Warning this chapter- het lime (Atemu/ Dakhamazu)

Book of Tales II- Tales of the People of the Mists

Chapter Two

Ciorstag settled on a bench in the central courtyard garden, listening to the soft buzz and clicks of the insects around the small reflecting pool beside her, hoping to catch a few moments of peace before being summoned by Atemu. The women's quarters she had left behind were in an energetic and festive mood but tension had started to build after Dakhamazu refused the assistance of any handmaidens but her own.

It was causing more than a bit of confusion in Atemu's household.

Still, Ciorstag found herself impressed by Ifenete's ability to adjust to the shifting situation and Atemu's new, slightly demanding wife.

She wondered though if some of the princess's demands stemmed out of a sense of unease or fear of an unknown situation. Dakhamazu would know what was expected of her tonight but certainly would never have experienced it. Keeping what was familiar to her nearby was probably her way of coping with her situation.

It will be interesting to see what Dakhamazu's attitude will be like in the morning, she thought wryly.

Settling her back against the wall behind her, Ciorstag was about to close her eyes when she caught sight of a movement of blue to her right. Leaning forward slightly, she found High Priest Seth slowly making his way out of the prince's section of the Palace. The tall priest walked carefully, deep in thought but obviously quite aware of his surrounding.

And it did not take long for him to become aware of her.

"High Priest Seth." Ciorstag said as he stopped to look curiously down at her.

"Màileachan naomh." Seth acknowledged with a slight nod.

There was silence between them a moment and Ciorstag took the time to study the young man. Some of the stress of the afternoon was still visible in the tension around his eyes and the tight line of his lips. There was also a shadow of confusion in the depths of his surprisingly deep blue eye, prompting Ciorstag to ask, "How is the Prince?"

Seth gave a slight start at the question before answering, "He appears to be fine." The priest fell silent, a scowl crossing his face. "May I ask why you are out here?"

Letting a small laugh slip out, Ciorstag answered, "I am simply in the way right now. I thought it best to wait here until the new princess has settled in." Smiling, she added, "I'm also finding it quite enjoyable to have some time to myself, I do not often get such moments in my profession."

Seth crossed his arms, a look of understanding flashing across his face as he regarded her with a sharp curiosity. She raised an eyebrow in question, giving the priest unspoken permission to speak his mind.

He studied her before asking sharply, "What were you going to tell the Prince about his new wife's advisor?"

Ciorstag managed not to frown at the question though it hardly surprised her that he asked that one. "The reputation of the advisor is somewhat know to Gaighdon and myself." A sigh slipped out and she held up a hand to stop the question Seth was about to ask. "Truthfully, Gaighdon is the one who has the knowledge. I am simply aware he is well versed in the use of heka and in the ways of politics, nothing more." Dropping the hand she added with a shrug, "At least if he is who we think he is; and if that is the case, I'm sure he is just as surprised to see me as I was to see him in the market."

"Why did you not accept his help at the Temple?" Seth asked.

Raising an eyebrow in grim amusement Ciorstag countered, "Why didn't you accept?"

He glared at her a moment, his gaze fierce before his expression shifted, becoming more thoughtful. "Is he of the same tribe as you and the iry?"

Unable to hold back a slightly nervous chuckle she admitted, "Distantly yes. Stories have been told of his accomplishments among my people but I was unaware he was still alive." Shaking her head she added, "And I cannot answer your question as to why he is here in your land. I do not know."

Before Seth could ask another question he turned, glancing toward the Prince's quarters. One of Atemu's attendants stepped up, bowing low to the High Priest before glancing at her.

"The Crown Prince will speak with you now." he said swiftly before dropping his head away from her gaze.

"Why does he wish to see her?" Seth asked harshly.

The servant licked his lips as he said carefully, "Forgive me, I do not know High Priest Seth. I was only told to find her and bring her to the Prince"

Rising to her feet she felt Seth start as she rested a hand on his shoulder. "I was expecting his summons, Seth."

