When Love Blossoms in War
Chapter One: Lioness on the Hunt
***
1291 BC…
A cool breeze ruffled the headscarf of a powerfully built soldier, tugging lightly on the rough fabric. The bright moon's soft rays were reflected in his sharp scimitar, and shone on his coarse, tanned skin. His dark eyes kept an ever vigilante watch, even though the heavy embrace of sleep was tempting. It was late night, and the sky was a deep ocean of Stygian darkness filled with glistening diamonds, the moon an immense pearl that floated above Thebes, the crown jewel of the Egyptian Empire.
The soldier's keen ears detected a soft thump from above, and a thin cloud of sand floated from the roof of a merchant's shop.
"Hold! Whoever is upon this roof, it is in your best interests to stay where you are!" the soldier cried. His scimitar flashed in the moonlight as he hurried up a set of steps to arrive on top of the shop. There was no one in sight. "This is getting to me," the soldier murmured. "It must have been a cat or some other beast."
There was nothing but a sharp twang and a soft whistle of air to warn the soldier of his doom. A sharp arrowhead struck his back, tearing through the dark skin and thick muscle with ease until only the thin wooden shaft of the arrow stuck from his corpse as he tumbled from the rooftop, to land heavily on the dusty ground.
"What is going on over there?" another soldier, alerted by the first one's cries, sprinted towards the sound of the commotion. The sight that greeted him was horrifying: his fellow guard laying face down in the dust, the feathered shaft of an arrow jutting from his back. "Amun Ra…" he murmured.
A soft chuckle caused him to look up. He caught a glimpse of moonlight silhouetting a slim, feminine body before an arrow struck his chest, burying itself within his heart.
***
The hot Egyptian sun beat down upon the city of Thebes as its residents moved to begin another day. Behind the royal palace, shielded by curtains and trees, was a small pool, filled with lilies and flowers that floated upon its glassy surface. Ripples cascaded across the surface of the pool as a graceful figure stepped in, the cool water washing over her muscular legs.
Nefertiri, daughter of the Pharaoh Seti and princess of Egypt, submerged her bare body up to her neck, feeling the cool water loosen the dirt and dust that not even the members of the Pharaoh's family, hidden well from the toils of the common life by splendorous walls and lavish curtains, could escape. The water swirled over her soft skin, pale from an indoor life. Nefertiri dipped beneath the water, so it caressed her bare scalp. Long ago she had shaved her head of her thick mane of dark hair, and now wore a plated black wig in public. She rejoiced in the water's touch, which offered her an immense relief from the desert heat.
The waters next to Nefertiri swirled for a moment, as a tall woman stepped into the pool beside Nefertiri. It was Anck-Su-Namun, Seti's newest concubine. Her skin was tanned and dark, denoting her common background, for concubines were not required to work under the sun. Her hair was naturally straight and pitch black, so she had no need of a wig to achieve the desired appearance. She was indeed beautiful, but it was a harsh beauty, like looking out over the barren deserts: a truly spectacular sight, but one knew that the desert held nothing but sand and barren heat. Nefertiri watched with mistrust as Anck-Su-Namun waded past. The muscles that rippled under her dark skin revealed that she was a woman of strength, perhaps trained in combat like Nefertiri herself. Both were in far better physical shape than the flimsy concubines and handmaidens that gossiped and splashed about.
Nefertiri did not trust Anck-Su-Namun. Her coal black eyes were harsh and unforgiving, and Nefertiri realized that this was a woman who would look out for herself and no other.
"Good morning, Nefertiri. Amun Ra blesses us with a glorious sun this day," Anck-Su-Namun said. She chose her words carefully, and presented them in a polite manner, although Nefertiri could sense that she wasn't sincere.
"And good day to you, Anck-Su-Namun," Nefertiri responded, allowing a small bit of steel to creep into her words.
Anck-Su-Namun rinsed the cool water through her ebony hair. "Have you heard news of the attack last night?"
Nefertiri frowned. "Attack? What do you mean?"
"Two guards were killed last night outside a merchant's store. One with an arrow in his back and the other with an arrow in his heart."
