A/N: I don't The Mummy. Also, this is my first Mummy story.

The mid-morning Egyptian sun blazed overhead as the tourists on the camels behind the brunette eighteen year old gasped. The ruins they were observing were not known to their guide, and Hazel O'Connell hated that. It was part of her job to know every temple, ruin, and stone in Egypt; this place was an anomaly.

The black robe-clad horsemen atop the cliffs made the sight even more ominous. Hazel knew it would be best for the group to leave and return to the office, so she spoke to the group of wanna-be adventurers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we should probably head back in now. I will make certain to ask my employer about this, what appears to be, ancient city.", surprisingly, they listened to her and set off across the desert.

Following them was one of the black-robed riders. Hazel noticed him, but said nothing. He remained behind them until they reached a port. When the tourists were gone, she called out to him.

"Sir, if you could tell me what that place back there was exactly, I would appreciate it. Also, if I were to say I was traveling from the East, searching for that which is lost, you would say…", Hazel trailed off as she removed the leather cuff from her slightly sore wrist.

"That I am traveling from the West, and it is I for whom you seek. We must talk in private.", the man answered, and Hazel smiled to herself.

"I sail back down the Nile in the morning. You see, I live in Cairo. I have an apartment near the Cairo Museum of Antiquities, and Dr. Bey is a close friend. He told me what my brother's tattoo means, what he is, and what you are.", she said softly, knowing he had came up behind her.

"Then you lead the way to where we can talk.", he replied, surprised that he had not gotten a reaction out of her.

"I'll need your name first, Sir.", Hazel said as she mounted her horse, the camel not too upset about being left with the dock workers to be loaded onto the boat.

"I am Ardeth Bay, son of the Chieftain of the Twelve Tribes of the Order of the Medjai. What is your name, miss?", the Medjai asked, riding up beside her.

"My name is Hazel Adabelle O'Connell. How are you related to Terrence, if you do not mind being asked that question?", the American born young woman replied with a smile.

"He is my uncle, my mother's older brother. How did you meet him?", Ardeth asked, looking at her with a newfound interest.

"I only give tours part time. My real job is at the museum, and it has been since I was almost sixteen. Terrence taught me Ancient Egyptian and how to read hieroglyphics. It's been the two of us decoding the messages and stories on the artifacts for the past two and a half years, but he said he may have to hire another person soon. I wouldn't mind the extra help, and Terrence insisted that my pay won't be any less, so it's no big deal. I helped him narrow down the candidates, and the only one I actually like is this woman from England. Evelyn Carnahan, I think is her name. Her parents were explorers and gave an awful lot to the museum, and her mother was Egyptian, so she knows at least enough Arabic to get her through until most likely I can help her. Why are you looking at me like that?", Hazel asked as she saw the smile on Ardeth's face.

"To my people, I am the only son of the Chieftain, so I am their prince, you might say. Most women I know are too scared to talk to me. The only ones that do are my sister's friends. It's nice to not have to do all of the talking for once.", he remarked, a light pink tint forming on Hazel's cheeks.

"My brother used to tell me that my inability to keep quiet had to be a female thing, because all of the other girls at the orphanage were just the same.", she replied with a laugh.

"You are an orphan?", Ardeth asked, surprised at the comment.

"I may as well be. I was eight when my mother died. A few months later, we were visiting my uncle in Cairo when my father received THE tattoo. He abandoned me and my older brother, Rick, right after that. Our uncle died, and we went to the orphanage. Rick left when he turned eighteen, and that was two years ago. If Terrence didn't need my help with the museum so much, I'd go and look for him. I don't know how, but I know my brother is still alive. Are you like that with your sister?", Hazel asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Yes, I am. If something is wrong with her, I just know. That was how we discovered that she was, and still is, very sick. Even if she had the best medical care in the world, we do not believe she will make it to next Spring.", Ardeth became quiet as he finished his sentence.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Bay. I had no idea.", Hazel whispered apologetically.

