Sarah and Danny watched the camels go by for a few moments before Sarah grabbed Danny's elbow and pulled him down low into the sand where they wouldn't be seen. Danny looked at her, questioningly.
"We both may be happy enough to see another human, but before we're caught we'd better try and find out who they are and where we are and when we are. We need a cover story that won't get us killed and not all human eras were peaceful."
"Right, okay," Danny agreed, whispering back to her. "How do we go about finding out?"
"You're going to spy on them."
"Me? Why me?"
"Because, Danny, you're like a regular James Bond aren't you? No one else could have broken into the ARC and Christine's HQ like you did."
Danny flashed Sarah an appreciative grin, but proceeded to protest anyway. "Not that I don't agree with you in that I know my skills are somewhat superb, but you're far more likely to recognize what we're actually looking at, Sare. I admit I was always a history buff, but no one knows the subject like you do."
"Then we go together?"
Danny nodded, "We're better together anyway. Now, follow me and I'll get us close and unnoticed."
Sarah nodded but hesitated, "What about Molly and King?"
Danny glanced at the animals that were tearing back and forth across the sand in a game of chase, "I knew it was a dumb idea to keep pets out here," he muttered, but the he shrugged. "Ah well, we'll just have to hope for the best. C'mon."
Sarah watched as Danny slid lower down the sand dune and then stood up and half ran, half slid to the bottom. She followed close behind as Danny led her around to the side of it and then quickly ushered her between two more dunes until they were quite close and just out of sight.
"Now," he whispered, "Stay quiet and listen."
Sarah nodded and did so. The camels had passed and were being followed by a large group of people, but the people were talking and laughing and they sounded relaxed. She didn't think this was an army or any other group of war-minded folks.
"They're speaking Hebrew," she whispered to Danny. "I think they're early Israelites."
"Do you understand the language?"
"Enough I think, though their accents are strong and it makes it hard."
"I thought camels were an Egyptian thing?"
"They were both, but Israelites didn't use them as often. They preferred cattle. I wonder why these ones have so many with them."
"Are they dangerous to us?"
"The people? No, I don't think so, as long as we don't do anything too stupid. The camels, however, are known to spit."
"Ha ha, very funny. What do you mean by stupid?"
"Well I'd think twice before I'd start flirting with any of their women," Sarah laughed.
"What? Me, a flirt?" Danny pretended to be shocked at her accusation.
"Yes, you. In fact, we'll have to tell them we're married."
"What?"
Sarah sighed, "For my sake. I don't really feel like being taken prisoner and sold off to some rich foreigner to be added to his harem."
"Right, okay, we're married. Can we go to Hawaii for our honeymoon?" Danny grinned at her, jokingly.
Sarah playfully shoved him, "Sure, if you can book us a flight out of here."
"I'm on it, and if I don't succeed, well at least we found a hot sandy beach."
"Minus the ocean."
Danny nodded, smiling, "Anyway, moving on, so we're married. What else?"
"You go by Daniel."
"What? Why?" Danny asked, sounding annoyed.
"Because they'll recognize it as a name. What's wrong with Daniel? It's a lovely name."
"It's what people call me when I'm in trouble."
"Your parents?"
"Well they started it, but generally anyone who is annoyed at me."
"In that case, you should be used to it," Sarah teased.
"What about you, can I still call you Sarah?"
"Yes, of course. Now, next I need to know something."
"Okay, what?" Danny asked. When she didn't reply, he looked over and saw her biting her lip, nervously. "Sarah, what is it?"
"Danny, I need to ask you something, but you've gotta be totally honest with me. I promise I won't be mad either way, but it's somewhat important. In fact, it could be a life or death situation… for you."
"I'm listening," Danny said, seriously.
"Did you mean it the other day when you said I was beautiful?"
"Yes, you're stunning," Danny replied without hesitation, "but what's with that whole speech about my answer? Were you planning on killing me if I said no?"
"Daniel," Sarah warned with a smile, "I need you serious."
"I was serious," he replied, "At least about you being stunning."
Sarah leaned over and kissed his cheek, "Then we need to pretend something is wrong with me."
"Why?"
"So that they don't kill you to get you out of the way so they can still take me for some rich dude's Harem."
"Waaaiiit a minute," Danny said slowly. "You're saying that when I agreed to marry you, I was putting myself in danger?"
Sarah tilted her head and batted her eyelashes at him, "My hero."
He grinned and draped an arm around her shoulders, "Well, when you put it that way…"
"Thank-you, Danny. Now, what should we say is wrong with me?"
