Chapter 11:
Retribution
Just as I am beginning to dose off to sleep, my eyes snap open. Something is wrong with Alex; I know it. I get up steadily so as not to disturb a sleeping Atem. I walk into Alex's room and call her. She's not there. I go to her wash rooms. She's not there, either. Odd.
Panic begins to set in. I run up and down the halls, calling her frantically. Tears begin to fall from my eyes when I don't receive an answer. This isn't like Alex. She doesn't just wander the halls without me, and if she did, she would answer my calls. My heart begins to race as I realize the horrible truth that my daughter is missing.
I am halfway across the palace by now, screaming out her name. Servants, guards, and priests alike are helping me search, to no avail. I hear her say, "Mommy… in here…" just above a whisper. I go down another hallway and into a room to find Sethos holding a dagger to my daughter's neck, drawing blood.
I reach out to her. "Don't come any closer. I will kill her." He presses the dagger further into her neck.
I swallow my tears. "Please, please don't. I'll do anything you want."
His mouth becomes a smirk. "I thought you'd see it my way. Now, here's what's going to happen. You are to give yourself to me willingly, and I'll let her go. Do we have a deal?"
I start to refuse, but seeing the look on my daughter's face, I can't. I have to give in to his sick wishes. If this man wants me, he'll have me. I just hope Atem will forgive me for this. I hope I can forgive myself, for that matter. Tears fall from my eyes. "… I'll do it. Please just let her go."
"I'm glad we have an accord." He releases Alex and she runs to me. I pick her up and hold her close. I kiss her cheek and whisper to her to find her father. "Come."
I go to him, and he begins to undress me. He kisses my neck and I can barely hide my revulsion. I manage and arch my back into him, to make him think he's winning. He drags me down to the floor and starts to kiss me all over. I cringe underneath him as forces his way inside me.
I struggle to hold back my tears as he rips me apart from the inside out. I have to look away from him. I can't bear to see the hungry look in his eyes. That look that says I'm his and there is nothing I can do about it.
I begin to fake the pleasure that he expects from me so as not to incur his wrath and get this over with as quickly as possible.
My back begins to ache, as he drives deeper and deeper. I close my eyes to this and try to think of something, anything else. The intense pain prevents anything else from entering my mind. Eventually I manage to faze him out as my back begins to numb. Normally it would worry me, but now, under the circumstances, it is sheer relief.
He reaches his climax and releases his demon seed inside me. It feels like the most caustic of potions, eating me alive from the inside out. I pray to my Divine Mother for an end to this.
She answers quickly as I hear footsteps rush into the room. "Get away from my wife!!!" I hear Atem roar.
I am so relieved. I look up over Sethos' back to see his face bright red with rage. His eyes have turned from deep violet to rich crimson. I've never seen him like this before. I'm absolutely terrified.
Sethos takes his sweet time in getting up. Some guards enter and look away as I wrap my cloth around me. They lift me up and carry me to my room. I look down the hall to see two guards standing outside Alex's door.
They enter my room and place me on my bed. They bring me a sheet and wrap it around me. I dismiss them and am left alone with my thoughts. I can't believe Atem had to see me like that. Being touched and violated by another man, his own cousin at that.
Thinking about what he's done makes me sick to my stomach all over again. I go to the washrooms to relieve myself. I come back out to find Atem sitting on the bed, covered in blood. My heart drops to my stomach. "Atem?! What happened?! Are you all right?!"
He lifts his head out from his hands. "Yes, yes, love, I'm fine. The blood isn't from me."
"Oh my goodness. Let's get you cleaned up. Come," I take his hand and lead him back into the washroom. I run him a bath and turn to him. I put my hand to his face. "Atem, I…" I choke on my tears. I swallow them back. "I'm so sorry."
"Don't be. You did what you had to do. Alex told me." He takes me in his arms. "Please, just stop crying." He rests my head on his shoulder.
"What… what did you do to him?"
He takes a deep breath as he tests the water. He lifts me up and into the tub before climbing in himself. "I ripped him to shreds and burned what was left. His ashes are with the waste."
I'm taken aback. I knew Atem had a cruel streak, but I never would have expected his from him. I look up and into his eyes. I smile slightly and begin to wash him. I feel him relax under my touch as I massage his tender flesh.
He pulls me close to him and kisses me softly. I feel as if I'm finally able to return his affection. I kiss him passionately, but I have to stop myself lest we go any further. I'm still not ready to be intimate with him yet.
He lies back as I finish washing him. We climb out and share a drying cloth. We wrap each other up and lie down together.
Atem holds me close, but I can't sleep. Every thought takes me back to my son and how I've abandoned him. I wait until Atem is fast asleep before easing my way out of his arms.
I walk clear across the palace to the quarters of the priests. I find his room, next to Mahado's. I sneak in and walk quietly over to his bedside. I look down at him, sleeping peacefully, and the tears release themselves.
I put my hand on his forehead and lead down to kiss his cheek. He stirs slightly and opens his eyes a little. I wipe my tears and smile down at him. He looks so peaceful. "Mother?"
I can't help but nod to him. I know he probably thinks it's all a dream, but it still does my heart a world of good.
I hear footsteps in the hall and hide in the shadows. Once I'm sure the coast is clear, I duck out and sneak back to my room.
Once back in bed, I find myself staring out at the river. One of the monsters who's terrorized me is gone. And while that is a relief, I know that there are still others in my own palace who would do me harm. But I also know that as long as I have my husband, no harm can ever come to me or my family, and that makes it so much easier to sleep.
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