"Do not be, for, as you said, you did not know. And please, Hazel, call me Ardeth.", he replied, giving her a kind smile which she returned.

Two Years Later…

"Terrence, are you sure it's him?", Hazel asked her boss, pseudo-father, and friend, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Yes, my dear. You brother has been in the Cairo prison for the past month. I have tried to offer everything I could to get him out, but the warden has refused my offers each time. He is set to be hanged this afternoon. I am so sorry, Hazel.", Dr. Terrence Bey replied, wrapping his arms around the young Egyptologist-to-be as she burst into tears.

"May I have the rest of the day off, Terrence?", she sobbed.

"Go ahead, go on home. I will let Evelyn know where you are.", Terrence said as he released his employee and pseudo-daughter from his embrace.

Hazel said no more before leaving the Curator's office. She had only just stopped crying when she heard two voices, one male and one female. She knew both voices well, but their owners had never met until now.

Hazel hurried into the library, where she found an agitated Evelyn Carnahan and a glaring Ardeth Bay.

"Oh, thank goodness! Hazel, this man says he knows you and Dr. Bey. It is true?", Evelyn asked, pointing at Ardeth.

"Evy, this is Ter-Dr. Bey's nephew, Ardeth. He's been one of my closest friends for nearly two years. Did your uncle send Horace to you?", Hazel answered Evelyn's question before asking her own to Ardeth, tucking something inside her dress neckline.

"I came as quickly as I could. I thought you would need someone to be there for you, and you were there for me when both Layla and my father passed.", Ardeth whispered, allowing Hazel to hug him.

"Where are you going, Hazel?", Evelyn asked, her hands on her hips.

"I have to start planning a funeral.", was all Hazel said as she and Ardeth left the museum.

Just after her lunch break, Evelyn found her older brother, Jonathan, hiding next to one of the mummies in the museum. After scolding her brother, Evelyn told her brother about her application form being rejected by the Bembridge Scholars again. Jonathan then produced a small box, in hopes of making his sister smile.

"Where did you get this?", she asked.

"On a dig down in, uh, Thebes. My whole life, I've never found anything. Evy, please tell me I've found something.", he begged.

"Jonathan, I think you found something.", Evelyn said in amazement, and the two rushed off to Dr. Bey's office.

Meanwhile, Ardeth and Hazel had just arrived at the prison.

"I need to see my brother, Richard O'Connell.", Hazel asked, holding back tears.

"Are you alone, deary?", the warden asked, looking at Hazel, his eyes filled to the brim with lust.

"No, she is with me, Sir.", Ardeth spoke up, casually examining the jeweled dagger he usually wore at his waist.

"Right then, right this way.", the warden gulped before showing them to a cell.

The cell's inhabitant was a young man with dark brown hair, tanned skin, and shabby clothes. Hazel knew it was Rick right away. She looked to Ardeth, who stepped back into the shadows to give the two some privacy.

"Richard Alexander O'Connell, I don't even know what to say to you!", Hazel exclaimed, Rick's eyes darting up towards her.

"Haze?", he asked with a smile.

"Rick, Dr. Bey tried everything he could. They won't let you go. They intend to hang you in about two hours.", Hazel burst into tears, falling to her knees in front of Rick's cell.

"I promise you I will find a way out of this, Hazel. If I survived wandering through the desert, then I can get out of a death sentence.", Rick whispered, his dark eyes shining with a fire that Hazel had not seen in years.

"Then should I go and find a pair of scissors to give you a haircut with.", Hazel replied with a laugh.

They talked for a while longer before the guards forced Ardeth and Hazel to leave the prison. The two went to join the mob that had formed to watch Rick hang, both hoping he was going to find a way out of it.

Back at the Cairo Museum of Antiquities, Evelyn was pleading her case to Dr. Bey.

"You see the cartouche there? It's the official royal seal of Seti I, I'm sure of it."

"Perhaps.", Dr. Bey replied, though Jonathan talked over him.

