AschAnn

– Brother, I’m glad you’re finally here…– The woman approaches the vehicle as the bearded man parks the car he got from his workplace. Even behind the wheel, he manages to sit with his chest puffed out from his new toy and his eyes sparkling.  Anna exhaled with relief as her feet touch the ground. She wasn't confident in her father's driving skills. She trusts the safety of the train far more than she does her father's newly purchased car. She often  was reading news reports of accidents in the papers, especially in a big city like Budapest.

The two older boys sitting on the railing easily jumped down from it at the same time. Both were wearing slightly wrinkled shirts, but ones suitable for being at home. The wrinkles on the faces of the seventeen- and nineteen-year-old boys deepened, and they loomed even more over Anna. The fifteen-year-old girl was of average height compared to her friends and classmates from the countryside, but she looked tiny next to her entire family. The elderly woman first embraced her brother, and only then did she hold the young girl close to her chest. The scent of spices and the kitchen had seeped into her clothes and hair. Mrs. Krishauser, known to friends and relatives simply as Aunt Rózi, loved to bustle about in the kitchen.

– My dear, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you, Pancsa.– She pats the girl on the cheek, using the nickname that had stuck with Anna since birth. – Come on in and freshen up! You too, Gyula. –  The woman finally lets go of the girl.  – I’ve prepared your favorite, the puffed pastry. – She adds as he steps aside to let her older son, István, unload Anna’s last suitcase from the car. The family’s only pet was already yapping around István’s legs, eager to explore the surroundings.

 Her hair was messed up in a bun, but everyone was used to her disheveled look. Anna probably wasn't much better off herself, and if her father still had hair on his head, he wouldn't look any different either.  In front of István stood Badó, who greeted the girl like any other annoying cousin do . Anna could put on any outfit she desired, or even borrow her friend’s fashionable clothes, but in the eyes of the two boys, she would still be nothing more than a clumsy, country  young girl, lacking in elegance. – Well, look at the little guy already sizing up the situation. – Badó ruffs Anna’s light brown locks, confirming his nickname. With a laugh, he jumped to the side, dodging her elbow as they walked side by side up the stairs. Revenge came in the form of his brother, who gave the blond boy a slap on the backside ofhead..

The elderly woman came as no surprise. The living room and kitchen counters were already lined with pastries and at least three different kinds of dishes. Anna’s father even let out a whistle. Whenever there was a big event, it was always the older woman who gladly took on the cooking. Although Anna was young when her mother passed away during her second pregnancy, she remembered how, at family gatherings, her mother would be there beside Aunt Rózi, even though she didn’t like to cook, she went along with it. Amid the lively conversations and the group singing of folk songs, the thought never even crossed young Anna’s mind that she might prefer to join her large family in the yard. – Go wash up; I’ll set the table in the meantime. My dear, you’ll be staying in the small room. Your uncle Józsi even got you a desk for your schoolwork and books. –  The older woman calls after Anna as the girl steps over the threshold of the room. The boys had already set their suitcases down next to the chest. The room didn’t look the way she was used to, but there was no negative meaning behind her words.

A slight grimace crossed her lips as she took a sip from a cup of water after washing her hands. If she had time, she would have fixed her braid, but she didn’t want to keep her aunt waiting. If she wanted to fit in completely with the big-city girls at her new high school, she would have to get rid of any behavior that might seem rude. She’s expected to spend her entire high school years at the house. This will also make it easier for her father to attend various meetings as part of his work. He won’t have to worry about Anna, whom he left behind in the countryside, and whenever he can, he’ll be able to visit her easily by train.

– I have a dear friend who’ll be able to tailor the uniform to fit her perfectly. – he woman says as they were close to finish lunch, with only the pastries and coffee left. The same goes for Anna. – At least you don’t have to worry about her outgrowing it anymore,. –  The man jokes. The bottle of pálinka was already on the table, though still unopened. Gyula Sándorfi had intended the bottle as a gift for his colleagues living in Austria. Besides, it was too early to start drinking, and the head of the household wasn’t even home to toast with. The head of the household’s absence was hardly felt. Post office  workers often worked long hours and didn’t return home until late in the evening. That dedication was necessary to ensure that letters reached their recipients quickly.

After his second cup of coffee, Gyula Sándorfi was already getting ready to leave. He had to be there in time for the train’s imminent departure, and he wanted to arrive on time. He still needed to talk to the conductor about the arrival time. – Behave yourself, and don’t let me hear any complaints. – He hugs his daughter tightly. Since his wife’s death, it had been just the two of them. The family members and governesses who had watched over Anna throughout her childhood were all present, but Gyula Sándorfi and Anna were a team.  – Write often! Your uncle will help you mail your letters. If he’s not home, István and Badó can help, too. – He whispers into her hair as he holds her close. The scent of cigarettes and cologne had permeated his clothes as well, but now, at the moment of parting, Anna couldn’t care less. Even though she had often pointed this out to him.

– I’m your flesh and blood. There’s no reason to worry. – The girl replies, her lips curving into a smile, though they tremble slightly from a lack of confidence. Anna hadn’t expected herself to cry. After all, she’d already spent weeks with her aunt’s family. She’d even vacationed with them, just as the two older boys had spent weeks in the countryside, near Lake Balaton. Last year, István had finally decided he wanted to be a doctor, and that was the first and only time Anna had ever tried a cigarette. The girl who lived next door at the time had found her brother’s hidden pack, and naturally, the couple of friends had tried it, and the two boys had joined them as well.

The man gave Anna one last kiss on the top of her head, then shook hands with István and Badó as well. He still had to catch his train, and knowing her father as she did, she knew he’d want to take the car they’d bought for another test drive before leaving. After he left, Anna stood in front of the house for several minutes. Several other people had also stopped or were peering out just to  get a look at the moving metal cage.  According to her father, cars were already widespread abroad and would soon be common in Budapest as well, but so far she could count them on one hand.  As Rózi returned to tend to things in the kitchen, Anna was able to wash her face in front of the mirror she’d placed in her room and braid her hair again.

– Would you like to rest a bit? I’ll go down for cigarettes later, you could come. Maybe you won’t be in the way.–  Badó knocks on the half-open door, but doesn’t wait for Anna to answer. He simply walked into the small room. A grin spread across his face, and a toothpick was wedged between his teeth. He was still standing on the threshold when he turned toward the living room. – Hey… Are you coming too? – He called out, where István was already tying his shoes. – If not. You’ll end up taking her to the Garden. –  The reply slips out of István’s mouth, followed by a laugh. Anna didn’t know why they were laughing, but she understood that the older boy’s words were meant to be teasing. She threw a crumpled ball of paper from her pocket in his direction. The medical student’s attention was on Badó, and he was just putting on his cap.

Her cousins’s laughter prevented Anna from asking what is the Garden was and what could possibly be so scary about it. Out in the countryside, there wasn’t really a place she hadn’t been to yet. Not even the abandoned hunter’s lodge there frightened her, the place where the village boys usually spent their time after school and housework. Beer bottles and cigarette butts had become a common sight there. – What’s so scary about an old saw garden? – Anna asks as they set off. Her dress wasn’t let down yet, so now she was able to walk faster. Even so, she was almost out of breath. – Slow down, you bigheads.. – She mumbles and tugs at Badó’s striped sweater. Instead of doing what she’d asked, the blond boy wrapped his arm around Anna’s wrist and quickened his pace. Anna had to run with them, straight to the nearest horse-drawn carriage. There, she got István’s help to climb onto the back of the carriage. – A country girl’s run wild in the city. – One of them jokes, prompting the other to retort. – Ohhh… She’s about to faint…– István leans back.

– She’d have a heart attack just from running into anyone there. – Badó continues. His brown eyes fill with merriment, and his mouth curves into a cheeky, dimpled smile. Anna didn't listen to the rest of his teasing. Her gaze lingered on countless things,  the wealthy ladies in hats, the children chasing each other, and the tall, multi-story buildings standing side by side. Budapest was enormous and Anna felt so small. – Come on. –  István nudges the girl, tucking his bag under his arm.

– Do you have the money? – He asks his younger brother, who just pats his pants pocket. Anna followed them into the inner courtyard of an apartment building. A group of boys their age was already there. Several of them were already holding cigarettes in their hands, completely stinking up the air. – Little Krisi and Big Krisi are here, too. – They noticed the siblings. The young girl couldn’t say for sure whether the two boys were simply shielding her or whether the group of boys simply wasn’t paying attention to her. She’d planned to introduce herself, but that was exactly why she didn’t. Instead, she simply stepped up beside István with her arms crossed.

– This is yours. – István pulls the crumpled and folded piece of paper out of his coat’s inner pocket. It was impossible to read, but Anna had a feeling that all four boys had attended the same high school as Badó and István. On the chest of the short boy wearing the knitted vest was still the small high school pin she had often seen on her cousins as well. – The little girl isn’t going to rat us out? –  The boy leaning against the wall asks as he takes the piece of paper and pulls out a strand of cigarette instead.

– Well, it’ll be hard without a name. – She replies as quickly as she can. Anna can’t start the next few years having to be shielded by her cousins. As she spoke, she felt through the pockets of her coat, but couldn’t find what she was looking for. Anna had tried to be prepared for everything, but this time she had nothing with her. Just a few coins, enough to buy ice cream, or even candy, back in her village.

Badó whistled to get his friend's attention who was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion, back on his feet, and tossed the matchbox in his direction. He caught it surprisingly easily with both hands. – Zoltán Kerekes, Tamás Madácsi, and Endre. Miklós Kenyeresi. –  Anna’s younger cousin introduces the boys with a slight delay. He was the one who gave one of the brothers a slap on the wrist when he tipped his cap higher than he should have and gave a strange smile. – Our cousin. She’s starting the school year here in September, as a freshman in high school. Anna Sándorfi. –  Badó presents Anna to the four boys as she tossed the slightly greasy cap back to the freckled boy. All the boys laughed, and even Anna exhaled the breath she’d been holding, her lips trembling.

– That girl? The villager? –  Kenyeresi was  pushing himself away from the wall, walking in front of Anna. The cigarette in his mouth has burned enough to fall in front of the girl. It was only luck to thank to for not falling and burning holes in her shoes. Her aunt would have been sick to see her walking around with a hole in her clothes.  –  She hardly look 14.. Are you sure you brought the right girl from the station? –  Kenyeresi sounds interested before Anna just pushes him slightly.  She had met a lot of boys in the village before. Anna’s best friend was the only girl in her family, so they got used to such demenaur from boys. – It's better than finding a greasy haired one. – Anna talks back meaning him. The young girl had to make sure her tongue didn't get stuck, and her country speech didn't come out.

–  Hah, you haven't seen your cousin yet. – The older boy laughs, there are even some wrinkle around his brown eyes. The response to her response came quickly. István jumped to knock the cigarette out of Kenyeresi's hand. – Come on. You could scratch the dirt off your skin. It's a miracle the teacher doesn't ask you for fat for experiments. – The boys were getting into a soft argument. While there was a dispute between them, the brothers were working together to save smoking cigarette butts.

 – Give me a breath. – Kerekes asks the burning and shared cigarette from the brothers. Who fastly gave it to him. The smoke darkened on his glasses as Kerekes breathed out the smoke. Even though she's not innocent, she stepped to the side. Anna didn't want the smell of smoke on his clothes. It's hard to explain to Auntie Rózi. – It's time for us to go. We still have to reach the Corner before it closes.–  Badó says to the boys who were playfully pushing each other. He had already get the match, and already pushed it down deep in his pocket. They started slowly, and even István stopped playing. The cap was not on his head, so his slightly wavy hair stands in several directions of the wind rose. The nineteen-year-old boy solves this with his headgear, or more precisely, he hid it.

– Hey, freckles. I ask my sister. Maybe she knows a few girls who are also in the new high school.– Kenyeresi shouts to the girl as Anna Badó and István set off. To be more precise, István walked a step or two in front of them.  There was probably good intentions behind his words, as Anna's biggest goal was to make friends during the summer.  However, because of the nickname, Anna felt that she couldn't leave it at that. Her belly turned. Turning back, Anna's gaze had jumped to the dried and blackened walnut at her feet. She simply kicks it in the direction of the company in the garden, kicked the nut before jogging to catch up with the two boys.

Anna thought they had to climb into the back of the passenger or mail carriage again, but they walked instead. – You'll visit this place many times. – Badó tells the young girl as they entered one of the streets surrounded by smaller oaks, where there was a shop with a doorbell at the intersection.  Anna didn't want to buy anything. Her father left her money, pocket money, and sometimes she received a few pennies for his good results in school.

The girl moved like a shadow of her cousins in the tiny shop. Anna’s gaze was fixed on the box of Turkish honey lying on the counter several times. The sweet tooth took over her for a moment, and her hand reached out towards the sweets, but Anna pulled it back in time. The seventeen-year-old boy was right, the prices here were good, not high as it was in the capitals. Anna still saw distinctly Austrian products on the shelves too. Anna was waiting for her cousins to buy a pack of cigarettes. István and Badó threw their money together, so they could even afford better quality tobacco.

When the  medical admission results came weeks earlier, that István had been admitted to the prestigious medical university of the capital, he received a significant amount of money from his parents. This was even added by various family members, aunts, uncles and godparents, either financially or by buying him medical books or schoolbooks.

– Home? –   Anna asks the boys as they finally get out after standing in line.  It didn't take long for the two boys to stretch two strands. They didn't care about the sullen glances they got in the street.  – Don't you want to see the area around your high school? – István raises the question and  his eyebrows as he helps the girl get into the backside of the carrige. His question was real. Anna had completely forgotten the real reason for a small trip she went with the boys. The young girl still had the whole summer left to get to know Budapest. From September she will have to reach the gates of the grammar school alone every day. 

– What's that? – Anna asks, minutes later, as they passed a tall village full of green areas. She did not expect that in the capital, where even members of the Austrian nobility frequent, a huge green area would be maintained. – That Botanical Garden. It's not for your kind. – Anna got in response from Badó, who was visibly busy with his thoughts. All three of them had to hold on tightly, as the road around the Herb Garden was bumpy. Badó's hand were iron close to Anna's arm to catch her if necessary. The girl knew the meaning of the sentence. It didn't mean: she can't go there because she were young or you couldn’t go there because you're freckled or from the countryside. Anna couldn't go into the Herbatic Garden, because she's not a boy.

– It's not that interesting. –  The girl shuts her lips and turns her head. It was clear that Anna lied, because she was soo curious about why the boys lined up at the wall wore red uniforms. 

– Oh no. Then we find her sneaking in...–  István joins the conversation, while waving to the boys as they were passing by the boys. It was also rude on Anna's part to stare at them. Her eyes met for a moment with the older-looking working-class boy, but she quickly turned her head away.

– Imagine Feri Áts's face if Anna simply walked into one of their meetings. – Bado laughs. shaking his head as he already imagined. His eyes gleamed and even his face was a bit red with laughter. Before Anna could ask any more questions, the  carriage stopped, István and Badó jumped off easily.  The fifteen-year-old girl moved much slower, the two boys had to wait for him. The girl envied her best friend, who jumped off the roofs of hay bales and horse-drawn carriages with ease, and climbed out of the window only once.

– Feri Áts... Is he anyone famous in the city? – Curiosity triumphs in Anna's mind as they enter the house. As soon as the door opened, the mixed breed dog hurried to greet them, leaving Aunt Rózi alone in the kitchen. The barking did not divert his thoughts and interest, but it filled the small room. –He is the leader of one of the high school boys' teams in the district. Working-class guys.  – Bado reveals as he kneels down to the dog. The boy didn't care about the fact that his hair was disheveled, instead he turned his attention to the medium-sized animal. The animal sweet enough that the family was going to spoil it.

The two boys almost just kicked off their shoes, and the hats were put on the hanger. Unlike them, Anna had to sit down to lace up her shoes and slip into the slippers that had become mandatory between the walls of the house. The only exception to the rule was the dog, who was currently pampered with a piece of bacon skin given by Aunt Rózi. Berry, as Anna had named her three years earlier, was the only survivor of an unexpected litter on a neighboring farm. The Puli mix struggled a lot to stay alive in the first months, but it managed to get stronger, even if they had various health and appearance problems. This was the only reason why her father allowed Anna to keep the dog with her and not have to give the animal to the neighbors or the girl's friends.

The young girl had just put the shoes in their place, in the small cupboard, when a knock hit her ear. István and Bado had already left to their room, and Anna could not tell what her cousins were planning. Maybe they were studying, as school is not over for them yet, and István has to prepare for the amount of curriculum expected by medical school. In the family, baldness is a constant joke, which really weighs on István if he really wants to be a doctor.

Anna was about to go to help her aunt in the kitchen, but at the knock the only two women in the household both moved. However, the animal, which cannot be called a guard dog, only raised its head at the arrival of the visitor. After the formalities, they immediately walked into the hall, where the middle-aged lady was finally able to take out and put down the ironed clothes on the top. Not only did Aunt Rózi have clothes for going to church there, but Anna also saw men's shirts, but she can't deduce anything from the measurements.

 – My dear Ancha, make some coffee for your Ilonka. – Aunt gives i the task to Anna, who with a little hesitation headed to the kitchen. She tried to follow the conversation, but it was difficult. Minutes later, the coffee machine also obscured the conversation between the two middle-aged women. As soon as the coffee was ready, Anna stepped back and let Aunt Rozi take over. The graying woman even left Anna a few sips of the black, steaming drink.

– That would be my question. Are there any disinfectants left from István's illness?  – The guest asks in the preface. He spoke softly, and her gentle voice was even more difficult to make out from the noise of the street. Anna can't even blame him for barking at the dog, as the animal was lying at her aunt's feet.

– Of course. We bought too much, and with these boys, we don't know when we will need it again. – Aunt Rozi nods as she drinks her coffee. The movement was interrupted by a sigh, and Anna noticed that Mrs. Nemecsek, cracking her fingers.

– Ernő has returned home completely soaked again, and you know how weak his body is...–  His voice dies, and Anna's heart sinks with the sad words. Aunt Rozi, instead of looking down on her, simply handed over her shawl and, leaving her coffee on the table, looked for a more ornate shawl from the cupboard. She put the dried leaves in it and folded them. There was no displeasure in her eyes as he pushed the package into Mrs. Nemecsek's hand.

– I'll send one of the children to go there if you need more. Ernő can't start the summer again when he's sick.–  Aunt Rózi smiles encouragingly, wrinkles appear around her eyes, betraying her age. Anna has often seen in the countryside that it was important for parents that their children did not get sick. A child who was considered small by the neighbors was practically considered a child of the village, and the family's closest acquaintances also followed his life.  They did everything possible to prevent young people from falling ill during the cold periods.

– Thank you.– The girl t the package away with the payment for the sewing. Aunt Rozi's hand remains in her hand for a moment, who doesn't lift her eyes. Their eyes met, and Anna felt that his presence was undesirable in the room.

– We pray that you will strengthen your son's lungs. – Aunt Rózi  speaks as she escorts the woman out.

------

Days later, Anna is already at home in her bedroom. His clothes and books were all folded  and put in the right place. It took a few days for Anna to memorize the house rules and schedule of the house in Budapest. The morning is started by her uncle, followed by her aunt, who prepares breakfast for the whole family and sends the two boys to school and the man to work. Anna were spending a significant part of the day on her side, at the beginning only in the house, but as the girl begins to get to know the capital better, Aunt Rozi was starting to the send her neighbor and the nearby buildings for things.

The afternoon was the only time for studying. The older woman did not allow Anna’s knowledge and motivation to fade during the extracurricular period. Aunt Rozi kept the girl's studies strict every time, she even sent Badó away, and once she brought a plate of apples to Anna.

– Panni... Could you take a few thing  to  the Nemecsek apartment? – Aunt Rózi  knocks and walks into the room where Anna has already taken a seat at the desk. The paper was already in front of her, but the pen and ink were still in the bag. Aunt Rozi's hand stroked the girl's back, her fingers got a little caught in Anna's loose hair. The few afternoon rests a week had not yet worn out the girl, and learning German was tiring enough for Aunt Róza to allow this village style of let out hair. And for that, the tied hair was uncomfortable.

The girl was  thinking for a few seconds, then nod. Anna quickly moved her hair to make a braid for herself before putting on her street skirt. – Till you are ready, I'll prepare the basket. Give them all to the family. – The gray haired woman adds, before she goes out and lets the young one tie her hair into a braid that is acceptable to strangers. Her father promised Anna that when he returned from Vienna, he would bring her a hat, like ladies wore. The dog was already waiting at her feet. After the hair, the faded clothes were changed. The city was full of strangers, and even after the birth of Monarchy, foreigners filled the city. Aunt Rózi did not want to be ashamed in front of any group of people.

Anna's eyes were immediately caught by the prettier basket and the little things in it. A pack of new sewing needles and combs with them. Coffee, tea and a quarter-liter bottle of pálinka were also in the basket. Anna was watching as her aunt wrapped freshly baked bread and cherry cake in the ornate napkin and put them among the rest.

– I can't go with you, but I'll write down the way. After that, you'll be fine. –  The woman begins, writing the title on one of the yellowed pages of the newspaper. – Simply pass it on, but don't bother. – The woman warrns Anna, while her wrinkle deepened a bit. The girl had to read the curved writing several times to understand everything. The last pieces of the gift the basket were already found in Aunt Rózi's flower box. A few tulip seeds. She accompanied Anna all the way to the gate, but from there she let her go. Aunt Rozi had to hold the four-legged family member back with her legs. It was rare for Berry to go to  a tour, but its interest increased in the spring after a stray scent.

The girl did not dare to take a shortcut route, as Badó and István and the young boys of her age do without hesitation. One missed moment and Anna would have find herself on the other side of the city.

