Ma‘at

Chapter 5: Hatshepsut
By Itinerant
Edited by Amelia R.

"This is fan fiction for the Whateley Academy series. It may or may not match the timeline, characters, and continuity, but since it's fan fiction, who cares? To see the canon Whateley Stories, check out either Sapphire's Place (http://www.sapphireplace.com/stories/whateley.html) or the Big Closet (http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/taxonomy/term/117)."

Author's Note: My thanks to Andrea (AndiJF), and Darla (Darladonna) for pointing out the error in the name of the Pharoah's false beard (uraeus) and providing the right name (postiche).

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From Chapter 4:

The heat was like a blow after the icy, northern plains. Dani looked around, and smiled as she recognized her surroundings. She stood on a ridge above the broad, familiar river valley that was bordered with seemingly endless miles of ochre desert stretching to the horizon on each side.

*****

She looked down from the heights at the busy, ancient city in the fullness of its power. She was back in her beloved Egypt, and far south of her familiar haunts near Memphis, but no Egyptian archaeologist would mistake the location.

Below her, above the floods that brought life and death to the land, stood Thebes, the capital of Egypt for almost a thousand years. Her eyes soaked in what was one of the most beautiful sights imaginable to anyone of her profession. It was tempting to scurry down the hillside to the city, but she had learned the hard lesson of why that was ... inadvisable. First, before taking a single step, she would observe and determine as best she could when she was. That would give her an idea as to who ruled the land.

She gazed carefully at the dawn-touched city and picked out the major buildings and temples. Those were reasonably well dated by Dani's fellows, and she could at least determine which dynasty ruled -- though from first glance it was clear that it was no earlier than the Eighteenth Dynasty. The Karnak Temple was obviously present, and there was no sign of the construction of Amenhotep IV. That narrowed the time to before the 1300's. There was also no sign of the Luxor Temple, so the time range was pushed back further.

She looked more carefully at Karnak, and could see the work attributed to Thutmose I in the existence of five pylons, an enclosure wall, and his two obelisks. So she was definitely in the period of the Eighteenth Dynasty, likely no earlier than 1500BCE, and no later than 1388BCE.

~I can tell more precisely if I get a look at the Valley of the Kings, but the period from Thutmose II through Amenhotep III was a good one for the Egyptians. The Pharaohs were all strong, the country was united, and other than Kush there weren't any real military contenders around.~

~Did you enjoy your detective work, daughter?~

Ma'at's silent voice rippled with suppressed laughter in her mind, and Dani couldn't help but giggle in sheer happiness. She still felt the loss of Archippe's companionship keenly -- the nomad would be someone she'd remember and love for the rest of her life -- but even that couldn't dampen the joy she took in this land and its history.

~I could hardly say no! You know how I feel about this place and the work I have done here.~

~I know, dear child; your joy in this place, and its people, brings me joy as well.~

Dani felt the warm rush of affection from the goddess who'd plucked her from the edge of death and remade her into her eyes, ears, and hands in the world. Since the moment she'd awakened again, she had seen things that were beyond price to an archaeologist.

There would be a cost -- of that she was sure. Returning to her own time, and dealing with the Byzantine bureaucracy of the Mutant Commission Office, would almost certainly be only a tithe of the hassles ahead.

She shrugged the thought off. There was work to do here, and who knew how many more stops along the path home.

~This, and one other stop, dear one. There is much more you could do, but it's nearly time for you to go home to your time and place. This stop is doubly important,~ the goddess's voice took on a dark edge, ~as my temple in this city needs a good cleaning.~

With that warning, Ma'at began her outline of exactly where and when she'd brought her avatar and why she was needed here.

The year was 1480BCE, and the current Pharaoh, Thutmose II, was declining. His wife, Hatshepsut, was managing the kingdom as the man grew weaker; Thutmose III, the presumed heir to the throne, was far too young to rule, so Hatshepsut was expected to assume the Regency until the young man came of age.

Such a situation was unusual, but hardly unheard of. The centuries had seen many Queen Regents serve as custodians for underage Pharaohs. The problem in this case was that Hatshepsut had been chosen by her father, Thutmose I, to assume the throne. Her father had pronounced his will on the matter, though the records had been suppressed since his death:

Then his majesty said to them: "This daughter of mine, Khnumetamun Hatshepsut -- may she live! -- I have appointed as my successor upon my throne... she shall direct the people in every sphere of the palace; it is she indeed who shall lead you. Obey her words, unite yourselves at her command." The royal nobles, the dignitaries, and the leaders of the people heard this proclamation of the promotion of his daughter, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Maatkare -- may she live eternally.

Such a step was unheard of in the Kingdom's history, and the commanders of the army were the first to express their concern. No one doubted the young woman's ability as an administrator, but no woman had ever taken command of a field army. The fate of the kingdom had hinged on the ability of the Pharaoh to lead an army to turn back invaders. Women had neither the training, nor the temperament, to effectively manage the blood and chaos of battle. The priests in the Temple of Montu had listened carefully and made their preparations. Other temples were quietly contacted as the king slowly succumbed to the ravages of his fifty-five years of life. Reaching that advanced age was remarkable, even for royalty.

As the king's body was prepared for burial, the military advisors and priests met. Despite Hatshepsut's ability, they refused to countenance such a deviation from custom and tradition.

Rather than deprive the kingdom of her ability as they set her somewhat frail half-brother on the throne, and to cement the young man's hold on power, a marriage was 'arranged' between the royal siblings.

Hatshepsut was a far more capable administrator than the Pharaoh, and she ran the kingdom even as he ruled -- much as Thebes was the seat of power, while Memphis was where the work of administration got done.

She knew that she had ample justification for moving to seize full control, but she also knew that the civil war that would very probably follow would wound the kingdom. Kush was already stirring in rebellion, and there must be no question of who was in control of the army if that uprising was to be quashed. The Queen Consort's prayers went up daily from her private rooms that her just cause would be upheld, and that the prophecy from her birth would be fulfilled that had said:

Welcome my sweet daughter, my favorite, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Maatkare, Hatshepsut. Thou art the Pharaoh, taking possession of the Two Lands.

Ma'at had heard her prayers, but only now was it time for the young woman to assume her rightful place. At this point it could be done without bringing chaos to the land, and both justice and order would be served.

Dani's second task would be to help guide the soon-to-be-ruler through the transition of power, and help the Crown Prince to accept that his step-mother was truly the chosen of the gods. That would also mean that the priests and advisors would have to be dealt with.

There was time before she had to begin that task. First, and even more crucial, was to address the problems that had arisen in Ma'at's own temple over the centuries. The priesthood, man and woman alike, had been charged to carry out the commands of their goddess. The long years had sapped the temple of its piety and devotion, and now the priests of Ma'at were concerned only with their own power.

Dani felt the edge of anger in her goddess's voice -- that situation *would* change.

*****

Tiy woke, sweating with fear from the vision of fury that had raged in her dream.

The anger hadn't been directed her way -- the warm, comforting presence beside her had made that point abundantly clear -- but nonetheless, she knew that the goddess she had given her oath to serve was on the brink of action.

She had known her life's direction from her earliest youth and had set out for the Temple of Ma'at in Thebes as soon as she was old enough. It had been a shock to find herself working, not as a priestess or even an acolyte, but as a servant.

She woke at night, weeping in sorrow at the way the priests fouled her beloved goddess's honor, but she was determined to do her best -- to do what her heart said was right, and just.

Last night, though, she saw clearly that the goddess was ready to act, and that those who had spurned her ways for their own would pay dearly for their treason. Tiy felt an irresistible urge to try to warn them that they were out of time.

~One way or the other,~ she thought, ~things will change today.~

She quickly washed herself with the bit of blessed water she had hoarded, and dressed in the best of her clothing. If she was to bring warning from the goddess, she would be as ceremonially clean as her resources permitted. With a prayer on her lips, she walked out to find the High Priest and Priestess.

*****

"What in the name of Ammit do you think you're doing? How dare you come in here with your so-called visions?"

The harsh voice of Sat-jah, High Priestess of the temple, rang through the room as sharply as the slap that cracked across Tiy's face.

