I Fell In Love With A Pharaoh

Chapter 12

Hebe kept playing over the conversation she had had with Helena's Aunt Modette over and over in her mind later that night when she couldn't sleep. Helena had disappeared with Dante soon after the evening meal while Modette had gone to her rooms for some meditation and research. That had left Hebe by herself which did not prepare her for sleep at all.

Hebe had tried sleeping, but her mind was wide awake and after tossing and turning for the better part of two hours, Hebe had gotten up thinking that a walk about the mansion would help. It was a little creepy inside the mansion after dark, so Hebe made her way quietly down to the one walled garden that belonged with her wing of the mansion.

The garden was filled with plants that were active at night. Hebe loved walking amongst the plants and flowers. It was peaceful here which was something that Hebe craved. No one would bother Hebe here because it was a private garden and everyone else was ensconced in their rooms.

A fountain splashed merrily in the center of the garden. It drew Hebe like a moth to a flame. She sat down on the edge of the fountain and trailed her fingers through the water. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs began to take shape beneath her finger tips. Hebe randomly drew the hieroglyphs which were ones that she had studied for her dissertation on tomb art.

The garden was filled with the sounds of nighttime so when the soft sound of a footstep fell, it seemed to echo in the garden. Hebe looked up to see who it was that had wandered down here. She was expecting to see Helena and Dante or perhaps Aunt Modette, so she was very surprised to see that it was the Pharaoh Amun.

He was dressed in fine clothes, but was missing the crown, false beard, crook, and flail that the Pharaohs seemed to take with them. The moonlight glinted off of toned muscle and his hairless head. Hebe didn't usually go for men who were bald, but the Pharaoh carried it off well.

"Evening Pharaoh." Hebe greeted when the Pharaoh met her gaze.

He blinked in surprise. "Evening my fair Hebe." He looked about himself as if searching for someone. "You are alone?"

"The others I am with are sleeping. I was unable to sleep so I came out to the garden. Are you alone Pharaoh?"

The man smiled. "Call me Amun. I am rarely alone. It seems that whenever I happen to see you I am blessedly alone. May I join you?"

Hebe nodded and moved back slightly so that Amun could sit down beside her. He looked into the fountain and watched her fingers trail through the water. He looked surprised.

"You know the language of the Gods."

Hebe smiled. "Things are quite different where I'm from. A lot of people besides the Pharaoh and government officials know the language of the Gods."

Amun seemed surprised. "What else can you tell me of this place that you're from?"

Hebe hesitated not quite sure how much to tell Amun. "The Egypt that you know is a lot different than the one I know and grew up in. The Pharaohs no longer rule and haven't for over 2,000 years."

"What caused our downfall?"

"A more powerful nation than Egypt had ever seen."

Amun looked downfallen. Hebe reached forward and touched his hand lightly in an offer of sympathy. "I am sorry."

"Thank you." Amun seemed to gather himself. "Can you tell me more?"

Hebe paused. How much could she tell Amun without changing history? "The culture of Ancient Egypt, as we now call it, has captured the imagination of people since ruins of your great civilization was first discovered. Thousands of people flock to Egypt every year to look at the pyramids, temples, and mummies."

Amun looked agast. "Our ancestors are put on display for people to look at."

"It is a little morbid." Hebe conceded. "It fascinates people. It boggles the mind that our people were able to mummify a body and that it could survive for thousands of years in remarkably good condition. People also want to see the burial goods. Very few intact tombs have ever been found."

"Tomb robbers," Amun growled.

"Yes." Hebe paused and dried her fingers on her night clothes before she leaned back on the fountain. "A list of pharaohs was put together years ago with the names of all of the pharaohs that we know about. It's a small list considering how long Egypt thrived."

Amun looked interested. "Am I on that list?"

Hebe shook her head. "It's only a partial list filled with names that we have been able to read in the hieroglyphics. Some dynasties have a lot of names and others have very few. So much has been lost to history that we have no way of knowing the full extent of the culture of Ancient Egypt."

Amun seemed lost in thought. "Why is it that the Gods brought us together?"

Hebe fidgeted slightly and refused to look at Amun. Amun picked up on that. Hebe flinched slightly when Amun raised her chin so that he could look her in the eyes.

"You know don't you."

"Not for certain, but I have an idea."

"Share it with me."

Hebe frowned at Amun. "I am not one of your subjects Amun. You are not my Pharaoh. Please remember that when you are demanding something."

Amun opened his mouth to speak before he closed it and nodded. "I will remember."

"Come on then." Hebe stood up and dusted off her hands. "Let me show you the reason why I am here."

Hebe watched Amun as he walked around the Egyptian collection in brooding silence. He looked at everything closely. He stopped short when he found the mummified hand and foot. Anger was in his eyes as he turned back to Amun.

"Who dared to desecrate this body?"

Hebe shrugged from where she stood with folded arms. "The man who owns these items, Dante, bought them like that. Who knows when it was damaged or even if those belong to the same mummy?"

"Why have you brought me here? These are items that I use in my everyday life as Pharaoh."

Hebe moved up next to Amun and tapped a fingernail on the glass. "I believe that these might belong to you. I have worked with thousands of artifacts from Egypt including multiple mummies, but you are the first person to appear to me."

Amun looked deeply troubled. "To think that this is what awaits me is hard to grasp."

Hebe placed a comforting hand on Amun's arm. "I am sorry."

Amun looked down at Hebe's hand on his arm. Just as he raised his gaze to look at her, he disappeared.