Incest/Taboo Pharaoh’s Curse

"Seems the British have heard about what happened and offered their Intelligence on what their spy satellite was sending them." Andrew heard the men's grumbling at the thought of the British getting their hands on their country again as General Salah brought up the video MI6 sent to them.

"How soon can the Horus unit be activated?" Andrew asked, looking over at the commander of special operations for his army. When he fully took over, he'd been experimenting with recreating the old battalions of the former Royal Egyptian Army. Seemed to him that the gods were eager to get back into the fray.

"I already put out the order; they're standing by as we speak, waiting for your word, sire," the man said, peering over at him.

"Do it; make sure to tell them the girls' lives are the highest priority. If they can kill them afterwards, I think the world will thank us," Andrew stated, getting a nod from the man. "General Salah, have our forces, not currently staging on the border with Nu... Sudan, or defending the eastern border, mass on the border of Libya," he corrected himself, "I will not have America's blundering spilling over into my kingdom. Call up the reserves if you must, but we will not be caught unawares again!"

"Yes, sire, I will see the order is sent out immediately," Salah answered with a salute.

"Now, gentlemen, I will be in my chambers, fetch me when the Horus unit has neared the site. I want to be here so I can assure the parents of those girls and those who lost their sons and loved ones that the ones responsible for that hideous act are dead," Andrew said sternly.

"I'll inform Halima once we receive word," Salah replied before Andrew walked out of the room.

Andrew was typing out the speech he was preparing to make, knowing he couldn't stay in the shadows any longer. Not with what had just happened. No, his people needed to know they had a strong leader, a strong King, to lead them through this trying time. He knew the months and years onward were going to be very difficult for Egypt. He was doing everything in his power to see that difficulty was lessened severely or that was his hope. For all he knew, he could just be making things worse. As he reread his words, he knew they were shite the moment he read them out loud.

"Maybe I might be of some service, my Pharoah," Thoth spoke, appearing out of nowhere.

"Then please, Lord of Knowledge, lend this humble man your wisdom," Andrew said, not even being the least perturbed when a god or goddess just appeared before him without warning. He paced as he spoke about what he wanted the speech to say as Thoth scribbled down his words while improving on them as his quill moved over the scroll of papyrus in the god's hands. "So... what do you think?" he asked once he came to the end of his mock speech.

"Hmm..." Thoth's eyes ran down the scroll, quickly reading what he had improved on, "I'd say, Pharoah, you've stated clearly the reason for invading Libya and Nubia. The people will respond accordingly to your words, but you know that" he said, giving Andrew a knowing look.

"Yeah, but I'm trying not to use Ra's blessing to get the people behind these wars. I don't want people thinking I'm using my gifts to hoodwink anyone," Andrew stated, knowing people would think that anyway if they knew about Ra's blessing.

"That is a wise thing to do, Pharoah," Thoth uttered, tilting his head to Andrew. "And that's why this will inspire the people to your banner," he said, holding out the scroll to Andrew.

Turning his head to the left, as a knock came on his chamber door, only to find Thoth had returned to the Duatwhen Andrew was going to thank him for his help in the matter. So he sent a silent thank you to the god as he walked over to the door, opening it to see who it was, seeing Halima standing there with a serious look on her face, telling him the Horus unit was in position. Patting her shoulder as he passed her, telling her to have faith, the gods were with them, and he knew they wouldn't allow anything to happen to the girls.

"Sire, the men have reported that they are in position and waiting for word to ingress," Salah stated when Andrew walked into the room. His crown shone like a jewel as the light reflected off of it.