It had been well past the time for the morning ceremony, but the priests had only begun to gather when the young woman swept in with word of her warning vision. The disruption to the measured stages of the day drew the wrath of the priestess, and the split in the servant girl's lip would, perhaps, discourage any further attempts to exceed her station in the order of things.

Tiy was roughly 'escorted' from the room and found herself sprawled on the floor as the grand, ornate doors slammed against further intrusions. She leaned against the wall as she struggled back to her feet; the young woman staggered back to her shared quarters to clean up before beginning her day's tasks.

~Forgive me, goddess. I tried to tell them, but I failed you.~

*****

The long walk down the hillside had been invigorating, and the traffic on the river was steady as the sun finally broke over the eastern hills. Dani had found a boatman on the river's west bank as he prepared for the morning's fishing, and his initial reluctance to play taxi was washed away by the sparkle of gold that the absurdly tall woman put in his hand.

She relished the warmth of the sun as she stood on the east bank at last. The mighty Temple of Karnak, which was less a temple than a complex of temples, was divided into three main precincts: Amun-Re, Montu, and Mut. The first was dedicated to the chief god; the last to the mother goddess of the Theban triad. The Precinct of Montu, the War God, had a collection of smaller temples within, and, most importantly to Dani, the Temple of Ma'at.

A part of her mind was mulling the task ahead as she walked along the street, and her scholar's streak studied and catalogued the various deities represented. The columns and doorways almost glowed with the brilliant colors of paint used to decorate the carved sandstone, and Dani wished again that she'd had some sort of camera to capture the gorgeous sights.

She was almost too distracted, though. The avatar teetered on the edge of losing her balance as a small group of cats slithered across her path. They were held sacred by Bast -- or Bastet -- who was supposed to be Ma'at's sister. Dani had had to pass by the entry to Bast's temple in the Precinct of Mut on her way to her destination.

It would be a poor idea to injure one of the little critters; she didn't need to add a goddess to the list of priests and priestesses she'd be annoying today. Dani stood still as the felines wrapped themselves around her legs, stropping and purring. She wanted to reach down and stroke them, but if she violated protocol by treating the sacred animals as pets there might be repercussions that would best be avoided just now.

~You *do* like cats, don't you?~ Ma'at interrupted her thoughts.

~Yes, I do. I was never able to have a pet with all the traveling, but I particularly like cats.~ The archaeologist frowned a little at the question.

~Good!~ There was a tone in the goddess's mental voice that left Dani uneasy.

~Would you like to explain why you asked?~

~No.~

The tone in the mental voice was even more pronounced, and Dani caught an image of her twin smirking.

She shivered a little -- Ma'at would never harm her, or even allow her to come to serious harm. Of that she had no doubt anymore. -- but her goddess was definitely up to something. She finally extracted herself from the attentions of the cats, and crossed the last few dozen yards to her destination.

*****

The guard, Aset, stood before the gilded door of the temple and gazed indifferently at the clusters of supplicants that filtered along the roadway. He had been assigned by the council of priests that managed the precinct, and rather preferred duty at this door. Other temples were burdened with the masses of the poor and sickly; at least Ma'at and her priesthood had some semblance of dignity. The doors were held shut against all but the worthy, and the post was the most relaxing in the entire Temple of Karnak.

He frowned as a figure came toward the doorway. She was tall, lean, and yet well rounded -- a beautiful woman by any standard -- and carried herself with a poise that reminded the soldier of many of the captains he'd seen. Her clothing was of obviously good quality, and her hair was long, black, and well-kept.

~Some official's wife from down river?~ he wondered. Ordinarily, such a visitor would have warned the temple hierarchy before her arrival to avoid any delays in admission, but there had been no warning to admit anyone this day. He shrugged.

~She'll have to wait until she's been properly admitted.~

He was a bit less certain as he caught the glint of determination in the woman's eyes -- and realized that he had to look up a little to see them.

*****

~Gold plated doors?!~

The scholar looked in shock at the ornately carved, lavishly gilded portals that sealed the temple from the light, dust, and noise of the outside. The doors were flanked by gaudy, detailed pictures of priests as they sat in judgment.

Dani's incredulity at the utter waste was a pale echo of her goddess's anger. Her temple had always been well provisioned, as they served the kingdom as impartial judges of truth in the name of Ma'at. That provision had always been dedicated to the care of the priests and the occasional bit of charity when justice demanded it.

Now it seemed whoever the High Priest and Priestess were, they had decided that charity began at home, and who better to receive it than themselves.

The woman took time as she walked up to look over the guards that stood at either side of the double doors. The man to her left seemed to be staring off into the infinite, though she suspected he was more aware of her approach than it appeared. He seemed to be neatly dressed, and his gear appeared to be well-fit and cared for.

The man to the right looked as if he was on vacation, not on guard. He had been gazing up and down the street, glancing indifferently at her approaching figure. Only when it was apparent she was coming his way did he take a more active interest, and then more in the way of girl watching. She wasn't overly impressed by the loose straps and buckles on his armor, and he could have slept in his rumpled clothing.

Dani started toward the doors to go inside.

"Stop! Who are you, and what makes you think you are permitted within the Goddess's temple without the permission of the Priest or Priestess?"

The slacker to her right had finally bestirred himself and had his hand on his sword as he spoke. The other guard also pivoted, though he'd yet to place hand to any weapon, other than his spear.

"Who am I? I am named Dani, and I am the eyes and voice of Ma'at. I am her avatar, and she has sent me here to *her* temple!"

Her words were punctuated by the glare she sent his way, but the senior guard just laughed at her.

"Of course you are! And I'm the Pharaoh! Take yourself and your delusions to another place; the Goddess has no time to waste on such as you."

Aset reached out to grasp her arm, but found he was unable to move his arms as the woman raised her hand on his side. She looked toward the other guard, Horemheb, who was just beginning to move.

"Don't even try. I am here on Ma'at's business, and I'll deal with you first if I must."

Dani's steady glare, indifferent to the increasingly panicked struggles of the other guard, was a sufficient argument. He backed off, and laid his sword and spear on the temple steps. She was tall and lovely, but the woman's eyes held a warning he had no intention of ignoring.

"I serve the gods, and I will not hinder their messenger."

With a small smile and nod, Dani dismissed him and turned her attention back to the man in her immaterial grip.

"Will you behave, or must I be more convincing?"

She released him, and Aset ran, dropping his spear in his flight.

She turned back to the man on her left.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"Horemheb, Lady," came the hesitant reply. ~The less I say, the less trouble I'll be in,~ he thought.

"Horemheb, you have work to do here as a guard," she gestured that he should retrieve his weapons. "Ma'at will not permit her temple's doors to be shut against those who need her. You will open the doors and ensure they remain open until after the evening ceremony. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Lady," he gulped. He quickly moved to open the doors. The sound echoed down the hall as the doors rebounded from the wall within, and the sunlight that reflected from the street bounced off the gold into the shadowed interior. The yellow light illuminated the walls within the entry and revealed that the areas that should have borne Ma'at's forty-two principles were adorned instead with pictures of priests and priestesses making offerings to an altar. Dani stalked through the portal into the temple itself.

~*I* want to have a talk with the High Priest and Priestess!~ came the iron-edged thought into Dani's mind. A milder suggestion urged the avatar to flip her necklace out, and the golden feather gleamed against the white of her clothing.

A chill came over her as the young-looking woman penetrated deeper into the temple, and she shivered.

*****

"My Lord! My Lady! The noise was someone -- a woman -- forcing her way into the temple!"

The High Priest and Priestess were lounging in their quarters after the late morning ceremony. The priests knew that they relaxed until the afternoon! The booming of the doors was an annoyance that should have been prevented by the guards.

Kamose, the High Priest, turned a furious look toward the man. "Send the duty priests to the hallway and throw her out! Then send for the guard captain; I want to know why his men didn't do their job."

The man turned to leave, but backed slowly into the room instead. The edge of fury on the face of the unnaturally tall woman walking swiftly toward him was more than he cared to face.

*****

The interior of the temple was lovely; murals, carvings, and statues -- each painted in bright, lifelike colors -- filled the walls and covered the pillars that supported the roof shading the rooms from the heat of the day.

