Two Years Later...

"Everly, have you seen Alex?" A woman in her early thirties asked as she entered the newly remodeled kitchen.

The young woman at the stove glanced over her shoulder, "No, mom, but he has been out playing with Ardeth's nephew every morning this week. I doubt he wants to attend another museum function. Especially since it's on Egyptian Lore; no one knows more about the subject than you, remember?"

Evy smiled, "You're right, but he shouldn't be running off without letting someone know where he's going. And on the subject of Ardeth, you two seem to be getting along, lately."

With a sigh, Everly turned the stove off, "I'll go looking for him. Sit and eat, I'll be back in a bit!"

Without another word, Everly skipped out the back door in search of her brother. She didn't want to have a conversation about Ardeth with her mother. She'd already found the binder her mother owned with a ton of wedding plans inside. A wedding, mind you, that she hadn't even agreed to.

Not that Ardeth's asked, because he hasn't but even if he did..

"Alex? Armaeus? I know you're out here." She called out, waiting by the fountain she had installed when she first bought the place.

Her home had the benefit of being on the outskirts of Cairo, near a small oasis that allowed her to plant a garden. It was a small jungle in its own right, not large enough to get lost in, but big enough for Alex to hide and not be found so long as he kept quiet. Every-time her family visited her, he always managed to wander away when no one was looking.

She heard their labored breaths before she saw them. They were covered in dirt, head-to-toe, giggling all the while. Crossing her arms over her chest, Everly snorted as they came into full view.

"And just what have you two been up to?" She inquired.

Alex shrugged, while Armaeus offered their excuses, "We lost track of time, Aunt Everly."

If it wasn't for his green eyes, she could almost mistake Armaeus as Ardeth's own son. Shaking her head, Everly grinned, "Get inside before our mother has a heart-attack, Alex. You won't have much time to get ready for the exhibit, as it is. You too, Armaeus."

Armaeus latched on to Everly's right hand, dragging her with him as they headed for the house. He adored her, not that she knew why, but he was cute in his adoration.

Shuffling in after the boys, Everly slipped her shoes off and followed the sound of laughter into the kitchen. Her mother and father sat at the bar, while Ardeth stood on the other side, no doubt recounting tales of his latest escapades to them. The life of a Med-jai was never boring, in her opinion.

"Alex! Where have you been? You knew about the exhibit. You should've been upstairs, getting ready, not outside playing." Evy chastised.

Alex scowled, rolling his eyes as he headed upstairs to go take a shower. Since he'd become a teenager, rebelliousness was his go-to. Armaeus held onto Ardeth's right hand, listening aptly as he spoke to her parents. He was in no hurry to bathe, but then again, he wasn't going to the museum with the rest of them.

Stepping across the threshold, Everly wandered back over to the stove, intent on finishing lunch for herself.

"Hey, honey, we're gonna go ahead and leave before Alex is done with his shower. Do you mind taking him with you?" Rick asked just as shesat down to eat.

Her parents were already dressed for the exhibit, looking the part of an Egyptian princess and her Med-jai warrior. It wasn't something she hadn't seen before, so she barely took notice of it. She didn't have enough fingers to count the times the entire family had to dress up for an exhibit. It was mildly irritating that her closet contained more Egyptian style clothing than anything else.

What could she say? She preferred trousers.

Everly frowned, "But, Dad. I wasn't going."

"Why ever not?" Evy looked as if she'd bit into a lemon.

"Mom, I know you think its respectful to attend every single Egyptian show since you're known as the best in the field, but I really just can't be bothered. When you've been to the last twenty, they get a bit old. The last actual discovery that was made was Ahm Shere, and you and father know exactly how that went." She explained.

"What about your discovery just a couple years ago?" Rick interrupted, trying to dodge a fight before it happened.

Everly rolled her eyes, "You know as well as I do, that what I found was a simple temple. It wasn't anything like Ahm Shere or Hamunaptra, don't compare them."

Rick held his hands up as a symbol for peace, while he shepherded Evy into the foyer. The best he could do was separate his wife and daughter before any heated words could happen. They would never see eye to eye about Egyptian discoveries. If he didn't know, for a fact, that Everly was adopted, he would swear she was Evy's.

Anger fading into a minor annoyance, Everly picked at the omelet she made as everyone but her brother exited the house. She made a point not to look at Ardeth while in her mother's line of sight.

Dropping the plate into the sink, she swallowed her irritation and walked upstairs to dress for the evening. In her room, she eyed the garment bag on her bed with trepidation. What had her family picked out? Approaching the bed, she opened the bag and gasped. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands, hoping to dispel the image in front of her.

Phantom hands placed themselves upon her shoulders, trying to ease the tension flooding her body. They offered a miniscule amount of comfort when she knew something was going to happen. Biting the bullet, she pulled the outfit from the bag and began to change. The silk skirt felt just as she remembered, loosely flowing around her with every step she took. A silk binding covered her chest, the white fabric standing out amongst her tanned skin.

Walking over to the mirror, she stared in awe at the picture before her. As she took in the sight, the same phantom hands released her hair within its clasp and began to style it elaborately. The end result was a foreign braid that shimmered with every bend and crease. Her crimson hair glittered like fire as she moved. When the hands pulled away, the tiara faded into existence, once more.

She hadn't seen it since the day she had placed it upon her brow.

Kohl lined her eyes, drawing one's gaze to her abnormally colored irises. Sucking in a breath, she left her room after adding the finishing touches of jewels to her body. She hardly recognized herself as she left the room to go grab her brother.

Knocking on Alex's door, she outright laughed when he opened it. "What are you wearing?"

He huffed, crossing his arms over his bare chest, "What are you wearing?"

"Touche. How about we go, and never mention this again?" She bargained.

Alex grinned, "That's the only smart thing I've heard you say all day!"

Skipping past her, he made his way down the stairs. She stifled another laugh as she watched his loincloth wave with every step he took. What were her parents thinking? Shaking her head, she followed after him and approached the horses they had rented for the night.

Pulling herself up onto the saddle, Everly and Alex made their way to the Museum in Cairo. Luckily for them, everyone with an invitation was required to dress accurately. Eyeing her brother, she smiled as the tension eased from his shoulders when he caught sight of what everyone else was wearing.

He turned around to glance at her, a question in his eyes, "Go ahead, I'll meet you there." She was in no hurry.

Grabbing onto the reins, he clucked to his horse and took off at a gallop. Everly continued at a leisurely pace, not wanting to be caught among the crowd of men that usually attended these functions. As she approached the museum, she slipped from her horse and lead it to the stable boy next door. Handing him money to rent a stall for a couple hours, she headed inside.