Hello~ First of all, thank you for the amazing reviews and love you've shown for the story. I can't thank you enough for the support! I wanted to give you all an early update, but I didn't realise how fast two weeks had gone by since my last update. Well, I guess this could also be considered early. Two weeks? That's gotta be a record. :D

Anyways, I'm gonna say this next thing right away. Timaeus is not meeting the Prince in this chapter. Oh, don't worry though. They will meet VERY soon. I can't wait! That's why I'm doing this early. I want to get started right away. Sorry if I'm dragging their meeting on too long. Really, I am very sorry. The buildup is so annoying. So, I thank you for sticking with me through the severely long wait.

REVIEWS~

i – Thank you, thank you, thank you so very much! As always, your thoughts on the chapter brightens the lightbulb in my head. Really, I do feel anxious when I read your reviews, but don't say that you're putting too much pressure on me. I want to write to the best of my ability, and you are helping me do that. Please, don't say such awful things again! :) I really enjoy reading your reviews. I went back and made some corrections, and as always, I like the chapter even more! The beginning is different. I added more info, and I erased the repetition as much as I could. Also, I followed your idea of adding in more clues. I'm very excited to say that there may be a good chance of figuring out a huge part of the plot. The villain can be revealed if you add all that Ameneman shouts and Timaeus together. –fingers crossed- I wonder if you can figure it out! :D

Lady Fai – Do not worry. There will be a game! I love writing this story, and I'm glad that you like reading it. Thank you~

Enjoy!

Secrets Underground

Chapter 17

Breathing heavily, I swerved through the streets and around houses, stumbling in the sand when it felt as if my legs were about to give away underneath me. I pushed onwards though, holding on to the sack with all my might as I made my dash towards the palace gates, not at all bothered by the trail of dust in the air as I passed.

My gaze turned upwards as a soft, cool wind passed by, and there I could see the ocean consuming the sky with its brilliant deep blue colour. My eyes returned to the distance ahead, and there I saw that it was not the ocean, but the coming of the sun that brought light into the dark sky. Her rays shot through the sky faintly, and around the yellow orb that peaked over the sandy horizon was a pink, orange mist that surrounded her. It glimmered suddenly for a second, and immediately I snapped my eyes shut as flash of gold appeared in my mind.

The gold band I had seen wrapped around the stranger's upper arm resurfaced, and so did the dull ache within me.

I slowed down until my feet dragged in the sand, and unconsciously a hand went to my heart as I stopped. A frown graced my face heavily, and I stood there, trying to remember why I felt so… heartbroken. It felt as if I had lost something very close to me, and in it I also felt a sense of failure and regret. Hopelessness. Yet, at the same time, I detected a lingering spark of hope. My heart fluttered as strong determination coursed through me, and that dull ache throbbed loudly, this time ringing with courage.

I stared out into the sand, looking at the palace gates that awaited me in the distance. Tall ivory pylons decorated with the wings of Ra, and statues as big as giants standing as if they were the palace's guards from beyond. An obelisk at either end stood even taller than the palace pylons. The sand shifted by the wind, creating perfect lines of mounds in the sand. All of these magnificent structures would remain there, waiting, with no one guessing that they will continue to wait in the same spot throughout the decades.

That was what I had to do as well. Wait, and not know when my purpose would end. I would feel something lost and feel what I had to gain, but never see it until the time came.

I closed my eyes as the regal attitude and the firm voice echoed in my mind. Just who was that mysterious stranger? This feeling appeared as soon as I laid eyes on him, and that alone told me that my past life was trying to tell me something for the first time. I must have surely known him all those millenniums ago.

One thing was for sure though. He was a noble of some sort. Only people of high ranks could afford to wear gold. As for his behaviour, it reminded me of… royalty.

My eyes widened and my body ran cold in mere seconds as the thought zipped through my mind. There was no way. Was it even possible? The person who saved me couldn't be the Prince! I started to pace, fretfully watching the palace and the village. My mind mulled on the idea, and within moments I came to a stunning realisation that my thought, had some validity.

