Juan Ramon Sereno: The Wise Slave

Chapter 18: Foreseen and Unforeseen

"Lord Zaphenath-Panea," Alana corrected me.

We let Joseph's carriage pass by us before we stood up from where we knelt. I could probably climb on Joseph's carriage and introduce myself as one of his inmates back in prison, but I didn't. There are a lot of changes in my appearance for the past two years and he may not recognize me. Besides, the soldiers accompanying him would just stop me from even approaching his carriage. If Joseph and I were destined to meet, we shall meet at the proper time in the proper way.

"Oh, right, sorry," I apologized. "Lord Zaphenath-Panea."

I then remembered something.

"Alana, can I just ask, when will Asenath arrive here?" I asked.

She thought for a bit then suddenly covered her mouth using both her hands in shock. "Oh! She's going to arrive today! I have forgotten all about it when you said you were going to tell me something important."

"Well, what are we waiting –"

Before I even say the last word to my sentence, I made Alana ride my back again, but no sooner than she was off the ground, she got off again. "Kneel again, King Adeaez is coming. He's the Pharaoh of Egypt."

I followed her directions at once. I kept my head bowed to the ground so I couldn't see how the Pharaoh's carriage looks like. For some reason, some unknown force is preventing me from looking up at the Pharaoh's carriage, just like a large hand holding my head down where it is.

"Weird, where would the Pharaoh go at this time of day?" Alana asked me as soon as we got up.

"I have a hunch. I just hope I'm wrong," I answered as Alana got back up on my back.

While speeding through the desert, I surmised that this might be the perfect time to meet up with Joseph. If he and Asenath would meet, I don't need to do anything but to show myself and hope that he would recognize me despite the large scar on my left cheek.

"John, it looks like you're thinking of something, huh?" Alana told me as we got near their house.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sorry," I answered. "I haven't told you this yet, but Lord Zaphenath-Panea and the guy named Joseph in my story are one and the same."

"Really? That was him?" she blurted out. You can sense the surprise on the tone of her voice.

"Yep, that's him alright," I answered again. "I really don't know how to say this but –"

"Don't tell me yet," she cut through me. "There are a lot of things that I'd rather see as they happen instead of knowing about them before they happen."

"Considering that, you're right," I replied while we arrived at Alana's house. From afar, we can already see multiple carriages parked just outside.

"I can see Father's carriage, but why is the Pharaoh's carriage also here?" Alana asked.

"And also Lord Zaphenath-Panea's, it's also there," I added.

Just like what Alana said, it's better to see things as they happen instead of knowing about them before they happen, but I already know that the Pharaoh will be arranging a marriage between Joseph and Asenath. I don't know how it happens, but the two of them wil really tie the knot and they'll even have two sons. I was really itching to tell Alana this, but I also respect what she wants. Besides, I also don't know what would happen if I tell what I know regarding Joseph's life. Something unexpected might happen or the story itself might change.

Alana and I passed through a secret tunnel that leads to the camels' stables so no one would see us. This is where we pass through if we don't want anyone to see us enter or exit the house. I've only learned about this secret passage recently.