Author's Note: I'd like to apologize that I have taken so long to update this fic. School just gets in the way of my writing time, but I hope you are enjoying it! Please review!

Chapter Eleven

"Forbidden Destinies"

Seti's Palace

Thebes, Egypt

1290 BC

(Eight years later…)

In quiet solitude, the High Priest Imhotep made his way down the corridors of the palace. Determination rested on his face and shown through even in the way he moved. He planned for nothing to deter him from his daily tasks.

Clutched in his hands, were several scrolls of papyrus needed for the expansion of the temples to Osiris. It had taken several trying hours, but in the end, Imhotep had drawn them up and was now ready to present them to the pharaoh for final inspection. He hoped that Seti would not delay his plans any further than he had already.

The pharaoh had been displeased with the blueprints the first three times and it had greatly aggravated Imhotep. His patience toward the man had long since worn thin, especially since his respect for this "god on Earth" had all but been swallowed by Ahemait.

Imhotep found no shame in thinking such things about his pharaoh; he had given up chastising himself over it many seasons ago. He had seen the truth and knew what Seti really was: A lowly spawn of Sebek, andto this day it sickened him to look at this heathen he was meant to serve.

Making a right into the next corridor, Imhotep suddenly became aware that he had just entered the hall, which led to Princess Nefertiri's bedchambers. The familiar face of Asim became visible, as the Med-jai stood outside her rooms. Now was the time for chastising.

Mentally the high priest rolled his eyes and swore to whatever god was listening, for though the encounters regarding Anck-su-namun had now passed, he and Asim had never fully recovered from their wounds. Scars now marred their once beautiful friendship and Imhotep knew, as did Asim, that they would never be as they had been before, but that did not stop the Med-jai from keeping a protective eye on his old friend.

Asim glanced at Imhotep, only moving his eyes, as the rest of his body remained perfectly still. "If you've business with the pharaoh, he will be detained," he said.

Imhotep stopped and looked at Asim sharply with some puzzlement. "Why?" he asked, standing straighter. How did Asim know this when he was the guard of Nefertiri?

"He is inside speaking with his daughter," he answered, indicating the door to his left.

"Then I will wait," Imhotep replied, ready to be on his way. Asim noticed this, but felt inclined to speak with his former companion some more. He longed for their lengthy conversations, the stories they used to share. Would they ever have that again?

"How are things at the temples going?" he decided to ask.

Imhotep looked inconvenienced by this question, for it was clearly shown that he wished to be anywhere else. "Slower than expected," he said, not willing to divulge any further information. Imhotep had become very guarded and closed off in the past eight years. Asim did not even know him anymore and did not believe he was in any way the man he had once been. It was heart wrenching.

The high priest started to turn, ready to leave after all, whether he had bid his friend a farewell, or not, but desperate to break through the wall Imhotep had created, Asim said the first thing that came to mind. The one thing that he knew would shake the high priest from his cage.

"She's getting married, you know."

Imhotep stopped. His back was to Asim, but he turned his head enough to glance at him. "Who?" he asked.

"Anck-su-namun…" said the Med-jai, who watched as Imhotep once again looked away from him.

He shut his eyes, his instincts already fearing- No, knowing the worst. His entire body tensed as he asked his next question. "To who?" he inquired, his tone controlled, as his jaw tightly clenched.

"To the pharaoh."

"How do you know this?" he demanded, still unable to bring himself to look at Asim. He knew the anger he was feeling and he wanted Asim to have no part of it. If he so much as glanced at his friend, he knew without a doubt that he would lash out. He could not hurt Seti, however he could certainly inflict his wrath upon the messenger, but he would not follow that path.

"Nefertiri. She was rather boisterous about the news just moments ago… I am sorry," Asim offered in all sincerity. Imhotep silently scoffed and rolled his eyes, before at last shaking his head.

"Do you think I care?" he asked, turning around at last.