Atem was just another name for Atum, the name of the God of Creation. Atum was one of the most important and most mentioned deities in the earlier times. He was called the "complete one", the finisher of the world, the Ancient Egyptians believing that all things that existed ultimately were made of his flesh and or from his Ka. They say that he was the first god, creating himself from the waters. Atum was also associated specifically with the evening sun, while Ra was connected with the morning and midday sun. Atum was that important, so a person named after such a deity had to be as special.

"Then again," I couldn't help but think. Many Egyptians named their children after gods they worshipped. People were named after all sorts of things actually. Some names represented other things, and some were given simply because of their meaning. No name was specified to a certain group of people. Even Pharaohs were not restricted from choosing a simple name.

Therefore, Atem could be anybody. He could be the Prince, but at the same time he might not be. For all I knew he actually was just a noble, and I wouldn't be surprised. The Sed Festival was today and many people all over the country would be arriving to celebrate.

Shaking my head with a sigh, I skidded my way down the slight slope and started to walk towards the palace. I could see the four guards from earlier still standing watch, and as their eyes dropped on me, the stares brought me nothing but discomfort. I was even more unnerved when I noticed that Ramose was nowhere in sight.

Throughout the weeks I had spent in this world, I understood that I looked a lot like the Nameless Pharaoh. People bowed as they first saw me, others standing with fear and staring at me with utter confliction. At one point I was even told to hide, by Mana, because I may be mistaken for the runaway Prince. As for Priest Set… well, he made it perfectly clear the day we locked eyes that he was not fond of me and how I look.

Yes. Although my appearance caused a lot of trouble for me, thankfully it was something that I could explain to people. After knowing that I was just a look-alike of the Prince, that I was from Greece, and the most obvious difference being my skin tone, the villagers who chose to listen would give me relieved sighs and weary smiles. So, just how was I supposed to explain such a thing to none other than the palace guards?

"Who are you?!" one shouted as soon as I was within ten feet from them, and he thrusted his spear towards me. I glanced at the next three and noticed that they too took up a familiar stance, but still I tried my best to remain calm.

When coming here, I didn't pretend that everything would go smoothly and that I would be let inside without no questions. I knew this would happen, so I came prepared. My explanation would not persuade the people who dedicated their life to protecting the palace and the royal family. That was why all I could do now was make myself clear to them and hope for the best. Besides, Ramose was not around to help me out if things went south.

"My name is Timaeus Caelius," I responded loudly, and I sweat-dropped when I heard the shakiness in my voice. The guards took a step closer to me, but I refused to give up. "I'm supposed to be here with Ramose and his family, helping them with the Sed Festival preparations."

They continued to look at me sternly.

"With Ramose, huh?" the one threatening to maim me wondered out loud, and I looked on as he turned his head towards the guards behind him and gestured to one of them. The one he glanced at straightened- seemingly understanding what he was told to do- and immediately ran inside.

I watched dejectedly as the gates closed behind him, but feeling the stares the guards sent my way removed the feeling. I gulped. Of course these guys would stare at me in such a suspicious way. They were probably thinking that I was trying to kill the Prince and take his place or something, just like what that bully Nakht assumed. It made sense for them as guards to be cautious, but the thought of being locked away in the dungeons worried me immensely.

Time kept on ticking by, and with no other choice but to wait in the heavy silence, I scowled. I immediately winced when my throbbing cheek pulsed harder when I moved my mouth. I could feel the start of a nice swelling as I touched it gingerly, and the rest of my body was no doubt bruising perfectly as well. Everywhere was aching, and frankly it was starting to take most of my energy to stand.

I continued to gently prod and massage my swollen face to some extent to ease the pain when I heard the gate creaking open. My eyes snapped upwards, and there I saw the guards who had run in earlier.

"Do you know this man?" the guard asked in a hushed tone, and I sighed with relief as Ramose stepped out after him.

Ramose looked at the guard with confusion, but after turning his head and spotting me, he smiled. The more his eyes lingered on me however, the smile got smaller and smaller until nothing but concern took over his features.