"By Bastet!" Nefertiri murmured. "Have the Med-Jai heard of this?" The Med-Jai were fierce warriors, elite guards that defended the Pharaoh and his empire with incredible efficiency.
"I believe your father is going to meet with their leader this morning. I do hope they catch this killer before he strikes someone in the palace," Anck-Su-Namun mused.
Nefertiri doubted this. The guards around the palace were far more skilled and numerous than those around the market area. Even if the murderer were to steal past them, Nefertiri knew that there were still more soldiers within the castle, and everyone that mattered to her, including herself, could defend themselves against any assassin.
"Oh, did I mention that the feathers and the metal used in the arrowhead are completely unknown to our artisans and craftsmen? It seems an invader from a foreign land has come to prey upon us. Sort of like lionesses hunting in the desert, no?"
Now Nefertiri felt a small bit of unease. Many of the outsiders possessed strange weapons and armor that Egyptian warriors knew nothing about, and therefore, could not fight them effectively. But still… our guards can handle any barbarian that attacks!
With that comforting thought, the princess followed her maidens out of the pool and continued her preparation for a new day.
***
He felt the scimitar strike his shield with a resounding clang. His crouched to avoid another swipe, and lashed out with his leg, hooking it behind the other man's knees. His scimitar flashed downward towards the neck of his opponent like a falcon's talons toward an unsuspecting rabbit.
The deadly blade stopped inches away from his opponent's quivering throat. Ardeth Bay stood, smiling, his dazzling white teeth contrasting with his coarse, tanned skin. A hot breeze played with his dark, greasy hair as he pulled the other man, more a boy, really, to his feet.
"You're progressing daily, Sheshonq. You will grow to be a
fine Med-Jai warrior," Ardeth commented politely. Sheshonq thanked him, bowing
slightly, and rushed away.
As the boy left, another person arrived, a small, petite young lady. Ardeth could tell she was part of the palace staff. Her skin was soft and fair, having never been touched by the scorching sun, and he could tell she was unused to the swirling clouds of dust and sand that billowed up in the streets and in front of Ardeth's modest home.
"Honored Med-Jai leader, Pharaoh wishes to speak with you!" the servant girl said timidly. The wild looking man in front of her was a far cry from the clean-cut palace guards, and he frightened her.
"Thank you. Please tell the Pharaoh that I will come to the palace shortly."
The servant nodded, and then hurried away from Ardeth, towards the towering palace.
***
The two feminine figures posed warily, a golden trident in each hand. They were clad in decorative linen kilts and golden halter-tops. Masks of solid gold were placed to protect their faces, and long strings of golden beads were attached to the back of the masks. A leather strap held each mask onto the woman's head.
Pharaoh Seti I, clad in a gold embroidered kilt and a towering jeweled headpiece and seated upon a high throne amidst his court, clapped once, and the women lunged at each other, tridents flashing in the light from the window. The tridents collided with a clang, each deadly thrust parried by another. The women moved with great agility, slashing and swiping at each other viciously, flipping, kicking, and stabbing at a frenzied rate. They continued to fight with great skill and ferocity, much to the delight of the Pharaoh and his court.
Suddenly, the doors to the chamber swung open, and one woman stopped battling. She turned to see Ardeth Bay, flanked by two Med-Jai, walk in. The Pharaoh glared at them and raised a hand for them to stop. The other woman attacked her opponent, her long leg smashing into her jaw. She stumbled back, golden mask knocked form her fair face and sent skittering across the floor, revealing the woman to be Nefertiri.
"Nicely done, Nefertiri," the other woman said as she pulled the mask from her own face. It was Anck-Su-Namun. "But you seem to have forgotten; never take your eyes from your opponent!"
The Pharaoh clapped. "Very entertaining! You two change, while I talk with the Med-Jai."
Anck-Su-Namun and Nefertiri bowed deeply before the Pharaoh, before turning to rush out of the throne room.
Ardeth Bay walked forward, bowing to the Pharaoh. The other Med-Jai imitated their captain.
"Greetings, almighty Pharaoh. What is your wish?" Ardeth asked.
