Hello my lovelies!
I am SO SORRY it has taken me so long to update, I'm in my new house now but I am still without internet and I'm also having to finish up and post my NATMBB challenge fic too! Plus, I'm just getting over a rather nasty chest infection so I've been even slower than usual :(
Thank you so much for continuing to read and review this series of stories, I can't tell you what they mean to me, it's been a really tough month and every review you leave encouraging me really spurs me on when I need it!
Quick note about the continuing presence of Ahkmen the prince in this series rather than Ahkmenrah the Pharaoh;
Ahkmenrah the Pharaoh will return to us, I promise you all faithfully however, for the moment I need Ahkmen with us instead for reasons of future plot and story arcs, only he can set a few things in motion that I need to happen for stuff in the future to make sense. If you're absolutely desperate to know why Ahkmenrah won't be joining us for a while please feel free to PM me and ask, I'll happily tell you so long as you don't mind spoilers and you promise not to share the futures plans with everyone. I will ask you respectfully to stop leaving reviews simply asking for him back now as I will no longer be responding to them.
Thank you again to everyone who has followed and favorited this story, I hope you enjoy this offering!
19-1- Thank you very much! It's just something that occurred to me since Ahkmenrah is a real person, his body is real so whilst he doesn't have all the parts necessary to eat, he feels the need, just like he needs to sleep. I figure magic takes care of most of the scientific explanations (I used the fact in the little adverts for the 3rd film, it shows the exhibits including Ahk eating and drinking and I thought well, what if Ahk actually gets hungry rather than just takes the opportunity like the others but he is, of course way too proud to admit it! (Not to mention he just wants to be counted in with the rest of the exhibits-he hates being singled out)) I was not a fan of the ending of the 3rd film so this series is very AU and it will have a very different outcome, I promise! I'm glad you liked the crayoning! I wanted the civil war guys to have something creative to do for a change! (If anyone wants to do fanart of these scenes I would die happy!) Thank you, they are meant to be pretty similar, in the idea that Ahk hasn't changed all that much, he's just grown more reserved given the duties he was burdened with, I wanted to show what a loving and frankly bouncy guy he is under all that regality! Thanks again for reading and reviewing!
Guest-Sorry, you've got to wait a while longer! I need Ahkmen for more exciting plot developments!
guest – Thank you so much! I love having little Ahk about, he looks at the world very simply, I really wanted to try and tackle Nicky's issues with him head on so I'm glad that worked, I didn't want to sweep aside Nicky's concerns and worries, he's only a little boy himself and his whole world has been rocked. I'm so pleased it was something you appreciated! If you'd really like to know when Ahkmenrah returns feel free to PM me and ask! :)
Chyna- I'm so glad you like my boys together (they're not mine at all, I'm only borrowing them but I feel protective and proud of them anyway!) Big Ahk will make a return I promise but not for a while I'm afraid but I promise when he does his reactions to the pictures and everyone else's attitudes towards him will be something to behold! (The buzzlighter thing is a brilliant idea-I'll probably work that in somewhere! Thank you! :D )
NatM-fan – I'm sorry you had to wait so long for this update! Aww that's very kind of you *blushes* I will be tackling both plots of movies 2 &3 and putting my own spin on them to give us and the exhibits and everyone else (eventually) a much more satisfying ending! (I hope!) I am ALWAYS up for talking NatM! You can always PM me if you like, I'm just as fangirlish! :) I'm so glad you think the Ahkmen and Nicky conversation felt plausible (it's what I always strive for in my fics) it was really important to me that I got it right, Nicky deserves to have his feelings voiced, he's not wrong in getting upset since his whole world's been turned upside down and he's only 10 himself. I thought Ahkmen at 5 wouldn't have subtle responses to things, he'd just come out with the truth as he saw it. Poor Larry doesn't catch a break does he?! I promise I will do something nice for him in a later chapter to show he is appreciated. I am a total sucker for Teddy's fatherly side, I love him getting a chance to be both loving and wise-since he actually was a dad! I'm sorry again this update is so late! :(
Avian- Thank you so much for reviewing even though your internet is being horrible (Mine is non-existent right now, I'm having to use someone else's!) Aww I had to do something with Anna and Ragnar so I am glad you approve, Ahkmen has a habit of accidentally being in the right place at the right time to get things going! I'm glad you enjoyed a bit about Ragnar, he's a good man and a father in his own right so he can handle Ahkmen being Ahkmen, Anna has a trickster streak in her too, she loves to tease Ragnar when she can, since he's usually so intimidating but they're inching towards each other, helped by the bows of course! (Ragnar did look very pretty after all!)
Well to be fair to Larry he does have a lot on his plate and since grown up Ahkmenrah never complained he never thought to find out. He was utterly horrified of course and gave up his own food in a heartbeat to feed the little boy, he'll make sure that they feed him every night now too. Sac is a very good mother, I don't believe she would even think about using physical discipline on Ahkmen, she knows how to get him to behave, Ahkmen hates being alone so that's a very good punishment for him (he's a very good boy most of the time anyway!)
Ah well Nicky and Ahkmen had to have a talk at some point, I mean Nicky is rightfully upset at the situation but he needed to address his actions himself and Ahkmen being only little tends to see the truth of the situation, I've always headcannoned from the film that Don is a good step-father to Nicky and he loves him like a son. I want Nicky to have a happy with both his mum and his step-dad as well as with his actual dad but he can still feel upset about stuff, he's already had a lot of change and he's only a little boy, Ahkmen just helps him put it into perspective! Ahkmenrah LOVES modern music! He loves listening to it with Nicky and exploring new genres, I think if he had his time again in the modern world he would definitely try his hand at DJing! Queen is just such a phenomenal band you can't help but be moved by them and Ahk and Nicky certainly are! There's a lot more of Ahkmen in the museum to come, don't worry!
That's a lovely idea about the blue whale, I'll see what I can do (I've not forgotten about the jade lion, terracotta solider and golden Buddha either!) Also, I'm so sorry I can't trade any Malay with you this time, I have no internet at home and I am having to post this sneakily so I don't have time to search for it! I'm so sorry! Thank you for reading this and reviewing so beautifully! :)
Guest (2) *Blushes Furiously* Thank you so much! That's an incredible compliment! I'm so glad you're enjoying it so much. I really try to be true to all the characters as I've perceived them in the films and then build on that from what I know about them/their era's from history so I'm really chuffed you think they're all coming across well! That's a great idea! Thanks very much, I've got an idea of which existing story outline I can work that in-I love building on previous themes! Thanks again! :) (I hope you liked chapters 23 & 24! There's a LOT more to come!)
