Chapter 9
River of Dreams


Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story from The Mummy (1999) except my OCs.


Terms to Know:

Hathor: Goddess who is sometimes in the shape of a cow. She is the goddess of the sky, women, fertility, and love.


The love of my beloved is there,
on the other side,
The river swallows my body.

It is her love that makes me strong,
So she will cast a water-spell for me.
And I will see the one whom my heart loves,
Standing right before me.

-Ostracon CGC 25218, Egyptian Museum, Cairo


Ancksunamun found herself in a monotonous routine, day in and day out. Eat, dance, sleep, repeat. The ways of life in the palace were very dull, especially for someone who was not quite a slave, but not quite free either. This evening she found herself craving the feel of the cool Nile on her skin even more than normal tonight. So, after supper, when most of the girls had retired to the chamber for the night and were lost in their gossipy conversations, Ancksunamun grabbed a rough piece of linen and her flimsy sandals and made her way to the palace garden, which was located behind the walls of the palace, near the Temple of Osiris. She had heard some of the other women talking about the garden one night as she was trying to sleep, and found that it had a secret pathway which led to the river.

Sneaking out quietly, Ancksunamun breathed in the cool refreshing night air. Her breath left condensation in its wake as she scanned the courtyard for any sign of life. No one seemed to be paying her mind except for the guards who stood watch at the palace entrance. Tiptoeing as fast as she could without drawing attention to herself, Ancksunamun stayed close to the palace walls and headed towards the decadently painted Temple of Osiris. She had never been near it before, as she did not consider herself religious.

Her parents had always venerated the Goddess Hathor in their home, thanking her for the abundance and fertility of the land and for their family's health, but beyond that, Ancksunamun did not give much thought to the will of the Gods. She wasn't even sure if they existed. How could Hathor truly love the people if she had allowed her village to starve for so long? Ancksunamun had no need to worship the Gods. They had abandoned her long ago.

Climbing the grassy hill, Ancksunamun was amazed at how much stronger her body felt compared to when she had arrived in Thebes. Taking a few deep breaths, she continued up the narrow pathway. Skirting the Temple wall, Ancksunamun was taken aback at how elaborate the murals and mosaics on the outside of the temple walls were. Bright tesserae showcasing the procession of Osiris into the Underworld, and taking over for his son Anubis, ran in storybook form across the front of the building. Anubis, forever the Keeper of the Dead and the great psychopomp, was shown leading the dead into the Field of Reeds toward eternal bliss. Though Ancksunamun had not had much luck with worshiping the Gods, she always imagined that the Field of Reeds would be a glorious way to eternally live in the afterlife.

The soft grass around the temple walls caressed her feet as she walked. The full moon was unnaturally close tonight, and lit up the sky with its pure white glow. A flimsy gate that led to the garden had been left ajar. Ancksunamun looked around to ensure no one was watching before she opened the gate and slipped inside.

Breathing in a sigh of relief, she allowed herself to relax. The tranquil garden was bathed in moonlight. Stone paths led in all directions, and the garden seemed to be a labyrinth of exotic trees and flowers she had never laid eyes on before. Coming upon a massive orange flower, Ancksunamun gently cupped it and inhaled its sweet scent, closing her eyes. Drooping the flower back down, Ancksunamun continued to walk in awe at the garden around her. The moonlight emitted a hazy glow, making the garden seem surreal. Up ahead, she spotted a dark grove of trees and was instantly drawn toward it. Something seemed to be whispering in the light breeze, "Come here, darling…." Her heart began to beat harder in her chest, and excitement gripped her insides as she made her way toward the grove of trees. Each step felt momentous, and her breath was coming out in gasps. Coming closer, she noticed the trees were pomegranates, and she momentarily faltered in step. She had only seen the wealthier families in her village grow and sell these; she had never seen them as commodities in a fancy garden.

Her mind began to feel hazy as she entered the black abyss beneath the trees and was instantly filled with a sense of wonder. The ground beneath her feet seemed to luminate and sparkle with each step. As her eyes adjusted and her heart was pounding evermore, she walked deeper into the grove, becoming increasingly befuddled as she went. It felt like something was here, something important.

Suddenly, a hand came down upon her shoulder, and she whipped around in a scream. A small, hunched-over older man stared back at her with watery, kind eyes. He held up his hands in surrender.

"I'm sorry, my dear! I did not mean to scare you!" The man said, obvious distress in his tone.

Catching her breath, she responded, "It is alright. That was just a bit of a fright. I was not expecting anyone else to be out here…." She trailed off, feeling sheepish. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! You should have just stayed in bed!

The old man smiled, and it took years off of his face. "I'm sorry, my dear, but you are of no consequence to me. What is your name?"

