Disclaimer I don't own anything of the Mummy movies. Just my own characters and plot. constructive criticism is well welcomed!

Alx: Well that was way too close!

Me: oh stop whining it's going to get worse later on anyways.

Alx: What is that supposed to mean!?

Me: *hums along happily* it's for me to know and you to find out *smirks*

Chapter 7

The New Accompaniment

The night was without anymore incidents to which we were all quite thankful for, as the sun started to peek up over the horizon I could feel Amun shifting a bit against my stomach, but I remained asleep; I was so exhausted from the night's events, as well as being drugged with chloroform. I'd toss and turn a bit in my sleep as what seemed to be an open vision of some sorts; though I am quite still skeptical over such things. In this vision I was walking down a long corridor hall way back in ancient times, as if some important ceremony was starting to go on. The hall was decorated beautifully with gold, red paint on the walls: and black painted hieroglyphs though I couldn't get a close enough look to really read what they had said; you know being a curious woman I wanted to know more of what they were depicting. Though my curiosity was short lived as I walked up to what seemed to be a thrown of sorts, before I realized it I had a red and white crown on my head with a golden serpent at the front of it. A crook and fail in each of my hands crossed over as I was going to be taking the role of pharaoh; but something even stranger surprised me, Ardeth was kneeling right in front of me "My queen pharaoh, I will continue to serve you, as I have your grandfather before you; and we know that you will rule us well" his voice seemed much more serious and regal. When he lifted his head my eyes would go wide and before I could really understand anything I woke up with my breath hitched in my throat as sweat poured down from my face.

I suck in a deep breath as I finally breath, which of course as I quickly sat up Amun was knocked off of my stomach, though being glad cats always lands on their feet. 'What the hell?!' Amun's meows reach my mind as I slowly get my breath under control once again "sorry it was a really...creepy dream..was all" I mutter softly as I look at him with apologetic eyes. '...hmm..alright' I heard my cat's words in my mind, as if he was debating whether or not to inquire of the dream, but he would turn and hop on to the low table and start to clean his paws. I would finally glance around, taking notice that Ardeth wasn't in the tent, which slightly worried me, but also was a great relief to me as I didn't feel quite like explaining that dream to him. Finally shaking the dream from my mind I would get up to my feet from my hammock and stretch out a bit and yawn, before rubbing against my eyes in a childish manner, before I would glance around thinking about brushing my hair and teeth. I find my small bathroom bag, and pull out my toothpaste and toothbrush, going over to a small basin I found in the corner of the tent with some water I set to brushing my teeth. Once I felt that they were clean enough I would rinse my mouth with a bit of water and spit it out into the small cup that sat next to it, before pulling out my soft bristled dark blue hair brush and and begin to run it though my pure white locks of hair. I would brush it through enough to make sure all of the knots where out of it, before taking my brush, toothbrush and toothpaste back to my bag; gently placing them back in their proper place, just before Ardeth came back in. He had a soft smile against his lips: this only making this man looking more like a handsome handcrafted piece of artwork, that would make any woman drool, but me of course.

"Good morning Alxiea, did you sleep well little one?" he asked me with a playful smirk, which only caused my lips to curl into a pout, "how many times have I told you I'm not little" I whine at him a bit, before deciding after another scolding that I would answer his question. "I slept fine.." I mumble a bit as I don't really want to recount my dreams to him, or well vision, at this point I can't even tell what is reality and what isn't; so I plan to just stay skeptical of it all. I was just a simple girl trying to accomplish a simple dream of mine, and yet I am here in the middle of the desert with a man I've known only for two whole day, and yet I feel strangely safe around him. Ardeth would only chuckle slightly at my scolding, causing my lips to turn more into a pout slash frown, "Well you are little, so your just going to have to get used to it from now on, until you can prove otherwise" he said with one of those charming playful smirks. All I could do in response was to puff out my cheeks and cross my arms over my chest, "your a piece of work you know that!" I huffed out; which I am quite sure just proved his point, but I was slightly frustrated. I also wanted to quickly figure out how to be less childish around him, despite the fact that no matter what I did he seemed to already want to keep that title of his a persistent one for me. "Well thank you, little one, now I'm glad you rested well, I have some news for you" he told me, which quickly caused my attention and attitude to shift quickly with intrigue of the new situation. "Since last night's events occurred we are going to have a few more Maji join us in our journey." he informed me. This made me raise an eye brow "Well let's just hope their not as persistent as you are, and I think we might get along just fine, old man" I huff out, though truly this scared me a bit.

