Chapter 9

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Depression

Ivy slept soundly in her "hay" bed. Even though her family and Daren had tried to help her, but the hole in her heart remained. At least she had a hardy apatite; she munched on some breakfast that her mother made her. Ivy spent all her time in the stable, not even bothered that by the large animal housed a few stalls away. It was actually comforting to her. Ivy pushed her plate outside of the stall and lay back down.

"Hey Ivy!" a small voice shouted, she recognized it as Eve's voice.

"Yeah?" Ivy asked sadly and she sat up to face her sister.

"These are for you," she proudly held up a small assortment of puny, flowers.

Ivy looked at the flowers, "What are they for?"

"I thought maybe they could cheer you up!" Eve explained, "Flowers always make me smile."

"Uhh thanks Eve," Ivy replied with the smallest smile she could produce.

Later…

Eve brought Ivy something to eat for supper. She watched her older sister eat everything in her plate, she was glad her sister was back. Even if they didn't get along all the time…

Eve stared until Ivy couldn't eat because of her unmoved eyes.

"What Eve?" Ivy said in slight annoyance.

"Nothing," Eve shifted her eyes to the ground.

Ivy sighed; she was impacting everyone around her.

"Eve, I'm sorry for bringing you into this."

She looked up utterly confused, "into what?"

"I don't know," Ivy replied dumbly, "I just don't see that happy kid that I used to."

"Oh, hmm," Eve mumbled. There was a long awkward silence.

"I'm done," Ivy said quietly handing her plate.

Evening…

It was dark out; Ivy's mother had brought her an oil lamp to help her see. It was a full moon and Ivy blew out the oil lamp, the moon was so big and bright it would do better. She lay back ready to sleep but she couldn't.

Tomorrow Atem will be married, she thought to herself. She stood up, and like a monkey, she climbed up and opened a latch in the roof. She could see the stars. Ivy climbed down again, and thought up of a plan.

She would sleep through the next day, that way she wouldn't be thinking about what Atem would be doing at that exact moment.

Ivy picked up her flowers and left the stable. She sat by the Nile and plucked the flowers one by one and braided them into her hair. Things were so quiet at night…

Not like in the day, when there was always work and non-stop commotion.

It took Ivy about half the night to braid in the flowers and by then she was so tired, but still she didn't dare to fall asleep she was determined…

Next Day…

Ivy succeeded in her plan and was peacefully sleeping after a long night of fighting any sort of rest.

While Ivy slept Atem was gloomy and cursed this day. Even if it was the day he was getting married, it wasn't to whom he loved…

Atem stood in the middle of the room his servants prepared him for the ceremony. As servants quickly went around him fixing anything that looked out of place, Atem examined himself in the mirror then sighed.

"Mi' lord," one of the servants called out, "It's time."

Atem had officially run out of time to change anything…

"I wonder how Ivy is doing," Ivy's father asked.

"Humm, I'm not sure, I haven't seen her all day," Ivy's mother answered, she was cleaning up some plates, "maybe I'll check on her."

The woman left the kitchen and headed for the stables, when she came in and saw her daughter sleeping she quietly left.

Returning to the kitchen she said, "She's sleeping."

He exhaled, "Damn that pharaoh."

She immediately looked up, "Why would you say such a thing?"

"Because," he sipped some of his drink and sat at the table, "he did this to her."

"Hmm, yes but what's done is done," she sat beside him, "It'll take some time to heal but it's done."

"Yes I know, I just wish I could have done something about it," he looked at his cup. She reached out for his hand and held it.

Atem stared at his feet; he wasn't listening to a word the priest was saying. All his life he had listened to others, he was used to it. The concerns of others, the best for Egypt, and other numerous things. Now even his own love life? This sounded pathetic now that he thought about it…

He re-thought the situation over and over again until he finally blurted out:

"No, I can't…"

Well I think we all know where this is heading…
My computer has now absolutely refused to let me type
Which would explain the shortness of this chapter…

Thanks to all who reviewed!

Coffee-time, animeaddict99, Dark Mage of Sea, and ange

You do not know how much they mean to me!

One more chapter (you all must think I am nuts)

Cwayzee