He gave her a hard look. "Then he is not all right."

Putting a light but firm tone in her voice, she answered, "A sword was driven through his body a few days ago; all things considered he is in excellent health right now." Dropping her hand she pointed out. "He should be dead, not celebrating in his marriage bed tonight. I am simply checking that the spells I placed on him are secure and if I need to adjust anything for tonight."

Seth stared at her, as if searching her features for any falsehood before nodding once sharply. Stepping back he said, "Then forgive me for delaying you."

Following the servant to the prince Ciorstag glanced back once to see the High Priest staring thoughtfully up at the slowly darkening sky.

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Finally free of Hurenmun and his assistants, Atemu waited for Ciorstag to be brought to him.

Falling back on the bed, feeling a little itchy in the embroidered robe Hurenmun insisted were appropriate for tonight, Atemu stared at the ceiling and watched shadows lengthening as the light of the Aten dipped to the horizon. He knew if he stood by the Palace's western entrance right now he would be able to see the people gathering, and would soon see his father, dressed in the regalia befitting a Pharaoh, standing tall in the viewing window on the walkway that bridged the Great Road. Atemu closed his eyes, wishing he could be there instead of stuck in his room waiting for his new wife, and silently hoped one day he felt the mantle of Pharaoh sit as easily on his shoulders as it seem to on his father's.

Hearing footsteps outside the room, he pushed himself upright and put a smile on his lips as Ciorstag stepped in. He felt the smile slip slightly at the amusement visible on her face as she crossed her arms and cocked her head to one side.

Cautiously he asked, "Ciorstag?"

Her amusement grew as she regarded him. "You are aware of how tonight needs to go, are you not Atemu?" she asked.

Shaking his head, a little confused, he answered, "I am not sure. I know I need to be careful and probably not try to do too much tonight since Gaighdon and Mahado are not here to assist you, but beyond that I do not know what you might need.

What would you have me do tonight Ciorstag?"

She smiled as she said, "I expect you to do nothing at all Atemu."

Unable to stop himself, Atemu rolled his eyes. "Ciorstag, I cannot refuse to see my new wife tonight. Not this late."

This time Ciorstag laughed. Leaning forward slightly she clarified her statement by saying, "I mean you need to have her do all the work."

"What?" Atemu exclaimed with a slight laugh.

Ciorstag raised an eyebrow at his outburst and, if possible, seemed even more amused as she said, "I expect you to simply lie back and enjoy the view as she rides you Atemu."

Atemu choked on his laughter and, almost shouting in protest, he said, "Ciorstag!" She just stared evenly at him and he felt himself actually blush.

Shaking his head, Atemu said, "I'm beginning to understand why Gaighdon looked like he did last night when we were talking."

Chuckling, Ciorstag admitted, "I find it easier to speak plainly in these situations." Her expression quickly shifted to a sharp, serious look. "That way I am not misunderstood. And you must understand that having sex in the condition you are in is not an ideal situation." Atemu felt a shiver of forboding at her words but apparently failed to hide it. Ciorstag's expression softened as she explained, "You are not in any real danger, unless you do end up having wild sex. I'm only saying it would be best for you to let her have the control tonight."

Atemu frowned and Ciorstag asked, "You have let one of your wives be in charge at least once during sex, have you not?"

Feeling himself blush again, Atemu admitted reluctantly, "Only Ifenete and only once."

"I'm surprised it wasn't Nekhennan." he heard Ciorstag comment under her breath.

Thinking through Ciorstag's instructions, Atemu felt the need to point out, "Dakhamazu does not have any experience, she is not going to know what to do."

A slight smile crossed Ciorstag's lips. "She may not have experience but she does know what goes where, Atemu. You may need to guide her a bit but I believe letting her have some control will, in the end, help both of you deal with the situation. At least in my opinion."

