(A/N: No one reviewed except for Lord Policar, who only did it because I made him. Very upsetting. Come on people, it's not that hard: read the chapter, click the button, type some junk and post! Thought the writing was excellent? Review. Have a suggestion? Review. Want to complain? Review. Want to know why I'm not locked up somewhere? Review. (And I'll tell you the whole exciting tale of my escape from the evil people in the local institution. Yay!) I don't care if you liked it or hated it, just PLEASE WRITE SOMETHING! OK, now I'm finished ranting. On with the next chapter!)

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it. If you don't recognize it, I own it. Mmkay?

Chapter Three: Dreams

A few weeks after the chicken escapade, which was looking as though it would go down in history, Siete still had not departed from the temple. Most of the servants were under the impression that he would be moving on in a short matter of time, but Amah insisted that he was going to be staying on with Ai for quite a while. This had not made an impression on Avia, who hadn't seen the elusive stranger since the day he complimented her handiwork, and she went about her business as usual. Having finished her punishment duties, she found herself with enough free time to begin her latest venture: learning to read.

To Avia's knowledge, only scribes and high officials, as well as some of the priests were able to read, and she wasn't sure if someone of her standing would even be allowed to learn. But it had struck her recently as being a very useful skill, and as her motto was "When in doubt, just don't get caught", she decided to go for it. The temple did not have a large library by any means, but there were several books in the lounge on the second floor, and she was sure that she could sneak into the room at night, when everyone as asleep. Having been in the room only twice in her life, as only the elder servants were permitted to tend to it, she was not certain that she would find any books to make headway with. But she thought it would be worth a try, and so on the night of the full moon she slowly sneaked up the stairs to the lounge.

The hallways were dark, and Avia did not know her way around the second floor very well, but she was finally able to locate the lounge, although she tripped over a chair upon entering, and was sure the racket would wake someone. But after holding still as the grave for a few minutes, she decided that no one had heard her and walked further into the room. The lounge was not very large, but gave the impression of being much bigger because of all the nooks and crannies full of cushions and chairs. The priests and their guests used the lounge to entertain and relax in, and Avia was certain she had seen books kept towards the back wall. Sure enough, a shelf with several texts stood next to a cushioned chair near the back wall of the room, and she crept delightedly towards the books.

There were only five, to Avia's disappointment, and none of them looked legible. One book, large and bound with leather, was clasped tightly together with metal bindings, preventing anyone from reading it. Avia examined the bindings and thought she could open them without too much difficulty, but putting them back together would be another matter, so she ruled that out. The next book looked much to difficult for her, as there were no pictures for reference. The third book, however, was what appeared to be an illustrated collection of myths, so Avia pulled a cushion over to the open window and sat in the light of the moon to examine it.

The more she stared at the book, the more frustrated she became. No matter how hard she tried, she could make head nor tail of the hieroglyphs before her. She could guess at some of the meanings, but not enough to understand the stories. She realized what a ridiculous idea it had been to sneak in at all- how could she expect to learn to read just by looking at the letters? The scribes went to school for many years before they were able to read well, what made her think she could do it in a few nights? With an angry grunt, she turned to put the book back on the shelf, admitting defeat.

As she spun around, she came face to face with Siete. His face was thrown into shadows by the light of the moon, but his eyes gleamed brightly in the glare. He was wearing an open coat, thrown aside to reveal a chest and stomach that was unusually well toned for one who didn't work. With a small blush, Avia realized she was staring.

"I didn't know that servants were allowed to read" he said in the same lilting drawl she had heard when he spoke to her in the hall.

"As it happens, we're not" Avia bit back sharply, only to bite her tongue a second too late. Not only had she admitted to breaking the rules, she had spoken sharply to an honored guest; together, that was enough to get her work until she died of old age.

But Siete again surprised her. "Can you read?" he inquired, sounding genuinely curious.

"No" Avia replied, "I can't. I was trying to teach myself, but obviously that's a foolish notion. Well that's my story: what's yours?" Avia figured she had nothing to loose, she might as well try out a direct question.

Siete's eyes flashed with annoyance. "My business is my own, and I, unlike you, am allowed to wander around after dark without being questioned."

Avia realized she had pushed too far. With a respectful nod she headed for the door, until she felt a hand on her arm. "Wait…" Siete implored, catching her gaze, and she was again struck by the odd texture of his eyes, so gleaming that she could barely repress a shiver. "I could…teach you, if you like."

"You could teach me" Avia repeated dumbly, at a loss for words. Shaking her head, she met his gaze eye for eye. "Why on earth would you want to do that?"

"My business is my own" he repeated, although his eyes reflect amusement instead of anger this time. "What do you say?"

Avia thought about it. Certainly, he was not exactly a normal noble, but he might still be expecting her to repay him some how. Her thoughts drifted back to what her brother had said before, and again she shivered, although the night was warm. Still, she supposed it wouldn't hurt to try to learn for one night, If she got a decent start, she might be bale to work on her own. "Well, I can't imagine why you would want to teach me, but if you are truly willing, then yes, I'd like you to teach me."

