My Pharaoh

Chapter 20

Paloma

There's a few moments of silence. Everyone looks at him blankly. And Khepiri walks in with the fish in hand.

"What's the matter?" She asks "why's everyone silent?"

My father looks at him in confusion. "What did you say?"

Ramses is perhaps too weak to repeat those words, and with the same intensity as before.

"He's the Pharaoh father, King Ramses of Egypt."I say.

Everyone looks even more shocked than before, hearing it come out of my mouth, rather than his, for he might be so injured he's concussed and hallucinating, but I'm not. I'm known for reason and bluntness, and it was said by me.

"Paloma," my dad says, and looks at me and then Ramses, he seems like he's about to argue against it but thinks, and recalls the memories he has of the man before him "the Pharaoh of Egypt." He states.

And with that, all head are on the floor, including the fish.

"Get up." I mutter in embarrassment and glance at Ramses who's now smiling slightly through a beaten face.

"Stand up," he says "please," and they listen to him, unbelievable "before I'm King, sir, I'm a man who's asked for your daughters hand. So you're above me, as far as I'm concerned, you all are, and I enjoy being treated as such."

They all look at him without words to spare. "Amun...Ramses...your highness." My mother hesitates.

"Ramses." He states.

"Ramses," she says "you're not safe here."

He sighs and glances at me.

"Please, my dear, let's not stress him now, he needs to rest," my father stands up and takes his wife's hand "let's go talk." He looks at me and Ramses before leaving the room.

Everyone trails out of the room, except some of my younger siblings, who don't understand the velocity of his power and danger. They continue to sit with him and ask him for stories and games.

"Go and play with the neighbours," I say "Amun is too weak to play right now."

Reluctantly, they do as told, until it's just him and I in the room. I look at him.

"Why did you tell them?" I ask.

"You were stuck," he mutters "and if I'm to marry you, it was going to come out sooner or later."

I clench my eyes shut and sigh and lean back on the wall.

"They're in so much danger." I whisper and he watches me.

"It's me they want dead." He says.

"Yes," I explain "but they're in danger just by association...and my father more than anyone if he lets me marry you."

He tries to sit up, but in vein, his torso hurts too much.

"I'll make sure nothing happens."