Rubbing his forehead as he looked at her amused expression, Atemu said, "You're enjoying this too much."

She laughed. "I'm simply trying to relax you. I do not see any real problems with tonight and expect you will be fine in the morning, although a little sore in places."

Atemu suddenly smirked. "I would hope so." he said with false bravado, attempting to hide some of his irritation and worry about tonight. "I'm not going through all this to not feel pleasantly sore in the morning."

Ciorstag grinned and shook her head slightly. "About that. There are certain positions I would suggest to you, ones that will give you the least amount of pain." She glanced up a moment in thought before continuing. "It would be ideal if you stayed on your back." She suddenly pinned him with a sharp look. "As long as you don't try to push up off the bed. That will result in more stress on those muscles then I would wish. Actually another position that would work if you feel you need to be in control would be having her bending over the bed with you behind. That will also be fine as long as you keep your back straight, do not bend forward."

"Ciorstag!"

"You are not the first young man I have had this type of conversation with and you will not be the last, Atemu." she stated firmly. "The less you interrupt me the quicker it will be over, agreed?"

Atemu sighed. "Agreed."

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Gaighdon could see by the fading light drifting into the meeting room it was still quite early in the evening but he could not ignore the look on his wife's face when she entered the room.

It was obviously time for him to leave.

Before he could rise to his feet to excuse himself, Cian turned and caught sight of Moira. "Ah, forgive us; we had no intention of keeping him so long, Moira." he said in surprise.

Moira smiled at the Ard Draoidh as she stepped up to the table. "It is not your fault my husband has no common sense Cian." Gaighdon found himself stared at intently as she added, "That is why he married me, so that he had someone by his side that did."

The Ard Righ chuckled as he glanced at Gaighdon. "Then he is a wise man for making such a choice." Turning to Moira he said, "I will apologize for keeping him however." Murchadh regarded those around the table before adding, "I believe we have only been repeating ourselves for some time and should have ended our discussion hours ago."

"Then I will inform the kitchen staff to begin serving the evening meal." Moira responded as she gave the Ard Righ a slight bow. "You are most welcome to remain here as long as you need; our home is open to you all."

Smiling, Murchadh said, "Well, we will try not to be too much of an inconvenience to you and yours, Moira."

Gaighdon watched Moira shake her head, as she shot him another look. "You will not be."

Rising to his feet, he bowed once to the Ard Righ and bid his guests goodnight before turning to follow Moira from the room. Absently acknowledging Ruadh as he passed her in the hall, Gaighdon tried to read his wife's current state of mind with little success.

He knew she was upset, but whether that was from how he had returned or by what had happened he was unable to tell.

Following her into the kitchen, he did not hesitate to follow her instructions to sit down to eat as she saw to the meal preparations, and was hardly surprised when his eldest son sat down next to him. His son also proved hard to read prompting Gaighdon to ask casually, "What exactly have you been told, Lachann?"

"Not much." the boy responded. "Only that you had returned and Ciorstag had not." Lachann seemed to think a moment before adding, "And that you brought someone with you and the dead came as well and that was why the Crosspoint is sealed right now."

Smiling, he looked directly at Lachann as he replied, "That actually seems like a lot."

His son grinned. "I suppose it is."

Glancing at Moira, Gaighdon leaned over to ask, "And your mother is…"

Lachann made a face. "Not very happy."

"With me or everything?"

"I'm not sure." Lachann answered as he leaned over the table, crossing his arms to rest his chin on them while he watched his mother. It had been some time since Gaighdon caught his son do that and raised an eyebrow in question.

Noticing the look, Lachann simply shrugged.

Turning back to his food, Gaighdon ate the rest of his meal in silence, allowing himself to feel some of the exhaustion he had held tightly in check since arriving home. Here in the safety of his kitchen he was free to be himself instead of the clan chieftain.

It was not as if he could hide anything from Moira. Or, judging from the occasional sideways glance he was receiving from Lachann, from his eldest son either.

