Chapter 16: Gifts and Curses
One week later……………………………..
Radames stood at the bow of the ship staring at the Nile. Anyone who looked at him would think that he was strong and confident. On the inside, he was the complete opposite. After some thinking, he realized thatthere were some things that he had to do and he was beyond nervous. He was trembling on the inside. He held a death grip on to the rail because his palms were sweating. He felt nauseous.
"Are you all right?" a voice asked next to him.
Amneris was standing on his right side.
"No," Radames whispered. "I'm terrified."
She touched his arm sympathetically. He'd told her of what he had to do.
"You'll do fine," she said. "Besides, all your life you've been afraid that you'll be like your father. Would he have brought the slaves he captured back to his homeland?"
"No," Radames answered, reluctantly.
"You're a much better man than he is," Amneris said. "Now, get ready. We'll be docking any minute."
A few minutes later, the plank was lowered. Radames and Amneris stood behind as the Nubians' shackles were removed. He watched as the Nubians ran off the ship and ran into the arms of their families and lovers.
After watching them, he shouted the usual commands at the soldiers and they lined up in two lines on either side of the plank. Then he stepped aside and Amneris proceeded down the plank and he followed. Amneris stood on a small platform and addressed the Nubians.
"I told your Princess that I was going to make a public apology today," she said. "I do grieve for the people you have all lost and I do apologize, but I won't be making the apology. I feel that my captain should make the apology. After all, he was the one who commanded the armies."
She stepped off the platform and gestured with her head for Radames to go on the platform. Radames stood staring at the Nubians. Men, women, and children stared at him with hatred. I don't blame them, he thought.
Suddenly, he saw Aida, standing a few rows away with her father and a woman he assumed was her mother. Her face bore no expression at all. For a second, Radames considered running away. He looked at Amneris, who gave him a reassuring nod and he took a breath and started his speech.
"When the war began, I was a different man than the one that is standing before you," Radames said, feeling Aida's gaze on him. "I was an ignorant greedy man who only thought of himself and loved his job a little too much. Now, I regret all that I've done, and I'm sorry. I should have stopped this madness sooner."
Then, Radames did something he wasn't planning on doing. He drew his sword and gestured for Amonasro to come on the platform. Looking at him quizzically, Amonasro stepped on stage. Radames handed him the sword making sure the handle was facing him. Then he kneeled and grabbed the blade with his left hand.
"I promise I will never cause havoc on Nubia or any other country," Radames said.
"Do you swear?" Amonasro asked, finally grasping what Radames was doing.
"I swear," Radames repeated.
Then, quick as lightening, Amonasro took the blade out of Radames's grasp, cutting his palm. Radames looked and saw Amneris turn a deep shade of green at the sight of theblood dripping from his hand.
Later on, as the Egyptians joined in during the Nubian festivities, Radames scanned the crowds for Aida, but he couldn't find her. Instead he looked for Amonasro to take care of the other thing he had to do. He found him sitting with what looked his wife.
"Your majesty, may I request a private audience with you?" Radames asked.
Amonasro looked down at his wife and then back at Radames. He nodded and then stood up and led Radames to his hut, where they were left alone. Radames could see why Aida feared her father so much. He was very tall and he stared at him with such coldness in his eyes.
"I guess by now you know who I am," Radames said.
"Yes, I do," Amonasro said.
"And I guess you know of my relationship with your daughter," Radames said.
"Yes, I do," Amonasro repeated. "But, what I don't know is what you're trying to say."
If looks could kill I'd be dead right now, Radames thought. He took a deep, shaky breath.
"I want to marry her," he said and then quickly added: "With your permission, of course."
Amonasro didn't respond. Instead, he circled Radames like a vulture ready to attack.
"You want to marry her?" he asked.
"Yes," Radames replied.
"Usually, your people just have your way with our women," he said. "And it's usually against their will. Why bother marrying her?"
"Because I love her," Radames said, without having to think about how he would answer. "And I want to spend the rest of my life trying to make her happy."
"How do I know you won't hurt her?" Amonasro asked.
"I'm prepared take an oath right here and now," Radames answered.
Amonasro stood facing Radames with his arms crossed over his chest.
"You are?" he asked.
"Yes," Radames replied.
"Give me your sword."
Radames handed Amonasro his sword and then kneeled, grabbing the blade of the sword with hisuncut hand.
"Do you swear that you'll make my daughter happy and make sure that nothing harms her?" Amonasro asked.
"I swear," Radames replied.
Then, just like before, Amonasro removed the blade from Radames's grasp, cutting his hand.
"I'll let you marry her, butonly if she says that she wants to," Amonasro said. "Go find her."
Radames ran out of the tent and scanned the crowd for Aida. Finally, he saw her, talking with Mereb.
"AIDA!" he called out.
