Chapter Four.Shemei
"Would you like some soup, Layan?" Chio asked while Layan sat in her kitchen, at one of the counters. It was quite a small kitchen, the countertops a bright yellow and the walls a dazzling white. Yellow curtains hung either side of the one window which was directly opposite the little island counters Layan sat at now. The room was always sparkling clean; Layan supposed Chio had a lot of spare time to kill.
"Oh, if it isn't too much trouble," Layan smiled over at the woman who had now become her guardian, she was beginning to really like Chio.
"Not at all," Chio smiled back, she had been leaning with her back against the counters, but now turned to face the window to begin her cooking.
"Hey, Chio, if you don't mind me asking, what is your part in all of this?" Layan asked, tracing the patterns of the yellow tiles with her finger.
"Me?" Chio smiled, as she cooked the soup, "I've known Mr Mutou for a very long time, he used to take good care of me when we were both younger. In fact, Layan, it was I who had the vision of you."
"You had a vision? What did you see?" Layan asked curiously.
"Ah, well, my visions are not always clear, but I knew that you would be the one to help the Pharaoh. It was I who sent him in search for you," Chio said as she reached up to one of the cupboards on the wall to fetch some bowls.
"Oh, right," Layan smiled, "So, you have powers do you?"
"I suppose you could say it like that. I think you and I are rather alike in that sense, my dear."
It had been a week since Layan had gone into school with Yugi, and since the episode in his bedroom, the strange images she had seen, she had been suffering from them every day now. However, none of them were ever much help, and they were often repeated.
"Chio," said Layan again, as Chio ladled some soup into a bowl.
"Yes?"
"I keep having all these images flash into my head, like flashbacks, but I don't see how they could be.." Layan said slowly,
"Like what?" Chio asked, as she bought the bowl over to Layan who was sitting at the counter.
"Like, I'm in what I'm sure is ancient Egypt, and I'm always searching for something, and sometimes the Pharaoh crops up," Layan told Chio, who had now sat down in front of her.
"Well, I'm sure you are linked to the Pharaoh somehow, Layan, so it's not really surprising. It seems you were probably around when he first was, and being here, with him, has jogged your memory, it would seem," Chio smiled, absentmindedly twirling a strand of her dark hair around her finger. "Hopefully it will all begin to make more sense to you now, if you can figure out who you are first. I know that images and visions do not always make sense at first, but it takes time. You're a strong girl, Layan, I know you can work this out."
Layan nodded happily, slightly amused at how casually Chio threw in visions and time travel. She hoped it would begin to fit together now, hoped she could help Yami.
Chio then left her alone in the kitchen as she had work to do elsewhere.
Layan sat at the counter eating her soup for a while, when suddenly, she began to feel feint and dizzy.
"Oh, no," she sighed, putting her hand to her forehead as she felt her body sway. She tried to focus, trying to sit herself straight. She gripped onto the side of the counter, her knuckles slowly turning white as she tried to keep her hold. Then she could no longer keep it at bay and it overtook her; she fell, knocking the bowl as she did so. Her body hit the ground but her mind had already gone somewhere else.
Once again, she was walking through the palace halls, lined with grand paintings and golden objects, all glinting in the sunlight which was beaming in through the windows. Her staff was in her hand.
"Shemei!" A deep voice shouted. She looked round to see the Pharaoh approaching her, clad in his ancient Egyptian clothing.
"Ahh, Pharaoh, at last," She spoke softly, her voice almost mocking.
"I want you out of my palace!" the Pharaoh said angrily, stopping close to her.
"I do not care what you want!" Layan said loudly back to him, she turned to walk away but the Pharaoh grabbed her arm,
"How dare you walk away from me! In my own palace! I am the Pharaoh!!" He said. Layan heard herself laugh, then she stormed away from him.
Things went fuzzy and the image changed, this time Layan was with another man, a man who loomed angrily and threatening. Long white hair fell to shoulders covered by a long red cloak. Insanity stood out clearly in his features … yet something was familiar about them.
"Shemei, you are failing your task!" The man spoke, his voice tight.
"I'm sorry!" Layan replied, "I'm trying but he keeps it very close to him at all times!"
"If you do not get that millennium item then I shall easily replace you and dispose of you!" spat the man, grabbing hold of Layan's arms and holding her tightly in his grip; she could feel his nails digging into her arms.
"It is your mission to get the puzzle while I focus on the other six."
"His six guardian's keep them on them at all times though!" Layan said, as she struggled to free herself from his tight grip. She twisted beneath his strong hold, her arms slowly becoming numb.
"I have a plan," The man hissed, and he let go of her and flexed his left arm, on which a strange device was. It was golden.
"You stole that!" Layan gasped, rubbing her own arms as she eyed the golden device on his left arm.