As he was pushing his empty plate away, Moira stepped over to the table and looked down at them. Lachann straightened as his mother said, "Go find your brother and tell him it's time to come home."

Climbing out of his chair, Lachann answered, "Yes mother." before jogging out of the room. Settling into the vacant seat, Moira regarded him with a grave look.

"What happened, Gaighdon?" she asked in her typical straightforward manner.

A sigh slipped out as he answered, "That could be a very long story, Moira."

"Then start with the boy."

Something in the way she said the words made Gaighdon look curiously at her. Her shoulders slumped slightly as she said softly, "He isn't much older than Lachann is he."

"No, he isn't." Leaning back, Gaighdon added, "His name is Mahado. He is apparently a well trained Draoidh and was given the talisman he is wearing after passing several tests." Shaking his head he said, "Something apparently went wrong and he lost control of its magic, though I think there was more involved than I am aware of that led to his injuries."

"Birog mentioned the dead followed you through and the fact the boy has a spirit watching over him."

Gaighdon nodded. "The dead attacked him after he lost control. In regards to the spirit, I would guess Mahado summoned the Magus to his aid but he was unable to appear until we crossed through the Point."

"And Ciorstag?"

"I believe she is fine. She was the one who insisted I take Mahado through." he answered.

A sudden yawn stopped him a moment and, as Moira rose to her feet, Gaighdon gave her an apologetic look.

Laughing slightly she said knowingly, "I've already had a bed set up in the bedroom so you can get some sleep but still be with Mahado if he should wake up."

A grin pulled at his lips. "You're not going to torture the boys with my presence tonight?"

"Not tonight." Pushing his shoulder she said, "And I do think it's time for you to get some sleep, Gaighdon. I can satisfy my curiosity before you leave tomorrow" She gave him a shrewd look. "I assume you are planning on going back through tomorrow to check on Ciorstag?"

Pushing himself upright, he nodded and answered truthfully, "Unless Mahado wakes up I have to." He grimaced slightly. "Though I need to speak to Cian before I leave. Things are happening on the other side of the Crosspoint that could have a serious impact on us here."

He could not hide his worry as he added, "And it could change our future forever."

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Akhenamkhanen strode quickly to the Temple of Wedju, his thoughts wandering ahead, considering what news Shada might have brought back from his investigations. The temperature, dropping rapidly as the light of day lost ground to the dark and a stiff wind began stirring the air, caused Akhenamkhanen to feel a sense of relief as he stepped into the warmth and shelter of the Temple. Quickly making his way to the meeting room, where a blazing fire set in the center of the room's round table providing the only source of light, Akhenamkhanen found his remaining Priests already reviewing Shada's report.

He was surprised though to find the High Priest of Amun also in attendance. Acknowledging Inherynakht's presence with a nod, he turned toward Shada who, still dressed in his dust covered robes, quickly knelt before him, his face creased with frustration. "What news do you bring us, Shada?" Akhenamkhanen asked.

A sigh slipped out of Shada as he answered, "Very little, mighty Pharaoh. A powerful heka interfered with our attempts to follow the trail that led into the desert." Glancing up he added, a touch of confusion slipping into his words, "The footsteps we tracked stopped suddenly at the edge of a ruined village south of the city. I could not tell if the trail was hidden or if the one whose footsteps we followed simply disappeared into the air. We searched the village for some sign of our quarry but I concluded there was nothing more to be found there." Shada bowed his head once again. "Forgive me; I was unable to find anything more."

Akhenamkhanen nodded once hiding his disappointment, though part of him had suspected there would be little to find, before gesturing Shada to his feet. Resting a hand on the Priest's shoulder he said, "If there had been something to find we know you would have uncovered it." Letting his hand drop, he turned to Akhenaden to ask, "And the other trail?"