"Then let us pray to Taweret and Bast to keep the girls safe when bullets are flying. While we also pray to Set, Horus, Bast, and Sekhmet that those that think to harm one of ours, in turn harm Egypt herself, will never see another second of the hour, and our men return to us unharmed," Andrew said with his eyes closed he could feel the gods eyes on him, even felt Set's hand on his left shoulder giving it a light pat, and Bast's furry cheek brushing against his, telling him in his mind that she would personally see that the children were safe. "General, tell them to engage," he commanded to the man, who nodded and made the call. Andrew's eyes never left the screen as the mini drone the unit had with them streamed live footage. He felt the eyes of the Generals on him when the feed showed one of the terrorists being thrown through the window. His highly trained soldiers didn't waste the opportunity to take out the men, leaving one alive in case they split up the girls. His soldiers led the twelve girls that were kidnapped safely out of the house they were being held in, ordering the men to bring the lone survivor back with them so the man could stand trial for his and his cohort's crimes before leaving the room. Now that he knew the girls were safe, he could face the world.

"Halima, is it all ready?" Andrew asked, striding down the hall. Fear welled in his heart as he was about to show himself on the world stage. Feeling the warmth of Ra overpowering that fear, he sent a prayer to the Sun god.

"Yes, my lord, I have to say, don't think I've ever seen reporters bucking the line like they are out there," Halima said, speaking her mind before bringing her wrist up to her lips and whispering to the detail outside that they were nearing the doors.

Andrew blew out a breath as the noise hit him like a wave once the guards pulled the doors open for him. Wishing Carla, Anta, and his mother were there to booster his nerves as he neared the door. Yet, he knew they were a tad busy than to be with him on that... a huge smile rose on his lips as they were standing on the stage where he was going to announce the resurgence of the Egyptian Kingdom, its Dynasties, were the three of them wearing the most elegant of gowns. Their jewels glinted in the light as they turned to look up at him, seeing their warm, loving smiles gazing up at him. Also, seeing the taunt in their eyes about the crowns they were wearing. His hand danced along the cast iron railing as he ambled down the curving steps. A loud gasping wave rolled over the masses as his suit burnt away, revealing the godly attire Hedjhotep and Tayt had weaved and created for Andrew's royal garb. He, however, could do without the kilt as he felt the bronze shin guards warming against his skin as he stepped onto the stage. He saw all their eyes grow rather large as the Sun's rays sought out Andrew's body, making him radiate a golden glow as he walked along the stage that had been hastily put together where they had bridged the gap between the staircase and the top of the stage.

"My Pharoah," they spoke as one as they curtsied to him as Andrew walked past. "Your Queens will always stand beside you," they said in ancient Egyptian.

Andrew raised his hands to quiet the crowd down as he stood above them, looking down at the sea of faces. Seeing the amounts of cameras pointing at him, hoping this wouldn't harm his father too much as he took a steadying breath. "Greetings, good people of Kemet or, better known these days as Egypt. You're wondering why you're seeing my face on your TV screens; I will tell you all why. The gods of Old have returned, and the land of Egypt called out to my blood to return and reclaim my rightful place on the throne of Egypt. You ask why you should believe a word you're hearing? Well, six months ago, I led my own coup to reclaim my throne.

During the time of my rein I have done everything I could to keep you, the people, from feeling the effects of the change. I have no wish to spill my own people's blood because the gods have called for me to return. I have set in place a compulsory service in the military starting next year. If Egypt is to rise once again to its rightful place, then its people need to be willing to defend her as Ma'at has done for you. As we speak, our enemies gather around us, thinking we are weak and that they can walk into our country and our homes and take what they want from us! No more! No longer will Egypt bow down to outsiders, thinking they can strip our land of its resources to fuel their agenda. Just a few hours ago, I'm sure you fine people in the press have heard of it, the terrorist attack on the Christian school that killed so many in the Western province?" Andrew asked, looking down at their faces.

"Well, I will tell you this now, I was just in the situation room watching the rescue of the girls the terrorists kidnapped. All were unharmed and safe," he stated when their clambering voices rose. "As we speak, the Horus unit is transporting the children to the nearest Army base to get checked out. If the parents of those girls wish for transport to the base..." Repeating the number to their cameras so the parents could ensure their children were indeed safe, "this is also the reason I have returned as your Pharoah." Andrew's voice deepened; his skin began to heat as his exposed skin shone brighter than the sun as Ra's avatar rose above him. "Our southern neighbors laugh at us allowing bandits to harass the innocent and shipping through the area. Libya can't police its own country. I have no wish for war, yet the world needs to learn we are not weak!"

