A/n: wow thank you everyone for all the amazing reviews. You make my day!
Sorry this chapter took so long. I put a lot of research into it because I wanted to be as accurate as possible. Haha.
Life has been crazy!
Anyway, please enjoy the new instalment!
Eve could not believe the rush of demanding aura that dawn on her like the flames of a rising run. It's spectrum of buzzing rammed into every nook and cranny of her mind. Assenting essence all around her humming body. The temples surroundings suddenly felt hot, as if her skin could blister under the pressure. Her breath retreated shakily from her lungs, frightened to enter the world within the temple walls. Struggling she attempted to swallow past her dry throat.
She managed to suppress the shiver of anticipation that threatened to rock over her senses. She could feel it standing on the edge of her mind's crumbling walls, watching from afar but close enough to catch her line of sight. She could almost feel someone's breath dancing down her spin. A hot wind on cold skin; as if Ra himself had fallowed in tow behind her. Eve's arms crossed in a poor attempt to seal in her need to shutter. She shook her head shutting out the idea.
How utterly ludicrous. She inwardly rolled eyes at herself. Completely self conceited ideas. Her mind slowed before dark eyes flickered over her shoulder once in reassurance. She almost sighed in relief when she discovered the area behind her empty.
"Your highness, we have been expecting you." She stopped at the man's shaky vocals. He was heavily wrinkled and plump; unexpected for a elder of his age. He reached with frail hands, that seemed to droop from his heavy white robe, towards her. "Where on earth have your handmaidens gone, child?"
Her shoulders shot up nervously. "Forgive me, elder. I had this sudden need to come here; I was impatient and left without them." She bowed her head in a heavy remorse; she forgot how the implications could effect the woman under her care.
He quickly shook off her need for forgiveness with a heart warming smile. "Do not fret child. You fallowed the will of whom ever choose you. There is nothing to fear within these temple walls."
Evelyn could almost have snorted at the implications. Oh she had one thing to fear within these walls and he was a lot more frightening then anything else currently in her life. She smiled gently at the older man. Accepting his words with expression rather then sound.
"Come your highness. We must get you ready for the purification process. " He turned shakily, beaconing her to fallow. Doing so quietly Evelyn took in the surroundings. The priest was taking her into a section of the temple that remained locked to all but those in the priesthood. Curiosity perked itself like giddy child within her soul. She knew that Inside the walls would mostly be barren due to the scared nature of the area. It made for little knowledge on the area and Here she was witnessing its purpose in person.
They passed another set of locked doors with a special key slot. According to what she learned, that specific section of the temple was determined to be 'most pure'. Inside would most likely hold a statue of Osiris and only Imhotep, the high priest, could enter.
Even the section of the temple she was being walked through required you to be purified. She would be expected to exchange her cloths for ones made of linen, remove the hair from her body daily and practice abstinence.
The good part about it all was that being apart of the priest hood meant that you only had to practice such things three months out of the year, all broken up to allow for daily lives. It wasn't a job that expected you to be 'pure' for the rest of you existence. Though, she had to admit, Imhotep's job was a different category all together. As the Kings advisor the position of High priest was a full time job. A position that granted leeways when needed.
He stopped at a simple door way, gesturing with open palm for her to continue without his aid. A nervousness pang knotted her insides and she padded into the room. She took in the candle lit room that basked in the dawn of firelight. There was no other source of light to be found. Dark and humid. She squinted into the dimlight and found herself staring into the twinkle of reflective water. She took in a deep breath of her surroundings with awe. She had never heard of temples containing such large bathing areas. The waters alone could hold, at least, fifty people.
Temple maidens persuaded her closer to the water edge with unsettling smiles. To happy. Surreal. A hesitant flinch assaulted its way across her nerves as one lady dropped to the hem of her dress and began lifting it from her flesh. They moved like an intricate ballet, weaving passed one another with an array of cloths and assorted jugs. Each with their own purpose.
Temple priestess were different then the priests. History would remember them for their songs and dance within the temples but even as women they were held with high regard. Some were even known to be called the earthy wives of whom ever they served. Every inch of them seemed perfected. Immaculate and detailed. Women who paid very high regard to how they looked in the presence of others.
"You must be very excited, Princess." One woman giggled. She lightly padding Eve's naked arm with a damp cloth, cleaning the skin with a special brew of sorts. Eve followed the movement. It left a tingle on the edge of her skin, a numbing sensation that could not be explained by mere words. Simply peculiar.
