The shabby old hut with a leaking roof that looked vacant and unkept was home. Ciana and Adan tried to make it look better but the food and flood preparation comes before any cosmetic updates. Adan took care of the flood preparation while Ciana went to the market to buy and sell food and reed baskets.

As the old hut came into view the tears had started and Ciana could see her brother. Seeing him reminded her that Adan was leaving for the life of a sailor and she would be alone without him. The new ship that Adan would be working on was the fastest of them all. He would come home every 2 weeks or so unlike the normal 3. She knew that she had to be strong or Adan wouldn’t go for his dream. Adan wouldn’t be there to protect her from the hits, the words, and the flares of rage, he would stay and act as the punching bag, mom, and older brother. Ciana couldn’t do that to her brother it was her turn to be the punching bag. She should be marrying soon, that was her only consoling thought.


Adan stood at the door waiting and as he saw Ciana ran into view. He ran forward and looked over her to see if there were any new bruises and when he was satisfied that there were none, he swept her off her feet and into a bear hug. After the long hug he picked up his duffel bag and took Ciana’s hand and they walked towards the docks.


"Adan, Father says goodbye. I love you and will miss the rat’s nest of the hair of yours." Ciana said as the docks came into view.



"I will miss you too, Missy. But I will bring you a gift from my adventure to Rome, okay?”


"No! You will not bring me home a gift you need all that money! Don’t spend any of it on me. That is an order! Here is your own family sized meal of your favorite food for when you get lonely. Okay and the water there is for you to drink."


"How did you get this much water?" Adan said as he looked into the bag, "That is at least four times as much as we are allowed to drink at once!"


"Well, I couldn't make you a new pair of shoes like Malinda did for her brother but tried to save you water that you can drink without it being your wedding day."


"But how did you get all of the water without father knowing?"


"I may have been saving it for a week." Ciana said slinking towards the right of her brother when his face went awe struck.


"You did not go for a week with that little water, please tell me you didn’t."


"Ok I won’t tell you I did."


"You are the best sister ever!" Adan said as he put everything down and grabbed her in another rushed bear hug.



"Come on you, we have to go to the boat or it will leave without you." Ciana said while still in the bear hug.


"Ok," Adan said grabbing the duffle bag off of the ground while still holding Ciana.


"Hey, put me down you big lug!" Ciana laughed.


"Nope you are being hugged all the way until the docks" Adan said laughing alongside Ciana.



As Adan was laughing with Ciana he thought of the day she was born and how he missed his mother’s smile.



Nathan walked out of the room red faced and angry. He walked over to Adan and grabbed the little boy’s wrist with a painful grip that would cause a black and blue mark to appear. Nathan signed a paper saying that he was the father of the new baby and then proceeded to walk out without a word to anyone. Then Nathan and Adan rode home with the baby in the old reed basket on the hay trailer. On the hay trailer, Adam remembered watching his mother with new born Ciana slept in her arms. His toy boat was on the table beside his sister while he softly stroked her head, the raven black peach fuzz hair. His mom smiling down at them for the last time.



Ciana was laughing in the hug as she thought of the week before Adan left for the boat. And how she had disappointed her brother.



Brice, Adan’s best friend since they learned to walk, came to the hut with a basket full of fruit. Brice asked Ciana, “Where is Adan and Nathan.”



Ciana told him that, “Nathan was at the farm and Adan was in the back yard garden fixing the fence.” Then Brice set down the basket of fruit and walked over to help with the laundry. Whenever Brice saw Ciana do anything by the river he got nervous. He said that Ciana shouldn't be close to the river because he knows she can’t swim. So he always took the job from her. After grabbing the newly-finished laundry Brice put his hand on her back as they walked towards the hut. Ciana winced as they walked. Brice handed Ciana the basket of fruit and laundry and said he was going to help Adan. After a few minutes Adan came into the hut with his hurt look. The face of a baby before they start crying.



"Ciana why didn’t you tell me that our Father hurt you?"



"Because it’s nothing that bad. You would make me do nothing to help, while you would do it all on your own. I won’t let you do that for this little thing."



“Well if it's not so bad let Brice clean it up, while I finish the fence."



“Okay. Wait let Brice look at my back?! "



“Yeah if it's not so bad then you should be fine and let him see it." Adan walked out of the kitchen and back to the yard.



