Chapter 8: Revelations

• 𓎬 ☼ 𓋹⋅☾𓂀 ☽⋅𓋹 ☼ 𓎬 •

Ahkmenrah XIII

2014 - London

"Your brother wasn't the Guardian of the Tablet."

He froze.

"What." Ahkmenrah breathed.

The air suddenly grew stagnant.

"You were the Guardian." Merenkahre finally revealed. "You are Khonsu's Guardian."

He had heard many truths before.

But why now that it seemed to cause the most torment for him?

Ahkmenrah couldn't breathe. He had stopped breathing the moment he registered the words his father spoke to him.

He was the Guardian all along. 

All those centuries, waiting for a possible key to unlock the cage he had been inside. When in truth: he had been the cage all along - and the Tablet under his shield.

The moment he realised a minute had passed was when small dainty hands slipped into his. A faint silhouette came in front of him. Their hands rubbed the back of his hands slowly, drawing a circle until his heart began to slow. The ringing in his ears dwindled, only sensing his ragged breaths as there was a shush under his ear.

When he finally opened his eyes, Ahkmenrah was facing Rowen once more. Her eyebrows creased to form concern, letting his wander over her dark eyes.

"Questo è tutto. Sono qui amore mio." She murmured, trying to pull him back to reality.

On the outside, he was tense. But in his heart and find, there was a sandstorm. Anguish and hatred coursing through his veins that he could feel his blood boil. 

He only thanked her for not losing him in the storms in his mind.

He blinked several times, before exhaling loudly. His hands were shaking. Out of anger - mostly. Out of shock - obviously. "Grazie amore mio. Per avermi riportato indietro." Ahkmenrah answered.

The familiar expression of disbelief rested on Rowen until he looked at her with an earnest of trust. He then turned to his parents, unsure to look at them in the eyes right now after what his father said. 

"Tell me. Why should I believe you now." Ahkmenrah said with a dead tone.

Merenkahre darted his eyes behind his son and responded. "I will tell you if they leave."

There was a flicker of fury in his chest, making his fingers curl against the palm of his hands. Rowen was by his side, but it felt like she was halfway across the world. 

The people behind him were worth more than all the life he had in his tomb. Teddy and Sacagawea were the older siblings he was unexpected to have; Attila was like a dear friend that could simply sit in silence and watch the world go by; Jedediah and Octavius were the annoying pair that he would secretly admit to enjoying bickering with. Rebecca and Larry were his dearest friends, always teaching him about the modern world around him and taking care of him. Nick was the little brother he wished he had, and brought the childish heart he had before. And for Rowen: she was another anchor that had chosen to be at his side.

Not once had these group of people let him down. Moments at the museum where he would finally break down and realise once more who he was and what he was now, they would always be there.

They were the family he truly had these past eight years, and he would deny that he considered them more than the family in front of him now. 

"No, they will stay," Ahkmenrah said firmly, grounding his stance in front of his father.

Merenkahre coldly looked at him, a warning tone in his voice. "I will not discuss family matters with a bunch of...strangers."

That snapped him, causing his to hiss back, "They are my family as much as you are!" Ahkmenrah added, "Perhaps even more than you have ever been."

He could tell that his mother was a little hurt by his statement, but he needed to do it. "Perhaps you allow some of them to fix the Tablet first." Shepseheret interrupted, gesturing over to Ahkmenrah's friends.

Merenkahre began, "Shepse-"

But the Queen of Kemet didn't easily cower underneath her husband's voice. With her head chinned up, she ordered coolly: "You will tell them, or would you prefer for I to speak of the suffering to our son instead?"

Merenkahre kept quiet, before inhaling through his nostrils. Approaching Larry, who now stood beside Teddy and Rebecca, his father stared at the nightguard with a calculating gaze. "It must be bathed in moonlight." He further explained, "It will regenerate it's magic due to the rays of Khonsu's magic."

'Of course,' Ahkmenrah realised, but externally avoided reacting the secret. But now, he understood the designs of his Tomb. How some light of the moon was able to radiate down to the wall in which the Tablet was kept. Khonsu was the God of the Moon and Watcher of Night travellers. It was obvious that the creator of the artefact would cast his magic down in the simplest and most effective way.

