Read Online The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michelle Moran
Tags: Fiction, Historical
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head. "No, I am certain."
CHAPTER FOUR
THE WAYS OF HATHOR
ON MY FOURTEENTH Naming Day, I went to the edduba as usual. I slipped off my sandals in front of the door, but inside, Paser was not sitting at his table. For the first time since he had been my tutor, Paser was absent. On the reed mats, the students were taking full advantage, chattering among themselves.
"Nefertari!" Baki exclaimed. "Have you heard?"
I set out my reed pen and bottle of ink deliberately. "What?"
"Paser is no longer going to be our tutor. He is vizier to Pharaoh Ramesses now."
I scrambled from my reed mat. "When did this happen?"
"Yesterday. My father told me this morning." Then he smiled wide enough that I could see his crooked teeth. "And we are to get a new tutor!"
A female shape appeared in the doorway. The students leaped to their feet, and unlike Henuttawy's entrance, they bowed deeply as Woserit approached, dressed in the long blue robes of Hathor. Her earrings and bracelets and belt were all of lapis, and the crown on her head was crested with small horns.
"Nefertari," she said. "It's time."
The students all looked at me for an explanation, and when the words stuck in my mouth, Woserit explained. "Your new tutor is coming. But Princess Nefertari's time with you is over. She will be joining me to learn the rites of our temple. She will become a priestess of Hathor."
A collective gasp arose in the room, but Woserit gave me a nod that meant I should smile and take my leave, and as I made my way past the curious faces, it occurred to me that an important part of my life had finished. No tutor would await me ever again. And although I'd always thought I would feel like an animal released from its cage when my student days were finished, I felt more like a bird that had been pushed from its nest and told it must fly.
I followed Woserit down the path along the lake. Though my heart was pounding, she retained her usual calm, that always seemed to hint at some great purpose. "I visited Merit this morning," she said, after some time. "Your most important belongings have been packed, and as soon as they're loaded on Hathor's ship, we'll set sail."
Thebes is a city cleaved in two by water. On the western bank of the River Nile is the palace of Malkata, and on the eastern bank are all of our most sacred temples. Each temple has its own ship, and this is what Woserit used each afternoon when she came to the Audience Chamber, or many evenings when she visited her brother in the Great Hall. Adult life, it seemed, meant movement. For fourteen years I had lived in the same chamber in the palace, and now, within fifteen days, I would be moving twice. Perhaps Woserit understood more than she let on, because her voice softened.
"Moving again and saying farewell will not be as terrible as you think," she promised.
In the courtyard outside my chamber, a small group had gathered to watch the servants collect my belongings. When I noticed Ramesses and Asha, my heart leaped.
"Nefer!" Asha exclaimed, and Woserit raised her brows.
"Nefer tari, " she corrected as he came over. "In the Temple of Hathor she will be properly known as such," Woserit explained. "Ramesses." She bowed politely to her nephew. "I will leave you to say your farewell."
Woserit disappeared inside my chamber, and both Ramesses and Asha spoke at once.
"What does she mean?"
I shrugged. "I'm leaving."
Ramesses blurted, "Leaving where? "
"To the Temple of Hathor," I said.
"What? To become a priestess? To clean tiles and light incense?" Asha asked.
I am sure part of his shock was in knowing that priestesses must train for twelve months. And although they may marry, many never do.
I suppressed the urge to change my mind. "Yes. Or perhaps to be a temple scribe."
Ramesses glanced at Asha, to see if he could believe this. "But why? "
"What else am I to do?" I asked solemnly. "I have no place in this palace, Ramesses. You're married now and belong in the Audience Chamber. And soon
CHAPTER FOUR
THE WAYS OF HATHOR
ON MY FOURTEENTH Naming Day, I went to the edduba as usual. I slipped off my sandals in front of the door, but inside, Paser was not sitting at his table. For the first time since he had been my tutor, Paser was absent. On the reed mats, the students were taking full advantage, chattering among themselves.
"Nefertari!" Baki exclaimed. "Have you heard?"
I set out my reed pen and bottle of ink deliberately. "What?"
"Paser is no longer going to be our tutor. He is vizier to Pharaoh Ramesses now."
I scrambled from my reed mat. "When did this happen?"
"Yesterday. My father told me this morning." Then he smiled wide enough that I could see his crooked teeth. "And we are to get a new tutor!"
A female shape appeared in the doorway. The students leaped to their feet, and unlike Henuttawy's entrance, they bowed deeply as Woserit approached, dressed in the long blue robes of Hathor. Her earrings and bracelets and belt were all of lapis, and the crown on her head was crested with small horns.
"Nefertari," she said. "It's time."
The students all looked at me for an explanation, and when the words stuck in my mouth, Woserit explained. "Your new tutor is coming. But Princess Nefertari's time with you is over. She will be joining me to learn the rites of our temple. She will become a priestess of Hathor."
A collective gasp arose in the room, but Woserit gave me a nod that meant I should smile and take my leave, and as I made my way past the curious faces, it occurred to me that an important part of my life had finished. No tutor would await me ever again. And although I'd always thought I would feel like an animal released from its cage when my student days were finished, I felt more like a bird that had been pushed from its nest and told it must fly.
I followed Woserit down the path along the lake. Though my heart was pounding, she retained her usual calm, that always seemed to hint at some great purpose. "I visited Merit this morning," she said, after some time. "Your most important belongings have been packed, and as soon as they're loaded on Hathor's ship, we'll set sail."
Thebes is a city cleaved in two by water. On the western bank of the River Nile is the palace of Malkata, and on the eastern bank are all of our most sacred temples. Each temple has its own ship, and this is what Woserit used each afternoon when she came to the Audience Chamber, or many evenings when she visited her brother in the Great Hall. Adult life, it seemed, meant movement. For fourteen years I had lived in the same chamber in the palace, and now, within fifteen days, I would be moving twice. Perhaps Woserit understood more than she let on, because her voice softened.
"Moving again and saying farewell will not be as terrible as you think," she promised.
In the courtyard outside my chamber, a small group had gathered to watch the servants collect my belongings. When I noticed Ramesses and Asha, my heart leaped.
"Nefer!" Asha exclaimed, and Woserit raised her brows.
"Nefer tari, " she corrected as he came over. "In the Temple of Hathor she will be properly known as such," Woserit explained. "Ramesses." She bowed politely to her nephew. "I will leave you to say your farewell."
Woserit disappeared inside my chamber, and both Ramesses and Asha spoke at once.
"What does she mean?"
I shrugged. "I'm leaving."
Ramesses blurted, "Leaving where? "
"To the Temple of Hathor," I said.
"What? To become a priestess? To clean tiles and light incense?" Asha asked.
I am sure part of his shock was in knowing that priestesses must train for twelve months. And although they may marry, many never do.
I suppressed the urge to change my mind. "Yes. Or perhaps to be a temple scribe."
Ramesses glanced at Asha, to see if he could believe this. "But why? "
"What else am I to do?" I asked solemnly. "I have no place in this palace, Ramesses. You're married now and belong in the Audience Chamber. And soon
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