She didn't turn around. She was still angry with him. He ran up to her and spun her around so she was facing him.
"Aida, I need to speak with you," he said.
"Well, that'll be difficult," Mereb said. "Because this isn't Aida."
"What?" Radames asked, confused.
"I'm her sister,"the girlsaid. "Aida wandered off a little while ago."
"Thank you," Radames said.
He turned away and combed the crowds for Aida, hoping that he would find her before the end of the day.
Aida sat down by the Nile staring out at the water. She needed to get away from everyone, including Radames. It was hard enough that he left. Seeing him up there and knowing that it would be the last time she'd see him hurt too much. She couldn't look at him without feeling guilty for the things she'd said.
Also, the things he'd said really hurt her and she knew he wouldn't apologize. But, on some levels, he was right. She was afraid of her father. Not just on this matter, but on other things as well.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of red and then looked to see Radames sitting beside her, staring out at the water. An awkward moment of silence passed as they both looked at the Nile. Finally, Aida couldn't stand it. She had to apologize.
"I'm sorry," they both said in unison.
They both chuckled.
"I didn't mean any of the things I said to you," Radames said.
"No, you were right," Aida said. "I am a coward when it comes to my father. He really does scare me even though I know he loves me. So, I try to do everything right and I'm afraid of making a mistake."
"Well, I don't blame you for being afraid of him," Radames said. "The man scares me, too. But, I'm sorry I called you a liar. You only kept your identity a secret, but that was only to save yourself. But, also I'm sorry that I said that you don't care about me. Am I forgiven?"
"Only if I am."
"You are."
Aida and Radames hugged briefly, but still, there was something that was bothering her.
"Radames, you don't actually believe that I don't care about you, do you?" she asked.
"No," he said. "Of course not."
"Because I do care about you. I love you so much and I-"
Radames interrupted her with a sweet, long kiss.
"I know," he said. "I love you, too."
He took something else and then held the amulet and all it's beauty in front of her and then slipped it over her head.
"I want you to have it," Radames said.
She stared down atthe amuletand clutched it to her chest. She wasn't letting this go ever again.
"And I want to marry you," Radames said.
Aida's heart stopped beating as she looked up at him in surprise. She wasn't expecting that. He wanted to marry her? This wasn't real. It was a joke. No, it wasn't. He was serious.
"You what?" was all she could manage.
"I talked to your father," Radames said. "He said he's willing to give us his blessing if he hears from you that you and you alone want this, then he'll let us wed. But, this is only if you want to."
Aida didn't even knew what to say. She never thought about this until now and now she wanted nothing more than this.
"I do want this," she said. "More than anything."
"Then, there's just one thing left to do," Radames said, standing up.
Aida knew what he was talking about. She had to tell her father. But, even though he consented to letting her marry him, she was still afraid of him. Radames held out his hand and she took it and stood up. She gripped on to his hand as they walked through the village. She could feel everyone's gaze on her. She started trembling.
"It'll be all right," Radames whispered. "I'll be right here with you."
Aida took a deep breath and then found herself standing in front of her parents.
"Mother, Father," she said, making sure that her voice gave away no hint of nervousness. "I believe you know Radames."
"We do," both her parents said in unison.
Aida looked at Radames who gave her a reassuring look. She could feel everyone's gaze on her.
"Well, he loves me," she continued. "And I love him and we want to get married. But, we won't unless we have your blessing."
Her parent's stared at her in silence. No one said anything. They all seemed to be anticipating Amonasro's answer just as much as she was. Radames squeezed her hand to comfort her, but that did nothing for her nerves.
"This is what you want, Aida?" Busara asked.
"Yes," Aida replied.
"You made this decision on your own?"
"Yes."
"If this is what you want," Amonasro said. "Then, you have our blessing."
Aida hugged her father, sure that she almost pushed him over. Everyone around her went back to what they were doing. Then, she went back to Radames. Finally, she and him could live their lives together out in the open. They could love freely without the guilt that they were betraying Amneris or their countries. They wouldn't be frowned upon.
"So," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist. "When do you want this to happen?"
"Now, that I think about it, I don't want to get married so soon," she replied.
Radames's arms suddenly became loose and he looked slightly shocked.
"Why not?" he asked.
"Think about it," Aida said. "For the past we've had to hide our love from everyone because we were afraid of the consequences. Now, we can be together without having to hide it from everyone."
Radames turned his face away from her for a minute and then looked back at her.
"I don't want to wait nine years, Aida," he said.
"And neither do I," Aida replied. "I just want to wait a month."
Radames smiled. "I think we can manage that," he said. Then he captured her lips in a long searing kiss, right in front of everyone.
"I see your face with every punch I take,
and every bone I break, it's all for you.
And my worst pains are words I cannot say,
still I will always fight on for you"- Yellowcard
A/N: There's an epilogue.
