I'm back, again. I'll be updating this story tonight and then deleting and rewriting another chapter for another tomorrow. If you guys want to get updates on my activity, make sure to add me to your favorites!

Benji walked through the market, a silk mask wrapped around his face as he peered through it. He looked at the commoners walk about, selling their wares and mingling amongst each other. Benji turned a corner before looking both ways of the alleyway and then walking into a side door hidden from the main street. Benji closed the door behind him, taking in a deep sigh of relief before unwrapping the fabric around his face.

"Etan? Are you there?" Benji whispered into the dark house, small candles casting a small flickering glow amongst the room. Benji turned his gaze to the side whenever he saw movement, watching as a man jumped down from the roof supports.

"I am sorry my love, I did not know if you who you were at first." came a male voice as Benji smiled and watched the masked figure sheath two daggers and undo a mask around his face. Benji walked forth and cupped the smaller man's cheeks and leaned in for a chaste kiss. After several seconds, he pulled back breathless as he smiled at Etan's glowing brown eyes.

"I have missed you my love. The bed was quite cold without your slumbering body next to mine." Etan said back, reaching up and tracing his fingers across Benji's bare cheek. Benji closed his eyes as he leaned into the comforting touch, basking in his lover's warmth for a few seconds.

"Alas my love, I have news of which you may not find quite exciting. My mother knows...of us." Benji said, opening his eyes to see Etan's face deadpan before he dropped his hand away.

"What?! But how?" Etan asked, backing up slowly as he turned around and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Whenever I left for my travels, she had spies follow me to make sure I was safe. Along the way, one of them must have seen us together and reported back to her that I was seeing someone in secret." Benji answered, stepping forth as he grabbed Etan's hand and pulled him close once more.

"Wait, what if she has someone watching us right now?" Etan asked worriedly as Benji chuckled to himself lightly.

"I took great care in making sure I couldn't be followed, we are safe from prying eyes for now my love. My mother and I talked, she has promised to keep this between her and I for now." Benji said, trying to ease some of Etan's worries.

"If the Pharaoh finds out though, he will have my head. You...you are a God, while I am nothing more than a commoner." Etan said, his hands pressed up against Benji's chest as Benji reached up and brushed aside some of the smaller strands of hair.

"Yes, you are correct on that front my love. As a God, I can have anything I want and what I want is you. As long as you are with me you shall be safe, I promise." Benji said once more before slowly leaning in once more and connecting their lips in a slow but passionate kiss. After several moments of their lips moving together in sync, Benji finally pulled back for air.

"Now come, I have some time before I have to be back at the palace. Let's spend it with each other." Benji said before taking Etan's hand and leading him towards the door, both of them putting on their masks.

Later That Evening

Benji stuck his head beyond a wall, looking both ways before sneaking down the hall back to his room. He could hear the distant chatter of guards making their rounds before he finally dashed back into his room and closed the door.

"Well, well, look who returns." came a seductive voice as Benji jumped back, unsheathing his hidden dagger as he held it at point. From the balcony doors came a woman, tall and slender as she walked forth and dropped a few flowers petals from her finger tips.

"What are you doing in my room Nefertiti?" Benji asked, standing firm as he sheathed his dagger once more before watching the woman lean up against one of his bed's marble pillars.

"What, a old friend can't come and say hello?" Nefertiti said, her voice soft and lustful. Benji looked at her eyes, a deep blood red eye shadow applied around the edges and her lips tinged gold. He could tell she was wearing a very thin gown, the wind from the outside slightly ruffling the bottom of it.

"If I remember correctly, you threw a tantrum and tried to have me exiled whenever I refused your advances shortly before I took my leave." Benji said with disgust, walking towards the door and opening it for Nefertiti to leave.

"Oh but twas the past my Highness. It has been many moons since then,can we not gracefully move forward from that?" she said, sashaying her way over to Benji as she circled around him and traced her fingers on his shoulder where his robe did not cover.

