Ahkmenrah: The Fourth King of the Fourth Kings

Chapter 14: Crocodile Tears

After a while Ahkmenrah took initiative and snatched the scroll out of her hands and gave it to Kahmunrah, who at least had the decency to dry his hands before touched it. She glared at him, her blue eyes staring icily into his green ones.

Ahkmenrah didn't notice her annoyance one bit. He grabbed her wrists and attempted to lift her to her feet, which he succeeded in. He and Kahmunrah had their backs turned towards the water whilst Sabra was facing the water.

It was when she was lifted to her feet that she saw a large crocodile just behind where Ahkmenrah was standing. It was looking at Ahkmenrah's back with such interest that it would have made Ismara green with envy. Hunger overflowed from its cold green eyes; so different from his would be victim's own similarly coloured ones.

Predicting the moment it was going to bite Sabra pushed Ahkmenrah to side, putting herself in the firing line. She tried to get away but that only increased her chances of getting bitten. As a result she was bitten in the torso and dragged down to the dirt. She muffled a scream as its teeth dug deeper and deeper into her flesh. The crocodile was dragging her to its domain, the water. It was going to kill her. That much was clear. Sabra tried to fight against it, but there was only so much she could do without letting it tear off her whole abdomen.

She felt foolish, but it was the only way to save Ahkmenrah. If she were to die, it wouldn't matter. She died doing her job. Whatever God does he does it for a reason. She was feeling faint. They crocodile had bitten her deeper than she first thought. She was so faint she didn't realise the moment her body made contact with the water. When Ahkmenrah finally took in what happened he recklessly grabbed a thick stick and went into the water after Sabra. But his plan wasn't as reckless as his actions. He was going to prize the creature's mouth open and rescue Sabra that way. She had save his life twice now and he wasn't going to let the debt go unpaid.

Kahmunrah wasn't standing there being useless. That would be highly unlike him. He had grabbed Sabra's spear and had started climbing the fruit tree nearby. He saw Sabra's blood colour the water and shuddered. He often wondered why the worst of things happen to best of people.

When he was at the top he saw his brother trying to prize the crocodile's mouth open. He saw the determination in Ahkmenrah's every movement. But he was failing and Sabra seemed to be fading away faster. Ahkmenrah was waist deep in water, his heart beat faster and faster. He was so close to such a bloodthirsty creature, who wouldn't have been scared?

In frustration Ahkmenrah hit the crocodile in the eye. Surprised the crocodile let go of Sabra ad turned to his attacker, it opened his mouth wide, Ahkmenrah saw this as the opportunity he had been waiting for. In one powerful motion he placed the stick upright in the crocodile's ajar mouth. As the crocodile tried to close its jaw its mouth remained ajar.

Ahkmenrah then dived into water after Sabra. Meanwhile Kahmunrah saw this as his best chance of killing the creature without killing anyone else. He aimed Sabra's spear at the crocodile's eye. His heart was beating fast but he concentrated, all he could see now was the eye of the crocodile. He could hear nothing and see nothing. All he could see was the cold bloodthirsty eye that didn't care a whim for its kill. The spear flew of his hands. The crocodile stopped and let out its last breath. Its blood now mingling with that of Sabra's.

At the exact same time the crocodile had died, Ahkmenrah's body broke through the surface with a bloodied, pale and unconscious Sabra in his arms. His breathing was ragged; Sabra's was almost non-existent. Kahmunrah climbed down the tree and ran over to them. Ahkmenrah laid her on the ground and knelt beside her. He had tears in his eyes.

"Please don't let her be dead! Oh Ra Please!" he whispered frantically.

Kahmunrah looked around. There had to be something that could help them. The noticed it. The fruit tree he had climbed. He recognised it now. It was the tree of the Altheda fruit. The fruit of healing. He ran over to it and picked three. It wasn't a miracle fruit but it would help until they could get to the palace. When he came back he knelt beside Sabra. There was a pulse but it was faint.

He needed something to cut the small purple plum-like fruit with and to cut of some of the linen from his kilt and Sabra's tunic. He then saw the daggers weaved between the straps of her sandals. Perfect.

He took the right dagger and first cut off her leather armor. He then cut open her tunic careful not to cut more than needed. He gestured to Ahkmenrah to bring some water. Ahkmenrah did so, using the discarded coconut shell lying on the ground.

Kahmunrah worked with shaking hands, but managed to clean the wound. It was deep and her abdomen was badly mutilated; he could see some of her insides. But aside from that both Ahkmenrah and Kahmunrah saw old scars on her abdomen. Obviously whatever her history was, it involved fighting. He then cut up the Altheda fruit and strips of linen from his kilt. He squeezed all the juice into the coconut shell, he then applied it to the wound. The bleeding stopped once it made contact with the juice. It may not have actually been a fruit that could cure all diseases but to them it was a miracle.

He then bandaged her wounds. No words were said but Ahkmenrah knew that there was only a sliver of a chance that Sabra may actually survive. The odds were 1 to 99.

He once again brought her unconscious body in his arms. He lifted her up. They began their sullen walk to the palace.

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Senet had guilty conscience. A conscience is what a makes a man stronger. The stronger a man the more his conscience is hurt. He wanted to die. He shouldn't have agreed. He was an idiot.

He was in Khufu's room. Khufu was looking out of the window. If the two princes didn't come back by nightfall that would mean Khufu had succeeded. So they waited. Senet's heart was beating faster and faster. He wanted to live but didn't want his conscience to be aware of the fact that he was a murderer.

It was late afternoon now. Both men were in the same position they were all day, Senet felt his body stiffen and his joints cramping, along with beating heart and painful ribs this felt like torture. Just as Khufu was about to lose interest in his activity he saw some figures the distance. He studied them closely. When he realised they were Ahkmenrah and Kahmunrah flames of anger invaded his heart. He grabbed his dagger quickly and turned to Senet who was quivering with fear. He took one look back at the figures and saw Sabra, bloodied and unconscious in Ahkmenrah's arms. A million thoughts raced through his head but a conclusion to them was soon clear.

This was good. The little minx was clever. She was sure to have figured out his plan and would have foiled it in no time. This injury, even her death could let him do as he pleased. When she won't be around the royal family protecting them he could have a clean shot at the throne. This was perfect. He dropped the dagger.

"You are free to go," he told Senet. Senet ran out of the room as fast as his stiff body would allow.

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Ahkmenrah and Kahmunrah stood before the Merenkahre who was furious.

"Let me get this straight. I am going to lose my best guard because you stupidly swam where there were crocodiles."

"We didn't know..." started Ahkmenrah who was still clearly distraught because tears in his eyes. He breathed in and out, repeatedly blinking trying to hide his sadness. This wouldn't have happened if it weren't for his insistence on swimming in the Nile in the first place.

Kahmunrah put a hand on his brother's shoulder. This wasn't your fault he seemed to say.

"Father it really wasn't our fault. We didn't know this would happen. We only wanted to relax today. We thought a swim would be all right. We didn't know..."

Merenkahre's anger died down. It wasn't their fault at all. They were just being boys of their age. But somehow Merenkahre knew this marked the beginning of the end of Isis' blessings. Her blessings weren't gone yet, but they worked in more mischievous ways. Meaning his death was near.

Shepseheret sensed her husband's thoughts. She was miserable. But what saddened her more were the fatal injuries that Sabra carried. Even Ismara felt tears sting her eyes. But Khufu felt happy. He was only crying crocodile tears.

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How was it?

This chapter was actually unplanned but it fits well into the story don't you think?