Guest (3) Very hard to explain, I can't remember if I've actually mentioned it in the story already but Larry's rigged up a fake mummy, he's got a Halloween skeleton he's wrapped up in Ahk's bandages and always puts it over the top of the reverted Ahkmen. He removes it every night before the sun sets so Ahkmen and McPhee are none the wiser! Ahkmen is a precoucious learner (he'd have to be to crack English and Hun when he was in Cambridge!) so I figured, since kids are meant to be better at picking up languages he'd picked up the basics fast (there was a LOT of point and hand waving too!) Yes, he's starting to learn to read, (you're right, they did use flash cards to help him!) usually stuff around the museum has post-it notes all over them (more about that next chapter!) I'm so glad you liked that bit with Sac putting Ahkmen to bed, yes, I did plan that from the start- you have no idea how long I have been waiting to share that with people! I am so chuffed you enjoyed it! (Some of the things in this series are very planned and others are more spur of the moment but I have a very clear idea of where this is all going, I'm playing the long game with this series-can you tell?! :P ) Ahk is a very private person, the three people he's trusted the most to share things with have earned that trust and they are very careful with the knowledge he's given them. I really wanted that trust to be rewarded since Ahk hasn't had the best time of things. (There's a similar sequence in this chapter which wasn't planned, it just sort of happened but I hope it works just as well!) I hope you enjoy it!
guesr- I'm really glad you're enjoying this (I love Teddy and Sac too!) hmm…that's an interesting idea but Teddy can't really get hurt, he was cut in half in the film and was fine and he's been shot 4 times in my series. I'll have a think though… thank you for reading!
Guest (4) I hope I've posted this in time to stop you crying!
guest (2)- Ooh, that's a lovely idea, do you mean to build up on the idea that the two explorers actually quite liked spending time with Theodore in 'Heart of the Matter?' I'm sure I can work something like that in in future stories! Thank you for reading and reviewing!
Scents
"You, Nightguard a word please."
Larry tried really, really hard not to sigh. One day, one day Dr McPhee would address him by his name. Alas, today was not that day.
"Yes Dr Phee? What can I do for you?"
"I just wanted to keep you updated about our temporary exhibitions."
"Oh, right yes, are they-?"
"They're delayed something about them proving popular at their current location and being asked to stay on till the end of this month. We will be getting our mythology exhibit but it will be next month."
"Oh okay, well if you need any help to set that up then I'd be happy to give you a hand."
"That's very good of you Daley"
"Larry sir,"
"Larry?"
"You can call me Larry sir, rather than 'Daley'."
"Oh, right yes, if you wish, anyway, there is one other thing-"
"We're not getting another replacement are we?" Asked Larry quickly, way too quickly.
McPhee was pulled up short, "No, why?"
"Just, just it disrupts things when the usual exhibits aren't here."
"Disrupts? It's only you here!" Cried the director in exasperation, "They don't all magically come to life at night you know!" He waved his hands for good measure.
"Yeah, true, "Larry began trying desperately not to sound crazy, "but I have a routine and I like to check on everyone in a set order."
McPhee was looking at him like he'd grown a second head.
"Anyway," prompted Larry, trying to get this conversation back on track, "you were saying?"
"Yes, quite," McPhee gave him another long look before continueing as if he was trying to evaluate his Night Guard's sanity, "well there's a new study from the museum association that the board wants us to pilot here."
"Which is?"
"Sensory immersion."
"Come again?"
McPhee rolled his eyes.
"Sensory immersion." He enunciated primly.
"What does that mean?" Larry wasn't stupid but he hadn't the first idea how on earth they'd even attempt that here.
"Well, it's quite simple," Sounding as though he though Larry was in fact decidedly stupid, "we're going to infuse some of the exhibits with the ambience of the area they are reflecting, tulips for our golden age of Holland exhibit, sea salt and brine for our Viking exhibit and so on."
"Blood for the Mayans?" Asked Larry trying hard to look innocent. Honestly this all just sounded ridiculous.
"Don't be so childish!" Snapped the Director, "Anyway, the day staff will be trialling it tomorrow, I just thought you'd like to know ahead of things so you don't worry that cleaners have been over-zealous."
"Um, thanks Dr Phee I appreciate it."
"Good. Well, carry on then."
"I will, have a good evening."
"Er, yes, thank you and the same to you." Offered the director awkwardly before huffilling off. Huffilling. It was a word Rebecca had invented to describe the way McPhee moved and it had stuck in Larry's brain. It really was rather perfect he thought, Dr McPhee moved with a sense of purpose it was true but he was always looking for threats, problems, mess, disorder in his museum, eyes and body moving serupticiously, not quite annoyed but on the brink of it, in a huff as it were.
Yeah, huffilling was totally a word in his own personal dictionary. Even if it made him miss Rebecca all the more.
So that was a thing now, sensory immersion. Daft idea but not his problem.
He told the others about it as soon as the sun went down, Anna looked pleased as did Ragnar, they'd missed the scents of home and this potential comfort was welcomed. Larry made it very clear to everyone though that modern day scents were pretty damn artificial and not to get their hopes up of smelling their homes once again, it was probably going to be a faint whiff of disappointment.
Oh how wrong he was.
It was much, much worse.
The following evening everyone awoke as usual, the scents in full operation which immediately had the cavemen following their noses and trying to lick Anna's exhibit much to her annoyance. In the commotion something rather important got forgotten.
Ahkmen awoke with a twitching nose.
He knew that smell!
His eyes flew open as he looked about expectantly.
"MUMMY!" He cried out happily, fully expecting to see her standing over his bed. The whole room smelled of her! It was the familiar scent of the palace and her perfume, soft wax and warm! It was her! She was here!
"Mummy!" He called out again, "where are you? Mummy?!"
He looked about eagerly, expecting to see her in his room but she was nowhere to be found. "Mummy?" He asked again, uncertainty creeping into his voice. "Mummy where are you?" His lower lip began to wobble. She was here! He knew it! He could SMELL her. It was definitely her. No one else could afford the perfume she used on her hair.
