"Did Captain Saul leave on his expedition yet?" Radames demanded of one
guard. The guard bowed crisply and nodded.
"He left three suns ago, Your Majesty," The guard replied affirmatively, Radames' heart dipping abruptly to his stomach as the words were spoken. Three suns, three days. That eliminated any chance of Radames catching up with Saul. "It's late, sir," the guard said softly. "it's best to get some rest." Radames nodded and smiled briefly, before turning off. As he walked dejectedly back toward the palace, a daydream that penetrated his thoughts for six months crept into his mind….
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Radames walked confidently, head high. The red vest he so often wore as Captain flapped slightly in the warm breeze. The land was unfamiliar, yet he seemed to know where he was going. People waved and greeted him. They were Nubian, but they didn't seem hostile toward him. In fact, they treated him like family.
"Remmy!" a small girl with long dark braids launched forward and locked onto Radames' leg. Radames smiled at the reference to the girl's nickname for him "Remmy, Devon took my dolly!" She looked beseechingly at Radames, her dark eyes wide. Radames smiled gently and touched her head lightly, turning to acknowledge a lanky boy who lingered hesitantly in the distance.
"Devon!" Radames called. "Did you take Tisha's doll?" Devon shook his head quickly. "Devon…" he said warningly. Devon sighed and trotted over, dropping the doll in Tisha's outstretched hands. Smiling, Radames peeled Tisha off his leg, and started off. As a large house loomed into view, Radames' pace quickened until it stretched into a jog. Stepping into the house, two figures, one blond and one dark, hurtled toward him.
"Papa!" A four year old girl burst forward into his arms. Radames grinned and scooped her into his arms. She looked laughingly into his eyes, her blue ones mirroring his.
"Papa!" A smaller boy around 18 months reached his arms up. Lifting him up as well, Radames kissed each head.
"Hey you two," Radames smiled. "what did you do today?"
"I drew you a picture!" The girl, Mia, said, holding up a piece of parchment. "See? It's you and me and Tristan and mommy!"
"Lovely!" Radames praised, examining the picture. "Speaking of which, where is mommy?" Mia struggled to get down, Tristan following suit.
"MAMA!" Mia bellowed, racing through the humble abode. "Mama! Papa's home!" A slender figure appeared around the corner, and her face lit up with a smile.
"Radames," Aida looked warmly at him. "You're home early." Radames raised an eyebrow.
"I come home early and that's the greeting I get?" he scoffed, then grinned. Aida wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned close. Mia wrinkled her nose and mumbled something about mushy stuff, and ran out of the room. Tristan giggled and followed her.
"Radames," she murmured. Her lips were so close…Radames' heart leapt with anticipation. "Radames…" she swayed slightly against him. Radames laughed.
"I remembered, I remembered," he smiled, taking a package from his sack. Aida smiled her sweet smile and tore it open. Inside lay a navy blue dress with a sky blue sash. "Happy Anniversary," he whispered softly in her ear. Aida's eyes lit up, and she kissed him.
"It's beautiful," she murmured softly, then sprang back. "My turn," she said as she hurried out, returning moments later with a package of her own. Trying not to seem over eager, he peeled apart the wrappings.
"We didn't have this planned, did we?" Radames joked, holding up a navy blue vest. Aida grinned.
"There's one more thing," she said coyly.
"Another! Aida we said…"
"It won't be here anytime soon. About nine months," Aida replied. Radames nodded, before freezing in his spot. Nine months.
"Aida!" he exclaimed, twirling her ecstatically in the air. "Oh, Aida!" At that moment, Mia raced in, Tristan hot on her heels.
"Did you tell him, Mama?" Mia asked, leaping into Radames' arms. Tristan leaned to be held by Aida. Radames admired his children, one blond hair blue eyed, the other, dark haired, dark eyed. His gaze drifted to Aida, his wife, elegant and confident all at once. His Aida.
"I can't believe how close I came to losing this—you--," Radames whispered hoarsely to Aida. Aida rested her dark head on his shoulder, cradling Tristan gently. "My family." He had a family, he had Aida.
