The Queen Of Gods

Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

I tried not to skip on my way back into Karnak, but it was hard to keep my elation down. I'd spent longer at the oasis with Amun than I'd intended to, not that it took much when I'd never intended to spend any time with him there at all. But it had meant I was coming back here later than anticipated. I hoped Khonsu had gotten back all right, but I was certain he'd make himself known as soon as he heard I was back. He had been living in my part of the temple, with the intention of moving into his own once his priests had arrived to open it up and make sure everything was in working order.

While most gods had complexes and spaces here, they didn't all keep priests and priestesses handy, and that was the case with Khonsu. And with Amun, come to think of it. If he'd had some here, then it would have been far easier for us to get a message to him in the first place. That hardly mattered now, though. Not when I had an amulet which would call him to me whenever I needed it to.

I entered my part of the temple to find stacks of boxes and clay jugs scattered around, and the shouts of small children filling my ears.

A smile stretched over my face as I realised what it meant, and scanned the room for my High Priestess. The moment I laid eyes on her, I gestured for her to come join me. They must have gotten here while I was dealing with Atum.

"Anku, you've arrived," I announced, a lot more upbeat than I had been the last couple of times I'd seen her.

"We finally got everything moved from the temple to Karnak," she answered.

"Good. And the families?"

"All but one agreed to come. But they have let their daughter stay with her friends. I'm sorry that they're making so much noise..."

"Don't be," I assured her. "This place needed some brightening up, and they're just the people to do it. Have you been made welcome? Gotten settled?"

She nodded. "High Priestess Miane has made us all very welcome. We have lodging close together, and the girls have a dorm room they can all share. It's beautiful, but..."

"It isn't home," I finished sadly. "I assure you, I'll try and get Ptah to start work on the renovations immediately. I don't want you to spend too much time away from it." Guilt flooded through me from my neglect. Instead of writing a letter to Ptah straight away, I'd put Ma'at's mission first.

But now, things were going to change. I'd found a new purpose in my life, and I was going to start treating my people better. Perhaps there would be a way for them to help me spread the word about inner beauty and other important messages to the general people, without anyone having to worship me? I'd work on that. There was no way I was going to go back to being bored and trying to busy myself with trivial things.

"Thank you, Your Eminence. Your help means everything to us."

"My help is what I owe to you," I corrected her. "You're my priestesses, which means you're my responsibility to make safe and happy. I failed in that task, and for that, I'm deeply sorry."

She blinked a couple of times, probably as she tried to process what I was saying. I didn't imagine a lot of deities had apologised to their followers.

"We appreciate your help and support," she said weakly.

"I'm glad. But I've taken up too much of your time. Please, excuse me."

She went back to her various tasks, making sure that each of the boxes got taken to the right place. While some would contain priceless treasures which had survived Seth's attack, and would simply need storing until they could return to the temple they called home, others contained wine and fruits which would need to be added to my general stores so they could be used before they were spoiled.

Which reminded me, I should also write a note to the kitchen and let them know that I had more mouths than before to feed. The last thing I wanted was for my priestesses to go hungry because of an oversight. I'd do it at the same time I wrote to Ptah.

I made my way back into the main temple and headed towards my bedchamber. Dust and sand from the desert still clung to my hair and clothes, and it would be best if I could bathe before I did anything else.

"Hathor, you're back," Khonsu said, rising from his seat behind the Senet board.

I was pleased to see High Priestess Miane was soundly beating him. She rose to her feet and dipped her head, before disappearing off to do something that didn't involve eavesdropping. My priestesses were well trained from an early age.

"Yes, I just got back."

"Are you all right?" he asked, looking me up and down, then narrowing his eyes. "What happened?"

"Nothing much." I carried on walking towards my chamber. He'd never had a problem walking into them before, I assumed he wouldn't now, either.

"Then how come when we parted ways, you were crying, and now you look as if you spent all of last night getting laid?"

If I turned around, I was certain he'd have a raised eyebrow and an expectant look on his face as he waited for me to fill him in. But that wasn't going to happen. What had passed between me and Amun was private. At least for now. And especially because I hadn't even remembered to bring up the most important question I had to ask him. For some reason, in his presence, I forgot everything but spending as much time as possible with him.

This was ridiculous. I was acting like a teenager experiencing her first crush. And that wasn't me. I was older than that, for a start, and much more experienced. Though perhaps this was what Amun had meant when he'd said there was a part of me that still felt the joy and beauty in small moments.

I pushed the thought away. It wasn't important right now.

"Well?" Khonsu prompted.

"I didn't sleep with anyone," I assured him. "I went to an oasis and did some soul searching. Now I'm back." None of that was a lie. At no point had I said I was alone when I was doing it.

"Hmm. Somehow, I don't believe you."

I unhooked my collar and slipped it off, putting it back in place on my jewelry stand. My cuffs followed. I rubbed my wrist where one of them had chafed too much thanks to the sand. This was why I hated the desert. Remembering the ankh, I slipped it out of my pocket, being careful to keep my mind blank. I didn't need to summon Amun right now, and it would only serve to feed Khonsu's need for gossip if I did.

"I promise, if I do anything with anyone, you'll be the first to know. Well, the second."

He chuckled. "That's a good point. I don't think I want to be the first."

I shook my head in bemusement. "The feeling is mutual."

"But you're okay, right? Nothing bad happened..."

"No. Nothing happened that you need to worry about," I promised. "But I do need a bath. There's sand in places I don't even care to think about."

"We live in Egypt, there's always sand," he quipped.

I flashed him a wry smile. "The priestesses do a fantastic job of keeping it out of the temple, and you know it. Now shoo. I have a bath to get to."

"Your wish is my command." He bowed dramatically, then left my chambers. Hopefully to go find Horus and remove some of his pent up energy.

Now I could focus on getting clean, and writing my letters to Ptah and the kitchens. Once I'd done that, I could start worrying about the rest of the things I had to do, including a new approach on how to persuade Atum to help with Ma'at's cause.