Pharaoh’s Curse Pt. 08

"It will be," Andrew agreed, knowing whoever had the properties at the moment would probably jump at the chance to be rid of them as he watched the two real estate agents talking quickly on their phones.

"And where are you thinking of putting your Palace?" Halima asked, knowing this would give her a chance to show off the skills she had on a grander scale.

"The center of it, thinking gardens, sixteen in fact, scattered around with shrines here and there, some obelisks, add a little modern flare to the Egyptian theme, you know?" Andrew spoke plainly as he rolled his hand.

"We can put the guards' barracks on the other side of the property where you might not see it," Halima stated, pointing off in the distance. "A wall surrounding it, to keep the royal family safe from those who don't have Egypt's interest at heart," getting an approving nod from Andrew, "and you do need an outdoor area to entertain guests, after all, once they see Egypt's glory again, all the world will flock to its banner," she said in reverence to having her hand in the building of the new foundations of Egypt.

"Also, build a few comfortable houses in that area over there for family," Andrew said, pointing off to the left side of him, seeing Halima nodding in understanding. "You did say there were a few of you that did this kind of thing," he uttered, waving to the buildings that would need to be torn down to make way for the home and where the rest of his line would reign from.

"I did; we can introduce you if you like, after you're finished here, that is," Halima said, nodding over to the two women who were talking so fast she failed to catch everything they were saying.

"Set it up," Andrew instructed as he waited for word about his inquiry into the properties.

"If you give me a minute," Halima said, bringing up her phone. She knew they were jumping through a lot of hoops to show him what they could offer him. Yet it was the price they had to pay to show their Pharaoh they only wanted the best for Egypt.

"You get it sorted?" Nofre-it asked low once Halima joined his side while Andrew was talking to the realtors.

"He's going to be out of his league when he meets Andrew," Halima stated, knowing that was going to be true for all her peers in her order, even Mido.

******

"You sure this is the way?" Andrew asked low, following after Bast, having sneaked out to follow Halima. He couldn't do that to Nofre-it, not out of respect or anything; the man was just too observant.

"Yes, Geb is showing me the way," Bast said into his mind as they used the shadows as they trailed after Halima, where Geb had told her where the Medjay were gathering that night.

"You know I don't like this Bast," Andrew stated as he hid in the shadows of the tomb he was using for cover beside him in the ancient graveyard of Giza.

"I know Pharaoh, but I assure you, this is the only way to trap them whole," Bast stated, imparting her wisdom to him.

"But only, I mean only, the ones that are plotting against me, no one innocent," Andrew ordered, trying not to see her warriors hiding in the same shadows as he was.

"Only the ones that are set to betray the Gods will, then they are ours."

"Hey, better you than me," Andrew uttered, holding up his hand to her when he noted her murderous stare. "So why make your base all the way out here?" he mused as he peered around the area from what he could see.

"This is only one of three of the bases they have, or so Geb tells me. This one they just so happened to be using tonight."

"Ah." Humming in his mind as his finger tapped his chin as his mind sought to limit the expenditures in running a kingdom from all his memories.

"You have a plan, don't you, husband?"

"I might," Andrew said low as he eased slowly out of his hiding spot. Hearing Bast's soft footfalls falling after him as Khonsu kept a watchful eye on him and lit his path. Andrew tried to keep from using his phone as a flashlight for as long as he could as he bumped into everything in that pitch-black tunnel. "What is this place?" he whispered as he shown his light along the walls. Looking down, seeing Bast peering up at him, reminding him why he was there in the first place. Grumbling in his head when Bast was teasing him about he was so like his mother.

However, it was the shout thirty minutes later that stopped him in his tracks. "I want its location, and I want it now!"

"And we keep telling you, no, we swore an oath to the Pharaoh to keep the city safe from people like you, Mido. And trust us, Mido, you know nothing about what you're facing. He doesn't even need us. We've seen it firsthand."

"Of course, I don't," Bast chirped into Andrew's mind as they travel down the tunnel toward the source.

"That's right, everyone, we aren't dealing with a flesh and blood man if you think to betray the Pharaoh or Egypt. You not only face the Pharaoh, but you also face his real bodyguards and the Gods themselves!"

