Chapter 404

"Tortured Angels"

The Time of the Pharaohs

Madagascar

Private Chambers of the Pharaoh

Sunshine, sandy beaches and a new world in bloom to shape however she saw fit like a child molding clay with it's hands. It sounded like a picturesque surreal scenario for anyone to be in. The power and authority to shape the land around oneself. For AJ, it was a nightmare.

The nomadic lifestyle she'd lived prior to wedding the younger brother and heir to the eastern empire had come to close, she'd hoped. However, the day Carlito had declared himself his own man had been a testy time among them. Part of her never wanted to leave their home in the eastern lands. However, she had a duty to support her husband and what woman would turn down the opportunity to reign over a land? An entire island of paradise, ruled by her? Or, ruled by her husband with her merely as a figurehead in the eyes of the population and the warlords.

"We want our respect." Carlito stated flatly before slamming his glass on the table before marching out of the dining chamber hours earlier.

(No good will come from going to the Forsaken continent.) AJ had surmised the moment the invitation from the Northern lands of Kemet had reached them.

Carlito, lost within his own ambition of establishing the kingdom as it's own superpower separate from the Eastern Empire controlled by his elder brother, seemed to have lost sight of why they left the Eastern Lands. They'd traded warmongering in favor of peace.

AJ sat in her chambers, pondering if this upcoming voyage was nothing more than heralding the doom of the promised lands. The messenger from across the ocean in the distant Forsaken Lands known as Athens had departed not too long ago. Had the messenger perhaps bewitched him? Tricked him? Why was it so important for him to be on this voyage and not where he was truly needed?

While she was lost in her thoughts, there was a soft clunk, then, a soft breath prior to a, "Can we talk?" From the apprehensive stoic voice of her husband.

AJ silently nodded, her eyes watching as he crossed the warm wooden floor.

Carlito, wearing the black-and-silver threads placed his hands on his hips, staring at the blooming stars and sighed, "Do you understand why this has to happen? Do you really understand why I have to go on this voyage?"

AJ shook her head but said nothing at first.

Carlito turned to her, it was clear he was torn between this decision with what had recently happened. "Do you?"

AJ closed her eyes and replied, "You're going to do what you want anyway. Whether I understand or not doesn't matter to you?"

Carlito shook his head, "Obviously it does or I wouldn't have come here."

AJ rolled her eyes, "How many died? How many?"

Carlito downcast his eyes, "We had no way of knowing what-"

"And that's why you need to stay." AJ explained, "The last thing the people need to see is their pharaoh leaving after that. You need to be here with our people. They need to see you. They need to know that no matter what happens they can look to you and you can lead them."

Carlito exhaled, "Or maybe they need a queen to look to. Have you ever thought of that? There's no need for both of us to be here. Besides, this mess with Punk, I didn't start it. This is your mess."

AJ backed away a fleeting flash of anger in her eyes, "Oh, it's like that now?"

Carlito gritted his teeth, shook his head, "If we knew where the bastard was I'd send the Medjai, hell, I'd kill him with my own two hands and-"

"I know, I know," AJ sighed, "just think about all this from the perspective of the people here. Don't worry about what people outside of the island think."

Carlito shook his head, "That's the problem. If I don't go, every other empire gets richer and in a year, or hell, let the Forsaken try to push and take the island, we're too poor to fight or do anything."

"We are the East. Fighting is the last thing we have to worry about." AJ countered. "Attacking the east is a suicide mission. The world knows that. As long as Mohammed-"

Carlito shook his head and exhaled, "I'm tired of that. Mohammed this, Mohammed that. He wouldn't have the throne in the first place were it not for me. I sat on the throne for less than a day, then, I did the honorable thing. I honored the dying wish of the High Chief."

Carlito paused, "I don't mean it to sound like that. I'm glad my brother is pharaoh of the east. Look at what he's done. Now, it's my turn. I can't run to him every single time things go bad. I have to do what's best for the people of my land. If all we ever do is run to the east, how can we ever separate and have our own way?"

AJ explained, "We can build our own ship and go to the Forsaken Continent whenever we want to. Now, after the bombing, the people need you here."

Carlito exhaled, "Why can't you see what I need? Right now, I need you to lead while I'm gone."

AJ rolled her eyes, "Why you see what I deal with everyday? The people, they won't follow me. An outsider? Sitting on the throne as Queen. Before we were married, they'd spit on me in the East. Your brother nearly banned me from the East after you told him we were engaged."

Carlito stared at her, "You know why he's like that."

AJ exhaled, "There's no excuse for him acting like that. I understand why but at this point there's no excuse." AJ remembered Mohammed's response when Carlito introduced her to him, she sighed, "Do you remember what he said?"

Carlito nodded, "Yes, I do. And I handled it."

AJ didn't know whether to giggle at the memory or to display a bit of anger to redirect the conversation back where it belonged.

"His attitude towards outsiders-" AJ began.

"White people." Carlito reiterated.

AJ exhaled, "I'm not white though."

Carlito shrugged, "That's just how bro is. He can be asshole to people who's skin isn't "dark" enough. You knew that before you even met him though."

AJ stared at Carlito, "I thought Eva would change that."

Carlito shrugged again, "You know how he is though."

"And that same type of thinking he has trickled down to a lot of the people of the east. And majority of us here are from the East." AJ explained, "They won't follow me."

Carlito strode forward and sat beside AJ, "Why can't you just try? Try to lead this once?"

The format that Carlito was proposing was a similar paradigm that his brother used. The Queen had been established as higher than the pharaoh which had allowed Mohammed freedom to move and also the ability to share responsibility with her. (I thought the goal of us coming here was the be as unlike the East as possible.) AJ thought.

"Why won't you just let me be me?" She asked. "Why won't you just stay and take care of this? Your people are more important than that voyage?"