STOP.
If the use of strong language offends you in any way then skip this chapter – but really it shouldn't because it's only one word so grow up pussy.
(Was that mean? I love you.)
"Arrogant, egoistic individual," Ahkmenrah spat in a whirlwind of fury, stalking gloweringly in the space in front of his sarcophagus as he had been doing so for the past quarter of an hour. "Just because he's bigger, and reigned longer, and has muscles. I was a King too, Effie. I was a King too!"
"Yes, you were." She replied monotonously, fiddling with a string hanging down from hem of her skirt as she lounged against a decorated column. She felt for the young King - she really did – but his persistent pacing and random shouts of profanities were growing irritating. She had never heard Ahkmenrah swear – at least not profoundly – and so his first outburst of 'over-developed Asp fucker!" had both taken her by intense surprise and had her mind bending at the biological possibility of fornication with an Asp.
"That wasn't convincing." He remarked, glaring in her direction, and she raised an eyebrow.
"Sorry, but I said it the first fifty times with adequate emphasis, didn't I?"
"All right, I understand, Effie." He sulked, rubbing his forehead. "I'm going on a bit, aren't I?"
"What gave you that idea?"
"He is simply too frustrating. The way he looked at me. Like I was nothing – worthless!"
"You've only known him for about half an hour, Ahk."
"Half an hour too long! He tricked me into making a fool of myself in front of everyone."
"It wasn't that bad. You're over reacting."
"You weren't the one talking to him! You don't even understand what it was we were saying so don't bother commenting on it."
"You," Effie started, pushing off the column and planting her hands on her hips angrily, "need to stop getting all bothered at everybody else when you're facing your own problems. It's not my fault Ramses made you feel inadequate."
"That's hypocritical coming from you, Effie. Might I remind you that almost every dispute we have had has been as a result of your own flouncy temper?"
"Just let it go."
"Get out."
"Excuse me?" Effie asked, astonished, and Ahkmenrah gestured roughly towards the doorway.
"Just… just leave me alone – please? Although I see why your blunt honesty may be appreciated it's not welcome at the moment."
"You don't wear humiliation well, Ahkmenrah. Has anybody ever told you that? You're acting quite bitchy."
"Don't swear."
"Alright Asp Fuc-"
"Just leave me!" He cried, exasperated. Honestly, this girl was infuriating. Lovable, but still infuriating. He wanted to mope on his own and lick at his wounds, not have this little red-head cut him further with her razor edged tongue. His demand seemed to have had some effect, however, as the little bombshell turned abruptly on her heel and stalked with all of the spirit a twelve-year old can muster towards the exit. He put his head in his hands and listened to the sound of her retreating footsteps, when they stopped suddenly.
"Can I help you?" He called out, not bothering to lift his head.
"No," Effie replied, her tone bemused. "But maybe your new best friend can."
Ahkmenrah lifted his head and felt his heart drop at the sight of Ramses the 'great' wandering in through the door, glancing around with that permanent bemused smile plastered across his smug face.
"Kill him," he hissed darkly at his Jackal henchmen guarding the door. "Crush him to a waxy pulp."
They didn't react.
"All right fine," he continued, still in a low whisper. "How about simply a grievous injury?" Nothing.
"So this is where you now reside," Ramses called out in the familiar tongue, stopping to study the inscriptions on the wall. "The texts are incorrect, you know."
"So you can read the hieroglyphs now can you?"
"I was a royal scribe before I was a Regent. My father considered it an important rite of passage. Can you not read them?"
"No." Ahkmenrah said after a moment, cursing his lack of ability. He like many kings before them hadn't seen reading as a necessity what with the scribes and servants in place to do all that for him. He knew the hieratic text at least.
"And here lie your mortal remains." Ramses continued as he approached the sarcophagus, running his hands over the gold exterior. "How does it feel to know you have lost your afterlife?"
"Excuse me?"
"Your body has been removed from its final resting place. You are no longer surrounded by the necessities for a comfortable afterworld. Your place in paradise has been snatched from you – a heinous crime. And for what? An exhibition? A great injustice has been done to you, living spirit through Ra."
"And yourself? How do you know that your body hasn't been removed from your tomb?"
"I don't," Ramses sighed, shrugging his great shoulders. "I don't suppose I will ever know."
"You could ask her," Ahkmenrah suggested, gesturing towards Effie who had been a silent observer to their conversation. "She knows everything."
"She's very young," Ramses observed, studying her silently for a few moments. He opened his mouth as if to continue, but seemed to change his mind.
"Ask her if she knows of my fate." His command was brisk and short, and Ahkmenrah felt his irritation flare.
"Is that an order?"
"Don't be childish."
Ahkmenrah's cheeks flushed hotly, and he turned to Effie with a dark expression.
"His majesty the self-important would like to know as to where his 'fantastic' remains lie. Please tell me that they were burnt for a fire."
"Sorry, but no,' Effie shook her head with mock-regret. "His remains are intact and preserved somewhere in the Cairo museum. They're not available for public viewing."
Ahkmenrah begrudgingly relayed the information to Ramses.
"It appears I have lost my afterlife also. Ah well, this tomb will make do for us."
"Pardon me, but 'us'?" Ahkmenrah spluttered.
"We will both fit, wont we?"
"This… this is my tomb! It was designed for me!"
"Are you going to deprive me of a place to stay?" Ramses raised an eyebrow. "Pharaoh aids the people, Ahkmenrah – weren't you ever taught that? He assists the weak, protects the widow, feeds the orphan, and responds to anyone who is in need. Trivial pursuits such as the need for luxury and the self-possessiveness of material matter should not touch him. Your own reluctance to share this room out of your own selfishness astounds me."
