With great fanfare and a priest proclaiming his many titles, the Pharaoh appeared with his vizier at his side and processed to the dais. Tutmose II was not a handsome man, but he had great dignity. Dry, inflamed patches required the constant attendance of herbalists and masseurs to rub oils to ease the itch. The oils also managed the pain of his ravaged skin. Yet, through it all, Tutmose II maintained a cheerful attitude, the respect of all, and was well liked for his justice and diplomacy. None of his sisters had survived to adulthood to be wife to him, so he sought further afield among his cousins and high nobility for spouses. So far, he’d only taken a few concubines and lesser wives for alliances, and none had given him children yet. This was Hati’s big chance to impress her cousin into making her his wife.

There was quite a crowd today. Word had undoubtedly spread about this potential new wife for the Pharaoh. Everyone who had pretensions to court life was here, from the ambitious to the social. Even a few of the palace cats wandered about, playing with dangling belts or demanding attention. How unusual.

Now, in the back, appeared a small group of priestesses. To the murmurs of the crowd, they pulled a sledge with a large, supine statue of Ra into the center of the room. The God was laid out as if asleep, even to His head reclining on a sleeping headrest. On the other side of the throne, the vizier gasped, "Divine One! They will do the sacred dance of Isis awakening Ra for you! It is too erotic!"

"My heart can stand it, Keoset." Tutmose's murmur carried clearly to his scribe, which was why Senmut was permitted so close to the Pharaoh. "Can yours?"

"Ahem! No doubt, no doubt." Keoset's voice was rich with good humor. "I am concerned only in that this dance is to arouse the very Gods themselves. Many men will be in discomfort tonight." The vizier chuckled mercilessly.

I am going to be one of them. It shamed Senmut to admit he could not control the lust he felt for Hati.

"The God’s Wives had the good sense to warn me ahead of time it would be advisable to have eunuch guards at this audience. At least our guardians won't be distracted," Tutmose answered complacently. "I took the hint and arranged for those whose services can be had for coin to join us at the feast after the dance. I am not so hard-hearted as that."

Say that after you have seen Hati dance, Divine One. Senmut smoothed his tablet to keep from looking too anticipatory. If your privates are not as hard as that statue, then you're less feeling than it is. She is worthy of you as no other woman I have seen in the length of this kingdom. I could easily envy you, although I have never done so before.