Though the other question he wanted to ask was who created his Tomb themself, and when did they know it was time.

Teddy was the first one to answer back. "Thank you, your majesty. We will do so as of now."

The other exhibits bowed their heads and told him and his parents that they're going to explore the museum whilst Ahkmenrah would talk to his parents. He then looked over to 

Rowen: Go, I'll stay.

"How you came as Khonsu's Guardian, we must go back further. Before your birth, and before my own."

He said with a monotone. "I already know." Ahkmenrah revealed, "The Priests in Waset spoke to me of our family's duty to protect it."

Even after thousands of years, he could still remember that day. Arriving in Waset, only to discover the truth of his visions that there was a secret Tablet that his family kept for many years.

That he would never be able to be united with his family. His brother would have stayed.

But now it was the opposite. 

Ahkmenrah would have been the one that would be alone.

His father walked over to his sarcophagus and placed his staff across the surface. His back was now turned, gazing up to the wall that the Tablet should be. 

"You already know that our family was granted the choice to guard the Tablet down to our descendants. But it was more than just that." He spoke out loud. "The First Line of Kings, our ancestors, aided the Gods from a dark terror no mortal human can defeat. It was there that Horus became the God of Kings, blessing his general: Narmer, as the mortal king."

'Narmer.' Ahkmenrah repeated the name in his head. 'Osaze used to tell us stories of his victories, how he was able to unite Egypt under one rule. He never said about being the general of Horus's mortal army...'

Rowen, on the other hand, was fascinated by his father's storytelling, but never strayed off his side.

"Narmer united the Nine Kingdoms and brought what was we know of as Kemet. As our people began to prosper, peace was assured given if we protect the Tablet." Merenkahre continued, now facing both Ahkmenrah and Rowen. "The Ennead gave Narmer the Tablet, for that our line will protect the Tablet until its true Guardian will be born. And when they are born, they will take their place as its protector and strengthen the mortal realm from the darkness and evil."

"No one knew who it will be, and what it could bring to the line of kings. The Ennead, more importantly: Khonsu hadn't revealed who his chosen was." Dark brown eyes then stared right at Ahkmenrah's in focus, before darting back towards the side. "Your grandfather, Snefru, had begun to worry and wain. It has been four generations since and the Guardian was not yet born. He would yet to believe then that his son, my brother, would have to endure another lifetime protecting it until his son would take his place."

Ahkmenrah noticed a flicker of remembrance in Merenkahfre's face, and a slight bit of guilt rested on his heart. He was not the only one that would never see his brother again.

"However, that day never came." Merenkahre's voice grew quiet, but still enough to hear from their distance. "My brother died before he could ascend the throne. And I was chosen as the next King of Kemet. That had made things problematic. None in our entire family line has had the second child as the temporary guardian of the Tablet and we worried that maybe that Khonsu had lost our trust."

His father then glanced over to Shepseheret.

"Years past and I married your mother. Your brother was then born, and I hoped there would be a sign from the temple or the priestess that he was the Guardian." He revealed, now staring back at Ahkmenrah. "They spoke of how he would be a gift to watch over the ones he loved and will be there in times of needs. We then assumed it was him, that he was Khonsu's Guardian."

There was a but at the end of his sentence.

Ahkmenrah questioned, "What happened then."

"Then the news of your mother being with child came...the child being you," Merenkahre answered. "That was when we were summoned by the Oracle of Iunu, who spoke of a prophecy."

Opening his mouth, but it was not his voice that asked.

"What prophecy?" Rowen blurted.

His father gave the Guardian of Cambridge a blank look, analysing her movements. He was judging her again. Ahkmenrah knew well that even all this time, his father would never see anything good or special in Rowen or Joanna.

Merenkahre did answer: "Known as the messenger between the realm of mortals and the Gods, messenger of Hemsut: Goddess of Fate; the Oracle spoke of a time of darkness yet to come. A time when the darkness will overcome the good in secret and the taint of the God of Chaos will fracture the Heka Guardians and the prevention of the Last Guardian to arise."

He bit his lip, grinding his teeth. He wanted to ask more.

However, his father continued. "It spoke of two kings. One will be slain in a brutal death, whilst the other will watch the world turn against him."

The realisation then hit him in a wave.

