On the way to my favorite spot, the prince asked about the incident my father mentioned.

"Yes, I am curious as well. What happened?" I was starting to feel ashamed, so I did not say anything.

"Kamilah, what is wrong?"

"I-I-um- I told my betrothed that I wanted a garden at our house once we are married and he reacted badly to my request." I released the prince's arm and stopped walking, looking down in shame. I felt tears prick my eyes as I dropped to my knees. 'And in front of the prince too! How pathetic am I!'

Atem's POV

Kamilah told me what had happened. She did not say anything other than the man reacted badly, but my concern for her grew when she hid her face in her hands and dropped to her knees.

"Kamilah!?" That was all I could say to her as she cried. 'What else can I do? She is my father's friend's daughter, and even though I just met her, I cannot stand seeing her sad.' Doing what my friend Mana used to do for me when I was upset, I hugged Kamilah. I think I startled her because she tensed up at the contact, but soon relaxed and wrapped her arms around me. We remained that way for a few more moments until Mahad cleared his throat.

"Thank you," was all she said.

"You are welcome." I helped her to stand back up and watched as she dusted the dirt off the front of her skirt. Once she looked back at me, I gave her a small smile. "Shall we continue?" She returned the smile, nodded, and I offered her my arm once more.

"I have a question for you." I looked at her, waiting for her to continue. When she did not, I responded.

"What do you want to know?"

"Do you know Mana?"

"How do you know her?"

"She is my cousin." This surprised me. Mana never talked about her life before she became a magician in training. "How is she? Do you see her often at the palace?"

"She is fine. I do not see her as often as I used to, but we do spar a bit using magic and weapons."

"Good. I do hope I get a chance to see her once more before I am wed."

"You are still going through with the wedding?!"

"I have to if my father cannot pay the fee to break this betrothal."

"Is this because of what happened?" She looked at me and sighed.

"Yes. Let me show you. REVEAL WHAT I HAVE HIDDEN!" With that simple line, her body glowed a soft yellow, revealing her injuries; a dark bruise on her face, cuts and scrapes down her right side, and two more bruises on her hips in the shape of a hand. She continued to talk. "My fiance did all this to me because I wanted a stupid garden. He told me before he left that day that my injuries were my fault because I did not respect his wishes." Kamilah started shaking in what looked to be fear, but when she looked me in the eyes, I saw shame and a hidden anger waiting to be released.

"Kamilah, you deserve a garden as beautiful as yourself." I told her. With that, we finished our trek to the place she wanted to show me. It was a tree with small pink flowers all over the branches. I could not believe my eyes. "This tree is so beautiful-just like you." I know I am sounding like I am courting her, but right now she needs reassurance. She needs to be happy.

"You think so? Mama planted this tree when she moved here after she married Father. It is a cherry blossom tree from her homeland of Japan." Just then, a soft breeze blew through the garden. "Do you want me to dance? Now?"

I looked to Kamilah and noticed the wind was enveloping her, making her hair and skirt flow with it.

"What are you talking about?"

"I have some control over the elements." 'The elements!? Those are hard to control. One little slip saying any elemental spell could be catastrophic.' But yet, I was curious.

"May we see?" Kamilah nodded, then closed her eyes.

Kamilah's POV

The prince wants to see more of my magic, so I simply nodded and closed my eyes to concentrate. After finding my center, just as my mother taught me, I spoke first to the sun.

"LORD OF THE SUN, RA, I INVOKE YOUR NAME.

PLEASE COOL THE HEAT FROM YOUR CHARIOT AND PROTECT THIS PEACEFUL, BEAUTIFUL GARDEN." A noticeable change in the temperature occurred once I finished speaking, but I was not done yet.

"LADY OF THE WIND, I NEED YOU." The small breeze picked up just a bit to shake the branches above us. "Follow me," I whispered into the wind. It began to pick up again, this time, to undo my hair. ' It still feels like someone is running their fingers through my hair,' I thought as I began the dance. I opened my eyes partway through to see the prince watching in amazement as the wind followed my movements as it carried some cherry blossom petals along the current.

When I finished, I sent the current up by Father's office where I knew he would see. I was out of breath and as the world started to spin, I collapsed to my knees. The prince was there to catch me before I fell face first to the ground. Before either of us could speak, a slow clap sounded from the only way in or out of this area. We looked up to see who it was.

"GAHIJI?!"I nearly screamed out of surprise. I tried to scoot back away from the man in front of us, but the prince held me fast. When I looked at him, his eyes were burning with anger. 'He must have figured out by my actions who this man is to me.' The prince stood up and pulled me with him, but kept a protective arm around me.

"What do you want?"

"Just came by to apologize to Ahnknem for the other day. I may have overreacted a little bit." Gahiji had that smirk on his face as he continued to talk. "One the maids told me Kamilah was out here, so I thought I would come keep her company, but I see she does not need me." Gahiji's voice got so low when he said that last bit that it scared me, but it also angered me that he would speak in such a manner to the prince.

"Gahiji, stop this nonsense. You do not own me, and you never will." I took a step towards him. The prince tried to hold me back, but I looked at him and he let me go. He knows this is something I need to do on my own. Gahiji started to laugh.

Atem's POV

"Look who has a strong side? Do I need to teach you another lesson on disobedience?" Gahiji began stalking towards Kamilah like a hunter sneaking up on his prey. Kamilah began walking backwards until she tripped on her skirt. Gahiji chuckled again. "That is where you belong- on your back, but in a bed." He continued to stalk towards her, but stopped when I stepped in his path.

"You need to stop. You are scaring her." I stood my ground when he stood in front of me and stared me down.

"Your Highness, please stay out of this."

"Looks like you have the whore trained, 'Your Highness.'"

"Stop- disrespecting- the-PRINCE! I INVOKE THE VOICE OF THE-"

"Kamilah! Stop!" My father and Kamilah's father walked through the archway that we had recently walked through. Kamilah's voice returned to normal when she spoke.

"Sorry, Father. I did not appreciate the disrespect he was using towards the prince."

"Kamilah, your mother forbade you to use that spell in anger. You know what could have happened."

"Again, I am sorry." Kamilah apologized again, but glared at Gahiji while her head was still tilted down. 'This girl is something else. One minute, she is timid and shy, but then she is protective of those she cares about. Why does she care about me? There is another reason besides my being the prince, I know it.'

"Sir, I came to apologize for the other day and was told Kamilah was out here with another man, so I came out here to defend her honor, as any bridegroom would do for his beloved." This man- Gahiji, I think Kamilah called him- was lying through his teeth.

"Father, this man is lying. He threatened to beat her into submission, just for being out here with me."

"Shut up. No one asked you to get into the middle of this."

"Do not speak to me like you are superior."

"Then it looks like I need to teach you some manners as well, boy." Gahiji raised his closed fist to strike me, but Mahad caught the punch before it reached me.

"Did you really believe the lady of the house and the Prince of Egypt were unaccompanied out here in this beautifully tended garden?" My father spoke up. I watched him look at Anhknem, who just nodded his head. "By raising your hand to strike my son, the Prince, you are under arrest for treason. Mahad, take him to the carriage and restrain him." Mahad took Gahiji-kicking and screaming- out of the garden and the house. "I'm sorry, but with this issue we will have to postpone the assignment reading for another day. Come on son. We must take our leave."

I look back at Kamilah. She has a small smile on her face and walks over to stand beside her father. He bows and she curtsies as we walk past them, going back the way we came.