Ancient Love

Chapter 7: The Fight

Craig began reading what was on the paper out loud.

"My love. It pains me to write this for I would love to be able to run with you and leave everything so we could be together. However, something has come and what it is. I wish I could tell you. All I can tell you is I have found my father to marry for benefit. No man could ever take your place. I will forget you and I will always for you will always have my heart" Craig read in a high pitched mocking voice.

"Where did you find that?" I asked him as I tried to grab the paper out of his hands. "Uh Uh Uh!" He said as he held the paper up higher with one hand and wiggled his finger from side to side with his free hand. Ahkmenrah grabbed the paper out of his hands and began to read it to himself. "Ahkmenrah. It's not what you think it is!" I pleaded with him as I tried to get the letter out of his hands. "Then what is it?!" He demanded. "I.." I tried to say before Ahkmenrah put his hand up to stop me from speaking. "How dare you do this to me. We have known each other for over ten years! I loved you even before I knew who you really are!" Ahkmenrah said as he turned away from me. "Let's go Craig. I want to spend time with someone I know that I can trust" Ahkmenrah said as he grabbed a change of clothes and stormed out of the room with Craig following closely behind him carrying a medium sized box. I sunk to the ground and broke down in tears watching the love of my life walk out on me as the large doors were then slammed shut.

Later that evening, dinner was quiet. Ahkmenrah sat far away from me while Craig sat close to him in where I would normally sit. Throughout the whole dinner, Craig kept giving me dirty looks and Ahkmenrah continued to ignore me.

After dinner, Ahkmenrah and I went to separate bathing chambers to freshen up. As I was getting ready for the nightly ceremony, I couldn't help but feel sad and angry at the same time. I had lost the love of my life but he didn't want to hear my explanation. When we got to the temple, we were forced to sit next to each other and even then he wouldn't even glance over at me. After getting back to what was supposed to be our room, I walked out onto the balcony to get some fresh air and to clear my head. A few minutes later, I heard the door come open and when I glanced over, I saw Ahkmenrah walked in with Ubaid and Craig to gather some of his belongings. I quickly grabbed Ahkmenrah's arm and he looked at me, annoyance and anger clear on his face. "Ahkmenrah please just listen to me!" I begged as I held his arm tight. "I am not in the mood for this Irissia!" He scolded as he yanked his arm out of my grasp with a harsh shove that knocked me down onto the floor. "Craig, Ubaid, let's go. We have all that I require" he said coldly as he walked out of the room with Craig following behind him. Before Ubaid exited the room, he looked at me sorrowfully seeing my tear filled eyes. After looking away from me, he looked into the hall when Ahkmenrah's voice was heard calling him harshly. Ubaid looked back at me one last time and he gave me a small nod before he left.

I lay there on the ground as I watched him, Ubaid and Craig walk out of the room with some of his belongings. After crying for a while I got cleaned up and dressed for bed. That night was one of the hardest nights I ended up crying myself to sleep. The next morning I woke up earlier than usual before Anuktata came to wake me up. I rolled over onto my other side and noticed that Ahkmanrah was still not there. Remembering what had happened, I lay there in bed alone crying some more.

"Good Morning your highness." Anuktata said as she came into my room. "You are up rather early this morning. Are you feeling alright?" She asked me as she helped me out of my night clothes and into a bath. I sighed. "Ahkmanrah and I got into a fight last night over some old letter that Craig found while rummaging through our stuff." I said as I avoided eye contact with her. "I see." She said as she washed my hair. "I am sure things will get better soon. You just have to talk to him that's all." She added as she rinsed the soap out of my hair. I sunk lower into the tub. "I'll go get your things ready for today." Anuktata said as she wiped her hands off with a towel and left the room. I sat there alone in the tub for a while. After a few minutes, Anuktata came back in as I was sinking lower and lower into the tub. "Come now your highness. Let's get you out and dried off before you get all shriveled up like a mummy!" She said as she forced me out of the tub. As I was getting dried off and my bottom layers on, I couldn't help but look at the bracelet that Ahkmanrah gave to me. "Arms up your highness." Anuktata said as she lifted up my arms to put on my top layer. "I picked out this outfit special for today." She said as she put my other jewelry and accessories on. I sat down at my desk and before I could put my head down, Anuktata came over and started to style my hair. After it was styled, she put my headpiece on and added a few finishing touches. "There we are your highness! You look absolutely stunning!" She said as she took me to the mirror. As I looked in the mirror, I couldn't see what the others saw. I didn't see this supposedly beautiful princess. All I saw was me. Nothing special. After being pulled away from the mirror and towards the door, Anuktata and I saw Ubaid walk by. "Oh Ubaid! Just the person I would like to see!" Anuktata said as she caught his attention. Ubaid walked into the room and bowed before me. 'Your highness, you look especially beautiful today." He said as he bowed. "Thank you Ubaid." I replied to him. "Ubaid, I need your help with something. I am not sure that you are aware but Ahkmanrah and I got into a fight last night and I need your help so I can get him alone so I can explain the situation." I pleaded with him. "Anything you wish your highness." Ubaid said with a bow. "I will try my best." He said as be stood up and walked out of the room.

