Hi friends!
I hope you like this chapter. It had A LOT going on, plus a little excitement in the middle :)
Well, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I only own Jasmine, Kida, Asim, and Oris.
Chapter Five
The dirigible landed just outside Karnack, and Jasmine stepped off with Ardeth, running through the crumbling buildings.
"They've gone. We've lost them." Evie said, tears in her eyes as she looked around the empty area. Jasmine slowed to a walk, studying the area.
"Jasmine, look." Ardeth said, motioning towards the back of the building they were looking through. She saw a scrap of fabric hanging off one of the statues, and her eyes widened.
"MOM! DAD!" she cried, running forward and grabbing the fabric. She looked at the ground, and saw a small sculpture made from the sand. Jasmine knelt, studying the creation. Tears of relief filled her eyes as her parents joined her and Ardeth. "Alex left us his tie, and he made us a little sand castle." Evie knelt beside her, her eyes narrowing slightly before they widened.
"It's the Temple Island of Philae. They've gone to Philae." Evie said, looking up at them with a smile.
"Attaboy, Alex. Come on!" Rick exclaimed, grabbing his wife's hand. They ran back to the dirigible.
"Philae! Quick, Izzy!" Rick said, and Izzy nodded, igniting the flames, and sending them soaring through the air. Ardeth called for Horus, and he wrote a small message, sending it to the commanders of the Medjai. They reached Philae after only a day of travelling, and they found Alex's jacket covering a new sculpture.
"The great temple of Abu Simbel." Jasmine said, thanking her brother for being so intelligent, and praising him for remembering how each area looked. They returned to the ship, and began flying on, following Alex's trail as he left them more clues. They flew for days, following Imhotep's caravan. During those days, Jasmine spent time with Evie, talking to her about her visions, and about their past lives as sisters.
"How did you deal with the visions?" Evie asked one afternoon, sitting with Jasmine at the front of the ship as they flew.
"Well, they never really came to me in visions. I normally received Kida's memories in dreams. There were only a few times I had visions, like when you had your major one a few nights ago." Jasmine explained, and Evie nodded. "I try not to split Kida and I apart. While I'm not Kida, she is part of me. I'm her reincarnation, but I'm not her specifically. Just like Ardeth isn't Asim, and you're not Nefertiri, and Dad isn't Oris." Evie smiled slightly.
"Will you explain that to me? I'm still not one hundred percent on all that." She said, almost shyly. Jasmine laughed.
"You're the reincarnation of Nefertiri, the oldest daughter of Seti I. I'm the reincarnation of Kida, your younger twin. Ardeth is the reincarnation of Asim, the leader of the Medjai, and we're pretty sure that Dad is the reincarnation of Oris, Asim's best friend." Jasmine said. She was happy to discuss this with her mother, as it gave them something even more in common. "In our past life, the four of us were the closest of friends, and Oris and Nefertiri were the only ones to know of Asim and mine's relationship, as it was forbidden. You helped us to escape the palace one night when we decided to leave, which was the same night that Seti died. You fell off your balcony, and would have died if Oris hadn't caught you." Evie sighed heavily, pressing a hand to her forehead.
"It's a lot to take in." she said, and Jasmine hugged her mother tightly.
"I know, Mom. And don't worry. I'm not considering you my sister, as that is just plain weird." She replied, making Evie laugh. Later that night, after Ardeth finished speaking with Rick, the ship was silent. Rick and Evie were asleep near the wheel, and Jasmine was sitting at the edge, her elbows perched on the railing as she looked out behind them. The wind passed them, creating a slight chill around them.
"You're not sleeping." Ardeth said, approaching Jasmine. He draped a blanket over her shoulders and sat beside her. Izzy had switched off with Jonathan after showing him how to fly, and was now taking a much-needed rest, the latter silently steering the dirigible. Jasmine smiled slightly, wrapping the blanket tighter around her shoulders.
"Just worried. And confused." She replied. "Why is Mom suddenly remembering her life as Nefertiri? I started remembering when I was young."