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Came the cry of resistance within the crowd.

"I've told you who I am. I. Am. Your. Pharoah," Andrew said in a forceful tone, pointing to his crown. "I wear the Crown of Two Lands. Through me, Egypt will rise out of this stagnation it has been in since the death of Pepi II, my some odd great-grandfather. I will submit to a DNA test to prove my claim to be true. Now is the time for Egypt to rise, and the ashes of Sudan and Libya will be our stepping stones!" Andrew proclaimed, announcing to the world the beginning of his rein would be bathed in blood. "Now that is all; I have matters to see to; any further questions you might have, you may forward to my public affairs office," he said, turning on his heel, holding out his hand to the three of them. He looked at his mother when he felt the soft touch of her fingertips along his palm as Alex slid up to his side as Carla took command of his right while Anta strode past him with Bast in her arms, leading the way up the stairs back into the Headquarters. Praying his father and Wilma didn't see that.

It didn't take more than twenty minutes before his private line, all the world leaders had reached out to him, was blowing off the hook. One from a very pissed and scared Dictator when the push southward began. He had given Salah the order to attack when he reached that point in his speech. However, he knew he was going to need to find a way to fund his palace without draining the coffers of his Kingdom. Nodding to a few passers as they walked through the facility where, their car awaited for them to take them to the palace.

"Did you see them checking me out?" Anta asked, sitting all prim and proper next to Andrew while Carla sat across from him.

"No more than they were focused on me," Alex taunted smugly as she gently squeezed her son's hand while her other hand ran over her three-month baby bump. Humming down to their child, knowing he was going to be so spoiled when their son was born.

"No, they were checking me out the most," Carla said, firing back at the two of them as her hand lifted up her hair, getting giggles out of them all except Andrew, who was wearing a smile.

"Andrew, what are you doing?" Anta asked when she noticed how his eyes were closed as they rode through the city.

"Looking for something," Andrew said cryptically.

"Oh?! What is it? Some new found discovery?!" Alex asked excitedly.

"No," shaking his head at his mother's defeated, pouting look on her face, "something to help run my Palace and add to the coffers of the kingdom," Andrew said, knowing when word reached the other countries about all the gold he would be mining. He knew they would be clambering to get their hands on some of it. Which wasn't going to happen. That gold was going to ensure that Egypt's rise was well-funded and not used against his kingdom.

"And what would that be?" Carla asked as her crown rested on her lap, as did the others so it wouldn't get damaged riding in the car.

"Gold, lots and lots of gold," Andrew said with a toothy grin.

"But Andrew, the last gold mine Egypt had run dry years if not centuries ago," Alex intoned, thinking it was a foolish thing to go chasing after.

"Yeah, that might be the case, yet they don't know what I know."

"And you're telling us that you know where there will be gold at?" Carla asked, confused, even more so when Andrew nodded.

"Well, wherever it is, I know you'll do wonderful things with it," Anta said, resting her head on his shoulder as her pendant caught the light of the sun as it slid out from the confines of her dress.

A month later...

"Oh my God! Just look at it all!" Alex exclaimed with her hands on the sides of her face as she stared in wonder at his temple, whose walls were slowly rising to their full height. Andrew just smirked as his mother took off towards one of the stone masons. As he began to chant a spell to lift the serval ton cut stone off the ground to add it to the core of the left wall they were currently raising. Carla and Anta took off to where the phylon was being built from the stone they were cutting out from his tomb. Where the entrance to it would be in the center of his temple, where Bast would always guard its entrance.

"Of course I will, you think I'll let anyone disturb my husband?" Bast purred into his mind as she sat to the left of him by his feet as they looked out onto his temple mound at Djed. His Palace at NeoHierakonpolis had already been built, he was waiting for his workers to finish with the painting before he had a few trusted Medjay to install the electronics within it. He had no wish for Carla, Anta, or his mother to be sweating like pigs in it, at least in the closed-off portions of his Palace. He left the throne room open to the air so the people of Punt wouldn't be too shocked when the air in his Palace was far cooler than the hundred-degree heat of the spring and summer months. He felt her following in step with him as he walked around the site. Stopping for a few moments as he watched the carvers work on one of the statues for the gods that would be lining the walls of his temple. A smile formed on his lips as he turned his head listening to their excited voices as they ran around like little kids as they poked and prodded everything they could to see how the ancient construction techniques were used.

