Chapter 14: The Two Lands of Egypt

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief after they watched the fierce-looking general gone. Making sure that the general was gone, together with his soldiers, Eric did a quick check. He peered in the corner, crouching.

“So, you can actually do that?” Diana asked as she looked at Elise in another light. “But how?” She was still weirded by this.

“It was just an instinct. I didn’t know it would actually work until that guy came over to check on us.” Elise shook her head, referring to the unknown official who looked over at their hiding location a short while ago. She was also awed by this kind of ability she had, which never occurred to her until then. Could it be God or the gods helped them?

They all rested their back on the wall and looked up at the starry night.

“It seems that the huge guy has abandoned us,” Diana said with a sigh.

Just when she finished speaking, they saw him sneaking. He found them again at the far end of the narrow alley, behind the broken litter.

“I brought you clothes to blend into the crowd. What you wear now will totally get us in trouble right away, at first glance,” he informed them as he tossed four pairs of braided papyrus sandals and a handful of local clothes.

They looked at them with disdain. The things he brought seemed to look like rugs.

“Are you sure?” Diana and Eric almost asked at the same time. Both grimaced.

The Medjay tossed a small black container to Elise. She caught it and checked it. But she had no idea what it was.

“Use that oil to cover your white skin. You, too,” he said and pointed at Kent and Eric.

The four of them looked at each other. It sounded like they had no other choice after all.

The Medjay tried his best to dye Eric and Kent’s hair with some kind of oil. It felt greasy, they discovered. However, they couldn’t complain much further for safety reasons.

They were forced to wear only loincloths after they put on the oil that made their body look tan to pass as Egyptians.

Diana smiled at Eric ruefully. “Let’s just think that we’re in a role play on a stage back in Belmont.”

Kent snorted and laughed.

“That’s really… uh… optimistic?” Elise commented and turned to her friend.

“Yeah, don’t forget your role,” Eric said with pouting lips.

The Medjay looked at them in confusion as they spoke in English. He gestured for them to hurry.

Eric took his bag when the Medjay eyed it disagreeably and threw another cloth to cover it—at least, to hide it from curious eyes.

“Oh, thank you!” Eric said in Archaic Egyptian.

“So, where are we going now?” Diana asked the Medjay.

“We have to head south where you will be safe,” the Medjay replied quietly. “You have to be strong as we commence our journey now,” he added as an afterthought.

They all sighed. For some inexplicable reason, they readily trusted the Medjay.

The four had no idea when this was all going to end. They all wished it was just a bad dream and that soon they would all wake up lying inside their tents on Belmont Mound.

They did not even have an idea what was their purpose to be present in such an ancient time and place. However, they were forced to make a journey to nowhere or somewhere they didn’t have a clue about. And they did not know what lies ahead of them.

“Where are we going to sleep?” Eric asked and yawned loud enough.

“We’re still in the city of Per-Sopdu in the twentieth district of Te-Mehu,” the Medjay answered as if though it was all planned out. “We have to get to the closest district at least. The soldiers are all over the city. We cannot stay here any longer. I have bought four horses for you. Each one is pretty expensive. Only the priestess and the king could use the horse and their army. And there are not so many horses around here. But I managed to get you each.”

They did not have any idea about the places the Medjay was talking about. Maybe soon enough, they would, though.

“Hey, you did not buy them if you say the horses are of limited edition. You stole them from the soldiers, didn’t you?” Eric concluded, though with a question.

“Limited edition? It’s funny how you play with words, young foreigner.” The Medjay laughed, and his eyes twinkled with mischief.

Eric’s brows furrowed.

“Why are you helping us?” Elise asked with curiosity that was bugging her since the first moment he came to their rescue.

“Because someone told me that some foreigners are in trouble and so I have to get you out of here.”

Suddenly, a face flashed in Elise’s mind’s eye. It was a pretty boy’s face with cosmetics and a white crown. They were the same images she saw previously while studying in her room.

“Where are we going?” Kent asked the Medjay with a serious face.

“We’re going to the eighth district of Ta Shemau. It’s called Abt. We need to get there as soon as we can—before it’s too late.” His reply.

Elise glanced at Diana, Eric and Kent. “I think we can’t rest anyway. So perhaps it would be better for us if we follow his suggestion to get out of the city first and go to the eighth district of Ta Shemau. And then, we’ll find the answers there on why we are here.”

Kent nodded. “I think you’re right. And I don’t think I like the witch priestess, anyway. There’s no reason to stay here.” He grinned meaningfully at Elise and winked.

Elise’s heart jumped and danced because of it that she gave him a little smile.

They rode on the horses given to them by the Medjay and went out of the city as fast as they could. They looked like soldiers, so the city gates guards did not stop or question them as they passed by.

The Medjay led them to the next city, which was part of the eighteenth district of Lower Egypt, Am-Khent (Prince of the south). It was called the city of Bast (or Bubastis). It was located in the Delta region, along the River Nile.