The Feather of Ma'at by Lisa Llamrei

Author:Lisa Llamrei [Llamrei, Lisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Liminal Books
Published: 2023-10-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 35

I could hear the din from the robing room. Voices talked over each other, getting louder, trying to be heard. They pounded in my head like waves battering the shore. I took a deep breath and entered the audience chamber. Father stood to one side, and my step faltered when I saw Bek standing in for my usual fanbearer. My appearance caused such an uproar, I was certain no one noticed my misstep. I used one hand to lower myself into the throne as gracefully as was possible under the circumstances.

“What about the bakers? We have worked hard for the king. He cannot close the temples...”

“Not as hard as the butchers. We must be heard ...”

My back ached.

“How are we to live if the temples close?”

The chatter echoed inside my head.

Bracing myself with one hand on the arm of the throne, and leaning hard to leverage myself, I rose as fast as I was able. I grasped my scepter below its stylized god’s head and crashed its forked end into the floor.

Silence.

“His Highness has already spoken on this matter. There is nothing more to be done for it. You will cease operations immediately.”

The protests grew louder again. A second crash of the scepter brought them all to attention. “If you wish to speak, you must choose one among you to speak for all.”

I waited for their choice. In truth, I had given this much thought in the past several hours and had already devised a solution. But if they believed their pleas could sway me, I would gain their confidence.

An older man with the shaved head and plain, white kilt of a priest came forward, half-stepping and half-shoved. He bowed before speaking. “Highness. All of the considerable temple assets — land, ships, grain — are now being absorbed by the royal coffers.”

“Careful,” I said. “You tread dangerously close to treason.”

He bowed again. “My apologies, Highness. I meant no harm, only that we are all now without work and without means of feeding our families.”

I took a moment to appear to be considering his words. “That, we must remedy. Those of you with military training must join the army. We always have need of soldiers. For those who are qualified, we have need of scribes. The temples of the Aten will be expanding and increasing, so we will have continued need for butchers, weavers, priests, bakers, and other workers.”

I called to my scribe. “You will see that lists are made of those who are left without work, and what work needs to be done. No one shall starve in the Aten’s kingdom.”

Back in my own chambers, I collapsed onto a chair. Taheret came running to massage my feet.

“How are you feeling, Highness?”

“Miserable,” I said. “These next few weeks cannot pass fast enough.”

Voices came from the other side of my door. “See who it is, and send him away. I will see no one.”

Taheret left and returned shortly, followed by my father.

“I apologize, Father, but I have no patience for visitors right now.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.