The words of the leaders of the world rang in his head as he watched how Phat directed the workers in their labors. He knew when he hung up on the British and American leaders he didn't earn himself any brownie points. Then again, he didn't need them sticking their noses where they didn't belong. He knew the only reason they all were begging him not to push further into Libya or Sudan was that even after a month of war, those two countries were all most toppled. When he told the US President he was cleaning up his mess, he hadn't heard from the man in ages. Truthfully, he could care less about what the other leaders think. They would rather someone else fight their wars for them instead of doing the hard work themselves, knowing their own citizens wouldn't fight for another country. While his own men were getting the experience they needed for the years to come. He knew there would be more wars in the future; that was certain. However, it would be a while before he could launch his expansion into the Lavant to take back the land that once flew under the banner of Egypt. He needed to insure Libya and the Sudan were fully under his control before he could launch his invasion into the land of the Canaanites.

He watched how the men were placing the marble blocks along the first row to hide the limestone core from the elements. He pondered how the mining was going at the two sites he had founded in the western area of Egypt near Al Qasr and in the east near Marsá 'Alam. Even during the first week, they had averaged ten tons of gold for him and the coffers of Egypt. From what Geb had shown him, those two mines would pour into his coffers for years and years. So he knew, at least for the moment, his kingdom wouldn't be hurting for money. If his calculations were correct, that would bring in six hundred million dollars a week for him and his people. With that, he knew he could afford to implement his social programs to help those who were down on their luck.

"Andy!" Andrew turned to his left as he heard his mother's voice on the air as she and the other two hurriedly walked towards him, as he was looking out across the lake that had been formed when Ged and Hapi had created the site he was standing on. Huffing when his mother threw her arms around his neck and pressed her 32Cs into his chest. "This is so wonderful!"

"Oh?" Andrew mused as his mother pulled away.

"You have no idea how many scholars would give their entire career to see this," Carla proclaimed, thrusting her arms into the air with his mother nodding along.

"That so, so not the hordes of slaves you used to think that made all these structures, huh?" Andrew taunted, smirking at his mother's reddening face.

"Okay, so we were wrong on that, sue me!" Alex grumbled, not enjoying the cocky smirk on her son's lips.

"Andy?! How could any scientist think that magic was involved!" Anta stated, slapping him on his left arm for teasing them.

"Well, I did tell you it was; you three just didn't believe your Pharoah," Andrew retorted, sticking his nose into the air.

"Hush you," Carla laughed as she lightly shoved him.

"So when do you think our Palace will be done?" Alex asked, snuggling up to him.

"A few weeks," Andrew answered after pondering for a few seconds. "Once the painting is finished, I'll have your father and brother ship the furniture to it."

"Andy, does that mean we can come up here and stay in NeoHierakonpolis?" Anta asked, knowing when the video of Andrew presenting himself to the world as their new Pharoah, pain would be involved. She and Carla held him tightly when his father called, raving at his son about what Andrew thought he was doing. Alex stood there tight-lipped as Julián tore into him. Only when his father berated him for being so foolish and wearing that ridiculous garb that Alex step in to defend her son. Who Julián blamed solely for what was happening to their son. So, for the past three weeks, they've been trying to uplift the sour mood he had been in since Andrew and his father hadn't spoken since that phone call. Wilma, on the other hand, texted him almost every day. From what she gathered, Wilma was all but giddy, being the stepmother of the new ruler of Egypt.

"Sure does," Andrew said with a smile, hiding his pain at his father's words.

"Just think of it, Andy," Alex said, pressing her left side into his right. Hoping her warmth was helping with his mood. "Soon, you will be remembered for all time," she stated, jutting her chin towards the area where the workers were preparing to lay the first stone of Andrew's pyramid.