So it took a little longer, but Anna found the street written on the paper. By the time she reached the gate, the handle of the wicker basket had already hurt her palm. Anna could have put on gloves on a cool spring afternoon, but she forgot about it completely. To prevent further blisters, the girl started to march by holding the bottom of the basket. The various gifts that her aunt had sent her covered his eyes greatly. The girl, who hummed a song at first, had to be careful as the smooth road was replaced by cobblestones, her steps became more and more unsteady. The new shoes she inherited from her aunt couldn't provide the support she needed, but at least every step she took she felt less a kid. Like the noble ladies people sometimes meet face to face on the street.

Biting her  tongue, he went around the dangerous parts and then opened the gate of the condominium. Anna allowed herself to wonder for a moment. There were several families on each floor, and the washed clothes were all placed next to the doors or on the dryers nailed to the railing.

Anna’s heart jumped as a result of a throat clearing. The bottles in the basket rattled as she looked over his shoulder and saw a boy who might be a little older. He wasn't older than his cousins, but he was more handsome than them. There was nothing on his face what would get more attention than the others.  

– Excuse me, could you step aside?– He asks as he lifts his old looking cap. Despite Anna’s cloudy gaze, he was still polite. The movement awakened butterflies in Anna's stomach. Men used to say hello to women in advance, the girl often experienced it, but mostly from older people. In the village, the boys were often busy doing much at all.

Anna let the boy go through the narrow stones being careful to not  fall into the flowerbed, but her hand slipped, and it is thanks to the mere reaction that she did not fall into the mud. By that time, the boy was already a few steps ahead of her, but he turned around at the sound of the bottles hitting each other, or perhaps at the not pleasant murmur under Anna's nose.

– Give it..Where? –  He steps in front of Anna and takes the burden. The tiredness of his voice did not dull his gentleness. He even slowed down when he saw that the girl's legs were not made the same length as his own. – The Nemecsek family... – Anna replies a bit shocked. She knew that the names were written next to the door, so he wasn't so worried. And the boy was much more at home among the flower-beds and the children's toys that had been left out. At the mention of the name, the boy stiffened, and his shoulders leaned forward even more. – I'm going there too.. – The voice was barely audible from her mouth, but Anna could hear it anyway. Walking beside the boy, she looked at him several times, but as he looked back, Anna looked straight ahead. It was unusual for the boy not to mention Anna’s speaking. . Even one of Badó's friends wrinkled  his nose at her.  The boy had already knocked.  

– I'll do it!– Anna grabs the boy’s hand.  And maybe in time she knocked. Anna didn’t know what hit her, because she didn't want to be seem as useless.  In the village, if Anna walked home with her friends  and met the village boys, those boys were persuaded to help carry their bags. And in the spring, flowers to take home so the girls could create or sell of wildflowers. Very few were able to refuse a beautiful, freshly picked wildflower, either to their mother or to their wife. It was the best opportunity to make money in the spring days.

The girl wiped her hands in her skirt and waited in a rehearsed way for the door to be opened for her. Her eyes slid over and widened as the woman dressed in black several times. Her heart sank in her chest, and Anna finally understood everything about why her aunt had sent the family a basket of food. 

– My condolences. – Anna whispers  with her head bowed and turned to the boy. Whose fingers turned white while holding the basket. – The whole family would like to express the condolences. – Anna mutters, and takes the basket from the boy's hand and hands it to the woman. Mrs. Nemecsek's face lacked black lace, so Anna saw a sickly face, pale and sunken eyes. – Thank you. –  The middle-aged and thin woman speaks softly, but her voice trembles anyway. Her hand was trembling as she reached out towards the basket. Anna didn't feel safe handing over the basket full of glass. The woman had a lot of problems on her shoulders, Anna didn’t want cleaning or injuries to be left in between.

– My aunt also packed some jam. Please show me where I can put it. – Anna gently rejects Mrs. Nemecsek's advances. – Of course.. – The sickly woman mutters, giving the girl space to go through the narrow door. Without a hallway, they immediately stepped into the kitchen, where the boy standing behind Anna immediately took the object out of her hand and moved, already knowing the room. – Thank you..–  The thin-built woman's voice trembled. As she opened the cupboard, she couldn't even put away her dishes to make room for the jars because of the shaking of her hands. Mrs. Nemecsek stood with her back to the two young people, but they could see the clenched fist, with such force that it trembled. 

A scarred and dusty hand suddenly appeared in Anna's view, and by folding up the shawl and crossing the threshold, the boy could crumple his cap into his pocket. He was at home in the kitchen, and Mrs. Nemecsek left the boy act like that. While he was moving, Anna had a chance to look around. On the stove there were already untouched dishes with a faint smell of burning, but no one reproached the lady of the house for the spoiled dinner. Standing where she was, next to the kitchen utensils, Anna could see into the small room of the apartment.  Her gaze only jumped back when all that was left in his hand was the weight of the wicker basket.

– I made Ernő's favorite, take some. He loved to share the cake with you. –  Mrs Nemecsek lifts the biscuit from the white, stained napkin. Even Anna's stomach churned. He didn't see any biscuits with hazelnuts and walnuts in the middle. In addition, they were fist-sized pieces. The woman must have noticed the reaction of the two teenagers because a sad smile flashed across her face.

– I'll pack some for you. The boys would be happy too, János. –  She talks to the boy and immediately reaches into the cupboard to take out a napkin in which she can wrap the sweets. Anna's gaze jump to her already empty basket, from which she pulls out one in which her aunt has put the fruits. – Don't look for one, there is one. You don't have to dirty another one.  –The girl tries to fold a piece a little bigger and heavier than a handkerchief in half. Anna’s eyes were wandering  to the boy, who had already started walking towards the big room. While Mrs. Nemecsek was putting away the cake, Anna also stepped over the little crooked and old threshold. The covered little bed and the medicines lined up on the side cabinet were a frightening sight, even though Anna had already seen well prepared deathbed. Both old and baby ones.  The mirror against the wall was covered with a white thick  sheet, and the open window was held open by a simple pillow.

 Anna watched as the young man put a snow-white, green and red striped cap on the bed. The girl turned back on her heel in respect when János raised his hand in salute before returning. The woman didn't take it to heart, but Anna was relieved when she stepped out under the gate of the condominium.

– She was referring to you, too. –  János clears his throat. To Anna's surprise, he didn't turn the corner, but went straight like her. – Thank you, János. –  Anna takes the biscuit broken in half, trying not to crumble on herself. His name left her mouth with a little hesitation. She had to realize that that she did not know the boy's full name. If Anna can perhaps remember the facial features, to engrave them in her brain, Anna also could benefit from the knowledge of his cousins.  Anna watched him out of the corner of her eye, but he didn't turn away minutes later. –  Where?– The boy asks suddenly.  Anna raised her eyebrows for a moment, and for a moment she remembered all the warnings her father had made her remember.

– Bóbita Street. The girl nodded, adjusting her grip on the ears of the basket. Her knees were rubbed or get hit by the basket at almost every step, but Anna didn't pay much attention to it. As long as it doesn't tear her stockings, Anna did not worry. She was no longer a young child, she would not dare to come home with torn stockings. It was enough for her aunt to deal with Badó's shirt, which was always torn.

Anna almost hurried over behind a passing horse-drawn carriage before the voice stopped her. The boy, János was just straightening his hair and tucking it into his hat when he looked at him. – Unload the square.  You wouldn't get home on time. –  János warns, getting Anna to turn back to him. He still had the biscuit broken in half, but instead of biting into it, he repacked it instead. Aunt Rozi's scarf with a red border disappeared into the boy's pocket. The girl takes a few more steps, but she didn’t see any movement around the concrete walls.

– The Badó didn't tell me to avoid it...– Anna mutters. If she were in the countryside, she would climb up the wall, but instead Anna just stepped to the concrete walls, trying to look in through the gaps. Grown men were walking and horses and waiting there with carriages. The boy was pushed into the background of Anna’s  brain and attention. Anna, on the other hand, tried to walk around the concrete slabs in the hope of getting the full picture. She completely missed the way something flashed through János's face, a realization.

– Badó like Krishauser? András Krishauser? –   János asks, an appreciation awakens in his voice. He used her cousin full name. Anna thought that in the Hungarian capital of the Monarchy, Badó and István often caused Aunt Rózi headaches, János seemed to know him. As a child, the girl often heard complaints during summer visits about torn, even unusable pieces of clothing or late night breaks during summer visits.

– He is my cousins. I spend  my school years with them. – Anna replies. It was good for her  to talk to someone of her own time. János didn't respond in time, so Anna felt compelled to add. She raised her eyes to the people passing by, almost all of them adults wore nice, Sunday clothes.

– Anna Sándorfi. – Anna introduces herself. In her head, he was thinking about trusting János's words, and accepting the inconvenience. To turn off the road or tried a route completely unknown to her. The latter thought clenched her stomach, even though it was still clear and daylight, the perfect time for discovery. The tall boy could see Anna’s hesitation. That she hadn’t stepped off the curb of the pavement or turn off the already known street yet.

– I'll accompany you, come!– The boy exhales, he even reaches out for the basket. Anna's fingers were pressed on the ears, but then she let them out of her hands easily. She stepped off the curb with him, keeping up with him as they left the corner of the street and left it several blocks away. Anna's  darker eyes were jumping on the boy several times, but she tried not to show much curiosity or interest on her face. – Did you go to the same school as the boys?  – Anna asks, after a few minutes of silence, but she was happy when the brown eyes were directed at her. The boy's mood improved from stage to section, his lips turned towards a smile too.

– You could say... After school, they always came out to kick the skin. He nods, taking off his blue cap for a moment as rich women walked past them. Common greeting. – School... Are you going to the Levantai? –  János  asks, spinning the basket next to him, while his other hand  was in his pockets. He could only ask, since Anna had no school marks. All parts of her uniform lay in the chest on her room, waiting to be adjusted to size later. For a moment, Anna felt a lump in her throat, but because of her temperament, it was difficult for her to lie.

– No, to the Veres Pálné high school. The new one. –  Anna replies, pulling herself up. Even though Anna knew how uncommon it is to hear the name of the school. Even in the countryside and in the nearby villages, the news gave rise to different opinions among family and friends. – The new high school, at the old city limits. – The boy thinks aloud. János  did not mention that it was useless for Anna to go there, and the idea and foolish. That school got opinions about wanting girls to have high education.  – You must be a smart girl. – He adds, with a half-smile on his lips. The air around the girl suddenly warmed up, and she felt a small layer of sweat sticking to his skin. Anna face was warming up, and she had to catch her gaze quickly. Anna’s proud and upright posture had loosened. She had always loved praise. Anna was already close  to approve, but she didn't want to be too annoying or too much. Many boys don't like big-mouthed girls, and Anna didn’t want the boy from Pest to  dislike her. 

– Thanks... And you're a good guy if you could put up with István's oddities. –  Anna changes the subject. They stepped into a much busier street where several people were staying. There were people who talked next to the wall, walked or played in the green grassed park next to the street.

The jumping rope, the chalk drawings and the jumping school put together with an obstacle course always made Anna smile. Out of the corner of her eye, she also noticed the boys playing with marbles. When  she left home, there were still plenty of these boys in school. Holding her hand behind her, her nails dug into her palms as more people walked past them, and giggles came from the mouths of the adult women. Her face quickly blushed.  

They were  meters away from the company when Anna reached out trying to catch the basket. – Hey, I can take it too!– Anna leans once more, after János, to retrieve the object. Her fingertips touched the basket for a moment, but János moved quickly. As Anna stepped to the right, he stepped to the left, and when the girl approached, he just spun over her heels, holding the object higher than she could reach. In the end, Anna slowed down blushing, which had nothing to do with fatigue.

– As soon as I escorted you home...– János laughs, the skin next to his eyes wrinkled because of this. He held the object high for minutes, waiting for Anna to lower her arms. His gaze only softened much later. – It's enough if you accompany me to the post office. I can go home with my uncle. –  The girl mutters, rolling her eyes, but in her head she was happy and excited about what had happened. – I'm going to the next street, there's no need for you to bother your uncle. – János replies, making eye contact with the girl for a moment. Before he continued walking. Anna's face was burning, and even her freckled face was probably red.

Past one of the shops they passed, the sound of a piano caught their ears. In the blink of an eye, Anna froze at the glass. She had to quickly take her hand from the glass, fortunately it didn't leave any marks on it. Anna  didn’t know many songs, but the melody sounded familiar. She began to hum softly as he successfully leaned away from the store, the music stucked in her ears.

– Are you even a musician too? –  János laughs as he stood a few steps in front of Anna, waiting for the freckled girl to catch up. He also did not criticize the girl's shaking her head as they walked. In fact, János was walking specifically on the sidewalk so that the girl would not fall under horses or turn her ankles under her due to the uneven road or the roots branching out under the concrete. – Talent. – János breaks out in laughs when Anna suddenly stops humming, and instead of continuing, she started from the beginning. His laughter and words of praise stopped Anna, causing her to freeze. This part of the day would surely be in her diary if she would have written  one. Anna might be able to use some of her own saved money, or she might even ask her aunt to buy one, because she was in need to tell, and let it out in some way. Even tomatoes would have envied her face, if it wasn't really visible from the outside, then from the inside. –Just a rhyme. Don't you have any of these in the city? What do you play or line up for?  Anna asks, raising her eyebrows, and her gaze was fixed on János's face. She refused wanting to tell the country and the world how embarrassed she was. – Yes, there are a few. – János admits to her, but the girl felt that his answer was incomplete. He folded his arms in front of his chest. The pebbles crunched under Anna’s feet as she stepped in front of the boy.

– Example...?– Anna is curious, her eyes sparkling. Even when she had to stand a little further to let go of the people walking, she was not losing her spirits. A surprise was flashing through János's face. They had already passed the groups of young people, and the old wooden poles provided enough cover.

A giggle escaped Anna's mouth as it emerged from János' voice in a deeper voice. The girl could hardly hear him, she had to lean forward and closer to him. On her face, the emphasis shifts from his freckles to her mouth clenched with giggles, and in her eyes the joy of victory also appeared. If she were alone, Anna might jump around in one place if she were alone. Of course, as János gave her the look, Anna covered her mouth with her hands.

– Is this a kind of urban song? – Anna raises her eyebrows. She remembered and remarked that as soon as her father came home with the hat promised to her, he would have to take her somewhere where she could listen to similar music for non-nobles.

– Team song...–  János reveals it, and he seems to recognize Anna's next question. – The lyrics of which is fully known only to the team members, and yes it is also written , on the first page of our Rulebook. – He adds. Because of his answer, a sour facial look appeared on Anna's face, but as quickly as it came, it disappeared as quickly. The girl lowered her hands to her side and stepped to the side to make room for the boy. Her heart pounded as John stepped past her, the smell suddenly hit her nose. It didn't stink like a man's daughter would think when it comes to boys from the city and Pest. It was reminding him of forests, dust, and metal.

– Does Badó know the secretsong?" Anna asks, the decision came at the girl strongly, inexplicably. The sheer curiosity and interest in the boy, and the habit of being strongly disturbed by unknown factors due to his rigorous entrance exam study. János just shook his head, made it clear with a smile that Anna's gaze was fixed on his face, neither gliding down to the basket in his hand or to the people passing around them.

– Stephen? – Anna keeps asking. She followed János like a puppy, not noticing for a minute or two that János had walked over to the other side, so that the post office building and the people who were constantly going in and out would not remind him of his earlier plan.  They were already meters away when Anna noticed the sign. By that time, the road had become busy, and Anna had no secret intention of fighting on an old chair and waiting for her uncle to finish his working hours. Anna was even smiling under her nose as she tries to follow the boy with her gaze, and at the same time, she does not get into an accident because of the poles or uneven road sections.

– If I find your team, I'll interrogate you! –Anna promises after her umpteenth attempt. Anna didn't even notice that her arms were pressed to John's forearm, nor that the girl was tugging at his hand. Her face blushed, her freckles almost the same color as her skin as she let her hands fall. She felt John's gaze on her, but she didn't dare to look up. She hopes that her hair braids will cover her ears. She was surprised that despite her previous attempts, the boy could easily keep his hands in his pockets.

– Which street are you in? The headquarters. –  Anna asks. Anna  was very interested in the fact that the boy had created a whole small state with his friends.  Flag and everything else that was needed. The cramp contracted Anna's stomach, which she did not immediately get an answer to her question. Her hand also found the boy's upper arm, while her mind was searching or another subject. She didn’t know what topics she could touch, as she met him not long ago.

– We don't have one. not anymore. – János voice lacks emotion, at least most of it. As if he wanted to turn the conversation process into simple flour.  Curiosity scratches Anna’s side, but she kept her mouth shut.

– You have flags, hats, protocols and anthems...– Anna begins to list, counting on her hand all the things she has already learned or only suspected their existence. Anna spoke more slowly, and between words she glanced at John to wait for him to correct her. It didn't happen, but János added a few things.  – Rank insignia and ... Combat readiness association money? – Anna repeats, to which she only got a nod. It crossed her mind that she would never understand the other sex, even though she was trying very hard. She couldn’t  deny that it sounds exciting, but she had a feeling that instead of a court-martial, she would much rather sit against a wall near a salon and listen to what the noble women say among themselves.

Anna couldn't contain her displeasure, which János also noticed. Only one and a half streets separated them to move to the quieter, suburban part of the city, but the invisible boundary line worked to János's advantage. He slowed down noticeably. till he was walking minimally behind Anna.

– Those who break the rules are punished and deserved...prison. They have to squat against the wall for hours, mooring... – He starts to tell the same topic. The edge of János's mouth curls upwards more and more from moment to moment.  In contrast to him, Anna's expression took a different direction. Anna  wrinkled her nose and then her eyebrows rose  while listening how creative János was, who was  talking about it in a regular way. János was so immersed, or at least enjoys Anna's reaction, that he didn’t even notice that he was pushing the basket with his knees, even though they have both stopped. A faint murmur left Anna’s mouth. She tried to turn away, but her self-control did not last long.  Her  arms were folded in front of her chest . Luckily for Anna, she didn't have to speak up, János stopped talking about it. The sparkle in the dark eyes remained, as did her smile.

– Where? – He asks, but Anna couldn't answer. The suburban part was familiar and alien at the same time. Her first reaction was to shrug his shoulders to buy time, and then  Anna opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came from his throat.  After János laughed, Anna realized that the boy had tested her, and she just  walked into the question. Anna didn't notice that his boyish voice had lacked the interest in questions. – Did they let you out like that? It's a miracle you weren't lost.–  The boy shakes his head, the laughter is still on his lips. The girl could listen to his teasing for a long time, but it didn't bother her.  It felt better than his height or his freckles.  In a few minutes Anna could already see the side of their house when János shook the basket. For a moment, the girl felt a heart spasm, but she had to  calm herself down with a deep breath. Yet she had to look inside to reassure herself that there was nothing fragile in the basket, in fact, there was nothing in it.

– Maybe your uncles will lend you his map if you ask... Precaution. This is not the little village where you go straight and you already stumble upon someone you know. – The boy finishes, but the grin stuck on his mouth. Anna had to pay attention, it was a little while before they passed the flower-lined house. The dogs, even the lazy Berry, were stomping in the doorway and selling the house in the noise. His barking intensified as the two young people ran across the road after the horse-drawn carriages. The deeper sound of the medium-bodied mix drowed  out the others, and the barking only got louder as they enter. The animal was already sneaking between their legs.

– Berry!– Anna had to tell the animal off, and she had already taken the step to catch the dog, who I sometimes turns into s a leg warmer. Anna  could not imagine that the dog would go far, but even in a quieter street he could easily get under the hooves of horses. Even in the village and on the farm, the dog was not allowed to roam freely. The fluffy dog only got as far as the line of the house, when János caught the it while trying to escape, but at the same time curious. While he had the basket in one hand, he barely held Berry under his arm. His hand held the animal firmly and only let it go when they were both sure that there was no way to escape.

János didn’t give it, and Anna didn’t reach for the basket right away. Instead, Anna just crouched down to greet the pet and the horribly functioning animal. Berry didn't know which of them he should turn to first, and he turned around. His tail get messy, hitting the boy's leg once, the girl's leg on the other times.

Neither of them closed the game with the dog, instead the window opening did. Anna straightened up immediately. and keeping her eyes down, she tried to remove the dirt from the skirt by the dog. – Thank you for the escort. –  Anna finally takes the outstretched basket from the boy.  the young girl  tried to give a signal, but not to turn to the window. If she was lucky, only her aunt was watching them from the window, if not, her cousins, who will show up in no time. – All my greetings...– János doesn’t finish, but nods his head in the direction of the window. If her family weren't listening, Anna would mention it, as well as the soft smile on János's face.

Before Aunt Rozi could invite the boy in, János was already turning. The girl was  only one step behind as she escorted the boy to the gate. Anna  left the basket on the ground, which was considered a bad decision, because he expressed the interest of the curious animal. –Berry! –  Anna shouts to the animal, the handle of the gate slipped out of her hand, they escaped the injury,  only because János's reaction was still quick.

– Berry?–  He mentions the unusual name, raising his eyebrows. – As a puppy, he looked like a chubby berry. – Anna tells him, with warm face  how he puts the object on a high ground. Anna didn't notice it, but her face softened for a moment when she was watching the animal, which was slowly choosing laziness again. The soft smile remained on her face as she looked back at the boy.

She wanted to say a lot of things to the boy, whose first name she had only managed to find out under the sun. – Leave some biscuits for your teammates as well.–  Anna calls after the boy, but as soon as the sentence leaves her mouth, she immediately regrets it. Even tapping her feet didn’t help, he just managed to get Berry a little more momentum. Anna  had to deal with Berry instead of running into the house and watching János walk away from the window overlooking the road in the boys room. If Berry wasn't her favorite, she would be bothered by the missed opportunity.

