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heroescutiesTitle: Alfred Jones and the Curse of the Pharaoh (4/6) [FF.net link] [Previous Chapters]
Fandom: Axis Powers Hetalia
Genre: Action/Adventure/Romance
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairing: America/England
Word Count: 3,438
Summary: Amidst meetings and their other duties as nations, they had searched for it; the final resting place of the legendary Golden Heart of Osiris. Having figured out the possible location, America and England venture into the tomb of the Pharaoh's sons to try and unearth the artifact. But the question is, can they make it out safely without incurring the Pharaoh's wrath?
Notes: Written for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sakuratsukikage as part of ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
usxuk's 2009 Secret Santa exchange. The prompt was, in short, America and England go on an adventure. Indiana Jones style. And no, this is not an AU. Countries can go on adventures too, you know. XD
England was awoken by a shift in the lighting. At first, he speculated that America had turned up the lantern to dig around in his backpack for something. But that theory was quashed as he felt America’s firm arms wrapped around his back and waist and his content puffs of breath, warm against England’s neck.
He smiled, reaching up to run fingers through America's hair before he reluctantly pulled away. America let out a low whine as England stood up, and it almost made him get back in the sleeping bag with him. But he was up and America should get up soon anyway.
Green eyes flickered around the small room, a bit perplexed on seeing that the lantern was just as dim as it was the night before. Then, he noticed it. A tiny pinprick of light coming from the uppermost corner of the ceiling. England crossed over as near as he could to it, and glanced up.
It was intentional, something that for whatever reason, the ancient Egyptians had designed when they built this room. He marveled at that, sorely wishing he had a ladder or some scaffolding to climb up closer and inspect it. It was always such a joy, after all the years he'd lived, to find wonder in something an ancient culture had accomplished.
"America?" He said.
His reply was a snore and the sound of America shifting in the sleeping bag.
Shaking his head, England reached down into his backpack and pulled out a thermos. As he unscrewed the lid, he glanced back up at the square hole that was letting a shaft of daylight into the tomb. Hundreds of feet beneath the surface, and here it was, a bit of real light. He took a sip of his drink and grimaced.
"Ugh, America- this is your coffee."
"Whatdya drinking my coffee for?" The younger nation mumbled sleepily.
"Seems like Australia thought it'd be a right good laugh to switch our thermoses. Knew I'd wake up first too, the prat. He's been at this since childhood, you know. Scorpions down the back of my shirt and all that lot."
America laughed around his yawn. "I'll drink a sip of your repulsive tea if it'll make you feel better."
England put the lid back on America's thermos and handed it to him. "No need. Here you go. We should be getting up and moving on soon."
"Whoa, that wasn't there last night..." America said, awestruck.
Opening the proper thermos and downing a hearty sip of earl grey, England replied, "Well, I would assume a shaft for daylight only works during the day, America."
America set aside his drink and scrambled to his feet. His grin was wide as he pointed at the back of the doorway. "No, this!"
England crossed the room to stand at America's side. Sure enough, illuminated by the very shaft of light that England had been marveling at, was a design on the back of the door.
"That is...new." He reached up to touch it, but his hand's shadow obscured the design.
"England, that's it!" America exclaimed, his grin even wider with excitement now. "The light thingy up there." He pointed to the hole in the ceiling.
"Light thingy?" England raised an eyebrow. "Is that a technical term?"
"I just made it one," he retorted, sticking out his tongue. "As I was saying, the light thingy must have little rods or something in the shaft. So! When the sun rises in the morning, light comes down it at just the right angle to create a set of shadows."
He made a shadow puppet of a bunny rabbit on the door at this, and then whisked his hand away.
"Brilliant," England gasped, piecing it all together. "It's a map."
"Huh?"
"Look here." He pointed from the side, as to not disrupt the image. "See, there are three sets of parallel lines here. Each of them goes around one of three hieroglyphics."
"Okay. I take it those hieroglyphs were carved into the door then for a reason?"
England's eyes lit up, the thrill of adventure coursing through his veins. "Remember the three archways?"
At this America's eyes lit up as well. "The one on the left..."
"Had a scarab on the doorframe," England finished, pointing to an identical scarab hieroglyph on the left. "What if...someone came into this tomb. Knew all about the traps up until this point, but..."
"But they got lost. Because, let's face it, there's a hell of a lot of passages and rooms out there. By our estimate last night, there was..."
"At least thirty," England finished. "Thirty rooms down this corridor, since there were fifteen doors on each side of the hall."
"England, didn't some of Ramesses the II's kids die before him? What if, he gave himself a map to find his way to visit his sons' tomb?"
They grinned at each other, so proud to be deciphering this mystery.
"And only the people who constructed this, the priests who buried the sons here, and the Pharaoh himself, would know to look for these maps at dawn."
"Do you think we can figure it out, which passageway might lead to Amun-her-khepeshef's mummy?" America asked, leaning closer to the shadow image. "That's what the Professor's notes suggested. That the Heart of Osiris ‘lies sleeping with the first son of Ramesses II.’"
