Alia: So I'm sure everyone is wondering why the hell I haven't updated Hope Hates Reality (or any of my other fics *sighs*). In all honestly, I am working on the next chapter and it should be out sooner or later. Real life has me busy. Not to mention that this old idea popped up.
Please understand. I didn't want to write this. I fought with this story, kicking and screaming, and I lost. So, here is the first chapter. The premise should be pretty interesting to everyone though.
This first chapter seems to have a LOT of original characters, but honestly, it doesn't. You'll understand at the end.
This story is really just a test run to see any opinions.
Enjoy.
Title: Shadow Illusions
Author: Alia D
Part 1/?
Rating: R
Pairing: Yami (Atem)/ ?, eventual Puzzleshipping
Spoilers: YGO series
Warnings: Het, Yaoi, Language, Violence, Consensual Sex, Non-consensual Sex, minor Character Deaths, Egyptian mythology
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh anime series, or the game or anything else that I might mention. I am making no money with this.
Summary: Love should be easy, but between Yami's reluctance, Yugi's persistence, former lovers, and a shadowy intruder, it's anything but.
Author's notes: I did LOTS of research for a story I'm in a love/hate/hate/hate! relationship with. Go figure.
Shadow Illusions
As usual, the outer areas of the temple, darkened by nightfall, rang with a still silence. The sandstone walls were shadowed a deep gray while colorful tapestries, rugs, and the scattered furnishings switched into more obscure, pale versions. Small shards of light from the outside kept the darkness from encompassing the outer rooms totally.
The hints of illumination were the only reason anyone could view the skulking shadow moving along the sleeping walls before venturing toward the deeper, private rooms. The outline of the creature covered most of the wall.
The shade moved languidly through the quiet corridor. Having lived inside the building for so long, it was quite familiar with the layout of temple. Pausing for a moment, the large being stretched long limbs, its movements mimicked by the wall even down to the long tail that hung lazily behind it. Passing another shard of light, the animal's golden coat gleamed before it was hidden once more.
Whipping her tail, a small growl of displeasure escaped the lioness as she stared at the heavy wooden doors before her. The tall doors lead to her master's bedroom and were rarely closed. Her master only closed them for one reason.
Displeased, the lion took a deep sniff and growled softly as the hint of prey, musk, and something...primal. A sharp cry rang through her ears from behind the door. Flicking her tail again in annoyance, the lioness decided not to wait outside the bedroom doors. Stepping forward, the lioness's body turned translucent as the predator's body walked through thick wood.
The female's eyes darted toward the bed as her body fully entered the room and solidified. A loud curse echoed through the room, but it was ignored by the lion. She prowled through the room toward the large bed with a deep purr rumbling from her chest, pleased to be in her master's presence. Moving toward the right of the bed, she peered through the moonlit that bathed the room in a soft white glow. There was a cloth toss along the warm floor. The lioness laid her body over the discarded linen sheet with relish. It wasn't as if her master needed it at the moment.
A choked gasp echoed over the lioness's head followed by a low grunt and a low whisper. The female's eyes closed as she rested. She wondered often why her master, her alpha, would choose to have one that smelled of prey as a mate?
The lion's master was ignorant and uncaring of his pet's questions. He was not in his secondary form with the ability to ask, nor was he in the frame of mind to ask. Nothing more was on his mind than the gorgeous Egyptian pressing him harder into the bed and staking a claim on his body with every touch, kiss, and thrust.
A shout escaped him after a sharp bite to this throat. His hands dug into the shoulders rocking above him. His right hand left a hint of unused oil behind. "N-no marks! No marks!" His hoarse voice called out in reprimand, but it did no good.
His lover moved higher to press a soft kiss to his lower jaw before nipping the damp skin sharply. A voice thick with arousal, replied in a rough whisper, "I will mark you as I please. In any way I please." Tightening his grasp on the man's hips, he shifted his angle before violently slamming his cock back into the man beneath him.
"HORUS!" Shoving a hand into the black locks of the god above him, the other man yanked Horus down into a kiss. He whined low in his throat, tilting his hips up as his mate fucked him harder.
Horus pulled away from his mate's swollen lips groaning as the handsome man beneath him purposely tightened around him. The hand tightening in his hair kept him from moving farther back as a sweet mouth pressed kisses along his own throat. "Do it!" Horus commanded, his eyes dark and needy. More than anything, he wanted to be marked.
Releasing the god and falling back to the sheets, the other man shook his head before pressing his feet flat against the bed and lifting his hips higher. With the oil slicked hand still on Horus's shoulder, he gave his lover with a wicked smile, before scratching his nails all the way down Horus's back.
"AH!" A rush of pain and pleasure running through his body snapped Horus's control. Horus began to rut against his lover with short, powerful thrusts. "Maahes, you-," Horus grabbed the fiendish hand at his hip and pinned it next to Maahes's head.
Biting his lip, Maahes groaned as he felt wave after wave of pleasure run through him. He couldn't help but gasp Horus's name as the god's movements became more erratic. It had been too long since they'd found time together, but they knew each other's bodies well. "Horus..."
Leaning forward, Horus kissed Maahes passionately, his hand tightening unconsciously around the god's wrist. "So beautiful, so tight. Love you. I love you so much."
"H-Horus! N-not-," Maahes breath caught as his body shook and everything tightened. He ground his body up against every brutal violation of his body. He wanted Horus badly. He wanted to be marked, owned, by his lover, but it wasn't meant to be. "N-not inside!"