"You could never lose me, Radames," she said softly. "My Radames." His name, spoken by her, thrilled him. It molded around his brain and heart, ringing.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
"Radames!" Radames' eyes snapped open, and he jolted, before staring into the eyes of Amneris, whose arms were folded tightly against her chest.
"Amneris," he said weakly, his daydream still lingering in his consciousness.
"Yes, Amneris," she snapped. "As in the woman who has been speaking your name for five minutes with no response!" Radames sighed and looked toward the horizon, where dawn was just streaking the sky. Radames then knew why Amneris usually slept late. She was cranky.
"I'm sorry, Amneris," he said quietly. "I suppose I didn't get much sleep. I must have dozed off." Amneris seemed to buy it, and nodded.
"Captain Saul left, I take it?" she asked him. He nodded wearily. "You're probably wondering why in the gods above I'm being so supportive of my husband trekking off after the woman he supposedly loves, who is NOT his WIFE, on my ANNIVERSARY!" Radames bit his lip, and nodded cautiously. "Well, I'm NOT! I know the type of person Saul is, and I don't want anyone to get hurt! So don't think I'm doing this for you, Radames!" Radames bowed his head slightly.
"Who are you doing it for, Amneris?" Radames said softly. Amneris' eyes softened.
"I'm doing it for my best friend. I've never had a best friend, Radames. Not until Aida!" Amneris whispered. "Gods, Radames. You both hurt me, but a broken heart could be mended. A life cannot." As she spoke the words, yelling was heard in the distance. Amneris stared boldly into his eyes. Radames didn't recall ever loving her as he did now. This was not the flimsy fashion bubble of a few months back. This was Amneris as a woman.
"King Radames, Queen Amneris!" a guard jogged up and bowed. "Your presence is requested by Captain Saul, immediately." Radames raised an eyebrow at the mention of being ordered, and glanced at Amneris. She nodded to guard, who ran off.
"Come on, Radames," she tugged lightly on his arm. "Let's get a larger taste of this ruling business." Radames smiled slightly.
"Perhaps they have not captured Aida," he mumbled to himself. "Perhaps…" heart swelling slightly with hope, he and Amneris set off.
!*!*!*!**!*!*!*!*!*!*!**!**!*!*!*!!**!**!*!!*!*!!!*!**!
"Your Majesties," Saul greeted, bowing low. "These Nubians are resistant, and need proper placement. My reprimands have not ensued respect. Shall I send them to the copper mines?" Radames shuddered slightly as Saul spoke. The copper mines. Had he not taken an interest to the defiant Aida, she would probably be down there, grimy and coated with coal dust. Saul smiled, privately acknowledging the uncertain look that passed through his leader's eyes. Saul had been there when Radames sent the women to Amneris, as opposed to the mines. Finally, Radames lifted his head, and fixed Saul with a steely glare.
"Saul, what you have done is a crime to be severely punished, if not by death," Radames said gravely, noting briefly how Saul's jaw dropped visibly. "You have gone against the orders of your Pharaoh. Did I not plainly state, Captain Saul, as you were raised in rank, that Nubia's soils were not to be scarred in any way?" Saul's mouth opened and closed, like a fish needing air. Radames' gaze drifted below him, where a young Nubian girl stared up at him. She had to be no older than thirteen or fourteen years, crouching, he held out his hand. The girl looked to him, petrified, then at his hand. "It's alright," Radames whispered softly. The girl paused, then got next to him, feeling safe. "Tell me what happened, and what is your name?"
"My name is Rassana," she said, almost inaudibly. "The Captain and his men came off a ship, and raided the village. They grabbed me, and when I fought, they did this," she lifted her dark hair to expose a slash on her collar bone. Radames' eyes widened and he looked at Amneris, who seemed just as horrified. "They took us by force, and…" despite herself, Rassana's eyes filled with tears.
"What, Rassana?" Radames prompted softly.
"They attacked my queen while she slept! And we can't find her ANYWHERE!" Rassana gasped. Radames' heart went out to the girl…and oh gods, Aida! Her mother!
"And what of your king, Rassana?" Radames asked. Rassana's eyes saddened.
"He died last month, a disease had swept through the village and we could not heal him in time," Rassana whispered softly. Radames' heart was beating unusually quick. If the Nubian king was dead…
"Rassana, what was—is your queen's name?" Radames questioned. Rassana looked him right in the eyes.
