Okay you guys. Here's some housekeeping items: I used some historical references in this story. I can't reveal too much yet but the Amorites, who did live in Babylon, played a big role in Egypt's transition into a militarized state. They also introduced horses and chariots. Another issue that will come up soon is the age issue. According to biblical references, Moses who comes almost 300 years after Amorites leave Egypt lived to be around 120. So the characters in this story should naturally live to be around 150… I think. But enough with all that. Soon more shall be revealed. REVIEW ALL! If you want more, you're gonna have to work for it. Heaven knows I do….

"Where is my son?" Anack demanded wildly. Her usual composure missing, hair mussed and out of control, the guards outside Endymion's chamber stared dumbly at the Prince's mother.

"Tell me!" She demanded shrilly catching the attention of other servants passing by.

"He left after dinner, your grace. We don't know where he is," they finally answered helplessly.

She fumed angrily and turned on her heel determined to find out Endymion's whereabouts from his beloved cousins. 'Surely someone had to know what Salik was planning on doing! I'm not a fool… I put two and two together the moment I saw him and Selene together. If anyone could stop this madness, it would be Endymion.'

She paused in shock and sudden understanding when Kenlum's chambers proved to be empty as well. Just as she suspected, Natum, Jaden, and Zachariah's chambers were deserted as well.

'They are together…with their women.'

Her sudden panic calmed by the warm knowledge that at least tonight, the young men were happily together with the young women who had earned their love and respect. She decided to give them peace until morning.

'If we cannot put a stop to the foreigner's plans, they will only have until the death of the moon to be together.'

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Damondius wiped his sweaty forehead with his forearm before climbing off his mount. He had finally made the days-long journey back into Babylon. His men were exhausted yet he was still energetic.

'How could I not be when I know the prize awaiting me back in Egypt?' He thought joyously.

He handed the reins of his horse to some stable boys before climbing the steps into his home- a masonry masterpiece decorated with the finest furs and silks from the orient.

Once he reached his private rooms, he was surprised and disgusted to see two dark women lounging upon his bed.

"Azal. Yetil. What are you doing here?"

The women looked up at him with heavily kohl-lined eyes before beckoning to him with their arms and legs.

"We've awaited your return for days, my lord," Azal replied bowing her head.

"It has been a long trip, my lord. Rest your weary bones with us," Yetil added with a come-hither smile.

Damondius fought the violent urge to vomit. He was beginning to notice things he often overlooked. The two whores, instead of looking voluptuous and desirable as usual, disgusted him. He could easily see the heavy wrinkles around their eyes and mouths. The breasts he used to love burying his face into looked like drooping fruit that no one bothered picking anymore. Their stomachs, although bare and decorated with gems and minerals to add sparkles to their tawny skin, were strategically placed to hide the stretch marks they had from illegitimate pregnancies. What had he ever seen in these women?

"Leave or die," he commanded.

It took the women a few minutes to understand that he wasn't joking, and then they were gone.

Then after stripping the sheets that reeked heavily of their sweat and perfumes, he fell face first onto the bed and uttered the one word that gave him hope in such an ugly world.

"Selene…"

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"Selene!"

The cry was passionate against her neck. She bit her lip from screaming. How did he do this to her? How could he show her a whole new world just from touching and tasting her body?

The birds in the lagoon stirred sleepily as they chattered annoyed, wishing the passionate couple amidst them would just rest and let them actually sleep for a night. But the two lovers took no heed of their chirps and peeps. They had waited all day for this moment to be together.

After Selene, Mina, and Iris' return back to their home, they had taken up their usual tasks again especially since Amy had recovered fully. Endymion and his cousins also returned to training physically. Just because Egypt wasn't a militarized civilization, the royal men were still expected to know their way around weapons in case they ever had to defend themselves. Each busy with their own affairs, the pair could only make time to get away from their responsibilities at night when they would meet at the lagoon after the sun set.

And they hadn't been the only ones. Each of their friends slipped out to find their other pair as well, and the silent knowledge between them only brought them closer to each other. While Selene and Endymion met in the lagoon, Mina and Kenlum would rendezvous in the royal training areas the men used during the day. Raye and Jaden met under their sycamore as usual while Lita and Natum rejoined in her private kitchen. Finally, and this caused everyone to smile, Zachariah found a secret passage that led from the kitchens to the library for Amy. Everyone knew that only those two would find being together surrounded by scrolls on every imaginable subject romantic.

But those thoughts were far from the present couple's minds as Endymion held a shuddering Selene against his broad chest, her cheek pressed against his left pectoral. The fast rhythm of his heart was slowing to a contented beat as her gasping breaths returned to normal as well. Their heart beats melted into one as they listened to the lagoon life around them.

"I've missed you," he said.

"I've missed you too," she replied.

They sank into silence again. They were too content to speak, as if afraid that they'd ruin the moment.

Selene was surprised that he had yet to find out about her father. She was guilt-ridden about her silence with Endymion. They knew almost everything about each other except for that. Endymion never asked her about her missing father, probably thinking he was saving her from painful memories. It was as if a pendulum was swinging overhead, and Selene was trapped beneath it wondering when it would finally come down… 'Maybe I should just tell him and get it over with. He would trust me, wouldn't he?'

Endymion was lost within his own thoughts too. He knew that it was highly unusual for slave women to marry past their twenties. Selene, he thought, was nearing the cusp of her impending marriage. The problem was that he didn't want to see her married to someone else. He didn't want her to ever leave his side. Yet he couldn't very well make her his. Even his father was unable to make his mother his chief wife even after Endymion's famed birth. If Selene was to be with him, she would only have a place in his harem especially since she was a slave. He knew she deserved more than that. 'But I can't offer her more. Maybe I should just ask her. She'd understand, won't she?'

