This chapter is rather lacking in detail. Just so you know, I did it on purpose. You would never have gotten another chapter if I had to write everything in great detail. It may be a while before the next one just so you know. Thank you everyone for the reviews and support. I really appreciate it!
Nefret woke up to a throbbing pain in her head. When she finally opened her eyes to look around, she found herself chained to a stone table. Above her, the moon shone brightly down to illuminate the dark room. It was a stone chamber void of any color or artificial light. There were three dark patches in the wall, which Nefret assumed were doorways.
As she attempted to sit up, a figure entered the room behind her. She could hear the footsteps, but could not turn around well enough to see the person.
"Calm down, little goddess. You will soon be free. Too bad for your friend though. He shouldn't have meddled."
The figure came into view, holding a staff in one hand. When the moonlight caught it, she quickly shut her eyes and turned away, fighting back the urge to vomit. Tears ran down her cheeks though, unable to be controlled.
"You monster," she said harshly, unable to go further for fear of her now churning stomach.
"It'll all be better soon my dear," the figure said, running a finger along the side of her face. His hands were ice, and a chill went down Nefret's spine as his long fingernails touched her skin.
Still she did not open her eyes. The man was not holding a staff, but a pike. And upon the end of it was what had once been Djer's head. It was now bloodied and mutilated so bad that she could barely recognize it, but recognize it she did. It was too horrible for her to bear, and she could not make herself look again. Poor, poor Djer. She had always taken him for granted, but now he was gone. What a horrible nightmare she had entered. What she wouldn't give to wake up and find herself back at home. But it wasn't a nightmare, it was real, and nothing she could do to prevent the horrors from echoing in her mind.
"Pharaoh, this is madness. She is just one girl, and it isn't worth risking your life for."
"She is not just a girl, Captain. And this cult has gone too far, capturing one of our people. They need to be stopped before they do real damage."
The Captain remained confused, but remained silent as he rode beside the Pharaoh. They were on their way to rescue the merchant's daughter from the Cult of Apophis. The Cult had been around for centuries, but they had up until now been secluded and harmless. Why the Pharaoh was so intent on catching them now was anyone's guess. But they followed him nonetheless, a company of forty soldiers specially chosen by the Captain for this mission.
Silent tears rolled down Nefret's cheeks, shining in the light of the full moon. She had been in this awful place for two weeks now, and she had lost hope of being saved the moment she had comprehended Djer's death. Her father was much too weak to do anything himself, and she hoped he at least was still alive and well.
"Do not cry, little goddess, it shall all be over soon." Nefret closed her eyes against her terror as the priest caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. Not long after her arrival, the leader of her captors had introduced himself as the high priest for Apophis, the snake god of the underworld. Apparently, the cult thought she held the spirit of the goddess Bastet in her. Bastet was the cat goddess and daughter of Ra, enemy of Apophis. She was to be sacrificed to Apophis, to please him.
"Come brothers," the priest said, his voice echoing off the rocks. "It is time."
The priests of Apophis circled around the stone altar where Nefret was tied, chanting in unison. Nefret was too consumed with grief and despair to bother listening to what they were saying. Her tears dripped onto the altar as she turned her head away from the priest, closing her eyes. He in turn lifted a knife high above his head, both hands clasped about the hilt.
Suddenly, Nefret heard a ferocious roar that echoed throughout the hall, followed shortly thereafter by a bloodcurdling scream. She turned, opening her eyes. Right in front of her, the high priest of Apophis was being ripped apart by an enormous lioness.
Atem rode swiftly aboard his white horse, leading a battalion of Egypt's best mounted soldiers. They could see the temple carved out of a cliff side, casting shadows in the moonlight. He only hoped they weren't too late.
But as they drew nearer, he could hear the screams echoing off the stone. He smiled to himself, satisfied by the noise. They would pay for hurting Nefret. And they were already getting it from one pissed off lioness.
As they reached the temple's main gate, Atem didn't even slow. He urged his steed forward, leaping up the stairs into the main hallway. He followed the sound of the screams into another hallway, which opened up into a round room lit up by the moonlight overhead.
