A Time Far From Now

[Feena_bronze_rider]

A yugioh fan fic!
Characters in young life:
Mr. Ishtar (Malik's father)
Mrs. Ishtar (Malik's mother)
Malik Ishtar (Marik)
Isis Ishtar (Ishizu)
Rasheed Ishtar (Odion)
Dr. Umar Entari (fan character)
Mrs. Heden Junsu Entari (FC)
Zeranah Entari (FC)
Dr. Hawkens
Ms. Denzen Yun Junsu (FC)
Inta Junsu (FC)
Tara Jones (FC)

December 23, 1978
Birth. What should one say about Birth. In the experience of the pain of death, one brings life forth into the world.
"A true son!" He had said.
Mr. Ishtar now had three children. Only two of them he claimed.
Rasheed had been left after birth to be cared for by the Ishtars. The two had been middle aged then, and with no children of their own, this was the perfect gift. Isis had been born four short years later. A daughter. Mr. Ishtar wanted a son. He knew now, that a child could be given to them, he began to neglect Rasheed, and five years later this day came, the day he was given a son.
"Papa." Isis said from beside her father as he held up his newborn son.
"What will his name be?" Asked Rasheed.
"Malik." Replied Mr. Ishtar.
Birth, the beginning of something new, to be born. Then it happened, not only was the child Malik Ishtar Born, he was thrown into something he couldn't stop.


June 9, 1982
Malik was toddling around behind Rasheed.
"Rashi!" His voice laughed reaching out to grab the young mans tunic.
"Oh, Malik!" Rasheed turned around.
Rasheed had been carrying a tray of soup from the kitchens to Isis. The poor thing had come down with a summer cold, and had to stay in bed.
"Do you want to help?" Asked Rasheed.
"Yes!" Malik shook his head back and forth with vigor as he smiled.
The two entered the room to see Isis sitting up in her bed a book propped up on her knees.
"Hello!" She smiled to her brothers.
"Hello." Greeted Rasheed.
Malik didn't bother to say hello but found some toys that had been left in the corner by his sister and began to play.
"What brings you two here?" Asked Isis stretching as she reached for the tray Rasheed was holding.
"Just to bring you dinner, and some news." Rasheed smiled.
Malik looked up from the plastic horse he was playing with and perked his ears up to hear what Rasheed was saying.
"News of what?" Asked Isis.
"Pa- I mean Mr. Ishtar has hired a doctor, I believe his name his name is Entari." Rasheed informed. "With you getting sick so often, Mr. Ishtar said he can't afford to take you above and he said something about if Malik were to get sick."
"Maybe he shouldn't hire Dr. Entari, I've never been above you know." Isis said with a prim little smirk.
"I not been eider!" Malik laughed.
Rasheed motioned for Malik to come sit with him.
"I've heard he has a wife and daughter." Rasheed said ending any talk of above.
Above, what normal people would see every day, trees, grass, buildings, other people, these were all things the Ishtar children had never seen. They didn't know what to expect from the above world. As tomb keepers they were born into an oath to stay under ground and make sure no one stole from the royal tombs of old. All of the children dreamed of going above, even Malik at his young age.
"How old do you think his daughter is?" Isis asked with intrigue.
A play mate her own age would be wonderful! And a 9 year old girl that was from above!
"I'm not sure, I think four or five." Rasheed informed.
"I hate girls." Malik informed.
"I'm a girl." Isis retorted.
"No you not!" the little boy replied jumping down from Rasheed's lap and continuing to play.
"Well, We'd best let you rest." Rasheed said taking Malik away from the toys.

June 18, 1982
Mrs. Henden Junsu Entari was a tall busty woman with short brown hair and muddy brown eyes. She wore a green dress that made her dark skin look even darker and at her side was a round little girl. Zeranah Entari. Zeranah was four, she had long brown hair worn in two braids and tied with purple ribbon. She carried a rag doll, that had eyes as green as she did, and wore a traditional brown tunic.
"Mr. Ishtar," Dr. Entari greeting setting down a suitcase, and his medical bad to shake the elder mans hand.
"Ah, you must Be Dr. Entari." Mr. Ishtar replied.
"Just call me Umar." Dr. Entari replied.
Umar Entari was a head taller than Mr. Ishtar and was a handsome young man with his dark brown hair cut short and his facial hair worn in a short go-tee and he had eyes the same glass green color of his daughter.
"Very well Umar." Smiled Mr. Isthar.
It was rare to se Mr. Ishtar, smile, Umar Entari seemed like a respectable young doctor and deserving of the rare and approving smile.
"Oh, how could I forget." Umar laughed taking his wife's hand. "This is my wife, Henden, and our daughter, Zeranah."
"Hello." Henden smiled.
Mrs. Ishtar was arriving with the children at this point. Mr. Ishtar turned to see her, and greeted her with a nod of the head.
"This is my wife, Mrs. Ishtar, and children, Malik and Isis." Mr. Ishtar informed.
"And our son, Rasheed." Mrs. Ishtar added.
Mr. Ishtar glared at his wife, but brushed off the comment for now.
"I'm sure your eager to see your rooms." Mrs. Ishtar said changing the subject from family.
"Yes, that would be nice." Umar replied.

June 20, 1982
Henden had finally finished unpacking. It seemed like it had taken for ever, but she was done. The walls in their rooms were all dull yellow brown, and the fact that they were stone made it impossible to hang pictures. Henden was used to living in a very western style home, with lots of wall space, carpets, electric lights in all of the rooms, and a bath all to her self. Things were very different down here.
"If you ever get the chance to live the way your ancestors did, take it!" Henden remembered her mother, Denzen, saying.
Denzen or Dr. Denzen was an archeologist and she often encouraged both her daughters to take up the profession that she and her husband shared. But Inta, the elder daughter, moved away to England as soon as she turned eighteen and Henden had always been sickly.
"Mommy." Zeranah called from another room.
"Yes darling?" Asked Henden standing from the empty box in-front of her.
"Mawik said I was stupwid!" the little girl rubbed the back of her hand across her face, smearing dirt and tears across her cheeks.
"I'm sure he didn't mean it." Henden laughed.
She led her small daughter down the hall to the bathroom they shared with her Isis and Mrs. Istar.
"He's not our son!" She heard Mr. Ishtar said in a distressed tone.
"He is!" Mrs. Ishtar retorted.
The elder woman's voice was sad and she seemed as if she was about to cry.
"Rasheed was given to us, to care for, he's old enough to care for himself, he's never been our son!"
"You treated him as so, before Isis and Malik were born!" Mrs. Ishtar shouted.
"Do you resent our own flesh and blood?" Shouted back the man.
Henden hurried down the long hall way. It wasn't her business the private life of the Ishtar's, even though she was living with them now, if they wanted to tell her, they would.
Henden began washing off her daughters dirty face, trying not to think of what she'd over heard.
"Mommy." Zeranah smiled.
"Yes dear?" Asked Henden.
"I wanna go pway with Rashee, he was sad!" The little girl informed.
"Okay, but don't get dirty again." Henden said sending her daughter to go play.

[Feena_bronze_rider]

June 27, 1982

"What happened?" Mr. Ishtar shouted.
The night was dark and the kerosene lamps in the hall hadn't yet been lit.
"It seems a snake has gotten in." This voice of a younger man.
Henden awoke to find her husband gone.
"Umar?" She called into the night.
Their was no answer.
"You weren't careful when you came!" Mr. Ishtar's voice again rang through the hall and into the open door.
"My deepest apologies." the younger man replied.
"It's no ones fault." Umar's voice was now joining the feud.
"Papa--" The voice of a young Child was there.
Henden threw back her blankets and leaped from the bed changing from her night clothes into the ones she'd had on that day.
"Zeranah!" She called now knowing Umar was in the hall.
Zeranah didn't answer. The child was a light sleeper and would wake up if one of her parents stirred in the next room, she wasn't just asleep, this meant the child wasn't there-- Had someone said something about a snake? was it poisonous? Had it found one of the children? Had it gotten to Zeranah.
"Zeranah!" Henden shouted now fumbling with the match to light the lamp beside her bed.
"It's all-right." Isis said from behind her.
"Isis, where is Zeranah?" Asked Henden worried.
"She left while you were a sleep, she followed out Dr. Umar and she's with Mother now." Isis explained.
Zeranah struck the match successfully this time and the lamp reviled Isis' tear stained face.
"Wha-whats wrong?" Henden stammered.
"A relative is visiting, some how, when they were at the door leading above a cob--"
"Who was bit?" Asked Henden knowing something along the lines of what she'd been thinking had happened.
"Malik." The little girl sobbed.
The woman pursed her lips together for a moment in thought.
"It will be okay." Henden said after a while.
"It will?"
"Yes."

Henden made her way to the room that Isis occupied, in one corner there was a book shelf in another their was the bed, night stand and dresser, and there were two doors on the left wall. One leading into the hall and the other to her parents room.
Zeranah was on the floor sitting holdind her rag doll tight against her chest and Mrs. Ishtar was in the next room praying.
Henden could hear the soft chanting float through the door. Something about Isis goddess of the thrown and Horus her child then something about Thoth the healer. Henden wondered how bad it was, Mrs. Ishtar had been a woman that relied on common sense before any type of religious help, but here she was calling on ancient gods.
Henden her self believe in God, and was a devout Christian, though Umar was an Atheist himself, she wondered if she should call on God for help now.
"Mommy, it's bleeding real bad! Daddy sucked out all the posin but Mawik is fevorwish!" Zeranah's nervous voice broke through the thoughts Henden was dwelling on.
"I see." Henden replied making her way to the room where Mrs. Ishtar was.
She waited until their was a pause in the chanting.
"Do you need something dear?" Asked Mrs. Ishtar.
"I came to see about Malik." Henden replied.
"He's doing fine now, the animal of Seth is dead." The elder woman smiled.
"I see." Henden sighed with relief.
"I was just making sure, nothing came of the wound." The Mrs. Ishtar held out her hand to Henden. "If you'd like you may pray with me."
Henden was taken back. How could she tell the woman that she didn't pray to those gods? She didn't want to drive a wedge between her self and the elder woman.
"If you wish to," The lady sighed. "You may see Malik."
"Thank you."
Mrs. Ishtar led Henden in through the wooden door. Malik had a cloth drenched in warm water on his head and was sweating badly.
"Dr. Umar said the anti biotic would help with the fever." Mrs. Ishtar informed.
"Yes. How did they kill that snake? Isis said it was a cobra." The younger woman looked over the sleeping boy.
"Rasheed killed it, he was the one who found Malik." Mrs. Ishtar looked up to see Zeranah standing in the door.
"Just in time, I'm sure." Henden replied.
"Little Zeranah stayed beside him the whole time." Mrs. Ishtar replied. "They've become quite a set of friends, even if they don't admit it."
"And she follows Rasheed as a mother hen and her chick." Henden smiled.
Work would be easy, Umar and Henden would have a great life here. Zeranah loved this place, and Umar seemed to be less worried about Henden, the life of these Tomb Keepers, would be good for all of them.

