Sands of Time (Complete)

Chapter 5: Her Past Comes To Surface

It has been a few weeks since Aadila's out lash at her father and she was slowly becoming to like the palace. Her brothers and sister showed her great areas to play around, places to hide from their father if he ever got cross with them and rooms where it seemed very few would go by, perfect for her to read. After the first few hours of the day, she became bored. She was so used to tending to the horses, fixing meals, doing other chores and looking after her mother that she never really had a lot of free time. Over the past few weeks the healers had made her stay inside until she was fully healed. Atem would come and help her sneak out for about an hour every day so she could stretch her legs and feel the sun on her skin. If he hadn't have done that for her, she thought she would have gone mad just starring at the walls and only having small windows which overlooked the city. However, her father had convinced the Pharaoh to allow her to attend some of the Prince's lessons to keep her mind at work. He knew as well that she would have gone mad.

The lessons were different than what she was expecting. Even though he was learning about politics, taxes, territory, military and religion, he was also learning about the dark arts. Aadila had remembered that Atem had mentioned something about magic lessons the night she officially met him. She had no idea how real magic really was until she came to the kingdom. Even though Atem wasn't performing the spells, he had to know what the magicians in his court would be capable of and how to tell when they were taking their spells too far. This is how Aadila met Mana and Mahad, who were magicians in training. Mahad would be a part of Atem's six guardians because, even though he was still young, Aadila understood that he had skill that far surpassed that of some of the magicians currently in the court. Mahad was gentle, but that didn't cause her to forget what he could possibly do to her if she went out of line. Mana was very, interesting to say the least. She had skill but not near as much as Mahad, but she never seemed to let that make her sad. She was always happy, laughing and smiling and it was maybe because of her that Aadila was able to genuinely smile again.

However, Aadila couldn't give all the credit to Mana, that is, because some of it belonged to Atem. He never forced her to say more than she was ready to say about what had happened but he was always there for her if she just wanted to talk. He made her smile and laugh, he also made sure she was never hurting, whether it was physically or emotionally. It was like he took it as his duty to be her protector, but she didn't mind. Atem's company was enjoyed very much by Aadila because he seemed to be the only person around their age that actually understood some of the things that she was talking about. She didn't have to keep her ideas to herself because in her village it often freaked people out about what she would be talking to her father about. Atem made her feel like she really belonged here.

One day as Aadila was walking to the lesson she was going to attend, she walked past the Pharaoh. She stopped and bowed, showing him her respect. 

"You know I already told your family that you don't have to be so formal. You seem to be the only not able to follow my request." The older man said with a soft voice.

Aadila looked up at him. "I don't want people think that you are just letting us forget who you are because you are friends with my father. After all, you are a God in human form, that can't be taken lightly. Also, I don't think it's fair to the people that protect you to have to follow the formalities. I feel like you are favouring us much more than you should."

"I really shouldn't be surprised about how mature your response is, but your youthful appearance hides your wisdom." He knelt down to her level to look at her face to face. "Can I speak with you in private? I have a request to ask of you."

"Of course, your Majesty."

Aadila followed the Pharaoh down hall ways and corridors until it was so dark it required the assistance of candles to see the stairs ahead of them. They made their way to a door which had lights coming through the cracks then suddenly they diminished. "You must swear you will not speak of what you are about to see. I'm trusting you." All Aadila could do was nod, she was frightened. The door opened and what she saw terrified her. There were people in shackles, magicians chanting and one of the guardians over seeing it all. Aadila recognized the guardian as Aknadin, who Aadila also determined was the King's brother. It seemed no one else knew this detail about the two but she saw the large resemblance between the two.