The Pharaoh's Betrothed (closed to heartofcourage)

[The_Spectre]

“I beg your pardon.”

The stuffy curator looked on with annoyance, angry that anyone would dare question his knowledge of the museum and it‘s many exhibits. His stance was for firm with his nose raised high and hair slicked back. Who would dare question, his infinite knowledge.

“King Khaldun may have been rule over Egypt during one their most ecumenically progressive times, but he was no saint. He was a narcissistic tyrant who wanted nothing but the best and anyone who opposed him, he’d kill.” The small group of people turned attention with interest, much to the curator’s chagrin. “I mean there’s a reason, it rumored he delved in dark magic…”

“That is enough!” The curator spoke sternly, the group of people laughing amongst themselves at how upset he had gotten. It was seconds before security stepped in to bring peace to the situation.

“I have been curating at this museums for 5 year, I have a degree in history and literature. I do not need him questioning me every time in front of the visitors!” The curators face bright red, filled with anger as he spoke to the museum director. “Adam, we have been over this, you can’t interfere with the curators information.” This had been the third time that Adam had been called to the director’s office. All of which happened on his day off. “I just wanted to enlighten everyone about a few other thing about the exhibit.” said Adam “That is not your job, you’re a security guard!” said the curator “Your job is to sit in your booth and make sure no one touch anything, not mislead my group.”

“I wasn’t misleading, I was telling them about the pharaoh and how much of a monster he was. Hell, he forced a woman to marry him!”

“He saved her from a life of servitude!”

“He had her locked up alive with him when he died.”

“She chose to do so, out of love!”

“That’s a load sh-”

“Enough!” the director didn’t want to hear anymore as he slammed his hand on his desk. “You leave, there’s another group in 10 minutes.” The curator gather his composure and began to leave, but not before look back at Adam and say one last snide remark before he left. “You are a re security, and that is all you will ever be.” Adam would never admit it, but those very words cut him deep. He looked away and back to the director, awaiting his punishment. “Jake.” he said calling the current guard on duty. “Escort Adam out.”

“Oh come on, I…”

“I don’t need you starting another scene, Adam.” interrupted the director “Be happy, I’m doing this and not taking your job.” The director stood from his desk, the middle aged man looking over as if regretting what he said. “Adam, you are very smart. I cannot deny that, but you are a security guard here; not a curator.” Adam looked down, his heart sinking “Why can’t I?” he asked. “You know why.” replied the director, his voice soft yet ever to more painful as Adam was escorted out.

Adam didn‘t even look back as he left, feeling like a dog with his tail between his legs. The only bright side was that he was being let out by a friend. Jake had been his friend for a bout 2 years. With his large frame and Staten Island accent, he showed Adam the ropes when he first took the job as a security guard. “You know I get you Adam” said Jake “You work here during the night shift get to look around all you want and yet you come back on your days off here to piss off the curators.”

“I’m not trying to piss them off” replied Adam “I can’t help it if I know more about the exhibits then they do. And what can I say, I like this place.” The two began to get closer to the front entrance, Adam continuing to talk in an effort to stay a bit longer. “I especially like that one.” He pointed to the Egyptian exhibit. Jake only turned around for a second signaling, Adam to keep walking toward the exit “Like I was telling that blow hard, Khaldun forced a slave girl to be his wife. The only thing is he died before they could wed. Blood clot in his brain, side effect of having his parent being brother and sister.” If it had been anyone else, Jake might have tazed them and pushed them out the door. Luckily for Adam, they were friend. “But before he died he commands his servants to have her entombed with him. Now there was a myth, that she was given amulet by….”

“Look, Adam” Jake had had enough. “I know you’re into this stuff and that’ great, it really. But I just don’t care.” Adam felt a bit embarrassed, he knew Jake was here for the cushiness of the job and not so much of the museum itself. “Sorry..” Adam replied as he began to walk down the stair of the museum. “I’ll see you tonight when I clock in.” It was almost noon, and Adam needed to get some sleep before he came in for the night shift. That’s when he could have the real fun, when he could be alone. Just him and the museum.

[heartofcourage]

There were so many things that she missed in life. She missed the warmth of the sun on her lovely bronze skin. She missed the feel of the warm breeze pulling back her long black hair. She missed the touch of another human, even something so basic as a hug.

Nami had been trapped for so long. Not just in the withered body that she currently occupied, but also in her short life before her death. She had been a slave, one that served a cruel tyrant. Khaldun took what he wanted from those around him and thought little about their lives beyond their service to him. She had been one of the few unfortunate ones that had been unable to escape his long arm.

She still remembered the happy day that she learned he was dead. It had happened just three days before their wedding was suppose to happen. She felt no sadness at his passing and felt such joy in the future that was suddenly spread out in front of her. At eighteen years, she could move on an do what she wanted.

The evening of her would be wedding came and as she sat in a courtyard with other women of Khaldun’s court, the high priests had come. With guards. Her screams and terror had been useless as they took her to his tomb, the other women looking on in horror as she was walled within the sandstone structure, his prisoner for all eternity as had been his wish.

Her only comfort in her dying hours had been the lapis scarab necklace that she wore about her throat. Her grandmother had given it to her when she went into Khaldun’s service, telling her that it had great power and would bring her luck. She spent many hours curled into a ball in the stifling stone building, sobbing at the injustice of her life, the necklace clenched tightly in her hand.

