**Ch 5: Blue Gold

"Look to the east of the sunset, my love. Find the blue-gold amphora." Tom and I read the message aloud together. We chuckle, smiling huge to have found a clue.

"Victoria, you're a genius!" Tom applauded me, and it felt all too amazing to finally impress this jerk.

Sunset was on the verge of peaking across the hemisphere. Without any time to spare, we went back to the team and showed everyone the findings underneath the canopy tent. Theories were tossed, and everyone seemed stumped on what this clue meant.

"Certainly, it means we must go east," Donny voiced his theory.

"I'm sure it means the east side of a structure or building. Perhaps the palace?" I slipped in my own opinions.

"Most of the palace is in ruins," one of our team members replied.

"True," I muttered.

"Hmm," Tom held his chin, humming as he zoned out on the tablet that was resting on the table he had placed it on.

Time was ticking away to solve this clue, so other Teams gathered. This wasn't a competition on who's team finds the Pharaoh first. Rather it was a mission to locate this once-powerful man who reigned in this city during that dynasty.

"Everyone available, get a compass and head East, check everywhere," Tom instructed after deeply thinking.

Using a compass, most of us went to the eastern side of the city. Now the sun was nearly setting. Different Teams scattered the area around the ruins of this ancient city. Others started to set up generators to light up the site. Indeed, we were here for a long night. Although working night hours were far better compared to working under the scorching sun rays. Egypt was experiencing erratic hot weather for November.

The sun was at its setting peak, and a lot of us scrutinized the sands. Others eyed what was left of the structures of statues, columns, or what appeared to be buildings. Having my compass at hand, I followed farther away to the inside of this building structure that appeared to be an enclosed room. I passed up this debris that may have been some sort of limestone-made pool foundation to store water. It was hard to tell what the construction was because it was mostly smashed from part of the rooftop, collapsing in on it. But it was most certainly some sort of large pool.

When I was walking past the ruins of this pool structure, which was filled with debris, my ghostly friend appeared to me by coming out of this wall covered in Egyptian writings. She pointed in the direction of the old pool. I turned back and noticed the sun's rays were glistening on it. So I hurried over and peered at the edge of the pool as I circled it. And that was when I spotted a blue-gold amphora inside it. Luckily the stones didn't block it or crush it. Although it looked as if it had fallen into the pool.

Suddenly, it dawned on me, and I looked up, studying the structure's surrounding walls. This wasn't any ordinary pool, but it was a bathing spa tub. Where I stood, I could see a frame chiseled into the stone like it was once a window. The sunset shone through the window, making it a perfect environment to have a relaxing bath to watch the sunset. This type of amphora was used for perfumes and scented oils. So it made sense for it to be a bathing pool. This east area must be where the palace stood.

"Did you find anything?" Tom's voice snatched me out of my thoughts.

"I think I found something," I shared.

Tom glanced down and saw what I was seeing. He came over and largely smiled. Since he was the team leader, he carefully picked up the pottery. There was no inscription on it. The pottery was only blue gold. As he picked it up, we both heard something shuffle inside it. So Tom used a flashlight and peeked inside it. Sure enough, we could see a rolled papyrus inside it, so he reached in and took it out.

An old tied string was on it, so very gently Tom untied it, but being too old the brown string broke and started to deteriorate right before our eyes. More carefully, he unrolled the small papyrus, and we saw the written script. Only it wasn't written in Egyptian. Like me, Tom was puzzled by this too.

"I'm not sure what it says," Tom admits, perplexed by it. "I've never seen such language before."

I sighed, wishing I didn't have to do this. "I can read it," I confessed.

"What?" Tom exclaimed in disbelief. "This language is so old I don't believe anybody has discovered it."

"It's been discovered, but it was dismissed because only very few people can read it," I told him, trying my best not to hurt his ego.

I learned about this language from my professor when he once showed me an old scroll written in this exact language. After I read it, my professor confessed he couldn't read it. He told me only a handful of people were gifted to read it naturally. This language isn't something that could be taught. However, I left that part out from explaining it to Tom.