December 4, 1988
"We'll be back by night fall."
That's what they had said. Night fall. It was midnight. Midnight, and Umar and Henden hadn't returned.
"When do you think they'll be back?" Asked Malik sitting with Zeranah.
"soon." She sighed.
Zeranah had grown up to be all legs and arms. Her green eyes occupied most of her slender face and her hair was worn braided in one long braid down her back.
Malik on the other hand had become round and short, his dark purple eyes were large and sparkled when he spoke.
"Maybe they decided to get a hotel, they may have had late business." Malik informed.
"Maybe." Zeranah replied.
"Why didn't you go with them?"
"I don't know." Zeranah snapped.
Malik stood up and grabbed Zeranah by the arm.
"You shouldn't snap at people!" He said jerking her up.
"Stop your hurting me!" She shouted pulling free.
"Your a wimp!"
"Your violent!"
Malik crossed his arms and stared at her for a moment. "I'm sorry." He said after a long while.
"You should be." Zeranah said in her usual head strong voice.
"I said I'm sorry, your reply shouldn't be 'you should be.'!" Malik snapped.
"whose the one snapping now!" The little girl replied.
"Children!" Mrs. Ishtar came in silencing the feud. "What are you two doing up?"
"waiting for her parents." replied Malik.
"I see." Mrs. Ishtar took Malik and Zeranah by the hand. "It's a long ride back, their meetings may have been held late, come now, go to sleep, you'll see them when you wake."
Mrs. Ishtar tucked both children beneath the blankets in Malik's room.
"Sleep tight." The woman said turning down the kerosene lamp.
"Good night." malik whispered as he drifted off into sleep.
"I'm sorry." Zeranah replied as she also fell a sleep.

December 10, 1988
Death: When one ceases to exist. When the life of a mortal being ends. Death is a hard part of life for all of those who see it coming.
The news came when Zeranah and Malik had awaken the next morning. Denzen had been sitting at the table waiting for them. The news came.
"Zer- sweet heart." The woman had said holding back her tears. "There was an accident-- they didn't make it."
that was Zeranah had needed to know. Her parents were dead.
The funeral was long. And she sun was bright. The Ishtar's hadn't been able to come, so she'd had to suffer alone.
"Their will's will be read in three days." Inta, Henden's sister complained.
Zeranah never liked Inta, she was self absorbed. She'd moved to London, England before Zeranah was born, but came home with some line about getting married and needing money. Denzen had given her the money only for her daughter to come back three months later about money for a divorce.
"Where will Zeranay stay?" Asked Inta, she'd never been good with names.
"With the Ishtar's until we know where her parents would want her." The lawyer said.
He'd been made to come.
Denzen had a sad look on her face, but she said nothing.
That night Zeranah was brought back under ground.
"Bye." She whispered to her grand mother.
"Good bye darling."
Rasheed was waiting for her at the door. He said nothing as he led her down the long stair way.
"How was it?" Asked Malik at the bottom.
"They were so pale." Zeranah gasped trying to hold back tears.
"Who all was there?" Malik continued to probe.
"every one." Zeranah replied.
"Was it a traditional service?" Malik asked.
"Malik!" hissed Rasheed as Zeranah broke down.
The little boy looked shocked as his friend began to cry. He didn't mean to hurt her, but he wanted to know. Maybe he should ask later.

December 12, 1988
Screams filled the hallway. Isis and Mrs. Ishtar were praying in their rooms.
"I didn't think it would be--" Rasheed said looking through the cracked door.
Mr. Ishtar had began carving the story of the Pharaoh into Malik's back hours ago.
Zeranah looked at Rasheed the young man was shaking as he took a knife from his belt and held it over the candle in the room.
"Rasheed...." She began. "I'll do it too! Don't do this alone!"
"Fine..." Rasheed said.
Then the young man had began carving the same markings Malik was getting on his back on his face.
Blood ran down his face as he did so. Zeranah's eyes widened in horror.
Why had she asked for this. Rasheed set down the knife and whipped it off.
Zeranah ran to his side and began cleaning his face and wrapping the bandage around it.
"Do you still want this?" Rasheed asked.
"Yes... like Malik's." She choked back her tears.
She pulled her shirt up over her shoulders and knelt down. A few moments later she felt the sharp blade sink in.
Crying was all she could do to keep from screaming. An hour later it was over. Her back and face was cleaned and bandaged and she went to hide away in her rooms.

December 12, 1988
"All possesions will be placed in a trust fund and frozen until Zeranah and/or all children until Zeranah and/or all children are of the mutual age of adult hood." The Lawyer read aloud.
"So, Zeranah won't be able to get any thing until she is 18?" Asked Denzen.
"Or if she marries before then." The Lawyer agreed.
"Well, who gets the brat?" Asked Inta.
"Ms.Denzen or Umar's parents, but they've gone on as-well, so Ms.Denzen. If you want her?"
"Of course." Denzen said shaking her head back and forth.
Zeranah sat quietly. Listening to the reading, the talking sobs and sighs. Inta had given a shriek when she saw the red un-healed scars on Zeranah's face after they'd asked to see what was under the bandages.
"I wanted them." Zeranah had said.
"That is sadistic!" The woman had gasped.
When Denzen had asked how gave them to her, Zeranah only repeated I wanted them.
Mrs. Ishtar had guessed that one of the members of Zeranah's family would get to keep the girl and had packed all of her clothes and belongings up for when she returned.
"That concludes the meeting." The lawyer sighed. "Any questions?"
Both women nodded their heads no.
Denzen led her granddaughter out side and to the car.
"You ready to go get your things?" She asked.
"Yes ma'am." Zeranah replied.
"Let's go."
The ride was close to two hours long. Neither one of them said anything on the way there.
Mrs. Ishtar was waiting for them when they got there. Rasheed helped load the luggage. It'd been the first time in years sense he'd seen the out side.
"I'll miss you daughter." Mrs. Ishtar said kissing Zeranah on the fore-head.
"Good bye." Zeranah said hugging the elder woman tight.
Rasheed bent down and hugged her.
"I'll tell Malik and Isis you said good bye." He said then pat her on the head before standing and walking back inside.
Zeranah tried not to cry, but she felt like part of her was being ripped apart and thrown down the stairs behind Rasheed, these people had been her family for so long, and now she was having to be torn away from them.
"Would you and your family like to get something to eat in town with us?" Denzen asked Mrs. Isthar.
"I'm afraid we can't." Mrs. Ishtar replied. "Malik's bed ridden, and my husband doesn't like going into town that often."
"We'll, it's probably for the best. We've got a train to Alexandria to catch at ten." Denzen sighed as Zeranah climbed into the jeep.
"Oh, that's only three hours from now. You two had best hurry." Mrs. Isthar replied looking after the little girl.
"Good bye." Denzen waved climbing into the car.
"Fare well." Mrs. Ishtar waved after them.

August 7, 1989
Dear Malik,
This is my first letter to you, enclosed is a flower from Giza. I'm only an hour away by car. The flower is called a gerber daisy. It's from America, it was one Grams bought me from a gift shop.
We're on our way to an air port to pick up a archeologist named Dr. Hawkens. Grams said that he is probably going to want to head back to Giza on a dig, and maybe I'll get to come see you. Tell every one I said hello.
Lots of Love,
Zeranah.
Malik set down the letter and looked up at Rasheed who was behind him.
"Why did she write now?" He demanded.
"I'm not sure." Rasheed replied. "Maybe she's not so sad any more, and decided she wanted to keep contact."
"As I thought." He sighed twirling the flower between his fingers. "Well, I suppose I should write her back."
"I'll be leaving now." Rasheed informed walking towards the door.
"She said hello." Malik called after him.
After the door had been closed for a few moments Malik walked over to his desk and found a pen and blank piece of paper. He began to scratch out a few words but then crumpled up the paper and began again.
Hours later Malik brought the sealed letter to Mrs. Ishtar.
"Can you send this for me?" He asked.
"Of course, I've got a few things to send too." Mrs. Ishtar replied.
Isis was in the corned working on her lesson's and perked her ear up to listen.
"Is this for Zeranah?" Asked Mrs. Ishtar.
"Yes Ma'am." Malik said with a blush.
"Ah, you miss her don't you."
"She writes all the time and she sounds like she's having fun." Malik said motioning his hands in a circle as he spoke.
"Well, it's good to see you understand." Mrs. Ishtar pat her son of the head and sent him off to play.

August 14 1989,
Dear Zeranah,
I liked the flower. It adds color to my room. Rasheed has grown a head taller than papa, Don't tell him I admitted this, but I'm only about chest high to him. I hope you come to visit. I'll show you the river we found! Mama says it's just a water way to bring us fresh water and that Isis and I were the only ones who didn't know about it.
Sorry so short, not in hight in letter,
Malik
Zeranah smiled as she folded up the letter and placed it in her back pack.
"Grams!" She called down the hall of their small apartment.
"Yes?" The elder woman replied she was toting two small suitcases from her room.
"Can I go to the beach with Mrs. Hawkens?" Zeranah asked.
"If she invites you this time." Denzen smiled.
"Thanks!" The little girl said stuffing her bathing suit into her bag.
Summer, and Alexendria was the best costal place to live. There was plenty of beaches and lots of shops the food was four stars and Dr. and Mrs. Hawkens were coming up from their trip to Giza to work at the museum. Well, to tell the truth, Dr. Hawkens was going to the museum, Mrs. Hawkens was heading to the beach.
School would start back in a month, that was something Zeranah didn't want. The girls there would poke fun at the branded marks on her face and the teachers didn't like her that much either. But she passed most of her classes. Especially art. Art was the one thing Zeranah could do that none of the other girls could. Mostly because they we're flirting with the art teacher, Mr. Tsuki, He was a handsome man from China. Zeranah liked him a bit, but his skin was so pale, she thought it made him look almost death white. But then again, her skin was an off ash brown.
"Zer Sweety, I'll be back in a sec, Mrs. Hedar from down stairs needs help with something." Denzen said from the door way.
"Okay!" Zeranah said using this moment to write to Malik.
The Buzz to the door began shortly after Denzen had left.
"Coming!" Zeranah shouted climbing on the stool by the door to see who it was. "Dr. Hawkens! Mrs. Hawkens!"
The door was flung open and Zeranah was welcomed by the open arms of Mrs. Hawkens who'd handed her husband all of her baggage.
"Where is your grandmother?" Asked Dr. Hawkens setting down the bags inside the door.
"She went down stairs for a moment, she'll be back up soon." The little girl informed sliding her finished and marked letter in the mail box on the wall beside the door.
"Do you want to go to the beach with me Zer? I know it'll be awful sitting in that Museum all day with nothing to do, listening to the Dr. Give a boring lecture." Mrs. Hawkens asked pretending her husband was an old and boring man.
"Yes ma'am I'd love to go!" Zeranah replied smiling.
Denzen was up a few moments later.
"You all ready?" She asked.
"Ready and rolling." Dr. Hawkens said with a wink.