"Please turn around Ciana and sit on this chair. Here put a blanket on your front. I'll wait on the porch." Brice handed her a towel and proceeded towards the porch.



Ciana never wanted to do this again. She understood it when Adan did it, he is her brother but not her crush. With the towel firmly around her chest, she called Brice back in. The clang of the door made her jump in the chair.



"Oh Ciana, what did you do?"



"Agitated Father by not cleaning his clothes thoroughly. There was still some dirt on his pants."



"Well your back looks like red fish scales. Why didn't you tell Adan?" Brice asked as he ran a clean cloth through some water.



"Because it doesn't hurt that bad." Ciana bit her lip after she shrieked and winced in pain as he placed the cool cloth on her back.



"After I clean these up I'll show them to Adan."



"Don't please! He will be so mad. And he will give me the ‘why did you hide this’ face."



"Well he is about to know so…. ADAN!!!"



Adan ran up the stairs. The clang of the door boomed as Adan ran in.



"OH MY GOD! Why didn't you say something? This is BAD! When did this happen? Why did this happen?"



"Uh a week ago, I didn't clean Fathers clothes enough. And because you would give me the face that you’re giving me right now. It doesn't hurt that much." Adan’s face was a look of total self-loathing.



"Ciana" Brice said, "You look like a fish out of water."



"Why?! Father, why? Why do you beat Ciana up?!"



Adan left just as soon as he came. Brice just stared at her back unblinking. Ciana slowly put her shirt back on. Her family wasn’t rich enough for a healing salve.



Ciana was brought out of her thoughts of the past week when Adan finally put her down after Ciana said, "Well, could you put me on my feet?"


"I guess I could, but I won’t unless you say I can get you a present from Rome?" Adan said with a smile that could make her do anything.


"Fine but only if you don’t spend all of your money that you have saved since birth on me."


"We will see." Adan said. Brice came along and stopped right in front of him with a glare that would make Adan wither away, if not for the smile in his eye.


"Did you think that you could leave without saying goodbye?! Did you! Or did you think that your best friend since Ciana was born, was going to forget you!?"


Laughing, Adan said "Nope just thought that you would come up with a plan to kidnap me."


With a scowl on his face Brice said "Hey, I only did that when you and ‘Missy’ over there went camping last year."



"Why didn't you take me? I had to go with Malinda." Ciana shuddered at the week of shopping and braiding hair.



"It's not healthy for a girl to have only boyfriends and not girlfriends." Brice said, and Adan nodded along.



“And we needed time to do manly-man things" Adan said.



"What man says ‘manly man’ to his sister when she knows that they were playing pranks and talking about girls?" Ciana questioned.



"Uhhhhh, Adan there’s your boat, go before it leaves, and do you give permission for what I asked earlier?" Brice rushed on while fidgeting.



"Yes you lug but if anything happens you'll have to answer to me. Bye Ciana." Adan hugged Ciana with all the love a sister and brother could have in one hug, and shook hands with Brice before he ran to the docks.



Ciana and Brice walked to the docks. Ciana sniffled as she walked.



"You're going to miss him a lot aren't you?"



"I am, Brice, but he has to go after his dream. And if I said I wanted him to stay he would. "



"You are the most selfless person in the world, you know that right?"



"Brice, why would you say something like that? I am not the most selfless person in the world."



"Well you are in my eyes. You are the most selfless girl in the world."



"BYE, CIANA AND BRICE!" Adan yelled over on the boat that was pulling away from the dock. Brice pulling Ciana’s hand so she could run beside the boat until the dock’s end. Ciana had to let go of her brother’s hand as it pulled away.



Two weeks after Adan left



Brice helped Ciana do the chores around the hut. Nathan even stopped yelling at him for helping his daughter Ciana.



But one day Nathan punched Brice on the jaw.



"Brice tell me again what happened?"

"Ciana, I've said it twice all ready."



"Yeah, the first and the last time varied a lot and now I need the actual story and not the kid version."



"Well, I was talking to your Father about something and he punched me and said some colorful language. And then he tried to hit me with a rake."



"Damn it! Why? Father, why? Adan is gone and you have already hit another man? Why can't you just take it out on me? Why Brice?”



"First of all, if he ever hurts you again I'll come after him. And second, I can take hits. You shouldn't have to take hits. I know that if Adan was here he would say the same thing."