Akhenaden shook his head. "It leads to the point of the wall the woman said this Crosspoint they used was set into." He shook his head uneasily. "It is there but I could not open it. It is a heka stronger than anything I have seen before. The spell that seems to operate it has a similar feel to those within the Book of Millennium Magic."

"Perhaps we should speak with the màileachan naomh?" Seth asked.

"It would be wise course of action, my Pharaoh." Akhenaden added.

"We will speak with her in the morning." To stop any arguments, and hardly willing to explain why he would not call her now, Akhenamkhanen turned to the High Priest of Amun to ask, "How much damage was done to the Temple by this?"

Inherynakht frowned. "It is difficult to say, great Pharaoh. This intruder has defiled the sanctuary of Amun and the outer room is still resonating with disturbing heka from both the first attack and the second. I am not sure how long it will take us to cleanse and repair the rooms and the outer wall. And until that can be done I am moving Amun to the Temple in Thebes. I have men preparing my ship to leave tomorrow."

Crossing his arms, Akhenamkhanen said thoughtfully, "Removing a god from his Temple is an event that will cause some consternation amongst my people."

"I will not risk Amun's wrath, Pharaoh." Inherynakht said angrily. "It's going to be a difficult enough task trying to regain his trust as it is. Moving him is the only option."

"We agree. However, it may be best to turn this more into a celebration than a retreat."

"It may be but it is for Amun to decide what will be done." Inherynakht sighed and rubbed his eyes wearily as he added, "I will relay your suggestion to him after the morning absolution and send word to you once I know his will."

"That is all we can ask. If you have need of funds for the transfer, speak to Siamun. The Royal Treasury is open to Amun and to you. We will also send a donation to the Temple to aid in the repairs."

Inherynakht bowed slightly in acknowledgement. "Your generosity will be remembered, great Pharaoh." Looking back at Seth, Inherynakht said, "Thank you Seth for sharing with me the information you have gathered so far. If we find anything more as we restore the Temple I will have word sent to you directly."

Seth bowed as he said, "We would be glad to aid you in removing the heka from the outer room, simply inform us when you are ready to begin."

"Hopefully Mahado will have returned safely by that time. We believe he may be best suited for that duty." Akhenamkhanen said. He received a look of grudging amusement from the High Priest.

"You were determined to have him as one of your priest, weren't you Pharaoh." Inherynakht said.

Smiling slightly, Akhenamkhanen admitted, "Of course."

Chuckling, Inherynakht bowed low in farewell, raising his hands before him in supplication as he said, "May your heart never speak against you, great Pharaoh, and may you enjoy a long life, prosperity, and health."

Akhenamkhanen nodded once, releasing Inherynakht before turning to Akhenaden. Speaking the name of his missing Priest reminded him of his conversation with Akhenaden from the night before and he asked once Inherynakht was gone, "Did you have an opportunity this morning to show Mahado the duel guard?"

"Yes. He was able to determine it was not crafted within the Kingdom though where it may have been made was beyond his abilities."

"How was he able to tell?"

"The trigger device within this guard can only be activated by shadow heka." Karim answered as he brought the duel guard to him to inspect. "The ones we use are activated manually when the device is held upright or moved sharply as the wearer closes their hand into a fist. Only a summons is accomplished with shadow heka."

"The instructions regarding the making of such a guard are in the Book of Millennium Magic but I was unable to translate that particular section until Mahado explained how he believed this one worked." Akhenaden said.

"Have you been able to identify where the assassins from the earlier attack were from?"

Isis nodded her head slowly as she answered, "The assassins yes. They came to the city from two separate locations." She stood up and pulled several papyri free from a pile sitting on the table before her. Handing the sheets to Akhenamkhanen she said, "We found passage records for them on ships that were traveling up the Nile. Three of the men boarded a ship at Henen-nesut, the rest are recorded as boarding a ship when it stopped for cargo in Memphis. We have sent scribes to search the records at both cities to see if they show where they may have come from originally; but it will be some time before we know when and where each man entered the Kingdom itself."

