Trial of Anubis

١٢: WRAITH

        "Come on, let us finish our game," Aperia pulled at Wraith's bicep.

       He ignored his father-in-law to stare down Horwedja. The Head Son of Horus gathered enough balls to storm the royal gates with two Sons. It didn't seem to matter that they were surrounded by Ungifted and Sons of Ra, this was a cock measuring contest.

      It seemed picturesque to Wraith, standing above his enemy in the shadow of royalty. Despite his abnormal height, Wraith was diminished beneath the polished granite of the palace. The display had already drawn a crowd of Ungifted nobles which lined the complexes around the palace and temples.

       Aperia tugged his arm again, "Wahret, let the Medjay handle this."

      "I've seen Sons of Ra mangled by the hands of this man before," Wraith rolled his shoulders back. "Inform Pharaoh and keep Rabiah inside. Go."

        Horwedja shielded his Wadjet from the midday sun and shouted up at him, "I pity your Sons, left in the desert to uphold Anapa's temple in your absence. Are you going to relocate to Amarna once Amenhotep's legacy falls? Will you relinquish your title as Head Son to become a Priest of Aten? If you truly were one of us, you would've seen Akhenaten's men dismantle our shrines and use them to build his cursed city. . .how can you stand there and protect a traitor?"

       "I protect no one, I provide council," Wraith tilted his head. "Though I need not justify myself to the likes of you."

       Horwedja scoffed and dared to take a step forward, "I'm here on behalf of the Children of Divine, they are sick of seeing a fellow brother fall to mortality and disgrace our traditions. I will use your death as an example."

      "Nekheny gave you eyes to see but not a brain to think," Wraith ascended another step. "I will not shed blood here. Take your men and leave, at least then you will return with dignity."

       "I'm not leaving without a trophy for my efforts. Where's your Theban c*nt?" Horwedja snarled. "I'll cut the tumour out of her and feed it to your dogs."

      Wraith's fists clenched. He'd spent years taming his anger in an attempt to mould it into something more. Anger was man's folly and Wraith didn't want to succumb to Ungifted hubris. However, Horwedja was not a man of threats anything he said was legitimate and a promise of what was to come. While the Sons of Horus were placid, Horwedja was militant and a spokesperson for violence – they had rivalled each other for years as the dominant factions but could never best each other due to the treaty.

      "Would you sacrifice your life to end mine?" Wraith spread his hands. "What precedent would that give? Absolutely none. It would be an embarrassment and bring shame to your Per-Ankh."

      As if using Wraith's defiance as an invitation, Horwedja unsheathed his scabbard and bared his teeth. To Wraith's surprise, Horwedja's entourage stepped back towards the gates of Thebes. The surrounding Ungifted gasped and shrieked at the proposition of violence whilst others chanted Wraith's name to be victorious.

     "I would die happily to know that you went down with me. I'd take pleasure spitting in your Great Father's face on my way to the Fiery Isle," Horwedja twirled the blade restlessly.

      "Wahret!" Aperia called from the top step.

        Akhenaten stood in the shade of the linen drapes; eyes narrowed at the brewing conflict. He brandished the crook and flail tight against his sides as if he were prepared to strike. He descended the stairs two at a time with Aperia following close behind.