The Mirror

They approached a tall building made out of stone. Thick pillars supported a large ceiling with intricate carvings and hieroglyphics on it. "This is the Temple. Well, Princesses, it has been a pleasure. Please drop by to see me anytime you wish." Imhotep smiled and entered the building.

"Well, at least we know everyone here's not a spaz." Jendai commented. They entered the Temple.

Torches burning more perfume-scented incense lit every row of red velvet cushions. In the front was a 20-foot statue of Osiris, the God of the Dead. On stone ceiling hieroglyphics and intricate patterns and pictures had been carved and painted. The whole scene took on a mystical look and Anck-su-namun could almost feel a presence.

Anck-su-namun and Jendai did not kneel on the cushions for fear of smudging their body paint. They simply stood with their heads bowed and hands clasped together in prayer. Their eyes were shut tight, thinking of Anura, Vanessa, their friend, from this world and theirs.

The hairs on the back of Anck-su-namun's neck began to stand up, and she felt like she was being watched. She opened one eye just a slit. She saw Imhotep looking at them from behind a pillar. She smiled at him, and he, knowing his hiding and spying would do no good anymore, smiled back. He's nice. Anck-su-namun thought and returned to her prayers.

They had been there for a while when Jendai exclaimed, "Oh my God!" Anck-su-namun turned to her in alarm. So did everyone else in the Temple. The girls ignored the annoyed stares of worshipers as Jendai spoke, "The roommates!" She said in English, "They might be wondering where we are! We should go back."

"I have a better idea. How about we never go back?"

"We have to say our goodbyes!"

"That will make it even harder to leave."

"But... oh, all right. Fine. We'll stay."

The girls noticed the strange stares on the faces of the worshipers. They were probably looking at them funny because they had been speaking another language. Embarrassed, they left the Temple and headed back to the palace.

Back at the palace, Anck-su-namun and Jendai were directed by a group of confused maids to the gardens, where the other concubines spent most of their free time.

There was an archway of ivy in an opening of a ten-foot-high shrub bush. Inside there were gold fountains and man-made rivers with dyed water from various fruit juices. The ground was tiles of authentic marble, smooth and gorgeous like a sea washed pebble. There were small alabaster benches and stone boxes that were three feet high, filled with exotic flowers from other lands.

A few small mahogany bridges crosses here and there over the water, and colorful parakeets flew from the sky like tiny rainbows to a couple fruit-bearing trees. Small white-and-gold koi fish swam in the river which was lined at the bottom with stones of amethyst and gold, marble, silver, turquoise, ruby and jade.

 Anck-su-namun was surprised to find that almost none of the concubines were talking or socializing. When Anck-su-namun and Jendai entered the garden, the others' heads turned, and then they looked away as if they couldn't be bothered by little amateurs.

"Why don't they talk to each other?" Anck-su-namun whispered.

"Competition, rivalries. To them, a concubine's status depends on how many times the Pharaoh's used you."

"That's stupid."

"I know."

"So they don't talk to each other?"

"Nope."

"I don't see the point in that."

"Neither do I."

Both girls shrugged and sat down by a pool of clear, blue water.