He saw her, strapped to an altar in the center of the room. Her eyes were fixed on the bloodied heap that had been the high priest. His hand still clutched the dagger intended to pierce the poor girl's chest.
By now, other soldiers had entered the room, and began picking off the priests one by one. Atem pulled out his sword and slashed one across the chest, before dismounting and running forward towards the altar.
"Nefret!" he called over the clashing of metal on metal. "Nefret, are you alright?"
She did not turn. Her eyes were wide and staring as she watched the great cat turn around, blood dripping from her jaws.
"Nefret!" he said more fiercely, putting his hands on either side of her face and turning her towards him. She looked up at him fearfully. Then a spark of recognition flashed in her eyes.
"Come on, I'll get you out of here," Atem said, looking down at the ropes binding her to the altar. They were thick, but he quickly sliced them off. She sat up, staring at him as though she was not really seeing him. An arrow flew threw the air dangerously close to her head, making her hair move in its wake. Atem quickly pulled her off the altar, leading her back towards his mount. He picked her up by the waist and set her on the horse, where she looked down at him with hollow eyes.
"Don't worry, you're alright now," he said, swinging up behind her. "You're safe." Together they rode out of the temple, leaving the horrible echoes of the nightmare behind them.
They rode through the darkness in silence. Not long after leaving the temple, they were joined by a lioness, which followed the horse like a shadow, making no noise to break the hush that blanketed Egypt. Neither of the two mounted riders spoke. The woman slept deeply, leaning into the man behind her. He rode erect, never tiring; his only thought was for the safety of the sleeping woman. Every so often, he would look down at her face while she slept, watching her eyelashes flutter as she dreamt some dream known only to her. He would hold her tighter to him, wanting nothing more than to chase away the dreams that disturbed her slumber.
About an hour before dawn, the eclectic band arrived at a camp, the base from which the Pharaoh had organized his scouting parties to look for Nefret. They were greeted by a guard, and escorted into the camp.
"My lord, the mission was a success then?"
"Yes Seth," Atem said solemnly. "The cult is finished. I expect the soldiers back not long after dawn."
As he spoke, Nefret moaned softly, her eyes fluttering open. She sat up, looking rather groggily around the camp, not sure what to make of it. She turned as Atem got down off the horse. He reached up and took her by the waist, lifting her easily off. She stood silently, looking up at him, not sure what she was supposed to do.
"It is good to see you again Nefret," he said softly, only inches away from her. She felt her heartbeat speed up in her chest.
"High Priest Seth," Atem said, turning towards his adviser. "I do not want to be disturbed while I speak with Nefret. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Your Eminence," he said, bowing. Atem looked down at Nefret again, and gently indicated her to come with him. She did so silently, following him out next to the bank of the Nile. The lioness Sekhmet lay down several feet from her master, amber eyes watching, daring anyone to try and disobey his order for privacy.
"Nefret," the Pharaoh began quietly, taking her face in his hands. "I have missed you."
Tears ran down the girl's cheeks as she looked into his violet eyes. They were tears of joy, sorrow, and rage all at the same time. Atem carefully wiped them away with his thumb, never taking his eyes away from hers.
"I have missed you, my lord," she said softly, her voice barely audible. "I am sorry you had to come for me like this."
"I got to see you again, that is all that matters to me," he said with a smile. Though she wanted to, she could not return it. Tears began pouring down her cheeks again, her breath becoming ragged. Atem pulled her to him in a hug, letting her tears dampen his tunic. He waited until they had subsided before looking down at her again.
"Please, Nefret, I want to know what happened." Nefret closed her eyes and took a ragged breath, and spilled her entire sad story to him.
"So he found her again," Mahado said, standing beside High Priest Seth as they watched the Pharaoh and Nefret. Behind them, an orange glow lit the sky, signaling the oncoming day. It outlined the two figures standing close together, and gave the enormous cat before them a dark silhouette.
"Yes. But what can he do now that he has her again?" Seth said, turning to his comrade. "Though he wants her for his own, it cannot be. He is only going to get his heart broken again."
"Be that as it may," Mahado said, giving the pair one final look before turning towards his tent. "He loves her, no doubt, and we shall give him those precious few days he can have with her."