The Chance to Change
Chapter One : The Vision
A vision of Evelyn's. Unknown valley, around 1260 B.C.
The long procession of chanting priests and slaves wound around the mountains in the valley. Only torches lit the way through the night blackness. In the front of the line was a golden sarcophagus, carried by ten slaves. Their eyes never blinked, and when the priests in front stopped suddenly, they showed no surprise.
They had halted in front of an entrance to a small cave. The priests directed the slaves to carry the sarcophagus in, and set it on the raised platform. The slaves could only stare in wonder at the gold and jewels that lay in glittering piles throughout the tomb. Then they were harshly told to leave.
The priests chanted one final prayer over the sarcophagus, and the mummified body that lay within. Then the head priest took a star-shaped key out of his robes and locked the sarcophagus. He spoke to his companions.
"Never reveal to anyone the location of this tomb. All maps but this one -" he pointed to the piece of parchment in his hand - "will be destroyed." He stared at them solemnly.
"Nefertiri's tomb shall never be discovered!"
England. 1938.
Evelyn O'Connell awoke with a start. Her heart pounded, and she was only dimly aware of her husband's arm draped across her body. When her confusion settled, she looked over at Rick, sleeping soundly next to her in their bed. Then her mind suddenly comprehended what her vision had revealed.
The priests and slaves were at Nefertiri's tomb! Evelyn closed her eyes and again pictured the glittering treasure within. Then her memory focused on something. What was it?
The map that the priest had shown. Evelyn could see it, could see every detail. She quickly grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, turned on a light, and drew the image she had in her memory. When she was done, she looked closely at it. She couldn't believe it. If her memory served her correctly, she now had the location of one of the most sought-after Egyptian tombs in history!
"Rick, " she said, leaning over him and tugging on his arm. "Rick, wake up."
One eye opened and looked at the clock next to their bed. "Evelyn, it's 3:00 in the morning. Go back to bed."
"No, Rick. It's time to start packing."
The other eye shot open. He sat up and looked at his wife groggily. "What? Why? And give me a good reason."
Evelyn grinned at him. "We're going to Egypt, darling."
Chapter Two : The Discovery
Egypt. Two days later.
"I still think this is a mistake, Evy, " Rick said, as he loaded their supplies onto the backs of their camels. "Haven't we had enough of finding people's tombs? Look at your parents, with King Tut. Then there was us, and finding that monster Imhotep. Then the business with the Scorpion King. Do we really need some curse of Nefertiri leashed upon the world?"
"Rick . . ." Evy sighed. "I know. I'll be careful. I won't read any books, open any chests, etc. etc. and so forth. Besides, we're already here, in Egypt. Why stop now?" Please, Rick. I want this so bad.
Rick shook his head. Evy was so strong, so brave. But she also got herself into the most horrible messes! "All right, Evy. Let's go. I'm just gonna hope that a curse of Nefertiri won't affect her reincarnation and her protector."
"Yes, you see. Nothing will happen to us. We're probably protected," Evy agreed. At least, she hoped they were protected.
Rick and Evy climbed onto their camels, which were loaded down with food, tents, and of course, guns and other weapons. Evy had also brought a few books about Nefertiri and the legend of her burial site. Rick had brought only his ammunition.
"You ready?" he asked. Evy nodded. "Tuk-tuk-tuk!" they shouted in unison. The camels took off in a loping run, heading west toward the sunset.
They rode in silence for awhile, each deep in their own thoughts. Then Rick glanced over at Evy, saw her face looking sad and far away.
"Hey Evy," he said. "What're you thinking?"
"Oh Rick," she sighed. "I just wish we could have brought Alex."
Rick nodded. Their fifteen-year-old son had stayed behind in England, much to his protest. His parents hadn't backed down because he had exams coming up in the next week and needed to be in school. Jonathan had also stayed to take care of Alex.
"I know, honey. But look at it this way. One less person to worry about, right?"
She smiled at him. "Right."
Outside Nefertiri's tomb, three days later.
"Rick!" Evy squealed. "We're here! We found it! This is the place I saw in my vision! Nefertiri's tomb!"
Rick grinned at his wife. "Yep, we're here all right. What was it you called it last night? The archaeological find of the century? Now the only thing stopping us is how to get in." She's like a little kid in a toy store, he thought to himself, smiling.