Zeranah had slathered lotion all over her dark skin and placed her large straw sun hat on her head before heading out to look for sea shells. Mrs. Hawkens laid out her towel and began to read on the beach. Hours and hours went by and Zeranah was beginning to get hungry.
"You hungry yet?" She said kneeling down in-front of Mrs. Hawkens.
"A little." Mrs. Hawkens replied.
"When did they say to meet them for lunch?" Asked Zeranah.
"At two, it's one fourty five now, we'd better start packing every thing up and get changed." Mrs. Hawkens said marking the place she'd been reading in her book and rolling up her towel.
When the two got into town they saw fire trucks and a ambulance rushing down the streets.
"What's going on?" Asked Zeranah sticking close to Mrs. Hawkens as a crowd starting gathering.
"I don't know." Mrs. Hawkens replied. "Excuse me." the woman tried to speak to some one.
"They don't speak english." Zeranah informed.
"Can you speak to them?" Asked Mrs. Hawkens.
"Yes ma'am." Zeranah turned to a tall man on her left. "Excuse me sir." She said in arabic.
"Yes?" The man turned to her.
"What's going on?"
"A ladies had a heart attack at the museum." The man replied.
"What?" Zeranah gasped.
"What is it?" Asked Mrs. Hawkens.
"A woman had a heart attack.... at the museum, I wonder if--" Zeranah didn't finish what she was saying but instead ran a head pushing through the crowd.
"Zeranah!" Shouted the middle aged woman.
The museum of natural history stood tall and proud in front of her. Police tape kept on lookers out of the way as a body bag was brought out.
"They couldn't save her." Sighed a woman holding rosary beads beside Zeranah.
Dr. Hawkens was standing silently by the door as the ambulance doors were shut.
"Zer.... an.... ah." Wheezed Mrs. Hawkens as she caught up to the girl.
Dr. Hawkens caught sight of them then and flagged them over.
"It was Denzen... She just fell over." Was all he could say.
Zeranah looked in horror at the ambulance driving away.
"Wait!" She shouted again running after it.
"Zeranah!" Mrs. Hawkens called after the girl, she had only just caught her breath.
A police man grabbed Zeranah by the arm.
"You can't go after that, you'll get hit by some one." He warned.
"Grams.... she's in there." Zeranah sobbed wildly.
Again, Death takes hold, the end of one life starting the journey of loved ones left behind on a new path.

August 20th, 1989
"The poor thing." One of the mourners said as she looked at Zeranah sobbing beside the casket.
"Yes, she lost both her parents and her grand mother with in one year." Another said.
Mrs. Hawkens had given Zeranah a bouquet of roses to put on the grave when it was covered. By the time that was done the bouquet was tattered from where the girl had held it so tight.
"Where would you like to go until the will is read?" Asked the lawyer to Zeranah.
"To the beach." The little girl sighed.
And that was the last time she had anything to say about her life.

[Feena_bronze_rider]

October 9, 1989
Dear Malik,
I hate life. I wish I was back with you and Rasheed and Isis. I wish that my parents were alive, and I wish that grams was too. I hate my aunt. she makes me sick, she's vain and mean, and only cares about herself. I hate school. The new school I'm going to is a private all girls school in Cairo. The redeeming part of it all, is that it takes exactly one day for my letters to get to you.
Tell every one I said hello,
Zeranah
Malik lay the letter in a stack of other letters he'd received from Zeranah. In the beginning they'd been cheery, She'd made the best of what life had given here, with in the first week of living with her aunt in Cairo, her letters became grimmer and grimmer.
"One day." Malik repeated looking at the dried out flower she'd sent him in her first letter.
"Hey Malik, I'm done with my lessons, you want to go look around the back caverns?" Asked Isis from the door way. "I can get Rasheed to find a boat and take us through the nile water way."
"How would you like to go above?" Asked Malik.
"Did papa say we could?" Isis' eyes grew wide with excitement.
"No, but, one day I'll be head of this clan, and then I can tell us where we can go and can't, and so I'm taking part of that authority now, and I'm telling you that we can go above." Malik informed.
"That logic doesn't sound fool proof." Isis replied crossing her arms.
"I'll cover for you." Rasheed said from behind Isis.
"Oh!" The girl gasped walking inside Malik's room.
Malik looked up at Rasheed and then to Isis. "What do you say Isis?" He asked.
The girl waited a long moment then closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief.
"Okay, lets go."

Malik flung the door open and sun shone down bright on his face.
"It's so bright." He said shielding his eyes.
"It's about a thirty minuet walk according to Rasheed." Isis said following Malik out side.
"That's only to down town, the historical district." Malik informed.
"Yes, but I do agree with Rasheed, we should probably not go that far yet." Isis said shutting the door.
"You may be right." Malik agreed.
The two wandered up and down the streets. Several people we're dressed in the western style but most of them were dressed tradition like Malik and Isis.
"Look at these!" Isis said pointing to a pair of glittering gold earrings.
"Are your ears even pierced?" Asked Malik.
"Yes, they are." Isis retorted. "But we didn't bring any money with us."
"Be content just to look for now." Malik smiled.
Isis slowly crept from booth to booth asking how much this and that would be, and how long the vendor would stay. Some times she would even flirt with the a younger vendor or a vendor's son.
Malik on the other hand ran to the booths that sold daggers for show and those that sold trinkets and so on. He never asked about anything but gawked from afar. As he was walking about he came across a magazine.
The cover of it was blue with red letters reading best 2, he opened it up and began to look through, there were advertisements for cigars and sports cars, but what struck Malik the most was a motor bike.
"What are you looking at?" Asked a man from behind.
Shocked Malik turned and showed the man the photograph.
"Yes, those are nice." The man said patting Malik on the head.
"I've never seen one before." Malik admitted.
"Ah, if you like it so much, perhaps when your older, you can buy one." The man said before leaving.
"Malik, we shouldn't be gone so long, we should head back now." Isis informed.
Malik shook his head in agreement and followed his sister back.

"How could you let them leave like that!?" Shouted Mr. Ishtar.
"My deepest apologies pa- Mr. Ishtar." Rasheed said bowing his head in submission.
"Your apology is no god! My children are gone!" Mr. Ishtar again shouted now raising a whip and beginning to punish Rasheed.
"What's going on?" Asked Isis in horror.
Mr. Ishtar didn't even notice his children behind him, he continued beating Rasheed over and over again.
"Stop!" Shouted Malik but his father couldn't hear for Rasheed's cry's in pain.
Suddenly to the Ishtar children's horror Rasheed stopped moving. His body gave out and his head came violently crashing to the stone floor.
"Rasheed." Isis whispered.
Malik felt something burn with in him. Anger and rage, it hurt his very being to watch his father vain and proud of his blood line. Then it occurred to Malik, he didn't want to be a tomb keeper. He wanted to be free, to live above.
{You can be free!} Said a voice inside him.
"what?" Malik whispered horrified as Raseed stopped moving.
{That man has kept you down here so long, take the staff and let me help you.January 6, 1993
A thirteen year old Malik stood looking into his mothers room. She was fine from the time they'd lost their father, Only because Rasheed had lied and told her he died protecting them. She never asked from what, but Malik figured Rasheed would come up with another clever lie about a Jackal sneaking in, or some other creature that could have resulted in Malik and Isis sneaking out and letting in. It'd been two long years and still nothing had been the same. Malik had pierced his own ears and adorned his fathers earrings as a peace offering with his deceased father.
"Mother, may Rasheed and I go above?" He asked looking at his fragile mother.
"Not today, Malik, I need you here." The elder woman replied.
"Yes ma'am." Malik said turning and walking away.
Malik had grown tall, his hair long and his voice deep. Sometimes as he spoke his voice would crack and revert to his younger self, but other than that he'd a deep rich tenor. Still on the other hand, Rasheed would always be taller with a deeper richer Baritone voice.
"Can't go out?" Asked Isis, carrying a basket of freshly washed clothes into her mothers room so the two of them could fold and talk.
"No, We can not." Malik replied with out stopping to chat.
He walked into his room, and took the freshest letter from a growing stack of letters.
Malik Was how it started, formality had seemed to disappear from his friends letter. How are you? The happiest part of the letter. The rest went on about how a rich man had come and left them with nothing, and she was out looking for a job, she wished to die, Zeranah.
"With love, see you when I can, tell everyone I said hello. Nothing any more." He sighed.
She was an empty husk, and she only wrote to Malik because he never complained to hear read her words. It was hard to read anything the girl wrote knowing he couldn't go above and save her from her pain. He asked daily to go above, but every day Mrs. Ishtar would say no, and sneaking up was a definite no.
Malik sat down the letter and then picked up the stack from his desk.
"No more." He said looking for a box. "I won't hurt my self by reading this any more."
After finding a small square box he placed the letters in it and closed it. He decided on reading new letters and then sealing them away.
"One day..." He whispered sliding the box under the bed. "One day I'll go above and I'll take you away from her." } The voice replied.
Malik noticed a glimmer out of the corner of his eye, that was it, the Millennial septor. With out a thought he reached out and ran to the table where a the Tauk and the Septor lay. He rose the staff from the pillow's that protected it on the table and suddenly he lost consciousness.