England padded back over to his thermos, picked it up, and poured himself a cup of tea into its lid. Sipping this, he hummed to himself in thought. "If we could just figure out what the three hieroglyphs stand for.”
“Well if you stretch it a bit, it makes the sentence ‘he became found’ which would work with your theory that it’s a map.”
“Yes.” England tapped his chin. “But I feel like the six parallel lines represent the three arches. Like each symbol pertains directly to one of the paths.”
America tapped the scarab hieroglyph. “Okay, one by one then. The path we took was the scarab. A scarab could also, if you think about it, be a nod to Khepri, the god of the dawning sun.”
“This is indeed the pathway that led us to a room lit by sunrise,” he responded. “But what of the others? An ibis and a horned viper.”
Scrunching up his face in concentration, America paced the room. At one point, he snatched up his thermos of coffee and began taking sips from it. Finally, he plopped down cross-legged onto the sleeping bag.
England walked over and sat down beside him.
“If they connect with gods,” he began, “then perhaps the ibis is for Thoth?”
“I was thinking that,” America replied. “Plus, then we have a sun-god and a moon-god on left and right paths. But the horned viper has me stumped.”
Reaching over, England rested his hand on America’s forearm. “How about this: we get freshened up, new clothes and all, then we go back to those archways. Maybe there’s another clue there as to which one might be the right path.”
America covered England’s hand with his own and gave it a squeeze. “Awesome. Let’s solve this mystery!”
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After getting packed up and changed, the two followed the corridor back down to the archway they’d entered through. Warily, America eyed the long hallway that led back towards the entrance.
“I wonder where he went...Maybe he’s a mummy that only comes out after sunset.”
England sighed. “I’m sure the intruder took another of the paths. Hopefully not the correct one, because then he’s closer to the Heart of Osiris than we are.”
America pulled off England's backpack and set it aside. Doing the same with his own, and resting his fedora atop it, he nuzzled up behind England. Arms looped around the shorter country's waist, and his chin resting on England's shoulder.
"I'm...I think better like this," he mumbled.
England patted America's hand. The younger country was still scared of the non-existent mummy, but not about to admit it. "All right then, think away."
"Hmm..." America hummed, his breath tickling England's neck.
Feebly, England tried to tug the collar of his faded green shirt up. America just chuckled, pressing a light kiss to England's fingers, then to his neck.
"You are trying to derail my thinking, aren't you?" America murmured, warm against England's skin.
He blushed, and his hand held firm on his collar. "I am trying to prevent you from getting derailed, i-idiot."
"You," America kissed one knuckle, "are," he kissed another knuckle, "no," another kiss, "fun," and one last kiss for good measure.
England turned to glare at him, and America just grinned.
"Wha? Wanna know where the burial chamber is? Well, my awesome opinion is that I don’t think it's down the path we took. While the course of the sun in the sky does often parallel to the journey through the underworld, that's usually with the god Ra, not Khepri. So, for now I’m ruling the scarab out."
“You…”
“Have been thinking quite a bit, thank you very much,” America retorted. He let go of England and walked over to the third archway, gesturing for the Briton to follow. “Now, we have this ibis. What’s the first thing you notice about this specific ibis?”
“It’s on a sacred standard. The small line is faded, but it’s quite clear that the ibis is standing on one.”
“Yep, so Thoth it is. Now Thoth could be our winning clue here. Judge of the underworld? Check. Connection with the story of Osiris? Double check. But…then there’s that horned viper on the middle arch.”
“Which is basically the Egyptian ‘f’ and…?” England looked hopefully to America. He knew that gleam in the younger nation’s eyes. America could be quite intelligent when he put his mind to things, and this time around, it seemed he might be onto something.
America bustled over to the middle archway, crouching down to look at the small pictogram of a horned viper. His tongue poked out between his lips as he concentrated and England suppressed a smile. America was…oddly cute when he was like this.
Suddenly America let out a whoop and jumped up, turning to yank England into an excited embrace. “I’ve got it! England, what’s the last letter in Amun-her-khepeshef’s name?”
“It’s the ‘f’, but still why would that be…”
“It’s a trick, making the right answer the simplest one. But both of the other hieroglyphs are tied to gods, and the kids of Pharaohs were never deified like their dads. The simple ‘he’ or ‘f’ in the middle is for the sons. It has to be. I can just feel it.”
England smiled and slowly pulled away from the embrace. “Well then, Mr. Hero. If you are so certain, then we’d best get a move on.”
There was tinge of hope in the air now and they both had a little more spring to their step as they gathered up their belongings. America proudly put his fedora back on and shot England a cocksure grin. For once, England didn’t roll his eyes. America had earned at least that.
Entering the archway side by side, they took note of the carved relief on either side of the hall. A scene of the gods, as always, but it was once again a bit of Osiris’s story. Their hopefulness swelled, both of them exchanging smiles in the dim beam of the flashlight.
“I think perhaps you might be onto something, America.” England complemented.
If possible, America smiled all the brighter. He rushed ahead to the next archway, pointing to the inscription there. “Look, this carving shows Amun-her-khepeshef with his father!”
