She was dreaming; that she was sure. For one thing, the pharaoh, years, and years ago, had exiled the man that was holding her in his arms. Exiled, because she chose to love him over the pharaoh. Exiled because he just so happened to be the TRUE heir to the throne.
"Michael." She sighs, blissfully.
That was his name. He was so different from any other man of Egypt. The color of his skin entrances her, like nothing else. His smile could melt even the coldest of hearts. He kisses her, and she realizes how much she misses those soft, sweet kisses.
"I love you." He murmurs against her lips.
Then she wakes up.
She is back in her bedchambers. Back in her cold empty bed; just like her heart. Her husband, Pharaoh Ramses, was away on a very important trip. The whole kingdom awaited his return, except for she. Instead, she awaited the return of one man...
"My lady, you spoke of HIM in your sleep." Kara, her lady in waiting, whispers fearfully.
"That is because I dreamt of him. Only this time, it felt so real. Why is it, that he haunts me, even in my dreams?" The queen whispers, staring up at the ceiling of her room.
"My lady, when Prince Michael was here, all women dreamt of him. All of them wished to share his bed. All of them wanted to be his queen." Kara's voice sounds wistful, regretful even.
"Even you, Kara?" The queen asks, gently.
"Though I am ashamed to admit it, yes tis' true. I, too, have lusted over thy lover. But, blame me, not, my queen. For he has power over damsels, like that of which I have never seen before."
"I do not blame you, Kara. I only wish I had not been such a coward."
"Coward, my lady?"
"Yes. He asked me to elope with him, but my fear of the gods' wrath required me to stay, and marry my husband. I regret that now. I regret every wasted moment that I have spent with my husband, when I could be spending them with my beloved Michael."
"My lady?"
"Yes, Kara?"
"He shall return for you."
"You think so?"
"I speak nothing, but the truth."
^^^
The queen sat in her golden throne, completely dissatisfied with life. Kara walks over with a pitcher full of red wine, which she pours into her husband's goblet. She hands it to him, and quickly retreats. The queen turns to her husband, who had just returned from his successful hunting trip. "I'm bored. I want to be entertained."
He glances at her, and smirks. She gently touches his leg. "Can my pharaoh find some way to entertain his queen?" She asks, timidly. Entertainment she wanted, entertainment she would get. He claps his hand together one time, and the drums start up. A guard comes forth, and announces the performer.
"Behold, o' great Ramses, I bring to you, the "Stick Man".
A man rushes forward, and bows, humbly. He then begins to flip around a bunch of sticks, annoying the queen, even further. However, Kara smiles in delight.
"Throw him to the lions." The queen says, with a flick of her hands. This was NOT entertainment.
The man pleads with his life, but she does not care. She signals for the next performer.
"Presenting, Pyro!" The guard proclaims.
Another man, perhaps a tad bit more entertaining than the "stick man", comes forward, and swallows fire.
He is sentenced to the guillotine.
The atmosphere changes. Almost, like magic, everyone's breath is held as a mysterious figure in a black cloak steps forward. He does not speak, nor does he perform.
"And, what is you're going to do." Ramses asks.
The figure in the cloak pulls back his hood to reveal a handsome man, with raven-black hair. His face, as if sculpted from celestial material. He grins, widely.
"It cannot be." Ramses gasps.
Michael speaks. "I told you I would return for you, my love. Do you remember me, Iman? Do you remember when we fell in love? We were so young, so innocent.
Iman, for that was her name, rises out of her throne, and reaches out a well-groomed hand. "How can I forget?" He rushes forward, and kisses her hand.
"Guards, seize him!" Ramses bellows.
Michael smiles, and sprints down one of the many chambers. She calls out to him, but he is already gone.
Ramses jumps up, and snatches a sword from one of his guards, racing after Michael.
"Kara, come with me." She rushes away, not caring if Kara has followed.
"My lady, why are you going?"
"I must be ready for when Michael comes for me." Iman explains.
"But, he will be captured, and trialed for treason." Kara wails, fearfully.
"If he is the man I once knew, he will escape even the darkest of holes."
