Sands In The Darkest Night

New Beginnings

As Akhenaten stared at the large expanse of desert before them, he felt peace fill his entire being as he explained everything to her-he'd left out the part about she being the one God wanted him to be with.

The five years he hadn't been with her, he'd missed her and he longed to see her every day but couldn't, not without the Oracles being gone and Egypt getting back on her feet.

Akhenaten watched her wipe the tears that had fallen on her cheeks away.

She turned to him and smiled brightly at him.

"God is love." Akhenaten felt his heart race as he stared at her and he looked away.

"I told you he loves you, " she said joyfully.

"We should go back. I'm hungry, " she turned her horse around and started heading back.

Akhenaten smiled.

"Of course, " and they both made their way back to her home, where her brother and Ahmes were sure to be waiting for them.

•••

That night, Akhenaten had stayed with Eros and Ahmes had stayed with Aria after their meal together.

Aria and Ahmes both laid down on the mattresses they'd laid on the floor facing each other.

Knowing Ahmes, Aria knew they weren't sleeping anytime soon.

Ahmes gave her a smile.

"How do you feel about him coming back from the dead?" Ahmes asked seriously.

Aria rolled on her back and stared at the ceiling.

"I don't know, " she whispered.

"Do you still love him?" Ahmes asked knowing Akhenaten was the reason she had refused to marry all those years.

"With all my heart, " she whispered without missing a beat.

"But-" Ahmes knew something was bothering her.

"I'm afraid, " Aria turned to Ahmes, a tear ran down her eyes that had started to slowly turn red.

"Why?" Ahmes asked shocked by her tears.

Aria let out a shaky breath.

"I'm afraid one day I'll wake up and it'll all be a dream, "

"Aria it's not a dream. He's here, he came here for you Aria, "

Aria sat up and raised her knees to her chin hugging herself.

She buried her face in her arms.

"Ahmes, I love him, so much but seeing him again, I-It's too painful, " she said, crying softly into her arms.

Ahmes too sat up and enveloped her in her arms.

"Yes, I know five years is a long time without him coming to see you but now you know why, " Ahmes said softly to her.

Aria nodded.

"Open your heart to him Aria, like you once did, " Ahmes told her gently.