"Mummy are you hiding?" Maybe she was playing hide and seek? And he had to find her? No. That was silly. Mummies didn't play games. They asked you if you'd been good at your lessons and what had you learned and told stories and sang and kissed you goodnight and if you were very good you got to cuddle them and not the nurse. No his mummy wasn't playing hide and seek.
He sat back down for a moment, disappointed misery threatening to overcome him entirely. He wracked his brains for a moment, he KNEW she was here. NO ONE else smelled like her. So what had happened?
The answer came to him in a flash of memory.
She'd been watching him sleep! She did that sometimes, after he'd been tucked in, when he was supposed to be asleep she'd come in and sing to him. He always pretended to be asleep because she'd be cross if he wasn't but he loved hearing her, especially when she'd lean down and kiss his cheek too. His nose would be full of the scent of her.
THAT'S what had happened.
She'd watched him sleep and then gone off to do mummy things. But she was here! In the hall of the Gods! If she was here maybe she'd come to take him home! She was probably just letting him sleep longer because 'little princes need lots of sleep'. Right, well, he'd done all his sleeping (even if he still felt a bit tired) so he was going to show her what a big boy he was and how much he'd been learning since he'd been placed here by the gods. He could speak the common tongue pretty well now, and he'd made lots of friends and tried new things and maybe these friends here would be good for Egypt. It was good to have friends and they could all be friends together. That's what daddy was always trying to do, make friends with other kingdoms (Even if Egypt was the best) but he used his grown up word, allies, but maybe his friends could be allies too? Then they'd know he'd been being a good prince whilst he'd been in the God's hall.
With that thought Ahkmen leapt out of bed, heading straight for the toilets nearest to his room, diving for the special box Moon Mother kept his hall clothes in and his toothbrush and paste. He was so excited about seeing his mother, his own mother again he didn't wait for anyone to meet him. He was a big boy anyway, a prince of Egypt. He knew how to brush his teeth and get dressed on his own.
Very soon, with clean teeth and a dungarees buckled on the right way (even if the t-shirt was inside out and back to front) and his beloved red sneakers tied up with pretty bows he headed out to find his mummy. Sticking his nose in the air he sniffed as hard as he could, trying to work out which way his mother had gone.
It didn't take him long to pick up her trail, Ahkmen scampered along, stopping every few moments to make sure he was still on the right path. He was practically fizzing with excitement. He was going to see his mummy again! He'd missed her so very, very much, he had so much to tell her he thought he might burst with it all.
He headed down the stairs, holding the banister like a good boy (Moon Mother and Papa Bear had made him promise to always use the rail if he was on the stairs without them)
Once he got to the bottom of the stairs he stopped and sniffed again carefully, her perfume was stronger here, following his nose he crossed the lobby quickly heading down one of the side corridors.
If he'd been paying attention to the world around him he might have noticed the lack of people, or been worried that no one came to get him that morning (evening) however, he was a prince on a mission and no one was going to stop him getting to his mummy. Not even the Gods themselves.
Once all the chaos of the curious cavemen died down Anna realised with a jolt of horror that it was her turn on morning duty with Ahkmen. She bolted to the Egyptian exhibit, heart in her mouth which quickly plunged to the floor when she discovered his bed empty. She quickly checked the bathroom, making sure he's come that way. His pyjamas were folded neatly in his box of things, (well, as neatly as a five year old can fold at least) and his toothbrush was wet so he was clearly up and about. Now the question was where? Where in the museum was he up and about?!
Anna knew the only sensible thing she could do at this point was swallow her pride and find Sac and find her quickly. Sac was hands down the best tracker in the museum and Anna would never forgive herself if her delay in admitting the truth got the little boy lost or hurt.
Anna put her head down and ran.
Larry had just finished dealing with the grumpy cavemen, giving them some spare packing polystyrene pieces he'd found to mollify them. This apparently was an acceptable offering and the three remaining cavemen chewed the pieces happily. Larry was just grateful the guys couldn't get stomach aches.
He risked a long sigh of relief.
His peace lasted about four seconds.
"Guardian! Guardian! Come quick! The little one!"
Tulung, one of the Inuit's bounded over to Larry, his face a mask of worry, trying to articulate in the new language he'd been learning.
"Little one?" The Night Guard questioned before the realisation hit him like a sledgehammer. "AHKMEN?!" Larry grabbed Tulung's arms in a panic, "What's the matter?!"
"He try door! Door no open. Little one very sad!"
Oh. Crap. Had Ahkmen been accidentally locked in somewhere?!
"Show me, now!"
Tulung led him down the nearest corridor.
Anna hurtled towards Sac's exhibit, "SACAGAWEA!"
Sac was just stepping out of her room, having spent a few extra minutes catch up with Lewis and Clark since Teddy had been late coming to her. As it was, Teddy had been caught up in the Caveman fiasco, trying to help Larry restore peace and had been drawn into a discussion about hunting with Ragnar. Both men with their love of the hunt in common were becoming close friends despite the language barriers, Teddy and Ragnar's habit of articulating wildly served their meanings far better than words anyway.
"What is the matter my friend?" Sac's eyes narrowed as soon as the words left her mouth, taking in Anna's panicked state, "Where's Ahkmen?" she asked immediately.
"I don't know!" Anna was near tears, "I was late getting to him this morning, the cavemen nearly destroyed my exhibit as soon as sundown and I was stuck sorting them out with Larry, I completely forgot it was my turn with Ahkmen and when I realised he'd gone! Help me find him! Please!"
Sac took her friend's hand consolingly, "Calm down Anna, we will find him, he cannot have got far, let us trace him from his room."
Anna nodded eagerly following Sac's lead. They got halfway into the lobby when Sac stopped dead.
"What's the matter?"
"He came through here, and went that way," she pointed down one of the corridors, "Come on! We shall find him soon!" The Shoshone woman darted off, the Dutch woman following in her wake.
They didn't have to guess for long where Ahkmen was. They could hear him. Wordlessly both women ran harder.
They arrived at McPhee's door at the same moment Larry and Tulung skidded to a halt. All four adults froze at the sight in front of them.
Ahkmen was nigh on hysterical, crying as though his very soul was bleeding from him. He was pounding on the door with tiny bruised fists.
