EPILOGUE
Irish countryside, on a rural lane leading to a small village, middle of November....
"And Cuppy was reunited with David? I know he missed her," Ian asked Jonathan as they walked by one of Ireland's dolmens and virtually every county in Ireland claimed a dolmen in residence.
"Yes. Ardeth had renamed her Khuta while she was in his care but she's home with David."
"Good. Cuppy's a farm dog anyways," Ian said, then inquired, "Did the daily bombing really stop?"
Jonathan smiled down at Ian. The two were wearing matching thick tweed coats, and balaclavas, for the day was rather chilly. "Yes. Hitler has been beaten back to Berlin, although he still bombs London occasionally. It's as if he's sparring with us," Jonathan replied.
"But the bombs are not falling every day?"
"No, not every day."
"And it was an Egyptian Bracelet--the Bracelet of Lostris--which King Arthur brought from Egypt, with magic spells that expelled the Luftwaffe?"
Jonathan laughed. "Yes. Ardeth brought the Bracelet safely to London. There are a lot of things Egyptian which you will learn about from your Aunt Evie."
"Cool! I like magic. And I like King Arthur. I want to meet him."
"So, you've heard the modern legend of King Arthur have you?"
"Oh yes! How he was washed up on Wolf Rock and traveled on horseback through the Cornish countryside, on his way to liberate London from the daily bombings," Ian replied. "Irene's made up a play about King Arthur. It's quite good, you know."
"I shall have to see this play," Jonathan observed. "And write and tell Ardeth about it."
"We're putting on the play tomorrow."
"I look forward to it."
"Irene's also writing about the Four Children of Lir."
"Who were they?"
"They were transformed into swans and for a thousand years, they were doomed to swim the seas between Scotland and the northern coast of Ireland."
"Is that going to be a play?"
"Nuh-uh. A short story."
"I like to read."
"So do I. You know what else I like?"
"No, what?"
"I like the idea of Aunt Evie. I've never had an aunt before. What's an aunt like?"
"Oh, most aunts like to do things, read and cook and all. Evie likes languages, and telling stories from her life as Neferteri."
"I want a past life too. And I want to have Egyptian adventures like Alex!"
"Perhaps we can discover if you've lived before, but I'll pass on Egyptian adventures like Alex experienced. However, you will be able to meet Ardeth," Jonathan suggested, smiling as Ian did a short skip down the deserted rural lane.
In the far distance ahead, the ruins of a castle tower rose up from the hilly landscape, but the two member family was heading towards the straidbaile--a village.
"I would like that very much, to meet him. And going to Egypt. I've never had a past life before. I've not even had a sibling before."
"Cousin, really."
"No cousins either. I've been an orphan as long as I can remember," Ian said, stopping to look up at Jonathan.
"You're not an orphan any longer. You're my son, Ian."
"Ian M. Carnahan."
"You don't want your own surname?" Jonathan asked, surprised but deeply pleased.
"Oh, I'll keep it as my middle name, but I want the papers to reflect your surname, dad," Ian said taking Jonathan's hand and leading him down the rural lane. One of Ireland's standing stones rose up alongside the lane and beside the stone, a stray member of the county's ruminant population stood quiet guard, occasionally flicking its tail at an unseen irritant.
Jonathan was smiling widely. Although the sky was overcast with thick grey clouds, both Ian and Jonathan felt the sun was shining on their souls once again.
"Ian M. Carnahan," Ian said, then rolled the Ian and the 'm' together, and blurring the words a bit--just enough to corrupt the sounds ever so slightly, and he said, "I'm a Carnahan, now," he said, smiling.
Jonathan couldn't help but smiling as well. "Yes, you're a Carnahan. I see English is alive and changing even today," noting Ian's slight corruption of English.
Ian just smiled and said again, "I'm an Carnahan" as the two walked through the Irish countryside towards the tiny picturesque village where Ian and Jonathan were going to take tea.
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Near the End of the Age of Taurus, royal felucca pleasure barge sailing on the Nile near Thebes, midday...
Ra seemed to shimmer, and rays of golden light spread out from the golden disk. A Kushite rower was the first to see the phenomenon in the sky and he called out, "Look! Ra is greeting us! We are blessed!" Other rowers stopped and looked up at Ra.
Imhotep looked up from the scroll he was reading and Pharoah Djoser sat up on the throne placed on a platform in the middle of the royal water craft and watched Ra's light drift down to settle over all of Egypt. Her citizens stopped their activities to watch Ra shimmer.
A deep male voice sounded over Egypt:
"This Very Egypt of our is safe from a future pestilence. The Gods wish to bestow their thanks to the High Priest of Ptah Imhotep for his assistance to us in a future time. He will be pleased to know the Restorer of Ma'at has once again prevented the downfall of this Very Egypt of ours."
A great cheer rose from Egypt's citizens as they listened to the words of Ra.
Pharaoh Djoser smiled. "I think a Festival of Bastet is in order. Don't you agree, Imhotep?"
Imhotep returned the smile. Bastet was a popular Goddess and her festivals were celebrated with much wine drinking, dancing and singing. "Yes, a Festival of Bastet is in order, as this Very Egypt of ours is safe for the future."
"Scribes! Make a royal order and send the fastest messengers to tell all Egypt that a Festival of Bastet is to be held for ten days, starting this very day! Citizens! Spread the word as well!" Pharaoh Djoser told the smiling citizens of Egypt who were on the feluccas nearest the royal barges.
Scribes hurried to make up the royal orders as the Egyptians on the feluccas nearest the royal barges hurried back to their villages to spread the merry word. The royal order was already making its way up the Nile, for cheers from feluccas furthest from the royal barges were heard.
