More than anything in the world, what Tari wanted was to just stay in the darkness. To stay in the cool, comforting darkness and never have to worry about pain or heartbreak or anything like that again. But with a sudden jolt of awareness and the feel of something cool being pressed against her forehead told her that it was not meant to be.
In a quick flash, all the aches and pains that Tari thought she left far behind came flooding back, and she nearly cried out from it. But soon the pain began to subside, and the coolness on her forehead felt so good, so inviting. A moment later, Tari felt her head being lifted up slightly and some liquid on her lips, and with relish, she began to drink the welcoming the water to her parched throat.
When her head was laid back on the soft pillow, Tari slowly began to open her eyelids. She had expected to see her father above her, to make sure that she was alright and that she wasn't badly hurt. She expected to be back in her room, with her father's assistant Sajid standing near him as usual and looking down at her with concern. She had expected something like that, and to realized that what she experienced was a dream.
But instead, when she finally opened her eyes with a soft moan, she was looking into the face of a concerned young man she had never seen before with dark brown eyes, and a small clay-like cup in his hand. Tari's eyes widened in surprised, but when she looked down a little and saw that he was shirtless...and practically wearing a skirt, her eyes flew wide open and she gave a small shriek as she jumped up and scooted back away from him on the small bed.
"Who..who are you? What's going on?" Bewildered, Tari looked around her and realized that she was NOT in a familiar place. The room she was in was furnished simply, with a small bed that she now realized was on the floor, a few intricately designed rugs, wooden chairs, and what looked to be a small dresser that was decorated with small statues, a few bottles of what looked to be oils and perfumes. A small window was cut out from the wall on the side, bringing in a soft ray of sunlight.
Blinking in confusion, Tari turned back to the young man sitting beside her. Tari was ready to scream again, to get up and run away, but the kind look in his eyes somehow told her that he would not hurt her, that everything would be okay. He reached out a hand and gently laid it on her shoulder.
"Please, it's alright, you're fine here," he said softly, trying to calm her. "You've were very sick, but the fever has broken. You'll be okay now."
He smiled softly at her, and for some reason, Tari calmed down just a bit, but not before looking around once again. "I....don't understand, where am I, and what am I doing here?" She looked at him once more. "And who are you?"
"You're in the Lower Kingdom of Kemet, and for what you're doing here, I'm afraid only you can answer that." he said, putting the cup down and giving her a curious look. "And I am Nkosi, a palace guard." He leaned closer to her, looking her up and down as though trying to see if there was anything he might have missed. "You gave us quite a scare for a while. We were beginning to think to might not make it."
"Kemet? Just what the heck are you talking about?" More confusion flooded Tari's brain as she tried to figure out where she heard that word before. Kemet? Where did I hear that before? I don't think... Then Tari's eyes widened in recognition. Oh my gosh, Kemet! It's one of the ancient names for....for..."
"Egypt!" Tari shouted aloud. But when she looked at Nkosi, she only saw a puzzled looked on his face. Tari shook her head to clear it. Okay, something was definitely screwy here, and she had to get to the bottom of it. Maybe...maybe this was some sort of role playing game and convention, like she heard about in Pennsylvania with their Renaissance Fair. She decided to try and be straightforward with this. Time was vital, and she couldn't waste it here.
"Okay, listen, is there anyway you can get me to downtown Cairo? It's very important." Tari said, looking at him seriously. "I can't waste anymore time..."
Nkosi shook his head, clearly as confused as she was. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't know what country that is. Is that south of here?"
"No, not a country, the CITY!" Tari blew out an exasperated breath and slapped her hand against her still throbbing forehead. "You know, the capital?"
But instead of recognition, the young man only continued to look at her in confusion as he blinked his eyes.
Tari sighed again, but just as she was about to say something, the white curtains in the doorway of the bedroom parted, and a middle-aged man wearing a very old-looking Egyptian robe walked in. A dark-colored wig adorned his head, and around his neck was a necklace decorated with small statuettes and symbols, some familiar to Tari, and others completely foreign. He was carrying a small tray of what looking to be cups of water.
