Mistress of Fear

Disclaimer: I own no characters from The Mummy (1999) except for my OCs.

Terms to Know:

Dua: "Thank you/adoration towards" in Ancient Egyptian.

Iy: "Hey!" in Ancient Egyptian.

Sekhmet: Lion-Headed Goddess of War, Protection, Healing, and Chaos.

"To have peace, there must be strife; both are part of the structure of the world and requirements." ~Ancient Egyptian Proverb

Pits of Damnation~

Imhotep writhed in his fiery pit of despair. Each memory felt like a knife to the ribs, each one a devastating blow to his heart. The demons around him laughed in glee at his pain, but Imhotep paid them no mind. The story of his life was going faster now, and it took all he had in him to hold on for the ride. Ancksunamuns face…her name…it was all so important to him now. He had to know how this would end. He couldn't even remember his own name, but he could remember her now, at least.

Ancksunamun was a woman he had loved deeply. A woman that he still loved. His time here amongst the imps of hell had not taken away the throbbing of his heart when he saw her face. As the eons passed, Imhotep knew that if he was to break free, he would do anything in his power to have her back by his side. For some reason, it felt right. The thought of her tiny hand in his as they ruled the world together felt like the proper ending to their story.

Holding onto that human part of his soul, Imhotep relived the memories again and again. This time hoping, that the story would end differently.

Thebes, Early 1292~

Kher-heb's feet slapped against the cool tiled floor as he made his way across the Temple. His worry for his son was increasing by the day. All Kher-heb could do was sit and watch as his son's sanity fell apart around him. Tucking the scroll he carried under his armpit, he hobbled back to their shared room. He hoped Imhotep was inside. But to his chagrin, he found the space empty.

Sighing, he deposited the scroll on his bed and huffed. In fact, he had not seen Imhotep for days now. It was beginning to weigh on his mind. Usually, Imhotep was not gone for this long without warning.

"Did he leave a note?" Kher-heb said, checking around Imhotep's mat and finding nothing. Scratching his head, he spun around. He looked in every conceivable place Imhotep could have communicated his whereabouts.

"He is not supposed to leave for Hammunaptra for at least a fortnight…" he mumbled, shuffling out of their room.

Looking around the grand temple space, Kher-heb noted the sun's position in the sky. It was nearing dusk. Spotting a fellow priest on the far side of the room, Kher-heb called out to him.

"Iy! You there! Have you seen my son anywhere today?" Kher-heb said as he advanced on the small fellow.

The other Priest looked dumbfounded for a moment before bowing. "I apologize, Master Kher-heb. I am a bit tired and didn't recognize you at first! No…I have not seen Master Imhotep for a few days now. Is he not with the Pharaoh?"

Kher-heb grimaced. This was strange. "No, he is not. But I shall check once more. Dua, Hapu," Kher-heb said, bowing in the direction of the other man.

Hapu bowed, his face tired. "If you need any assistance, Master Kher-heb, I will be in my bed over there," he pointed with a weary grin.

Kher-heb nodded at him and was on his way, letting the tired Priest free from his social duties. Hapu sighed in relief and turned away, trudging himself in the opposite direction.

Kher-heb rolled his eyes and chuckled. These temporary priests are not built for more than a few hours of easy labor.

Deciding he would take the short trek to the palace, Kher-heb returned to his chambers. He grabbed his cane and his robes. Wrapping himself in the warm linen, he was off. He hoped he could make it there and back before sunset.

As he took to the windy dirt trail up the hill, Kher-heb breathed in the fresh air from the river. The light breeze brought the coming of winter. Kher-heb huddled down further into his cloak. Gripping his cane, he went up the narrow pathway and prayed he would find Imhotep on the other side.

Hours later, Kher-heb made his way to bed. His bones ached with weariness. To his surprise, the Pharaoh had been irate when Kher-heb arrived.

"What do you mean Imhotep is gone?" The Pharaoh had said as he sat in his chambers.

Kher-heb had found the Pharaoh already in bed, surrounded by his numerous concubines. Ancksunamun had stuck out in his mind. She lay on the bed beside Seti, curled up in a defensive position. Kher-heb teared up. The spark he had noticed in her eyes when they had first met was gone. Shaking his head, Kher-heb had wandered into the Pharaoh's chambers on high alert. The Med-Jai watched his every move.