"Oh, well that certainly can't be too difficult to figure out," Evy said, bending over to examine the face of rock. "If you see a crack, tell me - ah! Look!"
Rick peered at the hairline crack Evy was pointing to. "Um, Evy? Are you sure that's man-made? Looks like a natural crack to me."
"Oh yes, I'm sure of it! The most difficult thing will be opening this door without damaging it or anything within."
Rick sighed. "Does that mean no crowbars?"
"Precisely, darling. You learn so fast."
"All right, I'll use your hammer and chisel for two days. If," he said, pointing his finger at her, "the door isn't open by then, we're using the crowbar. No buts."
She frowned up at him. "I suppose I have no choice. Since you're my main and only digger."
"Exactly."
Chapter Three : The Tomb
Three days later.
Rick and Evy had finally gotten the door open, although he had resorted to the crowbar. Evy still shuddered, remembering the huge BOOM! that had accompanied the door's fall. Once the dust had settled, they had cautiously entered the cave, although Rick insisted on going first.
"Evy?" Rick called.
"Yes?"
"You better get in here to take a look at this."
Evy ducked her head and went inside. Rick's torch penetrated the darkness, allowing her to see him looking around, dumbstruck.
"Evy - look," he said.
The torchlight flickered on piles and piles of gold and jewels. Trinkets, baubles, coins, and jewelry all piled together to make huge mounds of priceless treasure.
"Oh my god," Evy breathed. "I knew there would be treasure - but I never imagined this much!"
Her eyes roamed over the stacks. Then, slowly, reluctantly, she turned her attention to the walls. Hieroglyphs covered every space, beautifully carved and painted. The paint had faded, but she could still see the traces of it. Her eyes took in the words, and she slowly mouthed a few of them.
Rick was watching her. "Honey?" he said. "Don't go reading anything, remember?"
"Oh - yes."
"Weren't the tombs of queens usually bigger? This appears to be one room, since her sarcophagus is sitting right here."
"What?" Evy exclaimed. Then she noticed the white granite coffin that Rick was standing next to. "Oh my - I would have expected there to be more rooms. This is very intriguing."
"Well - don't you want to open the coffin, and take a look at her?"
"Yes, of course," Evy said, crossing the room to stand next to him. She peered at the coffin. "Oh dear - it's another one of those star-shaped keys. I don't suppose it's lying somewhere in these piles," she said, glancing at the heaps.
"No," Rick agreed. "But we might as well look, before we waste all our energy with the crowbar."
They pawed through the piles, Evy wondering if the British Museum could hold it all, Rick growing faint at the thought of how much this stuff would sell for on the market. Suddenly he spotted the distinctive eight-pointed star shape, and grabbed it.
"Hey Evy - I found it!"
"Fantastic! Since you found it, I'll give you the honor of opening the coffin," Evy said smiling.
"Okay," Rick said. He walked over and placed the key in the slot. "Here goes nothin'."
Evy held her breath as he turned the key. He carefully lifted up the lid, revealing the inner sarcophagus. It was made of pure gold.
"Wow," Evy breathed. "Let's open this one now." Though Evy acted excited, inside her stomach was knotting. This was the mummy of her former self. What would it look like?
Rick too, was wondering. The past life of his wife. The woman he protected, in those ancient times. This is all just so weird, he thought. He turned the key and slowly lifted up the heavy gold lid, with Evy anxiously peeking over his shoulder.
Inside was a mummy, amazingly preserved. The face almost seemed to have a smile on it.
Evy was beside him now, looking at the mummified body of Nefertiri. She leaned over it to look at the lid, and read the hieroglyphs. They said exactly what she thought they would:
Nefertiri, Queen of the Nile
Wife of Ramses, Daughter of Seti.
Chapter Four : The Journey
A few hours later.
Rick and Evy had gazed around the burial room for a long time. Then, arousing herself from her thoughts, Evy decided that they had to start cataloguing the treasure. They had worked steadily for several hours, until they needed to start a fire to set up camp. Rick was outside, trying to start the desired fire, while Evy remained in the tomb, to "continue organizing," as she said.
In reality she was reading the walls - not out aloud of course. I've learned from that mistake. She was reading them silently, turning the words over in her mind. And what strange things they said . . .
