~ Thanks to Malathyne for his very encouraging review~
So here I am. In the biggest ship I have ever seen in my life, heading to London, hoping to find the stone. I have to free myself from this circle. I sometimes curse the moment I accepted to guard those powers, but then I think that Ardeth would be dead if I hadn't done so. But then is that good? He is probably going to die in the short future, along with everyone else. All depends on a little red stone. Destiny is a funny thing. So much blood…
Thanks to the traveling I am sometimes distracted of these thoughts. I have never seen the sea before in my life. Or lives. Whatever. It is one of the most beautiful things I have laid eyes on (after Ardeth). It is like the desert. Wild, uncontrollable, away from the reach of us, mere mortals. I can not decide when I love her more. When she is furious, shooting great waves up to the skies and threatening to reach the deck, or when she is calm, with small waves sparkling beneath the sun, tempting you to jump into her embrace.
Of course I can not forget the very important small practical bits. I have bought European clothes! I barely had time to get used to the desert style and here I am in a long skirt! Ardeth contacted someone in London, and Evelyn O'Connell with her husband. I am really looking forward to meeting them. I have heard so much of them! As for the other man, he must be a med-jai, or something very close to a med-jai. They certainly appear to have connections everywhere! As for me, I am supposed to be an Egyptologist! I have enough knowledge to play my part when and if needed. The only thing I am not confident about is my English. Grammar is alright, but my accent is too strong. I certainly need to improve my "r" .
Lost in my thoughts I haven't noticed the man leaning against gunwale and staring at me. He has the lightest complexion I have ever seen and he is red-haired. I do not like red haired people, most Egyptians don't. Seth, the god of chaos and evil was red haired. He is also kind of… slimy. He turns to talk to me.
- Are you going to England?
- Yes. I answer quite sharply but I do not like his voice either. The only reason I haven't walked away yet, is that I want to practice my English.
- Really? He asks kindly. And you must be from Egypt. Why are you going there?
- (I am going to find a red stone to prevent myself from turning into a lioness and destroying mankind. Is the interrogation over?) I am an Egyptologist and I am hoping of finding a job in the British Museum. Now excuse me…
For no reason I would spend another minute in his company. I walk to my small cabin. It is the first time I live in so small and closed a place. This I count among the negative experiences. As we are approaching these places the weather changes. It is colder, the sun doesn't always honor us with his presence and when he appears he is not the sun I knew and the sun we worshipped. It something strange, feeble and weak. It can not pierce through the thick clouds and warm our skin a little bit.
~
In England I saw rain for the first time. Water falling from the sky, that was something we didn't have back then in Egypt. It was heavy and it gave me the impression that if turned my head to the sky I'd be drowned. It was also night, but the clouds didn't allow me a view of the stars. As for the moon it barely shown. It seemed to me that I was in another world. The lights of the city… I have been to Cairo, but Cairo was not as big as London. In still kind of reminded me the old times. But here… the houses, the noise, the vehicles moving at an incredible speed. How was I supposed to find a med-jai without markings here? The people were too many. I heard a man calling at me
- Madam?
I turned and looked at him. Arab. Egyptian to be specific. The nose gave him away. I do not know from where these noses came but many Arabs have them.
- Transport? He asked again looking in my eyes.
I didn't know what to say. It was a high possibility that he were the man I have been looking for, but then if he weren't?
- No, thank you. I said politely.
- Are you sure? He insisted. He was either med-jai or he was very very annoying. We have been waiting for you, he went on.
I drew a deep breath. It should be him. I decided to take the risk.
- Med-jai? I asked cautiously, dreading the answer.
- Heterity? He asked smiling broadly. I'll get your things, He went on.
I was really relieved. I guessed that he was given a detailed description of me. He had a car. I didn't know anything of these vehicles, but it was more than obvious that it was a wreck to say the least. It made a lot of noise and produced an incredible amount of smoke. At first I thought that it was on fire! On the way he told me that there were bets about this car, if it is going to make it for a year or not. I would bet against it. he also told me about the London med-jai and their purpose. From what I understood there was a perfect network of them in many places. We arrived at the museum. It was still raining. I was already tired of it and I was cold, despite the fact that I was heavily dressed. He guided me to another man who was working in the museum he was also a med-jai obviously. Again I was guided to a door and told that Evelyn O'Connell is still working here. Then I was left alone. I gathered all of my courage- something has made me shy towards this woman who was also my great-great- grandmother- and knocked on the door.