Wings of Time

Unexpected Birthday Gift

Set had to scramble for words to explain, as though he too were just as confused as the magicians of Hanou. "Magic, your highness. I sensed it, a greater surge than I ever have before. That girl isn't of the magicians' work."

"Ay...I think I felt it too."

"Allow me?"

Atem nodded, his eyes never once leaving the strange, pale figure on the floor. Was she a ka from the afterlife? A messenger? Or perhaps something even a spy?

The magicians scattered to the side as Set approached the girl sitting on the polished floor. He towered over her, and the crowd of nobles held their breath.

"What is the meaning of this? Who are you?"

She simply blinked at him, uncomprehending. Once more she looked past him at the Pharaoh. Set growled and even went as far as to grab her white head and turn it to him.

"Do not dare to grace the High One with your unworthy stare. Answer my questions."

Atem saw her lips move, but at his distance he couldn't hear a thing.

"What?" asked Set.

She spoke again, this time louder, but the words never carried over to him. A strange sensation tingled at the back of his spine, and he felt odd. There was something about this girl, something... Set turned to Atem.

"She appears not to speak our tongue, your grace. Shall I force her mind?" Set raised the golden rod till it's all-seeing eye was level with her eyes. The girl gave a small squeak.

"No." Atem stood. Rows of Egyptian heads bowed as he stepped from the dais and onto the floor of the Great Hall. He could feel the anticipation tingling in the air as he approached. Not even a breath broke the silence, and he could hear his sandals slapping against the stone floors. The closer he got the more he noticed her slight figure and pale skin. One would think her Greecian, though he had never seen the likes of her white-blond hair. Against his counselor's wishes she looked up at him when he came to her. They were light blue and large like doe-eyes. Atem paused, taken aback. What strange eyes!

Up close he could also see how violently she shook. She had to be terrified. Just recognizing this made him soften and he touched the large pyramid around his neck that few knew the true nature of. Through this particular pendent there flowed a magic for unity that his father had mused was the true source of Egypt's greatness. It was of a unique branch of mind magic. Hopefully, he could understand whatever tongue she spoke by listening to her mind through it. He reached for it in his mind's eye and clenched it in his hand. He tried not to think how much better fit Set was for this task, being the most accomplished magician in his court.

"Speak." he said.

She gaped at him for a moment, her mouth fumbling for words.

"I-I-I don't know w-what's going on. Where am I? What was he saying? Please, I don't understand." Her lips trembled so hard her words came out like falling rocks. "Please, I was just going through a tour of the Egyptian ruins and got bored and-and there was this weird...and then this flash—"

"Ruins?" he asked.

The girl leapt on his word. "So you do speak English! Oh, that's wonderful. Please, tell me, how do I get out of here and back to my group? They're going to be really worried about me—not that your...whatever you're doing here isn't awesome or anything, but I get the feeling I came at a really bad time, so if you don't mind—"

"Chatterer, isn't she?" muttered Set, and Atem knew he hadn't caught a word of what she had said. It was a remarkable feat for even the Pharaoh to understand her, for he had only ever used the medallion under the direction of his father, and even then only on Nubian slaves. But though Atem could comprehend her speech in his mind, deciphering what language she spoke was another story. He cleared his throat and she stopped abruptly, doe-like eyes wide once more.

"Where are you from?" he said slowly, clinging harder to the medallion as his mind strained.

"South Dakota?"

The Pharaoh blinked. "Excuse me?"

Set cleared his throat and jerked his chin to the staring crowds about them. Atem nodded and gestured some guards over.

"Take her to the palace prisons and tie her down, but don't hurt her. Make it reasonably comfortable. I will come later for questioning."

The guards nodded and reached down. The girl flinched horribly at their touch and, for a moment, he feared her legs would give way beneath her and his men would be forced to carry her the rest of the way. But they withstood. She babbled indistinctly until the guards forced her away, dragging her heels down the hall and through the doors. The Pharaoh looked to Set for affirmation of his thoughts before turning back to his throne.

"By all means, continue."

And the magicians sheepishly inched back to their places with one holding the broken, melted remains of a staff.

"Ah, so it was ice." said Set.

"Like I said..."

And the two returned to their previous places on the throne with the young Pharaoh's attention distracted for the rest of the evening's festivities.