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ll Egypt。' She shook his arm； 'Hearken to me； knave！'
The soldier gave a strange barking laugh； and tried to shrug her off。 But Heseret held on to his arm with desperate strength； until he struck her a heavy blow and left her lying in the dust of the roadway。
She dragged herself to her feet and picked out another soldier in the passing throng； who wore the collar of a sergeant。 She ran to him； with blood dribbling from her nose。 'What news of the battle？ Tell me。 Oh； please tell me；' she begged。 He peered into her face and there was just light enough for him to recognize her。
'The most dire news； Majesty。' His voice was gruff。 'There has been a terrible battle and the enemy has prevailed。 Our army has been defeated； and all the chariots destroyed。 The enemy es on apace and will be upon us soon。 You must flee at once。'
'What of Pharaoh？ What has happened to my husband'
'They say that the battle is lost and that Pharaoh is slain。'
Heseret stared at him； unable to move or speak。
'Will you e away； Your Majesty？' The sergeant asked。 'Before it is too late。 Before the victors arrive； and the plundering and the rapine begin。 I will protect you。'
But Heseret shook her head。 'It cannot be true。 Naja cannot be dead。' She turned away。 She stood alone on the roadside as the sun came up and the routed army still poured past her。 This confused and disordered rabble bore no resemblance to the proud host that had assembled before the Blue Gate of Babylon only months before。
There were a few officers among them； and Heseret called to one； 'Where is Pharaoh？ What has happened？'
The officer did not recognize her with blood on her face and in her dishevelled garments covered with dust。 He shouted back； 'Naja Kiafan was cut down in single bat by Nefer Seti himself； and his corpse hacked into pieces and sent to be displayed publicly in all the nomes of Egypt。 The enemy forces are ing on swiftly and will likely be here before noon。'
Heseret let out a keening wail。 These details were too vivid for her to doubt longer。 She gathered up a double handful of dust and poured it over her head。 Still wailing she clawed her face with her own fingernails until fresh blood started and dribbled down her cheeks on to her chiton。
Her handmaidens and the captain of her own bodyguard came out of the stockade to fetch her in； but she was maddened with grief and screamed incoherent obscenities at them。 She turned her face to the heavens and shouted blasphemy at the gods； blaming them for not protecting her husband who was a far greater god than any other in the pantheon。
Her sobs and screams grew louder； her behaviour wilder and madder。 She ripped her own breast with the tiny jewelled dagger she always carried； urinated down her legs； and rolled in the mud she had created。 Then suddenly she sprang up and rushed into the stockade。 She ran to the pig cage on the cart； and screeched at Merykara through the bars： 'Our husband is dead。 Slain by our own monstrous brother。'
'Praise be to Hathor and all the gods；' Merykara cried。
'You blaspheme！' Heseret raved at her。 'Naja Kiafan was a god； and you were his wife。' She was goading herself into deeper madness。 'You should have been a dutiful wife but you deserted him。 You brought shame and humiliation upon him。'
'Meren is my husband；' Merykara told her。 'I despise that creature whom you call husband。 He murdered our father； and he richly deserves the punishment that Nefer has given him。'
'Meren is a mon soldier； and Naja is and was a god。'
Although Merykara's lips were swollen with thirst and sunburn； she forced herself to smile。 'Meren is more a god than Naja ever was。 And I love him。 He will be here very soon； and you had best set Mintaka and me free before he arrives； or he and Nefer will make you pay dearly for it。'
'Gently； sweet friend；' Mintaka whispered。 'She is mad。 Look at her eyes。 Do not provoke her。 She is capable of any evil now。'
Heseret was far past reason or restraint。 'You love a mon soldier？' she demanded。 'You dare pare him to my husband； the Pharaoh of this very Egypt？ Then you shall have your fill of soldiers！'
She turned to the captain of her guards。 'Drag the sow from her filthy cage。' The captain hesitated。 Merykara's warning haunted him： Nefer and his captains would be here soon。
Heseret gained a semblance of control over her emotions and sanity。 'I order you； Captain； obey me or face the consequences。' Reluctantly he gave the order to his men and they cut the leather thongs that bound Merykara's wrists to the strut； then reached into the door and dragged her out by her feet。
Merykara's hands and feet were blue and swollen where the ropes had restricted the blood…flow； and she could barely support her weight。 The exposed skin of her face and limbs had been burned livid by the sun； and her hair hung down over her face in a tangle of knotted curls。
Heseret looked about her quickly and her attention fixed on a loose wheel that had been removed from one of the other wagons for repair。 It was propped against the wall of the stockade。
'Bring that wheel here！' she ordered； and two men rolled it to where she indicated。 Tie the bitch to it。 No； not that way。 Spreadeagled！ With her arms and legs wide open to wele her soldier lovers。'
They obeyed her； and strapped Merykara's wrist and ankles to the rim of the wheel； like a star fish。 Heseret stood in front of her and spat in her face。 Merykara laughed at her through cracked lips； 'You are mad； sister。 Grief has addled your mind。 I pity you； but nothing can bring Naja back to you。 When his foul crimes are weighed in the scales of justice the monster at the gates of paradise will devour his black heart and he will pass into oblivion。'
Heseret slashed her across both her cheeks with the point of the dagger； superficial shallow wounds that nevertheless bled copiously。 The blood dripped down the front of Merykara's chiton。 Heseret used the dagger to split the linen cloth。 Then with both hands she ripped it open from neck to hem。 Merykara was naked under it。
Her body； untouched by the sun； was white and tender。 Her breasts were small and tipped with clear pink； her belly was flat and white； and the hair at the base was a silky nest。
Heseret stood back and looked at her guards。 'Which of you will be the first？'
They gaped at the slender naked body on the wheel。
Mintaka called from the cage； 'Be careful what you do！ Nefer Seti will be here very soon； and this is his sister。'
Heseret rounded on her； 'Shut your poisonous mouth。 You will be next。 Ten thousand men are out there； and you will pleasure most of them before this day is through。' She turned back to the men。 'e； look at this sweet flesh。 Will you not have a little taste of it？ I can see your prongs growing stiff under your robes。'
This is madness；' the captain whispered； but he could not tear his eyes from her pale body。 'She is a princess of the royal House of Tamose。'
Heseret grabbed the long spear out of the hand of the nearest soldier and struck him across the back with the shaft。 'e； corporal； have you no balls？ Let us see you plunge deep into this honey…filled hole。'
The man backed away； rubbing the welt across his back。 'You are mad。 What punishment would Nefer Seti heap upon my head？' He turned suddenly and bolted from the stockade to join the flood of fleeing refugees in the roadway。 His panions hesitated only a moment longer； then one muttered； 'She is mad！ I am not waiting for Nefer Seti to arrive and find his sister like this；' and rushed to the gate with his panions hard after him。
Heseret ran after them。 'e back！ I order you！' But they mingled with the crowds and were gone。 Heseret ran to a tall Nubian archer who was hurrying past； grabbed his arm and tried to lead him into the stockade。 'e with me。 I know you black animals； you have prongs big as that of a bull elephant and you love to give them employment。 I have som