The Little Princess (17)

We awoke to the sounds of camel drawn carts and many men on foot arriving in a rush toward the village. I signal Meli to my side as we roused the wounded to face what was coming. I stood with my niece with Sert at my other side. Meli stood upon my niece's other side as the dozen girls gathered behind us protectively. The lead camel and cart come into view flying the banners of the temple. The others walked with it wearing the priestly garb of Thoth's temple with a handful of warrior in light armour holding simple pikes for weapons. An older man in elaborate robes dismounted from the lead cart before it could stop. He rushed toward us not caring about his behaviour.

“The High Priest.” I warned the others. I bowed in Egyptian custom to the man as he stopped before us. Meli and Sert followed suit in Atlantian style but my niece remained standing ramrod straight glaring forward at the other group.

“I have heard of this evil plight little Princess.” the high priest answered with a quick bow. “We have brought carts to assist transporting your people to a new village if need be.” he continued quickly. “And purifiers to cleanse this place if you wish them to stay.” he added. He rose his head to look at her. My people and myself had remained bowed while she stood glaring into the group of priest before us in absolute silence. I glanced at her as I shifted my bow to knell next to my niece. She whispered shushing sounds while in my mind I heard a warning from her.

“One of them is an enemy.” she whispered in my mind. I nodded before standing as stiffly as her with one hand resting on my sword hilt ready to fight. “The purifier is a Sethite.” she added quickly. My companions had unbowed and moved to stand at the ready. Sert crossed behind us to be a pillar on the other side of my niece while Meli pretended to check the patients behind us.

“Send forth the purifier.” I ordered bluntly. My grip tightened reflexively on my sword. I knew without looking that Sert's hand mirrored mine. Meli would glance between verifying on the different girls while keeping her staff tightly in her grip. The High Priest looked from me to my niece nervously. She nodded once sternly at him before he signalled the Purifier forward. The man had barely cleared the group before the sound of my sword sliding halfway out of its sheath with Sert's matching my move nearly instantly.

“Send the Sethite away!” I bellowed at them. Weapons appeared in the hands of the ones around the purifier as the High Priest turned slowly to face the man. “He bears the mark of Seth upon his left shoulder.” I informed them. His shoulder was bared as the other ripped the robes from him. The mob slaughtered him so quickly that the High Priest had no chance to speak. The sound of my sword and Sert's slamming back into place drew the High Priest's gaze back to the three of us.

A bit of mayhem occurred as the priests and priestesses checked each others left shoulder for the mark showing them as traitors to their faith. My stance relaxed as did my niece and Sert. The priest turned fully toward us and bowed fully staying prostrated before us with his face to the ground.

“The carts await you little Princess.” he uttered still faced to the ground.

“We may leave now High Priest.” she answered calmly. She curtsied in proper fashion to the old priest. “I wish my Uncle, his sword, and healer will accompany us to our new home if it is acceptable with him.” she added looking up at me.

“As my niece commands.” I returned formally.

“Niece?” Meli whispered stunned behind us.

“As Thoth's grand daughter commands.” the priest stated as he regained his feet. He turned screaming orders to the priests while a trio of priestesses moved to help the wounded bowing deeply to Meli as they passed her. One of the priest moved forward with flint and torches to burn the village to the ground as a purification act.

“Tell your man to return with the purification tools.” my niece ordered loudly. “This is my village and I will purify it as is my right.” she continued bluntly. The High priest waved the man back as he looked down at her confused. She reached up to take my arm at the elbow gently. “Will you assist me Uncle?” she whispered to me. I nodded back to her with a smile and a mental hug.

“As you wish little Princess but ...” the High Priest began. A burst of white flame erupted from all the hovels of the village hushing the old priest into stunned silence. It had only been a minor mental flash from me to set the place blaze. “Princess?” the High Priest muttered pale faced. The flame had disappeared a quickly as it had came removing all the proof of a village ever existing here.

“Thoth has judged this village in its darkest hour and has moved to purify it for his priests and grand daughter.” she said solemnly. “Praise be to Thoth in his kindness and wisdom.” she added. All the priest made the symbol of Thoth as the bowed toward her.

“Praise be the judge of the souls!” I continued the litany.

“Praise be Thoth, the all knowing judge.” the priests and priestesses stated in unison. I felt Thoth smiling down upon my actions that reaffirmed his power to his people from the one known as his grand daughter. Meli approached me as my niece had been seated in the lead cart with the High Priest and a pair of priestesses fawning over her.

“Was that really the actions of the god we meet last night?” Meli asked me. She missed my niece suddenly turning toward us. “But I thought magic could not work outside of those special places?” she added quickly. I groaned feeling the sudden excitement raising in my niece.

“What did you say?” she asked loudly in Atlantian. A gasp rose from the trio in the lead cart. Meli turned slowly to face the cart gulping hard.

“She was the person that wrote your book Meli.” I informed her in Atlantian. “My healer shall ride with you my niece and explain in the hidden tongue about last night's meeting with your grandfather.” I stated in Egyptian. The group of priest bowed lowly to the three of us as we moved to bring our camels into the caravan before they moved out.

One of the younger priest fell in stride next to my camel as we began moving. He would turn to speak to me but would simply stare at me in silent awe. I ignored him while Sert would mention his attempts every few minutes as we travelled. I would turn to face the priest giving him a few minutes to speak but he remained in silent awe. I would tell Sert he was mistaken then return my gaze forward once more.

