CHAPTER ONE: In the beginning

It was a soft summer day. Warm light from the morning sun's rays made its way into the temple, a rare thing in Egypt. The priests however, believed this boded well for them as they went about their day, attributing the pleasant temperament to their lady of luck. From deep inside the temple, a petite figure opened her almond shaped eyes. She was a rare creature in this world, one sent by the god's they had said. She had long accepted their terminologies without admitting to anything of the divine. It was far easier that way, and they hadn't believed her logic no matter how often she had tried to explain it in the past. When she had come to Egypt she had been called Nefertiti, a name that the Pharaoh himself had bestowed upon her as it meant 'most beautiful.' She personally believed it was because he didn't like how short her name actually was, and though she didn't particularly care for the meaning itself, Tikki tried to think of it as the compliment it was. She had been told many had named their daughters as such, hoping their wish for beautiful girls would be heard by the gods.

"What conceited creatures." She murmured to herself as she sat up. "As if naming something a certain way will change their outcome."

She heard footsteps from down the hall and rushed to make herself presentable before kneeling on the stone floor. When he entered the room, she was the perfect image of innocence and poise. Her long black hair falling neatly in place, the pinkish glow of her skin seemingly brightened by the morning rays, and her simple attire became more than simple, as the rare silks fell like water around her frame.

He was taken aback by her beauty, as he always was. He knew she didn't like to dwell on physical things, but also knew that even she couldn't outright deny it. His soulmate was exquisite, as she always had been and would be. He saw a smile playing at the corners of her mouth as she kept her head respectfully bowed.

"I was not expecting such a sudden visitation." She said, voice as sweet as honey.

With little hesitation, he swept her up onto her feet and buried his head into her hair. It smelled as strongly as any one of the many perfumes she had been gifted with, though never used. "Well you can keep on expecting the visitations then, my dear Tikki." He pulled back so he could stare into her beautiful violet eyes. "I am always true to my word, and I did say I wouldn't be gone long."

She looked up into his giant green eyes, eyes that reflected the light in such a way that made most men's skin crawl. He shared many qualities, physical and habitual, with that of a cat, and because of this had easily been accepted as one of the guardians to the underworld. Even the highest priests had some trouble making contact with them, for fear of seeing the life that awaits them in death. The thought made Tikki giggle. Plagg was harmless, though a criminal flirt. Unfortunately many of the young women of the city had also picked up on this, though none would dare to verbalize it.

"One of these days I fear I shall lose you to the crowds outside." She mock teased, earning an eye roll.

"No matter how many desireable women suddenly need consultation for their grievances, I will always come back to you. You can count on that." He nuzzled himself deeper into her hair, basking in the scent that was more powerful to him than any perfumes and lotions.

She raised her head and relaxed herself against him. Being with Plagg was as easy as breathing, they were two halves of one whole, no matter where they travelled or how much time passed. The Kwami had been around for much longer than any had the ability to remember. Unsure of their intended purposes, most had made it their goal to protect humanity with the gifts that had manifested within themselves.

"You seem to be in a good mood this morning." She commented as she allowed herself to step away and straighten their room in preparation of the day.

He followed. "How could I not be? After months of being stuck in meetings and hearings we finally have the official favor of the Pharaoh and will soon begin the search for the forsaken within the Egyptian boundaries."

That caught her by surprise. "You're serious?" Her eyes searched those unwavering emeralds of his. This was the last thing she had expected to hear this morning, but it was something they had been working tirelessly on. Plagg's departure had been sudden, and lasted far longer than either of them had anticipated, but if his time with the Pharaoh had proven successful, she supposed it had been worth the months of separation.

He caught her hand and gently kissed the back of her palm, his lips soft against the sun-kissed flesh. "Would I ever lie to you?" He let go reluctantly, knowing they both had places to be.

She blushed furiously at the tenderness of his gesture. Plagg was a huge flirt yes, but a hopeless romantic. She considered herself lucky to be one of the few Kwami who had bonded, and even luckier that it had been with Plagg. They quickly went about their room picking up fabric that had been thrown about and the gifts that they no longer had room for. He watched her with amusement as she hastily hid the evidence of her lack of housekeeping skills.

She began to move towards some of the wealth they had been paid in exchange for their blessings. "Tonight I will go into the lower districts and give some of this back." Tikki said as she placed some of the rare coins into a linen bag.

"Be careful going down there, you know things are unpredictable." He said with a small frown. Things in the poorer districts tended to get worse whenever they stayed in a new location for longer periods of time. With many of the upper class under the impression that the Kwami were miracle workers for the right price, most of their 'gifts' were the scraped together belongings of those who couldn't defend themselves against their masters. "Promise me you'll be safe?" He asked as he grabbed some of the golden bands that were meant to adorn his arms.

She smiled sweetly as she brought out the tiger eye collar and helped him with the placement. "When have I ever not been safe?" Tikki said innocently.

Plagg scoffed. "How about that time when you dove into the Nile to prove a point?" He kissed her on the head before making his way to the door.

"I told you nothing would happen!" She called after him.

"With the cat of misfortune so close by, you'd think something should have!" He called back, and with that he made his way out of the temple.

Though what he said was a possibility, she also knew their affinities did not cancel out, which was the reason for the said 'point to prove.' However, with all the gifts that had still not made it into one of the bags, she focused on the task at hand. After all three of her bags had been stuffed to the brim, she made a mental note that she would have to make these trips more often. She had to be able to move discreetly and could only take two at a time if she didn't want to raise any flags.

Her thought process was suddenly interrupted by the sound of hurried steps coming towards her location at the back of the temple. She tried to focus on the weight of the runner and the slap of the sandals, trying to decide if it was just Plagg having forgotten something vital, or someone else. She quickly threw the bags behind their bed where they would not gain suspicion and went back into the pose she had assumed earlier on her knees.

The shrine maiden quickly entered holding a plate laden with dried fruits. She bowed before her as Tikki lifted her own eyes to meet the girl's. "You have been summoned to the palace." The girl said meekly. "I beg your forgiveness that I had not arrived sooner with your breakfast."

She shook her head dismissively at the implication. "My dear I will never curse you for a sudden change in plans." Tikki rose and graciously accepted the meal. "When will I be able to convince you of that?"

The girl blushed. "But the high priest said-"

"Forget what Ammon says Mairi." Tikki said dismissively as she selected a date and bit into the sweet fruit.

"Yes mistress." She said before setting the plate down and taking her leave.

With that exchange done, it was unlikely that she would need to expect anyone else for the day. Tikki relaxed as she continued her meal, only slightly perturbed at the idea of going to the Nile palace. It wasn't that she disliked going and meeting with the Pharaoh's wife, but knowing that every citizen who had gained favor with the royal family would try to swing by, was definitely a small damper. She rose from her seat and left the plate. Mairi would come by to get it later.

"Guess it's now or never." She grumbled to herself as she tied her sandals. She had stalled long enough. Ready to face whatever awaited her, she grabbed her headdress and with that in place, made her way out of the temple and on her way to the palace.