Chapter 7: Darkness
Two weeks and three days later……………………
Aida sat down by the Nile that morning as the sun rose and inhaled the cool morning air. She needed to clear her mind and try to stop thinking about Radames and everything else that happened in Egypt. She was supposed to pretend she never even knew him. He was just her captor. My captor who I fell in love with and got killed, she thought.
"You couldn't sleep either?"
Aida turned around to find Kehinde standing over her.
"No," Aida replied.
"Nightmares?" Kehinde asked.
"Something like that," Aida answered.
She turned her gaze back at the Nile.
"I'll go since you clearly want to be alone," Kehinde said.
"No, don't," Aida said. "Stay. I haven't had a chance to talk to you since I returned."
Kehinde sat down next to her.
"What's been going on since I left?" Aida asked. "Are you still trying to convince mother and father to let you be a warrior?"
"No, I gave up that argument," Kehinde said. "I'm actually training to be a midwife."
"Really?" Aida said. "That's great!"
"It is," Kehinde said, smiling. "Want to know something else?"
"Yes," Aida said.
"Do you remember Malaika?"
"The girl who Runako is hopelessly in love with, but is too shy to talk to?"
"Well, he's not too shy anymore."
"You mean, they're seeing each other?"
"Yes."
"I can't believe it! Our little Runako has finally grown up."
The two women chuckled. Everything was back to normal now. At least between Kehinde and I, Aida thought. It was as if she was never kidnapped and never even knew Radames existed. In fact, the morning before she, Nehebka, and the other women went to see Egypt, she and Kehinde were sitting just as they were now at this exact time. It was as if they were picking up where they left off.
"What about you?" Aida asked. "Are you seeing anyone?"
"No," Kehinde said.
"Is there anyone you have your eye on right now?"
"W-ell, there is someone…………………"
Kehinde trailed off.
"Who is it?" Aida prompted.
"I don't want to say," Kehinde said.
"'Hinde, tell me," Aida urged her, playfully.
"It's embarrassing," Kehinde said.
"Good-morning, Princess," a voice said. "Or should I say, Princesses."
Aida turned to find Mereb standing next to them.
"Actually," Kehinde said, her voice becoming soft and shy. "I'm not technically the princess. Aida is."
"You seem like a princess to me," Mereb said.
Kehinde shyly turned away from Mereb.
"What are you doing up so early?" Aida asked.
"I could ask you the same question, Princess," Mereb retorted.
"Kehinde and I couldn't sleep," Aida replied. "What about you?"
"I had something to take care of," Mereb said. "I'm just going back to sleep now."
"Well, sweet dreams, Mereb," Aida said, politely.
Mereb bowed and then walked away. Aida turned toward Kehinde who had a little bit of pink in her cheeks. Suddenly, Aida figured out who Kehinde fancied.
"Mereb?" Aida asked. "You're keen on Mereb?"
"Shh!" Kehinde said, pressing her finger to her lips. "Yes."
"When did this infatuation start?" Aida asked.
"Well, I met him when you and father came back," Kehinde said. "And I've observed him and how he treats people and I've had a few conversations with him. He's different from all the other men here."
"How?" Aida asked.
"I don't know," Kehinde said. "You know what it's like to fall in love with someone. You don't know why you've fallen for them, but you have. You understand, don't you?"
More than you know, Aida thought. When she met Radames, he was a selfish sadist who only wanted to invade other lands and call them his own. Yet, she'd fallen for him and he turned into a different person than the egotistic, heartless monster she thought he was. He turned out to be sweet, kind, and………….Stop! Aida thought. I have to stop thinking about this!
"He comes down here every morning, you know," Kehinde said. "I don't know what he does, though."
"You spy on him?" Aida asked.
"No!" Kehinde said, turning her gaze back to the water. "Ever since you and Nehebka got kidnapped, I've always woken up early in the morning thinking the Egyptians are going to take the rest of our family away or that they might execute you and father. Coming here early in the morning has become a habit ever since."
Please, don't ask me about Egypt, Aida begged, silently. Please, just keep talking about Mereb so that I don't have to think about it. Talk about Runako and Malaika. Talk about the weather! But, don't talk about anything have to do with Egypt!
"Speaking of Nehebka," Kehinde said, turning her head towards Aida. "How is she?"
Aida didn't want to tell her. She, Kehinde, and Nehebka were really close. Nehebka was like a third sister. If Kehinde found out what happened, she would go crazy. But, I can't lie and say she's all right, Aida thought.
"She's dead," Aida replied, solemnly.
"What?" Kehinde shrieked.