Djoser looked at Imhotep. "You have done well, Imhotep."
Imhotep inclined his head. "Thank you, but it is the Restorer of Ma'at who did most of the hard work. It is he who should be thanked."
"Who is the Restorer of Ma'at?" Djoser wanted to know, then held up his hand. "If the Gods of Egypt gave you that information, Ammit would eat your heart if you revealed that information to anyone. I will find out in the Afterlife."
"I am satisfied knowing this Very Egypt of ours is safe, safe for now, and safe for the future."
"That is enough for me as well. Now, shall we disembark at Thebes to officiate at the beginning of the Festival?"
"As you wish, my Pharaoh," Imhotep replied, as the city of Thebes drew closer. Thebans were already dancing in the streets, singing as a bull--the Apis bull--was being led by ropes.
"A further blessing!" Djoser noted happily as he accepted a faience cup of wine. "Apis has been found! A dual Festival of Bastet and an Apis celebration is history in the making, don't you agree?"
Imhotep nodded as he closed his eyes and offered silent thanks to Kysen, Khuta and Ardeth. The royal barge sailed closer to Thebes and the cheering intensified.
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Afterlife, Sometime in Eternity (but scuttlebutt sets the date in the middle of November, 1940)...
"Well, Taita was certainly an excellent student of magic," Thoth said to the assembled Gods and demons of the Underworld. There had been general celebrating, with much wine and sweets imbibed by the Gods, since the massed power of all living beings had been channelled by the Bracelet and their massed power had pushed Seth's former Chosen One back to his homeland for the time being.
London was safe from downfall and thus Hitler would not get his chance to destroy the Egyptian afterlife, although the Gods knew the city of London would be bombed from time to time in the coming months.
"Taita works magic better than Isis," Nepthys observed, always ready to needle her sister. She herself had married Seth while Isis had married Osiris.
"Ha! There is no one better at working magic than me!" Isis retorted, but smiled anyways. "Well, no other God can use magic like I can, except for Thoth. Taita was mortal and that doesn't count," she finished haughtily.
"Thank you Isis for the compliment," Thoth said and Isis flashed him a smile.
"We must call Lostris and Taita before us to commend them," Osiris told the assembled Gods. There was general agreement amongst the assembled Gods. The demons cheered before dispersing to continue their merriment in another part of the Underworld.
"What about Imhotep?" Bastet wanted to know once the demons had gone. She smoothed the fur on her face. Her green eyes glowed with happiness at the success of the Bracelet of Lostris.
Bastet had been rather taken with Osiris's High Priest and since he was the one who had interrogated Josef and learned of Hitler's dastardly plan against Egyptian afterlife, she wanted to make sure Imhotep received fair treatment.
"For now, his soul will no longer be devoured by the demons," Osiris said. "Determining his final fate will take a little longer. But he will be free to move about the Underworld, and he will be allowed to see his parents and his offspring."
"He has offspring?" Bes, the dwarf fertility god, asked, ever hopeful his image had been used in childbirth.
Osiris nodded. "Yes. Imhotep fathered fifteen children, all of whom survived to adulthood, and whom he cared about greatly." Bes smiled widely and accepted congratulations from the other gods.
"And Ancksunamun?" Horus asked and Osiris grimaced.
"She betrayed him and I doubt Imhotep wants to see her. She is better left to wander the underworld as a lost soul," Osiris replied. "She has grown quite ugly, and is by far the nastiest looking demon in the Underworld," he added slyly.
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Afterlife, Sometime in Eternity...
"Queen Lostris and Taita, step forward!" Osiris ordered the two Egyptians.
Obeying their command, the two stepped forward. Pharaoh Tamose, formerly Prince Memnon, grinned hugely, his dark green eyes sparkling.
"Lostris, it was you who protected the Double Crown of Egypt by exiling the Royal family during the invasion of the enemies. A smart move, going south to Kush until the Prince came of age," Osiris said. Then he smiled mischievously. "And although the Gods know Tamose is the son of Tanus and yourself, he was accepted as the God-King of Egypt by one of our own, Pharaoh Mamose."
"Tanus is my father?" Tamose asked, surprised, and Lostris turned, smiled and nodded. Tanus put his arm around Tamose's shoulders.
"And Taita, although you were educated by Egypt's traitor, you used your education well in protecting Egypt from future invasion."
"Therefore," Osiris called in his deep throated voice. "Let it be known in the Afterlife and all the Underworld, that Queen Lostris and Taita have earned the 'Flies of Valor'," Osiris said and nodded to Isis and Nepthys, who placed Egypt's highest military honor around the necks of Lostris and Taita.
Cheers went up from the assembled crowd of assorted Gods and Goddesses, deceased Egyptians, and more than a few demons from the Underworld, the High Priest of Osiris Imhotep among them.
Pharaoh Mamose came up to Lostris. "My sister, from the moment I married you, I knew Tanus would father your child. I married you because of your intelligence and dedication towards preserving all things Egyptian."
"Then you are not angry at me for deceiving you, my brother?" Lostris asked.
Mamose shook his head. "It is the right of the Pharaoh to choose the next God-King, as did King Haremheb when he chose Rameses I to become Pharaoh. There was too much treachery loose and about in Egypt and I knew I needed someone pure of heart to bear Egypt's next Son."
Mamose hugged her, then went to join the other Gods.
Taita commented, "And I thought I had fooled him."
"He noticed everything," Lostris replied. She was about to continue but Osiris' voice rang out again.