Tom snickered at me with doubt and challenge. "Well, then enlighten me, Ms. Perkins, tell me what it says."

I took a breath and read aloud to Tom as the pharaoh's voice replaced mine. "My dear love,

"More times than often, I would imagine us being here together in this bath, watching the sunset, while we toast to each other in the riches-made wines. Then I lather your smooth skin with the finest oils. Closing my eyes, I could only imagine how beautiful you would smell. How soft your bare flesh would be to caress.

"To not have you in my arms kills my heart every waking day. I die inside to only imagine what it would feel like to touch you with gentle hands. Taste you with my lips so tenderly, and smell your beautiful fragrance. I dream of your divine beauty every time my eyes lay to rest.

"The second my eyelids opened, my heart shattered into darkness. Not having you here with me day and night has crumbled my world into blackness. I am ever so lost without you, my love. Just to end my tormented suffering, I had to forever sleep. Please forgive me to have fallen prey to my sorrows for you. Instead of waiting for the perfect time to discover you. Dreadfully, I am now making you discover me. A life without your mate eats away at the heart. So do forgive me for leaving you clues to find me and awaken me.

"Now to find me, my love. This bathing pool in which you found the amphora on top of the bath reveals your next clue. The blue gold will always be your clues. Follow the clues and find the hidden chamber to find me, my mate. I lay in an awaiting rest within the Palace I hope is still standing."

Tom's eyes looked baffled, and he didn't seem to believe me. "Well, I guess I will find out if what you read is true," he bitterly said, like the true pompous jerk I am learning that he is.

Nonetheless, all Teams got to work. We checked the maps and sure enough again, Mr. Collin marked many anomalies within this region to excavate.

~~~

Another hour later, I found a blue-gold pot that said find the birds-eye. Now Tom was excited and started to treat me better. Just within one night everyone was clapping and celebrating during their breaks.

Meanwhile, something nagged at me in the back of my mind. Something about this Pharaoh wasn't adding up. He didn't seem to be Egyptian. If anything to me, he was sounding like a hopeless romantic. The way he talked about his lover being his mate appeared suspicious. It seemed like he was in love with a woman that wasn't born in his time. Which got me thinking, what is the real reason why Mr. Collin is interested in this Pharaoh?

~~~

Once midnight rolled in, our Team took a break to celebrate the findings. I took this time for myself and wandered back to the wall where I found the first clue. Using my phone, I took many pictures with my flashlight. Camera lights are known to destroy ancient artifacts, so I didn't want to further wither it from its age.

My heart broke to think about what that Pharaoh wrote to his mystery lover, whom he calls his mate. Likely, he killed himself from a broken heart. He even hoped his palace was still standing for her. If only he were alive today, I'm sure it would hurt to see his palace and city are nearly in ruins. After getting more than enough pictures, I start to head back to my Team.

"Way to go, Tom!" I heard cheering and clapping as I walked further up to see a crowd praising Tom.

"I never would have known you could read that language!" the team leader from Y exclaimed excitedly.

It hit me almost as hard when I saw Orlando kissing another woman. Tom took my credit and gloated that he had found these clues. Never once did he mention my name. After all that praise, Tom went behind my back and threw a knife at it. I felt a knot of betrayal wrenching in my stomach. As if feeling broken-hearted from Orlando throwing our future away wasn't enough. Now I was seeing Tom take the glory that I accomplished.

There wasn't much I could do except stand with the clapping crowd. Tom made eye contact with me in the guilt that he hid. Yet I dare not shed any tears to show my defeat. I am honored to be here as a trainee. So I am sure Tom will help me earn my degree while he shines, taking my credit. Nevertheless, I focus more on the positive side of this. So I might as well let the mule face glorify himself in his fake achievements.

After a few more hours of excavating, we retired to rest. All this time, Tom was on me like a hawk. He made sure to be there if I found anything. So I felt so much better to be back in my hotel room. I was extremely sleepy, and yet, heartbroken to think of Orlando, who is now my ex. Regrettably, I cried lightly, trying to fall asleep. I still loved that cheating pig head.