Cairo, Egypt

Ahkmenrah walked the halls of the palace quietly and alone. He had found himself doing this a lot lately. Since the arrival of Cleopatra the palace was buzzing with people preparing for Kahmunrah's wedding. But that wasn't the reason he excused himself most of the time, people he liked Cleopatra on the other hand, he did not. He could understand her disappointment when his father would not allow the wedding between the two of them.

Ahkmenrah's track record for potential brides lately hadn't been the best. That was the excuse that his father had used, but Ahk knew it was because he didn't believe Cleopatra to be worthy of him. She was older than him and no one knew who she was, which is why she should be grateful that Ahkmenrah had offered his brother's hand to her instead. She could be on her way back to her small town by now and not about to become a princess to a descendant of Ra.

What Ahk couldn't understand was the looks he received from her and his brother every time they were at dinner. Or anytime they were in the same room to be honest. Side glances and smirks coated with contempt. He felt like he was the constant source as a joke between the two of them. Still he wanted to be supportive of his brother and respectful, so he would leave dinner and wander the palace. Tonight he was not alone, one of the palace cats decided to accompany him. He rather enjoyed them, he had made his way to his terrace and was leaning over the railing. As he looked over the land a sense of calm ran over him. The moon was full and bright in the distance he could see it reflecting off the Nile. The summer breeze, warm and light filtered across his skin and he let out a deep sigh. The cat wove itself through his legs and jumped up onto the railing nudging him with his head. Ahkmenrah scratched behind his ears and smiled to himself.

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"If not tonight, then when my love?" Cleopatra draped herself around Kahmunrah's shoulders and kissed the side of his neck.

"Why wait for the wedding night, the loss of your brother will take away from our day." Kahmunrah pulled himself out of her arms and rubbed his face with his hands.

"Because, this is my plan, not yours. I have seen this moment from the time my brother was born. A tablet made just for him so my father would never have to be apart from his precious son." He stood in the room and began to pace.

"But you were given the staff" Cleopatra had made her way over to the bed and was slowly brushing her hair.

"For now, but when little brother has children, I guarantee that my staff will go to one of his miscreants. And what will I be? Forgotten, lost in the sand just like all those before me. I think not." He sat on the opposite side of the bed, clenching the sheets. Cleopatra crawled towards and him and leaned him back into her lap. She ran her fingers through his hair.

"You have waited too long to get cold feet now. Tonight is the perfect time, everyone is distracted with wedding preparations, and your brother has been wandering off for the last few days. No one will suspect a thing. And if they do we always have your staff to fix that."She kissed his forehead and leaned down to his ear.

"No longer should you stay in his shadow. My king."

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Maybe if Ahkemrnah hadn't been so lost in thought he would have noticed the small cat's head shoot up, her ears move forward and her quick escape of the terrace. But he didn't. He didn't hear the footsteps until they were all around him.

"What is the meaning of this?" Six palace guards stood in a semi-circle around him, though none of them were in their normal attire. They didn't answer, but lowered their spears and stood their ground. From around the corner he saw his brother emerge, followed closely by Cleopatra. In each hand he held a khopesh and the day Ahkmenrah had always feared was coming true.

"Brother what brings you around here this evening." The guards split to let Kahunrah through and he was now standing in front of him. The same look etched onto his face that had been there for years. Disdain and hate. It pained Ahk to know his brother hated him. He tried so hard to make him like him, but it was all for nothing.

"Oh I don't know I just thought it was a lovely evening to show my wife here the rest of the palace. And what a stunning view you have here in your chambers. She wanted to see everything. And I thought a look into her new room had to part of our tour." He tossed one of the blades towards Ahk and it stopped just short of his feet. He slowly bent and picked it up, the men around him back up as he stepped forward creating a circle around him and his brother.

"I half expected you to come for me while I was sleeping. You're less of a coward than I believed." Kahmunrah snarled and twirled his blade.

"I told you brother long ago one day mommy and daddy wouldn't be around to save you." He lunged forward and the fight began. Emotions surged through Ahkmenrah, he knew Kah would kill him the second he had a chance, but could he do the same? This was his brother, deep down part of him loved him regardless of his brother's hatred towards him. He looked into his eyes and saw nothing but rage. And it saddened him to think that the same love wasn't somewhere inside him. He was backing up and felt the butt end of a spear push him forward. As he fell towards his brother, he saw him raise the blunt end of his blade towards him, he raised his arm in coverage and rolled away from him. As he stood he felt something warm running down his arm. As he looked down, he saw a piece of metal sticking out from his forearm. He pulled out a small blade and looked up to his brother in confusion.

