Tangled Fates

Chapter 15

 
  Atem stands in the balcony of the western wing awaiting his loved one, it doesn't take long for her to arrive and allow herself to be consumed by his lips on hers answering their every call.. finishing off with moaning giggles from the both of them..
  They stop kissing at the pressing feeling of someone watching them.. they look back to find Esmeralda standing with an emotionless resting face..
"Does he know?.."
She says addressing her daughter forcing Etmu to gulp pulling her eyes away from his while still in his arms and starts to tear up.. he lets go of her knowing now she is hiding something of great consequences.. he frowns in great worry and distress waiting anxiously for her to speak..
"I am engaged.. to be married"
She finally speaks with low, defeated, pained voice, Atem could feel his heart shatter into million pieces.. questioning himself and everything she ever told him.. she pulls her eyes back to his only to meet his saddened, let down ones..
"I love you!.. I know its hard.. but I need you to believe me.."
She tries to hold his face but he grabs her hands pulling them away.. un able to forgive her dishonesty.. for his life was full of lies.. discovered and greater still hidden.. she was his escape from his bitter fate but now even she is a lie..

They feel a strong shake from the ground beneath them, outside several farmers and commoners are permitted entrance to speak to the Pharaoh in great Horror.. It was only minutes till a guard appeared informing the Prince He is needed in the throne room..
He answers as fast as he was told leaving the room and his lover behind without another word.. for her betrayal was too great for him to process in such short time..

Esmeralda now scolds her daughter in a very calm manner as the girl wipe her tears away...
"Have you lost your mind? Playing with a Prince's heart?"
Its a few silent minutes until Etmu has fully wiped her teary face.. but never return to face her mother..
   "Are you with child?"
Esmeralda can't wait any longer for this question must be answered.. and fast..
  "Of course Not! why the sudden interest mother? You never cared about my personal affairs"
Etmu answers saddened,annoyed and frustrated with her mother's unexpected force of judgment upon her love life
"You have done enough.. We leave tomorrow.."
Etmu looks back in fury, disbelief wide eyes at her mother's unexpected decision..
"I have done nothing but accepted father's choice without hesitation or disobedience.. but.. this.. This was not planned!!
I Love him, Mother.." her eyes start to tear up again as she confesses her true feelings,begging for her mother's reconsideration..
"Silence! I have already lost a friend to Egypt.. I will not lose a daughter too.. We return to the Rice Patties tomorrow and that's final, Start packing and inform the rest!"
  Esmeralda ignores all in the fear of losing her only daughter but she will leave her with broken heart..
For this wasn't suppose to happen..
She was not suppose to be in such situation..
to make such decision..This is her Only option..
Break her Heart but Save her Life..

  The guard returns asking for both of them to the Throne room.. The very busy with a very stressed vibe room.. the Pharaoh sitting his throne reading a couple of scrolls and the officials debating strategies..
The Prince stands the round table deep in his thoughts looking for salvation with some farmers on their knees and bowed heads also in great worry!
"Esmeralda.. There is an early, unexpected flood of the Nile! It will destroy all the winter crops, There will be no harvest this year!
Egypt will starve!"
Aknaden holds her shoulders in seriousness hoping she has any solutions!!
At first she takes it all by surprise but she frowns regaining her strong warrior self..
"Etmu, Atem!! We have to bend water away from the farms.. find Kisara and any water benders and meet here in five minutes! For we don't have much time!"
They both nod and run to execute the plan, Esmeralda stands the balcony of the throne room assessing the situation to be followed be the Pharaoh
"Is it possible Esmeralda? Such great flood stopped by bending?" he asks feeling it almost impossible
"It requires masters and great powers!.. Yet there is a good chance we might fail.. so sign the horns and bring all civilians into the palace walls.. and pray to Ra we prevail.."

-The Palace Dam
"We will pass some from above us to the other side of the dam and push back some from back from where it came.."
Esmeralda explains the plan shouting instructions to the very small number of benders available as the sound of waves hitting the dam is too loud and the wind is so strong..
  They take water bending position and start rotating their arms in circular motion but as soon as they begin they can feel the amount and the pressure..
"Its.. so.. heavy.."
Etmu's arms start to lower down as droplets of water and sweat stream down her face..
"Its impossible to pass it above us.."
Atem shouts
"Focus on pushing"
Esmeralda orders as they all pull out their Fans and stretch their hands forward..
"NOW HOLD"
They push the waters against its natural flow as their feet start to slip back due to the force.. water starts to build up more and more knocking the amateur benders away behind the dam leaving only Atem, Etmu, Esmeralda and Kisara..
"I.. can't hold.. much longer!"
Kisara yells as her head gets all red hidden behind her long wet white hair..
"Mother! If we don't retreat now.. we will drown!!"
Etmu looks eyes her mother waiting for orders
  "One more time!"
They hold once more only for kisara to get knocked and hit the dam walls falling unconscious, Etmu on her knees signaling her last breath.. but the waters won't wait for them.. It pushes Atem and Esmeralda even harder as it gets closer to the farms and starts to flood some of them making them use the last of their energies..
  "No, Atem stop! You will Die!!!"
Esmeralda yells but the young man pushed further beyond his limit completely drained of his energies.. dizziness and imbalance is all he could feel now as he starts to fall..
Esmeralda feels the greatest pressure she ever had to face as she holds the whole Flood all by herself..
  Atem's eyes spring open with light shining so bright as he gets on his feet and walks to the middle of the dam.. and starts bending water so perfectly beyond his capabilities passing water above them and pushing back all at the same time in great strength He never had!..
  Etmu and Esmeralda feel the pressure lifting as they are not doing anything anymore..
The Fan in his hands glow as he gets even more physical with more precise movements controlling every drop in the Nile..
  Esmeralda is certain its not him anymore after seeing That Fan.. for the only person with such powers died years ago.. but her powers remain here within Him to be controlled when needed to Save Egypt and its people.. and most importantly her son's life..

  It all ends the water calms.. Etmu and Esmeralda are soaking wet.. but not a drop on him.. he stands the same way she did eyes forward one hand behind his back, one leg infront of the other and the fan stretched open infront of his chest.. its once again truly her.. but Esmeralda loses herself...
"I AM SORRY!! I CANT! PLEASE FORGIVE ME! YOU MUST UNDERSTAND.. I CANT LOSE HER TOO!"
Many Tears stream so fast down both of her cheeks.. as she pulls her neck up to her lost friend begging for her forgiveness..
She can see a look from the corner of his eyes and its very familiar but lasts only for seconds for Atem loses his balance and his perfect stand falling back down signaling her departure...