A/N: I'm back again. As of now, the current time is 3:26 AM and yes, I slept for the night—okay for three hours but hey, I had to study for our exams later. And I got bored. Again. So here I am, writing the next chapter. As promised there will be something revealed in this chapter, I'll let you guess.
Once again, I would like to thank the people who reviewed the previous chapters, you guys know who you are.
Thanks again.
Chapter 6: A Shed of Light
"Atemu, wake up…"
"I'm still sleepy… can't I wake up later?"
"You have to get up. The ceremonies start today, remember?"
"By Ra, I have forgotten!" With the grace of a cat, Atemu sat upright, uncaring if he looked like an impish 8-year old as he raced for the bathing chambers. No need to wake up the servants. Come to think of it, it would be wise not to wake them up at this ungodly hour, he thought.
Seth chuckled at the other and followed, a smile gracing his face. Suffice to say, if someone found them at that time, he wouldn't believe the great feared High Priest was actually smiling. Chances like these, however, are unlikely to happen.
He entered the bathing chamber just in time for Atemu to get in the water. Big mistake. The sooner he neared his cousin, Atemu grinned mischievously and yanked him downwards towards the water.
"Atemu!" he cried as he gasped for air, glaring dangerously at his laughing pharaoh of a cousin.
"You should have seen your face, Seth! It was hilarious!" Atemu chuckled.
Seth 'hmphed' and ignored the other as he discarded his now wet clothes and proceeded into taking another bath. Atemu stared at him idly, wondering if he went pass the line. "Seth?" he asked uncertainly.
"What is it, Atemu?" Seth answered; his voice cool and unnerving. Atemu had to strain himself from flinching visibly at the tone of voice. So he had. Without any second thoughts, the pharaoh neared his priest and embraced him fiercely.
Seth, taken aback by the sudden display of affection, stared at the tri-haired boy, "Atemu, is something wrong?" he asked. Atemu buried his face on the other's chest and mumbled incoherently that the priest didn't understand any word that he said.
"What were you saying? I can't understand," Seth said.
Atemu looked up, crimson eyes wide with slight fear and confusion, "Please don't be mad at me, Seth. I was only playing a prank on you, I'm sorry," he breathed all in one gulp of air, which, of course, amazed his taller and older cousin. Atemu always looked so adorable when he does that.
Seth smiled down affectionately at his cousin before swooping down for a quick kiss, "No need to apologize, Atemu. I'm not mad at you," he said once the kiss ended. Atemu looked up at him in confusion, "What—?"
Seth shook his head in amusement and smirked, "Would you really think that I lose easily?" he asked. Atemu's eyebrows furrowed and he shook his head, "No. If that's the case then you would have lost to me whenever I play a trick on you."
"That's the point," Seth answered and kissed the other again, "Now, let's take a bath, shall we?"
Atemu stared at his cousin in half-amazement and half-shock. If Seth was like this before, he wouldn't blame himself for falling head over heels for him. Seth was so… caring and thoughtful. Why did he notice it just now?
The pharaoh had to contain a small smile as he watched his cousin. It would be an honor, all right, damn their ranks.
XXX
The opening ceremonies were a success, as usual, and proceeded to the main festival itself. Of course no one noticed the pharaoh slightly frowning in annoyance. He didn't want a huge festival just for his begetting day. So he was born at that day, what's the big deal?
And yet, when he looked at his people rejoicing, celebrating as if there was no threat, his frown disappeared. Festivals like this take people's mind away from danger even for a while. To relax and have fun, he supposed.
Standing up and creeping away ever so quietly, he sneaked back to the hallway, away from the people. He yelped, however, when someone pulled him backwards into a room.
XXX
Seth scowled at the sight of the throne. Where was Atemu? He should be there; he was, after all, the celebrant. Something was wrong here, he could feel it.
Following instincts, he left the room and went to look for his cousin. The assassin was still out there, who knows if he decides to return and hunt down his pharaoh?