"That's not what I meant!"
"What did you mean?"
"I…I…" Ahkmenrah was at loss for words. He didn't want to share his tomb because it was his. And because he didn't like Ramses. "Is Pharaoh supposed to be egocentric as well, Ramses? Because if that is the case then you exceed requirements."
Ramses frowned, before shaking his great head slowly.
"You are very young, Ahkmenrah. It shows."
Effie crept silently from the tomb at the sight of Ahkmenrah's new distress, not wanting to become involved. As fond as she was of the younger Pharaoh, and as much as uncomfortable as it was to see him humiliated, his spat with Ramses was something the two needed to sort out by themselves. She should have seen it coming. Both believed they were Gods and so two big personalities were bound to rub one another the wrong way. Hopefully they would learn to work with one another – Effie would have loved to have talked a bit to Ramses the Great, but she got the impression that if she did so at the moment Ahkmenrah would cease to seek out her company in protest.
"Child. I have been meaning to talk to you."
Effie jumped from her reverie, and glanced over to whomever it was who had spoken, noticing Marie Laveau propped up against the corridor wall for the first time. It was her first opportunity to properly study the mystical figure, and she was stunning – that was for sure – with the curves and features of an exotic African but the lighter skin tone of a mixed-race. Dark brown curls tumbled down from underneath a towering turban of red and gold, and a long pair of earrings brushed against her uncovered shoulders.
"Er… hello. Marie, isn't it?"
"You… have a spectacular energy about you," The sorceress breathed, not seeming to have acknowledged that Effie had spoken. "A curious mind too. Tell me, how much do you know about magic."
"What… what kind of magic."
Laveau smiled.
"Well my speciality is Voodoo."
"Not much, aside from Voodoo dolls and charms. I'm not a big believer in Magic, to be honest."
"Yes, so I see." Marie studied Effie's face intently for a few moments. "Would you like to see me perform, Effie? Just for a little while."
"How did you know my name?"
Marie simply smiled, before turning away and gesturing for Effie to follow her with a finger.
"Come. There is great magic in this place. The tablet is a source of incredible power. You will be most impressed, little one."
"Voodoo," Marie Laveau told Effie some time later, as they sat cross legged and facing one another in Larry's Night Guard lounge, "is the one of the oldest known religions to mankind. It originated some seven-thousand years ago, and roughly means 'spirit,' or 'mystery.' We accept the existence of a single God, but also of the Loa – spirits who are not too dissimilar to your own Christian Saints."
Marie rustled around in a pouch tied to her waist and pulled out a pair of modern-looking scissors that Effie suspected had been pinched from the lobby, and a package of salt that had evidently been taken from the Museum Café. Effie felt a chill run down her spine – despite her better instinct – as the women placed them on the floor in front of her.
"My particular practice is the Voodoo of New Orleans – where I spent my lifetime, as you might know. We were forced to work underground, and such things were seen as sacrilege, but most knew of us. They were too scared to dispose of us – those who did usually regretted it sooner or later."
She smiled, and Effie swallowed. Whether she believed in it all or not, there was something distinctly unnerving about the woman sat in front of her. Maybe it was the way she spoke – in hushed tones as if telling a great secret.
"This salt, Effie, is for you. Take it and keep it with you at all times." Laveau handed the sachet to Effie, who regarded it suspiciously.
"What does it do?"
"What does it do…?" Marie laughed quietly, as if to some private joke. "It will protect you, child. There are dark forces within this Museum – forces that want to see you hurt."
"Hurt?" Effie repeated doubtfully. "But why?"
"To hurt another."
"Who?"
Marie didn't answer. Instead, she pulled at a lock of Effie's hair quite suddenly and cut it off before she could protest.
"What are you doing!" Effie snapped, pulling backwards. "What was that for?"
"I need it," Marie answered, "to perform the rites to guarantee your protection."
"Well you could have asked, at least."
"You wouldn't have agreed."
Effie said nothing.
"Now, like I said – keep the salt with you. I will know of it if you don't, and that will be regretful." Laveau put the scissors back in her pouch and stood up to leave. Effie jumped to her feet.
"Wait – wont you tell me more about these… 'dark forces' that you think you can feel?"
"You're sceptical, young one. Expected from a person like you."
"Answer the question, please."
"Know only this," Laveau said after a moment of calculated contemplation, and with a strange look in her eye. "Without the adequate protection the forces will ultimately take your life." She started towards the door.
"And the protection… is this salt?" Effie called out – fondling the packet dubiously, but the Voodoo Queen didn't see it fitting to respond.
BAM.
Well, sorry for the huge gap. My life got in the way.
Shoutouts!
Tybs23: Yes Marie is significant ;) I just hope that I write her okay. I don't know a lot about Voodoo but I just researched what I could and I hope it's right.
Moonstar 11: Ramses is excellent at enjoying himself. *cough* 100 kids *cough* But he was 'great' and so he's allowed to. Ahk… not so great, so we'll see where this all goes ;)
Thornedbudx: I want real characters in the story, and how they were really recorded, not made up. That's what I'm trying to do with Ramses. Obviously not a lot about his personality was written, but going by what he recorded of himself… wee bit pretentious/arrogant, I might think. One of my favourite historical figures though, along with his father.
Doodlechick12: I love doing shoutouts, and thank you :D
LuvDanceGirl: I think most people would be a bit jelous/protective in his position, so yeah – more of that to come :)
Pinkxjellybean: XD I love that. I must use that in a insult one day.
You know the call – Review so I can do the shoutouts. I find them so amusing and look forward to them so much and I don't know why. Perhaps I am a freak?
R-r-r-r-r-age. (lol)