Mistress of the Two Lands: A Novel of the Female Pharaoh

Edith Fiore

Description

Hatshepsut ruled as pharaoh of Egypt, despite the tradition that only men were kings. Mistress of the Two Lands describes her beautiful temple, Djeser-djeseru, construction of pyramids, Sphinx, a trip to the fabled land of Punt, her two golden obelisks, a royal funeral, marriage, coronation, forbidden love affair with a commoner, Senenmut, relationship with a gifted prophet, Initiation, murders, rape, mummification, hypnosis, healings, past lives, astral travel. Princess Hatshepsut became Pharaoh of Egypt, despite thousands of years of tradition that only males were kings. The story describes her life-long love affair with a commoner, an assassination attempt, a trip to the pyramids, learning about mummification and building the most beautiful temple in the world. Murder, rape, hypnosis and Hatshepsut's relationship with a remarkably gifted seer, Nefer, add to the excitement, mystery and intrigue.

Sujets

• Historical romance
• Historical fiction

Informations

• Publié par: First Edition Design Publishing
• Date de parution: 10 octobre 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781622874057
• Langue: English

Extrait

Mistress of the Two Lands
Edith Fiore


First Edition Design Publishing
Mistress of the Two Lands

A Novel of the Female Pharaoh



First Edition Design Publishing
Sarasota, Florida
Mistress of the Two Lands
A Novel of the Female Pharaoh
Copyright ©2013 Edith Fiore

ISBN 978-1622874-04-0 PRINT
ISBN 978-1622-874-05-7 EBOOK

LCCN 2013950304

September 2013

Published and Distributed by
First Edition Design Publishing, Inc.
P.O. Box 20217, Sarasota, FL 34276-3217
www.firsteditiondesignpublishing.com



ALL R I G H T S R E S E R V E D. No p a r t o f t h i s b oo k pub li ca t i o n m a y b e r e p r o du ce d, s t o r e d i n a r e t r i e v a l s y s t e m , o r t r a n s mit t e d i n a ny f o r m o r by a ny m e a ns ─ e l e c t r o n i c , m e c h a n i c a l , p h o t o - c o p y , r ec o r d i n g, or a ny o t h e r ─ e x ce pt b r i e f qu ot a t i o n i n r e v i e w s , w i t h o ut t h e p r i o r p e r mi ss i on o f t h e a u t h o r or publisher .
Also
By
Edith Fiore, Ph.D.
(Non-fiction)

You Have Been Here Before
A Psychologist Looks at Past Lives

The Unquiet Dead
A Psychologist Explores Spirit Possession

ENCOUNTERS
A Psychologist Reveals Case Studies
of Abductions by Extraterrestrials
For
My three lovely daughters
Gail, Dana and Leslie
Table of Contents
Major Characters
Part One
1493 B.C. To 1492 B.C.
Part Two
1493 B.C. To 1487 B.C.
Part Three
1487 B.C. To 1479 B.C.
Part Four
1479 B.C. To 1458 B.C.
Glossary
Acknowledgments
About The Author
MAJOR CHARACTERS

(In alphabetical order)
(Fictional characters indicated with F)


Ahmose Queen, Hatshepsut’s mother
Ankhhor (F) Physician
Hapuseneb High Priest of the Temple of Amun
Hatshepsut Princess, Queen, Pharaoh
Ineni Royal Chief Architect
Isis Mother of Thutmose (3)
Nefer (F) Priestess in the Temple of Light
Neferure Princess, Hatshepsut’s daughter
Nesamun (F) Chief of Royal Physicians
Senenmut Architect, Steward of Estates of Amun
Takirtut (F) Assistant priestess to Tuhere
Teta (F) Teacher
Thutmose (1) Pharaoh, Hatshepsut’s father
Thutmose (2) Hatshepsut’s half-brother, husband
Thutmose (3) Hatshepsut’s stepson, nephew
Tuhere (F) High Priestess in the Temple of Light
Usermontu (F) Royal Court Physician
PART ONE

