Chained to Asim

Kissa sat before the dressing table, looking at herself in the mirror. 

A small wooden box caught her attention and she recognized it immediately.

Kissa pulled the lid open and a golden locket in the box was revealed. The locket looked beautiful with an inscription on the back.

"One day, he'll come." Kissa smiled as she ran her thumb through the inscription and tried to open the locket, but it wouldn't open.

She has never been able to open it since her aunt gave the locket to her when she was a child.

Before Asim took her away from her village, her aunt had told her it belonged to her mother. 

"Lady Kissa." Cairo called and she looked up at him who was standing at the door.

"What do you want?" She asked and he walked towards her with a small bowl in his hand.

"I got this on my way back from the Layla's this morning." Cairo handed it to her. "I was thinking you might want to try a dish from my kingdom."

A smile spread across Kissa's lips as she took the bowl and sat on the stairs. She opened the bowl and saw a yellowish food in the bowl with pieces of fish and meat in it.

"It's made from mashed grains and fried with red oil. Normally, we add more ingredients but she couldn't get more." Cairo said as he handed her a bowl of water.

"It tastes better when using your hands." 

Kissa nodded and took a taste of the food. She closed her eyes as she savoured the delicious taste of the food.

"Oh my goodness. This is amazing." Kissa took another handful and ate it. "It tastes delicious."

"I knew you would like it." Cairo smiled as he watched her dig in. "Where's Ramla and Sabola?"

"I sent them to follow the other maids out. It's getting quite uncomfortable having someone at my tail and Ramla just returned and I used it to send her to get an extra day of rest." Kissa explained as she ate the last food remaining in the bowl.

"When will I get more? It's delicious. Really." Kissa washed her hands clean and Cairo smiled before looking up at the painting he didn't notice was there before.

"You just got this?" Cairo asked.

"Yes. Pharaoh asked Lapis to put it there. I didn't even know there was a painting of me in this palace." Kissa said as she wiped her hands.

"Kissa." Cairo called with his eyes still glued to the painting. 

"Yes?"

"Do you like this life you're living under Asim?" Cairo asked and a sad smile spread across her face.

"If I had a choice, I'll break free from this cage I am in. Every lady thinks I have the perfect life, being the one the Pharaoh favours most but it's all a lie." Kissa stood up gently.

She walked slowly towards the balcony and rested her hand on the railings as she looked at the pyramids outside the palace.

"He only favours me because he is using me for his victory. With me under his control, all his enemies would tremble and fall because they know sorceresses are capable of destroying what they've built for years with their visions." Kissa said softly.

"Some of them want me in their cage to use me against their enemies. Some want me dead for a fair battle." 

"Nobody knows this era's fate isn't decided yet and it can change at any time. Everyone will be forced to dance to its tune."

Kissa walked to her harp and struck a few strings. Cairo looked at her from where he was. 

He could see a beautiful angel who was sent to the world to live free but she was placed in the shackles of the evil one.

Fate was so unfair to her and it didn't fail to show that to her every time.

"I fear the future I see for this era, for all the kingdoms. Although it isn't decided yet, all these things they are fighting for, would be lost to civilization."

"They should just stick together now, live in peace but no. They want to destroy each other." Kissa rolled her eyes.

"There's a shackles placed on each sorceress. It's like a curse. Only one man can control them and they have no other choice but to obey the person's orders."

"Only true love can set the sorceress free but Sorceresses need to choose between their powers and love."

"Choosing their powers, they remain in that shackles for the rest of their life. Even if the person they are chained to is dead."

"True love, it comes with a penalty. Losing power and meeting something terrible fate has in store for them."

"They can't predict it because we can't even see our own future."

"Who are you chained to?" Cairo asked.

"Asim. That's the reason I can't seem to get out of his cage." Kissa sat quietly on her chair. "I finally saw it in my vision."