Literature / The Things We Can Change

The Things We Can Change is a historical novel, published by Kyah Merritt in 2020. It is the second book of the trilogy A Legacy of Light. Set in the Eighteenth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, it follows Pharaoh Tutankhamun, his wife and sister Ankhesenamun, and their royal court through political twists and turns as the young Pharaoh steps into his authority as king.

This book provides examples of:

Tropes A-C

• After-Action Healing Drama: After Tutankhamun is badly wounded in Kadesh, Semerkhet rushes to his side, comforting him as the other soldiers rush to lift the fallen chariot off his broken legs, then solicitously overseeing his return home by horse-drawn cart, feeding him porridge and offering him water, giving him painkillers to keep him as comfortable as possible, and doing everything in his power to keep the Pharaoh calm until they get home.
• After-Action Patch-Up: After Tutankhamun's return from Kadesh Ankhesenamun lovingly joins his medical team, wholeheartedly participating in facilitating his recovery by bathing his face, applying the doctor's bruise salve, and monitoring his bandages.
• Altar Diplomacy: Facing a Succession Crisis, Ankhesenamun reaches out to the Hittites, requesting to marry Prince Zannanza, in a heroic effort to keep their country stable and keep the Vizier off the throne.
• Anti-Villain: In his moral ambiguity, Horemheb dances with the role of antivillain.
• Appeal to Tradition: Those who disagree with the Pharaoh and the Queen usually justify their perspective "because it's traditional."
• Battle Butler: When called upon by the Pharaoh to go into battle alongside him as his charioteer, Semerkhet is more than able to serve in combat at Kadesh.
• The Bechdel Test: This book provides examples of named female characters discussing topics other than men.
• Big Brother Instinct: Semerkhet is responsible for bringing the wounded Pharaoh home safely, and is ashamed that his "little brother" was injured on his watch. He faithfully tends his Master and friend during his convalescence, quickly becoming a nurse as well as a valet. Semerkhet has the capacity to develop into a Knight Templar Big Brother.
• Brother–Sister Team: Tut and Ankh function as a nearly-seamless team, brother and sister united against the world.
• The Bully: Nakhtmin is an incorrigible bully.
• Catchphrase: As the Pharaoh's food-taster, Semerkhet checks each meal for poison with the same ritual phrasing. Also, other characters from fellow politicians to palace servants end every conversation they have with the Pharaoh with the words "all life, prosperity, and health."
• The Chessmaster: Characters on both sides of the conflict must view the political decisions with which they are faced as moves within a larger game.
• The Confidant: Various pairs of characters serve as faithful listening ears for their friends and loved ones— both Ankhesenamun and Semerkhet serve as confidants for Tutankhamun, and both Ankhesenamun and Semerkhet confide in Meresankh, who is supported by her Granny Merneith.
• Cool Old Lady: The wise old healer Merneith can treat practically any known illness, and her timeless wisdom offers a lifeline of peace and stability as things get more and more iffy.
• Cuddle Bug: Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun frequently cuddle up together, and as the pain of his unhealed wounds worsens, Tut deeply appreciates Semerkhet's skills as a massage therapist.

Tropes D-F

• Dark and Troubled Past: Various characters in this work have been shaped by challenging, and in some cases, tragic, events in their pasts.
• Distressed Dude: After returning from battle badly wounded, Tutankhamun spends the majority of the book confined to bed.
• Enigmatic Minion: Throughout the trilogy, Horemheb's motives are in flux, their ultimate destination unknown either to himself or others, leaving him frequently in the category of Ambiguously Evil.
• Evil Chancellor: Grand Vizier Ay's priorities do not line up with those of the benevolent, altruistic Pharaoh and Queen.
• Family-Values Villain: In their own ways, Ay, Horemheb, and Maya justify their propensity toward murdering political rivals, warlike behavior, and reliance on Egypt's slavery-based economy as means of protecting their own families, their families' legacies, and the future good of Egypt.
• Female Misogynist: Meryt, the wife of Treasurer Maya, believes that the pinnacle of womanhood is found in marrying a big, strong man and giving him sons, and that it is improper for women to seek secondary education or careers.

Tropes G-I

• Handicapped Badass: Tutankhamun has a clubfoot and uses a cane, but learns that being a powerful politician has nothing to do with one's physical strength or agility.
• Heterosexual Life-Partners: Tutankhamun and his valet Semerkhet.
• The High Queen: Wise and poised, Queen Ankhesenamun teaches, guides, and supports her young brother/husband as he continues to grow as a leader.
• Honest Advisor: Both kind and eloquent though she is, Ankhesenamun is ready and willing to straightforwardly explain to her brother what course of action he should take and why, and to strip away the trappings of any deceptive phrasing the Vizier has selected in an attempt to misguide Tut.
• Hunk As the biggest, most strapping soldier in the Pharaoh's army, Horemheb's strength lies in his physical prowess, and initially, his relationship with his wives is based primarily on mutual appreciation of one another's physical attractiveness.
• Interclass Friendship: Over the course of the trilogy, Pharaoh Tutankhamun and his faithful valet Semerkhet become best friends, eventually coming to look upon one another as brothers, and Queen Ankhesenamun and her handmaiden Meresankh share a similar journey.
• Introverted Cat Person: Tutankhamun loves his pet cat Bastet, and is often content to spend a quiet afternoon reading with her at his side.
• Iron Woobie: Tut's parents, grandmother, and five of his sisters died before he'd turned nine, and before he was nineteen, he and his wife had lost two infant daughters. Furthermore, the Pharaoh has mobility issues requiring the use of a cane, and deals with daily pain in his foot. As the trilogy progresses, he rides into battle, comes home with two broken legs, and later develops malaria. See also Trauma Conga Line.