Inside, the air burst out of Anna’s lungs with relief at the sight of Aunt Rozi. The woman was wiping her hands in the apron and was waiting for the girl. This could be seen from her all-knowing smile, from which Anna's feet itched to escape as soon as possible. The joy that Badó and István were not in the house was soon forgotten while Anna was running up the stairs.

Anna was looking  for her most beautiful notebook from her chest. It was even leather-bound, not as simple as they always used.   Anna received it as a gift, after the admission into the school. She wanted to keep it in hand, but journaling was a good enough reason for the young girl. Instead of starting the diary nicely, Anna cut right into the middle. There were so many things that she had to write out of herself. If they were in the countryside, she would have run over to the neighboring farm long ago,  to tell her friends about the events. How much she liked the boy, who kept a limit even in his teasing and took her painful topics into account.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.—

Anna did not step out into the courtyard after János escorted her home. She was not ready for the family interrogation, even though Anna knew that her aunt was doing it with good intentions. Her auntie was not as strict as her father on similar topics. It was Aunt Rózi  who told Anna lot of stories about her teenage memories at the dinner table, which often included boys, none of whom were her uncle. – Someone left their scarf outside.–  István walks in the door, after dark. In addition to textbooks, he also put new books on the dining table from his shoulder bag. His mother had to tell him several times to put the books back and help her do a few things.

Anna recognized the shawl at once, and she was already waiting for her aunt to faint at the young man's events, but she only smiled under her nose. As auntie Rózi kneaded the fresh bread for the morning, there was a glitter behind her movements, which made a murmur burst from Anna's throat and she wanted to hide her face.

The shawl reminded Anna of the other, the much larger, kitchen usage kind. Her heartbeat slightly increased. She trusted in the qualities she had learned under the sun, in János, that the boy will bring back the shawl. Especially since it wasn't Anna’s own, but her aunt's. But this certainty released excitement into her bloodstream in addition to a smile. Anna’s  plans faded and she turned on his heel. The socks slipped easily.

– Where are you going? – István calls after her, but by then Anna was already in the middle of the stairs. – I have to get my clothes ready! – Anna shouts back. The door of her wardrobe hits the wall with the momentum. The fifteen-year-old girl doesn't have a huge wardrobe, but it's still hard for her to choose. For her next birthday, maybe she should ask for a dress, something fashionable, like the one worn by rich girls or French ladies.

Anna even wanted to match the dress with her hairbow. If she meets János by chance, she wouldn’t have to wear the simple clothes, and not the ones she can move around comfortably, but she has already pulled out of the constant play with her friends.

Her eyes are fixed on the Sunday dress several times. She especially liked the tiny lace part, which she handled with the utmost care. The decision was made an hour later, not only about the dress. While combing out your hair with the comb, the idea is to ask your family to visit a tailor on your upcoming birthday. Her father is strict about their finances, as are all the members of the family, but her birthday is a good occasion, and he can't say that Anna will be in uniform and that a pair of skirts and tops will suffice. Anna quietly hid her diary,  and went down to her aunt's first knock to prepare for dinner and the evening. Her uncle was already asleep, so they had to be quiet, and they had to wash quietly. Fortunately, her aunt prepared the hot water on the stove in time, so it went smoothly. This time, her cousins were also tired so no mouthing Anna that she had stayed in the bathroom for a long time.

Impatient, Anna returned to her room only  toweldry.  She was holding the old stained mug in his hand, the warm and sugary milk.  The clothes were still spread on the bed, but instead of doing something for the mess, Anna was using the lamp in the room to write a letter to her friends. Anna needed some advice very quickly, and maybe... she wants to show off a little, but only a pinch. In addition, Anna was missing her friends.

Its close to summer, they were in the last days of school, but Anna had not yet met local girls in the city.

Anna had already sent a letter to the people back home, but it did not and could not have mentioned János. The event with the boy was a special case, and perhaps she would find a stamp in one of the drawers to give to her uncle early in the morning.

…..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-..-.

It was late afternoon when Anna got tired of waiting in the window. Several members of the family had already left for school or work, so Anna was left with the task of helping with the chores around the house. However, it was doubtful how much help the girl provided, who walked to the window from time to time and sometimes to the front of the house. It was also arguable that Berry lying under the kitchen table was more helpful. Even the gramophone that Aunt Rózi turned on for Anna to unbalance it didn't help Anna. Not even the music clock.

They were both already after the afternoon's rest, and it was already warming up for the hot tea on the stove when somebody knocked. The tuft of fur that sat at Anna's feet almost stared out of the cookie from the girl's mouth, only the knock made Berry realize her doggy, watchful side. – We'd be better off with a goose. – Anna hears her aunt's muttering and the woman climbing out of the armchair. The girl didn’t wait her aunt to open the door. So she ate the last bite with a big bite, while dusting the crumbs from her lap and from the edge of her mouth. None of them were expecting a guest, and if a stranger did came, because of Aunt Rozi. 

As Anna opens the door, she was thinking of her cousin, whom she can imagine having left his key to the door. Anna would not have thought that after so many hours of waiting, János would be the one standing in the doorway. In a little... in a less street-like outfit, and his hair did not stand in a mess on his forehead, the part what was not covered by the hat. The cap that János took off immediately when the door opened.

The air froze in Anna's lungs, and she quickly used the door to cover the stained, home-only clothes. The only thing János was seeing was her head as she stuck her head out of the door. – János? –  There was a question in Anna’s  voice as she ran her eyes over the boy. Anna was so eagerly waiting to meet him, but now that they were face to face, Anna didn’t know what is appropriate. 

– As I promised. – He takes Aunt Rozi's kitchen cloth out of his pocket. – Washed and ironed. –  He adds, but his gaze wanders and his hand slips back into his pocket. Behind the entrance, Anna was trying to hold back her grin as the image appears in her head of the boy's mother washing the material. It  had been simple material used in the kitchen, but it was still folded and ironed. Being careful that the boy could not see her, she took the material which wrinkles immediately. This is how Anna also noticed that the tall boy did not arrive empty-handed. An old strap hung around his wrist that disappeared into his trouser pocket. Anna’s eyebrow was raised as she was trying to figure out what János was planning to do.  Her attention got noticed by the boy, who shifted his body weight to the other leg of his. János looked over Anna's shoulder into the hallway, Anna didn't fully know that her aunt had walked out of the room... or what was going on behind the boy's eyes.

– Leash. –  The boy's gaze jumps back to the young girl. János pulled out the leather strap, which had a collar and a small harness attached at the end. His lips trembled as the girl's dog emerged from the kitchen. In a matter of seconds, more emotions were visible on the dog, excitement when Berry realized that a guest had come, which was strengthened when he realized that it was the person who had given petted him and attention the day before. Anna had to hide her face in her hands as Berry simply went out the door taking advantage of the gap, but after sniffing, she went to bed. Not on the carpet or concrete, but directly on János's shoes.

– Someone simplified things.–  János shook his head as he crouched down to the dog. He had to hold on to the door frame. The mixed breed dog was medium-sized, but it had strength.  János only broke eye contact when he fastened the collar of the leash with steady hands on the animal. He didn't take off the original tag collar, he just swapped it for the other one.

– It's a bit big for him, but it's going to be good. –  János adds, standing up. The girl didn't even notice that she was just staring him without a word. János's raised eyebrows pulled her back to reality. He looked at her expectantly, as if they had discussed some plan that Anna had forgotten. A blush rose to her face because of this, which began to spread towards her ears. – Why does my dog have a leash? – Anna  asks the most important question. Her voice was a notch sharper than Anna had planned. The short girl squeezed the door handle until her fingers turned white, but it wasn't strong enough to calm her pounding heartbeat. Anna waited for hours for János’s  appearance and imagined that he would appear, but reality and imagination were two completely different things.

– You will start at the Monarchy's high school in September. You have to know the city. – He declares with the leash wrapped around his own wrist. His shoulders trembled from a chuckle as he watched the incomprehension change in her eyes. – With permission, of course. – János adds, looking straight over Anna's head. The girl turned around too, only to see that her aunt was already out with them in the room.  Anna  was reassured that the cap was not on the boy's head and even greeted the woman politely. Even in the Nemecsek apartment, she was amazed that the boy was not ashamed of politeness.  János easily lifted the headgear to Aunt Rozi and greeted her.

Fortunately, Anna does not see a knife in her aunt's hand, the presence of which would indicate leftover cakes and that she would invite the boy in. The girl looked at the woman with hope in her eyes. He trembled a little. – Bring them back by dark...even the girl. –   Aunt Rózi wiped her hands in her skirt and nodded her head towards the wall clock. There were only a few hours left until sunset, and Anna didn't want to keep the boy waiting. Especially since both Badó and István could come home at any moment. – Wait a minute. Let me change my clothes. –  Anna pushes the door in his direction and spins on her heel to run up the stairs to get into her small room. Anna was still on the last steps of the stairs when Aunt Rozi, laughing, opened the front door for the boy again. – Panna doesn't want you  to see her home dress. – Anna could hear his aunt's voice before she closed the bedroom door. The girl did not care about the mess , the stained dress almost flied to the desk, and Anna immediately reached for the clothes and stockings prepared on her bed. The girl didn’t have time for her hair, so she just let it out and and tied  it together with a bow. It was strange that it fell on her shoulder. She made the final touches by running on the stairs, and skipped the last two steps, and just jumped down on the pavement. The heel of Anna’s  shoe creaked because of this.

–Panna! !–  Aunt Rozi raises her voice a little, reproached for jumping. Anna murmured an apology under her nose and hurried out. Her heartbeat quickened as soon as she noticed how wide János's eyes were, hoping that the blush wasn't spectacular. Anna let János lead the dog, who came back to life after the first few steps. – Panna? – The boy asks, as they were meters away from the house. They couldn’t walk side by side completely, because Berry would go very hard, smell and pull János, and other times he got stuck and they have to wait until the animal was ready to move. – You can't use the nickname. – Anna gave him a glare and takes a sharp breath of air. The nickname she had heard since she was a little girl was not  mature. She did not tolerate any opposition and even stepped to the side, ready to pinch the boy if he used the nickname.

– 'll look for something else then. – The answer comes back with a nod. The glint in his brown eyes, on the other hand, did not calm down. – It's unusual for someone whose full name I don't even know to be interested in my nicknames. – Anna directs her gaze to the dog, grabbing the stem and trying to nudge the animal, which had been busy sniffing the trees.  Despite this, there was a playful edge in her voice, the effort on Anna's part to bite her lip to hold back the smile. Which János soon reciprocated and stretched out his hand to the girl, taking advantage of Berry's sniffing. Anna did not step away and accepted his hand, but in the meantime her shoulders shake from the comic scene.

– János Boka, at your service. – János introduces himself, not paying attention to who passes them. His confidence was appreciated. Anna wanted to taste , try out the boy's name, but his grip slides lower, to the ends of her fingers. It made her eye wider. – What are you doing?–  The girl hisses, pulling her hand out of János's. – Isn't this what you girls are dreaming about? – The boy raises his eyebrows curiously, de mole at his forehead got wrinkled. . Anna's mouth opened and she looked at him with narrowed eyes.  She was thinking  for a moment, almost pushed the boy, but then Berry pulled on the leash causing both of them to move.

– Not really.  Allow me to ask. But how many girls did you talk to at all?  – The girl asks, gloomy, keeping her eyes on the animal, but she had no intention of taking over the dog. The walk was János's idea, he should bear the weight of the dog's excitement and pulling. – Just enough to get to know you. – The boy replies too confidently, making Anna stand in shock for a moment and only then to start moving. Her elbow met the boy's side without a miss. – You're very sure of that, but we'll see. – Anna adds, rolling her eyes. But the laughter burst from her chest as the black dog expressed his intention to rest by laying down. People had to dodge the dog.

Anna remembered how freely Berry  ran around the farms and the forest, not exceeding certain distances. If Berry would got used to the leash, maybe Anna could see the exhausted animal with his tongue out again. – This will not be a great city explore day. – . Anna acknowledges, referring to the animal's slowness. Her gaze, involuntarily, found the pair of deep brown eyes that didn't really let her go.

-------

In contrast to her, the Volturi witch twins handled the situation very well when they met. Neither of them approached or spoke to Emma. The younger vampire could feel their burning gazes on her skin, and the taller one was even watching her curiously. The darkening of Emma’s eyes didn’t signify hunger, but it could have been misinterpreted. She didn’t notice the wolf pulling the half-blood behind him.

– The Masters will certainly find this turn of events interesting .–   The third member of the Volturi, Demetri cleared his throat. Unlike Emma, Alec and Jane had strange easiness to turn around . Only after they had left did she look around. She didn't notice Bella's focused expression. She just exhaled sharply, expelling air her body hadn't needed for a long time, but which her soul, if she had one, needed.

Her fingernails tore through the sleeves of her sweater as she clutched it so tightly. It bothered her a little… Actually, it bothered her a lot that, alongside the growing sense of emptiness, the Cullen’s  presence bothered her just as much as Demetri Volturi’s presence bothered her next to the twins.

Because of the clouds, Emma wasn’t much bothered by the fact that it was daytime. She knew Charlotte was following her, and perhaps Peter was too. She had to break away from the Cullens and their always positive aura. She had to force herself to distract her thoughts with images, each more horrific than the last. Emma had to make sure Edward doesn't dig into her mind. Not even the wolf’s growl affected her, the guy who was the very reason she had to go all the way to Seattle to huntand feed freely. The almost unnoticed steps answered her questions.  Peter and Charlotte knew so well Emma’s habits, but aside from Alice and Jasper, the Cullens were still unfamiliar with the young vampire. The hunt ended successfully within a few hours. Only Emma fed, while Peter and Charlotte watched the events unfold from nearby. Charlotte even handed her a handkerchief so she could clean her mouth. Generally, eating neatly wasn’t one of Emma’s strong suits. She never had to worry about it, she lived far away from people with Peter and Charlotte. A torn shirt or pair of pants from hunting didn’t matter much, nor did her smudged face or bloodstains.

In fact, Emma didn’t need blood for hunger, since she’d consumed some days earlier. However, the thrill of the hunt and the taste of blood kept her preoccupied for minutes, and not let her mind wonder. It was debatable whether it was worth turning half the Cullen clan against her and returning with ruby-red eyes just for those few minutes of peace, but Emma didn’t want to think about that. They just have to get through the wedding, and then they can go back to their carefree lives.

– I’m fine,. – Emma mutters under her breath as the words came out when they returned. She felt the air change. Half the family wasn’t in the house, as Rosalie and Alice were looking at wedding decorations, while Esme was preparing dinner for the only eating members of their family. Emma clearly heard that upstairs Emmett wanted to try out a video game with his blond brother.  She’d learned that sudden, thoughtless, or unexplained warmth and positivity were always linked to the blond-haired man. She herself was aware of the existence of this previously unfelt bond, and of the fact that, on the surface, it does not  look good. However, she hadn’t caused the her own heart-wrenching suffering herself, so it wasn’t her responsibility to fix it  with the twins.  As the wind shifted, she was sensing Edward’s return, and the half-blood and the shifter's departure were also noticeable in the house. Esme’s worried expression, as she watched Emma slumped on the couch from the kitchen, occasionally glancing up at her, revealed that they were bracing for the worst. The girl had to clap her hands together in front of her and force energy and mood into her body.

–  How are the flowers coming along? – Emma asks, playing with her hands. Perhaps she’d be much calmer if, instead of planning the wedding, she simply tried dancing with a bear, but based on her memories from her previous life, she was an animal lover.  Not like any member of the Cullen family.

The idea seemed like a good one, because it meant they could join the girls together with Charlotte. Everyone quickly got into the spirit of teamwork to throw a memorable and grand wedding for the optimistic bride, except for Bella, whose presence greatly bothered Emma. The young vampire hadn’t become a vampire of her own free will either. Becoming a vampire on free will felt strange.  

Emma listened enviously as a yawn escaped from Bella and Edward’s daughter. The wedding had gone on until the early hours of the morning, but time didn’t matter as much to the vampires as it did to the half-blood girl and the huge wolf. If Emma were able to sleep, she would have done so long ago. 

Leaning against the wall, the girl let her mind rest, though it often wandered back to the Volturi twins. The two vampires would have fit right in at the elegantly arranged wedding venue, perhaps if they’d been wearing slightly lighter outfits instead of the gothic Volturi uniforms.

Before Edward could sense her thoughts, Emma decided to take a short walk in the woods. No running or tree-climbing, because the dress had to remain in perfect condition. She watched Alice and Jasper dance together and, for a moment, lifted her gaze to watch Emmett and Rose having fun. The bear-like man, despite his wife’s mild protest, picked her up and spun her around a few times. Charlotte and Peter weren’t in sight, but as Emma sniffed the air, she couldn’t smell their scent strongly in the air either.

In Emma’s original plans, a walk of just a few meters would have been enough to clear her head. Instead of just a few meters, she kept walking.  Not far from the Cullen house, the area is covered in rocky, mountainous terrain, not good for a human, but childplay for a vampire. And even the most experienced hikers avoid this area at dawn, when it’s cool, foggy, and visibility is poor. So Emma don't have to worry about running into anyone. In the countryside, according to local accounts, even bears were a rare sight.

Emma had already frozen in place at the sight of the birds and the forest creatures. Her vision had adapted perfectly to the night. As in fact, the light didn’t bother her, and Emma could observe animals movements much more clearly. This time, however, she didn't take it seriously or pay big attention.   Her gaze, however, was never fixed on the lizard crawling on the dewy leaves or the tree bark.

Instead, the figures stepping forward from among the trees proved to be far more interesting.  To a mortal, the black cloaks and even the snow-white porcelain faces would have blended into the night.  Emma’s lips parted, but the memories of how they had left remained in her mind. With her mouth pressed shut, she raised her eyebrows and clasped her hands in front of her chest. – A wedding gift? Or are you also asking for the label ‘uninvited guests’ to go with the rude? – Emma asks, keeping her eyes on the twins. She was angry at the Volturi twins, just as much as she was glad they’d left the Cullen house days earlier.

– We have no reason to join the party. – The boy says. Emma hadn’t expected him to speak up at all. Her gaze was fixed on the blonde girl, she’d have expected the comment to come from her. She  tightened her crossed her arms over her chest before speaking. She expected Jane to retaliate for her answer, but no searing pain came. She stood with both feet firmly on the ground; she wasn’t writhing in pain. She stood with both feet firmly on the ground, but still she wasn’t writhing in pain. 

– Then you have no reason to stay. – Emma retorts. It had sounded so much simpler to say those words in her head. – As for anything else, I believe the Volturi can wait. – She had to adds.   Instead of the burning pain she’d expected, however, she felt nothing. Perhaps, deep down in her soul, Emma would have welcomed that famous pain just to feel alive. Years of invulnerability is one of the worst kinds of suffering. They could run into the mountains themselves and not even feel a thing. It was the same with the sea. The very first times, Peter had to get a boat because Emma couldn’t walk all the way through the water because of fear of it.

– You don’t belong to the Cullens, yet you protect them. –   Jane remarks, looking into Emma’s eyes and noting that, unlike the Cullen family, Emma didn’t wear the family crest on any way. Emma had to admit they were right. The wall that had begun to form after the twins departure trembled ever so slightly.

– Gold isn’t my color… Neither are people loving. –  Emma  answers with an eyeroll. Her response drew a snort from the boy. Emma’s shoulders were trembling and  took a minute to be relaxed a little.  Emma saw that the boy wasn’t standing so rigidly in front of her. Alec was leaning against the tree, and his posture and face didn’t seem quite so tense. Emma had relaxed how calmed and chill situations how change one looks. He’d relaxed a little. In contrast, Jane was much stiffer. 

 Emma was already bracing for the pain, as she stepped another line but the pain didn’t come from Jane. She just looked more annoyed. Tired of the situation, Emma  took a step or two forward. She wanted to continue on her way, and she didn’t want to add tonight’s or rather, this early morning’s plan to the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of plans that had never come to fruit.

– Where are you going? – Jane finally speaks out as Emma walked past her. Neither of them had used their vampire speed, which surprised Emma. She hadn’t expected to find anything familiar or human-like among the witches of the vampire world.

–  I want to jump off a cliff. –  Emma replies halfly joking but as the words left her mouth it became fully true with her fast decision making ability.. Alice had beautifully designed and tailored the fabric covering her body.  And while one part of her mind wanted to reuse the dress at other events to put it on. A  more realistic part of her knew that in the middle of the forest and while wandering between countries, the elegantly tailored fabric was simply not appropriate.

Her answer might have surprised the twins. The air he’d been holding in unnecessarily burst out of Alec. A look of surprise was also flashing across Jane’s face too. Her eyebrows shot up for a moment, but then she simply let her arms fall to her sides.

Emma didn’t expect them both to turn toward her. She glanced at the twins one last time to gauge how likely it was that the high-ranking members of the Volturi would, contrary to their words, join the party. Then she pushed off the ground and let the momentum carry her. She had not pay much attention to her surroundings, keeping her gaze straight ahead. The wind slipped beneath her clothes  several times.

The heel of Emma’s shoe scraped against the ground as she stopped just in time at the top of the biggest cliff in the area. The area wasn’t huge, but it couldn't be among the greatest in America either; still, it was perfect to get a rush of adrenaline. And that adrenaline might help Emma finally give in to her pent-up primal instincts, causing the urge whispering simply turn on her heel and return to the twins to fade away. The electric buzz in her head was starting subside, but the familiar, suppressed restlessness remained.  In some ways, Emma felt like a newborn again.  Air escaped loudly from her mouth as Emma slipped her shoes off her feet. She doesn’t need them for what she was  intending to do. Maybe a pair of boots, but there aren’t any at the top of the cliff.