"Hopefully, no one will use dynamite to try to get into it," Andrew said, referring to Howard Vyse, who used dynamite in the Great Pyramid.

"No ones going to do that, Andy," Alex admonished. "We have come a long way in the field of Egyptology," she stated with an air of regalness around her. Lifting her head skyward when she heard a falcon's cry before it took out a drone that was flying towards them. Turning her head to see barges coming up the Nile, from that distance, she could see the teams of reporters with their camera crews before they were tossed to their asses when the hippos caused those too near to hurriedly steer away from the charging animals. Watching her son hold out his arm for the falcon to land on, only for the bird to return to its perch on Andrew's head.

"Really! Dude!" Andrew exclaimed up at the bird who just released a cry in response. "You nick my crown, I'll have Bast hunt you!" he stated; he didn't know what was funnier, the words Horus was saying to him in his mind or the fact that Bast enjoyed the thought of eating a god as she licked her lips at the prospect. With that, Andrew and the crew stayed for another hour longer before they stepped onto his solar barge and headed back to Cairo.

Khartoum, the capital of Sudan...

The tracks of his tanks thundered in his ears as Andrew crossed into the city proper as his forces had advanced rather quickly. Then again, how could they not when the gods were helping to take back what Egypt had lost. He ignored the protests that were happening around the world over his invasion of Libya and the Sudan. Calling for him to seek peace, not war; little did they know or understand the plight his people were in when the Dictator allowed lawlessness to rein in his country only for that lawlessness to spill over into his kingdom. They didn't care about the innocents that were hurt because of it. No, they just thought they could tell a Pharoah what to do when they had never once been in charge of so many peoples' lives. Andrew looked around at the state the city was in. Not a shot had been fired since they took the last stronghold at Al-Khojlab. From what his sources told him, once that fortress fell, the Sudanese army pretty much scattered to the wind, leaving their capital undefended.

A scowl formed on his face when he noted the splendor of the Dictator's former manor while the rest of his people were starving from the looks of the people his Humvee drove past. Listening to the metal gate being crushed under the charging tank which had bulldozed its way onto the grounds. He wondered if the man who laughed at his request to police his own land was laughing now that he pretty much had the entirety of the man's country beneath his control. There were still some areas that needed to be taken, yet it was his hope now that they had control of Khartoum that the rest of the civilians and the soldiers would surrender to spare more lives lost. Looking up when he stepped out of the Humvee as the roar of the F-16s flew overhead. Ever since the massive wins in both countries his people, the citizens, have begun to stand with him. Chatting with the soldiers around him as a team secured the manor before he entered to ensure nothing was waiting for them. His scowl deepened when he was told the man had hightailed it to where they couldn't say. For his sake Andrew hoped it was out of the country. Given the reports of the man's cruelty towards his own citizens. Telling his men to strip everything of value and use the profits to feed the people of his new territories. Before venturing down to Khartoum, Andrew had sent out a message for those still following the word of their former master to surrender to his forces, and no harm would come to them.

An hour later, after they fortified the city in case his request wasn't heard, Andrew was telling the General who was in charge of his southern conquest what to do with the loot they found in a hidden safe which was holding ten million US dollars. Andrew wondered why the man left it there unless he totally forgot about it in his rush to flee his wrath. He would use the man's money to bring in food for the masses to show them that he wasn't after their lives, to make them better than they were at the moment. Horns blared as a convoy of three Humvees came racing towards them. One of those trucks had a white flag tied to the antenna of the middle truck.

"My lord Pharoah," the commanding officer said as he escorted the man he was holding by his left arm to him as he saluted with his left hand since his right was preoccupied. "This man came to us; he wishes to surrender to your lordship."

"I see, and who do you answer to?"

"No one; I was the commander of the armed forces. All that I ask is that you spare our lives," the man pleaded.

"I have no wish to take any more of your soldier's lives. If they report to my men surrender their weapons, they can return back to their families. Unless, of course, they still wish to challenge the might of a Pharoah," Andrew said sternly, his divinity burning in his eyes as he stared the man down.

