Thanks so much for the reviews everyone:) Some notes for some of my marvelous reviewers.... Mija: I was puzzled at what prompted your comment until I reread the chapter and realized what I'd done. The line "warrior for God" was taken from what the Medjai tattoos supposedly meant in TM, and rest assured it was a silly oversight and I'm well aware of the structure of ancient Egyptian religion:).... Evy: Nobody's dead (in 1933), much less Evy. She was referring to their past life. And no, she's not half-half either, she's just Evy (at least in 1933;) Interesting angles, but they would each make for another whole story altogether.....Cracklyn: be patient!!! Love ya:)

And now, on with the show...

Chapter 3

Curse of the Scorpion

"You called for me, my pharaoh?" asked Achsu-rai from the doorway.

"Yes, yes," said Seti as he rose from the couch. A servant was still fussing with his headpiece. "I am worried about my daughter," said the pharaoh as he shooed the servant away. "Nefertiri has not been herself lately. She has grown disinterested in all the things that used to bring her joy. I want to help her, but I don't know how. I want my daughter back, Achsu-rai."

The Medjai leader thought for a moment before he responded to the pharaoh. Seti would indeed take his suggestions seriously, but it would not do to criticize his favorite child. He spoke slowly, deliberately. "Perhaps what Nefertiri needs is some responsibility. Something to give her purpose."

"You think I should find her a husband?"

"No, no, that's not what I meant." Achsu-rai was unsure why this thought unsettled him so. "With the training she is receiving, she will someday be a great warrior. Perhaps she could be entrusted with a duty, to give her something to do. Something to think about."

"I like that," Seti said, without a moment's reflection. "Might you suggest something?"

Achsu-rai paused again. "Perhaps the Bracelet of Anubis?" he responded hesitantly. "Its protector has just passed away."

"Perfect!" Seti cried.

"Now, my pharaoh, she may not be ready-"

"Three months," he insisted. "Three months more of training and she will be ready. I shall announce it then."

"As you wish," the Medjai said as Seti dismissed him. Guarding the Bracelet was not a strenuous task, and he felt confident that the Princess, even one as spoiled as Nefertiri, could handle it. It wasn't as if there was anyone who would attempt to steal it. He could have just left it in a locked room for all eternity and no one would even know it was there.

Achsu-rai found Nefertiri in her room, perched precariously on the window sill. He had an urge to tell her to get down from there, from such a dangerous spot, but he held it in.

"I must speak with you, Princess," he said instead. That really was a risky place to sit.

"I suppose my father sent you," she replied ruefully, still staring out the window.

"Yes, in a way."

"No one ever talks to me because they feel like it. My father always makes them."

"You've never given me a reason to talk to you," Achsu-rai replied after some thought. "Yesterday was the first time I'd actually heard sound come from your mouth."

Nefertiri turned from her exterior view at last and wobbled a bit on the sill as she saw who was there. "Achsu-rai!" she exclaimed. "I didn't realize it was you!"

"Princess, you're sitting in a very unsafe spot. I must insist that you get down from there."

"I can take care of myself," she retorted huffily, leaning backwards out the window just to tease him. "I thought it was your job to protect my father, not me."

"I don't think he'd be too happy with me if I let his daughter fall to her death from her window."

"Oh, come on, I sit here all the time," said Nefertiri as she placed a hand on the window frame and leaned back further.

By this time Achsu-rai had nearly crossed the room. She really was making him nervous. If anything ever happened to her...

If anything ever happened to her, what? The pharaoh would be sad, the kingdom would mourn, and then everyone would go on with their lives. Why had the princess suddenly become so central in Achsu-rai's mind?

Lost in this thought, he almost didn't notice when suddenly her firm grip on the window frame slipped and she bobbed precariously on the edge of the sill. Achsu-rai was there in an instant, pulling her back inside, placing her firmly on the safe ground. "I told you so," he said.

At this, Nefertiri balked. She drew out of his arms and narrowed her eyes in anger. Bad move, Achsu-rai thought silently. He never could seem to say the right thing when it came to women. Not that there'd been many, anyway. As his father's eldest son, his responsibility had always been to the pharaoh, to the tribe...he'd never had time for anything else.

"What do you want?" Nefertiri asked.

"Your father has entrusted you with a great responsibility, Princess. If you are to accept it, you must train hard."

"What responsibility?" Nefertiri asked suspiciously.

"In six months time, you are to be named protector of the Bracelet of Anubis."

Nefertiri's mouth fell open in astonishment. She closed it with a snap. "I'm--I'm--My father did what?"

"He thought you needed some responsibility in your life, and I suggested the Bracelet. It will be announced in six months time."

She was still at a loss for words. "I can't believe...really? I didn't think my father would ever...he trusts me?" she asked, with so much hope reflected in her eyes, Achsu-rai hated to tell her the truth. He suspected what the pharaoh had been looking for was a quick fix, rather than a long-term solution.

"Of course," he lied. "Why else would he give you such a great responsibility?"

"I..." she trailed off. "Thank you. This is...this is incredible. Thank you."

"I didn't do anything."

"But you said you suggested it. Apparently my father takes your advice seriously. I didn't think he ever listened to anyone but Imhotep."

Achsu-rai could not keep the sour expression off his face. "Perhaps that will soon change."

"You don't like Imhotep very much, do you?"

"He is your father's most respected advisor."

"You didn't answer my question."

Achsu-rai was confident, for some reason, that whatever was said between him and the princess would be confidential. She wouldn't betray his trust. He was still unsure, however, of how much he should say about his dislike for the priest. "We do not always agree on matters of policy."

"What about matters of life?"

"Those too," Achsu-rai said with a smile. Nefertiri had never seen him smile before. It was not something he had cause to do often, but it suited him. Then, in a flash, the smile was gone, replaced by the usual stern expression.

"You should smile more often," she told him. "You're very handsome when you smile."

"That is not usually my main concern in life."

"Well, I order you to smile more."

The smile returned, but it was forced. "Your wish is my command, Princess."

He turned to leave, but Nefertiri stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Please. Call me Nefertiri."

"Goodbye, Princess," Achsu-rai intoned as he pulled away from Nefertiri's grip.

"Goodbye, Achsu-rai," she sighed as she watched the retreating Medjai saunter out the door and away. For some reason unknown to her, a single tear ran down her cheek. She wiped it away angrily and tried to push that damned Medjai out of her mind.

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It's a bit short, but events have to build before things get really interesting;) Review...review...review...