Her mind burst with questions the inner historian could not refuse. Things not know to her old world. Things never recorded in any book. The magic of herbs and faith. What was used and what ceremonies truly contained. Giving her head a shake she forced herself to look at the woman who had spoken. She was a lovely lady. Heart shaped face and ebony skin. "I am not entirely sure what is accruing, I only came here under the belief that it would be explained to me once I arrived."
There was a burst of giggles before a more middle aged woman stepped forth from the side. She had a soft look upon her that made it seem almost weary. The woman was not overly old in appearance. She was all bodacious curves and years of tender smiles that left small impressions on her pear-shaped face. "You must forgive them for rushing you dear. It has been so long since we have had such an occurrence. Everyone was ecstatic when the high priest sent word to prepare for your arrival."
Eve could feel the warmth touch to the deepest pieces of her darkening soul. The corner her plump lips tugged into a playful smirk. "Has it been so long since royalty came to be apart of the temple?"
The thicker woman bubbled with humoured laughter. A laugh that contained a contagious snicker. "Oh sweet girl." She drawled. "You were not exaggerating about how little you know."
Eve's head tilted off to the side in question as the ladies around plucked themselves from her side. Finished with the preparations. The elder woman came forth with thick fingers. She grasped at Eve's shoulders and sighed. "You have a beautiful gift child. I am afraid the gods both blessed and cursed your existence; much like our high Priest, you have been granted a great and powerful gift. It differs greatly in perspective but both powers are equal in strength."
Her insides dropped like bricks onto asphalt, threatening to burst forth and shatter on impact. Could she never escape him?
"Oh, oh do not panic sweet one." The beautifully rounded woman brushed a stay hair behind her ear. Her lips pulled with peaceful grin. "Being the temple's Oracle is a great honour."
Oracle? Her mind's eye stumble into a blank canvas. What on earth where the duties of a temple Oracle? Was it similar to the Greek term? How was she not supposed to panic, she did not know what a temple Oracle was!
The woman hummed with humour, rubbing the tops of her shoulders to ease the tension. "It is a less known job, not many with the gift show themselves. The high priest will explain everything you need to know, child."
Eve bit off a sigh. She did not wish to see him after the incident with the concubine. She was still livid with the lot of them. Falling for the antics of such a horrid woman. A white snake provocative enough to lull men into false security, drawling them closer until it was ready to strike with venomous fangs. Eve's skin freckled with bumps. Something about that woman set her nerves on edge.
"I will leave your cloths here when you are finished. You will have to spend the day purifying your soul within these walls." The woman bowed slightly and like chicks following a mother hen the priestess fallowed in tow.
The day. Trapped in a room with only one escape. A woeful dread seeped into her presence. Entangling itself in her limbs like a boastful lover, leaving behind the sweetest tingle deep in the tips of her fingers. She squeezed them into a tight ball and tossed her eyes back to the deep orange of the room.
Purify before the eyes of the gods. She sneered. Unlikely, she felt unredeemable at this point.
Timidly she descended down the massive staircase. As her toes brushed with the waters edge her nerves jumped. So cold. She sat frozen ankle deep and took a deep breath. It was best to just jump in. Trying to ease herself into the frigid water would be pure torture. Holding her breath, bracing her body for impact, she allowed herself to fall forward into the pools open arms. It sank itself around her and squeezed the breath from her lungs in a frosty hold.
She was ready to lunge from the water when she stopped. Daintily she opened her eyes when a flicker of darkness swamped her senses. She squinted at the burred images trying to make out what exactly she was trying to see. So familiar. Tarring her eyes from the image and returned to the surface with a strong gasp.
Strange, she felt depleted of substance. How long did she lingered the waters edge. A cough racked her lung, spewing forth liquid from her lungs. It burned like the seven hells on her vocals.
"Evelyn." His voice called softly.
Eve couldn't have turned faster. Her hand pulled tight trying to capture her thudding heartbeat. "Fuc-" she bit her tongue to stop the cruse ready to slip from her sweet mouth. Her eyes fell on the high priest's pleasant form. Sitting on the edge of the pool, legs spread and leaning on his elbows watching her with silent eyes. Something told her he had been sitting there for a while. "You frightened me!"
"What did you see." He remained unmoving. Fingers laced together before his face, lips leaned gently against their surface. A face of learning. Taking in her every movement with wondering eyes.
Tongue presses against her teeth she contemplated lying. She didn't want to tell him, he was invested in the concubine. He would deny anything she had to say. "It was hard to see. I had trouble making out what was shown to be. Fighting of some sort. It was hard to keep up with."
"Who was fighting?"
"I could not make out faces." Half-truth. She snarled at herself. She make out two specific faces. The pharaoh and the concubine. The others involved where yet undetermined.
