What am I going to do? Javid kept walking back and forth in his chamber. He could still feel the adrenaline running through his veins.
The image of the sword around his son's neck was sending shivers down his spine, he could barely stand but he held himself from crumbling to the floor in front of his son who was sitting eying him with frustration and worry.
He finally allowed himself to sit down, but he didn't give his mind that privilege.
"Ashkan" he called making the little boy flinch at the sudden call.
"Yes, Lord…Papa," he said recalling that there was no one around them.
"Tell me everything you saw that time." He said raising his eyebrows making sure that his son knows how serious this is. Which he already did. For god's sake, he nearly lost his head.
"I-I didn't see much." He said. "I saw a soldier dressed in our armor walking away from the lake."
"Was there anything off about him?"
"He was walking as if someone is after him, he was looking behind him every few seconds and I think he was nervous." He paused trying to remember, "Oh, and I remember clearly that when the Pharaoh called out for Nefertari he disappeared."
Javid was silent. He never plotted something like this and he most certainly didn't order anyone to. There are a few people beside him that can order a hit like that.
He took a deep breath going through them all.
He started with Hooman and Ervin his younger brothers then he took it back. They are too naïve to do something like this he thought.
That left him with only one person that could do something like that.
His father. King Farzad.
But why!? Why would he do such a thing? As far as his spies in the royal court told him his father wasn't planning anything. King Farzad hadn't made a move since that incident 10 years ago.
That incident…
For a couple of moments, Javid's mind stopped thinking about the matter at hand and went wondering back to the past.
The past that is hunting him and will keep on hunting him till he lay in his grave. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes thinking from where he should start.
From his past experience, Akhenaton wasn't bluffing. If he said that he will take his head then he will most certainly will. The only thing that held him back from doing that for all those years was Cleopatra's last words…
It's not his fault her words that echoed in the hall still echoed in his head as she was in her husband's arm for the last time.
"Call Captain Bijan now!" he snapped at the maid who was serving him his tea and dashed off to do as she was told. If his father is really the one who ordered the hit then Bijan Captain of the Royal Guards is the only one he would give the order to.
Minutes passed and Captain Bijan was standing on the other side of the table that Javid was sitting on. Looking as tidy as always, towering over Javid despite him being 6 foot 3 (190cm), wearing the crimson-colored armor. That damned thing was the cause of all this mess.
"You asked for me Your Highness?" he formally said standing straight taking in count the difference in their position despite him being known as a hot-tempered person.
"Was it the King's order?" he jumped right into the point he thoroughly inspected his masculine face. His beard was now turning grey as time took its toll on him.
"Pardon my lack of knowledge," he said, "but I don't quite get what you are saying." He smirked adjusting his helmet that he held in his arm that matched the crimson armor he had on. Javid knew that he was making fun of him.
Bijan always did that to mock him knowing that he can't complain to his father knowing that Bijan is the king's most trusted servant. Closer to him than his own flesh and blood.
"Let's drop the act okay?" he glared at him. "We both know what I'm talking about. Besides, we are the only one's here so you can be your usual self, Captain." He said resting his back against the chair crossing his arms over his chest. He made sure to make that 'captain' clear for him to make him know his place even though he knows that he won't.
He laughed. "Well, well, well," he kept that smirk on, "looks like you've gotten smarter Your Highness."
"Drop the mocking." He gave him death stares; he wasn't the same little boy that he used to make fun of for not having his father's blessings. "Why did the king order the hit?"
"If the king didn't let you know first-hand, then I believe it's not my place to tell you the reason behind his orders."
"I'm asked to deliver the head of the culprit by midnight tomorrow." He said. "And you the Pharaoh doesn't bluff in such matters. Now care to tell me so that I can figure something out or are you going to explain to the king why his crown prince lost his head?"
He knew too well that he was only the crown prince because he is the first-born alongside his wife's family. His father, his brothers, Bijan, were all waiting for one wrong move to dispose of him.
But still, the legal power that he had was enough to keep him safe from any plots.
For now, that is. He has to come up with another way before it's too late.
Bijan sighed defeated, he might be hot-tempered but honestly, he doesn't use his head much.
"The wants to out throw the Pharaoh and take over Egypt." He placed the truth simply.
"Huh?" Javid frowned giving him the-do-you-think-I'm-stupid look.
"He will take him out when he is at his weakest state," he said, "thanks to the close relationship you had with him the king knows exactly what his weakness is."
His daughter Javid scoffed at the thought. "He has dropped so low…" he whispered only enough for him to hear. The thought that his father was starting to use dirty tricks shocked him more than the fact that he wants the throne of Egypt.
"It was you right? The one that pushed his daughter."
He nodded. "Surely you are not thinking of giving him my head, are you?" he scoffed.
"Should I give him my head instead?" Javid said sarcastically.
"That won't any be a good choice either." He seriously said. Like if having Javid's head sliced off was a better choice he would've chosen. Javid just eyed him and scoffed again in disbelief.
"Just choose any soldier and hand him over." He said flipping his hands in the air as if what he said was the most senseful thing to say.
"Are you out of your mind!?" Javid slammed his hand on the table in front of him.
"Handing over your head is not a choice and if you choose to mine it would be a declaration of war." Bijan glared into Javid's soul. A few years ago, this would've sent shivers down his spine, but not now.
He was right in that part. If word spreads that the Captain of the Royal guards who only takes order from the king himself has attempted to murder the daughter and the crown princess of Egypt, it will most certainly cause war. A war that they cannot win.
Akhenaton will make sure that they are crushed.
Javid's mind was running back and forth between the options that he had at hand. Even if he offered his head the outcome will not change. The only thing that would benefit the greater good is the death of an innocent soul.
The silence that Javid kept made Bijan smirk darkly knowing the answer.
"I'll choose the soldier. You just turn a blind eye for the sake of our home." With that, he left Javid dwelling in his thoughts.
Could he really turn a blind eye this time like he did that time?
Could he live his life knowing that another soul was lost because he ignored them even though he could've helped them?
He didn't know. He didn't know when he would finally be free of his father's grip over his life.
When would he finally stop being the puppet in his master's hand, making him move to satisfy his greedy soul?
His laugh echoed in the place as he combed his hair back.
"You still have some conscious in you huh?" he said to no one. His laughs of pain and agony grew louder as he dwelled in his pain. The pain that time never dulled. It was still fresh inside him.
He turned his back on the fact that he knew that she was going to die. And yet, he betrayed her, no he betrayed both of them.
For the greater good, they said.