"As you may or may not have heard, loyal Med-Jai, two guards
were killed by arrows in the market area, outside a merchant's shop," Seti
explained. "They showed no signs of having fought back, and my High Priest,
Imhotep, has examined their bodies and discerned no arcane influences. The
murderer
Ardeth frowned, his face darkening. This was unsettling. Although the guards were definitely not the best Egypt had to offer, they should have been able to put up some sort of fight. If the attacker was from another country, war could be on Egypt's horizon.
"I would like you and your Med-Jai to patrol the area. If possible, bring the man in for interrogation."
"Yes, almighty Pharaoh. We will do your bidding."
"Thank you. Ardeth Bay. I knew I could count on you to protect my kingdom."
***
The setting sun painted the sky and the sands in a thousand shades of crimson and violet to signal the coming of night. The scorching winds still whipped the lower-class citizens of Thebes, but within the sheltered palace, Anck-Su-Namun's long fingers danced over the delicate strings of her harp. Heavenly, flawless music floated from her chambers.
There was a sudden knock at her door. She called for her guest to come in, and saw that it was Imhotep, the tall, mysterious high priest. He wore a dark kilt around his waist, but was bare from the waist up, barring the several golden necklaces around his neck. The sun from the window shined on his bald head, for all priests were required to shave their bodies completely so that they would not have lice or any other impure diseases.
"Greetings, Imhotep. What brings you here?" Anck-Su-Namun asked. She placed her golden harp aside and stood from her chair. Her eyes were heavily painted and an elaborate linen gown embroidered in beads whispered about her lithe frame. Golden jewelry glittered on her throat and long arms. Atop her head was position a perfumed wax cone.
"I just wished to commend you upon your performance in the Pharaoh's court this morning. You fought against the princess very well, and she has been known to defeat some of the palace guards!"
Anck-Su-Namun smiled. "Thank you. The princess is a skilled fighter, but she is unused to real combat. No one will let you look away from your fight without taking the advantage. Nefertiri has never experienced real pain, either. I doubt any of the guards would go all out against her, or they fear the Pharaoh's wrath."
"She has never been in real combat, nor has she had to use her skills to truly defend herself. She has a thousand guards to do that for her," Imhotep replied. He enjoyed talking to Anck-Su-Namun. She had been to many places before she had come here, and she brought interesting stories of the outside world. Imhotep also enjoyed watching her talk, the graceful movements of her long arms as she moved to emphasis her point, the way the sun glittered across her gold-adorned body, the way her linen gown clung to her frame.
Like Nefertiri, Imhotep compared Anck-Su-Namun's beauty to that of the desert, stunning but harsh. Unlike Nefertiri, however, he did not see this as a negative trait. He had and could again survive in a vast desert. It was an unfortunate thing indeed that this lovely creature was the Pharaoh's concubine. Imhotep had seen the way the Pharaoh looked at her, and he knew that Seti would eventually take her as a wife.
"Perhaps she should. I haven't fought in wars, but I have been forced to defend myself against bandits in the desert." Anck-Su-Namun enjoyed her long conversations with Imhotep. He was a wise man, knowledgeable of ancient myths and arcane mysticism. He would often perform magic tricks for her, which would delight her to no ends. As he told her ancient fables, Anck-Su-Namun would watch him, the way his muscles rippled under his smooth skin and the way his dark eyes would shimmer with intelligence.
Anck-Su-Namun began to toy with one of the countless gold bracelets on her wrists. It was a thick one, inlaid with diamonds and engraved with the image of a regal cat. It clicked suddenly, becoming unclasped. It clattered to the marble floor noisily.
"Oh!"
"Let me get that!"
Imhotep knelt to pick up the golden bracelet, and took Anck-Su-Namun's slender arm in his hand. He held her arm gently, enjoying in the feel of her warm skin in his coarse hands. He inhaled, and her scent, a wildly intoxicating scent of a hundred desert flowers, permeated his senses. Her eyes, two dark gems surrounded by heavy coats of emerald malachite and ebony kohl, stared at him expectantly. Imhotep, the most powerful of all priests, master of a thousand ancient spells, was held powerless by this concubine's sight, scent, and her touch.