"Two questions: Who the hell was Seti I? And was he rich?"

"He was the second pharaoh of the 19th dynasty and was said to be the wealthiest pharaoh of them all.", Evelyn stated happily.

"Good. That's good. I like this fellow; I like him very much.", Jonathan said with a smile.

"I've already dated the map, and it's almost 3,000 years old. And, if you look right here, that's Hamunaptra.", Evelyn said to her employer proudly.

"Don't be ridiculous. We're scholars, not treasure hunters!" Dr. Bey scoffed, "Hamunaptra is just a myth told by ancient Arab story tellers to amuse Greek and Roman tourists."

Evelyn argued back, but Jonathan cut in.

"Are we talking about the Hamunaptra?"

"Yes, the City of the Dead, where the earliest pharaohs were said to have hidden the wealth of Egypt.", Evelyn answered with a small smile.

As Jonathan prattled on about a well known fact about the city, Dr. Bey held the map a little too close to the candles on his desk, hoping neither Carnahan noticed that he was doing that on purpose.

The Carnahan siblings rushed to put out the flames, but soon discovered that the part of the part labeled Hamunaptra had been burned off.

As Jonathan complained about that, Dr. Bey was calm.

"It's for the best, I'm sure of it. Many men have wasted their lives in the foolish pursuit of Hamunaptra. No one's ever found it. Most have never returned.", and with that, the Carnahans left the office.

Jonathan led his sister to Cairo Prison, where they were greeted by the warden.

"You lied to me!", Evelyn snapped as they waked.

"I lie to everybody. What makes you so special?", Jonathan asked.

"I am your sister!", she replied.

"That just makes you more gullible.", Jonathan said, and the two continued bickering until they reached the cell of one Richard O'Connell.

"What exactly is this man in prison for?", Evelyn asked.

"That I do not know. When I heard he was having visitors today, I asked him that myself. He said he was just looking for a good time.", the warden replied.

Rick saw his chance with Evelyn and, when asked about the location of Hamunaptra, he kissed her and demanded that she get him out if she wanted to know the location.

Evelyn decided to do as he asked and talked to the warden.

"Where are they taking him?", she asked.

"To be hanged. Apparently, he had a very good time.", the filthy little man replied.

As they watched the noose get slipped over Rick's head, Evelyn began to haggle and try to strike some sort of bargain with the warden. Down below, Hazel hid her face in Ardeth's chest. She was there to collect Rick, and or his body, after the hanging. Ardeth was simply her support system.

Hazel heard the warden say to cut Rick down, and her head snapped up. Rick looked up to the warden's box, as did Hazel, and both O'Connells noticed the triumphant smirk of the face of Evelyn Carnahan.

Hazel looked away from her roommate and ran towards her brother.

"Rick!", she screamed as she helped him to his feet.

"I told you I'd get out of this.", he said with a hoarse laugh.

"Come on. I have to get you home before Evy, my roommate, gets there. She also happens to be the woman who just saved your neck, you dork!", Hazel smiled as she and Rick left the prison.

"Well, she only did it because she wants me to take her to Hamunaptra.", Rick said as they walked, not noticing the look of horror on his sister's face.

That night, as Hazel cooked dinner, Evy and Jonathan walked in, smiles plastered on their faces.

"Guess what I did today, Elle.", Evy said happily.

"Hey, Haze, remind me to thank Terrence before we leave.", Rick said as he entered the room in his new clothes, fighting the urge to mess with the ribbon that tied back his hair.

"Don't worry about it, Rick. He told me it'll come out of my paycheck, which is where it would have come out of anyway; and don't mess with your hair! I told you I'd cut it after dinner! Evy, I think you've met my brother, Richard O'Connell.", Hazel replied, watching the Carnahan siblings' mouths drop.

"Your what?", Jonathan asked, looking sheepish.

"I'm her brother. Her older brother by one year, ten months, two weeks, and six days, to be exact.", Rick said a someone knocked on the door.

