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beautiful creature she had ever known。
He kissed her and his mouth startled her。 It tasted of some ripe fruit she had never eaten before； and quite naturally she opened her own mouth to savour it。 His tongue was as flickeringly quick as a snake's； but it did not revolt her。 She closed her eyes and touched it with her own。 Then he placed one of his hands behind her head and pressed his mouth harder against hers。 She was so lost in his kiss that when his hand closed over her breast she was unprepared。 Her eyes flew open and she gasped。 She tried to pull away but he held her； and now he caressed her with a gentle but skilful touch that stilled her fears。 He teased out her nipple； and the sensation flowed through her body； rippling down her arms to her fingertips。 She felt a sharp disappointment when he took away his hand。 He lifted her to her feet so she stood on the sheepskin above him with her breasts at the level of his face。
With a single movement he swept off her silken robe and let it fall to the floor。 Then； as he sucked her engorged nipple deep into his mouth； she cried aloud。 At the same time one of his hands came up between her thighs and cupped the soft nest of dark fluff。
She had not the slightest inclination to resist what he was doing to her。 Instead she surrendered herself to it。 From what her slave girls had told her she had been terrified that he might hurt her； but his hands； though swift and strong； were gentle。 He seemed to know her body better than she did herself； and he played upon it with such skill that she found herself drawn deeper and deeper； faster and faster beneath the surface； sinking away and drowning in this sea of new sensations。
She surfaced only once more when suddenly she opened her eyes and found that his own robe was gone； and that he stood over her naked。 She remembered the dream in which he had had the same thing down there as Stargazer； the stallion。 She looked down in trepidation； but it was nothing like the dream： it was smooth and rosy； yet hard as bone； perfect and clean in form as a temple column。 Her fears evaporated and once again she surrendered herself to his hands and his mouth。 There was only one sharp moment of stinging pain； but that was much later； and it was fleeting； replaced almost as swiftly by an unaccustomed but wonderful feeling of fullness。 Then later still she heard him cry out above her。 The sound triggered something in her own body； turning almost unbearable pleasure into its own kind of pain； and she held him with all the strength of her encircling arms and legs and cried out with him。
Twice more during that too…short enchanted night he forced her to cry out in that same frenzy of pleasure； and when the dawn suffused the chamber with its rose and silver light she lay still in his arms。 She felt as though the life force had been drawn out of her； as though her bones had turned soft and malleable as river clay； and there was a soft ache deep in her belly that she savoured。
He slipped out of her arms and she just had the strength left to protest； 'Don't go。 Oh！ Please don't go； my lord。 My beautiful lord。'
'Not for long；' he whispered and gently drew out the sheepskin from under her。 She saw the stains upon the snowy fleece； the blood bright as the petals of a rose。 She had experienced only that brief pain at the piercing of her womanhood。
He carried the fleece to the terrace and she watched him through the doorway as he hung it over the parapet wall。 From far below there came the faint sound of cheering as the citizens waiting below saw this proof of her virginity displayed。 She cared nothing for the approbation of the peasant hordes； but watched the naked back of her new husband and felt her chest and her aching womb swell with love for him。 As he came back to her she held out both arms to him。
'You are magnificent；' she whispered； and fell asleep in his arms。 Much later she came gradually awake and found that her whole being was filled with a lightness and a feeling of joy that she had never known before。 At first she was not certain of the source of her well…being。 Then she felt his hard muscular warmth stir in her arms。
When she opened her eyes he was watching her with his strange yellow ones； and he smiled gently。 'What a splendid queen you would make；' he said softly。 This he meant sincerely。 During the night he had discovered in her qualities that he had not before suspected。 He sensed that he had found in her someone whose desires and instincts were in perfect harmony with his own。
'And what a splendid pharaoh you would make for this very Egypt。' She smiled back at him and stretched voluptuously。 Then she laughed softly； reached up and touched his cheek； 'But that could never happen。' She stopped smiling abruptly and asked softly； seriously； 'Could it？'
'There is only one thing that stands in our way；' he answered。 He did not have to say anything more； for he saw a sly acquisitive expression bloom in her eyes。 She was entirely in step with him。
'You are the dagger； and I shall be the scabbard。 No matter what you ask of me； I shall never fail you； my beautiful lord。'
He laid one finger on her lips； which were inflamed and swollen with his kisses。 'I see clearly that there is little need of words between us； for our hearts beat in unison。'
* * *
King Apepi's entourage remained in Thebes for almost a month after the wedding。 They were the guests of Pharaoh Nefer Seti and of his regent； and were entertained in royal fashion。 Taita encouraged this delay。 He felt certain that Naja would take no action against Nefer while Apepi and his daughter were in Thebes。
The royal visitors spent their days hunting or hawking； visiting the numerous temples on both banks of the river dedicated to all the gods of Egypt； or in tournaments between the regiments of the northern and southern kingdom。 There were chariot races； archery contests； and foot races。 There were even swimming races； in which the chosen champions swam the full width of the Nile for a prize of a golden statue of Horus。
