Fajr
Chapter 3
"God," Rick muttered to himself shaking his head again. "Thanks Sallah."
"It is little enough to have done, O'Connell. So, does He who shall not be named still haunt your dreams?"
"That's one way of putting it. Makes a great boogeyman."
"He didn't really kill uncle Ardeth did he dad?" Alex asked suddenly as he shook off his mother's hands.
Sallah looked at them all in shock at that. "Allah forbid."
"We can hope." Rick returned. "I don't know, sport. I don't know. I'd like to think not. I mean it's only a dream right? So even if-- it happened, then, it wouldn't be real, right?" He looked at Evie hoping somehow that she had more answers than he did.
"I don't know, Rick. I've never even heard of a rumor of a myth that explains this whole mess."
He sighed. "Damn."
"Did the creature tell you that Ardeth Bay was dead?" Sallah asked harshly.
"He asked dad about some type of ancient Egyptian punishment, right mom? What's it mean really I mean? Hum-Dahi?"
Sallah paled and then began to mutter curses and prayers in Arabic.
"That's bad, right?" Alex asked.
"Yes, luv, that's bad." Evelyn O'Connell hugged her son. "But like your father said, I'm not really certain it's possible. One, I don't know that it would...um...translate into the waking world here. And I don't know that the creature has the-- right to invoke it even if it does. It is a curse after all."
"Hell, Evie, even it is just a way to kill someone it's hellish." Rick muttered.
"I know. I know." She hugged Alex again and Rick didn't think about it before he moved over and hugged them both. "Now what?"
"Can you get us some more coffee, Sallah? And how do we send word to ask the others about Ardeth anyway?"
"I have sent word that we will be arriving in Cairo in..." he opened his pocket watch. "Two hours or so now. Then we can send word with those who meet us at the station. I am uncertain as to where Ardeth would be right now. He was at Ahm Shere when Selim asked me to meet your boat."
He could feel Evie shiver under his arm.
"Great. Okay. Will you have us a car in Cairo? I want to get to the airfield as soon as possible."
"Airfield?" Sallah asked.
"First we're going to Hamanaptura." Rick said coldly. "Evie needs to get a book and I need a weapon if I can find it. Then were going back to Ahm Shere."
"Allah have mercy, O'Connell. You could not find two more accursed spots in all of Egypt. And all the Medjai have been watching for signs of the creature at either place and we have seen nothing."
"Then we'll dig him up and send him straight back to hell all over again." Rick promised. He rubbed absently at the tattoo on his wrist and closed his eyes. I promise you that, buddy. God I'm sorry, Ardeth.
Sallah sighed but then nodded once finally. "In'sh'allah."
"If he isn't willing to help I'll do it alone." Rick growled. "Coffee Sallah?"
"Yes, of course." The man left with a sad sigh.
"Maybe he's not really dead?" Alex asked after a moment.
"Maybe not luv," Evie answered, but she didn't sound hopeful. Rick didn't feel very hopeful about it himself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Izzy wasn't happy with going to Hamanaptura and he was even more unhappy with
the idea of going back to Ahm Shere but Rick was in even less of a mood to be
polite than he'd been the last time he'd hired his friend's services. And it
wasn't like the money was a problem.
Izzy had done well for himself with the share of the wealth he'd managed to finally weasel out of Jonathan. The plane was relatively new and well maintained. It didn't take long for them to get it fueled and be in the air. Alex was beginning to doze off again and Evie was working intently on translating something she wanted to have ready at Hamanaptura, just in case. Rick looked over at Sallah and then gestured the other man over. "Alex is about to nod off. I'm going to try and join him just to be safe. One hour, Sallah."
"As you say, O'Connell. Allah grant you a peaceful dream this time."
"I can always hope, right?" He got up and then went over to hug his wife. "I don't think Alex is going to be able to stay awake, sweetheart. Can you manage if I doze off with him for just a bit? Sallah will wake us."
"Of course. I could too."
"No. We need that." he indicated her translation "And I'm not going to be any help with it. I'll try to keep Alex out of trouble you find us a way to kill it okay?"
She smiled tiredly. "Okay." And then she kissed him. "I love you."
"I love you too, Evie." He kissed her back, pulling her close for a long moment.
"Oh please," Alex muttered. "I gotta stay awake for this?"
Rick chuckled and released his wife. "Come on tiger, let's catch another nap and see if we can manage to avoid the boogeyman this time huh?"
"Kay." Alex didn't object to Rick sitting down and hugging him close. He leaned down and whispered into his son's hair.
"If we do see the bastard you just run like hell okay?"
"Okay dad." Alex agreed with a smile. "What are you going to do?"
"Run like hell the other way?" He tousled his son's hair. "Sleep tiger."
"Kay."
And it was so damned easy to fall asleep.
For a moment he'd thought he'd woken up but the room he was in was definitely not Izzy's airplane. It was a dark hallway only somewhat reminiscent of the bright sunlit ones he'd seen in Thebes. Then again it was dark now the high slitted window openings revealing only stars. He looked around for Alex, but at the moment there was no sign of his son. He took a torch out of one of the wall scones he passed and pulled his pistol with the other. It might not do him any good against Imhotep, but it might help against some of the guards he'd seen. Then again, they might not be any more human than the dead priest. He wasn't certain how that sort of thing worked here. He walked along the hall for a bit, finally coming to a set of steps cut into one wall that led down. Even less certain, he followed them. They reminded him more of some of the rock cut tomb steps he'd seen than anything else. Now there's a pleasant thought. Just keep it up, Rick, and you'll be jumping at shadows. Then again, the shadows here just might jump back.
