It was a warm summer's morning in Thebes. Amun and Tahirah were collecting fire wood to make breakfast, bread sweetened with honey. Amun looked around and was pleased with what he saw, small children running around and playing, neighbours talking and his beloved parents sitting outside their mud brick house. His mother, Kamilah, was very beautiful, she had dark brown hair and sparkling green eyes, Amun thought she was perfect in every way possible. His father, Mbizi, was very handsome, he had short, black hair and very charming dark blue eyes but how could Amun even begin to describe Tahirah, his soul mate, to him she is pure ecstasy. His daydreaming was interrupted by the thunder of galloping horses. It was Queen Cleopatra's guard.

"What are they doing so far away from Alexandria?" Tahirah wondered inquisitively.

"Yeah, aren't they meant to be with the Queen?"Kamilah questioned rhetorically. Everyone gathered to see why they were here and the leader spoke first.

"People of Thebes! We have travelled far and wide to find someone to help us! Your gracious Queen Cleopatra has been kidnapped! A note was left behind...with the seal of Anubis! We need a hero strong enough and brave enough to help us!"At that point people were retreating back to their houses and covering their children's ears. Then, very unexpectedly, Amun stepped forward.

"I will go save the Queen!" Amun bellowed.

"NO!" screamed Tahirah as she lunged forward to capture his waist, her tears fell on his bare skin. He shrugged her off with ease and started on his way back to the house to collect his things for the long journey. Kamilah tried to follow Amun to persuade him to stop but he just walked faster. No-one could stop him now. To many this journey was a fate worse than death. Amun vowed that he would save the Queen and that nothing would stop him.

The new day had started, Ra had set the sun in motion and the air was fresh. He picked up his bag and headed for the door where his family was waiting. His mother handed him a bag full of food and his father handed him a scimitar from the invasion of the Libyans when Mbizi had fought, however the best gift came from Tahirah, it was her favourite necklace to protect him and to help him remember her. It was made from emeralds, rubies and gold; he put it on straight away so he wouldn't lose it. Before he stepped outside he reapplied his kohl and made sure his scimitar was on tight. He knew it was going to be a long journey but he knew it was right. He opened the door and saw the whole village waiting to say goodbye. He went over to his horse and untethered his bridle from the wooden pole, jumped up on the saddle and waved goodbye to everyone and trotted off toward Alexandria. It was a tiring journey; he arrived at his destination in two and a half days. As he trotted toward the extravagant palace two guards stopped him in his tracks.

"Who are you and why are you here?" the first guard questioned. The second guarded just stood there and looked fierce but Amun could see right through him.

"I am Amun and I am the hero who has come to save the queen." He declared. Just at that very moment another guard walked up, the same one who read out the proclamation three days ago.

"Its ok, this is the man I was telling you about; he has come to help us." He reassured the guards. The first guard lowered his spear and so did the second, Amun relaxed his rigid body, he didn't even realise he had tensed up. The guard led Amun to the royal stables and then on to the Queens' Court where a meeting was being held. In the centre of the table was a piece of papyrus, as Amun stepped closer he saw the seal of Anubis. It had Anubis in hieroglyphs on it. This would have struck fear into Tahirah if she saw this, Amun automatically touched her necklace. He missed her so much. Amuns' name was called out so he stepped forward, still touching the necklace, he voiced his plans. He plotted to travel, with five guards, to Duat, to the underworld. There he would fight Anubis and save the Queen. He didn't know how they would win but they would try. The guards decided to leave the next morning so that night Amun sent a messenger with a letter to Tahirah.

It said: Dear My sweet Tahirah,

Tomorrow we leave for Duat, It will take four days to get there. I miss you so much, I just want to see you again. Send my love to Mother and Father, and if I don't come back, please don't grieve for me and don't be alone your whole life, please do find another, I don't want you to be sad.

