Krista - April 22, 2002
Rick paced back and forth in his room silently. Back and forth, back and forth the American paced. Olympus watched quietly as the man moved about the room in mute anger. Olympus understood the other man's situation. Here he was, unable to be with his wife, and his son was going to become a human sacrifice. He himself wondered if they would reclaim the American man's son. The sands of time were running quickly, and if they were too late, then they would surely be in great peril. Olympus frowned at the thought of sacrificing the boy for dominance. Such a thing was not acceptable. Seth and Nephthys could not win this battle...no, Olympus would not allow it. He couldn't...
"I need to see her."
Olympus looked up to see Rick make his way to the door. But in a shot, Olympus was blocking the door from the American. Rick growled low at the man who dared to stop him.
"Out of my way, Olympus. I need to see my wife" Rick spat. Olympus remained where he was.
"I cannot allow you to risk it, my friend. The chances of you not being discovered or worse are slim. I suggest you just remain where you are until the time is right." Olympus said in a low voice.
"Why can't we just go now? We could knock the guards down easily and most everyone is already down for the night anyway" Rick snapped.
Olympus shook his head. "Fool, the guards are on their toes at all hours, even at the evening's call. We must do this properly and organized, not going about and beating our enemies to dust."
Rick sighed softly to himself. He knew Olympus was right. They needed to wait a little while longer. However, time wasn't on their side ever. They had to get to Alex before the designated time or else his only son would perish at evil's hands. Suddenly Rick found himself at the window, the soft desert breeze caressing his face. His mind wandered back to the first time he ever brought Alex to Egypt with Evelyn...
"Dad! Look at all this sand! There's enough here to make over a million hourglasses" Alex said excitedly.
Rick smiled and scooped him into his arms. The boy was only about 6, and already he had a love for Ancient Egypt like his mother. And like his father, Alex was excited about the chance of an adventure. He covered his eyes as a breeze blew in some sand towards his face.
"Dad" Alex whined. "The sand is getting in my eyes! And in my mouth"
Rick's smile widened as he placed a small version of his own desert headgear on his son's head. Alex poked at it a bit, wondering if it would really work. When he discovered it did, Alex grinned and ran about excitedly, searching for hidden treasures that would possibly lay beneath.
"Alex, go slowly" Evie called out to her son.
"Yes mum" Alex chimed.
As the day had worn on, Evie and Rick digging about in ancient ruins and letting Alex touch different artifacts (the ones that wouldn't crumble to the touch, that is), they had all settled at their camp and were gradually settling down for sleep. Rick had maintained late night watch, cautious to make sure that no mummies were resurrected again. Especially if his six year old was around. Evelyn was fast asleep, along with Alex by her side asleep as
well.
"Dad"
Rick looked down at Alex, who stood in front of him holding a book about half his size. He clutched it to his chest, making careful sure not to drop it or let it fall near the fire. Rick tipped his head curiously at his son. So much for being asleep.
"What is it, little guy"
Alex held up the book to his father. Rick recognized it as the one Evie read every night before bedtime. The story of a boy who was best friends with a camel and traveled the desert seeking adventures. It was a random storybook, not quite famous by literary standards, but it was Alex's favorite because it reminded both him and Rick of Alex.
"How come you're still awake" Rick wondered.
"Couldn't sleep. You're not asleep neither. I'll keep guard with you. We'll fight the bad guys together if they come. 'Til then, can you read to me"
"Okay, bud. Come on up on my lap." Rick said, patting his thigh. He loved his son's innocence.
Alex grinned with delight and wriggled onto his Daddy's lap, leaning back against his father's broad chest. Rick opened the book to the first page, where they always began, no matter where they ended the story. It was always best to start from the beginning to Alex. Never leave something stale, be it food, gossip, or a bedtime story.
"Once upon a time, there was a boy who lived in the desert with a camel for his friend. The camel and the boy loved adventures. When the sun was shining, the camel and the boy would travel in the direction of the wind. They would search for many treasures and battle against many foes. When the moon was above the desert sand, the boy and the camel would sleep side by side, keeping the other warm in the cool of the sand." Rick read softly.
Alex listened intently, watching his father flip the pages and stare at the little illustrations every few pages would have. Soon, however, Alex found himself growing sleepy. He hid his yawns rather sloppily, trying to outwit his father into thinking he wasn't tired. Rick merely smiled and continued reading until the end, when Alex was fast asleep in his arms, and the book was at its final page.
"And as the boy and the camel walked through the desert, they looked at the setting sun before them. Like the rise and fall of the sun, their friendship and caring for each other would be an eternal cycle. The end.." Rick whispered, closing the book.