The stairs ended in another smaller hall that was even less well lit, without the star-filled windows. Two torches burned at either side of the end of the stairs and two more burned at the end of the hallway and another door. He walked over it and then not having a better idea pushed it open as quietly as he could. To his surprise it swung inward easily enough. What, I don't have to have the magic key? He smiled and remembered that he did. He'd pocketed both magic keys when they'd left Cairo just incase he needed either of them in Hamanaptura. Evie'd need one at least for the book of Ammun Ra. He took a deep breath and pushed down the pain that came with the thought that even if he'd been tempted to use the Book of the Dead as Alex and Jonathan had done for Evie, they didn't have that one either. Then again, if they had to go dig the creature up at Ahm Shere, maybe they could find the book too. Around here one never knew.
The room he found himself in was pitch black at first, and it smelled awful. He stepped forward, carefully, not sure what to make of the odd sounds he couldn't identify. The torch light played about the room and he realized, suddenly, he'd seen something like it before at Hamanaptura. The fancy name Evie had given it escaped him but he could recall Jonathan translation easily enough. 'Mummies, my good son, It's where they made the mummies.'
That made a certain amount of sense, he thought. This is supposed to be the great temple, right? He edged deeper into the room lighting a brazier he found finally with the torch.
Well, it certainly wasn't as nice as the rest of Thebes. Stone tables and odd half inclined slabs with straps and things. He touched one uncertainly finding the leather damp with what was probably blood.
He searched the room again only then seeing the far doorway. Swallowing hard, he headed through it. What you think it's going to be like Dracula or something, Rick? Gotta go back and sleep in the coffin? Sheesh, get your horror stories right, O'Connell. The black humor helped a little. But then there it was just like he'd expected it, a huge black sarcophagus. He edged forward again. Then he backed away a step realizing that the sounds he still couldn't identify were coming from in front of him...right in front of him...
"Oh God. Oh God. Oh..." He blinked at the sudden tears and jammed his torch into the ground. "Damn it...okay. Okay, I can do this. I can at least do this. I'm so sorry..." He put his gun away and got out the key he needed, not really surprised that it fit the lock. He turned it, then stepped back just a bit. If he got himself covered in the damned things, he wasn't going to be able to do this last favor for his best friend. He drew his gun again and then turned the key that last bit. The lid opened just a crack and the sounds got worse. Trying hard not to be sick, he kicked the lid aside a bit more, raised the pistol in his hand and didn't even let himself look. He only aimed at where the head would be just inside the coffin and...
"O'Connell!" The voice called out sharply and strong hands gripped his shoulders shaking him once. He blinked, trying to keep his grip on his gun and then realized he was back on the plane. Awake. And Sallah was standing over him shacking him.
"Damn it Just one more second you son of a bitch...oh God..."
"Rick?" Evie's voice was worried now. "Are you okay?"
"No..." He swallowed hard and pulled away from Sallah's hands. "You okay Alex?"
"Yeah. I didn't even dream I don't think. Were you back in Thebes dad? Are you okay?"
"Im fine. I don't know. Maybe.." He shuddered.
"We're landing." Sallah answered. "Come now, Alex, lets go see if Izzy will let us help, hmm?"
"Yeah, yeah, leave them alone to talk. I know the drill." Alex got up. "You sure you're okay, dad?"
"Yeah Alex." He found a smile and nodded at Sallah in thanks. The two headed into the cockpit. Evie sat down beside him and took his hands. He just wrapped his arms around her and held on for a moment.
"Were you in Thebes?" She asked finally.
"I guess so..." He swallowed.
"Was Imhotep there?"
"No." He shook his head. "Then again, I wasn't looking for him exactly."
She'd never failed to amaze him with her intelligence. "Did you find him?"
He closed his eyes. "No." He lied softly. Maybe he had, maybe he hadn't. The dream didn't seem to have the same feel as the other so maybe it had just been a nightmare. He'd pray so, or that just maybe he'd managed that shot after all.
"Rick."
"I was looking but Sallah woke me up too soon." It was the truth after all. "And I'm not even sure I was wherever it is that place is. Maybe I was only wishing."
"Okay." She didn't argue but he didn't think she believed him either. He laid his head against the soft black curls under his chin and didn't bother worrying about the fact that they weren't really strapped in for landing. He took a deep breath, catching the remnants of the rosemary shampoo she used and the perfume she'd put on that morning. It helped clear the last memory of that horrible stench from his mind. It didn't do a blasted bit of good for the sounds though. He closed his eyes and hugged her tighter for a moment, wondering if he couldn't just doze back off for that one more second he needed...
The plane bounced once as it contacted the hard packed sand. With a sigh he got up and they followed Izzy and Sallah out into the sand. "Hamanaptura." Evie said softly. "City of the Dead."
"God, I hate this place." He whispered to himself. "Let's unload the gear and get digging."
"I will go gather the others, O'Connell. They can help." Sallah said and started toward the eastern dunes.
"Fine." He didn't really care at this moment and shouldered his pack with a sigh. "Are we going to need to refuel in Aswan Izzy or can she get us all the way from here to Ahm Shere and back?"
"No such luck, Rick. We're going to need gas."
"Okay." He agreed. "Then you get on the radio and make the arrangements. Alex stay with him."
"But dad."
He turned to look at his son ready to argue the old fight all over again but something must have been in his eyes that he didn't want to be there because Alex only sighed.
"Okay, dad, be carefully okay? You too, mom?"
"We will be." She agreed with a smile and then took his hand and they walked together back through the ruins.
It was even harder going this time. The creature's first death had brought down much of what had remained of the city to begin with and Anck-su-naumun's excavations hadn't helped much. But Evie seemed pretty certain of where she wanted to dig so they went to it with shovels and picks. Some of the things his wife knew he had found he didn't even question any more.
