A vicious young woman rises to become more powerful than the King, her husband. Neferkara, a slave and handmaiden, tells the story of how the young Princess Sekma amasses power through intrigue, manipulation, and murder, and by her a strong influence over her husband, Prince Amun. Sekma and her accomplices relentlessly eliminate anyone who stands between her husband and the throne, and when her husband becomes King, young Queen Sekma rules by dominating the King, a weak, unintelligent member of the Royalty. Neferkara, while watching all this in dismay, befriends Meritaten, another slave woman. The two become close friends and then lovers. Queen Sekma, using her husband as a puppet, rules Egypt with an iron fist, however Neferkara has to admit that she is an effective and strong ruler - the kingdom is stabilized and the government becomes efficient. A year later Lord Nash, an ambassador from the kingdom of Nazkap, comes to the court of Egypt to negotiate a treaty. He and Sekma are immediately attracted to each other and eventually become lovers. Sekma bears the child of Nash. Nash goes on to have an affair with another lady at the court. Sekma is enraged that Nash would discard her so easily, and when she learns Nash's new lover has given birth to a child, she orders Neferkara to infiltrate the lady's household and kill the baby. Neferkara, although in fear for her life, has to make an impossible choice - either to save her own life and kill the baby, or to refuse and suffer death at the hands of Sekma. Neferkara thinks carefully and finds a third possibility.
Description:
A vicious young woman rises to become more powerful than the King, her husband. Neferkara, a slave and handmaiden, tells the story of how the young Princess Sekma amasses power through intrigue, manipulation, and murder, and by her a strong influence over her husband, Prince Amun. Sekma and her accomplices relentlessly eliminate anyone who stands between her husband and the throne, and when her husband becomes King, young Queen Sekma rules by dominating the King, a weak, unintelligent member of the Royalty. Neferkara, while watching all this in dismay, befriends Meritaten, another slave woman. The two become close friends and then lovers. Queen Sekma, using her husband as a puppet, rules Egypt with an iron fist, however Neferkara has to admit that she is an effective and strong ruler - the kingdom is stabilized and the government becomes efficient. A year later Lord Nash, an ambassador from the kingdom of Nazkap, comes to the court of Egypt to negotiate a treaty. He and Sekma are immediately attracted to each other and eventually become lovers. Sekma bears the child of Nash. Nash goes on to have an affair with another lady at the court. Sekma is enraged that Nash would discard her so easily, and when she learns Nash's new lover has given birth to a child, she orders Neferkara to infiltrate the lady's household and kill the baby. Neferkara, although in fear for her life, has to make an impossible choice - either to save her own life and kill the baby, or to refuse and suffer death at the hands of Sekma. Neferkara thinks carefully and finds a third possibility.