The next morning, Aida awoke alone in bed. she sat up to look around for Radames, but he was nowhere to be found. Rebecca came into the tent with some clothes in her arms.
"Good morning," she said to Aida.
"Good morning," Aida replied quietly. She got up to help Rebecca with whatever she was doing. "How can I help out?"
"These clothes are for you. They used to be my sister's, but she left to go to Jerusalem with her husband. We never heard from them again."
"Oh Rebecca, I'm so sorry."
"No, don't be sorry for me, we didn't really get along for some reason." Rebecca was desperate to change the subject. "Radames is talking with my Father and Micah. They're trying to get you some materials for you to build a tent right next to this one. If all goes as planned, you should have one very empty tent by tonight. Now here, put these on." Aida pulled on the light weight orange dress.
"Thank you for all your generous hospitality, Rebecca." Rebecca picked up two buckets that were sitting by the door.
"You're welcome. Why don't you come with me to the well? That way you can see our little village." Aida draped her scarf over her head, and followed Rebecca outside.
As Aida followed Rebecca to the well, she felt the eyes of everyone they passed burn into her back. She didn't care what people thought; she held her head high and kept walking. The women at the well immediately stopped talking when they saw Aida. Rebecca ignored the silence, and got the water she needed.
"I'm Mary," one woman said. She looked to be about sixteen. She had blonde hair in a low bun on the back of her neck, blue eyes, a pink outfit, and a very young face.
"I'm Aida."
"It's nice to meet you." The amulet around Aida's neck caught Mary's eye. "That amulet you're wearing is beautiful." Aida fingered the piece of jewelry.
"Thank you. It was a gift from Radames." Aida took one of Rebecca's buckets of water.
"Let's go," said Rebecca. "I'm sure Radames will be searching for you." She looked at some of the women, who didn't feel comfortable with Aida yet.
Radames and Micah were setting up the frame for their tent with several other young men when Aida and Rebecca returned from the well. When Radames saw Aida, he went over to give her a hug. Sweat glistened on his bare chest in the bright sun. Aida squirmed in his gentle grip.
"Radames, you're all sweaty!" she exclaimed. Radames kissed her forehead.
"I've been setting
up our tent. Do you like it?" Aida gently pulled Radames away
from the group so they could talk in private. "What's the matter
Aida?"
"I know Jacob is willing to marry us and help us, but
what if we refresh our supplies and move to a big city? That way, we
can easily disappear in the crowd if need be," she replied quietly.
Radames shook his head.
"No, we can't go to a city," he said firmly. "Armies go to big cities."
"Armies?"
"Egyptian armies that would recognize me immediately. This village here is the best we're going to find. If you want to move on, we will." Radames gently stroked Aida's cheek. "After all, I promised you that I'd search for you in a thousand lifetimes, but now I can be with you for a thousand lifetimes," he said quietly. The space between the couple shrank as their lips met in a passionate kiss.
Rebecca looked over at Radames and Aida, and smiled. She carefully handed Micah a ladle of water.
"Look at them," he
said to his wife. "They're so madly in love. Have you ever seen
a couple so in love?"
"Yes," Rebecca replied before kissing
Micah's cheek. "Us." Micah took a long drink of water, and
watched his wife go to talk with her friends. Their marriage was
unlike any other. They had been in love, and ended up getting
married when she was sixteen and he was twenty.
Later that night, Aida was sitting on the bedding given to her and Radames by some of the friendlier villagers. She had a simple white skirt fastened around her waist. The soft light from the lamp from Jacob caused her bare upper body to glow. Her eyes were fixated on her lap; she was deep in thought.
"What's wrong?" Radames asked her, shattering her thoughts. "Is it about remaining here instead of moving on to a larger city?" Aida nodded. "We'll leave in a few days then."
"No, I want to stay here. All this, it reminds me of the slave camp, Egypt, and Mereb and Nehebka. We're never going to see them again." Radames pulled Aida close to him. He was wearing a pair of thin pants in hopes of cooling down after working in the sun all day long.
"Mereb and Nehebka sacrificed this lives so we could be together. They would want us to enjoy our time together before we're reunited in the After Life. We must celebrate what they gave theirs lives for." Radames began to kiss Aida. As he deepened the kiss, they fell back on their bed.
"It is my honor to proclaim you as husband and wife," Jacob announced. Radames and Aida had huge smiles plastered across their faces. Their lips met in a passionate kiss that sealed their love before they embraced. Jacob gave them each a warm hug. The couple's friends immediately surrounded them to pass along their well wishes. In a matter of minutes, a full fledged celebration was in place.
Radames pulled Aida close to him, and whispered in her ear, "We did it, we beat the Gods' plan for us." Aida shook her head.
"There are no Gods, Radames, just the one God." Radames hung his head.
"That's right, we no longer believe in those many false gods." He pulled Aida towards the celebration. "Come, tonight is our night. We won't fret over the past. Remember, the past is another land." Aida smiled, and obliged to Radames' request.
A/N: This fic. will be about 8 chapters (the average for my stories, any longer and it turns to crap because I want to get it over with). I'm writing chapter 6, so I'm almost done writing, and then it's off to my Rent-fics. Review please!
Tina101