Evy frowned. The walls spoke of "Nefertiri's other self" and "the one with the mark."
That sounded suspiciously like herself and Rick. The walls didn't sound like it was a curse upon them though. She really couldn't make out what the ancient writers had meant when they had told the carvers what to chisel in the wall. Something about time, and a journey . . .
Without thinking she began to softly speak the words out loud, feeling them on her tongue, savoring their sound. On and on she spoke, until she reached the end of the poem.
Suddenly wind was rushing and roaring all around her, pulling her hair and her clothes, and almost lifting her off her feet. She screamed, and Rick ran in the tomb, and was caught by the storm of wind himself.
"Evy!" he yelled to be heard. "What did you do?!" He wrapped his arms around her, trying to shield her from the blasting wind.
"I read the walls," she cried desperately. "Oh Rick, I'm so sorry!"
Now the two were lifted off their feet. They spun around and around, twisting and turning within the tornado of wind. Suddenly Evy felt them rushing backwards, through something. Everything had gone black, and she could no longer see, just hear the wind and feel Rick's arms around her, protecting her.
Then the wind gusted between them, blowing them apart, and Evy was alone. "Rick!" she cried. Reaching out, she just caught his hand -
And then he was gone. Evy moaned in despair, when suddenly, everything stopped.
Rick was trapped in the storm of wind, holding Evy, trying to protect her. Then she was torn from his hands.
"Evy! No!" He shouted in anguish. He reached out, just caught her hand -
And she was gone. Rick felt rage and shame at being unable to protect her, but suddenly, everything stopped.
Chapter Five : The Past
The first thing Evy was aware of was the softness. Her body seemed to float on a cushion of air. Light shone gently on her eyes, not glaring, just softly shining. She was so comfortable, and it was so quiet. Almost too comfortable and too quiet.
Am I dead? She asked herself. Without opening her eyes, she pinched herself. "Ouch," she muttered softly. There was pain, so she was still alive. So where am I?
Evy opened her eyes and slowly sat up. Her senses were telling her something was wrong, she wasn't where she was supposed to be. As she looked around, she rapidly became more and more confused.
Evy was sitting on a bed that she had never seen before in her life. It was made of gold, and the sheets were made out of the finest, smoothest linen she could imagine. The bed was simple compared to the walls, which were painted and decorated lavishly with ancient Egyptian symbols. As Evy gaped open-mouthed at the incredibly beauty surrounding her, her mind began to comprehend where she was.
Something has happened, she thought. And somehow - I'm in the time of Ancient Egypt.
She looked down at her clothes. She wore a simple white shift, which was clearly meant only for sleeping. The simplicity of the gown contrasted sharply with the grandeur of the room. Why am I here? And who am I? I'm not - her, am I?
Just then a maid bustled in. "Ah, good, Princess Nefertiri," she said. "You are awake. Oh, my!" she exclaimed.
For Evy - or Princess Nefertiri - had fainted dead away.
The first thing Rick was aware of was the hardness. He groaned. "I thought I told Evy to bring some sleeping mats," he muttered. He reached out for where he thought Evy would be, his eyes closed. He felt nothing. "Evy?"
Sitting up and opening his eyes, he blearily looked around the tent. Hey. This isn't our tent. Frowning, he reached up to rub his head. What happened to my hair? It's - really long. It seemed to go past his chin. "I feel like Ardeth," Rick groused. "I don't know what's going on here, or where Evy is, but I'm getting my gun."
Rick reached for the holster on his belt. He didn't feel a gun . . . but he did feel something else . . .
A scepter. For the first time, Rick looked down at his clothes. What he saw shocked and horrified him.
He was wearing long, flowing black robes. On his belt, where his guns should be, instead hung two scepters. A close examination of the tent revealed two shoulder straps, lying nearby, loaded with knifes, spears, and every other kind of weapon imaginable. Except guns.
"Oh no," Rick breathed. He was in full Med-jai apparel! Where the hell is Ardeth? What has he done?
Rick noticed a jug of water sitting next to his headrest. He grabbed it and looked into the water to see his reflection. Just as he suspected, the familiar Med-jai tattoos dominated his face.
Rick stormed outside the tent to confront Ardeth and whatever jokesters he had with him. These tattoos better come off . . .