He spun around in excitement, his fedora falling to the ground on the other side of the archway. As he walked forward to retrieve it, England saw it. The ominous glint of something as he turned his flashlight’s beam up ahead.
“America, don’t-!”
His warning came too late as America’s scream echoed off the tomb’s walls. England dropped his backpack and rushed forward, clutching desperately at America’s shoulders. It was another trap laid for tomb robbers, a wire just at neck’s height, set to decapitate anyone who dared trespass. America had walked right into it, the wire now imbedded in the tender flesh of his neck and blood trickling down to stain the khaki of his shirt.
“Don’t move, by God, just don’t move,” England rushed out in a single breath. “The slightest twitch and that wire goes into your windpipe.”
America’s eyes were pleading, wide and terrified; England felt his heart clench in terror. He hoped now for a different reason, a hope that America would be all right.
“Now stay still, I’m going to get a pocket knife to cut the wire off the wall,” England shakily said, slipping a hand into the top of his boot for the knife. He quickly drew it and cut the wire free. It hung now, dangling sickeningly, from where it was lodged in America’s throat.
Oh God, please. Please let it not be dire. England took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself. He had to remain level headed. America needed him.
Trying his best to keep his flashlight steady, England gently gripped the wire between thumb and forefinger. “I’m so sorry, this will hurt.”
As tenderly as possible, he yanked it free from where it was imbedded. America whimpered as England held his gaze. “Just hold on. It’ll be quite all right.”
Once it was free, England let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He reached out, clasping at America’s shoulders once again. “Sit down. I need more light and the first aid kit.”
All his words were a rush and England almost dreaded what more light on the injury might reveal. Slowly, he helped America ease to the ground, the younger country’s eyes still just as wide and frightened. America’s heart was hammering against his ribcage and he shakily reached out to clutch at England’s arm before he drew away.
“E-En…”
England closed the space between them, dropping to his knees and holding America gently. “Hush. You cannot talk until I get you patched up, all right? I don’t want you to make it worse running your mouth about how awesome you are.”
America managed a weak smile at that and the tiniest nod of his head. England kissed his forehead before pulling away, tearing through their backpacks to unearth the first aid kit and lantern.
Lighting the lantern as bright as he could, he brought it over and set it next to America. He knelt beside him and inspected the wound, probing it very gently with his index finger.
“Thank God,” he breathed out in relief. “It’s not as deep as it looked.”
Holding the gash closed with his left hand, he rummaged through the first aid box with his right. Setting aside some butterfly bandages, he stood and fetched a canteen of water and a small handkerchief. Wetting a corner of the handkerchief, he was about to cleanse the wound, when England felt the tap on his arm.
“America?”
Slowly, America tugged England’s bare forearm flat in front of him, and he started to trace something out with his finger.
England recognized it right away. He was writing hieroglyphs again, like he had after they’d…well. But this time, England suspected America was trying his hardest to keep his mind off the situation at hand. Focus on remembering the pictograms and writing them out, instead of freaking out over the bleeding gash in his neck.
Using his free hand to start dabbing the wet cloth to the edge of the two inch cut, England also focused on deciphering what America was writing on his skin.
“Inm?” He asked, wiping the blood off.
America’s finger tapped again before tracing out the hieroglyph once more. England felt a frown tug at his lips, but he let it slide.
“Inh? Eyebrows? Is that it?”
The slight smirk on America’s face answered him ‘yes.’
England was about to pull his arm away, when America started tracing out another word. This time, England knew immediately what it was.
“Pry? For hero? You, I assume?”
At that, America traced the two hieroglyphs again. Together.
England got it now. There wasn’t a word for his name in hieroglyphs. It just figured America would use eyebrows in lieu of it.
“So…” England started as he pulled his arm free and worked to deftly secure the butterfly bandages over the gash. “I’m your hero, hmm?”
“Eyebrow hero,” America whispered. “That’s you.”
Smoothing over the row of bandages, too many bandages, on America’s neck, England finalized his handiwork and leaned forward to place a kiss atop the middle bandage.
“How are you feeling?” England queried as he reached for the roll of gauze.
“Like I just got a really bad paper cut,” America said. “Lucky for me, this stodgy guy jumped in at the last minute and saved my neck.” A beat. “Literally.”
England shoved America feebly in the arm. “Well, if you are feeling up to punning again, you must be all right.”
He started to wrap the gauze around then, tight enough to hold but loose enough not to cause any undue pain on the already tender neck. Once he was satisfied that America was as well-tended to as he could possibly be, England closed up the first aid box.
“There. All done.”
America’s arms swept around him at that, lifting England up as America got to his feet. Clutching him close, America murmured into England’s hair. “Thank you, so much.”
England trailed a hand gently across America’s gauze covered neck, finally reaching up to cup America’s cheek. “Scared me half to death, you know that?”
America chuckled, the twinkle of mischief back in his eyes. “Sorry ‘bout that. I’ll try not to do it again.”
“America, you wouldn’t be you if you weren’t doing something reckless.” England pecked a gentle kiss to his lips at this. “Now let’s get your bloody hat and move forward. They wouldn’t trap a path that didn’t lead to the burial chamber. So…”
“I was right?” He asked, hopefully.