"High Priest of Osiris Imhotep!" and Imhotep adjusted his golden robes, then stepped forward.
"You have been a difficult case to resolve. But you provided the information which helped us save the city of London from downfall and thus prevented the destruction of the Afterlife of Egypt and the destruction of the Egyptian Gods. Service to Egypt is highly valued," Osiris told the assembled people.
There were various cheers and shouts of congratulations directed at Imhotep. Osiris held up his hand for silence. When the crowd quieted, Osiris continued, "Therefore, it is the order of Osiris that you be allowed access to the Afterlife and the Gods are pleased to present you also with the 'Flies of Valor'," he told a stunned Imhotep as Bastet came forward and placed the shining gold 'Flies of Valor' around Imhotep's neck.
Bastet kissed Imhotep's cheek and purred softly as she stepped back.
And Imhotep's children and parents stepped forward to greet their astonished father and son.
More cheers erupted from the assembled crowd.
"Now! A Festival is in order! Bastet! This will be your festival, so let the merriment commence!" Osiris shouted gleefully as all of Egyptian afterlife erupted into song and dance.
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The Grayson Pub, Land's End, middle of November, early afternoon...
Martha was laughing. It felt good to laugh just to hear her own voice. Since September 7, she hadn't felt much like laughing. She laughed again and said, "Isn't is wonderful that the bombings have stopped for the moment?" she asked a customer, a seaman from Halifax, Canada.
"King Arthur was the one who got the bad guys out of London! I just know he did!" David asserted to the seaman and to his mother.
"King Arthur?" the seaman, Alan Hopkins asked. "How could King Arthur liberate London?"
David pulled on Alan's hand. "If you'll sit down, I'll tell you!"
"He's only four. He's just learned to tell a story," Martha told Alan.
"It's no problem, ma'am. I like hearing stories," Alan replied as David pulled on Alan's hand. The two went over to a table, and Martha brought Alan a mug of tea, a glass of milk for David and a plate of biscuits for them both. David began to tell Alan about his encounter with King Arthur.
"King Arthur was shipwrecked on Wolf Rock. It's waaay out there!" David pointed out to sea. "And the American seaman Thomas Wheaton and I sailed out to pick him up and when we got back, King Arthur borrowed our stallion and galloped towards London to free it from the bad guys! And he did this all in a week!" David finished triumphantly and Alan smiled at the innocent ability to telescope time. To be four again!
But David wasn't done. "I drew pictures of King Arthur. Here, on the wall," he pointed and smiled hugely.
Alan turned his head to look at the picture David was pointing out. It was remarkably well drawn and showed a dark haired man with intense eyes astride a magnificent stallion. On the man's back were two swords, crossed in an 'x' shape.
Alan couldn't help but to feel safe looking at the picture David had drawn. The man's eyes told of an inner resolve and you knew that when he was around, he would protect you.
"I'll draw you one, so you'll be protected by him," David said and Alan nodded absently.
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Lizard Point, middle of November, early afternoon...
Ida Dunham walked slowly along the South Cornwallian beach, occasionally smiling to herself. A gull landed on the sand a short distance in front of her and Ida stopped for a moment.
"Did you hear, mister gull? King Arthur made it to London!"
The gull flapped its wings. It had known King Arthur well before his arrival in London--for he had seen King Arthur on Wolf Rock and had woken him up from his long nap. The gull was a celebrity of sorts amongst the bird population of Cornwall, for not many birds had the chance to awaken King Arthur.
Ida's heart was humming for in the last few weeks, there had been good news from both London and France: London was no longer being bombed daily (and nightly) and Ida's two sons had each written from France. Ida was to be a grandmother twice over and both babies were due with a month of each other.
She'd decided she would go to Egypt as she'd dreamed, so she could write her grandchildren and tell them about her Egyptian adventures.
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O'Connell bedroom, early afternoon on a mid-November day...
"Mmmmmmm, now that satiated my hunger!" Rick told his wife as he ran his finger down her arm. She was curled into Rick's arms, the quilted down coverlet drawn up to her neck.
She twisted her head around to see him a bit better. "Even more than a hot cup of steaming joe?" she asked mischievously, a gleam in her eye.
Rick laughed, then considered the question seriously. "I would have to think about that."
"Rick!" Evie said as she playfully poked Rick in the ribs with her elbow. "Surely I'm better than some cuppa joe!" she said indignantly. "Hmmpf!"
"Then let me show you how good you are," Rick murmured.
"Quuuuaaaaacckk!" Ducky said as he and a female duck flew past the surprised O'Connells and into their bathroom. The two ducks landed on the edge of the tub, then jumped in and splashed the water with their wings. "Quack!" Ducky told the two surprised humans when he realized they were watching him and his new mate.
"Not again!" Evie moaned but Rick stopped her next words by kissing her mouth.
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Red Cross station, outskirts of London (exact location to remain unrevealed, by order of the M5), early afternoon on a mid-November day...
"You've got the lorries arranged?" Charlotte Myers asked, tucking her thick red hair into a bun and adjusting the pale blue siren suit she wore.
Like other young London women, Charlotte was enthralled by the siren suits, which were made with oil-proof cloth. Siren suits also protected the clothes worn underneath them--a bonus during air raids with their insistent heed-me-now siren, although should the war drag on for years, Charlotte thought she just might get tired of the siren suits, which were patterned on pilot suits.
The Canadian pilots called Charlotte's outfit a 'jumpsuit' but Charlotte preferred siren suit.
And with a ladies non-wool dress costing seven ration coupons--a steep price considering the government issued a paltry sixty six clothing coupons per person, per year and Charlotte was sure the number of coupons would grow smaller should the war progress--London ladies thought a siren suit was a good investment.
