Back from vacation. This chapter is a bit short, but it's more of an introduction to the next part of Nana's life. And this is not meant to offend anybody, it's just the thoughts of a teenage girl. It's fun to mix history (maybe) and fiction. Sorry for the delay, the next chapter is going to be grand though.

She spent many years in Egypt. Her days were filled between studies with Amara and hunting with Jager. She recounted many tales to the priestess that soon became her role model.

Then it was time to go. So, she left. Nothing told her to leave; she just knew it was time. Barely saying a farewell to Jager and Amara, she crossed over the Nile and moved on into the world beyond Egypt.

After several months in the desert, she found a large field of magdalenes. Relishing in the sweet scent of her reborn name, Makelina, she ran towards them, abandoning everything that she carried in the dust. She dived in them, letting the nectar run down her neck and legs until she was sticky with ecstasy.

The time past quickly as she rolled and laughed. Finally, near dusk, she settled to watching the sunset roll in. "'Ey!" yelled a course male voice. Nana shot up from her place. There, standing in the sand, holding her pack, was the source of the rude call. He had long hair and a scruffy beard. He was dressed in a loincloth. "This pack yours?" he asked when he saw the girl.

"Yes, it belongs to me. What say you to a roll in the magdalenes?" she asked in return.

The man began walking towards her while laughing out, "What do you take me for? Josh would have my head. Both of them." When he reached her, he held out his hand to hoist her up, which she gladly took. "I am Peter, the fisherman. Who are you?"

She smiled. "I am the Lady of the Magdalenes and the Queen of Spring."

This made Peter smile more broadly. Roughly, without grace, he bowed. "Well, Your Majesty, will you accompany me to the house of my savoir?"

"I'd be delighted."

Together they set off for Peter's house in a small fishing village near by. He didn't know what exactly to make of this woman. She was dressed in Egyptian clothes; the white cotton frock clung to her as if it were skin. But how could she be Egyptian, if she understood him? He knew that all of his kind had the gift of tongues, given by his friend's father, but he had spoken in his first language. Then there was the matter of that curious remark of rolling in magdalenes. Peter, therefore, decided that she was a whore of some kind, back from a business trip.

By nightfall they had reached Peter's house. He gently pushed Nana inside. The conversation ebbed a little but began anew when Peter joined.

"'Ey, Peter, caught us something good tonight, eh?" one man shouted. The others laughed. There must have been over twenty in the house, mostly men, sitting in a circle.

The only man not wearing a loincloth (covered in a white shaft instead) stood up very gracefully and walked towards them. "Whom have you brought for us to discuss with tonight, brother?" asked he, smiling sincerely at Nana, as if the prospect of an actual discussion was very appealing to him.

"I don't know how much discussing I'm going to be doing tonight, Josh!" yelled the one who had talked first. He lifted his right hand and smacked the air in front of him while biting his lower lip in a sneer. The others laughed again, except Josh, who still smiled at the horribly embarrassed girl.

"Now, Mathew," he scolded lightly, "what have I told you about that? Besides, she's not working, she's our guest."

"I found her out by the magdalene fields," Peter whispered so only Josh could hear.

Josh's smile broadened. "So, Miss Magdalene, have you a name?"

Nana looked around. She didn't know which name to use. Luckily, a woman entered right at that moment and offered a goblet to Peter. "Thank you, Mary," he said politely.

"Mary!" Nana shouted. "That is my name, also." The also was just an afterthought, barely mumbled at all.

Without taking his eyes off of her (he had yet to), Josh announced, "Everyone, this is Mary of the Magdalene. She is now one of us."

Nana became Mary of the Magdalene and joined the group of Joshua bar Joseph, the Savoir.