More than a week went by without me seeing anyone. All I heard were voices telling me to attach my bucket to the rope. The head of a spear came through the opening to prevent me from climbing the rope should I try to escape. I tried to talk to them but no-one would answer my questions or pleas. Feeling dejected and rejected all I could do was sit and wait and think. All I could think of was "why?" One season later, I was finally dragged from my pit and was unceremoniously dumped on the floor in front of a judge. He introduced himself as Judge Wepsowet. "You have been found guilty of stealing from the treasury of Pharaoh Tuthmosis! This is punishable by death of you and your family!" "Your Honor, I did not do this thing!!!" Ngesi protested. "High Priest Nebwawi has found evidence of this fact. Do you deny that these are your family hieroglyphs?" "No I do not deny that your Honor, but I did not write them, nor did I steal anything!" "Hmmm..." "If I may, your Honor?" Prosecutor Chike said. The judge nodded. "On the second day of the innundation, High Priest Nebwawi observed that Heri-tep a'a Ngesi concluded the days business at the Temple of Osiris and witnessed the documents which included the annual tribute to Pharaoh. The documents that I have here, show an alteration was made after the tribute was agreed on. High Priest Nebwawi will take an oath to say that the amount agreed upon was the same amount as last years tribute. Futhermore, the documents at the Pharaoh's treasury state the amount received was the amount after the alteration. Only a Heri-tep a'a has the authority and the access to change documents such as these. I therefore conclude that a Heri-tep a'a was responsible. As the family Aha's name was on the documents, then Family Aha is responsible for this atrocity." "Prosecutor Chike, is this all the evidence that you have?" "No, your Honor. I would like to call Nubi. He is a Godservant at the Temple of Osiris." "Nubi, do you take the oath that what you say here to today is to honour Ma'at, the Goddess of Truth and Justice and Osiris, the God of the Underworld?" "Yes, Prosecutor Chike." "Now, what did you see?" "I saw Heri-tep a'a Ngesi slip something into his pocket as he was leaving the Temple. As to what it was I cannot say but I heard the sound of metal clinking together. Sounded like silver." "And how do you know what silver sounds like when clinking together?" "I make all the temple jewellery including the talismans that the worshippers who come to our temple, buy from us. I use copper, gold and silver." "Is there any doubt in your mind that it couldn't have been metal?" "No doubt whatsoever." "Thank you Nebi." "Your Honor, I would also like to call one of the Temple Dancers. Her name is Sheriti" "Sheriti, can you please tell the court what happened that night after Heri-tep a'a Ngesi left the Temple? "Well, Ngesi came back sometime after the sun had gone down. He offered me some coins to sleep with him. Of course I refused as I am tied to the Temple and will be entering the Priesthood in a few seasons time. For my rejection, I received this bruise on my cheek and a split lip. The physician has seen it and has delcared that the bone underneath the skin is broken but it will mend in time." "Where do you suppose he got the coins? Ngesi is not exactly poor." "I do not know" "I would like to submit to the court that Ngesi's house is on the other side of the city and he left only an hour so before he returned. This is not enough time to go home and get some coins from his own treasury. He would have had to have some coins on him for the Temple Dancer's story to be plausible. Whilst I am no physician, judging from her cheek, her wound cannot be self inflicted nor could a woman or a fellow dancer have the strength to be able to break a bone." "From all that has happened I beg the court to condemn this man who has committed these atrocities against Pharaoh." "Have you anything to say Ngesi?" Judge Wepsowet asked