A flash of rage flared behind Horus's eyes, but his body was too primed for it to leave any impression. His grip on Maahes's wrist became painful, not that either noticed, and his body grew tense. "Maahes... My Maahes!"
"Horus, please!" Neither man stopped moving. Maahes's free arm pulled Horus closer. It took sheer will not to wrap his legs around his lover. "You can't! AH! Not inside!" Maahes nearly wailed. "N-not inside of me!"
Swearing angrily, Horus jerked his body violently away from his lover, getting a cry of protest from Maahes. Horus bit his lip in pain before pressing his body on top of lover. He slid a strong hand between their stomachs and wrapped it around both straining cocks. One squeeze was all it took.
His eyes totally unfocused, Horus lay in Maahes's soiled bed waiting for his return. Despite the pleasure still thrumming through his loins, he couldn't help but feel a heavy pain in his chest. It hurt. Horus closed his eyes, hiding them from the moonlight encompassing the room. The god knew the rules better than anyone, but it still hurt.
A loud, rolling purr from Woserit alerted him before the soft footsteps. Opening his eyes, the Egyptian deity dropped his head to the right and watched the powerful man enter the bedchamber. His quiet eyes earned a small smile from Maahes as he knelt next to the bed with a bowl of warm water and a cloth. The sight warmed Horus but didn't lift his spirits.
Maahes squeezed the excess water from the linen and ran the warm cloth across Horus's chest. Long ago, cleaning up had been a sign of love and affection. A quick flex of their power could have cleansed them quickly, but it had meant more to them to do things as mortals. It meant taking the time and effort to show how much the two deities meant to each other.
But now, especially to Horus, it was a painful necessity. A mockery of times before.
"You are angry with me."
Horus remained silent as Maahes turned the cloth and rubbed the linen down Horus's thigh. He could feel the shame coming from Maahes. That alone compelled him to speak. "No. I am not angry with you."
Maahes paused, removing the cloth from Horus and back into the basin. He had heard the slight emphasis in his lover's words. "Horus... You know why. It has to be this way."
Horus did not reply. It broke Maahes's heart.
"If anyone summoned your power or even summoned mine..." He paused for a moment, hoping his lover would have some type of reaction. Horus simply closed his eyes. Maahes continued with a heavy sigh. "What would you have me do, beloved? Take the chance and be found out?"
"I did not-,"
Maahes's voice turned cold. "Would you rather I be in Set's position?"
Horus forced his body upright. "No!" He couldn't imagine his lover suffering the same shame as his uncle.
"Would you rather one of us be punished, banished, or even executed? That isn't a death even we could come back from, Horus!"
"I know that!" His eyes flashed with vivid dark colors, displaying his agitation. "I have this knowledge, but I..." He closed his eyes and dropped his head in shame. "You were mine. Before Ra passed the law, I wanted all to know you were mine. I wanted you as my other half, my better half. I wanted to belong to you."
Maahes raised a hand and placed it on Horus's knee. "And now we can't. We can have no claim." Now, they had to sneak around to see each other. Now, they had to be careful not to leave marks behind others could question. Now, they kept all sources of their power from one another no matter how much it pained them both.
"I am sorry, Horus." His voice was filled with shame, hurt, and regret. "I am so sorry."
"There has been so much change between us." Horus looked at Maahes with so much hurt and affection. "You are hiding something from me."
Maahes withdrew from him then, averting his eyes. The guilt shrouded around him like a heavy cloak, suffocating him. "What would I have to hide?"
"What indeed? But you are. I often wonder what."
"...All I have ever hidden from you, Horus, is how much I love you."
Horus sighed. "I wish I could believe those words."
Maahes flinched, a feeling of sickness in his stomach. He stood and crawled over Horus to lay at his side. "I would stand at your side if I could."
Horus kept his eyes on the ceiling, but reached down to caress Maahes's limp fingers. "I must go."
Long dark gold strands covered Maahes's eyes as his body shifted closer to Horus. He grasped the hand being so gentle with his own. As if the Lord of Massacres was fragile. "Let me promise you something, Horus."
"What?"
"I swear I will give you your wish. I will be yours one day."
"That time will be long in the future." Horus's voice was despondent and lacking in hope and faith.
Maahes smiled sadly. He shifted and leaned over his lover. Lifting a hand, he ran his fingers through Horus's dark locks. "Yes, but I will prove myself to you. I am yours, Horus. And you are mine. Even if it takes a millennium to prove it, I will."
"DO YOU DENY IT? DO YOU DENY WHAT I SAW WITH MY OWN EYES?" On a large golden throne, a male with the head of a falcon stared down with malicious black eyes at the god standing before him.
The deity in question stared back proudly. His head, that a lion, was held high and the glow of golden mane framed his stoic face. In his right hand was a long silver knife the length of his forearm. There was no fear in his eyes as he stared back at his leader. On the left of the strong god was a goddess. The female stood angrily, her raging eyes emerging from the head of a cat. Her hands were clenched in fists over her belly.
The three Egyptians were surrounded by family, friends and other deities of the Egyptian Pantheon.
Maahes looked at Ra coolly before glancing to the side. Giving his mother, Bast, a look of sorrow and apology, he turned back to Ra and straightened. "I will not deny it. I have no reason to lie. You did see me laying with another god, Ra."
