* Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta was not born until 1304, in Tangier, Morocco. He did not begin his travels through
the Middle East and China until 1325. During his life he is known to have traveled at total of 75,000 miles, which out
distanced the travels of Marco Polo.
* Isis — Egyptian Goddess who was the wife of Osiris and mother of Horus. Isis was seen as the protective goddess and it
was believed that with her magic spells, she could assist people in need. Because it was believed that the Pharaohs were the
living embodiment of Horus on earth, Isis was considered an important Goddess by the Pharaohs.
* Isle of Philae — Located south of the city of Aswan in the Nile river. It is estimated to have been constructed during the
third century B.C.E. The temple was dedicated to the Egyptian Goddess Isis, and remains to this day a protected landmark
which houses the original architecture and hieroglyphs of the ancient Egyptian religions.
* Persia — The original Persian Empire once covered the territory of modern Iraq and Iran, to the tip of the Indus Valley. It
is estimated that the Sumerians settled and established the first known civilization in Persia, and created the first functioning
government. In addition to creating a stable government, the Persians are known to have invented the wheeled vehicle and the
use of a written language.
* Ra — The Egyptian sun god.
* Soul Possession — In the religion of Voodun, soul possession is not only viewed as a positive experience, but it is
encouraged for anyone wishing to get closer to the spirits. Many Voodun practitioners will not even consider an apprentice
for study unless they’ve experienced spirit possession. Within Christianity, there are some who believe that to be filled with
the "Holy Spirit" brings enlightenment and the possessed individual closer to their God.
Ancient Egyptian Terminology
Amenta = Literally means, the underworld.
Amulet = Originally worn like jewelry, an amulet was a charm that was made of precious stones. Many amulets had
hieroglyphs, gods, or sacred animals etched within the stones surface.
Anat = Believed to originate in Syria, Anat was the goddess of war and was depicted as a woman holding a shield and an axe.
Anubis = A Jackal headed god who guards Necropolis.
Asikari = Warrior
Hawara = Love (lover)
Hemet = Priestess
Ka = The spirit or soul. It was believed that a person’s ka would live on after their body had died.
Necropolis = City of the dead and also a description that signifies important burial grounds.
Chapter 11
The child’s voice yanked Zara from the depths of her dark, melancholy thoughts. With a grimace, the tall Moroccan’s brow
creased as her jaw clenched. “Leave me be, Nadrah!” the captain barked, causing the girl to flinch and the baby to stir in her
arms.
“B-But… Captain… Fatimah needs you, she wants you to hold her,” Nadrah’s tenacity would not waiver and it looked like
the captain would explode with a string of expletives. The tall woman’s frown grew deeper as her gaze seemed to bore a
hole into Nadrah. But as quickly as this happened, a deep sigh escaped the seafarer’s control as a single tear was released.
“Thank you, Nadrah,” Zara whispered as she leaned forward and took the baby from Nadrah’s arms. With a slight smile, the
Moroccan woman held the babe in her arms. Her gaze fell over the little girl as her silent tears fell unheeded down her
cheeks.
From nearby, Nadrah saw Gabrielle moving back to her seat. Glancing over at her, the child smiled to reassure the
storyteller. The blonde nodded wordlessly as she wiped her eyes, then turned her concentration back to the conversation she
was having with Zara’s brother.
Gabrielle noticed her lover’s outburst and was ready to rebuke Zara. The healer knew the pain that she was going through,
but also knew that this was no excuse for treating Nadrah badly or scaring the baby. Thankfully, her lover’s anger turned to
grief, and she spoke softly to the cabin girl. As the two were sitting near the window, the captain held Inaam’s baby in her
arms. Like second nature, she cradled the baby as she spoke softly to the cabin girl. Occasionally, the Greek woman
noticed the captain reaching up to wipe away the tears that fell.
“Healer Gabrielle, will my sister be all right?” Rashi’s voice was soft as he turned his gaze away from his sister. At his look
of pain, the blonde only sighed.