“Yes.” England smiled. “You must be.”
------------------------------------------------------
They walked forward slowly, keeping the lantern out and holding hands. As they strolled along, they peered into each of the doorways they passed. Each of them showed signs of burial gifts, which only made them more hopeful that the next doorway was the right one.
When they came to the end of the hallway, disappointment had overcome them both. Not a single doorway led to the burial chamber. They’d come here, America had been injured, all for naught.
Looking behind them, America sighed. It was a statue of Osiris. When they’d first spotted it, they’d rejoiced, thinking it to be a sure-fire sign that they were on the right path.
Now, the roughly hewn stone statue seemed to mock them.
“There must be a hidden chamber. We’ll just have to re-check all the rooms, see if there are any loose tiles in the floor or walls,” England remarked.
“But we haven’t encountered a single trap since the wire!” America huffed. “You would think after that it’d be easy.”
He rested a hand on the statue at that, a bit forcefully, and it shifted. Both England and America’s eyes shot wide.
“Did it just…”
“It moved! England, this is it!”
America beamed, giving England a quick hug before they both turned towards the statue. Pressing their hands against the stone, they looked to each other.
“Ready?” America asked with a grin.
“Do you even need to ask?” England teased with a smile.
“Then let’s go!”
With a great heave, they pushed into it, the Osiris statue moving inward to reveal an elaborate room.
All of it was there, America noted with glee. The canopic chest in the corner, the offerings of food, a very realistic looking stuffed duck, wooden statuettes and the walls painted in barely faded New Kingdom colors- the reds, yellows and blues still so bright on the white background.
He was just about to rush over to the elaborate sarcophagus that sat in the middle of the room, so eager to find the prize they’d been seeking, when he heard the door slam closed with a menacing thud.
“You have disturbed my resting place, human.”
America whipped around at the threatening voice, drawing his gun from where it was holstered at his waist.
His eyes went wide as he stared down barrel of his gun.
His trembling gun which was now pointed directly at England’s heart.
But with blood red eyes and a cruel smile, this wasn’t England… anymore.
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[To Chapter 5...]
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Notes:
[1] Amun-her-khepeshef was the firstborn son of Pharaoh Ramesses II the Great and Queen Nefertari.
[2] Khepri was identified as the aspect of Ra which constitutes only the dawning sun (i.e the sun when it comes into being).
[3] Thoth, considered one of the more important deities of the Egyptian pantheon. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or a baboon.
[4] Ra, the mid-day sun god, was said to carry the prayers and blessings of the living with the souls of the dead on the sun boat.
[5] Scarab (hieroglyph).
[6] Ibis (hieroglyph)
[7] Horned viper (f hieroglyph)
[8] Canopic chests were used to contain the internal organs of individuals removed during the process of mummification.
Fandom: Axis Powers Hetalia
Genre: Action/Adventure/Romance
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairing: America/England
Word Count: 3,438
Summary: Amidst meetings and their other duties as nations, they had searched for it; the final resting place of the legendary Golden Heart of Osiris. Having figured out the possible location, America and England venture into the tomb of the Pharaoh's sons to try and unearth the artifact. But the question is, can they make it out safely without incurring the Pharaoh's wrath?
Notes: Written for
sakuratsukikage as part of usxuk's 2009 Secret Santa exchange. The prompt was, in short, America and England go on an adventure. Indiana Jones style. And no, this is not an AU. Countries can go on adventures too, you know. XDEngland was awoken by a shift in the lighting. At first, he speculated that America had turned up the lantern to dig around in his backpack for something. But that theory was quashed as he felt America’s firm arms wrapped around his back and waist and his content puffs of breath, warm against England’s neck.
He smiled, reaching up to run fingers through America's hair before he reluctantly pulled away. America let out a low whine as England stood up, and it almost made him get back in the sleeping bag with him. But he was up and America should get up soon anyway.
Green eyes flickered around the small room, a bit perplexed on seeing that the lantern was just as dim as it was the night before. Then, he noticed it. A tiny pinprick of light coming from the uppermost corner of the ceiling. England crossed over as near as he could to it, and glanced up.
It was intentional, something that for whatever reason, the ancient Egyptians had designed when they built this room. He marveled at that, sorely wishing he had a ladder or some scaffolding to climb up closer and inspect it. It was always such a joy, after all the years he'd lived, to find wonder in something an ancient culture had accomplished.
"America?" He said.
His reply was a snore and the sound of America shifting in the sleeping bag.
Shaking his head, England reached down into his backpack and pulled out a thermos. As he unscrewed the lid, he glanced back up at the square hole that was letting a shaft of daylight into the tomb. Hundreds of feet beneath the surface, and here it was, a bit of real light. He took a sip of his drink and grimaced.
"Ugh, America- this is your coffee."
"Whatdya drinking my coffee for?" The younger nation mumbled sleepily.
"Seems like Australia thought it'd be a right good laugh to switch our thermoses. Knew I'd wake up first too, the prat. He's been at this since childhood, you know. Scorpions down the back of my shirt and all that lot."