They stopped after a bit and Evie sat down to look at the map she'd drawn again. Rick leaned against his shovel handle and wiped the sweat out of his eyes. He hated this place.
"Have you not learned by now what a truly bad idea this is?" The voice asked from behind him just as a strong hand clamped down on his shoulder.
He whirled, brining the shovel up and stopping just short of smacking his friend with it.
"Welcome back." Ardeth smiled a bit. "I was worried."
He didn't even think he just dropped the shovel and hugged his friend hard. It must have shocked Ardeth as much as it did him because he simply stood there for a long enough moment for Rick to let go and then grip the front of his robes in both hands and shake the man as hard as he could. "What the hell did you think you were doing?!"
"Ardeth!" Evie exclaimed in what sounded like about the same amount of joy and confusion and annoyance he was feeling himself. She wormed between them, costing him his grip on Ardeth's robes and then startled the man even more by throwing her arms around him and leaning up on tiptoe to kiss him.
"Evelyn, please, that is not proper. Rick-- you are not helping...what? Are you both well? There is much to discuss and you...What?" He asked again, setting Evie down gently. "Will one of you say something?"
"Uncle Ardeth!" Alex hollered before Rick could put any words together and then leapt up into his uncle's arms with a laugh. "Oh you're here. I knew it was a lie. Mom and Dad they didn't know any better but I knew he couldn't have killed you...I just knew it!"
"Could not have...ah...Now I begin to see." Ardeth squeezed Alex quickly and then set him down as well. "Is that what brought this great amazement and joy at my arrival then?"
"You should have seen it, Uncle Ardeth. There we all were, right back where you had fought the crocodile and there were all these people dancing and stuff and all this food. And then Im..."
"For all our sakes, Alex, do not invoke him here!" Ardeth hissed.
"Right, I forgot. Then the bad guy said something really awful to dad when he asked where you were. Which no one will explain to me. What's it mean anyway, HemDahi? It sounds nasty and all but...anyway so there we were and I really thought dad was just going to like take his head off for real and...what?"
Ardeth smiled and then just hugged his nephew again. "Your concern and relief are appreciated my friends. Come, let us get out of the sun for a bit."
"He-- didn't really do that did he, Ardeth?" Evie asked finally. Rick hadn't been able to get the question out.
"No, thanks be to God. I-- have an odd story to tell. No doubt, we all do. Come, we will leave this place of curses for now and see what can be done."
"We came for the book of Ammun." Rick put in finally. "Thought it might do some good."
"It might indeed. Are you certain it is here?"
"About ten feet down." Evie indicated the hole they'd started. "She threw it back in after they dug him up."
"Well then, we will get a few more people to dig and find it. You both look ready to fall no offence my friends. Come."
"Well yeah we only napped about an hour since you tossed me through the wall and woke us all up last night. That was a great trick!"
"Thank you, Alex." Ardeth smiled a bit more and led them all toward where a few of the Medjai had a camp already set up.
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Rick, Evelyn, Alex this is Gamal and Arebe they are leaders of the tribes of the Medjai." He introduced his friends as they reached the fire.
Arebe stood up and shook Rick's hand, looked a little uncertainly at him and then shook Evelyn's and then Alex's. Gamal nodded at each in turn from where he was making coffee. Sallah came over a few moments later carrying a platter full of falafel sandwiches.
"Oh good, lunch. How come what we eat when we're dreaming doesn't help when we wake up?" Alex to a sandwich and sat down.
Ardeth looked at his friends and then smiled a little. "I would not know, Alex. I do not think I ate."
"We didn't manage it either." Rick shrugged. "Seemed to annoy him."
Ardeth nodded. "As I recall. So, when was this?"
"We were on the train from Alexandria to Cairo." Evelyn took a cup of the coffee Gamal offered her with a smile. "Thank you."
Rick did the same with a nod.
"Are we going to try not to sleep again dad? That's gonna be really hard." Alex sighed.
"I'm not sure yet tiger. Let's just eat now okay?"
"You must be exhausted if you have not slept since last night. And I doubt that was for very long." Ardeth waved away the coffee. At the moment he doubted he'd be able to sleep even without it.
"Exhausted is a good description yeah. You weren't there when we were the second time were you?"
"No, I was awake by then, finally." He directed the last at his tribesmen.
"Now Ardeth, I have apologized already we certainly did not know that not waking you for morning prayers was going to cause any harm." Arebe sighed. "I am sorry."
"Shit." Rick muttered under his breath. "When did you wake up?"
"Hmm, late this morning, about eleven or so I would say." Ardeth smiled a little. "No harm done to anything but my peace of mind, old friend, but next time, please, wake me when I ask."
"Of course." Arebe nodded.
"Is that to be the plan then? We wake you every hour or so? It will not give you much rest." Sallah pointed out.
"Do we have a better idea?" Rick asked.
"At the moment, no." Ardeth sighed. "Eat, please. Exhausting ourselves to the point of not being able to function is not going to help either. We are, I am afraid in an undefendable position."
"I'm trying to work out some sort of a protective spell." Evelyn put in after a pause. "Maybe an incantation to Mut that would pull us away from the dreamworld and back into ours. But I'm working blind. I don't even have a prayer form to work from."
"Not one of Nefertiri's favorite goddesses?" Rick asked with a smile.
"Apparently not." Evelyn replied. "So at the moment I'm afraid I agree with your Ardeth. We don't have many options."
"Then we will do what we can. For now no one sleeps unless there is someone else awake to wake them every-- two hours? That will be more time there than here of course but it might do."
"More time?" Rick spoke up. "What do you mean?"