But Rick didn't see the valley that he and Evy had just come to. Instead he found himself surrounded by other tents, the morning Sahara sun just peeking over the horizon. Women laughed near a well. And everyone he saw was dressed anciently and he still saw no guns and there were no cars around and he was beginning to panic, when a hand clapped him on his shoulder. "There you are, Neharon!"
Rick whirled around, and saw Ardeth. "You!" he shouted.
Chapter Six : The Realizations
There was an uproar at the Pharaoh's palace in Thebes. Princess Nefertiri had fainted - something she had never done before - and she wasn't acting like herself. She seemed strangely dazed and confused, and said that she "just wanted to rest." As Nefertiri was always active and trying to do as much as possible, this was cause for alarm indeed.
"Are you sure you're all right, Princess?" Pharaoh Seti asked her. They were in his throne room, and the glory and splendor only served to make Evy more dazed.
Evy - Nefertiri- swallowed. "I'm fine, Father," she answered. "I don't know what happened. I guess I sat up too quickly."
The Pharaoh shook his head. "I am not convinced of that, Nefertiri," he said. "I'm concerned about you. Perhaps learning to fight with the sais has been too much, and you have been pushed too hard."
"No Father," Evy exclaimed. "I need to practice." So that I know how to do it in the future, when I'm Evelyn . . .
"No, you shall now practice only every other day. That is final."
Evy bowed her head in submission. "Yes, Father."
She left the Pharaoh's throne room and walked to her room. She needed to clear her head.
I'm in Ancient Egypt. I'm in the body of Nefertiri. Pharaoh Seti is still alive, which means - Evy stopped walking and gasped. Imhotep and Anck-su-namun are here somewhere! Oh, no . . .
"What?" Ardeth asked. "What's wrong?" His eyes crinkled in concern for his friend.
Rick sighed. "Where are we, Ardeth?" he asked.
"We're at the camp," Ardeth laughed, but he looked puzzled. "Where we've lived for our entire lives. What do you mean?"
"We've lived here our entire lives?"
"Yes . . . Neharon, are you feeling all right? Did you drink too much wine last night?'
"No Ardeth, I didn't drink any wine!" Rick yelled. "Why are you calling me Neharon?"
"Because it's your name. I really think I should go call the physician."
"No! Just tell me - what year is it? And who is the ruling Pharaoh?" If the horrible suspicion that Rick had was right, he would receive an equally horrible answer.
"It is the year 33 of Pharaoh Seti's reign. You know this, Neharon. Why are you asking me?" Ardeth was getting angry now.
"Damn it!" Rick spat. He was in Ancient Egypt. Evy was nowhere in sight, and he had no idea how he got here -
Wait a minute.
Before he passed out, in that storm of wind, hadn't Evy said that she had read the walls of Nefertiri's tomb?
That's what happened. Evy, with all her foolish naivety that he loved so much, had set another curse upon them. At least there aren't any rotten, decaying dead guys chasing us this time. In the mean time - should I confide in this time's Ardeth? Apparently he's been reincarnated too, in the future.
No - I'll learn more about what's going on first.
Rick grinned at Ardeth. "I'm just joking around, Ardeth. You were really easy to fool!"
"Yes, ha ha, Neharon," Ardeth replied, beginning to grin back. "Come look at the new horses with me."
"All right." Where's Evy? Rick wondered, groaning to himself. I have to find her.
"Hey - wait up Ardeth!" he shouted. As he did so, he realized he was speaking a foreign language - but one he recognized the sound of. Evy had tried to teach it to him thousands of times, with little success. He was speaking Ancient Egyptian, clearly and precisely, and without even thinking about it. What is going on here?
Chapter Seven : The Separation
Meanwhile, back at the palace, Evy was in a panic. When she realized that Imhotep and Anck-su-namun were walking around in all their evil glory, she immediately looked around for Rick. Only then, in all the confusion of discovering she was in Ancient Egypt in the body of Nefertiri, had she grasped that he wasn't there.
Rick! Her mind cried. Rick, where are you? If he was hurt or lost, she would never forgive herself. She knew that she was responsible for this, that she had set the spell in motion when she read the walls.
"Okay Evy, think now," she began talking out loud to herself. She wasn't alone, and her maids exchanged nervous glances with each other. Was Princess Nefertiri delirious? Finally one of them cautiously asked, "Princess? Are you feeling all right?"