"No, Your Lordship, we just want to go home," the man wept as he dropped to his knees, thinking his life was over.

"Then tell your men to report to the nearest military personnel with their guns raised above their heads. Once in sight, they are to fall to their knees and wait for my men to relieve them of their weapons, where they will be processed, their names taken, should they think to rise up against me again, then they will be released to grow old with their families," Andrew stated, peering down at the kneeling man. Watching as one of the soldiers handed the man his cell phone, telling him to make the call. Andrew could see the man was scared; he would be too if it was him on his knees with two very tough-looking men standing over him with guns pointed at his head. "Listen, what's your name?" he asked, trying to calm the man down.

"Achol..."

"Listen, Achol, if what you say is true, then you have no need to fear us. Know this, you lie to me or think of deceiving me in any way, may Set have your soul to feast upon," Andrew said darkly, feeling Set's glee at the prospect of having another new soul to torment after eons of boredom. He watched how the man rapidly dialed someone, who that was he didn't know; he barely caught the man's equally rapid words. "You catch any of that?" he inquired to the two men.

"He said a glowing-eyed, red cape aardvark was going to kill him if you didn't stand down right this second! Or that's what I took from that, sire," the man said, trying not to be weirded out by Andrew's glowing eyes. "Sire... might I ask a question?" he asked as the man at his feet yammered on.

"Sure, what do you wish to know?" Andrew asked quizzically.

"What are you?" He felt something washing over him as Andrew smiled at him.

"I'm a lot of things. Can you be a bit more specific in your question," Andrew inferred.

"Your eyes... you are human... right?"

"Yes and no," Andrew answered, seeing the man's confusion in his eyes. "I'm a demigod if that's what you're asking. My eyes are the sign of my divinity, passed to me by Ra as he passed down to my forebearer, but I'm as mortal as you are."

"And what happened at your speech?"

"That was Ra," Andrew said in a deep trembling voice. "This is his will, to return his people back to the strength it once held, that was once a nation so feared that none dared to stand against her. That is why I was chosen to be their hand here on this Earth. Married?"

"Yes."

"Any children? A daughter, if I'm not mistaken," Andrew said, watching the shock, the confusion, the anger playing on the man's face. "Relax, I have no ill intentions towards your daughter. Yet she isn't well, is she?" he asked, glancing to his right as Bast whispered into his ear.

"How?"

"Bast, she was the one that told me. Might I ask what's wrong with her?"

"Aids contracted it due to a tainted blood transfusion last year; why?" he asked, watching Andrew's eyes closed and tilted his head slightly back, asking Bast for a favor. So readily agreeing to what she was whispering in his ear for her payment for doing what he asked for. Then again, he didn't really think what she was asking for was a punishment, given how he knew they both were going to enjoy it.

"Not anymore, she doesn't call if you do not believe me," Andrew said once he had opened his eyes when Bast and Sekhmet both used their godly powers to heal the girl. Watching the man pulling out his own cell phone, getting a nod out of his partner as the man walked a few paces away from them to speak privately with his wife. He knew the drugs they had her on weren't working anymore, and lesions were starting to form on their daughter's skin. When his wife picked up her phone, he heard his daughter's laughing voice over the line when he asked how their daughter was.

"I don't know, one moment I was making her breakfast since she's been so weak lately, the next thing I know she's running around like she used to do a year ago. No, no lesions on her that I can see. It's almost like Allah heard our prayers!"

"Take her to her doctors just to be sure, but I don't think it was Allah who heard our prayers; I'll tell you later tonight," the man whispered when his wife asked him what he meant by that. Andrew watched as the man dropped to a knee before him. "Sire, thank you. You have no idea how much we worried..." the man's words stilled as Andrew held up a hand, stopping him.

"You don't need to thank me, it was Bast and Sekhmet that healed your daughter, not I. I simply just asked on your behalf is all," Andrew said with a warm smile. "If you must thank me, all I ask is that you be a good father to your daughter."

