Psusennes opened his eyes. It was dark. He sat up to see his lamp lit beside him, barely an ember now. Remembering he was in the corridor with Kira the night before, he stood, but one thing was missing; Kira. Where had she gone? She had nowhere to go, she would be killed if the Tanis officials found out she was orphaned. Psusennes thoughts were interrupted by a loud rapping on the door.
"Open up!" a deep, stern voice shouted.
It was another guard. Had he already found Kira? He could not have, because at that moment, Psusennes noticed two sparkling green eyes in the dark corner of the corridor. Only Kira had eyes as beautiful. Without saying a word to her, He already knew what he was to do. Psusennes would either have to sacrifice punishment on himself, or the homicide of his best friend. Psusennes did what any young man in love did; sacrifice his well being for her's.
Psusennes grabbed the dagger off his nightstand as he went to the door to turn himself over to the guards to escort him to the temple. The guard dragged him towards the temple, then past it. The only building behind the temple was the dungeon.
"Wait, there must be a misunderstanding", Psusennes protested, "I'm the Prince of Egypt, you need to take me to the temple!"
"Pharaoh's specific orders to take you to the dungeon if you wandered outside the temple." he flatly stated.
The guard shoved him inside the cell, Psusennes did not have time to look back before the door was sealed and cell had a wooden door with a small opening at the bottom to slide the daily prison meal under, which consisted of plain, unleavened bread and a cup of river water. Above him, a small opening, let a minute amount of sunlight in. It smelled pungent and musty in the rat infested cell.
The sound of stone scraping stone was heard when a cup of water was slid under the door. Thirsty, Psusennes rushed over and gulped every last drop down.
"Didn't feel like sharin' 'ey?"
Psusennes turned around to see middle-age man standing in the shadows of the cell. As he stepped into the small ray of sunlight, he was revealed. He wore linen rags, stained and torn. His hair was thin and white, his limbs weak and thin. The man had obviously been sitting in prison for an exceptional amount of time.
"I- I'm sorry, i didn't know you were here."
"Bah, you probably need it more than I do."
"How long have you been in the dungeon?"
" 'bout fifty years."
"Whoah" Psusennes sat on the ground to talk with the old man, "I'm Psusennes."
"Aah, the prince of Egypt, I am Scipio. Pleased to meet you."
Psusennes talked with Scipio, who was very pleased to talk. It seemed as if he had not seen another human being nor talked with one for many years. As they talked and laughed, Scipio had not laughed in a very long time, the subject of Kira came up.
"She is my best friend, and now that she has been orphaned, it is dangerous for her to be out."
"I see, does she… ever speak of her Father?"
" She told me he died before she was born. That is all she knows about him."
"That is not true, he didn't die before she was born. He got to see her once, just once before he was, taken away."
"You know Kira?" Psusennes exclaimed.
"Yes, i did." The shadow cast on Scipio's face hid his expression.
"Were you a friend of her father's?"
"I am tired boy, I'm going for a nap" and at that, Scipio slumped off to the far corner of the cell, leaving Psusennes to wander in his thoughts.
His dream he had dreamt the night with Kira, it made him pray to the gods that it would not become reality, as his dream before had. Psusennes laid on the stone floor. He felt something pinch his leg through his pocket; the dagger. There was hope now, hope that Psusennes and Scipio might be able to escape. Though, Psusennes knew better than to escape during daylight, once night fell, he would escape, till then, he would devise a plan. Waking up Scipio, who had not been asleep for five minutes yet, Psusennes shook him lightly.
"Bah! Cannot an old man rest! I've no energy to be awake, you've drained it all with your nonsense questions. Let me sleep!"
"But no Scipio! I've a plan for escape!"
Scipio's opened his ears.
"And how do you s'pose we follow through with this plan of yours?"
"I have smuggled a dagger."
Scipio could not believe it till he saw it, "If so, bring the dagger out my prince." he stated, assuming Psusennes was joking. Pulling the shimmering dagger from his pocket, Psusennes placed it in the open hand of Scipio. His eyes widened as the cold metal rested atop his palm.
"H-how, where did you get this?"
"It was in my pocket before i was arrested, the foolish guard forgot to strip me of my belongings."
Scipio silently examined the dagger.
"Psusennes, I have been here for over thirty years, I have found many ways to escape, yet each was missing one key thing, you my friend, have discovered the key." his mouth curled to a smile.
Psusennes would not be stuck in the dungeon cell for more than a single day before he and Scipio escaped.
"Get some sleep during daylight, we move out when the sun sets, you are going to need the extra sleep."
Psusennes tried to fall asleep, but he was too frightened of having another dream.
"What's on your mind, son?" Scipio asked out of the blue.
"I-I've been having the dreams. The first one, I was at my father's funeral then I was sitting on the throne. But, the unusual thing is, it came true. When pa dies, I will become Pharaoh. And then my second dream was -" Scipio was snoring in a deep sleep.
Psusennes sighed and listened to the commotion above, slowly dozing off.
There he was again, Psusennes and Kira, they were running from the crowd of angry citizens. He knew how this recurring dream would end; he did not enjoy it. Slowly the mob was gaining on Kira and Psusennes. Then, Kira's foot fell deep into the sand. Quicksand. She was stuck and would not being released from the sands grip before the angry citizens caught up. Trying to free her, Psusennes reached for her outstretched arm. It was too late, the mob had arrived. They started throwing all of Tanis' riches at Kira, who screamed as gold urns and lapis lazuli bowls smashed into her. The crowd disappeared to leave a pile of riches around Kira who helplessly was sinking lower and lower, all of the treasures with her. Moments later, Psusennes was alone, no gold, no silver, no love.