The Immortal Gazette: The Curse of Tutankhamun – An Ancient Mystery
The soft clink of the teacup was heard as Alice leaned back in her chair, eyes gleaming mischievously. Loki was lazily sprawled across a couch, his legs dangling off the edge like a cat in the sun, while Rumplestiltskin, always eager to share a tale, hovered near the map table, his fingers tracing the ancient scrolls spread before him.
"Alright, gather 'round," Alice said with a wink. "Today’s tale takes us to Egypt, a land where curses lurk in the shadows, and where the sands of time hold more than just history—they hide the secrets of the dead."
Loki perked up, his attention flicking to the map. "Oh, Egypt, huh? Are we talking about the famous King Tut and the whole ‘curse’ thing?"
Alice smiled, her eyes twinkling. "You got it. The Curse of Tutankhamun—one of the most famous and mysterious curses in history. It all started in 1922 when a British archaeologist named Howard Carter discovered the tomb of King Tutankhamun, the boy king who ruled ancient Egypt for just a few years. It was a monumental find, but the excitement of the discovery quickly turned dark when a series of deaths followed."
"Ah, yes," Rumplestiltskin interrupted, his voice dropping into a more serious tone. "Most notably, Lord Carnarvon, the British noble who funded the excavation, died just months after the tomb was opened. He was reportedly bitten by a mosquito, which later became infected, and bam—he was gone. But the rumors didn’t end there."
"Wait, so you're telling me a mosquito bite caused a curse?" Loki raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "C'mon, Rumple. That’s a little thin."
"Ah, but that was just the beginning," Rumplestiltskin smirked, clearly relishing the attention. "You see, after Lord Carnarvon, several others who had been involved in the tomb's discovery also died under mysterious circumstances—some in accidents, others from seemingly random health issues. People started to whisper that King Tut’s spirit was cursing those who dared disturb his tomb."
"That’s where it gets fun," Alice said, her voice laced with a teasing note. "The media jumped all over it, of course. It became this sensational mystery: The Curse of the Pharaohs. People were convinced that anyone who entered the tomb would suffer a terrible fate."
"And what’s the kicker?" Loki leaned forward, clearly intrigued now. "Are we to believe that every single person who died after opening the tomb was... cursed by the ghost of King Tut?"
“Exactly,” Alice replied, “But here's the funny part: Not everyone involved with the discovery died mysteriously. In fact, Carter himself lived for another decade. So, was it the curse—or just a bizarre string of coincidences? History, as always, leaves us wondering.”
Rumplestiltskin let out a long, dramatic sigh as he glanced at the ceiling. “Ah, but the true mystery of the curse is still out there. And that’s where my own story comes in.”
The room grew quiet as Rumplestiltskin’s eyes gleamed with a mischievous light. Alice and Loki exchanged glances, clearly ready for whatever nonsense Rumple was about to spin.
“I once... had a run-in with an ancient spirit,” Rumplestiltskin said, his voice dropping to a whisper as he leaned in. “It happened when I was wandering through the tombs, looking for a good bargain. I’ve always had a knack for... negotiating with spirits, you know.”
“Oh, please,” Alice interrupted, barely hiding her amusement. “I’m sure you just happened to stumble into a cursed tomb and then, what? Offered your soul in exchange for something shiny?”
Loki snorted. “And here we thought you were the master of bargaining. You’ve been cursing yourself with bad decisions for centuries.”
“You two,” Rumplestiltskin snapped, clearly getting frustrated. “I was serious, alright? There I was, standing before an ancient spirit guarding the tomb. I made a deal, promised nothing too crazy, just a little exchange of magic... and then it happened. I got cursed. Trapped in a never-ending cycle of... well, let’s just say inconvenient mishaps. No one told me that bargaining with those kinds of spirits would lead to... such chronic bad luck.”
Alice smirked. “Oh, sure, you’re cursed. Just like how you’re cursed with bad taste in your wardrobe.”
Loki burst out laughing, leaning back on the couch. “A cursed wardrobe, that’s rich. What, did you negotiate with the spirit of fashion and lose?”
“I’m not kidding,” Rumplestiltskin growled, his face reddening with indignation. “I have been living with this... curse for decades. From random furniture falling on me to the worst luck in cards—everything goes wrong! The spirit is out there laughing at me, I swear it!”
Alice and Loki exchanged another glance, both of them clearly unconvinced. “Right, Rumple,” Alice said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “And I suppose the next thing you’ll tell us is that a mummy is following you around now?”
“Yeah, it’s one of those things,” Loki added, still grinning. “Mummy curses. Classic.”
Rumplestiltskin was not amused. His eyes narrowed, his fingers twitching with impatience. “You two really don’t believe me, do you?”
“I’m sorry, Rumple,” Alice said, raising her hands in mock surrender. “But you’ve been telling stories like this for centuries. You’ve got a reputation for... embellishing.”
Rumplestiltskin’s temper flared. “Embellishing? I am not embellishing! This curse is real, you little...”
Loki chuckled, lounging comfortably. “Alright, alright, Rumple. We’ll believe you—when we see the mummy chasing you around. Until then, we’re not buying it.”
“That’s it,” Rumplestiltskin snapped, standing up. “No more charming tales for you two!”
As Rumplestiltskin stormed off in a huff, Alice and Loki exchanged one final amused glance.
“I think we broke him,” Loki grinned.
"Good," Alice said, taking a sip of her tea. "Maybe next time, he'll come up with a better curse story."
With that, the room settled back into its usual comfortable silence, though the faintest glimmer of mystery still lingered in the air, leaving Alice and Loki wondering if there was some truth to Rumplestiltskin's tale... or if it was just another one of his legendary tall stories.
🖋️✨📜🖤
