Queen of the Nile
Chapter 13 - Naked Blade
Quatre felt frozen in place as he watched Wufei advance towards them. A whimper from Dorothy made him turn and realize that peril came from more than one place. Sheftu was running towards them too, but he came from behind, how did he get here? His eyes were glazed with an almost unnatural light.
"Betrayer!" He cried.
Quatre pushed Dorothy to the ground, covering her body with his own. Wufei's battle cry made the hairs on the back of his neck, stand up. The cry was followed by what sounded like the keening howl of a wounded animal. Quatre looked back in time to see Wufei retrieve his sword from Sheftu's body, it's blade now dripping with blood.
Quatre got up, lifting Dorothy with him, trying to examine her for injuries. She brushed his hands away, her gaze concentrated on Wufei. Wufei stared back, his chest heaving with simple effort of breathing.
"Will you kill me too?" Dorothy couldn't resist asking.
Quatre and Wufei both tensed.
"Hush, Dorothy, he just saved you."
"Saved me? He just killed one of my most trusted guards!"
Sallly, High Priestess of Hathor, entered the garden then, flanked by two overexcited boys. Wufei tried to quickly cover the body, not wanting Sally and the boys to witness the bloody scene. He took his cape and covered the body with it.
The boys ran to him crying excitedly, "Prince Wufei, Prince Wufei, there's a dead woman on you bed!" Wufei raised startled eyes to Sally, who shook her head in denial, "She is not dead, just unconscious. He neck is all bruised, I guess someone tried to strangle her, but didn't finish the job. What happened here?" She looked down at the now spreading blood stain, that the cape could not hide.
Wufei remained silent, he would not explain.
Quatre seeing the mutinous expression on Wufei's face, took the initiative, "We're not really sure Sally, it seems Sheftu harbored some grudge against Pharaoh, for he was in the process of attacking us, when Wufei came in and killed him."
"That's a way putting it," Pharaoh sarcastically inserted.
"You think Wufei was trying to harm you?" An unbelieving Sally, questioned Pharaoh. "How could you think something like that?"
"Be quiet Sally, she must decide what the truth is." Wufei warned.
Dorothy turned away from them, her mind reeling. He was right she had to decide, it was her responsibility as Pharaoh to choose wisely. Could she trust Wufei? She was used not to, on the other hand, she was used to trusting Quatre, and he trusted Wufei. There really was no choice, after all.
"Prince Wufei, I'm sorry if I doubted you. We have been on opposite sides since we were children, I'm used to doubting you. But I'm a child no more, I'm Pharaoh, your actions will have to be explained to my satisfaction, nevertheless I will not doubt you."
Wufei nodded, "I came here seeking your permission to marry Sally, High Priestess of Hathor. When I entered the garden your guard was screaming `betrayer` and running with a dagger towards you. I reacted by drawing my sword and killing him."
"But why would he want to kill me?"
"That I cannot answer." He turned towards Sally, "Do you know who the girl in my room is?"
"I think I have seen her before, if I'm not mistaken she is daughter of one of the priests to Anubis."
"Perhaps if we question her, she might shed some light on the matter. Surely it was Sheftu who attacked her."
"She won't be able to speak for awhile, even when she awakens." Sally spoke with certainty. She had dealt with injured people before, her father had also been a priest, a healer priest.
Quatre called the guards in, they would dispose of their fallen comrade. He would have to talk to them afterwards, but now the important thing was taking Pharaoh out of the bloody scene. He guided them all out, distracting Dorothy by questioning Sally as to who the two boys were.
"They are the sons of Lady Reshematep, Wufei brought them here, they are to remain in the Great House as guarantee of Tamis Governor's loyalty."
Wufei stared at the two boys, who had remained blessedly silent. He was too happy to get rid of this responsibility
Dorothy eyed the rambunctious boys trailing after Wufei, their face alight with admiration.
"Prince Wufei, now that you will be a married man, perhaps it would be best if the guardianship of these boys remained with you."
The children jumped with you as they heard this. "Yes!! We want Wufei!"
Wufei ground his teeth. Why did he have to punished? "And won't you be getting married Pharaoh? Will not my brother, Prince Quatre, marry the woman he has always loved?"
Quatre tensed, guilt filling him.
"Do not be concerned Quatre, I understand that sometimes feelings cannot be denied. I tried denying mine, but in the end it is foolish to do so."