Chapter 10: Want and Desire Thebes, Egypt 1324 BC

Ankhesenamun

When we returned to Thebes Tutankhamun was swamped with meetings so Alexandria and I had some time to ourselves and the children, who'd grown since we'd left them with their nurse maid. A few days after we'd returned from the battle field, we'd just finished eating lunch, and we were sitting by one of our favorite pools watching the gees, swans, ducks and other birds walking around "Wish Tutankhamun wasn't so busy" I complained

"Agreed" Alexandria said as she leaned up against her chair

"You know, we could sneak into his next meeting"

"We can do that?"

"Totally, we are Pharaoh's wives after all" I laughed. Once we learned when his next meeting was and learned that he was planning on having it in the audience chamber, we secretly hid ourselves behind his throne. When Tutankhamun and his viziers finally entered, Alexandria and I listened intently on what they had to say

"Now what is it that was so urgent that you had to interrupt me while I was with my own children?" Tutankhamun asked as he sat in his chair

"Well you see my lord; we're here to speak to you about your second wife, Alexandria" Aye spoke up.

"Let me guess, you still think she's not telling the truth about where she came from?"

"Yes my lord"

"Listen, I talked to her the first time that you accused her and she said that she was speaking the truth" Tutankhamun said, starting to get angry.

"Why don't we send for her and have her tell us what she told you my lord?" another vizier suggested

"No, I won't bring her into this. Now listen to me, I swear by Ma'at herself that Alexandria is telling the truth

"But only she'll be able to tell us that" another chipped in.

"Silence, I said that I'm not bringing Alexandria into this. Now, if there is nothing else that you would like to discuss, I would like to move on with my day" he yelled

"There is nothing else my lord" Aye said as he and the other viziers bowed and left. Once the doors were closed, Tutankhamun rose from his chair

"Alexandria, Ankhesenamun, I know you two are back there" he said and we stood and walked from behind the throne and faced him together. "Why were you two spying on us?" he asked sternly

"We wanted to listen in on one of your meetings" Alexandria replied boldly

"And we were bored and curious" I added

"Whose idea was this?" he asked as he crossed his arms. Before I could reply Alexandria spoke up,

"It was mine"

"Why?"

"I thought that Ankhesenamun explained it pretty clearly, we were bored and curious"

"Do you realize just how mad I am?" he asked

"Yes" she replied as she looked down at her feet, ashamed. There were a few minutes of tense silence till I finally had enough

"Tutankhamun please don't get mad at her, the plan to sneak in on your meeting was my idea, not hers. I"

"Silence" Tutankhamun yelled as he put his hand up

"How dare you silence me of all people" I screamed at him

"Ankhesenamun, please, I'm trying to speak with Alexandria"

"No, don't you understand, it was my idea, my fault. Mine, not hers"

"Oh really?" he questioned me as he turned to face me as he crossed his arms "Tell me the truth"

"I all ready did" I replied, and he snarled as he raised his hand as if to slap me "You would slap me because Alexandria and I were bored and curious?" I asked and he lowered his hand

"Leave, I have another meeting to attend to"

"No you don't, you were going to sit here for the next 3 hours, weren't you?"

"Maybe I was, and you know what, I feel like you two are trying to rise up against me"

"The Gods know that isn't true"

"What about you Alexandria, what's your excuse"

"I was just following Ankhesenamun" she whimpered

"I don't believe you"

"You know that I rarely tell lies, and I haven't lied to you since Aye slapped me. And we really were bored and curious"

"Go now, both of you, I need some time alone" he demanded, and we marched out of the room. When we arrived at my chambers, we sat on one of my couches

"I'm scared" Alexandria sighed

"I am too, and I don't know what Tutankhamun's going to do to us" I said, and I heard a little whimper erupt from my friend "Oh now don't cry, we'll be okay" I said as I hugged her

"No it won't, I keep making mistakes and Tutankhamun keeps getting mad at me"

"But he still loves us both dearly"

"Well, I'm sure he loves you dearly, but I don't know about me. I'm just an outcast who doesn't deserve to be with someone like Tutankhamun, I want to run away"

"And where would you go?"

"Home, were I can be with my family again"

"We can send a letter to Abasi and ask him to bring them here"

"It won't be the same, I wish that I'd never come here, and I wish that I'd never fallen in love with Tutankhamun" she sobbed, crocodile tears falling down her cheeks and I wiped them away as best as I could

"Now don't say that Alexandria" Tutankhamun said from the door and I glared at him

"Ankhesenamun, can I please talk with Alexandria alone?" he asked as he walked over, so I stiffly stood and continued to glare at him, and right before I left I whispered into his ear

"Don't hurt her anymore then she all ready is, understand?" and he nodded as I left the room.

