AN ~ See, look, what'd I tell ya? Plus for those of you who don't already know, I've signed up to Nanowrimo this month which basically means I'm going to try and write 50K which should mean lots of updates for you! Especially if you are also a Whovian, as there's lots of inspiration this month!
Also, I am still getting new readers, reviewers, subscribers and favouriters and I can't believe so many people have a relationship with this story. I am so flattered you guys and I love each and every one of you
Anyway, without further ado,
Chapter Seventy Four: Cairo
The hot Egyptian sun beat down on our backs and Carlisle pulled me behind him through the packed streets of Ciaro. As we approached the edge of town, the crowds rapidly thinned out until there was hardly a person left wandering. Still, there were eyes on us; for one thing, we were too startlingly white to be natives to the area. No doubt they would gossip, but like a businessman on a deadline, Carlisle paid the citizens no mind and pulled me after him down a side street, explaining under his breath that we would stand out as two tourists too far from civilisation if we tried to find Amun dressed like this. We didn't want to attract any more attention than we had to.
"Here," he said, turning again.
"Carlisle, where are we going?" I asked, jogging to keep up with his intent pace. I looked around, and saw that we were being followed by two tall vampires whose olive skin was discoloured by vampire venom. Carlisle pulled me into an alley and covered my mouth to stop my scream – not that there were many people around to hear it so far from the centre of town.
"It's all right. They're with Amun. But we have to change, okay?" He nodded, his nose centimetres from mine, until I nodded too. He then handed me a pile of dirty-white garments and directed me to change as swiftly as possible, already unravelling his own bundle of clothes. I hid myself behind a bin and quickly removed my outer layers before slipping into the jilbab: a long dress-like garment which covers the whole body except the face, hands and feet. I quickly wrapped a hijab around my face and stepped back into the street, where Carlisle was waiting in a white galabiyya – a one-piece garment much like the jilbab but a little shorter, talking to the strange vampires in an ancient dialect I presumed to be Egyptian, though I had never heard it aloud.
"Bonjour," I greeted them, smiling. Carlisle briefly explained something to them in Ancient Egyptian, and everyone immediately started speaking French. Some of their phrases were an older dialect than I was familiar with, but I followed most of the conversation, more than well enough to understand that they were explaining Amun's desire for secrecy and security. Carlisle smiled and nodded, and was doing a much better job of keeping his expression calm than he had in Ireland.
"So what brings you here so urgently?" One of the strangers asked as we walked, and then ran across the sand dunes far from human sight. There it was; the twitch of pain that now accompanied the memory.
"It's a very serious matter," Carlisle said gravely. "We shouldn't speak of it out here."
"There is no one to hear us," the second stranger remarked, clearly puzzled.
Carlisle pretended to ignore this as he came to a stop before a cave entrance near a small oasis. Amun's men and I slowed down, following a few metres behind as Carlisle weaved through the dark tunnels with the speed and precision of a man who had been here a thousand times before. I could hear the scuffle of a skip every few steps; he was nervous. I jogged to catch up with him, but just as I managed it, we broke out into an enormous, glorious hallway. Huge stone pillars reached up to the roof. There was a thick carpet before us, and several paintings on papyrus around the walls. Light came in through several slits in the roof. I numbly followed Carlisle, listening to our echoing footsteps as I stared in wonder at the marvellous creation around us.
When we reached the right doorway, our escorts announced us. They waited just inside while Carlisle walked towards the one I guessed was Amun, who was standing before a throne-like arrangement of large blue cushions. He had dark skin under the milky vampire hue, and was dressed in Ancient Egyptian garb; I took particular notice of the enormous red and gold scarab beetle pendant hanging around his neck.
As he greeted Carlisle, a tall, slender woman in a light wrap floated into the room, wearing a very dignified expression. Her dark hair was in lots of tiny braids, which each finished with a small blue, gold or purple bead. She did not greet Carlisle or I, but waited just inside the doorway for Amun to introduce her – or so I guessed, as they were speaking Ancient Egyptian again.
"Je m'appelle Kebi," she said to me with a smile, kissing me gently once on each cheek.
"Je m'appelle Esme," I introduced myself, greeting her in the same manner. She was about to say something more, but Amun beckoned her to his side and she immediately obeyed.
"Carlisle? Esme?" A new voice interrupted. Amun's expression was disdain as Benjamin, a young vampire with a curious ability to control the elements, entered the room. He was the only one of the coven I had met before – he had come to visit when I was only just evolving out of my newborn stage. His mate, Tia, had been out hunting, and had respectfully chosen to stay away from me in my fragile state.
