"You don't remember the first time we visited this river, do you?"
It came as a question, and Ahkmenrah laughed, knowing it was impossible for him to remember such details. He had only been a few months old after all. "Not a bit. Mother told me stories, though."
Kahmunrah smiled, a twisted smile that didn't reach his eyes. The young pharaoh missed this, too busy gazing at the river with a carefree grin on his face. "Ah yes, her stories."
Ahkmenrah turned to his brother. "Why did you call me out here?"
Kahmunrah watched his brother play in the water. At 12 years old, the child was almost inseparable from the water. He loved to swim in the water, especially in the moon's light, away from prying eyes where he could be himself.
Kahmunrah knew this, for he knew his brother better than anyone else. He knew how Ahkmenrah had a certain dislike for the boiled vegetables served with dinner, and a weakness for the expensive honey. He knew that Ahkmenrah feared cramped spaces, and reasoned that perhaps that was why he loved swimming so dearly, for the water was endless freedom that did not seek to trap him. He knew Ahkmenrah cried after nightmares, and eventually would sneak out to swim when sleep would not find him again.
So it would be obvious that Ahkmenrah would be here, the night after Shepshere's death. Kahmunrah himself, unable to sleep, soon found himself following his brother's footsteps, but instead sat on the beach and watched his brother, a change of dry clothes next to him as well as a thin set of linens. It was rather cold, this night.
Hours seemed to pass before Ahkmenrah finally crawled out of the water. He collapsed next to Kahmunrah, sand sticking to his bare form. Without a word, the older of the two threw the linens over the younger brother.
The two did not speak, but Ahk could not hold his tears in for long. The boy was just a child, and had just lost his mother. While Kahmunrah's love for their mother had long since faded, just as he seemed to, but he loved his brother more than anything, so when Ahkmenrah curled up in his lap, wrapped tightly in the damp and sandy cloth, Kahmunrah held him tightly and ran his fingers soothingly through Ahkmenrah's tangled and wet hair.
"I miss her, Kah," Ahkmenrah hiccuped through the tears.
"I know you do."
"For memories sake," Kahmunrah answered smoothly. The hand he lent on clenched tightly, but the sand passed through his fingers leaving him nothing to hold onto. "What stories did mother tell you?"
Ahkmenrah seemed surprised that Kahmunrah asked, but happy nonetheless. His eyes lit up in that adorable way they did when he was a child, a look Kahmunrah had attempted to draw from him at every moment possible.
"She told me," Ahkmenrah began with a smile as he absentmindedly traced patterns in the sand. "That the first time they brought us to this beach, you were so excited and tried to teach me how to swim."
Kahmunrah's eyebrows shot up. "Is that so?"
"You're gonna teach me how to swim?!"
Kahmunrah glared at his little brother, who he has just dragged out of the stupid river. The boy had nearly drowned, was breathing heavily, and dripping from head-to-toe. The cheeky grin on his face made Kahmunrah wonder if he should have just let the eight year old drown. It wouldn't technically have been his fault... ah, who was he kidding? Their parents would kill him if Ahkmenrah was so much as scratched. That, and how could he ever wish harm against his beloved little brother?
"I have to, or you'll end up drowning before the day is up," Kahmunrah said with a huff. He tugged at Ahkmenrah's cheek and scowled, "and don't you ever pull anything like that again!"
Ahkmenrah rubbed at his cheek, but his grin never faded. He rocked back and forth eagerly, and when Kahmunrah didn't move quickly enough, he grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the water.
The duo spent the rest of the day splashing around in the water. Occasionally attempts to learn a stroke collapsed into a water fight, usually started by Ahkmenrah. Kahmunrah was quick to join the fight - he really couldn't resist and really, he always won. And if Ahkmenrah won, it was because Kahmunrah let him.
That's what he told himself, at least.
"I remember it quite differently," Kahmunrah asked with something of a laugh. He shifted on the sand, and rose to his feet. "Join me for a swim?"
Ahkmenrah didn't question his brother, only sent him that dazzling smile that charmed so many, and hopped to his feet. "I'll race you in."
The two slipped beneath the water, swimming carefully. Many minutes of silence passed before Ahkmenrah finally asked, "How do you remember it?"
Kahmunrah could remember very clearly the first time he had visited this river with his little brother. The boy had been only a few months old. Kahmunrah still didn't like him, and when their family takes a trip to the river (the place his parents had apparently met, apparently making this trip was very important. Kahmunrah could care less) he seized his chance to be rid of the small, strange creature.
It was rare that his parents didn't have their eyes on their precious son, the blessed son of Egypt, yadda yadda yadda. Frankly, Kahmunrah was sick of it. He used to have all the attention, and suddenly he wasn't good enough for it? Because some wrinkled, ugly creature that screamed at all hours of the night? Besides that, all the thing did was eat, defecate, and sleep.
Well, he would end it soon. He figured his parents would be happy to have this strange "brother" disappear. It was nothing more than a nuisance, they would praise him once the creature was defeated.
He saw his chance the moment his parents turned away. The five year old easily lifted the baby from his cradle without his mother's watchful eye catching the movement. The weight caught him off guard, but he was soon stumbling across the sand, towards the water. A few more steps and he would be rid of this demon.
Kahmunrah heard shouting behind him, but he did not stop. He carried himself as fast as his little legs would take him, until the cold water rushed over his feet, and then flooded around his knees. He screeched to a halt. This was it - he would finally be rid of this little demon. He turned around, glancing at the adults who were gaining on him, and prepared to drop Ahkmenrah.
And then he slipped.
Little Kahmunrah tumbled backwards into the water, landing on his bum. The motion of the fall jostled the baby in his arms, and seconds later, they were both crying and wailing for their parents.
Shepshere was the first to arrive, and she scooped the baby from his arm, instantly putting all of her attention into the fussing baby. Moments later, Kahmunrah was pulled out of the water and face to face with a furious Merenkhare. It was that day that Kahmunrah learnt how valuable Ahkmenrah was - and how little he himself meant to their parents.
"How I remember it?" Kahmunrah watched his brother break the river's surface. Water flooded out his mouth, which hung open. Just like his eyes, frozen in a look of horror and betrayal. His skin was already losing its usual warmth, becoming cold as Kahmunrah heaved the body to shore. Kahmunrah found his bag that he had brought, and withdrew a thin linen blanket. Ignoring the chill of the wind that ran over his body, he unfolded it and threw it over his brother's corpse. He settled next to him, fighting the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes.
How much easier would it have been if he had been successful so many years ago? How much less regret would he carry? "I liked mother's story better."