They arrived at her bedchambers, where she proceeded to rip apart her closet, throwing clothes around.
"My lady, your traveling cloak." Kara hands her a brown cloth, and flings clothes about.
"Kara, I must thank you...for everything. But, there is something I need you to do. You must leave me here, or you will be sentenced to death."
"My queen, I cannot-"
"Do not disobey me, Kara!" Iman snaps, loudly.
Kara's eyes fill with tears, as she bows before the queen. "Have I served thee well, my queen?"
"It has been an honor to be by your side, dear Kara." Iman helps Kara up, and hugs her. "You bow for me, no more. Now go."
Kara gives her one last fleeting glance, before she turns and flees the room.
Iman moves past a curtain, revealing a beautiful balcony. The sun was setting, and a beautiful site it was. She had nothing to do, but wait. As she stared into the distance, a memory came sneaking up from the back of her mind.
^^^
"My love, you needn't worry about the alligators in the river. They only fight when threatened." Michael patted her hand, smoothly.
"But, they are so large, and vicious. How could they be so harmless? Oh, I am afraid." She squeals, as Michael gently runs a hand through the river.
"We, humans, are weapons of mass destruction, yet we are not the biggest, nor do we have the tooth, and fang. Never judge someone because of how they look, because it just might not be so."
"Why are you not afraid, Michael? That beast could easily rip your arm off." She tries to pull his hand away from the water, but he does not budge.
"I will only be afraid, when the need arises. My father use to tell me that the only thing I should be afraid of is the Gods', but even they do not scare me. I have done nothing wrong; therefore, I will never feel their wrath. Here, put your hand in the water, tis' very soothing." He gently takes her hand, and runs it through the water.
Suddenly, her face is met with a great splash of water. She glares at Michael, and he winks. "I'm sorry, Love. I could not resist the temptation. You were just there, and the water was so inviting and- splurgh!"
He spits out a stream of river water, and grins. "You have learned well."
She flicks excess water off her hand, and flips a long lock of wet hair out of his face. "Of course. I do spend all of my time with you. You catch onto certain things."
He leans over, and gently takes her mouth in his. "That, my dear, is why I love you."
^^^
Iman sighs, wistfully. Times had been grand back then. They used to take long walks after dark, just talking and laughing. He once took her to Spain, where they made love for countless hours-and he was QUITE the lover. Then, when all was quiet, they would talk the night away. Until dawn; two or three, it didn't matter. In the springtime, as they walked through the garden, birds would sing beautiful songs.
They could have had it all.
She rests her hands on the banister, as she is lost in thought, when someone taps her shoulder. She spins around, fearfully, thinking it's Ramses, but it is not.
"Those memories, I was talking about-they will always be dear to me." Michael declares. He takes her lovingly by the hand, and kisses her-much like her dreams. It was just like she remembered.
He pulls away, and entwines his fingers in hers. "We must flee, Michael. The guards are on your trail, as we speak."
He smiles at her expression. She had always been one to worry. "You do not fear the Gods' wrath, my love?"
She shakes her head, repeatedly. "My only fear is losing you. The Gods' do not scare me, anymore."
"Then come, for I know a secret passage out of this castle. My father showed it to me, when I was a boy."
^^^
"My Lord, he has escaped, and..." The guard stops speaking, and gulps, fearfully.
"And what?! Speak up, before I have you sentenced to death." Ramses sits on his throne, anger in his every gesture.
"The queen has left a note-it was given to me, by that servant girl." He extends a shaken hand, and the pharaoh snatches the note out of his hand.
My dearest, Ramses. You knew that this day would come, so there was no point trying to deny the inevitable. As you may already know, I have escaped with my beloved Michael. Despite you trying to make me love you, I cannot, for Michael has always had the key to my heart. All those long nights of you forcing yourself upon me, I dreamt of Michael. Perhaps this is all a wonderful dream, and I will wake up. Nevertheless, for what it is worth, I wish to never wake up. You tried to make me forget my Michael. No matter, what was said, I never forgot what he, and I had. Never...
