"Rania!" Princess Nefertiti greets the younger woman.
"Nefertiti!" the fourteen-year-old greets her friend and mentor. "I'm so glad you had the time to relax with me today,"
The princess smiles at the girl she sees as a sister. "I am happy you still like spending time with me."
Rania smiles and pulls forward her sketch book. "I was hoping you could take a look at these and tell me what you thought of them," she begins nervously, offering the book to her friend. "Pharaoh wanted me to do a painting for him of one of the temples, or even of Ahm Shere, but I wanted your opinion."
The princess can only stare at the small masterpieces within the book she holds. "Rania… these are amazing, and not even painted yet!" She turns the page to find the great sphinx, another to the great pyramids, and another of the familiar drawings of what her friend described as Ahm Shere.
"I wasn't sure which of the settings I should choose, Nefertiti," she explains shyly. "Plus, I would prefer to go to the place I am painting… and I'm the only one who's made it to Ahm Shere because Anubis guided me to the Scorpion King, Matthias."
"I do wonder why he showed you the way," the princess ponders aloud, her eyes fixed on the canyon of the oasis she can only imagine. "But I feel that Father would love for you to do a painting of a scene of the oasis." She sets the book aside gently, knowing that she would never forgive herself if something happened to the precious artwork within. "Anyway, let's not think of work. What shall we do with our afternoon?"
Their eyes meet, and Rania is grinning wildly, matched by Nefertiti. The princess is the one to speak though. "Shall we go practice our sparring?"
"We must," the teen agrees immediately. They rise, only to be stopped in their tracks as someone knocks on the elaborate doors, before opening to reveal Pharaoh Seti, Imhotep, and a small group of Medjai. "My Pharaoh," she whispers, curtsying deeply in comparison to Nefertiti, who only bows her head for a moment.
"Rania, Nefertiti, rise," he gently orders them, as four Medjai enter the room, eyes raking over every detail of the room. As they rise, he continues to address them. "We have received word of an assassin come to attack Rania, before night falls upon us."
The younger girl tenses, and stares into her father's eyes, finding only confirmation in his eyes. "Why would someone want me dead?" she asks quietly.
"They know you are close to the royal family, you are the daughter of an important official, and you are favored by the Medjai," the Chieftain's son informs them after receiving a nod of approval to speak from Seti. "We are assigned to protect you from any threats, but we ask that you remain as far inside the palace as possible, to keep them from attacking from a distance."
She nods in assent, before turning to Nefertiti. "I guess we will have to put our plans on hold then, Princess," she murmurs, bowing her head sadly.
She shakes her head. "It is no fault of yours. I will be happy to reschedule for another day." She moves back to pick up the sketch book she had put aside so carefully. "I guess you ought to take this along with you, Rania."
"Thank you, Princess," she says with a small curtsy, accepting the book from her friend.
She follows her father and the Pharaoh from the princess's suite, moving back to a more secured location within the palace. "Rania, I hope you have put some thought into my request?" the Pharaoh addresses her once more, gesturing for him to walk beside her.
"Yes, my Pharaoh. It has been difficult deciding what I should do for the painting, although the princess has been of much assistance in deciding what the piece will be." She resists the urge to bite her lip. "I would, however, like to hear your own preference on what the piece will be of, if it will be of no issue to you, my Pharaoh."
"I am pleased you went to my daughter with this request, and I feel that I should prefer something of Ahm Shere." He turns to her. "I shall allow you all the time you need for this work, but only request that you wait until this threat has passed before setting out to begin the painting."
She bows her head as they continue their trek through the palace, coming to the open throne room in the center of the palace. "Thank you for your consideration, my Pharaoh. I ask for your leave to retire now."
"You may, Rania. I should like to see you safe tomorrow morning, young lady," he dismisses her and her guard.
The four Medjai, including Bes, walk with her, two ahead of her and two behind her.
"Bahira, it is time to wake up," Terrence calls softly to her as he shakes her shoulder to wake her up.
She groans and rolls over, unwilling to wake up. "Nuh-uh," she mumbles, burrowing into her blankets into a small ball.
Concerned, Terrence turns her back towards himself, reaching out to touch her forehead. He sighs, realizing she has a fever, and is shivering despite the warm blankets. "You've caught whatever is going around your school, it seems," he mutters, before closing the blinds tightly over her window.
"Papa?" he hears before he leaves the darkened room. "My tummy hurts."
He closes his eyes and sighs. "Of course the teacher didn't mention it was the stomach bug," he mutters to himself in Arabic, before turning back to Bahira. "I will bring a bin and some water in a moment."
He leaves her door open and hurries to gather what he will need for a long day at home.
Ardeth sighs as he stares down at the camp, abandoned for the day in favor of searching for the treasures hidden in the City of the Dead. "They have ears, and eyes, but do not listen or see," he mutters to his men.
One of them, his cousin Fadil, nods his head in agreement. "I do wish they would have simply left with your warning. I had thought they had some brains."
Hasani, a friend of theirs from a different tribe snorts. "I thought they might have abandoned this whole idea with our attack on the boat."
"That is something else I wish they had done," Ardeth murmurs.
"I understand that they have the key, Chieftain?" Fadil asks for clarification, receiving a nod of confirmation. "Then we have much reason to fear. Do we know if they have found anything yet?"
"Some of the hired diggers were missing last night, they were less by three when we attacked last night," Jabari, Hasani's older brother, remarks. "They must have triggered one of Seti's traps."
"Wasn't the American saying something about them being melted to the British ones in his group?" Fadil asks suddenly.
"He was," Ardeth realizes. "But weren't they also saying something about finding a mummy and scarab skeletons in a sarcophagus as well?" They shiver at the sudden realization. "We attack again once both groups have left the ruins for the night," he declares, turning his stallion back towards their small camp. "Everyone rest while we have the chance. Two keep watch when the sun reaches the horizon."