"However, we have been unable to identify the magician." Karim added. "We have yet to find any records of him within the city before the attack. It is possible he never entered the city and met the assassins in the desert just before breaking into the Temple."

Sighing, Akhenamkhanen silently agreed with Karim. Knowing there was nothing more to be gained by this discussion he took a deep breath and said, "Isis, Seth, I would like both of you in attendance when I interview the màileachan naomh tomorrow after Siamun opens the Palace. Iry, I require you to give the advisor to my son's new wife a tour while I am occupied."

Raising an eyebrow in surprise, Akhenaden said, "May I enquire as to why?"

"Not yet. I simply want you to give me your impressions of the man afterwards."

"Do you not trust this Lord Dartz, Pharaoh?" Seth asked curiously.

"I am not sure. It seems best not to trust anyone as long as the balance of ma'at is upset." Akhenamkhanen answered.

"You may wish to ask the màileachan naomh about him tomorrow." Seth said. "She apparently has some knowledge of him."

"How do you know this?" Akhenamkhanen asked.

Seth gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. "I asked her why she did not accept his help when the Prince collapsed this afternoon before I left the Great Palace. She mentioned that Lord Dartz is known to her people."

Akhenamkhanen nodded. "Thank you for that information, High Priest. I will ask her what she knows." Handing the papyri back to Isis, he said, "If anything of importance should arise, inform me immediately." Heading back toward the entrance he added, "I will see you all tomorrow at the morning meeting."

He barely heard the acknowledgements as he stepped into the hall, already lost in thought.

Akhenamkhanen was beginning to wonder if he was looking forward to what he would discover tomorrow or not.

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Atemu set his wine cup down on the small table beside his chair and rose to his feet to greet his new wife as she entered his room. He had yet to pour any of the wine that had been brought to his room; he simply needed something to do with his hands as he waited for Dakhamazu's appearance. It had taken a little longer than he expected for her to come to him but Ciorstag had warned him that may happen and that Ifenete was doing her best to keep things on schedule.

The two handmaidens that accompanied Dakhamazu slipped their mistress's robe from her body as she knelt before him and bowed themselves out of the room, letting the guards seal the doors once they had moved through. Beneath the robe, Dakhamazu was simply dressed, a white linen shift flowing down from one shoulder, leaving one full breast exposed, the fabric gathered at her waist by a fine, gold- embroidered belt of matching fabric. A gold bracelet, embedded with lapis lazuli, circled one wrist while a thin gold band ran across her forehead and into her short, black braided hair. As she bowed her head there was a gentle clicking noise as the beads woven into the braids tapped against one another.

"There is no need to kneel to me when you join me within this room." Atemu said as he reached down to help her to her feet. "I'm surprised Ifenete did not mention that to you."

Dakhamazu kept her head bowed, her eyes gazing down toward the floor as she answered in a soft warm voice, "Your first wife did inform me what your expectations would be, my Prince, but I did not feel it proper to greet you in such a way on our first night together."

Atemu raised an eyebrow at that but remained silent, deciding it would simply take his new wife some time to get used to his ways. Turning back to the small table and reaching out for the jug of wine, Atemu said, "Please join me for a drink, Dakhamazu."

She surprised him again when she commented, "My Prince, that is my duty."

Pausing, he asked, "Your duty?"

Stepping swiftly to his side, Dakhamazu picked up the jug and his cup and said, "My duty is to serve you and see to your pleasure. You do not serve me. Please, sit down." She poured out a small amount of wine into his cup before pouring a cup of her own.

Not quite sure how to take his new wife's actions, he sat in his chair to say, "This is hardly necessary Dakhamazu." Realizing she had yet to meet his gaze, he added with a sigh, "And you have my permission to look at me."

She smiled as she looked up. "Thank you my Prince." Taking his cup in her hands she knelt beside him, the soft skin of her bare breast brushing against his knee. He was about to protest being waited on hand and foot when he caught a shadow of a challenge in her expression.