That only emphasized the differences from the temple in Memphis. The clean, simple design of that earlier place was far more elegant than this ... ostentatious display of wealth.

~They either have far too much wealth and can afford the expense in addition to the duties they should be performing, or they have neglected those tasks that I have set for them,~ Ma'at spoke in a grim, silent voice. ~I have a new priestess to set in charge of my temple, daughter. Then we can start setting things to rights here, and my priests can start doing the job I intended for them. And I can deal with whatever is causing this ... darkness in here.~

~Pardon? Darkness?~

~That chill you felt when you walked in here, Dani. That wasn't due to the temperature; there is a source of evil that has contaminated my holy place. You cannot see it, but you felt it as that feeling of cold.~

*****

The luxuriously appointed room caught her eye as she strode down the hallway, and the lounging figures within that were only now beginning to bestir themselves. There was no need for even an exchange of thoughts -- Dani's mind was locked on precisely the track that Ma'at intended. She pivoted toward the door as the priest fell back and stopped in the doorway.

"Ma'at wants to have words with you, and commands you to call *all* the priests and priestesses to the sanctuary immediately and meet her there yourselves."

She blinked as the man reclining within the room, and the woman as well, slowly rose from their couches. As they did, an aura of darkness became plain around them.

~So that's the snake in the nest. I assume you know who they're really serving, My Lady.~

~I do, child. My old nemesis, Set, has managed to gain a small purchase in this temple. They are the latest in the line of those who have led my servants astray.~

"And why should we do that?" asked the man. "You come in here making claims that I'm sure you cannot prove. We are the chosen leaders of this temple, and it will take more than just a well-dressed strumpet to overturn Her will! That pretty little bangle around your neck is hardly a sign of the Goddess's authority."

His self-assured smirk turned to confusion at Dani's humorless smile and nod. "You are most certainly correct that this necklace is insufficient by itself. It will be to your advantage, or at least far less embarrassing to you, to do as I have said. I'm sure that Ma'at tried to give you warning, and I'm equally certain you refused to listen."

The remark was like a slap in the face to Sat-jah, who abruptly recalled the words of the servant earlier in the day. ~They must be conspiring to oust us and take over our place.~

"I think," interjected the woman, "that we've heard enough of your raving." She looked at the priest who still stood at the doorway. "Go! Call the duty priests to remove this madwoman, and bring me that little tart who intruded this morning. She needs to be reminded of her place."

There was a certain glee in the thought that Dani heard next. ~I think, Meri-Ma'at, that it is time to show these traitors, and their master, that their time is ended. I wish it could be otherwise, but this will be hard on you, dear one.~

The avatar gave a nearly-imperceptible nod. ~I know, Ma'at, but it's the only way to get the job done. I trust you to keep me safe.~

The time since she had been remade had given her ample evidence of the goddess's reliability; that evidence had turned any question away and replaced it with utter certainty. Dani relaxed, and felt the power flow into and though her as Ma'at took control.

The High Priest was puzzled as he saw the woman seemingly nod to the High Priestess's command to the priest at the door -- or perhaps to a voice only she heard.

His confusion turned to panic as he saw the tall figure begin to glow and a crown with a tall ostrich feather took shape. It was far too late to do more than gape as the woman's voice, now oddly resonant, spoke again.

"You *will* come with me, now."

She turned around and walked into the hallway as irresistible tethers dragged the struggling priest and priestess in her wake.

Ma'at didn't even turn her head as she walked past the man at the door. "You will fetch all the priests and meet me in my sanctuary."

*****

The last, fearful straggler had finally arrived. The word had spread swiftly through the temple about the incursion of the strange woman, and even more swiftly when the command was issued to gather in the sanctuary.

Other words were whispered, too. Rumors that Ma'at herself had come to the temple were passed from ear to ear. Some spoke of yet more honors for the High Priest and Priestess, but other, softer voices spoke of an angry goddess who was here to cleanse her priesthood.

The figure at the altar -- a tall, slender woman who appeared to be identical to the images of Ma'at carved and painted on many walls -- was flanked by the unhappy looking High Priest and Priestess. She seemed to glow even in the daylight that reflected from the high-set windows; as the crowd watched, her face turned from stern to angry.

Ma'at looked out over the crowd, her disappointment boiling over into a simmering fury. Several priests who should have come were absent -- no doubt they, too, carried the infection of darkness. Her anger was soothed a little as she saw the cluster of servants in the rear. There, in that most unlikely location, were the pure souls who would take up the task of cleansing this sacred place.

First, though, she would ensure that there was no question of her intent. Her imperceptible threads of power stretched out again, and a half-dozen struggling priests joined their fellows at the front of the assembly. They found themselves released at last, but only when they stood front and center before a visibly angry woman who glowed with power.

~Dani's going to be incapacitated for days at this rate, but I have no choice if these poisonous adders are to be dealt with. Forgive me, daughter.~

Her voice rang clearly through the room.

"You were called here, or brought here," her gaze rested for a moment on the men and women in the front, "to give account of your service to me. I am Ma'at, and the person before you is my chosen, my avatar; she speaks with my voice in all things.

"My temple was established to bring and keep order in the land; to lead all people -- both high and low born -- to speak the truth, because that will help keep order; to call all those in authority to be just in all their doings, and to provide a place where anyone could come and find an ear for their plea.

"You know, or certainly should have known, the principles I gave to lead you all in my way. I had commanded that they would be carved on the walls within my temple for anyone to come, read, and understand -- and have priests to explain to any who needed help understanding."

Her anger touched the fringe of her aura with flame.

"And when I come to my temple -- in the heart of the kingdom's capital -- what do I find? Pretty paintings of priests on the walls within and without, the doors covered in gold, and those same doors *SHUT* against those who need most to be allowed inside.

"I find those who call themselves *MY* priests spending more time worshipping themselves than me."

Ma'at's voice grew soft, but still its fury carried to every ear in the room. The priests and priestesses paled and tried to prostrate themselves, but were held up once again by those immaterial, unyielding bands of divine power. She continued in a voice that, though quiet, was even more terrifying in its content.

"It stops now -- all of it. No more hoarding of gold. No more using my blessed water to extort the last grain of wheat from the poor."

She flung her hands out in an angry gesture, and the temple shook. A blizzard of gold leaf flew into the room through the open doors and swirled before the crowd before coalescing into a clatter of gold disks. Several of the priests and priestesses found that much of their jewelry -- necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and all the rest -- vanished to join the tornado of reclaimed wealth that glittered with the thousand eyes of diverted gemstones.

A dozen men and women, as well as the High Priest and Priestess, found themselves clustered before the altar. They were no longer clad in jewelry and fine clothing; the luxurious cotton fabric of their clothing was now common linen, and the fine sandals were replaced by solid, but crude footwear.

All could now see the shroud of darkness that wound around them.

"These who called themselves my priests and priestesses betrayed me to my enemy -- they willingly served Set! They, including Kamose and Sat-jah, are banished from my priesthood and banned from my temple until they renounce him. It is done!"

The group vanished from the room, and found themselves in the street.

Ma'at looked again at the remaining group. This time her face held a softer expression.

"You who remain were faithful, but misled. Your errors were from ignorance, not malice, and that I can justly forgive." She stepped forward and walked to the center of the room. "My temple has need of a new High Priestess, and there is one who has been faithful to me even when she suffered for it. Come to me, Tiy."

The young woman, her face still bruised and swollen, shuffled hesitantly to her goddess. She tried to kneel, but found her hand caught.

"No child, you need not kneel." Ma'at's hand brushed the woman's face, and the injuries were gone. "You listened to my voice, when few here would do so. You were a faithful messenger, when no one else would carry my words. You honored me with your loyal service, and now I honor you. You are my new High Priestess, Tiy, and I charge you to serve me as faithfully in that office as you have as a temple servant."

The goddess reminded the crowd of the ceremonies and rituals they were expected to perform and their intended service to the kingdom as well. She also warned them that the troubles with the corrupted priests were not over; there would be problems within the precinct and from the palace.

For now there was time to reorganize, take the reclaimed ornamentation for its intended use in the temple, and begin to restore what had been lost.

The crowd began to disperse, and Tiy found herself in the center of a small crowd of remaining priests.

