Queen of the Nile
Chapter 12 - The Time of Truth

 

Wufei smugly congratulated himself, his idea was nothing short of brilliant. He had given the boys to his two slowest soldiers, one each. They now drove their chariots as if chased by Anubis himself. Wufei had to struggle to keep in front of them. He glanced back and almost laughed out loud, their grim, intent faces had almost a hunted look. The boys by contrast still held their gleeful smiles, even though their tiny hands held on to the chariot with a death grip.

At this pace they would reach the Royal Palace in the afternoon. There was one stop he wished to make before that, he would stop at Hathor Temple. He had decided on his course of action, he would hide his intentions no longer. No human or goddess would be allowed to interfere. The time of truth was at hand. Would Quatre understand?

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She stood outside his room, looking at both sides before entering. She hoped no one had seen her go in. She closed the door behind her, still afraid of being discovered.

The room was dominated by a large bed in the middle. The bed was covered with an almost transparent fabric that hung from the ceiling and partly covered the wood carvings on the headboard. The carvings depicted a crocodile hunt in the Nile. An appropriate setting for him, she thought. It was commonly known that he enjoyed the hunt.

She was startled when the door swung open.

"What are you doing here?" He asked as he closed the door behind him, barring it with a thick piece of wood.

She shook her head trying to deny the reality facing her. He advanced towards her, she stepped back raising her hand in a gesture of warding him off.

"Please," she frantically tried to find an explanation for her presence there. He wasn't supposed to be here. "I will help you..."

He smiled arrogantly, "I don't need your help anymore. You were thinking of betraying me, weren't you?" He stepped even closer, cutting off her means of escape.

"No," she shook her head in denial, "I wouldn't."

He raised his hands and engulfed her neck with them. She instinctively placed her on top of his, trying to pull the apart.

"You can't hurt me, not here... Prince Quatre will know."

"I don't think so, I can move your body if I have to."

"There is something you don't know," she sought to win some time, "Prince Quatre is Pharaoh's lover."

"You lie!" He squeezed her neck

"I swear, no, pleas..." Her words were caught off as he squeezed even harder, choking any sound. She desperately trashed raking her nails on his arms and kicking him, but he was too strong and easily overwhelmed her.

"You lying whore, you deserve to die," he whispered harshly.

The voice of guards outside the door stopped him, he lowered her now limp body to the floor, partially hiding it besides the bed.

Prince Quatre, Dorothy's lover? No, it can't be, would he betray me like that? No, the bitch lied.

Nevertheless, he needed to reassure himself and went in search of them.

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Dorothy sat on the border of the water fountain and Quatre stood before her, both in deep discussion. Trying to keep their voices low, for they were not alone. Nobles, servants, guards all were within hearing distance. Snippets of the conversation reached their attentive ears.

"... I told you..."

"... Wufei didn't..."

"... I can't believe..."

"... you're impossible..."

"... won't hide..."

Dorothy stood up her face flushed in anger, she stared at the gawking nobles and curtly dismissed them all. The nobles left in a hurry, followed closely by the servants and guards.

"Dammit Quatre! What more proof do you want?"

"That bracelet was too obvious, I think it was planted."

"When is the evidence enough for you, when you find his blade stuck on my back?"

He grabbed her by the shoulders and forcibly kissed her, trying to drown the image such words created.

A scream of angry betrayal echoed through the garden. Quatre turned toward the entrance expecting to find the source, as he shielded Pharaoh's body with his own.

His face paled as he watched Wufei running towards them, his naked blade by his side.

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