"Then we must have you try again." Her brows jumped at the notion. She had no clue how the damn visions worked how was she supposed to just force one to happen?! "Trust your body. The light shining these images into your eyes." He set his hands on the edge of the pool before pushing himself off to sink into the waters below.
Trust her body? Hell no. She growled. Her body currently could not get passed the idea of his wet honey skin glistening with water. How he pushed closer to her and set her skin aflame within the ice of this lake. All her body wanted was him.
Change nothing.
Her mind stalled and sputtered when the voice sounded. Then there was a pause fallowed by a seething groan. No. No. This was not happening. She was not just given permission to what ever she please with that... Horribly tasteful body.
Unknowingly he grasped her shoulder with damp fingers. She had been so conflicted with herself she forgot that he even drew near. The grasp of his hand tighten and with it a new serge of uncertainty.
Bodies tangled. Golden paint smudged and smeared. Faces blurred and voices like an insects hum. It rings against her eardrums like nails against a chalkboard.
They move and the world around changes. A thrown. Blood. So much blood.
Eve flinches from his grip. Ripping herself from the vision. Her vocals suck in breath as if she had been deprived from its source for eons. His Amber eyes fall heavy over her reaction. Calculated. He reaches out once more; part of her knew it was to prove a point but she jerked out of his reach regardless.
"Intriguing."
He was more then likely having the same thoughts as she was. He triggered the visions. In some twisted way their fates would always be intertwined due to sins of the past. She would never be rid of him and that made her heart squeeze.
"Do not make me ask again, Evelyn." He was quite, but somehow his voice still managed to skip across the liquid mirror she found herself in.
"A thrown," Her voice felt like razor blades digging into her vocals. She reach a tender hand upwards to ease the pain before clearing her throat. "Blood. Two people... Embraced." She shot dark eyes his direction. Fear. She could see it in his eyes, fear of a future he could not eradicate. "Golden paint smeared across skin. Blank faces, unheard voices."
"That is not possible." The warning snarl of a angry lion. Her guts clenched in the wake of his fuming energy. "I have been vigilant about avoiding this outcome."
"Perhaps you may have." Eve stiffened. She could not stop the words flowing out of her mouth. "She on the other hand has not."
Silence was becoming the very fabric this room was woven upon. It ate up the space around their bodies like a staving beast and left them empty of words. Then his eyes flashed like a yellow flame. Hatred was this man's friend. "We killed the Pharaoh out of the devotion we had for one another. You dare accuse my heart of manipulation?"
"She has many other disposable pawns to play in this game." Oh dear gods why could she not just shut up?
"Enough." The beast inside was becoming freed. He would not stand her rudeness much longer. Fear crept up her skin like the insect it was, leaving her spine stiff and her limbs quivering.
"In fact she has knight, closer to the king then any pawn. She seems to take those close to her husbands side to bed, perhaps on hopes she can force their hand into giving her what she wants." Imhotep began to slowly retreat. Wanting dearly to be able to deny the allegations.
"I will not listen to a second-"
"And why is that." Eve was in his line of path before she could stop to think. Her voice as cold as the water around them. "Can you truly not except the fact 'your heart' may have used you simply because you were her best chance?"
"Get out of my way." His eyes fell heavy over her shoulders, but Eve could not move even if she wanted to.
"With you she could attempt innocents knowing you would bring her back to life. Tell me priest, how do you know that if they had not stopped you from doing so that she would not of blamed you for the entire endeavour?" There was a blankness washing over him. Those golden eyes wide with fear. Denial. Loss. "The pharaoh has no male heir, the title would go first to his mate, secondly his daughter. She is power hungry, and using you."
His Metallic honey eyes stayed frozen on her face. The frigid outlines of her inexpensive tone. There was truth in her words, a truth not spoke by Evelyn herself. Perhaps that is what he feared. That the gods had been trying to prevent this outcome from the start. "No."
She hummed in horrid laughter. It was frightening. "If you do not wish to believe I can show you." She pushed closer to his unloving form. Hateful. Untrusting. For the first time she could see the emotions blooming off this man, and she did not like a single one of them.
"Then do so."
Tender fingers reached up, sinking behind the base of his skull with a giddy smirk. She could feel the images beginning to slide free from beneath his skin, taping against his mind like an unwelcome friend.
He wanted to see the truth. Then so be it. Even when he decides the truth is too much to handle then she would force the truth upon him. She pulled him forward until their lips crashed together like opposite forces; the visions drowning their souls in midst of passionate anger.