"Excellent. Come back into the light, you'll be able to see better by the window." He pulled a cushion next to her own and opened the book she had been carrying. "Hmm…I might have started you out with an easier writing style, but you'll have to learn hieroglyphs sometime. To read them requires a lot of memorization, but you shouldn't have too much trouble with that. Now, the difficult part about reading hieroglyphs is…"

The Next Day…

(A/N: I would have liked to provide you with some sort of flashing symbol whenever I do a time change like this, like Batman's bat symbol flashing on the old episodes, but unfortunately this is a story, so you're going to have to imagine it. Maybe her symbol can be a chicken…yea, lets go with that for now.)

"Ok, let me just summarize this, for my own clarification: You sneaked out last night into the upper lounge to teach yourself to read, then realized it was impossible and had no idea what had compelled you to go there in the first place. On your way out, you bumped into a mysterious and hard- to- find noble, who then offered to teach you to read. And now, you are planning to meet him a few nights a week to continue these lessons, and are on a first name basis with said noble. Am I missing anything?"

"Nope" said Avia happily, completely unaware of her brothers anger. Her head was still swimming with all the characters she had to memorize. She conjured up their images in her head and named each one, mentally tracing each shape with care. She had at first been apprehensive of the strange noble, but as soon as the book was opened she had immediately felt better; it was something they had in common, that passion for letters. Siete had told her to meet him every other night, so she would have time to sleep.

"Not that you really need it" he had told her with a grin, "based on all those catnaps you take during the temple ceremonies". Avia had been thrilled to discover that, for all his peculiar traits, her friend had a sense of humor.

"Well, now I have most definitely heard everything. Avia, that is the most ridiculous story I have ever heard in my entire life. If I live for three thousand years, I will never hear anything more far- fetched than that."

Avia had not anticipated that her brother wouldn't believe her. "Arimsa, I'm telling the truth!" she protested loudly, making a few heads turn at the breakfast table where they were talking. "Why would I make this up?"

Looking at his sister, Arimsa could tell that she was indeed speaking truly. But that, if anything, made his anger greater. "Oh, you're telling the truth. Well, that completely puts all my worries to rest. My sister is going to be meeting a strange man in the middle of the night for Isis knows how long, in a room that's too far away from the sleeping quarters for anyone to hear her. Fantastic. I can sleep easily now."

"Arimsa" Avia wheeled, trying to convince her brother that Siete was trustworthy, "nothing is going to happen. We talked a lot last night, and he's not going to hurt me. I can tell. And he really can teach me to read, he's very good at it. You don't want to stay here your whole life, do you? Siete could be our only way out."

Arimsa could not believe how stupidly his sister was behaving. "Avia, you barely know Siete. I don't understand how it is suddenly acceptable for you to be around him alone at all, let alone at night! A week ago, you were going on about how strange and 'dead' he seemed, and now you're practically friend with this man? What's gotten into you?"

Avia looked thoughtful, as though she had been completely unaware of her sudden change of heart. "You know, Arimsa, I have no idea."

Exhausted form her work the night before, Avia fell into a deep sleep as soon as her knees met the floor of the inner sanctum. Leaning her head on Arimsa's shoulder, she drifted into a dream.

She walked in a barren plain; a desert. The air rippled with heat as vultures circled above her head. Although a little surprised to find herself in such a place, Avia was not concerned. Deciding that to stay in one place would be pointless, she began to walk.

Suddenly, ahead of her Avia spied an oasis, lush with plants and birds. Running towards it, it abruptly bounced away from her, moving towards the red hued cliffs in the east. Avia sighed with disappointment; it was only a mirage. Yet Avia felt certain that it was real, and only just out of reach. She again moved forward, but again the oasis moved away from her. Growling in frustration, the girl irrationally beckoned the oasis with her finger, and to her amazement, as she drew her finger towards herself, so did the island follow. When it was just before her, she stopped beckoning and took a hesitant step forward. The oasis did not move away. With relief, she ran to the edge of the pool of water at the heart of the oasis and bent down to drink.

As she lapped the water, she noticed and unusual reflection in the pool. Turning, she realized she was not alone in the paradise she had called to her. A woman stood behind her, looking intently on her face. To say she was beautiful was a vast understatement. The woman was clearly Egyptian, of that Avia was certain, and yet her eyes…her eyes were the same blue, indescribably deep color as Avia's own. The woman was, in a brief summary that hardly did her credit, perfect. Her lips were full and red and her hair long and black, falling in a straight line down her back. A golden charm hung around her neck, and Avia realized that it was an ankh, the Egyptian symbol of life and rebirth. The woman's eyes seemed to sparkle as she smiled down on Avia.

