The Might of His Strength, chapter 6
Jun. 10th, 2020 10:17 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
scripsiStill healthy, still mentally dizzy over the world. But I write fic. I’ve decided to sign up for ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
limitedtheatricalrelease which is a new fic and art-exchange for small and medium-sized movie fandoms.
Title: The Might of His Strength
Fandom: The Mummy series
Rating: Explicit
Chapters: 6/?
Word Count: 1444
Characters: Evelyn Carnahan O’Connell, Imhotep, Ardeth Bay, Rick O’Connell
Pairings Evelyn Carnahan O’Connell/ Imhotep, Evelyn Carnahan O’Connell/Imhotep/Ardeth Bay, Evelyn Carnahan O’Connell/ Rick O’Connell
Warnings: abduction, non-con, violence, magical coercion- tags are likely to be expanded as the fic continues.
Summary: Five years after Imhotep’s second defeat, Evy is kidnapped.
The fic on AO3.
When she woke up the next morning Imhotep was gone. Evy got out of bed feeling sore and chilled, but after a bath and breakfast she felt much better. It wouldn’t do to succumb to hopelessness, even if she couldn’t see any way out. For now, she sharply told herself, and as if to oblige, her mind revealed what had disturbed her of yesterday’s beautiful evening sky. There had been no sign of blood rain or any of the other plagues which had heralded Imhotep’s return when she had first called him back to life. And though she had been too preoccupied with the kidnapping of Alex to notice the second time, Evy now realised it had not happened then either. Why didn’t the plagues come anymore? She frowned. It must mean something, but what?
At noon a stream of servants carrying boxes interrupted Evy’s broodings. Her natural inquisitiveness was piqued and when she went to investigate, she found one of her rooms was being converted into a library. While she stood watching as books, scrolls and maps were unpacked, Imhotep joined her.
“Books will please you, I believe. And it will help you teach me about your world.”
“Why should I do that? You can find someone else!”
“I could, but you will.do it.”
“You are very sure of yourself.”
“And you are curious. You will answer my questions because I will have an answer for any you will ask of me.”
He had her there; the opportunity to learn about Egypt three thousand years ago was too tempting. Evy’s visions of Nefertiri’s life had quickly faded after Ahm Shere, and they had always only been glimpses. Imhotep could provide her with a complete narrative, and she could not resist it.
Over the next few days Imhotep devoured the information she could provide with a speed that astonished her, and it didn’t take her long to realise he had absorbed both English and Arabic, though he refused to speak them.
“They are ugly languages without poetry”
As promised Imhotep told her anything she wanted to know about old Egypt. When they both lost themselves in a discussion Evy felt she could have liked him, had circumstances been different. He was both intelligent and charming and she was reminded he had once become a pharaoh’s confidant and advisor on those merits. Sometimes she caught him looking at her with a slight smile when she had become so absorbed by the topic she had forgotten who he was. It would have been easier to hate him if he had been violent, or deliberately cruel towards her. But he was polite, courteous even. It was clear he wanted to please her except for what she wanted the most; freedom for her and Ardeth. And he continued to ignore her protests when he took her to bed, even if he always made sure to satisfy her. Evy got used to falling asleep in his arms, but she didn’t think he ever slept himself. If she woke up at night, he had always left the bed, standing in silence at the window gazing out.
Days passed, then a week. Evy counted and wondered how soon Rick would realise she wasn’t in London anymore. She was sure he would look at Egypt next, but how quickly? Perhaps he was already here, searching for her. Rick would never stop looking, and Evy refused to think he would never find her. He would, one day, the question was; how soon? Evy worried about Ardeth too. She had not seen him since the day Imhotep woke up, and she couldn’t even be sure he was still alive.
“What is happening to Ardeth?” Evy asked one morning, as she had every day, though so far Imhotep had only told her the Medjai was only locked up. For now. This morning Imhotep allowed the subject to expand.
“Such concern. You are worried about him?”
“Of course I am. I don’t believe for a second you let him live to make me happy.”
“You are right, he is not alive just because you wished for it. But you don’t have to fear for your Medjai; I will not kill him. I have other plans.”
“What plans.”
“You will know when the preparations are done.”
With that, Imhotep ended the discussion by the simple means of not answering her questions anymore.
Evy spent as much time as she could in the garden. It was small and confining, but at least she had the open sky above her. But her frustration of being confined grew daily, and she took to walking along the walls in circles, faster and faster. The same day Imhotep had conceded he had plans for Ardeth, he turned up in the garden while Evy paced.
“Come. I have something I need to retrieve. I think you need a change of view.”
To travel within a sandstorm which was really Imhotep was as disconcerting as the first time. Evy closed her eyes firmly and didn’t look until she could feel firm ground under her feet again. They were in the desert, standing in front of a small cluster of cliffs. Evy looked around but could see no signs of other humans. Imhotep raised his arms, causing the sand to rise and swivel around. When he lowered his arms, and the sand settled, Evy could see a building, which had previously been hidden.
