It's going to become common knowledge that I have the worst memory ever. I'm sorry! I forgot the date and only remembered this morning that I owed you an update.
Disclaimer: I own everything you don't recognise.
Princess of the Nile
Chapter 7: Pain
"Why do we always get problems involving dead people and the end of the world?" Zameel asked, Emira smiled slightly and punched him hard on the arm. He inclined his head and grinned in return
"This is a problem." Ardeth said slowly, his forehead creased with worry "Where is Princess Chione buried?"
"Our most favorite place in the whole world." Emira replied sarcastically "Hamunaptra."
"Why does that place always have to be linked to our problems?" Zameel asked quietly.
"Zameel has a very valuable point." Emira said "Can't we just rid ourselves of Hamunaptra's lovely curses in one go?"
"Unfortunately not." her father replied
"Course." Emira said "It'd be to easy." she sat down heavily and drew a small pattern in the sand.
"I need to go and speak to the Elders." Ardeth said "We will work out what to do then." he left the tent quickly, striding off through the village to tell the Elders everything Emira had told him.
"I thought Ay only had two children." Their father said thoughtfully, Emira turned to him
"Only two that were ever truly documented. Nefertiti and Mutnedjemet. Chione was cancelled out of all records after trying to kill her father, only a few books ever mention her."
"So Emi." Zameel said, drawing her attention back to him "How was life away from here?"
Emira scowled and sighed
"She," she spat, meaning her mother "Dragged me over to London and her new man. He hated me, so mum kept me locked in the house for a while,. Her man making me do all sorts of chores. I was sent to an orphanage, eventually." She shook her head from the memories "I hate to say that they were the better years of living with them over there. Soon as I was old enough, I got out. Found work in the library and managed to get a room with low rent close to it."
"You said they tortured you." Zameel said, Emira nodded slowly
"They starved me, beat me up and…" she held up her hands to them, showing the fingers to be bloody and raw at the ends
""Emi." Zameel hissed sympathetically "What did they do?" he got up and sat beside her, taking one of her hands to examine the tips
"I wouldn't say anything so they attacked me under the finger nails with splinters. Wrecked a couple of good beds in the process." She hissed as Zameel gently touched one of her fingers and tried to pull away from him
"Has Haji seen these?" he asked her "They look infected, you need to have them looked at."
"Fine." Emira replied softly "Go get Haji, tell him… everything he needs to know." Zameel nodded and hurried off. Their father crouched before his daughter, taking her hands gently in his and gazing into her eyes
"I don't believe this is all they have done to you, Emira." He spoke softly, his voice barely audible "I can see a lot of pain and torture in your eyes, you've suffered a lot." He drew her into a hug, and she cried softly into his shoulder
"I'm sorry father." She whispered eventually, he drew back from her and observed her face
"You have nothing to be sorry for, child." He told her with a small smile "you have every right to cry." Emira smiled halfheartedly and wiped at her eyes as Zameel came back, Haji hard on his heels.
"Zameel told me about your hands." He said, dropping down in front of her and taking one hand, inspecting her fingers closely, he hissed and looked up at her "Do they not hurt you Emira? They look really bad." He turned to Zameel "Can you get me some water and bandages?" Zameel nodded and disappeared
"They don't hurt, Haji." Emira said softly, gazing down at her wrecked fingers "Honestly. I don't even feel-" she cut herself off with a hiss as Haji blew gently on her fingertips and looked up at her, one eyebrow raised and a satisfied but grim smile on his face.
"Ok you horrible little man." She hissed, earning a snort of laughter from both Haji and her father, she being so much shorter than them both "You've proved your point. Are you happy now?" Haji shook his head and brought her other hand forwards, examining that as well
"Far from it, Emira." He said shortly "These are badly infected, I'm surprised you don't have a fever…" his head snapped up as he said it and one hand went to her forehead, frowning slightly
"What are you doing?" Emira asked, rolling her eyes
"You're a little warm." Haji told her as Zameel returned "Why didn't you tell me about your hands when we found you?"
"Emi doesn't like admitting to things like pain Haji, you should know that." Zameel answered for his sister, sitting beside her.
"Shut up Zameel." Emira sang, he rolled his eyes and she snapped one hand away from Haji's hold and hit him over the head before he took it and held it firmly
"None of that now, sister." He laughed "It's not very nice."
"I'm not a very nice person." She pointed out in return. "Never have been."
"That's true." Haji murmured as he dipped one of the bandages into the water and gently started to clean Emira's hands "A lot of people would agree."
Next update: Unless my mind fails me again, Next chapter is on April 22nd