Bast's eyes widened and she reached out to grasp her son's hand. Cold fear quickly replaced the swelling anger in her heart.
She was not alone.
"No..." But it was true. His worst fear was happening right before his very eyes.
It shouldn't have been possible. Both of them has been so careful! Even when it had driven them near madness, Horus and Maahes had been so cautious. How had Ra seen them? Maahes always closed his doors when they were together and only Woserit could enter them.
Horus's mind ran from one thought and emotion to another as whispers of shock, horror, fear, and a few of disgust flooded the assembly of gods. He couldn't help but question everything. Was it an accident? How long did Ra know of Maahes and himself? Did Ra know that Horus was Maahes's lover? And the one question that truly frightened Horus: What punishment would they receive?
Ra's body vibrated with suppressed emotions but the animosity and hatred were oozing from his very core. "You know, Maahes, that you have broken a high law?"
Maahes's expression didn't hide the god's revulsion for the law and Ra himself. "Yes. I know." He squeezed his mother's shaking hand in his own.
Standing abruptly, Ra narrowed his eyes. "Tell me. As you broke this law, did you forget the penalty was death?"
"NO! Not my son! I forbid it!" Bast moved forward as if to shield Maahes from Ra's gaze, but her child kept her in place, shaking his head. "Maahes!"
"I remember."
Sneering, Ra's voice reverberated through the assembly. "Then why wait to deliver this judgment."
Shock ran through Horus's body as Ra's words became clear. Maahes was going to die.
Bast screamed and moved to lash out only for two gods nearby to restrain her. She was slowly pulled away. "No! Not my son! Ra, please! Not my son!"
Maahes closed his eyes at his mother's distress, but remained steady, opening his dark orbs to stare at Ra's triumphant expression.
Horus tried to take a step forward only to feel two hands, each varying in size, grab his arms. Still in shock, Horus barely registered the two gods. Both, like Horus and all those in attendance, wore their secondary forms. One featured the head of a jackal; the other stood with an ibis's head.
"No, Horus. Don't do anything foolish," Anubis hissed. His body was stiff with rage and he glowered in the very direction Horus's stunned eyes were locked. "He is friend to us all, but there is nothing you can do!"
Thoth said nothing. Like Anubis said, there was nothing they could do. He, himself, had done all he could for his friend already. Now, he would adhere to Maahes's last request and keep Horus's involvement silent.
Ra smiled cruelly, though only Maahes could see the real expression. "Maahes... I can understand you were led astray. There are times we forget ourselves and this I understand. We all do." Ra strolled down from the thrown and dais to stand arm's length from Maahes. "I am merciful, Maahes, so listen to my words. You are innocent of these activities. You were born to protect Ma'at. Of course you would not disobey the laws of the pantheon." He raised a hand in a peaceful expression. "With this knowledge, I offer you this deal."
Maahes felt apprehension settle in his bones. "What deal?" The world around the two deities went silent as all others watched.
"Tell me who your lover is. Tell me who he is, Maahes, and I will lessen your punishment."
"...What will you do to him?"
Ra said nothing, but it told Maahes everything.
"And my punishment?" His voice shook against his will, but he was unable to stop it.
"Your punishment will be lighter but at my discretion. For a time, you will be my servant and follow my commands to redeem yourself."
What the Egyptian pantheon heard and what Maahes heard were two different things. One was acceptable to everyone, even Horus, if it meant Maahes would live.
To Maahes, the deal was totally unacceptable.
"Never."
Ra's eyes flared with a brilliant gold and white light. His hand altered from a peaceful position to one of aggression. "Then so be it."
Kosey wasn't young but was handsome. He was unmarried and completely dedicated to being a priest in the temple of Horus. After being given to the care of his grandfather, the head priest, Kosey had grown to become a priest once he reached sixteen summers. The tanned Egyptian with short golden blond hair had past thirty-five summers and happy with his quiet life. He spent time caring for the three children that lived in the temple, assisting his aging grandfather and the two other priests, and consulting those that came to the temple for help.
Kosey was dedicated to his life and his god.
This was rather unfortunate.
Kosey let his wide brown eyes take in the sight in the temple's main room. When he'd heard the loud noise, he'd been horrified at the thought that the temple was being attacked. But taking in the destruction before him, he knew it was anything but a burglary.
The room was mostly intact, but the altar that his grandfather took such pride in caring for was totally destroyed. The thick stone piece that had been large enough for three men to lay comfortably was broken clean in half. Cracks, big and small, crawled up and down the destroyed slab pieces. The strong legs of the altar lay in broken pieces of pebbles and rocks beneath and around it. Offerings of food, cloth, flowers, and weapons lay scattered around the room. Only the large stone statue of Horus remained untouched, but that wasn't what froze Kosey in total shock.
Facing away from Kosey and standing tall amidst the rubble, odd flashes of black power arching from his body was a figure of a man. He wore no shoes, as was the habit of some Egyptians, and wore only a pure white linen kilt. These things were ordinary, and unsurprising, except for the fact that few Egyptians wore the head of a hawk.
Kosey took a long step back in awe, fear, and shock as his god, Horus, turned to face him with angry black eyes. Trembling at the power surging through the room, Kosey stilled before dropping to his knees. "Lord Horus," he whispered in a stupefied stutter. Seeing the deity take a step forward, Kosey dropped his eyes to the ground in submission. He wondered, in a distant area of his mind, why his god had just destroyed the altar.
