"Come on, we have to get you back to the Temple of Osiris." Anck-su-namun said gently and helped Imhotep up. He swayed a bit, then crumpled back into a heap at her feet.
"Oh! You can't walk?" She asked, concerned.
"Ow..." He winced.
Taking the hint that he was too sore and shaken to walk at the moment, Anck-su-namun said, "Okay, you just... lay there and... I'll get something."
Anck-su-namun took off every gold item she was wearing that hadn't been thrown off on the boat. "Umm..." She started, addressing the peasants that were watching her. Surprisingly, they didn't step backwards... much...
"Would anyone trade me this gold for a cart, and maybe a mule... or something..." It was truly an awkward moment.
Finally, she did find a small cart and donkey for her gold trinkets. She then carefully loaded Imhotep, who by now had passed out with the pain, onto it, then started the two hour walk back to the temple.
***
Imhotep woke completely dry in a cool place. The first thing he comprehended was pain. His whole body seemed to be on fire. He looked around. He recognized the room. It was his. His quarters in the temple.
A figure stood beside him, placing a damp cloth on his forehead. "Who are you?" Imhotep wanted to ask, but all that came out was "Ow..." Good enough.
The figure moved out of the shadows and he saw who it was. "Princess..."
"Ah. You're awake."
"How'd..."
"Ssh. It's okay. Just relax."
"It hurts..."
"I know. Try to relax."
"I want to thank--"
"Not now. Leave thanking for later. We have to make sure your cuts don't get infected."
"Erm... okay."
Anck-su-namun went to the cupboard and got out various herbs and potions.
"How do you know--?" He asked, startled she knew what ingredients made what.
"You learn stuff at nature camp."
"Huh? Oh. You're from the future... aren't you?"
"Uh-huh."
She finished making the concoction and walked over to Imhotep with the bowl of stuff and a clean piece of cloth. She dipped the cloth into the solution.
Next she undid his 'bandage'. It was crusted with blood, as was his head. She discarded the bloodstained black cloth and picked up the new one, now soaked with the potion she had just made.
"Now this might sting a little." She said soothingly and dabbed the cloth on his wound.
Pain shot through his head like a white-hot poker. Sting a little? It 'stung' to high heaven! He drew his breath in sharply and grabbed the girl's free hand.
Anck-su-namun was surprised when Imhotep grabbed her other hand. Surely it couldn't sting that much, yet she could've underestimated the power of Egyptian medicine. He squeezed her hand harder every time she touched the cloth to the wound.
She wanted to stop, knowing she was causing him pain, but better this than infection. It had to be done. "Sorry..." She whispered softly. He was clenching his teeth together and was sucking his breath in sharply. She felt so sorry for him.
Finally the wound was clean, and she wrapped it in proper, or the best quality at the time, gauze. He exhaled heavily.