"It may have something to do with Anck-Su-Namun, and her reincarnation." Ardeth said. "You told me that you began to remember more of Kida's life in the two years leading up to our meeting, and your first meeting with Imhotep. Perhaps this is the same with Evie, only she will be meeting Anck-Su-Namun." Jasmine nodded, and leaned back against Ardeth, looking up at the stars. She suddenly let out a small laugh.
"I don't understand how I could have missed it. Dad looks so much like Oris, and Mom looks nearly exactly like Nefertiri. It only makes sense that the four of us would reunite again someday." She said, making Ardeth chuckle.
"I cannot disagree with you, my princess." He replied, and he wrapped his arms around Jasmine's waist, holding her close as they sat in silence.
"What do you think would have happened if we hadn't been killed as Kida and Asim?" Jasmine asked softly.
"I believe we would have escaped. I would not have been able to return to the Medjai, having defied their orders, and you, of course, would not have been able to return to your father and sister." Ardeth replied slowly, and Jasmine nodded in agreement. "We would have left Egypt, and found a new home, and lived out our lives. There is a possibility that we would have been reincarnated again into this life, and I do not doubt we would have found one another again." Jasmine smiled.
"I think so. Not even a centuries-old curse could stop us, so why should death?" she questioned, and Ardeth let out a low laugh, his arms tightening around Jasmine.
"You are a special woman, Jasmine, and I am lucky to call you mine." He said gently, placing a kiss on her forehead as he entwined his hand with hers, looking down at the ring on her finger. "I know this may not be the best timing, Jasmine, but I wish to do this before we go into battle against Imhotep, and I have spent eight years waiting for this moment. Will you marry me, Jasmine? I will not make the same mistake in this life." Jasmine turned with wide eyes, staring at the Medjai with tears in her eyes. A bright smile appeared on her face, and she wrapped her arms around Ardeth's neck, kissing him happily.
"You didn't even have to ask." She said as they broke apart, pressing her forehead against his. Ardeth smiled back at her, holding her close as they leaned against the raining, looking up at the sky. Jasmine shut her eyes, happiness filling her, surrounding her and destroying the remaining fear that still gripped her heart.
Jasmine opened her eyes, and found herself standing in a familiar room. She wasn't surprised at the change in surroundings, but was surprised to find herself still wearing her own clothing, and looking like herself.
"It's nice to finally meet you, Jasmine." A female voice said, and Jasmine turned to face the balcony, where a very familiar person stood.
"It's nice to meet you too, Princess Kida." She replied, approaching the Egyptian, who laughed lightly.
"Please. We know one another well enough that you don't have to call me that. Just Kida is fine." The princess replied, and Jasmine smiled back at her, leaning on the balcony.
"My dreams have never been like this. I've never actually gotten to talk to you." She remarked.
"Because of the return pf Anck-Su-Namun's soul to her reincarnation, and Nefertiri's sudden connection with Evelyn, there was a brief break in the Underworld. I managed to convince Lord Anubis to allow me to speak with you for a night." Kida explained, and Jasmine nodded. "I am sorry to say that there is nothing I can warn you of. I cannot show you the future, so I can only hope that my sister assists Evelyn."
"Me too. I'd hate to lose her again." Jasmine said. "What happened to Nefertiri after you died?" Kida smiled softly, looking down from the balcony, waving her hand as she did so. Jasmine followed her gaze, seeing an image of a slightly older woman walking beside a man, a child running before them, and the woman's hand placed over her swollen stomach. Jasmine recognized the couple, and smiled widely.
"After finding Kida and Asim's bodies, Nefertiri told the truth, blaming the laws of the kingdom and the Medjai for the death of her sister and friend. Because of her grief, Tiri denied the throne, choosing instead to marry Oris." Kida said, smiling at her sister's image. "They've had one child together so far, a little girl named Jamila. She's expecting a son, and they'll name him Atum. They'll live out their lives happily, and their children will lead the way for other Medjai." The image disappeared, and Kida looked back at Jasmine. "Treasure what you have now, Jasmine. Do not let them slip through your fingers, and protect your brother." Jasmine nodded, knowing that her dream was ending. She reached out and hugged Kida tightly, making the other woman laugh.