Alexandria

"Alexandria" Tutankhamun said as he sat next to me on the couch and took my hand in his warm, coppery one, but I pulled away and refusing to look at him. "Alexandria please look at me" he pleaded, but I didn't "Please?" I shook my head. I felt his finger go under my chin and pull my face to look at his, "Alexandria, I am truly sorry about yelling at you and Ankhesenamun earlier"

"You should tell that to Ankhesenamun, she was the one who was almost slapped" I snarled

"I know, but I saw your faces, and after you two left I felt horrible for what I'd done to the both of you, so I came here to make an apology"

"Apology not accepted" I grunted.

"Alexandria please, I feel bad for how I treated you and Ankhesenamun, and I won't be able to live with myself if I knew that you two were still upset with me" he sighed as he pulled me closer "Please" he pleaded

"Why should I forgive you?"

"Because I made a mistake and I love you" I knew that not all men could admit that they'd made a mistake after fighting with their wife, but I still looked into his dark and mysterious eyes and found that he was telling the truth.

"Your eyes are so dark and mysterious" I murmured

"And why is that?"

"One reason is how much Kohl you put around them, but whenever you don't wear it, I still can't tell what your eye color is, and I'm so attracted to them"

"Truth is, I don't even know what color my eyes are" he blushed

"Do you really love me?" I asked after a minute of silence, wanting to hear the words come from his own mouth that he truly did love me.

"With my soul"

"Do you love Ankhesenamun and the twins that way too?"

"Of course I do" he replied and I searched his eyes again and found that he spoke the truth. I then leaned forward so that I could whisper into his ear

"Kiss me then, and show me how much you love me"

"Gladly" he growled seductively as he pressed his strong, yet gentle lips against mine and held me against him. After a minute I pulled away breathless

"You should go to Ankhesenamun, she needs you too" I smiled as I watched him as he rose and quickly rushed to the door to see Ankhesenamun. After a few minutes I too got up and returned to my chambers where I found the twins in their bed fast asleep. So I carefully picked them up and walked over to my own bed and lied down and quickly fell asleep. When I woke I found Ankhesenamun and Tutankhamun lying on either side of me and the twins lying on top of me still asleep. I looked over at Ankhesenamun and found that she too was asleep, but when I looked over at Tutankhamun, I found that he was still awake and was staring at the four of us

"Couldn't sleep?" I asked as I carefully stretched

"There is no need to when there is the most beautiful little family to look at while they dream" he smiled as I rested my hand on his cheek and in return he put his hand on mine and held it "Your hand is so warm" he sighed, closing his eyes and kissing my hand tenderly making me smile.

"You should rest my love, you've been working too hard" I sighed as I watched him lay his head down and fall asleep; I continued to watch him till he started to softly snore.

"Beautiful isn't he?" Ankhesenamun asked from behind me

"Yes he is" I replied as I looked over at her

"We're both lucky to have him" she sighed and I nodded in agreement.

"How was you talk with Tutankhamun?"

"Good"

"Seriously my friend, how'd it go?"

"As good as yours" she smiled

"I'm glad to hear that" I smiled back as I lay back down. When Ankhesenamun and I woke the next morning we found Tutankhamun and the twins gone, and in their place was a note that read:

'My dearest lovers, I have decided that I would make breakfast for the two most beautiful flowers in all of Egypt. I've all ready fed the children for you and took them with me. I again offer my sincerest apologies to the both of you. Your loving, and uttermost faithful husband, Tutankhamun'

"Oh now isn't that just sweet" I smiled as I passed the note to Ankhesenamun

"Yes it is" she smiled as she read it. When we finished eating breakfast and getting ready, we went in search of Tutankhamun. When we found him in the audience chamber, we saw him on the floor playing with the twins, making them squeal with delight when he tickled them.

"Oh now isn't that adorable, our Pharaoh plays with his children on the floor" Ankhesenamun giggled making Tutankhamun look up and blush

"How'd you two sleep?" he asked as he walked over with the twins in his arms still giggling and squirming happily.

"Wonderfully and how'd you sleep?" I asked as we kissed his cheeks and took the twins into our arms

"Wonderfully" he teased as he pulled us to his sides.

"Do you have any meetings today?" I asked

"I have one after lunch, but past that nope"

"Good" Ankhesenamun smiled. When it was time for lunch we sat in my chambers to eat by ourselves

"I don't want to go to my meeting" Tutankhamun complained after a minute of silence

"Then don't" I said

"But I must, I am Pharaoh"

"Exactly, you are Pharaoh and you can decide what meetings you can or can't go to"

"If I did that then Egypt would go into ruin" and that was the end of the conversation. A few hours later when Tutankhamun finally emerged from his meeting, he went to his chambers and passed out,

"Poor thing" Ankhesenamun sighed as we watched him sleep shortly after

"Yeah, he works so hard, and only gets us and the twins in return." I sighed, then I had an idea "Ankhesenamun, I have an idea, we should kidnap him and take him to the Step Pyramid" I said eagerly as I jolted up.