"Yes. They're to be heading off to our northern neighbor at daybreak tomorrow," Alex replied as he filed another home inventory sheet in the file cabinet.
"Will you be going with the lorries?" she asked next.
"You bet. I'll be meeting my uncle in our northern neighbor."
"Watch out for the haggis," Charlotte playfully warned him, filing another home inventory sheet from the Watford section of London.
"I've a question. What is haggis?" he asked her, filing an extensive inventory sheet for 10 Downing Street.
Charlotte glanced at him. "Don't you know?" she asked, narrowing her pale grey eyes.
Alex shook his head. "My uncle alluded to eating haggis in his letters but he never explained what the dish is," he replied. "My dad's American and mum's half-Egyptian."
"Do you really want to know?" was Charlotte's next question.
The tone of her voice caused Alex to look at her. "What do you mean, do I really want to know?"
"Haggis is made, well, rather unusually," Charlotte explained. "Although visitors to Scotland rarely order the dish more than once."
"How unusually?" Alex had stopped filing the home inventory sheets to look at Charlotte.
"Well. It's made from sheep," Charlotte said.
"Sheep isn't so bad," Alex said, turning back to his filing. "It's meat," then bit his tongue. He had been about to reveal he'd had chicken for dinner last night. Alex wasn't supposed to talk about the supplies Tallulah had stockpiled and he hoped Jonathan's letters weren't being opened before they arrived at the Carnahan O'Connell estate.
"Sheep liver, sheep lungs and sheep heart mixed with oatmeal, suet, onions and seasonings. Then it's all mashed together, stuffed into the sheep's stomach, and cooked, rather like an oversize sausage ball," Charlotte said then carefully watched Alex to gauge his reaction.
She herself relished a good bowl of haggis, having a maternal Scottish grandfather who had been a champion caber thrower in the Highland Games, not to mention he made the best haggis in all Scotland, and she was rather envious of Alex's forthcoming trip to Scotland.
Alex paled a bit. "Uhm, liver, lungs and heart in the sheep's stomach?" he asked.
"It's rather good."
"I think I'll order what my uncle did: bangers and mash."
Charlotte laughed then looked at Alex with appraising pale grey eyes. He was a bit young for her own twenty one but age was workable during war times. "Barring an air raid, do you want to get a cuppa joe? And if there are no bombs this evening, they're going to show a Bette Davis film, The Letter," she asked Alex, using the American term for coffee.
Much to his surprise, Alex replied, "Yes. I'd like a cuppa joe and a film. I'd like that a lot!" as the two shared another laugh, then went back to their filing of the home inventory sheets for Operation Take Out.
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Egyptian Airspace between Alexandria and Cairo, late November, 1940...
The two pilots were trying to outdo each other, making their planes turn somersaults in the air, going up high, then dive bombing the earth and pulling up.
Ardeth was in the rear seat of Martin's new plane. Izzy piloted the other plane and his whoops were audible to even Ardeth's plugged up ears, Martin flew the plane that high.
He was also cold and his robes weren't warm enough.
"Didn't you need to get to the Step Pyramid?" Martin called back. He'd recovered nicely from his bout with pneumonia and full health bloomed in his clean shaven cheeks.
"That would be nice!" Ardeth called back as Martin went into another steep nosedive, racing Izzy towards the ground again.
Ardeth was beginning to regret introducing Martin to Izzy, whom they had found in Alexandria, rummaging around in the markets there. With his love of belly dance, Izzy had found out important information about Rommel while dating a belly dancer.
The belly dancer was now in jail--in Scotland so she wouldn't be able to provide information about Izzy to anyone who came to visit her.
Izzy had been enchanted at the fact he was to be a spy for the British and he had been celebrating his first relay of information by visiting the Red Sea beach resorts. It was on his return to Alexandria when he'd run into Ardeth and Martin Wilkes. He'd listened as the two relayed their adventures in England and France.
And in turn, Ardeth and Martin had listened as Izzy relayed his capture by enemy soldiers stationed in Cairo and how he'd planted scorpions in their bedding to allow him to escape.
The wind now rushing past Ardeth's face plastered his beard in his eyes. "Martin! Did you get the instructions from Taita as to where to store the Bracelet?"
"Yes!" Martin called back. "Isn't this fun?"
"No!" Ardeth replied as the plane headed towards Imhotep's Step Pyramid. Ardeth clutched the Bracelet to his waist and hoped he wouldn't get airsick.
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Historical note:
October 29 (overcast & drizzly) was the last intense day of the daily bombings.
October 30 (overcast & rain), there were virtuallly nil bombs dropped over London and the smoke trails began to clear over the burnt-out skyline.
On Halloween, 1940, Mussolini apparently decided--rather belatedly--that he, too, wanted a piece of London, so he sent to London 15 bombers and a motley collection of 70 biplanes, colored pale green and bright blue and seemingly relics from the First War.
Coming from the direction of Kent, the Regia Aeronautica flew over the soil of England, made a right turn and flew away over Ramsgate, where a scant handful of bombs were dropped before the tails of the Regia were seen heading towards the Channel.
The weather conscious Brits noted the sky was overcast and the weather? Wet, very wet.
Casualties for October 31, 1940: 0, however 13,000 were killed and nearly 20,000 were seriously injured during the month of October.
The skies over London's skyline cleared of the smoke trails and Londoners reported an eerie feeling: the sound of silence.
There were vague references to shorter hours of daylight and wet weather when the daily (though not the night attacks) bombings ended.
