Leaving Home

Atemu you had reached out of his bedroom and his sadness as he walked his halls. He looked around and saw the different ancient texts and hieroglyphics that was within the palace. He admired them, and went to one of the walls and rub his hand over an image. His guards behind him watching him carefully, as he closed his eyes wanting to just go back into his room. Although, Leopard wouldn't allow him to do so. Sometimes he felt Leopard was more of a pharaoh than he'd ever become.

Leopard then walked down the hallway speaking aloud to some maids and other prime minsters, when he had reached Atemu. He then made them go away, as he smiled seeing Atemu in another royal attire. He had the pharaoh's helmet on this time, and his royal outfit that he felt was making him burn the hell up. He then looked at Leopard rolling his eyes and was disgusted that he couldn't just wear something simple. "Do I really need to wear all of this?" Atemu asked suddenly.

"What do you mean do I need to wear this pharaoh? Of course! You do. Besides you look great. The meeting as came to order, so go and make an impression." Leopard said cheerfully and motioned Atemu to go down the hallway some more and take a right. Atemu then walked off as his guards followed him and Atemu walked with a little prep in his step just so he could get this over and done with. "The meeting is called to order!" One of the firm minsters announced, as he sat down in the balcony of one of the high chairs. All of the chairs were high up in a circle, and the throne was for Atemu to sit.

Atemu has walked into the room and everyone rises as they watch him enter. He then walks carefully over to his seat taking a sit down, in his mind sweating and feeling as if he might faint any time soon. His throat was somewhat parched and he felt exhausted just by walking to and from rooms. He's been moving all day, and not once did he stop to take a break from all the politics and war discussions. They then look back at the man who called to order the meeting as he become speaking with a harsh tone.

"My fellow men! We are at exponential growth with our population and are in need of more crops! To the people of our villages and this palace itself, our kingdoms need more plants and more water supplies." He demanded.

Others agreed with his statement while, others looked with utter disappointment. Atemu sat there quietly watching it all unfold. He didn't have anything to say because he didn't wish to say anything to begin with. He just wanted to go somewhere and take off this ridiculous outfit. The meeting continued on, as Leopard and walk into the meeting area as well, along with Isis, Mahad, and Solomon. They leaned on the wall on the side lines, listening to the debating of them all arguing. Atemu was getting very annoyed by the loud noises that weren't soothing at all, bunch of old men arguing over what they needed to do.

He sighed, and then licked his lips from a hunger of thirst. He didn't wish for this to go any further than it already has. He parted his lips, and felt his lips dry in a way, he needed his moisturizer when he left. His narrow eyes, with such dislike and discomfort inside them. He taking a glance at each of them, and then looking straight ahead as he had a fierce tone. "That is enough!" Atemu stared firmly.

"I am done listening to you all argue like children. I promise that crops shall be produced more, in the helping hands of my guards."

Others gasped at Atemu's announcement and prime minsters questioned it as well.

"What are you saying?" One asked.

"Are you implying that your guards shall help with picking crops? Whether than protect you and the palace from war intruders!?" Another one proclaimed.

"That is indeed what I am saying." Atemu declares.

"My villagers already work hard as it is, for their families and for our kingdom. I shall not overbear them with more efforts for food and supplies. It is scares and I have plenty of guards who don't do nothing but sit at the doorstep of the kingdom anyhow. I shall take these guards to the Neil myself, and they shall supply water for our kingdom and the villagers. Not to mention, the negotiation for more protection is not important. I do not need protection any more than from my own priests's. This meeting is over." Atemu said firmly.

He then got from his chair and walked away from it, as some of the minster's got upset by Atemu's actions. Due to the fact that some of them worked for him, and now felt endanger without guards being there. Some felt that Atemu was being to nice, and should instead treat his villagers like the slaves that they should've been. A lot of speculations went around, and some approved of Atemu's actions, as one stood up demanding that this was outrageous. They continued to argue even after Atemu left, as he walked highly upset and filled with doubt.