"AHH! So our little patient is awake!" the man said, smiling broadly. He placed the tray on the dresser and walked up to Tari. "And how are you feeling?"
Tari could only stare at him for a moment before catching herself. "Umm..fine, but..if it's the same to you, I really need to be going now..." She tried to get up, but immediately regretted it. A wave of nausea hit her and she had to sit back down.
"Hold on there, you're still not ready to be up and about yet!" said the older man. He gently laid her back down, then sat down near Nkosi. "Now, I'm Salih, a healer, and I've been treating you since Nkosi came to get me. And who might you be, young lady?"
"I'm....Tari," she began cautiously. "And what do you mean you've been treating me? Just..how long have I been out?" She looked at them worriedly.
The two Egyptian men looked at each other for a moment, then back at her. "I'd say almost two days," Silah answered, "We had almost given up hope...."
"TWO DAYS?" Tari's eyes widened in surprise. "Look, thanks for everything, but I've REALLY got to get going!" She tried to get up once more, but the healer gently held her down.
"Not in your condition!" he said, shaking his head.
"She said she has to go back to someplace called...Cairo." Nkosi said. He turned to the healer curiously. "You've heard of this place?"
"Hmmmm...." Salih placed a finger on his dark chin and thought for a moment. "No, I can't say that I have. I've been just about everywhere in this kingdom, and I've never heard of such place. But I have to say it does have a nice sound to it..."
"Wait a minute, are you two serious? You've never heard of Cairo?" At the perplexed look on their faces, Tari knew they were telling the truth. No actor, even role playing ones, can be this good. A thought suddenly entered her mind...a thought so preposterous, so outrageous, Tari didn't dare try to give it anymore thought. But...what if it's the only logical explanation? After all, not many people would know that throughout the years, Egypt had many names...Kemet just being one of them. But if it's true, she HAD to find out. There was just no other way.
Tari closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and looked up at the two Egyptian men. "Alright, here's a silly question. Exactly what year is this?"
"Ahh, now that is easy! It is the 4th year of the reign of our great King Narmer." said Salih with a proud smile. "Now, he came to power..."
But whatever more the older man was saying was lost to Tari, as about a thousand thoughts and questions flooded her mind. Is what they were saying true? Is she...is she back in ancient Egypt? But...how? How was this even possible? Tari struggled with her memory, knowing she heard that name before. Then it clicked...Narmer. He was one of the first kings of ancient Egypt, and helped unify the Upper and Lower Kingdoms. If memory served her, he ruled in or near 3,000 B.C. That thought alone nearly bowled her over. Time travel was just a fiction..just out of movies, right? But as Tari thought back, she began to realize that for the past few weeks since meeting the Egyptian gods, just about ANYTHING was possible! She thought back to the last battle she had with Set, and remembered the last image she had before blacking out was being sucked into some sort of hole. That must have been it! Set must have did it...he must have sent her back in time. How, she didn't know, but she HAD to find some way of getting back to her time!
"Are you alright?"
Tari snapped her head up at the soft voice, brought back from her thoughts. It was Nkosi, sitting right next to her and a hand on her shoulder. Unconsciously Tari backed away just a little from him, still cautious around men, but nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm...I'm fine. It's just a lot to take in. You see, I'm not from here, I'm from..." She stopped herself...maybe it would not be a good idea to tell them she was thousands of years from the future! "Ummm..never mind. I just really have to get back to my tim...I mean, my country. If I don't, then something really bad is going to happen. I think I'm going to need your help."
"I see." The healer nodded his head, then stood up. "If that's the case, then I believe this is something to present to the king himself. Perhaps he can help in figuring out where you come from." He nodded and smiled at her. "But in the meantime, you need your rest. I will back back tomorrow morning." With that, the healer Salih turned and left.