Deciding to go along with Dakhamazu, he accepted the cup and took a sip and was not at all surprised when one of her hands dropped to rest on the leg that was not completely covered by his robe. Her fingers gently caressed his skin, her hand slowly slipping down to brush against the more sensitive skin of his inner thigh even as she continued to gaze up at him with a slight smile on her lips.

"You are welcome to drink with me." Atemu said, his voice a little rough as he felt himself beginning to respond to her casual touch. He knew she was a virgin, that had been a requirement, but one of the Hattie ambassadors who had come to finalize the treaty had mentioned his new wife would be 'well trained' and he was beginning to believe that to be the case. Even with Nekhennan there had been some initial awkwardness when she first touched him but Dakhamazu was showing no sign of uncertainty as she continued to stroke his thigh and leaned against his knee.

Perhaps Ciorstag was right about Dakhamazu knowing about what went where.

"I am content, my Prince." she said with another smile.

Leaning back he watched her as he drank and noticed a sliver of a green gemstone suspended from a fine silver chain, resting in the hollow of her throat. Stretching his hand out he gently caught the stone and shifted it slightly, finding himself fascinated by the slightly luminous quality of the gem and amazed at the tiny links of the chain holding it. The fine craftsmanship was exquisite and Atemu knew it was beyond the abilities of any silversmith under his father's employment. As she raised an eyebrow in question, her hand stopping on his thigh, he said, "I've never seen such a stone."

Dakhamazu nodded her head once, sharply, the beads clicking loudly at the movement as she replied, "It is a shard- taken from a sacred stone- that was given to me when I was born. My advisor had the chain designed to carry it when word reached my father that the great Pharaoh had accepted the treaty and I would be sent to join my chosen husband."

He looked into her dark eyes as he asked curiously, "Did you wish to come?"

"Of course. I have heard many wondrous things about your kingdom from my advisor and wished to see it for myself." Her fingers resumed their movement, moving further up his thigh as she said, "Will you show them to me, my husband?"

"Of course." Atemu replied as he let the stone drop back to the hollow of her throat and set his cup back on the table. Reaching out, he gently ran his thumb along the smooth skin of her cheek as he added, "I would be glad to do so."

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Leaning against the wall, Ciorstag distantly felt the frown creasing her face as she sensed a shift in the spells around Atemu's wounds. The magic she recognized as coming from the Millennium Puzzle had suddenly flared up, strengthening her own spells to the point she now only needed to keep a light touch on Atemu to know what was happening.

For a moment her awareness wandered slightly when a giggle from one of the handmaidens waiting in the hall reached her ears. Her frown grew deeper at the slip in her attention.

Irritated with herself, she blocked out the girls and focused back on Atemu. It was easy enough for her to sense things were warming up in the other room but the spells were taking the strain with a minimum amount of stress. Still, Ciorstag felt uneasy as the magic from the Puzzle continued to strengthen its hold on Atemu. Something was not right but she could not pinpoint the source of her concern.

Deciding it was a necessary evil; Ciorstag dropped her awareness deeper into her spell and reached out to touch the power of the Puzzle trying to find the source of her unease. She gasped, panic clutching her heart when the Puzzle suddenly grabbed her mind and swung it in line with Atemu's. For a moment Ciorstag's heart raced as she looked through Atemu's eyes, feeling his growing passion and caught sight of a green stone against the tanned skin of the body beneath him, before dropping back to simply being aware of the condition of the spells.

Confusion colored her thinking as she panted and tried to bring her heartbeat under control. The significance of the vision eluded her, though it was obviously important enough for the Puzzle to bring it to her attention. Though that also worried her, the fact the Puzzle had overwhelmed her to show it to her.

How was it able to do that?

She then realized what position Atemu was currently in. Whatever was going on was going to have to wait since Atemu was obviously no longer thinking properly and had decided to try out a few other positions than the ones she had suggested.