I saw her now, inquisitively sticking her head into the room before gravitating to Benjamin's side with a gentle smile.
"Good afternoon, Carlisle. Esme, it's good to meet you at last," she crooned in French. We kissed each other's cheeks and then she and Ben joined Amun and Kebi at the front of the room. Amun loudly cleared his throat.
"Now that the greetings are all out of the way, what brings you here my friend?" Amun inquired, settling into his enormous throne, which Kebi had brought over. He looked bored, running his finger around an empty goblet and creating a high-pitched hum. 'Friend' seemed an awkward word in his unwelcoming tone, but Carlisle appeared unfazed by this. It was only the nature of his own reply that made him uneasy.
"My family have become involved in a serious misunderstanding," he began – already making it perfectly clear that the whole incident was a mistake. "Bella bore Edward a child earlier this year. She survived the birth long enough for Edward to change her, but the child is…different."
Ben and Tia murmured amongst themselves. Kebi's eyes widened only slightly. Amun's gaze narrowed considerably, and from the looks of things, our case was headed rapidly downhill.
"The nature of this 'misunderstanding'?" he demanded of Carlisle.
"Through an unfortunate miscommunication, the Volturi have come to the conclusion that we are harbouring…an Immortal Child," Carlisle continued reluctantly.
"WHAT?! AND YOU COME TO ME WITH THIS?!" Amun leapt out of his chair and threw the goblet at Carlisle, who leant a little to the left and allowed the crystal to shatter on the wall behind him. The guards from Cairo immediately started towards us. Ben and Tia gasped in shock and looked to Amun to stop them.
"No! Please! Let me explain!" Carlisle begged, though his back was to Amun as he tried to shield me from the guards, who stalked around us like tigers. Amun clapped his hands and the guards backed off, but I could see we were not off the hook yet. Carlisle turned back to Amun, but kept a tight grip on my wrist. I had his back, my eyes on the guards though my breath stuck as I listened to Carlise imploring his friend to understand.
"The child breathes, eats, sleeps and has blood running through her veins, Amun! She grows faster than any human child!" he cried. "I beg you to help me. I only ask you to witness for us – just to show Aro you have seen these things in her."
"Carlisle…" Amun murmured sympathetically. All the vice was gone from his tone all of a sudden. Carlisle dropped my wrist and stood up tall. I spun on my heels so that I faced the same way he did, and tried to ignore the frightening presence of Amun's guards behind us.
"Carlisle, I never expected this," Amun continued as he walked towards us. Carlisle looked distinctly relieved at his friend's calmness. I couldn't help but be uneasy. It felt wrong. "From you, of all people, it's awful." Amun shook his head and clapped his hands, and the guards began circling again.
"W-What?" Carlisle stammered, pulling me away from the guards. "I didn't do it, Amun! I would never to this to a child! You know that! Think about it – I wouldn't do this to my family!"
"Carlisle, I've seen the affect of Immortal Children on several of my previously level-headed friends," Amun said. "Even if you didn't change the child yourself – which I believe – you would do anything to cover up such a mistake by one of your own. I understand that, but it is too serious for me to let even you get away with it. It is regretful, my friend, but I'm doing you a favour, really. Aro will not be so swift with it."
"No, Amun, you don't understand!" Carlisle insisted, pulling me back with him as we continued to back away from the guards. We were getting closer to Amun, though; we were running out of space. "Edward is Renesmee's biological father. Bella was still human when the child was conceived. She gave birth to a half-human child! Already, Renesmee has the mind of a bright teenager. She is without a doubt conscious of her decisions. Please, I'm begging you. Hear me out. Call off the guards."
Amun frowned, and Carlisle shoved me into the safety of Ben and Tia's worried embrace. Suddenly, Amun burst out laughing.
"Trust one of yours to have relations with a human!" he bellowed, as heartily as if this had been a joke all along. "Perhaps Aro is right, and you are all going mad. In any case, you've been a good friend to us. We shall come and see this child, Carlisle, but be warned; do not assume we are beside you when this turn bad."
"Of course. I understand." Carlisle nodded and bowed, accepting the warning gratefully. I felt a wave of relief sweep over me as the tense atmosphere dissipated. Amun and the guards apologised for their rash actions, and were forgiven, but Carlisle hovered around me until we left, headed for the airport once again in the hope of chasing one of Ben's leads to England to find Alistair.