The Story Of Tetisheri
(As written by Tetisheri and later after the finding of the Roseta Stone to French, much later to English)

Chapter 3
Tetisheri finds the love of her life, goes on the promised hunt with her father and finds the ruins of to-remu.

I have finally found out who the man bathed in Gold is. He is Prince Khaemweset. Oh that I could make him see me and think the same of me that I do of him. He is the most beautiful man I have ever seen. He is the Vizer of my Father Pharaoh as well as one of his many sons. They say that the office is considered a training place for the young princes of the dynasty. It all sounds so boring to me, tax records, storehouse receipts, crop assessments and worst of all a census of the inhabitants of the Valley of the Nile. To me it might as well be the valley of the dead. He is reputed to have only one wife as of yet, and she is from Mitanni and a princess. The marriage was done to take her away from Hititite subjugation. But he is not very interested in the arranged marriage, so there is still a chance for me. At least Prince Khaemweset has had the advantage of being a military veteran and was there when Father Pharaoh started a counter offensive. The loss was great on all sides, so much so that an alliance called the Hititite Alliance was drawn up to stop as much of the chaos as possible. The collision between the two areas made a reasonable approach to dividing up of the territories and vassal nations. To this they added and unusual extradition clause Father Pharaoh told me. A tablet of silver came to Father Pharaoh in our kingdom from the rulers of the Hittites requesting a truce and Father Pharaoh played host to a delegation from them for this occasion. I believe that my Prince was at the handing over of the Alliance. What an honor that must have been.

PRINCE KHAEMWESET

Now that I have found out who he is, like most of the women, I can learn more about him and what are his interests, besides war and try to interest him in me. Father says that I can be as tenacious as any warrior that he has ever known when I make up my mind to something, and that is true and the case where Prince Khaemweset is concerned. But now I have other things to keep my mind busy. Father Pharaoh has finally agreed to take me on a lion hunt and I am about to burst with the desire to be on our way.

The Prince at the moment does not compare with going with Father Pharaoh on a hunt. I pray to Amon that I do not in any way humiliate my Father Pharaoh in the hunt. It's funny thinking of Amon reminds me of Prince Khaemweset who is shown as a virile young man and was known as "Greatest of Heaven, Eldest of Earth." I must get my mind back upon the hunt. Father Pharoah is going to use his Chariot and I may ride with him. It is a light chariot fashioned out of wood, and built with a frame that was well forward on the axle for making it stable. The sides are made of canvas stretched and with stucco on it, the floors are leather thongs that are interlaced and elastic, but firm enough to hold both of us, since I am so small. Father Pharaoh always smiles and tells me I may be small, but fierce as the she lioness protecting her cubs. I must get to bed early tonight and Iputi has put out the pleated linen skirt for me to wear and the bow and arrows of the archer so that I may hunt as well. I know that he believes that I cannot do it and be skilled enough to kill a lion, but Father Pharaoh does not know everything that I do. I have been practicing with one of the archers from Father Pharaohs' army and I am very good, he says. So Father Pharaoh is in for a surprise and it is not often that that can be arranged. But I am stubborn and proud and will do all that I can to be the best at what I can do and make no one ashamed of me. Mother Merytamon, always smiles at me for she says that there must be a small demon within me that makes me run and then she laughs. She has such a beautiful laugh, it sounds like the bells that we put in the places where the winds blow gently to make pleasant music to soothe the spirit. Mother Merytamon, says that my spirit needs soothing as it is restless and it will take a very strong man she says to soothe that spirit. She is right. Well to bed with me.

It is the morning of the hunt and I must to the Hymn of Rising. This is done each morning. Since this morning is so important, I feel that I should do it more than once, but I have prayers for the other gods, so I guess that is enough. If I take too long, Father Pharaoh will leave without me and I never will have a second chance as no one, not even me makes the great Pharaoh wait. I am moving like the gazelle, Iputi says, and will hurt myself, if I don't slow down. Right now there is nothing more important to me than going with Father Pharaoh on my first hunt. My heart feels like it will burst from the pressure of it's beating.

We will go close to To-Remu, to find the black mane lion. I have prayed to Aker that the spirit of him will reside in my body forever. I don't want to be one of those silly women that sit in the Harem and plot and gossip all day, I would rather be dead than that. I have even promised Father Pharaoh that I will study many hours of the day at the "Houses of the papyri" if only Father Pharoah will let me throw out the first spear or arrow depending on how close we get, and better yet he has said yes.

LION AHEAD

We have traveled a long time and although I knew it would be hot the desert has a way of fooling me, by being much hotter than I expected. But I will make father proud of me this day, that I swear. Father Pharaojh, "I see a lion with the mane of black, just behind the rock outcropping." I know that I can hit it through the head with the arrow. I have practised much and am adept at the arrow flying straight for the target. Before Father Pharaoh says no, that I am just a little girl, I let fly with the arrow and hit the beast in the head and heart, one shot right after the other. I had no idea how badly I would feel at killing a wondrous beast, but I do feel shame, it's not as if we need the meat. I will give it to the villagers that they may partake of it and fill there spirit with that of Aker, and that will make me feel better. Before I know it there is another arrow flying through the air and it has brought down the she lion, the mate of the black maned that I have killed. Father is so proud of me, he has said that I may have anything that I want, oh what a choice for me, but what I feel, I will never let him know how it is inside for me, I will never be the same.. Then as we go to dress out the carcass of the beast, we see one little male cub, crying for it's mother. I look at the small, but strong little one and ask father if I can have him for my very own. Father Pharaoh, says a great warrior like me should have an Aker of their very own and so Aker is now mine, at least until he is too old to wander the corridors of the palace.

We decide while we are here to look over the site of To-Remu (later known as Leontopolis). It was a shrine and center of the cult to Aker, the lions in early eras. It was a palace of lavish importance, although is lies now in it's death throes, in ruin.

RUIN ON TO-REMU

What a palace this must have been. I am always curious as to what the people were like and what the did and the feelings that they must have felt. It is sad that there is no one here now. It is worse than being dead, for at least in being dead there is another life to go to. In this it is just a Necropolis.

We are back at the palace now and Iputi has just told me the news. Prince Amonhirwonmef has asked that I be his sister wife. I hate him, he always is pulling some nasty trick on me and has a nasty temper, he would make me life a living hell and especially now that I have found the Prince of my wandering dreams Prince Khaemwaset. They are rivals in life as Prince Khaemweset is a favorite of Father Pharaoh and Prince Amonhirwonmef is short, his face has the marks from a disease caught in childhood and he is ugly of continence and of spirit. Oh my Aker help me now, Hathor protector of women interceded for me and I will always have a shrine to you in my home.

© camille nelson. All rights reserved.

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