"Aida."
"He left three suns ago, Your Majesty," The guard replied affirmatively, Radames' heart dipping abruptly to his stomach as the words were spoken. Three suns, three days. That eliminated any chance of Radames catching up with Saul. "It's late, sir," the guard said softly. "it's best to get some rest." Radames nodded and smiled briefly, before turning off. As he walked dejectedly back toward the palace, a daydream that penetrated his thoughts for six months crept into his mind….
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Radames walked confidently, head high. The red vest he so often wore as Captain flapped slightly in the warm breeze. The land was unfamiliar, yet he seemed to know where he was going. People waved and greeted him. They were Nubian, but they didn't seem hostile toward him. In fact, they treated him like family.
"Remmy!" a small girl with long dark braids launched forward and locked onto Radames' leg. Radames smiled at the reference to the girl's nickname for him "Remmy, Devon took my dolly!" She looked beseechingly at Radames, her dark eyes wide. Radames smiled gently and touched her head lightly, turning to acknowledge a lanky boy who lingered hesitantly in the distance.
"Devon!" Radames called. "Did you take Tisha's doll?" Devon shook his head quickly. "Devon…" he said warningly. Devon sighed and trotted over, dropping the doll in Tisha's outstretched hands. Smiling, Radames peeled Tisha off his leg, and started off. As a large house loomed into view, Radames' pace quickened until it stretched into a jog. Stepping into the house, two figures, one blond and one dark, hurtled toward him.
"Papa!" A four year old girl burst forward into his arms. Radames grinned and scooped her into his arms. She looked laughingly into his eyes, her blue ones mirroring his.
"Papa!" A smaller boy around 18 months reached his arms up. Lifting him up as well, Radames kissed each head.
"Hey you two," Radames smiled. "what did you do today?"
"I drew you a picture!" The girl, Mia, said, holding up a piece of parchment. "See? It's you and me and Tristan and mommy!"
"Lovely!" Radames praised, examining the picture. "Speaking of which, where is mommy?" Mia struggled to get down, Tristan following suit.
"MAMA!" Mia bellowed, racing through the humble abode. "Mama! Papa's home!" A slender figure appeared around the corner, and her face lit up with a smile.
"Radames," Aida looked warmly at him. "You're home early." Radames raised an eyebrow.
"I come home early and that's the greeting I get?" he scoffed, then grinned. Aida wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned close. Mia wrinkled her nose and mumbled something about mushy stuff, and ran out of the room. Tristan giggled and followed her.
"Radames," she murmured. Her lips were so close…Radames' heart leapt with anticipation. "Radames…" she swayed slightly against him. Radames laughed.
"I remembered, I remembered," he smiled, taking a package from his sack. Aida smiled her sweet smile and tore it open. Inside lay a navy blue dress with a sky blue sash. "Happy Anniversary," he whispered softly in her ear. Aida's eyes lit up, and she kissed him.
"It's beautiful," she murmured softly, then sprang back. "My turn," she said as she hurried out, returning moments later with a package of her own. Trying not to seem over eager, he peeled apart the wrappings.
"We didn't have this planned, did we?" Radames joked, holding up a navy blue vest. Aida grinned.
"There's one more thing," she said coyly.
"Another! Aida we said…"
"It won't be here anytime soon. About nine months," Aida replied. Radames nodded, before freezing in his spot. Nine months.
"Aida!" he exclaimed, twirling her ecstatically in the air. "Oh, Aida!" At that moment, Mia raced in, Tristan hot on her heels.
"Did you tell him, Mama?" Mia asked, leaping into Radames' arms. Tristan leaned to be held by Aida. Radames admired his children, one blond hair blue eyed, the other, dark haired, dark eyed. His gaze drifted to Aida, his wife, elegant and confident all at once. His Aida.
"I can't believe how close I came to losing this—you--," Radames whispered hoarsely to Aida. Aida rested her dark head on his shoulder, cradling Tristan gently. "My family." He had a family, he had Aida.
"You could never lose me, Radames," she said softly. "My Radames." His name, spoken by her, thrilled him. It molded around his brain and heart, ringing.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
"Radames!" Radames' eyes snapped open, and he jolted, before staring into the eyes of Amneris, whose arms were folded tightly against her chest.
