Maybe you had been overthinking, Ahkmenrahs parents turned out to be rather nice and a lot more open to you than you expected. Although Larry mentioning he was half Jewish and Merenkahre's response of 'we owned 40 000 of them' did give you one harsh slap of a reminder they were ancient and definitely not up to date with the world. Ahk's quiet 'here we go...' in response knowing it was definitely an outdated, bad thing that happened was a little amusing though.

Even 4000 year old pharaohs can be embarrassed by their parents apparently.

But finally, you were going to get the answers you were looking for. The tablet lay on the front desk of the museum, everyone who was interested crowded around it. An answer was finally going to be given.

"You were born at midnight..." Merenkahre began, giving his son a nostalgic look.

Ahkmenrah had all his attention on his father, not wanting to miss a single detail.

"When I first saw you, you instantly became more precious to me than all the wonders of the ancient world. I knew that I could never bare to see you go, so I commanded the high priest to create a gift to you..."

The past pharaohs hands grazed over the tablet, looking down at it in its worn down state. Still shining with gold but chipped and scratched with age.

"Using all the mysteries and secrets he'd learnt of the afterlife, it was forged in the temple of Khonsu. God of the moon, traveler's and fertility. The tablet of Ahkmenrah was created..."

You had a hunch it had to do with Khonsu, after looking into it and seeing him all over the tomb walls.

"Our tomb was designed so the moons rays would light the tablet, and power it. The moon god blessed the tablet with his light so that not even death could part us, as long as it's in his light. If the tablet is without moonlight for too long, it'll loose it's power. But, given the tablet looks to be working... I assume you'll want to know about the branding on your lovers hand" Merenkahre explained.

"Please, father. Tell me it won't hurt them" Ahkmenrah replied.

"No... it won't hurt them. That part of the tablets power, it was your mothers idea..."

The queen took over, her turn to explain the secrets of the tablet.

"The tablet was made to ensure we'd be together forever. Even if we were apart, we'd always find our way back together thanks to its power. And because you were to be pharaoh, and take over the kingdom, I wanted to make sure that whoever you picked as your royal partner would be able to stay with us as well, along with any children you may have" Shepseheret began.

It was interesting to think that if you were alive with Ahkmenrah 4000 years ago, you'd probably have been buried in that same tomb he was found in, and taken to the museum with him. You'd be an exhibit, a mummy come to life, an ancient ruler along side him.

"So, I had another enchantment placed on it. Thanks to the Devine blessing of Hathor, goddess of love. The person you fell in love with, would be bound to you when they touched the tablet. Allowing them to experience the same effects as us, if (y/n) we're with you 4000 years earlier, they'd be in our tomb with us and able to come to life every night as intended. But... you were taken from us before you found a lover..." she said, sadness in her tone toward the end.

Any mention of what Kahmunrah did to his little brother made you want to take a Khopesh and slice him like he did to his own brother. Give the cruel fuck a taste of his own medicine. But he wasn't here anymore, and it was in the past. There was nothing you could do but help Ahk through the trauma it caused him.

"The enchantment never broke though, and all these years later it's still in effect. So when (y/n) touched the tablet, it bound them to you. And because you are already dead, rather than it bringing them back to life it bought you back. (Y/n) is still alive, you... you're more... reanimated. That's why you don't fall dead at sunlight anymore, being bound to (y/n) means you're able to stay alive longer. When they die, you shall return to being dead in the daylight, and they will rise with you at night as intended" Shepseheret explained.

So that's why he was still alive in the day... the tablet has bound you together. Your soul is keeping his alive as long as you are too. And even after you die, you're still able to be together at night as intended. It was almost as if you were soulmates.

"What about the strange dizzy spells? There's no side effects are there?" Ahk asked.

"The poem on our tomb, that's the enchantment that bound you both together, it details how the enchantment works" she began, taking the printed pictures of the tomb you'd bought in a while ago to point out the carvings.

Upon the rise of the sun,
The light touches the land.
Upon the rise of the moon,
The darkness cools the sand.
Under the stars they dance,
Two souls become one.
And when the sun rises again,
The deed is done.

"Under the stars they dance, two souls become one. And when the sun rises again, the deed is done... that part hasn't been carried out yet. So you're bonded by the tablet, but not fully connected by the souls yet. It must be done under the stars, and when the sun rises that day your souls will become one. Those dizzy spells are because the ritual isn't finished yet" She explained.

"Whatever it is I'll do it, if it means we're together forever" Ahk immediately spoke up.

"I understand you two love each other, and I'm glad to have finally met your one true love my darling boy. But this isn't how we intended things to play out, they're a modern human and you're... a pharaoh. It'd be a lot of work to make things work out. They have a life to live, family, an art career. They'll age and grow. You'll stay as you are in your undead state..." his mother warned.

That was true, you didn't think of that. Your family had no idea Ahk existed, that you were dating him, that any of this had happened. Would they even believe you? That a magic tablet bought a mummy back to life and you fell for him?

And what about ageing? You'd just get older and older until you died. Ahk would stay forever 19 and undead as you got older. That might be a bit awkward, 50 year old you walking around with someone who looked young enough to be your child, despite him actually being older at 4000 years and your lover.

"There has so be some way we can work around it, I love them. They're my guardian, my Angel. I can't just... not have them with me. Whatever we have to do I'll do it, I'll make it work" Ahkmenrah said.

"It's not your choice to make Ahkmen, (y/n) is the one that's still alive" Merenkahre replied.

It was all eyes on you, everyone wanting to know what you'd say. You knew it'd be a hard situation to navigate, but you couldn't just... leave him. After everything that's happened, after all the time you'd spent together drawing and talking, sleeping snuggled up together and waiting for nightfall to see all your friends. You learnt about each others lives and cultures, the history of your backgrounds and traditions. You'd spent nights under the stars, nights in his exhibit comforting him as he cried, nights in the city trying new drinks and joking about which ones were the best.

You'd become one even without an enchantment to make it official. You couldn't leave him.

"I don't know what my family would say, or how things will work out but... I can't leave you. Even if it'll be complicated to navigate, I want to at least try. There must be a way to make things work, whatever the ritual is I'll do it. But if you're forever young, and I have to wait until the day I die to be like you... Ahk just tell me something..." you said.

He gave you a reassuring smile, telling you that no matter what you said he'd tell you honestly.

"Will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful?" You asked.

"Of course I will, forever, always. We'll end up together undead and bound by the gods anyway, even if I have to wait for you to finish your life to end up like me, I'll still love you. And you'll ALWAYS be beautiful, no matter what happens" he replied, his hands tightly gripping yours in reassurance.

You gave him a smile, wanting to leap into his arms and take him as yours right then and there. He was so devoted to you, and you adored him for it.

His mother couldn't help but tear up a little, proud of her son for finally finding someone even after death. And proud of him for being as loving as she's raised him to be, a perfect partner in every way.

"I love you, (y/n). Whatever this ritual leads us to well figure it out together ok?" He said.

"I love you too, Ahkmen..." you replied, giving his hand a squeeze.

It was clear you and Ahk were serious about this, and even if they didn't want you to follow through there was no way his parents could stop you.

You knew how the tablet worked and why it branded you now. All you needed to know, was how to complete this ritual.