He thought, 'The prophecy was talking about me and Kahmun.'

And his father's face answered his question enough.

"We did not believe in the last part. That both of you would come to a horrible end. It was why we made sure your safety was held at a high standard. Even if we did not know who of the two of you were the guardian, we decided to train both of you in secrecy." Merenkahre's voice faltered, before coughing. "Both mind and body, we wanted you prepared to protect the Tablet if our enemies outrun us. It was why I told Kahmunrah first of the Tablet."

"I didn't tell you yet because I know what it is like. To be the second son of a king. To be the spare. My father himself trained me. Brutal and harsh. He made sure both I and my older brother was prepared to be king." His voice somehow got softer, ears relaxing at him. "I wanted to give you the time you deserved. I did not want you or your brother to lose each other's trust because of the throne."

Ahkmenrah didn't expect this, that he was gulping the last breath he drew.

It was difficult to comprehend and to know if it was true, but he could not help but find his father's words truly honest. He never knew his grandfather, and never had he met his uncle during his childhood. But by Merenkahre's voice, it told the love and care his father had of his family. 

Merenkahre didn't want to cause him pain because of his own past. 

"But indeed. It seemed it didn't prepare you for the inevitable." His father's pained look made him want to move to him. "I tried my best to make sure I prepare you, but it would seem I was blinded. I didn't want the prophecy to come true."

Closing his eyes, Merenkahre took a slow inhale. "So, when the death of Kahmunrah came, I realized that I made a mistake. His sudden death with no proper burial to connect his Ka to the Auru complicated his position as the next guardian." He looked at them and continued, "I consulted with the Ennead. To allow me to aid you and your mother to restore stability, but none but one heard my call. Ese."

Ahkmenrah muttered under his breath. "Isis."

He nodded. "Ese...was one of two who chose the Guardian of the Wadjet Key. She told me that this was the only way, despite how I pleaded if there was any other way. She could only say that only her guardian can control the prophecy, who was already chosen at that point."

Merenkahre's eyes then went to Rowen's.

"Me?" From the corner of his eyes, he saw her expression of confusion. "But I was not born yet." She answered.

Along with her, Ahkmenrah was also on the same page. If the Goddess had already chosen who her guardian was, where was she? He knew that Rowen hadn't been born for a long time. The stories she had told him of her past never mentioned anything he could recollect his own past too. He could only assume she was much younger, but her soul as the Guardian may be older than everyone suspected.

He's read some things such as this. The idea of reincarnation and the rebirth of one's soul. Perhaps it was something similar.

"Guardians can be reborn. A cycle in which could allow the artefacts to be protected at all times. But Khonsu's Guardian would forever only be one." He told him and Rowen. "By the time you died, it was then Khonsu revealed that you were the Tablet's guardian."

"However, it was too late. Your Ka and Ba were now separate. The Tablet was going to lose its power.... until something happened." He added.

Ahkmenrah inquired, "What happened?"

"I could not remember exactly. But the last moments of which I thought was my final breath in the mortal realm: I woke up again." Merenkahre glanced his eyes around the room, eyeing his own sarcophagus. His father was remembering the first time he was revived. "In a new tomb. The Tablet was restored at some cost. I do not know who did it."

Inhaling through his nostrils, he still felt frustrated at his father. Everything he's said hadn't answered his dire question. He could tell that his father was trying to divert the question either way, despite trying to relate the situation to his own past.

No; there was something deeper behind it all. He only had to choose to ask it. But he wasn't a child anymore. He couldn't scream and shout and wail until his mother would soothe him. Ahkmenrah had lived too long with his parents that they'll know what his habits were. 

It was why he did something unexpected.

"Why?" He quietly asked, but the anger was still in his voice. "Why did you lie to me? That I was the Guardian and not him."

"Because if you were discovered as Khonsu's Guardian, our enemies would find out." Merenkahre answered firmly. "Our tomb had many robbers. And if any mention of Khonsu's Guardian being the pharaoh of Kemet, they will know. And word will get round that the Tablet is there."

He asked, "Did Khufu know? And Khafre and Djedefre?"

"No. Only me and your mother...and now you as well." His father hesitated in the last part.