"Timaeus, what happened to you?" he exclaimed, and he walked up to me, inspecting the slightly swelling skin that caused his eyes to get bigger. "All of these bruises?" he went on, and I felt a rush of embarrassment as he continued to survey my skin like a worried parent.

"Ramose, it's not as bad as it seems," I started to explain, and unsure of how to tell him what happened, I distracted him by giving him the sack of bread. "I got this though. Just as I thought, they were sitting outside next to the door."

"Oh, thank you, Timaeus," he said, taking it, and he put it back down beside him absentmindedly. He continued speaking, eyeing me intently. "What happened to you though? Who did this?"

He wasn't going to drop the question, and after understanding that, I just stood there, hesitating. My eyes dropped to the ground as I thought frantically, my lips forming incoherent words. How was I supposed to tell him that it was Ameneman who attacked me? As for the reason why Ameneman would do such a thing, I didn't think it would have been wise to say that he was actually trying to kill the royal Prince, heir to the throne, and not me at all. Yet, if I didn't say something, the Priests and Pharaoh Aknamkanon wouldn't know of Ameneman's actions. If something was to actually happen to the Prince, evil or not, that would kind of make it my fault, right?

I considered my options for a while more, and seeing that Ramose was still waiting for a reply, I decided to just tell him the truth.

"I ran into Ameneman while coming back…" I said quietly. As soon as the man's name left my mouth, the deep voice of one of the guards caught both Ramose's and my attention.

"Did you say Ameneman?!" he shouted with surprise, and I nodded uncertainly, Ramose and I both watching with trepidation as he approached us slowly.

"He's still alive? I thought he had died," another said, and the guards all looked at me with a mix of confusion and mild surprise.

"Either way," Ramose said, cutting them off as he returned his gaze to me, "Why would Ameneman do this to you? He had never tried to hurt anyone before. Atleast, as far as I'm aware of."

"It's because he thought that I was the Prince."

Silence.

"What?!" they all cried, and I had no other choice but to nod mutely. I knew it would be a shock to them.

"It's true," I went on. "He came out of nowhere and started to attack me. I'm still not sure if he knew I wasn't the Prince, but Ameneman's actions were clear. He was ready to kill at all costs. That much was obvious from the way he spoke. And, he would have actually killed me too if it wasn't for someone rescuing me just in time."

"I can't believe this," Ramose whispered to himself after another thundering moment of silence, and I just sighed. The weight that was in my stomach only deepened. To have all of these problems crop up on the day of the festival was terrible.

"We need to tell the Pharaoh about this," one of the guards hissed angrily. "Ameneman has gone too far! Such atrocities against the Prince? No, it's unforgivable."

"I didn't think he would have the courage to try assassinating the Prince," another whispered, and all I could do was watch helplessly.

"I will notify the Pharaoh as soon as possible. Thank Ra that the Prince is actually in the palace tonight," the guard went on to say, and he exhaled in relief.

I found myself nodding to his statement, a part of me disappointed. Like the guard said. The Prince was within the palace that night, so therefore the person who saved me could not have been the Prince. On the other hand though, it didn't mean that I would forget about my supposed savior. My insides still twisted, urging me to figure out who he was. I could not afford to ignore him.

"Anyways, is it alright if Timaeus enters the palace now?" Ramose asked, and I looked up with a start. The guards too stopped talking after hearing Ramose's voice, and glancing at me, the one who seemed to be the leader among them nodded his head.

"Yes, please. You may enter," he allowed, and with his hand he ordered the gates to open once more.

"Thank you," Ramose said as he picked up the sack, and glancing at me, he gestured for me to follow.

"Thank you," I said as well, and as we walked closer towards the gate, I stared up in utter awe as the palace slowly came into view.

No matter the time period and the country, palaces were recognised as the living quarters of the royal family and their staff. The palace was always a grand building, each one varying in different colours and styles, each one filled with their own relics and treasures and stories. It was no surprise that the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt would have the same, but to me it was much more enchanting to enter a palace that had stood thousands of years ago.

