With the exception of the plot and the original characters that are depicted in the story, the author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended on the franchise of Inuyasha and Ouke no Monshou that rightfully belong to its owners Rumiko Takahashi and Chieko Hosokawa.
I'd like to profusely thank Cyrus559 for being an awesome co-writer and for been patient with me as we worked on this chapter together while I was on vacation with the family, you are awesome! I'd like to also thank the readers who have read and provided invaluable feedback on the previous segment, I truly hope that today/tonight's episode is worth the wait.
So without further ado, let the show begin :)
The following morning Isis remained oblivious to the events of the outside world as she languished in the palace with a faithful Ari by her side. It won't be long not until that vile Anatolian temptress shall be punished. Memphis shall be none the wiser of what has happened during his absence, and I will shall rule beside him as Queen. The gods have predicted it so, and Set has promised it will be done! A smile stretched across her pained lips at the idea of keeping her little brother all to herself. Just when the priestess had plucked a ripened date from a nearby clay bowl, the doors slammed opened.
"SISTER!"
The raven-haired woman released a small gasp, feeling her heart skip a beat as she heard the doors to her chambers were slammed open, followed by a familiar voice reaching her ears. Brother! There is no one else who is so fierce in his mannerisms, let alone be allowed to so freely enter my sanctuary! But...he has returned to the palace early. Has something happened in the quarry? Isis blinked before she shook her head. No matter. The 'problem' has been dealt with. She then turned to Ari, who looked just as surprised as her mistress upon hearing jeweled sandals trample down a flight of stone stairs.
"Leave us Ari. I would like to privately speak with the king. Perhaps I can...assist with whatever is ailing him." The handmaiden nodded and disappeared from the room without saying another word, skillfully blending into the shadows just as Memphis appeared in his masculine glory.
Isis smiled, rising from her golden chair as she raised her arms so as to welcome the Pharaoh with a loving embrace. "Brother, welcome back -"
"Where is she?!"
The beautiful woman blinked. "Whom do you speak of, my king?" Isis watched her dearest sibling stiffen before he growled under his breath like a wild animal. "The Anatolia princess, sister. Where is she?"
Isis raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think that I am aware of our guests' every move, when the gods need me to pass their words to the people?" She replied coolly, raising a jeweled hand to caress Memphis' reddened cheek. "You must exhausted from your duties and the excruciating heat. Perhaps you should rest -" Isis jolted as her brothers' warm hand coiled around her wrist.
She may very well have fainted on the spot, hadn't the current circumstances been...unusual.
"If that were true, then why would Sekhmet come to me in a vision, warning Amun-Ra's earthy vessel about the princess' safety and how if something were to happen to her, it would compromise the kingdom? I swear, Isis -"
"What do you swear, my brother? To protect the woman who may threaten our home and cast me out, who has been by your side from the very beginning?" The warmth in Isis' voice became icy as the tension between the two siblings rose. "I am your rightful partner in this realm, and in the afterlife! We are meant to be together!" The priestess pulled herself away from Memphis, turning her back to him. "However, if you dare to dishonor our pledge to the pantheon by forging a bond with the enemy...I shall secede from the kingdom, and never speak to you again!"
She was aware that proposing to split Egypt's power in half would cripple the power within the country, even allow it to be a more prominent target for the neighboring nations, but Isis knew him. If her brother is truly the king that he is slowly becoming, he would chose the security of the nation over a love affair with foreign scum. Especially since she controlled Lower Egypt from its capital Giza, as per their late father's request.
However, the reaction Isis had hoped to see was the exact opposite. Instead of receiving praise for her wisdom, he was taken aback by the high priestess' words.