America laughed around his yawn. "I'll drink a sip of your repulsive tea if it'll make you feel better."
England put the lid back on America's thermos and handed it to him. "No need. Here you go. We should be getting up and moving on soon."
"Whoa, that wasn't there last night..." America said, awestruck.
Opening the proper thermos and downing a hearty sip of earl grey, England replied, "Well, I would assume a shaft for daylight only works during the day, America."
America set aside his drink and scrambled to his feet. His grin was wide as he pointed at the back of the doorway. "No, this!"
England crossed the room to stand at America's side. Sure enough, illuminated by the very shaft of light that England had been marveling at, was a design on the back of the door.
"That is...new." He reached up to touch it, but his hand's shadow obscured the design.
"England, that's it!" America exclaimed, his grin even wider with excitement now. "The light thingy up there." He pointed to the hole in the ceiling.
"Light thingy?" England raised an eyebrow. "Is that a technical term?"
"I just made it one," he retorted, sticking out his tongue. "As I was saying, the light thingy must have little rods or something in the shaft. So! When the sun rises in the morning, light comes down it at just the right angle to create a set of shadows."
He made a shadow puppet of a bunny rabbit on the door at this, and then whisked his hand away.
"Brilliant," England gasped, piecing it all together. "It's a map."
"Huh?"
"Look here." He pointed from the side, as to not disrupt the image. "See, there are three sets of parallel lines here. Each of them goes around one of three hieroglyphics."
"Okay. I take it those hieroglyphs were carved into the door then for a reason?"
England's eyes lit up, the thrill of adventure coursing through his veins. "Remember the three archways?"
At this America's eyes lit up as well. "The one on the left..."
"Had a scarab on the doorframe," England finished, pointing to an identical scarab hieroglyph on the left. "What if...someone came into this tomb. Knew all about the traps up until this point, but..."
"But they got lost. Because, let's face it, there's a hell of a lot of passages and rooms out there. By our estimate last night, there was..."
"At least thirty," England finished. "Thirty rooms down this corridor, since there were fifteen doors on each side of the hall."
"England, didn't some of Ramesses the II's kids die before him? What if, he gave himself a map to find his way to visit his sons' tomb?"
They grinned at each other, so proud to be deciphering this mystery.
"And only the people who constructed this, the priests who buried the sons here, and the Pharaoh himself, would know to look for these maps at dawn."
"Do you think we can figure it out, which passageway might lead to Amun-her-khepeshef's mummy?" America asked, leaning closer to the shadow image. "That's what the Professor's notes suggested. That the Heart of Osiris ‘lies sleeping with the first son of Ramesses II.’"
England padded back over to his thermos, picked it up, and poured himself a cup of tea into its lid. Sipping this, he hummed to himself in thought. "If we could just figure out what the three hieroglyphs stand for.”
“Well if you stretch it a bit, it makes the sentence ‘he became found’ which would work with your theory that it’s a map.”
“Yes.” England tapped his chin. “But I feel like the six parallel lines represent the three arches. Like each symbol pertains directly to one of the paths.”
America tapped the scarab hieroglyph. “Okay, one by one then. The path we took was the scarab. A scarab could also, if you think about it, be a nod to Khepri, the god of the dawning sun.”
“This is indeed the pathway that led us to a room lit by sunrise,” he responded. “But what of the others? An ibis and a horned viper.”
Scrunching up his face in concentration, America paced the room. At one point, he snatched up his thermos of coffee and began taking sips from it. Finally, he plopped down cross-legged onto the sleeping bag.
England walked over and sat down beside him.
“If they connect with gods,” he began, “then perhaps the ibis is for Thoth?”
“I was thinking that,” America replied. “Plus, then we have a sun-god and a moon-god on left and right paths. But the horned viper has me stumped.”
Reaching over, England rested his hand on America’s forearm. “How about this: we get freshened up, new clothes and all, then we go back to those archways. Maybe there’s another clue there as to which one might be the right path.”
America covered England’s hand with his own and gave it a squeeze. “Awesome. Let’s solve this mystery!”
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After getting packed up and changed, the two followed the corridor back down to the archway they’d entered through. Warily, America eyed the long hallway that led back towards the entrance.
“I wonder where he went...Maybe he’s a mummy that only comes out after sunset.”
England sighed. “I’m sure the intruder took another of the paths. Hopefully not the correct one, because then he’s closer to the Heart of Osiris than we are.”
America pulled off England's backpack and set it aside. Doing the same with his own, and resting his fedora atop it, he nuzzled up behind England. Arms looped around the shorter country's waist, and his chin resting on England's shoulder.
"I'm...I think better like this," he mumbled.
England patted America's hand. The younger country was still scared of the non-existent mummy, but not about to admit it. "All right then, think away."
"Hmm..." America hummed, his breath tickling England's neck.
Feebly, England tried to tug the collar of his faded green shirt up. America just chuckled, pressing a light kiss to England's fingers, then to his neck.
"You are trying to derail my thinking, aren't you?" America murmured, warm against England's skin.
He blushed, and his hand held firm on his collar. "I am trying to prevent you from getting derailed, i-idiot."