"Child, you've been hoodwinked; there aren't any Gods..."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that; how do you think I found this little cave you all hide in," Andrew said, standing high above and startling them all. "Yes, I'm the man you've all been in here debating, debating on whether or not to betray me. Don't judge them, for they are innocent in this matter. It was the Gods!" Even Andrew wasn't sure where the shaking came from, given how he didn't do that. "A certain god in question informed me about you all and your schemes against me. When the - Gods! - say you can't be trusted, I take them seriously. And why should I trust anyone of you?" he asked, noting the fright on their faces as he peered down at them; it wasn't lost on him that Bast wasn't beside him anymore. "You should heed your friend's words. You have no idea what you're getting yourselves involved with. Swear a binding oath to me and Egypt, and if your words ring true, then you may serve me as my shield. If you..." The shaking of the ground sought him to seek the stability of the wall, making a quick prayer to Geb, so the roof didn't fall down on the people below them.

"If you think you can usurp the will of Ra, then you will face the might of she who is his Eye!" Andrew hurried down the steps, knowing how bad it could get if Bast let her temper rule her. "You in your insignificant small lives dare to think you are wiser than the Great God of the Sun, the lord of us all? Then I must rid this plane of the stain before my father's eyes, for I am Bast, the Eye of Ra!"

"Shit," Andrew cursed low as he struggled through the mass of bodies between him and the stage, knowing it was going to be really bad. He tried not to take delight in the council's horrified faces when they scrambled backward on the stage as Bast spoke in her cat form. What wasn't funny was all her warriors started to appear in the shadows, unbeknownst to the Medjay. He knew it would be a blood bath if he didn't hurry.

"My lady, please, please, surely we can work something out. You're not saying you're going to wipe all of us out just for a few, are you? I know you take our lord's protection, at his side and on Earth, very seriously; I know you watched us the moment we entered Pharaoh Menes' life.." Blowing out a breath in his mind for Nofre-it's timely intervention. Then his night just got worse as a voice he knew intimately filled the cavern.

"I have come as you asked, my lady." Andrew was frantically pushing his way through the crowd at the sound of Anta's voice. "Of course, my lady, my body is yours."

"Fuck me," Andrew mouthed as he stared up at Bast in her true form, who had to kneel to fit inside the two-story cavern.

"Then you bring me the ones that are impure of heart, or so help me, no one is leaving this place alive. I will not have these mortals thinking I, Protector of the Pharaoh, will allow such things to transpire before I attack. Do you think we, Gods, want some weak, fat, old man on the throne? If we did, don't you think we would've chosen you?" Bast said menacingly, watching the man's fear play out as her face lowered when she thumped Mido lightly in the stomach with her index finger. The predator in her started to resurface as she savored the man's fear.

"Bast, I had it handled; no need to go all Carrie on us," Andrew said, stepping up onto the platform.

"Very well, but the Gods will have their justice," Bast warned as she released her hold on Anta's body before jumping out of her arms and back onto the stage and walked over to Andrew.

"Of course, you think I'm stupid? Already have one God I'm dealing with, don't need another sixteen," Andrew countered, bringing his attention up to Anta.

"You, my Pharaoh," her alluring voice filled his ears with longing as she pointed at him, "are the only one allowed to gaze at the Queen of Egypt and the High priestess for her ladyship," Anta said, seeing Andrew nod when she whispered I love you and knew he couldn't say it back at that moment before disappearing back into the darkness of the tunnel.

"So, as I was saying, show us you can be trusted; if you are to be my personal guard, should I not have an oath between us? If your words are true, then you go about your lives, in service to me or not. Well, you already know what happens if you aren't," Andrew said, gesturing to the shadows. "I won't make you do it signally, given the size of you," His head moved around as he instructed them how to recite it. Finding that no one made the item Set had given him to test their words, their souls, to vibrate in his pocket. "You all are now free to leave if you want, or you can stay and watch the Gods judgment on those that would have earned you a goddess' wrath." Turning around towards the council members, taking in the fear in their eyes as his Nemes appeared on his head since he wasn't about to take out his crown. "You stand before your lord and master, for I am Pharaoh; what is above is so below, for I am Egypt! Do you deny the accusations levied at you by the very Gods themselves?" he barked, glaring at the eight of them. "Don't give me your spiel," Andrew sneered as they all tried to talk at once. "Your words can not be trusted at the moment; speak the words, and I will know your words are true or as hollow as your souls." Five members of the council scrambled backward to get off the stage as three khopesh blades pressed against Mido's and two others' throats as Bast's warriors snatched their heads back by their hair. "Did you three really think you're wise enough to outsmart the Gods?" he asked, crossing his arms and arching an eyebrow.

