Egyptian Timewave

Chapter 19

Anippe cuts in. "I think I may have a clue to that answer."

Kahotep turns, his eyebrows raising slightly in surprise. "What would that be, my lady?"

Anippe reaches up to tap on her own collar. "This."

"I don't understand, my lady. How would that indicate anythi-" He stops and peers at the necklace, then turns to look at Abayomi's. "Oh I see. They are the same?"

Anippe nods, removing the collar from around her neck to hold it out to him. "I believe that is the case, yes."

Kahotep lifts it up to hang beside Abayomi's necklace and makes a humming sound. "Yes, these are certainly identical. Thank you for granting me a closer look at this heirloom, my lady." Anippe dips her chin slightly in an acknowledging nod. "Now, lady . . . Abayomi was it?"

"Yes, my name is Abayomi Nahr."

"You said that a woman told you this pendant would satisfy your ka?" At Abayomi's nod, he continues. "What did she look like, exactly?"

"Old? Her face was lined as if she smiles a lot. There was something in her gaze, as if she knew my secrets before she ever met me. The portion of the market she was in reminded me more of the market here, now, than the one we were actually in."

"Was there anything else odd occurring there?"

"No, I don't think there was-" Abayomi pauses, blinking. "Wait, no. I was going to leave, but then something happened that made me stay."

"And? What happened?"

"She was overlapped, by two other people."

"Abayomi?" She glances over to Anippe. "What do you mean by overlapped?"

"There were two other people on top of her? I saw two other people in the same exact place in the same moment. They all spoke together." Kahotep made a note on a piece of papyrus that he'd summoned up out of somewhere while Abayomi was talking and then motions for her to continue. "One of the people was a priest, dressed like you are now."

Abayomi frowns then. That wasn't quite right. There was more than that, but the memory of the other person is a bit fuzzy, like there is a film over them. The priest too, there is something about him. Something she isn't paying attention to. A matter of his appearance, she thinks. But what? It clicks a moment later.

"The priest looked like you!"

Kahotep steps back at her shout, a bit surprised. "What?"

"He looked like you. Almost exactly. Perhaps a bit of aging was at play, but otherwise identical."

Kahotep holds up a hand. "You saw someone, who looked like me, in three thousand years time?"

"Yes?"

"Very well, carry on."

He looks like he's having an existential crisis, but manages to pull himself up straight and smooth out his facial expression. Shifting, one eye still on Kahotep, Abayomi continues.

"The other person, I think they had blue skin?"

Every expression on the faces of Abayomi's two companions fades away as they lurch towards her. Kahotep's voice is urgent, his tongue almost stumbling over his words.

"What shade of blue?" Abayomi is too shocked at the sudden change to answer that, and Kahotep's tone becomes even more urgent, if that is possible, and it takes on a commanding quality. "Abayomi, what shade of blue was the skin?"

"Um, um blackish? It was really dark, but still blue."

"Were they wearing a headdress?"

"Yes! With two colorful plumes! They were holding something too, but I don't know what." Kahotep stares at her, and Abayomi shifts nervously. "What?"

Anippe steps closer to her, making a gentle touch on Abayomi's arm with a finger. "Abayomi, you saw Amun-Ra. That is a rare honor for those not one of the priests. The only others I hear of interacting with Him are my own ancestors, the Pharaohs."

"Why would I be seeing one of your gods? Why not mine?"

They both stare at her. "What?"

Abayomi blinks back. "What? Is something wrong?"

Anippe nods. "What did you mean when you said that? Do we have different gods?"

"Yes. I follow a single god, and am Muslim. My religion is also only one of the many that are widespread in my time. In fact, many of those religions only have one god, and so are referred to as monotheistic. Amun-Ra is not my God, and so why should he appear to me?"

Anippe seems to be evaluating this new information, and so Kahotep is the one to answer her. "Perhaps Amun-Ra is the one to appear to you because this is His domain. If He sent you here for something, then of course it is Him who would appear to you. Now, do you think we should return to discussing that scroll now that we know more?"

Abayomi frowns. "Before we do, do you think I might have the chance to perform one of my prayers? I should do my Asr prayer before it gets to be too late."

Kahotep nods. "Of course. Do you require anything?"

"A bit of privacy, and perhaps you could point me in the direction of South-East?"

The priest obliges her, and Abayomi gives him a grateful smile. He nods back at her, motioning for Anippe to follow him out.

"Do let us know when we can come back in, wouldn't you?"

"Of course. I shouldn't be very long."

Once the two Egyptians have filed out, Abayomi checks her hijab to ensure it is properly placed and hasn't slipped before she prepares for her prayer.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Who do you think was overlapping the woman at the marketplace in addition to Amun-Ra? What do you think their discussion about the scroll will reveal? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out