Title: A Cursed Existence
Rating: T
Prologue: Ancient Egypt
(Irisi's P.o.V)
(A/N: Irisi means fashioned by Isis, Nedjem means sweet)
"UNHAND ME THIS INSTANT!" I screamed as I fought against the men that were dragging me to the gods only knew where. I had managed to pull one arm free and was attempting to beat the other man who was holding my other arm; all it got me was a hurt hand. "LET GO OF ME RIGHT NOW!" The first man grabbed my arm again and they continued to drag me through the halls of the Pharaoh's palace. I was pulled into what could only be the thrown room.
"Is this the girl?" Asked the Pharaoh from his thrown. The men who dragged me threw me down into a kneeling position but pulled my hair so I was staring at the Pharaoh. The man to his left nodded as he stared at me, I looked up at the Pharaoh with a look of anger. "Do not look at me like that it, could end your life." I turned my gaze to the man on the left of the Pharaoh, he returned my gaze with one of his own and I felt my look soften.
"Why am I here?" I demanded as I returned my gaze to the Pharaoh. His gaze hardened as he looked at me. I tried to look away but the guard held my head in place. "LET GO OF MY HAIR RIGHT NOW!" I tried to stand up, but was forced back to the ground where I felt the skin on my knees scrape against the ground. I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes as I let out a hiss of pain. I pulled my right arm away and wiped at my eyes before I looked up at the Pharaoh, not really having much choice in the matter.
"I have heard of your entertainment skills," The Pharaoh replied with a smirk as he stood up. I felt fear wash over me as the Pharaoh stepped closer to me. "You will dance for the court." The Pharaoh motioned the guards, they let me go and backed away, and I stood up and felt blood dripping down my legs from where they had scraped the floor. "You do not have a choice in this matter." The Pharaoh circled around me.
"Fine," I whispered as I bent down and wiped the blood and dust away from my knees. "I need help, bleeding at the moment and it is YOUR guards fault." The man to the left of the Pharaoh's thrown walked toward me as the Pharaoh walked back to his thrown. He pulled me up and out of the room with gentle pulls. I followed his as he pulled me down a hall. "Thank you," I whispered as he pulled me into a room off to the side of the hall.
"It is no trouble, the guards were overly rough with you," The man replied as he sat me on a cot. "My name is Imhotep." He gathered various supplies from shelves before coming back to me. I nodded my head in recognition to the fact that he had said something. He took the bowl and filled it with water before he grabbed a clean looking linen cloth and dipped it in the water. He wiped the blood off my legs; I let out a hiss of pain as he applied pressure.
"Irisi," I whispered as he put the dirty linen down and picked up a clean one before continued with what he was doing. "Pleased to meet you." He began muttering under his breath and I watched my scrapes heal. "THANK YOU!" I exclaimed as I jumped up and threw my arms around him. I quickly jumped off him and to the other side of the room. I looked at the ground as I heard Imhotep get up. "I am sorry."
"It is all right," He murmured as he walked up to me and gently grabbed my chin, making me look at him. I smiled up at him as he was a full head taller then me. "Now I will show you where you will be living." I nodded as he led me out of the room after disposing of the dirty linens. "For the time being you shall be staying in my chambers until yours are ready, the Pharaoh was not anticipating your finding so soon."
"He sent those men to find me?" I inquired as I followed him as closely as my relative shortness would allow. I found myself falling behind and running to keep up with his quick wide steps. "I have my family to worry about and now I have to entertain people I do not know." I leaned against the nearest pillar before sliding down it and sitting on the floor, curled into a ball with my knees drawn up to my chest.
"You are married?" Imhotep asked as he knelt down next to me and put a hand on my shoulder. I shook my head in a violent no. I looked up at him as he held his hand on my shoulder. "How old are you?" I rested my chin on my knees as Imhotep removed his hand from my shoulder. I felt a hand travel down my arm as I looked away from him. "If you are not married you should not have a family to worry about." I felt his hand under my chin that made me look at him.
"I am twenty-one and I have to take care of my three brothers and two sisters," I replied sourly as I looked up at him, never meeting his eyes. "I was never able to be married, my parents died when I was thirteen." He grabbed my hands and pulled me into a standing position. I stood looking at the floor. 'He is handsome, but I can not have feelings for him.' I thought to myself as I continued to look at the floor, not wanting to look him in the eye. "But what is done is done, my sister Nedjem will have to care for everyone now."
