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'My orders…'
'A plague on you and your orders。 I shall go at once to General Prenn。 I shall have new orders for you when I return。' Then she turned to the officer of her bodyguard。 'Ready my chariot and an escort of ten men。'
Across the flat and open plain； General Prenn's headquarters camp was in clear view of Heseret's tent。 It took only minutes for her chariot to carry her there； but the guard at the gate of the stockade barred her way。 'Your Divine Majesty； General Prenn is not here；' he told her。
'I do not believe that；' Heseret flared at him。 'That is his standard flying there。' She pointed at the boar's head gonfalon。
'Your Majesty； the general left an hour ago with all his cavalry。 He had orders from Pharaoh to join the vanguard。'
'I have to see him。 It is a matter of extreme urgency。 I know he would not have left without informing me。 Stand aside and I will see for myself if he is here。' She drove the chariot straight at him and he jumped hurriedly out of her way。 Her escort clattered after her。
Heseret went straight to the yellow… and green…striped mand tent and tossed the reins to a groom。 In her agitation she did not stand on ceremony； but jumped down and ran to the entrance of the tent。 It was unguarded； and she began to believe that she had been told the truth； that Prenn had indeed left。 Nevertheless； she stooped through the doorway； and stopped dead in the threshold。
Two boys were sitting on the piles of animal skins in the centre of the floor。 They were eating with their fingers from wooden platters； but they looked up at her startled。
'Who are you？' Heseret demanded； though she knew from Prenn's reputation who and what they were。 'Where is the general？'
Neither replied； but they continued to stare wordlessly at her。 Suddenly Heseret's eyes narrowed and she took a step towards them。 'You！' she screamed。 'You treacherous； poisonous bitches！' She pointed a quivering finger at the girls。 'Guards！' Heseret shrieked at the top of her voice。 'Guards； here； at once！'
Mintaka came to her senses； seized Merykara's hand and pulled her to her feet。 The two darted across the tent and out through the rear opening。
'Guards！' Heseret yelled again。 'This way！' Her bodyguard burst in through the doorway behind her。
'Follow them！' She raced after the fleeing pair； with her bodyguard hard after her。 When they ran out into the open； Mintaka and Merykara were halfway to the stockade gate。
'Stop them！' Heseret shouted。 'Don't let them escape。 They are spies and traitors。'
Her bodyguard charged after them； shouting to the guards at the gate； 'Stop them。 Seize them。 Don't let them escape。' And the sentries drew their swords and ran to block the gate。
Mintaka stopped as soon as she saw that they were cut off。 She looked around her wildly； then still pulling Merykara by the hand ran to the thorn fence of the stockade and tried to scale it。 But the bodyguard came up under them； seized their ankles and pulled them down from the wall。 The thorns had ripped their arms and legs； and they were both bleeding； but they fought desperately； kicking； scratching and biting。 The soldiers overwhelmed them at last and dragged them back to the mand tent to face Heseret。 She was smiling vindictively。 'Bind them securely。 I am sure that my husband； the sole ruler of this very Egypt； will devise a suitable punishment for their crimes when he returns。 I shall delight in their screams as they are forced to pay the ultimate penalty。 Until that time they are to be caged like wild animals； and kept at the door of my tent where I can keep them under my eye。'
The bodyguard lifted Mintaka and Merykara； bound at wrists and ankles； into a chariot and carried them back to Heseret's encampment。 One of the carts of Heseret's baggage train carried her stock of livestock in cages； chickens； pigs and young goats for her kitchen。 The cage that had contained the sucking pigs was now empty…they had been slaughtered and eaten。 The cage was made from lengths of bamboo lashed together with rawhide strips； and stank of the pig dung that coated the floor。 The guards shoved the two girls through the narrow door。 The interior was not high enough to allow them to stand upright。 They were forced to sit with their backs to the bamboo wall； and their wrists were lashed behind them with rawhide strips to one of the struts。 There was no protection from the sun。
'There will be guards standing over your cage day and night；' Heseret warned them。 'Should you try to escape I will have one of your feet cut off； to discourage further attempts。'
From the look on her face they knew that Heseret meant every word of the threat。 Merykara began to weep； but Mintaka whispered to her； 'No； my darling。 Be brave。 Do not give her the satisfaction of watching you break down。'
* * *
From the watchtower above the fort at Ismailiya the sentry shouted the warning； 'Pharaoh！ The pickets are ing in！' Nefer sprang up from the table under the awning in the courtyard where he and Taita were eating the midday meal and going over the details of the defence yet again。 He climbed swiftly up the ladder to the platform and shaded his eyes to look towards the east。 Through the yellow glare he made out the chariots of his forward pickets ing in。 As they drove down the bank of the wadi； the guards threw open the gates and allowed them to enter the fort。
'The enemy es on apace！' the sergeant of the pickets shouted up to Nefer on the high platform。
'Well done； sergeant；' Nefer called back to him； and then to the trumpeter on the wall above the gate； 'Sound the call to arms！'
The ram's horn blared out across the plain； and the entire army that was encamped down the length of the broad wadi began to stir。 The trumpet call was picked up and repeated； flung from legion to legion and from squadron to squadron。 From the tents and sun…shelters men poured out； seized their arms and hurried to join their formations。 Soon lines of marching men and columns of chariots were moving forward to their prepared positions。
Taita clambered up on to the high platform； and Nefer smiled at him。 'So； even deprived of his water； Naja has not turned back。'
'We never thought he would；' Taita said softly。
In the east the horizon started to darken； as though night had e on prematurely。 On a wide front the dustcloud of the advancing enemy army boiled like a brewing thunderstorm。
'It still lacks many hours of noon。' Nefer looked up at the pitiless sun。 There is time to decide this battle before the close of day。'
'Naja's horses have drunk little in three days； and they must have been driven hard to reach us so soon。 He knows he must win and reach the wells this day； or for him there will not be another。'
'Will you ride out to meet him with me； Old Father？' Nefer asked； as he strapped on the sword…belt that his orderly handed to him。
'No！' Taita lifted his left hand。 On the second finger he wore a gold ring； set with a hug