Isis stood horrified at the actions of her brother. He spoke with such fearlessness as he insulted their father, and talked down to Rasheed.
"Stop it Malik!" She said reaching and grabbing the boy by the shoulder.
"Foolish woman." Malik laughed. "I am not Malik, I am Mariku."
He lifted the septor and a golden light pinned Isis and her father to the wall. With a quick jab in the stomach Malik-- no Mariku killed their father and began flaying the brand on his back.
"Stop it!" Rasheed said no able to stand on his knees.
Blood ran down the corner of his mouth from the impact of his jaw hitting the floor and his clothes barely hung on from the whip to his back.
"You!" Mariku said in disgust. "Your the one who has kept me inside this child's body!"
Rasheed stood up. "Your nothing, nothing but anger!" His face was fearless against this devil inside of Malik. "Go back from him! Leave!"
With Rasheed's shout all trace of Mariku faded from Malik.
"What.... did I do?" Asked the boy looking from Rasheed to his father.
Isis was now free. "It wasn't you...." Was all she could whisper.
"Papa?" He saw his father on the floor bleeding. "Papa!"
His shriek pierced through the halls bringing Mrs. Ishtar to the door.
"No..." She cried as looked at her husband. "What happened?"
"We don't know." Rasheed lied taking Isis by the arm.
It was then that Malik began to fear that he had killed his father.

November 11, 1989
Zeranah awoke early, she couldn't tell if the sun hadn't yet risen or if it was just cloudy. She threw her night gown off and pulled her button up shirt on over her boney shoulders. After tucking it in to her knee length pleated skirt she adorned her blazer and braided her hair.
The morning air hadn't yet become hot but it was humid as she walked through the streets to her school.
Men we're pitching their tents to sell for that day. Several stopped and spoke to one another.
"Ah, there's the little girl." Said an older woman standing over a pot of stew.
"Hello." Zeranah replied.
"You eaten?" Asked the woman.
"Not yet."
"Here, take this." the elder woman pressed a fruit in her hand.
"Thank you." Zeranah said forcing a smile.
She continued her walk on silently.
"Is that Zeranah?" Asked a girl from behind.
"I think it is." Said another.
"How are you miss Pharaoh." One of the girls said walking so close behind Zeranah she was kicking her shoes.
"Please leave." Zeranah replied.
"We can't, we go to the same school as you do." The first girl laughed.
Zeranah walked on as the girls followed her their insults only growing worse as they got closer to school grounds.
"See you in class." The last girl said with a final hard kick to Zeranah's heel.
Zeranah sat down on a bench infront of the school and began to wait for the bell to ring. She dug the fruit from earlier out of her bag and began to eat it. It was nice to have something good to eat. Her aunt Inta was burning the money her last boyfriend had given her fast, and was trying her hardest to spend all that was left on her self. Every night she would go out and not come back until dawn. Zeranah didn't mind this at all, it meant she didn't have to see her. Inta was a self absorbed woman with long black hair and seductive hazel eyes. She made her living by dating wealthy men then leaving them when they wanted to marry her.
"They're all boring, and I don't really even care for them." Inta had told Zeranah one night. "They're rich, and they adore me, that's all that matters."
Even at eleven years old Zeranah knew there was something wrong with that logic.
Brnnng. The bell rang snapping Zeranah back into the real world.
The day went on and subjects all ran together, until art class. This art teacher wasn't as interesting as Mr. Tsuki, and was not even close to being pleasing to look at, but he allowed them to draw and paint based on the subject of his choice for the hour of the class.
"Today we do charcoal on the way we see our selves." The teacher said. "It can be as dramatized as you wish or as little as a self portrait."
Most of the girls giggled as they drew away pointing out flaws of their neighbors work. Zeranah kept quiet as she drew. It seemed like lately she was always quiet. Quiet seemed the best way to stay out of trouble. If she asked for something Inta would give her a smack to the face and tell her she was a greedy little brat, if she instructed, one of the people she was instructing would get mad and leave, even telling stories seemed to get her in trouble.
"No one lives under ground!" One of the girls would say.
Or Inta would tell her to be quiet, she'd a head ache, or that dwelling on the past was a bad omen to the future.
The hour went by quickly and every one was told to bring up their drawings. Most of the pictures were done as a self portrait, Others were elaborate showing the girl and her friends walking or doing some other daily task.
The bell rang for the end of the day and every one began filing out of the class.
"Hey Zeranah!" A girl called from inside the math class.
"Yes?" Zeranah stopped.
"Some one said something about you having tattoos on your back, is that true?" the girl asked.
"Yes." Zeranah replied standing in the door way.
"That's weird, how'd you get them?"
"I asked from them." Zeranah sighed.
"I don't believe you, let me see them."
"No." Zeranah replied.
"Come on, what do they say? What are they of?" The girl laughed.
"A pharaoh." Zeranah informed.
"You are a freak!" The girl laughed harder.
Talking. Again talking had hurt her, now even answering was bad.
"Silence is golden." Her mother had told her.
Her mother had been the perfect picture of a woman, brave and strong, yet she was timid and caring, and quiet.
"Well, can I see them?" The girl asked.
Zeranah turned and walked away saying nothing. First walking and then running faster and faster, Until she reached the apartment complex where she and Inta lived.
"Zeranah?" Tara, an english woman from next door called.
Tara Jones was a meek woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. She had three small children she and her husband Udani Jones a short indian man moved next to Inta shortly after Zeranah had come. Tara ended up taking care of Zeranah while Inta was out.
"Mrs. Jones...." Zeranah replied.

[Feena_bronze_rider]

January 6, 1993
A thirteen year old Malik stood looking into his mothers room. She was fine from the time they'd lost their father, Only because Rasheed had lied and told her he died protecting them. She never asked from what, but Malik figured Rasheed would come up with another clever lie about a Jackal sneaking in, or some other creature that could have resulted in Malik and Isis sneaking out and letting in. It'd been two long years and still nothing had been the same. Malik had pierced his own ears and adorned his fathers earrings as a peace offering with his deceased father.
"Mother, may Rasheed and I go above?" He asked looking at his fragile mother.
"Not today, Malik, I need you here." The elder woman replied.
"Yes ma'am." Malik said turning and walking away.
Malik had grown tall, his hair long and his voice deep. Sometimes as he spoke his voice would crack and revert to his younger self, but other than that he'd a deep rich tenor. Still on the other hand, Rasheed would always be taller with a deeper richer Baritone voice.
"Can't go out?" Asked Isis, carrying a basket of freshly washed clothes into her mothers room so the two of them could fold and talk.
"No, We can not." Malik replied with out stopping to chat.
He walked into his room, and took the freshest letter from a growing stack of letters.
Malik Was how it started, formality had seemed to disappear from his friends letter. How are you? The happiest part of the letter. The rest went on about how a rich man had come and left them with nothing, and she was out looking for a job, I wish to die, Zeranah.
"With love, see you when I can, tell everyone I said hello. Nothing any more." He sighed.
She was an empty husk, and she only wrote to Malik because he never complained to hear read her words. It was hard to read anything the girl wrote knowing he couldn't go above and save her from her pain. He asked daily to go above, but every day Mrs. Ishtar would say no, and sneaking up was a definite no.
Malik sat down the letter and then picked up the stack from his desk.
"No more." He said looking for a box. "I won't hurt my self by reading this any more."
After finding a small square box he placed the letters in it and closed it. He decided on reading new letters and then sealing them away.
"One day..." He whispered sliding the box under the bed. "One day I'll go above and I'll take you away from her."

January 30, 1993
Zeranah stood at the covered tent watching the rain fall down. No one had come all day and the stew cooking had grown cold.
"Stoke the fire girl, don't let it die!" The elder woman said brining in some dry fire wood.
"Yes ma'am." She replied placing a few sticks in and blowing hard on the small flame.
The elder woman's husband was sleeping in a corner, he'd not needed to work all day and the two women could keep the fire going. The rain made the entire city seem grey. The streets had turned to mud so no one hat needed to use an animal had come out, and children were in school so they didn't come around to talk and eat.
Zeranah sat looking into the warm fire for a moment, she remembered the kerosene lamps where the Ishtars lived. Her earliest memories were of her mother and father walking down the hall lit by those lamps, the last time she saw her parents they were walking away from her by the light of those lamps.
"I'll be okay, we'll be back by sun down." Umar had said patting his daughter on the head.
"Let me go with you!" Zeranah remembered that moment clearly.
"No Zeranah, it's just some meetings, I'm only going to keep your father awake on the drive home." Henden smiled at her daughter. "We love you, but you can't go this time."
"I know." That had been the last thing she said to her parents.
Zeranah looked into the fire once more before closing the cast iron door that kept the sparks in.
"I know." She repeated.
Why? The girl thought. Why not I love you? Why not good bye? If I could go back I would stop them--
Zeranah began to choke back the tears.
"How are you today?" An elder man stepped in the tent.
"Good sir, and you?" The shop keepers woman replied with a smile.
"Fine, but it's coming down so hard, and the mud will swallow up anything that comes near it." The old man laughed.
"True."
Zeranah stood up now able to regain her composure.
"What can we get you today?" Asked the shop keeper now awake.
"Some of whatever smells so good." The man said fishing a purse from around his neck out of his wet collar.
"That would be the stew." The shop keepers wife replied.
"How much?"
"Seventeen eighty four." The shop keeper said.
"Good price, you must be flooded on sunny days." The elder man smiled handing over the pounds.
"We'll be flooded soon if the rain doesn't stop." The elder woman laughed.
Zeranah spooned the stew into a bowl and set it in front of the man.
In a brief moment she made eye contact. The man had piercing blue eyes that shone brightly from his dark skin. He was younger looking than he sounded he had a salt and pepper hair and a neatly trimmed go-tee. This was probably how her father would have looked now, just with green eyes and brown hair.
"Pretty girl, your daughter?" Asked the man to the shop keeper.
"She just works here, but she brings in a lot of the younger male customers." Laughed the Shop keeper.
The rain was pouring down harder as the man ate his eyes on Zeranah, her eyes on the floor.

