(3) A Royal Guest or a Royal Mess
At the house, Evie took charge and ordered the maid to get a basin of warm water and clothes. She then told Ardeth to bring the woman into the guest room and lay her down on the bed. Ardeth, usually quiet, seemed more so as he stared into the face of the stranger. Something inside him drew himself to her and he knew not what. He carefully placed her onto the bed and covered her gently with the warm quilts. When the maid returned with the water and cloths, he silently took them from her and wetting the soft flannel, began to wash the dirt from the woman's face. He studied her as he did so. Her skin was so delicate and cool to the touch, the sculptured features seemed as if they were chiseled from the finest marble. Her hair laid around her head like a pool of silk.
Evie and Rick watched Ardeth, stunned into silence by his actions. The warrior they have known for many years have never showed this side of himself before and they did not know what to make of it. Hence, they simply watched and waited. Within moments the figure laying on the bed moaned, moving slightly. As Ardeth watched her eyes fluttered open. And those large pools of darkness stared into his eyes. No one moved, no one dared breath as Ardeth and she simply stared into each other's eyes. Taking a deep breath, Ardeth speaks softly to her in Arabic. "Are you well? Do you need anything?" A smile appears on the face of the woman as she reaches up and strokes his cheek, a finger running over the Med-jai tattoo placed there. She then speaks to him in Ancient Arabic. "I have you, Khnum. I need nothing else. You have found me at last." Shocked Ardeth looks at her but says nothing. Allowing this strange woman to stroke his cheek. Evie and Rick watches closely, Rick oblivious to the exchange while Evie hurries to the library to retrieve a book. Searching she doesn't notice her husband appear behind her. "Rick, I know this sounds rather silly but I believe she is a Princess of some sort who has returned from the dead." Rick snickers as he leans against the wall and watches his wife, his arms crossed over his chest. "And why would that sound silly considering all the others that returned from the dead?" Ignoring his comment, Evie searches trough one of her many books and then gasps, holding it up to Rick. "If this is right she thinks Ardeth is her beloved, Khnum." Shrugging Rick stares at her, perplexed. Evie, sighing in exasperation tosses the book down. "That means she is the Princess Amen-Ra." Shaking his head Rick walks back towards the guest room. "Evie that's ridiculous. Everyone knows that her coffin went down with the Titanic over 25 years ago. How did she get here?" Evie looks at him as she holds up the amulet from the museum. "I think I might be responsible for that one." Rubbing his eyes Rick mutters under his breath. "One day you will learn to NOT read things allowed until you know what they say." They stand at the door of the guest room watching their sleeping guest. Calling Ardeth over, Evie shows him the book. "Evie," he starts, "by reading the inscription on the amulet you have awoken her. That amulet was laid under her head to protect her by her husband to be. Now she thinks I am him." Rick takes the book and thumbs through it. "We need to figure out a way to send her back." Ardeth gazes at the sleeping form. "Why do I feel this bond with her? Perhaps because my Med-Jai blood knew she was a princess?" Chuckling, Rick holds up the book showing him a picture. "Perhaps this might help." Glancing up Ardeth and Evie looks at the book that Rick had. Inside was a picture of a wall from Luxor with a picture of Khnum etched into it holding his dying Amen-Ra. Khnum was the exact image of Ardeth Bay.
At the house, Evie took charge and ordered the maid to get a basin of warm water and clothes. She then told Ardeth to bring the woman into the guest room and lay her down on the bed. Ardeth, usually quiet, seemed more so as he stared into the face of the stranger. Something inside him drew himself to her and he knew not what. He carefully placed her onto the bed and covered her gently with the warm quilts. When the maid returned with the water and cloths, he silently took them from her and wetting the soft flannel, began to wash the dirt from the woman's face. He studied her as he did so. Her skin was so delicate and cool to the touch, the sculptured features seemed as if they were chiseled from the finest marble. Her hair laid around her head like a pool of silk.
Evie and Rick watched Ardeth, stunned into silence by his actions. The warrior they have known for many years have never showed this side of himself before and they did not know what to make of it. Hence, they simply watched and waited. Within moments the figure laying on the bed moaned, moving slightly. As Ardeth watched her eyes fluttered open. And those large pools of darkness stared into his eyes. No one moved, no one dared breath as Ardeth and she simply stared into each other's eyes. Taking a deep breath, Ardeth speaks softly to her in Arabic. "Are you well? Do you need anything?" A smile appears on the face of the woman as she reaches up and strokes his cheek, a finger running over the Med-jai tattoo placed there. She then speaks to him in Ancient Arabic. "I have you, Khnum. I need nothing else. You have found me at last." Shocked Ardeth looks at her but says nothing. Allowing this strange woman to stroke his cheek. Evie and Rick watches closely, Rick oblivious to the exchange while Evie hurries to the library to retrieve a book. Searching she doesn't notice her husband appear behind her. "Rick, I know this sounds rather silly but I believe she is a Princess of some sort who has returned from the dead." Rick snickers as he leans against the wall and watches his wife, his arms crossed over his chest. "And why would that sound silly considering all the others that returned from the dead?" Ignoring his comment, Evie searches trough one of her many books and then gasps, holding it up to Rick. "If this is right she thinks Ardeth is her beloved, Khnum." Shrugging Rick stares at her, perplexed. Evie, sighing in exasperation tosses the book down. "That means she is the Princess Amen-Ra." Shaking his head Rick walks back towards the guest room. "Evie that's ridiculous. Everyone knows that her coffin went down with the Titanic over 25 years ago. How did she get here?" Evie looks at him as she holds up the amulet from the museum. "I think I might be responsible for that one." Rubbing his eyes Rick mutters under his breath. "One day you will learn to NOT read things allowed until you know what they say." They stand at the door of the guest room watching their sleeping guest. Calling Ardeth over, Evie shows him the book. "Evie," he starts, "by reading the inscription on the amulet you have awoken her. That amulet was laid under her head to protect her by her husband to be. Now she thinks I am him." Rick takes the book and thumbs through it. "We need to figure out a way to send her back." Ardeth gazes at the sleeping form. "Why do I feel this bond with her? Perhaps because my Med-Jai blood knew she was a princess?" Chuckling, Rick holds up the book showing him a picture. "Perhaps this might help." Glancing up Ardeth and Evie looks at the book that Rick had. Inside was a picture of a wall from Luxor with a picture of Khnum etched into it holding his dying Amen-Ra. Khnum was the exact image of Ardeth Bay.
