"All the world's a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed." ― Seán O'Casey
"Father, I need to speak to you about Ahkmenrah."
Amenhotep nodded at his son, signaling for him to continue on with whatever he had to say. Said son glanced at the servants around the room, looking as if they were busy, though they were clearly eavesdropping on the Pharaoh and his son. Kahmunrah rolled his eyes, turning back to his father.
"It's not so much about Ahkmenrah, actually, father." Kahmunrah explained, trying to get his words across in the right way. If he didn't, his father wouldn't take his side, and that would be detrimental to his plan. "It's about how he acts towards that servant girl of his, Cena."
His father was silent, so he took this as a sign to continue. "He dotes on her as if she's... As if she's his wife. He's always around her, and ever since she got that cut on her from that assassin, he hasn't left his room. Well, he has, but not to do anything productive. All he does is checks up on her and makes sure that she's comfortable and alright, as if she's on our level, father. He acts as if she isn't what she is; a mere servant. I feel as if we allow this to go on, Ahkmenrah will do something he regrets."
Amenhotep waved a hand dismissively. "Nonsense, Kahmunrah. Your brother has always been a very caring young man, so it's natural that he's trying to give thanks to the servant girl who saved his life. Now that's all I'm going to hear on the topic." He gave his son a stern look when he opened his mouth to speak again, making Kahmunrah close his mouth, looking far from pleased. "Now please go attend to your duties."
"Yes, father." Kahmunrah grumbled, turning and leaving with a swish of his robes. Well, that definitely hadn't gone as he planned. He wanted that damned girl out of here for good. Not only was she ruining his plans, she was far too mouthy, and not in a good way.
Meanwhile, Amenhotep listened to the problems of the townspeople as they filtered into his throne room. He offered advice when it was needed, solving the problems with the ease of a Pharaoh who knew exactly what he was doing.
However, his mind was on something else. Amenhotep knew very well that his son's behavior towards Cena wasn't at all customary. He knew that the other servants whispered about the two of them, how he allowed her to do things other servants couldn't and would be punished for, and how he doted on her while she was hurt. Yes, she had saved his life, but she was a mere servant girl, easily replaceable.
Amenhotep heaved a sigh. It looked like he was going to have to be the one to take care of this matter after all.
"I still don't think that you should be walking around. You've only been resting for a little over a week, Cena, and I don't think that's enough time to recover from a wound that deep."
Currently Ahkmenrah was walking beside Cena, going on and on about how she should lay down and rest up a bit more. She would never admit it, but she was a bit flustered that he was so worried about her. She felt a flutter in her stomach, making her furrow her brow. What the hell was that? She shook it off. Paying attention to it would only cause problems for her in the long run. Sure, she wasn't a stupid girl, and she figured what it meant, but she couldn't do that. She ignored it, willing the feeling to go away.
"You could get an infection if it opens up again." Ahkemnrah continued as he walked beside her. They were heading to do some paperwork for his father, well, Ahkmenrah was doing the paperwork, but she was there to fetch things for him if he needed it. For the most part, when this happened, she would simply sit down and talk to him. She knew that he really just wanted company, but she wouldn't voice that. "And then you'll be bed ridden for even longer than that, or even worse, you could lose your entire leg to an infection like that-"
"Ahkmenrah." The dark haired beauty interrupted his rant, making him blink at her in surprise as they walked. Cena suddenly realized what a unique eye color he had. It was a blue-green color, though closer to green at the moment, in a light shade that almost looked translucent in the sunlight. It constracted greatly with his tanned skin and dark brows and hair, giving him quite the striking appearance. She could tell that he was very handsome, hell, anyone with properly funcitioning eyes could tell that. But it was her denial that kept her from recogonizing and voicing that opinion.
Though Cena didn't know it, Ahkmenrah was thinking something similar about her. Her eyes were a dark, deep chocoloate brown, one that almost matched her pupils. It was a sight to see. It made her look fierce and strong, though maybe that was the fire that was constantly in her eyes. Her hair was naturally pin straight, falling to her waist, reflecting off of whatever light that was in the room. She usually talked animatedly, using her hands, which was when he saw the real passion in those eyes of hers. But he couldn't forget how lovely she looked whenever she got embarrassed or frustrated and color filled her cheeks.
Of course, because the Pharaoh's son was so entranced in the female before him, he slammed right into a wall. He backed off, holding his head and wincing. "Ow." He grumbled, rubbing his head.
"Are you alright?" Cena questioned, trying to keep a straight face. Ahkmenrah saw a smile teasing her petal pink lips, and soon the corners of her lips turned upwards. She covered her mouth with her hands, the corners of her eyes crinkling a bit, showing that she was trying her hardest not to laugh.
Ahkmenrah grinned, trying to sound menacing, though it didn't really work with a man who looked almost like a puppy. "Are you laughing at me, Cena?"
"No." She replied automatically, trying her hardest not to laugh.
Ahkmenrah advanced on her slowly, making her back up just as slow, taking a step back into the study each time he took a step forward. "I think that you're laughing at my pain, Cena. That's not very ladylike."
