"The very essence of romance is uncertainty." ― Oscar Wilde

A giggling servant girl scurried across the room to her friend, a few articles of clothing in her hands. The two of them were currently doing the wash, which was something most of us servant girls ended up doing, myself included. She grinned, whispering something to her friend, who's eyes widened considerably. "No way! I never expected that. It'll be extravagant, for sure." Her friend nodded then moved to tell someone else, who had a similar reaction.

My interest perked, despite the fact that I normally didn't care for useless gossip. What was so important that everyone was getting so excited about it? I stood up, taking a few of the articles of clothing with me to hang them up, while listening in as she spoke to another girl.

"... And so Prince Ahkmenrah is betrothed to marry Pharaoh Amenhotep's advisor's daughter." She finished. "She's beautiful, really! She's got the loveliest hair I've ever seen."

I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces. He was to marry another woman? I tuned the women back in as I heard them talk about her once more.

"Her name's Ketet." The servant girl continued. "She's very sweet and she's so elegant and ladylike. I'm sure that she'll make a great Queen for Prince Ahkmenrah, don't you think so?"

I hurriedly finished my work before I sped out of there, my heart in my stomach and tears stinging my eyes. He was going to be married. How were we supposed to change things when he was finally Pharaoh? How were we supposed to live happily together, without the judgement of others?

Wiping the tears from my eyes, I walked towards the gardens, somewhere I knew he wouldn't be. I couldn't face him. No, not now. Not when I felt like this, so utterly torn apart and broken because of this one man. This man who had the ability to make me feel like I was flying one moment, then make me feel like I was face first in dirt the next.

"Betrothed?"

Ahkemnrah stared at his father in disbelief, his blue eyes widened. Kahmunrah stood a little ways away, looking as if he was enjoying the show a bit too much. Amenhotep looked at his son, nodding his head. "You should be happy, Ahkmenrah. You'll have a suitable wife for when you take over as Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt."

"But why must I be betrothed?" He continued, looking torn and heartbroken, though he had been trying his best to hide how he was feeling. "Why can't I be trusted to find a suitable wife of my own?"

"Do you have another woman that I don't know about then?" Amenhotep questioned. Ahkmenrah was silenced, and Amenhotep continued. "Then you're to be married to Ketet, and I won't have any more on this matter. I'm doing this for you, son. For the sake of your happiness, and for the sake of this country that will soon enough be yours. As Pharaoh, you must make sacrifices for your people, Ahkmenrah. You'll learn this soon enough."

Ahkmenrah turned and left the throne room, far beyond angry, and far beyond heartbroken. Cena was all he was thinking about. How would be marry her now? The wedding was in a few days. There was no time for an alternate solution, there was no time to talk his father out of the decision, and there was no time for him to right his wrongs.

There was only time for him to explain. Turning, he walked off, determined to find her.

"Cena!"

Said female stopped the work she was doing on the garden, turning to face Ahkmenrah. "What are you doing out here? You know that you can't be seen with me here."

"No one ever comes here and you know it. You're just trying to get rid of me." His face fell when he looked at her red and swollen eyes and at the tear marks on her cheeks. "...Have you been crying?" When she didn't reply and turned back to the garden, Ahkmenrah grabbed her shoulders, turning her to face him. "Cena, what's wrong? Did someone hurt you?"

She couldn't form the words at first, it was far too painful. A broken sound came from her hoarse throat as her eyes became misty once more. "You're betrothed."

The breath left Ahkmenrah in that instant. So she'd heard. "I wanted to be the one to tell you." He said softly, after a small pause. "I... I never wanted this to happen, Cena. You know that I still have feelings for you, and this won't change it-"

"How will this not change it, Ahkmenrah!?" She snapped, rising to her feet. "You're betrothed to your father's advisor's daughter, and you're going to be married in a few days. Sure, you may care about me now, but in a few years when she gives you enough children, you'll forget about me, and I'll wither away to nothing while I watch the two of you, silently wishing that I could be with you because I love you. It's not fair, Ahkmenrah! This changes everything!"

There was a pause, and he looked shocked. This angered her even more. "Well, say something!" She snapped.

Finally, the blue eyed prince spoke up. "You love me."

She blinked, her eyes misty. She narrowed her eyes, brows drawing downward in anger. "S-So? That's not the point!"

"You love me." He repeated, sounding determined.

"Yeah, I get it. I do love you. But that's not the-" She was cut off when he pressed his lips to hers eagerly, arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Her anger melted away immediately and she dropped the tool she was using, allowing it to clatter to the ground as she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing the prince back with all that she had.

Ahkmenrah pulled back, the two of them out of breath. "I love you too." He spoke, his eyes searching hers. "I love you more than you'll ever know."

She looked beyond ecstatic, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she smiled. "I do know, because I love you in the same way."

"We'll fix this." Ahkmenrah promised her. "We can do this."

From a distance, Kahmunrah watched the happy couple, scowling at his younger brother. So he thought that he could have it all, eh? He really thought that he could have the kingdom and his little Nubian servant girl all in one. That wasn't how it was going to happen. No, it was going to happen very differently than this, and he'd see that this love story wasn't going to have a happy ending.

"The world is indeed full of peril and in it there are many dark places. But still there is much that is fair. And though in all lands, love is now mingled with grief, it still grows, perhaps, the greater." ― J.R.R. Tolkien