"You," America kissed one knuckle, "are," he kissed another knuckle, "no," another kiss, "fun," and one last kiss for good measure.
England turned to glare at him, and America just grinned.
"Wha? Wanna know where the burial chamber is? Well, my awesome opinion is that I don’t think it's down the path we took. While the course of the sun in the sky does often parallel to the journey through the underworld, that's usually with the god Ra, not Khepri. So, for now I’m ruling the scarab out."
“You…”
“Have been thinking quite a bit, thank you very much,” America retorted. He let go of England and walked over to the third archway, gesturing for the Briton to follow. “Now, we have this ibis. What’s the first thing you notice about this specific ibis?”
“It’s on a sacred standard. The small line is faded, but it’s quite clear that the ibis is standing on one.”
“Yep, so Thoth it is. Now Thoth could be our winning clue here. Judge of the underworld? Check. Connection with the story of Osiris? Double check. But…then there’s that horned viper on the middle arch.”
“Which is basically the Egyptian ‘f’ and…?” England looked hopefully to America. He knew that gleam in the younger nation’s eyes. America could be quite intelligent when he put his mind to things, and this time around, it seemed he might be onto something.
America bustled over to the middle archway, crouching down to look at the small pictogram of a horned viper. His tongue poked out between his lips as he concentrated and England suppressed a smile. America was…oddly cute when he was like this.
Suddenly America let out a whoop and jumped up, turning to yank England into an excited embrace. “I’ve got it! England, what’s the last letter in Amun-her-khepeshef’s name?”
“It’s the ‘f’, but still why would that be…”
“It’s a trick, making the right answer the simplest one. But both of the other hieroglyphs are tied to gods, and the kids of Pharaohs were never deified like their dads. The simple ‘he’ or ‘f’ in the middle is for the sons. It has to be. I can just feel it.”
England smiled and slowly pulled away from the embrace. “Well then, Mr. Hero. If you are so certain, then we’d best get a move on.”
There was tinge of hope in the air now and they both had a little more spring to their step as they gathered up their belongings. America proudly put his fedora back on and shot England a cocksure grin. For once, England didn’t roll his eyes. America had earned at least that.
Entering the archway side by side, they took note of the carved relief on either side of the hall. A scene of the gods, as always, but it was once again a bit of Osiris’s story. Their hopefulness swelled, both of them exchanging smiles in the dim beam of the flashlight.
“I think perhaps you might be onto something, America.” England complemented.
If possible, America smiled all the brighter. He rushed ahead to the next archway, pointing to the inscription there. “Look, this carving shows Amun-her-khepeshef with his father!”
He spun around in excitement, his fedora falling to the ground on the other side of the archway. As he walked forward to retrieve it, England saw it. The ominous glint of something as he turned his flashlight’s beam up ahead.
“America, don’t-!”
His warning came too late as America’s scream echoed off the tomb’s walls. England dropped his backpack and rushed forward, clutching desperately at America’s shoulders. It was another trap laid for tomb robbers, a wire just at neck’s height, set to decapitate anyone who dared trespass. America had walked right into it, the wire now imbedded in the tender flesh of his neck and blood trickling down to stain the khaki of his shirt.
“Don’t move, by God, just don’t move,” England rushed out in a single breath. “The slightest twitch and that wire goes into your windpipe.”
America’s eyes were pleading, wide and terrified; England felt his heart clench in terror. He hoped now for a different reason, a hope that America would be all right.
“Now stay still, I’m going to get a pocket knife to cut the wire off the wall,” England shakily said, slipping a hand into the top of his boot for the knife. He quickly drew it and cut the wire free. It hung now, dangling sickeningly, from where it was lodged in America’s throat.
Oh God, please. Please let it not be dire. England took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself. He had to remain level headed. America needed him.
Trying his best to keep his flashlight steady, England gently gripped the wire between thumb and forefinger. “I’m so sorry, this will hurt.”
As tenderly as possible, he yanked it free from where it was imbedded. America whimpered as England held his gaze. “Just hold on. It’ll be quite all right.”
Once it was free, England let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He reached out, clasping at America’s shoulders once again. “Sit down. I need more light and the first aid kit.”
All his words were a rush and England almost dreaded what more light on the injury might reveal. Slowly, he helped America ease to the ground, the younger country’s eyes still just as wide and frightened. America’s heart was hammering against his ribcage and he shakily reached out to clutch at England’s arm before he drew away.
“E-En…”
England closed the space between them, dropping to his knees and holding America gently. “Hush. You cannot talk until I get you patched up, all right? I don’t want you to make it worse running your mouth about how awesome you are.”
America managed a weak smile at that and the tiniest nod of his head. England kissed his forehead before pulling away, tearing through their backpacks to unearth the first aid kit and lantern.
Lighting the lantern as bright as he could, he brought it over and set it next to America. He knelt beside him and inspected the wound, probing it very gently with his index finger.
“Thank God,” he breathed out in relief. “It’s not as deep as it looked.”
Holding the gash closed with his left hand, he rummaged through the first aid box with his right. Setting aside some butterfly bandages, he stood and fetched a canteen of water and a small handkerchief. Wetting a corner of the handkerchief, he was about to cleanse the wound, when England felt the tap on his arm.
