Fire & Flesh

by Kerri Carr

  William recognized her as the woman who stared from the shadows when he and Anna arrived.

  “Can you help us?” Anna cried in Arabic. “Tell us why we’re being held.”

  “I don’t know why you are being held,” the woman replied in excellent English. “My father says it’s for our safety.”

  “We’re not dangerous,” William said. “We just wanted supplies to continue on our way.”

  “Continue on your way? Where are you going?”

  “Hisyut,” Anna replied.

  “Hisyut? Never heard of it.”

  Anna tilted her head in confusion. “You haven’t? And please, tell us your name.”

  The woman shook her head. “I haven’t heard of it and I know almost every village and town in Egypt. My name is Metimeh.”

  “Metimeh,” Anna repeated. “I’m Anna. This is my husband, William.”

  William said nothing. Instead, he stared at Metimeh.

  She squirmed under his intense gaze and focused her attention on Anna.

  “I will try to talk to my father. Tell him you are not dangerous. He thinks there are more of you.”

  “It’s just us. I swear,” Anna said.

  Metimeh nodded her head and left the room, making sure to lock the door behind her. She couldn’t explain the feelings that made her stomach flutter when she looked at both William and especially Anna. She was a virgin, unable to have such feelings. Or so she was told.

  She ran to the house she lived in with her mother and retreated to her bedroom. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. She would eventually talk to her father for Anna and William’s sake. Seeing them in the small room, Anna’s terrified look and William’s blank face, made her heart break.

  *****

  Anna didn’t remember falling asleep but she did because she was awakened when the man from earlier came into the small room.

  “Our leader will see you now,” he announced in English.

  Anna looked out the window. It was pitch black outside and she assumed it was well past midnight. The leader would see them now? Of all times?

  “Will he let us go?” William asked. He stood and dusted dirt off his pants. “We’re not here to cause trouble.”

  The man shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t know. You speak to him yourself. Come.”

  Anna and William followed him through the house to another wing that was completely hidden from the outside. They entered a large gathering room filled with ornate furnishings and rugs. A man dressed in a simple white robe sat on a chair in the middle of the room.

  “Sit,” the white-robed man said in English. He gestured to two wooden chairs opposite his own.

  “Who are you?” He asked when Anna and William sat.

  “Who are you?” William repeated.

  The man laughed. “You have encroached into my kingdom and you demand to know who I am. Funny. But I’ll entertain you,” he paused, “just this once. I am King Mahmoud.”

  King? Anna tilted her head in confusion. She had never heard of a King Mahmoud and she knew a lot about Egypt. Maybe he’s one of those self-imposed kings, she thought.

  “Your Highness,” William said slowly, “we mean no harm. We were only passing through to restock on supplies and rest.”

  “If you mean no harm, what are you doing so far out here? No one stumbles into my kingdom unless they mean trouble,” King Mahmoud said loudly. He composed himself and lowered his voice. “Are you spies?”

  “Who would we be spying for?” Anna asked.

  “Ha,” King Mahmoud snorted. “Don’t joke with me. I’m not stupid.”

  “I don’t think you are stupid, Your Highness. We aren’t spies. We are trying to find the city of Hisyut,” Anna explained.

  King Mahmoud stilled. “Hisyut? What business do you have there?”

  “We were sent by a friend,” William answered. “A good friend. Maybe you knew him. His name was Haji.”

  “Was?” King Mahmoud asked.

  “He died almost a week ago,” Anna said softly. Talking about Haji was still painful. She missed him terribly.

  “Hmm,” King Mahmoud thought. “The name does sound familiar but that doesn’t mean anything. I don’t trust you and until I learn absolutely everything about you, you will stay here.” He motioned to the guards. “Take them back.”

  Anna tried to say something more but the guards came and rough lifted her and William from their chairs and took them away. They were returned to the small room that was lit with only two torches.

  “How long do you think he’s going to keep us here?” She asked William.

