Doors-e

by RD Larson

A fine collection of short stories by a very popular author.

Women's Fiction, ISBN 1-59431-490-X

Also available in HTML and RTF formats.



Doors: Five Stories of Strong Women by RD Larson

The Egyptian Official

“It is the tomb makers, the draftsmen, the craftsmen and the sculptors who built my tomb. I gave them beer and bread. I made them to take an oath that they were satisfied.”

These are words from Kay, the priest of Khufu written at the entrance of his tomb.

Friends had whispered their fears about her husband. Was it the truth or only rumor? Hept-ra squeezed her hands together. What could she do? Mket was her husband; she had to save him. If the rumors were true, then Akhet would destroy her husband if he could. Would the old Dewan, grandson of the Pharaoh, listen to his complaints about the Recording Scribe?

Slowly, she went up the stairs to the sleeping porch on top of the mud brick house. Her husband stood gazing off over other houses of the workers. The Great Pyramid stood above them all. She could tell Mket had not slept on his bed pallet.

“Please try not to despair, my husband,” Hept-ra said, walking to Mket to stand behind him, her arms encircling his waist. “There is no reason for the Dewan to listen to the complaints of Akhet, the new official, when he knows that you have been the best scribe to write the history of the Pyramid of Khufu. There is no need to replace you. The Dewan is old but honest. Truly, he will not listen to Akhet’s vile lies about you.”