A/N: I'm changing the dialogue just so it doesn't go into a musical number.

A/N #2: Just wanted to reply to some reviews.

jlauren1224- Yes, the dialogue from the flashback sequences are from the show.

Jess- I'm sorry you feel that way. Please, understand that I don't write "I KNOW IT'S BAD, BUT IT'LL GET BETTER" to dig for compliments. My friend (who also writes fanfiction) told me that it keeps flamers away. But, if it bothers you that much,Iwon't do it anymore.

Chapter 9: Be Our Inspiration

One week later……….

(Roderick/Radames)

I stood by my tent as the last Nubian took the last remaining item in my tent. As she left, she gave me a smile of thanks and I returned it. Aida and Amneris were standing next to my tent.

"No, princess," I heard Aida say. "Please don't make me."

"I would never make you," Amneris replied. "But, I'm asking you as my friend."

Amneris turned and walked away. I quickly moved toward Aida before she could leave. She turned around and saw me standing there.

"Thank you," she said.

"It was nothing," I replied. "Actually, it was everything, but it doesn't matter."

"Captain," she said. "I just came to tell you that the princess is sorry for what she said the other night."

So that was what Amneris wanted her to talk to me about, I thought. Not that I cared. I didn't want Amneris. I wanted Aida.

"And she wants you to know that-" Aida started off.

"Aida," I said.

I tried to take her hand, but she quickly snatched it away.

"You are betrothed to my mistress!" she exclaimed.

"It was arranged by my father," I said, smoothly. "And it will be unarranged by me."

"You could raid another country tomorrow and rebuild your fortune," Aida said. "Radames, you're an Egyptian. Nothing will ever change that."

I knew Aida loved me, too, but I hated the fact that she was dismissing thee idea that the two of us could be together just because we were from different countries.

"I don't even know why you bothered to do this," Aida said.

"Don't you?" I asked.

We all lead such elaborate lives


Wild ambitions in our sights


How an affair of the heart survives


Days apart and hurried nights


Seems quite unbelievable to me


I don't want to live like that


Seems quite unbelievable to me


I don't want to love like that


I just want our time to be

Slower and gentler, wiser, free

"When will you realize Vienna waits for you?"

I kept my eyes shut while I turned off the alarm. At least they played Billy Joel, I thought, rubbing my eyes. He's somewhat decent. I swung my legs over the side of my bed and trudged into the bathroom and washed my face.

There was one thing that was bugging me; I was singing in my dream. Why? Why was I singing? When did my subconscious become a freakin' musical? I thought. It was weird.

The odd thing was, the melody and lyrics were sticking in my head. I couldn't drown them out. Usually when someone's singing in dreams, it's blurry and you don't remember it, but it wasn't blurry to me.

Suddenly, a light bulb went off in my head. I quickly got dressed and went into the living room, which I had turned into a recording studio overnight. I sat down at a desk, took out a manuscript book and began to write……………..

(Aisha/Aida)

The Egyptian captain pulled me into his quarters and closed the door behind him. I know what he wanted from me at that moment and I suddenly grew afraid, but I didn't show it. He lifted his hand and I covered my face.

"Don't," I said.

"You don't want me to remove your shackles?" the captain asked.

My first reaction was to say no. If he removed my shackles, then it would only make it easier for him to do to me what he wanted to do. But, the shackles were weighing down my wrists and I wanted nothing more than to have them removed. I raised my hands so he could remove them.

"They'll only get in the way," he said.

I was suddenly filled with dread. Why didn't I keep my shackles on? When will I learn? I thought.

"Very impressive up there," the captain said. "I should enlist you in my army. Make you my lieutenant."

"Are you mocking me, captain?" I spat.

"No, admiring you," he replied.

The captain removed his coat and then dropped it only the floor almost as a dare.

"Do you know what's going to happen now?" he asked.

Yes, I replied inwardly. I wanted to scream and run on deck and jump into the Nile, but that would only show weakness, so I stood where I was and stared at the wall to show that I wasn't afraid. But,inside I was trembling.

"You're going to scrub the filth of battle from my skin," the captain said, answering his own question.

Is he joking? I thought. He must've been mocking me again. The captain sat on the stool in front of me. Next to it was a basin of water and a sea sponge. Dread was suddenly replaced with relief. He really did want me to wash him. He didn't want my "affection" at all. I walked behind him and dipped the sea sponge into the basin.

"It's been a long time since I felt clean," the captain said.

The anger I had felt when we were brought on to the ship returned as soon as he said that. How could he feeling clean when he had his troops invade Nubia and captured its inhabitants? If I had done any of those things, I'd feel so filthy that not even the largest sponge in the world could wash the filth from my skin.

I angrily starting to scrub his back with the sponge, making sure that it slapped him with every stroke I made.

"You're better with a sword than you are with a sponge," the captain remarked.

"I wish I had a sword now," I replied, angrily.

"There's mine," the captain said, gesturing to his sword that was on the floor a few feet away. "Help yourself."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at his mockery.

"Who taught you to use a weapon?" the captain asked.

"My father," I replied.

"Because he knows that Nubian men can't protect their women?"

I straightened, furious.Who did this man think he was saying that about Nubian men?Was he saying that it was theirfault that the women got kidnapped? It wasn't their fault that Nehebka and I and the other women went to see Egypt without them knowing.

"You're not finished," the captain said.

"Yes, I am," I said, not bothering to hide the fury in my voice.

"On your knees!" the captain commanded, rising to confront me.

A few moments ago I would've sunk to my knees because I was afraid, but now I was too infuriated to be afraid. I didn't care what the captain did to me.

"You enjoy living dangerous, don't you?" he sneered.

"As much as I enjoy washing your filthy Egyptian skin," I retorted.

I knew I'd angered the captain by insulting his nationality, but I couldn't care less. He'd insulted mine. An eye for an eye.

"You-" he said, raising his hand to strike me.

"No, you know nothing about me," I said, raising my hand to strike him back.

We stared at each other as if we were daring each other to strike out. Finally, I lowered my hand and the captain mirrored this action.

"What is your name?" he asked, softly.

"Aida," I answered.

"Captain, we're ready to dock!" a voice said from on deck.

The captain took his jacket off from the floor and slipped it back on. Then he scooped up the shackles and forced me back into them. The weighing pain returned to my wrists.

"Please, leave them off," I begged.

"You're a slave now," the captain said harshly, but still keeping the volume of his voice down. "And if you want to survive you better remember it."

With those last words, the captain let his quarters leaving me alone, feeling angry and defeated.

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep. I opened my eyes and turned off the alarm clock. I guess last night was my "hate the Egyptian guy" night," I thought. Or Roderick.

Every dream I had got me more and more curious and I kept reminding myself to get a dream analysis book. And yet I kept forgetting. I got dressed and sat down at my easel, hoping that painting would ease my confusion.

To Be Continued………

A/N: Chapter 10 is coming soon.