Suddenly, as if compelled by a supernatural force, Imhotep lunged forward, wrapping his arms tightly around Anck-Su-Namun. He rejoiced in the feel of her supple muscles beneath her smooth linen gown. She stiffened in surprise, but melted into his warm embrace. Their lips met in a fierce and passionate kiss. It was as if Hathor herself held both in loving submission. Neither could have resisted, and neither wanted to.
***
Nefertiri's linen gown swished around her legs and her plated ebony wig bounced with each step she took. Her stride was brisk and her brown eyes were aflame with anger.
"Where is that wretched woman? Anck-Su-Namun!" she cried
angrily.
A servant paused. "I believe she is in her chambers, princess. If your humble servant may ask, why do you seek the lady Anck-Su-Namun?"
"She stole my bracelet!" Nefertiri snarled. She stalked towards Anck-Su-Namun's chambers.
***
Imhotep's hands ran down Anck-Su-Namun's supple back,
causing her to shiver in delight. She began to fumble with the kilt that
surrounded the priest's waist.
"Anck-Su-Namun!" the angry voice echoed from outside.
Anck-Su-Namun and Imhotep stumbled away from each other, both red-faced and flustered, breathing heavily. Imhotep swiftly tightened his kilt while Anck-Su-Namun ran her hands down her gown, smoothing it quickly. She straightened the cone atop her head just as the door to her room burst violently open.
"Princess!" Anck-Su-Namun cried. Imhotep bowed deeply towards the enraged Nefertiri.
"Give me my bracelet!" Nefertiri demanded fervently. In her rage, she failed to notice the crimson tinge to Anck-Su-Namun's face, nor the slightly disheveled state of her clothes.
"Bracelet?" Anck-Su-Namun asked, hiding her relief. "What
bracelet?"
Nefertiri stamped her foot. "You know exactly which bracelet! The one with Bastet carved upon it!"
"This one, princess?" Imhotep asked. He held out the golden bracelet. Nefertiri's eyes lit up.
"Yes! That's the one!" Nefertiri cried. She took it from the priest's hand. "But what were you doing with it?"
"Well…" Imhotep's face grew uneasy. He was unused to lying, especially to the royal family.
"I believe that when we were changing after the fight, I accidentally grabbed your bracelet instead of mine, which has a lioness engraved on it," Anck-Su-Namun explained, the lie coming easily to her. "I just now realized that I had grabbed the wrong bracelet. Imhotep arrived to discuss what our performances in the fight and others like it might lead to, and he offered to take the bracelet to you because he was going to see you next."
Imhotep nodded when Nefertiri looked to him for confirmation. She was a little puzzled at the priest's hesitance to answer, but nonetheless clamped the bracelet around her wrist.
"I am sorry for assuming that you stole my bracelet, Anck-Su-Namun," Nefertiri said. She inclined her head in an apology and turned to Imhotep. "Imhotep, you wished to speak with me about the fight?"
"Eh? Oh yes… Farewell, Anck-Su-Namun. I hope you sleep well tonight," Imhotep murmured. He turned quickly, and followed Nefertiri from the chambers. Anck-Su-Namun's gaze was upon him until he was completely out of her sight.
It was nighttime now, and Anck-Su-Namun stared silently at
the appearing stars. Her expression was unreadable, and her mind was a writhing
mass of emotions, love, lust, and confusion not the least among them.
***
Nefertiri gazed at the rising moon as she and Imhotep strolled through a lush garden. The gardeners were forced to work constantly to keep the gorgeous plants alive in the harsh Egyptian environment, but they managed to do so.
"So… what was this about the fight earlier?"
"Hmmm…?" Imhotep looked up. His thoughts had been on Anck-Su-Namun, the feeling of her in his arms, her intoxicating scent.
"I said what about the fight did you want to talk to me about?"
"Oh! Well… it's sort of an ancient tradition. Superiority in combat often decides certain sacred duties. The best warrior may be assigned as a bodyguard for the Pharaoh, and the next best warrior may be assigned to guard a powerful artifact. And so on. So your battles with Anck-Su-Namun may be more than just entertainment for your father and his court. Pharaoh may be considering who should be his guardian, and who should watch over, say, the Necklace of Isis, which can grant the wearer great magical power, but only if she is a woman."
"Isn't the queen the only one allowed to wear that?" Nefertiri asked. "Why would it need a protector?"