“You wish to know why the grand daughter of Thoth calls me Uncle?” I finally hazarded. The young priest gulped loudly as he turned to me with fear and awe warring upon his face. “Is not one of Thoth's gift to see into people's souls and minds?” I half whispered to him. Before he could answer a shriek rang out from the lead cart followed by my niece's silvery giggle drew everyone's attention.

I chuckle without looking. My niece had let her pet scorpion out without warning Meli. I miserable squawk from my little thunder who now had the small scorpion sitting upon his head. I finally glanced over to see it edging it's way along the back of the cart to the Princess' seat. It lowered it's head to allow the frighten scorpion to scurry back to her shoulder and safety. Once relieved from his unwanted rider, little thunder winged its way back to the pommel of my saddle with ruffled feathers.

“You should not feel bad since you know the little one would never harm anyone my baby.” I stated to the bird. I was running a finger to smooth the feathers on little thunder's head. “I am still waiting for your answer priest.” I added in Egyptian.

“Yes on both counts sir.” he answered shyly. He avoided my gaze as he walked looking at his feet.

“I have been called upon by many of your deities for diverse reasons including to help raise Thoth's grand daughter.” I returned in a whisper. The priest turned to stare with bulging eyes up at me. “Her father named me her Uncle and she will always see me as that.” I continued still looking forward. I noticed him stare at the Princess and then back at me quickly.

“The temple will force her to follow customs in this situation.” he whispered to me. I felt the frustration and sadness forming in him at his own words.

“And if she asks it of me, I must accept without resistance.” I replied quietly. “But this would make her leave the land of her birth to return with me to the mystic isle.” I explained grudgingly. I heard him sigh at this news.

“Your companions are of the Alton race?” he asked softly. He glanced at the Princess who spoke a language no Egyptians had ever heard. “That is their language she speaks?” he added mournfully. With his next sigh, I felt his heart plummet into a great depression.

“Yes.” I interjected calmly. “And my healer speaks Egyptian like myself.” I continued. “My niece was helping me learn the language during my last visit her before I left for the Alton's isle.” I explained slowly. “She even wrote a guide in Alton to help them learn Egyptian for me.”

“I ask you to break with customs and leave us our Princess sir.” the young priest begged.

“My honour and oaths given to her father and Thoth himself will not allow me to refuse her request.” I replied with mock sadness. “Unless I have found her a proper groom before she can ask it of me.” I continued in a conspiring whisper. The priest's head swivelled like lightning to face me upon my last words.

“Many would fight to the death for such an honour even if they do not truly deserve it.” he answered sadly. “Not even myself.” he added to himself.

“Deal Done!” a triad of voices echoed in his mind. He jumped as he step forward nearly making him fall. A look of fear was upon him as he glanced from to my niece and then heavenward before his eyes returned to meet mine. I chuckled deeply at this and the multiple thoughts that bounced aimlessly through his nerve wracked mind.

“We leave my people at their new village while I continue to the temple for my wedding, High Priest.” my niece announced loudly. “I hope they do not spit me for stealing one of their priests as my husband.” she whispered in the young priest's mind. “But I ask that you lie about our nuptials to protect me from being removed from your side.” she added softly.

“Be kind to my niece or I will have to return as her sword of vengeance young one.” I told him seriously. I heard him gulp in fear while I chuckled darkly. “He is a very good man that does not see his own potential.” I mentally told her.

“I will bring him to see his true self me Uncle.” she retorted merrily. “You will ask Thoth to remove his priestly vows from him when I am ready to be with a man once more?” she asked in a small mental voice.

“When you are ready, Thoth will accept very willingly to have great grand children.” I returned with a mental chuckle. My mental laughter hide the words that I wanted to say to her. “If only your real mother knew what I have done for these lesser beings my true niece.” spilled out from those dark spaces in my mind. “I believe you should join your bride to be.” I added with a half smile at the priest.

“Come my future husband so all may know he who has taken my heart.” the Princess ordered loudly. The young priest turned bright red with embarrassment as he moved to join her in the lead cart. My niece's pet scuttled down her shoulder to poise itself upon their clasped hands. The young priest seemed unafraid of her pet as he sat next to her still blushing.

Though shocked by the events, the High Priest rose to the occasion as he began speaking to them of the glories of marriage. This nuptial linked the blood of their god directly to their priesthood which would hold them above the other temples. Meli politely excused herself to return to her camel and fall in stride next to me as Sert mimicked her movement upon my other side.

“May I be told what has just transpired?” she asked me. Sert shrugged his ignorance at the whole proceedings.

“I will explain to both of you once we have a few moments alone.” I returned calmly. “As for your earlier question,” I continued quickly, “Yes, Thoth did show his powers for her which I will also explain fully later.”

We reached the village in time for the later afternoon meal but could not truly enjoy it as we waited on our camels by the lead cart as the other priests and priestesses help bring the girls to their new families and homes. The High Priest wished to get all of us safely to the temple nearby to prepare for a morning wedding but my niece would not allow any wasted time as she ordered the celebration to be performed that night. It had been a quiet trip and remained this way until we entered the temple grounds at night fall.

The High Priest performed the ceremony in the inner courtyard under the full moon with me and my companions as witnesses to the grand event and the assembled priesthood cheering the completed union in the main hall. I withdrew my group from the festivities having us retire to a prepared common room with a half dozen small bedchambers attached. Before I allowed us to sleep, I knew I needed to explain the events they had witnessed or possibly witness before they made rash judgements on the Egyptian people and their deities.