"I'll get that!", Jonathan said, doing an about-face and opening the door to reveal Ardeth.

"Um, Evy, there's a man here, and he looks a little scary!", Jonathan called out, making Ardeth restrain himself from laughing.

Hazel, figuring it was a Medjai, walked into the room. She smiled before pushing Jonathan away from the door.

"After your disappearing act at the prison, I thought you'd be half way home by now, if not already there.", she said with a flirty smile.

"Have I ever left without saying goodbye?", he asked, a smile forming on his handsome face.

"Not that I can remember.", Hazel answered, looking over her shoulder nervously.

"What is wrong?" Ardeth asked, knowing the petite brunette too well.

"Rick is taking Evy and Jonathan to Hamunaptra in the morning. I'm going with them to try and stop the possible end of the world. I promised you I would never lead anyone there, and I promise you now I will do any and all in my power to keep Loverboy in his grave. But, Ardeth, I'm warning you now, Rick rarely listened to me before he joined the French Foreign Legion, and Evy doesn't believe in the curse. The only person likely to be on my side is Jonathan, Evy's older brother who you just scared. But he's an utter idiot, so I don't think that he'll be of much he-", Ardeth placed a finger to her lips, and Hazel smiled at the Medjai Chieftain.

"I do love you, my dearest Hazel, but you were beginning to ramble.", he joked, smiling at the gray-eyed young woman.

"Just don't let you men kill me, Ardeth.", she said as their lips met briefly.

"I would kill them if they even thought about it. After all, I do intend, as we have discussed in the past few months, on marrying you and making you their, for all intents and purposes, queen.", the Medjai chieftain said as he held his girlfriend's hand.

"As much as I want that, I haven't even told Rick yet; or Evy, for that matter. Did you tell Terrence?", Hazel asked, her eyes of liquid silver locked on his of sparkling onyx.

"Yes, and he threatened to slit my throat if I ever hurt you. He is the only Medjai not afraid to try and kill me, but considering he and my father are the ones who trained me, he very well could. He helped my parents raise me after all.", Ardeth replied, consoling the twenty year old's fears.

"You better get going, my love. Rick said our boat is leaving in the morning. I love you.", she said softly, her slender arms slinking around his neck.

"And I love you, my desert flower.", his arms slid around her waist, and their lips met a final time.

When they broke apart, Hazel bit her bottom lip slightly. Ardeth made to leave when she placed a small hand on his shoulder blade.

"Wait! Here, I meant to give this to you as a birthday present, but I just have a bad feeling about this trip of Rick's.", she handed him a M1 Thompson submachine gun.

"I thought this was your uncles?", he asked.

"It was, and he had two. Rick got the other one, and he says it's in a storage facility. I don't like it particularly. I'm too tiny for it, I guess. You always seemed to eye it when you visited me here. It's yours now; oh, and here's the ammunition. Be safe, Ardeth.", she whispered as she hugged him again.

"Thank you for the gift, my love. I will be safe, Hazel, because Allah has sent me an angel in you.", Ardeth whispered in her ear before leaving.

"What was that all about?", Evy asked as she walked up behind her best friend.

"Not now, Evy; I just sent the love of my life off with a submachine gun and told him to be safe. Ask me that when I know he is.", Hazel moaned before plopping down on the sofa.

"Wasn't that Dr. Bey's nephew?", Evy asked with a grin.

"Yeah, that was Ardeth. Did someone even try to save dinner, since I sort of abandoned it?", Hazel replied, remembering what she was doing before Ardeth's arrival.

"Your brother did, and I think it's almost ready. Go and fix your lipstick, as it is smeared, and I'll cover for you.", Evy said kindly, hugging her best friend.

"Thanks, Evy.", Hazel whispered before disappearing into her room.

The next morning, Hazel was sure of two things: Evy was better at keeping secrets than she thought, and Evy was not Rick's biggest fan.

