Author's Note: Alright! I watched the movies, both of them actually, over and over to piece together the dialogue from the first and second one for this chapter and get all the actions and everything right! (And might I add, it was quite annoying because of certain things! lol There were lines that were added and taken out in the same scene! I think they did it just to make things difficult for me! hehe I say it's just plain evil! I almost went insane! lol Naw, not really, I love the movies, so it wasn't terrible, I liked it, especially watching Imhotep over and over, but it was a little confusing at times to find out where to put it all!) Anyways, I hope that I got it as much as I could to fit and as accurate as possible because I know how it is when the lines are wrong and all! And I hope that I didn't leave out or mess anything up. Let's just say that now my tapes are worn down a lot more in those scenes. hehe Well enjoy and please review!

Jen

Disclaimer: I did not originally write this scene. It belongs to Stephen Sommers. I only did this for fun.

Chapter Fourteen

"Hindered Destiny"

Seti's Palace

Thebes, Egypt

1290 BC

(Three months later…)

The halls of the palace were nearly bare as Anck-su-namun, still the betrothed of Pharaoh Seti I, made her way through with her uncanny grace, seeming to almost glide across the floors. Her presence was like that of a child's lifeless doll, floating by in the night with an ethereal beauty. The gold paint, which adorned her nearly naked body danced with the flames cascading off the torches aligning the walls as she passed. Her stare remained high, and empty, gazing straight ahead in a frozen mask, which seemed almost inhuman. Her cold looking eyes gave off a haunted stare as they seemed to drift past everything before and around her, as if she could not truly see it.

Her bare feet pattered against the stone floor as she made her way deeper into the palace. The cloth that hung from her waist, the only piece of clothing, which Seti allowed her to wear so that he could so maliciously show her off, dangled between her legs.

Servants, guards, and palace dwellers bowed in pretend respect for their future queen and averted themselves as quickly as they could before she passed, for fear of accidentally brushing against her. One would think she was the bringer of death with how they reacted, but in a way, she was. Everyone knew that it was just best to stay away from Anck-su-namun.

As sunset neared, Imhotep, keeper of the dead, waited secretly inside Anck-su-namun's bedchamber. He had snuck in with the aid of his priests and now watched from the balcony as the Med-jai did their evening drills in preparation for any coming dangers.

Imhotep smirked. Their lives, in his opinion, were wasted on the protection of their pharaoh. If they were ever to learn the vile truth about their king, they would surely send him to his death. Many a night since Imhotep had become the lover of Anck-su-namun, he had thought of this.

Now, as he looked on from above, he could see the pharaoh riding off in his golden chariot for the city gates, as he did every night. Seti took great joy in exercising his horses and thought himself to be quite skilled at riding in his chariot; however, Imhotep found him to be nothing, but conceited in his abilities and a little too showy for his tastes when among his people.

Hearing footsteps entering the room, Imhotep turned away from the scenery.

Walking into her room, Anck-su-namun knew he was waiting for her. He did every night during Seti's nightly ride. The pharaoh was an idiotic fool and blind to their love. There were no two people he trusted more completely. At times Anck-su-namun imagined what great pain it would bring him to catch them in their rendezvous, but she felt that it would never be enough for the agonies he had lashed upon her.

But, he could never know. She knew it would be the end of both her and Imhotep if they were to ever be discovered, and she greatly feared that possibility.

Keeping her back straight, she sauntered past a row of golden statues. She could see Imhotep's priests from the corners of her eyes waiting amongst them, as they always did when the high priest came to see her. Imhotep had only told this small band of followers who were more loyal to him than to Seti. After all, it would seem less suspicious if they were near.

After she had passed, the painted priests hurried for the doors in order to close them…

Anck-su-namun brushed the curtain aside to find Imhotep waiting. She walked toward him silently and passed her hand over his face in their special gesture of love. His hands came up immediately after and did the same, before grasping her shoulders and kissing her mouth and his thumb massaging her, smearing her body paint…

Unknown to them, Princess Nefertiri had wandered out onto her balcony and seen the two's forbidden touch. When they kissed, she turned her head, anger seizing her face, but she found herself unable to turn away for long due to the shock and watched this treasonous act, hatred billowing up inside of her for Anck-su-namun.

How could she do this to her father? Earlier that day in the throne room when they had fought to show off Nefertiri's skills, since she was to be the guardian of the bracelet of Anubis, she had seen the strange look, which had passed between her and Imhotep. It had been quite peculiar and arose her suspicions about the concubine and Imhotep even further.

And now, she had her proof. She had known that this woman had not loved her father, but to actually see Imhotep betray his king was enough to make Nefertiri's stomach churn. What ever did he see in her? How could a man, which she had greatly respected see in such a lowly whore?

Nefertiri heard voices below and saw her father returning. She looked back at the two who kissed on the balcony, half worried for Imhotep, but half hoping for them to be caught if only for Anck-su-namun's sake.

