Nick Drake - Tutankhamun - The Book of Shadows

Her eyes turned suddenly lightless, like a pool when the sun departs.

‘People speculate, they love it. I can do nothing about that. But my husband and I are bound to each other by much more than mutual necessity. We have a deep bond of history. He is all I have left of that history. And I would never harm him, for, apart from anything, that would hardly enhance my own security. We are necessary to each other. To each other’s survival and future. But we also share a deep care and affection…’ She ran her carefully manicured fingernails across the fretwork of one of the birdcages, tapping gently, so that the bird within regarded her with one eye, then flitted away as far as it could.

Then she turned back to me. Her eyes glistened.

‘I feel danger in everything, in the walls, in the shadows; the fear is like millions of ants in my mind, in my hair. See how my hands tremble, all the time?’

She held them out, and gazed at them as if they were disloyal. Then she summoned back her confidence.

‘Tomorrow will be a life-changing day for all of us. I wish you to attend us at the ceremony.’

‘Only priests are allowed within the temple itself,’ I reminded her.

‘Priests are only men in the right clothing. If you shave your head and dress in white linen, you will pass for a priest. Who would know you were not?’ she said, cheering up at the thought. ‘Sometimes you have the face of a priest. You look like a man who has seen mysteries.’

I was about to reply, when Khay reappeared. He bowed ostentatiously.

‘The lords of the royal domain have left. Full of threats and indignation, I might add.’

‘That is their way, and it will pass,’ replied Ankhesenamun.

Khay bowed again.

‘Rahotep will accompany us to the inauguration tomorrow,’ she continued. ‘He will need to be dressed appropriately, so that his presence causes no disturbance to protocol.’

‘Very well,’ he said, in the dry tone of someone who is only obeying orders.

‘I wish to meet the King’s physician,’ I said, suddenly.

‘Pentu attends the King,’ replied Khay.

‘I am sure he will spare Rahotep a few moments of his time. Ask him as a favour from me,’ said Ankhesenamun.

Khay bowed once more.

‘I must go to the King now. There is so much to be accomplished, and so little time,’ she replied.

Then she added quietly: ‘Can you remain here, in the royal quarters, tonight? The thought of your presence would be a comfort to me.’

I remembered the appointment with Khety.

‘Alas, I must return to the city. I have another line of inquiry that I must pursue tonight. It is imperative, I’m afraid.’

She gazed at me.

‘Poor Rahotep. You are trying to live two lives at once. You will attend us in the morning.’

I bowed, and when I looked up again, she had disappeared.

Pentu was pacing backwards and forwards, his hands clenched behind his back, his angular, haughty face desiccated with tension. As soon as I entered, and the curtain was drawn behind us, he efficiently assessed me, as if I were an annoying patient.

‘Why do you need to see me?’

‘I appreciate you are busy. How is the King?’

He glanced at Khay, who nodded, indicating he should reply.

‘He has suffered an attack of anxiety. It is not the first time. His mind is sensitive, and easily affected. This will pass.’

‘And how do you treat him?’

‘I contended with the affliction by reciting the effective prayer of protection by Horus against the night demons.’

‘And was it effective?’

His brow furrowed and his tone implied this was none of my business.

‘Of course. I also persuaded the King to drink a curative water. He is much calmer now.’

‘What kind of curative water?’ I asked. He huffed.

‘To be magically efficacious, the water must be passed over a sacred stele and, once it has absorbed the effectiveness of the carving, collected.’

He gazed at me, daring me to question him further.

We paused.

‘Thank you. The world of medicine is unknown to me.’

‘Clearly. Now, if that is all…’ he said, exasperated, making as if to leave, but Khay made soothing gestures, and he stayed.

It was time to make my mark.

‘Let me be plain and to the point. There have now been three successful attempts to infiltrate the very heart of the royal quarters. On each occasion, an object has been left which has threatened the King in ways both physical and, at least in intention, metaphysical. I also have reason to believe whoever is doing this has knowledge of pharmacopoeia-’

‘What are you implying?’ Pentu shouted. ‘Is this man implying that I or my staff are under suspicion?’ He glared at Khay.

‘Forgive me if I spoke carelessly. My reasons are drawn from other things, events outside the palace. But I would say this state of affairs, and the consequences for the King’s state of mind, should be our absolute priority. For if the instigator of all this can do the things he has done so easily, then what else might he not do?’

He and I looked at each other in silence.

‘Why don’t we all sit down?’ suggested Khay, diplomatically, taking advantage of the moment.

So we sat on low benches placed against the wall of the chamber.

‘Firstly, since I have reason to believe this man may indeed be a physician himself, it would be helpful to understand how the palace physicians are organized, and who has direct access to the King,’ I said.

Pentu cleared his throat stiffly.

‘As the Chief Physician of the North and the South, only I have access directly to the King. No other physician may be in his presence unless I am there also. All treatments are authorized and prescribed by me. Of course, we are also charged with the care of the Queen and the other members of the royal family, and with that of all members of the royal quarters, including the servants.’

‘You said other members of the royal family. Who else is there, apart from the Queen?’

He glanced at Khay.

‘I meant by that members of the extended families who serve the King and Queen,’ he replied, with a curious indifference.

‘How many physicians are affiliated to the palace?’

‘All physicians in the Two Lands are under my ultimate authority. There are only a few of us who are fully competent in all aspects of the mysteries, but there are specialists of the eye, either the left or the right, the belly, the teeth, the anus, and the hidden organs, who can be called upon instantly as required.’

‘And as I understand it, there are distinctions between the different professional hierarchies?’

‘ Obviously there are distinctions. Don’t you think it is important to discriminate between marketplace bone-setters, and those of us with academic training and knowledge of the books, which qualify us to administer proper healing through plants and magic?’ he hissed.

‘I am intrigued about these books,’ I said.

‘You may be intrigued, but they are secret books, that is the whole point.’

I smiled, pleasantly.

‘I apologize. Is the King receiving any treatment at the moment? Apart from the curative water?’

‘He is strong, physically, and his health is perfect; but I have also prescribed a sleeping potion. He has suffered a severe shock. He must rest before tomorrow. He must not be disturbed. I will sit with him throughout this night.’

Simut had made sure this time the security of the royal quarters made it into a sealed sanctum. At every turn of the corridors, pairs of guards were stationed. And when we arrived at the chamber itself, there were two guards on either side of the door, and two others stationed opposite them. The doors were closed, but Pentu quietly opened them, and gestured for me to look briefly within.