Emma gave herself a few meters of space and sets off. Her arms were reaching out automatically into the air, along with her fingers, so she can grab the rocky ledge just in time.  Her fingernails carved into the side of the rock as she cushioned her fall, but she also felt a slight tingling sensation throughout her body.  If her heart had been beating, blood would have rushed to her face, but instead, a painfully huge grin spread across her face as she slid the last few meters. Along with the last handful of rock fragments, she landed on the ground with her knees bent. She had to brush the rock fragments and dust off herself before she could go again.

Her next movement, however, froze in midair. The scent in the air revealed the secrets of the forest and the rocky landscape, and a moment of careful listening confirmed Emma’s suspicions, which, in turn, only fueled her enthusiasm further.

None of them stepped out into the moonlight, just only their presence remained constant. As Emma returned to the top of the cliff, the thought of calling out to the twins crossed her mind at least a hundred times. Just that thought was enough to calm the tingling in her head. The knowledge alone and the two pairs of rubin eyes watching her jump was enough. Her gaze sought out the twins several times. Jane and Alec didn’t approach, but they followed her every single jump. In fact, they didn’t even turn their backs on her afterward, which surprised her even more.

*Demetri*

Olivia didn’t know Demetri, or what kind of soul lay behind his pale face. But the way he was looking at her creator didn’t exactly fill her with peace. Olivia felt as if her skin was about to crack from the strenght  before Demetri let go of her completely. Not before pulling his finger over her bitemark.

The red gaze found Andrea, but there wasn’t much the vampire woman could do. The woman’s gaze also showed shock. 

– I’ve never found fault with the Volturi’s hospitality, –  The words slipped from Andrea’s lips. Olivia could tell they’d had no choice in the matter. Still, the presence of danger was still whispering in her ear, so when she saw an opening, she pushed his hand away from her face. At the same time, she quickly moved to stand beside Andrea. For long moments she was  standing with her hand clenched around her throat, and even a loud hissing sound escaped her throat. The sound was growing louder as the man leaned closer, visibly inhaling her scent.

–  Olivia. – The vampire woman warns her. Along with her cold gaze, she issued a warning. Because her human existence had fallen victim to the darkness after her transformation, Andrea had become the only source of stability in her life. Even though she often disagreed with Andrea’s decisions, she still felt much better with her than she did alone. – Let’s go. –  The older woman says to Demetri. She held her arm out to the side, preventing Olivia from rushing toward Demetri when she sees his cheeky smile. The Volturi member’s face is completely consumed by the joy of victory,  which even his handsome features can’t soften enough to keep Olivia from feeling the urge to slap him. The blond vampire gestured toward the entrance of the alley with his hand. 

Andrea set off, her hand clasped around Olivia’s wrist. They both took their first steps in front of Demetri, and Andrea was careful not to let Olivia look back. Andrea's nails snapped the bracelet the newborn vampire was wearing on her left wrist.  Before the thin cord could fall from Olivia’s hand and they stepped into the lamplight, the man clicked his tongue gaining attention.

– I wouldn’t try anything,. – Demetri warns them, keeping his eyes on Andrea, following them closely. He must have noticed something.  The man’s tone grew more serious. His accent was strong, and his voice bore a certain resemblance to Andrea’s. The only major difference was in their attire:. While one was dressed flamboyantly, the other was more elegant. –  Not even if you use the girl. – The man adds in a low voice. The dangerous warning, veiled in a thin mask, caused Andrea to release Olivia’s hand, but she didn’t slow her pace. The man quickly caught up with them. His posture relaxed as they walked through the dark and deserted greek streets, he even clasped his arms behind his back.

To be on the safe side, they walked at a leisurely pace until they reached the city limits. The usually confident woman didn’t say a word. Her nervousness was evident, and Olivia didn’t dare press the issue. However, the fact that Andrea let go of her hand so easily, even though she needed that touch so badly, only increased Olivia’s anxiety. It was physically impossible, but her stomach would have knotted up tightly.

Demetri was a member of the Volturi, but he didn’t need to show her the way.  Demetri never corrected her once. He simply cleared his throat whenever Andrea walked faster than he liked.

–  Olivia, After a while the man addresses the girl. –  The Volturi expect a certain appearance, even from their guests.–  He holds the black handkerchief in his hand. For certain people, even the Greek designs speak for themselves. Olivia had  tried to tuck her hair back with one hand, then  she accepted the handkerchief without hesitation. Demetri was right, Olivia hadn’t fed properly. Blood had dried on her lips, and in fact, most of her face wasn’t free of bloodstains, which made her give off a much stronger scent of iron.  Olivia didn’t understand herself, but she didn’t resist the tempting thought. She felt no shame as she wiped her face against the soft fabric. The dried blood flaked off Olivia’s face in tiny pieces, and she had to rub it to remove most of it.

Looking up, the first thing she noticed was Demetri’s watchful gaze. Her red eyes then fell on her own clothes, which didn’t quite able to hold  the bloodstained fabric.  Countless drops of blood were splattered across her clothes, having completely stained the colorful fabric brown.  Andrea often paid attention to their attire, and as soon as Olivia opened her eyes as newborn, Andrea considered it her right from the very first moment to decide what Olivia could and could not wear.

Without shame or hesitation, the young vampire shoved the blood-stained fabric back into the man’s hands. She did all this while maintaining eye contact, and in the next moment, she crossed the city limits. A few meters later, all three were able to set off again, at a much more comfortable pace. The night worked to their advantage in areas where trees and bushes couldn’t hide them, and where they had to cross the water. The man ran roughly in line with the two women, and the wind and salt water took their toll on his sandy-brown hair as well. Not for a single moment did he fall behind Andrea and Olivia. Nevertheless, the pair of red eyes that seemed to set her entire body ablaze kept flashing through Olivia’s mind.

By the time they reached the Italian border, not a single thought about the man or their escape crossed Olivia’s mind. Instead, she was simply trying to figure out Demetri and his relationship with her creator.

– Olivia,. – Andrea warns her again,  her narrowed eyes speaking again for her. The unspoken words had their effect, and Olivia moved closer to her, rather than Demetri standing right next to her. The gesture elicited a soft chuckle from the man, who continued on his way without comment. For the sake of the humans, they were slowing down, and Demetri led them along the paths used by the Volturi and through the tunnels beneath the city.

Aro received them in the Volturi’s library. His presence was accompanied by several guards and bodyguards, though the other two masters did not appear alongside him.

– Demetri, I see your mission was a success. – Says the clan’s founder, turning away from the meter-high bookcase. His ruby-red eyes filled with curiosity, and a strange smile played on his lips. The enormous room was completely distracting Olivia; even the dust fluttering in the light proved intriguing  amidst the gold-framed paintings and sculptures. Only the gentle breeze and the scent of blood emanating from the Greek man caused her to look up.

Fear washed over Olivia’s body moments later as she watched Demetri place his hand in Arp’s. Andrea’s confident demeanor had completely vanished in the last few hours starting with Demetri’s appearance. Olivia's four-hundred-year-old creator had taught her many things, but experiencing different cultures had also brought on a sense of dissatisfaction. The hut standing in the middle of the forest was in no way comparable to the situation. Olivia flinches as Aro let go of Demetri’s hand, and was clapping his hands together.

– Andrea… What a pleasure that Demetri ran into one of our dear members. –  The attention shifts to Andrea. – May I? – The raven-haired man asks. His hand was already reaching out toward Andrea, who for a moment let her gaze sweep over the guards before taking the necessary steps forward. Aro’s words conveyed only the necessary courtesy, and everyone recognized that a command lay behind them.

Olivia involuntarily took a step back as Aro’s hands enveloped Andrea’s. Part of her wanted to intervene, to pull her creator away from the danger, while another part of her realistically recognized her own vulnerability.

The clan’s tracker, the member closest to the girl did not allow her to move. He proved to be even faster than the tallest man. Compared to their very first encounter, Demetri’s grip was gentler, intended simply to keep her in place. Olivia  had to watch as Aro’s hand tightened around Andtea’s fingers and her red eyes sank deep into her thoughts, while Andrea stood with her back to her.

A loud laugh escapes Aro’s lips as he lets go of Andrea and turns his whole body toward Olivia. The rings on his fingers clink together as put his hands together.

 – Magnefico! – He whispers to himself. Aro didn't give the newborn vampire a chance to answer the question, or even to take those final steps. He was watching every inch of Olivia with a curiosity that bordered on a hunger for power. Olivia's throat tightened, and a growl burst from her chest as Aro Volturi appeared before her. If Demetri hadn’t been holding her by the forearm, she would have reflexively jumped back. To her surprise, not only did she let out a growl, but Demetri did as well.

– So many similarities…– Aro says, addressing Demetri and completely ignoring her. On top of that, a broad smile spread across his lips. Olivia tried to make eye contact, but both Andra and Demetri were watching Aro. Her stomach clenched, and she felt the taste of the blood she’d consumed hours earlier rise in her throat.

Olivia  had no idea what was happening, but a tornado was raging in her head. Every thought she had ever had, every feeling she had ever felt, remained trapped inside her head. All her senses went silent, and she couldn’t even escape from that unsettling grip.

Her gaze swept around the room, darting from face to face, but no one met her eyes. She had to face alone the man whose ice-cold fingers were probing her mind, a man who, for several minutes, had been rummaging through her thoughts and no matter how hard she tried, her entire life replayed before her eyes. There wasn’t much she could do. She could only bit her tongue and let the poison course through her mouth and tastebuds

–  The world still holds wonders even for me. –  Aro marvels as he finally releases Olivia’s hand, which falls loosely back to her side. She couldn’t look at anyone for help, but for a moment she leaned toward Demetri. –  As I see it, Demetri has made his intentions clear. –  Aro says, speaking with an air of astonishment and omniscience. – That doesn’t leave much of a choice. –  He directs his words toward Andrea, who has pulled her lips into a cold smile. Olivia has seen this side of her many times, when a dangerous silence descends upon the two of them, causing Andrea to toy with her victims all the more.

–Of course. It’s always a pleasure to enjoy the clan’s hospitality. – The situation was forcing Andrea to stand up. Her words, however, surprised the young newborn. The fiery woman doesn’t obey anyone so easily. – You must already know the way to your room. Renata and Demetri are helping Olivia get ready.– Aro claps his hands together excitedly, but the sparkle in his eyes didn't fade.

His head was moving back and forth between Olivia and Demetri, yet his movements were dismissive. Demetri and the guards also bowed their heads, but besides them, even Andrea tilted her head as Aro retreated to the door between the shelves, with the now abandoned book still in his hand. Instead of following Demetri along with Olivia, Andrea left the girl completely to her own resources. She didn’t move when Demetri moved. They were already at the door when Andrea's voice reached Olivia. It was enough to make Olivia’s hair stand up slightly. And although the presence of their creator always brings comfort to vampires, Olivia’s eyes even closed as Andrea’s hand touched her face.

– Do exactly what they ask. No more, no less. – The vampire woman strokes Olivia’s face. Along with the touch, she adjusted Olivia’s shirt, then followed the tall man in the gray cloak standing in the corner through the door.

Penelope’s entire being feared loneliness more than the strict, and perhaps even the word “ruthless” would be too weak to describe the vampire royalty and police, the Volturi.

Penelope was no longer a newborn, but her skin was still just as sensitive. She had long since given up on her hair, but the wind reached her Volturi-style clothing as well, ruffling it. The young vampire held the book in her hand, but she could only read a few lines from it during the hour.  Snippets of conversation coming from the other side of the high castle wall distracted her several times.  The young people’s conversation opened up a whole new dimension for her, where survival was not a reality.  She learned many new stories, including details about how the local pubs, concerts , about popular performers, some big some small. Thes mentioned the group’s daily life,.

She liked the information curiously. and with excitement. As far as Penelope was concerned, it wasn’t just a few thick walls that separated them. If her heart could beat, it would soften and grew a bit jealous too.   Despite all Penelope efforts, she couldn’t remember much about her life before the bite. All her memories have faded from in her head. Only leaving only emotions burned into her bones, feelings she can build upon. but never support her. 

Penelope already noticed the arrival of another person just in time, as the wind ruffled his black shirt and raven hair. However, Penelope  did not lift her gaze to Aro until the man was already close to her. Her lips was trembling, causing her to press her mouth shut, yet she still accepted the man’s outstretched hand.

Moments later, she felt the cold, probing fingers in her mind. It was slowly becoming a routine for Aro to carefully scan her thoughts from time to time. At first, Penelope was afraid of this now-habitual event, but afterward, the man’s mood always improved.  The time she spent in the fresh air also increased, and, unusually, Aro was talking more and more about various topics, even dates, opening up. . Which stood in sharp contrast to her confinement in the tower.

– You were gone a long time…–  He whispers in her ear as he leans close to her. The rings were already on his hands, and the Volturi ruby necklace was already hanging around his neck.  Penelope had a feeling that the courtroom doors would soon be shut.  The towers were far from the great hall, so Penelope could barely hear anything. The clan had built the castle with security as the masters were  top priority. On the other hand, to ensure that escape would be impossible, even for vampires.

– It’s a sin to miss out on a weather like this. – Penelope replied, finally raising her gaze to Aro’s face. Like her own, Aro’s eyes burned with a dark red shade. Thanks to the previous day’s feast, hunger did not fill their bodies. His much paler skin created a much greater contrast than hers.

Contrary to her words, Penelope stood up anyway. Aro’s hand slid over her back, but he was not applying  any pressure. – Back to the cell?–  Penelope asked, her voice barely audible. She didn’t need to look back over her shoulder to know that her words hadn’t brought a smile onto the faces of her guards.  – That is the safest place for the queen. – Aro’s patience hadn’t waned; only the corner of his mouth trembled. – You’re not ready. – He added as he escorted her back to the tower room. They didn’t walk past the great hall, but the heightened security was noticeable even in the distant corridors. Penelope’s throat was tightened at the sight of the preparations.

– What if I were?– She asked back, but her gaze did not meet the pair of red eyes. The renewed curiosity in her voice was to Aro’s liking.

– As my queen, there’s no question about it.–  Aro ended the conversation. Penelope had known for a long time that Aro wanted her to be safe and hidden away.  Hidden from the world, if not entirely in secret, then at least in the shadows. As she walked through one of the main hallways, a faint sound caught Penelope’s attention, making her to lift her head toward the desk pushed into the corner and slow her walk.  Contrary to Aro’s words, the secretary had not yet retreated to the safe room for the duration of the judge..

The another suprise, that instead of the older blonde woman, a young woman with black hair stands behind the computer. A few days earlier, the blonde secretary was the one who had delivered the paint and charcoal set to Penelope, but now not even a trace of her scent reaches Penelope’s nose.  The woman stood with her back straight and stiff, as one would expect of a human, and greeted them with a nervous smile.  Aside from Penelope, none of them gave any sign that they had paid her even a shred of attention. The pity building in her dark brown eyes reinforced Penelope’s own position in her mind. She had learned that people often approached vampires with a painful confidence.

– There’s no need for you to learn her name. – Aro was noticing Penelope’s hesitation as they walk up the spiral staircase. His palm didn’t touch her skin directly, so Penelope couldn’t tell if he had truly figured her out.  The bodyguards had fallen behind them in the process, slowly leaving only the two of them.  Penelope opened the heavy wooden door, but Aro closed it behind him. Several packages were  lay scattered across both the bed and the desk. Penelope opened just one package and tossed the cardboard box into the trash after taking out the special decorated books.  

The spacious bedroom lacked nothing, and as Penelope ran her fingers over an unopened jewelry box, Aro pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

– I won’t keep you waiting. – He murmured into her hair. His old Italian accent sent a shiver down Penelope’s spine, she had to  took a deep breath. For a moment, she watched as the door closed and his bodyguards took their places in front of it, but she didn’t give the thought any more time. Being a vampire had taken countless things from her. Her human memories, aging, changing, and carefree fun, but it had given her time and pain. . Time she could spend counting the unevenness of the ceiling or actively filling her hours. Instead of studying languages and art, she now surrounded herself with books in the armchair, enough to keep her occupied for a few hours.  It was already too late to go out.

Marcus

Italy

Marcus spent days away from Leana. If his self-control had held out, this period could have been much longer. Not even his thousand years of experience and his memories of Didyme were enough to make him selflessly allow the mortal to live her short yet almost limitless life.

His first step was to find out where Leana was staying after a full day of surveillance. Since Leana enjoyed visiting various historical sites, it wasn’t hard to find her, which both simplified his plans and filled him with a different kind of excitement.

The travel journal left at the hotel filled in the remaining gaps. Now Marcus could make his plans. They met again at the foot of the historic library’s ruins, after Marcus had taken care to prepare himself properly for the hours spent among people. Whether intentionally or not, Leana took the final step by making a louder remark at the scene. This gave the most aloof of the Volturi the opportunity to approach, which later developed into a deeper conversation. Marcus was careful to keep the topics within safe limits. Like most people, he didn’t find this unusual. Most of the conversation was about history, so it was almost inevitable that they would discuss Leana’s next stops, which Marcus had already committed to memory earlier. So he offered to take her on another sightseeing tour.

At first, Marcus had only planned a few occasions to spend time near his singer. He tried to convince himself that a few breaths of fresh air were enough for his cursed existence.  The plan evolved as their relationship grew stronger, until there was no other option for Marcus. Marcus Volturi wasn’t as human-friendly  as the Olympian clan, nor as pure as Didyme. Nor was he driven by curiosity like Aro.

– I hope you’ll forgive me.– The man whispered, clutching the engagement ring in his hand.  His red gaze darted to the painting on the wall before he closed the door behind him. He took  the  black cloak and Santiago waiting in the hallway. – Find Dimitri. I’m heading out.– Marcus gave the order before setting off. The tracker will be a valuable asset to Marcus in keeping his plans secret and reinforcing his intentions regarding the girl and their future.

He didn’t rush, but only slowing his pace to match the tracker’s when he reached the Volturi’s gates.  Marcus was preparing for a long journey, but to avoid arousing suspicion, he couldn’t go alone. Partly for their safety, and partly because Aro felt much safer that way. And in the Volturi’s existence, that was the most important thing.

Leana’s diary revealed where she would be staying, which gave the thousand-year-old vampire a few steps  forward  and minutes to hunt before her. In an instant, he completely drained his victim of blood and disposed of the body.

His eyes was burning red as he snapped the door lock off with a single motion. Marcus merely glanced at Demetri out of the corner of his eye.

– Stay. – His voice was softer as he addressed the younger vampire in Italian. He  has to do the next part yourself. He successfully kept the beast locked deep within his soul behind bars, a beast that could not bear to have anyone else near him.   A growl and the monster would erupt from his chest if he sensed Demetri near his singer. It also added to his mood that Leana would remain a mortal for a short while longer, then become a newborn and bound to him.

Even the size of the hotel room offended Marcus’s good taste. It was like a kick to his eyes.   it stood in stark contrast to the  beauty values of the Volturi clan, built up over centuries. Soon, Leana wouldn’t have to see any of this either. The room was empty and small enough that the sound of running water filled the entire space. The man could hear Leana’s every move from the bathroom, even the slight mumbling too. His imagination had been dry for decades, but now Marcus was feeling its effects, what, for once, weren’t tied to blood. Ever since Marcus had met Leana, he’d started noticing all sorts of little things. Even things that hadn’t even crossed his mind before. Freedom and life outside the Volturi, too.

His thoughts strayed down the wrong path several times, but everything stopped when Leana finally stepped out of the bathroom.  Steam poured out the door immediately, even swirling around Leana’s body.

Marcus couldn’t wait for Leana to notice him in the dark, and he used his speed as an advantage.. While covering her eyes and mouth with one hand, he used the other to stop her tentative struggles until  his teeth sank completely into her neck. Her blood was sweet, tempting, and his venom flowed easily into her soft flesh.  His instincts formed a high, impenetrable wall. In a split second, Leana’s defiance vanished as she went limp in Marcus’s arms like a rag doll. He kept his mouth pressed against her neck for a few more seconds to ensure enough poison spread through her veins, to her heart.

It didn’t take long for Leana’s legs to give way and for her to collapse forward. The combined effects of fear and poison were too much for Leana.

Caius

For the college student, the day of the attack was the one that wiped out all her plans and visions for the future. Pinched against the wall, Trissa tried to make herself invisible in the blond man’s eyes, holding her breath, but those red eyes found her. She know that she should have scream, to be lod or something, even run the her feet was heavy.

She saw how the blond man had finished off her attacker, who now lay on the ground like a rag doll. And now, in the darker part of the city, the man approached her, then his fingers clamped onto Trissa’s forearm, pulling her to her feet and beginning to drag her along. A growl escaped his mouth, but Trissa didn’t understand. Her mind couldn’t process the next few moments as well as her face turned pale..

Her phone and bag remained on the ground as Trissa was dragged through the dark areas. Somehow fully in darkness. Her gaze fell on the figures walking behind them, also wrapped in cloaks, but their faces were hidden by the fabric.

– Move!–  He snapped at Trissa. His voice betrayed his irritation that Trissa had stumbled several times and couldn’t move fast enough. So much so that the next time she stumbled, instead of catching her by the feet, the red eyed man  scooped her up into his arms. The movement was so fast it blurred in her eyes.

Trissa’s stomach churned. A muffled little sound was all Trissa could manage. Her stomach churned, and her hands automatically clung to the man’s shirt and his upper arm. Her fingertips turned completely white, but that didn’t bother the blond man.  Shadows played across his face as Trissa’s eyes took in nothing, or very little, of their surroundings.

The man paid no mind to the whimpering sounds escaping from Trissa’s throat. Nor was he particularly shaken when he threw Trissa straight onto the bed what was covered in red silk. The mortal’s eyes still did not open, but the sight of her lying on her back in a softly lit room had a powerful effect on him. – No! – It burst from Trissa throat as she managed to find her voice when the red-eyed man grabbed her by the arm and used a piece of silk as a makeshift restraint to bind her hands. Her blood circulation was barely enough to keep her hands from turning white.

