Royals Through Time 4: The Egyptians

Part Five- A Fork in The Path

Charity couldn't sleep. Today had been her first mourning job, at the funeral of a merchant. She thought she had done a good performance. But that wasn't why she was awake. While walking home, she had gone past a dungeon-like hut, and from its depths she had heard a man's voice. It said it had guarded Gracina. It could all be a bluff, a tortured man saying whatever he could to be released. Or it could be a warning that his capture would induce Gracina's wrath. Gracina had never mentioned a captured guard. Nor did she seem like the kind of girl to unleash wrath on someone. But what if this was a friend of Gracina's? Why was he imprisioned? That was why Charity couldn't sleep. The man's voice seemed so strong, but so resolved to the place that he was in at the time. But there was something more. In that moment, lying awake, Charity realized that she heard desperation. The man was desperate for his life.

Or for someone else's.....
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Lunden and Averia raced through the temple, praying that they wouldn't be caught. They had overheard that a traitor, close to the Pharoah, had been arrested and was scheduled to die. A group of priestesses was going to go to the prisoner tommorow, but then it might be too late to rescue him. So Averia and Lunden had agreed to go that night and see if it was Gracina. When they arrived at the prison-hut, Averia, who normally had fantastic ideas for getting in to places, suddenly had no idea how to get in. However, Lunden did. She didn't like it, but there were two ways they could get in. One, flirt with the guard. Two, carry on about them being "priestesses" and whatnot. They decided on the priestess approach. Averia, being the more Egyptian-looking of the two, started the act. She walked across the guard's line of sight with her eyes staring into space, muttering under her breath. When she was sure he had noticed her, she turned her head suddenly to look at him. Walking close, she stared at him with an unmoving face. In her best "scary prediction" voice, she spoke to him: "You. You are the one I seek! I bring terrible news. Tonight, in this very place, you shall die. A poisonous snake lives here, and will bite you if you stay. Escape tonight, however, and the snake will die instead." Lunden had been waiting for the cue. She hissed and moved her right foot in a slithering motion, making the ever-so- slight noise of a moving snake. The guard fell on his face before Averia, then scrambled home. Once he was out of sight, Lunden and Averia entered the hut. Inside were three prisoners, all bound with rope. One was a woman, though her face was not that of anyone reputable. Not Gracina. The second was an old man, and so could not be of any high position. The third was in the corner closest to the tiny window. He looked up as the two girls entered. The spark in his eye and the lines of laughter on his face betrayed the dirt that now covered it. What was more, he said the only thing he could have to convince them of his truthfulness: "Hello, Lunden. Hello, Averia. Is Gracina safe?"
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Gracina held the stone Amet had sent to her close to her chest. His time was running out, she realized that. Myah had gone to find Lunden, Averia, and Charity for a meeting. Sarah had stayed, and was now sitting in a wooden chair, turning her dagger over in her hands. Gracina broke out from her worries about Amet, sighing loudly. Then she turned to Sarah. "I really wish you wouldn't keep that dagger with you." Sarah stopped turning the weapon, looking up at Gracina: "So do I. But my father told me of his predecessor. He had been stabbed by his own senate, one of whom was his friend. Rome is a terrifying place, and politics is a dangerous game. I will do what I must." And that was that. A knock and Gracina's door sent her flying. A cry of joy escaped from her as she saw Lunden, Myah, and Averia there. But it was the tired face behind them that she was most happy to see. "AMET!!!" Gracina nearly tackled him with a hug. Sarah walked calmly over the the door and ushered the very confused Myah, Lunden, and Averia into the room. Amet and Gracina came in a moment later. From their nearly glowing faces, this was the one thing they had wished for every hour since they had parted. Charity came in later, and was immensely startled to hear Amet's voice. His was the voice she had heard from the hut. When he saw that they were all there, his face grew serious. "I'll understand if you don't trust me. But I need you to do just that. Gracina." He spoke her name softly, turning to her. "Gracina, the priests suspect your faith. They are devising a test for you, or were devising one. Maybe it was me. But they know. And now you have a choice to make. We can either stay and continue this charade, or leave forever." Amet saw the panic rising in Gracina's face. "I know it's hard. But it would be safer for you to leave Egypt...." Gracina's face was frozen, but her mind was tipping back and forth like a scale. Then Charity summed it all up: "Gracina, there's a fork in your path. Which road will you take?"