Chapter 1 – Isis
- Clement of Alexandria (300 A.D.)
The hekau rushed through the first pylon, the main gateway, into the hall that led to the courtyard. He ran down the covered hall, ignoring the intricately carved pillars and the lifelike statues of animals. He knew he was being reckless, disturbing the per netjer with his presence, but this was a matter of importance. Extreme importance. He prayed the gods would understand.
“Isis!” he shouted when he reached the open courtyard. The young hekau flinched as his sharp cry bounced off the stone walls around him. If Isis hadn’t heard his calls before, she certainly heard them now. He didn’t dare look toward the hall to his left; there were boundaries even he wouldn’t defy. “Isis!” he yelled again, this time more urgently than before.
“Do you want the entire kingdom to hear you?” a voice hissed. The hekau turned to his left to see a young, black-haired woman emerge from the depths of the hall alone. His eyes caught those of the woman’s, and he found himself struggling to free himself from the dark depths of equally dark eyes. Fumbling over his mistake of making eye contact with a goddess, he finally diverted his eyes to his sandals. “My apologies, Isis, lady, but the pharaoh requires the presence of Osiris and Hathor.”
Isis waved her hand dismissively as she walked by the bowed hekau. The hekau nearly fainted from the powerful scent of the lotus perfume, the sight of long, strong legs peeking out from beneath the cotton skirt, and the soft jangle of the golden bracelets on each arm. He was, however, brought back to the present at the sound of her sharp voice.
“And why do you come to me?”
The hekau hesitated when he detected the anger in her voice. He didn’t want to answer the question; not only did Isis already know the answer, he would face her wrath by verbally diminishing her position. All the hekau feared the two great gods, Osiris being god of the dead while the gentle Hathor was prone to suddenly change into the deadly Sekhmet. But to admit his fear of them would submit himself to Isis’ jealous rage. He had a family back home to protect; besides he wanted to make it back with his pride, and body, intact.
Damn the other hekau for forcing him here.
“Well?”
The hekau thought fast. “Isis, Great One,” he gasped, “you have a way with words no other can rival.” This was true; Isis had a knack for bringing even the most stubborn of the gods to their places. The hekau could only imagine what means of persuasion the goddess used.
The woman stiffened slightly. “Yes, and yet the king won’t see me in his council? Does he not value my opinion?” The hekau trembled at the envious tone the goddess used. Gold bracelets tinkled again as the goddess sighed impatiently. “Very well. I will pass on the message.”
The hekau sighed with relief, standing before the goddess a moment too long.
Isis whipped out the smooth rod of wood in a flurry of cloth and aimed it swiftly at his trembling head. This was the first time the hekau was exposed to such a unique and strange wand. Before he had time to admire its simplicity, however, the goddess’ dark voice demanded his every attention.
“Take this message back to the pharaoh. Remind him who placed him on the throne,” Isis spat out. “Now get out of my sight before I drain you of your magic and feed you to my crocodiles.”
The hekau needed no further warning. Clumsily, he stumbled toward the hallway at the end of the courtyard and disappeared.
Isis watched with narrowed eyes as the pathetic figure Disapparated. Foolish man, she thought. Why Re chose him to receive my gift of magic, I’ll never know.
Using her own wand, Isis, too, Disapparated to the hwt netjer of her husband, Osiris.
Re rubbed his haggard face with wrinkled hands. He stared out the window, looking down into the great city he’d reigned over from the time of Creation. From above, Re could see everything – the architects repairing a damaged temple, the merchants selling their fruits, the wives washing their clothes in the Nile. He was smiling as his sharp eyes spied a shady group of lads taking a break next to the palace’s western walls.
Leaning against the stone wall, all four boys were staring keenly at the palace, their thirsty eyes drinking in the richly decorated hwt netjer.
Unrest was stirring; he could feel it in his ancient bones.
“Pharaoh Re!” a voice called out from deep inside the palace.
The old man sighed. Always trust Thoth to make himself heard before reaching his destination. “Pharaoh Re!”
Re chuckled before shouting, “I’m here, Thoth! In my office!”
He heard a young man gasp the password to the guards stationed outside his door. The door banged open, and a dark-haired man burst in. “Pharaoh…Re,” he heaved as he struggled to catch his breath. The old man watched amused as the young lad collapsed on his floor.
“Careful, Thoth,” he moved to help the boy, “Now calm yourself and tell me what’s gotten you in such a frenzy.”
Thoth gulped in the deliciously cool air before panting, “I’ve delivered your message.”
“Oh?” Re mused. “What did they say?”
Thoth looked glumly at the old pharaoh. “More like what did she say.” When he caught the look Re gave him, he explained further, “I was too…terrified to visit their palaces, so I went to Isis instead.”
Re frowned. “And she’ll pass on my message?”
Thoth nodded quickly. “She assured me she will.”
How queer. It usually took bribery to persuade Isis to follow a command. Perhaps she’d heard of the revolution through her spies. “Did she seem at all…happy when you told her?”
Thoth’s eyes opened widely in surprise. “No, Pharaoh. She was anything but pleased to hear that your summons left her out.” He looked down at the floor again. “She…also asked me to pass a message.” Thoth hesitated with a familiar look on his face.
“Thoth, I won’t get angry at you for being the messenger,” Re reassured the boy.
Still unsure, Thoth fiddled with the hem of his top while he mumbled, “Isis told me to remind you who placed you on the throne.” Thoth’s eyebrows snapped together as he thought about her words for the first time. “But Pharaoh, what could this mean? Pharaoh?”
Re had staggered backwards when he heard her warning. Surely she…
“Pharaoh, are you all right?” Re felt Thoth’s skinny arms try to support him to a chair. Re blinked several times before looking down at his student. “Yes, I’m fine.” He forced a smile to convince the boy all was well. “Go off to morning meal before you get in trouble.”
After giving the pharaoh one last look of concern, the boy walked out. The pharaoh wandered back to his window to look over the disaster brewing in his kingdom. Oh gods. He could almost hear the war drums.
End notes:
Isis is rarely portrayed as anything but good. However, for the purpose of this story, I have given a little spin on her character.
per netjer means “temple” or “god’s house.”
hwt netjer means “temple” or “god’s mansion.”
hekau means “magician” or “wizard.”
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