Ahkmenrah: The Fourth King of the Fourth Kings

Chapter 61: Food is Power

Seknut's plump fingers tightly clutched the white veil around her head, it was the tightest around her ears. She couldn't bear to hear the sounds of discord and rumors. She could take the sound of discord, the constant battle between two evils, greed and hunger. The overpricing of food verses the growing hunger of the people. But the rumors were things that hurt.

"They are dead!" one man would stay.

"They have abandoned us!" said another woman.

"They have stolen our sympathies and left us all for dead!" Said another.

She couldn't believe it. The two young boys who had suckled from her breasts, then the niece she had only seen after ten years. Dead or traitors. She couldn't believe it she wouldn't believe it. It wasn't right.

Getting her meager supplies for the week she made her way out of the bustling square. Despite her blocked ears he heard the loud clear voice of the executioner. Almost involuntarily she turned her head just in time to see the blade fall.

She felt no more emotion. It was sad she realised that these executions were so common she felt no emotion for them anymore. Turning her head away from the pool of blood she made her way home.

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Ismara invited Anbir to sit with her.

"I hope you're not risking you're life for me Anbir to get the food."

"I'm not." He said. "Even if I was, I consider it an honor, my wife back in Sumer too is in this condition."

"How many children do you have?"

"Three, two boys and girl."

"What are their names?"

"The boys are Utu and Yam and there is my precious daughter Ishtar."

"Do you love them very much? No that is stupid question. Of course you do."

"You will understand when you will have your own child, my lady."

"Yes, yes I see."

"My Lady may I permit to ask, why do want to talk to me today."

"Anbir, I am often deprived of company. You must understand, I will go crazy if I don't talk to anyone. But do tell me why do you look so strong and healthy while I see sick and starving people out of my window every day."

"My lady, it was by the order of king. There is enough food to go around to feed everyone for a month but it's a power struggle. Right now food is power and you know how much his highness adores power."

"Where is all this food stored? Surely of the king has put it in some sort of protected place."

"Its in the usual storage room but is heavily guarded."

"Define heavily guarded?"

"Twenty heavily armed guards."

Ismara's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Twenty men, was over kill in her opinion, but Anbir was right, in this day and age food was power.

"Where does all this food come from? Egypt is dried up."

"Sumer, My Lady, in caravans. Every week now, they arrive at the palace in the dead of the night."

"The horses must be quite fast."

"No, My Lady, Sargon had established this system long before Egypt was conquered. For the soldiers, if the Egyptians wouldn't provide us with food."