Tropes J-L

Tropes M-O

• Make It Look Like an Accident: To get rid of the plucky kid whose big heart threatens the continuation of the slavery-based economy, Grand Vizier Ay convinces Tutankhamun to personally ride into battle on behalf of the victimized Mitanni, intending for him to be killed in battle when the rest of the army retreats, leaving the Pharaoh exposed. When that doesn't work, but Tut does develop malaria, Ay manipulates the Chief Physician into dosing Tutankhamun with cyanide-based "painkillers" in the hopes that they will prevent his recovery and hasten his death in a way that is realistic enough to remain beyond suspicion, maintaining Plausible Deniability.
• Massage of Love: Tutankhamun is very grateful for his valet Semerkhet's skills as a massage therapist. Wistfully remembering times past when he had looked after his own younger brother, Semerkhet is sincerely glad to be able to bring his friend comfort, and, at times, help him fall asleep at all.
• Never Mess with Granny: Yes, she may be as old as the pyramids, but Granny Merneith's many decades of experience as a midwife and doctor allow her to both support Tutankhamun as he strives to recover from his wounds and deal out well-deserved punishment to Nakhtmin by smiting him with digestive distress to distract his father the Vizier.
• Matriarchy: Queen Ankhesenamun looks to her powerful female lineage for inspiration and strength.
• Nice Guy: Tutankhamun's deepest goals as Pharaoh spring from his fundamental kindness.
• Non-Action Big Bad: The battles Tutankhamun fights with his political adversaries take place in the form of boardroom conversations.
• Non-Action Guy: Even with his physical mobility even more limited than before, Tutankhamun continues to operate as an increasingly wise politician, demonstrating that leadership has nothing to do with one's physical strength or agility.
• Overlord Jr.: Cruel and selfish, Nakhtmin is proud to follow in his father's footsteps.

Tropes P-R

• Politically Incorrect Villain: The Vizier, as well as a number of other members of the royal court, justify continuing to rely on slavery because "that's the way things have always been." They also disrespect and belittle the Queen, or simply encourage her to remain within the traditional feminine sphere, and look down on Tut, as a person with a disability, as someone who will never become a strong Pharaoh. Treasurer Maya and his wife Meryt, in particular, determined to cling to the luxuries that give their lives meaning, are willing to close their eyes to the suffering of the less-fortunate and justify Egypt's continued reliance on an economy based on slave labor.
• The Power of Friendship: The ways in which true friends can rely on one another is a major theme of the book.
• Promotion to Parent: Since the deaths of their parents, Ankhesenamun has functioned more like a mother to Tutankhamun than his sister.
• The Reliable One: As the Pharaoh's valet, Semerkhet capably handles the tasks of manservant, secretary, and CNA.
• Royal Favorite: In honor of his heroism in Kadesh and afterward Tutankhamun confers many new titles upon Semerkhet, including Royal Favorite and Sole Companion.
• Royal Inbreeding: Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun were married as children to maintain the royal bloodline.
• Ruling Couple: Although Ankhesenamun is technically the Queen Consort, she is Tutankhamun's most trusted advisor and the source of many of his most important political decisions. Perhaps the society of Ancient Egypt will not look back on "the reign of Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun," but they serve their country together as true partners, the Queen offering her wisdom and the Pharaoh putting her plans into motion with his authority.

Tropes S-U

• Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!: All of Nakhtmin's privilege and high status comes from his family connections— none of it was earned.
• Smug Snake: disdainful Nakhtmin is intolerably smug and a Deadpan Snarker.
• Speech Impediment: Tutankhamun has a lisp, which becomes more obvious when he's tired or not feeling well.
• Spirited Young Lady: Queen Ankhesenamun, while embracing her femininity, is not afraid to make decisions on a level not traditionally associated with Queen Consorts.
• Spoiled Brat: Nakhtmin, the son of Grand Vizier Ay, is an entitled spoiled brat incapable of respecting others.
• Supporting Protagonist: Multiple characters serve as point-of-view characters.
• Tearful Smile: As things go from bad to worse, Tutankhamun, Ankhesenamun, and Semerkhet manage to keep smiling... even if it is often through tears.
• Tragic Stillbirth: Ankhesenamun and Tutankhamun have endured the losses of two infant daughters.
• True Companions: Tutankhamun and his valet Semerkhet, and Ankhesenamun and her handmaiden Meresankh, find their friendships continuing to deepen over the course of the book.
• Uriah Gambit: Precisely in the manner of King David offing Uriah, Ay commands Horemheb to summon the troops to retreat just as the Pharaoh has entered the thick of the battle, intending for him to be immediately killed but leaving room for Plausible Deniability.
• Undying Loyalty: Semerkhet's faithfulness to his Pharaoh is unwavering.

Tropes V-Z

• Written by the Winners: In the historical works that Tutankhamun studies, he finds few references to the strange events that surrounded the sudden disappearance of his grandfather's Hebrew slaves.
• Worthy Opponent: Even as he repeatedly takes violent action to keep the Pharaoh from recovering, Ay shows an ironic respect for him. See also The One Thing I Don't Hate About You.