"There is one more thing that I command you to do, my priestess. When I speak and act through my avatar, it wearies her. She will be unconscious for a time and will need your care and guarding. Keep her safe. Her name is Dani, and she is my chosen and dearly loved. Guard her well until she wakes. She will help you learn what you need to know as my High Priestess."

The glow faded, and Dani's eyes rolled back in her head as she melted to the floor.

*****

"Your Majesty?"

Hatshepsut looked toward the door, where a guard waited to be recognized. She and her advisors had been discussing Pharaoh's health with his doctors as the news grew steadily worse. "Yes?"

She was of average height, about 160 centimeters tall, and had a well-deserved reputation for beauty. No one in the palace had any illusions about the keen mind that lay behind the face, however. Royal bloodlines had a tendency after a time to produce weak bodies or weak minds; the Queen was neither, even if she was nominally subservient to Pharaoh.

The Queen Consort was effectively the ruler of Egypt and had established rules for the guards in the cities. Any event that might disrupt the peace of the land was immediately reported up the chain of command. Sufficiently important happenings, or anything affecting the religious life of the capital, were to be relayed immediately to the queen.

The man made his report, and the occupants of the room were silent. The Temple of Ma'at had been the scene of either an uprising or a cleansing, depending on which report was believed. The High Priest and Priestess had been forcibly removed by someone and were working their contacts within the precinct of Montu to have their positions restored, or at least their possessions returned.

The prospect of disorder in the Temple of the goddess of order was frightening. Few people at any level of society were overly fond of the increasingly arrogant, grasping clergy within that temple. The idea of an uprising was little less worrisome than the content of the other report which spoke of an angry goddess who had forced a change of leadership in her temple.

Having a priesthood that followed the principles of Ma'at was attractive, so long as the transition wasn't too chaotic.

There was also a rumor, yet to be confirmed, that the ornamentation within the temple and its outside decorations had been removed.

Hatshepsut sat silently for a time as she considered the information and the implications for the city and kingdom. Her commands were simple for the moment; the situation was to be watched for signs of conflict. If the priests could handle what had happened, the palace would stand back and allow them to do so.

*****

Dani fought her way through the layers of cotton that filled her head. Muffled sounds had finally percolated through enough to catch her attention, and the gilt-edged memories of Ma'at's actions seared away the last bits of entangling sleep.

She stirred, and that stirring provoked more sounds that she wasn't quite up to processing.

~Welcome back, my dear child.~

Dani blinked and sent back a brief thought of thanks as she tried to place herself. She lay on something that was soft, and warm coverings swaddled her. As her vision finally cleared, she realized she was in the room where she'd first seen the former High Priest.

She stirred, and a wave of hunger and thirst rose. However long it had been, she was in desperate need of food and water. A young woman walked into the room, and memories of a battered face turned radiant overlaid the now clear, calm visage. Two other, younger women followed with cups and bowls in their hands. Tiy knelt beside the bed and, in an unknowing echo of a steppe nomad, raised Dani's head so she could sit up while propped against pillows.

~I'm making a habit of this, it seems,~ the scholar thought with some amusement. ~At least this time I wasn't running around in a blizzard.~

~I'm sure you'll come up with some interesting way to get yourself in trouble, dear, given a little time.~

The internal conversation was interrupted by the mouth-watering smell of broth. Dani croaked out a word of thanks as she began to slowly sip at it, despite her body's demand for a faster intake of the warm liquid. She worked at it slowly until the bowl was empty, feeling the energy slowly return to her limbs.

Dani's weariness was dragging her back into sleep, but she fought it off long enough to thank the woman. The young face was a mass of conflicting emotions, but Tiy was at last able to accept the thanks even as she dismissed the need for them.

"Ma'at commanded me to care for you, Lady Dani. I can do no less than what she asks."

Dani nodded her acknowledgement and smiled as she drifted off again.

*****

Her next awakening lasted longer; the broth had allowed her body to recover enough to stand -- however unsteadily -- and take care of cleaning herself of the dirt and sweat that had accumulated.

Tiy had come quickly at the news of the avatar's awakening, and the High Priestess and Dani spent much of the rest of the day in conversation. It had been only a day and a half since the scholar had walked into the temple, and there was a great deal of work ahead to reorder the temple. A priest from the Temple of Montu had arrived to call for an accounting of the disruptions within Ma'at's temple. The precinct council had agreed to wait until the supposed avatar had recovered sufficiently to accompany the new High Priestess, but there was no doubt in anyone's mind that no further delay was permissible.

Tiy, now that she had a chance to see her awake, found herself fascinated and frightened by the woman Ma'at had claimed as her avatar. Dani's face was young -- no more than twenty years old, or so it seemed -- but her eyes were windows that opened onto a depth of age that was intimidating. The feeling was only enhanced as Tiy found herself being quizzed on the reorganization of the temple staff.

Dani, on the other hand, found the priestess a delightful mix of youth, energy, and devotion. She was clearly struggling to cope with her task, and she had turned to several older men and women who had provided the first suggestions on how to proceed. The youngster responded intelligently to several leading questions put to her, and more than once Tiy's eyes lit as she understood the slightly subtle point being made.

The young woman did suffer from a significant problem due to lack of education. Priestesses, or candidates for the position, were educated by the temple scribes in the basics of reading and writing. Tiy had been denied the privilege several times since arriving; only those who were in the good graces of the High Priest and Priestess received any education. Others were relegated to the role of servant until they convinced the hierarchy that they were trustworthy to become acolytes.

Those who proved resistant to the guidance of their betters were left in their appointed place as the ignorant slaves who swept, cleaned, and cooked -- those tasks they were best fit for. Now several of those same servants were assuming important positions within the hierarchy.

The chief scribe of the temple had been summoned at Tiy's command. She had tried to defer to Dani, but the old scholar had had years of experience at establishing new teams; it was critical to demonstrate from the outset that Tiy was the head of the temple. When he and several of his subordinate scribes had arrived, Tiy directed that everyone in the temple be given a basic education so they could read and write Ma'at's commands for themselves. A smattering of arithmetic would also be provided.

The younger scribes were stunned at first, and outraged in short order as the scope of their task was made clear. Dani could see Tiy's hands quivering as she held her temper and her position. It would take time for her to develop the habit of command. The youngster had so far handled herself very well, as the years as a servant had taught hard lessons of self-control.

The scribes, except for their chief, were finally dismissed to canvass the temple. They were to determine who had what skills and begin to organize those in need of instruction into groups.

The chief scribe glanced briefly at the visibly pleased avatar.

"Priestess, the scribes will do as you command. Is there more you require of me?"

The young woman looked visibly uncertain, now.

"I ... fear, Henuttaneb, that I will need the same instruction. I need you to take time to teach me to read and write as well."

Dani's eyes narrowed as she watched. ~What sort of person is this scribe, and will he accept Tiy's request as he should?~

Henuttaneb bowed low. He had served in the temple for many years and had been dismayed at the indifferent attitude of those in charge. This young woman was like a drink of cool water on a hot day. "I would be honored, High Priestess."

The archaeologist smiled as the first stone was laid in the priesthood's rebuilding. Tiy was inexperienced, but shrewd.

~She will do well.~

It was unclear whether the thought came from inside or outside of Dani's mind as she gave a respectful bow to the priestess and left the room for a survey of the remodeled temple. She exited through a doorway toward the rear of the temple and made a slow walk around the side of the building.

Dani noted the changes that had been wrought in the temple when Ma'at had confronted the priesthood. The outside walls had been scrubbed of the priest-ridden art; the ostentatious display of wealth had been replaced by the austere purity of smooth stone. The doors that had been gilded were now polished wood and stood open to any who cared to enter. Horemheb was once again standing at his post beside the door, and he bowed respectfully to Dani when she came into view.

"Greetings, Lady."

Dani smiled at him as she returned the bow. "I'm pleased to see you here. I hope you didn't suffer any punishment after our last meeting."

"No, Lady, I didn't. The excitement caused by your activities in the temple made the captain much less interested in what I did or did not do."

"If I can be of assistance by speaking to your commander...."

The man's face now showed a warm smile. "Thank you for your kindness, Lady, but that isn't necessary. If the situation changes, may I ask for your intervention later?"