“What is this place?”
“A temple for Seshat.”
Safe in the knowledge she had nowhere else to go, Imhotep disappeared into the bowels of the temple for whatever purpose he had come for. Evy followed him slowly. She couldn’t help feeling excited; it was clear the temple had never been excavated, it had rested unknown in the sand since it had been abandoned untold years before.
Imhotep was nowhere to be seen, but in the sanctuary she found a statue of Seshat still standing. The goddess gazed benevolently down on Evy in her peculiar star-shaped headdress and a long palm stem in her hand for recording the passing time. Evy smiled back; she had always felt a kinship with this goddess of knowledge. For some time Evy wandered around the sanctuary, admiring the wall reliefs which had been beautifully preserved. Then she explored chambers, and courts until she grew tired. She returned to the sanctuary where she found Imhotep contemplating Seshat, with something which looked like a cup in his hand. He didn’t seem to notice her, but when Evy came closer he spoke.
“I used to come here to worship with my children. They could be unruly and not always heeding their teachers. A reminder of the importance of learning was sometimes necessary.”
Evy stared at him. “Your children?”
Imhotep turned to her with a peculiar half-smile on his face. “Does that surprise you?”
Evy didn’t know what to say. She had never considered his life before he met Anck-su-namun, but he had been a man in his prime then. It was not so strange he had fathered children.
“I do not know what happened to them. I will never know. I can only hope they were shown some leniency.” He took her arm with unusual roughness. “Come, it’s time to leave.”
He walked out of the temple so fast Evy almost had to run.
When they were back in the garden Imhotep turned to leave without a word, but Evy called out after him. “Did you love your children?”
He answered without turning back to her. “Yes, I did.”
“Then you understand how much I love my son. And how much I fear for him. Say you won’t hurt him!”
“I have no wish to gift you the grief of a child.” Imhotep looked at her over his shoulder. “But I fear he is too much like his father’s son, and I will have no choice.”
Then he left, and for the first time he did not return to her for the night. Evy didn’t sleep much, anyway. She had never really considered how much Imhotep had lost, and she couldn’t help feeling deeply sorry for him. Everyone he had ever known, family and friends, were gone. Thousands of years separated him from them and she wondered if that was one reason he wanted her; she was a connection to the past. Evy thought of Alex and how much she loved and missed him. How unbearable it had been when he had been kidnapped. And then she had least known he was still alive, and filled with hope they would be reunited. Imhotep had no such hope. His children were forever lost in time, and they would never return.
limitedtheatricalrelease which is a new fic and art-exchange for small and medium-sized movie fandoms.Title: The Might of His Strength
Fandom: The Mummy series
Rating: Explicit
Chapters: 6/?
Word Count: 1444
Characters: Evelyn Carnahan O’Connell, Imhotep, Ardeth Bay, Rick O’Connell
Pairings Evelyn Carnahan O’Connell/ Imhotep, Evelyn Carnahan O’Connell/Imhotep/Ardeth Bay, Evelyn Carnahan O’Connell/ Rick O’Connell
Warnings: abduction, non-con, violence, magical coercion- tags are likely to be expanded as the fic continues.
Summary: Five years after Imhotep’s second defeat, Evy is kidnapped.
The fic on AO3.
When she woke up the next morning Imhotep was gone. Evy got out of bed feeling sore and chilled, but after a bath and breakfast she felt much better. It wouldn’t do to succumb to hopelessness, even if she couldn’t see any way out. For now, she sharply told herself, and as if to oblige, her mind revealed what had disturbed her of yesterday’s beautiful evening sky. There had been no sign of blood rain or any of the other plagues which had heralded Imhotep’s return when she had first called him back to life. And though she had been too preoccupied with the kidnapping of Alex to notice the second time, Evy now realised it had not happened then either. Why didn’t the plagues come anymore? She frowned. It must mean something, but what?
At noon a stream of servants carrying boxes interrupted Evy’s broodings. Her natural inquisitiveness was piqued and when she went to investigate, she found one of her rooms was being converted into a library. While she stood watching as books, scrolls and maps were unpacked, Imhotep joined her.
“Books will please you, I believe. And it will help you teach me about your world.”
“Why should I do that? You can find someone else!”
“I could, but you will.do it.”
“You are very sure of yourself.”
“And you are curious. You will answer my questions because I will have an answer for any you will ask of me.”
He had her there; the opportunity to learn about Egypt three thousand years ago was too tempting. Evy’s visions of Nefertiri’s life had quickly faded after Ahm Shere, and they had always only been glimpses. Imhotep could provide her with a complete narrative, and she could not resist it.
Over the next few days Imhotep devoured the information she could provide with a speed that astonished her, and it didn’t take her long to realise he had absorbed both English and Arabic, though he refused to speak them.
