Update after so long time. I' was busy with University stuff and I'm doing my Master of Arts in „Ancient Judaism" and „Ancient cultures", „Near Eastern Archaeology" and „Old Testament" so there is hardly no time left for hobbys. Hope you enjoy it anyways.
Chapter 10:
A boat reached the coast shortly after the group had arrived at the bank of the Nile. It had been an arduous journey. Raj wasn't able to move his leg so Howard and Leonard were forced to carry him. Fortunately, only a small group of tourists waited to board the boat so the American scientists as well as Amy and Bernadette didn't have to wait too long in the scaldingly hot sun.
„Is he injured?" the man asked at the entrance.
„It looks like he's suffering from a knee fracture of the left hind leg" Bernadette replied.
The scientists listened attentively.
„We'll bring him to the boat's doctor, he should be sufficiently equipped" the man said.
They let Raj go and dedicated themselves to the reception desk.
„How many rooms would you like to occupy?" a brunette by short stature asked.
„Shall we book one room for the girls and one for the men?" Penny suggested.
The others nodded, except for Sheldon, who wasn't ready to share the bathroom with more than one other person.
„Can I get a sepreate room?" he begged but Leonard turned down his wish immediately.
„Tonight is dance night" informed the brunette. „We expect our guests to dress up according to the event." No one was really in the mood for celebration but the boat wouldn't reach Abu Simbel sooner if they embittered in a corner of the ballroom.
The girls stowed their small items in a cupboard provided for it.
„Amy, do you know the women's dress code for events like that?" Penny asked.
„I think we could show our pretty faces for once. Maybe we pass for tourists and no one will blame us for inappropriate appearance" Dr. Amarna replied.
Meanwhile the men were brought to the same table, they weren't dressed in suits but rather in their dusty and ragged pants and chemises from earlier on. The waiters snorted derisively but didn't intervene. Raj had recieved a bandage and a crutch.
„Shall we go through the facts of Abu Simbel and the small temple that we know for sure?" Leonard proposed. The others agreed.
„The smaller temple, dedicated to the divine wife of Ramses II., Nefertari, rises with a facade of 28 m length and 12 m height over the Nile. In contrast to the big temple it has no stems" the lecturer began.
„Does anyone know what we're going to find inside the temple?" Howard wondered.
Sheldon cleared his throat. „ Six columns are located inside the temple, they support the ceiling of the huge hall. The front shows a sistrum with the head of Hathor on it. The three other sides show the royal couple or different deities", he narrated.
„One of the Gods that are depicted is Anuket" a female voice added. They turned around and saw the three girls standing in front of them. Everyone was wearing a long dress and a foulard around her neck. They looked breathtakingly. Leonard stood up and pushed the chair back so that Penny could take a seat. Howard did the same for Bernadette, only Sheldon missed the opportunity to show his table manners to Amy. He was left speechless seeing the doctor with deities as special field in a glamurous outfit.
„I'm sorry, I didn't want to interrupt you" she apologized and sat down next to the linguist.
Penny took out her hackneyed note book and wrote down keywords. „Who was Anuket?" she asked.
Amy turned to her and smiled. „Anuket was the personification and goddess of the Nile river. Her name means the „Clasper" or „Embracer". She was part of the triade with the god Khnum and the goddess Satis", Amy replied.
„I read that the reliefs show remains of black, yellow, red and white color and when you enter the temple it maintains a unique atmosphere full of grace, charm and youth", Raj piped up.
„Does anyone have an idea where Bastet's Box could be hidden?" Howard thought that this was a broad question for consideration.
„Let us take a look at the plan of the smaller temple. We enter the hall with the six columns. We find three doorways connected to the hall. On the north and the south side are two rooms without treasures. The middle doorway leads to the inner sanctum" Leonard said.
„There is a niche ond the right side of the back wall where Hathor is represented as a cow. I think the Box could be hidden in the mouth of the cow" Raj suggested.
At this point the live band began to perform. They played „In the mood" by Glenn Miller. Leonard strechted his hand towards Penny and invited her to dance. She stood up without turning a hair. Howard tried to achieve the same with Bernadette. She hesitated for a moment but was then particulary pleased to join the first couple. Amy expected Sheldon to take a step but he was engrossed in thought and Raj was unable to dance.
Penny huddled against Leonard. They danced in tight embrace. „It's good to have small diversion from time to time" she whispered. Leonard blushed and felt a sudden warmth.
„Hey, instead of observing me how I lack of rhythm and being totally tone-deaf, why don't we go outside and look at the moon or the stars or another celestial body" Leonard stammered. Penny nodded and grabbed his hands.
„So, I assume you have medical knowledge" was the first thing Howard said. Bernadette was not a talkative person and he tried to relax her mood.
„I'm doing my PhD in plastic surgery" she answered. „I recognized the fracture of Raj's knee straight away. It must have been an unfortuante fall. I hope he feels better soon. Now, let's talk about you and your friends. Are you really looking for Bastet's Box? I mean, you know that someone could easily bring back Bastet's cat legion and God knows what impacts it could have on Egypt and it's people. I would be careful" she said.
Unanswered questions circulated in Howards mind. Why should a plastic surgeon be aware of the myth behind Bastet and her Box? Was Bernadette a friend or an enemy? He couldn't find a logical explanation. He wasn't even sure if they could trust her. But the negative considerations vanished at once when Bernadette lay a hand on his cheek.
„Is everything okay?" she wanted to know. „Are you wondering why I know so much about this myth?" He nodded embarassedly. „My mother is the dean of the Faculty of Arachaeology in Yale, I grew up in piles of books about Egypt and the Near Eastern area" she smiled a little.
„Dr. Cooper, I wanted to thank you once more for your rescue operation" Amy approached the linguist, hoping that he would return the gesture.
„No Problem", he shortly answered.
„Ehm, Dr. Cooper would you, would you be so kind, I mean, only if it doesn't bother you..." she began.
„Dr. Amarna, may I have the next dance?" Sheldon asked. Amy made big eyes and her heart leaped with joy. She stood up and accompanied Sheldon to the dance floor. His moves were obstinate and arbitrary but she appreciated the togetherness.
„I must say that I've never met a person so similar to my personality. You seem to be an ambituous young lady with clear aims in your life" he let her make a turn and caught her in his arms. Amy wasn't able to react to his assumption. Right now, she only had one objective: get closer to the linguist and see what happens.
Leonard and Penny walked along the railing. They didn't engage in conversation but were rather glancing shyly at one another. Suddenly Penny stopped and looked into Leonards eyes. „Shall we continue our Abydos-adventure?" her mischievous expression made him feel dizzy. He couldn't even reply when she had already pressed her lips against his and kissed him devotedly.
Amy too, tried her luck. Her lips got closer and closer to Sheldon's face but right then when she had summoned all her courage to take the next step, there was a bang and thousands of confettis rained down on them. She wondered if and when there would be the next possiblity to show the linguist her affection.