"MUMMY!" He screamed, "MUMMY LET ME IN! IT'S AHKMEN! I'M HERE! I WANT TO GO HOME WITH YOU MUMMY! I WANT TO GO HOME! DON'T YOU LOVE ME ANYMORE?! MUMMY! PLEASE! PLEASE COME OUT! I WANT TO SEE YOU! I WANT TO GO HOME WITH YOU! PLEASE! I'M SORRY I WAS SLEEPING WHEN YOU CAME! I'M AWAKE NOW! I WANT TO GO HOME WITH YOU! I MISS YOU SO MUCH! I WANT YOU! I LOVE YOU! PLEASE!"
"What the hell is going on?!" Demanded Larry, horrified at the state Ahkmen was in, he'd NEVER seen a child this distressed. The night guard was honestly worried Ahkmen was going to choke himself on his sobs.
Ahkmen pounded on the door harder at the sight of the other adults. He didn't want them! He wanted his mummy! His OWN mummy!
"MUMMY LET ME IN!"
Sac got low, approaching Ahkmen cautiously, "Ahkmen, little moon, what's the matter? Why are you trying to get in the Director's office?"
Ahkmen stopped long enough to look at her as though she were mad. His little face was blotchy with the long stream of tears, eyes puffy and red from crying but it was the look in them that made Sacagawea freeze in place. He was utterly and inconsolably heartbroken.
"Mummy won't let me in. She doesn't love me anymore." With that he let out a soul-shattered howl and crumpled to the floor face in his hands as he sobbed his little heart out.
"Can anyone understand anything he's saying?" Larry was looking frantic, hating the fact that he really sucked at languages.
"No, but what would make a child cry like that?" Asked Sac grimly.
"Little one misses his mother." Stated Tulung as though it was the simplest thing in the world. Sac nodded at him, agreeing wholeheartedly.
"Well yeah we knew that but he's been here two weeks now, he's been coping okay, what the hell set him off…" Larry trailed off, face morphing into an expression of horror.
"What? What is it?" Prompted Anna, utterly lost at this turn of events, she'd had no children of her own and no younger siblings to mind when she was growing up. She had no idea what could have triggered Ahkmen's homesickness so badly.
"Sensory immersion." Mumbled Larry looking shell-shocked.
"Come again?" The Dutch woman was trying desperately to keep up.
"The smells, what I was telling you about last night, what made the cavemen go crazy for your exhibit."
"The smell of tulips, but how-?"
"Oh great spirits!" Realisation came clanging into clarity for Sac, "the scents, I assume Ahkmenrah's exhibit was also infused?"
"Yeah, yeah it was." The full weight of what had happened dawned on Larry, "Oh my god." His stomach dropped through the floor, "I didn't think! I didn't think!" he was nearing panic himself now. They could have prevented this!
"What are you talking about?!" Demanded Anna.
Tulung was watching everything unfold, well aware of what had kicked this whole episode off. He knew how powerful scents were, how he prayed to Sedna every day that his family were safely within her care when he visited the Ocean life room.
"Ahk's room got filled with perfume," explained Larry to a confused Anna, "expensive for the time perfume that would have been the standard scent used by Egyptian royalty."
The penny dropped, "Oh great heavens! So you think-?"
"I know." Answered Sac, Larry nodding along, she squeezed his hand consolingly, "we are all at fault, you told us in time, none of us thought of this, none of us. None one considered that it would make his room smell like his parents."
All the adults gazed at the still-sobbing Ahkmen utterly horrified.
"What do we do?" Asked Anna quietly, itching to just scoop up the heartbroken little boy and cuddle him till he stopped crying.
"Show him the truth." Spoke up Tulung. "Hard truth but better to know."
"I don't know," Larry was against anything that could upset Ahkmen any further at this point, "won't that kinda destroy him-this isn't like Santa."
"Who?"
"Doesn't matter."
"Tulung is right." Sac's brow was furrowed, her mouth a hard line as though she disliked what she was saying but felt she had to say it anyway, "Ahkmen needs to see the truth. He needs to know his mother was never here rather than the idea that she has abandoned him, nothing will destroy a child more than the belief that a parent no longer loves them."
"How are we going to explain that to him?" Pressed Larry, very reluctant to break the already broken heart of the little boy in front of him.
"As best as we can, but otherwise he's never going to willingly leave here." Sac's heart was heavy, she wanted nothing more than to wrap Ahkmen up in her arms and cuddle him till his heart was eased but right now he would most likely push her away.
Larry nodded, seeing the logic of the plan but he had a really bad feeling about this but he knew if he just gave into his instinct to just pick up Ahkmen right now and cuddle him he was likely to be bitten for his trouble.
"Okay," he agreed with a world weariness, he produced his keys, "here goes, fingers crossed." He unlocked the door.
Ahkmen had looked up, eyes still swimming with tears, as soon as he heard the jingle of keys. The second the door was open the child leapt forwards, darting into the room.
"MUMMY! MUMMY! I'M HERE! MUMMY! MUMMY WHERE ARE YOU?! I'M HERE! I WANT TO GO HOME WITH YOU! MUMMY!"
He ran around frantically looking in all the cupboards, looking under the desk and even pulling open the drawers, desperately searching for his mother.
It was miserable to witness.
After a while his searching slowed. "Mummy? Mummy? Why did you go? Why did you leave me? I'm sorry mummy, I'm sorry! Come back! Come back! Please come back, don't go!"
He burst into tears again.
This time Sac did wrap her arms around him.
He clung onto her for a moment.
"Why did she leave me?!" He looked up and remembered to use his English, "Why did mummy leave me?"
Sac very gently drew back from him, wiping his face as she did so. "Ahkmen, little moon, I am very sorry but you need to listen to me." She waited till she had his full attention, "Your mother was not here tonight. It was only perfume that smelled like her. She wasn't here. She hasn't left you I promise. I know she's very proud of you and-"
"No!" Ahkmen was already shaking his head in denial, "She was here! She was!"
"Ahkmen, she wasn't, she wasn't here. She's very proud of you wherever she is and I know if she were here she would have taken you with her, she loves you very much and-"
"BUT SHE LEFT ME!"
"Ahkmen, buddy, she wasn't here, I promise. I'm the guardian of everything here and I would know."
"She, she," Ahkmen tried to process everything he'd just been told.
It was too much.
"NO!" He pushed Sac away, "NO! I WANT MY MUMMY! I WANT HER! NOW!"
