Heretic of El Amarna

Chapter 40: Gyasi

“How dare he?” I screeched at my servant.

My servant, Ra-thos, stared at me in mute horror.

“Well? Does he think that threats and cutting off my funding will stop me in my retribution? That man is mad!” I hissed as we stood in my chambers within Ra’s temple in Thebes.

“I… I do not know, High Priest… Perhaps he… Maybe he…”

“That man is going to bring Egypt to ruin. Him and his stupidity and that god, Aten, that he claims is the only god.” I snapped, pacing the length of my mud brick floor.

Ra-thos stood there, saying nothing.

“We have to stop this. Get him out of the way.” I grated out.

“And… and how would you propose… th…that we do that?” Ra-thos stammered.

“Stop stuttering, you fool… I think I know just the way. We assassinate him.” I clapped my hands together, rubbing them vigorously in glee.

“That is brilliant, my lord.” Ra-thos murmured, his voice flat.

I got the idea he was less than pleased with my idea. “What is your problem with this plan, Ra-thos?”

“Sir, he is the incarnation of Horus. Surely…”

“Bah! That man is the incarnation of nothing except evil and chaos.” I raised my pointer finger. “Ah! I have it. He is the incarnation of Set!”

Ra-thos let out a sigh. “Of course, he is, master.”

I glared at him. “Sound more convinced.”

“Of course, he is! Master, what a brilliant plan this is!” Ra-thos enthused.

But I knew he was faking it. The man is constantly giving himself airs and making fun of me.

“Well, if you do not like my idea, then what do you propose, Ra-thos?” I gritted my teeth.

“I propose that we let him alone until he has an heir. Once he has an heir we can control, we can assassinate both him and Nefertiti. That will take care that no one influences the babe towards this destructive path his father has.” Ra-thos murmured. “But that is only my humble, foolish suggestion…”

“Oh, cut the flattery and fake humility, Ra-thos. I know a good plan when I hear one.” I answered imperiously.

“My apologies, my lord.” Ra-thos bowed low. “Will you be taking the afternoon meal in your room?”

I nodded. “Yes… I need to consider further what is to be done about this.”

***

By the time my meal was finished, I had my plan.

The king’s second wife – Kiya – seemed like a good outlet for my plan. Should she bear an heir, she would be set up as the regent for the child until he was old enough to rule. Provided that she was willing to return the religions of Egypt back to the normal.

Change in Egypt was always bad. Nothing ever went well when things were changed. Our three pillars of society – religion, the military, and the pharaoh – were essentially unchanging. Or at least, they were supposed to be.

The Nile and our land never changed. The weather stayed the same most every year, on the same track as always. We reflected that in our lives by keeping things the same, unending, unchanging, and for eternity.

Now, because of this one Pharaoh, all of that might be messed up.

I really couldn’t allow it. Even if it meant assassinating him for the better good along with his Great Wife, I would do it. The question was more how than will I.

I needed to speak with Kiya. To see if she would work with me in this venture. If she will not, then I would have to coerce her into it. Perhaps threatening her child discreetly would work.

But I could not go to her in person. Should she say that she would not help, she would know who I was. She would be able to have me arrested and the work would go unfinished, incomplete. It would put me into dire straits along with the rest of my country.

I couldn’t have that. So instead, I would send someone else. A messenger who was paid well to keep his employer’s identity hidden. The messenger would be instructed not to inform the Pharaoh’s young wife of who was seeking her help. Instead, he would deliver the message and leave.

If she would not aid me willingly, I would make certain she suffered until she aided me with joy. Being High Priest of Ra gave me great power – though not as much as it had previously since that blasted Pharaoh of ours had cut off all our funding.

I was tired of listening to the complaints of my priests.

The people, thankfully, were as of yet oblivious to the issue and were not yet rioting or complaining to me. But it was only a matter of time.

Gritting my teeth, I sat down to work out all the remaining details.

No matter what happened, the Pharaoh had to be brought down before he could destroy our country’s prestige and greatness. Egypt could not be allowed to fall.

And with the Hittites the way they were at the moment, the country would be in dire trouble if anyone found out about the Pharaoh’s incompetence.

So I would have to solve the problem.

And assassinating the Pharaoh seemed like a good solution to the trouble.