AN: Not so popular with the public, huh? I thought so...sighs well, that's alright, because I got one review!!
Brunette: Thank you very much for reviewing! So...you have let me continue the story. I've been working on Caley's character a bit (you will see who she is soon...) So...just have fun with it, right?
Okay...and here we go...
P a r t O n e : A d v e n t u r e i s R e b o r n
C h a p t e r O n e : C a i r o , 1 9 2 3 (Three years later)
The day had opened into a lovely blue sky, with barely any clouds. The bustling streets of Cairo had still made it a wonderful day, for tourists. It was a vast city, but it showed what the westerners could do to a city. It was a place of learning, but that was only in the heart of the city.
Closer towards the outskirts, it was very dirty and a corrupt place. There were opium dens, in which locals would cloud their minds with delirium and pleasant phantasms, and look at each other through latticed windows. Whorehouses were not far away from that, mistresses of the night lured young men off the street, inside where some heated passions were being explored. The merchants, annoying as ever, stuffing their wares into passing masses faces, yelling out how much they were and what they were, seeing if their customers were persons with money or if they fools.
The Museum of Antiquities was inside the heart of the city; a large building made of grey stone that had a small driveway in front, with palm trees on either side. Many westerners would come and go through out this museum of learning, exploiting it. Inside, there was a large variety of books, artifacts and exhibits all describing the history, current and past, of Egypt.
In one library, Miss Evelyn Carnahan was on a ladder, putting some books in order. She wore the typical twenties dress; black, high button shoes, a khaki skirt, and a white blouse. Her brown hair was done up in a bun, her grey blue eyes were behind round tortoise-shell glasses, inquisitively glancing at the spines of the ancient books. "... Seti the first, Seth volume one, volume two and volume three and Tu-"she looked at the book that she was holding "Tuthmoses! What are you doing here? Let's see here, "T"..." Evelyn scanned the bookcase then looked at the one across from her "Ah! T!" Then she picked up the remaining books and put them on top of the book shelf. "I am going to put you back where you belong,"
She reached across from her. It was along reach but she almost had it. She went a bit further...further...then the ladder gave a loud creak before standing straight up, Evelyn gave a loud yelp, dropping the book, which gave a loud thud. She managed to keep her balance, her heart racing, "Help..." She said silently
"Evy!" a voice rang out, Evelyn managed to look in the direction is was coming with out falling. It was their parents' ward, Caley, who cataloged artifacts, more than books. Caley's grey eyes scanned for her friend, and she kept on walking, looking for her. Her long brown hair was tied back, away from her face She wore olive green trousers and a white sleeveless shirt with a black cardigan.
She looked a bit disheveled but she didn't seem to mind. What she was thinking about was the heavy load of books that she was carrying "Evy!!" She called out again her voice echoing through out the room, no answer. She sighed and deposited the books on the nearest table. Caley brushed a stray lock of hair from her face as she leaned back on the table, "Evy?" She said a bit meekly. "Hello?"
Suddenly there was another yelp and Caley turned round to see Evy on the ladder, holding on for dear life. "Caley, please help me get down!" Evy's British accent resounding through the room.
"How in the name of Horus did you get up there?" Caley stepped up cautiously, afraid if she came too close that Evy would fall. Evy turned a one-eighty and she gave out another yelp "I'll explain later, can you please get me down?!" Caley walked up warily towards the ladder "Okay, hang in there, Evy," She was just about to grab the ladder when catastrophe struck.
Evy screamed as the ladder crashed into the bookshelf, into the next, and into the next, playing a deadly game of dominoes and finally all of the bookshelves hit the ground. Both women looked at each other in horror while the dust was clearing and the pages were still falling from the air. Evy's glasses were on her face in an odd position, as she took them off she sighed very quietly as if the rest of the air was so fragile that it would break ,"Oops,"
(An hour before)
Ardeth, Rashid, and Jarim walked down the alleyways of Cairo towards the Museum of Antiquities. Unfortunately, they had to go through the outskirts. Ardeth had a slight smile on his face, remembering the first time he came here, hating what ever he saw in this dirty and cramped hell hole. He was surprised that they still called it a city, but it had improved from the last time he saw it. That wasn't the only reason he was smiling. He hadn't seen his uncle in some time and he had missed him. Dr. Omar Bay wore a suit to work as being the curator of the Museum, but being the brother of the former leader of the Med-Jai, he wore a red sash round his waist and a red fez.