"So what, I'm a grave-robber," the man laughed a deep, husky laugh, the tint of hysteria evident in his tone.
Then the image changed again.
This time she was sitting just beyond the palace gates, outside of them. She was resting her head on her knees, crying. Although it was a memory, Layan could feel the sorrow and the despair surge through her as she cried into her long white dress, her tears soaking into the fabric. Her body shook as the tears spilled down and upon her knees. Then she felt a firm hand on her shoulder. Layan flinched, terrified it was him, terrified he would keep his word and kill her.
But a different voice spoke instead.
"Girl, get up,"
Layan looked up into the concerned face of the Pharaoh. The long blonde streaks which fell into his pointed face were blowing about in the wind, as was his long dark blue cloak.
He helped Layan get to her feet, taking her wrists and pulling her up until she was standing before him. He looked at her, concern etched upon his pointed features as he held her wrists together in both of his hands.
"Why do you cry?" he asked her, the lines creasing more upon his tanned forehead as he frowned. She turned her head away from him and bit her lip. He let her hands fall from his own.
Layan wiped her eyes on the backs of her hand and sniffed.
"Why do you speak to me so calmly, so kindly?" She asked him in return, once she had regained her cool, "When you know why I am here, what I have been trying to do,"
"Because I feel pity for you," replied the Pharaoh, he had folded his toned arms across his chest. "I know you have been forced to do this, I know that you are a better person,"
"No, I am not," said Layan, shaking her head, "I am full of evil, Pharaoh, full of dark magic,"
"I cannot believe that, Shemei," the Pharaoh half smiled, raising one side of his mouth in a crooked smile. At the sound of her name, Layan looked into his deep red eyes, "Magic, yes, but it is certainly not dark, it is just the way you have been raised."
Layan stared into his deep red eyes, taking in his face. His features were sharp and harsh, yet he had a soft look about him too. As though there was a much gentler side to him beneath all the harshness and the anger and the confidence. She took in his crooked smile, and her heart fluttered at how amazingly perfect he suddenly was to her. She had seen him so many times, looking so majestic upon his horse as he rode through the valley below, looking so important as he stood upon his balcony and spoke to the people, Layan had known him so long, yet she had never seriously thought about him. He was gorgeous.
"Come inside, it looks set to rain," said the Pharaoh gently, looking up at the grey sky as Layan nodded and wiped her eyes again.
Then it changed again, and Layan was sat in the throne room with the Pharaoh. It was large and golden, with a table in the middle. The Pharaoh's throne sat on a raised platform. People were bustling around, many of them the Pharaoh's guardians. A man, who was carrying a golden key, was eyeing Layan suspiciously.
"You have been good company to me these past few weeks, Shemei," the Pharaoh said, he was sat in his throne, while Layan sat lower down at the table.
"And you have to me too, Pharaoh," Layan replied, "You have been a great comfort,"
The Pharaoh smiled and glanced over at the man in the corner. A younger woman had now approached him and had began speaking to him rapidly and in whispers. He had been forced to take his eyes from Layan and listen to her intently, his grip tightening upon the key in his hand.
"Where does Bakura think you are, Shemei?" Pharaoh asked her, and Layan saw both the man and woman in the far corner stop abruptly and glance over, before starting their conversation again.
"He knows I am here with you," said Layan, "Though he thinks I am working on his side to get the items,"
"And you are not?" the Pharaoh now frowned. He had been sitting back in his throne, though now he leant forward and held onto the sides.
Another man who had entered the room had stopped to listen in now.
"No," Layan said softly, lowering her voice so it was harder for people to listen in. She wanted to go over and stand beside the Pharaoh, but she didn't think they were quite close enough for that. After all, he was still the Pharaoh. "I have changed, being with you, it has changed my views now, I realise there is more for me to do," she looked up at the Pharaoh who still looked sceptical, "Do you not trust me, Pharaoh?"
After a pause, he spoke.
"Yes, Shemei, I do trust you. I can see you are now a much more honest person, I knew you were never one for the dark side."
Layan smiled, then the Pharaoh stood up and made his way down to Layan, who stood up also.
"I think we ought to dress for dinner now, Shemei," He smiled as he stopped in front of her. The man had now gone over to speak to the other man and young woman.
"Yes, Pharaoh," Layan nodded,
"Shemei," He said slowly, "Call me Atem, Pharaoh is too impersonal," then he lightly kissed her hand and then left the room, his long cloak billowing behind him, leaving Layan to gaze after him, wondering what he could of meant by that last phrase, as the others in the room watched him exit, looks of concern and a mixture of shock upon their faces.
Then everything changed once more.
Layan was now crying to Atem in a much smaller, darker room. It seemed to Layan that it was the middle of the night.
