nebetah returned to the palace. Metos was a tall, slim and wiry man with a threatening disposition who was often at Akhenamun’s side. He made me shudder and together they seemed even more threatening and sinister, totally unlike my handsome and open brother, Thutmose, who was so often smiling and had a captivating and cheerful disposition. They were alike in many ways but in other ways so different.

  I watched as several crocodiles swam close to the boat. They were also threatening creatures with their powerful bodies, long tails and massive teeth. Many a person had fallen victim to these ferocious animals that lived in the great river. It seemed as if they were just waiting for one of us to fall out of the boat so they could pounce. Our oarsmen took us swiftly across and we jumped out of the boat on to the jetty at the other side of the river. It was now not far to walk to the training ground.

  “It is chariot riding and sword practice today and so I thought you and I would take a chariot,” said Thutmose smiling.

  I cheerfully nodded agreement. We were met at the jetty by Commander Coreb. He bowed his head. “Your majesty,” he greeted Thutmose who was several strides ahead of me. I was looking in wonder at the line of chariots and the lines of soldiers going through their paces with swords and shields.

  “Thutmose and Smenkhkare are just fine as you well know,” said Thutmose as he grinned and patted Coreb on the back. They were the same age and had been friends for a long time. Coreb was a proven military commander and a man of considerable ability.

  “Your chariot awaits you.” He led us along the line of chariots until we reached a golden one with the head of Osiris blazoned on the side. Coreb turned to me. “Have you ever ridden in a chariot, Smenkhkare?”

  “Never, I am a little nervous. I ride horses in the palace grounds but I have never ridden a chariot.”

  “Do not be nervous,” Coreb encouraged me. “Your brother is an expert.” He whispered in my ear. “He is one of the best but we do not want him to become conceited.”

  I laughed for I liked Coreb. “That would not do.” Coreb watched as we mounted the chariot. Thutmose took the reins and I sat next to my accomplished brother.

  “Watch all that I do carefully,” Thutmose advised.

  I nodded eagerly and Thutmose tugged on the reins and the chariot started to move. There were already many chariots doing the circuit of the vast training ground. As we gathered speed the wind took my long brown hair and a thrill such as I had rarely experienced engulfed me. We made a number of circuits of the training ground and I watched my brother with great attention studying closely all that he did.

  “It is time to go a little faster,” he shouted exuberantly and my excitement grew. We were now travelling at great speed and overtaking many of the other chariots. As we passed Coreb he waved to us and I waved back. Speed brought added excitement and after about six circuits at what seemed to me an incredible speed we began to slow down until we came to a halt.

  “Your turn,” said Thutmose handing me the reins. We changed places and he gave me an encouraging look. “Take it slowly and do a few circuits.”

  I did as I was instructed and to my surprise I was able to handle the horse and chariot quite successfully, though on my first circuit another chariot had to take quick evasive action to prevent a collision. I completed five circuits and I was really now enjoying myself after getting over my initial anxiety.

  “Bring it to a stop,” my brother instructed. “That will have to be all for today. We need to get back to the palace.”

  I could not hide my disappointment. “Why is that?” I asked.

  “I have an interview with father and he does not like to be kept waiting.”

  “He would not mind if it was you,” I offered.

  He laughed. “He would, so bring the chariot to a halt.”

  I quickly did as he asked and he climbed out of the chariot. Coreb helped me out. “Are your legs fine, Smenkhkare?” he asked. “Sometimes your balance can be affected when you are not used to it.”

  “I am fine,” I smiled.

  I walked back to the boat with Thutmose. “Thank you for taking me today. I enjoyed it greatly.”

  “It is something we must do regularly. You must learn to be an excellent charioteer and I also want to teach you archery, but combat can wait until you put on a bit more weight.”