"Do you really think he'll show up?", she questioned, not realizing both O'Connells were in earshot.

"Yes, undoubtedly, knowing my luck," said Jonathan. "He may be a cowboy, but I know the breed. His word is his word."

"Well, personally I think he's filthy, rude, a complete scoundrel," said Evelyn. "I don't like him one bit."

"Anyone we know, Evy?", Hazel asked, Rick behind her, his hair finally cut the way he liked it.

Evy was unable to reply. Rick was pretty handsome when he was clean shaven and had manageable hair. Hazel could see what was going on inside Evy's head, and she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.

Rick had been talking to Jonathan, while simultaneously checking his wallet. Neither man noticed Evy and Hazel's side conversation.

"Evy, I know my brother is rather handsome when he's not covered in dirt and in prison, and when he's had his hair cut, but please close your mouth.", Hazel joked.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Elle." Evy said with a smile, "Then again, your brother and his type are nowhere as… exotic as the men you find attractive."

"Hush! I'm still trying to figure out a way to tell my brother I'm engaged to Ardeth!", Hazel hissed, fiddling with her necklace.

"I never noticed the ring on your necklace before. Is that THE ring then?", Evy asked with a girlish giggle.

"Yeah; he wanted to honor the fact that I am an American by birth and everything. Terrence helped him pick it out and buy it. After five years at the museum, I guess he really knows me well.", Hazel mused as she looked at the solitary diamond sparkling in the Egyptian sun.

"You started working at the museum when you were fifteen?", Evy asked incredulously.

"Just before I turned sixteen, actually. Remember, my twenty-first birthday is next month.", Hazel reminded the slightly older woman.

Evy smiled and turned back to Rick. She knew he was right not to trust Jonathan.

"Mr. O'Connell, how can we be sure this is no scam or something?", she asked.

"Please, you're Haze's friend, so call me 'Rick'; besides, do you think if I didn't believe in this, I'd take my only blood relative with me? Hazel has been everything I have since I was ten and she was eight. She's probably safer with me on this…expedition than staying here in Cairo, alone that is.", Rick said, giving his sister a light squeeze of affection.

"And with that, I now believe you, Rick O'Connell.", Evy said, smiling at her best friend's brother.

A few hours later at the ship's bar, Rick sat with his sister, who was sipping on a glass of water.

"Rick, there's something I need to tell you.", Hazel knew he had the right to know about Ardeth.

"Wha-", but some American guy sat down on her other side and offered to buy her a drink.

"No thank you, Mr.…", she trailed off.

"Daniels, David Daniels. What's your name?", he asked.

"Hazel O'Connell, and I'm sure my fiancée will murder you.", she responded quickly.

"Your what will do what? Hazel, you aren't even twenty-one yet!", Rick had heard what his sister said.

"Rick, this was what I was trying to tell you. The man that was with me when I visited you yesterday before Evy and Jonathan managed to save your life has been my best friend for over a year. He's closer to me than anyone else on the planet, even you. He is a protector of man, a warrior of God. He is a member of a very ancient secret society, the same one Terrence is in, the one Dad was marked for, and the one you have been marked for. Your tattoo is their symbol, their sacred mark. If it helps, he's Terrence's nephew, and he's very much like you. When he's in any type of battle, Ardeth tends to go in, guns blazing, attacking first and asking questions later, if at all. He's a good man, Rick. I trust him with my life.", Hazel told her brother, her gray eyes boring into his sky blue ones.

"I am going to have to talk to this guy, get to know him a bit.", Rick said, Hazel knowing Rick was wrapped around her fingers.

"Don't worry, big brother, you will. He wants to meet you properly as well.", she added, smiling.

Daniels had left, Rick soon followed. Hazel retired to her room, where Evy sat on the sofa, reading a book.

"Are you reeling from the kiss my brother gave you yesterday? He told me about it, and he really does like you. He told me that he was about to die, so kissing a beautiful gal like yourself was a pretty good idea to him at the time.", Hazel said to her roommate with a grin.