"Yes, I was not thinking. Both your...visits to Thebes were short were they not?" Ardeth nodded to himself. "I slept over twelve hours."
"And?" Rick pressed.
He smiled a bit. "No harm done, my friend. Well, I learned I do well not to drink, Allah forgive me. And I can not swim in my dreams any more than I can here."
"Could you maybe put that into context for us?" Rick grumbled.
"When you vanished from the banquet hall-- our host? That should do for a title I think, yes. Our host was a bit surprised."
"I was a bit surprised." Evelyn smiled. "That was brilliant."
Ardeth shrugged, feeling a bit embarrassed by the flattery. "It worked at least. So there I was...with no idea how I was supposed to wake myself up."
"Which you didn't obviously." Alex put in, snatching another sandwich from the tray.
"No. Unfortunately not. I was rather expecting him to be-- more angry than he was." He admitted to himself. "But he only laughed."
"Not the idea he gave us when we saw him again." Evelyn shivered.
"So I realize." He agreed.
"First he told me he cut out your tongue, then he told me he..." Rick's voice was a rough whisper.
The honest horror and concern so evident in his friend's voice made him feel both honored and a little embarrassed. "Let us not invoke that here either shall we?" Ardeth interrupted with a shudder of his own. It certainly was not a thought he particularly wanted to dwell on or even yet have to figure out another way not to explain it to his nephew. "Yes, I know. So Alex said."
"Sorry, if I shouldn't have."
"You did not know any better, Alex." Ardeth found a smile for his nephew. "It was an effective thereat I will admit. I was not looking forward to the morning any."
"And?" Rick set his sandwich down but took the refilled coffee from Gamal.
"He threatened, I did my best to ignore him and then he decided to finish the banquet in my honor or at least for my benefit I suppose. I can not say I really followed the reasoning." He shrugged. "But he offered me a glass of wine. And I thought that perhaps in this one thing I might believe him. It was nothing to face sober if there were alternatives at hand and Allah I thought might forgive me that small lapse." He paused. "I will say that I do not understand your fondness for the drink myself. Much of the night's performances are-- fuzzy. But eventually I recall being told that I was drunk and that we would put off my execution until the morning. And it seems it is quite possible to sleep while dreaming. Because, the next thing I recall, it was well into morning and I was still at Thebes."
"You keep saying that, at Thebes. Luxor is days from here." Sallah put in.
"It is. But that is none the less where this-- dream of what was is. Thebes as it must have been during the time of the Pharaohs. Karnak temple when it was still the home of AmmunRa." He smiled a little at the memory of the glory that had been, then shook himself and went back to his tale. "I can not say for certain that I have ever felt worse than I did when I woke. I do not handle the wine well I found."
"Hangovers are hell." Rick agreed with a smile. "Bad enough when you're used to them and have friends around to give a damn."
Ardeth chuckled. "It is good to know I am not alone then." He paused again. "Oddly enough, I think it might have saved me. Our host was a little too amused by my lack of judgement to kill me quickly."
"That's a good thing, right?" Alex put in.
"As it turned out. Yes." Ardeth agreed. "There were moments when I was not so certain, but he seemed almost as curious as annoyed. Once I had recovered a bit we had a rather long discussion of Islam." He shook his head. "I do not think he understands."
"Wait a minute, first he threatens to kill you or worse come morning and then you spend the day discussing religion?" Rick asked.
Ardeth smiled. "It amazed me too, my friend. The creature is mad, Rick. Whatever reasons it has for what it does make no sense to me. I am only thankful for whatever gave it pause and me time to wake."
"So you spent the day explaining Islam to him?" Evelyn smiled. "That's a new way of playing Scheherazade."
Much to Ardeth's embarrassment he could feel himself flush. "I do not know if I would have put it quite that way, Evelyn, but there is some truth to it. It seemed to amuse the creature that it understood me no better than I did it." He shrugged again. "And it was only the mid day I spent trying to explain the word of the Prophet, peace be upon him. Then it seemed determined to show me this version of paradise it believed us to be in. We walked down to the docks and took a boat."
"That explains the part about finding out you couldn't swim." Rick smiled.
"Indeed. It told me if I tried to kill it again, my first two attempts were less than successful, that I would find myself dunked in the Nile. Then it asked if I could swim. I said no, which did not seem to concern it any. All things considered it sounded like a better choice than the death he had planned. So, I knocked us both into the river." He chuckled. "I should have known the damned thing could swim. And then it tossed me back onto the boat with a thought and I did not drown after all." He paused again not about to go into any more of that particular embarrassment. He was still uncertain what he was going to do with the creature's obvious enjoyment of baiting him so when he had to face it again. "It was angry enough that I thought for certain it would kill me but it only laughed again and told me I was a very poor guest. It was-- a joke it had started I think. Odd as it may sound. We went back to the temple and it seemed determined to hold another banquet. I went and then just as the banquet started I awoke in my tent. So to me it was a good part of two days and one full night there and here it was the night and into morning." He shrugged again. "So if we sleep two hours what will that be there?"
"Four maybe? Double it to be safe? Six?" Evelyn sighed.
"Not quite, I would hope, but it is best to expect the worst." He agreed.
"So we take one hour naps for the night and then see?" Rick sighed. "It'll have to do."
"I'm really sleepy, dad." Alex yawned.
"I think we all are Alex." Evelyn smiled. "I could fall asleep in my cup." She handed the coffee back to Gamal. "Will you wake me in an hour then, Sallah?"
"As you wish, Sitt O'Connell." The man agreed.
"If your sleeping so am I." Rick put in firmly.
"Okay. I'm for napping. Besides we napped on the plane dad and we didn't wind up in Thebes." Alex put in.
