the rebel spirit of a rebel queen
part 3: the new and the former
They threw me in roughly, my back hitting the wall as the door slammed shut. I hissed in pain as i sat up, gripping my arm. I sat against the wall, facing the dark hall and cell door. I sigh and close my eyes, the only light that could bother me was that of the moon.
I was just about asleep when I hear the doors creak open, and soft pattering of footsteps enter the cell, and the soft close of the large metal door. I open one eyes and snap the other open when i saw who it was. It was that boy, the one who stood by the pharoah.
He sat across from me, his feet crossed and his eyes watched my every move, as if he were a hawk and I were his prey. I sit up on my knees, staying in one place and I watch him back. He tilts his head, watching me curiously.
I decide to break the awkward silence first. "What is your name little mouse?" I questioned. He gave me a small smile. "my name is Atem, Who're you?" His voice was deep, but yet childish, mysterious yet innocent. "I am Asilia. Why are you here?"
He shifted a bit uneasily before answering. "After my father sent you in here, he told me that he was going to make you my servant." He gulped softly and looked down at his lap, no longer holding eye contact with me.
My head pounded as I took in his words. 'HIS servant? why his?' I thought. "But wouldnt I be your fathers servant? since he is the pharoah" I asked. Atem looked up at me and smiled. "Not for long, he is assigning the thrown to me." He chimned happily.
Atem reached behind him, to a small pouch just out of my sight. He turned back to me, holding his hand out, palm down. I tilt my head at him, his only response is a small smile and he grabs my hand gently. He turns my hand, so i open it under his own.
Something somewhat heavy and cold landed in my palm. He smiled and chuckled happily and stood up, leaving me in the middle of the room. I rasied my eyebrow and opened my palm. An armband sat in my hand, almost as big as my entire hand. I put it on, marveling at it for a moment.
the band was a gold spiral that went part-way down my wrist and wrapped around my thumb. The shape was dragon-like, a sepent head resting just in my palm, the eyes glowing a ferocious red. The tiny clawed arms wrapped around my thumb in a circle like pattern, the rest of the skinny serpent body coiling around my arm. The tail of the dragon ended at my middle arm.
'Why had he given this to me? was he really treating me like a servant? claiming me somehow?' my mind coiled around what had just happened. I shook off the thought for the moment, realizing that the 'new pharoah' had left the cell door open.
I stand up, peaking my head out the door, not seeing any gaurds anywhere near me and i sneak out. The palace is now dark, the only light coming from the moon shining through the skylight. I snuck out, sticking close to the shadows of the walls.
I peak around a corner, a brightly lit room coming into my view, just down the large hall. I looked around once again, not seeing a single person. 'why arent there any people around? how late is it?' I thought as I crept soundlessly down the hall. My thoughts were cut short when a loud "what?!" rang through the halls. I jumped a bit and leaped back into the shadows. A small figure ran by me, but not quick enough not for me to noticethe familiar blonde that streaked up into the black and violet hair. Before I knew it, my hand lashed out and around his recoiled at my touch and turned around, smacking my hand away. I could now see his face, tears streaked down his sweet pink cheeks.
I step out of the shadows enough for him to see my face and figure, and he tackles me in a giant hug, sobbing into my tunic. In my confusion I rub his back with small circles, cooeing him softly. "what's wrong little mouse?" I quietly asked. He looked up into my eyes, his violet eyes partially bloodshot. "M-my father just told me, M-my mother h-has passed away, s-she was the only person who treated me l-like I was a real king, s-she loved me..." Atem quietly sniffled, hiccups taking over his speech. I licked my lips and held back soft tears, remembering my own mother.
"It's alright, I'm still here for you, please remember that, pharoah" I spoke, a little louder than I should have at the moment, drawing attention to myself from the brightly lit room. I didn't want to leave him in this statein the middle of the hall, so I stayed still as an elderly woman ran over to us. She glared at me, I could almost see the venom drip off of her as she pried Atem off of my shoulders. He pulled backat her attempts to get him off, sending her a rather death like glare at her as her spins around me, hiding behind my back, but being taller than me he had to squat down a bit.
"young pharoah, please come with me, away from that hideous mess you call help..." she snapped towards us. I growled low in my chest, holding my arm out in a protective manor. I marched forward, Atems futile atempts at holding me back was all in vain as i stopped right in her face. She backed up a step getting out a small blade from under her shawl, holding it out nervously towards me. I gripped the blade, blood trickling down my palm as i held it and yanked it out of her grip, throwing it down the hall.
I once again steeped into her face, growling at her a bit. "call me that one more time, and that blade will be plastering you to the wall. And another thing..." I looked back at Atem, he looked at me shocked, but a hint of confidence peaked his violet eyes. "you will never treat the pharoah with such little respect, you should learn to value the things you have before they are gone..." With a puff I turned around and marched away, never knowing that that was my last night at the kingdom, alive, or knowing who I was, or knowing my destiny to help the former pharoah earn back his thrown, and our lives...