Chapter Fourteen
The next night, Sacajawea insisted that Ahkmenrah and Bek continue to rest, but the young pharaoh refused to remain separate from his sister. As soon as Larry and Sacajawea left his tomb, Ahk grabbed the blanket draped over him immediately went into Bek's display.
There, he found her lying on a long Greek bench just as she had been the night before. She was already sound asleep, or perhaps she had not yet woken, her chest softly rising and falling under the Mongol fur Atilla had been bringing to her. Ahk pulled her small throne-like chair that had once stood in their father's throne room from a display case set it close to Bek's sleeping form.
Keeping his blanket draped around his shoulders, Ahk sat at Bek's side, gently taking her hand in his. Bringing it to lips, he placed a soft kiss on the back of it and held to his cheek. "Tonight, I will watch over you, dear sister," he whispered in Egyptian.
Suddenly, her eyes fluttered open. "Ahkmen?" she murmured. "What are you doing here? You need to rest, brother."
He firmly shook his head. "I am not leaving. You're stuck with me tonight."
A small smile graced Bek's lips. "Then let's find a more comfortable spot for you."
Sacajawea and Teddy decided to check in on the Egyptian royals, Jed and Octavius tagging along to take up their station in Bek's exhibit once more. They were all surprised at the sight that met their eyes in the garden-tomb. Ahkmenrah tomb was empty, as well as the long bench Larry and Atilla had place Bek on earlier.
Beneath a large palm tree near the lotus pool that they found the pharaoh and princess. They lay side-by-side, Ahk wrapped up in a thick pioneer quilt and Bek cocooned in Atilla's fur, fast asleep. Their bodies were angled a bit away from each other, but their heads were close, both resting on one large Persian cushion. Ahk lay on his back, his head tilted slightly to the side, his temple resting against the top of Beks head. She lay curled up on her side, facing him, one hand peeking out from under the fur to rest on his shoulder.
"I told him to stay in his tomb and rest," Sacajawea sighed.
When she started to move forward, Teddy stopped her. "Let them be, my dear," he said softly. "This is the most peacefully I've seen them sleep since this all started." He smiled fondly down on them. "Just like when they were young, I imagine."
With one last look at the sleeping pair, she nodded. "Very well, darling," she conceded and let Teddy lead her out.
Jed looked over at Octavius. "You plan on stayin' don't ya."
"Of course, Jedediah," Octavius replied. "The Pharaoh gave us a charge; I, for one, intend to keep it."
Jed grinned at his best friend, slinging his arm around the Roman's shoulders. "I thought you'd say that, partner."
As the hours past, Octavius found himself watching the slumbering Egyptians and almost wishing he could be in Ahk's place at Bek's side.