She returned the smile as she replied, "You are welcome at any time." Dani walked into the main doorway, but stopped as her casual reply finally crossed the threshold of her thoughts.

~Why did I phrase it *that* way?~

It disturbed the woman even more that the other possible interpretations weren't more upsetting. She shook her head and continued her walk. ~I can't afford much in the way of entanglements, and I think I can use some time to recover after having to give up Archippe. I wonder if Tiy ....~

Dani looked carefully at the entrance as she walked in and noticed that the interior walls, too, had undergone a renovation. The entry was decorated only with the carefully etched words of Ma'at's principles. The artwork here had been stripped away, leaving the eye to focus on what had replaced it.

The scholar took time to explore the temple and noted that the kitchen was in the middle of a thorough cleaning with blessed water. The practice had lapsed many years before, it seemed, but the familiar, pleasant odor of the bay leaves once again began to permeate the rooms.

There was at least one potential problem on the horizon. The inventory of bay leaves was lower than the kitchen's expenditures would have indicated. Even worse, the supplier that stocked the herb had had a mysterious shortage; none was available at any price, nor was the merchant willing to commit to any sort of delivery estimate.

The next day found Dani and Tiy facing the precinct council of priests and priestesses. The occupants of Ma'at's temple had been interviewed over the previous two days as the exiled priests and priestesses had sought to reclaim the wealth they insisted was theirs. The Chief Priest of Montu -- much to the exiles' dismay -- had been quietly pleased by what had happened; he insisted that a full hearing take place before any decision was made.

Dani's appearance startled the council as she walked in, and her claim to be Ma'at's avatar evoked skepticism -- until the goddess herself staged a brief appearance. Tiy's position was confirmed at the same time; while not essential, it precluded the arguments that would have consumed much time and energy.

By the end of the day, the council had concluded that it was no business of theirs if a god or goddess chose to replace those who had been in authority of their own temple. The exiles were dismissed, but their faces assured everyone present that they had yet to concede defeat. The face of the former High Priest had a brief, nasty grin on it as he left the council room.

*****

The next several days were relatively quiet for the temple staff. Some were having slight difficulties in adjusting to the more demanding schedule, and in particular the adherence to the proper scheduling of the morning and evening ceremonies at sunrise and sunset.

The classes were another disruption of the old order, but as the bulk of the staff had never been educated, they were delighted to spend blocks of time in study. Some of the acolytes and priests who'd survived the reorganization were less so, but if the glare of the High Priestess was insufficient to quiet their muttering, then a later private word from Dani sufficed.

Dani had taken pleasure in stepping into a familiar routine as she, too, sang her part in the services. The first day she had stepped forward had gone smoothly, but she'd also found herself taking the morning meal with Tiy to explain the smothered giggles that had erupted from the avatar after the participants had nearly dispersed.

Tiy had blinked in wonder at the story of the first priestess who'd taught Dani her part in the services -- it seemed bizarre that the goddess would choose someone who had no prior knowledge of the temple and its ceremonies. The wonder had turned to mirth as Dani related the horror of her singing voice, and the working of the goddess to correct the immediate problem.

Heads throughout the dining hall turned at the High Priestess's laughter when Ma'at's disclaimer about the limitations of miracles wrapped up the tale.

Dani had found herself relating some of the tales of her more recent travels and was oblivious to the gathering crowd who sat in rapt fascination at the stories of times and places far removed from their familiar surroundings.

*****

"Djehuty, what is the news of the problems at Ma'at's temple? Have things settled down?" The Queen turned her attention at last to her religious advisor; he was slightly shorter than average, but had broad, strong shoulders.

"In general, Your Majesty, they have. The precinct council interviewed many of the priests and servants at the temple, and despite the protests of the ousted individuals, has declared the question closed. Their report indicates that the Goddess herself appeared briefly to verify the changes made." The man quirked a smile. "No one seemed inclined to argue with her. The ousted High Priest and Priestess seem to be working to complicate the efforts of the Temple in procuring necessary supplies."

The group took their time in discussing the ramifications of the changes and what their response should be from a political standpoint. Interfering was a dangerous step, but the temples interacted with many merchants and people from all classes. Allowing even a minor issue to fester could end with a major problem later.

"Djehuty, send a messenger to Ma'at's High Priestess and request that she come for a talk. I also want you to invite, not command, the avatar to come; be respectful to that one. We must not anger the gods, nor do we want to disturb the worshippers if possible."

It was midday when the priestess and avatar arrived at the palace gate, and they were quickly escorted to the throne room, where Hatshepsut sat on her seat. The Pharaoh's throne was left empty. The complex was larger than the palace in Memphis -- not surprising given the fifteen-hundred years that had elapsed. The columns were taller, slimmer, and more intricately carved and painted. Some of the ornamentation had survived to Dani's home time, but the scale of the palace had left her somewhat frustrated about her inability to explore.

~Perhaps later, if time allows before I have to leave....~

Tiy stopped and prostrated herself at the balk line, but the Queen Consort was intrigued as the supposed avatar -- named Dani, according to the reports -- bowed respectfully but remained standing. A guard stepped forward to punish the breach; he stopped as Hatshepsut commanded him to stop. The woman on the throne looked at the tall scholar.

"You are the woman said to be Ma'at's avatar?"

Dani bowed again. "I am."

"There are those who believe that you are showing disrespect to Pharaoh by your actions just now."

"I intend no disrespect, Your Majesty, and my goddess would be very unhappy with any actions on my part that would bring disorder to your kingdom. My people show their respect for those in authority differently from Pharaoh's people."

Hatshepsut blinked in confusion and her reaction was echoed in several faces around the room. Even Tiy broke from her pose to look up in bewilderment.

"I look like one of your people, but my home is in a place that is far from here, Majesty." She showed a ghost of a smile. "I am a scholar in my own land and have studied Egypt for many years, as did my parents before me. No one here has, or ever will hear even a rumor of my homeland. Ma'at has promised that when my tasks are done that she will see me home again."

The Queen set aside the questions provoked by that statement, and waved Tiy to her feet so that the interview could begin.

Tiy, despite her sudden ascension into her office, had managed to gain quick understanding and control of the major day-to-day operations in the temple. She might be young, but her intelligence more than offset her inexperience. The bulk of the interview was directed her way, as she was responsible for the interactions of the temple with the rest of the city.

Hatshepsut made her concerns clear; the conflict within the temple could boil over to the streets, and it was critical for Tiy and -- the queen looked pointedly at Dani -- any of her people to ensure that the situation remained under control. The expression on the queen's face made it abundantly clear that she would hold Tiy responsible for any problems resulting from the changes.

Tiy was visibly reassured when Dani commented that part of her task in the city was to ensure the changeover went as smoothly as possible. The only issue that threatened to linger was the supply of bay leaves. It seemed that the suppliers had a problem providing the herb, and the lack meant that the properly blessed water for cleansing would be unavailable should they be unable to resolve the situation. Dani speculated that the merchants might be waiting to ensure they were supplying the correct priesthood.

Hatshepsut quirked a smile as she understood the request. The situation would be more quickly settled if the suppliers understood that the throne approved of the changes in the temple.

The queen called out as the audience came to an end. "Lady Dani, I'm curious about your homeland and what brings you to the kingdom. If your duties to your goddess permit, I would have you return to speak more on those questions."

"I would be happy to do so, Your Majesty."

The two visitors left with Dani setting a brisk pace. Hatshepsut turned to her main advisor, Senenmut, as the doors closed.

"Make it clear to the merchants that Pharaoh would be very displeased if any temples were deprived of anything essential to the order of the city and kingdom."

The man bowed and quickly left the chamber.

*****

Kamose and Sat-jah reclined on the couches, as did their contacts in the merchant class and priests from other temples who had become long-time friends. Some of the kick-backs had found their way back to the exiles, and the group -- while not as well provided as before -- were housed and fed in reasonable comfort. The financial loss was still painful, and thoughts of revenge colored the conversation.

A newly anointed priest of Montu suggested that the exiles remove the usurpers. If the exiles moved quickly after eliminating the so-called avatar and new High Priestess, they could reclaim their place.

The suggestion left Kamose pale.