"As I said, my Pharaoh," Kher-heb bowed. "I have not seen him. I was hoping you would know where he had gone off to." Kher-heb saw Ancksunamun perk up in the corner of his eye, hanging on their every word.

"No!" Seti snarled, banging his meaty fist down on his thigh. Ancksunamun flinched. "He has been very secretive as of late. Always late. Questioning my decisions…. it is making me question his loyalty," Seti said, narrowing his eyes at the elder Priest.

Kher-heb swallowed. The look in Seti's eyes was one of malice. Kher-heb straightened up. "I can assure you that my son is upstanding in every way possible. There is no deceit on his part, my Pharaoh. He is but a man. And a man of his word, at that. He is distracted as of late. But I do not believe that he is unloyal. I believe that he is a victim of too much stress and a poor sleep schedule. " Kher-heb bowed as he spoke the last word.

The Pharaoh frowned, but his body relaxed into the bed. "I guess you are right on that front. Imhotep is indeed upstanding. I know there is nothing to worry about. But sometimes I do wonder about him..." Seti sighed and sank further into his pile of women.

Kher-heb nodded his agreement and bowed once more. Turning to leave, his feet were halfway out the door when he heard Seti call after him. "Master Kher-heb, halt! Another word, please."

Kher-heb turned around, his body feeling heavy. "Yes, my Lord?"

Seti frowned in response. "Tell Imhotep to be more careful. I have my eye on him. It is not like him to be so forgetful… Something is afoot. I am sure of that. His lack of presence is proof of it."

Kher-heb swallowed the lump in his throat and bowed once more before turning away.

Now he sat upon his feather bed, sinking into its softness. His heart gave a pang at the memory of Imhotep gifting it to him. Imhotep still slept on his reed mat from boyhood. Kher-heb's heart swelled with love for his boy. He knew that Imhotep had been forgetful as of late, but he also knew it was more than that. The boy was distracted. Afraid of his own shadow. Lashing out at a moment's notice. Sleeping odd hours. Skimping on his duties. Something was up, and Kher-heb was sure it had to do with a specific woman and a cryptic curse.

Sighing, Kher-heb rested his achy bones on the mattress below him, staring up at the dark ceiling. The darkness sparkled with each passing moment before his eyes. Rolling over, Kher-heb stared at the mud wall beside his face. He could only see his son's face floating there in the dark. It intertwined with the words from the scroll he had been reading earlier. Heart pounding, Kher-heb huffed and pushed himself up.

He would not be sleeping tonight. The gardens would be his only solace, he knew. As his feet touched the floor, the scroll caught his eye. It lay on the floor, inconspicuous as it was illuminated by moonlight. Grabbing it, he tucked it in his robes and set off for the garden.

Slumping against the gnarled bark, Kher-heb sighed in satisfaction. The air around him was sweet with jasmine, and his eyes fluttered closed as he inhaled. The pomegranate grove around him was as quiet as a mouse; it dared not disturb his thoughts. He could feel the magic in the air around him. The comfort it brought seeped into his bones, grounding him to the earth. The dirt beneath his toes was as ancient as the Gods themselves. Kher-heb's heart was at peace. He knew that the Gods would watch over his boy. Curse or no curse.

As his body relaxed, he could feel the tendrils of sleep pulling at him. Soft footsteps padded down the path toward him, breaking him from his light slumber. A presence could be felt nearby; it radiated with warmth. Kher-Heb smiled with his eyes closed.

"My boy, where have you been?"

Imhotep took a moment to reply, his voice gruff with misuse. Kher-heb laughed to himself as he waited with patience.

"The Pharaoh asked me to attend to a matter of utmost importance. It had to have been done in secret. So don't say anything about it to…anyone, alright?"

Kher-heb cracked open one eye and looked at Imhotep. The moonlight shone off of his head. Stubble covered his skull, and his face was unkempt. His robes hung loose on him, tattered, torn, and littered with sticks and stones. Kher-heb couldn't help but chuckle.