"Ahkmen, sweetheart, she's not here we swear." Added Anna, trying to be consoling, miserable that she hadn't been able to stop this sooner.
With a howl Ahkmen fled the office, leaving four stunned and horrified adults in his wake.
"Well that could have gone better."
"What have I done?" Sacagawea was almost beside herself.
"Hey, Sac," Larry consoled the Shoshone woman, "you and Tulung were right, it was better to tell him and let him see for himself. Come on, we best find him before he tries his stairs trick again."
Anna took Sac's hand, "it was the bravest thing, Ahkmen's strong, he'll see the truth in time, come on."
Tulung nodded sagely, it was better to know the realities of the world then believe in false hope. The little one had a lot to learn and missing parents was always the hardest thing but he needed to know his mother had not abandoned him, knowing she was never there was better, in the long run, than thinking she had forsaken him.
The four adults left quickly, looking for the distraught child. Never before had any of them been more grateful that the museum as a rule didn't have child replicas so at least they only had to deal with Ahkmen's reaction rather than a whole class full.
As she hunted for the child Sacagawea thought sadly back to the times she'd seen Pharaoh Ahkmenrah betray his homesickness. It was rare since he usually kept such a tight hold on his emotions but once, when he'd been exhausted and headed to the office for sleep as usual she'd checked on him a few hours into the night, as was her custom. Usually, whenever it a night when Ahkmenrah slept several of the exhibits stopped by to quietly look in on him, making sure he was sleeping peacefully.
Once she'd checked on him and he was in the grip of a nightmare. Sacagawea had slipped inside the office, sitting down carefully next to Ahk she gently took his hand, stroking his face softly, "Ahkmenrah, brother of my heart, all is well, all is well, you are safe, and it is just a nightmare." Instead of being soothed back to sleep he startled awake. Frightened and disorientated he scrabbled in the dark.
"Mother?!"
"No," Sac answered as gently but firmly as she could, it would be beyond cruel to even give him the slightest hope, "it is Sacagawea my friend. She turned on the desk lamp. The warm glow illuminating Ahk's face. She'd never seen him look so young, so vulnerable.
"Oh." He subconsciously curled into himself. Sac could see him trying to put the pharaoh mask back in place but it just wouldn't come, he was clearly too tired and too upset.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"It's not your fault. It was just a nightmare. It happens." He attempted to shrug off the incident but she could see the fear, the misery in his eyes. Ahkmenrah had obviously not been comforted by his mother for a very long time. It didn't mean that he didn't need to be comforted on occasion however, Ahk was a proud young man. He didn't take kindly to pity.
Sac tightened her grip on his hand.
For the first time he noticed.
"I miss my mother too." She spoke in low voice, seemingly afraid that if she spoke too loudly her own heart would hear, "I wish she could be here, I wanted her to see Jean-Baptiste, I want her to see my beautiful boy and my bear, I believe she would have liked him."
Ahk squeezed her hand in return, seeing the gesture for what it was, a sharing of pain, a grounding anchor, Sac very, very rarely offered up any information of life before the museum. "I'm sure she would, who can dislike Teddy? And as for my Nephew, there is no finer babe in all the land the moon shines upon."
They shared a smile.
"I just," Ahk began in an equally quiet voice to the one she had spoken in, "I miss her sometimes, I miss her voice and her calm good sense, and she had a way of making everything feel better, just by being there. She always had a good sense of things and how to approach life's problems. I miss her perfume, the way she'd smell as she came to say goodnight when I was young. I sometimes nightmared as a child and sometimes if I was lucky she would be the one to soothe me rather than a nurse."
"I understand, Ahk, I do, I'm sorry she cannot be here tonight."
"I am hardly a child anymore! I don't need platitudes!" He huffed immediately.
"No," agreed Sac gently, "but even grown men and women miss their mothers and fathers, it is a fact of nature. With our parents we are safe. We know this instinctively. It is the way of nature."
Ahk deflated instantly, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap, I hadn't thought of it like that."
"Because you are usually too busy worrying over everyone else and maintaining your composure."
Ahk gave her a rueful smile that spoke volumes. "How long is it since you've seen your mother?"
"Oh," Ahk saw Sac gather her courage, he squeezed her hand in sympathy, "I was taken by a raiding party when I twelve. I never saw her again, I had Jean-Baptiste on the journey with Lewis and Clark and there was no opportunity to send word to her in time before we moved on."
Ahk was reeling. "I am truly sorry."
"As am I but I have faith that one day, a long time from now we will eventually be reunited. As it is I know she watches over me." Sac smiled bravely.
"I'm sure she couldn't be prouder."
"I hope so."
"I am sure of it." He smiled his warmest smile at her, hugging her for a moment. He had become increasingly demonstrative since his release and she intended to encourage it at every opportunity. After a while they pulled back from each other, still smiling before Ahk's faltered and he became more sober, "Thank you, for staying with me." He added quietly.
"You are more than welcome, we all miss home but it helps none of us to hide the fact."
Ahk nodded gratefully, appreciating the fact that Sac spoke so plainly, "You are too good to me ka-sister."
"No better than you are to me spirit brother." They shared another smile. "Now, you need your sleep." She paused, considering him, "Little brother." she teased gently.
Ahk was indignant, "I am four thousand years older than you!"
"Indeed but you still have a bedtime where as I do not. I believe that makes me the older sister." She looked undeniably smug at her own logic.
Ahk huffed good-naturedly, seeing the teasing for what it was, he'd begun to relax a little about his perceived age and the gentle teasing only helped to reinforce that the inhabitants as the museum really saw him as a person and more importantly, one of them. Despite his age, old or young compared to the rest of them, he was one of them.
"Fine." Then he was sporting a grin himself as an idea formed, "Though I demand a song sister-dear in the manner of all annoying little brothers." He smirked wickedly.
She grinned back, "I don't think I could truly call you annoying but very well," she tugged back the blanket, taking on the role she'd assigned herself with an obvious flourish. "Settle down young one and I shall begin."
Ahk flashed her a grin of his own, continuing to play along, he dutifully snuggled down as she had bade him. She brought the blanket up to his shoulders and began to sing the only song that would do, his song, the gift he had given to her several months before.
His eyes widened a moment then nodded in wordless gratitude, all pretence lost.