"Anatolia...as an enemy? Seceding Lower Egypt from Upper Egypt?" Memphis repeated, as if the raven-haired male did not hear what his older sibling just said. "Sister, I love you dearly, there is no doubt in my affection for you. But you have absolutely no right to commit such a heinous act. I am the Pharaoh, and I am the one who rules over Egypt. Where you have come up with such ridiculous ideas? Have you forgotten that kings would take several wives since time immemorial, so as to secure an heir? Who is to say that I cannot follow tradition because you say it cannot be allowed? And this...this talk about dishonoring a pledge with Anatolia? Do you not realize that if I were act upon it, then their king will declare war upon us? Anatolia is nothing like the barbarian Nubian, they are a formidable opponent whose might we cannot underestimate! Mitamun hasn't... hasn't done anything to hurt me or anyone else. She can speak fragmented sentences in our language! This vision of yours must be the product of a bad dream, because I have talked to the goddess of war herself. If Egypt was to become involved in another conflict with a rivaling nation, it shall bring disaster to us all! How can you be blind to this, when you are a conduit between the divine and the mortal realms?!"
The youthful monarch gritted his teeth. "If you won't tell me where the princess is, sister, I shall tear the palace apart once more until she is alive and unharmed!" He turned on his heel, marching towards the doors when two guards suddenly appeared in front of them. The Pharaoh narrowed his eyes. "Move." They did not heed his command, allowing the boiling blood in his veins to become even hotter with anger. "Stand aside and let me pass. Your king commands it!"
But the armored men did not move from their post. The raven-haired male swiveled his head back to address Isis when another guard appeared from behind, restraining the Pharaoh with his bulky arms. Memphis glared at his sister, eyes darkening with disbelieved outrage.
"I AM THE KING! I AM THE KING, HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?! ENOUGH! LET ME GO! ORDER THESE MEN TO RELEASE ME, SISTER! SISTER! ISIS!"
The high priestess watched with saddened eyes as her trusted men hauled Memphis out of her chambers and into an area where he could be safely hidden away, yet no one would ever know nor think to look. Raising a hand over her jeweled breast she whispered, "What I am doing is for your own good, brother. When this is all over...I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me. To keep evil away from our kingdom, our happiness, I will use any means necessary. Even risk the wrath of a 'god' once I've destroyed her temple and her precious heretic! Be aware Ankhesenamun, your days are numbered!"
XxTTPxX
It was a frightening sight to behold. Even though undeclared wars, famine, and illness have long been accepted by the Egyptians as a way of life...nothing could prepare the citizens for such a notorious ceremony. The nobility and street rats alike gathered round the high priestess' temple, unknowingly allowing the square to be filled to the brim around an elevated platform. Positioned on the platform were wooden logs, criss-crossed and surrounding a pole were a terrified woman bound to with thick rope. Some recognized her despite the bruises she received and others did not. Regardless, there was no escape for Princess Mitamun. Her legs shook uncontrollably, her heart hammed against her chest, and beads of sweat gathered at her forehead before they trailed down to her trembling lips.
She wanted to escape. She had leave this horrifying place while words of spite and deceit fell from Isis' mouth, even when moving had now proven itself to be impossible.
XxTTPxX
She shouldn't have come here. Why did she want to be here, be so stubborn with the person who had saved her life from a treacherous fate? Oh...yes. She had to know. The hailed beauty of the Anatolian empire did not want to believe Isis was truly such a cruel woman, to see firsthand if the high priestess would actually go through with this scheme because she believed the Pharaoh's love belonged to her and to her alone. Yet here she was, cowering behind a merchant's vendor from a safe distance as she listened to the raven-haired Egyptian. She witnessed the Anatolian ambassadors being forced to bend at the knee by the guards, witnessing the downfall of their princess. Or so that is what everyone is being led to believe at this very moment.
No one knew the truth. No one knew except herself, and the cloaked figure who stood at her side.
Mitamun felt her stomach churn as Isis approached the platform with a burning torch and lit the pyre, wearing a conceited smirk whilst performing the 'cleansing' ritual. The person who was screaming, the person who looked exactly like her...it was already dead. She knew this. She had witnessed Ankhesenamun's sorcery first hand, and yet...
