Chapter 14: Broken
One week later…………………………
Radames sat at the bow of the boat staring out at the water. For seven days, he'd slept on deck and hadn't talked once with Amneris. The soldiers ignored him as he stayed perched where he was, thinking about Aida.
"Radames," a familiar voice said.
Radames turned around and found Amneris standing before him, looking very different from the last time she'd seen him. He stood up and bowed.
"We'll be docking in Egypt soon," Amneris said. "So, I need you to change your clothing."
Radames looked down at the Nubian-wear he had on.
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Radames asked politely.
"You look like a very pale Nubian," Amneris said. "Everyone is convinced that Rafaat was insane when he told my father what you did, so you need to go along with this alibi."
Radames was shocked when he heard this. Amneris was lying for him after everything he did to her? This only made him feel guiltier.
"There are some of your old uniforms downstairs in your old quarters," she continued.
"You don't sleep in my old quarters, do you?" Radames asked.
"No," Amneris said, shooting daggers at him with her eyes. "I have some self-respect. Now, go downstairs and change. Egypt is awaiting the return of their captain."
"You still want me to be captain?" he asked.
"Don't you want to be?" she retorted.
"With all do respect, ma'am, I don't."
"Well, then, consider this your punishment."
With those last words, Amneris turned on her heel and went below the deck. Radames lingered on deck for a while and then went down below to change. So, Amneris was punishing him by forcing him to be captain. Well, I deserve it, Radames thought.
Radames stared at himself in the mirror as he put on his uniform. He looked different. He remembered the days before he met Aida. He remembered how excited he was just to put his uniform on and go out on expeditions.
Now, it seemed like a prison uniform. Being captain and going on expeditions and expanding Egypt's territory didn't seem exciting anymore. It seemed more like a duty he didn't want to do. And to think that two months ago I was complaining that I would never go out on an expedition again, he thought. Now, I don't evenwant to go.
The final thing he had to wear was the amulet that he'd given Aida and that she'd thrown at his head. He needed to wear it. It was part of his outfit, but it didn't seem like his anymore. He'd wanted Aida to have it. Giving it to her was his way of telling her he loved her without actually saying it. He'd given her a part of himself and she'd thrown it back at him.
He slipped it over his head and went up on deck to meet Amneris who didn't even look at him. When he held his elbow out to him she eyed him quizically.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Well, we're still married," Radames said. "So, shouldn't we make it look like we at least like each other?"
"Yes, we should make it look like we like each other," Amneris agreed. "But, we don't have to make it look like we're married because we're not anymore."
Radames looked ahead and found that most of the citizens of Egypt were gathered at the docks. When the plank was lowered, Radames shouted the usual commands and then led his troops off the ship with Amneris close behind. As he walked through the streets of the city he felt all eyes on him. They looked confused as if wondering why he was here and where he'd been all this time.
That night, Radames went down to the docks and stood in the spot where he had helped Aida and her father escape. The light from the city reflected on the water. Radames looked down at his reflection. A month ago, he looked look a born leader. Courageous, confident, and excited about discovering new worlds. Now, he looked like an escaped prisoner who was going to spend the rest of his life alone.
He looked down at his amulet. He considered throwing it in the Nile, but he needed it, so he kept it around his neck. It looked different, too. When Aida was wearing it, it looked beautiful and it shone even when the sun wasn't out. Now, it looked ugly around his neck and it looked like it wasn't even his.
Aida should have this, Radames thought. Not me. But, she didn't want it. It meant nothing to her now. He meant nothing to her now. No matter what she said to him, he couldn't be angry with her, let alone hate her.
Aida sat down the next morning and quickly ate her breakfast, hoping to avoid Runako and Kehinde. After what had happened two days ago, she refused to speak to them. Everything was fine. She had passed her father's test of judgment and Radames was here with her, but Runako and Kehinde destroyed that for her.
Aida sighed at the thought of Radames. She didn't mean any of those things she'd said the other night. Looking back, she wished she could take what she said back. She clearly remembered the hurt in his eyes when she said them. There was no anger, just hurt, which made it worse for her.
"Good morning, Ida," Kehinde said, sitting down next to her and breaking her thoughts. "How are you?"
"Fine," Aida replied, curtly. "And yourself?"
"Fine," Kehinde said.
Runako sat down on the other side of her and started to eat.
"How did you sleep?" he asked Aida.
"Fine," Aida repeated.
Ever since the other night, they'd been trying to get her to talk to them and she'd been avoiding them. Now, they had her cornered. Well, I'm not speaking to them, she thought. She knew they were only doing what was right, but she wasn't in the mood to talk to them. She finished her breakfast and walked away from them as quickly as possible.
"Aida," Runako called after her.
Aida kept walking and didn't look back. Someone grabbed her wrist and stopped her.
"Aida, how long are you going to avoid speaking to us?" Kehinde asked.
"I don't know," Aida replied.
"We know how happy you were with this captain," Kehinde said. "And we know how much you loved him, but we were only doing this for your own good."
"'For my own good?'" Aida repeated, suddenly feeling very angry. "What are you? Mother?"
"You know what I mean," Kehinde said. "I don't know what it's like to lose the person you love twice, but I do know what it's like to be in love. I mean, I haven't been able to say two words to Mereb and-"
"Kehinde, I am so sick of this thing with Mereb!" Aida exclaimed.
The previous week before Kehinde intruded on her and Radames, she planned to get Kehinde and Mereb together. But, then she and Runako came in and convinced her to send him back and she changed her mind. For a week she noticed Mereb and Kehinde staring at each other, longingly, but too afraid and shy to talk to each other. It was getting on her nerves and now she just wanted the two to be together to spare her the annoyance.
Aida looked over to find Mereb talking with Runako and Jabari, Runako's friend.
"Mereb!" Aida called. "Come over here, please!"
Mereb left Runako and Jabari and approached Aida and Kehinde.
"You called, Princess?" he said.
"Let's keep this brief," Aida said. "Kehinde's in love with you. You're in love with her. Stop being so afraid and talk to each other."
With that, Aida walked away leaving Kehinde and Mereb dumbfounded. A few hours later, she found the two holding hands and laughing. At one point Mereb kissed the top of her head. Well, it's about time, Aida thought, smiling to herself. Kehinde caught sight of Aida and walked up to her.
"Does this mean you forgive me?" she asked.
"Yes," Aida replied.
Kehinde hugged Aida briefly and then went back to Mereb. As Aida watched them walk away, she felt a twinge of sadness. They reminded her of Radames and herself. She missed him terribly.
She reached for the amulet, but then remembered that she'd thrown it at his head. She regretted that the moment he boarded the ship. She hated that he had to leave like that. His parting words still echoed in her mind:
"I can't believe that after everything we've been through over the past two months, this is the way you want things to be between us."
Neither can I, Aida thought. And I hate it.
"'Cause I'm broken when I'm open
And I don't feel like I am strong enough
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away"- Seether and Amy Lee
To Be Continued……………….
A/N: That does not count as an Evanescence song. Chapter 15 is coming soon.
