*** This story is dedicated to MY husband ;) ***
Disclaimer: Copyright to the original characters by Universal Pic. No copyright infringement intended with this story and picture. All non-profit fanwork.
(Sequel to "Death Wish")
=== 1925 / Cairo / Old Imperial Hotel ===
It was nearly midday and from the streets below the hotel room sounded the multiple noise of donkey cars, automobiles and people talking and yelling at each other. A typical day under the hot summer sun in the vibrant city of Cairo. The two people occupying the hotel room were all but typical, even for an exotic place like this...
Evelyn Carnahan let her gaze wander over a framed photograph of the British monarch King George Vth, which fitted perfectly in this slightly worn out Victorian charm of the hotel. Its good days were long gone, but it was cheap enough to live several weeks in it and, most important, the owner was an old friend of her father who didn't bother to ask too many questions...
Evelyn checked the clock and suppressed a sigh. "Imhotep, are you ready? We got to go or the office will be closed."
No answer, but the sounds from the other room told her, that he was quite busy to GET ready!
She went over to figure out what took him so long to get dressed. They had practiced the lesson 'modern clothing' several times, and he should be able to manage it by now. Nonetheless, Imhotep sat on the edge of his bed, only half-dressed and a frustrated look on his face.
"What's the matter?"
"Can't wear these... things." He pointed to the trousers, using 'thing' because an adequate word in his language didn't exist and he had forgotten the English term at the moment. "And this ... thing!" Another gesture to the shirt with high collar.
"But we have tried it. It is your size."
"Your said so", he answered now in Ancient Egyptian again. "However, I have the impression it sticks to my skin. I feel like in restraints... It is no problem for the short time we tried it in the shop, but several HOURS...! While it is midday and hot outside! How could your people survive in clothing like this?"
Evelyn would have laughed, but he sounded very serious.
"It is colder in my homeland, you know. People had to find ways to stay warm. Come on, you will not be vanquished by trousers and shirts, or am I mistaken?" She raised her eyebrows.
Watching the little smile he gave her now, she had rather embraced him and forgotten the bureaucratic stuff completely.
This smile was seducing, enchanting… no, intoxicating. It had won her heart in an instant 3000 years ago and she had no better defences in this life! She took his hands and felt the familiar, comforting warmth enclosing her. It was always that way: a feeling of deep connection and intimacy with the shortest of a touch or a glance. At some occasions, they did not even need words. Suddenly the desire swept over her not only to stay in the hotel, but also in his arms.
Unfortunately, this was not possible.
They were quite lucky that Detective Cramer, chief of the Cairouan police department, and a civil servant from the Registration Office, who was indebted to Cramer in some way, wanted to help them and 'procure' the missing documents for Imhotep.
"We can not marry, if you have no papers, and you won't get any if you sit here in your underwear."
"I could ... take the clothing of the Arab natives. It is far more comfortable", he suggested, carefully choosing the English words again. He had already learned much in the past three months.
Evelyn was always astonished about his progress in this matter. His mind seemed like a sponge absorbing all sorts of knowledge, eager and hungry after 3000 years of confinement to dark emptiness. She surrendered. "Okay. You are right. It makes no difference." We will get only some stupid looks…
Somewhat later Imhotep (in a long black Bedouin gown) and Evelyn (in a British day-to-day costume in light grey) walked finally down the street looking for a cab, drawing attention for sure.
Imhotep's attention, however, was caught by a different attraction. In the nearby Coptic church it was time for the midday service and the chants of the clerics sounded through the open windows. He stopped, looked up and displayed an expression of awe and confusion. "I can understand them, Evie! Not every word, but... much! How is this possible? You told me, no one could speak the ancient language anymore!" In his excitement, he had switched back to ancient Egyptian.
"It was not quite exact", she answered, realising the fault just now. "These are Coptic Christians. They still use a late version of the old Egyptian language in their ceremonies. Only there. In their daily life they speak Arab."
"Ceremonies? Do they still worship our gods?"
"No." Evie did not like the subject coming up; it always made him so sad. But as he had asked, he left her no choice. "The Christians have another god."
"Only ONE? Like these miserable Hebrew slaves in my time?"
"Yes... In fact ... it is even the same god."
Imhotep frowned. This sounded so completely absurd, that the descendants of his people were now worshippers of a slave's god! Absurd and interesting like so many things in this world! "I would like to ... meet them", he said, "... and learn more."