"Endymion…"

"Selene…"

They began at the same time.

"You go first," she prompted at the amused yet troubled look in his eyes. Her news could wait, she thought desperately holding onto a perfect moment.

"As you know I am to become Pharaoh, and as Pharaoh, I would be expected to have wives and eventually produce an heir."

At the confused look her eyes, he blundered on.

"And you are to be married sometime soon…and I just can't allow that."

"What are you saying?" Selene asked stunned. It was awkward to see Endymion stumble through his words like this in blatant nervousness, and the direction of his message was mind-blowing. He was going to prevent her from marrying?

"I can't allow another man to hold you like this…to love you for the rest of your life when I am unable to see your face, to hear your voice, to watch your soul flashing through your eyes…"

"I can't allow that either," she replied, encouraging him with a hand caressing his cheek.

"But neither of us can stop it. Perhaps the next time you see me you'll want nothing to do with me…" she added cryptically. Her heart twisted in agony at the sound of his heart-felt words because it only added more to her guilt. 'Why would Abba give me him only to take him away? Why hasn't Abba shown me proof to give to him?'

"How can that be true? How could I ever stop loving you? We are one and the same, Selene. To deny you is to deny myself. Be with me. I cannot promise you the place of chief wife because it is a position that even I as Pharaoh cannot assign. But you will always know that you will always be the …"

He trailed off when he felt the heat of tears upon his chest. He had made her cry…

"I know you have earned more titles than anyone yet I cannot change the traditions of Egypt for my own sake. I know you deserve more, but this is all I can give you right now. Is it enough for you?"

"Please don't ask me now. Not when… just give me more time to give you proof," she whispered.

"Proof of what?" He asked confused.

"Proof that I am worthy of your love, of your trust… Proof that I was born to be yours…"

He didn't understand her. As far as he knew, she had proven all of that with each smile, each caress. Instead, he held her and gave her the time she wanted even when it was the one thing that was pulling them apart.

By dawn the pair rose from their mossy bed and returned back to their places in life wishing for night to fall again.

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"I understand, Beryl," Salik replied finally after her lengthy tale. She had proved to be his wild card, Salik thought pleased. 'Perhaps it would do good to give her what she wants. A man like Endymion needs a level-headed wife like her to keep him grounded. Pharaohs weren't meant to be dreamers.'

"So what will you have me do, your highness?" She purred satisfied. They were in the Pharaoh's study. After she confronted him outside Anack's chambers with promises of answering the questions he asked, he led her to the study with great anticipation. Now after her revelations, she was rewarded with the conspiratorial gleam in his dark eyes.

"Nothing for the moment. From what you say, my nephew is much enamored with the slave so the element of surprise will be the key to their demise. I will announce a feast two nights before Damondius is due back to begin the training, and at that feast, you shall be announced as his future chief wife. He will protest in the beginning, but we shall reply most sympathetically that at least you have not kept matters of state from him like his beloved Selene. Then we shall take her while his anger is fresh and bestow her to Damondius as a welcoming gift. By my prediction, as soon as Damondius leaves his men, he will return to Babylon eagerly with his new toy in tow."

"And when he finds out that she is no longer pure?" Beryl asked evilly.

"Your guess is as good as mine. I have no pity for the child of my beloved brother's murderer," he smirked.

The two shared a hearty laugh over the possibilities.

"Now go home and get some beauty sleep. We have a lot of planning to do," Salik commanded good-naturedly.

As Beryl bowed low before him, he caught a hearty glimpse of her bosom. When she looked up challengingly at him, he knew it had been no accident.

"Welcome to the family, Beryl," he murmured as she exited the study.

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Two weeks had past since Endymion asked her to consider becoming a part of his harem. He didn't say it outright, but what else could he have meant? They hadn't talked about it since, and frankly, Selene had more pressing matters at hand to consider. Her life was about to change more than she could've ever imagined.

Selene sat by the river bank lost in thought as the girls splashed around her giggling and laughing. It had been so long since they were able to get together and bathe in the healing estuaries surrounding the main river.

Lita and Raye were busy having a splash war as Amy was helping Mina perfect her swimming form. Only Selene sat quietly away from the rest.

Finally the other girls became impatient at her most unusual behavior and decided to ask what was bothering her.

"What's wrong?" Mina asked as she sidled up to her laconic twin.

"Nothing, I'm just not feeling very well," she mustered up the strength to smile.

"Oh you're not coming down with something, are you?" Amy began almost immediately by peering clinically into her bloodshot eyes.

"Well you look like shit," Lita supplied from Selene's right, earning her a glare from Raye.

"She means you look like you've been better," she corrected while laying a gentle hand against her forehead.

"I'm fine!" Selene insisted as she tried to wiggle away from her concerned friends.

"Liar! Tell us what's wrong!"

"I'm late okay?" Selene snapped.

"Late for what?" Mina asked puzzled.

"Yeah, we have the morning off, don't we?" Lita argued hoping she didn't miss something. She hated getting into the kitchen late.

Only Amy and Raye gaped at the downcast girl with comprehension dawning on their features.

"You can't be!" Raye gasped even as Selene's eyes teary eyes met hers.

"Couldn't I be?" She muttered bitterly.

"How long?" Amy asked shakily.

"Okay, what are you three talking about because clearly we're not all on the same page…" Lita demanded exasperatedly.

A very pregnant pause hung heavily over the five young women.

"I think I'm carrying Endymion's child…" Selene said shakily.

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So that puts a new perspective on things… REVIEW like fiends for the next chapter!