"I am sorry to hear about your parents," He whispered as he looked at me. "Are you ready to see where you will be staying or do you wish to stay in this hall?" I felt his hand under my chin; he made me look at him. I smirked up at him before I swung around the relatively thin pillar. "Where did you go Irisi?" I giggled as I slipped behind Imhotep and tapped his right shoulder before slipping back against the pillar.
"Lead the way," I whispered as he smirked at me. He started walking off again, I ran after him to keep up. "You are rather fast." I caught up to him after a few seconds and turned to look at him. We strode down the halls and into a set of rooms. "Oh my…" I looked around and took in the sight of the room, and in taking in the splendor or the room, I bumped into Imhotep causing him and I both to fall, me on top of him. I tried to get up quickly but found myself tangled in his robe. "I am so sorry. I am clumsy sometimes."
"It is fine, let me assist you," He replied as he fixed his robes and then rolled me off of him. I stood up and extended a hand to help him up. He grabbed my hand; I braced myself, and pulled him up. "So do you like the room?" I nodded quickly as I looked at the floor. "Why do you never look me in the eye?" I continued to look at the ground, slightly afraid to meet his gaze. He made me look at him.
"I do not look anyone in the eyes, eyes tell the story of a persons' life… I do not want people to know my story," I replied as I tried to avert my gaze but couldn't. "I have a gift for reading people when I come to eye contact, so I do not look them in the eye." I closed my eyes and kept them tightly shut. "I do not mean to offend." I felt his gaze on me, making me feel slightly safer then before. I opened my eyes and looked at him.
"Calm yourself Irisi," He whispered as he let go of my chin and put his hands on my shoulders. I continued to look at him, taking in his attractive features. I looked at his chest and then back up to his face. I smiled at him as I grabbed his lower arms. "You are looking me in the eyes; tell me, do you know my story?" I shook my head and looked him in the eye, and it actually felt nice to look someone other then my siblings in the eye. I smiled yet again as I held eye contact with him.
"I will have to get use to looking you in the eye," I whispered as he looked at me as well. He nodded as he pulled me over to another room with a large bed in the center. I saw the few outfits of mine that the third guard who brought me here made me gather. "It should not take long." 'This room is amazing!' I thought as he sat me down in a chair, I looked at him with a confused gaze. I felt his hands leave my person and watched as he sat down across from me. "Could you please tell me how the Pharaoh even knew about me; all I do is dance in back alleys for spare coins. And neither is done all that publically." I gave him a questioning gaze.
"It was I, I saw you dance once, outside the Temple of Osiris," He replied quietly. I looked at him now with anger in my eyes; no more would I look this man in the eye. "I have seen you, you dance beautifully and now you have a better life for yourself." I made to get up but was stopped by Imhotep who shook his head; as if to say that he wasn't done explaining. "You should be honored that the Pharaoh has chosen you, he could have had you killed for your defiance back in the court."
"I AM honored, but I am not talented enough to dance for a court," I stated as I looked away from him, "I am afraid of the Pharaoh's anger if I were to mess up." I tried to get up again, but was stopped yet again by Imhotep's hand. 'I am stubborn and I know this, but I know I am right.' I thought to myself. He looked at me with a stern face before smiling at me. I looked at him with a smile.
"I like you Irisi, you are unique," Imhotep replied as he looked at me with the same smile as before. "You are also special, you will do fine as a dancer in the court; I have seen it." He put a hand on my shoulder and then walked behind me, keeping his hand on my shoulder almost as a reassurance, I shrugged his hand off, only for him to put it back on my shoulder, and he urged me to stand up, so I did. He led me to the bed, where my clothes were. "You should change; I will call for someone to help you."
-/- Imhotep's P.o.V -\-
"No… no, that is not needed, I can dress myself," She muttered as she grabbed one of the outfits and went into the first room I had shown here. I stayed where I was and a few minutes later she walked back into the bed chamber wearing a cleaner version of the same outfit she had had on before. "Is this better Imhotep?" I looked her over and nodded once, she smiled at me but would not meet my gaze.
