Escape from Ancient Egypt (Neiko Adventure Saga Book #2)

Chapter 14

"Okay, good night," Tito called after him. He called Neiko in and told her everything they had discussed.

"That's good that he is opening his house to y'all, but I really don't want to go to the palace alone. I can't handle the thought of going there at all," complained Neiko. "What is all this talk about 'the one'? The one what? Is he gonna send me on a quest or something?"

Tito shrugged. "I don't know—I don't think it has anything to do with questing. My brother may be there still, but we won't know for sure till we start looking—and we have to find that creep Francesco as well," said Tito.

"Do you really think you can do all of that in one week? You ain't superman! If time does run out, I want you guys to come with me because I can't communicate with Ramesses. I don't want to face him alone. I know for a fact that he is going to try to tie the knot judging from what you guys say, but the question is when. It would be good if he waited years. I know I will have a fight on my hands, and if it comes to that, then I'll try to run away," said Neiko.

"Neiko, I don't think he will want us anywhere near you on that day. From that day forth, you will be his property, and we feel he doesn't like the rest of us very much while he adores you," said Tito.

"Great, that's nice," Neiko grumbled with a disgusted frown and an eye roll.

"Tell you what, if you are forced to go, then we will find a way to get in somehow. If we have to, then we will use some of Francesco's old tricks. But I believe Nefertari can help us. If Sito is there, then try to get him to talk to her and see if she can persuade Ramesses to accept us as servants or something. I'm sure he'll listen to her, and she knows how to push his buttons," said Tito.

Neiko gave a questioning look to Tito that said "how do you know?"

"Call it a hunch," he replied.

Neiko shook her head. "Okay, I'll give it my best shot," Neiko promised. "I know one thing, you guys aren't the only ones who are trying to get into Pharaoh's court."

Now, Mactalon rolled his eyes. "Neiko's right. We have to worry about Francesco getting in there, too. He will make Neiko's life miserable and put in a bad word on us just to be a jerk. I'll bet Ramesses would try to be rid of us and Sito as well, and Neiko would have no hope at all of escape."

Neiko shuddered. "Not only that, Francesco would leave me there alone, and the five of us will be trapped here which I think was the whole idea in the first place. I will have to live there and be a faithful wife until he dies, and that'll be torture. Is he one of those that lived and ruled for a couple years or a decade? If so, I can leave right after that."

Tito shook his head. "Neiko, you haven't studied, have you? Ramesses lives to be in his mid to late nineties—or even a hundred. He rules Egypt for another sixty-seven plus years—this doesn't even account for the co-rule with his father who has just passed! You will be there a very long time, and you will have to be a faithful wife for that long—maybe longer if you add years to his life. You will be old, and you may die first. Nefertari won't be around that long either—she lives to her late twenties or early thirties at the most—which is another ten years or so. You will have your hands full after she's gone."

Neiko moaned in disgust and covered her eyes with her hands. "I didn't learn about that in history class! Oh no! What am I gonna do?" she whimpered. "I can't stand him for two seconds—I can't handle him for seventy years or more! Ugggh!" she groaned. "How old is he anyway?"

"Twenty-three. I asked Senu about him before the party, and he is our age—only two years older than you. He and Nefertari have only been married a year, so he is just starting out."

"Great—wonderful," said Neiko sarcastically. "This ship is on course, but you and I aren't supposed to be here, and this is not supposed to be happening!"

"I know. That's why we must find Francesco before all of history and the future is shot! Senu said we need to help in finding something suitable for her to wear, just in case," reminded Tito.

They went to bed with dreams of escape and nightmares if not.

* * *

The next morning they talked with Senu about making the just-in-case preparations for Neiko.

"How did he want her to dress?" asked Panthero.

"He said in her native clothes, but they must be presentable. He said the clothes she is wearing now will not do, and she cannot wear face paint," replied Senu.

"Do you have any tanned animal skins like deer or leopard or anything on hand? We will have to make them because we know how they are supposed to look."

"I do have some tanned leopard and antelope skins, a tiger that I killed a few weeks ago. I haven't done anything with it. Will that be acceptable?" Senu asked.

"Yes. Bring them here, and we'll get started. Can you find Francesco for us?" Tito asked.

"Yes. I will get right on it," said Senu. "He should be easy to find—he sort of stands out."

The four men snickered. A pasty white man among dusky Egyptians made "standing out" an understatement.

The Indians worked on Neiko's clothes the entire day. Senu and some of his servants assisted them in making her attire. Neiko's raiment consisted of an antelope skin top with a beaded eagle on the breast and fringe at the neckline. The beads were not the tiny Indian beads, but some assortment that Senu had on hand. They made her skirt of tiger skin and a cape of leopard skin. She wore no shoes, but sported her falcon headband, hawk feathers, armlets, and necklace of bear and eagle claws.

"What do you think?" asked Mactalon.

"I love this outfit. I wish you guys could make something like this back home."

Senu looked at her amazed. "The outfit is extremely nice, and she looks beautiful. This will do nicely." Then he paused as his face took a worried expression, "But, I had no luck in finding Francesco."

"I bet the scum wipe skipped town or he is already trying to get Pharaoh's appreciation," Mactalon grumbled. "I can't say he's hiding in his favorite spot with his rodent kin because sewers haven't been invented yet."

The five men laughed at the joke.

The Indians spent the rest of that day together. They also tried to make plans for every outcome imaginable when they got the crystal.