The Golden Queen

Twenty Two

Twenty Two

"I must go to the temple and pray today. It is the day of the equinox," Hanif said as we prepared to leave the next morning. It was the first day of spring. "We will leave for Giza afterwards."

He was going to the temple of Karnak. As it stood in my time, it was the oldest, and largest, religious structure ever assembled. It was one of my favorite monuments from the era of the pharaohs. "May I come?" I asked, dying to see the temple as it stood in all of its intended glory.

"Of course, my lady," he replied, and we stepped onto the crowded streets of Karnak. People pushed back and forth as they tried to make their ways up and down the street. It was unavoidable to brush someone as I followed closely behind Hanif. He reached his arm back to me and said, "Grasp my sleeve so we won't be separated."

The occasional stares and awkward glares I received from passersby were just as embarrassing as my first day in Thebes. Thankfully, no one reached out and grabbed me like last time. It was as if we were all headed in the same direction, slowly shuffling towards the white polished marble of the great temple.

"Is it always this crowded?" I called over the roar of the crowd.

"Only during the equinox and the solstice," Hanif replied.

We progressed to the open court before the temple, and had more room to move around. The spring before the temple was full of water that looked so cool in the heat. I gazed around in wonderment. I barely recognized the complex. It was so different, yet the same. Even as it stood in the twenty-first century, it was spectacular, its monumental size matched only by its astounding legacy. The fragrance of incense wafted in the wind, mixed with the scent of cinnamon and jasmine.

Hanif went to the spring and dipped his arms into the water. It was tradition to wash before entering holy ground. I followed him to the fountain, and from the opposite edge, watched as he rubbed the water into his hands and arms. Slowly and diligently, he rubbed his skin in circular motions. I dipped my arms into the water and did the same, surprised by how warm it was.

After we finished washing, we entered the temple through the fourth pylon. I was surprised to see what the Temple of Karnak was now reduced to. Much of the complex had not been constructed yet. The Great Hypostyle Hall that should have been before the fourth pylon was not there because it was yet to be built by Seti and Ramesses.

Hanif gazed at it thoughtfully, and I wondered how he would feel if he saw it as it was in my time. The obelisks of Thutmosis I and Thutmosis III towered over us as we stood within the fourth pylon. I marveled the bright colors on them and the intricate detail in the carvings. I circled around one as Hanif examined the others.

"Impressive, aren't they?" he asked.

"Yes," I breathed as I tried to take in every single detail, the vibrant colors to the detailed inscriptions.

"I am going to the chapel now to pray. I will only be gone shortly. Please do not wander far. I am afraid we might get separated in the crowd."

"I won't," I promised, and he left.

I continued to explore the hall, marveling the obelisk as I stood in its shadow. I placed my hand at the base, sensing the workmen's chisels as they chipped away at the granite to sculpt the needle-like statue. I knew they belonged to Thutmosis, and my stomach singed with hatred as I thought about him. He was at the palace with Pharaoh, while I was left to wander the desert.

Then I noticed something strange about Thutmosis' obelisks. Aside from the fresh paint, they appeared to be the same, except for the cartouches inscribed on the sides. The cartouches that should have held Thutmosis' name as they did in my time now held Ahmose's name. I placed my hand at the stony base and sensed treachery loom from the tower to my trembling fingertips.