  We climbed into the waiting boat and the oarsmen started rowing as we began our return trip across the mighty river. “As the passenger on the chariot, little brother, you would have been firing your arrows at the enemy as I controlled the horse and chariot. It is a team effort.” The term ‘little brother’ would have sounded derogatory to me if said by anyone else but Thutmose.

  “I understand,” I said.

  When we reached the opposite bank Akhenamun was waiting for us. He seemed to sneer at me as he spoke to Thutmose. “Father is waiting for us.” And with those words they hurried off leaving me to make more sedate progress to the palace, daydreaming about firing arrows from the chariot and defeating Hittites.

  I passed my sister, Iset, as I entered the royal palace. “I hear you are getting married,” she said. “I hear it is a Mitanni princess.”

  “That is so,” I replied.

  “I never did like the Mitanni. It serves them right,” she laughed but it was a mirthless laugh. “I feel almost sorry for her.”

  Iset was reasonably attractive but was rather tall and gangling which was a trait in our family that I had avoided. Unfortunately tall was good but small, like me, was bad, at least as far as my father was concerned. However, she did take the time to insult me which was rather more than my very plain oldest sister Sitamun did. She simply ignored me and pretended I did not exist. It was generally assumed that Sitamun, as the eldest, would marry my father and Iset would marry my brother Thutmose. Perhaps I was lucky to be marrying a Mitanni princess. “I hear she is a great beauty who will put my sisters to shame except, of course, Nebetah. It seems I am very lucky,” I hit back and surprised her. I think driving that chariot had given me more confidence.

  “You little brat,” she muttered but also laughed and she strode away with her head in the air.

  I almost warned her not to hit her head on the palace door as she exited but that might have been going too far and I was not yet quite that confident. She would have probably complained to father and I would have been in trouble. There was one thing the great pharaoh Amenhotep always did and that was to take the side of my siblings against me. This was not surprising for I was sure that he was ashamed of me. I wondered if my Mitanni bride would be a great beauty. I would be happy and satisfied if she just proved to be a good friend.

  “Did you have a good time?” asked Nebetah emerging from behind a pillar, grinning.

  “Did you hear?” I asked.

  “I did but honestly you must try to get on with Iset for she is not so bad.”

  “Let us go for a walk into the town,” she suggested. “We can put on some old clothes and nobody would know and we would not be recognised.”

  I was horrified. “Get such notions out of your head, Nebetah. We are forbidden to go into Thebes alone as you well know. It is a dangerous place even during the day.” I did not want to antagonise my father even more and he would probably find out. He seemed to know everything that went on in Thebes.

  She sighed. “I would love to go shopping at the great market, the clothes and the jewellery are all very colourful, but you are right. I am sure father would find out because he has spies everywhere and one of them would be sure to see us.”

  “How do you know that he has spies?” I asked.

  “I listen to what others say,” she replied.

  “Like you did when you were behind that pillar?”

  She grinned. “Thutmose and Akhenamun often talk of spies
and I have heard Akhenamun speaking with Metos of such things but I do not really take much notice.”

  “In that case we should certainly not go into town alone. It would get us into trouble and inevitably I would be in more trouble than you. We are allowed to walk down to the harbour and there is a small market there,” I suggested.

  “Then the harbour it is,” she said taking my arm.

  The harbour was always interesting and Nebetah was always good company. We wandered around for a couple of hours or more watching the ships go back and forth on their journeys up and down the great river. Nebetah bought a bracelet at a stall which seemed to please her greatly. At last, feeling tired and with night starting to close in, we returned to Malkata.

  “Will you mind being married?” she asked.

  “I do not know but it makes me nervous,” I admitted.

  “You are younger than me and they have already found you a bride so it will probably not be long before they find me a husband.”

  I nodded. “That would be difficult to bear.”

  “Yes, it would mean me leaving Malkata like Henuttaneb had to when she married the Nubian King.”

  “And I would miss you so much,” I sighed.

  “No you will not, for you will have your wife by then.”

  “I will but I will still miss you,” I smiled.