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But we know better.
Irish countryside, on a rural lane leading to a small village, middle of November....
"And Cuppy was reunited with David? I know he missed her," Ian asked Jonathan as they walked by one of Ireland's dolmens and virtually every county in Ireland claimed a dolmen in residence.
"Yes. Ardeth had renamed her Khuta while she was in his care but she's home with David."
"Good. Cuppy's a farm dog anyways," Ian said, then inquired, "Did the daily bombing really stop?"
Jonathan smiled down at Ian. The two were wearing matching thick tweed coats, and balaclavas, for the day was rather chilly. "Yes. Hitler has been beaten back to Berlin, although he still bombs London occasionally. It's as if he's sparring with us," Jonathan replied.
"But the bombs are not falling every day?"
"No, not every day."
"And it was an Egyptian Bracelet--the Bracelet of Lostris--which King Arthur brought from Egypt, with magic spells that expelled the Luftwaffe?"
Jonathan laughed. "Yes. Ardeth brought the Bracelet safely to London. There are a lot of things Egyptian which you will learn about from your Aunt Evie."
"Cool! I like magic. And I like King Arthur. I want to meet him."
"So, you've heard the modern legend of King Arthur have you?"
"Oh yes! How he was washed up on Wolf Rock and traveled on horseback through the Cornish countryside, on his way to liberate London from the daily bombings," Ian replied. "Irene's made up a play about King Arthur. It's quite good, you know."
"I shall have to see this play," Jonathan observed. "And write and tell Ardeth about it."
"We're putting on the play tomorrow."
"I look forward to it."
"Irene's also writing about the Four Children of Lir."
"Who were they?"
"They were transformed into swans and for a thousand years, they were doomed to swim the seas between Scotland and the northern coast of Ireland."
"Is that going to be a play?"
"Nuh-uh. A short story."
"I like to read."
"So do I. You know what else I like?"
"No, what?"
"I like the idea of Aunt Evie. I've never had an aunt before. What's an aunt like?"
"Oh, most aunts like to do things, read and cook and all. Evie likes languages, and telling stories from her life as Neferteri."
"I want a past life too. And I want to have Egyptian adventures like Alex!"
"Perhaps we can discover if you've lived before, but I'll pass on Egyptian adventures like Alex experienced. However, you will be able to meet Ardeth," Jonathan suggested, smiling as Ian did a short skip down the deserted rural lane.
In the far distance ahead, the ruins of a castle tower rose up from the hilly landscape, but the two member family was heading towards the straidbaile--a village.
"I would like that very much, to meet him. And going to Egypt. I've never had a past life before. I've not even had a sibling before."
"Cousin, really."
"No cousins either. I've been an orphan as long as I can remember," Ian said, stopping to look up at Jonathan.
"You're not an orphan any longer. You're my son, Ian."
"Ian M. Carnahan."
"You don't want your own surname?" Jonathan asked, surprised but deeply pleased.
"Oh, I'll keep it as my middle name, but I want the papers to reflect your surname, dad," Ian said taking Jonathan's hand and leading him down the rural lane. One of Ireland's standing stones rose up alongside the lane and beside the stone, a stray member of the county's ruminant population stood quiet guard, occasionally flicking its tail at an unseen irritant.
Jonathan was smiling widely. Although the sky was overcast with thick grey clouds, both Ian and Jonathan felt the sun was shining on their souls once again.
"Ian M. Carnahan," Ian said, then rolled the Ian and the 'm' together, and blurring the words a bit--just enough to corrupt the sounds ever so slightly, and he said, "I'm a Carnahan, now," he said, smiling.
Jonathan couldn't help but smiling as well. "Yes, you're a Carnahan. I see English is alive and changing even today," noting Ian's slight corruption of English.
Ian just smiled and said again, "I'm an Carnahan" as the two walked through the Irish countryside towards the tiny picturesque village where Ian and Jonathan were going to take tea.
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Near the End of the Age of Taurus, royal felucca pleasure barge sailing on the Nile near Thebes, midday...
Ra seemed to shimmer, and rays of golden light spread out from the golden disk. A Kushite rower was the first to see the phenomenon in the sky and he called out, "Look! Ra is greeting us! We are blessed!" Other rowers stopped and looked up at Ra.
Imhotep looked up from the scroll he was reading and Pharoah Djoser sat up on the throne placed on a platform in the middle of the royal water craft and watched Ra's light drift down to settle over all of Egypt. Her citizens stopped their activities to watch Ra shimmer.
A deep male voice sounded over Egypt:
"This Very Egypt of our is safe from a future pestilence. The Gods wish to bestow their thanks to the High Priest of Ptah Imhotep for his assistance to us in a future time. He will be pleased to know the Restorer of Ma'at has once again prevented the downfall of this Very Egypt of ours."
A great cheer rose from Egypt's citizens as they listened to the words of Ra.
Pharaoh Djoser smiled. "I think a Festival of Bastet is in order. Don't you agree, Imhotep?"
Imhotep returned the smile. Bastet was a popular Goddess and her festivals were celebrated with much wine drinking, dancing and singing. "Yes, a Festival of Bastet is in order, as this Very Egypt of ours is safe for the future."
"Scribes! Make a royal order and send the fastest messengers to tell all Egypt that a Festival of Bastet is to be held for ten days, starting this very day! Citizens! Spread the word as well!" Pharaoh Djoser told the smiling citizens of Egypt who were on the feluccas nearest the royal barges.
Scribes hurried to make up the royal orders as the Egyptians on the feluccas nearest the royal barges hurried back to their villages to spread the merry word. The royal order was already making its way up the Nile, for cheers from feluccas furthest from the royal barges were heard.