"I am Ancksunamun, Daughter of Nassor." Ancksunamun bowed politely.

"Hmmm, I see, I see." The old man said, circling around her now, looking her up and down, and scratching his chin. He muttered to himself, "Yes, yes, this could be the answer."

Something about the old man did not seem dangerous, just eccentric. "What does that mean?" Ancksunamun said, following the old man with her eyes. "And who might you be?"

The old man stopped and looked ashamed. "Oh, I apologize! I am Kher-heb, one of the Priests here at the Temple. I did not mean to be so rude. It is lovely to make your acquaintance." Kher-heb said, taking her hand lightly and kissing the back of it.

Blushing, Ancksunamun replied. "It is an honor to meet you, Master Kher-heb." As he released her hand, she bowed awkwardly.

"There is no need for the formalities, lovely Ancksunamun. I was merely out on a walk here in the garden, as I often do at night. You may come here as often as you like." He said with a twinkle in his eye. "But I assume you wanted to go for a swim instead?" Kher-heb said, eyeing her linen towel.

"Oh! Yes, I was hoping to go for a swim, but I do not think it is allowed…." Ancksunamun said. "And I would never dream of intruding on your time here in the garden, though the offer is very nice!" She said, wringing her hands nervously.

Lowering his thick eyebrows at her, Kher-heb sternly but kindly said. "You may come here anytime. Only my son and I use this garden. And now you. I will not take no for an answer!" He said, holding up his hand to stop any further words from Ancksunamun.

"Now," he said, pointing to a hole in the vine-covered wall on the dark end of the pomegranate grove, "The trail to the river is through there. I think a midnight swim is sorely needed." He said, his eyes sparkling in the darkness. "Goodnight, my dear. I hope to see you here again soon."

Before Ancksunamun could say anything, Kher-heb was already walking away, hobbling slightly, headed for the moonlit garden, leaving her in the dark grove. Her mouth opening and closing awkwardly, she called out, "Thank you!" before making her way to the hole in the wall and exiting the garden.


The walk down the stone path was steep and overgrown with weeds. With the moonlight to guide her way, she made it down to the banks of the Nile, where all of her worries floated away at the bank. The reeds swayed in the light breeze, which seemed to be calling her name, Ancksunamun…

Sighing serenely, she dipped her toe in to test the temperature and was satisfied. She hurriedly ripped off her dress and dove in. The cool water rushing past her skin woke her up and made her feel rejuvenated. Oh, how free I feel! Coming up for air, she floated onto her back and stared at the moon. The entire sky was awash with stars, and the sky seemed to span on forever. The wind rustled the palms that flanked the river. Grasshoppers and crickets chirping and the sound of the water lapping against the shore were the only noises she could hear. Everything felt peaceful and right in her world for the first time in a while. If she couldn't go home, this would keep her sane.

She floated there, eyes trained on the sky, for a long time. Her bare breasts were exposed to the cool air, and a shiver ran through her, so she dove back into the water to acclimate herself. Coming up for air, she continued to shiver. Shaking the water from her ears, she slowly made her way back to shore, not wanting to go back to the palace just yet. If she could, she would have run away just then. But she knew she was honor bound to stay. Groaning in frustration, she lay down on her linen towel and stared back at the sky. If there were Gods up there, she hoped they would let her go home soon. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she allowed them to fall. Here she didn't need to hide her pain. Here, she could be free.

As the moon descended, the inky black sky was lightened by shades of purple. The sun began to rise over the horizon before Ancksunamun decided she should probably go back to the palace or risk being seen. Laying on the sandy linen towel, she allowed the cool droplets to sink into her skin, leaving her covered in goosebumps from the crisp air. The air out here felt pure as she inhaled the sweet scent of the blue lotus blooms that floated lazily on the river banks. The sound of the reeds whispering in the wind and the slight lap of water against the shore was all she could hear at this time of the morning. Smiling wistfully up at the sky, she decided she could probably use a few more minutes out here. No harm done. Ancksunamun closed her eyes and allowed the sounds of the river to take her, bringing her back home. Suddenly, she heard rustling from somewhere near her. Her eyes shot open, and she sat up quickly, covering her breasts with her discarded dress.

Another rustling sound came to her ears just then. Her heart thumping, she called out, "Hello? Who's there?" Not receiving an answer, her heart thudded louder. She was finally dry from laying on the banks, so she donned her dreaded beaded dress, put on her sandals, and made her way back up the bank to the hill. Her semi-wet hair clinging to her back, she jogged up the trail, holding onto her chest as she breathed heavily. The morning sky was approaching quickly, and she did not want to be caught.