"No, please, please, we were misguided?!" bellowed the woman on the left.

"Have mercy, my lord?!" cried the other man.

"And I bet you think nothing would be done about your ambitions, hmm?" Andrew asked in a hum as he stared Mido down. "That you could just walk in, have the run of the place after I do all the work to restore Egypt, is that about right?" A cruel smile formed on his lips as the blade of the khopesh dug deeper into Mido's neck when the man tried to speak. "Now see, this is the punishment for those who go against the will of the Gods. I wonder if I will ever see your souls when I travel the Duat with Ra. They're all yours, Bast," he said, peering down at her, sensing her great pleasure in ridding Egypt of the corruption that had doomed it many a time in the past. Their howling filled the cavern as Bast's warriors pulled the three into the shadows and carted them off to the feet of Ra, who would judge them personally. Blowing out a breath in his mind, that was far more stressful than he thought it would have gone before turning back to the masses. "Hear me, you all have proven you are loyal to Egypt, so if you wish to serve me, rise with me, then step forward; otherwise, there's the stairs, and never return. Once you agree to be my shield, there is no going back; your word is your eternal bond with your Pharaoh," Andrew spoke in a clear, calm, authoritative voice as he stared out onto the group. "Very good," he nodded when they all took a step forward, "Halima, I take it there are more of you out there?"

"Yes, my Pharaoh," Halima said, quickly coming up to his side.

"Enough to fill the other two areas you use?" Andrew asked, catching Halima off guard.

"More than enough," Halima muttered, knowing if all the Medjay across the country came to Cairo, there wouldn't be enough space for them all.

"Good; I want you to start converting this area and the other two to work as command centers for the protection of the royal house and of Egypt. A skeleton crew can be manned down here to watch the cameras while the rest that are on duty for the day may use the barracks that will be on the Palace grounds..."

"My lord, what about their families?" Halima asked, noting how her own family was staring at her in awe.

"They return to their homes once their shift is done. Those that come to us as orphans or those that just entered adulthood with no homes of their own will be given beds at the barracks on the Palace grounds. Those outside of Cairo will have to find new lodgings if they intend to be of my personal guards and recite the same oath as you all did," Andrew stated; he wasn't about to let all his work go down the drain because a few were greedy. Plus, he wasn't going to let just anyone protect his mother, Carla, Anta, and the rest of his family. "If they refuse to return to Cairo, then their service to me ends. I will not put up with such things."

"Of course, my lord. Is there anything else you wish for me to tell the new Potiphar?" Halima asked, knowing she would more than likely get called off his protection detail due to her defying the council.

"You do realize that was someone's name, not a title, right? Please, tell me you did know that" Andrew said, only to see the confused look on Halima's and everyone else's faces at the news. "Moving on," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You don't have to tell the Potiphar if that's what you're calling the head of this order since I'm looking right at her," Andrew said seriously, watching Halima's jaw just drop in an instant.

"What?! Me?!" Halima asked, her voice stammering as she did as she pointed at herself.

"Yes, you," his voice was even and plain as he returned her point, "you are the one who told me you were going to show me these people can be trusted, did you not?" Andrew asked, waving his arm out to the group as Halima just blankly nodded along. "So I saw no better way for you to do that than as this... Potiphar, so you better be up for the challenge," he spoke, slipping his hand into his right pocket where Bast had materialized the pin. The flash of gold caught what little light there was in that cavern as he brought his right hand up and pinned it to the collar of her shirt. "Since you wish to guard me personally and follow me about if you are to be the head of my guard, you might want to have the force backing you up," Andrew stated, his eyes glancing over Halima's right shoulder at the thousand strong Bast warriors only he could see until he noted Halima's wide left eye as she followed his gaze. "Nofre-it, come stand before me," he ordered like the rightful ruler.

"Yes, Pharaoh Menes," Nofre-it answered, standing at attention, waiting for his dressing down by his commander.

"Since obviously, you have a military background, I'm placing you in charge of the royal families security and that of the Palace grounds, no offense Halima," Andrew said, pinning the silver badge onto Nofre-it's collar in the same area he had placed Halima's.

