The New Princess of Egypt

Part 17

(Akila)

Anger flashes in the king's eyes. 

He's figured it out. 

"Guards, after the imposter beside me!" He yells out. 

My senses are instantly put on high alert. I hear the tell-tale chinking of armour and spears. I twist around, hike up my dress to my thighs and dash off past my adoptive brothers. I quickly cast an apologetic look to them before exiting the hall. My light footsteps somehow manage to echo throughout the corridors. I don't know whether it's just my brain focusing on and magnifying those sounds or they're truly that loud. I run up the winding staircases, flinging myself around every corner in attempt to confuse the guards chasing after me. 

Then I reach my bed chambers. I slam the door behind me, shove my dresser beside it to try and jam it shut and take a flying leap off my balcony. My weight tears through the cloth roofs of market stalls and I eventually crash-land into a wheelbarrow full of figs. I feel pain rippling through my back and rear end. That's definitely going to leave a couple bruises. I roll out of the wheelbarrow and land on the dusty ground. I wheeze in pain and from the dust and sand going into my lungs. I pull myself up, pain releasing me from the panic. Hobbling over to Geb, I mount him carefully. 

"Let's go, boy. Back to the cave." I whisper into Geb's ear. 

Then I give him a kick in the ribs to get him going. He instantly rushes forward, we gallop through the city and slums. Startled yelps and cries come from the people around us. I look over my shoulder to see a squad of palace guards behind us. 

"Come on, Geb. Faster, faster. I can't be caught, not today." I say, panic clouding my mind again. Terrified screams fill my ears as we ride through the market, over that I can hear my own heart pounding. A finely polished spear whizzes past my ear, for a split second sunlight is reflected right into my eye. Surrounded by a cacophony of various sounds, I collapse sideways into the hard ground. Plumes of dust and dirt fly up into the air as I hit the ground. Through blurry vision, I watch Geb carry on towards the Citadel's entrance gates. I blink rapidly and I forget what's going on. 

Where am I? Who are these people around me? Why does it hurt so much? 

Then staring up at the palace guards and wide-eyed townsfolk, I pass out.