Ahkmenrah wasn't so sure if he had been telling the truth. He was never skilled in knowing the truth or lie until the time of Cambridge and New York arrived. But even then, a few years with new people didn't equate to the lie detector next to him.

The Guardian of Camrbridge knew truth and lie with a simple look. And when he saw Rowen look at his father, her lips twitched as she instantly gave him a look that none of his parents saw.

It would seem there was more to the truth.

Ahkmenrah then asked him another question. "Then why rid of us? Our name; our legacy?"

"If they rid our family, it will allow them to discover the Tablet. No temporary guardian meant the Tablet would become exposed." Merenkkahre's voice grew dark, giving a cold glare up at the walls of the tomb around them. "Their god would allow them to use it."

"Use it for what?" Rowen asked.

His father didn't reply immediately, wandering his eyes over to the hieroglyphics and art painted around them. In particular, Merenkahre had been looking at the one of the walls that held a familiar story.

"Something very dangerous, and something that we wish is a myth." Merenkahre muttered, shutting his eyes.

It forced him to look at the wall. The painting of the Ennead, the most known gods of Egypt and was known to have the largest followers in the kingdoms. It showed a picture of Osiris being killed and cut up to pieces by the God of Chaos. His body sent to all differents parts of the known world. Osiris' wife would then take years to find his body and stitch him up again. Along with the aid of the other gods such as Nephthys, Osiris would forever guard the afterlife. Horus, son of Isis, would then declare war of the God of Chaos.

Ahkmenrah knew what myth he was referring to.

The Tale of Horus and Set.

He hissed through his teeth. "You're lying. It is just a myth."

"I wish it was." His father answered. "But the gods are not liars."

'No. But why didn't you tell me either way? Our family. Our history? Why did you tell to us like they were just fairytales?'

Internally, he was screaming. But Ahkmenrah could feel his composure already slipping.

"What do I do with this? Everything that you've said." Ahkmenrah raised his voice, pleading him.

Merenkahre's eyes narrowed, a grim look on his face. "I have a feeling that the corrosion of the Tablet was not by its own doing."

"What?" He widened his eyes.

Shepseheret whispered under her breath. "Someone had laid a curse on it on purpose." Worried eyes now rested on his. "They knew you were coming."

Ahkmenrah could sense the tremor and shock his partner felt. In instinct, he should have reached for her hand - to reassure Rowen that she was fine. But he couldn't move.

He asked, "Who?"

"Them. Ahk." He turned to his side, to find Rowen seem more panicked. "The people who have been trying to kill me."

He searched the answers on her face, and immediately caught the terror in her eyes. 

This was all too much. 

'Guardian...Tablet...Khonsu...Khufu...Prophecy...Rowen...' 

Those words kept repeating in his mind like a spinning top. Why did it feel like he was back in tomb once more. It was just like the first time he had woken up after his initial death. He couldn't breathe. The room was spinning, his mind blurring as the words echoed.

He had to go.

This wasn't happening. He should never have brought the Tablet here. There would have been another way-

"...Ahkmen?" 

"Don't!" He snapped, startled by his mother's worried gaze. He took another step back, eyeing his partner before staring back at his father. 

All he was a solemn look in Merenkahre's eyes.

"I...I..." No words could not explain the bubbling rage mixed with anguish.

Rowen began to reach for his arm. "Ahk-"

He felt her fingers gently touch his skin, sending a prickiling sense up his arm. Hand jerking away from her, Ahkmenrah gave them one last look; he flicked his head and dashed out of the exhibit and into the unknown corridors of the British Museum.

• 𓎬 ☼ 𓋹⋅☾𓂀 ☽⋅𓋹 ☼ 𓎬 •

Larry XXIX

2014 - London

When his eyes crossed the younger mummy, Larry could feel his stomach churning in discomfort. He didn't want to leave them for some reason. Maybe he was being nosy, wanting to know the reasons as to why Ahkmenrah was known as the real guardian of the golden tablet.

Or maybe it was the fact that he wanted to know more for his part. The visions he's having with the girl in the garden, the same one that would grow into a beautiful woman. Maybe the pharaoh and Ahkmenrah would know her.

However, Larry knew there was something they needed to do first.

He said out loud to them, "Okay, let's get this Tablet sorted."