I stepped into the main courtyard, and goosebumps shot up my arms as I laid eyes upon the structure before me. Smooth, ivory coloured stone was what I treaded upon carefully as I turned my gaze to the sky, taking in the huge walls and the large doorway split right down the middle towards what seemed to be the inner courtyard. My hands itched to touch the walls and trace my fingers across the elegant carvings upon them, all painted with reds and blues, yellow and green to enhance the beautiful designs. Even the garden that surrounded me was pretty. Tall palm trees grew on either side of me, creating shade on the small patch of grass that grew underneath.

I smiled with childish glee. I had learned about the palaces of Ancient Egypt quite a bit during my studies, so I wasn't completely surprised and or confused. The palace's layout was quite simple, to me. The building was a rectangular shape, the same shape many of the other Egyptian palaces took- especially around the end of the fourth millennium. High walls became common as the years grew on, and each was decorated with rich panels and statues. They represented certain Pharaoh's, a specific God, or even animal at times. However, unlike the homes of the villagers which were created using dried mud, the palace was built completely out of stone.

The Ancient Egyptians constructed their pyramids, tombs and temples with stone because stone was the most durable of all building materials. There was no arguing with that logic. Thousands of years into the future, many of the buildings built using stone continued to stand, despite suffering through earthquakes and wars and nature itself during the long time period. That achievement couldn't have been met without the large workforce of trained craftsmen and workers, along with the great engineering and architectural skills the Ancient Egyptians possessed. How they went about building these wonders with the simple tools they had would continue to be a mystery, but they were successful none the less.

"Timaeus, come this way," Ramose called out, and I turned my head to look at him. He was walking towards the side of the palace, passing around the line of pillars that held up the ceiling of a pathway which led to the back. I followed him, noting the simple carvings and the plants and vases that decorated the shaded walkway. We didn't continue down there though. We returned into the sun on the other side, and it was there where we started to walk to the back.

"The servant quarters are behind the palace," Ramose informed me as we walked along the slowly heating sun, and I nodded, watching as the shadows of the pillars grew taller and taller.

The servants did not live within the palace. They lived and did most of their work in a second building that was usually built behind the palace or at the sides in some cases. The kitchen was located there, along with the workshops, most of the storage, and depending on the layout even the stables were kept there. If the stables wasn't connected to the servants building, then it was just a short distance away.

The shaded pathway ended some time back after leading towards a separate door. All that I could see now was the continuation of the delicate carvings and paintings on the smooth wall. I craned my head upwards to see windows at the top, and there I also saw two small balconies protruding from the wall. My eyes widened. How could there be balconies so high up? I had always thought that the palaces were only one floor buildings. Yet, was it possible that this palace held two floors? I thought deeply about it as we continued to walk, but my mind only came to one conclusion that made sense to me.

The palace of Pharaoh Aknamkanon still wasn't discovered in the future, so there was no way for archaeologists to be certain that all of the palaces were one floor. If we had already discovered this palace in the future, then it would have been known that some palaces had many levels. It would have been enough proof. The Ancient Egyptians were known for being severely advanced in architectural fields. And besides, stairs wasn't something created around my time anyways.

That was why I shouldn't be surprised. This entire era was quite similar to what I've learned, but it was also very different at the same time. I had to remind myself that this was a time where magic was at its peak. Anything was possible.

"There it is," Ramose said, and he motioned forwards with his head towards the long building that stretched from one side of the palace walls to the other.

The rear of the palace reminded me of a backyard. A very large backyard where there was just sand instead of grass, littered with a couple palm trees on the edges. The sand went on for a few feet, so we spent some time walking across it towards the servant quarters. I noticed that there were several entrances into the building, but Ramose led the way to the opening that was closer to us. My mouth made a small O shape as we approached the entryway, and my eyes immediately turned to the roof of the building, taking in the dried mud ceiling and the stone walls. We entered the mouth and turned a sudden sharp corner before entering through a thick door. We stood now in a small hallway, and in seconds my excitement vanished.

A foul stench smacked into me as soon as I entered the building. My hand went up to cover my nose as I looked around the dark room, and before me I saw two small openings on my right and a single larger opening on my left. The opening on the left surely led to the sleeping area, storage, and so forth.