"You don't understand! It wasn't a *so-called* avatar; she's the real thing, or at least close enough to make no difference. It was ... like being wrapped in soft stone that you couldn't see. It would be suicide to attack them directly."

There was no question, looking at the man and woman who had lost their positions, that they utterly believed every word. Their companions tried to reassure them, and the arguments grew heated, but Sat-jah grew nearly hysterical.

The group resigned themselves to indirect attempts to destabilize Ma'at's temple. It would be difficult for some time, but there seemed no alternative for now. Even the attempt to deny Ma'at's temple access to bay leaves had failed when the palace had made clear their displeasure.

A more perceptive eye would have seen the darkness around Sat-jah and Kamose send tendrils out toward the others in the room, and a soft, sibilant voice began to whisper subliminal words into their minds. Set's toehold in Ma'at's temple had been dislodged, but his grip on the former priest and priestess was unshaken. They would serve as a gateway to the merchants and even the disaffected priest of Montu.

The war god tended to focus his attention out and away from the capital; that inattention would allow Set to establish a new base of operations. Sooner or later the chance would come again to strike at Ma'at and her priesthood, and fostering hostility between the temples was always such a pleasant way to let the humans do Set's work for him.

And with Pharaoh's impending death, there were so many opportunities for levering at what were normally imperceptible rifts in the ruling class.

A later civilization would term such situations a 'target-rich environment'.

For Set it was a perfect opportunity to continue his work of revenge against his ancient enemies and particularly against Ma'at.

*****

Pharaoh's informal council had gathered in their quiet, secure corner of the palace. Thirteen years before, they had met to orchestrate the crowning of Thutmose II, rather than his half-sister. None had any doubt that she was by far the more intelligent and capable of the two, but Hatshepsut was far too difficult to control. Her strength had been harnessed to the service of the kingdom just as easily by her marriage to her brother.

She wielded effective control, though her power had been checked. The priests, through their hold on Pharaoh, had countered any attempt by her to exceed the carefully crafted bounds they had set.

They had had a rude surprise when the Pharaoh had proven even weaker in body than mind. He had never been physically robust, and he had been forced to allow his father's generals to take the army south to suppress the last Nubian rebellion. The only bright spot had been his ability to sire a healthy male heir, which he had done two years after his accession to the throne.

Two years ago, after eleven years of rule, the king's frail body had succumbed to a wave of disease that swept through the city; he'd survived, but the damage had rendered him even more useless than before -- and handed even more power to his Queen Consort.

The council had worked ever since to ensure the anointing of Pharaoh's son, Thutmose III, as the successor. The old alliances between the temples of Amun-Re and Montu still held, and the High Priests, despite the occasional surface tiffs over priorities within the Temple of Karnak, were united in their determination to defend the stability of the kingdom. The two temples, working in concert, had effectively controlled the position taken by the religious authorities for years, but the last few days had brought news and rumors that made the political and religious ground tremble as the land had trembled on that day, two and a half centuries before, when the mountain north of the Minoans had vanished in smoke and flame. The kingdom's religious world had been shaken as thoroughly as the cities around the great sea.

The seeming appearance of the Goddess Ma'at in her temple, and the avatar who bore her likeness, had unsettled the balance of power. Their allies in Ma'at's temple had been cast out; it was essential to determine the truth of the rumors -- and the political stance of the new rulers of the temple.

*****

Tiy had worked harder in the last week than in all the years since coming to the temple. Lessons in reading and writing were crammed into the spare minutes between the official duties of a High Priestess. The insane schedule hardly ended with the last notes of the evening ceremony; Tiy found her evenings filled with consultations with the priestly council she'd set up at the urging of Lady Dani.

"I know you'll be even busier for a while," the avatar had said, "but once everyone understands that you *are* in charge and their own place in the running of the temple, you'll find the workload will ease."

"Lady," the young priestess began, "forgive my wondering. You seem to be so young, yet you speak as someone who has had years of practice at what I'm trying to do."

Dani smiled a little. "I am far older than I seem, dear. When Ma'at called me to her service, she made me young again." Her shoulders and smile sagged under the weight of years. "I'm more than a hundred years old, Tiy, and most of that was lived before my call. I've done what you're doing more than I care to recall."

The revelation left the youngster flushed with embarrassment. "My problems must seem trivial and boring to you." She was startled by the laugh from Dani.

"Oh, child, you have no idea how much I love this. I had always been a scholar and teacher, and a smart student is a joy and reward for all the hard work." She patted the priestess's hand. "You are young and uneducated; you are NOT unable or unwilling to learn. You have worked hard, listened, and put your lessons to good use. I am pleased beyond words, and very, very proud of you, Tiy."

*****

Thutmose's council sat in silence. The investigators -- spies, to be honest -- had finally reported that the population of Ma'at's temple was utterly convinced that they had received a visitation from the goddess, and not one was willing to contradict the new rulers.

The continued presence of an influential stranger had been confirmed, but none would say more than that she was the goddess's chosen.

The visit of their delegation to Ma'at's temple had been no more successful. The High Priestess had made clear that the temple's position would be determined by the instructions of the goddess and not by the will of men. The scribes had collated the records that bore on the current situation in the kingdom; Tiy had spent hours of her limited free time talking with the senior temple staff -- and Dani, of course -- about the prophecies at Hatshepsut's birth and the recorded desire of her father. Dani had gone silent for a moment as the others discussed the data; she had affirmed the prophecies, but left the final decisions to the locals.

"We will support the course that is just, even if that course is uncomfortable for those in power."

The message was clear: There would be no unified opposition to the ascension of Hatshepsut.

That left Thutmose's partisans struggling to devise a new strategy without the support of the temples that had been the keystone of their past success and current planning.

*****

The kingdom was in mourning.

Thutmose II, Aakheperenre (Great is the manifestation of Re), Ka Nekhet User Pekhet
(The strong bull, the great one of power), King of Egypt had died. The embalmers had done their work as the Queen Consort -- now Queen Regent -- directed the preparations for the king's funeral. Senenmut had been assigned to ensure the proper stocking of the tomb with the myriad articles the king would require in the afterlife.

The temples were also busy with their own preparations. Tiy was in a mild state of panic. She had been in charge of the temple for less than a year and now faced the most critical responsibility imaginable. The chief scribe, fortunately, had delved into the temple records and unearthed the rites and responsibilities for Ma'at's representatives.

During his search, he also came across a copy of an old, old scroll. His eyes widened at the contents, and he walked quickly to the 'office,' as Lady Dani termed it, where the High Priestess worked.

*****

The funeral procession had gone without a hitch, and Tiy had worked hard to memorize her part. Hatshepsut, and her step-son Thutmose, had carried golden offerings that were stored with the body of her beloved husband.

The royal family watched as the last seal was put in place, and the last note of the funerary dirge was sung, before making their solemn journey back to the palace.

Dani watched the proceedings with the rapt fascination of her profession, and recalled the innumerable tomb paintings she'd studied; it was a relief -- her mouth twisted at the unintentional pun -- to know that the reality matched the illustration.

~If it had a dwarf, it might be a Bes-relief!~

She bit her lip to squelch the giggles. She'd have to remember that one to inflict on Dom when she got back home. He'd made a study of the Egyptian protector god, Bes, and the horrid puns were a favorite way to tweak him. Dominic had complained at least once that the only thing worse than Dan's singing was his love of archaeology puns.

*****

Tiy re-read the scroll for what must have been the fifth time. Her reading skills had grown rapidly, and she had enjoyed the chance to learn the history of Ma'at's temples. Recent records of the Thebes temple had left her quietly weeping. The scrolls had told the story of a slow, steady divergence from the foundations of her goddess's principles.

This new scroll, though, had stretched back to the very earliest days of the temple in Memphis. Nebka, the High Priestess at the time, had written down her encounter with a remarkable young woman who had rescued the Pharaoh and his mother.

Tiy sat quietly as she considered the story. It was almost incomprehensible to think that someone who sounded much like Dani had graced the temple over a thousand years ago, but the scribes weren't in the habit of lying in temple records.

