The Life and Times of Bonnie Chance

Tangled Web

Isis was in her private chambers, admiring her makeup in a mirror while her maids applied pomade to her hair. "How have I looked lately?" she asked.

"Your Highness, you are so beautiful that none other can match it!" one of the maids replied with enthusiasm.

"I'm sure you would be even more beautiful than a goddess if you were to use the treatments made by Lady Bonnie!" said the other.

"Lady Bonnie?" Isis asked with a frown, irked by the mere mention of the name.

"Oh, yes! Many of the people she's healed have not simply become healthier, it is said that their looks have improved as well! All the maids she has helped have become more beautiful. She also safely delivered Neti's baby, and healed her own burns from the sun in a day! Just as Lady Carol is the daughter of the Nile goddess, surely Lady Bonnie must also be the daughter of a goddess," the maid explained with a smile, oblivious to her master's ire.

Isis gritted her teeth in anger. First Carol, and now Bonnie. Why did they keep elevating these troublesome girls so? How could these people be so foolish? Her terrible mood lightened slightly with the arrival of Ari. Judging by the expression on her face, she should have some promising news. "Hmm... you can go now," she told the other maids.

"Yes," the maids replied dutifully and quickly made themselves scarce when they heard the edge in her voice.

"What is it, Ari?" Isis asked once they were alone.

"Your Majesty, I have brought good news concerning Carol," said Ari. "It seems this morning at the market place, there was a young foreign merchant who got to know Carol." She recounted every detail of the story, including the gift of cloth.

"Really? And he also gave her silk?" Isis asked, intrigued. High-quality silk was a rare and expensive gift one could usually only hope to receive from a king. This man must have fallen very deeply in love with Carol to give her such a costly gift.

"Yes, there was a lot of fondness in his eyes... and Carol seemed to be interested in this man called Isher, too!" Ari added excitedly.

"What? Really?" Isis asked, surprised. This was very good news, indeed! 'This is really too interesting! Does that mean those two really did fall in love with each other at first sight?' she thought gleefully. "Where is he now?" she asked.

"He is..." Ari leaned close and whispered so that only she could hear.

"Very good!" Isis laughed. Carol and a young merchant! She was elated. "Ari, I've thought of a good plan," she said once she'd had her fill of laughter. "Find a way to have these two meet in secret..."

"And then we'll catch them red-handed?" asked Ari.

"You've understood my plan well," said Isis. " 'Although Carol will be the future queen, she has betrayed our kind and fallen in love with a foreign merchant!' Because of this, no matter how much Memphis loves Carol or how much Imhotep protects her; he is the king of his people, so he will have no choice but to sentence her to death!" She swept out onto the balcony and lifted her head and hands to the sky. "Oh, almighty gods... Please help my plan become successful! I will build you temples in thanks! O foul tempest and raged gale... Please release your immense power and submerge my enemy in the depths of hell," she prayed with a nefarious gleam in her eyes.

Bonnie felt an odd shiver as she walked through the palace with Carol and Naptera to the inner garden. The air was warm, and the sun was hot. She had no reason to feel cold. She wondered if she was coming down with something. Carol noticed the small frown on her face. "Are you all right, Bonnie?" she asked.