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face and swimming into the thick papyrus beds； staying submerged beneath the mat of roots and stems。 The number of dead birds piled on the floorboards of the skiff grew pitifully slowly。 In contrast the happy cries from the other skiff continued almost without a break。
In desperation Nefer discarded his curved sticks and snatched up the heavy war bow； but it was too late。 His right arm was almost exhausted by his efforts with the sticks。 His draw was laboured and he shot behind the faster birds and in front of the slower ones。 Taita watched him flounder ever deeper into the trap he had set for himself。 A little humiliation will do him no real harm； he told himself。
With a few words of advice he could have corrected Nefer's mistakes： almost fifty years ago Taita had written the standard texts； not only on chariot handling and tactics but also on archery。 For once his sympathy was not wholeheartedly with the boy； and he smiled secretly as he watched Nefer miss again and Mintaka take down two birds from the same flight as they passed over her head。
However； he felt pity for his king when one of Mintaka's slaves swam across the lagoon； and hung on to the side of Nefer's skiff。 'Her Royal Highness Princess Mintaka hopes that mighty Pharaoh might enjoy jasmine…scented days and starry nights filled with the song of the nightingale。 However； her boat begins to sink under the weight of her bag； and she is hungry for her breakfast； which she says was promised her these hours past。'
An untimely sally！ Taita thought； as Nefer scowled furiously at this impertinence。
'You can give thanks to whatever god of apes and cur…dogs you worship； slave； that I am a man of passion。 Otherwise I would myself hack off your ugly head and send it back to your mistress to answer that jest。'
It was time for Taita to intervene smoothly： 'Pharaoh apologizes for his thoughtlessness； but he was enjoying the sport so much that he forgot the passage of time。 Please tell your mistress that we shall all go in to breakfast immediately。'
Nefer glowered at him but put up his bow and made no effort to revoke Taita's decision。 The two small boats paddled back towards the island in close formation； so that the piles of duck on the floorboards of each could be readily pared。 Not a word was said by the crew of either skiff； but everyone was conscious of the results of the morning's hunt。
'Your Majesty；' Mintaka called across to Nefer； 'I must thank you for a truly diverting morning。 I cannot remember when last I enjoyed myself so much。' Her voice was lilting and her smile angelic。
'You are too kind and forgiving。' Unsmilingly Nefer made a regal gesture of dismissal。 'I thought it was rather poor sport。'
He turned half away from her and stared broodingly out at the horizon of reeds and water。 Mintaka showed not the least distress at the pointed snub； but turned to her slave girls。 'e； let us give Pharaoh a few verses of 〃The Monkey and the Donkey〃。' One of her maids handed her the lute； and she strummed the opening bar then launched into the first verse of the silly children's song。 The maids joined in with the chorus； which involved raucous animal imitations and uncontrolled hilarity。
Nefer's lips twitched with amusement but he had taken up a position of frosty dignity from which he could not retreat。 Taita could see that he longed to join in the fun； but once again he had trapped himself。
First love is such unmitigated joy； Taita thought； with sympathetic irony； and to the delight of all the girls in the other boat he improvised a new version of what the monkey said to the donkey； which was much funnier than any that had preceded it。 They squealed anew and clapped their hands with delight。 Nefer felt himself further excluded and sulked ostentatiously。
They came in to the landing on the island still singing。 The bank was cut away steeply； and the mud below it black and glutinous。 The boatmen jumped over the side into the knee…deep ooze and held the first skiff steady while the slaves handed the princess and her maids across the gap onto the firm dry ground at the top of the bank。
As soon as they were safely ashore the royal skiff came in and the slaves made ready to hand Nefer across to join Mintaka on the high bank。 He waved them aside imperiously。 He had suffered enough humiliation for one morning； and he was not about to lower his dignity further by clinging to a pair of half…naked wet slaves for support。 He balanced easily on the transom and the entire pany watched respectfully for he was a splendid sight。 Mintaka tried not to let her emotions show； but she thought he was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen； slim and sleek with his boyish body just starting to take on the hard contours of manhood。 Even his haughty； sullen expression enthralled her。
He is of the stuff from which heroes and great pharaohs are moulded； she thought； in a surfeit of romantic ardour。 I wish I had not angered him so。 It was unkind； and before this day is ended I shall make him laugh again； as Hathor is my witness。
Nefer launched himself across the gap between skiff and landed like a young leopard springing from the branch of an acacia tree。 He landed gracefully on the high bank almost within arm's length of where she stood。 He paused there conscious of every eye upon him。
Then the bank collapsed beneath him。 A chunk of the friable dry clay on which he was standing broke off under his feet。 For an aching moment he windmilled his arms； trying to keep his balance； then toppled backwards into the swamp。
Everyone stared down at him in horror； appalled by the spectacle of Royal Egypt sitting waist deep in sticky black Nile mud with a startled expression on his face。
For long moments nobody moved or spoke。 Then Mintaka laughed。 She had not meant to do so； but it was too much for her self…control and once it began she could not stop herself。 It was a delightful； infectious laugh； that none of her maids could resist。 They burst into merry squeals and giggles that set the huntsmen and boatmen off。 Even Taita joined in； cackling unrestrainedly。