"Well met, daughter" she said in a clear, surprisingly deep voice that rang throughout the oasis like the sound of water falling.

"Daughter?" said Avia in a near whisper. Could this radiant woman really be…?

"Well, your birth mother I am not" replied the woman, crushing Avia's hopes. "However, spiritually I am your mother, just as I am the mother of all women of this land.

Avia pondered these words before replying in a hesitant, hushed tone, "Isis?"

The woman looked enormously pleased. "Yes, very good. I am your patron goddess, daughter. It is fortunate, albeit disrespectful, that you fell asleep this day. I have been waiting to speak with you, and at last you are ready. Are you willing to listen to what I have to say?"

Avia thought before she answered. The gods and goddesses, while strange and beautiful and certainly helpful to the Egyptians, were also known for meddling in mortals' lives and causing trouble. When simply praying, one always had to be careful when phrasing a request, or they might end up with more than they bargained for. Still, to be patroned, or considered a "daughter" or a goddess, especially as powerful a figure as Isis, was an honor not offered to many, and not easily refused. "Yes" Avia said finally, "please tell me why you brought me here."

"I don't believe you were listening when the priests lectured the temple children on my myths, Avia. At least, not all of them. I know you do have a fondness for stories, especially mine, but I believe you missed a rather crucial lesson. That was the day you and your brother replaced the incense in my temple with dung, as I recall, and you were still being punished when they told this legend. The story regards the Daughters of Isis. These women control a small portion of the abilities I possess, and use them to work my will on the earth when I cannot do it myself. You might call them demi- goddesses. The Daughters of Isis are my gift to humanity, to protect them when other powers make it impossible for me to do so myself. Long ago, Seth, the god of the desert and chaos, killed my husband Osirus, who is now the ruler of the Lands of the Dead. He cut the body into fourteen pieces and scattered them throughout the world. But through my magic, I was able to find all the pieces and bring them together again, allowing my husband to pass into the Land of the Dead and foiling Seth's plot.

"But mythology has widely forgotten that Seth had his revenge on me. To this day he walks the earth, looking for spirits and men to follow his corrupt path, twisting their minds and hearts against me and my celestial brothers and sisters. That is why I sent my daughters to defeat his followers, so that a balance between Seth's chaos and my order could be obtained. You, Avia, are one of these daughters, the last to be born in Egypt thus far. I am worshipped, you see" she said, in response to Avia's frown, "in lands other than this, my home, and so may choose daughters from places farther from Egypt than you are. You have power, Avia, and it will not remain dormant for long. You will soon notice a skill in some area of your life in which you excel beyond that of any other, and will even be able to perform some of my own wonders at will. I know it may be hard to accept, but you are different and you have a path to follow that may lead you to harm and peril. But it is your quest, and your sisters quest, to be a light against the darkness of Seth, to be a beacon of hope among those who have none, to protect others as I have guarded you- yes, it was no accident that you found your way to one of my temples. I will come to you again soon, Avia, but now my time is spent. Remember our talk, remember your path, and remember you are a Dratia Irisia, one of my daughters, and one who I love."

With that, the goddess vanished, and Avia woke with a start.

Avia looked around. The ceremony at the sanctuary was beginning to end, and the priests were beginning to hold the leaving procession. Turning to her brother, Arimsa gave her a quick grin.

"Oh good, you're awake. I was just about to get you. And, Avia… I thought about those lessons with Siete, and you're right, we do need some sort of education if we're ever going to get out of here, but I'd rather sit on with you, at least at first. I still don't trust him, to be honest."

Avia grabbed her brother in a firm embrace. "I love you, Rimmy" she told him, the nickname making his smile widen.

"I love you too, Avi. Just don't do anything to get yourself hurt, all right? It would be pretty difficult to annoy Ai all by myself."

"I wont. Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself."

Arimsa helped Avia to her feet, but her legs were still unsteady from her nap, and she pitched headlong towards the floor. Thankfully, her brother caught her just before she hit. "No, you cant, Avi, but lucky for you, you have a brother to take care of you."

The moment proved a little too touching for Avia. "And lucky for you, you have a sister to think for you, otherwise you would never manage."

Laughing together, the twins left the temple to get on with their chores for the day. Just before they left, however, Avia remembered her dream and turned back towards the temple. Leaving Arimsa perplexed at the doorway, she knelt at the shrine and whispered " I have no idea what you mean, but I'll learn if I have to."

Although there was no answer, the silence of the sanctuary seemed to speak to her, and that was enough for Avia. Again she left the shrine, with more food for thought than she had been forced to dwell on in a long time.

(A/N: I know there were a lot of author's notes this chapter, but I can't help it: I like to talk, and talking to the voices in my head was getting boring. I just wanted to say that this chapter did not flow as smoothly as I would have liked, but I had to lay down the basis of the story somewhere. It will get better quite soon, I hope, so please stick with it!

-Athtor