“America?”
Slowly, America tugged England’s bare forearm flat in front of him, and he started to trace something out with his finger.
England recognized it right away. He was writing hieroglyphs again, like he had after they’d…well. But this time, England suspected America was trying his hardest to keep his mind off the situation at hand. Focus on remembering the pictograms and writing them out, instead of freaking out over the bleeding gash in his neck.
Using his free hand to start dabbing the wet cloth to the edge of the two inch cut, England also focused on deciphering what America was writing on his skin.
“Inm?” He asked, wiping the blood off.
America’s finger tapped again before tracing out the hieroglyph once more. England felt a frown tug at his lips, but he let it slide.
“Inh? Eyebrows? Is that it?”
The slight smirk on America’s face answered him ‘yes.’
England was about to pull his arm away, when America started tracing out another word. This time, England knew immediately what it was.
“Pry? For hero? You, I assume?”
At that, America traced the two hieroglyphs again. Together.
England got it now. There wasn’t a word for his name in hieroglyphs. It just figured America would use eyebrows in lieu of it.
“So…” England started as he pulled his arm free and worked to deftly secure the butterfly bandages over the gash. “I’m your hero, hmm?”
“Eyebrow hero,” America whispered. “That’s you.”
Smoothing over the row of bandages, too many bandages, on America’s neck, England finalized his handiwork and leaned forward to place a kiss atop the middle bandage.
“How are you feeling?” England queried as he reached for the roll of gauze.
“Like I just got a really bad paper cut,” America said. “Lucky for me, this stodgy guy jumped in at the last minute and saved my neck.” A beat. “Literally.”
England shoved America feebly in the arm. “Well, if you are feeling up to punning again, you must be all right.”
He started to wrap the gauze around then, tight enough to hold but loose enough not to cause any undue pain on the already tender neck. Once he was satisfied that America was as well-tended to as he could possibly be, England closed up the first aid box.
“There. All done.”
America’s arms swept around him at that, lifting England up as America got to his feet. Clutching him close, America murmured into England’s hair. “Thank you, so much.”
England trailed a hand gently across America’s gauze covered neck, finally reaching up to cup America’s cheek. “Scared me half to death, you know that?”
America chuckled, the twinkle of mischief back in his eyes. “Sorry ‘bout that. I’ll try not to do it again.”
“America, you wouldn’t be you if you weren’t doing something reckless.” England pecked a gentle kiss to his lips at this. “Now let’s get your bloody hat and move forward. They wouldn’t trap a path that didn’t lead to the burial chamber. So…”
“I was right?” He asked, hopefully.
“Yes.” England smiled. “You must be.”
------------------------------------------------------
They walked forward slowly, keeping the lantern out and holding hands. As they strolled along, they peered into each of the doorways they passed. Each of them showed signs of burial gifts, which only made them more hopeful that the next doorway was the right one.
When they came to the end of the hallway, disappointment had overcome them both. Not a single doorway led to the burial chamber. They’d come here, America had been injured, all for naught.
Looking behind them, America sighed. It was a statue of Osiris. When they’d first spotted it, they’d rejoiced, thinking it to be a sure-fire sign that they were on the right path.
Now, the roughly hewn stone statue seemed to mock them.
“There must be a hidden chamber. We’ll just have to re-check all the rooms, see if there are any loose tiles in the floor or walls,” England remarked.
“But we haven’t encountered a single trap since the wire!” America huffed. “You would think after that it’d be easy.”
He rested a hand on the statue at that, a bit forcefully, and it shifted. Both England and America’s eyes shot wide.
“Did it just…”
“It moved! England, this is it!”
America beamed, giving England a quick hug before they both turned towards the statue. Pressing their hands against the stone, they looked to each other.
“Ready?” America asked with a grin.
“Do you even need to ask?” England teased with a smile.
“Then let’s go!”
With a great heave, they pushed into it, the Osiris statue moving inward to reveal an elaborate room.
All of it was there, America noted with glee. The canopic chest in the corner, the offerings of food, a very realistic looking stuffed duck, wooden statuettes and the walls painted in barely faded New Kingdom colors- the reds, yellows and blues still so bright on the white background.
He was just about to rush over to the elaborate sarcophagus that sat in the middle of the room, so eager to find the prize they’d been seeking, when he heard the door slam closed with a menacing thud.
“You have disturbed my resting place, human.”
America whipped around at the threatening voice, drawing his gun from where it was holstered at his waist.
His eyes went wide as he stared down barrel of his gun.
His trembling gun which was now pointed directly at England’s heart.
But with blood red eyes and a cruel smile, this wasn’t England… anymore.
------------------------------------
[To Chapter 5...]
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Notes:
[1] Amun-her-khepeshef was the firstborn son of Pharaoh Ramesses II the Great and Queen Nefertari.
[2] Khepri was identified as the aspect of Ra which constitutes only the dawning sun (i.e the sun when it comes into being).
[3] Thoth, considered one of the more important deities of the Egyptian pantheon. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or a baboon.