"Amneris," he said weakly, his daydream still lingering in his consciousness.
"Yes, Amneris," she snapped. "As in the woman who has been speaking your name for five minutes with no response!" Radames sighed and looked toward the horizon, where dawn was just streaking the sky. Radames then knew why Amneris usually slept late. She was cranky.
"I'm sorry, Amneris," he said quietly. "I suppose I didn't get much sleep. I must have dozed off." Amneris seemed to buy it, and nodded.
"Captain Saul left, I take it?" she asked him. He nodded wearily. "You're probably wondering why in the gods above I'm being so supportive of my husband trekking off after the woman he supposedly loves, who is NOT his WIFE, on my ANNIVERSARY!" Radames bit his lip, and nodded cautiously. "Well, I'm NOT! I know the type of person Saul is, and I don't want anyone to get hurt! So don't think I'm doing this for you, Radames!" Radames bowed his head slightly.
"Who are you doing it for, Amneris?" Radames said softly. Amneris' eyes softened.
"I'm doing it for my best friend. I've never had a best friend, Radames. Not until Aida!" Amneris whispered. "Gods, Radames. You both hurt me, but a broken heart could be mended. A life cannot." As she spoke the words, yelling was heard in the distance. Amneris stared boldly into his eyes. Radames didn't recall ever loving her as he did now. This was not the flimsy fashion bubble of a few months back. This was Amneris as a woman.
"King Radames, Queen Amneris!" a guard jogged up and bowed. "Your presence is requested by Captain Saul, immediately." Radames raised an eyebrow at the mention of being ordered, and glanced at Amneris. She nodded to guard, who ran off.
"Come on, Radames," she tugged lightly on his arm. "Let's get a larger taste of this ruling business." Radames smiled slightly.
"Perhaps they have not captured Aida," he mumbled to himself. "Perhaps…" heart swelling slightly with hope, he and Amneris set off.
!*!*!*!**!*!*!*!*!*!*!**!**!*!*!*!!**!**!*!!*!*!!!*!**!
"Your Majesties," Saul greeted, bowing low. "These Nubians are resistant, and need proper placement. My reprimands have not ensued respect. Shall I send them to the copper mines?" Radames shuddered slightly as Saul spoke. The copper mines. Had he not taken an interest to the defiant Aida, she would probably be down there, grimy and coated with coal dust. Saul smiled, privately acknowledging the uncertain look that passed through his leader's eyes. Saul had been there when Radames sent the women to Amneris, as opposed to the mines. Finally, Radames lifted his head, and fixed Saul with a steely glare.
"Saul, what you have done is a crime to be severely punished, if not by death," Radames said gravely, noting briefly how Saul's jaw dropped visibly. "You have gone against the orders of your Pharaoh. Did I not plainly state, Captain Saul, as you were raised in rank, that Nubia's soils were not to be scarred in any way?" Saul's mouth opened and closed, like a fish needing air. Radames' gaze drifted below him, where a young Nubian girl stared up at him. She had to be no older than thirteen or fourteen years, crouching, he held out his hand. The girl looked to him, petrified, then at his hand. "It's alright," Radames whispered softly. The girl paused, then got next to him, feeling safe. "Tell me what happened, and what is your name?"
"My name is Rassana," she said, almost inaudibly. "The Captain and his men came off a ship, and raided the village. They grabbed me, and when I fought, they did this," she lifted her dark hair to expose a slash on her collar bone. Radames' eyes widened and he looked at Amneris, who seemed just as horrified. "They took us by force, and…" despite herself, Rassana's eyes filled with tears.
"What, Rassana?" Radames prompted softly.
"They attacked my queen while she slept! And we can't find her ANYWHERE!" Rassana gasped. Radames' heart went out to the girl…and oh gods, Aida! Her mother!
"And what of your king, Rassana?" Radames asked. Rassana's eyes saddened.
"He died last month, a disease had swept through the village and we could not heal him in time," Rassana whispered softly. Radames' heart was beating unusually quick. If the Nubian king was dead…
"Rassana, what was—is your queen's name?" Radames questioned. Rassana looked him right in the eyes.
"Aida."