Hopelessly Rome-antic [Re-writing]

Traveling on camel's back

Just as in Rome, the Egyptian palace was gigantesque. Corridors after corridors, rooms after rooms, people after people, I think I saw it all. Not once we stopped, and my feet were hurting a lot. Of course they wouldn't have let me kept my shoes on and I had to trade them against one of theirs, which was less comfortable. If I had been wearing mine, I would have been able to run for a good hour, but in those type of flip-flops, there was no way that I'd even make it to the entrance.

But at least I had shoes. Not like the guards who were forming a protecting shield around us. Well, more around Eopei than me, because so far I was treated more like a prisoner than anything else. People bowed when the princess walked pass them and I found them staring. I'd probably be staring too if a random person from the future came to visit me. But they didn't know who I was, and I would rather lay low for a while.

At one point, the guards which had been guiding us left, posting themselves alongside of the corridors. It didn't stop Princess Eopei from walking. I followed from behind, unsure on whether I was allowed to, or if someone was going to throw a spear at my throat.

Eopei pushed past another door and behind were waiting other guards. Those were very different from the previous one. They were still wearing a similar outfit but there's was more colorful, golden and they had bigger weapons. Adding onto the spear that each of them was holding, they also had a thick sword with a shield on their back. Their upper wasn't covered and I honestly wouldn't have dared to fight any of them judging from the muscles they add. Their faces were covered with a mask of an Egyptian god, which I judged to be Sekhmet

"Those are the Pharaoh's own guards. A message has been passed on that you had arrived. They'll assure our protection up to the sacred site".

Eopei had stopped walking and if she hadn't been talking, I would have probably bumped into her, which would have led to another dramatic imperial incident.

"We will not be walking anymore, but travel on the back of camels."

"C...Camels?" I stuttered.

"Don't you know? I thought you were from the heaven..."

"YES. I mean, yes I know. It's just I've never travelled on one."

"There must be a first experience for everything. " She replied before storming off again, followed by her own group of guards. I quickly followed her steps, three guards circling me. If I had been slightly impressed by our previous escort, this one was downright terrifying. It seemed that their faces had been glued or stuck under the masks and that they'd never be able to get out of it. Moreover, the piercing eyes seemed to read right through me.

Catching up on Eopei, I arrived at what must have been the royal stables.

I swear I spent most of my time riding horses, camels or traveling on any type of vehicle.

For a second, I admired the scene. Different from the Roman Palace's stables that I had encountered, these one were open-air, with servants taking care of those beasts.

One was forced toward me and although I would have gladly run away, one guard pulled me on the animal and steadied me. Now I was stuck, with one or two meters separating my feet from the sandy ground.

The camel did not move forward until the servant which had been holding it by a simple chord pulled it forward. Immediately, I was propelled against the furry neck of the camel and spat a bit of fur that had landed in my mouth.

It took about thirty minutes of travelling on the back of the stupid camel, under the blazing sun to reach the sacred site.

The camel came to an abrupt stop, throwing me forward one more time but this time I grabbed its neck for stability and waited until the animal sat down. Then, I tried to get down. I had done horse riding before, but camel riding was a new thing for me. Which I don't recommend.

"Your hand" a voice said and I looked down to see a boy, about my age if not older. His brown eyes were scanning me, as if he was trying to read whatever secret I had been hiding in the deepest part of me. His hand was extended toward me, and I grabbed it. He pulled me down, and I stumbled against the ground. Thankfully, he was able to catch me and placed his other hand against my back when my foot reached the warm sand. "Here you go" he said before smiling.

"Aahmes" Eopei introduced the man as she jumped off her camel and joined us, "My brother".

Aahmes bowed and but his eyes met mine and I saw the playful glimpse in his eyes. I tried to ignore it until Eopei introduced me. "Andromeda from the Heavens" and I saw her smirk."

"Welcome to the Sacred Site of the Pyramids dear Andromeda. Follow me" Aahmes said as he led the way toward a sand dune, where a tent had been built. The little crowd that had gathered around us and that consisted of servants holding glasses of water, fruits and long palm tree branches to shield us from the sun dispersed. Eopei walked behind me, but I couldn't help and steal side glances toward her. She was the true definition of exotic beauty.

We finally reached the tent, which had been made of white, silk-like and thin materials. The guards moved their spears to let us in, and I struggled a bit with the cloth that kept moving in my face because of the wind. I walked in on a beautiful woman wearing a white dress, her hair up in a complicated braid and a golden crown, serving a drink to a soldier, her face only a few centimeters away from his. She was the first to notice me, through a side glance and her lips parted into a smirk before she moved back. The soldier looked away from her to the entrance where we had been located. I felt uneasy at the sudden scene that was happening in front of my eyes, although nothing inappropriate had seem to happen, I felt like I had caught someone in the middle of something forbidden. Moreover as the soldier look up, I couldn't help but feel a sharp pinch in my heart, and the sound of his familiar voice didn't make it better.

"Andromeda?"

I sat down on a bunch of cushions that had been prepared for visitors with Aahmes. Tatum Marcus was still sitting in his stupid wooden chair and seemed fidgety, almost embarrassed. Eopei handed me a drink, that I practically drunk one shot. I was thirsty and this entire promenade in the desert hadn't helped much. But having caught such a situation made me feel extremely uneasy and as I gulped the drink down, I felt like it burned my throat.

"Wow. Slow down Tiger" Aahmes said and I nearly chocked. Did they say that here too?

"I'm sorry. I was just extremely in need of a drink."

"It's okay. The weather isn't similar to the one you've been used to so far. It's quite different from Rome. I've been there myself a few times and I must say that I find it rather...humid."

I tried to suppress my laugh. Rather humid? Your Egyptian weather is rather arid. He offered me a plate of grape and I took one, not very hungry but more by politeness.

Tatum Marcus was still fidgeting in his seat, the woman only a few steps away.

"When did you a...arrive?" he asked.

"Just a few minutes. Actually, it's a surprise you didn't hear us; I almost fell down and let a scream out. But you seemed busy, so you probably didn't notice."

He blushed slightly and I heard a chuckle from Aahmes. Although he seemed like a nice guy, he also seemed a little bit to close from me so I sat a bit further away which made Eopei smile.

"I'm glad that you could join us here." The woman who had been watching us finally spoke. She moved toward me and smiled. It looked sweet at first but then her face seemed to change, as if her mask was falling down and she was only smiling for politeness.

"I don't know if I can say the same" I mumbled under my breath and the woman seemed to have caught on it. Tatum too, judging by how pale his face had turned.

"It's not always that we have a guest from the Heavens; although I only worship the Egyptian gods."

"It's nice to come down in this mundane world from time to time" I replied "Although I haven't heard from you at all."

Now she was downright pissed off. Her smile ended shortly and she gave me a cold stare.

"I'm Cleopatra, Pharaoh and Queen of Egypt."