One of my reactions is usually to rebuttal things in this manner when it does, and somehow he totally seen right through my little charade of words, because he approached me closer, gently taking his hands and placing them on either side of my arms. "Don't worry so much, they are my most trusted me, and they will take very good care of you; so keep your chin up and smile, little one" he told me with a kind smile. This was reassuring me quite a bit, I always wondered how he was able to read me as if he was reading a book, could it of been something with that dream I had; I couldn't be sure this was all still so overwhelming for me and I frankly was not ready to accept anything that illogical to my practical mind. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly before going to answer my handsome Arab guard, or well at least what I could consider him as for right now. "Alright...I just think this is all much...I mean are you even sure I'm the right girl you have...I just been...I don't know...seeing crazy things that just don't make any sense" I told him with a sigh that just seemed to portray that I was slightly sinking into despair with everything. Ardeth looks at me a bit more serious as his amazing brown eye, pierce through my deep midnight blue ones "What have you been seeing little one?" he asks me seriously, yet strangely calm.

"Uh...it's nothing...really" I mutter out, as I drop my gaze to my feet, not really wanting to explain last night's dream, as I think things through I did just encounter my first traumatic experience last night and he was my savior. I realized it might just be my subconscious trying to work through what has happened, and Ardeth was only there because of that. "Little Lexi, you are always welcome to share with me what your going through, and I want you to know what you've been dreaming and seeing isn't you going crazy, there is a perfectly logical explanation to all of it, though it might not be the answer your longing for" Ardeth explained to me as his hand reached up and softly stroked against my cheek. 'ugh! this man, just always knows just how to comfort me with his gentle, yet strong touches...I'm going to be doomed at this rate' I thought to myself, before sighing a bit. "Thank you, but I don't think I'm comfortable with sharing any of it right now...it makes no sense and is all confusing to me" I mutter out softly as my cheeks flush a bit from his continued soft strokes. "Alright, little princess...I'm here for you when you are ready to reveal these things" he said with the utmost kindness and respect, though still calling me little was a simple thing to cause my cheeks to puff out.

"Can you stop that" I whine out as my cheeks flushed ever more red from the silly little nick name, which only caused a chuckle from his lips. "Never" he told me with a smirk, causing my jaw to drop, which in retaliation Ardeth chuckled at me "Come on little one it's time for some breakfast, we have some eggs, toast and sweet cakes" he told me as he took my hand and led me to the low table. He would gently sit me down in my spot with plate in his right hand and the fork in the left hand, completely ready to feed me as if I was a child. "Ardeth!" I whine out "I can feed myself you know!" I huffed a bit as my cheeks turned a deep rosy red and he just shook his head at me "No, I told you I'd feed you" he said simply. My mouth dropping open wide and before I could protest at all the first bite of food was in my mouth, no other choice I close my mouth around it and start to chew on it, though a pout gracing my lips. "I'm beginning to think that your enjoying this a bit to much" I huffed, before another bite was put in my mouth. "Now, little one you know it's not nice to talk with your mouth full of food" he scolded me a bit, which sent a jolt though my body, deep to the core of my being. It was a strange feeling, which only caused me to fall silent: well at least until my food was finish, which was totally amazing by any desert standards of food. "So...um when are the other's supposed to get here?" I asked him curiously while sipping on some hot brewed tea.

"They will be here by this afternoon, and from here we will be on our way and journey once again, little one; so in the mean time I want to rest as much as you possibly can" Ardeth tole me gently as he softly stroke my face, before I knew it I was back inside of his arms and grip. "A-Ardeth I-let me down" I begin to demonstrate my dislike for this treatment all the while my face was a deep flushed red color against my fairer skin. "Hush, and go and get some sleep now" he told me softly, yet firmly, before he walked me over to my hammock: placing me inside of it and covering me with a think light blanket. My face was quite flushed as I cross my arms and huff "Ardeth I'm not even tired!" I told him as I narrowed my eyes a bit at him, 'it's like he thinks I can't do anything for myself, where is this suddenly coming from, I am starting to convince myself this is more of a dream than reality, but then again thinking of last night, it's also hard to believe it isn't real. it's like all the lines of reality and fantasy are being blurred; and I absolutely hate it.' I thought quietly to myself as he shook his head at me a bit. "I can always tell you a story then, little one" he said with a soft chuckle, though his eyes as they looked into mine held a since of longing, but also some hidden distances as well. Finally I decided since he wasn't going to give up that I'd just give in to what he wants for me "Alright, fine...but it better be a good one" I told him with a childish poutfull tone, before running my hand through my white locks and settling down into my hammock to listen.