[4] Ra, the mid-day sun god, was said to carry the prayers and blessings of the living with the souls of the dead on the sun boat.
[5] Scarab (hieroglyph).
[6] Ibis (hieroglyph)
[7] Horned viper (f hieroglyph)
[8] Canopic chests were used to contain the internal organs of individuals removed during the process of mummification.
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no subject
Date: 2009-12-19 06:47 pm (UTC)Aside from that, this part was as great the others in the categories of adventure and established relationship. I could practically feel America's excitement and England's concern for him after that trap sprung. Up until that scene, of course.
Now, update soon. Please.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-28 07:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-19 06:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-28 07:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-19 07:04 pm (UTC)HOMG this is getting so exciting!! I don't knw if nations can die frm such things in your universe but the drama was sooooo good!! CAN'T WAIT FOR MORE!
no subject
Date: 2009-12-28 07:49 pm (UTC)(it has been updated!)
no subject
Date: 2009-12-19 07:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-19 07:55 pm (UTC)This chapter was really amazing and again the cliffhanger. I am so excited to see what happens with that! Great job! ♥
no subject
Date: 2009-12-19 08:12 pm (UTC)That said, as always, I loved America and England's interaction. Their team work, and the way they take care of each other...it never fails to melt my heart.
And I'm always fond of such cliffhangers xD
no subject
Date: 2009-12-28 07:51 pm (UTC)Glad you enjoy the cliffhangers. Because, as you know, there was one in the next part too XD
no subject
Date: 2009-12-19 09:43 pm (UTC)I love how one second America and England can be all lovey dovey and the next they're in SRS BZNS ADVENTURE MODE. It's very cute. Also, England taking care of America was Adorable with a capital A.
I eagerly await the next chapter. X3
no subject
Date: 2009-12-28 07:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-20 04:12 am (UTC)I really, really love this story and I love how you wrote it!! I can practically see everything in my mind's eye, like an actual movie playing across a screen... so awesome. 8D
btw, Eyebrow Hero = EPIC WIN 8D
no subject
Date: 2009-12-28 07:53 pm (UTC)(and the next chapter is up ^^)
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Date: 2009-12-20 06:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-28 07:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-20 09:15 am (UTC)You evil evil person, you made me cry when America got cut by the wire! D: D: And oh my God, England. What happened?
But I love you anyway. XD
I can't even formulate a decent review, my brain is just fried by the awesome. And the cliffie. T_T Another amazing chapter. *claps*
no subject
Date: 2009-12-28 07:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-20 12:48 pm (UTC)kjdkjkfjk this chapter's so intense. waiting eagerly for the next part!
no subject
Date: 2009-12-28 07:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-21 10:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-28 07:58 pm (UTC)The resolution for that is in the now-posted next chapter so I'm not saying anything about who or what possessed England ^^
no subject
Date: 2009-12-21 07:49 pm (UTC)Oh noez, England is the mummy D:<
(Or rather O YES)
I can see the epic climax xD with some epic US vs mummy!UK fights and then the big romantic ending hoowooo! But your story will actually be million times better xD. Can't wait, thank you for writing this story.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-28 07:59 pm (UTC)Well....you'll see what happened to England in the now-posted next chapter. ^^
no subject
Date: 2009-12-23 02:05 am (UTC)OMG ENGLAND
I was reading along happily and got pulled up short by your awesome cliffhanger! D:
This is fantastic and I continue to look forward to each new chapter. :D
no subject
Date: 2009-12-28 08:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-27 07:33 am (UTC)And then England derailing America's thinking--♥♥♥♥ I love it. Seriously. EEEEEEEEEEE. And America being the one to figure it out! MORE ♥♥♥ <33333333.
The whole thing with the trap . . . well, I'll admit that I'm a sucker for one of a pair rescuing another from harm and bandaging them up, so EEEEEEEEEEEE. And aaaaah, America, and I'm so glad he was okay, and seriously, I cannot overstate to you how much I loved the eyebrow hero bit. And eeeeeeeeeeee.
The ending was terrifying! And you got me on tenterhooks for the next part. You continue to do an absolutely amazing job. Thank you, so much, for this. <3333333333
no subject
Date: 2010-04-13 04:04 pm (UTC)"Light thingy" America, seriously xDD so much love for you again. But honestly, that light thingy and map thingy - that's brilliant! This stuff seems so complicated and scientific, but oh so interesting. I don't know how you came up with all this, but I really admire you for it!
America's fear of the mummy + he cuddling England because of it = lovelovelove ♥!
Holy akdfslj that's so scary when the wire cut into America's neck D8! *Rolls around* Fortunately England knows how to keep his cool even in dire situations like this and is America's eyebrow hero! But seriously, eww, I can't even watch the scenes in the movies where there's some throat slitting and all, that's just horrible! I'm so glad America is okay ;o; *hugs*!!
AAAAGH some evil spirit possessing England D:!! Asfldkj what a cliffhanger again, ohgodthisissoexcitingkfsdlfj!! *Runs to read the next chapter*
no subject
Date: 2011-07-27 07:18 am (UTC)