“I’m prepared to leave it to Ra-hotep,” Men-kheper-Ra agreed at once. “I would not enjoy fighting my own people. We need our strength for our enemies. When I am Pharaoh in truth instead of just in name, I shall extend the empire beyond even the dreams of my grandfather.”
“Careful you won’t be too old to throw a spear by then,” muttered Amenemheb. Men-kheper-Ra did not hear him, but Ra-hotep did. “That young man is reckless,” he thought. “He could ruin everything if I don’t watch him.”
* * * *
Hatshepsut passed several days and nights after the festival tossing and turning with a high fever.
She had not expected the foetus to look so human. Nor had she expected it to be a boy. If she had known, would she have done as she had done? As the dark night closed in on her and the sweat poured
