She closed her mouth and shook herself.“Senemut, I have something to tell you—”
He crossed the room to her in three steps.“There is no time, Majesty. The ceremony is about to begin.” Hetook her arm.
“But…” Hattie’s heart lurched sickeningly,and her blood suddenly felt like ice coursing through her veins.“But I…”
“Later, Majesty. Amun—and Egypt—await you.”He pulled her to the door.
Hattie breathed in short gasps, panicsqueezing the air out of her lungs. She tried to concentrate onputting one foot in front of the other as Senemut led her out ofthe palace and to her chariot, waiting to take her to the temple.She’d never believed this day would actually come, so sure had shebeen that she’d return to her own time. What had she gotten herselfinto?
* * *
“She must have the gods on her side,”Hapuseneb muttered, jerking his priestly robes straight. “How elsecould she have raised enough support to see her—a woman—crownedpharaoh? I confess, I did not dream this day would come.” He peeredout again at the growing crowds surrounding the temple, and shookhis head irritably.
“Pah! She has no gods to aid her,” Snefruretorted. “She has Senemut. By Amun, he is far cleverer than I gavehim credit for, especially when given free rein and an open purse.But never fear…I shall not underestimate him again.”
“Aye. Senemut,” the priest concurred. “Heis like a thorn in our sides, always a step or two ahead of me. Ifonly he would fall from her favor!” Or if only he could be made to fall fromher favor, he silentlyadded. Buthow? He is wily and he neatly sidesteps every trap I set for him,from concubines to poison to assassins.
“He will fall—in one fashion or another.”Snefru smiled mirthlessly. “And once he is out of the way, our new‘pharaoh’ will meet with an untimely accident, and be gathered tothe gods. Such a pity…so young and so pretty. Tuthmosis willsucceed her, but, of course, he is just a boy and must rely on hisadvisors.”
“Aye—his High Priest of Amun, and his GreatArmy General.” Hapuseneb grimaced. “I pray Amun it happens soon,else I might grow too impatient and make a mistake. We must be verycareful now. We must not give ourselves away.”
Snefru nodded. “You are wise, as always. So,go now and crown your new pharaoh. Give the ceremony all the pompand gravity it deserves. Do nothing to draw unwanted attention toyourself! Do not fear—her reign will be brief.”
* * *
The route to the temple of Amun in thesprawling Karnak temple complex was lined with cheering, shoutinghordes. They jostled each other for a better view, hung from limbsof trees, and leaned precariously from rooftops of mud-brick housesand shops. Food vendors pushed through the crowd, hawking figs,dried fish, honey cakes, and beer. Parents balanced their childrenon their shoulders and pointed to Hattie as she passed. It wasn’tevery day the common folk were privileged to steal a glimpse ofroyalty.
Hattie was grateful for Senemut’s advice thatroyalty did not smile, nor did they wave and gesture; they simplylooked…regal. She knew she couldn’t have held a smile in place onher frozen face, nor could she wave while clutching the side of thesmall gold and gem-encrusted chariot hard enough to leaveimpressions. The driver struggled mightily to control the twomidnight-black horses that snorted, reared, and shied away from thejostling crowds, while Hattie feared the tiny chariot wouldoverturn at any moment. She had no idea if the chariots of theroyalty and nobles behind her in the procession were stillfollowing, or if they’d been delayed or upset by the crush ofonlookers. She felt her wits had deserted her, and she prayedfiercely that she’d remember all of Senemut’s instructions when theceremony began.
At last, her chariot drew up in front of thetemple of Amun in an impressive cloud of dust. There, Hapuseneb,the high priest of Amun, waited for her, along with scores oflesser priests. She sensed their dark, impassive gazes as shestepped down from the chariot and she felt suddenly, fiercelyalone. Holding her head high and trying to remember to breatheinstead of choking on the dust, she allowed Hapuseneb to lead herinto the temple.
Senemut had told her that the first part ofthe coronation ceremony was the ritual purification. The strong,heady scent of incense tickled her nostrils as she entered thetemple. Four priests, dressed and elaborately masked to representthe four gods Horus, Amun, Re, and Ptah, sprinkled her with wateras they chanted blessings for her and her reign.
“Long live Horus, whose words are wise; whosecounsels are astute; who brings the Two Lands into being. King ofUpper and Lower Egypt, Lord of the Two Lands, Maatkare whom Re haschosen. Son of Re, Lord of Crowns, Hatshepsut beloved of Amun,beloved of Horus, may he have life eternal.”
A droplet of cold water struck her in theface and she gasped. At once, she was reminded of the more familiarbaptisms in her own time, complete with babies garbed in white,proud parents, and crowds of relatives. Her breath came a littleeasier. She felt more at ease and suppressed a smile.
“You must now take possession of yourkingdom, Majesty,” Hapuseneb muttered, snapping her out of herreverie.
Fortunately, Senemut had briefed Hattie onevery aspect of the coronation, and she knew what she was to donext. She stalked out of the temple as majestically as she could,followed by Hapuseneb and the other priests. Gripping the crook andthe flail, symbols of her royalty, she strode around the outerwalls of the temple, pausing at each corner for prayers to be said,trying to project an aura of command and confidence. The crowdwatched in absolute silence and stillness, as if they had becomepaintings on a tomb wall. The only sound was the whisper of hersandals in the dust. Then, a collective
