The Forgotten: Aten's Last Queen (70 page)

But we also had much to be thankful for! The land was in peace. Pharaoh Ramesses II had completed a peace treaty between Kemet and the Hittites. Everything felt calm in the world now. Finally, our great lands were one.

Mother was particularly proud of our country for this. She said that she once tried to unite the lands. She also said the Hittites were pigheaded, dirty, smelly men who thought of nothing beyond gold and what they could get with it. But that was Mother. Always with an opinion. At her age, I allowed her any opinion she wished.

There were tables set up all over Mother’s farm. The family had grown large in these past 64 years. Mother and Father had six children after we left Waset and traveled northward. Their first-born was a son, four daughters, then another son. Our family had also extended to encompass people of faith. My mother and father had become priests for Elohim after we settled. With so many travelers coming through the port city, their halls were usually filled with listeners eager to learn of the One God. Today, many followers of Elohim had come to honor Mother.

Nahkt-min II whizzed past as Mother took her seat. His father, Nakht-amun, followed just far enough back to not be able to reach him with his hand. The chase ensued. Mother shook her head. “Those children of Mutbenret’s have always had energy. How can that boy even move so fast at his age?”

I knew “that boy” she was referring to Nakht-amun and not the one of child’s age.

Skipping a bit clumsily behind the two came Nahkt-amun’s youngest, little Ankhesen. She stopped in front of us and threw her arms over Mother’s papyrus-thin legs. Mother laughed.

“How are you, sweet girl?” she asked. Mother usually identified people by their scents. Ankhesen always smelled like she had just rolled in a bed of cornflowers.

Ankhesen was not afraid of Mother’s clouded eyes. Some of the children shied away from her, but Ankhesen had an unmatched boldness. She was pudgy and small for her 5 years. How Nahkt-amun and his wife were able to still have children at their ages was a wonder. Ankhesen was nicknamed The Great Mystery. She seemed to have one foot in the door of Elohim’s gateway. In her dreams, she saw family from the past and would relay messages to us from them. Truly, she was a gift from God.

“Grandmother Mut came to me in a dream, Anny,” she said eagerly, using the pet name Ankhesen had coined for my mother, since their names were so similar.

“And what did your grandmother say? Did you pay attention?”

“Of course I did!” Anhesen returned with a snort. “She said to tell you hello and that she would see you soon.”

“Oh did she?” Mother replied with a chuckle. “She was almost always right.”

“She also said that Mee-kit grows impatient. Who is Mee-kit?”

“My once-older sister,
Meket
.”

“Meket… Well, Meket said she looks forward to beating you again at swimming and wonders if you still move like a milk-fat cow.”

Mother laughed loudly at this. “Meket was always a sassy girl! She loved to
try
to beat me in swimming races!”

“I’m glad she was not being mean,” Ankhesen said with a pout. “I told Grandmother Mut that was not nice. I was not going to tell you.”

“Oh, my little flower, I am glad you did. It makes my heart joyful! Do not fear giving the truth, just be sure to give it with love.”

“Hey, An!” Another child cried out. It was my step-brother’s great-grandson, Amyntas II, a boy 4 years Ankhesen’s senior. Ankhesen waved to him.

How I missed Tushari. He had had five boys that followed in his and my adopted father’s footsteps, the best goldsmiths of the nome. Amyntas II loved to watch over Ankhesen. Her uncensored assuredness made him laugh. She would say anything that came across her mind.

“You should go play now, An,” Mother said.

“But I want to sit on your lap for a while. Can you tell me one of the rhymes Grandmother made up about Osiris?”

“Another time, sweetheart. But now is a time for running and jumping and laughing.”

“You promise, Anny?”

“I will whisper it to you in your sleep, dear, and then you will never forget.”

Ankhesen smiled warmly. Then she darted off to play with the others.

Mother tilted her chin up to the sky and closed her eyes. She let the sun caress her features and relax them. I could almost see the woman who had once taken me in and desired to call me daughter. I could not imagine what she had gone through those years as I grew up. To have missed one blink of my babies’ eyes or one tiny smile on their lips was enough to rip my heart in two. Now they were married and had children while their mother still kept their baby linens in a drawer next to her bed. Their scent clung to the linens. But
my
mother, she had nothing of mine… how did she survive?