The violent strike across the face sent the Egyptian sliding across the floors and nearly into the wall.
Dazed, feeling his brain rattle in his skull, Kosey blinked slowly, opening his eyes weakly toward the tall figure storming toward him. Kosey's human instincts had his shocked body try to scramble back and away from the inhuman creature headed for him. "M-my lord-,"
A hand, strong as stone, snatched Kosey's wrist from the air and slammed the priest to the ground. Kosey couldn't have prevented the scream that erupted as he felt the bone break. He reached out unconsciously to pull Horus's hand away from him only for his right hand to be smacked out of the way. The pain from the strike blazed from his hand to his shoulder making Kosey's arm fall limp.
"Stop! I'm sorry! Forgive me! Please, let me go! It hurts! It-," Shouting in pain and fear, Kosey tried to squirm away from the painful snare around his broken wrist even as the large body of his god straddled his body. Horus ignored the pleading cries as he shifted his body between Kosey's legs. Terrified, Kosey didn't realize what was happening until his kilt was shredded from his body with two fierce tugs and Horus lifted his own.
"NO! LORD HORUS, PLEASE! NO!" Kosey didn't fight the salty tears that ran down his face as kicked his legs desperately and tried unsuccessfully to move his arms. Looking up into the cold, black eyes above him, Kosey pleaded one last time as Horus shifted him closer. A spike of terror flooded his system as he felt something stiff press against his entrance. "Please. Lord Horus, forgive me! Please don't do this to me."
Horus looked down at the gentle priest with beautiful, teary brown eyes and familiar golden hair and thrust forward.
Meti sat beside his grandson's bed with sorrow weighing his heart. Carefully, he raised a hand and lay his hand over his grandchild's bruised arm. It hurt the old man terribly to see his grandchild like this but not long ago, it was so much worse.
Earlier that morning, waking to the shouts of the young acolytes, Meti had run to the main hall to find his youngest grandchild on the floor of their destroyed temple, broken and violated in the worst way. He'd never forget the dried tear streaks on Kosey's unconscious face as he lay crumbled naked on the ground.
The healer had broken the old priest's heart when his old friend informed him of Kosey's state. His wrist had been broken, his arms were both badly bruised, one ankle was sprained and Meti's grandson had been defiled by whatever monster had destroyed the temple altar. Meti still lacked information of what happened, but it both frightened and angered him. Who could have hurt his child in such a way? And how powerful were they? There had been no sign of anything that could have caused the damage to the altar. Someone or something had been responsible.
A small noise drew Meti's attention to his grandson and the older blond gasped in relief. Staring up at the ceiling with a broken expression was Kosey. The man continued to lay limply in the bed, trembling as his grandfather moved closer.
"Kosey. My child." Meti's voice was pained. Gently, he grasped Kosey's chin and turned the young eyes toward his face. A tear left a bitter trail down the younger priest's face. "Oh Kosey. What happened to you, child?"
Kosey whimpered. A choked sob lodged in his throat before he abruptly turned his head away from his grandfather. How could he possibly tell the old man that the god they loved and worshiped had betrayed him in the worst way? Kosey shook his head. He whispered hoarsely in response, his voice shattered from screaming. "No. Grandfather... Please don't ask that of me."
"Kosey! Child, what that monster did to you? Do you not want justice?" Meti implored his grandson. "You cannot want that monster, whoever it may be, get away with this!"
"I don't want to remember!" He cried in a raspy voice. "I want to forget. I want to forget!"
Meti said nothing. Rarely had his wonderful child ever asked for anything, but he wanted to deny him this. He wanted the fiend that walked into his god's temple, destroyed their altar, and violated his family to hurt, to scream and to die. Allowing Kosey any type of silence would prevent that. And Meti could no allow it.
So the old priest whispered, "You must tell me, Kosey." Kosey shut his eyes tightly and shook his head. "What if they return, Kosey?"
The bedridden man whimpered and shivered beneath the bedding. He didn't know if he would survive another encounter with Horus. He didn't know what he would do if the god forced himself on Kosey again. Just the thought of being raped again restricted his breath.
Meti took Kosey's hand in his own. "You must speak, Kosey!"
"No. Let me forget."
"Kosey," Meti only hoped his grandchild would forgive him for using the little ones against him. "If this monster could do this to you, in our god's temple, then what of the children, Kosey?"
The words completely stole the air from Kosey's lungs. Suddenly, the priest couldn't breath, his chest went still and his throat closed up. Panic was swift to overwhelm his senses and Kosey reached up with his right hand to grasp at his throat.
"Kosey!" Meti cursed his foolishness. He should have waited. He should have given his grandchild time. Seeing one of Kosey's orphans frozen in the doorway, Meti snapped at him. "Alu! Alu, find the healer! Bring him here now!" Seeing the child disappear from the door, Meti desperately tried to help Kosey. "Breathe, boy! You have to calm down and breath! Kosey! Kosey!"
Hours later, after everything had gone dark, Kosey opened weary brown eyes to see the red and purple rays highlighting his empty bedchamber. The day was ending and Kosey, still feeling exhausted, was more than happy to sleep the rest of the day away.
Closing his eyes, Kosey relaxed only for his eyes to snap open in fear when he felt the atmosphere of the room change. A moment later, he could only stare in horror as Horus, standing next to his bed, calmly, silently pulled away the sheet covering Kosey's body. Kosey cried softly as Horus climbed over him.