  “And I would miss you, Smenkhkare, but I may have a handsome prince for compensation though I doubt it. I think father intends to marry me into the Hittite royal family, probably to their old king,” she sighed.

  “He would never do that. The Hittites are our enemies,” I reassured her.

  “Father likes to turn enemies into friends and maintain peace.”

  “He loves you and will only marry you to a young prince and eventually you will become the beautiful Queen of a great nation,” I added.

  “Like our mother,” she happily agreed, but then more solemnly declared: “I hope I never have to leave Malkata.”

  I nodded and we entered the palace. She kissed me on the cheek and returned to her apartment. I watched as she disappeared down the corridor and then I returned to my apartment where the servants would be waiting for my return. Tonight I would dream of my beautiful wife-to-be and no doubt Nebetah would dream of her handsome prince. The problem is that dreams have a habit of not coming true.

  Chapter 2

  It was indeed about three months later that the news that the Mitanni caravan was approaching the city brought great excitement to both the people of the city and the residents of the palace. It was rumoured to be quite a spectacular sight as it travelled across the barren desert towards Thebes. By the time the caravan reached the city multitudes had lined the streets to see the wondrous sight. For once the great market had been abandoned as news spread that the new member of Amenhotep’s family had arrived.

  The royal family assembled in force in the gardens of Malkata for the pharaoh had decreed that every honour should be given the Mitanni princess as she was the glue that would bind our two great nations together. I was experiencing a strange mixture of fear, excitement and wonder as the caravan drew ever closer. It was almost beyond my comprehension that I was playing a significant role in the union between the people of Upper and Lower Egypt and the people of the Mitanni and the Arzawa – such was the joint inherent fear of the Hittites.

  From the noise outside the palace walls I knew that the caravan was approaching at last. Progress through the city streets had been slow and laborious due to the encroachment of the crowds resulting in the route having to be cleared by soldiers. At last the great, ornate gates to the glorious Malkata palace opened and the Mitanni caravan appeared like a gift from the gods. I was amazed at the sight that met my eyes. I could see the Theban officials at the head riding with armed Mitanni guards and three caravans behind the escort, but it was the caravan at the rear of the convoy that most took my eye.

  It was covered with a canopy of gold and flower petals were being thrown by several handmaidens into the gardens. My nose picked up the aroma of exotic perfume emanating from the caravan. The front of the canopy was open and my bride to be could be seen lounging on a couch covered with coloured silks while sweet music could be heard coming from a flute in the second caravan. I could only stand and stare in amazement. The Mitanni princess knew how to make an entrance.

  My father met the Mitanni ambassadors, who emerged from the first caravan and he spoke with them at some length. The slow-moving third caravan carrying the princess at last drew to a halt and I could see her more clearly. I really could not believe my eyes. She was more beautiful even than Nebetah or Magente. She had a serpent crown on her head that only partly covered her long, flowing raven black hair. She had mesmerising dark eyes that matched her hair and the most beautiful, bewitching face. She wore a long, plain, deep green gown but the plainness only seemed to make it even more exotic. It flowed all the way down to her ankles but hugged at her slim figure. Finally on her feet she wore brown sandals that were studded with silver jewels. I could only continue staring in disbelief.

  “She is wasted on our little brother,” I heard Akhenamun say to Thutmose. “I will marry her instead.”

  “You are to be a priest,” my older brother reminded him.

  “I would rather have the Mitanni woman as a wife and be a warrior.” There was resentment in the tone of Akhenamun.

  “We cannot always be what we wish to be, not even us,” Thutmose rebuked him.

  We turned our attention back to the caravan for my wife-to-be, Taduheppa, was stepping out with a little help from one of the Mitanni ambassadors. My father stepped forward to greet her and embrace her as his new daughter. One of her female servants placed a chest at my father’s feet which no doubt was a gift from the Mitanni king. My father turned around and called to my sister: “Nebetah, take Smenkhkare back to his quarters. I have allowed him to witness the arrival of Taduheppa but now we must conform to custom. He will not see her again until their wedding day.” Nebetah took my hand and led me into the palace and I followed her in a daze.