Something odd went through his friend's blue eyes and Ardeth had no idea what to make of the look Rick gave him. "That's true, Alex. Okay, so maybe it's asleep now and we can catch an hour or two if we're lucky. Does it sleep?"
"I can not answer that I was in no shape to notice." Ardeth sighed. "My apologies."
"I'd sure as hell want to be drunk too, Ardeth." Rick clasped his shoulder. "Wake me in an hour?"
"Certainly." He agreed.
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Ardeth searched through the small supply of herbs he had on hand. Most were for healing of one sort or another a few for making the light rations he usually carried more edible. Finally, near the bottom of one saddlebag he found what he wanted. It was an old bottle with no label and a tight lid. He looked at it for another long minute and then glanced over at the pallet where his friends slept. Rick had one arm around Evelyn and Alex lay just behind his father curled on his side. He smiled a little sadly and smoothed his nephew's blond hair. "Perhaps, if all else fails, I can toss you through the wall again, hmm? Allah, hear me here if I can not take my prayers with me where I go. I am your soldier, as I have always been. I have sworn my life to keeping the creature in its grave as have my father and grandfather and ancestors beyond number. I was born Medjai and by your will I will die the same. But these friends of mine are new to this life of ours. To the dedication and pain that it requires. They are good people, young and foolish to be certain but they have never once shirked the duties and consequences of their actions. I will ask you only this, allow me the courage and the strength to keep them safe so that the Medjai may succeed and continue the task you have given us." He paused. "As you will." He finished softly and then poured himself a glass of water and five large drops of the amber liquid into a cup and drank it down. He put the small bottle away with a smile. I doubt the headache will be any worse than what I recall from Thebes. He walked over to the tent flap and glanced out at the fire and his fellow Medjai. "I am going to try and see if I can join our friends in sleep, Sallah. I will wake them now and then if you would wake us all in another hour, please?"
"Of course, Ardeth." The man smiled a bit. "May Allah guard your rest."
"In'sh'allah." He agreed with a smile of his own. Then he gazed up at the stars and sighed. Perhaps Evelyn was right and the best way to combat the creature was with its own gods. Mut, lady of the skies and goddess of dreams, see my friends safely until morning and AmmunRa takes his place once more in the sky. The wish was certainly not going to do any harm.
He went back into the tent and shook his nephew first. "Wake up now, Alex."
"Mmm. Don't want to." The boy mumbled rolling over.
"Alex!"
"Yeah, okay. M'wake. Wasn't even dreaming, Uncle Ardeth."
"Good." He smiled a bit and then reached over and shook his friend. "Rick."
"God, this is going to be a damned long night." The American replied. "Thanks."
"Do you want to wake Evelyn?"
"Evie? Sweetheart? Wake up, hmm?" Rick shook her just a bit.
"Already?" She blinked and rolled over to look over her husband's shoulder at their son. "Is he all right, Ardeth?"
"Fine. He said he was not even dreaming."
"Me neither, I don't think. If we have the time thing figured out it must be about dawn there." She laid back down. "Another hour?" She snuggled a bit closer to her husband.
"Indeed. If we must see each other in our dreams, I hope to find you well my friends."
"Gonna join us for a nap?" Rick chuckled already sounding half-asleep himself.
"It seemed wise to have, as you Americans say, more back up and not less?" He replied.
"Yeah, thanks Ardeth. You sure you want to risk going back? He didn't actually threaten any of us, you know." A bit more alertness to his friend's voice.
"I know. But I have to sleep sometime, and who else is going to watch my back?"
Another chuckle. "Sleep well."
"In'sh'allah." He agreed again, beginning to feel the effects of the drug he had taken. He had only used it on two tribesmen when he had to perform very hasty battle surgery so he was not certain what its effects would be on someone who was well. With a sigh he moved to lay not far from Alex putting himself as was traditional between his guests and the tent flap. And it was the creature he expected to face in his dreams who's voice he heard in his memory. 'As you have always been have you not, Medjai? Guards to Pharaoh and his wives and children?' Perhaps things had not changed as much as Ardeth would have once thought.
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When he woke he lay still for a bit but then realized that the bed underneath
him was far too soft for the mat on which he had gone to sleep. He sighed to
himself and sat up, not all that surprised to find himself back in the same
room he had awoken in the first time. I suppose the fact that I did not wake
in chains this time either could be taken as a good sign. He was fully dressed
in his own robes again and with all his weapons. It was almost annoying that
the creature thought so little of the risk he presented but then again he was
not about to argue with it if it gave him any advantage at all no matter how
small.
"Good morning, Medjai." Came an unexpected voice.
He blinked and then found a smile for the young woman who had opened the door. "Tahiri."
"You remembered." She seemed pleased. "The High Priest of AmmunRa told me to see if you were awake and if you wanted breakfast."
"He did; did he?" He shook his head. "Thank you but no. Are my friends, the Princess Nefertiri and her family here yet?"
"Oh yes, they are sleeping next door. The High Priest did not tell me if I should wake them or not. He might have sent them another servant."
"No, let them sleep if they can. They had a long journey yesterday and need their rest."
"As you say. Are you the Princess' guard then, Medjai, in this odd new place she dwells?"
"Sometimes." He agreed. "Little need though she has for a guard most days."
"That is good." She smiled a bit more. "And the other one? The one with the hair like wheat? Is he her guard too?"
"Her husband." He supposed he should not have been surprised that the young woman saw nothing wrong with Evelyn sleeping with a man who might possibly not be her husband not with the rest of the young woman's obvious ease with no modesty at all.
"Ah well." She smiled again. "Are you married, Medjai?"
He blinked not at all certain if he should answer or not. "Not quite yet." he decided.