As soon as he was gone, Tari sadly placed her head in her hands. "How did I ever end up in this mess?" she whispered to herself. Here she was, so far back in time, and in the future, the boy Alim was now defenseless, an easy prey for Set and his thugs. If Set got his hands on little Alim, then there wouldn't BE a future for her to return to. Tears began to gather in her eyes, and right then, Tari felt more like a failure than ever before.
"Hey," Tari felt gentle fingers on her chin, lifting her face up to look deep into soft brown eyes. "Please don't worry," Nkosi said softly. "I'll make sure you get home, I promise...." With that, he gently wiped away the tear that threatened to fall.
For long moments, the two stared into each other's eyes...both feeling a strong connection they couldn't possibly begin understand. It was then that Tari got her first proper look at the young man. He had dark skin, nearly as dark as hers, with short, very curly dark hair. In her time, he would be considered quite handsome, with his full lips and high cheek bones. But his most striking features were his eyes...they were a very soft brown, full of kindness, yet with a determination that should not be underestimated.
Tari would have loved to remain lost in those eyes, but her old fear of what happened the last time she trusted a boy returned, and she was the first to turn her head away sadly.
"I..I'm sorry, I..can't...I mean," Tari stuttered nervously as she lowered her eyes.
"It's alright," The young palace guard smiled softly as he stood. "I know this must all seem very strange and frightening to you, but like I said..I promise I'll help you get back home."
He left the room for a moment, and when he came back, he had a bumble of what looked like cloth in his hands. He handed it to her with a slightly nervous smile.
"While you were unconscious, I thought about your clothing, and figured you might want to change from that...strange outfit you were wearing. I...I guessed your size. It belonged to the sister of one of the palace guards I work with. She will soon have a baby, so she won't need it for now. I thought it might fit you."
With surprise, Tari opened it up, and saw that it was a beautiful Egyptian maiden's dress. It was ankle-length with broad shoulder straps. It was completely cotton and soft to the touch. As she was admiring it, Nkosi also brought out a pair of brown sandals. "I know Salih said you needed rest, but I just thought you might want to get out for some fresh air..for just a bit."
At these gift, Tari looked up at him with gratitude. "Nkosi...thank you," she smiled. The young man nodded, then turned to leave her in privacy as she changed. When he left, Tari looked down on the clothing with excitement. She may be trapped here for now, but...perhaps it wouldn't be too bad! She smiled once more, then got up slowly to change.
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A few minutes later, Tari walked out of the bedroom to the front part of the house where Nkosi was waiting. He turned to look at her, then seemed to stop dead in his tracks. Nothing could have prepared him for the vision that was coming towards him. Oh he had definitely guessed her size right. The dress was a perfect fit, and it accented her curves and shape beautifully. The off-white color of the dressed only brought out the flawless color and beauty of her skin, and the top part of the dress was low enough for just a peek of her breast. Before, her braided hair was up and clasp together..now the braids hung loose and flowing to slightly pass her shoulders. It seemed like he was staring at her forever, until her voice brought him back to reality.
"Ummm...Nkosi? Do...I look okay?" Tari asked nervously, running a hand through her hair.
At first the young man said nothing as he continued to stare, but he caught himself and shook his head. "Oh! Yes..yes, you look beautiful..I mean, fine. You look fine." He gulped and nodded his head.
Tari blushed slightly as she looked down on herself. "Thanks," she said softly.
Nkosi chuckled to himself as he held out a hand to her. "Come, the day is still young. I can show you around the village so you can meet the people."
At first, Tari was about to protest, but seeing the excited look on Nkosi's face...she knew it wouldn't be right to deny him that. Besides, what would it hurt? If things went as she hoped, she would not be here long anyway. If there were gods in her time, there surely must be gods here in this time too. All she had to do was find a way to them, and meeting other people might help that. But just then, as she looked at Nkosi, the thought of leaving left a tiny fear in her heart. But she shook it off. Now was not the time to think of that.