"He would but it's my turn with Father, not you. I'm his daughter. You’re not his son. There, try not to move your jaw, a lot, but this cold river rock should help with the swelling."



"You and your brother thinking you have to take the pain of the world. But you don't, other people can as well. "



"Brice, I don't want to argue with you today. Usually we agree but I’m putting my foot down. So please go home."



"Fine, but where is your Father right now?"

A/N:
STOPED HERE B)

"You won't go and yell at him right?"



"Yes."
















"He is at the farm."



"Thank you Ciana." Brice said as he walked towards the farm with a big brown river rock on his jaw.



It was a couple of weeks before Ciana saw Brice again. He would stop by to make sure that she wasn’t hurt but he never stayed for longer than a few minutes.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After a month’s time, Adan was back home at the hut after two sessions at sea with his crew. He still lived at the hut along with Ciana and there father Nathan.



"Adan please go and grab your sister." Father said as he walked into the garden.



"Right away, Father."



"Brice, I want you to know if you hurt my baby's heart, let’s just say it won’t be pretty."



"I would never dream of it Sir." Brice fidgeted with something in his pocket.



“I’m here Father. “Ciana said as she bowed her head.



"Brice you have a question for Ciana correct?"



"Yes, Nathan. May I take her out on the river? "



"You may but have her back by night fall."



Ciana and Brice walked for ten minutes to the river. Brice walked with his hand in his pocket the whole time. As they got to the river, Brice pointed to a bird on Ciana's left and when she turned back around.



Brice rushed out."Ciana will you make this the happiest moment of my life? I know you want to see the world and to get away from here. The thought of you with another man that would hurt you kills me. Would you please be my wife?" He didn't seem to take a breath until the last sentence.



"OH MY GOD! IS THIS REAL?! YES, I WILL MARRY YOU! How in the world did you Father get to agree to this?" And does Adan know about this?"



He put the ring on her finger. Then Brice lifted Ciana in the air and twirled around. And when he set her down, he placed a soft feather light kiss on her lips. One that said you are my world.



"Yes, Adan does know. He was the first person I asked. And do you remember that day when your Father hit me? Well, that was the day I asked. Just last week for the third time he said I could."



"Just curious, how long have you liked me?"



“I had a crush on you when I was thirteen and you were twelve. And your brother was so helpful he made me spend time with you all alone without him."



"I told Adan I had a crush on you when I was 13."


"So he was playing match maker? I can't decide to kill him or to hug him."



They walked hand in hand on the way back with huge, all most childlike, goofy smiles on their faces.



"I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that she said, yes?" Adan said as Brice and Ciana walked into the garden.



Ciana walked over to Adan and slapped him on the head and then hugged him.



"What was the slap for? Why couldn't we have just hugged?"



Looking up at Adan, Ciana said, “The slap was for setting us up, Match Maker. And the hug was for thank you for being Match Maker."


Ten minutes later


Smiling the newly engaged hugged. Adan weirdly felt like singing Match Maker. Ciana could only laugh at her idiot brother as he sang.







Match Maker,

Match Maker,

Make me a match,

Find me find,

Catch me a catch,

Match Maker,

Match Maker,"

Ciana couldn’t believe that they were related at some points. As Adan sang, he skipped down the road. He was such a girl at times, randomly skipping. But she still loved him to death.



Brice and Ciana’s wedding took place after a months’ time. It was small, only Brice’s mother and father attended along with Adan. Nathan never showed up at the Temple of Isis, to wish them a good luck in their next chapter of life. After the wedding Brice and Ciana moved to Rome with Adan.



When Adan came home after his recent voyage, at sea he said that Queen Cleopatra will be wed. His boat will be taking her to the wedding. And he gets to bring two people. Adan waited until his last day in Egypt before going on another sea voyage to announce this. Queen Cleopatra is being wed in less than two weeks! Ciana was so excited she was jumping off walls! Ciana can't believe that she gets to go with Adan and Brice to see her queen get married! And you know what is even more exciting? Ciana get to be in the bridesmaids along with 12 other women. This was all that Ciana could think about, once she heard the news from her brother. Less than an hour ago at Brice’s hut, while helping make supper along withBrice’s family.



