𝐎𝐒𝐇𝐔𝐍

six

I vaguely remember what it felt like to be held in my mother's arms. I was too young to appreciate what I had and it wasn't until I lost it did my world start to crash down. Being on my own for so long has changed me in more ways than one. I had to do things that I'm not proud of to survive. It was just my luck that I had found an old abandoned shack by the waterfall. I had stayed there for so long in my little world I forgot what it meant to interact with someone. I eventually met Anubis, and I'm grateful. But something about not experiencing life with my family got to me.

I had to learn the importance of family when I lost mine. It became more meaningful when I was all I had left. I wonder what my mother would say to me now as I stand in front of the family who killed her.

"I can't be the Queen."

I look Jahir in the eye. I pray to see any hint of regret, like everything he just said was one big joke.

"It's the law."

"The law! I came here to get assigned a job not surrender my way of life to a man I don't know!"

Goosebumps rose on my skin as my breathing became erratic. All of my life I've tried to avoid this damn place and all of its problems. All of the pain that the royal family has brought me and my people and now I'm supposed to become one of them. I know for a fact that this family holds secrets that their people don't know and I don't want to be in any position to potentially find out.

"I know this is shocking but I don't have any control over the fate the moon has for us."

I scoff at his comments, "Shocking, fuck that. You were born into this. You've lived in this world your whole life. What would your people think of me?"

Jahir looks at me, my comments dawning on him.

"I'm not of the royal family, how is this even possible?"

Since the beginning of time, only royals had the power to become royals. Commoners could be chosen but they were gatekeepers of ancient relics or they became shifters and assisted the royals. Essentially still the bottom of the food chain, only there to serve the pompous assholes that sit on thrones.

"I honestly...don't know." Jahir looks...irritated, to say the least. I can tell from the moment I saw him that he holds something heavy on his heart. But at this moment It was easier to identify.

"Look, this is all just...too much."

I didn't want to feel bad for him but I did. He had to suffer the consequences of his father's actions when he became King. He's slowly having to pick up the pieces of his kingdom. It doesn't help that they look alike, all I could see is Akuji every time I looked at him.

"I understand, but you have to understand tha-"

"You understand? I doubt that."

The flames in his eyes start to dance as his jaw clenches at my comment, "Don't forget I didn't choose this life either." He starts to walk away but stops as he's about to walk out of the room, "Follow me."

I get up and follow him out of the room, intentionally keeping distance between us. It seems we have been walking forever and I'm only a couple minutes in. The long dark halls only made me feel like I was walking into something I could never get of. Something that would alter everything and I hate the idea of not knowing where I am or how things will play out.