The Pharaoh and the Celt
Summary ~
Pre-Secret of the Tomb. When Aine meets Nicky Daley for the first time, she is in for an adventure of a lifetime. Growing up at the museum she is familiar with all the faces and exhibits but at night it's a whole other world. Is she truly prepared to come face to face with everyone in the museum…including a certain handsome, young pharaoh who has taken a sudden interest in her? Ahk/OC pairing
Disclaimer: I own just the plot, Aine Cavanaugh + her family, everything else belongs to directors and producers of Night at the Museum
I'm going to try this out – if anyone who reads this enjoys it let me know and I'll continue! If not, I'll take it down.
Aine – Ahn-yah
Cailín – Cah-leen
..~***~..
Ever since her tenth birthday when her mother brought her here to spend the day, Aine loved the Museum of Natural History. All of the exhibits were her favorite but she spent most of the days in 'Egypt' – in the Pharaoh Ahkmenrah's tomb. The tomb was visited by the elderly mostly whilst Aine spent her afternoons there, drawing out every artifact, artwork and paintings into her sketchbook. She often wondered about the young monarch: what he looked like, who his family had been, and how he lived and died. She knew from the information board that he was a young pharaoh – eighteen or nineteen at least. Some believe he had been murdered by Kuhmenrah, his elder brother, out of jealousy.
In a sense, Aine knew what it was like to be the youngest of three children. She was picked on the most and left out from other things her siblings did. As a child, she certainly was loved by her parents (her home was stable and friendly). However, she still felt as though her three elder siblings always got more attention than she did…unless it was Aine's birthday. Aine was seventeen now and soon an adult. She would be able to live on her own.
'I know you probably can't hear me, Ahk. But I was thinking when I turn eighteen – I could move closer to the museum and maybe even work here during the day and at night. Then I could spend more time here. Oh, before I forget…I made some new drawings. I wish I could show you some of them.'
Aine paused before continuing,
'But here's one I'm folding up. You can have it with you in the afterlife. Anyway, I need to go. My sister has a piano recital tonight. See you, Ahk.' Aine whispered, as she cautiously and quietly slipped the folded drawing into his sarcophagus.
Aine packed up her bag and headed out of the museum. Outside, the sun was almost setting as she hailed a taxi and hurriedly told the driver to bring her to where her sister's recital was. Slowly, the sun dipped beneath the horizon as she drove west. She was completely unaware of the magic in the museum, if only she had stayed a few moments longer.
. . .
The Tablet of Ahkmenrah glowed; allowing another night for the museum to come alive. Outside his sarcophagus, Ahkmenrah could hear the roars of animals and muffled chatter of the others just waking. Beside his hand, he felt a folded paper and grabbed hold of it before pushing open his current home. He sat up a moment and opened it. He smiled at the drawing given to him by the girl who kept him company during the day – Aine. The drawing was of his two jackals guarding him and of his sarcophagus between them. He brushed his thumb gently over the drawing. Aine was quite a talented artist, he concluded. A small smile formed at the corners of his mouth as he let out a single chuckle before folding the paper back up.
He rose out of his sarcophagus and put his robe on before going out of his tomb to meet his friends and the night guard Larry, Guardian of Brooklyn. Larry's son Nicky [who happened to be seventeen now] had also come tonight and was sitting in the front desk area, watching as the museum came alive. Ahkmenrah decided he needed to find this girl who visited him – Aine. He didn't know of her surname but he was certain to find it and find her out.
She spoke to him often – though in hushed tones but he was glad of her company during the day as he slept in still silence – not even a breath escaping his lungs to let her know he was there listening.
'Good evening, Nicky, Guardian of Brooklyn.'
'Hey, man,' Nicky replied, smiling.
'Nicky, I was wondering – do you know anyone by the name of Aine?' Ahkmenrah inquired.
Nicky thought for several moments before pulling up his Facebook profile and searching his friends and mutual friends for an Aine. Yes! There was one Aine that he saw – she went to the same school as him and was in the same class. How had he not noticed her? Right, Aine had been christened by the popular crowd as an introverted wallflower and she kept her distance from everyone. There were maybe one or two people who ever spoke to her.
'Yeah, I had no idea she was even at the same school as me. She's so quiet, no one really notices her. Aine Cavanaugh,' Nicky said, showing her picture to Ahkmenrah.
The young pharaoh was astounded by her beauty – she had long slightly curled wavy red hair and brown eyes. Her skin was pale and her figure slim.
'Her parents are Irish, moved here right when she was born or something like that. That's what I've heard anyway.'
'Irish?' Ahkmenrah asked.
'From Ireland, so she would be descended from a Celtic tribe.'
Ahkmenrah continued staring at her photograph. He wanted to meet her in person. She was the girl who came to visit him just about every day. A beautiful goddess is what she was.
'I wish to meet her. She left me one of her drawings this afternoon. Aine visits me frequently. Could you arrange for us to meet, perhaps?' Ahkmenrah said, handing Nicky his phone back.
Nicky paused and glanced at Aine's picture. He didn't see why he couldn't talk to her, she wasn't completely alienated. And she was kinda cute too, but Nicky noticed the sudden interest in her that captivated Ahk.
'Yeah, I guess I can see what I can do. She loves the museum, right?' Nicky said.
Ahkmenrah nodded.
'Thank you, Nicky.'
'No problem.'
. . . * NATM * . . .
Morning At School
Aine switched out her Algebra book for her AP World History book after class ended that morning. She had seven minutes before in between to make it to her next class. While she shuffled around her backpack, Nicky spotted her at her locker and smiled. Aine Cavanaugh could be spotted anywhere, with her thick red hair – which was often done in braids and twists and things to make her look like a Celtic princess. Nicky walked up to her slowly, unsure of what to say to her. He'd never really spoken to her and didn't know how she'd react.
