In Nofriti’s Clutches

Day 2 of month Hut-heru in Akhet, season of the inundation

To Mutnofret’s chagrin, Ameny stuck to his refusal. He only permitted her to accompany Nakhtmin when he called on Bastet’s mother, but any further investigation he prohibited with such vehemence she didn’t even dare to argue. Their visit didn’t reveal anything new, though. The first scribe’s daughter had been found lifeless in a public park. The mother, stricken with grief, didn’t know anything about a possible lover and thus they had to exclude Bastet from their considerations—at least for now—since they couldn’t detect any obvious connection to Nebit or his sons.

The priest’s family had gathered at the breakfast table, and Nakhtmin noticed a certain restlessness in Mutnofret. He suspected she was up to something.

She cleared her throat. “Father, I haven’t seen my friends for a long time. Isisnofret invited me over to her place. There will only be girls. May I go? Please! I’ll take Nakhtmin along.”

Nakhtmin admired the show. She begged like a child and batted her eyelids enticingly. She knows how to get what she wants!

Ameny’s features softened. “Only women? Then go. Nakhtmin, you’ll take care she doesn’t expose herself to the sun for too long.”

“Certainly,” he said. What was the girl cooking up now? No way did he believe in a harmless reunion of friends.

The family rose from their chairs and started the day’s work. He followed Mutnofret to her chamber. While sifting through her chest of clothes for something suitable, he asked outright, “What’s this about today?”

She cast a glance over her shoulder. “Oh, come on, you wanted to make inquiries among the young ladies at court. This is your chance. They’ll all be there…” Then she rattled off names, of which Nakhtmin only remembered plenty of Merits and Nofrets.

Ameny had forbidden any further involvement of Mutnofret in his investigations, and Nakhtmin was in doubt as to whether this development comprised a fraudulent evasion. The way she’d put it, he was supposed to ask the questions, and that would keep her out of it. Although he had no idea yet how to subtly sound out the girls, he hoped they might give him the right clue. At the same time, he dreaded the meeting since even one young woman made him feel rather insecure and shy. How would he fare among a whole flock—or rather, a pack? I can only hope I’ll get out of the gathering in one piece.

Mutnofret had made her choice and shooed him out. “I assume I may change without supervision?”

A little later they mounted the palanquin of the house and were carried to the estate of the city provost and father of Isisnofret. Passing through the gate, they entered a notably lush garden. A true master of landscaping must have employed his skills here. Narrow paths meandered past flowers and bushes, every now and then presenting views of cozy nooks, where benches invited one to linger in the shade of trees with dense foliage. Sometimes cordons of wine, and other climbing plants lined the path, and Nakhtmin spotted beds arranged according to purpose, like medical herbs or cooking spices. A pleasant scent hovered in the air. From one corner of the garden, the clear laughter of the girls traveled toward them, and Mutnofret headed in that direction. The guests had made themselves comfortable on a reed mat at the pond and slurped refreshments, which attendants served. Delighted calls greeted the newcomers. Nakhtmin felt thoroughly scrutinized and hardly knew where to rest his gaze.

Since Mutnofret couldn’t avoid introductions, she made a dismissive gesture. “This is just my personal physician. Father is so concerned with my health that Nakhtmin has do go everywhere with me. Simply ignore him.”

Heat rose to Nakhtmin’s head at these words. What was he to her? Hardly more than a servant? A convenient accessory? Well, she had compared him to a hand fan. The young ladies darted him furtive glances and giggled. He suppressed a groan. This certainly wouldn’t be fun. How should he pick up new information if he had to keep his distance? Mutnofret should have considered that before clearly putting him in his place.

Despite the constraints of her tight-fitting dress, she elegantly sank onto the mat and sat with her legs folded, while he still stood like a log of wood. To make matters worse, the girls obviously had no inclination to ignore him, despite Mutnofret’s advice to do so. Soon one of the Merits rose and led him away.

“What’s it like under Muti’s thumb? She can be quite the beast,” she tempted him to gossip.

He assessed the round face of the girl, who cast a calculating glance at him. Only a beast would badmouth her friend like that, he thought and said, “Oh, I can’t complain. I lead a pleasant life at the house of the prophet with little to do. Much better than treating an endless procession of patients, day in and day out.”

She bit her lower lip, evidently a nervous tick of hers since the tender skin was chapped and scabby in places.

“I could prepare a balm of wax and aloe for you to smear on your lips. And you really shouldn’t chew them so often,” he recommended.

Her teeth released their grip. Beast-Merit seemed undecided whether to hiss at him or not. Eventually a smile that made him shiver conquered her face. “Good advice, and I’d love some of that balm. Do you know of more ways to emphasize a woman’s beauty? Seems like you’ve already helped out Mutnofret. She looks resplendent, like the god Nefertem when he steps from the lotus.”

“Oh, no,” he denied modestly. “That’s not to my credit. Lady Mutnofret is in love, which makes everyone glow.” Glad to have found a great transition to what really interested him, he looked at Beast-Merit expectantly.

She straightened and lifted her chin a notch. “Lo and behold! Is that so? What do you know about it? I believed her still in mourning. Tell me more!”

He aimed for a conspiratorial smile. “But you won’t tell anyone, right? It’s young Shepses.”

“Shepses!” Her face displayed envy, jealousy and triumph. “So he sweet-talked another one into it?”

“You know him? He’s also a doctor.”

She snorted with contempt. “Yes, and mostly young women seek his services. Despite…” She giggled.

“What?”

“Well, his horny viper seems to need treatment just as often as his female patients do.”

“No kidding? You mean…? Don’t tell me you too?”

“Certainly. An itch needs scratching, right? Muti shouldn’t dream of ever keeping him to herself. In love, ha!”