Mitamun almost jumped out upon feeling a hand being placed upon her shoulder. She turned around and saw Ankhesenamun staring at her with a reassured, saddened smile. "Don't worry, you are safe with me," the blue-eyed storyteller leaned forward and whispered softly to the princess amidst the crowd's thunderous applause. "You don't have to look at this, you know. Even though it's just a doll, you shouldn't force yourself to witness such violence if you aren't accustomed to it." Hearing such kind words caused the platinum-blonde to lower her head in shame before tentatively raising a bandaged hand, one that had been stripped of jewelry and replaced with scratches and bruises, and covered her savior's warm one.
However, the princess' grip tightened as she listened to the heart wrenching screams and cries for mercy which echoed across the courtyard. The woman being burnt on the pyre wasn't real. It was just a look-alike conjured by magic. If it had not been for this oracle, this strange woman showed neither fear nor condemnation towards king and gods...no, do not think about it. There was no use in doing so.
"We need to leave, Your Highness, before someone sees us. Are you ready to make the journey to the safe haven?"
Inhaling a shaky breath Mitamun locked eyes with Ankhesenamun and nodded. She was alive. She would find her way back to her kingdom and family, whatever the cost. But above all else, she would not allow the sacrifice of this storyteller be in vain. Anatolia always repaid a debt.
XxTTPxX
From the window in the temple above the square, many conflicted feelings and thoughts boiled inside Memphis' veins, yet the most prominent emotion was betrayal. The burning anguish of being forced to acknowledge his sister's atrocious deeds, to realize the consequences of turning an ignorant ear away from Sekhmet's noble counsel and her chosen oracle. Because of his arrogance, his recklessness to confront Isis about Mitamun's whereabouts, the life of an innocent girl was being extinguished by the white-hot flames of the pyre before his very eyes.
And with the Anatolian ambassadors witnessing the death of their princess, the king would not hesitate to declare war on Egypt once the news reached his ear. Just as Ankhesenamun had warned the Pharaoh before he stormed off towards the palace. Memphis ran his hands through inky tresses, the signs of his distress oblivious or blissfully ignored by the men Isis had trusted to look after her 'beloved'.
"Oh Ankhesenamun...Sekhmet, what have I done!" the king sobbed. He had never been bothered by the agonizing screams of those who were tortured for crimes against Egypt's living god. But now...now Memphis found himself suddenly wanting to cut off his ears just so he could not hear such a horrific sound no longer. Stop it...please stop it! Memphis closed his eyes. For some reason the thoughts of his storyteller began to drift back into his mind. The woman had boldly defied him when he did or said something she did not like. The slave who had saved his life and somehow began to secretly teach him how to be both a respectable adult and a king.
His transformation was far from being completed but it was enough for Memphis to now realize that Ankhesenamun meant more to him than he had dared to think before when he first brought her to the capital five months ago. The astronomers and the high priest Gupta have declared that he would marry Isis and carry on the royal bloodline as tradition dictated at the banquet. But is that truly the gods' wish, or was it another lie conjured by his deceitful sibling?
XxTTPxX
To say that Imhotep, Minue, and the rest of Egypt's noble court were pleased at the grotesque display they are being forced to witness would be a lie. The high priestess' act of impiety distressed them; to think that their conduit to the gods, an educated woman full of grace and pious virtue, would have the audacity to do something like this! What can they do? What should they do?! Moreover, where was the Pharaoh?!
XxTTPxX
Unseen by the panicking humans, Sekhmet shook her head as she averted her gaze away from them and towards the narrow street where the lion-headed goddess had seen a certain pair witness the 'execution' of the Anatolian princess. The bloodthirsty deity has lived a very long life and seen many interesting things occur within the mortal plane. Today, though, Sekhmet did not know if she should be impressed by her oracle's ability to cast a spell which could reanimate an animal carcass or how brave the women were to linger around the temple to watch the show when they could still be captured by guards.
Still, things were about to get terribly interesting from here on out!
