Read Seer of Egypt for Free Online Page A

named?”
    Anhur shrugged. “If you can call a lot of cheering and shrieking and wine-drinking wonderful. We members of the Shock Troops, being household guards as well, didn’t get much sleep. Drunk courtiers kept trying to stagger into the royal apartments at all hours, and the common well-wishers kept trying to push their way onto the palace grounds with gifts. A week’s holiday was declared, of course, which didn’t make things any easier. Our Prince has been named Amunhotep after his father.”
    “Pharaoh must be pleased.”
    Anhur frowned. “I don’t think so. The One in his divinity is the Incarnation of Amun, and the Prince will also become Amun’s power on earth when he succeeds to the Horus Throne, and naturally it is Amun’s priests and astrologers who have the privilege of choosing his name. I was on guard in the reception hall when Amun’s High Priest arrived all the way from Weset to give the King the good news. Amunhotep was angry, I could tell. He raised his voice to the High Priest. He demanded that the stars be read again, insisted that the astrologers had made a mistake. The High Priest stood firm. It was his right to name the Hawk-in-the-Nest. He was very offended when he left.”
    Huy felt the anxiety that had descended on him in the night suddenly return. “How strange,” he said slowly. “What name would the King have preferred? Did he say?”
    “I was stationed behind the Queen, on the dais. I heard Amunhotep mutter to her that Thothmes his father was a mighty warrior and a great god and his own son should bear that name. The Queen objected that it was an honour to bear the name of Egypt’s saviour god, the one who had helped Pharaoh’s ancestors drive out the occupying Setiu many hentis ago. At that, the King got up and left the hall.” He laughed. “I thank the gods I am not married. There is no woman to nag at me or contradict me.”
    “Would you rather be back among the delights of the palace, Anhur? Is serving my estate a demotion for you?”
    Anhur shot him a sly glance. “Everyone at court knows your power, Huy. Everyone believes you will rise in authority and influence. Everyone wants to come here to your house to meet you, to have their fortunes told, but the King allows no one but those he chooses to come near you. The spoiled little noblemen’s daughters natter together about your healthy body and your famously long hair.” He opened his arms in a wide gesture. “When you rise, so shall I. I want to be a general. As a commoner among the Shock Troops, my promotion would have been no higher than a captain of fifty. One day you will make me a general.”
    Huy was astounded, but he had not missed Anhur’s revelation regarding Amunhotep’s control. It explained why he himself was not deluged with petitioners from Mennofer. Something made him ask, “Anhur, what god does Pharaoh worship?”
    “Amun, of course, in spite of his annoyance with Weset,” Anhur replied promptly. “Still, he does have friends among the priests of Ra, particularly your old mentor High Priest Ramose at the temple of Ra in Iunu, and right after Amun’s High Priest had left Mennofer to return to Weset, Amunhotep took Kenamun and Miny and went to make an offering at the temple to the Aten in the centre of the city.”
    “Ra and the Aten, the gods of the sun,” Huy said. All at once he was very tired.
    “I don’t like Kenamun.” Anhur stood up and stretched. “Miny, the King’s weapons instructor, is a good man, but Kenamun sneers at everyone he considers to be below him. Amunhotep should choose his best friend more carefully. He has given Kenamun the stewardship of his Mennofer Estates. Now the idiot crows louder than ever, but the King doesn’t hear it. All he sees is his Foster Brother, son of his wet nurse Amenemopet. Ah, well … time for a swim and a sleep.” He placed a gentle hand on Huy’s head. “Forgive my earlier use of your name, Master. I am still seeing you as that boy for