Over the next couple of weeks as the other museum inhabitants noticed Ahkmenrah, Attila and Sacagawea leaving the museum it became clear they were hardly the only ones who wanted to leave. So May, Ahkmenrah and Teddy worked out the rules for anyone who wanted to go out.
They got a map of Central Park and divided it into six sections and a sign out sheet, for name, place going and latest time back.
The Neanderthals were the only adult exhibits not allowed out under any circumstances and the miniatures were only allowed out if accompanied by someone full size. Anyone who wanted to go out had to be able to understand, and speak at least some English. Already the exhibits were showing much more interest and dedication to learning English than they ever had before.
Beyond that the rules were simple enough, no one except Ahkmenrah was allowed to go outside alone. Only four groups could go out per night, unless a previous group returned early. One group had to be back at each of the hour marks between one am and four am, giving plenty of time to go out and search for them if they were late. Anyone who was late wouldn't be allowed out of the museum again for a month. To avoid that happening each group would have at least two watches that they had to be able to read before leaving. They also had to be able to use the speed dial on cheap cell phones May had gotten for them in case of emergency. So far there hadn't been any problems, but of course that couldn't last forever.
May could hear what sounded like Attila arguing with Ahkmenrah just down the hall from her and quickened her pace. She got there just in time to see Ahkmenrah's face pale at something Attila had said.
"Okay boys, what are we fighting about now?" she asked as she walked up to them.
"I want horse to ride," Attila said holding out his hand to show her a horse that had most likely come from one of the dioramas, "He won't make bigger, I'll tell, then nothing to hide."
"If anyone else were to see him with a horse in the park they'd want to know where it came from, they'd find out either way," Ahkmenrah said, the familiar look of fear on his face.
May hated seeing him so afraid and the fact that it was something so trivial that Attila was making his threat about made something in her snap. She stepped between the two men, glaring up at Attila she fiercely said, "You will not tell anyone about what he can do with the tablet, if you do, you will never ride a horse again because I will lock you in your display for as long as I continue to work here if you do. Do you understand that?" she demanded.
Attila simply nodded his head meekly, "Good, now get out of my sight and don't you dare cause any more trouble tonight," she told him and he left without another word.
When she turned to Ahkmenrah the look of fear was gone from his face, instead he had a big smile on his face, "Has anyone ever told you, you would make a spectacular queen? You just crushed a rebellion in a matter of seconds and maintaining that calm, innocent demeanor most of the time makes it all the more striking when you take a stand," Ahkmenrah told her.
May blushed at the praise, "I just didn't like that he was threatening you."
On her way home for work that morning May stopped at a second hand shop and broke out into a grin when she looked into a box of stuff and got a brilliant idea.
That night as soon as she was able to get Ahkmenrah alone she asked, "If you made something big at night, would it go back to being small during the day?"
"No, I could make it so it would stay full sized as long as it remained within range of the tablet. Why?" Ahkmenrah asked.
"I was just thinking about how much Attila wants a horse, it actually makes perfect sense, the Huns were exceptional horsemen. The Romans use to make fun of the Huns, saying they couldn't walk on their own feet because of the amount of time they spent on horseback. I was thinking perhaps someone could anonymously donate a horse out by the loading docks for Attila's display," she told him pulling the struggling, small felted horse she had found out of her pocket.
"I think that's a wonderful idea," Ahkmenrah told her.
Shortly before sunrise Ahkmenrah and May headed to just outside the loading docks and Ahkmenrah made the horse bigger before leaving May to keep the horse in place until sunrise, while he returned to his coffin. After sunrise May tied a note around the horse's neck that Ahkmenrah had written, to ensure no one recognized May's handwriting. The note said that since the Huns were known as such great horsemen it was inappropriate for them not to have at least one horse in their display.
By that evening the horse had been inspected and placed in the Hun's display and May was waiting with a video camera to catch their reaction. As they woke up all the Huns jumped at the unexpected new member of their display, but quickly recovered and started petting the horse and talking to it.
A moment later Ahkmenrah arrived and May showed him the video of their reaction.
Attila walked over to them, "You bring horse?" he asked.
"May brought the horse, it was little then I made it bigger, but no one can know that. As far as anyone else is to know it was an anonymous donation by a stranger, that has always been that size," Ahkmenrah replied.
"Secret, okay," Attila said then suddenly hugged both of them tightly before going back to the horse. Within minutes he was proudly strutting down the halls of the museum on the horse.
Attila had taken the horse out into the park and returned a few hours later, riding up the hall from the loading docks at the same time May and Ahkmenrah were walking down the hall.
As soon as she spotted him May said, "Please tell me he doesn't have two dead flamingos."
"I'm afraid that's exactly what it looks like," Ahkmenrah replied.
"What on earth were you thinking, you can't just kill stuff in the park," May said as she walked up to Attila.
"Fire Eyes wanted feathers, I bring her feathers, these birds stupid not even try to get away," Attila told her.