She brought up a hand to card through his hair, it wasn't the movements of a mother but the movements of a caring older sister, not to replace but to create something new. Ahk's eyes slowly drifted shut, genuinely soothed by her. Once she was sure he was asleep she pressed a gentle kiss to his temple before quietly leaving him to rest peacefully.
They never spoke of that night but they were ever closer from it, they respected each other's privacy over matters close to the heart but they took solace in each other's company. Ahkmenrah had been bolstered by the fact he had shown weakness and not been ridiculed for it and Sac rejoiced in the matter she could share her sorrow without being pitied. Quietly and gently they helped each other heal some of the wounds they carried in their souls.
Which was why Sacagawea was all the more devastated at the current turn of events, Ahkmen needed comfort and reassurance which she, as she was, just couldn't manage. She doubted anyone but Ahkmen's own mother would even have the slightest hope at easing him at the moment.
She redoubled her efforts to find the distraught child.
Ahkmen could barely see through his tears but he knew where he was going, he knew who he could ask to try and fix this horrible mess. He wanted his mummy back! His own mummy! She was in a different world now and the only people he knew who were also from another realm were here with the gods. He could ask them to help him, surely THEY'D know how to get his mummy back.
To say Jed and Octavius were caught by surprise when a wailing, unaccompanied Ahkmen came darting into their hall would be the understatement of the year.
"PLEASE HELP ME FIND MY MUMMY! SHE WAS HERE AND NOW SHE'S NOT! SHE'S LEFT ME HERE AND I WANT HER BACK! I'LL DO ANYTHING! I WANT HER TO LOVE ME AGAIN! PLEASE! YOU LIVE IN A DIFFERENT WORLD! YOU CROSS OVER ALL THE TIME! SHOW ME! PLEASE! I WANT HER BACK PLEASE!"
Jed and Octavius shared one terrified look before leaping into action.
"Whoa there lil'buddy, calm down, what's the matter? Can you use y'English for us?"
"Ahkmen, my prince, please, we need you to speak to us in English or else we can't help you."
The little boy just cried.
"Hey, Ahklet," Jed crooned, "we can't help you if you don' tell us what the matter is. C'mon, jus' breathe with me okay? Give me y'hand." The miserable child held out a trembling hand. Jed took one of Ahkmen's fingers, "Good boy, now, when I hold your finger you take a big breath in and when I let go you breathe out. Okay?" Ahkmen nodded tearfully.
Jed grasped the tiny Egyptian's index finger tightly.
Ahkmen breathed in.
Jed let go.
Ahkmen dutifully breathed out.
They repeated this for a while till the little boy was calmer and his tears had slowed.
"Okay, that's great little buddy, you tell ol' Jedediah and Octavius what the matter is an' we'll see what we can do."
Not for the first time Octavius was impressed with Jed's ability to wrangle children. The man had a natural gift it seemed. The Roman General felt the familiar pang of sadness that Jed had never had children of his own, he would have been a great father.
"I want my mummy!" wailed the distraught child, thankfully in English this time, "she was here and, and now she's gone," he gulped to try and swallow up some of his tears, "and she didn't take me with her and I want to go with her to the other world and you live in a different world and come here so please help to find her again because she left me here and, and she, she doesn't love me anymore!" The words burst out of the child in torrent before he dissolved into tears again.
Hot. DAMN. Jed was reeling. What the hell had they missed? How the hell do you even START on something like that?! He'd better get comforting FAST. Why the hell wasn't he Gigantor sized?! It was beginning to annoy him more and more that he couldn't wrap his arms around the distraught kid and just hug him. Still, he would do something that worked or his name wasn't Jedediah Smith.
"Aww hey, lil buddy, Ahklet, of course your momma loves you! How could anyone not love you? Momma's always love their baby boy's no matter what they do."
"She would?" Sniffled the child, thoroughly disbelieving.
"Of course she loves you, I know that for a fact."
"Really?" The little boy still sounded very doubtful.
"Absolutely-positutely."
"But, but she left me!" Insisted the child, "I want her back! Please! I want to go home!"
"Ahkmen, my prince, how do you know she was here? Did you see her?"
Ahkmen was taken aback by the calm question, "N-no."
"Then how are you so sure that she was here?" Pressed Octavius gently.
"I smelled her! In my room! Only my mummy wears that perfume!" Insisted the tiny Egyptian
"But you didn't see her?" Repeated the roman doggedly.
"No." Ahkmen sniffed miserably as he wiped his nose on his sleeve. "But I smelled her so she had to be here! She had to! So why did she leave me?!"
"Ahklet," interjected Jed, "no momma would leave her baby boy behind. I promise."
"But she-!"
"You didn't see her did you? Only smelled her?" Octavius was like a dog with a bone. Jed wondered what he was upto, he had that look in his eyes that meant he was working on a plan that he really hoped actually succeeded.
"It was her perfume! I KNOW it was!" Exploded the child indignantly.
Octavius remained calm and but firm in his questioning, "But you didn't see her, my prince, how many worlds are there?"
The question pulled Ahkmen up short.
"I don't know." He admitted in a smaller voice.
"There are many," stated the roman hoping he sounded wise enough to pull this off, "more than you and I could count even if we did nothing else for the rest of our days. You mother was not here."
"But she-!"
"She was not here my prince," Repeated Octavius with all the certainty he could muster. It was impossible, people didn't just appear here, come to life at night yes but appear out of thin air? No, that was surely beyond the tablet and right now he utterly refused to entertain that the child's fears were well founded, no, he would not accept that but he had do something along with the truth, just knowing she wasn't here was not enough, especially for such a young one who is convinced he had been abandoned, "She was not here," he repeated solemnly, "I promise you but her love for you was."
Ahkmen blinked in shock, "What?"
Jed actually held his breath, trust it to Octy to try and deal with this with cool Roman logic however, the last comment? That was completely unexpected. Octavius now had the all the hopes of one little boy riding on the next sentence to come out of his mouth. Jed's heart began to pound in his throat, willing Octavius to come up with the goods for everyone's sake. Though Jed knew if anyone could pull this kind of debate off, it was his best friend.
"There are lots of different worlds with lots of different people inhabiting them my prince," Explained Octavius patiently, "we are in this one at the behest of the Gods, all of us, even myself and Jedediah here. This is but one world. Your mother and father are in another at the moment. Normally these worlds do not cross paths but sometimes, very, very rarely someone in one world loves someone else in another so much that something of them crosses over."
