Egyptian Night

Derek

Bringing his dirt stained hand up to the tied on his armor, Derek slowly started to take off the heavy, stained leather. They'd definitely served their purpose over the last couple of days. Their purpose? Hah! what a concept. Was killing innocents really a thing he wanted to be remembered for? Maybe they really weren't complete innocents. They had attacked the village for a reason, right? Such thoughts were like poison to Derek's mind. He was always told he shouldn't question the orders he was given. They were just supposed to be right. Despite that, he couldn't help but question every once in awhile. Never to a superior, but maybe among his fellow soldiers, or mostly just to himself. He didn't want to get the rep as a bad soldier; a whiner.

Derek hadn't always been a 'bad guy'. Actually, he used to swear he wouldn't follow his father's footsteps and join the army. His father had been killed when he was only eight. Even though he'd died when he was young, Derek still had strong memories with his father. Good memories. It had been in a senseless raid that he'd been killed to. The current Pharoah had called a village destroyed over a political agreement going 'bad'. Which had meant that the man had offended him. It wasn't as if he could have just punished that man, he thought bitterly to himself. It hadn't been his father's battle to fight. It was done now, though, and Derek was now in the same path. The same hellish path.

"Hey, we're going to the river, want to join?" A blonde haired soldier with playful, hazel eyes asked.

"Yeah, be right there," he answered, glad for even the temporary relief from his thoughts. Dropping the armor he was left in only his shendyt.

Stepping out of the tent the cool night breath hit his bare skin sending tingles of delight through him. It felt so good to be outside.
He'd walked out just in time to see the soldier's mercilessly kicking her. Maybe it wasn't quite that bad, but he already felt bad for the captive. She really hadn't caused him any trouble. Even the looks she gave him reminded him of his.... It didn't matter, she wasn't her and her fate was sealed anyway. There wasn't anything he could do to save her. It wasn't as if he was royalty or even close to that rank. Shaking his head he stalked off to the river.

On his way back to the tent, with water dripping from his now clean hair, and down his neck, Derek caught sight of Kat's sleeping frame. At least she'd found sleep, he thought to himself as he ducked into his tent for the night.