With a small smile, she walked over and allowed him to take her hand in his. Soon they were both off, with her sitting behind him on his dark-colored horse. The outside was filled with people in the village, as it was barely noon yet. Many were wives hurrying home to make lunch for their hardworking husbands when they came back on break from farming. Young boys in groups were following their instructors as he walked and lectured them on the importance of documenting and science.
Young girls...looking as though they were barely in their teens, were hurrying about, carrying heavy loads of laundry and their heads or going to outdoor markets, buying or trading for household items. Along with most of them were their mothers, training them in the ways of being a good wife. Young children, nearly as naked as the day they were born, were running around and playing with one another. The heads of the children were completely shaved except for a small spot of hair on the side of their heads.
In all, it was a typical day in the village, and Tari could only look on with wonder as Nkosi pointed out and showed her everything and everyone. Tari even shyly shook hands with a few people he introduced her to. Soon they were halfway through the village, and before long, they were at the center. To Tari's surprise, there was a crowd gathered around, some talking excitedly, some looking uncomfortable.
As they got closer, Tari could see that they were gathered around a raised platform made crudely of wood. On top of the platform was a large bald-headed Egyptian man. He was well muscled and bare-chest, and he carried what looked like a whip in his hand. Beside him on the platform was a shorter, light-skinned man that looked somewhat Middle-Eastern. The shorter man was shouting something, but Tari couldn't make out what it was. It sounded like he was talking about prices and selling.
"Nkosi, what's going on over there?" Tari asked, pointing at the crowd and platform.
An uncomfortable look passed over the young man's face, but he turned the horse towards the crowd. "Something I'm not very proud of. Perhaps it would be better if you see for yourself." he said, but with a bit of disgust.
Just as they got off the horse and approached, the larger Egyptian man stepped down from the platform. When he got back on the platform, he was dragging a young girl by the arm. Her hands here bound together and she looked down shamefully as the man pushed her forward. She tried to back away, but the large man cracked his whip at her, leaving a scar on her arm as she yelped pitifully. She looked to be in her late teens and a little malnourished.
"And how much for this lovely young girl! She may look a bit skinny now, but she will fatten up, and she'll keep your house clean!" the Middle Eastern man shouted.
"What..what does he mean by that?" Tari looked on in puzzlement until she saw the whip...the bound hands. "Oh my gosh, he's SELLING her?" She looked at Nkosi in outrage.
"Come now, do I hear three hundred gold pieces?!" the man yelled out. A few people held up their hands. "How about two hundred? One hundred gold pieces for this fine slave!" A few more hands went up as the girl lowered her head more, tears streaming down her face.
"NO! That's ridiculous, he can't do that!" So angry was she, that Tari was about to rush up to the platform. But Nkosi caught her arm and held her back. "No, please, you'll be killed!" he whispered. When Tari looked back at him, she saw him indicate with his head to look all around them. At just about every corner around the platform were guards and soldiers. Tari gulped as she realized if she made scene, she would surely have been captured, or worse. She could only watch as the girl was finally sold to an older man, and dragged away with her head still hanging. Seconds after she was gone, another young slave was brought up to be sold.
With tears brimming, she turned to look back at him. "But..how can they do this? It's...it's horrible!" Now books she had read or movies she had seen could ever have prepared her for the horrors and indignities of slavery, no matter what country or culture it happened in. It was beyond degrading.
Nkosi gently pulled her away from the scene. "Yes, it is, but...what can we do now? It's part of life here. I don't know what it's like in your country, but here, it's just the way of life. Some people are taken, and some...some sell themselves to slavery just to ensure they have a life." He frowned in frustration. Someday..he hoped that this kind of business would be stopped.
"No, there isn't slavery in my ti...err..country. At least, not anymore." Sadly the two left the heartbreaking scene. As she sat behind him on his horse, Tari leaned her head against his back and let the tears fall for those who had no choice, no say in their own lives.
Unknown to them, two other figures on horses were following them, keeping out of sight.
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To Be Continued...
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