The Exhibits followed him, Rebecca and Nick, out to the front entrance of the museum. The others were rather quiet, probably after what happened in the Egyptian Exhibit just a few minutes before. Both Teddy and Sacagawea were trying to fill the silence with several ideas on where they were going to explore first. Rowen did allow them to have the whole museum for themselves for the next few days, only prohibiting them from the private areas of the building. 

As long as there wasn't any broken artefacts or displays, they were perfectly fine.

Maybe Larry shouldn't have thought of that.

Once they arrived, Larry and Nick opened one of the large doors enough for the rest to exit through. They found themselves standing under a tall cover, held up by several large pillars that could outmatch the sizes the American Museum of Natural History had. There was a large open courtyard, with black gates lining the edge. Several cabs and buses and the odd cyclist drove past as they took the steps.

Larry then glanced up and was surprised to see a clear night sky.

'Guess this was our lucky night.' He thought in disbelief. He had thought that this whole trip would be more eventful. Larry was expecting some villain or damage once the museum would come to life.

It would seem tonight was in their luck.

The moon shone bright, sending a oddly warmth feeling in Larry as he held the Tablet out in his hands. He could sense the sickness still, making him want to drop the artefact down.

However, there was a sudden surge of heat in his hands. As the exhibits surrounded him and waited, the Tablet began to glow.

He couldn't describe it. But it felt like their was wave of relief and energy passing through him. The green corrosion disappeared, leaving it into its original colour. Somehow it felt like it was comforting him.

Everyone made a noise of relief, thanking Ahkmenrah's parents for saving them. Jedediah and Octavius were more excited to explore the British Museum instead, demanding them to go back inside and look through. The Roman obviously wanted to go to the Roman section, whilst Jedediah (who knew his history wasn't known in this part of the world) just wanted to have an adventure.

So with Nick and Attila in tow - having getting permission from Larry himself - the miniatures were carried inside. He trusted his son to bring the Tablet back to either Rowen, Ahkmenrah or Ahkmenrah's parents once they go inside, knowing how his son didn't burn under the golden material it was made from.

Teddy and Sacagawea, on the other hand, let him and Rebecca know that they would have their own stroll around the old museum. Larry was fine with the two, and perhaps the best time to have their own moment of piece before returning to New York. The past four years, the times they've spent together have dwindled into a schedule. Most of the time, Teddy would be working with him with the Night Programme whilst Sacagawea would work with Rebecca and sometimes Kai with tours.

Therefore, he could only be happy to see some peace between the two of them. The former president and the Native American woman gave their farewells and followed the other four, with Dexter on Sacagawea's shoulders.

Larry felt an hand hold his, and he looked to his side with a smile. Their finger intertwined as they took the steps up to the doors. 

'One thing's for sure, this museum is a whole different level,' He said. 

The central hall was modern, with white walls an ornate glass ceiling above them. There was a giftshop in the middle, with two large staircases curving around. There was the reception desk, and several gates leading down to different parts of the museum. He would get lost in these corridors if they didn't have Rowen to guide them.

As they walked slowly around, admiring the exhibits now wandering the halls, Rebecca was the first one to speak.

"Wow, I guess it makes sense." She started. "Life at night, the moon...obviously it'll be that."

He grinned and asked back, "You didn't know?"

Rebecca replied, rolling her eyes. "I didn't learn about mythology. Only a minor in Ancient civilisations." Her tone changed to concern. "Larry?"

He realised then that he had stopped walking. The moment they were talking about the Tablet again, he was back to remembering the dreams he'd been having. 

"Yeah no, god I'm just remembering what's just happened in there." He shook his head, rubbing his hand in the back of his neck. "Ahk and his father."

They continued their path around, letting him ponder further on the topic. Yes, he could agree that Ahkmenrah had some right to be upset at his father (almost verging to anger). No one should be told the truth after such a long time. And it didn't help the fact that they hadn't seen each other for over half a century.

Larry was impressed Ahkmenrah held his anger well enough. He would never be able to forgive someone who would lie to him about his own past at that time.

Rebecca exhaled and replied, "I know, it's..." She stopped and added, "Not what I kind of expected."

"It doesn't seem like they had a good relationship." He pointed out.

