Lapis crawled out from the pyramid first, followed by Thea. Lapis had insisted in that order, so should they emerge and be attacked he could do his best to defend them. To both of their relief, however, that plan was unnecessary.

Lapis scrambled to his feet, taking Thea by both hands and pulling her up. He grinned broadly at her.

"Are you well?" Lapis pressed.

"I mean, as well as I can be, all things considered. And you?"

Lapis merely gave a curt nod, still smiling and looking relieved.

"Thea!"

Still holding hands, Lapis and Thea looked to where the voice had originated. A sea of torches were moving swiftly through the night. Leading the charge was Ankh. His left hand held a torch, in his right a large khopesh.

Thea thought she would literally faint from relief. In that moment, Lapis took off, sprinting towards the entourage. Thea took off after him, but between not being able to run very well through the sand and Lapis taking longer strides, the vizier reached his Pharaoh first.

"Where is he?" Ankh was bellowing, the whites of his eyes showing. "Where is the bastard? I'll kill him—I'll kill him with my own two hands—"

"Ankh, Ankh!" Lapis urged, pressing his bloody hands against his pecs. "Ankh! Calm down, it's been taken care of!"

Ankh was struggling again Lapis, still trying to get to Thea. "Where is the rat? Where is my kin who still had followers from when he ran for Pharaoh, and he turned them against me? Where are they?! I'll kill them all!"

"Ankh!" Lapis shoved the King hard, finally getting the Kings attention.

For the first time, Ankh truly saw Lapis standing before him. He looked absolutely panicked at the blood soaked clothes. "Lapis! By the God's, are you—medic! Medic!"

"Listen to me," Lapis urged as Thea's thudding feet finally made it to their ears. "Ankh, he's dead! Your brother is dead!"

Ankh dropped his weapon and handed his torch off to the nearest guard. Seconds later, Thea threw herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Ankh wrapped his arms around her, swaying gently from side to side. He kissed the top of her head and her face over and over, gently saying her name. After a few moments of this, he looked over her head to Lapis.

"Where are the guards that betrayed me?"

Had Thea been not as hysterical, she would have caught the deadly look in the Pharaoh's eyes that matched his dead brother's.

Lapis turned a second, pointing at the unfinished pyramid. "There. They tried to bury us alive."

"Go," Ankh said in a low voice. Without any other word, the guards surrounding them took off running towards the monument, weapons drawn.

"Kill them!" Ankh screamed after them. "Leave no deserters alive! They shall have no trial! Kill them all on sight!"

A small group of soldiers stayed with their King, their vizier, and Thea. Ankh knew Thea could not relay what had happened just then, so he looked at Lapis. "What happened?"

Lapis explained how things had happened on his end, how he had been led out of his bed chamber and whisked away. He was hit in the head, which left him on the ground, dazed, where in he was poisoned. He awoke in the pyramid. He explained in detail everything that had taken place in there (causing Ankh to squeeze Thea protectively tighter). When Lapis got to him killing Chisisi, however, things derailed.

"That's why I'm covered in blood..." Lapis began to shake visibly and looked down at his clothes. Disgustedly, he tried to wipe the blood off his clothes. Instead, it just smeared more.

The vizier burst into tears. Frantically he disrobed, right there, revealing his chest binding and loincloth wrap. The guards respectfully turned their backs, creating a protective perimeter around the trio. Lapis dropped onto his hands and knees, gagging. Thea and Ankh watched in alarm.

"Oh God's, please spare me!" Lapis said, clutching sand in fistfuls. "My shen! I killed someone! I killed him! I'm just as bad as Chisisi —"

With those words, Lapis became violently ill. Ankh let go of Thea and knelt beside Lapis, who had collapsed onto his back, covering his face and sobbing. Ankh took a second to kick sand over the mess, and then knelt on the other side of Lapis.

"Lapis! Lapis, my dearest Lapis! No. No." Ankh gently removed his hands from his face, smiling at him kindly. "You are nothing like him."

"But—"

"No," Ankh cut him off, gently but sternly all at once. "Your reaction to this proves you are nothing like Chisisi. He always acted without remorse. He deserved to die, yet here you are, ill and crying for what you have done."