Nevertheless, now they had to attend to matters that were more urgent! They turned both in the direction of two cabs waiting at the next corner. One of the drivers cried out now "Hey guys, I know you, eh! You were the fellow paying me with a golden bracelet for a trip to the pyramids!" He turned his head to his cabbie colleague, grinned and repeated: "These are the guys I told you about, Abdul! The fellow in the loincloth with the golden bracelet, remember?"
He watched Imhotep and Evie as if expecting another such fee and opened the door to his car. This time however, he should be disappointed. The destination of his two passengers was not that far and Evelyn paid a modest price, after the usual bargaining, of course!
....
=== Police Headquarter / Detective Cramer's office ===
…"So, this is the reclusive hero who saved the Great Pyramid from the terrorists?" Mr. El-Fadil from the Registration Office of Cairo stretched his hand in Imhotep's direction. He stood up, took the hand and returned the greeting as learned with a polite nod.
Detective Cramer saved him from further curious questions. It had been a hell of a work to keep the press away after the incidents in the pyramid three months ago. He wouldn't let ruin his work by this civil servant right now! Therefore, he stepped in: "Well, he is! Unfortunately, we have very little time today. We should proceed with the matter at hand! As you can imagine, Omar, these were traumatic events, then. All what these two people want to do is forget as soon as possible! Moreover: to get married as soon as possible."
"Ah…" El-Fadil was disappointed. It was written in his face that he had liked to discover a little bit more about the 'saviour of the Great Pyramid'; some stuff to talk about after work in the coffeehouse! "It is urgent; you said it on the phone, Gordon."
"Indeed it is." Cramer leaned over his desk in an imposing and the same way friendly manner. "My friends want to get married. But they can't, because Imhotep's documents were destroyed last year during the riots in Alexandria. You remember these events, surely."
"Yes, of course. Uhm… but… it was only the archive with the copies, which burned down, if I recall correctly. There still have to be the original records in your hometown, Mister!" While saying this, El-Fadil nodded encouraging in Imhotep's direction who forced a nervous smile back. He had only understood a few words of the conversation.
Evelyn smiled the same, with the sweetest, innocent smile she ever managed. "Mr. El-Fadil, it would take weeks or months for the communication back and forth to this small village in the south, and we don't even know if it would bring any results. You know how the situation is in these villages. The clerks there have not the same commitment to their work as you do, here in Cairo. The records are misplaced, forgotten, destroyed… And … we just don't want to wait. We've already waited an ETERNITY!"
The man from the Registration Office could not imagine how close to the truth her words were. At least, he thought to understand now and gave her a conspiratorial look "I see." Then he took a deep breath and opened his suitcase. "You need … wait a minute, birthday certificate and passport, right?"
"Exactly", Detective Cramer answered for Imhotep. "I will attest the accuracy of the statements."
Omar El-Fadil grumbled something, but finally put a bunch of forms on the table. "Let's start then! Your full name, Mister?"
"Imhotep. … Al-Busiri", he answered what he and Evie had prepared for this occasion. (note: means 'from the place of Osiris')
"Uh, not very common…"
"My father was a scholar. Loved old histories."
"Seems that way. - Date of birth?"
"27 of July … 1887." Imhotep was relieved not to have made a mistake in spelling the year. He remembered how he sat with Evie in the hotel room two days ago and tried to figure out how old he was approximately, in order to calculate a birthday year. They had agreed on an age between 35 and 40, using the lists of pharaonic reigns from the British Encyclopedia.
…..
=== A week later / Cairo / Marriage Court ===
Imhotep and Evelyn sat in the nicely decorated room of the central marriage court of Cairo, accompanied by their two witnesses, Evies brother Jonathan and Detective Gordon Cramer. Jonathan grinned happily the whole time as if he was the one getting the beautiful woman in the dress of white silk and lace. The wedding ceremony of his sister hadn't turned out as he had expected some months earlier. In fact, she was supposed to marry Rick O'Connel in London – and now they were here in Cairo and her husband was the enemy that he, Jonathan, had helped to kill before… Odd situation, he mused. However, if Evie was happy – and she looked that way now, all was perfect, and he would be cheerful, too.
Evie was not only happy; she radiated delight and gladness. She felt exactly like the princess of her childhood dreams of marriage, even if this was not Westminster Cathedral and her dress only a very modest version of a royal gown. This was not important. She would have married the man she loved in dirty labourer's clothes. She felt like a princess, because she was at his side – how could she possibly not be a princess in this case? Realising that she had half missed the speech of the registrar while dreaming, she tried to concentrate again, not without a short glance to Imhotep.
