24 Little Birds
What am I going to do!
The words repeated themselves over and over again in Jaffar's mind as he roamed the streets of Thebes in search of the crown princess.
"Search every street, every corner!" he yelled to his men who willingly agreed and were now scattering across the place.
"Where the bloody hell are you Azar." He mumbled to himself not failing to scan everyone who was walking, every side road that he passed.
The pharaoh would have his head. Old friend or not.
One moment Nefertari was in front of him the other she wasn't there, turning back and forth looking for her but with no use. And to make everything worse Azar was no where to be seen either.
That made Jaffar's inner mind roam to thoughts that made him all the more anxious.
What if indeed his doubts were right and Azar was never a traitor?! And that he did all that to gain the Pharaoh's trust which he has succeeded in so far.
The perception was starting to get out of control making it hard for him to focus on the task at hand and allowing the anger that he was fooled take over him.
He kept scanning the streets taking long strides forcing his way through the crowd. Until he saw a crowd of people gathered around something.
He wasn't going to give it much attention but that golden head that was sticking out of the crowd made him think otherwise. It wasn't common to find a 6'3 (190cm) and golden headed man on the streets which fits the prescription of the person that Jaffar was looking for. What are the odds of that?
Forcing his way through the crowd and there he was, the man that he is searching for. And he wasn't kidnapping the crown princess like his stressed-out mind told him. It was the opposite.
He was apparently helping her. His shocked mind took a moment to take in the scene.
Azar was standing tall with his messy golden hair, painfully twisting the arm of a commoner who was most probably a baker from his outfit. But what calmed down the fuel that was inside his veins is the sight of the little curly silver-eyed girl who was standing behind the tall knight grabbing on to him tightly, obviously scared.
He took a deep breath and let it out and tried to catch up with what was happening.
"I think it's better for you to let her go mister." Azar spat out not loosening his grip on the older man who was groaning in pain.
"S-she didn't pay for what she took!" he said trying to get out of Azar's grip but it only resulted for him to tighten it even more.
"What did she take?" Azar asked tilting his head.
"T-two loafs and she gave it to those two beggars!" the man yelled at Azar making him frown from the annoying loud voice.
"Voice down mister." he said turning to look at the two children who were standing behind Tari just like how she was standing behind him.
"Do these two children look like someone you can treat like that mister?" Azar raised one eyebrow glaring holes into the older man.
"Here your money." Jaffar said finally deciding to interfere and took a step forward. "You can let go Azar."
And he did like he was told, even though he thought that this old man needed someone to beat some sense into his blank mind. But he had to listen to his Captain.
The old man kneeled and took the money hurrying back inside his shop after he noticed that it was a bad idea to mess with these two.
Eventually the crowd scattered everyone returning to what they were doing leaving only the two men, Nefertari and the twins.
"Are you alright Princess?" Jaffar looked down at the princess who still looked a little startled.
"I'm okay." She smiled weakly and turned to the two kids behind her. "You should go now."
And so, they did after thanking them sincerely.
"Princess, how can you walk around without a single coin?" Azar said sighing moving his hand through his messy golden strands in an attempt to comb it but in vain.
"I thought you will be there." She pouted, "Anyway, thank you Azar." In a moment that pout was replaced with a genuine smile that struck Azar's heart.
"You were gone in a blink of an eye princess." Jaffar said, "How did you find her?" he turned to look at Azar.
"I thought I caught a glimpse of her from afar and when I turned to look beside me, she wasn't there so I followed my gut feeling." He said rubbing the back of his head.
"Guess I was wrong…" Jaffar said in a low voice but Azar heard it making him go wide eye as he realized what must have gone through his Captains head.
"C-captain…" He said, "You haven't have actually thought that I abducted the crown princess, have you?" he looked carefully at his captain.
"Ahm…" Jaffar said bringing his hand in front of his mouth, "Let's go, the sun will be down soon." He answered changing the subject and with that Azar knew that what he said was true making him exhale deeply.
The way back to the palace was quiet and awkward. The princess squeezed between the two tall men making sure that they notice every step she takes.
"I-I think it's better if you keep this from Papa…" she said letting her sight out to the horizon.
The two of them peeked at each other reading each other's thought, both imagining what Akhenaton might do if word about this would reach him.
No power on earth would be able to save that poor baker.
They both nodded in agreement not wanting to break the peaceful silence. The only noise that could be heard was the rattling that was coming from the owners as they packed their things and ready to call it a day.
~~~~
"What happened to that little brat you disposed of that time." King Farzad said cutting the chunk of meat in his plate into little pieces.
"Which one Your Majesty?" Bijan said standing on the right of his king as he had his meal.
"That brat you were going to give his head to that useless pharaoh." He scoffed as he stuffed his mouth.
"You mean Azar," Bijan said, "the last thing I ordered was for him to be stripped of his rank."
"What happened to him after that? I don't want useless rumors to circulate in the Royal court." King Farzad said.
"I don't think you should worry about that Your Majesty." Bijan said, "I've heard he escaped with the Pharaoh. He is one of his Guards now."
The king stopped the spoon midway to his mouth and returned it back to the plate.
There was no end to what this evil mind can do.
He smirked to himself. "Oh, he is?"
Farzad laughed out loud. His future plan has already been set at that moment. He finally knew what to do.
"Well, Akhenaton is either too stupid or too confident." The king said, "Taking an ex-Persian soldier. What is he thinking?!" he bought back the spoon to his mouth, amusement can be easily heard in his tone.
"What are you Planning for Your Majesty?" Bijan looked at his king from the corner of eyes, his head has already caught up with what that wicked man was thinking of.
"Send one of our little birds to our precious Azar." He smiled wickedly.
"What message should it relay?"
"Tell him that he has done a great thing serving his country and that we would like to compensate him for all his hard work there." Farzad said, "All he has to do is meet with one ours once a month and report all he has known."
He was recruiting Azar to be one of his birds in the palace. Honestly, most of his spies are useless. None of them are close enough to the Pharaoh to get him the information he needs.
But Azar, he is now a gift sent from god to Farzad. Without even working hard for it he now owns a bird in the Royal guards.
Or so he thought?
"It's a risky move Your Majesty." Bijan finally turned his head to look at him, "Do you think he will accept?"
"Of course!" Farzad exclaimed, "What man would betray his country to work for a foreign king?" he scoffed raising an eyebrow.
The king only saw one thing and that is this was an opportunity to for him to know everything he wanted to know.
He saw that there was no man on earth who would betray his country, even if this country was the main source of his misery. The country that threw him back on the streets once he was a threat.
"I'm sure he did it knowing that we will reach out for him somehow." He smirked
"What a clever boy."
