The Pharaoah's Lover | J.B

05

No one

Julia side eyed Justin as he ate a piece of bread while carrying his basket.

Why does he eat all of the food? She wondered about him. Is that how Egyptians eat? Hmph.

"Do you have to walk so far to the market every morning?" Justin asked her. Julia assumed he was tired from walking so long.

"Hm, no. Just recently because of your eating habits." She said to him and looked to the other side.
"Oh...I am sorry." He said putting the bread back into the basket.

He wasn't, I should know by now. He says he's sorry for eating all the food in my home and then goes back to the same thing. I've also never cooked and provided for someone so much in my life. Julia thought in her head.

He was very needy. He says he comes from a village but doesn't know how to do simple things. I didn't even want to ask if he knew how to hunt. She thought again.

As they approached her hut, they both saw that Asaf was waiting, leaning against her home, with his arms crossed. His face beamed as his eyes landed on Julia.

Justin grew irritated and looked down. This feeling is unsettling...he said in his head.
He felt that way whenever he saw Asaf. In all honesty, he saw him as a threat.

Justin also knew Asaf didn't like him either. There was obvious tension between them.
"Asaf? Do you need something?" Julia asked curiously as she sat her market basket down.

"Is it wrong to want to talk to you?" He asked with that playful smile of his. Julia raised an eyebrow with a small grin.
"Of course not." She said sitting down on a stool that was already sitting in front of her home.

"Take the baskets inside please." Julia told Justin and he nodded his head, looking at Asaf before beginning to bring them in.

Asaf eyes him and narrowed his eyes, before looking down at Julia with soft eyes.

"So," she started but then from the corner of her eyes saw Justin chewing on bread. Julia clenched her jaw and ripped it from his hand.
"Take them in, Justin." She said more firm.

The pharaoh was more surprised than alarmed at her actions. He's never been spoken to like that by anyone. Much less, a woman.

But she scared him a little.

Justin took them in finally and Julia continued her conversation with Asaf.

"I'm very suspicious of him...you should be careful." He said furrowing his eyebrows in concern.

Julia smiled, knowing this was coming.

"Thank you but I am perfectly fine. Justin is very harmless." She said but not so sure about the last part.
Asaf licked his lips and bit the inside of his lip. "I can take care of myself." And that was true as well.

She'd been doing fine before and after Justin came into her home.

Julia was about to say something else but realized daggers were being burned on the side of her head. She turned and saw village girls giving her looks of enviness irritable.

"You should leave." She said to Asaf jokingly. He gave her a confused look. "Your admirers are waiting for you." then Asaf turned around, seeing a few women staring at him and glaring at her.

He chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. Julia smiled looking down. "I'll talk to you tomorrow?" He asked her.

"Mhm." She said nodding her head, not looking at him.
I better see what Justin is up to. How long does it take to put a basket inside?