Octavius pressed his point before Ahkmen could question him further.
"You could smell your mother's perfume because she loves you so very much, she wasn't here herself but she was thinking about you, thinking about you and how much she loves you and that's why you smell her. You see? She has not abandoned you little one, she was thinking about how much she loves you."
"Truly?" Ahkmen's eyes had grown as round as saucers, full of tentative hope.
"You have my word as a Roman Officer." Stated Octavius as proudly as he could, saluting and bowing for good measure.
"Yeah, Octavius is right Ahklet." Jed had just about managed to recover himself from the frankly awed disbelief as his friend convinced the heartbroken little boy that in fact all was actually well. Jed felt his heart pound harder with every word the roman spoke, he had no idea Octavius was so good with kids, or at least at comforting them nor apparently did the butterflies that had taken up residence in his belly.
"Only a real powerful love can make itself felt like that, you're a lucky lil'tyke. Your momma loves you sure as the moon an' no mistake."
Ahkmen wiped his nose and eyes on his very soggy sleeve before breaking out into a beaming smile. If Jed and Octavius said it was true then it had to be, they were grown-ups from another world, if anyone knew what had really happened it was them.
"Thank you! So she does still love me? She didn't leave me?" he had to make absolutely sure.
"Yes partner, she loves you very much. You're her baby boy. She'd never leave you. She'll always love you."
"Jedediah speaks the truth my prince, a mother's love is absolute, infallible and unwavering."
At the smile Octavius let himself relax, he had led armies into battle against insurmountable odds and still won and yet, that had been one of the most taxing challenges of his life.
"So, partner," eased Jed, "now we got all that cleaned up what do you say to us showing you round a bit here?"
"Yes please!"
Bless the cowboy and his ability to distract little ones, he was at a total loss at to what to say next. Octavius never like to admit how much it made his heart pound to see Jed handling a problem effortlessly, he was truly a remarkable man. He was very glad to call him friend though part of him wished to call him something else. Love came in all ways, shapes and sizes after all, all just as real as each other.
Between Jed, Octavius and the rest of their diorama's they managed to keep Ahkmen occupied, the little boy asking a repeat of all the questions he asked on his first night in the museum this time though he asked in English. It didn't mean he slowed down at all.
After about half an hour Attila appeared quietly in the diorama room. He stepped over to join them, spending in the next ten minutes listening to Ahkmen introduce him to both the roman and western dioramas. The Hun listened patiently, amused at the child's enthusiasm despite the yawns that were punctuating his explanations at increasing intervals.
After a while Ahkmen came over to Attila and crawled into his lap, cuddling up to the ferocious Hun warlord. "M'tired."
"Sleep then little one, safe now."
The little boy looked up sorrowfully at the huge man then across to the miniatures. "I can't sleep yet, I was mean to Moon-Mother." He admitted shamefacedly he couldn't go to sleep with that crime still weighing on him.
"Oh? What did you do Ahkmen?"
"I—"
"C'mon little buddy, you can tell us."
"I-I pushed her away when I came to find you, she wasn't mummy and I wanted my mummy and not her and, and I pushed her away! She'll be so cross!"
The little boy began to cry again, burying his face into Attila's chest, horrified that he had been such a bad boy to Moon Mother who was only ever kind to him.
"Aww, hey, Ahklet, Sac-" He corrected himself quickly, "Moon Mother will understand. You just gotta say you're sorry."
"Indeed, she will forgive you." Agreed Octavius, he couldn't imagine Sacagawea staying angry for long for such an action. There had been rather extenuating circumstances after all.
"Sac, mother of moons is very loving little one, she will still love you." Attila rocked Ahkmen gently, cuddling the child closer having picked out the unspoken issue that was also worrying the tiny Egyptian.
Both Jed and Octavius quietly resented the hell out of the fact that once again they weren't big enough to cuddle the boy themselves. Octavius didn't figure on himself being much good with children but seeing Ahkmen upset had kicked untested paternal instincts in him, or at least very, very old instincts. He hadn't been near children in 54 years of his time in the museum and another 15 of his own remembered life when he'd last visited his sister on a rare bought of leave from the army. She'd had a whole brood of little ones who were always clamouring for a story from their centurion uncle which he had dutifully supplied. He hadn't thought on them for years, hadn't let himself if he were honest. He hoped wherever they were now they were happy. He tried to ignore the clench in his heart as he focused on the issue at hand.
"Attila is right my prince, there will be time tomorrow to see her and apologise, I know she will be very gracious."
"What he means is that Moon Mother will give you a big hug and kiss tomorrow the second you say sorry okay? But it's time for bed now, your eyes ain't going to stay open much longer."
It was at that moment Sacagawea who'd been watching quietly from the edge of the room having followed on the child's heels. She had been listening from the moment Octavius had begun to make his original speech to Ahkmen made herself known.
"Hello Ahkmen, did you want to speak to me?"
Ahkmen sat bolt upright. "Moon Mother?"
"I'm here." She stepped carefully over to where Attila was sat, in view of Jed and Octavius, "I'm here little moon."
Ahkmen launched himself out of Attila's lap and threw himself at Sacagawea, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to push you! I was bad! I'm sorry I wanted my mummy but I didn't mean to be bad!"
Sac wrapped him up in her arms. "It's alright little moon, it's alright, I know you were upset. Thank you for saying you're sorry. I forgive you and I absolutely still love you." She kissed his cheek to seal her words. "Your mother loves you very much Ahkmen, wherever she is and she would never abandon you."
"I know. Jed and Octavius told me. And Attila."
"Then they are all right. They know things like this."
Ahkmen nodded earnestly in agreement.
"Are you ready to go to bed now?"
"Can they come?" The little boy looked beseechingly at the miniatures, Attila and Sac.
"Why don't you ask them?"
"Please?"
Who could say no to that face? Especially after all the trauma of today.
"Sure thing, we can be up for a little bedtime duty, can't we Octy?"
"Of course."
"See? We're up for this, you joining us big guy?"
"Bedtime means best stories!" Enthused Attila.
"Looks like you got three for tonight Sac." Grinned Jed, tipping his hat.
What followed was possibly the most raucous bedtime yet seen in the museum, between daring tales of battles, frontier life and great endeavours Ahkmen was full of beans and bouncing, shrieking with excitement at every action any one of them pulled, even Octavius threw himself into regaling some of his more exciting experiences. The fact that Teddy joined in half way through seeing it entirely as part of his 'Papa Bear' role which he took very seriously (and was rather trying to make up for missing the trauma of the earlier part of the evening)
It was just what Ahkmen needed.