"Shh!" Aida said. "You'll wake everyone up!"
"How? When?" Kehinde asked.
"The night before we left, she was executed," Aida said.
"Why?" Kehinde asked.
"They came for me," Aida answered, her lip quivering. "Nehebka sacrificed herself so I would live."
Aida felt a tear slip down her cheek. Kehinde took her in her arms and they both cried for the loss of her friend. First Nehebka, then Radames, Aida thought. Who am I going to have killed next? Mother? Father? Kehinde? Mereb? An innocent little boy?
"It's all my fault," Aida cried aloud.
"No it's not," Kehinde said, through tears. "Those Egyptians will kill anyone just so they can have our land and name it their own."
Aida felt her stomach twist in pain at the mention of them. Yes, their Pharaoh and the other citizens' behavior was savage, but not Radames's or Amneris's.
"They don't care about anyone, but themselves," Kehinde continued, her voice suddenly filled with rage. "They'll just brutally kill anyone and anything in their paths and-"
"Not all of them are like that," Aida interrupted, removing herself from Kehinde's embrace and wiping her eyes.
"Really?" Kehinde asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "And have you had the pleasure of meeting anyone like that?"
"Yes, I have."
"Who?"
Aida was about to tell her about Radames, but then bit her tongue. She suddenly remembered Amneris. Amneris was the polar opposite of Aida. She was obsessed with fashions and shallow things and seemed kind of stupid. The only reason she'd kept Aida as a handmaid was because Aida "knew her fabrics."
But, although they were different, they were also the same. They had responsibilities to be a good leader to their people and were both overwhelmed by it. They understood each other and could talk about anything with each other. More like Amneris could talk to me about anything, Aida thought. I couldn't tell her anything because I had to keep my identity a secret and that turned out well.
"I was a handmaiden for the princess," Aida said. "The Egyptian captain 'gave' me to her as a present. She was actually quite nice. She's going through the same things I'm going through now. She-"
"Wait," Kehinde interrupted her. "The Egyptian captain 'gave' you to her? Like you were some object?"
"Yes," Aida said, quietly.
"I have never heard of something more miserable, beastly, low-life, and disgusting in my life," Kehinde said. "Who does that man think he is just 'giving' people away as if they were items? He should be killed!"
He did get killed, Aida thought. Because of me. She felt fresh tears forming in her eyes. She knew she couldn't blink them back. She needed to get away. She needed to be alone.
"Excuse me," Aida said, getting up.
"Aida, I'm sorry," Kehinde said, grabbing her wrist. "Did I upset you?"
"No, it's not you," Aida said, yanking her wrist free. "I just need to be alone."
She ran down the shore of the Nile where she was sure that Kehinde couldn't see her and then sunk to her knees and cried hysterically. She missed Radames terribly; his kisses, his songs, his voice, his face……………STOP IT! A voice in her head screamed. YOU'RE MAKING IT WORSE!
But, Aida couldn't help it. She felt so torn up inside. She couldn't go on the rest of her life pretending she never even saw his face. Radames was the love of her life and she got him killed. She reached inside her dress and pulled out the amulet that she kept hidden from everyone and studied it's beauty. Some times I wish Inever even spoke to him after I walked off that barge, she thought. Then trying to live without him would be so much easier.
Radames leaned against a nearby tree to rest a little while. His ankle was killing him. He hadn't eaten or drank anything in two weeks. When he was swimming two weeks ago, he kept getting caught in the rapids and was repeatedly thrown against the rocks. Bruises and cuts were resulted from this and they were hurting him right now.
He took a look at his surroundings. The Nile was a bright shade of blue. In Egypt, it was greenish-brown. The sun shined different here, too. In Egypt it was scorching hot. Here the sun glistened on the water and wasn't so hot.
Radames suddenly recognized where he was: The First Cataract. I'm close! Radames thought. If he kept walking throughout the whole night, he would be at Ikaita by dawn.
He remembered three weeks ago after the banquet how he and Aida talked about. All the plans they made to come here. I never thought I would come back again, he thought. And neither did Aida.
Radames suddenly felt a pang of longing. He missed Aida. More than ever he wanted her to be standing there with him. He immediately felt foolish for missing her. He would be seeing her tomorrow morning. But, as he looked at his cuts and bruises and felt his stomach gurgling from lack of food and felt how dry his mouth was, he knew that there was some chance that he wouldn't make it to Nubia alive.
"Darkness cover me
Deny everything
Slowly walk away
To breathe again
On my own" – Disturbed
To Be Continued………………
A/N: Chapter 8 is coming soon.
