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intaka to Pharaoh Trok Uruk。 The proclamation has been ratified by the cartouche of Lord Naja； accepting and confirming it in the name of Pharaoh Nefer Seti。' He handed the scroll to his chamberlain with a terse instruction。 'Have one hundred copies made of this proclamation and cause them to be publicly displayed in every city in every nome of this very Egypt。'
Then； with both hands； he lifted Mintaka to her feet。 'You will not be alone for much longer。 You and I will be husband and wife before the rise of the Moon of Osiris。'
* * *
Three days later Pharaoh Trok Uruk arrived at Avaris； his military capital in the Lower Kingdom； and immediately plunged with indefatigable energy into securing to his own hand all the affairs of state； and the trappings of power。
The populace was delirious with joy at the news of the treaty of Hathor； and at the promise of peace and prosperity in the years ahead。 However； there was some puzzlement and dismay when one of the first acts of the new Pharaoh was to put in hand another massive enforced draft of men for the army。 It soon became clear that he was intent on doubling the size of his infantry regiments and building two thousand more fighting chariots。
The question was asked； but not to Trok's face； where he expected to find a new enemy now that Egypt was once more united and at peace。 The loss of working men from the millet fields and pastures to the army resulted in a shortage of food and a sharp increase in the prices in the markets。 The expenditure on new chariots； weapons and military equipment necessitated an increase in taxation。 There were mutters now that Apepi； despite his warmongering； taxation and contempt of the gods； had not been as bad a ruler as they had believed him to be。
Within weeks Trok ordered work to mence on the extensive enlargements and refurbishment to the palace in Avaris into which he intended to move with his bride； Princess Mintaka。 The architects estimated that these works would cost over two lakhs of gold。 The muttering grew louder。
Well aware of the rising discontent； Trok met it with the proclamation of his own divinity and elevation to the pantheon。 Work was to begin within the week on the construction of his temple on a choice site alongside the magnificent temple of Seueth in Avaris。 Trok was determined that his temple would exceed that of his brother god in splendour。 The architects estimated that the pletion of the temple would require at the very least five thousand labourers； five years and another two lakhs of gold。
The revolt started in the delta where a regiment of foot； who had been unpaid for over a year； murdered their officers and marched on Avaris； calling on the population to rise and join them against the tyrant。 Trok met them with three hundred chariots near Manashi and cut them to pieces with his first charge。
He emasculated and impaled five hundred mutineers on stakes。 Like a macabre forest； they decorated both sides of the road for half a league beyond the village of Manashi。 The ringleaders of the revolt were roped to the back of chariots and dragged to Avaris to state their grievances。 Unfortunately none of the prisoners survived the journey： by the time they arrived they were barely recognizable as human…their skin and much of their flesh had been ripped away as they were dragged over the rough ground。 Ragged pieces of flesh and splinters of bone were scattered over twenty leagues of the roadway； to the delight of the pi…dogs； jackals and carrion crows。
A few hundred mutineers escaped the massacre and disappeared into the desert。 Trok did not bother to pursue them beyond the eastern borders； for this petty matter had already occupied too much of his attention and delayed his wedding by months。 He hurried back to Avaris； using up three pairs of horses in his furious impatience。
While Trok was away； Mintaka had tried twice more to send a message to Taita in Thebes。 The first of her messengers had been one of the eunuchs of the harem； a fat； kindly black man she had known all her life。 There was a special bond between the eunuchs in both kingdoms that transcended race or country。 Even during the years when the two kingdoms were split asunder； Soth； for that was the eunuch's name； had honoured this special tie to Taita； and had been his friend and confidant。
However； Trok's spies were ubiquitous and unsleeping。 Soth never reached Assyut but was brought back in a leather bag barely alive。 He died when his head was plunged into a cauldron of boiling water。 His skull； with the flesh boiled away； the bone bleached and polished； the eye…sockets filled with orbs of lapis lazuli； was presented to Mintaka as a special gift from Pharaoh Trok。
After that Mintaka could not bring herself to recruit another messenger； and thus condemn him or her to a gruesome death。 Nevertheless； one of her Libyan slave girls； Thana； who knew the depth of her mistress's love volunteered to carry her message。 She was the not the prettiest of the girls； for she had a cast in one eye and a large nose； but she was loyal； loving and true。 At her suggestion Mintaka sold her to a merchant who was travelling to Thebes the following day。 He took Thana with him； but three days later she was back in Avaris； bound by wrists and ankles to the side frame of a chariot of the border guards。
Trok dealt with Thana on his return from Manashi： he condemned her to death by love and she was given to the regiment that had led the charge at Manashi。 Over four hundred men took their pleasure with her until； at sunset on the third day； she bled to death。
For three days Mintaka wept for her without cease。
* * *
The wedding of Pharaoh Trok Uruk and Princess Mintaka Apepi was played out in the ancient Hyksosian tradition that had its origins a thousand years earlier； and a thousand leagues to the east； on the vast treeless steppe beyond the mountains of Assyria from which their ancestors had ridden to the conquest of Egypt。
At dawn on the day of the wedding； a party of two hundred of the relatives and members of the tribe of Princess Mintaka burst into the royal apartments where she had been kept captive ever since her return to Avaris。 There was no resistance from the guards who had been expecting this incursion。 The members of her faction carried Mintaka away； and rode towards the east in a tight formation with the princess in their midst； shouting defiance and brandishing clubs and staves。 Edged weapons of any sort were banned from the festivities。
When the bridal party had been given a head…start the bridegroom led a party of his own tribe； the leopards； in pursuit。 The fugitives had shown no urgency to escape； and as soon as the pursuers came into view they turned back and gleefully launched themselves into the fray。 Even though swords and daggers were not allowed； two men suffered fractured limbs； and there were a few cracked skulls。 Not even the bridegroom escaped without cuts and bruises。 In the end Trok claimed his prize。 He snatched up Mintaka with an arm around her waist and lift