"Oh.. Ah well. I hope she is pretty." She giggled. "I left your clothes and those odd shoes of yours in the chest there if you wish to change." She indicated the piece of furniture.
"Thank you." He was not sure what to think of that considering as far as he could recall he had woken in the robes he had gone to sleep in which she had just said were the ones in the chest. He gave it up to more of the unreality of this place and got out of bed. "Where might I find-- my host, then?"
Another giggle. "It is dawn, Medjai, he is serving the god breakfast and seeing him into the sky no doubt."
"Of course. I had not realized I had slept quite so late." He shrugged.
"Shall I tell him you are awake, when he leaves the holy of hollies?"
"I am certain he will come to see anyway." He sighed to himself. "And I think I could do with some coffee after all, Tahiri."
"Certainly." She smiled again and then closed the door behind her.
He got up and followed her out after a moment, nodding once at the guard standing outside his door. But the man made no move to stop him as he walked over to his friends room. There was a guard there as well. The man looked at him for a long moment, halbreck lowered to bar the way and then nodded and raised it. "They are well Medjai. I have let no one pass."
"That is good." He opened the door himself and then glanced in. Rick and Evie were asleep in a large bed similar in style to the one he had woken in. The bed posts this time were carved lions and from what he could tell were gilded in gold. He finally spotted Alex asleep on a smaller bed over by the balcony. He closed the door silently. "Let them sleep in peace then. Tell the servants to leave them be. I am certain-- the High Priest and I will come to see them later."
"As you wish Medjai. Will Pharaoh come to join his daughter, soon?"
He blinked at that. God have mercy, what do we do if does? "Who are we to understand the way of Pharaoh?." He caught himself just in time to keep from saying In'sh'allah.
"There is a truth." The guard agreed. Ardeth shook his head at the odd exchange.
"If the Princess her husband or their child should wake, will you tell them I am next door and at their service?"
"Of course."
"Thank you." He walked back to his own room. Tahiri was just setting up the small brazier of coals and the coffee pot upon it.
"Shall I leave it as it is or do you wish honey with it?"
"No, thank you." He sat down. She sighed but seemed to take the hint that he needed no further service and went away.
He poured himself a cup of the strong black coffee not surprised that it tasted much as he recalled it tasting the morning he had woken with the horrible headache. Hangover, Rick had called it. He sighed hoping that the results of his current sleep would be less painful to deal with..He set the coffee aside and knelt and offered the first prayer of morning to Allah, trusting that the sun here was the same as the sun in the world he lived in when awake. He had just finished when a cool breeze stirred the curtains to the balcony. He bowed a final time to Mecca and then rose and went to sit at the small table. "Did you wish to join me for coffee?" He was rather surprised at his own acceptance of his visitor.
"Why thank you, Ardeth." The creature smiled and sat down as well. "I was not certain I would see you again so soon."
"It seemed to make as much sense as trying to stay awake or face you one at a time."
The creature smiled a bit more and then took a long swallow of coffee. "And yet here we are."
"Is it not a bodyguard's job to face the enemy first?" He returned.
Another smile. "So it is. So it is. Did they tell you of their arrival last night?"
He kept his reply to a nod.
"A rather cruel lie I will admit about cutting out your tongue. But I thought the threat might keep O'Connell civil and it would be rude to have to kill Nefertiri's husband while we were sharing a meal in her honor."
"Your-- sense of hospitality is..unusual but appreciated none the less."
His host chuckled. "Why thank you, Ardeth. It is a good thing I do not take lessons in manners from my guests."
He acknowledged the point with a nod. "Did your god enjoy his breakfast?"
"As always." Another chuckle. "Are we going to debate religion again so early in the morning?"
He started to reply and then recalled Evelyn's comment about Scharazade and it took all his self control not to flush.
"Oh, now that is a tale I must hear. Who is this princess you are thinking of?"
"You want me to tell you the tale of the 1001 nights?" He could not keep the surprise from his voice.
"Is that what it is called? Certainly. Does it take that long to tell?"
"No." He shook his head and poured himself more coffee.
"Pity." A smile. "Think of all the nights I could enjoy your company."
And damn the creature back to hell if he did not flush.
"Ah Medjai, you are so fun to tease." A chuckle. "Start your tale then."
He sighed and took a swallow of coffee before beginning. His host was silent though the very start and he had to wonder if his host could not understand the Sultan's brother's obsession for the first Sultana all too well.
"That is truer than you know, Ardeth. Far too true at all." There was such sadness to the soft the reply to his unvoiced question that he paused in the telling of the tale.
"Do you want to hear the rest?"
"Certainly." His host replied with an odd look to his eyes but he leaned back in the chair and sipped more coffee. So Ardeth explained of Scharahzade's marriage to the Sultan and how she began a story each night and then would not finish it until the next day so that he would not kill her that night.
"Ah, I see why you thought of this tale then." His host smiled. "It is not such a bad bargain is it? I get a story and you get to keep your head?"
"I could think of worse." He agreed.
"Why certainly, I could ask for more than a story now, could I not?" His host chuckled.
He kept from praying to Allah for deliverance but it was a close thing.
That just made the creature laugh even harder. "Oh, I must give thanks to Ammun for allowing me the joy of your company, Medjai, for I am certain I have laughed more in these last few days than I can recall."
"That does not seem like paradise to me." He challenged his host's earlier claim.
A more serious smile. "Compare it to three thousand years of undead horror as your body is eaten and rotting around you, Medjai and you tell me if it is not paradise."
He looked away at that and set the coffee aside. "I will pray every morning I awake here or in the true world that Allah will be merciful to me and I will never know."
A chuckle. "You do fear it then do you not, Medjai?"
He met those almost black eyes with his own. "How in the name of Allah could I not?"