Sekhmet's grin widened in utter amusement. Before the sun would set today, the Anatolian ambassadors (along with their pompous, stick-in-the-mud 'divine protector' who was watching the show too with a disapproving frown) would depart from the kingdom on donkeys and deliver a clear message to their king as well as their heretic pantheon. However, what they didn't know is that their princess is very much alive and will be safe as long as she is with Ankhesenamun. Furthermore, no one would realize the switch, not even the observant Isis.
Too bad. She had been really forward to receiving an offering burnt at the stake, it's been too long since she's had one. Sekhmet chuckled. Still, I can always bug Ankhensemaun for something else since she's made it very clear on her opinion on any sort of blood sacrifice! But first I need to make sure those two make it to Goshen safely. I trust my oracle, though I don't know what the wheels of Fate have in store for this country. With a flick of her jeweled claw, the goddess of war and healing disappeared without a trace.
XxTTPxX
Given to how often she had been sneaking out of the palace due to certain circumstances, Ankhesenamun was not surprised that the arrival to Goshen came swiftly. It also helped to know that the Anatolian princess would rather remain anonymous and by the priestess' side than take another risk of being caught again to satisfy her curiosity. Bluebell orbs darted around the darkened quarry, left from right thrice before the time traveler released a soft sigh. She turned to Mitamun.
"All right. Let's go. We should be there soon. Just keep your head down, okay?"
The platinum-blonde looked at her strange companion for a moment till she responded with a weak nod. Goodness...she was so tired. It had been quite a harrowing day, and yet...
Ankhesenamun smiled sympathetically. While she had been kidnapped and cursed by Naraku or other demons who had possessed the Shikon shards, the time traveling priestess was fortunate to have friends who had been there until the conclusion of the Final Battle. People she could rely on in an era filled with conflict and violence. Shaking her head, the young woman gently took Mitamun's hand into her own as they walked across the dusty road.
Together they weaved through the streets of the quarry until their aching feet were brought to a small hut. Mitamun watched Ankhesenamun tentatively knock on the wooden door once, then twice. Anticipated silence fell upon the two women before the door opened, revealing a cloaked Egyptian with noticeable rings under her eyes. Yet when the stranger's frightened gaze fell onto the priestess, they...brightened?
"Ankhesenamun! By the gods, why are you here at such a late hour? Please, come in before the guards come back!" She whispered harshly, ushering them out of the darkness and into the warmth of her little hut. Ankhesenamun gave a small grin of her own.
"It's good to see you as well, Sephora. Where is-"
"Ankhesenamun! You're back! Will you be staying over for dinner?" Sephora was cut off by the enthusiastic cry of a young boy who had been sitting near the oven, standing up to greet the priestess with a hug. "I just put some bread in the oven, so it'll be a little while before it's ready, but I've got enough ale for the three- oh, who is this? Is this a new friend?" He peeked over Ankhensenamun's side, giving the newcomer a toothy grin.
Remaining on a thick branch she hide in the shadows, waiting until the guard were out of sight. Then she jumped of the branch and pushed herself of the wall, as soon as she was close enough. Due to the momentum of her jump she remained a bit longer airborne than normal. Kagome feel like she was flying.
Sand still warm from the afternoon sun muffled her impact and she was free from the palace's scented. In a few hours, when Ra's eye would rise.
"My friend here is the reason for me not being able to visit again...as well as the reason why I've come back here for yet another visit," Ankhesenamun replied cryptically, earning a raised brow from Sephora as she shifted her gaze to the cloaked woman. "You're among friends here, no need to be scared. You can raise your head."
Upon hearing the priestess' words, Mitamun swallowed the lump in her throat and did so. Upon looking at the mother and son though, a collective gasp came from their lips at seeing her ethereal beauty.
"She's lovely!" Seichi gasped.
His mother readily agreed with him and welcomed the stranger into her home once introductions were made. "A friend of Ankhesenamun is a friend of mine! Though...I must confess, why have you two here in the middle of the night? It's dangerous, you could have been captured by guards!" Sephora narrowed her kohl-colored eyes ever so slightly. "Ankhesenamun...what exactly is going on here?"
