Book One Chapter Two Part 3: Disease

Min (ancient Egypt)

The following day, Ishtar walked out of the house, she found many children within the neighborhood are sick. Ishtar is not a doctor, but knows a bit about medicine. She quickly exam the children, when Bes came, Ishtar asked why the children are sick.

Bes told Ishtar, most of the nearby witches and scholars has been drafted by Seth, since he took power. Seth fear the educated, what the ancient refer to as witches, is what we today refer to as scientists, doctors and mathematicians, because most ancient people are ill educated and their understanding of science was limited, science and sorcery was seen as one and the same. This is why sometimes, twenty first century scientists through modern scientific method discover certain pagan witchcraft to be real, in the field of biology, physics or chemistry. One of the best examples of such is the pagan belief of names can affect a person’s future, modern psychological study found name can affect people’s persona on a subconscious level, thus, we can make rough prediction on their future. This is already been used in modern warfare, for example during the Golf War, when the US policy was originally to defend, the operation was called “Operation Desert shield” when the policy move from defense to offense, the operation was renamed as “Operation Desert Storm” this name change had a major influence on the subconscious of the soldiers, playing a big role regarding why the US had such an easy victory. During the Olympic boxing match, there is always one player wearing red and the other wearing blue, there are always more boxers wearing red that win, especially during the preliminary matches.

Seth fear the witches and order only he and those loyal to him can practice witchcraft, all others who practice magic must be killed. But Seth is cunning, he drafted witches throughout the Kingdom, in the name of the prosperity of the Kingdom, afterwards, when they are gathered, all the witches are killed by archers.

Bes might not know what Seth was doing, but Ishtar know Seth too well and she knows those witch doctors would be killed.

Ishtar is no doctor, but she study a bit about medicine. Enough to deal with minor diseases. These diseases are easy to treat, but if not treated, can cost the children their lives.

Ishtar told the mothers to burn the children's clothes. One mother panic and thought Ishtar wants to burn her child to death. She came at Ishtar with a knife, but Ishtar quickly disarmed the woman. The woman disallowed Ishtar to come close to her child. So, Ishtar stayed away from that child. But Ishtar quickly persuaded the other parents, to let her treat their children and within two weeks, their children recovered. As for the mother who disallow Ishtar to treat her child, her child died.

"I never know that you are also a witch doctoress," Bes said

Ishtar smiled "I wouldn't call myself a witch doctoress. I learn some basic medic aid, while in the Amazons." Ishtar said

"Goddess, you are an Amazonian?' Bes asked

Ishtar smiled

"I got a gift for you" Ishtar said, she gave a book to Bes, "This book contains the information, in recognizing and curing twenty four most common types of diseases. Never tell anybody that you got this book, especially the government authority. The reason Seth is drafting the witches, is because he wants to kill them. He fear what witches can do. After you learn all the skills of the book, you can identify and cure all the common illness. Illness that are supposed to be easy to cure, but if not cured, can cause lasting effects, some, even death."

Bes smiled "Thank you" he said

The villagers thanked Ishtar for how she cured their children. They gave Ishtar supplies for her journey and when night falls, Ishtar and Horus return to their journey, to the Red Sea.

Music from the Imperial Doctress (Fiction base on history)