Chapter Five of Nefertiti: The Legacy

  "Why isn't it here?" I was going to find a nice book to read in the Per Medjat but I found Baraka, Tut and Ankhe on top of each other's shoulders. "Be careful, Baraka!" Ankhe screamed from the top. Though Baraka was the most
muscular, he struggled under the force of Tut and Ankhe on top of him.

  "Okay, kids. What are you looking for?" I asked. The human ladder wavered. "We'll, Aunty we are looking for..." And then the human ladder fell down before Ankhe could finish. "Thanks a lot Baraka." Ankhe said with her voice ful, of sarcasm. "We'll maybe you've been having to many dinner in the Great Hall your majesty!"

  I helped them get up. "What are you looking for?" I asked after they were all standing and dusted off. "We are looking for some records about the royal treasury."

  "Why don't you just ask Maya?" The skilled treasurer was a wealthy man .of great talents. A man my sister hired to help her fix Kemet's broken economy, he was Overseer of The Treasury and a Tiaty of Kemet.

  "Because he and grandfather are stealing from us!" Ankhe blurted out. Baraka pinched her. "Ow! Why did you pinch me?" "Because we don't know that!" Tut told his sister-wife. "Mawat, all we know is that Grandfather told Maya not to let Tut or Ankhe see the records." Baraka said.

 "Because he is stealing!" Ankhesenamun tries to stress. Would father steal from his own grandchildren. Only the god's know that I have heard my sister and father do more terrible things, but father was always a loyal Tiaty.  

 "Well, you won't find records here. The only place I could think is father’s study.” Father did like to work in his office. “But how will we get in?”
  “Oh, please. You guys are the Pharaoh and Queen of Kemet. Besides, your grandfather is out expecting the new soldiers with Nakhtmin.”
  So we walked up, in good royal pomp to the Tjaty’s rooms. Mentopher, a steward of father let us into the study.

  It was in such a mess! Scrolls everywhere, dried up ink. “So the man who thinks he can rule Kemet, can’t even keep a room clean?” Tut rolled his eyes at Ankhe.
  We tried looking for the records but we didn’t find anything. “Look at all these drafts! Some even go back to reign of Pharaoh Nebmaatre.” Baraka looked at a scroll. “It’s a negotion about some daughter of the King of Mitanni.”

 After a hour of looking for the treasury records we didn’t find anything. We couldn’t find anything that showed about the missing records. Did that mean my father was stealing?
  “Hi guys. Hi aunty.” I turned around from reading a scroll to see little Sati waiting outside the door. “Sati, what are you doing?” I asked. “Well, I wanted to come and see you guys.” “We can’t play Sati, sorry.” Tut said politely. Sati nodded her head. But as she turned around, she picked up a piece of papyrus.
   “Hey, Ankhe, this is the letters from mother’s reign. Hey, so why haven’t we had a victory feast.”

  “What are you talking about child?” Ankhe said, still looking through the scrolls of papyrus. “Well according to this scroll, we are at war in Ta Shemau.” Quickly, Tut jumped up and went to Sati. He snatched the scroll out of her hand. “What!” The scream Tut gave made me even jump.
   
  “Tut, what’s wrong!” Ankhe asked, but Tut was too  enraged to talk. He called for Mentopher. “Get me Tjaty Ay!”
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  Tut called a meeting with his regency council. He made it as an requirement for I to attend. Baraka and Sati were also supposed to come. Tut was still upset. He gripped the crook and flail in his arms with great force, the anger visible on his face. But Ankhe tried to placate him.
   When the council came in, father was last. When he saw the children, he began to fume. “Pharaoh, I believe we discussed that the regency council is not a nursery for...” “Sit down Tjaty Ay!” The ten-year old’s voice boomed like thunder. Father sat down.
   Tut then struck the dais and rose with his Queen. “As most of you don’t know, except Tjaty Ay, but apparently we are at war!” Horemheb immediately rose. “Pharaoh Nebkheperure, I do not understand. No one has declared war against the Two Kingdoms.”

  “I thought so, too. Horemheb but I believe that my wife, Queen Ankhesenamun will debrief you.” Tut sat down still fuming in anger, but Ankhe remained standing. “Sati, give me the scroll.” The little princess handed it over to her sister. “In this letter, it is written in the name of Lord Nebamun, Lord Raweret, Lord Sephotep. They are also King’s Sons, born of Pharaoh Nebmaatre Amunhotep. In the day before my mother’s death, they sent a letter, declaring themselves to be rightful rulers of Kemet.” Ankhesenamun said and dropped the scroll before the dais.

  Sati, as if on cue handed her sister another letter. “This letter is the recruiting of an army. The army is to swear fealty to Grand Tjaty Ay and help him defend Pharaoh’s throne. Now, the Tjaty has not informed neither General Nakhtmin, General Horemheb and General Paramessu. And he is also making a army that is loyal to himself alone, instead of Pharaoh.” I couldn’t believe it. I grabbed for the first scroll beneath the dais. And it said: In the name of King’s Son Nebamun, King’s Son Raweret and King’s son Sebhotep, I write this letter to the flase pharaoh, Ankhkheperure Smenkhare Neferneferuaten-Nefertiti. We, as direct descendants for Pharaoh Nebmaatre claim the throne of Kemet for the eldest living son, Nebamun. You have no royal sons and have only a line of daughters. We declare you allow Nebamun to marry the Great Royal Wife Meritaten while you cede your crown and you shall reside in the Old King’s harem at Ineb Hedj. If you do not, we will take the throne and your daughter, by force.
 
    These upstart Princes, they dare claim the throne of Pharaohs. And father was gathering a army, not even seeking the Generals’ advice and was ready to fight.
  While I was reading, Ankhesenamun had read out loud my father’s army drafting and his co-conspirators. They had deliberately taken advantage of Tut’s age to fight a war without his knowing.

  “Pharaoh, please let me defend my self. You are a young boy and the burdens of the country...” “I am King!” Tut said, standing up upon the dais. It looked as if he was going to throw the crook and flail at my father. But then he looked at me and Nakhtmin. And he sat down, trying to regain his composure.

  “Beloved husband. What the Tjaty has done is just as much as the treason of these men who seek to take your throne. The punishment must be severe.” Ankhe said, and she looked out into the eyes of her grandfather. He had used her as a way to become power behind the throne and now, she was ready to return the favor. Tut sat in his throne contemplating. The punishment for treason was execution. Could I watch my own father be struck down on the order of the son I had raised at my feet. But Baraka went up to his brother and whispered into his ear.“Tjaty Ay, you are stripped of your status as Grand Tjaty. You are banished from the Sepat of Waset and shall reside under house arrest in your villa in Akhmin.” I could tell father was outraged. But he didn’t dare speak, out of fear of further punishment. He curtly bowed and left the council room.

   “General Horemheb, please right a letter to General Paramessu to raise the troops in the delta. General Nakhtmin, you shall deploy your own soldiers and shall be made commander of Ay’s gathered legions.” Tut stood up from his throne. “My council we are at war with these three men. And for the sake of Kemet, we shall win! The council is adjourned.”