"I may forgive, but I do not forget. Now please leave, or I will have you escorted out." Benji replied, watching as the young maiden huffed before charging past him and out of his room. Benji closed the door to his room once more before walking into the separate room where a bath of steaming water rested, rose petals drifting on the water's glassy surface. He smiled to himself as he let his robe drop from his body, stepping forth as he stepped slowly into the water before finally wading in. A female servant girl walked in with a jug of mineral salt, kneeling down near the waters edge as she poured the salt in with a graceful turn of the wrist.

"Have my blue silk robe brought out, I wish to wear it tonight at my celebration." Benji said, closing his eyes as he felt the mineral salt begin to sooth his skin.

"Yes your Highness, right away!" the servant girl said before bowing down and standing once more, leaving the room. Benji could hear the crickets and cicada's outside, chirping away as he slowly let his head go under the water, causing few petals to ripple away from him.

That Night

Benji sat at his throne, off to the side from his mother and father's. Other royalty stood around a circle where two women dressed in golden armor dulled each other. Benji watched, both perplexed and entranced by the fluid moves of both women as they clashed their daggers together. He watched as one woman swiped the others dagger right tout of her hand as it went skidding across the floor. He scooted up further in his throne as he watched the defenseless woman race to one of the weapons racks, picking up a sword as she swung high and low at her attacker. Benji smiled to himself as she knocked both of the daggers out of her assailants hands, bringing the sword to a stop at the other woman's neck. The room erupted with applause as Benji stood up and clapped, his father looking at him with amusement.

"My son is pleased with your performance. You may take your rest now." the Pharaoh directed at both the women, both of them taking a kneel before grabbing their weapons and walking off.

"My fellow people, my son, your prince of the Nile; has returned!" the Empress said as she stood and walked forth towards the marble steps, directing her hand over to Benji as her sleeve dangled from her arm elegantly.

"Tonight, we shall feast in celebration!" the Pharaoh said happily, standing at his wife's side. Suddenly the room turned it's attention to a pair of hands clapping at the doorway. Benji watched as a tall and slender woman walked through the crowd towards them. Her skin darker than the mud at the Nile's banks, eyes as crimson as of the red scarab beetle.

"Auset, what are you doing in my palace!?" Pharaoh Amenhotep hollered out, the crowd backing away from the woman as two guards clashed their swords together in front of her.

"Is that any way to greet a old family friend Amenhotep?" the woman asked, raising her hands as she blasted away the swords and continued walking as a short gasp escaped Benji's lips.

"You are no family friend of this family, and you are not welcome in my kingdom!" Benji's father yelled as the woman stopped at the base of the marble steps.

"Ah yes, your precious little kingdom. A prosperous nation, filled with gold and gems and God's...is that what your calling yourselves now?" Auset asked, her blood red eyes staring the Pharaoh down as he returned the deadly glare.

"Such a shame though, what happened to my kingdom in the West." Auset said in return as she turned her gaze to Benji, smiling at him deviously.

"You know that I could not send you my troops, I wasn't going to risk the lives of my soldiers for a kingdom doomed to fail already." Amenhotep said, Auset glaring back at him as she punched her fists together before taking a deep breath and relaxing them.

"We could have been such great allies Amenhotep, we could have ruled over all the desert sands together: two powerful nations right beside each other. Your ignorance has cost you that I am afraid, and much more. You shall see in time." Auset said, turning her gaze back to Benji as she turned on her heel and walked back out of the room, leaving the room abuzz as everyone looked back to the Pharaoh.

"Guards, make sure that she leaves the palace and our kingdom for good! I do not want to see her back in my sight!" Benji's father barked out, a few armed guards walking out of the room as the Pharaoh waved his hand over the crowd.

"Come my people, let us forget this small interruption and continue our night of feasting and celebration!" the Pharaoh said, Benji taking his seat once more as he tried to push the image away of those blood red eyes gazing at him. He felt uneasy, only a feeling Etan could make disappear.

So, what do y'all think! Please review!