Kher Neter
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It's always been a close community. 

No matter how harsh the desert environment may be, it will never be enough to demolish the peaceful villages of fair townspeople and traders. Through any form of destruction, these people had the will to rebuild and flourish. Even a heartless thief would feel a level of guilt from robbing such a neighborhood of tranquility and freedom.

Strutting down the shoveled path over the sand, Maalik held a smile as he waved and greeted passersby. Despite his past, he had worked hard to build himself a positive reputation amongst the locals. There were still some people he had the privilege of calling friends.

Some children ran past him, causing him to watch his step and laugh alongside them as they hurried along in excitement.

A satchel dangled from his waist, carrying enough gold to purchase supplies. It was the last bit of resources he could afford to spend for his family. Ten debens, worth their weight. That should be enough for now.

Approaching one of the market stands, he looked for new apparel. Aisha was beginning to outgrow her older clothes, and Maalik was in need of a new outfit. His last one was worn out after coming home late once and getting caught in a storm.

A short woman with a hunched back ran the clothing stand. Her skin was darker-toned, bearing slight wrinkles and black markings around her eyes. She had short hair, forcing her to wrap the top portion of her head with a scarf-like cloth. "Ah, it is good to see you again, Seti."

"Amonet, you should be resting." Maalik remembered the last time he ever spoke to her, she was suffering from an illness. "Are you sure it's wise to run the market today?"

"Please, my sons don't care enough to manage my position. But do not fear for me. As long as I can stand, I can work. Now is there anything you needed?"

Maalik pointed at a barrel behind her. Stacks of clothing were layered over it. Amonet also had various other apparel, both for men and women hung on rope above her stand. A donkey was resting in the back, carrying bags of other supplies.

The woman carefully picked out a small yellow dress. "I believe Aisha would appreciate this."

"I think so too." Maalik nodded, slightly raising an eyebrow. "Perhaps one slightly larger? She's been growing too fast for me to keep up with. Can you believe she'll have reached her tenth's year in just a week?"

"Oh, how sweet. You know, it's always the girls who grow the fastest, and I don't just mean that in terms of height or age."

As she handed him a larger variant of the same dress, he let out a chuckle of his own. "Why else was I so happy my child was born a girl? It's hard enough keeping myself under control, and you want me to watch over a boy? I don't know how you managed with two of them. Gods bless you, Amonet."

"That's the beauty of mothers. They always find a way to manage, even when they've reached their limit." She smiled back, taking a step back.

"Oh, one more thing." Maalik remembered he needed clothing of his own. "A schenti, if you may? No matter the color."

Amonet reached for a brown men's skirt. It was amongst the most common form of clothing for men, providing comfort and covering their waists.

"Six gold pieces." She said with a smile, placing the schenti atop a counter for Maalik to grab. But he paused, staring into his satchel.

"They were five. What happened to the price?" He asked in deep concern, keeping his hand inside his satchel as he awaited an answer.

"This is the only income my sons see until they begin work of their own."

Maalik frowned, looking back at his debens. He sighed, lowering his head and staring at the ground. When he made eye-contact with her, he spoke. "Five debens for now. I'll give you the sixth one later. This is all I've got for today."

"I can't do that, you know how trades go around here. I'll be lucky to have another customer before sunset." She had that innocent look in her eyes, the sort of look that screams emotions and sympathy. How could anyone say no to her?

Only one man was willing to reject her. "Five means five, Amonet. Please, you'll have the last piece another day. I promise. Just let me go."

She hesitated, staring back at him as she lowered her eyes to look at his satchel. "Five. But next time, the price rises for you. I have to make a living somehow."

"Of course." He nodded, placing five debens on the counter before taking his schenti. His eyes rolled as he felt a huge sense of relief.

The next item on his list was a quiver. That would cost him two debens.

Strolling through the markets, he found the weapons-smith. Making sure Amonet couldn't see him, he made the transaction for the quiver without trouble or drama.

But as Maalik turned, he stumbled into another man that was already approaching him. Thutmose was here. He was partially clothed, his bare hairy chest was exposed to the elements. Underneath one arm was a saddle, suggesting he had recently arrived with his mount.  

"Maalik! There you are! I have been meaning to speak to you since your return." He said, extending one arm to wrap it around his shoulders

"You have?" Maalik asked, waiting for Thutmose to finish the brief hug.

"Your daughter was a spirited little one." He laughed in a cheerful tone, maintaining a friendly attitude. "She waited anxiously for you to return from Inebu-Hedj. By the way, how was it? You never spoke about your visit there."