"Hmm?" Evy glanced over at them, startled. She had forgotten they were even there. Stupid, Evy. You have to be more careful than that. "Yes, I'm fine. Just - just daydreaming," she offered, attempting a look on her face that would convince them.
"Whatever you say, Princess," the maid replied. She was still doubtful, but left the room without asking more questions.
Before Evy, had been interrupted, she had almost remembered where she thought Rick would be, if he, too, was in this time. That idea was gone now.
"Damn!" Evy swore under her breath. She was really upset, because she never swore, even at Hamunaptra and Ahm-shere. All the time travel seemed to have sufficiently muddled her brain and memory so that she had to begin her thought processes all over again.
I am the reincarnation of Nefertiri. Rick has the Mark, which means that he has protected me throughout time. It was Ardeth who informed us of this. He said . . . he said the Mark was an ancient Med -jai mark. Which means Rick is a Med - jai. So if Rick is here, he will be in the body of an ancient Med -jai. He'll be at their camp! Triumphantly Evy went off in search of the Pharaoh's bodyguards, the Med - jai.
The Med-jai camp was a swirl of noise and color. Music flowed out from the drums and the people twirled around, dancing with abandon. Rick was shocked to discover that the Med-jai relaxed long enough to dance; he was astounded at the fact that Ardeth Bay was surprisingly nimble on his feet on a dance floor. Or, in this case, a mound of tightly packed down desert sand.
"Come on, Neharon!" Ardeth called from the midst of the crowd. "Why don't you join us?"
"Oh - I don't know," Rick replied. "I don't feel very well." He was standing on the edge of the mound, just watching the dancing.
"But the women are longing to dance with you," Ardeth yelled with a wink. It was true,
and Rick had noticed uncomfortably how the women would stare at him seductively. He was a married man, why didn't they leave him alone? Oh yeah. You're not married in this time. Still, all Rick could picture was Evy's face staring at him in hurt and disapproval, and that was enough to make him decide to leave the party.
"I really don't feel good," Rick yelled to Ardeth. It was amazing how much noise those drums made! "My head hurts. I'm going back to my tent." It wasn't a lie, either, because his head was pounding with each boom of the drums.
Ardeth shrugged. "All right," he shouted. "See you later."
As Rick made his way through the camp, he glanced up at the stars. He was glad that they hadn't changed much in three thousand years. That was one familiar thing in all this madness.
And the desert. The desert never really changes, does it? In the moonlight the sand glowed blue, lit up like a long sheet of silver. The sand was cold now, an amazing testament to the harsh climate the Med-jai lived in: blazing hot during the day, cold enough to give chills at night. The sheer size of the desert still made Rick feel infinitely small against all its vastness.
The drumming had faded away, leaving Rick alone with his thoughts. The only time he became this philosophical was in the desert. It was like some part of him changed while he was there, became more thoughtful, more quiet. And now he supposed he knew why. The desert was part of his soul, a vital piece that had followed him throughout time. Heck, I live in the desert in this time, and Evy and I spend half our time on excavations in the desert in the future. No wonder it's a part of me.
Rick climbed up on large boulder at the edge of the camp. The rock was cold, but he didn't notice. All he could think about was Evy.
What if she's hurt? Or all alone someplace . . . and I can't be there to protect her! I thought that was my goddamned sacred duty. And I'm not even there?! Rick screamed silently at the stars. She must be in the body of Nefertiri. And Pharaoh Seti is still alive, which means Imhotep and Anck-su-namun are alive. What if they try to hurt her? If something happens to her, I'll never forgive myself. I lost her once. I won't again.
Evy pushed her way through the throngs of people in the outer hall of the throne room, trying to reach the Med-jai. She never made it.
Chapter Eight: The Plot
Evy had almost reached the Med-jai, when suddenly two things happened. An arrow went whizzing by her head, less than twenty centimeters away from striking her a mortal blow in the head. Evy fell to her knees, which saved her life, because then a spear flew directly over her and lodged itself in a wall ten meters ahead.
The people began screaming. Children's high-pitched wails were joined by the slightly lower shrieks of women, which was added to by the deep shouts of men, creating a weird, almost fantastic chord of shrill yells. Evy thought dazedly that it sounded like music. Music from a nightmare.