~An unnaturally tall woman, who bore the likeness of the goddess herself as her avatar. She spoke the language of the kingdom, but spent hours watching the activities of the city. She was a close friend of the Pharaoh and Queen Regent, and was known for her stories of her homeland. She had been invited to a farewell meal at the palace with Nebka, but never returned to the temple afterward.~

Tiy had asked the scribes to search the archives for any reports from her predecessor, Nebka, but while there were some amusing recorded comments about voice training, there was nothing about the avatar's fate. She placed the scroll on the table as Dani strode in.

"Lady Dani, I have a scroll you might find interesting."

"Thank you, Tiy." The scholar picked up the scroll and propped her hip against the table as she unrolled it to read. Her only outward reaction was a widening of her eyes as she read; it took much less time for the archaeologist to read the scroll than it had for the priestess. Once done, though, she stared at the wall for a long, silent minute.

"Yes, I was there, if that's your question. Nebka was a very remarkable and kind person, Tiy. She was wise in ways that still leave me in wonder, though I had lived twice her years." Dani looked at her companion with a wistful smile. "I miss her, and several other people I came to know there."

*****

The message was too deferential to call it a summons, but even a mild request from the Queen Regent should be taken as a royal command by the wise and prudent. Dani cleaned up and made her way to the palace; she was greeted by the guard commander, and she soon found herself standing at the foot of the dais where Hatshepsut and her stepson sat.

"I have come as you requested, Your Majesties. How may I be of service?"

The boy, only about eleven years old if her memory served, watched quietly and with interest as his mother spoke.

"When your presence was made known to us we had our royal archives searched, both here and in Memphis. Word has come to our ears of a similar visitation many years ago, when a visitation of the gods forestalled an insurrection. The palace records have deteriorated, but there are mentions of the visitor's talent for using stories to make her points."

The archaeologist smiled. "Your scribes are very efficient in their searches, Your Majesty." The regent quirked an eyebrow in obvious question, and the avatar's smile turned into a grin. "I had the pleasure of spending some little time with your predecessor, Queen Regent Iti, and her son, the Pharaoh Djer. I still count them among my friends; the time with them is among my fondest memories."

Hatshepsut hesitated. It was clear that she had a question, but wasn't entirely comfortable asking it.

"Lady Dani," the woman began, "you say, and the reports from Ma'at's temple seem to confirm, that you are Ma'at's avatar." Dani's minute nod encouraged her to continue. "I ... don't know whether you have come for more than your work at the temple, but I would appreciate your advice and guidance on a matter of importance to the kingdom, to me, and to the Pharaoh."

"Perhaps a more private place would serve better for a free and full discussion of those matters, Your Majesties. There might be those here who would misinterpret what was said in the course of conversation."

*****

The royal quarters were far larger and more elaborately adorned than Iti's home had been. Dani took a moment to survey the place in a bid to add detail to the available records on her return home.

The trio settled onto their couches as the palace slaves scurried to provide fruits and drink. The staff seemed to be healthy, well dressed, and respectful rather than fearful of their master and mistress.

"I invited you to come, Lady Dani, to inquire as to your Goddess's guidance regarding a prophecy she sent many years ago." Hatshepsut paused; if Dani was truly Ma'at's voice, she would know -- or be told -- of her goddess's pronouncements.

"You mean the one that says you will be the Pharaoh, Maatkare?"

Thutmose looked in fear at his stepmother at the words. Too many times over the centuries the ruling Pharaoh had been killed to clear the way for another contender.

"Peace, child," Dani called to him. "Your mother will not harm you, not if she wants the blessing of my goddess on her endeavors." She was silent for a moment.

"Hatshepsut, I have said that my homeland is far from here and very different from your kingdom. We, too, have our records of the past, and one of those is of a great Queen. Her father, a great king in their land, had died and left her sister as his heir, as he had no sons. That sister was weak in body, and reigned for only five years; when that sister died, the great king's last daughter took her place on the throne.

"The new queen, named Elizabeth, was a strong leader for many years. She is remembered in that land as a good and great queen who protected her people from invaders. Her reign is remembered as a golden age."

Dani looked levelly at the Regent. "It takes great courage to accept the responsibility of ruling a great nation. Your father had selected you as his successor, Hatshepsut, and the gods pronounced their will that you would be Pharaoh. Would you spurn the judgment of the gods?"

Thutmose looked nervously at his stepmother as she sat silently in her seat. Too often in the kingdom's history, a dispute over the succession was settled by the killing of one of the disputants. The archaeologist didn't miss the fidgeting.

"Thutmose, you needn't worry. The gods have a plan for your future. Your stepmother will need to train you for your future on the throne as well."

The boy looked surprised, as did the queen. "You mean I will be Pharaoh after my mother?" he asked.

Dani nodded. "Your mother was chosen to rule now, but you will also sit on Pharaoh's throne. You both will be remembered as great kings, even among the many great kings who have come before you. Hatshepsut, if you want Ma'at's blessings, you need to ensure that your son is properly prepared to take his place as a general and king."

*****

"Ma'at's temple has announced their support for Hatshepsut. It won't happen immediately, but the queen is moving to become Pharaoh. Even the boy is speaking in her favor!"

Thutmose's council, the men who'd guided the kingdom through the potential chaos of the last change in rulers, sat despondently as their carefully crafted plans lay in utter ruin. The queen, soon to be Pharaoh, was popular with the people as they saw her as a symbol of stability. She had been quietly effective during her husband's reign, and the prospect of many years of her full control was reassuring.

The army, too, had taken notice of the moves by Hatshepsut. The generals were concerned that, while she was a very capable administrator, she might try to lead an army into battle. They had extended feelers to her close advisors to try to gain an understanding of her intent.

"She's too damned efficient! Her political advisors are as good as she is, and they've managed to bring the bulk of the merchants and outlying governors into line." The speaker, who had been the religious advisor for the newly-deceased Pharaoh, huffed in frustration. "We're fighting a losing battle at the moment. Memphis and the other northern cities have swung over to her. They've been under her effective control for the last thirteen years, and her people used the time to lay the groundwork for a time like this."

"If I may make a suggestion?" Kamose spoke quietly, with the faintest sibilance. "Any attempt to stop Hatshepsut at this point would draw the ire of both gods and men. You might do better to lay your own groundwork, for example, to draw the boy, Thutmose, into our circle. With the proper advisors, and a good wife, we will be able to put him into his just position when we're ready without bringing unnecessary chaos to the kingdom."

The idea was snapped up by the group. The question of a good and submissive wife was settled when the name Adoratrix Huy was mentioned.

"She's of royal blood, and she has just given birth to a daughter. If we start now, we should be able to ensure the babe is ready for her role as the Pharaoh's queen."

Sat-jah volunteered to make contact with the prospective royal mother-in-law, though with the antagonism between the former priestess and the Temple of Ma'at, it was important to keep her involvement a secret.

*****

~Time flies when you're having fun.~

Dani was once again in the palace. She had been granted permission to study the grand building by Hatshepsut, and she spent her time committing the layout and ornamentations to memory. There were long-standing questions about the ancient city, and the layout of the capital before Ramses II remade the place to his liking was a point of significant interest. Proof -- at least proof in Dani's time -- would be hard to establish, but if she knew where to look it would be easier.

~Perhaps even the Meridian Foundation would be interested in funding the research. They're involved in an awful lot of esoteric lines of historical investigation.~

She shrugged and filed the thought away for a more appropriate time. For now, she wanted to check in on how the instruction of the young man who would be Pharaoh was going.

Tiy had wanted to take the responsibility herself, and despite her relative lack of education she had been effective in communicating the spirit of the principles of Ma'at.

The young voices of the priestess and prince became clear as she approached the door to the royal quarters.

"But, Tiy, how can a general, or even a Pharaoh, possibly follow even the first of Ma'at's commands? 'Thou shalt not kill, nor bid anyone kill' sounds as if anyone who is a warrior will break her commandment; that means we cannot defend the realm! Surely Ma'at doesn't intend that we allow the kingdom to be overrun."

Dani paused just outside the doorway. She knew that Ma'at had been working with the young woman through her dreams to help her understand the deeper meanings of her instructions.

Tiy had paused for a moment to gather her thoughts before replying. "In truth, Thutmose, the word 'kill' should be 'murder.' Killing of any sort brings disorder, and war is even worse, but you are correct, and the goddess knows that from time to time it is the lesser evil. She does *not* approve of murder or assassinations."

