My Pharaoh

Chapter 21

Ramses

I limp towards her when I finally find her, sitting in her favourite place, looking down at the ground.

She notices me and rushes over.

"Why are you here? You should be lying down," she says, holding my arms with soft hands "who let you out? I told them to look after you."

I scoff and look down at her. "They don't know how to tell me what to do, they don't think they should."

She looks down.

"And I really didn't want them looking after me. I wanted you."

Her face relaxes a bit, and she smiles at me tiredly.

"I'm not your maid."

"No, I know."

"Nor am I your wife."

"Yet." I reply quickly.

She looks at me shyly.

"Yet." She repeats.

"And are you suggesting that when you are, that things will be different?"

I hold her hand.

She smirks and looks at me and then at her hand in mine.

"I'm not one to change so fast."

"I know."

"But, of course, I will inevitably be just like any wife. Looking after you."

I shake my head.

"I don't want you to think that's what I expect from you," I say and she looks up at me "I just want you to be yourself, beside me, and I'll look after you and I'll make sure I don't see a day where you're unhappy."

She laughs slightly. "You know that's not possible."

I smile because of her face. "Well, then I'll make sure that even in the unhappy days, or the hard days, you feel loved and cared for, by me."

She sighs, and leans into me, and it hurts but I hug back despite the physical pain. The pleasure of her is worth any pain the world has for me. Any arrow wounds that I'll ever endure, won't be enough to keep me away.

"I needed to hear that," she whispers and leans away "thank you."

She helps me sit down.

"I was talking to Aba this morning, when Sadik was changing my bandages. And she told me how you've felt about marriage...and how you may be scared," I say slowly, glancing at her as she listens "I too never wanted to be married," she looks at me surprised "my parents, may Ra protect them, weren't happy together, as I remember. And I had always thought that's just what marriage is, unhappiness and arguing. But I don't see why it should be that way for us," I put my hand on hers "you're everything to me, my future wife, my future queen, but also Paloma you're my best friend. You're basically the only person in the world I trust. And that's why I want you to be my partner in life-"