Mitamun briefly glanced back at the raven-haired priestess, who in turn gave an approving nod. Prior to secretly traveling to Goshen from the palace Ankhesenamun had not only treated the princess' injuries with great care, the strange oracle asked the Hittite princess to remove her jewelry. At first, Mitamun was offended to strip away what remained of her country's pride in crafting such finieries and refused until Ankhesenamun explained her reasoning: if they were to travel through the kingdom unnoticed, then the princess had to blend in with the Egyptian crowd as much as possible. Furthermore, a greedy thief would take any opportunity to steal from the princess if her pearl earrings or ruby necklace once his eyes fell upon them. Isis also had many spies in the streets, so they could not take the risk of being caught before Ankhesenamun's grand plan could come to fruition. Not wanting to be captured or confined in the vault again, Mitamun swallowed her pride and reluctantly heeded to the priestess' request.
Looking at the confused pair, Mitamun slowly revealed her true identity to them. The only daughter to the King of the Hittite Empire. The one who had supposedly died today.
Sephora gasped. "No...no it cannot be!" She turned her widened eyes to Ankhesenamun, to see if this was some kind of cruel joke. But the storyteller's grave expression did not any indication that her companion's words were untrue.
Mitamun smiled weakly. "That is correct, ma'am," The Anatolian princess slowly approached the surprised slaves so as not startle them. "I had come to this country on a diplomatic visit. I even hoped to secure a marriage between myself and the Pharaoh. But the high priestess Isis did not want approve and had me imprisoned. If Ankhesenamun had not rescued me, then I surely would have died."
"By the gods," Sephora whispered shakily under her breath as she and her son's faces turned pale. "T-Then Ankhesenamun, what you are asking me is to-"
"I know. What I am asking is dangerous, and it could even be considered treason against the Egyptian crown in Isis' eyes. But if you do this and all goes well, then you'd be able to save this country from being dragged into another war! So please..." The misplaced miko kneeled before the mother and son, laying her jeweled hands flat with the neck exposed and her forehead was pressed against the muddy floor. "Until Mitamun is healed enough to travel back to Anatolia, please look after her while I find a safe route for us to travel to her kingdom."
This position was known as dogeza; while it is a foreign concept to the three individuals who were openly gaping at the priestess, Kagome was keenly aware of her actions. These people had saved her life upon arriving in this ancient era and all she had done is keep putting their lives in danger. If they refused to house the princess, she would understand. Perhaps she'll have to counsel Sekhmet after -
"Please get up Ankhensenamun! You shan't prostate yourself before us! You are - M-Mitamun?! What are you- Y-you do not need to bow to us! Please, rise your heads, both of you!"
"I will bow as I need to. Ankhesenamun is risking her life, her status, to protect mine, and I can see why she is asking you to look after me. Please...allow me to stay here till I'm ready to return home and ease tensions. I miss my family, and I am the only one who can quell my father's ferocious temper. Not even my brother, who is intelligent and a gentleman, cannot dissuade my father once he has made a decision."
Sephora all but yanked the silver-haired woman off of the ground, followed by the slightly stunned priestess. "Be that as it may, you shan't do such a thing! We do not deserve your kind words, my Lady," Sighing softly, she looked at the two guests with a defeated grin. "All right...you may stay here. But you must remain out of sight as there isn't a guard here who will not hesitate to make you his wife once he catches a glimpse of your beauty. It would be best if you looked after the hut while Seichi and I work in the quarry during the day. Is that acceptable, Ankhesenamun? My Lady?" Sephora said.
The time traveler couldn't stop the wide smile across her face, releasing a small giggle as she tightly embraced the woman who had become dear to her. "That's more than I could ever ask for. Thank you...thank you so much!"
Mitamun nodded. "Of course, I have every intention of helping over the duration of my stay here but...I must confess that I have...little experience in managing a household."
"I can work with that. I've no doubt that you will catch onto the tasks quickly." Sephora turned to the Pharaoh's favored storyteller. "Will you be staying for a little longer?"
