Tangled Fates

Chapter 17

Atem gets his bags on his horse as he stands in the staple petting his horse without any jewelry or crown just a normal traveler..
He hears horses snorting outside and luggage thrown and laugher echo in the staples, he walks his horse to find Duke, Seth and Mahad getting as well..
"I said I was going alone.." he frowns as he orders them getting on his horse..
"I don't see no crown, you can't order me"
Seth takes the lead signaling them to follow
"I am going for the same reason you are.."
Duke follows Seth teasing Atem
"I swore an oath to protect and follow your majesty where ever you go"
Mahad bows on top of his horse dramatically with a hand on his chest
"Yes, I bet Manna would Agree"
Atem scoffs making Duke burst into laughter exposing Mahad's real purposes as he takes the lead back from Seth eternally thinking 'this is going to be a long ride'..

"A Young man?.. Whom?..But.. You're already engaged my daughter.."
  Etmu's father adjusts his sit giving her his full attention, as Esmeralda narrows her eyes
'what could she possibly be up to now'
"He is from the Capital Father, He shall arrive in two days time by land.. He wishes to officially ask for your permission"
  She answers deliberately ignoring her mother's stares..
  "The Capital eh? Fine.. I Shall meet him.. but I will inform Rollo.."
He agrees smartly understanding the situation, giving her excitement with the news and the fact that she has been down and not really hee self since she came back.. not celebrating her week away wedding..
  He smiles realizing that 'He' must be reason behind her depression..

Riders.. Four of them, Not many riders come to this village.. especially at this time of the year and midday... They take the attention of the whole village as they are dressed in long cloaks hiding their faces giving no clues to where they come from..
  Rollo and his Friends watch them closely as they set their tents away from the village near the Nile.. they return to get food and water and start asking around..
  Next day at sundown Atem decided to go to the house he was pointed to.. it was one of the wealthiest as Amen was a well known trader..
  "How was the road my son.."
Amen asks as he watches Atem taking off his cloak revealing his face..
  "Very long, sire"
Atem answers sneaking a look at Etmu who stands behind her father shyly..
  "You must know my daughter is engaged and her Fiancé was not thrilled to hear the news..
and since I will not decide for her you shall do battle"
Amen decides to leave it up to the stronger knowing his daughter's choice but unable to announce it as she will be favoring a stranger over her own..
  "Tomorrow noon then.."
Atem gets up to take his leave
"You are the spitting image of her, young Atem"
Amen smiles as he presses the fact that he was never told his origins or his name.. but he could tell only by looking at him..
Atem smiles on his way relieved his identity is no Secret to him..

Etmu scoffs looking at her mother who stands anxious but remains silent..
"She told me nothing.. However I understand how she feels.. she cares for you.."
Amen takes them both and hugs them
"Anyways, It was all his doing"
Etmu says crossing her arms
"I know... there's no stopping either of you is there?.." she sighs defeated holding her hands to her face only capable of praying..
"Promise me you will be careful and take care of yourself.. and him.."
Esmeralda finally holds her daughter as Etmu nods happily knowing she finally has her mother's consent
"My little girl will be the next Queen"
They both tears up and giggle hugging each other, now they will be a true wedding..
"Hey, don't decide that fast, tomorrow is still to come.." They both look at each other silently smiling making the old man confused..

  Etmu takes a food basket she prepared out to their tents near the Nile..
She finds Duke, Mahad and Seth attack the basket barley saving one for Atem as she smiles at them knowing exactly why they are here.. and like Atem.. they must have sealed the deal..
She finds Atem siting on the shore pondering the Village and takes a seat next to him..
"So This is Where mother grew up.."
He says still wondering the whole place
"Its so simple, peaceful and quite, how did she cope with such a busy life in the Capital"
He finally looks deep into her eyes
"You see, We Women are like Liquid, We adapt for the ones we Love.."
She leans on his shoulders after gives him the pie and apple she saved for him and watch him take a bite..
"Do I take this to mean you forgive me?" She asks shyly "No! I just wanted you more than I was angry with you" He raises his head faking arrogance making her chuckle..
"Why didn't you choose though?"
He raises an eyebrow in annoyance..
"Oh I did, You'll see.. "
She smirks knowing her answer only made him more curious as she takes her leave hearing him scoff and take another bite of the apple..