Putting on his best smile, he played along. "It was a virtuous experience, really. Because of the gods, I feel cured. In fact, I don't believe I have ever been happier in my life. But enough of me, what about Aisha? "

"Praise be to Ra, that is wonderful news Maalik!" Thutmose conveyed a great sense of joy. "As for Aisha, she insisted on practicing archery. It caught me unaware, as she is just a girl. Have you really been teaching her how to fire a bow?"

"Is there something wrong with that, Thutmose?" Hearing him say it to his face felt like an insult.

Thutmose on the other hand appeared slightly nervous. "No, no of course not. I was merely curious. It's not normal for girls to partake in something so dangerous."

"I raise my child the way I see fit." Maalik kept a small grin, but said it firmly to hopefully get his point across.

Stepping past his friend, he tried to move on and purchase the final item on his list. But before he could, Thutmose had to speak up again.

"Is it because of Khemenu?"

Maalik's fake smile slowly vanished, leaving behind an aggressive scowl. Inching his head back towards Thutmose, he maintained a terrifying glare of untamed rage upon hearing those words.

The world continued to run lively around them as many civilians walked along to buy and sell products. Yet their commotion fell on deaf ears, leaving only a pulsating ringing noise to haunt the silence in his ears. 

Thutmose continued. "It's ok to admit it, Maalik. I can understand your frustration, I just don't know why you would train her how to kill. I wouldn't want to put my girl in danger, that is something I-"

Not wanting to hear anymore, Maalik lifted a finger, silencing him before he could utter another word. There was a burning feeling inside his guts, wanting to spill in an uproar, but he had to conceal it. 

"I need you to acknowledge something. Soon, I shall turn thirty-two years of age. The fact that I am even still alive is a miracle that I have no means of explaining. My love, Ada, is nearing thirty years. We are in no condition to birth a new child. Aside from being old and on the verge of death, we are afraid of having another daughter. I don't have a son to raise and teach how to protect his family. All I have is that little girl of mine."

He forced Thutmose to listen to every single word that came out of his lips, and he was only just getting started. 

"Am I supposed to just have her sew clothes like old Amonet? Is that Aisha's fate? To grow into a weak and fragile woman, forced to bear a child and live the rest of her years in the marketplace? If that is what society expects from her, then I'm afraid she will have to disappoint you. Because that is not the life my daughter will live."

Maalik took a step forward, keeping his calm, yet aggressive attitude.

"Most men here die at 19. The lucky ones die a few years later. As I said, it's a miracle from Amun-Ra that I still live at my age. So if I were to die tomorrow, what exactly will I be leaving behind? The least I could do is teach her to rely on herself. Archery will help her survive. She can provide her own food, and she can defend herself from harm. I have to raise her as I would a boy because I may not be there for her when she needs me."

He wanted to stop and leave this behind. But he couldn't end this conversation here. Something lingered inside of him, urging him to continue until he felt satisfied. He had to let it all out. 

"I get mocked and called a coward for refusing to take the life of the bastard that threatened my daughter. But would any of you have charged at him the way I did? Would anyone here have found the courage to fight back? I am labeled the feeble one in this community, despite being the only one who actually gave a damn and took action against them!"

After a short pause, he looked towards the ground. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes temporarily.

"At Inebu-Hedj, I was told I made the right decision in sparing that bandit's life. But I disagree. I had that dog in the palm of my hand, and I let him live, but that won't ever happen again. For as long as I may continue to live for, I will bring an unholy path of blood and gore onto those who threaten me or my family. If I may die in my pursuit of so called 'perverted justice', then Aisha will take the mantle and finish what I started. So, yes, I may be training my daughter how to kill, and I trust her to execute those who deserve to die for causing so much misery and torment onto the lives of the innocents."

Finally, Maalik stepped away. He turned his back on Thutmose, walking through the market in order to purchase his last item. There was nothing else for him to say. He has spoken enough.

With three debens left, he made his last purchase. Two sets of arrows and one sturdy wooden log.

Placing the packed arrows into his quiver and setting the bundles of clothes over the log, he carried it and proceeded to exit the marketplace. 

He left the scene, returning home just as the blood-colored sky was beginning to sink beneath the desert waves to welcome nightfall's arrival.

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Historical Notes:

Before the invention of coins, the Egyptians used a weight unit called 'deben'. Currency was in the form of gold and copper, and debens were useful in weighing their value and were even used as currency itself. The unit used for measuring currency however was called 'shat'.

Deben

The average lifespan of an Egyptian male ranged from 22-25 years. Women lived on average to 35 years. Those that weren't lucky enough to live past childhood died at ages 19 and younger due to untreatable illnesses.

The oldest pharaoh to ever live was Ramesses II at around 91 years old. However, Pepi II Neferkare could have lived up to the age of 100 (presumably due to lack of evidence)

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