"The Pharaoh requires the girl so that she may be fitted for her new attire," one of the Pharaohs messengers spoke from the door between the rooms. "He also requests that you accompany her." The man left after finishing what it was he had to say. I nodded once the man left and grabbed Irisi as I walked toward where the man had been and then out into the hall before I pulled her toward where she had to be.
-/- A Few Months Later -\-
"How are you today Lord Imhotep?" Irisi inquired, she had been calling me Lord ever since she had found out about my station, as she walked up to me dressed in her blue outfit (think Eve's black outfit but blue). I watched her walk toward me so that she was right in front of me. I frowned slightly at the fact that she still refused to look me in the eye before I felt her wrap her arms around my waist and felt her press her body into mine. I felt a smile come to my face as I wrapped my arms around her as well.
"I am fine, and I have told you not to use the Lord," I replied as we walked toward the room we still shared. "How are you? You seem to be limping what happened?" We reached the rooms and sat down to the meal that the servants had brought for us. I watched as she barely touched her food. "Something is bothering you Irisi, what is it?" She looked up at me with a pained expression that quickly changed to a smile.
"Nothing is wrong Imhotep," She replied quietly as she looked away and continued to pick at her food. "I hurt my ankle while dancing, nothing more." I gave her a questioning look, she wasn't telling me the whole story and I knew it. I ate my meal, still staring at her waiting for her to answer me. "Really, nothing is wrong Imhotep, I am not that hungry." I watched her get up and walk to the bed, she lay down and then did nothing. I watched her chest move up and down for a few minutes before I got up and went to the bed.
"Irisi there is something you are not telling me," I asked as I sat on the bed next to her, "what are you not telling me?" I looked at her with a questioning gaze. She faced me and looked up at me, not once meeting my gaze, something she hadn't done since the first day she met me. "You know you can tell me anything." I put a hand on her shoulder and smiled down at her before lying down myself; she shrugged my hand off and turned away slightly.
"I … you," She mumbled in reply as she continued to look away from me. I rolled her and made her look at me before giving her a repeat motion. "I said I LOVE you, is that all right with you Imhotep? Now I have no secrets from you, are you happy now?" I watched her face redden considerably before she rolled back over and continued to not look at me. She shifted again so that she was flat on her back, still refusing to look at me.
"I had a feeling that was the case," I replied calmly as I looked down at her. "If it is true I do not mind." I watched as she looked at me with a small smile playing on her lips. I smiled back at her as I sat her up and put a hand under her chin to make her look at me. She looked at me, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. 'She really wanted to keep it a secret.' I thought as I used the pad of my thumb and wiped away the tears that were falling.
"If you knew, why did I have to tell you? I tried my best to keep it hidden for it is not acceptable, I am sorry you found out," She whispered as she looked me straight in the eyes. "It will come to nothing." I frowned, I was happy that she finally looked me in the eye of her own knowing, but I was saddened that she did not seem to think I felt the same way. I looked into her eyes and saw tears and a look that said 'You never should have asked.'
"I wanted to hear you say it, to hear those words from your mouth," I began as I wiped the tears away, "it makes my heart swell." I gently pulled her forward and into a tight hug. She just sat there, my arms wrapped around her and her forehead on my shoulder. "Why will it come to nothing?" I let go of her and looked at her. She looked at me with a look I couldn't place before she slowly wrapped her arms around me; she rested her head against my chest.
"I will be what you want me to be. If you want it to come to something then it will," She replied as I wrapped my arms back around her. "It is all up to you." I held her to my chest and smiled as I rested my chin on the top of her head. "If you do not mind my asking, how did you know?" She looked up at me with a smile as she reached up and pressed a soft kiss to my right cheek. After she sat back I gave her a look that said 'I just knew.'
"Osiris told me some time ago," I whispered as I held her to me, the feeling that all was right in the world over taking all other feelings. "I have known for a month." I felt her smile against my chest; this caused me to smile as well. I pressed a kiss to the top of her head as I held her to me. "I am glad you feel about me the way that I feel about you." She pulled away from me and looked me in the eyes with a smile on her face that I remembered from when we had first met.
"You love me?" She asked quietly as she looked up at me. I nodded as I looked at her, smiling down at her, and kissed her forehead. "This is a good thing I suppose." She smiled up at me with a look that I couldn't quite place. "Please say you mean it." 'She seems to be genuinely worried about how I feel about her.' I thought as I looked at her with a gentle smile. I nodded as I pulled her into another tight embrace.