"I'll do that, sire," the man spoke with a bowed head. He had no idea who this Bast or Sekhmet was, but he was going to find out. If they were the ones that had healed their daughter, there wasn't anything in this world he wouldn't do to repay them for giving their daughter back to them when they knew she was looking at a death sentence.

"Good, a child should have a loving home to grow up in. You just make sure you don't fall in battle so you can be there to guide her into her adulthood," Andrew said, keeping the sadness of his father's distance from his voice.

"Of course, sire," the man nodded, getting to his feet. Getting a nod out of Andrew once the man was finished with his call and told him that his troops would start to surrender to his forces any minute now. With that done, he and his partner dragged the man back to the Humvee they had arrived in. Andrew raised his hand and returned the man's salute when he stood by the passenger door all stalwart. Andrew did hope the man's daughter grew up to be a good woman.

"Now, where's that news crew?" Andrew asked, looking over at the man who's been shadowing him since he stepped foot into Sudan.

"It should be here very soon, my lord," the man replied.

"Well, while we wait for them to show up, I want you all to distribute what food you're able to give away without hindering our operating strength. Seems like these people haven't had a decent meal in a while," Andrew ordered. If he was going to rule a vast empire, he wasn't about to allow his people to starve to death.

"Yes, sire, I'll spread the word to the other units out in the field."

"Hello, citizens of Sudan. If you're hearing my voice or seeing my face on your TVs that means your former leader fled from his responsibilities as your ruler. This war wouldn't have happened if your former leader had policed his own country instead of allowing its lawlessness to spill over into my country, affecting my people. I could no longer allow that to stand. You are now apart of my growing kingdom, and as such, your lives will go along as they normally do. Yet you will serve the Egyptian kingdom as all my subjects will do in one form or another. When I first crossed into Nubia or Sudan, if you prefer, I couldn't help but notice the poverty I saw all around me. The deathly thin children looking for something to eat while your former leader surrounded himself in all this splendor," Andrew said, gesturing to the items set out before him to show off what the man spent the country's money on. Wilma was watching CNN when they cut to Andrew standing on the steps of the former mansion of the former leader of Sudan. She knew Julián and Andrew had a falling out when they watched his first speech when he showed the world that he was the new leader of Egypt. A tear rolled down her cheek when she saw the sadness in her stepson's eyes that no one else could see. While her husband might have been upset with his son for going through with this foolishness as he saw it, she did see Julián standing in the doorway of their bedroom, watching on from the corner of her right eye.

"All of this will be sold off, and what money we've found stashed away in this place," waving to the mansion behind him, "will be used to supply food for you all. As your Pharoah, it is my duty that you, my newest citizens, are cared for as a proper ruler should do, not spending one's wealth on themselves while their citizens struggle to put food on the table. While I will visit and tour my newly acquired territories, a Viceroy will be in charge of governing this land in my name. If they are as greedy as this man was," again waving to the vast horde of valuables before him, "you have my word they will be removed and dealt with."

"Just look at him, Julián," Wilma stated, turning in her seat to peer at her husband. "You can't deny that there is something about Andrew that just screams he belongs there," she said, knowing that wasn't something he wanted to hear.

"This is foolishness, Wilma, he's just a kid! He needs to be here with us, not running around starting wars!" Julián exclaimed, ruffling his hair in frustration.

"He's not a kid anymore, Julián, as much as you and I both see that. Yet he's a grown man now and apparently the leader of Egypt," Wilma said, gesturing to the TV as the news reel stated clearly their son's title. "We might not like what is happening to him, yet as he stated, he doesn't have a choice in the matter."

"Of course he does!" Julián snapped, not putting faith in that the gods would kill his son should he give up his crown.

"No, he doesn't. Don't you remember how he told us the gods wouldn't let him, that they didn't give him a choice in the matter of whether or not he wanted to be this... Pharoah? I sure do," Wilma said, turning her attention back to the news program.

"What do you want me to do, Wilma?!"

"Call our son, tell him you're sorry for the way you acted. Can't you see he's hurting because you cut off communication with him? The man he did so much for when he was younger to see you smile. Is that really how you want your relationship to be with him now?" Wilma asked, giving her husband a look he knew all too well.