At first, Trissa’s entire range of movement was limited to the bed and the bathroom. Caius, the man, initially forced her to change the sheets every single day, sometimes every two day. During her first shower, Trissa had to press herself against the wall of the stall, using a towel she could get her hands on to cover herself. Her face flushed, and she was sure her heartbeat was fast to.

The vampire didn’t let it bother him, because he simply walked in, with the clothes in hand and tossing it into the corner of the bathroom, getting her own ones..  Trissa was sure she would never see those clothes again, even though a quick wash would have been all it needed.

  She had to look away when she saw what Caius had laid out. The dress fit much better into the man’s wardrobe than into hers in question of style. There was embroidery at the bottom of the fabric that was hard to make out, but the whole thing was made of black silk. Trissa also found a tiny ruby that could be attached to her dress neckline. The mortal’s eyes didn’t notice the tiny paint stain on the dress, which Caius might have caused. With no other option, she had to put on the only dress left in the room. As soon as Trissa picked up the fabric, she was expecting it to smell like dust. She didn't expected that it didn’t detect anything causing Trissa was particularly pleased about. She had to bite her lip as the fabric clung to her body a few moments later.. It was a bit more uncomfortable because her body wasn’t completely dry yet. The heavy, thick metal on her wrist made it much harder to move. But nothing compared to sleeping problems while a man was watching every breath she took, and a metal on her wrist too.

 Caius had only returned hours later, but instead of his usual black cloak and fancy shirt, he was wearing only a simple silk shirt. The contrast between the black clothing and his vivid red gaze further enhanced the effect. Trissa, who had been preparing to sleep, felt her breath catch in her throat as a cold sweat ran down her spine.

– Come. – The blond man stated, without so much as a greeting. He didn’t wait for Trissa to respond, instead, grabbing the chain, he pulled her closer. Trissa could have gotten used to not receiving answers or explicit information regarding certain matters, but even after days, she hadn’t learned much about her captor or the entire system that delivered food to the desk twice a day.

A shiver ran through her body as she let her eyes  fall on the iron shackles binding her wrists. The tug was not happened without a pain.. With a single movement, the blond vampire snapped the metal shackle holding his wrist. Then, for a moment, he looked down into Trissa’s eyes. – You wouldn’t stand a chance if you tried to run. – The oldest  man said, referring to escape attempts. – You don’t need to worry about that. – Trissa replied, perhaps a little more sharply than necessary. Her eyebrows shot up when she found a shoe box in the corner of the bed. A woman wearing flashy clothes often restocked her wardrobe, but the shoes were never included in the clothing packages. Before, Trissa wouldn’t have thought how comfortable it was to slip into a simple pair of black sneakers. It really annoyed her that Caius was tapping his nails on the door, waiting impatiently. *****

Although it was still well into the day according to the clock, Trissa followed the man through dimly lit hallways as they left the room. Every time Trissa slowed down or their gaze lingered on something in the hallways, a barely audible, grumpy growl escaped their throat.

 To her surprise, there were several sculptures and paintings along the way, some of which she found interesting.  She didn’t notice when they reached their destination, only that an ice-cold hand slid down the middle of her back and pushed her forcefully into the already open room. Trissa’s feet nearly tripped over her own feet when her gaze shifted from the marble floor to the bookshelves reaching up to the ceiling. Perhaps even the world’s largest library could rival the clan’s library. It wouldn’t surprise her if, after a brief search, she found even ancient books from Alexandra, in good condition.

Caius must have noticed her wide eyed gaze, because he simply was pushing her further inside. All resistance vanished from Trissa’s mind, along with the fear and depression caused by confinement, and even the pain in her wrist.

– There are a few things you need to get used to before your transformation. – Caius remarked, reminding Trissa of the most terrifying information. She only found out after spending an entire day chained up in Caius’s sleeping quarters. The days she spent there, mostly alone, weren’t enough for Trissa to fully come to terms with the fact that her fate was no longer in her own hands. Ever since that moment, her stomach had been in knots and she had to hold herself back from screaming at the top of her lungs or staring into the void, waiting for the end of the world.

– I have no choice.– She nodded with hesitation. The great hall was vast, but Trissa saw nothing that could help her get in touch with her friends or family, who must be searching for her by now. As her initial shock subsided, her head was  filling up with thoughts. Her best friend, and maybe others might know what she should do or say, but Trissa didn’t. Not even the best movies, manga, or books had ever depicted a similar situation.

She glanced back over her shoulder at the man, whose expression had softened, yet still suggested that if Trissa dared to speak up or object, she would regret it. And someone who even monitors the time spent in the bathroom, and feels no shame or guilt about walking in on a person in the middle of a bath without batting an eye, or killing people, Trissa cannot expect a positive outcome.

A startled gasp escaped his throat involuntarily when he saw the books Caius had placed on his desk.

– Your foolishness won’t lengthen your remaining days.– He brought Trissa back to her senses and pushed an old book toward her, its pages completely yellowed, though the cover was in perfect condition. – As a vampire, everything fades into the mist, but it’s common for a few things to remain. Even without a thirst for blood, you must learn your place. – Caius spoke up. It was clear from his entire being that he was bored with having to teach Trissa, yet his eyes still burned sharply into Trissa’s skin.

Trissa’s thoughts often wandered while reading the clan’s history and rules. As Caius had said just seconds earlier, she knew the clan had strict rules regarding newborns, and she really did need to pay attention.

Fortunately, someone had left a few pieces of paper on the desk, and while the blond man was fetching a book, Trissa was able to grab one, along with a pencil that was clearly just there for decoration. As she tried to keep most of it in her head, she doodled with her hand. Her movements froze only when she sensed the man’s presence. Her heartbeat quickened as she felt the vampire lean forward. She braced herself for a snide remark, and she didn’t have to wait long.

Days ago, Nissa hadn’t been afraid, but she had been reluctant to touch them.  Now, however, she ran her hand over them. The two animal-headed soldiers had guarded her husband’s nights, and that was what mattered most. From the entrance, Nissa’s gaze returned to the tomb of the youngest pharaoh, standing in the center of the room.

And now, alone Nissa, like everyone else, could simply flow into the room.  But as she crossed the threshold into the hall, a newfound sense of reverence awoke within her.  The magical power of the golden tablet had been powerful for a thousand years; Nissa wasn’t even surprised by it. Even now, she would have gladly taken it down from the wall and placed it in Ahkmenrah’s hands.

She ran her fingers over the Egyptian patterns covering the sarcophagus, each one unique because it told a story of Ahkmenrah’s reign. Her fingers slowly clenched into fists, yet she still refused to give up on seeing the young man again.

Every muscle in Nissa’s body tensed at once to remove the lid of the sarcophagus so that Netmeret’s spirit might have a  glimpse at her love after thousands of years. As the lid shifted inch by inch, Nissa’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open. Not a single part of her fulfilled soul was frightened by the sight. She may have been the wife of Pharaoh Ahmenrah, but she occasionally flipped through priests' textbooks of deaths.  And while it’s true that Netmeret lived in a society where such burial customs were completely normal, her mind still treats those memories as dreamlike images rather than actual events.  This made it harder for her to decide just how disrespectful her actions were or were not. She even had a hard time deciding how to address him.

Netmeret was his wife, but that woman had been reborn as Nissa. She doesn’t even know how to see herself. How could she expect the boy to do so? The only thing Nissa can say about herself is that she is so much more than she was just a day ago.

– Hi.– she whispers, kneeling beside the concrete block. Her gaze, in which a multitude of elusive emotions danced, softened as she looked at the motionless figure lying there. The bandages hung haphazardly over Ahkmenrah’s body, yet their purpose, to cover him, was fulfilled by the yellowed, dusty fabric.

Everything Nissa wanted to say burned in her throat—things she would find difficult to say face-to-face. Yet at the same time, she simply wanted to be present. She couldn’t be there when Ahkmenrah’s body was finally placed in the sarcophagus, but now she had time to both bid him farewell and welcome him the same time. – I don’t know what happened…– he girl whispers, and even her voice falters as she speaks. – The gods may not offer an explanation, but I don’t even want one. – he mutters.

Only her memories had returned, but the scar and the burn mark that made her unique in Ahkmenrah’s eyes were replaced by pain that seeped into her joints. Nissa knew that life would return to him in few minutes, so she didn’t continue speaking, she simply savored the silence. The mummy’s hand beneath hers was cold, showing no sign of life. Nissa had to remind herself repeatedly and forcefully that she would soon see the beloved face again. She was a little afraid, but she also looked forward to the coming hours.

The young girl struggled to bring herself to stand up,  but stopped herself at the last moment. A tiny object caught her attention next to Ahkmenrah. The small chain was hidden in the shadow of Ahkmenrah’s hand, but the girl noticed it anyway. Beside the millennia-old, somewhat crumbling material, the shiny metal chain that Nissa used to attach to her phone stood out.

The tiny cat figurine simply hung from the chain, which still glinted brightly in the lamplight. She had found it months earlier at a street vendor’s stall, and instead of simply walking past it or throwing it away, she had kept it with her, attached to her phone then put it into his hand days ago. She had completely forgotten that Ahkmenrah had kept it. She wouldn’t have minded if the boy, accustomed to gold, had simply gotten rid of it.   The keychain figurine had been there for many events. Either in the girl’s pocket or her bag, but she wasn’t so attached to it that she would panic.

On top of that, Nissa had to grapple not only with her college requirements but also with the existence of magic and supernatural forces, which occupied whatever brain cells she had left from studying. Either she was too lazy, or she didn’t have the energy to even bother with the fact that a discarded keychain she’d found in a small shop  what come loose from her phone.

And now, the figure of a reclining cat gave Nissa a new meaning. She wasn’t particularly attached to cats, but now the sight of the cat figure, suitable as a night light, filled her with a sense of security. She thinks Ahkmenrah might have felt something similar.

Instead of taking the object out, she simply puts the figure back gently. The sounds from outside were getting closer, but Nissa wasn’t worried. She folded back the veil with the utmost care, and after several attempts, she managed to slide the glass back onto the sarcophagus. Just in time, before a group of preschoolers arrived.

She knew from experience that the museum’s daytime security guards rarely stayed at their posts in front of the cameras, but for safety’s sake, she chose to blend into the crowd for a few laps until she could return to the only important section.

Although her mind and heart were elsewhere, Nissa’s hand moved of its own accord toward the staff room, where she had obtained permission and a key from the museum director with Rebecca’s help in the past. Of course, as in many places around the world, Nissa had not only convinced the older man with her knowledge and reliability. Her fingers kept sliding over the pens, but it wasn’t until a few minutes later that she accepted the inevitable. She usually chose the most comfortable route, but now, biting her lip, she made her way up the steep staff staircase, just to be there on time with Ahkmenrah.

The college girl knew full well how hard it is for an hour and a half to pass, and that’s exactly what happened now. To pass the time, her hand was drifting toward the papers. There were no suitable pencils in the room,  but Nissa could doodle with a pen as well.

When she sat down beside the pushed-back coffin, she had no plan or thought for the sheet of paper. She had grown up with the teaching that the meaning of art was the conveyance of emotion, not perfection, or conforming to strict frameworks.  And she had done just that.

She drew the line without thinking, letting her hand move freely rather than trying to control it stiffly. This was one of Nissa’s struggles, and as Netmeret she had to learn it too, in the time between her tasks.

She stares blankly at the paper, and only later do the squiggles begin to form something. Even with her memories of the past, Nissa cannot say she has an artistic soul. The scribbling created a strange-looking landscape. Starting from the edge of the paper, a pattern resembling the Eye of Horus began to take shape in various ways.

Nissa recalls the moment when Ahmenrah taught her how to draw the pattern accepted by Horus, so long ago. And now, just a few days ago, in one of the signs she saw in her dream, he had also explained the religion to her. As soon as she came to her senses, she began to complete the drawing with the tiny stones and others. She tried to make something resembling the ancient jewelry that Ahkmenrah had been presented with by the servants during their first real meeting.

By then, the engagement had long been arranged between the ruling family and the girl’s father, and Netmeret had been raised to meet the expectations associated with the pharaoh’s first queen.

For the last half hour, the girl had been lying on her back next to the sarcophagus, noting every single imperfection in the ceiling. Her gaze shifted several times to the necklace next to the tablet, but the presence of the visitors held her back. The inner compulsion to touch it and reclaim a large piece of her past, using the necklace as a tool. But before she could even think it through, her phone’s alarm caused several heads to turn in her direction, yet Nissa’s face no longer flushed. Until now she had hated the attention, but now her heartbeat simply quickened, ever so slightly.

Several unread or opened but unanswered messages greeted Nissa as she opened her inbox on her phone. Her classmates had asked her many questions or requested notes for exams, her roommates were asking where she’d been, and Rebecca had sent yet another link about the latest historical or campus news.

Every single message showed that the world hadn’t changed just because her own perception had shifted. Even the figures resurrected by the power of the golden tablet had adapted to their nocturnal existence, and in the past week, Nissa hadn’t once heard Ahkmenrah complain about losing the Empire. When she thought about it, she had never seen the boy so terribly self-important. Even  in the past, based on Netmeret’s memories, the boy had never abused his power or idled away his days in laziness, not even during his time as pharaoh.

Nissa struggled to recall some strong negative memory, but as Netmeret, she found nothing. As the country’s sole leader, and as a man whose bloodline  had been chosen by the gods, was a heavy burden weighed on the boy’s shoulders, yet he never took out his stress on the servants or attendants. In Netmeret’s case,  this depended on his mood, he was capable of shutting everyone out and sending people away if he needed to be alone.

She clearly remembered that Ahkmenrah’s grandfather had been the last to spend his entire reign at war due to the Hyksos’ repeated advances. The old man met his end there, and the girl’s grandparents had also taken part in that battle. Pharaoh Merenkahre, Ahkmenrah’s father, the child king, was the first in the bloodline to reign over a peaceful kingdom, but his troubles began with internal conflicts.

Although modern ethics suggested that the girl should not leave anyone unread, she chose instead to listen to the devil perched on her right shoulder. After many years of gentleness and attentiveness, Nissa allows her to focus on herself for a while longer. Netmeret’s memories are gradually returning, and it is going to still take time for them to become clear. It may take days for most of her memories to return, and until then, Nissa would prefer silence and gathering her courage. She still has to figure out how to tell Ahkmenrah that she is Netmeret.  Or rather, that she was. She had replayed the incident in her head countless times, but as soon as she saw the movement coming from the sarcophagus, all coherent thought left her mind, and the blood froze in her veins.

Thanks to Larry’s intervention, there was no longer any need to put the heavy stone  back in place at the museum, so the young Egyptian man had the opportunity to free himself. The physical reaction was the strongest, after all, Nissa was able to hide her thoughts—those improper thoughts and more intimate memories—but the blushing and the pounding of her heart were beyond her control.

– Good morning…– The girl clears her throat as she watches Ahkmenrah sit up. Even the greeting sounded pitiful to Nissa’s ears. Quickly leaving the drawings behind, she closed the distance between them, making room for Ahkmenrah to step out. The corner of her eye twitched, almost like the beginnings of a smile, as she watched the waxed strips of bandage slip apart, leaving the whole thing incomplete.

– Let me help…– She speaks up, fortunately between Ahkmenrah’s coughs he let her. She didn’t have to move much for the air to fill with dust again, which slowly settled on the marble beneath their feet. She kept quiet when Ahkmenrah’s bandage brushed against her fingertip. The strong scent of the fabric, soaked in resin and oils, slowly was filling the room, as she helps him get off the bandage Her gaze never wanders to the various crown jewels beside Ahkmenrah.

– Give it a spin.– The girl looks up at him, much more bravely now. As best she could, the girl tried to remove all the cloth, but she couldn’t. His shoulder trembled as he did what Nissa had asked of him. Meanwhile, the cloth at their feet only grew larger. Last came the linen cloth on Ahkmenrah’s head, which the girl had left for last. Last up was the linen cloth on Ahkmenrah’s head, which the girl had left for last.

– Did you miss  people dancing you around? –  Nissa asks, her eyebrows arching as a smile spreads across her face. With Netmeret’s memories, Nissa had become much more confident and was able to see into the brown, expressive eyes. She had already begun to see the man behind the crown, but Netmeret’s consciousness gave her the full picture. She now knows how many times the boy had stayed up until sunrise so he could receive delegations with greater composure or learn a language important for politics. And on those occasions, Netmeret had often watched him from here.

– That’s not what this is about.– Ahkmenrah’s voice brought the girl back to the present. In an instant, the light illuminated his face as well. As he kept his eyes on Nissa’s hand and her face, she realized that the change had not escaped the notice of her husband, who had just awakened. What she hadn’t counted on, however, was that as he stepped away from her, she would feel his hand on the back of her neck. Nissa’s body tensed and she jumped. – You look healthier. – He mumbles. The sentence reminded Nissa that Ahkmenrah had only wanted to check her heartbeat and temperature. The air caught in her lungs as Ahkmenrah’s hand slid down her back and his touch ceased.

Half a minute later, she already missed it and felt the heat rising to her neck. And now she had to bite her lip and remind herself of some mundane event before she saw the world through rose-colored glasses again.

– That’s exactly how I feel. – Nissa exhales as she looks back at him, watching him tuck the linen cloth back into the coffin. It was much better off there than on the marble floor, trampled by people. – I couldn’t run a marathon yet, though, really. It was the best sleep of my life.– Nissa adds, making a motion to tie her hair back. Her mood was contagious, and the tension caused by worry vanishes from Ahkmenrah’s face. In fact, he even smiles, revealing both of his dimples.

Nissa felt her heart racing, so she turned back to pick up her bag, which she had carelessly dropped on the white paper earlier.

– More precisely, my second-best rest. The first was falling into bed after a full day of afternoon swimming. –  She speaks up nonetheless. A few hours couldn’t bring back twenty years of memories, but what had played over and over in Nissa’s mind had already etched itself into her brain. As if it had been there all along. She thought of those first days they spent as husband and wife, getting to know one another. Even from the perspective of a thousand years, Nissa knew what oils her husband liked on his skin, what dishes she should prepare when she saw the tension in Ahkmenrah’s eyes.

 Nissa hadn’t expected her words to have such a profound effect, but she felt that burning gaze upon her once again. After her words, she could see, as if in slow motion, a shadow pass across Ahkmenrah’s gaze.

The  small smile never left his face, but he ran his hand over Nissa’s shoulders. Only then did Nissa notice that her words were too reminiscent of one of their anniversaries, when, as husband and wife, they had secretly left the palace walls together. Officially, it was strictly forbidden for them to travel without an accompanying guard, but they had done it anyway.

Disguised as commoners, they made their way to the far bank of the Nile, where they spent hours. It was there when she got her first horse and dog. The dog had simply attached itself to them, and she had taken a liking to the horse, so Ahkmenrah later bought it for her as a gift. Ahkmenrah’s grip wasn’t strong, but he held Nissa’s gaze. The plan hadn’t even formed in Nissa’s mind yet, but something serious had already changed in the boy. Almost unexpectedly, he snatched the drawing out of Nissa’s bag.

– While you were sleeping, you spoke in your sleep. – The boy confesses, though something seemed to radiate from him—a gentleness, or what others might call calm. The college student’s eyes widened, but she didn’t interrupt him. She couldn’t have, her throat had tightened so much.

– Our language was difficult. What researchers know doesn’t cover the whole of it. The girl who said she knew nothing and needed help translating the simplest hieroglyphs is now speaking the high language so fluently? – He asks the rhetorical question, stepping closer to Nissa. Nissa tried to step back, but her back was soon pressed against the wall.

A flood of emotions washed over Nissa’s face.  She had expected the boy to show anger or rage, but she saw neither.  She opened her mouth several times to speak, but didn’t know where to begin. Apologize for keeping him waiting? She couldn’t do that, since she’d only remembered a few hours ago. Nissa’s lips was trembling as she tried to find the words.

– How could I possibly say something like that… Hey, do you remember your wife? Well, that’s me… I’d think I was an idiot myself.–  Nissa turns her head away, but out of the corner of her eye she can still see Ahkmenrah’s chest rising and falling, and how that movement alone was soothing to her soul.

– Four years… Haven’t you learned anything in four years? – Ahkmenrah asks, reminding the girl that they spent four wonderful years together before his death. His hand slid onto her hair, then into it, to turn her gaze back toward him. He turned her head back by her hair, hard enough to make Nissa’s scalp tingle but not hurt. Nissa wasn’t aware that tears were falling from her eyes. She only noticed them when they reached her lips. – It’s so strange… I’m no longer Netmeret, but I’ve become so much more than yesterday’s Nissa. –  The girl mutters. She had to admit it to him.

– You survived the millennia.  That’s all that matters…– Ahkmenrah replies.  Nissa’s mouth fell open as he brushed a strand of hair from her face, but she turned away shortly after. Nissa’s eyes widened as she was watching Ahkmenrah disable the room’s security system. – Larry? – Nissa asks, nodding toward the small wall-mounted panel. Her breathing was still ragged, but her tears have dried up.

“Yes, for if necessary. -  Ahkmenrah replies as he enters the final numbers. Nissa didn't know how necessary the current situation seemed. Still trembling, she followed Ahkmenrah’s movements with her eyes.

The color drained from her face as she saw him take the necklace off the wall and walk towards her. The necklace no longer bore her blood, and now looked much more fragile and worn. By modern standards, it looked simple, but Nissa was always in awe of it. She was the girl who, as a child, loved rummaging through drawers among the little trinkets… something she could now understand.

– Ahkmenrah…– She warns him, her voice was rising slightly as she approaches him. She had to bite her tongue as she tried to stop him with her hand. However, Ahkmenrah’s fingers wrapped around her wrist, and he pulled Nissa’s hand down to her side. With that movement, the simple sheet of paper slid through the air and landed on the floor. Ahkmenrah could easily have stepped on it, but the drawing depicted a sacred symbol. No devout person would dare to do that.