"That's wonderful, my boy. Indeed.. a secret errand for the Pharaoh?" Kher-heb closed his eyes once more, mirth filling him. He could feel Imhotep wringing his hands together beside him. How funny he is, Kher-heb thought.

"Yes, a secret errand," Imhotep said as he sighed and sat beside him on the soft earth. Imhotep's arms rested on his own, the warmth of his body seeping into him.

Kher-heb nodded, trying to contain his amusement, "Be more careful next time. Your absence was not unnoticed…Now! Why don't we stop with the questions and enjoy this moment together? It is not often we spend time with one another."

Imhotep stiffened beside him, but he did not question Kher-heb's words. He felt Imhotep nod and swallow roughly.

"Yes, that sounds wonderful, Father."

Kher-heb smiled, his eyes still closed, and basked in the presence of his one and only son. The two sat in silence until the sun rose over the Nile. They did not speak, but Kher-heb knew what Imhotep had been doing. And it made his heart smile. It was a secret he would take to his grave.

Ancksunamun awoke with a rough shake. Cracking open her dry eyes, she squinted at the perpetrator. That nasty servant woman… her brain struggled to remember the woman's name. Yaminah…ugh…Ancksinamiun groaned out loud.

"What do you want?" Ancksinamun asked, not a hint of friendliness in her tone.

Yaminah sneered at her. "Always so rude, you are!" She huffed. "But you must hurry up so I can wash and dress you. You are required to be in the throne room. It will be quite an ordeal to make you presentable."

Ancksunamuns heart thudded in her chest. She knew what today would entail. She had finally drifted off to sleep in the wee hours of the morning, her heart in her throat. Her sisters would be arriving today. All of her sucking up to the Pharaoh had not changed his mind. He was determined to see her suffer no matter how sweet and doting she had been. To see her sisters suffer…Ancksunamun sat up, her annoyance with Yaminah forgotten. Her mouth tasted metallic as her lungs struggled for air.

"Get up, girl. We haven't got all morning!" Yaminah grabbed her arm and whisked her away into the washroom.

Ancksunamun was in another world. The colors around her felt more vivid, more jarring as she sat in the tub. The statues of Seth smirked at her. The God's evil eyes watched her every move. She swallowed.How fitting that the man I hate most is named after him…. tearing her eyes away, she stared at the bright columns next to the tub. Mesmerized by their decorations, her mind was in a haze.

Jerked around, Ancksunamun found herself sitting at the bureau. Makeup was applied to her eyes and lips. As she sat there, images of her little sisters plagued her mind. They were still so young! It was not fair!

Closing her eyes to ward off her painful thoughts, she felt Yaminiah slap her face. Not flinching at the sting, Ancksnamun watched herself through bleary eyes. It did not matter to her what happened to herself. She had failed. Failed as a woman to seduce the Pharaoh. Failed her sisters by not protecting them. Failed her family. She was an utter disgrace. She knew that one wrong move could end all of them. And so, Ancksuanun sat still as she was made into a living doll, allowing Yaminah to make her look the part.

Slipping through the immense golden doors behind Yaminah, Ancksnamun held her head high. As she saw the Pharaoh sitting there, her smile faltered. His large body slumped in the seat as his eyes smirked at her. She shivered as her skin crawled. Her mind was still in a haze; she didn't even have the energy to hate him.

Keeping her smile bright, she bowed at the Pharaoh's feet, kissing them as she did every morning. His hairy toes felt cold under her lips.

"Good morning, my Pharaoh," Ancksunamun said, her head still bowed in respect.

"Stand before me! I wish to see my pretty jewel before even more riches are bestowed upon me!" Seti's voice commanded.

Tears rushed to her eyes, and she had to force them away. Standing up, she smiled at the Pharaoh, feeling awkward. Her eyes darted to the Vizier's chair, and she was shocked to see him there. Blinking, she put her energy toward the Pharaoh, but her mind was elsewhere. Where was he? What is he doing here? He's the Vizier, you idiot! Of course, he's here to witness your sister's fate…her heart thudded in her chest. Her stomach was roiling as she stood before Seti. Everything felt more intense than it did before. She worried she would be sick.

