Chapter 3: One Thing
Two days later…………..
"Princess, wake up!"
Aida opened her eyes to find Mereb shaking her arm. The sun was too bright so she squeezed them back shut. Again, Mereb started shaking her.
"Princess, wake up!" Mereb said, excitedly once again. "We're just about ready to dock!"
Aida sat up bolt right.
"What?" she said.
"We're home!" Mereb exclaimed.
We passed the first cataract, Aida thought. I must've been asleep when we did. She had her heart set on seeing it, but she brushed it aside and looked at her surroundings. This was Ikaita. She was home! Out of pure excitement, shehugged Mereb.
When they pulled into the dock, Aida saw a man spear-fishing. He looked up and then ran towards the village.
"THE KING IS BACK!" he shouted. "OUR KING HAS RETURNED WITH OUR PRINCESS!"
His shouts were followed by the talking of the Nubians who went to the dock to see them. Then, the buzzing evolved to cheers as they saw their king and princess pull into the dock. Aida suddenly forgot about the past four days events as the boat pulled into the dock. She was back where she belonged: with her people.
Diallo help Mereb out of the boatand then they bothhelped Aida and Amonasro together.
"AIDA!"
Aida looked behind the seven rows of people crowded around her to find who called her name. When she found the speaker, she started pushing her way through the crowd.
"Let the princess through!" someone yelled.
Immediately the crowds parted and Aida ran into the arms of her mother, Busara, who was crying tears of joy.
"Aida, my baby!" Busara cried. "I thought you'd be dead by now! I was so worried about you!"
"Mother, I can take care of myself," Aida said, pulling away.
"I know," Busara said. "You were trained well. Your father always had faith in your training. I do, too, actually. But, I'm your mother. I always worry about you."
Aida smiled. Busara was constantly worrying about her ever since she was a baby. She was always keeping her out of harm's way, even when she was old enough to take care of herself. Aida always found it annoying, but now, she missed it.
"Oh, mother, I missed you!" Aida exclaimed throwing her arms around her mother's neck again.
"AIDA!"
Aida looked over her mother's shoulder to see her sister, Kehinde, approaching. Aida broke away from Busara's grip to hug Kehinde.
"Ida, you're all right!" she exclaimed, using her baby name for "Aida". "I was so worried!"
Like mother, like daughters, Aida thought. Kehinde and Aida were identicaltwins. Aida was older than Kehinde by two minutes, but Kehinde always acted like the older sister.
Suddenly she felt someone bump into her and Kehinde and felt two arms encircle around the two of them. Aida looked up into the face of her brother, Runako. Runako was two years younger than Aida and Kehinde, but he was ridiculously tall. He was even taller than their parents. He and Aida annoyed each other to the point where they would want to shove each other in the Nile and were constantly fighting, but he was always there for her whenever she needed him and it was the other way around.
"Where you worried about me, too?" Aida asked. "Or where you actually happy that I was gone?"
"I was worried about you, idiot," Rashid replied. "You may be annoying, but you're still my sister and I love you."
Aida smiled. "I missed both of you," she said, enveloping them both in a group hug. She felt someone tug at the hem of her dress. She looked down to find her youngest brother, Lutalo. Lutalo was seven years old and was the sweetest little boy.
"Lutalo!" Aida exclaimed. "I missed you so much! Have you grown?"
"I've grown two inches," Lutalo said, proudly. "And I have a muscle."
Lutalo flexed his arms to show off his supposed muscle. Aida chuckled and hugged her brother again. Despite the past events, she was happy to see her family. They were the bright spots in all the darkness.
After talking with her people, Aida walked along the outskirts of the village and found Amonasro and Busara standing alone with each other. Aida ducked behind a hut so they wouldn't see her and listened to their conversation.
"I didn't think I'd have a moment alone with you today," Busara said. "Let alone see you again."
"I know," Amonasro said. "I didn't think I'd see you again either."
"I'm so glad you're all right," Busara said, her voice breaking. "Because if you were executed and I lost you………."
Busara trailed off. Aida's eyes filled with tears. It just occurred to her that she almost lost him, too. Amonasro wrapped his arms around Busara.
"I'm here," he said. "And I'm never leaving you again. I never will."
Busara looked up and kissed her husband. Aida had never seen her parents express their love for each other before. It was very sweet and romantic. It didn't feel right watching them, so Aida left them alone and went back to her hut.
But, that night she couldn't sleep. She kept thinking about Radames. She hadn't thought about him all day, but now seeing her parents together only reminded her of what she had with him, how she betrayed him, and how she just left him behind. Radames, I miss you, Aida thought. Then, she cried herself to sleep.
It had been three days since Radames started his journey to Nubia, but he had a feeling that he hadn't gotten very far. Night had fallen and it was cold. He hadn't eaten in two days, but he wasn't hungry. Instead, he was thirsty. He had been walking all day and his feet hurt. This will all be worth it when you see Aida, Radames reminded himself.
Radames laid down on the sand to sleep, but he couldn't sleep. A week ago, he'd captured a bunch of Nubian women and took them into slavery. Now, he was chasing one of his former captives, which he was in love with, but in all probability, didn't love him back.
What if Aida didn't want to see him anymore? What if when he arrived in Nubia she had him executed? For a second, Radames considered returning to Egypt and turning himself in and being buried alive, but he couldn't die without answers.
Radames needed to know if Aida really did love him or if she was lying. He hoped she didn't lie. He couldn't bear to think that he'd thrown himself towards her and made a fool out of himself just so she could save her father and then laugh once away from him. Aida, when I see you, please tell me you weren't lying when you said that you love me, Radame thought. And please mean it.
"If I traded it all
If I gave it all away for one thing
Just for one thing
If I sorted it out
If I knew all about this one thing
Wouldn't that be something"- Finger Eleven
A/N: Chapter 4 is coming soon.