 The boy was determined to place the necklace he had given her around her neck, even if only for a moment. – Nissa or Netmeret? – Ahkmenrah asks before putting it around Nissa’s neck. The thoughtfulness behind the question was a caress to Nissa’s soul. She heard Ahkmenrah lower his voice as he uttered her former name, yet he still asked which name she wanted to use. – Nissa. – he girl replies after seconds. The thought crossed her mind that it would make the situation simpler, more superficial, but her deep chocolate eyes wouldn’t let her. The girl did not look like a queen. She did not look the way people imagined her, but standing before him was a pharaoh who saw her as his queen, and in whose gaze Nissa was seeing not her flaws, but the hundreds of shared memories and little moments they had lived through together.

– This belongs to you, Nissa. –  He declares, and slips it around her neck, just as he did the very first time. Nissa’s skin itched where the gold touched her, but she also felt warmth alongside the weight.

– There are no scars anymore…– the girl remarks, implying the fact that  she received the jewelry because of her insecurity by her scars. To use the heavy necklace, similar to his, to make her see that her burnmark and birthmark is beautiful, and deserved to be loved by jewels.   – It doesn’t change the fact that it was made for you. – Ahkmenrah replies. He was not pushy, nor did he demand intimacy for which the girl was not prepared. He traced the tip of his finger along Nissa’s neck, then smiled when he felt her rapid heartbeat. And while one hand rests on the curve between her shoulder and neck, his other hand clasped tightly around Nissa’s. He buried his head in her hair, and in the quiet room, she could hear him inhaling her scent in deep breaths.

She hadn’t fully realized that Ahkmenrah had spent centuries, perhaps millennia, without her. Carried from one foreign place to another.

– Then it’ll be an annual museum pass. – The girl notes, finally relaxing. Every single one of her plans had been turned upside down in a matter of moments, but somehow she didn’t care. In Egyptian mythology, couples were beloved in the eyes of the gods, and true couples could be reunited in the afterlife. When Netmeret took her own life, the afterlife had floated before her eyes, along with Ahkmenrah and their children, who had died so young. And now, this wasn’t the afterlife, but one of the most important aspects seemed to be coming true, in its own strange way.

Nissa didn’t succeed, because Ahkmenrah’s hand slid from her hair to her back, pulling her toward him. For a moment, his palm slid over her stomach, then back to her back. Nissa didn’t stand a chance of resisting. Ahkmenrah’s warmth relaxed even her tightest muscles.

Her determination made her almost oblivious to her surroundings. Besides her, a group of children was looking around in the hallway, and these first-graders close helped her normalize the urgency to find her husband. The sight of the wide-eyed children was enough for her to realize she needed to behave more calmly.

Her mouth filled with the familiar taste of blood as she clenched her jaw and shut herself in the room. With the key in her hand, she didn’t even bother thinking about the visions of when Kahmurah had forced her there, where the gray walls compelled the young widow to think. Seeing herself in the mirror had a similar effect on her. Aside from her messy hair, she saw the same face she was used to, she hadn’t turned into an Egyptian woman. Her tiny pimples and second chin hadn’t disappeared, nor had she suddenly grown into a supermodel. Her figure hadn’t changed either, and Nissa traced her scars with her finger, but the shame she always felt because of her body’s imperfections had diminished to a minimum.

Memories cannot bring back her sun-kissed skin, her eyes filled with warmth, or her softer features, but she has straightened her back, and Nissa’s gaze no longer rests on the ground. Her regained memories have filled her with strength and confidence. It was not difficult for Netmeret to draw attention to herself. As the wife of a prince, then a pharaoh, her duty was the social life of the palace and the kingdoms. She would have been the center of gossip and ridicule if she had kept her head down as she so often does now. While her tutors and teachers from distant lands drilled manners and now-forgotten languages into her mind. The knowledge that remains vivid in her mind even in the modern age. Her ladies-in-waiting, and above all Ahkmenrah, gave her inner strength and self-confidence. This is what kept her from making a scene. The horror was as old as her soul; only the concrete protecting the sarcophagus reassured her that her former husband was not completely exposed to prying eyes.

Even Ahkmenrah’s burial was a private affair. Aside from the high priests, only a handful of people attended Ahkmenrah’s burial, in order to avoid infection. Even as the young pharaoh’s wife, Netmeret was not allowed to see her husband before embalming. The priests took diseases very seriously, a rule even the royal family could not defy.

And now, just because some time has passed between the two eras, people feel they can treat the dead for their own amusement. Netmeret, who the same as Nissa, would give the researchers everything she had without hesitation, as long as her husband’s grave remained undisturbed. She knows how much is possible with modern plastics.

Within minutes, she found her shoes leaning against the wall. In her tension, she picked at her nails while staring at her phone screen. The pop-up notifications meant nothing, only time mattered in her sparkling eyes.

She did not speak, but her legs carried her without a command to the chest where the jeweled ornaments had already been laid out. With every movement, she felt the soft, gray, simple fabric brush against her skin. The maids who were not watching the door helped the girl put on the heavy necklace and the crown. Her husband had placed the latest on her a year and a half earlier, and only he would have the right to remove them from her head, and soon Netmeret would do just that. – Is everything ready?– The girl asks as the last piece of jewelry is fastened to her ankle. Her servants had to sneak each piece to her. Kahmunrah had forbidden Netmeret from leaving the room, and since the royal guard is under his command,  there is a double guard at the door. Netmeret smeared the ashes on her own face, and when the knife came into her hand, she cut off the biggest part of her own hair. Ahkmenrah loved to play with her hair, but her hair would make a perfect offering to the gods.

No adornment covered her eyes, only the dust brought from the palace gardens smudged Netmeret’s face. The girl had spent most of her life adorned in jewelry, and now, with only the crown and little jewels she felt almost naked. – Yes, Your Majesty. – The elderly servant replies, standing behind Netmeret. Her voice was filled with helplessness, but she knew full well that the young woman had no choice and had already made her decision. No maid or lady-in-waiting was strong enough to influence the kingdom’s grieving queen. The wiser ones understood the girl, and the younger ones accepted her decision.

Netmeret slips easily out of her sandals and sits down on the cushion that has been laid out for her. A smile plays on her lips, but her heart remains cold. Her smile vanishes the moment she takes the tea laced with nerve poison and the scorpion wrapped in cloth into her hands. Netmeret fears that not enough poison will reach his heart or she hurt themselves. They have only one chance, when the palace priests are not nearby and the palace is focused on Kahmunrah’s coronation.

At first, Netmeret’s hand trembled, but thinking of Ahkmenrah’s face was enough to steady her hand. Her stomach rebelled, but Netmeret still drained the cup to the last drop and handed it to the maidservant standing beside her. –  Anubis will lead me back to your pharaoh. – he whispers, ready. It takes a few moments for the poison to seep into her body, but Netmeret spent those few moments reaching into the scorpion’s basket and letting the two beautiful creatures press the venom into her hand. The tingling is immediate, and the crown on the girl’s head presses harder and harder against her neck as she lets her head fall onto headrest. Under the influence of the scorpion venom, her vision grows blurry, and the tingling, slowly turning into a burning sensation, was spreading throughout her entire body and becomes a burning sensation.

Netmeret did not fear death, for she believed in the justice of the gods, and in the fact that she would soon be reunited with her beloved husband and the rest of her family. With the little boy she had held in her arms for only a few hours and the little girl who had never been born. Osiris’s realm is far more peaceful than the one Kahmunrah will create. As soon as Ahkmenrah’s mourning period ends, Kahmunrah is going to take control of the kingdom, and Netmeret becomes his property. To maintain control over the northern territories, the man repeatedly expressed his intention to uphold the dignity of that region by taking her as his wife. It was natural for Netmeret to follow etiquette, and the rules flowed through her veins, yet she had lived her entire life as Ahkmenrah’s wife ever since their engagement was arranged in childhood. Kahmunrah had already put her in uncomfortable situations back then, but Ahkmenrah and his parents were there to deflect the situation. Blood quickly filled her mouth and dripped down her nose, soaking her skin, while for Netmeret the outside world began to fade away, her thoughts growing dim until she could focus only on the pounding of her heart. The neurotoxin put Netmeret’s chest under strain, and even her breathing began to hurt. Until her lungs collapsed. The lack of air quickly sent her into a state of unconsciousness, so she was not conscious in her final moments.

The girl couldn’t wipe away the blood smearing her mouth and nose; instead, the oldest servant did it—the elderly woman who had arrived at the palace alongside  Netmeret when she was a child. She was the one who had been present during the girl’s failed pregnancies, and now she would be the one to deliver the news of her death. They had already planned the procedure in advance, including how to inform the soldiers of the news, once they were certain that Netmeret’s heart had stopped beating and her soul was already journeying alongside Anubis.

The women present stood motionless for minutes, watching their queen’s death throes as her body tried to cling to life, but none of them moved. The oldest woman, who had served the girl for years, exhaled the air she had been holding in with trembling lungs. She was using her own garment to wipe the blood-stained tears from the girl’s eyes and cover her face with the white silk.

The seasoned woman’s hand trembled as she pressed it against Netmeret’s neck, to check the pulse, smearing the blood further across her throat. She had to verify that not even the most powerful priest could bring the captive girl back to the living. Netmeret’s skin was still warm and soft to the touch, but the gray-haired woman could feel no heartbeat or breath.

In place of Queen Netmeret’s mother, the woman drew the call of the gods on the girl’s arm. The girl made her promise that she would not let Kahmunrah have the right to the last words in the absence of a family. In the absence of a family, Kahmunrah would have the right to the last words by law.

Netmeret chose death because she was unwilling to live her life in Kahmunrah’s cage. In that man who so casually brought the news that Pharaoh Ahkmenrah, Netmeret’s husband, had caught the plague spreading there during his southern tour. Energy just poured out of him, Netmeret saw no sign that he was mourning his younger brother. And with no restraint, the man blasphemed the gods as best he could. Rumors also spread through the palace that he had burned an opponent so that he would not reach the underworld.  And  this terrified her, enough that her fear of death became minimal. Everyone in the palace knew of Kahmunrah’s tempestuous nature.

----------

– What are you doing?– Nissa asks, her voice a whisper, but she doesn’t open her eyes. If Akhmenrah were to look into her eyes, he would see just how well his method is working, and Nissa hasn’t yet learned how to show weakness in every situation.

– Some of our priests were able to help this way…– He recalls the ancient customs to the girl. A hint of a smile even appeared at the corner of his mouth, which added weight to his words. After a lot of typing or writing, Nissa tried to relax her muscles with similar movements, but Ahkmenrah’s idea was much more effective. Nissa’s eyebrows shot up and her lips trembled as her breathing calmed down. – Every day?–  Nissa’s question was much lighter, and her eyes widened with interest. She could have pulled her hand out of Ahkmenrah’s, because his grip was almost nonexistent.

A chuckle escaped the boy’s throat, but it was cut short. It was enough to look into his dark eyes to see that he was recalling something. The liveliness in his eyes dimmed slightly.   – My parents did everything they could to keep me from getting sick. – Ahkmenrah nods.  For a moment, his necklace slipped from his shoulder, and Nissa noticed a skin rash resembling a purplish hive, a few centimeters in size; however, Nissa didn’t see that it bothered the boy in the least. 

Ahkmenrah’s answer helped her understand why the boy had such a strong scent when he was near her. – Have you been sick often?–  Nissa asks, with genuine curiosity. Her mind has managed to shift into a state where, no matter what the boy says, she will remember it—and every one of his movements as well.  Few people can say that an Egyptian pharaoh helped them through a panic attack before it could fully take hold.  The thought of leaving faded into the background of her mind. The girl hadn’t realized her question had had such a negative effect, but Ahkmenrah’s finger froze in midair, and his lips tightened.

– Mostly in the last period of time. – Ahkmenrah lets go of Nissa’s hand and stands up from the bench beside her. He nods toward the painting depicting World War II. It seems as though he surprised even himself by revealing this information, but he continued. – However, even their expertise didn’t help during the outbreak of the disease.–   He reveals this, just as he has just revealed the cause of his death. The plaque placed next to the sarcophagus, where he often sat, is etched into Nissa’s mind.

“The researchers leading the Egyptian excavation spent years studying the final years of the fourth ruler of the United Kingdom of Egypt. The preserved body ruled out any external injury as the cause of death; however, the pharaoh was still in the prime of life at the moment of his death."

Nissa memorized the English text, having read it so many times and heard the families try to soften their children’s questions when they reached Ahkmenrah’s chamber. The children were known for their honesty and the painting displayed outside the chamber didn’t reveal much about the boy.  Her throat began to burn, but without further hesitation and despite the tingling in her skin, Nissa simply squeezed Ahkmenrah’s hand.

– Can one get used to it? –  Nissa asks. She didn’t elaborate.  She wouldn’t have been able to explain it anyway. – Completely? No. –  Ahkmenrah replies, his eyes now scanning their surroundings. – You need water. – Ahkmenrah states a few seconds later.. Nissa’s stomach did a little flip, and she had to grip the hem of her shirt.

– I can drink as soon as I get back…– the girl mumbles, straightening her back. Nissa didn’t understand why she was mumbling, because she usually spoke quite clearly. The young man didn’t mind that Nissa didn’t start following him right away. – And where will you collapse next? In the snow-covered park?– He asks back. And with that, he successfully made Nissa’s lips press into a thin line. The girl who had learned to do everything on her own had caught up to him.

Ahkmenrah’s gaze and attention roamed the corridors until they finally reached the section of the museum where water was provided for visitors. Nissa felt it was pointless to insist that she was fine. The simple explanation was that her body was poorly built, but Nissa wasn’t naive enough to think Ahkmenrah would accept that explanation. The boy was used to being in control, and the girl could try to leave, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to get the scene out of her head.

The yawn barely caught her as she took the plastic cup filled with water from Ahkmenrah’s hand, but instead of air, a burning sensation filled her mouth and throat. Her eyes became useless and heavy.

– I promised. – She adds. She’d gone over it in her mind several times and played out the event in her imagination earlier. Nissa had expected to be caught and had imagined and replayed several scenarios in her head as she traveled toward the museum. She hadn’t expected Larry to sigh and nod toward the staircase in her mind.

– In my office. He reveals to Nissa. He doesn’t seem particularly bothered by the younger college student’s presence in the current situation. Their past dramatic encounters don’t mean they’ve grown much closer, but they’re certainly no longer complete strangers to each other. Prompted by Larry, Nissa’s attention shifts to the staircase.  A quiet “thank you” escapes her throat, and she sets off to find Ahkmenrah. She didn’t want to cause trouble for Larry, nor did she want to appear like a foolish person clinging to Ahkmenrah.  Nissa didn’t bother that the sound of her boots was drowned out by the shouting and commotion pouring out of the separate rooms. The girl bit her lip as she heard Ahkmenrah’s voice faintly later.

The door to the night watchman’s office was only slightly ajar, and there she hears Ahkmenrah muttering to himself. The crown was no longer on his head, so Nissa could get a better look at how thick and dark the young pharaoh’s hair was. The pharaoh, who was currently reading and had surrounded himself with various books. Books lay scattered all around him.

Before she even realized it, Nissa raised her hand to knock, and only stepped inside after the pharaoh's eyes turned toward the door, closing the book he had been reading behind him. The air was knocked out of the girl’s lungs as their gazes met. The girl expected Ahmenrah to place the crown back on his head or adjust his jewelry, but Ahmenrah only adjusted the jewelry he was already wearing. His hand did not move toward the double crown lying on the pillow beside him. No sound escaped the boy’s lips, but as he looked up, his eyes gave him away. 

– You’re late. – He remarks, setting his books down beside him. He barely touched the sweets and salty snacks he’d bought earlier. Nissa felt that perhaps it hadn’t been such a perfect idea to bring even more food.  She wasn’t one to waste food, but she hadn’t considered that the eating habits of the boy, resurrected by magic, might not resemble those of humans. After all, as far as she knew, one of the important steps in the Egyptian death ceremony was the removal of the internal organs.

At Ahkmenrah’s soft words, however, Nissa’s lips trembled slightly. She found the remark cute, though she might be slightly mistaken in thinking the boy had been waiting for her arrival. In a different situation, involving someone else, Nissa would view the situation much more positively, but it’s hard for her to apply that to herself.

– I’m sorry. – Nissa struggles to suppress the trembling of her lips and a giggle. Ahmenrah hadn’t done anything, nor had he injected a liter of coffee intravenously into her veins, but her fatigue was countered by excitement and energy that seemed to be winning out. After taking two steps closer, it only then dawns on her that Ahmenrah has made room for her and is keeping his gaze fixed on her. She bites her lip as she takes a seat beside Ahmenrah.

The scene felt somewhat intimate. Only Ahkmenrah’s attire indicated that the distance between them was not merely a matter of a few tiny, easily bridged centimeters. The girl’s gaze swept over the towering stacks of books surrounding them. Nissa was afraid to move or pull her legs under her, because the slightest movement would be enough to send the books tumbling like dominoes and bury the ancient Egyptian pharaoh. – It’s best eaten warm. – Mumbles Nissa, but her train of thoughts were interrupted when Ahmenrah looks up from the books and stops writing. Only his eyes peek out from behind the book for a moment. As the dark brown eyes first sweep across Nissa’s face, they also notice the bag in her hand. The college girl exhales the breath that had somehow gotten stuck in her chest as she watched the serious expression relax even further and even spotted a cheeky smile on Ahkmenrah’s face.  She watched with interest as Ahmenrah set down the history books. She expected that she would simply wait until he was finished, but her expectations were dashed when Ahmenrah  held out one of the wrapped sandwiches toward her.

At first, the girl tried to refuse it with her hands raised, but then Ahmenrah raised his eyebrows and tilted his head to the side, and she ended up accepting the wrapped sandwich. Nissa ate with her hand covering her mouth, carefully hiding her own mouth. The difference in rank wasn’t among the reasons, it didn’t feel that awkward. Perhaps her upbringing, or perhaps some inner reason, prompted Nissa to pay closer attention to her eating.

– In my court, it was considered rude to eat the way you are doing now.–  The young pharaoh remarked a few minutes later, his eyes fixed on Nissa’s hands, then looking back into her eyes.  He spoke with a seriousness inappropriate to the subject, causing the girl to stop chewing. With a slight hesitation and a deep breath, the girl lowered her hand. Ahmenrah only turned back to his own food when Nissa’s arm was already resting completely in her lap.

Her gaze was drawn to how carefully Ahmenrah took a bite of his sandwich. He did all this elegantly. He didn’t eat with a fork and knife, yet Ahmenrah didn’t get a single drop of sauce on his lips or hands. In contrast, Nissa had to lick the sauce off her lips several times and wipe the sauce that had dripped onto her fingers.

Nissa’s appetite quickly faded into the background, replaced by curiosity. She wrapped up her half-eaten sandwich with minimal attention, her gaze drawn instead to the book Ahkmenrah was holding.

– Why are you reading Kafka? – The girl asks, having managed to make out the title of the book held upside down. Although the man and some of the writers who, like him, used profound language had been mentioned in her education, Nissa would have had a hard time naming even a single book. Only one or two passages come to mind. 

– He has an interesting perspective.– The boy replies briefly.  Then, moments later, he speaks again. – Doesn’t every writer write about  the truth of the times? – The question shouldn’t even occur to the young boy. At first, Nissa didn’t really understand the question, but then she managed to figure it out.

– He wrote honestly. –  Nissa agrees as soon as she finds the words. – Few writers use words to touch the souls of their readers.– She adds, agreeing with the boy. Her agreement was enough for Ahmenrah to start bombarding her with works by various writers. The girl felt uncomfortable that she could answer only a very few questions. Apparently, Ahmenrah wasn’t bothered by it. “Weren’t there any deep thinkers in ancient times?” The thought suddenly popped into Nissa’s head and then spilled out into the open air.

– People were free to speak and think, but without writing, none of the most beautiful words could reach anyone’s ears.– Ahkmenrah explains. He could see the question mark flash in Nissa’s eyes, so he added.

– Writing was a gift. – He reminds Nissa that ancient society, with few similarities, was much harsher and more rigid. Her teachers often reminded her and her classmates of this.  Her next question had been on the tip of her tongue for minutes, but as she looked around, she saw more than just a single volume. In the pile of books, she noticed a much more colorful, vividly illustrated work of entertainment literature. – Why do you need children’s fantasy for this? – She asks finding the situation strange.. Nissa tried to keep her voice at its normal pitch. It was difficult for her to speak at a normal volume without lowering her voice. No matter how equal they were at the moment, one of them once had blood of gold flowing through their veins, while the other had to bite their lip at every family dinner.

– Larry bought those, but Nick hasn’t taken them with him yet. – He replies. There was nothing visible on the books; they showed no signs of having been read, yet they lay beside Ahmenrah, and Nissa had also noticed Ahmenrah’s hand often running over the tops of the books. – These will surely be of great help as well.– Nissa adds. Then she suddenly began to think about the books. She kept her gaze fixed on Ahkmenrah and the books lying in his hands.

She assumed a more comfortable position. – How fast do you read?– Nissa asks, noticing how intently the boy is reading. Ahkmenrah’s eyebrows arched in some places and remained lowered in others. Nissa’s gaze quickly shifted away from the boy and instead focused on the calendar stuck to the wall, as if it were far more interesting than Ahkmenrah’s expression.

– There were not many other options.– He tells her. Ahmenrah was lost in thought for a moment, but quickly continued. – At the university exhibitions, I only had access to essays and research papers.– Ahmenrah adds. Nissa couldn’t tell if the boy had deliberately revealed the information or if it had simply slipped out. Perhaps she even saw a hint of regret on his face.