"Turn…" Seti said, slumping back in his chair. He twirled his finger. "I would like to see my little slave all dolled up for me this morning. As you know…it is a very big day," Seti beamed at her, his dark eyes boring into her own.

Twirling for her master, she kept her eyes on him, like prey watching a predator.

"Yes, my Lord, it is," Ancksuanmun managed to grate out. Her brain was not able to think coherently anymore. There was too much happening. All she knew was that he was enjoying her pain.

Seti bit his lip and guffawed, "Ravishing, my Pet. The servants cleaned you up well. That must have been a rough task after last night…" Seti's eyes sparkled with lechery.

Ancksunamun blushed as she glanced at Imhotep, but his eyes were facing forward. He was paying them no mind. Of course, he is not! He thinks of me so lowly anyhow. Her cheeks burned as she remembered the night prior; she did not even want to think of it. The familiar hatred coursed through her. As she looked into the Pharaoh's cold eyes, she knew she could not be lax in her devotion to him today. It would be perilous. One wrong move, and everything was over. She laughed and bowed at Seti again.

"Yes, my Lord, last night was splendid," the words caught in her throat, making her feel as if she was going to choke. You might as well! You have condemned your family to serve this man! You are a coward! Imhotep was staring at her; she could feel his eyes on her face. Why is he staring at me? Is he enjoying my suffering? Irritated, she scratched the side of her cheek and shot him a quick look. He had the courtesy to look away. Good! What a despicable man…

"Yes…well…" Seti said with hunger in his voice. Her eyes snapped back to meet the Pharaohs. His eyes roved over her body, devouring her before the entire court.

Ancksuman swallowed. She knew what that look meant. Her thoughts were all over the place as the doors behind her flung open with a bang.

Ancksunamun whipped around at the sound, her heart in her throat. Bile filled her mouth as she knew what was coming. She squeezed her eyes shut and sank to her knees at the Pharaoh's feet. It was all she could do to stop from crying out.

A small messenger walked forward, skittering into the midst of the meeting space. A resigned silence came over the room as the messenger bowed at the Pharaoh's feet. Ancksunamun could feel Seti tense up behind her, and she held her breath as they all waited for the man to speak.

"Speak!" The Pharaoh growled from behind her. Ancksunamuns heart lurched.

The messenger straightened up. "My Lord…there was no sign of them anywhere. The entire family…is gone."

Ancksinamun felt as though she had been hit by a ton of bricks. Gone? What had happened?

Seti tensed up behind her and grabbed the messenger by his lapel. "What do you mean by gone?" Seti snarled in the man's face.

The messenger whimpered, "Don't shoot the messenger! When the decree was sent out, the Father agreed that he would send his youngest daughters to the Pharaoh. But it seems that they have disappeared overnight. There has been no word on their whereabouts from anyone."

Seti gritted his teeth as he held the messenger tight by his robes and spun around. Glaring at the Medjai, he seethed, "Well, don't just stand there! Do something! Search the kingdom far and wide. They will be punished severely for this," Seti growled, his eyes on hers now.

"We will discuss this later," Seti spat at her, his eyes hateful.

Ancksunamun could not breathe; everything felt like she was watching from afar. Her stomach lurched again. She felt like a caged animal. What had happened to her family? It did not matter to her what Seti would do to her. Her fear threatened to cloud her senses. But she knew that acting out now in front of the Pharaoh could mean certain death.

Throwing the small man to the ground, Seti swished his hand and had the man taken from the room. Ancksunamun swallowed and watched with large eyes as the messenger disappeared from sight.

Catching Imhotep's eye, she swallowed. His eyes were intense as he stared into her own, and she felt she couldn't look away. His eyes seemed to be conveying something to her, but for the life of her, she could not figure out what. What is his problem? As if he cares at all what is going on! This is all a fun game to him… Avoiding eye contact, she sat at Seti's heel. Her heart was racing. If her sisters were not here…and they were not home…then perhaps she could still make the Pharaoh change his mind. It would buy her some time, at the very least.

