The Prince's Punishment

Chapter Thirty- Six

Chapter Thirty- Six: Tepemkau

Day's had passed since her death, five to be exact and yet I feel as if a part of me died along with her that day. I watched helplessly as the life slowly slipped away, too far from any mortal's grasp. Her once rosy cheeks, now pale. Eyes no longer filled with joy and laughter, only a dull distant view. I remember it as if it were yesterday, the pained memory still fresh like a new deep open wound. No matter how hard I tried I could not rid myself of it, nor did I want to. I sighed as a single tear managed to find its way down my cheek. How could a man, who is to show no weakness, continue on with life? How does he carry on living knowing he'd been betrayed and denied true happiness?

My life no longer held meaning, my title no longer held purpose to me. What a fool I was to think I deserved such a luxury as love. The Gods are punishing me for my sins. I looked towards the heaven, my hands clenched into tight fists. I could no longer bear the pain as I shouted in anguish "I defy you stars! I defy you Gods!" With each shout I could feel my very being shatter from within. I was no longer a man; I was simply an empty shell of what used to be a man. No, not a man... A Prince of Egypt... I felt the rays of sun upon my back as though it were shining like a thousand suns overhead. The hot sand burned my feet, though I could not careless; I felt nothing but the emptiness inside.

I'd been traveling on foot for days without food or water. I couldn't bring myself to do any simple task such as eating or drinking because I had lost my life, my reason for living. It was only fair that I too allowed this empty vessel to be taken by the sands of time. I knew my body would eventually give out and when that time came I would welcome it with open arms, only then would I truly be whole again.

I managed to push my body a little further enabling me to make it to the small secluded town where Eshe's family had buried her body... Eshe... Even the mere thought of her name brings me pain... Weak and disoriented I made my way through the town and to her burial ground and laid myself down to rest. I didn't have to wait long before my eternal slumber beckoned me. And with my final breath I spoke the words I had been dying to say, the words that had never left these now dry and cracked lips until now. There in that moment did I find my everlasting happiness, there did I find my one true love again. I could just barely see her as she slowly made her way to me growing clearer and clearer as she reached me, her hand outstretched towards mine as if calling me forth to join her in the other world. "Komeca shunn leiampa, Eshe." (I love you.)