Abruptly Evy was yanked off her knees and pulled roughly along by two men. More lined up on either side and the front and back of the trio. Evy began to struggle but was silenced by a hand placed across her mouth.
"Hush, princess!" her silencer said. "It's us, the Med-jai. We must get you to a place of safety before they realize you're gone."
Who the "they" was, Evy dared not to ask.
The Med-jai continued to pull her along, carrying her more than she was actually walking. In her confusion, Evy didn't recognize the path they were taking and wondered if they were using a secret passage. Her shock-induced daydreams ended when they reached her suite of rooms.
The Med-jai set Evy on her feet and immediately went and shut the curtains to the balcony. They then proceeded to inspect every centimeter of the rooms. Evy asked what they were looking for and received the answer of "Poison and booby traps." This stunned her into silence.
When they were done, the Med-jai came and stood before Evy, or who they thought was Nefertiri. "Princess Nefertiri," the leader said. "Apparently there has been an assassination attempt on your life. We do not know who did this. We do not know why this has been done. Until now, we believed that the whole kingdom loved you. That seems not to be the case.
"Until we find who did this, who dared to try to lay a hand on you, the daughter of Pharaoh Seti, the Living God, I regret to say that certain restrictions must be placed on you. This is for your own safety. We will send message to the Med-jai camp that you require a bodyguard who will accompany you everywhere."
Evy blinked. The Med-jai leader had said this all without a pause or even a look at her to see if she understood. He just stood there silently and solemnly, waiting for her answer.
Rick is at the camp. And he's been my protector throughout time . . . maybe he is destined to be my bodyguard. Just in case, I'll make a requirement.
"I understand and accept the fact that I must have a bodyguard," Evy said. "However, I make a request. The bodyguard must have blue eyes." She hoped that the feature of Rick she loved the most, his blue eyes, would still be with him in this time.
The Med-jai looked at each other. This was an unusual demand. Blue eyes were a rarity, and they could not promise that anyone in the camp would have them. You did not say no to a princess, though, so they merely nodded and withdrew from the room. One stayed outside her door to make sure nobody unwanted could get in. This also prevented Evy from getting out.
Rick awoke to Ardeth roughly shoving him. "Wake up, Neharon!" he shouted. "The Med-jai from Thebes are here!"
"What? Why?" Rick said as he sat up and took a drink of water from his clay jug.
"No one knows. But hurry up, or they'll leave!"
Rick followed Ardeth outside and to the main area of the camp. Many people were gathered there, talking excitedly to each other. All eyes were fixed on three men who strode from man to man, knocking their chins upward and peering intently into each face.
"What are they doing?' Rick muttered.
"I have no idea," Ardeth responded.
They watched warily as the three strangers slowly circled around the gathering. None of the men from the camp had satisfied the Thebes Med-jai. They seemed to be losing hope by the time they reached Ardeth.
The tallest of the Thebes Med-jai pushed Ardeth's chin up and stared at him. Rick scrutinized the scene, but it still made no sense. Why were they looking at each man's face, and not having a contest to see who was the fittest, the fastest, the strongest?
The Thebes Med-jai shook his head. "No," he said, and let Ardeth's chin drop. Ardeth's face showed perfectly his disbelief that he hadn't been chosen.
Then the Med-jai pushed up Rick's chin. Rick didn't really like being touched like that, and had to use all his restraint to avoid punching the guy. He was amazed to see a smile begin at the corners of the man's mouth.
"Yes! That's it!" he shouted. "I have found him." The other Thebes Med-jai came hurrying over. "He has blue eyes."
"What? I have blue eyes?" Rick said. "What does that mean?"
"It means," the tall Med-jai said, fixing Rick with a stern glare, "That you are now the bodyguard to Princess Nefertiri. She specifically requested a bodyguard with blue eyes. And you are the only one."
"He has blue eyes?" Ardeth said, staring straight ahead of him and talking to the air. "I never noticed."
Rick ignored him, his mind churning furiously. Evy had wanted blue eyes. She must have hoped that he would be the only one with them. And now, everything he wanted, to be able to protect her, was within his grasp. There was only one thing to do, really.
"Yes," Rick said. "I'll do it. I want to leave at once."