"Then perhaps you will be a better guest and mind your manners, yes?"
He sighed. "I am sworn to keep you in your grave, monster. I am sworn to protect the friends who sleep next door and I am sworn to defend my tribe onto death. And yet all of these things will no doubt earn me nothing but the horrible fate you have promised me. So all I can do is trust that Allah will reward me in Paradise, when I finally perish."
"Then it shall be an interesting few nights of tale-telling to keep me entertained will it not?" Another smile.
He sighed and fell back on the only response he could. "As you say."
A chuckle and then his expression grew more serious. "My other guests are awake. Come we shall go and let them see that I have not started cutting you to pieces yet so that O'Connell will leave my god his temple intact perhaps."
Ardeth smiled despite himself at the resignation to the creature's tone. It was he had to admit probably not that far off the mark for his friend. It brought to mind the second time he had seen Rick standing in Hamanaptura and threatening to blow them all to Paradise with that stick of dynamite.
"Why does that not surprise me at all?" Imhotep sighed. "Tell him to behave, Ardeth. I am enjoying the game as much as any man but if he harms this building I will see him punished if I must destroy your whole world to do it."
And that made him cold even in the warm sunlit hall they walked into. "And you wonder why I am a poor guest."
A smile. "I have limits to my hospitality Medjai. I will not take insults to my god or his dwelling. Can you not understand that?"
He sighed because it was something he could understand all too well. And he realized with a start that no matter what else had been said the creature had not once berated Ardeth's belief or Allah. And that made no sense at all.
"See, we still do not understand each other, Medjai. So, let us all keep civil for this day and we shall see if your unfinished tale and unexplainable god will earn you another day of paradise."
"In'sh'allah." He could not help but voice.
"Of course." The damned thing agreed with a smile. "Could it be otherwise?" Another chuckle and then he nodded to the guard and then smiled a bit more. "Why do you not go first?"
Ardeth raised one eyebrow thought of his friend's most likely reaction to the opening of the door and then knocked. "Rick? Evelyn? Alex? Are you awake and may I come in?"
Silence and then Rick opened the door with a snarl and Ardeth found himself slammed against the wall. "Don't do that to me again!"
"What?" Ardeth sighed. "Rick?"
"Nothing. Never mind, sorry. I didn't know where you were."
"Ah, my apologies, I was..." He smiled just a little despite himself. "Explaining Islam again."
"Scharazade would be proud I am certain." The creature walked in as well. "It is good to know you are as courteous to your friends as your enemies, O'Connell. Good morning Princess, Alex shall I have the servants bring breakfast?"
"Now we're guests?" Rick's voice was disbelieving. Ardeth shrugged, more than a little relived that the creature's teasing reference was overlooked in the confusion. Allah had to know he did not want to explain that to his friends especially not with Alex there.
"You most certainly are. Did you not tell them that Ardeth? That you are all my guests, for the moment of course."
"Of course." He replied with a sigh. "Until you decide we are not."
A chuckle. "Just explain it to your brother and I will keep my end of the bargain."
He nodded and then did as the creature suggested and explained to Rick that at the moment they were guests but that there was no guarantee of the odd hospitality and that any threat to this place itself would be considered an act of blasphemy and would no doubt get them killed or worse. His friend did not seem pleased either but it was not a situation either of them were certain how to better at the moment.
"Breakfast?" The creature asked again.
"Can we, mom?" Alex looked at his mother. "Dad? Uncle Ardeth?"
Evelyn sighed. "I suppose it isn't going to do any harm. Is there coffee to be had, priest of AmmunRa?"
An d that made the creature chuckle. "Well now, someone who can find a title I do not mind answering too. We have as much coffee as you would like, Princess...are you as fond of philla bread and fruit as I recall?"
A surprised smile. "You remembered that of all things?"
"Of course. I am your host am I not? Coffee O'Connell? Alex? Tea?"
"Tea would be great." Alex put in.
"Very well." The creature leaned out the door gave someone in the hall an order and then gestured at the balcony. "AmmunRa, He who is lord of all Egypt has given us another fine day to enjoy. Shall we have breakfast outside?" And he walked out past the curtains.
"You weren't kidding about him being nuts were you." Rick muttered.
Ardeth had to smile at his friend's use of more odd slang but he nodded. "No, the only suggestion I have my friends is to play along with the insanity until we can wake."
"Wonderful," Evelyn sighed. "Well then, please tell the High Priest of AmmunRa that I'll be happy to join him for breakfast as soon as I find a way to get a comb through my hair." She rolled her eyes and went over to the small table and rifled through the chest there.
"Evie, for the love of God will you stop opening things without warning me?" Rick sighed.
Ardeth chuckled despite himself.
"Come on Uncle Ardeth they're always like this when they wake up." Alex took his hand and pulled him out onto the balcony after their host.
Servants had come up the side stairs and were setting up chairs around a collection of small tables. On one was a brazier already simmering coffee, on another a collection of fruit and some sort of pastries and on the third plates and goblets and wet towels. Their host was standing by the railing overlooking the temple.
"Your tea will arrive shortly Alex. The cook said he would make you some as well, Medjai, if you promised to drink it. Do not make me regret telling him you would."
"I had no idea I had so annoyed your cook."
A chuckle. "The only one of you who has managed to eat anything of the food prepared is young Alex here. Speaking of which, do help yourself. Where are your parents?"
"I told you it was useless to wait meals on them, right?" Alex put in calmly and went to get a plate. Ardeth watched his young nephew in surprise only then realizing that the creature looked equally startled.
"The young are so flexible in adapting to challenge." His host smiled again.