Queen Cleopatra asked Ciana if her golden vulture headdress was on straight. Ciana looked around the crown and adjusted so it would sit right on her head. The Queen’s ankh necklace matched Ciana’s mother’s like a set of identical twins. I wonder if she will notice that they are the same.



"Ciana, right?"



"Yes, my Queen?"



"Where did you get that necklace?"



"A gift from my dead mother, my queen."



"When, my child?"



"The day I was born, she placed it around my neck. And then later died, if you need to know more you must talk to my older brother Adan."



“What was your mother’s name?"



“Berenice, my Queen."



"Well, my child my necklace has a twin a pair, only a royal female can have the other half. And my dead sister name was Berenice IV; my father killed her not to long after she was the pharaoh. I guess that she didn't die and she grew up as a present. So I guess that you are my niece."



"REALLY? YOU ARE MY AUNT!" Ciana hugged her aunt with a burst of love. Cleopatra hugged Ciana with love. But Ciana winced from her old scars still on her back.



"What's the matter child?"



"It's nothing my Queen. Please go and enjoy your wedding."



“Ciana, tell me why you winced, you are my niece and if you don't I will make you tell me, I will make you as an order from your Queen."



Ciana rushed her sentence together. "Myfatherbeatmeandmybrother. Iwincedatthepainofsomeonetouchingthewhipmarks."



"WHAT! How dare he hurt you or your brother, no one should be whipped!! He will be beheaded whenI reach Egypt."



"PLEASE! Don't kill my father. He is important to me."



"He beat you and your brother. Why, don't you want him to die?"



"He has a hard and ruff life, and he needs peace and love. Don't kill him! Please Aunt Cleopatra."



"Fine but if he ever hurts you again the he will die understand?"

"THANK YOU MY QUEEN!"



Once the ceremony was finished Ciana meet up with Adana and Brice. "I have someone you might want to meet. Come out, please."



Brice and Adan dropped down to a kneel as Queen Cleopatra walked out.



"My queen, why are you blessing us with your presence? “Adan asked.



"My child, which is your brother?"



"My brother is on the right, and my husband is on the left, my Queen."



Cleopatra walked up to Brice and stared down at him with a glare. "Would you ever hurt or abuse Ciana?"



"No, my Queen she is my wife and my best friend’s sister. I love her like Ra would ever stop the rising of the sun." Ra is the sun god, he rides the boat across the sky, day in day out, he never stops his cycle.



"Good, because if you ever abuse her like her ,Father than you will die. A slow painful death. Adan comes give your aunt a hug."



"Who is my...... WAIT ARE YOU ARE AUNT?!"



"Yes, my child."



Adan ran and hugged her.



"Now the question is are you Ciana and Adan going to live with me and Anthony or are you going to live on your own?"



"The offer is huge and gracious, but I am excited to work on the boat."



"And I love living here in Rome with Brice and Adan when he here at home."



"Well, if you ever need anything just ask me."



"Thank you, my Queen! Ciana turned to Adan, Brice and Aunt Cleopatra and said," I am pregnant with a little baby."



Brice looked awestruck, and then changed to ecstatic. Brice swung Ciana in a hug and planted a kiss on her lips.



"YEAH! I AM AN UNCLE!" Was all Adan could say as he did a weird jig, as Ciana was being swung around in the air.



"Congratulations, Brice and Ciana. Call on me when he or she comes. I would love to visit, just send a note on the next boat to Egypt, and I will come as soon as I can."



"You can bet on that my queen." Brice said as he patted Ciana on her tummy, with a huge goofy smile.



“I wouldn’t dream of it any other way, Aunt Cleopatra.” Ciana said as she held Brice’s hand on her tummy.

~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“ That my child, is how I met our Queen, now go and run to Uncle Adan and go to Rome.”

“Why do I have to go to Rome, Mummy? I want you and Daddy.”

“Angel, please go. There is going to be a war and I don’t want you to be in the middle of it.”

“You’ll come to Rome, after me right? Please say you’ll come to Rome if I go.”

“Me and Daddy, will come as soon as possible. Okay?”

Ciana passed Adan her little baby girl ,and the boat left after a few minutes.

“Good bye, my angel.” Ciana soon met up with Brice. They made the quick walk to the place, to go see Cleopatra. They all saw the scene before them of their dead Queen. The sounds of the army, and the banging of the door made them freeze.