For a moment Nefer looked as though he might burst into tears； but then his anger； kept so long on a tight rein； exploded。 He snatched up a handful of thick black mud and hurled it up at the laughing princess。 His humiliation gave strength to his arm and improved his aim while Mintaka was so helpless with mirth that she could neither duck nor dodge and it hit her full in the face。 Her laughter died and she stared at Nefer with huge eyes in a running black mask。
It was Nefer's turn to laugh。 Still sitting in the swamp he threw back his head and gave vent to all his frustration and humiliation with a howl of mocking laughter。 When Pharaoh laughs all the world laughs with him。 The slaves； boatmen and huntsmen redoubled their shouts of merriment。
Mintaka recovered swiftly from her shock； and then； without any warning； launched herself over the bank into the attack。 She dropped on top of Nefer with all her weight。 He was taken so pletely by surprise that he could not even draw a full breath before he was driven clean under with her sitting on his head。
He floundered about beneath the surface； trying to get purchase on the muddy bottom but her weight kept him pinned。 She had both arms locked around his neck。 He tried to throw her off； but she was nimble and slippery as an eel with the coating of mud。 With a huge effort he lifted her just long enough to allow him to stick his head out and catch a quick breath； then she plunged him under again。 He managed to get on top of her but it took a mighty effort to hold her。 She wriggled and kicked with surprising strength。 Her tunic had rucked up round her waist and her legs were bare and smooth。 She hooked her one leg through his and hung on。 Now they were face to face； and he could feel her body warmth through the slippery mud。
Their filthy faces were only inches apart； her hair was streaming down into her eyes； and he was startled to realize that she was grinning at him through the slimy coating。 He grinned back； and then they were both laughing。 But neither would concede defeat； and they kept up the struggle。
His chest was bare； and her shift so wet and flimsy that it might not have existed。 Her bare legs were still hooked around his。 He reached down with one hand to prise himself free of their tenacious grip。 Unintentionally his right hand came upon a hard round buttock that was wriggling around with great energy。
Nefer became aware of a strange and pleasurable sensation that seemed to suffuse his entire body； and the urgency went out of his efforts to subdue her。 He was content to hold her and let her struggle against him while he enjoyed this new and extraordinary feeling。
Abruptly she stopped laughing as she in her turn made a momentous discovery。 Between their lower bodies had grown up a protuberance that； only moments before； had not existed。 It was so rubbery and large that she could not previously have overlooked it。 She pushed her hips out to test its nature； but every time she did that it grew harder and larger。 This was something beyond her experience； and in a spirit of discovery she repeated the movement。
She hardly noticed that he had stopped his violent efforts to dislodge her； and that his left arm was wrapped around her upper body。 His right hand was cupped around her posterior and when next she pushed out her hips to examine the lump； he imitated her movement thrusting out to meet her and his cupped hand drew her closer still。 The lump prodded against her as though it were some small animal with a life of its own。
She had never anticipated the sensation that overcame her。 Suddenly that mysterious creature took on an importance far beyond anything she had dreamed of up to that time。 Her entire being was filled with a dreamy； pleasurable warmth。 Without conscious intent she reached down with one hand to catch hold of it； to capture it as though it were a kitten or a puppy。
Then； with a shock like a blow to her stomach； she remembered the wild tales her slave girls had told her about that thing； and what men did with it。 On more than one occasion they had described it to her in startling detail。 Up to that time she had discounted these descriptions as pure invention； for they bore no resemblance to the small dangling appendages that her younger brothers carried in that area of their anatomy。
She particularly remembered what Saak； the Numidian slave girl； had told her： 'You won't waste any more prayers on Hathor once you have seen the one…eyed god when he is angry。'
Mintaka threw herself backwards out of Nefer's embrace and sat in the mud staring at him in consternation。 Nefer struggled into a sitting position and returned her stare with a bemused air。 Both were panting as though they had run a gruelling race。
The guffaws and shrieks of laughter from the high bank slowly petered out as the spectators became aware that something untoward had taken place； and the silence became unfortable。 Taita covered it up smoothly： 'Your Majesty； if you extend your swim much longer you will offer a fine breakfast to any passing crocodile。'
Nefer jumped up and sloshed across to where Mintaka sat。 He lifted her to her feet as gently as if she were made of the most delicate Hurrian glass。
Dripping slime and Nile water； with her hair dangling in a muddy tangle over her face and shoulders； her maids led the princess away to find a clean pool well screened by reeds。 When she reappeared some time later she was washed clean of the last traces of slime and ooze。 The maids had brought with them a change of apparel； so Mintaka was resplendent in a clean dry apron embroidered with silk and seed pearls and there were golden bracelets on her arms and a necklace of turquoise and coloured glass at her throat。 Her hair； though damp； was bed and plaited neatly。
Nefer hurried to meet her and led her to her a giant kigelia tree under whose spreading branches a breakfast f