(Author's note: this is the background for my story "Death Wish". Main characters are property of Universal and Stephen Sommers, no copyright infringement intended.)
=== Egypt / Thebes / In the Temple of Osiris ===
They had thought they were safe, SHE had believed it, watching the Pharao and his entourage go out for hunting in the desert this very morning. Meant he would not come back to the city, the palace and her for two or three days and nights! What a relief! At least two days, if she was lucky, even more, of freedom from Seti's possessiveness! A part of her wished again he would die out there, an accident perhaps, like last year to the Vizier... Accidents happened all the time, why not now? But Ancksunamun knew destiny wouldn't be so kind to her! Nothing was ever kind to her in this place, except for one person - the one she was forbidden to see even from a distance for two months now! After one of these creeping servants had talked about how very devout Pharao's mistress obviously was in visiting the temple of Osiris. Damned little toady! Perhaps Ramses had paid him! Seti's eldest son didn't like her – too great was the danger she could give the Pharao another son, another concurrent for the throne!
Nervously she looked down on her so-hated bodypainting. Seti had given the order it should be applied with special diligence while he was away. She had learned how to fake it with some help, but it became more and more difficult. Why does he not simple chain me on the wall?! Did he have any suspicions? If he had, this day and this meeting with Imhotep would be her death sentence… And his as well.... But either way she was as good as dead, if she could not find a solution to her problem soon!
Hasty steps. Ancksunamun held her breath. But no! No danger! It was the High priest himself, and one moment later she followed him to the inner court of the temple and deeper in the sanctuary. Still they did not dare to speak anything or even touch one another. Still there could be Seti's spies watching!
It was only in the crypt of the temple, the most sacred and forbidden place, they finally stopped and embraced…
But today there was not the time to forget the world outside, to plunge into an ocean of love and lust, things had come about. Terrible things! "Imhotep, I have to talk to you! Something… something really, really nasty has happened!" She couldn't speak further, fighting against her tears and fear and the whole distasteful thing she was about to say any moment. She hated herself, but there was no other way! "I'm pregnant, and I'm pretty sure it is NOT Seti's child! He was on the campaign against the Nubians at that time! I'm so afraid anyone of the servants could notice –"
"W..what did you say?" A rhetorical question, she knew. He had perfectly understood every single word, the expression of shock on his face said as much.
Some time passed in awkward silence. "And you… are sure… it's not…" Imhotep tried finally.
"I am sure! And Seti is not such an idiot I could …" She sighed desperate and looked down on the floor. "I know it's your child… and … you must help me to …" She stopped in mid-sentence, because someone was coming.
Before she could muse about who it was, the sleek figure of Sennufer, Imhotep's friend, showed up. "Seti is here, with his guards! He wants to know where Ancksunamun is!"
"It was a trap!" she cried, feeling cold. "He set a trap for me! He or his ambitious sneaker of a son! Ramses always wanted to get rid of me!"
"Be calm, we might still find a way out…" Imhotep said now, intensely trying to concentrate. "Ancksunamun, you will go through the underground passage to the first court and the offering's chamber! You will say that you are there to make a holy sacrifice for the well being of His Majesty! – Sennufer, you will guide her! Hurry!"
"What about you? Remember, you should be on the Westbank visiting the construction of Seti's grave!"
"Yes, yes, I know! I … I go southward through the sanctuary and then … then... this should not be your concern right now! You must leave!"
"But –" Ancksunamun made a last attempt to hold her lover, but Imhotep had already vanished in the darkness of the crypt.
Ancksunamun had barely reached the offering's chamber, when the bangs on the heavy doors grew louder and Seti's very angry voice was to hear. "Open! IMMEDIATELY!"
She was still out of breath and she felt sick. Who had betrayed her? Where was Imhotep? He wouldn't do something stupid, wouldn't he?! The thoughts raced through her mind and she shivered. Sennufer looked back to her, and then left the room to join the other priests, open the doors and greet the Pharao. Ancksunamun tried to steady herself at the statue of Bastet, the goddess of love and life and joy… She whispered a silent prayer.
"What is your business here?" snapped Seti, obviously in bad temper; perhaps his son had already given him some 'ideas'… And before Ancksunamun could answer, he continued: "And WHO has touched you?"
He grabbed her arm and she now saw the smeared bodypaint herself. Curse it! She felt like dying. She searched for words, but found none. Then she spotted Imhotep behind the columns. Her eyes widened. O no, o no, run! Save yourself! What are you doing in here? Go!
"I want to know who has dared to TOUCH YOU!" Seti raised his hand ready to strike her.
And then everything happened so fast that she hadn't time to think anymore.
Two, three paces and Imhotep was behind the Pharao, seized the sword of the king from the scabbard. Seti jerked around, surprised as he recognized his opponent and then furious crying for his guards.
Ancksunamun jumped backwards to the offering table and her hands closed around the pommel of one of the ceremonial daggers there. Using her own momentum and Seti's she prodded the blade in his waist. He tried to reach her, as another blow hit him, this time from Imhotep. The Pharao tilted over, gasping and choking. She had always thought she would feel glorious at the moment he finally died – but now she felt only fear. Cold, naked fear clutching her throat! She was nearly paralyzed and trembled. Imhotep struck again. His eyes were full of fury right now. All the pain and desperation of the past two years burned behind them. This man should never again mistreat his beloved!
The sound of the approaching guards brought him to his senses. He regarded Ancksunamun and then the dead king lying in his blood beneath his feet. Ancksunamun grasped his hand. "What have we done?"
The Medjai-guards had nearly reached them; their footsteps banged through the building.
"You must go, Imhotep!" This was Sennufer's agitated voice. "We can't hold them back any longer! You must go NOW!"
The High priest hold Ancksunamun firmly, intended to push her first on the way of rescue, but she broke free. "There is not enough time! You must go! I stay, if they have me, they won't come after you! Otherwise they tear this place apart just to find us; we will never reach the walls in time!"
"NO! I can't leave you!"
"GO!" With this she lifted the ceremonial dagger from the dead body and turned towards the heavily armed intruders. One last glance at Imhotep... She wanted to die with the memory of his face.
"Ancksunamun, I –"
"Only you can resurrect me!" She turned away, faced the Medjai and smiled. No, Ramses, you'll never enjoy torturing me to death... She pointed the dagger at her chest and let herself fall. Imhotep... I will always love you...