The Last Heiress Chapter Two Mechyr in Peret Year 10 of Akhenaten "What do you mean you can't play?" I exclaimed to Meket. She and I had came to Mayati's robing room. "I am sorry, Akhesa, but Mayati and I have duties to attend to." She said. Mayati was busy having her clothes fitted on. Usually, we went about either naked or in linen dresses. But today, Mayati wore a dress that had one strap that went over the right shoulder of my sisters. "Well then could I come?" I asked. I never had this problem before. My sisters and I had never been busy. The only we were ever busy doing was playing in our gardens or up and down the palace courtyards. Mayati turned to answer me, but my mother spoke. "I am sorry my little one, but you can not join your sisters in this ritual." She descended into Mayati's rooms. Everyone in the room bowed down to the Great Royal Wife. My mother's eight month old body looked like it was about to pop. My little brother should be here soon. "Your sisters will be going to the Great Temple of Aten. They shall lead the Priestess and collect offerings to the god. It is their's duties, until I give birth to your brother, for I cannot travel so far anymore. They are not just Princesses, button now a Priestesses." My mother explained. I began to weep. I won't be able to play with no one. No sisters to play with. "Can I please go mother?" I pleaded. "I am sorry, Akhesa. You are only five. But I promise, you shall have your own designated wing in the Great Temple." I still shed a tear. I wanted to go with my sisters. Father called us to say a farewell. He probably would have Meket and Mayati stay with him till sundown until Aten himself went to sleep. Father saw my tear on my cheek. He lifted me up. He than wiped away my tear. "Oh, abi. Please, tell mamma I could go to the temple. I can be a priestess!" Papa laughed. "Oh, my little Akhesa. You are to young! Mayati and Meket are old enough to learn. But when you are their age, you shall visit Aten and pray to him." Papa put me down. My mother took my hand. "Yes, and today you can help me and your grandpa with petitioners." I know that my mother wanted to make me happy, but I wanted to be with my sisters. Mayati and Meket got onto a chariot. They waved as they left the Great Royal Palace and went out into the temple that was in the middle of the city. "Come, Akhesa. You shall spend the day with me as I deal with petitioners." So I would be in the Audience Chamber. My mother told my nurse to dress me in appropriate dress. Tia was very excited for me. "Y'know, Akhesa. This is a great thing for you." She said as she put the tunic over my body. Tia was my nurse since infancy. She had guarded me and was like a second mother. "But Mayati and Meket get to go to the temple. It's not fair." But Tia shook her head. "You are going to see the workings of court. This could be a sign that your mother intends..." Tia stopped. "Intends what?" I ask her. She just shook her head. "Nevermind. Let's just get ready." Tia put on a linen tunic on me. She put a nice shawl that was tied with a red sash attached to my pectoral. Tia then led me to the Audience a Chamber. My Harold, a young man of about 14 years of age announced in my formal titles. "King's Bodily Daughter, Whom He Loves, Born to Great Royal Wife Neferneferuaten-Nefertiti, Ankhesepaaten." I could tell that the petitioners had not been let in and that everyone at court was waiting on me. My mother sat on the throne. She had her own custom crown that she wore. On her right, below the dais sat my grandfather, Ay. Grandpa was Grand Tjaty and was such a efficient man of the state. Next to him was his wife, Tey. Tey raised my mother and also acted like a grandmother to me and my sisters. My aunt Mutnodjmet was her own child. But last I heard of aunt Mutnodjmet was that she was living in Waset with her husband and a son just a little younger than myself. But on the left below the dais, were my father usually sat, the King's Mother Taia sat. My grandmother was stern women. She was Great Royal Wife of Kemet for 37 years and tutored my mother. Even now, she helped mother and grandfather govern Kemet. Though stern and aloof, grandmother was loving and caring with me. My mother snapped her fingers, and a servant brought a gilded chair between her and grandmother on the dais. I immediately took my seat. My mother struck the dais with her own crook. "Bring the petitioners in!" Before my eyes, thousands of people filed into the Audience Chamber. Many of the people first went to the Tjaties. But one old man came towards the dais. He didn't look like a Kemetu. Mother smiled when she saw the man. She called for a servant to bring him a chair. The man looked like he was seventy years old, at best. She then called for some figs and shedeh. To me, she was treating this rekhty man as if he was some noble friend. She than started to converse with him as he ate with her. They spoken in a language that I did not know. It surely wasn't Kemetu "That is Benanath. He was a Syrian man who was once your mother's Harold, until he retired." My grandmother whispered to me as she waited for the next petitioner to come to her. "He is actually a good friend and valuable asset to your. Mother." "But granny, he just some peasant man. How could he be useful to us at all?" Such a old man probably lived with his sons or daughters. "His son is Agent of your mother, and a spy for Priest of Amun." I gasped. "His son finds Priest of the false god so that they can be brought to Justice?" My grandmother hesitated for a second. Than nodded slowly. A petitioners though came up to her and she attended to him. I watched my mother for a good twenty minutes talk to the old man. He than got up, bowed to my mother and than my mother called for a servant to give him a litter to his home. But after Benanath left, just some more boring petitioners. All I could think of now was that what Mayati and Meket were doing with father. Probably dancing. They were playing songs in the courtyard. I only got more miserable thinking about it. Than after awhile, my mother struck the dais again. "The petitions are closed. You shall all leave your name with the scribes and if you wish come back here in the morning." The petitioners filed out of the chamber. "Akhesa, I think's it's best if you leave now. Go back and play with Nefertash and Nefre." I pouted. Tia began to lead me to the nursery until my grandmother came up. "Y'know Akhesa, I have never seen such a well-behaved girl watch so attentively at court. " Granny complimented. I blushed underneath my brown skin. "Actually, if you want, I would like to invite you to dinner with me." My grandmother didn't leave in the Great Royal Palace but lived in the Northern Palace. "Really!" I found hanging out with grandmother much better than watching babies babble and babble unintelligent words that no one but they could understand. "If you want I could tell you some stories about your father when he was your age. Maybe even some stories about me when I growing up in Akhmin. My cook also has a new recipe for goose." I licked my lips. I loved goose. "I will be there grandmother."