Leopard had manage to catch up with Atemu, widened his eyes and then looked at his hands and balling them up. He then sighed, as he didn't know why Atemu would make such a huge sacrifice. However, he felt he answered his own question, Atemu was never a cruel king in the first place, he could make his people starve for days and months, and even make them do things they didn't wish. Although, he never did this because he didn't wish to. He wanted his people to be treated just as good as the people inside the kingdom. In a way, it made Leopard chuckles with a shake to his head walking beside Atemu as Leopard then pulled Atemu's arm gently.

Atemu felt the tug and he turned around looking at Leopard surprised. Leo gave a small smile as he was proud of his decision, as Atemu then soften his eyes, and exhaled with a relief and smiled as well.

Back inside the village area, Heba had got the fruit inside and his mother smothering him all day. "I am fine mother, please you are smothering me again." He told her embarrassed by her actions and what she was doing. "I just want to make sure your okay baby." She told coughing a little because of her sickness. "I am well." He said taking her hand from his head gently and smiling with a kiss to her cheek. She smiled as well and nods with an understanding as his father comes in coughing as well. Heba was concerned more now, as his father and mother were both coughing and it made him uneasy.

"I brought fruit for us to chew on. I know it's not much but—"

"You have already done enough for us both, my son." His father said choking on his coughing, and then exhaling again.

"..." Heba couldn't say anything, he felt the tears start to come to his cheeks, as he watch his mother and father coughing, as they sat down on the floor near the fire. It was a dark day for him indeed, just when he felt it was a normal day in the village it soon turned into a nightmare watching and couldn't do anything to stop it.

Heba was about to say something, but then heard his mother choking and coughing more as his eyes widened, as his father quickly got up and went to her aid. He then grab her arm gently as she tremble with weakness, and a sickness that was spreading all around her body. He went to they're bedroom and let her laid down on the bed, and pulled the covers up to her chest. Heba walked inside watching the entire thing, as his father glanced at him with sadness and hurt. He didn't wish for his wife to leave him, and he didn't wish for Heba to see it either.

Heba felt compelled at this moment and frozen in time, as if he couldn't move his legs. He didn't know what to do, and where to go he didn't have people to turn too. His father then closed his eyes holding back his own tears at his wife's demise praying to himself that she would be fine for a few months longer. He felt it was going to be hopeless however, but he still didn't wish for Heba to be around while their mother grew sicker and would most likely pass away. He then got from the bed as their mother eventually fell asleep, and he grab Heba's wrist gently and pulled him out the room.

"It is okay, Heba. You should go to Siloam's place for the night." His father told him.

Heba didn't know why his father would wish for him to leave at a time like this. It didn't make sense, for him to do something like tell him to go away. He was confused and hurt in a way by his father's choice of words.

"Father no. I do not wish to leave mother, she may need me and—"

His father gave this look, a painful, terrible look that gave off a sign of please do this for me. Heba felt his face shiver with trying to breath normally the shaking feeling in each breath and the consistent cheeks that felt with hot tears running down them. His father for the first time he cried in front of him, as he parted his lips trying to speak to his son, being reasonable as possible.

"Please... Heba." He asked gently.

Heba didn't know what to do now, but listen to his father's hurtful tears. His father was a blacksmith and use to craft the pharaoh's armor and gear, although since his knee surgery he didn't work as much as he use to. Not since his wife gotten sick and he decided to stay home and protect her and be there for her. He was our most of the time, when Heba was little to look for medication for her, but to avail found nothing but old can foods that weren't even good anymore. It was now the end of the road for him and his wife, but he wish for Heba to live on and continue to become a beautiful young man.

Heba nodes softly, at his father's command and then grabs his shaw and wraps it around his hand gently. He then takes, his necklace his mother gave him and looks back at his father. His father bent on the ground shaking from head to toe, at what was about to happen next. Heba didn't wish to know, and he would soon be leaving, as he headed for the tent curtain. He glanced back at his father as his father got up and went back into the bedroom. Heba quickly left before he could cry some more, and then swallowed hard, as he tried to hold it together.

He then walked down the village and to the area where people using walk through, looking at his home for the last time. It was a depression that hit him like a rock, and from that sad day, he walked without a word, holding his shaw close to his face so others couldn't see his terrible expression, and the soften tears that dwell down upon them.