XXX
Atemu tensed as his hands were bound behind his back, his vision stripped of him with the blindfold in his eyes. At first he thought it was his cousin, playing a prank on him as a payback for earlier but the voice confirmed his false thoughts.
"I've been waiting a long time for an opportunity like this," the voice said. If possible, Atemu seemed to tense even more. He knew that voice.
"What do you want, Ranmen?" he asked, trying to steady his voice and pretend he was doing all right.
Ranmen chuckled before ordering Rabelais to force the pharaoh to sit down. "You should know that by now, dear Atemu," Ranmen said, walking towards the seated monarch.
"I told you before and I'm telling you now, I do not and will not ever have feelings for you," Atemu growled, "Let me go this instance!"
The pharaoh had to calm himself, refusing to panic when he couldn't call on his, any monster to defend him. What was going on? It seemed as if the room was—
"Defenseless, Atemu? That's a pity," Ranmen mocked, "It would be an unnerving sight: the pharaoh calling for aid that was unheeded. How pitiful."
"If you have nothing important to say, then shut up, Ranmen," Atemu answered with all the courage he could muster at his vulnerable state. Before he knew it though, he was hoisted upwards and thrown to… a soft mattress?
Wha—? Was Ranmen insane? Of course he was. But would he really—
"I would have granted you the pleasure of being able to see what I'm going to do to you, my Atemu, but since you've been rather rude to me, I don't think you deserved that gift," Ranmen said as he pinned the pharaoh to the mattress.
Atemu struggled, fear claiming him, and he struggled even harder. "Let me go, Ranmen!" he shouted, uncaring if it would hint of his fear.
"Why?" Ranmen asked, "So you can leave me again? I don't think so."
"Leave you? I never did such a thing. You were the one who left at that time. 'I have to go' wasn't that your words before?" Atemu spat.
"And now I'm giving you a chance to become my lover and you still protest," Ranmen fought back, pinning tightly the monarch's arms to restrain movement.
"I never wanted to be intimate with you! I thought you understand that, now I know I was wrong," Atemu answered, panicking.
"So you sought out the priest instead?" Ranmen accused.
Atemu glared at the other, "I will love the person I choose to love. And as it turns out, he fits in that description, not you," he defended.
Ranmen narrowed his eyes, restraining himself from his anger as his eyes turned darker at the sight of the other. Of course he knew he could just take him there, but if Atemu thought he was out of his mind, no way would he endanger himself.
"Then I would just have to make sure he never gets you," he whispered in the other's ear, hearing the other gasp. "What do you mean?" Atemu asked.
"I have my ways and I won't tell you," Ranmen said again before standing up, hearing voices from outside. Rabelais looked at his master, asking what must be done before proceeding to block the door just enough to buy them some time.
Atemu, realizing the weight was off him, stood up, uncaring if he was blindfolded and bound. Before he knew it, Ranmen yanked him into a brutal kiss before whispering, "I will have you sooner or later. Remember, this is only the beginning of the jaguar's exploits," he whispered and left.
Atemu gasped, his knees seemed to buckle and collapse. Two arms encircled his weight and pulled him closer to another. Caught surprised, he cried out in fear.
"Atemu, what's wrong?" Seth asked, removing the bind on the other's hands and the blindfold. The pharaoh sighed in relief as the blindfold was relieved from him; turning around, he saw his cousin staring at him in concern.
"I'm sorry, I thought…" he faltered, remembering Ranmen's words.
"Atemu?"
"Promise me, whatever happens, you will never die on me?" Atemu asked, his voice serious to leave out any objections. Seth stared at him first in confusion, then to understanding. Whatever happened there, he knew had shaken his cousin badly.
"I promise," Seth said, "I'll never leave you."
Atemu smiled and embraced his cousin tightly, "Thank you, Seth," he replied, burying his face on the other's chest, just enough to hide his tears. He never felt so afraid ever. And how he hated Ranmen for eliciting something like that on him.
'You'll never get what you want, Ranmen. Not even when I die,' he thought to himself. It was a promise; and like all promises, time would eventually tell if it would be broken or not.