Djoser looked at Imhotep. "You have done well, Imhotep."
Imhotep inclined his head. "Thank you, but it is the Restorer of Ma'at who did most of the hard work. It is he who should be thanked."
"Who is the Restorer of Ma'at?" Djoser wanted to know, then held up his hand. "If the Gods of Egypt gave you that information, Ammit would eat your heart if you revealed that information to anyone. I will find out in the Afterlife."
"I am satisfied knowing this Very Egypt of ours is safe, safe for now, and safe for the future."
"That is enough for me as well. Now, shall we disembark at Thebes to officiate at the beginning of the Festival?"
"As you wish, my Pharaoh," Imhotep replied, as the city of Thebes drew closer. Thebans were already dancing in the streets, singing as a bull--the Apis bull--was being led by ropes.
"A further blessing!" Djoser noted happily as he accepted a faience cup of wine. "Apis has been found! A dual Festival of Bastet and an Apis celebration is history in the making, don't you agree?"
Imhotep nodded as he closed his eyes and offered silent thanks to Kysen, Khuta and Ardeth. The royal barge sailed closer to Thebes and the cheering intensified.
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Afterlife, Sometime in Eternity (but scuttlebutt sets the date in the middle of November, 1940)...
"Well, Taita was certainly an excellent student of magic," Thoth said to the assembled Gods and demons of the Underworld. There had been general celebrating, with much wine and sweets imbibed by the Gods, since the massed power of all living beings had been channelled by the Bracelet and their massed power had pushed Seth's former Chosen One back to his homeland for the time being.
London was safe from downfall and thus Hitler would not get his chance to destroy the Egyptian afterlife, although the Gods knew the city of London would be bombed from time to time in the coming months.
"Taita works magic better than Isis," Nepthys observed, always ready to needle her sister. She herself had married Seth while Isis had married Osiris.
"Ha! There is no one better at working magic than me!" Isis retorted, but smiled anyways. "Well, no other God can use magic like I can, except for Thoth. Taita was mortal and that doesn't count," she finished haughtily.
"Thank you Isis for the compliment," Thoth said and Isis flashed him a smile.
"We must call Lostris and Taita before us to commend them," Osiris told the assembled Gods. There was general agreement amongst the assembled Gods. The demons cheered before dispersing to continue their merriment in another part of the Underworld.
"What about Imhotep?" Bastet wanted to know once the demons had gone. She smoothed the fur on her face. Her green eyes glowed with happiness at the success of the Bracelet of Lostris.
Bastet had been rather taken with Osiris's High Priest and since he was the one who had interrogated Josef and learned of Hitler's dastardly plan against Egyptian afterlife, she wanted to make sure Imhotep received fair treatment.
"For now, his soul will no longer be devoured by the demons," Osiris said. "Determining his final fate will take a little longer. But he will be free to move about the Underworld, and he will be allowed to see his parents and his offspring."
"He has offspring?" Bes, the dwarf fertility god, asked, ever hopeful his image had been used in childbirth.
Osiris nodded. "Yes. Imhotep fathered fifteen children, all of whom survived to adulthood, and whom he cared about greatly." Bes smiled widely and accepted congratulations from the other gods.
"And Ancksunamun?" Horus asked and Osiris grimaced.
"She betrayed him and I doubt Imhotep wants to see her. She is better left to wander the underworld as a lost soul," Osiris replied. "She has grown quite ugly, and is by far the nastiest looking demon in the Underworld," he added slyly.
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Afterlife, Sometime in Eternity...
"Queen Lostris and Taita, step forward!" Osiris ordered the two Egyptians.
Obeying their command, the two stepped forward. Pharaoh Tamose, formerly Prince Memnon, grinned hugely, his dark green eyes sparkling.
"Lostris, it was you who protected the Double Crown of Egypt by exiling the Royal family during the invasion of the enemies. A smart move, going south to Kush until the Prince came of age," Osiris said. Then he smiled mischievously. "And although the Gods know Tamose is the son of Tanus and yourself, he was accepted as the God-King of Egypt by one of our own, Pharaoh Mamose."
"Tanus is my father?" Tamose asked, surprised, and Lostris turned, smiled and nodded. Tanus put his arm around Tamose's shoulders.
"And Taita, although you were educated by Egypt's traitor, you used your education well in protecting Egypt from future invasion."
"Therefore," Osiris called in his deep throated voice. "Let it be known in the Afterlife and all the Underworld, that Queen Lostris and Taita have earned the 'Flies of Valor'," Osiris said and nodded to Isis and Nepthys, who placed Egypt's highest military honor around the necks of Lostris and Taita.
Cheers went up from the assembled crowd of assorted Gods and Goddesses, deceased Egyptians, and more than a few demons from the Underworld, the High Priest of Osiris Imhotep among them.
Pharaoh Mamose came up to Lostris. "My sister, from the moment I married you, I knew Tanus would father your child. I married you because of your intelligence and dedication towards preserving all things Egyptian."
"Then you are not angry at me for deceiving you, my brother?" Lostris asked.
Mamose shook his head. "It is the right of the Pharaoh to choose the next God-King, as did King Haremheb when he chose Rameses I to become Pharaoh. There was too much treachery loose and about in Egypt and I knew I needed someone pure of heart to bear Egypt's next Son."
Mamose hugged her, then went to join the other Gods.
Taita commented, "And I thought I had fooled him."
"He noticed everything," Lostris replied. She was about to continue but Osiris' voice rang out again.