Nissa couldn’t help but think about his situation. Waking up in strange places at night, in a foreign language. A chill ran through her and sent shivers down her spine. The college girl didn’t see it, but Ahmenrah stopped reading for a moment at her movements.

Thinking of the distant future, she considered it a bad idea from every angle to speak up, but the words were already in her throat. The similarity lay in the fact that Nissa, too, had often felt adrift in the world, with no gravity holding her where she was. She could only deal with this later, resolving it through various activities and hobbies, with the help of her new acquaintances and friends. – If you’d like… I can bring you a couple of more serious books.– The words slips out of Nissa’s mouth as she hands over the two books she promised. This pushes back the number of all-nighters she’ll have to pull by at least one more day. She shouldn’t be worrying about these things because of her exams, since one of them was of utmost importance for her future. If she didn’t want to worry every single month about how she was going to make ends meet, then she needed these exams to be perfect as well.

– What?–  Ahkmenrah’s full attention shifts toward Nissa. His face, without the crown and with a book in his hand, softened, yet he still maintained that straight posture Nissa often saw in movies or among modern royal families. –Some fantasy. A few more famous and modern dramas. – Nissa replies. Her mind begins to fill with various book titles that might somehow help Ahkmenrah’s newly awakened desire to read. If Ahmenrah wants to understand the world, the books gathering dust in the basement aren’t the only ones that can help. The world changes for many people even within a single generation. War can break out in a single day, and hatred between people can emerge as well.

Nissa herself remembers how many changes took place around her as a child and how they shaped her personality. Ahmenrah studied the girl’s face intently, waiting for the moment when Nissa would change her mind, laugh, and shake her head. Even Nissa could feel the doubt weighing on her.

– I can bring a few tomorrow or the day after. – Her brain only kicked in a little later. – That is, if my college work doesn’t suck the life out of me. – She adds. Basically, there are no classes during exam season, but there’s a ton of studying Nissa has to get through. – Thank you. –  Ahmenrah replies, completely taking the other by surprise. People around her often use “thank you” as a filler word, but the boy’s words felt sincere. That’s why the girl’s breath caught and her lips trembled as she held back a silly smile. She should have slapped herself then and there. – What made you suddenly start reading so much? –The girl asks, her body turns toward him. The question that’s been on her mind for a few hours now. – I’m millennia behind.– Ahmenrah replies, unwittingly revealing the shadows in his eyes and tense in his smile. His answer, though it meant no harm, caused a knot to form in Nissa’s stomach. If the assassination attempt hadn’t happened, perhaps Egypt would have had a few more happy years. Looking out at the world through her own glass wall, Nissa felt a twinge of envy.

Her throat began to burn, and she could only nod at the depth of his words. Nissa didn’t realize her gaze had fixed on the boy’s face, and only caught herself moments later. Her anxiety crept up her spine unnoticed, and she looked down. Nissa’s mind didn’t register that she had already begun to crack her knuckles quite forcefully.

– It’s… It’s pretty late. I should go…–  The girl stands up, not wanting to disturb Ahkmenrah with her heavy chest.  She flinched slightly as Ahmenrah closes the book he’s holding and sets it down on the table. As a book lover, he closed and placed the book down a little too forcefully. The girl’s anxiety stemmed from her helplessness, which the ice-cold air might help but does not cure. Nissa had already learned to live with it, and she didn’t want to burden him with the difficult information.

Nissa hadn’t expected Akhmenrah to stand up at the same time as her and take the following steps. At first, Nissa thought it was pure coincidence that he’d decided to take a break at the same time she had. The question stuck in her throat as she saw that breathing was becoming increasingly difficult. Step by step, she just watched as the boy walked beside her, all the while hearing the ringing in her ears grow louder.

A sweat broke out on Nissa’s skin, caused by her racing heartbeat, and a single moment was enough for her to miss a step and have her ankle catch on the edge of the stair. Her hand had already moved to grab the railing, but instead of the railing, she grabbed Ahkmenrah’s forearm to steady herself. The boy’s reflexes turned out to be faster, because before the girl could even realize she was falling, he held her back by clutching the fabric of her sweater against her back.

Nissa belonged to the group that hated their own weakness with all their hearts, and she lowered her gaze as she took the remaining steps, with Ahkmenrah’s hand on her back. – Sorry… but I need a moment. – She mumbles, finding it hard to speak. She can’t even look Ahkmenrah in the eye. Her illness has returned to her bloodstream.

 Partly to cheer him up, and partly to thank him for his help. She should have mentioned that they should take one at a time, and there would be time for the rest later, but instead, they both walked toward Larry’s booth with their hands full. Even Akhmenrah accepted that he couldn’t drink or eat it all at once by himself. So Larry’s little booth turned out to be the best solution.

Perhaps Akhmenrah could find everything there the following nights. They walked back to the Egyptian exhibition, carrying two snacks and a soft drink. Through the windows of the hallway and the staircase, dawn was already breaking.

In the past, the early morning light and the chirping of birds had filled the girl with a sense of freshness, but now it only meant wasted hours to Nissa. She didn’t want to stay until the moment that would transform Akhmenrah back into his original form. – Do you want me to help you put on the bandages?– She asks anyway. Uncertainty tightened in Nissa’s throat, and her voice trembled at the end of the question. The boy was completely absorbed in enjoying and experiencing the processed foods of the modern world, so after only a few seconds of hesitation, he simply nodded.

The materials, bundled into bundles, lay piled on top of each other at the very bottom of the tomb. More precisely, most of them did; a few showed that Ahmenrah didn’t like to bother with them and had left them where he’d set them down. She lifts one, feeling the material was rougher than Nissa had imagined. The already hardened material felt like sandpaper against her soft palms in places. – Just tie it up… – Ahkmenrah says after placing his crown inside the sarcophagus. An entire cushion had been prepared for the composite crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. Nissa suddenly shakes her head. She couldn’t even explain to herself why. – I don’t know when I’ll have another chance to do this…– Nissa replies with a small smile, with an explanation that isn’t entirely true. She knew that the afterlife played a major role in their culture, which was why they preserved the bodies so meticulously. It was as if she’d seen a shadow flicker across those brown eyes.

– Do they teach you things like this in college?– Ahkmenrah asks, turning slightly away from her. A audible gasp echoes through the room. – Just do what I say. –  The boy adds, then as Nissa was trying to help him to the best of her ability. She had to stop several times because the scrolls were all extremely dusty, and with every breath her lungs protested fiercely. She was trying to follow Ahkmenrah’s instructions, but Nissa was sure that  the experts would shake their heads, because the wrapping, though it only covered the pharaoh’s hands and upper body—looked easy, but it wasn’t.  Even Ahkmenrah’s lips twitched for a moment, but he didn’t stop her; instead, he quietly stopped her hand and corrected her mistakes.

Nissa didn’t want to watch life leave Ahkmenrah’s body, yet she didn’t leave the room. Her eyes were fixed on the boy as Ahmenrah, clinging to the edges of the sarcophagus, climbed into the recess. The fabric completely covered his face and head; she couldn’t even see his eyes, which had held her gaze so firmly.

– Nissa. –  Ahmenrah warns her.. His voice had grown quieter. For a moment, the girl, filled with curiosity, jerked her head away and turned, but her curiosity drew her back.Her breath caught in her throat and she choked on her own saliva as she watched Ahmenrah’s chest rise and fall before her eyes, then his body began to  stop and slump.

Nissa couldn’t bear to watch the process as bile rose into her throat and began to burn. Even as she walked past the museum, her throat wouldn’t settle. Her guilt was overwhelming as she walked in the freezing cold. She knew that it didn't matter to the young pharaoh whether she stayed until the very end and waited for the stone block to be put back in place, or left the building sooner. And the more sensible part of her knows that she shouldn't have even shown up, or even thought about the museum at all, because of a silly dream.

She found the morning hours much easier to handle while sitting in front of her laptop. It was as if her brain absorbed the information better that way. This didn’t necessarily mean she’d definitely remember the answers while hunched over her exam paper, but it could mean that, out of nowhere, a detail would pop into Nissa’s mind just as she was trying to focus on something else.

----

Hours later, the girl walked into the exam room with trembling hands. The trembling in her hands could have been caused by fatigue and her heavy coffee consumption. Her first glance at the questions eased her tension, but at the same time, she was overcome by the fear that all the information she had learned would slip from her mind by the time she got to the questions, so she started with the one that seemed the hardest.

Nissa did what she could. As she so often did, she put her notes away five minutes before the exam. In many cases, one last read-through would only confuse her, which would be a disaster at a time like this.

As always, she worked through the problems in three parts, and perhaps looked up from her papers twice to glance around and give her fingers a little break so they wouldn’t cramp up. The girl waited until the others were finished, and only then handed her paper to the professor.  There was no point in sitting there any longer, all she even wanted to sleep. The shivering associated with lack of sleep had taken hold of the girl. It was no use pulling her coat and hat tighter around herself. It wasn’t the big-city cold that was causing this chill.

Nissa had only bought some baked goods on her way back. She hadn’t cooked or prepared anything else as she crossed the threshold of her room, in fact, she headed straight for the shower and then aimed for the bed as her next goal. Already clean and trembling barely noticeably, she crawled under the thick blanket. Sleep fell upon Nissa almost immediately, unnoticed. Her sleep problems rarely occurred, and even her current nightmare was a rarity. Due to her exhaustion, she didn’t startle awake even once when others, her roommates moved, nor even when sounds broke in from the street. And even if she did wake up to her alarm, she turned it off while still half-asleep. Nissa needed this afternoon nap, and when she woke up and felt the layer of sweat on her skin and the dizziness, a drop of salt water quickly helped with the discomfort. The girl thought long and hard about returning to the museum. She hadn’t received any comment from Larry, but she hadn’t specifically asked for or received permission either. The man hadn’t commented on his own, but the more sensible, problem-avoiding part of her won out. For years now, Nissa’s soul had been lacking the childlike naivety that would allow her to see the world clearly. The world is bound together by various power dynamics, yet instead of the necessary silk threads, these connections function as razor-sharp, taut cords. They could cut an ordinary person’s hand instantly, and perhaps they are already covered in the blood of thousands or millions of people.

Perhaps that is why the time spent with Ahkmenrah felt like a breath of fresh air. During those brief hours, though his superiority was evident, his humanity remained intact. Perhaps it was simply because he died too young and had no chance to be corrupted by power, or perhaps his soul was simply so pure that he would truly have been a good Egyptian pharaoh.

Nissa's earlier decision, however, changed on a sudden impulse. It was enough to look in the mirror while showering. For a single moment, it was as if Ahkmenrah’s spirit were hovering behind her.  Nissa’s skin broke out in goosebumps at the thought, especially when she felt the warmth of palms on the middle of her back and her sides.

– Damn.–  She let out a breath, turned off the water, and, wrapped in a towel, yanked fresh clothes out of the closet and then onto herself. As she went, she tossed her papers and phone into her bag. She could only hope her phone would last through the night. She had always made it a rule to go everywhere with a fully charged phone, just in case of an emergency, this was the only exception.

The girl walked with her eyes fixed on the ground the whole time, and only lifted her head when she neared the fast-food restaurant she’d mentioned a few days earlier.

Ahkmenrah’s words flashed before her eyes, and after giving the idea some serious thought, she opened the heavy door, which signaled its opening with a bell. Nissa left the building with two separate bags and walked toward the museum’s rear entrance. At first, she was met by a closed door, but then, accompanied by a slight noise from inside, the door opened. The college girl had to look closer and squint a little to notice the monkey perched on the windowsill, holding out its hand for a treat.

– Of course. – The girl replied, taking one of the bags of french fries out of her paper bag and handing it to the animal. In real life, she would never do anything like this, but a few nights earlier she had witnessed the lions ransacking a doughnut stand.  Nissa had bought enough, so she knew she wouldn’t run out until she found Ahkmenrah in the building. 

The food steaming in the bag was a kind of thank-you. Nissa can also assume that she didn’t really know anything about what part of the menu the thousands-of-years-old man, raised on gold bars, would prefer, so she brought plenty of options. Her credit card would probably scream if it could, but once in a while, it’s okay to invite thousand-year-old mummies to dinner.

And maybe after all this, Nissa could finally move on. She should focus on her studies and a more normal social life, not on this. Even looking back days later, she still doesn’t know what to call the incidents that happened at the museum. Nissa let the sugar monkey jump onto her shoulder and accompany her all the way up to the upper floor. From there, however, she had to walk around the building alone. She had to bite her lip to keep from trying to speak up and calling the pharaoh. All eyes would immediately turn to her, but in Nissa’s case, that attention is what makes her shift from one foot to the other, her mind racing so fast that in the end she can’t even speak. She had enough of that to deal with at work or at the university.

Both of them shifted and stood up straight as Nissa crossed the threshold, but they did nothing else. The meter-tall stone statues didn’t move even when the girl’s eyes were fixed on the gold jewelry displayed on the opposite wall. She hadn’t given it a second thought before, but the piece of jewelry from her nightmare, which hadn’t been displayed properly, was gnawing at her. Her fingers turned white as she clutched the folder in her hand.

– I was hoping you’d come back. – The voice from behind her makes the girl jump out of her skin. Nissa leaped forward, her ankle boots slipping on the wet stone pavement. It was pure luck that she didn’t wipe the marble floor with her body and her five-year-old hand-me-down coat and managed to stay on her feet.

Nissa’s face was burning with shame and emberassment. . She didn’t turn around, just took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Her stomach churned as she turned back toward Ahkmenrah. – Do you know where Larry is?– The girl asks hastily, avoiding his chocolate-brown gaze. The local library couldn’t help, but there are people at the museum who might be able to. She could count on the books and documents being in the museum’s basement or one of the offices. She knows well that the young pharaoh could be a great help, but as a first step, she wanted to look through the books. Although Ahkmenrah knew a great deal, the era spanned several thousand years. 

– He’s stepped out for a bit. – Ahmenrah replies. Both his voice and his expression betrayed curiosity and surprise. He couldn’t understand how the quiet, aloof girl from the night before had turned into someone shifting from one foot to the other and practically trembling with excitement. The sparkle that had appeared in his eyes since Nissa's return faded in an instant as he noticed that Nissa was staring intently at the keys in his hand. – Can you open a door for me?– Nissa asks suddenly. A voice in the back of his mind hopes that Ahmenrah won’t think Nissa is planning to steal or vandalize something. Hearing her own words, alarm bells went off even in her own head. The college student knows how dubious her words sounded.

Otherwise, Nissa would have said no to herself without hesitation, but Ahmenrah remained silent, only his eyebrows raised. Instead of saying no, Ahkmenrah simply turned toward the hallway, which the younger woman took as a positive sign. – I still have a ton of documents to go through. College…– Her adrenaline starts to kick in when Ahkmenrah noded.  Without another word, Nissa was walking next to him. He was taking much longer strides, so she had to walk quickly to keep up with him as they headed toward the archives. As soon as Ahkmenrah opened the door the girl had chosen first, the musty air and dust practically hit them in the face. Nissa’s sneezing echoed off the walls several times before she managed to find a tissue. It also helped a lot that Ahmenrah stepped back from the door so they wouldn’t have to breathe in all the stale air. 

The room wasn’t large,  in a space of perhaps no more than ten square meters, there were seven cabinets, boxes full of documents, and an old computer pushed up against the wall along with a desk. Nissa wanted to ignore the coughing caused by Ahkmenrah’s dust allergy. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it, so she waited for the pharaoh’s lungs to fill with fresh air and for him to calm down.

– Come on…–  Nissa gathers her courage, propped open the door, and stepped into the room. First, she turned on the computer,  and during the wait she started with the nearest bookshelf. Like her, Ahmenrah was amazed by the vast number of books, documents, and other objects.

– What are you looking for? – Ahmenrah voices his curiosity, brushing a few millimeters of dust off his hand. Nissa glanced back at him over her shoulder, then turned back so she could handle the delicate papers with the necessary care.

– The ancient section. - Nissa answers, but she can’t add much else without telling him her hipotesis. She had only one sheet of paper, containing everything she remembers and finds important. In the room, Nissa even tried to sketch and label the various hieroglyphs. Only after going through the umpteenth sheet of paper did the pharaoh speak; until then, he had been silent, fiddling with things.

The girl’s eyes suddenly darted to the pharaoh standing beside her, who began to leaf through the materials Nissa had already reviewed with intense focus, then started looking at the contents of another cabinet. His gaze burned into her skin in  seconds.  Her lips tightened, and she felt a tightness in her chest and stomach as she looked at the World War II artifacts. Because of her own family’s history, Nissa is particularly sensitive to that era. She has heard some pretty horrific stories, and the museum likely holds the stories of countless other families as well. And now, she notices Ahkmenrah is looking at a drawer where the museum’s management stores artifacts from the 1930s dictatorship. Little books, certificates of origin, flags and medals, and a few family photos that must have been donated to the museum.  – What’s this?–  Ahkmenrah lifts the red-bound book that chronicled the events of that era. The girl’s breath catches in her lungs as her attention narrows. – Don’t touch it, you might catch something.–  The girl calls out quickly, turning around in the office chair. She tried to snatch the German book discussing the sick worldview from Ahkmenrah’s hand, but it was too far away, and only her fingertips touched it. 

– What is this?–  Ahkmenrah’s voice was filled with curiosity, his face showed none of the burden found in the eyes of anyone who knows history. The girl couldn’t snatch the book from his hand in time, and Ahmenrah managed to read one or two sentence or two from it.

The girl considered whether to let him keep reading or to intervene, but the moment she saw that he had reached a more sensitive topic, she pulled the book from between his fingers. Her skin prickles as Ahkmenrah’s gaze fixes on her. His chocolate-brown eyes are likely filled with questions, but Nissa isn’t a history teacher; she’d be unable to keep her composure and emotions in check just to answer them.

– What you’ve read…They shift the blame onto minorities and dehumanize them to make the punishment they deem appropriate seem acceptable to more people.  –  Nissa says, almost gritting her teeth, then notices that the pair of deep brown eyes are glued to the book again as she puts it back in its place. A moment later, she realized she’s left something out-the very thing that caught the boy’s eye. – Yes, denying those people their humanity, calling them animals, cockroaches- that was considered normal. –  Nissa slides the drawer shut next to Ahmenrah, hoping it stays closed for a long time. Countless books have been written that describe the events extremely well. – I’ll lend you a few books; *Anne Frank* and *Fatelessness* are my favorites.–  Nissa brings the conversation to an end as she sits back down at the computer. The teenage girl and Imre Kertész are better teachers than Nissa or many others could.

 – I’ve never… you know. Have you ever been taken to Germany? – Nissa asks, but Nissa is horrified by herself and by the question, by how she phrased it. Her choice of words alone would rob the precocious boy of the fact that he once lived.  She did not expected him to answer. – I was with nobles in France, at universities, and from there they sent me to America.– Ahkmenrah explains, turning his attention back to other historical documents. Given this information, it’s no wonder he missed out on a few major historical events. He may have studied English and various other languages, but if there were no books nearby in those subjects, he couldn’t have known. Even now, there isn’t much on display regarding the subject, and aside from the similarities, there are many unimaginable parts there as well.

The girl  continues searching, simultaneously on the museum’s computer and in the cabinets. It’s a multi-story museum, but there are only minimal materials. As the papers dwindled, Nissa’s stomach tightened more and more. She hadn't noticed that Ahkmenrah had moved from the far corner of the room and was now behind her. Nissa could have blamed her own inattention. She had heard the footsteps, but her mind hadn't processed that information.

Her hand shot out to strike his, but Ahmenrah was faster. The girl raised her eyebrows and her lips trembled as she watched Ahmenrah read the figures and notes drawn on the sheet. Asking the boy for help had been her last resort.

– I saw these symbols in my dream, and I feel they’re important…– The girl explains, flustered, her voice faltering. She wasn’t used to being caught or to people paying so much attention to her that she had to explain herself. The dark eyes were fixed only on the papers, which in Nissa’s eyes lasted an eternity, but according to the wall clock, only moments had passed. The tense atmosphere was broken by Ahkmenrah’s trembling shoulders, and then a laugh rang out from him within the walls. His fingers turned white as his hands gripped the edge of the table, and the trembling spread from his shoulders all the way down to his hands. Ahkmenrah’s head fell forward, his chin touching the jewelry that brushed against and covered his chest, and then, as Ahkmenrah noticed the girl’s startled face, he covered his mouth with his hand and quieted down.   

It proved easier for the young pharaoh to let go of the past quarter-hour, but Nissa could not handle the situation with such composure. She was troubled by her dream and by how afraid the people-driven by their humanity must have been even back then. Even during World War II, there were people like that; only the actions and the numbers were different. While in one instance college students stepped in front of tanks, in the other, death was inevitable. The only question was whether it would come for speaking out or for unpaid bills of the rich.

– Forgive me for saying this, but you wouldn’t have been a scribe in my kingdom. –  Ahkmenrah says, gasping for air. His face flushes slightly. – If I help you, can you point out on the board what you were thinking? –  Ahmenrah asks with an encouraging smile, but his eyes are still laughing at the girl.

Nissa nearly sank into her seat. If she could, she’d slap him on the shoulder, but his pharaonic stature creates a gap of several meters between them. She let Ahkmenrah took a pencil from her bag and use the blank pages of her notebook to try to decipher the girl’s barely legible writing. Nissa’s eyes followed Ahkmenrah’s hand for a long time. An hour might have passed like this, with Nissa sitting and shifting on the creaking chair, watching Ahkmenrah work. His writing bore only a slight resemblance to the images usually shown on TV and the internet, but it was more realistic. Ahmenrah had sketched out a simpler  set of characters so that the college student could easily distinguish them. And whatever remains, the pharaoh will fill in.