April 12, 1993
The early winter flooding of the nile had left the earth soft with black mud. Young boys set about scooping up jars full of it to raise frogs in honor of Heqet the goddess of ancient times that helped women give birth and the dead be reborn.
Malik stood on the edge of town Rasheed beside him.
"I'm hungry." Malik groaned.
"We'll eat after we've gotten the supplies." Rasheed returned equally as hungry as his brother.
"We've only got five hundred eighty eight pounds, so we've got to eat cheap... and that is awful." Malik complained.
"It wont be that bad." Rasheed replied.
"Hope not." Malik replied as they began to walk towards the nearest stand selling fresh fruits and vegetables.
The men and women began flaunting their fresh harvested items as soon as the two young men would walk near their stands, each boasting about how much love and care they poured into their plants. Red tomatoes caught Malik's eye, then large cucumbers and tangerines, oranges and all other types of fruits.
Rasheed carried a box of the items they had purchased before heading to a stall to look for food for their lunch.
"Some one told me of a place that servers stews and pastas." He informed.
"Sounds good to me." Malik said carrying a box of his own.
"How are you two gentlemen today." Said an elder woman as they entered the tent.
"Very well thank you." Rasheed replied taking a seat at a wooden table.
"What can I get you?" Asked the elder man walking out from behind a thick curtain that separated the kitchen from the dinning area.
"Give us the best you've got for under One hundred and eleven seventy two." Rasheed said.
"That's two of the the cucumber salads and two waters?" The man smiled.
"Sounds good, and if it's not too much extra some of that pasta!" Malik informed.
Rasheed shook his head in agreement.
While the two waited another older man came and sat down at an empty table near theirs. The lunch rush had just started and tables had not quite filled up yet.
A young girl no older than Malik appeared from the back with a tray in front of her. She walked to their table and placed the bowls of Pasta in-front of the two first, then the glasses and the plates with the salad.
"That will be seventy three pounds." She said her eyes on the ground.
"Here you are." Rasheed informed slipping in a twenty nine pound tip for her.
"Thank you sir." She looked up for a moment. "Ra-rasheed?"
He looked up at her now. She looked familiar, her face was strangely similar to- then he noticed the two brand marks on her face it had to be her!
"Zeranah?" He replied Malik now eyed her all over.
"Zeranah!" Malik repeated.
The girl looked as if she would cry.
"How have you been?" She asked.
"Quite well!" Rashid said standing and embracing the girl.
"It's been too long!" She laughed returning his embrace. "You've gotten so tall!"
"So have you." Rashid said letting the girl free.
"You haven't written in a while, what's been going on?" Asked Malik.
"Nothing much, I've just been so busy here!" She motioned to the back. "I'm cooking!" She laughed.
"Zeranah! We've costumers!" The shop keeper called from behind the curtain of the kitchen.
"How long are you here for? I can talk after work." Zeranah informed.
"As long as we need to be." Malik replied.
"Can we meet somewhere at sundown?" She asked.
"That sound great." Rrashid said with a shake of his head.
After refilling her tray with the empty goods from another table Zeranah made her way back to the kitchen.
"Who was that?" Asked the Shop keepers wife.
"Some old friends." Zeranah replied spooning out some stew for another costumer.
"You had friends?" The elder woman asked looking at the girl in disbelief.
"Yes, I did, as hard as it is to believe. I did." Zeranah said taking the stew out to the man at the table.

(oos: Found out I was speeling Odion's name wrong! It's Rashid, not Rasheed!)
Malik and Rashid waited for Zeranah in the red glow of the evening sun.
"She's grown up." Rashid said breaking the silence that had been sitting in.
"Yeah, she has." Malik replied.
"Pretty too."
"You didn't expect that?" Malik said with a raised eye brow.
"No I did, but I didn't think she'd look so gloomy, and still pretty." Rashid said stifling a laugh.
"What's that for?" Malik asked turning to his brother.
"I was just thinking of how stupid you looked smiling at her." Rashid now allowed him self to laugh fully.
"I did not!" Malik said blushing.
"Oh, yes, you did."
"No I--"
"Hey!" Zeranah waved from down the street.
She picked up her long tunic dress as she ran towards them as to keep the mud off of it.
"Hello." Malik called back to her feeling the corners of his mouth turn up.
"I'm sorry I made you all wait so long, Mr. Amir came in and we were talking." She with a final stride towards them.
As her foot hit the ground Zeranah's ankle twisted sending her falling forward on Malik. The soft mud caught Malik with Zeranah on top of him the both of them messy and wet.
"Are you okay?" Asked Rasid laughing as he helped them up.
"Yes I'm fine." Zeranah said laughing herself.
"I hope your tunic will wash out." Malik said looking at the black spots on her light blue dress.
"Mine!" She laughed even harder. "Look at you."
Malik's cream white tunic and kilt were both covered in the black mud from the nile streams.
"This is rich." Rashid said laughing harder now.
"Your not covered in dirt!" Malik said picking up a handful of mud and slinging it at his brother.
The clump hit him square in the chest and ran down his tunic as he stopped laughed.
"That was childish Malik!" Rashid said taking his own handful of the mud and dropping it on Malik's blonde head.
Zeranah stood laughing as the two of them bickered back and forth throwing the black mud at one another, some times dodging and some times taking a hit right in the face. It'd been years sense Zeranah had anything to smile about, or even smiled at all. Her gut and sides began to ache from laughing so hard but she still couldn't stop.
"Stop please." She finally managed to say as she doubled over and held her sides tight.
"Are you alright?" Asked Malik trying to brush his hands off and help her.
"Yes, I'm fine, but I can't breathe from laughing so hard!" She smiled.
"The sun's already gone down." Rashid noticed scraping his hands clean with a stick.
"Would you like us to walk you home?" Asked Malik looking up at Zeranah.
"No, I'll be fine." She smiled helping him up.
"Are you sure?" Rashid asked.
"Yes I go home alone all the time." Zeranah replied. "How are you getting back? Or do you live above now?"
"We rented a car. We'll be going back to Mother and Isis." Rashid informed.
"Oh, okay. Come back and visit sometime." Zeranah smiled at the both of them.
They both looked so different, but then so did she. Malik had grown tall and his hair long, Rashid was probably near one hundred and eighty eight centimeters and his long back lock of hair was now hanging in a pony-tail off his shoulders and down his back. Zeranah was much softer than when she was young, her hips had rounded out her hair was worn in one long braid down to her waist.
"I guess this is good bye. For now." Rashid said embracing Zeranah one last time. "Malik, wait here while I go get the car."
"Will do." Malik said watching his brother fade in the darkness away from him.
"I'll remember to write this time." Zeranah smiled looking down at her feet.
"Please do, I've a box full of letters that isn't filled up yet." Malik teased.
"I'm sorry for pushing all my troubles on you as-well." She said letting her smile fade.
"It's okay, I just liked hearing from you." He reached out and grabbed her hand. "Make me a promise okay!"
"A promise? About what?" Zeranah asked blushing.
"That if things ever get to tough, you'll tell me, and I'll come get you!" Malik replied.
"Yes, I will, If it get to tough, I will call for you!" Zeranah said taking Malik's other hand and squeezing it tight.
Suddenly Malik felt himself being pulled towards Zeranah, everything around them suddenly seemed to melt away and he embraced her and locked her in a warm tight kiss.
A toot of a car horn signaled that Rashid was ready to go, with a smile Malik let go of Zeranah and walked to the car climbed in and it drove away.
Zeranah stood for near an hour staring into the darkness after the car before she herself turned and went home.

[Feena_bronze_rider]

Part 2:
Characters in young teen life:
Mr. Habib Amin
Mrs. Zeranah Entari Amin
Malik Ishtar
Rashid Ishtar
Isis Ishtar
Mrs. Ishtar
Bobosa Ishtar
Mariku Ishtaru (Yami No mariku) (Yami Marik)

June 5, 1994
Dear Malik,
It's been weeks sense you've returned a letter of mine, and I've written every day. I miss you, and I wish to see you.
Love,
Zeranah.
Malik threw the letter in the box with the others and kicked it under the bed.
"Why?" He said laying his head down on the desk. "Why? Why? Why!?"
Zeranah had been his best friend, and border lined as his love, in fact he knew he had fallen in lover with her. He'd kissed her several times even! But she stopped writing for one week, and then she popped out of no where saying she was getting married.
Malik's soul ached with anger. He hurt so much that his own physical body ached when he read her letters.
"Why!?" He shouted one last time slamming his fist on the desk.
Your violent! Zeranah's voice echoed in his head.
"Because you made me this way!" He whispered lifting his head and looking up.
Hundreds of pounds of dirt, sand, rock and water stood between them. The underground home he lived in stretched under Cairo, probably under where she now stood, but he felt so far from her. And knowing she was probably marrying some young man who would keep her locked up on some farm raising children and feeding animals made him feel even farther. Hope drained out of his body as he sat at his desk. He reached out for a piece of paper and then for a pen.
An hour went by with him scratching out a letter, his words messy and the paper wrinkled by the time he was finished. He sealed the letter and readied it for postage.
"Malik, I'm going above in three days, do you want to come?" Asked Rashid from the door way. "We'll go see Zeranah, and maybe meet that fiancé of hers."
"Sure.... I'll go." malik replied.