Rollo stood the middle of a vast area in the most busy market in the village exactly at noon with his sward fixed to the ground as the crowed started gathering around awaiting the arrival of his outsider opponent..
Atem arrives minutes later confused as he was not expecting audience.. He takes a look around to find people of all ages rooting for Rollo.. after all He is their own..
He finds Mahad and Manna, Seth and Kisara, Duke and Euphyy all watching telling him he is late.. as usual..
He swifts his eyes to see Etmu Who smiles at him showing no signs of worry or stress..
He finally eyes his opponent who stared at him the whole time..
"I admire you stranger.. your Courage and Honesty.. but you stand no chance" Rollo speaks aloud for the whole crowd to hear addressing Atem who raises an eyebrow..
"However, She is not as strong as she seems, none of them are, she belongs here with me to protect her.. with her people.."
Rollo continues making the crowd cheer
"But fair is fair and you Will get your Fight.. Capital boy.. but us.. we grew up on the streets.."
He makes the crowd laugh implying he most definitely knows nothing about fighting making Atem angry and annoyed..
"You look like you're just talk, Do you plan on fighting today?"
Atem asks sarcastically taking off his cloak revealing his muscled.. well.. everything..
"Dear Ra!!.. Did you breastfeed off of Isis herself?!"
Rollo takes one look at his body and thinks this might be harder than he thought
Everyone laughs as Atem grows a little red..
"Well, you're about to find out.."
He picks up a sward and watches Rollo take his position completely wrong and realizes immediately what Etmu meant.. 'Ohh.. This is going to be Fun'
He eyes Etmu who stares at him with calm eyes saying prove this arrogant wrong..

Rollo charges without assessing the situation, his sward behind him holding it with both hands making it incredibly easy for Atem not only to avoid his unplanned attack but also startle him face first into the sand.. making All wince in pain for the poor guy..
"Lesson number one: Never charge in one on one combat"
Atem instructs looking at the side where all the children are standing who couldn't hold in their laughter..
Atem takes position too early signaling to him with his eyes how its done to lessen the humiliation..
Rollo takes a position familiar but still wrong and attacks Atem again who only swifts left making the poor man pump his head on a wooden stick and wince in pain as the crowd laughs and aws..
"Lesson number Two: Always access your surroundings.. and maybe listen to lesson one"
Atem announces again loudly, the second part in lower voice.. helping Rollo get up which he need at this point..
"Now, left leg front.. sward in right hand.. left hand free.." He instructs his now panting opponent, Rollo looks around with revolving circle moment sync with Atem who nods..
They both charge at the same time and their swards finally meet as metal clinging echoes through.. It was still easy for Atem to knock his sward away and drop Rollo to the ground with the sward to his neck announcing himself victor..
"Lesson Number Three: Hold you sward with hands of Steel, Number Four: Never Hesitate, Number Five: Always strike to Kill"
Atem smiles from where he stands holding a hand to Rollo helping him up
"Last, never practice without supervision of a cable expert.. or underestimate a kyoshi warrior.."
He eyes the kids who will definitely try this later and get hurt making them grunt in anger but also look at all the Kyoshi girls in great admiration..
Rollo gets up to shake Atem's hand admitting his defeat feeling the shame..
Realizing what he always had but never taken advantage of learning his own defects and weaknesses..
"Madam Esmeralda! I would like to be your student, Train me like you trained the next Pharaoh and Queen" He looks at them knowing who they are and who they are going to be, He looks back at Esmeralda and bows hoping she would accept him.. She nods in proud silence telling him to leave
"May we meet again" they three whisper to each other the same sentence nodding...

Atem now looks at the girl who owns his heart as he gets close to hold her, she looks back smiling as he leans in to kiss her passionately wrapping his arms around her waist deepening their kiss as all their friends cheer and congratulate them..

-The Capital
  It was dark.. only the moonlight shines upon the sleeping city.. Akmankanen walks alone with a cloak over his headed towards the sacred temple in the middle of city only hearing his own breath and owls howling in the distance.. He walks into a secret passage under the Temple and takes off his cloak eyeing the huge stone standing statues resampling the gods..
He walks through a tight passage to get as close as possible to these statues and crumbles to his knees in Tears and Weakness
"I come to you.. no Pharaoh.. no king.. just a humbled man begging for your forgiveness..
I have sinned.. a great sinn.. and I was punished.. my wife.. my true love suffered the consequences in my place.. I will not watch my son suffer like his mother.. Accept my offering.. I beg you... Save my son.."
  He kneels down his tears wetting his clothes as he raises his hands above his head praying to his gods for the safety of his only son...