Aida looked out the small window from the slave shelter. She hadn't seen Radames in three days and her heart ached for his touch. Just then, she heard one of Amneris' handmaidens' voices.

"Aida! The Princess requests your presence in her bedchamber!" Aida heaved a sigh and followed the handmaiden. It was a dark night, the stars were out; showing the gods at their best. She scanned them, hoping for some sign that she would be seeing Radames soon, but found nothing. Just pain and anger. She threw her head down and kept it there until she entered Amneris' bedchamber. Looking up, she noticed a familiar red coat on the door hanger.

"Aida! Thank you for coming on such short notice. I.uh. we want to tell you something." Before Aida even turned the corner to Amneris' bedchamber, she knew that Radames was there. She shut her eyes, fear flooding her body. She turned the corner and looked to see Amneris' bed. Sitting there next to the princess, Radames was stroking her stomach. Amneris looked up and smiled; Radames went bright red and immediately removed his hand.

"I want you to be the first to know, Aida- well, other than Radames- We're going to have a baby!" Amneris was beaming, Radames was trying not to act like he had just heard that, and Aida tried her hardest not to cry.

"Co--con--- congratulations!" Aida stammered. She locked eyes with Radames and her eyes welled with tears. "I am very happy for you. both of you," Amneris glowed in response. She and Radames clasped hands; Aida knew that this was her queue to leave.

"Aida.." she heard Amneris say as she left. She turned around looked at the princess. Amneris rose from her bed and wrapped her arms around Aida.

"Thank you for coming. you're the best I've got," When they parted, Aida felt something cold around her neck. Looking down, she saw the Royal Egyptian Flower, a symbol only a princess or royal handmaiden was allowed to wear. Aida smiled and left through the door.

Aida burst into tears as the door was shut. She ran across the sand to the slave shelter as fast as she possibly could. She stopped at the door and let the tears flow down her front. Clutching her chest, she collapsed onto the sand.

A Half Hour Later

Radames burst through the door to Amneris' room, looking frantically around for Aida. He spotted her sprawled out on the sand, he hands covering her face.

"Aida!" Radames rushed to her side and lifted her face in his hands. She was tense, but he knew nothing could be seriously wrong with her. The color had faded from her face, but her heart still beat on. He heaved a sigh of relief to hear it. Radames gently kissed her lips and picked her up. She stirred and turned into his arms. Aida opened her eyes and looked up at Radames. Her smile went to immediate anger.

"Gods Radames! How could you do such a thing to me?"

"Hey, it wasn't my fault! We were young---"

"Yeah, and you aren't now? Tell me something, Radames, why did you do this to me? Hm? I love you Radames! Then you go and stab me in the back! How would you feel if I went off with Mereb?"

"Aida! LISTEN TO ME!" Radames yelled. He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him. Her eyes shone with tears, glowing evilly in his direction. He sighed and looked down.

"Aida. Amneris and I were forced to do it. I didn't want to- but Father wanted to see me having a "healthy relationship" with her. They forced me to! I tried to get out of it, honest. Please. I love you Aida, don't let this commitment come between us," Radames looked up at her face. She had an unforgiving look upon it.

"What do I have to do to prove my love?" Radames said. He took Aida into a tight embrace. Kissing her cheek, he repeated, "I love you" in her ear, and he felt her face soften. Radames looked into Aida's eyes again, this time seeing the soft, beautiful brown eyes he fell so in love with. He kissed her lips and went into a tight embrace. Falling to the sand, Aida whispered "Radames. I believe that you didn't want to. Nothing will ever tear us apart. Nothing."

* A Couple Hours Later

The sun was just barely rising in the east; Radames was asleep in Aida's embrace on the sand. Opening his eyes, he looked down at Aida and smiled. She was sleeping so peacefully, yet so tense. Radames touched her face and she began to stir. She looked up and smiled.

"I love you, Aida, and I mean it," Radames whispered to her ear. He went down to kiss her when he heard a voice, Amneris' voice.

"Radames! Radames!" He looked over at her door in the distance and saw her standing outside it. She was dressed in her morning gown, light blue and silky. Radames stood up and grabbed his shirt, hoping not to look foolish in front of Amneris.

"Must you go?" He heard Aida say quietly. He bent down and kissed her lips.

"Yes, if the princess wants something, she gets it. I love you, bye," Radames ran over from where he had been to Amneris' door.

"Radames, have you been hanging with the slaves again?" Oh how close she came to guessing, but that didn't matter. He smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

"Good Morning Princess,"