If You Feel Better

Chapter 26

Aya sat in the library, eyes burning holes into a sheet of papyrus. She felt determined to learn as much as she possibly could after her experience with Bakura. She knew she would one day she would be queen, but had never really appreciated what that meant.

She was to lead generations of people into the future. Protect them. Help them. Care for them. It was her responsibility to carry Egypt on her shoulders and leave it a better world than when she entered. Knowing that Bakura was loose in her country drove her to rid them of him. The amount of damage he could do was a terrifying thought.

Although she longed to be able to live a normal life, it was her burden she was born to bear. Thousands upon thousands of people were counting on her and she could not let them down. She was already planning all of the things she would instill as queen and even as princess if her father would allow her.

She took notes on the side of the important points in the texts as she read, already having pages and pages full. She was brushing up on successful past strategies to combat natural disasters that Egypt was prone to, such as famine, floods, and droughts. She knew now that she couldn't be too prepared for the unimaginable could always happen at any second.

The only thing she didn't know how to handle, and no answer would lie in any book, was Bakura. She didn't know how to find him or what to do once she did. A palace full of soldiers and trained guards was not enough to stop him. He was able to sneak through the palace completely undetected and make off with her without alerting a single soul. He was cunning, strong, and resolute.

Though he was a concern that she would eventually have to come to terms with, she set aside her worries regarding him for now. After all, he had returned her. She didn't know the reason why, but he had set her free. His sudden change of heart bothered her. Something didn't seem right.

She thought back to that horrible day.

Bakura was on top of her, kissing her neck fervently, robe discarded on the ground.

He had been trying for so long to force Aya to marry him. He spent months and months holding her captive, keeping her close.

"Stop!" She tried to fight against him, pushing him away, kicking him away. But he was just too strong. "Don't do this!" Tears rolled down her face and she sobbed. "Please. I'm begging you. Don't do this to me."

His hands then wrapped around her neck and squeezed, no longer receiving kisses or sensual touches. Instead, he choked her until she almost reached her end.

And then suddenly, he stopped. He let go, stood up, and marched out of the room, leaving her alone as if nothing happened. Not only that, but he sent her back to her family, alive and mostly unharmed.

Aya stared into space as she recalled the distressing memory. She didn't want to think about it, but at the same time, she didn't understand. He was strong enough to do anything he wanted to me. I was completely in his control and he knew it. He spent all of that time and went through all that trouble and right when he was going to succeed . . . he gives up? Aya questioned to herself.

She shook the thought back out of her head, focusing back on her work. She would probably never understand why Bakura did what he did, but she wasn't complaining about it in the least.

Finally finishing a great portion of her work, she marched to go find her father, stack of papers in hand. She had a million ideas to make Egypt a better place and she was going to make her father listen.

After looking through several rooms, she eventually found him walking down an outside corridor near the garden, talking with Priest Seto. "Father!" she called out to him.

Pharaoh Atem ended his conversation with Seto as Aya reached them both. "What is it, Aya?" he asked, noticing the stack of papers tucked under her arm.

She held them out for him to read. "I've decided that I'm going to embrace my role as future queen," she declared proudly. "I've already started coming up with ideas on how to help the country become more prosperous." She pointed to different areas on her paper as she spoke of them. "I think we should start out with the most impoverished of our people. We should figure out what issues they're experiencing, what is causing them, and why they aren't able to change the situation themselves. From there, we can make changes as far back in the chain as we can so it will fix the problem naturally as time goes on and we can give them temporary relief provisions in the meantime so they can start recovering immediately."

She stopped to take a deep breath and gage her father's reaction. The pharaoh gave her a soft smile and Seto remained expressionless. "This is all wonderful, Aya," her father began. "But it's not that simple. If it was, all of society's issues would've been fixed years ago."

"It's true," Priest Seto chimed in, crossing his arms. "I know you mean well, Princess, but state affairs are not to be taken likely and changing them is more complicated than just issuing a decree."

"I'm fully expecting that it's not going to be easy!" she said enthusiastically, holding up a different piece of paper. "But that doesn't mean we should do nothing. I have already written draft plans for counteracting the most obvious and biggest issues. To start, we can help poor people from going without food, specifically the children if you think we should start smaller. I think the government should ensure that all children are receiving proper care and nutrition. They are the future of Egypt after all."

The pharaoh sighed, sure he wasn't going to convince Aya of anything. "Aya, I think it's wonderful that you're taking your future role so seriously," he praised. "But you don't know much about the outside world. You spent almost your whole life in the palace. What do you know of other people's suffering?"

Aya's face turned into a scowl, gripping her hard work tighter in her hands. "You're exactly right, father," she agreed. "That's why I want to travel to our most impoverished town and set up a soup kitchen for a day. I think that would be a great way for me to get out there and see Egypt at its worst and truly understand the hardships that our most in need are going through."

"Aya, no! Those areas are filled with crime and are not safe!"

Becoming increasingly frustrated, Aya chastised her father. "And why do you think there is so much crime? They have no food and no money! How am I supposed to help my people if I cannot even see them?! I understand your concern, but I will not be alone. I will have guards from the palace to protect me from any harm. That is their job."

The pharaoh's voice turned low and his eyes turned dark. "Aya, Bakura is still out there and, I'm sorry, but my men have proven that they cannot stop him. What am I going to do if he shows himself there?"

Aya smiled at her father and touched his arm gently. "Am I supposed to constantly live in fear of Bakura?" she asked. "Are you going to force me to go back to having no life because of him? Is that how I'm supposed to live? All of Egypt knows about me now. Pretending I don't exist isn't going to help anyone. And it's certainly not fair to our citizens that I could be out there making their lives better, but instead I'm hiding away in here on the chance that one day in the future he'll come. It's my job to put myself out there for my people. If I do not then I am not a very good queen."

She saw that her father's confidence was waiving. He was rightfully worried, but also understood her intentions and her desire to become a strong figurehead for the next generations of Egyptians.

"Besides," she continued. "Bakura returned me. Although I'm not sure what for, it must mean that he wants to be done with me, does it not? Why else would he do that? It wouldn't make sense for him to target me any time soon."

The pharaoh could not argue those words and he knew how determined his daughter was. With a sigh of defeat, he finally agreed. "Very well. Seto, put out an announcement to the people. The princess and I will go on a good will mission to provide aid for our people in need."

Priest Seto put a fist over his heart and bowed. "Yes, my pharaoh," he obeyed dutifully.

Aya smiled at her father and bowed in respect as well. "Thank you, father."