Seti marched through the palace, heading for Anck-su-namun's chambers. He had received a message from Osiris himself.The godhad appeared before him and told him he must make haste and return to the palace to see his beloved Anck-su-namun. Before he had been able to ask why the matter was so urgent, the god had vanished.

Pushing open the doors, Seti stopped and looked in confusion at the priests who waited on the other side.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, but there was no answer, all the priests did was keep their heads low and close the door, as he marched on for the curtains, flinging them out of his way and stepping through.

He found Anck-su-namun standing there, tapping the head belonging to a statue of Bast, as she looked down innocently with one hand behind her back.

For a moment Seti looked at her, but his eyes caught something, which greatly angered him greatly and Anck-su-namun's heart nearly stopped as the pharaoh pointed to her shoulder.

"Who has touched you?" he demanded in anger. Anck-su-namun had not noticed Imhotep touching her anywhere except her lips, although she had been so entranced by his warm touch that she might not have been completely aware of anything else.

Behind the curtains, Imhotep's heart was racing. He was in a panic. How could he have been so stupid? He had gotten careless in a moment of passion with his lover. What was he going to do; this was not their destiny.

He watched as his love turned and looked at her shoulder. Her eyes widened with shock when she saw the smeared black paint upon her golden skin. She looked back up at the pharaoh, completely speechless. She couldn't breathe. Imhotep noticed this and saw the anger in Seti's eyes. He immediately rushed to her aid.

Seti's gaze averted from Anck-su-namun's shoulder to her eyes in which he saw that she was looking past him. He turned to follow her look and found Imhotep.

Driven with panic for his love and hatred for Seti, Imhotep grabbed the pharaoh's sword so that he would be unable to fight. Seti stared at him in disbelief, his eyes filled with betrayal.

Across the way on another balcony, Nefertiri had seen Imhotep grab the sword away from her father. Instantly her jaw dropped open in sheer terror for her father's life and quivered slightly as she drew in two quick, stuttering gasps, her eyes wide. Her head shot to the right and she shouted down to the guards standing watch below.

"Med-jai!"

All heads turned up in her direction and she shouted again in desperation while pointing to her father's location, "My father needs you!" She moved her head back to face the balcony, breathing heavily through her panic as she said it. All the guards rushed off to the palace entrance, weapons drawn.

Nefertiri only hoped that they would not be too late. She should have seen this coming. That snake that was to be her stepmother! She should have known! She had suspected their love, but never in her dreams had she imagined such a thing as this! She should have done away with Anck-su-namun herself, long ago. Now because of her hesitation, her father would could die.

"Imhotep?" breathed the pharaoh as he looked at him. Imhotep only stared past him, but the Pharaoh did not notice this and continued to speak, "My priest!" he said accusingly.

Anck-su-namun stood behind him with a look of fear in her eyes. She could not lose Imhotep, not like this! Before the pharaoh could say another word, she raised a dagger with both her hands and brought it down into his back. Seti screamed in agony, his head throwing back.

Across the way Nefertiri nearly fell backwards, but kept her hold upon the balcony, gasping, her look turning to that of hysterics as her mouth hung open. Her mind went completely blank, all thoughts freezing. She did not know what to do. Her father was dying right before her, everything started to seem as if it was in slow motion as her mind could not fully handle all of it at once. She watched from her horrified and detached state as her father's right arm lifted and shot out to the side as he started to twist around through his pain. She did not know if he was screaming, she could only stare, all other sights and sounds were not accessible for her.

Anck-su-namun could only stare at Imhotep with a look of love and worry as she held the blade in place. She looked like a lost child. Imhotep looked back at her with a look of, "We're in this together," and he raised his sword and swung it as he let out a loud growl, expressing his every hatred for his king. The blade sliced him straight across the stomach and chest, nearly decapitating him as the pharaoh let out one final blood-curdling cry.

"NY!" screamed Nefertiri loud enough that all of Egypt could most likely hear, finally escaping her shock enough to speak. Instantly, her body gave way from the hysteria and she fell forward, wanting to rush to her father's aid, completely forgetting that she was on a balcony a few hundred feet up.

Her stomach slammed into the bar and the forward direction in which she had tried to go was so strong that she toppled over the balcony and began to fall, still screaming as loudly as she could the very same word.

"Nefertiri!" shouted Asim in terror, his voice nearly breaking from the strain as he saw his love topple over the edge. He bolted for the balcony at top speed and shot himself out to the ledge, falling over the balcony as well, and lashed out his hand to her just before she fell out of reach, grabbing her by the ankle.

Nefertiri's body jerked to a halt, her eyes wider than ever, terrified gasps escaping her. Her arms lay out to the sides, spread apart as if she were flying, flailing about along with her free leg. Her mouth just remained agape, her eyes growing wider and wider, in her blank, traumatized stare towards the ground far below as she let out little huffs of air.