"Fire Eyes, she's the Lakota woman, right?" May asked and Attila nodded bashfully, "You are not allowed to kill anything in the park ever again, if you do you won't be allowed outside again for a year, understood?" she asked sternly.
"Yes," he replied.
"Good then-" she was interrupted by the sound of tires screeching by her feet.
"Are those flamingos?" Octavius called up to her.
"Yes they are, Attila wanted the feathers," May replied.
"Just the feathers? Well if he's going to waste the meat might I have it?" Octavius asked, "I remember being able to make a splendid braised flamingo."
"Sure, why not, at least it reduces the amount of stuff I have to get rid of without anyone noticing," glancing around to make sure no one else was around she said, "Attila get the feathers off then give the birds to Ahkmenrah so he can shrink them and give them to Octavius," she looked down at Octavius and asked, "Can you even eat?"
"Though we never feel hungry, yes we can eat," Octavius told her.
"Okay, then you boys take care of this, Sacagawea and I had already been planning on going for a walk and she's probably waiting for me," May told them.
When May got back and had done a quick check of the museum she headed towards the Egyptian room. When she got there she froze outside the door and then stayed there for a while, watching Ahkmenrah.
He had a khopesh and was going through several different movements with it. After a few more minutes with it he got a second one and started going through a number of exercises with both. He moved with incredible grace, making the fighting positions look more like a dance as he moved through them. At least until he turned so he was facing the doorway, jumped in surprise at seeing her and dropped one of the weapons. The look on his face was the one May had quickly learned to recognize. Even though she was the only one he admitted his fear of being locked up again to, it still surprised her that no one else had noticed it yet.
"You really think they'll try to lock you up again just because you know how to fight?" she asked walking into the room.
He looked at her in surprise, "Since when can you read minds?" he asked.
"I'm not reading your mind, I'm readying your face. You always get this unique look of fear on your face, when you start worrying about that. You do know anyone who knows much about Ancient Egypt would know a king would have been taught to fight, right?" she asked walking over to him and picking up the khopesh he had dropped.
"I don't think many, if any of them know that much," he replied.
"And you think if they know you can fight they'll want to lock you up again?" she asked.
"Better safe than locked up," he said.
Sighing in frustration May took the other khopesh from him, setting them down she took his hand and dragged him out of the room, "Where are we going?" he asked.
"To prove to you that no one is going to be afraid of you if you know how to fight," May replied.
"You can't tell them, I won't risk them fearing me," he told her.
"Who said anything about telling them you already know how to fight?" May said then spotting Attila she walked up to him and asked, "Would you mind teaching Ahkmenrah and I how to fight with those swords of yours?"
Attila grinned, nodding and said, "Yes, good to know to fight."
A little while later May and Ahkmenrah each had a sword and were facing off against each other with Attila occasionally correcting their stance. It was little more than a slow motion shifting between moves. As they got better at the moves they started to move a little faster, attacking and countering at a slow but smooth pace without Attila having to give them instructions.
After nearly two hours a small crowd had formed, some giving pointers and others saying they're particular style of fighting was better and offering to teach them.
Finally deciding they needed a break May and Ahkmenrah headed back to the Egyptian room after having to promise the Vikings, some of the Native American's, Octavius and even Teddy that they would let them each teach them their fighting styles.
Once they were out of earshot of the others May said, "So they'll be afraid of you if they know you can fight, huh?"
"What they saw hardly indicates actually knowing how to fight, but maybe I do worry about it a little too much," he admitted.
They walked through the halls of the museum, heading back to the Egyptian room and talking about what Egypt was like when Ahkmenrah was alive. Then they heard flute music coming from farther up the hall.
"Isn't that just the most peaceful sound you've ever heard? I'll bet it's one of the Native Americans," May said as they followed the music.
"It is quite tranquil," Ahkmenrah agreed.
They found the music was coming from one of the rooms of Native American displays, everyone had left to other parts of the museum except for a couple who sat on a bench. The man was playing the flute while a young woman sat at his side, a soft smile on her face as she listened to him play.
As the man finished the song he looked up and noticed May and Ahkmenrah standing in the doorway.
"I'm sorry if we're disturbing you, but that was beautiful," May said.
"No need to apologize, his playing is rather irresistible, it is how he got me to start courting him after all," the woman told her, "I'm Turtle Chaser and this is my husband Little Eagle. You're the new night guard, May, right?"
"Yes," May confirmed.
"You chose to start courting because he could play the flute?" Ahkmenrah asked.
"Well we knew each other a little just from seeing each other around the village. It was tradition that a young man would play the flute outside the lodge of the girl he wanted to court. If she liked him too then she would go out and sit with him and they would start courting," Turtle Chaser explained.
"I've always loved the thought of that, it's so sweet and romantic. Forget jewelry and flowers, I'd take a guy who would play the flute for me over those any day," May said.
– –
When they reached the Egyptian room May grabbed the khopesh, handed one to Ahkmenrah and smiling said, "Now it's your turn to be the teacher."