He was festively dressed the same, in a European style suit at last, looking gorgeous and regal.
"...will you, Evelyn, marry this man, love and honour him all the days of your life till death do you part?"
She looked up into Imhotep's eyes - and remembered Ancksunamun's whispered words so long ago 'Not even death can tear us apart, my beloved'...
"I will", she answered smiling. No, not even death had accomplished that. They were together, finally.
"...and you…," (As expected, the registrar stumbled over the unusual name), "… Imhotep, will you love this woman as your wife and care for her and protect her all the days of your life till death do you part?"
"I will", he said, and felt compelled to assure his statement in the old language: "I will, whatever may come! In the name of Osiris the Mighty and Truthful One!"
The registrar blinked irritated and cleared his throat before continuing, "I hereby declare you husband and wife".
But Imhotep didn't pay attention anymore. Even before the registrar had ended, he took Evie in his arms and kissed her, tears of joy on his face. They were bound, legally, rightfully, in the open! All world could and should see that! Yes, it had been worth to wait, endure, and fight all those endless centuries for this woman, for this singular moment! He would do it again!
….
=== Shortly after / At the Photo Studio ===
Imhotep peered to the camera with the expression of a novice in the temple seeing the sacred books for the first time. On their way to the studio, Evelyn had tried to explain, what would going on, but it was unexplainable in Ancient Egyptian and not understandable in English because of missing vocabulary. All he had grasped was that sunlight should trace his living image and… banish it into this little box?! This sounded not comforting at all. Would he still be the same person after this 'fo-to-graf-thing' ? Would it hurt like it had, when Osiris took the curse bound immortality from his body once? Imhotep caught himself tearing at the collar of his shirt. He did not want to appear childish and silly, but he did not want to be here, either.
Evie sensed his tension and put a reassuring hand on his arm. "It will be alright. Nothing bad will happen! They have made photographs of me since I was a little girl! Try to relax!"
The photographer pointed to a chair arranged in front of a heavy velvet curtain. "Please, Madam, take a seat here… I just have to arrange the light."
She nodded and Imhotep followed her to this new strange kind of magic box… This new world had so many marvellous things to explore! However, he did not only want to dive into it all, he wanted to restore something of the old knowledge, the old world. The thought had taken root in him while he still lay in the hospital and he pondered about it from time to time. He still was High priest of Osiris, even if most people of this time did not know who Osiris was! With this in mind, Imhotep looked proud and confident into the camera lens…
(And this is the picture - program always kills the adress X( ok, try this: www(dot)uss-saipan(dot)de(slash)weddingpic(dot)jpg)
=== In the evening at the hotel ===
Jonathan Carnahan had excused himself shortly after the wedding ceremony. Now he showed up, looking somewhat exhausted. It was a small and rather quiet party, with only a few guests in the lobby of the hotel. Jonathan had no problems to reach his sister. Before Evelyn could ask, where he had been and if something had happened to him he said "There was an accident in the streets; I stuck there, sorry! But I still had to arrange a few things outside involving my gift for you!"
Evie's eyebrows rose. "What gift? You already gave me –"
"Well. The necklace was a gift for YOU. A real wedding gift should be for you both. Close your eyes!"
She did as her brother said, and Jonathan took her right hand, let a little wrapped object fall into it.
"Now, take a look!"
Curious, Evelyn unfolded the little thing. "A… key…? What …?"
Jonathan made a face and played disappointed little child. "Aw, Evie, I did not know you planned to stay the next years in this hotel, till the old tightwad of library director pays you a decent salary to move out?!"
"You mean, Jon… This is…"
"It's the key to a little house in the suburb. Not something spectacular, only..." His further explanations of the site went down, because his sister hugged and kissed him.
"You are awesome, Jon! Do you know that?"
"Yes." He grinned again. "Hope, someone else could finally notice it…"
She turned to Imhotep and explained everything. After she had finished, he took Jonathans hand. "Evelyn is right, you have a great heart."
"I don't know how I shall thank you", Evie continued.
Slightly embarrassed from the sudden solemnity he answered:
"Uh… let me think… name your son after me and inaugurate a Jon-Thanksgiving-Day? – I think, a good drink would be just fine right now! After this traffic jam my throat is plastered with dust, you know…"
..............(Now we let them celebrate… ;)