Imhotep frowned in thought. "Well… there isn't a queen now, is there? Your father has yet to take another wife and his mother was long ago sent to the afterlife. Someone needs to guard the necklace until there is a new queen. Which may, someday, be you."
"Ha!" Nefertiri laughed, a tinkling, musical sound. "That would never happen! Not while my cursed brother, Ramsesses still lives!"
Imhotep did not respond to this, for a loud cry rang out from the village far below.
"By Ptah!" Imhotep cried.
"It seems the killer is striking again," Nefertiri noted. She began to walk in the direction of the noise.
Imhotep suddenly felt a severe, nauseating feeling of dread wrack his body. He only felt like this when his 'sixth sense', honed by years of mystical training, was warning him of impending danger. He realized that if she were to leave, Nefertiri would die.
"Princess, wait!" Imhotep cried. "You can't leave! It's too dangerous!"
"Oh don't be silly! The Med-Jai are probably already on him, and I want to see them fight!" Nefertiri cried, "Besides, I can handle myself!"
Imhotep sighed, and raised his hand. "Arise, O Green, to bind in tendrils of wood!"
The roots of the trees contorted and twisted as if possessed, and whipped out to encircle the thin ankles of the princess, pulling down. She hit the ground, hard, and the breath was driven from her.
"Oomph! Imhotep! What in Hathor's name are you doing?" Nefertiri snarled. She struggled against her binds. The front of her gown was already becoming covered with moist dirt. She turned around and tugged at the rots, but to no avail.
"I am sorry princess, but I cannot allow you to endanger yourself. The Pharaoh would never forgive me!" Imhotep explained.
Nefertiri scowled at Imhotep, and began to work on a way of freeing herself.
***
Ardeth Bay rushed towards the shout, flanked by Sethos, a seasoned Med-Jai who
was more skilled in the healing arts than the scimitar. Both men had their
curved blades in hand.
They arrived on the scene to witness a downed Med-Jai, three arrows jutting from his cloak. He lay on his back, eyes closed and moaning in agony.
"Khafre!" Ardeth cried. Sethos knelt by Khafre, pulling a bag of healing herbs from his cloak and beginning to work.
The air hissed as another arrow descended from the shadowy rooftop. Ardeth reacted with the speed of a striking cobra. His hand shot out, callous fingers deftly snatching the wooden shaft from midair.
He turned his glittering dark eyes to the roof. He heard a
thud, as if something were being cast aside, and a figure sprang from the
rooftop. With incredible agility, it landed in front of him. His eyes first
registered the bronze battleaxe, its deadly edge gleaming in the moonlight, and
second the crescent shaped shield on the other arm. He then examined the
murderer, who was clad in a tunic made from the skin of some wild beast, images
of various creatures embroidered on the sides. Around the murderer's waist was
a girdle of some leathery pelt, and atop their head was a bronze helmet,
scarlet feathers streaming from its top. As the figure stepped from the
shadows, Ardeth nearly dropped his scimitar in surprise.
"That is no man!" he cried. "It's a woman!"
Indeed it was a woman, a tall, muscular woman that towered
over Ardeth. Her skin was olive hued, denoting her northern origins. Her face
was different from the Egyptian women's, with high cheekbones and a prominent
nose, but it still held a certain beauty to it. Ardeth noted that her tunic was
cut to take advantage of a woman's natural physical attributes. Along the sides
were slits to allow maximum movement, and there was a lack of heavy armor and
weaponry that would allow her to use her agility to great advantage, although
Ardeth assumed that this woman could wield heavy spears and shields as well as
any man.
"Prepare to die, little man," she laughed in heavily accented Egyptian. She charged forward, bringing her battleaxe to bear. Ardeth stepped out of reach as she swung, and slashed with his scimitar. The woman swung across with her battleaxe, but Ardeth ducked to the ground and entangled his legs in hers. She let out a small cry and fell to the ground. Ardeth kicked out, striking her in the side of her helmet. It was knocked loose and rolled across the dirt road. Her wild mane of unkempt raven hair spilled free, billowing around her face and granting her a wild, dangerous beauty, like that of a tigress. The woman swung her battleaxe around, but the blow was clumsy and Ardeth deftly disarmed her. She rolled away, her sandal smashing into Ardeth's chin in the process, and flipped to her feet.
