Kevin practically fell to his knees. “Ugh!”
Despite Kevin’s protests, Jen dragged them to each of the treasures and jewelry shops. Jen, Natti, and Wanda tried on collars, crowns, and bracelets. This was more Natti’s kind of thing. She loved the colored gems and shimmering gold. Even Kevin got into it, putting on a pharaoh’s headdress and getting hold of a crook and flail. Having fun role-playing, he barked random orders like he was king of the festival. He declared Natti his faithful queen, Wanda his court, and Jen his servant, which annoyed her to the point that Jen’s face turned a deep shade of purple. But she secured her vengeance, tipping the almighty Pharaoh from his throne—a little stool sitting next to an elaborate mirror. He tumbled into the jewelry display case.
Before the shopkeeper could throw them out for their childish behavior, Natti quickly stepped in and bought five silver Egyptian bangles as well as a golden necklace for Wanda. The shopkeeper’s attitude changed quickly after the purchase, especially when Jen splurged on the ornate headband Natti had been wearing while playing Kevin’s queen.
Kevin finally found his opportunity to sneak off to the games when Jen brought Natti and Wanda to the makeup artists. Natti sat on a hard bar stool while a middle-aged woman painted her eyes with kohl and vibrant eye shadows. She even dotted some fragrant perfume on Natti’s neck. She looked beautiful in the mirror before her. Too much like her mother. She would have to wash up before she let her father see her. While the lady was finishing up with Natti, Jen dashed off to retrieve Kevin.
Jen raced to the ‘Look Like an Egyptian’ exhibits and into a tattoo parlor. A woman with similar dyed black hair and a spider web tattoo stretched over her neck pulled out a large book for them to view. With much debate, Jen selected an asp tattoo and was pulled behind a curtain. Natti, Wanda, and Kevin continued to flip through the images. Kevin told Natti and Wanda he had been considering a tattoo for his eighteenth birthday in the upcoming month. However, the vibrating sound of a needle piercing through flesh suddenly caused them all to shudder, and Kevin gulped and withdrew the thought.
“A brow piercing would probably be sufficient enough, anyway.” Kevin grimaced.
When Jen emerged, she carried a sly smile, which tormented Kevin. No matter how much he probed he couldn’t get her to confess where she placed the asp on her body. She, instead, turned on Natti, pinning her down with a wicked smirk. “Now it’s your turn!”
“Me?” Natti squeaked, nervously. “Get a tattoo?” Her father once said he would murder her if she ever, EVER got a tattoo. He would be furious!
Fortunately for Natti, who—unlike Jen—was still underage, she was only permitted to purchase a henna tattoo, which was promised to fade in a few weeks. Natti’s father was still probably going to kill her when she got home, but feeling the pressure, she agreed. She was fascinated by the Egyptian hieroglyphs the artist had available, but she was disappointed that she couldn’t find anything close to the design on the seal from her grandmother’s letter. She did, however, fall in love with a single, vertical ostrich feather with a smooth, curved top. It was simple and elegant, a perfect fit for her. Making her selection, Natti asked the artist to place it on her shoulder blade.
Finally, Wanda decided it was time to visit the fortune tellers of the ‘Oracular Judgment’ sector. She guided them to a palm reader and entered a tent filled with incense smoke and draped pink fabric.
“Ah, come in, my children. Come in.” A woman urged the foursome to enter. “Have a seat. Gather around my table.”
They walked to the small table and sat on the plush pillows around it. Natti couldn’t get comfortable. She despised being in the little tent, especially with someone who lied for a living, feeding off the hopes and dreams of others. Her defenses were already on the rise, her heart readying itself for the heavy load of crap the woman would spill.
“My, who is this lucky man that escorts three fine ladies? The stars must have blessed you.” Kevin’s cheeks burned red, and he glanced at each of their faces. The woman turned to her right to face Wanda. “You seek knowledge, is that correct? Knowledge of thyself.”
Wanda’s eyes brightened. “Yes.”