“I do not think I have seen so many here before, Mother,” I said, wanting to draw her attention back to me. I always loved her attention.

“It is a good year. I am glad to hear their voices one last time.”

“Mother, please don’t.”

“Tawaret, after my ka departs, it will simply be another day that we will be together again. You will need to remember that. Unless you live to be as old as I am! Then it will be many, many years still… but not an eternity, darling. That is what we have coming to us.”

My adopted name, Tawaret, had stuck with me after we left Waset. Mother said she did not want me to forget the woman who raised me by changing my name back to Tasherit. She held much respect for her half-sister who, in her final years, rose to the rank of queen next to her husband, Ramesses I.

My eyes misted over. “But I don’t want to part from you! It is too soon.”

Mother laughed. It reminded me of when she was younger and her chest did not rattle so much when she spoke. “Too soon? Your mother is so old that cities have crumbled to ruin in her span of years. Who lives this long?”

I allowed myself a small laugh at her sarcasm, but I knew it was coming. I could feel Elohim closer to us than before, preparing to gather Mother to Him. It had felt this way before Amyntas had died. I just did not want it to be. I should not mourn her, though. She had lived so long that four more Pharaohs had taken the throne since we left Waset! Our years had been long and happy.

Looking out upon the gardens and fields of my mother’s land, I could see all the fruits of her labors. How we had multiplied! We would have to build our own city soon! I told Mother so, and she laughed so hard that she almost fell backward from the table.

Just then the food was set out. As everyone gathered to find a seat, Mother stood. I offered her my hand, but she refused.

Her voice was loud and clear. “We give thanks to Elohim, wondrous and merciful God.”

Everyone was silent. They looked up to the sky, opened their arms, closed their eyes, and prepared their hearts to sing to Elohim.

“Great Keeper of our lives, bless this food. Keep us strong and healthy for another year. Though I may be nothing more than dust then…”

The family laughed. We all teased her about her age.

“…protect them when I am gone. May they always know Your name. May they always know that You bless them. Live in their hearts forever, great Elohim. Be their guide when I am absent. May they forever praise You, Deliverer of my family, my life, and these sheep who follow you now. We live for You. Praise to You!”

Praises were echoed along the table. As everyone murmured their repeat of her praise, Mother sat heavily. Her breathing was labored.

I grabbed a fork and helped to fill her plate. As I touched the meat to her dish, her hand folded over my wrist. “Do not, my darling. Do not waste the food on me. I have but a few more moments.”

I about dropped the utensil at her words. “Mother.” I replied shakily.

“At least give me some honeyed cakes. The lands should name your daughter a god for her skills in making them. Thank her for me, my sweet. And maybe a little wine. Do not forget to send some gifts to the vineyard, Tia’s family’s vineyard. I know her great-grandchildren are running it well. They have her patience and devotion in their hearts. I missed seeing them this past year.”

I put one on her plate as she talked about her former nurse’s family. Looking down at the honey cake, I was suddenly reminded of a table in a golden palace long ago where grand stories were shared.

“Mother, if I may ask, did you ever forgive him?”

“Who, my child?”

“My real father, the one who hurt you and your sisters. And your grandfather?”

My mother chewed slowly before she answered. “How can I not forgive them? Through the worst, I was given the best. For a long time, I could not see that.

“Carrying hate within you, it bleeds your own heart and leaves you feeling empty inside. I have let it go. Now, I am filled with joy. And its taste is so much sweeter than my anger.” She finished as she pointedly held up her last bite of honey cake.

“But what your father did, you were only 12 when you were pregnant. My real father… he… he was a monster.”

“Daughter, do not think on him that way. His story was a sad one. He was used just as I was. But now look at me; I’m sitting here with
you
. For that, I am grateful. His actions were wrong and hurtful, but the outcome has been a source of endless blessing.”

She put her hand over mine. I closed my eyes and took this in. Forgiveness was never impossible to give. My mother had just proved that. Her ka was now ready to leave this world and rest.

She would leave me, but goodbyes were not forever.

She would leave me, and I was now at peace with that.

