Please note, the characters from the Mummy are not my own, but all others are.

The standstorm hit with such ferocity that Elana had to duck into a nearby building. Outside, she heard screams unusual for this type of storm. Why was everyone so upset about something that happened several times a month?

Elana took a deep breath and stepped out the door. People were running everywhere. It was the kind of general hysteria Elana only associated with disaster movies.

Suddenly, a whirlwind of sand pushed her up against the door. Within seconds, a man materialized out of the grains. Elana gasped and stared in awe.

He was very tall, with dark eyes and a smooth head. He had the smile of a man who knew how powerful he really was. He gave her an amused smirk, then dissolved back into the sand. Elana started after as it moved down the street. Seconds later, a figure fell on her from around the corner. It was a man, covered in blood, and it looked like he had a broken arm.

"Please," the man gasped. "Please, help me! The creature...." The man fell to the ground, dead.

Elana looked again in the direction the mysterious man of sand had gone. She followed.
*****

It took longer than she thought, but a few days later, Elana hopped on the train that was taking the mysterious man wherever he wanted to go.

She had only passed through one car when a guard stopped her. "What are you doing here?"

Elana thought it best to be humble, especially if the man was important enough to have guards. She dropped to one knee. "I'm here to see Him."

The guard looked at her suspiciously. "Wait here," he finally said.

After waiting for what seemed like hours, the door finally opened. Instead of the man, she was face to face with a very beautiful woman dressed in black. The woman started at her for several minutes and Elana kept quiet.

"What business do you have with Prince Imhotep?" she asked finally.

Elana's eyes widened. A prince! "I've come to offer my services," she replied.

Another guard came to the door. "Meela?" He motioned for her to follow.

Meela waved a hand at Elana. "Wait here."

Elana sighed as she was left alone yet again. This time when the door opened, though, it was Prince Imhotep himself who was behind it. Elana dropped to one knee again. "My prince," she said to the floor.

Imhotep took her chin in his hand and raised her eyes to look at him. His expression was kind. He looked toward the door, and in came Meela. She smiled at Imhotep and stood beside him. He gestured toward Elana with his head. Meela looked at her.

"What exactly did you have in mind to do for us?" she asked.

Elana didn't miss the use of the word 'us'. "I saw the sandstorm in the market. I am impressed by his power and wish to serve behind it."

Meela spoke to Imhotep, but it was not a language Elana recognized. She notcied he seemed to approve of what she said. Imhotep said something back to Meela, who then relayed it to Elana.

"He says welcome," Meela told her. "You did not come here by chance. Imhotep would like to find out who you are. You will come with us."

Elana didn't understand what she meant, but as long as she was allowed to stay, she didn't care. She was led to a different car where she had her own room. She fell onto the bed and went to sleep.

Some unknown time later, Meela entered her room. "It is time. We are in Karnac."

Elana followed Meela and Imhotep. She found herself staring into a pool underground that looked very deep. Imhotep spoke and Meela gestured for her to move back. "Please go back outside until you are called."

Doing what she was told, Elana wondered again what was going on. This time, Elana did wait ouside for more than an hour. When a guard told her to return, she found that Meela was gone. She was alone with Imhotep.

He motioned for her to sit next to him. She obeyed. Imhotep opened a large black book. He began to read from it. With a wave of his hand, he closed Elana's eyes. Immediately she felt peaceful. Pictures began to flood her mind. One stood out.

She was standing outside a room. She had been there for at least an hour. After getting her mistress ready, she had been banished to the hall to wait. She didn't mind though, because it gave her time to daydream.

She was in love. There were several problems with this. First, she was a servant. The man she was in love with was not. Second, he was in love with someone else. Third, that someone else happened to be her mistress.

At that moment, Imhotep, the High Priest of Osiris, came around the corner. He smiled when he saw her and stopped. "Merenre," he said in greeting.

She nodded, and he went through the door she was standing next to. With a sigh, she though about what he had just said. She loved the way he said her name. Before the door was closed, Merenre caught a glimpse of the scene inside. Anck-su-Namun, the Pharoah's wife-to-be, lay on the bed, smiling up at Imhotep.

Silence. That was the last picture that went through Elana's mind. She was breathless. She could have sworn she could feel and smell everything. The scent of ancient Egypt lingered until she opened her eyes.

Imhotep spoke. The language she could not understand before was now perfectly clear to her. "Who are you?"

Elana smiled. "I am Merenre, servant to Anck-su-Namun."

Now it was Imhotep's turn to smile. "It is remembered! She will be pleased." He stood and asked for her to do the same.

Once back on the train, Imhotep led her to the room they had met in. Meela sat on the couch, waiting. Elana's jaw dropped. "Anck-su-Namun!" Elana quickly knelt in front of her, as Merenre had done countless times in the past.

"Merenre," came the reply. Elana didn't think it sounded all that friendly, but Imhotep didn't seem to notice.

"I will leave you," Imhotep said, backing out the door.

To Elana, the sound of the door clicking shut brought more dread than she had ever experienced before. She looked up into the cold eyes of her mistress and another picture came to her.

For once, Merenre was alone. She had no duties left to Anck-su-Namun, as the demanding woman had let her go early that evening. Merenre knew it was the cruel way Seti treated her that caused Anck-su-Namun to be so unkind to her. She did not hate her mistress for it.

Staring out the window, Merenre caught a glimpse of Imhotep and Seti walking along one of the many paths outside the palace. The conversation was animated, and Merenre followed Imhotep's movements with a sigh. "I wish you loved me too," she breathed.

Suddenly, Merenre became aware of someone standing behind her. She turned to see her mistress. "Oh!" she exclaimed, quickly getting to one knee.