"Wait, lady, may I please know your name?"
The woman narrowed her eyes. "I am Cyrene of Themyscira, great city of the Amazons!"
"Amazons!" Ardeth gasped to himself. He had heard legends of
the mighty Amazons, violent warrior women from the far north, but the legends
were few and often disbelieved because they came from the Greeks, a powerful
culture that had warred against Egypt in the past, but lost because they were
thousands of years younger than Egypt.
"Who are you, little man?" she asked, obviously not caring too much.
"I am Ardeth Bay of the Med-Jai, sworn protectors of the Pharaohs. It pains me to fight such an exotic beauty," Ardeth said, noting Cyrene's voluptuous body and long legs. "But I am afraid it is my life's duty to fight off the enemies of Egypt!"
Cyrene laughed. "You really think a mere man can defeat an Amazon?"
In one fluid motion, Cyrene drew a small bag of powder from her girdle and hurled it towards Ardeth's face. He brought up his scimitar, slashing it in half, but the air was already filled with the choking dust. It whirled around Ardeth's face, clinging to his long hair and filtering into his lungs. He was hurled into a violent coughing fit.
Cyrene held her breath as she leapt into the cloud, kicking Ardeth in the chin. The Med-jai leader was hurled onto his back and his scimitar was tossed from his grip.
Sethos lunged, swinging his scimitar towards Cyrene's neck. She caught the slash on her shield.
"You inhuman harlot!" Sethos snarled. "You call yourself a warrior, but no warrior uses deceitful means like that!"
"He saw it coming and he should have avoided it or knocked it away with the flat of his blade, instead of ripping it apart!" Cyrene replied. She parried another swipe with her shield and smashed her fist into Sethos's stomach. The wind was driven from his lungs.
Cyrene's hand snapped out, clamping around his throat. He struggled against her, his fists and feet beating uselessly against the Amazon, but his breath was gone and he could not draw another. Blackness crept across his vision, agonizingly slow, until it enveloped him completely. Cyrene dropped Sethos's limp body to the sands disdainfully.
"Sethos!" Ardeth cried. The dust had worn off. He lunged, unarmed, towards Cyrene, who moved her shield in front of the blow. Ardeth grabbed the edges of the crescent shield and pulled. Normally this would have done nothing, but Ardeth's body was flooded with a surge of adrenaline, giving him superhuman strength. The leather straps binding the shield to Cyrene's arm snapped like twine, and the shield was tossed away. Cyrene gasped and attempted to defend herself, but Ardeth's fist smashed into her chin. She was sent falling backward, stars dancing in front of her eyes. Cyrene rolled, flipping again to her feet.
"Stupid man!" she spat. "I've taken harder blows in Amazon games than that pathetic strike!"
Cyrene drew a dagger from her girdle and swiped out with it. Ardeth grabbed her wrist and twisted hard. She winced in pain, but refused to cry out as the dagger slipped from her grasp.
"You've killed two Med-Jai today. I swear to Amun-Ra that you shall not kill a third!" Ardeth swore. Cyrene flipped forward so her arm was at a natural angle again, and attempted to punch Ardeth in the face. He caught her fist in his larger hand, and swung his head forward so that his forehead connected with hers. Cyrene groaned and crumpled like a lifeless doll. "I should kill you for what you did to Sethos and Khafre, but the Pharaoh wishes you alive, and so he will have you thus."
***
The morning sun was again bright over the bustling city of Thebes. Inside the same room where Anck-Su-Namun and Nefertiri fought the day before, the Pharaoh's court was gathered again.
Seti was in the center, seating atop a throne with Anck-Su-Namun on his left and Imhotep on his right. Both were staring forward and stood stiff as boards. Imhotep sported a dark, but fading bruise on his cheek from when Nefertiri's anger after she had been freed from the roots of the tree.
In front of the Pharaoh was seated Nefertiri, obviously excited to see the killer. The rest of the court was gathered around them, wealthy men and women decked out in the finest kilts and gowns. Before them stood Ardeth Bay, still clad in coarse traveling clothes.
