| THE ADVENTURES OF THE O'CONNELL FAMILY Page 28 |
| He didn�t succeed, for Nefret suddenly gasped and sat up, staring at him wide-eyed. �Are you all right?� Ardeth sighed, trying not to show his pain. He jaw was throbbing, as was his head. He felt dizzy and his tongue hurt; he realized that he must�ve bit it when he hit the ground. �I am all right,� he lied. Suddenly he remembered what had occurred, and he looked around the room. �Where are the O�Connell�s? Is Alex safe?� Nefret sighed. �Alex was taken again, and the others went after him.� �Where?� �Luxor.� �We must follow,� Ardeth said, trying to stand. �No!� Nefret put her hands against his chest, keeping him on the bed. �You are not fit to go anywhere! You were knocked unconscious, you need rest!� Ardeth sighed. Typical, when they get into the thick of things, he gets hurt. �They may need my help.� �What can you possibly do to help, in your condition?� Nefret countered. �I know much, about ancient Egyptian rituals. If they reach Alex too late, and the ritual has already begun�� Nefret sighed. Ardeth had a point, but the man was hurt! Ardeth again tried to rise, and this time she helped him, with a sigh. He tried to stifle a groan when his head spun, as he sat on the side of the bed. Trying to ignore it, he slowly stood up. Nefret watched him worriedly, as she held his arm in a death grip. �Ardeth?� �I am fine,� he said, knowing she didn�t believe it. �Let us go.� Nefret shook her head as they slowly started to walk, and she frowned when she noticed him limping. �Ardeth, I do not think this is a good idea�� �We must!� he told her, anger making his voice sound stronger. He sighed when she looked away. �I am sorry, Nefret.� He stopped, and reached up a hand to brush his fingers against her cheek. She closed her eyes, feeling goose bumps erupt along her skin. She opened them again and smiled. Ardeth smiled back at her. �Now, let us go.� Nefret nodded, and they continued on their way. Rachel ([email protected]) April 18, 2002 Evelyn knew what she was in for, and therefore prepared herself by first, speaking with her husband. Whom she referred to as the chief guard to Imhotep and the priests. "I know it's absurd, but I have to do this, we are outnumbered by their players and must therefore play by their rules." She was starting to get upset as Rick argued the point, and he noticed this sympathetically. "I'm sorry," He would have hugged her, but there were eyes watching, and to them he was the guard. "Alright, go in there, do what you must, but if she lays her hands on you I will show no mercy!" He gave in, much to his wife's amusement. "Alright, darling." She smiled. Just then a priest came into the room and whispered something to Imhotep, "Alright, if you'll be so kind as to come with me, your highness, everyone is ready." With this, everyone followed the head priest through the corridors to the large room, where Evelyn had been before. Rick, Jonathan, Olympus, and Gabrielle were lead to the viewing end of the room and were made to sit on the steps. Evelyn took her place at the left hand side and was given her trident. Since this was not a major event, she was not made to wear a mask. The doors threw open and a woman stepped through, all the priests bowed at her entrance, as did Evelyn (following the rules) Anck-su-namun gave her a glance, then took her weapon. The boy backed away, and Imhotep rose from the throne in the middle. "This is a match to declare that the estranged Princess Nefertiri really is who she addresses herself as." He started, "By the rules of Seti I and the lands of Egypt, if she is unable to prove herself as the Pharaoh's daughter, I will be made to hold her prisoner until the Pharaoh himself gives word of her release." Evelyn was distracted by the last bit of news and blanked out for a moment. She didn't hear the beginning order and was almost knocked out by the first blow. Krista ([email protected]) April 19, 2002 The battle was fast and furious. Anck-su-namun was barely giving Evie any leeway, hitting her every chance she got. The enemy knew to never give your opponent any advantage, no matter who they may be. Evie was holding her own, taking certain blows only when she couldn't defend herself. Already after five minutes of fighting, she had multiple tears on her clothing and skin, fortunately not being hit in the face. If she were to take a blow to the face, she would surely fall to her death�her real one. "You battle well, Nefertiri�" Anck-su-namun said softly in her native tongue. "Not so bad yourself, Anck-su-namun." Evie replied. |