  William sat on the ground and patted the area next to him. Anna sat beside him and snuggled close.

  “I’m not sure,” William replied. He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. “I’m really not sure.”

  ****

  Three days. It had been three days since William and Anna arrived and Metimeh couldn’t stop thinking about either one of them. Her feelings towards Anna were extremely strong. She had a strong urge to wrap her arms around Anna and hold her close. Metimeh wasn’t sure why she was having these feelings. She never had them before—at least, she didn’t think so.

  “What has you thinking so much over there?” Metimeh’s mother, Ameerah, asked from across the room.

  Metimeh shook her head. “Nothing, Mother.”

  “You’re thinking about those two foreigners your father is keeping here, aren’t you?”

  “No,” Metimeh said vehemently. But she knew she couldn’t lie to her mother. With a sigh, she nodded her head. “I’m curious about them. They said they were going to Hisyut. I’ve never heard of Hisyut.”

  “Hisyut?” Ameerah asked. “That’s a forbidden city. It’s cursed. Why would they go there?”

  “You tell me,” Metimeh said. She changed her seat to sit closer to her mother. “I’ve never even heard of this before they told me.”

  “They told you? You spoke with them?”

  Metimeh lowered her head and nodded. “Aziz told me to bring them food. I only spoke with them for a little while. Honest.”

  Ameerah sighed. “Sometimes, I think you like getting into trouble. Did anyone hear you speaking with them? And if they tell your father?”

  “No one heard me. I’m sure of it. Please, tell me about Hisyut.”

  “I only know a little bit myself,” Ameerah said. “It’s an ancient city built by one of the pharaohs a long time ago. When his favorite wife was murdered there, he abandoned it. But not before cursing it. There is still a lot of ancient Egyptian treasures there, but no one smart would step foot in Hisyut unless they want to die.”

  Metimeh’s eyes widened. “I guess Father did them a favor by stopping them.”

  Ameerah shrugged her shoulders. “I suppose.”

  When her mother went to take a nap, Metimeh snuck to the house where William and Anna were being held. Luckily for her, there was only one guard on duty and it was easy to get him to leave with a little lie. Metimeh opened the door and quietly walked into the room.

  “Were you fed today?” she asked them.

  Anna nodded her head. “We were. Thank you for coming to check. Do you think we could possibly get a bath, though?”

  “I’ll ask my father.” Metimeh could barely see Anna or William but she knew both were staring at her. “Would you mind if I sat with you here?”

  William snorted. “Why would you want to sit with us here in the dark?”

  He did have a good point. But Metimeh, with her arms stretched out in front of her, found the wall Anna and William sat against and fell to the floor with a thud.

  “Where are you from?” Metimeh asked.

  “England,” Anna replied.

  Metimeh scrunched up her face. “England. Where’s that?”

  Anna gasped. “You don’t know where England is?”

  Metimeh shook her head but then remembered they couldn’t see her. “No,” she said.

  “England is in Europe,�
�� Anna said. “It’s on an island with Scotland and Wales. Ireland is very close.”

  Metimeh had never heard of these places before but hearing them come out of Anna’s made her so much more interested. She sat and listened for hours as Anna went on about England and how she and William ended up in Egypt. Something still bugged her, though.

  “Why don’t you have children?” Metimeh asked. Surely after six years of marriage, they should’ve had at least one child.

  Anna struggled to hold back her tears. “It just never happened,” she said softly. Speaking about her infertility was always hard for Anna. It was why she put so much of her energy into explorations. She didn’t care to hear the pity of women who had children and couldn’t imagine life without them.

  “Why aren’t you married?” Anna asked. “How old are you?”

  “I’ll be twenty-three soon. My father hasn’t found anyone suitable for me to marry yet,” Metimeh answered. She didn’t want to tell them the real reason. Her father would never let her go. She was his most prized possession, even more prized than his wives.

  “Do you want to get married?” William asked. It was the only time he had spoken during the conversation and Metimeh smiled, knowing that he was listening.