"Don't you?" posed Asim, looking straight into Imhotep's dark eyes. He could imagine the pain he was going through. Many a times had he wondered what would become of him and Nefertiri if she were to wed another man. He knew the day was coming and words could not describe what he felt, but he still did not understand why Imhotep could not let a woman he had hardly met go.

"I do not have time for this. I have told you, she means nothing to me. Nothing," he insisted.

For a long while the two men stared at one another, Imhotep seething, and Asim patiently awaiting a response. It was a stand off and both men felt they had the other cornered.

"It's a sign, Imhotep. You should forget her."

The high priest growled and spun around, his robe billowing out behind him as he walked at a rather quickened pace for Seti's chambers, leaving Asim with a somber expression. Imhotep would wait for the pharaoh there. He would listen no more to Asim and his self-righteous attitude, and he would find Anck-su-namun.

"She doesn't belong to you," called out the Med-jai, as he vanished from sight.

Workers in the palace darted out of the way, or bowed their heads in fear as Imhotep stormed past them. He ignored them all. Until now, his duties had become his life, more so than they had been prior to his encounters with Anck-su-namun. They were all that he had to give him some sense of belonging and worth. Everything seemed much simpler and set in place when he dealt with the religious affairs of the kingdom, after all, it was what he felt he was meant to do…

But now he felt that there was something else he was meant for and it had nagged at him since that night. Hearing this news of the coming marriage only solidified his feelings more. He began to forget all about the promise he had made to himself several years ago, a promise which had come about after his conversation with Asim in the corridor, the day he had fallen ill. It was then, after many hours of reflection that he had decided that what Asim had said and done was right.

If he had pursued Anck-su-namun and his feelings for her, he would no doubt have brought about the downfall of them both, but he had found that he cared little for himself. He had learned that from her. All that mattered was her safety, and so, he had avoided her, disappeared from her life. When she was around Seti, he made himself scarce. The more he ignored her, the easier it had become and he had managed to convince himself that his feelings for her had been abolished… but that had only been until his run in with his dear friend, Asim in the halls just moments before…

It was almost funny how a single announcement could alter everything he thought he had control of, but he had no time for quiet reflection about the workings of the world. It was time.

At long last, his heart pumping with fury, he reached the large, golden doors to Seti's chambers. His eyes bore into the two Med-jai standing guard outside the room, until they opened the doors for him and allowed him to pass. The second the room was revealed to him, the unexpected took place, for inside a hauntingly familiar figure stood in the room's center, facing the doors.

The curves of her painted body stood out against all else. Her black as the night hair draped just inches from her shoulders, glistening in the light. Everything about her was enticing, alluring, and captivating, but he was not blind to the warnings, the dangers of which Anck-su-namun held.

"Imhotep. What a surprise," she said, lifting an eyebrow, as he heard the doors shut behind him.

"What are you doing in here?" he asked, ignoring her greeting. Anck-su-namun gave a short laugh and walked toward him.

"What do you think?" she inquired, coyly.

Imhotep had not said two words to her since that night before dinner. Nothing could describe how much she had missed him and longed for him to come and speak with her again, but why? Why now after all these years did he come to her? She knew she had been cold to him last they had spoke, but a huge part of her had wanted him to try again at getting through to her. She had almost needed him to make her forgive him like some burning necessity, but now that he stood before her she was angry. Angry of all the time he had wasted. What had he been waiting for?

When Imhotep had suddenly taken it upon himself to ignore her, he had only succeeded in breaking her heart for what seemed to be an eternity. Every time she had gazed upon him the pain was never any less and she had to wonder, would she be this way for longer than she would draw breath? Was this her fate when it was so clear that he did not love her?

However some small part of her tried to remind her that it was for the best. Asim and his watchful eye upon her was not something that she wished to attract. She feared him, as she feared death.

Shivering, she looked at Imhotep, and continued to speak to him in a guarded manner.