"Thank you, Kida." Jasmine said softly as the dream faded into darkness.
As Izzy flew the dirigible into the air, they flew over a dry stretch of land. The others stood at the railing.
"That's the Blue Nile down there." Jasmine said as she looked around them. "We must be out of Egypt by now."
"In ancient times, all this still belonged to the upper kingdom." Evie said in awe. Determination glittered in her eyes. "The oasis must be around here somewhere." Rick placed a hand on her shoulder.
Don't worry. Well find him. He's a smart kid. He'll leave us a sign." He told her, and Evie nodded. She looked over at Jasmine, who was standing beside Ardeth, stroking Horus' feathers gently as they spoke, and the Englishwoman smiled slightly.
"It happened, didn't it." She said, her voice revealing that it was a statement rather than a question. Rick nodded, following her eyes.
"He'll make her happy. I trust him." He said, and Evie's smile grew. There was a moment of quiet before a faint roar reached their ears, and the group turned, seeing a massive wall of water formed into the face of Imhotep. Jasmine paled, as did her mother. "We're in trouble!" Ardeth stepped back from Jasmine, looking around.
"Horus, fly!" he commanded, lifting his arm. The falcon took off, soaring away from the sudden surprise.
"Izzy, come hard right!" Rick shouted, grabbing onto the railing. Izzy increased the speed of the dirigible, shooting them forward.
"Starboard! Starboard!" Jasmine cried, shutting her eyes tightly as they passed through a narrow opening in a wall of rock, coming out the other side as the water was blocked. Izzy took a deep breath, grasping the wheel tightly.
"Was there a little something you forgot to mention? People?" he questioned angrily, but was ignored as the others looked around in shock.
"Ahm Shere." Evie breathed.
"He's back!" Jonathan shouted suddenly as the water appeared again, coming at the balloon even faster than before.
"Hang on!" Izzy exclaimed, and Jasmine grabbed onto the railing, seeing Evie do the same thing as Rick wrapped his arm in rope, holding Evie's waist. There was a sputtering sound, and Izzy's eyes filled with horror. "Well, that's not good. Hang on!" The dirigible suddenly dropped, and they fell, screaming, into the trees below. They landed with a crash, and Jasmine groaned as she climbed out of the wreckage. Rick's eyes were filled with determination, even more so than before.
"We're gonna go get Alex back. He's not going to stop us." He stated, his voice strong as he put a hand on Jasmine's shoulder. "Then we're going to need to get out of here fast, so make this work, Izzy." The pilot huffed, appearing from underneath the fabric that had made up the balloon. As Rick and Izzy argued, a shot rang out, followed by a loud shriek that sounded like a bird.
"HORUS!" Ardeth shouted, looking up into the trees. There was no response, and Jasmine's heart dropped, sadness filling her at the loss of the kind falcon. "I must go."
"Where?" Evie asked, eyebrows furrowing in concern. Jasmine looked at the Medjai in confusion.
"To tell the commanders where we are." Ardeth replied, his voice slightly frantic. "If the Army of Anubis arises—"
"I need you to help me find my son." Rick said, cutting him off with a hand on his shoulder. Ardeth looked between Rick and Jasmine, who was watching him with hopeful eyes, and he nodded.
"Then first I shall help you." Ardeth said, and Rick looked at him thankfully.
"Thank you."
FINALLY!
I've been waiting to write that scene between Ardeth and Jasmine for a while. I also wanted to show that, while Jasmine, Ardeth, Evie, and Rick are reincarnations, they are also their own person, therefore they aren't entirely the one past life. I know it sounds confusing, because this explanation sounded better in my head :)
I also hope you guys liked the whole dream with Kida, since I wanted them to have an interaction with just each other. I considered bringing Ardeth and Asim in, but I thought just Kida and Jasmine would be enough.
As always, please review and let me know what you think!
I've got two chapters left of this story, so you'll get an update soon!
See you soon, Medjai, mummies, and princesses!
Love,
Enchantress