Horus waited for Kosey to dismiss the children from their lesson before he appeared. Kosey, who had his back facing Horus, went still for a long moment before his shoulders slumped. After so much time under the creature's mercy, Kosey always knew when he was near. The priest turned, his eyes sad even as he offered Horus a false smile. "Lord Horus."
Remaining in his second form, Horus tilted his head, his feathers ruffling softly as he strolled to Kosey's side. Kosey didn't flinch as the Egyptian deity reached out for him, but shifted uncomfortably as a powerful hand wrapped around his arm. Brown eyes flickered in the direction where the children's voices could still be heard. Kosey tensed. "Please, Lord Horus. My rooms... The children can't hear."
Saying nothing, Horus exerted his power around himself and Kosey, transporting them to the priest's chambers. He owed the gentle priest enough that a different location was nothing. The last time, Horus hadn't cared if the children were nearby. He'd simply shoved Kosey into a wall before taking what he wanted.
The memory sickened him and a feeling of self-hatred and disgust overcame the god for a moment. Horus still remembered the tears and sobs Kosey desperately stifled so that the children wouldn't hear and investigate. He hadn't wanted the children to see the god they worshiped raping and terrorizing their surrogate father. No one knew, even after so long, that it was Horus assaulting Kosey.
It was the first time Horus realized what a monster he was to his deceased lover's substitute.
Taking measured breaths, Kosey hesitantly removed his clothing before moving toward the bed. He knew the sooner that Horus was satisfied, the sooner the deity would leave the temple and Kosey in turn. True, Horus hadn't been nearly as harsh with the passing of the last two seasons, but Kosey still found himself expected to pleasure the god at his convenience.
Kosey's heart sank to his stomach when Horus grasped his arm as he stood inches from the bed. These meetings occurred enough that Kosey knew what Horus wanted. His eyes low to the floor, Kosey immediately dropped to his knees, shakily raising his hands to the end of Horus's white kilt. He hated doing this for Horus as he always felt nauseated afterwards, the shame of the encounter choking him.
Every time Horus arrived, it was a strength test of Kosey's mind, heart, will, and faith.
A tanned hand clamped around his wrist so suddenly that Kosey couldn't have prevented the flinch no matter how hard he tried. Horus held the very same wrist that he'd snapped in the beginning. Kosey begrudgingly accepted Horus's attentions, but he hated having his wrists touched.
Horus stared down at the terrified mortal. He loathed what his desperate actions had done to such a good, faithful man. Tenderly, Horus caressed the wrist he held before kneeling next to Kosey. The man shivered. Two dishearted brown eyes rose to meet the deity's before dropping to the floor. The trembling in Kosey's body increased.
"L-lord Horus?"
Saddened, Horus ignored another flinch from Kosey as he softly ran a thumb across Kosey's cheek.
A flicker of power and a short moment later, Kosey gasped in surprise. Horus was gone.
Meti ushered the last villager out of the temple with a long sigh. A chuckle from behind him caught his attention. Meti raised a scolding eyebrow to his amused grandson. "You have something to say, child?"
Kosey stifled a smile unsuccessfully. "Nothing, Grandfather. I'm glad the day is finished."
Meti grinned at his grandchild. Today was a rare day. Kosey seemed...different. He smiled and it reached his eyes. He ate a full meal with his grandfather, the other priests and the children. Kosey seemed to have some life in his heart again. Meti didn't know what caused the change in Kosey's attitude, but he was very grateful for it.
"As am I, child." Meti glanced at the numerous offerings littering the restored altar. "The harvest turned very well this year. People are thankful."
Kosey nodded. "I'm thankful as well. The last few seasons have been hard." Observing the altar, Kosey noticed quite a bit of gold amongst the offerings.
"Yes. Perhaps all the prayers to the gods were answered." Meti noticed the small flinch from Kosey and wanted to ask, but his questions never received answers. It was best to leave it be. "Rest and bathe, Kosey. Then join me for supper."
"Yes, Grandfather." Kosey watched the elder priest carry his weary bones from the main temple before turning to face the altar and the large statue of Horus. He took a few steps that led him to the end of the altar. He didn't kneel. Kosey's faith was too fractured. Besides, he was having a wonderful day.
It had a week since he'd last seen Horus and Kosey had to admit, it was a great relief. It was ages since his body had been his own, since he didn't have to fear anyone hearing him and Horus, or since he was able to sleep throughout the night. It was something like a holiday and Kosey rather enjoyed it.
At the same time, a shard of his mind worried. Horus had seemed different lately and that sweet caress right before he disappear without sating himself with Kosey's body...
Kosey carefully picked up a plain gold bracelet from the altar. He didn't want to think of Horus, but his mind flowed in the deity's direction. Kosey had to wonder why the change and why the assaults on his body began in the first place. Was it a test of his faith? Had Horus decided Kosey no longer pleased him? Would the god even return?
A small noise behind him made Kosey pause. The temple was closed, the other priests and children were bathing after the long day. No one else could be in the main room.
Praying softly that it was one of the priests or the children playing a joke, Kosey turned and choked on his breath as the dagger buried itself in his chest. He stared at the shivering old villager that rushed past Kosey to the altar, disregarding the body collapsing on the temple floor.
