His new lover

Escape plan

Kahmunrah had been spending the past month in almost complete solitude. He was hurt and infuriated beyond belief, and dark thoughts constantly tormented him. If I am no longer crown prince, then what purpose do I serve? Everyone will know that 1 am a disgrace, for why else would father not accept me as heir to the throne?

History will remember me, if indeed it remembers me at all, as an unworthy prince - a failure of a son.
His mother came to his chambers often, crying and begging to speak with him, but he refused to see her.
Ahkmenrah also tried to see him once, but thrown knives and shouted words had warned him to stay away.

Kahmunrah frowned at the memory as he walked, heading back to his rooms after a long day of hunting to vent his rage. Suddenly he heard distressed voices from around the corner. He slowed and peeked around it to find none other than his baby brother and that ignoble scum.

Lev walked quickly through the halls, finished with the day's work and heading to Ahmenrah's apartments. He had gotten many concerned questions about the scratches on his back, and though most of the people who had asked believed his 'Maftet jumped on me' excuse, Zahara and Akin had amused themselves greatly by teasing him and throwing constant innuendos his way. The setting sun cast crimson shadows on the walls, and Lev was surprised to suddenly see Ahkmenrah turn the corner and come towards him. He smiled, overjoyed, but it quickly disappeared when he saw the tears on Ahkmenrah's face.

"Ahkmen? What's wrong?"Thinking that he was having another stress-induced breakdown, Lev cupped his face and wiped away his tears with the pads of his thumbs. "It's going to be alright, just breathe with me. In, out, in-"

"I-I am f-forbidden from seeing you until I am Pharaoh, Lev. And father is forcing me to m-marry before 1 am crowned."

Lev's heart fell. He knew that this would happen at some point. They had discussed this, of course - it had been impossible for them not to. Ahkmenrah always wanted to push aside the issue, saying that he didn't have to marry to become Pharaoh, but Lev knew better, and deep down, so did Ahkmenrah. Lev remembered that conversation quite clearly.

"Ahkmen, you know we can't keep ignoring this, not now that you're so close to becoming Pharaoh."

"I'm not ignoring anything! It is not written anywhere that a prince must marry in order to be Pharaoh, so why should we worry about it now?"

"Because we'll have to worry about it at some point. You told me that Pharaoh has been discussing your future marriage more and more. He may very well force you to marry if you don't do so on your own.
He won't do that. He can't. We've struggled enough as it is."

"I know. But if he does, you understand that we... we won't be able to be together anymore, not like this.
Maybe, if we're lucky, we could sneak away every once in a while, but-"

"No! I will not hide you as if you were something to be ashamed of! Our love is purer and stronger than anything I've ever felt before! Why should we have to reduce it to nothing more than an occasional tumble in the sheets?!"

"Because that is what will be required of you!"

"I don't care!"

"Yes, you do! I know this isn't fair, Ahk, and that you never wanted to be Pharaoh, but I also know that you care deeply for this land and for this kingdom. Your people need you, Ahkmenrah."

"But I need you, Lev..."

"I know...I know."

Lev came back to the present as Ahmenrah buried his face in Lev's neck.

"We knew this was coming, Ahk."

Ahkmenrah choked back a sob and clung to Lev tighter.

"It'll be alright. You'll be Pharaoh before you know it, and then you'll be able to see me again."Ahkmenrah stepped back to look at Lev. "S-See you... See you and pretend that you aren't the most important person in the world to me? Keep a straight face as you serve my food and run my baths and act like my heart doesn't shatter every time you walk away?!"

"Yes! This isn't easy for me either, Ahk! Do you think I'll enjoy having to do that? Do you think I look forward to addressing you as 'your holiness' and 'Son of the Sun' instead of 'Ahk' and 'yakiri'? I love you! I would give everything to be with you!"

"...Would you?"

Lev paused, disconcerted by the shift in Ahkmenrah's expression, as if he had just realized something.

"What if we did give up everything? What if we ran away?"

"Ran away? Where in Atum's name would we go?!"

"It doesn't matter! Anywhere that's not here!"

"Your father would empty the deserts of Egypt searching for you, Ahk!"

"Then we'll leave Egypt!"

"Ahkmen!"

"We will! Tonight! We'll take some money and whatever else we'll need and ride for the Sinaï! From there we'll buy passage onto a merchant ship and sail far from here!"

"Enough now, Ahkmen!"

Lev looked around quickly, the sunlight almost completely gone, and turned back to Ahmenrah when he saw that they were still alone. "Ahkmenrah, you are my purpose for living, yakiri. I would gladly follow you anywhere. But this isn't going to work. We'll be caught."

Ahkmenrah held Lev's hands firmly, a determined look in his eyes. "No, we won't be. We can do this. Trust me, imi-ib."

Lev looked into Ahmenrah's eyes. If they did this, there would be no going back. They could never return to Egypt without being caught and forced to stay. They would have to travel far...but they would be free, in every sense of the word. In his mind's eye, Lev saw the two of them and the life they could have together; tending to beautiful gardens in some faraway land, catching fish from the river and cooking them in a simple, clay kitchen, making love beneath the stars and waking up in each other's arms. Lev could not imagine a greater paradise.

"I trust you, Ahkmen. Always."

Ahkmenrah nodded and kissed Lev deeply, ready to leave behind everything he'd ever known for the happiness that this one man gave him. Lev held him close for a moment before pulling back. "Come on, Ahk. There's much we have to do before the night is over." They walked out of the hallway and towards Ahkmenrah's chambers, mentally preparing themselves for the journey ahead.

Kahmunrah smirked cruelly as he watched Lev and Ahkmenrah walk away.

So, they think they're going to run away and live happily ever after. Fools. Ahkmenrah stole what was rightfully mine - it is only right that I return the favor.

Word count: 1152