Using her years of experience to bury her confusion, Ciorstag began strengthening her own spells to help limit the amount of pain Atemu was about to feel.

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Atemu leaned over Dakhamazu, supporting his weight on his arms as he kissed a slow line down the center of her chest, taking note of the tension in his wife's body. Dakhamazu had stiffened up once they had moved to the bed and Atemu instinctively slowed down though he wasn't sure how much longer he was going to be able to wait for her. Luckily she finally relaxed and grabbed his head, shifting her legs to wrap around his waist.

Glancing up, he could see she was still tense but a look of acceptance had settled on her features. He would have rather had her enjoy this but he found himself now beyond the point of holding back. And unfortunately this was why they were here, the treaty needed to be sealed.

Moving back up her body, kissing her deeply as he reached for the oil resting on the edge of the bed, listening to the moans slipping out of both of them as their bodies rubbed together, he was startled when she pushed him away. Grunting in annoyance as he propped himself on one elbow, he was about to speak when she grabbed the oil, a startling fierce and focused look crossing over her face. Sitting up, she filled her hand with the oil and then wrapped the hand around his arousal, pumping quickly.

He gasped, his hips bucking with pleasure as she worked him. Letting go of him, she quickly spread more of the oil between her legs before pulling him on top of her, her legs wrapping back around his waist. Pressing slowly into her, hissing as he paused to give her a moment when she cried out, he finally gave into his urges when she gasped, "Don't stop!"

Plunging deep into her warm, moist heat, Atemu rocked his hips, pulling part way out then pushing back in, and it was not long before he reached his limit. Releasing his seed into Dakhamazu, Atemu collapsed onto his side, his wife's legs still wrapped around his waist. Closing his eyes, he listened to Dakhamazu's heartbeat as his body slowly relaxing into sleep.

Shifting slightly, pulling himself out of Dakhamazu as he swept the bed sheet over them both, he found his eyes drawn to the crystal shard on the silver chain that had slipped off of her and now rested brightly next to her ear. Lying down, he gently moved the crystal back to the hollow of her throat, and felt himself smile as Dakhamazu drew him down for a kiss.

Settling beside his wife, a soft sigh slipping from her as they parted, he found himself wondering sleepily how the green stone could be so warm beneath his hand as he tangled his fingers in the chain holding it.

---------------------------------------------------

Mahado was drowning in the dark, the cries of the dead buffeting his soul as he clawed for the surface. He knew he could not stop fighting the dark, could not give in to the voice whispering in his ear to let go, that all his desires were within his reach if he would simply submit; but he knew he could not. To submit was to betray Atemu and that was something he could not do.

Your Prince needs you now. the voice insisted softly into his mind. For a moment the darkness was awash with flowing green, and Mahado had the fleeting sensation the Puzzle's golden heka struggled against the green, before falling back into the roiling, suffocating blackness.

A moan slipped out as the blackness wrapped tightly around him. Let me help you. The voice caressed his weary soul, sending tendrils of strength for him to hold, but Mahado still fought, still resisted, though he knew he was reaching the end of his strength. He could feel his ba slipping away and cried out into the dark, hoping against hope someone could hear him.

"A bheil sibh gam chluinntinn?" a new voice asked uncertainly, the sound sparkling silver across the dark.

Mahado grabbed the silver and pulled himself gasping into consciousness, his hand holding someone's arm in a fierce grip. For a moment Mahado stared at the wide eyed figure in his grasp, his mind slowly realizing it was not Gaighdon but not sure why it was coming to that conclusion, when a fiery pain burst out across his chest.

Letting go, Mahado cried out and doubled over, and heard the voice from the dark say in his mind, You should have accepted me, Mahado. Now there is nothing you can do to stop me from claiming what is rightfully mine.

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A bheil sibh gam chluinntinn- Do you hear me? (Gaelic)