The Prince and His Slave [REWRITTEN]

Chapter 20 - [Acceptance]

But I didn't really care.

All that filled my mind was my apparent stupidity.

"Arius, if you're not going to say anything then I'm going back to sleep–"

"I told her I loved her," I blurted, not wanting her to go back to sleep. I came here because I had no idea where else to go to.

She didn't need to ask for much clarification. "You did what?"

"I know... I wasn't thinking straight!"

"What did she say?"

"Nothing." I responded. "I think she was scared."

"Of course she was scared!" She said. "You fool!"

Tabia calling me a fool was serious, however, she didn't continue to criticize me. Instead, we were silent for some time.

"Did you mean it?" She finally asked.

I hesitated, but then sighed. "I must be crazy," I said, looking at her. "I am, aren't I?"

She surprised me by smiling. "The proper answer to that would be yes, dear Ra, you are a total fool... but to be honest, I knew it all along! I did, didn't I?" She suddenly looked very proud of herself.

I rolled my eyes.

"I mean, I get it. You two went through some serious stuff. She saved your life, you saved her fathers, you helped each other... it makes sense, though you don't know each other very well."

I sighed, understanding her words but not necessarily liking them. "What am I going to do?" I ran my fingers through my hair. "I may have ruined a perfectly good relationship–"

"Or you may have started a new one," she winked at me.

I snorted. "Are you kidding?" I asked. "This girl is the same girl who felt uncomfortable just being my friend. Imagine the thought of a Prince loving her. She's never going to speak to me again."

"That's not true... what if she likes you to?"

"Well then there is the next, obvious, problem. I am a Prince. She is a maid." I waved my hand around to add extra emphasis on that fact.

Tabia snorted before lying back down on her bed. "You will be Pharaoh one day, you can do whatever you want."

"That's not true and you know it."

When I looked at her, she was staring at the ceiling. "Are you really going to let her social status change how you feel about her? That's not like you."

"It's not a matter of 'let,'" I said. "I have no choice."

She sat back up, looking at me. "Let me ask you this," she started. "Why do you think you love her?"

I felt my cheeks warm up, "what–"

"Be honest and answer me," she said. "This is important."

I hesitated. "I can't explain it," I said. "I care about her... and she... makes me feel things... that I've never felt before."

"Like?" She pushed.

I shrugged. "A lot... appreciation... satisfaction..."

Tabia rolled her eyes. "Stop thinking so hard, just tell me the truth."

I sighed. "She's obviously special. She's brave and intelligent and makes me think of things differently... and I admire her."

"The Prince of Egypt admires a servant."