"High Priest of Osiris Imhotep!" and Imhotep adjusted his golden robes, then stepped forward.
"You have been a difficult case to resolve. But you provided the information which helped us save the city of London from downfall and thus prevented the destruction of the Afterlife of Egypt and the destruction of the Egyptian Gods. Service to Egypt is highly valued," Osiris told the assembled people.
There were various cheers and shouts of congratulations directed at Imhotep. Osiris held up his hand for silence. When the crowd quieted, Osiris continued, "Therefore, it is the order of Osiris that you be allowed access to the Afterlife and the Gods are pleased to present you also with the 'Flies of Valor'," he told a stunned Imhotep as Bastet came forward and placed the shining gold 'Flies of Valor' around Imhotep's neck.
Bastet kissed Imhotep's cheek and purred softly as she stepped back.
And Imhotep's children and parents stepped forward to greet their astonished father and son.
More cheers erupted from the assembled crowd.
"Now! A Festival is in order! Bastet! This will be your festival, so let the merriment commence!" Osiris shouted gleefully as all of Egyptian afterlife erupted into song and dance.
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The Grayson Pub, Land's End, middle of November, early afternoon...
Martha was laughing. It felt good to laugh just to hear her own voice. Since September 7, she hadn't felt much like laughing. She laughed again and said, "Isn't is wonderful that the bombings have stopped for the moment?" she asked a customer, a seaman from Halifax, Canada.
"King Arthur was the one who got the bad guys out of London! I just know he did!" David asserted to the seaman and to his mother.
"King Arthur?" the seaman, Alan Hopkins asked. "How could King Arthur liberate London?"
David pulled on Alan's hand. "If you'll sit down, I'll tell you!"
"He's only four. He's just learned to tell a story," Martha told Alan.
"It's no problem, ma'am. I like hearing stories," Alan replied as David pulled on Alan's hand. The two went over to a table, and Martha brought Alan a mug of tea, a glass of milk for David and a plate of biscuits for them both. David began to tell Alan about his encounter with King Arthur.
"King Arthur was shipwrecked on Wolf Rock. It's waaay out there!" David pointed out to sea. "And the American seaman Thomas Wheaton and I sailed out to pick him up and when we got back, King Arthur borrowed our stallion and galloped towards London to free it from the bad guys! And he did this all in a week!" David finished triumphantly and Alan smiled at the innocent ability to telescope time. To be four again!
But David wasn't done. "I drew pictures of King Arthur. Here, on the wall," he pointed and smiled hugely.
Alan turned his head to look at the picture David was pointing out. It was remarkably well drawn and showed a dark haired man with intense eyes astride a magnificent stallion. On the man's back were two swords, crossed in an 'x' shape.
Alan couldn't help but to feel safe looking at the picture David had drawn. The man's eyes told of an inner resolve and you knew that when he was around, he would protect you.
"I'll draw you one, so you'll be protected by him," David said and Alan nodded absently.
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Lizard Point, middle of November, early afternoon...
Ida Dunham walked slowly along the South Cornwallian beach, occasionally smiling to herself. A gull landed on the sand a short distance in front of her and Ida stopped for a moment.
"Did you hear, mister gull? King Arthur made it to London!"
The gull flapped its wings. It had known King Arthur well before his arrival in London--for he had seen King Arthur on Wolf Rock and had woken him up from his long nap. The gull was a celebrity of sorts amongst the bird population of Cornwall, for not many birds had the chance to awaken King Arthur.
Ida's heart was humming for in the last few weeks, there had been good news from both London and France: London was no longer being bombed daily (and nightly) and Ida's two sons had each written from France. Ida was to be a grandmother twice over and both babies were due with a month of each other.
She'd decided she would go to Egypt as she'd dreamed, so she could write her grandchildren and tell them about her Egyptian adventures.
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O'Connell bedroom, early afternoon on a mid-November day...
"Mmmmmmm, now that satiated my hunger!" Rick told his wife as he ran his finger down her arm. She was curled into Rick's arms, the quilted down coverlet drawn up to her neck.
She twisted her head around to see him a bit better. "Even more than a hot cup of steaming joe?" she asked mischievously, a gleam in her eye.
Rick laughed, then considered the question seriously. "I would have to think about that."
"Rick!" Evie said as she playfully poked Rick in the ribs with her elbow. "Surely I'm better than some cuppa joe!" she said indignantly. "Hmmpf!"
"Then let me show you how good you are," Rick murmured.
"Quuuuaaaaacckk!" Ducky said as he and a female duck flew past the surprised O'Connells and into their bathroom. The two ducks landed on the edge of the tub, then jumped in and splashed the water with their wings. "Quack!" Ducky told the two surprised humans when he realized they were watching him and his new mate.
"Not again!" Evie moaned but Rick stopped her next words by kissing her mouth.
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Red Cross station, outskirts of London (exact location to remain unrevealed, by order of the M5), early afternoon on a mid-November day...
"You've got the lorries arranged?" Charlotte Myers asked, tucking her thick red hair into a bun and adjusting the pale blue siren suit she wore.
Like other young London women, Charlotte was enthralled by the siren suits, which were made with oil-proof cloth. Siren suits also protected the clothes worn underneath them--a bonus during air raids with their insistent heed-me-now siren, although should the war drag on for years, Charlotte thought she just might get tired of the siren suits, which were patterned on pilot suits.
The Canadian pilots called Charlotte's outfit a 'jumpsuit' but Charlotte preferred siren suit.
And with a ladies non-wool dress costing seven ration coupons--a steep price considering the government issued a paltry sixty six clothing coupons per person, per year and Charlotte was sure the number of coupons would grow smaller should the war progress--London ladies thought a siren suit was a good investment.
