Portrait of a Pharaoh • Ahkmenrah x Reader (NATM) ✔️

Chapter 23 | royalty

You had no idea how he managed, but Larry, the absolute mad lad he is, managed to get the museum curator to look into having Ahkmenrahs parents on display in New York for a while. It was still to be confirmed with the British museum, but the staff thought it was a good idea to have the family on display together for a while.

It couldn't exactly be that way permanently, since the excavation team had officially split the findings between the American crew and the British crew. But at least Ahk would be able to see his parents again, and you might be able to get some answers to the whole tablet fiasco.

It was still in progress, but at least progress was being made.

You'd felt fine since the last time the tablet messed with you. That short moment of lightheadedness had passed as quickly as it came and hadn't come back since. So today you felt completely fine and up to the task of painting your final project of the year.

You had the choice to graduate this year with your art degree, or take a bonus course and do one more year. You were still deciding, but for now you'd focus on finishing your final work of the year, worth a good chunk of your grade.

Ahkmenrah had really inspired you artistically recently, and being in the museum had inspired you too to look into historical art. You were an expert as the classical style, could do a pretty good cartoon style as well, but in order to be an artist worth employing you needed to open your horizons a little further and learn other styles too. So your final work of the year would be a three set piece, all in canvases of the same size done in different types of paint.

In the classic ancient Egyptian art style that resembled hieroglyphs, you'd portray the story of you and Ahkmenrah as it stood right now. Of course, no one would think it's real, it'd be seen as just a story based on a myth or something. But it was a unique idea and bound to get you a good final grade.

You'd used the museums records on ancient Egypt and Ahks help to sketch out ideas for symbols and shapes to use to portray certain characters and places, and after a way too many pages of your sketchbook being used for planning you were finally ready to start painting on the canvas.

Setting up the canvas by the window for some good sun light, making sure to lay down a drop sheet in case of any spills, you began your final project.

Ahk on the other hand was still stuck into whatever project he was doing over at your desk, he said it was almost done but he refused do show you until it was completely finished.

Sometimes you didn't need to interact with the person you love to show you love them. Sometimes being in the same room, sitting in silence and just knowing they were there was enough. So most of the morning was rather quiet as you both worked on your art, back to back and able to feel each other's presence nearby.

No words were needed, just being near was enough.

Finally, after most of the morning you heard the chair move and Ahk got up and stretched his limbs out. You heard his spine pop, making you snicker.

"Your bones are like bubble wrap" you joked.

"When you were stuck in a tiny sarcophagus for half a century your joints tend to get stiff" he replied.

"I should get you one of those back crackers, the ones you lie on and hear your spine turn into pop corn"

"You say that like it's a joke, but that would actually be quite nice"

You felt his arms wrap around you from behind, and he rested his head on your shoulder looking at what you'd painted so far.

"Not even done yet and it's already amazing" he complimented.

"I'll be a lot more amazing when it's done and you can't see the pencil marks" you replied.

"You're a modern day human and yet you replicate the ancient style so well. It's worthy of being on the walls of my tomb"

What a sap he was, although you did love it. It reminded you how much he adored your work and gave you a feeling of validation.

"Can I finally see your work?" You asked.

"Actually, yes" he replied.

You almost dropped your paintbrush with how fast you put it down on the table beside you ready to finally see what he'd made. Turning to face him, he held the sketchbook you'd given him flipping through the pages.

"There's a few pages of it, because I wanted to go into detail on each garment..." he explained.

"Garment? You're a fashion designer now?" You asked.

"I figured if you're my guardian and I'm a pharaoh, you should have at least a design of what your royal attire would look like"

He handed you the book, and on the pages was in full colour and with a fully realistic style he'd learnt from you, front and back drawings of you in full pharaoh attire. As well as close ups of each accessory, a crown, jewellery, makeup, staff etc. he'd thought out exactly what you'd wear as his royal partner down to the last tiny detail and designed the whole outfit all from his own mind.

"Woah..." you muttered in awe, taking in the detail of his work.

He had become incredible at art so quickly it amazed you.

The crown he'd designed for you was that if the royal vulture, in gold and silver. The wings came down to cover the ears, and the eyes held blue gemstones. The makeup was dramatic, and bold as the era was famous for. A similar beaded collar to his sat on your shoulders, made from gems, ceramic beads and of course, gold. The robe he'd fit you with was similar in style to a dress, straps over the shoulders held the white and gold fabric up and it draped down to the ground, a belt cinched your waist decorated with precious gems. A dramatic cape in gold was hanging off your shoulders and flared out around you.

On the side he'd written notes on what each piece would be made of at the time. Linen, gold, leather, an array of gemstones and silver.

It was cool to see what you'd be wearing back in his time as his partner, but you also felt like you were too mundane of a person to be wearing such items. You'd never even set foot in Egypt, you'd lived here all your life. And yet, it was also an honour to to know he thought of you as his royal equal, despite being a modern day art student and definitely not a decedent of the gods.

"I'd look great as a pharaoh, your art has gotten so good Ahk. Thank you" you smiled.

"You'd be the most beautiful pharaoh of all the lands, you deserve such a dramatic look. If I was able to make such a garment from all the original materials I would do so just for you. Even if we aren't in Egypt and it's the modern day, you're still my royal partner" he replied.

"I love you, you know?"

"I love you too. At the very least I want to make you something to signify your status as my equal... would you perhaps have beads lying around?"

Only just finished making a design for you and already wanting to make something else for you, you truly were blessed by the gods to have such a wonder lover.

"Only neon kandi beads. Although we can definitely get some more when I go supply shopping with my prize money" you said.

"Wonderful, I'll make you the finest accessories" Ahk smiled.

You gave him a smile back and placed a loving kiss on his cheek.

"And I'll wear them every day"