Rebecca exhaled, folding her arms over her chest. She leaned into Larry's embrace as they walked through the large central hall. "Well, when you're part of the royal family. Duty comes before anything else." She began. "Even if their history was wiped out from our textbooks, Merenkahre seems like he ruled quite well for an Egyptian. It would be different in modern standards but he was doing what was right for his country."

"Merenkahre was the second child, you know?" Rebecca commented. "His brother died years before Merenkahre's father died. So he took the role as king."

He eyes broadened slightly, stunned. "Wow...that must have been a shock."

"You would be surprised. Even then. He had more time to learn to be king." She explained, allowing her to go on a story. "But with what we've learnt about Ahk, it seems he wasn't prepared. His brother died. No heir meant Ahk had to take it. He probably was prepared on how to rule in case of war or sickness. But... I can't see him as a king."

"Really?" He said in surprise. Larry then asked, "Why do you think that?"

"Kings then are different from kings now. I mean look at the British Monarchs. They're mostly a figurehead rather than someone who would go on a conquest." Rebecca discussed, "Ahk's been brought up to experience the littlest things. Every detail, he knows what hardship is. The simplicity of living."

He joked, "So commoners."

"If you put it like that: yes." She chuckled, but then asked in curiosity. "Why do you think he seemed like a king?"

"At first, he might have been." Larry paused and then continued. "But it didn't take long to realise just how much he didn't seem like he could push people around."

Rebecca thinned her lips. "People aren't one dimensional, Larry." She spoke. He knew that she was trying to tread carefully on her words. "The Ahk we know has lived for thousands of years. Who knows how much he's changed. He might have been a ruthless ruler. Or a benevolent king." 

He didn't want to argue back, but his mind seemed to be off his tangent. "No." Larry answered, "But it's their choice on how many dimensions they'll show right?"

A frown rested on her lips, and she tightly responded. "Sometimes traumatic experiences changes people. I don't think you need to know more that he spent most of his life in his tomb. People at that situation could either go both ways. Either go insane or have some enlightenment." She then trailed off, then eyed him. "...You're not afraid of Ahk now, are you?"

He shook his head. "No! God no." Larry added, "But I'm afraid for Rowen."

"She's two hundred and thirty-eight years old." She raised a brow. "Out of the two of you, I think she'll be more afraid for you."

It was his turn to be confused. "Why?" He asked.

"Because you're her best friend's grandson." Her eyes softened, a small smile on her lips. "You're practically her family. Even then, I can see you treat her like a sister."

Larry made a breathless noise, his lips twitching to a smile. Rebecca wasn't wrong. The petite woman he met at Central Park eight years ago had slipped into his life and brought into a new light. He could still say how grateful he was for her.

But even all these things happening, whether she helped or not, Larry had grown to love her in a way that siblings would have. He was an only child, so growing up he would spend the holidays with his cousins most of the time. It was not the same as the bond he had with Rowen Bates. She was always there, no matter how little or large the problem was.

They sat down on a bench facing into the inner circle, letting their eyes wander at the jumping ceramic frog passing by. There was also several Samurai warriors marching, along with a pair of dancers twirling over the marble floor. 

Rebecca was pressed right next to him, allowing to wrap an arm over her shoulders and keeping her head under his chin. It was natural now, to sit in the most uncomfortable places and watch the world go by. Spending their nights in a museum did have perks.

"You're her family too." He smoothen her hair down, and kept twirling a strand of hers in his hand. 

He could sense Rebecca grow tense, whilst she sighed. "I know." She glanced to him and asked quietly. "Does Nick think that?"

"What?" Larry furrowed his eyebrows and then noticed the nervous expression coming from Rebecca. He reassured her, "Of course! He loves you as much as any kid would with a mother."

A surprised look morphed on her face. "Really? I...I never realised." However, there was still a apprehensive glazed over her.

Did he say it wrong?

Larry began, "Becca-"

Before he could continue, Rebecca cut him off: "When I marry you, it means I become his step-mom." She paused, her hands now fiddling with the hem of her sleeve. "It's just...daunting, you know? I never really thought about it. I-well. I did think about it, but it just hit me now that I would become his step-mom."

Larry pursed his lips and stayed quiet.

She darted her head away, looking up to the glass ceiling above them. "I'm not sure if I'm ready." Rebecca whispered.