Jarim had some problems of his own when they were in the brothel district. The houses were very close together and lines of laundry hung from one side to the other. People huddled in the corners looking sickly and pale. And the whores were leaning on the sides of the buildings, even on the outside where was an occasional man and woman making out. Jarim walked quickly away turning his face to the ground. So many women tried to take Jarim off the narrow street but he just ignored them, because he was "so young and handsome". Although, when they were almost finished of getting out of this disgusting place, one woman sauntered from leaning on a dusty and grimy wall. Ardeth and Rashid were well ahead, shooing away women of their own.
She made sure that Jarim couldn't get away, "Hello," She smiled seductively as she snaked an arm around his neck. Jarim noticed that she was much older that he was, old enough to be his mother, which made him want to retch. She was dressed in very revealing rags that she didn't seem to care about, and had cuts and scars all over her body as it looked like from beating. She reminded Jarim of an old camel. Jarim began to feel very uncomfortable and smiled uneasily as he tried to back away from the courtesan, which made her only laugh, a loud cackle. She licked her lips, and headed towards him. He began to feel intimidated by this woman, feeling his heart thudding in his chest. Ardeth and Rashid began to wonder where Jarim was until they looked behind them. They saw the poor sixteen year old being hustled indoors by a very unsightly woman, and he was obviously trying to prevent it. Ardeth sighed and looked towards the sky "Allah, save him," and they both went to save Jarim from his "lovely" mistress.
Jarim tripped over the steps into the whorehouse, falling to the wooden floor. Other courtesans gave yelps and then saw one of their "sisters" going for this young man. Jarim abruptly stood up and suddenly felt light headed as black spots flew in front of his eyes. She was going to bring him inside a room when he managed to muster up enough courage, strode forward and threw her roughly aside. He expected her to fall to the floor and break down, but she had braced her self and was only shoved back a few mere feet. "Oh, so you want to play rough, do you?" She smiled showing what was remaining of her teeth. "I like a man who wants to play rough," He tried to speak, but she him forced up against a wall stroking a hand gently against his cheek but he batted it forcefully away "Well, the panther still has claws, eh?" and was about to kiss him when he heard someone else enter and the whores quickly move aside. Jarim felt too relieved to feel embarrassed as he saw Ardeth and Rashid enter.
Rashid stiffly looked round, feeling pity for these girls who had to live like this. Ardeth seemed to ignore his surroundings, and stalked forward. The woman turned and didn't know what was coming. Ardeth took her rigorously by the shoulders and slammed her into a wall. The whores gasped, and yelped, giving each other worried glances. Ardeth gave her a hard stare "Be careful of who you choose next time," his voice was as cold as ice as he let her drop to the floor. The woman pressed herself against the wall. Ardeth took Jarim by the arm and pulled him out of the brothel.
As soon as they were outside, Jarim was expecting some harsh words from the chieftain of the Med-Jai. Ardeth gave him a harsh look then covered his face with his hand and began to laugh helplessly, as Rashid did too. Jarim was confused, but then Ardeth put a comforting arm round his shoulder, "Just call out for us when you need help, and definitely be more careful next time," Jarim smiled and nodded, still not sure exactly of what was going on.
Some people stared at them when they emerged from the alleyway. Jarim, being only sixteen, was a bit embarrassed by the tourists curious gazes and laughing behind one hand, the rich men being protective of their lady companions in large frilly dresses. He just looked down at the sidewalk. But Ardeth and Rashid ignored them, keeping to their own thoughts.
When they reached the back of the Museum, Ardeth looked at them both "You need to stay here, I'll be back soon. I'll go get you if anything happens," Rashid, nodded while Jarim gave him a confused look. Jarim was about to ask a question, but Ardeth had already disappeared into the back of the Museum. Jarim, turned to Rashid "We came all this way just for our leader to go inside a museum?" Rashid smiled, "Jarim, he is going to see an old friend," Jarim nodded "Well, I just hope it isn't one of the mummified pharaohs on display," Rashid's green eyes flashed, then laughter overcame the two.