Ardeth would pull a small wooden brown stool over and sit on it, smiling in victory at finally getting me to relent to his requests of laying down and listening to a story of his; this only made me feel much more child like than nearly being an adult. I took a deep breath as I do my best just to relax as he smirks at me a bit "Long ago, in ancient times there was a great pharaoh who gave her life for her entire country and people" he began the story. This only made me more curious as there weren't many women pharaohs ever recorded in their history, unless you count Cleopatra, or Nefertiti, though she had that for such a short period of time. Ardeth seemed to notice my new peeked interest and continued on with his story "She was the most fairest, beautiful and strongest pharaoh that ever ruled; and most likely the most just one. Her heart was pure, in she did everything she could to keep her people happy, safe and the land wealthy in supplies, foods, ships, even the fighting army. Though being that people wanted her death, she also had a set of a handful of guards, that were called the Maji, and only their leader was assigned to protect her form such threats." he continued to story. I was watching him intensely as he told me the story, but what he didn't know was that I could actually see this woman before my eyes, as well as her personal guard.

This was so surprising to me, but I wanted to know more about this beautiful woman, which I might add looked like me quite a bit; which if your me is very unnerving and uncanny for brain to wrap around this. Not only did I see her, but Ardeth as well, supposing he was the Maji leader and was always with her, as a good guard should do in these times. "So, she would spend her time training and studying with the leader, so that if by some misfortune she and he ended up separated she could easily take care of herself. Though what the two of them didn't know with spending so much spare time together, and just about everyday, they started to fall in love with each other. This of course was a forbidden love, as most Pharaohs would marry within the family, but because of how different she was from others of the past she decided to marry this man, even against her advisers warnings." Ardeth said as I watched the scene playing out before me. These open visions are growing more intense for me and almost like I was there, or strangely enough she and I were like the same; quite difficult to wrap my head around it fully. "After they were married, all of the advisers and high ranking officials began to plot against the queen, the best way they knew how of was using the scorpion king's army. Once they had awakened it, she was furious at finding out that they had did this to her, just because of who she was in love with." he told me as he seemed to be rounding towards a tragic event, which I wasn't quite ready to witness first hand.

"Once the Pharaoh was aware of this, she gathered together all the strongest warriors in the entire country, and decided to make a stand against the army. Just on the outskirts of the city she was met with the undead army, as well as their captain; the scorpion king himself. The young fair beauty fought with him, but in the battle she lost quite a bit of blood, with the spear of Osiris she was able to finally send him back to the underworld with his army. There would be of course a cost for all of this, her life was quickly fading from her body; her king and best friend found her fallen in the sand and was with her until the moments of her last breath; he had promised her to care for their children and keep them out of the hands of the advisers and to bury the scorpion king's bracelet with her body so that it couldn't be found by anyone." he ended the story. I hadn't realized I had tears streaming down my cheeks, before I realized it Ardeth's hand softly was wiping them away "Get some rest little one" he told me, but I was so tired that it wouldn't of mattered to me to sleep, but at this point I knew that he wouldn't relent me of going to sleep. I would give a light nod, and a small gentle yawn just before turning onto my side. Feeling Ardeth cover me with the blanket, was comforting in an odd way, but sleep over took me quite quickly and I was fast asleep, before he walked just outside of the tent.

Ardeth's P.O.V.

Just as she had fallen fast asleep I step outside to wait for our other companions to arrive, I wondered if she even remotely realized that the story was about her past, our past. Yet at the same time I hope that she doesn't realize it, as I am sure that learning the truth now might be devastating. I am fairly convinced her spirit is starting to wake up with dreams and visions as I have been hearing her mumbling in her sleep a few times, but I won't let her know until she is ready to tell me herself. It was only about an hour or two later when four other men road up quickly on fairly fast black horses, all dressed in their traditional black robes and garbs causing a smile to form against my face. I honestly couldn't wait for them to meet their princess, as we knew of who she was and where we needed to take her; deep into the pools of remembrance. They are as old as the story that I told her, which her previous self had erected so that if some chance they got to be reincarnated they would serve the purpose to remind her of everything she was. Though there was also another part of her that I had yet to learn of, which I wouldn't of been surprised by a lot for when I learn of what it is. In my eyes she will always be my little one, whether she likes the nickname or not; it was always special to me and it's impossible not to look at her like that when she still acts so childish. "Leader Ardeth" the four men get off their horses and bow their heads towards me, causing me to do the same "I'm so glad that you could come as quickly as you did; the most important thing is her safety, she has a role to fulfill as each of us were given by God to do so" I inform them.