“They are ugly languages without poetry”
As promised Imhotep told her anything she wanted to know about old Egypt. When they both lost themselves in a discussion Evy felt she could have liked him, had circumstances been different. He was both intelligent and charming and she was reminded he had once become a pharaoh’s confidant and advisor on those merits. Sometimes she caught him looking at her with a slight smile when she had become so absorbed by the topic she had forgotten who he was. It would have been easier to hate him if he had been violent, or deliberately cruel towards her. But he was polite, courteous even. It was clear he wanted to please her except for what she wanted the most; freedom for her and Ardeth. And he continued to ignore her protests when he took her to bed, even if he always made sure to satisfy her. Evy got used to falling asleep in his arms, but she didn’t think he ever slept himself. If she woke up at night, he had always left the bed, standing in silence at the window gazing out.
Days passed, then a week. Evy counted and wondered how soon Rick would realise she wasn’t in London anymore. She was sure he would look at Egypt next, but how quickly? Perhaps he was already here, searching for her. Rick would never stop looking, and Evy refused to think he would never find her. He would, one day, the question was; how soon? Evy worried about Ardeth too. She had not seen him since the day Imhotep woke up, and she couldn’t even be sure he was still alive.
“What is happening to Ardeth?” Evy asked one morning, as she had every day, though so far Imhotep had only told her the Medjai was only locked up. For now. This morning Imhotep allowed the subject to expand.
“Such concern. You are worried about him?”
“Of course I am. I don’t believe for a second you let him live to make me happy.”
“You are right, he is not alive just because you wished for it. But you don’t have to fear for your Medjai; I will not kill him. I have other plans.”
“What plans.”
“You will know when the preparations are done.”
With that, Imhotep ended the discussion by the simple means of not answering her questions anymore.
Evy spent as much time as she could in the garden. It was small and confining, but at least she had the open sky above her. But her frustration of being confined grew daily, and she took to walking along the walls in circles, faster and faster. The same day Imhotep had conceded he had plans for Ardeth, he turned up in the garden while Evy paced.
“Come. I have something I need to retrieve. I think you need a change of view.”
To travel within a sandstorm which was really Imhotep was as disconcerting as the first time. Evy closed her eyes firmly and didn’t look until she could feel firm ground under her feet again. They were in the desert, standing in front of a small cluster of cliffs. Evy looked around but could see no signs of other humans. Imhotep raised his arms, causing the sand to rise and swivel around. When he lowered his arms, and the sand settled, Evy could see a building, which had previously been hidden.
“What is this place?”
“A temple for Seshat.”
Safe in the knowledge she had nowhere else to go, Imhotep disappeared into the bowels of the temple for whatever purpose he had come for. Evy followed him slowly. She couldn’t help feeling excited; it was clear the temple had never been excavated, it had rested unknown in the sand since it had been abandoned untold years before.
Imhotep was nowhere to be seen, but in the sanctuary she found a statue of Seshat still standing. The goddess gazed benevolently down on Evy in her peculiar star-shaped headdress and a long palm stem in her hand for recording the passing time. Evy smiled back; she had always felt a kinship with this goddess of knowledge. For some time Evy wandered around the sanctuary, admiring the wall reliefs which had been beautifully preserved. Then she explored chambers, and courts until she grew tired. She returned to the sanctuary where she found Imhotep contemplating Seshat, with something which looked like a cup in his hand. He didn’t seem to notice her, but when Evy came closer he spoke.
“I used to come here to worship with my children. They could be unruly and not always heeding their teachers. A reminder of the importance of learning was sometimes necessary.”
Evy stared at him. “Your children?”
Imhotep turned to her with a peculiar half-smile on his face. “Does that surprise you?”
Evy didn’t know what to say. She had never considered his life before he met Anck-su-namun, but he had been a man in his prime then. It was not so strange he had fathered children.
“I do not know what happened to them. I will never know. I can only hope they were shown some leniency.” He took her arm with unusual roughness. “Come, it’s time to leave.”
He walked out of the temple so fast Evy almost had to run.
When they were back in the garden Imhotep turned to leave without a word, but Evy called out after him. “Did you love your children?”
He answered without turning back to her. “Yes, I did.”
“Then you understand how much I love my son. And how much I fear for him. Say you won’t hurt him!”
“I have no wish to gift you the grief of a child.” Imhotep looked at her over his shoulder. “But I fear he is too much like his father’s son, and I will have no choice.”
Then he left, and for the first time he did not return to her for the night. Evy didn’t sleep much, anyway. She had never really considered how much Imhotep had lost, and she couldn’t help feeling deeply sorry for him. Everyone he had ever known, family and friends, were gone. Thousands of years separated him from them and she wondered if that was one reason he wanted her; she was a connection to the past. Evy thought of Alex and how much she loved and missed him. How unbearable it had been when he had been kidnapped. And then she had least known he was still alive, and filled with hope they would be reunited. Imhotep had no such hope. His children were forever lost in time, and they would never return.