"Sitt O'Connell says to tell you that she and her husband will join you for breakfast as soon as she makes herself presentable." Ardeth smiled a little himself at the memory of Evelyn's exasperation.
"The Princess forgot you are not one of her pages, did she?" The creature chuckled. "Nefertiri could never be anything less than beautiful, but we shall certainly wait on her, if you wish."
"I have had coffee and prayer already this morning. I can wait." He agreed.
"How odd, we have something in common after all." A quirk of a suppressed smirk.
He rolled his eyes. "Allah give me strength."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Imhotep watched his guests not bothering to try and hide his fascination or his amusement. Breakfast was a rather silent meal with Alex doing much of the talking, or asking rather. The young man was full of questions and after the first few resulted in nothing horrendous occurring he continued to ask.
"So if this is really Thebes...are we in the past now? I mean like could we get on a boat and go to say Athens?" He nibbled absently on a piece of toasted bread. "That could be really fun."
"Athens?" He returned the question with a smile.
"It's the capital of Ancient Greece, you know Alexander and Socrates and Plato and all those guys."
He shook his head. "I think perhaps I might know them by other names."
"Iksandrios? Acheawa?" Evelyn supplied with a smile at her son.
He nodded finally. "Ah yes, the upstart Tolemys. Not that they were all bad Pharaohs, but the glory was fading by then."
"All things fade in time." Evelyn agreed.
"Do they?" He shrugged. "As to your question of where this is, young Alex, it is exactly where it appears to be. I am only the High Priest of AmmunRa. So even I can not tell you how far this world of the gods making extends. But if you like I will ask my god come this evening if he has noticed your Athens, was it? While he was sailing the sky."
That seemed to confuse the boy. "Really? You can talk to him?" He asked finally.
Imhotep chuckled. "Certainly, it would be rude to do otherwise would it not? If you have finished your meal we can go see the temple. Ammun would be honored by your presence, as I am, certainly." He rose to his feet with a smile. "Medjai? Princess? O'Connell?"
The three adults glanced at each other and then finally Ardeth rose to his feet as well. "It is a beautiful sight, I will admit. And it will do me good to walk a bit. I am going to get lazy with all this rest."
Imhotep laughed. "I will take you hunting again if you promise not to try and kill us both."
Ardeth glanced at his brother and then chuckled at whatever he saw in the American's eyes. "What is life without a little risk?"
That got an answering grin from O'Connell.
"Ammun grant me guests with manners." He sighed but it was an amused sigh and he knew it.
"What you want us to go home already?" O'Connell asked with feigned surprise. "We just got here."
"So you did." He agreed. "And my cooks will never understand if you do not eat at least one of the banquets they prepare. Perhaps I should have them not prepare one and you will actually be here for dinner." He looked over at the two warriors with a smile. "There you have it Medjai, a challenge. We eat what we catch and that alone. I at least have dinner."
"As you say." Ardeth replied formally. "We shall see what Allah wills."
"So we shall, Medjai, so we shall. Do you like boats, young Alex?"
"Sure. Are we going to fish? Fishing isn't very exciting."
"No, your uncle does not like to fish and it would be rude to take my guests on an outing they would not enjoy, would it not?"
"Well I guess so. Can't say I enjoyed that train ride last time much. You were really creepy."
Imhotep blinked a little surprised. His parents were concerned that this question at least might lead to trouble and moved a step closer. And there was more of that studied calmness from Ardeth. "Was I then? I suppose so. You were very brave you know."
"I was? I was about to pee my pants when you took that mask off. Yuck....no offence."
He chuckled. "None taken. And you handled it all well. I am sorry I was such a rude host. I was a bit out of practice with dealing with people."
"Well, I'd think so. Being buried and all for thousands and thousands of years...Bleeck." The boy shuddered.
"Sometimes, young Alex, I would agree with that." He sighed and then glanced up at the sun and thanked his god once more for this wondrous paradise.
"Can we go see Thebes mom? Dad?"
Concern and confusion so easy to see in them both and then O'Connell glanced at Ardeth again the question obvious in his thoughts. The young Medjai shrugged just a bit but nodded. So I am mad and to be humored am I, Medjai? Better than outright hatred or all of you running off into the desert to escape I suppose. Ammun I had not thought of that. Now watch all of you idiots dive overboard at one time. And you can not even swim. He sighed. "Can you swim, young Alex?"
"Sure. Uncle Ardeth says you can too. Did you really save him from drowning?"
"It seemed like the thing to do. Ammun alone knows why I bother." He smiled a bit more. "But who else is going to entertain me with stories and explanations of Allah if I let him die now?" He raised one eyebrow and glanced over at the Medjai as he spoke. It was too the young man's credit that he managed not to flush. Nefertiri seemed a bit uncertain about the whole thing and O'Connell was just annoyed and definitely not believing him on anything he said.
"Okay then." Alex agreed. "So you aren't going to toss him in the river right?"
"Hmm, amusing and-- entertaining as that might be, no." He smiled a bit more. "Tahiri will get tired of drying out your clothes, or not come to think of that." He laughed. "Really Medjai there are children present, I am not certain you should even be thinking such things. He really does not have very good manners you know Alex."
"That s why he makes a good part of the family." Evelyn said with a cold smile. "We're all rather bad at it."
"As you say, Princess. Shall we go?"
"After you." She gestured at the stairs. "We are going to the docks?"
"We are." He headed down the stairs and then paused. "Put the
dagger away O'Connell or I will not miss when I toss it back. Keep your brother
on a leash if you must Ardeth and do not make me ruin this day by dragging you
all to the boat. It is a tour, not a procession of prisoners, entertaining though
that might be. Shall we?" He did not bother to turn around as he spoke
only finished walking down the stairs.
Fejr:ToC