(oos: I spelt Amir's name Amin... It should be Amir! Sorry!)
June 9, 1994
Zeranah,
I guess this is good bye. Maybe your husband will let you write. Maybe not. I've just a few questions to ask.
Why did you decide to get married?
Why didn't you wait for me?
Who is he?
Whats he like?
Write back if you can,
Malik
Zeranah held the letter close with a smile on her face.
"He wrote back." She whispered.
"What the heck are you taking about?" Asked Inta reaching for the letter.
"My letter, what are you doing here?" Zeranah snapped.
"Don't be so rude, gee, I took care of you for five years and you snap at me." Inta snatched the letter away.
"You never took care of me, you just sat around while I made money for you!" Zeranah said snatching back the letter.
Inta rolled her eyes at the girl. "You were living under my roof."
Zeranah said nothing as she slipped on her shoes and grabbed her bag. Slamming the door behind her she ran down the stairs and out the doors of the apartment taking to the streets of Cairo. The people that stood in the streets mostly all wore suits and ties, some women wore Western style dresses, trousers or shorts paired with a shirt of that type. Zeranah looked more like one of the elder people of Cairo's city area. Old men sat out on the steps of the neighboring buildings talking about the weather and if it would rain. Some men wanted to know about electronics and the nile flood, apparently they didn't know that had passed already.
"Young lady." Asked one man reaching out and grabbing Zeranah by the arm.
"Yes sir." She said lowering her head in respect.
"I was wondering, how much did your family pay for television." He asked.
"We don't have one." She replied.
"Really? Oh well." He laughed letting go of her arm.
With a faint smile Zeranah ran passed them and down a few streets. The pavement had stopped seven or so blocks ago and now she was on the dirt roads of old Cairo.
"Zeranah your late!" Called the Shopkeepers wife waving an arm at the girl.
"Sorry, I was waiting for the mail." Zeranah said as she reached the tent.
"Well, Mr. Amir's been waiting all morning to see you." The shopkeepers wife informed.
"Oh, I didn't know." the young woman sighed.
Amir was sitting on the bench he'd been sitting on more than a year ago when they first met. His grey streaked black hair pulled back into a short pony tail and he was the normal dress of a blue grey traditional tunic robe.
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting Mr. Amir." Zeranah smiled as she walked up behind the man.
"It's quite all-right, but Zeranah dearest, how many times must I tell you, to call me Habib." Mr. Amin replied turning around to see her.
Habib Amin was a tall wealthy, elderly gentleman in his mid fifties, from what he'd told Zeranah his wife had died thirty years ago when he was relatively young. He'd no children but took care of his brothers son from time to time. Shortly after he met Zeranah, Mr. Amin had made more regular visits to Cairo from his home in Alexandria. He spoke with Zeranah about going to see motion pictures and visiting other countries, telling her stories of his travels on work and play. Zeranah loved to hear his stories and would listen for hours after she'd finished working.
"It's rare you come in the day, are you here on business?" She asked.
"Yes, in new Cairo to tell the truth. A partner of mine just set up office here and needed some records." Habib replied.
"Mr. Amir, I'm afraid Zeranah's work to do." The shop keeper said walking out from behind the curtain.
"Today is slower, you know that better than I do. How about I pay her days work to you, so as you don't lose any money, and you give her the day off?" Habib said reaching for the purse he carried around his neck. "How much do you pay her?"
"Thirty five pounds." The shop keeper replied.
"How long does she work?"
"Twelve hours?" The shop keeper looked at Zeranah harshly. "Eight today, she was late."
"That's Fifty three, eighty eight." Habib said sliding the coins and bills towards the man across the counter.
"Go, Zeranah, your free for the day." The shop keeper said with a smile.
Zeranah followed out Habib into the slowly crowding streets. She didn't know what to do with her self. She worked five days out of every week, and when she wasn't working she paid to go to an art school on the weekends, a day off was something she'd not gotten for years.
"Where to?" Asked Habib. "The day is yours."
"Mine, but you paid to spend the day with me." Zeranah replied shocked.
She wasn't sure why he did it, he said he'd business and it was early in the day, was he finished in Cairo all-ready?
"Of course I did, that sorry old geezer wouldn't let a hard worker like you go with out being paid back for it." The man laughed placing his hand on Zeranah's shoulder.
"Well, I've needed a new Tunic." She thought aloud looking down at blue dress stained with the black mud splotches.
"Yes I can see that." Habib teased.

June 9 (same day), 1994
Malik was tired from carrying round the box he'd been holding. It'd been hours sense he and Rashid had arrived. The dusty streets were hot in the summer sun and his tunic was sticking to his back.
"This isn't at all bearable." Malik sighed leaning against a wall as Rashid haggled for some cloth that Isis had asked for.
"No less than eighty eight, twenty!" The merchant said with a stern sound in his voice.
"Then I'll pay you One hundred and seventeen, sixty and you'll give me that veil for free." Rashid pointed to a thin veil on the table.
"Yes, sold!" The man replied reaching out to shake Rashid's hand and accept the money. "Your wife will be happy a woman!"
"Sure she will." Rashid said taking the cloth and veil then placing it in one of the boxes he'd had filled with vegetables.
"Isis would have a fit if she heard that." Malik laughed.
"I'm sure she would." Rashid said lifting the box onto his shoulder.
Malik and Rashid were about to leave the stand when they heard a familiar voice.
"I like the red one." The woman behind them said.
Malik turned first to see Zeranah standing with and older man beside her. His heart raced as he felt himself trying to stutter her name.
"Zeranah!" Rashid smiled.
"Rashid, Malik!" She returned his smile. "Mr. Am-I mean Habib, this is Rashid and Malik."
"I've heard so much about you." Habib informed extending his hand to Rashid.
"I hope only the good." Rashid said shaking the man's hand with a wink at Zeranah.
"She talks as if there isn't any wrong with you both." Habib chuckled.
"Hello." Malik said trying not to sound foolish.
"Hello, Malik." Zeranah said finding her self unable to smile at him. "Oh, I'm so rude, this is Habib Amir, my fiancé."
"This is him?" Rashid smiled.
"He's so much older than you." Malik said before he could stop himself.
"Malik!" Rashid hissed. "I'm sorry sir, he meant nothing by it."
"I't all-right, I am quite old aren't I." Habib smiled.
Zeranah stood staring at Malik for a moment before she noticed she'd taken hold of Habib's arm protectively.
"Excuse us for a moment." She said letting go of Habib's arm and grabbing Malik.
Zeranah led the young man down a dusty alley way and looked around the corner to see if Rashid or Habib had followed them.
"What on earth did you think you were saying!" She hissed at him.
"I don't know!" Malik replied rolling his eyes. "He didn't seem offended by it."
"What about me! I was!" Zeranah informed.
"I'm sorry." Malik said cocking his head to one side.
"Sorry!" Zeranah repeated throwing her hands up in the air. "Sorry! Is that all you have to say?"
"You don't think I was offended by you getting married to him!" malik asked.
"Why should you be?" Zeranah replied.
"Why? When I kissed you did it mean nothing to you?" He was begging to get angry.
Zeranah stopped, she didn't want to think about his affection, or her affection towards him. It was too hard that way, loving some one that much only meant that she'd get hurt.
"Why are you marring him any way, he'll only die in a few year. And leave you just like every one else." Malik sighed.
"Don't say that!" Zeranah said drawing back and slapping Malik.
Shocked Malik stepped back, the left side of his tanned face was red from where she hit him. Looking back at her a few moments later he saw she was crying. He made her cry, he hadn't meant too. For the second time in his life he'd cut her deep.
"I'm sorry." He said reaching out to hold her.
"don't." She sobbed and he pulled her close into a warm embrace.
"Listen Zeranah, please don't do this, don't marry him. I'll do anything, I'll marry you if you want." Malik informed hugging her tighter and tighter until he felt like she was safe from the world around them.
"No, I'm going to marry Habib... I said I was, so I am." She pulled away from him.
"Is every thing all-right?" Asked Rashid as he walked around the corner.
"Yes, we're fine." Zeranah replied trying to look as if she was fine.
"Okay, you were just taking so long." Rashid said motioning for Malik. "I wish we could have stayed longer, but we've supplies to get."
Malik nodded in agreement.
"Bye!" He said to the two of them as he and Rashid walked away into the crowds.
"Bye." Zeranah replied waving until she couldn't see them any more.
"You okay?" Asked Habib.
"I'm fine." She replied. "But please don't leave me."
"I won't." Habib smiled.
September 31, 1994
Rashid was dressed in a black western style suit as he prepared to go above and see Zeranah.
"You sure you don't want to come?" He asked straitening his tie for the one hundredth time.
"Just tell her I said good luck." Malik sighed waving his hand his brother.
"I'm ready!" Isis said twirling in, her dress was more traditional in the style of Ancient Egypt than normal middle eastern wear. She wore a veil in respect for the bride and a white dress with lots of gold ornaments.
"You look nice." Malik replied as his sister pranced in.
"You'd look nice too if you were going." She pretended to pout.
"Sorry, Don't want to." Malik smiled at her.
Rashid motioned for Malik and Isis to leave his room with him so as he could shut the door and turn out the lamp that burned away such precious kerosene.
"Well, we'll see you later." Isis said tussling Malik's hair.
"Take good care of mother." Rashid said walking up the stairs.

Isis and Rashid entered the rented car and drove slowly across the sands.
"You think he's mad?" Asked Isis fiddling with her bracelets.
"I do." Rashid replied. "Do you blame him? He seemed real open about his feelings."
"I guess I can't judge, but I just want Zeranah to be happy. Tt seems like if something bad could've happened, It happened to her." Isis sighed.
"Don't worry about either of them." Rashid informed.
"You talk as if their getting married instead of just her." Isis laughed.
"Maybe in thirty years, supposing Malik waits that long." Rashid laughed looking over at his sister.

Zeranah's stomach was in knots. She was so nervous. She was glad she'd decided on having a small ceremony instead of a large one. The only guest were going to be the Ishtar's, Habib's brother and business partner.
The dress that had been bought for Zeranah was a long floor length white gown in a simple western style. Off her shoulders, and long with a fluid movement to it that made her look as if she was floating.
"Hi there." Isis said from the open door.
"Is-Isis!" Zeranah greeted with a smile.
"You look so nice!" Isis said hugging her dear friend.
"Thank you." Zernah said returning the embrace.
"When will the ceremony start?" Asked the elder girl.
"An hour and a half." Zeranah replied sitting back down.
"How long have you been here?" Isis asked sitting beside Zeranah.
"Almost an hour." The younger girl sighed.
"Feels like forever, doesn't it?"
"Yes it does."
Isis stayed with Zeranah until the other guest arrived to the small court house room.
Zeranah was so nervous, she couldn't believe she was getting married, was this real? She gave herself a quick pinch.
"Ow." She gasped.
Now she new this was real.

Setember 31, 1994: (same day, at the Ishtar's underground home)
Malik lay on his bed fueling his anger by reading old letters from Zeranah. On his desk there was a very dry gerber daisy that had lost it's blue color.
"Malik?" Mrs. Ishtar said standing in the door way of his room.
"Yes mother?" He asked trying to hide his anger.
"If you wanted to go, I'd i've gone too." Mrs. Ishtar informed.
"That's all-right." Malik smiled. "I'd rather stay here with you any day."
"That's good to know." Mrs. Ishtar smiled back at her son.
Malik slid the box under the bed and stood up. "Why don't we get something to eat, it's probably near the after noon meal."
"What do you want me to make?" Asked Mrs. Ishtar reaching her hand out for her son.
"Koshari." He replied.
"You've always liked that." She smiled.
"have I?" Malik smiled taking her hand.

