Hello, Darling reviewers! I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaack! OK. First: Thanx, EvelynOconnell27. You're such a sweetie. I luv ya too! *sniffs* You're so sweet...you love me, you REALLY love me! Lol. But seriously: Thanx so much, Hun. You've really made my day. J Next: Thanx to you too, Nakhti. I'm very glad you're enjoying the story so far. ;) Here at marybug6otnile's print/post shop, we aim to please! Lol. Now, to answer your question, no I don't really speak all that much ancient Egyptian. Some of the words I've memorized from the movies (Tieu is yes; Nai is no; ben is my; etc...) and the rest I've made up. Really, though, I'm flattered that you like the words. J And I'm sooooooo psyched to hear that you're British! Britain totally rocks! I've been there, and I LUV it! Beautiful place! And you're right, Jonathan does need more credit. I'm working on it, so don't worry ;). Now, for ALL of you, here's the chapter I'm certain you've been waiting for: Who is Shanala? Read on to find out!
P.S. Alicia, Dear, you're a love-monkey, love-platypus, love-kangaroo, love-wolverine, love-porcupine! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL! OK. Sry. Onward!
Chapter 10
Shanala leaned far out over the blimp's rail, watching the lake of sand passing quickly under the blimp's shadow. She breathed in the sharp, musty smell of the desert and sighed, watching the sun sink slowly beyond the horizon. She leaned forward more, trying to see beyond the sand to the small speck of green in the distance...That was when her feet slipped on the floor and she toppled forward with a scream. Luckily, Rick was directly behind her at the time, and he easily grabbed her and jerked her back to safety in the blink of an eye. Shanala gasped for breath, her eyes wide, her heart thudding.
Rick kept his hands on her shoulders, "You ok?"
She nodded, and Rick shook his head, "Y'know...you remind me so much of my wife, it's scary."
Shanala looked up at him, and saw Jonathan raise his eyebrows behind Rick's back, "Doesn't she? You would think they were related..."
Shanala hissed at him to shut up, and he shrugged.
Rick frowned, "What...? Wait a sec...I just remembered something. You never told us how you're related to Evy."
Shanala moaned and dropped her head in her hands. Jonathan snickered, and she shot him a look that plainly said "you'll pay for this!"
Ardeth came over as Rick straightened, and they both looked at her, waiting.
Shanala took a deep breath, let it out, and stared at the floor, "I...umm...well...I..."
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Nefertiri turned to see Shanala topple from the high balcony, a shriek echoing towards her...
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Evelyn gaped at the scene before her, a scream frozen in her throat...
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Rick and Ardeth were both raising their eyebrows, urging Shanala to continue. She bit her lip and turned her eyes on Jonathan.
He shrugged, "What?"
That was when the words echoed into her head, reminding her of the thing she had tried so hard to forget...
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"Nekhtu Arsheña, Shanala..."
Shanala turned at the sound of the voice and looked up at Anck-su-namun nervously, "Tieu, Mada?"
Anck-su-namun gave her an icy smile, "Shanala, quinai Nefertiri ashlam protña rs naad loshk plilons?"
Shanala backed away as Anck-su-namun stepped closer, the cold smile still on her lips, a hate-filled glint in her eyes.
"T-Tieu, Mada...tes....tes...tes ai anaan ti..."
Shanala looked down at Nefertiri, and then, knowing what was going to take place before it actually happened, and certain that soon it would be too late, she shrieked, "Nefertiri! Nefertiri! Yoterirea sinumi diklimus dyie! Thalikmotous kistimous dea-"
She was cut off as she shoved roughly from behind. Having been leaning over the banister already, she toppled over it, plummeting towards the ground below...
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Nefertiri was frozen in place, her mouth open in horror as the scene before her played out in slow motion. She saw Shanala land with a sickening crash onto the courtyard floor, then glanced up in time to see Anck-su-namun turn and flee for the stairs...
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Evelyn shrieked loudly and shook her head trying to force herself to snap out of the vision, to not see the rest, but she did...
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It was only a glimpse: Shanala, sprawled along the ground, eyes barely open, chest fluttering weakly with breaths, her small form lying in...in...
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"Blood," Evy gasped, and she woke up.
She blinked several times and frowned, confused as to her where-abouts...and then she saw Anck-su-namun, and it all fluttered back. Red-hot anger boiled in her, filling her veins, blocking her throat and stinging her eyes at the sight of her once-upon-a-time stepmother.
"You killed her!" Evelyn whispered, "You...you pushed her...form the balcony..."
Anck-su-namun snickered, "She never should have been spying on Imhotep and I that day...she should have known better..."
"...but you...you murdered her! And my father! You killed...everyone...!"
Anck-su-namun shrugged, "Yes, I did." Then, a teasing smile played on her lips and a harsh chuckle escaped form her mouth, "And, Dear Nefertiri, she was...so simple to kill...just one little...push...and she fell...simple enough..."
Evelyn was choking on rage. "Why do I care?" she thought, "I mean, of course I should be angry, she murdered her...but...who is Shanala...?"
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"Who are you, Shanala?"
Rick was looking frustrated now, like he thought Shanala could be some terrible psychopath or serial killer.
Shanala swallowed hard, feeling nervous, "I...I'm...I'm related to...to Nefertiri..."
"How?" they all breathed, even Jonathan, although he even knew.
Shanala closed her eyes and took a breath, imagining that she was alone, that no one was there watching her or expecting anything of her...
"I'm...Nefertiri's...Nefertiri's...saestaan."
"What does saestaan mean?"
Jonathan was bursting with excitement and he could hardly keep it back any longer...
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"You don't remember her do you?"
Evelyn looked up at Anck-su-namun and slowly shook her head, "I...don't remember...who she was...exactly..."
Anck-su-namun smirked, and Evelyn sighed, "It's so close...I can almost...almost hear it in my mind...saestaan...saestaan...wait! What does saestaan mean?"
She had said it to herself, but Anck-su-namun answered anyway, with a sneer still on her face, "Saestaan? Why, it means sister."
"Sister?" Evelyn inhaled sharply, "Sister! Shanala...she was...she was my little sister! Yes, yes! I remember! She was...she was so much younger than me...I always thought her a bit of a nuisance...and then, after Mother died...and...Father married you..." Evelyn said 'you' with her tone dripping with scorn, and Anck-su-nmaun glared at her. "After he married again...we became...so close...I remember..."
Evelyn smiled to herself, and then unimaginable agony hit her at the thought of her little sister lying under the balcony, crying...Evelyn looked at Anck-su-namun and felt the old need for revenge again. Anck-su-namun gave her a last smirk, and then turned and left the tent.
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"Sister! She was her sister! Sister, sister, sister!" Jonathan exploded.
Rick and Ardeth stared at him, and then at Shanala. They were lost for words, but Rick was the first to speak, "Sister...? You're...you're Evy's...sister?"
Shanala shrugged, gave a small smile, and nodded, "Yes. I am."
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