The Prince and His Slave

Arius - [The Good People Always Die]

My father didn’t take his eyes off me. He was glaring at me… I knew that right now, if all of these people weren’t here, he would have killed me. Killed me for speaking up like that… and for knowing the truth.

       Uncle Amenmose looked at my father. “It’s true?”

       It was then that my father looked away from me and at my uncle. “Yes.”

       “You murdered my daughter…” My grandfather said. He looked up at my father. “You…”

       My father frowned. “It was not a murder. She—”

       “Don’t lie.” Ishaq said. “I saw the whole thing.”

       “What?” My father asked.

       “I saw the murder… with my own eyes.”

       “Murderer!” Uncle Ramses yelled, charging at the King.

       Thabit ran and grabbed his father. “No, father, stop!”

       “You killed my sister!” Uncle Ramses yelled.

       “Ramses!” My grandfather yelled. “Stop.”

       We all turned to my grandfather, who was looking at my father. “Why did you murder her?”

       My father didn’t respond.

       “She was… so good… so good to everyone… especially to you. Why would you kill her?” My grandfather started to cry again.

       “Because he wanted to marry my daughter.” Ishaq said.

       Uncle Amenmose snorted. “If that was the reason then there wouldn’t be a need to kill anyone. If he wanted another wife he could have easily gotten that. It’s normal for a king to have several wives.”

       “Not if Queen Neitha was the wife.” My grandfather said. “You killed her because you knew marrying another woman while still being the husband of Neitha would not only be looked down upon, but it would also be against the gods.”

       Ishaq raised his eyebrows.

       “The priest told us… the gods would never be happy with the king if he married anyone else while Neitha was still alive.”

       “Father!”

       We all turned and watched as Tabia burst into the room with Khafirin chasing after her.

       “Tabia!” Uncle Ramses called. “You’re alright.”

       She ran into his arms and looked at him and then at all of us. “What’s going on she asked.” She looked at me.

       I didn’t say anything. Instead, I looked back at my father.

       It was strange. The moment was finally here. The moment that I had been waiting for about eight years.

       The moment where I had a good enough reason to try and take down my father.

       But now that it was finally here… I had no idea of what I was going to do.

       My grandfather looked at Ishaq. “You knew this for so long and you never told anyone… why?”

       “I was afraid.” Ishaq said, honestly.

       “Why. What do you have to fear? Your whole family was already killed!”

       “Exactly.” Ishaq said. “The Pharaoh had the ability to kill my whole family… except for my granddaughter… and she was all I had left. I was afraid that I would loose her too. Or she would loose me, and have no one to protect her.”