The Prince and His Slave

Chione - [The Queen of Egypt]

I looked around at the gathering people. What’s going on? I thought. I walked quickly towards the crowd and began to hear a lot of gasps.

       “What’s wrong?” I asked a man who seemed to be upset about something.

       “It seems that we will be suffering for even longer now!” He said. He shook his head and walked away.

       “Wait, what?” I called, but he didn’t respond.

       “What did the king say?” I heard a woman ask another woman.

       The other woman shrugged. “I don’t know, but knowing him, he probably isn’t too upset.”

       “Upset about what? What happened?” I asked the women. Their faces were filled with sadness, as if they had lost something important to them.

       “Oh, terrible news!  Do you remember how the Prince went to the east?”—I stopped breathing.—”Well, what people are saying is that he was badly injured when he fought with one of the criminals.”

       “What?” I yelled.

       The women looked at the floor and put their hands on their faces. “Some say he has died…”

       I froze. “No!” I yelled. “That is not true!”

       The women looked at me and I felt their stares as I turned around and ran off towards the palace. I made my way through the halls, I was looking for someone but I wasn’t sure who. That’s impossible! I thought. Arius couldn’t have… died. If he had, there would be much more of a commotion.

       My heart was beating so fast that it was hard for me to breathe. I looked around, and then bumped into someone.

       Lady Aziza stared at me with anger. “What where you walk, slave!” She screamed.

       I bowed. “Forgive me, my Lady.”

       She eyed me, and then turned around and began walking.

       “Wait!” I called, realizing she would know if Arius was alright.

       She turned around, looking even angrier. “What respect? Who do you think you are talking too?” She asked, marching towards me.

       “Please, my Lady, I have a question.” I said, but I didn’t wait for her to tell me to talk. “The Prince, he set off to the east recently…” I started.

       She looked annoyed, “What of it?” She asked.

       “There have been rumors that he was injured, and that he… died, are they—”

       “Who speaks of such nonsense?” She screeched, “Speaking of the death of the Prince! May Ra feast delightfully on the soul of the one who started such rumors!”

       I felt a rush of relief. “So he is okay?” I asked, smiling widely.

       “Of course! I don’t know whether you know it or not but the Prince is almost as much of a god as the Pharaoh himself! No one could kill him so easily, especially not a group of criminals!” She seemed quite proud of her words.

       Strangely, I felt like I wanted to hug her but I knew if I did, I would get into a lot of trouble. Suddenly I realized something. “Wait, ‘No one could kill him so easily’ what do you mean by that? Do you mean someone tried?” I asked, feeling my heart stop again.