Pharaoh’s Curse Pt. 08

"Wait here, don't want to cause a scene being seen with two armed guards, want to keep below the radar for the moment," Andrew instructed as he opened the rear door.

"Don't you want one of us to accompany you?" Halima asked, worried about his safety.

"Nah, Bast is coming along; if they can get past Bast, well, best not think about that," Andrew muttered, holding the door open for Bast, who jumped down to the ground from the back seat. "See, Bast, you have so many people to pick from that would love to have you as their protector," he teased, only to sense her snotty demeanor as she lifted up her head and tail and trotted towards the quad. "Sorry ladies seems she's taken a liking to me," Andrew said, waving to them as their collective 'Awws' filled the air.

"Hey!" Mal greeted, extending his hand into the air, getting Andrew's attention. Looking oddly as a cat just jumped onto the concrete table, one of the dozens that populated the quad. "Thought since I didn't hear from you for a month that you didn't want the design," he said lightheartedly.

"Yeah, sorry for the noncommunication on my part; I was kind of in a dead zone for a month," Andrew replied, shaking Mal's offered hand. "Is that it?" he asked, nodding towards the carboard tube.

"It is, made a model too if you would like to see it, didn't take you for a cat person," Mal said in a friendly tone as he noted how the cat placed its right paw on Andrew's left forearm.

"She's grown on me; she can even do tricks, too, watch," Andrew said, patting his left shoulder, getting a glare out of Bast. Narrowing her eyes as they battled it out in Andrew's mind, only to hear the sound of Bast's purr filling the air when Andrew agreed to do the thing she greatly enjoyed.

Mal watched in awe as Bast leapt perfectly onto Andrew's left shoulder. He had no idea how the cat was sitting so balanced on it. What came next had Mal balling out in laughter! "Fear me, puny human, for I am your cat overlord!" Andrew kept his mouth shut so Mal would think he was pulling a ventriloquist act when Bast opened her mouth and not hearing the true voice of the goddess herself playing along with Andrew's joke.

"Man, that was good. Must have taken you forever to get your cat to do that," Mal said through heaves of laughter.

"Oh, you just need to give her the right incentives," Andrew answered with a coy smirk. "So, you said something about a model?"

"I did, but it's not as big as the one I made earlier; I kind of broke my budget on that one," Mal stated, seeing Andrew nod in understanding. "I didn't paint it, I'm not good at that, but this should give you an idea of what it will look like when it's complete. But got to say, you sure do have some weird tastes, but I'm not complaining."

"Of course, you're not; you're about to get paid," Andrew mused to himself as he lifted off his seat to view the entirety of the model. "Who doesn't want to live like a king, eh?" A bemused grin spread along his lips. "Look, Bast, he even put that cat garden in it," he said, noting how Bast was curiously peering over the model beside him when he said it.

"Oh, this is just my idea of how the rooms would look, but it does have the numbers of rooms you asked for," Mal said, lifting the top of the model, ignoring how Andrew was talking to a cat. He wasn't about to blow his big payday because the first client of his professional career was a little eccentric.

"And that's the Harem house, right?" Andrew asked, pointing at the structure behind his palace along the rear wall.

"You sure that's what you want to call that thing?" Mal asked quizzically.

"Yeah, where else are the ladies going to gather?" Andrew retorted with a cocky grin.

"Hey, it's your dime," Mal uttered with a shrug of his shoulders. "So, what do you think of it?"

"You did make sure the electronics are hidden, right?"

"Yep, don't know why you want to hide them, but they're all located in this area. I made this wall a false wall; you'll just have to figure out how to make the mechanism work when you build this place to keep the wall secured like you wanted. That should be enough space for everything you'll need to power, heat, cool, and all the rest. Does it meet your requirements?" Mal asked, hoping he didn't get stiffed again or have to wait another month to get paid.

"It does; good job," Andrew said, reaching behind him and pulling out his wallet and handing Mal the check he had promised should he make the design to his specifications.

"Thank you, if you ever need a house, building, or whatever, I'll be happy to work with you," Mal said happily, extending his hand out to Andrew while stuffing the fifteen thousand dollar check into his pocket.