He cradled Alex in his arms and carried him to the set of beds. Tucking his son in gently, Rick settled in beside him, closing his eyes. Evie lay on his left, and Alex at his right. Suddenly, he felt himself being smushed together like a sandwich. He opened his eyes to see Alex burrowed under his arm and Evelyn against his shoulder. Both were still asleep and both were content in where they were. Rick smiled. He hoped this would stay like the boy and the camel...an eternal cycle of love and of caring...
Rick closed his eyes, feeling moisture slide down one side of his face as the breeze carried it away. He knew it was now time to make the escape as Olympus called for him. Glancing out once more at the night sky, he let out a sigh and wiped away the traces of any disintegration of his masculinity. He had to be the strong one.
'Don't worry Alex. I'm coming for you...I'm not going to let our cycle end so soon...'
Heidi Rittner (pen name JasmineHR) April 22, 2002
Adom quietly snuck back into his village. He knew that he could just go to his bed and nobody would ever know he was gone, but by morning, it would be too late for his people and the entire world. He tiptoed into his father's room and asked Allah for guidance in convincing his father that he had done the right thing by sneaking off.
"Where have you been?" Osiris asked of his son. Adom jumped, not expecting his father to be awake. His father looked like he hadn't gotten much sleep lately. His shoulder length black hair, much like Ardeth's, was a bit tousled, and his face, identical to that of Rick O'Connell's but darker in coloring, showed dark circled under the eyes and a slight hollow in the cheeks due to his lack of appetite during his recovery from near death. It was obvious he had been worrying. Not just about Adom's disappearance, but also from the fact that Nefertiri and her father hadn't shown up and no message had been sent. They always arrived the same day each month, unless a message from Nefertiri said otherwise.
"Father, I'm sorry I disobeyed you, but I knew something was wrong. I went to the palace and now I am sure of it. I was as quiet and skilled as a real Med-jai warrior, father. Seth and his woman are wandering the lower dungeon level of the palace freely and he spoke of taking control of all the world by sacrificing a boy." He went on to describe everything he heard. "I went in search of this boy they spoke of and found him locked in one of the cells. It was the strange father. This boy looked almost exactly like me."
Osiris knew what dark magic ritual Seth was planning on performing. He also knew that Seth was behind the disappearance of his love and her father. He ruffled his son's hair, which had the same silky touch as Nefertiri's.
"I am proud of you, my son. You will make a great Med-jai leader some day. Come. We must wake the others and prepare, for time is running short."
Rick was about to turn away from the window when a glint caught his eye. He looked down at the courtyard and his eyes came to rest on the lake. Immediately, his eyes glazed over and he grabbed on to the window sill to ride out another vision.
"O'Connell!" Olympus yelled while trying to shake Rick out of his trance. Finally after almost two minutes, Rick shook his head and turned his back to the window.
"Damn it! I hate it when that happens." He frowned and mentally went through everything he had seen. A ritual being performed by Seth... Beams of light; one hitting the lake, the other a pyramid… Mirrors… A sarcophagus... and Alex being held under the lake by Nephthys until all breath left his body. "Shit. We've got to get everyone together, NOW! We don't have much time. Find a way to distract the guards in front of Evie's room while I collect Jonathan and Gabrielle and then I'm going to get my wife out of there, guards or no guards!"
For all of his experience, Jonathan was as nervous as a young inexperience lad. He loved Gabrielle and wanted her so badly, but he paced himself. He wanted to make it perfect for her, as well as for himself. They lay on the bed, Jonathan half on top of Gabrielle, as their breathing became more ragged. Gabrielle's eyes opened wide and she gasped as she felt Jonathan's hand on her bare stomach. Her mind had been so clouded with passion from their heated kisses that she did not even realize he had gotten her thin desert garb blouse untucked from her thin flowing skirt.
"Don't be afraid, my love," he whispered in her ear. "I would never hurt you." He looked her in the eyes. "Know that you may tell me to stop at any time, and I will."
Gabrielle saw the love in his eyes and gave him a small smile. He gently lowered his head and began kissing her once again. As soon as she began kissing him back, she felt his hand move upward. She was once again lost in a cloud of passion as his hands seemed to know exactly where and how to touch her.
Jonathan's head snapped up and he looked towards the door as he heard someone clear their throat for the third time. He promptly removed his hand from under Gabrielle's shirt.
"Bloody hell, O'Connell. You have a gift for bad timing," Jonathan said in an extremely annoyed tone.
Just then, part of the wall in the back corner of the room opened and in walked Evie and Olympus from what appeared to be a secret passage. Evie remembered the secret passages of the palace from her past life as Nefertiri.
"Jonathan!" Evie gasped with her hand to her chest as she saw her brother on top of Gabrielle in the bed. Gabrielle was mortified to be found in this position and in a quick catlike movement, she half pushed, half kicked Jonathan off of her so she could compose herself. Unfortunately, they had been near the edge of the bed, which resulted in Jonathan letting out a loud yelp as he landed on the hard ground.