"Come now, you didn't really think I would play fair now did you?" Kahmunrah laughed and continued his assault. As good as he was Ahkemnrah was better, faster and more agile. He dodged all his brother's attacks and was feeling the strain in his chest. He was running out of breath and his muscles were getting weak. Sweat covered his entire body and he was running out of defensive options. Just then he saw his opening, Kahmunrah stumbled his arm held out in an attempt to reclaim his balance. Ahk swung his khopesh as hard as he could, knocking Kah's blade from his hand. It clattered in the distance and Ahk dropped to his knees.

"Enough, brother I will not kill you." He felt hot, like a fire had been started in his stomach, his heart was pounding loud enough for him to hear in his ears and it was growing at an alarming rate. His head felt like it was made of stone and his visions was blurring. As he tried to focus his vision on his hands, he found he could no longer control his muscles. He was about to fall forward when he felt cold, small hands hold onto his shoulders and hold him in place.

"Now don't fall asleep for the best part." Cleopatra chuckled darkly into his ear and his head bobbed down. He heard the scrape of metal and assumed Kahmunrah had retrieved his blade.

"A poison Cleopatra taught me how to mix up. An immobilizer if you will. I see you've lost control of your body, but you're still in there so do try to pay attention." Ahkmenrah felt hands in his hair and his head was snapped up. Kahmunrah was holding his head up, starring straight into his eyes.

"The great Ahkmenrah look at you now." He felt the cold steel against his throat, which came as a surprise relief against his burning skin.

"May Anubis judge you well." His eyes had begun to roll into the back of his head, but he could still hear Kahmunrah.

"Do send him my regards. Brother." And with the Ahkmenrah was floating. He didn't feel the slash across his neck, he didn't feel his body crash to the ground. Nor did he hear his mother's screams in the morning when she found his body there lifeless and pale, the cry of agony when his father joined her. Instead he floated through the clouds and found himself face to face with Anubis, holding his heart. He was in a pearl room, with a beautiful golden scale sat in front of him.

"It is time now for your judgement, young Pharaoh." Anubis placed Ahkmenrah's heart on one end of a golden scale, while a feather sat on the other end. Ahkmenrah held his breath, as he watched the scale tilt side to side, he saw a shadow forming on the roof and began to crawl down the wall behind the scale.

"Ammit." Ahk whispered to himself, the devourer of souls. Should Ahk's heart be heavier than the feather he would be Ammit's next meal. Finally the scale stopped and his heart was raised toward the ceiling.

"It is decided." The scale sunk into the floor and pale blue light took its place.

"Come my son." Anubis walked into the light and held his hand for Ahkmenrah to follow. He made his way towards the light. Just as he made it to the light, Ammit's voice caught Ahk off guard.

"Your brother will not be as lucky Pharaoh. I promise that." And with that he flew up into the ceiling and dissipated. Ahkmenrah finished stepping through the veil and was greeted by someone new.

"Khonsu." Ahk dropped to one knee and crossed his arm across his chest, bowing his head.

"Get up my child." Ahkmenrah stood and realized he was in his tomb.

"Is that …" Ahk pointed towards his sarcophagus.

"Yes, that is you." Ahkmenrah looked around the room. His mother and fathers' tombs lay empty, and his brothers lay in shambles. Destroyed and broken. This was the first time Ahk had stopped to think about his parents, having to bury their son and a deep pain of guilt shot through him. How they must have felt.

"Do not fret, you will see your parents again. For now I must explain to you the power of the tablet your parents made for you. Every night you shall be revived to look exactly how you are now. Although there will be some differences. You will not be whole, that is beyond my power I cannot fully restore the dead." Ahkmenrah could feel the tears rolling down his face. His death finally settling in , the betrayal of his brother the loss of his family, the thought of waking up alone every night in this tomb. To constantly be reminded of what happened to him. He looked up to see Khonsu opening his sarcophagus and motioned him forward. He looked down at his bandaged body. He had been dead for a while, but to him it felt like minutes.

"Lay down young one and it will all be better." Ahk stood there for a minute thinking about his life all the things he wished he could have done. He had won many battles and been a great Pharaoh. But would he have made a great husband, father? These things pained him to think about what his children would have looked like. He would never know the love of creating something and watching them grow. He cried harder.

"Not all is lost, my child, trust me." Ahk climbed into the sarcophagus and laid down. In a bright flash of gold he was gone, Khonsu was gone and the tomb was quiet and dark.

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Emily had stopped trying to cover her tears. She held Ahk's hand as tightly as she could. She never wanted to let go ever again.

"I'm sorry Ahk, I'm so sorry." She held him tightly and she felt him squeeze her and she cried more.

"You have me now, I promise no matter what I will never leave you ever again." She lay on his lap for the rest of the night, not talking just enjoying one another's company. Emily thought to herself how crazy the world must be to bring two broken souls together from across time and space to have them heal one another.

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It's a short one but I didn't want to take away from this chapter. Thanks guys and as always let me know what you think! 3