"Oh, hush, Elle!", Evy said as she went over to the wash basin and mirror where she began to brush her hair.

Hazel heard the book Evy was reading hit the floor and the swish of robes, and after pulling her shoulder holsters back on, as they were the only things she had managed to get off, she turned to see a Medjai holding Evy at knifepoint.

"Let her go!", Hazel commanded, and then repeated her command in Arabic, not sure if the Medjai spoke English or not.

The Medjai turned to face her, and his eyes narrowed.

"Ms. O'Connell, I was not aware you would be here.", he said in Arabic.

"I informed your Chieftain of my presence here yesterday. My brother is escorting this woman and her brother, and a rather shady prison warden, to the City. I am here to assure that no harm, nor the end of the world, will occur.", Hazel replied swiftly, glad that she had agreed to learn Arabic.

"Give me the map and key, and nothing will happen.", the Medjai said forcibly.

"My brother will get us there either way, and I have no idea what you mean when you ask for a key. We have no key that I know of.", Hazel had her hands on her hips, shaking her head.

The Medjai lowered the knife away from Evy, and Hazel nodded. She saw the map on the table and picked it up.

"You want it? Then go get it!", she called to the man, tossing the map out the window.

He dove out the window after it just as Rick entered the room. He looked pale and panicked.

"We have to get out of here, now!", he exclaimed.

HPOV

"Evy, put this on!", I threw a dark colored coat to my friend who was in her white nightgown.

We got out on the main deck, and I let out a very loud gasp. The Medjai had set the ship on fire. Ardeth was not going to be pleased when he found out.

Rick had just handed his weapons bag to Evy when a Medjai began firing shots. Despite protests from me, Rick shot back. Through all of that craziness, the three of us made it to the side of the ship, and Rick promptly tossed Evy and me overboard.

As Evy and I swam towards the bank of the river, Rick, Jonathan, and the warden behind us, I shouted out some choice phrases in Arabic. Most consisted of the line, "When Ardeth hears about this…" and I vowed that he would hear about it too.

"What is she saying?", Rick asked Jonathan, who just shrugged.

"Their leader is the guy she's marrying, Rick. They went against his wishes by doing this, and I doubt he'll be happy about it.", Evy said with a shiver.

"Probably about as happy as you are about loosing everything we had onboard, Evy.", I called, my hand flying to my neck, then to my wrist.

My necklace with my engagement ring was still around my neck, but my leather cuff that hid my tattoo was gone. I cursed in Arabic again, and Evy looked at me incredulously.

I rolled my eyes and we made it out of the river. Beni, a friend of Rick's leading the Americans to Hamunaptra, called out to us.

"O'Connell, hey, O'Connell, it looks to me like I have all the horses!"

He was wrong, of course, as one black Arabian mare swam across to me. I could tell it was my Esmeralda, because the mark of the Medjai was emblazoned upon her bridal.

"Hey, Beni, it looks to me like you're on the wrong side of the river!", Rick shouted back.

I rolled my eyes at their immaturity as we hiked through the desert to find the nearest town.

When we finally had, I had to gasp. We had stumbled across a Medjai tribe, and not just any tribe. It was Ardeth's tribe. His, soon to be our, people saw me and they began to whisper. A kind faced, elderly woman, rushed to us, and I smiled.

"Hazel, you are back!", Ardeth's mother said to me as I found myself in her tight embrace.

"I only wish it was under better circumstances.", I replied, quickly explaining to her all that had happened.

She listened to me, and I could tell she understood. She wasn't referred to as "Mother Hen" for nothing. The Medjai tribes' men believed they had the most difficult job, guarding the City of the Dead, but the women had the real tough job, raising the new generation of warriors and running the community when the men were away. Aliyah Bay was not a weak woman, and she often smothered anyone in need with kindness.