"No," he sighed, hanging his head. "I just want my boy home."

"I know, baby, so do I, yet it seems fate has other plans for Andrew. While we might not understand this whole 'gods' business or that he's somehow related to a man who's been dead for three thousand years. Yet that isn't going to stop what is happening to Andy at his very moment. I'm sure Andrew is scared as all hell with all this taking place. He needs us to lend him support to know not everything in his life is... like that," Wilma said, pointing at Andrew's crown. "Honey," getting up from her seat and ambling over to her husband, "I know you're worried about Andy, that he doesn't know what he's doing being only nineteen. Yet there isn't anything we can do about it now, even if we wanted to," she cooed as her hands rested on her husband's chest. "All we can do is show Andy that we haven't and will never give up on him and that we will always be there for him." Smiling, she felt his lips pressing on her forehead, something he always did when he relented to her logic. "Now, go call him. I know you're dying to speak with him," Wilma urged with a loving smile on her lips. "Do tell him I miss him," she said, blowing Julián a kiss when he went to fetch his phone.

Andrew stood there as he stared up at the phylon as he stood at the entrance to the Karnak temple complex a few days after returning to his capital after his trek to Sudan. He ignored the tourists as those amazed by the ancient site held them enthralled before voices drew their gaze downwards to find a ring of men and women in black suits, keeping them all away from the four that stood within the ring.

"Andy, are you really sure about this?" Alex asked. She had no wish for such an ancient site to be damaged.

"Yes, it needs to be done," Andrew answered, peering over at his mother as they waited for the Director of Antiquities to arrive along with the council to go over what would be required to restore the temple complex back to its original state.

"But does it have to be Karnak? Can't you reestablish this connection at Djed like you did before?" Carla inquired.

"No, this is an ancient land, ancient beyond even Egyptian standards. This is where the first land rose from the waters of Nu. Where the Great Sun god Ra was first brought into existence and the rest of the gods. Here is where we, mortals, reforge the link that was taken from us. Where we will once again follow the will of Ma'at," Andrew said in reference as the years of those before him flashed before his eyes. Not seeing the Madjay peering over their shoulder as he spoke in ancient Egyptian as reporters' voices and camera flashes flared in the distance.

"Yes, Pharoah," Anta said, bowing her head to him. "I'm sure my goddess Bast will enjoy the renewed devotion to her sect."

"Oh, I'm sure she will be," Andrew mused, feeling Bast's eyes on him as he stood beneath the sun. His eyes ran over the wind worn surface of the temple walls, recounting how it looked like when it was first completed.

"Sire, I believe they have arrived," Halima spoke, bringing Andrew out of his wanderings.

A heated debate flared as they all stood out in the middle landing of the grand staircase that Rameses II built, with giant statues of himself lining the entrance to the side entrance where the public couldn't get to. Andrew rolled his eyes as the professionals told him what he knew was a lie, and they knew what the temple once looked like.

"Gentlemen and ladies, I didn't bring you here to bicker and think you have a say in what is going to happen, only that you oversee what works I will bring forth," Andrew said, manipulating the particles of sand, noting how nervous the Professors were at the act. "I am telling you what I have said is how they looked like. You do not have to believe me. All you have to do is go to the Amkhakha temple. It will show you my words ring true," he stated, seeing the slight smile on his mother's lips. "I have brought you here to ensure that these temples are restored to their former glory, not to speak down to me like I'm an idiot."

"We didn't mean for that to sound like we were Mr..."

"I. Am. Pharoah," Andrew said sternly, pointing to his crown. "I wear the crown of two lands. Respect the title."

"Forgive them, my Pharoah," Alex cooed in ancient Egyptian, flashing her son a sultry smile. Recounting their lovemaking last night, the feel of his skin against her thigh, when she brushed it against his own, made her heart race and her womanhood throb. "You have to agree, my Lord, that what you are saying is very difficult for those of us who study these ancient sites. That we know or think we know what is right and what is not. It's difficult to take your word solely on what the temples were once like thousands of years ago."​