"I'm going to be putting a group together here soon to restore Karnak and Luxor; if you want in on the project, when you hear of the announcement, by all means, feel free to do so; I'll make sure yours is looked at first. Just, however, stick to how they used to look; after all, this is for tourism. And they do come to view the ancient monuments," Andrew said, lifting the model off the table and tucking the carboard tube beneath his arm as he inched out from around the bench seat.

"But aren't those historical sites? The government isn't just..." Mal's voice died in his throat when Andrew had this cocky smirk on his face that said: 'I am the government.' "Right, when I hear about it, I'll submit it to wherever that might be." Mal's voice trailed after Andrew as he waved goodbye to him with his cat following along beside him.

"My Pharaoh, did it go as you hoped?" Halima asked, standing outside of the Rover, holding the rear door open. Her eyes followed how Bast sauntered and jumped into the back of the Rover as Andrew neared.

"Yes, now, to the docks," Andrew ordered as he slid into the back. Popping off the top of the tube and sliding Halima's design into it, so it wouldn't get lost or wet during the trek to NeoHierakonpolis.

Unlike the last time his solar barge was docked in Cairo, there was no media hype surrounding the dock as they pulled up to the long-term parking. Pulling out the box from his pocket as he stood on the black top, it still amazed him how it could transform like it did as he opened it. Seeing the luster in Bast's eyes, the same luster he had seen when he first put on his crown as he lifted it to his head. Closing the case and placing it back into his pocket, and grabbed the tube as Bast bounded out of the Rover before he shut the door.

"You wear the crown of the two lands very well, my lord," Halima praised with a bow, noting how the light seemed to make his crown shimmer and his body glow.

"Thanks, feels like I'm wearing a bowling ball pin on my head sometimes," Andrew muttered, seeing the confusion on Halima's and her male companion's faces due to the lack of Egypt not having a single bowling alley. "It's an American game, the pins sort of resemble the White Crown of Upper Egypt," he said, pointing up to it, at least the part that was sticking over the Red Crown of Lower Egypt.

"Ah, yes, I can see how that might feel like it," Halima said, nodding along, even though she had no clue what he was talking about, the game, not the crown.

"My lady, Bast," the man's voice caused Andrew to peer over at the man as he knelt down on the ground, "allow me the honor of carrying you since his lordship's hands are full at the moment," he said in reverence to her.

Hanging and shaking his head when she pranced over to the man when she knew his intentions were honorable. Andrew knew she would be a pain for a week or more due to all the pampering she's been getting lately. Wondering if this was how she was during the Old Kingdom. Although that didn't mean he would interfere with the man's obvious happiness as he cradled Bast in his arms as he rose.

"So lucky?!" Halima hissed in jealousy, given how no one had ever seen or much less touched a god or goddess in their entire life. Even if that god or goddess was in a polymorphed state. She knew how her order would be joyous and envious that Andrew had been and will always be surrounded by the Gods. "What's it like?" she whispered so as not to take the focus from Andrew as he led the way to the docks.

"I... can't even describe it, Halima, it's like nothing I've ever experienced before, and you know I've been on one campaign after another for the State. Been to the jungles of the Congo, seeing animals that are so bright and brilliant they defy imagination. Yet nothing compares to what I am experiencing right now." Their heads shot up when they heard fluent ancient Egyptian spoken, something they didn't think existed outside of their order, minus Andrew and his company.

"Pilous!" Andrew called back, smiling at the old man, taking him by the shoulders when the man dropped to his knees, causing the man to peer up at him. "I do not require my subjects to bruise and batter their bodies to prostrate themselves to me when a simple bow from one as wise as you is significant to address their King."

"Of course, my lord Pharaoh, you're too kind to this old man," Pilous stated with a wide smile on his face, not ignoring the glow that surrounded Andrew's body as he helped him to his feet. "But where are your lovely Queens? Surely they wouldn't allow one as handsome as you to wander the land unwatched?!" he said, eyeing the two strangers behind Andrew, getting a chuckle out of him.

"They're off doing important things; they will visit again; I assure you, they wouldn't miss a trip to NeoHierakonpolis if it wasn't important," Andrew said, clasping the man lightly but firmly on Pilous' left shoulder. "These are my guards during my travels to tour my kingdom; treat them as you would treat your own."

"Of course, my lord, if you say they're with you, then they'll get the best that my people and I can offer; the ship is ready to sail whenever you are, my lord," Pilous said, gesturing to the barge.

