Free Queen of the Heavens by Kingsley Guy

still my mind. Part of me longed for the carefree time of childhood, but my body had matured and so had my desires, and I thought constantly of the handsome and virile Sety. I even found his brashness and arrogance appealing, for they would make life with him a challenge, and I relished challenges.
    Father had been summoned by Ramesses’ aides several times to answer questions about me, our family history, and the status of our land holdings. Because of this, I became quite confident I would be chosen to marry Sety.
    As the days turned into months, however, my confidence gave way to doubt and then to despair. The Pharaoh and his courtiers had left Memphis for Thebes, the capital of Upper Egypt, as they did each year when the cooler weather arrived. Were I to be Sety’s consort, I surmised, Ramesses would have notified Father before departing.
    How foolish I was to think so much. After a walk one morning on the riverbank in which I attempted to consign my sadness to the waters of the Nile, I returned home to find the old emissary in the garden talking with Mother.
    “I have good news, Tuya,” he said as I approached. “Your numbers and stars align well with Sety’s. Ramesses has sent a message from Thebes. If an adequate dowry can be agreed upon, you and his son are to become husband and wife.”
    The emissary’s words left me speechless.
    “Tuya. Are you not pleased?” Mother asked, but I did not answer.
    My life is yours, Isis. I said silently. All is divine perfection. All is as it should be.

VIII
    A few days later, Father walked through the gate of our home and saw me sitting by the lotus pond. “It’s done,” he announced. “The old emissary and I have agreed upon your dowry.”
    “What did you offer?” I asked.
    “Much grain, a herd of goats, and several oxen. I’ll personally take a measure of gold the size of my fist to Ramesses in Thebes. The old emissary was more than fair in negotiating for the Vizier. He could have asked for silver instead of gold and I would have given it gladly. Obviously, Ramesses wants you in his family.”
    “You’ll be coming with me to Thebes?” I inquired, surprised and delighted by the prospect. I had assumed I would be traveling alone to be with my husband, and did not look forward to a journey up the Nile without friends or family to comfort and reassure me.
    “Both your Mother and I will be going with you. We’ve all been invited to the great celebration honoring the twentieth year of Lord Harenhab’s reign,” Father said proudly.
    “The Pharaoh would invite us to his celebration?” I asked.
    Father smiled. “You’re marrying the son of a Vizier, Tuya. Accept your new status. Not only has the Pharaoh invited us, he’s supplying a palace boat for our voyage.”
    “A palace boat!” I exclaimed. I had seen the magnificent vessels on the Nile but never imagined that someday I’d be traveling in one.
    “Obviously Lord Harenhab is taking great interest in this marriage, and why wouldn’t he? He expects you to be Queen someday,” Father said as he walked toward the house. “I must tell Ruia the good news. We need to start preparing for our trip immediately.”
    The following day, I began packing my clothing, jewelry, wigs and oils in a trunk. I wrapped the statues of Sekhmet and Isis in linen and placed them in the trunk as well. In rummaging through my possessions I came across my dolls and a toy lioness I had played with as a child. The lioness had a hinged lower jaw that opened and closed when I pulled on a string protruding from its head.
    I’ll give the dolls to the child of a servant, but the lioness comes with me. I’ll never be too old to play with her, I said to myself. I pulled on the string and its mouth closed. I let go and it opened. I smiled, and imitated a gentle growl. “May I go through life with the power of a lioness,” I whispered. “I’ll need such power as Queen.”
    Later in the day, a woman who made clothes for the royal court