Through the shadows

Chapter 10

Kisara was sitting alone in her room at nighttime, yet her room was palely illuminated due to the stars and the almost full moon shining out the window. Her fingers traced lightly the marks Atemu left on her skin when he gripped her in utter rage. She anointed the medicine Mana gave her on the wounded skin, hoping the marks would disappear soon. (How could everything ruin up like this? I never thought Seth would abandon me like this…I never thought Atemu could find out about Seth and I…I never thought I would marry anyone but Seth…I even dreamt about this day…) Kisara closed her eyes, imagining she was marrying Seth.

(He said he would make it the happiest day of my life. The day I was going to stay by his side forever. Who could have known everything was going to turn up like this? Here I am now, sitting in the Pharaoh's palace, waiting for our wedding the day after tomorrow, and Seth is far away from here, in the endless desert, traveling to some distant village. What had he lost there? How could it be more important than me? I thought he loved me. He was the only ray of hope I had in my life when I lived in my father's palace, being treated like a tool and a useless being. He talked to me at nights, he told me about his duties, about his father.)

Kisara remembered the nights they were talking in Seth's garden so vividly, it again brought tears to her tightly closed eyes. (He told me his father was cruel to him too. Always made him seek for power and endanger himself for getting more Kaa.) Seth was a pawn just like she was. And she still is. Now she is the pawn of Pharaoh Atemu, she is his prize, his pet.

Kisara rolled to her side, her fingers leaving her wounded arms. The memories slowly filled her entire being, she could hear Seth just like he was close to her now, whispering sweet words in her ears, embracing her to him…

/"I love you, Kisara…"/

"I-I love you too," Kisara whispered as the illusion hypnotized her. She was so desperate to see Seth that her imagination took over her; but why was her voice shaking? Wasn't she sure that she truly love him? Wasn't she?

/"Remember Kisara…Never give up…"/

"I never will," she mumbled, her voice weak. Her eyelids flickered "I will never give up, Seth." (Just return to me. Don't forget me, I'm awaiting you forever. I will wait for you until the end of the world…)

/"Don't forget I love you…I'll never let him take you away…/

Kisara smiled, her eyes still closed and her hand reaching out to take his hand "Seth…" she whispered, her voice still silent. He turned away and started pacing quickly away from her.

"Seth!" Kisara called, trying to run to him, but he was getting far away and away. She ran, ran as fast as she could, sinking in the icy waters, almost drowning. She was trying to scream his name, but fear crawled into her heart. "Don't leave me," she whimpered, the cold water reaching her arms, she moved so slowly in the almost solid ice. Seth was still pacing ahead of her. Why didn't he turn around? Didn't he see her? Didn't he hear her?

"Seth…" she watched him leave, his back facing her, when she sank more and more, the waves pulling her down, covering her face for long minutes so she couldn't breathe. But she didn't scream. She was afraid to let out the noise and she didn't have breath inside her lungs. She watched Seth's figure disappearing into the dark as she breathed so slowly, reaching one hand to try and touch him…

Then the illusion disappeared. The light filled her eyes as she opened them.

She was still in her room. In Atemu's palace. A slave. Worthless pet. Nothing.

"Are you alright, mis-Kisara?" asked Mana when she saw her with Ikana in the morning. Kisara was pale, and looked very troubled. Kisara raised her eyes to meet Mana's concerned look. She smiled faintly. "Yes, I'm fine. Ikana is taking me to the river." Ikana nodded at the statement. Mana looked at Kisara, and softly asked "Can I come with you, Kisara? We still have many things to talk about." her eyes were pleading her silently.