With all my love, Amun

In the morning, at dawn, Amun and the five guards leapt up onto their horses and travelled east towards Sinai. It was a long journey and one guard died along the way. At midday on the fourth day the arrived at Ismailia, the opening to Duat. There was absolutely no-one there, the place was like a ghost town. All of a sudden the earth started to tremble, cracks started to appear in the ground and a deep rumbling growl came from the underworld. The sky was covered with a blanket of gray clouds and lightning bolts flew across the sky and the earth fell from beneath them. They started falling, it seemed like forever before they touched solid ground. It was dark and then all of a sudden torches along the circular walls burst into flames, they all looked at their surroundings and when Amun looked back a tunnel had appeared and the torches in there lit up too. Amun led the four guards down the passage way and when they came to the end they were back in the same circular room or so they thought. They were actually in the Hall of Judgement. Amun looked around again and when he looked back the tunnel was gone and Anubis was standing right in front of him. The other guards screamed and tried to run but there was nowhere to go. One guard was still screaming and with the snap of his finger, Anubis had turned him to dust. The tunnel reappeared and the three guards that were left made a run for it but Amun couldn't move, he was to shocked to even blink. Anubis waved his arm and the tunnel closed, the three guards were trapped there to die a slow and painful death. Out of nowhere, probably his love for Tahirah, a surge of courage rushed through Amuns' veins.

"I'm not scared of you."Amun hissed. He pulled his scimitar out of its sheath and stepped back. Anubis pulled his spear into a defensive position. Amun lunged forward but Anubis hit him out of the way. Amun touched his back and looked at his hand, it was covered in blood. It was only a small cut but it still stung, Anubis' spear must have poison on it. Amun didn't care that he was hurt, he kept on fighting.

"Anubis, I want to make a deal. You can set a course for me with Queen Cleopatra at the end and if I get to her safely you let me and her go without any trouble!" Amun yelled while dodging Anubis' swings.

"And what if I win? What do I get?" Anubis barked sharply.

" You will get to keep me and the Queen as personal slaves!"Amun replied strongly. Anubis stopped fighting.

"OK, it's a deal." He waved his arm to the wall where the tunnel had been and in there was a pile of dust, Amun knew it was the three guards. Amun stepped into the tunnel and it closed off behind him, he walked forward and grabbed a torch off the wall, he looked back and could see nothing. He stepped forward to explore some more and came to the end of the tunnel. Amun was shocked at what he saw, it was a giant serpopard bearing its teeth and snarling. He pulled his scimitar swiftly and smoothly from its sheath hanging from his waist. He charged at the horrifying monster but was knocked out the way so he tried again, this time he plunged the sword into the beasts heart. As soon as the brute lay dead he turned to dust and was blown away. Amun kept on travelling his trail.

The next challenge was even worse, it was an enormous griffin. Amun gripped his weapon even tighter and touched Tahirahs' necklace, he closed his eyes and saw her smiling and happy. The griffin screeched and interrupted his sweet memory. After seeing his one true love a swell of bravery sped through his veins and he swung his trusty sword toward the giant demon and slayed it with one blow. The creature crashed to the ground with a loud thud and turned to a pile of dust. After it was whisked away Amun kept on marching to meet his third and final obstacle, a double headed bull but this one was enchanted, it could spit fire from its mouth and squirt acid from its eyes. Luckly when Amun arrived the monstrosity was asleep. He crept closer, quiet as a mouse, to the large fiend. He was one foot away and he plunged his scimitar into the evil varmints' heart, it turned to a powdery cloud and was swept away by the wind. Amun put his scimitar away safely and started to run toward the screams coming from beyond. The screams got louder so Amun could tell he was getting closer. He saw the Queen and was bewildered by her beauty but for him no-one was better than his Tahirah. He rushed to her and untied the rope that bound her feet and hands.

"Thank-you! Thank-you so much!" Cleopatra cried in a mess of tears and gasps.

"How are we going to get out!" The Queen screamed still crying.

"It's ok, I made a deal with Anubis." Amun explained. And then, quick as a flash, they were on solid ground, above sea level. They then travelled back to Alexandria, Amun let his Gracious Queen ride on the horse while he walked. They got to their destination in eight days.

When they arrived in the herculean city everyone started to cheer and shout with humongous smiles on their faces. They walked to the Queen's Court where all of the guards were pleased to see that they were unscathed. They had a party and after the celebrations Queen Cleopatra made a marvellous offer.

"Would you, Amun, Come live with me at my palace and you can bring your family too." Cleopatra offered.

"Why, that would be fabulous. Thank-you, thank-you so much." Amun choked out quietly. He turned around and headed out the door to make his way home.

When he got back to his beloved family they celebrated for days and then Amun broke the news and they started to pack straight away, they left the very next day. Within the next couple of days they arrived at the palace and met the Queen. They were all given their own rooms and they lived happily ever after.

Thank you so much for reading my story I wrote this in 2009 for my English class, I had fun writing it and I really hope you like it