They nod and place their hands over their hearts signifying their loyalty to me and to her, "Wait here and I'll bring her out to introduce you to her" I tell them, before entering back into the tent to see a still sleeping girl, curled up in the most adorable ball. "Little princess" I whispered softly to her while gently stroking the crown of her head "it's time to wake up, we must continue on with our journey" I told her softly. She would begin to slowly stir and mumble at me a bit, which just caused a soft chuckle to escape past my lips "if you won't wake up, I'll be just as happy to carry you" I told her in a teasing tone. This only lead me to be stared at deeply with one eye open, as I was watching her debate within herself of what she wanted to do; though taking notice that she seemed to want to be carried, but being a bit to prideful she wouldn't ever ask me for that. So instead of waiting for a response I quickly scooped her up into my arms "There, now my little one should be all better now" I told her with a soft kiss to her forehead. "H-Hey...I can walk you know" she grumbled at me, but just snuggled herself against my chest, causing me to muse a bit and hum. "Of course you can, but I figured you didn't quite feel like you wanted to little one" I told her with a slight smirk against my lips. At this point I know I'm wining her heart, as she seemed to be reluctant to fight against me, but then again I also haven't been taking 'no' as answer from her. I swear though if this girl doesn't become my wife soon I may go nuts; she's exactly what I need and she's perfect just as she is, though it made me wonder if the O'Connell's could approve such a gap in a relationship between myself and their daughter.

Once outside of our tent I quickly push those thoughts aside and begin to introduce our new travel companions to little Alxiea. "Little Lexi, this is Obai, Herasi, Embel, and Mudi" I tell her as I gently set her down against the ground. "It's nice to meet you all...thank you for coming to help us along the way" she told them kindly, though there seemed to be lots of curiosity against her face about them. It was almost as if she had met or seen them some where before; this really worries me as I know her spirit is waking up more and more; and once she woke up and we aren't in those pools we might have lots of trouble on our hands. "Well shall we go now? I've already gotten our things packed, but your personal items, you and Amun" I told her with a soft light smile. I can see the men looking at me then to Alxiea, they apparently took note of how I looked at her and she at me. "I just have my personal bag and Amun to get then.." she told me and went inside to fetch the both of them and quickly came back out. "We're all ready" she said softly as Amun was wrapped around her shoulders and her small bag in hand, causing me to smile a bit more 'she's beyond beautiful..' I thought to myself. Of course at this point I've kept all my thoughts to myself, as I also want to give her time to fall in love with me as I have with her already, and of course knowing our past and that we are meant to be together as soulmates gave me a slight edge, and possibly a bit more confidence to keep calling her my little one.

I'd walk with her over towards the horses and camels, gently placing my arms around her waist and helping her up onto the camel "Are you comfortable little one?" I ask her, making sure that her dress stayed perfectly in place. I did always prefer a modest woman, though she did have beautiful assets, I couldn't stand the thought of any other man looking at what belonged to me; even if she didn't know she did. I don't think of her as my property or anything of the sort, but sometimes as a man I can to get jealous and want to keep my beautiful little Lexi all hidden from peeping eyes. "I'm fine...and stop calling me little!...I'm not that small" she told me as she puffed out her cheeks. This caused me to chuckle softly before my hands would softly slip around her hips once again and give them a gentle rub, softly trailing them up at her sides a bit. I could feel her stomach quiver a bit under my touch, just as her face flushed a deep crimson red; which was what I was really after. "Nope, your still little...and quite adorable when you blush" I teased her a bit, which made her face just flush darker. "L-Let's ju-just g-go!" she managed out as she clicked her tongue and started to walk out of camp, as I quickly got up onto my camel and followed after her a smirk set on my face as I hear her grumblings. Obai, Herasi, Embel, and Mudi would all chuckle a bit at our encounters "Well looks like someone's been smitten by the princess goddess" Obai said with a smirk at me "or is it the fact of your past lives?" Mudi said causing them all to laugh a bit. "Shh, she doesn't know nothing of it...at least not yet and I'd like her to discover it for herself...and this form of herself is very skeptical on the supernatural side of life" I inform them as we head out deeper into the desert; unsure of what will hold for us along the way.

A/N: Please tell me what you all think of this chapter, it took me about a week to get it finished. I also apologize for such a late update life has been keeping me quite busy, hope you enjoy. Of course constructive criticism is always welcome and appreciated!

Thanks Alx