"Yes. They're to be heading off to our northern neighbor at daybreak tomorrow," Alex replied as he filed another home inventory sheet in the file cabinet.
"Will you be going with the lorries?" she asked next.
"You bet. I'll be meeting my uncle in our northern neighbor."
"Watch out for the haggis," Charlotte playfully warned him, filing another home inventory sheet from the Watford section of London.
"I've a question. What is haggis?" he asked her, filing an extensive inventory sheet for 10 Downing Street.
Charlotte glanced at him. "Don't you know?" she asked, narrowing her pale grey eyes.
Alex shook his head. "My uncle alluded to eating haggis in his letters but he never explained what the dish is," he replied. "My dad's American and mum's half-Egyptian."
"Do you really want to know?" was Charlotte's next question.
The tone of her voice caused Alex to look at her. "What do you mean, do I really want to know?"
"Haggis is made, well, rather unusually," Charlotte explained. "Although visitors to Scotland rarely order the dish more than once."
"How unusually?" Alex had stopped filing the home inventory sheets to look at Charlotte.
"Well. It's made from sheep," Charlotte said.
"Sheep isn't so bad," Alex said, turning back to his filing. "It's meat," then bit his tongue. He had been about to reveal he'd had chicken for dinner last night. Alex wasn't supposed to talk about the supplies Tallulah had stockpiled and he hoped Jonathan's letters weren't being opened before they arrived at the Carnahan O'Connell estate.
"Sheep liver, sheep lungs and sheep heart mixed with oatmeal, suet, onions and seasonings. Then it's all mashed together, stuffed into the sheep's stomach, and cooked, rather like an oversize sausage ball," Charlotte said then carefully watched Alex to gauge his reaction.
She herself relished a good bowl of haggis, having a maternal Scottish grandfather who had been a champion caber thrower in the Highland Games, not to mention he made the best haggis in all Scotland, and she was rather envious of Alex's forthcoming trip to Scotland.
Alex paled a bit. "Uhm, liver, lungs and heart in the sheep's stomach?" he asked.
"It's rather good."
"I think I'll order what my uncle did: bangers and mash."
Charlotte laughed then looked at Alex with appraising pale grey eyes. He was a bit young for her own twenty one but age was workable during war times. "Barring an air raid, do you want to get a cuppa joe? And if there are no bombs this evening, they're going to show a Bette Davis film, The Letter," she asked Alex, using the American term for coffee.
Much to his surprise, Alex replied, "Yes. I'd like a cuppa joe and a film. I'd like that a lot!" as the two shared another laugh, then went back to their filing of the home inventory sheets for Operation Take Out.
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Egyptian Airspace between Alexandria and Cairo, late November, 1940...
The two pilots were trying to outdo each other, making their planes turn somersaults in the air, going up high, then dive bombing the earth and pulling up.
Ardeth was in the rear seat of Martin's new plane. Izzy piloted the other plane and his whoops were audible to even Ardeth's plugged up ears, Martin flew the plane that high.
He was also cold and his robes weren't warm enough.
"Didn't you need to get to the Step Pyramid?" Martin called back. He'd recovered nicely from his bout with pneumonia and full health bloomed in his clean shaven cheeks.
"That would be nice!" Ardeth called back as Martin went into another steep nosedive, racing Izzy towards the ground again.
Ardeth was beginning to regret introducing Martin to Izzy, whom they had found in Alexandria, rummaging around in the markets there. With his love of belly dance, Izzy had found out important information about Rommel while dating a belly dancer.
The belly dancer was now in jail--in Scotland so she wouldn't be able to provide information about Izzy to anyone who came to visit her.
Izzy had been enchanted at the fact he was to be a spy for the British and he had been celebrating his first relay of information by visiting the Red Sea beach resorts. It was on his return to Alexandria when he'd run into Ardeth and Martin Wilkes. He'd listened as the two relayed their adventures in England and France.
And in turn, Ardeth and Martin had listened as Izzy relayed his capture by enemy soldiers stationed in Cairo and how he'd planted scorpions in their bedding to allow him to escape.
The wind now rushing past Ardeth's face plastered his beard in his eyes. "Martin! Did you get the instructions from Taita as to where to store the Bracelet?"
"Yes!" Martin called back. "Isn't this fun?"
"No!" Ardeth replied as the plane headed towards Imhotep's Step Pyramid. Ardeth clutched the Bracelet to his waist and hoped he wouldn't get airsick.
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Historical note:
October 29 (overcast & drizzly) was the last intense day of the daily bombings.
October 30 (overcast & rain), there were virtuallly nil bombs dropped over London and the smoke trails began to clear over the burnt-out skyline.
On Halloween, 1940, Mussolini apparently decided--rather belatedly--that he, too, wanted a piece of London, so he sent to London 15 bombers and a motley collection of 70 biplanes, colored pale green and bright blue and seemingly relics from the First War.
Coming from the direction of Kent, the Regia Aeronautica flew over the soil of England, made a right turn and flew away over Ramsgate, where a scant handful of bombs were dropped before the tails of the Regia were seen heading towards the Channel.
The weather conscious Brits noted the sky was overcast and the weather? Wet, very wet.
Casualties for October 31, 1940: 0, however 13,000 were killed and nearly 20,000 were seriously injured during the month of October.
The skies over London's skyline cleared of the smoke trails and Londoners reported an eerie feeling: the sound of silence.
There were vague references to shorter hours of daylight and wet weather when the daily (though not the night attacks) bombings ended.
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But we know better.