"Good, good, we have many miles to travel," Andrew nodded. "Hope you two don't get sea sick," he said, peering over his shoulder at them.

"My lord Menes, how can these people speak our language?" Halima asked low as they stood out of the way as the crewmen made ready to sail.

"Long ago, when Egypt was crossing into the middle of the Third Dynasty, a man, a curious stranger, appeared in Egypt. So strange and exotic this stranger was that the man caught the attention of the local governor of the Nome the man was in. Upon learning of the never before seen items from textiles, pottery, jewelry, spices, incense, herbs, and a curious plant, the governor thought it wise to present the man to the Pharaoh. Such was the Pharaoh at the time amazed by the items before him; he beseeched the man to tell him where he was from. So this stranger began to tell the Pharaoh of a land of wealth, beauty, and fertile land called Punt. For you see, the man had been blown off course on a trading expedition to a land I can't recall at the moment. That's not important; what's important is," holding up his index finger, noting how Halima and her companion were intently listening to his tale, "the Pharaoh at the time was so impressed with the items he bid the man to escort an expedition of his own men back to his land, which he learned was called Punt. With his men laden with Egyptian gold and a treaty in hand, they set off for this land that no man had seen before. Upon their return, they brought many riches to the land of Egypt, and soon trade between our two lands was thriving. And that is how they know our language," Andrew said, finishing his story.

"And what a day it was, my lord; my grandfather would boast about how these people of the Nile would bring all sorts of things for trade at the port when I was a boy," Pilous chuckled. "Punt was a beautiful land such a shame what that wicked Ba'al did to it. If it wasn't for our lord here, we would still be at her mercy," he praised as the ship cut cleanly through the water of the Nile.

"Then it's good that your people are free," Halima said in a warm tone with a smile to match.

"That it is," Pilous nodded before walking off, barking out orders as one of the lines for the sail grew slack.

Andrew's attention was roused as the same women who greeted him the first time approached him with fresh food to sate his hungry belly. "Eat; it'll be hours before we reach the city," Andrew said, gesturing to the trays. Noting the sadness in the man's eyes when Bast jumped from his arms and ambled over the overstuffed cushion she had laid on during their first trip.

"Ah, as it should be," Bast purred in his mind as a small girl began to fan her. "Not a word out of you," she warned as she stared right at Andrew.

******

As his ship approached Helwan, Andrew ordered the men to slow the ship as they neared a dock and barge that looked familiar to him. Seeing Abu and Jahi working on repairing some damage done to the deck of their ship, feeling his ship gliding along to a crawl. His crew tossed them the mooring lines, tying his ship up to theirs.

"Hello, Jahi and Abu," Andrew greeted, helping the two of them onto his ship.

"Hello, young man, fine ship you have here," Jahi greeted, looking around the deck for his daughter.

"Thank you, these people built it by hand," Andrew said, gesturing to Pilous and the others who were quietly minding their own business. "You should feel it on the water; it's rather comfortable."

"I'm sure it is," Abubaker uttered, wondering why the women were wearing such thin garments and why his sister allowed such a thing to happen.

"You hungry?" Andrew asked, waving over the women. "I have plenty to share," he stated, watching how a few of the men grabbed some of the cushions and brought them over to mid-deck. "Please, have a seat; you must be tired from working on your boat; what happened to it anyway?" Andrew asked, trying to be polite to his future in-laws. "Please, eat; Anta wouldn't want me to sail passed and not offer you lunch when I have plenty to share."

"Where is she anyway?" Abubaker asked, trying not to notice how the women's, who knelt between the three of them, nipples were bleeding through their linen dresses.

"Back at the dig, I had some things to do away from it, so I'm on my way up the Nile, saw you, thought I stop and chat," Andrew informed them.

"My daughter, is she safe?"

"Yes."

"And who are those two?" Abubaker nodded over to the two beneath the awning.

"Bodyguards of a sort," Andrew said factually, ignoring how they were trying not to stare at his crown.

"Is that thing real?" Abubaker asked, with his father nodding along.

"As real as you or I. So what happened to your ship?" Andrew asked again.