"I-"
"Please! At least join us for dinner?" Seichi pleaded. "It's been so long since your last visit and I miss your stories as much as I miss your cooking!" The misplaced miko casted an amused smirk at the young boy.
"Just my stories and cooking?"
"I can't bake the bread as well as you can-!"
"Now, now, you are improving Seichi, you just need a little more practice. Besides, that's not how we behave in the presence of a guest, remember?" Sephora chided though her scolding was half-hearted as seeing such a sight brought back simpler times, when it was just the three of them living in the quarry. However...things have changed. For better or worse, she did not know. Sephora turned to Mitamun. "Come, have a seat on the mat. I'm sure our supper is not as sumptuous as the dishes that are made in the palace...but I hope they will satisfy your hunger."
Mitamun blinked once, then twice before she smiled shyly. "I'm sure it will."
Yet as the evening continued quietly, breaking bread and sharing embarrassing stories without any regard to the world outside of the tiny hut, the words that the priestess had said to her earlier today bothered the Anatolian princess. She glanced at the side pocket of her tattered cloak. Inside was a piece of leather, large enough to coil around her wrist, stitched with strange symbols like the ones Ankhesenamun had written on the paper doll in the vault.
"And that's how it is done. When it seems like you are backed into a corner, if somehow Isis figures out what has really happened...use it exactly I've just shown you. Okay?"
The silver-haired beauty truly did not know the inner workings of Ankhesenamun's mind or how she will return Mitamun to her home as the priestess promised. By the gods they barely knew each other! Yet...for now, Mitamun shall place her trust, her safety with the unusual oracle.
xXTTPxX
In the present day Carol was standing on top of a dune, holding hands with Jimmy as she excited looked upon the wondrous sight down below. Ryan and Professor Brown stood near the lovestruck teens, as chaperons or as equally fascinated onlookers, no one really knew. Murmurs in both Egyptian and English tongues mingled together as the employees of the Lido corporation worked beneath the sweltering sun, unearthing a mysterious temple that had been recently discovered 45 miles northeast from the Valley of the Kings.
"It must have been an impressive building when it was still standing!" Carol exclaimed, bluebell orbs peering down at the broken columns and crumbled walls which rose pointed up from the sand like skeleton fingers in the setting sun.
Ryan hummed in agreement, exhaling a river of smoke before he placed the cigarette back in his mouth. "No kidding. Seeing from all the way up here, the structure must've been quite grand in its prime. Not to mention the amount of time it took to even built it. Must've taken equal parts of brain and brawn to create this temple," He turned to Professor Brown. "But with ancient ruins as grand and large as what we've found, you would think someone would easily have stumbled upon this place sooner than we did. Any idea as to why that could be the case, Professor?"
The wizened man shook his head. "I'm just as perplexed as you are, since none of the ancient texts don't hold any record about it. However, we are certainly blessed to have stumbled upon a structure that hasn't been touched in over three thousand years!" His solemn demeanor suddenly became child-like, eagerly toddling down the slope. "Come on, let us have a proper look before the sun sets, I want to see if the diggers could find anything new today!"
Jimmy chuckled at his grandfather's enthusiasm, glancing down at Carol with a wink. "Heh, we shouldn't let the old bumblebee hog all of the fun! C'mon, we'd better make sure he doesn't sink in the sand because he got too excited to check out the temple!"
The blonde-haired teen playfully punched Jimmy's shoulder but followed her boyfriend down the dune, under the watchful eye of her eldest brother as he trailed behind might approve of Jimmy dating his little sister because he is a childhood friend who grew up into a splendid young man, that did not mean Ryan approved.
He'd like to see Carol graduate from college before pursuing boys, thank you very much!
Navigating through the bustling crowd, they were able to make their way through to the temple's entrance. Despite the fact that the small group could easily tell there was little that remained to speak about its' true grandeur, Professor Brown chuckled. "Although it's dangerous to explore any further than here and the main hall, how about we make a small game out of this? Let's see if we can find out which pharaoh built this temple and which deity it has been dedicated too before the excavation team leaves the site for the day!"