"Yes Irisi, I do love you, it is a good thing, and yes Irisi, I do mean it," I whispered in her ear before I let her go and put a finger under his chin and pressed a kiss to her lips. After we broke apart she looked up at me with a look of love, the same look that she had been giving me since the third month she had been at the palace, only now I could honestly place it. "Please say you believe me Irisi." She nodded gently as a pink tint came to her cheeks.
"Good," She whispered as she looked away from me, to look at the floor, the same blush dusting her cheeks. 'She is rather beautiful when she blushes.' I found myself thinking as I looked down at her. "So what now?" She grabbed my hand and held it gently in both of hers. I put my other hand on top of hers.
-/- A few months later -\-
"Good afternoon my love," Irisi stated as she caught up to me as everyone left the court after watching the Princess and the Pharaoh's soon to be new wife, Anck- su- Namun, have a spar. "How are you this afternoon?" I turned to look at her and saw that she had on the small and delicate necklace that I had given her the day before for her birthday. I took her into my arms in a gentle embrace as soon as she was near enough.
"I am fine Irisi, YOU however are limping again," I replied calmly in her ear as I moved us out of the middle of the hall. "What did you do this time?" I stopped us near a pillar and watched as she leaned up against it. She looked up at me sheepishly; she had been getting hurt often lately. "Do I need to heal you again?" I chuckled as she shook her head. "Let us go back to the room so that I can look at your ankle." She nodded casually as I let her go and simply held her hand.
"Of course I am limping, I stepped wrong during my dancing this morning," She replied quietly as we made our way toward the room that we shared, especially since we had been wed a few months ago, shortly after we had declared our love for each other. "I have been doing that often lately and I do not know why." As we neared the room, I squeezed her hand lightly. We walked into the room and I let go of her hand, she lost her balance and started to fall before she caught herself.
"Sit before you hurt yourself more," I stated with a slight chuckle as I walked to where she was and helped her to sit in a nearby chair. "I will take a look at your ankle and see what can be done about your balance." I looked at her ankle and saw that it was slightly puffy. "Slightly puffy, I will do what I can," I muttered before I started whispering to myself and watched as her ankle reduced in size to that of the other one.
"Thank you Imhotep," She whispered as I looked at her. She looked at me as we stood up and she wrapped her arms around my neck. "Love you." I felt her head against my chest. I wrapped my arms around her as well as she nuzzled against my chest. I pressed a kiss to the top of her head and rubbed her arms. I moved us to the bed so that we both could sit comfortably. "So much." She fell back onto the bed with me on top of her, a small smirk on her face.
"I love you too Irisi," I whispered as I pulled us into an upright position. "Now shall we try for children again? You know how I want children." I looked at her, waiting for a response. She nodded gently as she looked up at me.
-/- The Next Night -\-
"Anck-su-Namun," I whispered before she attacked my lips in a kiss. I ghosted my hand over her arm and brushed her shoulder. "Shh, someone is coming, they may see." I pulled away and hid myself.
-/- Irisi's P.o.V -\-
'Where is he?' I asked myself as I looked around the room Imhotep and I shared. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to find some small comfort. "COME IN!" I called as I heard knocking at my door. In walked Nefertiti, the Pharaoh's daughter. "Yes Princess, what may I help you with?" I asked as I stood up from my chair and walked over to her.
"You will never believe what I just saw," The worried looking girl replied excitedly as she looked at me, worry and sadness etched into her face but excitement in her eyes and voice. I looked at her and made a 'tell me' motion. "I just saw Imhotep and Anck-su-Namun kiss, then Imhotep hid, then they killed my father." I felt my eyes go wide at hearing that Imhotep had been kissing Anck-su-Namun. "I called for the Medjai. They took Imhotep, but he got away as Anck-su-Namun killed herself."
"NO! PLEASE SAY HE GOT AWAY!" I exclaimed as I felt tears come to my eyes at the thought of Imhotep being killed. She nodded with a look of sadness in her eyes. 'Thank the gods that he got away, I do not know what I would do if he died.' I thought to myself as I motioned to the chairs, we went and sat down in the chairs. "I am sorry to hear about the Pharaoh, and I am glad that you told me, but I must go find my husband." She nodded grimly.
