| THE ADVENTURES OF THE O'CONNELL FAMILY Page 14 |
| back to his mom and dad. He sat up quietly and looked over to where Seth and Nephthys were sleeping making sure not to wake them. He asked her quietly, "Who are you?" "My name is Gabrielle, I will tell you who I am later, now quietly let's go before they wake up." Alex nodded his head at her and quietly followed her across the room and out the window where a man was waiting. Alex didn't have time to look at him as they started to move away from the room where he had been sleeping with Seth and Nephthys. Marion ([email protected]) February 26, 2002 Resting his hands lightly on the rail of the ship, Ardeth gazed out at the bluish water of the Nile River, which was moving sluggishly past him. He couldn't help but wonder whether they would reach Alex in time. He remembered how close a call they had had the last, and quite frankly he knew that the O'Connell's wouldn't be able to stand much more of this waiting around. They needed to get on land moving on their own feet, feeling that they were accomplishing something by exerting their pent-up nervous energy. Sighing, his gaze turned to the horizon where slowly but surely they were making their way towards Cairo's harbor. ~*~*~*~*~ The excitement of having Egypt so close to her had made Evelyn rather tired and she had taken her brother up on his idea of a catnap. Her body needed the rest. It craved it, her muscles shook with the effort of doing anything, and she could feel her body wearing thin. She knew enough of self-preservation to force herself to take some rest. The thought of sleeping had been made four hours earlier... Rick walked quietly into the cabin he and Evelyn were sharing on the boat, tip-toeing as silently as possible around to the side of the bed and softly collapsing onto it. For a moment all he could do was stare. He never grew tired of looking at his wife, especially when she slept. Her slightly parted lips, the gentle rise and fall of her chest, the occasional sigh, and most of all her hair. It drove him crazy the way it wove and cascaded its way around her shoulders. He reached two tentative fingers out towards a particularly curly lock and twisted it between his thumb and forefinger. He had no desire to wake her just yet; he wanted only to observe. When the time did come he kissed her nose rather forcefully knowing it would arouse her from her slumber. "Good afternoon beautiful, and welcome to Cairo." He said placidly bending down to kiss her as her eyes widened. "We're finally here! I thought we would never make it... Oh Rick, I love you." She kissed him back, and for a moment they just stayed like that in one another's arms nipping and kissing one another in a child-like display of affection. ~*~*~*~*~ Stepping off of O'Connell's ship was like receiving an overly large coming of age gift for Ardeth. He worshipped the feel of land once again underneath his feet. Bending down to kiss the ground before moving to find a Camel renting hut which Rick had given him strict instructions to do so as soon as he disembarked he had the creepy sensation that he was being watched. ~*~*~*~*~ Nefret watched the harbor closely for incoming ships her soft brown eyes darting quickly back and forth from the shadows of the pillar she stood under. When the O'Connell's ship did arrive, her heart beat faster knowing that soon her job would almost be complete. What she was not prepared for was the man who stepped off that ship. The first thing she focused on were his feet, darkly tanned with only thin desert sandals protecting them. Then, her gaze traveled further up noting the long, flowing black robes, not missing the jagged tattoo on his right hand, the unmistakable mark of a Med-Jai. The robes gently but tautly sloped off his shoulders and his well-defined muscular neck protruded from the scoop of the material. His hair was dark and his face handsome, once again; those amazing tattoos marked his status among society. Then, he did the strangest thing; he kneeled, kissing the ground. But, before he could complete his odd gesture he felt her eyes on him and stiffened. She quickly shrank behind the pillar her breathing coming in short gasps as she realized how much this man had just affected her. Shell ([email protected]) February 26, 2002 Once they were out of the palace, Alex sighed relief. He wanted to go home, to be with his parents and never touch foot in Egypt again. As he slouched down next to a wall Gabrielle had told him to stay at, he wondered if his mum would be angry with him for never wanting to go back. It was a hand on his shoulder that caused him to shriek very loudly, and Gabrielle grabbed him and pulled him with her as they began to run. "You must not worry," she said to him as they ran, though she herself was slightly worried. Seth and Nephthys were powerful, but their powers were nothing she feared. Alex stumbled, and she quickly helped him up despite his tears. "Hurry," she said. As he ran Alex remembered Ahm-Shere and something in him called out for him to run faster, which he did. They ran out of the perimeter of the palace and once they got to a small Oasis, Gabrielle let him rest. "You must stay here," she said as if she sensed danger. Not one to argue due to aching lungs and stinging knees, Alex did as he was told and closed his eyes willing his mother to find him before the rise of the full moon. He didn't understand what these gods wanted of him, but he knew it wasn't anything good. ~*~*~*~*~ It did not take long for Ardeth to get their camels, and now the group had set out to the Edge of Cairo, but hesitant to go as if waiting for something, and the wait was not long as a beautiful woman approached them. From his dream, or vision Rick recognized her, but she spoke in the ancient tongue, and it was only Evie and Ardeth who could understand her and communicate with her, and fairly quickly it was Ardeth who did all the translating. |