(after the ceremony)
Zeranah stood out side the car waving good bye to her friends.
"You ready to go?" Asked Habib.
"Yes." She smiled weakly.
Isis waving was the last thing she saw before the car drove away.
Zeranah suddenly felt angry. Where had Malik been? He was her best friend and he'd not even been there!
I'll marry you if you want! His words filled her mind as she looked out the window as the buildings Cairo flew behind them.
"Is something wrong?" Asked Habib placing his hand on Zeranah's.
"Nothing." She lied.
"If you say so." Habib replied.
He knew she was lying, he also knew what was eating her. That young boy who she'd been crying about in the market that day -Malik, if he remembered correctly. He'd not been there, Rashid, his brother from what she'd told him and Isis their sister had come. Habib knew that Zeranah didn't love him, and nor did he love her. He thought of her as a bright young lady that would make some young man happy one day with her fiery sense of adventure and her gentle smile. But when Inta began working Zeranah harder and harder for the money that was needed for rent and living, Habib started slipping in a few hundred extra pounds into her salary so that the girl could keep up with the tuition for art school. But Inta began using that for her own needs. Every time he would visit the little eatery in old Cairo Zeranah would look more and more tiered. The shop keepers wife was a loose-lipped woman and would tell Habib about how the girl would come in late with the excuse of her aunt not being home, or Tara not letting her leave until she'd slept some. When Zeranah had been working Habib had went to visit this Tara Jones, The woman was thrilled that someone would even think to care for the girl. But from Tara's point of view Zeranah's live had been much harder than what the she'd told the shop keeper and his wife. Both her parents and then her grandmother had died with in a year. And Inta and Denzen, Zeranah's grand mother, had been feuding the last years of her life, and in Denzen's will she'd given her eldest daughter one year to marry and settle down or everything the old woman owned would be put into Zeranah's trust fund. By the time Zeranah turned eighteen she'd have over LE 70,560,000 (LE means Egyptian Pound), not including a flat in Alexandria, a small three bedroom home in Cairo and rights to several discoveries in the archeological and Medicine fields, quite allot for a young girl to handle. That's when Habib got the idea to ask Zeranah to marry him. She was a pretty little thing, and she'd need help running all of that. And besides, it got her out of Inta's home.
"You looking forward to seeing the world?" Asked Habib.
"I've never been out side of Egypt." Zeranah said. "I can't wait!"
Habib had planned a honey-moon of globe hopping, at least to places where he owned homes. First they'd stop India, where Habib owned a hunting bungalow style home, then to Italy, in Rome he owned a small two bedroom country cottage, at the end of the trip they'd go to London, England where he owned a small apartment.

oos: More Characters I forgot to add,
Sugoroku Mutou (Solomon Moto (Yugi's grandpa)
Yugi Mutou (Yugi Moto)
Shaquille Amir (fan character: Habib's nephew)
Erol Amir (Fan character: Habib's brother)

[Feena_bronze_rider]

January 1, 1995
The day of Malik's birth had past only a few days back. The whole family had gone above to celebrate. They'd made a special trip just for him to go look at a Motorbike. Mrs. Ishtar didn't like the idea at all of her son owning one, Rashid teased about getting a side car as training wheels and Isis stood silently watching them all. She'd been doing a lot of that lately. The man that was selling it had bought it new and never rode it, his wife had pitched a fit when she saw it and the man put it up for sale the same day. As much as his wife wanted it gone she wouldn't settle for a price lower than LE 176,400. Isis had contacted the man earlier about the price and called Zeranah about it. Habib had offered to buy it, but Zeranah just wanted to send some money for Malik's birthday. She'd given the card to Isis when they'd met over lunch at Christmas.
"Malik." Isis said calling her brother over to the side, leaving Rashid to haggle alone.
"Yeah?" Malik asked beaming at the fact that the bike could be his.
"Zeranah sent this for your birthday." She said handing him the blue envelope.
"Okay," He said opening it.
Happy Birthday! The card read. A check few bills spilled out onto the ground and Malik picked them up.
"This is enough to buy it for." He gasped.
"What does the card say?" Asked Isis.
Dear Malik,
Buy the red one.
Love,
Zeranah
Malik laughed as he handed the card to Isis and pocketed the bills.
"We'll sell it for no lower than One hundred seventy six, thousand and four hundred pounds!" The man said with a look of finality.
"We'll take that and the helmet will be free of charge!" Malik said reaching out to shake the man's hand.
"Malik!" Both Mrs. Ishtar and Rashid hissed.
"He's got the money for that." Isis smiled.
"Deal!" the man said shaking Malik's hand.
"I guess we'll take the money we put forward and buy him lessons for it." Mrs. Istar sighed.
It was his, the object of his desires, and all thanks to some one he never wanted to hear from again. Well, Malik thought. I'd guess that Alexandria doesn't sound so far away.
Suddenly, he wanted to go thank her in person, and with a kiss to the lips. But the last part he'd just have to keep wanting.

March 30, 1995
The air was cold against the lower part of Malik's helmeted face. The open highway was something he'd longed for, and now it was his. Alexandria was four hundred miles away and he'd be there in what would feel like no time.
The salt air was warm when he climbed off his bike. He removed his leather jacket and helmet. In-front of him was a large gate in-front of an even larger home. Their was a key pad at the the gate and a intercom unit beside that. When he'd contacted Zeranah about a visit she'd given him the code that he was now punching in. Much to his surprise the gates opened and he was free to go in. He again mounted his motorcycle and rode in.
"Malik!" Zeranah shouted as she leaned out the front door.
"Hey!" Malik smiled waving as he stopped the bike.
"It's beautiful!" She laughed looking over the motorcycle.
"You think? Thanks for the money." He said embracing her.
"Your welcome." She smiled returning his hug.
Malik looked up at the house after he turned her free. It had to be close to four stories tall, and the beach was on the back end of it.
"You want me to show you around?" Zeranah asked.
"Of course I do." Malik smiled.
Zeranah led Malik into the house. Maids stoped what they were doing to see the two of them come in.
"She got a boyfriend?" Asked one maid to another just loud enough for Malik to hear.
He was glad they thought that, Mr. Amir probably knew he was coming, but Malik had taken the precautions and checked into a hotel earlier that day.
The tour Zeranah gave was just long enough to see the whole house but sort enough for everything to still look new when he came down stairs again.
"Mr. Shaquille's room is ready, Mrs. Amir." Said one of the maids.
"Okay, I'll make sure Mr. Amir see's that he's settled nicely." Zeranah said dismissing the maids.
"Shaquille?" Asked Malik.
It stung the inner most parts of his soul to hear them call her Mrs. Amir.
"Yes, that's Habib's nephew, the home he's been staying in won't keep him any longer, so Habib opened our home up to him." Zeranah informed.
Our home. It made Malik angry just hearing her talk like that.
"So, will you stay for tea?" Asked Zeranah.
"Sure, I don't see any harm." Malik shrugged acting as if nothing bothered him.
"Where are you staying? I can have a guest room prepared for you." Zeranah asked.
"I checked into a hotel, it's filled to the brim with tourist, all rich college students." Malik said as she led him into a parlor.
"Really? There shouldn't be a dull moment where your at." She laughed.
"Why do you say that?" Malik asked.
"It's spring break in America's school system, that's every one your seeing. They tend to get wild." Zeranah smiled.
"Oh, I don't plan on being in much." He informed as a kitchen worker brought in a tea pot and two cups.
"If you won't stay the night, will you stay for dinner? Habib and Shaquille will arrive on the evening train." Zeranah offered.
"Sure why not." Malik smiled.
The two of them talked for hours, the tea was drank and the tea cakes that had been brought in were eaten. The sky was now purple and red and the sun was shining bright in the front window.
"It'll be an hour before the train arrives, do you want to walk on the beach until then?" Asked Zeranah.
"The beach? Next to the ocean?" Malik cocked his head to one side.
"Yes of-course!" Zeranah smiled.
"I've never been." Malik smiled.
"Then lets go now." Zeranah said standing up.
The golden sand was warm against there feet as they strolled far away from the house. The sea was still cold from the winter even if the air and sand was warm. At first the salt air had stolen Malik's breath, leaving him to cough and wheeze from breath, but soon he was unaffected by the salty air.
"Look, a sharks tooth." Zeranah said reaching down for the small black object.
"Dose that mean a shark is near by?" Asked Malik.
"No." Zeranah laughed. "It means that the tide brought it in."
"Oh." Malik said feeling stupid.
"Here, you keep it." Zeranah placed the blunt tooth in his hand.
"Thanks." He sighed.
The evening tide had washed up all sorts of shells, teeth, crabs and even fish.
By the time the sun had set just above the water Zeranah and Malik had gathered up two handfuls each of shells and teeth for Malik to take home.
"The sea is so calm is it always like this?" Asked Malik.
"No, it's called the quiet before the storm, the news said something about a storm coming in, so I figured it would get this calm." THe young woman said as they stood next to the stone steps the led up to the house.
"Your real lucky getting to live next to the ocean." Malik sighed.
"Maybe." Zeranah replied as they watched the sun finally disappear.
The ocean seemed to swallow up the sun, and the moon began to get brighter high in the sky above them.
"Look a star!" Zeranah pointed out an orange star beside the moon.
"That's not a star, thats' mars. Sometimes, you can see venus too." Malik informed.
"Really, I always thought it was just a bright star." She sighed leaning on his shoulder to get a better look up.
"You can only see it when the moon is half or less, and venus can only be seen when the moon is a crescent." Malik informed.
Malik and Zeranah stood on the bottom step looking up at the stars until the sky had lost all color. The darkness was all around them until the flood lights on the boat shack lit up.
"Mrs. Amir, the train will be at the station in an hour, you should come get ready." A maid called.
"We're coming." Zeranah called back up. "You will come to the station right?" She turned to Malik and asked.
"If you want me too." He replied. "But I'm sure you husband will want to see you alone."
"He's with his nephew, and we don't do the whole alone thing." Zeranah laughed.
"You don't?" Malik smirked.
"I don't want to talk about it." Zeranah said prancing up the stairs.