"None taken, my lord; I would be honored to have Nofre-it as my second," Halima bowed to the both of them. "I look forward to learning a lot from you, Nofre-it."

"Thank you, my lord, you have done a great honor to my family and me; you won't regret it, I assure you," Nofre-it said with pride as he saluted his king, hearing the squeals of his wife, and two daughters howling within the crowd.

"Oh, I know I won't; it won't be me you'll have to answer to," Andrew said coldly, pointing down at Bast, who growled, baring her fangs. It might have been terrifying if she wasn't in the form of an adorable cat, earning him a hiss from Bast when she read his mind.

"What about my husband, or his wife, or her husband? Where are they!" screamed out a frantic woman who had rushed the stage.

"Ra has them, and I doubt he's going to let them go for their transgressions. Be glad he spared the rest of your houses and only took those who were guilty," Andrew uttered plainly as he peered down at the woman. "You all have stepped into a world you are ill-prepared for; trust me, I've been dealing with this shit for months! None of you are ready, yet you must face it, for this is the world you will live in, I assure you." Looking over to his right when Halima laid a hand on her shoulder.

"They know the consequences of defying the order; many harsh penalties have been levied on us in the past, some more recent, carried out by the former Potiphar, so don't take their plight too hard," Halima said, glancing down at the woman as she paled to a deathly white as she peered around the group thinking in their hate of her husband they would strike at her given they couldn't vent it out on her husband.

"I wasn't," Andrew said coldly. "You wish to remove the taint your husband had put on you and your family, then redeem yourself to me, Egypt, and the Gods, then you might find peace for your troubled past," he said, lightly patting the woman's shoulder as he walked by towards the stairs.

"My lord, where are you going? The gathering had only just started, somewhat," Halima called out to Andrew as the crowd allowed him passage.

"Home." Was the only word Andrew said as he climbed those ancient steps. "After all, I have a kingdom to retake; I can't do that sleep deprived," he said to himself before the darkness of the tunnel cloaked him in its embrace. "You're not even going to tell me how you got Anta here, are you?"

"Nope, you'll have to ponder on that one, my Pharaoh," Bast mused into his mind.

Chapter Nine

Abdel Sisi lounged back in his leather chair, enjoying the blowjob he was getting from the twenty-year-old woman the men he was in business with sent to him for his help in closing the deal that would benefit him greatly not caring that it would strip the natural resources from the land in the process. Ten years ago, he led a coup d'etat, playing on the people's hype at the moment to achieve what he had wanted all his life. Power. Almost unlimited power. However, he had been slowly clawing away power from the representatives. Those who didn't fall to his threats, blackmail, smears, and bribes found themselves beneath the sands of the desert. Although he was putting off heading to the emergency session, the congress had called, what for he had no clue. It wasn't like Egypt had any real enemies given how the other big powers thought of his country as nothing more than a staging point, no threat at all.

"So this is the filth that has taken over Egypt in the absence of its true King," Andrew's disgust was clear at the sight of the man from the shadows. "It's no wonder why Egypt... Ma'at called out to my blood to awaken to save my people from the corruption that's plagued their lives for far too long," he said in a cold tone as Andrew stepped out of the shadows. Bast following along, padding in step with him as she had guided him across the veil.

"How the hell did you get in here! Where're my guards?!"Abdel shouted as he tried to pull up his pants while trying to remain dignified.

"Oh, you mean my guards? They're about... doing things to ensure the Pharaonic line rises again," Andrew said offhandedly, noting how the man was trying to comprehend everything he was saying. He had been planning this for a week after he had dealt with the rebellious Medjay. "Your government is so porous that it didn't take me long to weave my way through your security holes," he gloated when in reality, most of the capital guards were Medjay. "The Age of the Gods has renewed, for this is the day the link is reforged," Andrew said cryptically as he brought his arms up along his chest; as he did so, the crook and flail of Ra materialized in his hands. "Abdel Sisi, for your crimes against Egypt and its people, you are condemned to the eternal chase of the Anubis hounds," he uttered authoritatively as his Nemes appeared on his head as his arms sat crossed along his chest. He had wanted to do this as bloodlessly as he could. He knew there would be more down the road, yet he didn't want to start his reign by drenching streets with the blood of its people. Nevertheless, the reforging would need blood, and Andrew saw it fitting when those who would sell out their own country would be the ones to fuel the Gods return to the world of man.