As my eyes lingered around the room, I noticed that it wasn't so dark on the inside. The sun was slowly seeping its way through the windows, and the places where the sun didn't reach was illuminated by small oil lamps. The building was tiny, but airy at the same time. Cool air wafted through the windows, and I breathed slightly as the wind took some of the odd smell away. It remained, and my nose wrinkled with disgust. It smelled like a dead carcass.

Ramose entered one of the doors, and so following him, I was caught off guards by the amount of people that bustled about the small room. I didn't recognise anyone except for two.

"Timaeus!" Merimose shouted as soon as he saw me, and I smiled as the boy jumped off the stool he was sitting on to rush over to me. "You made it!"

"Yes, I did," I chuckled, and I returned the hug, only for us to break away when Senisonbe called for him loudly.

"Merimose?!" she exclaimed with confusion and anger, and we both looked over to see the bowl Merimose was supposed to be holding left on the floor. The washed vegetables were dripping from Senisonbe's hand and towards the ground, leaving wet splatters. Senisonbe shot the boy a dark look.

"Oh, sorry," Merimose said, and he stuck his tongue out apologetically to himself. He was just about to run back to her when stopped, slowly turning back around. His eyes went straight for my battered skin.

"Timaeus, what happened to you?" Merimose cried, and as he picked up the bowl, he gave me a worried look. I smiled widely and tapped the swell gently.

"Oh, hah… well, when I was coming back I accidentally fell and hit my face on a bench. I wasn't looking where I was going, I guess."

Merimose's eyes shot open, and I even saw Senisonbe turn to cast me a concerned gaze… along with the female servants who were there as well. They heard what I said and I internally sweat dropped when I heard their surprised yelps upon seeing me. I doubt it was because of my injuries.

"It wasn't too bad, so don't worry. It doesn't hurt!" I continued, and I could hear Senisonbe taking some time to explain things to the maids. They calmed down, but yet they still gave me uncomfortable looks here and there.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Merimose asked, and I nodded.

"Positive."

His lips pressed together tightly as he continued to stare at me, but he eventually sighed, returning his attention to Senisonbe to hold the bowl for her. Really, I felt bad lying to him, but there was no need for me to worry him more by saying the truth. It was too complicated to explain a second time, so it was easier just to say a little white lie. It wasn't going to hurt him, and truthfully, the swelling and bruises didn't hurt so much anymore. It would feel nice to have an icepack to put on it though, but that was obviously impossible.

"Timaeus, come with me," Ramose called out from behind me, and glancing at him as he put the sack down against the wall, I sent Merimose a little wave before leaving. Ramose took me to the other doorway. "The ladies will handle this side of things. We need some help over here," he explained to me, and as we got closer to the other doorway, the sickening smell got stronger and a whole lot worse.

"As you can see, we have a lot to do," Ramose said, and he walked into the room. Feeling my stomach about to leave me, it almost did when I entered right after him and got a good look at the scene.

Dead, skinned animals, already chopped up into huge chunks was what sat in the middle of the room. They were absolutely red. Fresh meat, was what it was, sitting in a pool of blood. And surrounding it were around seven men who each sat there, diligently hacking the meat apart with all of their might. I stared with horror, the fear increasing when Ramose got closer to them and ushered me to follow him.

This kitchen was similar to the first one. The first one had small counters made out of stone and wood which lined two of the walls, while shelves covered the other two. They were packed with a few sections of what seemed to be grains and vegetables, some bowls as well for immediate use. This kitchen on the other hand was just about the same size. They had the same counters, but these ones a lot thicker, wider and longer. And instead of shelves, there was the opened spot where the floor slanted a bit downwards. It was surely to drain the blood and take it outside, because just at the bottom of the slant was a thin, long opening.

"Hey, Ramose, you're back! Great. We need to start separating these and sending them to get cooked. We're running out of time," one of the men told Ramose as we approached, and I slowly inched my way towards them. I squirmed, seeing one of the men burst open what seemed to be some animal's guts. Grey muck spilled out. Ramose however nodded, crouching down and grabbing what seemed to be the animal's chest without any hesitation.

