Hej! (That's hello in Swedish I'm pretty sure. I don't know I saw it on IKEA ad) I decided to update earlier than usual. 

Above is a drawing of Ramses. The one with the half shaved head.

Thankyou so much for 6k! You guys are beautiful!

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Sure enough when Ahkmenrah returned to the courtroom in the afternoon, cleaned up but with bruises showing and without his crown, the officials gave him a lecture. The phrases he often heard:

"Where have you been?"

"You could have been killed!"

"You're just like a child!"

"Your father was never like this!"

He didn't know why but that last comment angered him. How can they just make reference to Merenkahre in such an unseemly way? How could they just throw out a reference without an inkling of sorrow? Didn't they know that it still hurt for Ahkmenrah to hear about his father?

"I'm not father or Kahmun so shut up all of you! " shouted Ahkmenrah in whirlwind of anger and sorrow. He stormed out of the room. His heart breaking a little more, when he was with Sabra he forgot everything. He had forgotten he was Pharaoh. He had forgotten the pressures and demands of his job. He knew he wasn't supposed to be on the throne. To Ahkmenrah the officials seemed almost heartless in their lecturing.

The officials were taken aback. Never had they heard such foul language directed towards them.

One of them muttered. "He'll be the downfall of us all"

Unfortunately for Ahkmenrah he had heard that as well. "So be it," he whispered. How could they know about the demands the he couldn't fulfil? How could they know the pressure that had settled on his shoulders and threatened to stay there forever? They will never know what he was going through. If they knew they would have said those things. He will never be like father, he wasn't supposed be king. Kahmunrah should be here. He was trying his best. He really was. When he was reminded that he wasn't doing well despite his efforts it cut. It cut deep. Deeper than one would think. It drove him to tears.

Heartless bitches!

He thought to himself.

But he didn't let the tears fall. Not until he was out of sight.

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Young Ramses had been running down the hallways. Chasing his pet lion cub named Kovu. The young cub had proved a great playmate. He had finally caught the young lion at the door of throne room. Ramses was just about to walk away when he heard his cousin shouting.

"I'm not father or Kahmun so shut up all of you! " Ramses could hear the bitter tears threatening to burst from Ahkmenrah.

Curiosity got the better of Ramses. He hid beside the doorway of the Throne Room. He peered inside and saw his older cousin with an air of fierceness. Ramses had never seen Ahkmenrah like this. It scared him. One of the officials said something.

"So be it" Ahkmenrah had whispered and walked out not noticing Ramses one bit. But Sabra had noticed, she saw his scared expression and she motioned for him to wait there.

Ramses nodded and Kovu yawned. The officials filed out muttering about their new king, complaining as they did so. Not noticing the small dark skinned boy and his pet lion cub.

He waited for a few minutes until Sabra came back. He had heard so much about her from Ahkmenrah. And he admired her.

"Sabra what's wrong with Ahk?" he asked walking up to her. "He seems really upset now."

Sabra sighed. How could she explain what Ahkmenrah was feeling at this moment without upsetting the boy?

"Many things Ramses. Some that you won't understand now."

"He is king now" Then with tears in his eyes Ramses whispered. "But uncle wasn't like this. He was a great king. Ahk is scary as king. Will all kings be this scary?"

Sabra knelt down and embraced him. It was almost like having Gavriel back. Almost.

"I know it seems scary Ramses. But Ahk is just really...depressed."

"Will he ever be happy again?"

This almost brought Sabra to tears. Even as a child Ramses seemed to sense that this sadness that had settled over Ahkmenrah wasn't anything ordinary. To his question she honestly didn't know but then she had an idea.

"I think you might be able to make him happy."

At least he won't tell Ramses to get out.

Kovu yelped in between both of them. Sabra laughed and both her and Ramses pulled away.

"What's his name?" she asked scratching the lion cub behind the ears.

"Kovu!" answered Ramses proudly.

"Doesn't that mean Scar in Swahili?"

Ramses held out the lion cub so its stomach was showing. Sabra saw a large scar running across Kovu's abdomen.

"Oh I see now!" remarked Sabra.

Holding Kovu in one hand and Sabra's hand in the other he walked to Ahkmenrah's room. As they walked he animatedly recounted the story of how he Ahkmenrah and Kahmunrah had saved Kovu from a cruel animal trader.

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Ahkmenrah lay facing the ceiling. He was almost paralysed in his sadness.

He'll be the downfall of us all

Those words rang in his ears. Forever imbedded in his brain. He was the weak link that will bring down the chain of a mighty Dynasty.

He searched inside himself. But the more he searched. The more he was sure. He was sure that he was hollowing up inside. He was nothing. Everything he used to be, the mischievous, reckless energetic boy was gone. All that was left was a shell of a body, hollowed of its soul. He was now what his father would say is the walking dead.

People who live and breath. But are hollow inside. They are the ones that are really dead. Then there are some people who are dead but they leave a legacy behind. They leave their spirit behind. They are the ones who were actually alive. Because real death was when your soul is hollow.

"To be or not to be? That is the question" he muttered to himself. He seriously was contemplating suicide.

For that moment Ahkmenrah experienced death and in this death he was so embroiled that he didn't hear the noisy pitter-patter of feet walking into his room.

"Ahk are you awake?" called the childlike voice of Ramses. Ahkmenrah's eyes snapped open.

"Ramses? What are you doing here?" said Ahkmenrah. But his tone was melancholy.

Ramses shrugged and placed Kovu on Ahkmenrah's chest. The cub patted two of its paws on Ahkmenrah's chest. The nudged at his neck. The whiskers would usually tickle at Ahkmenrah's neck and make him laugh as he was very ticklish. But Ahkmenrah couldn't feel anything. He was numbed. Kovu soon gave up and yawned then fell asleep on Ahkmenrah's chest.

"Why are you so depressed Ahk?"

"You won't understand Ramses. It's complicated."

A long silence ensued. Then Ramses thought of the question that made his mother blush and his father laugh like a madman. If this didn't work then nothing would.

"Where do babies come from?" he asked sweetly.

Despite himself Ahkmenrah burst out laughing.

"Oh Ramses you really don't want to know!"

"Yes I do!"

"It's disgusting. Trust me. You don't want to know."

"Please Ahk?!"

"No Ramses." He said through laughter.

"Alright."

Then Ahkmenrah grinned his signature grin.

"Why did you even ask anyway?"

"Mother blushes and father laughs like a madman whenever I ask."

"There are reasons for that Ramses."

Ahkmenrah sat up as he did so Kovu tumbled down from his chest. The lion cub gave them a look as if to say I'm starting to feel a little forgotten today.

"What kind of reasons?"

"It's embarrassing to talk about. You will be scarred for life."

"Will you promise not to be sad or angry then? It's scary"

So that's why he asked thought Ahkmenrah. That little rascal. At least there is someone who cares if I live or die.

"I'll try my best Ramses." Sighed Ahkmenrah.

This conversation though seemed small and insignificant on the outside, it was a pivotal moment in his life. It was like a small spark had lit up in the darkness inside him. Ramses had embedded that spark in him. It saved him from death of two kinds.

"Ramses the Great" exclaimed Ahkmenrah when he realised just how pivotal this moment was. Ramses grinned with pride.

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This chapter hasn't got much going on. Yes it is another filler. 

Anyway, Please check out my new book "The Man Behind the Gun". Also I've started writing a book with ReadingByTorchlight it's called "Love at First Fight" you can find it on HackedByWriters.

Love you beautiful people!