“I don’t know Rashi. She’s gone through a great deal, lost many who she loved dearly. It’s a shock. All we can do is be
there for her. I promise, Rashi, I’ll do whatever is necessary to help your sister, I’ll be there for her,” she smiled softly as she
reached out and touched his hand.
His eyes welled up with tears, before he regained control and momentarily looked away, “I am glad to hear that, Healer
Gabrielle. My sister, she is very dear to me.”
“And to me as well, I’ll not leave her side, no matter how long her healing takes, I promise.”
Satisfied with her words, he nodded as he glanced back to his sister. “Good, I only wish…” the young man’s voice faltered
as he looked at his wife in the corner of the room, the shawl discreetly covering her as she fed their baby. “I only wish that
Fatimah did not have to be separated from Zara. I think having the babe is good for her, helps her to stay connected to the
love she lost.”
“I know, and I think you’re right. But Zara’s right, the trip down the Nile will be rather long, and from what I hear, it would
be better for you and Rachael to take Fatimah with you,” Gabrielle found her mind going over their trip. Although it would
take time to reach the Isle of Philae, at least she was grateful that the hardest part of the voyage by sea was over. Now that
they were in peaceful waters, they would be able to relax their vigil.
“Rashi, are you certain you will be safe where you go?” Gabrielle leaned forward, her voice low as her hand lightly rested on
the young man’s arm.
Rashi smiled broadly as he lightly patted her hand in reassurance. “Of course we will be safe. Most of Rachael’s kin live in
Aimeria, and the rest live in various cities throughout Hispania. I am certain that we can finally be at peace, Healer Gabrielle,”
his voice grew soft as his mind seemed to drift away. With a wistful smile, he looked deeply into the healer’s green eyes.
“I can only see a brighter future for my family in Hispania and hopefully, if you and Zara should wish to settle down, you might
consider Aimeria? It would be wonderful if our children could grow up together,” he released a soft sigh as the light beard on
his face moved upward in a smile. “I know that you both will always be welcomed in my home.”
With an equally pleased smile, she clasped his hand in hers. Gabrielle knew the significance of his words and felt honored that
such an invitation would be offered. At his sincerity, the blonde felt her eyes grow misty.
“Thank you Rashi. Perhaps someday, if it’s meant to be, we could build a home near your family and finally rest from our
many years of travel,” Gabrielle replied, even as her mind began to dream of times of peace.
Although Gabrielle had never thought of it before, she began to realize that settling down on a parcel of land and raising
children was an attractive notion, and this surprised her. When she first left her home to join Xena, she was leaving the plans
of her parents. The idea that she would settle down to raise kids once brought distaste to her to the point where all she could
do was run away in the middle of the night. But now, after all of her years of travel, and the many adventures that she
experienced, she realized that the dream of one day settling down appealed to her. As she pondered this change, the Greek
woman remained silent. Next to her, Rashi seemed deep in thought as he watched the land pass by the transport ship.
Zara did not know why she was quick to anger. Throughout her life, she prided herself on being in control. Although a
multitude of emotions churned within her soul, to the outside world, she was a master of her emotions. But lately, she felt
herself losing control of everything.
“Get a hold of yourself,” she heard the ghost’s voice like a distant echo in her mind. “And whatever you do, don’t take it out
on Nadrah!” Xena warned through their shared link. Although she had not seen Xena since the death of Inaam, she always
felt the ghost warrior’s presence. She could not have explained it to anyone, but at times it felt that the warrior was residing
within her.
Remembering Xena’s warning, the dusky woman only nodded. “Yes, of course,” the captain stated out loud as she gazed
down into the smiling eyes of Fatimah.
“Captain, can you hear her too?” Nadrah called her attention. Looking up from the babe in her arms, she glanced at the
cabin girl, afraid that Nadrah was able to hear Xena.