Dani stepped away from the doorway. Tiy was doing what she needed to do; she had to learn how to handle her position without crutches.

~I wanted to talk with Hatshepsut for a while about some of the stories I'd told Iti, so this will work out well. By the time I'm done with that, perhaps the kids will be done with their discussion.~

Dani smiled as she walked along, enjoying the pleasure that a parent knows when their child is doing well.

Ma'at interjected her own thought. ~Yes, my daughter, it is a joy when your child begins to reach her true potential.~

Dani began to nod ....

~HEY!!~

*****

"I need to decide, my council ... my friends. The rumors have been circulating for months saying I have and haven't accepted the crown. I'm sure many of them are being started and kept alive by the same men who kept me off the throne the first time.

"I accept that there will be discontent either way, but we all have heard the prophecy and Lady Dani's affirmation. I don't see that there is really a choice, but I will need your support. Do you all concur? Shall I take the Pharaoh's crown?"

Hatshepsut looked around the room at her council. Her dearest friends and most trusted advisors had debated the question all day; now it was time to call for the question.

To her right was her dearest love, Senenmut. He had been an unyielding advocate from the first. "Your Majesty, it would be an affront to the gods to do otherwise. Take what is rightfully yours."

Hapuseneb, the High Priest of Amun at Thebes, was next to give his concurrence. "I agree, Majesty. Accept the will of the gods and do your whole duty."

Nehsy, her Chancellor, Inebni, the Viceroy of Kush, Thuthmose, the Treasurer, Amenhotep, her Chief Steward, Useramun, vizier, Djehuty, nomarch in Herwer, and Puyemra, the second priest of Amun each spoke their assent.

Senenmut gestured at his fellows. "We have each given our agreement, Majesty. We have worked hard to lay the foundation for you to take this step for the last thirteen years, and we will continue to work to make your reign as successful as your service has been as the administrator."

She closed her eyes for a moment in silent contemplation. The room remained quiet until she opened them again.

"I will obey the will of the gods. Send the word out that I will be accepting the crown. Senenmut and Amenhotep, begin the preparations for my ascension to the throne."

*****

Time had flown by for the archaeologist. She had been less busy with the temple, but the extra time was spent in careful study of the growing, sprawling capital city. The cool winters, and the ever-reliable flood, marked the passage of another year.

The high point of her time, so far, had been witnessing the grand ceremony that crowned the new Pharaoh. Music swirled around the grand procession of religious, military, and political leaders as they pledged their fealty to the new Pharaoh.

Tiy hardly looked like the same battered servant as she walked calmly and confidently to give voice to Ma'at's blessings. Dani watched with pride as the formal words of approval were spoken to Hatshepsut; it was hard not to giggle a few minutes later as the shy young woman peeked out again when the priestess descended the stairs and smiled with relief.

The Crown Prince took his turn at the end of the procession, and swore his allegiance to his mother as Pharaoh. She, in turn, declared to all that Thutmose was the rightful heir to the throne.

The archaeologist walked contentedly toward the temple in the company of a very relieved High Priestess.

*****

The celebrations were beginning to wane as the citizens returned to their homes. One group had gathered as the darkness shrouded the city. The fall of night made it impossible for anyone, other than a few touched by the gods, to see the deeper darkness that danced and swirled around each individual.

Kamose looked as if he'd been forced to eat something distasteful.

"Our efforts have been unproductive. The Queen has taken the throne for herself, and has spit in the face of tradition. How is our alternative plan progressing, Sat-jah?"

She smiled thinly. "Adoratrix Huy is a very -- self-indulgent person. It has been difficult to keep her attention long enough to make the suggestion that her daughter is a possible mate for the Crown Prince."

There was a murmur amongst the shadowed group, and she quickly continued her report.

"I have made progress in becoming familiar with the whole family. It will take time to bend them to our will."

Kamose leaned back. His eyes seemed to look into the distance for a moment, then he turned his gaze on the former High Priestess.

"That will suffice for now, but if the mother, or the father, proves uncooperative, we will have to remove them as an obstacle."

*****

~It is time, my child. You need to prepare for the next step of your journey.~

It had been only a few moons since the coronation, and Dani had taken the extra time to widen her investigation of the capital.

~It's too soon! There are whole sections of the city that I haven't had a chance to visit!~

~I know, dear, but you've accomplished what you came here for. Now you need to leave so that Tiy will learn to rely on herself.~

Dani had to agree as she considered the situation; there was good reason for her to be well pleased with the fruit of her efforts.

Hatshepsut had accepted the full responsibility and authority of Pharaoh, though she'd taken on the trappings of a male, including the postiche -- a false beard worn by the Pharaohs -- to ease her acceptance by the more traditionally minded of her subjects.

Even the army had settled into the new order, though that situation was eased by the distraction of the inevitable uprising by the Nubians. Hatshepsut had given them a clear command to suppress the rebellion, and then wisely allowed them to perform their duty without interference.

~I still wish you'd tell me what you have in mind for Tiy and Horemheb. They're both wonderful young people, and I think they'd be good together.~

The response was gently admonishing. ~Dani, you are correct that they'd be a good couple. There are better choices that you, and they, have yet to meet.~

~They'll both find someone? I just ... I'm sensitive to that now. I really don't want someone else to make the same mistake I did.~

~They will both have their chance, dear daughter. It will be up to them to take advantage of their opportunity. I will not force them to choose wisely, but they will have the opportunity.~

"I suppose so," the avatar sighed, "but it would be nice to know they're happy."

~I promise, dear one, that you will know how they fare.~

The avatar sighed and made her way to the temple. She was determined to share her special meal with her new friends.

*****

The meal was held in a private area of the temple. Dani hadn't become as close to the royal family in this time and place, but the Pharaoh and Crown Prince were anxious to show their gratitude for Ma'at's intervention. There were few people invited to the meal, and it was easy for Dani to prepare the stew that Iri had prepared more than a millennium before.

The avatar passed on some of the story of that first meal she had shared with her friends, including her trick with the bay leaf.

"This time, you will notice, I've removed the bay leaf ... though if there are any volunteers?"

There was a burst of voices declining the offer, followed quickly by a general chuckle.

As the meal came to a close, Dani asked the royal family to stay for a moment. Ma'at had given permission for limited encouragement for those being left behind.

"I cannot say too much to any of you," she said. "I know that you, Hatshepsut, and you, Thutmose, will be remembered and known in the far future as great Pharaohs. The kingdom will flourish under your care. Thank you for allowing me to study the palace and your city. I look forward to sharing stories of each of you as I travel."

The royals finally left, and Dani was alone with Tiy. She looked bereft.

"Must you leave so soon? There is so much I don't know, and you've been there to answer questions I have. You've been like a mentor or mother to me." Tiy reached out and grabbed Dani in a desperate embrace.

"Hush, my little one," Dani murmured, as she caressed Tiy's hair. "You know that Ma'at chose you because she knows you can do this, and she will be with you even after I have traveled on. You've become like a daughter to me, and leaving you behind is hard. I know, though," she continued, pulling back a little and placing her hands on the youngster's shoulders, "that you can do this. You will always be in my thoughts."

"I know, but she's harder to hear and hug."

Ma'at's voice sounded abruptly within the High Priestess's mind. ~I will be near you all your life, my child.~

Tiy's eyes widened, and Dani smiled at her; she, too, had heard the voice.

"I think you will have the help you need, when you need it, and I suspect that you will find someone you will much prefer to hug," the avatar said with a twinkle in her eye. "Now it's time for me to leave." Dani hugged the priestess and stepped back.

Tiy watched as the other woman's form flashed brightly and vanished.

*****

Dani felt that familiar instant of disorientation as she was shifted in time and space. As the world steadied around her, she took notice of her new environment. The air was warm and humid, and the buildings were large. The architectural style was distinctly Roman, and Dani looked around to find herself in an empty city square. It was impossible to tell where she was -- the buildings blocked any view of the city's setting. As she turned slowly around, she caught sight of something that took her breath away.

~It was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world!~

She knew where she was, if not when, and her scholar's blood burned at the prospect of exploring *this* place.