Disclaimer:
I don't own Evy, Rick, Alex, etc.
I'm not using this for money.
Yatsa, Yatsa, and Yatsa.
Claimer:
I do, however, own Akila/Isis, Amunet, Bomani, Ini-herit,
and any others not of the realm of The Mummy.
ETC:
My Egyptian history is a little rusty. If anyone spots anything out of place, Go
right ahead and e-mail me. I'd like to
get this right.
-*-*-
Immortality is a Curse
Chapter One: Akila or Isis?
-*-*-
Anck-Su-Namun
stared at the infant in her arms. 'How
could this happen? She's only baby! She
doesn't deserve this!' She thought, anguished, 'Oh, why do the Gods
torment me and her like this?!'
"Please,
give me the child! If we don't get this
over with soon, Seti will find out. We
have to hurry." Imhotep begged, as the tiny infant – who was either his child
or Seti's, and for the sake of the infant, he hoped she was Seti's blood –
began to cry.
The baby
was only a little more then a day old.
No guard or Medjai, save one, knew of her birth, and the only royalty
who knew was Nefertiti – and she had mixed emotions. Anck-Su-Namun was quite sure she knew who the father was, but she
hoped and prayed it wasn't Imhotep. Not
only would both herself and he die, so would the infant.
"This is
not fair!" She cried.
"I know."
He soothed, "But if we don't implore the Gods for the truth, Seti will question
her parentage and then she will never live."
"What if
the Medjai find out?"
"They
won't. Ini-herit swore to Isis that he
would lie if need be."
Anck-Su-Namun
grasped her child, "Good, she will protect her." She reluctantly handed her daughter up to Imhotep, who looked
down at the face of the child, and began to wonder.
"Oh, little
one; let your life be that of the palace – not lies and deception. Live by the Maat. Do not live as your mother has, nor as I have." And with that he left to the temple. He was going to find out whom the father of
the tiny baby (already named Akila in
the womb by Seti before he left for Hamunaptra) was.
-*-*-
Imhotep
collapsed to the ground.
The Gods
would not answer. They would give no
sign, nothing to show pleasure or anger.
It seemed as though Akila was doomed to be both blessed and cursed.
"Imhotep?"
Ini-herit called as he walked into the temple, "Imhotep?" He called again.
"Here." He
replied, softly, his head in his hands.
Ini-herit
noticed him finally, and knelt now beside his childhood friend, "I assume she
is your blood."
"I don't
know! They don't answer!" He yelled,
suddenly overcome with rage at the deities he was supposed to serve. He punched the wall after he spoke.
"Stop! Do not do that – you'll anger Them, and then
her father will never be known."
"I didn't
want to put you in this position, Ini, but I think you're going to have to
break the Maat."
"I know,
it's alright. She already looks like
her mother, no one will ever know who the true father is." He tried to comfort.
"We cannot
tell anyone about this."
"What about
Nefertiti? She already knows."
"I'll talk
to her."
"No. She's known you since she was born, you
would never be able to lie to her. I'll
do it." He countered, "You'll talk to your priests, and Anck-Su-Namun. I'll talk to the Medjai. There are some who would side with I, that
she should not suffer if the Gods aren't angered. They have blessed her.
They will help me protect her." He stood up, and offered a hand to help
his friend.
Imhotep
nodded, and took the offered hand. He
quickly walked over to the stone alter, where the swaddled child was sleeping,
almost goddess-like. "Isis." He looked
at Ini-herit, "Seti named her Akila. I
name her Isis."
"I'm
certain Isis will protect her namesake."
The high
priest picked up the little girl and held her up so he could look into her now
open eyes. He was sure he knew who the
father was – and that knowledge would be taken to the grave.
-*-*-
Two Years Later
Nefertiti
had watched as her father was murdered.
Her heart had breaking in two.
First her mother, then her father.
She knew what had to be done and she did everything, but her soul was
shattered. The only people who could
get through to her were her sister and Ini-herit.
Slowly
walking down the hall, she could already see her sister playing with a large
piece of light fabric. Her handmaiden,
Amunet, who was laughing at the little girl, followed her. Finally catching up to Akila, Amunet swooped
down and lifted her up in the air and swung her around. She put the laughing child down and looked
up to see Nefertiti standing a few feet away, "My Queen."
"Amunet,
I've known you since we were young. I
am Nefertiti. Do not call me Queen."
She nodded,
"I was just going to take Akila for her bath." She told her.
"Before you
do, I have a question that is in dire need of an answer."
Again, she
nodded, and waited for the question.
"Did
Imhotep call Akila by the name Isis at any time?"
"Why do you
ask?"
"Before he
was executed for murdering my father, he asked for Isis. I was there begging to know why he did what
he did, and I asked why he was asking for Isis and not Ra or Osiris. He told me he meant Akila."
Amunet
sighed, "He did at a few events call her Isis."
"Why?"
"I know you
remember when it was unknown who her father was. You were angry that Anck-Su-Namun was unfaithful, that Akila
might not be your blood."
"Yes, and
Imhotep did the ritual and said it was my father."
"No." She
said, softly, placing a hand on Nefertiti's shoulder, "The Gods never
answered. They seemed content and so it
was not questioned it further."
Nefertiti
stared at her friend, "So Akila could be the child of Imhotep?"
"Maybe. But she's too much like Seti to not be his
blood."
Nefertiti
nodded, "This will not affect anything.
Akila is my sister. I will
protect her. What has been said does
not go past this room."
"Do not
worry. Ini-herit and a few of the Medjai
watch over her. Bomani does not
question her parentage, so all is safe."
"Thank you,
Amunet."
"Your
welcome, my Queen." She replied with a smile, before taking Akila's hand and
leaving the room.
-*-*-
Fourteen Years Later
Bomani
stared down at the girl. Black hair lay
around her head, her gold circlet falling backward. Her rich, evenly tanned skin was speckled with blood – her blood. Her eyes, a dark brown like the silt, which
washed upon the shores when the Nile rose, stared up at him before closing and
relaxing. The only part of her body
which still seemed to be alive, were her lips – a light pink like the sky when
Ra calls forth the day – which permitted air to flow in and out of her dying
form.
He lifted
her up and placed her down on the alter.
The same alter that failed to implore the Gods to divulge who the father
was.
And it was
there and then that the ritual would begin.
Akila would no longer grow up; grow old. She would be immortal and everything that was once known was
gone.
And once
again, Nefertiti watched as her family was taken from her. She was numb with fear and hurt. Ini-herit screamed as Bomani began, Amunet
cried.
Nothing
would ever be the same.
-*-*-
To Be Continued…
Oh, and, this takes
place after The Mummy Returns!
-*-*-
Cassie Jamie
noahXfiles@aol.com