I struggled to breathe as I looked on, and I noticed a variety of different birds, all skinned of their feathers, and the big animal that looked like an ox. The decapitated wings and heads were proof of that, and knowing my thought was real made the sick feeling even worse. I couldn't help but wonder how much longer I would be able to last standing in the room.

"Timaeus, could you get me that bowl over there?" Ramose asked, turning back slightly, and I nodded queasily, fetching one of the large clay bowls that sat in the corner of the room. I took it over and set it down beside him, and as I did, a few of the men turned to glance at me.

I've gotten so used to the stares that whenever I went somewhere, I expected the usual shock and surprise. These men on the other hand, said nothing. They just looked at me for a few seconds before resuming what they were doing. It confused me, but in the end it was a lot less trouble. For once my appearance wasn't going to be a headache here. Though, a part of me guessed that Ramose had something to do with their lack of questions. He was here earlier. Maybe he gave them a heads up about me already.

"What's with that sick look, boy?" the man next to me asked, and with a start I turned to him. I jumped once more when he chopped the bone infront of him in half, cutting away at it as if it was nothing. I found no words coming to my mouth, and slowly I started to slither away from them again. My reaction did not go unnoticed.

"Aren't used to dead meat?" another one of the men asked, and he was looking at me, chuckling when I covered my mouth upon seeing the smeared blood on his knee length shendyt. I shook my head. There was no point trying to fake it.

"Haha, that's alright. You don't have to help cut it up. But, since you're here to help in some way, you could do other things. Come, get that dagger over there for me," the man continued to say, and looking behind me I spotted it sitting on the counter. I grabbed it and took it to him, feeling the worn out cloth the handle was wrapped with and the sharp blade.

I stepped back after giving it to him and just watched, the uneasiness slowly going away as I got used to the smell. Never in my life, other than on TV, have I saw an animal in this bloodied state before. Of course I've touched raw meat, but to actually see it coming from the animal freaked me out greatly.

I spent most of my time just watching them work. All I had to do was rise the daggers and old swords out with the water in the corner, and splash some on the ground to wash away the blood when it became too much. The men was hard at work with their cutting. They didn't take a break, and they didn't look to need it even when sweat dripped off their bodies. There was still so much to get done, but neither of them complained. They only cried out victoriously as they got through half of the meat, not at all concerned about the fact that the birds haven't been touched yet. Was this really considered normal for them? My heart sank watching them work so hard, but this was their life. They knew no other way.

"Ramose?!"

Hearing the voice of a woman call out suddenly from the doorway, we all turned to look at her. She was a small girl wearing a full tunic that went down to her knees, her shoulder length black hair swaying as she stared at Ramose urgently. Ramose turned to her, an eyebrow raising.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry for bothering you, but Senisonbe is asking you to assist us with the tables in the throne room. We have to start setting the food out. Ra has already rose and there is no one to help us. We are very low on staff today," she explained quickly, and my heart leaped with joy. The throne room?!

I turned to Ramose expectantly, and hope rose when I saw him let out a big sigh before slowly setting the dagger down on the ground. He got up, and checking himself over, he scowled to see drops of blood on the side of his tunic.

"Okay, I'm coming. Just give me a moment," Ramose said, and taking some water he tried scrubbing the blood off. Thankfully the blood had not dried, but now there was a wet spot. It was better than the blood though.

"Come, Timaeus," he said, and with great restraint I stopped myself from breaking out into a wide smile. I trailed after him silently, feeling my heart thudding loudly with excitement.

That brings us to the end of the chapter! I do hope you like it. I tried my best when editing to make it smoother and less complicated to read.

PS: This was formerly a very big chapter. After editing I cut the big chapter in half, creating chapter 18 for the other half. It was so big that I thought it was too much info to handle at once, lessening the chapter's enjoyment because there was so much going on. I hope the chunks makes it better. Sorry in advance for any confusion! More will be explained on the other half – next chapter.

Thank you for reading and please do review~

Bye~