"Must I describe to you my duties as the pharaoh's mistress?" she asked, circling him, her finger tracing along his back and neck very lightly. She watched from behind him as his body tensed and she smiled, pleased to see that she was getting to him, as her vexation climbed.

"Do I frighten you?" she asked, returning to stand before him. "You know I am forbidden. A single touch from me and any man would fall to Anubis… Seti would see to that. But you were once unafraid of my touch," she said, looking quizzically at him, her anger subsiding, as curiosity took hold. She had never figured out how that could be. Why he would one moment defy everything the pharaoh had decreed and then fall into the shadows, far from doing anything against Seti's law. He was a mystery to her, an enigma.

"Tell me, what changed?" she queried.

"Things are not that simple," he answered, causing Anck-su-namun to smirk.

"Things are always simple. Only our minds make them as complicated as they can be," she replied, meeting with his eyes. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. How would she be able to continue to hide her feelings for him?

Imhotep stared at her, his face like stone. Inside he was feeling a wide range of emotions, ones he could not begin to identify. What did she want from him? How could she call anything to do with their situation "simple?"

Turning to walk toward the curtains hanging before the balcony, she continued, "If you are looking for Seti, he is not here."

Imhotep sighed. He had wanted to find Anck-su-namun, but now that he had he did not know what to do. Anger boiled up inside of him at his inability to say anything. He watched her voluptuous hips sway with every step she took and he burned to tell her, to release all this turmoil he held within. These feelings were all consuming, more potent than ever before. She was like a flower that had somehow managed to survive in the desert, but someone else had plucked her up; someone she did not belong to and before he could gain control of his tongue, the words seemed to shoot from his mouth like deadly arrows, ones he could never take back.

"You cannot marry him!" he cried, causing Anck-su-namun to stop when her hands had grasped the curtains. The breath she had sucked in refused to be released and she found that she could not move for the longest time. Had he really just said that?

She turned around, appearing shocked, but more importantly afraid. What if the Med-jai waiting outside had heard? They could both be killed!

In an effort to defend herself, she said, "I do not see where it is any concern of yours."

But, secretly she was curious and hopeful, longing to hear more of this, but what was she expecting? He couldn't possibly profess his undying love to her here in the pharaoh's bedchambers. He couldn't profess it anywhere. Ever. That was if he even felt anything, which she was still very doubtful of. Oh, how her head was spinning.

"Anck-su-namun, if you marry him…" he went on, as she connected with his eyes, while he walked toward her.

Gazing up at him, she searched for the reason he wanted to give her, the one she longed for.

Imhotep too looked back into her eyes, feeling and seeing the warmth of her soul. It drew him in and he stepped closer to her, his hand coming up. He wanted to touch her, feel her, but remembered her paint and where they were, and so instead he passed his hand over her face in a sweeping caress that never touched her skin, but somehow caused a shiver to course through to her very core.

Anck-su-namun, shaking, brought her hand up and returned the same overpowering gesture, stealing Imhotep's very breath away. He had to shut his eyes keep himself under control, for he wanted to delve further into these feelings. If no contact at all could cause this, he could not imagine what her actual touch would be like, her kiss.

"Imhotep…" she whispered, dropping her hand. He opened his eyes.

"Anck-su-namun," he said back in a hushed tone, his voice sounding deeper than normal.

Anck-su-namun felt as though the world she knew had dropped away and she was left with only one man. Her heart soared higher than the heavens and her soul felt what it had not in the longest time: freedom… and love.

She could feel it surrounding the two of them, binding them together. Imhotep too could sense it. It was apparent in both of their eyes, the expressions on their faces.

The doors clicked open and Imhotep shut his eyes in frustration.

Trembling in terror, Anck-su-namun stepped away from the high priest and walked toward Seti who now entered the room. The pharaoh's arms rose in the air and he greeted his betrothed with open arms and an enormous grin. He embraced her carefully, so as not to smear her paint.

"Ah, Anck-su-namun," he said. "And Imhotep. You have come just in time to hear the glorious news!"