Anck-su-Namun glanced out the window. Merenre prepared for the worst. Her mistress yanked her up by the arm. "So!"

"I can explain!" Merenre cried.

Anck-su-Namun pushed her up against the wall. "Imhotep belongs to me! Don't you forget that." She began to laugh. "What would he possibly see in a lowly servant like you anyway?"

"Forgive me," Merenre begged. "It will not happen again."

"I'm watching you," her mistress replied as she walked out the door.

Merenre fell to her bed and began to cry. She had to obey Anck-su-Namun or she would be killed. If she told the Pharoah what was going on between her mistress and Imhotep, Imhotep would be killed. Either way, she lost. And now her life would be hell because her mistress hated her.

"Merenre," Meela said again. Elana bit her lip.

"You remember what I told you then?" she said in English.

Elana nodded.

Meela touched her servant's cheek. "Good. Keep it in mind now and you may still be my servant."

"With all due respect," Elana replied, "I do not have the same axe hanging over me."

"You mean the Pharaoh?" Meela replied. "That doesn't matter. You screw up once and I will kill you."

Elana nodded. "Is that all, Mistress?"

Meela waved her away. Elana went back to her room to cry.
*****

They had reached Ahm Shere. Ahead was the long walk to the center and the Scorpion King. Elana had been briefed by one of the guards.

Elana took her place behind Imhotep and Meela as they walked through the oasis. Meela had done nothing but remind her of her place since they arrived. She was always careful not to be rude in front of Imhotep though. For that, at least, Elana was thankful.

It took a minute for Elana to register the noise. She had been walking behind Meela, staring holes in the back of her head, when Imhotep stopped. Elana almost ran into Meela. She was about to ask what was going on when she heard it.

The noise sounded almost like bees. All of a sudden, it stopped. Screams began at the back of the procession and everyone scattered. Elana tried to stay where she knew it would be safe, with Imhotep and Meela, but when she looked up, they were gone.

Her new plan was to run. She looked for the diamond atop the temple and headed straight for it. Almost immediately Elana tripped on something and fell. Before she could get up, someone else tripped over her.

It was a man she had never seen before. On the other side of him was a woman, who'd apparently had the sense to look where she was going and therefore didn't trip. The woman looked as though she wanted to laugh but knew the situation didn't call for it.

The man took one look at Elana, grabbed her hand as he got up and took off, the woman on his other hand. The three of them made it to the temple.

Once inside, the man slammed her against the wall and put a knife to her throat. "Okay, you're not with us, so you must be with them. Who are you?"

"Rick!" the woman cried.

Rick sighed. "Evelyn, I'm busy!"

There was a rush of air as several others ran into the temple. Elana recognized Imhotep and Meela, along with several of their guards.

One of the guards knocked Rick over. Elana ran after them. Before she knew what was happening, she was lying facedown on the ground, the wind knocked out of her. Rick had tackled her.

He tied her hands behind her back. Dragging her to her feet, he asked again, "Who are you?"

"Elana," she answered.

Rick looked her over. "You look normal. How do you fit in with this group?"

"I am Merenre, servant to Anck-su-Namun."

Rick rolled his eyes. "That again."

Just then, another man rushed through the entrance. "Jonathan!" Rick said.

Jonathan turned. "Where's Evie?"

Rick looked around. "Oh, damn!" He threw Elana at Jonathan. "Put her somewhere. I'm going to find Evelyn."

Jonathan gave Elana a look that said he had no idea what to do with her. Rick had left another rope, telling Jonathan to tie her ankles together when he found a spot.

"Well, come on," Jonathan sighed, taking her arm. He led her to a room off the entrance, next to the main room. "Pity there are no doors."

He gestured for her to sit in the corner and he tied her ankles. Before he could say anymore, he heard his name.

"Uh," Jonathan said, unsure of whether to go or stay. "I'm coming, Evie!" he finally decided. Elana was alone.
*****

Working with the ropes was difficult. Fortunately, Jonathan hadn't tied his knots well, so Elana freed her legs without really trying. She almost dislocated one of her shoulders when she tried pulling her legs through her arms, but finally her hands were in front of her.

Elana worked her hands until the rope was finally loose enough to slip her hands out. Suddenly, the temple shook furiously. She walked as best she could to the main room of the temple.

To her horror, the ground had opened wide and both Imhotep and Rick were hanging off the edge. She watched as Evelyn grabbed Rick and pulled him to safety. Imhotep was calling Meela, but she just stood there.

To Elana's surprise, Meela turned and ran. Merenre's hatred boiled to the surface and combined with Elana's. She ran after Meela.

Meela noticed she was being chased and turned. "Merenre!"

"Anck-su-Namun," Merenre spat. "I've been wanting to do this for a long time!"

Merenre pushed Anck-su-Namun, who fell into a large black pool. It was when they started eating that Merenre realized it was a bunch of scarabs. Merenre quickly hurried back to the main room.

She lunged for Imhotep just as he let go of the side. Her fingers barely brushed his. She was too late. "I love you!" she cried out to him.

Before he disappeared, his face changed. He had heard her. Merenre inched away from the edge and began to cry uncontrollably.

Rick and Evelyn pulled her up and took her out of the temple. "Let's take you home," Evelyn said.

After the death of Anck-su-Namun and the condemnation of Imhotep to the Hom-Dai, Merenre went back to the home she had left so many years ago, despite Nefertiri's offer to stay.

Before she died years later, Merenre had vowed that somehow she would get back at Anck-su-Namun for making her life miserable, and she would finally tell Imhotep how she felt. It was her dying thought. After all, death is only the beginning....