"To lose balance sometimes for love is part of living a balanced
life." ― Elizabeth Gilbert

If it hadn't been for the fact that Cena reached over and clutched his hand, Ahkmenrah would have teared up. He felt his eyes stinging, the tell tale sign of tears brewing, but when he felt her clutching on his hand as if it were the only thing anchoring her to the Earth, he knew that he had to keep it together. He couldn't fall apart; Cena needed him now. He was a part of this, he had gotten her into this and put her in danger, and he'd be damned if she got hurt because of him.

"Just think about it, little brother." Kahmunrah sneered at him before he left the room through the door, the door slamming behind him.

It seemed that with Kahmunrah, all notion of talking had left as well. Ahkmenrah was afraid to look over at Cena, to see her reaction. He was afraid of her dying. No, not even afraid. Afraid couldn't cover how he was feeling at the moment. He felt completely terrified for her. He didn't want her to die, and the mere notion of it broke his heart into pieces. But as selfish as it was, he didn't want her to leave him, either. He couldn't imagine having to spend his days with anyone but her.

Cena held Ahkmenrah's hand so tight that she was surprised that it didn't break. Her eyes were growing misty as the reality of what was happening finally hit her. If she stayed with Ahkemnrah, he would lose the throne and all of Egypt would be put into jeoprady because of Kahmunrah. She knew that with a leader like Kahmunrah, Egypt would fall apart in an instant. But if he kept the throne, she would die. Surprisingly enough, the notion of dying didn't instill as much fear into her heart as leaving Ahkmenrah did.

The sound of Cena crying brought Ahkmenrah back to Earth. He looked over at the brunette beside him, only to see tears gliding down her face rapidly, whimpers escaping her lips as she wiped furiously at her eyes and face. He pulled her into his arms and she collapsed into him, sobbing into his chest. He held her there, his arms wrapped tightly around her, kissing the top of her head.

"We'll fix this." He vowed to her, whispering into her ear, though he knew that it was doubtful that anything good would come of this. He couldn't abandon his country, but Cena was his world. "I'll never leave you, and I'll never allow you to die."

"You can't give up the throne." Cena sat up immediately, her eyes red and puffy from the tears she just shed. Her eyes glistened, showing that more tears begged to be released, but she kept them at bay, knowing that they had to talk about this, but also knowing that there was ultimately only one choice. "You can't leave your country to Kahmunrah."

"But I can't let them kill you." He argued, searching her chocolate brown eyes desperately, trying to make her understand. "I can't let them take you from me. I'd survive a thousand years in a country led by Kahmunrah, no matter how horrible it was, if only I could stay by you for one of those days."

"You know as well as I do that it can't be done, Ahkmenrah." Cena whispered, a single tears falling and sliding down her cheek.

"Then offer some sort of alternative." Ahkmenrah begged her, pleading, his hands cupping her face. "Please, Cena. Please."

He was begging her, his gaze so imploring and longing, so full of love for her and only her that she had to comply, if only to make him happy. She nodded her head, looking down for a moment before she looked back up, putting a hand over one of the ones that were on her cheek. "Alright." She whispered. "Alright. I'll... I'll leave for Nubia in the morning. I'll leave so early that no one will see me. I'll take some supplies with me. I'll wait until you're Pharaoh, and then I'll contact you."

A newfound hope glimmered in Ahkmenrah's heart and soul, and he nodded his head in affirmation of her plan. "It could work." He said, pulling her into his arms once more. "I love you." He whispered against her temple, his voice soft and filled with emotion. It stirred something in the pit of her stomach and made her heart feel weak.

"I love you, too." She responded, her voice equally as soft as his.

As she laid on his chest, she waited for him to fall asleep. Soon she heard the rhythmeric patterns of his breathing, his heart beating slower in her ear. She couldn't sleep, no matter how hard she tried, because she knew that it would never work, that it wouldn't work out in the end. No matter what, they were two different people who came from two different worlds. A pair of star-crossed lovers, no matter how cliche it seemed.

Cena closed her eyes, focusing on enjoying her time with him, although she knew that the time she had was dwinlinding to less and less by each passing moment.

When he opened his eyes, she was gone. He knew that it was coming, but it still hurt not to see her all the same. He drew his own bath, set out his own clothes, made his own bed. When he walked to the dining room, he was alone. When he sat at the table, pretending to be absorbed in the conversations of others, he was alone.

She wasn't there, and yet she was everywhere. She was in his thoughts, in his heart, in his soul. It was as if she'd stuck a hot branding iron on his heart, leaving an imprint forever, yet when he was with her, she was the antidote for the pain. When she was away, the pain was at full force, reminding him that he was hers, as she was his.

Suddenly, Ahkmenrah paused, realizing something. Cena couldn't have left in the morning; there was no way that she could have gotten past the guards. Come to think of it, he saw her clothes in the morning, too.

She hadn't left. But why had she lied to him? And, more importantly, where was she hiding?

"Romance is the glamour which turns the dust of everyday life into a golden haze. " ― Elinor Glyn

A/N: There's one more chapter in this story, and then I'll get to working on a sequel, which will be out very very soon! So please stay tuned for that!

Nymartian: Thanks so much! I'm so glad that you're enjoying it. :) I tried to make it romantic as possible, so I'm glad that you think it's romantic. Thank you so much for reviewing.