Zeranah force Malik to leave his motorcycle at the house and ride in the car with her to go pick up Habib and Shaquille.
The station was crowded and every thing was lit up.
"There you are!" Habib said.
He was a head taller than most of the older men and women there, so it was easy for him to see Malik and Zeranah.
"Your friend came along, I was hoping he would." Habib smiled kissing Zeranah on the forehead.
"I had to force him, he didn't want to intrude." the young woman said rolling her eyes.
"How polite." Habib replied with a smile at Malik.
Shaquille was a pale young man a few years older than Malik and Zeranah, He had black hair worn down in his face and he wore a black sweater and slacks that looked almost to big for him. He was very beautiful, his face was soft, and he had long delicate fingers on his gloved hands. One would think he was a woman if it wasn't for his squared chin and thick neck.
"This is Shaquille." Habib introduced.
"Hello." Shaquille smiled raising a hand to wave to them.
"Hi." Malik said returning the wave.
Zeranah just smiled. She'd spoken with Shaquille several times on the phone and felt comfortable enough with him to just wave.
"Malik, would you join us for dinner tonight? I promised Shaquille we'd have sea food, If you don't mind." Habib asked.
"I don't know--" Malik began before Zeranah gave him a sharp look.
"He'd love to." She said for him.
"I don't think I've ever seen you so assertive." Habib chuckled to Zeranah.
The four made their way to the car in the parking lot. The driver tipped his hat to Habib then opened the doors for every one.
The restaurant had been expecting them, they had a table reserved in a private room over looking Alexandria. Malik opened the menu hoping to eat an entire meal for under LE 70.56, only to find that it was impossible to order an entrée for less that.
"Order what ever you like, it's my treat." Habib smiled down the table at Malik.
"Shaquille, how did you like Cairo?" Asked Zeranah after they'd ordered.
"It was okay, Uncle Habib coming to visit was the best part. I didn't like the university all that much." Shaquille replied with a smile.
"I wasn't to found of the schools there either." Zeranah returned his smile shaking off the thoughts of her days at school.
"Malik aren't you from Cairo?" Asked Habib.
"Yes sir, we leave underground in a tomb." Malik replied.
It was after he heard what he said did he think of how it sounded. The others at the table lived in a large house and he just said he lived in a tomb.
"That sounds nice. I'd probably have liked that better than the dorms." Shaquille said smiling at Malik.
"Do you think?" Asked Habib patting his nephew on the arm.
"Yes, it should be nice to live underground? Was it?" Shaquille replied.
"Yes." Malik replied.
Dinner was filled with small talk, how the weather would effect the plans to go to the beach, and where and how long Malik would be staying.
The night had well be on by the time they left the restaurant.
After they returned to the Amir house they all said their good byes and good nights and Malik left for his hotel.

[Feena_bronze_rider]

April 4, 1995
The beach was warm and there were so many things to find on the shore after the storms.
Malik didn't own a swim suit so he had to borrow one of Shaquille's until he could by one. Malik and Zeranah strolled down the shore finding all the neat things they could hold in their hands and a small water pale while Habib fished from the shore and Shaquille sat on a towel watching them all.
"This is fun." Zeranah said taking a seat on the beach letting the cool waters lap against her feet.
"You think?" Malik replied sitting next to her.
"I do." She informed looking into the bucket.
They'd collected a star fish, at least sixty sharks teeth, shells of all shapes and colors, part of a fishing net and a pearl earring.
It'd been hours sense they left the house and were very far down the beach, they could still see Shaquille because he was wearing a black sweater and stood out from the gold and green horizon.
"Have you ever been to a movie?" Asked Zeranah after a moment.
"What?" Malik asked.
"A movie at the cinema?" Zeranah repeated.
"No, I'd never even watched television until we stayed above at a hotel in january." Malik admitted.
"I'd not watched one until we reached the hotel after I married Habib." Zeranah said with as if she were talking of being kissed.
"You didn't get much time to watch it." Malik said kicking water on Zeranah.
"That was childish!" Zeranah said kicking water back.
"You sound like Rashid!" He laughed.
"Do I?" She chuckled standing now and kicking the salt water all over him.
"That's cold!" Malik laughed.
"Of course it is!" Zeranah said removing the sweat shirt she'd been wearing over her bathing suit and throwing it on the shore.
Malik did the same and joined her in the water, splashing and kicking until the sun was high above them.
"I'm so hungry." Malik said laying out on the sands.
"We should go back now." Zeranah agreed laying beside him.
Suddenly Malik wanted to kiss Zeranah as he'd never kissed her before, he wanted her to love him like he loved her. He'd promised himself he wouldn't feel like this, not in her house, not in the house of her husband. But he couldn't help it, he burned with the desire to be with her for ever, to grow old with her. And he'd the power to do that, the rod! The millennium rod could solve all his problems. He could make Habib leave Zeranah, and Zeranah love him! It's power was that great, but inside would her soul still love Habib?
He didn't want to think about it. Right now he was laying beside her in the warm sun on the sands, and she was his, at least in his mind.

After a warm shower Zeranah began to dress. Her hair was wet and strait, something it wasn't often when taken down from the braid. The slipped her skirt up over her hips and pulled her shirt on. The zipper for the shirt was hard to zip up, and she could hardly reach it.
She noticed some one was in the room with her, it must have been Habib coming out from his bath room.
"Can you zip this up." She asked him pointing to her back.
Suddenly she felt the zipper go up, and then stop. A gloved finger traced her spine and stopped at one of the figures tattooed on.
"Obelisk the god of the Tormentor, The winded dragon of the god Ra, the god Osiris a dragon of the sky. All three powerful mythological creatures, and monsters in the game duel monsters. Are you a fan?" Asked Shaquille's voice.
"How long were you standing there?" She hissed turning around.
"I came in just before you asked me to zip up your blouse." He replied.
"You should have told me you were there." Zeranah said confidant he didn't see her dressing.
"Are you a fan?" Shaquille asked again.
"No, I've never played the game, I asked for these." Zeranah spoke protectively as she always did about her brand marks.
"You don't have to get mad." Shaquille smiled walking behind her and finishing zipping up her shirt. "I my self play."

[Feena_bronze_rider]

April 8, 1995
Malik smiled happily at Zeranah as she sat with him in the park. Habib had had business to take care of in down town Alexandria and Shaquille had gone to a shop to look around.
"This place is really nice." Malik said putting his arm around the park bench.
"It is, it's not like the parks in London though." Zeranah replied as Malik's arm slipped to her shoulders.
"I've never been, in fact, I've never been to a cinema, and I'm going home in two days." Malik informed.
"I've never been to a cinema either." Zeranah confessed. "But it feels like you've only stayed for a day or two."
"It has seemed like a short trip." Malik said.
Now would be the perfect time to kiss her, her a married woman, in a city where every one knew who she was and more importantly who she was married to.
Suddenly he didn't care, he reached down and placed his index finger under her chin, tilting her head back and then he kissed her lips softly.
"Stop it." Zeranah said jerking away and standing up.
"What?" Malik asked innocently.
"You know what you did." Her face was red with blush as she placed her hands over her mouth.
"You know you liked it." He laughed.
"Your a terrible person!" Zeranah informed walking away.
Malik stood and followed her, he knew he could walk faster than her, put he trailed behind her in silence for a moment.
"I couldn't help my self." He said after a moment.
"You need to learn some self control." Zeranah snapped turning around to face him.
Her eyes were filled with an angry flame, as if she'd held all her emotions in for along time and she was dying to let them out.
"I remember being violent too." Malik laughed.
"That's beside the point!" The flame in here eyes seemed to spark with real heat.
"What is the point?" Asked Malik putting his hands in the pockets of his trousers.
"You kissed me!" She whispered.
"But you needed it." He smirked. "I bet he doesn't kiss you, I bet it eats you up that he doesn't kiss you."
"He does kiss me!" Zeranah said with out thinking.
Her face was now redder, and her brown eyes grew angrier and angrier.
"How often?" Asked Malik.
"Often enough!" Zeranah snapped turning away and walking again.
The car horn beeped once or twice signaling that either Shaquille had finished shopping or Habib had finished his business. When the reached the car, they found that both were true.
"You two have fun?" Asked Habib lighting a cigarette.
"Quite." Laughed Malik.
The four ate lunch, and they talked and laughed, Malik and Shaquille both seemed to have an interest in the game Duel Monsters, which was a relatively new game. Malik never spoke of the Tattoo's on his back but often spoke of his cousin Shadi leading the creator Pegasus J. Crawford into a tomb to see the some Hieroglyphs that spawned the game.
Habib smiled an listened though he knew nothing of the game, and Zeranah clung protectively to Habib's arm listening for any remarks that the two young men had about the markings on her back.
"Uncle Habib." Shaquille said as they finished their lunch.
"Yes?" The elder man replied.
"I was wondering, if we could go to a museum." The younger man asked.
"The big one with all of the dinosaur fosils?" Asked Malik.
"Yes thats the one." Shaquille replied.
"I don't care if you go." Habib smiled. "In-fact why don't we all go?"
Zeranah smiled, she didn't want to go. That museum held bad memories for her, her Grandmother had died there, it was there that Zeranah found out most of everything about her parents, when she and Denzen would go walking about the halls.
"Your mother was worried sick the whole time she was pregnant with you about your faith." Laughed Denzen one day as they walked.
"Why?" Zeranah had asked.
"Because your father didn't believe in God, your mother was devout. She didn't mind sharing no matter what the cost."
Zeranah remembered that well about her mother, even though her mother never spoke with the Ishtar's of her faith, she always told Zeranah. Maybe that was why Zeranah believed.

The saturday afternoon was busy at the museum. People laughed and played, the greeters at the door were nice, telling people where to pay for tickets and what attractions were new. After paying for the tickets Zeranah felt the pain sink in. In her head she would always hear the sirens of the ambulance as they took her grandmother away. It was fine looking about at the exhibits on dinosaurs and old bones, jewelry and pottery, there were mummies in glass cases and even a ring that read in hieroglyphs Sheba queen of the tombs.
(Read the Mahado fan fic for more info on Sheba)
But when they reached a golden chariot, with Seth etched into one side and Horus into the other painful memories came flooding back all to soon.
"It's a chariot ridden by a pharaoh him self!" Dr. Hawkens had said.
It'd been the find that he'd been showing when Denzen collapsed.
Tears filled Zeranah's eyes as she turned and ran back down the hall to the entrance.

[Feena_bronze_rider]

"Zeranah?" Habib said watching the girl run away.
She didn't stop.
"Zeranah!" He called again now running after her.
"Zeranah!?" Malik called about to run.
A gloved hand snatched his arm and held him where he was.
"What are you doing?" Asked Malik trying to pull away from Shaquille.
The frail looking young wan was stronger than he looked. Malik pulled away again and again, but Shaquille would not let go. Finally when Habib couldn't be seen anymore Shaquille let go of Malik's arm.
"Why'd you do that? I can't see them anymore!" Malik snapped turning to look over the heads of people.
"He's her huband, your not." Shaquile replied. "If something is bothering her, it's his place to comfort her, not yours."
Malik stopped, was he that obvious?
"The plaque here says something, maybe it has something to do with why she was upset." The elder of the two young men said placing his gloved hand on the plaque.
In loving memory of Ms. Denzen Yun Junsu, whose work with me and my wife brought this wonderful artifact back from the afterlife.
Denzen Yun Junsu
Born May 18, 1939, Died, August 18, 1989
"That was her grandmother." Malik said after Shaquille read the plaque aloud.
"Zeranah's?" The elder boy sighed.
"Yes."
The two sat in the quiet alone wondering what they should say when Habib and Zeranah returned.

Habib found Zeranah out side sitting in between a statue of an angle and a statue of the god Ra.