Looking up at the open roof, she watched the clouds as they floated by. The ornate ceiling tiles glinted in the harsh winter sun, blinding her at times. She sat staring up at the heavens and felt as if she could cry. Could her praying to the Gods have caused this? Were they indeed on her side?

Grabbing for her pendant of Sehkmet, she held it tight in her fingertips. The cool jasper seeped its way into her bones. Whispers ticked her ears. The voices seemed to be talking in ancient tongues…one that she could not decipher. A shiver went through her as she sat there, an owned woman at her master's heel. A feeling of power rippled through her as she held tight to her necklace. She knew that Seti did not need other women. He did not need her sisters. She was all he needed. She would make sure of that.

Imhotep paced back in forth in his chambers. His Father had been smiling for the entire day, driving Imhotep insane. Even now, Kher-heb sat on his bed, a fond look upon his face as he looked at him.

Imhotep whipped around in a mass of robes, his feet stopping their tortuous march.

"Why do you keep looking at me like that?" Imhotep scoffed. "It is most disturbing," he said, rolling his eyes. He didn't mind, but he wished his Father would spit out what he was thinking.

Kher-heb chuckled, his eyes alight. "I am not saying anything of the sort. I am proud of my son. Is that such a crime?"

Imhotep rolled his eyes again and sighed, resuming pacing across their small bedroom. "No, it is not. I only wish you would tell me what it is that you are so incessantly cheerful about. I have done no great deed."

Kher-heb laughed and struggled to his feet. "If you have done no great deed, then there would be a lot more young women around the palace today if you hadn't…. See you later!" Kher-heb called out as he slipped out the door, leaving Imhotep with whiplash.

Stopping to watch after his old man, he smirked and shook his head. "He is a funny little man, isn't he?" Imhotep mumbled to no one in particular as he rolled his eyes again.

With the space to himself, Imhotep began to pace once more. Ancksunamun… the way she had looked at him this morning with such vehemence. It had been a bit jarring. But that is not what you are doing this for; it does not matter how she feels toward you, a voice inside his head whispered. Growling under his breath, Imhotep pushed the thought away. He longed to whisk her away and hold her under the stars, far from all this bureaucracy and pain. Just to keep her safe in his arms…

His thoughts were interrupted when one of his priests ran into the room. Gasping for breath, Hapu was wide-eyed as he looked at Imhotep. As the younger man wiped his brow, Imhotep raised his eyebrows.

"What is it, Hapu?" Imhotep asked, his heart already knowing the answer.

Hapu shook his head, "You must come with me to the infirmary. There isn't time to lose!"

Imhotep growled in annoyance, "Lead the way... but you must tell me what is happening!"

Hapu shook his head and motioned for him to follow. They made their way to the infirmary, Imhotep's breath growing harsher by the second. His heart was pounding, assuming the worst. Was it his Father? No, the voice in his head said. Imhotep swallowed as they reached the gauzy curtain that hung over the entrance.

"Ready?" Hapu asked as they hesitated before it.

Imhotep motioned for him to lead the way, his jaw tight with fear. His head growing lighter by the minute, Hapu led Imhotep to the far back of the space. It was where they kept the most critical of the injured and ill. They stood before a curtain again; this time, Imhotep did not hesitate to see what was on the other side.

What he found made his heart drop. Never in a million years had Imhotep thought his actions would have led to this. Wanting to cry out in agony, Imhotep rushed to the bed where she lay.

Hapu stood behind him, his breath as harsh as his own.

"Hapu, grab my medicine parcel," Imhotep said, not taking his eyes off her for a moment. He was terrified that if he did, she would perish before him.

The Priest returned with his medicines, and Imhotep took a deep breath. It would take all he had in him to save her. There was little time.

A/N: Woo! It has been a while since I have posted. Hello, my loves! Mercury retrograde and the eclipses really put a damper on everything. First, I dropped my phone in the river, and then later on that night, my laptop hard drive locked me out! I have no BitLocker Key for it...so everything has been locked now for weeks. But I have hope I will get it back! Anyways, I wrote this on my mom's ancient Mac (which, thankfully, I was able to borrow), so I'm back in business! Thanks for being patient and for always cheering me on! I hope to be writing a lot more now, and I will, especially when my laptop IS fixed. Love you all!