Throughout the day, it was very awkward between Ahkmanrah and I. We sat together when we were forced to but other than that, there was no contact between us. After the morning ceremony, breakfast and a visit to the town and then lunch, it was time to meet with the ceremony planner to review the wedding and crowning ceremony plans. In the meeting, Ahkmanrah sat silent and while I tried to get him to talk by asking for his opinions on things, not a word was spoken to me. After the meeting, we went our separate ways. Ahkmanrah went with Craig and I went back to the city to help out the citizens. After putting in a hard day's work, I returned to the palace and got washed up and changed. After I was finished and dressed down for the evening, I went for a walk around the palace grounds. While on my walk, I ran into Ahkmanrah's mother, Shepseheret who was accompanied by Ximena, her personal servant and of course her two guards, Masud and Tsafento. "Iris! What a nice surprise to see you my dear!" She said as she walked towards me to hug me. "Oh Queen Shepseheret! It is a nice surprise to see you here." I replied as I hugged her back. "Come sit!" She said as she motioned over to a spot near the pond. We sat down together and she told me about how excited she is for Ahkmanrah and I. She paused mid sentence. "Say Iris, is everything ok between you two? Usually you two are so close!" She said as she put her hand on my shoulder. I sighed. "Well to be honest. No. Ahkmanrah and I got into a fight over something and I can't get him to listen to me." I replied as I put my hand on my head trying to fight back tears. "Sounds like what you two need is a heart to heart." She said as she put her fingers under my chin and forced me to look up at her. I could tell that she saw the tears in my eyes as she put her arms around me and gave me a big motherly hug. After talking for a while, we were informed that it was time for dinner. Shepseheret and I walked to dinner together just talking. After dinner and the sunset/moonrise ceremony, I was finally able to catch up to Ahkmanrah and get him to listen to me. "Listen Ahkmanrah, like it or not, we still have to get married and rule together side by side." I said as I grabbed onto his arm tight. "I'll tell you what, if you just listen to me and let me explain, if you want to call off the wedding then that's fine. I'll leave in the morning and you never have to see or hear from me ever again." I said as I tried to bargain with him. "Very well." Ahkmanrah said. I let go of his arm and we began to walk towards the palace. Along the way, Ahkmanrah told Craig to follow us. The three of us got to the palace and into what was supposed to be OUR room. After shutting the doors, Ahkmanrah and Craig sat down on the couches. "Listen Ahkmanrah. That letter was not what you think it was. Read it for yourself!" I said as I began explaining. Craig took out the letter and gave it to Ahkmenrah to read. "My dearest love. It pains me to write this to you for I would love to be able to run away with you and leave everything behind so we could be together. However, something has come up and I can't reveal what it is. I really wish I could tell you everything but all I can tell you is that I have found out that my father arranged for me to marry someone I have never met just for his benefit. No man could ever take your place in my heart. I will never forget you and I will always deeply care for you, for you will always have my heart no matter what." Ahkmenrah looked at the paper. "WHO was this for then?" Ahkmenrah said as he handed me the letter. "Technically it was for you. But when I found out that you were not only the prince I was betrothed to, but also the mysterious man of the Nile that I was madly in love with!" I replied as I tried not to sound too confusing. "So you mean to tell me that you were breaking up with me so that you could marry me?" Ahkmenrah said puzzled. "Yes and No." I said. "I was never going to give it to you because I wanted to do it face to face so that I could see you one last time before getting married to a mysterious prince. And besides, I had no idea that you were not only my mysterious love, but also the prince I am marrying!" I added as I tried to explain the situation.

"That is, if you will still have me" I said meekly. "Of course my love. I am truly sorry for being such a hard headed buffon "Ahkmenrah responded lovingly.

"Well what about THIS letter that I found with it?" Craig asked as he held up another letter and waved it out in my face. Craig began to read it...