Asim strained to keep a hold of her as he struggled to pull himself up to safety, cringing and growling from the weight. His legs kicked violently below him as Nefertiri just hung, nearly hyperventilating from the shock and near death experience. Her moving was causing them to sway and Asim strained even harder to get them under control, to steady them, but it seemed almost useless as Nefertiri let out terrified gasps.

A boom shook from the giant, golden doors ahead and Imhotep and Anck-su-namun popped up simultaneously, staring to them in horror, breathing rapidly, and still holding their instruments of death. A man's voice shouted through to them, causing Anck-su-namun to flinch as her heart skipped a beat in fear as the doors sounded once more in a calling of death.

"Open up at once!" commanded the voice, loud enough to overcome the sounds. The doors pounded again and again, echoing into the room, nearly consuming everything.

"Pharaoh's bodyguards," said Imhotep, stating what in they were both thinking.

Anck-su-namun spun around to look at Imhotep and in desperation she spoke, "You must go! Save yourself!"

"No." he answered, unable to take his eyes from the doors. Their world was crumbling right before their eyes. Anck-su-namun spoke with more force, trying with all her heart to get him to go.

"Only you can resurrect me!"

Imhotep suddenly was able to turn away from the doors. He looked at her with his mouth open in fear. He couldn't lose her like this he thought.

Suddenly, the Med-jai burst open the heavy golden doors and marched in in a menacing formation, ready to fight for their pharaoh. Imhotep still looked at his love.

"I won't leave you!" he cried, looking at her. In his eyes, Anck-su-namun could see his very soul. His priests ran up and grabbed him by the arms and began to try to pull him away. Imhotep struggled to get them off of him.

"Get away from me!" he shouted. Anck-su-namun raised her hand and slowly waved it over his face in their secret sign that meant, "I love you." As she did this, they pulled him away from her and she had to use all her strength to keep from bursting into tears. She wanted to follow him. She felt as if her very heart was being ripped out of her chest as the priests pulled away her Imhotep.

"Anck-su-namun! You shall live again!" he cried, never taking his eyes off of her.

"Imhotep!" she cried back, nearly letting loose her tears.

"I will resurrect you!" he promised, staring back at her still.

Imhotep's very words made her want to cry even more, her very soul felt as if it was dying. She could not live without him and he could not live without her.

He saw that she looked back at him with a look filled with mixed emotions: love, pain, agony, anger, fear, but yet an undying faith that he would bring her back as his priests pulled him away. Her breaths were heavy and her eyes held within them a longing to be with him once more and it tore at his heart.

Anck-su-namun quickly broke her gaze just as he was pulled out of sight and spun around, for she knew she would lose it if she looked at him any longer. It was time to face her destiny, the path that she had to take.

The Med-jai finally made their way up to her, but their gazes rested upon that of the pharaoh, who laid in a pool of blood upon the cold floor of the palace.

From behind the curtains on the balcony, Imhotep remained. He was unable to pull himself away. He wanted to stay with her as long as he possibly could. He would not abandon her now, even if she already thought that he was gone and would never know it. He knew that she would have never done what she was about to do with him watching, but he would not let her do it alone. He loved her too much.

Anck-su-namun stared back at them, she masked the emotions from her face and spoke.

"Bem bi hy hut wayt eev hout!"

Her words cut him like a knife and he felt as if he had been the one that had just been killed and not the pharaoh. All he could see was a shadowed outline of his "princess." He watched as she raised the very dagger that she had used to kill the pharaoh in desperation and bring it down with the sheer speed that resembled that of how fast their world had ended.

Imhotep had to close his eyes and turn away just as the blade touched her stomach; he flinched as he heard the sound of it tearing her flesh. His love was dead and though he was alive, he felt as if he had died with her.

After a moment he found the strength to open his eyes. He had made his love a promise, and he intended to keep it.

He suddenly noticed that his friend, Asim, was standing at the balcony just across from him, holding the hysterical Princess Nefertiri. They stared at each other for what seemed like forever. Imhotep looked at him with a look of sorrow and determination. Asim could only look back at him with an empty expression, for he knew what would happen to his friend, Imhotep.

The priests finally dragged Imhotep down from the balcony and they ran into the night. Asim knew where they were going and he knew that his friend would not rest until he resurrected his love, he had heard the whole thing, but he would let him escape, after all, Imhotep had long been his best friend. Asim secretly feared that he would be the one to carry out Imhotep's sentence when they did catch up with him. He stood there on the balcony, holding the woman that he loved more than life itself and he watched his friend fade out into the distance.

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this fic. I may add more if there's a request for it, but I don't really think I need to. I have the sequel started. I will post it soon. It will involve the O'Connells, Jonathan, and Ardeth, as well. It will take place after The Mummy Returns. So, please read it when I get it up! And review please! I love reviews. hehe

Jen