"Serves you right!" Evie lectured. "You know better than to take advantage of an innocent girl."
Diamond - April 23, 2002
Olympus leaned on the doorway of the secret passage that he and Evelyn came through looking not at all bothered at the sight before him. Gabrielle had scurried off the bed and was now smoothing her skirt, tucking in her blouse, trying to smooth her hair and catch her breath all at the same time. Olympus quickly looked the other way when Gabrielle saw him looking at her. His eyes instead darted in Jonathan's direction and he watched the Englishman as he got up of the floor painfully. What ever did she see in this pansy? It was apparent that Olympus was more of a man that Jonathan and at least in his own opinion, Olympus was much better looking. He had never understood why Gabrielle wouldn't have him, God knows he'd asked for her hand more times than he could keep track of.
"Oh right Evie, like I never walked in on you and O'Connell…" Grumble, grumble… "Don't you people know how to knock" Jonathan scoffed as he got to his feet.
Olympus felt his teeth grinding together as he watched the laughter in Gabrielle's eyes. She looked at Jonathan and offered him a smile. When they'd first gotten caught like they were Olympus could tell she had been horrified. Gabrielle had always been very careful of appearing weak to anyone and being caught in a man's arms was a sign that it was possible to get even her in such weak a position.
But she had been weak in his arms. She wanted him to take full control over her and she knew he wanted to. After she assured herself that she looked strong and in control of her own emotions (instead of letting Jon's lips tell her how to feel) she was able to find the whole situation quite hilarious.
Rick wasn't in the mood for waiting around. He was nothing short of antsy and finding two people so close to doing 'the deed' was something that he'd actually witnessed before, so it was nothing new to him. It was a bit surprising that Jonathan was scoring…and it almost made him a bit jealous…and sad that Evelyn and he weren't able to do the same thing.
But he didn't need this now! He had to go get Alex"We don't have much time! Jonathan button up your shirt. (at this point Jonathan was noticing that Gabrielle had actually unbuttoned a few of the top buttons on his shirt, and he was beaming with pride) Let's go! Olympus shut the trap door! C'mon c'mon our son is in DANGER Evelyn, could you move a little SLOWER please?"
They had made it out of the palace easily enough, with bruises not bad enough to fret over from 'taking care' of the guards. When O'Connell had spotted where Seth had been performing the ritual from his window he didn't notice that the gardens around the lake were fenced in on all sides. They reached the gate to the lake gardens and found it (surprise, surprise) locked.
"Now what do we do" Evelyn asked in exasperation.
Gabrielle pushed Jonathan and Olympus aside"Alright boys let the thief do her job." She said, voice full of pride. Out of the pouch at her belt she produced a few picks and jabbed them into the locks with expert skill.
As she worked with the locks she turned her head around"It'll be just a second ladies.." She told the other's coolly.
"That's my girl." Jonathan said with a smile.
In a few seconds the lock gave a 'click' and Gabrielle pulled it off and tossed it on the floor. She stuck the picks back in her pouch and turned to the group with a smile. "How's that for lock picking eh"
Rick gave her a pat on the back, clearly impressed but time was too precious to give her proper praise. "Alright, Jonathan, I think it would be best if you stayed out here, kept watch for us huh."
"Gladly." Jonathan replied, happy to be away from the primary source of danger.
Rick looked at Gabrielle"We might need you out here in case he gets killed…"
Gabrielle nodded. "Good luck." She told them, smiling at Evelyn and Rick.
They nodded back and ran through the gate, Olympus following after whispering a "stay alive" to Gabrielle.
"I suppose I do have a bit of luck in me…they always ask me to stay out here where none of the action happens…so my chances of getting killed are just a trifle smaller." Jonathan beamed.
Gabrielle raised an eyebrow "Just wait Jonathan…you'll get your action." She told him, with a sly half smile.
Marion (pen name GiantPygmyGirl) April 25, 2002
Before they left the house Nefret made sure to get some water for Ardeth and herself, as well as some herbs which she had found in a cabinet in Gabrielle's home. The herbs would be to ease the pain of Ardeth's cuts. She also took a leaf from a succulent aloe plant outside, knowing that Ardeth had burns that she had not been able to administer to.
Nefret was shocked at her own willingness to give in to Ardeth's emotions. Now she stood in the doorway of the hut, debating whether or not they really should go to the rescue. She knew that Ardeth was a stubborn man, that much she had seen from the little time that she had gotten to know him. But still she was angry with herself for easily letting him persuade her to rest her cheek in his hand, to let him kiss her. All of this she had never dreamed of, but she could not get over how he made her feel. From the moment she had laid eyes on him she had noticed everything, his eyes, his hair, his lips, you name it. Just glancing at him made her blood run faster and her heart grow louder. She was brought swiftly out of thought by his voice.