Weakly trying to raise his hands to grasp the weapon, Kosey vacantly watched the greedy villager grab at the gold pieces on the altar, unaware of the enraged Egyptian deity appearing behind him. Kosey felt his hands go limp as his murderer was thrown across the room, his skull crushing like fruit into the wall before leaving one long line of blood behind.
His vision darkening, Kosey watched with a distant curiosity as Horus knelt next to him and spoke for the first time. "I can heal you, but you cannot close your eyes. Do not sleep, Kosey!"
Kosey smiled, closing his eyes without a fight.
Sadiki groaned with a proud smile as he stretched his legs across the floor. He slowly opened and closed his aching hands. Around him sat seven storage baskets, three carrying baskets, three sitting mats, two bags, and a sleeping mat. Since dawn, Sadiki had been busy adding to his small inventory of baskets and mats. Often he would sit behind the small stall attached to his home to sell or trade his wares as he weaved. It left him busy, distracted, and exhausted most days.
Before his young wife had died in labor, Ebio had been the one to sell baskets while Sadiki weaved and coiled. Now that she was gone, it was left to Sadiki and his son, Senbi. Senbi was still a babe though, not quite a child, and the little one spent his days either playing with other children near their home or sleeping on a shady mat near his father's side.
Currently, the small child was missing, much to his father's annoyance. All of the other children were being called in for the evening. Sadiki had, more than once, told Senbi he was to return at the same time. For once, Sadiki had food that did not need to be prepared and he rather had his son near so both could enjoy their supper.
Frowning, Sadiki stood from the heat warmed floor and stepped outside his two-story town home. The father looked around with a displeased expression. He noticed with a momentary amusement that he was not the only unhappy parent. Quite a few of his neighbors were sharing his mission.
"Senbi! Senbi, come!" Hearing nothing but the calls of his neighbors, Sadiki shouted louder. "Senbi! Come here, child! Senbi!" Sadiki was annoyed that his child wasn't running from around the corner. Senbi, an obedient child, had been taught the boundaries from his father and Sadiki hated having his only son very far away from their town house.
Sadiki silently swore Senbi would not leave his side tomorrow if the child went too far away. "Senbi!"
"Ahmose! Where are you, boy! Ahmose!"
"Khu! Nakhti! Children come home!"
Sadiki sighed. It looked as if their wayward children had discovered something. It had to be childhood curiosity that kept them from obeying their unimpressed mothers and fathers. Shaking his head, Sadiki walked down the street followed by Ahmose's mother and the father of Khu and Nakhti. "Let us hope they have not brought trouble upon them."
Khu's father sighed. "You mean 'Let us hope Nakhti has not brought trouble upon them.' That girl..."
The lady of the parental trio snorted. "She's the one girl among six boys. Let her lead them in her youth."
Sadiki held back a smile as they slowly moved to the outskirts of the small village toward a nearby grassland where Sadiki often found materials for his baskets and mats. The three parents listened closely for the familiar sounds of laughing, shrieking and whispering children. No one expected sobbing.
Sadiki paused only for a moment before racing forward, followed by his neighbor who recognized his youngest child's crying. Both men rushed inside the tall grass followed by Ahmose's mother.
"Khu! Nakhti!" The taller man nearly stumbled over his children in the field. Khu, his youngest, sat sobbing with his arms wrapped around his unconscious sister. Ahmose lay curled up into a ball next to the unhappy child, also unconscious. Five more young ones sat whimpering in a small group.
Sadiki's heart skipped as he watched Senbi sitting beside the body of a grown man, wiping tears from his small, chubby face. The small child's tiny legs were smeared with blood as he sat next to the injured man. "Senbi!"
A devastated face turned towards him with new tears. Two needy hands raised into the air. "Father! Father!"
Snatching his son into his arms, Sadiki's eyes took in the rest of the scene around him. There was not just the injure man next to Senbi. There were seven others, but all were dead except for one. That was the only one that hadn't been decapitated. Sadiki squeezed a sobbing Senbi closer to his chest.
"Khu, what happened?" The boy's father stared past Sadiki with stunned eyes, but he never moved from the side of his children. "Who are those men?"
Khu hiccoughed. "Bad. They are bad, Father! They tried to take us away!" The child buried his face into his sire's shoulder crying. "The man stopped them and they hurt him! I want to go home!" Khu wailed.
Ahmose's mother paled. "Slavers?"
Sadiki swallowed hard. "We need help." He looked down at the two living men. "We have to restrain the slaver and help this man." Holding his son, Sadiki knelt down next to the bleeding man to check his breathing. The man had saved his child from slavery. The least Sadiki could do was help him in return.
The moment the father and son were slumbering, Horus opened his eyes to the plain clay and mud ceiling of Sadiki's home. Moonlight drifted into second level around the ladder leading to the roof.
Horus, careful of his wound, sat up from his supine position and turned to face the other two occupants. Sadiki and his son were curled up on a mattress stuffed with straw and grass. The young father lay on his side with a folded arm beneath his head. Burrowed into his father's chest, a small thumb falling from his lips, Senbi slept deeply with a soft snore escaping.
A weary smile drew across Horus's face. It had taken a long time, but he had done it. He'd found the mortal soul he'd been searching for after three centuries. The entire matter had been a coincidence, but the circumstances had served Horus well in the end.
The god had been drifting, needing time away from the other dieties, when he spotted slavers crouching low in the high grass near a small village. At first, he'd simply intended to kill two of the men and let the parents fight off the rest for their children. That had been the plan until Horus had seen Senbi.