Evy was surprised, but apparently okay with the idea presented to her, when Aliyah and a few other women pulled them into a tent and began to dress them in Bedouin women's clothes.

While both of us had been dressed in black, my outfit was much more ornate. Gold designs on my dress marked me as a queen, my long, dark curls were pinned back, away from my face, and a jeweled dagger, the twin of Ardeth's own, hung from my side.

Evy gaped at me as we walked in the direction of our brothers, who were attempting to buy some camels for the journey. Jonathan was angry at having to pay so much, but hey, this tribe was planning a "royal" wedding. The money was indeed needed.

"We probably could have gotten them for free; all we had to do was give him your sister.", I heard Rick say.

"Or yours. Very tempting, isn't it?", Jonathan replied, and I chuckled, thinking about what would he may have said if he knew the truth.

Rick looked up and saw us, Evy more specifically, and replied in a dreamy tone that I had never heard him use before, "Very."

While the others mounted their camels, I mounted Esmeralda. The warden, who I had tried to ignore for most of the journey so far, was slightly bruised, though he had messed with Medjai women, so this was not surprising to me.

We rode deeper into the desert, riding on even after the sun had dipped well below the horizon. In the predawn twilight hours, we passed the cliffs near Hamunaptra. I looked up and saw the Medjai. In the center was Ardeth, looking at us. I could tell he had said something to his men, but what exactly he said, I would have to ask him later.

By the time we finally reached Hamunaptra, and Rick won a $500 bet with the Americans, I was completely on my guard. I had my weapons at the ready, mostly, and I read the hieroglyphics on the walls, scanning them for his name while Evy talked about the fact that we were in a burial preparation chamber.

"As long as the mummies they made stay, ya know, dead, we're good!", I stated, knowing Ol' Loverboy was so not getting resurrected if I could stop it.

I continued my search for the name as we went down a long hallway. I heard the sound of the scarab beetles Ardeth had warned me of when he convinced me to never go near this place again on the desert tours. Rick said he thought the sound was bugs, and Evy and I got the same idea.

"He said bugs!", we chorused, knowing the warden would freak and Jonathan would probably start to squirm slightly.

We walked a little bit longer when Evy stopped and my paranoia began.

"The legs of Anubis; the secret compartment should be hidden somewhere around here.", Evy said, and I knew she was right.

A noise made us all go quiet, and Rick readied his guns. I was cautious, but pulled out the pistol that was on my other hip, knowing that my dagger would be useless against Loverboy unless I could get close enough. Jonathan and the warden (I kept on refusing to refer to him by his name as to not seem as if I liked him even a little bit) both pulled out guns of their own.

We rounded the corner and came face to face with the Americans, Dr. Chamberlain, and Beni. They argued with us about the dig site, and I noticed Evy. She got our group to leave the statue.

As we walked, I asked her why she let the statue go so easily.

"Well, according to the Bembridge Scholars, the Book of Amun Ra is located in a hidden compartment below the statue of Anubis. We can dig under the statue and get it before they do.", she whispered, and I became even more worried.

The book of Amun Ra was not under Anubis, but under Horace. He was under Anubis. I was sworn by Ardeth under a Medjai's oath that I would never reveal the location of Hamunaptra myself, nor would I say anything about the creature's location.

While they began digging to get in between Anubis' legs, which sounds really wrong, I followed the warden, holding back a gasp when he began to pluck blue-gold covered beetles from a hieroglyph that was most likely a door at one time. As he continued to desecrate the wall, I hurried back to my brother and friends.

"Let me get this straight: they ripped out your guts and stuffed them in jars?", I heard Rick ask.

"And then they take out your heart as well. Oh, and do you know how they took out your brains?", Evy replied.

"Evy, I don't think we need to know this!", Jonathan interjected, apparently pretending to play golf.

"They take a sharp, red hot poker, stick it up your nose, scramble things up a bit, and rip it all out through your nostrils.", Evy said anyway.