Lapis looked up at Ankh, lip trembling. Smiling sweetly, Ankh took Lapis' hand, pressing his other hand to his cheek.

"I promise you Lapis, my dear vizier, my best friend in the entire universe; your soul is intact and the God's will welcome you into the afterlife with open arms."

Thea, wiping her tears away, knelt next to Lapis. Laying a hand on the vizier's arm, she smiled down at him. Thankfully, Lapis managed to smile back.

~

The wedding was spectacular. Both Ankh and Thea looked otherworldly. Ankh dressed head to toe in the finest clothes, brilliant golds accented with purple gems. Thea wore a hooded linen robe, over which was draped with a gem-ridden net. Her hair was sleek and perfumed, her eyes painted magnificently in the ancient Egyptian way. When she had first seen herself in a mirror, she immediately burst into tears. It was surreal, a dream come true. Her handmaids had laughed kindly, telling her to stop least they need to do her makeup again.

The ceremony itself was private. Documents were signed. Since Thea had no family to speak for, Lapis stood in. Though a formality, he gave a gift to the Pharaoh on behalf of Thea's family.

A grand party was held throughout the city. Gifts were exchanged, both between Ankh and Thea to one another as well as commoners to the royal couple. The streets were filled with performers, belly dancers with bells on their waists and finger cymbals. It lasted well into the night and early morning, drunken laughter and merriment filling up the night's sky.

A grand feast was held at the palace. Ankh allowed himself to become drunk, fully comfortable with the fact that his guards were his loyal guards.

"He never loosens up," Lapis giggled into Thea's ear at one point after dinner, words slurred. "You're good for him, Thea."

Thea (talking herself down repeatedly throughout the day, reminding herself the water wasn't safe back then and drinking alcohol almost exclusively hadn't killed humanity), tried her best to drink the wine in small amounts. She stuck to mainly water and juice.

As the night wound down, Thea was very tired. She tried to stifle her yawns, but after the third one, Ankh placed his hand over hers.

"Dearest Queen—would you like to retire?"

Well, it was now or never. Swallowing thickly, Thea smiled at Ankh. "Yes, I would like that. However, I need to tell you something."

Ankh grinned at her. "Yes, my wife?"

Thea, glancing quickly at Lapis who sat beside her at the table of honor, nearly asleep, leaned in close and whispered into Ankh's ear.

"There is something that I have wanted to tell you for weeks now."

He looked surprised. Thea tucked her hair behind her ear. "But, with Chisisi and the state of affairs, I didn't know where anything was going, or if you would live, or if I would live, or what our life would look like, or what would happen since I was poisoned and drugged, or—"

Ankh laughed. "Thea dear, just tell me whatever is making you so nervous."

Thea bit her bottom lip and felt herself blush. "I—I have missed my monthly."

Ankh looked shocked.

"I—I think I'm pregnant with our child, Ankh."

Ankh beamed immediately. Thea laughed, thinking he looked like a child on Christmas morning. He grabbed her hands, clutching them.

"Really? Are you positive?"

Thea laughed, tears springing to her eyes. "Well, not positive, but I am nearly positive."

Ankh hugged her fiercely. When he pulled back, he kissed her in a way that made her blush further. Then, he got to his feet unsteadily. Lapis had began to snore softly, so Ankh reached over Thea's head and smacked his arm. Lapis startled, opened his eyes, and looked about himself bewildered.

"I have a final toast for the night!" Ankh declared. Still looking half-asleep, Lapis rose his goblet.

"To my wonderful wife, my Queen, and, as I have just been informed, the mother of my first born child."

There was a brief stunned silence. Then the room erupted into happy pandemonium. Lapis began to drunkenly cry, hugging both of them. Ankh hugged Thea. The guards and Ankh's family and friends hugged them. Ankh and Thea kissed, the room cheering.

Lapis pulled her into a final hug. Looking over his shoulder, Thea was surprised to see someone lurking in the shadows. Aqen smiled at her, put his fist to his chest, and bowed deeply. A lump formed in her throat and, through her tears, smiled at the God and nodded.

Aqen inclined his head, gave her a final smile, and disappeared into the shadows.

The End.