“Tell me a story, Mother. Perhaps you can earn a few more sweets if I find it worthy.”

She smiled. I could tell her strength was fading. Her smile did not touch her eyes even though her voice sounded otherwise.

“Perhaps I have just enough time for an ending… a very, very happy ending.”

Historical Notes

I have based as much as I can on historical evidence. While many aspects are my own, as Ankhesenamun’s history has been greatly undocumented or destroyed by time, I try to base dates and persons on the most recent discoveries. Here are a few follow-up notes and other interesting facts I found while researching this book to tie things up
.

The end of this book closes under the reign of Ramesses II, otherwise known as Ramesses the Great. He is said to have lived to be 99 years old. At age fourteen, Ramesses was appointed Prince Regent by his father Seti I. In the twenty-first year of his reign (1258 BC), Ramesses decided upon an agreement with the new Hittite king to end their countries’ conflict. The tablet recording of this is the earliest known peace treaty in world history.

Mutbenret is believed to be the sister of Great Royal Wife Nefertiti. There is a theory that Mutbenret was the same person as Mutnedjmet, who was the wife of Horemheb, the last ruler of the Eighteenth Dynasty. This identification was partially based on the fact that Mutbenret’s name used to be translated as Mutnedjmet.

Nakht-min appears to have been the chosen successor to Ay, but he died before he could succeed him. On a statue of Nakht-min and his wife Mutnodjmet (other spellings:

Mutnedjmet and Mutbenret) in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Nakht-min was identified as the son-in-law of the king. Mutnedjmet/Mutbenret/Mutnodjmet died soon after Year 13 of Horemheb’s reign. Mutnedjmet’s mummy shows she had given birth several times. The presence of the infant along with Mutnedjmet in the tomb suggests that this queen died in childbirth.

As Horemheb did not have a living child of his own, he appointed his vizier, Ramesses I, as his successor before his death both to reward Ramesses I’s loyalty and because he had both a son and grandson to secure Egypt’s royal succession. Ramesses I founded the 19th Dynasty of the New Kingdom.

Originally called Pa-ra-mes-su, Ramesses I enjoyed a very brief reign, a minimum of 17 months. Already an old man when he was crowned, Ramesses appointed his son (and later pharaoh) Seti I to serve as the Crown Prince. Ramesses I’s wife, Queen Sitre or Tia-Sitre, is relatively unknown. Interestingly, one of the daughters of Ramesses II was named Tia-Sitre.

Seti I’s reign length was either 11 or 15 full years. He is the father of Ramesses II, aka Ramesses the Great. Some hypothosize that Seti I is the pharaoh at the time of Moses’ exodus.

Shortly after Tut’s death, it is recorded that Ay married Tutankhamun’s widow and became pharaoh as a war between the Hittites was fought, and Egypt was left defeated.

According to the September 2010 issue of
National Geographic
magazine, Tutankhamun was the result of an incestuous relationship and, because of that, may have suffered from several genetic defects. Several theories have been put forth regarding his death. One was that he was killed by a blow to the head. Another put the blame on a broken leg. As recently as June 2010, German scientists said they believed there was evidence that he died of sickle cell disease. However, the evidence is not conclusive.

DNA tests finally put to rest questions about Tutankhamun’s lineage, proving that his father was Akhenaten but that his mother was not one of Akhenaten’s known wives. His mother was one of Akhenaten’s five sisters although it is not conclusive which one.

It has been speculated that Ankhesenamun’s mummy is one of two 18th dynasty queens recovered from KV21 in the Valley of the Kings. The two fetuses found buried with Tutankhamun have been proven to be his children, and the current theory is Ankhesenamun was their mother. Enough DNA was pulled to show that the mummy known as KV21a fits as the mother of the two fetuses in Tutankhamun’s tomb. There is however one problem with this identification: if KV21a is Ankhesenamun, her DNA shows that she is not the daughter of the mummy in KV55, the mummy believed to be Akhenaten. This could suggest that (1) Ankhesenamun was not the mother of the fetuses, (2) Mummy KV55 is not Akhenaten, or (3) Akhenaten is not Ankhesenamun’s father. Perhaps a few more of Nefertiti’s secrets have yet to be discovered…