Chapter 12: Sooner or Later
Radames waited eagerly for Aida to return. He was anxious to see how her meeting with Amneris went. Finally,when he thought he was going to jump out of his skin,Aida came into the tent.
"So?" Radames asked.
"The war is over," Aida replied. "The Nubians will return and Amneris will make a public apology."
"I knew you could do it," Radames said, pulling Aida into his lap. "So, Mereb came by."
"He did?" Aida asked.
"Yes, he did. As it turns out, he's hopelessly in love with your sister."
"Really?"
"Really."
"That's interesting because she's in love with him. We should do some match making."
"We should."
Silence filled the tent as Radames stared at Aida.
"It looks like we've run out of conversation," Aida said, coyloy.
"How about that?" Radames said.
He jerked her head towards his and they started kissing furiously.
"Aida, how could you?"
Radames pulled himself away from Aida to find a replica of Aida standing next to a very tall man. He knew that the man wasn't the Nubian king, but was this woman her mother?
"Radames, this is Kehinde, my twin sister," Aida said, her voice sounding nervous. "And my younger brother, Runako."
Radames was a little relieved. These were her siblings, not her parents, but they stared at her disapprovingly as if they were her parents. It didn't matter who came in because they were caught.
"So, this is where you disappear to every night," Runako said.
"I think we should discuss this outside," Aida said to her siblings.
Runako and Kehinde left the tent and Aida turned to leave when Radames grabbed the hem of her dress.
"Why don't you just talk in here?" he asked.
"I think its best that we talk outside," she replied. "Stay here."
Radames let go of her dress and Aida walked out of the tent. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach that this wasn't going to go well.
Aida walked with Runako and Kehinde down to the Nile's edge and then stood facing them. They never looked more intimidating to her as they did now. Maybe that's because they never caught me having it off with the enemy, she thought.
"How did you know I was here?" she asked.
"Mother was wondering where you were sneaking off to every night, so she sent us to follow you," Runako replied, his arms folded over his chest.
"Who is this Egyptian?" Kehinde asked.
"How do you know he's Egyptian?" Aida asked.
"Because his name doesn't sound Greek," Kehinde said, raising her voice a little. "Now who is he?"
"He was the Egyptian captain," Aida replied.
"'Was?" Runako asked.
"He was banished," Aida explained.
"For what, pray tell?" he asked.
"He helped Mereb, Diallo, Father, and I escape," Aida answered. "And rather than have him buried alive, Amneris banished him."
"Interesting," Kehinde said. "And why did he help you?"
Don't tell them! A voice in her head screamed. I mean it! You'll regret it! But, she had to. She lied to them enough.
"He and I were having an affair in Egypt," Aida said.
"YOU WERE WHAT?" Kehinde screamed.
"Will you be quiet?" Runako said, clamping a hand over Kehinde's mouth. "We don't need the whole village to know about this. Aida, you're having an affair with this man?"
"Yes," Aida said, quietly.
"Aida, how could you?" Runako hissed. "This man killed men, women, and children just so he could make Nubia his own."
"You're lucky we're not telling mother and father," Kehinde said, prying Runako's hand from her mouth. "Especially father. He would be ashamed of you."
"He already knows," Aida said.
"Does he know he's here?"
"No, but you can't tell him. I've worked too hard to earn his trust since we returned."
"Well, I don't think you deserve it right now."
Aida winced. That comment hurt her, but she knew Kehinde was right.
"I'm sorry," she said. "But, I love him. You can'tcontrol who you fall in love with. You said that yourself, Kehinde."
Kehinde and Runako stood in silence.
"How long has he been here?" Runako asked, his voice lost its harshness.
"A month," Aida replied.
"That explains why you've been so happy lately," Kehinde said, the tone in her voice matching Runako's. "But, he has to leave."
"No," Aida said. "I don't want him to leave."
"Aida, if we found you with him after a month, mother will find you with him next week," Runako said. "Maybe tomorrow."
"And when she does you can kiss hers and father's trust good-bye," Kehinde said.
Aida considered what they said. They were right, but she didn't want him to go. Her life had been so much better with him here. Besides, where would he go. He was banished from Egypt. Unless………………
"All right," Aida said. "He'll be gone by morning, but promise me you won't tell mother and father."
"We promise," Runako said. "Kehinde?"
Kehinde sighed. "Yes, we promise," she said. "We'll tell them you come here to be alone or something to that extent."
"Thank you," Aida said.
"What are you going to do?" Kehinde asked.
"I'll tell you in the morning," Aida said.
With that, she turned on her heel and headed towards the big ship docked a little farther upstream.
"Sooner or later they'll find out
There's a hole in the wall
Sooner or later you'll find out
That you'll dream to be that small" – Switchfoot
To Be Continued…….
A/N: I hate that song, but it was the only one I could find that works with this chapter. Chapter 13 is coming soon.