When bonds are strong, it is easy to see the imprint of one soul on another. Senbi loved his father and it was reciprocated strongly. Because of this, Senbi's soul had a small imprint from the child's father. Horus sharpened his sight to find a soul with Senbi's imprint. The deity recognized Kosey's soul immediately.
Ignoring his wound, and making sure not to instinctively heal himself, Horus slowly left his sleeping mat and crawled the few steps over to Sadiki and his son.
The differences in the man he once knew and the man he knew now were mostly physical. Kosey sported golden hair that was so reminiscent of Maahes. His eyes had been a warm brown and his hands had been soft and gentle, even to Horus. Kosey was a tall, slender man with dark honey colored skin.
Sadiki was rather different. Sadiki was baked darkly from the Egyptian sun and of average height, but he carried a thicker frame than Kosey's. His hair, what little there was, was black as the night sky though his eyes were an odd russet brown. His hands held numerous small scars and were calloused, but Horus had seen those same hands carry Senbi carefully and felt them tending Horus's injuries.
Horus rarely paid such close attention to one particular mortal soul. He never saw how little a soul would change over so much time. Kosey had been a quiet, friendly man, but he held a strong will and mind. His heart was both brutal to his enemies and loving to those close to him. Kosey was the type of man that would put his heart into what he loved. Sadiki's appearance was different but the same. From their passions to how they loved their children, nothing had changed from Kosey to Sadiki.
Smiling, Horus watched the sleeping duo before reaching out. He laid his hand over Sadiki's, his fingertips falling inches away from Senbi's face as the toddler slept on cocooned under his father's arm and close to his heart. Running his thumb over the warm hand, Horus whispered over the two Egyptians.
"I will make it up to you. Everything that I have done, I will repay. No matter how long it takes."
(Itafé - Father)
Sadiki finished rolling the sleeping mat before binding it tightly. Testing the tie, he nodded before sliding the bundle into a woven sachel.
"Father!" Senbi, in his rush to assist his father, nearly tripped over his feet as he ran into their home. The child nearly dropped the loaf of bread he was holding.
Sadiki grinned. "You must be more careful, Senbi." He reached out and took the bread from the embarrassed child. "But thank you for your help." Sadiki tussled his child's hair, thinking that it was nearly time for another haircut. "Now. Seek Kemosiri and see if he needs help."
Senbi nodded a little sadly. "Yes, Father." The child ran past the various materials and unfinished baskets to the ladder before carefully climbing up to the second floor. "Itafé! Itafé!"
Sadiki sighed. He knew Senbi was unhappy, but little could be done to change current events. All Sadiki could do was keep the child busy and in the company of the one he would miss.
Folding a blanket, Horus turned a smile to the young boy. "What do you need, Senbi?"
"Father asked me to help you, Itafé." The little boy trotted over to his side, leaning against Horus's leg.
Horus gave the small shoulders a brief squeeze after dropping the blanket. He pulled the two extra kilts from his shoulder and folded them together. The two stood in silent as Horus worked before Senbi spoke. "Itafé, do you have to go away?"
Horus looked down at the despondent child with a heavy heart. "Senbi." Horus knelt before the little boy with sad eyes. "Senbi, my brother has summoned me. I have to attend to him."
"Father and I can come!" Senbi exclaimed, his eyes pleading.
Horus pulled the little boy into a loving hug. It had been five years since Horus pretended to be mortal and saved Senbi from slavers. Over that time, Horus, known as Kemosiri, was welcomed by the small village and began to live with Sadiki and Senbi. It wasn't easy to hide from the other Egyptian gods, but Horus had been careful. He wanted the life he had with his small mortal family, and after Horus helped solve the latest crisis, he would return.
"No, Senbi. It is too dangerous for you or your father. Both of you will remain here."
"But Itafé..."
Horus shook his head, eyeing his son with a harder look. "No, Senbi." He smiled. "I won't be gone forever. Just a little while. I love you and your father and I will always come back."
Senbi pouted. "I will still miss you, Itafé."
"Both of us will."
Horus stood as Sadiki strolled over to them. The shorter man held the woven satchel in his hands. Horus moved into Sadiki's space and brushed a kiss across Sadiki's lips. The show of affection wasn't something he often did with anyone near, even Senbi.
When Horus fell in love with Sadiki, he hadn't known what to think. Falling in love with another male after Maahes's death felt like a betrayal but one out of his control. The fact that he had fallen in love with the soul of a man he had repeatedly hurt and raped in the past greatly unsettled him also. Horus had hidden his attachment for a time, but Sadiki was perceptive and, to Horus's surprise, receptive of Horus's affections.
Horus had naturally been hesitant. If another god found out what he was doing, Horus would not be the only one punished. The idea of Sadiki, or even Senbi, being punished terrified him. There was also the fact that the law had been passed down to many mortals. Horus wondered how the community would handle two men living together as lovers and raising a child. Sadiki had set him straight.
"Why should they care? There is no temple, nor priest, here and one cannot be found except for a week's walk to the nearest city. There are plenty of unmarried men and few unmarried women so there is no loss for husbands. You also forget that I have a son already and truly have no need for more children." Sadiki then smiled. "Besides, I am the only real basket weaver in the village. They need me here and happy. That will have to include you now."