"Ardeth Bay!" Seti barked. "I don't see why the capture of a petty killer requires my full attention."
"But Pharaoh, this is a most pressing case!" Ardeth replied.
He clapped his hands, and two Med-Jai hauled a bound Cyrene in. The proud
Amazon struggled and kicked, but while leather thongs tied her wrists and
ankles together, the strong Med-Jai were too much for her to overcome.
"A woman? A woman murdered two of the guards?" Seti exclaimed in disbelief.
"Yes, and she defeated two Med-Jai as well. One with just her shield to defend against his scimitar. I thought he, and the other man whom she riddled with arrows, were both dead. They are barely alive as we speak. She claims to be an Amazon."
The court laughed. "An Amazon? This woman is deluded!" Seti cried. "The Amazons are pure myth!"
Cyrene spat the Pharaoh's feet. "You wretched swine! Queen Valesca
and Queen Melanippe will tear you and your damned Med-Jai to pieces!"
"Big threats, for a woman!" Seti laughed.
Cyrene snarled and smashed her shoulder into one of her captors. She brought herself and him toppling to the ground. The other quickly grabbed her shoulders and struggled to hold her still.
"By Lady Artemis's silver arrows, I swear you will pay for my indignity!" Cyrene raged. A Med-Jai attempted to gag her, but she sank her teeth into his hand until the coppery taste of blood filled her mouth. The Med-Jai cried out in pain, and the other smashed his fist into Cyrene's jaw, sending the Amazon into a dark oblivion.
"If she is indeed an Amazon," Seti challenged. "Where are her sisters?"
"Pharaoh!" an urgent voice cried out. The doors swung open, smashing into the walls as a ragged soldier burst in. His kilt was torn and his scarf gone. His scimitar was stained with thick blood that dripped over the clean floor. His muscular body was covered in scrapes and bruises. "W-we're under attack! By women! They must be the Amazons!"
TO BE CONTINUED…
***
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters that appear in The
Mummy or The Mummy Returns. I don't own the Amazons, either, because they
appear in Greek Myth, but I am inventing characters using the names of
legendary Amazons. This story was my idea and creation, so please don't use it
anywhere without my permission.
Author's Notes: Hi readers! I hope you all enjoyed my first chapter! As you (hopefully) know, this takes place in Ancient Egypt, but I might write a sequel to it that takes place after The Mummy Returns. Oh, and the Ardeth Bay in this story is the ancestor of the one in The Mummy.
Some notes on Egyptian culture:
-Priests were required to completely shave their bodies, so they don't carry lice
-Most clothing is made from linen, and if that isn't available, cotton
-Many Egyptians shaved their heads and wore wigs, because it was cooler (temperature wise)
-Egyptian women wore perfumed cones on their heads
-Hathor was the goddess of love and music. She was portrayed as having a cow's horns, the head of a cow, or actually a cow. She was also protector of women, so it seemed sensible to make Nefertiri use her name when she makes an oath or exclamation.
-Ptah was the god of craftsmen, and the real, historical Imhotep (yes he really was real) was his priest, as well as an architect and a physician. I'm not sure if the Imhotep of the movie was priest of a specific god, but I decided to have him use Ptah when he makes an exclamation.
-Isis was the mother of Horus; the falcon headed god whom the Pharaoh supposedly embodied. She was a clever goddess who tricked Amun-Ra, the king of the gods, into telling her his 'true name', which gave her great magical power
-As for Anck-Su-Namun playing the harp, most Egyptian women played musical instruments, including the harp, the flute, and the rattle
A little information about the Amazons:
-They were warrior women from Greek Mythology, although they might be real. They were mortal enemies of the Greeks, and could only be stopped by Greek heroes, such as Heracles (Hercules), Achilles, and Theseus
-They were great archers, but also used spears, axes, and swords. Their shields were shaped like crescent moons
-The Amazons were the first to use cavalry (warriors on horseback)
-They wore clothes made from the skins of wild animals and helmets of the same (or metal, as art depicts both)
-Judging from ancient sculptures and paintings, Amazons that fought on foot wore tunics, while Amazons who rode on horseback wore what seem like bodysuits