– Let’s start at the beginning…– He slid the papers toward Nissa. His crown bumped against the computer, making it rattle, but neither of them paid it any mind. They began with the first symbol Nissa had sketched, then proceeded from there. Ahkmenrah leaned on the table and underlined the current section with his pencil. – This… show me what it looked like…– Ahkmenrah asks her after the umpteenth time. She immediately scans the papers and points to the one that looks most like it.

– But the stem was completely bent down, and it had a little tail too…–  Nissa adds, hesitantly at first, then more confidently at the end of the sentence. She watches as Ahkmenrah, based on what he’s seen and his knowledge, sketches an exact replica of the wall symbol the college student saw, placing it next to the others.

They had only managed to go through a handful of sections when Nissa rubbed her eyes for the hundredth time. The dimly lit room and the flickering monitor were straining her eyes, so they had to take a break. Nissa had completely forgotten about the eye drops in the dorm, so all that was left was an eye massage. After a while, without warning Ahkmenrah simply picked up the papers and stepped back. – There are a couple of spots with better lighting…– Ahkmenrah says, nodding toward the door. Seeing Nissa’s hesitation, he doesn’t back down. – Come on!– He repeats once more. Nissa didn’t want to involve anyone else in the plan.  It already feels silly enough to spend so much time on a dream, but the boy was right, and she shouldn’t keep straining her eyes any longer. With a slight hesitation, Nissa shuts down the computer and follows Ahkmenrah.

Starting from the hallway, her gaze darts back and forth, but no one approaches them until they both return to Ahkmenrah’s chamber. At Ahkmenrah’s command, the two stone statues knelt down by the entrance, making sure no one came in. Ahmenrah had no reason to do this, but perhaps he had noticed Nissa’s unease. The girl had to force herself to tear her gaze away from the wall.

Crouching against the opposite wall, they set about continuing their search. Ahmenrah was patient the whole time; not once did he grow weary of the long task. If the internet is to be believed, he’s missed a great number of symbol, but in his mind, those details are there as well.

They were making good progress when suddenly Ahkmenrah’s hand froze in midair, and then, beyond his hand, his entire body stiffened. Neither of them continued working. Nissa noticed his hand trembling, then, after taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth to speak. It took several attempts before he could speak.

– It tells the story of the Kingdom’s fourth queen…–  Ahkmenrah spoke after a few minutes. By then, the worst-case scenarios were flooding Nissa’s mind. – About how she arrived…– He mumbles, but the girl doesn’t understand much of what follows.

It’s likely that she unconsciously read or saw something related to the subject in her life, and the events of the previous evening brought the memory to the surface. The latter would be the logical explanation, but Nissa is talking to a resurrected Egyptian mummy who should have been dead for thousands of years. Silence settled over the previous atmosphere, even as Larry’s shouting could be heard from a distant section of the museum. – Was the necklace hers? – Nissa asks. Her mouth is drying up. The pharaoh could only nod. His cloak rustled softly on the ground as he stood up. – They haven’t found her yet…–  Ahmenrah adds, the way he say it is squeezing the girl’s heart even tighter. She hadn’t heard or read anything about another mummy being found either. Every single time, it’s huge news but now... nothing. – How…–  Nissa begins, but she has to wet her lips, take a sip from her water bottle, and rephrase the question. – The inscription what does it mean? – The girl has become curious, but she wants to show respect.

– She visited the capital from a distant province.–  Ahkmenrah touches the necklace. Nissa wants to stand up, but she has to force herself to stay seated and just pay attention. Instead, she simply stretched her legs out in front of her and focused on the papers.  Nissa didn’t expect him to continue, but he did. Unintentionally, an imagined scene fills her mind too. – My father summoned the Council several times, and that day Netmeret also visited with her father and enjoyed my mother’s company, who later introduced us.– He reveals, catching Nissa’s attention. The girl, who herself had never really been involved in romantic relationships, listened with sparkling eyes, but raised her eyebrows when Ahmenrah didn’t continue.  She rarely felt the need to continue. – And? – She tried to coax him into continuing. At her question, a faint smile touched Ahkmenrah’s lips. Nissa’s face showed raw curiosity, and her heart was beating wildly.

She had always been fascinated by human stories, as evidenced by the pages stored on her phone. Nissa didn’t flinch even under Ahkmenrah’s gaze. Her underlying unease was overshadowed by strong curiosity.

– She was one of the women my parents had chosen for me, but instead of trying to draw attention to herself and keep it, she remained silent. Yet she looked me in the eye whenever something didn’t please her. – He finishes the topic, tapping Nissa on the head to signal the end of the story.

Perhaps a bit childish, but the child within Nissa’s soul had awakened; she didn’t even feel the gentle tap as a signal. A ticklish sensation filled the girl’s stomach, it wasn’t like nausea, but it wasn’t entirely pleasant either. The tablet or the necklace deemed it important for the girl to see the dream. She just stares blankly for minutes, then, taking a deep breath, leans against the wall and stands up.

– Just a few minutes.  – The man relents and jogs after Rebecca for a brief conversation. They stop quite a distance away, but the smiles on both their faces can only mean something positive. – What’s he doing? – Ahkmenrah asks a little later when he sees that Larry has said goodbye to the dark-haired woman and was starting to walk back toward them, pointing at his watch. The girl didn’t know if Ahkmenrah had deliberately timed the question for when Nick wasn’t around, or if it had just occurred to him. – He probably asked for her number. Her phone number. – Nissa looks back down at the paper and scanned the checkmarks on it several times.  Nissa, however, knew exactly what Larry wanted. So when the man reached them, she immediately handed him the papers and started toward the stairs, but stopped after a few steps. – Ahkmenrah? – She looks back over her shoulder, but by then the Egyptian has already started moving, realizing he has to go too. A brief hesitation flashed across his face, but he didn’t object.

Nissa tried to brace herself for the sight, but she was still amazed at the size of the stone slab they’d tossed into the hallway, which now lay on top of the sarcophagus. – It won’t be in the way if they can tip it against the wall.– Nissa thinks aloud as, with Ahkmenrah’s help, she steps over the torn-out iron gate and the concrete block without twisting her ankle.  Chances are high, that if she’d done this alone, her foot would have gotten caught in the grate. 

The two jackal statues were helpful. On the pharaoh’s orders, they placed the meter-tall stone statues in their spots, or at least propped the heavy pieces into place. No sooner had they done so than Nick brought in the only missing necklace. Larry’s son still had more jewelry to put in place, so he simply handed it to Nissa while Ahkmenrah prepared to return to his sarcophagus. The linen strips were left at last.

The crown of Egypt had already been removed from Ahkmenrah’s head when he heard Nissa gasp from the other side of the room. She had barely touched the gold, which felt so warm to the touch, when it was as if she’d been struck by lightning. Her fingertip had barely brushed the jewel, but her nerves were on fire. The jewel that Nick had so easily brought and the thieves had so easily lifted from its holder burned the girl, and raced through her nerves like a cold fire.

The girl could already imagine what it felt like when an electric current struck a person, so much so that she couldn’t even let go.  Fortunately, she grabbed the object by the hem of her coat just as Ahkmenrah arrived and took the necklace.

– No one told me this was imbued with magic either.–  The college girl mutters, examining her palm, but there was no sign of injury. And no new scars had formed alongside the old ones. – I don’t remember, but she didn’t like strangers touching her things…– Ahkmenrah mutters, putting it back in its place. He stood sideways to Nissa, but she could still see him hesitating and clutching the necklace tightly, only letting go later. – The museum has some materials suitable for your research. – Ahkmenrah notes casually as he finishes the final touches and was starting to wraps himself in linen. – Next time. – He adds, much more quietly, but Nissa hears him anyway. She couldn’t answer and hesitated a little. With Christmas approaching, her days and opportunities for free time had become limited.

– You can be sure of that. We could even go to that café. – The girl nods as she walks over to the sarcophagus. The sun’s rays were already streaming into the hallway, but Ahkmenrah was already lying in his place. She had placed the scrolls properly on him; judging solely by his motionless chest and slumped body, she concluded that Ahkmenrah had also… gone back to sleep. The boy tried to help.

Originally, she would have simply returned to the dorm, but as her eyes met the sight of the sarcophagus lid, Nissa couldn’t resist leaving something there. Something Ahkmenrah could see immediately upon waking, so he wouldn’t have to wait in a cramped, dark place without comfort for Larry to get the lid back.

 Five minutes later, when Larry reached Ahkmenrah’s tomb during his inspection rounds, Nissa had long since left the building. A small object caught the man’s eye, hidden under the mummy’s arm.  He pushed the metal plate back absentmindedly; his thoughts were already completely focused on his plans outside the museum.

And Nissa’s plan was to sleep. As soon as she walked into the room, she barely  had time to greet the others before changing into something comfortable and collapsing into bed. She didn’t even unpack anything from her bag. Without a second thought, she decided she wouldn’t do anything. She even scrapped her grocery shopping plans for the day.  Even if she slept off the headache she was feeling now, it wouldn’t put her in the right mood to face the snaking lines and the people fretting over the holidays.

The dream came to the girl in several episodes. No matter how many times she woke up and went to the bathroom, as soon as she closed her eyes, the dream didn’t stop. Nissa relived the events as the same person.  Though the details often changed, the essence remained the same. She was also experiencing the feelings as if they were her own. The sun was still high in the sky when Nissa, flushed and sweaty, kicked the blanket off. Her breathing was ragged, even though she hadn’t run a marathon; she had merely tried to sleep, but had only experienced a nightmare. The events of the night had left a deeper impression on her than she had previously thought. She was unable to forget them. The pajamas clinging to her back did nothing to improve the situation.

Instead of fading completely, the dream lingered and was burning itself into the girl’s mind, who could only use her phone’s search function as a starting point for dream interpretation.   The panic and rage from the chase burned into her body and seared her throat. Even the sight of the wine on her dresser automatically made her body retreat, as if to hide the wine from her line of sight. Nissa hadn’t even gone through her morning wake-up routine, she hadn’t even finished her coffee as she prepared her notes and her presentation on her e-reader.

Since her roommates still looked quite sleepy, Nissa sat down to study fifteen minutes later, accompanied by a pair of earbuds and a cup of hot tea. The room wasn’t anywhere near the museum, but Nissa was too sleepy to go anywhere or to put on outdoor clothes.

It wasn’t Nissa who was robbed, and her life won’t change with the arrival of the first ray of sunshine, but as the minutes tick by, she sinks deeper and deeper into the chaos. It’s not something that can be told or written down in a diary, but if the girl truly wants to live through various experiences, this is quite a high hurdle. The girl’s words only reached Ahmenrah later, as he was lost in his thoughts. The boy had to shake his head to return to the present. His gaze swept over his surroundings, and he opened his mouth twice, but couldn’t respond.

Meanwhile, Larry appeared as well, accompanied by two new figures who clearly looked like the ones who got to live because of the golden tablet. – I brought the best… She is Sacagawea. – Larry blurted out, interrupting the flow of the conversation. He let the woman step forward and only then joined them. Behind her, at a respectful distance, stood the wax figure of Roosevelt. Nissa felt a slight tug on her coat as she watched Sacagawea begin to examine the tracks. Ahmenrah also looked at the boy. Nick’s hand on her coat indicated that it was no accident. – Why is Mr. Roosevelt standing there?– The young boy whispers, keeping her gaze fixed on the man with the moustache, who has indeed barely moved in the shadows. – I don’t know…– Nissa exhales, biting her lip. Ahmenrah speaks up at the same time, his gaze unwavering  on the events.

– He’s gathering his courage. –  Ahkmenrah reveals. It’s possible that Nick couldn’t make out both answers since they spoke at the same time, but Nissa could. Without thinking, Nissa reached out to stop him, to ask what he meant by that, but her hand froze in midair and she nervously let it drop back to her side. – He went south, but didn’t get far…– The woman revealed after a few minutes, having only to walk a few meters from the door to spot the abandoned black car.  – Then he turned back…–  Sacagawea turned back toward the museum. Despite the continuous snowfall, she could make out the footprints covered in snow.

The university student is slowly beginning to understand why Rebecca chose her for her final paper for the uni..  The thought “We’re idiots” hadn’t even formed in Nissa’s mind when the sound of hooves clattering came from the other exit a few meters away. Her breath caught in her throat as her feet rooted to the ground and she watched the horse-drawn carriage plow through the snow. She automatically closed her eyes, afraid she might see something horrible. Nissa had no problem with blood, but other gory sights were too much even for her. Only moments later, forcing herself, she opened her eyes, and an audible sigh escaped her lips as her heartbeat and breathing calmed down the moment when she saw the man moving beside Sacagawea, who, along with Larry, had been among the first to arrive.

The girl’s head drooped back, and for a moment, shutting out the outside world, she watched the snowflakes drifting down. Nissa didn’t even notice that she was trembling, just as she wasn’t aware of the hand on her upper arm. She just did not realize how scared she got to meet death. She has no problem with death. Nissa knows it is a natural process and she need not fear it. There had been many times when her life had hung by a thread, but now a strange, bittersweet feeling of parting had taken hold of her. Like when, as a child, she had been certain she would die before she turned twenty-two.

The snowflakes had covered her glasses by the time the girl snapped back to reality, and though she didn’t kneel, she stood beside Nick and joined the others. The young girl wrapped her arms around herself, trying to retain her body heat. – You have to do something! Dawn is approaching. – The man who’d been hit leaned on his elbow, addressing Larry. – And half the museum is outside! –  Teodore adds hurriedly. Nissa’s phone was still somewhere in the museum, in Ahkmenrah’s hall, so she has to rely on the others. But she, too, could see that the animals had escaped, which made her uneasy. – And  to get my Tablet. – Ahmenrah adds, with anticipation. 

While Larry was thinking, Nissa pulls the lighter from the depths of her pocket and hands it to Sacagawea.  The woman tried to start a fire, but there’s nothing usable in this part of the concrete jungle.  The tiny object could come in handy in many situations, whether it’s lighting a candle or occasionally putting together a wax figure. – I have an idea…. – Larry straightens up and beckons the T-rex closer with his finger. – Rexie, come here. – The man then takes the former president’s hand. – Teddy, I need your horse…– He says, receiving only a twinkle in the eye and a nod of agreement. The plan has already taken shape in his mind; all that’s left is to share it and carry it out.

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Minutes later, Nissa was galloping through the middle of the city on a wild horse, just to surround the speeding stagecoach. They do this from three sides, and although it’s an unusual sight in New York to see a girl galloping through the streets on a horse, but its next to a moving T-rex skeleton, it’s nothing. If the local police get involved, Nissa can explain the horse more easily than the rest. The gut-wrenching anxiety hoped that Nissa wouldn’t have to think about that.

Adrenaline floods her bloodstream as she was trying to keep up the pace, not letting the anxiety take hold and pull her back into the shadow of her coat, her notes, and the fear that her personality is too much for people to handle. Now the most important thing was to keep alive. Despite the snowfall, everyone knew their role and carried it out. Her childhood riding lessons have helped Nissa stay on the horse’s back. Looking ahead, she saw Octavius and Jedediah stumble into a snowdrift or a tree trunk, and she noticed that Rexie and Larry had also stopped for a moment. Because of it, Nissa had to cut in front of the horses to make them slow down, despite the danger.

Nissa’s job was to escort the post carriage from the side and not let it veer out of Larry’s path in any way. The difference in size and bloodline between the horses was clear, but the bay mare did everything she could to keep pace with the money-carrying horses. With a slight delay, Nissa managed to bring them to keep in the planned road, and Larry could finish the lat part if the plan.

A smug grin tried to break through the corners of Nissa’s mouth as she got assigned to led the horses back, and out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Larry was also enjoying himself and relieved that all three old men had been caught and the Golden Tablet, along with the rest of the treasure, had been recovered. – I’ve got the horses. –  She calls out to Larry as she steps down to the ground. Every fiber of her body is trembling from the combined effects of adrenaline and the cold. The night was drawing to a close, but the sense of victory hadn’t faded.

Nissa’s hand was already in the wild horse’s mane when her gaze met someone else’s, and for the first time that day, a smile spread across her face, one what was revealing her teeth. It was rare for the negative voices in her mind to fade enough for her to do this, but after all that pursuit and magic, she’d be a fool not to feel victory and joy. Instead of turning his head, Ahmenrah simply gestures with his eyes for Nissa to join them. The long-haired girl takes a few steps forward,  holding the reins in hand, but stopped to see the events.. Larry had just handed the gray-haired old man over to the Huns right in front of her, so she had heard every word.

– Did you really give the Huns permission to do whatever they want with him? – Nissa asks Ahmenrah as he steps toward her, pulling one rein from her hands.  She understood what had been said in front of her. Nissa had to remind herself that Ahmenrah’s rules didn’t quite align with the current legal system. – They stole my tablet. He could have gotten worse. –   The boy replied, pointing out the difference between them. Up until now, he hadn’t shown any signs of stress, but now it was clear how much he’d relaxed now that everything was in order. For the first time, Nissa saw that  Ahkmenrah's mouth wasn’t just two tight lines, and the wrinkles on his forehead weren’t permanent.

Part of Nissa wanted to object, but instead she just laughed. As soon as she realized it, she quickly brought her hand to her mouth and turned to lead the horses back. At least that was her plan, before Ahmenrah silently brushed her hand away from her mouth and held it by her side for a moment.

– Don’t… – Ahkmenrah asks her, then turned toward Larry as he approached. Even though he had been dead for hundreds or thousands of years, his touch was still warm. Perhaps much warmer than average body temperature. Nissa was the first to notice the discoloration in the sky, seeping through the buildings. She had to nudge Larry a little to get him to look up. If what they said was true, they were in big trouble... – Oh boy… I really have to get you guys back to the museum. – The man takes a deep breath, his gaze darting between the herd of animals filling the entire park and the sunrise.

– How? – Nick asks the question everybody thought.. If there were only a few animals out there, they might have a chance, but everyone who could get out is out there.  Nissa was about to move to try, but Larry spoke up just in time.

– Ahkmenrah, I need your help. – He takes the golden tablet out of his bag. – It’s yours. You know the instructions…– He adds, hopefully. Nissa’s breath catches in her lungs. She watches as Ahmenrah takes the tablet in his hand and begins to speak. She has never heard the language before, but its rhythm and power simultaneously soothe her heart and stir a sense of jealousy, even though, inexplicably, she feels she understands what is being said.

He didn’t have much time to think about it, because he felt a slight nudge on his back, forcing him to step aside.  The wild horse that she had been leading so far nudged her, asking for space. Nissa had to let go of the animal.  The horse named Tintin was followed by the post carriage, alongside the mammoth and other animals, forming a neat, uniform line. – Nissa, can you call someone? –  Larry calls out to the girl, putting his arm around Nick and patting Attila on the back in a gesture of thanks. The girl tilts her head to the side, her gaze drifting to the cell phone slipped into Larry’s pocket, but she nods. That’s all she can do before the sun rises and she goes home and forgets the day.

The answer both reassured and excited the middle-aged man, who turned toward the sidewalk leading to the museum with renewed energy. A few meters behind, everyone set off toward the museum. Nissa hadn’t expected Ahmenrah to deliberately slow his pace so they’d be roughly on the same pace..

The girl felt she should start a conversation, but she didn’t know which question would be acceptable and which would reveal her total cluelessness, and this uncertainty made the whole situation even more uncomfortable. – You probably didn’t expect your evening to turn out like this.  – – I’m glad you didn’t fall off Rexie! –

They both spoke at the same time, repeating the earlier moment, but this time they were both relieved and able to laugh or smile.  Tears welled up in Nissa’s eyes from the laughter, the absurdity of the situation and the adrenaline rush she’d experienced made her forget that her smile was one of her weaknesses. Ahmenrah even raised his hand to his chest, and seeing this, Nissa felt an itch in her palm to mimic the gesture, perhaps disguising it as adjusting her coat.

– If I know my whole worldview is going to shatter into pieces, then I might as well just stay in bed.– Nissa admits honestly as they were walking. She’s already come to terms with the fact that she won’t even be able to watch *Toy Story* normally anymore.  In fact, there’s a good chance she’ll never be able to walk into a big museum again and simply enjoy the exhibits...

– I believe you. When I first woke up, I didn’t understand much about the world either. – Ahkmenrah shares, keeping his head and gaze steady. His words were light, yet they squeezed Nissa’s heart and made it impossible for her to speak. Ahkmenrah had already accepted his life, while Nissa was still struggling with her own.  How could she possibly respond to the pharaoh’s words? 

She was so preoccupied with her own situation that she hadn’t even considered how terrifying it must be to suddenly wake up in a new world where everything is unknown, not even the language, and where only a single object represents a familiar home. Most people would go crazy or handle it poorly, and Nissa isn’t exactly one of the more exceptional ones. 

They were a few meters from the museum’s main entrance when Ahmenrah suddenly stopped, bringing Nissa to a halt as well. It took Nissa a few seconds to realize he was looking at the pastry shop and ice cream parlor next to the museum, specifically at the Christmas lights. Nissa turned to face him and saw the curious sparkle in his eyes under the glow of the lights. – That’s where I usually get my coffee. They stay open late because of the college students, if you’re interested. Since you haven’t been out yet, I recommend you try it out sometime in the early evening. I think Larry will chip in a few dollars.  – Nissa passes on the additional information, her clear eyes following his gaze. She doesn’t remember when the Egyptian section of the museum was built, but perhaps it was around the time she started college. She thought Ahkmenrah had left the building countless times, but judging by his reactions, she couldn’t be sure of that either.

– There really wasn’t much of a chance for that.  – She turns back and walks the last few meters until they disappear behind the revolving door. One by one, the animals walk past Nissa, but after a few moments’ hesitation, she hurries inside. Her mind is filled with Ahkmenrah’s words and the promise she made to Larry. Frightened, she takes a step back when she sees the moving, several-meter-tall guardians, but summoning her courage, she rushes into the chamber.