  As I left the wondrous scene I heard the words of Akhenamun to Thutmose. “The custom is one day before, not a week before. The pharaoh is frightened that if she sees Smenkhkare up close she will run back to Washukanni in fright and there will be no wedding.”

  I ignored his hurtful words and spoke to Nebetah. “Did you see her?” I said as we walked along the corridor to my apartment.

  “I did.” It seemed that even Nebetah was amazed. “She is lovely.”

  “I think lovely is an understatement, sister,” I retorted.

  I opened the door and we went inside, dismissing the two servants who were tidying my rooms. “When will we be married?” I asked, not expecting Nebetah to know the answer.

  “I heard father saying it would be in one week. He wanted it to be as soon as possible but needed some time to prepare.”

  “”You know everything, Nebetah. Will she live here in my apartment?”

  “I suppose so, but I am not sure for I think she will also have her own rooms.”

  “I cannot believe it,” I said.

  “Nor can I,” she replied. “I will return to the gardens for I do not wish to miss anything. I will be your spy and tell you everything about her in the coming week.”

  “Thank you,” I said as she eagerly hurried out of the room leaving me with my hopes and fears and a week of anticipation and trepidation.

  ****

  The next morning I had two surprise visitors and I was not pleased to see them. Vizier Ay was father’s highest official and supervised the local running of the government – from palace security to taxation and the courts. He was a cold man full of his own importance and a relative for he was cousin to the pharaoh. The man who stood alongside him, Ramose, was a sycophant who stuck to his superior Ay like a leech. I had to admit, though, that Ramose was a handsome young man with a striking persona.

  Ay seemed to look down his nose at me as he addressed me: “Smen
khkare, your marriage will take place in five days’ time at the Temple of Isis in the palace grounds. It will be a small affair attended by the Mitanni ambassadors and members of the royal family and there will be a feast in the royal palace afterwards to celebrate the nuptials.” He seemed to sneer at me and then continued: “You will remain in your quarters until then as your bride, with the help of my daughter, Nefertiti, will be acquainting herself with the palace and gardens and the layout of our great complex. It would not do if you were to bump into one another.” He smiled mirthlessly.

  I shrugged. “I might embarrass everyone and the intended bride might run from the palace screaming,” I said, remembering the words of Akhenamun. I pictured Taduheppa and Nefertiti together – two goddesses walking the palace grounds for Nefertiti was also a great beauty. Her good looks must have been passed down to her by her mother. I sneered at Ay.

  He ignored my words. “Ramose will look after any requirements you may have during the five days and your sisters will be instructed to visit you so you are not lonely.”

  “I have servants and therefore have no need of Ramose, and I only require one sister to visit me, Nebetah, and she would do so anyway,” I pointed out. “Why is the ceremony taking place at the Temple of Isis? Why is there a ceremony at all?”

  “The Temple is a suitable place because it is a small family temple in the palace grounds. Akhenamun will bind you together with a few words while Taduheppa’s servants will move some of her belongings to your apartment to seal the union. It is better that way.”

  I nodded, accepting the explanation. In most marriages there were no ceremonies, but my wedding being a royal one was I suppose a little different.

  “As you wish with Nebetah, but Ramose will call on you daily to see if you have any special requirements. We will leave you now.” They both headed for the door but before they left Ay turned to me again. “Remember, Smenkhkare, stay in your room.”

  ****

  Having to stay in my room seemed to me to be absurd and left me feeling like a prisoner in my own quarters. I supposed that I would feel that way until the wedding had taken place. I could see the injustice of the situation but I did not care. Most of the time I was happy with my own company and Nebetah was sure to visit me and perhaps Thutmose too.