Out in the desert they hunted gazelle and oryx from speeding chariots； or hawked for the great bustards with the swift Sakers。 No royal falcons remained in the palace mews； for they had been released into the wild during the funeral rites of Nefer's father。 Along the riverbank the guests hawked for herons and duck； and speared the huge whiskered catfish in the shallows。 They hunted the river horse； the mighty hippopotamus； from the fleet war galleys； with Nefer at the tiller of his own galley named the Eye of Horus。 Princess Mintaka stood beside him and shrieked with excitement as the great beasts broke the surface； their backs studded with spears； and the waters turned pink with their blood。
During these days Mintaka was often at Nefer's side。 She rode in his chariot when they hunted and handed him the lance when they drove up alongside a galloping oryx。 She carried her own falcon on her arm as they quartered the reed beds for heron。 At the hunting picnics in the desert； she sat beside him and prepared little treats for him。 She selected the sweetest grapes for him and peeled them with her long； tapered fingers and then popped them into his mouth。
Every evening there were banquets in the palace and there also she sat at his left side； the traditional place for a woman so that she never blocked her man's sword arm。 She made him laugh with her wry wit and she was a marvellous mimic： she imitated Heseret to perfection； simpering and rolling her eyes； and speaking of 'my husband； the Regent of Egypt' in the portentous tones as Heseret now employed。
Though they tried； they could never be pletely alone。 Naja and Apepi saw to that。 When Nefer appealed to Taita for assistance； not even he could manoeuvre a secret meeting for them。 It never occurred to Nefer that Taita did not exert himself to do so； or that he was as set on keeping them innocent as the others were。 Long ago Taita had engineered a tryst for Tanus and his beloved Lostris； and the consequences still echoed like thunder down the years。 When Nefer and Mintaka played bao there was always an audience of slave girls； while courtiers and the ubiquitous Lord Asmor hovered nearby。 Nefer had learned his lesson well； and no longer underrated Mintaka's skill on the board。 He played against her as if he were matched against Taita。 He came to learn her strengths； and to recognize her few weaknesses： she was always overprotective of her home castle； and if he pressed her hard in that quadrant she might sometimes offer an opening in her flanks。 Twice he exploited this and broke up her defence； but the third time he discovered too late that had anticipated his tactic and had laid a trap。 When he had exposed his west castle she rammed a phalanx through the gap； and laughed so deliciously when he was forced to capitulate that he almost； but not quite； forgave her。 Their bouts became ever more keenly contested and in the end were of epic proportions； so that even Taita spent hours watching them and occasionally nodding in approval or smiling his thin； ancient smile。
Their love was so apparent that it cast a glow upon all those around them； and wherever they went together there were smiles and laughter。 As Nefer's chariot sped through the streets of Thebes with Mintaka on the footplate as his lance…bearer； her dark hair flowing in the wind like a banner； the goodwives ran out of their houses and the men paused from their labours to shout greetings and good wishes。 Even Naja smiled benignly upon them； and none would have believed that he fiercely resented the attention of the populace having been diverted from his own nuptials and brides。
Lord Trok was the only sombre presence at the hunting parties； the picnics in the countryside and the banquets in the palace。
Their time together sped by too fast。
There are always so many people around us；' Nefer whispered over the bao board。 'I long to be alone with you even for just a few minutes。 There are only three more days before you have to return to Avaris with your father。 It might be months； even years； before we meet again； and there is so much I want to tell you； but not with all these eyes and ears pointed at us like nocked arrows。'
She nodded； then reached across and moved a stone that in his preoccupation he had overlooked。 He glanced down and almost discounted it； until he realized that his west castle was now under a forked attack。 Three moves later she had broken his front。 He kept up the losing battle for a while longer； but his forces were in disarray and the oute was inevitable。 'You caught me when I was distracted by other things；' he groused。 'So much like a woman。'
'Your Majesty； I make no claims to being anything else than a woman。' She used his title with an irony that bit like the jewelled dagger she wore on her belt。 Then she leaned close and whispered； 'If I were alone with you； would you promise to respect my chastity？'
'I swear by the wounded eye of the great god Horus that I will never； as long as I live； cause you shame；' he told her earnestly。
She smiled at him。 'My brothers will not be overpleased to hear that。 They would wele an excuse to slit your throat。' She slanted those magnificent dark eyes at him。 'Or； failing your throat； some other part of you might satisfy them。'
Their chance came the next day。 One of the royal huntsmen came in from the hills above the village of Dabba to report that a lion had e out of the eastern wilderness and raided the cattle pens during the night。 It had jumped the stockade and killed eight of the terrified beasts。 In the dawn a horde of villagers； brandishing burning torches； blowing horns； beating drums and screaming wildly； had driven it off。
'When did this happen？' asked Naja。
'Three nights ago； Your Grace。' The man was prostrate before the throne。 'I came upriver as soon as I could； but the current runs strongly and the winds were flukey。'
'What has happened to the beast？' King Apepi interrupted eagerly。
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