Ardeth walked down the corridors looking for his uncle's office. After passing many afraid employees, he came upon his office. He knocked on the door, and couldn't help but smile to himself. "Come in," He heard from inside. It sounded like his uncle was a very busy man. He opened the door, "Uncle Omar," That was all Ardeth had to say. Dr. Omar looked up from his work then smiled "Ardeth! What a pleasant surprise!" Dr. Omar stood up and the two men embraced each other. Dr. Omar smiled at his nephew. "Please, have a seat," Ardeth sat down in a chair across from his uncle and Omar resumed his seat.
"So...how are you doing?"
"Oh, fine. Ahmed, has missed you much, and so has the rest of the tribe,"
"Have any fools tried to take Hamunaprta?"
Ardeth nodded "Yes, every moon or so they come in small numbers no really expecting who comes to get them," Ardeth and Dr. Bay stayed silent for a moment both thinking what could happen if The City of the Dead was discovered and He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named was awakened. Ardeth quickly brushed off the thought, He knew that The Creature wouldn't arise for some time. "I thought there was going to be some help around here, other than those whimpering employees,"
Omar rolled his eyes "Don't make me start Ardeth, There is a girl who is the most clumsy thing alive. She tries to do her best but everything that she does, she demolishes and tries to make everything work, but she makes it even worse. I had a copy of a scroll that had described the exact details of the Hanging Gardens in Babylon. It was passed down to me from
Al-Jiwad ibn Sheram, almost two thousand years old. I was sitting right here and She was in the room so I told her to hold it while I went to go get another book, I had an oil lamp on the table, for better lighting...She opened the scroll over the oil lamp and..." Omar sighed, "she burnt it, all of it, and nearly this desk," He tapped a long black scar on the table top. Ardeth shook his head, with a slightness of an amused smile, "I'm sorry to hear that,"
Omar raised both eye brows "That's not all I suffer. The girl's brother has become a drunk, after their parents died. He sells me the worst kind of things, shards of porcelain that he said were from a 'dig' that he went to. I've inspected them more closely and they are only old pots that he just finds on the street. Going through all that work for nothing, and maybe the worst thing that he's done is that he was so drunk that he had a hangover in my library, and he ruined seven books on Aristotle and Herodius that were from your father...And this other girl, she was the ward of their parents. She can do some useful things. She can catalogue artifacts very well. Cataloguing books..." Dr. Bay laughed sardonically, but quietly "I won't even let her near them. She can't even put them in the right order and..."-Dr. Bay sighed-"well, enough about my problems. Did it take you long to get here?"
Ardeth stayed quiet for a moment then could not suppress his laughter any longer. It was so amusing, listening to his uncle ramble on about these people that had been ruining his museum as well as his life. It was sad to think about it that way, but what had made him laugh was how Dr. Bay had so quickly changed the subject. Ardeth nearly fell out of his chair with laughter, and soon Dr. Bay found himself laughing.
When everything had calmed down, Dr. Bay looked at his nephew "Well, did it take you long to get here?" Ardeth smiled "I...I guess you could say that. We had to go through the...brothel district...and..." Omar's eyes widened, with a confused smile
"You went through...what?!"
"There was a...a... what do you call it..."
"...A road block?"
Ardeth nodded "Yes, some sort of westerner ritual going on...anyway, a courtesan tried to lure Jarim off the street," Dr. Bay shook his head "How old is he now?" Ardeth smiled "Sixteen...I don't think I need to go into any details about what happened," Dr. Bay smiled back "You are very right about that my nephew," Dr. Bay smiled again "He reminds me of you," Ardeth leaned forward in his seat "Really?"
