Over The Nile (BoyxBoy)

Times

"Times are hard my child"

"Maybe when you are older, you'll understand"

A life in the palace was the dream of most people, the glittery jewels on every surface, the beautiful dresses the royals wore. The bedazzlement of jewelry on their body, which probably weighed more than the people themselves did.

Most people dream of the palace life with longing in their hearts, most would give up what they already had for a taste of being royalty.

However, life in the palace was not all glitz and glamour, especially if you weren't royalty, working most times of the day, being looked down upon by royalty themselves.

The slaves wore very distinguishing attires from the actual blue bloods, a reminder that just because you lived in the premises of the palace does not mean you were royalty in any way.

The life of the actual royals might be a bit of a dream in its own right, the decorations on the walls of their private quarters.

The dresses woven with gold they wore with such regal-ness but you could see the rivalry between the Pharaoh's wives.

The sneer they gave each other in the dining room, the look of envy they had in their eyes as they stared at the queen on the Pharaoh's right side, who would drape herself on him with a vengeful smile on her face as she looked at the other women who would kill for the Pharaoh's attention.

No one really knew of the life in the palace except those who lived there, the horrors and wonders of life in the palace, where poison was administered with a smile, where laughter could mean the end of your existence and where the very same people you eat with were the ones plotting your demise.

The people spoke so highly of their heaven on earth, their paradise in this ugly world, give their daughters out as wives for members of the royal family with pride as they watched the child leave. Without looking back. They were now in-laws with royalty.

"Do you want to live in the palace, my child?"

"Yes papa, I do I do papa"

He always wondered if he had said no that day, would he have come to live in the palace?

But how could he say no when he heard so much of the palace in good light, he wished he had not been so naive.

He could remember the predatory look in his father's eyes when he had asked that question but his childish mind had registered it as a loving look. He wished it was right, that his father loved his so much as to let him live in a beautiful place even if he was going to be missed.

He was placed in the care of a palace maiden after they had branded him with his slave mark. It was painful and had hurt but he was hoping his father would come soothe the pain.

Maybe if he cried louder, his papa would come. With his aching arm he walked to the palace imposing gates, enormous and golden as it shone from its place. There he waited.

He would wait at the large palace gates every day for his papa, his papa that never came.

He would sit on the floor watching the footpaths with tears that were blurring his sight, the maiden Aisha would sit with him most times for a while before she left him there. Waiting for his papa who never came.

He never lost hope though, even when Aisha told him why his papa was never coming back. He was there as replacement for his father, he didn't believe a stranger over his father. His papa who wanted a better life for him.

His papa who must be missing him as well, his papa who was crying at their home, no, he would wait for his father no matter how long it took, he will wait for his papa who never came.