Chapter 18
Two men walked within the walls of the palace. One walked several paces in front of the other, clearly the higher ranking of the two; the master. The other’s steps were slower, and his head was bowed, the servant, the lower one. The first one’s dress was simple yet elegant. The latter one’s attire was just plain and simple. They both knew their place in the Egyptian social world and obviously kept to it.
They approached a spacious office and disappeared within it.
*******
The two women approached the palace despite the dark sky and harsh wind.
One was huddled over, hiding her hideous face from the world. The cloak shielded the horror from the outside world.
The other was leading her along, a pitying expression on her face. She was a pretty, young Nubian. Her arm was around the other woman’s shoulders.
The guard abruptly stopped them.
“What right do two beggars have to enter the palace?” he huffed.
The Nubian defiantly looked him straight in the eye and handed him a scrap of papyrus. “We have an appointment with the well-known court physician, Kevinkare,” she told him smugly.
He briskly glanced the letter over. “A leper, eh?” He shrank back from the cloaked woman, as though afraid to have her touch him--as though her touch would give him germs.
The two women passed on.
*****
Nickathor had an important appointment with a royal scribe. He strode down the marble floor of the palace toward Howymose’s office. It was the only way he could get into the office. It was useless for him to feign sickness; Kevinkare already had “patients” coming to him that day anyhow.
He arrived in front of Howymose’s office and let himself in.
Howymose was pouring over scrolls at his desk. One would never suspect him as anything else but a scribe. He looked up and smiled nervously at his friend.
“Ready?” Howymose inquired.
Nickathor nodded. “Where will we meet them again?”
“Meritaten’s old chambers.”
Howymose stepped over to the wall and pressed a lit torch in. A panel swung open. He extended his arm, implying for Nickathor to go first.
The Greek snatched a torch from Howymose’s office and faded into the passageway’s darkness. Shutting the panel firmly behind them, Howymose followed.
*******
The Nubian led her leper-friend to Kevinkare’s office. After an abrupt knock, she entered.
Kevinkare was searching for the correct poison in his laboratory. His “servant” was gazing out the window at the gathering storm clouds.
Hearing the knock, he spun around.
“It took you two long enough.”
“We ran into some trouble,” Aneski snapped.
The “leper” threw her cloak off to reveal her true, lovely face.
“I’ll never know how you’d ever pass for a leper,” Brianamun stated, his voice full of irony and his eyes filled with tenderness.
Kevinkare emerged from the laboratory, the correct poison in hand. “It took me a while, but I finally found what you asked for, Brianamun.” He jumped when he noticed Aneski and Nefret. “Good... You’re here,” he murmured. He then proceeded to allow Brianamun to inspect the poison.
Brianamun scanned the label. “No pain?”
“Just simple heart failure.”
“Good. I may have to do this for the gods, but I want to make it swift. Akhenaten is a man, no less, and I do feel awful right now.”
“But it has to be done,” Aneski reassured him.
“I know that. I may be a priest, but I am only human.”
The door burst open.
The four conspirators watched with wide, fearful eyes as the person fell inside, quickly shutting the door behind themselves.
Alexhotep gave a sigh of relief. “I just escorted Smenkhkareand Meritaten here from their palace. I don’t know what’s gotten into him... Well, anyway, sorry I’m late.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Nefret told him.
“Meritaten?” Kevinkare piped.
“We have more important things to do before you can see your ‘beloved’,” Brianamun informed him. “But speaking of the princess, it’s time we made our way to her old rooms. Kevinkare, lead the way.”
“You’re supposing I know the way?”
“You do though.”
He blushed. “Yeah... I do.”
The five disappeared into darkness of the tunnel.
Brianamun carried the torch and had taken the lead. Nefret and Aneski followed behind. Kevinkare and Alexhotep brought up the rear.
“Who has the... um, thing to take care of Smenkhkare?”
“I do,” Kevinkare replied shortly.
“You’re going to do it?”
“I volunteered. Besides, I believe it’s my duty to Meritaten.”
The passageway opened up into the eldest princess’s old chambers.
A horde of memories flooded Kevinkare’s mind.
Howymose and Nickathor were waiting.
“What took so long?” Nickathor inquired impatiently.
“We got held up,” Aneski informed him.
“Me too,” Alexhotep added.
“Well, the sooner we get on with this, the better,” Nefret said quietly
“Which comes first?” asked Aneski.
“We should split up,” Brianamun stated firmly. “Kevinkare, should look for Smenkhkare, wherever he is, and I will look for Akhenaten. The rest of you will split up, half going with me, the other half going with Kevinkare. Your jobs will be to distract the guards while Kevinkare and I... do our, er, jobs.”
They finally resolved on who would be accompanying who. Brianamun would take Nefret (though she’d be covered with a shawl), Nickathor, and Aneski. Alexhotep and Howymose would be with Kevinkare. They figured Meritaten could back them up because she was most likely with her husband.
Everyone exchanged “be carefuls,” “may the gods be with yous,” and “good-byes.”
As the group divided in two, the door flew open. Smenkhkareand Meritaten stood there, in the first argument of their marriage which abruptly came to a halt when Smenkhkare took in the large group of people in what was supposed to be an abandoned room.