Sadiki returned his kiss before pressing the satchel into his arms. "Inside is food, water, and a sleeping mat." He glanced at their mattress. "There's room for the cloths, Kemosiri. And..." Sadiki sighed. This was hard for him and his son. "There is a cloak and sandals for you downstairs. It should keep you safe from burns in the desert."
Horus handed Senbi the bag. "Can I trust you to put everything inside, Senbi?"
The child's chest puffed out with confidence, much to the amusement of his fathers. "Yes, Itafé!" The boy rushed towards Horus's stack.
Seeing his son distracted, Sadiki shyly wrapped his arms around Horus. "He is right. We will miss you, Kemosiri."
"And I will miss you, but I won't be gone long." Horus tightened his hold around his lover, and in his mind, his husband. "All I ask is that you and Senbi be here when I return. Stay safe while I am away."
Sadiki chuckled. "Where else would I be but here with you and Senbi?"
Horus said nothing as Anubis appeared beside him, invisible to any nearby mortal. The god stood in a fully human form as he watched his fellow's silent grief. Anubis didn't know anything, but he knew there was a reason why Horus was standing before the large funeral pyre a broken man. When Osiris sent him to watch his son, the Underworld deity had given him strict instructions to ask no questions and to never repeat what he heard. Anubis was there to stand with his friend in support.
An older woman, though still young, carrying a sleeping newborn hesitantly walked up to Horus. She was silent for a moment before gaining the strength to look at the heart-broken god. "I... I am so sorry, Kemosiri." Tears rolled down her face as she glanced back at the large fires. One of them contained her mother, her husband, her youngest child, and her married daughter and son-in-law.
"How?" His voice was strained and broken, but Horus asked the one question he needed to know.
"We don't know. It happened weeks after you were gone. Suddenly, one of the elders grew ill. It was nothing to worry of. It happens. We thought nothing of it." She cradled the sleeping babe closer. "When more elders and a few of the younger children became ill, we still thought it was nothing. One baby died during sleep. But it happens." She shook her head in heavy shame. "But more grew ill and they kept dying. The healer finally realized it was spreading, but it was... It was far too late, Kemosiri. It took most of the village."
"Sadiki..."
"None of the adults caught it, unless they got the illness directly from a child. More than once a parent caught the sickness days after the child. When Senbi fell ill near the end, Sadiki never left his side, Kemosiri. We tried to tell him, but he loved his son! He kept believing that Senbi would recover." She wiped tears from her face. "When he did not come out one day, we didn't realize... Not until the second day. It was too late by then. He and the child were gone." Her words fell to a whisper. "I am sorry, Kemosiri. Please forgive us." Shakily, she turned and walked away.
Anubis stood with wide, shocked eyes but kept his peace even as Horus's head fell and tears ran down his face. His heart aching for his friend, Anubis placed a hand on Horus's shoulder and let the broken god grieve.
Horus said nothing to his wife as he invisibly entered the room, leaving a furiously pacing Pharaoh outside. Hathor, dressed plainly as a servant, worked frantically alongside the healers as the women helped the Queen of Egypt deliver the Pharaoh's first child.
The nude, laboring woman glowered at the scurrying healers as she fisted the sweaty sheets beneath her. Her breath was heavy as she rocked her upper body back and forth, trying to ride through the pain of her first birth. "Now! NOW!"
"My lady, you cannot rush your child." One of the three healers tried to offer a bowl of cool water only to be stared down by the usually pleasant Queen.
"My child is ready to be born. I would think that I know my body." Before she could say more, a contraction struck and a scream erupted from her throat.
Horus raised an eyebrow. The wife of Aknamkanon was strong in mind and body. Horus had been certain that the birth would not take so long, but apparently the Pharaoh's son was taking his time. Horus glanced at Hathor, who was creating a small mix of herbs for the Queen to drink. His wife was also pouring a bit of power into the mixture. A hint of concern caught Horus as he realized that things were not very simple.
He stepped toward Hathor, pausing at her side. "What is wrong?" He knew Hathor had caught something that the healers had missed. Isis would not let her daughter-in-law handle the high birth otherwise.
She stilled for a moment before returning to her mortar and pestle. "The healers missed it." She whispered softly. "The cord is wrapped around the baby's neck. He's been strangled. Her body is trying to deliver a stillborn child."
Horus froze. Nut herself had told him that Aknamkanon's son, his firstborn and only son, would remove a great threat from Egypt that not even the gods could stop. She had, in fact, sent him to see the child himself. The boy in the Queen's belly had to be born alive.
Frowning, Horus narrowed his sight to looked at the stillborn prince and walked forward. To Hathor's shock, he lay his hand across the Queen's swollen stomach.
Because one way or another, there would be a Pharaoh Atem.
Atem's hands covered his eyes as he curled up onto his side. His body trembled as he fought with every drop of will he had not to cry.
It hurt having the dreams crop up every time he slept. He didn't want to remember what he gave up and all that he left behind because it hurt.
After thousands of years trapped in a puzzle, finding peace, and being reborn, Atem never had time to search or even think of the most important person in his life. Now that he did, Atem wasn't sure what to do or how to really go about it.
"Where are you?" Atem's pained words cut through the dark silence of his bedroom. "I miss you so much. Please just..."
As another memory resurface, Atem cursed himself as his hands became wet with tears.
TBC
Alia: My apologies for the short scenes and no really known characters, but it will make sense if I continue this.
Please tell me what you think.
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