The Prince and His Slave [REWRITTEN]

Chapter 11 - [Arguments]

It felt as if hours and hours had passed, and it probably did, seeing as the sun had risen and I could still hear Aunty Aya's moans.

Uncle Khamen had still not arrived and I was still pacing back and forth in nervousness. Many of the court members had joined both Lord Asim and I, waiting anxiously for the news.

It was almost noon when the moaning stopped and many of the midwives left the room.

I assumed that meant we were allowed in now, so I walked in without a care. Only the court members came in as well, all of them silent.

There were three midwives left in the room, plus Chione and Aziza.

Chione was on the floor, scrubbing what looked like blood off the birthing stone that sat next to the bed my Aunty was on.

She ignored me.

But her hands and her clothes were all covered in blood, which made me worry.

I let out a breath before I looked over at Aunty Aya. She was lying on her side, two babies in front of her. One of them cried as it jerked its arms and legs around while the other sat motionless, looking pale.

"I do not know if I should cry in happiness or sadness," she whispered. It sounded like she was talking to herself but I knew she needed comfort.

I crouched down in front of her, looking at the babies. "Aunty Aya, you should be joyous. The gods have protected and brought you at least one of them. The other has made its way back to the gods... and maybe one day it will come back to try and get a chance at life once more."

She looked at me, "or he has passed on to the afterlife and I will never get a chance to see him..."

"My Prince is right," Lord Asim said. "The child passed before it was born. You have no reason to fear for its Ba as it did not even get the chance to merge with its body."

Aunty Aya looked sadly at the still baby.

"My Queen," Lady Aziza said. "I must take the child to–"

"Oh please, Aziza," my aunt said softly. "Let me spend a little longer with him."

Aziza hesitated but then bowed her head slightly.

And right then, the door opened.

Everyone bowed, and when I turned around I saw that it was my uncle. Finally.

When Aunty Aya began to rise, he held his hand out. "Rest," he simply said before looking down at the children. "They say that one child passed."

Aunty Aya looked down at her babies. Her hand touched the pale, lifeless child.

He looked at them for a moment before turning to the three midwives. "You allowed for the boy to pass and the girl to live?"

The midwives began to cower in fear as I scoffed.

"It was not their fault, my Pharaoh," Aunty Aya said, without looking at him. "He passed while still inside me."

The Pharaoh glared as he looked at the two babies. He then turned around and started to walk off. "We are leaving for Hatti tonight. I will not stay here for another few days."

I started to glare too, "are you not–"

"Arius, be prepared to take my place to rule Egypt as of tomorrow."

"You are not going to hold your child?" I asked.

But I felt Aunty Aya's cold hand touch my arm. "It is fine, Arius."