"Look who's talking" Ankhesenamun said as she stared at me with wide eyes

"Well it's your fault since you're the mischievous one" I blushed

"No I'm not" she gasped dramatically.

"Yes you are, remember you were the one that told me to swim late at night, you told me to follow you on the hunt that you and Tutankhamun went on, you made me follow Tutankhamun to war, then you said to spy on one of Tutankhamun's meetings"

"Oh yeah" she giggled "But are you sure that your idea would work, I might get in trouble for it"

"Oh don't worry about that, I'll make sure that you don't get blamed for this. And besides, aren't Pharaohs supposed to take breaks everyone and a while?" I smiled

"I suppose so, but who'll look over things while we're away?"

"There's Aye"

"Aye, why him?" Ankhesenamun asked confused

"Well, he seems to be the most worthy to look over things"

"There is that, but I have another question, how long will we stay at the Step Pyramid?"

"How long would you suggest?"

"Maybe a season or two" she smiled

"I think that's a wonderful idea" I smiled back

"What's a wonderful idea?" Tutankhamun moaned as he started to stir

"Ankhesenamun and I are just talking amongst ourselves" I replied

"About what?"

"It's a surprise" Ankhesenamun said

"As you wish" he grunted as she slipped back into sleep.

Tutankhamun

"So what is this surprise exactly I asked, I was blindfolded and my hands were tied behind my back, because for some crazy reason Ankhesenamun and Alexandria had decided to kidnap me in the middle of the night,

"You'll see my dearest brother" I heard Ankhesenamun laugh. For all I knew I was in a chariot, and the twins were next to me moving around and gurgling to each other, and I could hear the two plotting women talking on the horses that pulled the chariot. I heard another horse neighing behind the chariot. I was guessing that it carried food, drink and other necessities.

"My ladies, please tell me where we're going" I pleaded

"Don't worry my lord, we're almost there" Alexandria giggled in return and I sighed. When I finally felt the chariot stop I let out a sigh of relief, for the bumpy ride was finally over. After a few minutes I felt Alexandria and Ankhesenamun remove me from the chariot and I felt the cool sand of the dessert shift against my bare feet, since that the ladies didn't allow me the comfort of sandals. I felt the rope drop off my wrists and the blindfold was finally removed from my eyes. In the early morning light I could make out the Step Pyramid and the temple the rested next to it

"Why'd you bring me here?" I asked

"Because you need some time to relax and have some fun with your family" Ankhesenamun as she and Alexandria lifted the twins from the chariot. So we then silently walked to our chambers and got our things put into their places. Once we'd finished, we walked to one of the pools and took a little swim while the twins rested in the shade of a nearby palm tree, where Ankhesenamun, Alexandria and I joined them later on for the rest of the morning.

A few weeks later I was walking by a pool thinking when I saw Alexandria flirt by and ask "How is our young captive doing?" I smiled as I took her hand and pilled her close

"Wonderfully and how is my captor doing?" I teased

"Wonderfully"

"Where's Ankhesenamun?"

'She's taking a nap with the twins"

"So I have you to myself then?" I asked as she giggled and pulled away and started dancing away, her long white dress and long blonde hair trailing her. So I chased after her, when I'd finally caught her, we went tumbling onto a bed. She looked up at me and smiled, and I smiled in return as I started kissing her, I felt her wrap her long arms around my neck "Love me" she begged as I started kissing her neck.

Later that night, when it was time for dinner Ankhesenamun and I were getting ready to go on a picnic on the Step Pyramid with Alexandria and the twins. "Tell my brother, what you and Alexandria did while I was napping with the twins?" she asked

"Nothing much" I chuckled

"Right" she teased and I realized that she could see the truth on my face and in my body movements. "Actually, where is Alexandria?"

"Getting the twins ready"

"Okay" she said as we finished packing and started our climb up the pyramid

"Wait for us" Alexandria cried from behind us, and we turned to see her rushing from the temple with the twins strapped to her back

"Need help?" I asked once she'd stopped

"No, but thanks" she smiled as she hoisted herself onto the first step. Once we'd finally reached the top we collapsed and waited till we'd regained our strength.

"Dinner will be worth the climb" I panted

"Totally" Alexandria agreed

"Do you guys really think so?" Ankhesenamun asked as she sat up

"Of course, your cooking is always the best" Alexandria smiled as she got the twins ready to eat

"Well thank you" Ankhesenamun smiled brightly.