Imhotep felt restless that night. The full moon illuminated the room; it was as bright as day. The scroll Seti had given him lay on his desk in the corner, bathed in moonlight. The other scroll he had found months prior lay next to it as if taunting him. He had not been able to sleep at all that night. Every time he closed his eyes, there was nothing but those haunting dark eyes swimming behind his eyelids.

Groaning, he sat up and saw that his father had surprisingly found his way to bed tonight instead of sleeping in the garden. Not wanting to wake him, Imhotep quietly adjusted his loincloth, grabbed his robe, and made his way out of the room. Maybe if he got up and tried to study the scrolls some more, he'd be able to sleep.

Exiting the alcove where he and his father slept, Imhotep grabbed a torch on the wall and made his way to his study, placing the torch on the wall as he entered. Imhotep sat down crossed-legged on the floor and pulled the scrolls from his robes, studying them closely. The words made no sense! They seemed to jumble around the page, the symbols and letters switching places before his eyes.

Rubbing his eyes, he stared more intently at it but gave up. Sighing loudly, he laid back on the floor and stared at the ceiling. In the back of his mind, he felt the urge to go for a swim. That had been his one saving grace these past few months. Sitting up quickly, Imhotep grabbed his torch and made for the garden.


Arriving at the bottom of the trail that led to the River, Imhotep stopped to take a deep breath when he suddenly heard a loud splash from the water. Freezing, he listened for more, but he heard nothing. Releasing the breath he had been holding, he smirked and shook his head, making his way to the river. It was probably a hippo. Stopping dead in his tracks, Imhotep flashed back to when he was attacked by the Hippo and shivered. It's fine. Don't be afraid.

He started walking again and made his way towards the grove of palm trees from where he often entered the water but stopped in his tracks once more. Something was moving in the water! Squatting down and hiding behind a palm near the bank, Imhotep waited until whatever it was resurfaced. The headache he so often had was returning, a pounding in his temples in rhythm with his heartbeat. A heaviness washed over him then; the smell of lotus and myrrh flooded his senses, and his head felt hazy and drunk.

Feeling woozy, Imhotep tried to stifle his loud intake of breath as a naked woman surfaced from under the water. She sighed in pleasure and floated on her back in the water, exposing her perky breasts to the night air. Imhotep looked away quickly. He shouldn't be here. But if he tried to leave now, she would notice him. A part of his mind begged him to go to her and take her in his arms…The drunk feeling increased, and so did the pull in his abdomen to go to her. Imhotep fought against the feelings, confused as to what they meant.

Her face was mostly submerged in water as she looked at the sky for quite some time, and Imhotep couldn't help but be curious about who she was. A sharp pain went through his skull then, rendering his legs useless.

The woman suddenly began making her way to the shore near where he sat, her face partially obscured by the wet tendrils of heavy black hair that covered her face. Imhotep looked away again, wanting to give the woman some privacy. Still, he couldn't help but notice her lithe, athletic body and the way her hips sinuously moved as she went to lie down on her towel. As the woman drew closer, a heaviness washed over him in waves, and feelings of unrestrained passion and devastation hit him, bringing back memories of the dream in the pomegranate grove.

The mystery woman laid down on her towel and sighed, looking at the sky for quite some time until the sky went from a dusty lavender to a rosy pink. Imhotep sat biting his lip in trepidation. He wanted to leave but felt paralyzed by whatever curse held him there. The woman suddenly sat up, and her profile came into view before the sun's rays burned his eyes and her face from view. Curse Ra! Imhotep thought as the pain was now blinding.

Stifling a groan of pain and squeezing his eyes shut, Imhotep felt his feet suddenly move of their own accord, thankfully in the opposite direction. Backing up further into the tree behind him, he rustled the palm accidentally and cursed the Gods once more. The woman sat up straighter now, her back to him, and looked around in fear.

She called out, "Hello? Who's there?" When she received no answer, she hurriedly redressed and made to leave, running just past his hiding place, and back up the trail to the garden. The intoxicating smell of Myrrh and fresh night air rushed past him. The further away the woman got, the more his head began to feel better until he felt normal again, and she was out of sight. The painfulness of her aura was shocking to him.

Shaky, Imhotep got to his knees, looked after the girl, and then looked back to the water. The sky turned a light orange as the sun rose over the horizon. There's no point in swimming now, he thought, and he sighed out loud. His head was reeling from what had just occurred. Who was that woman? Was she the cause of all the feelings he'd been having? And why did she invoke the same feelings in him as the mystery goddess?


A/N: I'm very sorry for the sporadic updates. My grandpa fell and broke his neck and back in early January while battling stage 4 cancer. This past year has been focused on helping him heal (which he's done amazingly! He's actually better than ever). I also have severe Lyme Disease and Bartonella and am going through treatment and have been Suffering™ a lot. So if I haven't posted, feel free to send messages of encouragement! It would be soooo appreciated .