Sacagawea quietly made the decision that if they ever wanted Ahkmen to sleep ever again these four men were never allowed to be in the same room for bedtime. Or at least, not when she was in charge of the evening.
They did manage to tire him out, fifteen minutes before dawn he was in the middle of chirping out something himself before it was like a switch had been flicked, very like the first night he'd been in the museum. Jed and Octavius were more prepared this time but it still unnerved them. Attila, annoyingly to them, was completely unfazed.
"Why'd you not freak out?" Asked Jed, mildly accusing.
"Babies just stop when tired." The Hun answered nonchalantly. Oh right, Attila was a dad too, he'd seen his kids go through this stage.
As it was there was no time to expand on this, Sac had to take the cowboy and the roman and run to make it to place in time.
Despite the close call neither miniature nor Hun could recall a better night for a long time. Jed and Octavius hoped for many more to come, getting the chance to learn more about each other in the process, the stories shared had been eye opening for both of them.
The next night all had calmed down a little. The museum was still infused with all of the scents which most of the inhabitants enjoyed. Ahkmen, whilst reassured by the words of last night was still reminded harshly that he wasn't home, he wasn't going to go home any time soon and even though his mummy loved him very much, very much going by how strongly his room smelled of her she still wasn't here.
He prayed as hard as he could that morning, praying to his gods to let his time here be short, even if he did love everyone here, they weren't his mummy and daddy and he missed them very, very badly. He could smell home but he couldn't go there.
He had been rather subdued most of the evening, despite everyone's best efforts, Lewis and Clark had taken him for an adventure far away from any of the lingering perfumes of the lower floors of the museum which had certainly helped, it was fair to say that even subdued, Ahkmen was still a remarkably bouncy child.
This continued until Martha approached him about half an hour before bedtime, then everyone saw him regain his vigour.
"Hello Ahkmen how are you today?"
"Hello Martha!" Ahkmen lit up, he hadn't seen her for a while and she had become somewhat of an honorary grandmother to him. He did his usual greeting of flinging his arms around whatever he could reach of the person and hugging them like his life depended on it. "I'm very well thank you! I've been exploring with Lewis and Clark! We did mapping and counting and drawing and they let me climb the big shelves because I want to be like Spiderman when I'm big and I have to practice because if I don't I won't be able to climb and swing like him and save people like a proper hero but I'll have to tell Moon-Mother and Papa Bear where I go and make sure I'm back for bed in time to have a story."
He was beaming at her the whole while he was babbling.
She was pretty certain he managed all that on one breath too.
"Well that's exciting."
"It was!"
"Well, I've been busy too".
"Have you been exploring too?!" Asked the child with wonder in his eyes.
"No, I've been doing something different."
"Was it nice?"
"Yes. And I thought I'd show you"
"Yes Please!"
"Well I've been making something-"
"Like the blankets for the outside peasants?"
"They're not peasants Ahkmen," she corrected gently, "they're people who are homeless and need help keeping warm." They'd explained the outside as a place where people who served the gods generally lived and he accepted that without much contestation.
"They should live in Egypt-it's warm there."
"I'll tell them next time I see them. Anyway, I've not made a blanket this time, I've made something very special."
Ahkmen's eyes grew round as saucers.
"Really?"
"Oh yes, and I want you to tell me what you think." With that Martha drew a small figure from behind her back.
A hand knitted grey teddy bear stood in Martha's hands, she'd worked in the softest wool Larry could find, with little white paws and snout and inner ears.
"What is it?" asked Ahkmen, fascinated at the shy little creature. The teddy, thanks to the tablet was alive. Standing very shyly, it waved one little paw nervously.
"This is a teddy bear Ahkmen."
"Tetti?"
"A teddy."
"Hello!" said Ahkmen, trying to be gentle aware the creature looked more than a little scared. "My name is Ahkmen, would you like to be my friend Teti?"
The bear nodded eagerly. It spread its arms wide. Ahkmen needed no more encouragement and swept up the creature in a hug. Ahkmen was actually very gentle seeing that the bear was still quite scared of the whole situation. Teti cuddled back happily, silent but obviously just as loving.
"I'm glad you like her".
"She's very lovely."
"I made her for you."
"For, for me?" The child looked astounded.
"Yes, I thought you might like someone to share your bedtime and explore the museum with."
Ahkmen looked like the Sun actually shone out of his face, "Thank you!" He cuddled into Martha as well as Teti, kissing her very affectionately on the cheek.
"She's the best ever! Thank you!"
"You're very welcome Ahkmen, you've been a brave boy since you got here, especially last night and I wanted you to have a special friend you could share the museum with."
"Thank you!" He turned to Teti. "I can show you lots of things! And I have a nice bed I sleep in, there's stories too if we go to bed in time! Papa Bear, Jed, Octavius and Attila tell the best stories!
Teti hugged Ahkmen back with equal affection.
Seeing the two of them together became a common sight, Teti usually in Ahkmen's hand or poking out of his chest pocket on his dungarees. He loved her fiercely and she him. They could always be found cuddled up together at the end of the night, Teti guarding her friend's dreams until the magic faded once more.
Even much later, when Ahkmenrah returned to his grown form, resuming his original regal and dignified state, determined to be seen as an adult, utterly and categorically once more he kept the loving little bear, still comforted by her in the darkness before dawn. Larry never said a word the few times he'd seen grown Ahk, fast asleep in his sarcophagus cuddling Teti like she was the last thing on earth.
Thank you everyone for reading this! Please let me know what you think!
I apologise once again for the slowness of my updates at the moment, I'm so grateful you guys are sticking with me through this, I promise my rate will pick up again soon!
The last paragraph is meant to show Ahkmenrah does return to us fully grown once more but that's not going to happen yet, it's in both the exhibits and our futures! Sorry to get your hopes up but me and Ahkmen have a lot more to get done before Ahkmenrah makes a reappearance!
I should also say, Ahkmen calling for his mummy is a Britishism, I'm Midland British and we say mum/mummy rather than mom/mommy or mam/mammy. Since Ahkmenrah usually speaks with an English accent I've headcannoned that he would say mummy rather than mommy!