She lowered her hands from her face, a grin on her features. It was playful, something he seldom saw. "Yeah, well I'm not very ladylike, Ahkmenrah."
"So you admit to it?" He gave her an impish grin, still advancing on her.
The brunette shook her head, laughing a little bit. "No, I never admitted to anything! Don't put words into my mouth."
"You just laughed!" Ahkmenrah pointed out, still grinning. "You must be punished for your crimes." Suddenly he lunged forward but Cena danced out of the way at the last second, running behind him while laughing. Ahkmenrah turned around to face her, laughing as well. "You're not getting away that easily." He dove for her again, but this time he was prepared and he caught her around her waist, pulling her back into him and attacking her sides with his fingers. She began laughing hysterically, tears in the corners of her eyes from laughing so hard.
"A-Ahkmenrah, s-stop!" She was able to say between laughs.
Ahkmenrah grinned, still tickling her. "I'm sorry, did you say something, Cena? I can't hear those who break the law by laughing at my pain."
"I-I'm sorry for laughing at you!" She exclaimed, though she was still laughing from Ahkmenrah attacking her sides with his fingers.
"I don't think that you're truly sorry for what you have done." Ahkemnrah replied, shaking his head and tutting at the female, though he was still grinning impishly. "I mean, you're still laughing, so you can't be that sorry, now can you?"
"I-I am!" She shouted through laughs, nearly doubling over. "I-I'm sorry f-for laughing at y-you, Ahkmenrah!"
"Sorry, what was that?" Ahkmenrah questioned, laughing along with Cena. "I can't hear you over your hysteric laughter."
"Am I interrupting something?"
Ahkmenrah froze, the grin leaving his face, his fingers freezing as well as he looked over at the doorway. Cena stopped laughing, standing up straight and moving out of his grip at once. The both of them looked over at the doorway, where Kahmunrah stood, looking not at all pleased with the display.
Ahkmenrah cleared his throat. "No, of course not. We were just here to get some of father's paperwork done, that's all."
"And I suppose father's paperwork is on your servant's waist?" Kahmunrah demanded, his tone sounding angry and cold, yet strangely docile and calm at the same time.
Ahkmenrah shrugged his shoulders, not knowing how to reply to that one. Cena glared at Kahmunrah. "I have a name, and it's not 'your servant.'"
"I'm very much aware of that. However, you are merely a servant," He looked over at his younger brother. "...and there's no changing that."
His brother's tone chilled Ahkmenrah to the bone. He had no idea how to reply. He knew that his behavior with Cena a moment ago was far from acceptable. If his father had seen it, he knew that he would be livid. As the future Pharaoh of Egypt, he couldn't go around tickling his servants. It was unacceptable behavior.
"And you're merely a brother who will never get the throne." Cena replied in a challenging tone, stepping forward, her dark eyes flashing dangerously.
Kahmunrah glared at her, raising a hand and slapping her across the face so hard that the sound echoed throughout the room. Ahkmunrah's eyes widened as he watched her head snap to the side, her hair covering her cheek. Cena slowly looked back over at the eldest brother, who currently had a triumphant smirk on his features. Her cheek was a bit swollen, a red hand print already there.
"How dare you hit me." She growled, hands curling into fists at her sides. Oh, he was going to get it-
Ahkmenrah set a hand on her shoulder, making her recoil. He shook his head at her and she nodded, crossing her arms and giving Kahmunrah the dirtiest look that she could manage. She wasn't allowed to hit him. Hitting him would surely mean death, and she wasn't prepared to die just yet.
"You won't raise a hand to her." Ahkmunrah spoke up, turning back to his older brother. "You seem to forget that Cena isn't your servant, she's mine, and so you have no right to put a hand on her. I'm sure that father would agree."
"And you, Ahkmunrah," Kahmunrah stepped forward, challenging his younger brother. "Seem to forget that this girl is merely a servant, and not your little plaything. Your behavior was unacceptable, and I'm sure that father would agree."
That silenced the duo and Kahmunrah smirked, turning and walking out of the room, feeling quite triumphant. Now he knew that there was something going on, and if he got enough proof, his father would surely get rid of that damned servant girl who was always causing him trouble.
"Is your cheek alright?" Ahkmunrah asked gently, turning to look at the dark haired female.
Cena turned away, muttering, "I'm fine. Didn't you hear him? That was unacceptable behavior. People have already been whispering enough about you caring about whether or not I was okay after I was cut."
"But you're hurt-"
She turned to face him, that same look of resentment in her eyes once more. "Just leave me alone and treat me as your servant, not your friend." In that instant she was gone, and Ahkmunrah stood there for a few moments.
Cena was more than correct in what she had said. The two of them certainly weren't friends. He'd seen that look in her eyes. Not the look of resentment, no, but the thing that was hidden behind it. What he saw changed everything, and what he saw gave him a feeling of hope but yet a feeling of despair at the same time.
He saw an overwhelming attraction.
"Don't grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form." ― Rumi