God Was Busy

Chapter 9

Unwilling to come back to the bitter reality, I stayed in my imagination for longer than I intended. Till the sound of Footsteps approaching forced me to open my eyes, a tall man with broad shoulders walked in with measured and slow steps, wearing the whitest chiton I have ever seen with purple borders.

I stood up immediately, but he kept on walking unaware of my presence so I took the opportunity to study him. With somber eyes, a high-bridged nose, and full lips. His face was beautiful, perfect, arresting in some strange inexplicable way, and I was reminded of a Statue I had seen somewhere, but I had forgotten where.

He looked like someone from the gods or higher authority but then I remembered what Aoife had said: "The Gods don't visit this place alone, they are always followed by slaves, and no one else is allowed here."

"Excuse me," I said "You are not supposed to be here".

"Are you talking to me?" he asked, sounding puzzled, and reflective.

"Can you see anyone else here?" I shrugged.

"I want to be alone here," His eyes were cold. His unfriendliness intimidated me. My words came out with less severity than I'd intended.

"Yes, but you are not allowed here,"

"And who has the authority to stop me?" he pointed towards his chest as he spoke, as if he thought I mightn't understand, and I could hardly blame him for that since I was standing there blank-eyed and dumb as an ox. But I kept on talking.

"The Gods,"

He looked at me with an expression I had never seen on a man's face before—or since. What he did next completely shocked me. He laughed for a while when I stood there staring then said "And you are?"

"I should be asking this question, I am the one with the keys,"

"I am just a lonely wanderer wandering in the wondering world" he sounded amused.

"That is really poetic but I thought people of Rhesus didn't believe in the wondering theory of Herodotus,"

"People of Rhesus are mistaken then my lady, it's not the heaven or the earth but our eyes that deceive us," the man's tone suddenly became serious, and said "one might think a woman doesn't possess such knowledge, who are you if you don't mind my asking,"

I realized my mistake, I just told this stranger that I was educated which was not good, I was supposed to be working invisibly in the shadows till it was time to leave this gilded cage so I said,

"I am hired to clean this place"

"Sound reasoning. Woman of education and beauty, working in the garden, I must admit I am surprised,"

"Are you flirting with me?"

"No, I am just stating the obvious," he turned around "I will like to stay over and enjoy the general splendor if you don't mind"

"Yes, I pretty much do mind mister, I am here to protect this place from thieves, so off you go,"

"I am sorry for causing you inconvenience, my lady," the man said but his tone was amused, still standing there. "I will leave as soon as I inhale all the fresh air I need" I turned around and noticed his eyes following me. Watching me collect the leaves in a basket. Which annoyed me even more.

"As the person with keys, I command you to leave," I made my voice harsh.

he nodded in obedience and walked towards the gate.

Aoife froze when she saw the man near the gate, she knelt as he passed her, which confused me. She only started walking when the man was out of sight.

"Why did you kneel?" I asked her.

"Because that's what we do when we see the children of Gods,"

"Children of Gods?"

She scoffed, "He is Alexander, the only son of Khufu the heir to the throne,"

My heart thumped, and I felt my cheeks get crimson. I bent down to place the basket on the ground, in agony of confusion.

"But you said Gods never visit this place alone,"

"They do what they want ..." I don't know what she saw on my face, she said, "What happened to you?"

"I misbehaved with that man,"

"Ohh, Cassandra ...." she stopped. "You can lose your head for this,"

"Will master Hermes kill me?

"I will take care of him but I cannot predict Lord Alexander's mood."

Unable to come up with something i remain silent. That was it, my life was in the hands of a man who could order to kill me in the blink of an eye.

"Don't worry, Hermes is the chamberlain of the palace, I will talk to him. But some things are not in his hands," Aoife tried to console me

Was it just the morning when I felt relaxed here? I am getting the impression that I will never be comfortable even in my own skin. The circumstances were harder back in my house but no one was killing me and now suddenly I was scared for my life.

That night I was exhausted, and so tense, so frightened of everything around me that I just laid there, staring into the darkness, as rigid as aboard. And yet—somehow—I must've slept because when I looked again, I could see the light. I don't know how I got through the night, but I did.