"YEAH, LET'S DO IT!"
All of the men were amused at Carol's enthusiasm and soon participated in taking notes or photographing the temple's fading walls. Jimmy constantly praised his girlfriend's every discovery, Professor Brown murmured softly under his breath as he inspected the hieroglyphics. In regards to Ryan's activities...well, he went off by himself to look elsewhere.
The robins' eggs skies began to transmute to a darker shade of blue as the raven-haired male made a sharp corner around an impressive obelisk. However when Ryan was about to take a picture of it with his camera, the composed CEO almost jumped upon seeing a lovely woman standing right next to it through the camera lens, examining the structure closely.
"Isis! When did you arrive? I don't recall seeing you earlier." Ryan exclaimed, walking over to the side of the Lido houseguest. But she did not seem to hear him; Isis' dark eyes remained focused on the ancient carvings till fifteen minutes passed. When she did, the Egyptian averted her piercing gaze to the young man.
"This temple...as I am reading the hieroglyphics correctly, it was dedicated to Sekhmet. She is the goddess of war and healing. However...why can't I…" Isis fell silent, prompting a quirked brow from her male companion.
"What is it that you have a hard time comprehending, Isis? Is there something here you can't read?" Ryan kneeled down and examined the area, humming thoughtfully whilst trying to resist the urge to light up a cigarette in a historical site.
"...I read and understands this perfectly well, even though more than half of the text seems to be missing. I know what must have been written on it since it follows the standard formula of how hieroglyphics were written by scholars and artisans during this particular era," Isis huffed, but softened her gaze towards him. "I apologize, I am just feeling...confused. After my brother disappeared, everything has changed. More than I can handle without him by my side."
Ryan gave her a sad smile and was about to lay his arm over her shoulder when she suddenly spoke again, "Do you remember the mysterious riddle from the sarcophagus, the riddle that neither your sister or the...archaeologists seemed to understand?"
He nodded. "Yes, have you solved it?"
Isis tilted her head and recited the second verse. "Under the guard that never sleep, who is neither accounted among man or beast. Has no mouth, has no claw, yet thread careful or death's the law. This 'guard' that is neither man nor beast, therefore it must be the Sphinx! Being half man-half lion, it has been the guardian of Egypt since time immemorial. Even though the sands of time has not been kind, the Sphinx continues to watch over the great plateau of Giza. "
Ryan looked at Isis in surprise. "That's brilliant! The Sphinx has no real mouth to open nor claws to tear, yet the rest of riddle seems to be a warning against hidden traps! Come on, let's go back -" He paused, the sight of something moving from the corner of his eye silencing him. "Who's there? Come out!"
Isis looked befuddled at the American's words till she saw a man dressed completely in black emerge from behind a nearby statue. He looked exactly like the shady crook from the museum. Remembering such an unsavory bloke caused a frown to appear on the pair's faces. "What business do you have here? This place is currently off limits to the public! I strongly advise you to leave the premises before you cause any damage to these ruins!"
The stranger did not seem to acknowledge Ryan's words as he did not move from his spot, casting a look of utter disdain upon the pair. "We'll see about that. However, I think it's also time for children to return to their homes and go to bed. It's best to not linger here any longer. Be sure to take that silly old man with you lest any...misfortunate accident befalls on him, or anyone else. You never know what lies beneath the sands of this place. It could be riches...or your own death." He did not say anything else to them, allowing his subtle warning to sink into their minds before he departed from the temple.
"That was creepy, if I've ever heard of a threat," Ryan mumbled before he turned his attention back to the kohl-eyed Egyptian standing beside him. "You don't think he heard what you said about the Sphinx, do you?" Isis responded his question with a cold glare.
"I think it would be wise to return home and rest. We've seen enough here for today." With that being said, she turned on her heel and marched towards the rest of the group, who were just as surprised to see Isis as Ryan had been. He smiled a little as he followed the woman.
"Sometimes I wonder who is the biggest mystery in Egypt: the Sphinx or you, Isis!"
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