"I'm scared Bakura will find me, Atem!" she sobbed, "He will kill me if he knows I am not here to do his bidding!"
"Do not fear, Shemei," Atem soothed, and he took her into his muscular arms and held her close. Layan could smell him, feel his bare chest against her as he held her, "Nothing will harm you, I promise," his voice had taken on a fierce tone now.
"Atem, you're the only thing that makes sense to me right now," Layan sighed against him, "The only thing I have that makes me smile, without you, I would still be lost within my darkness,"
The Pharaoh cupped Layan's chin and lifted her head up to look at her face.
"You're safe now," he smiled.
And she felt very safe, wrapped warm in his arms. She looked up into those dark eyes, and they seemed to thaw under her gaze, they became softer and he smiled down at her. Her head suddenly became clouded with emotion and she bit her lip.
Then Atem leant down as Layan tilted her head towards him; his lips pressed onto hers; the two of them embraced and he kissed her.
This was the first time that Atem and Shemei, as Layan now knew that that was who she had once been, had kissed. She ran her hands down his chest, and her hand slightly brushed the millennium puzzle he was still wearing around his neck. Atem stroked her cheek as he kissed her and Layan wrapped her arms around his waist, forgetting all about the puzzle as she allowed him to enter her mouth with his tongue and take her to a whole new place in her mind.
Then the images changed once again, this time she was in what seemed to be a bedroom. A large four poster bed was behind her as she sat with her back to it, the floor was stone and sheets of pink and red Egyptian cotton were draped across the walls. The floor was raised in the corner and pillows lay scattered on it. A door was open to her left which led into a bathroom, a large pool in the floor could be seen glinting beyond the door. Laying behind her on the bed was Atem, while she sat on the floor playing with petals from roses that were scattered about her.
"Why don't you come here?" Atem said, as she threw the petals in the air and watched them fall very slowly to the ground.
"Why wont you say it?" Layan asked him, smiling to herself but not turning around.
"Because it doesn't need to be said," Atem replied, "But you need to come here,"
"No, I need to practice my skills," Layan smiled, "They have become rusty," she raised her hands and the petals gently coiled and floated upwards in front of her face, spiralling.
"Ahh, I can teach you things you have never dreamed of, Shemei," Atem replied, his voice husky and mysterious.
Layan laughed and the petals fell.
"Oh, I'm sure you have taught me all I need to know for now, Atem," she turned round to look at him, he was laying back on the bed, the golden bands he wore around his upper arms and wrists glinting slightly in the light the candles were throwing onto them.
"Still, come here," he smiled. Layan stood up and leant over the bed.
"Say it first," she grinned,
"Come here first," Atem grinned back,
"Ahh, say it first and you can have me for as long as you need," She teased.
Atem tilted his head making the headband he wore, in which the millennium eye was engraved, glint in the light. He seemed to be thinking the offer through, and his thoughts had clearly made his eyes glint wickedly.
"No," Atem smiled at last, laying his head back, "Here, first,"
Layan laughed and climbed on to the bed, then leant back on her knees, placing her hands on her thighs, tracing the pattern on her red dress.
"I am your Pharaoh, you must do as I say," Atem grinned, "Now, I order you to come here,"
"Fine, your highness," Layan smiled, then she very slowly crawled up to where Atem was laying back, as he watched her intently, gazing at her body as she made her way over to him. He then propped himself up onto his elbows and shifted his body weight on to one arm so he could raise the other to push Layan's hair out of her face.
"You can have me if you say it," Layan smiled,
Atem sighed.
"Fine." he smiled, "Shemei, I love you."
"I love you too Atem" Layan sighed, then she finally leant down and let Atem kiss her. He gently pushed her onto her back and moved his hands to the tie around her middle, which he undone as he kissed her.
Layan opened her eyes, she was now looking up at her bedroom ceiling. She sat up and saw Chio looking worried, with Yugi standing next to her. Layan rubbed her eyes.
"I called for Yugi," Chio said, sounding anxious, she was fiddling with her apron skirt. "I heard a crash and found you out cold on the floor, you were muttering and fidgeting,"
"How long have I been out for?" Layan groaned, putting her hand to her now throbbing head.
"About an hour!" Chio said, "I was getting really scared, me and Yugi were just contemplating calling an ambulance or something when you came to,"
"Was it a flashback?" Yugi asked eagerly, "A memory?"
"Yes," Layan nodded. "I'm Shemei, I believe I was sent to steal the millennium item's from the Pharaoh but - "
"But what?" Yugi frowned, and Layan closed her eyes and rubbed her pounding head.
"But, we fell in love," Layan said very slowly, remembering the last memory. Her stomach flipped as she remembered it. She almost didn't even notice the shock on both Yugi and Chio's face as she remembered his touch, his lips, his body….
Bit of a back story beginning O:
^.^ 3