All Roads Lead To Egypt
CHAPTER 1
Vivien.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Mummy or The Mummy Returns, I do own Katherine Fernley but I doubt that's anything to be proud of :)
Ages:
Alex: 9
Rick: 35
Evelyn: 28
Jonathon: 33
Evelyn O'Connell was sat at the breakfast table of her London manor house; it had been six months since her and her familes little mishap with the bracelet of Anubis. It had all been a bit of a shock, well wouldn't you be a bit shocked after finding out you were the reincarnation of an Ancient Egyptian princess, being murdered by a mummy's girlfriend and then being resurrected by your eight-year-old son? But by now the family had recovered, and the events were, like her original encounter with Imhotep, beginning to feel like some distant and partially forgotten nightmare when confronted by the trivialities of every day life.
Alex and Richard O'Connell (well Rick to anyone who knew him well) had just finished breakfast, and were trying not to annoy Evelyn who was in a bit of a flap.
'Where on Earth is Jonathon?' She demanded for about the eighth time that morning.
'He should have been at home last night; he knows he's meant to be coming to my lecture! Well if he isn't back in the next hour we'll just have to leave without him.'
Rick wasn't entirely sure if at this particular moment in time Evelyn wanted to murder her brother for worrying her, or to send out a search party. Either way he decided to try to calm her down. The Relationship between the two siblings was a strange and powerful thing he didn't think that he would ever be entirely able to comprehend.
'Honey relax, you know Jonathon he's probably just lying drunk on the lawn somewhere.'
'On the contrary my dear brother-in-law, I'm here.' Called Jonathon's voice as he staggered into the room clutching his head. His voice sounded rather pained and he had dark rings underneath both his eyes. To make matters worse the crumpled cream suit he was wearing was ripped and covered in dirt.
'Jonathon were have you been?' Demanded his sister as she stood up to glare at him.
'Oh calm down old-mum.' He replied sinking into a chair and grasping at the coffee pot.
'I slept in the potting shed, that's all?'
'The potting shed!' Exclaimed his sister starring at him in disbelief. Alex giggled, but as his mother turned to glare at him it quickly turned into a cough, which he stifled with his napkin.
'All that happened was that I went out for a few drinks with Taplow and Perkins, I ended up a bit tipsy, so as not to disturb you my dear sister I slept in the potting shed.' He explained matter of factly. But then he groaned and clutched at his head again.
'A bit tipsy indeed! Stone drunk more like, what kind of an example do you think you are setting for your nephew?'
'Oh that's all right mum.' Replied Alex. 'I know not to sleep in the potting shed.'
Evelyn smiled at her son, but unfortunately he hadn't finished his sentence yet.
'The gazebo is far more comfortable.' This time it was Rick's turn to laugh into his napkin.
'Alex!' Exclaimed his mother, and she was about to deliver a fairly long admonishment, when Rick stepped in to save his son's ears.
'So who else is speaking at this lecture thing other than you honey?'
Evelyn smiled quickly; she'd been thrilled to bits when the previous month she had received an invite to represent Egypt at the British museum's 'Archaeology of the world's ages' seminar.
She crossed the room to the bookcase, picked up a pamphlet that was lying on top of it and returned to her seat.
'Well I'm doing Egypt, Doctor Rosomorf is handling China, Professor Valkovic is doing Eastern Europe and Sir Hugh Smith Is handling the rest of Europe and America. Oh and Miss Katharine Fernley is handling Celtic and Medieval England...'
Suddenly she was interrupted by her husband, who had gone very red and was chocking on his coffee.
'Rick are you okay?' she asked, his choice of name to choke during seemed rather suspicious to her. Evelyn did not like Katharine Fernley who had somehow managed at the age of 23 to become one of the most highly respected authorities in her field, she was the granddaughter of a highly noted Medievalist and very pretty. Evelyn was not keen to believe that she deserved any of the respect she received, and was slightly disconcerted by her husband's reaction to hearing her name.
'Do you know Katharine Fernley?' She asked her husband suspiciously.
'No of course not.' He replied casually taking a sip of his coffee, but there was something in his voice that didn't quite convince her he was telling the truth. And given the looks that Alex and Jonathon were giving him it seemed that they had not been convinced either.
'Well, I'm off to erm, get ready, yeah.' Rick muttered quickly before leaving the room.
'Alex, go and get dressed.' His mother instructed, Alex gave his mother a nervous look before heading towards his room.
Evelyn began to fidget nervously.
'He knows her doesn't he Jonathon?'
Jonathon sighed, 'I don't see how he could old mum, he spent goodness knows how long in Egypt with his regiment, and for the past nine years he's been with us.'
'But,' Began Evy, she seemed reluctant to continue, ' what if she's an old girl friend or something?'
Jonathon snorted derisively, 'It seems unlikely, she's what 25? It's a heck of an age gap.'
'23' Evelyn corrected. She was still clearly convincing herself that Katharine Fernley was the long lost love of her husband's life.
'Look Evy, I think this is just us writing fiction, and anyway if Rick ever did do anything to hurt you, me and Alex would kill him.'
Evelyn laughed, 'I'm just being silly aren't I?'
'Yes, you are and paranoid.' Jonathon replied 'Now where are my aspirin?'
Evelyn laughed again and went into the kitchen to search for them.