He understood well enough the same feeling Rebecca had. No matter what age they could be, having a kid in your life was one of the hardest decisions you would have to choose. For Larry, he wanted to give Rebecca a choice. It was why it took longer than he expected to finally ask the woman he loved to marry him.

Larry would never tie her into a bond that she didn't want to be in. Even if it would hurt them both to leave each other.

"Sweetheart, Nicky cares about you a lot. It's why I asked him first when I was thinking of proposing for you." He answered. "If you want to hold the engagement a little longer?"

Shaking her head, she assured him that it was not what she intended to have done. Rebecca already knew he had talked to Nick before proposing to her, knowing what their marriage would also add on. "I know you did." She paused. "But just...I always wanted..."

She trailed off, biting her lip.

"Wanted what?" He questioned.

Rebecca huffed, rubbing her hands over her arms before gazing her eyes to him. "...A kid of my own, you know."

"Oh..."

Maybe his mind had a computer error, or the fact that Larry had fazed the moment those words echoed into his ears. Another kid. His own blood as well.

Another Daley child.

He thanked Rebecca for snapping him back to reality when she slowly spoke, "You...you don't want-"

His eyes widened and leaned back, taking his hand off her shoulders. "No!" He stammered, "No...I do."

She raised an eyebrow.

"I want...huh...sorry just give me a minute." He took another breath and wryly smile. "Becca. That's great..."

Rebecca said, "There's a but there."

"I do...I want to have a kid with you." He stuttered. "But maybe after our wedding, I mean-"

He was then interrupted by her lips.

Rebecca kissed him lightly, tilting her head up so he could carefully hold her chin. Another flutter in stomach, he leaned back and felt a little more relaxed.

"Of course. We'll take out time." She murmured up to him. "I mean we're both on the older side of the spectrum. I guess the possibilities have kind of been reduced."

Larry then saw the sorrow which grew on his lover's face. He didn't want to lie to her and be optimistic. They weren't exactly young anymore; in a few years he would reach the age he dreaded and Rebecca wouldn't be that far behind.

What a pair they were. 

He suggested carefully, "Doesn't mean we can't adopt."

"It doesn't feel the same though." Rebecca whispered.

Wishing to divert her worries, he pressed his lips on her forehead and answered. "We'll think about it, Becca. But right now, let's just..."

She spoke, "Breathe?"

Larry nodded and tightly pulled her into another embrace. "Exactly...breathe."

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"Questo è tutto. Sono qui amore mio." - "That's it. I am here my love." [Italian]

"Grazie amore mio. Per avermi riportato indietro." - "Thank you, my love. For bringing me back." [Italian]

Iunu - Heliopolis [Ancient Egyptian]

Waset - Thebes [Ancient Egyptian]

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A/N: Hello. I am back and totally not having a semi writer's block. To be honest, I want to write, I really do. But adding the non-dialogue stuff have to be the hardest thing to write. I tend to write the dialogue first before adding the rest, so it's me having to fit context between them and constantly changing the dialogue as well.

Anyways, this chapter is going to be one of many chapters where it's going to be heavy on the dialogue and a lot of background context. I used a mixture of mythology and the actual history of the Old Kingdom to make my 'story' background. I loved the idea of Gods and Mortals joining together to defeat an evil figurehead. I kind of went to the basic idea of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter etc where there's this one saviour which we come back to defeat the evil. Here it's going to be the Guardians.

At first, I wanted Ahkmenrah to be linked with Osiris (which fits the idea of death). This would have the poetic context of being linked to Rowen - considering that Osiris and Isis are married. In the end, I thought of sticking to the Movie context of the Tablet being linked to Khonsu.

As for Larry and Rebecca, their relationship and them talking about their future is another sort of theme I wanted to put. Especially for Larry who always likes to think big of future possibilities. So the prospect Becca talking about children to Larry does backtrack slightly. Even if he has been a dad for 18 years to Nick, inside the idea of future responsibility and expectations still daunt him. This talk may possibly affect their relationship in the future. ;)

Next chapter: we get a bit of a breaker before shiz goes down. The aftermath of what occurred in this chapter.

Hope you guys enjoyed it. :)

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Written: 31/10/2020

Edited: 31/10/2020