The Golden Queen

Eleven

Eleven

I stormed into my chamber. Thutmosis was a stupid jerk! My hand slapped around the wall furiously searching for the light switch. Then I remembered I was in ancient Egypt, and there was no electricity! I screamed out of anger, frustration, hysteria; I wasn't sure anymore.

One of the guards ran into the chamber to make sure I was all right.

"I want electricity!" I demanded, knowing there was nothing he could do about it. He looked at me, confused and bewildered, my eyes accusing him of withholding science from me. "I want a hot shower! I want deodorant! I want a razor to shave my legs so I don't have to worry about cutting my leg off with this thing!" I cried, holding up the blade I had been using in place of a razor. I threw it down on the table and glared at the poor guard angrily.

He left the room very quickly, frightened by my insane ranting. Alone, finally, I sank back onto the bed and wept miserably. Why was I here? I belonged in the future with Clair and the other scientists. That was my world, and my heart ached for it.

I got up and went over to the table to remove my jewelry. I kept only the lotus ring on my finger. I liked the way the silver band felt against my skin. I slipped out of the fancy robe and into a simpler one, more comfortable around my chest and shoulders. I was exhausted from everything, and the worst parts still weighed heavily on my mind. I was glad to be alone now, left with my thoughts and memories of the twenty-first century.

I pulled my Blackberry cell phone from my satchel and gazed in its black screen. I'd turned it off days ago to save power. I held the cool metal in my hand, wondering if there was any reason to save its power. Ancient Egypt didn't have cell phone towers; ancient Egypt had nothing. I wasn't planning to make some calls anytime soon, so I mashed the button down and the screen lit up.

Once it was on, I scrolled through my media options to the music selection, and decided to play Time Changed Everything by Nyctalgia. It was an ironic piece of music to play, but its soft melody and somber sound seemed fitting for my mood. I needed to do something that was familiar to me, reminiscence of what my life was like before all of this. I needed to be a twenty-first century woman again.

I sat the phone down on the bed as the music began to play. I stood from the bed and raised one arm to curl around in midair, as if grasping my imaginary partner's shoulder. I positioned my other hand as if I was clasping his hand. I started to move in time with the music, slowly, delicately, in step with the piano that seemed to weep in my phone. I moved with little thought, having done it so many times before. This dance was as natural to me as walking.

My sadness only grew. I wanted so badly to go home, to touch the people who once warmed my life with their love. They seemed like only a dream now, too distant for me to reach like stars.

As the days passed, my old life grew farther and farther away as did my chances of ever returning there.

"What are you doing?" a gentle voice said to me, far from my ear, but close to my heart. The voice was like an ethereal whisper, drifting through the shadows from where it came. I turned around and met Ahmose's amber eyes as he peeked through the darkness. "I apologize if I've startled you," he said. "Your door was open."

"Please come in, Your Majesty," I replied. I was a little nervous to see him, wondering why he had left the banquet, and if he was angry with me. I felt guilty for leaving him so abruptly. My arms fell to my sides as Ahmose stepped from the darkness. He paused for a moment, hearing the piano piece coming from my phone. His eyes scanned the room as he came to stand by me, searching for the music. I started to show him my phone, but he spoke instead.

"You left so quickly this evening. I hoped the festivities would ease your troubled mind. I was worried," he said.

"Please forgive me. Thutmosis upset me," I confessed. "That is why I left. I hope you are not angry with me." He fell quiet for a moment, so I decided to change the subject. "It was very considerate of you to invite me, Your Majesty. The banquet was lovely and the food was delicious. As you said, my mind is troubled, and I guess I just wanted to be alone." I glanced over his clothes and saw he was wearing a clean tunic. I felt humiliated once more as I recalled the mess I had made tonight. "I hope I didn't ruin your clothes."