1493 B.C. TO 1492 B.C.
CHAPTER ONE

The cobra slithered unnoticed between the sandaled feet. The group of twenty-five people was unaware of the lethal danger beneath them. They stood under a large blue-and-white striped canopy, which protected them from the relentless Egyptian sun.
Pharaoh Thutmose, his eldest son, Prince Thutmose, eighteen years old, and Royal Princess Hatshepsut, his eleven-year-old daughter, had just returned to the shelter with architects and engineers after inspecting the newly finished wall paintings in the king’s cliff-tomb in a remote and barren valley. Fifty Royal Guards with the horses were a few feet away in a connecting tent.
The pharaoh was shorter than most men, but his massive shoulders, broad chest and strongly muscled arms and legs more than compensated for his height. Like his powerful five-foot body, his personality was forceful and dynamic. A keen judge of character and a fierce warrior, the king was revered as a living god, loved by his people and feared by his enemies.
As he discussed the project with his men, the serpent continued to glide between them on the ground covering of woven palm fronds.
Hatshepsut lounged on an ivory-and-ebony couch, while her Nubian servant girl cooled her with a large fan of white ostrich feathers. She stroked her purring black kitten that was curled up on her lap. She listened to Ineni, the royal chief architect, describing to her father how his tomb would be sealed. Tears filled her eyes, as she thought of her father resting eternally in his magnificent yellow quartzite sarcophagus. She loved him more than anyone in the world and could not imagine life without him.
Hatshepsut was noted for her beauty; she had a perfect heart-shaped face, honey-colored skin, glistening jet-black hair to her shoulders and a small slender well-proportioned body with budding breasts. Her large intelligent dark brown eyes were the most striking of all her features.
The cobra paused for a few seconds and then moved on slowly, still unseen.
The princess’s half-brother, Thutmose, came over to join her and sat cross-legged on soft blue pillows at her feet.
He was short, resembling their father, but pudgy. He had the same aquiline nose and slightly protruding teeth as did his father and Hatshepsut.
When Lady Mutnofret, his mother, died, his father married Royal Princess Ahmose and became king of Egypt, and he became Prince Thutmose.
Servants were serving sliced lamb and a selection of fruits. He signaled to one, heaped his plate with food and offered Hatshepsut a plump date.
She took it and exclaimed excitedly, “That large chamber actually has sixteen huge columns of Osiris! And the artists did the most exquisite paintings I have ever seen. Every wall is covered with beautiful scenes from Father’s life. I loved the brilliant colors everywhere. Did you notice how well they depicted his coronation?”
“I did not pay attention to anything. It was an absolute torture for me. No one told me we would have to go down hundreds of feet in that mountain. We kept going and going, deeper and deeper. It was so hard to breathe. I felt like I was suffocating. There was one room after another and steps and more steps. And you know I hate enclosed spaces,” Prince Thutmose replied, obviously upset.
“How terrible for you! But surely you must have been impressed with some of the elegant work. And Father’s stately sarcophagus. Have you ever seen a more…”
“All I could think of was getting out of there as fast as possible,” he interrupted. “And now I have one of my blinding headaches.” He rubbed his temples, grimacing. “As soon as we get back, I shall have Nesamun give me a treatment.”
“Oh, not another one,” Hatshepsut said. She reached down and stroked his cheek. She was fond of him and thought of him as her best friend. “Nesamun’s magic is so strong. He has always been able to help you.” She glanced over at the pharaoh and lowered her voice, “Do you not think that Father is brave to be buried out here all by himself?”
“I think it is ridiculous for him to have to be different from the others. But, that is our father, always doing something daring…the warrior-pharaoh.”
“How can you say that? Father is a great king…and a god. And all of our people adore him.”
“Hopefully, I shall be a king, but not a warrior,” he said, smiling. He got up and walked over to a servant for some date wine.
But what about Madjmose or Amonmose ? Hatshepsut wondered. They are fully royal, and he is not .
The cobra slithered closer toward the princess, and no one noticed.
Hatshepsut looked around for Senenmut, a young architect. She had felt a strong attraction to him when she first met him a few hours before. While they were in the royal tomb, she took every opportunity to be near to him, but she did not have a chance to speak to him. Now she secretly studied his handsome face, deeply bronzed from being in the sun, his tall lean body and long muscular legs. She imagined his strong arms around her and her body against his.
As though reading her mind at that moment, Senenmut looked over and flashed a brilliant smile at her.
Her face flushed, and she self-consciously returned a smile to him.
A scream pierced the air. Hatshepsut saw her servant girl pointing at the mat several yards in front of the couch. The long slender cobra was racing toward her.
Everyone stopped talking. Prince Thutmose bolted from the tent. The pharaoh ran to Hatshepsut and put himself between her and the serpent, which momentarily stopped moving. Royal Guards rushed in, but they could not get close enough to protect the princess or the pharaoh.
Senenmut pushed the king out of the way and stood facing the snake. It glided between his legs and was then only two feet from Hatshepsut. “Shut your eyes! It is the spitting cobra,” Senenmut shouted, whirling around.
Hatshepsut was overwhelmed with panic. She stared at the dark-olive serpent. It reared up in front of her, level with her waist and turned its head back and forth between the kitten and her face. Its hood flared open, displaying bright red patches, one on each side.
Hatshepsut held her breath. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Perspiration broke out all over her body. Her heart pounded wildly.
The snake’s blazing obsidian eyes bored hypnotically into hers. It swayed from side to side, hissing. Its black forked-tongue darted in and out. It slowly arched its body backward and reared even higher. The hissing stopped. Its mouth opened wide, exposing two yellow fangs.
“Hekau! Hekau! I command you in the names of God Horus and Goddess Uatchit!” the familiar male voice thundered. “Princess, shut your eyes!”
Terrified, Hatshepsut’s eyes were riveted on the cobra’s. It stopped in midair.
The snake hesitated briefly and then resumed hissing. Its head inched closer to her face. It opened its jaws again. She saw the pink flesh inside its mouth with the black tongue curled up away from the fangs. She smelled its foul breath.
“Hekau! I command you!”
The snake faltered for an instant and then whipped around.
Step by slow step, Senenmut walked steadily toward the cobra, uttering incantations in a singsong voice. He stopped directly in front of it.
The serpent did not move. Its hissing slowed.
Senenmut fixed his eyes on those of the snake and locked into them. In a low voice, he repeated soothingly over and over, “Se-be, se-be.”
Gradually, it became calmer and stopped hissing.
Senenmut continued to chant and slowly reached toward it, staring into its fathomless eyes. He brought his hands nearer to its black-ringed nec