Danny stood and moved to peek around the sand dune at the group that had passed into the distance now. He watched as they seemed to be stopping and setting up tents. "Children were important in these times weren't they? We could say you're barren…"
"Good idea, only how would I ever bring that up in conversation?"
Danny grinned, "Fortunately, I don't have to worry about that. I don't speak the language which means you get to do all the talking."
"Probably a good thing anyway. Why should we say you don't speak Hebrew?"
"We travelled here from afar and we're very lost. We come from the land called London where these odd clothes we're wearing are quite common, as are pet dogs and flying lizards."
"Got it."
"Sarah?"
"Yeah?"
"Will they believe we're married?"
"Why wouldn't they?"
"Because, you know, you're, you're Indian. Would that be accepted in these times?"
Sarah nodded, slowly, "Yes, I think so. There was a lot of mixed marriages in Israeli history. I'm only half Indian though, you know."
"Still, they can't tell. What's your other half?"
"Moroccan. But you're right, it's besides the point. I think we'd better tell them I'm Egyptian. They'll understand that better. I'm the daughter of an Egyptian man named… Lester. You used to serve my family and when you'd earned your freedom he gave you my hand in marriage as a payment for your faithful services and you took me back to your hometown. They'd buy that, and with me coming from a rich Egyptian family, it'd explain why I spoke the language."
"Do you speak Egyptian too?"
"I do."
"Then we're set. Shall we join them?"
Sarah nodded and Danny reached for her hand as they made their way across the sand, followed by their two pets. He had a feeling that hand holding wasn't customary in these times, but they were both a bit nervous and he didn't think they'd get into trouble for it. Anyway, Sarah knew more about that sort of thing and she wasn't pulling away.
They were still some distance from the camp when they were spotted.
"Oi! Who are you?" Sarah quickly translated into Danny's ear as a boy of about fourteen came running up to them. He stopped a few feet away though, staring uncertainly at Molly-Spratt and King.
A few others from the camp had turned to watch as well, but no one else stepped forward. Sarah held out her hands in a gesture that she hoped was friendly.
"I'm Sarah," she said haltingly in their language, "And this is my husband Daniel."
Beside her, Danny winced at the name and Sarah gave him a little glare for it. "We've travelled very far and we are lost."
The boy hesitated and then came closer, "Your husband, why does he not answer for himself?"
"He does not understand your language."
"Will your livestock bite?"
Sarah shook her head, "No, they are tame."
"They are very funny looking. So are you. What are these clothes that you wear? What are the animals?"
"They are common where we are from, both the clothing and the animals. The animals are a dog and a lizard. We call them Molly and King."
"And where do you come from?" asked a burly looking man who had come to stand behind the boy.
"London, do you know it?" Sarah answered confidently.
"No, must be far."
"It is," Sarah answered, "But it is a lovely place."
Molly-Spratt gave a little bark, tired of the delay, and made a move to go after King again. King took the air just out of Molly's reach.
"Will the dog eat your lizard?" asked the boy.
"No, they are just playing," Sarah replied, giggling as King suddenly landed on Danny's shoulder. Molly jumped up at Danny's feet, trying to reach his lizard pal, causing Danny to step back and trip over Sarah's foot, leaving him effectively sprawled out on his bottom in the sand. The boy and the man both began to howl with laughter and even Sarah giggled a bit as she offered Danny her hand to help him back up.
Danny glared at her as he clung to her arm, "It's not funny, Sarah."
"We could take a vote on that," she retorted, nodding toward the two Israelites.
"Be nice, or I'll divorce you, Mrs. Quinn," he shot back, but he was laughing himself.
"What's he saying?" the boy asked suddenly as he listened to Sarah and Danny's strange tongue curiously.
"He says he's embarrassed, but happy to give you such pleasure at his expense. And then he told me to ask your names," Sarah lied.
"I'm Job," the boy supplied, "And this is my uncle Barachi. We are all journeying to Egypt where we hope to trade our camels for food. The land is very sparse this year, not much grew. Will you join us?"
"We will," Sarah agreed, her eyes sparkling with excitement at the idea of seeing ancient Egypt in person. She turned quickly to Danny and translated for him, "They are friendly with us and have invited us to go to Egypt with them. Their names are Job and Barachi."
Danny frowned, looking puzzled. "I was always told the Egyptians and Israelites hated each other."
"Sometimes they did, but we've ended up in a time of peace."
"Your husband, he frowns," Barachi said. "He does not approve of you joining us?"
"He does," Sarah answered quickly. "Please tell us about Egypt."
"All in good time, m'lady." Barachi answered. "It's near suppertime now. Come, let me introduce you to the others.
Sarah nodded and they followed Job and Barachi back to the camp.