  “To a person who I choose, of course. But that will never happen,” she replied.

  “Never say never,” Anna said. “It’s something my grandmother always told me.”

  They talked until the sun went down and Metimeh, regretfully, announced she had to leave. She promised to return the next day and would ask about them getting a bath for Anna’s sake. She couldn’t imagine how dirty they must’ve felt.

  *****

  Over the next few days, Metimeh’s feelings for William and Anna grew. She was able to get them better lighting and was even able to get them a bath.

  She accompanied Anna to the bathhouse, along with a guard who she made wait outside. Anna was flabbergasted by the amount of water in the bathhouse.

  “So much water!” She cried out. “In the desert! How?”

  Metimeh laughed. “There’s water everywhere in the desert if you know where to look.”

  The bathhouse was a rather large building with a men’s section and women’s section. It had been cleared so Anna could bathe without intrusion. Metimeh led her to the women’s section.

  “Can you help me with my clothes, please?” Anna asked.

  Metimeh nodded. Her hands shook as she helped Anna undress. It wasn’t uncomfortable. It was actually exhilarating. When Anna was completely naked, Metimeh inhaled as she stared at Anna’s large breasts, flat tummy, and the crook between her legs that was covered in hair.

  “The water is warm,” Metimeh said. She had to say something to stop herself from staring at Anna.

  “Why don’t you join me?” Anna asked. She winked at Metimeh as she stepped down into the water. “Oh, this feels good!”

  Against her better judgment, Metimeh got undressed and slipped into the water beside Anna.

  “Feels good, doesn’t it?” Anna asked.

  Metimeh nodded. She gulped when Anna moved very close.

  “Wash my back?” Anna asked.

  Metimeh grabbed the sponge sitting on the side of the bath and squeezed lavender oil into it. She rubbed Anna’s back slowly. Her nipples hardened when Anna leaned back and rolled her head to the side.

  “If you want to do something,” Metimeh said, “do it to me now. Don’t tease me.”

  Anna turned around and pressed her lips against Metimeh’s. She didn’t move, didn’t want to ruin the moment. It was Metimeh who moaned first and used her tongue to force Anna’s mouth open. They stood in the bath, passionately kissing each other. Anna took one of Metimeh’s nipples between her fingers and played with it.

  Metimeh broke the kiss. She struggled to breathe and talk at the same time. “This is dangerous. Your husband—”

  “Knows about everything,” Anna interrupted. She pulled Metimeh closer and continued the kiss. Back in England, she had relations with a handful of women. William was always aware, and in some instances, a participant. But when they arrived in Egypt, they both felt it best that Anna control herself and not get involved with any women in Egypt.

  The door to the bathhouse opened and closed. Metimeh back away from Anna and scrambled up the steps. The guard entered the room even though he was not supposed to, eyes narrowed. He turned away slowly.

  “My apologies. Your father, His Highness, wants to see you, Metimeh,” he said.

  “Okay. Go.”

  Metimeh knew she was in trouble. Even though he didn’t see anything, the guard would tell her father she was inside of the bath with the foreigner. Her father would be angry when he returned and Metimeh didn’t want to be on the receiving end of her anger. Not anymore.

  “If I help you and William escape, can I come with you?” Metimeh asked.

  Anna was shocked into silence. “Um. Are you sure?”

  Metimeh nodded. “Yes, I’m sure. Go get William. When the sun goes down, I’ll come and get you. The guards will be scarce since my father is returning with things and he needs them. It’s our only time to leave.”

  Anna couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Metimeh was helping them escape! And she wanted to come with them. This could all be a trick, Anna knew, but Metimeh didn’t seem like that type of person. As quickly as possible, Anna dressed and followed Metimeh back to the house.

  “Don’t forget what I said,” Metimeh whispered into Anna’s ear before turning and walking away.

  William was asleep when Anna returned and she shook him violently. “Metimeh is getting us out! She wants to come with us.”

