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w…sill。 He glanced over his shoulder。 Nefer had forgotten his anger and was grinning delightedly as he ran across the cell to join him。 Taita jumped down on to the terrace outside and Nefer followed him nimbly。 Like truants from the classroom； they sneaked across the terrace and down through the date palms to the river。
There were guards at the jetty； but they had received no orders to restrain their young Pharaoh。 They saluted and stood aside respectfully as the pair scrambled into the small fishing skiff。 Each took up a paddle and shoved off。 Taita steered into one of the narrow passages in the banks of waving papyrus； and within minutes they were alone on the swamp waters； hidden from the banks in the maze of secret waterways。 'Where have you been； Taita？' Nefer dropped the regal air。 'I have missed you so。'
'I will tell you everything；' Taita assured you； 'but first you should tell me all that has happened to you。'
They found a quiet mooring in a tiny papyrus…enclosed lagoon； and Nefer related everything that had happened to him since they had last been able to talk in private。 He had been held on Naja's orders in a gilded prison； without being able to see any of his old friends； not even Meren or his own sisters。 His only distractions had been his studies of the scrolls from the palace library； his chariot drills and arms practice under the coaching of the old warrior； Hilto。
'Naja will not even let me go out hawking or fishing without Asmor to wet…nurse me；' he plained bitterly。
He had not known that Taita was to be at the weling ceremony in the temple courtyard until he had seen him there。 He had believed him to be at Gebel Nagara。 At his first opportunity； when Naja and Asmor were locked in the truce conclave with Apepi； Trok and the other Hyksosian warlords； he had browbeaten his guards and blustered his way out of the quarters to which he had been confined to e to Taita。
'Life is so dull without you； Taita。 I think I might die of boredom。 Naja must let us be together again。 You should cast a spell on him。'
'It is something we can consider；' Taita avoided the suggestion adroitly； 'but now we have little time。 Naja will send the whole army out to search for us once he finds that we are missing from the temple。 I must tell you my own news。' Rapidly； in simple outline； he told Nefer what had happened to him since their last meeting。 He explained the relationship between Naja and Trok； and described how he had visited the scene of Pharaoh Tamose's death and the discovery he had made there。
Nefer listened without interruption； but when Taita spoke of the death of his father his eyes filled with tears。 He looked away； coughed and wiped his eyes on the back of his hand。
'Now you can appreciate the danger you are in；' Taita told him。 'I am certain that Naja had much to do with Pharaoh's murder； and the closer we e to the proof of it； the greater that danger bees。'
'One day I will avenge my father。' Nefer vowed； and his voice was cold and hard。
'And I will help you do it；' Taita promised； 'but now we must protect you from Naja's malice。'
'How do you plan to do that； Taita？ Can we escape from Egypt as we planned before？'
'No。' Taita shook his head。 'Naturally I have considered that course； but Naja has us too securely imprisoned here。 If we tried to run for the frontier again we would have a thousand chariots hot behind us。'
'What can we do； then？ You are in danger also。'
'No。 I have convinced Naja that he cannot succeed without my help。' He described the false divination ceremony at the temple of Osiris； and how Naja believed that Taita could share with him the secret of eternal life。
Nefer grinned at the Magus' cunning。 'So what do you plan？'
'We must wait until the right time either to escape or rid the world of Naja's evil presence。 In the meantime I will protect you as best I can。'
'How will you do that？'
'Naja sent me to Apepi to arrange this peace conference。'
'Yes； I know that you went to Avaris。 They told me that when I demanded to see you。'
'Not to Avaris； but to Apepi's battle headquarters at Bubasti。 Once Apepi had agreed to the meeting with Naja； I was able to convince him that they should seal the treaty by a marriage between you and Apepi's daughter。 Once you are under the protection of the Hyksosian king； Naja's knife will be blunted。 He could not risk plunging the land back into civil war by voiding the treaty。'
'Apepi is going to give me his daughter as a wife？' Nefer stared at him in wonder。 'The one in the red dress whom I saw at the ceremony this morning？'
'Yes。' Taita agreed。 'Mintaka is her name。'
'I know her name；' Nefer assured him vehemently。 'She is named after the tiny star in the belt of the Hunter constellation。'
'Yes； that's her。' Taita nodded。 'Mintaka； the ugly one with the big nose and funny mouth。'
'She is not ugly！' Nefer flared at him； springing to his feet so that he almost overturned the skiff and dumped them in the mud of the lagoon。 'She is the most beautiful 。。。' When he saw the expression on Taita's face； he subsided。 'I mean； she is quite pleasing to look at。' He grinned ruefully。 'You always catch me out。 But you must admit to me that she's beautiful； Taita。'
'If you like big noses； and funny mouths。'
Nefer picked up a dead fish from the bilges and threw it at his head。 Taita ducked。 'When can I speak to her？' he asked； trying to sound as though it was a request of no real importance to him。 'She does Speak Egyptian； doesn't she？'
'She speaks it as well as you do；' Taita assured him。 Then when can I meet her？ You can arrange it for me。' Taita had anticipated this request。 'You could invite the princess and her suite to a hunt here in the swamps； and perhaps a picnic afterwards。'
'I will send Asmor to invite her this very afternoon；' Nefer decided； but Taita shook his head。
'He would go to the Regent first； and Naja would immediately see the danger。 He would never allow it； and once he was alerted he would do everything in his power to prevent you ing together。'
'What shall we do； then？' Nefer looked agitated。 'I will go to her myself；' Taita promised； and at that moment there were faint shouts from different directions in the papyrus swamps around them； and the splash of paddles。 'Asmor has found out that you are missing； and has sent his hounds to bring you in；' Taita said。 'It proves how difficult it will be to elude him。 Now； listen carefully for we have little time before we will be separated again。'
They spoke quickly； making arrangements to exchange messages in any emergency and to put other plans into place； but all the time the shouting and splashing was growing louder； drawing nearer。 Within minutes a light fighting galley packed with armed men burst through the screen of papyrus； thrust onward by twenty oars。 A shout went up from the mand deck： 'There is Pharaoh！ Steer for the skiff！'
* * *
The Hyksos had set up a practice field on the alluvial plain abutting the papyrus swamp of the river。 When Taita came down from the temple； two battalions of Apepi's guards were exercising at arms under a cloudless sky from which the morning sun blazed down。 Two hundred fully armed men were running relay races through the swamp； toiling waist deep through the mud； while squadrons of chariots performed plicated evolutions out on the plain； from columns of four forming a single line ahead； then fanning out into line abreast。 Dust swirled out behind the racing wheels； the lance tips shot beams of sunlight and the brightly coloured pennants danced in the wind。
Taita stopped by the butts to watch for a while as the line of fifty archers shot at a hundred cubits； each man loosing five rapid arrows。 Then they raced forward to the straw man…shaped targets； retrieved their arrows and shot again at the next line of targets two hundred cubits further on。 The flail of the instructor fell heavily on the back of any ma