"Some idiot didn't properly secure one of the nets they use to hoist the grain bags off the deck to the crane, and it fell back onto the deck, nearly scuttled the ship," Abubaker sighed, knowing the way their ship was now they wouldn't be sailing anywhere or hauling anything for that matter. Their only hope was to hopefully repair it so it could sail to a shipyard to put into drydock and hope the price wasn't so great that the cost of refitting the barge would bankrupt their business.

"How bad is it?" Andrew asked, seeing the shadows playing along their faces.

"Bad," Jahi said in a sad grumble.

"I'm surprised it hasn't taken on water yet," Abubaker muttered, rubbing his hand through his hair as he chewed on his rather sweet date.

"I see," Andrew said, stroking his chin deep in thought. "Maybe I can help," he uttered, coming to the conclusion that Anta would totally stress out over the fate of her family if she knew, and from what he gathered, she didn't.

"We can't..."

"I can, I have the means, and you will be my family soon, and Anta would bite off my head if I didn't help you when she knew I could. Plus, if a Pharaoh can't help out his own family, how can he hope to help all the other souls that populate the land?" Andrew asked, waving his arms out to his surroundings.

"That does sound like my daughter; she gets it from her mother," Jahi chuckled, finally accepting the glass of wine from the woman to his right. "But I'm not taking charity; I plan on paying it back," he said sternly. Really digging into the platter once he had the richness of the food on his tongue.

"I don't have a problem with that, but you can pay me back by providing transportation for my workers. Anta would never allow me to take money from you. I'd rather not get smothered in my sleep," Andrew joked.

"And just where are you going on this thing?" Abubaker asked. While he didn't like his sister being around whatever Andrew was into, he couldn't say Andrew was a bad sort of person.

"NeoHierakonpolis, my capital," Andrew said factually. "Heading up there to start the building project for my Palace."

"And I'm sure my sister didn't go crazy at the mention of that word, right?" Abubaker inquired, shooting Andrew a knowing smile.

"You should have seen her already decorating the place, and it's not even built yet!"

"Abu!" Heba called out as she walked along the dock. "Just who are you... oh, your back! Nour, it's that Andrew boy, Anta's fiancé," she said to her mother-in-law when she came to see whose strange mast it was next to their family's ship.

"And you wish for me to haul your grain; that was what you said, right?" Jahi asked, tapping his chin as he sat across from Andrew, who nodded.

"Jahi, Abu, just what are the two of you doing on that boat?!" Nour huffed from the deck of her husband's barge.

"Andrew stopped on his way up the Nile and offered us lunch, which is rather good, by the way," Abubaker stated, peering over at Andrew.

"And where is my daughter?" Nour asked accusingly.

"Back at the dig site, she's safe, I promise you," Andrew assured her. Wondering if the woman was ever going to like him.

"Might I come onboard and tour your ship?" Heba asked in wonder.

"Sure, I don't mind," Andrew nodded, seeing Halima getting up from her spot to help Heba safely cross the gap. Pulling out his phone, bringing up his bank page, and going to the transfer section. Arching an eyebrow at how much was in his bank account after a month of not touching it like he had done during the tour. "Here, input your routing and account number, and I'll transfer the funds to your account," he said, handing Jahi his phone. Listening to the two women chat about the workmanship of his barge as they ambled around the deck. "That should be enough to help you," Andrew stated after transferring half a million dollars into Jahi's account.              

"And when were you thinking of starting this construction project of yours?" Jahi asked, ignoring the ping of his phone.

"Thinking beginning of next week, that won't interfere with your normal business, will it?" Andrew asked, looking at the two of them.

"You just need us to haul them back and forth, say at dawn and close to dusk, yes?"

"Something like that," Andrew nodded.

"I think we can make shorter runs while it's going on, don't you think so, Abu?" Jahi spoke, glancing at his son.

"Yeah, I think we can make it work," Abubaker agreed.

"Well, you all have a pleasant rest of the afternoon; we still have some miles to go before we get to the capital," Andrew said as Abu and Jahi were unmooring him from their boat.

"But Cairo is that way," Heba said, confused, pointing in its direction.

"Yes, but the capital is that way," Andrew said, smiling and pointing up the river. "I'll tell Anta you all are doing okay when I talk to her," he called out, waving to them as he sailed up the Nile. Smirking evilly when he noticed how pale Bennu had gotten at the site of him.