The high priest placed his scrolls of papyrus on a nearby table in order to put his palms together at his chest, while giving a respectful bow toward his pharaoh. Seti spoke again when Imhotep straightened back up, as Anck-su-namun waited at the pharaoh's side.

"Anck-su-namun and I are to join," Seti expressed with glee. He stole a possessive glance at his future wife. "She is to be the next queen of Egypt both Upper and Lower. There is not a finer woman I could have by my side."

Imhotep gave in ever so slightly to his feelings and said with cool eloquence, "As your vizier and high priest, I feel it is owed to me to know why you have not discussed such an important decision with me first?"

The pharaoh's reply was a slight chuckle, before explaining, "Imhotep, you have been loyal to me to the last. I could not ask for a more dedicated high priest, but why would I wish to discuss something that I have already decided on? As pharaoh is it not my right to marry the most beautiful woman and display her for all to see? To you I feel that I should not need to explain myself."

Imhotep realized from his words that he had overstepped his bounds, and so he did what was immediately expected of him.

"Forgive me then, My Pharaoh," he apologized with another bow. Seti grinned, but there was something sinister behind it, as he placed an arm around Anck-su-namun. His hand grasped her shoulder and smeared the paint covering it. The black and gold artistry, once perfect and alluring had just been defiled.

"But I will tell you this. Anck-su-namun and I… are in love!" the pharaoh announced.

Imhotep's face was like stone, as he watched the two before him, but he carefully took notice to the peculiar way Anck-su-namun averted her eyes from him. She seemed fidgety, until finally flashing an anything but genuine smile Seti's way. The pharaoh, so obviously blinded by his egotistic stupidity, in Imhotep's opinion, saw nothing misplaced in her show of happiness, but the high priest did. He saw through her façade. There was no way he would ever believe that someone such as Anck-su-namun would ever harbor feelings for such a man, but just when he thought nothing could surprise him more than this betrothal, he laid witness to a most heinous act.

Anck-su-namun's slender fingers found their way to Seti's chest and rubbed gently, as she leaned in toward his ear and said aloud, "I absolutely cannot wait to marry this man. My heart swells with joy at the love he gives to me and the undying affection that we share."

Imhotep could not take his eyes of Seti's chest and the hand that rubbed and circled his flesh. These words burned in his ears and churned his stomach. Was this true? Did she? Could she… love him? Imhotep suddenly felt as though his lungs had collapsed on him, that his heart had imploded from the pain. He wished he'd imploded if only to escape this disgusting scene.

What was the purpose of this? He loved her, wanted her, needed her, desired her, and yet he could not have her? And to top it all off, he was to lose her to the most despicable man ever in existence? Even Set would be proud! Why, Imhotep would have laughed if he didn't still have a shred of his sanity.

And, as if things could not get any worse, Seti lifted Anck-su-namun's long and delicate fingers to his lips and inserted the index finger into his mouth. Slowly, he pulled it back out, keeping his eyes fixated on his mistress.

Anck-su-namun gave him a smirk, hoping she was hiding her feelings for Imhotep well enough from both men. It made her sick to do this, but she had no choice. It was her place. She would have to accept it and soon she would have with it all the power she could have ever dreamed of.

"Imhotep," Seti suddenly broke the silence, "you may leave. I will discuss whatever it is you have come here to see me for at a later time."

The pharaoh did not take his gaze from Anck-su-namun's as she smiled demurely and lowered her eyes in humbleness. Imhotep found he was at a loss for words and had to remind himself to respond and move.

"As you please," he said, grabbing the blueprints from the table and giving a quick bow. "Forgive me for keeping you. I will return. Anck-su-namun," he added in goodbye to the woman who would one day be his future queen and swiftly walked for the exit.

As he stood out in the hall, watching the doors close behind him, he caught a glimpse of Anck-su-namun in the final passing seconds before she was shut inside with him… There was something unexplainable in the way she looked toward him. Something solemn and wistful, but then it was gone.