"Well, yes. In fact I have a story to tell you. When you were about five years old, you decided to take your fathers scimitar and show to everyone that you were a great warrior..." Ardeth chuckled at that, and Dr. Bay continued "So, your father, some Council Elders, and I were talking when you suddenly burst into the tent holding the scimitar aloft, shouting at the top of your lungs, 'I am a great warrior!'...but, the sword was too heavy for you and before anyone could take it from you, you fell on it, nearly killing yourself." Ardeth shook his head then smiled "So that was why my father was afraid to train me," Dr. Bay laughed "Yes, he was. That's why he had told me in the last months of his life that I should protect you at all costs, what ever happens,"
"But, uncle, I can take care of myself, I'm twenty-one, almost twenty-two, now,"
Dr. Bay said nothing but was trying to suppress his laughter and his smile. Ardeth gave him a confused smile "What is it, uncle?" Omar smiled "I just think maybe...someone should be taking care of...you," Ardeth knew what he meant and now it was his turn to roll his eyes. Dr. Bay began to laugh at his nephew's reaction and Ardeth gave him a cynical smile. "Uncle...I have no time for love. How am I supposed to watch over The City of the Dead, when I have some...woman...fussing over me," His uncle smiled at that "Well, your father found you mother, and his father did, and his father before him did and so the cycle ensues...The Med-Jai need an heir, Ardeth, you just can't let us...die out. I'll make a promise with you. I'll live to the day to see you fitted with a wife, so help me Allah," Ardeth raised both hands in defeat "I don't know how my father managed to get on with his life,"
"You will, you..." Suddenly there were two loud screams then a crash upon crash upon crash. Ardeth and Dr. Bay exchanged quick glances and then they both rushed out of the library.
"This isn't good, is it?" Caley broke the long silence and Evelyn just looked around the library in utter shock. Hundreds and hundreds of book were compiled to make up this wonderful collection, and now it was all brought to the ground by two women, who had the most infinite respect for it. Evelyn let out a traumatized sigh "I don't think so...the curator will have our heads if we don't do something," Caley gave Evelyn a look "Well, what are we going to do about it hide it in the closet?" Evelyn looked at Caley as if she had discovered Seti I in some remote unheard of place. "You know, that might just work," Caley sighed and shook her head.
In that silence, the both women heard hurried footsteps and some talking along the lines of "...if those confounded girls have ruined my library..."
"Uncle, be reasonable. Why don't you give them a chance?"
"Because if I do they will probably take something else into their hands and then destroy it all..." Evelyn and Caley flinched and looked at each other with shock written all over their faces. They were about to run when suddenly they heard a gasp and a few broken words of unnerved shock were exclaimed. Caley and Evelyn turned to see Dr. Bay all in a fluster, walking on top of a bookshelf looking round for an explanation, when suddenly his gaze turned on the two women. He paused briefly as he looked at them both not expecting that they would quell his whole library. Only one word managed to escape his mouth "You," nearly slipping he made his way towards them "Sons of the pharaohs!! Given Frogs, Flies, Locusts...anything but you!! Compared to you the plagues were a joy!!"
Caley excused Evy and herself, "I'm so sorry, Dr. Bay. It was an accident..." Dr. Bay seemed to calm down "My dear, when Ramses destroyed Syria, that...was an accident, the both of you...are a catastrophe!!! Look at my library! Why do I put up with you?!" Dr. Bay really wasn't expecting an answer but Evelyn quickly chimed in "Well...well, you...you put up with me because...because I can read and write ancient Egyptian...and...and I can decipher hieroglyphics and hieratic..and...and well, I am the only person within a thousand miles that can , and...and catalogue this library, that's why!!" Dr. Bay's eyes began to pop "I put up with you because your mother and father were our finest patrons, that's why!!" His voice changed to a calm and quiet one "Allah, rest their souls," Then he resumed to yelling "Now...I don't care how you do it, I don't care how long it takes...STRAIGHTEN UP THIS MISCHIVA!!!"
The curator stormed out of the library, muttering a few things in arabic under his breath. Caley shook her head as he went out, and then looked back to Evy who looked quite upset. "Oh, Evy..." Caley walked over to her and put a comforting arm around her, then looked round what remained of the library "We'll get this fixed up, don't worry," Evy raised both eyebrows "How?" Caley racked her brain for an answer but nothing came, It would take many months to clean this up and pay for all the damage, and new books, but some were antiques. She sighed then did the instinctive thing. She began to pick up stray books that lay all over the floor.
"Well, I'll help, Evy. I'd like to, I kinda feel obligated to anyway." She placed the books on a nearby table that hadn't been crushed by the heavy cedar book cases. "Well..." Evelyn began but there a crash was heard from a room nearby, which made them both start. Caley quirked an eyebrow "I really hope nothing else broke...". Evelyn picked her way over the bookcases and called something out behind her "I'll be back in a few minutes,"
Caley opened her mouth to speak but she felt it was useless as Evy turned the corner headed towards "The Mummy Room". So she's just gonna leave me here to clean up the library, Caley thought Great. Me and my big mouth... She began to pick up more of the books, then shook her head, knowing this would be hopeless.