'Hey,' he said. 'You're Aine Cavanaugh right?'
'The one and only,' Aine replied. 'And you're Nicky Daley.'
'You know who I am?' Nicky asked, in pretend shock while smiling at her.
Aine released a humorless laugh and closed her locker gently.
'Everyone knows you, Nicky. Your dad is that night guard at the museum and previous owner of Daley Devices. It's been nice meeting you but I need to get to class.'
Before she could walk off, Nicky cut her path and took hold of both her arms.
'Wait! I know we're not friends or acquaintances really but would you wanna come see the museum at night? My dad could pull a few strings if you'd like to go with me? I hear you really like Ancient Egypt.'
That caught her off guard. How did Nicky know so much about her? He stuck with the popular crowd most of the time and hardly ever spoke to people like her.
'Why? What's your angle? Is it a dare one of your guys made so you can get with me?' Aine questioned.
'There's no angle, Aine. I promise. I just have a really good friend there who'd like to meet you. He and I often hang out there at night with my dad.'
Aine sighed and nudged him aside.
'I don't know…this seems a little sketchy to me.'
'Aine, I promise you my friends who I hang out with at school have nothing to do with this. Can you please just trust me? I'll meet you at the museum after school to prove my word.'
Aine pondered his negotiation for a few moments before sticking her hand out.
'You've got yourself a deal, Daley. If you don't show, then I'll know you're just an arrogant prick and not worth my time of day.'
Nicky shook her hand in agreement.
'Great, so 4:30 then at the museum,'
'I'll be there.' Aine said and then swerved to make her escape to AP World History.
Why had she even agreed to meet someone like Nicky Daley at a museum? What if it was just a cruel joke on her? Either way, she still had four classes left today and time to make a plan B and an escape if he didn't show up at the museum. She could always not go there later but she had to see Ahkmenrah and talk to him again. Even if she got stood up by Nicky Daley, she had the company of a three thousand year old pharaoh with her. Before she could make it down the hall to her class Minnie Harris stopped her dead in her tracks. One of the popular girls in the 'in-crowd', Aine hated Minnie.
'I hear Nicky Daley is taking you on a date? Is it true, freak?' Minnie asked.
'It's nothing of the sort, Minnie. I have no interest in any kind of relationship with Nicky Daley. He just wants to show me the museum at night. I don't know why—,'
'Stay away from him, got it? You'll regret it if you don't.' Minnie sneered.
Aine was backed up against the lockers. Minnie was vicious and ferocious. Her eyes narrowed like a tiger's before attacking its prey.
'I'll gladly stay away from him.'
Aine made her escape as Minnie was distracted by the captain of the football team. In AP World History, they were finishing up the Ancient World with Egypt. How convenient, Aine thought. Aine loved learning about Rome and Greece and now there was Egypt – Ahkmenrah's world. AP World History went by too quickly, just like her British Literature class. It was always her favorite classes that seemed to go by quicker than the classes she didn't like. She had British Literature after history, lunch and one more class after that before she was able to hide away in her museum. Three classes in the morning was a lot but she had managed.
Aine looked around her AP World History class at the other students and spotted Nicky in the first row at the corner desk. He was in an AP class? Aine wondered, slightly bewildered.
'…who can tell me the successor of Merenkarah and a brief history involving the next line of succession to the Middle Kingdom?' Aine tuned in her focus again on the lesson.
Her teacher had begun by giving them a list on the Egyptian Pharaohs for them to memorize if they wanted to for extra credit. He looked around the classroom. Most of his students were bored, some took notes. Aine hesitated before doodling in her notebook again. She knew all this stuff about Ancient Egypt due to the amount of time she spent at the museum. Still, she hoped her teacher would avoid picking on her. Not only was she considered a wallflower, but she was a know-it-all as well. Aine argued back with some of the students that if they actually were interested in learning and doing their share of the work, their teachers wouldn't always pick her.
Mr. Riley ended up choosing her despite her inward plea.
'Aine, would you care to elaborate on Merenkarah and his line of succession?'
She tried to stall her time as some of the class looked at her.
'Er…well, sir, there – there isn't too much information on his sons. Just that he had three and his youngest was to inherit the throne before his older brother. No one really knows what happened to the brothers or how they died. That's, erm, all I know really.'
In fact, she knew a lot more than she let on but she just didn't want to be mocked or ridiculed again by her peers. Her stomach finally stopped churning after Mr. Riley diverted his attention elsewhere. After his lesson, the bell rang and Aine went to lunch. Biology was last and it wouldn't take too long, hopefully.
. . .
The final bell rang and Aine bolted out of her school. She dared not get her hopes up for Nicky Daley to keep his word but as she was walking back east, towards her home Nicky ran towards her and cut her off again. Aine jumped in surprise as he walked backwards beside her.
'I thought we were going to the museum for the evening?' Nicky asked.
'I thought you might have forgotten…' her voice trailed off.
'I promise you, Aine, I am a man of my word. You can ask anyone of my friends. Some other guys might have stood you up but I don't do that to girls. I'm more surprised at the fact that you were going to stand me up.'
Aine stopped and looked down in embarrassment.
'I'm sorry…I just, I'm not used to the attention. I tend to be cautious.'
'Hey, it's completely understandable.' Nicky said. 'Wanna grab a coffee before? You'll need it. My dad is gonna be there. We just have to wait in the security office until closing time. And the museum's this way,'
'I know where it is.' Aine said with a laugh. 'I guess we could get coffee.'
They left the school towards a coffee shop before heading to the museum that afternoon. The fact they were going together certainly drew some attention towards the other students outside the campus – one in particular who had reason to despise Aine Cavanaugh.