Nakhtmin found this confession very enlightening. Shepses didn’t simply brag. Still, some of the girls must have meant more to him, and those were now dead. Did strict Inpu know what Shepses was up to in his office? One thing puzzled him. “Aren’t you and the other girls afraid of getting with a child?” The next moment the answer dawned on him. How monstrous! “He gave you contraceptives?” he guessed aloud.

The beast nodded and showed some propriety by looking ashamed. “In the worst case, he has the means to get rid of fruit growing in the womb. At least he says so.”

Shepses sure knew how to put his medical knowledge to good use. Although contraceptives were allowed, they should only be prescribed to prevent a woman from carrying a child for health reasons. Life was sacred after all. Naturally, the harbor strumpets and dancers knew how to get them. Hardly any doctor would descend to an abortion. It was too dangerous for the woman and seldom successful. Nakhtmin shook his head. How many couples had come to him in despair because they couldn’t conceive, and these spoiled young things reversed the nature of life. It seemed utterly wrong to him.

That moment, another girl joined them. She cast a meaningful glance at the beast. “You don’t want to keep this attractive young man all to yourself, do you?”

Beast-Merit’s eyes shot daggers. “Here you go; he’s all yours, Nofriti.” Sashaying away, she blew Nakhtmin a kiss. “Remember the balm.”

And he’d thought Mutnofret was exhausting! Her friend gave him a once over and made him feel like a rabbit before a cobra. This Nofret sure looked on the hunt for a mate. She dragged him behind a tree and without shame entwined herself around him.

He stepped back. “I…uhm…I promised B…” He’d almost said Beast-Merit before he caught himself. “I just promised her a lip balm. Then we talked about Shepses.”

“Shepses?” She cooed the name. “Your upper arms are much stronger than those of that weakling. And with your name…”

That’s what he got for being named after the god of fertility. Strong Min—would these jokes never stop?

“I’m sure you know how to really take a woman.” Her hand wandered down his shendyt.

His treacherous body reacted without permission. He gasped.

Mutnofret’s voice rose above the background noise of chipper chatter and extricated him from the snares of lust, with which Hunter-Nofret had bound him. He’d lost sight of his charge despite his promise! His erection shriveled as fast as it had reared, and he peeked around the trunk. That moment, lecherous Nofret pressed herself against him and kissed him so passionately he lost his balance. Entangled, they both fell over. Hitting the ground hard, he found himself lying under her. Oh gods! I bet they are all looking at us! To his horror, Nofriti sat up straddling his loins, her hand trying to push aside all fabric still separating them. He couldn’t believe it. The very idea of taking this girl in public, in front of onlookers, killed any residue of lust. And he certainly didn’t like being used without having a word in the matter. Rather than him taking her, she was going to take him. Disgusted, he pushed her away and jumped to his feet. His searching gaze met Mutnofret’s, in which he read nothing but reproach.

Damn, how could I have let it go this far? Nakhtmin cursed his body and his wretched self. He needed to get a grip. What would Mutnofret think of him now—or Ameny if she told him? His ears whooshed. He couldn’t understand what the gaping and moving mouths of the young women uttered. Were they laughing? Mutnofret strode to him, and gradually the storm in his ears quieted down. Finally he could hear: they laughed. Then he found himself being dragged behind the tree again. Cajoling and cheers rose. Mutnofret’s face distorted with scorn. He wished to sink into the ground.

“You doctors are all the same,” she scoffed.

“Please, Mutnofret, I…” He saw her lips quiver and wanted to kiss her.

“Let’s go. I can’t take you anywhere. What a way to behave among other people!” Her shoulders shook.

“I…I’m really sorry. I didn’t want that. She…”

Mutnofret didn’t react to his stammering. With a few curt words, she took leave from her friends and pulled him along the path toward the gate.

“Look, she’s put a rope around her donkey,” one of the women called.

On the way, Mutnofret’s face grew darker and darker.

As soon as they stood outside the wall, she couldn’t hold back anymore and gave free rein to her feelings. Clumsily, Nakhtmin patted her twitching shoulders. It took him some time to realize she was laughing. Her whole body rocked with merriment until it ebbed into helpless giggles. He couldn’t begin to understand what was going on with her. On wooden legs, he climbed after her into the palanquin. “Mutnofret, what…?”

She snorted more laughter. “You imbecile,” she squeezed out, then a kind of whimper escaped her throat. “Nofriti of all the girls!”

Her amusement started to feel rather insulting. He must have done something incredibly stupid, but she wasn’t mad at him. Could her earlier rage have been fake? In truth, she’d let him run into a trap she was well aware of. After all, she had to know her friends. This, he swore to himself, was the first and last time he accompanied her to these women. The next visit she’d have to do on her own or pass on it. He certainly wouldn’t let her make a fool of him again. Hopefully Ameny would understand. “You could have warned me! I guess you knew this might happen.” Another suspicion grew in his heart. Did she mean to take revenge because of her tryst with Shepses?

She still giggled. “Nobody is safe from Nofriti. I’m surprised she didn’t take you right there behind the tree.”

Stunned Nakhtmin asked, “What kind of a wild bunch is this? Are the noblest women at court supposed to act in such an outrageous way?”

“Not all of them are like that. Actually, it’s only Nofriti, but the others like to goad her, cheer her on.” Mutnofret sighed and placed her hand on his arm. It felt cool and for a moment seemed like balm on his hurt pride. He’d never been so mortified, except…

He banned the memory of his former lover who’d just played with him. To her, he had only been a convenient means to make prospective suitors jealous. He should have learned then to stay away from spoiled women of noble families. They knew no limits and didn’t respect the feelings of others. He gazed at Mutnofret and wished he could silence his heart, which seemed to persistently beat her name.