  William yawned. “What?”

  “Metimeh said she’s going to help us escape at sundown. She wants to come back with us. I told her yes.”

  “But our camels and supplies,” William said.

  “I think she’s going to have everything ready. We just have to trust her.”

  William wasn’t convinced at all. He was sure Metimeh was helping her father trick the gullible foreigners into believing they were leaving, but Anna was convinced Metimeh was sincere to William went along with it.

  “You do know we are in the middle of nowhere?” William reminded Anna.

  She nodded. “Yes, I know. But I trust Metimeh. She knows how to get us out.”

  “Why are you so trusting of her? We only just met her.”

  “I like her.” Anna glanced at William. “We kissed in the bathhouse. Well, and touched. She wants to leave, and maybe she can be with us.”

  William wasn’t upset that his wife kissed another female. He was a bit upset that he didn’t get to see it, though. Anna had admitted that she found woman attractive at the beginning of their marriage and William was okay with it. He just wanted Anna to be open and honest with him.

  From the tiny window inside of the room, Anna watched the sun disappear behind dunes of sand. She was worried Metimeh wouldn’t show up. And then what? How long did the king plan to keep them? No one knew they had left, except maybe Charles, but the sandstorm had thrown them off course and Charles wouldn’t be able to get to them. Anna was afraid life in the tiny room was all she and William would have. But then the door opened and Metimeh slid through.

  “Are you ready? Did you tell him?” Metimeh asked Anna.

  Anna nodded her head. “We’re ready.”

  “Wait a minute!” William said rather loudly. “How do we know this isn’t a trick? What are you? A princess? And you mean to tell me you want to leave all of this behind? Why?”

  Metimeh lowered her head and whispered, “Because I love Anna. Because my father will kill the two of you once he gets bored. He’s keeping you for ransom but if no one comes forward, he’ll kill you.”

  Anna didn’t know which revelation to tackle first and there wasn’t much time anyway. Metimeh ushered them out of the room and out of a back entrance to the house.

  “The North side of the town is completely empty. The ca
mels are there and it’ll make it easier to get far enough without anyone noticing. Come!” Metimeh sprinted away from the house with William and Anna following. They ran and didn’t stop until they came to the camels sitting quietly.

  “They’re all rested and well-fed,” Metimeh said, breathlessly. “They can run for a while until they need to stop.”

  They mounted the camels and took off. This part of the town was extremely deserted and Anna wondered why. She breathed a sigh of relief when they passed the town’s last building. But her heart dropped to her stomach at the once again barren desert landscape. She hoped Metimeh knew where she was going.

  After a couple hours of silent camel riding, they came across a small village. The leader was a kind man who let them stay the night.

  “Where are you from?” The leader asked Metimeh.

  “They are from England. I am going to work for them,” she lied.

  The next day consisted of more camel riding, some walking, resting, and repeating. It wasn’t until nightfall that they came to another village, this one a bit larger than the last. There was no central leader and the trio was able to rest again and get some meager supplies before setting off again in the morning.

  “Are we lost?” Anna asked. She shivered, remembering that was the question she asked William before they realized they were lost.

  Metimeh smiled and shook her head. “We aren’t lost. Can’t you smell the Nile?”

  Both Anna and William tilted their heads upwards and sniffed. Neither smelled the Nile—whatever it smelled like.

  “Do you want to come stay with us when we get wherever you are taking us?” Anna asked.

  Metimeh’s eyes widened in wonder. “You’d let me?”

  “Of course,” William said. “What would you do otherwise?”

  Metimeh wasn’t sure. But she was sure now that getting to Cairo was the most important thing ever.

  *****

  After days of traveling, Anna began to cry when the city of Cairo appeared from seemingly out of nowhere. She smiled at Metimeh, who beamed, proud of herself.

  “How did you do it?” William asked. “Without a compass or map?”

  “The sun,” Metimeh answered simply. “It’s all you need.”