20 Finally Home

"You fool!" King Farzad yelled at Captain Bijan as he stood in front of his throne that was placed in the middle of the throne hall that was lit brightly by the sun coming through the colorful glass dome above their heads.

Bijan just stood straight with his head held low as he took in his King's insults.

"I gave you one job." He kept yelling, "You had one job and that is to get rid of that child!"

"The deed was almost done until His Highness stepped in Your Majesty." He said throwing a glare at Javid who was standing next to him.

The King turned his glare from Bijan to his first born, finding his next target.

"And why would my son do something as useless like this." He smiled sarcastically at his son. "Care to explain?"

"A girl was drowning in front of me Your Majesty. What is there to explain?" Javid looked straight back at his father with the same killer's glare that he is giving him.

"Oh! What a good man!" the king scoffed leaning back against the throne resting his cheek in the balm of his hand, "May I ask what revived your dead consciousness?"

"If you would've cared to fill me in on your plans this wouldn't have happened Your Majesty." Javid sighed silently closing his eyes to calm down his temper before he says something he shouldn't.

"I knew you were just acting tough. If I were to tell you my plan would you've stood by quietly?" the king raised his eyebrows that were now turning gray by age. Age took its toll on his body yes but, it didn't even scratch his temper.

Javid agreed with his father. There was no way that he would've stood by and watched them do the deed. He stood still once; he won't do it again. Not with Nefertari at least.

"This talk is over." The king sighed. "Out both of you."

"There is something else Your Majesty." Bijan said looking up at the throne.

"What is it again?" he frowned.

"The Pharaoh knows that you are the one behind." He said, he only told the king that he couldn't complete his order of getting rid of the pharaoh's daughter. He was about to say it, but the king didn't exactly give him space to talk.

The king's expression was a mix of anger and fear. Anger at the fact that the truth has reached the Pharaoh and fear from what he will do to deal with that truth.

"He told me to relay a message 'I don't forgive or forget. Make another wrong move and I shall raise my army and destroy every one of you' he also said, 'I shall raise hell'." Bijan quoted bluntly.

Was he doing that on purpose? Javid wondered. How can he just bluntly say that?

His eyes moved from the Captain to the king, he was mad.

"How in Gods name did he find out!" he yelled…again.

"That I do not know Your Majesty." He answered honestly. No one knew that the red headed Ashkan was the one behind it and Javid will make sure to keep it that way. He couldn't even imagine what they might do if they knew the truth.

"Javid," the king looked at him, "you are the only beside Bijan who knows about this now." he grinned evilly. "May I know who you shared this information with?"

"I didn't talk to anyone about this." Javid frowned. Of course, he will suspect him, there was no way he would suspect Bijan his loyal hound. The fact made Javid disgusted him to his bones.

"Are you sure?" he smirked, "you sure that your heart didn't waver towards the past and spilt everything out in front of your friend." He was torturing him, and he liked it.

"And have myself hanged for causing war?" he scoffed, "You think too little of me Your Majesty."

The king stayed quiet for a moment thinking about it. Javid was right there was no way even if he knew before hand that he would go spill everything out to Akhenaton. He would look like he is begging to get himself killed.

"You do have a point." He moved his hand over his beard, "I guess you are not that much of a fool; I'll give you that."

Was that supposed to be a compliment?!

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Javid lowered his head.

"My plans are ruined. The Pharaoh knows that I'm plotting against him. He will not let this slide." He said to no one in particular.

Whatever he was going to do he had to do it carefully. His plan could've worked, but never when Akhenaton was at his full power, that would be suicide. He needed to bring him down first and the only way to do that was his precious little daughter.

"Tari stop sighing already." Akhenaton said, his eyes focused on the papers in his hand.

"But why didn't I get a reply yet!" she said squirming around in the couch that lay in the middle of the her fathers study that was lit by the morning sun that came passing through the terrace, giving a golden effect to everything inside the room.

"Tari you just sent the letter two days ago." He said, "the messenger might have not even left the city."

"W-what!" she sat on her knees looking at her father who was obviously not with her, "How long is it going to take!"

"A month or so." He said, "Patience daughter, we just came back a week ago and I don't think anything changed since you've been there."

He was right they just came back, and his daughter wouldn't stop talking about her friends and he noticed that there was one that she kept mentioning more than the others. Joon Wo.

He knew that they were close since he was the one, he always notices being with her. Though he wishes that she wasn't as attached as he thinks.

Because if she was then it will only bring her pain. He already saw pain in her since the first day they got back home when she woke up the next morning realizing that she was home. There was no more Princes, no more Ashkan…

No more Joon Wo.

He sighed and then turned back to his work before hearing a knock come from the door. "Come in." he said not taking his eyes off the papers. Tari turned curiously at the door.

"It's me Pharaoh." Jaffar said standing between the opened door.

"Oh Jaffar!" he finally took his eyes off the papers and took a look at the door, "I was going to call for you, good timing." He grinned which made Tari pout. She has been here talking for a couple of hours now and he didn't even spare her a glimpse but once Jaffar came in he forgot all about work.

What a good father! She thought.

What she didn't know is that she has been talking about the same topic for a week now, everyday and he listened to her none or less and always answered.

So, it was time for him to lose interest, even if it was his little bundle of sunshine.

"How is Azar's training going?" he asked remembering that unusual man he recruited.

"He is a very talented young man I'll give him that." Jaffar nodded his head, "He is great swordsman, so his training is going by smoothly."

"He is still so young though," Akhenaton said, "how was someone like him just a private in the army?"

"I think it was because he is practically a nobody. No family, no friends, nothing." Jaffar sighed. True the boy was a talented swordsman, but still he didn't trust him.

"Can I talk freely Pharaoh?"

"Jaffar when did I ever forbid you from talking freely?" Akhenaton smiled tilting his head.

"I don't trust him Your Holiness."

"I knew you would say that." Akhenaton chuckled. "I've known you since forever and you think I wouldn't have noticed."

"Then why did you accept him? Something is suspicious." His face was now all serious, he was always serious but now he was dead serious.

"He looked like he had nothing to lose." Akhenaton rested his back against the chair that was decorated with gold and gems. "I saw something in his eyes, a genuine look. So, I thought that why not take what's happening as it is without thinking it's part of a bigger conspiracy."

He smiled thinking that Azar looked like him when he was his age. He was now in his 30's so thinking back on his younger self made him realize just how far he has gone.

"I see." Jaffar said nodding slightly. "I would still recommend that you be careful Pharaoh. With everything that is going on right now you can expect anything. Especially from those Persians." He frowned at the reminder of the events that happened to Nefertari. Not only that but also everything else.

"Typical you Jaffar." He smiled, "I'll watch my back don't you worry."