Death had been horrible. A long, drawn out process of starvation and a lack of water. It was a death that she could never have wished on her most vile enemy…not even Khaldun. Lying on her side, her body stretched along the passage that led to the main chamber, she breathed her last breath on Earth, giving her soul over to the Gods.

Only…the Gods never came. She lay trapped in that dark passage for years, wiling away the time until the fateful day that the sounds of tools sounded in the corridor. Her body had withered to nothingness, a mere shadow of the beauty that she’d been…but the white skinned man that bent over her strange little figure declared that she’d once been a great beauty.

She hadn’t known then that an explorer had discovered the tomb. And she had been a surprise for them. They had expected to find Khaldun and his riches but never the woman that he had tried to make his own. She was taken from the tomb and into the sunlight for the first time in centuries. It wasn’t quiet what she had wished for, but it was better than being trapped.

Her home because the glass case she lay in now. That had been nearly one hundred years ago when she was brought to the beautiful facility. It reminded her much of the courtyards of home, with beautiful pools of water that sounded in the foyer. It was bright and cheerful here. She saw so many people and she especially liked the little children that pressed their faces against her case to see her.

It was far from the life she had once wished for but it gave her peace. She especially felt peaceful every time she saw…him. She didn’t know his name, but he came every evening. He would take a moment and glance in her case, reading the strange words written around her. He would sometimes talk to her, making her feel as if she were still living with a pulse. He was handsome. He was kind. He cared…and she hoped…

[The_Spectre]

It was nearly 9 pm. The visitors were headed for the exits as the museum was closing for the night. Adam however with his grey uniform and black hooded jacket was making his way inside. He avoided any contact from the curators that may have walked by and headed for the security room. There in front of the various security desk sat Jake as he was finishing his dinner that his wife no doubt made for him. Adam watched behind his back as he picked at the skinless chicken and veggies, Jake face showing his distain for the diet his wife put him on.

“How’s the diet going?”

Adam leaned in and smiled, “Great…” began Jake with hint of sarcasm. “I love not eating actual food”. He put his dinner down on the surveillance controls “You know you’re lucky, Adam. You got anyone telling you want you can and can’t eat.” Adam listened as went to get a cup of coffee, taking one sip and immediately tossing it aside out of disgust. “Maybe…” replied Adam “But I kind of envy what you and Jenny have. Yeah, she makes you eat, but it’s only because she want you around longer. She loves you.”

“Yeah, I envy you eating all the junk food you want and not gain a pound, how about I trade ya.”

Adam laughed at Jakes little comment. He wanted to think of a clever retort, but it was getting late and he knew how Jenny worried. “Go home, Jake” said Adam as Jake stood up, packed up his food and headed out. Adam went to sit down at the monitors. The museum had just closed, while the people were leaving there were a few worker cleaning up are the area. All Adam could do for now was watch the monitors and wait.

Midnight was when he supposed to do his rounds and walk around the museum. For Adam it was when he could have fun; it was when the museum came to life for him. His own private tours were always a bit different then the last, sometime he would start at the prehistoric exhibits or the rooms focused on American history or even the rooms focused on various. But no matter where he started, it always ended with him having his break in the Egyptian exhibit, looking over the sarcophagus of Khaldun and the body of his would be wife.

He had read the literature that was on the display so many times that he knew it by heart. The information was slim as there was no documentation of the woman’s name, the more Adam thought of it, the more saddened he felt for the woman. “You must have been really pretty” he said to himself and in some way her, his hand pressed on the glass casing as he looked over the necklace that remained around her neck. It was said that she had it grasped in her hand when they uncovered Khaldun’s tomb all those years ago. Legend says that he soul was locked way in the necklace and that only a pure soul could free her. Adam frowned as his finger moved along the top of the glass case as he starred at the body.

“Sorry to tell you, but magic isn’t ah..”

Adam jerked his hand away from the glass looking to see he had cut his finger. He examined the case to see where he could have cut himself. A small crack on the glass right above the necklace. Adam sighed, his pricked finger in his mouth as he began to leave for the security room. Unknown to him was that small drop of his blood began to seep though the crack as it spilled onto the scarab.

[heartofcourage]

Nami always enjoyed it when he came. His face was handsome, he was kind, and he always took a special interest in her. When he leaned over the case she was in, she wished that she could have done something to let him know that she understood what he was saying.

As he ran his finger over the top of the glass, she heard him cry out and jerk away. His eyes narrowed as he stared down at the lid of the case before he stuck his finger in his mouth and left the room. She didn’t want him to leave, but he did nearly every night. It was always when she truly felt trapped.

Then the most amazing thing happened. She felt the scarab around her throat growing warm, pulsing against her withered skin. She felt her body start to hum, a strange feeling coursing through her. Wait…she was feeling? What did that mean?

Her entire body tingled like she had bugs crawling all along her skin. It took a few more minutes before she was able to flex her fingers. For the first time in centuries, she could use her fingers again. What in the world was going on?! A few moments after she flexed her fingers, she sucked in the first breath her body had taken since her death.

The entire transformation took nearly an hour. When it was finished, she lifted her head and glanced down at her tanned skin. Her black hair fell in waves about her face and her dark eyes took in the entire scene. Had the Gods favored her finally? None of what had happened made sense as she placed her head back onto the hard surface of the case.