"Oh, that's gotta hurt!", Rick said, probably imagining the sensation of having his brains yanked out through his nose.

"Well, it's called mummification, so you'll be dead when they do this.", Evy pointed out.

"For the record, if I don't make it out of here, don't put me down for mummification.", Rick said to Jonathan.

"Likewise.", Jonathan agreed, hitting a small rock into the wall of the room, and creating a loud crash.

Upon seeing what made the actual crashing sound, I shrieked at the top of my lungs. It was him.

"Elle, it's just a sarcophagus… buried at the base of Anubis. He was either someone of great importance, or he did something very naughty.", Evy said, trying to calm me down, but failing.

As she read off the cartouche, I backed up against the wall. Or Both! I thought to myself as the warden's screams filled the chamber. We all stopped what we were doing and hurried from the room, Jonathan grabbing the key to the sarcophagus.

The warden ran passed us as we got into the hallway. He ran straight into the wall at the end, screaming and grabbing his face. Once we knew he was positively, absolutely dead, I snuck out of the city and went in search of Ardeth's current camp site.

APOV

"You are sure it is the creature's sarcophagus?", I asked, praying to Allah that my beloved Hazel was wrong.

"How many other sarcophaguses labeled 'He Who Shall Not Be Named' are buried at the base of the statue of Anubis in the City of the Dead?", she asked me in a rather sarcastic manner.

"But can anyone there besides you read from the book and bring him back?", I asked, hoping she would say no.

"Evelyn Carnahan and Dr. Allen Chamberlain are both able to read Ancient Egyptian. Chamberlain thinks women are clueless, and Evy doesn't believe in curses. All three of the Americans keep trying to flirt with me, and I told you I had a bad feeling about this trip.", Hazel replied before bursting into tears.

"Shhh, everything will be okay. We can always ride into your camp site tonight and scare everyone out.", I offered, holding her in my arms and patting her on the back gently.

"No, because my brother, much like you, is the type to go in to a fight guns blazing, asking questions later if at all.", came her muffled reply.

"Then I am sure we will get along just fine. I would still like to tell those Americans to leave or die.", I said, not liking the idea of another man trying to get involved with my precious desert flower.

"Honestly, if I wasn't about to head back before my brother notices too much of an absence, I would let you do that.", Hazel responded, her sobs lessening as she moved back a step.

"If you see us at all tonight, and any blood is shed, you have the right to yell at them for not following orders. Go ahead and get back to your brother. We do not want him to worry for your safety. I believe I do that enough for everyone, and if I do not, then my mother does.", I said softly, and we both smiled at the thought of my highly worrisome mother.

"Then I will go. Goodbye, only for now, my darling.", she whispered, looking over my shoulder at whichever of my men that had been brave enough to enter the tent.

"Goodbye, only for now, my love.", I whispered back, and she left after placing a quick kiss to my lips.

I turned and went towards my men. I ordered them to not kill anyone but just to spook the Americans into leaving Hamunaptra. We waited half an hour before riding towards the City, but I was behind them all, calling for them to lower their weapons. This was so not going to be pretty!

HPOV

I made it back to our campsite at Hamunaptra, only to find Jonathan going through the warden's bag. I had just alerted Rick to my presence when we both heard the sound of galloping hooves.

While Rick told both me and Evy to stay put, I had no intention on staying out of a fight between both of my peoples, the Medjai and the American-English adventurers. I rolled up my left sheer sleeve and rushed after my brother.

I arrived to the scene of utter chaos. I held back a gasp as I saw a familiar white stallion fly past Beni and nearly run over Jonathan. The stallion's rider was tackled by my brother, and I ran forward. This was so not supposed to be how the two of them finally met!

A/N: Hope you liked it, and I will understand if you found anyone a little OOC. I will update when I can, but as I am a perfectionist, that could be a while. I am not quite sure if the next chapter will equal twelve pages on Microsoft Word, but I will not publish it until it is at least six pages long, half the length of the first chapter. I will try to update soon.