"Nefret, waste no more time, we must go." The words rolled easily off his tongue, and she fell in love with his voice. There is no time for this. There are lives to save! She thought to herself.
"I am coming, I just had to get some supplies."
As she approached him and they began to move forward she noticed his limp again, becoming more concerned with his welfare she once more asked him if he was fit to travel. His answer was "Yes, I am fine for the time being, now let us move."
"Damn it Ardeth, no you aren't! You can't hide from me under your tough skin, as much as you don't want to know and will not admit I can see what's wrong, you are injured, let us stop now"
"I am hiding" Disbelief riddled his features. "Really Nefret, say that with a straight face. I am not the one hiding here. All you do is hide from me, from other people, I can not help you come into the light, you must do that for yourself. I can guide you, but I can not physically drag you into life, that is something that only you can do."
Her face turned scarlet with anger and Ardeth began to notice the seething fury that built up inside her. He could see this all through her eyes. Eyes, he had learned early on, would make and break a person.
Looking him straight in the eyes Nefret began to yell. "You know what? You have no idea why I am the way that I am. I do not try to cave in on myself. It happens because everyone else seems to launch themselves at me" By this time tears had once again formed in Nefret's dark eyes. Ardeth could hear the distress in her voice and began to think that maybe he shouldn't have brought up the subject, but then immediately changed his mind as he realized it would come out sometime, and that now was as good a time as any.
"Well, while we are on this subject, why are you the way that you are"
His voice was calming, but still she found herself saying"You would not understand." She averted her eyes, turning her head away from him as she did so.
Her words were like a blow to Ardeth. He took a sharp intake of air to his lungs as he tried to control his fury. "Nefret" he choked out"do you think that I do not care about you? Because, if you do, then you are an insensitive human being. Do you know how hard it is for me to be feeling this way? I am not supposed to, I am a Med-Jai, protector over all that is good. Nefret, do you hear me, I am not allowed to love, but yet I love you because I sense that you are different, that you are unique and that you are mature. But now I am not so sure. If we can not even discuss the little things in life that trifle us then how do you expect this relationship to work? Allah works in mysterious ways, and we must learn to embrace him, and get as much from him as we can, all the while giving back. You are not giving back."
She turned from him then, biting her fist to keep from crying out. She did nothing to stop the tears from coming, her shoulders sagging as she stood shaking in fury and sadness.
He did not feel sorry for afflicting her with so much pain, she deserved it for how she was acting. He had thought that she needed to be opened up to the real world where everything didn't just revolve around her. He bit back these words because he still did not know the full extent of her life. What she said next made him wish he could take back everything that he had just thought and said.
"Ardeth, do you know what it's like to have a sibling slain before you? Do you even know how it feels to know that you could have done something but did nothing to prevent it, not even if you tried? She was so innocent, not even four. She had so much promise; she was gorgeous. She never had the chance to live, to experience life. The way she died, my father to this day will not speak of it. But I will and maybe in so doing I will put her little soul to rest."
Ardeth whispered, keeping his distance"Go on, I am listening."
"I was barely ten, just a little girl really. It was two days after my coming of age ceremony that they came. We still to this day do not know who they were and why. It was quarter past ten when they attacked. We were all sitting around the table playing a game. I had a premonition and reached for my father's scimitar, which always hung by the cupboard in its sheath. My family all looked at me, wondering what on earth was happening but then they heard it, the distant warbling, the common noise of attack. My mother and siblings rushed to the opposite end of the house while my father searched for a weapon. I would not let him have his scimitar insisting that I knew how to use it. Even though still to this day this puzzles me seeing that I had had no previous experience with weaponry beforehand. When they broke through the door I was ready. I slew three of them before one escaped beyond my reach running straight for my little sister Asyria, who had, unknowingly to me, come into the eating room screaming for me. I watched, shocked as he lunged forwards thrusting his sword straight through her. She let out a bloodcurdling scream before he ripped the sword from her, a grinding sort of gyrating noise followed. I ran to her side as she took her last breath, holding her hand, reassuring her that she was going to a better place and that one day I would be there with her. Before she faded she told me that she loved me, as well as our family. It broke my heart, but I rose to the occasion fighting and killing the remaining attackers. The murderer of my sister escaped however, and I am sure is living right now. I have never stopped blaming myself for her death. But I swear that if I ever meet that man that took her from me I will torture him like there's no tomorrow. He will die wishing he had never lived." She said the last with indignation, her eyes flaring with demonic fury.
Ardeth reached out his hand, brushing her tears away. "Her death will be avenged, I promise Nefret."
Asyria gazed down upon her sister smiling her sweet angelic smile. "You saved me Neffie, I am no longer alone, you are with me now, I love you." And with that the little dark haired girl leapt up into the shining stars, disappearing from sight instantaneously.
